Chapter 134

“Truth is, through the first knot of the thread that was cut a hundred years ago, I saw another version of you.”

“–What?”

Artemis, who had always maintained a calm and composed demeanor, showed confusion on her face for the first time.

But that expression only lasted a moment.

Much like how a cheerful actress cries on cue at the director’s signal,

I switched my expression to one of innocent bewilderment as if I knew nothing.

“What are you talking about? The thread of fate guarded by the Moirai sisters ended up going to another dimension through a total eclipse, right?”

With impeccable logic, Artemis took a rather defensive stance.

It was as if she was telling me to prove anything beyond this.

Well, it’s not impossible.

I just think her changing expressions are cute and lovable.

“I’d like to confirm the seventh reward first, though…”

“What is it?”

“Simple. Let’s go back to the Storm Road together. Let’s find a way to fix Clotho’s eyes there.”

“…No.”

Regarding the content of the reward, she hesitated for a few seconds before answering with a denial.

Certainly, for humans, an eye injury is fatal.

Because it’s nearly impossible to recover.

But I thought that since she’s a god, perhaps there might be a way…

However, the result didn’t change much.

“…So, there’s no medicine? I thought about consulting Apollo about Clotho’s condition.”

“Hmph! We already sent her medicine through my brother and sister a long time ago.”

“Eh? You sent her medicine?”

“That’s right. But if she’s still blind, then there’s nothing more we can do.”

…

Meaning, the medicine was sent, but no one had personally checked on it.

The inference is clear: Clotho received and used the medicine, but it was ineffective.

But the point is, no one checked on her personally.

“Then let’s take that medicine along.”

“It’s useless, I told you!”

“Even if it’s useless, we must at least take some minimum action to address the oversight.”

Artemis stopped Clotho from going blind.

Given her character, she’d never apologize, but she should at least make an effort to assist her inconvenience.

“Fine. Let’s just say I’ll waste a day or so.”

“Thanks.”

“Nonsense. Thanks to you, I lost a reward. But hey, that’s good for me, hehehehahaha! Alright, tell me. What do you mean you saw another version of me?”

Artemis, who had challenged me to bring forth evidence for my claim, stood firmly against me.

I gazed directly at her, placed my hand on my chest, sighed heavily, and eventually opened my mouth slowly.

“Artemis, you thought you only showed me the situation from the Storm Road a hundred years ago, but my dream went even further.”

“Further?”

“Yeah. Another hundred years later, the time when I transferred here.”

“So? It’s just that, after transferring, you saw and felt the new place here again, right? Why? You seem to have learned something new by seeing my form from two years ago in your dream world?”

With one corner of her mouth slightly raised, Artemis smirked mockingly.

It seemed as though she was completely unaware that Clotho had been involved through the first knot of fate.

Well, all the better.

The shock is going to be amplified.

“Artemis, you like novels, right? Especially the trendy ‘Funeral Home Six-Legged Wolf’ series.”

“Uh. There’s probably no Olympian who hasn’t read that, right? But most importantly…”

Artemis paused briefly, narrowing her eyes.

Then she turned to me with her sharp, wild canine teeth exposed and continued:

“Arc, because you had pre-purchased the new fourth volume, I ended up swearing on the River Styx that I’d grant you a wish.”

Artemis glowered at me with hostile eyes.

But I simply closed my eyes calmly, brushing off her fabricated animosity.

I now understood the truth,

What misunderstandings had piled up,

And the emotions we both felt.

Now that I see everything clearly,

[I no longer look to fabricated fantasies.]

“Artemis, what’s the perspective of that novel?”

“…Perspective?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh… third person, of course. Why?”

“What I saw in the world of my dream two years ago was also in third person. An omniscient point of view.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous nonsense!”

If I kept it within reasonable limits, she might have doubted me.

Even I struggled to believe the words I had just spoken, so I perfectly understood her irritation.

But what could I do?

In the dream world where I’ve merged, what I saw and heard…

were your thoughts and feelings, Artemis.

Our gazes kept crossing.

As if her neck was heated by the bombshell statement, her neck turned slightly red, and her pupils darted busily as she tried to pierce through my intentions.

However, soon enough, like a car running out of fuel, her busy eyes began to slow down, lost direction, and finally looked down to the floor.

Gulp, Gulp!

Suddenly, Artemis seemed to have a burning throat as she downed the wine in one gulp, just as I had done moments ago.

Bang!

She forcefully slammed the wine glass down with such strength that cracks appeared on its bottom.

“Proof!”

“Huh?”

“Show me the proof! What did you see from two years ago? Show me the proof!”

“Hmm… When I was publicly humiliated in the central square, you removed Katina and said, ‘Purity is not a weapon, it’s a belief,’ right?”

“Well, back then, we were all flailing around, but you were there too!”

“Ah… should I even say this?”

The evidence was abundant.

But it felt a little awkward and embarrassing to say it aloud.

The insight Clotho showed me about Artemis’ heart was akin to this:

“Hey, do you know? Minji likes you! And you like Minji too! Perfect!”

Much like someone who loves to intervene in other people’s affairs, their approach left me with no sense of having achieved anything on my own.

But now, having exposed everything, I have resolved to alter my perspective.

Artemis and I are on slightly different trajectories!

The truth Clover revealed wasn’t just Artemis’ inner feelings, but the reality blocked by a wall.

It’s like breathing onto two ships on the vast sea, showing them the direction they should sail towards.

Now, it’s up to the two ships to raise their sails or not.

Just because someone helped doesn’t mean the protagonist or the heroine changes automatically.

“Artemis, after evaluating my retaliation against Katina as impressive, you’ve carried feelings of fondness towards me.”

“Wha, wha-wa-wa-wa, what nonsense is this? Why are you cool?”

I ignored her flailing and resolved to confess everything.

“Since you didn’t know what to do with your growing feelings, you went to see Clotho.”

“…You…?”

“I thought that since I’ll eventually return, it was the right thing to remove that fondness. But isn’t it the truth that you can’t suppress it, no matter what?”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh, how do you know that? I only showed you the events from the Storm Road… Wh-what is this!?”

As the truths spilled out of my mouth, the ones she believed impossible to reveal, she shook her head in disbelief.

Unable to hide her trembling pupils, she continued to step backward.

Artemis regained her senses after stumbling over the sofa.

I blocked her retreat, cornering her.

This,

This is the only chance.

While she’s confused, let’s confess again.

They say no tree resists ten attempts.

And this is only my third.

I took a deep breath and once again knocked on the wall of her heart.

“Artemis! Don’t suppress your feelings. I feel the same way. The moment I first saw you—”

“EEEYAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!!! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UUUUUUUPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!”

Artemis screamed to drown out my confession of true feelings.

She covered her ears with her palms, emitting a high-pitched, dolphin-like scream that tried to erase my voice.

But it was all within my expectations.

If she planned to retreat to this extent, I wouldn’t have started in the first place.

“ARTEMISUUUUUUU!!!!!!”

I called her name louder than her scream, wrapping it in the warmth of a winter quilt.

“Ever since I first saw you, I’ve kept you in my heart!!! WILL YOU OFFICIALLY GO OUT WITH MEEEE!!!!!!!!”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!”

As my voice penetrated her palms, Artemis nearly went into shock.

Falling into complete panic, she violently tore off her crescent moon earrings.

“What… what…!”

Blood flowed from her earlobes as I rushed to her,

And she threw the crescent moon earrings at me.

Catching her earrings effortlessly with both hands,

Beeep,

Beeeep,

Beep,

Beep, Beep, Beep…

The earrings began blinking white like a time bomb, beeping faster and faster.

“Huh? Hey… Artemis, i-is this… really?!”

“Yes, it’s that thing!!!”

Whoosh! Boom!

“EEK!!!”

Her crescent moon earrings exploded.

The room was filled with blinding white light, temporarily blinding me.

At the same time, the ringing in my ears felt like cicadas, causing me to stumble and fall.

Taking this opportunity, Artemis quickly slipped past me,

“Ha ha ha ha ha! Whatever, you foolish priest! Flashbangs aren’t only your tool!”

“I’m not a priest! Even so, wasn’t that… inside this enclosed space… Ahhh!”

“Hmph! The criminal’s lament will take my place!”

“You otaku!!”

The door slammed open and then shut with a bang.

Artemis had escaped.

Dammit, does she think she’s some real thief?!

Copying the exact tactic I used during break time in our dorms.

Annoying, but she got me good.

Still, there has been definite progress compared to the past.

That cutie Artemis,

First, she was startled.

Then she became flustered.

Finally, she escaped because she couldn’t bear it.

When my vision, whitened by the flashbang, returned to normal,

I carefully rubbed my eyes and looked at the firmly closed door that seemed to reject me.

“Haha, ahahahaha. Artemis? A fugitive never finds eternal rest?”

Artemis has clearly decided to keep running, like a tsundere.

Alright, I acknowledge that.

Then I’ll chase her in the yandere style?

Using everything we’ve shared so far, I’ll collide with all my heart.