Since back then, I considered the potential repercussions of my actions on different worlds. I couldn’t simply just disappear without settling the problems I have caused that world, can I?

At the very least, it would go against my beliefs.

In Gekai, I didn’t mind the impact brought by my world’s technology. Rather, I pushed it forward so that it would stand a chance against the Black Dragon—or their own Twilight Syndrome in the far future.

As for this world…

‘Two different factions… and the existence of heroic spirits.’

It seems like I’ll be lending the Mister Schweinorg responsible for this world a hand.

He mentioned that this world was split into two. Two “major” world lines were condensed depending on which will is more advantageous. 

As such, there are two versions of him—a normal Mister Schweinorg and a vampire one.

“...Maintain the peace of this world, you say?”

Vlad III looked at me dubiously before putting it aside.

“The main objective of this grail war is to force the Magi Association to acknowledge the independence of your clan. Is this correct?”

“What are you planning here, Mister Magician?”

It was the leader of Yggdmillennia, Darnic, who questioned me with a flat tone. They are currently the only ones within this throne room.

Of course, Vlad III must’ve placed some trust in me. I could’ve killed them back then, but I didn’t. I merely let everyone go after returning into the physical realm.

“I could, say, ‘force’ the Clocktower Head to tacitly agree to your faction’s existence. I could also restrain the hidden forces of the Tower.” I paused before asking, “You must be familiar with the mysterious Clocktower Marshall.”

I didn’t continue my words but let them think of the implications instead. 

“...Why are you doing this?”

This time, I looked the Ruler of Romania straight in the eyes.

“The world is a much bigger place than you think. There are… things we must uphold even if we get lost. What I am doing is one of them.”

I didn’t mind if Vlad III couldn’t understand the meaning behind my words.

Truly…

Omniscience is a gift that comes with a curse.

After being shown “countless possibilities” present in this world, its future looked far dreary than my Earth.

A world without any future.

That’s how it was… and it should be until something could be changed. Only the singularity world line has enough strength to make such things possible.

“...I see.”

Seemingly seeing something, Vlad III gestured a nod.

“We shall do as you said, knight.”

“...I understand.”

Darnic was caught off guard by the sudden decision, yet he was forced to go along with it.

“Before I depart, I want to meet someone.”

“You mean…”

There are only two people who managed to break through my ‘infinity’. 

Coincidentally, both of them were the basis behind some of the magicka I created.

“I’d like to hear about his perspective about something.”

*****

Vlad III.

He was the Duke of Wallachia, a person of great fame during his time due to his ruthless ways of defending his territory. He was famed for impaling his enemies to death, hence the name “Vlad the Impaler”.

However, he was unfortunate to suffer from historical distortion.

Due to his brutal methods, his story became more distorted as time passed by. It didn’t take long before he became a “vampire” who ate his denizens, thus forming the story behind “Vlad Dracula”.

In a sense, he was one who kickstarted the concept of vampires in the modern era.

Nevertheless, despite these contrasting stories, there was something that he lacked in both:

Humanity.

It wasn’t mentioned in the book as it was merely implied on it. The “anchor” for his slightest bit of humanity were his denizens.

He existed as the strict ruler and the cruel defender for the sake of his people. He was forced to take the mantle of a murderer to defend his country.

‘How ironic it was… To see myself in someone as good as him…’

From their sudden meeting in that battle, Nobu was already dubbed as the “lenient knight” simply due to how he didn’t kill his opponents… when he could.

Now that he came back from “somewhere”, he felt even far more powerful. Vlad IiI had a hunch that he’ll be able to take on all of them without moving from his position.

However, something else was present on him upon his arrival.

A heavy burden.

That was how Vlad III saw himself in Nobu. The latter seems to carry a huge burden on his shoulders.

“If it was him… they might see it.”

*****

“I am surprised you went to find me… Orion.”

“As expected, there’s nothing that could go past your eyes.”

“No, not really. When I saw you for the first time, I doubted whether I saw it right or not.” He explained. “The Orion that I know is a huge guy filled with… let’s say, troublesome love matters.”

“Why?”

“That is… He kept looking for other girls when Artemis was right beside him. That’d be the source between their quarrels… Fun times.”

It is currently the height of noon. The warm air breezed through my face. The surrounding plantations in Yggdmillennia’s garden helped control this unbearable heat, I presume.

“What would you like to hear from me?”

“I would like to show you something.”

A dark bluish aura covered my entire arm. It moved fluidly along it, showcasing a strange aura that shouldn’t appear on this world.

“That is..?”

“Cursed energy. It is the manifestation of negative emotions.”

“So this is it… The strange thing I felt from my arrow.”

There are only three heroic spirits who were able to bypass my ‘infinity’—Karna, Archer, and Chiron.

I thought about how their input might lead to something unexpected when it comes to cursed energy.

“It is quite similar to how Hades used his power… but there’s something unique in it…”

From that moment, our conversation went back and forth on cursed energy. Inadvertently, it revealed that I am not from this world.

“That explains everything. You look more reliable than the Orion I know about.”

Although Chiron was a “demigod” who once gave his divinity to Zeus, his channels of information were wide. Add to that his experiences, that was how Chiron became the “Heroes’ Teacher”.

Despite the omniscience I was able to briefly experience, it all pertained to this world’s dreadful end. Thus, I still needed to find more about the cursed energy as well as the potential it hides. Since Magicka is already in its golden age due to the introduction of the [Modern Magic System], cursed energy should catch up with it.

There are other viable options but they seem less efficient than simply asking Chiron and Karna.

For once, using chances to improve them doesn’t make much sense as there are only two months left until the end comes. I might have a lot of stored miracles, but I should still use them carefully.

“Yes… Their fundamentals differ slightly. It looks like this ‘cursed energy’ is more ‘absolute’ than any curses I have seen. It has the potential to be the key to godhood, but you know it already, no?”

“Yes.”

Just then, a certain key word clicked into my mind.

Godhood.

All this time, I am merely simulating ‘cursed energy’ through my dreamland. I never actually had any of it due to the grail’s protection.

If…

If this protection is unveiled…

…

A world with no future.

It is within the realms of expectation for hope to be amidst despair.

However, such hope could no longer be realized in this world’s end.

Nine Ultimate Ones descended the land, desecrating earth’s corpse along with its sinful inhabitants.

That future was already pinned down.

Within countless parallel worlds, most of them met their end in this manner. The concept of the end felt unmovable just like my world’s.

Two “Endings” faced by a single person…

Granted, there’ll be a time when a sacrifice has to be done.

Until then…

…

A split second.

That was all it took for me to lose control.

The world turned dark. My hastily created dreamland could barely keep up with its spread.

I didn’t hesitate to pull out [Infinite Conversion]. With it opened, I was able to contain the pressure generated by this “sensation”.

“Cursed energy…”

Fifteen Iterations.

Fifteen Deaths.

Factoring that I was facing the “end” straightforwardly, there wasn’t any surprise when my potential cursed energy reserves overflowed.

No sorcerer was able to experience a “true death”, after all. The feeling of your senses failing one by one without any means of backup such as cursed items…

The solace and despair I felt was nothing short of it.

Of course, the thing that made it the most absurd was the brief omniscience I felt. The sight of countless destroyed worlds took a toll in my mind.

Strangely enough, I felt lighter than before.

“So this is it…”

Bzzt-!

The cursed energy ‘peaked’ at the tip of my finger. It caused a sonic boom to occur in front of me.

I was able to use the advanced cursed manipulation method, [Black Flash], in a single try.

Upon experiencing it, I focused on the ‘sensation’ within me. My ‘instincts’ told me it serves as my ‘unique cursed technique’.

Its name…

‘Quantum State Control..?’

I am familiar with these words.

Quantum states generally refer to the ‘mathematical system’ used within quantum mechanics. It is a generalized term that covers most of quantum mechanics.

However, it doesn’t look as simple as it seems.

‘You are kidding me… Quantum States… Vector… no, Hillbert Spaces… The Dirac Sea… What the hell..?’

To show its ridiculousness, the Dirac Sea, a model used to explain general and specific theories of quantum mechanics, is an infinite sea of positrons within an electron vacuum. It doesn’t actually mean “infinite energy” per se, but rather the representation of unbounded “energies at negative states”.

In a sense, cursed energy becomes far more complex.

Still, the main focus of this ability lies in the Hillbert Spaces.

In the most simple way, Hillbert Spaces represent the “possibilities” that appear during the present. These possibilities exist in a special dimension until they are fulfilled.

In short, there’s a chance I could manifest those ‘enclosed’ possibilities in reality.

‘What the…’

It took a while to snap away from my current state. Realizing that I must’ve disappeared out of nowhere in Mister Chiron’s eyes, I hastily resolved everything within the dreamland. 

“...You feel even stronger than before.”

“Ahem… I realized something with your words. It’s just that… I didn’t expect it’d go that way.”

Soon, our talks strangely shifted into love-related matters.

*****

“You… are not Orion.”

“I apologize about this matter, La… Miss Atalante.”

After visiting Yggdmillennia, I decided to visit the Red Faction’s base.

Unsurprisingly, the first person I met was Atalante on watch duty.

“There’s something familiar… Did you talk to the goddess?”

“Artemis? Yes. I had to settle some matters on the other side.”

“...Alright. If she wasn’t hostile to you, I have no reason to be.”

“If that’s the case, I shall start with a proper introduction.”

I made a slight bow as I spoke:

“I am Akasaka Nobu, a magician hailing from another world. I am known by some as Orion… and yes, I am currently in a relationship with my Artemis.”

“The last part… why do I feel something ominous about it? You don’t look like that guy at all…”

Well…

Atalante… 

The Lante of this world…

Looks can truly be deceiving.

“I would like to talk with your current master, Amakusa Tokisada Shirou.”

*****

In a certain world line.

“Kishi…” (A knight…)

There is a girl born differently from others. She could perceive what others couldn’t. She could learn something others may take an eternity to learn. She has something others would kill for.

The guidance of the truth.

“Kishi-nii defied all odds…”

With her own eyes, she saw the story of a knight—how he struggled, how he bled, but most importantly, how he defeated the “end” itself.

Even she could not guarantee winning against such an entity. Not her nor the four other “guys” floating somewhere in the void.

He fought straightforwardly against the end and won.

Despite knowing his future, he would still do it.

Such conviction—

“A person like him…”

—lit the fire within Manaka Sajou’s heart.