New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (1/2 chapter)
Prologue: Reincarnation
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This story is a continuation of Chapter 35.1 – Aldridge (2).
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(POV switch – Isaiah)
—About twenty years ago—
The Gala Ruins, an ancient site near the water city of Dali Amor, where religious rituals were once said to have taken place. I, Isaiah Aldridge, had come to assist with the research of these ruins.
Am I really Isaiah Aldridge? For some reason, I have been experiencing déjà vu, being called various names like Jack, Lost, and Jackness Abutinitinist in a daydream. What the hell is “Tinitinist”…?
Suddenly, these daydreams (images) surged forth.
I feel like I saved the children of some town from the hands of kidnappers. I also feel like I led adventurers to crush the schemes of an evil archmage.
For some reason, I feel that there is a heroic version of myself existing somewhere. hat is this intrusive daydream? Could it be some kind of illness? This is bad, when I return to the magic university, I should have an excellent healer check it out through my connections.
No, well, it’s not the time for that right now. I am in a pinch. What kind of pinch? It just so happened that during a field survey with an ethnology research team, I inadvertently stumbled upon a hidden area of the ruins, and it seems that this area is at the very core of the ruins…
“—I am the very origin of the evil that has derived from the root—”
This strange voice has been directly speaking to my head since earlier. The origin of evil… which means, I am a magician diligently studying at the magic university and currently training to become the legitimate successor of the prestigious Aldridge Household. So, I understand. This existence that is speaking to me is precisely an otherworldly being, namely, a being called a God.
“Hey, Isaiah-kun… are you okay?” (Linda)
My colleague, Linda Mayley, looked at me with a worried expression. She was always bright and positive, and her exposed thighs were sexy. Her soft skin, fidgeting with worry, was wonderful.
After all, women’s thighs are amazing. What am I saying… This is the situation I’m in. Get a grip! Focus on taking a good look at those thighs… No, no! You should be following the example of the heroic Jack you saw in the daydream!
I shook my head and once again focused my gaze on the massive corpse (mummy).
I felt that the voice echoing was coming from that skeleton.
It’s no wonder Linda is anxious after witnessing something like that. I am the strongest in terms of mana ability, and if I were to lose my composure here, it would be frightening for her to lose someone she could rely on.
And then I glanced at another person, Misha Kreiswift. She too was trembling with anxiety.
Though she was said to be a duke’s daughter from a western country, she had been honing her skills as a magician at the magic university, attending diligently to be recognized by her family. We had many things in common. She was probably scared that her everyday life was about to be taken away from her too.
“—That power, you who trace the lineage of Emped…—”
“What did you say?” (Linda)
“I, I heard something!” (Misha)
“I heard it too…!” (Linda)
The other two began to react to the voice. I felt that the distorted mana was intensifying.
This aura is neither hostile nor friendly, but rather an instinctual pleasure seems to be rising. My ability to detect mana was sensing dangerous signals from that existence’s calm yet passionate power.
It is certainly sacred… yet evil. It resembles that of an evil god.
“—Welcome. The causality I devised is functioning normally…—”
The being repeated its monotonous words like a broken tin doll. With each iteration, I could feel that being’s way of speaking becoming more fluent. Unable to endure the bottomless fear, I put on a brave front. I put on a brave front.
“What the hell… What is your purpose?! What is the origin of evil?! Are you a god?!” (Isaiah)
“—A god… once called a goddess. I am Kea…—”
“Isaiah-kun, stop it… It’s scary.” (Misha)
Next to me, Misha clung to my arm, unable to hold back anymore. At that moment, I regained a bit of my composure.
It’s true that provoking it is not wise. We are intruders here. This existence that speaks directly to my mind may be trying to eliminate us intruders. No, this existence is rather the opposite.
It welcomed us warmly. I somehow understood that. Perhaps because Misha reacted by snuggling up to me, the being claiming to be a goddess continued with a bizarre statement.
“—The feelings of love between men and women… Misha Kreiswift, I shall grant you a wish in return for your arrival—” (Kea)
“Huh?” (Misha)
The lack of coherence since earlier was too much. Suddenly, Misha’s name came up.
I’m even unsure if it understands our language.
Linda also had a question mark floating above her head.
“What do you mean… a wish in return for what?” (Misha)
“I don’t understand. Grant a wish?” (Linda)
Because the remarks were so outlandish, our tension gradually began to ease. However, the goddess’s words were far too mystical and powerful to be taken lightly. At this moment, the three of us should have reflected on how our awareness was thin and our vigilance was lacking.
“—You are a descendant of Emped Ridge, who seeks control over time, that is, the event horizon—” (Kea)
“Emped Ridge?” (Isaiah)
“—Isaiah Aldridge, your wish is the embodiment of time magic… is it not?—” (Kea)
Suddenly, I was startled to hear my name called.
Does the goddess even see names? However, that prophecy was spot on.
“Yes. I am researching time magic. By the way, I don’t know who this Emped is, and there’s no one by the name Ridge in my relatives.” (Isaiah)
I answered firmly.
It’s better to be dignified in front of such a bizarre existence. After all, there’s no point in cowering. Moreover, I still do not feel any hostility. What I sense from the Goddess was only joy and affection.
“—Then, Linda Mayley, your wish is… the fulfillment of curiosity, is it not?—” (Kea)
Next, Linda’s name was called as well.
Fulfillment of curiosity… the words directed at her were very abstract. Linda also completely lost her sense of vigilance and frowned at the nonsensical string of words. However, she spoke up cheerfully, as if it were a playful exchange with a classmate. It seemed like she was excited about the unknown communication.
“I don’t have a particular wish~. If I had to say, I’d want to have fun!” (Linda)
Is that wish equivalent to the fulfillment of curiosity?
Though Linda’s eyes sparkled, this exchange felt dangerously foreboding.
“—I accept that wish.—” (Kea)
After a brief pause, those words were declared.
“—As the price for bending events, I will take from the three of you the past, present, and future, respectively.—” (Kea)
“Eh…?” (Linda)
It was a fleeting moment. A dark red mana was released from that corpse. Red lightning coursed through the cave. Caught off guard by the bizarre turn of events, we were drenched in that mana. The radiated mana clung to our bodies like glue. The intense red lightning dazzled our vision, and we couldn’t comprehend what had happened. There was no pain or suffering. Only the sensation of being entangled remained.
“Kyah…!” (Linda)
With that scream came the sound of something popping. The source of the sound was from Linda. Misha and I immediately turned to Linda. But there was no longer Linda there. Her body was gone, and only what appeared to be her clothing remained.
“What the?! Where did Linda go?” (Isaiah)
At the same time, a “baby” voice echoed in this dim cavern.
“…Huh?!” (Misha)
An existence that shouldn’t be here… the appearance of a baby. That voice, like a newborn’s cry, symbolized the inexplicable phenomenon that had befallen us. The once-benevolent cry that should have been celebrated was now eerily unsettling. As I scanned the surroundings to find the source of that voice, it was quickly found. The baby was crying inside the clothes that Linda had worn. As if it had just been born there.
“Linda…!” (Misha)
Misha rushed towards the baby. The one crying from within the clothes was a baby with the same chestnut-colored hair as Linda.
“Th-that’s… no way!?” (Isaiah)
“—From Linda Mayley, I will take the past. The past is her life until now… I will erase (reset) it once and then fulfill that curiosity for her—” (Kea)
The root cause cruelly proclaimed that.
Don’t mess with me. I can’t make sense of this. You mean to say I should start my life over to fulfill curiosity? You think that’s how you grant a wish?
“Wait, what did you do?! I never agreed to have my wish granted like this! Besides… we didn’t want to realize our wishes in the first place…” (Isaiah)
I poured out my dissatisfaction.
Because there’s no way I could remain calm about this. It’s unreasonable. Even though it’s a wish, it’s not something one wants to obtain at any cost. To have it twisted and granted in such a manner is nothing more than coercion. Moreover, to take away that person’s “time” to fulfill a wish…? What an absurd strong-armed contract.
I expressed my anger and took a step forward.
*…Pashiiin!*
A jolt, like being whipped, surged through my head. That whip entangled my consciousness and forcefully dragged “me” out.
“—Isaiah Aldridge, I will take your present—” (Kea)
My body collapsed on the spot. However, that body felt like someone else’s. I, “me,” was watching my own body fall from a distance.
“Isaiah-kun… Isaiah-kun!!” (Misha)
Misha rushed towards my collapsed body while holding the baby that was once Linda. She desperately shook me, trying to wake me. It seemed she couldn’t see my presence standing beside her.
“—What…—” (Isaiah)
I couldn’t make a sound. Only the consciousness of “me” expressed that “will.”
“—Control over time is a high-dimensional magic… It cannot be embodied without the flow of imaginary blood (mana). Your body is inadequate for it—” (Kea)
“—Huh…? What do you mean—” (Isaiah)
“—I will permanently take Isaiah Aldridge’s body, that is, the present—” (Kea)
The present means the time that flows continuously in the now. I have lost the “present” that continues as long as I can, in the form of my own body. The greater the wish, the greater the price.
A tragic fate. My body was taken by this evil existence. All from casually mentioning a wish.
Damn it…
I struggled to return to my body, but it was becoming increasingly impossible. This means what is commonly referred to as “death”.
Did I die? Can a person die so easily without pain or suffering? No, but…
“—Wait… then when will my wish be granted…—” (Isaiah)
“—You will be reincarnated in a body with high adaptability for that soul… a descendant of the same bloodline—” (Kea)
“—Reincarnation…—” (Isaiah)
“—It will not be a distant future. However, the present is your own present. Once reincarnated… you will become another existence. And you will continue to follow the fate of ‘Nameless’—” (Kea)
Reincarnation is something I’m not familiar with. Moreover, another existence? A fate of being nameless? That means, for me, it’s the same as not having my wish granted.
“Isaiah-kun!!” (Misha)
Wait. The past and present have been taken away. What remains is the future… What will happen to Misha? Will the future be taken from her…?
She was desperately shaking my empty shell, healing me, and crying. She was in despair. Our friend Linda had turned into a baby. I had collapsed.
Could it be that we would not be able to escape this space? Having no future means that Misha will also die, doesn’t it?
“—She has lost her future. The future represents hope, growth, challenges, fate… all those acquired advancements. Her possibilities have been closed off—” (Kea)
“—What did Misha gain by paying that price?—” (Isaiah)
The goddess did not answer.
I simply watched the scene that followed and came to understand.
“Ah, Isaiah-kun?” (Linda)
My former body regained consciousness and sat up.
“Ugh… Ah… Is it now, Isaiah and…?” (??)
“Y-yeah… are you okay?” (Misha)
“Hmm, I feel quite well. No need to worry!” (??)
My body was being used without my consent. It was as if another presence had entered my body that had been vacated. However, Misha was unaware and looked at me with eyes filled with envy and relief.
I’m glad to be alive. I’m happy that a dependable presence has returned.
That gaze conveyed everything.
“Are you okay? Your way of speaking feels a bit strange…” (Misha)
“It seems I hit my head badly. But I feel very well!” (??)
A boisterous manner of speaking. It was a personality far removed from the apathetic boy I used to be.
“—Hey, what is happening to my body?!—” (Isaiah)
“—Emped Ridge takes your present. The vast mana of the same bloodline… has possessed that body. Your present now belongs to Emped Ridge—” (Kea)
To summarize, it means that the soul of this Emped Ridge, who shares blood with me… has entered my body. What the hell is this? It’s absurd. Is my identity being taken away by an ancestor I don’t even know? Who is this Emped? The Aldridge Household is a well-known noble household, and there is a proper record of the family tree, but I have never heard that name before.
“Well, upon closer inspection, you are a beautiful girl.” (Emped)
“Eh… Huh?!” (Misha)
“Wonderful. Such beauty, rare even in Azalea, is truly the child of a flower blooming in modern times.” (Emped)
Moreover, it was making embarrassing remarks freely using my body! Stop it! It’s embarrassing! And Misha also seems to be blushing, not entirely displeased!
“What is your name?” (Emped)
“Huh? Did you forget my name…?” (Misha)
“Hmm, it seems I hit my head badly. I would like to hear your beautiful name from those lovely lips once again.” (Emped)
“Um… yeah… Isaiah-kun, you seem a bit strange. But I’m happy…” (Misha)
With her face flushed, she answered my question with a fluster. I could see it from a third-person perspective.
I sensed Misha’s wish. The feelings of love between men and women… the fulfillment of love. Misha had feelings for me.
It’s ridiculous that I only realize this after my soul has been taken.
“But right now, it’s not the time for that… Linda is… Linda is in this state!” (Misha)
“A baby… in a filthy place like this, there’s a risk of ‘infection’—” (Emped)
“Infection? I’ve never heard that word before… But yes, we need to escape from here!” (Misha)
“I will handle the escape. I am a genius magician!” (Emped)
“…Somehow, Isaiah-kun, you seem strange but dependable.” (Misha)
In a good atmosphere, the two of them attempted to escape from this dim cavern. They were bright and positive about it… Misha was not aware that the existence of “me” had changed completely.
“—Isaiah Aldridge, your wish will be granted in the next life. Control over time is the strongest magic that transcends dimensions. You, who have lost all other mana, will become the strongest magician—” (Kea)
“—But that’s not me anymore, is it—” (Isaiah)
It said I would become another existence. So, in the end, my life is finished here, isn’t it? What kind of wish is this that it grants me?
“—That soul, along with that mana, will belong to Isaiah Aldridge—” (Kea)
With those final words, I felt my consciousness gradually dissipating. It felt as if my body was melting away. I sensed that the soul of “me” was disappearing from this world.
I am frustrated. How dare she say such things. I cannot forgive this goddess. No matter how much the wish is granted, this is far too tyrannical. It is so tyrannical that it seems like there must be some ulterior motive.
What is the aim? Is this being working with that Emped? Or is Emped merely another existence that was forced into reincarnation? I can’t understand anything because I don’t know the background! What will happen to Linda, who has turned into a baby? Even though Misha’s opponent is indeed in my body, that entity is not me. It is another person.
Another person… damn it, I have lost everything. I was working hard to become the successor of Aldridge, and now I am told to start a new life, just like Linda. And while Linda starts as a baby, I don’t even know what kind of person I will be reincarnated as. It’s said to be a descendant, but I don’t even know from which era or branch of the family tree I will come from.
…I hate it. I am frustrated.
However, even that negative emotion was gradually being extinguished. With the flow of time, my will was fading away.
In the next life, will I retain these memories and emotions? Will I remember this frustration? The magic of time control that I will obtain as a price… That power will be used for revenge… against this unreasonable goddess…
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