Chapter 23

── Before the time reversal.

"…It won’t work."

"Why not?"

Prince Leonhardt consulted him, and Shulk, the genius boy living in the magic tower, examined the artifact found in the royal treasure vault. "With this, it will work," they said. Neil Drought brought the matter to Shulk. However, the boy's response was the one at the beginning.

"…Sit down, Mr. Neil."

"Ah, yes."

Despite being just a young child, the boy faced the teacher, who was ten years his senior, with confidence, as if he were an adult.

In the room given to Shulk in the magic tower, without any interference from others, Neil Drought and Shulk sat facing each other on the chairs prepared in the room.

"Why won’t it work? This phrasing invites misunderstanding. Mr. Neil’s theory is perfect. The necessary items are all prepared. Therefore, the [Time Reversal Magic] will succeed."

"…Why are you so sure?"

"– Because it has already succeeded in the ‘future’."

At Shulk’s words, Neil’s eyes widened in shock.

"That means…"

"Yeah. This place, this time, is after the time reversal has already ‘succeeded’. I am the proof."

"…You’ve already repeated time? You have?"

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"Why?"

"Hmm?"

"…Why you?"

"Insurance, maybe. There was a suggestion to erase everyone’s memories. But I thought that was unacceptable. I did, and so did Mr. Neil. You called a halt to it. So, while everyone else forgot, this time I remembered. I think it was the right decision."

The ‘you’ in front of me stopped it?

Neil had no recollection of it. Then, that means…

"The past me… stopped the time reversal that would erase everyone’s memories…"

"Yeah, that’s right."

Why Neil came to the magic tower to meet Shulk.

It was to get Shulk’s cooperation to perform the [Time Reversal Magic].

A magic to rewind time, return to the past with memories intact, and redo life.

…Why seek such magic? Each had their own reasons.

The main reason was the ‘scandal’ of Merk Schrengen.

She caused a ‘problem’ at the ball the night after her engagement to Leonhardt.

It was a ‘false accusation’ of infidelity. Neil didn’t believe it was true.

Neither did Leonhardt and the others.

However, at least in the noble society, it was known as such.

Naturally, a woman who committed infidelity could not become the prince’s wife.

Despite Leonhardt’s efforts, their engagement is said to be on the verge of being dissolved.

Merk had already incurred the king’s displeasure.

"But she’s not the type to do such a thing. …It’s Angelina. She must have set a trap for Merk."

"Hahaha!"

In response to Neil’s serious defense of Merk’s innocence and condemnation of Angelina, Shulk burst out laughing.

"…What?"

"Do you really think it was Lady Angelina?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn’t I hear that Lady Angelina was expelled from the academy and married into a border region? How could someone not in the capital set a trap for Merk?"

"That’s…!"

"Ah, stop, stop. I thought the same at first. It’s unbearable to hear."

Unable to bear Neil’s indignation, Shulk waved his hand to stop the conversation.

"Still, this time it’s Merk’s infidelity. Everyone is taking various actions."

"…Do you know who set Merk up?"

"Hmm. I know, and I don’t know?"

"Which is it?"

"The truth isn’t just one thing. You understand, right, Mr. Neil?"

Neil fell silent, sensing something.

The one who set Merk up wasn’t just one convenient ‘villain’.

Even if the culprit this time was just one person.

"…Tell me. No, please tell me. How many times have you redone it?"

Neil asked a crucial question. Shulk smiled and answered, with a hint of resignation.

"Accurately, I can’t say. But in my current consciousness, it’s the ‘third time’."

"Third…!"

"Yeah. And, Mr. Neil, listen carefully. We have repeated time many, many times."

Neil was speechless at the matter-of-fact revelation.

When you said it wouldn’t work, that’s what you meant. Even if the time reversal magic succeeds, we will repeat our mistakes. We won’t reach a satisfying conclusion. Therefore, we ‘fail’. Not the magic, but our lives.

Neil’s imagination ran wild. It would be easy to deny Shulk’s words.

…But. If he denied Shulk’s words, it would surely lead to an irreparable conclusion.

So, he must not get emotional here.

"…Why? It’s supposed to be a miraculous method. Indeed, theoretically, it should succeed… but there should be uncertain factors."

"You’re right."

"Human minds can’t endure repeated time. So, they reject it. Therefore, there should be limits to time reversal."

"That’s correct. But ‘the opponent was bad’."

"…Opponent?"

"Merk Schrengen. She thinks the repetition of time is ‘natural’. Therefore, she can redo it anytime. That was our big miscalculation."

"…Huh?"

Redo it anytime? Natural? Neil was speechless.

"– Reset. She said that. She laughed. She immediately agreed. She was full of enthusiasm. We should have felt something was wrong with that."

Time reversal requires certain items. Neil and the others had identified them.

One is the artifact stored by the royal family.

This can be prepared with Leonhardt’s cooperation.

One is the ‘Holy Flower’s Magic’ possessed by the previous royal family.

This is inherited by Merk, so as long as she is present, the time reversal magic is possible.

The rest is to derive, complete, and realize the theory of magic.

This was accomplished by Shulk and Neil.

The key is Merk Schrengen.

Even with other elements, time reversal cannot occur without her ‘Holy Flower’s Magic’.

…So, it should have failed due to the limits of her mental endurance.

Yet Shulk says he has repeated it many times.

Because Merk perceives the redoing of time as ‘natural’.

Is such a thing possible? No, before that.

"…Why do we ‘fail’ so many times?"

If they are repeating it, they should be able to handle it better. Neil thought so.

"Umm. We tried various things. Naturally, at first, none of us had any memories. This time is the closest to the ‘beginning’. Everyone except me acted and thought the same as the first time. …What was the result?"

"What kind of result?"

Shulk used magic to pour tea into a cup in the room and placed it in front of Neil. It was delicate magic, showing excellent control. Neil had heard that Shulk tended to lose control of his magic.

"…We all, without any evidence, cornered Lady Angelina. We were infatuated with Merk, gathered together. Even though she only had eyes for Prince Leonhardt, we had strange expectations. It was like a flow, a destiny. If I had stayed away from that group, away from Merk, and looked objectively, it was unbearable to see. …Oh, and Lady Angelina is innocent."

"Ha…"

"I investigated thoroughly. I thought ‘this time it will be different’. I intended to crush her, without being noticed as an enemy. So, I can say with certainty, as a man who was once Merk’s ally."

It was a statement that directly challenged Neil’s values.

"– Lady Angelina is innocent. She did nothing to Merk. The incident at the ball was not her doing."