Published at 26th of December 2025 7:41 am

Chapter 488: Even if Everything Is Erased, There Are Things Here That Cannot Be Erased

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Take care of yourself, then. As long as youre healthy, you can usually manage most things.

Haha, thanks, Mom. Well then

Were off, Auntie Tia said.

Three days after Lukas shocking confession. Turning our backs on Mom, who was waving with a smile, Tia and I left the house. It had been only six months actually, even less, considering how often I was in town for work. Yet, the sense of loss that filled my chest was almost painful.

Tia walked silently beside me. I had told her everything I heard from Luka, but how she processed it was beyond me, an outsider.

We left the village without exchanging words, walking straight ahead. Not in the mood for a carriage ride, we trudged along a deserted path. Suddenly, the thoughts swirling inside me spilled out in words.

Do you think Im cruel?

No. Its sad and lonely, but partings are part of a journey. Besides

Tia paused, then gently reached out to touch my cheek.

How can I blame someone whos shedding the saddest tears? I am the second person in the world who will respect Eds decision.

She smiled, her jade eyes seemingly moist. Was it because my own vision was blurred?

I didnt regret my decision. Even if told it was all a self-orchestrated farce, I wanted to be someone who could face Mom, who had pushed me forward, with pride.

But that didnt mean I felt nothing. Tias fingertips gently wiped away the tears escaping from my eyes.

I wont say You should stay if youre going to cry. Boys move forward even when crying. Fufu, good boy, good boy.

Whats with you, Tia? Youre acting quite mature today.

Of course! Im your big sister, after all.

As we exchanged this trivial conversation, my tears eventually stopped. After reaching town and saying lighter goodbyes to Taruho and the others, we left town once more. With determination, I banished myself from this world.

Condition fulfilled. 10 minutes remaining until return.

That was the grace period we had left in this world. But it was also the time this world had left to exist. In just ten minutes, this world and its inhabitants would vanish.

I took in the surrounding scenery, savoring it. The town was already quite far, and the village where I was born was no longer visible from here.

But I remembered. Not just as stage directions in a record, but as living memories etched within me. Recalling Moms smile, which had become so vivid, I tightly grasped Tias hand and left this world behind.

***

World transfer complete.

Phew.

I exhaled as we arrived in the familiar. Unlike usual, the door to 000 had disappeared from behind me.

The door its really gone, isnt it?

Yeah. Well, Luka told us it would happen.

Luka, huh

At my murmur, Tia furrowed her brow and tilted her head. Since that day when Luka vanished before my eyes, everyone except me had completely lost their memories of him. Not just forgotten, but as if he had never existed in the first place.

So it was a bit difficult to explain, but well, it doesnt matter now.

Uh, sorry, Ed. I dont remember at all.

Its fine. That world, although born from my ideal, was apparently created by Luka. In such a place, its natural that humans wouldnt stand a chance against Gods Apostle.'

Lukas authority had even affected my consciousness and memories. So erasing Tias memories would have been trivial, let alone those of Mom and Taruho, who were his creations.

Perhaps its more unusual that I managed to resist and maintain my memories. Indeed, if I had forgotten everything, I probably would have been banished more easily with a lighter heart.

But in that case Ah.

Tia looked towards the table and let out a small voice. As expected, nothing was there.

Huh? The usual book isnt here?

Nope. Maybe because it wasnt a predetermined world, or because the heros history was fabricated. Dont know the exact conditions, but

The contents of that book, while sometimes showing biased expressions due to the authors intentions, never contained outright lies. But this time, my history as a human who was a hero was almost entirely fabricated.

And as for the future, theres nothing to write since Ive already returned here. Only the six months I spent there were real, but during that time, all I did was enjoy a mundane life with the Demon King. It would be too much of a stretch to call that a heros chronicle.

I see. I was a bit curious about what you usually think about, since that book directly wrote about the heros inner thoughts

Come on, give me a break. If you peeked into my mind youd regret it, you know?

Why? Because youre always thinking about naughty things?

No way! I dont think about that at all Hm?

As I was raising my voice in protest against Tias terrifying imagination, I suddenly heard a small sound like something dropping behind me. I turned around to look, but there was nothing particularly no, was there something?

Ah, Ed! Somethings fallen!

Youre right Whats this?

At the spot where the sound came from where the door to 000 used to be, a small blue ball had fallen. I picked up the object, about the size of my thumbnail, and Tia leaned in to examine it closely.

Wow, its so beautiful! Is it crystal? Or maybe some other kind of gem?

Who knows. But it wasnt here until just now Hmm?

The mysterious ball, with its deep sea-blue waves inside, gave a sense of comfort as if being enveloped by something large when gazed upon. It didnt feel malicious, but that was about all I could tell.

Let me see it too!

Here you go.

At Tias insistence, I handed over the mysterious ball. Tia peered into it with interest and held it up to the light. Theres no sun in this world, so whether it actually became transparent was unclear, but hm?

What do you think? Can you tell anything?

Nope, not at all. But its so beautiful, I kind of want it.

Is that so? Then

I was about to say You can have it, when I felt a strange hesitation within me. As I paused due to this unexplained intuition, Tia, unaware, pressed the mysterious ball back into my hand.

Here, thank you. Show it to me again sometime, okay?

Oh, sure. Just ask anytime.

I tucked the slightly warm object into my waist pouch. Somehow, I didnt want to put this in the [Stranger Box]. Well, its not big enough to be a bother, so it should be fine.

Alright. Shall we do the important confirmation now?

Since there was no book to read, there was nothing else to do here. So I walked past the lined-up doors and confirmed that a new door existed beyond the tenth door.

Oh, good. I was wondering what wed do if the next door hadnt appeared.

So, Ed, what kind of world is next?

Hold on a sec. Lets see

I placed my hand on the newly appeared 011 door, using the blessing from Nuoh to extract information about the world.

Hmm, this one Its a world I visited towards the end.

Oh? So does that mean its a world with advanced civilization, like Canals world?

No, the order we visited doesnt relate to civilization. If we say that, your world would be the least developed, Tia.

Ah, right. My world wasnt underdeveloped in culture or technology, after all.

Thats right. Well, the next world is about the same level. Actually, most worlds are.

I dont know what criteria were used to select the 100 different worlds, but since language and currency are common, the level of civilization is generally similar. Canals world was exceptionally developed, probably because John had intervened.

Well hen, shall we face the next world with enthusiasm?

Yeah!

I didnt believe for a moment that Luka, who had become an entity with will, power, and name, would completely stop interfering. But if we became too cautious and stopped in fear, there would be no point in leaving that world.

To take one step closer to finding the answer I might discover after visiting all the different worlds with Tia I opened the door to yet another new world.

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