228 So who are you looking at?

In the midst of having my friend and I investigate Marya at Lord Balastus' mansion, I decided to make a report to my brother.

"Doesn't my ...... friend remember us completely?

Yes. He is behaving as if he came to this world just a few days ago. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing and how you're going to do it.

"...... I see.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I allowed accidental contact to occur while I was by your side. ......

In the first place, it would have been better if I had not left your friend's side at all when he went out.

I should have never left your friend's side in the first place. And the Mix was negotiating at the behest of a friend, right?

"Yes, .......

As a merchant myself, I had learned the art of negotiation from your friend. As a result, I had to negotiate the price with the merchant by myself, which brought your friend and Solide into contact with each other.

The story of my friend is not without its temptations. Besides, it would be uncomfortable for my friend if I guarded him too thoroughly.

My brother tries to make up for the fact that I am not the only one at fault, but it makes my heart tighten. Just a few days ago, your friend was on the verge of death because of the incident with the Scarlet Witch King and Ceraes. I'm sure you are listening to this report in a state of mind that is not here.

As soon as Lord Balastus' investigation reveals anything, I will contact you with additional information.

"Yes, please do. If my friend wants Lord Ratzel's help, I will send him to Trinh as soon as possible. Please inform your friend of this.

As soon as he finished his communication and went to Lord Balastos, Balastos placed his hand on Lord Marya's sleeping body and examined her body for any abnormalities.

"Hmmm, I see. So this is how it works. There are some people who use interesting curses, aren't there?

Did you find out anything, Lord Balastus?

Balastos drew a line on the parchment and began to explain.

He draws a line on a piece of parchment and begins to explain: "Roughly speaking, you are shifting the observation point of your memory. Memory is like a straight line, connecting the past and the present. What Solide has done is to force a point in the past to be pulled up to an observation point in the present. Then the memory from that point in the past to the present is unobserved and not recognized as the person's memory.

"Hmm. I don't get it. Does your friend understand this?

"So, if we treat memories as objects, Solide's power makes memories from a certain point in the past invisible. So there's no change in physical ability.

"Right. The discrepancy is embedded in both of their bodies as a cursed wedge. If you can remove it, you should be able to return to normal.

Oh! I was worried about what to do if it didn't come back, but the principle is that there is a good chance of recovery! I guess I should take that as good news first.

"Varathus, this curse is supposed to be based on Solide's talent as a bastard. Is there any chance that a third party can break the curse?

"...... Frankly, no. The very idea of driving a wedge into your memory is not something you can come up with with with ordinary magic. If you try to mess with it too much, it could damage both of your memories.

"Oh, oh, ......, that's not good.

So there is almost no treatment that can be done here: ...... This should be taken as a sad news: ....... But your friend doesn't seem to be particularly troubled.

"From what I've heard, we think Solide used his wand to attack. Then he must be using the wand as a medium to maintain the wedge. Then I guess breaking the wand or killing Solide will break the curse.

"It's a possibility. It's possible, but if you accidentally kill Solide, you might lose the means to lift the curse.

He's the kind of guy who takes people's memories. He's the kind of guy who takes people's memories. I don't think he's going to negotiate properly if we let him live, and I think it's obvious that he's going to get into trouble.

Hmm, your friend has a good point, but ...... you seem to be more forward than usual.

"If retrieving memories is your top priority, you should capture Solide alive.

"As for me, I want to take care of the risk first. It's not like I'm in any trouble.

So that's it. From our point of view, your friend has lost his memory, and he wants to do something about it. But from your friend's point of view, he doesn't feel that way. .......

"Your friend. Your friend seems to have no trouble in life at the moment, but Marya, who has received most of Solide's power to protect your friend, does not. Please be cautious here for Marya's sake.

...... I thought that Marya was the one who brought me and Solide together in the first place?

That may be ...... true, but ......

I'm not sure I'm willing to take that risk for the sake of the guy who did the damage. ......

But Lord Maryre respects her friend, and her friend respects her.

The eyes of your friend are also ....... I can't help but feel bad when people analyze me so mercilessly. But for your friend now, I'm the one who's advising him to take the risk. .......

"Hey, Mix. I'm sure your position is "I". You're supposed to be my bodyguard. Isn't that what Marya was? No, more like a guard. I'm not sure what you mean by that, your feelings or your mission to protect me?

That is, of course, your friend's safety. ......

The priority is life, not memory, right? Or are you saying that I, who don't remember you, am worthless?

No, I'm not!

So, even if I never remember you, it's more important that I'm alive, isn't it?

Why, why do you speak to me in such a terrible way! You're so disturbing to me.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. ...... Can we please stop playing around here?

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I wanted to see how much you could weigh on the scales with me.

Your friend smiles wickedly. He was deliberately trying to sway my mind, to see how far I could go for him. Your friend is very observant and is very good at swaying the hearts of others. However, it is unthinkable for ...... your friend to use such a method without hesitation even with someone who is supposed to be close to you. If you do this, do it in a way that is unobtrusive and does not make the other person feel uncomfortable. .......

I understand that your friend wants to protect himself first and foremost. I understand that your friend wants to protect himself first, but a friend who has been with us for a long time would never have a policy of leaving Master Marya like this.

"So it seems. You're either me now or the future ....... Since you're socializing in this world, you're either ...... me or you're not. You are confused and disgusted by the difference between the two. It seems that the future me is going to be a very valuable person to you.

"...... Yes. That's right.

Right, right. Then I'm willing to help you for your future self. Balastus, would you mind taking care of Marya for the time being and find out a little more about how to break the spell?

Okay, but I'm going to ask for a price, too, okay?

I'll give you what you deserve. I'll get you what you deserve. I don't have a good grasp of the world's markets at the moment. I'll be studying for a while. I'm going to go look over the information that Exoik brought about me.

Your friend stretched and tried to leave the room, passing by me without even making eye contact. I wondered if I could convince my friend now.

"After all, what you're looking at is the future me, right? I understand now that you don't want to see me.

"What?

I turned around and tried to stop my friend, but he had already closed the door to his room and left.

"Hey, Mixu-chan. I'm warning you, you better keep an eye on that puppy. It's not every day you see a race of people who don't feel safe at all, even though they don't seem hostile or anything.

I agree with you that I don't feel safe. I agree with you that I don't feel safe, but I have an idea why I feel more uneasy than that. There have been times in the past when I felt I had to be so careful about your friend. .......

Yes, it was ...... Saburo at the time of ...... "Kim", wasn't it ....... It's similar to that time, isn't it ......?

"Saburo?

"The first time I met Lord Gold in Garne. ......

I will explain to Lord Balastos what happened. He challenged me to run the country of Garne in a virtual world created by the power of the Reign, with the condition that I would win if I destroyed the Targs. The result was a victory ...... thanks to the efforts of your friend and Wolfe, but there was a defeat for Lord Ratzel.

"So the puppy in the virtual world that this Iliad kid got you into, he was called Saburo?

"Yes. Even though it was a virtual world, your friend was your friend. When his friend recognized him as an enemy, Lord Ratzel was completely broken and was in no condition to continue the game.

The memory of that time has been erased by the arrangement of Lord Gold, but if it had remained, ...... whether Lord Ratzel would still be in a position to protect his friend, .......

You mean the puppy in the virtual world found out he was from the virtual world and started harassing the Iliad and puppies in the real world? You're right, it's similar. The current puppy is an existence that observes the present from the point of past memories, and if the memories come back, it may be that ...... never happened.

This time, the story does not end with the virtual world. If your friend now thinks that you are a being that will disappear if you get your memory back,...... will you really be able to help him?

I'm not sure.

When I delivered the personal belongings of my compatriot that I had left at Trinh's base, he immediately began to check their contents.

"Is this everything? It's not as much as I thought.

"That's all we have at the base. This is all we have at the base. The rest is in Taze or ....... Yes, I think Kutou has some in his stomach.

Is that so? Kuto, do you have any documents?

Yes, Tashouha.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you.

I have it. "There is. You should have given it to me as we were talking. You're so clever.

"Sorry, Kuto. I can't do it.

Oh, that's right. Then I stand corrected. If that's what you're supposed to do, it's not your place to complain about it. It's numbered. Hmmm. ....... Hey Exduk, have you ever checked the contents of this thing?

The compatriot shows me the parchment, but the writing on it is not from this world. It is written in the language of his homeland, which is called Nihongo.

"Japanese, huh? I can't read that language.

It's not written in a literary style, and I don't think it's a difficult language.

I'm from Chikyu, the same country as my compatriot Yugra ......, and I've heard that this man has done something to this world to make it more resistant to understanding Japanese.

I heard that. But he can at least pronounce it. I wonder if it's a curse against letters or something like that. It's really a fantasy world. ......

"It's a real fantasy world. It seems to mean something fantastic, but I guess it's a feeling that my compatriots from a world where magic doesn't exist can't help but have.

So that's what it seems to be, and that's what's in the file?

"Yes. Is it an insurance policy in case I lose my memory like I am now, or do you intend to use it as a landmark in case a new Chikyuu person comes to the other world? I've carefully compiled all the information I've learned in this world.

You're right. You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing.

"The Iliad: ....... She's like a sidekick to the future me, isn't she?

"Mm, ...... although it's a bit annoying to admit it ....... I'm sure you're the one who's been with your people the longest.

Not too long ago, I would have been in a rivalry with ....... I'm not going to fight just for my people now, Ao or Marya.

I'm not going to fight just for my people. He was the first enemy that tried to kill me?

"Yes. But I betrayed my allies on the word of my own people. After that, they used me for their own purposes, and now I'm here.

Does it sound like I'm holding a grudge?

If that's what it sounds like, it's my lack of vocabulary. At the time, even though I was being used, you lent your wisdom for the purpose. Now you are giving me good advice to help me grow. I'm grateful to my fellow man, but I hold no grudge against him.

I hear that.

I wonder if my change of heart is written in the book. That makes me a little curious. But I'm more worried about the strange reaction of my compatriots. My current compatriot must have already been observing me. Then doesn't he understand how I feel about him now? So, why am I asking these questions?

"...... What do my people, my people now, think of me?

"Hmmm, I don't hate your gear or your fashion sense. I don't hate your equipment or your fashion sense, but you don't seem to be popular with women.

Is that so?

I'm sure you're referring to the pros and cons of women's appreciation of ...... this equipment. ...... Do Ao and Marya not think well of this equipment?

I'm going to ask you the opposite, why did you ask such a strange question?

My current compatriots have no memory of their time with me, do they? And I know very little about my people's past. And I know very little about my people's past, which means that the people in front of me now are like strangers. I was a little curious to see how my people would see me now, without my past experiences.

"...... I see. I'm sure you'll be able to tell me more about it, but it seems rather selfish. You seem to be able to break where you can, but not where you can't.

Can I take that as high praise?

It depends. It depends. If you can't be flexible in the critical areas, it can be a bad thing. But you like to think that if I could get my memory back, my current rating would mean nothing. Was it worth asking?

If our people's memories are restored, does that mean that our people are gone now? It may be true that there will be no more compatriots who don't know us, but ...... that doesn't sound right.

I don't know if that's true. If the point of observation was shifted to a point in the past, wouldn't the memory of the present remain in the memory of the past when the memory returns?

"Is that a possibility? But then the time paradox would not occur. It might cause mild memory loss, though.

"Time paradox: ......?

It's when the past is changed and the future is changed by bringing future memories into the past. Well, actually, it's about the inability to observe memories, so I understand that it doesn't change the future or the past.

I see. It is true that if the memory of the present becomes the memory of the past, you will be acting in an impossible way. There is a great possibility that your memory will be confused. If I were to transfer my current memory to the past, I would be in a situation where I know Lakra is my sister, but I don't know that she is my sister. This would be a contradiction and a breakdown would occur. It would be mentally taxing. If this were to interfere with the facts, the present time might disappear.

"I see. That would explain why magic that interferes with space-time is forbidden.

Oh, I see. Do you know where I can find it? ...... Oh, that's it. I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

I'm not going to read it out loud. The colorless demon king may try to kill me.

That's what the warning says. I won't do anything stupid.

My compatriot resumes his task of looking through the documents. I should probably leave. But before I do, I have to tell you what I think.

...... Back to the point, I think I'm finding value in talking to my people now. I'm not sure if my current compatriots will remember me or not, but ...... at least they will remember me. People are capable of leaving some kind of mark. There must be a result that only the current brethren can leave behind.

That's right. ...... Well, I guess that's fair enough.

"Hm? What do you mean?

Don't worry about it. I'm just feeling a little more motivated.

Well, I'm glad to hear it.

That was the end of the conversation. I feel that my current compatriots are different from my past compatriots, but they are still people I can learn from. My people have forgotten what they used to do, and they are suffering from inconvenience. Then, we should support our current brethren.