Chapter 416 - 415 - Friends

Point-of-View: Belia Lasmodeus 

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Okay, I have to admit...that felt pretty great. No wonder mortals do it so much. 

"You know, what, Shiro? I'm glad I met you. I've met more people than most, considering how long I've been around, but you're the only one who I'd consider a genuine companion," I admitted to him. 

"H-huh? Where'd that come from?" He responded, looking a bit taken aback. 

"Just thought I should tell you, that's all...I probably consider you my best friend, though I'm not sure if that's saying much since you're pretty much my only friend," I replied sheepishly. 

"Wha-...idiot, how can you say embarrassing stuff like that with a straight face?" He muttered in response, averting his gaze. 

I quietly leaned over his shoulder to get a look at his face, to see that he was trying to hide a smile...aw, that's actually kinda adorable. Wait, is he happy because I called him my friend? That kinda makes me happy...and also sort of embarrassed. But despite that, I just felt like I needed to say it. 

Yeah, I've definitely changed lately. In the past, I would never even have considered the possibility of getting attached to a mortal like this. 

"Now, then...what are you gonna say to Minise?" I inquired slyly, as a look of guilt appeared on his face. 

"Crap...I let my dick get the better of me. I mean, yeah, that was great and all, but...I shouldn't have done that...," He groaned in response, burying his face in the pillow, before mumbling and asking, "Don't suppose you've got any time travel spells up your sleeve, do you?" 

"No, I don't. It might be possible, but it's beyond my comprehension, and now that Samsara's gone, there's no one who understands spell-casting better than me in this world, so it's effectively impossible. But if you want, I've got a compromise...I can tweak your memories and make you forget that this ever happened, that way, you won't feel any guilt!" I offered him. 

"Huh...that's actually really tempting. But that feels kinda like a dick move towards you," He sighed in reply, looking conflicted. 

"Okay, then another compromise...I'll tweak the memory so that you'll think that this happened before you started going out with Minise. As for your memory of what happened just now, I'll just make it so that you think we had a really sappy conversation about how we're friends...heh, never mind, that actually happened, so it won't be a fabrication," I remarked teasingly. 

"Y-yeah...hey, uh, you sure about this? It sounds ideal for me, but...I still kinda feel bad about asking you to do this..."

"Huh? I really don't mind...I mean, I don't have the same morals or whatever that humans do, I see things differently. This isn't a big deal at all to me," I assured him honestly. 

That's genuinely how I feel, not sure if it's because I'm a Demigod or whatever I am, or maybe it's because I've lived for so long? Either way, I'm wired differently to the typical mortal being. 

Well, I mean, Shiro isn't exactly a typical mortal, but he's very young, so he's probably more sensitive than he realizes. The younger you are, the more susceptible you are to making mistakes, and since I do have affection for him, I have no problem in helping him cover his mistakes or regrets. 

"Get dressed, I'll start formulating the spell to tweak your memories. Oh, and just so you know, once I activate this spell, I'll end up seeing all your memories," I informed him, as he got up and put his clothes back on.

"Huh? I don't really like the sound of that, but I guess I can live with it. Wait, does that mean you'll see Kuro's memories upto the point where I was created?" 

"Hm? Oh, I didn't think of that, but...maybe? I can't say for sure until I actually try...okay, I'm ready to cast the spell. Shall I get started?" I inquired, as I finished formulating the spell. 

"Yeah, let's get it over with. And, uh...thanks, Belia," He muttered a bit awkwardly.

"Hehe, you're very welcome, Shiro," I grinned in response, before activating the spell and manipulating his memories. 

This isn't the first time I've used this kind of spell, but it feels different...peeking through someone's memories like this feels so wrong, in a super exciting kind of way! I never felt this with the previous humans whose memories I read, though those cases were decades and centuries ago, so I was quite a bit different to how I am now. 

And I think the fact that this time I'm reading the memories of someone I know really well is adding to the thrill...do I have a voyeurism fetish? Considering how I've, uh, been using my Observation Magic lately...yeah, that seems likely. 

"Seriously, how do you say cheesy crap like that with a straight face?" He sighed, as I finished casting the spell...I tweaked his memories so that, in his head right now, he thinks that I just finished admitting that I consider him my friend. 

"I'm not as easily embarrassed as humans and other mortals are, that's all," I shrugged in response. 

"Well, that's convenient."

"Not really, it's-...," I began to reply, when suddenly, I heard a voice in my head...it was Minise. 

"Hi, Belia? Do you know where Shiro is? There's something important that I need to talk to him about!" 

Huh? Did she somehow figure out that we-...nah, no way, that's impossible. And besides, her tone doesn't sound upset or anything, more like bemused and intrigued. 

"Yeah, actually, he's right here...heads up, I'm opening a portal below you!" I replied, before forming a portal above, Minise falling through with a startled yelp. 

"Woah, careful!" Exclaimed Shiro in alarm, as he caught her before she could fall, while I subtly used a spell to straighten out the bed sheets. 

"Oh, my bad, guess I should have connected the portal above the bed, huh?" I apologized sheepishly.

"At least give me a couple of seconds to prepare myself after the warning," Sighed Minise in exasperation, as Shiro put her down.

"It's no use telling her, she'll do the same thing every time," Said Shiro wryly. 

"Come on, can't you guys take a joke? Anyway, you said you had something important to talk to Shiro about?" I prompted Minise curiously. 

"Hm? Oh, that's right! Shiro, my mind doesn't blank out anymore, I can clearly remember everything about my reincarnation!" She exclaimed excitedly. 

Wait, what? 

"Seriously? Huh, does that mean...?" Mused Shiro with a look of intrigue. 

Ohh, I get it... 

"Samsara's death must have resulted in the deactivation of the memory manipulation that he applied! He must have used it with the condition that it'd cease if he died, in order to expend less Divine Magic in activating it! He must have seen that as a loophole, because I doubt that he ever even considered the possibility of him ceasing to exist!" I surmised as I realized what had happened. 

"Makes sense...wow, this spell had been activate from the moment I was created, so this is kinda surreal," Remarked Shiro. 

"Which means that the only solid proof left of that spell is you...after all, Samsara created you in order to punish Kuro for his part in spreading knowledge about reincarnation and other worlds, you wouldn't exist otherwise. Heh, and without me, you wouldn't still be in existence, since I saved you before Samsara could erase you," I recalled with a grin. 

"Yeah, don't remind me...my first few months of existence were the worst," He sighed in response, "And yeah, I'm pretty grateful to you for saving me, so thanks...I think I did thank you before, but only for the heck of it, I don't think I genuinely meant it."

"Hey, Belia, you should report this the king and other royals, this could be a major game changer," Chimed in Minise, with a gleam in her eyes, "Ooh, maybe with your knowledge on magic and spellcasting, you could come up with ways to create more items inspired by stuff from other worlds!" 

Huh, I wonder if their memories being tampered with affected the personalities of those who reincarnated with their past memories intact, even a little bit? This is all pretty fascinating...and now, with Samsara gone, they no longer have to worry about being penalized for talking about past memories or reincarnation. 

I have to say, I'm quite interested to see how this world progresses and evolves over the next few decades...so I'll refrain from triggering any wars or whatever. I'll focus on more minor, everyday chaos in the meantime, and once the world begins to thrive and get used to peace...that's where I come in and stir things up again!

That said, I'll give it a few decades though, maybe a century or two. This body should last for about five thousand years, and while I can extend that with the Divine Magic I got from Shiro...I'm not sure I want to. First off, five thousand years is a good three times the amount of time I've already been in existence for, and living forever sounds like it'd be really boring. 

With the defeat of Samsara, this world is going to enter a new era, and is likely going to progress at a much more rapid rate than ever before...yeah, it should be quite fascinating to see what kind of direction this world evolves in from here on out... 

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