“Hahaha…”
It was such a Noah-like response, but experiencing it firsthand didn’t feel great.
I mean, if that was the case, he should’ve tried harder to stop me when I ran from the Duchy of Pantheon.
Instead, he let me go until I took action myself.
[I’m not trying to blame you. It was an inevitable course of events.]
Noah’s added words left me feeling oddly conflicted.
He’d apologized earlier too, and it felt like he kept taking my side…
Was I imagining it?
“So maybe he does feel some sense of responsibility.”
[Well. It’s not like I just abandoned you. I gave you quests… from time to time.]
Thanks to that, I got to meet Seol.
I was trying to shift the mood with that comment, but Noah stayed silent.
The awkward silence made me regret even saying anything, so instead of dragging things down further, I replayed what Noah had said earlier in my mind—and something struck me.
“Then why is he giving me information now?”
He said information had been restricted on both sides to ensure fair competition between Kim Minsoo and me.
I could understand explaining why I’d been asleep for nearly four years—it didn’t directly affect that competition.
But the revelation about a traitor among the ancient gods stealing Minsoo’s soul and joining the opposing faction felt like more sensitive intel.
“Even if Minsoo’s possession already happened and they can tell me that…”
Even this “Conversation Token” I got as a quest reward felt weird.
Based on past experiences, I assumed Noah would just dodge my questions or give vague answers.
It didn’t seem like a particularly valuable reward.
Honestly, I used it not so much to get a solid answer from Noah, but to show my intent and gauge his reaction.
Yet here he was, giving me surprisingly meaningful answers.
Maybe this was the first time Noah had ever spoken to me so clearly.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t asked directly about current events or what was coming next.
With that thought, I asked again.
[We… no, I believe Kim Minsoo is using dark mages. That his rise as a “saint” is all because he artificially caused monster waves. If that’s true, do the other ancient gods know about it?]
The answer didn’t come quickly.
I thought I heard a faint voice, like Noah was speaking to someone.
[…Yes.]
Only after a long pause did a short answer come.
It was a response to my question—no more, no less.
Did their awareness of it enable Noah’s side to grant me the right to this conversation?
What was the original point of contention between the ancient gods anyway?
I had so many questions I wanted to ask.
[There’s not much time left.]
Of course. I quickly shifted gears.
The ancient gods had never forgiven humanity for killing the new god Baldur.
Their division lay in choosing between preserving or eradicating humankind.
Those on Noah’s side summoned Kim Minsoo to prevent humanity’s destruction, and when that didn’t work, they chose me to stop Raizen—who sought to revive the Demon King—by whatever means necessary.
Even if that meant rewinding time repeatedly.
[Is the Demon King’s resurrection the trigger for the world’s destruction? If he comes back, is it guaranteed?]
[So far, it has been.]
“So far…”
Kim Minsoo had never succeeded in defeating the Demon King.
The latter part of the novel From Transmigration to Hero was fiction, plain and simple.
But the information within still couldn’t be ignored.
Which made things even more confusing.
[Nurturing the dark mage faction inevitably leads to the Demon King’s revival—so why are the neutral gods just watching?]
[That’s…]
There was a noise, like someone coughing—and then complete silence, as if someone had hurriedly turned off a mic.
[Noah?]
It no longer felt like uttering an ancient god’s name would kill me.
My heart ached a little, but nothing more.
[Wordplay. Infinite possibilities. “Maybe” this, “maybe” that. And… he hasn’t taken direct action yet.]
It was a vague answer, but I understood right away.
The gods who want humanity’s destruction were stalling, claiming maybe this time it’ll be different.
Kim Minsoo’s actions since possession probably helped make that case.
“But he’s clearly gone off the rails…”
They lost their fellow god Baldur to human hands.
And now they still want to believe in humans?
Is it because Kim Minsoo was summoned to become a hero?
Do they think he’s different?
Or are they so transcendent they don’t understand how easily humans fall apart?
…Or maybe they have other motives entirely.
And that comment—“he hasn’t taken direct action yet.”
“He’s subtly manipulating Duke Luavis into doing everything for him.”
Reflecting on his actions gave me a strange feeling.
I hadn’t seen the current Kim Minsoo with my own eyes, so I couldn’t say for sure—but I kept feeling déjà vu.
“He’s just like Raizen.”
Image control.
Skillfully manipulating others to get what he wants.
Though he’s changed a bit now, his methods were uncannily similar to both the real and fictional Raizen.
Still, technically, Kim Minsoo hasn’t done anything outright evil. So he hasn’t crossed the line yet.
[…So what do I do? Stop Kim Minsoo? Round up all the dark mages? Because… at the very least, you know. Raizen won’t resurrect the Demon King anymore.]
[You sure about that? What if you die?]
I didn’t know why my death was suddenly brought up—but the worse part was that I had no comeback.
[But… the curse is way weaker now. I don’t even need divine power anymore.]
[That doesn’t mean it’s gone. You know what it’s like—it can strengthen anytime. Honestly, after you left, we thought he’d make his move immediately.]
[…]
[There are too many variables. He might revive the Demon King for reasons you can’t even imagine. If he wants to know how, it won’t take him long to find a way.]
[What does that…]
[Memories stored in a soul never disappear.]
Noah’s voice was firm. Then he sighed softly, sounding exhausted.
[Our time’s up. I have one last thing to say—just listen quietly.]
I nodded without a word.
[You… just do as you wish. And the reason we added the new law of ‘Essences’ to this world was because we believed carnal desire is also a part of love.]
[…]
[…Do your best, Fragment of ■■■.]
That was how my conversation with Noah ended.
I didn’t need to call out to him—I could feel his presence instinctively.
His words lingered in my mind, swirling in chaos before finally settling.
What remained the clearest were his final words.
“Do as I wish?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
And…
Fragment of ■■■.
Though it was filtered, I could hear a faint syllable slip through.
“D… Du… I think that’s what it sounded like.”
That was the only hint I had, and perhaps that’s why only one thing came to mind.
[Are you done talking?]
Just then, I heard Seol’s voice—he had been silently waiting nearby.
The moment our eyes met, a strange, indescribable feeling struck me, and my brows furrowed before I realized.
Seol looked at me as though he already knew everything.
“The Fragment of Baldur…”
Could that really be what Noah called me?
I wanted to ask Seol, but the words wouldn’t come.
It felt like I didn’t yet deserve to say them.
∗ ∗ ∗
On the second day, Sean’s condition was clearly strange.
Even while we talked, he’d sometimes fall silent and lower his gaze, sinking into his own thoughts.
When he did that, he looked like someone slowly drowning in a deep swamp—someone no outstretched hand could save.
So each time, Reizen couldn’t bring himself to call out to Sean.
He just waited in silence, hoping Sean would find his way out of that mire on his own.
But truthfully, there was another reason Reizen was afraid:
That he might call out to Sean… and receive no reply.
Just like he hadn’t for the past year.
