Yeriel opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the white snow falling from the dark sky and landing upon her face. Yeriel closed her eyes, wiped away the snow, and opened them again. All she could see was snow. The sky, the earth, and the horizon were all blanketed by snow.
"…"
Yeriel stood slowly and looked far away, beyond the snowfall that swayed before her like a thick curtain. There was an old house in this pure white world, a mansion with a roof and window frames covered in white.
Yeriel blinked.
"Where have my vassals gone?"
That was the first question she had. The four vassals who came with her were nowhere to be seen. Yeriel, worried, decided to first approach the only place that wasn't completely covered.
Rustle… rustle….
She walked forward, her footprints engraved in the snow.
"…Everyone! Are you there?!"
Arriving at the door of the mansion, she yelled out. There was no answer, and the door would not open even after shaking the doorknob.
"Ah."
Yeriel realized what she had to do and took out the key from her pocket. She slammed it into the locked door; there was no need for a keyhole. She just put it in and twisted — the door opened.
"Is anyone… here?"
The inside was plain, like that of any old house someone could imagine.
Tack- Tack-
The sound of a crackling fire in the fireplace and the fragrant smell of tea. Yeriel moved toward it as if possessed.
"…?!"
She stopped as soon as she reached the living room. Near the fireplace sat a familiar person in a rocking chair.
"Deculein?"
He looked at her, holding a teacup in one hand and resting the other on the chair's armrest.
"Yeriel."
"…"
Yeriel was nervous. If Deculein were here, there could only be one reason.
"…Did you already know?"
He shook his head. It was a serious question, but the answer was bizarre.
"I am not Deculein."
"What are you talking about?"
"I am your diary."
"…What?"
Yeriel frowned at the nonsense. Deculein, no, the Diary that resembled Deculein explained.
"It is a guide for welcoming people who have entered this place, a learning intelligence designed by magic, and an existence embodied by the artifact."
He put his mug down.
"That's me."
"…Huh?"
Yeriel was stunned for a moment, but it wasn't a total surprise. It was an artifact crafted by her father, Decalane, after all. The magic of an Archmage — of course, Decalane was limited to the realm of [Artifacts] — was something that an ordinary wizard's mind could never even dare to comprehend.
"Then what about my vassals?"
"Those who do not have a key were briefly 'recorded' by a security mechanism."
"…Recorded?"
The Diary held out four notebooks. Yeriel hesitantly approached and took them.
"This…."
On the cover of the first plain notebook, a title reading 'Roel' was attached. It was the name of her butler that had been with her a long time.
"Read it, and you will know."
"…"
Yeriel opened to the first page.
Scratch, scratch–
New sentences were being recorded before her eyes in the notebook.
[I don't know where this is. But when I opened my eyes, it was in this world… no, is this even a world?]
As she read the page, Yeriel's eyes grew in astonishment.
[…More than anything else, I am worried about Miss Yeriel. If this space is in the Diary, I have no choice but to find her. ]
Yeriel raised her head. The Artifact in the form of Deculein was still calmly sipping at his teacup.
"What the hell is this?"
"They were 'recorded' into memory by a security mechanism. Since you own the key, you are protected from those security mechanisms."
"You mean these sentences are their thoughts?"
"Yes. All of them are 'recorded.'"
"…"
"You look surprised."
Yeriel read another, that of the escort knight David.
[I must hurry. I can only help the young lady when I'm ready and move forward…]
The next was the maid Rachel, and the last was the wizard Regilon. Their thoughts became mere letters.
"…"
Yeriel placed her hand on the back of her neck. It felt sore, and her head felt like it was about to explode.
The Diary continued.
"When magic reaches a certain point, it functions as true magic. It's different from Psychokinesis or Fireball in that dimension. I have come close to what can be called the truth."
"How do I undo it?"
"There is a way. Don't worry; they are not dead. It's just a security mechanism."
Yeriel calmed herself.
"Then, I'm going to look into Deculein's memories."
"Feel free to do so."
He stood from his seat, and Yeriel followed. The two walked from the living room down the corridor on the right side. Countless picture frames hung on the walls of the long hallway.
"This whole thing is Deculein's memory. You can look into anything."
"…Really?"
"However, it consumes mana doing so."
Yeriel stood in front of a certain frame. It was a framed picture of a familiar but awkward study. She recognized it as the permanent residence of the Yukline family, but it felt awkward because the furniture arrangement was different.
"Can I close my eyes?"
"Yes."
"…Yeah."
Yeriel peered into the frame.
-Your grades are good.
At that moment, a voice rang out. Yeriel turned toward its source.
"Ah."
A groan unintentionally left her. In the study, her father, Decalane, and Deculein were standing together.
-But, only the grades are good. Academic grades other than those from the tower are garbage.
Father sat in his chair while admonishing Deculein, who listened with his head bowed.
—When you were young, I thought you were a prodigy.
Deculein didn't say anything. He just stood still like a penitent sinner.
—In that case, rather Yeriel-
As soon as his father mentioned her, Deculein's eyes widened. Yeriel remained silent as her father laughed.
—If you know that, you should be better.
─I will. I swear.
─You don't need to. Just take this.
Her father handed Deculein something.
—Deculein that is your choice. It will be a heartbreaking pain, but you're not afraid of that, right?
─…Yes. Of course.
The memory of the first frame stopped there. Yeriel looked at the picture frame next to it.
─…
This time, it was in a hallway, not the study of the Yukline house. Deculein was standing by the window and looking out. Under the sunlight, his gaze reached her, looking at a young Yeriel.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Yeriel asked so bluntly. Then Deculein turned around.
"May I ask?"
It was exquisite timing. Surprised, Yeriel corrected her tone without realizing it.
─…Master Deculein.
"!"
At that moment, another voice spoke up. Surprised, Yeriel looked around, a wave of nostalgia crashing over her. Adele, Deculein's stepmother, and her mother. Yeriel struggled to suppress her out-cry.
─Are you okay?
Adele asked, but Deculein didn't answer. Adele smiled bitterly and walked over to stand beside him.
─…If Yeriel becomes a wound to the master-
─Just go away.
Deculein turned away as if he didn't want to hear it. The second memory ended there.
"Ugh… sigh. I need to look at recent memories…."
Although she saw only two memories so far, Yeriel leaned against a wall in the hallway for a moment to catch her breath. Mental and magical exhaustion wrecked her body.
"I knew that one day the two of you would visit me."
Then, a voice came from the end of the hallway. Yeriel glanced up.
"Did you know?"
Then the polite diary looked back at her. He was standing alone in the living room. Yeriel frowned as she regarded him.
"Wait, you two?"
Nodding, he handed Yeriel a note. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
* * *
…An hour ago, late dawn at the tower.
After preparing for the professors, and taking care of my other duties, I took out the Diary from the drawer.
[ ]
Untitled notes containing memories, but this wasn't my Diary. The information reflected in [Vision] marked it as Yeriel's Diary. I still didn't know why she stole my Diary, but the cover was strange. The paper shook like liquid, rippling out under my touch.
"…I didn't think it would be an ordinary artifact."
I looked at it with [Understanding]. The Diary itself contained human magic circuits and some soul fragments resonating together. Maybe it was Yeriel's work.
"Was it a paired artifact?"
As if my Diary and Yeriel's Diary were linked. Judging by the almost identical structure and operation, they were artifacts created as a pair from the beginning.
"The function itself is similar to a portal, but…"
I turned off the [Understanding] switch. Just with that brief analysis, 2,000 units of my mana were consumed.
"It is too risky to enter alone."
Having concluded that, I first left the office and reached the [Teaching Lab] in the dark hallway. There was still light being reflected behind the glass.
"…"
I approached and looked inside. Only Epherene remained in the spacious lab. Her desk was full of magic theory books, but the owner had fallen asleep, buried in the large tomes. I opened the door to the lab.
"Phew… phew…"
I listened to her loud breathing as I took out the pendant.
"Pheeeew… pheeeew…"
I saw the young Epherene who smiled brightly and a man with a stiff face in my mind's eye. In Locralen's still vivid memories, that future archmage was Epherene.
"Phew… phew…"
Did she become an archmage because my existence changed the world line? Or in the original storyline, had she become an Archmage in the future? I remembered the two archmages I met as a player. The Creator, Sylvia, and The Last Fairy, Adrienne. There could be only three archmages in an era.
"You…"
I looked at Epherene. She took off her robe as the room grew hot and stuffy. However, due to the nature of the 77th floor, it would become much colder at night.
"You're still full of doubts."
I picked up the robe that had been scattered haphazardly to the side and put it over her back at that moment.
"…"
I had a good idea. If it were her, she might be of some help. I glanced alternately between the Diary I held in one hand and Epherene.
Snap—!
I flicked my finger to turn off the light. The lab darkened. After placing a note with 「Midas's Hand」 under the stand's light, I returned to the [Principal Professor's Office]. And…
…10 minutes later.
"…."
Epherene, who slept with her forehead pressed down atop the desk, slowly opened her eyes. She carefully looked around and then lifted her head.
"…What?"
She woke up as soon as Deculein opened the door due to his overbearing energy.
"What is this? Covering me with a robe… ugh."
She felt chills run down her back. Epherene scratched her neck and recalled what he had murmured.
–You're… still full of doubts.
"Ugh."
More chills. Full of doubts… even the way he said it was soft.
"Why is that professor doing this… what is this again?"
Epherene found a small note on the desk. It was a strange piece of paper. She tilted her head as she read it and sneaked out of the lab. She beelined it to the [Head Professor's Office].
"Ahem."
Epherene pretended to have just woken up as she grabbed the doorknob of Deculein's office, holding only the note in her hand.
"Ahhhh~."
She forced a yawn, filling half tears in her eyes, while opening the door…
"Um, professor. I just woke up a few minutes ago. What is this note…?"
She glanced inside, but Deculein wasn't in the office. There was only a solitary notebook on his desk.
"What is this?"
Epherene blinked a few times, her expression one of innocence.
* * *
Inside the [Diary] was a world full of snow. There was nothing but pure white snow and the old house on the other side. Therefore, it was instinct to approach that old building.
"…Did Yeriel open it?"
The door was already open. I dusted off the snow covering me and went in. A fire was crackling away in the empty living room.
At the sound of footsteps, I turned.
"You… you look like me."
A man that was my clone stood there. He nodded expressionlessly and replied:
"I am a diary."
"…Whose diary?"
"Yours and her diary. Your memories are written on me."
I pondered for a moment before questioning him.
"Where is Yeriel?"
"She's looking at your memories."
He pointed to the hallway on the right.
"Is she okay?"
"Yeriel has the key."
I didn't know what that key was, but it appeared to mean that she was safe. I looked to the left.
"If the right side is mine, the left side is Yeriel's."
"Yes."
Then, the bonfire smoldered into ashes. A blizzard arrived, plunging us into darkness. However, the windows were closed. In that bizarre environment, I looked at the madman who introduced himself as a diary.
"You are full of death
"…"
The diary glanced me over before finally speaking.
"Hide."
I paused.
"You know what? Death is by my side. Every particle is visible to my eyes. But from you…"
The face, voice, and atmosphere of the Diary. In each of them, a death variable swelled like a bubble.
"You're full of killing aura."
The Diary held no expression as he nodded calmly.
"Who knows?"
I laughed a little. He looked like me, but he wasn't me. More precisely, even the model wasn't me. His original body was someone who resembled me, no, someone who looked like Deculein.
"Your model is Decalane, not me."
"…"
The Diary's eyebrows twitched.
"It's natural because it's his work."
The Diary, which had been listening to me quietly, then nodded.
"Yes. I am the master's work. A magical personality created for his succession."
"Is it the succession of the Yukline line?"
"Yes. The master had no intention of deciding the succession issue so easily. Because the master didn't trust you."
"…He didn't trust me."
"Yes."
"That's sad."
At that moment, a quest appeared before my eyes.
[Independent Quest: Family]
The Diary spoke to me as I read the quest outline, with a face that flowed with life.
"Hide."
"…"
I didn't answer.
Wheeeeik—!
The dark and the snow intertwined to form a shape. The Diary spoke again.
"Hide."
"I do not hide."
The man's complexion changed.
"…Hide. The security mechanism is coming."
"No need to."
The diary shut its mouth. Of course, that didn't mean I had a special way of dealing with it. The entirety of this old house was already a death
"Then. You, too, can only be recorded."
The corners of the Diary's lips twisted as I stared intently into his eyes.
Wheeeeeing-!
The dark blizzard blew past me as a fierce gust of wind engulfed my body.
***
…The blizzard subsided, calming down. The Diary stared at the notebook lying on the floor with cold, sunken eyes.
"I knew that one day you would visit me."
It began to speak to itself.
"Did you know?"
Yeriel, after observing the two frames, came out. She sighed at her exhaustion but suddenly looked up.
"Wait, 'you two'? Who?"
In response, the Diary handed Yeriel a notebook. Yeriel's eyes widened when she saw the name written on the notebook.
"Deculein"
"…Of course, it is Deculein."
Deculein had become a notebook.