Slowly, my submerged consciousness resurfaced. Feeling like I woke up from sleep, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes... was Kuro, looking like she was about to cry.
[Kaito-kun! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? ...Do you... still remember me?]
Seeing Kuro looking so unusually vulnerable, her anxiety clearly felt from her voice, somehow felt refreshing but... thinking about how inappropriate such a thought is, I gave her a reassuring smile.
[...Of course, I remember you, Kuro.]
[Kaito-kun!]
Catching Kuro's body as she leapt into my embrace, I raised my body and looked around... and noticed how there were a lot of people here.
Isis-san, Lilia-san, Sieg-san, Alice, Fate-san... as I was surrounded by my precious lovers, there were countless other people gathered around me.
It really makes me feel happy... knowing that the people I've weaved bonds with have come to my aid like this. What a blessing, this is... Unnn, well, more than 80% of them are "people I've never seen before", let alone bonded with, but let's just leave that aside.
All of them told me words of congratulations upon my safe return, but just when I was about to cry at the warmth of their thoughts... an inflectionless voice echo through the space.
[Once again, splendid work. As promised, I will grant your wish. Not only that, I will also allow the otherworlders who are summoned with you to come and go between worlds, as you would probably wish. Earth God has already agreed to this matter.]
[...Shiro.]
When Shiro-san appeared in a leisurely manner, all the Gods knelt down before her presence, while Kuro stood up instead, her eyes sharply glaring towards Shiro-san.
Even without using my Sympathy Magic, I could clearly feel Kuro's anger towards Shiro-san. Knowing that she was angry for my sake makes me feel happy.
But before that, there's something I need to check. Thus, I stood up and holding Kuro's hand, as she looked like she was about to punch her, I turned to the slightly smiling Shiro-san and asked.
[...So, Shiro-san. Can you stop playing around and tell me already? In the end, what would happen to me when I failed the ordeal? Would my memory really be erased like Kuro said?]
[...…..]
With the fourth ordeal, I was able to have a staggering amount of time for me to think. And thus, I used that time to try to figure out Shiro-san's intentions.
However, no matter how much I think about it, I still couldn't believe that Shiro-san was trying to erase my memory.
Of course, I have faith in Shiro-san herself, but more than that... if Shiro-san's goal had been to erase my memory, I think there should be other ways for her to do such a thing.
If her goal was to erase my memory, she doesn't need any reason to go through the trouble of trying to do it the hard way. If that is what Shiro-san wanted, let alone erase my memory... Shiro-san could have easily rewritten my memories to suit her needs.
This is why I decided to ask her about her true intentions here and now.
When Shiro-san heard my words, she fell silent for a moment... and with her usual expressionless face, she tilted her head.
[If Kaito-san fails the ordeal, Kaito-san's memory will disappear? "I've never said anything like that though?"]
[What!?]
Hearing Shiro-san's answer, Kuro looked stunned. No, it's not just her, as everyone else was surprised too.
[W- Wait, Shiro, what does that mean?]
[Asking me what it means... I don't think there's anything hard to understand with what I said though? I don't remember saying that I would erase Kaito-san's memory, nor do I remember saying anything about erasing Kaito-san's memory if he fails the ordeal.]
[Wha!? N- No! In that case, what about that!!!?]
Even though Kuro looked flustered as she asked this, Shiro-san just tilted her head again. Thereupon, Kuro pointed to that large cocoon-like thing that I had been sleeping on before.
[I don't remember saying that it was the Cradle of Oblivion though?]
[That is... Eh? Ahh... T- Then... what is that?]
[What, you ask? If you really want to say that, "a cradle that looks like the Cradle of Oblivion"... I guess?]
[...]
Hearing Shiro-san's nonchalant reply, Kuro froze in utter surprise. Thereupon, right after that, I heard Fate-san's voice from behind me.
[...She didn't say it.]
[Fate-san?]
[Indeed... Now that it was mentioned again, when Shallow Vernal-sama was explaining the situation to us, the words she said were "If I try to erase Kaito-san's memory, it will inevitably lead to a big battle". However... She never said a thing about erasing Kai-chan's memory.]
As the Gods looked as if they were thinking about that time they received Shiro-san's command again, both Chronois-san and Life-san looked quite shaken.
However, Shiro-san doesn't seem to care about their reactions, as she turned to me and spoke.
[So, as to what happens if Kaito-san fails the ordeal... It doesn't really make sense asking this now since you've overcome it, but I'll answer your question.]
[...Yes.]
That's right, not everything is resolved yet. We still didn't know what Shiro-san's hidden true intentions... her true purpose...
[If Kaito-san fails the ordeal... well... "Kaito-san wouldn't be able to try again for one year".]
[...…]
Those words brought silence to the Sanctuary. As expected, even I was surprised by her unexpected response.
No, rather than that...
[...Even after failing... I can try again?]
[I don't even remember telling you that you need to clear it once though?]
...Indeed, I don't remember her telling me that I need to clear it once, or that I only had one chance...
[Incidentally, you can try again from the point where you failed last time, and as for the final ordeal, I prepared a helping function where the time required to clear the ordeal is cut in half each time you try again.]
[.....]
The game has a convenient autosave function and a difficult reduction for noobs...Devs, great job, I give you 5 stars.
[And even though I took a lot of time to create all that... Kaito-san clearing it in one try makes me dissatisfied.]
That's what you have been dissatisfied about!? W- What the heck... I felt as if everything was being rolled around Shiro-san's palms...
I mean, if it's possible to try again... I'd like it if you told me that first!