Within the beautiful snowy field, I exchanged words with the other Isis-san whom I met in a dream.
[H- However, errr... Isis-san is also amazing. Connecting your heart and temporarily blocking memory, you're also able to do stuff like that huh.]
While it is quite a mysterious ability, I suppose Isis-san, who possesses far greater than I do, is capable of various things. However, I have a feeling that this had some special circumstances behind it, so I thought I would ask.
"...Hmmm. This is something only I can do right now. With the blessing Kaito received from Shallow Vernal, ordinary Mental Magic will be nullified."
[Eh? Then, how would Isis-san be able to do stuff like this then...]
"Errr... By acquiring the power of a God... or something like that... I guess?"
[Why is it that you yourself aren't sure about that... Rather, the power of a God?]
"Unnn, before I was "reborn" as Isis... I was called the "Great Evil God of Despair"."
[...Yes?]
Wait a second there. I feel like some outrageous information was just being casually brought up right there!?
I am curious about the fact that she was reborn, but I'm more curious about that name "Great Evil God of Despair", especially with how familiar it felt.
I kinda feel like that name was brought up in Alice's stories of her past... N- No, having the same name doesn't necessarily mean they're the same entity...
"The being which is my... no, our origin was a God from a world different from this one."
[...Errr, could it be, you are...]
"Unnn... As Kaito should have already guessed, I used to be the Evil God defeated by the Hero of Hope."
[Ahh, as I thought, that really is the case.]
"Unnn... I will explain that part properly as well."
As I thought, she really was the Great Evil God of Despair that Alice had mentioned before. The Hero of Hope Isis-san mentioned should be Alice.
"Even though I was a God, I wasn't that powerful. If it comes to combat ability, the current us is much more powerful than the us back then, and compared to the God of this world, Shallow Vernal, we are incredibly inferior."
With her gaze fixed on the clear blue sky, Isis-san spun her words with a somewhat nostalgic look on her face. Indeed, if it's true that she lost to the old Alice, then it's possible that her combat abilities were inferior to the current Isis-san.
"...Lonely, I don't want to be alone... That's all what I as the Great Evil God was thinking about. However, I wasn't able to speak, and all I could do was connect my heart with the hearts of others... That was the only way for me to connect with others."
Just from hearing those words, I get the impression that she was a lonely God, and she didn't seem like the kind of being that would be called an Evil God, but perhaps, there's something more to the story than that.
"However, the "magic power of despair" dwelled within me. Just like the magic power of death, it brings those whose hearts I connected with to despair... I almost destroyed the world twice because of it."
[....However, that's not what Isis-san wanted... and was just a side-effect, right?]
"...Unnn. I was lonely, I wanted to connect with someone... but when I reach out for others, I end up enveloping the world in despair. The first time it happened, I was sealed. The second time, on a scale and at a speed even greater than the first, I nearly dyed the world in despair."
Isis-san's hand is trembling slightly. Remembering the loneliness of that moment, it felt as if she was freezing...
Putting a little bit of strength into my hand holding Isis-san's hand, and without saying anything, I waited for her next words.
"... And for the second time... I was killed by the Hero of Hope. No, it's more correct to say I was almost killed... but I cast aside most of my body and fled to another world with only my soul, using the last of my strength,... because I didn't want to die... all alone."
Looking at it from a different perspective, it may truly be a heroic tale. The Great Evil God who once nearly destroyed the world has returned, and the Hero of Hope has defeated them.
However, the Great Evil God had no malicious intent to destroy the world, she was just lonely and wanted to connect with others... And the only way she could connect with others was by bringing them to despair. It's a very dreary story.
I couldn't watch Isis-san trembling any longer, so I reflexively hugged her slender body.
For a moment, Isis-san looked surprised, but then she immediately smiled happily and pressed her face against my chest.
After a short period of silence, being careful not to rush her... I slowly urged her to continue the conversation.
[...And then, you arrived in this world?]
"...Unnn. I arrived here and immediately met Shallow Vernal. As I said before, Shallow Vernal is on a completely different level from me. It would have been so easy for Shallow Vernal to crush me like a bug and make me disappear."
I wonder what Isis-san... the Great Evil God felt at that time? She didn't want to die alone, so she desperately ran away... only to meet a strong person she was helpless with on the path of her escape. The tragedy of that moment must have been so great that I can't even imagine it.
"However, Shallow Vernal didn't eliminate me. I don't know what Shallow Vernal was thinking back then, but I think... it was probably just a whim. She took my soul and recreated its core... Gave me even greater power, and was born again."
[...And that's when Isis-san was born huh.]
"Unnn. In the process of my rebirth as Isis, the magic power of the dead gathered around me and the magic power of despair turned... no, it evolved into the magic power of death. And for some reason, the memory of the being known as the Great Evil God of Despair remained in the depths of our soul, not completely erased... Perhaps, the loneliness we felt back then may be because of the hazy memories that linger within it."
Considering that, how long has Isis-san spent in solitude? Perhaps, it was so long that I can't even imagine it anymore.
Having such a thought in mind, my embrace towards Isis-san naturally tightened.
"I usually exist as a part of Isis Remnant... but since olden days, when Isis "receives strong rejection because of her magic power of death", I appear as a separate consciousness in Isis' dreams. Well, right now... I wanted to talk to Kaito, so I kind of forced myself to come out."
It seems that Isis-san's story has come to an end. Now then, how should I respond to her?
It must have been hard, it must have been sad, it's easy to put it into words. However, I don't think I can say things like I understand her.
[...Thank you for telling me all about it. I'm glad to know a lot more about you than before, Isis-san.]
"...Kaito."
[Don't look so anxious. It's alright... Even if I know you have such a past, my feelings for you won't disappear. Whether or not you have the memories of a Great Evil God or not, whether or not your tone of voice is different from the usual Isis-san... You are definitely the Isis-san I know... the Isis-san that I love.]
"!? Ahh... Kaito... Kaito..."
Hearing Isis-san's words, she tightly hugged me, tears in her eyes. Looking at the anxiety on her face, I could already imagine what she was thinking.
I think that Isis-san basically doesn't have self-confidence... or rather, she has experienced a dreary loneliness, which often makes her think in a pessimistic way.
When she told me about the fact that her origin was this Great Evil God, she had such an anxious look on her face, as if she was afraid I would hate her for that.
But well, that's an unnecessary worry. Something like that wouldn't change the fact that I love Isis-san.
Isis-san, who was crying as she rubbed her face against my chest, looked up at me with moist eyes... and slowly closed her eyes.
As for what she wanted, it's easy to understand without having to think about it. Gently bringing my face close, I put my lips on Isis-san's lips.
When my lips parted with hers, Isis-san looked like she was pouting a bit, but at the same time, she had a very happy expression on her face.
"...Kaito, I love you. I'm so happy to have met you that I regret all the time I haven't spent with you."
[...I also feel the same case.]
"...Unnn!"
Rising on her lips as Isis-san responded as such was a dazzling smile.
Holding hands with Isis-san, we walked through the beautiful snow field under the blue sky again. Isis-san seemed to be in a great mood, walking with a smile on her face that made me feel happy just seeing it.
"Hey, Kaito."
[Is something the matter?]
"You will soon wake up. Then, I will be there with the other me as Isis Remnant, just as I have always been. But before that, I have one thing... I'd like to ask Kaito a favor while I still have the memory of the Great Evil God of Despair."
Hmmm? What in the world could she be requesting? The fact that she went out of her way of saying that "while she still has her memory of the Great Evil God of Despair" suggests that it would be something related to that.
However, according to Isis-san's story, that Great Evil God was supposed to be a matter of a different world... I wonder if there's something that I can do to be of help with my abilities?
As I was thinking like that, Isis-san stared straight into my eyes and spoke with a serious expression on her face.
"Errr, I would appreciate it if you don't tell Hero of Hope about me. Thanks to Kaito, Hero of Hope has stopped being bound by her past and has begun to look forward, and I don't think there's any need to remind her of me now."
[I see. Well, for Alice, you would probably be an opponent who can be said to be her former nemesis, so if I talk about you, things may turn complicated.... I understand. If that's what Isis-san says, I'll keep your true identity hidden in my heart.]
"Unnn!"
After nodding with a bright smile, Isis-san stopped walking and faced me with a small smile on her lips.
"It's almost morning... about time for you to wake up."
[...I see. I'm a little sad to part ways with you... but you and Isis-san can continue to talk as much as you want, right?]
"Unnn... I will be in your care from now on, Kaito."
[Yes. I'm also in your care.]
"Kaito... I love you. I love you so, so, so much..."
While saying that, Isis-san embraced my body, and I hugged her back. Feeling the soft warmth of her body, my consciousness slowly faded away.