After asking about inside information related to the Truth Society, I told the fat guy to spread false information within the Truth Society. Unfortunately, the prophet's current location was unknown, so I ordered the fat guy and his subordinates to disperse and find out his current location. After they promised to keep in contact frequently with me through letters, they immediately left the place as if to run away from me.
Anyway, I got some subordinates I can use from now on to help me with odd tasks. I'm not sure whether they will be useful or not, but I don't think they will betray me anytime soon, especially after I teach them about true education.
I figured it would be okay for me to rest now that I have settled everything. So I walked back to the seemingly empty hut to take shelter for the night and have a good night sleep.
However, that was the moment it happened. Suddenly, a fissure to the otherworld opened from the sky and dropped an object to the ground. I couldn't see it clearly as my location was quite far from the object, but it seemed like the object falls at the deeper part of the forest.
'What was that? No way, did the otherworld monsters already started to invade?!'
No matter how much I thought about it, It was too soon. Way too soon than what I have remembered.
'Did the future change because of me? Again?'
I shook my head and roused my mana. There's no time to think about this.
'I should go and check out the place first.'
I kicked the ground and rushed towards the fallen object at full speed.
*** Girl's POV ***
'Who am I?'
I opened my heavy eyelids and tried my best to remember. However, I can't remember anything.
'Why can't I remember?'
It was as if my brain had been damaged to some extent. As I tried my best to jog my memory, some images seemed to flash in my head, followed by a searing heartache that was punishing me for trying to remember.
'No good… I'm losing it.'
Even my original personality is starting to fade away with the memory. However, I instinctively sensed that I shouldn't even try to remember–that forgetting is the only way for me to survive.
So, I decided to forget everything, from my ability to my personality, all of it. Even my current way of thinking might change completely the next time I wake up.
'Can I even wake up?'
Even now, I can feel a strong poison raging inside my body. I don't remember what poison it is, why I am poisoned, or even who it was that poisoned me. But even I can tell that I will definitely die if I do nothing.
'So I have to walk… I have to ask for help…'
However, I don't think there is anyone who can help me in this place.
'Where is this?'
I was leaning my back on something. If I could lean on it, then it would probably be something hard, but what is it? I tried to focus on my eyes to get rid of this blurry view and realized that I was leaning on one of the many trees that seemed to stretch out as far as my eyes could see.
'A forest…?'
What was I doing in a forest?
'No, I shouldn't think about this… I should move…'
So I moved my body and tried to stand up.
'Sight. Sound. Smell. Taste. And touch.'
Nothing was working properly. Everything was broken in some way. My body felt numb, and my breathing was ragged. But the worst of them all was this throbbing headache and severe burn from the poison inside me.
'It hurts…'
Even then, I tried my best and managed to walk.
"Someone…"
Did I even say the words properly? How many steps did I take? The row of trees was still there, so it was probably only a few steps at best.
"Help…"
As I took another step, my feet lost their strength, and I lost my balance.
"Ah…"
Then, I fell face down on the grass. Fortunately, I didn't feel hurt from the impact at all. Rather than because there's no impact, it's probably more accurate to say that it was because I have lost my sense of touch almost completely by now.
'Am I going to die here? Without even knowing what happened?'
It was unreasonable. Then again, that was probably the only conclusion that could happen.
However, something happened when I was about to close my eyes.
'...!'
From between the rows of trees, someone appeared and ran desperately towards me.
'A boy…?'
I'm not sure because everything looks blurry. But his frame seemed to suggest that he was a boy.
'Was he trying to save me?'
That seemed to be the case, considering the concerned voice coming from his mouth. I don't know if he can actually save me, but his goodwill alone is enough to make me grateful for him.
'He's my savior.'
Even if I forget everything else, I don't want to forget about the one who tried to save me from this terrible pain. So I tried to burn his figure to my brain.
'No, I will probably lose all memories in my brain soon, so I should imprint his figure onto my soul.'
I tried to focus my tired eyes.
'Black hair… hazel eyes… and a pure white light…'
It was a memory based on colors. That's all I can remember from him, but…
'Somehow, even that feels enough for me to never forget.'
A memory in the brain can get damaged and lost. But a memory etched on the soul lasts forever.
'Whether I can recall that memory while I'm still alive is another matter though.'
However, that was a problem for my future self to solve. Either way, if there ever comes a day when my current and future self become one, then--
'I hope I can repay the one who saved me by then...'
As the gentle light enveloped me, my eyelids grew heavier. I let the sleepiness come over me, and then–
The world fades to black.
…
..
.
*** MC's POV ***
"Hey! Can you hear me? Hey!"
I desperately called out to the girl as I tried to heal her with Bianca's healing art.
'Was she the object that fell from the fissure in the sky?'
Seeing that there were no otherworld monsters nearby, that seemed to be the case.
'But a person coming out from the fissure? Now that's weird.'
It's something I have never seen or heard happening in the game.
'No, let's think about that later. First, I need to save her.'
So I continued to use my healing art on her.
'But what is this?'
What kind of poison is this that even Bianca's healing could only alleviate the symptom?
'The poison is too strong.'
Should I be glad that I can at least alleviate some of her pain?
'I should continue to heal her for a while.'
I looked around as I healed her and realized that the grass under her body had turned charred and black.
'No, not just the grass under her.'
From a tree up ahead, all the way to where she currently fell, everything became charred and black. It looked ominous as if no living being should touch it. But the worst thing was the fact that this blackness was spreading at an alarming rate!
'No way, is the poison spreading?!'
Right now, even the previously normal grass around her began to turn black the others, as if infected by the poisoned grass under her.
'No good.'
I have to do something before the poison touches me and spreads everywhere.
'And fast…!'
It was a race against time, so I decided to use the quickest skill I had.