"Ruby."
Frey, who had been standing there with a dazed expression, broke free from the ropes binding him, and rose to his feet as he spoke.
"Ruby, answer me."
"…"
Ruby, who normally reacted immediately to Frey's words, remained silent, her head bowed low, saying nothing.
"Damn it."
Seeing her like that, Frey, with cold sweat beading on his forehead, cursed under his breath.
"Why…"
Ruby's soul was shattering in real-time.
This wasn't like when Frey borrowed Pherloche's powers to artificially fragment his soul. Ruby's soul was genuinely crumbling away.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a cause for celebration. He should be clapping his hands in joy.
The entity he was supposed to be fighting against as a hero—the ultimate evil in the world, a being of absolute malevolence—her soul was about to be irreversibly destroyed.
*Drip…*
But watching her sit on the cold ground, shedding silent tears, Frey's expression didn't reflect satisfaction.
"…This isn't right."
The initial plan to use the fourth trial as an opportunity to destroy Ruby had long been put on hold.
The quest that had appeared just days before the fourth trial had begun changed everything.
Frey had been planning to decide what to do with her based on how the trial played out.
But to think she would preemptively sacrifice herself.
"…"
If things continued like this, Ruby would either become a monster or a hollow shell without a soul.
She would remain that way until the "final battle" that the "system" had planned for them.
When that day came, he could simply pierce her with the Hero's Weapon and end it all.
Then everything would be over, and the long-sought "happy ending" would be his.
But there was another reason Frey hadn't yet made a decision.
**[Sudden Quest: Ruby's Salvation]**
**Details: Select "Sudden Quest: Corruption."**
**[Reward: Fix the fourth trial bug...]**
**[...Unlock True Ending Path]**
It was something he had never seen mentioned anywhere before. But if there truly was a "True Ending," he had to reach it, whatever the cost.
That was probably why he'd immediately accepted the quest the moment he saw it.
Perhaps.
*Shwoosh…*
The soul of Ruby, lying before him, was collapsing beyond control.
If it disintegrated any further, the existence known as "Ruby" would cease to be.
*Swish…*
Having stared blankly at her for a while, Frey finally took action. Quietly, he took a ring from his pinky finger and slipped it onto Ruby's finger.
It was one of the rare items Ruby had searched the world for after seeing him in a state of panic when his soul had been damaged.
Among those items, this particular ring—which was even detailed in the prophecy—was known to have the power to stabilize a soul.
"Hmm."
The ring did bring Ruby's crumbling soul some stability.
But it wasn't enough.
Ruby's soul had endured far too many retries, far too much damage, to be stabilized by a single ring.
*Drip…*
Frey bit his lip, thinking for a moment, and then reached down to pick up a sharp stone from the ground. He cut his own arm with it.
*Drip…*
The most effective way to stabilize a soul was through a blood oath.
"Drink it, Ruby."
"Mmm."
For a human to perform a blood oath for another human was unheard of, not for a thousand years.
And there had certainly never been a case where someone who had received a blood oath returned it to the one who had given it.
*Gulp, gulp.*
Frey felt a dizzying sensation as he, for the first time, made a blood oath to someone—a Demon King, no less.
*Shwoosh…*
Perhaps it was the side effect of a double contract. Or maybe it was the paradox of both having sworn their souls to each other.
For an instant, their souls intertwined.
"Ugh…"
And with that, Frey was hit with a torrent of Ruby's memories.
The scenes he had been vaguely recalling over the past few days now played out vividly before his eyes, as if he were experiencing them firsthand.
"…"
Watching the scenes unfold, Frey's expression hardened with each passing moment.
"What is this…?"
Eventually, he spoke, his face pale with horror.
"What… is this…?"
Just as his blood flowed from his arm into Ruby's mouth, time seemed to stretch and bend.
"Mmm…"
After some time had passed—
"Frey?"
Ruby, who had been lying lifeless on the floor, slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.
**[2 - 01]**
**[Recover Frey's Memory (1/1)]**
**[Stage 2 Quest Complete!]**
"Huh?"
A notification message appeared in front of her eyes.
"As expected from you, Frey."
After staring at the message in a daze for a moment, Ruby murmured with a look that seemed to say she'd expected nothing less.
"You managed to do it… somehow, as always."
Frey, standing before her, wore a look of utter confusion.
Due to the side effects of their mutual blood oath and the brief merging of their souls, the precious memories Ruby held dear had been transferred directly to him.
"What are these… memories?"
It was enough for the system to recognize this as a "clear" for the quest, but for Frey, it was a profound shock.
"Are you saying… these memories… are real? No way. That's impossible."
"Frey…"
"I'm telling you… there were no such rounds!"
The memories he'd seen were scenes that matched the drawings he'd made in the first round of the trials.
A younger version of them staring at each other in a familiar cave.
Ruby, in a Sunrise Academy uniform, talking with Frey alongside the five main heroines.
The two of them sharing whole wheat bread and potato soup on a desert trip for the academy's field trip to the Western Continent.
Watching a play together, shopping for clothes, sharing ice cream.
Holding hands and gazing at the starry sky from the rooftop.
"Are you telling me… all of these memories… are real?"
Mixed with these scenes were Frey's own fake affections, intended to ruin Ruby, and the affectionate gestures Ruby had made toward him.
"This is… absurd."
It was only natural that Frey was in a state of shock.
"The subconscious is… a frightening thing."
Watching him with pity, Ruby, barely holding back the pain tearing at her soul, forced herself to stand up.
But then…
**[Final Quest]**
The "Final Quest" appeared before her, and she froze in place.
"…"
A tense silence fell.
"Haha… haha!"
The silence was broken as Ruby suddenly let out an awkward laugh, spreading her arms wide.
"It all went according to plan!"
"…Plan?"
She shouted, her voice echoing through the room, at Frey, who still looked completely baffled.
"Yes, you fell for the false memories I planted and sacrificed your soul to me! How foolish you are, Frey."
Frey's eyes began to waver.
---
"You didn't honestly believe those were real memories between us, did you? You're more naive than I thought!"
Ruby began mocking him, her expression derisive.
"You idiot! Everything I did was a lie!"
"A lie…?"
"Every background story I told you was a lie. You were the hero who nearly defeated me, the Demon King on the verge of losing! I just made you, with your lost memories, give up your soul to me!"
"…"
"Even the explanation of how to perform a blood oath—everything was calculated!"
Ruby continued, sneering at him.
"You can no longer command me. Now we'll fight, power against power!"
Their magic collided as Ruby sneered and Frey's face turned icy.
The impact caused the underground hideout to shake violently and crack.
"I've been waiting for this moment. I wondered what would happen if you didn't sacrifice your soul to me… but it looks like my gamble paid off…"
It was as if she'd reverted to her old self, raising her magical energy with a tyrannical intensity, overwhelming Frey.
But then—
"…Ugh!"
Ruby suddenly retracted her magic and fell to her knees.
*Cough, cough…*
"No… could it be… my soul hasn't fully recovered…?"
Her voice was strained as she muttered awkwardly, her face twisted in pain.
"Ugh… my body… I can't move…"
She looked up at Frey with a resentful expression.
"…"
Frey silently drew his sword, and Ruby muttered in frustration.
"Damn… so I failed."
"…"
"What are you waiting for? Go ahead, run me through. Are you toying with me?"
*Swish…!*
"I suppose I'll have to abandon this body. But beware… my soul will soon find another host…"
"Ruby."
Frey, who had been silently holding his sword to her throat, spoke with a chillingly calm expression.
"Stop pretending."
"…What?"
He asked, his face pale as he continued.
"Why are you acting?"
"W-what nonsense are you spouting?"
"Are you… trying to get me to kill you on purpose?"
Ruby's eyes began to tremble uncontrollably.
---
"W-what are you talking about? Just kill me already and stop spouting nonsense."
"Your soul is on the verge of shattering. If I pierce you with this sword, imbued with the Saint's power,
your soul will be erased, even yours."
"Then hurry up and do it. Why are you hesitating?"
Ruby, still kneeling in front of him, smiled mockingly.
"Killing me would end everything. Are you hesitating because you're afraid? Are you not a man, Frey?"
"…"
*Cough, cough…*
"Fine. If you're not going to attack me… then I'll…"
It was obvious she was faking.
Her sudden change in attitude, her insistence on her deceit—it all felt like a lie.
And then there was her teary gaze.
"Those memories… of us meeting in a cave, talking at the academy, traveling together… were those real?"
"I told you, they were fake…"
"Then why are you trying so hard to make me kill you?"
At this, Ruby bit her lip and stared into the empty air.
What was she looking at?
Normally, one would act that way when they were checking the system.
Could it be… had she received a new quest?
"Could it be… was there really a forgotten round?"
"How foolish you are, Frey."
Ruby flinched at his question but quickly forced a cold smile.
"There was no forgotten round. It was all fabricated memories."
"…"
"And honestly, you still have your original memory, don't you?"
His heart sank.
She knew he retained his original memory?
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice your trap?"
"Trap…?"
"Tricking me into believing we had a past connection, dragging me into the 'Fourth Trial' to trap me."
Ruby spoke, her expression filled with fury.
"That's why… I used the same strategy. I created fake memories and made you sacrifice your soul to me."
"…"
"But I miscalculated the damage to my soul, and now I'm in this state. Hurry up and kill me, so I can move on to a new body."
Everything was chaotic.
If her words were true, it would explain a lot.
All the memories he had recalled were fabricated by Ruby after she became aware of his plot during the fourth trial.
She had used them to lure him into a blood oath and restore herself to equal footing, intending to kill him but failing, leaving her in this weakened state.
*Swish…*
"Hurry up and kill me. I'm tired of this body."
It made perfect sense.
If this were true, he could kill her without any guilt.
*Drip…*
But the tears still streaming from her eyes made that difficult.
"Just kill me already… Frey."
Killing her now would bring about a happy ending.
The five main heroines and all the supporting heroines…
His family and the world would finally find happiness.
"Please… kill me."
As the Demon King, she would either turn into a monster or become a soulless shell.
"…"
But if he killed her now, the truth would remain buried forever.
The truth about Ruby, and the "True Ending" would remain unknown.
"Frey, if you don't kill me now… I'll start killing one person every minute."
Ruby, tears streaming down her face, spoke coldly.
"I'll start with your sister. I'll tear her apart cruelly and mercilessly."
"…"
"Then I'll go for the first-year students. Without the system's restrictions, I can do whatever I want now."
Ruby's face turned terrifying as she continued.
"Then Kania, then Irina, then Clana, Serena, Pherloche…"
"Tell me the truth."
"If you don't want to see your loved ones die… kill me now."
"Tell me… the truth."
"Thirty seconds left."
The blade, now against her stomach, began to tremble.
"Twenty seconds."
If he drove it into her stomach now, it would lead to a happy ending.
"Ten seconds."
The seemingly unending tragedy would end.
"Five seconds."
Perhaps the truth that would haunt him would remain buried forever.
"Four seconds, three…"
What choice was he supposed to make? What choice could he make?
"Two."
He didn't know. He didn't know.
"One…"
"Wa-wait…"
Ruby was about to extend her hand toward the children in the distance.
At the same time, just as he was about to thrust the sword—
*Crackle!*
Suddenly, it happened.
"Eek!?"
"What is…!"
The basement, which had been their respawn point for countless retries, began to fill with darkness.
*Crackle, crackle!*
Then, from all directions, hideous tendrils emerged.
"What… what is this…"
"Ugh…"
"Ruby?"
Seeing these sinister shapes, Frey frowned as the once resolute Ruby sat down, her face pale.
"What's happening…?"
**—Do you seek the truth?**
"Ah!"
Just as he took a step toward her, a massive presence appeared before them.
"…What is this?"
It was a giant eye.
---
**—It's been a while, Frey.**
"You are…"
**—It's been too long.**
Staring at the eye that had suddenly appeared, Frey forced himself to calm down and asked.
"…Who are you?"
**—You wouldn't understand even if I told you.**
Frey grimaced at its reply, stepping back.
An immense power radiated from the eye, beyond his comprehension.
**—But perhaps, the one thing you could understand is… that I am the one behind the Demon God.**
"Are you… the mastermind?"
**—Being defined by something as lowly as yourself is utterly revolting.**
"Then why are you here?"
Instinctively realizing that this eye might be behind everything, Frey asked with a tense expression.
**—I came to reveal the truth in place of the main body.**
"Why? Why now?"
**—Because I've put too much effort into this climax. It would be a shame if the truth were buried without seeing the light.**
The eye replied, as if finding it amusing.
"Frey, kill me."
Ruby, pale as a ghost, stood up and screamed the moment the eye finished speaking.
"Kill me right now!!"
**—I won't stop you. I'll respect your free will.**
"Don't listen to him! Just kill me!"
**—But you can listen to what I have to say, can't you?**
Holding his sword in his hand, Frey hesitated, glancing at the eye despite himself.
**—Why did you, who used to detest rye bread, come to love it?**
"T-that's…! It's a fake memory I planted… ugh!"
Ruby tried to interrupt, but a tendril struck her cheek, sending her sprawling to the floor.
"Ruby…"
**—Why did she become a "girl" immediately after losing the position of Demon King?**
Frey, who had been reaching out to her, hesitated, his gaze wavering.
"Wh-what are you trying to say…?"
**—Why did Isollette Arham Byrock fall out as the sixth main heroine?**
"…!"
Snarling in fury, Frey was about to raise his voice, but froze at that question.
**—Why is your store's special ability "mind control," and hers "blind devotion"?**
"…"
**—Why did you accept the Salvation Quest the moment you saw it?**
"What…"
After standing still for a long time, Frey's voice trembled as he responded.
"That was… to see the True Ending…"
**—Even though you didn't know the reason, you accepted it the moment you saw "Ruby's Salvation"?**
"…Huh?"
Realizing he'd impulsively accepted the quest just from seeing the words "Ruby's Salvation," Frey reached into his pocket, his hands trembling.
**—I assume you still have that pendant with you.**
The pendant he had received from the Star God, the Easter Egg, was in his hand.
**—Shwoosh…**
For some reason, he felt certain it would open if he tried it now.
**—Inside it lies the truth.**
"What… truth?"
"Frey. Don't do it. No. Just kill me. Don't look at it."
"Tell me. What's the truth?"
With an agonizing heart, Frey asked, and the eye, narrowing itself in a mockingly indulgent manner, replied.
**—The Original Plan.**
"What…"
Before he could even touch it, the pendant opened on its own, flooding the room with light.
"What is…"
**—Let's call it… yes, Round Zero.**
"…!"
Engulfed in the blinding light, Frey glanced at Ruby, who stood with her head down in resignation, and then back at the eye, which remained narrowed.
**—It's been a long wait. I'm looking forward to it.**
*Crackle!*
And with that, Frey vanished into the light.
**—Sometimes, the truth is harsher than lies.**
The last thing he heard was the eye's voice, dripping with mocking anticipation.
---
"Gasp, gasp…!"
Frey, who had been flailing as though his entire body was tearing apart, finally steadied himself and looked around.
"Where…?"
In his line of sight, he saw a familiar scene.
"The Demon King's castle…"
He was at the highest floor of the Demon King's castle.
"…Hmm."
Still disoriented, Frey examined his surroundings.
"Observation mode again?"
His body was transparent.
It felt exactly like the second and third trials, where he had watched the world in this form.
"Let's see what's going on in there…
Frey looked around, still unsure of his surroundings.
As he gazed at the upper floor, the doors to the Demon King's chamber suddenly burst open with a loud bang.
"Keuh..."
A small girl was flung out, rolling across the floor in pain. From the shattered doorway, a figure with a cold expression stepped out.
"…Huh."
Seeing the pale, stern face behind the door, Frey's eyes widened in shock.
"The first Demon King…"
He recognized the figure instantly. It was the very image he'd seen in the prophecy.
Standing before him was the First Demon King, the one who had supposedly been defeated by the first hero, Hanbyul, a thousand years ago.
"Then… is this really a thousand years in the past…?"
Still dazed, Frey turned his gaze to the girl who had been thrown out of the chamber.
"...Huh."
What he saw left him speechless.
"Hic… hnn…"
"Useless brat. The older you get, the more worthless you become."
With pink hair and lifeless eyes, the girl on the floor looked familiar. She was unmistakably a young Lulu.
"…What is this?"
Then, from a nearby room, another figure stepped out.
"Lulu."
"…."
The figure with ruby-colored eyes knelt beside Lulu, who was lying there, and gently embraced her.
"…No way…"
It was unmistakably a young Ruby.
"…Sister… I… don't think I can endure this anymore…"
"Hmm…"
With a trembling voice, Lulu began to speak as Ruby held her close, looking around cautiously.
"Lulu, let's escape."
"Huh…?"
"Shh, stay quiet."
Ruby urgently covered Lulu's mouth, calming her. But Lulu's eyes still showed anxiety.
"If Father and Mother find out… they'll kill us."
"It's alright. I have a plan."
Ruby softly patted her back and whispered in her ear.
"Let's go somewhere even they can't find us."
"…Where?"
"A thousand years into the future… a place where no one can stop us."
"B-But…"
Lulu's eyes wavered as she listened to Ruby's words.
"What is… all this…"
Frey was in shock, trying to make sense of it all.