player POV-Chapter 76: The Conversation

"What do you want to talk about?"

Silence lingered for a moment before I lifted my coffee cup and took a small sip, then gently placed the cup back in its place. After a moment, I spoke in a low, calm voice:

"I want your help with something, and I will tell you what I want, but I ask that you don’t tell anyone, no matter who it is. If you are ready for that, we can sign a contract immediately."

I took out a silver-colored contract. The paper was unusually thin and shiny, and its surface was covered with mysterious symbols that danced as if they were tiny living creatures.

Zion looked at the paper with curiosity, then our eyes met. I did not blink, staring at him directly, while he sighed slowly and put his hand on his head before saying:

"Alright, I will help you with what you want, after all, I owe you my life. Let me see the contract for a moment."

I smiled lightly and handed him the paper. Zion took it and began reading in a low voice:

"By signing this contract, both parties commit to the following: no matter what happens, neither party will speak about what they witness in this conversation to anyone. Anyone who violates the contract will die immediately. Both parties must also assist each other without asking about matters unrelated to the mission determined by Rion, and neither party may obtain information from the other except when directly asked about it."

After Zion finished reading the contract, he looked at me with a complex expression, clearly deep in thought. All the conditions served my interests, which made me feel a sense of inner satisfaction.

In truth, I didn’t actually want a contract between us, but I realized that if I didn’t suggest it, Zion might suspect my intentions and start looking for details on his own, which I absolutely did not want.

Zion sighed softly before saying:

"Alright... I will sign the contract."

I handed him the paper, and he took it carefully with both hands, then injected his own energy into it. The symbols on the paper moved violently, as if alive, then shot into his body at an unnatural speed. Moments later, he returned the paper to me, and I injected my own energy into it. The symbols penetrated my body suddenly, and I felt a sharp tingling, like a parasite moving inside me.

I stopped moving, focusing all my sensation in my heart, where I felt the symbols settle, accompanied by a disturbing and strange feeling that made my facial expressions shift slightly.

After moments of tension-filled silence, Zion spoke in a voice calmer than ever:

"So, the contract has been signed... now you can tell me what you want me to do."

I looked at him for a moment, then sighed slowly as I thought: it’s time to activate. I kept my face rigid without showing any confusion or tension, then began speaking in a calm voice:

"I can see the future."

At these words, silence filled the place completely. Zion looked at me with an expression of intense shock and confusion, as if his face was saying: What nonsense is this idiot talking? Has he lost his mind or what?

Honestly, I couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. If I were in his place and someone came to me and said such things, I would have immediately thought they had lost their mind. So, I was fully prepared for such a situation, knowing that everything now depended on his reaction.

"Do you remember the trip to Irval Valley? You must know that at that time, I poisoned the cake I served to the Fry, right?"

I paused for a moment, then added in a calm voice:

"Do you know why I did that? At that time, I had already seen the future. I saw that the Fry would betray us from behind, and that if I hadn’t done what I did, everyone would have died. Isn’t that right?"

I looked at Zion, whose face had grown calm by then, as he fixed his eyes on mine in silence for several seconds before finally speaking:

"Alright... so you’re saying you can see the future, correct?"

I nodded in agreement, confirming his words. Zion smiled slightly, then continued in a calm but contemplative voice:

"Then, what you say is true. But let me ask you something... at that time, I had doubts about your intentions regarding poisoning the cake you served us. So I was watching you throughout the trip. And when we fell into the trap, I saw your shock clear on your face at that moment... hmm. And if you really can predict the future, then why did you allow the Red Killer to devour you at that time? How is that? Can you explain this to me?"

I paused for a moment, keeping my face rigid without any change, then answered calmly:

"I can only see a small glimpse of the future. Therefore, I did not know exactly when the Fry would attack us, which is why I was surprised then. As for when the Red Killer devoured me, I knew I would survive, but there are moments in the future I cannot see, because they simply become too obscure and cannot be interpreted literally."

I stopped speaking, while Zion was deep in thought, silent. As for me, I began thinking internally: when did I become such a professional liar? I really had to become a true trickster... I am literally speaking nonsense, and I know it, but what can I do?

Zion lifted his head slightly, his eyes never leaving mine, before saying in a calm but...

"Alright... I believe you, but let me just make sure of that." Zion said after a moment of silence, then added: "Hmm... as the contract says, I can ask you one question, and you cannot lie to me, correct?"

I nodded in agreement and began thinking: the time has come...

Zion took a deep breath, trying to muster his courage before asking the question, then said in a low voice, slightly trembling:

"Will I achieve my goal in the future? Can you see that? Please... tell me if you know."

I looked at him directly, and I noticed that his facial expression, which had been calm before, had completely changed. His goal was clear: revenge against his father, but this goal was nearly impossible to achieve, for his father was the third Pillar of one of the Ten Demon Pillars. However, he was not the third Pillar himself, but one of the copies of that Pillar, sent to Earth to create a suitable vessel so that the Pillar could descend to Earth and establish its presence.

I had imposed very strict conditions on the Ten Pillars and the Demon Kings to allow them to come to Earth. If these conditions had not existed, Earth would have been destroyed long ago. Even the game did not clarify why the Ten Pillars could not come directly to Earth, and this was a puzzling mystery for many players at that time.

I looked at Zion, who was staring at me, while I did not really know the answer. I paused at the moment when Zion was about to defeat the third Pillar after a fierce battle, but I did not know whether he had succeeded in defeating it or not.

And since the contract forbids me from lying, I exhaled slowly and said:

"I don’t know..."

Zion’s expression grew slightly sad, and he murmured in a low voice:

"Is that so..."

But I continued speaking again, keeping my calm:

"I may not know, but I only saw that you were facing him, and I did not see whether you had won or not. That’s all I could see." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

I looked at him directly, and his eyes were filled with suspicion and confusion. After a moment, Zion said in a slightly sharp tone:

"Are you just lying to me to make me feel better, or what?"

I shook my head quickly:

"If I were lying to you, my heart would have already stopped. Have you forgotten that we signed the contract? Where has your mind gone, I wonder?"

Zion returned to his usual expression, seeming to absorb my words. He sighed slowly, and silence fell for a few moments while he thought deeply, before speaking in a calm voice:

"Alright... forget that. What do you need from me so I can help you?"

I finally sighed with relief, and answered in a calm voice:

"The journey to Harten City will turn into a bloodbath."

Zion fell silent for a moment, his eyes staring with a fixed expression.

I hesitated for a moment, then clicked my tongue before I began speaking:

"It seems you don’t really believe me after everything I’ve told you, do you?" I paused slightly, gathering my thoughts, then added honestly: "To be honest, if you were in my place, you would have done the same. It’s hard to believe all of this at once, even if it’s true."

I smiled faintly, trying to break the tension between us, then said:

"So, let’s meet tomorrow. There, I’ll be able to remove all your doubts. I promise, you’ll see everything clearly. See you later."

I stood up slowly from my seat, my steps quiet and steady as I left the cafeteria. I looked back for a moment and saw Zion still sitting there alone, silent, lost in his thoughts...