Chapter 171

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Episode 40 - Bloodline [1]

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"....?"

Lumina blinked and looked around.

Her breathing was uneven as sweat beaded down her back and her emotions slowly returned to normal.

She placed a hand on her forehead and then rubbed her temples.

Then she remembered what had happened just a few seconds ago.

She pressed her lips together as she felt a slight but growing discomfort.

’I promised myself I would change his future, so I should forget those memories.’

Internally, she shook her head as a small migraine began to bother her.

She let out a sigh, and shortly afterward, Professor Rein’s voice reached her ears.

"All right, cadets, with this, my exam is over."

He walked toward the exit, and just as he was about to cross the doorway,

Professor Rein stopped for a second and then looked over his shoulder.

He opened his mouth and said in a serious tone:

"Oh, and a piece of advice for next week’s final exams: I recommend buying coats to maintain your body temperature; otherwise, you might freeze to death."

Then he walked out the door and closed it. Shortly afterward, silence settled over the classroom.

Meanwhile, Lumina looked over her shoulder.

In the last row of seats, beside a large window through which the faint daylight entered,

a boy was sitting there, "looking" straight ahead as if lost in thought.

’Did he notice my emotions?’

Lumina rose from her seat and, without wasting any time, left the classroom.

’First, I’ll deal with "that" problem, and then I’ll begin my plans to change his Dark Destiny.’

---

The day came to an end, and the classes that had started an hour after this week’s final exam were over.

The following week would be the last week of the semester, as well as the week of the final exams.

However, during the following week, all cadets from the three grades would travel to three different continents to carry out their exam activities.

In my memories, there is no explanation as to why the Academy sent its cadets to different continents during the final exams of every semester.

In any case, I already knew where we would be going; moreover, the Second Part of Chapter Two would take place there.

After that, Chapter Three would begin, the first Chapter that is not divided into parts.

’Rinna’s arc and the Holy Church are approaching.’

Though that will be about four months from now, so by then I should already be a Five-Star Awakened.

I’m not sure how close I’ll be to Six Stars, but I don’t think I’ll be far off.

From Five Stars to Six Stars, you only need to meet two requirements, and you’ll be able to advance fairly easily.

Well, it’s easy from my perspective. For others, it would probably be a massive headache, since advancing to Six Stars mainly requires Comprehension.

"Older brother, may I ask where we’re going?"

Walking beside me, Veronica asked in a nervous voice.

"Why does your tone make it sound like I’m about to do something to you in a secluded place?"

Honestly, she was starting to annoy me.

"Ehm, haven’t you heard that when a guy takes a girl somewhere unfamiliar, it means he might do something to her?"

A vein throbbed on my forehead.

"Are you seriously saying that, idiot? First of all, you call me ’older brother’ as if we were actually siblings, and second, I’m not that kind of person; if anything, I hate those people."

At my scolding, Veronica raised both hands in surrender.

"I already knew that."

"Then why are you talking nonsense? Tsk."

Because Veronica was the only person capable of irritating me this much, even when I barely felt emotions.

Well, aside from her, there’s also Astella, but that’s a different case.

Maybe it’s because I now have those newly acquired memories that my personality has changed slightly—or quite a bit—when speaking only with Veronica.

Finally, after walking for a long time, we arrived at a pavilion.

It was the same pavilion where I first spoke with Diana during the second week of classes.

In the center of the pavilion was a table with two chairs.

I took a seat in the chair with my back facing the entrance, and Veronica sat down across from me.

Ah, and by the way, the reason I brought Veronica to this place was because of the questions I had about the newly acquired memories and the seven Rings of Origin that were now in my possession.

I took the rings out of my Inventory and placed them on the table. Next, I removed the ring I was wearing from my finger.

It was the Ring of ■■■■, as the system had named it without allowing me to read its true name.

It was the ring of the Lady of the Beasts, which I had obtained in the World of Dreams a couple of months ago.

It had three conditions in total, and so far I had already unlocked two of them.

When I placed everything on the table, Veronica looked around, and I noticed it instantly through her emotions.

"If you’re thinking of running away, then I’ll really lock you up in the middle of a Demonic Zone."

At my words, Veronica smiled awkwardly and said:

"Ah, eh... older brother, you know I can’t answer every question you want to ask me... Although I said it was because of restrictions, it’s actually for your safety, because..."

Veronica suddenly stopped. She pressed her lips together and asked:

"Because...?"

I insisted, and Veronica completely shut her mouth.

"Tsk, alright. In any case, just answer whatever you can."

Veronica nodded slightly and straightened her back.

Then I voiced my first question, something I had been thinking about quite a lot lately.

"The memories I recently obtained just by touching these seven rings together with that other one are real, right?"

"Yes, they are real, and everything you heard happened a long time ago."

"Good, then I want to know this."

I didn’t know whether the answer to my next question would be given today or not.

Regardless of the outcome, I had to accept it.

’Whether it is or isn’t, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is the future that awaits me.’

So I asked:

"This world where I suddenly woke up almost six months ago... is it Earth, but in the future?"

After learning that an Apocalypse was approaching, according to the supposed prophecy from those memories.

I thought that perhaps this world could be Earth in a very distant future after that supposed Apocalypse.

And that the Eight Progenitors somehow have a connection to me, considering that I come from that planet called Earth, assuming this world is or isn’t Earth.

Shortly afterward, Veronica parted her lips and said:

"Ehm... actually, you could get that answer in the last Part of Chapter Four, so I think I can answer that question..."

She paused for a second and looked into the air as if she were observing something.

’Don’t tell me she has the system too.’

I had suspected it, since she knows about the system. In any case, Veronica looked back at me and said:

"Ah, well, yes, I can answer it, and the answer is... yes. This world is Earth in the future, more precisely 1,237,890 years in the future. And as for why this world is larger now, exactly twenty-five times larger, it’s because of the Apocalypse."

I leaned back in my seat as I listened to her answer.

So, in the end, I had always been on Earth. There had never been an "other" world to begin with.

I probably never would have realized it if I hadn’t obtained those memories recently.

’If this world is Earth... then the people I know from my memories, whose faces I can’t see, really existed, didn’t they?’

If there was one thing I had realized, it was this.

The memories I have from when I first woke up in this body are definitely fake, simply information meant to guide me and make me believe for a time that this world was a game.

So I assumed that the people in my memories were fake.

’But is that really the case?’

I raised my head and asked:

"The people in my original memories are real."

At my question, Veronica fell silent for a moment while looking into the air.

Then she opened her lips and said:

"I can’t answer that."

I let out a sigh. Then I voiced another question.

"Alright, then what connection is there between these seven rings and this other one?"

"I can only say that they are inherently connected to you. You’ll find out in the Last Part of Chapter Four."

I tilted my head. Now that I had come back to my senses and cleared my thoughts, I couldn’t help but ask:

"Chapter Four? Will something important happen?"

I know how all the events of Chapter Four will unfold, from its first Part to its last.

But I don’t think they have anything to do with me personally.

"You’ll find that out eventually. You don’t even need to worry about it."

I nodded slowly.

Well, with this, some questions have been answered, and most importantly, the biggest one of all.

That this world is Earth, and that its size, along with the various continents and whatever lies beyond the seas, changed because of an Apocalypse I know nothing about.

Of course, I wanted to ask about the Apocalypse, but I highly doubt she would answer, so I let it go and, as she said:

’It seems I’ll receive many answers in the last Part of Chapter Four.’

Well, I didn’t have any more questions, so I decided to leave, but then...

"....?"

I remembered a question I had asked myself after hearing Rinna’s description of someone.

So I asked:

"By the way, the girl at the orphanage, Astrid. From what I understand, she looks exactly like my current self, with the only difference being the pupils of her eyes."

"Ah, that I can answer."

"Then... Astrid is... my sister?"

I wanted to erase that lingering question that had occupied my thoughts for a long time.

So this was the right moment, since the opportunity seemed to be presenting itself.

Veronica answered:

"Ehm, well, yes. Astrid is your blood-related sister, but... please don’t push me away, older brother."

"....?!"

I felt my heart begin to pound at the answer that, at first, I had expected to be a firm "No," but it was the complete opposite...

Then a thought crossed my mind.

’I... have a sister.’