The World Has Become Kinder to Her

Lotus bit her lip as she listened to Manores’ response, then spoke.  

“This is all hypothetical.”  

“Go on.”  

“I’ve been thinking about this after reading *The Emergence of Gods* and several other books. I can’t say for certain whether gods exist or not, but I am skeptical about their existence.”  

Much of Lotus’s faith had disappeared the moment she returned to the past. The thought that a god had forcefully revived her, even though she longed to die, filled her with resentment—resentment that only grew stronger over time.  

Perhaps it was because she had read such a revolutionary book in her current state of disbelief, but thoughts that had never crossed her mind before now floated freely within her.  

The gods she had witnessed in everyday life were neither merciful nor just.  

If that were the case, it would explain why malevolence and injustice flourished in the world, and why so many lived in pain and suffering.  

“Even if gods don’t exist, isn’t it possible that there are beings similar to gods? Not necessarily merciful, fair, or perfect, but possessing immense power.”

What if such beings, under the title of gods, had been responsible for sending her back in time?  

If they had influenced the time reversal of others as well, it would at least be somewhat understandable.

Hearing her thoughts, Manores’ expression hardened. His brown eyes, which had been wavering, gradually regained their composure.  

“…Like demons, for example?”  

Demons—beings who stood in opposition to gods and were known for their overwhelming power.  

While divine power, granted to priests, served as proof of gods’ existence, demons were remembered through their spawn—monsters, also known as the offspring or servants of demons.  

“Yes… that could be it…” Manores muttered to himself before slamming his hand on the table.  

“I’ve been thinking too narrowly. If we assume that gods and demons don’t refer to absolute beings but to entities that possess powers beyond human limits, then many things suddenly make sense. If time reversal is impossible with magic alone, what if magic was combined with the power of will?”  

His voice was filled with a slight intoxication from the thrill of the idea.  

Manores, despite his meticulous nature, had a remarkably open mind when it came to magic and scholarly matters. That was exactly why Lotus had sought him out.  

“Yes, I think the chances of success would increase significantly.”  

“While records of gods have been heavily suppressed by the temples, many stories about demons exist in the form of legends and folklore.”  

Though there were many demons, a few famous ones stood out, much like the 12 gods.  

“Famous ones include Mephistopheles, Baal, Marbas, Amon, Beleth, Astaroth, Asmodeus, Gaap, Raum, Gremory, and Lilith.”  

“Asmodeus is the father of the incubi and is known as the demon of dreams, while Lilith is the mother of the succubi. Mephistopheles and Gaap are known for their cunning, and Baal, Marbas, and Astaroth are renowned for their tremendous power.”  

The stories Manores told about demons were fascinating.  

“Lilith is said to possess an enchanted necklace that allows her to seduce anyone, while Astaroth, the demon of war, wields a spear capable of piercing anything. These items are closely tied to their respective powers. Gaap, however, is unique in that his treasure is said to be a ‘Sands of Rebirth’ hourglass.”  

“Sands of Rebirth?”  

Lotus’s eyes lit up. For her, this was an object of immense interest.  

“It’s a relic said to possess the power to reverse time. Just having such a legendary artifact would allow one to transcend time without needing to rely on willpower or magic.”  

“How do legends like that get passed down?”  

“As the saying goes, ‘A mouse doesn’t roam an empty pantry.’ There’s bound to be exaggeration and distortion, but stories exist because there’s something to them, some kernel of truth.”  

As their conversation continued, time slipped away.  

It was now 10:30 PM—a time that was inappropriate for a lady to stay with a man, no matter how harmless he might seem.  

Moments earlier, Jane had come by to loudly remind them that it was bedtime.  

“Lord Manores, I’ll take my leave now.”  

“Ah, I hadn’t realized it was so late already.”  

Manores’s face was a mix of regret and disappointment as he nodded in understanding.  

“Shall I escort you to your room with a teleportation spell?” Manores offered.

“No, there’s no need. It’s just one floor up,” Lotus replied, declining politely.

“Lady Lotus, have you ever considered working at the Tower? Not all of us there are magicians. With your inquisitive and progressive nature, you could certainly work as a researcher, scribe, or even a librarian.”

“I’ve never thought about it,” Lotus replied, gently turning down the offer. Manores seemed a little disappointed but pressed on.

“If you ever change your mind, let me know, even after I leave this estate.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.”

“It’s not just empty flattery. You’d achieve far more than some of the fools currently occupying seats in the Tower. By the way, if it’s not too much trouble, could you spare some time tomorrow as well? There’s more I’d like to discuss with you.”

Lotus nodded and left Frederick’s room, her mask-like smile fading as soon as she stepped into the hallway. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

The hypotheses she had been forming while reading Theodore’s recommended books were becoming more solid thanks to her conversation with Manores. Her own time regression, the regressions of Frederick, Kenneth, and others, and the strange behavior of her family and servants—if it was all the work of beings with immense power, akin to gods or demons, but neither merciful nor just…

*What do I do? What am I supposed to do?*  

Resistance or defiance seemed meaningless. It felt like there was nothing she could do.

Lotus became terrified. The fact that she existed in this moment, in this place, was frightening. Her surroundings, this world that had suddenly become kind to her, now felt like a glass prison crafted by someone who was toying with her.

*If I consider that some of Kenneth’s strange words are evidence of someone with immense power constantly watching me…*  

Her chest tightened. When she had believed that a god’s power had caused her regression, she had been filled with resentment and despair, but not fear. Now, the thought of being subjected to the whims of someone with enormous power, who could cast her into even greater torment depending on their mood, filled her with terror.  

The overwhelming negative emotions didn’t just shake her heart; they darkened her mind completely.

Even after retreating to her bedroom and clutching the blanket tightly, the fear and dread wouldn’t leave her. Trembling, she crawled out of bed.  

*I have to escape.*

Was it a hallucination? A whispering voice seemed to murmur in her ear.

*Where to? How?*

Even the sound of her own footsteps in the quiet corridor frightened her. The rustling curtains, the creaking stairs—they all terrified her. The darkness ahead and behind her felt utterly oppressive.

*What could someone with that kind of power possibly want from me?*

Was it amusing for them to watch her struggle, like a speck of dust in a whirlwind? Whether she stayed still or acted, how would they react next?

Like a frightened prey animal, Lotus rushed down to the first floor, her heart racing. She threw open the front door and stepped outside. The wind was freezing as it cut through her thin nightgown. 

The door, which she hadn’t closed properly, slammed shut behind her with a bang, making her flinch.

*Why did I come outside?*  

Because she was scared. Terrified.

*But will coming outside solve anything?*  

Of course not.

— *Lady, are you alright?*

In that moment, Kenneth’s stoic yet caring voice echoed in her mind.

*Did I come outside just chasing after that memory?*

She didn’t know. She couldn’t think clearly. Her emotions were swinging more wildly than ever. As Lotus sank to the ground, her legs giving out beneath her, the voice whispered again, as though coaxing her.

*This place is dangerous. These people are dangerous.*

The voice carried a strange power, leading her to believe and follow its words.

Like someone under a spell, Lotus cast an incantation. It was a concealment spell that would hide her from sight for a certain period of time.

With the spell activated, she walked toward the main gate.

When she saw the guards and soldiers standing watch, she picked up a stone and threw it in the opposite direction.

*Thud!*  

“What was that?”

“Did you hear something?”

Lotus slipped past the guards and soldiers, using the momentary distraction to cross through the front gate. She had done this before, slipping in and out of the Marquis’s estate unnoticed, so it wasn’t particularly difficult. The darkness surrounding her seemed to push her forward, whispering incessantly: *Run, run, run.*

Enchanted by the strange voice, she ran, forgetting both the source and reason for her fear. To anyone watching, she might have appeared like someone lost in a sleepwalking trance.

“Ah…”

It wasn’t until she reached the main road that her mind cleared somewhat. How had she ended up here? It felt as though someone had lured her to this place. The empty square, so lively during the day, now looked eerie in the dead of night, exuding a chilling atmosphere. Even the moonlight illuminating the buildings and ground felt cold and distant.

*I can’t stay here forever.*  

*I need to move. Somewhere, anywhere.*

Just as a strange compulsion began to muddle her thoughts again, Lotus heard the sound of light footsteps approaching. She turned anxiously and saw someone familiar.

“Lord Rikheus Hycen?”

Under the pale moonlight, Rikheus’s striking blonde hair and green eyes stood out vividly. What was he doing here at this hour? The question briefly surfaced in her mind before her pounding heart drowned it out, replacing her fear and dread with an inexplicable sense of anticipation.

It was as if she was seeing someone dear—someone she had longed to meet.

“Are you alright, Lady Lotus?” he asked, his voice dripping with sweetness and concern.

The gentle words of Rikheus, asking if she was okay, felt like a soothing balm to her anxious heart, like rain falling after a long drought.

“I’m fi—” Lotus tried to respond out of habit, but the words caught in her throat. *Fine?*  

What was fine about this? She wasn’t fine—she was anxious, afraid, and lost. She had no idea where to go or what to do.

“You’re trembling,” Rikheus noted softly.

He stepped closer, unbuttoning his beige jacket and draping it over her shoulders. His action was thoughtful and gentlemanly, and the jacket was of luxurious material. But for some reason, it didn’t feel warm.

“…Thank you,” she muttered.

“It’s nothing,” Rikheus replied, flashing a radiant smile.

It was the same smile she had seen at the debutante ball—a smile that had once seemed like a beacon of light and warmth in her difficult and weary life, a presence she had wanted to hold onto. Now, appearing like an angel in this frightening and uncertain moment, Rikheus once again tempted Lotus.

Faint remnants of reason whispered to her, urging her to recall the events of a few days ago—reminding her of how Frederick’s magical shield had reacted when Rikheus approached. It was undeniable.

Her frantic emotions, desperate for comfort, pleaded for her to grasp the warmth in front of her, arguing that she still didn’t truly know what kind of person Rikheus was.  

Their eyes met. The green of his irises pulled her in, like a sticky, inescapable swamp.

The already narrow space between them seemed to shrink even further.