Past Arc 26
"Can I speak with Syriell?"
"Yes, of course."
Syriell resides within the core system, in the alternate space created by D.
Entry is impossible without D's permission.
Even Guriel, who has been granted partial operational authority over the system, is no exception.
Rather, the authority granted to Guriel is highly restricted. Compared to the system's full scope, what Guriel cannot do far exceeds what he can.
D requires only bug detection from Guriel. To minimize interference with other functions, access has been intentionally limited.
"Then, transferring."
"Will D not come?"
"No. I have poor compatibility with angels. It is better we do not meet."
D speaks this calmly, despite having just been in conversation.
Why lie?
Because it amuses D.
D transferred Guriel to the system's central node, where Syriell resides.
Thinking about what conversation might unfold between the two.
“Syrilis”
Guriel stared at Syrilis’s form, startled to realize that “D’s restraint” was not a metaphor, nor a figure of speech.
An immense space.
A colossal magic array filling the entire expanse.
At its center, Syrilis stood.
Geometric patterns extending from the array wrapped around him like chains.
Even hearing “restraint,” Guriel had imagined something looser.
At most, confinement to the system’s core node—no more.
Yet reality was harsher.
Seeing Syrilis like that, Guriel could only stare in silence.
“Syrilis”
Stunned, he called the name again.
No other words came to mind.
“Guriel”
In response, Syrilis echoed the name.
His eyes locked directly onto Guriel’s.
The same, lifeless gleam in the eyes.
Yet, unlike always, it now seemed to carry a hue of reproach.
"I'm sorry."
Guriel instinctively apologized.
He did not know what he was apologizing for.
That the dragon had attacked a human?
That it had drained the star's energy and fled?
That he had failed to stop it?
That he had driven Sariel into this situation?
Or all of it.
"It is fine. It is not your fault."
Sariel nodded slowly, as if granting forgiveness to all.
"Surprised by such a sudden state?"
Even with Sariel's forgiveness, Guriel could not forgive himself.
Yet, there was little he could do.
One of the few things he could do: begin explaining to Sariel.
That he had relied on D.
Having received that request, D had constructed this system, resulting in Syriel being restrained in this manner.
And, though it would take time, he had promised to regenerate the star and extract Syriel from here.
As Syriel listened to the explanation, he realized Gyrie had misunderstood the situation.
Gyrie seemed to believe Syriel had not grasped the circumstances at all, and was proceeding as if Syriel had never met D.
Yet Syriel did not point it out.
What D had done.
He did not believe pointing it out would lead to a favorable outcome.
And that judgment had been correct.
To point it out would only increase Gyrie’s conflict, and D would merely find amusement in observing it.
“I understand the situation.”
Syriel suppressed his distrust of D, nodded without expressing it.
“Gyrie. I am unable to move, as you see.”
Bound by contract with D, Sariel cannot move freely.
Designated as a replacement for the system's battery, a single gear sufficient only to keep the system运转.
Interference with the system is nearly impossible.
"Star. People. I entrust them to you."
In place of his own immobility.
He bowed his head, imbuing the gesture with prayer.
"Of course."
Gyrie responded with firm resolve.
Yet he could not immediately react to Sariel’s following words.
"Please. I can wait to be released. Guide the people—let them not fight, not kill one another."
This was a request akin to rejecting the system itself.
And utterly unacceptable to Gyrie.
"Sariel, that is…"
“I understand I’m asking the impossible. But I no longer wish for people to fight one another. I told the children at the orphanage the same thing. I only want people to live peacefully, happily.”
Sariel’s meaning was clear.
Given Sariel’s past actions, this was predictable.
Yet Gyrie did not believe it was possible.
The system’s outline had already been made known to every human on the planet—through the script written by D, read by Gyrie’s own hand.
And Gyrie knew, with certainty, what people would do next upon learning it.
Conflict.
At this moment, two types of humans existed on this planet.
One was the original human.
The other was the new human, evolved through the MA energy advocated by Potimas.
The original humans outnumbered the new ones, but the latter were far from insignificant.
After all, most nations promoted MA energy.
It was evident that unevolved humans would blame and attack evolved humans, who had squandered MA energy and caused this situation.
Especially now, with a system that encouraged combat activated.
“Please… survive. Let me live. Don’t kill me. Don’t let me be killed. I beg you.”
“…I’ll do my best.”
Gyulie had no other answer.
『Your time is approaching.』
As if timing it precisely, D spoke with flat neutrality.
“I understand. Then, Sariel. I’ll return. I’ll definitely save you.”
“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”
And Gyulie departed from the spot.
Unaware that he would never set foot there again.
“Remarkable altruism.”
D’s flat voice greeted Gyulie upon his return.
It was impossible to discern whether the tone conveyed genuine admiration or not.
"Yes."
Gyulie agreed, yet resolved not to follow Syrius’s words this time.
Indeed, most people had been caught in the affair by accident.
Ignorance was a fault, but not one warranting irreversible condemnation.
Yet there was at least one person who could not be forgiven.
Potimas Haifenas.
The origin of this crisis. The man who, indirectly, had driven a star to collapse.
No one else needed forgiveness—but this man did not.
Syrius had said "don’t kill" precisely because he had anticipated Gyulie’s intent. But this time, that was not an option.
Kill Potimas.
Leave not even a fragment of his soul.
"Let the administrators learn from that altruism—refrain from meddling with life on a star."
Yet, Gyulie's actions were halted by a higher-level administrator.
"Wha—?"
At first, Gyulie did not immediately comprehend what D was saying.
Thus, he foolishly vocalized his confusion.
"Administrators are instructed not to interfere with life on a star. The system was designed for stellar organisms to compete and generate energy through that process. Excessive intervention by us would deviate from the intended function."
"No, but—"
D's argument was sound.
Yet, Gyulie had someone he needed to eliminate.
He could not simply agree.
"Administrators are to observe and adjust. Is that not divine? Therefore, we must not attempt to kill specific individuals. Would Salier wish otherwise?"
Citing Salier as authority, D issued the directive without room for dissent.
You need only do as I have instructed. If you act on your own, I cannot be held responsible for the consequences.
He does not specify what will happen should he act on his own, but the outcome is clearly unfavorable.
Gyulie experiences a sensation as though invisible chains were wrapping around her body.
She is not the only one restrained.
For the first time, faintly yet unmistakably, Gyulie begins to harbor doubt toward D.
"Come now, entertain me."
A flat, emotionless voice emerges from the unseen darkness.