Chapter 39: It’s Not Gone

Empire Calendar —. July 9th.

Played with Chouchou again today, it was fun.

Watching Chouchou grow day by day somehow… calms my heart! And makes me feel good too.

But lately, I haven’t been feeling good. Mom has been leaving the house more often.

The food Mom prepares is all cold by evening. I know Mom works late into the night, so it can’t be helped…

Still, I wish she could make time to eat together!

There were times when seeing Mom come home late at night chased away my sleep, and I wanted to play together!

And Mom always puts up with my whining! That’s why I like Mom so, so much!!

Sometimes, when I have scary dreams, she comes to my room and sings lullabies too!

We used to sit together on the rocking chair and draw portraits too! When was that?

I don’t remember, but I think that was the happiest time for me. If future me sees this diary, please ask Mom to make portraits again. Because I liked that the most!

Ah. Also, Mom seems to work at the temple! Sometimes she talks to herself in thin air… I wondered if Mom was sick somewhere and asked!

…What did she say again?!

I don’t remember!!

Anyway, diary entry complete for today!

“Hmmmm.”

[How did you get here again?]

“Well… I don’t know either?”

[This is beyond baffling.]

“You’re the Goddess yourself.”

That’s right. The place I’m currently in was the fragment of the past I saw when looking at the portrait.

If you ask why I’m here. I don’t know either.

I fell asleep comfortably after dinner, returned to my room, lay down on the bed.

But when I opened my eyes again, I was here. I could tell immediately because.

“……”

“Nihihihit.”

Right now, before my eyes, a little kid was wrestling with a large white cat.

Staring blankly at the scene, I spoke to the kid with disbelieving eyes.

“Excuse me, Sia…?”

“Ung?”

Cute. Is that really my past self? An incredibly cute being existed here. The urge to bite those cheeks surged.

Radiating insane cuteness, rolling around with the cat, the cuteness doubled.

“We meet again pretty quickly…?”

“No! Not quickly! I was surprised when pretty Unni suddenly disappeared back then!”

Huh? Didn’t we meet during the day?

[Perhaps there’s a time difference between then and now.]

How much time has passed…?

“Uh… well. Sia?”

“Hm?”

Turning her eyes away coyly, I called Sia Yggdrasil, who was playing with the cat. I added the last name to differentiate myself.

‘I’m Kim, she’s Yggdrasil.’

Though the name Sia was the same, the surname was different.

“Do you remember when I came here?”

And since there was something I wanted to ask. I had to ask quickly, not knowing when I might be expelled again.

“Uung? Uum… Dunno! Don’t remember. But feeling-wise, about two months…?”

“Two months…”

Then it really wasn’t quick. That made sense.

This time, to deal with the important question first, I set the mood and asked again.

“Sia. Then perhaps, when I disappeared, you said ‘See you later’ as the last thing. Remember?”

“Huh? Did I say that?! Don’t remember!”

Startled, Sia Yggdrasil widened her eyes, expressing doubt.

I didn’t feel anything strange about that. Like someone who genuinely didn’t remember.

Did I hear things? But it happened during the day, and she definitely spoke to me.

But there was no reason to pretend not to know. Sia Yggdrasil really seemed not to remember.

“Hoo… okay. Got it. Anyway, have you grown a bit taller?”

Indeed. As the kid (Sia Yggdrasil) said, about two months seemed to have passed, and the kid looked slightly taller.

Though now she only reached slightly above my waist. I felt sorry for the kid.

‘Your height stops around 150-something cm.’

‘Your future is me.’

Damn it.

Our little kid, busy playing with the cat, Chouchou, oblivious to my heavy gaze.

Suddenly realizing I didn’t know where this place was, I took the opportunity to ask.

“Sia. Do you know where this is?”

“Here? Hmm… Dunno…?”

The kid also looked flustered, darting her golden eyes around, avoiding my gaze.

“Uh… Didn’t Mother tell you?”

“Ung. I dunno where this is either! I just followed Mom, and here we are?”

True, how would a kid not even ten years old know? Jahy was a special case because she was the Demon Lord.

This must be the normal reaction.

But the kid is sweating. Why? Is she sick?

Worried, I bent my knees to meet the kid’s gaze, and the kid startled, stepping back.

“Uh… you’re not sick, right?”

“N-no? No! I’m fine! More importantly, Unni!”

“Hm?”

Approaching closer, Sia Yggdrasil quickly smiled and changed the subject. Something feels suspicious… and her sighing again…

Well, maybe I don’t need to know now. She’ll probably tell me later.

Answering the kid’s call, the sweat was gone, perhaps wiped clean. Since this isn’t reality, does sweat dry instantly?

But the kid smells nice too. Truly a strange and dizzying world.

“Want to see our house? Maybe Mom is back!”

Come to think of it, what kind of person is the Noah here? Will she recognize me? If it was years ago, maybe before she met Lilac?

Curiosity can be satisfied by going there with here.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“Great! It’s not far from here, so Unni’s stamina should be fine!”

“Ahaha. That’s a relief… wait, how do you know that?”

“Uh, ung? Wh-what did I say…?”

I’m pretty sure I never mentioned it. Besides, this wasn’t reality, so stamina wasn’t limited.

The word ‘oops’ was written all over the kid’s face.

Her deliberate pretense is too suspicious. However, divine power doesn’t work here, so I had to play along with the words of the kid, the master of this place.

“Hmm…”

“Ihihi…”

An awkward atmosphere. An awkwardly laughing kid.

Watching her, I finally chuckled and swallowed.

“Well… maybe Unni misheard. Let’s just go.”

“Ung! Right, Unni misheard.”

Sia Yggdrasil played along accordingly. She must know something to react like that. For now, I have no choice but to pretend not to know.

‘Seems like this kid wants something from me too.’

If not, she wouldn’t have called me here.

After walking for about 5 minutes. Indeed, not far from the stream, a slightly large wooden house came into view.

It felt slightly larger than a typical family home. And a nostalgic scent too.

“……”

This should be a place I’ve never seen before. Yet where are these surging emotions coming from?

Nostalgic scent. And feelings of despair, hatred, anger.

But stronger than those negative emotions was the feeling of longing.

Why I felt this way, the reason was Sia Yggdrasil, holding my hand and looking at the wooden house together with me.

She seemed to look nonchalantly. But living with Lilac, who was usually expressionless, naturally taught me something.

‘How to read people’s eyes.’

What is reflected in that person’s eyes, what emotions flicker within. I learned that through living with Lilac.

‘Just came to know naturally.’

I survived by reading cues even in Korea. This place was even worse.

A world where one wrong move could cost your neck. A world where human life is valued less than an ant’s.

And Sia Yggdrasil in my eyes right now. Was just staring blankly at the wooden house.

The emotions flickering in those eyes. Were all visible.

‘If you’re going to hide it, hide it properly. Terrible actor, really.’

Only bitterness and pity arose.

Only one emotion was reflected in her eyes.

[Even seeing this… pitiful child.]

Just as she said.

The ‘hatred’ settled in her eyes. Just looking at it makes one feel pity.

What pushed her into the abyss? What does she hope to achieve by calling me here?

Because I wasn’t her.

And she wasn’t m-.

“Do you really think so?”

Suddenly, the kid’s voice from below. Turning my gaze back that way, she just stared at the wooden house with sparkling eyes.

“What did you just say?”

“Unni! Let’s hurry inside! Mom made pork fried rice this morning! Eating alone is boring, let’s eat together!”

As if she hadn’t said anything.

At that sight, I had no choice but to nod reluctantly. Her attitude of not wanting to reveal anything. It makes me suppress my questions.

“Uhihihi!”

So happy like that. Yet hating it so much.

How could one not embrace her?

Chuckling, I followed her, opened the wooden house door, and entered. It was definitely the place used as the background for the portrait.

And also the starting point of misfortune.

‘And why do I know about that misfortune now?’

I don’t know the past Sia Yggdrasil experienced. Just pointing to the fragmented fact that it was the beginning of misfortune.

One more thing I learned was that the voice I heard in reality. Wasn’t auditory hallucination either.

Knowing that fact settled my uneasy thoughts.

“Unni, hurry over here! It’ll get cold and won’t taste good!”

The kid, cutely tapping the table, called me.

Silently watching her for a moment, I finally sat down in front of the kid and picked up the utensils.

Taking a bite of the fried rice. It tasted delicious.

No, more than that, warmth was felt. Enough to know how much Noah loved and cherished Sia.

And I just realized one more thing.

Quietly lifting my eyes, I looked at the kid eating happily.

This being right in front of my eyes.

Was the soul of the dead Sia Yggdrasil.

Not disappeared. But here. The original owner of the body.