Chapter 116. The Forgotten Royal Social Gathering (1)
The Royal Social Gathering had taken place over several days. Yet every memory of it had been completely forgotten.
And it wasn’t only my memories that had been erased.
“Brother...?”
Seraphia tilted her head before me. Her memories had also been forgotten.
Consequently, she was behaving the same way, thinking the same thoughts, and repeating the exact same actions as before.
‘How is this even possible?’
I simply couldn’t believe it.
How could anything like this be possible?
Even Ian couldn’t accomplish something like this.
The Authority of Oblivion possessed by the Monarch of Darkness—
‘Was it really this powerful...?’
Only now did I understand.
I understood why that information had been engraved within me.
The strongest Monarch.
An Another among Anothers who surpassed even the Monarch of Frost.
That explained the vivid sense of déjà vu I was still experiencing. It felt far too unreal to be ordinary déjà vu.
‘Calm down.’
I steadied my breathing and suppressed my confusion. I couldn’t allow myself to be swept away by the situation.
I needed to judge the circumstances coldly and understand what had happened.
‘When did it begin...? No, how much of my memory was forgotten?’
I searched through my memories and determined the current point in time.
I realized that this was after my release from the underground prison, when I had discovered Queen Marceline’s plan.
In terms of the date, it was the day before the tea party.
In other words, every memory of the Royal Social Gathering had been completely forgotten.
If that was the case—
‘Were my memories erased only once?’
Until moments ago, I hadn’t even realized that my memories had been forgotten.
Consequently, I had behaved the same way, formed the same thoughts, and repeated the exact same actions as before.
That meant this might not have been the first time my memories had been erased.
It was possible that my memories had already been forgotten several times and the same events had been repeating—
‘....No, that isn’t it.’
I was currently free from the Authority of Oblivion because of Successor’s Will [EX].
Judging from the memories that had consequently been restored….
‘The Royal Social Gathering only happened once.’
In other words, the Authority of Oblivion had also been activated only once.
However, even if our memories had been erased—
It was difficult to accept that we would behave identically, think identically, and repeat the exact same actions.
In other words—
‘What if time itself moved backward?’
What if this wasn’t merely the erasure of our memories, but time itself returning to the past?
Specifically, to before the Royal Social Gathering was held.
If that were true, it would be inevitable for everyone to behave the same way, think the same thoughts, and repeat the same actions.
Temporal regression into the past.
....In truth, it sounded absurd.
It should have been impossible.
According to Iliana, the Coalition Forces’ Archmage, traveling backward through time was impossible regardless of the method used.
However, I had personally experienced it.
I had gone beyond merely traveling fifteen years backward through time.
I had undergone Regression.
Would it truly be impossible for the Monarch of Darkness?
The strongest Monarch, an Another among Anothers who surpassed even the Monarch of Frost?
‘It’s possible.’
Once the impossible had been eliminated, whatever possibility remained had to be the truth, no matter how unbelievable it seemed.
For now, I needed to keep every possibility open and calmly determine what had happened.
Was it merely the erasure of our memories?
Or had time itself moved backward?
There was one way to confirm it—
‘....The experience from the Relationship Quest.’
The levels I had gained from it.
Checking them would give me the answer.
I immediately opened <Player Information>.
==< Player Information >==
[Name] = Adrian White Wolf
[Title] = Master of the Snowy Mountains
[Level] = Level 83
[HP] = 10,300
[MP] = 0
[Sanity] = 572/ℵ₀
[Stats] = Strength: 85 (+5), Agility: 115.4 (+19.4), Stamina: 99.3 (+19.3), Mana: 11 (+5)
[Experience] = 33.12%
<Additional Stat Points: +4>
The four levels I had gained remained unchanged.
‘We didn’t return to the past.’
This wasn’t temporal regression.
However, it was still too early to conclude that only our memories had been erased.
Only my condition had not returned to the past.
What if the situation itself had been reset?
What if the Royal Social Gathering was beginning again from the start?
Or what if the Royal Social Gathering I had experienced had never actually happened?
What if it had all been a dream?
Luseria, the Seductress of Lust.
A Cambion born as the illegitimate child of a human and a dream demon.
What if everything had been an illusion created through her Mind Penetration [E]—literally nothing more than a ‘dream’?
What if I had actually been discovered during my first infiltration?
What if Luseria had captured me then and I was repeatedly experiencing the same dream?
I had to keep every possibility open and investigate them all.
There was one way to confirm those possibilities—
“Brother! Are you all right? Are you injured?! Were you tortured?!”
Seraphia’s voice suddenly reached me.
Her face and expression were filled with concern.
An idea flashed through my mind.
“Bring me your dress.”
Seraphia’s dress.
The dress I had altered for her.
If the situation had been reset, Seraphia’s dress would have returned to its original condition.
The same would be true if the Royal Social Gathering had restarted from the beginning, if the Royal Social Gathering I had experienced had never occurred, or if everything had been a dream—
Seraphia’s dress would have returned to its original state.
But what if only our memories had been erased?
Then Seraphia’s dress would remain exactly as I had altered it.
“....What? My dress?”
“The dress you intend to wear to the Ball. Didn’t you bring one?”
“Ah, yes. I did bring one, but....”
“Go and bring it.”
“Right now? Why so suddenly—?”
“Hurry!”
When I shouted, Seraphia flinched with a squeak.
She hurried into her room.
After a brief rustling sound came from inside—
“Huh...?”
Seraphia’s bewildered voice rang out.
“What happened?”
“Well, you see….”
Seraphia cautiously opened the door and stepped outside.
“The dress has changed.”
“The dress changed?”
“Yes.”
Seraphia gave a small nod and showed me the dress. It was the dress I had altered for her. It remained exactly as I had left it.
“That’s strange. I don’t remember bringing a dress like this....”
Only then could I be certain.
‘Only our memories were erased.’
The Royal Social Gathering had taken place.
The previous events had also unquestionably occurred.
However, every memory and perception of those events had been ‘forgotten’.
‘What in the world is this...?’
It was almost impossible to believe.
However, the situation before me was an undeniable reality.
As I suppressed my confusion, Seraphia tilted her head.
“....Where did this dress come from?”
Her face and expression showed that she had absolutely no idea.
That was only natural when all her memories had been erased—
“Ah...! Brother...!”
Seraphia suddenly shouted as though she had remembered something.
However, confusion quickly returned to her face as she continued.
“....Huh? Did you buy this for me, Brother?”
Seraphia examined the dress from every angle.
Then she blinked.
“....No, that can’t be right. There’s no way Brother would be that considerate—Eek!!”
Seraphia recoiled and hurriedly covered her mouth.
She flailed around in panic, unsure of what to do, while repeatedly tilting her head from side to side as though her memories were confused.
‘Is she resisting it to some degree?’
The Authority of Frost and the Authority of Oblivion.
Even if the Monarch of Darkness was the strongest Monarch, it seemed he couldn’t completely overpower the Monarch of Frost.
‘If that’s the case….’
I might be able to restore Seraphia’s memories.
The Bond Skill Mental Empathy [E].
Since only my memories had been erased, I should still possess the skill.
◆ Mental Empathy [E] : When this skill is used, the Player becomes mentally and emotionally connected with an individual in the <Bond Stage>. This allows the Player to intuitively understand and discern that individual’s thoughts and intentions.
As the bond grows stronger, the effects of Mental Empathy will increase, eventually making it possible to detect the individual’s past memories and suppressed emotions.
However, empathizing with excessively intense emotions or mental states may cause significant mental exhaustion for the Player.
As expected, the skill remained. Its rank was [E], signifying Epic Rank.
That was a considerably high rank.
Considering Dragon Rage Explosion [E], Epic Rank possessed enough power to inflict damage even upon a Monarch.
If Seraphia became mentally connected to me, Successor’s Will [EX] would influence her as well.
Furthermore, Seraphia was already resisting the Authority of Oblivion to some extent.
There was a strong possibility that her memories could be restored.
Seraphia stammered as she brought both hands to her head. Her expression was deeply confused.
However, that only lasted for a moment.
“What in the world happened?!”
Seraphia suddenly shouted as though all her memories had returned.
◆ Activating the Bond Skill Mental Empathy [E]!
The message appeared before me.
Seraphia’s body flinched.
“Ah? Ahh...? Aaaaaah?!?!”
Her expression changed strangely, as though memories were being forcibly injected into her.
“This dress…. This…. This is….!”
* * *
Warm morning sunlight gently poured over the royal garden.
The tea-party venue was filled with subtle elegance.
Every attendee wore splendid clothing.
The women were adorned in magnificent dresses and luxurious accessories, while the men enhanced their dignified appearances with immaculate formal attire and uniforms.
The tea-party venue bustled with people displaying their unique charm and refinement.
“Have you heard about Count Emberlin’s mining contract this month?”
“Of course. However, I heard that he holds a monopoly over the mining rights…. Do you think there is room for negotiation?”
“It won’t be easy…. But I heard that the young lady of House Emberlin is attending this Royal Social Gathering.”
“I should try approaching her.”
The nobles were absorbed in calculations as they pursued their respective objectives.
“I’ve heard that the specialties produced in the Bellegarde Territory are extremely popular.”
“That brings me immense pleasure, but transportation is the problem. The roads in the central region have been in terrible condition lately because of the appearance of ogres….”
“Then how about cooperating with our family?”
“With House Grayburn?”
“Our family head has recently been investing in the construction of a new transportation route. Instead of discussing it here, why don’t you meet with him?”
“Hmm. Then perhaps we should have a discussion.”
They examined one another’s interests, weaknesses, and exchangeable resources while conducting discreet negotiations and conversations—
“It’s exactly….the same.”
Everything was identical.
“Their behavior and conversations are all exactly the same as they were back then.”
The tea-party venue Seraphia remembered—
Everything was identical to that time.
Adrian asked her—
“Did you remember everything in that much detail?”
“What? Well....”
Seraphia scratched her cheek before continuing.
“By listening to the nobles’ conversations, I can understand the Kingdom’s political situation and obtain important information.”
“Hmm.”
“More importantly, I wanted to be helpful….”
“Helpful?”
“Well…. Ah, it’s nothing!”
Seraphia hurriedly waved her hands.
That was when it happened.
A sudden silence descended.
Every sound from the previously bustling tea party vanished in an instant.
When had it begun?
Every noble attending the tea party was staring at Seraphia in unison.
They grinned at her.
Their eyes gleamed with an oily black light. Their mouths slowly opened.
“Exactly the same?”
The nobles began transforming into horrifying shapes. Their bodies twisted, and their limbs stretched unnaturally.
Then—
Screeeeeech—!!!
They charged toward her while releasing monstrous shrieks.
They became entangled, collapsed, and tripped over one another, yet never stopped.
Scratching the floor, they reached toward Seraphia.
Their movements were so fast and sharp that they seemed to tear through the air.
“Aaaaaah!!”
Seraphia screamed and staggered backward.
However, the grotesque creatures were too fast.
Their hands drew closer.
The sharp sound of claws scraping the floor rang out. One arm abruptly stretched toward Seraphia.
Then—
One of the nobles suddenly lunged at her.
....No, it wasn’t a noble.
It was something grotesque that couldn’t even be described as human.
When I used Predatory Instinct [S], information about the grotesque creatures appeared before me.
Crunch!
A chilling sound of crushed flesh rang out.
Seraphia’s vision shook for an instant.
What appeared before her afterward was—
“Pull yourself together.”
An incredibly broad back.
==< Entity Information >==
Entity: Gremlin
Classification: Kingdom Daemonia, Class Phantasma, Order Illusoria, Family Spectridae
Gender: Nonbinary
Age: None
Trait: Formless
◆ Formless : The entity possesses no fixed structure or appearance. It has no permanent form and can transform into various shapes.
Gremlin.
A demon that caused fear and confusion.
The moment I confirmed its identity—
‘So that’s what this was.’
I finally realized the truth behind the Royal Social Gathering.
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