EP.4

Pendragon Duke House.

Except for the royalty known as heavenly descendants, it is deemed one of the most esteemed noble families in the Empire during its time.

Their history of reigning at the pinnacle of the class society, holding the rank of duke, stretches back several centuries.

Even if one were to peruse the oldest historical texts existing in the Empire, the name “Pendragon” would be mentioned, leaving little need to elaborate on the nobility coursing through their veins.

Moreover, those who carry the Pendragon bloodline are distinguished by extraordinary abilities and possess captivatingly handsome or beautiful appearances.

It is as if humans with Pendragon blood are living proof that they are of a different caliber than ordinary mortals.

Of course, it is only natural for members of noble families to possess abilities that common people do not share.

This is because tracing back the lineage of noble families ultimately leads to martial clans, from whom they have inherited their bloodline abilities.

In other words, with superior ancestors as their forebears, it is only to be expected that the descendants who inherit their blood would naturally excel in their environment.

However, the Pendragon Duke House was far superior, not only to ordinary people but also to other noble families, making comparison utterly inappropriate; their level of excellence stood unmatched.

While ordinary noble families might inherit a few supernatural abilities from their ancestors, the ancestors of the Pendragon Duke House were divine beings, and the abilities they inherited were unmistakable evidence of their exceptional lineage.

And Erekaya del Pendragon was said to embody unparalleled perfection, a masterpiece within the long history of the Pendragon Duke House.

Her bloodline abilities were either on par with or exceeded those of her ancestors, imbued with talents so remarkable that they could hardly be described merely as excellent, along with a beauty that could be deemed the epitome of attractiveness.

The existence of Erekaya del Pendragon was, in and of itself, akin to a miracle, making it only natural that she took on the role of the head of the Pendragon Duke House.

…Well, that is, if she hadn’t awakened during the third end and turned the Imperial Capital into a sea of flames.

“The third end, the Red Dragon Ajdahaka.”

A prophetic apocalyptic figure—the ancient giant serpent. A harbinger of calamity destined to engulf the world during the time of endings.

It is said that the Red Dragon can cast down one-third of all the stars in the sky with the sweep of its tail and possesses the power to spew fire like a raging river.

Jin, who has experienced a direct encounter with the Red Dragon Ajdahaka, knew all too well that such descriptions in the prophecy were not mere fabrications.

“Truly a damned powerful lizard.”

The Empire’s capital, Ninea, boasting an area larger than ten ordinary cities, was turned to a sea of flames with a single breath from Ajdahaka, which not only incinerated it but also effortlessly slaughtered over a thousand strong warriors who charged at it as if swatting away a swarm of flies.

And the human chosen as the “vessel” for the manifestation of Ajdahaka was none other than Erekaya del Pendragon.

The reason for this remains unknown; the details elude him.

All Jin knows is that Erekaya del Pendragon annihilated the Pendragon Duke House with her own hands, ripped out their hearts, and offered them as sacrifices to summon Ajdahaka.

“Erekaya del Pendragon, what on earth is happening? How is it that you are in my head and claiming to remember everything from before my regression?”

Jin had never explicitly hidden the fact that he could “regress” from those around him. It was simply not something he would casually broadcast.

However, there is a significant difference between voluntarily revealing his ability to regress and the other party discerning the fact without him saying a word.

Judging by Erekaya’s words, there seemed to be little point in hiding the truth about his regression now; she had already mentioned the word “regression” before he had the chance.

“Could it be that Ajdahaka possesses a method for retaining memories across timelines?”

If that were true, it was indeed a chilling hypothesis.

The primary advantage for a regressor lies in having foreknowledge of the various events that will transpire in the future. Using this knowledge, they strive to change an unfavorable future and reap the greatest benefits possible.
But if the other party also possesses knowledge about the future, wouldn’t that render all the information Jin knows as worthless in an instant?

After all, the other side would never let Jin capitalize on future information without taking action themselves.

In response to Jin’s words, Erekaya replied with a calm tone.

“There’s no need for such wariness. If I had intended to deceive you, I wouldn’t need to resort to such pathetic methods. No, I wouldn’t have needed to provide you with any information or reveal my existence at all. If you had even a bit of sense, you would understand what I’m conveying.”

“…..”

Jin couldn’t help but internally agree with Erekaya’s words. She had unwittingly provided him with a wealth of information.

From the revelation that she was Erekaya del Pendragon, the one who had killed Jin, to the fact that he had regressed and could see the status window—she had subtly informed him of all these truths.

If Erekaya harbored malice towards him, she would have kept such matters concealed and cunningly deceived him, or perhaps she would have hidden her existence altogether and struck him from behind at a critical moment.

“Perhaps this is her scheme: to win my trust now and then betray me at the decisive moment.”

Despite Jin’s attempt to respond in a blunt manner, Erekaya maintained a relaxed tone, seemingly unfazed by his words.

“Hmm, I suppose that could be one way to think about it. If so, then there’s nothing I can do. I have sins that I’ve already committed. Shall we gradually build what little trust we can from here on out?”

“…Who said I would trust you?”

“Oh, how foolish. Trust isn’t something you just give. It’s something you naturally acquire from others. Therefore, trust is not easily gained, nor can it be acquired in a short amount of time. People can easily disguise a moment’s actions as goodwill, but they cannot alter the path of life they have built over a lifetime with lies.”

Erekaya’s words resonated with absolute correctness and clarity, leaving Jin momentarily speechless.

Could these be the words of a heartless parricide who personally killed her parents and tore out their hearts?

“Then let me answer the question you’ve pondered over. But before I do that, I must explain how I transformed into the Red Dragon.”

“Transformed? Didn’t you kill all your kin and rip out their hearts to gain power from the Red Dragon?”

Given the multitude of witnesses and the abundance of evidence left at the scene, this fact was irrefutable.

Crucially, Erekaya had bragged about how she acquired the powers of the Red Dragon by killing her kin.

“…That’s correct. I personally killed my father and mother, and tore out the hearts of everyone in the Pendragon Duke House. I killed all, from the elderly to the newborns, with equal impartiality. This stands as an undeniable sin of mine.”

Erekaya’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

“However, while I committed those acts, at the same time, it wasn’t entirely me. To be more precise, something within the realm of my soul took control over me.”

“Soul? Are you referring to the spiritual essence?”

“Yes. But there was no dramatic change as if I had lost my sanity. There were no premonitions either. My core self didn’t change; only my way of thinking shifted slightly. An unnatural, unsettling, and inexplicable impulse gradually consumed my consciousness, and ultimately I went insane while retaining my right mind.”

Actually, the term ‘insane’ might be incorrect. After all, she willingly chose to act as she did.

It was merely that her self-control vanished, and she couldn’t suppress the strange impulses surging from within her heart.

“And after the ritual, when my body was completely transformed into a vessel for the Red Dragon, I lost even the freedom of will. But in some sense, it can be viewed as my final opportunity.”

Since the Red Dragon had completely taken over Erekaya’s body, she found herself trapped within the recesses of her consciousness, unable to move a finger. Yet, at the same time, she was liberated from the demon essence that had encroached upon her consciousness.

“Do you remember what transpired just before you regressed, at the very last moment?”
“Last moment?”

Are you referring to that damn moment when Jin’s heart was crushed by that wretched lizard?

“Yes. At the moment I pierced your heart, I was able to apply my abilities to transfer my soul into your deep consciousness. To be honest, I thought it was a gamble with almost no chance of success. After all, the probability of you surviving that moment was virtually nonexistent.”

Fortunately, however, her worries were magnificently misplaced.

Because the human she ultimately chose was a regressor who could start everything all over again, even if faced with death.

“And my knowledge of your regression… is thanks to my abilities.”

“Abilities?”

“It’s a power called synesthesia. Are you familiar with it?”

“Well, I know a bit.”

He recalled some explanations he had heard in a liberal arts class. It likely referred to the phenomenon where certain senses are shared with others.

“Similar. But in my case, I’ve reached a level beyond mere connection of senses, touching upon what is usually referred to as a supernatural perception or intuition. And at the moment my consciousness flowed into your mental space, I unwittingly read the deep information you carry within yourself.”

In that moment, Erekaya came to a realization.

The man known as Jin was not simply a hero who fought against the End; he was merely an ordinary man desperately struggling to break free from it.

“However, just because I read your deep information doesn’t mean I know everything about you. For reasons unknown, there seems to be considerable limitations on the information I can read. It’s as if certain knowledge is off-limits to me.”

Erekaya could vaguely guess what that ‘information’ was—most likely, events that occurred before he fell into this damnable world.

Even with explanations of why she had insights into his mind and knowledge of his regression, Jin’s furrowed expression remained unchanged.

No, he rather shot her a sharper retort, with an even more brusque tone than before.

“So what does that mean? To summarize your story, does it imply that everything that has happened was done for reasons even you do not understand, and thus you bear no blame? So you’re asking for mercy and sympathy for yourself?”

“Not at all. I am neither that shameless nor devoid of decency. Whether it arose from my own will or not, everything that has transpired is undoubtedly my sin. If I am unable to confront my own actions honestly, then I would end up committing sins even greater than those I’ve already committed.”

Erekaya’s voice held a resolute determination, making it clear that she would not yield even an inch on this matter.

“However, aside from that, I cannot afford to stand idly by and watch the tragedies that will inevitably unfold. Even if I descend to the very depths of hell, that may be my fate, but I wish to save the innocent souls who will die by my hand.”

She had already thought that everything was over.

There was no way to bring back the dead, and to make matters worse, with her flesh awakened to the End, the destruction of this world was imminent.

But whether by fate’s cruel jest or by miraculous fortune, she found herself grasping another chance after a confluence of factors.

A chance to return to before everything began, the first and last opportunity to rectify all the tragedies that would come to pass.

Her wish, now a mere shadow of herself, losing her own body and being rendered a nonentity unable to declare her own existence unless she inhabited the deep consciousness of another, was—

“I wish for only one thing from you. Regresser Jin, use me. Change the despair-filled past with everything I possess and prevent all the tragedies that will soon occur. Stop the coming End and ultimately save this world, which is destined for destruction.”

“That is my sole wish, the only desire left in this pitiful state, to remain in this world.”