Let the hellfire comfort pt.3,5

To Not Forget, Timeless Promises

By: Your Moriarty

「Walking from a patch of the torn sky, passing through the boundary,

I think... I dropped something important.

Did the promise of the future disappear?

The continuation of this life is on this line that I drew along with you,

Flows through time and floats through a great distance,

Tucked within my heart, I keep precious memories forever.

The tears at the beginning have made my heart feel fulfilled,

You said tomorrow will be born again and again.

The tears at the end have healed my heart,

So no matter where you are, I'll keep smiling.

Will we meet again tomorrow?

If so, let's make the promise again.

I wonder what sort of words there are,

Teach me all the knowledge that can be obtained.

With what sort of expression should we laugh?

When we meet this time around,

Let's play in that forest someday.

After that, to a faraway town where we can gaze at the distant sea.

I will wait for you, with whom I made a promise, entwining our little fingers, always.

Because I think I already remember the promise of the future,

Just that is my happiness.」

When she finished her writing, the timeless girl placed the pen she had been using aside.

[Finally done.]

The pen that had always accompanied her rolled slightly to the side, coming to rest beside a neatly wrapped parcel with a pink ribbon on top, lying on the table where she had been writing.

Slowly, Moriarty untied the ribbon to place her carefully crafted poem inside.

[Putting this here...]

With her poem now written and placed inside the parcel, the series of words crafted from her deepest emotions and inscribed on the paper were ready.

Moriarty felt a sense of joy as she placed her heartfelt words inside.

[...That's all done.]

However, this was not the only thing she had prepared for her meeting. There were several other items she had gathered, each a testament to the time she had spent in the world he had created.

Alongside her poem, there were several other items—whether photographs, precious stones, or other mementos—that Moriarty had gathered. She had assembled her own parcel to present to her precious partner.

[Now I understand how difficult it is to write a Letter of Confession. I hope... he'll be willing to read it. I wonder... what his response will be?]

Of course, as the Guardian of the World, Moriarty could easily glean knowledge from the greatest writers in her world. However, it was in how she conveyed it that Moriarty found herself spending a considerable amount of time.

And upon revisiting the writing she had composed, Moriarty indeed felt a sense of pride, yet on the other hand, she also felt a flutter of nervousness. Especially when imagining the man reading it later.

[...Why do I feel embarrassed.]

Nevertheless, whatever the case may be, her preparations were now complete.

Carrying the resounding words she couldn't forget in order to escape and surpass the present, all she had to do now was to face the impending desperateness and hopelessness she didn't yet know awaited her on the other side.

Just for a little while longer, just wait a little while longer, and she would deliver her promise to him.

———————————————————

「Soukai City」

In the world crafted from the desires of The Fool, a snake rests upon the shores of Soukai City's beach. The snake who're still on vacation, has opted to dedicate one of its leisurely days to basking in the soothing warmth of the morning sun.

Rolling from side to side, letting the heat of the sand and sun touch every part of its scales, while burying half of its body in the warm sand due to exposure to the sunlight.

"Aghhh... nothing feels better than lazing around. All those fights with those cretins and nameless trash really left a few scratches on my side." (Yjor)

Observing how it closes its eyes and yawns, the snake appears quite comfortable.

It should be noted if that snake has a spiritual connection with its own creator, who resides in a different world beyond the reach of its scales. Through this bond, Yjor can discern many things about him, including his current state.

From the thinning of his presence to the disturbances in his soul, Yjor can sense it all at this moment.

"...Whatever." (Yjor)

However, despite knowing what the man is currently experiencing, Yjor decides not to help him. The snake has been given orders to rest and vacation in this world, and it seems that snake will not disobey those orders.

"I won't get any part anyway." (Yjor)

Besides, who would refuse the opportunity to vacation after being ordered to work so hard? But will the ruler of ruler known as Yjor truly get the vacation it trully desires?

Just as Yjor contemplates this, a young girl in swimwear approaches.

"Hmm? Isn't that? Ah, it's that Mr. Snake!"「Seele Vollerei」

It was indeed the same girl Yjor had encountered when first arrived in this world, a girl whose presence exuded a softness and gentle aura. She didn't hesitate for a moment to greet and speak directly to the snake.

"Hello! What are you doing?"「Seele Vollerei」

Although she could be considered odd for her shy demeanor when speaking to strangers, she surprisingly initiated a conversation with a wild snake as if inviting a stranger to get acquainted.

Perhaps she truly was a naive girl lacking friends, or maybe she was just an airhead with a soft spot for animals.

"...What kind of people talk to a snake. Just go away and build sand castles or something." (Yjor)

"But you can talk. And I've already built mine, look over there! Wouldn't it be more comfortable over there than sunbathing here?" she said, pointing to a spot filled with children her age.

It seemed that Seele Vollerei wanted to invite the snake to play with her and her friends, considering how their first interaction had occurred and how she didn't perceive the snake as dangerous.

In fact, she might even find the talking snake intriguing?

No one would readily believe her claims about the existence of a talking snake, so the girl in the white and blue swimsuit wanted to show Yjor's presence to them.

However, of course, the snake would not be willing to move towards the crowd. Hissing softly, Yjor buried its entire body in the beach sand, disappearing from Seele Vollerei's view, who could only blink in astonishment.

"What kind of snakes would even follows a human's words. Go play somewhere else." (Yjor)

Those unfriendly words were what the snake uttered before disappearing from sight. Yjor really didn't want to have another moment in babysitting or even playing around with some young mortal.

However, instead of leaving, the girl knelt down and crouched, continuously watching the sand that seemed to be moving as if something was within it.

Occasionally, she would poke the sand mound.

"Mr. Snake, are you still there?"「Seele Vollerei」

No response was given by the snake, but the girl knew that the small creature was still buried beneath the sand she touched. Seele Vollerei's behavior might be considered cute in the eyes of others, but it was annoying to Yjor.

Because of her poking behavior, it didn't take long for several other people on the beach to become curious about what the girl was doing.

For instance, a little girl running towards her.

"Is Judah in there?!" Theresa arrived at the scene, as she hurried to dig the place where Seele keep poking. However, her excitement turned to disappointment as she uncovered a snake, "Waah!? A snake!" reacting quickly, she tossed the snake back into the sea.

As she brushed sand off her legs and thighs, Theresa made sure that the object of her search was truly absent before turning to the girl behind her who appeared to be... displeased.

"That's dangerous... you shouldn't play around with that creature, Seele. Some of them contain dangerous venom that could harm. You didn't get bitten, did you?"「Theresa」

"Yes... thank you. But Theresa-san? That's too cruel for Mr. Snake! He's just sunbathing here! Why did you throw him like that!?" Seele Vollerei expressed, her tone slightly indignant.

Theresa had indeed managed to remove the potentially dangerous creature from the girl, but besides her gratitude, she also had to explain her actions that had left Seele Vollerei slightly upset.

Fortunately, the girl was kind-hearted, so when Theresa explained the reasoning behind her actions, she immediately understood that Theresa had simply believed the item she was searching for might be there.

"Judah... do you mean that golden cross?"「Seele Vollerei」

"Yup, that particular golden cross. I don't know where it went, even though I made sure to bring it with me earlier. I even asked Rita, but she didn't know where Judah went," Theresa explained, accompanied by a sigh.

"Are you sure you didn't forget when you put it down?"「Seele Vollerei」

"Not this time!" Theresa insisted, trying to appear confident. She held up her finger before the dark-haired girl. "I was absolutely sure I brought it to the beach earlier."

But after further Q&A, unfortunately Seele Vollerei seemed to be the same as Theresa. She also didn't know of the whereabouts of the golden cross.

She had been playing in the sand with her friends on the beach all along, and the rest of her time was spent watching the sand mound that Theresa had scattered.

"It's okay, I'll continue searching elsewhere. Would you like to help, Seele?" Theresa asked.

"Yes! With pleasure!" Seele Vollerei replied, quickly adjusting her slightly crumpled swimsuit.

Leaving behind the sand mound she had been observing, Seele joined Theresa and the others in the search for the Oath of Judah. Besides, the snake that had been inside it had been thrown away and disappeared somewhere, so she didn't expect to see the snake again anytime soon.

During the search, all she could hope for was that the snake would be okay.

Meanwhile, as for the snake itself... it seemed that Yjor was not doing well.

Landing on the salty surface of the water, Yjor appeared as a small creature being buffeted and carried by the waves past several coral rocks. "I'll remember that throw," there was no doubt that it was Theresa's throw that had led Yjor to be in such a condition.

Continuously tossed by the waves, Yjor floated until its snakily-body finally came to a stop upon colliding with a boat belonging to a fisherman.

From there, the snake's holiday will continue.

"...Hah! We're going with snake tonight."「Kalpas」

"Shhssssaaaa!!!" (Yjor)

———————————————————

Betrayal is a despicable and deeply hurtful act.

A conduct that violates the code of ethics and honor, and it is highly discouraged within the rules of brotherhood or sisterhood. Betrayal could never be justified or portrayed in a positive light.

In the aftermath of betrayal, it's not just the tangible damage or destruction that leaves its mark. The emotions stirred by betrayal are enduring and agonizing for those who've been wronged.

Often, these feelings give birth to a deep-seated thirst for vengeance, sparking fresh conflicts in their wake.

No one wishes to experience betrayal, especially not from someone close whom they have known and trusted. However, it's sadly common that the betrayer often turns out to be someone very close or someone who has been trusted implicitly.

Such an ugly fact.

'Now then Saratoga-kun since you're here, can I ask you to be my little traitor?' (The Commander)

The ship girls had experienced such feelings before, where they had to bear the mistakes of their fallen first commander.

They were wounded by battles not of their own, tainted and manipulated like things, until ultimately discarded to await the fate of a weapon that had lost its will.

It was such a fleeting moment to be counted in days, yet during that brief period, so much had transpired to change them. Just like a ship girl named Saratoga.

'...It's your choice, but what I'm asking is not for you to act like the previous commander who sold his subordinate. What I really want is for you to take part in orchestrating my death, while also to take part in saving this world.' (The Commander)

One of them was Saratoga, a ship girl from the Eagle Union who chose to strive for betterment, refusing to follow in the footsteps of their previous commander who had left them without so much as an apology.

All that was left behind were wounds and stains of shame embedded within their Wisdom Cubes.

Despite the arrival of a new commander who exhibited some differences from his predecessor, Saratoga remained hesitant to place her trust in him.

She viewed him with suspicion, deeming him to be unreliable, disregarding his very existence.

That is, until she began to recognize the internal turmoil within the headquarters, brought about by the loss or departure of several key figures.

'Why does it have to be you? Hmm, you should know about the condition Gridley is in. She's still being used to spy on my movements by someone at HQ. And yet, you still don't know who that person is, do you?' (The Commander)

The commander didn't belittle her efforts to mend the strained relations between factions, and he even assisted Saratoga in resolving some issues she couldn't handle effectively on her own.

Quickly and efficiently, tasks that would have taken Saratoga three steps to complete were streamlined into one step by the commander.

'I will entrust the affairs of this world to you, the residents of this world. Leave the matters from other worlds to me. If I'm right, those who have hurt you will return. So I need to prepare much thing for them.' (The Commander)

Though the ship girl still couldn't fully trust him, the closeness she felt with him made her increasingly curious about who he truly was, especially about what he's still hiding.

Together with him, she noticed that there were several ship girls who were genuinely pleased with the commander's presence.

Even when in his absence, Saratoga could heard of more or less the same news. And gradually, she found herself included among them as she keep learning about him.

'...Then my next task is for you to spread and record each document in a specific place and order. I've already asked Akashi to handle it in City Rite, the rest is for you to store them at HQ there.' (The Commander)

However, despite the wealth of information Saratoga had gleaned about the commander from their frequent conversations, for some reason, she found herself growing increasingly hesitant to delve deeper.

It wasn't a fear in the typical sense of a subordinate feeling intimidated by a superior that Saratoga harbored. Instead, it was a more intricate concern.

Saratoga worried that if she were to uncover the true identity of the commander, he might begin to distance himself from her.

Because even though the commander appeared human, he seemed to possess a mindset that discarded several essential of his humanity.

This side of him, sometime terrifies her.

'The tale that began with betrayal cannot be concluded with yet another betrayal, Saratoga-kun. There is someone and something far more worthy to bring an end to all of this.' 「Her Commander」

As time passed, Saratoga, along with Akashi, pieced together fragments of the plan that the Commander had prepared. Sometimes, they were also invited to visit various places around the academy or the city together.

Surprisingly, traveling to these places turned out to be quite enjoyable, especially when the Commander was by their side. In fact, it could be more than just "enjoyable" sometime.

'Hmm? Oh... why the blush? Have you fallen for me? Ahaha!' 「Her Commander」

However, happiness always seemed to be fleeting. As predicted, the System User arrived, accompanied by their comrades, ready to disrupt the future Saratoga had envisioned.

They descended swiftly, claiming numerous lives and swiftly invading the main base of Naval HQ, seizing control. And in that crucial moment, Saratoga found herself present at HQ as well.

"...Is this... truly the right thing?"「Saratoga」

From there, Saratoga was expected to carry out what had been planned: to summon the Commander to HQ, where the execution would take place without the knowledge of the other ship girls.

"Big sister... Will everyone from the Eagle Union truly be proud of this?"「Saratoga」

With that, the plan would progress to the next stage.

Saratoga would play the role of the betrayer, while the Commander would sacrifice his life to protect the traitor. He would disappear, his death orchestrated, along with the System Users.

And ultimately, Hylia would return to the Academy to assume the Commander's position. The curtains would fall with tragedy once again, all orchestrated by The Fool to achieve his desired end.

That was how it was supposed to unfold.

"Because he also asked me to be the traitor... Huhu, very well. I'll do it! Let's surprise him!"「Saratoga」

However, none of that would ever come to pass. Saratoga had altered the course, steering it in a different direction. Thus, the goal would also change from what her Commander had intended to what she truly desired.

"You are the one they called Yulijer, right. I'm here to bargain."「Saratoga」

She resolved not to let her Commander die as he had planned. Instead, she would become the unexpected traitor, a twist that would surprise him and transform the outcome into something far grander than a mere dream.

Her ultimate goal was to ensure that tragedy would not be the final chapter of their story.

And that is what Saratoga was determined to achieve now.