[A/N: The Chapter is mostly a recap. So please skip it if coins are scarce. I’ll add a TLDR for it in the next Chapter opening.]
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"Ugh."
Vincent groaned and clutched his head before planting it on the table.
"Young master!"
"My Lord..."
Leona placed her hand on Vincent’s shoulder and expressed concern.
Anastasia rushed to his side and checked his wrist, feeling his veins.
’A repeat of the carriage incident?’
The last time the young master reacted like this, he almost died.
This time, the Madam wasn’t here. Anastasia couldn’t stop the unease rising in her chest.
"Young master, please respond." Anastasia rubbed his palm and massaged his shoulder.
Leona stood beside and gripped Vincent’s shoulder while watching Anastasia’s every movement. Unable to help medically, she simply followed her lead.
Vincent didn’t respond.
The system’s voice in his head hadn’t stopped and he could not hear them.
+
[Ding!]
[Fate Trajectory changed.]
[...]
[Fate Restoration begins.]
[Correction attempt initiated by World Laws...]
[Failed.]
[...]
[Trajectory displacement confirmed.]
[Overall Fate Deviation Rank: A-]
[...]
[Calculating rewards...]
[1%]
[...]
[7%]
[...]
[19%]
[...]
[Calculation terminated.]
+
The blue system window disappeared.
A black window replaced it and lines of red text appeared.
+
[Reward generation prohibited.]
[Recorded Host continuity is incompatible with the current Fate Trajectory.]
+
’Huh?’
+
[Translating...]
[...]
[You died.]
+
Vincent stared at the words.
He could feel Anastasia rubbing his palm and Leona gripping his shoulder. His head hurt from the system notifications, but the rest of him felt alive.
’I died?’
[Yes.]
’But I can feel everything around me.’
[That’s because you’re alive, Host.]
’But you said I died?’
[Yes.]
[After the Host’s death, someone seemed to have reset the timeline.]
Vincent frowned and did not move a muscle from the table.
’Why are you saying someone seemed to have reset? Do you not know who it is?’
There was only one person around him whom the system had classified as a regressor.
So why was it not taking the name?
[After the Host’s death, the system was shut down. Everything after is unknown.]
Before he could ask more questions about this, another window appeared.
+
[Detected return to the latest stable reset point.]
[Calculation of the erased Fate Trajectory complete.]
[Duration of erased Fate Trajectory: Three days and sixteen hours.]
+
’What’s three days and sixteen hours?’
Vincent knew what reset point meant.
He just got a notification of it after the event completion, and after the ’you died’ system messages, his suspicions were almost true.
[This is the time between the reset point and Host’s death in the previous iteration.]
’What the fuck?’
’I died in less than four days?’
Vincent was startled.
[Yes. It was a short run.]
’Wow...’
The revelation came as a major shock, but there was a part of him that refused to accept the fact that he would die in four short days from today.
He kept to his house and stayed around guards and knights. What could even threaten him?
’Are you sure I regressed and this isn’t a vision?’
[Yes.]
[The system has detected an unopened reward from Event #002.]
[Would you like to open it? (Y/N)]
[Source: Anchor Destabilization(1/5)]
[Anchor: Monster Rat Infestation.]
[The reward was generated within the erased Fate Trajectory.]
[The anchor has not been encountered in the current Fate Trajectory.]
Vincent went silent.
As if thinking Vincent needed more proof, the system continued.
[Reward calculation of Event #001 was abruptly terminated as the Host is already in possession of them.]
[The system has detected the Host’s ability obtained from Event #001 completion — Fate Archive I.]
[Fate Archive I retained all experiences from the erased Fate Trajectory.]
[Would you like to view them? (Y/N)]
[Note: external time will stop during review.]
The day just kept getting stranger and Vincent really felt his head hurt from the barrage of messages.
Nonetheless, this Fate Archive I was likely his only lead to understand everything properly.
’Yes, show me.’
[Note: The Host will enter the recorded experiences with the original senses, thoughts, and emotions.]
’Huh?’
Vincent did not get the time to ask what the system meant by that.
Everything in his vision momentarily went blank.
...
Anastasia pressed two fingers against Vincent’s wrist.
His pulse was present and steady.
She checked it again.
The reports upon the table, the clerks moving through the administrative building, and Leona standing on the opposite side were all exactly as she remembered.
’How am I here!?’
Knowing it wasn’t the first day where the young master died brought a major panic to the regressor.
Every regression would start with her entering the young master’s room. She had done it four times already.
Then why was it that, in this sixth iteration, she was in the Gold Town’s administrative building? At the exact moment when they found Duke Brunelle suspicious?
Her Palimpsest Path remembered everything she had done during this moment in the past iteration. Her fingers pressed against the same point on Vincent’s wrist. Her other hand rubbed his palm in the same circular motion.
The movements were identical and she was well aware that this wasn’t Déjà vu but actual regression.
The last thing she remembered was Vincent’s blood covering her uniform and his motionless face.
She could still vividly recall the sword passing through his heart and the weight of his lifeless body on her arms.
It was not a dream. It was an actual regression, one that lasted just a week.
Her fingers trembled.
She glanced at Vincent with a longing look.
’Young master...’
Leona noticed it.
Anastasia’s movements remained professional, but she had checked Vincent’s pulse several times and refused to release his hand.
There was also a strange look on her face. Almost like sadness, but mixed with... nostalgia?
She couldn’t exactly point out.
Leona then remembered the three of them sleeping together the previous night.
She had felt closer to Vincent after waking up beside him. Perhaps Anastasia felt the same way and was now just a bit frightened by his condition.
She could not come to an accurate conclusion without solid evidence.
Leona did not think about it further and focused on Vincent.
He still hadn’t responded to their calls.
...
The administrative building disappeared from Vincent’s senses.
He saw the notification of him being inside his memories.
It started playing.
+
[Calculating rewards...]
[1%]
[...]
[7%]
[...]
[19%]
[...]
[19%]
[...]
[Do not interrupt the calculation.]
[Estimated completion time: Unknown]
[Feel free to resume in real life activities that won’t alter Fate.]
+
The ringing finally ceased.
Vincent lifted his head and inhaled sharply.
"My Lord."
"Young master."
Distinct melodic voices came from either side.
Warmth lingered on both his shoulders and palms. One touch felt firm and calloused while the other, soft and gentle.
Vincent leaned back.
Leona and Anastasia were leaning over him, close enough that he could see the worry in their eyes. Neither seemed to realize they were still holding onto him.
’...Am I in heaven?’ Vincent wondered while staring at the two.
"Are you in pain?" Anastasia asked immediately.
"I’m fine." Vincent smiled faintly. "Thank you."
Anastasia gave him a curt nod and quietly withdrew her hands.
Leona, however, didn’t move.
Instead, she tilted her head.
"Would you like me to keep holding it?"
Vincent blinked.
Anastasia blinked.
"...what?" Vincent asked.
"If it eases the pain." Leona’s tone remained as calm as ever. "I do not mind."
...
[Ding!]
[Rewards generated.]
[Reward count exceeds normal deviation limits.]
[Special compensation available.]
...
[Major Fate Deviation reward: Roll x2]
[Anchor Destabilization reward: Roll x4]
[Overall Fate Deviation reward(A-): Martial Memory Fragment]
[Event #001 Completion reward: Fate Archive I]
[Special Compensation.
Choice to select any one compensation:
1: System Auxiliary Module unlock.
2: 10 Rolls.]
...
’Play the memory.’
.
.
.
[Warning.]
[You are no longer the observer.]
...
A colossal mountain stole the sun from the village at its foot.
...
One step.
His body turned.
The axe traced a single arc through the air.
...
A white line had appeared across the mountainside.
It widened.
The mountain’s crown shifted.
Stone.
Snow.
Entire cliffs.
They slid together, as though the peak itself had quietly decided to descend.
The world shook.
Vincent saw white.
...
’Anastasia... help...’
...
"I just wish to not get beaten up on the streets."
...
"Do you want to learn before leaving for Silver Town or after it?"
"After."
"Okay."
...
"...during our engagement..."
"...drunk yourself to the point of passing out. You weren’t able to stand properly and rings couldn’t be exchanged..."
...
"There’s urgent telegrams."
"Rats infestation in grain storages—again!?"
"The house has been officially summoned to the Royal Court tomorrow morning..."
...
"I’m sorry for what I said or did to you before, sis. And I’m sorry for dumping responsibilities on you and leaving."
...
[Major Entanglement upgrade!]
[Friction Link(stable) → Resonant Link Link(stable)]
[Subject: Vanessa D’Arc]
...
"M’lord... am I not attractive?"
...
"...Do what your heart desires because that’s what we do too."
...
"I am your personal attendant, young master..."
"...everything that happens between us will stay between us..."
...
"If courting me brings you joy, then please court me..."
"Anastasia is already yours and cannot be courted. But it’s her desire to serve you, so please let her."
...
.
.
.
Royal Court.
...
Accusations on House D’Arc.
...
The Crown’s Judgment.
...
The Lost Gamble.
...
[Entanglement increased.]
[Subject: Agnes Falkner.]
...
The Lost Gamble.
...
Missed Something.
...
"Young master, any and every secret of yours is safe with me. If you ask me to hide it from Madam as well, I’ll accept any punishment from her but won’t reveal it."
...
"...I love you, Anastasia."
"You don’t have to say those, young master. You are not courting me."
Vincent squished her cheeks.
"Say it back."
He pulled them.
"...or I’ll try to check if these can be turned into string cheese."
.
.
.
"I loveeeee youuuuu!"
Anastasia cried out.
Vincent chuckled softly.
"I love you too."
...
Nothing happened.
...
"...just like I rely on you."
...
[Entanglement increased.]
[Subject: Agnes Falkner]
[Entanglement: Friction Link(stable) → Active Link(unstable)]
...
"...what brings you here... Agnes?"
...
A bag of grains and a lifetime’s promise.
...
[Entanglement: Active Link(unstable) → Active Link(stable)]
...
"Anastasia."
"Hm?"
"At least you love me right?"
Anastasia gently held his face.
The two gazed at each other for a few seconds.
She bent down.
Vincent felt a pair of supple and warm lips on his for an instance.
Anastasia straightened herself and went to the wooden cart, pulling it away.
Before she left, she looked at Vincent.
"I am just a maid, young master."
...
"I don’t have any memories of the past, mom..."
"Vincent."
"Mom."
"That’s it."
"Nothing else matters."
...
Cultivation basics.
...
"Thank you for the meal."
...
Back to the County.
...
"More monsters were sighted behind them."
...
Hold the road.
...
"Keep it open."
"...clear Vanessa’s retreat."
...
"...the creatures did not actively hunt. They kept running."
...
’And if these were the only creatures that escaped...’
’Who’s left in the highlands?’
...
"Ring the bell!"
"Fucking ring the bell!!!"
...
"There has been a breach near the slums."
...
"Move the residents out first..."
"...we can abandon the district for the night if we have to."
...
"Who is Elliot?"
...
’Can I save that kid?’
...
"Go rescue that kid. I’ll be here with these kids."
...
"Go! If we can save a child, we will save a child! Nothing will happen to me!"
...
"Elliot!"
Elliot coughed and was covered in soot, but he was alive.
His sister crashed into him and hugged him hard enough to make both of them fall.
’At least something went right tonight.’
...
"Move the wagon!"
...
"Young master, retreat!"
...
A serpent erupted from beneath the broken road...
...
’Fuck! I gotta do something!’
...
"C’mon, c’mon! I know the technique! Do something! Do something!"
...
[Fate Resonance]
...
’Just activate it!’
[Warning!]
...
’Fucking do it!’
...
The Northern Commander reached Vincent.
...
’Just in time...’
...
"Young master!"
...
"Young master!"
...
"Vincent!!!"
.
.
.
[Fate Archive review completed.]
...
"Haaaah!"
Vincent’s eyes snapped open.
He lifted his head from the table with a gasp and clutched his chest.
There was no wound.
His heart was beating normally beneath his palm, but he could still remember the blade passing through it.
Anastasia stared at his hand on his chest.
A flicker of shock passed through her eyes before she controlled her expression.
’Why is he doing that?’
The movement was too accurate.
Vincent had placed his hand over the exact place where the sword emerged from his chest.
Leona had been watching both of them from the beginning.
She noticed Vincent’s pale face and the shock Anastasia failed to completely hide.
"Are you experiencing chest pain, My Lord?"
Vincent turned toward her.
Anastasia did the same.
For one brief moment, neither of them spoke.
The two then thought in unison,
’How does she know!?’
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