Chapter 15: A Glimpse into the Past—Who Destroyed My Life?!

  Primer took the blue orb and placed it in his Inner Realm—knowledge Isis had imparted to him. The Inner Realm wasn’t just a mental space; it was a physical dimension capable of storing objects and even living beings.

  Primer walked slowly toward the café door, but before leaving, he turned and gave Isis a judging stare.

  "I almost forgot to ask. Were you behind that explosion?"

  "Hmm? Of course not! Why don’t you see the truth for yourself?"

  Isis raised her hand and snapped her fingers. Suddenly, the surroundings shifted. They now stood in an opulent palace with white marble columns. The air reeked of luxury and wealth. The walls were adorned with priceless artworks, and in every corner stood exquisite statues of humans and angels. Ornate golden vases held fragrant crimson flowers beside each column.

  "You can cast spells with just a snap?"

  "When your experience reaches my level, you’ll be able to wield magic by will alone. Heh. Right now, I don’t need incantations or spell names—though I still use them for fun sometimes."

  Curious, I glanced around. "Where are we?"

  "The palace of one of the most influential men in the Zherfon Empire."

  "Zherfon?! That empire fell five hundred years before my death!"

  "Huh?... Then was it Saifong? Or maybe Lusmond?"

  "Who knew gods could have Alzheimer’s?"

  "Alzheimer’s? I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, our immortal bodies have too good a memory—they record everything. Over millions of years, my memories have become jumbled and vague. It’s a sign my end is near... Everything changes every hundred years or so, and time passes so quickly I barely notice. How could I remember the names of mortal empires that barely last a few centuries?..."

  Primer wondered if he, too, would one day suffer the same fate—a bitter destiny he knew would come, with no way to stop it. He shook his head, scattering the dark thoughts.

  If something happens tomorrow, I’ll deal with it then. No point worrying now. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow won’t even come...

  "So? How is this place connected to the terrorist attack?"

  "You still haven’t figured it out? Heh. Why do humans kill each other? For three reasons: survival, threats to their interests, and extremism. Those are the roots of all violence."

  "Hmm? Survival and threats make sense, but extremism? Extremism in what?"

  "Heh. Extremism in everything! Pleasure, hatred, patriotism, idealism, love, lust, wealth... The examples of madness are endless. It’s proof of humanity’s wretched nature... I only understood this once I stopped seeing the world through human eyes."

  Isis placed a hand on Primer’s shoulder, and suddenly, both vanished into thin air—as if the earth had swallowed them whole.

  ---

  In a lavish room, behind a walnut-brown desk, sat a man who allegedly controlled sixty percent of the country’s black market. Illegal deals, arms sales to terrorists, organ trafficking, money laundering, drugs, rape—these were just a fraction of his crimes. He was a pillar of global corruption.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Sir, the request has been completed. Ms. Julian paid for her stubbornness with her son’s life."

  His subordinate delivered the report meticulously, and the man listened intently. When the report ended, he chuckled, lit a cigarette with a lighter, and took a deep drag. Only then did his grotesque, repulsive face briefly emerge from the shadows before vanishing again.

  "Pity that woman wouldn’t take the money. She was so obsessed with ‘fighting corruption’ she forgot we could crush her anytime. Heh. This should teach her a lesson. If she’s still hell-bent on revenge, silence her with poison."

  "At once, sir."

  "Hmm. Now get out of my sight."

  "Y-Yes!"

  The subordinate hurried out, leaving his boss alone. The man stared into the dark room, lost in thought—until a thunderclap shattered his reverie. He tilted his head, exhaling smoke as he gazed at the glittering city beyond the window. Spring rain fell over the grieving city, mourning the hospital tragedy.

  "Is this really what I wanted in life?... This filthy, wretched existence... No... It’s too late now. The path I’ve walked can’t be undone. The sins of killing innocents, the suffering I’ve caused—even the deepest hell won’t be punishment enough." (Cough)

  He coughed violently—dry, hacking coughs that brought up blood from his withered throat.

  "Ugh... Hah... Heh... (Gasping)"

  He rested for a moment, staring at the blood on his hand, sinking into dark thoughts. Slowly, his forehead wrinkled, and he gritted his teeth in rage. With a furious roar, he swept everything off his desk, shattering it all.

  "Damn this cancer! Those useless doctors say there’s no cure... No, I won’t go quietly. If I die, I’m taking you all with me. Yeah... Screw the afterlife! My heaven is here! Everything I did was for me! Even if I’m reborn, I’d choose the same path again. They got what they deserved—their only sin was weakness!" (Cough)

  "Heh. Never trust a wolf’s repentance. A devil remains a devil—never regretting their choices. That’s the nature of demons."

  "Huh?! Who’s there?!"

  The man frantically pressed the panic button under his desk and grabbed his gun, aiming into the darkness.

  "Show yourself, mother f—!"

  "...Your breath reeks. Must you be so vulgar?"

  "Cut the crap, you bastard!"

  "...Very well. You asked for this."

  Suddenly, a white, humanoid figure with three glowing eyes appeared. Its clothes were ordinary, but its face looked like something out of a nightmare.

  Then, a frail seventy-year-old man materialized—wielding a cane, a monocle over his left eye.

  Before the crime lord could speak, his heart stopped. His lifeless body collapsed to the floor.

  Primer glared at the corpse with disgust, then turned his furious gaze to Isis.

  "Why did you kill him?! A man like him deserved agony! He should’ve burned like he made my family burn!"

  Isis only laughed, pointing at herself.

  "I did nothing but grant his own request."

  "What the hell does that mean?!" Primer demanded.

  "Don’t you know? Never look upon a god’s true face. Never speak a god’s true name. Primer, we exist on a plane where a mortal’s mind breaks from seeing us. His heart attack was the mildest reaction. In a few hours, his corpse will mutate into a Hollow. Don’t worry—I’ll handle that part."

  "So you’re saying he died just from seeing you?! Then why let him see you at all?!"

  "Have you ever faced a mortal? No. And what do you think will happen when you do? You’ll watch them die in agony... I learned this lesson only after accidentally killing my own creations."

  "...This wasn’t justice!"

  "You think justice means punishing criminals your way? Heh. Still naive. Primer, you know not to alter events during time travel. You’re just a guest here—this timeline isn’t yours. Even the smallest interference could unravel time itself. Let go of the past. It’s too late to fight fate."

  Primer wasn’t satisfied, but he wasn’t a fool either. Reluctantly, he nodded in silence.

  "Heh. Looks like it’s time to go. They’re coming."

  Isis placed her hand on Primer’s shoulder again, and they returned to the Polar Café.

  "Now that you have your answer, mind returning to your timeline?"

  Primer was still furious but chose not to show it. He stared at Isis—now reading a book—then turned and walked toward the door. As the bell chimed, he spoke without looking back:

  "Liars weave truth into their lies, so when exposed, they spin new lies—cloaked in pretty words and forged proof. Goodbye, Isis. You mad witch."

  Isis watched him leave with an empty gaze. She chuckled to herself.

  "What if you knew? Heh... Wretched are those who silently accept their fate. Even you are no exception, child. A naive heart is always prey to malice. Farewell, my foolish successor."