Alter Radiant's mother, Uriel Astille, enveloped Alter in her arms, awash with longing.

Though she herself had already perished, she had left behind her consciousness in this way.

Because she wished for Alter to survive, she had engraved various spells as well as the future she had foreseen in advance.

"If it was the Frost Witch, I thought she might do something like this. That's why I only brought your consciousness here for a while, before you fell," she said.

"Will I be able to return?"

"It might be difficult for now. In overcoming death, your body has endured tremendous strain. If you return right now, it may become even worse."

"......"

Alter lowered his gaze, thinking of Brillie.

She had held him in her arms until he fell asleep.

If, like last time, he couldn't wake up for several days, wouldn't she be consumed by worry and concern?

"I suppose you must have someone precious to you. How pitiful......"

Uriel murmured softly, showing a pained expression.

She had sacrificed even her own life to protect Alter, yet another sorrow was seeping in.

She had hoped that breaking the curse would allow him to live in peace, but why did fate keep cornering him so relentlessly?

"Could you wait just a bit? I'll do what I can."

"...... No. I'm only being impatient. As you say, I'll wait,"

Alter replied.

He could not bring himself to call her 'Mother' as he quietly averted his gaze.

Even though it was an appearance he was seeing for the first time, it felt strangely familiar.

Moreover, as if unconsciously swept up in the atmosphere, he couldn't refuse her touch.

"You must have suffered a lot all this time. I should have been by your side."

Uriel had accepted that fate long ago, but she couldn't cast off her regrets.

She should have survived at all costs, protected Alter, and raised him herself.

Had she only been a bit wiser, wouldn't a better outcome have been possible?

"I...... can't remember anything. I only know this world is a reenactment of the original story."

"There is always a price to pay for knowledge of the future. Even the future I saw—I couldn't just hand that over to anyone."

"Is that why my memories have disappeared?"

"I wanted to save your life, even if it meant doing that. I thought the curse could be broken later......"

"......"

Alter fell silent, reluctantly accepting her intent.

Surely, the lost memories were entangled with anguish and lament.

In a way, forgetting them allowed him to be free from that past.

"I died trying to change the future, then?"

"You made it this far because you tried to change it. Weakening the curse was good, but lifting it must have been too difficult."

"The Great Mage and an expert in curse studies helped me. They said they were my mother's fellow alumni......"

Alter hesitated briefly before laboriously broaching that word.

Uriel couldn't hide her joy, immediately recalling the two.

"Alraune and Erze helped you? They haven't forgotten me, even after all this time......"

"The Great Mage became my mentor. He said he'd defeat the Frost Witch for me...... But he must be in pain now."

"Ah, Alraune...... You came such a long way for me. What am I to do about all this......"

Uriel released Alter from her embrace, consumed by a sigh.

Alraune was both her senior and fellow alumnus, and a truly outstanding mage.

He had cared for her, never holding back advice, and had urged her never to give up the path of a mage.

Surely, he had tried to defeat the Frost Witch for Alter, yet, unintendedly, it had become a mistake.

"He brought along the Sword Saint and the Holy Apostle, but I have no idea what to do next."

"Megarex... as for the Holy Apostle, I expect Ronit stepped forward. Truly, I was blessed by the people who stood by me."

Uriel never forgot the names of those connected to her.

Megarex had set aside his pride as a swordsman for the sake of the people.

Ronit had once hated her, but in the end, admitted his own faults and became a Holy Apostle.

They were precious bonds, but because of the Frost Witch, guilt and regret would follow.

"...... Is your father doing well?"

"He often seemed melancholy. Perhaps he missed you, mother."

"Zair... So much time has passed, yet has he still not forgotten me?"

Uriel finally revealed sorrowful eyes as she thought of her partner.

She had truly loved Zair, but could not live up to his expectations.

How much hardship had he gone through, raising Alter alone?

"Mother. Had you foreseen the future, you might have avoided the curse. Perhaps, you could have lived longer......"

"You can't always avoid the future you see. Can you believe, if I told you this was the best possible future?"

"......"

Though he doubted those words, Alter couldn't bring himself to question further.

He had only glimpsed fragmented futures, while his mother could actively see them.

If, despite that, she chose her own death, didn't it mean even more horrific possibilities lay ahead?

"In order to advance into the future, someone must be sacrificed. Should I have abandoned you and your father, just to save myself?"

"...... It won't have ended with just me and my father, will it? Could it be that the northern territory perishes?"

"My son is really clever. Why do you think that?"

"If it had ended with just me and father, there would've been a better way. For mother to have given up her life—surely more must have been at stake?"

Even just retracing Uriel's achievements, he could easily infer it.

Uriel had earned recognition from many powerful figures, and Alter had gained their help simply by being her son.

To build such trust required making only right and just decisions, as a matter of course.

"You're right. If I had thought only of you and your father, I could have saved myself, too. But if we abandoned the Grand Duke's house's history and honor, where could we go?"

"Even the Emperor would have sought severe punishment. It would appear as if you tossed aside duty and responsibility just to save your life."

"That's why I tried to make myself the only sacrifice. That was the most ideal future......"

"You hadn't anticipated the curse, I suppose?"

Alter saw through Uriel's reasoning without difficulty.

Had she foreseen him suffering under a curse, wouldn't she have sought another way?

But since she transferred the curse, she must have acted hastily, in an emergency.

"It was supposed to end with my death. But the Frost Witch... escaped my predictions."

Of course, Uriel had allowed for the possibility of new variables.

But the Frost Witch went so far beyond even that.

Thus, before dying, Uriel urgently took action and even left behind her residual consciousness.

"Even though you foresaw the future?"

"The future changes for various reasons. Even if you catch a glimpse, until you arrive at that point, who could know what might transpire?"

"So, after seeing the future, it can always change?"

"The moment you see a future, it becomes bound to the past. If you glimpse a fresh future after that, it will change again......"

"I was supposed... to die originally. Yet I've survived, and even met you again, mother. Why did I see my fiancé's future?"

"That isn't for me to decide. Your fate reflected that future to you."

"What kind of fate is that?"

"You never saw your fiancé's future to the very end, did you? Why do you think that is?"

"The end... something like that......"

Alter could not immediately answer, his expression clouded with confusion.

He had no memory of the original story's ending.

Until now, he had unconsciously assumed he understood the conclusion, but in reality, he had never actually experienced it.

"Your fate was to help your fiancé. Had your fate not touched her, her future would have twisted."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Do you want me to tell you that future?"

"Do you... know it?"

"How could I turn away from a future involving you? Fate only showed you the future meant for you."

"Does she die?"

"...... Your fiancé marries the crown prince and becomes empress. But she is quickly abandoned, the Illenat ducal house collapses, and in the end, she is poisoned and remembered as a villainess."

"That's my fiancé's future? And I—tried to break off the engagement, ignorant of all that?"

"But you changed it. Your very fate saved your fiancé."

Alter was so shocked, he could say nothing.

It was bizarre and tragic, but he could not disbelieve it.

At least, since the future had changed because of him, perhaps he could feel a little relieved.

'Brillie...'

* * *

Brillie stayed in the hospital room all through the night, unable to leave.

The cleric said the treatment was complete, yet Alter still lay in the hospital bed, unmoving.

Additionally, although his heart had sustained some impact, it was diagnosed as only a minor injury.

In the end, all they could do was decide to keep watching him a while longer.

'Is he really going to be all right? Should I call for another cleric?'

Brillie watched Alter, trapped in a sense of anxiety.

His skin was a bit paler, but his breathing had not ceased.

In truth, he had simply fallen into a deep sleep, slowly allowing his body to recover.

'Is it because of the curse? He seemed much better, though......'

Though disquieted, Brillie tried to reassure herself in any way she could.

Alter had not shown much pain, and had even said he could bear it.

But none of that was enough for her to feel at ease—if anything, her worries only grew.

'This won't do. I need to meet with the Holy Apostle at least.'

Brillie decided to wait until morning.

Right now, she couldn't transfer Alter anywhere, and it would be hard to meet with the Holy Apostle during the night.

Instead, she would observe Alter's condition, and later go to the cathedral.

'The third Holy Apostle discovered the curse, after all. He must know something.'

If things escalated to such extremes, she had no choice but to seek a specialist's help.

Of course, as a direct knight of the Holy King and highest-ranked cleric, the Holy Apostle's mere diagnosis would incur considerable cost.

But Brillie didn't want to fret over money when her fiancé's life was at stake.All that mattered was saving him.

'Last time, he was bedridden for three days. Even if he doesn't die, if he remains unconscious for a long time......'

Brillie, without thinking, imagined that grim future and became downcast.

In such a situation, she could not be certain of anything, but even a sliver of possibility could not be ignored.

That was why she had to act quickly, to do whatever it took to help Alter recover.

'I can't just lose him like this. I finally decided to marry him... now what do I do......'

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=So the crown prince is no a male lead but a villain...Baseball, huh?【｡° ૮₍°´ᯅ`°₎ა °｡】

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