Record #30: A Conversation in the Dark

Year ??? of the Unified Imperial Calendar:

?? Month, Day ??. (??:?? ??)

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ Astra's POV ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Darkness. . .

No matter where I looked, there was only darkness. . .

There was no sound, no light, nothing to feel. . . it was plain black. I wasn't even sure if I was still standing.

I sighed. Did I die without knowing? Perhaps I did. After all, I was no longer in condition to continue fighting. And perhaps the enemy just landed a sneak attack on me.

Well, I'm not exactly the one to say as I raided the fucking piece of shit's workshop though. . .

'So I guess this is how my life in this otherworld ends, huh?' I thought with a 'smile' as I then closed my 'eyes'. However. . .

"Actually, you're not dead yet."

. . . a voice suddenly spoke to me from behind.

My eyes suddenly snapped open as I turned around, and saw that the sceneries had entirely changed. It was now something akin to a throne room in fantasy stories, and a man was seated in the throne. Just the sight gave a fantasy sort of feel.

The man smiled, "'Fantasy sort of feel' huh?" he spoke as he closed his eyes in humour, "I never thought I'd hear that kind of description from you."

Holy shit! Did he just read my mind?! He can read minds?!

"Haha, Of course not," he said with a chuckle, "I'm not exactly 'you' after all."

Then how did you know even though I wasn't saying anything?!

"You an idiot?" he said as he looked at me incredulously, "you've been thinking out loud for a while now."

"A-Ah. . .Ahaha so that's what it was. . ." I said as I scratch my head. . . wait head? Am I really alive?

Or maybe. . .

"Looks like you finally caught on." He said as he rested his head on his hand.

I looked at him as I asked, "Where am I?"

"Nowhere," Was all he answered, "but still somewhere."

"And where exactly?" I said, "I'm not here for games."

"And so am I, you know?" he said with a serious tone of voice, "you think you're here for no reason?"

I frowned. Was he trying to play a game? Because I have no reason to participate, and would gladly decline.

However, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he continued, "Do you not even recognize me?"

His words finally clicked something in me, as I then inspected his face in detail. He was right. His face seemed very familiar for some reason. He kinda looked like. . .

"Dad. . .?"

His mouth gaped.

"No seriously, D00d," he said in exasperation, "are you really sane?"

"But you look like him!"

". . ."

He suddenly went silent, as he placed his palm on his forehead. Was I wrong?

He sighed, shaking his head weakly. He then gave a hollow laugh, "I guess we're both idiots. . . haha."

"I. . . guess?"

"You're supposed to disagree." He retorted at my absentminded agreement.

"I guess?"

". . ."

Okay. I get it. This talk isn't getting anywhere, so. . .

"Let's just get to the point, shall we?" I said with a sigh, "this is getting us nowhere."

He seemed to want to say something, but restrained himself. Yeah, I wasn't the reason for the pointless talk here.

I started, "So? Why am I here?"

"Take a good guess." He said with a grin.

'Oh not this bullshit again.' I though, fed up. But he added, "Remember veeeery carefully your situation."

I suddenly stopped myself from snapping at him, and pondered. If I remember. . .

"I was in deep shit?"

"Exactly."

I frowned, "But how does that relate to me being here?"

He sighed, as if disappointed, "This is why I hate my old self. . ." he muttered to himself.

"Huh? What did you say?" I asked, "I didn't quite hear you."

"Just think about it clearly," he spoke, ignoring my question, "would a normal person experience the repeated shit that you've been experiencing lately?"

"Of course not," I agreed to disagree, "but I'm a—"

"An isekai'd character?" he scoffed, "as if that bullshit guaranteed becoming a main character."

I frowned deeper. I'm not an idiot, so I had an inkling of what he meant.

"So what you're saying—"

"You're being led around the nose."

My eyes widened. I don't remember being controlled, and was sure I didn't have anything to do with nobles other than the Tindalerose. So. . .

"Who's leading me around?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Probably me," he casually dropped a bombshell, "that is IF I'm still alive. So it most likely is my subordinates."

"Subordinates?"

"Hmm. . ." he pondered, "If I remember, the one I left in charge was. . . Quanta and Isabelle?"

I gasped at the revelation. They were the one?! I thought they'd never try to harm me! Aren't AIs incapable of lying?!

A feeling of rage and anger began to form in my chest.

He gave me a wry smile, "Though I'd appreciate if you don't hate those children," he said in an apologetic manner, "it was my fault for leaving them."

I grit my teeth as anger and frustration welled up in me, "Not hate them?!" I yelled at him, "they tricked me!!"

I clenched my fist as I started to climb the steps to his throne. And when I was in front of him, I asked angrily, "Who are you anyway?!"

He only gave a vague grin, completely brushing away my anger, "You know who I am already." he said in a playful manner, "the better question is: Who are you?" he pointed at me.

I flinched at his question, as for some reason, I took a step back. But he then continued, "Don't try to deny it," he said as he stood from his throne, "you're no longer the you that you remember."

I shook from his words, "W-What are you talking about?!" I defended, "I'm Astra! Milady's Warslave!"

"Yes," he affirmed, "but unfortunately. . ."

". . . that identity is now a mere drop from the ocean." He added with a cold tone.

He then walked. He continued walking straight, right through my direction. Once again, I flinched as I stepped aside, but he didn't stop. Not even once.

Then I realized. . .

"Y-You're leaving. . .?" I asked in confusion.

. . . he wasn't walking in my direction, he was walking to the exit. Or what looked like an exit.

Without turning back, he spoke, "My role now is done," he said as he raised his right hand in farewell, "it's your now. Everything I had."

"W-What are you—"

"You'll understand the moment you sit on the throne."

He then turned right before the exit, and gave his last words, "Oh! And a reminder, there's a mirror to the left of the throne. Just directly behind your current direction. You should look at it before you sit."

And so, he went on the other side of the passage, and disappeared.

I stood in a daze for a while, digesting all the information he just said.

After a while, I then turned around, and looked at the mirror. And what I saw shocked me.

"Wha!!?" I uttered in astonishment.

What I saw was a familiar face. A face I'd developed over the course of 18 years, and it was the same one O knew before I came to this world. It was my original face. . .

. . . and it looked like a younger version of the man earlier.

Once again, I froze in stupefaction as I only stood for a while. That man was me? Then how did he get here? And why am I here? And what did he mean when he said that Quanta and Isabelle was his subordinate? What exactly was happening?

I had a lot of questions, but I suddenly remembered his words.

"You'll understand the moment you sit on the throne. . ." I repeated his words in a mumble.

I then looked at the throne, and for some reason, it looked. . . heavy? It was the feeling that I would never be the same once I sit there. However, it was the only lead I had to my questions. Thus, I had no choice, right?

Walking step by step, I went up once more, and stood in front of the throne. It was grey in colour. I ran my finger on its surface, it was no different from stone. Then what exactly made it special?

I suddenly became more eager to find out.

Steeling my chest and gathering my courage, I positioned myself, and sat on the throne. And the moment I did. . .

. . . I became an Emperor.

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