At first glance, it was hard to describe what it was. To Lynch, it appeared as a formless mass of matter, and only after staring at it for a few seconds did his brain slowly begin to grasp its meaning.
As he understood it, the mass gradually shifted before his eyes, solidifying into a small statue.
It depicted a petite female figure, her right hand holding a red moon aloft. Smooth, long hair draped over her back, but her features were obscured, as if where her face should be, there was only a cluster of moonlight.
The crimson moonlight shone on Lynch's face, soft and warm, as if he had returned to the most comforting place imaginable.
This feeling was all too familiar, and unforgettable.
Bathed in the warm moonlight, memories that had long been buried began to surface in Lynch's mind.
Back then, it seemed he had just ended his previous life, waking up inexplicably in that bizarre and filthy environment, his spirit drifting in a world filled with red fog.
Lacking any autonomy, having a clear consciousness was a form of the most terrifying torture. Loneliness, despair, pain, and fear, day after day without change, made Lynch scream and roar in his mind at every moment, constantly teetering on the edge of collapse, as if he might fall into eternal madness at any time.
That was until a red moon rose in the sky, and a beam of crimson moonlight enveloped Lynch's soul.
It was only the moon, yet for some reason, Lynch developed the illusion that someone was always by his side. He was no longer desperate, no longer lonely; he felt warm and safe.
As if offering deliberate companionship, the moon never disappeared again. Lynch enjoyed the soaking warmth of the moonlight every moment, his desperate soul gradually calming down as he drifted silently in the red fog for who knows how many thousands of years.
'Neighbor.'
【I am here.】
'Will you be here from now on?'
There was silence in his consciousness.
'Will you be here from now on?'
【Hmph, I will try.】
'Shall we try together?'
【Mm.】
His lips curled upward, and a sense of joy and happiness welled up from within. Lynch did not understand the reason, but he felt an urge to hum a tune.
With a dry cough to collect his scattered thoughts, Lynch reached out toward the statue without a second thought.
This action made Knight Rick, who was standing nearby, look as if his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.
"Y-you are just touching the holy memory like that?"
"Huh?"
"Even if it is a fallen god, it is still an ancient deity. You should bathe, meditate, pray..."
"Oh, my goddess doesn't mind. I just asked, and she didn't object, so I assume she doesn't oppose it."
"How does a fallen god respond to you? You Soul Severers of fallen gods are really..."
Knight Rick watched through gritted teeth. For a believer of the major god churches, Lynch's act of picking up the statue so casually was too stimulating; it was practically blasphemy. But since the holy memory already belonged to Lynch, he could only watch as the man toyed with the statue in his hands.
The texture was strange, impossible to describe in terms of any known material.
The essence of the statue, much like other mystery relics, was an echo of memory from the Dreamlands, not actual physical matter.
However, those ordinary mystery relics would condense into the physical world based on its rules, manifesting in materials that people could understand, like Officer Angel's steel sword, the Judgment of Vigen, or the Passion of the Blazing Lady that Lynch carried.
The holy mystery was different. Its essence far exceeded the capacity of worldly creatures to comprehend. Any attempt to grasp it would be thoroughly assimilated by the brilliance of the deity. Thus, all people could perceive was this incomprehensible material and its ever-changing form.
Bizarre, yet real.
'Is this your memory?'
【Mm.】
'May I look at it?'
After a long silence in his consciousness, the gentle voice spoke softly once more:
【Gaze into it.】
Lynch focused his gaze into the moonlight, and the next moment, his entire consciousness seemed to be ripped from his body.
It was as if he were looking down upon a vast world.
He did not know how many years had passed as he watched the world transform from an empty, lonely wasteland into something vibrant and colorful.
Fish, insects, giant beasts, birds, and then sentient beings with awakened intelligence—more and more living things walked the earth, filling the wilderness with vitality.
He watched them be born, watched them grow, watched them come into existence, and watched them die.
He watched them build magnificent cities and watched them offer gratitude to the heavens through beautiful temples.
Lynch's heart was filled with joy, as if watching his own children grow up day by day. Yet gradually, the course of the world began to turn sinister.
The first to erupt was a plague that was everywhere. It spread across the world, sowing fear into the hearts of every living creature.
The second to erupt was a cruel and brutal war. The conflict spiraled out of control, turning magnificent cities into ruins overnight.
The third to erupt was a world-wide famine. Years of continuous war left people with no heart for farming, leading to crop failures and starvation everywhere.
Finally, what greeted them was despair and death. The land was littered with corpses, and the hearts of the people were filled with fear and madness.
It was this endless fear and madness that converged to awaken another world—a collective formed from the nightmares of all living things. That was the Dreamlands, which had not existed before.
The Dreamlands had always overlapped with the physical world, existing in reverse as a void against reality. But now, summoned by the fear and despair of the living world, the Dreamlands became increasingly real, gradually devouring the world of reality. And the terror and strangeness from the depths of the Dreamlands, along with its encroachment, reached its tentacles into the real world, leaving the already desperate physical world with no hope at all.
It was heart-wrenching.
Lynch watched everything spiral out of control, watched those living creatures wail as they fell and died, watched thriving species head toward extinction, and felt as if his heart were being pierced by knives. I want to save them. I want to stop all of this. This was the most intense thought in his heart.
Just as he felt his sadness becoming uncontrollable, a hand suddenly patted his shoulder, pulling his consciousness back to clarity.
"What is the matter, Mr. Detective? Why did you suddenly freeze up?"
It was Knight Rick.
"I..."
Lynch finally came to his senses, realizing he was still standing on the docks, staring at that memory of the red moon. Without realizing it, his face was already covered in tears, and deep within his consciousness, a faint sigh echoed.
"It is nothing. I just got some statue in my eye."
He forced a smile and wiped the tears from his face, though his heart was a swirl of mixed emotions.
So this was the truth of the end of the First Age. The cold, sparse records in history books were, in fact, filled with despair and death in every letter.
'Sigh, what I felt... was that your mood at the time?'
【You may understand it that way.】
'Meaning it is close, but not entirely?'
【Mm.】
'Then the question returns to me. This is all in the past. What about now? What exactly is your purpose, and what do you want me to do for you?'
After a long silence in his mind, a very familiar answer rang out:
【I will stay by your side and witness every choice you make on your journey.】
'Stop, stop, stop. I am tired of hearing that. You... hss...' Lynch suddenly had a flash of insight. 'So this explanation was not just an excuse? You were just repeatedly telling me that you have no intention of forcing me to do anything. You are willing to hand the power of every choice over to me.'
After a long while: 【...Mm.】
'Is it very difficult?'
【Mm.】
'Need help?'
There was no response.
'Hmph, I understand. Since you are unwilling to tell me your expectations, I will continue to show you every one of my choices, you awkward neighbor.'
He poked the blurred face of the statue, and when Lynch looked up, he saw Rick staring at his finger with a twisted expression.
"It is nothing, just an accidental touch. I am going home now to study this holy memory properly. My goddess is just too awkward..."
Lynch laughed dryly and tucked the statue into his pocket. Just as he was about to explain, he saw a large group of reporters, carrying battered equipment, being rescued onto the shore, their eyes lighting up as they swarmed toward him.
Damn, I forgot I still had to deal with them. Can I take back my previous promise? This is so troublesome. Should I just slip away and leave it to Rick...
Smack. A hand rested on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Knight Rick wearing a meaningful smile.
In your dreams. Where do you think you are going?
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