When Yuichiro reached H High School, the area was shrouded in darkness. The school’s lights were all switched off, and the primary entrance was securely shut. From this entrance, he noticed a faint light moving along the second-floor hallway. A security guard appeared to be making rounds. Yuichiro waited at the entrance for a bit, observing the flashlight retreat into the first-floor security office.

Once the light vanished, Yuichiro paused for an additional ten minutes to confirm there was no activity. Clutching his aching stomach, he vaulted over the main entrance gate. He then sprinted across the school courtyard toward the school structure.

Yuichiro made his way to a window of the practice room that was the furthest distance from the guard’s office. When he reached for the hammer he had secured at his waist, he made a discovery. Oddly enough, the window wasn’t locked.

Upon realizing this, he was certain “that individual was present.” Alternatively, maybe that person was aware he’d be arriving and had intentionally left the window open.

Either way, what a busybody, Yuichiro judged.

Leaving the hammer aside, Yuichiro climbed through the window into the building. The interior had a cold, silent ambiance. He made his way up the dim staircase and proceeded toward the rooftop.

As soon as Yuichiro set foot on the rooftop, a mild wind grazed the back of his neck. Squinting, he observed a figure standing at the perimeter fence of the rooftop. The man had his arms resting on the railing and was contemplatively looking off into the distance.

As Yuichiro neared the fence, the man pivoted, seemingly just becoming aware of him. Yuichiro recognized the face.

“Yuichiro.”

It was Oz, whom Yuichiro had encountered in the jungle several months prior. Oz had tanned skin, youthful features, dazzlingly white teeth, and a relaxed grin.

“Oz.”

When Yuichiro uttered his name, Oz’s smile broadened. His eyes, squinting with affection, radiated warmth toward him.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

Though he’d never invited Oz to wait for him, Yuichiro resisted the urge to reply sarcastically, instead opting for a softer tone.

“Are you God?”

At Yuichiro’s straightforward query, Oz chuckled heartily. He glanced skyward, visibly entertained.

“If you’re inclined to put labels on your thoughts, then sure, you could say that.”

“A label?”

“In the sense of me being the one who chooses.”

Oz explained, gazing warmly at Yuichiro. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Yuichiro queried, “Why did you choose me?”

In reply, Oz gave a slight shrug. “The answer is something you’re already aware of. You’d lost everything—family, aspirations, hope—and were on the verge of ending your life. That’s why I chose you.”

“That’s why you chose me. But what was I chosen for?” Growling, Yuichiro asked, and Oz blinked.

“So you chose me, but for what purpose?” An increasingly irritated Yuichiro questioned, to which Oz blinked.

“You should be aware. It’s all for Noah.” Oz elaborated, “Specifically, for the future that Noah is set to establish.”

“The future?”

Strolling back and forth along the rooftop’s fence with the rhythmic cadence matching his spoken words, Oz lightly touched the railing as he walked a short distance.

“This world is made of two elements: ‘chance’ and ‘choice.’ All I can do is make choices that lead to peace in that world.”

“Peace? Stirring up a civil war for the sake of peace?”

Unable to mask his skepticism, Yuichiro fixed Oz with a glare. Oz ceased his pacing and slowly rotated his head to face Yuichiro.

“Have you ever considered what kind of future would come if I didn’t stir up a civil war?”

“What?”

“The next king of Jeweld would be Edward. Edward might not make any historical achievement, but he would be a reasonably good king. The era would be peaceful for a couple of centuries. However, a few generations after Edward, a king would wage war against Goldar. A war far more brutal than the current civil strife, a war so catastrophic it would consume the entire world.”

At this point, Oz gently tapped his palms together. Yuichiro felt an eerie chill upon hearing that soft clap, as if a menacing story were being told.

Oz went on, bringing his hands close to his lips.”The vortex of war would spread, every nation would join in, and the world would be engulfed in flames. Tens of thousands of bombs would fall everywhere, the sky would darken, the earth would soak in red, and then—”

“The world would come to an end.” Yuichiro articulated.

With his hands still together, Oz focused on Yuichiro. “I can’t rescue the world. I can only make a choice. To let Temeraire’s mother give birth to an heir who would ascend the throne. Still, even then, Noah wouldn’t be the ‘rightful king.'”

“So you broke Edward’s mother to force him into causing a civil war?”

The moment Yuichiro spoke, he felt his hair stand on end. His lips trembled slightly.

Edward himself knew—about his mother’s breakdown and why he had to initiate the civil war. He knew that many people would be sacrificed, yet he had no choice but to continue.

“I won’t let my mother die in vain.”

Edward’s statement echoed in Yuichiro’s thoughts.

Failure to ignite a civil war would render his mother’s death futile. Hence, the one-eyed man chose to confront his sibling, molding a cowardly child into a vessel fit for a king.

“Through civil war, Noah transformed into a rightful king. Goldar and Jeweld formed an alliance, bringing a long-lasting peace to the world. Initiating civil unrest would mean the loss of many lives, but it’s a far smaller ‘sacrifice’ compared to the large-scale war that would have occurred centuries later.”

Upon hearing the term “sacrifice” from Oz, Yuichiro recalled writings from goddesses’ diaries from the past.

“Sacrifice.”

A sacrifice to gain a peaceful future. Those who died for the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings.

Oz looked at the stunned Yuichiro and gently unclasped his hands, reaching towards him.

“You played an essential part in turning Noah into a rightful king.”

Oz extended his hands with what appeared to be a forlorn smile.

Swallowing the unease in his mouth, Yuichiro inquired tersely, “Was my wife and daughter’s death the result of your choice?”

Oz’s smile vanished. Lowering his hands, he briefly locked eyes with Yuichiro, then gently shook his head.

“No. The death of your family was an accident. While I can make choices, I can’t stop the numerous coincidences that occur.” Oz lowered his eyebrows in a troubled expression. Seeing that sorrowful look, Yuichiro felt dazzled.

“So it’s fate.”

“Yes, some people call such coincidences fate.” Oz said, lowering his eyes before continuing,”If you had kept going, you would have been blown away by a grenade in the jungle. It would have been the miserable death you were waiting for. But I chose you, and transported you to that world.”

Ah… Yuichiro let out an inaudible sigh, recalling Oz shielding him from a grenade during that jungle skirmish. Had circumstances unfolded as they were meant to, he would have met his end then.

“You, Yuichiro, turned that crybaby and cowardly child into a wise king who will be talked about in history,” Oz concluded, lifting his eyes to reveal an emotional smile.

Yuichiro found himself speechless, his voice shaky and hoarse as he finally spoke.

“I am…”

“You were the only choice. Without you, Noah would have been executed or killed. And you couldn’t have survived in that world without Temeraire. If we hadn’t sent Aoi, you wouldn’t have realized your own feelings and would have destroyed the world in hatred. Everyone has a role to play, existing for someone else.”

Yuichiro came to a halt as Oz offered a gentle smile.

“You are a goddess. You guided the world onto the right path.”

Feeling this, Yuichiro sensed his body temperature leaving him. His heart turned icy.

“Nothing is right.” In a frail voice, Yuichiro continued, “There’s nothing right about a future built on sacrifice. What you’re doing is still just puppetry.”

Oz’s smile disappeared from his face. Staring at Yuichiro emotionlessly, he listened as Yuichiro continued.

“Even if the world were to end due to a wrong choice, that’s natural. Trying to manipulate the future distorts the world unnaturally. Hatred and resentment grow.”

Yuichiro’s voice sounded like the patter of raindrops on a tin roof.

“So never choose again.”

Hearing Yuichiro, Oz contemplated, touching his bottom lip with his forefinger. After a brief pause, Oz responded,”Even so… I would make the same choice again. It’s my role, after all. Plus, I like people. A world devoid of people would undoubtedly be lonely.”

With that said, Oz moved closer to Yuichiro, quietly. Halting within an arm’s distance, Oz showed a mildly perplexed smile.

“I’ll make just one promise. As long as you’re alive, I won’t interfere with that world again. You may not believe it, but I’m quite fond of you. Among all the people I’ve seen, you’re the most human—fragile, weak, pitifully helpless, yet so lovable it’s heart-wrenching. I don’t want you to dislike me any more than you already do.”

Oz elegantly offered his right hand. Yuichiro’s eyes grew wider at the sight of the hand reaching out. Oz gave his shoulders a gentle shake and grinned.

“Would you shake hands with me?”

Yuichiro didn’t understand why Oz made such a request, but there was no malice in Oz’s eyes. They were pure, like a child’s, staring at him.

Quietly, Yuichiro gripped Oz’s hand. Surprisingly, it was warm—just like any other human’s palm. As he gently squeezed back, Oz squinted his eyes happily. Then he asked, “You’re going to jump to that other world, aren’t you?”

His tone was casual, like asking if you’re going home for the holidays. The casual tone eased Yuichiro’s tension a bit.

“Yeah.”

“Do you know the way back?”

“Probably.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Cut it out, I’m obviously freaked out.”

Yuichiro snapped back, causing Oz to burst into amused laughter. Letting go of the hand he held, Oz gently nudged Yuichiro’s back. Prodded by that touch, Yuichiro started walking toward the rooftop’s railing.

He put both hands on the railing and looked down to the ground. Complete darkness met his eyes, as if drenched in black. It felt like peering into an endless abyss; the ground was nowhere to be seen. Even though they were on the fourth floor of the school, could it really be so enveloped in darkness that the ground was obscured at night?

Turning around, Oz theatrically lifted both his arms.

“The only thing remaining is for you to make the leap.”

When he thought about it, Azrael said the same damn thing.

Gripping his bottom lip in frustration, Yuichiro cautiously made his way over the railing. Afterward, he set his feet on the narrow ledge beyond and held onto the rail behind him with a firm grip.

A lukewarm wind blew up from the ground, causing a chilling sensation in the pit of his stomach. Yuichiro looked back over his shoulder and asked Oz succinctly, “I can really go back, right?”

“If you truly wish it,” Oz replied. Feeling his body trembling, Yuichiro wrapped one arm around his lower abdomen. Holding his stomach, he grimly said,

“Even if I die… save the child in my belly.”

Upon hearing Yuichiro’s words, Oz widened his eyes just a bit. Then, he broke into a very calm smile.

“Don’t worry, I swear.”

The moment Yuichiro heard that soft voice, he took a deep breath and plunged into the darkness. After a moment of weightlessness, he felt as if he was sucked in and fell headlong downwards.

“I’m really falling, aren’t I!”

He wanted to scream, but fear kept his mouth shut. The wind struck his entire body, making it impossible to open his eyes. It felt like he was falling into the depths of hell. As he fell, he curled himself into a ball, gripping his lower abdomen with both arms.

“Don’t jump down; jump over it,” Oz’s whispering voice seemed to mix into the wind.

Jump over.

The thought brilliantly crossed his mind. He would jump over into that world, flying toward Noah and Temeraire.

At that moment, something soft touched his cheek. Squinting, he saw countless golden threads flying around him—the same sight he saw at the bottom of the lake when he returned to the original world. 

The golden threads began to envelop him, too bright for him to keep his eyes open. The moment he closed them, the sensation of falling vanished. He felt enveloped by something warm, and his consciousness began to fade. 

“Noah, Temeraire.”

In his dimming awareness, he called their names. He wanted to return to them. That was his only wish.