Chapter 87: Charlotte and Trishel

The place where we first met…?

My first memory of you is that time you pulled that sexual harassment stunt at the shop—or at least, that’s what I thought. But that’s probably not what this is about.

Which means we must have met somewhere else before that.

Crap. I don’t remember.

"Judging from that face, you don’t seem to have a clue."

Yeah, no clue. I’m stumped.

She’s the one who called me here, and yet I don’t even know where this is supposed to be.

Damn it. Where the hell is this?

"Didn’t you say the shop was the first time we met?"

"That’s probably not it. Otherwise, it would’ve just meant we missed each other when you came in after we left."

"Hm. Hard to imagine. Besides, there’d be no need for such a cryptic message."

Right. I’m being tested.

I don’t know why or how, but Trishel is testing me.

If that’s the case, then I’ve got no choice but to remember.

I’ll pull up my memories of when I first came to this town, one by one—even the ones I’d rather forget.

"…Ah."

"Did you remember?"

"Yes—or, no, but…"

Something came to mind. But if that’s it, then why?

What could have led Trishel to act that way?

"What’s wrong? You don’t sound very sure."

"I’m not confident. But I can’t think of anywhere else."

"That’s fine. Where is it?"

Riven urged me to follow whatever lead I had.

He was right. Even if it’s uncertain, I have to try.

And if this guess is correct—then there’s something I need to ask Trishel.

In the end, my memory was right.

It was a picture-perfect “meeting place” fountain, and she was sitting right there on its edge.

This was the plaza in the middle district—a part of the city adventurers rarely visited. Normally, it was full of locals and children at play. But since this was a dream, it was empty now.

"You really came, Princess. I was a little worried about what I’d do if you didn’t."

A chill ran down my spine.

It was Trishel, and yet… she didn’t feel like Trishel.

Her eyes seemed to be looking past me into the distance. Her expression was calm, like the surface of still water. Not the lively, noisy girl I knew, always playing up her charm.

This version of her felt as though she’d already given up on everything, leaving only loneliness behind.

"…So you call me that too."

"Of course. You were the one I’d been waiting for."

Trishel stopped swinging her legs and rose to her feet.

Riven, on guard, stepped between us. Even at this distance, a mage was dangerous—that was his reasoning.

To him, Trishel was already an enemy.

Me? I still couldn’t see her that way.

I was grateful Riven took the lead, but there was something I still had to ask.

So I stepped forward again, giving him a glance. He understood and eased back just a little.

"Why did you do this?"

"…Talking about a failed plan is kind of embarrassing, you know."

She gave a bashful smile, then quickly put on a serious face.

"Our goal was simple. To ensure the Princess’s safety."

"Safety? After doing all this—"

Trishel raised a finger to her lips, gently urging silence.

Strangely, I obeyed. The words on my tongue lost their momentum, and I closed my mouth.

Pleased, she continued with a faint smile.

"When someone has been hurt by the ugliness of reality and drowns in despair, that’s when we guide them to a place of salvation. We were supposed to spirit them away from the surface world and lead them to the White City."

"…I see. And I’m the one who ruined that plan."

"That’s right."

Riven seemed convinced. But what the hell does that even mean?

"So? Now that your Prince Charming role’s been stolen, what will you do?"

"It doesn’t matter. Nothing changes."

Ah… so what Riven did to save me when I was about to fall apart—that’s what Trishel was trying to do?

If that’s the case, then isn’t this already a complete failure?

What does it even mean to say “nothing has changed”?

"From the beginning. We’ll start over. That’s all."

Trishel snapped her fingers.

The sound echoed strangely into the distance—and at the same time, the ground around us began to rise.

"If there’s interference, then I’ll just eliminate it and begin again from the start. Luckily, this is a dream. Here I can do whatever I please, far more than in reality."

The risen ground took shape, molding itself into something resembling humans.

Golems!? And not just one or two—there must be twenty, thirty of them surrounding us.

"So you’re resorting to brute force. Simple enough to understand."

"This world was created with me as its core. It’s my home ground. Don’t think it’ll go as easily as before."

The two of them had completely taken up battle stances.

Wait. Please, wait. I’m still… I’m still not ready…!

"Please wait!"

I forced myself between them just as they were about to ignite the fight.

Not yet. I still haven’t come to terms with this.

"Why? Why would you do something like this?"

Trishel’s face slackened in mild surprise, then twisted faintly.

"Honestly, Charlotte-chan, you really are troublesome."

I couldn’t tell if she was exasperated or resigned.

I couldn’t tell, but what I did know was—I still couldn’t accept this.

Because—because you saved me. You saved us.

"Since when? Since when have you been planning this—"

"From the beginning."

"…What?"

"From the very beginning. From the very start, this was always my plan."

From the beginning?

Then everything we did together until now—?

And when exactly is “the beginning”? Could it really be… since the moment we first met here—?

"Exactly. From the moment Charlotte-chan came to this town. From that moment, I was moving toward this outcome."

The words, delivered so matter-of-factly, were ones I didn’t want to accept.

"…Rosalind told me. That it had been prepared for a very long time."

"That’s right. Ever since we met, I’ve been repeatedly making physical contact with Charlotte-chan, all for this moment. Though yes, there were other reasons as well."

Riven’s confirmation left no room for doubt—it was the truth.

Then why… why?

"You chose this place because—"

"Because I can fight more easily in a wide-open space like this."

"And when you helped me at the auction, or in Salem—"

"That was to earn your trust, to make that repeated contact. And I couldn’t risk having anyone else interfere before the plan was ready."

Put that way, I couldn’t deny it. I had no grounds to.

The reality before my eyes said it all.

"Everything, everything was done so that you would become the princess we longed for."

Then… you’re serious? This is real?

You weren’t forced. You didn’t secretly hate doing this.

Those possibilities… they’re gone?

"So? How does it feel—to be truly betrayed by someone you trusted? …See? The mundane world is rotten, isn’t it?"

Sensing the shock written all over me, Trishel pressed her attack, trying to push me further off balance.

"Well, since it’s someone you hated, maybe it’s not that—"

"That’s not true!"

You think I wasn’t shaken? Don’t be ridiculous!

We fought together, we ate together, we laughed together!

That makes us comrades, doesn’t it!?

"Sure, she harassed me constantly, never listened, always slacked off, always acted pathetic. Honestly, until recently, I hated her for it. I didn’t even want to see her face. Sometimes she even scared me."

I had endless complaints. I truly hated her until not long ago.

But that doesn’t mean I ever wanted her as my enemy.

Even if I thought she was an annoying fool, I never wished her dead.

"I never wanted things to turn out like this."

Not this. Not a fight to the bitter end, with no middle ground left.

Then, suddenly, Riven’s words came back to me.

"…‘The right to wish is something everyone has.’"

Those words felt like a blessing.

No—wait. Is it really okay?

That’s wrong. Whether it’s okay or not is for me to decide.

With that settled, I turned to Riven for confirmation.

"Hey, Riven. What do you think?"

"What do I think? About what?"

"Do you think I’m selfish?"

"I don’t know if it’s selfish, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting something."

He affirmed it. With Riven, there was no problem.

"Hey, Trishel."

"What is it, Charlotte-chan?"

"Do you think I’m selfish?"

"Mm, doesn’t really matter, does it? Do whatever you like."

So you won’t deny it either. Not after everything. Not after trying to force me into what you wanted me to be.

Ah… maybe that’s the answer already. In that case, I’ll do the same.

"Trishel."

"What is it, Charlotte-chan?"

"I’m sorry, but I’ve decided not to give up."

"Oh? Then that means—"

I cut her off before she could say “what a shame.”

"Not on living in this world—but on staying your friend."

I couldn’t help but laugh. It sounded ridiculous, even to me.

Trishel looked startled. Riven, though—ah, he was laughing. Did he see this coming? If so… that makes me a little happy.

"I’ve decided to believe in the possibility that Trishel is lying."

"That’s absurd…"

"Even if it is absurd!"

I shouted. Because I’d already made up my mind.

To believe. That believing is free. That’s what he taught me.

So I’ll believe. That the Trishel who saved us wasn’t a lie. That even now, there’s still meaning behind her actions.

"Believing is free. Wanting something isn’t a bad thing."

"You’re selfish."

Riven teased me with a laugh.

I half-laughed too, answering him back.

"You’re the one who told me to do whatever I like, right?"

"I did. So leave the rest to me."

Once more, Riven stepped in front of me. He was ready for battle—prepared down to the last detail.

"You think such a ridiculous idea will work?"

"I don’t know. But I hope it does."

"You’re ridiculous. Truly ridiculous!"

"At least I’m more serious than you usually are!"

The surrounding golems began to move, closing the circle tighter around us.

From here on, it would be a fight. And in a fight like this, there was little I could do.

"Let’s finish this first. We can continue talking afterward."

Riven’s blade caught the light, flashing with a sharp gleam.