NOVEL NEXT Rion and Himari were deep in thought. Which of them should dive into the depths of their subconscious?
Showing one’s subconscious to another was an embarrassing thought. It could be safely claimed to be as shameful as showing one’s naked body.
And if the one they had to reveal it to was a person who could be aptly called an adversary, then the shame might double. So, it was only natural to be hesitant about who would be the main guinea pig.
However, it wasn’t all bad.
Essentially, neither of them had near-perfect memories like Noa. People often assume that geniuses have good memories, but that’s not always the case.
Their memory wasn’t particularly bad. They simply couldn’t compare to Noa, who could recall even the minutest details of experiences she desired to remember.
For those two, this deep dive device could pull up embarrassing memories, but it might also allow them to reflect on their happiest memories or those they wanted to cherish for a long time.
The memories that Mika needed to reclaim were merely forgotten by her; they were assumed to be sleeping deep within her subconscious. The device devised under this assumption was, at least in theory, perfect.
It was more of a wish than an assumption, but aside from that, they dared to take pride in the theory itself, and they brought that theory into reality.
As a result, doubts clouded their minds.
There was certainly a possibility that they could vividly confirm a memory they wished to revisit.
However, becoming the main guinea pig of the deep dive device meant they would have to fully open their own memories to the other.
In other words, the embarrassment of having shameful memories revealed would be completely their burden…
But one person’s hesitation didn’t last long.
“…I’ll give it a try.”
“Are you sure, Rion?”
“It makes the most sense.”
Simply mulling things over like this was wasting precious time.
And in the current crisis facing Kivotos, wasting time was the most irrational thing they could do.
So, showing a bit of memory shouldn’t be too much to ask. Rion thought it was better to take on a little embarrassment than to dawdle and end up in a mess.
“…Okay.”
Himari, having lost her chance to speak, nodded after a moment’s hesitation. In hindsight, there was no way a super-genius like her could have memories she would find embarrassing.
But it would be silly to jump in late while Rion had already stepped up, so Himari quietly helped Rion get ready.
And soon, their consciousness sank beneath the surface.
*
Himari blinked as she opened her eyes. The deep dive seemed to have been successful.
Basically, there was a time limit on deep dives. It was uncertain what variables might arise during the process of escaping one’s subconscious.
Thus, they had set a time limit of about 30 minutes. Since they were conducting the deep dive without any specific goal other than gathering data for testing, there was no need to set a longer time.
“By the way, where are we…?”
As she naturally looked around, Himari tilted her head. Although she had never been to this place before, it felt strangely familiar.
A silent city. This city, which subtly irked her sensibilities with its design, was undoubtedly—
“Eridu, is it?”
Due to the protocol Atrahasis, Eridu had left no trace in the current Kivotos; however, this Eridu was intact.
So, what Rion’s subconscious was reflecting were memories from before the chain of events that began with Mika’s abduction… or perhaps memories during those events.
“…This is definitely interesting.”
Most of the data was lost when Eridu was reconstructed into the Ark of Atrahasis. While the assistant AI of Aris, Keira, who effectively became a second personality, might possess that data…
‘It wasn’t something worth digging into.’
Rion, Aris, and Mika, the involved parties, did not wish for the matter to escalate.
Rion’s initial motivation for going berserk was based on the dangers inherent in Aris. And the awakening of the nameless gods’ princess proved she wasn’t entirely wrong.
That form resembled a self-fulfilling prophecy, and while it could have sparked a massive conflict between Millennium and Trinity, Mika, the actual participant, embraced Rion, and even Aris took her side, leaving third parties in the lurch.
Anyway. As Himari took her first steps into Eridu, a strange expression crossed her face.
The recreation of Eridu in the subconscious was impressive. Was it a reflection of how much affection Rion held for this place?
‘For now, it’s best to look for Rion first.’
Since they seemed to have become separated, Himari decided to search for Rion. She had no intention of relying on the possibility of the opposite.
According to the theory both of them had established, diving into one’s subconscious significantly increased the chances of being swept away by those waves.
However, it wasn’t impossible for Rion to come looking for Himari. A girl as sharp as her could possibly navigate her own subconscious without getting swept away.
But instead of banking on a slim possibility, Himari chose to take action herself.
‘If it’s Rion, she’s probably in that tower at the center over there, right? I should check that place first.’
As she thought this, Himari took a few steps but then paused for a moment.
‘…?’
Having sensed something odd, Himari looked down.
Her view was unobstructed as she walked over a flat snowy expanse; she could see a pair of footprints on the road.
The source of her unease was that she was standing and could walk without any trouble.
It wasn’t that Himari couldn’t walk at all. It was just that she would collapse after taking just a few steps.
Yet now she felt fine. Not just fine; she could probably walk dozens or even hundreds of steps without any issue.
This was a realm of imagination, not reality. It was Rion’s subconscious.
As Himari slowly moved her feet, a smile gradually crept onto her face. This felt surprisingly pleasant.
While it wasn’t the exact direction of a deep dive, it made her wonder if one day she could realize a complete virtual reality.
With a pleasantly satisfied smile, Himari set off towards the tower at the center of Eridu.
She would find Rion, then confirm whether she understood the nature of this world. If she had properly grasped it, they would test if she could change her subconscious through her own memories…
“Huh?”
Himari’s gaze caught an unusual sight.
There was Aris, holding Rion’s hand and leading her somewhere…
Aris’ beaming smile was unmistakable. Yet Rion, while smiling, appeared somehow sad.
Himari sensed that this memory held a tremendous significance for Rion.
Two girls wandering in a massive city. Himari trailed behind the two, who looked like sisters with quite an age difference, and soon found herself witnessing a shocking scene.
It was none other than Tsukatsuki Rion, crying her eyes out.
The girl, who seemed as though not a drop of blood would come out if pricked, was now sobbing as she hugged Aris.
“Only a hero can do that… It’s something you can do because you are a hero.”
Realizing the full backstory about Aris’s willingness to sacrifice, Himari felt thankful she hadn’t jumped in first. After all, what unfolded before her was far too fascinating.
As she watched Rion gradually change, Himari’s perception of her was shifting as well; the current situation was a decisive blow.
Over the few days during the Ark incident…
No, even before that, Rion had to endure profound internal conflicts and struggles while meticulously laying her plans.
While feeling pity for Rion, Himari couldn’t help but salivate at the raw intensity unfolding before her. The memories of another were nothing compared to any movie—
“…Looks like you’re having fun.”
“Yes, quite a bit… I think?”
Before she knew it, Himari spilled out an answer. Just moments ago, Rion was next to Aris, but now she stood right before her.
“Ahem. It’s not that I particularly enjoyed watching your memories. There are other reasons for being here.”
“Okay, since you’ve seen everything, let’s go. I think I know where we need to head.”
Glancing at Himari standing there absentmindedly, Rion began to lead the way.
Noticing Rion’s ears had turned red, Himari wore a gentle smile and nuzzled close to her side.
“So, Rion, what happened next?”
“…”
Had Rion known that Himari would cling to her regarding that day’s events, she would never have agreed to reveal her memories…
But the situation had already unfolded.
Unbeknownst to her, Rion led Himari towards the security room overseeing all of Eridu.
There, they confirmed that the deep dive device they’d modified was nearly perfect in both theory and practice.
After exactly 30 minutes based on reality passed, Rion opened her eyes and nodded in satisfaction.
Sadly, this device couldn’t be perfect. It necessitated at least one companion.
Had Rion not caught sight of Himari trailing behind her while reflecting on her mapping with Aris, it might have taken her much longer to realize this place was her own subconscious.
So, the device was near perfection but not quite.
Even so, it would be sufficient to help Mika, so Rion thought that was irrelevant.
“I think it’s better to bring this to Mika than to call her here. Himari, I’ll leave this to you.”
“Huh? Me? I thought Rion would run off to Mika, saying something like ‘I made this, so compliment me~.’”
“…I really don’t know how you see people. The crisis isn’t over yet. And I have an obligation to remain here as the Student Council President of Millennium.”
“Oh my…”
Afterward, as Himari went on about how commendable Rion’s change was or how she had finally become more human and that people needed love, she found herself promptly kicked out.
Thus, carrying the deep dive device and followed by the AMAS, Himari began her journey towards D.U.
It was the moment the conditions for the fox’s prophecy to be realized had been met.