Codex Null: Simulation Through Madness

Everything about Edith carried weight in Noel's mind — worth dissecting, worth remembering.

Yes, the boy he once was had changed in many ways since then… but one thing had not shifted in the slightest, now that he regained some of his memories.

His desire to make her his woman remained, unshaken.

[Edith was gone, yet others still lingered nearby. And the moment that intimidating woman stepped out, they seized the chance to bounce on you, joy written plainly on their faces now that the ordeal had passed without disaster.]

[You had more than a few questions burning in your mind — ones you wanted to aim directly at Lilith and Selena — but in the end, you swallowed them down. Now was not the moment to ruin the relief they were feeling.]

[Two weeks passed. At last, you found yourself in a quiet, private conversation with Lilith.]

[But, the instant that incident came up, she broke into tears, her voice shaking as she apologized, and told you she should never have agreed to your decision back then, that she should have refused outright… even stopped you entirely, and searched for a better way.]

My decision?

Noel couldn't help but stop at those two words.

What kind of decision had he made?

Even knowing it was only a few lines away before he would regain his memories, Noel still found himself wondering about it.

[You couldn't have a proper conversation with how Lilith had become a mess like that, and in the end, you had to turn to Selena.]

[Unlike Lilith, Selena calmly told you that the reasons for what they did were many, but at the end of the day, the main one was selfishness, and you should have known that already. So, if you wanted to blame someone, then blame your personality.]

[Her strong front, hiding guilt beneath it, along with her words, became a sharp wake-up call to you. It was as if, in that moment, the words written in your notebook resurfaced vividly in your mind. And so, while Selena clearly had a misunderstanding about what you truly wanted to know, you chose not to correct her.]

[You decided to stop dwelling on the past for now, focusing instead on returning to that special dimension, where countless resources still awaited you — resources that could yet prove invaluable.]

[You had still not tamed the Scarf relic. It had merely quieted down after its initial violent outburst. And so, you began refining your soul while working to regain control over the Destruction Law.]

What is going on with him, for fuck's sake? And what the hell did he even remember from the notebook?

With irritation and frustration mounting inside him, Noel wondered. To him, taking a step back at this moment was the last thing he would ever do. And yet, the version of him in the simulation had done exactly that.

Had he softened? Had he been moved by their so-called preparation and the allure of that special dimension?

But even if he had… that didn't justify a damn thing. It didn't erase their actions, nor did it wash away the weight of what they had done.

Apparently, for that him in the simulation, it did. And that was absurd.

If there was something he wanted to know, he could simply demand it. There was no need for reasons, no need for any sort of shit in the equation.

He could be exactly who he wanted to be — and it was others who should adapt to him, not the other way around. Noel's eyes gleamed coldly as he thought this, his will sharp and unyielding.

[One month passed. You finally came to a clear understanding of your situation, and just how badly your soul affinity had deteriorated.]

[With your soul completely healed, you had only managed to return to the third rank, Law Bearer. And, in your estimation, returning to the fourth rank would take even longer than it did the first time you reached it back then.]

[Six months passed, and you kept concentrating on the Destruction Law, but your accumulation and comprehension barely scraped past five percent.]

[You considered going out, venturing into some dimensions to search for a solution — as you had no intention of relying on others this time.]

[But you couldn't. You were still not in a condition where you could handle a serious battle. Otherwise, you would risk plunging yourself back into the same crippled state as before… or even worse, since the scarf relic you now carried was far stronger than what you wielded back when you fought your way out of that Trial Dimension.]

[Just then, while you were still lost in your thoughts, you were suddenly pulled back to reality. Selena, Lilith, and Serah appeared before you, their expressions grave.]

[They told you there would be a prompt gathering for all the major forces in the world — and whatever had happened, it was serious.]

Stopping at this sudden news, Noel seemed to be reminded that it was finally that time when Selena always went away, and something, without fail, happened to him.

So, it turned out this was the reason?

The thought lingered, and he found himself wondering if he would survive the coming days.

[Your heart didn't stir much at the news, but your eyes still went to Lilith, the head of your house. She seemed to ponder for a moment before asking if you wanted to come as well.]

[But, after giving the idea a serious thought, and knowing you would likely meet Edith this time if you went — you refused in the end. Instead, your attention drifted to Serah, whose expression was at its worst and seemed to hold unspoken words.]

[But she didn't, in the end. And like that, the three of them went away.]

[Three days later, you were training as usual when suddenly, a guest… Elsa Ravelli arrived.]

So, it's really the end?

Or… wait. There's still Hilda, who's stronger than Elsa. So… maybe not?