“Mary. So, is this world in a constant loop?”
Summer posed a question. When Summer entered this world, the heroine and hero were just before the beginning of the original story.
But if, due to the conclusion, the deity had abandoned the world and only recently started to take care of it again...
The possibility of repetition was high. The beginning and end of the original story.
“No. It hasn’t repeated.”
“Really? Then,”
“It has stopped.”
“……What?”
It has stopped. If that’s the case, this world might be more terrifying than Summer thought. It wouldn’t be strange if it stopped at any moment.
If the creator is the author who wrote this book, then the story was that if the author lost interest, this world would simply stop and gradually disappear.
“Literally, the world has stopped. At that point. Then, suddenly, three months before you entered this world, it started moving again.”
“Mary. How did you spend that long time?”
“Going insane. Just like you now.”
Despite the content of her words, Mary’s tone was calm.
For Mary, that time was incredibly cruel. The world had stopped, and people had hardened like stone.
The flow of air, the sky, everything had come to a halt.
It just so happened that the moment it stopped was midnight, so the world remained in darkness for a very long time.
And unfortunately, during that time, Mary, who was aware of her soul, had to witness that world in its entirety.
Even if she wanted to cry, she couldn’t shed tears, and even if she wanted to move, her body wouldn’t budge like stone. It felt as if her body wasn’t her own.
When she had forgotten how much time had passed, suddenly the world came alive and began to move vigorously.
“Miss. Did I mention this?”
“What?”
Summer’s eyes widened. Mary gazed at Summer with a faint smile.
Her body, moving against her will, worked all day in the mansion, sweeping and cleaning like a puppet controlled by someone.
That’s why Mary could never forget.
‘Hey. What’s your name?’
In front of the flower-filled garden, the moment the beautiful girl with black hair spoke to her.
The sensation of someone distorting her body along with the burning pain, followed by a refreshing feeling.
Mary knew. That she had gained her freedom. That’s why she had smiled brightly at Summer that day and said,
‘Miss, my name is Mary.’
Of course, the lady had been horrified. But for Mary, that day was the day she faced God, the day she was saved.
It was the moment when a ray of warm light seeped into a world filled with darkness.
“You are my savior, Miss. So even if you find me horrifying, I worshipped you.”
“…….”
Summer was at a loss for words in the face of that immense emotion. Guilt and pressure solidified her.
“I don’t wish for anything from you. Just please grant my request.”
“I’m sorry, Mary. At first, I found you… unpleasant.”
“I’ve forgotten all about that.”
At Mary’s light response, Summer lowered her gaze.
Since falling into this world, Summer had only thought about Julian. Because he was the protagonist.
But just because she was a minor character didn’t mean her life was simple.
Being a protagonist didn’t mean there were extraordinary ups and downs in life. Everyone lived like that.
If she had paid attention to Mary and Daisy earlier, she might have heard these stories a bit sooner.
If that had been the case, perhaps this bizarre Lindsay mansion would have changed for the better much earlier.
“Alright, Miss. Then let’s do it right away.”
Mary organized the items she had laid out for the picnic.
“Uh, now?”
“Yes. You have to seize the moment.”
“Still, I’m not mentally prepared…”
As Summer instinctively pulled back, Daisy and Mary, having exchanged glances, grabbed Summer’s arms and lifted her up.
“Originally, a person’s determination is strongest at the moment of decision. Come on.”
The picnic had ended.
She had wanted to say a pleasant goodbye while eating delicious food in a beautiful setting, but somehow things had turned out this way.
Clearly, the plan had gone awry, yet Summer felt strangely not bad about it.
Upon entering the mansion, the servants, looking like egg ghosts, didn’t feel too bad. A bit burdensome, perhaps.
“But Mary. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”
“Because you were only thinking of leaving.”
There was no resentment in Mary’s voice. But Summer averted her gaze, feeling a sharp pang in her heart.
“If God doesn’t take care of us, then we must take care of ourselves. Miss, your face is too pale right now.”
“I’m a bit nervous.”
As Mary continued speaking, she suddenly placed her hand on Summer’s forehead.
Her face was excessively cold. Summer could see cold sweat trickling down her neck.
Summer answered in a whisper and blinked her dazed eyes.
“Then should we rest a bit and have a meal before trying?”
At Mary’s suggestion, Summer nodded slightly.
We. That included Summer as well. A strange sense of kinship enveloped them.
Summer decided to take a moment to calm her pale complexion.
“Miss. It seems autumn is coming! The sky is incredibly clear.”
“Indeed.”
“Summer is hot, but I love the intense feeling that makes it feel like it’s burning, so it’s a bit disappointing.”
“Well, I don’t really like the heat.”
Daisy kept chattering happily next to Summer, while Mary went downstairs to prepare the meal.
As the sun began to set, Summer went down to the dining room with Daisy.
Summer was quite excited.
She had always had to eat alone in her room or parrot the same words with Count and Countess Lindsay.
But today, it was just Mary, Daisy, and Summer in the dining room.
With only the three of them in the huge dining room, it felt somewhat magical.
“Here you go.”
“Mary. How can you cook so well?”
Mary was surprisingly good at cooking.
Summer marveled at the delicious-looking stew.
“If I say this, you’ll probably hate it again, but I do my best every moment hoping that you will settle down and live in this world, Miss.”
“……Not that again.”
“I knew you would say that.”
Mary lightly retorted as she pulled out a chair to sit.
Summer chuckled and took a mouthful of stew.
It was warm and delicious. For a moment, she forgot everything.
As the sun began to set and the servants busily wrapped up their tasks, Summer stood in the middle of the hallway with a serious expression.
Strange, blurry figures clattered by her, carrying cleaning tools or luggage.
“Mary. We can’t run away.”
“I’ll go to hell with you, so don’t worry.”
Tightly gripping Mary’s arm, Summer, who was extremely tense, couldn’t help but feel a bit scared.
The faceless maids were still moving energetically and busily.
Since they all looked the same, it was hard to figure out who to imagine in what way.
“Were there this many?”
“Miss. It will take quite a while to get all these people out.”
“W-wait…”
Summer hesitantly approached. But they seemed not to recognize her and continued to move like puppets.
“Um, you know…”
“…….”
After hesitating for a long time, Summer was finally pushed by Mary to approach a group of maids.
“Hello.”
The maids didn’t even look at Summer.
Of course, since they had no eyes, nose, or mouth.
Summer lightly grabbed the hand of one of the maids.
It was cold as a corpse, and she almost screamed and let go of the hand.
Her mouth was dry, and her hands were damp with sweat. Summer trembled with a visibly anxious expression.
“What do I do? My mind is completely blank right now.”
Summer looked at Mary with a pained expression.
“Just imagine. What would they look like? What would their names be? What kind of personalities would they have?”
Seeing Mary’s calm and indifferent face eased some of the tension.
“Ria.”
Summer mustered her courage and spoke.
“Ria.”
“…….”
Is this not it? Summer closed her eyes and imagined Ria’s face in her mind.
When a thin, pretty image of a cheerful and diligent girl came to mind.
“Miss?”
At the unfamiliar voice, Summer opened her eyes wide.
What she saw as soon as she opened them was Ria, looking exactly as Summer had imagined.
“Ria.”
Summer murmured as if in a dream. It was an indescribable feeling.
The person she had brought forth. Summer felt like she had become Pygmalion, the sculptor who fell in love with his own statue.
“Yes, Miss. Is there something you need?”
“No, I’m fine.”
A delayed excitement and joy surged through her.
With her face flushed with excitement, Summer quickly grabbed Mary’s arm and fled to the room.
As soon as she slammed the door shut, Summer turned and grabbed Mary’s shoulders, unable to calm her excitement.
“Did you see, Mary? I did it! I succeeded!”
“I saw.”
Unlike the bouncing Summer, Mary remained calm. She had an attitude that suggested she expected this.
“Oh my. I, I brought her out!”
“Congratulations. It’s actually going to be harder to return to the original world now.”
“What do you mean? Why?”
“Because if you return, we will cease to exist. Knowing your personality, you won’t easily let us disappear.”
“There must be another way, right? It’s strange that I would disappear just because I’m not a real god.”
Summer felt as if she had been doused with cold water, quickly calming down.
She hadn’t been very interested in the world after she returned. She had only thought it would be fine, that it would manage itself.
But if there were beings that would disappear along with her if she vanished from this world...
The weight of the situation changed.
“I said I brought her out. To bring someone out is also a form of creation. Just like a sculptor brings a soul out of ivory. I hope you stay here a bit longer.”
“You say I’ll disappear if I’m not here. That’s too much… Are you trying to stop me because you don’t want to disappear?”
“No. In fact, I wouldn’t mind disappearing. Meeting you was a stroke of luck, and I don’t wish for anything more.”
“What do you mean…?”
“The reason I said I wanted you to live in this world is for a different reason. Unlike the god who first created us, you are a being who can give a soul to each and every person.”
“You mean I have that kind of significance to you. But I’m just… a student who was studying for exams in a small room. I’m nothing.”
The hand that had been gripping Mary’s shoulder fell slowly.
Summer hesitantly distanced herself from Mary. Mary simply watched Summer with a blank expression.
“Miss. Why do you think of yourself that way?”
“It’s not that I think that way; the world thinks of me that way! What can I do about the truth? Don’t say such things when you know nothing about me!”
At Mary’s words, Summer shouted in frustration. Knowing nothing!
In this damned world, Summer couldn’t even approach the main events.
A transparent veil seemed to exist, saying that someone like her, a minor character, couldn’t fit in here.
Mary’s words, which held her in high regard, felt uncomfortable.
She was not that kind of person at all. She was angry, wondering if Mary had placed empty expectations on her.
In truth, she was scared. Scared that she wouldn’t be able to fulfill their expectations.
If she nurtured empty praise and hopes only to be disappointed, that would hurt even more.
“Miss.”
“Ugh, I’m sure I’ll disappoint you again… Then I feel like I’ll hate myself unbearably…”
Summer buried her face in her hands. She hated it. She hated this version of herself.