<Aaron Side Story Episode 3>
1. Pure for One (3)
* * *
Mobius company’s ambitious work.
The release of Pick Me Up is just around the corner.
Marketing was in full swing on Earth.
Give prizes and hold events on famous SNS, or post small pre-booked advertisements on various community sites.
However, large-scale marketing such as TV commercials could not be implemented.
Because it failed to break through a direct connection with Earth.
The company’s operation is also indirectly.
Establishing a ghost company, and brainwashing some of the people of Earth who have been difficult to persuade, the company’s existence is barely established.
This way of operating is inefficient.
In order for more aggressive marketing or development to take place, a line, that is, a passage closely connected to the earth was needed.
Of course, the blueprint is complete.
Its implementation is infinitely close to impossible.
“That makes no sense.”
The executive conference room on the upper floor of Mobius.
A middle-aged man in a suit distorted his expression.
“A child’s daydream would be better than this. Not realistic, not at all!”
An intense energy rose near the middle-aged man.
It is a torrent of intense emotions taking shape.
Overwhelmed by that energy, several gods nearby broke out in a cold sweat.
“Are you going to run the project without a line? what bullshit is this? It’s like trying to do business in another country, but not going through the road with that country and only doing business through letters!”
“Yeah, even if it’s less efficient, it’s not impossible.”
The man who seemed to be a researcher was sweating profusely.
A screen is floating in front of the conference hall.
An outline of the Pick Me Up project was drawn there.
“Why not? They said the blueprints were complete.”
The man raised his eyebrows.
“In order to open the dimensional rift connected to Earth and keep it constant, an enormous amount of energy is required. We, Moebius, don’t have anything with that kind of interference… … .”
“Was it impossible from the beginning?”
“Well, that’s not it, but… … .”
“I don’t mind. what? Pick me up? Bringing interference from Earth into the game? We’ve been doing this for a joke like this… … !”
“Hey, shut your mouth.”
The man’s high voice subsided in an instant.
“So you are explaining. Why don’t you listen and talk.”
The girl on the other side said in a cold tone.
tell.
Next to him was Ikar, with a puzzled look on his face.
“Hegrian, you’re all nice, but your impatient personality is really flawed.”
“If you’ve endured this much, it seems to be enough.”
A man called Hegrian glared at Tell.
This man was another supreme god of a similar stature in the pantheon as Tel Ikar, and had great influence in Eden.
He also competed with Tel Ikar for the presidency of the Pantheon.
“Isn’t this enough to respect you guys? we waited And they cooperated.”
High-ranking gods and spirits lined up behind the man.
It was the Hegrian faction that was on par with the Tel Icar faction in the pantheon.
“But what about the result?”
Hegrian’s voice became hoarse.
Tell didn’t say anything.
“We couldn’t even break through the dimensional gate with Earth, and we couldn’t properly equip the defenses to protect Mobius from disaster. Plus, the finished game is just ugly. Where is the hope here?”
When the destruction of Mobius was announced, Eden was split into two factions.
The Tel Ikar faction wants to keep an eye on Moebius.
The Hegrian faction accepts destruction and finds a way to live.
“We have already conceded to the limit. If it’s too late, you won’t be able to escape. Are you going to die like a dog with Mobius?”
“… … .”
“We too… … .”
Hegrian closed his eyes.
A lot of emotion bloomed and then disappeared on the man’s face.
“It’s not that I don’t love Mobius. So I was persuaded by you. If there is a way, I wanted to save it.”
As a result, the Hegrian faction was persuaded by the Tell Icar faction.
It was passed on to Ikar’s speech.
Thus, the two forces of Mansinjeon joined forces and implemented the Pick Me Up Project.
“but.”
Hegrian opened his eyes.
In that gaze, there was the dignity of an existence that had once been the faith of countless humans.
“Sometimes, you have to let go quietly.”
“… … .”
“Right now, saying we can’t send our children, it’s like digging up a grave. I hope you don’t show me any more ugly things.”
Tell opened his mouth.
Because I wanted to refute that man.
But no words came to mind.
“To be honest. If the project is carried out, is there any possibility that Mobius will fully revive?”
Hegrian said to the researcher next to the screen.
He was the person in charge of the presentation.
“That is… … .”
“You can’t talk. You already know the answer.”
Hegrian rose from his seat.
As the man stirred his hand, an incomprehensible figure appeared on the table.
It was the language of the gods.
“There are four major problems with the Pick Me Up project.”
first.
A portal to Earth is essential for the smooth operation of the project.
In order to open this dimensional gate, an enormous amount of interference is required.
Where is such an energy source in the dying Moebius?
second.
When the project is implemented, an army will be immediately sent from outer space to subdue Eden.
Because they absolutely forbid breaking the law.
How to stop the foreign forces?
third.
Question about the game itself.
As a result of looking at the report, I couldn’t find any box office factors.
How do you plan to make such a common game popular on Earth?
fourth last.
Is there any meaning to the act of reviving already destroyed dimensions?
Just as pieces of broken jars eventually fall apart when put together, the same is true of life and death.
“Even if you solve the three problems above, you cannot fix the last problem.”
Hegrian declared.
“Old man Lecadis said so. They tried to split the destroyed dimensions into 100 pieces and put them together one by one.”
As the man gestured, an image in the form of a tower appeared in the middle of the table.
“First, reconstruct the destroyed dimensions into a 100-story tower. And he said he was trying to piece together cause and effect little by little from the bottom floor.”
It’s like a jigsaw puzzle.
It is to assemble the shattered puzzle pieces and complete the original picture again.
“The old man said that the pieces couldn’t fit together from the 80th floor onwards.”
A virtual tower is being built on the table.
However, from the 80th floor of the tower, there are cracks everywhere, and when you go to the 90th floor, it finally collapses.
Of course, even the broken pieces of the puzzle can be forcibly put together with the power of Lecadis.
The problem was after that.
“The shattered dimension doesn’t connect properly. At best, the status quo is limited. If I had to force myself to build up to the 100th floor… … The army of eons will come and devour this place in an instant. With all our strength, we won’t be able to last even an hour.”
Even if you somehow manage to solve three of the four problems, it will break in the final turn.
The Pick Me Up project was impossible from the beginning.
“If Lecadis says no, then no. Could it be that you guys can replace inspiration?”
Alpha Zero, Lecadis, is a god with a thousand eyes that can see through the universe and all things.
If that kind of god said it was difficult, it couldn’t be possible for someone else.
From the point of view of splitting the broken dimension into a hundred parts and reassembling the cause and effect, it was a method that did not make sense unless it was Lecadis.
“I would like you to refute.”
Tell frowned.
But I couldn’t come out.
It was Ikar who was lowering his head to apologize.
“sorry… … do. It is because of my inexperience.”
“It’s a pity. sincerely. We also cherished and loved Mobius. I would like you to know As of today, we will take our hands off the project.”
hands off
That is, the company’s manpower is reduced by almost half.
If they leave, development becomes impossible in a realistic sense.
“Are you going to leave this place and run away?”
“Are you sad? Not throwing away… … .”
At Tell who glared at him, Hegrian deliberately corrected his words.
“Okay, give me the answer you want. Pure as ever.”
Hegrian said.
“okay. We decided to ditch it. We love our hometown, but our lives are more important than that. Did it give you the answer you wanted? Since we answered innocently, she wants us to accept our opinion as a goddess of innocence.”
I love Mobius.
But I don’t care enough to die together.
This is their pure heart.
Tell was silent.
“In two days, we are leaving. You don’t have to do a pick-up. It’s not that shameless.”
“no.”
Ikar shook his head.
She stood up, smiled brightly, and bowed to Hegrian.
“Thank you so much for your hard work. Before you go, please accept our farewell greeting. It’s because you’ve been working hard for Moebius and for us.”
“You are unchangingly merciful.”
Hegrian laughed and stood up.
“If Mobius is safe even after arriving in another universe, I will do my best to find out if there is a way to save my hometown there.”
“thank you.”
“Then excuse me.”
The executives who were sitting on the left rose to their feet.
After ignoring Tel Ikar, they followed Hegrian out of the conference room.
“… … .”
Silence fell in the conference hall.
Ikar, who was standing there, spoke casually.
“Aren’t the others following Hegrian-nim? If I miss him, I might not be able to get out of here.”
“We… … I am not going.”
someone answered.
“Even if I die, I will die in my hometown.”
“I will follow Tel Ikar to the end.”
“Even if the project has failed?”
“Still, didn’t you do your best to protect your hometown?”
There is no palpable despair.
Quiet but not frustrated.
It is accepting the ending.
“Everyone, thank you all for your hard work. See you next time.”
Following Ikar’s declaration of dissolution, the executives on the right side disappeared.
The only ones left in the vast conference hall are the older sister and the younger sister.
Ikar said.
“sister? how is your sister? Sister… … .”
Tell had his arms crossed.
Then he spat out.
“Where did Grandpa go?”
“Oh, Grandpa said there was something to tweak the system.”
“It’s already been messed up, what are you adjusting?”
“Yeah, it’s not over yet.”
Ikar laughed.
“Pick Me Up will be released. It may not be a box office success, but it will be able to secure the minimum interference. Then, you can implement the second plan.”
“No second?”
“So that the children can rest in peace.”
Ikar explained the second proposal of the Pick Me Up project.
The heart of the project is… … euthanasia.
Temporarily revives the entire Moebius, giving life on the brink of death a dream.
happy and warm dreams.
A miracle of this magnitude could have been accomplished by a narrow margin.
“There will be no pain.”
Ikar said.
A soft smile curled around his lips.
Tell saw the horror in that smile.
“Why bring the dead back to life and make them dream? What does it mean?”
“Because they told me before they died. it hurts want to live Since I am the Goddess of Mercy, I must grant those children’s wishes.”
Ikar said as if singing.
“Then, before I die, no one will say anything. sick. want to live please save me won’t beg me Because, the kids have always been like that. ask for help ask for help I can hear it even now I am the Goddess of Mercy, so I can hear their final cries.”
Ikar, the Goddess of Mercy, can feel the emotional waves of Mobius’ life forms.
That meant that the emotions that spread simultaneously as thousands and hundreds of millions of dimensions were destroyed were passed on to Ikar as they were.
“They are hoping.”
Ikar murmured.
“I don’t want to get sick.”
There was no light in the eyes.
“Please save me.”
He said in a high-pitched tone.
“Please give me one more chance.”
Tell swept his neat black hair.
why is my sister doing this
Actually, I knew.
Because the twin goddesses are two in one.
We know each other better than anyone.
Ikar has no choice but to do that.
mercy.
Not giving up one for the other.
to think of others as oneself.
So the children Ikar refers to are like himself.
“Aha.”
That’s why there was laughter.
“hey.”
“Yeah, sister?”
“If you were human, would you have let go of Mobius?”
“… … .”
“He will cry and be sad, but in the end he will let go. I will send you in peace.”
But no.
you can’t
because you’re not human
Because I was born that way.
like I was born like this
“Brother.”
Tel looked at the ceiling of the meeting room.
Not a single light shined through her black hair.
“Isn’t that what you mean?”
“sister?”
“Are you hoping? Above all. So much so that I can’t stand it.”
“I am… … .”
“But I can’t. know the price Because you are not pure enough to accept that karma.”
Tell looked at Ikar with his hair hanging down.
“Are you in conflict? Do you want to ask me or not?”
“Oh, no… … .”
“Even though I know what to do. Even knowing everything.”
Ikar is in agony.
He was deeply conflicted with the desires in his heart.
However, if the desire is expressed innocently, a terrible disaster will happen.
Mercy is suppressing one’s own desires for the sake of others.
However, the lives of Mobius asked Ikar to save them.
He wanted to live, to help us, and begged for mercy mixed with his heart.
Granting their last wish was also mercy.
What is mercy, what is pure?
I can not know.
I became unaware.
Ikar lost the reason for his existence.
“… … .”
Conflict, conflict, conflict again.
Without knowing what is correct and what is wrong.
We are facing the time of destruction while clinging to unanswerable questions.
‘If it was an older sister.’
My sister doesn’t worry.
There is no agony or conflict in purity.
Because those emotions are all impurities.
Indeed, if the desire, if the heart is pure, there is no need to suffer anywhere.
pure.
Forsaking all others for the one.
To live only for one’s heart.
Even the weight of the universe is lighter than a feather compared to its heart.
‘OK.’
Ikar made up his mind.
Let’s ask Grandpa.
If he is the one who is called the god of the wise, he might be able to clarify his mind.
“How long will you be here?”
“uh?”
Ikar came to his senses at his sister’s prompting.
“Ah, I’ll go.”
The two sisters walked out of the conference room side by side.
Soon after, the lights in the room went out.
