Crown

A gentle breeze was blowing.

Crimson maple leaves drifted down onto the lake, their color spreading like fire across the horizon with the ripples.

The scenery is beautiful.

But for Rienta, what was even more beautiful than the scenery was the elf beside her.

Serie.

For Flamme, Serie was a mentor, and perhaps more than that.

For Frieren, Serie should be her mentor, but neither of them seems to approve of this relationship.

What about Rienta?

Serie might be more than just a savior and a food buddy...

The tranquil atmosphere did not last long.

Serie sat on the ground, hugging her knees, gazing at the distant lake, and said softly:

"Flamme has passed away."

Rienta was taken aback by what she heard, and she put away her thoughts that had just drifted off into the distance.

For a moment, I was at a loss for what to do.

To him, Flamme was more like a kind elder.

Although they had only known each other for a few years, Flamme generously taught himself all sorts of magic that Serie found quite boring.

Logically, he should be sad.

But for some reason, he couldn't feel sadness.

But a faint bittersweet feeling suddenly welled up in my heart.

That's all.

Rienta opened her mouth as if to say something.

But the words just wouldn't come out.

The maple leaves, blending seamlessly with the setting sun on the horizon, seemed to transform into a magnificent flame.

"Rienta, it's almost time for dinner."

"Um."

In the Waterside Pavilion, Rienta gazed at the lake before her, her thoughts drifting back to the past.

I don't know how much time passed.

Suddenly, an intricate and mysterious array appeared on the ground beside Rienta.

"Long time no see, L163."

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice interrupted Rienta's thoughts.

Rienta glanced indifferently at the newcomer, who was identical to her except for her attire.

"Have some tea."

Upon hearing this, the visitor glanced at the tea and two small, exquisite teacups on the stone table.

His expression froze for a moment, then he said, "Why are you using such a small cup?"

"If the other Rienta see this, they'll think we can't afford it. Get me a different teacup!"

After a moment of silence, L163 Rienta finally materialized a teacup engraved with L996.

Seeing this, L996 Rienta picked up the teapot with satisfaction and began to pour herself tea.

Then, holding the newly made teacup, he stood side by side with L163 Rienta, looking at the lake.

After taking a big gulp, he asked, "L163, it wasn't easy for me to get here. What happened?"

I found him.

Isn't this a good thing?

L996 Rienta remained calm, downed her tea in one gulp, and then turned to place the teacup engraved with the number L996 back on the stone table.

The two stood back to back, neither of them speaking.

The maple leaves floating on the lake were as red as clusters of fire, relentlessly assaulting L163 Rienta's heart.

A moment later.

"They're gone."

L996 Rienta waved her hand without turning her head, summoning a teleportation portal.

This portal leads to the Mindscape of L996 Rienta.

A wooden house.

Before anyone knew it, L163 Rienta had turned around.

Looking at L996 Rienta's back, he wanted to say something.

But just like in his previous memories, he didn't know what to say at this moment.

We can't just stop the [Ascension Plan], can we?

What about all the efforts Rienta made before?

The Ascension Plan is not simply about achieving Ascension.

After all, a senior Rienta had already provided all Rienta with a cheat code—[Longevity]—through the help of Demons and elves.

As long as I'm still in this world, as long as this cheat is activated.

Then the 'Rienta' can endure forever.

Then why even bother with the [Ascension Plan]?

At first, L163 Rienta also didn't understand.

But that was until the arrival of one ever-growing and increasingly powerful [World-Destroying Calamity].

Along with the Calamity came the messages left behind by the seniors of Rienta.

He then realized what was happening.

Whenever Rienta in a timeline is defeated by its autonomous defense mechanism, [The World-Destroying Calamity] will strengthen itself, much like leveling up in a game.

Time is very fragile.

The world is also fragile.

The enhanced autonomous defense mechanism can trace back to different timelines along certain lines to find Rienta.

But it's merely a defensive mechanism.

Therefore, it will be received and absorbed by the program, becoming nourishment for the original autonomous defense mechanism.

Rienta came to this world, but Rienta wasn't the only one to come to this world.

Many other conceptual things also came along with it.

From grand concepts like Light Chi to Dark Chi.

Even small things like the various foods created by Rienta.

Whether benign or malignant, they have one thing in common.

That means it doesn't belong to this world.

If we compare the world to a running program...

Rienta is like a bug with some administrator privileges.

It has an impact on the program, but not enough to affect its operation.

But they're different; they're like viruses.

Viruses' underlying logic leads them to subconsciously attempt to modify the entire program.

Make the program into a shape they are familiar with.

Although the program's autonomous defense mechanism can eliminate these viruses.

However, the existence of Rienta will cause these viruses to be generated continuously.

Ultimately, this will evolve into a system where the program's autonomous defense mechanism combats bugs that have administrator privileges.

It's funny.

[The World-Destroying Calamity] is the one that protects the world.

Rienta, which fights against the Calamity, is the source of the Calamity.

This situation persisted for a long time.

Until that special Rienta appeared.

He built a place for the Rienta to reside in the river of time.

Mindscape

Every Rienta can transcend time will come to this Mindscape.

You will also have your own private space to reflect your Mindscape.

For example, the lakeside Waterside Pavilion at L163 Rienta.

For example, the cabin in the woods at L996 Rienta.

Their Mindscape depends on their inner state.

Through continuous information gathering, the Rienta discovered the problem.

Rienta's appearance time is incorrect.

It's as if the world program hadn't even started running before the Rienta appeared.

And it began to subtly modify the entire world's programming.

That's why all of this happened.

They need to find the right timeline.

Or rather, it's only when Rienta appears at the very beginning of the story that she is accepted by the program.

The Rienta have conducted extensive observational experiments to verify this claim.

The crucial moment lies with the hero Himmel.

Time has lost much of its meaning for the Rienta who possess [Longevity].

From the time C464 Rienta proposed and verified this idea to the present L163 Rienta.

Every Rienta is working hard for this.

They wanted to prove something.

The Rienta should not be the source of the [World-Destroying Calamity].

No timeline should be destroyed because of Rienta's existence.

Once the correct starting point of the story is found, all of this will end.

Upon entering the Mindscape Chamber, L996 Rienta still had her back to L163 Rienta.

Just before the portal closed.

L996 Rienta turned to look at the contemporary [Supreme Rank] L163 Rienta in the Waterside Pavilion, and said softly:

"His number is too long according to the original sequence."

I think he probably really dislikes it.

"Coincidentally, we have a number that's been empty."

L163 Rienta remained silent for a moment upon hearing this, then replied in a calm tone:

"I think he would also like the designation L464."

"Those who are watching all this should like it too."

Time traveler.

Another world.

Golden finger.

The source of the World-Destroying Calamity.

It's too rough.

It was like child's play.

How could the Rienta not understand the reason behind all of this?

To those who witnessed all of this, the experiences of the Rienta were merely a text.

But what about the Rienta members who have already attained [Longevity]?

Was it a predetermined Fate?

Some Rienta don't even appear in their memories.

Just like how the two Rienta finalized their numbering in just a few words, L464 Rienta's original number should have been L46477968.

This is very unfair.

But they were powerless to do anything about it.

The portal leading to the cabin in the woods had disappeared.

In the Mindscape Chamber, only the contemporary [Supreme Rank] L163 Rienta remains.

The Mindscape at the Waterside Pavilion is beautiful.

After all, it evolved from the depths of his heart and is exactly the same as what he remembers.

But his memories are not just of Waterside Pavilions, lakes, maple leaves, and sunsets.

And Serie.

It should be said.

It was during a break from her magical studies that Serie dragged her exceptionally skilled cooking partner along to admire this breathtaking scenery.

And him.

Watching Serie.

'C464 did do something decent, not just providing us with a target...'

L163 Rienta gazed at the scenery deep within her memory, lost in reminiscence.

The timeline with Rienta shouldn't be like this.

The world should not be destroyed because of Rienta.

Time should not disappear because of Rienta.

Serie cannot die because of Rienta.