Chapter 367

"You seem shocked, but it's true..."

The cold sweat trickling down the Blue-Haired Girl's temples revealed that she was actually very nervous. If the impact had been slightly less, she might have fainted from fright. Now, she was so shocked that she was in a state of terrifying chaos, her breathing becoming rapid and shallow, as if she might faint at any moment, with only her foolish thoughts swirling and accelerating.

"Believe in Buddhism? Is that even possible? Probably not. Could those 'Outsider' who chant Universe all day long accept it? Even if it were the last of the possible scenarios, it should have ended more than two thousand years ago. It's simply impossible."

Luce's words left Chloe completely confused.

She seemed to be talking about some grand topic, but Chloe couldn't understand it at all.

Chloe didn't even think she was talking to a human.

At this moment, Luce was like a Humanoid computer connected to the network. In a state where the system was on the verge of collapse, he ignored the objective order of logical statements and simply kept listing the searched information.

Finally, Luce concluded with this sentence:

"Please take me to see your brother, Kuro, no matter what. I need to confirm this."

So, Ivia, who had already returned to her tent in the Small Park, glanced at Luce, who had been brought by Chloe.

"Yes, this is the first time I've seen you. I've never met you before."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"But you're the inspector Caren's supposed to be entertaining, right? Caren's been waiting for you for ages, aren't you going to go see her?"

Since Ivia's attitude matched Chloe's expectations of how to treat strangers, Chloe's initial guesses were instantly shattered. However, in her view, Ivia should have been a stranger; she couldn't accept the sudden appearance of a close 'family member'.

After all, Ivia was the only brother she recognized, and he was also her only family member when she was 'temporarily' no longer Ilya, but Chloe.

"While it wasn't Will of God, meeting Caren Ortensia was indeed one of my missions here..."

For some reason, Chloe had a strange feeling that Luce's usual overwhelming aura had suddenly disappeared when facing Ivia. Not only that, but she also seemed a little nervous. After a few seconds of silence, she squeezed out another sentence from under her yellow raincoat.

"However, that... Will of God..."

I don't believe in God.

The words that came out of the silver-haired boy's mouth left Luce looking incredulous, her whole body stiffening as if she were witnessing something she had never believed before. This gave Chloe the illusion that she was about to break down.

"Don't believe in... God..."

Luce repeated it carefully, as if language itself were a terrifying Monster, while the pupils of his eyes seemed to turn golden, appearing as if some kind of transformation in the dazzling afternoon sunlight.

Ivia continued speaking to the Blue-Haired Girl.

"Rather than a believer, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I'm a monk now."

Ivia could see the strangeness of Luce before her; she was indeed 'human,' but a manufactured one, meaning she was born in this body, and even her spirit was fixed in this way...

Moreover, when he saw Luce, he felt a very subtle sensation in his left hand.

However, as if to prove that she was not wrong, Ivia made a gesture inside the tent with her left foot on the ground, her right leg crossed and placed on her left thigh, and her hand supporting her chin in a thoughtful state, which is a common Buddha Statue.

This was even more devastating for Luce. Her expression could no longer be described as a smile; it was merely a relaxation of her facial muscles and a slight upturn of the corners of her mouth.

"So, is it possible to convert to God? It should be possible. After all, after all..."

Luce spoke with a hint of hesitation, his golden eyes returning to normal at that moment.

"Impossible."

Ivia's answer was firm and resolute.

He is currently at the stage of Maitreya, but not yet a Buddha, but Bodhisattva, because he has not yet passed through the kalpa and therefore has not yet become a Buddha. Ultimately, this is due to the fact that Dipankara Maitreya are one, because Dipankara's kalpa has passed, but Maitreya's kalpa has not.

In fact, since Maitreya is undergoing tribulation in the 'Future', it is theoretically very unlikely that he will be able to undergo tribulation, because every second of the Future is the present, which is like an unattainable reality, even though time is defined by humans.

Ivia, whom Augustine met during the time of Avia, said the following in his Confessions:

The present is memory; the present is vision; the Future is expectation.

Therefore, there must have been a first 'now' in the past, and the Future will contain countless 'nows'. The Future of the past is the present, and the past of the Future is also the present. In other words, the past and the Future only exist in concepts. The past is the Future, and the Future is the past. Without the 'now', there is no such thing as time.

However, the presence of the Dragon Flower Bodhi Tree at Homurahara Elementary School is itself a Ritual, since Maitreya attained enlightenment by spending three assemblies under the Dragon Flower, Ivia thought.

"So what are you planning to do? You can leave now, Caren is waiting to see you."

"Yes, I understand. Goodbye. And is it really necessary to become a Buddha? Although Will of God says it's actually quite good, and that's how it should be, I don't think so..."

Luce finished speaking and stood up.

The reason for adding a "goodbye" to indicate that we'll meet again, and the subsequent words, is probably to confirm if there's still a chance. That's roughly it.

The Blue-Haired Girl took a step forward. Although Ivia had said those Will of God, she could only tell herself that there was nothing she could do about it, considering that she was created by God using the left hand that God had broken, and could be regarded as his daughter.

Therefore, in Luce's view, Ivia's behavior was definitely due to being heartbroken by God. After all, being hit so hard would make anyone uncomfortable. She only got what she deserved. It's pitiful that she's caught in the middle and can't reunite with her family right now. She feels like crying.

I also hope that in a few days I won't have to change what I call Kuro again.

At last...

Even after stepping outside the tent, Luce didn't hear the call of her 'father,' which left her disheartened as she left the tent and headed towards Caren's location.

On the other hand, after Luce left, Chloe held up the envelope she had been clutching for a long time and said to Ivia:

"You accepted Miyu's invitation for tomorrow?"

That was the only letter Ivia never returned—the invitation to 'Miyu'.

"Well, since she's already sent it, let's take a look."

"Uh-huh?"

Upon hearing this, Chloe immediately leaned her head against Ivia's leg. "Did she write this? It looks like it was written by a little kid who just learned to write."

"Aren't you just children?"

"Then you, brother, also get your head patted."

Since this was already an established practice with Chloe, Ivia didn't refuse and patted her head.

"Speaking of which, didn't Ilya see this letter?"

"Of course I saw it, and I didn't try to hide it."

"Well..."

Chloe was about to say, "Be careful not to get blasted by Ilya's Od cannon one day," but then she realized that she felt the same way, so she changed her words.

"I told you that her relationship with you isn't what 'I'm thinking, so what kind of relationship is it?"

"It seems like we're destined to be together, but then again, it doesn't seem so."

The light inside the tent illuminated Ivia's face, and he gently shook his head. "That face, that voice, those hands, that scent—one day they'll fade like old pages, and I'll never remember them again. After all, this is about fulfilling a wish."

"What does this mean? Brother, you didn't really do anything to Miyu, did you? Even so, I'll still stand by you, don't worry, but it doesn't feel right to let someone become like that because of what you did."

"Yes... I agree with that. In fact, this change is quite strange."

Thinking of Luce's last words, Ivia's tone softened slightly as she spoke.

He wasn't saying this to agree with Chloe; after all, trusting others and being trusted by others were things he excelled at.

"This tribulation isn't something I absolutely have to overcome; rather, I'm the one who's trapped in it... I see, this is part of the tribulation itself. By focusing on what I already know, I've actually gotten trapped."

Ultimately, the saying "Dragon Flower Three Assemblies"Dragon Flower Three Assemblies comes from the fact that Maitreya will undergo tribulation at Dragon Flower, not the other way Maitreya. The order and priority are different. Maitreya's tribulation does not necessarily require Dragon Flower; rather, Dragon Flower appears in the Present World because of the tribulation.

'Bodhi has no tree,' so the same applies to the Dragon Flower Bodhi Tree. We are not in the 'Dharma’s End -ending Age,' so it should be an intangible thing rather than a tangible one. In other words, the Dragon Flower Bodhi Tree growing within the Homurahara Elementary School should not exist at all.

However, Ivia always felt that the Dragon Flower Bodhi Tree was operating in a way that she believed was good for her.

"I don't understand, but touch me a thousand more times, and then I'll cook for you."

It's over.

"That's way too fast! And I only just said it! I haven't even done it yet!"

"Okay, how about we mention that you come to my tent at midnight every night and then run back at five?"

As she spoke, Chloe, lying on Ivia's lap, blinked again.

"That..."

Looking bewildered, she licked her lips, staring intently at Ivia's face, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"What's wrong?"

"... I feel like my brother shouldn't have said that; he should have actually patted my head a thousand times."

Ivia remained silent for a moment.

Then, as if giving up, he said it.

"... Because I'm really hungry right now."

These words made Chloe's heart tighten.

Why?

Since they met, this was the first time she had seen Ivia so unreliable, and she felt very nervous. Could it be that something had changed inside her? Although she thought about it a lot and observed carefully, she still couldn't find anything significant.

Seeing Chloe's slightly dazed expression, Ivia stroked her chin, muttering to herself as if lost in thought.

"Could it be that it's actually cooler that way?"

Chloe couldn't help but giggle at Ivia's current appearance.

"Yeah, I just can't do anything with you, brother. But that's exactly what I like about you, although I like everything else too."

Chapter 401 Never see you again, that's why I said that—because I really wanted to see you again (7. K)

The weather forecast for Fuyuki City predicted rain today, but the Sun is shining brightly above the ground.

However, it was still springtime, and summer had not yet arrived. Therefore, on this windless midday, the cicadas chirped in the treetops, and the calls of unknown insects were not heard. Everything seemed to be asleep in the mild season.

Who is the person Sapphire is referring to?

As Miyu left the Edelfelt House, she walked along the asphalt road toward Fuyuki's most famous Animal Paradise.

She found it strange that the park was called 'Animal Paradise' when it only had the costumed character, Lion-kun.

Since they are animals, there should be animals like tigers, Lion, monkeys, and bears, right? At the very least, there should be gentle animals like civets, hippos, zebras, and giraffes. However, whether it's Animal Paradise that still exists in this world or Animal Paradise that no longer exists in another world, the only animal in it is the Lion-kun.

And they weren't real animals, because they were all people wearing Lion head suits, which are actually the same Lion suit Saber wore in Carnival.

Miyu pondered intently, her feet continuing to move forward.

She felt that she had indeed changed a bit since coming into this world; in the past, she probably wouldn't have thought about such questions.

The street where the Ilya and Edelfelt House lived was relatively quiet in Fuyuki. It was rare to see any locals strolling around. However, that only applied to that one street. Once you turned into a Cross, the atmosphere of the neighborhood changed completely, and it became a noisy crowd.

The smell of greasy chicken legs and fries, or the exhaust fumes from buses parked on the roadside; men in Casual Clothes and women wearing scarves or shawls walking separately; children running around noisily, chatting and laughing...

This is only natural, since today is May 5th, which is Boys’ Day in Japan. Boys’ Day on May 5th is also Children’s Day, so both boys and girls can enjoy special blessings and love from their parents on this day.

Parents.

This term is still quite unfamiliar and unbelievable to people around Miyu.

For the girl, her only memory of her parents is that of Sakatsuki Hiyori, who lived deep within her memories. Her mother, who had given birth to her after leaving the Sakatsuki, raised her almost single-handedly until she was six years old...

If there's any difference with just Mom, it's that guy who should have already 'left,' yet still appears before her.

If my mother were still alive, what kind of expression would I have?

For some reason, the girl felt a tightness in her chest. She knew her mother wouldn't be happy if she took it upon herself to think about such things.

So, right after that, Miyu, who was standing at the edge of the semi-circular plaza at the north exit of the Animal Paradise, realized that she had already walked steadily for two or three minutes to the escalator, and then was guided by the staff at the ticket gate of the main Great Gate into the Animal Paradise.

The sounds of the procession of vehicles were incessant, and the crowd flowed like a gentle river.

Aside from the various rides and the staff wearing the Lion-kun everywhere, the interior of the Animal Paradise is basically no different from the outside. After all, it's just an ordinary facility, and it's unlikely to undergo a complete transformation overnight.

At this moment, the sound of the crowd's footsteps overlapped with the ever-playing pop songs, the crisp sound of women's hairpins as they walked, the clattering of photos being taken, and the shouts of children—everything seemed chaotic, sometimes rising and sometimes falling.

Miyu felt incredibly uncomfortable amidst the crowded throng, as if the excessive messages and emotions that had flooded her body that day due to the breakdown of the Bounded Field...

Fortunately, she wouldn't do that anymore, and this feeling welled up in the young girl's heart.

There are simply too many people here; in any crowded place, this would be a perfectly normal situation.

Unfortunately, without my Sapphire, I could only try my best to find an empty seat in the crowded throng to wait for others.

Miyu had originally planned to wait for the person Sapphire had mentioned at the entrance, since they should have waited for each other outside as a meeting place. However, Miyu found herself lost in memories and walked inside without realizing it, so this was the only option.

Actually, Sapphire had no intention of coming out at first, but because of Sapphire's repeated pleas and requests, Miyu had no choice but Miyu listen to her.