Perhaps because she had vented all the pressure she had kept bottled up inside, the aura of sorrowful compassion around Aponia seemed to lighten somewhat. Smiling, she looked toward the door in the sky:
"I merely preserved certain moments. The one who truly brought them to life was still you."
"Mm..."
Although Gwen had many things he wanted to say at that moment, thinking of the person waiting beyond the door, he gathered his thoughts and saved those words for their next conversation. He merely said:
"Before I leave, I need to make one thing clear—"
"?"
Aponia blinked and turned her gaze back to Gwen, unsure what he was about to say.
"Though it may sound a little extreme to some people, I once had thoughts like yours as well—
The more dazzling the brilliance of humanity is, the more revolting humanity's depravity becomes.
And after seeing all those disgusting thoughts, one can only feel that you were still too gentle...
As for humanity being incapable of changing..."
Gwen paused, then smiled.
"Didn't everyone here, you included, change because of her?"
Having said that, Gwen did not wait for Aponia to react. He climbed the steps, making his way toward the door in the sky one step at a time, leaving Aponia with a dashing silhouette.
"..."
Hearing Gwen's words, Aponia was stunned for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. In a voice only she could hear, she murmured:
"That's true..."
Gwen, however, paid no attention to Aponia's reaction.
At that moment, all of Gwen's attention was focused on the glowing door before him—
After Raiden Mei crossed through this door, she met Alicia of the True Self and suffered the most painful blow of all.
After Gwen crossed through this door, he would meet the real