Because I Am Surtr

Persephone then truly and directly removed her outer coat and inner garments in front of Surtr, her slender, fair, even somewhat pale limbs exposed without any cover in Surtr's sight. The Queen of the Underworld's body possessed the exquisite and magnificent beauty befitting a deity. Except for her chest, every curve perfectly adhered to the golden ratio, and every inch of her skin was flawless and clean. A cool, serene aura surrounded her, making what others might see as physical flaws appear natural and fitting—much like a surviving Venus statue, whose broken arms instead constructed a beauty of incompleteness.

However, Surtr merely watched her with indifference, or rather, a lack of feeling, as if this beauty were shallow and pale, holding no value or meaning in her eyes.

The naked girl then slightly slowed her pace as she passed Surtr.

"How interesting it would have been if you had killed me just now, or if you were to pin me down on the ground, on a bed, or somewhere else and ravage me fiercely."

"But that is merely a reaction that mortals would have. Only mortals feel shame, anger, sorrow, and lose control—it is precisely because you do nothing that you are worthy of my special attention. Surtr, my rival, my ally, my kin, I anticipate our final destiny."

She whispered into the Flame-haired Woman's ear, then continued forward into the shower area. The sound of trickling water soon followed, but the crisp sound of colliding water droplets, which might have stirred the imagination, held no allure for the other occupant of the room.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes.

Persephone remained in the bathroom for the time a normal young girl would take to bathe.

When she emerged, wrapped in a towel, she saw, as expected, only an open window and an empty hall. Her gaze swept across the tabletop, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward.

"It wasn't a complete loss." She walked to the seat opposite the empty main seat, picked up another set of cutlery, and brought the exquisite dishes, whose heat had considerably dissipated, into her mouth—she tasted a little of everything, and afterward, summoned a delivery drone to dispose of the leftovers.

"Average."

The current god of the world made her conclusion.

Surtr left the sarcophagus, left the temporary command center. If she could, she even wished to leave Chernobog.

She felt fear.

Fear of herself, who… actually felt not the slightest bit of fear.

It was contradictory, but it was the truth. She landed on the very top of an empty skyscraper, ignoring the drones patrolling and lingering in the surrounding areas.

She pressed her chest.

Was this thing truly beating? Or was it just a stone inside? Perhaps she should dissect it to see; maybe then she could prove she was merely a Tin Man who had met Dorothy, and that what was placed in her chest was just an intricate automaton clockwork?

However, she perceived her own heartbeat.

Steady, strong, and… unchanging.

Perhaps it really was a heart of flesh… perhaps.

So she sat down leaning against a pillar, her gaze lowered, and then—sighed silently.

If it were a normal person, if it were an ordinary person with normal likes and dislikes. If it were Amiya, Kal'tsit, Yelena, W, or Talulah… if any one of them were in that room, hearing those words and seeing those things in her place, what would they do?

Perhaps they would be angry, perhaps disappointed, perhaps furious, perhaps sorrowful.

Perhaps they would have acted against Persephone, broken off relations with her, slapped her, or even harmed her with weapons. Or perhaps, after all that, they would still choose to forgive… normal people would do that, wouldn't they? Because normal people have emotions, and normal people know the difference between malice and kindness.

But what about herself?

—I have never hated, loathed, or rejected Persephone. I have not rejected her as a person, nor have I rejected her actions.

That is why I could cooperate with her intimately, talk with her calmly, and even though we were just moments ago drawing swords against each other, we could immediately cooperate seamlessly to handle various matters. There was no anxiety, no friction, only working together, like the two hands of a single person.

—I have never hated her, so naturally, I cannot hate anyone.

—Am I… really going to continue like this?

Her heartbeat did not quicken, her pulse did not rise, and her glands did not secrete extra hormones, but memories churned in her mind. Some were strange, some familiar, some felt just moments away.

[Have you ever truly been angry? Have you ever truly cared about anyone?]—Talulah

[So stones can talk too, huh?]—Yelena

[Sister Surtr, you can actually relax a little…]—Amiya

[It would be great if you actually did something, instead of just saying it.]—W

[You and I are kin, you're just playing a different game.]—Persephone

[You're so pathetic.]—???

"..."

"..."

"..."

Deep in thought.

The scales in her heart were shifting, and things that were once unbreakable were cracking inch by inch amidst a roar. The river of past memories had dried up and ceased to flow. And new perceptions of the world were attempting to replace the old.

Night fell.

The sun set, the moon rose, and soon the moon was high in the sky, accompanied by a scattering of stars.

—I am… Surtr.

She turned her head, her gaze shifting. A small food container sat by her feet, liquefied water droplets wetting the ground, and the aroma of honey and cream wafted out.

It was ice cream, the one Persephone made—she had unconsciously taken it with her when she left. And in Chernobog, a northern city, chilled desserts would not melt easily.

Let's try it.

She picked up the spoon, put the ice cream into her mouth, and the sensation on her tongue was sweet and refreshing. It tasted exactly the same as she remembered, the only difference perhaps being that it was made by someone else.

"I am Surtr."

"Mediocre," she commented, yet she finished the entire box. Then, she set aside the food container and spoon, leaning against a pillar on the rooftop to gaze at the starry sky.

Terra's night sky had always been indistinct; even with a multitude of stars, few could discern them with the naked eye.

Would there be a place for her among the stars?

No, this world was wrong. This wasn't Teyvat from Genshin Impact, where would the seat of the heavens for destiny stars be?

"I am Surtr."

The decision was made; Persephone's words were the final grain of sand to tip the scales.

"Enraging me is useless, you should know that better than I do, Persephone. So..."

"...Have I reached a point where even you feel the need to show some concern?"

She extended her fist and clenched it.