The night sky was dark. All the pupils that had sparkled like stars were gone. They’d either been swept away by the moonlight or recoiled to a safe distance. Everything seemed terrified, huddled in silence. And I’d done this.

“Even if every world and every culture is different, isn’t love about cherishing the other? Wanting to harm them while professing love... well, I suppose that happens sometimes.”

Just look at Yuhyun. His desire was beyond my understanding, but since it was his nature as fire, I took it as an expression of affection.

“But if you truly love someone, you shouldn’t impose your feelings unilaterally.”

So Yuhyun and I talked it out and each made compromises. He and I are very different, but we liked each other and wanted to stay together.

“Claiming “I love you” one-sidedly—what kind of love is that?”

My chest felt oddly hollow. If he’d ignored me, I’d have given up, thinking he simply didn’t understand. But even now, Crescent was listening tenderly to my voice. If indifference from someone you love is just thirst, Crescent’s presence was like drinking saltwater when you’re already parched.

“There’s no reason. I just find it lovely.”

“A few died and the rest all fled, though!”

“All of it—those who rose wrapped in light atop the noblest heights and those who fell into the lowest depths in utter despair—all of it makes my heart flutter with the same loveliness.”

Crescent’s gaze lingered on Young Chaos, then returned to me.

“I love both of you equally. So, Yujin, I don’t ask anything of you. Whatever you do or think, always and forever, without any condition.”

Chaos’s hand gripped my shoulder.

“...‘Unconditional love’ is a fine phrase.”

At least in a normal context. But this was too extreme. Accepting every possible form.

“So you don’t care what happens to the other. If I died right here, you’d just watch me with loving eyes...”

A wave of nausea overwhelmed me. It «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» felt terrible. Child Chaos clicked their tongue and pulled me back.

“I told you not to try to understand. Think of me as a passing breeze.”

“That’s not true! A breeze has no eyes or mouth!”

“If you don’t expect anything, you’ll feel fine. You’ve gained an unchanging affection toward me. That’s why so many love Crescent. But if you begin to wish...”

“I’d go mad and thrash about.”

I took a deep breath. When someone both loves you and is loved by you, you don’t want to lose that affection. You try to be better, do things they’ll like.

But Crescent’s love remained no matter what I did. In a way, it felt secure and comforting—like an unwavering home you could always return to.

“Well, fine. Let’s say that’s true. But if you expect nothing, should you not intervene at all? Let people live as they please.”

“Very well. So long as life repeats, even death is welcome.”

Crescent raised their head, eyes cast far into the dark sky.

“The Origin is the end of all existence. I do not wish those I love to be consumed.”

“...Is that your wish?”

“You need not change, or you may change. The good, the evil, the great, the insignificant—all of them I love. Thus, I wish them to remain as they are, unconsumed, to continue existing.”

Crescent’s gaze fell on me again.

“There is but one thing my love desires.”

Our very existence. Even if some die, people live on. Birth continues, death follows. Even if one or two worlds vanish, it’s the same. But if all worlds are consumed, neither life nor death can continue.

That is why Crescent helped build the System, created more Transcendents, and sought to nurture a safer Origin.

In the grand scheme, it was right. Crescent’s actions sprang from goodwill and love for all living things. It was maddening, but true.

“...But I must live too.”

I stepped forward. Child Chaos’s hand fell from my shoulder, and Crescent approached. As if to seize me, I stared straight into their face.

“If you try to sacrifice us, I don’t care why. I will fight to the end and survive by any means.”

Even if I had to strike down the most beloved moon. Crescent smiled.

“Yes. You’re adorable.”

“Wha—!”

Suddenly they enveloped me in an embrace. Wait—hey!

“Live well, my love.”

“L-Let go of me!”

Like a rock, I knew there was no arguing. Crescent comforted me gently, as if burying me in a freshly sun-dried goose-feather quilt—neither hot nor cold, a soothing warmth that lulled my eyes shut until I suddenly tensed. Why did the moon feel like sunshine?

“You’re my enemy, enemy! You killed everyone just now!”

“Not now. But even if you try to choke me—”

“All right! I love you!”

I broke free. Crescent smiled like when we first met in the forest. Truly insane. I backed away toward child Chaos.

“...Better that you dislike me. Why did you grant my request, with my hair and all, when you said you didn’t care?”

“I had no reason not to. As for your hair—only you ever spoke to it. If someone said they liked blue but asked why it’s pink, I’d change it.”

“I don’t like pink.”

“That dishonesty is cute.”

Crescent spun like a child, silver-pink hair floating like smoke. A faint light twinkled beyond the night sky, watching but not approaching. A jingling bell sounded like a warning. Crescent tapped the moonlight with their toes and drifted upward like a lantern.

“...I think it’d be better if you hated me.”

“Mostly, yes. But the world isn’t neatly divided. The good sometimes do foolish things, and the foolish sometimes do good.”

“Why did you come to help the System makers, elder?”

I asked as I turned. We were close enough, but the burden was enormous. In the end, they’d be left alone.

“They wanted to try something with all their might.”

“Pardon?”

“They’ve lived long enough, yet they push forward like children eager for something new—something good for the young.”

“You make it sound like they were swept away.”

“Those with passion lead the world. Whether they fail or succeed, they bring change.”

True, but—

“Don’t you have something you want to do, elder?”

“I’ve done as I wish already.”

Ah, yes. I looked up at child Chaos. I envied that unwavering gaze.

“...How did someone as old as me end up raising someone like this?”

“Pardon?”

“Have I gone senile?”

“You’re perfectly fine! Even more dignified than now.”

Compared to now, yes. Chaos shook my collar. Harsh mouth, harsh hands. Ppiyak must have found it amusing, hopping atop Chaos’s head.

“And I grew up alone, uh, raising my sibling and dear ones like a teacher!”

“That’s because you clung to them.”

Ouch.

“How did this little one—”

Chaos trailed off, turning their head. A pale beam of light drifted toward me.

[You’re not late.]

The voice sounded directly in my mind. Chaos set me down and stared at the beam.

“Mr. Fluffball?”

[Not fluffball! I’m Wildflower. A flower, obviously! Still rude!]

Flower, perhaps. Somewhere in the vast cosmos a flower might resemble a fluffball with tendrils.

[The System is nearly complete. We’ll all fall asleep within it, and my fragment of consciousness will vanish soon. Little human, you could craft a cheat, but it won’t help here.]

“Perhaps.”

Sigma had left that world, but Seong Hyunjae wasn’t free. They’d become separate, and even if the System materialized like Sigma, it would merge into a new System rather than the old.

Materializing such massive laws is nearly impossible.

[But you could attempt to trick the laws, the System.]

Wildflower spoke cheerfully, bouncing as if before me.

[Now you could. So join me in building the System!]

“...Join you?”

[Make it feel that way. The System here and out there share the same laws. If you become a builder’s assistant here, the outer System will see you as one too. Reach out your hand.]

Could it really work? Reluctantly, I reached out.

“Are you sure helping this way is okay? You don’t know much about me.”

I’d mentioned the future, but it felt too trusting. A Transcendent helping a human so easily?

The beam wound around my wrist. Wildflower answered.

[Your gaze toward Chaos. That’s why.]

“...My gaze?”

[Yes. You watched with clear affection, worried and pained. You two will be close in the distant future. Your hand on his head looked so familiar. Little human.]

Wildflower’s voice trembled faintly.

[Is he happy?]

I couldn’t answer immediately. I recalled Chaos. It’s hard to judge another’s emotions.

“He complains about caring for children at his age, but to me he seems joyful. Above all, he does only what he wants.”

[Right. Yes.]

Their voice sounded amused. Wildflower, a fluffball without eyes, nose, or mouth, clearly wore a broad smile.

[That made me happy. I’m not a seer, but I sense that he will continue alone for a long time, unwavering at twilight’s end.]

“...He did.”

Why Chaos ended up alone in the first world, even Transcendents forgot, memory fading like legend over time.

“Now there’s a newcomer Transcendent too. They seem to get along.”

[What child?]

“A small, fluffy one like a puppy.”

“I see. Good to know.”

Laughter reached me, faintly scented like flowers.

[As a System maker, I shouldn’t, but I love him. Little human, I’ll dissolve into the System’s core and never awaken. So I must be greedy.]

At my feet, tiny blue fuzzy flowers bloomed, swaying with joy.

[Promise me one thing. That you too will wish for his happiness. I don’t demand it first, just that at least one person remains wishing for him.]

“I need no promise—I like you. Of course I will.”

Even after I’m gone, I wish that someone who cares for him will remain. I understood Wildflower’s heart as my own—I feel the same. Only with Yuhyun could I not harbor such feelings, but for Chaos...

[He must certainly cherish you too. Don’t you think so?]

“He nags me all the time to take care of myself.”

[So you call me a nag now!]

“Your System control is still weak. No different than before.”

[If alone, you’ll be so inconvenienced. I’ve never seen a Transcendent so bad at creation—only destruction. That worried me.]

A sighing breeze whispered past my ear.

[Your influence on this System means nothing. But if this System influences you, future Systems will accept unreal pasts as real. It’s deception.]

Hitting past A in memories wouldn’t bruise present A. But if past A hits me, present me ends up bruised. Then one could claim you hit A, checking my cheek’s fingerprints.

[If you return to your original place, these influences might vanish. But you truly exist here, don’t you? Erasing all you’ve done is impossible. Like time reversed, its marks remain.]

“Indeed.”

[Explaining takes too long. Move your mana as I guide. You’re better than Chaos, aren’t you?]

Better than a boulder, I thought. My mana touched the System and the System’s mana seeped into me.

[A simple assist. But traces of the initial System crafting will cling to you. I shouldn’t, but I’ll try this time.]

Originally, Wildflower would’ve quietly slept, worrying over Chaos.

[Even if the System sees you as an assistant, it may not matter—much has changed in your timeline.]

“I’ll do it. Better than nothing.”

[Yes. You must. Little human, it was a pleasure. Send him my regards!]

Wildflower’s voice faded, then vanished. I blinked to find child Chaos and Ppiyak before me.

“What did that fluffball nag about this time?”

Chaos cocked their head, and a smile escaped me.

“When you’re older, elder, you’ll be formidable.”

“What?”

Ppiyak hopped toward me, and as if to signal the end of this place, the space trembled.