HBWnovel Chapter 36
Chapter 36
A woman clutching a small piece of merchandise tightly in her hand,
Monica, pressed forward through the unending dark fog.
She had no way of knowing if this was the right path or if her will alone could lead her out of this place, but she pressed on nonetheless.
Holding onto that badge gave her the comforting illusion that the Curator, who had cherished her, was still protecting her. With this feeling, she managed to endure the fear of the unknown.
With her heart full of courage, she drove away the fear and took bold, determined steps forward.
Step by step,
She kept moving forward.
“This place is...”
The previously featureless darkness began to take shape.
“No way...”
Far in the distance, faint black outlines became visible.
There was something oddly familiar about them...
“This can’t be...”
Monica broke into a run.
She recognized this landscape she had seen countless times before. But its familiarity made it feel all the more foreign.
She was certain now.
“Akashic... Archive...”
Her eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, confirmed it: this was a place she had encountered countless times in the game.
[Akashic Archive]
This was the domain managed by the Curator she adored and the very place where he met his tragic end.
“This is strange...”
However, it wasn’t quite as she remembered.
The bright, radiant Archive she knew was now shrouded in darkness, its once-vivid lights extinguished.
It looked as if it had been abandoned, left untouched after the Curator’s death.
With a look of growing anxiety, Monica wandered around the desolate space.
Suddenly,
A soft, misty glow began to coalesce into a humanoid figure, and a melodic voice rang out.
“Well, this is unusual.”
“!”
Monica’s eyes widened as her head slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
“A visitor, you say.”
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
It was him.
It had to be him.
The one she loved so deeply, the one she adored above all else.
But this wasn’t the fragmentary, mechanical version of him from the game.
This was the real thing—alive and moving.
A young boy with black hair sat perched on the edge of a desk.
“I am the Curator of this Archive. And you are?”
The boy smiled.
Her most beloved character, alive and right in front of her!
Monica felt as though her heart might stop.
She opened her mouth to speak.
She wanted to tell him.
To say she thought he was dead. That she missed him. That she loved him.
But no words came out, as if her throat had closed up.
The boy tilted his head slightly, folding his arms and resting his chin on his hand.
“Monica, is it?”
Thud!
Monica clutched her chest.
Her beloved saying her name—out loud!
Her heart couldn’t handle it.
So that’s why!
Only she, among all those in the Deputy Curators’ Association, had been recognized!
“D-does that mean... I love you more than anyone else? More than any of your fans?”
Monica’s face lit with a feverish intensity.
“...”
The boy hesitated, seemingly at a loss for words.
After regaining his composure, he finally replied, “Well... you could call it love, but it’s more like the positive, intense feelings people have toward me provide power. That strength fuels my revival. It’s akin to faith toward a deity.”
!!
The idea of her love entering him—how romantic!
The boy sighed, half-resigned.
“Anyway, you are more than qualified as my believer. If you weren’t already an Apostle of another god, I’d consider taking you as my own Apostle.”
“Then I’ll abandon my Constellation immediately to follow you—”
“Stop. Are you asking me to make an enemy of Courage?”
“...Ah.”
Stealing an Apostle from another Constellation was no trivial matter. It was tantamount to declaring war.
“It’s fine. Your affection is enough.”
The boy softly brushed her cheek.
“I do have one request, though.”
“Anything! Just say the word!”
“The false rumors about me are harmful to my revival.”
“...Harmful?”
“The more distorted and bizarre the perceptions of me become, the more my divine essence gets tainted. It greatly delays my return to reality.”
Thud!
A heavy weight dropped in Monica’s chest.
Had everything she done as Vice President of the Association actually been hindering him?
The boy, now clearly fatigued, waved his hand dismissively.
“So, could you stop those people who fabricate nonsense about me?”
“I-I can do it!”
“Can you?”
“Yes! As Vice President of the Deputy Curators’ Association, I can mobilize thousands with a single word!”
“Wait... weren’t you infiltrating the Association? That doesn’t add up...”
“Well, as long as you can eliminate the problem, it doesn’t matter.”
The boy shook his head, exhausted.
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Of course... Everything will be as you wish.”
“Good. When you leave here, my Apostle will be waiting for you.”
“...Your Apostle?”
The thought of meeting someone else who held his favor made Monica’s blood boil.
“Follow their instructions. Can you do that?”
“Absolutely! Leave it to me!”
“Good. Then I’ll be counting on you.”
The boy placed his finger gently on her forehead.
“If you succeed, perhaps we’ll meet again.”
“R-really?!”
“Yes. So, do your best.”
Flash!
As if a film had snapped, Monica’s consciousness vanished.
The next moment, she found herself back in the real world, inside the shrine.
“Ah, you’re awake. Nice to meet you, Monica Bar.”
A golden-haired boy extended a hand toward her.
“I’m Rian, Apostle of the [Archive].”