On the other side at the same time.

Mr. Zero stepped down from the carriage and couldn't help but say to the scene in front of him, "I haven't been here for a long time...... Maybe it won't be that long, though?"

In front of you are ordinary houses, but the people who live in them are not ordinary.

Mr. Zero familiarly bypassed the front door and came to the backyard of the house.

An old man with gray hair was lying on a recliner in the courtyard, dozing off in the undazzling sunlight.

As if afraid to break the quiet atmosphere, Mr. Zero hesitated for a moment, but stood in the doorway without saying a word.

“...... Mr. Zero: Is that you? I think I heard you, right? The door is not locked, so come in by yourself. You know my eyes. "The old man, despite his old age, still has a clear voice.

"Oh...... Well, right now. Mr. Zero pulled the back door, only to find that it was indeed locked.

"Okay, okay. He turned to the other side, climbed over the fence cleanly, and jumped into the yard.

"You're getting more and more skilled, sir. The old man still squinted at the sky and said with a smile.

“...... It would be nice if you could open the door normally. Mr. ”

"Haha. The old man smiled and pointed to the table and chair placed on the other side, "Young people, don't worry about that. ”

"Okay. Mr. Zero sat down on a chair beside him.

"Old man, how are you feeling lately?"

"If you're saying 'that kid,' she's fine. She still lives with my lies, thinking that she is a gifted alchemist or something...... I can only say that I hope I can continue to deceive like this...... But, it's been all over the years anyway, hasn't she? I think she's mentally mature enough. The old man said with his eyes closed and swaying.

“...... It's better not to experiment with things that don't take risks. Mr. Zero also said a little ambiguously.

"Okay. If you're talking about my own physical condition......" The old man finally opened his eyes and stared at Mr. Zero not far in front of him—but all he could see was a patch of white in his eyes, including where it should have been the pupil.

He was blind.

"I always thought that you, as a doctor, would know better than myself. Although he couldn't see the focus, Mr. Zero could still feel the other person's eyes watching him.

“......

"It's a bit of both. Finally, Mr. Zero said.

"Really...... I thought—" The old man was interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"Grandpa...... Ah, Mr. Zero, are you here?" a girl walked into the courtyard, making a slightly stunned sound.

"yes, long time no see. Sorry for the sudden interruption of this bother, didn't it cause you any trouble?"

"No, no, no. We are honored to have you as a guest. The girl said timidly.

"Hey, Mr. Zero, why don't you say such an apology to me and only to my child?" the old man said in a disgruntled voice, "Could it be that you want to...... Tut-tut-"

"Grandpa!"

Well, to correct it, the voice of the old naughty boy was made.

After glaring at the old man unbearably, the girl seemed to take two steps back shyly—but for some reason, instead of moving away, she moved closer to Mr. Zero.

Disgust and fear struck him in an instant, causing Mr. Zero to shudder slightly, but his complexion remained the same.

"Haha. The old man laughed, just like any ordinary old man who was pleased with his juniors.

"So, Mr. Zero, Grandpa is in his current condition...... How's that?" the girl asked.

"It's still the same as ever, no problems......"

Mr. Zero felt that as the girl approached, the surroundings quietly changed: something distorted its original form and state, and turned to another atmosphere:

Familiar memories haunt Mr. Zero with nasty feelings, like sticky, cold snakes walking up and down his body:

It's like the process of "change" that Mr. Zero has become accustomed to every time the world collapses.

But it's different...... Rather, it is the feeling that something is created and born through this process.

But it's impossible to get used to it.

“...... It's a terrible feeling. ”

"Son, can you find a place where your grandfather will not be seen next time, and come and communicate with me like this, instead of using your own power to create something that your grandfather will not find out? To be honest, I may be unique to my sensitive constitution, when your abilities take effect...... It made me feel extremely unpleasant instinctively. ”

There was no in-depth explanation, but Zero said it almost word for word.

"Don't call me a child! I'm not too young!" said the girl, frowning, as if annoyed.

It's just that she has left the age when she is a young girl and has become a girl. The body is not fully developed yet.

"Besides, I didn't mean to...... I just had this thought in my head a little...... Then He Himself...... I've become like this...... "Girl, oh no, the girl's voice became quieter and quieter, and finally it almost became a snort.

“...... Ah, forget it. "It's useless to say anything.

She herself may have been terrified by her own strength.

She didn't really want to...... Maybe.

The great power that makes the world rotate and change as it wishes, not the extreme joy that mortals fantasize, but the constant terror of tying one's hands and feet to inadvertently hurt one's loved ones and destroy everything they love.

All wishes come true...... Or even more excessively on top of that.

Just as God is omnipotent. It's only in terms of creation, right? But it's scary enough.

Instead of being weakened by the loss of omniscient control, the omnipotence has become more fearful.

The slightest loss of control in the slightest thought can lead to collapse, one's own, someone else's, or the world.

In order to stop the possible destruction caused by this, he has killed the innocent and lovely girl in front of him...... Girl, many times.

However, in this repeated gore has proven itself in futility. Every reset of the world will not leave her behind.

What's more, the monsters that were created in her thoughts...... Those weird things.

But luckily enough, at least the memories before and after each of her deaths still faded with the changes in the past world.

Otherwise, the memories she left her might have become the cause of collapse......

Moreover, it was completely different from the fragments of the unnamed god before.

The fragments of God are constantly becoming more terrifying, and the resulting catastrophe is bound to happen.

However this girl ...... Except for the first few times, under the deliberate and well-intentioned deception and teaching of his caregivers, he gradually settled down and never went on rampage again...... Well, at least it didn't create a crisis that was too big.

Killing innocent people is already a complete violation of one's creed...... violates what you strive to stick to, and that still belongs to the corner of "human nature".

The painful memories of a few days ago have been recalled...... However, there was still no change in his expression on his face.

So later, Mr. Zero, together with the old man who raised her, constructs a lie to make her own cognitive self-restraint of her own abilities.

...... At least, that's how it was.

Well, anyway, this is an expedient measure, and a lie must be completed with a hundred lies, and it is her own business...... Someday you won't be able to cheat. I didn't think I could really delay it for long...... But it has paid off.

Mr. Zero thought so.

It's just that she didn't expect her mind to be so advanced and mature compared to other peers......

"So, aren't you going to tell him? You already know exactly what you're capable of. ”

“...... No, there's no way to say it......" The girl lowered her head a little helplessly and fiddled with her slender fingers, "At first, I thought that grandpa had spent many years trying to hide something to protect me and everyone, and it was so straightforward...... It will make grandpa feel lost...... It doesn't feel good...... However, from the beginning of the concealment, it was ...... The further back I go, the harder it is to speak...... Now, I don't know what to do! I think my grandfather might have already found out, right?"

Finally, the girl said with some self-defeating and broken jars.

“...... Deception will never solve the problem for a long time. Sooner or later, the old man will find out...... Just like you. ”

Hearing Mr. Zero's heavy voice, the girl raised her head in horror, but only saw Mr. Zero's warm smile: "So, before the problem reappears or even worsens, using this time to find a solution is what we need to do." At the right time, even if it's not the right time, the old man will forgive you if you sincerely apologize, after all, you are the granddaughter of the old man's favorite. ”

"Is this—Is that so......" The girl lowered her head again, unable to make out her expression.

The old man was lying in his chair again, facing the sky, and he didn't know what the girl had created with her own abilities in a single thought, so that he could ignore the conversation between the two people beside him.

"Ah, business...... The old man's physical problems. As he spoke, Mr. Zero thought that he was no better than a girl, and where did he get the face to talk about it in front of the girl.

The girl looked up suddenly, "Grandpa, he should still be fine, right?"

"It's still like that. Of course, there is no problem on my side...... It's good to recuperate a little......"

Perhaps the old man would not have thought that the identity of the "doctor" that he used to spy on the girl had already become true......

Mr. Zero pulls out a small test tube from his suitcase, which contains a colorless, transparent liquid.

The old man's body has long been decaying, and for this reason, Mr. Zero will renew his life every once in a while...... It's just that he doesn't know it yet.

The old man is even wishing that he would die early.

But he couldn't let him die.

The reason is probably understood by all three of them.

Just to prevent the girl from going berserk and maintain psychological stability.

Wouldn't it be more painful to die than to be alive?

This strange question suddenly popped into Mr. Zero's mind.

"As usual, just mix a drop and let him drink it...... Huh?"

He looked at the liquid in the test tube, confused.

The liquid was boiling, and even a hint of red appeared in it. The transparent unknown liquid was slowly and furiously transforming towards the blood-streaked thing.

"It was quiet before...... Why is this happening?"

"It's ...... This is...... Ahh

"That's ...... Flesh gods?But why does this have an effect...... Don't...... However, no......" Mr. Zero sometimes showed a look of sudden realization, and sometimes showed a deeper confusion.

"Mr. Zero, is something wrong?" the girl asked worriedly, listening to the other person's muttering.

“...... It's nothing. Mr. Zero regained his composure, "It's just a small mistake." He put the tube back in his suitcase. Closing the box, he got up and said, "Just go and solve it later." But your grandfather's treatment is going to be delayed for a while. Don't worry, the effect of the last life extension won't pass so quickly. ”

As he spoke, he said goodbye to the old man, who nodded in response as if he had just woken up from a dream, and kept him to eat and taste his granddaughter's recent refinement.

Rightfully refused.

The girl sent Mr. Zero to the door - this time, of course, the main entrance.

Along the way, I passed through the house where my grandfather and grandson lived, and although there was no trace of it on the outside, it was almost stuffed with all kinds of strange things, and it really looked like an alchemy laboratory.

“...... Mr. Zero, you really don't need my help, I ...... too" The girl seemed to be a little anxious and finally held back the sentence.

"As long as you don't create anything incomprehensible, that's the greatest help to me. Otherwise, they will help more and more. ”

Mr. Zero shook his head and pressed the girl's little head out the door.

"Goodbye. Then he closed the door from the outside.

“......”

“...... What? The girl puffed out her face and said to herself, "This time it's also about me, and it's about whether grandpa can continue to live." And if you want to talk about power, with this nasty power, I'm much better than you, Mr. Zero! Why don't you let me help! Hmph! I must think I'm a little kid!"

The girl looked somewhere in the void, as if something had been created from the house, and then flew out.

"Ah...... Ahhh......h Just, something happened, I, what should I do...... Ah, by the way, Mr. Change's help will definitely solve it, he shouldn't have gone far......"

The girl wanted to step out of the house, but then she thought, "But, in this case...... Always rely on Mr. Zero, yourself, always just that child...... When can I be considered an adult......

The girl held her head and felt a little confused, but quickly made up her mind: "Okay, solve my own affairs, and I will deal with the anomalies I have created...... It should be fine...... Right?"

In the end, the girl obediently returned to her grandfather and took care of the old man.

The old man got up with the help of the girl and returned to his house.

While the girl was making dinner, the old man stood at the window, looking out the window, Mr. Zero, who was carrying a suitcase in the twilight sunset that met with the horizon, and his shadow that was getting longer and longer, as if it were indescribable, and sighed: "It seems that I am being underestimated by young people more and more......"

"I don't know what you're doing, what you're trying to do, and how you're going to do it......"

"But ......"