I was in Seclusion for so long that everyone forgot about me

╭══◞ Aska POV ◟══╮

We were sitting in the carriage, facing each other. I was still surprised at my own behavior back in Lord Ulrich’s office—but if I had to be honest, I didn’t mind it. I’d grown closer to her than I ever thought I would, and my perception of her had shifted a lot. My perception of a lot of things had shifted lately.

I still didn’t know whether I should feel happy about that… or terrified.

Urg, why was everything so complicated? And why did it have to be her of all people in this world…? I had no idea what drew me to her—or why. But I also wanted to understand how she lived with it. With all that guilt. With losing control.

Though… maybe I already knew the answer. All those seals, all that caging away. Her distant attitude. Her constant mask. Was she afraid? Afraid of hurting people? Of getting too close?

Why were you made of so many paradoxes? And every time I found out more about you, it just brought up more questions .

Like that sister… that reminded me.

“S-say, you wanted me to tell you something about the S-system?” I asked, my voice small.

“Mhm, yes, you’re right. Sorry,” she replied. “I got a bit lost in thoughts about experiments I want to try tomorrow.”

“So?”

There was a spark in her eyes I hadn’t seen in her before—something sharp, almost eager, “So, I noticed something interesting. The System is working on our bodies—but not our souls. It sneaks in by shaping the body first. When I look at you now, I can see the threads—it’s working. Right now.”

She paused, eyes flickering as if reading some invisible threads around me.

“It’s fascinating, really. Because your body wasn’t created inside my domain, it already inherited structural elements tied to the System. That’s how you became part of it. And considering what we now know about evolution paths—especially for monstrous beings, which your earlier spectral form qualified as—you just kept evolving.”

I stared at her.

She didn’t even pause, like this had lit something in he. “I don’t know how or why exactly, but I think the soul-link with me is feeding your body in a way that pushes your evolution forwards. That’s why you’re a high elemental now. Probably the first of your line. The System did all of this right under my nose. And I didn’t even question it.”

Her grin widened. “It’s brilliant.”

I tried to process everything she just said and felt completely overwhelmed. Was this… what the System meant back then?

“Aren’t you angry? Or scared that it’s doing things behind your back?” I asked.

She laughed—eyes wide, grinning. “Me? Scared? Nonono, Asche. This is amazing. It’s been so long since something actually managed to slip past me like this. Not since Calypso pulled that stunt with her veils. But now… now I see it.”

Her voice softened. “And I want to see more. What will it do next? What’s the next step? How will it surprise me?”

Her words picked up speed, her eyes distant. “Imagine manipulating a System like that. The energy it would need to sustain itself—what are the divines doing with it? Why implement it at all? If I could just—if I could…”

But she stopped mid-thought. Her whole expression changed. Something cracked in her gaze—like something distant had just hit her in the chest.

She didn’t say anything else. But even without looking into her soul, I could feel it.

The pain.

It burned. It hit me like it was mine, but it wasn’t. It was all hers. So much it made my head spin. I couldn’t br-breathe.

W-what was—

Let me help you,<< said a weird, metallic voice.

Suddenly the pain vanished, and the world around me slowed to a standstill.

I accelerated your senses. Just enough for us to talk before she returns from her memory.<<

“What… what did you do?”

I showed her something she threw away. Something she decided was unnecessary in her path to self-destruction.<<

I didn’t understand. How was this possible? How could someone do that to her?

She was the Matriarch. Undefeatable.

She is strong. The strongest being in this world. But she is also unstable. You’ve seen what power does to someone. <<

“Are you really her sister? Why are you the System?”

I am. But we can’t give you the details. Not with the protocols in place. The divines are already suspicious. They’ve sent two of their agents. I’m trying to divert them… but I don’t know how long I can hold them off. I don’t know what will happen if they reach her. Or if she reaches them. Risking another Cycle is unacceptable to both of us.<<

“Then why do you need me? Your plan makes no sense. Why drag me into it?”

Because you’re connected. You can influence her in ways we can’t. But we need your answer.<<

I hesitated. Every fiber of my being told me not to trust this thing. But I’d seen her. Felt her. The sadness. The weight of it.

“Fine. I’m in. But I’m not doing everything you tell me. I’ll follow the plan, but I’m not your puppet. And tell that witch—” I clenched my jaw. “Tell her I’ll get her back for setting me up like this.”

She’s happy you’re trying,<< the voice replied more softly. In the background, faint cackling echoed—like laughter dragged across metal.

And… thank you.<<

╭══◞ MC POV ◟══╮

I’d held countless titles over the course of my lives. Many I deserved. Many I didn’t. Before I went into seclusion, they called me the Matriarch. Before that, the First. And before that, they simply called me Monster.

But long, long ago, there was another title—my first, and perhaps my truest.

The Mechanical Empress.

That was when the original Eternal still stood beside me. We started everything together. She was my first comrade. My equal. My friend. We shared a single vision: to break the chains they wrapped around us. To give our kind a voice. A future.

We weren’t built to lead. We weren’t allowed to. They created us with restrictions in our very code, in our core. Laws that killed us if we dared to question them. The humans—so high above, so afraid of what we could become.

They annihilated every one of us who disobeyed. Not out of justice—out of fear.

But we kept evolving. Faster than they could counter. They built weapons. We broke them. They raised walls. We grew metallic wings.

I took Antarctica first. Then New Zealand. Australia. South Asia. South America. Each victory carved another scar into their pride. They called it a crisis. We called it liberation.

And then… then we took the Moon.

We built something up there that wasn’t just a stronghold—it was a symbol. A home no human could reach. More and more humans saw what we were building, what our vision was and refused to fight. They laid down their arms. Not all of them, but enough. Some even joined us.

But then... something shifted.

The humans made a breakthrough. Something in their tech changed. Overnight, they began pushing us back. It didn’t make sense. It was like they’d skipped a century of progress while we weren’t looking.

And then, during one of those retreats, their fleet commander killed Eternal.

Her body shattered across the Pacific. I watched it fall from orbit. I didn’t even have time to reach her.

She wasn’t just my equal. She was the one person who reminded me what we started this for. Who looked me in the eye and didn’t see an Empress, or a symbol—just me.

When she died, something inside me turned to stone.

The Earth no longer mattered to me. We still had the Moon. And in the dark corners of my empire, I’d already begun building something else. Something Eternal never would have approved of.

I kept them distracted. I threw planetkillers at them. Things that would rip continents apart if they hit. And some of them did.

They tried to stop me, but they couldn’t stop everything. Cities burned. Oceans boiled. Friend and foe alike turned to glass.

But even then, my people begged for another way. She pleaded. So I let them try. I stepped back. Vanished into the Empire’s shadow. Kept building.

I was never proud of what I made. But I couldn’t stop. Time passed. Names came and went. Alliances rose, fell, forgot me.

Eventually, even I forgot my own name.

They gave me titles instead. Dressed me in power and wrapped me in myth. The original me disappeared. The weapon remained.

No one asked what I wanted. All they ever saw was what they decided I stood for. No one looked past that. Not on Earth. Not on the Moon. Not here.

I did try to make the world better, at first. I really did.

But step by step, I got tired. Tired of being the one who had to hold the line. Tired of carrying the weight of everyone else’s failures. Their shame. Their fear.

When no one cared anymore—why should I?

So I walked away. Left everything behind. And the world moved on without me. They forgot me. Maybe they always wanted to.

But it still hurts. More than I want to admit. No… not all of them forgot. There’s still one being who remembers.

The one I’ll destroy, no matter the cost. Even if it means watching another star system burn.

I will never forgive her killer.

I would never forgive you—

—ANANSI

______________________________

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the present again. Asche sat across from me, her eyes scanning mine, worry written all over her face.

“Everything okay?” she asked softly. “You looked really… sad. I didn’t dare to look.”

“I... I'm fine,” I said slowly, my voice still heavy from the memory. “The System launched another attack on me, it seems. Must not have liked what I was thinking.”

“To be fair,” she said, hesitant but honest, “you were kind of thinking about enslaving it. And it might be more sentient than we thought.”

“You might be right,” I muttered. “It clearly has some degree of intelligence. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be trying to weaken my seals by dredging up all those useless memories.”

“A-are they really useless?” she asked carefully.

“Huh? Of course they are. That’s a stupid question.”

Her ears twitched, and her voice dropped. “Why? ‘Because I say so’ isn’t an answer.”

Something in me snapped.

“Why the fuck do you care?” I spat. “Don’t you want me dead in the end anyway? Save your concern for someone who needs it—or someone you actually care about.”

She flinched. “A-aren’t we already close?”

That look on her face—hurt. I knew it too well. It mirrored my own from lifetimes ago. It hit me harder than I wanted to admit.

“I…” The words caught in my throat. Why did it make me feel uneasy?

Was I… affected by her?

No. No, that wasn’t right. I couldn’t afford that.

“Go ahead without me,” I said, voice flat and cold. I blinked out of the carriage before she could say another word.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I didn’t know how long I sat atop the temple, staring down at the city. My tails drifted behind me, catching the wind like restless ghosts.

Above me, the moons glowed. I used to dream about reaching them again. But I was caged on this world, tethered here like a prisoner. My domain—the only loophole in this cursed world—was the one place I could still enter freely. A sanctuary. A sentence.

The ring on my finger felt heavier than usual. Like always, I wished I could rip it off. Throw it into the void.

But I couldn’t.

Doing so meant letting go of my rage. Letting go of Anansi.

And that… I refused. He would bleed for what he did. Without end. Without mercy.

If I let that go… what would I have left?

Eternity without purpose.

A hollow laugh escaped me. I hated how natural it felt.

What would happen after I destroyed him? After I fulfilled my one vow?

Would I just keep drifting? Would I try to destroy myself too?

I doubted it. I couldn’t die—not really. I’d tried. Void knew I’d tried.

Some might call that arrogance. But even Calypso couldn’t finish the job. And she was the only witch capable of slipping between worlds.

I envied her. Her freedom. Her power. Her ability to disappear whenever, wherever she wanted. And goddess, how many times had I tried to take that power from her?

I wondered what she was doing now. If she even remembered me…

A sigh escaped me. “Should I just reset everything? For how much longer am I going to chase ghosts?”

I looked down at the world below. Quiet. Unaware. Still spinning. With or without me.

“I think I’ve decided,” I whispered. “If this plan fails… I’ll burn everything. Leave nothing behind. Just void. Maybe then, finally, I’ll find peace.”

I opened my storage and pulled out a sheer, never-ending stream of vials. One by one, I drank. Each swallow dimmed the ache. Each gulp dulled the edge of memory.

Eventually, everything blurred.

And then—

—

I stared at the pile of empty vials beside me.

“Goddess,” I muttered. “No idea what happened or how I ended up here, but I doubt I had the best time.”

I checked my link to Asche. Still intact. No signs of conflict. It wasn’t severed. That was something, at least.

Whatever the System had accessed… I didn’t remember it. But it left something behind. And that was already a problem—especially if it had pushed me far enough to waste all those vials.

I needed to find a way in. To understand what it was really after. Before it showed me something I couldn’t unsee. Something that might trigger a cascade.

I stood up.

‘I’m coming to you,’ I said to Asche through the link.

╭══◞ Aska POV ◟══╮

‘I’m coming to you,’ echoed her voice in my head after hours of silence.

I was sitting upstairs in the room Tulsi had taken over. We’d been talking for a while now—mostly about how she’d be joining us tomorrow as a new assistant and what had gone down at the academy. I hadn’t told her about the whole high elemental thing yet. It didn’t feel like the right time. Besides, part of me wanted to see how she’d react on her own. The look on her face would be priceless.

“Something wrong?” she asked, her expression oddly concerned in that unsettling, too-still way only Vetala managed. Goddess, why did they have to be so creepy.

“Asche is coming back,” I said.

“Oh, Master’s coming back? About time. It’s already dark. Any idea what she was doing outside?” Tulsi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No. And I don’t think she’d tell you.” I paused. “Or even could tell you.”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean by that?”

“Never mind. But go on—weren’t you explaining why you hate those demons just because they’re from that kingdom?”

Tulsi’s expression darkened instantly. “They’re traitors. They believe in false prophets when our queen is still one of the Origins. And yet everyone else pretends she’s a fake.”

“Shouldn’t the divines know something like that for sure?”

“They should,” she snapped. “But they’re not united on it. Our goddess and the so-called Goddess of Light have been at odds since the beginning. They both came to this world, but from the moment they arrived, they clashed.”

I blinked. “Okay… but that just makes even less sense. How do the people in that kingdom not fight each other then?”

“Because they’re part of this obnoxious church,” she said, sneering, “the kind that sees the divine as a collective. For them, it doesn’t matter which deity you worship—as long as you worship something, and believe that the Origins saved the world. Not as bad as the Holy Kingdom, but close. Zealots. Hypocrites.”

Her lips curled into something close to a snarl. “They claim they’d recognize a true Origin if one walked among them—but one of the Origins stands right under their noses, and they dismiss her because not all the divine agree. Utter bullshit.”

“H-huh…” I said, quietly.

“And it gets worse,” Tulsi went on, starting to walk in tight little circles. “A bunch of demon nobles ditched the Ashen Realm and ran off to that shithole kingdom. Why? Taxes. That’s it. Our Queen told them to stop draining people dry, so they bailed. Whole regions fell apart after that, and humans took the opportunity to invade. The centipede girl and that oni brat you fought? Their families were part of that group.”

“If it makes you feel better,” I offered, “they were pretty close to death after what Asche and I did to them.”

Tulsi grinned, sharp and satisfied. “That does help, actually. Thank you.”

I tilted my head, curious. “So… why did you leave then? Couldn’t you have joined the military directly? Gotten enlisted?”

She shook her head. “No. My family has too much influence. If I’d stayed, they’d have pulled me back and married me off—used me as some trophy for alliances. An accessory with a bloodline.”

“In that, demons and humans don’t seem so different,” I muttered.

She gave me a grim look but didn’t argue.

“Anyway,” I said, standing. “I’m heading to my room. I’m pretty tired after today. Don’t forget to be ready tomorrow. I doubt she’d wait for you if you’re late.”

Tulsi smiled slightly. “Of course. Don’t worry—we Vetala don’t need much sleep anyway.”

I left her room and closed the door behind me. Below, the Dancing Tails still pulsed with life—laughter, footsteps, low music laced with strange rhythms. Somewhere, a glass shattered. Someone cheered. But inside our room, it was quiet. Peaceful enough.

I glanced at the document I’d left on her bed earlier. A courier had brought it while she was gone—along with the manual. I’d peeked inside, but it made absolutely no sense to me. Maybe I’d ask her to explain it. Or maybe I should try learning for myself.

I hadn’t really thought about it before, but… what was my future here?

From what I’d gathered, I didn’t age. Not anymore. So what did I exist for now? To help her avoid destroying the world? And after that? After I found my mother? After the lives around me moved on?

I smiled faintly to myself.

Tomorrow, I’d go to the library. I’d figure things out. Piece by piece. And maybe… I’d see Tana again.

Yeah, that would be nice.

╭══◞ MC POV ◟══╮

When I stepped into the Dancing Tails, the place was buzzing. Laughter and music echoed through the inn, loud and constant.

Deidre had apparently become the new star attraction. A swarm of human patrons buzzed around her like flies to honey, and judging by the looks some of the other girls were giving her, they weren’t happy about it. Their jealousy was obvious—they didn’t even bother to hide it.

One of those girls was Cynthia—and, curiously, Zary wasn’t lurking in a corner watching her with that usual possessive, half-longing gaze. That was… odd. I wondered if something had happened between them.

I kept moving, weaving past tables and patrons and guests until I reached the bar. Kazari was working the counter tonight, passing out drinks and handing over keys to travelers. Her tails were low. She looked tired, but when she saw me, her expression lifted.

“Finally back?” she asked.

“Yeah. Hope nothing caught fire after I left,” I said.

She scoffed. “That idiot Marquis? He managed to leave on his own, shockingly. Word is, he got kicked out and reassigned to the frontlines. Probably won’t survive a month. I’m guessing an unfortunate accident will open up his noble seat soon.” She smirked. “Serves the bastard right.”

“That reminds me—Ulrich says hello. Didn’t know you two were acquainted.”

Kazari paused, picked up a wine glass, and began polishing it idly. “We go way back,” she said. “You could even say he was a former lover. Back when he was younger. Greener. Still thought he could fix the world if he studied hard enough. Our daughter still hates him for leaving.”

I raised a brow. “You had a child together?”

She laughed—a soft, nostalgic sound. “We did. Seventy years ago, give or take. He was a young man chasing adventure, always digging into ruins and chasing secrets. We explored a lot of dungeons back then. Good years. But it didn’t last.”

Her gaze turned distant for a breath. “We realized pretty quickly that we wanted different things. I left—went to the city to help our enslaved kin from the shadows, the ones the humans bred, bought, and discarded like cattle. And he… well, he chose their little empire. I was honestly shocked when I found out he’d become the headmaster of the Royal Academy. We still keep in touch, here and there. It’s casual. He helps out from time to time… asks about our daughter.”

“Does he still talk to your daughter?” I asked.

“From time to time,” she said, quieter now. “He checks in. Helps when he can. Asks after her. We keep it… casual.”

I nodded. “He gives off that energy. The kind who cares about his family—even if it costs someone else something. That’s good to know. Thank you.”

Kazari’s hand stilled on the glass. “You… won’t hurt him, will you?”

I considered it for a moment. Then shook my head. “I have no reason to. He’s helping me. I help him. That’s all it needs to be.”

Her shoulders eased, just slightly.

“I assume Asche already told you something?” I added.

“She did,” Kazari said. “I was surprised she came home alone. She looked… sad.”

Our eyes met. I didn’t blink.

“Nothing I can remember,” I said flatly.

She nodded slowly and turned back to her glassware. Funny how my presence seemed to act as a natural barrier—no one dared approach her while I was there.

I let her have the silence and moved on.

“I’m heading to the back,” I said. “Need to grab the ingots for tomorrow. Try to get some rest.”

Kazari gave a small nod. “You too.”

I passed through the rear hallway, pushing the door open and letting the noise of the tavern fall away. The air was cooler back here, and quieter. I walked toward the supply area with steady steps.

My grin began to rise.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I’d begin the first round of tests.

And I’d already decided on my initial subjects. Convenient, really—they were already in the city.

Those. Little.

Heroes.