Chapter 221

So, what’re you gonna do now? Just sit back and watch.

But Victoria just stands there doing nothing.

I look around to see if there’s water floating nearby, but there’s no sign of any droplets hovering in the air.

Is she overwhelmed by how intense reality is right now?

Meanwhile, the citizens are dragging students out of mechanical devices and killing them.

Even though they’re riding mechanical contraptions, this world isn’t like that faded memory where regular folks without weapons stand no chance against tanks. Here, even civilians can be absurdly strong.

It’s not just about casting spells—there are plenty of ordinary people who fight monsters for a living.

So, riding one of those heavy-duty wind-up machines doesn’t make you invincible.

Unlike Bern City, Victoria’s situation is dangerous too.

Still, if you can control water, you could probably take on most people… or most living things, at least.

For some reason, I remember a character from that faded memory story who gained forbidden powers to manipulate water as an antagonist.

They controlled moisture inside bodies. In that case, it was blood, but humans are 70% water. There’s even fluid flowing through the brain.

You’d die before you even realized what hit you. From Victoria’s perspective, since there wasn’t any water moving around, I guessed she didn’t have that ability. Still, I headed toward her location.

Surprisingly, Victoria didn’t move immediately.

Instead, she turned around and ran away.

Victoria was coming toward me, and I was heading toward her.

In the next moment, Victoria saw me.

I looked at her face.

Her pupils were pale and clouded over. Despair hung under her eyes. Clearly, she’d lost something important.

Even though I already knew intellectually, seeing it up close hits differently.

Without saying anything, Victoria rushed over and tightly hugged me. Uh… public displays like this are kinda awkward…

But I get it.

I used to be human too, so I understand somewhat. Back then, I wasn’t someone chasing dreams like Victoria though.

I just drifted through life until I suddenly found myself surrounded by bone-chilling cold.

Yeah, I get it.

She’s hugging me tightly without crying.

But there’s a problem.

“Hey! That’s the runaway student!”

“Grab her!”

“Seize and kill her!”

If Victoria spotted them, they definitely saw her too. A kid running away from a burning school would naturally be assumed to be a student.

Not that it matters anyway—they wouldn’t stop regardless.

Killed a kid thinking they were a student? Whoops. Doesn’t matter now.

That way, you’re still the good guy. You’re aware your actions were wrong, at least.

Some people try to shift the blame instead. They scream about why you were there in the first place. Classic “pot calling the kettle black.” They can’t admit their own mistakes.

It’s not ignorance—it’s because they can’t handle damaging their sense of self-worth.

Well, not traditional honor. More like belonging within their community. That’s why groups often fall apart when too many join.

People will sacrifice anything—truth, justice, family—to preserve that sense of belonging.

Religions, companies, all kinds of organizations exploit this.

Belonging somewhere is crucial for human evolution. Without a group, you died. With one, you survived.

That instinct stuck around even after societies became more complex.

Why can’t you quit a job that asks unreasonable things “for the company”?

Why can’t you refuse sacrifices demanded “for the religion”?

Because ancient instincts remain deeply rooted.

Back then, society was simpler. You only belonged to one group.

As civilizations grew more complicated and multiple factions formed, biology couldn’t keep pace with cultural advancements.

Normal people struggle just being part of one group.

And once they belong, they cling to it.

Sure, it might be low intelligence, broken minds, or peer pressure—but ultimately, they latch onto whatever group accepts them.

Everyone here is the same.

To maintain their group, they’ll do anything.

Already armed with bloody tools, they approach us.

“Can bells bring back the dead?”

At my ear, Victoria’s voice sounds icy cold, filled with murderous intent. So, I answered honestly.

“No. Impossible. The dead stay dead.”

“Hmm. I see.”

The air suddenly dried out.

All moisture vanished.

Lifting her hand off my shoulder, Victoria stood up and let go of me.

“That witch! Kill her!”

“It’s all your fault we’ve starved!”

“If we kill all of you, everything will go back to normal!”

“Murderer using wind-up machines to slaughter people!”

“Madman creating devilish machinery!”

Like they’re trying to justify their actions as righteous, the crowd shouts loudly in every direction.

As if screaming louder makes their deeds acceptable.

But Victoria was stronger.

SHREEEEK!

Thin streams of water scattered through the air.

Then, everyone charging at her with weapons lost their legs below the knee.

Unlucky ones lost thighs; tall ones lost shins.

The smell of blood exploded into the air.

But only for a second.

The scent vanished like it had been erased, the very air seeming to settle.

“Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh-!”

The screams echoing from the ground soon stopped.

No, more accurately, when they fell, water rose and submerged them. Sound should travel underwater, but it felt like the waves themselves were swallowed. The water absorbed all noise.

Those still conscious tried to wriggle away despite missing limbs, but they couldn’t move.

Though arms flailed uselessly above the ground, the rising water wasn’t liquid anymore.

It solidified.

“Huh?”

What gives?

There’s no warmth here.

Despite looking like this, nobody’s dying.

“Didn’t you mean to kill them?”

“Well, should I?”

Victoria stares at me with empty eyes. I almost shouted for total annihilation but managed to hold back.

Concepts must be upheld.

“I don’t care what you do. Do whatever feels right to you. If you accept me, I support your choices.”

Kill whoever you want. Blame them.

I’ll stick to my principles.

Never lie. Keep dividing myself. Through that, I find the warmth I seek.

Yes, warmth is key.

Even from close friends, I prioritize actions that give me warmth. Even if Victoria commits mass murder, I’ll simply watch.

“I won’t kill them.”

Surprisingly, no revenge?

“Ah, I see. So that earlier question about reviving the dead was about deciding whether to kill or spare them. Meaning, you planned to save them from the start?”

Hmph.

Then I’ll use these.

I started walking toward the frozen chunks of meat.

Or rather, I tried to walk. But Victoria grabbed my arm.

“Where are you going?”

“There are people asking for me.”

Desperate people clinging to anything, even rotten ropes, after falling into despair. The same people who tried to kill Victoria moments ago.

So?

All I see are potential harvesters.

“You’re going to save them? Turn them into more of *you*?! When they wake up, they’ll just try to kill you again! Are you really that clueless about human nature?”

Victoria continued speaking.

Looking genuinely disappointed, she grabbed my collar and lifted me up.

“You’re such a heartless monster who doesn’t understand human feelings!”

Bullseye.

But as I nodded along, I realized agreeing would break this girl standing before me.

Alone in an empty place.

Hmm… What should I do?

Soo’s face flashed in my mind, but I closed my eyes.

Tch.

I grabbed Victoria’s hand holding my collar.

“Victoria, everyone deserves a chance. Whether they’re good or evil, whether their sins are unforgivable…”

I indiscriminately create harvesters.

The greedier the person, the better they’ll utilize me.

In the first world, pretending to be benevolent failed. Here, I’ll experiment with irresponsibility.

“I’m going to share myself with these dying people now. If they start fighting again afterward, well, that’s what it means to be human.”

I pushed hard, breaking free of Victoria’s grip. Given my strength, she likely let go on purpose. Has her resolve truly shattered?

This might end up like Bern City with massive casualties. Then, it’ll be warm for the first time in ages.

Looking at Victoria’s gaze fixed on me, I approached the butchered bodies lying around.

And recited the contract.

“I offer myself to you. In return, when you finish everything, I’ll take all you’ve gained. How does that sound?”

Words don’t matter here. Even unconscious, this contract pierces through impossibilities.

And the result is clear.

Countless harvesters woke up, their hair turning purple, skin deathly pale.

---