< Are there any questions that you would like to have answered? >
“I have a lot, but first, let me ask you something. How many lovers do I have?”
< A lot. >
“How many exactly?”
< I think it would be best if I don’t tell you right now. I want it to be a surprise. >
Optimus could have told William the number of lovers and wives he currently had, but the System decided not to.
After everything that happened, the System wanted to see William’s, and his lovers’ reactions when they finally met again after the Half-Elf had lost his memories.
Seeing that Optimus had no intention of answering his first question, he then moved to the next, which was more important than his first question.
“Shannon said that I can recover my memories if she asks her mother, the Goddess Hestia. Is this true?”
< Yesn’t >
“Yesn’t?”
< It is true that you will recover your memories, but not all of them. The Goddess can probably help you recover the memories you have about this world. But, any memories you have of places and people outside of this world, she would be unable to return to you. >
William frowned. He didn’t understand what Optimus was saying, but he had a feeling that the System wasn’t finished with his explanation.
< It might be hard to believe, but you also have the memories of your past lives as well. This is something that the Goddess cannot make you remember because it is outside of her jurisdiction. >
“Past lives?” William blinked in confusion. “Are you talking about Belle?”
< Belle is just one of the ladies linked to you from your previous lives. Let’s just say that your soul is bound by a Karma that has transcended the past thousand years.
< Perhaps, it was Fate, but the people who had a connection with you in those past lives have now gathered in Hestia in order to reunite with you. This is why you needed to recover the memories of your past lives as well, in order for you to become complete. >
“This sounds so complicated.” William scratched his head, but he believed Optimus’ explanation. “So, how do I recover the memories of my past lives?”
< Actually, you have already laid out the foundations for that to happen. >
“I have?”
< Yes. >
The Giant Robot then snapped its fingers, allowing several images to materialize out of thin air.
Seven ladies, all exceptional in their own ways, appeared in front of the Half-Elf.
“Who are they?” William asked.
Among them, he only recognized one, which was Erinys, who had been with him on the deserted island since he had regained his consciousness.
< Haleth, Amelia, Pearl, Priscilla, Anh, Vesta, and Erinys. These are the seven ladies that you need to gather in order to find Hope. >
“Hope?”
< Allow me to make it clearer. You need to make all of them gather together in order to meet the Virtuous Lady, who represents the Eighth Heavenly Virtue, Hope. She has the answers to most questions in the world, and she is capable of returning all of your memories to you. >
“Hope…,” William muttered. “How fitting.”
< Right. >
The Half-Elf glanced at the seven ladies before shifting his attention back to Optimus, who was waiting for him to ask him more questions.
“Do you know about the Army of Destruction?” William asked.
< Yes. >
“Can Hope help us deal with them?”
Suddenly, Optimus did something that he had never done before. The giant robot in front of Will laughed. He laughed so hard that his voice echoed within Will’s Sea of Consciousness.
< I’m sorry, but your question made me imagine something funny. >
“Something funny?”
< Indeed. I imagined the Virtuous Lady of Hope running away with all her might as soon as the Army of Destruction descended on Hestia. >
“Oh! So she’s a scaredy cat?”
< Not a scaredy cat, but she’s more of a support character. Also, you can’t rely on Hope to fix your problems for you. Although Hope is there, in the end, the one that will have to act will be you. This is why we need to recover your memories as soon as possible. This world needs you, Will. >
William sighed before sitting cross-legged on the blue sea under his feet. Just a few days ago, he was living a carefree life without worrying about things like the end of the world.
Although he found that losing his memory was troublesome, he didn’t feel like living in peace on the deserted island with Shannon and Erinys was a bad thing. However, after Shannon had told him the truth, and revealed to him how he lost his memory, he couldn’t pretend that what he saw didn’t happen.
Now that Optimus had also made his appearance, it was quite obvious that William must regain all of his memories in preparation for the arrival of the Army of Destruction, which would mark the end of the world.
“Optimus, can you tell me if there is really a way to stop this world from being destroyed?” William inquired.
< … I don’t know. >
“You don’t?”
< After connecting to the Information Network, Readdit, I found out that not a single world has survived the full invasion of the Army of Destruction. Some managed to defeat their scouting parties, like you have been able to do, but after their main army arrived, the worlds were unable to resist the power of the God of Destruction. >
“So, it is hopeless?”
< I didn’t say that it is hopeless. It is just that no one had succeeded in defeating them. >
William smiled bitterly as he looked up at the robot who towered above him.
“Isn’t that the same?” William inquired.
< There’s a first time for everything. Also, I believe in you, Will. >
“Believe in me?”
< Yes. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve a happy ending. >
Optimus had watched William’s journey since he was young, and he had been there to support the Half-Elf from the shadows whenever he needed it. Although he had already calculated if there was a chance that Hestia would be able to win the war against the Army of Destruction, the result he gained, even after adding all the variables, was not optimistic.
William asked a few more questions, and Optimus answered them all to the best of his abilities. When the System felt like the Half-Elf needed time to absorb the information that he had been given, he bid the Half-Elf goodbye and returned William’s consciousness to the real world.
