『 "Then let's talk about this second grand gamble. Tell me, what do you plan to wager this time?"
"My life. I bet you won't send me to the execution ground."
Jade looked into Aventurine's seemingly calm eyes, discerning the madness unique to a gambler within them, and she let out a soft laugh.
"Hmm… and what is it you wish to gain?"
"I want your Lanor to come see me. I have something to say." 』
『 ....』
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: What does 'Lanor' mean?
〘Dr. Ratio〙: A term in some local indigenous languages, equivalent to a chief or leader.
....
『 Jade nodded upon hearing this and continued to ask, "And then?"
"I want money."
Hearing this request, Jade couldn't help but laugh. She sized up the man before her, who had caused both the IPC and the Intelligentsia Guild to pay a heavy price. She didn't believe the man in front of her would make such a simple request.
"It can't be that simple, can it?"
Aventurine raised his head, looking directly at the viper-like woman before him, and calmly repeated, "It is that simple. Thirty Tanbas—the price of half my life, no more, no less."
With that, he took a deep breath and looked at Jade with a playful smile. "As long as I have this money, I can climb to a position higher than yours and hold more wealth than you… I bet you won't dare to give it to me. So, call him over." 』
『 ....』
〘Topaz〙: You were quite arrogant back then. How many Credit Points is thirty Tanbas even worth?
〘Aventurine〙: To me at that time, this deeply memorable number was enough to serve as my starting capital. Even if that man is dead, I want to prove to myself that thirty Tanbas is enough for me to crush him to death.
....
『 Looking at the man provoking her and his confident expression, Jade withdrew her habitual smile. After a thoughtful silence of a moment, she spoke softly, "Heh, interesting."
"Regrettably, 'Diamond' will not see you. No one can see him. Therefore, at this moment, I am Diamond's representative, deciding on his behalf."
Before Aventurine could react, Jade continued.
"You are wrong. Thirty Tanbas, I will give to you, and far more than that. Wealth, status, power… the IPC will give you everything you want, and everything you don't."
With that, she let out a soft sigh. "Yes, 'Kakavasha'… it is a good name, but unfortunately destined to be buried in the dirt. But 'you' are worth keeping alive to create more wealth for us."
Jade stood up, stretched, and slowly walked over to Aventurine's side. She patted his shoulder and said with earnest gravity, "Go on. Pick a set of clothes you like, choose an identity of your choosing… and then make good use of them, child."
"May your schemes never be exposed." 』
『 ....』
〘Jade〙: From then on, there was no more Kakavasha in the cosmos, only a gambler named Aventurine.
〘Stelle〙: What does your catching Kakavasha have to do with me, Aventurine?
....
『 Along with Jade's words, the screen faded to black, and then Aventurine's voiceover resounded.
"Life is like a long-term investment. Choosing the right people, doing the right things, reaching the right outcome, and showing one's value to the world."
"A person cannot make only correct decisions their entire life, but good luck is always on my side. I have never lost."
"Is it because the Mother Goddess is protecting me? If so, she must be watching over me at this moment as well. I will surely succeed."
"…But, what then?"
"If I successfully overcome this hurdle, what comes next? What awaits me after a grand gamble… is it another, even grander gamble?"
"Is it returning fully loaded with countless chips after one success after another, or after a single failure…"
"…never to return?" 』
『 ....』
〘Jade〙: So our little Kakavasha gets lost in doubt, too. Did the power of the Harmony amplify your emotions?
〘Aventurine〙: Probably…
....
『 "Haha, don't you have any idea in your heart…" A voice identical to Aventurine's came, filled with mockery in its tone.
"…you lowly gambler?"
Hearing this voice, Aventurine opened his eyes and looked at the phantom Aventurine before him. He closed his eyes again and, upon opening them once more, found the phantom had vanished. He shook his head in shock, "What's going on?" 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Afraid to open your eyes, hoping it's just my hallucination~
〘Stelle〙: Two Aventurines?
〘Robin〙: It is likely the influence of the Harmony's power.
....
『 A mocking laugh came from behind him once more. Aventurine turned his head and clearly saw his own phantom, which truly existed before him. Clutching his head with his hand, Aventurine muttered, "Am I dreaming, or have I gone completely mad?"
"Perhaps both." A mocking smile hung on the phantom's lips. "Have you forgotten me already? When you were tied to the electric chair by the warlords of Iymuniri, who was the one who gave you the idea?"
"Enough…" Aventurine interrupted the phantom's words with a cold face. "I may be mad, but I'm not stupid. Get out of my head, newborn of the 'Harmony'."
The phantom couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, then retorted, "Heh, 'Harmony'? Don't be silly. This isn't the first time we've met. No need to be so distant, is there?"
"I am you, and I understand 'ourselves' even better than you do, knowing exactly what you want. You are about to die, and even on the brink of death, you still want to drag a few unlucky fools along with you… That's why you came here, isn't it?"
After saying this, the phantom stared coldly at Aventurine, as if trying to see right through him. He sneered, "Hmph, the grand opening performance—do you really think you can pull it off?"
"Why not?" Aventurine responded, crossing his arms and showing no sign of weakness.
"Perhaps you can fool everyone, but you cannot fool yourself." The phantom pointed this out in a calm tone.
"I can prove it to you—before you completely disappear, I will accompany you on this final stretch of the road…"
"We can have a good talk on the way."
With that, the phantom walked toward the interior of the theme park. Watching the phantom pass by him, Aventurine turned his head and shouted at his departing back, "Damn it, what the hell are you?"
The phantom stopped in his tracks, crossed his arms, and gave a cold reply. "Most people in this world spend their entire lives just to reach one outcome… and I am that outcome."
"Kakavasha… I am your future." 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Can a future that can be seen still be called the future?
〘Fu Xuan〙: The future changes the moment you see it. If it cannot be changed, then that is destiny.
〘Fu Xuan〙: It is a very simple concept. When you use some means to see a certain scene and wish to change it, you simply do not do that thing or do not appear there at the time you saw it. Thus, the future is changed. Destiny, on the other hand, means that no matter what changes you make, and no matter how much effort you exert, coincidences will still bring about that scene. In fact, the future you tried to change might even facilitate the occurrence of that scene. The future can be changed, but destiny cannot be defied.
〘Stelle〙: Then if destiny tells me I will die tomorrow, and tomorrow I remain completely unharmed, am I supposed to commit suicide?
〘Fu Xuan〙: There has only ever been one path of destiny.
〘Yaoguang〙: Sigh…
....