Chapter 42 – The Consequence of the Condition
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No explosion.
No collapse.
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Only—
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a silent yet absolute change.
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Inside the room—
Elias was still standing.
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Stable.
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But no longer the same as before.
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He clenched his hand.
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The shadow beneath his feet wavered—
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out of sync.
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"…The magic core…" "…has been affected."
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Rei looked.
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"…Confirmed."
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"…Cause: condition interference."
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Elias gave a faint smile.
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"…You call it 'interference.'"
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"…I call it 'a price.'"
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Outside the room—
the alarms had stopped.
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But no one left their position.
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Observation room.
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A mage spoke quietly:
"…He just created a binding himself."
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"Without the system."
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"Without a ritual."
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"…Then what sustains it?"
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Silence.
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No one answered.
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Elsewhere—
the tall, slender man examined the data.
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"…No contract fluctuations."
"…No energy linkage."
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"…Yet the condition still exists."
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He smiled faintly.
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"…He has created a new form of binding."
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"…Not magic."
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"…But a continuously maintained choice."
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Back in the room—
Elias took a step.
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His body halted.
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Not pain.
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But—
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no longer fully synchronized with his darkness.
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"…This is bad."
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Rei observed.
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"…Capability reduced."
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"…Confirmed."
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Elias looked at him.
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"…Do you regret it?"
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A question not meant as a test.
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Just—
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a human asking another human.
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Rei did not answer immediately.
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The space around him was stable.
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No longer in conflict.
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Because—
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he had already chosen.
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"…No."
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Elias fell silent.
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"…Why?"
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Rei looked at him.
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"…The condition has been accepted."
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"…And is being maintained."
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"…There is no error."
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A very "Rei" answer.
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But—
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not entirely the same as before.
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Because this time—
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the condition was created by him.
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The door burst open.
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Lira rushed in.
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"…Are you two okay?!"
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She stopped.
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Looking at Elias.
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"…Master…"
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She realized immediately.
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"…Your mana has decreased."
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Elias did not deny it.
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"…Partially."
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"…Because of him?"
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Silence.
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Rei answered instead:
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"…Confirmed."
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Lira turned to him.
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"…Then you—"
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She stopped.
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Unable to continue.
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Because she didn't know what to ask.
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Rei looked at her.
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"…No need to worry."
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"…The condition is stable."
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A statement that made Lira freeze.
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Not because of its content.
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But because—
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this was the first time Rei had actively reassured someone.
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Observation room.
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A mage whispered:
"…He just…"
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"…prioritized someone else's emotions?"
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The one beside him shook his head.
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"…No."
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"…He is protecting the condition he chose."
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"…But the result—"
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"…is identical to emotional behavior."
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Far away—
the tall, slender man stood up.
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"…Enough."
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"…The observation phase is over."
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"…Begin harvesting."
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Another person asked:
"…What now?"
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He smiled.
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"Now—"
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"we break another condition."
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"…Which condition?"
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He looked into the crystal.
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"…trust."
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Back—
Rei stood still.
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But this time—
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not completely motionless.
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A part of his awareness—
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was maintaining the new condition.
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Not automatic.
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But—
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actively sustaining it.
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"…Consumption."
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Rei whispered.
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Not mana.
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But—
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attention.
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Elias heard it.
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"…You have to maintain it?"
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Rei nodded slightly.
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"…If not maintained—"
"…the condition will disappear."
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"…And I—"
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He paused.
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A moment.
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"…do not want that."
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Silence.
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Elias turned away.
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"…You're really troublesome."
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But—
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his voice was softer than before.
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End of Chapter.
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Hidden Status Board:
> Rei (零)
Status: Maintaining self-created binding
Resource consumed: Continuous awareness
Note:
"The subject begins to understand that a choice is not just an action—
but something that must be sustained."
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Arc 3 continues.
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It is no longer the question of "what Rei is."
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But—
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how far Rei will go to preserve what he has chosen.