Silence settled between them, yet Viola's mind refused to rest, thoughts crashing into one another as the weight of Elizabeth's words sank deeper into her chest
Millions of years of worlds being consumed, civilizations erased as if they were nothing more than passing entertainment
And now Earth stood next in line
Viola slowly lowered her pen, eyes fixed on the tiny dragon who now lazily rolled onto her back, legs in the air as if the entire conversation had been nothing serious at all
"So in the future," Viola asked quietly, "more rulers will come here too, right?"
Elizabeth cracked one eye open
"Eventually, yes, but only during the final phase. First come the beasts, then the stronger ones, then the calamities, and finally the rulers descend one after another. That's the usual pattern"
A chill crawled along Viola's spine
Final phase
The moment humanity truly collapsed
She clenched her jaw
"In my previous timeline," she murmured, mostly to herself, "cities were already falling before that stage even arrived"
Elizabeth tilted her head
"That means your world was weaker than average"
The blunt answer stung, though Viola couldn't deny it
Hunters fought each other while gates multiplied, guilds refused cooperation, powerful individuals cared more about fame than survival, and civilians were left defenseless
Weak indeed
Viola inhaled slowly, forcing calm into her system
"Then tell me something else," she continued, straightening in her seat, "can the gates be stopped?"
Elizabeth scratched her cheek
"Stopped completely? No. Delayed, maybe. Controlled, possibly. But the expansion itself cannot be erased. It's like hunger, a world needing more space to breathe"
"So we're just supposed to accept destruction?"
Elizabeth shrugged again
"Most worlds fail. Some survive longer. Very few push the Labyrinth back enough to stabilize things. But it requires unity and absurd strength"
Unity
Strength
Two things hunters severely lacked
Viola stared at her notebook, then slowly began writing again
If the gates could not be stopped, then humanity had only one option
Prepare before chaos began
Train hunters properly
Create alliances early
Prevent useless internal conflicts
Strengthen cities before collapse
And above all else, keep powerful individuals alive
Her pen paused
Ezekiel
In the last timeline, he died because he was abandoned inside a dungeon incident manipulated by rival guilds, sacrificed for power.
This time, she would never let that happen
Elizabeth suddenly flipped
"First, I need allies. Hunters I can trust. People who will still be standing two years from now"
Names surfaced in her mind one after another, some powerful, some underestimated, some who died tragically in the previous timeline
People she could save
People who could save others
Elizabeth crossed her tiny arms
"You're planning to fight the Labyrinth itself?"
Viola glanced at her
"No"
A quiet fire burned in her eyes
"I'm planning to make sure this world survives it"
Good luck with that," Elizabeth said cheerfully, stretching her tiny wings.
"And don't forget to keep me entertained. Oh, and don't forget to make me food. You promised to provide for me as long as I'm here."
Viola blinked, then sighed.
"Alright, alright."
Before she could say anything else, Elizabeth hopped off the table and flew straight toward the living room.
"I'm watching TV now," she declared.
Viola followed her with her eyes, shaking her head. It still felt surreal how quickly Elizabeth adapted to human life. Just a few days ago, she didn't even know what a television was. Now she handled the remote control like a seasoned couch addict.
Elizabeth flopped onto the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned on the television with surprising familiarity. Viola leaned against the doorway, watching the tiny dragon make herself comfortable among the cushions.
"I guess she really learned what a TV is now," Viola muttered.
Sure enough, Elizabeth was already browsing channels until she stopped at a fantasy drama series. The opening theme played, showing castles, knights, magic battles, and dramatic romance scenes.
Elizabeth's eyes sparkled.
"Oh, this one is good."
Viola headed toward the kitchen while the show played. A moment later, popping sounds filled the air as she prepared popcorn. She returned with a large bowl, setting it on the table.
Elizabeth immediately stuffed her mouth.
"This human snack is amazing."
Viola rolled her eyes.
The drama episode unfolded on screen, set in a fantasy kingdom where magic and swordsmanship determined one's worth. The story followed a young woman who disguised herself as a man to join the knight order, despite women being forbidden from becoming knights.
It was her lifelong dream.
Elizabeth munched on popcorn, eyes glued to the screen.
"I like this girl," she commented. "She's stubborn.
Viola smiled faintly.
"People like characters who chase their dreams."
The scene shifted. The protagonist, still hiding her identity, dressed elegantly to attend a royal ball. She was secretly investigating a corrupt noble involved in illegal dealings.
Music filled the ballroom. Nobles danced, servants moved around with trays of wine, and crystal chandeliers illuminated the grand hall.
Then the camera focused on the royal family entering the ballroom one by one.
Elizabeth leaned forward.
"Here comes the important characters."
The king and queen appeared first, followed by princes and nobles. Applause echoed in the scene as the royal family greeted the guests.
Then the announcer's voice rang out.
"Her Highness, the Young Princess."
A young princess stepped forward in a beautiful gown, smiling gracefully as nobles bowed in respect.
Elizabeth suddenly froze.
A second later, she jumped upright, popcorn scattering everywhere.
"Hey, wait!"
Viola flinched.
"What now?"
Elizabeth pointed at the screen in shock.
"Isn't that you?"
Viola blinked and looked at the television.
The princess on screen had silver hair, calm eyes, and a gentle expression strikingly similar to Viola's appearance.
Yes, that's me. But wait, aren't you supposed to know that already, considering you saw my memories?
Elizabeth didn't want to admit it, but because of the reckless time reversal, she had become weak and could no longer view other people's memories. Even the memories she had already seen from others were now incomplete and fragmented.
"Right, right. I just forgot," she said, making excuses.
Now she somewhat regretted her actions, even though she knew it wasn't her power alone that made reversing time possible.