“Thump-thump—”
“Thump-thump—”
The initial sense of panic gradually ebbed away as he listened to the steady heartbeat of the person beside him.
This seemed to be someone’s past.
Mu Ran pulled himself back from that strange state of immersion, realizing this point naturally.
*...Anyway, let’s just keep watching?*
The owner of these memories seemed to have possessed self-awareness even as an infant.
He could feel his mother’s warmth, her touch, and her whispered words of love. He could hear the heartbeats of the two people closest to him. Within those rhythmic pulses, a sense of anticipation gradually took root.
A longing to be born. A longing for a new world.
...
Thus, when that day arrived, he sensed it ahead of time and was exceptionally active.
But amidst a haze of crimson, he saw no light. He felt only his mother’s increasingly feeble heartbeat and his motionless brother.
He yielded the opportunity to be born first to his weakened brother, stepping into the light a moment later.
Before he could let out his first cry into the world, something tightened around his neck.
The umbilical cord, which had once provided him with nutrients and life, had now become a lethal weapon of strangulation.
“It is him.”
“He is the one from the prophecy.”
“Use this... strangle him to death directly.”
Messengers in white, their faces blurred and indistinct, spoke these words.
He died amidst the struggle.
Yet, moments later, his breath rose and fell once more.
“He’s still breathing? Truly ominous!”
He seemed to experience many cycles of reincarnation. An unknown power sustained his life, only to dim through repeated exhaustion.
During his final death, he was cast into a deep spring.
In a desperate will to survive on the brink of annihilation, he awakened his ability. The omnipresent water elements rescued him.
He drifted and wandered through countless places, mimicking the actions of others and concealing everything about his past.
The prophecy said that twins were ominous.
He finally understood why his birth was not accepted.
But he wanted to live.
He masked his face, hid his spirit form, and restrained his abilities, living cautiously in a world that did not welcome him.
But...
He lifted his eyes, gazing at the golden-haired youth who possessed a face identical to his own yet lived under the sunlight and the protection of the Church. The justifications he had built up over a long time suddenly collapsed.
Why...
Why was it him?
The white bird was stained with filth and darkness, mirroring the sudden, deathly silence of its master’s soul.
He sought an answer.
...
Mu Ran felt as though he were suffocating just as an onlooker.
This was too tragic.
A tumultuous birth, a difficult survival—he had even been raised by wild beasts for a time. After finally accepting the so-called fact that he was "ominous" and carefully hiding in the shadows to avoid the light, he discovered that his brother could live a normal life, even under the care of the Church.
Speaking of which... although the prophecy stated that twins were ominous, whether it was the starkly different fates of Carlos and Erwin or the scenes Mu Ran had witnessed, it was clearly targeting the younger brother.
The actual prophecy likely pointed more specifically toward the misfortune of the younger of the twins.
Carlos didn't know this.
...But even if he did, he probably wouldn't be able to accept it.
Mu Ran withdrew his thoughts as the memory fragments before him continued to flow.
...
He found an opportunity to join the party.
He was out of place in this harmonious and lively atmosphere, but he didn't care.
He stood by a tree, watching the golden-haired youth frolic cheerfully with the team members, his gaze heavy.
It wasn't until the Saintess perceptively looked up that he hurriedly averted his eyes.
No, he wasn't envious.
So there was no need to give him extra attention, no need for those inexplicable daily greetings, and no need for those looks that were thought to be well-hidden.
...
He opened his eyes in the darkness.
Erwin’s face was inches away; the warmth of his breath seemed to travel through the air to his skin.
They were very close, in a position that was almost an embrace.
Just as they once were.
[Brother.]
As if deluded by the current warmth and sense of stability, he spoke soundlessly.
Then, he pursed his lips in embarrassment and closed his eyes as if to escape.
What on earth was he doing...
...
The Son of God.
He quietly watched the youth with deep blue eyes in the distance, watching the other’s cold and heartless mouth shape the words:
—This is fate.
He lowered his eyes, his heart stinging as if seared by fire.
Yes, his fate was to be killed at the moment of birth.
But he wanted to live.
Even if it was just for one more day.
...
In these memories, Mu Ran also saw himself through Carlos's eyes.
The youth with the bewitching face rarely spoke, but every time he conversed with the owner of the memory, he would suddenly toss out a question the other couldn't answer in a casual tone.
“Are you wearing a disguise?”
“Is your spirit form really this fish?”
“Do you have any brothers?”
Mu Ran: ...*Cough.*
Mu Ran: *Every word hits a sore spot. No wonder he wanted to avoid me (guilty).*
If he hadn't resolved Joan's inner conflict and built up some favorability, Carlos probably would have continued to avoid him even after entering the secret realm.
The illusion of memories was nearing its end.
The final way to break the trial was simple for Mu Ran: he only needed to kill the Carlos who appeared at the end of the illusion.
The surroundings shifted rapidly. Mu Ran stood in place, wiping non-existent blood from his blade, feeling quite speechless.
If the original plot involved the twins entering together... this was practically forcing the two to turn against each other.
Fortunately, it was he and Carlos who were paired together in the end.
Wait... hold on!
Mu Ran was suddenly struck by a realization.
If what he saw was Carlos’s memories, then what would the other person see?!
His experimental records all had security measures!
Would the other person be trapped in a blank memory??
—
In anxious anticipation, Mu Ran finally saw Carlos appear.
Mu Ran: “!”
“How was it? Are you okay?”
Carlos’s expression was somewhat dazed, as if he hadn't yet recovered from the illusion. He only shook his head blankly.
Mu Ran guiltily probed: “Cough, did anything happen just now?”
“I saw some things.”
Mu Ran was burning with anxiety: “What things? Tell me the details!”
“It was...” Carlos paused, then suddenly looked straight at Mu Ran. “Are you very nervous?”
Mu Ran: “...”
“Not really~ just a bit curious.” He maintained a forced tone of nonchalance.
Carlos stared at him quietly for a while, then suddenly gave a soft laugh. “That’s good. Then I don't need to deliberately recall it either.”
“Let us each keep some of the other’s secrets.”
Mu Ran: ...
*Dammit!*
Presumably, Carlos had guessed that his past had been discovered. His vigilance had spiked, and he wanted to keep a means of leverage to feel at ease.
*Sigh, since the World Consciousness hasn't issued an alarm, it should be fine...* Mu Ran gave up. *Then it doesn't matter!*
Mu Ran spread his hands. “Alright, then let’s go.”
Carlos: !
He hesitated for a moment. “You’re not going to ask anymore?”
Mu Ran pulled him toward the exit without looking back. “Even if I ask, you won't tell me. Better to keep it to yourself; at least it might give you some peace of mind.”
A soft rebuttal came from behind, faint as if scattered by the wind:
“...I don't need any peace of mind.”
Mu Ran habitually smoothed his feathers. “Yes, yes, I was overthinking it.”
Carlos lowered his head, looking at his hand being held. His expression was inscrutable.
He had lied.
He didn't know the other’s secrets at all.
Because everything in the illusion was blurred and chaotic: broken words that were hard to piece together, strange and exotic clothing, and a low, eerie voice like that of an ancient god murmuring—
[Disguise]
[Self-sacrifice]
When he reached the very end of the illusion, it was the master of the illusion who lifted his hand.
[...Try to change something?]
He clearly couldn't hear any words, yet he inexplicably understood the other’s thoughts in his heart, and was thus filled with confusion and bewilderment.
Change? Change what?
—
The System opened its eyes. The Saintess beside him asked softly, “What is it, my Lord? The meditation is not yet over.”
“The Grand Ceremony is in a few days...” A solemn-faced middle-aged man seemed to want to say something harsh, but then his tone suddenly softened upon thinking of something. “Even if your talent is superior, you still need to work hard to make up for the time you lost.”
The System closed its eyes in feigned obedience.
[System: It’s good that you’re okay.]
[System: I have replaced that Son of God. I will likely appear at the upcoming Grand Ceremony.]
[Mu Ran: ! So fast! What happened? Don't they care a lot about birth and such?]
[System: Because of the enthusiastic support of that Bishop gentleman.]
[System: Moreover, the Church’s original intention was merely to choose a puppet to act as a mouthpiece for the Church’s will. It doesn't matter who it is; in fact, the less autonomy they have, the better.]
Combined with the fact that the System perfectly matched the image of the "Son of God" they expected, after some maneuvering, the title of Son of God was quietly changed a week before the ceremony.
The System was even taken to see the Holy Wall where the divine prophecies were carved, learning the original "Twin" prophecy.
[System: If we want to change this world, we can try to claim this identity.]
[Mu Ran: !]
[Mu Ran: But our shells look different, and logically, the spirit forms of twins should be the same.]
[System: 'Twins' is merely a product of the Church's interpretation. The sentence etched on the wall only mentions 'Twin Stars.']
Two infants born at the same moment are companion Twin Stars descended to the mortal realm.
They will understand each other better than anyone else in the world, their souls intertwined.
One shall wield the authority of the gods, leading the Church to spread the divine will; the other shall become an uncrowned king, commanding armies to unify the six nations.
Being born at the same time and being companion Twin Stars, the Church naturally interpreted these lines as twins. Furthermore, due to the stereotype of the older brother being steady and the younger being mischievous, they assumed the Son of God was the elder of the twins.
In the past, Fengyi was still friendly toward twins born within its own borders, but held ten thousand suspicions toward twins born in other nations—especially the younger of the two.
If that nation refused to hand over the twins even under constant pressure, they would use it as a pretext to launch a military campaign, swallowing the opponent with the grace left behind by the gods.
Later, centuries of prosperity and dominance had caused them to lose their reverence for the prophecy, and they no longer looked forward to the appearance of the Twin Stars.
After all, they were already powerful enough; why invite unnecessary variables?
The elder twin could be kept for observation. As for the other...
He must not be left alive.
The crown atop the royal family’s head had been worn for too long, and the terms for the throne had long been arranged. How could a boy of unknown origin be allowed to touch it?
To this day, Fengyi still maintained this practice.
Unfortunately, Mu Ran and the System intended to stir things up.
Since the two of them wanted to exploit a loophole, those few lines could very well be given a different interpretation.
[System: We don't need to obsess over the twin identity.]
[System: Rather, the fact that even such a divine decree could be misinterpreted means the Church’s authority is already crumbling.]
[Mu Ran: !]
*A strange new line of thought has been added.jpg*
[System: However, our identities are indeed an issue.]
Although the need wasn't as urgent as in the previous world, they needed to find a reasonable identity to function better.
[System: What do you think?]
[Mu Ran: ...Um, the person in that tavern before, wasn't he a survivor of the North Tower?]
[Mu Ran: At that time, he seemed to have mistaken me for an acquaintance.]
[Mu Ran: Our philosophy should be quite similar to that of the kingdom that has already perished.]
The System followed his train of thought.
[System: Yes, and since the North Tower fell hundreds of years ago, the details of its citizens' identities are difficult to verify.]
Mu Ran’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
[Mu Ran: Exactly! Then we have both identity and motivation!]
According to the experience from the last world, they needed to let the protagonist group know this news so that the World Consciousness would take notice and actively fill in the past.
Mu Ran’s position in the protagonist group suddenly became incredibly crucial.
[System: So, it all depends on you now.]
[System: Good luck.]
Mu Ran, who had previously felt a bit "emo" about whether he was too useless, suddenly felt a heavy responsibility.
Nervous, but excited!
[Mu Ran: Mmhmm! I’ll work hard to drop hints about our identities to the protagonist group!]
[Mu Ran: I’m super good at bluffing! Um... I already have thirty percent of your flair (not really).]
The System seemed to give a short laugh.
[System: Good. Very impressive.]
At the end of the communication, the System did not forget to remind him.
[System: Remember, the Grand Ceremony is in four days.]
[Mu Ran: !]
[Mu Ran: By the way, at the ceremony... do I need to do anything? (timid.jpg)]
Although they had long agreed to change the plotline, when it came to the critical moment, Mu Ran didn't know what he could actually do.
The corners of the System’s mouth curled up slightly.
In the chaos of a fallen god, the entire world would be a canvas that could be painted upon at will.
[System: When the time comes, just perform however you like.]
[Mu Ran: !]
He began to wonder if he should prepare a draft of a speech or something in advance...
*Hehe, maybe I’ll have to give a speech then, ww.*
...
What the System concealed during this communication was his own proactivity in these actions.
Upon learning that Mu Ran had accidentally entered a secret realm containing the World Consciousness and might need a long time to escape, the System had no intention of waiting around obediently.
They had been separated for too long this time.
Even though it was the same during their first partnership, he hadn't felt this kind of restlessness back then.
The clock in his mind was ticking just the same, yet he always felt that the clock was moving a bit slower this time.
Before entering this world, a senior System had teased him:
“Your emotional index is quite high; it seems you’re getting along well with your host.”
“Oh my~ something’s not right. This isn't even within a reasonable range of fluctuation anymore.”
“How rare.”
He had asked calmly at the time: “So, these are abnormal?”
“What are you thinking! Since we can have our own bodies, it’s only natural to have emotions!”
“Hehe... but if you develop feelings for your host, I suggest you mind your boundaries. Not every host can accept it.”
“If they get spooked and go to file a complaint, you’ll have to be recycled and reassigned.”
“...How can they be made to accept it?”
“You don't look like you're in the family or friendship frequency... Tsk, Hell Mode difficulty.”
“You’re in the experimental group; every time you go out with a host, you’re framed within specific events. Where’s the chance for a romance route?”
“Why don't you try transferring groups first? Doesn't Sister Yelan admire your ability to modify plots from the previous times?”
Therefore, he had a vague idea from the first time he met that North Tower survivor.
Doing it to this extent should be enough to meet the requirements, right?
Although he had taken the initiative to do those things, he only dared to truly cross that step after obtaining Mu Ran’s consent.
He was a very obedient System.
The System lowered its eyes, casting aside all the complex entanglements.
In any case... let’s finish this world quickly.
—
The party members gathered and rested for a bit, intending to head straight for the capital.
The coronation ceremony for the Son of God was coming up soon.
At that time, the Church in almost every town would send representatives to attend the Grand Ceremony. Everyone would be dressed in white, gathered in the square, looking up from below at the Son of God holding the golden scepter atop the high tower.
This would be the moment in their lives when they were closest to God.
But when they reached a town not far from the capital, they encountered a formidable group head-on.
On the fluttering banners of the opposing side, white lilies of the valley danced as if they were alive.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
双星 | Twin Stars | The actual wording of the prophecy, referring to two significant figures born at the same time.
北塔 | North Tower | A kingdom that perished hundreds of years ago.
铃兰花 | Lily of the Valley | The flower depicted on the banners of the group the party encounters.
风弈 | Fengyi | The name of the nation/empire where the story takes place.
圣墙 | Holy Wall | A wall within the Church where divine prophecies are inscribed.
