She is not an investigator.

"Time...stopped?! That's amazing!"

Igris gasped in surprise, but she quickly realized something was wrong.

How could someone's time-stopping ability also stop themselves?

"..."

"Wow, time stopped! That's amazing!"

The annoying voice rang out behind Igris again, and accompanied by crisp footsteps, a man in a white suit slowly approached her.

"Why have I never heard you say this to me before? It's really hurtful."

"...I did as you said. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, of course. Although I don't want to interrupt you flirting with yourself, you have to remember, I brought her here... not so that the two of you could date."

He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping coldly over Igris, but soon his expression turned somewhat amused.

"But if you really want to, I have no objection. I can even help you keep her in this world, as long as you can solve those little troubles I mentioned."

"What trouble?"

Therefore, if the woman in front of him was brought by Naya, then it is clear that he felt that Igris alone would not be able to easily solve those problems, so now, he needs two of her.

"She drove away the god who maintained this false order... whatever, anyway. So after that, this city will lose its order, and those dormant things will become restless... This is your chance. Before long, the master will come here and completely overturn this snow globe..."

"Wait... I don't understand what you mean."

“You don’t need to understand, Igris. If you always know what you’re doing, living like that will be exhausting. All you need to know is… hold your weapon tight, take my share, and teach that fool who’s reached out his tentacles this way a lesson he’ll learn.”

He chuckled coldly, as if he had imagined something amusing.

"Oh right, there's more."

"...?"

“Igris…Igris, although I can’t figure out what that thing on you is, you have to remember, you must remember…whatever you’re carrying, you belong here, even if life here is chaotic, bloody, even if everything here is disgusting, you have to remember…you belong here, don’t listen to their lies.”

After saying that, he shook his head with some emotion.

"This is the first time I've ever told someone not to be misled... Ha, how strange, you'll understand what I mean. In the very end... if you come back alive, I'll help you out this time, as a reward. You can choose to refuse, but I suggest you wait until then to make your decision."

Snapped.

He clapped his hands together and looked at Igris with a smile.

"That's all I have to say. Good luck, my warrior. I hope you return victorious and receive an answer that satisfies both of us."

Time resumed its flow, and his figure vanished from sight.

Along with it, the baton in the hand of another Igris also disappeared.

"Huh? Where's my conductor's baton?"

"...It was stolen by someone."

"Ah... never mind, it does get lost quite often, but it always comes back to me. Its only function is... to make some noise?"

Make some sounds.

It sounds quite ordinary, but if you consider how outrageous everything else is, perhaps this unassuming baton is the most terrifying thing.

No wonder Nyarlathotep even went so far as to steal it.

No wonder, since she was in that grave, Nyarlathotep prevented her from getting that thing.

The Fools of the Gods—Beyond the World: Chapter Thirty-One, Farewell and Resolve

"Guess how much time I have left."

"The countdown has already started, hasn't it?"

The bells, symbolizing the end, rang.

"Well then, let's leave it at that."

The paintbrush that was meant to depict pure white broke.

"What else could exist beyond our world?"

"..."

"As expected, you can't answer either, just like them... they can't answer either."

At this moment, all things come to an end.

"If we could meet, we could probably talk a lot."

At this moment, all things are welcoming the dawn.

“I look forward to meeting you… Igris, right here, beyond the world.”

At this moment, everything turns pure white.

At this moment, the world turned blood red.

The final stroke, stained with shocking blood, was applied to that perfect painting.

The figure fell, her studio vanished, but the canvas bathed in the morning sun still shone brightly.

Beyond the world.

It is also within the world.

…………

Boom—

The tremors echoed through the city, drawing everyone's attention to the streets outside.

The tremor was not a natural disaster; it was more like a heavy, enormous force that fell upon this empty city.

Beneath the blood-red sky, towering buildings suddenly began to collapse.

They were all overthrown by an invisible, unseen being from another world.

Buildings collided, dust and dirt flew everywhere, and by the time the dust settled, the street had become a ruin.

The two Igris emerged from the church, each gripping a weapon, and gazed at the invisible behemoth in the city.

"Om-"

A call that was hard to describe, and a little shrill, came from afar.

It didn't belong to this world, and its language was quite unfamiliar, but at the end of that sound, they all understood its meaning.

Sadness, pain, despair.

It was the cry of a newborn, it was the cry for help of a dying person.

It was an abandoned child, a motherless infant, and a life about to die.

It had never been able to open its eyes to see the colors of this world, but at this moment, it could no longer do so.

As a discarded pawn, as a lost item, as the one who was abandoned.

It began to stop being sad, it began to stop being in pain, it began to stop being desperate.

The omnipresent music played again, the notes becoming more passionate, the melody more unrestrained.

It started to get angry, became extreme, and went crazy.

It began to take revenge on this world, sending destruction and annihilation upon this world that did not welcome it.

"Waaah..."

That was its cry, proof of its approach, and its determination to descend into chaos.

"Igris?"

"I'm listening."

They looked at each other, and then parted ways without prior arrangement.

One person stood in front of the church, and the other stood in the middle of the street.

Up and down, in front and behind.

At this point, their task and mission become all too clear.

"You don't belong to this world, you, and all of you."

Her back was to Igris, and her clear words reached Igris's ears.

"Because you lost, you, being weak, still need their protection. As the victor, I have the right to make a decision at this time."

She picked up her sword and her gun, her tone heavy, but her steps had never been so light.

“You can’t handle that thing, neither can you, but I can. Although this will be our last meeting, I still want to say... I hope you will always remember me, remember the ‘imposter’ who would rather die for you.”

She will not die, Nyarlathotep will not let her die, but here, in this world, she must die, to exchange death for a new life, to sever everything with the sword she wields against the brink of despair.

"I don't think I've yet told you just how amazing your weapon is, but I don't want to now, because you'll find out its usefulness sooner or later."

Perhaps it was a slightly wicked sense of humor, but she wore a faint smile and gently shook the sword in her hand.

"Goodbye, Igris. In your world, live well, carrying my share. This is the price you have to pay as a loser."

Igris raised her head, looked at herself with her back turned, and waved gently.

Goodbye, Igris. I will always remember everything about you, your sacrifices, your devotion, and... your kisses.

"...You'd better forget about the last one."

She left without looking back and quickly disappeared at the end of the street.

Igris never had the chance to see her again, even though she was actually another version of herself.

But it's okay, she will carry that burden and live on well.

Live well, with everyone around you.

"Waaah..."

"..."

The cries of babies came from in front of her, and there was more than one.