The Past Reflection

(Denzel's POV):

Lilith continued to cling on my arm while we were outside the palace. I went towards the place where I felt betrayed.

Both of us are headed to the east of the palace. We saw a destroyed igloo, and a wasteland filled with various crystals.

"Sorry Lilith, can I walk alone for a bit?"

"Hmm? Alright..." - Lilith

Lilith loosened up and stayed behind me by a few meters. I walk around the area and looked at the crystals I had made around the area.

"This is the havoc I created..."

I watched around each crystal boasting a tall height. Some were reaching above me, while some branch out from a spot. I touched one crystal and it started glowing brightly.It's beautiful...

I walked around more while Lilith is still behind me. I then noticed something that is out of the usual.

A person with similar white hair shows himself. When he started to speak, a familiar voice entered my ears instantly and had taken my attention completely.

You really killed her...

It was my own voice resonating inside me.

At first I thought I was only being attentive to my past, but I started thinking whether this virtual world can read a person's worries or some past issues.

"It's too realistic for a virtual machine..."

Are you surprised that I showed myself here? I'm you after all...

"So what if I killed her... She's a traitor..."

Nothing really. It's just that you're finally moving out of that...

I had stopped responding to me past self like what I usually do. I've had enough of these issues of mine... I have to do something about myself...

I walked closer to my hallucination while Lilith continued to follow right behind me.

More of my voices enter my head while looking at the copy of me from the past.

Do you forgive her?

This is about me huh? What do you want?

"Denz? You stopped for a bit..." - Lilith

Lilith came closer and bent down a bit to look up at me. I pat her head and pulled her in a bit.

I'm here to watch my future me if he changed or not. I had harmed myself for being so depressive... And I want to see whether my future will be the same idiot as I am.

So it's that huh? No, I think somebody else is more important right now, I'm sure if I show you right here... You will also see it.

Is that so? Then thanks...

No worries, you're welcome to be relieved of what will happen to you in the future.

"I don't think I'm gonna regret my choices by now."

"Denz?" - Lilith

Lilith seems to have a bit of something from inside her.

"What is it?"

"Are you fine now?" - Lilith

Honestly, I still am bothered to why Rika would do something like that.

"Can you tell me something I didn't know?"

"That is..." - Lilith

Lilith looked down as if she became a bit sadder. I moved my hand to her chin and raised her head up. I then stroke her head with my other hand while she starts losing her grip on my shirt.

"We didn't want to tell you this but... I knew" - Lilith

Lilith knew? I thought she was oblivious to it.

"Rika was oozing off some black miasma... And when you were inflicted with it, I didn't know what to do..." - Lilith

The thing about miasma... Is that, it's a permanent effect. However, you can temporarily seal the enrage effect for some time. It requires a barrier expert or healers to seal a dreadful effect and is barely possible to do so while the person is enraged.

"I think, you tried hard to hold it in. I know why you intended to do that, so I would like to thank you for your efforts on me."

Lilith's eyes became wider and seems to be in shock.

"Why... Denzel... Why!?" - Lilith

Ah, she misunderstood it... It was also my bad for being bad with words...

"Ah, not what I meant but... Thanks... For everything..."

I hugged Lilith tightly which made her a bit warm. When I looked at her, she was blushing and loosened up her cheeks.

I let go of her for a bit and turned my back against her...

"Denz?" - Lilith

"Don't worry... Let me do something for a bit."

I channeled a heavy amount of mana and started thinking of a place I would like to see.

Since this area is pretty much like a secret, then I might as well make it a place where I can feel comfortable.

"Forbidden Skill! Crystal Reform!"

I'm going to make this... A crystal flower garden!

Each crystal starts changing its form to a more comfortable beauty of a bunch of crystal flowers.

Slowly but surely, the area became a secret area filled with crystal flowers that I can rest upon. I made a pathway to allow people to tread through the beautiful garden and made an area into a good resting place by piling up a bit of snow.

"Beautiful..." - Lilith

Aah, I'm beat...

I ended up sitting down on the thick layer of soft snow in which I used as a great place to lie down.

"Denz!" - Lilith

Lilith then moved in front of me who was exhausted of my mana supply.

"You're still reckless after that?" - Lilith

"Ahaha, I'm sor-"

"You laughed..." - Lilith

I became confused as Lilith suddenly interrupted me. She seems to have noticed that I unconsciously laughed at myself and made her smile happily. I lied down to the snow and looked up to the crystal sky.

Only one year had passed since everyone became stuck in this virtual world. I'm not sure on what happened to my actual body in the outside. I may have developed some feelings here and there but I knew that everything is too realistic from being a virtual game. Heck, even genitals and sexual organs are replicated. It might be possible to have sex in this game.

"Hey Lilith..."

I pulled in Lilith and hugged each other while lying down in the snow.

"What do you really think about me?"

"Ah, umm..." - Lilith

I wasn't particularly able to see Lilith's face since I was hugging her from the back. Her ears started changing color into a bit of a brighter red.

"I think that you're very special..." - Lilith

Damnit, how did I not fall for her even though she has quite a beautiful appearance... If there is still a chance that I can go for her then please be...

I hugged Lilith even tighter which made her groan a bit on instinct. She's cute enough too...

After hugging her very tightly, I made her turn towards me. The first thing I see is her blushing face in which I followed suit.

"Ah, umm..."

"Denz..." - Lilith

Lilith looks directly to me with pleading eyes. The two of us looked at each other for some time before I mustered up some courage.

"You see... I might've missed a few chances already but..."

Jeebus, when I remember how many times I saw her smile... I didn't really bother her... But when I see her cry... It's a little too hard for me... I'll be sure to protect this smile from now on...

"Would you like to be with me... For the upcoming years and beyond..."

Lilith starts tearing up as I shrink back a little bit from shame.

"I know that I have pushed you away for a few times... But I would like to catch up and hang out with you more..."

"Denz!" - Lilith

Lilith immediately closes in and hugs me tightly, I returned the feeling while receiving a bonus of soft objects being pressed onto me. She then gives out her reply.

"Yes, I always am, and will always be. Thank you..." - Lilith

When we separated ourselves for a bit. I noticed Lilith's eyes that are very happy beyond belief. She was tearing up which is signaling me something that I didn't plan ahead for.

You know what... Yolo!

My hand made its way to her cheek, her smiled deepened even more while shedding some tears. I pulled her in and made us lock our lips together.

I'm pretty much a scum huh... Forcing her to a kiss right after getting a reply is a little bit quick.

I almost lost control and separated our lips and smiled once again.

The two of us slept for some time as something in my mind starts to talk to me.

Congratulations... Beyond this is your life starting now... You have finished dealing with your past and will now be ready for the future... Work hard...

I then dozed off while hugging Lilith and grasping her hands.

The two of us woke up later in the afternoon which seems to have nothing happen. We started walking back to the palace only to see Malech smirking.

"It seems you two had a good time?" - Malech

"So?"

Thrish, who was right next to him asked me about my current state.

"Are, you okay now? I'm sorry that Rika did that to you, even though I'm a mystic, I couldn't read her plans..." - Thrish

"It's fine, she was definitely careful about her actions. Malech, call the others..."

"Huh?" - Malech

Malech seemed confused when I suddenly told him about what to do. I clarified my reasons and let him take the honors of being the one who calls the others.

"We're gonna throw a party."

"Oooo! Wait a bit!" - Malech

Malech had called out everyone inside the palace. We had thrown a party until midnight and drank my experimental cola. We enjoyed our time as everyone was relieved of my state and congratulated Lilith. Everyone had a blast as we had an open forum which lasted up until midnight.

Right now, I'm here with Lilith in the sky floor. I sat on the edge of the bed as I look outside the balcony...