An Echo from the Past
Huh? What is this place?
The streets of NOA? It's super crowded.
What is... Omega doing here?
New Year's festival? Why would Omega be at a festival—
Come on! Let's enjoy the festival.
Eh—M-Mister! Omega doesn't understand!
Aw, no way!
I couldn't hit her even once!
Hahaha! You're have to move faster than that!
So? Anyone else want to challenge me?
Hey, you! Aren't you two the former Journey Captain and his member?
"Former"?
Look who it is! It's the little mirage kiddo and the former Captain!
Over here!
First time seeing you since the Journey ended!
What are you doing?
Ms. Scarlet is helping run the booth.
She'll pop her head out of one of the holes in the box here...
And when she does, bonk her on the head with this toy hammer!
Land enough hits and you get a prize!
But she's way too fast! I couldn't hit her a single time!
She even faked me out with her tail!
Hahaha! A prize guarded by the mighty Dragon!
I won't let anyone take it so easily!
Ugh... The prize... I really want it...
Oh! Then Omega can help!
There are nine holes, so if Omega creates nine hammers...
Huh...? The projections won't come out.
W-why won't they? Oemga knows hammers were in the database...
...The database is gone too.
What's wrong, Omega?
Omega's head is empty again.
Omega is useless again...!
...
...Well then, instead of helping, how about we all just play together?
Play... together?
Ms. Scarlet, would it be okay if three people take you on at the same time?
Huh? Th-three at the same time?
...
Kgh... Don't you dare give me those eyes!
Refusing such a challenge... would be a disgrace for a Dragon... All right! Bring it on!!
Wow! Scarlet, you're the best!
Then I'll take the left side! Omega, you take the right!
But...
O-okay! Omega will try!
So then Omega was like, "The next one will definitely come out of the lower hole!" But then!
Something went whoosh! out of the upper hole!
It was her tail! But Omega didn't fall for it!
That's impressive!
Right?! Right?! Omega is amazing!
Huh? Something... smells familiar...
Why are you nitpicking so much? I'm helping with the New Year's festival, aren't I?
I even opened a booth and put up with all these people. What more do you want?
But you don't have any customers...
You decorated the place like a graveyard and sell nothing but black bread...
Quiet. Is it my fault NOA citizens have no taste?
...
Maybe it was the smell of black bread...
Anyway, a stall needs at least some customers...
Ah... What about those two over there?
...Huh? Those two are the ex-Captain and the kid who quit the Journey.
Omega... quit the Journey...?
Perfect timing. Would you come here for a sec?
Nom!
*Munch* *Munch*
...Hey kiddo, is that really that tasty?
Yup! It's so good! My tongue feels tingly!
...Really? Then try this one too.
Nom!
Do you think you can tell the difference?
Hmm... Uh-huh!
This one's a bit more sour... and it stings Omega's nose. But they're both tasty!
...Impressive. You can even tell the subtle differences between these black breads.
...
Then try this one too. It's on me.
Okay! Thank you!
After that, Omega and I wandered around the festival, having fun.
How is it, Omega? Having fun?
Yeah! Omega is having lots of fun!
The whack-a-Dragon was fun, and the black bread guessing game too!
Omega... felt really welcome.
...
Um, Mister—
Attention please! The New Year's festival's rocket launch ceremony is about to begin!
Register now to enjoy the fireworks from a duck boat!
Don't miss the perfect chance to share your true feelings!
...
Uh-huh.
Omega and I got on a duck boat together.
The fireworks reflected on the water were truly a spectacle.
Wow! Mister, look! The water! Look at the water too!
The fireworks are reflecting in the water, so it's like there are twice as many!
You're right. Double the fireworks.
Hehe, it's so pretty!
The water's so calm, the reflected fireworks almost look real!
Almost... real.
Almost real? What do you mean?
...
Because... this is all fake.
The lake, the boat, and even the festival.
...Why do you think that?
Omega just remembered.
Omega entered Cube Palace because you asked him to.
That means we're inside Cube Palace right now.
...
What did you ask Cube to do?
...To create a world where you gave up the Journey.
Why...?
Generating a city-scale simulation based on internal database entries.
Though not real, the model predicts future outcomes using past and present data.
The people and events here reflect the most probable outcomes in reality.
I wanted to show you that you don't always have to be helpful.
The objective had been clear from the start.
That even if Omega quits the Journey, she would never be abandoned.
And I wanted her to feel that for herself.
Mister...
...Okay, Mister.
Hehe... thanks.
Omega's feels a little better now.
...But you know? Omega still wants to continue the Journey.
Then what about you?
Can Omega help with that?
...
...Mister?
You have to keep going, don't you?
Omega...
Omega doesn't want you to struggle alone either.
Because Omega is loved.
So Omega wants to help in return.
...
Huh?
Something... just sparked inside Omega.
Omega feels like she said something like this once before... somewhere like this...
[External stimulus detected. Initiating data recovery process.]
[Beginning data restoration.]
...
Omega? Are you okay?
Hmm? Oh, yes...
Omega's fine.
Ready to head back to shore?
...Mm-hmm.
Omega looked much more at ease as we returned to shore.
The fireworks were building toward their climax.
As I watched Omega from a bench...
Someone sat down beside me.
Quite a grand fireworks show this year as well.
Did you have a good time?
Thanks to you.
...
...Hahaha. Not exactly.
I'm merely a recreation made from fragments of data left in Cube Palace's database.
Thanks for helping earlier.
...I simply wanted to know.
What Omega would choose.
Did you really abandon her?
If she sees it that way, I can't blame her.
In the end, she was left alone in a world where she had no one.
...But someone had to do it.
I arranged everything I could for her...
But almost nothing can endure such vast stretches of time.
Like Cube Palace?
Yes.
...Looks like it's time to say goodbye.
It seems like even a fragment like me takes considerable effort to sustain...
...
...No. It's better if I don't.
In this world, I'm not the one protecting her.
You taking care of Omega is good enough. I'm nothing but a hollow imitation of the real thing.
Yeah, definitely. Don't you think so too?
Whether she calls you Daddy... or Mister.
Huh?
Please take good care of her.
And...
At that moment, the word began to fade as Cube Palace's simulation shut down.
The man said something before disappearing, but I couldn't hear it clearly.
Still... I'm sure he was smiling.