Atem: Me neither~ The truth is, we don't even know or even care. After spending so long looking for a long gone past, looking forward the future...We ended up just living in the present. Solely to not forget. Not forget that we are. Not forget that there is a point to living. And it is tough. Especially being sealed for so long.

???: So, you were betrayed for power? Classic isn't it?

Atem: Yes. And that makes it so realistic and comprehensible. Greed is shared by all sentient beings. And for those who have only lived a moment compared to us...It moight have been worth it. We will slaughter them atrociously though. I think Shen will turn them into eternal puppets and force them into something worse than death though...

???: Aren't you 'Shen'?

Atem: I have his memories to the point when he made me. But after that? I became me. Atem. I am my own person.

???: You're a puppet and a monster.

Atem: ... Maybe. Anyways, it is my turn. The very last question of our game~ It was a very enjoyable one.

???: Let's just finish this.

Atem: Are you unsatisfied with my tale?

???: Yes. Yes! I am! It makes no sense! You began a quest for your loved one and ended up...like this? Loving who knows how many others... You forgot her. Yet you keep going on this quest? What for?

Atem: We need a reason to exist. To keep living.

???: Aren't you just cowards? You don't find anymore worth to your lives yet you fear dying so much that you stay alive.A bunch of monsters hiding their cowardly real selves.

Atem: ...You are truly wonderful~ You are right. We fear life. And we fear death even more. So we keep living. And in order to do so, we just do whatever we want while imposing ourselves a goal we don't even care about anymore. Time has numbed our feelings, our interest in life and yet...It increased our fear of death by that much more. We are prisonners of eternity.

???: ...

Atem: We are aware. And we accept it. Now then, my turn.

Atem got up and moved around the table towards the woman who was, by now, no longer scared. She was disgusted by this man. A man with no sense to his being. As he approached, she did not move much and kept her gaze onto him. He could feel the repulsion from her gaze. This would make it that much more entertaining.

He got on his knees and produced a ring from who knows where. It was a white ring with gold inscriptions. There were many diamonds put over purple glowing stones to make designs of dragons crisscrossing the inscriptions. The details were unqiue and very refined. And he presented the ring towards her as he said:

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Atem: ...Will you marry me?

There was a long silence. A very long one. And then, the woman that had kept looking at him was trying to voice words but could not. She did not even know what to say. This was so unexpected, stupid and horrendous.

Atem: Since it's not a 'no', i will consider it a 'yes'!

???: No! It's a 'no'! No, you fucking monster! You disgust me!

Atem: I probably do right now. But not for long, don't worry. You will want to marry me yourself.

???: No! Never! I would rather die!

Atem: And you will in a way. The 'you' of now that is. Mind Magician, remember? Here is what will happen, my sweet wife~ I will seal your memories of me that are a problem to our future marital relationship to the back of your mind. I will seal your Mind's Eye too. Unfortunately, I can't erase those since you took the first steps in Mind Magic but...oh well, this will be fun in its own way.

???: No...No...No!

Atem: I will place the seal on your ear, on its back. Only you would ever be able to see it. And only after seeing it will you be able to remember. It is the place where you won't ever look. No one does. I tested it many times, you can rest assured.

???: Y-you monster! Devil!

Atem: I am so happy~ You will make such a perfect wife~ You see, while whores are a good way to relieve yourself, I need something more. Something at a deeper level. You have the pontetial, you proved it! You will wake up and we will meet for the first time once again. This time without any monster stories...I wonder if you could reject me at that time~

???: Of course I will! I will never love you! Monster! Coward!

Atem: Fufufu~ I guess you might not so...let's add something, shall we? You will feel 20% more feelings whenever you are close to me. 20% will make you crave for me yet without being enough to make you lose yourself. It is a tested balance, don't worry. That's the amount we use for ourselves after all.

???: No! No! You can't do this! Don't do this!

Atem: How many kids should we have? Wait, don't answer, I will ask you. Well then, my dear wife~ Let us meet for the third time once it's time~

Atem snapped his fingers and he disappeared. The world she was in was crumbling into darkness as well. She was screaming and in tears as the darkness began to envelopp her entire being...

...

She woke up. To think she had fallen asleep here, how embarrassing! This was the party of the new A rank delvers after all. She was fortunate enough to be here yet she had fallen asleep. To think she might have missed some of the discussion between that handsome and powerful Magician and the others... She was resenting herself. This was a godlike opportunity for her to breakthrough in her Magic!

At that time, a drink was offered to her by someone to her right. As she turned herself, she saw him. One of the new most important men around the kingdom. An elegant, handsome, young, powerful Magus. Atem.

Atem: Good afternoon, my Lady. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Atem. Would you like to drink with me?

???: Good afternoon, Sir Atem! I-I am Cynthia!

Atem: No need to be so formal, Lady Cynthia. Here.

He gave her the drink and she sipped it shyly. Oh, how he enjoyed her reactions. She was perfect. Beautiful body still youthful, talented in Magic for the common and her reactions were priceless.

Atem: I noticed that you were a Magician too and wondered if you would be interested in discussing some with me?

Cynthia: Yes! Yes, I would like that a lot, Sir Atem.

They both smiled at each other. Atem was already picturing what would come next... It was really so much fun! As he thought of the woman who kept calling him a puppet dancing in the palm of his hands like one, he could not help but get excited and grin widely.

Who really was the puppet of the story?