Overseer Otto Apocalypse had never imagined that people from the future would handle the past in such a way.
It was completely different from what he'd anticipated. He had assumed Noldrei would offer some clichéd explanation about changing the past. But based on their conversation, it was clear that Noldrei was essentially a weapon sent by one future faction to be used against another.
If Otto were a smoker, he would have lit a cigarette right then and there just to clear his head.
When most people travel to the past, they're usually driven by grand ambitions like becoming a king or settling old scores—or at the very least, fixing past regrets. Noldrei's situation, however, felt off. It was more like a mission-oriented trip through time, something straight out of The Terminator.
But Otto didn't care about the specifics of Noldrei's mission. What he needed to know was whether it was possible to travel to the past to alter established events, and… most importantly…
"You're saying you launched a weapon bombardment on the past, but it didn't change anything. Then why were you sent here? And how did you confirm that those weapons even successfully activated?"
Otto needed to understand the consequences of the past interfering with the future.
Noldrei, however, seemed completely unconcerned by such things. "The people of my era don't care about any of that," he said with unnerving frankness.
"Think about it. Whether it has an impact or not, it's all the same to us. Even if it does have an impact, we, the time-travelers who changed the past, would never experience that new reality. And if it doesn't have an impact, then we simply proceed with the next operation. Since we can't feel or know the outcome either way, why not do it? The worst that can happen is death, and the people of my time are more indifferent to death than anything. We are focused only on whether our own will is resolutely carried out."
"Time and matter are related. In theory, if the technology could work, we were bound to put it into practice. It's just like how you people know that a nuclear war could send you back to the Stone Age, but sooner or later, you'll use nuclear weapons to fight anyway."
"From the moment any tool is created, its destiny is to be used for the purpose it was made for. If you change its purpose, it becomes a different tool entirely. Take the Ship of Theseus. Its purpose was to ferry Athenians to and from the island of Delos to honor Apollo. If you change that purpose, it is no longer the 'Ship of Theseus.'"
There was a philosophical edge to Noldrei's words.
But Lord Welt was contemplating their true, brutal meaning.
Does this definition of "tool" include human beings themselves?
Otto had to admit he'd underestimated the nonchalance of future humans. They didn't care about changing the past or not; they did it simply because they knew they could.
As for whether it would affect them or the entire course of human history?
They couldn't give a damn.
"I see. So that's how you view the past. It's unexpected, yet perfectly logical. 'Since I won't experience the outcome, why should I care about the result?' To simply carry out one's own will…"
Otto sighed, realizing he had no more questions.
Whether Noldrei was truly from the future or not, it was certain he would never hand over the method of time travel. Now that Otto knew this, the question of Noldrei's origin was no longer important.
He compared it to his own situation. If he could return to the past and revive a world where Kallen lived, could he bring himself to destroy this world without a second thought?
For a moment, he couldn't find an answer he was certain of.
Maybe he would? Or maybe not?
And if he wouldn't, what would he do instead?
Teach the heroes of this era a harsh lesson about the cruelty of the world so they could take up the mantle? Or would he try to save this entire world first before even thinking about saving Kallen?
Either way, Otto knew he could never achieve the level of detachment—bordering on utter apathy—that people from the future seemed to possess. Because Kallen herself had cherished this world, and he couldn't simply ignore that fact.
'Since I won't experience it anyway, I don't care.'
It was a truly brutal conclusion.
While Otto had gotten the information he wanted, Lord Welt could not ignore the implications of what he'd heard.
Noldrei's words revealed the values of the people from the future. This focus on the fulfillment of individual will was terrifying, a complete departure from the universal values that held modern society together.
Lord Welt could picture such a future: a world populated by beings like Noldrei. Because their individual power was nearly infinite and equal, and their capacity for production was absolute, they had no need for the benefits of collectivism.
For these humans, a single individual could form a new collective on their own. The old concepts of society had completely collapsed, leaving only the need to follow one's personal will.
And so, their conflicts would naturally become endless.
Lord Welt had to resort to the legendary tactic of deflecting the issue.
He prompted, "Then why not go to a parallel world? For example, cross the Sea of Quanta, or occupy a Bubble Universe?"
But Noldrei shook his head, rejecting the suggestion. "It's not possible. The enemy we want to defeat is a part of ourselves. Do you think a colonist in Africa ceases to be a colonist just by moving to Southeast Asia? That they would suddenly become a noble revolutionary spreading enlightened ideas?"
"No. They would remain a colonist even in a new place. It is difficult to find the root of one's problems by looking within oneself. Mr. Welt, surely you understand… The only thing I can do is relive history and find that unseen piece of the puzzle that can solve our cruel future."
Otto nodded. "Rebels who rise up against the current rulers are always those from outside the established historical record. On this point, I agree with Mr. Noldrei. If I'm not mistaken, it's not that the people of his era aren't interested in parallel universes, but rather that the parallel universes have already been dominated and influenced by them."
Lord Welt could only manage a bitter smile. He hadn't expected such an outcome.
It wasn't that they hadn't considered parallel worlds; it was that parallel worlds had already fallen to these beings. That was why they had no choice but to travel to humanity's distant, ancient past.
Noldrei nodded. "Yes. The convergence of production methods is an inevitable result of future development. It's just as Dr. Tesla, a physicist, can still research biological changes. She uses the framework of physics to target biological properties. In the science fiction terms of your era, mechanical ascension and biotechnology are, in essence, both just different ways of replacing the 'living system.'"
"Take a bionic arm. If it has no biological features, it can't connect to human nerves and be used, can it?"
Welt was silent for a moment before asking, "Then… will Academy City's future development be the same?"
Noldrei looked at him with surprise. "Aren't Anti-Entropy and Schicksal already doing this? You're all already walking the same path as us. Why are you even asking me?"
The three of them looked at each other, stunned into silence.
He was right, wasn't he?
Theresa looked down at the voice-to-text transcript she had just finished compiling. She was starting to suspect that her grandpa had only brought her along to be his secretary for free.