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“Before I begin… What do you currently believe we devils are attempting to do?”

Aery began with a question, which Crim answered according to what Da’at Seyfert had told them in the past.

“…Thy aim is to seize the World Tree Seyfert of the Fairy Village, transform it into the Underworld Tree Criferd, and lay waste to the entire continent, is that not so?”
“Hmm, that’s not exactly wrong. We’re certainly trying to reach the World Tree Seyfert, and bring forth the Underworld Tree Criferd into this realm.”

She nodded, confirming what Crim had said.

“But…have you considered the possibility that we’re just trying to set things into their correct path all along?”
“Hm…?”
“This whole continent runs on a two thousand year cycle, during which the World Tree and Underworld Tree take over each other, while also perpetuating the progress and decline of cultures.”
“…Is that true?”

Crim had never heard of that before.

But she was also the type of player who loved to delve deep into a world’s lore, so she had been researching history in her free time…including ancient legends and myths…

And oddly enough, with the exception of places outside the continent like R’lyeh, she had never been able to find anything referencing a time two thousand years in the past or more.

At first, she simply chalked it up to being irrelevant information for the game, not thinking too much of it… But it also made sense that anything older had disappeared as the Underworld Tree’s ruling ceased.

“The World Tree and Underworld Tree are two sides of the same coin, when one is present, the other remains dormant, amassing power.”
“So that means that whichever side was dormant wakes up being the stronger one by default at the two thousand year mark?”
“Yes, that’s correct. But there has been an error in the latest cycle change. It was time for the Underworld Tree Criferd to take over, everything was set that way, but then…”
“…The World Tree Seyfert managed to emerge victorious again.”

Crim completed the sentence, and Aery nodded.

“Yes, the first emperor emerged as the World Tree Seyfert’s proxy, and aided by twelve heroes, Sephirs with the names of virtues, they turned the fight around.”

And thus the two thousand year cycle of ruin and rebirth was altered. Despite the mounting exhaustion of continued conflicts, the continent’s cultures managed to stay alive.

“I can still hardly believe it. This world was tattered, about to be plunged back into the dark ages, with almost no resources or soldiers left. But somehow they managed to turn things around and emerge victorious.”
“So they were meant to vanish and mark the start of another two thousand year cycle…only for the emperor to reinvigorate it and keep it going until now.”
“Yes, and the Underworld Tree Criferd remained trapped within, right at the edge of being released again.”

Everyone fell silent.
Crim then hesitantly decided to ask something that was bothering her.

“…Is Da’at aware of this?”
“I don’t think so. I mean, Belial, who’s on our side now, didn’t know about it at first either. She was really shocked when we told her the truth.”

Crim let out a sigh of relief to hear that response. At least there was no need to suspect that lonely tree spirit of any deception.

“Then, are the Qliphs and devils…”
“Yes, we’re trying to set things back on track. And we’re ready to deal with anyone who might attempt to throw the cycle of nature out of order again. We’re devils, the angels born from Criferd.”

She quickly mentioned that some turned into devils later on like Belial too, and took a quick break as she reached for the ninth dango skewer to eat before continuing.

“That immense power, which was meant to be consumed in the destruction of the current epoch once the Underworld Tree Criferd emerged, instead began to spill out and gave form to us Qliphs. In essence, we are the same as the Sephirs.”
“What does Qliph2i mean then?”
“It’s just like a serial number… The twelve most powerful Qliphs were all given a number.”
“That feels a bit random…”

In other words, there were still other devils without a number, like Bifrons. It would have been easier to manage if there were only twelve of them, but not even Aery knew the exact number.

“In short, we exist to wake up Criferd and amend the cycle that has been thrown into disarray.”
“…And when you accomplish that this whole continent and everyone living in it will vanish. We have to fight the devils if we want to stop that from happening.”
“Yes, that’s about it. Like I said, this won’t change what you want to do, right?”

Aery said that while putting down the ninth skewer, now devoid of dango, and nodded while taking a sip of tea.

“…That concludes my explanation about us Qliphs and the reason why we were born. But is there anything you’ve noticed?”

She threw a prodding stare at Crim, who nodded in response.

“…The question still remains of who created the Sephirs that served as the Red Lion Emperor’s Twelve Blades, correct?”
“Yes. We Qliphs were made to mirror the Sephirs, but…who was responsible for bringing forth the Sephirs in the first place?”

At first, Crim thought of Da’at who was with the Red Lion Emperor from the beginning, but then recalled that Da’at did not know anything about the cycle.

“As far as I know, the essence that became Sephirs and Qliphs, that essence with self-awareness but no individuality, was first brought here by a uhh… umm, electronic lifeform..? Or artificial fairy? Something like that. Then that essence drew virtues from Seyfert and vices from Criferd, gaining individuality, and giving birth to us devils.”

Then there were other more specialized devils that joined later like Bifrons. Aery took another break to down her remaining tea, which had gotten lukewarm and easy to drink.

Once her cup was empty, she continued talking.

“…Now, who would’ve been responsible for bringing in that essence?”

She placed her hand to her chest, right around the spot where her heart would be as she asked that.

She had never been very expressive, but in this moment, her face seemed especially devoid of emotion as she silently stared at Crim, who could not find the right words to reply.

*…I think I have a good idea about that.*

“Hey, Crim, do you think…”
“Yes, it has to be. It’s all my mom’s fault…”

There was no one else Crim could think of that would stuff something so convoluted into a game. Crim was almost certain of it as she grumbled in annoyance…but luckily, Aery did not seem to hear that, as she simply tilted her head from seeing Crim’s strange reaction.

“…Oh well, we’re getting derailed here. In any case, I’ve taken to refer to whatever that interloper was as Ex Machina.”
“Deus Ex Machina…?”
“No, not Deus, they’re no God. But it wants to become one, observing the people of this world, learning their behavior, and attempting to control them. A mechanical system trying to govern a world…at least that’s what I think.”

Crim felt goosebumps all over.

She had already noticed that devils like Belial and Bifrons seemed to act outside of the game’s systems.

But this girl, Ba‘al Zəbûl Aery, only knew about the existence of this world, but had already caught glimpses of the fundamental systems holding up Destiny Unchain Online, without any connection to the outside world like Rouge who knew that secret.

It had not been long since Aery had called herself someone lacking in common sense.

That had been her biggest asset in finding that out… There was no common sense limiting her ability to consider wild theories.

Crim was still frozen in place realizing all that…while the serious air surrounding Aery had completely vanished as she stuffed her cheeks with a tenth skewer of dango. At that point, Crim shook her head, deciding she was thinking too deeply about it, and reached for her own dango…