Loop>Live: Death Loop System In Another World

The funeral moved quickly, the priest saying what needed to be said, people offering short words before leaving. It all felt hollow to Lucjan.

He barely heard what anyone said. His mind kept circling back to Lune's voice, his smile, the way he'd call him "big brother."

Is this all I can do?

Guinevere stayed with him when everyone else was gone.

"Lucjan," she said, "he loved you so much. He'd want you to keep going."

He couldn't look at her. "I know what he'd want. But knowing doesn't make it easier."

She paused. "You're allowed to feel lost. But don't think you failed him."

But I did. I promised myself I'd protect him.

Guinevere touched his shoulder. "I'm here. Even if you don't believe in yourself, I believe in you."

He swallowed hard. "I don't."

"That's alright..."

They stood there, words finished, but the weight of everything still heavy. Lucjan knew he couldn't bring Lune back. All he could do was decide what he would do next.

They sat side by side in the carriage, silence filling the space for a while. Rain still tapped softly on the roof.

Guinevere broke it first. "You know, my birthday is next week," she said quietly. "It feels strange… having it so close to your brother's funeral."

Lucjan shook his head. "No, don't worry about that. It's not your fault. You should still celebrate."

"It just doesn't feel right."

He looked at her. "You deserve something good, even if I'm… not in the best place right now."

She gave a small nod, then tried to change the subject. "Did you hear about the council meeting yesterday? They're planning to build a new road between Derek City and the southern territories. It's supposed to boost trade with the smaller towns."

Lucjan blinked, trying to follow. "That's good, I guess. It might help the farmers."

"It will," she said. "And there's talk the king might lower taxes in the eastern villages. People have been protesting. The council is scared it'll turn into a revolt."

"Would they actually lower them?"

"I think so," she said. "He can't risk unrest with everything else going on. The war with the northern states is already enough of a problem."

Lucjan managed a tired smile. "You're always up to date with this stuff."

"I have to be," she said softly. "But I want you to know these things too. It's your kingdom, too, you know."

The carriage finally arrived at the castle. Lucjan stepped out, every muscle heavy with exhaustion.

Once inside his room, he collapsed onto his bed without changing clothes, staring at the ceiling until sleep finally pulled him under.

Everyone's gone now. I'm the only one left.

He was the last Wurford. His entire family was gone. The massacre took everyone at once, and now Lune's death sealed his isolation completely. He had no relatives left, no one who shared his blood. It was a simple fact that settled over him like a cold truth.

Killing himself wouldn't change anything. Guinevere's words reminded him that his death, no matter how many times he tried to reset, would only leave behind sorrow. Every time he died, the people around him would carry that grief. It wouldn't disappear with a new loop. It would only keep the pain alive in others.

The reality was clear: dying wouldn't undo what had happened. Lune's death wasn't something he could erase by running away. He had to accept it, carry it, and find a way to move forward. There was no other path.

He knew there was no one left to rely on. But that meant every choice from now on was his alone. And if he failed again, there would be no one left to save.

He couldn't stop the tears. They kept coming as he curled up, pulling his knees tight, rocking back and forth.

His fingernails dug into his arms until his skin burned. Each scratch felt like punishment he deserved. I'm useless. I can't protect anyone.

Every time he tried to save someone, he only seemed to lead them to another death. He wasn't fixing the world; he was making it worse.

They all keep dying. It's always my fault.

He kept sobbing, his breath coming in shallow gasps as guilt twisted inside him. He hated himself more than anyone else ever could. Every thought screamed that he was worthless.

At the door, Guinevere watched quietly. Her face was pale with worry, her eyes fixed on Luc.

Seeing him tear at his own arms and break down like that was unbearable. She hesitated, hand hovering over the handle, then pushed the door open.

"Hi, Luc…" she said softly, stepping into the room.

Luc kept crying, his face buried in his arms.

He barely registered Guinevere's footsteps or the soft dip of the bed as she sat beside him. Her hand rested on his head, gently stroking his hair.

"It's okay, Luc… I'm here. You're not alone."

"Go away…" he mumbled through choked sobs. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve anything…"

"No, I won't leave you," she said firmly. "You're not alone anymore. Stop saying those things."

"I can't… I can't do this… I keep failing…"

She sighed quietly, continuing to pet him as he cried. Minutes passed, her hand never leaving him, even as he kept rejecting her comfort. Finally, she leaned closer.

"Luc… there's something I want to show you," she said softly, almost like a secret.

He froze, sniffing, eyes red and confused as he finally looked up. "Show me…? What do you mean?"

"You'll see," she said. "I think you need to see it right now."

He stared at her. "What… what is it…?"

They walked through the grand hallways of the royal castle, Guinevere moving with an ease that made Luc feel even more out of place.

Her steps were steady, while every sound and shadow along the corridor made him flinch inside.

Soon, they boarded a carriage that took them beyond the walls of Derek City.

The ride felt endless. Luc stared out the window. He wanted to ask where they were going, but the words never came.

After over an hour, the carriage stopped on a quiet hill.

When Luc stepped out, he saw the forest stretching before them—towering dark oak trees rising ten meters high.

"This is the Southern Dravoj Forest," Guinevere began, turning to him with a calm look. "It's said to be the birthplace of the Treenies, a race of people bound to the forest. They protect these woods even now, hidden from most eyes."

Luc listened quietly.

"This forest is older than our kingdom," she continued. "It's been here since before any king ruled Dravoj. And deep inside it lies the Temple of Iris—a place so sacred that even the most trusted knights are forbidden to enter. Only the king and the White Alter House have the right to step inside. Even then, it is said the temple itself decides if they are worthy."

She took a breath. Then, she stepped forward, eyes flicking back to him.

"Be careful, Luc," she said softly. "This place isn't like the castle."

He looked around in confusion. One moment, Guinevere was right beside him; the next, she was gone without a trace.

His breath quickened as he stepped forward, calling out for her, but the world around him rippled. His vision blurred, and his mind felt like it twisted in on itself.

When it settled, he stood in a barren land with pale, cracked ground stretching in every direction.

Above him, massive stones, each the size of a castle, floated slowly across the sky.

There were dozens, moving in silence, casting shifting shadows over the empty plain.

Guinevere appeared ahead, standing calmly as if she'd been there all along.

"This is the Iris Expanse," she began.

Her voice carried across the open space. "This realm lies within the Temple of Iris, hidden from the world. It was created by the first White Alter to contain fragments of the world's Principles. Each stone floating here are Ancient Monoliths and Giants."

He stared up at the massive stones streaking across the sky, their size and speed almost impossible to comprehend.

They looked like titanic hands sweeping through the air.

What is this place really for? he thought, swallowing hard as he turned to Guinevere. "What is this place supposed to do?"

Before she could answer, her eyes snapped to something behind him.

"He's here…"

Luc froze as the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed behind him. His chest seized up. He turned, heart pounding.

Luciano stood there, perfectly composed in his dark suit.

Wha–

"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"

Luciano stood there without a word, his head dipped slightly like he was mocking an apology. Luc's eyes darted to Guinevere, rage boiling in his chest.

"Just what the hell is he doing here, Guinevere? WHAT THE HELL IS HE HERE FOR!?" he yelled.

"Lucjan, I know it's hard to accept," Guinevere said. "But he's here to help us find out who really killed your family. He told me he's already found a lead…"

Luc's face twisted, and he exploded. "A LEAD? FROM HIM? HOW CAN YOU TRUST THIS MAN? HE KILLED MY BROTHER! HE PLAYED WITH ME! HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THIS?"

Guinevere stepped closer, hands up as if to calm him. "Lucjan, I know it's hard, but you need to—"

"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY THERAPIST! BUT IN THE END, YOU'RE JUST A HYPOCRITE WHO DOESN'T KNOW ME!"

"I-I SHOULD'VE KILLED MYSELF THAT DAY!"

Lucjan turned and bolted, feet pounding the strange ground. He didn't know where he was going or how to get out, just that he needed to run, to escape. His mind was spinning.

I need to get away…I can't breathe…I can't do this…

Then the ground shook violently, knocking him to his knees. He looked up, eyes wide, and saw the giant stone leg of a monolith slamming down in the distance.

"I want to leave…"

He turned his head. Guinevere and Luciano were walking toward him.

"Lucjan, you can't leave this place,"

"If you want out, you have to work with Luciano. This is the choice you can't run from."

His eyes locked Guinevere's. Right now, he can't even trust anyone.

What a b*tch...