Chapter 175: Crybaby Queen
Even after the World Tree warned him that his soul might suffer damage, and that in the worst-case scenario he could lose many of his real memories, Ash remained unwavering in his decision to have those memories removed.
His reasoning was crystal clear. He understood that if he did not sever this cancerous cluster of foreign memories from his mind, there was a high chance he would eventually commit something he would regret for the rest of his life.
What brought him a strange sense of relief was the fact that his unwavering desire to save Elysia had acted as an anchor, helping him stay afloat despite the torrent of corrupted memories flooding his mind. It was because of that strong intent that he was still walking on the path to save her, instead of losing his identity or spiraling into madness.
In the simplest terms, it was his love for Elysia that had saved him.
The Great Mother had continued to ask several questions afterward, her curiosity mostly revolving around the concept of fate and the tangled strands within his destiny. But Ash barely responded to most of them. He remained silent, distracted, lost in thought.
However, when she mentioned that the soul and memories shared a deeply entwined connection, it jolted his mind toward a particular scene he had nearly forgotten.
The black sea in his soul space.
Those dark, endless waters. They were the memories.
To purge them, Ash would have to grant the World Tree access to his soul space. That was something he had not anticipated. Because if he allowed her inside, then she would inevitably come to know the full truth. She would discover that he possessed more than one Rune. She would also see the truth of his transmigration, as all of it was written across the canvas of his memories.
And now, Ash stood at a crossroad.
On one side, he could choose to let things continue as they were, allowing the memories to corrupt him.