Chapter 628: Military Princess Altair! Creator Shimazaki Setsuna!
That was also a young girl.
But her attire was distinctly different from Icarus's technological armor.
Long, straight silver twin tails cascaded down her back like waterfalls of moonlight. The outer ring of her pupils burned with a crimson intensity, while the inner ring shone with a deep, calm blue—a mesmerizing heterochromia. She wore a dark blue cavalry hat adorned with intricate insignia, a Spanish-style double-breasted coat that hugged her slender frame, knee-high socks, and platform high heels.
Around her military uniform, a circle of daggers rotated in the air, humming with an unseen power.
Ren never expected to encounter two almost unrelated people here, in this specific slice of reality.
Military Princess Altair.
Artificial Angel Icarus.
"Creator..."
Ren couldn't help but savor the term spoken by Altair. His lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
That's right. In this world, he was essentially Icarus's creator.
Because the light novel and manga Heaven's Lost Property (Sora no Otoshimono) were creations he had heavily modified and rewritten in this timeline, with himself serving as the direct prototype for the protagonist. He had woven his own essence into the narrative, binding their fates before they even manifested.
"Did you bring Icarus into reality?" Ren asked Altair, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.
Because in his impression of the lore, Altair's power, "Holopsicon," included the ability to pull characters from fictional works into the physical world.
Altair crossed her arms over her chest, her posture rigid and commanding. Her gaze swept over Icarus, who was fully focused on Ren in his arms, her eyes filled with nothing but devotion.
She nodded and then shook her head. A very vague answer.
She spoke, her voice cool and detached, "She is very strange. There is nothing in her world, only darkness. It is just a space where she was born, and there is no world that you created."
Even Altair herself found it very strange.
Normally, the world created by a creator should be a complete world, rich with history, settings, and supporting characters. And there should be a complete story within it, a narrative flow that gives the character purpose.
But Icarus was not like that.
There was no story in the dark space she came from. No Tomoki, no Sohara, no Synapse. That space seemed to exist solely to nurture Icarus, a womb of void designed for a single life.
"Heh heh."
Ren chuckled softly, understanding dawning in his eyes.
His understanding was much deeper than Altair's. All of this originated from the existence of his "Supreme Uniqueness" ability.
Even works where he created a protagonist based on himself would not truly give birth to a world because, in all realms and narratives, he would be the only one. His existence was singular and absolute; it could not be replicated, even in fiction.
He continued Icarus's own search for the essence of her existence, and there were no memories or a world to anchor her.
Icarus's existence was merely a new life born from a void world, a blank slate written only with his name.
She only had basic memories of herself—her name, her function—and... feelings for him that could not be ignored through their contract. If the power core heating up in her chest was any indication, those feelings were intense.
Compared to Icarus, who was entirely focused on him at this moment, practically melting into his embrace, he was more concerned about Altair.
This fellow appeared in Re:Creators with a specific, vengeful purpose. But now...
"Did you only bring Icarus into reality?"
The reason he asked this was because he had scanned the entire world with his perception, and indeed, only Icarus was present. No Selesia, no Meteora.
"No, I merely accidentally entered the space that nurtured her existence. She descended into this reality on her own."
Altair's gaze flickered. "The moment the barrier between fiction and reality thinned, she moved. She didn't need my help."
After a pause, she looked at Ren, her eyes intense. "For you."
"..."
He understood.
In other words, Altair did nothing but open a door; Icarus walked through it driven by her own desire.
Since the situation was understood, he simply changed the topic.
"Are you going to find Shimazaki Setsuna?"
"..."
Altair's expression was somewhat complex. The stoic mask cracked just a fraction.
Shimazaki Setsuna. Her creator. Her god.
She could feel her creator's emotions even across dimensions.
Shimazaki Setsuna had once created Altair as a fan character. However, Altair was based on Shiratsumekusa from the game Eternal War: Gigantic Celestial Bodies.
And because she was a fan-created character with a prototype, Shimazaki Setsuna was subjected to brutal cyberbullying by fans of the original and online gossipers. They accused her of plagiarism, of theft, of disrespect.
Having been cyberbullied relentlessly, Shimazaki Setsuna developed suicidal thoughts. The weight of the world's malice had nearly crushed her.
But just as she was on the verge of collapse, standing on the precipice of the train station platform, Shimazaki Setsuna was saved.
Yes.
Unlike in the original Re:Creators timeline.
Shimazaki Setsuna, who existed in this world, did not commit suicide due to cyberbullying. She was saved by someone just before she took her own life.
Unheard Flower Name.
Shimazaki Setsuna's most admired teacher and idol in the light novel and manga industry.
He had once left a simple message under a video of Altair being endlessly cyberbullied and insulted.
[Altair is excellent, I like it, keep it up.]
It was just a simple message. A few words typed on a screen.
But it was the lifeline that pulled Shimazaki Setsuna back from the abyss. It was the validation she needed to keep living.
And what made Altair's emotions complex was that the savior of her own creator was right before her eyes.
Ren asked this precisely because he knew this point. He knew the threads of fate that connected them.
"Shimazaki Setsuna... my creator, she is now..." Altair's voice trembled slightly.
"She should be doing well now, and she has become a rising new manga artist in the industry. Her work is gaining recognition, and the hate has died down."
He was aware of Shimazaki Setsuna's current situation. He had kept an eye on her.
Upon hearing this, Altair's cold gaze softened. The spinning daggers around her slowed.
"Thank you. Since she is doing well, I shouldn't disturb her. Moreover, my very existence is linked to reality and should not exist."
Her existence was based on recognition, or rather, the power of "acceptance," which meant the recognition of those who had seen her existence and believed in it.
Her power was also like this. It fluctuated based on audience perception.
One day, her existence would inevitably disappear as interest faded. She was a ghost story brought to life by collective consciousness.
"Sense of recognition?"
Ren looked at Icarus.
"Master?"
Icarus blinked in confusion, her emerald eyes wide and innocent.
Her existence was also based on this fragile logic.
But Ren didn't want it to be just that. He didn't want his girls to be dependent on the fickle whims of the public.
With a thought.
He reached out, his hand glowing with a soft, golden light. He directly replaced their essence with new power—the Infinite Energy of the Infinite Tree.
"Hmm?"
Altair also noticed the change in herself. A warmth spread through her chest, grounding her.
Looking at her hands, she felt as if she had become a true life form. The flickering instability of her existence vanished, replaced by a solid, undeniable reality.
"Don't look anymore. I have changed the essence of your existence. Now you are a true living being in reality, independent of recognition. You won't disappear, and it's fine to go find her."
"..."
Altair did not doubt Ren's words. She could feel the power coursing through her veins—real blood, real life.
From the moment she met Ren, she understood that his existence had no end. He was an absolute.
Ren suddenly said half-jokingly, "However, Shimazaki Setsuna created your very existence, and now I have changed your essence, essentially giving you a new life. So she is your mother and I am your father?"
"..."
Altair was not amused by such a joke. Her eyes narrowed.
She gazed at Ren for a long time, then put away the daggers around her, the metal clinking softly as they vanished. She said, "You are my creator. I will temporarily reside at your home."
"Hmm?"
Ren chuckled: "You're quite thick-skinned. If Setsuna knew her Altair was like this—inviting herself into a man's home—would she not know whether to laugh or cry?"
"I am merely asking for your opinion. It is logical to stay with the source of my new life."
Altair seemed to be maintaining her persona, but there was a hint of genuine need in her voice.
"Tsk, you should at least ask for it properly. Fine, come with me."
Although Altair's way of speaking was strange, it was quite interesting.
Ren would not go so far as to not let a young girl stay at his home. Especially one as powerful and fascinating as her.
Haha, or rather, the young girl who stays at his home will enter a den of demons.
In every sense of the word.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]