It's worth mentioning that Ira and Ernie's situations are extremely similar, but Ira has already provided the answer Ernie was looking for... while the answer Ira herself is looking for is destined to have no end.

If Ernie sought a "race," then Ira wanted something more specific—a "civilization," and a civilization, even if its trajectory deviates slightly, is no longer the original civilization.

During Ira's conversation with Ernie, he didn't tell a single lie, so... even his aggressive and demanding questions were facts that he himself acknowledged.

So, do you want to deceive yourself and rebuild a "home"? To betray your past "home" as if it never existed?

Ira said that back then, which actually represents an interesting fact—even Ira himself knew that the process of rebuilding a "home" was just deceiving himself.

Just like Ernie said... it's just self-deception, it's too pathetic.

...

The root of all suffering, the end of all desperate struggles... must all return to this question.

To understand this, we must first understand what kind of person Ira really is... First of all, we need to understand that Ira is just an ordinary person who got lost, and he didn't give up, it's that simple.

As a time traveler, Ira did not actually possess a brilliant soul.

Iraq has not experienced billions of years of fighting and bloodshed, nor has it made decisions that determined whether the world would continue to exist; nor does it have the aloofness of a god who has been high above from the beginning... Iraq is simply Iraq.

He was just deceiving himself, but he was willing to be fooled by himself and could put those four words out of his mind... But today, he was forced to bring them out for his own purposes.

He tore open his own wounds.

Iraq's wounds never healed. As long as he still has the dream of "rebuilding the Federation," as long as that dream exists, his heartache will never heal... Dreams are just band-aids, making the cracks painless.

...

"Snap~"

Ira propped his cheek with his hand, his expression as calm and indifferent as ever, but tears streamed down his face, past his nose, and dripped from his chin onto the table with a crisp sound.

"Snap~"

A deep sadness spread from Ira... He was thinking about what he would think when the world gradually moved closer to the Federation.

Admittedly, it was a process that seemed endlessly long, but...

He couldn't help but let his mind wander.

That kind of world is the replacement for the Federation in Iraq's mind, but can he really accept it? Or... is it that all his efforts from the beginning were just a mistake?

What was the "mistake" that deceived himself, misled Yuse, forced Isabella, and was then entrusted to Satanieh... that permeated the entire era and created countless events?

Iraq's rationality, ironically, became a point of contention at this moment...

"Is it right or wrong? What should we do?"

Ira muttered to himself, questioning himself. He looked up at the rising moonlight and tried to wipe away his tears, but it was no use... Tears are tears, not filth, and they cannot be wiped clean.

"Snap~"

"Snap~"

Some of the tears that kept falling landed on the parchment on Ira's table, on the sheet of paper where he had drawn "Renovation Plan for Insulated Cement Houses (Second Revision)," slightly staining the ink.

Although it doesn't affect the viewing experience, if the crying continues, it might indeed need to be redrawn.

However, he was in no mood to think about that right now.

"I don't know...I don't know..."

Ira stammered, his expression remaining calm, but even so, his attitude and demeanor were far removed from his usual self... Even Vereesa and the human woman, who had been in the room, were somewhat dumbfounded.

The other extraneous observers watching this side are probably in the same boat.

"..."

"Snap~"

"Snap~"

Ira cried quietly, examining everything he had tried, judging and deconstructing the correctness of his actions... but he didn't understand, he didn't know, he couldn't do it.

In the next instant...

"Lady Ira, Lady Ernie said that she can make the Demon Lord's territory warmer and help him better get through the cold calamity. This should not violate the rules of the extra-legal realm."

Beside Ira, Tekkap, who appeared using the power of [Virtual Travel], spoke of the latest situation as his form solidified from the illusory, and then... he immediately realized that Ira was crying.

Ira, who instantly stopped crying, immediately focused her thoughts on Tikkap's report. She turned her head and nodded in response, "If Ernie thinks it's okay, let her try it first. That would be a good idea."

However, although Ira no longer shed tears, the tear stains at the corners of her eyes were still clearly visible.

"Lord Ira...you..."

Seeing Tikkapu's shocked and worried expression after making such a sound, Ira gently shook her head, wiped away her tears, and then picked up a cloth to wipe the tears off the table.

"Let me do it, Lady Ira."

As Tikkapu said this, he took the cloth from Ira's hand without saying a word and helped wipe her tears. He looked at Ira with concern and asked, "What happened?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!