The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 593

Chapter 592
Change the Future
—Open the “Gate to the Past.”
It’s not just about simply “returning to the past,” but about completely mastering the power to return to the past.
Although Eivass already knew Professor Moriarty had ambitions, these ambitions were far too great.
If someone could return to the past an infinite number of times, it would mean that “the present” held no meaning for them. It would be like people in the present enjoying the “future.”
The future had not yet arrived, but the present could be redone.
That would simultaneously mean the destruction of everything in the mortal world.
People’s dreams, ideals, responsibilities, their meetings, their understanding of each other, their love, their births, aging, sickness, and deaths, and all the struggles in the mortal world would turn to dust… because everyone would enter “another future”, and even people might disappear before their birth.
—What a dangerous power that would be!
So…
“Let me tell you a story.”
Eivass didn’t answer but suddenly spoke.
“Oh?”
The Sapphire Bird didn’t anxiously demand an answer but voiced its curiosity with interest.
Eivass continued, “There’s a game where players receive their own initial resources at the start. The type each person gets is random, and its strength and value can fluctuate tenfold or even dozens of times over.”
“This is very fair.”
Professor Moriarty praised, “In this world, people are not born equal. Background, talent, family, personality… these things determined by luck largely determine a person’s life. This game recreates this situation to some extent, which is very realistic. I think the only problem with this game is that a mere tenfold disparity is still too conservative.”
“Yes, the initial resources for all players largely determine the subsequent game experience. And this kind of game can only be entered once… If the game hasn’t started yet, then everyone has many opportunities.”
Eivass said calmly, “Therefore, some people will repeatedly restart the game, seeking a ‘better start.’ I call this ‘rerolling’.”
Hearing this, Professor Moriarty realized what Eivass was trying to convey.
So the Sapphire Cuckoo humanely smiled and didn’t interject.
Eivass continued, “But there’s not just one type of resource. So, while continuously rerolling, there will always be various combinations. Just as you said… background, talent, family, personality. Perhaps one aspect is good, while others are poor. Or perhaps several aspects are quite good, but none are excellent. But no matter what, the greater the difficulty of obtaining resources after the game starts, the greater the meaning of rerolling—getting a good start might even surpass countless efforts in the later stages.
“And what truly limits people from rerolling is actually only one factor: ‘time.’ Perhaps they feel tired, perhaps they can’t keep up with the progress, perhaps they feel it’s meaningless… because with infinite restarts, time in the real world is constantly passing.
“Although it seems like they haven’t used any resources to exchange for a better start, they have actually consumed an extremely precious and non-renewable resource—”
“…Time, right.”
The Jewel Bird interrupted Eivass.
He already knew what Eivass was going to say.
“That’s right.”
Eivass nodded, “So I refuse—don’t you think this is bad? I can confidently say this is not good at all. Rather, it’s a sweet mousetrap.
“I don’t think returning to the past has any meaning… It would render everything in the present meaningless.
“Let’s assume that no matter how the world is changed, there will always be a ‘better method.’ Then, without the constraint of ‘time,’ the number of times one can restart is infinite… and people are inherently greedy.”
At this point, a slight smile played on Eivass’s lips, “And you are even more so.”
Bird James flapped its wings noncommittally.
Eivass continued, “And if there is a ‘best possibility’—let’s not discuss who judges this ‘best’ and who has the right to judge—it ultimately means there is a final solution to the problems of the world. That is to say, according to this line of thought… the most ideal destiny has long been fixed, and returning to the past can at most unearth it.
“So if you truly obtain this power to return to the past, after countless restarts, and rewind history to that specific moment—isn’t that also a form of predestination?”
Hearing Eivass’s words, Professor Moriarty’s bird-like face finally showed a hint of emotion.
“…To think this far in such a short time.”
Professor Moriarty marveled, “As expected of you. Is this the wisdom of a Samsara Heavenly Envoy? Even without knowing anything, even without remembering anything, you are still so wise.”
The Jewel Bird looked at Eivass, as if looking at another person reflected behind him.
Eivass’s expression slightly darkened, “This is… my own thinking.
“I have no reason to go back to the past. Because I cherish everything I encounter now.
“Every person I meet, every friend I know, every gain I make, is my precious wealth. Even if I could return to the past and meet them again. Even if this timeline were completely reset, I would lose the experience of meeting them when I was young, getting to know them, overcoming difficulties together, and growing together.
“Even if I imitated my past self and met them again, got to know them… the final experience would be entirely different. As you said before, ‘knowledge is poison.’ Once you know something, you can no longer think from the perspective of not knowing it.”
“Returning to the past… means destroying your present.”
Professor Moriarty suddenly spoke, “If I understand correctly, is that what you mean?”
Eivass continued, “Precisely. Furthermore, each restart by a Samsara Heavenly Envoy is with the permission of the Nine Pillar Gods. History only became fragmented after the ‘Cicada Molting’ incident. Before that, this World had only one history.
“Even if you only want to change this history we are in, it means confronting the Nine Pillar Gods.”
“I know.”
The Jewel Bird nodded, “I knew from the very beginning.”
—You knew?
Eivass was stunned.
You knew and you still asked me?
Or… was your original purpose to oppose the Nine Pillar Gods?
He had originally thought that Professor Moriarty had overestimated the save-scumming power of a Samsara Heavenly Envoy.
But now Eivass realized that his foster father seemed to have sufficient understanding of it… perhaps even a little deeper than Eivass’s own understanding.
“Eivass, let Dad teach you another lesson.”
The bird emitted a deep, magnetic, ancient voice, “Perhaps because you know too much about the future, you are hesitant in your actions. Because you always consider various unreasonable aspects, it’s like a scholar who knows too much writing a novel… what you know becomes a constraint on your thoughts and logic.
“What’s wrong with being opposed by the Nine Pillar Gods? Opposition means importance, and importance brings influence, and sufficient influence is power. When we ascend to the Dream Realm, we can also become Heavenly Envoys with this… even Pillar Gods.
“You still haven’t realized the meaning of the ‘Gate to the Past.’
“Its meaning is not in changing the past… but in changing the future.”
(End of Chapter)