“Yeah. Great choice. If you’re going to be fake, be fake.”

At the same time, a powerful force seized me.

“I should act fake?”

“Yes. You’re nothing but a copy of me.”

Rose, the ancient witch, stopped walking toward me.

Just one step away.

Then she stretched out her arm as if to stroke my cheek.

“Didn’t you know all this time that you were a fake, made in my image?”

Rose, the ancient witch, sang.

“And I don’t just mean your face and your voice. Even your paltry abilities are mere imitations of my power.”

“My powers are mere imitations of yours?”

“Causality can’t be hidden, even if you try to blindfold it. You really didn’t know that, how stupid!”

I mindlessly echoed her words.

‘The only ability that comes close is the ability to summon things from the unknown.’

Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning.

‘You say you can summon things from an unknown world, but you don’t say where that world is!’

It wasn’t the heavenly or demonic realm, as I had vaguely guessed at first.

Nor could it be the world of my previous life or the world here.

However, the form and use of the summoned items were not unfamiliar.

‘As if things were being created within the bounds of my common sense.’

Earlier, the ancient witch Rose had told me that the Law of Causality was trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

‘So the power I use is actually creation, not summoning?’

[You have fulfilled the hidden condition!]

[You have discovered the secret behind the skill <Summoner who gathers objects from an unknown world>!]

[Skill <Summoner who gathers objects from an unknown world> will be changed to Skill <Creator who creates new things with infinite power>  !]

Then a notification popped up, confirming my suspicions.

‘Skill changed from Summoner to Creator.’

[Skill <Creator who creates new things with infinite power> is leveling up].

[Leveling up…… Successfully leveled up!]

[Current rank: B]

[You will receive 100 Fate Energy as a reward for leveling up].

[All sealed mana will be unlocked].

I had managed to level up after being stagnant for so long.

Immediately, a warm aura filled my body.

When some of the sealed energy was unlocked, it felt like a stream of water flowing into me.

But it was different now that all the sealed magic power had been released.

“Ah…….”

The great waves of the ocean roared, crashing relentlessly against me.

I marveled at the unleashed power, but also thought.

‘So why did Causality do what they did?’

I could only assume that their purpose was to resurrect the ancient witch Rose and destroy the world.

And things that hadn’t made sense made sense.

‘When the system acted strangely and urged me to divorce Argention, the law of causality was playing tricks on me.’

And maybe, just maybe, all the finger-pointing that Roselina had been getting was just as much a part of it.

‘Somehow, they made Roselina evil so she’ll go on a rampage, so they can blame her for something so they can get rid of her quickly.’

Causality only saw me as a fake, a puppet temporarily holding the power to reach the ancient witch Rose.

‘I’m really a fake?’

Just then, Ancient Witch Rose’s sharp nails pierced my cheek.

It stung like a raw wound.

‘What is that, a nail?’

I felt instantly uncomfortable.

It felt more like fine, sharpened magic than a nail on my cheek.

‘Is it because I just leveled up?’

My sharpened senses picked up on every detail.

“That’s why you’ll never be able to defeat me, and you know it, don’t you?”

“I know that?”

“Yes, you do. What other purpose could you possibly have for voluntarily coming to me but to surrender?”

Rose, the ancient witch, chuckled.

Her power pressed harder against me.

Like she was going to stamp me with her power.

“See, this is my power, and no matter how hard you fake it, you can’t even keep up with me, because I’m real!”

The maniacal laughter of the ancient witch Rose echoed inside.

It was then.

“No!”

A high-pitched voice broke through the tearing laughter.

And a tiny figure leaped forward with a start.

“Rose isn’t fake! You’re the one who’s fake!”

“Rosa, how are you here?”

I gasped when I saw the child’s red hair.

“I can’t let Rose go somewhere dangerous alone, of course I’m coming with you.”

“But you promised to keep yourself safe.”

“That’s because…… I’m sorry, but I’m not…….”

As Rosa stammered, she saw Rose, the ancient witch, reaching for the child.

“Rosa, get behind me!”

I hurriedly pulled the child behind me.

“Rose…….”

“It’s dangerous, so stay still. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

I turned to Rosa and then back to Rose, the ancient witch.

“What do you dare do in my presence?”

She narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

“Give me that little brat, who has no idea what she’s talking about, and is so arrogant. Then I will forgive you for this insolence.”

Rose, the ancient witch, breathed life into the air.

The fleshy air frightened Rosa and she sucked in a breath.

“Ms. Rose. Don’t be swayed…….”

Even as she did, the child pleaded with me.

“Trust my eyes. You know it’s not Rose who’s faking it…….”

“Give the child to me!”

Rose, the ancient witch, bloodshot eyes.

Her power, sharpened even more, pressed against me and Rosa.

I turned around and wrapped my arms around Rosa’s shoulders.

“Ms. Rose. No…….”

Rosa’s eyes filled with water.

She was shaking pitifully, but she was holding back tears.

“Yes! Give me the child now!”

From behind her came the raspy voice of the ancient witch Rose.

Desperation flashed in Rosa’s eyes.

“Rosa. Do you really think I believe that?”

“Ms. Rose……?”

I whispered, rubbing her back.

I turned my head and gestured toward Rose, the ancient witch standing behind me.

“She’s been sitting there, talking, and I’m telling you, she can’t move any further than that.”

From the moment she stopped moving toward me, I’d been watching Rose, the Ancient Witch, carefully.

At most, she had taken a few steps away from the altar.

“I see her arms outstretched, trying to hide her limited mobility, but it’s no use, she can’t move any further than that.”

For now, she was constrained.

‘The ancient witch Rose said that Aphoris was her last stronghold.’

Aphoris was created and sustained by her power.

The essence of Aphoris, hidden within, proved it.

‘The power of the ancient witch Rose has been amplified somewhat.’

Even now, the aura that rose up against me and Rosa was still there.

And yet, the Ancient Witch Rose still stood there, unable to move.

‘It’s like a cursed chalice, amplifying her powers but restricting her.’

It didn’t matter that the essence of Aphoris was tainted here.

I remembered the last words the Spirit of the Silver Garden had whispered to me.

• • Roselina, I want you to remember this, because it’s important. A small scratch on the surface of an apple does not taint its flavor.

Those words meant that the essence of Aphoris was not tainted by its contamination.

‘The essence of Aphoris still works, but its power is currently rejecting the ancient witch Rose.’

She was not the master of Aphoris.

‘He said it was a remnant of her emotions, and since it’s constantly raging, I’d say that’s her rage.’

I looked into Rosa’s wavering eyes.

“Rosa. Stand back to receive your punishment for breaking your promise to me.”

“Yes, yes! Ms. Rose!”

“Don’t cry.”

Rosa nodded her head gleefully.

I wiped away the tears that were falling and moved her to a safer place.

“What are you doing, being a fake?”

When I finished, I turned around to find Rose, the ancient witch, furious.

“No. There’s no way.”

I smirked and walked toward her.

Ancient Witch Rose feigned nonchalance, but her face contorted slightly.

“Why are you so reluctant to make contact with me?”

“When did I…….”

“Do you think touching me will drain you of your power?”

She went silent.

That was enough for me to answer.

“What do you mean fake? In case you didn’t realize, I’m the one in charge.”

“What?”

I asked, reaching out my arm and placing it on the shoulder of the ancient witch, Rose.

“N, no!”

Rose the Ancient Witch’s face paled from her earlier cheerfulness.

“If you don’t believe me, let’s have a fight.”

As I touched her, I felt a tremendous surge of power flow into me.

[Absorbing the tainted essence of Aphoris!]

[It may be dangerous!]

Warnings flashed through my mind, but I wasn’t afraid.

‘If I spill a drop of ink on the ocean, will it pollute it?’

A moment later, a notification came to mind.