Release that Witch Chapter 1493 - Origins

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

“Could it be that you...” Roland blinked.

“That’s right.” A huge burden seemed lifted from its chest as the Custodian’s brows relaxed. “As for you— I must tell you, time is a truly terrifying force. Over the next thousands, tens of thousands, or even millions of years, you’ll be confined to this small Cradle. You might believe there’s plenty to explore, but in truth, this lonely existence will overwhelm you far quicker than expected. Millions of years may feel long, yet to the universe, it’s merely a fleeting moment.”

The Custodian paused briefly. “Sometimes... I feel time itself is a kind of magic. You can feel it passing, yet it transforms you in the process. To preserve your mind through this endless span, you must let go of your emotions; else, the emptiness will shatter you completely. Of course, regret won’t help you now.”

Roland gazed at the other in astonishment—it was the first time he saw the Custodian smile.

“You mean I’ll turn into a machine eventually?” He flashed a slight smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t stay here forever. Before numbness takes over fully, I’ll make my move—but not breaking the deal. When the moment arrives, I’ll pick the perfect lifeform to inherit this task. Who knows, we might cross paths again someday across the stars.”

The Custodian responded skeptically, “You’d better see if you can endure that long.”

“Right, as the Cradle’s core, can you exit on your own?” Roland suddenly remembered a vital issue. “Will the world crumble right away if you leave?”

“You’re making grand vows without grasping even the basics?” The Custodian stared at him incredulously before replying. “First off, proper systems have numerous backups, especially a flawless creation like me, designed to nurture countless civilizations.”

“Second, the Cradle’s memory is vast and hard to move, but it stores data from Project Gateway’s start, including traits for screened lifeforms and their evolution paths. I can leave without that data, keeping only memories from my own birth.”

“Finally, once linked to the database, you’ll instinctively know how to manage the Cradle. If you handle it routinely, it’ll operate independently for tens of thousands of years. But to keep it going, you must guard it vigilantly— the Cradle itself won’t break easily, though the lives inside might.”

“Then I feel relieved.” Roland sighed deeply, finally easing his strained and weary body.

Little time had elapsed, yet the other’s demeanor had shifted dramatically. It now showed its joy openly on its face, and even its voice carried more arrogance—making it feel more alive.

“Ask me anything you want while I’m still around.” The Custodian folded its arms over its chest and offered.

“Er... so quickly?”

“Didn’t you notice the Realm of Mind’s drain on you is a massive strain?” It shrugged. “To stay yourself after the consciousness merge, you should hurry.”

Roland’s mouth twitched; the strange, dropping red number overhead was clearly tied to the Dream World. After some thought, he asked, “Have you heard of a place... called Earth?”

This time, he used his native tongue.

The Custodian shut its eyes, as if scanning records. “Yes... 3251 planets share that name, but matching lifeforms and traits, it’s the solid world on Milky Way 3’s arm.”

“How’s it doing now?” Roland pressed urgently.

“Now? It vanished with the rift’s opening, of course. Records show their reach stretched to the galaxy’s edge, and the memory bank holds data on their kind.” It froze suddenly, then turned to Roland in alarm. “Hold on, that planet’s events were nearly 9.4 million years back. If the Cradle birthed you, how could you know it?”

“Truth is, this puzzle has haunted me longest...” He gave a wry laugh and shared his true origins with the Custodian.

“To imagine such a thing possible—” The Custodian showed clear fascination. “So time’s flow isn’t entirely even when bundled...”

“What... flow of time?”

“Let me explain it this way.” It stretched out both arms and started to elaborate. “Surely you’ve come across the idea of parallel universes—when a powerful enough divergence occurs, it pulls the world apart into two paths. Each world develops its own time flow, or what’s called a time bubble, and the sensation you experienced was that of time observation. However, the observer proposing this always resides in one of the worlds, so the idea has stayed just a hypothesis.”

“Are you saying—” Roland’s face filled with astonishment.

“Exactly. The massive energy from Project Gateway likely caused your journey here, similar to how a strike on parallel membranes creates a brief fold—this split divided our universe into two: one overflowing with magic power, the other where Project Gateway collapsed, leaving the universe unchanged. Yet, because of the time differences in their bubbles, it feels like you’ve leaped millions of years forward, though truly, all happens simultaneously.”

“Um... that’s pretty hard to grasp.” Roland scratched his head. “But doesn’t this show some link between parallel universes?”

“You could think so, as even the Creator never delved into this realm.” The Custodian displayed keen curiosity about the subject. “Theoretically, parallel universes align with multiverse ideas, yet proving the first proves far tougher than the second. Your presence might offer a way to halt the universe’s path to doom. But that burden now falls to you to investigate and unravel.”

At those words, the Custodian gestured with its hands, pivoted, and headed toward the platform’s edge—where a small door materialized, revealing a vast expanse of scarlet.

Soon after, numerous figures materialized in front of Roland.

They took on bizarre shapes of every kind; humans and demons were even present among them. These ghostly translucent forms rushed swiftly at the Custodian and fused into its body.

Among the human shapes, Roland recognized Lan, Epsilon, and several Oracles he had met before—

Epsilon gave him a wave, her face beaming with satisfaction, clearly having found the answers she desired.

Lan lingered beside him for a few moments, her lips parting silently.

She silently formed the words ‘thank you.’

As every figure merged into the Custodian and stepped into the scarlet realm, the stark white void shattered into myriad fragments—Roland’s form disintegrated alongside it, but no agony or discomfort struck him, only a buoyant weightlessness like shedding a burdensome shell. A torrent of data flooded his thoughts, granting him the vision of innumerable eyes. From the boundless cosmos beyond the barrier to the vibrant existence inside the world, all unveiled itself within his awareness.

He had transformed into the Cradle.