Remain on the Shapeless Isle.
Gather followers around the Shapeless Isle, fostering human belief in the Gorgon sisters and proving their innocence. With faith on their side, the rumors branding them as monsters would naturally crumble.
Leave the Shapeless Isle.
Heroes were drawn to the sisters by fabricated myths spread by the gods. If that was the case, then the only way to counter those lies was to build an undeniable legend strong enough to erase them.
This was the most reliable plan Moran could think of.
Once again, he faced a two-choice dilemma.
Unlike last time, however, this choice would largely determine the future—possibly even his life or death in this simulation.
Moran had a gut feeling.
Just like when he was born and faced the gaping maw of the sea serpent, he was once again confronting a choice that could lead to his demise.
[You, highly sensitive to the presence of death, feel the pressure mounting.]
[Yet, as you glance at the sleeping Medusa beside you, that pressure dissipates like smoke.]
[You realize something profound.]
[There are things in this world far more terrifying than death itself. With this thought, you no longer fear your choice.]
"I choose the second option."
After deep thought, Moran made his decision.
With his detailed knowledge of this simulation, he chose the most practical and effective path.
At the moment, his strength was far from sufficient.
He lacked the power to choose the first option.
[You decide to leave the Shapeless Isle.]
[Four years later, fully prepared, you set out on your journey and inform the three sisters of your departure.]
[As expected, Euryale flies into a rage.]
[Stheno maintains a cold, indifferent expression.]
[Medusa, though reluctant to part, doesn't seem surprised by your choice.]
"Hmph! So, Moran, you really do hate us, don't you?! Fine! Go wherever you want! It has nothing to do with me!"
Euryale spat out those words before storming off.
Medusa hurried after her.
"You're leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Heh, just another insignificant human acting all high and mighty. I never expected anything from you to begin with. I'm bored of you. You're just an outdated toy to me now—go wherever you please."
Stheno's voice was ice-cold, utterly devoid of emotion.
As if Moran's departure meant nothing to her.
Watching her walk away, Moran couldn't help but chuckle.
He knew the two older sisters wouldn't take his decision kindly, but still, a part of him felt a little lonely.
Couldn't they be honest with themselves, just this once?
His eldest sister really was...
"No. If they were truly honest, they wouldn't be Stheno and Euryale anymore. They're exactly the same as when I first arrived on this island..."
Moran felt no resentment.
No matter how sharp-tongued Stheno and Euryale were, he could see past their walls.
And so, he accepted it.
It was just... a little lonely, that's all.
"Do you have to go?"
"If you bear this burden alone, you'll reach your limit someday. I must leave to ensure that day never comes."
"Moran..."
Medusa returned to his side.
She knew her limits.
So she said nothing more.
But the sorrow in her heart had already reached its peak, overflowing into action.
Like a serpent guarding its treasure, she wrapped herself around Moran once more, her emotions deep and unwavering.
No more words were needed.
With just the touch of their fingers, they understood one another, expressing their sorrow in silent embrace.
...
As night fell, the rippling water reflected the moonlight.
This was Moran's last night on the Unseen Isle.
Tomorrow, he would leave the home he had known for twelve years.
Was the night lonely?
No, it wasn't. Not at all.
[Under the moonlight, you see Stheno and Euryale.]
[They radiate the divine allure of goddesses.]
[A charm so powerful that no man could possibly resist.]
[No, you never intended to resist in the first place.]
"How audacious. A mere toy in my hands, yet you dare attempt to escape from me? You must be taught a lesson so unforgettable that you'll regret this decision for the rest of your life."
Stheno's lips curved into a seductive smile.
A beauty so enchanting, even the moonlight paled in comparison.
A beauty worthy only of a goddess.
To be mesmerized by it was to willingly descend into the underworld.
"That's right. You were raised by us, yet now you dare defy your elder sisters? Such disrespect must be thoroughly punished."
Euryale smiled—radiant, yet dreamlike.
She and Stheno had no special powers.
They were simply the personifications of divine beauty itself.
Their mere presence was enough to captivate men.
And now, with their allure unleashed, even the gods would falter.
"W-Wait... You two...!"
Moran found himself unable to move.
As he watched his two elder sisters approach, a familiar, ominous premonition surfaced in his mind.
"Moran, this regret will be carved into your body and soul alike. The night is long—I will ensure that, no matter where you go, no matter what women you meet, you will never forget..."
"To touch a goddess is an honor few receive. Even when you leave this island, night after night, you will remember only me. That is the punishment a goddess bestows upon you."
There was amusement hidden in their voices.
Though their words were sharp,
They still discarded their goddess-like purity, granting their only chosen man his punishment.
With the breath of a goddess and the soft embrace of celestial beauty, their touch was sweet, suffocating—like drowning in syrup.
An irresistible, all-consuming charm.
No matter where Moran went in the future, he would always recall this unbearably beautiful night.
His regretful sighs and lamentations—
That was what Stheno and Euryale truly wanted to see.
Whether this was truly punishment,
Even Moran himself could no longer tell.
The only ones who knew the answer...
Were them.