EPILOGUE Thus He Came to the Other Side That day, the entire town of Zolkia was in an uproar, especially the guild. “Sigh. This is another fine mess you’ve left me with, Master Valeria.” Owing to his superior’s prolonged absence, the deputy guildmaster had taken command. The stress had just about put him at death’s door. I suppose I don’t blame him… Prince Leon had also not been seen or heard from since appearing at the guild two days prior. He was likely out searching for the guildmaster, but there was no clue to his whereabouts, other than that he had been heading to the nearby forest—one that, according to legend, was home to the fairies. Additionally, a loud explosion was heard coming from the forest at around dawn the following day, and one particularly early riser at the guild reported seeing a pillar of light in the sky above the trees. The guild responded by dispatching an emergency investigation team to the forest. I hope the crown prince is okay… If not, perhaps I should start looking for a new job… There would be hell to pay if Leon went missing under this guild’s jurisdiction. At the very least, the upper management would all have to step down… Hmm, now that I thought about it, that would be a neat opportunity for me to rise through the ranks. Well, not like that’s going to happen anyway. They said that Prince Leon was stronger still than the kingdom’s hero. He was like a character out of a children’s book. He even refused bodyguards because they only slowed him down. “Well, then, sir. I shall get to work at once. It wouldn’t do to leave the reception desks empty.” “Oh, Johanna. Thank you.” I excused myself and left the flustered deputy to his problems, then made my way back to the first floor, where I stumbled upon some kind of disturbance in the main lobby. “I thought I told you to pack it in already, old man!” The voice belonged to an angry adventurer, who was clutching an older gentleman by the collar. Oh, I wish they’d give it a rest. Don’t they know we have enough on our plate as it is? “Every damn day you put up the same dumb request! Who in their right mind is ever gonna take it?!” “Ughh… Rghh…” “Hey! Cut that out right now!” I yelled. “No violence in the guildhall!” I sighed inwardly and sank my face into my palm as the rambunctious adventurer lifted the old man off the ground. “Johanna, babe! You don’t get it, do ya? Sometimes, you just gotta pummel some sense into these senile old farts!” My attempts at mediation fell on deaf ears, and the adventurer cast me a threatening gaze. “Your paltry intimidation won’t work on me,” I reiterated. “Need I remind you that an adventurer who starts an altercation with a client shall face immediate demotion?” “Grh… Fuck it!” “Ugh…!” After a moment’s thought, the adventurer seemed to see sense, roughly unhanding the old man and causing him to fall flat on his backside. “Listen here, gramps,” he said. “You ain’t gonna find anyone here crazy enough to harvest fairy wings for you. Don’t even bother clogging up the quest board with that crap!” “B-but the rules say I’m entitled to request anything, as long as it’s not illegal…” “That ain’t what I’m sayin’, old man! I’m saying you’re wastin’ your damn time and ours! Who’s gonna go out and hunt fairies for the peanuts you’re payin’? Nobody’s even proved they exist! And still, every damn day you’re in here, whinin’, ‘Oh, won’t somebody take my request?’ It’s fuckin’ maddening!” “Ohh… I’m sorry the reward isn’t to your liking…but this is all I have…” “Then don’t bother makin’ a request, dumbass!!” “All right, Guile,” I said, stepping in. “I think it’s about time you stop punching above your weight class, Mr. D-rank.” “But somebody’s gotta tell him, babe…,” said the adventurer, scratching his cheek. It seemed my blunt retort had caused him to settle down somewhat. “Sir,” I said, addressing the older gentleman. “I apologize for the behavior of this adventurer here, but at the same time, I must admit it’s vanishingly unlikely that anybody would take this quest.” “…” “You are, of course, free to make whatever requests you wish within the bounds of the law, but I just think fairy wings are a little unrealistic…” I attempted to reason with the old man, tactfully omitting the part about his miserable excuse for compensation. “Perhaps you could tell us why you’re after fairy wings specifically? We may be able to find a substitute that’s a little more reasonable. Plus, if people know the reason, they might be more willing to take on the pay— Understand?” “…No. It has to be fairy wings…” The old man only muttered the same words over and over again. For the last three years, he had been coming here with the same request. Why he wanted the wings was unclear, but he was obviously desperate. That’s why I’ve avoided broaching the subject with him so far, but… “You ain’t listening to a word we’re sayin’, old man. Just give up.” Losing his patience, Guile reached for the old man again. “Wait,” I cried. “I said not to… Huh?” “…Stop that.” Their voice barely above a whisper, someone grabbed his arm. “Huh?! What the hell?!” Nobody saw him coming. It was like he had just stepped out of nowhere. He wore a low hood, but I recognized his voice. “Didn’t the lady just tell you?” he said. “Adventurers shouldn’t start altercations with their clients.” “Argh! Rgh! L-let go! Let go of me!” The hooded man gripped him so tightly that I could hear Guile’s bones breaking. “Whoops. Sorry about that. I don’t know my own strength sometimes.” “Whoa!!” The man suddenly let go, and this time, it was Guile who fell flat on his behind. “I-it’s you,” I stuttered. I caught a glimpse of his face. That, and his voice reminded me of the boy who had been made an S-rank adventurer only recently. I think his name was…Kaito Ukei. “H-hey! Listen to me! Where do you get off, butting in on other people’s conversations?” G-Guile! Don’t you know who this guy is?! The lowly adventurer lashed out at Kaito in a sorry attempt to regain his pride, but Kaito completely ignored him. Instead, he spoke to me. “Excuse me,” he said. “You’re that receptionist, right?” “Huh? Oh, y-yes.” An S-rank adventurer was above such idiotic disputes, it seemed. But then Kaito did something I didn’t expect at all. “I’ll accept your request,” he said to the old man. “Hand me that form.” “Huh? T-truly?” “Yep. Give it here.” Huh? Huh? Huh? I could only watch, stunned, as Kaito acquired the quest form from the old man, took it to a nearby desk, and signed his name to it. “Can you check this is all in order?” he then said to me. “Er… Yes. Th-the quest is to harvest fairy wings. No deadline; requested amount, one or more; reward, five silvers. Is that okay?” “Yep, that’s fine.” “Then the gentleman’s request has been accepted.” I took Kaito’s form and signed my name on it as well. “Hey, don’t ignore me! I’ll—!!” “Shut up.” “Hrk?!” Kaito’s S-rank intimidation was more than enough to leave Guile quaking in his boots. He didn’t even manage to finish his sentence. “Now then, the fairy wings. I think you’ll find these to be in order.” “Huh?” “What?” Kaito emptied his pack onto the counter, producing a large heap of beautiful, rainbow-colored wings. “Ohh… Ohhh!!” “I kept you waiting a long time, old man, but here you go. Hope it’s enough.” “W-wait a minute,” I stammered. “What do you mean? Are these real?!” I didn’t even believe in fairies, so I suspected the wings might be fake. Then again, if imitations are good enough for the client, then… But the next instant, the old man spoke, as if entranced by the sight. “N-no… These are real. They look exactly the same as I remember…” With timid, fearful steps, he approached the counter and reached out his hand. He scooped up a handful of the wings…and crushed them in his grip. “Sob. Whaaaaaaaaaghhhhh!!” The old man burst out crying. Tears rolled down his face, and a wail worked its way out of his dry, cracked throat. I wasn’t sure why the old man reacted that way, so I turned to Kaito for an answer, but… “Huh? Kaito…?” By the time I looked up, he was already gone. “Well then, shall we be going?” “Yeah. I’ve done everything I can here.” With Leticia by my side, we resolved to put the town of Zolkia behind us. “So, what brought you back here in the end?” asked Yuuto. “Just a little closure,” I replied cryptically. “I had the option to settle my debt a little, and so I did.” The reason, of course, was the old man at the guild. In my first life, he had been attacked and killed by monsters on the outskirts of the fairy forest. He must have been trying to earn a little more money to increase the reward on his quest and ventured out too far. The date now was even later than when I first met him, so I had assumed he had already died the same way. I was a little surprised, then, to see him alive at the guild. Is this what they call “the butterfly effect”? I didn’t know what had changed to allow the old man to escape death this time, but miraculously, he’d lived to see his wish come true and the race of fairies exterminated. Their home, their tree, and their queen. All of it was now just dust on the wind. “You look happy, dear brother,” said Mai, smiling sweetly at me. “That’s nice.” “Who are you, my therapist?” I replied. I mean, I was happy I managed to get that weight off my chest, but I hadn’t intended to show it so openly. “Yeah, yeah, all’s well that ends well. Now, why don’t you let Nono here give you a happy ending? We can duck behind those trees over there and— Aieeeeee!! Letty, that huuurts!!!” “You have only yourself to blame,” Leticia told him. “I shall not abide a harem unless I have vetted and approved each member personally!” “Please don’t give me a harem at all…,” I whined. Besides, Nonorick is a dude. I know he looks like that, but he is actually a guy, don’t forget. “Dear brother? Need I give you a lesson in proper morals?” asked Mai, as a dark cloud gathered around her, yet somehow without inducing a singular change in her joyful expression. “Ha-ha, you sure are popular with the ladies, Kaito,” Yuuto said, laughing. “Gahahh! Bow-bowaa!” Even Guren, who had joined our party this morning in his dragon pup form, roared and belched a tiny flame, as if threatening me. “Et tu, Guren? Give me a break.” The party atmosphere was as relaxed as ever. Would it kill them to act like we were heading for the front lines for a second? “Sigh. And according to what Leticia told me, it’s a real war zone out there…” I thought back to what she had said the previous day. After watching Leon’s death, we headed back to Zolkia and rented a large room at an inn on the outskirts of town. Since we’d stayed up all night and were full on the satisfaction of our revenge, we slept like babies, and by the time we woke up, it was already past noon. We decided then to finally confer and share what we knew with each other. “My name is Leticia,” said Leticia, starting off the round of introductions. “Leticia Lu Harleston. Demon lord, and also Kaito’s girlfriend. That there is Nonorick. He’s good with a blade and found his way into my service under the guise of a bodyguard. In truth, though, we have been working toward my revenge together.” “Call me Nono, guys and dolls! Ooh, isn’t this nice, a whole party of cuties! I can’t wait to— Aagh! Owowow!!” “You’re not sinking your fangs into my sister and best friend that easily, Nonorick.” I let his lecherous face taste my viselike grip. “My name is Mai Ukei,” said Mai. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Harleston.” “And I’m Yuuto. Howdy, all.” While I reprimanded Nonorick, my two compatriots shook hands with Leticia. “Oh…er… Charmed, I’m sure. And…how do you two know Kaito, if I may ask?” “Why, I’m his darling little sister.” “I guess we’re like…best friends?” “Ah,” said Leticia. “I suppose I should have guessed from the name. So you both hail from Kaito’s world?” Leticia gave a friendly smile, but for some reason, she seemed to be acting oddly reserved around the pair. “What’s up, Letty, cat got your tongue?” teased Nonorick. “Oh, oh, don’t tell me it’s a love triangle! Is it? Is it?!” “No, you fool! I’m just nervous! Don’t you understand how eagerly I’ve awaited this meeting?!” “Not really?” But I understood. Because I, too, was looking at a scene I once thought impossible. That of introducing Leticia to my friends and family. “Right,” I said. “Let’s skip over the details and go straight to the team meeting. To start things off, I have a question. Why are you alive, Nonorick? I distinctly recall cutting off your head.” “Hmm, curious, are we?” replied Nonorick with a coy smile. “That’s actually because I’m a true vampire! See?” He opened his mouth, displaying his sharpened fangs. “A true vampire? You’re kidding me…” I thought back to that egotistical bastard I once knew. He had told me he was the only true vampire left, but with Kuu, and now Nonorick, I had two reasons to suspect that claim. I had been meaning to ask him about it, but I had no idea where he was. Maybe it was better to just forget the whole thing. “Well, I guess that makes sense, then,” I said. “That’s certainly the only explanation I can think of for how you survived that wound.” “Hmm?!” Leticia’s ears perked up at this revelation. “Hold on a minute, Nonorick! Are you saying you and Kaito were enemies?!” “Oh, I wouldn’t say enemies,” Nonorick said, grinning. “We just did a little hate-fucking, that’s— Aaagh! Owowowow!! Why?! What did I do?!” Leticia’s fists swiftly enacted a smackdown on Nonorick’s blond head. “You’re talking nonsense again, that’s why!” I yelled. “Don’t make stuff up; we were fighting to kill!” “Whaa?!” gasped Nonorick. “You would never actually want to kill me, would you?” “If I didn’t before, I sure do now! Anyway, that’s not what happened, so please put down that flaming sword, Leticia!” “Kaito, I’m willing to compromise and allow you a harem, but I must always come first, do you understand?” “If we’re talking compromise, how about you drop the weapon?!” You realize this hotel is made of wood and straw, right?! Oh dear. Why does having so many people always derail the conversation? “Getting back to the point,” I entreated. “Leticia, how much have you told Nonorick?” “Nothing,” said Leticia. “I only offered blood in exchange for him assisting with my revenge. The most I could accomplish myself was to kill Lilia outright, after all.” “…Right, I see.” “What’s that? Something you haven’t told me? Ooh, ooh, let me know, too! I love secrets!” Nonorick squealed and squirmed with delight. Well, I suppose if he’s helping out, I might as well… I thought Nonorick was nothing but a bloodthirsty maniac, but from how he’d acted during our vengeance, perhaps I misjudged him. “Okay, then. Perhaps it’ll be easier if I tell you what’s going on. It’s a long story, so settle in…” I brought Nonorick up to speed, while also informing Leticia of everything that had happened in my do-over so far. “…I see,” said Leticia when I was done. “So now you’re trying to regroup with Minnalis and Shuria.” She gave a satisfied nod. Nonorick, however, had grown oddly subdued as a result of my tale. “Kai? Is what you said true? That by using the Holy Sword of Retribution, you can make people share their vengeance?” “Huh? Why would I lie about that?” I knew I couldn’t prove anything that I said, but I found it strange he got hung up on that particular detail. However, that wasn’t why Nonorick was asking. The true reason was something I never would have imagined. “Please, Kai! Use it on me!” “Huh?” “You see, a long, long time ago, there was someone I really, really wanted to kill. But they died before I could get strong enough. Ever since then, I’ve been wandering, unsatisfied and unable to get it out of my system.” Everyone fell silent at Nonorick’s solemn words. “But if you use that sword on me, I can take revenge at last! Please, Kai, let me join your party.” Listening to him, I felt like something finally clicked for me. Nonorick…he’s like me if I never chose revenge. The only difference was that I had been given the choice, while Nonorick had not. I always wondered why I could never find it in myself to hate him, even as my blade parted his flesh. I figured it was because I learned my style of swordplay from him, but now I knew it was down to something deeper. He was a kindred spirit. But…is that a good enough reason to make him my partner in crime? I understood that Nonorick wanted to take revenge, but the object of his vengeance no longer existed. Nothing I offered could make up for that. However, as if sensing my troubles, someone unexpectedly gave me an answer. “What are you hesitating for, you nincompoop? Use him!” “Leticia?” “Did you not say this before? Two is more fun than one. Two can come up with much better plans, put much more effort into torturing your targets, breaking them, grinding them down into mush.” “That’s…” One of the first parts of my story, from right when Minnalis had joined forces with me. “Nonorick isn’t just here to kill, so why not make him your partner in crime?” “…I guess you’re right.” “You always overthink things, Kaito. That’s why you’re going bald before your time, you know?” “I’m not! My hair’s as thick as ever!” I wouldn’t have hesitated if I’d known it would lead to this much embarrassment. Sighing, I conjured the Holy Sword of Retribution. “Oh, but me first, of course,” said Leticia. “What a mess. This is supposed to be a solemn affair, you know.” With another sigh, I stabbed first Leticia, and then Nonorick with the blade. As usual, it emitted a searing black light and then dissipated into nothing, but not before delivering us a zoetrope of memories, merging our fates. “Quite delightful. I didn’t expect it to feel like that,” Leticia commented. Nonorick, meanwhile, began acting like he had just been born again. “Ah-ha-ha! Ah-ha-ha-ha! Yes, yes! This is amazing! This burning, festering, tearing feeling inside me!! This is what I’ve been searching for!” Meanwhile, I felt my spiritual connection to my two missing accomplices restored. “Ah, the line’s back up. Minnalis, Shuria, can you hear me?” “Master!” “Kaito!” It had been so long since I’d heard their voices. Still, they sounded distant and crackly, as if the Soulspeak connection was not fully stable, probably owing to the vast distance between us. “It’s good to hear from you,” I transmitted. “Are you two okay?” “We’re fine, Master. What about you? Has anything happened?” “Are you all right, Kaito?” “I’m fine, don’t worry. Where are you two right now? We should try to meet up if we can.” “About that, Master. There’s something we need to tell you. Come to the See at once, to the Holy Crystal. If it’s destroyed, we’ll all be… …by the…” “Watch out for the kingdom and the empire… …hurry…” “Minnalis? Shuria? I can barely hear you! What’s happening?” Their voices were drowned out by noise. I shouted out to them, but there was no reply. And then, all of a sudden, the connection dropped, like a dying walkie-talkie. “Hey,” said Nonorick. “Were those the two girls you were with back when we met in Dartras?” “It sounds like Minnalis and Shuria have noticed it, too,” said Leticia “Though it cut out before they were able to go into details.” Everyone was now able to listen in on the Soulspeak network, so I didn’t need to tell them what I’d heard. “They said to beware of the kingdom and the empire,” said Yuuto. “And to head to the See? And a Holy Crystal? Dear brother, what were they talking about?” “That’s the Church’s country,” I answered. “The Holy Crystal is what powers the great barrier that covers the continent. That barrier weakens any demons who pass through it.” I then turned to Leticia. “Noticed it, too?” I inquired. “That sounds like you know something we don’t.” “Before I explain that,” she said, “I should first talk a bit about what I’ve been doing all this time. I touched on it earlier, but…” Leticia began telling me what had happened to her so far. Apparently, she had gone on living alongside me after I killed her the first time around. At first, her soul dwelled in the magic stone she gave to me, but over time, it transferred to my body. All that time, she saw and heard everything I did, and she could even communicate with me, in a fashion, through dreams. Over time, she recovered her power, ultimately transferring her soul into Guren, when the three of us encountered him in my do-over. After that, she returned to her own body, where she began plotting her revenge against Lilia. Along the way, she learned about the divine foe who sought to drain this world of life, and about the holy vision that had resulted in my summoning. “Not that I give two tosses about any gods,” Leticia tactlessly explained, “but I thought the kingdom worshipped the Great Spirit instead. And even though you gave up on being the hero this time, they’ve suddenly produced a mysterious champion out of nowhere. I wished to investigate that more, but it seems we shan’t get the chance.” I wondered if perhaps the Great Spirit couldn’t simply be a god by another name, but judging by what Leticia had said, it wasn’t that simple. “Do you remember our earlier reunion? At that time, we were heading to the kingdom, when a bunch of those Offshoots suddenly appeared from a nearby military fort.” “…Huh? What the hell? What’s that about?” I asked. “On that front, your guess is as good as mine,” Leticia replied. “I’m just telling you what I saw. That’s why we changed our plans and headed to Zolkia, so that we could register as adventurers and acquire information through the guild.” That explained why Leticia had gone to all the trouble of trying to become an S-rank adventurer. “Wait, wait, wait. It doesn’t make any sense! Where are the Offshoots coming from if you’re still healthy?” “That’s exactly what we wanted to know! I still possess the arcstone, in case you’re wondering. I plan to make full use of its power until I either achieve my vengeance or it’s about to consume me.” There was still more than a year before Leticia’s transformation took hold. Even if we were to play it extra safe, using the arcstone for another six months or so shouldn’t pose a problem. “Anyway, that’s my story,” Leticia concluded. “I was just about to exact my vengeance when you showed up. It was so perfectly timed, I thought you must have planned it!” “If I’d planned it, I would have come up with a better reunion than that…” “Quite. I still remember how you cried. ‘No! I’m never letting you go! Never again!’” “Shut up. I’ve already tried to put it out of my mind,” I muttered, averting my eyes from Leticia’s cheerful gaze. “In any case, I sent Guren ahead to scout the See and report on the kingdom’s movements. He is under orders to psychically contact me if anything happens… Rgh, I don’t know if I should be amused by this marvelous timing or dismayed by the results…” Leticia suddenly adopted a sour look halfway through our conversation. “Did he just tell you something?” I asked. “Yes, and it seems we were too late,” she replied. “The royal and imperial forces have just entered the war…alongside an army of Offshoots.” The front lines of the war had been thrown into chaos by the sudden emergence of a new foe. One that was neither human nor demon, an army of plantlike creatures. “What the hell’s going on?! Who are they? What are they?!” “““Bwaaaaaahh…””” Over time, the front lines had been pushed back from the shores of the continent, toward the holy city, where the crystal resided. This steady defeat was amplified after the kingdom’s hero retreated following a battle with Ardelius, the Baron of Flames. Then, just as all seemed lost, with the demons poised to take the city, they appeared, swaying and lurching like zombies. The twin armies of the kingdom and empire, with glassy eyes and vacant looks, accompanied by humanoid soldiers formed of plant material. “C-Captain! Captain!!” “Grh! Dammit! Dammiiit!!” A Gilmusian squad found themselves cornered on multiple fronts, and the horde of mysterious plant creatures engulfed them. The abhorrent army delivered indiscriminate slaughter, its chimeric troops employing their rootlike tentacles to engulf anyone they encountered, regardless of loyalty. The royal and imperial soldiers, meanwhile, were smaller in number, but ruthlessly loyal and unquestioning, and possessed of monstrous strength. In no time at all, the tide of battle swung strongly in favor of its newest aggressors, and their control spread across the map like a seeping blot. “Grr! Stay back! Back!!” “““Bwabwabwah…””” One man, a lieutenant of the demon armies, fired blast after blast of his Wind magic at the never-ending creatures while advancing toward the holy city. The plan was to shatter the Holy Crystal and dispel the great barrier, thus allowing the demons to call upon their full strength. Ardelius was presently on his way to the cathedral, where the crystal resided. I just have to keep these creatures away, so they don’t interfere! “Come to me, the four winds! Imperial Zephyr: Wind Blade Dance!!” Four tornadoes appeared around him. When the demon pointed, these tornadoes gathered and shot off radially in that direction, shedding blades of wind all around them. “““Bwaaaahhh!!!””” The wind blades sliced the monsters to ribbons, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust. “Phew, that’s better. Now I can actually see what I’m— Gruh?!” “Kill all obstacles. Plant the seeds.” “Y-you… G-ghuh…” The demon turned to see that one of the glassy-eyed humans had somehow sneaked up behind him and delivered a mighty punch that had torn hole straight through his heart. Then the human released something into the hole. “Aaaaaghhh! No…no! What are you doing to me?!” “Kill all obstacles. Plant the seeds.” “Stop it! Stop it, I’ll…grhhh…gaaaah!! No, no!! Stay out! Stay oooout!!” The demon fell to the ground, writhing in agony, then suddenly went still. Suddenly calm, he stood up and looked around with blank eyes. “Kill all obstacles. Plant the seeds.” His eyes searched out unassimilated matter, eager to carry out his new orders. He felt clear of mind and purpose, and even more powerful now. Perhaps he could even defeat Ardelius, his master, who he had never even considered defying before. Then he looked to the sky and saw something unassimilated. Five people, and one creature. A boy, who moved as if running on the air. A girl, who levitated through the sky with magic. Another girl, who moved just like the first boy. A girl who commanded the wind, much like the demon himself did, a boy with monstrous gray wings, and a Fire Dragon following the group. “Kill all obstacles. Plant the seeds.” The demon took to the skies in pursuit. “Out of our way, loser!” Alas, without even getting the chance to test his newfound might, he was cleaved in two by the stroke of a single sword. “Damn, what’s going on out here?!” After teleporting to the outskirts of the holy city, we were immediately thrust into combat. We took to the skies and headed straight for our destination, me and Nonorick using Air Step, Leticia using flight magic, Mai utilizing the Wind magic of Anemol Arsenal, and Yuuto giving himself wings with Monstrous Metamorphosis. Of course, the flashiness of this maneuver singled us out for attacks from below, but… “Come to me, the ice-sodden slush. Muddy Hail: Ice-Stone Petrification!” “Kilo Flame, Kilo Water, Kilo Smash, and try a Kilo Spark on for size!” “White Ramble!” “Wind Blade Dance!!” “Iron Dragon: Upper Body!!” “Grh… Graaaaaaaaghhh!!” …nothing was able to lay so much as a scratch on us. For starters, we had the combined might of the hero and the demon lord on our side, but the rest of our party was also pretty overpowered by this world’s standards. The spawn of the Demonlight Tree were no match for us, and while those glassy-eyed soldiers we encountered once in a while were far tougher than they seemed at first glance, one solid blow was still enough to dispatch them without us having to break a sweat. However… “There sure are a lot of them,” noted Leticia. “No matter how many we fell, more keep coming.” The newest force seemed to cover the entire battlefield. Just what had transpired to cause this? “Dear brother, you must not let your mind wander. That is when you make mistakes.” “Oof. Guilty as charged. In that case, let’s head to secure the crystal.” I wasn’t fully aware of what the stakes were, but Minnalis and Shuria had told me to protect it, so that was what I would do. The mana in this area was under heavy distortion as a result of the unending combat, which left me unable to contact Minnalis and Shuria via Soulspeak. I could sense they were here, though, and guessed they were probably trying to reach the cathedral like I was. “Let’s hurry,” I said. “Ardelius is after the crystal as well, and most likely, Metelia is there defending it.” “Two of our sworn enemies in one place!” squealed Nonorick. “Let’s get there and kill them as fast as we can!” “I don’t think I need to remind you,” I cautioned him, “but don’t forget why we’re here.” Ardelius and Metelia were not our primary goals at the moment. “Don’t think I’ll let you off lightly if you kill too quickly,” added Leticia. “Ardelius killed my brother. I shall be the one to take his life. We may be partners in crime now, but I shan’t budge on that.” “Hmph, fine, I get it. Boo…” “But our first priority is to secure the Holy Crystal, right?” asked Yuuto. “And if we can, we are to neutralize and capture Ardelius and Metelia, correct?” asked Mai. “That’s right,” I said. “We can’t kill them yet. Not Metelia, at least; there’s something I want to ask her.” Metelia. Somehow, it seemed like she had retained her memories of the first time as well. I’ll make you tell me everything up front, Metelia. I wouldn’t want my vengeance to be polluted with regret. She had appeared from out of nowhere and sent me back to my world without my memories. For so long, I had burned with the desire to kill her, yet even now, I didn’t know why Metelia had initially betrayed me. “Right. So…get out of my way.” I sprinted through the air, finally arriving in the skies above the holy city itself. From our vantage point, we could see the Lunarian soldiers desperately holding out against the Offshoot army. The city seemed to have already been evacuated, likely on Metelia’s orders. Clever girl. That meant we could fight all we wanted without worrying about collateral damage. I’ll have to watch out, though; we could end up clashing with Ardelius and Metelia both at once. Already I could see the spires of the cathedral. We would be arriving in less than five minutes. “Get out of our way, dammit!!” Enemies fell by the wayside as we made our way to it. The stained-glass skylight in the roof would take us straight to where the Holy Crystal was kept. “Just you wait, Metelia…” “Ardelius… Oh, how shall I kill you?” “Sigh. Are you sure you understood our priorities, dear brother? I’m really starting to worry.” “It is starting to look like they might just kill them.” My mind was clear. Perhaps it was because I had Leticia with me. I didn’t think it would make this much difference just having my girlfriend on the team. I’m a man of simple pleasures, I suppose. However, my self-deprecating didn’t alter the fact that I felt like I had changed. I always used to lose myself in the moment, get carried away, and forget my priorities. That was because this world had broken me and forced me to the bottom of a deep, dark pit. “Hi-yah!” I shattered the angel depicted on the stained glass. Leaving Guren up top in his dragon form, the five of us dropped into the cathedral. When my boots hit the solid marble of its solemn floors, I saw it. An elf man I’d never seen before was standing in front of Metelia and Ardelius. Sharp wooden stakes stuck out of their hearts. “Wh…what the…?” “What…have you done?” Leticia and I were speechless. We didn’t understand. We couldn’t comprehend what we were seeing. Metelia shook as blood sprayed from the wound. Ardelius’s body turned to sand as a fissure ran through his demon heart. “Well, now, who do we have here?” The figure grinned. “I must commend you on your excellent timing, ladies and gentlemen.” Why was he smiling? Why was he smiling? Why was he smiling at us? Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you fuck you!! “You…bastaaaard!!” “You…imbiciiile!!” Before another thought could cross our minds, Leticia and I acted. “Devour him, Azure Flame Wolf!” “Evil Dragon Hellfire Abyss!!” The two creatures of fire unleashed by our attacks intertwined as they hurtled toward the mysterious elf. It was a reflex, a laughable attempt to extinguish the ugly sight before us, but nevertheless, these two flames contained enough power to incinerate anything in their path. My power as the hero had almost returned to its peak, and fire was the strongest out of all of Leticia’s exceptional affinities. However… “The ashen flower choketh all. Petal of Cinder: Flanecia.” A wall of pink and gray petals blocked our attacks. “Ohh, scary, scary,” the man taunted. “Your swift assistance is much appreciated, Princess.” Light footfalls tapped against the marble as another figure stepped out of the gloom. “A-Alicia?” I said, stunned. “Good to see you again, Ex-Hero. It’s been a while.” It was Alicia Orollea, princess of the Orollea Kingdom. The girl who’d summoned me to this world and ultimately betrayed and killed me. “Wh…what the hell are you doing here?!” I couldn’t keep up. Things were moving too fast for my brain to follow. And while these external events caused my mind to spin, the deepest, innermost recesses of my consciousness were scorching me from the inside out, screaming at me to cut the princess down where she stood. “Dear brother, you must stay calm!” “You shall pay for what you’ve done, perfidious wench!” “H-hold up, Letty! They’re on another level! It’s crazy! My senses are going wild!” I heard Mai’s voice. Leticia’s anger. Nonorick’s panic. They reminded me I had people here to protect. To rely on. I couldn’t afford to deny reality now. I needed to understand what was happening. “Did you two kill Metelia and Ardelius?” I asked. “I did nothing of the sort,” the princess replied. “It was all the work of that high elf standing over there.” “High elf…? What’s one of those doing here? Who are you?” “Oh, just think of me as an unpredictable joker!” the elf answered. “I’m only here to liven up the stage!” It seems he has no intention of giving straight answers. “So who’s that in the armor? My replacement?” “…” My rage had initially blinded me to the presence of another figure, dressed in full silver plate mail, standing behind Alicia without a word. Despite their majestic appearance, however, their presence was unimpressive, and I couldn’t sense much power emanating from them. “Tee-hee. Why don’t you guess?” “Hrgh!!” As soon as I mentioned the armored figure, however, Alicia grinned a broad grin, like a poisonous flower in bloom. Psychological disgust took hold, and I battled the urge to vomit. “…On second thought, I don’t care that much,” I answered. “So long as I know you two are working alongside that elf there, that’s good enough for me.” It was looking vanishingly unlikely that further conversation would produce fruitful results, so there was no need to waste any more time. “All that matters to me is that you took my sworn enemy away from me.” A thick lump of hate worked its way up my throat, spilling through the cracks between my lips. “Especially you, Alicia. You’re screwed. Oh, you’re really screwed. I only regret that you can only die once.” “What a sorry excuse for a man you are. But I’m afraid I don’t care about you at all anymore.” “Now, now, chums, let’s just settle down, shall we? You wouldn’t want to miss the big show because you were busy tearing each other’s throats out!” The time for words was over. “…Leticia, are you with me?” “Of course I am, you fool. That man will die.” I was calm and analytic once more, but that didn’t mean my anger had gone away. If anything, it had only condensed into a thicker, molten blob. “Mai, Yuuto. Sorry to drag you into this, but I’m going to need your help. If this high elf took out Metelia and Ardelius at once, then he’s bad news. And something’s up with Alicia, too. She stopped both of our attacks like it was nothing. I don’t know what happened to her, but we’d better be careful.” Yuuto and Mai were by no means weak, but they were still lacking in experience. Battle sharpened the mind, and in a fight like this, where we didn’t know what our foe was capable of, quick-wittedness could be the difference between victory and defeat. “Sorry to burst your bubble, my friend, but I don’t intend to fight you. The actors on this stage have been switched out,” said the elf. “Shut the hell up!! You don’t get to decide that after what you did! I’ll kill you! I’ll freaking kill you! You better not die too quickly, or I’ll— Wait, is that the Holy Crystal?!” With a magician-like wave of his hand, a shining gem appeared in the elf’s palm. I had seen it before in my first life. “Come one, come all! It’s curtains on the tragic hero and his path of revenge! We stand now at the dawn of a new tale, an epic myth of gods and men! Bear witness to the moment it all begins!” “Grh! No!!” Alarm bells went off inside my head. Before I could stop the elf, however, the sacred crystal shattered into luminous shards. I heard a crack like that of an enormous pane of glass, as if transmitted directly into my head, and watched as a pillar of light rose into the sky. “Rrghh?!” “What is happening?!” “D-dear brother…!” “Urgh…my head!!” “Shut up, shut up, shut uuup!” The light blasted the roof off the building, and a wave of force pushed me back. What the hell? Nothing like this ever happened the first time! …Rgh! The crystal had shattered last time, too, but it hadn’t produced such a devastating effect. The pillar began shrinking, but I got the distinct feeling that our troubles had only just begun. As it converged onto a single point, I heard a clear ringing tone, like the sound of a bell. For a moment, time seemed to halt, and the sound cut out, like the calm before the mother of all storms. Then a voice came from out of nowhere. “Entering final stage of manifestation sequence.” Suspended in midair at the center of the beam was the silent armored figure. The voice was as clear and calm as spring water. Then, slowly, the armor began to crack, before finally splintering like glass and revealing the captivating form of a woman I’d never seen before. Her snow-white hair was partially tied up at the back, with the remainder falling to the length of her toes. Her features were unnaturally pretty and regular, her expression emotionless, like a doll’s, and her loose-fitting robes exuded a solemn and majestic air. ““““““…”””””” None of us could utter a word, but I recognized the feeling. The sensation of being looked down upon from somewhere high above. “Ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!! The manifestation is complete! Lady Lunaris walks the earth at last! All my hard work has paid off! Ha-ha-ha!!” “…” The elf’s mad laughter echoed off the walls. The Offshoots and the glassy-eyed soldiers all began rising into the air like the Rapture had come, and Alicia and the high elf rose to join them. Lunaris? That’s Lunaris? “Hmm. How strange it is to inhabit mortal flesh,” she spoke. “It feels…restrictive…even with a unit as exceptional as this one.” It was terrifying. Utterly terrifying. Alarm bells were going off in my head, and I didn’t even know what she was capable of. I sensed that her mana felt exactly the same as that of the enemies around us, but all I knew was that this woman was a force to be reckoned with, whether she was really the Church’s Goddess or not. My brain just kept screaming at me like an idiot, saying nothing of value, polluting my thoughts. Perhaps that was why I didn’t react until it was too late. “I ought to test the bounds of this vessel. Blessed Aureole.” “Huh…?” Before I could do anything to stop it, Lunaris pointed a finger at us. A halo of light appeared for an instant around the tip, before a blinding beam shot toward us and pierced Mai in the stomach. “Hmm. It seems my aim was somewhat compromised.” “Gah…Ghhh!!” “M…” The strength left her body in an instant, and Mai collapsed to her knees, thick red blood pouring from her lips. “MAIIIIIIII!!” Leticia rushed to Mai’s side, holding her up and administering a healing spell, but it was no use. “What’s wrong?! My magic isn’t working!!” Lunaris, however, was unperturbed, merely flexing and unflexing her fingers before fixing her gaze our way once more. “The hero, the demon lord, the true vampire, the two interlopers, and the fully grown Fire Dragon… All the anomalies, helpfully gathered in one place.” “Dammit… Rgh!!” As soon as I looked into her eyes, I felt frozen with fear from the inside out. Even if I had known it was coming, there was nothing I could have done to stop her previous attack. When I realized that, a cold sweat dribbled down the back of my neck. Just then, the elf man stepped in. “Pardon me, Your Gloriousness, but I wonder if I couldn’t trouble you a moment before you proceed with the cleansing? You see, one of those six has rather caught my eye, and with your permission, I’d like to bring them onto our side.” “…Hmm. Very well. Proceed.” The Goddess lowered her arm. Hmm? What does that mean? Is this guy still after something? Still, whatever the reason, it had bought us some time. I needed to patch Mai up and get out of here before— “Excellent. Then tell me, boy. Will you not reconsider your loyalties? You’ve seen firsthand what I can do. This is your last chance…Yuuto Kanazaki.” “…Huh?” A barbaric smile crossed the elf’s lips. “Y-Yuuto? What’s he talking about?” “…I’m sorry, Kaito. I tried…but there’s only one person who matters to me, and that’s Shiori.” A massive pair of wings sprouted from Yuuto’s back, propelling him up toward the Goddess. “Yuuto? What are you doing?!” “Now, My Lady,” said the elf, “Would you not remove the chains that bind our new ally?” “I see. Your aptitude for strategy is indeed impressive. Very well.” Lunaris waved her hand, and Yuuto was wrapped in a bright light. “Hrg…Kah!!” All of a sudden, I heard a sound like snapping metal, and my spiritual connection to Yuuto was severed. I didn’t need to check to know that the Goddess had just voided our revenge contract. “Wh-why are you doing this?! Are you betraying me, Yuuto?!” “Kaito, I…I met this elf man once before, in town. He told me he could bring Shiori back to life.” “What?!” “I know, okay?! I know how much this hurts you…but I have no choice!” “Come now,” said the elf to me. “Don’t blame your friend. What are the tawdry bonds of friendship before the burning fires of love? Yuuto’s only human, after all.” But I could see nothing but red. Yuuto betrayed me? He betrayed me?! I could see nothing. Nothing. “I’ll kill you, Yuutooooo!!” I screamed so loud, my throat would tear, but Yuuto only turned and said… “I’m sorry, Kaito. For everything.” He placed his hand on the elf’s shoulder. “Hmm? What’s the matter, boy?” “And I’m sorry, Shiori, for throwing my life away like this. Bomb Boulder: Full Body.” As soon as Yuuto spoke those words, his flesh began transforming into glowing crimson rock. “Wh-what?!” “Y-Yuuto! What are you thinking?!” Vermilion rays burst from the seams in his body, and Yuuto wrapped his arms around the high-elf man. “Kaito, run!!” he yelled. The Bomb Boulder. A monster made of rock that lived in volcanic areas. When it died, it expended all of its remaining life and mana to produce a self-destructive blast. “Wait, Yuuto! No! Stop! Don’t do it! Yuutoooo!!” By the time I realized what Yuuto was doing, it was too late to stop him. The elf began to panic. “Wh-what?! What’s the meaning of this?! What’s your game, boy?” “…Good-bye, Kaito.” Yuuto cast me a weak smile and twinkled with crimson light. “I’d rather not have to listen to that.” At the last fraction of a second, a barrier appeared around the doomed pair, encasing and containing the ensuing explosion. “Hmm. Quite powerful…for a mortal.” “What?!” After the explosion died down, the inside of the barrier was completely empty. There was no trace of either Yuuto or the elf man, as though neither of them had ever existed. “Mortal units have a habit of behaving in…unpredictable ways. For the time being, I have no further use for you.” Lunaris gave an unconcerned wave of her hand, and the barrier shrank into nothing. None of what I was seeing felt real. All I could do was stare in amazement as it unfolded. “Now then, I must track down the whereabouts of the local god. Since it seems you anomalies are not powerful enough to pose a threat, I do not need to waste time killing you.” Lunaris calmly smiled. “Then I will finally be granted divinity. Finally, finally, final…ly?” For the first time, a trace of worry crossed the Goddess’s face. “What is…what is happening? I cannot command the unit? Is the God interfering with my control?! Impossible! Direct divine intervention in this world should not be possible!” She was so perturbed that it was difficult to imagine how calm she had been only a few moments before. It was then that I heard a voice like toxic nectar. “Aah, finally. Finally, victory is within my grasp.” “…What? You? Are you the one who did this?” asked Lunaris, reverting to her usual emotionless mask. “That’s right, Great Spirit, it was all me. Or do you go by ‘Lady Lunaris’ right now?” A bewitching smile, like that of a captor to their helpless prisoner. “Cease this interference, whatever it is,” said Lunaris. “If you do not, I will be forced to—” “Oh, Goddess, Goddess. I’m afraid you can never be part of this world.” A smile that took full control of any who witnessed it. “At the moment of your manifestation, I assumed command of it all. That vessel you were so keen to usurp…and this army of humans implanted with the World Tree seeds used to spread your power throughout the land.” “Wh-what are you seeking to do?! Are you attempting to become a god in my place?!” “Oh, no, heaven forbid. A lowly existence such as myself could never take that honor.” It was the smile of a poisonous flower that sank all who beheld it beneath an ocean of toxic sludge. “It shall be my dearly departed sister. She shall feed on your power and be reborn.” “Y-you speak madness! Her soul is long since gone from this world!” “Oh, no. Lamnecia’s soul has been very close to me this entire time.” “Grh… Gah… I-impossible… My power…! Aaaaaaaghhh!!” A bloodcurdling scream filled the halls of the cathedral. And at that moment… “Master!” “Kaito!” A pair of familiar voices rebooted the stalling gears of my mind. “Minnalis! Shuria!”
Chapter 111
42 min read