Epilogue
“WHERE AM I…?” I croaked.
I opened my eyes to a clean white ceiling and fluorescent lights.
I understood then I was in the hospital. But why was I there? My memories were still catching up to me when someone spoke.
“Good morning, Amane-san,” Claire said.
“…Huh?”
I turned my head to find her sitting at my bedside, peeling apple slices. Most people would make bunny ears out of the peels, but she had carved Wolfun’s ears instead. Wow, her work was really detailed… Wait, no time for that!
“Where is everyone?” I asked as I sat up in a hurry. “Are they okay—ack!”
Pain racked my body as the details hit me. I sank back into the bed.
Claire started and moved her hands in a settling gesture. “Calm down, Amane-san. You were severely injured and shouldn’t move. They’re fine, thanks to you.”
Then I did manage to save them. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“How long was I out?” I asked.
“Three days, more or less.”
“Three days?!” That was about two and a half days longer than I expected. “Why are you here peeling apples if you didn’t know when I would wake up?”
“Yui-san and the others eat them when they come by to visit, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt.”
Oh man, if they were well enough to visit me in the hospital, that meant they were perfectly safe. I was glad to hear it.
That left one more important topic. “Can you tell me what happened after I passed out?”
“Certainly. Once the dungeon collapsed, everyone was returned to the surface. They were transported to the hospital for precautionary exams. Even the civilians who fainted from the strong mana exposure turned out fine.”
“That’s good. What about Cain?”
“Oh, the man who claimed to be from another world? I gave a report to the Dungeon Association. Given the circumstances, it won’t be made public yet. They will wait for the right moment. In the meantime, only the highest-ranked adventurers were informed.”
“Figured they’d do something like that.”
Dungeons harbored so many unknowns. The whole world had tried to understand them, but we were left grasping at theories and little else. If people found out another world existed with sentient life that was intentionally targeting us, society would fall into chaos.
“Amane-san, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“I heard from Rei-san and the other girls that you used Cursed. Is that true?”
“It is. In fact, your sword is the reason we got out safe. If it weren’t for the mana your sword gave me, my MP would’ve run out.”
Claire’s eyes widened. “What?”
Had I said something wrong? “Was it not okay to use the sword?” I asked.
“N-no! If it assisted you, then that’s…all that matters. Please, do not concern yourself further.”
“Well, okay…”
Honestly, I wanted to ask more after her reaction, but I left the subject alone. She obviously didn’t want to talk about it. We’d covered what we needed to cover. Quiet draped over us. I drifted in and out of awareness, time flowing past us like a clear stream…until Claire waded into the silence and pulled me back to wakefulness.
“Amane-san.”
“Hmm?”
I blinked up at her face, then lost all words. Her smile hinted at sadness, but it was still as captivating and beautiful as a sunrise over the ocean.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “If not for you, no one would’ve survived.”
“Why would you need to thank me for that?”
“…I suppose I don’t, but I thought I should.”
Her somber expression reminded me of our conversation at the café ten days ago. She looked like she did back then, when she said it was her duty to protect everything. Was she thanking me because I protected them when she couldn’t? If she felt like she was useless back then, that didn’t make any sense. Something in her voice nagged me. I wanted to know more.
“Claire—”
“I think I’ll be in the way if I stay here any longer. I should head home,” she interrupted, standing and turning away.
I pictured her stance when she defeated the ifrit. She seemed unbreakable—a strong contrast to the Claire whose shoulders now slumped with the weight of the world. How could I not be curious about what weakness she perceived in herself? Did she believe her duty was to protect everything alone?
Her words were as clear as day in my memory.
“Your goal is well on its way to being realized.”
“You think so?”
“No, I know it. And once you do realize it, I hope you’ll be…”
She trailed off after that, but was she about to say what I thought?
I had to tell her something. No—I wanted to tell Claire something.
Just as she reached for the door, I rose from the bed. “Wait, Claire.”
“Amane-san? You shouldn’t move!”
“I’m okay. I can handle it.”
Back at the café, I couldn’t bring myself to push, but I could do it now. I didn’t know what burden she bore, but I could at least tell her my own feelings.
“I’m the one who should thank you, Claire,” I said. “We were only saved because you came to our aid. Your strength is in a league way beyond mine.”
“My strength…”
She looked troubled. By now, she must’ve received a lot of praise for her strength. It made sense that my words didn’t mean much. What I really wanted to say came next.
“That’s why I want to catch up to you,” I said.
“P-pardon?”
“I want to become strong enough to protect everything too. If I need strength like yours to do that, then I will catch up…actually, wait.”
That wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t enough. I’d sworn to become the strongest adventurer in the world.
“Once I meet my goal, I’ll find you there. So, wait for me, Claire.”
Surprise lit up her bright blue eyes.
Ugh, I sounded egotistical, didn’t I? I didn’t even say it for her, more for myself. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, it seemed to strike a chord with her. For a second, a wet shine glimmered in her eyes, but then she smiled.
“I’m sorry, but your declaration will never become a reality,” she insisted. “I’m going to get stronger too, you know.”
“Guess I’ll have to level up even faster than you, won’t I?”
“Well, then…let’s make it an official challenge, Amane-san.”
“You’re on!”
Bright light filtered into the space between us as we made our vow.
We hardly knew each other, but that didn’t matter. We understood better than anyone else that the promise we made was real. As for the many questions yet to be answered, well…we trusted time to teach us.
After all, our story had only just begun.