The Seven Heroes put a stop to the demon lord’s second invasion.
Empress Margaret once again awarded them a medal of the highest honor—a new one created especially for them. All seven were present at the award ceremony, and this time around, Yoshida didn’t shrink back in fear and received his medal with dignity and grace.
As it must, time went on.
The victims of the war were buried, the destroyed towns and villages were rebuilt, and humanity pressed on thanks to the sacrifices of yesterday. Even hundreds or thousands of years from that day, humans would overcome many more crises and live on humbly yet resolutely, with great tenacity.
To remember those who left such a large mark on history, the final moments of the Seven Heroes are recorded here.
Dora Alexandra. Age of Death: Sixty-Three Years Old.
Dora vigorously hunted down monsters and protected Asch Sanctuary right until the day she died. The news of her sudden death due to heart disease saddened the people greatly. The date was henceforth named “Great Mother’s Day” and became a public holiday for the Second Kingdom.
Derek Henderson. Age of Death: Sixty-Five Years Old.
After the war, Derek’s wicked aura disappeared, and he seemed like a different person. He further developed the Third Kingdom’s economy and earned the trust of his subjects and closest supporters. His will was unexpectedly short, stating that he would leave the rest up to his trusted family and vassals. “Please bury me in the same grave as my wife,” was briefly written at the end.
Isabella Stuart. Age of Death: Seventy Years Old.
Isabella continued reigning as the Fourth Kingdom’s queen, showing no weakness to the end. Her thorough skill in politics was feared by those around her, but she repeatedly silenced them with her influence and political maneuvers.
“Who would imagine I’d become more infamous than even Derek?” she’d said with a self-deprecating laugh.
As a result, barely anyone attended Isabella’s funeral, which was rather unexpected for a head of state. However, her longtime attendant, Alicia, took charge of every aspect of the funeral herself, continuing her support of the queen even after her death.
Norman Lockwood. Age of Death: Seventy-Two Years Old.
Following the war, the Sincere Magic Society was renamed to the “League of Extraordinary Minds,” and made a fresh start with “Enthusiasm, Momentum, and Enjoying Life” as its motto. Naturally, most of the existing members left due to the abrupt change in policy, but eventually Norman living his truth slowly drew people to him. It ended up a much smaller-scale community than before, but it still had around fifty members. Norman and those close colleagues did things that might or might not have always made sense and enjoyed their lives while researching and practicing magic in their own enthusiastic way for many years to come.
Yoshida. Age of Death: Seventy-Seven Years Old.
Yoshida spent a portion of the vast wealth he was rewarded to erect a grave for Aria in his garden. He spent his life quietly in a rural village in the Seventh Kingdom, focused on agriculture and making simple weapons and tools. Various monarchs of other kingdoms or heroes occasionally visited and spent time at his rather frugal home out in the ordinary countryside, giving the other villagers the shock of a lifetime.
This time, he was properly recognized as a hero who helped end the war and a man of good character, so many marriage proposals came his way, but he politely turned them all down.
Kevin Laphicet. Age of Death: Eighty Years Old.
After the war, Kevin’s vassals whipped him into shape, and he more or less worked for the sake of his kingdom for the rest of his life. He remained loved by his people.
When he saw his comrades in arms pass away before him during his final years, he’d complained, “I wanted to pass away first and quickly join Reece’s side, yet I’m almost the last one remaining. Pretty ironic, huh? Man, living is such a pain.”
As for Alan Granger, he collapsed from disease in the year following the death of Kevin, his last comrade.
✦ ✦ ✦
An old man lying on a white bed, staring at a white ceiling. He couldn’t even stand up with his own strength, his body old and frail; the end of his life was truly before him.
I feel like it’s going to happen tonight, Alan thought as he felt the state of his own body. He’d come close to death countless times in the past, and he had memories of actually dying once. This sensation was much the same.
Alan struggled to look to his side.
“Darling...”
“Pops...”
After the war was over, Rosetta had pushed Alan into marrying her. She was there now, with their son and his own family, worriedly hovering over Alan.
“How’s Mister Alan?!” The hospital room’s door opened and Griffith—now a remarkable middle-aged man—rushed in.
“He’s still with us...for now,” Rosetta said.
“So, I made it in time!” Griffith approached the bed. “The Underworld Countermeasures Council we discussed before has finally been established. I will keep vigilant watch over the system to ensure corruption doesn’t take hold over it this time. You can rest assured.”
Griffith was now head of the Humanity Defense Coalition, which had been reborn as a borderless anti-monster organization and a regulatory body for each kingdom’s interests. Despite his prestigious position, he still played an active part in the coalition. He’d become both a welcome and meddlesome presence for the younger members, either giving them useful advice or scolding them for unacceptable conduct.
Ah, so it’s done. That’s reassuring to know. Alan was grateful to receive such a wonderful report on his deathbed.
“Th...” Alan mustered every bit of his strength to sit upright and talk. “Thank you...Griffith. You’ve become a truly dependable man.”
“Mister Alan...”
“You are also a splendid hero, no less than us.”
“I— Thank you!” Griffith nodded with deep gratitude at hearing Alan’s recognition.
“And...Rosetta.” Alan turned to his wife next.
“Yes, darling?”
“At first, I thought you could find a younger and better man than me, but, now...I’m truly glad I married you. Thank you for bringing me happiness. I hope I did the same for you.”
“You did. You made me the happiest woman in the world. How could you still be worried about such things? How rude,” Rosetta said with a small pout. Despite getting on in years herself, her expression was still adorable.
“Take care of your mother,” Alan told his son.
His son nodded with tears in his eyes. “Of course. You can leave her to me, dad.”
Alan was proud to have such a brilliant and compassionate man as his son, but he worried his son was too sensitive. But it would probably be all right. He was his son, after all, and he had a dependable family around him.
Alan took a long breath and lay down again. His entire body lost strength, and his consciousness drifted until it grew distant. He could feel his final moments approaching. Then, the memories came flooding in.
An old man lying on a white bed, staring at a white ceiling. He couldn’t even stand up with his own strength, his body old and frail; the end of his life was truly before him. Humanity had progressed in these past forty years, and though its advances were still nowhere near those of his old world’s, all sorts of medical equipment reminiscent of the hospital he remembered lay around the room.
Oh, I’ve returned to the same place.
His final sight almost matched that of his previous life’s. However, his emotions were completely different this time.
I completed it. I lived my life to its fullest.
He’d fulfilled his dream, entrusted the rest of it to the young generation, and had loved and been loved. He’d devoted body and soul to living a life with no regrets.
Are you watching, me from that day? This was a good life. A wild, brilliant, amazing life.
Alan’s consciousness finally faded away.