Chapter 59

Yeah, that’s right. It happened when I was a kid. The day had finally come when I would part ways with . “Hey, … Here. For you.” “Sniffle…hic… What’s that…?” “This is a hawthorn Celtic cross. I made it by hand. It’s a good luck charm.” “A handmade…charm…?” “Japanese hawthorn has the potent power to connect people, and a Celtic cross represents power that’ll never fade… What? Didn’t you know?” “Hiccup… How am I supposed to know that…? So? What about it…?” “W-well…uh, basically, it’s like a friendship charm or something…! It means let’s meet again someday! I can’t believe you made me say it out loud, you dummy!” “…” I brusquely pushed that charm on her. took it and just stared at it dumbly for a while. Eventually, even though her face was still wet with tears, she put on the cutest smile I’d seen. “Okay, thank you, Rintarou—I’ll see you again someday!” “See ya…Luna.” — At that moment…a certain dark witch was muttering in marvel. “…No way…? The course of fate…has changed…?” In another place… In dark shadows like the bottom of the sea, a certain boy muttered in delight. “Well, good show, partner… Though I’ll say that was impressive, I’ll pretend I didn’t see all those lame parts… I’ve really got to hand it to your king from this time around.” KLIIIIIIIING! “Huh?!” Rintarou suddenly snapped back to his senses. Luna swung up her sword and raised his swords sharply over his head. The full-scale impact made the two swords leave Rintarou’s hands and whipped them around through the air. Then, in the next moment…something struck his body. Luna had hurled herself onto Rintarou to hug him. “I win, Rintarou… My first win.” “Luna…” For a while, Rintarou looked down at her as she firmly squeezed him. There was no madness in those eyes. They were back to normal, as though a weight had been lifted. “…Right, Luna… You were the girl from back then…so that’s how it was…” “…Someone’s slow.” Hot tears started to well up at the corners of Luna’s eyes as she hugged him. “…You finally remembered…! Took you long enough…! You’re so thick in the head… Idiot…! You big dummy…!” The world flooded with light. The real world that had been built through the netherworld collapsed, blazing white. The two of them still hugged each other… Sir Kay watched over them, moved to tears… Their vision turned misty and brighter, until it was bleached pure white. Everything turned pale…