So this was it, huh?
Everything that I’ve done so far has led up to this. Just a few more days, and I’d finally reach that lofty goal I’d set at the very beginning, when I was nothing but a spirit of the deceased.
In just a few more days, I would either see that dream to fruition, or die trying. Perhaps I wouldn’t even be given the luxury of dying once more if I failed. Perhaps I’d just be erased from totality for even daring to stand up to an existence that could call itself “God.”
But even if that came to pass, I think that I’d still be able to accept it this time. After all, even an absurdly pointless fate like that would be a product of my own hard work.
Yes, this time around, no matter if I cried tears of triumph or tears of sorrow, I’d be satisfied. Why? Because it’d be the fate that I wrought with my own hands. It wasn’t something that I was forcibly born into without a single chance to change it.
This time, whatever my ending was, it would be something that I had decided for myself.
So even if I would be erased completely in the end, I was okay with that.
But even so, with my goal mere steps away from me, why did I feel like this? Why was it so... underwhelming?
“Look, look! They’re here, Ryuuko!”
Lucrezia’s sunshine voice filled my ears with its pleasant melody, breaking me out of my fugue of tristesse. A smile had blossomed on her face, and I was once again reminded of how radiant her appearance was.
It was strange, honestly. Most of the people in this world were passably attractive at the very least, and that was what made Lucrezia stand out even more. In the midst of diamonds, she was something even greater than the most brilliant of gemstones.
Perhaps I could even call her my treasure.
I nodded to myself as I followed Lucrezia’s gaze to a large group of oncoming cavalry. It’d still take them around thirty minutes to reach our position, but my keen eyes could make out the riders’ long blue cloaks that trailed behind them like streams hovering in the air. Their heads were adorned with conical hats in the same shade, festooned with a single crimson feather.
That’s right. Lucrezia, Priya, Antenora. Even Aurelia, Liandra, and Radeca... You’re all my precious treasures. My lips formed a smile as the thought passed through my mind. I hadn’t known any of them for very long, but they were all dearly important to me. We had some hiccups along the way, but here we were, about to finally bring an end to this chapter in our journey.
Together.
My eyes searched the group of cavalry for the person I was looking for. It didn’t take much time for me to find her.
Her brilliant amethyst eyes shone dazzlingly, but something had changed since I last saw her. Instilled within her vividly violet gaze was an inner strength that I hadn’t seen before, and riding next to her was an elegant red-haired woman who exuded a beauty that befitted a knight more than a noblewoman.
Such a person could only be the one person that Liandra had been worried about when she took on the arduous task that I had requested of her: Valencia Ignitia di Avesta, the Tower Master of Valgern Tower.
Seeing the two of them riding side by side was certainly a sight to behold, for their magical power dwarfed all those close to them, and even the way they carried themselves made it plain as day that they were in another realm of their own.
So you really did manage to bring her to our side, Liandra. Thank you... for listening to my selfish request.
“They certainly are.” I said to Lucrezia, the corners of my lips curling upwards to match her smile. Of course, it couldn’t hold a candle to the sunlike radiance of hers, but it was more than enough to display my joy for all to see.
As if in response, Lucrezia’s smile brightened even more, outshining even the light of the noonday sun that hung above us. It was certainly a sight to behold. In fact, when all of this was over and I managed to survive, I’d like to—
“Ryuuko.”
I whirled around to find Antenora standing behind us. By her side was Alesia, her hand entwined with Antenora’s. Ever since the two had reunited, they barely spent a moment apart, as if separating for too long would have quite literally torn them asunder.
It had been a week since then, and during our march on the western nations, the two of them had revealed Alesia’s true identity as the previous Demon Lord. Honestly, I wasn’t entirely surprised. Rather than that, I was... disappointed.
I should have been happy. I should have been rejoicing alongside everyone else, but instead, the most I could manage was choking out a half-hearted “Awesome!” before excusing myself.
Seriously, what an idiot I was.
I guess I just expected a little more of a trial before actually encountering the Demon Lord, but instead, she was just dropped into my lap like I was some cliche isekai protagonist who had everything handed to them.
At that, I couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe that really was what was happening. Maybe “God” was just toying with me, allowing me to believe that I was slowly taking steps toward my ultimate goal before finally crushing me with all their might when I stood before them, thinking that it’d go my way.
It really did feel anticlimactic, though. Like a moment of realization or discovery had been stolen from me. But what was I to do? I couldn’t just tell her to go hide so I could go and find her again. That’d be stupid beyond belief. Besides, I doubt she’d want to be apart from Antenora.
Regardless, that wasn’t what I should be worrying about right now. Rather, it should be the least of my concerns after what Alesia had told me during the night she revealed her true identity.
The night when not even Antenora was present.
“...You’ll be pleased to know that you were right, Ryuuko.”
“Right? Right about what?” I asked, my brow furrowed.
“I am not a denizen of this world. My original name was Mishima Keiko. In my past life, I was a citizen of Japan.”
What shocked me was not the honesty of her declaration, nor was it the fact that she really was a transmigrator, and from Japan to boot.
No.
It was because she had chosen to convey her words to me in perfect Japanese.
Her words didn’t carry the distinct feel of the [Transmigrator] skill’s automatic translation. What she said was truly unblemished, untouched by anything that this world had to offer.
A single tear rolled down my cheek, a prismatic bead that refracted the light into just as many colors as the emotions that it contained. I never thought that I’d miss even a shred of my previous world after having come this far.
Despite my best efforts, a smile had spread across my face.
“...Ah. I never thought I’d hear words like that ever again.”
Thank you for the chapter.
Thank you for reading!