Chapter 77 – Why Are You Coming Out of There

Why Are You Coming Out of There

“Kyahat. Are you really the hero party? You’re too cruel.”
“…Shut up.”
“Yes.”
How scary.

Thinking they had completely subdued me, the two began to check the condition of the successful product and the remaining elf and demon.
“Riste, how are Pfel and Cherni?”

“…They’ve simply fainted, so there’s no danger to their lives. No particular external injuries either. But Ariel is the problem. Her injuries are more serious than I thought. It seems like she was hurt by magic… Wait a moment.”
The saint suddenly turned her head towards me as if she had noticed something.

“Marian! Quickly gag that person!”
“Kyahat. Too late.”
It was rather fortunate that I ended up in this state without being able to resist. Moreover, the fact that they lost their composure upon seeing the successful product’s condition also worked to my advantage.
Thanks to their carelessness, I had a chance to use teleportation magic.

The monster guy tried to stop me belatedly, but this time I was faster.
“Well then, goodbye.”
The sight of their faces contorting is quite entertaining.

I feel a slight tingling sensation in my chest. After all, it’s more fun with some thrill.
After that, the place I teleported to was inside the mansion we use as our base.
‘Phew. I survived.’

While I was savoring the afterglow of my escape, Erdas-nim came up from the basement and approached where I was.
Then, Erdas-nim spoke to me with a look of disbelief upon seeing my appearance.

“…Didn’t I tell you to just play around a bit? What’s with that state?”
“Kyahat. I’m sorry.”
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like I’ll be scolded. Rare joy and pleasure were visible on Erdas-nim’s face.

…I think I roughly know why. It’s probably because of the little dragon kidnapped from the successful product.
“Are you going to do the experiment right now?”

“Not yet. We still need to prepare.”
Erdas-nim’s gaze turned towards the basement he had just come up from when he heard my question. It’s called a basement, but it’s more like an altar for summoning something.
There lies the Demon Lord’s body, which is gradually regenerating. What was originally smaller than a fingernail has now regenerated up to the forearm. Honestly, it was disgusting.

Well, I’m similar now too.
Judging by the fact that I can’t see the little dragon around, Erdas-nim must have moved it there.
But what kind of preparation is needed? Out of curiosity, I asked Erdas-nim.

“What preparation?”
“Well, preparation to create a god of magic.”
When I looked up to check Erdas-nim’s expression, he was wearing a dazzling smile I had never seen before.

But why?
“Wake up. You’ve been brainwashed by Erdas. It’s not too late even now. Break free from him. I’ll help you.”
“Try to remember the days in the tower. Following those who made us suffer so much. It’s strange, isn’t it.”

…Clearly, Erdas-nim, who is like a father, is happy, but I’m not feeling very happy.
Wait a minute. I have a separate father.
“…”

I stared at Erdas-nim’s face for a moment, feeling puzzled.
Somehow, it felt unfamiliar.

The day after I left my party members without a word, leaving only a letter behind, after we had defeated the Demon Lord.
Goddess Cael appeared before me as I finally fell asleep with a troubled mind.

‘It must be a dream.’
The place where I was standing was not the old inn where I had just tried to sleep, but a temple that seemed to embody the word ‘holiness’ as a building.
It’s not a place I’m seeing for the first time. This was also where I first met Goddess Cael before I reincarnated into this body.

This place is probably like Goddess Cael’s home.
“…”
After briefly looking around, I turned my head back and quietly stared at Goddess Cael, who was bowing her head in front of me.

Because she was bowing her head, her pure white hair flowed down, making it impossible to see her face properly. For a moment, I felt the urge to grab that beautiful hair and check her expression, but I held back.
…It was obvious that she would be frowning that beautiful face and whimpering. It wasn’t a sight I particularly wanted to see.

“…I’m truly sorry.”
I could hear the trembling in her voice. As I expected, she seems to be whimpering.
I could easily guess what she was sorry for. It must be an apology for making me feel terrible pain by reincarnating me into the body of Ariel, who was captured as an experimental subject.

I didn’t feel any resentment, or even irritation, towards the goddess who was bowing her head to me.
That’s because I no longer had the energy left for such feelings.

“Did you call me here to tell me that?”
…So I asked the goddess calmly. Even I was a bit surprised by the cold voice that came out of my mouth, but of course, I had no intention of taking it back.

Thud. Instead of answering, the goddess knelt down at my words. It’s a bit embarrassing.
Then she bowed her waist with her silky hair hanging down, pressed her head to the floor, taking a posture as if prostrating.
That posture is indeed the most polite way to beg for forgiveness.

“You can hit me until your anger subsides. It probably won’t even compare to a speck of the pain you felt because of me, but…”
“I don’t have such hobbies. Just tell me why you called me here. I’m starting to get annoyed.”

At my words, the goddess, still kneeling, raised only her head and answered with a trembling voice.
“Thank you for saving the continent of Linia. …Really, really. I’m so ashamed. You might think these words sound empty, but thanks to you, the people of the Linia continent can greet a peaceful tomorrow. Thank you so much.”

What? Was it to express gratitude?
Goddess Cael still can’t meet my eyes, seemingly apologetic. Then she opened her mouth again.

“As promised, I’ll grant you one wish. Anything within my power.”
Ah, come to think of it, we did make such a promise. A wish…
“I don’t need it.”

…Since I didn’t particularly want anything, I rejected the goddess’s offer.
“Wh-What?!”
At that, the goddess let out a shrill voice in surprise. She must not have expected my answer at all.

I stared at her for a while, and suddenly something came to mind.
“Just provide me with a house. One in the mountains.”
Yes. That should be enough.

“Th-That…”
The goddess’s pupils shook back and forth as if flustered again upon hearing my words. Don’t tell me even this is not possible. How useless can you be.
“Don’t tell me even such a wish is not possible?”

At my question, the goddess, after wearing a complex expression for a moment, spoke to me with a bitter smile.
“If that’s what you want… I hope your mind changes someday. I pray that happiness finds you too.”
Hoping my mind changes. It was a somewhat strange thing to say.

Regardless of the process, the house provided by the goddess was quite satisfactory.
At first, I lived a somewhat diligent life, personally organizing the unorganized paths and trees, but that was only for a while.
Somehow, after being branded as a witch by the villagers at the foot of the mountain, I just spent my days idly.

…Feeling a emptiness as if my heart was hollow.
As I was living such an ordinary life day after day, one day.
“Sha-at…!”

A small dragon girl entered our house.

“Sis! Are you conscious?!”
“Ariel-nim!!!!”
“…Pfel? Cherni?”

As I opened my slightly heavy eyelids, I saw the faces of two people, covered in tears and looking tired as if they hadn’t slept much.
“Sis… Are you okay?”
“I’m so glad…”

The two of them spoke while holding my hand tightly and whimpering. Maybe because I slept for a long time, I feel like there’s a thick fog in my head.
‘What happened…?’

I wonder how long I’ve been asleep. My body feels stiff and I even feel some inexplicable muscle pain all over.
Soon after looking around, I realized that the place where I’m lying now is not our house.

“Kids. Where is this?”
“…This is a temple. You woke up after three days, sis.”
“Sniff. We were so worried…”

‘This is a temple?’
Pfel and Cherni look at me with worry in their eyes in response to my question.
The confusion was brief, as I suddenly realized that Saya was nowhere to be seen. Where did Saya go?

“Kids. Where’s Saya…?”
“”….””
Sadness began to cloud Pfel and Cherni’s faces upon hearing my question.

The moment I saw their expressions, I could recall the reason why Saya wasn’t visible now, and why I was lying here.
“Pfel, Cherni. What happened while I was unconscious?”

“Well…”
According to Pfel and Cherni, today is exactly the third day since I collapsed.
Riste, who received a revelation from the goddess, urgently arrived at our house with Marian and fortunately saved us in time, but Saya, who disappeared, is still being searched for by Marian and Riste.

“S-Sis?! Where are you going!”
“Ariel-nim?!”
After hearing the explanation from Pfel and Cherni, I shook off their restraining hands and immediately ran outside.

As I came out of the temple, the familiar scenery of the capital unfolded. It seems they transported me here for treatment while I was unconscious.
‘Magic is, good. It’s recovered.’
The place I’m heading to now is our house. To look for any traces that might remain of that person.

After reciting a short incantation and teleporting, what unfolded before me was our house in a mess.
“Sigh…”
I looked at that sight and let out a short, dejected sigh, then gathered myself again. I can’t break down here.

Just as I was about to move towards the back door where I had fought again.
Rustle.
…I sensed someone’s presence inside the house.

Could Saya have returned? With a hopeful heart, I immediately ran into the house, but—what I encountered was a very unexpected figure.
“You’ve finally come. I thought you were killed by Milene.”

A man slowly walking out of the living room, scratching his head.
“Ah, I borrowed the sofa for a while. I had nowhere else to stay.”
It was Helion.