Wind

I don’t know if this world is a parallel universe, a different worldline, or one of many multiverses. But one thing is certain: I’m not the only possessor in this world.

Even Ross here knows future information and has changed the original flow. Maybe a reader of my novel possessed Ross. Unlike me, who wants to cooperate with Roel, he might be the type to join hands with the Demon King and try to destroy the protagonist, Roel.

I had a lot of things I wanted to ask Ellie about this world’s Ross. But the demons surrounding us were ready to pounce at any moment.

The chances of winning a fight are slim. There are too many of them, and I’m weaker than the injured Ellie. Plus, it would still take time for the runes on my wrist to turn green.

Thankfully, they still mistake me for Dantalian, so the demons are just maintaining the encirclement and not moving. As I desperately wondered what to do, Ellie asked in a small voice.

“Ross, are you okay?”

Who’s worrying about whom? It was she who was covered in wounds, yet she was worrying about me. I was so dumbfounded by Ellie’s appearance that I let out a hollow laugh.

“I think I should be worrying about you more than worrying about myself.”

I said it jokingly, but Ellie spoke with a face like a sinner.

“…I’m sorry. I thought you’d be safe if you were in my room… I was too naive. I should have just stayed by your side and protected you until the end.”

As if she had forgotten the demons around us glaring at us with murderous intent, Ellie bit her lip and apologized to me repeatedly with tearful eyes, as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

I sighed and shook my head, saying.

“It’s not your fault. It couldn’t be helped. With the power to blow away the entire capital, it’s only natural that even the Academy building couldn’t withstand it.”

Ellie tilted her head as if she didn’t understand my answer.

“W-What are you talking about…? The power to blow away the entire capital…?”

I was puzzled by Ellie’s reaction and replied.

“What do you mean, what am I talking about? Bella sacrificed herself to kill the cult leader and the demons all at once by blowing up the Imperial Palace-“

I couldn’t finish my sentence as Ellie froze at my words. Only then did I realize something was wrong. If the Imperial Palace had exploded and the entire capital had been blown away… there couldn’t be so many demons around.

In the novel, all the demons and the cult that attacked the capital were described as being swept away and killed in the explosion along with Bella. But the fact that there are so many demons means….

“…The Imperial Palace is still intact.”

Not knowing the situation outside, I had naturally assumed that the reason the Academy’s main building had collapsed was due to the explosion of the Imperial Palace.

Ellie frowned and said.

“The reason the Academy building collapsed… is because there was a spy planted inside the Academy by the cult’s vice-leader. An explosion occurred inside, and the building collapsed. Maybe it was a bomb or something?”

So that was it. Just like with Professor Dwin, who was a cult spy, the cult must have infiltrated another Demon King follower and cult member disguised as a spy inside the Academy.

Ellie, who was examining the surrounding demons, looked at me with anxious eyes and asked.

“Ross, what did you mean earlier when you said the power to blow away the entire capital…?”

To Ellie’s question, I brought out the lie I had thought of in advance.

“It’s something I heard from Roel in the previous world. Bella used herself as bait to lure the cult leader and demons into the Imperial Palace and caused the magic of the Imperial Palace to go berserk, blowing away the Imperial Palace and the capital. I knew it when I heard you say that Roel went to the basement of the Imperial Palace earlier. Today is exactly that day Roel mentioned.”

Ellie bit her lip as if she had guessed something from my explanation.

“So that’s why Bella gave me that…. Ross, first of all-“

“Hey, Dantalian. Are you taking too long to talk with the food?”

It was the muscular monster I had met earlier that interrupted Ellie’s words. The monster, who had pushed his way through the demons surrounding us, grinned with a grim smile.

“Didn’t you see the friends here drooling and eagerly waiting to taste the thigh meat you threw them?”

I made eye contact with Ellie. Nodding, I took out the Spear of Destruction from the space warehouse. Ellie immediately began drawing the incantation with magic power, ready to use magic.

As we prepared to fight, the monster who was watching this burst into laughter that sounded like a roar.

“Kuhahaha, you disgusting bastard. Are you sticking with a human again?”

The monster swung his fist and blew the head off a demon standing next to him. Then, he rummaged around in his throat with his hand and pulled out the demon’s spine, imbued it with demonic energy, and slammed it against the floor like a whip.

“I’ve always wanted to blow your head off for opposing the claim that all life in the human realm must be killed. Kuhuhu, the opportunity has finally come. Capture those things!”

As the monster slammed the spine against the floor again, the demons who had surrounded us began to rush towards us with terrifying force. A black ray of light shot out from the end of Ellie’s staff, turning the rushing demons into ashes in an instant, but the number of demons rushing towards us did not decrease.

“Ellie, we have to stop them from getting close!”

At my shout, Ellie swung her staff greatly. The ground around us twisted, and huge rocks rose from the surface, creating a barricade.

Then, the rushing demons spread their wings and began to fly into the sky. While Ellie was dealing with the demons in the sky with magic, I took out a seed pouch from the space warehouse.

I took out all the bean seeds from the seed pouch, imbued them with magic power, and threw them around. The rapidly growing beanstalks rolled on the floor with the rushing demons, preventing the demons from approaching.

But the number of enemies rushing in was too great. I shouted urgently at the sight of the demons trampling on the demons crushed by the beanstalks and the demons filling the sky.

“Ellie, grab my hand! We can escape the encirclement with space magic!”

If I used the Breathless Step to use the dimensional passage continuously, I would be able to break through the encirclement somehow. Thinking so, I held out my hand to Ellie, but Ellie, who was looking at my outstretched hand with a strange expression, suddenly gathered her magic power and threw her staff into the sky.

An enormous amount of magic power surged around the staff, and semi-transparent geometric patterns began to spiral in multiple layers. Then, lightning struck around us, turning all the demons rushing towards us into ashes.

“Good job! Now we can escape. Hurry, grab my hand!”

Thanks to Ellie buying time, I was able to create a dimensional passage easily. I shook the hand I held out to grab, but for some reason, Ellie passed by my hand and hugged me as I was.

A sweet strawberry scent rushed into my lungs. I felt warmth and dampness. Was I bleeding this much? A moment of worry flashed through my mind.

“Ellie… are you okay?”

When I looked down at Ellie in my arms with a worried gaze, she looked up at me. Her obsidian-like eyes held affectionate emotions. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

Our breaths mingled. In the battlefield filled with the screams of demons and the roar of lightning, Ellie’s voice was clearly heard in my ear.

“It’s too late, Ross.”

Ellie took something out of her arms, put it in my inner pocket, and pushed me away with all her might. Because of that, I took a few steps back and checked my inner pocket as the thing Ellie had put in it began to pulsate.

It was a golden artifact emitting a brilliant light. I knew what it was. I had even seen it being used directly.

Why did Ellie have the Fairy King’s Staff, which belonged to Bella? Before I could solve that question, the Fairy King’s Staff activated on its own.

It left my arms and floated alone in the air. Then, an Encroachment Barrier surrounded me. I stared at Ellie outside the barrier with dumbfounded eyes.

“I can feel an enormous amount of magic power gathering in the Imperial Palace. I guess the magic rampage you mentioned is happening.”

The one remaining obsidian eye looked at me. And Ellie gave a gentle smile with tears in her eyes.

“I promised you. I’d help you get back home. I’m going to keep that promise for sure this time.”

“Wait, Ellie! What are you doing! Ellie, Ellie!!!”

Realizing the meaning of those words, I screamed at Ellie as if having a seizure and pounded on the Encroachment Barrier with my fists. But it was no use. Even if I drew out the power of destruction and stabbed the barrier, I couldn’t escape the barrier. There weren’t even any spatial coordinates inside the barrier.

The Encroachment Barrier is the most powerful barrier among mages’ barriers, to the point where it can even nullify the cult leader’s attacks. I realized that it was impossible for me to escape the barrier at my level.

Bella must have given Ellie the Fairy King’s Staff so that she could survive the explosion of the Imperial Palace. If she had used this on herself, Ellie could have survived this hell and escaped to Liberty City, as in the original flow.

If I hadn’t come to this world… if I hadn’t been here, that would have been the case. Ellie used the Fairy King’s Staff on me, not herself, to keep her promise to me.

Ellie took a step closer to the barrier and said.

“You know, Ross. You’re a really good kid. So, when I lost you because of my mistake, I felt like I had lost everything. I spent most of my days missing you. I tried to forget you, so I studied like crazy without sleeping and fainted several times. Roel oppa worked hard to help me by my side, but no matter what I did, I could never fill your void.”

Ellie, who put the emotions she had felt into her voice, which was lower than usual, looked at me and gave a sincere smile.

“So I just lived like that. Missing you every day, and praying for your forgiveness even though I knew I wouldn’t be forgiven. Then, after a few years… suddenly you appeared in front of me today.”

Ellie shuddered and forced a smile. It was a heart-wrenching smile.

“Thank you for giving me a chance to be forgiven, even if it’s just a little.”

After hearing those words, there was something I could finally understand. The reason why Ellie took me, who was about to be killed by Lycan, to the secret room.

Since I, who had died, suddenly appeared in the middle of the Academy, it was normal for her to suspect me of being a demon like Lycan. But Ellie immediately released my restraints and approached me defenselessly.

Ellie didn’t care if I was a demon. She thought that if I wanted it, it would be her atonement, and she was willing to give up her life.

Unable to hold back the surging emotions, I shouted.

“Did you forget? I won’t remember your sacrifice. It’s a futile death! I’ll forget everything you did for me!”

Ellie smiled softly, as if she already knew what I would say.

“That’s why I think it’s even better. Like I said before, this is my atonement, so you just have to accept it.”

My vision wavered. I must have been crying since some time ago. Unable to suppress the emotions that were surging as if my chest would burst, I spoke with difficulty.

“…You’re really the worst friend.”

At my words, Ellie raised her arm and wiped away her tears. And she gave me the bright smile she had shown me someday.

“Hehe, that’s why I’m sorry, Ross. Really, sincerely.”

After saying that, Ellie put her forehead against the barrier. Beyond the semi-transparent barrier, I reached out my hand towards Ellie, but I couldn’t reach her. I couldn’t feel her warmth anymore.

“I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye earlier. I didn’t think I could bear to watch you leave. So I ran away like an idiot.”

Ellie sighed softly. And then she said to me with a face like a girl confessing her embarrassing feelings.

“You know, Ross. You came from another world, so there must be a next life, right?”

“…Maybe.”

Ellie, who paused for a moment at my answer, smiled brightly with moist eyes.

“Then in the next life, I’ll cling to you… I’ll fight, cry, and resent you every day, but I won’t give up and stick to you as if nothing happened. So, so… will you be my friend again?”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Even though tears were constantly flowing from my eyes, I couldn’t help but laugh at Ellie’s words. And I answered in a tear-soaked, endlessly soggy voice.

“…Isn’t that obvious?”

After pausing for a moment, I swallowed my tears and said with a laugh.

“It’s you.”

At my words, Ellie gave a bright smile, slowly looked at my face as if engraving it in her memory, and turned her body.

When Ellie reached out her hand into the air, the staff that had been pouring out lightning was sucked into her hand. The demons who had been faltering at the lightning rushed in again.

The world vibrated violently, and the sky split in two. Ellie, who had turned her back as if waiting for a promise, gathered all the magic power in her body and created magic.

Kurururung―――!

Several geometric patterns floated up and merged into one. Every time Ellie swung her staff, a huge incantation was created around Ellie.

When Ellie lowered her staff, the monster wielding the spine and the demons thrusting out their claw-like fingernails froze as they were.

Amidst the explosions and vibrations that rang in my ears, and the screams of the demons, I suddenly heard Ellie’s voice in between.

“I’m glad it’s you too.”

At that moment, the world exploded.

***

It felt like I was spacing out and suddenly came to my senses. I shook my body and shook my head, and my hazy mind cleared up.

I was preparing to fight Lycan and seemed to have moved somewhere, but I have no memory of what happened after that.

Even if I try to remember something, I forget even the attempt.

Baseuseu―!

The staff that had been floating in the air suddenly cracked and turned into powder, falling to the floor. What is this? I looked around, but there was nothing that caught my eye.

Where the hell is this? For some reason, I felt like I didn’t know anything.

As I scratched my chin dumbly, I felt something rustling in my pants pocket. When I put my hand in and took it out, it was a piece of paper folded several times.

I scratched my head after unfolding the paper and reading the contents. It was definitely my handwriting, but I had no memory of making such a note.

Judging from the fact that the paper matches the one I use as a memo pad, it must have been written by me.

“An image of the destination, huh….”

Can I use this to return to the world I was originally in? I can’t be sure, but this is all I can do now.

The runes on my wrist are also green. I thought of the Academy, where Kanega must be baking pizzas diligently, and created a passage.

It feels a little different from the passages I’ve seen before. I was about to take a happy step, thinking that I could finally return to my original world.

But something made it impossible for me to take my light steps.

It was the wind that brushed past me.

A faint fragrance remained in the air. After smelling it, I inadvertently turned around and looked at the empty space.

I couldn’t hear anything, but for some reason, I felt like someone had called my name.

The faint fragrance that lingered around my nose left only the impression that it was sweet, and soon disappeared without a trace.

My heavy steps became lighter. I felt like the wind that blew again was pushing my back forcefully.

I shrugged my shoulders at the incomprehensible phenomenon, turned around as I was, and took a vigorous step towards the passage.