episode_0155

In the vast universe with no end in sight.

In this vast space where stars spread out endlessly, a voice was heard.

“You know? You only get one chance.”

A being with a voice so mysterious that it is impossible to tell whether it is male or female, human or something else. A being so alien that its form is unrecognizable.

Lunalia collapsed in front of him and shed tears of relief.

“Ahh…really…thank you…thank you…”

Lunalia, who keeps thanking him while shedding tears.

The alien being looked at Lunaria’s face for a moment and made a decision.

“Hmm.. Normally, my rule is not to help you… But since you are the child I cherish the most, I will give you a special helping hand.”

“Huh…? Is that true?!”

As Lunalia’s eyes widened, the alien being giggled and answered.

“Of course I’m not saying I’ll help you. I’ll send someone.”

“Are you a person?”

“There’s someone I’ve been watching over. I think it’ll help.”

Lunalia held her trembling heart in front of him and tried to calm herself down.

Maybe. Really, maybe there is hope.

There is hope that this terrible tragedy can be prevented.

“Who the hell is that person..?”

“What….”

When Lunalia spoke with a trembling voice, the alien being hesitated for a moment and then spoke with a playful smile.

“You can just call me Reader.”

* * *

“……..Huh?”

It was confusing.

In a space that suddenly changed. A beautiful woman with pure white wings.

The goddess of life, Lunalia, appeared before my eyes.

Of course, this alone is surprising enough.

But that wasn’t what really confused me.

What really caught me off guard was none other than the name she called me.

At least, unless I misheard, she called me Reader.

“What did you just say?”

As I looked up with a trembling voice, the goddess looked at me for a moment.

It flapped its wings once and flew towards me in an instant, hugging my head in its arms.

“You really worked hard..!!”

“Eww?!”

Her soft breasts gently wrapped around my head.

I raised my head in confusion.

I saw the beautiful face of the goddess looking down at me with a moved expression right above my head.

“Ahh…what a lovely child…”

Just as a mother cares for her child, the goddess gently and slowly stroked my back, sharing her warmth with me.

“Oh..Goddess..What..is this..?”

The goddess made a face of disapproval at my words, then pushed me out of her embrace again and gave me a sacred smile.

“I’m sorry. I was so happy that I didn’t realize it..”

The goddess left a brief apology and continued speaking.

“Hello. I am Lunalia, the goddess who sprouts life and cares for it with love.”

“Ah…”

I was a little embarrassed, but still, the feeling I felt was relief.

I felt as if a ray of hope had sprouted in my heart, which had been filled with anxiety.

really.

What the Master said was indeed right.

Honestly, I still don’t understand how we met, but… it didn’t matter.

Even if the goddess knew that I was possessed, it didn’t really matter right now.

What’s most important to me right now is the goddess’ help.

Now, we must find our way in a future where we cannot see even an inch ahead.

With the help of the goddess, I’m sure you can do anything.

I grabbed Lunalia’s arm urgently and begged her earnestly.

“Oh..Goddess..Please help me. The Demon King suddenly changed from the original..Ah..No, when I say the original, that’s..”

I tried to bring up the subject first because I was in a hurry.

I had no idea how to ask her, so I ended up rambling on and on.

Is this the world in the novel I read?

But you’re saying that the world is in danger because the direction of the novel is different?

…Would you really believe such a thing?

But the goddess calmly listened to my ramblings.

After hearing all that, she smiled kindly and gently patted my head.

“Calm down. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Goddess..”

The goddess stared intently at my face, thought for a moment, then answered me with a faint smile on her face.

“Are you afraid because the future is different from what you know?”

I was dumbfounded by her words that hit the nail on the head.

“How..Goddess, how did you do that..”

“Um…I guess I should start with this first.”

As the goddess slowly stretched her hand forward, the surrounding scenery began to change.

A mystical sight, like a scene from a movie.

The space that had been pure white gradually became filled with various colors. In an instant, an endless field of grass full of life grew on the ground. A refreshing blue sky spread out in the sky.

In the grassy fields, butterflies flew up into the sky, and the refreshing songs of birds could be heard from the tall trees.

In an instant, this place was transformed into a beautiful, life-filled meadow.

“This is not a world written in words.”

While I was blankly looking at the scenery around me, the goddess spoke to me.

“It may be a little different from your world, but it is still a beautiful world where everyone loves and lives.”

At her words, my pupils began to tremble violently.

“Yes…?”

“And this place.”

The goddess slowly lowered her arms and looked at me with sad eyes.

“A world of second chances where time has been turned back by the Heavenly God after a terrible tragedy.”

* * *

The burning demon castle.

In this place, where the corpses of demons and monsters are everywhere.

A girl with pure white hair was crying sadly.

“Ahh…no…Lily…Lily!!”

“..Iris…You go back quickly…”

Cool.

Lily, an ashen-haired girl spitting out a clump of blood from her mouth.

Iris’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked as if her life might end at any moment.

“Ah…no…please…don’t die….if you leave me too, I…”

Iris desperately tried to heal Lily by forcibly drawing out her remaining divine power, but this was a demonic world overflowing with magic. Not only would it not heal her properly, but even if it did, it wouldn’t be enough to revive her.

And that’s something Iris knew better than anyone else.

“I’m sorry to everyone… I’m just being unnecessarily jealous and causing trouble…”

“Don’t…don’t say anything. If you come out of here with me, you’ll be able to get treatment..”

“But…thanks to Iris…I won’t be lonely…at least until the end…”

But Lily’s words never ended.

Before that, her last breath dispersed helplessly into the air.

When Lily’s eyes, which had been trembling until just now, stopped moving, Iris bit her lip and covered her eyes.

“Ahhh…..no……no….”

Iris felt a pain as if someone was ripping out her heart.

Her body continued to tremble, and only sad tears flowed from her eyes.

Iris’s precious companions.

A pair of inseparable friends who have overcome hardships and adversity together.

They all left.

The warriors Robin and Catherine, who stood proudly at the front of the party.

Haley and Ariel, who supported us from behind to make sure everyone was safe.

The princess also devises strategies to minimize the possibility of falling into danger.

And just now, she closed her eyes. The girl Iris had a secret crush on.

All of them passed away first, leaving only Iris behind.

The warrior party reached the Demon King’s Castle after a long journey. But as you can see, the result was very hopeless.

Of course, it wasn’t a complete failure.

He was able to defeat all three legion commanders, excluding the dark knight who commanded the army, and even the demon lord who reigned over them.

In some ways, the subjugation of the Demon King itself was no different from a success.

But the price was catastrophic.

All of the warrior party members suffered fatal injuries from the Demon King’s massive magic that continued to run wild until the end.

Among the two factions fighting, the only one who survived was a saint protected by the goddess.

The Dark Knight still remains. Now that all the monsters have been freed from the Demon King’s control, I should have quickly left the Demon World.

Iris couldn’t leave Lily’s side as her eyes were closed.

“……Take me too.”

With resigned eyes, Iris looked up at the sky, thinking of her companions.

I don’t think I can stand it.

I will follow you too.

Please don’t leave me alone.

Iris wanted to do nothing, close her eyes, and wait for death.

But. I knew that it wouldn’t work.

Soon, all monsters under the Demon King’s control, from low-level monsters to disaster-level monsters, will run wild.

Besides, there must still be remnants of the demon tribe remaining.

Originally, the party of heroes who successfully defeated the Demon King would have had to deal with it, but now, there is no longer a party of heroes who can save the world.

If that was the case, then someone would definitely get hurt. For their sake, Iris, who had been chosen as a saint, could not die so easily.

“……I guess I should go..”

With empty eyes, Iris sat up.

Thump-thump.

He walked towards the empire, only showing his bitter back.