Ch.153Epilogue 2. Goodbye, Our Rin (Conclusion)

# The Past spoke to the Present and the Future.

It said they had reflected and dedicated themselves enough.

The Present added to the Future.

That they are still spending their time faithfully reflecting on the present.

The Future told them both.

That if so, they deserve the happiness it had promised to humanity.

—

Four years had passed since the Age of Destiny began.

Arsil had established a small school on the former Church territory with Lowellina’s support and was running an orphanage with several priests including Ruben.

Having safely arrived at the Church lands with Tigria’s help, Arsil trudged over and stood before the children.

“Holy Lady!”

“Sister Holy Lady!”

The children who came running out upon seeing Arsil hesitated when they noticed only an empty sleeve dangling from her right arm.

“I’m sorry, children.”

Arsil smiled bitterly at their reaction.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to teach you the hook shot anymore.”

The first to run to her was Hemel.

“I believed you would come back. I was scared you might never return like my parents, but I believed!”

At Hemel’s cry, the other children who had stopped also approached and hugged her.

“I’m different from Hemel! I believed in you from beginning to end.”

“Hey! You said yesterday that she might not come back!”

“No, I didn’t! I never said that!”

Children embracing her, a sinner.

Among those children, Arsil shed tears and hugged each one tightly.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome home!”

—

“…It feels like just yesterday when they welcomed me like that.”

But now things were different.

Today, Hemel had gotten into another fight with the other children and was called before Arsil, the director.

With a swollen eye from being hit himself, Hemel was pouting and looking away.

“Hemel, why do you keep causing trouble these days?”

“……”

Arsil asked gently, having become truly gentle-natured with no trace of her former cantankerous self, but Hemel only pouted his lips more.

“You won’t tell me?”

“……”

“I know you’re not the type of child who fights just because you’re in a bad mood.”

“…ugh.”

Arsil knelt down to meet Hemel’s eyes.

In four years, this child had started to grow taller, but he was still shorter than Arsil.

When Arsil stroked his head, Hemel finally spoke with a whimper.

“The kids… the new kids… they said the director is a crybaby… that they can hear crying sounds every night…”

“I see, so you got angry because they made fun of the director. Still, violence is not the answer. If you resort to that, they’ll just talk behind your back instead of saying it to your face.”

“But they called you a one-armed crybaby!”

Ah, that makes me want to hit them myself.

Though Arsil’s veins slightly bulged, she couldn’t praise Hemel for what he did.

After all, what the child said about her was true.

“I hear it too every night. The sound of you crying alone, calling out the name Lin. Who is Lin? Is he that porter from back then?”

“Huh? Y-yes…”

“If you miss him so much, why don’t you go find him?”

“But I have all of you.”

“We’ve all grown up. We help Teacher Ruben take care of the younger children, and we even do farm work now!”

“Are you… saying you don’t need me anymore?”

At Arsil’s calm question, Hemel shook his head vigorously.

But what followed was too mature for a child his age.

“We’re not little kids anymore. You and Teacher Ruben raised us, so now it’s time to repay that kindness.”

“How do you plan to repay it?”

“I want you to find your own happiness, Director. The other children feel the same way. I don’t have parents so I can’t see them, but that man is still alive, right? Then you should go see him before you regret it. We’ll be fine. We’re all together here, so we won’t be lonely.”

Arsil was quite taken aback by Hemel’s bold words.

She did want to go to Lin.

But she still hadn’t been forgiven, and moreover, she was disabled with one arm missing.

She didn’t want to go to him like this, without having received forgiveness.

“It’s not time yet.”

“Then when will that time come?”

“Well, rather than just waiting for that time, the director is just living each day to the fullest.”

Arsil dusted herself off as she stood up and stroked Hemel’s head once more.

“So you too, don’t fight with the children around you and get along with them. Understood?”

“…I understand.”

“Now what should Hemel do?”

“…I need to go apologize to the kids.”

“Can you do that well?”

“I’ll definitely do it.”

“Hmm~?”

“I’ll go right now.”

“Yes, good boy!”

Hemel ran off energetically, breathing through tears.

He was a rough but good child.

Unlike herself.

“I’ll make some sandwiches.”

It was almost lunchtime.

Whenever children fought or did something wrong, Arsil would gently admonish them and then make sandwiches.

Just like Lin used to do.

Despite having only one arm, after countless practice sessions, she had become good at making sandwiches.

Now Arsil’s cooking repertoire had been updated to two items: soup and sandwiches.

“Hello~, is anyone here?”

A cheerful voice echoed through the orphanage.

Though it was an extremely high-pitched voice, it somehow felt familiar, and Arsil peeked out.

There stood a World Postal Service worker from the Golden Carriage, wearing a leather hat pulled down low.

It had been a very long time since she’d seen a World Postal worker, but something was different.

Like those pointed ears, for instance.

“Can I help you?”

“Ah! There you are, Director Arsil!”

The postal worker rummaged through their belongings and held out a letter.

“A letter has arrived! The recipient is Director Arsil of the Alley Orphanage! And the sender is…”

The blonde postal worker deliberately trailed off before grinning.

“Lee Lin, husband of the village chief of New Balterkrua.”

—

“You brats! Didn’t I clearly tell you not to touch the flasks for magic research!”

“Kyaaa!!! The demon doll is angry!”

Tigria’s shouts echoed loudly through the small magical forest that Lin had cultivated with seeds developed by Naidrian.

In this land where the miasma had been completely cleansed by the goddess’s purification, the trees somehow remained unburned.

Tigria had settled in this land, leading the few elves who had dramatically survived in Lowellina.

“Everyone! To increase our population, you must endlessly love each other! Look into each other’s eyes, kiss each other, and ultimately, you must join your lower bellies together!”

Leaning on a crutch, Tigria had become a passionate love evangelist.

At that time, a female elf raised her hand.

“Um, I like this man and that man too, what should I do?”

“Unhealthy and indiscriminate sexual desire toward multiple unspecified individuals will only be met with punishment!”

Tigria locked that elf in solitary confinement and completed her mental education by personally injecting pure romance novels for two whole weeks.

After taking Arsil to the former Church lands, the magician deliberately spoke more cheerfully and moved more passionately.

She pretended to be even brighter to forget her former self, which had been like a doll.

In any case, thanks to Tigria’s efforts, the elves also worked hard on marriage and childbirth.

And now, Tigria was being punished by having her research lab turned into a playground for young elves.

“Nyeh nyeh! You can’t catch us because you have trouble walking!”

“You little…!”

The magician, who had become hot-tempered in contrast to the now gentle Arsil, quickly waved her hand.

“Capture, viscosity, output, grab!”

A net of magical power spewed from her hand and covered the young elves’ heads.

Having captured every single one without exception, Tigria flicked the forehead of the girl who seemed to be the leader.

“Ria, why don’t you ever listen! I told you not to touch the magical research equipment because it’s dangerous!”

“Tch, you always scold just me!”

“Because you’re always causing trouble!”

“Then stop crying every night!”

“W-what?!”

Ria fired back at the flustered Tigria in rapid succession.

“Who do you think doesn’t know that you cry quietly in bed every night? I’ve seen it all! And while you’re making a fuss telling parents to get married and have children quickly, you yourself are living lonely and alone!”

“T-that’s…”

“So we were trying to make a potion of happiness with magic to give you. We did nothing wrong!”

“If such a thing existed, I would have made and drunk it myself long ago!”

Dumbfounded, Tigria flicked Ria’s forehead once more.

“Why are you hitting me~!”

“And why were you monitoring my bedtime every day?”

“Uh… that’s…”

“Ria said she was going to throw a swamp toad onto Tigria’s bed for revenge!”

“Hey! Why did you tell! You’re so mean! You caught the toad with me!”

The young elves were now growling at each other, reporting on one another.

Tigria, thoroughly irritated, cast a water cannon to chase the elves away.

“Aaaah! This demon doll!”

“Who are you calling a demon doll!”

“Hmph! Why don’t you go find your own happiness!”

“I’ll do that on my own terms!”

Only after the commotion did Tigria finally manage to make her quarters quiet.

*Knock knock*

“What now!”

Sighing, Tigria had barely sat down in her chair when there was a knock.

When she flung the door open in annoyance, there stood a World Postal Service worker from the Golden Carriage.

“Hello! Are you the magician Tigria?”

“Yes…? What business do you have? I can’t think of any reason why a World Postal worker would come to me.”

When she gave a suspicious look, the World Postal worker with pointed ears and a deeply pulled-down leather hat grinned.

“Oh, but there is!”

Rummaging through their belongings, she continued.

“A letter has arrived! The recipient is Magician Tigria of the New Elf Forest, and the sender is…”

The postal worker pulled out the letter and grinned.

“Lee Lin, husband of the village chief of New Balterkrua.”

—

In a different place, at a different time, but on the same date,

Arsil and Tigria opened the letters handed to them by the World Postal worker with trembling hands.

[Hello, it’s been a really long time.

By the time this letter reaches you, I will also be in a state of complete preparation.

First, to tell you about my recent situation, I married Ravin and settled by the river.

It’s a place with abundant water flow and fertile land.

For some reason I don’t understand, people gathered here one by one and developed rapidly, and before I knew it, it had become a small city called New Balterkrua.

My wife suddenly started playing leader there and was elected as the village chief.

I don’t know why it’s called a village chief when it’s city-sized, albeit small.

Still, we’re living peacefully, helping and giving to each other.

How are you?

I still can’t forget the look in your eyes, full of regret and pain, when we parted in Lowellina.

That look has always hung in a corner of my heart.

While I’ve been spending happy days married to Ravin and building a family, if there’s one thing that has always made me uncomfortable, it’s… that I turned away coldly without forgiving you.

You both dedicated your body and soul to save me, and even then, I found it difficult to offer forgiveness.

And that decision has been tormenting me until now.

Now I want to break free from this feeling, whether it’s self-blame, discomfort, or regret.

Actually, I’ve been wanting to do this for a while and got Ravin’s agreement, but ‘she’ needed time to gather her emotions.

But now everything is ready.

Both I and ‘she’ are ready to forgive you.

If you haven’t forgotten me yet, please come to New Balterkrua.

I really miss you.

And as much as I’ve missed you, I want to spend the future together.

I hope this resolves our lingering emotions and leaves only feelings of care for each other.

Waiting for you without a set date, Lin.]

“Aah…”

Arsil and Tigria clutched the letters deep to their chests.

Unable to believe it, they both read the letter again and again.

“Ah~ You’re even tearing up, so the letter must be really touching.”

“…You can leave now that you’ve delivered it.”

When Arsil snapped at her, the postal worker chuckled and shook her head.

“My mission isn’t complete until you finish reading the letter.”

“Huh…?”

At those words, Tigria examined the letter again.

Indeed, there was small writing at the very bottom.

[P.S.

Hey, it’s Ravin, the legal wife.

When you come, don’t just come empty-handed. Remember that reward King Airan was supposed to give you in Lowellina?

Bring that with you.

Raising children and governing a city isn’t cheap.

Got it? If you don’t want four wives sitting in a row doing paid needlework, make sure you remember and bring it.]

Arsil and Tigria’s eyebrows twitched simultaneously.

[And come as quickly as possible. It’s too hard dealing with an energetic husband every night. Even ‘this one’ finds it overwhelming, so hurry up. I’ll be waiting.]

Even Tigria, the love evangelist, broke into a cold sweat at this part.

How amazing must Lin be?

“Ah! It’s not over yet!”

“Still? There’s nothing more. The letter ends here.”

When Arsil expressed her bewilderment, the World Postal worker pointed upward.

Tigria and Arsil looked up in confusion, and soon light descended as the voice of the Future, one of the Destiny Sisters, reached them.

[I heard you have reflected on the past. I heard you are carrying regret for your reflection and living in the present, creating a new, unblemished, beautiful past.]

Simultaneously, light began to envelop their bodies.

A burning, hot pain was felt in Arsil’s right shoulder and Tigria’s left thigh.

“Ugh!”

“Kugh…!”

[Do you remember what I said in the sky of Lowellina?]

Amazingly, the parts they had lost long ago were regenerating.

Slowly but surely, new flesh grew and filled the empty spaces.

[Do you remember that I said I would give the fruit of happiness to those who are prepared, those who are worthy?]

Eventually, Arsil and Tigria had perfectly healed arms and legs.

Before the two, a red thread glowed faintly from the letter.

The red thread, leading to an unknown destination, floated as if beckoning them to follow.

[Follow the thread. At its end will be the one you have longed for so much. There will be the happiness you have so desired.]

Arsil immediately packed her belongings.

Tigria too threw away her crutch and, after making simple preparations, rushed out of her quarters.

“Director, where are you going?”

“Demon doll! Where are you going?!”

Ruben, surprised at Arsil’s healed arm, and Ria, shocked at seeing Tigria standing on two legs without a crutch, each asked them.

And the two answered with bright smiles.

“To receive forgiveness, and to find happiness.”

As they ran out, their eyes were filled with tears.

Though filled with tears, an irrepressible hope was swelling in their hearts.

“Ah~ Finally finished.”

The Golden Carriage World Postal worker stretched and yawned.

At her leisurely appearance, her superior grumbled in her mind.

[Hmph, a happy ending, I see.]

“That’s nice, isn’t it? A happy ending.”

[You’ve changed so much. You were the epitome of timidity until just before your death.]

“Of course, I actually ‘died,’ didn’t I? Of course I’ve changed, and then some.”

Whew, as she removed her sweat-soaked leather hat, her flowing golden hair fluttered in the wind.

[Aren’t you envious, Naidrian?]

“I am envious, but I’m satisfied. That was the agreement from the beginning.”

[Heh, how can you be envious when you don’t know what I’m going to do next?]

“Oh my.”

Naidrian shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

It was clearly a sneer.

“There was even a disciplinary committee meeting over this incident, wasn’t there? For being the culprit who made a goddess who presided over a dimension self-destruct.”

[Ah, how difficult that was. Those damn bastards. Where were they when things were going well?]

“Besides, to apply causality, the presiding gods of opposing hostile races must invade each other’s territories, right? In other words, unless a new demon race appears, you have no room to intervene.”

[Don’t you think you know too much for a mere errand girl?]

“For that to be true, your errands should have been moderately difficult. These were things I had to know to solve the problems.”

The supreme being was displeased with Naidrian.

She had performed better than expected, and after being indulged, she had grown too much.

Unexpectedly petty, the supreme being had no need for an errand girl who talked back.

[When you finish the rest of the work well, you can leave too.]

“What? What did you say?”

[I’m saying you can go to that guy too.]

“You’re letting me go?”

[Yes.]

“Why? What wind has blown?”

The supreme being answered uncharacteristically curtly and primly.

[You like it, don’t you? Happy endings.]

“…Thank you.”

Suppressing her overwhelming emotion, Naidrian bowed, and the supreme being hastily urged her.

[The job’s not done yet. Focus.]

“Of course. I’ll show you in 10 years.”

The World Postal worker put her leather hat back on.

With a smile, Naidrian moved the Golden Carriage.

“Come on! The Golden Carriage has everything except what it doesn’t have! If you have money, we sell food and everything you need for daily life!”

The postal worker’s voice, now even more energetic, echoed along with the Golden Carriage.

—

Exactly two years before Arsil and Tigria received Lin’s forgiveness letter,

Exactly two years after the final battle ended,

It was winter.

She opened her eyes on the ground of the old system’s square.

“Ah…”

She opened her mouth to breathe in the cold air.

It felt like breathing for the first time in a very long time.

The warrior dazedly looked around.

It was a white world where snowflakes had settled on the ruins.

In this pure white world, Luci felt something tugging at her pinky finger.

Looking down, she saw a red thread tied to her pinky, emitting a faint light and leading somewhere.

Luci knew.

Where this thread led to.

Who was at the end of this thread.

“I don’t deserve this…”

Even as she said that, her body was following the thread.

Still, she wanted to see him.

Still, she wanted to confirm.

His happiness after her death.

How did she come back to life?

How did she become whole again?

Setting aside such questions, Luci followed the thread.

Her steps gradually quickened, and before she knew it, Luci was running along the thread.

“Huff… huff…”

Even as she brushed back her sweat-soaked hair, Luci didn’t stop.

She jumped over ponds, smashed through rocks that blocked her way, and pressed forward.

How long had she been running?

After running for days without a single moment’s rest, Luci finally reached the outskirts of a small city forest.

“I’ll be back.”

“Do you really need to go all the way to the outskirts to get wood?”

“Since my wife is busy with official duties, I should do it instead.”

“Aish! You’re talking nonsense again.”

At the entrance to the forest, a woman with silver hair tinged with blue was holding the hand of a young girl, seeing her husband off.

“Don’t stray and come back quickly.”

“I got it, Ravin.”

“Come on, Gayanal. Say ‘come back soon’ to daddy.”

“Come back soon~.”

Lin stroked his daughter’s head, named after the former princess at Airan’s request, with a beaming smile.

Seeing that warm smile from afar gave Luci immense joy.

“Ah…”

Even as she covered her mouth lest she be heard, Luci couldn’t take her eyes off Lin.

“Thank goodness…”

She should leave now.

Having seen that he was happy, she should leave, but Luci found it impossible to move her feet.

“Well, I’m off!”

“Be careful!”

As Lin entered the forest, Luci hurriedly hid behind a tree.

Though they were quite far apart, it was better to be careful.

She wanted to call out his name right away, but she didn’t have the right.

How could she, who was one of the main causes of Lin’s suffering, dare to do so?

Still…

She wanted to engrave his image in her eyes one last time before leaving.

Carefully peeking out from beside the tree, Luci confirmed that Lin had already disappeared.

“Huh?”

She checked her pinky finger, but the thread was no longer glowing.

It had become just an ordinary red hair, drooping limply.

“W-where is he…?”

As Luci looked around the forest entrance with a crestfallen expression.

Growing increasingly anxious, she was too focused on what was ahead to check behind her.

And then,

“Found you.”

Lin embraced her from behind.

“Uh… ah…”

As Luci froze up, Lin buried his nose in her hair and whispered.

“Somehow I felt you would come back. Ravin said she felt the same. So, we’ve already discussed what to do when you return.”

“L-Lin… I’m… not someone who deserves your embrace…”

“Why?”

“Because I’m someone who hurt you… someone who caused you pain. A fool who didn’t even properly reflect on it…”

“Luci. You sacrificed your life for me.”

“Still… if I hadn’t hurt Lin in the first place…”

“What did I say?”

At his gentle but firm tone, Luci stammered her reply.

“…Accept the past and don’t repeat it in the present.”

“Luci, in the past, you threw everything away for me. And now you’re standing before me.”

“I, I…”

Lin embraced her more tightly.

He held her close so she couldn’t escape and whispered.

“I forgive you, Luci.”

In that moment, Luci felt as if she had been struck by lightning, with every hair on her body standing on end.

“It was only after losing you and Naidrian that I realized. That I can’t live hating and turning away. That I can’t truly be happy that way. I too was a very inadequate person.”

So,

“I want to forgive you. I want to forgive you and live happily with Ravin and you.”

“Ah… ah…!”

Luci hugged his arms wrapped around her and cried.

Before his forgiveness, which she had so desperately longed for, she simply couldn’t hold back.

“Can I… say I love you…?”

“Yes. I want to hear it too.”

“Hic…!”

The lingering attachment she had swallowed even as she was dying, Luci finally conveyed to him.

“…I love you.”

This overflowing feeling, this emotion, without holding back.

“I love you…”

And Lin responded to that feeling.

“I love you too, Luci.”

Turning her around, Lin kissed her without hesitation.

“Hmph… mmm…”

She pulled his neck closer and pressed her body against his.

Luci’s eyes and the intimate place between her lower belly grew wet.

Feeling Lin’s body also growing harder, Luci demanded with a dazed expression.

“Lin… hold me… hold me deeper…”

Lin didn’t refuse and skillfully began to remove the warrior’s thin clothes.

“Hmm…!”

Not long after, the delicate moans of the warrior, receiving him for the first time, faintly echoed in the winter forest.

Holding onto a tree and biting her arm to hold back, she couldn’t help but let out moans due to Lin’s excellent manhood.

“Ahng! Aang…!”

Eventually, the sounds of moans and flesh colliding endlessly filled the forest.

Even the cold winter wind couldn’t cool the newly blooming, heated passion between the two.

And,

There was one person, no, one wife watching this from afar.

“Ah, thank goodness. Now two people can handle him.”

Ravin sincerely sighed in relief.

“It was really tough, taking care of the child during the day and dealing with Lin at night…”

“Mommy~ carry me~.”

Ravin held Gayanal in her arms and smiled bitterly.

“Mommy’s back hurts every day because of daddy, so it’s hard to carry you. Let’s ask daddy when he comes back?”

“Okay~.”

“Oh, how good our daughter is!”

Ravin nuzzled her daughter’s cheek and entered New Balterkrua.

“Welcome back, Luci.”

Leaving just a small greeting for the warrior, Ravin turned away, already taking on the appearance of a ruler.

In the winter forest where Luci’s moans were still flowing,

The three sisters of destiny were watching the hard-won couple from the sky.

“She finally received forgiveness and is in his arms. Congratulations, Luci.”

“Ah~, at this rate, will the other two be added to make four wives? I want to be Lin’s wife too.”

“No, with one more, it’ll be a total of five.”

Denarua corrected the number of Lin’s wives for Salaemei, who was envious.

“Huh? Isn’t it four?”

“In the future I’ve seen, there’s one more, though a bit later.”

“Ugh~! Then what about us?! We just govern the world and watch over Lin, and that’s it?”

“Oh my, of course not.”

Denarua smiled broadly, and Adora covered her mouth with a fan.

“Lin should rightfully receive rewards even after death. So when Lin’s lifespan ends, we should bring him here and make us, the three sisters of destiny, his wives. After all, he’s a being who has dedicated himself across three lives.”

“Wow! I strongly agree!”

Spreading her arms in delight, Salaemei suddenly tilted her head.

“But can the three of us handle Lin’s virility?”

“…What are you saying?”

“But right now, the warrior has already climaxed several times and is rolling her eyes, but Lin isn’t stopping.”

“What?!”

Hurriedly looking down, Adora and Denarua discovered Luci, who was indeed just breathing heavily and trembling, and were filled with terror.

“Denarua…? What happens in the future when there are five wives?”

“……”

But Denarua couldn’t answer and just turned pale.

After a moment, Denarua cleared her throat and brushed back her hair.

Her hand was trembling.

“Since they’re heroes who greatly contributed to ending the war, I’ll specially bring them along with Lin this time.”

“Is it that serious?!”

Alarmed, Salaemei soon blushed and nodded.

“Still… if it’s Lin, I’m okay with it…”

“I feel the same way.”

“Hmph, of course.”

The three sisters looked down at the mortal realm again with pleased and slightly aroused expressions.

Lin was supporting the unconscious Luci and taking her to the city.

“Lin~ It’ll be soon, so be happy until then!”

“We’ll guarantee your happiness.”

“I’ll be happily waiting, watching over you.”

After that, many things happened.

Luci soon became pregnant, and Ravin cried out that she was alone again.

And after Luci gave birth, when Arsil and Tigria arrived, the two wives welcomed them enthusiastically and immediately sent them to Lin’s bedroom.

Finally, Naidrian, who appeared much later, couldn’t escape this fate either.

Surrounded by beautiful wives who loved only him and by children, Lin lived a truly happy life.

There was no longer any grandeur of traveling the world, but instead, he had to do the more difficult task of embracing his family and understanding their hearts.

Days of sometimes arguing, sometimes apologizing with tears, sometimes being affectionate with each other.

Ordinary days, but precious and special because of that ordinariness.

Covering wounds with memories and tying up wrongs with apologies and forgiveness.

Therefore, Lin could only truly enjoy happiness after forgiving them and embracing them along with Ravin.

Goodbye, the once sole ally of the betrayed and abandoned warrior.

Goodbye, you who became the best companion in the warrior’s party while carrying many wounds.

Goodbye, our Lin.

May your happiness last for a very long time.