Ch.348348. A Different Destination

“Where is this…”

I don’t know where this place is. But… I vaguely realize that I’ve breathed my last.

This body shouldn’t be able to move so normally. After pouring out all my strength—power extracted at the cost of my life—I should have completely lost consciousness and collapsed face-first onto the ground.

My mana circuits must have failed to withstand the body’s limits, and I must have fallen in a terrible state as payment for the power I embraced with my entire being.

To open my eyes in such a place and have my limbs move normally—it’s impossible, isn’t it?

So this must not be a place where living people come and go.

There are no rice fields or lush forests, not even buildings in sight. The only thing that exists in this place is a pristine white path laid out perfectly straight, as if inviting me to walk along it.

Looking at the path behind me that abruptly ends, as if to tell me there’s no way back… In this darkness completely covered by the night sky, all I can do is accept that my breath has ceased and move forward.

But…

“…”

My feet don’t move so easily.

I should have turned my head one last time to see her face.

She must have been wearing a pained expression… but I should have looked at her face one more time.

Though I had prepared myself for this, the waves of lingering attachment rise much higher than my resolve.

“Renias…”

Because I can no longer meet her, who was my only purpose in life.

But if she’s not visible here, she must have survived. Since she’s not in this place, it must mean she didn’t die.

“That’s right. You’re… not walking here with me because you’re still alive.”

Taking comfort in the fact that Renias still lives, I took one heavy step forward.

Then… strangely, everything before my eyes flashed in an instant.

“…?”

It’s natural for the dead to be separated from the living. I thought only the path forward remained for me… but standing before me was that woman who resembled Renias quite a bit, whom I had seen in my dream.

“Is this… a dream?”

“Unfortunately, this is not a dream. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to strangle me like last time.”

Not a dream… she says. For a moment, hope welled up within me, but of course that couldn’t be.

The Sagittarius constellation sighed deeply and shot a spike into my back.

“Ugh? What’s that for…”

“How could you push yourself so hard? Hmm?!”

As if she were scolding me. No, it was closer to punishment than a mere scolding.

“If you push yourself to death when you clearly know you’ll die, don’t you think the person you love will be sad?”

“I had no choice but to push myself in that situation.”

The magic prepared to counter Dragon Roar was swept away in an instant. And if that wasn’t enough, the breath attack followed. The dragon’s breath that would have tremendous impact even if you were just nearby, let alone directly in its range.

The carefully prepared Elcherium Chain and Anti-Cast combination briefly sealed the dragon’s power, but no matter what magic I used, not even a scratch appeared on its skin.

In that state, what could I possibly do to eliminate the dragon?

“To protect Renias… I had no choice but to risk my own life. I couldn’t think of any other way. If not that…”

“I’m not saying you should have died together. Just… ah.”

She pointed to a spot, saying, “Here he comes.”

“Darling~”

“Ahaha.”

As I turned my head, there was a figure from a familiar portrait embracing the Sagittarius constellation. Someone I had seen countless times—the hero of the Artena Empire.

“Oh. You recognized me right away?”

Just as I was about to say “Lord Alcaide,” the answer came as if my thoughts had been read.

“Then I don’t need to introduce myself. And since you know my wife’s face too, I’ll skip the introductions. That’s fine, right, Junon?”

“…Yes. But what did you mean by ‘here he comes’…”

The Sagittarius constellation turned her head slightly and continued what she was saying.

“Well, my husband was going to move directly. Before you used Alcaide’s power.”

But he was a bit late, she says. Apparently, manifesting directly in the human world as the Ursa Major constellation required a lot of time and power.

But what’s the use of all that?

It doesn’t change the fact that my body has already died.

“…”

“…”

Tap!

The two who had been embracing separated, and with a snap of fingers, the background of a cozy garden unfolded.

“First, shall we talk over a cup of tea?”

As if wanting to avoid the previous topic entirely, she offers tea. Just like when we met in the dream.

I had intended not to touch it… but I couldn’t resist.

“After our conversation ends, I’m thinking of letting you meet Renias.”

“…What did you say?”

“My wife Rainesia met you in a dream too, didn’t she?”

“!!!”

If a constellation can enter a human’s dream to converse… that means they could try the same method with other humans.

“You’re saying… you’ll let me meet Renias?”

“Yes. Of course, we’ll need to finish our conversation first.”

“…”

I can’t meet her in reality. But if in a dream—if I could borrow the power of a constellation to meet her even briefly in a dream.

“I’ll listen and answer for as many hours or days as needed.”

I was willing to do anything.

“Hmm… I see. Then…”

After showing a contemplative expression, the two constellations nodded at each other.

A silhouette appeared with a swish.

Even at a glance, it was a human silhouette, and simultaneously appeared to be a rather large man.

“I think it would be better for you to continue the conversation with your friend first.”

The Ursa Major constellation left with the Sagittarius constellation after saying only that.

And the owner of the silhouette that appeared before me was…

“Hey, it’s been a while? Our party center!”

“Goden…?”

It was none other than him.

***

Splish splash.

Clang!

“Eek, why did it suddenly spill?!”

He exclaimed in surprise as he returned the tilted teapot to its original position.

Regardless, the table was already soaked with tea. Whether he wasn’t accustomed to serving tea or had tilted the teapot too much, the result was the same.

“Ahem, hem. Well… I’ve wiped up most of what spilled, so… ta-da…?”

“…It’s not alcohol, what’s with the ‘ta-da’?”

“It’s something to drink, so isn’t it the same?”

“It’s different, you fool.”

“R-really? Ahem…”

Goden lowered his hand that had been holding the teacup with a bewildered look.

Then he smacked his lips and took a sip of the tea, only to burn his tongue.

“Gah! What kind of taste is this? It’s so bitter. Did I brew it wrong?”

“That’s how it’s supposed to taste…”

“Huh. That’s the intended taste? I thought it must be some delicacy since Ophelia drinks it all the time, but it’s completely awful? Why would anyone drink this?”

When he first appeared, I wondered if it was really Goden, but seeing him like this, there’s no doubt it’s him.

He’s dependable, but truly clumsy in everyday life. While he might be a strict instructor in combat training, as evident now, he clearly has never been exposed to tea culture.

Moreover, unlike the culture known to nobles, he blatantly reveals his commoner origins… it’s definitely him.

Goden then quietly glanced around before setting the teacup down on the table.

He began with quite a serious expression.

“Junon, is it true that you died once and returned?”

“…”

After a moment’s hesitation at the sudden heavy question, Junon nodded once. There was no need to hold back here.

“I see. Then… all of it…”

A deep sigh followed.

That deep sigh seemed to be filled with guilt, as Goden’s gaze kept dropping. After all, he was the party leader who had tried his hardest to bring Junon into Tembris.

“So that’s why you didn’t want to join Tembris even after returning. To think I only realized this now… tsk.”

He wouldn’t have realized it anyway. He might have good intuition about people, but he’s quite dull when it comes to these matters.

“It must have been hard for you. I’m sorry. You might have resented our kids, but thank you for helping us until the end. I don’t know what to say beyond these empty apologies… especially now that you’ve died…”

But.

But Goden has no reason to feel such guilt.

“If you hadn’t brought me to Tembris… I might have died even sooner. So don’t apologize.”

“But because I brought you, you suffered more. And you, to Erica…”

Goden bit his lip tightly, unable to finish his sentence, but I understood what he meant.

“It was painful at the end, but not all of that time was suffering. I was always alone, you know? Do you know? That I was Calix. Before that, I was completely alone. Confined to a hospital room, unable to do anything, just waiting for the day I would die. But after joining Tembris, I met people and even had fun, so I lived much longer than before, didn’t I?”

“Junon…”

Yes. Before directly meeting Renias, there was a time when life as a Tembris party member was the happiest period.

I said I had no purpose in life back then… but I think I was secretly hoping.

That those times would just continue.

“Thank you for believing me. I’ve always wanted to say this to you at least once, Goden.”

Goden kept his eyes closed in silence for a while.

But the anguish that had been tightly packed with guilt disappeared. Completely, cleanly.

“You’re too good a person, kid. Being able to befriend someone like you was the proudest thing in my life. You know that?”

“Goden, your body…!”

“Dead people naturally disappear, fool. Even meeting like this is thanks to the constellations.”

“…I see…”

He must have been called here for this conversation. As the only comrade who wasn’t affected by the hands of the clock’s formation, he had the right to know about the past.

“I met good friends thanks to you, you bastard. So go with a clear heart! No, I guess I’ll be following you anyway?”

“Haha, really?”

Goden laughed heartily and threw a rather meaningful remark as his body began to disappear.

“But you can’t come with me, fool!”

“What?”

“We’re headed to different places, that’s what I’m saying. So steel your heart!”

Whoosh—

The silhouette of his large frame completely vanished.

“Can’t go together? What does that mean?”

At that time, I had no idea what those words meant.