Ch.372Chapter 372 Epilogue – The Regressor’s Happy Ending Formula (1)

“I’ll tell you later.”

Shizu’s response to my question about what they had discussed, delivered with a shy voice and a bright smile, only intensified my curiosity that was already trying to establish itself in my mind.

She wasn’t refusing to tell me, just saying she’d explain after some time had passed, yet her smile fanned the flames of my desire to know what it was.

Who wouldn’t nurture such curiosity?

I wanted to coax and cajole Shizu into telling me what they had discussed, but…

Fortunately for Shizu and unfortunately for me.

*Creeak-!!*

Despite opening it carefully, the clear sound of the entrance door accompanied Alcor’s arrival, followed by a procession of servants including Altair who had come to attend him, interrupting my train of thought.

I turned my head and fixed my gaze on the group entering through the door.

My purpose was to check what they were carrying in their hands after returning from fetching the gifts.

If it was a gift befitting minimal sincerity as Regina had mentioned, I would accept it without burden.

If it was something beyond my station, I planned to politely decline.

But the moment I saw the “gift” in Alcor’s hand, I was relieved that I wouldn’t have to make a difficult refusal.

It was a book. Some might question what’s so special about a mere book as a gift, but for Shizu and me, who were prepared to graciously accept even a small souvenir, it was a perfect present.

Moreover, even if it had been an ordinary book, I would have accepted it gratefully, but the book that caught my eye exuded an extraordinary quality that was far from ordinary at first glance.

First, the leather covering the book’s surface was unusual.

The texture was visibly different from leather made from animals or synthetic leather, one of the byproducts of the rapidly advancing magical engineering—the difference was noticeable even from a distance.

How should I put it? The already bright atmosphere of the room seemed to become even more radiant due to the strange energy emanating from the leather covering the book.

Sensing my gaze, Alcor exchanged a meaningful glance with Regina before handing the book to me, who would have to accept it anyway.

“Take it.”

As soon as I grasped the book that Alcor handed over calmly, I knew.

That this was no ordinary book.

Had I not experienced it before, I would have described the power emanating from this book vaguely as just “power,” not knowing what it was.

But the energy flowing from this book couldn’t be fully expressed by the word “power” alone.

It was power, yes, but perhaps it should be called a great power that could provide significant help in achieving whatever one desired to accomplish.

“It contains clues about the power you will gain for yourselves in the distant future.”

Regina’s explanation, delivered while leisurely sipping tea from her cup as Shizu and I examined the book closely, transformed my thoughts into certainty.

Yes. This book contained divinity.

It held the totality of pure power that twisted divine beings like Desire had so desperately pursued under the desire to become beings that commanded the heights.

It was of a different caliber from the divinity emitted by the incomplete and twisted divine beings that evoked disgust just by looking at them—it was almost identical in nature to the subtle divinity emanating from Regina and Alcor.

Although it didn’t appear to be an ordinary book, I was curious about how such power could be contained within it.

However, examining a gift too closely while the giver was watching wasn’t particularly proper etiquette.

“Thank you.”

I respectfully held the book given by Alcor with both hands and showed profound respect to the two divine beings who had given it to us.

Regina smiled gently, and Alcor, though showing less change in expression than her, seemed satisfied with the respect I had shown, appearing pleased with my attitude toward accepting their chosen gift.

“You could read it right away if you wanted.”

Regina smiled and posed a question that seemed almost like she was testing me when she saw that I had received the book but was just holding it without reading it.

“Someday, even if I don’t seek it out, this book will find me when the time is right, so I’ll wait.”

Shizu answered before I could, with a mature response filled with dignity, which seemed to satisfy Regina, who then stopped asking probing questions and instead:

*Clap!!*

Using a light clap of her hands as a signal to several additional servants who had entered the room:

“Now that the important matters are concluded, it’s time to properly host our guests.”

She instructed them in a demure voice, then:

“The important discussions are over, now it’s time to properly entertain you.”

With these words, she turned her gaze toward us and winked her left eye.

Despite being a being with dignity befitting her beautiful appearance and the responsibility worthy of a divine being residing in high places…

Perhaps her playful demeanor in places where she doesn’t need to show such responsibility is the closest to the true nature of this goddess that we can know?

The first day we would spend in the divine realm, having arrived with just a gesture, thus began with words of commendation, comfort, and overflowing gifts.

#

As the term “entertaining guests” suggested, Regina and Alcor were preparing a splendid feast, showing that they hadn’t invited us merely to offer gifts and words of commendation.

It was a natural conclusion, considering that throughout history, a feast has been the best way to entertain guests who have traveled from afar.

The problem was that we had eaten a hearty breakfast just before arriving here, so we didn’t need a meal right away.

Seeing Regina’s troubled expression, as if she hadn’t considered this, made me feel a bit sorry for causing her to worry about such a small matter.

“There’s still plenty of time until lunch, so please take a look around the palace until then.”

Regina quickly composed herself and suggested we take a tour of the divine realm she governed, alleviating any guilt we might feel. She then excused herself to attend to the work she had briefly set aside to welcome us.

Unlike the twisted divine beings who pursued immense power for domination, watching Regina, who understood why she was in her position and what she needed to prioritize to maintain it…

I came to understand how much effort beings who become transcendent, whether by birth or through other means, must put in to maintain their position.

…It definitely wasn’t because I saw the twin maids who appeared on either side of Regina as she was trying to leave the reception room, presenting her with piles of documents that needed to be processed.

“Here is the list of worlds where a new World Tree needs to be planted.”

“Here is the list of worlds showing signs of turning into Devouring Trees. This seems more urgent than planting new World Trees.”

The heavy work content, delivered like chirping baby birds in cute voices that matched their adorable appearances, seemed at odds with their demeanor. Was it just my imagination that Regina’s steps looked heavy as she left, accompanied by the two maids?

“That must be tough…”

Seeing Shizu’s reaction beside me after witnessing the same scene, I was at least glad it wasn’t just me thinking that.

The two people who had welcomed us also left to fulfill their duties during the interval before the feast was prepared.

Since there was still plenty of time until the feast and it would be too boring to spend it in this reception room:

“Shall we go take a look around, as suggested?”

I quietly suggested to Shizu, intending to follow Regina’s earlier recommendation to explore the place.

Shizu responded by immediately standing up and linking her arm with my right arm as she approached.

Whether intentional or not, the soft part of Shizu that revealed her generous heart touched my arm as she approached me.

It was stimulating enough to make my thought that we wouldn’t be surprised by ordinary skinship after seeing each other’s best and worst over the past few days evaporate ridiculously.

#

Ver Palatium, the Palace of Flowers and Spring, was it?

Scenery befitting the name greeted the eyes of Shizu and me as we looked around.

The first thing I noticed was the scent.

Various colorful flowers, matching the name, released their brilliant fragrances with each step we took.

Normally, when so many flowers with their own distinct scents are gathered in one place, they would assert themselves strongly, creating discordant scents that would confuse our sense of smell.

But the flower scents that subtly changed with each step we took achieved such harmony that they defied my preconceptions, welcoming us.

The brightness and sacredness felt in these scents were of a different caliber from the gloomy and ominous roars that filled the demonic realm.

Another thing that caught my eye was the presence of numerous people who appeared to be working in this divine realm.

Humans, spirits with personalities, and various non-human races visible here and there.

It was quite impressive to see such diverse beings mingling together, chatting and working without any sense of discomfort, just like the flowers that had satisfied our sense of smell.

When I saw the twin maids carrying piles of documents requesting Regina’s approval, I had worried they might be struggling in a hell of bureaucracy similar to the officials stuck like ghosts in the imperial palace of Solarium.

I was concerned about what expression I should show upon seeing their leisurely, even abundant, relaxed demeanor, but…

“Cal…, um…”

My thoughts were interrupted by Shizu’s gentle voice calling me as she stopped walking beside me.

When I turned my gaze from observing the surroundings to Shizu:

“…”

I saw Shizu looking at me with an expression that mixed shyness and joy, similar to what she had shown earlier while talking with Regina.

Seeing her gazing at me silently and intently reminded me of when she had said she would tell me later what she and Regina had discussed when I asked.

“You were curious about what the goddess and I talked about earlier…”

“Yes.”

“Before I tell you that… do you remember what I said to you last night…?”

Shizu posed a question to me before explaining.

How could I not remember? It was so embarrassingly hot that just recalling it felt like getting a burn on my face, but at the same time, it was filled with an equal amount of tenderness. I could recite our entire conversation from beginning to end.

There were suggestive yet devoted words like “I won’t let you sleep tonight,” “Call me pretty rather than cute,” and “I can do anything for you.”

Among them were also pleas about wanting to properly see the fruits of our love…

…Wait a minute.

“…”

As I gazed intently at Shizu with an expression that showed I had realized something:

Shizu lowered her gaze with an embarrassed expression, then brought her hands down to wrap around her stomach:

“The goddess said… it’s happened…”

She smiled at me as she delivered those words that made a corner of my heart swell strangely just from hearing them.

There had never been a moment when I didn’t find her smile beautiful.

But no smile was as beautiful as the one Shizu wore at this moment.

It made me suddenly wonder what efforts I would need to make to ensure even more beautiful smiles in the future.