Chapter 166 : Epilogue 3 [Life is…]

On days when white snow falls, one unconsciously begins to expect.

Because when snow accumulates along with silence under the dark sky, even familiar scenery looks sublime and pure. A lovely white overlays the scenery we live in, making even everyday scenes special.

One

Two

Stars connect

Crunch

Crunch

Snow falls.

Footsteps one didn’t notice before are heard, and when snow melts away with each breath taken for granted.

When all sounds disappear one by one, and all people suddenly look up at the sky.

In white moonlight.

One recalls in a corner of memory the existence of a certain girl watching over us from above the sky.

White girl.

It feels like she might come down with a snow-white and pure appearance and show that smile again.

It feels like she might show a snow-white smile and say the waiting is now over.

It feels like if one jumps into her arms, the nostalgic warmth would return.

[I’m back.]

[Welcome back.]

One always has such expectations.

* * *

Winter has come.

“Haah…”

When Yuki closes the door of the old house and leaves for work, blowing white breath, it’s a thought that comes when white gently covers her view. Once again winter has come and the time to wrap up a year full of many events arrives.

Students move up a grade.

Girls look forward to next year.

Adults get more wrinkles.

Elderly people reminisce about memories.

Though Yuki had seen people welcoming winter in their own ways while experiencing numerous things among people. For Yuki, winter was a season to reminisce about and wait for one person.

‘Winter has come again.’

When this season comes making both cheeks numb with cold air, one side of her chest aches recalling the image of the girl who came running wearing black clothes. The clumsy appearance of that girl seen through adult Yuki’s eyes also comes to mind, making her feel nostalgic.

Crunch

Crunch

When winter comes and snow falls, footsteps are especially well heard.

Crunch

Crunch

In footsteps not usually heard, memories and emotions not usually had intersect.

Crunch

Crunch

With each step, memories of her come to mind making one miss her, today’s schedule comes to mind making one urgent, expectations for tomorrow come to mind warming one’s heart.

The reason for taking the long way instead of going directly through fate threads to hear footsteps when winter comes.

Winter riverside

Warmth

White

Love

“Oh? Principal?”

Magical girls on their way to school approached and greeted Yuki who was walking holding all those times in her heart. Their young principal had gravity and strength unsuited to her age, but was just a kind older sister when encountering her normally. So Academy students liked Yuki.

New memories enter between precious memories.

Yuki doesn’t shun that, but puts precious memories in a corner of her heart. And she smiles at the students approaching to greet her. Seeing that smile, girls leaving home for school flock over.

“Principal!”

“Ah Principal, hello!”

“Hello.”

“Want to go together?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Numerous girls approach and make conversation bloom on numerous topics.

“So this time the etiquette teacher~”

“Why do you always wear a red coat, Principal?”

“A bandaged dog keeps stealing bread from the school store!”

“Is there really a crow among the guides? I’ve never seen one.”

“I heard the kids who moved up to intermediate division this year are amazing?”

Chatter chatter

Voices of girls full of vitality that even snow covering all sounds can’t completely swallow.

Though Yuki originally prefers quiet, she didn’t find such words from the girls noisy at all or frown. Because that was what she had wanted when she once ran away from people due to a burn scar.

Rather, she was grateful to be able to become an adult living in such times.

‘I have more stories I can tell again.’

It would be nice to talk while walking in the snow with her.

* * *

“Interplanetary connection? Is-Is that possible…?!”

-Well, even if it fails, all I’m wasting is time and my starlight, so it’s a profitable business to try.

“The distance to Mars is quite far, it would take quite a long time to install.”

-I already scattered space-spec temporary fortresses and warp gates at regular intervals matching the orbit on the way there once.

“…You’re extremely thorough.”

-Actually, the news embargo on starting Mars colonization worldwide will be lifted soon. I contacted you and Sumire in advance to let you know before that.

As another day passes and it’s time to prepare to leave work.

A sudden long-distance call came.

The other party was Kang Dorim.

Yuki was talking with Kang Dorim who suddenly announced the Mars colonization plan and immediately left for Mars. True to someone who had been the brain of the Grand Council, her unconventional thinking and bold ideas were jaw-dropping.

‘Though her appearance still seems like a girl.’

Though 12 years had passed, Kang Dorim’s appearance didn’t seem to have changed much from when she was in middle school.

But the passion and energy emitting from that small body grew stronger as time passed.

Yuki still couldn’t forget the moment they left Earth.

Mars Colonization Plan.

They say such recruitment phrases circulated in Korea from when Kang Dorim first conceived this plan that gives goosebumps just hearing about it and created an interplanetary transport ship several kilometers long.

[Dangerous journey, long travel (minimum 10 years), outer space, rough pioneering business, unpredictable adventure but upon success, planning to award part of Mars territory along with great honor and glory.]

A dreamlike story.

A human trajectory shining enough to overwhelm even the legend of magical girls and starlight.

To Kang Dorim’s call trying to step into a realm that existed only as science fiction, people residing in South Korea answered like this:

“Come on, what space… space is.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“I thought she was a smart girl but she’s completely reckless?”

Young men who checked the recruitment phrases at bars all stood up while laughing wryly.

They couldn’t miss the glory of leaving this stifling land and pioneering a new continent… a new star.

They were already used to boring waiting and stifling group living.

“So where do we apply?”

“I should do it right away.”

Applicants flooding in and media delivering news of the Mars colonization plan.

In the year that plan was announced, only the word Mars was on people’s lips.

Adventure begun.

The Mars Pioneer Quirinus, which departed with thousands of applicants, advanced at an unreasonable speed imbued with magical girls’ magic, and finally arrived and started full-scale Mars colonization. After 2 years of journeying like that, contact came from Kang Dorim.

-There was quite a big discovery.

Kang Dorim wearing a silver spacesuit that clung to her body had a serious face.

-We found it there, there’s a ‘will of stars’ on Mars too.

“…”

Yuki’s mind went blank.

Star

Goddess

Magical girl

As numerous words and pains flashed by, her hands trembled.

To think that power her beloved girl sealed by devoting her whole body exists on Mars too.

What on earth is this.

-Wait, don’t be too surprised. I’m going to say it’s different from the power existing on Earth.

“Dif…ferent?”

-To use an analogy, if the will of stars on Earth has developed into a form like a living organism or system, the will of stars here is close to chaos that hasn’t yet taken any form.

“The environment where the goddess of [Beginning] appeared?”

-Yeah.

Kang Dorim said while clenching her fist on screen.

So we can use this chaos.

If we can just send even a very faint power through the fortresses and fragments scattered in the orbit our star wanders, to seal the wound.

-Perhaps

-Perhaps if we can connect this power and send it to Earth…!

-Eunbit unnie won’t have to endure inside the wound recklessly.

-Not only that, if we can connect the wills of stars between planets, the realm of magical girls and humans will expand further. This world itself can expand beyond stars to the universe.

Beyond stars to the universe

For Yuki, those words were too big and difficult. Even with 4-star power similar to the old goddesses right now, it only went as far as caring for the human world and burning away ominous things popping out from the star’s wound.

But there was only one thing Yuki could hope for and dream of.

“Hikari.”

She doesn’t have to heal the will of stars alone inside the wound.

We can make her return to the human world again.

Just that fact alone made her heart beat fiercely and feel like tears would come out.

If you know that things that advanced in the world you protected

Can create a path for you to return here again.

Will you smile brightly seeing those things?

Yuki met Dorim’s eyes and quietly resolved.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

* * *

“Wow, it’s been so long.”

As Ichika said looking around while clicking her tongue, the sight of the ark where those who had bloomed ten thousand powers gathered again was truly a nostalgic scenery. Actually it was too desperate a memory to call nostalgic, but the waves of time had swept away all those emotions and left only nostalgia.

Advancing universe.

Moon gradually approaching.

Looking at that scenery, Yuki called that name she had repeated for a very long time again.

“Hikari.”

Nostalgic name.

When she called that name, 4 stars floating behind Yuki’s back shone creating a halo.

As brilliantly as the white halo of a girl who once led girls here.

“…”

“…”

That time back then.

The girls who had risen to protect people from destruction had all become adults.

“Really… I couldn’t even imagine a day like this would come again.”

Sumire, who hid her arms and legs in a purple suit, had become an even more mature and calm person.

“Huhu, it feels like we’ve gone back to the old days.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Ichika and Hana who had been free became people who could think of children younger than themselves and teach.

“Is this also something I must witness. The future is truly unknowable.”

Hecate muttering in a soft voice became a person who could watch over and understand others from one step behind.

The girls fought following one girl’s guidance, and became adults during the time she was gone.

Now those who became adults finished preparing to go meet the girl continuing a lonely fight.

-Are you ready now?

Everyone answered Kang Dorim’s voice coming from far away Mars with energetic voices.

“Yeah!”

“Of course!”

“Yes.”

“Certainly.”

-The <Dabih> plan that transmits the will of stars from Mars… creates a passage to welcome our goddess. I’ll start now.

――――!!

Massive resonance

The world vibrates

Space shakes

Something composing this world was moving greatly, one could feel.

It approaches slowly.

No,

It approaches quickly.

Very fast and intense, but because it’s separated by that enormous distance.

Though it looks like it’s approaching slowly from the universe’s view, it was an incredible speed impossible to follow with human eyes.

One by one

One by one

Following installed warps

Following scattered guidance devices

The power of chaos that originally couldn’t be moved by human power was approaching.

-Now!!

“Hikari.”

White starlight containing white love burned intensely and was fired from where it blocked the will of stars.

“Hikari-chan!!”

Yellow starlight containing yellow friendship shone brilliantly and was fired.

“Leader… I really want to see your face!”

“Hikari-san… we want to show you, the world we’ve advanced!”

Green trust and violet responsibility.

“Humans are now ready to frolic with goddesses. So come back quickly, goddess. Let’s play a game together.”

Silver-white faith.

The starlights that most earnestly recalled the white goddess shone dazzlingly, creating a brilliant pillar of light on the lunar surface. They waved becoming flags guiding the tremendous chaos approaching from far away to find its way.

Magical girls who lived on Earth and heard the goddess’s story.

Numerous adults who fought against destruction.

All earnestly tried to create a path for the goddess to return, containing their respective hopes and dreams.

Numerous colors intertwined to become myriad colors more brilliant than white and fluttered.

The world she protected now tried to receive the power approaching from far away on another star to welcome her.

Among them, Yuki most earnestly recalled the girl fighting below the lunar surface she was standing on now while emitting starlight for chaos to enter.

-It’s connected!!

When a voice full of joy was heard, everyone emitted stronger light of hope.

For the goddess.

People without glass stars recalled hope seeing that sight.

For hope.

The will of all was gathering for a single purpose at this moment.

Pouring chaos and myriad colors containing everyone’s wishes were intertwining and becoming one with the star.

A light greater than primordial chaos, and as warm as human wishes.

Pillar of light.

A brilliant pillar of light arose on the moon and was being absorbed into the star’s wound.

Faaaash…!!

In intense starlight where everything before one’s eyes seemed like it would be sucked into the light, Yuki could vaguely tell that Hikari too was trying to grasp that starlight.

‘Hikari…!’

Now if we can just advance a little bit more, we can send the white girl back into the world again. As such hope arose in everyone’s hearts.

The light disappeared.

“Wh-What?!”

“Did it work? Did it work?”

Ichika and company looking around in confusion.

Yuki couldn’t hide her bitterness among them.

Hikari’s main body was still in the middle of the star’s wound.

“…”

-I can’t send any more because the facility output is too weak, sorry.

“No.”

When everyone sat down disappointed.

Yuki was just looking at empty space while pulling herself together.

Next time.

Next time for sure…

[Don’t give up.]

“Huh?”

Yuki turned towards where the voice came from.

There was an unfamiliar girl there.

White hair

Red eyes

Though infinitely resembling Hikari, completely different from Hikari.

She was smiling gently.

“Be…ginning?”

[A very small fragment.]

The final fragment left by the goddess of [Beginning].

Yuki

Hikari

Hecate

When all the girls completely opened their power once again.

A very faint fragment remaining there reacted to the complete chaos that had briefly returned, appeared in this world then disappeared into empty space while whispering.

[Thank you.]

[For fighting for the world until now.]

[For finding a much more excellent answer than me.]

[For finding an answer in a world we couldn’t even imagine.]

[So… devoting everything, I’ll leave ‘fate’ lastly.]

Eventually she completely turned into white snow and disappeared.

The last remnant of goddesses remaining in this world disappeared like that turning into snow.

“…Snow.”

For Yuki, snow always made her look forward to today.

And if it’s a place where fate is tied with Hikari, there was only one place she could guess.

And she felt it.

Our send-off didn’t fail.

Though Hikari’s main body was still on the moon, fate was connected.

“Yuki?”

“Sumire.”

Perhaps worried about herself staring blankly at empty space, she felt warm concern from the artificial hand gently placed on her shoulder. Yuki answered Sumire with a more confident smile than ever.

“I’ll be back.”

“What?”

Leaving behind Sumire’s confused face, Yuki ran out wrapped in white light towards Earth.

* * *

On days when white snow falls, one unconsciously begins to expect.

Because snow always came bringing miracles.

One

Two

Stars connect

Crunch

Crunch

Even one footstep running towards her feels special.

“Haa… haa…!”

Hikari

I have so many things I want to tell you about how we advanced in the world you protected.

I have so many things I want to do for you who watched over me from long before our story began.

You know?

Actually there was only one thing I wanted to tell you first.

“Hikari…!”

The park scenery passes by like an arrow, and snow falls shining faintly receiving the city’s light from the dark sky above. While running through there, Yuki’s life flashed through her mind one by one.

Numerous fragments of memories mixed up confusingly, then dyed one color and began shining brilliantly again.

White

For Yuki, hope was a dazzling white.

Hope’s white came to Yuki again along with snow falling from the sky.

After running for a while, ‘that bench’ appeared before Yuki’s eyes.

“…”

“…”

Step

Step

Approaching slowly, a girl wearing white clothes she had seen sometime was sitting there.

Five lights were floating brilliantly around her body.

She was blankly looking at the sky with red eyes watching snow fall.

The white girl opened her mouth between white hair.

“…Actually I half gave up too.”

“…”

“You guys were doing well on your own, and ‘I’ from another universe excellently embraced those remaining.”

“…”

“I wondered what reason there was for me who had changed to be close to a star to return to this world.”

Stop

Yuki now faced that girl sitting on the bench.

“But there was exactly one reason I had to return to this world.”

“What?”

“You.”

“…”

Hikari stood up smiling gently just like that appearance seen back then.

The girl Yuki had to look up at for a long time feeling intimidated could now see each other at similar eye level.

“Because I love Yuki.”

“…Yeah.”

“I really loved Yuki from long ago.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe it was my first love as Shim Hyun-woo. Funny, right? To feel my heart flutter falling for an imaginary story.”

“No.”

Pfft

Hikari clenched and unclenched her hand once.

Yuki could understand why she made that action.

Because her main body was now gradually becoming one with this star, and she had come down to this world through the Galatea sent flying through the gap filled with fragments of chaos that came over from Mars.

Goddess

She had truly become a goddess with such massive power that she couldn’t even carelessly enter the human world.

“I also fell in love at first sight with a girl I saw for the first time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Actually I fell for you at first sight.”

“I see.”

“Funny, right?”

“No. I’m touched.”

“My heart feels the same.”

“I see.”

“Yeah.”

Plain tone

Quiet voice

How can even their attitudes revealing their true feelings be similar?

Thinking that.

The two girls were drawn to each other and gradually approached.

Perhaps because they already knew each other’s hearts, they thought it would be calmer.

But the endlessly beating heart in the plain tone that became composed before time intensely conveyed warmth.

Thump thump thump thump

Warmth felt when grasping both hands

Thump thump thump thump

Eyes drawing closer through feet stepping towards each other

They came close enough to feel each other’s breath.

White hair and black hair intersected and intertwined.

Tingle

Along with intensity like only the two of them were left in this world, softness came.

Clack

Teeth collided and eyes trembled slightly.

Brown and red

Thinking even each other’s trembling eyes were beautiful, they stood feeling warmth.

Closing eyes in embarrassment, then opening eyes again and smiling seeing each other’s eyes.

They stood facing each other like that for a long time.

Lips separating

“…”

“…”

Numerous words came to mind, but now none come to mind.

Heart and heart connect and give birth to a miracle.

That miracle was already a miracle numerous people shared and achieved.

But for these two most special girls in this world, it was a miracle that had just come.

People called that miracle love.

The two girls pressed their lips together again in miraculous time.

Warmth

Warmth

Softness

Surprised by teeth colliding.

I love you

Detecting signals sent without words.

When grasping both hands, pulses beating as if about to burst were felt.

Is this a miracle?

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Fate created by miracles intertwining.

It returned connected with miracles again.

The two girls faced each other by that riverside where they first met, looking at the sky where white snow fell and recalled.

Life is…

It seems like something unknowable.