Chapter 166 – The Eve (4)

“The End of the World.”

Serr’s grave voice settled heavily over the table.

“The path there will open simultaneously with Brunhilde’s summoning circle, according to my predictions.”

Tap- tap- tap-

Hermilla set down her letter with a sharp click and began tapping her fingers against the table.

“The team heading there—”

“Will consist of three. The limit for dimensional transfer.”

Tap- tap-

Serr tilted her head, observing Hermilla, who had smoothly intercepted her next words.

“You seem to have a habit of tapping when you foresee the future, Hermilla.”

“Mm, yes. It helps me differentiate between the future unfolding in my mind and the present. Hoho.”

With a dry chuckle, Hermilla wiggled her fingers before resuming her rhythmic tapping.

“The members are Serr, Rubia, and Noah. Correct?”

Rubia flinched, her body trembling subtly as my name was spoken.

Is she relieved to be going with me…?

Me too… Me too! I’m so happy I get to be with Rubia!

Beaming, I hugged Rubia’s arm tightly.

“Correct.”

Hermilla took a satisfied sip of her coffee, a self-congratulatory smile playing on her lips.

“What’s so amusing?” Serr asked.

“Ah… Ever since this afternoon, events have deviated from my foreseen future. But now, things are aligning perfectly, and I couldn’t help but react.”

Hermilla’s gaze settled on me.

Serr’s followed immediately after.

Then, Rubia’s face turned towards me as well.

“…Uh, um… Ehehe.”

Why do they always stare at me like this when we’re together…?

I nervously gulped down the remnants of my lukewarm strawberry milk under their scrutiny.

“So, Lady Hermilla, were you able to see anything beyond that point?”

“I did, but…”

Hermilla’s voice trailed off as her fingers resumed their tapping on the tabletop.

One, two, three, four…

After more than ten taps, a distorted smile twisted her lips.

“The subjugation… will succeed. It will take approximately 42 hours. Erden will not interfere.”

Rubia’s grip on my arm tightened.

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Serr’s face.

“From what I can gather, it seems you three reach the End of the World.”

“It would appear so.” Serr replied.

“Yes.” Hermilla confirmed, her smile now bright and unperturbed, the earlier unsettling expression vanished without a trace.

An awkward silence descended.

I swallowed the question burning on my tongue.

“U-Um… I have something to say.”

I forced out different words instead, words that might shed light on the disquieting smile that had flickered across Hermilla’s face.

“I-I’ll tell you how to defeat Brunhilde.”

Serr and Hermilla’s gazes snapped back to me, intense and focused.

Rubia’s embrace tightened, a silent reassurance.

“So, uh, listen up! Uh-hack—”

Ah.

Ah…

Ahhh…!!! Why did my voice crack?! That was supposed to be my cool moment!

“W-Wait a moment…”

Ahem, ahem, ahem…

I cleared my throat, attempting to regain composure. Rubia’s divine power flowed into me, calming my nerves. I chose to ignore the barely-suppressed snickers coming from the others.

My face feels like it’s on fire…

“Ahem… Okay, here we go. Pay close attention; I’ll only say this once.”

Hermilla nodded, pulling out a notebook and pen. Serr continued to smirk.

“…Serr, aren’t you going to write this down…?”

“Why would I? I’m fighting Laila.”

“Oh, right… I forgot.”

Brunhilde. Brunhilde.

I focused, visualizing my countless battles against Brunhilde. Just as I was about to launch into an explanation of the whoosh and crash of the opening attack, a dissonant note struck me. This entire interaction felt… strange.

Why… why aren’t they asking anything?

Serr, Rubia, and Hermilla. I was about to reveal a strategy nobody in this world should know, yet they were accepting it as perfectly normal. Rubia’s knowledge aside, Serr and Hermilla were unaware of my origins.

Why… why aren’t they questioning me?

Did Rubia tell them?

No, impossible. She was with me all day; there was no opportunity for her to speak with them privately.

And Rubia would never betray our secret.

This is… incredibly strange.

“Um… but… aren’t you going to ask me anything…?”

Serr and Hermilla tilted their heads in unison.

“Noah, you really are an idiot.” Serr deadpanned.

“You’re asking that now? Hohoho…” Hermilla added, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Huh?

I was even more confused. My question had been met with… those bizarre responses? As I tilted my head, mirroring their confusion, Serr chuckled and spoke.

“Noah, we’ve known for quite some time that you’re different. We even considered the possibility that you might be from another world.”

“Gasp…”

“But, does it truly matter?”

Serr’s usual mocking tone vanished, replaced by a surprising warmth.

“We’re friends, are we not?”

The warmth intensified, burning almost.

“Oh my…?” Rubia exclaimed softly.

And then, at Rubia’s words, that burning warmth seemed to consume Serr entirely, transforming into bright, embarrassed crimson.

“S-So… it… doesn’t… m-matter… J-Just… explain… the… strategy…”

Serr buried her face in her hands, her head hitting the table with a thud as she mumbled.

“Ugh… Just… explain it to Hermilla… I want this to be over so I can… sleep…”

I’d never seen Serr like this. A strange sense of camaraderie filled me. Hermilla sat frozen beside her, looking utterly bewildered. Behind me, Rubia, who had been trembling with suppressed laughter, finally lost control.

“Pffft… Ahahaha!”

“…Do not laugh.” Serr groaned into her hands.

“Ahaha… Haa… Serr, you actually have a cute side! Did you really not have any friends?” Rubia teased.

“Gasp… S-Serr… you didn’t have friends…? But you said you had lots…” I added, surprised.

“Shut up… If you say another word, I’ll kill you all.” Serr’s voice was tight with mortification.

Rubia continued to giggle, undeterred.

“Tsk, Serr. You shouldn’t speak so harshly to your friends. Someone as kind as Noah might just take it to heart and quietly plot their revenge.”

Serr flinched.

“Huh…? R-Rubia, I wouldn’t do that…!” I quickly reassured her.

Hermilla, thawing from her stunned silence, chuckled warmly and nodded.

“Lady Rubia is right, Serr. Kindness is key with friends.”

“…Fine, I get it, just drop it. Any more of this and I’ll die of embarrassment.” Serr’s voice was muffled.

Thud. Thud. Serr continued to lightly bang her head against the table.

Hermilla and Rubia exchanged amused glances.

“Hehe, well, that certainly lightened the mood. Now then, shall we return to the main topic? Noah, if you please.”

Just as Hermilla said, the atmosphere had shifted completely. The heavy weight of the impending battle, a battle with potentially catastrophic consequences, seemed to dissipate in the face of their lighthearted banter.

And in that moment, I began to understand.

The boisterous laughter of the adventurers. The drinking to excess. The nonsensical chatter. The cheerful disregard for the deadly dangers they faced every day.

They forced themselves to maintain a lighthearted atmosphere.

And I was finally starting to grasp why.

“…Hmm…”

The air felt warm and strangely comforting.

It reminded me of the feeling I’d once experienced in that small town’s adventurer’s guild. A sense of belonging, however fleeting.

I nodded readily.

“Nyehet—!?”

Ugh… Seriously…

***

Thick smoke curled through the cracked and aged stained-glass windows of the dilapidated ruin.

“Aaron.”

A deep, resonant voice echoed through the crumbling structure.

A man with close-cropped hair turned his head.

“What manner of future do you envision?”

Standing before him, clad in gleaming golden armor, his massive greatsword planted firmly in the ground, was Bamilion.

“The salvation of humanity.”

A thin stream of smoke escaped Aaron’s lips as he spoke.

“One who seeks salvation… Why would you make such a choice?”

“Because I seek salvation, that is precisely why I made this choice.”

“Aaron, you know the secrets of this world. Its creation, the fall of our Goddess… You know all of this!”

The tip of Aaron’s cigarette glowed brightly as it turned to ash.

“This is a secret shared only between us.
A task only we can undertake.
A duty that falls solely upon our shoulders.

So, I ask you again, why this path?”

Bamilion’s barely contained fury rattled the fragile stained glass.

“Has your vow crumbled? The vow to become the greatest calamity if it meant protecting your disciple?”

With a guttural growl, Bamilion ripped off his helmet.

His brilliant golden hair cascaded down.

Beneath,

Was the anguished face of a woman.

“Even if this paradise is a lie, even if the path ahead is paved with hellfire… You swore to save this world.

…Has that oath been broken?”

The deep, commanding voice was gone, replaced by a fragile whisper, barely audible above the wind whistling through the ruins.

“Aaron… please, I beg you. Do not forsake your mission.”

“Bamilion…”

“Do not call me that. I am not Bamilion.

I am Frey. And I speak to you as Frey.”

A gust of dry wind swept through the ruins, dispersing the lingering smoke from Aaron’s cigarette.

“I do not understand the picture you paint, nor the future you desire. The Goddess’s soul is consumed by corruption. We are all that remains. So, do not forget. Remember. Our mission—”

To follow the Goddess’s guidance.

To enter the false paradise.

To endure the endless bloodshed.

And finally,

To deliver salvation to the true humans remaining in this world.