Epilogue. Journey (Complete)

I loaded the luggage, which had been condensed and condensed over time, onto the carriage.

It would be a long journey, but there wasn’t much luggage.

As promised with Rubia, we decided to stop by every place we reached and buy what we needed.

“When are you coming back after you leave?”

Hermilla, who had helped load the luggage with a heave-ho, asked us in a weak voice as we were about to get on the carriage.

Rubia, wiping the sweat flowing down her chin, put me on the carriage first, followed by herself, and answered.

“Well. I don’t really know.”

“…You’re not not coming back, are you?”

“Of course. I and Noah, we’ll all miss everyone.”

“Really? I thought you two would be too busy playing to think of us.”

Hermilla, narrowing her brows, looked at me and Rubia alternately.

“Kuhahahahahahak! What does it matter if they’re too busy to come back! If you miss them, the person who misses them can just go find them!”

Heinzel, sitting in the coachman’s seat, laughed heartily, saying what’s the problem with that, and grabbed the reins.

“That’s true, too. Although I don’t know where you’ll be.”

Is she feeling sad? Is she feeling disappointed?

Hermilla, with a look that was… a mix of many things, sighed.

“Th, then… whenever I see the Adventurer’s Guild… I’ll send a letter…”

“That’s right, if we send letters to every city we arrive in, like Noah said. We’ll stay in big cities for at least half a month.”

That said, it’s a bit expensive to commission the guild to send a single letter, but Rubia and I have money to spare!

Of course, we don’t have much on hand right now, but if we go to The Capital and ask Charlotte, we can get more money than most nobles!!

Maybe we’re the second richest people after Charlotte?

“That’s a good… idea. Commissioning the Adventurer’s Guild would be much faster than regular mail.”

Hermilla didn’t bring up the topic of money, as if she knew that too.

“Then, would you do that for us? If The Capital stabilizes… then I’ll visit sometime.”

“Of course.”

Nod, nod.

Rubia and I answered readily.

“Thank you. Then, see you next time―”

Soon after Hermilla’s farewell, just before the carriage was about to depart.

“Wa, wait a minute…!”

I hurriedly got up from my seat and jumped out of the carriage.

“…Yes?!”

“Noah?”

“Hmm?”

Hermilla was surprised, Rubia asked suspiciously, and Heinzel looked at me.

“I, I need to go to the bathroom…”

“Didn’t you go to the bathroom before getting dressed earlier?”

“Th, that’s… uh… I think I drank too much strawberry milk… Hehe… I, I’ll be right back!”

With that, I smiled awkwardly and ran towards the Adventurer’s Guild building.

Five minutes later.

I ran back and got on the carriage with a lighter heart than before.

“Is everything ready?”

Heinzel, who had confirmed that I was on board, grabbed the reins again, which he had briefly let go.

“Yes. It’s all done. Noah, Rubia. Don’t get hurt, and be careful.”

“Yes. Hermilla, take care in the meantime, too. We’ll definitely be back.”

Hermilla, with a slightly cool and very lonely smile, nodded.

“Gree… He, Hermilla.”

Wiggling my butt and moving to the end of the carriage, I gestured to Hermilla.

Hermilla tilted her head and carefully brought her ear closer.

I whispered in her ear.

“…I hope you get along well. If it’s Hermilla… if it’s the kind Hermilla who took care of me and protected me when I didn’t know anything… I think you can do it. Just like I’ve changed, ‘that person’ will change enough, too.”

Hermilla, trembling and dropping her ear, looked at me with wide eyes.

At that, I smiled brightly and waved my hand.

“Goodbye, Hermilla. I hope you’re happy.”

“…Huh? Noah, what on earth did you just say―”

I left a very cheesy but touching farewell, but Heinzel isn’t even thinking about leaving.

…Embarrassed, I hurriedly moved and leaned out of the window on the opposite side of Hermilla and shouted.

“H, Heinzel, Mister! De-paart…!!”

“Hmm!”

Thump- The carriage started right away at my words.

I put my head back in and waved hard at Hermilla, who still had a dazed expression.

Just as Hermilla disappeared from view.

As if spitting out what I had been holding back, Rubia asked.

“Noah. What did you say just now that made Hermilla so surprised?”

“Ah… Ummm…”

Where should I start?

After thinking about this and that, I opened my mouth.

Step- Step-

Hermilla, constantly chewing over the words Noah had left behind, entered the Adventurer’s Guild and hurriedly burst out the [Aura] in her body, grinding her teeth.

“…You, were you alive?”

Words spat out as if chewed up.

At that one word, a man sitting at the reception desk of the guild approached Hermilla.

“Unfortunately.”

His neat appearance was nowhere to be found, and his left sleeve fluttered powerlessly.

Dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible, and his always sharp eyes were listless.

“Did you come to me because you wanted to die at the hands of me, your disciple?”

Once a Fighting Saint, a Fighting God, and her master, the first Master.

Aaron.

Towards Aaron, Hermilla moved her steps filled with anger.

“Yeah. That wouldn’t be bad either.”

Aaron didn’t avoid Hermilla’s steps.

He didn’t avoid her gaze.

He didn’t avoid her murderous intent, the hand that came close and grabbed his collar.

“The Princess, no, the Empress, said she wasn’t qualified to kill me and sent me back.”

“…What?”

“After that, other Challengers also said they weren’t qualified to kill me and sent me back.”

Kuduk- The Prosthetic hand gripping Aaron’s collar tightened. Aaron, glancing at the Prosthetic hand, gave a bitter smile and continued.

“Next, I found that girl. Noah. And I just had a conversation.”

At those words, one question in Hermilla’s head was resolved.

Noah, who suddenly ran out to go to the bathroom.

The words she whispered to herself right after coming back.

An unknown smile full of secrets.

“But that girl also said she wasn’t qualified to kill me. She even said that the girl was the one who saved me.”

“…Noah…?”

“She didn’t tell me the reason. I couldn’t find the reason even if I wanted to. I, who have lived worshiping a false god and longing for a false world, didn’t even tell me how I should live. It’s funny, isn’t it, that such an old man is looking for answers from such a girl.”

A voice that seemed to have completely given up now.

Hermilla’s face contorted even more.

“So, Hermilla. I will ask you, who hates me the most.”

Aaron’s head was raised.

Fuzzy eyes, the deep gray eyes contained within, captured Hermilla.

“Are you qualified to kill me?”

“…You…”

“Am I qualified to die at your hands?”

Gray eyes.

Hermilla, who had been glaring hatefully at the gray eyes that had lost the glory, the power, and everything of the past, raised her arm.

“You deserve to die.”

At the end of that arm was a tightly clenched fist.

Hermilla’s fist, not a Prosthetic hand.

“And I think I’m qualified to kill you.”

That fist was extended towards Aaron’s face.

Kwajik- A rough sound was heard, and Aaron’s body rolled across the floor.

“But, not yet, not yet… not yet.”

Noah.

That girl who saved me.

The girl who wants me to be happy.

“Noah would be disappointed.”

Hermilla, spitting out all the anger she had contained in one word, turned her back on Aaron, who had fallen to the floor, and walked towards the kitchen.

Step- Step-

The sound of footsteps gradually moving away.

Aaron, listening to the sound of those footsteps, forcibly twisted his broken nose back into place and blocked the gushing nosebleed with subtle magic.

“I have nothing to give you. Just be satisfied with water.”

Soon after, a voice was heard.

At that voice, Aaron smiled weakly and raised his body.

“Your punch has become much spicier.”

My story.

Rubia, who had heard the story about Hermilla and her master, whose future was unknown, that Noah had left behind, was lost in thought with a slightly complicated expression.

But, Rubia trusted me.

And, she trusted Hermilla.

“I don’t know if it’s a good thing, but yeah. The more I think about it, the more I think that’s better.”

“…Th, that’s right…?”

“Still, Noah. Isn’t it too dangerous to go alone to meet such a person?”

“Ex…”

“Of course, Noah would win no matter what, but it’s still dangerous. There might be unforeseen situations.”

“Th, that’s… true…”

“Noah needs to be more alert. Come here. I’ll tell you how scary this world was.”

Pat, pat- Rubia patted her thigh and made a stern expression.

But her voice was very kind.

Therefore, I jumped into Rubia’s arms with a light heart.

Listening to Rubia’s various stories that followed.

We arrived in The Capital.

Thinking about the things that would become troublesome in many ways, Rubia and I hid our faces.

And, with Heinzel in the lead, we ignored the long line and entered The Capital.

After pulling down the Cognitive Interference Robe and setting foot in The Capital, we faced Heinzel.

“Are you leaving now?”

“…Yes. Heinzel, are you going back to Cartia?”

“Hmm, I think so.”

Heinzel, who had unloaded all our luggage, handed the reins of the biggest and healthiest-looking horse to me.

“Have a good trip.”

“…Yes, yees. H, Heinzel Mister, you too… take care…”

“Of course I will. I have to arm wrestle with you after you return from your trip.”

Heinzel didn’t laugh as loudly as before.

Whether it was out of consideration for us, who had hidden our appearances.

Or, whether it was because he was sad, I couldn’t tell.

He just nodded with a subtle smile.

“Go on.”

“…Yes.”

“L, later… later, let’s meet again, Heinzel Mister…”

“Hmm.”

Waving his hand to tell us to go quickly, Heinzel.

We turned our backs, took our steps.

Mixed in with the people, until we completely hid our appearances.

He stood there and watched for a long time.

After a long time of doing so.

We, dragging our heavy hearts, arrived in front of the Imperial Palace.

“Has it been a month?”

We met Charlotte.

I definitely thought we would meet inside the Imperial Palace.

Why… is she out on the street like this?

“…Charlotte. Is it okay for the Emperor to come out like this?”

“I’m wearing a Cognitive Interference Robe, aren’t I?”

“Still, that’s too dangerous…!”

“Hey. It’s more dangerous for you to go through this and that and enter the Imperial Palace. Then the imperial citizens will go crazy again, and a lot of people will flock to see Noah’s face, right? Then what about us? We didn’t prepare anything, so how can we control those people? The accidents that happen there are more troublesome. This is easier for me. It’s not like I’m going to be killed by a freak.”

“That’s, that’s true, but… we don’t cause accidents like that.”

Pfft- Charlotte, laughing as if she was dumbfounded, nodded.

“The main culprits who ruined the coronation ceremony are good at talking.”

“Ah, ahaha… that was an accident.”

“Tsk, okay. That’s enough. Are you leaving now?”

Charlotte’s eyes, like the sun, looked at me and Rubia alternately.

“Which way are you going on your trip?”

…Even if you ask me, I don’t remember…?

I glanced at Rubia.

“We’re going to pass through Hablon first. They say they’ve captured the old Hablon as similarly as possible, so we want to see it with our own eyes.”

“You’re not staying in Hablon, you’re just passing through?”

“Yes. I think it would be better to stop by Hablon later, when we come back.”

“Well, that’s not bad either. Then if you go east like that, where are you going next?”

“Well. I think Noah and I will decide the direction with rock-paper-scissors. Huhu.”

That’s right.

Our plan is just to capture the appearance of Hablon in our eyes. There are no plans after that.

We just decided to take a healthy horse and head to the place that attracts us.

We decided to camp until we found a completely new city!

Like we did with Rubia in the beginning, camping in the forest!

If I do it alone, it’s a sleepover, but if I do it with Rubia, it’s camping!! A completely romantic camping…!

“Well… yeah. Not bad.”

As if she liked such a reckless plan, Charlotte took out a small pouch from her arms and handed it to us.

“Here, this is for travel expenses.”

Rubia and I accepted it without refusing.

Actually… that money is the second reason we came here.

“It’s a Subspace Pouch. Yuria and Hephaestus, and Delia were working hard to make it. It looks small on the outside, but it has enough money in it. Of course, it’s your money. And just in case, I put the imperial family’s emblem on it. So, don’t worry, eat what you want, try sleeping in good places, and have a comfortable trip.”

It was a light word, but Charlotte’s voice was wet.

“If you run out of money… then come back again. I’ll refill it for you.”

“…Yes. I’ll use it up as soon as possible and come back to get it again. Puhuhu…”

In response, Rubia’s voice also became wet.

“But don’t use it up too quickly.”

Soon, Charlotte, who smiled, turned her back.

“…I’m tired of saying thank you, so I’ll skip that.”

And, she composed her voice, which was gradually breaking off, and said.

“By the time you come back, I’ll have made same-sex marriage legal, so think about the wedding dress you’ll wear then.”

“…Yes?!”

“Dr, dress…?”

“Well, honestly, if you two get married, everyone in the world will bless you, but it’s better to be able to do it formally, right?”

Charlotte, leaving behind a small laugh, moved her steps.

“Don’t fight in the meantime, and have fun.”

Ttokak- Ttokak-

“More than anyone else, happily, enjoyably. That’s the Emperor’s order.”

Eventually, Charlotte, who had moved far enough that the sound of footsteps could not be heard, turned her back and looked at us.

“See you next time.”

Tadak- Tadak-

Under the dark night sky, next to the burning bonfire.

Rubia, who was in the same sleeping bag and hugged me tightly, muttered in a sleepy voice.

“In the end, what were the two gifts that Lilith said?”

“…I don’t know.”

I thought I could know at least one.

I don’t know either.

Well… it’s not like it’s been an adventure so far!

If it’s such a gift… th, that… um… well, I wouldn’t be disappointed, but still something something… it would be absurd… maybe?

“Well, I don’t care if I don’t know what the gift is. I… meeting Noah, spending the same time as Noah, and being able to look forward to such a happy tomorrow is a huge gift.”

The arm that hugged me tightened.

I also gave strength and dug into Rubia’s arms.

A subtle fragrance.

Dugun- Dugun- A quiet heartbeat.

Breath tickling the crown of my head.

Flesh full in a small palm.

Feeling everything about Rubia, I raised my head. I kissed the lips right in front of me.

“I love you, Rubia.”

“…I love you too.”

Blue eyes and red eyes.

White hair and black hair.

The two were entangled.

Tongues intertwined, and her saliva and mine mixed.

Rough breathing stopped for a moment, and lips parted.

And.

We, as if we had matched words.

At the same time, we said.

“Forever.”

“Forever.”

That day.

Me and Rubia.

The point of view is different, but we had the same dream.

Ttokak- Ttokak-

The sound of shoes echoing on the stairs of an old villa.

The owner of that sound was humming a sweet song and climbing the stairs.

Ttokak- Ttokak-

“Noah! I’m going to take some side dishes from the grandmother next door, can you help me carry them? It’s too heavy”

Ttokak- Ttokak-

“Uh, I’m playing a game, can’t I go a little later?”

Ttokak- Ttokak-

“Ugh. Okay. Mom will go alone.”

Ttokak- Ttokak-

Ttokak- Ttokak-

Listening to sounds that couldn’t possibly be heard.

Humming a light tune.

A woman with white hair.

A woman with an exotic appearance, clearly not Korean at a glance, stopped walking.

The place where the sound stopped was.

In front of a door covered with various flyers.

A door reeking of strong cigarette smoke.

The woman immediately rang the bell.

Ding-dong- Ding-dong-

It didn’t stop with just one ring.

She continued, and continued, until the door opened.

Then, with a bang—the homeowner flung the door open roughly, filled with annoyance.

At the same time, clouds of cigarette smoke billowed out.

“Aish, seriously. What… what is it… Who, who are you?”

The woman frowned briefly at the smell, but quickly put on a gentle expression and said,

“Ah, I just moved in, and I came to share some rice cakes.”

The man was taken aback by her fluent Korean, despite her appearance that seemed to have no Eastern blood mixed in.

No, more than that, the man was flustered by the white-haired woman’s dreamy appearance, and he nodded dazedly and accepted the rice cakes.

“And, the cigarette smell is too strong, so could you please smoke on the first floor from now on?”

A small smile was formed.

But the voice contained within was chillingly sharp.

“…Yes, I, I understand.”

“And please put out the one you’re smoking now too.”

“…I’ll put it out right away, right away.”

With a satisfied grin, the woman turned away without any interest or regret, and walked away, clack- clack-

Towards the stairs.

Towards the house she had moved into.

Clack- clack-

Words of concern for an elderly person with dementia could be heard through the small gap in the open window.

Clack- clack-

Next door, the sound of someone diligently typing on a keyboard could be heard through the wide-open window.

The woman stood in front of that house.

Ding-dong-

She rang the bell.

1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds.

After 10 seconds.

A man with a gentle appearance opened the door.

The man widened his round eyes and stared at the foreign woman in front of him.

“…Who are you?”

“Ah, I’m the person who moved in next door, and I came to say hello and share some rice cakes.”

“Moved, rice cakes… Ah, I, I see.”

An ambiguous and foolish answer.

Hearing that answer, the woman’s face flushed red and she carefully said,

“Excuse me, what’s your name?”

“M, me?”

“Yes.”

“I… am… Noah, Shin Noah… that’s what they call me…”

“Noah. Noah.”

The woman muttered his name several times and looked up at the man, slightly bowing her upper body.

“Aren’t you curious about my name?”

The man’s mouth opened and closed, unable to speak.

Noah blinked and carefully opened his mouth.

“…What’s, what’s your name…”

A clear name came to Noah’s mind.

But, it couldn’t be that name.

That name was, something that only appeared in games…

Because it was her favorite character.

However.

From her mouth.

“Rubia.”

That name came out.

“Rubia Lirith.”

“…Huh?”

At that, Noah stared alternately at the monitor screen in the room and the face of the woman who said Rubia, with his mouth wide open.

The woman who said the name Rubia.

Uncaring of Noah’s complicated feelings, she whispered softly.

“Let’s get along well in the future, Noah.”

And clack- clack-

Leaving behind the pale-faced Noah, she slipped into her house.

Noah, left alone like that.

Until the lingering cigarette smell disappeared.

Until his mother came out of the next door ‘perfectly fine’.

Until his father came home from work ‘smiling’.

Rubia.

He couldn’t forget the seductive smile that Lilith had left behind.