episode_0181

“Unfortunately… it seems like it will be impossible to recover memories.”

Boldred shook his head with a gloomy face.

“As I said, Leo no longer ‘exists’ anywhere. The very concept of getting him back is impossible.”

“But my ancestors and my ancestors’ friends still remember, right?”

“That’s just something that remains in our minds. In reality, there’s no way to prove it… .”

“Can you send us the memories we have?”

There is an old proverb that says, ‘Three people can create a dragon out of nothing.’

And as it happens, there are three people here who have Leo’s memories… no, one person and two dragons.

“It’s true that we have memories, but our memories are different. Can’t we just collect them all and pass them on?”

“Um… .”

Boldred stroked his beard.

It doesn’t restore memories, it transmits them.

Then, each individual would not remember the person named ‘Leo’.

“No mortal will forget the burden of Jim.”

At least some of Leo remains in the world.

After all, existence is something that is determined by someone’s memories.

It means that the heroes who saved the empire will not be forgotten.

“As expected, the baby is smart. That should be possible.”

“Really?”

Tong- and Elin’s stupid hair stood on end.

“If there are only a few people here, the baby’s magic power is enough… .”

“How many people?”

“Huh?”

Elin and Bertain asked each other questions.

“I said I was going to have a funeral.”

“That’s right.”

“Of course it should be a state funeral held by the royal family.”

Bertain looked at Elin with a look of bewilderment.

“Baby, by any chance… … .”

Ellen flicked her stupid hair as if it was nothing.

“I will tell everyone in the Empire that there was a hero who saved you.”

If you’re going to hold a funeral, shouldn’t you do it properly?

Ellen thought that was at least the courtesy Leo deserved.

* * * * *

“Umm… I feel a little bad saying this to my child, but he is very greedy, just like his body.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment, but… .”

“Ugh,” Bertain said, crossing his arms.

It’s so amazing that a poor descendant saved the empire.

I would like to listen to Elin.

But how many imperial citizens are there?

It was irresponsible to say that I could do it readily.

“Is it because it requires a price?”

“That’s right. Memory transfer is easier than recovery. It’s not a simple magic after all… .”

“Can’t you use that?”

Elin pointed to Bertain’s hand.

To be exact, the black sphere that he was holding tightly.

《… … !》

Gernom was startled.

After Leo disappeared.

It was fun to see people suffering around me.

I’ve been keeping my mouth shut on purpose for a while now.

Because I couldn’t even imagine what kind of pain I would suffer if I acted without thinking in this situation.

But that damn dragonfly kid suddenly pointed it out!

“Of course it is possible. But extracting the soul also takes some time.”

“How long does it take?”

“I think it will take about a week.”

Bertain said and looked at Boldred.

“Jim thinks a week is too short. He’ll have to grind out that demon’s soul in seconds.”

《… … Wait. Friends, is it really necessary to do that? If I cut off your soul―》

Gernom senses the crisis.

But I laughed cowardly.

Kwajik-

“Don’t interfere, you filthy thing. I never asked you.”

Bertain simply crushed Gernom.

《Kkwaaak…!》

But a tremendous scream was heard.

Elin turned her eyes away, pretending not to see anything.

“It’s okay if it takes a week.”

Hug.

I hugged Bertha.

It didn’t end there, he hit his head.

“Please, Ancestor.”

“… Please?”

“Yes. Not a hard contract or anything, please.”

“K, kekeke. Is this grown guy suddenly acting cute?”

Bertain couldn’t hide the corners of his lips rising as he coughed.

Anyone would do that if they were trapped in a cave for hundreds of years and then got hit with the affection of a cute descendant.

“What the… It’s a request from my descendant, so what could I not do? And he’s asking me to help him with such a special task. I’ll just do it.”

Bertain, who was handed over to Elin.

Kook kook.

I pressed the sphere like a child playing with a toy.

At first glance, it seemed like a cute hand gesture.

Kwajik, kwajik, kwajik.

《Kwaa, ah, aah…!》

A sound came out that wasn’t cute at all.

How many times has the genome been split?

Crumpled.

It burst out and spilled the by-products of the soul.

Swish-

Bertaine collected the souls that fell as Gernom’s body was destroyed.

《Okay, just a minute… … .》

Gernom tried to negotiate, though.

He didn’t give me any room at all.

《Keuheuk… Gulp… Guk… !》

Gernom, who died and was resurrected countless times.

I thought I was trapped in a hell of pain from which there was no escape.

Who the hell is the devil…!

* * * * *

《… … 》

Gernom, who had been screaming inside the sphere for a long time, closed his mouth.

“It’s become quiet.”

“I guess it went into hibernation.”

Kook kook.

Bertain answered, not stopping squeezing Gernom.

“To avoid enduring pain, you block out your emotions and stop thinking.”

“… Is that possible?”

“This is the ancient paper.”

When you are amazed by the abilities of the ancient species that comes out in waves.

“… Your Majesty.”

Luke, who had been holding his head, approached.

“Teacher. Are you okay?”

“Yes, just a little dazed. I guess I was too focused on creating a new dimension.”

“… … Really?”

Ellen smiled bitterly.

The reason my head hurts is because I’m concentrating too much.

I guess this is how we fill in the gaps in our memories.

If we leave it like this, Elin and I will think that we sealed the demon together.

“Ancestor’s friend.”

“Honestly, I’ve been having trouble with this since a while ago. Can’t you just say Your Majesty?”

“Your Majesty.”

“Say it.”

Boldred nodded, his expression slightly relaxed.

“I said that my magic power was enough to transmit memories only to the teacher.”

“Of course. If you want to do it now, Jim will help you.”

“Please.”

“…Transmitting memories. What do you mean?”

Luke looks puzzled.

The emperor gave no further explanation.

“You’ll know when you experience it yourself.”

“Yes? Your Majesty. Why are you coming… .”

Dismissal-

Lightning struck.

It wasn’t a normal lightning element.

A golden lightning bolt piercing through the head.

“Add magic power while thinking of the burden of the load. The same goes for close friends.”

Elin and Bertain raised their hands to the golden lightning.

Phagejijik-

The lightning bolt grows stronger.

Wraps Luke’s body.

That doesn’t mean I was shocked.

Because it was simply a matter of conveying memories.

Dismissal, dismissal… .

After the golden lightning slowly died down.

Gulp.

A tear flowed from one of Luke’s eyes.

“… … Leo?”

My memory came back.

No, the gap in my memory has been filled.

But this wasn’t Luke’s memory.

The result of synthesizing the memories of Elin, Bertain, and Boldred.

It was like overwriting someone else’s save file.

Thanks to that, emotions that weren’t Luke’s permeated in as well.

-What if it goes like this?

The final moment.

Elin’s feelings for Leo are vividly conveyed.

Luke asked, wiping away his tears.

“… What the hell is this?”

“It’s a long story… … .”

Elin explained everything from Leo’s disappearance to the transfer of his memories.

“The princess is truly a genius.”

Luke was horrified.

It’s also surprising that Elin didn’t forget Leo along with the dragons.

The idea of transmitting memories also came from Elin.

“I know too.”

Elin proudly puffed out her chest, her hair fluttering.

But Luke noticed.

The angle at which the stupid hair swings is quite unstable.

It was evidence that Ellen was pretending that everything was okay.

Kwak.

Luke immediately hugged Elin.

“… … Did you get caught?”

Ellen asked with a smirk.

“I’ve been watching you for years, Princess. How could I not know?”

To be honest, it was thanks to the memory I just received.

How could I not notice when I was also receiving emotions?

The person I used to resent so much became something I respected.

Feeling pity for someone I hated to even look at.

I felt empty when he disappeared with a relieved expression on his face without even accepting my apology.

It was too complicated an emotion for Elin, who had just become an adult.

“I’m a little dizzy, sir.”

“I’ll hold you until you get better.”

“… … Thank you.”

Elin buried her face in his arms.

The collar gets damp.

He patted me on the back without showing any emotion.

“… … ”

“… … ”

Bertain and Boldred were slightly surprised.

Just now, I came up with an idea that even a dragon wouldn’t have thought of.

Luke shows weakness as soon as he comes to his senses.

“It reminds me of the old days.”

“That’s right.”

It made each of us reminisce about our own memories.

They too have probably leaned on someone they love at least once.

Pat pat.

Luke opened his mouth so Elin wouldn’t hear him sobbing.

“Your Majesty. Shouldn’t we restore the palace before we hold Leo’s funeral?”

“Hmm. I guess so.”

Boldred nodded.

It was difficult to hold a wedding in the palace that Gernom had destroyed without permission.

“I don’t know if I can recover in a week.”

Boldred looked at the ruined palace with a skeptical expression.

“You can.”

Luke answered confidently.

Now I had no more doubts about myself.

Luke is a citizen of the Empire.

He is a genius that professors are obsessed with.

He is the second son of the Bucklin family.

I promised the president that I would work as an academy professor for five years.

Next to him will be his beloved disciple, Elin.

“I have quite a wide network of connections.”

For the empire that will survive in the future.

For Elin who will be with us.

The restoration of the palace could have been completed in three days.