episode_0236

“My name is Marien, Unnie!”

Even after meeting Marien, I couldn’t understand feelings. Of course, thanks to that child, I gradually began to grasp what feelings were. But my heart was still filled with emptiness. So, while there was a shock after Esrad’s destruction, it wasn’t very great. However… after that, I met someone who seemed like they could fill my heart.

“My name is Zeke. Zeke Luprian.”

Zeke… Lord Zeke. He said he would remember me, for my sake. For my sake… It struck my heart with a shock greater than the destruction of the Esrad Kingdom. And I… whether it was due to Camilla’s divine power or not, fell in love with him. I wanted to… I wanted to savor him more. And I wanted to be the only one to see him… My love grew deeper… and stronger. But… I was always anxious.

“….”

The more women tried to get close to Zeke, the more anxious I felt. Of course, I was certain my love was strong… but strangely… no. Maybe I already knew. Zeke hadn’t given me love, and my love only grew bigger, so I instinctively knew, with my whole being, that another woman would surely take this man from me. No… I hate that…

“Lord Rascal…”

Then, manipulated by Cecilia, I ended up killing Lord Rascal, Zeke’s benefactor. With my own hands. Despair climbed all over me, and I tried to let go of life. But Zeke forgave me, even though I had killed his benefactor. My love deepened even further… but only my love deepened. I was still anxious. It felt like he would leave my side. So I tried hard to ward off the temptations around me. But… Camilla’s whispers were sweet.

“A world just for Zeke and me…”

I don’t know if her whispers were so sweet that I was tempted, or if her divine power made me susceptible. But amidst my anxiety, those whispers were truly… sweeter than honey. So I decided to help her. Even though I had received much grace from Zeke, if a world came where I could love him forever… without worrying about other women… if a world came where I could have him all to myself…!!! If a world came where I could receive his love, nothing else mattered…!! Even if he came to hate me, I would…

“I love you… Aria… truly…”

Huh…?

I’m Back

“Zeke!!! Ariaaa!!!”

“Damn it…!! I didn’t expect this…!!”

Witnessing Zeke and Aria fall into the canyon created by Camilla, Cecilia cried out their names in great shock, and others also turned their heads towards the canyon, worried about them. Then Dio V Runner urgently flew towards the canyon and looked down from the top of the cliff. And at that moment, a massive black orb suddenly flew up from the bottom of the canyon and appeared, and Dio V Runner was greatly astonished by the sudden appearance of the unidentified orb.

“Wh-What in the world is that orb…?! Why did something like that suddenly shoot out from the bottom of the canyon…? Wh-What?! It’s coming right at me?!”

At that moment of bewilderment from the sudden appearance of the black orb, Dio V Runner noticed the black orb, twice his height, flying towards him and quickly dodged it. The black orb, having landed on the ground, slowly began to disappear from the top down, revealing Aria, who had returned with black hair, a black Saintess outfit, and red eyes, without her staff, and me. Aria, tears streaming down her face, asked me:

“Is it true, Zeke…? Really… what you said earlier… you meant it, right…?”

“Uh… Yeah… I guess I’m quite dense, Aria… to realize so late that I’ve fallen in love with you rationally…”

“…!! Ugh… Haaah… Finally… Finally, this Aria has succeeded…!! Finally, I’ve fulfilled my previous vow…!! Ha… Hahaha…?”

Before I could even figure out what was happening, Aria asked if I truly loved her. I answered yes, giving an awkward laugh, admitting I had realized it belatedly. The moment Aria rejoiced greatly, tears streaming down her face, she looked at my left hand. Remembering that I had lost two fingers because of her, she made a devastated expression as if the world had crumbled.

“Zeke… Zeke… my fingers…!!”

“Aria… you’re back… you’re back… *sobbing*… I’m so glad you’re back, Aria… *sniffling*…”

“…Ze… Zeke… *sniffle*… *sobbing*…”

The moment Aria tried to ask about my fingers, overwhelmed with emotion, I embraced her tightly, deeply moved that she had returned to her senses, and burst into tears. Aria, too, shed tears and embraced me with both arms, saying:

“Zeke… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… And… this Aria… has ended her foolish wandering and has returned to you like this…”

“Yes… Aria… Welcome back… I’ve been waiting…”

Aria and I, having foolishly realized things belatedly until now, finally understood each other’s feelings, exchanging words of reunion as if we were people who had been separated for a long time. Then Dio V Runner, who had fallen to the ground while dodging the black orb, chuckled when he saw us. Camilla, sensing something from Aria, said with bewilderment:

“H-How could this happen…? How did Aria escape the influence of my divine power…?!”

“You fool. Did you really believe you could control a madwoman with your power?”

“What did you say, Otherworlder!!!”

“You underestimated Aria too much, Camilla.”

Provoked by Dio V Runner, Camilla glared at him, utterly unable to comprehend the situation. Meanwhile, Aria, who had been shedding tears until the end, released me. She took my severed left hand in both of hers, looked at my face, and said:

“Even though you were injured like this, Zeke, you didn’t give up on me… Seeing these wounds, I feel sorry, but… somehow… I feel good.”

“Before, you would have made a fuss about it… Anyway, I’m glad, Aria. That you’ve returned… I’m so glad to see those red eyes again… and I’m so glad to see that black hair again… and finally, I’m glad to see your true face again…”

“Ehehehe… I’m embarrassed, Ze…? Wait a minute… you said my hair turned black…?! That can’t be…!!!”

The moment Aria felt embarrassed by my words, telling her I was glad she had returned, she was belatedly surprised by my comment that her hair had turned black. She quickly pulled out a hand mirror from her pocket to look at her hair. When she saw that her hair, which should have partially turned yellow due to the radiance of the Holy Ring, had truly become black, Aria smiled brightly, hugged me, and shouted:

“Zeke!!! My hair finally turned black!!! My wish has finally come true!!!”

“…!! Oh… Oh?! Now that I think about it, it’s true…?! How did that happen…!! Come to think of it, that black aura coming from your body earlier was…”

“Ah… I should explain about that too… But what should we do, Zeke…? I can’t restore those severed fingers with my power…”

Aria, who was delighted that her hair had now truly become permanently black, made a bitter expression, saying my fingers couldn’t be restored even with her power, before explaining her abilities. Then I stroked Aria’s head and said:

“It’s okay. If I think of a few fingers as the price for your return… it’s something I can give up.”

“Zeke… Hehehe…”

At my words, saying I could endure losing a few fingers for her, Aria stopped worrying and smiled. Then, we both looked at each other, nodded as if sharing the same thought, and stood up. Dio V Runner, who had also stood up, approached us and looked at Aria, saying:

“Hmm… Now I’m sure. I can’t defeat you, Aria. I won’t be able to toy with you like before.”

“Oh my, Dio V Runner. Phew-heh… Don’t worry. I wasn’t in my right mind back then, so I bear no ill will towards you. Besides… now that Zeke has even confessed to me, why would I have any reason to hate you?”

“…!! So that’s what happened down there… Haha… Well… then only blessings await you two after this fight is over. Wouldn’t you agree, Zeke?”

“Ugh… I won’t deny it, but… it’s a bit embarrassing… Perhaps because it’s a feeling I’ve never experienced before… Hahahaha…!!”

At Dio V Runner’s words, suggesting that blessings awaited us after this battle, I let out an awkward laugh, feeling embarrassed by this newfound emotion. Aria then smiled brightly at his words and embraced me with both arms again, saying:

“Heeheeheehee…. After this fight, I’ll meet Zeke’s parents… and when the journey ends, we’ll settle down… have children… Heeheeheehee…. We can build a harmonious family, right? Ah… I feel like I’m finally one step closer to my dream, so heheheheh…. My drool won’t stop…!! This Aria has finally won, surpassing all other women…!!!”

“…? Wait… Aria, you… weren’t you manipulated by Camilla to have such extreme love…?”

“Huh? I was originally this kind of person, Zeke… This Aria’s exceptionally passionate nature isn’t influenced by Camilla… it’s my natural self, you see? Hehehehe…”

“Ah…”

As Aria explained that her extreme love was not influenced by Camilla but was entirely her own personality, Dio V Runner and I somehow stiffened our expressions. However, I immediately chuckled, thinking, ‘Isn’t this just Aria?’ and decided to accept her as she was now. After all, it was a side of Aria I had seen many times already… I’ve completely adapted to this side of Aria…

“Anyway, for that future and love, shouldn’t you protect your world? From that gluttonous Kaju, I mean.”

“World Tree… monsters from another dimension… and now even a god… I really didn’t expect to face such battles on this journey… But Aria, will you be okay without your staff?”

“Ah… I should explain about that now. Huhu.”

“…? Aria, that aura…!!”

In response to my question about being okay without her staff, Aria said she would explain now and released a black aura from her hands. The black aura from Aria’s hands then began to converge, transforming into a long staff. Aria grasped the staff and, emitting a black aura from her entire body, said to me:

“Zeke. Actually, this Aria has never received love either… so I didn’t know what it felt like to be loved. That’s why I was always anxious. Thinking perhaps another woman might take you from me…”

“…So you still thought that, Aria…”

“It was subconscious, so I didn’t realize it myself. But… the moment I heard your confession, Zeke… I understood. What it felt like to be loved… And… by receiving that love, I truly realized and understood that I am alive in this world… and that I want to live alongside you. This aura, awakened through that realization… no, it was already within me… The true nature of this aura is… my divine power as the Black Saintess created by you, Zeke!! Not Camilla’s divine power… but my own divine power as the Black Saintess…!!”

“Divine power as the Black Saintess….!!”

Aria explained that the aura surging from her body like flames or mist was none other than her own divine power as the Black Saintess. Hearing her words, I realized that Aria’s divine power resembled her. A Black Saintess with the same black hair color I had dyed her and the same color as her Saintess outfit… This was Aria’s unique divine power, awakened as she realized her true identity… The moment I marveled at Aria’s divine power, Dio V Runner let out a hollow laugh and said:

“Ha…!! She truly was a madwoman after all… To master her own attribute or power, something difficult for even most transcendent beings, with just one confession… How strong are you, Aria?”

“As much as you love me, Zeke…!! This divine power isn’t even truly my own… because it’s my power that I could awaken thanks to your love. So this power, a symbol of love, grows stronger the greater your love, Zeke… And right now, it’s reached its maximum level…!!”

“Huuuh… Then shouldn’t we truly finish this, Dio V Runner? And Aria. Since she’s put us through so much trouble… she’ll have to pay the price, right…? Camilla!!!!”

After listening to Aria’s explanation, I summoned Trahan. Recalling the emotional wounds and pain I had suffered because of Camilla, as well as the sorrow of others, I unleashed a hate-filled roar at Camilla. Aria and Dio V Runner also prepared their weapons and glared at Camilla, who was confronting Bivi and Uncle Gid in the air. At my roar, all the resistance forces on the battlefield shouted in agreement with my words.

“Of course!!! Now that we can finally counterattack, how could we fall like this!!!”

“Lady Aria has returned…!! Now Camilla can’t draw her divine power from outside!!!”

“…? Drawing from outside…? Aria, what exactly does that mean?”

When the resistance forces shouted that Camilla could no longer draw her power from outside because Aria had returned to their side, I, still clueless, asked Aria in bewilderment. Aria then smiled, pointed her black staff towards Camilla, and replied:

“Camilla is originally a goddess who intended to descend into this world using my divine power as a medium. However, her power still resides in another dimension. So, in her haste, Camilla descended into this world incomplete and had been slowly retrieving her power through a dimensional pathway… But now that I, who aided in that role, am gone, Camilla…”

“You insolent mortals…!!! How dare you think you can defeat me…!!! What a pathetic thought…!!!”

“…!! Th-That crazy woman…!!”

Aria explained that Camilla could no longer draw her power from outside, now that she was no longer assisting. However, at that moment, Camilla unleashed divine power from her entire body and began drawing her power from another dimension through the strings attached to her back. Aria, bewildered that Camilla was drawing her original power even without her help, said:

“Oh… Oh dear. I didn’t expect this to happen…”

“It seems she’s already gathered enough power to forcibly draw it even without your help… But that method, surely… The R.S. guys warned that if they forcibly open a dimensional pathway like that… this world could explode.”

“…Haaa… She’s truly a constant nuisance to us… That goddess… Well then… shall we begin?”

“I’ve been ready for a long time, Zeke. By the way… doesn’t this remind you of the Revard facility?”

“Phew-heh… But now we don’t have to worry about anything else, do we? Still, I’ll protect you, Zeke, so you can just throw yourself into battle!!”

“Half of what you said changed, Aria… Alright then… Let’s go!!!”

Aria shared some of her divine power with me, allowing me to fly. I soared into the sky with the other two towards Camilla, while on the ground, the battle continued. And so, I truly began the fight to protect this world, which might be its last… with Aria…!!