Farewell

A sense of melancholy washed over me as I descended Wind Valley Hill.

Regret for not having moved sooner. Resentment toward my past self who had dawdled instead of quickly securing the Feather of the Wind Bird hours ago. And anger toward the evil dragon Tetato, who had ultimately robbed me of my last chance for reconciliation.

All the precious opportunities created over several days-no, several days plus hours-were wasted because of a single damn dragon. Why, of all times, did that blasted wyvern have to appear at that very moment?

‘This doesn’t make any sense, seriously…’

That thing was supposed to appear only in the heart of the Demon Realm in the latter half of Part 4. What was it doing flying all the way to the Northeastern Great Plains?

Even though the northeast borders the Demon Realm, something felt off. It was obvious that the Hero or some other character must have been involved, but…

“Sigh…”

But what good would figuring it out do now? The Wind Birds had already scattered or vanished from the dragon’s breath.

And I wasn’t in a position to ask the Hero what had happened either. It was time for me to return to the Blackwood Territory and prepare to become the provisional Duchess.

My schedule was already delayed beyond repair. There was nothing left to do but forget the wasted effort and focus on what needed to be done.

“Lilith, are you okay? Do you want me to carry you?”

“…I’m fine. I appreciate the thought, Ethan.”

“Um… About the Feather of the Wind Bird, let’s look into it again once we return to the Blackwood Territory. Maybe there’ll be a chance to find it there.”

“…I hope so.”

If it had been that easy to find, I wouldn’t have come all the way here in the first place.

It wasn’t like I desperately needed Sally or Sei’s power anymore. I wasn’t part of the Hero’s party, and I had no intention of ever setting foot in the Demon Realm where the Demon King resided.

Though it was laughable to deny it after having intervened in the subjugation of all four Heavenly Kings, well, whatever.

And this battle wasn’t fought with Sally or Sei’s help either. Though the Hero’s party and Lilia had joined in, it wasn’t my fight to begin with if not for Gyeotmwa Josyegigot’s party.

So just once. I just wanted to properly say goodbye to Sei, even if it was the last time.

Even if she wouldn’t accept my apology, I just wanted to see her face one last time, even if only briefly, using the Feather of the Wind Bird.

The frustration of not being able to fulfill even that small wish was so unbearable that tears began to fall uncontrollably.

“Sniff… Hic…”

“Lilith…”

“Senior Lilith…”

Ethan and Lilia looked at me with pitying eyes as I sniffled pathetically.

Their gazes weighed on me, so I quickly wiped my tears and forced a smile.

“Sorry for being so gloomy. It’s just… I’m a little disappointed, that’s all.”

“……”

“……”

“I know Sei is doing well. I don’t know why, but I also know she’s still staying by Eris’s side. I just… wanted to see her face one last time and talk to her. To apologize for always being selfish and to say… goodbye. That’s all I wanted…”

…Saying any more would only make me feel worse, so I cut myself off and looked up. The sky was disgustingly clear for someone who had just fought an evil dragon.

After five hours of hiking and three hours of battle, all I had to show for it were two level-ups and a few wyvern scales. But I couldn’t just collapse because things hadn’t gone my way.

I stopped crying, let go of everything, and took step after step down the mountain for about an hour.

-Whoooosh.

“…Huh?”

A lone Wind Bird fluttered before my eyes.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

A Wind Bird, which I thought had all vanished during the battle with the evil dragon, was flickering right in front of me.

For a moment, I wondered if I was hallucinating from sheer desperation, but Lilia and Ethan beside me also began pointing at the Wind Bird in surprise.

“Li-Lilith! That over there, could it be…?”

“It’s undoubtedly a Sky Lark. Though I don’t know why there’s only one…”

…Yeah, I know. I could tell that what I was seeing was a Wind Bird-or rather, the mass of magical energy the barbarians called a Sky Lark.

Normally, they appear in areas rich in mana, untouched by human hands. But why had a single one suddenly appeared halfway up the mountain?

Though many questions arose, only one thought filled my mind: I couldn’t let this chance to meet Sei slip away.

‘The feather-I have to get the feather no matter what.’

As if entranced, my feet moved on their own.

I had no idea how to obtain the feather, but I moved forward blindly.

Still, doing nothing and wasting this chance would be far worse. So, with my hands outstretched, I cautiously approached the Wind Bird step by step.

-Rustle.

“……”

-Plop.

“…Huh?”

The Wind Bird perched briefly on my palm, leaving behind a faint trace of mana before vanishing.

“……”

Though I had never seen such a thing before, I instinctively knew-this was the “Feather of the Wind Bird” I had been searching for so desperately.

It was so light and faint that it might disappear at the slightest movement, but there was no mistaking it.

‘…Sei.’

“……”

‘Sei, Sei. Please, just once-show yourself. I want to talk to you one last time, please.’

“……”

I didn’t know if she heard my desperate plea or if I was just talking to the air, calling out to Sei like a fool.

Even as I felt the feather on my palm growing fainter, I desperately called for Sei.

‘Sei! Just once-one last time, please…!’

‘…Okay, Lilith.’

‘…Huh?’

‘Last… talk… time… we have.’

-Whoooosh.

A small gust of wind swirled above my palm where the feather had been, and then a girl appeared in its place.

It was a precious reunion after a year and a half of separation.

‘Sei!’

‘…Lilith.’

‘I’m sorry, Sei. I’m sorry for always being selfish, even though I relied on your help all this time. I’m sorry for never listening to your advice and only ever asking for favors. And I’m sorry it took me nearly two years after you left to finally apologize, and also…’

‘I know.’

‘…Huh?’

‘I saw. Everything.’

“……”

‘With Eris… stayed… together.’

…So that’s how it was.

She had been with Eris all along.

Now that I was certain the wind spirit I had seen that day was Sei and not some other, I finally felt at ease. I could trust her to stay by Eris’s side.

From my days at the academy to the day I ran away due to a foolish misunderstanding-she had endured my stubbornness and selfishness for years. If anyone could take good care of Eris, it was her.

‘I accept… your apology.’

‘…Really, Sei?’

‘But… can’t see you… anymore. Sorry.’

‘…What?’

‘Me… Eris… contract. Temporary… but… contract.’

“……”

‘So… Lilith. Can’t see you… anymore. Sorry.’

…Ah, so that was why.

Because she had formed a temporary contract with Eris, she could no longer maintain her contract with me.

If that was the reason, there was nothing I could do. If Sei had chosen to stay with Eris instead of me, I had to respect her decision.

Normally, a spirit who had already formed a contract couldn’t make another, but Eris was my own flesh and blood.

If I considered that the contract had been transferred to Eris back when she and I were still “one,” it wasn’t impossible. The timing of Sei’s disappearance and my pregnancy roughly matched up too.

‘Then… there’s nothing we can do.’

‘Sorry, Lilith. But…’

‘I understand. If you left Eris now, she’d be sad. As her mother, I don’t want to see my daughter sad either.’

‘…Thanks.’

‘But promise me this-once Eris forms a proper contract with you, we’ll meet again. I’ll wait until Eris is ready to contract with an intermediate spirit.’

‘…Okay, deal.’

‘…Take good care of Eris for me. Even though our time together was short, I was happy because of you, Sei.’

‘Me too… happy… Lilith.’

With those final words, Sei scattered into the wind once more.

Though it was another farewell, I no longer felt sad. I had met her one last time and properly said goodbye, and I knew this wasn’t a permanent separation.

‘Then… the contract ends here, Lilith.’

Just before disappearing, her final words lingered as she became a wisp of wind, circling Eris’s side.

Though I felt a twinge of jealousy seeing my daughter sleeping peacefully in Ethan’s arms, it was a satisfying farewell.