episode_0057

Pangea, seen on the way to the ark, looked precariously precarious as if it would collapse at any moment.

“When are you coming, damn it… The Four Heavenly Kings joined a while ago, and the demons were unsummoned and went to the Demon Realm… Huh? That’s…”

“Get out of the way, future me. Don’t block my way.”

“Sorry! Let’s start it up first and then talk…!!”

Therefore, I had hoped for hospitality or something like that, and Lucy and the Four Heavenly Kings were waiting for us, but we didn’t have time to receive it, so we ran straight to the control room. And then, the poor control room door met its fate in a matter of time.

Kwajik!

“Leah, hurry! I’ll put the core in!”

“Yeah…!”

Leaving the broken door behind you, run straight to find the button. It won’t be difficult since you’ve already seen it once in your memory.

He almost jumps in and presses the button, shouting the words that he had decided on as a remnant of his heart that wanted to escape the prison of time and find freedom.

Now, that phrase has come to be used as a metaphor for our rebellion.

“Become a black heart… and fly beyond. Let’s fly one more time! Pizeon! Activate the ark right now!”

{Pigeon activated, password confirmed. Ark starting up.}

At that moment, I felt like my head was floating. It felt like I was connected to Pizeon.

All the magic circles were activated at the same time, and at the same time, I entered the large hole in the sky, breaking the cage of the world and entering a gap in the dimension that was so wide that it was difficult to measure―

“It worked! Leah! It’s really over! We did it! …Leah? Leah! What’s going on…!”

Whether it was because of the relief or the rebound from awakening, my legs gave out and I fell down. I made Abel worry for nothing.

“It’s nothing… My legs are just giving out. I want to look outside. Can you help me?”

“Of course, I’ll carry you, Leah.”

“Hey, aren’t you going to hug the princess this time?”

“If Leah wants it. Shall I do it?”

“No no no no!! It’s okay!! Regardless of whether we decided to get married, holding a princess is still embarrassing for a grown adult to receive in any situation or at any time! I think I realized it too late though!”

Abel carried me with a blushing face and a bright smile.

“Just kidding, I’ll carry you normally this time.”

Although my legs were starting to get stronger, I didn’t refuse. I might fall again.

On our way to the top of the ark, many people told us that we had done well.

The Four Heavenly Kings, and many other people with whom I had a connection. People I saved.

It’s a bit of a shame that the demons can’t return to the demon world to say hello, but I feel proud because I feel pure gratitude.

And finally, the very top. The window was a dimensional rift, and the sight was so spectacular that it was no exaggeration to say it was a dimensional rift.

“Wow…!!”

“This is quite…spectacular. Yeah. ”

{Are you satisfied?}

“Hic?!”

“Who are you?”

Abel and I were both startled by the sight of a blue girl jumping out from behind us in an instant.

To make an excuse, it just popped up right when I thought everything was over. Yeah.

{Answer, this ark’s system… and its general manager, artificial intelligence Pizeon.}

“Pijeon? Oh, that… self in my memory was there?”

{Yes, it exists. So somehow twisting the weird name of Pidgeon… It’s nothing.}

“Why did you come here?”

{Congratulations.}

“”…Congratulations?””

{Congratulations on being free, or on finishing everything. I’m not talking about congratulations. I was asked to convey this in advance. From my Creator.}

Well, this just makes my nose tingle again.

{And it also serves as a urging.}

“Urge?”

I just congratulated you on finishing everything, what are you urging me on?

{I’m not talking to you two, so don’t worry about it. I’m also reporting the situation to the system operator and the owner of the ark.}

“Ahh…”

“So, what’s going on now?”

{The destination search has been completed earlier than expected. As a result, we are planning to begin full-scale operation… but due to some setbacks, there has been a slight delay, so we ask for your understanding.}

“No, well. Not really. I understand.”

“A little hitch? What’s that?”

At this point, Pizeon hesitated and then bluntly changed the subject, saying he couldn’t talk about it.

{This will be resolved soon. Instead, how about having a celebration party to celebrate the end of everything? It’s prepared just below here, so you can gather your acquaintances. It’ll take some time to prepare for the voyage anyway.}

“Well then. Leah vouched for the producer. And the celebration… I don’t think it’s bad. What do you think? Leah.”

I think it’s a good idea since everyone has worked hard. Even though it’s called a congratulatory party, it’s actually more like a place to look back on the hard work we’ve done together.

“I like it too. Who else should I call Hira, Pave, Galvein, Mino, Han, Lucy…?”

“That should be enough. Each room is not that big. The demons have all been summoned back… Did you say Pizeon? Gather the people Leah mentioned. We’ll go first.”

Pizeon lightly replied that he understood and then disappeared.

I had some expectations about the celebration party. As I said before, I had some kind of longing for the hospitality and the after-party after everything was over.

The original of that longing is a story about a warrior, but I think it’s good as long as I can enjoy it with people I like. In the end, what’s important is the feelings between people.

“Hmm, here it is.”

Abel opened the door to the room. This time, the door was intact.

On a large rectangular table, a banner fluttering with the words ‘Congratulations!’ written on it was fluttering. In the center, a large cake was flaunting its presence.

Looking back, the cake must have been prepared a long time ago, as if it had been magically processed, and was neither spoiled nor dusty.

“…No, you only used time magic to preserve this?”

There was a moment when Abel was taken aback.

“Hey, hey… Is this it?”

“I can sense traces of powerful time magic. Is this the management office… What? Did you say this was a celebration party?”

“I have come to answer the Demon King’s call. …I wonder if there is any blood?”

“Woof! I’m here too! …Woof? It’s chocolate cake, so I can’t eat it, woof? ”

“Is this the place? There’s no need to insist on armor until this day. …Then, if you ask why I insisted on it during the weeding… That place is Pangaea, and this place is not Pangaea. …It wasn’t a waste of effort, Your Majesty. ”

People started to gather one by one smoothly.

“Hmm? We’re missing one chair.”

“Come to think of it… Lucy is a bit late.”

One person, except Lucy.

“What, should I wait until you come? I’m not busy.”

*****

Lucy quietly approached the room and peeked through the crack in the door to see the people chatting noisily.

To make it stand out even a little more. And to somehow shake off and erase the remaining regrets.

No, the more I looked, the more I felt like I was going to regret it, so Lucy ran away from her seat, jumping around the deck endlessly.

“That’s it. A happy ending was possible. If I didn’t know that…”

In fact, nothing happened. The proof is that in the end, it becomes perfect by completely disappearing.

But I also… wanted to chat with him.

I also wanted to be happy. Like Leon, I wished for a bright future, but I guess I secretly wished for it because I felt like I had found my place.

In fact, I lied.

It is impossible to fully activate Pizeon as a goddess.

But surely Leah was so kind that she would have hesitated if she knew the truth, and would have hesitated, thinking she couldn’t bring herself to do so.

If you’re just using emergency power for a little while, that might be fine, but if you want to operate it properly…

‘You are a body that has been forcibly gathered together from something that cannot exist as a person. You are a ‘piece’ that will scatter and disappear into the dimensional wavelength the moment you successfully migrate to another dimension.’

The man’s words lingered in my head and stabbed my lungs.

As I took off my gloves, I saw Lucy’s body disintegrate from the tips of her fingers, scattering and flowing through the dimensional waves.

Whispers, whispers broke Lucy.

‘Isn’t it natural that when a person moves away from a mirror, the mirror image also disappears?’

Oh, did I deny this obvious thing?

From the beginning, the world they and I lived in was different.

If that’s the case, then wouldn’t it be possible to at least dream about it in the end?

The blue hologram girl stared at me.

{Have you decided?}

“…Yeah. That’s what we were going to do from the beginning.”

Lucy reached inside her body and pulled out her heart viciously. Strangely, there was no blood coming out of the place where her heart had been pulled out, as if that was all Lucy had ever had.

No, did you expect too much from the dregs? What about blood?

Because ‘Lucy’ is just a heart. It beats for others.

But still, in the end, I wanted to run for myself.

“This should be able to activate the power source. …Instead, could you give me 10 minutes… exactly 10 minutes? Since I put the goddess in, shouldn’t I be able to buy that much time…”

{…Okay, exactly 10 minutes.}

As soon as the Pizeon who had accepted the heart disappeared, Lucy ran towards the chairman again.

It was only at the very end that I decided to dream for myself, and I ended up regretting having drifted away for no reason.

My worries that it might be too late were for naught, but Lucy arrived in just three minutes, despite having run so far.

“Gasp, huh… It’s not too late, right?”

“It’s not too late! Here, I’ll sit on the chair Abel made with magic!”

Leah readily offered her chair and said,

“Then Demon King… Since Lady Lucy has arrived, let’s have a toast right away.”

“Everyone, you’ve worked really hard! If I were to thank you all for all the hard work you’ve done, it would take days… But let’s look ahead! For a happy future together! Cheers! ”

There was a loud clinking of glasses. Lucy slowly drank the liquid in her glass.

Well, it’s water. It seemed like everyone else felt the same way.

It was probably Leah who came up with it. Lucy put down her glass, smiling for no reason.

“Lucy, do you want some cake too?”

While he was intoxicated by the atmosphere for a moment, Leah lightly touched him.

“Then… please do me a favor.”

“Oh my, I would be too embarrassed to eat it. Leah cut the cake herself?”

“Please shut up, I’m embarrassed.”

“What, doesn’t the Demon King do that every day? And why are you embarrassed when it’s you?”

“…”

I thanked Leah, who carefully cut the huge cake and handed it to me.

I didn’t even think of looking for Leon’s appearance in her.

Leon is Leon, and Leah is Leah.

Leah―

“…Leah. We’re friends, right?”

“Of course!”

I accepted the cake from Leah, who was smiling faintly.

“…Other people too?”

“Well… there’s nothing I can’t do.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“If it’s okay with you, if it’s okay with you…!!”

“Is there anything else?”

“Wow! I like Lucy too! We’re friends! ”

I stopped seeing anything overlapping with them.

Ah, I came to consider them my friends.

The heart didn’t exist, but this time it felt like it was beating for me.

Please, if this time doesn’t end―

Tick, tok, tick, tok.

Crunch.

As if mocking her, at that very moment the sound of the clock hands stopping seemed to be heard.

The plate he was clearly holding fell through his hand onto the tablecloth.

The table my friends were sitting at, the chair I was sitting on, my friends, the space, the time… it was as if everything had been stuffed into a box, as if this was the last bit of time I was allowed.

Ah, it’s the end.

I guess I’m going to be forgotten like this. Is this a revolving lantern or something?

Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to hear the voice of the person I love the most.

“Lucy.”

“…Leon?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Really… is that you?”

A trembling voice that could not be hidden leaked out.

“Yeah, it’s me. The fool who found out everything at the very end. …It was too late.”

Suddenly, Lucy hugged Leon tightly.

“I wanted to see you. Even when I was sad, angry, tired, happy, always…! Even like this, I finally got to see you… …It’s not too late. Even though it’s the last time, you came like this.”

“There’s no way I’d leave you behind and go first.”

Lucy, who had been hugging Leon for a while, spoke quietly.

“Surely… I thought that if I met you again like this, everything would be more satisfying… But…”

Drop by drop, drop by drop. Tears began to flow down Lucy’s cheeks, and soon Lucy began to cry without stopping.

“I want to live in reality. I also want to leave a trace as a friend next to them. If that doesn’t work out, I hope that at least the traces I left behind will remain… I know for sure that it will be a trace of hurt…”

“…I’m sorry, Lucy. That’s…impossible.”

The more I cried, the more sleepy I became and the heavier my body became, as if I was sinking into depression.

Leon hugged Lucy and wiped away her tears as if trying to comfort her.

And then, after an eternity had passed, or perhaps not even a second had passed.

Before the tears stopped flowing, Lucy asked in a weak voice.

“Where are we going? No, are we just disappearing like this?”

“Nowhere.”

“Nowhere?”

“Nothing is allowed to us. Not even to exist, not even to disappear. Because that’s what we are. We’ve become something that never existed in the first place.”

“But we’re having this conversation…”

“It’s complicated. The you you know is gone as the gears of time turn back, and you gave up your own existence to let them move forward. Yeah, that’s about it. I don’t know more than that. I’m not a brainiac. ”

“Then, you? Leon, you definitely didn’t exist.”

“The pages from the middle to my death were torn out, and a new story was written, and Leah was born. At that moment, the Leon you knew in the world disappeared.”

“…Is that so.”

Lucy’s shoulders trembled as she spoke calmly.

Even so, the unknown situation, which had become something that neither existed nor did not exist, was only scary.

“I can’t bring you back to them, nor can I end you with death…”

Only then did Lucy raise her head and meet Leon’s eyes.

“I can sleep with you so you won’t be afraid.”

“That’s… …the best gift ever.”

“…Yeah. See you in your dreams, Lucy. ”

They don’t exist, so they can’t have dreams either. This too is nothing more than a miraculously created daydream.

But the reunion of the two holding hands and falling into a peaceful sleep will certainly be meaningful.

Even if there is no one in front of the mirror, for those two.

*****

Jjaeng―!

One of the plates Leah was holding suddenly fell down, making a loud noise. Fortunately, it didn’t break, so no one was hurt.

Of course, even if it had broken, the only one who would get hurt here would be Leah.

“…Ah.”

“Leah? What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. It was a mistake. …By the way, there’s a chair. Can I use it? I feel bad about asking Abel again.”

Leah stared at the chair for a moment, her words turning into actions.

It felt like there was a devoted friend sitting here, who truly blessed our future and gave everything for us.

“But, but… We decided to come here in the first place, right…? Well, I can’t think of anyone…”

“That’s― …Yeah. That’s what it was, definitely.”

Was it an auditory hallucination? As Leah sat down in her chair, she felt like she heard the laughing voice of ‘Leon’, who had now shed his own skin, and a woman whose voice sounded strangely similar to Abel’s.

No, it’s not an auditory hallucination.

This is clearly reflected in the mirror where everyone has left―

Wow, Leon must be having a dream he won’t wake up from.

Goodbye, my friend whom I cannot remember. I hope you were happy while we were together.

And I hope you have sweet dreams.

But no one will remember it now.