LS – Chapter 370: Thus, returned

Previous Chapter l Next Chapter

“Yeah, I will be counting on you.” (Ilias)

The moment I said this to him, an odd sensation assailed me.

It is not like his stance changed or he stopped moving. But I certainly did feel that his body’s center of gravity that was entrusted to me shifted in an unnatural way for an instant.

It resembled the techniques of experts to move their own center of gravity when their opponent grabs them to throw their senses off, but I can say for certain that he doesn’t have that kind of technique.

But right now it was as if he was returned in an instant to this posture in this state. Like he moved his center of gravity after the fact.

Even though I don’t understand what I am thinking here, there’s no doubt I felt it was strange.

I was about to ask what’s the matter to confirm things quickly…and saw his side profile.

“—!”

His expression hasn’t changed, but I couldn’t bring out the words that were hanging on my throat after seeing that face of his.

Did I not notice until now, or did everything finish in that one instant? Something happened.

He learned something and decided on something. He chose something and abandoned something.

“Oh, there’s a stream of air, Brother! We are getting close to the exit!” (Haaku)

“…Finally, huh. I couldn’t tell the detailed construction inside the Black Demon Lord after all.”

He is looking ahead so he doesn’t notice my gaze, but there’s no way he wouldn’t notice my unrest here.

Normally, he would have the resolve of having us shoulder it together with him, no matter the details, whenever we notice that he is hiding something. I would try to learn about it immediately.

And yet, I can’t step into it right now. I myself am hesitating on learning the conclusion he has reached.

A giant shadow covered us from above the moment we got out. When I looked up, there was Ekdoik and Wolfe riding Daruagestia.

“Shishou~!” (Wolfe)

Wolfe jumped onto him before Daruagestia could land.

She must have been healed by the Green Demon Lord before coming here. That man saw both of her arms with no wounds and pet the head of Wolfe with a kind smile.

“You did well, Wolfe. I am glad you are okay.”

“Yes…! But…!” (Wolfe)

“I know about it all.”

“But…Haiya-san…!” (Wolfe)

“Haiya faced that battle as he wished and left while fulfilled. No one could have stopped him, including me. I won’t tell you to not be sad about him. But there’s no need for someone to be regretful about it. Haiya wouldn’t acknowledge that.”

That man admonishes Wolfe, who was assailed by a torrent of emotions after confirming his safety and having a comrade die in front of her eyes, as if comforting her.

Daruagestia landed within that time and Mix-sama and the others came down.

“Comrade, I am glad you are fine. Looks like things have gone well for now.” (Ekdoik)

“Yeah, you did well too, Ekdoik. Judging from your look, it seems like you have been able to grasp a lot of things after becoming me.”

“Yeah. Becoming like you, emulating you, and comprehending you was a pretty complicated thing to do though.” (Ekdoik)

“Obviously.”

Ekdoik still looks the same as before, but he feels more mature somehow.

He reached complete awakening which is a trait of demons, so I thought that he would resemble that man since he got his factor, but…it looks like he is able to properly delineate himself.

<<I see. I have heard a prediction of the developments from Ekdoik, but I would like to hear an accurate report from your own mouth.>>

“Oh, Marito, huh…”

The happy voice of His Majesty rang from the communication crystal in the hands of Mix-sama.

So this is the reason why Mix-sama, who looked like she wanted to hug him immediately, was staying put, huh.

<<Hearing your voice again is what makes me the happiest. No matter the result, being able to hear your voice again is the number one grace for me.>> (Marito)

“…Alright. I will be reporting the increased issues then.”

After that, we all rode Daruagestia and that man told us about what has happened until now.

Everyone really hasn’t been able to swallow the fact regarding the inner workings of the world that the Black Demon Lord spoke of, but he still continued explaining what will be happening from here on.

<<Fumu… So there’s the need to have the people in this world understand the inner workings of this world and shoulder the changes that come with it, moreover, for eternity.>> (Marito)

“Yeah. The Black Demon Lord believed in Ilias and will be observing things for the near future, but it will be the end if she is disappointed. Yugura will be ending this world together with the Black Demon Lord when that happens.”

<<I can’t tell the degree when there’s no delineation. We would have to continue maintaining it…huh. Yeah, this world will eventually collapse.>> (Marito)

“Your Majesty?!” (Ilias)

I felt like him and His Majesty would be accepting it straight on because of the peaceful flow of the conversation, but I ended up letting out my voice because of the sudden statement.

<<Lady Ratzel, there’s some things that don’t change for certain in this world. But you have proved that the will of the Black Demon Lord is not eternal. Even if you were to be able to maintain the development you imagine for eternity, it is uncertain whether the criteria of the Black Demon Lord who observes the world will stay eternal as well. Also, there’s no assurance there won’t be a new factor that will make the Black Demon Lord disappointed in this world.>> (Marito)

“That’s…” (Ilias)

The Black Demon Lord ignored the persuasions of Yugura until now since deciding to destroy the world. She was resolute to continue doing that for eternity until the world perished.

But her will wavered because of me and him, and is changing into something new.

It is a great thing in terms of result, but it also proves that this change won’t be eternal and unchanging.

If someone who changes the opinion of the Black Demon Lord shows up and is someone who is filled with malice, and there’s the desire to end the world within that…

No, even if so…

“Marito, don’t tease her too much.”

<<Hahaha, it was such an unreasonable task, I just ended up doing it.>> (Marito)

“Eh…?” (Ilias)

<<Lady Ratzel, continue advancing in the path you believe in. It is true that there will be a variety of problems that must be solved just from walking the path of righteousness from here on. No matter how perfect you are. But what’s most important when walking this path is to not lose sight of the main thread. If you were to consider a variety of problems and lose sight of the future you envision, you would be getting your priorities wrong.>> (Marito)

“…Yes!” (Ilias)

<<The role of the trailblazers is to walk on with dignity and bring peace of mind to the ones following after. Leave issues that would invite looking aside to us.>> (Marito)

There was no hesitation in the words of His Majesty about leaving it to them even though he immediately said something that would make me feel uneasy.

Of course, it is true that this isn’t an easy problem. I am not so stupid to not understand that.

But His Majesty has shown the point of cooperating with others.

Not everyone can advance in the same fashion.

That’s exactly why it is important to be aware of the best methods and roles here.

“Of course, you can’t just leave everything to everyone though.”

<<That’s right. People with radical ideologies trying to unite might show up, God and Yugura may try to take back the world in their hands, and people who challenge reckless battles might appear.>> (Marito)

“True. If such people try to challenge us to a battle to take the world away, humanity won’t have enough lives to face that.” (Ilias)

<<That’s a solution in itself though. If eternity is not possible, think of a new method. That’s the way humans live. It is not like there’s no means to stop the space-time magic of Yugura. We will do our best to bring out the best answer in the time given to us.>> (Marito)

I spoke pretty big words towards the Black Demon Lord. Of course, I have the intention to shoulder it to the end, but there’s no assurance anywhere that I will be able to actually do it.

Even so, there’s people like His Majesty that will push powerfully afterwards.

As long as there’s that reality, I should be able to move forward without hesitation. But…

“Yeah, do that. It is the turn of the people in this world from here on after all.”

“—I…” (Ilias)

<<Haha, it is still too soon to go into retirement.>> (Marito)

“No, I—”

“I…want to advance together with you!” (Ilias)

I raised my voice to cut off his next words.

Gazes of surprise gathered on me and the air turned silent for a brief while.

“Ilias…”

“…Please tell me. What happened in the time we were leaving the Black Demon Lord’s castle?” (Ilias)

“…Figures. There’s no way you wouldn’t notice.”

He scratched his head awkwardly, looked up at the sky, and went silent for a bit.

“…I was called by the God that created this world. We talked a bit there and he returned me to the time and place I was in.”

<<…What did you talk about?>> (Marito)

“Nothing much…regarding this world. He will continue observing the results of Yugura Nariya who he invited. That’s why he has no intention of interfering in the near future.”

<<…And what about you?>> (Marito)

“I have the qualification to return to my world. He said it would be troubling if I stayed in a standing where I have been summoned unlawfully by the Black Demon Lord. That’s why he asked me to choose between whether to live here as a resident of this world…or return to my world.”

This silence is probably them thinking about the answer to what he chose.

He at the very least made the choice. He chose one of those worlds.

Even His Majesty who was urging him on to speak couldn’t ask him about what lies ahead. The man himself is also hesitating to speak.

I have enough hope that he will choose this world. But he hasn’t given up on returning to his world and we always felt his regrets.

The reason why I raised my voice was because he was talking awkwardly.

This increased the possibility that it is an answer I don’t desire, and it is hampering me from thinking and speaking.

“You…didn’t decide to become a resident of the world, didn’t you?” (Ilias)

“…Yeah.”

Even so, I ended up asking.

Because I already knew the answer.

The power of the God that called him is the same as Yugura. No, it must be even higher than that.

I had no means of detecting that he was in a different space aside from the fact that his center of gravity was shifted because of having returned to his original posture.

A being that can freely control the flow of time would have already made his choice possible.

If he had chosen to become a resident of this world and returned, his body would have already been changed.

But he hasn’t changed.

I can’t feel any mana from his body just like the first time I met him. There’s no sign of it. He is still a resident of a different world.

“He did say he would give me a variety of privileges. He could even give me the ability to create talents like Yugura Nariya if I wanted. But I politely refused it all.”

“…Why?” (Ilias)

“I love this world. I would definitely use the power God gave me without doubt if I were to think about this world. But me doing that would all be the interference of God. That would end up stepping on the resolve of you and everyone else.”

I promised the Black Demon Lord that this world wouldn’t lose to the interference of God, so he chose the path that wouldn’t become an interference of God.

That’s right. He is that kind of person.

He can become good or evil for the sake of the ones he treasures. He would accept any way of being and would try to do what he can.

That’s why he doesn’t try to have more power than the bare minimum. He doesn’t even try to get the chances for it.

If he obtained power, he wouldn’t be able to control himself to not use them after all.

“It is…my fault…” (Ilias)

“That’s not it. Even if you were to defeat Yugura Nariya and save the world completely, I would have made the same choice. I think this is necessary in order to face this world after all. I wanted to accept this world not as a parallel world but as a world for me to live in while maintaining this weak body and unstable heart.”

It is not just once or twice that I have thought that his standing was inconvenient as someone who doesn’t have mana.

Even so, he faced the world just as desperately as us…no, even more than us.

That’s why I wanted to walk together with him. And from the bottom of my heart, I…

“…I see. That means I couldn’t have done anything.” (Ilias)

Then, I shall see him off as myself until the very end.

I won’t lament the path he chose. I will be a resident of this world that he loved, so that he can boast about this being a choice he can take pride in.

That was the best I could show to him.

A farewell where there may be sorrow, but no regrets…

“Yeah, that’s why there’s barely anything I can do. Don’t expect much from me.”

“Yeah… Hm?” (Ilias)

“Hm?”

This feels off.

The people around who read the atmosphere and were downhearted tilted their heads as well.

“…You refused to become a resident of this world, right?” (Ilias)

“That’s what I said.”

“And you will be returning to your world.” (Ilias)

“I am here though.”

“Why?!” (Ilias)

“I can’t be?!”

Even though I have become a lot more perceptive than ever before, my thoughts began to trip and roll more than usual in an instant.

Wait, but the conditions that God gave him… Uuh…

<<…Uhm, you were someone who was unlawfully summoned by the Black Demon Lord. That’s why the only choices you had were to either live here as a resident of this world or return to your world, right?>> (Marito)

Yeah, that.

“Yeah, that’s why I returned once. And so, I was called by God and returned. I have been transferred through the official process, so it is okay to be here in this world as it is.”

“Huh?!”

<<Uwaah… Public servant work…>> (Marito)

——

God: “With this, there’s nothing illegal! Nahaha!”

Protagonist: “No, isn’t this just scratching away the crime?”

The protagonist draws it out pointlessly even to the very end.

Even though Ilias was showing levels of perceptiveness never seen before.

*TLN: Hey guys, Reigokai here!

Just here to tell you that next chapter is super long, so please give me like a day to finish it.

Previous Chapter l Next Chapter