In the vast universe where the end is unimaginable.
In this space, where countless stars spread endlessly, a single voice could be heard.
“Do you know? Opportunities are only given once.”
With a voice so mysterious one couldn’t tell if it was male or female, human or something else. An existence so indistinct that its form couldn’t be recognized.
Before such a being, Lunarija sat down heavily, tears of relief streaming down her face.
“Ahh… thank you… thank you….”
Lunarija repeatedly expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes.
The strange existence briefly gazed at Lunarija’s face before making a decision.
“Hmm… Normally, it’s against the rules to provide help… but since you are my favorite, I’ll specially offer my hand.”
“R-Really?!”
As Lunarija’s eyes widened in surprise, the strange existence let out a light chuckle and replied.
“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll help directly. Instead, I’ll send someone.”
“A… a person?”
“There’s someone I’ve been keeping an eye on. They should be helpful.”
Lunarija grasped her trembling heart and tried to calm herself.
Perhaps… just perhaps, there might be hope.
Hope that could prevent this terrible tragedy.
“W-Who is that person…?”
“Well…”
As Lunarija spoke with a trembling voice, the strange existence paused in thought, then spoke with a playful smile.
“You can just call them ‘Dokja.'”
*
“……..Huh?”
It was confusing.
In the suddenly altered space, a beautiful woman with white wings appeared.
The goddess of life. Lunarija stood before my eyes.
Of course, it was surprising enough that this happened.
But what truly left me bewildered was not that.
What genuinely embarrassed me was the name she called me.
Unless I misheard, she had called me “Dokja.”
“W-W-Wait, what did you just say?”
When I gazed at her with a shaky voice, the goddess looked at me for a moment and, with a flutter of her wings, flew right up to me, wrapping her arms around my head.
“You’ve really been through a lot…!!”
“Ugh?!”
Her soft chest enveloped my head gently.
As I raised my head in confusion, I saw the beautiful face of the goddess looking down at me with a delighted expression.
“Ahh… such a lovely child…”
Like a mother caring for her child, the goddess tenderly patted my back, sharing her warmth.
“G-Goddess… w-what is this…?”
The goddess, realizing my surprise, pushed me gently out of her embrace, giving me a holy smile.
“I’m sorry. I got a bit too happy without realizing…”
The goddess left a brief apology and continued speaking.
“It’s nice to meet you. I am the goddess who nurtures life and watches over with love. My name is Lunarija.”
“Ah…”
I felt a bit flustered, but still, I felt a sense of relief.
It felt like a ray of hope sprouted in my previously anxious heart.
Truly.
My master’s words were right.
Honestly, I still couldn’t understand how I ended up here, but it didn’t matter.
Even if the goddess knew I was a possessor, that wasn’t of much importance right now.
What mattered most to me was the goddess’s help.
In a future where I couldn’t see an inch ahead, I needed to find a way now.
With the goddess’s help, I would surely be able to do something.
Desperately, I grabbed Lunarija’s arm and pleaded earnestly.
“G-Goddess… please help me. The Demon King has flipped the script suddenly… oh, I mean the script—”
In my haste, I blurted out what came to mind first, but I was at a loss for how to actually ask for her help.
Is this the world from the novel I read?
But the world seems to diverge from the script and is in danger?
…Would she really believe such words?
However, the goddess calmly listened to my rambling.
After hearing me out, she smiled kindly and gently patted my head.
“Calm down. I’ll tell you everything.”
“G-Goddess…”
The goddess gazed intently into my eyes, thoughtful for a moment before a shallow smile spread across her face as she responded.
“You’re afraid because it’s different from the future you know, right?”
Her accurate words caught me off guard.
“H-H-How do you know that…?”
“Well… first, we need to discuss this.”
As the goddess slowly extended her hand, the scenery around us began to change.
Like a scene from a movie, a mystical spectacle unfolded.
The previously pure white space gradually filled with vibrant colors, and in an instant, a lush, life-filled meadow sprouted below us, with a clear blue sky above.
Butterflies took to the air above the blooming grass, and cheerful bird songs echoed from the trees.
This place transformed into a beautiful and vibrant meadow in no time.
“This isn’t a world merely written in words. It’s not exactly like the one in the reader’s world, but it’s a beautiful world where everyone loves and lives.”
At her words, my eyes began to tremble.
“What…?”
“And this place is.”
The goddess slowly lowered her arm, staring at me with a sorrowful gaze.
“A world that has experienced a horrific tragedy and been granted a second chance with time turned back by the Heavenly God.”
*
The blazing Demon King’s Castle.
In this place filled with the corpses of demons and monsters, a girl with pure white hair was crying sorrowfully.
“Ahh… no…. Lily… Lily!!”
“..Iris… you should get back quickly…”
gulp
The gray-haired girl, Lily, coughed up a mouthful of blood.
With her life seemingly poised to extinguish at any moment, Iris couldn’t hold back her tears.
“Ah… no… please… don’t die… if you leave me too…”
Iris desperately tried to draw up the remaining divine power to heal Lily, but this place brimmed with magic from the demon realm. Healing was ineffective, and even if it did work, it would be inadequate to bring her back to life.
And she knew that better than anyone.
“I’m… sorry to everyone… I’m just a burden with excessive jealousy…”
“D-Don’t say that. If we can get out of here together, I can heal you…”
“Even so, thanks to you, Iris… I won’t have to be lonely… at least not at the end…”
But Lily could never finish her words.
Her final breath faded helplessly into the air before she could complete her sentence.
As the previously trembling gaze of Lily became still, Iris bit her lip and closed her eyes.
“Ahh….. no…… no….”
Iris felt as if someone was carving out her heart.
Her body continued to tremble, and only sorrowful tears flowed from her eyes.
Iris’s precious comrades.
Her irreplaceable friends who overcame trials and hardships together.
They had all vanished.
The steadfast hero Robin and Catherine who stood at the forefront.
Hailey and Ariel, who supported everyone from behind.
The princess, who devised strategies to minimize danger.
And just now, the one she secretly loved, Lily.
Everyone left Iris behind, departing the world first.
After the long journey, the hero party reached the Demon King’s Castle. But the result was as bleak as one could imagine.
Of course, it wasn’t entirely a failure.
They managed to defeat the three commanders who were commanding the dark knights, as well as the Demon King looming above them.
So, in a way, the Demon King’s defeat was a success.
But the cost was excruciatingly tragic.
The entire hero party suffered critical injuries from the raging magic of the still rampaging Demon King.
In a mutual destruction of both sides, the only one left alive was the saintess, protected by the goddess’s grace.
With the dark knight still lingering, and the Demon King now having unleashed all monsters, they should have fled the demon realm promptly, but…
Iris could not bring herself to leave Lily’s side.
“……Please, take me with you.”
With resignation in her eyes, Iris looked up at the sky, recalling her comrades.
I can’t bear it.
I want to follow you all too.
Please don’t leave me alone.
Iris wanted to simply close her eyes and await death without doing anything.
But she knew that was not the answer.
Soon, the lower-grade monsters and calamity-level monsters controlled by the Demon King would all go on a rampage.
Moreover, there were surely still remnants of the demon race lurking around.
Originally, it was up to the victorious hero party to deal with them, but now there was no longer a hero party to save the world.
If that was the case, someone would undoubtedly get hurt. For their sake, Iris, chosen as the saintess, could not afford to die recklessly.
“……I must go…”
With vacant eyes, Iris rose to her feet.
thud-thud.
With a grim expression, she turned towards the Empire, her steps heavy.
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