Nameless pointed towards the vast ocean, looking somewhat bewildered.
“…So, you mean we have to go over there?”
“Yes.”
Elia nodded slightly in agreement with Nameless’s words.
Nameless’s expression twisted bizarrely as he looked at her.
“How on earth are we supposed to get to a place like that…?”
The voice that echoed was choppy, much like Nameless’s anticipation of venturing into such a romantic place.
“Hmm.”
My eyes began to sparkle.
“Well, we’ll use an artifact—”
Elia, who was about to answer Nameless’s question, abruptly sealed her lips.
That was because I interrupted her.
I shook my head at Nameless’s ignorance, a little annoyed, and spread my arms wide.
“Of course, we’ll break through that barrier and pass through, right?!”
Honestly, I couldn’t think of any other way. And given that the foundation of this world is a novel, to describe a cool scene, wouldn’t they depict the protagonist growing stronger through trials and tribulations while crossing that barrier?
That’s common sense.
With a confident expression, I stood tall, drawing the eyes of not just Nameless but everyone.
“…”
…This is a bit overwhelming.
My once broad shoulders slightly shrank.
Did I say something wrong…?
Glancing sideways at Lucius and Elia, they looked at me with confused head tilts.
Hmm, I guess not.
Their expressions drooped, as their lips began to pout, mirroring my reaction.
Startled by my response, Nameless quickly tried to lift his lips into a smile and clapped his hands.
“I think Master’s words are right.”
“…Is that so?”
It felt a bit forced, but hey, it’s nice to have someone echo my opinion.
My lips twitched.
Nameless smiled awkwardly and nodded, as if my mood had improved even just a little.
“Yes, truly.”
“Hmm.”
Just moments ago, I was on a high of ‘the end of the world,’ but now I felt a breeze of realization.
…Thinking about it, I really am quite simple-minded.
Well, it could happen.
Beaming with joy, I nodded my head.
But that smile twisted in just three minutes.
…
“A measly necklace is all it takes to cross over there…?”
“Uh… right?”
Elia nodded with an awkward smile, looking at my wide eyes as if she couldn’t believe it.
I felt a sense of defeat envelop me.
Where are the challenges…? The trials…? The fiery friendship born from it…?
Was it all just a figment of my imagination…?
…That’s absurd.
I puckered my lips and kicked at the innocent ground.
…Kids today have no sense of romance.
I mean, aren’t we supposed to enter the so-called ‘end of the world’ Demon Realm?
And we can just stroll in and out with a simple necklace?
On top of that, this necklace that Elia handed me…
-sniff sniff-
“…Ugh.”
It feels terribly disgusting.
It’s like Elia compressed the energy she constantly exudes into this little thing…
I let out a small sigh.
Plus, with this level of technological advancement, why haven’t they taken down the Demon King yet…?
This necklace is essentially filled with Elia’s energy, and by extension, the deity’s wretched energy, isn’t it?
If they can make something like this… then why…?
And why on earth did they name it all grandly as the Demon Realm, “End of the World,” just to build expectations?
This is an insult to those who cherish romance.
It’s death. Death.
…Of course, I didn’t have the guts to speak that out loud, so I nodded faintly to Elia’s words.
After moping around for a while, I was inspecting the necklace when Elia spoke up.
“Haha… Normally, Harang’s statement would be right, but…”
Elia glanced at Lucius for help as she spoke softly.
“Lucius and I have already purified this place…”
Thanks to that, we can enter this easily. Elia quickly added, giving a forced smile as if to cheer me up.
“…Is that so?”
I wasn’t sure if Elia’s words were true or just a lie to console me since I hadn’t seen it myself, but I appreciated the sentiment and nodded with a small smile.
…That doesn’t mean my disappointment is reimbursed, though.
With a soft sigh, I lifted my gaze to the looming barrier right in front of us.
This must be like a gate separating the ‘end of the world’ from here.
“Well… Let’s go in.”
Waving my hand gently, I walked ahead.
Among our group, I had this rather childish desire to be the first one to step into this place.
…
Crossing the barrier, an unknown sensation washed over me.
To put it simply, it felt like plunging my body into something that wasn’t quite liquid or solid.
And the moment I fully stepped into the ‘end of the world,’ I strangely felt that this place was familiar, rather than the excitement I had expected.
“Hmm….”
There was no need to think deeply; it was a hut.
Having lived there for hundreds of years, it would be odd not to recognize it.
Anyway.
Why does the familiar aura I felt only in that hut now linger everywhere here?
To be more specific, there were traces of that aura, indeed. Yet, it was evident that they were remnants of the energy I felt back in the hut.
Nameless was bound to have sensed the same thing, and when I glanced over to him…
…Did he know?
Nameless showed no signs of surprise.
Instead, he was almost completely expressionless, devoid of any fluctuations.
Curiosity piqued, and with the answer right in front of me, I was not foolish enough to overlook it.
I approached Nameless and poked him in the side.
“Nameless.”
Startled by the sudden poke, he flinched slightly and tilted his head.
“…Yes, Master.”
I ignored Nameless’s reaction and directly asked my question.
“This place feels similar to the hut we lived in. Do you have any idea why?”
“Oh, of course.”
Sure enough, Nameless nodded confidently.
Then he glanced around, checking to see how far Lucius and Elia were.
Once he confirmed they were quite a distance away, he leaned closer and whispered in my ear.
“Our mountain range, too, is classified as a Demon Realm, just like this place.”
“What?”
The place I lived in was a Demon Realm?
“…What nonsense are you spouting?”
No matter how much I questioned Nameless’s words, I couldn’t believe that the place I lived in was a Demon Realm, which people avoid. I looked at him doubtfully.
“It’s true.”
Nameless met my gaze seriously, nodding.
“Hmm….”
Is it real?
Not even a strawberry, so there’s no way Nameless would lie to me about something trivial, so his words must be true….
Then one thing troubles me.
“Then why haven’t you told me this sooner?”
Why didn’t Nameless share that information with me until now?
Isn’t that pretty important?
If by any chance, Lucius and Elia asked where we came from and I casually answered that it was a Demon Realm without knowing…
We definitely wouldn’t have established the relationship we have now.
With that sentiment in mind, I stared at Nameless with half-lidded eyes.
Nameless shrugged.
“At that time, I didn’t think it would affect our lives that much.”
“Hmm….”
“It’s not like you would have considered leaving even if you knew that mountain range was a Demon Realm, right?”
…That’s true.
Having lived there for 300 years, I didn’t move even without knowing it was a Demon Realm.
Moreover, during that time, I couldn’t even imagine going down the mountain.
Acknowledging Nameless’s words, I nodded, and Nameless, smiling faintly, continued.
“And besides, you wouldn’t even know the name of that mountain.”
“What?”
I felt slightly offended by Nameless’s words, but…
That disciple’s words are correct.
It’s embarrassing, but I don’t even know the name of the mountain I lived in for 300 years.
“Even if the Hero asks, I would have just explained that we lived together in a hut in the mountains, right?”
“…That’s true.”
Reflecting on it, nothing about Nameless’s words was wrong at all. I pouted.
Looking at it this way, I really didn’t know anything.
I let out a deep sigh.
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