Watching the so-called heroes gaping at me and Mama in turns was quite the amusement, I must say.
But despite everything, it felt like they were all just human after all.
I had to keep my cool even though it was painfully obvious where to poke to turn their faces red! But hey, I’m an adult! This is nothing!
While I tried to hide my fidgeting fingers, Grandpa finally managed to tear his eyes away from Mama.
“Can you explain what’s been happening?”
“Grandpa, you’re a bit too obsessed. Even kids need their privacy, you know?”
“Please, help me out here. I feel like I’m losing my mind with how rapidly things have escalated.”
Just then, the Fairy Queen subtly opened her mouth, adding to Grandpa’s sigh.
“I also have something to ask, Lady Allen. What on earth are you talking about? You say Lord Jushin is your mother? And you scolded her? I can’t wrap my head around this…”
“Calm down, Runevia. I’ll explain slowly.”
“…Are you referring to me as Runevia?”
“I can’t keep calling you ‘Your Majesty’ forever, can I? So I picked a name from the list of names Lord Erginius wrote in his diary, the one I liked the most.”
“How… how do you know that?!”
I showed Erginius the mark of the god of history engraved on my hand.
It was both a reminder of who I should blame and a way of subtly threatening him that I knew a lot, so he better watch out.
The genius Erginius, destined to be remembered in history, noticed my intent and shut his mouth like a good boy, but he hadn’t quite picked up on his lover’s feelings yet, it seemed.
I could help him, but this pathetic situation was too amusing, so he had to stay put!
“So, is it Runevia now?”
“Do you dislike it? Should I call you something else?”
“No, I really like it. Lady Allen.”
The fairy queen Runevia, whose cheeks turned a rosy pink, greeted me while keeping her eyes glued to Erginius.
She was so fresh and cute that I just wanted to tease her.
If I poked her from the side, she might just pop like a red balloon.
Ugh, my fingers are itching!
“Now, let’s get to the point. I’ll explain how foolish my mama is.”
“…Sigh. I’m really sorry.”
*
Let’s rewind a bit to when the battle at the Holy Land just wrapped up, and I was burying my swollen face in Armadi’s shoulder due to all the crying when suddenly the scenery around us changed.
It was a blinding white that felt like it would drive me crazy, reminding me of the place where I made the contract with Armadi during the academy entrance exam.
My memory is vague, but it’s probably the same location he brought me to.
“Mama, why did you bring me here? I still had a ton of things to do!”
The war doesn’t just end when the fighting stops.
In a game, shouting “We won! It’s over!” only needs to satisfy one player.
But in reality, it’s different.
From soldiers of every nation to the apostles of various religions who supported me, the priests of the Holy Land, the forest lords, and the fairies clinging to me seeking praise. Even the gods who could briefly stay on the ground! I had to convince them all if I wanted to truly end the war.
And I must be present in discussions and agreements with all of them. I am their focal point.
The day before the battle, I had already heard from Karia what was coming, so I was determined to calm things down, dragging my barely standing body.
With the Mesugaki Skill’s curse finally gone, I thought that if I just apologized for the previous rudeness and kept a good mood, things would go smoothly.
Plus, with the great Lord Jushin by my side, those troublemakers wouldn’t dare to stir up trouble!
But wait, what’s this?
I had planned to wrap up everything quickly and have a serious talk with the god in front of me, but suddenly I got dragged into something weird?
“Uh, well…”
Seeing Armadi hesitating to speak made me tilt my head. What’s the point in holding back now?
As my faith is still solid, it wouldn’t just disappear like a bubble.
Ah, was it that?
“Did you want to talk about my identity?”
I had often felt something odd.
The emotions welling up from deep inside.
The strange déjà vu I felt when reading Lucy’s, my memories.
The fact that I adapted quickly to being in a woman’s body.
Even when meeting characters I loved, I didn’t have bad thoughts.
There were many peculiarities.
It was only today that Armadi confirmed those feelings, and that gave me confidence.
But even now, I can’t help but feel strange that I’m Lucy.
The vivid memories still approach me from the other world.
“I was curious about it, how exactly I came to be.”
“First off, Lucy is Lucy Allen. However, she just possesses the memories of a human from another world.”
“Did you put those memories in?”
“Yes. It was the last resort when all other options were closed off.”
Armadi, whose face was filled with guilt, hesitantly began her story, manifesting furniture in the void and inviting me to sit. She said the story would be long.
“I’m sure you’ve seen Agras using his powers, so you know that powers can be quite absurd. Within the limits of what strength allows, one can perform deeds far outside common sense.”
“I know that well. I’ve gone through it repetitively.”
“I also pushed the limits a bit.”
Once, during the war of ancient times, Armadi realized she couldn’t avoid defeat.
Many had sacrificed themselves for the world, and many more would give their lives to protect the land, yet in the face of it all, the end could not be prevented.
So, after much contemplation, Armadi decided to choose mutual destruction.
Though opposite, they complemented each other—Armadi and Agras.
If one side becomes stronger, the other grows stronger too, so if one side weakens, the other must inevitably weaken as well. Armadi intended to bring Agras down by relinquishing her own power.
“It’s not like I could just give up my powers on a whim, so I exerted immense force and asked to keep the human era from ending.”
Listening to what Armadi had said, I frowned, surprised at her following explanation, so I scrutinized her face.
Receiving my gaze, Armadi awkwardly smiled and continued.
“To no one’s surprise, nothing eternal exists. The human era soon came to an end. Agras was revived, the life of the land perished, hope faded, and I bowed my head before despair. And the moment I lifted my head again, a new human era began.”
From that moment, Armadi had to observe countless destructions from above.
Hoping that what she had done was right. Wishing for a miracle to prevent destruction.
Please, let all beings of the land reach a future where they can smile. Always wishing, wishing, and wishing.
“Could it be due to the countless starts? One day, a small rift appeared in the world, and I became aware of another world. The world of science that you know.”
After confirming the existence of a fantastical world with wondrous imagination, Armadi decided to take a gamble.
By turning countless beginnings she had experienced into a small world and spreading it, she hoped someone would find a method she hadn’t thought of.
“I was half ready to give up. I threw most of my remaining power into this faint possibility.”
Surprisingly, her gamble paid off. Many were intrigued by the small world she created, digging deeper and shattering Armadi’s understanding.
“From that moment, I began planning for one final effort. I simply waited for the best conditions to arrive.”
The wait was long, yet Armadi felt not even a hint of despair.
Compared to the time she pushed forward in darkness, dragging her way along the bottom, walking the path where a ray of hope appeared was a happy affair.
“I came down to the land and gave birth to you because I thought an ordinary human would struggle to bear the memories of another world.”
That possibility reached its end, and it was me.
“I’m sorry, Lucy. Regardless of how you think of me, I have no excuses. I will accept any punishment you deem fit. However, I can say this for certain—though the beginning might have been impure, I truly loved you, Lucy, and cherished Benedict.”
Finishing her words, Armadi lowered her head, eyes tightly shut.
As though terrified of what was to come.
I had so much to say and so many questions to ask, but seeing her so scared, a nonsensical laughter escaped me.
“I believe you.”
“…Huh?”
“I believe it, mama. That you loved me.”
I propped my chin with both hands and smiled, causing Armadi’s eyes to widen.
Her eyes trembled, and the slowly forming tears mirrored that tremor.
“But that aside, I know that mama has a sloppy mentality. Seriously pathetic.”
“Uh, what?”
Armadi, who looked like she was about to burst into tears, blinked in surprise at my sudden criticism.
“So sad. The mama I knew wasn’t this kind of mess.”
“I-I’m sorry?”
“If you’re going to apologize, do it properly. Mama, you taught me that, right? Not keeping promises you made to yourself?”
“Oh, um, uh… what should I do?”
“Kneel first. You shoddy pervert, incompetent, and foolish mama.”
“But…”
“Kneel, I said. Right now!”
After saying it with a straight face, Armadi quietly got up and sat before me.
“I’m saying this seriously because I know you love me, Mama. It’s the truth—those you cherish are usually scolded the hardest, right?”
“Y-Yes, yes.”
“Remember this well. A foolish person who can’t even remember what they said is my mama—that’s just embarrassing.”
With a grin, I pulled out my notebook of grievances from my bosom.
And took out a pen to add a few lines to the back.
I wonder if this will be done by today?
