“Please make sure to relay the agreements made here to the commanders of each unit so that we can proceed without any mistakes.”
With a thud-thud of thick bundles of paper being organized on the table, Hermila bowed her head slightly.
“Let’s conclude the meeting here. You’ve all worked hard.”
In response, everyone gathered around the table nodded their heads in unison, nod-nod.
“The days starting the day after tomorrow are going to be really tough. So… rest well. Tonight and tomorrow. Eat, play, sleep, and drink. Just like we did in Alrva, be free and light-hearted. Got it?”
Hermila, chuckling giggle-giggle, stood up with a clatter and patted Delia’s head, who was sitting right next to her.
“Delia, stop bothering Noah.”
“… I wasn’t bothering her!”
“Noah should rest comfortably too. You’ve had enough training, haven’t you?”
“Yes, yes…”
“Alright then, see you in the morning. Everyone else, you’re free to go. Sleep well!”
With a clatter-clatter, the leaders of each department stood up and rushed out of the outpost, following Hermila.
So, only Rubia, Ser, and I remained in the empty outpost.
“It seems like Hermila subtly carries a heavy weight in front of people.”
“Isn’t that inevitable? After all, she is the leader of the liberation army. She always pretends to be unfazed, but… she must feel a lot of pressure on her shoulders.”
“Is that from experience?”
Hehe, “Yes, it’s from experience.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Ser, who had been quietly observing Rubia’s chuckles, silently got up from her seat.
“I think I’ll take my leave as well. Have a good time.”
“Were you busy? I thought you were going to have a cup of coffee?”
“I’m busy.”
“You’ve been busy for almost a month now.”
“Thanks to someone. It’s tiring trying to do things I’m not used to. So let’s leave the coffee for tomorrow. And Noah, you should also take a break today and tomorrow.”
With a gentle poke poke on my crown, Ser smiled slightly.
“Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean you should feel burdened; Rubia and I will take care of it. Got it?”
“Uh… yes.”
Poke-poke-poke Ser playfully poked my head a few times, then returned to her usual expression before swiftly leaving.
“Ser has changed a lot.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. When I first saw her, she seemed genuinely crazy… um, odd. But now, she’s at least bearable, right?”
That was back when we met with Sirin, wasn’t it…?
Um… uh…
Blew up the fire spirit and defeated the water spirit, and the light spirit too…
Not to mention, she didn’t seem to feel human emotions…
“Uh, there’s no denying it…? She’s really changed a lot…”
Hehe, “Right? Hermila, Ser, and… me too. We’ve changed a lot since meeting you, Noah.”
“Uh-huh…”
I’m not sure about Hermila, but Rubia has changed a lot.
The Rubia from back then… was terrifying.
Her speech was harsh, her personality prickly, she was always angry.
And she wasn’t as easy-going as now.
She had a tense and suffocating atmosphere.
Above all…
Flinch-flinch
“Ugh…”
Her hands were really bad…
“By the way, why is Noah’s body so soft?”
“D-don’t say weird things…”
“It’s soft and squishy, smells nice, and flinches each time I touch it. It builds up sadistic tendencies.”
“Grrr…”
With a squeeze- that seemed like she couldn’t contain her emotions, Rubia squeezed me on her lap.
Hisss… haah.
Rubia then pressed her nose into my neck, inhaling deeply.
“It’s… probably sweaty?”
“Actually, I like it more…”
“Y-you… perv.”
“Do you dislike perverts?”
“Not really…”
The hot breath that passed by my neck felt cool. Then, once again, even warmer breath enveloped my neck.
“Noah.”
“Yes…?”
“Ser and Hermila are good people. Um, to be precise, they’ve become good people.”
Tilts head At Rubia’s sudden statement, I turned my head.
“Not just them, Heinzel, Delia, Yuria, Alex, Mia, Jur, Hephaestus… they’re all good people.”
And,
“They’re all friends of Noah.”
“Rubia…?”
As Rubia slowly released her embrace, I turned to face her.
Wrapping my arms around Rubia’s neck and legs around her waist.
Without a great sword, I couldn’t picture much, but I changed my position easily like I had done it before.
“What is with this sudden… talk?”
“Huh? Just saying. I’m amazed that Noah, who used to have no friends, has made so many now. So I thought I’d say that.”
“F-friends… I didn’t really have any, but it’s not like it’s admirable or anything…”
Hehe, “It couldn’t be helped, right? Back then… you must have had a hard time adapting to this world.”
Rubia’s slowly rising hand brushed away the hair that stuck to my face.
“Noah. Can you make me a cup of coffee?”
“Me…?”
“Yes. I want to drink the coffee that you make.”
“Ah, okay. I’ll try.”
I should be able to do it, right?
Since Rubia said it was good in the trial, if I recall that sensation…
I might be able to make it tasty in reality too…!
With a hop, I jumped off Rubia’s lap, strapped my great sword to my waist, and ran toward the snack table.
Picking up the very bitter coffee grounds that Rubia likes so much…
Now… how many spoons do I need to put in the cup…?
Normally, I’d tear open one pack, but this… um…
Three tablespoons should do, right?
Thud-thud-thud
In the most beautiful-looking coffee cup, I added three scoops with a teaspoon, poured in hot water from Ser’s special coffee pot, and…
Stirred well… slowly.
Sniff sniff… mmm…
This seems pretty good!
Waiting for the coffee to stop swirling, I grabbed two small cookies sitting nearby and headed over to Rubia.
“Here you go…!”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy this.”
With a bright smile, Rubia picked up the coffee cup, took a moment to inhale the aroma, and then slurp—
“How is it…?”
With a surprised expression like the ‘Rubia’ I saw during the trials, she gave a peculiar smile.
“…It’s delicious.”
“Really…?”
“Hehe… Yes. I think it would go perfectly with the cookies.”
“See? I can do it well, too!”
I shrugged and jumped back onto Rubia’s lap again.
“Now I can light fires well, do dishes properly, and ride horses. Noah has completely changed from before.”
“Hehe…”
Brush-brush- Rubia gently stroked my head, as if recalling the first time we met.
With a voice filled with memories.
With a voice that seemed to draw a picture of a happy future.
One day,
When we set out to travel.
Packing big bags, riding horses.
Strolling along the unfamiliar paths of first-time places.
With the sound of crickets as a background,
And the crackling of fire as a lullaby.
We’ll build joyful memories together.
At that time, for sure,
We’ll spend time filled with laughter.
We’ll feel a beautiful world.
We’ll encounter warm people, not cold ones.
More than anyone, we’ll be happy.
Words without a ‘subject’.
Words that don’t include ‘us’.
Words that don’t include ‘together’.
Words that don’t include ‘with’ at all.
Empty words.
Brush-brush-
After finishing speaking, Rubia slowly pushed my body away.
“Shall we get up now? Let’s go to bed.”
A casual voice.
An everyday voice.
That made her voice feel even stranger.
Holding my distorted face.
Gathering my trembling voice.
Hiding my pounding heart.
“…Rubia.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“…I love you too.”
I jumped off Rubia and smiled.
I love you more than you love me.
I love you just a bit more than you love me.
So,
Let me love you just a tiny bit more.
Letting go of myself is…
Me.
“Hehe…”
Turning around, I gulped down the coffee placed in front of me.
It was…
Really, really tasteless.
*
“Kiddo.”
“Yes?”
“Since I couldn’t arm wrestle due to my arm repair this time, we have to do it after I come back.”
“Eh… Well, Uncle Heinzel is gonna lose to me anyway, right?”
“Hahaha!”
In the cold ruins where an ominous silence settled.
There were no speeches sparking fighting spirit, no thunderous cheers.
Just Heinzel’s hearty laughter.
What to eat tomorrow.
What to do.
Who drinks better.
Who can’t drink as well.
Such usual voices.
Rough conversations.
Excited hopes and joy-filled laughter.
Were ringing out.
“Win, kiddo.”
Like before, Heinzel patted my back thump-thump as he turned around with the halberd on his shoulder.
“Noah.”
“Hermila…!”
“Don’t forget the promise we made to return to Alrva once everything is over, okay?”
“Ah…”
“Ser said that you shouldn’t promise the future before such a big battle. So, I won’t go on long.”
Hermila, extending a hand that felt warm instead of mechanical, smiled.
“I’ll wait for you in Alrva.”
“…Yes.”
I nodded, taking her hand.
Then,
Delia, Alex, Mia, Yuria, Jur.
The bald adventurers led by Heinzel.
The adventurers who arm-wrestled with me and broke their arms.
After saying goodbye to the neighborhood adventurers we often met in Alrva, we approached the forefront of their liberation army.
“What… Am I supposed to give a solemn greeting like everyone else?”
Hehe, “Since Ser is going with us, why would you bother?”
“I just asked because everyone seemed to be doing it.”
With a giggle, Ser’s laughter was the last thing I heard.
In the dry winds, sticky humidity hung in the air.
In the dust-filled ruins, the iron tang of blood mixed in.
In the bustling Cartia, a quiet stillness settled.
In the peacefully flowing magical powers, a dense malice rose.
At the same time—
Thud-
The reverse omnipotence enveloping Cartia twisted.
It distorted. It tore. It shattered. It flipped.
And finally, it opened.
Thump-up.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
The earth quakes.
The sky pulses.
Magic sways.
The world awakens.
Thus,
Began was…
The final battle.
The ultimate chapter of this tale.
And.
The beginning of the
Termination (完).
