Looking at the crumbling edge of the horizon, Rubia’s first action was to shout.
“Noah!”
She jumped up from her seat and pulled me into a hug.
“Uh, uh…”
During that time, I realized what was happening, but… I still couldn’t figure it out.
Have I lost my power?
No way. Just looking at my left hand, I could see Great Sword made purely of energy.
Is my energy too weak to maintain the Divine Realm?
Not that either. I still have enough energy left to kill the Nameless One thousands of times over. It’s even regenerating in real-time.
Then what the heck is going on?
Am I just too relaxed?
Thinking it’s all over?
No, that’s not the point.
Rather than finding the reason, I need to figure out where Rubia and I might move now that the Divine Realm has collapsed.
No, first…
I squirmed around in Rubia’s embrace and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“I-I’m okay.”
I gently patted her trembling back, tap-tap.
“…Even if you’re okay, I’m not letting go.”
“Um…”
“What do you mean ‘um’? I’m definitely not letting go. I never want to be apart from Noah again.”
She looked like a kid throwing a tantrum.
Seeing this side of Rubia, which I hadn’t seen until now, brought a small smile to my face.
So, I buried my face in her chest and kept patting her back until her trembling stopped. Of course, I wasn’t just calming Rubia down.
I was wracking my brains, trying to figure out where this Divine Realm connects to.
My first guess was the edge of the world. I was last at the edge of the world before coming here, so there’s a chance I could go back there.
I don’t know the way back from the edge of the world, but… there must be a way nonetheless.
If I don’t know the path… well, setting up house with Rubia wouldn’t be a bad idea… actually, it’d be great.
But I need to return to my friends still in Cartia, so that’s a bit tricky.
My next guess is the dimensional rift.
That’s where Valoran and Luisar were trapped.
I have no idea where that is, how to get there, or how to get out.
However… when I open my senses and visualize what’s beyond the broken Divine Realm, I can feel a space resembling the dimensional rift where Valoran had been summoned.
If Rubia and I fall into the dimensional rift when this Divine Realm crumbles…
If we fall…
Huh.
Isn’t that not such a big deal?
No matter what monsters or beings are inside, I can just smash them to pieces.
If I can’t get out, I can destroy the space itself and let Rubia out—or rather, escape with her.
I remember how the dimensional rift opened when Valoran was summoned, so it shouldn’t be impossible.
It’s definitely possible.
What can’t I do to save Rubia?
Then, there’s really nothing to worry about… is there?
Should I just chat with Rubia for a while?
Sparkle—the fleeting moment of pointless realization flashed in my mind.
“Uh…? Noah… over there…”
Rubia tilted her head with a puzzled expression, gazing at the edge of the crumbling Divine Realm before cautiously speaking up.
“I can feel Noah’s… power.”
Hmm… Of course, since this is my Divine Realm, it’s normal for my power to be felt.
Thinking this, I looked up at Rubia.
However, she quickly shook her head and added more.
“No. Not the current Noah… but the old one, before you came here. The power you had back then.”
The power I had before coming here…
I know what that is.
But there shouldn’t be a place where it could still exist…
Ah.
“Cartia…?”
“Cartia.”
In that instant, Rubia and I locked eyes.
Rubia’s trembling stopped. Light flickered in her blue eyes. Expectation poured from her lips.
“You remember the Great Sword I left stuck in Cartia, right?”
“Yes…”
“It seems like the power might have originated from there…?”
Right. Before arriving at the edge of the world, I left my Great Sword stuck in Cartia. Along with that, I’d poured my energy into it as per Cartia’s request.
If it’s the power Rubia felt… there couldn’t be anything else.
…Is it really that?
Even if it is, how is Rubia feeling my power that I can’t even sense myself?
Right now, I’ve almost lost all my Divine Power, so I shouldn’t be any different from an ordinary person…
I’m not doubting Rubia.
I trust Rubia. I believe in her completely.
Yet, even so, having these thoughts isn’t because I suspect her, but rather… it feels like something unknown is telling Rubia.
And the one likely to play tricks like this could only be—
“Can’t be…?”
“…Ah, I’ll… ab-absolutely check it out.”
Focusing now.
It doesn’t matter where we go, but if we can just go directly to Cartia, it’d make things a little easier for Rubia.
And… I might not be able to return with her.
I loosened Rubia’s tight embrace. She exhaled a small sigh of disappointment for a moment, but quickly steadied herself and carefully held onto my left arm.
Feeling that warmth, I concentrated.
Cutting off my vision, I expanded my senses.
Not just spreading them out, but going a bit deeper.
What I’m looking for is the Great Sword.
The one stuck in Cartia, cracked from not being able to handle my energy.
I can’t find it.
Is it something I can’t sense?
If that’s the case, then I’ll try to feel my friends connected to my soul.
Slowly, I moved along the thin thread.
The thread that feels so faint it might disappear at any moment.
But still, I followed that thread and moved my consciousness.
And then…
“…I found it.”
I opened my eyes and looked at Rubia.
“It’s real. There’s a way to get to Cartia… If we go straight that way… we can reach Cartia. But Rubia, how did you—”
I was about to ask how she knew.
“Rubia…?”
But I couldn’t.
Due to the rigid expression on her face.
Her hand, which lightly gripped mine, was filled with strength.
“Let’s go.”
Her hand gripped tightly to the point where cold sweat was pouring down.
With a resolved voice, Rubia led me with that hand. It wasn’t rough. As if being mindful of my injured body, she led me gently and softly.
I could resist that force with just a little push, but I followed Rubia’s footsteps.
I wanted to feel that warmth just a little more.
“Noah.”
With unwavering strides, Rubia didn’t turn back but called my name, her eyes fixed ahead.
“We’re going back together.”
“…Umm.”
…Rubia is too perceptive.
No, me too, Hermila too, Ser too. Everyone is quick to catch on.
Among them, Rubia is particularly fast.
She seems to see right through my heart… just how is Rubia reading my thoughts?
Is it showing on my face?
“Answer… me, Noah.”
While pondering such thoughts, Rubia’s steps didn’t falter.
Still holding my hand, she walked toward the path connected to Cartia.
Her pace, now almost running.
“Please answer…”
Rubia’s voice, rising in urgency.
After a moment, I came to a stop.
In front of the path connected to Cartia, I halted Rubia.
“Rubia.”
“No… please don’t… say anything.”
Muttering as if pleading, Rubia slowly turned around.
“Noah… Let’s go together, okay?”
She was crying.
On the verge of falling apart, the expression on her face made my heart feel like it was crumbling too.
What should I say to her?
What should I say to reassure her even a little, while I hesitated.
Whoosh—!
The darkness that had draped over the sun began to lift.
The black sun was setting. It was disappearing from view.
Behind it, the brilliant sun rose.
The sun that lights up the world.
The speed at which the Divine Realm crumbled increased.
The once gloom-filled Divine Realm mingled with radiant light.
“…Rubia.”
In the light scattered by the sun, Rubia’s hair sparkled. Her spilled tears shone brightly.
Her pleading eyes, looking at me, quivered.
“I still… have things to do.”
Just one last thing.
Or maybe it’ll be two or three.
“So… I can’t go with you right now.”
“But you said it was all over. You said… you said it was finished, not to worry… why, why…”
…I didn’t know things would flow this fast either.
And that’s why I said it was all over…
“I-I’m sorry…”
I hugged Rubia around her neck.
Burying my face in her hair, I took a deep breath.
A faint scent of sweat blended with a lovely fragrance.
And the smell of warm sunshine.
The light became stronger.
The speed at which the Divine Realm crumbled increased.
A door appeared behind Rubia, leading to Cartia. And for a moment, the opening door halted.
…Is it telling me to say goodbye?
Yeah… I should say goodbye.
A farewell.
Of course, it’s not an eternal farewell…
Still, I need to tell her I’ll be back, right?
I steadied my breath and slightly pulled away from Rubia’s body.
There was a slight resistance during that process, but I heard Rubia’s sobbing sounds and tightly closed my mouth as I pulled her away.
“But… it’s okay.”
It’s fine. Everything is fine.
I’m not dying. I’m not sacrificing anything.
I’m just going to do what I have to do.
I won’t be gone forever.
I will definitely return to Rubia’s embrace.
I don’t know how long it will take, but I’ll finish quickly one way or another.
So, after it’s all over.
I will embrace Rubia.
Living in the same house as her.
Eating the same food.
Watching the same things.
Feeling the same emotions.
Sleeping in the same bed.
Waking up in the same bed.
Every day, welcoming a new tomorrow.
More leisurely than anyone else.
Happier than anyone else.
So.
So.
“Take care—”
Before I could finish my sentence.
Everything was enveloped in light.
*
“—I will. I’ll be there soon… huh?”
Swish swish—I quickly turned my head to survey my surroundings.
Clouds casually scattered across the sky, reflecting above the vast land.
It was a breathtaking landscape, but.
I swallowed a shocked breath.
“What, this is bad.”
Rubia is gone.
Before I could even finish my farewell, Rubia disappeared.
Didn’t I even get to say I’d be there soon?
Did she only hear the ‘take care’ part?
What do I do? Uh, what do I do…?
No, I should… um… first, I need to get out of here.
After I leave, I’ll leave another farewell for Rubia, then… that seems best.
Thudding—!!
I immediately drew my Great Sword.
Can I just smash my way through?
Is that okay to do?
Even if I smash it, can I reach Cartia?
I have no idea.
There’s no time to ponder.
Before Rubia gets some strange misunderstanding, I need to hurry with anything—
“Noah.”
At the same time.
“I really… missed you.”
A voice echoed.
“No, no, that’s not right. I should give my greetings first. Hehe.”
I slowly turned my head toward the source of the familiar voice.
“Nice to meet you. I am—”
There, radiating a dazzling smile.
“Lilith.”
Rubia.
No, it was Lilith.
“I’m the bad entity who brought Noah into this world without permission.”
And.
“I’m also the one you absolutely needed to meet to fulfill Noah’s last wish.”
*
The light faded away.
Thus, what came into Rubia’s view was.
The setting black sun.
Noah’s Great Sword, stuck in the ground.
And.
“…Rubia?”
Hermila.
The challengers rushing to her side.
The liberated soldiers roaring their victory.
“Rubiaaaaaaa!”
Charlotte, who had embraced Rubia.
“Are you alright? Huh? Are you okay? Not injured, right?!”
Charlotte, cradling Rubia, carefully began to check her body.
Approaching slowly behind her, Hermila stomped his foot and burst into energy.
Following him, the cheers of the liberated soldiers died down.
An intense silence fell in an instant.
In that silence, Rubia’s head slowly turned. Her foggy eyes surveyed her surroundings.
Then, she looked up, gazing at Hermila.
Her eyes were vacant. Her expression was dazed.
Faced with Rubia’s eyes, Hermila slowly opened his mouth.
“…Where are Noah and Ser?”
“Uh? What? Where did that guy and the kid go… uh…”
Charlotte, holding Rubia, sensed something was wrong and cautiously pulled away from her.
At that moment.
The black sun fully set.
Noah’s Great Sword, left alone atop the land.
Crack!
It shattered into pieces.
