"I see."
Deep beneath the Guild. The deity's residence.
The old god, listening carefully to the heretics' story, fell into thought after hearing everything.
"A vow and a conclusion..."
He was curious how that red-haired woman—an existence called Revis—had learned of the vow, but what surprised him even more was this.
"A conclusion..."
The sage's voice carried disbelief. Ouranos, who had been listening quietly alongside him, tilted his head.
"Do you know something, Ouranos?"
"Hmm..."
Fels's question drew the others' attention in subtly. No one had spoken up, but they were all waiting for an answer to the unfamiliar words.
The old god closed his eyes and thought. Was it really right to tell them this story? If he did, how much should he say?
Before that, was he even allowed to speak of it?
The girl who had stood at the beginning of every story.
The boy who had brought every story to an end.
The fact that those two had met pointed to only one thing.
"Yes. I can't tell you everything, but if I had to put it simply..."
The reason the one who had ended every story stood at the beginning once more.
"It's a hidden ending."
"...A hidden ending?"
"Yes."
He had finished every story. The tale had come to an end. Even if that ending was not the one he had wanted, the conclusion had already been reached.
Then how was he supposed to see the ending he truly wanted?
"New Game Plus."
The answer was simple.
He would begin a second run with the abilities and equipment from the first. And he would return to the true beginning.
What he wanted was a better future. The price was one person's life.
From the perspective of the world, there could be no more convenient bargain.
"A final journey to seize the hidden... no, the unseen future."
Even if what awaited at the end was only despair, he still wanted a happy future for the people he loved.
So the boy once again drew his sword.
"..."
It was a complicated feeling. He did not know what kind of ending would come afterward, but one boy's journey had already been decided.
Even at the end of that road of hardship and suffering, the boy would likely receive no reward.
It was truly a pity, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do.
That fact was so painful to the old god.
"Hera..."
Had she felt the same way that day? Was that why she had said those words?
Ouranos silently felt sympathy for Hera.
If everything he had just heard was true, then the wish she had made that day would never be granted, no matter what.
"So that's what happened."
I had come to Loki Familia to tell them what Ais had gone through. Since Ais's guardian was not me, I had to make sure I reported it properly.
Of course, I left out the part about the artificial labyrinth and the Xenos.
"Just in case, I think it'd be best not to leave Ais alone for a while."
"Aye, we owe ye one. Thanks."
"No, if you think about it, this was because of me..."
Could a word of thanks feel this painful? If I hadn't dragged Ais along that day, none of this would have happened.
When I glanced at her neck, the clear handprint was already gone. But the mark I had seen then still lingered in my eyes.
It had been the price of a single moment's carelessness. Thinking that if I had been even a little later, an irreparable tragedy might have occurred, a quiet anger began to boil again in some corner of my chest.
"Haha, if she'd been attacked while you weren't there, it would have been even more dangerous. You've done us a service."
"Aye, don't go making a fuss over nothing and just accept it."
"...No, it really wasn't anything."
Hiding that anger as best I could, I lowered my head and left Loki Familia behind. If I stayed here too long, my already heavy heart would only grow more painful.
After Vesta closed the door and left, the room was left with only Loki Familia.
Finn's faint smile vanished, turning cold.
"Loki."
"I wasn't lyin'. Not a lie."
Loki, who had been listening with narrowed eyes, answered with a displeased expression. Normally, he would have snapped at the arrogant member who had used him like a lie detector, but he was in no mood for that now.
"A vow..."
"Forgotten past... do ye know anything?"
"Well, when I was in the divine realm, I wasn't interested in the mortal world."
Even as she said that, Loki's brow remained furrowed.
"But there was a time when something caused a stir in the divine realm."
"...Something?"
"Dunno."
"..."
Riveria clutched her head at the god's flippant answer. Did this useless god not know the meaning of seriousness?
It was the kind of moment that made her genuinely want to convert.
"Hey, don't blame me. Even if he wasn't lying, it doesn't seem like he told us everything."
"So he hid something?"
"Probably. But it doesn't seem like it's something that'll be a problem for us."
As she said that, Loki glanced at Ais.
"Though it might be different for someone else."
"..."
Ais's expression had remained dark the entire time, as if she had seen something unpleasant.
It was an intuition. She had unconsciously realized that she would be swept up helplessly by the fate to come.
Yes, just like back then...
"Ais..."
"..."
Seeing Ais's downcast face, Riveria called her name with pity.
But no answer came back.
■
It was that dream again.
A dream I had been having often lately. The more I dreamed it, the clearer it became.
As if warning me of the end that was drawing near.
But what was even more painful was that even in that sharpening dream, I still could not hear the voice calling to me.
How I missed it. And yet I could not reach it—that emptiness.
That was what hurt me most of all.
"-■■■■, ■ ■■ ■■■■■"
It's all right. You know me.
This much doesn't bother me. You saw it, didn't you? I even took down the wraith without any trouble.
"-■■■■■■■"
I'm not doing anything like that. This is the path I chose.
"-■■■■■"
So please. Don't worry about me anymore. Don't say things like that.
Every word you say makes me feel so miserable.
I'm fine. I'm not in pain. I'm not struggling.
I can do it.
So...
"...Ugh."
The sky visible through the crack of my eyelids was gloomy.
The cold winter air swept over my body, and the drowsiness faded as my thoughts grew clear.
In proportion to that, the scene I had seen in the dream only blurred further.
I felt like I had dreamed something, but what was it?
"Good morning, Vesta-kun."
"Ah, good morning, Meteria...?"
I reflexively answered the voice, then froze.
When I turned my head toward the entrance, there stood a white-haired woman.
She hadn't come here once since it was discovered she was pregnant... so why now?
"What brings you here?"
"Hehe, I just thought I'd get some fresh air and... huh?"
She gave an embarrassed laugh, then looked at my face and went rigid. Did I have something on my face?
"Vesta-kun... why are you crying?"
"Huh?"
At that, I reflexively lifted a hand to the corner of my eye. A dampness touched my fingertips.
Just as she said, I was crying.
"...?"
The problem was that I didn't know why. Why was I crying?
"...I guess I started crying when I woke up."
Even I thought it was a pathetic excuse, but I had nothing else to say.
"...I see."
Meteria looked at me with an expression that was hard to read, then answered calmly. Then, seeing my hair, she began to smile softly.
"...Hehe, Vesta-kun, your hair's a mess."
"Ah..."
"If you've just woken up, you should at least tidy yourself up first."
"Ahem..."
In my defense, I usually washed up right after waking. It was just that Meteria had come back before I could even do that.
And I was going to wash up now, so there wasn't really any problem... why was I making excuses to myself like this?
Gathering my drifting thoughts, I pulled myself together. I could feel my half-awake mind fully waking up.
I disliked dreams, but I didn't dislike waking up. In that moment of awakening, I could feel that I was still alive.
And if I was alive, I could remember those who had vanished. For that alone, waking up was meaningful enough.
Swish, swish—seeing me sit there blankly, Meteria came over and carefully fixed my hair.
It had no real purpose, since I was going to wash it right away anyway, but...
"..."
"..."
Seeing her gently smile as she tidied my hair, I decided to just stay still.
...It felt oddly ticklish.
"Vesta-kun has nice hair."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, I'm jealous. I think my hair is pretty nice too, but..."
Her hair always shone with a healthy luster. I had thought it was something innate, but it seemed she had gone through her own share of hardship beneath that shine.
Come to think of it, her hair had lost a little of its luster since she became pregnant.
"..."
Before I knew it, my gaze had drifted downward. Her belly, swollen close to full term.
Inside that belly was someone who was not me, yet was me. Realizing that gave me a strangely ironic feeling.
"What is it?"
"Ah, no. Nothing."
Was I staring too openly? I didn't think so.
Maybe being sensitive to gazes was something I'd inherited.
"Come to think of it, this person is my mother."
Honestly, I had wondered if that might be the case from the very first time we met. I had clenched my teeth and pretended not to know, but in the end even that had become impossible.
"Mother... my mother..."
It was such an awkward sound. A word I had never once called anyone. Like wearing clothes that didn't fit, it wouldn't settle on my tongue and only hovered there awkwardly.
It felt as though thorns had grown on my tongue. I probably would never call her that in my entire life.
Thinking that, a faint bitterness lingered in my mouth.
"By the way, did the medicine Riveria sent work?"
"Ah, yes. It worked amazingly. I feel like I could even run!"
"Haha, don't actually go running."
"Hehe, I actually said that and Hera scolded me, so I ran away."
For someone who'd been scolded, her voice was awfully bright. That was probably why Lady Hera treasured her so much.
I let myself sink into the sensation of her fingers brushing through my hair. The soft touch gradually eased the darkness in my heart.
"This makes me feel like we're family."
"...I suppose so."
At her words, I gave a small, bitter smile and quietly agreed.
The conversation ended there, and silence followed. It was an awkward silence, but also a pleasant one.
"Ah, the clouds are clearing!"
At her words, I turned my head and saw that the clouds really were parting, letting sunlight reveal the world beyond.
The sunlight outside the window was dazzling. The light carried a warmth that could still be felt despite the cold, telling us that spring was slowly approaching.
Spring, when everything had begun.
Spring, when everything had ended.
The time of conclusion was still drawing nearer, little by little, even now.
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