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This chapter is translated by Cobalt and is rehosted with due permission. |
Legendary Great War.
The people naturally called the battle like that, a month had passed since that decisive battle where the fate of the world was staked.
After that decisive battle, the gates that were set up at every place were opened once more and the voices of a lot of people that celebrated their reunion and victory filled the prairie in front of the capital.
A few days after that, although there was some chaos due to the healing of the wounded, the confirmation and burial of the deceased, and the annihilation of the capital which caused the people to lose their place, due to the hard work of every representative that worked together for a common cause, the post-treatment of the war was carried out relatively smoothly.
Due to the collapsed God Mountain, the Hairihi kingdom capital was also destroyed by getting swallowed into it, the non-combatant that was unable to participate in the legendary great war――especially the craftsmen were wholly mobilized for the reconstruction, in addition the merchants and the common citizens also gave their maximum support and the work which caused the progress to move rapidly. On top of using magic, there was also the good will and proactiveness of the people all over the world which crossed over race or country to reconstruct the capital, it was to the degree that they calculated the capital might be able to recover its former appearance within half a year.
At the prairie where fierce ravages of the battle remained, using the wreckage of the fortress a lot of temporary residences were established that were mainly used for the people that engaged in the reconstruction to lodge at. There, kitchen and inn, general store and the likes were created one after another, to the degree that it might possibly turn into a part of the capital by linking it with the city’s expansion. Surely, the city would become even livelier even compared to when it had the God Mountain behind it.
The temporary establishment of the holy church was also created in that temporary housing town.
At that battle, the story was that the enemy was an evil god that pretended to be the god Ehitorujue, so the people still had their heart supported by the holy church which worshiped Ehito as a god. Although the God Mountain and the holy church’s headquarter had disappeared, but suddenly taking away that support would only make the people uneasy.
Having said that, for the people who knew the truth, they felt more than a little reluctance for the holy church to keep using the name Ehitorujue exactly as it was until now.
There with the speech of the ‘Goddess of Harvest’ Aiko, this kind of story was dispatched to the world.
It said, that the true name of god Ehito was Ehicliberei, for a long time the mad god――Ehitorujue had stolen this true name.
It said, that the ‘rebels’ or rather the ‘liberators’ who knew about the danger to the world from Ehito once challenged the mad god in order to regain the pure faith, but because of the mad god’s foul play, they were unable to defeat him.
It said, that in order to grant their own power to people who could possibly defeat Ehito, the liberators slept at the bottom of the great labyrinths. And then, the chosen people who were summoned from another world by god were awarded this power. Aiko was the spokesman of these people, while the person who received the most power was the ‘Goddess’s Sword’.
It said, like that Hajime and others splendidly defeated the mad god Ehitorujue that was hiding in Holy Precincts. However, due to the last resistance of the mad god Ehitorujue, it caused a collapse in order to take along the world to accompany him in his death. In response to that, the last liberator――Miledy Raisen who made her soul to possess a golem and had watched over the people all this time, she exchanged her soul for the world’s salvation.
A complete lie, it was not. The story matched the gist of the truth. By the way, the name Ehicliberei was a coined word with the meaning of ‘seven liberators’ put into it. It was the consideration for them that they would surely felt unpleasant to have the story of them cooperating with Ehitorujue to be taught to the future generations. If it was asked whose consideration it was, then it must be the one who thought of this story which was not a lie but also not the truth which was complicated in various meaning, a certain white haired eye-patched man somewhere.
Due to this speech of Aiko, the historians who were excited to leave this time’s legendary great battle’s record in writing at once raised the name of Miledy and others to the front stage of history once more as the seven great wise men who saved the world.
Regarding the new top brass of the church, it was composed of the priests of the remote region. The people who participated in the choir squad at that battlefield and managed to survive became the core of this new top brass. Most of them were people who clashed with the central church and then got exiled to the remote region, so their thought and ideology were also exceedingly sensible, many of them were a man of character so it was thought that there wouldn’t be any particular problem.
Regarding Raisen Great Labyrinth that was left behind by Miledy, Hajime created a living golem as the replacement of Miledy Raisen and stationed it there. It was equipped with gatling cannon, missile pod, and even pile bunker, so the difficulty level might be jumped up there.
Hajime didn’t particularly do anything to the other great labyrinths. Perhaps it had no more meaning, but his stance was that if anyone searched for power and wanted to challenge it then just challenged it.
Regarding Hajime’s quality artifacts that were lavishly used at the legendary great war, after Hajime awoke from fainting, he destroyed all of them. Gahard and some other people yelled “Stooop―!” while clinging to him, but Hajime turned everything into garbage right in front of their eyes. Hajime created an artifact to gather all artifacts that had his stamp, so there wouldn’t any that got overlooked.
Of course, the artifacts that Kam and others of Hauria possessed were left alone in their possession, though Haijme applied various work on those first.
It was irritating for Hajime when Gahard’s resentful eyes, or rather the eyes that looked like a child whose important toys were taken away were staring fixedly at him, so while he was at it Hajime gifted him with a small version Fernier. And at the next day, for some reason Hajime became the best friend of his majesty the emperor. It seemed that Gahard was really pleased with Fernier.
In preparation of the worst case that Gahard used Fernier to invade another country, Hajime made Liliana and Karm carry the remote switch for the self-exploding artifact. If Gahard knew of this…just what kind of face he would make. Hajime was really curious about it but with an effort, he endured to not ask.
Regarding the relationship between demi-human and human race, not only the people from the empire, the other humans were also in the process of changing their feeling toward the demi-human with whom they had fought together with through the legendary great war. As expected the fact that they had entrusted their lives to each other was enough to repaint their discriminatory view.
Of course, if it was asked if the two side could immediately join shoulders together, it wouldn’t be that easy, but even so, none was holding animosity to the degree where they could act hatefully with recklessness. There was also how they had witnessed the gallant effort of the dragon race, and above all else, there was the fact that a rabbit-eared girl and a dragon woman were among the comrades of the savior hero who stormed into the Holy Precincts.
The demi-human weren’t called as the abandoned race that didn’t possess god’s blessing anymore. Rather, it was obvious that the two demi-human would leave their page in history as a great person that stood side by side with the hero. No word of contempt could possibly be directed to such people.
Due to such reason, the social status of demi-human was beginning to be reevaluated rapidly among the human without anyone even needed to do particularly anything. As one part of that process, the holy church wouldn’t call them as ‘demi-human race’ anymore, from now on they would formally name them as ‘beastman race’, the official notice for that had been created.
Because of that too, the ‘Necklace of Pledge’ that had been attached on the royalty of the empire had also been dismantled. After reaching this stage with great pain where it might be possible for an amicable coexistence, to keep holding the life of the empire royalty would only break the ‘equal relationship’, causing a halt at the compromise between the two side.
Although, just because of that didn’t mean that there was no more guarantee from the empire side to stop the persecution to the demi-human and making them a slave.
“Meteor and sunlight laser, or fully equipped Hauria, which one is better?”
At the occasion where the ‘Necklace of Pledge’ was dismantled, Gahard asked “Do you believe that the empire won’t move for revenge?” with a fearless grin, and the sentence that Hajime gave back to him was that. It went without saying that after that all the close aides of Gahard swiftly demanded for a handshake of friendship. The empire was based on strength supremacy doctrine…
Now then, talking about equality between races there was the matter of the devil race.
They were invited into Holy Precincts and made to sleep at the lower strata domain, but for some reason they escaped the collapse of Holy Precincts and got thrown out at the wasteland at the outskirt of the devil race capital which was far away from the battlefield, after that they were discovered there still continuing to fast asleep.
Even at the present a month after the battle, that situation still hadn’t changed. Most likely they could be awoken immediately if regeneration magic was used on them, but right now everyone was busy with the post-battle treatment and rebuilding, there was really no leeway to wake up the existences that could possibly become a seed of conflict, so now they were sealed at a corner of the devil capital under strict monitoring. The seal was using Hajime’s artifact.
By the way, regarding the devil race people who were deeply carved with the terror of Hajime at the devil king castle, Hajime only said a word of “troublesome” and put them to sleep too. It would be troubling if they said something like ‘We are going to save our brethren!’ and rampaged, so Hajime quickly took measures.
Although, for them who had been planted with a lot of terror by Hajime, and furthermore, after they knew that Hajime had even accomplished the destruction of God Mountain and godslaying, it was really unthinkable that they would do anything stupid.
Now then, Hajime and others had busily moved around doing things like the kingdom capital reconstruction, the artifacts’ withdrawal, driving in the wedge to the empire, fabricating history, restoring the honor of the liberators, and various other things, but that didn’t mean that they were lending their hand in this and that of this world because of mere whim or sophistication.
Naturally their first objective was to return home to the birthplace earth――Japan.
During this one month, they continued to stay in this world and moved around was also doubling as killing time, and that was merely because they couldn’t go home. Having said that, it didn’t mean that they didn’t have the method to go home or anything, and it wasn’t also because they were unable to create the concept magic.
The reason was simple. There was no material to create the ‘Compass of Guidance’ and ‘Crystal Key’.
Concept magic was powerful. Even though Hajime was able to enchant mineral, but using average material would cause the item to explode when activated because it wouldn’t be able to endure the effect. Before the difficult undertaking that was crossing the world, they didn’t want to take any risky venture like ‘It should be usable if used only for one time!’
Besides, even though they were taking along Myuu and Remia together, but as expected Hajime wanted to prepare a return path home to this world for them, regarding Shia and Tio too, Karm and Adol and many other people were remaining in this world, Hajime thought that they would want to go home here sometimes to meet with their family.
And so, an artifact that would break after just one-time use would be troubling for that.
Having said that, speaking about a mineral that could endure concept magic and also had high affinity with magic, Hajime couldn’t think of anything else but the god crystal. But, they had finished confirming that there was no god crystal anymore at the abyss. Now that they didn’t have the compass, it wasn’t realistic to search for god crystal around the world when there was not even any guarantee that it existed.
And the idea that Hajime got when thinking of that, was that if it didn’t exist then he just needed to create it.
God crystal was the crystallization of magic power where magic power accidentally piled up for a long time of a thousand years. It was the solidification of the magic power of nature that was so vast it was absurd. The process was like water drops that bore a hole on a rock.
But, Hajime had no interest at all in staring at water drops boring a hole into a rock. Therefore, he just needed to twist such theory with foul play.
And then what he did based on that was creating an artifact that converged natural magic element in high speed using gravity magic which was a magic that interfered with the power of star, and then he used space magic which was a magic that interfered with boundary to pump the gathered natural magic element into artifact(pool of human population magic power).
Added with that, with Hajime who was a possessor of inhuman magic power as the first in the list, the otherworlder cheat group pumped in their magic power every day into the artifact.
As the result, after a month passed, they succeeded in creating a god crystal with diameter around fifteen centimeters. It only had around half the size of the god crystal that Hajime first discovered and it also didn’t produce ‘God Water’, but it was still an amazing material that could endure concept magic satisfactorily.
And then, finally, today Hajime started making ‘Compass of Guidance’ and ‘Crystal Key’.
The place was the fountain plaza at the outskirt of Fea Belgen. It was that place where Shia’s feeling came to a realization. Hajime and others, in this one month they were using this Fea Belgen which was the easiest place to spend time in as their base, so Aiko and the classmates were also staying here. They were human, but the beastmen were in great joy with the hero party’s stay there.
At the plaza, Shia and Tio, Kaori and Shizuku, and then Myuu and Remia were there. Other than them all the classmates had also gathered to look at the moment when the artifact for going home was completed. In addition, Liliana, Karm, and everyone else from Hauria clan and others were also there.
“Yosh, let’s do this Yue.”
“…Nn-”
Hajime and Yue were facing each other at the center of the plaza. Yue’s appearance now was her original girl figure. Sometimes she also turned into adult mode depending on her mood of the day, but this girl mode was used a lot because it was convenient for sitting on Hajime’s lap or getting hugged.
Hajime too now had his new artificial arm and eye back, the vampirization from Yue was also undone. Until they returned to earth, Hajime planned to get his hair turned black and coated his artificial arm with skin and so forth, as much as possible he wanted to return to his original appearance.
The excessively lovely Yue whose body was wrapped with chic goth loli outfit and Hajime were closing their eyes in concentration with the god crystal between them.
The classmates who were watching over them at the surrounding gulped.
In such atmosphere, the ceremony of concept creation finally began.
Inside the forest of Fea Bergen, golden and crimson magic power calmly began to twist up. From the beginning the magic power of two colors was spiraling while mixing with each other, it looked as though the two color was getting intimate with each other.
Before long the leaves of the trees were blown and scattered around while a torrent of magic power was climbing to the sky, a clear will began to reside in it. Regardless that it was unseen by eye, everyone who was there felt it, an overwhelming will that made the skin to have goosebump.
At the same time, the god crystal began to shine. The stormy torrent of magic power was focused and absorbed into the god crystal with amazing force.
Calmly, yet sonorously Hajime spoke the power of words.
“――’Transmute'”
Immediately the god crystal split into two. The ores other than god crystal that had been prepared beforehand instantly mixed and they were forming shape.
Unnoticed the stormy magic power was shining like a star between Hajime and Yue, the forest of Fea Bergen and the surrounding people were illuminated, their heart was charmed by the spectacle.
That radiance was also getting smaller bit by bit. “Hou” Here and there a sigh of admiration was leaked. It was unclear whether the cause of that was because of the artifact’s creation, or else if it was because Hajime and Yue who created this miraculous spectacle while snuggling close to each other.
And then, the light finally settled down, Yue and Hajime quietly opened their eyes. Ahead of their gaze was a compass and crystal key that were sparkling bright.
“…Hajime. Test it.”
“Okay.”
Yue said that while separating their hand gently. Obeying that, Hajime tried activating the compass. There was no problem, it seized the location of earth intuitively. And then the crystal key was also operating on space properly.
“O, oi, Nagumo. How is it? Everything fine?”
Endo Kousuke asked timidly after becoming unable to endure the tension. By the way, Kousuke who had received an amazing nickname from Hauria clan, and got a lover from the same rabbit clan (in this one month he had worked very hard. Especially he paid a lot of compensation with his shame while mass producing dark history of his life), now he had a lot of common point with Haijme, the two of them were unexpectedly getting along and in this one month they were building a relatively familiar relationship.
Looking at Hajime who reacted to Kousuke’s call, several of the classmates gulped loudly.
Hajime ran his gaze around the classmates whose expression was stiffening from nervousness.
And then, he grinned widely and wordlessly gave a thumb up. The meaning of that was obvious.
“Yossha―――!!”
“Hurraay!!”
“UOOOOOOO, we can go home! We seriously can go home!!”
“Nagumoo, no, you are Nagumo-sama already! Really thank you!”
“Fueeeeeeeen, I’m really glaaadd. Nagumo-kuuun, Yue-saaan, thank you!”
“Hajime-samaaa, please make me your slaveeeeee!”
“Yue-san, make me your peeet!”
Joyful cheers exploded, words of thanks rose one after another. It felt like there were some dangerous words mixed in, but it would be troubling if perverts came out even from among the classmates so Hajime beautifully ignored it. But, the guy who made a strange request to Yue would be strangled later, while making that vow, Hajime sat down with a thud from fatigue.
Yue also sat on his lap in a tired state. He circled his arms around her slender waist to support her and then she snuggled in real close.
There, sutetete― cute footsteps resounded.
“Papaaa!”
“Myuu”
Hajime skillfully caught Myuu’s small body that jumped energetically and placed her on the knee opposite of Yue with his support. As expected, Myuu was also snuggling in real close on him.
“Hajime-san! Me toooo”
Shia jumped pyon like a rabbit. The place that she embraced was Hajime’s right shoulder. His hand that was supporting Yue temporarily let go and patted Shia’s rabbit ear. Shia happily snuggled close to him.
“Hajime-kun, you did it.”
The one who was saying that while quietly snuggling close was Kaori. And it wasn’t with an apostle body. Now she was in her original body. Thinking of the difference of lifespan between her and Hajime and others, it would be better if she stayed inside apostle body. Kaori herself thought that, but Yue who had comprehended the secret technique of apostle creation during the time she was possessed by Ehito said that it was possible someday to turn Kaori’s body into apostle and surpassed the limit of her lifespan, so in the end Kaori returned to her original body. In actuality, she was already able to change into apostle mode temporarily, where in that state she was able to use silver wings and disintegration ability and also handled twin swords art.
That Kaori clung tightly on Hajime’s left shoulder. When she got her head patted, as expected she then snuggled close to him.
“Goshujin-sama’s world is surely fun isn’t it?”
“Surely you will be shocked by it there.”
Tio and Shizuku arrived. There was only the back that was left open. The gaze of the two crossed. A spark scattered between them. When they were about to aim at the last clinging position…
“My my, a good place is left open here. Ufufu. Dear, please excuse me.”
Remia who smoothly cut in clung tightly to Hajime’s back. ” “Aa-” ” Tio and Shizuku’s voice was raised. As expected from a widow. She couldn’t be made light of.
“Shia-san, haa haa, let’s get along well with me?”
“Gee, Altina-!”
Unnoticed Altina appeared behind Shia with her breathing getting rough “haa haa”. She was walking unsteadily like a zombie while approaching Shia’s back to cling there.
Shia whose rabbit ears stood tall with shudders running through them separated from Hajime to repel back Altina.
To take advantage of that opening, two more female approached with a jog…
“…Aiko-san? What could you possibly be planning to do?”
“Liliana-san yourself, what business do you have with him?”
Here too sparks were sparking off.
Hajime’s surrounding became noisy suddenly, even the classmates who cheered joyfully with each other began to notice the commotion.
Amidst all that, Yue sighed “fuu” toward the female camp who was noisily quarreling for Hajime. Hajime tilted his head asking “What’s wrong?” with his gaze, immediately after that Yue’s atmosphere changed from sweet to bewitching.
And then, Yue’s body shined flashily, and at the next moment, the adult version Yue appeared. Right after that, the adult version Yue easily tore off Kaori and Remia from Hajime, because of the sudden growth the length of the clothes became comparatively short, and with that amazingly risqué and seductive clothing, she hugged Hajime’s head onto her breast and Hajime’s head was buried munyuu! into those splendid twin hills.
The quarreling female camp raised “Ah” voice while Hajime leaked out a muffled voice “unmu-“. Myuu was still supported in one of Hajime’s arms.
“…By the legal wife’s authority, the noisy child will be prohibited.”
Gushing out sex appeal. The devilish beauty that would charm anyone without distinction of sex. The words of the adult mode Yue that was the personification of bewitching made everyone’s breath taken away. The female camp immediately tried to object, but when they were forestalled by the sidelong glance Yue sent them, immediately their cheeks reddened and their words “uu” got caught inside their throat. Even Yue’s self-acknowledged rival Kaori was like that. Speaking clearly there was no one that could go against Yue.
By the way, if it was asked what was the prohibition was referring to, it was referring at the permission to enter Hajime’s bedroom. In this one month, Hajime and Yue, and then Shia too had passed through several sleepless nights, but that was something that didn’t happen every day.
And then, even at night where Yue and Shia were not there, there were still women that warmed Hajime’s bed. It went without saying just who those women were. And it also went without saying just who was the one that was holding the baton of command. It could be easily guessed from the words ‘legal wife authority’.
“…Nn. As punishment, I will monopolize today.”
“Wai-, Yue, umu-!?”
Hajime who became gutless from getting buried in the twin hills, was raised up by Yue and at the same time he received a hot, and not just normal hot but a scalding hoooot kiss from Yue.
The female camp suddenly became noisy. And then, the classmates were also became overdosed with sweetness and got flustered (including a part of the female students who became excited in a dangerous sense).
Kaori and others raised a voice of protest and pleading toward Hajime and Yue whose lips separated with rough gasping.
“Tha, that’s not fair, Yue! I too with Hajime-kun…” (Kaori)
“E, err, me too…with Hajime…” (Shizuku)
“Goshujin-sama, please be with me.” (Tio)
“My my, dear, please take care of me too okay?” (Remia)
“Hau, Na, Nagumo-kun, me, me too…” (Aiko)
“Hajime-san…please…” (Liliana)
In addition, Shia who had just finished burying Altina to the ground with a backdrop was wordlessly sending Hajime a moist gaze. Myuu was tilting her head because she was not really understanding what was going on.
There, Yue opened her mouth while smiling softly.
“…Hajime. With whom you will do it?”
If Hajime was mischievously asked that by Yue, then his answer could only be one.
“Yue is the only option.”
“Kufuh…then, I’ll be kidnapping him.”
Saying that, Myuu was then enveloped gently by the wind and handed over to Remia, then Yue’s figure vanished with a whoosh while still embracing Hajime. It was the magic ‘Heaven Existence’ that Yue ripped off from Ehitorujue. In truth when Yue kissed Hajime she recovered by taking Hajime’s blood.
The plaza of Fea Bergen was once more filled with the protesting voices “Aaa――!!” of the female camp that was in love with Hajime.
“…God damnit. I’m so deathly jealous.”
“Yeah. Me too, I want to get kidnapped by that kind of beautyyy”
“But, this me who is feeling that if it’s Nagumo then it can’t be helped, it feels like I already lost something.”
Tamai Atsushi looked up to the sky and whispered, while Aikawa Noboru was earnestly in agreement, Nimura Akito shrugged and exposed an expression that couldn’t say anything.
“Aa, I totally understand you. It feels like I cannot make any word.”
“‘Well, it’s Nagumo after all’, this sentence is the recent popular phrase huh…”
Nomura Kentaro and Nagayama Juugo that heard the conversation of Tamai and others were smiling wryly while nodding. To that Nakano Shinji and Saito Yoshiki also made a dry smile that similarly couldn’t say anything.
“Haa haa, I want to be stepped on by Yue-san. I want to get ground down hard while getting scorned by those eyes…”
“You are going to the hospital right away after we go home okay? Have them look at your head.”
Amidst a part of the boys that were turning perverted, the other boys were smiling wryly while feeling envious and understanding, while also feeling complicated because they could be that understanding.
Nearby those boys, Miyazaki Nana was similarly leaking out a voice was filled with envy.
“How enviouuusss”
Sonobe Yuuka who tilted her head asked back “Which one that you mean?”
“Rather than which one, I think I’m more envious of that kind of relationship itself.”
“I really get what you mean. Certainly that’s envious isn’t it?”
Sugawara Taeko was making a girly expression while leaking out an admiring sigh “hou”. Yuuka smiled wryly toward her two best friends that didn’t even hide their longing while staring at the demon king harem members who were rushing into the forest to chase after the vanishing Yue and Hajime before she opened her mouth.
“How should I put it, Kaori-chan and Shizuku who stepped into that relationship, and then Ai-chan who got over various things, they are amazing.”
“…What’s with you all, getting like this. Crap, Nagumo-kun is seriously demon king-sama.”
“Haa haa, Hajime-samaaa, please make me your slave…”
“Let’s go to the hospital together when we go home. You need to get your head looked at.”
The conversations of the girl classmates came into hearing too, they expressed their feeling that envied Hajime and Yue’s relationship, while also giving their praise at Kaori and others who entered the harem. At the same time, their cheeks reddened from knowing that the harem already did it. Actually, quite a number of them harbored the feeling that if Hajime asked for them then they would respond to him. But Hajime wasn’t asking for them, so those feelings didn’t come into realization though.
“Suzu is not going after them?”
“No no, I’m not going. Just what are you saying so suddenly, Ryutaro-kun?”
Suzu was staring at the progression of the commotion while cackling, to such Suzu, Ryutaro who was at her side asked her that for some reason, to which Suzu tilted her head as though to say “Just what is this person talking about?”
“…No, if you ain’t going then that’s fine. See, your inside is a perverted old man yeah, so I thought that somehow you would get carried away saying ‘me too’ and charged into there or something.”
“…Oi, are you calling me a pervert without integrity, you *******. I wonder, do I actually need to have a talk with Ryutaro-kun regarding your impression of me?”
“No, because, you see, fundamentally you are a pervert after all…”
“Okay, you are asking for a fight right? You want to fight aren’t you? I’ll let you eat to your heart’s content you know, this evolved Barrier Burst of mine.”
Ryutaro scratched his cheek lightly while speaking his honest opinion, hearing that a vein appeared on Suzu’s forehead while her hand reached toward her restored iron fan. Looking at that, Kouki rushed in panic to stop her.
“Su, Suzu. Calm down-. Ryutaro doesn’t mean anything bad with what he said, rather――”
“Kouki-kun shut up. This muscle brain who had forgotten the concept of delicacy inside her mother’s stomach, he had to get talked strictly with at least once!”
Suzu cut off Kouki’s words and howled fiercely. However, if Suzu talked about him until that far, then it would make Ryutaro wanted to at least object.
“Oy you! I don’t want to be told that I get no delicacy or whatever by the girl who wanted to go peeking at the bedroom of Nagumo and others at the middle of the night! You yourself, you actually had thrown away this thing called a woman’s shame at the roadside around there ain’t you?”
“Tha, that’s, because! I just got bothered! This is the love affair of one-sama and others you know!? It will be a loss of your life if we don’t burn that scene into our eyes at least once you know!?”
“Who give a damn! Besides, if you want to see it that much then you can just go alone. Think about my feeling who got woken up at night and got taken along to peep!”
“That was my kindness to the no good Ryutaro-kun! Understand that!”
“Don’t bullshit! Something like getting invited by a girl of the same age, to peek at the ero scene of the classmates, there is a limit even to being awkward! Or rather I don’t get what you mean!”
The giant and tiny girl quarreled(?) noisily gyaa gyaa. The surrounding sent lukewarm gaze at the two who recently caused this kind of spectacle relatively often. And then, the gazes toward Kouki who was completely flustered around the two was also lukewarm.
The shining charisma when they were first summoned here was already gone, in this one month, Kouki had earnestly lowered his head to everyone and his former impressive presence was thoroughly disappearing. The gaze of the surrounding to him was still cold, filled with wariness and suspicion. Kouki who had resolved himself was merely accepting those emotions silently.
His expression was constantly hard, smeared with guilt and regret. The classmates who knew the former Kouki who always helped people without distinction, although at first they held suspicion at Kouki who betrayed them, but seeing Shizuku and others who had staked their lives to take him back, and their own feeling who simply didn’t want to lose anymore classmate, and then looking at Kouki who felt more regretful than anyone else, working hard trying to change himself, caused the classmates to try to accept him for the moment.
Kouki who lost his former smile, but at the side of Ryutaro and others, he was showing a slightly soft expression even while looking flustered, seeing that expression made the classmates feel a bit relieved. Because even though they had lost a lot of things, but somehow, the important thing from before they were summoned was coming back for a little bit, they felt such feeling from that expression.
With the commotion of Ryutaro and Suzu as the center, coupled with the confirmation that they could go home, the classmates also started making a ruckus with a bright expression.
The smiles of them who knew firsthand that in life, there were times where they had to fight with their life on the line…were really powerful.
Now then, if it was asked where were Hajime and Yue who teleported went….currently both of them were under the great tree. Hajime asked for a place where no one would intrude and also had a tasteful atmosphere, so this was the designated place that fulfilled both conditions.
Hajime was holding hand with Yue who went back into girl mode, their fingers interlocked with each other, the two of them were relaxedly walking toward the base of the great tree.
The weather today was clear, sunlight brightly poured down through the trees in this place where mist didn’t enter.
“Yue, use regeneration magic.”
“…Nn? Understood.”
If the entrance to the great labyrinth was closed, then the great tree would return into a dead tree. Presently, the great tree in front of their eyes was withered. If regeneration magic was applied, it would recover its green color. Yue understood that, but she didn’t understand why it was necessary when they had no plan to enter inside.
Yue tilted her head with slight doubt, but she somehow guessed that Hajime was merely wishing to see a more beautiful scenery, she smiled while applying the magic.
Instantly the great tree was overflowed with green while emitting light. The sunlight that shined through the branches and leaves were creating several angel’s ladders. If the tranquil atmosphere was combined with the splendorous great tree that could be associated with the world tree Yggdrasil in myth, the place would become something beautiful that was even more fantastical, or even mystical.
Hajime nodded in satisfaction before he took Yue’s hand and led her to the base of the great tree. And then, like that he sat down and put Yue on his lap. It was a posture where he was embracing her from behind. The Yue in girl mode settled snugly on Hajime’s chest.
While feeling each other’s warmth and pulse for a while, they tasted the silence. The sound of leaves rustling that was audible sometimes and the breeze that caressed the skin felt pleasant.
Before long, after enjoying the nature enough to their heart’s content, Hajime softly opened his mouth, whispering into Yue’s ear.
“Yue.”
“…Hm?”
“There is something I want to show you.”
“…Something to show?”
“Yeah. Actually, this is something that should be shown to you faster but…it’s something important so I was looking for a good timing, but it got postponed until the end like this. Sorry.”
“…? I don’t really understand but, if Hajime thinks that now is the right time, then that’s fine.”
Hajime’s eyes softened at Yue who looked up from his chest to stare at him. And then, he kissed softly at her beautiful golden threads that rustled in the wind while taking out an artifact.
That was a small transparent ore that looked like a diamond. The image recording artifact that he discovered at the sealing room in the abyss.
Hajime kept embracing Yue tightly and lifted the artifact forward before activating it. The artifact shined, and suddenly an image was projected. Seeing the person that appeared there, Yue opened her eyes wide in shock and murmured in a daze.
“…Oji, sama?”
Hajime wordlessly strengthened his arms that were embracing Yue. It was unclear whether it was unconsciously or consciously, but Yue was also gripping tightly the hands of Hajime around her waist.
In front of those two, the person in the image recording――Yue’s uncle, Denreed Gardia Wesperitirio Avatar slowly began to talk.
{…Aleytia. Long time no see, I wonder if saying that is a little wrong. I think that you are surely hating me. No, surely word like hate will not be enough at all. What I did……aa, that’s not it. This is not what I want to say. Even though I have been thinking of various things, now that the time has come to leave my last will I cannot speak smoothly.}
While making a self-depreciating wry smile, Denreed pulled himself together by clearing his throat.
{That’s right. First let me say my thanks. …Aleytia. Surely, right now on your side there should be someone who you are trusting from the bottom of your heart. At the very least, that person must be a strong person who could obtain metamorphosis magic and able to challenge the true Orkus, a person who didn’t abandon you from the guardian that I prepared and rescued you.}
Hajime’s eyes were closed. As though to listen to those words, or possibly to lament the departed.
{…You. You there who is close to my beloved niece. I wonder if you are male? Or else are you female? For Aleytia, what kind of existence are you? Are you her lover? Are you her friend? Or do you become her family, or her comrade? My apologize that I cannot meet you directly to say my thanks, but I still want to say it no matter what. …Thank you. For saving this child, for being close to her, thank you. I offer you my greatest gratitude in my whole lifetime.}
Yue didn’t even twitch. What Hajime could see were only her glittering golden threads that were sparkling from reflecting light.
{Aleytia. Surely many questions are flooding inside your chest. Or else, perhaps you have already know the truth. Just why, that day, I hurt you, and buried you inside that bottom of darkness? What kind of existence are you, and who is your true enemy?}
The story that was talked from there was the facts that they already knew and speculation that didn’t miss from the truth.
Namely, that Yue was born as a miko (TN: Usually miko is a shrine maiden, but from the kanji it can be interpreted as god child), and she was aimed by Ehitorujue. Denreed who noticed that pretended to kill Yue in his coup d’etat with the disguise that he was blinded by greed, he then sealed her in the abyss, the room where she was sealed itself was a hidden place that could fool even the god. The sealing of Yue was also a bitter choice for him so that her presence couldn’t be possibly detected even for a bit.
{I was hesitating whether to tell you the truth or not until just before that day. But, for the sake of deceiving those guys with certainty, I judged that I shouldn’t tell you. I also thought that if you hate me, then that would be a motivation for you to live.}
Surely Denreed also couldn’t stay for long in the sealing room. That was why, after pretending to kill Yue at the palace, there was no doubt that there was also no time for him to talk with her.
Just how filled with bitterness that choice that he made, it was shown by the strength of his hand clutching at the other side of the image.
{Even so, it doesn’t change that I had hurt you. I won’t say anything like your forgiveness after this late. However, I want you to please believe only this. I want you to know this.}
Denreed’s expression changed from anguish, into an expression of smiling while crying. That look was overflowing with gentleness and kindness, at the same time, it was also filled with a hopeless sadness.
{I love you, Aleytia. I love you from the bottom of my heart. I have never thought of you as bothersome, not even for once. ――I thought of you as my daughter.}
“…Oji, sama. Den-ojisama. I-, I too…”
Thought of you like a father. That feeling was flowing down along with the tears that traced through her cheek, unable to form into words. But, the strength of the hand that was clutching Hajime’s hand conveyed that feeling more eloquent than anything.
{I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t do anything but to entrust you to someone in the future. I’m sorry that I act like a pathetic father.}
“…Such things-”
What was in front of their eyes was a recording of the past. It was nothing more but Denreed’s last will. But, such thing was irrelevant. Yue couldn’t help but yell no matter what.
Something shining was gathering at the corner of Denreed’s eyes. But, he didn’t let that flow by any means. While enduring tightly, he spun words toward his beloved daughter with all his heart.
{I wanted to be at your side, seeing your figure when you grasped your own happiness someday. It was my secret dream to punch the man standing at your side once. And then, after that, I wanted to exchange sake with him, and say “please take care of my daughter”. It was the partner that Aleytia chose. Surely, he would make a firm promise with a serious face.}
Denreed was looking at far away as though seeing a dream at the other side of the image. By any chance, there might be the Yue of the past at the direction of his gaze.
{It will be the time soon. There are more things that I want to talk, various things that I want to convey but…with my creation magic, I can only make an artifact of this degree.}
“…no-, I don’t wanna-. Oji-sa, Otou-sama!”
Denreed smiled wryly at the approaching limit of the recording, to that Yue reached her hand while crying. Her uncle, no, her father’s deep and deep affection, and that tragically tough resolve fiercely shook Yue’s heart, indescribable feelings were overflowing out.
Hajime hugged Yue even tighter.
{I cannot be on your side anymore, but even if this life is about to run out I’ll continue to pray. Aleytia. My beloved daughter. I wish for infinite happiness to shower above your head. For you to walk a path that is warmer than sunlight, and gentler than moonlight.}
“…Otou-sama-”
Denreed’s gaze wandered. Surely that was because he was imagining the person who was being close with Yue.
{To you who is very close with my beloved daughter. It doesn’t matter what kind of shape it is. Make that child, to be the happiest girl in the world. Please, I beg you.}
“…Naturally. I swear it with my life.”
There was no way Hajime’s words reached him. But, without any doubt, Denreed was smiling in satisfaction. Surely he was convinced of how the person in the future who listened to his words would answer. In various senses, he was a preposterous person. Perhaps it was just as expected from Yue’s father.
The recording was fading down. Denreed’s figure melted into empty air. It was as though his soul was going away…
Yue and Hajime were snuggling to each other so close that they wouldn’t separate no matter what while gazing straight ahead, there the last words of Denreed resounded.
{…Sayonara, Aleytia. I wish that the whole world that is surrounding you, to be filled with happiness.}
Inside the deep forest, a crying voice was echoing.
It contained sadness. However, that was not all there was to it, it was a voice that was choked with warm tears of gratitude. That warmth gently enveloped Hajime.
Yue rotated her body and clung to Hajime’s chest. There she vented her emotion to her heart’s content.
It was unknown how long time passed like that.
Before long, Yue quietly lifted her face that was wet with tears. Hajime’s hand gently wiped on those cheeks.
“Yue.”
“…Nn.”
While holding Yue’s cheeks, Hajime spun his words along with a gaze that was filled with love and resolves.
“I, am the happiest man in the world. The proof of that, is inside my arms like this right now.”
“…Nn. Then, I too, is the happiest woman in the world. The proof of that, is how I’m embraced like this right now.”
In a distance where their lips could touch anytime, while feeling each other’s breath, the two of them stared at each other. It felt funny for some reason, both of them chuckled a bit.
While chuckling like that, Hajime suddenly took out a ring. It was a simple silver ring. There was no special ability that was enchanted in it. If he had to say what was special about it, then it was a staggeringly tough ring, that was it.
That ring which was glittering brightly from reflecting the sunlight, was stared by Yue whose eyes were similarly glittering brightly.
“…nn. Proposal?”
Once, those words were said jokingly when Hajime handed her the accessories of magical bright stone series in the Orkus Great Labyrinth. At that time, Hajime spontaneously retorted but…
“That’s right.”
“…u”
This time, he responded straight back. His serious gaze was seriously conveying his feeling to her. As expected, Yue got shy and couldn’t even say her usual “…nn”. Her cheeks were already bright red like an apple.
“At Japan, the custom is for the man to say [Please give me your daughter] to the partner’s father. That’s why, I thought to say it in this place where Yue realized the true feeling of your father.”
“…Nnu”
Because the one these words should be said to have gone, Hajime said it to the person herself.
“I want Yue. Everything of you, give it to me from here on until the future ahead too.”
“…au”
Yue writhed.
Things like a reply or whatever, were obviously decided already.
A flower bloomed. The loveliest flower in this world. If there was a flower language for it, then the meaning would be unquestionably ‘happiness’.
Yue answered, along with a smile that was gloriously blooming in full.
“…Nn-!!”
The ring that indicated eternity was fitted into the ring finger of the left hand that Yue presented forward. There was one more ring. This time Yue was the one who fitted it into Hajime’s ring finger.
They showed the ring to each other, and then, they chuckled together.
After a while, Yue floated a mischievous smile while asking.
“…Then? How many rings Hajime are preparing after this?”
“…Yue. I think asking that in this kind of time is problematic.”
“…Give it to Shia next.”
“That’s why, enjoy the afterglow a bit more before saying that…”
Hajime was about to protest at Yue who was leaking out a teasing smile, but then his lips were blocked by a finger. Like that Yue directed her gaze to the beyond.
Hajime who got lured by that and followed her gaze caught the sight of Shia and others running from inside the sea of trees. It appeared that Yue made such question because she noticed their presences.
“…Fufu. If it’s Hajime, then you can make everyone happy together.”
“If looked with common sense, I’m just a lowly ******* though.”
“…Common sense doesn’t work for the demon king-sama. Besides, no matter what shape it is, if the people themselves are happy then there is no problem.”
“Well, I have determined and resolved myself so I have no hesitation anyway. Everyone, is mine.”
“…Nn. That’s my Hajime. But…”
Yue’s eyes shined.
And then,
“…I won’t hand over the ‘special’ position.”
Saying that, Yue seized Hajime’s lips.
From afar, with Shia, Tio, Kaori, Shizuku, Myuu, Remia, Aiko, Liliana as the first on the list, people were gathering one after another. The quiet and mystical place immediately became noisy like in the middle of a city.
While half of his sight was filled with the lovely vampire princess, Hajime looked at the girls at the other side and thought…
(Now then, when I introduced to Tou-san and Kaa-san, that everyone is my wives, what will happen huh…)
It seemed doubtless that even in Japan, Hajime would be in a whirlpool of turmoil.
However, surely Hajime would overcome everything of those. Crushing irrationality with irrationality, rewriting absurdity with absurdity, and if needed even fate would be destroyed, together with the ‘precious’ that he obtained in this world.
While making a gentle and also powerful smile, like now.
The tale of the young man who was summoned into another world, gifted with nothing but the talent of a common job, getting rid of even god while arriving as the world’s strongest, had the curtain lowered now with this.
After returning to Japan, due to the turmoil that was caused by the return of the group who got spirited away, the wives problem of Nagumo family, the rabbit ear legend of Akihabara, etc, etc, it went without saying that Hajime and others would go through uncommon everyday filled with turmoil.
Those stories, would be told at another chance someday…