Assassin Noc carefully placed the <Holy Sword Hagentia>—which Highness Eligion had been carrying—on the ground. Reaching into his robe, he produced a jewel-like object and began muttering incantations in a low, gravelly voice.
A brilliant light erupted from the <Holy Sword Hagentia>.
Once the radiance subsided, Ageha was standing right there before me.
"Kiska! I finally found you! I missed you so much!"
The moment she appeared, she lunged into my arms. It was so sudden that I stumbled back, but I managed to catch her and hold her close.
"Is something wrong, Kiska?"
She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with an anxious expression. It seemed she had noticed the troubled look on my face.
"No... I was just thinking that Highness Eligion and the others must hate me now. If things stay like this, the Stigma of the Alcusians will only spread further."
Because Assassin Noc had betrayed the prince, the reputation of the Alcusians would be ruined. As a result, my younger self would end up being bullied and ostracized in the village. If it were possible, I wanted to change that reality.
"No, wait. It might not be too late."
I considered looping again, but perhaps it wasn't necessary to go to such extremes.
"Hey, Ageha. Do you have any paper and a pen?"
"I do, but what are you planning?"
She pulled the items from her <Item Box> as she spoke.
"I thought I'd write a note to Highness Eligion."
I knew from experience that the prince was the type of person who would understand if the circumstances were explained properly. However, the taciturn Assassin Noc was hardly the type to sit down for a heart-to-heart. If I had Noc carry a letter instead, maybe I could fix things.
I gripped the pen, wondering how to phrase it.
『An unexpected error occurred.』
Suddenly, incomprehensible text appeared in the air before me.
"What is this?"
"Stop!"
Ageha cried out, forcefully snatching the paper and pen from my hands. The moment the pen left my grip, the mysterious characters vanished.
"Ageha, do you know what that was?"
"Well, you see..."
She began to explain the situation. Apparently, Assassin Noc was my direct ancestor. We shared the same hair color and heritage, but the connection went deeper than that.
"So you're saying if I fundamentally change Assassin Noc's fate, my own existence will be jeopardized?"
I stood there, stunned. It seemed there was no convenient way to erase the fact that I had been bullied. My existence was built upon that timeline.
"But even so... if my existence vanishes, but I can save Namia in the process..."
"Absolutely not!"
Ageha’s voice was sharp enough to make my ears ring.
"If you ever say that again, I'm going to be truly angry."
"Sorry..."
I apologized reflexively. I knew Ageha would never allow me to sacrifice myself. Still, I didn't want to give up on Namia.
My eyes fell on the ring Assassin Noc was holding—the one required for the Demon King's resurrection. With this, I might be able to bring Namia back. If that was the case, perhaps I didn't need to force a change to the history of my childhood suffering.
"Noc, may I have that ring?"
"Yeah."
He nodded and handed the ring to me.
"I understand, Ageha. I'll give up on trying to change the past. So, what do we do now?"
"We wait. He'll be here soon. Any moment now, I think."
"He?"
Aside from me, Ageha, and Assassin Noc, the room was empty. Was someone else coming? As I ran through the possibilities, Assassin Noc suddenly let out a horrific scream.
"Ugaaaaaaaaaa!!"
It was a savage, ferocious sound, completely unlike his usual quiet self.
"I instructed Noc to contact 'Chaosism' and obtain the key to my seal," Ageha explained calmly, despite the man suffering right in front of her. "I suspect he's being possessed because of that."
This was evidently exactly what she had expected to happen. I looked at the jewel Noc had used earlier. Was that the "key"?
As I watched, Assassin Noc's body began to undergo a grotesque transformation. His muscles expanded, his skin turned a sickly green, and he began to mutate into something entirely inhuman.
"A pleasure to meet you, Hero Ageha. I am the Tyrant King."
The voice was cold and resonant, bearing no resemblance to Noc's.
The Tyrant King. So this was the entity Ageha had warned me about—the source of the world's destruction.
"The pleasure is mine," Ageha replied flatly.
"First, my congratulations. I assume you've defeated the Demon King?"
"I wasn't the one who killed him."
"I see. Regardless, it is a momentous occasion for humanity."
"Skip the pleasantries. Get to the point."
"How cold. Very well. Recently, I observed a peculiar ripple in the flow of time. Was this your doing as well?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"...You have no intention of answering, I see. Though I am nearly certain you are the cause."
"Look, I'm not here for small talk. I told you—get to the point."
"I see I am quite unpopular with you. Strange, considering this is our first meeting. I wonder when I earned such enmity? Though I suppose a Hero is capable of such supernatural intuition."
The Tyrant King chuckled meaningfully.
"Hero Ageha, let us make a deal. I wish to seal you away. I want to observe the phenomena that occur when a Hero is imprisoned after the Demon King's fall."
"And if I refuse?"
"I will destroy this world," the Tyrant King stated with absolute clinical detachment. "Do not bother trying to stop me. You cannot kill me, and for me, unmaking this world is simpler than preparing breakfast. However, I am aware that even if the world ends, I cannot kill you in the truest sense. Thus, while I can force a draw, I cannot truly win. Hence, the deal."
"There's no benefit in this for me."
"I am the Tyrant King. I only care about my own interests. What is your answer?"
"Fine. I'll accept the seal, just as you ask."
"You are surprisingly cooperative."
"I suppose so..." Ageha nodded vaguely.
"Wait—is it possible to seal me along with her?" I asked, stepping forward. I knew this was my only chance.
"My interest lies with the Hero. I have no use for other humans," the Tyrant King replied.
"I just... I don't want her to be alone."
"...I see. Very well. The effort required to seal one or two is much the same. It shouldn't be a problem."
I felt a massive weight lift off my chest. I had been terrified he would say no.
"Then I shall begin the preparations for the Sealing Ritual immediately."
"What do we need to do?" I asked.
"Nothing. Simply stand there."
I did as instructed, remaining silent. I felt a hand slip into mine. Ageha was standing beside me, gripping my hand tight. I squeezed back.
"I'm sorry, Ageha."
"Why are you apologizing, Kiska?"
"For not being able to grant your wish... about not being sealed."
"You don't need to worry about that. As long as you're with me, I'm happy."
"I see..."
I was surprised by how easily I could now accept her straightforward affection.
"Are you quite finished?" the Tyrant King interrupted.
"Yeah. We're ready."
"Wait, Tyrant King. I have one question," Ageha said.
"Proceed."
"You're the leader of 'Chaosism,' aren't you?"
Chaosism. The mysterious organization that Holy Knight Kanaria and Warrior Golgano belonged to. If Noc had been possessed after contacting them, it stood to reason that this entity was their head.
"There is little point in denying it now. Yes, I am."
"I thought so. And what is your goal?"
"I suppose there is no harm in sharing. Our goal is to reach the Truth."
"And you'll destroy the world to get there?"
"If it proves necessary, yes."
"Fine. I don't care about the fate of the world, but don't you dare bring any more trouble to me or the person I love."
"I shall take it into consideration," the Tyrant King said, though I doubted his sincerity.
Ageha nodded, turning her gaze away from him and refocusing on me. She gripped my hand even tighter.
"Now, let the sealing begin."
A blinding light suddenly swirled around us. It was the same radiance I remembered seeing when I first found Ageha in the future.
"I'm right here, Ageha."
"Mm."
I held her hand with everything I had. As long as we didn't let go, we could get through anything.
Slowly, my body began to grow heavy and immobile. My vision began to dim. But as long as I could feel her warmth, the light in my heart wouldn't fade.
『Conditions met. Repatriating to original timeline.』
"What?"
I shouted at the distorted text that suddenly flashed before my eyes.
A memory struck me like a physical blow. The Observer who had sent me back had told me:
『Once I determine the world has been saved, I will forcibly return you to the original timeline.』
"Wait! Stop! I don't want to leave her! Please, cancel the repatriation!"
I screamed into the void, but the only response was the distant, muffled growl of a monster. I didn't even know if the Observer could hear me.
"Ah... no..."
Ageha was looking at me, large tears spilling from her eyes in a broken rhythm.
"Ageha!"
I pulled her into a desperate embrace, knowing even as I did so that it changed nothing.
"No... I don't want this... I don't want to be away from you, Kiska!"
She sobbed into my chest. I felt exactly the same. To leave her here alone for a hundred years while I was pulled back to the future... it was a cruelty beyond words.
"Hey, Tyrant King! Stop the ritual!"
I yelled at the figure outside, but the seal had already isolated us. My voice couldn't reach him.
I looked down and saw my toes beginning to turn transparent. When the process finished, I would be erased from this era. Based on the speed of the fading, I realized we only had moments left.
"Ageha, listen to me!"
I spoke with a frantic intensity, desperate to give her something to hold onto. She looked up, her eyes meeting mine.
"As soon as I'm back in the original timeline, I'm coming to get you. Immediately. So please... please stay strong and wait for me."
"Okay... I'll wait..."
She nodded, but her face was a mask of pure grief. It wasn't enough. My words weren't enough to ease the weight on her heart. I felt utterly powerless. I couldn't even save the one girl standing right in front of me.
"Ageha, I promise. I'm coming for you."
I kept talking, kept telling her I would return, desperate for her to believe me. Was there nothing else? Was there nothing I could give her to prove my vow?
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
Skill <Covenant> has been activated.
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
A new message appeared. I had forgotten I even had a Skill called <Covenant>. I'd never known how to use it.
As the message faded, light pooled in the palm of my hand. When I closed my fingers around it, I felt the cold weight of a ring.
I remembered then—Ageha had said she wanted a ring. Amidst all the chaos, I hadn't been able to get her one. Until now.
"Here. Take this."
I held the ring out to her. She looked at it, then extended her left hand, gesturing for me to put it on her ring finger. I slid the band into place.
"Thank you... I'm so happy."
Her eyes were red and her face was stained with tears, but she managed a tiny, fragile smile. Seeing that look on her face felt like a purification of my soul. I was glad I could make her smile, even if only at the very end.
"Ageha!"
I reached out, wanting to touch her just one last time. But just as my fingertips brushed against her skin, I vanished from the timeline entirely.