After retrieving the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer by storing it inside the <Carrier's Bracelet>, we headed for the boss room to finally make our exit from the [Kataroff Dungeon].
I felt a lingering curiosity about Vampire Eudite, but meeting her would inevitably lead to some unnecessary disaster, so I decided to put her out of my mind for the time being. Besides, she was likely more than capable of taking care of herself without me.
The creature lurking in the deepest reaches of the [Kataroff Dungeon] was a monster known as the Lumoahaze. While it was an incredibly formidable foe, I had Hero Ageha at my side. With her strength, I knew we could dispatch it without any trouble at all.
As it turned out, my optimism was well-founded. Ageha defeated the beast with such trivial ease that it was almost anti-climactic; there was hardly anything worth recounting about the battle itself.
As a reward for the victory, we obtained a <Sword of Raging Flames>. Since I already had one in my possession, I handed it over to Ageha.
"I wonder if this would fetch a good price," she mused, tucking it away into her <Item Box>.
Once the boss was dead, a teleportation circle appeared. Having been through this cycle many times before, I knew exactly what to do. This circle would take us back to the surface.
I felt a surge of nervous tension. I wondered how the people of Kataroff Village would react if they realized I had returned. I was certain their response wouldn't be a warm one. The thought left me feeling a bit gloomy.
While I was lost in these reflections, the teleportation circle began to glow, whisking us away from the depths of the dungeon.
When I opened my eyes, the night sky stretched out above us. I was standing on the pedestal designated for those who successfully conquered the dungeon. When I had returned previously with the Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer, the villagers had spotted me immediately. This time, however, the cover of night worked in our favor; there wasn't a soul in sight.
"Hey, Ageha. Since we're here, why don't you come to my—"
The words caught in my throat. Ageha, standing right beside me, was crying.
"S-sorry," she said, wiping her eyes. "I just... realizing I've finally made it back... I got a little overwhelmed."
I nodded. It made sense. For Ageha, who had been sealed away for so long, this wasn't just a simple exit from a dungeon—it was a homecoming.
"I'm glad you're back," I said softly.
"Yeah. It's all thanks to you, Kiska."
We made our way to my house.
"So this is where you lived, Kiska?"
"It’s small, but I hope you can make do."
Ageha seemed restless as she entered, observing every nook and cranny of the room. I didn't think the interior was particularly interesting, but she seemed fascinated. In any case, I was relieved to find the place still standing. I had braced myself for the possibility that it might have been destroyed, but the bed, table, and other basic furniture were all exactly where I'd left them.
I lit a lantern and searched for tea leaves, but it seemed I had run out.
I decided that testing the ring’s ability to resurrect Namia should wait until the sun was up, so we prepared to turn in for the night. There were two beds—mine and the one my mother used to sleep in—so I suggested we take one each. Ageha immediately rejected the idea.
"I want to sleep together," she insisted.
It was a single bed and quite a tight fit, but I didn't have the heart to argue.
"I’m still a little anxious," Ageha whispered as she lay beside me. "I’m afraid that once your childhood friend comes back, you’ll lose interest in me."
"There’s no way that would happen."
"I don't know... you have a bit of a track record, Kiska."
"............"
I realized that any response I gave would likely just dig my own grave, so I opted to pretend I hadn't heard her.
"I bought what you asked for."
The next morning, I had sent Ageha out to run an errand for me.
"How is it? Did I get the size right?"
"No, it’s a perfect fit," I said, pulling the garment on.
I had asked her to buy a cloak with a hood large enough to obscure my face. It hid my silver hair perfectly. With this hood up, the villagers wouldn't be able to easily identify me as Kiska.
Once I was covered, I walked through the village with Ageha. Everything seemed brand new to her; she couldn't stop looking around at the simple sights of the village.
"I believe it's this way."
I came to a halt at the burial grounds. Since Namia had come from a relatively well-off family, I assumed she would have been laid to rest in a proper plot.
"Is this the one?" Ageha asked.
She was standing before a headstone that looked quite new and well-maintained. Namia’s name was carved clearly into the stone.
Together, Ageha and I moved the headstone and unearthed the coffin hidden beneath. When I pried the lid open, there she was. Namia looked as though she were merely sleeping.
A lump formed in my throat. I’d been captured so quickly after everything happened that I never even had the chance to offer a prayer. Because of that, the reality of her death had never truly sunk in. Now, finally, I was seeing her again.
But I couldn't spend the whole morning mourning. I had dug up this grave for a very specific reason.
I pulled the ring from my pocket. Visualizing the way Holy Knight Kanaria had behaved when she resurrected the Demon King, I tried to mimic her actions. If I remembered correctly, she had held the ring aloft like this...
In an instant, a blinding light erupted from the ring. I had been terrified that nothing would happen, but the brilliance of the glow told me that something was definitely in motion. My heart hammered against my ribs.
Could it be? Is Namia really—
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽ Use of Legend Item <Ring of Wishes> confirmed. △△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
A message window suddenly flickered into existence. It seemed the ring was officially known as the <Ring of Wishes>.
And what exactly did "Legend Item" imply? I glanced at Ageha to see her reaction. I figured she might know the significance of the term. However, she didn't say a word; she just stared intently at the coffin.
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽ Use of Legend Item <Ring of Wishes> completed. △△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
By the time the text faded, the <Ring of Wishes> had vanished from my hand. At the same time, the radiance began to subside. Somewhere within that fading light, Namia was waiting.
"Wh-what...?"
A young girl stood there, her expression one of utter confusion. She had greenish hair and a gentle face—a face I knew better than almost any other.
"Namia," I whispered.
She looked at me, her eyes widening. "Kiska...?"
It really was her. The moment I was sure, tears began to stream down my face.
"Namia! Thank god... I'm so glad!" I cried, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Kiska? Why are you so... why are you crying like that?"
"I just... I can't believe this actually happened."
"...I see. I think I understand. I'm a little confused, and I don't quite know what's going on... but this was your doing, wasn't it, Kiska? Thank you."
She gave me a soft, familiar smile.
Did she really just come back to life?
To be honest, I—Ageha—could hardly believe what I was seeing.
That ring was apparently called the <Ring of Wishes>. A Legend Item. From what I recall, Legend Items are the most valuable artifacts in this world. There are fewer than a hundred of them in existence, and each one is known to be capable of altering the very fabric of the world.
But even for a Legend Item, is it truly possible to resurrect the dead?
Granted, this is a fantasy world. It’s a place where things that would be impossible in my old world happen every day. In a way, the Return by Death I trigger with <Save & Reset> isn't all that different from bringing back the deceased. Using Necromancy to turn someone into an Undead is one thing, but the resurrection that just happened before my eyes seemed to have no strings attached.
Is that even possible?
...I can't help but wonder if, by bringing her back, a massive price has been paid without us even realizing it.
I think I’ll need to do some investigating of my own. Kiska is clearly too swept up in the moment to think straight, so I'll have to be the one to stay vigilant.