While we were conversing, the Founding Anniversary Ceremony officially began. The proceedings followed the standard ceremonial script, opening with an address from Laguna-san in her capacity as King, followed by the introduction of dignitaries and the exchange of formal greetings.
Despite the official formalities, the attention of the gathered crowd was—as one might expect—fixed on a massive object positioned at the center of the stage. Shrouded in heavy cloth and flanked by an elite guard, its presence dominated the square.
"Noin-san, that message is absolutely enormous, isn't it?" I remarked.
"Yes. It is essentially a monument... a stele with characters carved into a high-strength ore plate that Funf-sama created through alchemy magic. Laguna asked for something that captured the same spirit as the one on Hero’s Hill, even if the materials differ."
"She’s likely planning to display it somewhere and turn it into a tourist attraction once the festival ends," Alice chimed in. "For someone who keeps claiming she wants to retire, she’s certainly efficient at bolstering the national treasury."
Hero’s Hill was world-famous as a landmark, drawing countless visitors to its monument every year. It was a testament to the staggering weight of the First Hero's name.
From a political standpoint, this was likely a calculated strategic move. With the Kingdom of Sinfonia boasting the God-made Sky Castle and the Arclesia Empire featuring power spots blessed by Fate-san, the Hydra Kingdom was facing stiff competition in the tourism sector. This monument was their counter-offensive.
"Now then," Laguna-san’s voice boomed across the square via Amplification Magic, "under normal circumstances, we would proceed with the national anthem and other traditions. However, I suspect neither our honored guests nor the citizens have much patience for that today. Therefore, we shall postpone the formalities and move straight to the main event!"
The excitement in the venue surged instantly. Laguna-san stood upon the stage beside the monument, nodding with satisfaction as she surveyed the crowd before continuing.
"Many of you harbor questions regarding the First Hero... Hikari. While her own wishes prevent me from revealing everything, there is one point of concern she has permitted me to address here. The hero who brought great change to this world—the First Hero, Kujou Hikari—is still alive!"
A shockwave of pure silence, followed by a roar of disbelief, tore through the square. That revelation was clearly what everyone had been holding their breath for. Ever since she vanished after the Conclusion of the Friendship Treaty, neither the Six Kings nor the Supreme Gods had uttered a single word about her fate. I had seen countless magazines and tabloids debating the 'survival theory,' but here it was, confirmed by the King herself.
"I have no intention of saying whether Hikari returned to her own world or chose to remain in ours," Laguna-san continued, asserting her friend’s existence. "However, let it be known that her survival is an undeniable fact. This message was prepared by her own hand at my persistent request, and it was written very recently."
It was common knowledge that time flowed differently between Trinia and our original world, though the exact ratio was a closely guarded secret.
Having crossed between them myself, I knew it was roughly a ten-to-one difference. However, since Almighty-class gods like Shiro-san and Eden-san could manipulate that flow on a whim, such calculations weren't exactly reliable metrics for a person's age.
Laguna-san’s confirmation established Hikari’s survival, but the mystery of how she had survived—whether via Earth's time dilation or by transcending human longevity here—remained. The debates would likely rage on for years to come.
"There is no point in stalling any longer," Laguna-san declared. "I present to you the message from the First Hero, Kujou Hikari!"
As she spoke, the cloth was pulled away. The monument was revealed, inscribed with Japanese characters—letters that appeared as a script from another world to the spectators.
A woman stepped forward to act as the narrator, accepting the Amplification Magic Tool from Laguna-san. She looked nervous as she began to read the translated contents.
"To the people of Trinia. I am Kujou Hikari. It has been over a thousand years since I was summoned to this world and set out on my journey, and over a thousand years since that journey ended with the treaty. As I take up my pen at Laguna's request, memories of those days come flooding back, filling me with nostalgia. My battle reached its conclusion with the signing of the Friendship Treaty. I will not return to the public stage. However, it brings me immense joy to see that those of you living today have inherited the peace we wove together, building the warm world I always hoped to see."
The message continued, ringing with what was clearly Noin-san’s genuine heart. She spoke of how every person looking toward the future was a hero in their own right, crafting peace through their daily lives. The massive crowd stood in rapt, reverent silence, hanging on every word.
I stole a glance at Noin-san. She was watching the crowd with a peaceful smile, her eyes filled with happiness. She was looking at the world she had once struggled and bled for, seeing for herself that her dream had truly come to pass.