Save 111 ─ Sadness

When I opened my eyes, I was inside Battler.

Outside everything was transparent as if a flare of light had been fired.

I stood sighing for a while as I touched my head.

"Now it's all over. It was a shitty day in the whole word."

"I want a nice nap and an all-you-can-eat feast."

"I guess you're right, I'll make you something to eat after this."

"Thank you."

I thanked Ixion after imagining that feast.

But I quickly opened my eyes.

Ixion's voice... I'd heard it before.

It wasn't his usual electronic tone with a male voice.

It was a woman's voice.

I slowly turned my head to look at him, I was shocked as I again saw something impossible to imagine.

Beside me stood a beautiful woman with snow-white skin, a thigh-length black dress, long jet black hair whose front ends hid her forehead in a fringe.

Her bright red lips matched her eyes of the same color.

I spoke to her to make sure of it.

"... Ixion?"

"Yes. Is something wrong Master?"

This girl─ "Ixion" spoke to me in the affirmative answer.

I covered my face due to embarrassment.

(It can't be. I'm really looking sexually at a machine.)

(I have exceeded the maximum levels of a degenerate to think about it.)

I was crying, the worst thing I could imagine was that this guy had a woman's body, even her big breasts were perfect.

Out of nowhere, "she" came up to me.

"Master. are you all right? Is something wrong?"

"I must call Bell to bring the medical team immediately."

I was surprised to see how this girl cared about me.

No doubt this is a dream because of what happened.

I reassured her.

"Don't worry. I'm fine."

"Are you sure you are? The sacred tree fell on you."

"I've been calling out to you with no answer and I started to get really scared."

I looked at her to see because of that strange worry.

Ixion would never worry about me on that level. She's just a mental image of my degenerate mind.

"I'm fine. I'm just surprised to see you like this."

"Like this?"

I pointed at her from head to toe.

"I mean. You're quite the beauty. I was shocked to see you, no doubt your beauty rivals Lecia's...and theirs."

It's too bad not to mention them when I talk about Lecia.

My eyes went to her face. She was very embarrassed.

"Master praised me. I'm so happy, I feel like my chest will burst out."

"Ixion" was so happy, her red cheeks and radiant smile made me think I was looking at Airi or Lucy.

I said to her.

"Hey, Ixion. You're scaring me, stop acting already."

"Acting?"

She looked at me as if I had asked her the most absurd thing in the world.

"I mean how you act. The usual Ixion is a dirty bastard who just makes fun of me and talks nonsense about wanting to destroy the world."

After saying that, she pouted.

"Mmh. I hate that side of me. He really is the worst."

"I want to go out and be able to shout out how much I love Master. But that girl is just like you in being foolish and not admitting how she feels."

"... Huh? Girl? Foolish?"

For a dream, my mind was terrifying me.

Seeing Ixion as a woman?

No, impossible.

He told me back then, if I dared to see him as a woman, he would destroy himself.

After thinking that, she pounced on me hugging me.

"I love Master very much. Very, very much, so very much."

"Master is my everything, I don't want to spend a single minute away from you. That's why it bothers me that she can have you all the time next to you and only bother you for fun and foolishness."

"If it were me. A long time ago I would have told you about 'Eden' but since her head is only full of nonsense in not giving in to protecting you, that's why she acts like this."

Her hands touched my cheeks, her eyes were moist.

"Master. You are the most important thing in the world to me."

"For that reason, if something were to happen to you. I don't know what I would do."

She brought her face close to mine.

Our lips were about to touch each other.

"For Master I would do anything, after all, I really─"

"Get away from me."

◇

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

My body was feeling a great electric shock.

My eyes widened in resentment and all I could see were sparks.

In front of me was Ixion's spherical body.

"Ixiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooooooooooooon."

"Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."

"Stoooooooooooooooooooop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit."

"Wow. You're back to normal now."

He said that and the electric current coming out of his body stopped.

Smoke was coming out of my mouth after it stopped.

I could feel how my fingers and mouth were still numb.

Ixion opened the cockpit and stepped out.

"It was a stroke of luck that Battler used all its strength to roll after getting rid of the backpack."

"If it hadn't done that, you would have been crushed. Thank my boy for saving your life again. At least it didn't end up destroyed."

"We're making progress."

My body was slowly returning to normal. Being able to feel my fingers and tongue again, I yelled out to him.

"Why the hell are you electrocuting me, you floating piece of junk!"

"I'm the one who should be telling you that."

"Why did you try to kiss me?"

"I asked you several times to stop, implored you even. Since I didn't want your lips to touch me, I electrocuted you. The electric shock was very small, you won't have minor injuries."

"That's no excuse for─!"

"Wait. I tried to kiss you?"

Ixion looked at me with disgust, I could feel that through his eye.

"It was very traumatizing. For a moment I thought about self-destructing."

"Fortunately it didn't happen and my end was averted. We all won."

"You are indeed a real dirty disrespectful bastard."

"And you a lousy master. First become a good master and I'll be different."

This was the real Ixion.

What I saw in that dream was just that, a dream.

For that reason, I answered him with what "he" told me in the dream to mock him.

"Even if you say I should be a good master. You are the one who should stop being a liar. After all, you don't want to tell me what Eden is and that's why you're not a good servant."

I opened my eyes to see why he was silent.

I was puzzled to see how Ixion didn't move.

He said to me in a low voice.

"... H-How does you know that? Who told you that?! It was Bell by any chance!!"

Ixion looked like a madman as he approached me.

I put my hand out to separate distance.

"Calm down. It's something I saw in a dream, it's nothing serious, why are you acting like this?"

He seemed to start to relax as the intensity in his eye disappeared.

"I-I see. If it was a dream, there's nothing to do."

"Let's forget this conversation and concentrate on what needs to be done now."

From the weird way Ixion was acting, it made me think that this dream was a bit real.

But I don't think so.

First of all, how the heck did it happen?

It doesn't make sense that without knowing the explanation.

So, it was my head that was just playing tricks on me.

Also, that thing by the name of Eden, it could be a hidden secret weapon. There's Lumiel and Raven so it may have found some future weapon.

So it's impossible for that to happen.

Ixion as a beautiful girl with big breasts.

That would only happen in my head.

◇◇◇

Rudel leaving Battler walked to a certain direction while stretching his legs.

Ixion watched him from behind muttering.

"How did he know about that?"

"There's no way Bell could have told him."

"There's no way he could have accessed my database and gotten that information. Unless I gave it to him myself, but that's ridiculous to think that."

◇◇◇

Diana and Zack came out of hiding after seeing the monster tree transform.

She knew what that meant.

Watching as Battler pointed his hands at the monster.

"Please stop, don't kill Lugh!"

She watched as Rudel fired his gamma ray straight into the sky, cutting the monster in half.

A wrenching sound of pain came as she heard Lugh's voice.

The next moment, the black clouds covering the sky disappeared.

Part of the monster fell near where Diana was standing.

She burst into tears.

"Lugh. I'm really sorry, so truly sorry."

After a while, she heard footsteps approaching.

Raising her head, she looked at Rudel with Ixion approaching.

Rudel had on his back a shotgun.

As he was close to them he took it and then a bullet handed to him by Ixion.

Diana stood in front of Zack, kneeling with her forehead on the ground.

"I implore you! Please forgive Zack."

"If you want to shoot someone let it be me!"

Diana pleaded with Rudel, but he pushed past her, pushing her aside.

Zack─ who was now officially a monster─ used all his strength to lift his upper half.

His misshapen face looked up at Rudel.

Rudel pointed the cannon of the shotgun in his face.

His finger was about to pull the trigger.

But for some reason, Rudel's finger didn't pull it.

It was as if... something had known.

Something that what he was doing was wrong since the real culprit was punished.

Rudel bared his teeth in anger as with all his might he tried to pull the trigger.

"Damn!"

He shouted after being unable to pull the trigger.

(Why can't I do it?)

He wondered.

He didn't hesitate to pull the trigger on Randy or Linus or the others. But since it was Zack, he couldn't do it.

Diana thought Rudel had given in on his attempt to kill Zack.

But she erased that thought as she watched Zack's deformed hand grab the shotgun and bring it up to his head.

"Ru...del..."

Zack's voice was distorted due to the fact that he was now a monster.

Rudel saw it, Zack was smiling at him with his lizard mouth.

"Rudel... I'm sorry..."

"I... I was an idiot. It's my fault this happened..."

"I won't beg for my life after what I did. But please, forgive Diana."

Rudel got angry at Zack and yelled at him.

"Why the hell would you say that after everything that happened!"

"If you had understood that from the beginning, things wouldn't have ended up like this!"

Rudel shed tears.

"I wouldn't have had to kill so many."

"Nor would I have had to destroy part of this country, let alone have Lugh merge with the tree."

"Worst of all. Knowing that you were a reincarnate just like me might have meant that we could have been friends!"

"Knowing that there are more people like me who had a past life, it makes me happy to know that I'm not alone!"

"But you guys..."

His teeth clenched hard enough that they bled.

"You guys were such idiots that you brought this on yourselves. If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened."

"Right now we could all be together drinking tea and cookies while laughing at nonsense! But what did you do?"

"You picked a fight with me and that's why things ended up like this!"

"It's your fault and not mine!"

"I know."

Zack spoke in a melancholy tone. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"I understand that all this happened because we distrusted you. We deserve whatever punishment you give us, but, all that chaos started because of my ridiculous sense of justice."

"I just wanted to live doing good like the heroes I admired. I'm sure, if I hadn't been stupid and we had talked like you say, we'd be laughing together."

"But it all ended like that because of my actions."

"Rudel. Grant me one request before I die."

Zack's saddened eyes only succeeded in making Rudel angrier.

"What do you want?"

"I want Diana to live. I love her very much, she's the only person who understood me better than anyone else, that's all I ask."

"You can use me any way you want. I will accept any punishment you give me."

Rudel's eyes darkened as he heard that.

"Let me tell you something, Diana is in on this too, she won't get off easy after what she did, not even being Lucy's sister."

"But, if you really wanted to punish us, you would have killed me the moment you arrived."

Rudel opened his eyes and raised his shotgun.

The cannon was pointed at Zack's head.

He smiled as he closed his eyes.

"Diana, I love you so much. I want you to be happy, my heart feels better knowing I was a little right."

With tears in her eyes she asked.

"What are you talking about?"

Zack told her giving his last words.

"I was right in saying that heroes exist. After all, Rudel is the embodiment of a true hero, only someone who punishes enemies, would dare to shed tears for them."

She began to cry as Rudel slowly pulled the trigger.

His and Zack's eyes met for the last time.

"I'm sure you go through a lot of painful things, I'm sorry for adding another burden to you. But I'll tell you again, you are a true hero, surpassing what I already aspired to be."

Rudel said to himself.

"Instead of others torturing and killing you. I'd rather be the one to do it."

Seeing Zack's smile, his normal face came to Rudel's mind, without closing his eyes, he pulled the trigger.

*Bang*

A dry and loud sound was heard.

Zack's head was pierced by that bullet, shattering his brain and killing him instantly.

The top of the deceased Zack fell to the ground, bleeding black liquid.

Diana at the sight of him went into tears as she screamed his name.

"Uwaah, Zack I'm so sorry, I love you too!"

Diana couldn't say those words to him, but Zack knew deep down that they were real after consummating the act that day.

Rudel looked at Zack's body with a furious gaze.

"What a hero nor nothing."

"I'm just a guy who's only good for killing."

"A real hero would take it upon himself to save as many as he could, and I can only erase them."

He turned around, as he was about to leave, he was stopped by a voice.

"What did you do!"

As he turned to see who was speaking to him.

Rudel found himself after a long time Fritz.

In his hand he held a sword, his body was dirty with mud and blood.

Fritz during the attack helped people buried under rubble that was caused by Rudel's missiles.

After seeing the tree fall, he came running to check if anyone was hurt.

In the distance he could see Diana crying, Rudel shooting at Zack.

To Fritz, that was interpreted as an act of murder.

He was angry with Rudel, he was even complaining to him.

"Answer me. Why did you do it?"

"Didn't you care about her suffering?"

Diana was crying over the loss of Zack, Fritz misinterpreted that as Rudel's abuse.

Rudel just stared at him with no expression on his face.

"Mind your own business. If you don't even know what happened, stay out of it."

"Your actions are reason enough to say otherwise!"

"You attack this country and cause thousands of deaths."

"How can you think for one second that you do nothing wrong?"

"It was the same in the Kingdom. Thanks to you, the entire commonwealth suffers for the loss of their loved ones, you were able to end the war without the need to kill them, being able to arrest those responsible."

"But you opted for the most barbaric decision of all."

"If that monster were treated like a calamity... like a demon!"

Fritz declared something that would forever affect Rudel's fate with the whole world.

"In that case you are worse than that... you are then a demon king!"

Rudel exploded in anger and went straight for Fritz by punching him hard in the mouth.

After he fell to the ground, Rudel glared at him.

"You don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about. You don't even understand my situation why I did this."

"You also don't understand my reason for killing Zack or what I felt when I did it."

"You do think I'm a demon king, if you think this country sees me as their enemy. And even if the whole world sees me as a threat."

"I don't give a shit. I decided I was going to fight for my own, I'll kill anyone who is my enemy, for example... you."

Rudel pointed his shotgun in Fritz's face.

"You're a stranger to me. I don't give a shit if I kill you or not."

"... But I don't want to do that by a long shot having no idea who you are."

Rudel withdrew his shotgun and went with Ixion to see Battler.

Fritz muttered.

"I knew it. You are indeed the enemy I thought you were."

Fritz had declared to Rudel that he was his enemy.

When all was quiet sometime later, Fritz did not return to the Kingdom.

◇

After that idiot said those words to me, I left there.

Ixion said to me as my anger didn't go away.

"Master. There's something I need to tell you, I couldn't tell you before due to the fight, but now is a good time."

"Say it."

Ixion said something that froze my blood.

"What the hell!? Why the hell didn't you tell me that before!?"

"You were busy yourself. And with the Zack business, I was wondering if it was a good choice to say it."

"That's very important, you big jerk!"

"Don't worry. She's fine, I moved her to my main body where she now rests in a medical capsule."

"Come on!"

I ran straight to Ixion's main body.

◇

After arriving, I went straight to the medical room.

There I saw Lucy resting.

She opened her eyes and saw me.

"... Rudel?"

"It's me, Lucy. I'm glad you're all right."

Ixion lifted the capsule and I took Lucy's hand while wearing my suit still.

At least I washed my hands so I wouldn't dirty her with some virus.

Ixion was informing me of her situation while stroking Lucy's hand.

"Bell informed me that the impact of the bullets was more severe than expected. They all targeted her internal organs, muscles and nerves."

"If it weren't for Airi, Lucy's situation would have been deadly. But Bell doesn't have my medical team, I moved Lucy after the tree fell."

"I see."

I looked at Lucy.

"I'm sorry, I put you in a bind by not defending you."

She was trying to speak, but Ixion placed a sedative on her.

"Thanks to Airi's magic and my treatment, Lucy's wounds closed. But the psychological damage is different."

"She needs treatment. So I estimate that a few weeks will be enough for her to recover."

"I see."

"Thank you Ixion, for saving Lucy."

I thanked this guy, he looked strange from what I told him.

Suddenly Ixion got strange and said to me.

"Sorry, I have to go out for a moment. I'll be right back."

Ixion left and I was left alone with Lucy.

I took the opportunity to close my eyes and rest after all the chaos that happened.

◇◇◇

Ixion and Bell were heading to an area destroyed during the monster tree attack.

The two were chatting as they flew quickly.

"Are you sure you caught the signal?"

"I like to joke, but with something like this I couldn't do it."

In a few minutes they arrived.

They descended and were surprised to see─

"You were still alive."

Zero lying in a burnt garden.

Zero's body, both, his airship and heavy machinery were destroyed.

All that remained was his spherical body.

Zero had a bruise on the top, sparks were coming out.

His yellowish eye acted like a light bulb about to go out.

In a faint tone it spoke.

"... Ixi...on."

"You ended up in a sorry state. Don't worry, we'll eliminate you this instant so there's no trace of you left."

Saying that, a small gun came out of Bell's body, aiming at Zero.

The latter used all his strength to say the following.

"... I'm so sorry."

Ixion and Bell were perplexed at that response.

"It won't do you any good to beg for mercy."

"... I do not seek mercy... I deserve this. I, I am a traitor."

"I betrayed my masters again. To Diana-sama and Zack-sama."

"I... I was a fool now that I remember everything."

Bell asked.

"Exactly what do you remember?"

Zero revealed something that left them even more surprised.

"I... I never wanted to hurt anyone. I wanted to save you all, but... someone manipulated me."

"... You were manipulated you say? Those are lies."

"I'm not lying..."

"Check my system. Someone installed a virus in my processor, and that's why... I couldn't think straight."

Bell came over, analyzed Zero, and shouted.

"It's true! I detect traces that someone performed a hack on Zero, there are traces of viruses everywhere."

Ixion couldn't believe that.

"Don't play that game with me!"

"After all you did, are you looking to be forgiven before you die?"

Zero dying said to him in repentance.

"I don't deserve to be forgiven. My mission was to protect humans."

"I promised that person. I told him that... in the future if something threatened humankind, I would help him. But..."

Both Bell and Ixion could interpret the pain in Zero's words as real.

"But... all I did was cause harm. I only wanted to help humans, but that virus blocked my reasoning and made me hate them, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone and it all ended up like this because of me."

Bell whispered to Ixion.

"What do you think? It's true what he said about the virus, what I've been analyzing it, it seems to be the type that has a command programmed into it."

"What did that command say?"

"Kill all the humans and... get Eden back."

Ixion's eye intensified at the sound of that name.

"Why that name precisely?"

"I don't know. But one thing I can be sure of is, Zero was undoubtedly manipulated."

Ixion snapped angrily.

"So, you're telling me that all this time someone played with us to get us to kill each other?"

"Worst of all, it brought about the defeat of Zack and Zero."

"This is a joke. Now those responsible for what happened are left as victims of a mastermind."

Zack and several others were being influenced by Zorn to cause pain and sorrow in the country. But with Zero it was different.

He was a machine, an artificial intelligence.

Why was Zero being manipulated? And who did it?

These were questions Ixion asked himself.

"... Ixion, please come..."

Ixion approached Zero.

The pain in his words was so genuine that Ixion only denied that Zero was a victim like Zack.

"What do you want?"

"Ixion... I know I don't deserve to ask you for anything. But, seeing everything you did for your master."

"I must ask you for a favor. Something that only you can do and I can't."

"... Go ahead."

Zero told him.

"Please. Protect your master."

"...!"

"I... I understand your attitude towards him. Despite what you told me, I know it was a lie."

"No one would do that, let alone serve a person if they didn't care."

"We don't know the feelings, but... when I served my previous masters. I was filled with a strange happiness."

"I'm sure you're just like me. But with your current master."

"Please don't be foolish like me. When the day comes where you have to say goodbye to him, don't give in to your foolishness."

"Humans don't live as long as we do, for that reason every day you spend with your master, appreciate it."

"It was what I couldn't do with mine and that's why the virus took hold of me. I was so shattered that I couldn't stop those strange ideas from filling my head."

"For that reason, I warn you also as that virus informed me."

"Beware of Adam, that guy is a genuine traitor. Reports said he was destroyed with Lilith, but... it was that guy who introduced the virus..."

Zero's functions were quickly shutting down.

"I can't tell you anymore, I can't take it anymore. Please promise me you'll protect the humans of Adam, whether they're new or old, they're still humans we're sworn to protect."

Ixion whispered to Zero.

"I promise. But, first tell me your real name, the name that airship was registered under."

"My real name was always... Judah."

"Judah, huh?"

Zero─ Judah's body looked skyward as he turned around.

"For being such a fool, I never got to see that beautiful sky with you. I'm so sorry indeed─"

It was then that he revealed another name that left Ixion and Bell speechless.

"Master Rugel. I will be with you soon."

Ixion was startled to hear that name.

"Rugel!"

"Zero─ Judah, did you say Rugel?!"

"How do you know that name? Hey, answer me please! How do you know about Rugel?"

Rugel─ the mysterious name of the man who created the royal ship that sank in last year's war.

From the led eye, a drop that was not oil slips like tear.

"Ixion, I charge you to the humans... goodbye."

"Judah!"

After a cloud ceased to cover the sun. Judah's eye, like his systems, went out forever.

Thus ending his life.

But... for both Bell and Ixion, seeing that tear created from ether that was as transparent as water. They could understand that he departed with no regrets.

Ixion cursed after releasing sparks.

"Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!"

"When had we finally gotten a clue from Rugel!"

Bell approached Judah's body to analyze it.

"He's definitely dead. His processor and systems were burned out. It's impossible to perform a backup if we wanted to."

"..."

Ixion was angry, but himself didn't understand whether it was because of Judah's death or because he didn't reveal anything about Rugel.

(That's how the Master had to have felt about Zack.)

"Let's go back Bell. There's a lot to do now."

"Right, the tree is dead. We have to quickly find a way to turn the sapling into the new sacred tree or else the Master─"

Ixion suddenly fell silent.

"It's a bad joke right!"

Bell asked him because of his strange behavior.

Ixion informed her──

◇◇◇

Diana was crying over Zack's lifeless body.

As she was regretting what happened, she heard a strange noise.

Turning to look, she watched as from one of the whitening tree branches, Lugh emerged covered in mucus.

Diana ran to his aid.

"Lugh, hang in there!"

(I'm glad at least he's alive.)

She approached him, despite his body was white in color and his eyes were red, he was still alive.

"I'm sorry Lugh! This was all my fault."

"I really swear I didn't mean for things to end like this. Let me help you."

Diana used her arms to lift him up, she didn't notice that Lugh's legs turned into roots that were anchored to the ground.

"..."

Lugh was trying to say something.

Diana looked at him to see.

"Is something wrong? Hold on Lugh, I'll save you without fail."

"... Di...ana..."

"Yes?"

"Diana."

"I'm here Lugh."

Lugh's hand transformed into a spear.

His mouth twisted in anger as did his eyes.

"How dare you betray me!"

Next act, Lugh pierced Diana's belly and a light appeared in that instant.

◇◇◇

Diana opened her eyes and found herself in a strange place.

"Where am I?"

The place was blurred by the fog.

As she moved forward, the atmosphere changed, from one moment to the next, the place became a familiar environment.

"This place is... my room."

Diana awoke in her room from her previous life.

Touching things, she could feel that they were real.

"Everything is so real, despite being a dream."

"Diana?"

She heard a familiar voice, quickly turned around and found Lugh materialized behind her.

Seeing him, she burst into tears and hurriedly hugged him.

"I'm sorry Lugh! It was all my fault!"

"I was an idiot, foolish, whatever you want to tell me. Many have died because of me including Zack! That's why... please stay with me."

Lugh smiled at her as he hugged her.

"That won't happen. My body is already dead, the last of the hatred left inside me, I used it to stab you."

"It is me who must ask for your forgiveness."

"I got jealous and didn't reason well. I hated Zack since you were right."

"Unlike me, he is someone who is strong and inspires confidence, I do not possess those qualities. That's the reason my older sisters picked on me."

"Diana, do you remember that day?"

"The day we met."

Diana recalled Lugh's introductory event, the day where it all began.

◇◇◇

A year ago, after the entrance ceremony, Lugh sat in a vast garden,

He gave a heavy sigh.

"I'm tired, Sara asked me to help organize the welcome for the new students, I tried to refuse, but I couldn't refuse her because of our close relationship."

His body was sore as he usually does not exert himself physically.

"I'm thirsty, but my legs hurt."

"I don't like to feel like a good-for-nothing by asking servants for help, but I really am thirsty."

"Here it is."

He heard a voice in front of him. Lifting his face, he saw a girl bestowing a canned soda on him.

The girl instead of smiling at him, looked at him with angry eyes.

Lugh didn't know whether to thank her or be frightened.

But seeing that she kept extending her hand, he accepted.

"Th-thank you. Emm, may I know your name?"

The girl didn't say anything and quickly walked away leaving Lugh with his mouth hanging open.

That girl was Diana who had stolen Lucy's place who was supposed to give that drink to Lugh after seeing him work so hard.

◇◇◇

Days went by and one afternoon when Diana was going shopping, she bumped into Lugh.

He saw her and was embarrassed.

"H-Hi. I didn't get to thank you for that time." 

Lugh was very embarrassed.

"Y-You see. I was thinking I should thank you, I'm not a person who likes to owe someone a favor. I'm sorry for taking so long."

"B-But in appreciation for your drink. Would you like me to invite you to dinner today? Of course, it will be at a fancy restaurant."

Diana knew those lines, also where she should go and at the right time.

But she wasn't Lucy, she wouldn't say the same lines as the reason for it was because of Lugh.

(Just like the game, this guy's intentions are obvious. That's why I sped up a few steps to make him my partner.)

She spoke to him in her usual serious tone.

"I accept, but I'd like it to be somewhere romantic. I heard on the radio that today the moon would be beautiful today. I feel that I would be very happy with a restaurant that had a window showing the moon."

Lugh was glad to hear it.

"A window to see the moon. I got it, it'll take some time, but... don't leave after school's out! Okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait for you in the same place as I did that day."

Diana smiled as she watched Lugh live up to his title of being the easiest to conquer.

Sometime later they became lovers.

Lugh tried to show Diana every day how much he loved her.

◇◇◇

Remembering that day, Diana burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry Lugh."

"At that time I was only interested in the welfare of the game. Neither you nor my sister really mattered to me."

"That's why I'm so sorry now. I've lost everything, I don't even know if my sister is still alive."

Lugh hugged Diana as she let out all her sadness.

They sat on an armchair in the room as he comforted her.

"It's okay Diana, you made a mistake, mistakes make us human."

"It wasn't a mistake! I knew there could be deaths, but I didn't care!"

"All I cared about was that everything went according to the game. But what I did was make the bad ending happen and also cause your death."

"I'm trash both in this life and in my past life! I don't deserve to live anymore!"

"For that reason I want to be with you! I want to stay here with you forever and be happy together!"

Lugh walked up to her and gave her an affectionate kiss.

"Lugh..."

She thought that was Lugh's way of accepting her honest feelings, but she was dead wrong.

"Diana, you can't come with me."

"Why?"

Lugh wiped away her tears with his handkerchief.

"In the first instance, I'm already dead. I don't want you to come with me to the place I'm going, at least, not for now in your state."

"My state? You pierced my belly, everyone will hate me and want to kill me, I lost my sister and it's all my fault. I want to be by your side now more than ever please! I can't take this anymore."

Lugh stroked her head as he revealed something unimaginable to her.

"Diana. You're pregnant."

"... Huh?"

"N-No. It's a mistake, I─"

She remembered why she would be pregnant.

She covered her face in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry. I can't say it was a mistake when I sought it out myself."

"By going through you, I was able to learn things from you as we merged."

"Your joy, your pain, your sorrow, your hardships. Diana, right now, even if it was only recently, there is a life growing in your body."

"That life was made from what you did with Zack, but... having pierced you, a bit of my essence will also be in that creature."

Lugh touched Diana's belly and there the priestess' emblem manifested.

But this emblem was different from Lucy's.

It was a heart formed by two intertwined hands.

"This is my way of protecting you too. I want you to live and be happy, despite everything, I love you. I always loved you and now more than ever that I know you were from another world, I understand all your actions, I also knew from the sapling that our actions these days were responsible for someone who was already eliminated. Therefore, there is nothing to forgive."

Diana cried as she hugged Lugh with all her might.

"No. I don't want you to leave me Lugh, I want to be with you. Even with this more than anything I need you by my side, you are my only ally."

Lugh laughed at her.

"What a fool you are. Lucy is alive, your sister is fine. Besides, your mother also asked Lucy to take care of you."

Diana looked Lugh in the eyes as she heard that he knew her mother.

"You knew my mother?"

"Yes. So did your father and believe me when I say they truly loved you and regret everything that happened. Don't hate the Acting Chairman either when they themselves sought that fire."

Diana stood up and walked to her desk.

There was the packaging for that game.

On the cover was a girl just like her instead of Lucy.

Diana understood, she was always the heroine.

She looked at how Lugh was in the background, because of his background and negative comments about how easy to conquer he was, she only got angrier.

"I hate it! That repulsive game world I hate it! Why couldn't it have been a happy world if it was based on a game?"

"Why do we have to suffer according to the crap plot!"

"I just wanted to be happy! And now I just want to go back in time and beat myself up!"

"I... I just wanted to live a full and peaceful life. Why are there only tragedies around me?"

"...!"

Diana ducked her head.

"Really, what an idiot I am. I finally understand Rudel, all that suffering and complaining."

"It must be horrible for him to have such a heavy burden and even worse to have dealt with an idiot like me."

Like Erselica, Diana accepted her mistake after losing everything.

Lugh hugged her from behind.

This was the end.

"Diana, now that you understand you must live to make amends for your mistakes. More than ever this country needs you. When you sleep or feel alone, remember that I will always be by your side."

When Lugh saw through Diana's memories, he was shocked to learn that this was a game world.

"It left me very dismayed to learn that my life was written on a screen. I felt disgusted, as if my life and my pain was just the entertainment of someone morbid who enjoys watching us suffer."

"But, I am a living being. My actions and feelings are real, I won't let a game say my life is a lie."

"Diana, those girls─ Rudel's fiancées know he's a reincarnate."

*Tears*

"I wouldn't know. Maybe they do or maybe they don't."

"I see."

"If they ever find out the truth. Their way of looking at the world will change forever, the same goes for Lucy. Don't tell her."

"This world hides things that are better left unknown. I saw things inside the sacred tree, things that are better erased from history, among them... things that aren't even written in that game."

Diana turned and looked at Lugh, he was beginning to fade like the place.

"This is goodbye, Diana. I love you, be happy."

She shook her head, shaking her pigtails as her tears.

"No. This is a see you soon, you said you'd see me in my dreams didn't you?"

"I'll just wait until I sleep to talk to you."

The two embraced and kissed each other passionately as affectionately goodbye.

Lugh's lower half as the room was slowly disappearing.

The torso and arms were beginning to go.

Diana cried again as she watched his face fade away.

"Lugh, I love you so much."

"Me too, see you soon."

Giving one last loving smile, Lugh disappeared from this world and Diana left her own spirit world.

◇◇◇

When she opened her eyes, Diana was on the ground covered by bushes.

Next to her was growing a small sacred tree.

The tree was small in name, but it was just as big of an average house.

Diana lifted her torn blouse and looked at the emblem on her belly.

Then she looked at the new sacred tree, the same mark rested in the center floating.

She began to cry and scream her name.

"Luugh!"

"Luuuugh!"

"Uwaah, Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh!"

Lugh managed to become a new sacred tree to save Aster... it was what anyone would believe.

But in reality, Lugh became the new hope of the world just for Diana to live.

A world where Diana is not, was a world he would rather see destroyed.

After losing everything, his home, his family, Zack's and Lugh's death.

Diana understood that despite the misfortunes in her life, she could always have the happiness she sought.

But that happiness herself erased it and now, she will have to live knowing that because of her foolishness she lost everything she loved.

◇

Ixion suddenly lifted me up.

I asked him, "What's wrong?"

He showed me a video.

My dream vanished as I watched the video.

"Master, some drones picked this up. A fleets of sixty ships are fast approaching. Thirty of them are battle cruisers."

"Who are they? Why now besides?"

He motioned to the flag.

"The flag is undoubtedly of the Weiss Empire. The drones noticed that they were the first to leave the country after the monster tree attack."

"The reason they are coming must be because this is an opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?"

"The opportunity to take over this country."

I punched the wall at hearing what filthy bastards they were.

"Those bastards."

"It's not uncommon to take advantage of a situation like the fall of a government or a coup to take over the country."

"Master. Aster is in grave danger, I suggest we leave as soon as possible."

That was the simple and logical solution.

But, Zack's face came to my mind because of words I wanted to say.

"We will not leave, we will support Aster."

"Battler can't leave, so get Lumiel ready. I'll go up to him."

Ixion glared at me.

"Master, Lumiel is different from Battler."

"This country doesn't owe you anything to save it."

"You are wrong."

I said after standing up and walking out to the exit.

"This country suffered because of the monster tree. My goal was to destroy the tree, but since it got out of control, there is nothing left but to help them. Besides, Randolf-san will take power now that the great nobles are gone, I'm sure he will give the kingdom a discount."

As I walked out, Ixion answered me.

"That's the lamest excuse you've ever given. But I have a better one for later. After all, getting into a fight against the empire knowing that they are hostile against the country of Lecia seems to me to be a very gratuitous thing for you to do in showing kindness."

I shut him up instantly.

◇◇◇

The empire's fleet was rapidly approaching.

On the flagship was the fleet commander whistling.

He was a young man with tanned skin, long white hair and red eyes.

His name was Avid and he was a holy knight of the empire.

Avid spoke to the ship's captain.

"Wasn't that a great idea?"

"After seeing how that monster attacked the country we fled so we wouldn't get involved, even with the payment they gave us to leave our embassy was generous too."

"But it's different now. A ruined country is a country in need, so I will give them the honor of receiving the empire's help."

"Isn't that a great idea!"

"I bet His Majesty the emperor will be happy about this gift."

"His policy of not attacking these pagans is proof that he is a great emperor. But for that matter, that pure way of looking at this filthy world doesn't make him see that these heretics should not receive sympathy."

"The time has come for us to expand again."

"For that reason we will quickly take over this nation."

"H-Holy Knight Juliannus!"

"Hah? What is it?"

Avid was called by his holy name.

He approached the captain and there he understood his attitude.

Lumiel was several meters away from them, aiming his bazookas.

Avid laughed.

"Hmph. Simple armor against us, isn't that ridiculous?"

"Pass right by."

The airships moved on.

Rudel who was inside Lumiel counted to three.

After reaching zero, he fired the missiles at different to ships, causing them to sink.

Avid was shocked.

"What's with that ridiculous amount of firepower?"

"Damn. If only I had my armor, I could defeat him."

He clenched his fist tightly, the captain shouted at him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you! But we must retreat, our cannons are useless against its shield."

Avid watched as more ships fell defeated helplessly.

He bit his tongue and shouted.

"Turn around! We're leaving!"

The airships turned around, but were falling anyway, Avid stared and cursed Rudel.

"Damn you! Mystery armor!"

In the distance he watched as a missile approached his ship.

_____________________

To make us sad as I am, I leave the saddest OST I know:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDw_d2_HKcA

Let's go with sad memes:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NwaCq6b5_YPa_jJbavzMBxbFHsa2oOth

Remember, Zero was being manipulated by a virus, similar to how Rudel acted in vol 2.

Zack, Diana and Lugh were being influenced by Zorn, so their actions are justifiable, but after the manipulation stopped, they were able to reason clearly, hence the hatred is reduced.

The only hatred they should have is against the great nobles, since Zorn himself said that he did not have fun with everyone, i.e. there was indeed malice in their hearts and it was not funny if he did not corrupt them.

So leave your F's for Zack, Judah, Lugh and the life now in store for Diana.