Everyone’s Last (10)

─Blue skies were beaming with clear sunlight: the running brook and the shrill cry of grasshoppers. A flock of birds soared above the continent while deer, squirrels, and rabbits ran through the green mountains…

This place where countless lives still played peacefully was outside the world.

"There is no time."

Before the mass hibernation began, Sylvia spoke to Julie.

"…Yes. I know."

Despite Julie's confident answer, her face was contorted with hesitation. She stared down at the old diary she held.

"…Julie."

Sylvia asked quietly.

"How was it?"

Julie raised her head and thought of her future self, which she had just witnessed. No, more than being her future self, it was her 'ideal self.' With her eyes closed, she whispered:

"…It looked good."

A knight who became a hero. A person true to herself who fulfilled her wishes, desires, and dreams without anyone's help.

"She defended the continent."

Not just Deculein, but all life on this continent.

"…I thought it wasn't me."

Julie hugged her diary tight.

"But…"

But, for some reason, Julie's feelings were hazy. The more she compared herself to that ideal, the more she felt shabby right now. That version which had already achieved everything she wanted, made her feel empty.

"Yeah. It's not you."

Sylvia's words pierced her ears. However, she couldn't understand the meaning for a moment, so Julie blinked.

"Yes?"

"That person is not you."

Sylvia pointed to Julie's diary.

"That Julie."

Julie's diary, this precious book containing the memories of a hero that saved the world.

"It's not you."

"…"

Julie stared at Sylvia. Sylvia twisted her lips slightly as if she found that attitude cute.

"So… you can live freely."

Freedom. That otherwise insignificant word rang against Julie's heart. But not so much that it hurt; there was only a slight sense of shock, and it felt like lightly pressing on your hand with a pencil.

It was just an unfamiliar word.

"Julie died for you."

But that pencil was drawing a sentence on Julie's heart now.

"So that you can find yourself."

It reminded her of a certain thought in Julie's consciousness.

"You still have 'you' in yourself."

"…You mean 'me'?"

'Me.' This 'me' was Julie. Born through her mother's death, she blamed herself for saying that this life was nothing more than filth and sin. Still, she sharpened her sword, intending to become a knight for the sake of Freyden and this continent. She sprinted endlessly…

And she finally reached it. She reached this path's end, and she did her everything. It was the atonement, the long-awaited life, of a person named Julie.

"Julie is over there. Julie's dream has already come true."

Her dream was on the continent.

"Julie became winter, but she was satisfied that even that was part of herself."

Sylvia said.

Julie looked quietly at the diary.

"So you don't have to pursue that dream again."

The old Julie's dream had already come true. Her atonement was complete.

"Fly for yourself."

"…"

Julie raised her eyes. Sylvia met her gaze. Eyes clear, icy. She smiled.

"This 'life as Julie', which the professor wanted the most…."

This was the dream that Deculein, who loved Julie, prayed for. Julie, who escaped fate, would continue to enjoy her own life.

"Live as if you're showing them."

Whooooosh—

The wind blew from a distant horizon, carrying a chill that resembled Julie. She was saying now…

—That time was up.

* * *

At the top of the lighthouse, the knight Keiron stared down. The magic of recovery touched the ruined continent and mended its destruction. The spectacle of harmony and retrogression embodied the miracle cast by Deculein.

—…

Keiron's silence was long.

Now, this continent would soon be restored to its original form. It would be restored to its eternal and magnificent form before this destruction. Until then, Keiron would remain silent.

-Your Majesty.

Of course, that would be after the one still left passed away.

…Stomp. Stomp.

The sound of footsteps approached without granting an answer to Keiron's call. Eventually, Emperor Sophien stopped beside her loyal knight.

—Now is the time to go to sleep.

…Isn't the scenery too beautiful to fall asleep now?

Sophien was still holding on. She was forcing herself to endure the harsh cold of Julie's magic.

…I will look around a little more.

However, Keiron couldn't hear her voice. He only interpreted what was transmitted from her heart. The moment she opened her mouth to speak, even though she was the Emperor, the frost would finally claim her.

-Is that so?

Keiron said. Sophien nodded slowly.

…It is a landscape I will never see again.

Then the continent revived from destruction, the crust fragments fit together like a puzzle, the evaporated water was newly generated, the broken magnetic field revived, and the torn sky was gradually connected like a painting in reverse.

Sophien witnessed it all.

—When this planet regenerates, Julie's chill will freeze into an eternal winter.

The eternal winter was still inside the lighthouse, but when the continent fully recovered, Julie would step outside and freeze the world. The time spent on this continent would stop until the outside world vanished.

—The giant said that this planet has been beautiful since the beginning.

…Is that so?

-Yes.

…What a shame. I didn't see that beginning.

Keiron wore a soft smile.

-No. We are rather fortunate that we did not see that beginning.

The giant had said the blessings bestowed upon humans were their folly—small eyes, short legs, and a life that must collapse.

—Not knowing the end of this world, not being able to walk on two legs, and not being able to see it is a blessing bestowed upon us.

…Is that so? That's ridiculous.

Humans didn't understand giants, and giants didn't understand humans. Sophien turned to Keiron.

…But, Keiron. Are you not about to give up that blessing?

Keiron shook his head as she watched him with worry.

—I am always blessed. Even now.

She knew what Keiron's blessing was without the need to say it.

-Your Majesty, I remember the moment when I first met you.

Small and cute eyes. An excited kid who was gifted in everything. Sophien, her long red hair fluttering behind her as she ran, looked like a wildcat. That figure still stood out in Keiron's memory and served as fuel.

—Your Majesty doesn't seem to remember that well, but your memories are all mixed, so I understand the confusion.

Keiron's blessing was Sophien. Since there was no reason for him to worship Sophien, the human origin of Keiron couldn't be explained to anyone, and it was like he was born to protect Sophien…

"Keiron."

Sophien spoke. Keiron was startled, but he soon looked at her with a gentle gaze.

—Yes, Your Majesty?

"You always followed my will."

Sophien's face was hard. Being frozen even at this moment as she was speaking, he couldn't read her feelings.

-Yes. I always did.

However, now, Keiron was satisfied with Sophien.

"Because your heart is like that… that I met someone as loyal as you."

The way Sophien showed herself to him, her will to praise his loyalty, was endless.

"It was a big blessing for me."

It was something she was thankful for.

—…

Keiron, briefly speechless, becoming a mere statue, soon smiled the brightest he ever had. As a knight, he had no regrets at all.

-Thank you. So now…

He didn't have to continue speaking. Sophien had already accepted Julie's chill, and her hibernation had comfortably begun. She waited for the day when she awoke, with the most Sophien-like blunt expression frozen across her face.

—…I will protect Your Majesty forever, so go to sleep.

* * *

…Go to sleep.

Someone's voice rang in her ears. It woke Sophien from sleep, and she felt the vitality sprouting from within.

Tweet— Tweet—

The birds were chirping. The sky was clear, and the warm air kissed by the sun embraced her.

Whooosh-

A gentle breeze swept by, and the fluttering leaves touched Sophien's cheeks.

"…"

She opened her eyes.

This was the top of the lighthouse, and what she saw was a distant land. A land that was no longer scorched, with greenery spread out as far as she could see.

"…I don't know."

However, since she didn't know if things went well or how many years had passed, Sophien blankly looked around. She examined the landscape of the continent thoroughly. Eventually, she finally realized-

—A fleeting moment.

It was fleeting. The moment she closed her eyes and opened them only once, in less than a second for Sophien, the continent was restored, and her life was unharmed…

"…Keiron."

He had become a statue. The ten thousand years that everyone on the continent did not feel, only one person witnessed them all.

"…"

Sophien looked up at Keiron.

"You've become a statue."

There was no answer. Keiron's pupils were dilated, empty of light, frozen like a statue. He stood at the top of the lighthouse as if protecting her…staring toward the blazing west.

"…I see."

Sophien nodded.

Indeed, it wasn't a time that humans could sustain. Even though it was Keiron, his sense of self wore out, and his body froze. In the end… he must've become like this.

"Like this…."

Sophien stretched out her hand without another word. She caressed Keiron's shoulder. Even though his flesh was stone, it was somehow warm.

"…Even you are leaving me."

She grumbled with remorse and sorrow. If a single tear dropped involuntarily and touched Keiron's feet, would he be resurrected like this was a fairy tale? Would the surface of the statue tear apart, and would he speak again with the voice of reason?

She didn't know, but Sophien no longer shed tears. However, she acknowledged Keiron's dedication.

"You've been through a lot."

Clink—

She drew her sword and placed it on his shoulder.

"Your hard work. I know it all."

She turned her back, leaving the Emperor's treasured sword with her treasured servant.

"This continent, the world knows."

She left her knight as evidence of this world's miracle.

"Now rest in peace."

Several footsteps rushed up from the bottom of the lighthouse, and they soon reached the summit and found her.

"Your Majesty!"

First, Epherene. She looked at her with wide eyes as she shouted.

"My timeline is fixed!"

Now she no longer had to go back to the future or the past. They had moved beyond that.

Sophien twisted her lips.

"Of course. Even though the continent was frozen, the universe's time passed, and ten thousand years have already passed."

Epherene couldn't go back and forth for that long. The power of time was weighed down.

"…"

Epherene had a strange expression like she didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

"More importantly, we still have work to do."

The moment Sophien said that more people rushed up. Not only Louina, but Yeriel, Lawaine, Ganesha, the Demon Bloods Captain, Eli, Maho, and Delric…

He wasn't among them. Deculein wasn't there.

"Listen well."

Sophien told them.

"From now on, we will punish the great evil."

The Evil Deculein. The purpose behind their coming here.

"…Uh… umm."

At the Emperor's command, they moved their mouths, but they could neither spit it out nor swallow it back. They knew what Deculein wanted. He chose to die on his own, push his power into a pit, and take on the role of a villain.

"And… we will sew up the continent."

Sophien spoke of repairing the world.

…That was probably not too far off a story.

* * *

Imperial Palace.

Returning to the continent's highest palace, Sophien first announced her future policy to all the people. It consisted of a total of 29 articles as follows:

…29. After chasing down Deculein, the head of evil that started this whole situation, kill—

-They continued like this. While state affairs were operating better than ever, the great evil Deculein, now the Altar's biggest supporter, was on the run, and the bounty had climbed to 5 billion Elnes.

In the inner chamber of the Imperial Palace, Sophien yawned loudly and looked at Ahan. A radio crackled nearby with the news.

"Haaahm… it seems like there's still no news, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The professor is nowhere to be seen yet."

"Tsk. Lia and Ganesha, what are these certified imperial adventurers doing?"

Deculein's body wasn't found in the lighthouse. Thanks to that, she wasn't sure whether he had died. Of course, even if he still lived, he was destined to die sooner or later.

"Is it the same for Kreto?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He had also disappeared. Whether he was with Quay at the destruction of the continent or whether he'd run away and was living somewhere, either way, Sophien didn't want to lose Kreto too.

"But… yet again, it's been quite some time. After that day…."

"Yes. That's right."

After the celestial collision and destruction, the continent changed quite a bit. First, Deculein was reduced to the world's worst villain, but Yukline remained in their position of strength. Rather, they were flying more brilliantly with Yeriel at their head.

The Demon Bloods personally came to the Emperor and swore an oath of loyalty and reconciliation, and were allowed to enter the Empire. In addition, many citizens who received tribute from the Altar like Relin were punished for setting an example, and the rest were mercifully forgiven.

"More importantly, what is Epherene doing?"

Epherene had gone up to Floating Island as an Archmage. Now with all of the Floating Island under her control, she hadn't been in contact with them.

"I heard she was doing something, but Archmages are not bound by the Empire… so I don't know."

"…Indeed. Her head's gotten too big, as expected of someone's disciple."

Mumbling like that, Sophien pulled out a crystal ball. Before, it was connected to Deculein. After fiddling with it, she turned to look at the statue standing against the wall.

"…Keiron. Do you know where Deculein is?"

After asking that question, she cleared her throat for no reason. Even after spending some time waiting, no answer returned.

This guy had already become a statue.

"Tsk."

When Sophien clicked her tongue-

"Ah?!"

Ahan cried as she received a report from the crystal ball in her left ear.

"Your Majesty, Archmage Epherene has been found in the Reok Kingdom."

"…Reok?"

Sophien frowned.

"What is the purpose of her visit?"

"Oh, that. It's…."

* * *

"Would you like to enter?"

"…"

Epherene felt tense.

"Archmage Epherene?"

The wizards beside her asked very carefully, but they kept glancing at her. It was kind of annoying, but none of it mattered. Right now, there was only this dome.

"This is Locralen… right?"

A crossroads of time named Locralen. Epherene was in that magical space.

"Yes."

As the Archmage, who now reigned over the top of Floating Island, Epherene had directly ordered Locralen to shut down. To close down such a dangerous place, she'd come down directly to do so.

"You didn't have to come in person-"

"No. I needed to."

After answering like that, Epherene took a deep breath. She put her hand over her heart, and after taking in a few breathes, she said:

"As of today, Locralen is closed."

"Yes. All right."

"In the future, no matter what magic you're pursuing, we will immediately shut down any objects or magical spaces that are too dangerous."

"…"

Epherene furrowed her eyebrows as if she was slightly dissatisfied with their response, but then she nodded.

"Yes. All right, Archmage."

"Okay. You can go now."

"Yes."

Then the wizards who escorted her to this place left, and Epherene remained alone at Locralen.

"…Gosh, I am a bit nervous."

But no matter how much she thought about it, she was too nervous. Epherene took out a crystal ball from her pocket to prepare. Her friend should be in Freyden by now.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

—…

No response. Epherene waited for a while, then pounded her chest again and spoke.

"Hey. Sylvia. I asked what you were doing. Talk to me for a bit. I feel like my heart is going to explode…"

* * *

At the same time, Sylvia was looking at the artificial sun from the top of Freyden's castle.

—Hey. Sylvia. I asked what you're doing-

At that moment, Epherene's voice came through the crystal ball.

"This sun will not go out now?!"

Zeit asked. The crystal ball shook at his thunderous cry. Sylvia stared him down.

"Seriously. Be quiet. I can't do it because of you."

"Oh. Sorry."

Zeit shut his mouth. Sylvia clicked her tongue.

"Now, there will be no ice age in Freyden. I can assure you of that."

"Oooh… finally."

Zeit and all the knights of Freyden who lined up behind him let out a loud, victorious cry.

"Oooh- Whoa-!"

Sylvia shook her head and asked Zeit.

"More importantly. What is Julie doing?"

"Oh? Julie is focusing on her main job. She's been immersed in sculptures."

Sculpture. As Zeit said, Julie put the sword down, and she picked up not a weapon but a shovel and a carving knife. In that field, she had as much talent as she had with a sword, so the name Julie might soon become more famous as a sculptor than a knight.

"Ah, I'm here too."

A voice softly called out. Julie appeared between the knights with her silver hair scattered around her shoulders. She smiled brightly at Sylvia.

"Thank you, Wizard Sylvia."

"…I should thank you."

Sylvia laughed a little.

"More than that, how's the sculpture going?"

"Yes. Josephine's been helping me, so it's going well."

"I heard they are expensive."

"Yes. I sell them at a high price to the nobles and use their money to serve those in need."

This Julie differed from Julie in the past, but she didn't deviate much. According to her personality, she had grown up to be kind and was becoming a beautiful person who sculpted the four seasons. But the problem was…

"What is that book?"

Sylvia pointed to Julie's book. She smiled bitterly and showed her the cover.

「Stocks That Even Beginners Can Buy — Stock King Primienne」

"Oh, it's about stocks. If I learn a little bit of this, I can get money to do something better-"

"Don't do it."

"…Yes?"

"If I tell you not to do it, don't do it."

Sylvia frowned and stared hard. Then, the crystal ball vibrated again.

—I'm going in now. To Locralen.

Epherene's voice flowed through.

"…"

Sylvia pouted. This girl was going to Locralen to meet someone she wished she could. Still, though. Everyone has their fortune.

"Anyway. It's good to see you doing well, Julie."

"…Yes, thank you. As advised by you, I've been living as myself."

The emotion in her voice seemed so genuine and happy that Sylvia couldn't help but smile brightly.

"Yeah. Okay."

Whoooooosh—-

The occasional winter wind blew. The cold in Freyden was harsh, but the artificial sun radiated the same warmth.

Whooooosh…

This artificial sun, which Sylvia learned from Deculein's Art Sorcery, was finally completed with the magical core that she inherited—

"It will illuminate Freyden forever. Just as my professor wanted."

"""""Ooooh—!""""

The ghastly shouts of the knights of Freyden filled the castle. It was so loud her ears hurt, but anyway.

"Yes. As long as you like it."

Sylvia grinned. Then, she looked up to the sky.

"…It's thanks to you."

It is thanks to you. Thanks to you for sacrificing yourself; thanks to that wretched plan of becoming a villain, this world and this continent will change for the better and become warmer. Maybe as you calculated, or even better than you calculated.

"You're watching, right?"

But Sylvia also knew that he was watching from somewhere.

"I know."

The way we live, move, laugh, cry, and find ourselves as human beings. Believing in ourselves and living together in love and dependence.

"The villain… is still alive."

Sylvia was sure he would be watching them happily…