Epilogue 2 – Our Future

Let me tell you a little bit about what happened after that.

When I returned to Aunen, the people of the city welcomed me warmly.

"Welcome back, Dragon Slayer-san!"

"I knew you were alive! I believed in you!"

"That's great news! Let's all celebrate the return of the Dragon Slayer!"

Come to think of it, the people of this world are very flirtatious, aren't they?

Before I knew it, the whole city was in a festive mood.

After three days of drinking and singing, people got tired on the fourth day.

That's right.

It would have been fine if it had been just one day, but after three days of festivities, anyone would have reached the end of their physical strength.

Fortunately, thanks to my skills, I was in good health, so I decided to distribute heal potions and antidote potions that I had stocked in my [Item Box] to the people.

"Thank you, Dragon Slayer-san. I had a headache from drinking too much alcohol."

"Wow, this potion is amazing. Just one sip and the weight of my body is gone."

"It's so good…! I could drink it every day."

Both heal and antidote potions taste similar to grape juice, which is why the Aunen people liked them so much.

That was one of the reasons they were so popular among the people of Aunen.

By the next day, the residents had recovered their strength, and the town was back to its normal state of vitality.

By the way, do you remember "Quiet Moon Pavilion"?

It was the high-class inn where I used to stay when I was in Aunen.

Fortunately, a suite room was available, so I chose to stay there this time as well.

While relaxing in my room that morning, I wrote letters to the people who had taken care of me in the past.

The recipients included Relic, Count Maillard, and Jess, the branch manager of the Adventurers' Guild Fortport Branch, among others.

The contents of the letters can be divided into three main categories.

──That I have returned safely to this world.

──That I am currently staying in Aunen.

──That he intends to visit them sooner or later to greet them.

With the use of "Spatial Domination," it is easy to go anywhere in an instant, but the other party may have their own schedule.

I think I should send them a letter first.

I also wanted to rest and relax in Aunen for a while longer.

I took a break, and by the time I had finished writing all the letters, it was evening.

"I should get going."

I went to the washroom, fixed my hair and clothes, and left the room.

Iris and I were going out to dinner this evening.

The meeting place was the fountain square in the center of the city.

When I arrived there ten minutes before the appointed time, I found Iris already there.

She was not wearing her usual attire but a white, neat one-piece dress.

"Kou, it's nice to meet you today."

"Me too. That dress is the one you were wearing before, isn't it?"

"You remember it?"

"Of course."

I nodded to Iris's words.

In the past, when the two of us went to the party after defeating the black dragon, she was wearing that white one-piece dress.

"It looks good on you."

"Thanks. I'm glad to hear you say so."

Iris smiled happily and started walking in a good mood.

The destination was "Silver Buck Restaurant," the same restaurant we used for the party after defeating the black dragon.

It is a cozy restaurant located on a back street, but the taste is definitely first-rate.

The signature dish, "Toue Beef Stew," is as exquisite as ever. The beef is tender, and the more you chew, the more the flavor overflows onto your tongue.

When the sweet beef stew is added to the beef, it creates a rich flavor that will leave you speechless for a while.

The food here is delicious, after all.

As my mouth was involuntarily agape, Iris, who was sitting across the table from me, called out to me.

"You look very satisfied, don't you?"

"Yeah. It was worth coming back to this world."

"Fufu, isn't that a bit exaggerated?"

"Maybe."

After merging with Zogral, I became more than a god and gained the power to interfere with the past, present, and future.

But the reason I gave up that power and returned to being human was because of the existence of Iris and the others.

I wanted to walk through the same time as them and live the same way.

It was because of these feelings that I came back.

After finishing our meal, we paid our bill and left the Silver Buck Restaurant.

We walked side by side through the night streets.

I was on the right, and Iris was on the left.

Iris spoke to me as I was thinking about something similar that had happened to me before.

"Hey, Kou."

"What's wrong?"

"Thanks for coming back."

"You don't have to thank me."

"It's okay. That's how I feel."

Iris looked at me and smiled.

The red on her cheeks is probably due to the wine she drank at the restaurant.

"To be honest, I've been anxious all year. …I was afraid that Kou might not come back."

"That can't be true. I've made promises to everyone. I'm not going to break them."

"Yes, of course I know that. But there are times when I feel weak. I don't know what I'll do if I never see you again."

Iris said this and leaned in a little closer to me.

The back of my left hand and the back of Iris's right hand touched.

"….."

"….."

Our gazes crossed.

In the past, we would just look at each other and giggle.

But this time was different.

After a few seconds of silence

Iris took my hand in hers.

"Since we're here, how about we go have another drink somewhere?"

"I agree."

I replied, squeezing Iris's hand again.

"Where should we go next?"

"Can I leave it to Kou?"

"Yeah."

I nodded.

Iris smiled shyly and squeezed my hand even tighter.