CH-167.2

 Chapter 167.2

Shin had an indescribable look on his face, as if he were about to cry out of happiness.

"…You always make me dream, don't you…?" (Shin)

"No. You've always been the one who gave me a dream, Shin. You gave me the dream to live my life the way I wanted." (Reno)

Reno stood up and kissed Shin, catching him off guard.

Shin widened his eyes a bit, which made Reno giggle.

"I want you to name this baby." (Reno)

After thinking for a while, Shin replied.

"If it is a boy, it will be Gordo. And if it is a girl, it will be Misa." (Shin)

"They're both great names. It would've been nice if we had twins." (Reno)

Drawn in by Reno's joyful expression, Shin relaxed his expression as well.

"Reno, you are–" (Shin)

She smiled.

" 'Don't leave' —Nope, I'll never say that." Reno said, as if to interrupt Shin.

"My husband is the Demon King's right-hand man. He owes him more than anyone else in the world, and he will repay him with his loyalty. He's not the kind of person who can sit back and watch as rumors of an imaginary Demon King spread." Reno said as if to send him off.

And to remove his worries about the future.

"I'll be waiting. Together with this child. We'll be waiting for you here, Shin. You'd better not forget about me just because you reincarnated." (Shin)

Nodding firmly, Shin replied.

"Though I may forget about my swordsmanship, I will make sure not to forget about you." (Shin)

The two of them leaned closer and hugged each other.

After a while, Reno showed Shin the sheet of paper.

"Do you know about the Love Fairy Fran?" (Reno)

Shin silently shook his head.

"It's a spirit that gives shape to unrequited love and brings people together. It is said that there are as many love fairies as there are broken relationships. For example, let's say someone had love-related regrets in their heart and died. Even if their source was destroyed and they could never come back to life, the Love Fairy will secretly lend them a hand." (Reno)

What Reno had in her hand was a page from the Book Fairy Lilan.

It was the part of the book that described the Love Fairy Fran, which was missing two-thousand years later.

"Fran lends her body to the dead. They borrow the body of a Love Fairy, and they come back to life just long enough to convey their love. They're aware that they're possessing Fran, but only for a short time." (Reno)

The page about the Love Fairy Fran stated as follows.

Borrowing the body of the Love Fairy Fran, the people who are resurrected have lost the memory of their love. As fairies, they wander about in search of their memories. Only those who possess true love can remember and convey it.

In order to convey their unspoken feelings, and settle their sorrows, the Love Fairies always roam the world.

"I'm a spirit, so I know there's a chance I could disappear. But if that ever happens, I will become a Love Fairy, and come to find you. So we'll definitely meet again." (Reno)

Reno put the page on the Love Fairy Fran in Shin's hand.

"As a good luck charm, since Lilan gave it to me. If you keep this, I'm sure I'll be able to recognize you, even when I become Fran. Be sure to keep it, and never lose it." (Reno)

They wouldn't see each other for two thousand years. It wasn't as if nothing could ever happen in the meantime.

Which may be why Reno said all that.

"I give you my word." (Shin)

Shin put the page on the Love Fairy Fran in his pocket.

His gaze fell on Reno's eyes. She smiled gently in response.

The two of them just stared at each other.

"Have a safe trip." (Reno)

"I promise to come back here. When I do, I will be sure to bring my love for you as a souvenir." (Shin)

After saying that, Shin turned on his heel.

Reno stared at his back in silence as he left without looking back.

After leaving Aharthern, Shin headed for Dilhade.

I didn't follow him, but I could watch over him.

Someone out there was plotting some kind of mischief, so I thought it was the right opportunity to connect a magic line to him.

Shin kept running without a moment's rest, and half a day later, he entered the border of Dilhade.

He passed through the gates of Midhaze, and arrived at the Demon King's Castle Delsgade.

As he proceeded down the underground dungeon, he went through the hidden passage, and into the treasure room.

It was there that he left the unique sword Siegsesta.

With a sigh of relief, he drew a magic circle on the spot.

It was for the ｢Reincarnation Syrica｣ spell.

If someone like Shin, whose mastery over source magic was subpar, used this spell, he wouldn't be able to fully inherit his power and memories. Even so, he didn't hesitate.

But just when Shin was about to pour magic power into the magic circle…

"I can't breathe…!" (Titi A)

"I can't take it anymore…!" (Titi B)

"Help…!" (Titi C)

"It's so cramped in here…!" (Titi D)

High-pitched voices echoed in the treasure room.

With a stern look on his face, Shin pulled out the page on the Love Fairy Fran from his pocket.

Then, the Titi popped out of there.

"…How did you hide in here?" (Shin)

At his question, the Titi cocked their heads in puzzlement.

"We shrunk?" (Titi A)

"We became like letters?" (Titi B)

"We became like paper?" (Titi C)

"And then we hid!" (Titi D)

No matter how you looked at it, there was no room to hide in the paper, but for the Titi, who were rumored to be natural pranksters, this probably didn't matter.

"Where are we?" (Titi A)

"In Dilhade!" (Titi B)

"What do we do?" (Titi C)

"We can't go home!" (Titi D)

"We can't cross the wall…!" (Titi A)

"This is bad, really bad!" (Titi B)

The Titi were shamelessly making a fuss.

It appeared to be a scheme to make Shin go back to Reno.

"Aharthern is not the only Spirit Realm in existence. You should go to the spirits' residence in Dilhade." (Shin)

The Titi struck an exaggerated shocked pose.

"So cold…!" (Titi A)

"The Spirit King is so cold!" (Titi B)

"We have to go back!" (Titi C)

"To Aharthern! Come on, come on!" (Titi D)

"She's gonna vanish!" (Titi A)

"Reno is gonna disappear!" (Titi B)

Shin, who was about to cast ｢Reincarnation Syrica｣ regardless of their panic, stopped using magic.

"What are you talking about?" (Shin)

The fairies flew around Shin.

"It's very important!" (Titi A)

"You have to return to Reno's side!" (Titi B)

"Don't reincarnate!" (Titi C)

"There's still ten months and ten days left!" (Titi D)

They weren't making any sense.

Shin sighed a little.

"If this is another prank, you will be punished." (Shin)

After saying that, he left the treasure room again.