When I came to, I was in a white place. A pure white space. A space with nothing in it.
Usually, this place makes me feel terrible.
My body reverts to the ugly form I'd grown accustomed to over 34 years, and memories of my previous life come flooding back. Regret, conflict, pettiness, indulgent thoughts. The 12 years of memories fade like a dream, and disappointment wells up. I feel as though I'd been having a long dream. A restless, scraping frustration fills my chest.
But this time, that didn't happen. The usual self-deprecating feelings didn't surface. Instead, there was a sense of loss—like a hole had opened up in my chest.
I looked, and sure enough, there was a hole in my chest.
Ah, so I really am dead after all...
"Hey."
When I looked up,
"Well, that's a shame."
Yeah, it really is.
"...You seem different from usual today. Are you alright? Feeling sick at all?"
As you can see, there's a hole in my chest. ...Hey, can I ask you something?
"What is it?"
That guy—the one called
"He's an evil Dragon God, you know. He has it in for kind, innocent little old me."
Innocent, huh... Well, you do seem like the type to make enemies easily. But couldn't you have warned me in advance? You can see all sorts of things, right? You must have known I'd run into Orsted there. If you'd just told me—even one word—not to give my name even if Orsted asked, I could have...
"No, sorry. Actually, I can't see anything related to the 'Dragon God.' Neither the future nor the present. I had no idea you'd run into him."
Really? Why not?
"Because he has that kind of curse on him."
A curse. So those exist too.
"Hmm. Didn't your world have anything like that? Children who are born with abnormal magic power and some kind of strange ability?"
There was no concept of magic power in my world. There were people who claimed to have strong spiritual sensitivity, but honestly, they weren't very credible.
"Oh, is that so? Over here, they're called 'cursed children'—strange ones like that. Orsted is one of them. Well, he has about three other curses on top of that one."
Four, huh. That's quite something. Come to think of it, I've heard of them before. Blessed children and cursed children, right?
"Exactly. They're the same thing, though. Humans just like to categorize them differently."
I see. So what kind of curse does he have?
"You saw how
Despised by everyone, huh? That's... well, awful. My spirit would break immediately. I know what it's like to be hated.
"Oh, don't waste your sympathy. He was born as an evil being who wants to destroy this world."
Well, don't say that. If everyone directs nothing but ill will at you, anyone would want to destroy at least one world. Even in my previous life, I had thoughts like that. I used to complain on the internet all the time, saying things like "I wish everyone would just die."
"Hmm, is that so? I hate him too, so I couldn't care less."
Hm? Oh, so the curse affects you too? That's why you can't see him, right? A curse of being despised, and a curse of being invisible... What else?
"Well, I can't see it, so I don't really know."
I see... But all the more reason, then. I wish you'd warned me that people like that exist in this world. Running into someone like that out of nowhere is a real problem.
"I didn't expect you'd run into him either. The odds of meeting him by wandering around in such a vast world..."
Yeah, I guess... Like finding a single sesame seed in a desert.
Come to think of it, I didn't feel any disgust or fear toward him. How do you explain that?
"Maybe it's because you're from another world?"
People from other worlds aren't affected by the curse?
"Seems that way. Same thing happened when you met Ruijerd, right?"
...Huh? Wait, what are you saying? Ruijerd is one of those cursed children too?
"No, that's the curse of Laplace's Spear. Laplace carried the 'Curse of Fear,' but he transferred it to the spear and foisted it onto the Spert tribe. Using green hair as the key."
A curse? Foisted it onto them...? Hey. What the hell? Did you know about this from the start? Did you know and still have me do it? Did you make me do something pointless?
"No, don't get the wrong idea. The curse on the Spert tribe as a whole has mostly faded with time. Ruijerd himself still has a bit of the curse remaining, but cutting his hair has been weakening it rapidly."
Hair, huh. Come to think of it, Sylph was bullied, but she didn't exactly inspire fear...
Why hair? Is it because it's the source of magic power?
"Because Laplace's hair was green too."
Oh, I see. Things like that happened in my world too—using shared associations or wordplay to cast or break curses.
"Anyway, thanks to your involvement, the curse is fading. There's still deep-rooted prejudice, but that's something that can be overcome with time and Ruijerd's efforts."
So it wasn't for nothing? That's good... You were actually making me act with a purpose in mind.
"Well, completely eradicating it will probably be tough."
Yeah, it's a difficult problem. But still... that's good.
"Yeah, good for you. Bringing you and Ruijerd together paid off."
You brought us together for that reason? If so, you could have just told me.
"Back in the beginning, you had no intention of listening to anything I said, did you? You didn't have the composure for it."
...Well, yeah. I was picking fights and shutting you out. That's true.
Still, even Ruijerd went down easy against Orsted... I didn't expect him to go down that easily.
"Well, Ruijerd wouldn't stand a chance against him."
I mean, he's one of the Seven World Powers. How would anyone beat him?
"You can't."
Can't beat him, huh. So the gap in raw power really is that large?
"He's the strongest in this world. Even while being restricted by multiple curses."
Huh? But the Dragon God is ranked second among the Seven World Powers, right? Who's first?
"The God of Techniques is strong too. But in a real fight, Orsted would win. Orsted can use every technique and art that exists in this world. On top of that, he can use the Dragon God's unique Original Magic."
Every technique and art, huh. He's like some kind of apocalyptic savior.
"Oh? Did your world have someone like that too?"
He copies every technique from every opponent he's ever fought. Though honestly, he's strong enough without using any of them. Just one flick of his finger, and opponents go boom.
"Just one finger? Impressive. But Orsted is incredible too. If he got serious, he could destroy this world."
That strong? The word 'strong' doesn't even cover it. Abnormal? A natural disaster?
"But the curse prevents him from going all out."
Is that right. Curses really are a pain.
By the way, can I say one thing?
"What is it?"
You. Earlier, you said you didn't know about the curses. The curse of being despised and the curse of being invisible—you said you didn't know about any others. So how do you know he can't go all out?
"...Umm."
Ah, it's fine. This is the end, so let's be friendly about it. Whatever you're hiding, I don't care. I know you meant well with Ruijerd. And thanks to you, I was able to save
If this were really it, there are a bunch of other things I'd want to ask. Why you paired me up with the Magician Empress. Where the other missing people are. What your true purpose even is. But asking now would be pointless—it's all water under the bridge.
Well, whatever. We're both failures, so let's be friendly about it. Like a banquet where etiquette doesn't matter—let's make some noise. Naked dancing, hidden talents, sure, and I won't mind a bit of belly dancing either.
"The end?"
Yeah, the end. Because that's how it is. I'm dead.
"I see, so that's why you're acting so fatalistic. ...It's the exact opposite of when we first met, isn't it?"
Back then, I died without understanding anything. This time, well, it can't be helped. Besides, I had a feeling I'd end up here right before dying. I don't know where people go when they die, but I figured you'd come talk to me on my deathbed.
Oh, my consciousness is fading. Guess it's time to say goodbye. I'm glad I got to have a peaceful conversation with you at the end.
"Is that so... Well then, I have good news for you."
Huh?
"You're not dead."
When I came to, the hole in my chest was gone.
--- I suddenly woke up.
Eris was right there. Right in front of me. I was lying on my side, looking up at her.
It took me a moment to realize I was in her lap.
Eris was watching me with a worried expression, the way you'd look at something you'd rather not see. But when I opened my eyes, her face flooded with relief. Her eyes were bright red.
"Ru-
I tried to speak and blood came spewing out.
"Rudeus!"
Eris pulled me into her arms.
"Cough... cough...!"
I finished coughing up blood and choked violently. Eris rubbed my back.
"...Are you okay?"
Seeing Eris's bewildered expression, I tilted my head too.
"Why... am I alive...?"
The wound on my chest had fully closed. Well, 'fully' might be an overstatement. There was a gaping hole in the center of my robe, and the bare skin visible beneath it bore marks like welding seams. How strange. My right hand isn't some parasitic beast—it's just a lover.
"Just a moment ago, that woman—well, she said something—um, the one called Orsted—healed Rudeus with healing magic..."
Eris, thinking my genuine question was directed at her, answered in a stammer.
"A woman?" "They called her
Nanahoshi. That girl. Come to think of it, that was what she was called. But Nanahoshi—that name rings a bell. Sometime within the last year, I think. I can't remember where.
"She healed someone she tried to kill..."
What was she thinking? But I was definitely impaled through the heart. Damage to vital organs can't be fully healed with intermediate-level healing magic. That meant advanced-level or higher. Orsted could even use magic to heal fatal wounds in an instant. Maybe what Man-God said—that he can use every technique and art in this world—wasn't entirely a lie after all.
"Total defeat..."
This is what they mean by being in a different league. Second among the Seven World Powers. According to Man-God, the strongest in the world. Either way, his reputation is well-earned.
Ruijerd, Eris, and I were all completely shut out. Shut out with ease. And it seemed he wasn't even trying.
"Ruijerd?" "He still hasn't woken up."
Looking, I saw Ruijerd laid out at the side of the road. The carriage had been pulled over too, and a campfire had been built. Did Eris do all of this by herself?
"This is the first time I've seen Ruijerd lying down like this."
"Rudeus, don't talk yet. You were just coughing up blood..."
"I'm fine now. It was just what was left in my throat."
Saying that, I didn't move from Eris's lap. I didn't want to. I wanted to stay here forever. What would happen if I rolled over right now and faced the other direction? Thoughts like that kept popping into my head.
Was it some survival instinct? Apparently, when people near death, they feel the urge to leave descendants behind... I didn't really feel it, though.
Ah, whatever. Let's not think about complicated things. I'll just lie here.
"Being alive is wonderful."
As I said that, I twisted my body around and hugged Eris, clinging to her waist. When I took a deep breath, I thought I caught a bittersweet scent about her.
"Rudeus... you're awfully energetic."
"Hmm, it's like I've got an excess of everything."
Even more so than usual. Was it because of that man Orsted? Or because I'd been in Man-God's dream? I'll say it again—I don't really have any sense of having wandered between life and death. But I was definitely more energetic than before I woke up.
"So it's okay to hit you then?"
Eris's trembling voice came from above. She sounded angry. Well, can't blame her. She was worried sick, and then I immediately groped her. I'd be mad too, honestly.
"Go right ahead."
She hit me. A light tap. Then she pulled me in and cradled my head. I could feel the softness of Eris's chest against my cheek. And from deep within, the beating of her heart. And from above, quiet sobbing.
"......*sob*...*sniff*..."
Eris was crying. Crying quietly.
"Thank goodness..."
Eris murmured softly. I went limp and gently patted her back.