Chapter 447: The King and the Sword

<Author’s Notes>

As I feared, it wasn’t possible to finish within this year (my apologies), but I expect that it should be completed by the end of this fiscal year (March 31)……

2025 was a year that left both mind and body in a bit of a wreck (more like waves of turmoil rather than constant), but somehow I managed to finish writing [Failure Frame], bringing it to a conclusion with Vysis within this year. I suppose next year will bring its own endless worries, and I’ve half resigned myself to that, but I hope it can also be a year where, despite the troubles, I move forward.

Given the timing, of course, this will be the last update of the year.

Thank you again for this year.

Everyone, have a happy New Year.

The first to make a move was Thesis.

Closing her eyes, she slumped to the ground, muttering “I- I’m exhausted……”.

Loqierra moved away from me and rushed over.

[Thesis-sama!]

Thesis hung her head weakly.

[I’m…… quite hungry as well……]

[———–T- Thank you for the hard work, Thesis-sama! There was a moment back there where I was worried you might be persuaded by Vysis…… but that was just needless anxiety!]

[Eh!?]

Thesis looked up with a “gasp!” kind of expression.

And in this era, no less (well, I don’t really know the specifics of this otherworldly timeline).

Her face paled even further.

[Loqierra…… you didn’t…… trust me, did you?]

[Geh.]

[What was that “geh” just now?]

[A- Anyway——— ……Thesis-sama, you’re amazing!]

[That’s awfully careless…… more importantly, Loqierra…… I want to ask seriously,]

Loqierra looked tense.

[Y- Yes?]

[Am I really…… Am I really such a…………………….. horrid old hag……?]

[……Eh!? You were worried about what Vysis said!? Seriously!?]

[Well, it’s just……]

[I- It’s fine! Thesis-sama, you’re still so young! Whether it’s true or not, Vysis just wanted to insult you! Don’t let it bother you! I mean…… everyone loves Thesis-sama! You’re the best!]

[That doesn’t feel sincere…… ———–are you mocking me?]

[Eek!? I’m sorry!]

……Before Thesis came to this world……

Through the communicator, Loqierra had been furiously yelling at this second-ranked one.

Showering them with insults.

Even half-threatening that rebellion might be possible.

Yet, at that time, Loqierra had known Thesis in full “serious mode”.

And still…… she could act so haughty (even now).

Even if Thesis is in her normal mode…… is being like that really okay?

Thesis said sharply,

[Loqierra.]

[Y- Yes!]

Then, instantly, she slumped weakly.

[I’m starving here……]

[U- Understood! Nyantan!]

[Eh? Me……?]

[You know this castle well, right? Could you take me somewhere we can get something to eat?]

[I- I don’t mind, but……]

Nyantan responded hesitantly.

Part of it was probably shock from seeing the Purification Corridor.

But more than that, it seemed she was just confused by the stark difference in Thesis’ modes.

[So, Touka, we’ll take Thesis-sama to get some food while she rests! We can handle the rest afterwards, okay!?]

[Got it. I could use a break too…… though there’s one thing I want to discuss with Thesis-sama first.]

Thesis, murmuring quietly “Yay…… food……”, stood up and looked at me.

[Yes, what is it?]

I told her about the frozen Apostle Ars.

Vysis’ clones had already vanished.

But the state of that Apostle remained unknown.

Honestly, I didn’t know how to kill it.

I wasn’t really able to kill him———— just rendering him permanently immobile, stopping him with <Freeze>.

Even if <Freeze> didn’t work, her way of doing things seemed the only option.

Thesis brought her hand to her chin.

[I see…… that Apostle could very well have become more troublesome than Vysis. But it’s likely already exterminated, yes? Like with the Sacraments, once the Factor’s owner moves to another dimension, it can’t maintain its form.]

So that means the unactivated Sacraments underground must have disappeared too.

[Even with my “detection” around the royal capital, I detect no trace of Vysis’ Factor…… Can you check the skill information now?]

I summoned the information for the skill <Freeze>.

Ah, I realized.

[There’s…… one open slot for the target number.]

[Then it seems he has indeed been exterminated. But if you’re concerned, on the way to eat, I can check the area where the Apostle was, just in case. Since your Abnormal State Skill——— <Freeze> is no longer active, you should be able to interact with it, so there’s a way to handle it.]

[Please, if you could.]

I see.

So Thesis cannot interfere while the target is frozen———- under <Freeze>.

Thesis then wiped sweat from her brow, looking concerned.

[However……]

[Something wrong?]

Thesis paled and slumped heavily.

[If she uses any strength there…… she might get even hungrier……]

[Um………… please, somehow manage that.]

[…………Yes.]

Thesis trudged off with Loqierra and Nyantan, leaving the plaza.

……Somehow, it felt like Thesis had no lingering thoughts about Vysis.

Like she had done the natural thing, simply because it was natural.

Maybe that’s just her mindset……

[————-Oops.]

Had I relaxed too much?

Or had I finally reached my limit?

Suddenly, a sensation like vertigo washed over me.

A feeling of all strength leaving my body.

And when I realized that my consciousness had drifted for a second or two,

[Thank you…… for your hard work.]

The one who caught me from behind as I nearly fell was……

[……Sorry. Guess the exhaustion finally…… hit me all at once.]

Seras Ashrain.

Pigimaru had slipped out of my chest pocket at some point and was on the ground.

He probably could have supported me as I fell————

But chose to leave it to Seras.

I had fallen back that the back of my head rested against her chest.

[You haven’t rested even once throughout this battle, more than anyone else. That’s only natural.]

Still loosely supporting me from behind, Seras lowered herself.

She sat down right there, then placed my head on her neatly aligned knees and looked down at me.

[At last…… it’s over.]

Seras———- was smiling.

A smile of relief.

Perhaps because her emotions had surged too high, her voice was trembling.

Looking up at her face above me, I gave a small smile.

[Why are you…… more overwhelmed than I am?]

Tears streamed down Seras’ face as she smiled at me gently.

[……I’m sorry. Just as you said———–]

I raised my arm and placed my right hand against one of Seras’ cheeks.

[For all these times———– I’m sorry to have made you worry.]

[—————–]

A single tear from Seras falls onto my cheek.

[But thanks to you all…… thanks to you, I managed to make it here somehow.]

[No, this victory is surely the culmination of everything you’ve done in this world, Touka-dono…… All the necessary pieces came together in that final battle…… that’s why we were able to reach this point……]

Quietly stroking Seras’ cheek, I closed my eyes.

[And…… thank you for enduring it.]

[………?]

[Until we reached this point———— especially in this final battle…… you devoted yourself entirely to being my “sword”…… and my “shield”.]

I opened my eyes just a little.

Seras was covering her mouth with one hand.

More tears were overflowing from her eyes.

[When you…… used the Forbidden Curse———- when you used it…… I was so shocked…… so worried…… but I thought…… that I mustn’t lose my composure here……]

With the matter of Vysis finally settled……

We had at last reached a point where we could talk like this.

[About not telling you beforehand that I’d use the Forbidden Curse…… I’m sorry. But if I had told you…… I thought it might dull your focus in the middle of the fight. That’s why I chose not to say anything.]

[Y- Yes——— I think it would have……]

Seras reached out as if to touch my face.

I gently stopped her hand with mine.

[It’s fine…… I don’t mind being wet with your tears.]

She must have been trying to wipe the tears from my cheek.

But like I said, it didn’t matter.

There was nothing bad about it.

And besides…… Seras’ tears……

Feels very warm……

[Seras.]

[Yes.]

[At long last.]

[……Yes.]

[This is the end point of my…… of our…… journey of revenge.]

There was still some cleanup left to do.

But the goal itself had been achieved.

And so……

Mimori Touka’s——— “my” journey of revenge ends here.

Revenge against the sh*tty goddess…… has finally been fulfilled.

I looked straight up, meeting Seras’ blue eyes head-on.

[Allow me…… as your “King” on this journey to say this. Throughout this journey, you fulfilled your role as my “sword” exceptionally well, far beyond my expectations.]

With the tips of the fingers that had been resting against Seras’ cheek, I gently wiped away her tears.

And then———

[Seras Ashrain.]

[Yes.]

[Up until now———– you have truly done well.]

Seras’ eyes suddenly brimmed with moisture, and even more tears spilled forth.

And then…… with a smile as wide as she could possibly manage……

She answered.

[Yes————- Milord.]

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