▽

When she learned that I had awakened, the first person to come see me was Takao Hijiri.

Hijiri was wearing the Ogito Academy uniform.

Her role as a Hero was already over————- was that the feeling she was giving off?

When I asked her that, Hijiri said,

[I’m wearing the uniform as a kind of rehearsal before returning to our original world. To get my senses back, you know. More importantly, are you okay now?]

[This is the first time in my life I’ve slept for this long. After getting this much rest, you really start to appreciate how important sleep is.]

[Looks like you’re fine then.]

Hijiri told me about what had happened while I was asleep.

After that, just as promised, it seemed Cattleya had stepped in to act as the coordinator.

Since she had originally been in charge of organizing the Goddess Subjugation Army, everything apparently went smoothly.

First came the provisional restoration of governance in the royal capital, Enoh.

Alion’s Armor King had already been eliminated by Vysis.

Perhaps because they were deemed obstacles, most of the royal family besides the Armor King had also been killed.

Was the Armor King alone kept alive as a puppet?

However, it seemed that two of his grandchildren were still alive.

A six-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl.

The other grandchildren had died under suspicious circumstances (most likely eliminated).

So only the youngest grandchildren had been spared.

They were probably meant to be used as “spares” after the Armor King’s death…… or something along those lines.

……Two replacements were enough, apparently.

Hijiri continued.

[Just as you instructed, it looks like they’ve also started detaining members of the Vysis Cult in this royal capital. Well, it’d be a problem if they got desperate and did something crazy. ……Honestly, with your head in a state that needed this much sleep, I’m impressed you even thought that far ahead.]

[I’m just that capable.]

Hijiri shrugged her shoulders with a weary look.

[As humble as ever.]

[I only say jokes like that to people who can take them.]

There are people who’d take it seriously, after all……

[They also sent messengers to inform other countries of the current situation———— well, only what’s necessary.]

With Cattleya taking the lead, all sorts of post-battle cleanup seemed to be progressing.

After waking up, Hijiri had also gotten a grasp of the situation and was acting as Cattleya’s advisor.

[Is Sogou still out?]

[Yes.]

While I was asleep, Suou Kayako and Itsuki had been taking turns looking after me.

After Hijiri woke up, it apparently became a three-person rotation.

[Her life isn’t in danger, right?]

[In the past, there was a time when she was incapacitated for a while due to the strain from using a technique called Limit Break———– an ability that isn’t related to Hero Skills. Heck, that felt more like that so-called qigong…… It was after the battle in the Anti-Demon White Castle, I think.]

[That guy’s always been on a slightly different wavelength from the rest of the world……]

In fact, right before I was about to be disposed of, she even blocked Vysis’s knife-hand strike.

[In other words…… the cause is probably the strain from that final attack she unleashed against Vysis.]

It must have been a blow into which Sogou poured everything she had.

Without that, the outcome might honestly have been uncertain.

[But she’s definitely recovering. Loqierra-san and Thesis-san said her consciousness should return before long.]

Incidentally.

Hijiri had already gone to thank the two Deities for saving them.

[Well, if those two say so, then she’ll be fine.]

[Oh, and a message from Loqierra-san. Right now she’s investigating Vysis’s laboratory together with Thesis-san, so if there’s anything you want to take care of first, it’s fine to put them on hold. However, it seems she has something she wants to talk to you about.]

[So…… it’s not particularly urgent then.]

In that case, it could wait.

[According to Loqierra-san, there are a lot of extremely interesting things in Vysis’s lab.]

Come to think of it, Thesis is still in this world huh.

Would it really be okay for her not to return to Heaven?

As I was thinking that, Hijiri loosely crossed her arms around her stomach, supporting her elbow with her palm.

After pondering for a moment, she spoke.

[……About what happens after Sogou-san wakes up.]

[I know. Leave that to me.]

Hijiri slowly averted her gaze.

[Well…… I don’t think she’ll harm you.]

[But once she regains consciousness, the topic of searching for the “missing Hero” who still hasn’t regrouped will probably come up.]

However———– in reality, there was no longer any “missing Hero”.

During the battle, Vysis had told Sogou that Asagi, Oyamada, and Yasu had died.

But Sogou didn’t seem to believe it.

She probably thought it was just a lie meant to shake her.

[……………………]

At that point, something suddenly occurred to me.

[Oh, right. Hijiri…… what about Yasu———– Yasu Tomohiro?]

[Yasu-kun? Ah, yes…… from what you’ve told me, I suppose he technically counts as missing too.]

I told her about Yasu’s death.

After listening, Hijiri fell silent for a while.

It felt like she was sorting through her thoughts and emotions internally.

Eventually, she spoke.

[……I wasn’t especially close to him, and even after coming to this world we barely interacted at all, but…… I see…… so Yasu-kun…… that’s how it ended……]

The smartphone delivered by Azziz.

Inside it was also a video addressed to Sogou Ayaka.

This wasn’t something I should watch right now.

So I deliberately didn’t play it.

There were also videos addressed to the former Yasu Group.

In addition, there were individual videos for the deceased Hirooka and Sakuma.

And then———– there was even a video addressed to Mimori Touka.

That guy had left videos even for the dead.

The one addressed to me———– to Mimori Touka, I had already watched.

The main content was an apology.

But Yasu should have believed that “Mimori Touka” was already dead.

Which meant that, just like the videos for Hirooka and Sakuma, it was……

“A letter to the dead.”

He even said so himself in the video, but he had recorded it anyway.

In the video, Yasu said this:

“I know this is…… just for my self-satisfaction. Even so…… I wanted to say it properly, to apologize in this way too———- I felt that I had to.”

If we ever met in the afterlife, he wanted to apologize in person.

He said that too.

Even if he wasn’t forgiven.

He said he had to apologize.

…………Yasu.

This letter addressed to Mimori Touka———–

It reached me………… properly.

“Or perhaps,” Hijiri spoke.

[The contents of that video addressed to Sogou-san…… might influence her way of thinking.]

[I killed Oyamada Shougo. Now that I’ve carried out my revenge against Vysis, I have no intention of hiding it. Precisely because it’s Sogou, I won’t choose to keep it concealed here. As she is now, she has the right to know.]

That aside, it was a good thing the Takao sisters’ Skills could recharge smartphones.

Looking back, that was how we managed to spread the truth about Vysis’s true nature so widely.

Gotta be grateful for the conveniences of civilization.

“Oh, and one more thing”, Hijiri added.

[Just as you instructed, the “frozen” Kirihara-kun is also being transported here by carriage.]

[Sounds like that one’s going to take a bit longer to arrive.]

Kirihara Takuto was currently under the effect of <Freeze>.

What to do about him, too———– that was something I needed to decide.

[Hm?]

It was getting noisy outside the room.

From the hallway.

[Is it still not okay yet!? He’s awake, right!?]

……Liese huh.

[Well…… my sister’s still inside talking with Mimori, and errr…… what business do you have with him?]

[Ehh!? What business…… I, umm…… I’m the prime minister of the Faraway Country, so…… there are…… things I want to talk about……]

[……Mm, that’s kind of suspicious. Your purpose is vague, and you’re acting all twitchy.]

With a wry smile, Seras pointed toward the door and asked me with her eyes,

“Shall I go take care of it?”

At that moment,

[B- Because——— I was waiting for my turn! I just…… want to talk, that’s all! I just want to check that he’s okay! I just want to hear his voice! I- I mean, what, got a problem with that!? Are you saying I can’t come visit out of personal feelings unless I have official business!? Is that what you’re saying!? Geez!]

[Ehhh…… so that’s how it is…… E- Elder Sis……]

Itsuki’s voice sounded utterly fed up.

Then the door clicked open, and Itsuki peeked his head inside.

[I- I think you can hear her, but…… should I let this spider girl in?]

Still with her arms loosely crossed, Hijiri turned her face toward me.

[———Let her in.]

I said, to which Hijiri looked a little exasperated.

[Mimori-kun, you…… weren’t you deliberately leaving her out there because you found it amusing?]

[……I wonder what you’re talking about.]

[Good grief.]

Once again, Hijiri shrugged her shoulders at me.

Then the door swung fully open and Liese burst in with momentum.

[Hey———- are you okay!? You had me worried sick…… y- you should think about how I feel too!]

……How should I put this?

[When you show up right now, it somehow makes me feel…… relieved.]

[Eh!? Wha…… suddenly courting me like that———— I’m not mentally prepared for that yet———–]

How in the world did she interpret that as courting?

Calm down a bit…… Lieselotte Ornick.

▽

The Takao sisters and Seras stepped out for the moment, and I talked with Liese alone.

It wouldn’t really have been a problem if Seras and the others had stayed, but at Hijiri’s suggestion, that’s how it turned out.

Liese puckered her lips awkwardly and muttered a quiet thank-you to Hijiri.

And so…… with Liese, we were surprisingly able to talk about the future of the Faraway Country.

It seems that the forces of the Faraway Country will be staying in this royal capital for a while longer.

The fact that Zine, the emperor of Mira, is here as well is apparently a big factor.

“Taking into account the achievements from this Goddess Subjugation War, it looks like Mira and the country called Urza might cede parts of their territory to us.”

If it happens, they would become lands directly connected to the Faraway Country in practical terms.

“They’re thinking about splitting it roughly half-and-half from the two countries’ territories. Then we’d turn it into a special trade zone———– a sort of trade city to draw people in…… The idea is to let them get familiar with us, and to show them that Demi-Humans and monsters from our country are safe to be around…… That’s what they proposed. That Zine guy, the emperor of Mira…… he’s pretty sharp. For the Emperor of such a big empire, he actually seems fairly reasonable to talk to.”

Zine really is…… the kind of guy where it’s hard to think of any obvious flaws.

And on top of that, he’s handsome enough to be spoken of as being on par with Seras in terms of looks.

After that…… I told her about what happened with Kokoroniko Doran.

It came up naturally when we touched on the Sacred Eye Defense Battle, so I told her then.

Liese was———- well, she was shocked.

“Of course, I was prepared for someone among us to lose their life……”

That’s what she said.

Liese continued in a trembling voice.

“But…… even if you’re prepared…… that doesn’t mean…… you’re not allowed to be sad……”

Liese said she would tell Gio and the others herself, and left the room.

She was grieving———- but she was resolute.

She’s really become more of a “prime minister” compared to when we first met.

Looking at Liese now, that was the thought that naturally came to mind.

After that, Hijiri returned, and we resumed our discussion.

Our classmates are currently in a standby state, waiting for Sogou to wake up.

Our homeroom teacher, Zakurogi Tamotsu, is also on standby.

Apparently, Zakurogi has become completely dispirited by now.

After the summoning, Vysis threw him into this castle’s kitchen.

It seems he got thoroughly chewed out there.

Come to think of it…… I still haven’t properly met Zakurogi again.

After that, I also met up with Nyaki and the others.

Pigimaru, Slei, and Eve were there too.

Munin and Fugi also came by to see us.

Before noon, I had a brief talk with Zine as well.

It seems he plans to remain in the royal capital for a while longer.

[The White Wolf King is heading here, is he not? If we wait in this royal capital for a bit, the representatives of the anti-Vysis forces, other than Jonato, or those worthy of acting as their proxies will all gather in one place. It will be just right for discussing the future policies of each nation.]

Incidentally, the Magister King of Urza was on Vysis’s side.

Because of that, they apparently will no longer treat him as their country’s representative.

[The Urza army is requesting that the Dragonslayer act as their temporary representative, but the man himself doesn’t seem particularly eager. I believe that man has the ability to unite people, but……]

I asked whether it was really fine for him to stay here and leave the Mira homeland unattended.

Thereupon……

[With Kaiser there, there should be no problem. He has always had an aptitude for domestic administration. On the other hand, I had talent for bloody wars and schemes. That is why, once peace comes, someone like Kaiser is more suited to be emperor. As for military preparedness, in times of peace, Wright would be the better choice.]

That’s what Zine said.

Judging from the way he spoke and his expression,

[So after cleaning up the aftermath of this anti-Vysis war…… you really intend to step down from the throne, don’t you? What are you planning to do after you retire?]

[Hmm…… to be honest, I haven’t thought about anything very concrete. Part of me wants to retire into seclusion and take it easy for a while…… but who knows…… At this point, it might not be so bad to take a wife and live quietly somewhere.]

Right now, the room is occupied by just the two of us.

I’m sitting on the bed, and Zine is sitting on a chair beside it.

Next to him is a rather tall round table.

On top of it are two plates.

While skillfully peeling the skin of a round fruit with a knife, Zine said,

[So, what about you?]

[……Me huh.]

Zine stopped his hands.

[As a Hero from Another World, you’re going to return to your original world in the end, aren’t you?]

[…………………]

[I thought I’d finally found a friend I could truly call a friend…… but still, there must be people waiting for you back in your original world.]

[……Yeah.]

Zine lowered his gaze to the fruit in his hand.

He cut off the long strip of peel in one motion.

Then he picked up the peel, placed it onto the plate for peels, and asked,

[Do you all have to return immediately after this?]

[Who knows…… If Heroes, who are originally “foreign elements”, stay in this world for too long, how much of a problem that causes…… whether we need to all return together at once…… I’m planning to ask Loqierra and Thesis about that.]

Zine started moving the knife again.

Only the faint sound of the blade sliding along the inside of the peel echoed softly in the room.

After a while, Zine spoke.

[……Are you alright?]

[Hm? What do you mean?]

[You don’t need to hide it. It looks like you’re hesitating about something.]

Zine let out a small chuckle.

Lowering his long eyelashes slightly, he said,

[Perhaps because Vysis has already been defeated…… but lately, Touka, your emotions have become a little easier to read than before.]

I braced my hands behind me and snorted lightly, looking up at the ceiling.

[I’ve let my guard down…… Maybe my acting skills have dulled a bit.]

[In other words, that means I’m speaking with a Touka closer to his true self, doesn’t it?]

Having finished peeling the fruit, Zine set the knife down on the table with a soft clink.

Then, he said.

[On my part, that isn’t so bad at all.]

▽

That evening, Sogou Ayaka regained consciousness.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep