The next day, we safely returned to Enoh using Thesis’ teleportation ability.

Our numbers had increased, but the precision of the teleportation wasn’t affected.

Apparently, it was because Enoh was a place Thesis already had an “experience” being in.

Meanwhile, the conference of representatives from each nation seemed to have progressed smoothly.

By tomorrow afternoon, the delegates would be departing for their respective countries.

According to Seras, who had stayed by Cattleya’s side while I was away……

“The princess conducted everything splendidly.”

It seemed Zine’s assistance had also shone through.

Thanks to that, the overall framework had been settled without issue.

[The remaining topics will be discussed tomorrow morning, and the finer details will be adjusted at a later date.]

That night———— I was in my room, spending time with Seras.

Pigimaru and Slei weren’t around, leaving just the two of us.

[Even so, I was quite surprised. I never expected Erika-dono to come here.]

Seras had been surprised that Erika came along.

But more than that, she had been genuinely happy to see her again.

[Come to think of it, Erika hasn’t met anyone from the Faraway Country yet, has she?]

From Erika’s perspective……

“Well, unless Zekt is there, there’s no one I actually know, right? And being treated like some kind of legendary figure…… yeah, that’s not really my thing.”

That was her reasoning.

Because of that, I still hadn’t introduced Erika to Liese and the others.

[———–By the way, Touka-dono.]

Seras sat upright in her chair, hands neatly placed on her knees.

The atmosphere around her had changed.

……You could tell from her expression that she was nervous.

[You mentioned you had something important to tell me once we returned———- what is it?]

I sat up from where I had been lying on the bed, resting my right arm on my raised knee.

[Most likely tomorrow or the day after, the Hero Repatriation Ceremony will be carried out.]

[Yes.]

[But……]

I told her.

[I’m staying in this world.]

Seras……

[……Eh?]

[The truth is, I already told Hijiri and Sogou before we went to Erika’s place. But aside from them, I haven’t told anyone else. Not even Eve or Loqierra.]

Yesterday, Erika had probably been trying to ask about that.

Whether I, as a Hero from Another World, would also be returning.

But perhaps she sensed something, because she didn’t press the matter any further.

[That…… Touka-dono, you——– I mean…… but———]

……As I thought.

Seras had believed I would return to my original world.

That explained the way she’d seemed to be steeling herself these past few days.

[Will you at least hear my reasons first?]

I began by telling her what I had once told Hijiri.

That said, I glossed over certain parts.

Seras tended to overthink things otherwise.

[B- But still……! Touka-dono, you…… you……]

[My mind had been troubled that I couldn’t decide until now.]

[———— …………..]

[Even after telling Hijiri and Sogou…… to be honest, I was still a little unsure. That’s the truth. I hadn’t fully decided until I told you just now. Of course…… I want to see them.]

Even I……

Those people———-

I want to thank them.

I want to tell them how I feel.

I want to be with them.

[But if I go back, I’ll have to live in that world. And since my parents are missing, I’d have no choice but to live with my uncle and aunt.]

After graduating high school, I could become independent.

I could live apart from them.

But———- that wouldn’t mean completely cutting ties with them.

If I tried to reject any relationship after that, they’d definitely worry.

They would worry about me.

Or maybe……

They’d blame themselves, wondering if they had done something wrong.

———–That was entirely possible.

With them, it was.

And I didn’t want that.

But if I stayed by their side……

As someone who carries those two’s blood so strongly————

……I wouldn’t be able to endure the fear of living alongside them.

In that case———–

Just like his real parents, Mimori Touka remaining “missing” is the optimal answer.

The fact that I’ve inherited those two’s blood so strongly……

Ironically, this journey of revenge proved exactly that.

Because of it, a clear awareness has taken root within me.

And so……

[I want to see them…… but not meeting them like this is the optimal answer. It’s not the best———– but it’s optimal.]

[Touka…… dono……]

[Of course, what I want to tell my uncle and aunt…… what I feel…… Hijiri, once she returns to our original world, will convey them for me.]

……Incidentally.

Apparently, to everyone else, we’ll go with the story that Hijiri and I were secretly dating.

Well…… unless we were at least that close, there wouldn’t really be any necessity for Takao Hijiri to take on that role.

[Also, Hijiri’s maternal family is apparently quite special. If something were to happen, they’d even handle things on my real parents’ side if necessary.]

[……………………]

Even so——– Seras……

She still looked troubled.

Her face, slightly lowered…… looked as if she was carrying guilt.

With a wry smile, I asked.

[Are you not happy that I’m staying here?]

[! N- No———- that’s not true! That’s absolutely not true! There’s no way, no way at all! That could never…… never be!]

Rising from her chair, Seras pressed her right fist against her chest.

Though clenched tightly——— it trembled.

More than anything, she feared having her feelings misunderstood———-

That they might be twisted into something else.

She looked like she was desperately trying to cling on, to explain herself so no distorted misunderstanding would be born.

[……Relax. I understand how you feel. And besides……]

I got off the bed and walked over to stand before her.

[Didn’t we make a lot of promises? I have to keep them.]

[I- I———-]

I lowered my gaze and smiled.

[How much I care about my uncle and aunt…… you might understand that just as well as I do———- maybe even as much as mine. For me, that alone is enough.]

Once more, I repeated it.

[That is enough.]

[——— T- Touka-dono……!]

As if the emotions she had been holding back finally overflowed……

Tears welled up at the corners of Seras’ eyes.

[Is that…… really alright……? With that———- you……]

[And also…… it’s not like I’ll never be able to see my uncle and aunt again———– maybe.]

[ ? ]

There’s no certainty.

But saying it like this would ease her mind, at least a little.

Even if she felt guilty, it would lessen.

[Vysis was researching ways to teleport between worlds on different dimensional axes. And if Loqierrra continues and develops that research in the future…… then maybe, by adjusting the timing, returning like that…… could be possible, right?]

[Ah……]

On Seras’ cheeks, still marked by the paths of her tears……

A few strands of pale honey-colored hair clung.

I brushed them aside with my fingertips and continued.

[And if Erika helps as well, they might come up with something incredible. Also…… there were other Forbidden Spellbooks besides the one to destroy <Dispel Bubble>, right? Do you remember?]

[Ah…… y- yes……]

The Summoning Forbidden Curse.

The Repatriation Forbidden Curse.

With enough Tyrant’s Miasma, those could be performed without relying on the goddess.

They were originally obtained as a way to return without depending on Vysis.

[The Repatriation Ceremony normally can’t be used repeatedly. But…… those Forbidden Curses might exist separately, as a way to return without relying on the deities.]

Well, even if they could be used as something separate———–

Whether I could return to my original world again and again is still unknown.

[Well, it’s just a possibility. But…… for now———-]

Gently, with my thumb, I wiped away the tears at the corner of Seras’ eyes.

[I still want to stay with you.]

It was as if the dark clouds had been swept away———- completely removed.

A clear, sunny sky seemed to open up in Seras’ expression.

Her eyes, now wide open, reflected that sky.

Like puddles after the rain catching the sunlight, they glittered.

And eventually, what had been held back there————- began to overflow.

[———————-Touka-dono!]

Seras leapt toward me.

I caught her, holding her close.

She buried her face in my chest.

[I…… I also want to be with you…… more…… I want to spend more time with you……! I want to see so many things together, do so many things together……! With the person I love…… with the person who made me love them this much———-]

Seras lifted her face, and her clear, unclouded eyes reflected me without hesitation.

[With the person I love most in this world……!]

[What a coincidence.]

I placed my hand on Seras’ cheek again.

———-Hot.

Her flushed cheek, Seras Ashrain’s cheek, was burning.

[I feel the same.]

Digesting these rising emotions……

She clenched her perfectly aligned white teeth, then pressed her thin lips together once.

Transparent tears overflowed, and yet———-

“Yes.”

She looked straight into my eyes, holding them firmly.

Suppressing the tremor in her voice as best she could, Seras spoke.

I, naturally, felt my eyes soften and gave a faint wry smile.

[Well…… considering the difference in lifespan between our races, we can’t grow old together. But…… is that alright?]

Seras clasped her hands in front of her chest.

[O- Of course! No, thinking about that time makes me sad…… just imagining it feels like my chest will burst. But for now…… the time I spend with you———- I’ll treasure it like a precious jewel. I want to cherish it.]

[……I see.]

And then, I placed my hand under my chin.

[Think about it normally, alright? I get to live together with such a beautiful girlfriend from now on. No matter how you look at it, choosing life in this world is the better deal.]

Seras rested her forehead on my chest again.

[———–Geez.]

With her loosely clenched fist, she lightly slapped my chest.

[You’re…… always…… lying like that……]

Her voice was thin and sweet, still tinged with tears.

Then she lifted her face once more.

[Just, may I say one thing…… just one thing? It…… might be something refuting you……]

[Refuting me? What is it?]

[I’m sure you’re different.]

[Different?]

[You and your real parents…… are surely different.]

[But———]

[I don’t know your real parents. Even so——— somehow, I feel you’re different.]

[That is——–]

[No.]

Here, she would not yield.

Stubbornly, Seras refuted me.

[It absolutely must be different.]

Hearing her say that…… it made me happy, yes, happy.

Yet……

[……Then that gives me a reason to go back though.]

Thereupon——– she tilted her head slightly, as if wrapping my words in warmth.

As if she were holding my feelings gently with her warm hands……

[In that case———–]

Seras Ashrain smiled.

[When the time comes that you feel that way———– why not try returning?]

[——————–]

……Though the method of returning hasn’t even been established yet.

Still, I felt it.

As if driven by some hot force, my lips naturally curved into a small smile.

[……………………]

If you say so……

If it’s none other than you saying it———–

……then maybe, it’s alright.

I found myself thinking that.

Perhaps…… you truly do have that kind of power.

Seras Ashrain.

Hmph.

I smiled, waving a white flag with a faint snort.

Then……

[Seras.]

[Yes?]

Looking into those clear, sky-colored eyes reflecting myself, I spoke.

[Thank you.]

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