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A few days passed like that.

During those few days, all Encia did was send a letter somewhere. Other than that, she just lazed around at home, chatting with me.

I wasn’t this lazy before I fell asleep… What happened to her? She seems completely broken now…

“Are you just going to read books without doing anything again today?”

“Yeah. I don’t have anything else to do.”

“Don’t you have any responsibilities as a mage? Like making it rain, or engaging in academic exchanges with other mages?”

“I handed that annoying stuff over to Cecil. She can handle her own share; she’s a competent mage too.”

This won’t do… This kid… If I don’t do something…

But how? Can I change her mind just by saying something?

Given that she’s been asleep for decades, my words have lost their weight!

Ugh… This kid really is troublesome.

“But don’t worry, if I have something to do, I definitely do it. I don’t just sit around doing nothing.”

Seeing Encia puff out her chest confidently, I sighed a little inside. Well, what can I say? She’s loaded, she has abilities, she has connections, and she raised her disciple well. She can live well without doing anything, so why would she want to be a slave to work?

At least the things she had to do… well, she finished compiling my teachings into a book already. Hmm.

Yeah, it really isn’t a problem for her to have nothing to do. That’s Encia now.

“…….”

Ha, at that moment I found myself envying Encia! The idea of being able to do nothing and just play around was appealing!

No, that’s not right. I can’t think like that. Maybe others can, but not me.

There are things I must do as the Goddess of Life, tasks concerning the Underworld and Paradise, responsibilities concerning the Divine Hall, and many other things. Even if I’ve passed most of them onto others, I can’t completely detach myself from them. I have to at least keep an eye on what’s happening, and step in if problems arise.

Isn’t that the responsibility of the one who brought life into this world?

Others like the children or Ashrit would call my thoughts unnecessary worries. But what can I do? This is just who I am.

Even while grumbling that I want to sleep, rest, and play, I can’t ignore the responsibilities I’ve handed off to others, and I find myself creating more tasks to occupy my mind.

Honestly, what do I really want to do? Do I want to play? Is that it? I can’t tell. Seriously.

“Well, if you’re happy with it, then that’s fine.”

At my words, Encia smiled slightly before focusing on the book in her hands.

Ugh. What should I do with this kid? She’s well past the age to get married.

“Shia. Don’t you have any interest in men?”

“Men?”

“Yeah. Don’t you have thoughts about wanting to start a family or raise children?”

“Um… not particularly? I’ve raised disciples instead of children, and I gave up on starting a family since there was no suitable partner for me.”

“No suitable partner, huh?”

Encia closed the book she’d been reading and spoke.

“Well, I’ve had marriage proposals, but I turned them all down. I can only have feelings for someone who can at least somewhat communicate with me, even if they’re not on the same level as me.”

Hmm. Yeah, that makes sense.

Encia isn’t exactly an ordinary lady; she’s one of the top mages among the mages of Procyon… It’s likely that she wouldn’t be able to have a decent conversation with an ordinary partner.

If it’s someone who can keep up with her, it’d probably just be an old man.

In the end, there were likely no suitable partners, which is why she’s become this old maid mage.

“I feel like I’m saying something rude.”

“No? Not really?”

In this era, where people usually get married in their late teens, Encia, being in her thirties, is quite the old maid. Yeah.

Let’s drop this topic. It’s just going to dig into her wounds.

“I’m just warning you! I have no interest in marriage! If I had any intention, I could’ve chosen anyone I liked!”

“Yeah. If you think that way, then sure. In your mind, anyway.”

Well, while that may be true… Actually, with Encia’s skills, she’d be viewed by others as a treasure they’d want to connect with by any means necessary.

It’s just that Encia probably wasn’t interested at all.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Time passed like that. A few months later.

“Master! We have a guest!”

Cecil’s voice reached Encia, who was holed up in her room.

“A guest?”

“Yes. Someone who said they received your letter. It’s a young man.”

“Oh. He finally arrived.”

Hmm… Has he finally come?

A young man? Young? That guy?

“Show him to the living room. I’ll be down shortly.”

“Yes!”

“Tia too. At least prepare yourself mentally.”

“Do I need to do something like that?”

“Well… that’s true.”

After saying that, Encia casually grabbed a robe that was draped over a nearby chair and put it on before heading down to the living room.

And then.

“It’s been a while, Luke.”

The guest waiting in the living room was, as expected, Arthur.

Still looking like his younger self, he was wearing armor made of some peculiar material.

He didn’t have the Dainsleif at his waist, but instead, Arthur was sporting a seemingly ordinary longsword… except for the odd material of his armor, he looked like the typical knight.

“Uh, I came immediately upon receiving the letter. So, what’s the urgent matter?”

“First, please have a seat. Cecil. Bring some refreshments.”

“Yes.”

After Cecil, who was in the living room, left, Encia leaned back on the sofa and spoke.

“Tia has awakened.”

“Hmm? Is that really true?!”

“Yes. It happened much sooner than I expected.”

Much sooner than expected… Well, it was thought she’d sleep for decades.

I told Shia that too.

“So, can we talk now?”

“Yes. She’s listening even now. Unfortunately, she can’t speak directly, though.”

Well, if I were to go down from the Divine Hall and visit directly, I could have a face-to-face conversation…

But meeting Arthur’s gaze in person… that feels a bit embarrassing!

After having been separated, and now meeting again, how could I face him!

Honestly, even talking now feels like I’m awkwardly adding unnecessary details to a nicely concluded story!

“Is that so… Then that means she’s listening to what I’m saying.”

“Yes. Isn’t that right, Tia?”

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“She says she’s listening.”

Arthur’s expression began to change at that.

A complex mixture of feelings. Nostalgia, sorrow, joy, affection. His face seemed to show a blend of all these emotions.

Smiling and crying at the same time, Arthur spoke.

“Gaia… No, Master. You’re there, aren’t you…?”

Arthur’s voice was suffused with these emotions as well.

Someone like me, they could just forget about. Why were they still missing me so much?

Really, what a sentimental kid.

“Tia, you need to respond.”

“Yes… Ahem. It’s been a while, Arthur.”

“It’s been a while, Arthur. She says. Ah! From now on, I’ll just be relaying Tia’s words. So have the two of you speak like normal. If you have any questions, I’ll ask after you two have finished chatting.”

At Encia’s words, Arthur nodded and replied.

“During this time… a lot has happened. After sending you off like that, I can’t express how much I’ve regretted our time apart. If I had conveyed my feelings sooner… Ignoring the disruptions of the Empire, if I had focused more on you… I wouldn’t have so many regrets now.”

“It’s not your fault. If there’s a blame to be placed, it’s on me for not informing you about the body reaching its lifespan.”

“No. Even if I regained the throne, it was my fault for not paying attention to you.”

“Throne…?”

“Shia, I’ll tell you later.”

In an instant, Encia tilted her head. I said a line and then spoke.

“Actually, it’s also my fault for not telling Vivi and you that time is running out for me.”

“It’s not my fault.”

“It’s my fault.”

“It’s my fault.”

“Even if it’s my fault.”

As we exchanged sentences back and forth, Encia, who was acting as the medium, finally exploded.

“Ugh, seriously! Why are you two dragging this on blaming each other! Let’s just say it’s half and half and be done with it! The conversation isn’t progressing!!!”

With Encia shouting, her outburst interrupted our mutual digging of faults, and we both stopped.

“Well, I have a mountain of things I want to ask, but I’ll ask after! So hurry up and finish talking!!”

“Ah, sorry for that.”

“Sorry. Shia.”

“Alright! Restart the conversation! No self-blame!!”

Thus, with Encia’s shout, Arthur and I began our conversation once again.

 

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