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When I regained consciousness, five whole days had already passed.

My entire body ached.

Well, I did throw myself into a suicidal charge, so it’s no surprise. The fact that my limbs are intact is nothing short of a miracle.

“…And whose fault is that?”

“I know very well it’s thanks to Ophelia.”

During the five days I was unconscious, it seems Ophelia took care of me, managing her sleep and meals within the hospital room. She clearly looked troubled, evidenced by the dark circles under her eyes.

“I feel like I’ve aged ten years in your absence.”

“Shut up. Look in a mirror.”

Upon checking the mirror, a handsome man with a bushy beard reflected back at me.

I let out a hollow laugh and turned my head towards Ophelia, soon noticing the divine power dwelling within her body.

“Wait, Ophelia….”

“Yep. I used Gears.”

“Were you trying to save me?”

“Uh-huh.”

As I listened, it appeared that Ophelia had cast Gears in an attempt to save my dying self, which was flooded with magic.

I protested immediately.

“Are you nuts, Ophelia? Someone who doesn’t want to be bound to a god wouldn’t use Gears!”

“You’re the idiot! You were the one trying to die!”

“Ugh.”

Ophelia clenched her teeth and started to punch me.

Given my fragile condition, I had no choice but to endure those dainty little fists.

“Someone uses Gears to save you, and what do you do? Instead of saying thank you, you ask why!”

“…Well, but there must be a reason for Ophelia to go that far.”

“You’re spouting nonsense again. You would have died if I hadn’t acted.”

Thud! Ophelia’s fist hit an area that wasn’t too pleasant.

Groaning, I bent over, and only then did Ophelia seem to realize her punch was too much; she scratched her cheek and then patted my back.

“Serves you right, brat.”

“…So, what exactly was the condition of Gears?”

I asked her about the condition she had bet to save me.

To save one life, and especially a hero’s, it was only natural for Ophelia’s life to be the collateral. No, it might even be more than that.

There’s no way she bet even her soul after death, right?

I asked with concern, but Ophelia blushed slightly and quickly turned her head away.

“Se~cret.”

It seemed like it wasn’t something very impressive as a collateral.

*

“I can do it by myself.”

“No, you’ve just woken up after five days. I’ll do it for you.”

After that, I dressed and headed towards the washroom. Ophelia, who had followed me relentlessly, then took a razor and started shaving my beard.

It was quite embarrassing to be shaved by a woman who was just past twenty while I was over thirty. However, I wasn’t cruel enough to push away someone who had gone as far as using Gears for me.

But I had to fend her off.

“Ugh.”

“…Uh, sorry. I probably won’t make a mess, right?”

Swish.

“…Hmm. I think a hero with a scar on their lip looks cool….”

Ophelia couldn’t manage the shave.

That was an understatement.

Ultimately, my mouth and jaw were covered with unintentional cuts, and it was only after bleeding profusely that the shaving was complete.

“Ophelia.”

“…I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time.”

“There won’t be a next time.”

I said firmly and stepped outside, where the scenery of Melt Rune came into view.

At that moment, Wuzmund, who I happened to run into, told me that Beltrom, the chief of the Redrick Tribe, fortuitously survived.

While the warriors bought time, he hid somewhere underground or something like that.

In any case, it was a good thing Beltrom was alive.

“Ah, I see you’re finally awake, Hero. A banquet is prepared inside.”

He began to lavishly entertain us, my saviors.

They say elven grace lasts long, and since I owed the chief of the Redrick Tribe, it wasn’t such a bad thing.

For now, instead of dining, I headed down to the basement.

“Erwin.”

“You’re awake, huh? How do you feel… Wait, what are those scars on your mouth?”

“Seems someone has taken a liking to me.”

Erwin tilted his head at my words, but upon seeing Ophelia who had followed me down, he seemed to understand the situation and let out a smirk.

“So, what about Daniel?”

“I didn’t kill him. He’s currently held in the basement. I plan to keep him here for now and later transfer him to the underground prison in Elvendell.”

It seemed Daniel had been subdued and then imprisoned here in the basement of Melt Rune.

Although it wasn’t a large city, the security of the underground prison was at an excellent level, and Daniel was currently bound with cuffs that suppressed magic.

“Have you interrogated him?”

“It was useless. I don’t know if it’s because of the Mark’s effect, but he suffers in silence when forcibly made to speak. I can’t just kill him either.”

“Why not just kill him?”

“There’s a reason for everything. I’ll explain later.”

Erwin clicked his tongue.

When Daniel met my gaze, he grinned.

It made me feel quite uncomfortable.

*

Along the way, we headed to the banquet hall to eat.

As we entered, receiving the utmost courtesy from Beltrom and his warriors, our companions, including Albrecht, had already arrived.

“Brother said that the possessed soul is captured outside the world by the Demon King. In other words, if we kill the Demon King, the possessors can return to their original bodies.”

“Good to hear.”

I responded while slicing the meat as Erwin explained.

However, there was something slightly troubling about what she said.

“…So, what happens to you, Elliot?”

It was a question from Ophelia.

She had a troubled expression as she continued to stab her steak with her fork.

“If we kill the Demon King, does Elliot’s original soul return to your body? What happens to you then?”

“….”

“Do you die?”

“…Hmm.”

“If that’s the case, I won’t go after the Demon King. Forget about world peace or whatever.”

“…Ophelia, you’ve become quite spoiled.”

If we really were to kill the Demon King, what would happen to me?

I don’t think I would die.

Then would I go back to the original world?

According to Daniel, it was said that if the possessors completed their tasks, they could return to Earth.

So, if I killed the Demon King, could I return to Earth as well?

I don’t know.

Honestly, I don’t know anything about this Elliot guy and how he ended up captured in the Demon King’s castle. I have no clue what his soul is thinking either.

But I am certain that taking down the Demon King and returning the bodies of the possessors to their original owners is the right thing to do.

I am no exception.

“For now, it doesn’t seem like something to worry about.”

I ruffled Ophelia’s hair to comfort her, and she, feeling embarrassed, blew her nose into a napkin and stuffed her mouth with food.

“Aha.”

It seemed to mean she understood.

*

The journey back to Elvendell, the capital of the Great Forest, was nothing more than a humble wagon. Beltrom had offered to prepare a luxurious Pegasus, but we rejected it.

There was no particular reason for declining the fancy carriage. Comforting the mind was more important than physical comfort.

In reality, sitting around a campfire, sharing stew, felt like being on a school trip.

Well, the atmosphere was a bit tense now.

“Damn it!”

“Make sure to twist your wrist a bit more to properly deflect the attack.”

Bam!

Ophelia parried Azar’s axe.

She held quite a fancy shield, an artifact she had half-inched from the treasury of Melt Rune. In fact, under Ophelia’s divine powers, the jewel set in the center of the shield glimmered golden.

“What on earth are you planning to make the Saintess into? A universal key?”

“What can I do if she wants to do it herself?”

While answering Erwin’s question, I observed the duel between Azar and Ophelia.

It was practically Azar indulging Ophelia’s whims, but I had to admit her shield technique wasn’t half bad.

I heard she was also receiving magic lessons from Emily; if this continued, I would be worried, as Erwin mentioned, that she might turn into an all-around character.

“By the way, did you meet the Demon King?”

“What?”

I frowned at Erwin’s question.

The Demon King? What nonsensical talk is that?

“My brother’s soul said that a manifestation of the Demon King showed up in Daniel’s territory.”

“…Really?”

“Don’t you know? I thought it must have come to check up on you, the Hero.”

“…Hmm.”

In the game, each time you reach a certain level, the Demon King appears in the Hero’s dream to warn them.

It’s time to make a choice.

Of course, Sword & Magic Chronicle is a game with no real choices to make. There is only one ending. Defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world. Hence, no one paid attention to the cutscenes featuring the Demon King.

But I know this world isn’t like a game.

If the Demon King said that, there’s definitely a reason behind it.

So, if the Demon King came looking for us and didn’t speak to me, I could roughly guess who he was talking to.

…But.

“When the time comes, he’ll tell me himself.”

I muttered as I watched Ophelia focusing on deflecting Azar’s attacks with her shield.

Erwin, observing too, seemed to scoff in exasperation.

“What do you see in that foul-mouthed girl? I could introduce you to some nice elf girls in Vinheim, you know?”

“No, I don’t need it.”

Bam!

“Damn it! That was cheating! Why did the direction change out of nowhere?!”

“A warrior should always have possible scenarios in mind.”

“Don’t act like an old man spouting trash; fine, I’ll take you on.”

I watched Ophelia rhythmically banging her shield, my lips curling into a faint smile.

“Indeed, I do like Ophelia.”

“…Hah. Birds of a feather flock together, huh.”

Erwin scoffed as if he couldn’t be bothered.

 

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