Beyond the Hero’s Death – 50 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 50: The End of the World, The End of the Story ③ ~The Answer Found~

『A mistake? What could I possibly have gotten wrong? There's no way I could be mistaken.』

The goddess questioned the Devil's words with puzzlement. But the devil responded to the goddess's demeanor without flinching, speaking with unyielding force.

"People are weak, shallow, and foolish…… You expect too much from such humans, sister.
You give and give, unilaterally bestowing your power along with your ideals and expectations―――only to lament and discard them when they go in a direction you didn't want, without ever guiding them.
That would be like patronizing all of humanity.
If there is a form to wish for, one must guide them toward it lest they stray from the path. Such is the fragile nature of human beings."

『Do you hate humans? 』

The Devil's mercilessly harsh criticism of humans caused the Goddess to look utterly bewildered, but after shaking her head the Devil continued.

"―――But I thought that was what made them good.
By traveling with others and seeing the world through their eyes――— I came to know that this world is hopelessly warped, tainted, and drowned in greed, yet even without salvation, something truly shines within it.
Even in the filth, beautiful flowers bloom――— I believe that is where the goodness of humanity lies.
So I haven't lost hope in humanity as much as you have, sister."

『I just can't understand. What's beautiful about creatures that drag each other down and pull the trigger on their own destruction? What good is there in those who drive the world's most gentle savior to his own death? Can you really understand someone like that? 』

"I don't understand people's hearts. I thought I was being friendly and smiling, but all I ever got was angry silence or people throwing things at me."

I recall the Devil's inexplicable behavior. ……I genuinely thought she was being friendly, but first and foremost, there's this creepy, unreadable feeling about what she's really thinking. ……Honestly, I feel like I did something wrong.

"……But I don't think that's so bad either.
The human heart is incomprehensible. But it is precisely because we cannot understand that we cherish it.
No matter how deeply wounded, no matter how their hearts screamed in agony, no matter how many tears they shed—I saw the value of humanity in their backs that never stopped moving forward.
Like a single grain of gold sand mixed within the desert, yet that grain of gold is certainly worth reaching out for."

『How ridiculous. In the end, you're just obsessed with that Celestial Knight, aren't you?』

"What's wrong with that? "

The Devil retorts instantly to the mocking words of the goddess. Falty whistled, or at least she tried, but it was a total failure, so a pathetic sound came out and she looked embarrassed. Both the Goddess and the Devil ignored Falty as they continued talking, making her blush even more with embarrassment.

『Going to the trouble of separating that Celestial Knight's despair and darkness, forging an evil sword just to protect his heart…… Even as a god—and in a world not under your control, no less—going to such lengths for a single life? It's beyond comprehension.』

"Doesn't being drawn to brilliance require no reason?"

Ah, I see. Whereas the Goddess judges all of humanity as a single entity from above, this Devil accepts me as an individual and the memories of this journey we've walked together as valid.

……The whole and the individual.

These two clashed with irreconcilable views――— The Devil had affirmed humanity through me.

……Devil, how preposterous. To me, she was undeniably a Goddess.

『Fuu……No matter what you say now, it won't change the fact that this world is doomed. Soon, the stagnation filling the world will blow away everything that exists upon the earth.
Even if I were to fight you here and you were to defeat me, at most the core of the explosion would be lost, and its scale “might” change ever so slightly…… This exchange itself is meaningless.
Even before that, the moment you manifested by falling into a calamity, you were no match for me. It's over, both the world and you.』

At the goddess's words, I felt the Devil tighten her grip on my clothes.
……What the hell? You could have shown your feelings like that, you clumsy fool. If only you had been more like that…… if you'd just been honest instead of trying so hard to be cool, maybe we could've gotten along better. Thinking about that, I couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

『……Raoul, what's so funny? 』

Despite explaining that this was a hopeless situation beyond remedy, the Goddess looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if observing something incomprehensible, while I wore a smile.

―――If even the Devil doesn't understand, then the Goddess probably has no clue either. Well, that's just how it is.

I myself had no regrets about this world, nor did I believe there was any salvation. I came here because I wanted to question the goddess and find meaning at the end of my journey.
Losing things, getting hurt, and walking on—this journey was nothing but hardship. Even as I failed to protect what I wanted to protect, piling despair and disappointment upon myself――— the people of the Elven Kingdom, Irene and everyone in her city…… and Setsu-chan. In this world too, beautiful things certainly existed.
The very words that the Devil just spoke. Like a single grain of gold in the desert—―― I know this world has its own glimmer, a single grain of gold's worth of brilliance.
The last freedom left to me is choosing how to end it.
And I understood the answer to how it should end…… no, how I wanted it to end.

"Thank you, Falty. Thank you, Devil."

To my travel companions who have journeyed this far with me, I speak with the utmost gratitude and affection.
Slowly pulling away the two hands that had been supporting me, I took one step, two steps, three steps—walking on my own two feet…… as if to say I'm fine now, that I can go on alone from here.
As I drew near the Goddess, I closed my eyes and thought of what I had failed to protect, and what she had entrusted to me.
……Now that I think about it. Wasn't all of this karma meant to make me resolve myself here in this place? This is surely why I came all this way.
It is not a question of being a match or not. My duty that I must carry out without fail.

――――If there's even the slightest, the tiniest possibility of connecting to the future, that's more than enough for me.

"……What are you talking about, Raoul? "

Ignoring Falty's puzzled voice as she looks at me, I address the Devil.

"Protect Falty."

Falty sensed something in those words and tried to move, but the Devil must have restrained her. I can hear Falty's protesting voice.
Looking over my shoulder, I saw Falty staring at me with a face that didn't know whether to be angry or cry. The Devil wasn't wearing her usual smile; instead, she wore a faint, lonely smile――—as if she'd been prepared for me to do this.
After drawing both swords from their scabbards, I discarded the cumbersome sheaths and let them fall to the ground with a clang.

"Falty, Devil. After I'm gone――— I want you to see what happens next."