Beyond the Hero’s Death – 53 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 53: Beyond the Hero’s Death

Waking to the chirping of birds, I sat up in bed. Soft light was shining through the window; it must already be morning.
Still half-asleep, I yawned and felt a familiar presence—my drowsiness vanished instantly, so I hurriedly threw on my jacket.
I'm not dressed to meet anyone, but it's not like we're the kind of casual acquaintances who'd be embarrassed by this now, nor are we the sort to be ashamed of seeing each other in nightclothes with a jacket thrown over them. Worrying means you lose, you know.

Once home to an elven kingdom, this great forest of ancient trees has now become a forgotten wilderness where visitors rarely venture. Few would seek out a cabin in such a place, and likely fewer still in the world know of my existence here.

Pushing the door, the rusty hinges creaked loudly as it swung open, revealing a figure standing outside the hut with the morning sun behind them.

"Long time no see, Falty. It's been about 30 or 40 years, hasn't it? "

A fair-skinned beauty with horns like a bull's, the Devil. Her appearance never changes, but her attire alone has shifted from a maid's uniform to mourning clothes. ……Ever since that day, the day the world ended. Ever since the day our friend lost his life.
Unlike me, who tends graves in the Elven Forest, the Devil seems to wander aimlessly through the world after its destruction, occasionally dropping by to chat with me as if reminiscing.

"Only that much, huh? I have no sense of time, so I have no clue! Ahahaha! ……Come on in."

Seeing a familiar face made me happy, and I cheerfully welcomed her into my room. I happened to have some tea leaves I'd picked just the other day, so I brewed them while asking about the outside world.

"Has it been seven…… no, eight hundred years since then? I don't know about the outside world, so I don't really keep track."

"Wrong, it's been about 900 years. ……The world outside has recovered its civilization, though not quite to its former level."

Oh, really? Well, it's not something I'm particularly interested in, but if the world is functioning without problems and everyone is getting along, then that's a good thing in itself.

―――That day, the day Raoul slew the Goddess. As if triggered by it, a wave of magic power blew the surface away. When we emerged from the cave onto the surface, the cities and settlements of humans and demi-humans that had existed across the land, along with the calamities that had manifested upon the surface, were all equally blown away and vanished.

But, not everything was lost.

Only the part of the Elven Forest protected by the barrier left behind by Raoul and the city of Irene escaped the damage. The Elven Forest was not entirely unscathed; only the Elven city near the Great Tree remained, while roughly two-thirds of the entire forest was blown away, resulting in a significant number of casualties. Then, over a long period, I worked to restore and cultivate the Elven Forest. However, the younger generation of Elves felt it would be better to venture out into the outside world and join the people of Irene's city rather than live within the forest. They left the forest, and I became the only Elf remaining here. By now, most if not all of the elves who knew I was here have likely passed away.

As for the city of Irene, I hear it remained largely unscathed, protected by ice crystals that appeared layered over Raoul's barrier.
In a world literally destroyed, the few survivors gradually increased in number over the long years, cultivating the barren land, planting trees, and restoring the world.

In the process, humans, beastmen, fishmen, and elves all mingled their blood. Therefore, the concept of race does not exist in this world today. Bloodlines interbred over generations sometimes reveal traits from ancestors rather than just parents, so whether they have long ears or short, scales or tails, they are all treated equally as “humans.” And precisely because the world is in such a state, survival requires everyone to face the same direction and pool their strength—otherwise, they cannot endure. Consequently, major conflicts against the world as it once existed have largely ceased to occur. Of course, there are minor quarrels and disputes, but it's still much better.

As we exchanged trivial small talk, I asked the Devil why she had come to visit. Unusually for her, she smiled sadly before setting her empty teacup down on the table.

"My time in this body is nearly up, so I came to see you one last time."

I nearly dropped my teacup at the unexpected words. ……Judging by the Devil's expression, it doesn't seem like a lie or a joke.

"……Is that so? I'll miss you."

After all, we have been friends for centuries since Raoul and Irene died. If someone like that were to say they're leaving, I'd feel lonely and sad.

"Yes, me too. Since manifesting using the framework of calamities, I've managed to endure this far while minimizing my depletion, but I've reached my limit."

"You never change, do you? Still talking about yourself so casually."

I forced a wry smile, hiding the sadness within.

"Well, yes. ……But now, just a little, I feel I can understand what it means to be sad. I regret leaving you behind as I fade away."

"Stop doing that, you'll make me cry."

When I let slip without meaning to, the devil laughed out loud, “Hahaha,” just like back then. That way of laughing hasn't changed either, has it?

"Though you've grown taller and appear more mature outwardly, like a young lady, you're still very much a child, aren't you? Ah, come to think of it, even though you've grown taller, your body hasn't developed at all―――"

"I'll hit you."

"Please don’t, I’ll die."

The Devil stood up after that pointless exchange.
The destination, needless to say, is already decided. I didn't even have time to change clothes, and since no one would see me anyway, I left the house just as I was, right alongside the Devil.
At the foot of the great tree lie two graves――—my sister's grave and, beside it, a sword thrust into the ground: Raoul's grave marker. Though the evil sword was lost, Raoul's beloved sword—the one he had thrust into the ground during his final battle—remained. I brought it back and placed it here as a grave marker.
The Devil gently caressed the hilt of that sword, covered in rust and moss, as if fondly reminiscing about the past.

"I've watched over this world without doing anything…… but it wasn't such a bad place after all."

I quietly watched the Devil speaking to the sword like that.

"……Ah, it seems this really is goodbye. I'm glad I held out this long."

The Devil's body gradually disappeared into the wind, turning to ash, then sand.

"……Well then, farewell, Devil."

"Falty. When I return to the divine world, my sister will surely be waiting, burning with vengeance. If I defeat my sister, I swear—――after you've lived out your natural life, I'll reincarnate everyone into a peaceful world. Wouldn't that be nice? "

As she was leaving, I laughed out loud at the Devil's words, spoken with a mischievous grin.

"Ahahaha, what's with that――― But yeah, that would be wonderful. But you're coming along for that too! "

Amidst that exchange, impossible to tell if serious or joking, the Devil's body was swept away by the wind.

"See you later, Devil."

Saying that, I raised my hand, and the Devil raised her hand in return.

"……Yes, well then, see you later, Falty."

I didn't quite like saying goodbye, so I sent the Devil off with the words “See you later.” After the Devil's smiling form vanished, I looked up at the sky in the empty graveyard, now alone.

"……Oh boy, I wonder if it's going to rain."

Gazing up at the clear sky, I muttered to myself as my vision blurred with tears.
I was just thinking I'd have to build a third gravestone here when I noticed a single flower lying before my sister's grave. Unfortunately, the Devil didn't bring anything thoughtful like flowers. It must have been here since we arrived. Who did it? ……No, it must just be the wind playing tricks.

With my hands clasped behind my back, I pondered such things. Lifting my gaze again to the sound of singing birds, I saw two birds flying across the sky framed by the forest trees, followed shortly after by a third bird chasing after them.

"……Hey, Raoul. This world you saved has lasted surprisingly long, you know. Are you satisfied? "

With the words spoken to no one in particular, a wind swept from the ground up to the sky. The flowers at the grave danced through the air, and scattered petals rode the rising wind, ascending toward the heavens. Gazing at it, I let my thoughts wander to days gone by and things yet to come.
……In this world at the end of ruin, there are no longer Goddesses, Heroes, Celestial Knights, Saints, or Devils.
But the future that Raoul and Al forged is undeniably connected here and now, and both I and the world still live on. Therefore―――I will see this world through to the end, as long as life continues, beyond the hero's death.
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Beyond the Hero's Death・The End