Beyond the Hero’s Death – 58 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 58: Meet Again④ ～A Happy Ending for You～

"Man, that Road Devil was a tough one…… Ouch!"

"Stop, please stay still, Amagahara-kun."

After being scolded by the blonde beauty vice president, I decided to properly receive treatment.
……In the end, we safely brought the three idiots and the vice president back from the dungeon. Now, in the infirmary, Irei-sensei and the vice president were casting healing spells on them. It's rather strange to speak of healing arts in our scientifically advanced modern age, but since dungeons appeared in the world, some of those who entered and returned—known as “dungeon returnees”—began to manifest these supernatural abilities. Incidentally, the principle remains unanalyzable even with the power of science. That's how it is, and it seems nothing more than that, driving the world's scientists to madness.
The three idiots who got hauled off in an ambulance, these two ――—and me and Al, we're part of that group too.

"Amagahara-kun and Al-kun, you'll be submitting your self-reflection essays tomorrow, okay? ……As your teacher I never expected you two to go back inside a dungeon. But, I'm glad you survived, but you absolutely can't do anything this reckless again, okay? "

Irei-sensei sighed and spoke. While I know she has her duties as a teacher, I could tell she was genuinely worried, so I felt bad for causing her concern.

A new dungeon appeared at the school――—dubbed the “School Dungeon.” While the area near its entrance was filled with easily defeated enemies, its depths were teeming with named and unique monsters, making it a super-difficult dungeon.
Further investigation is ongoing, but it is likely one of the world's most notoriously difficult dungeons. As such, its rank is expected to be significantly raised, and strict entry restrictions will likely be imposed. ……Well, it's none of my concern.

As expected of such a super-hard dungeon, the three idiots were beaten to a pulp by several unique monsters and were near death. By the time we rushed over, the vice president who'd come to their aid was casting healing spells, barely saving them. But the vice president was also forced into a purely defensive stance—it was the worst possible situation.

I had a defensive skill called “Celestial Sword” that had awakened when I sneaked into a dungeon during a previous quarrel with my former bitch of a girlfriend, so I used it to intervene in the fight and shield everyone. Then, from the side, Al's “Hero” skill unleashed a barrage with his 『Holy Sword』, blowing away the group of monsters.
After that, I shook the three idiots awake—they'd recovered enough to walk on their own—and then picked up the vice president, who'd temporarily lost the ability to move due to magic exhaustion. We made a U-turn on the road and fled back here like rabbits escaping a hound.
On the way back, I was relentlessly pursued and attacked by a unique monster called a Road Devil. Even with my “Celestial Sword” activated, I took quite a bit of damage, so I'm getting healed here. ……It's mainly my back that's killing me.

"Once again, I was saved by you, Amagahara-kun."

"It's just how things turned out…… Vice President, you've worked hard too."

Winking at the vice president who looked apologetic, I said this to her, causing her face to flush red as she looked down. Getting that kind of reaction makes me feel embarrassed too, you know……!

"……Um, Amagahara-kun—"

The vice president stared at me, looking like she was having trouble saying something, so I asked, “What is it?”

"……If possible, I'd really like it if you'd call me by my name, Luqur, instead of ‘Vice President’."

"Oh, right. Since I call Falty just “Falty,” calling her sister “Vice President” feels weird I guess! I understand."

"That's not what she meant."

For some reason, Irei-sensei nearby chimed in with a retort. Huh? ……Hmm, did I get it wrong? I don't get it.

After that, Falty thanked me as well, and I parted ways with Falty and the vice president—no, Luqur-senpai—who had arranged a car to pick them up today. And then Al and I walked home together.
As I was walking and talking with Al, wondering how I should explain this so it wouldn't become tomorrow's gossip again, we parted ways. A little while later, someone sitting on a bench called out to me. ……It was Magami-san. Was she waiting for me?

"Hello, Amagahara-kun. Good job today."

"Oh, thanks? "

Since we were heading the same way, Magami-san stood up and walked beside me. It seems she was waiting for me after all. Does she need something? Does she have something to say?

"Magami-san, you must be tired after your first day at the new school. I heard it's become a huge topic, and some people are even calling it a ‘goddess’ coming to the school."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from calling me that."

Unusually for this girl, she looked genuinely disgusted. I wonder, is the word “goddess” really that unpleasant?

"Oh, I see. Then I'll stop pointing it out. ……But let me ask you again—why are you so fixated on me? Have we met somewhere before? "

At my words, Magami-san lowered her eyes and appeared deep in thought. Then, gazing up at the sky, she began to speak slowly.

"……Would you believe me if I told you I used to be a Devil in another world?
That world was a hopeless place, waiting only for its own destruction. And within it, you, Rao—my past life's Amagahara-kun—――was my…… to borrow this world's words, my “favorite(推し).”
Amagahara-kun saved the world by defeating the goddess who had given up on it and sought to destroy it at the very end of the dying world, but you lost your life in the process. I witnessed it as a fellow traveler."

Magami-san wore a wry smile, as if reminiscing about some distant past. Although we're the same age, she seems so much older and more mature here—as if she's detached from the mundane world. Perhaps that's why, despite the absurdity of the story, I strangely didn't feel like ridiculing it.

“And after I myself reached the end of my lifespan, I returned to the divine world――—then, I fought and defeated the goddess who was bent on vengeance, and reincarnated Amagahara-kun, your fellow travelers, and their friends into this peaceful world free of strife. Though there were a couple of women who clung to reincarnation and weren't invited who ended up tagging along. ……Would you be surprised if I told you I'm actually the god of this world? "

"That's――― quite a grand story. But even if that story is true, I don't remember you Magami-san. Doesn't that…… make you feel lonely? "

"Lonely? ……I suppose so. That might be the case. But more than anything, I'm just happy to be able to support my favorite. If you don't support your favorite when you can――—it's too late once they're gone."

The story's scope is too grand, but seeing Magami-san's earnest demeanor, it somehow seems different from things like being delusional, blabeling nonesense, or having to do with certain herbs. The atmosphere feels so grounded in real experience that it's hard to deny.

"……Thank you."

Magami-san tilted her head in puzzlement at the muttered words that slipped out of my mouth.

"Why are you thanking me? "

"I can't tell if what you're saying is true or not, Magami-san. But if that was really true, I thought it meant Magami-san had worked incredibly hard, so I felt I should thank you."

After hearing those words, she stared wide-eyed in surprise for a moment,

"Those words made it all worthwhile."

She giggled merrily. In this way, she just seems like a beautiful girl, you know.

"May I ask you one thing? "

I found myself tilting my head at her timid, peeping-like way of speaking—unlike her usual self.

"What is it?"

"Are you enjoying every day now? "

Here she goes again with her mysterious questions. But is every day fun, huh? Then the answer is clear.

"……Yeah, it's fun."

"Then―――It was worth the effort."

Magami-san smiled gently as she was bathed in the evening sun. Her appearance was ethereal, yet at the same time, it evoked an inexplicable sense of melancholy that made my heart skip a beat.
And just as we were talking about that, we were already in front of my house.

"See you tomorrow, Magami-san."

"……Yes, see you tomorrow, Amagahara-kun."

After saying that and raising our hands to each other, I walked into my house.

"―――See you tomorrow, Raoul."

Just as the door was closing, I thought I heard a voice.
The door clicked shut. Listening to the sound, I found myself thinking vaguely—―― I hope tomorrow and the day after bring more fun, lively days like today.