Epilogue
Part 1
—A few hours passed since the end of the battles in the sea of trees.
Roused by the warmth of a candlelight, Kuro Usagi gradually regained her consciousness.
The rock hewn ceiling which suddenly greeted her eyes were unfamiliar to her and gave the feel of a long history behind its creation. The North Side rarely utilized such rough building materials, especially for the city of [Kouen City]. Even if it were houses made from bricks, they would have much of its interior decked in beautiful decorum.
(……This is,… where am I?)
Just as she wanted to get out of bed, she couldn’t help but give a small moan before squatting to the ground. The sensation of pain that ran through her entire frame, bones and muscles told of the reality of her previous battles.
Her hands were swathed with bandages to treat her burns. Although it did not reach the point of restricting all movement, it was enough to prevent any fine motor skills for battles. It would then seem a better option to rest quietly for now.
She then turned her body to the extent that would allow her to rest without feeling the stabs of pain.
It was then that she suddenly noticed a nostalgic feeling on her head.
The protrusions which could move freely to the left and right. Kuro Usagi, who confirmed the length and softness of the sensations, forgot all about her pain as she leapt in joy.
“Usagi……Usagimimi?! Usagimimi? Kuro Usagi’s beloved usagimimi?!! Kuro Usagi’s lovely ears have returned–?!”
Uwa? Kuro Usagi tugged at her Usagimimi while jumping around in joy.
KuroUsagi ignored the intense pain that accompanied the violent movements as her lovely well-groomed Usagimimi, which had been with her for exactly two hundred years, were back in their original positions. Despite the fatalistic sounds from her creaking bones, none of that mattered as she spun and bounced on her bed. In the meantime that Kuro Usagi continued to use the recoil of the bed springs to bounce around, a surprised voice came from the area next to her bed.
“—Useless rabbit, you’re really noisy. I’m also severely injured. Just give me some peace will ya?”
That was a crude way of speech which stemmed from a foul mood. Kuro Usagi halted her bouncing in surprise. The small room was fitted with two beds and the voice belonged to the other person who lay in the adjacent bed.
“Mah, our luck is quite bad this time. If it weren’t for the help from others, we would surely be dead by now. Oh well, I guess this must be the result of our accumulated karma.”
Ahaha, the voice was tingled with a slight weariness.
But all that did not matter to Kuro Usagi in the other bed.
Widening her eyes in a daze, Kuro Usagi shook her head in disbelief. And there on the bed was Kuro Usagi’s comrade, whom she had thought she would never have the chance to meet again, wearing that usual smile while lightly rolling around on the bed.
Kuro Usagi had tears shining in her eyes as she leaped towards Izayoi.
“Ish…. Issahyoui-shan…!!”
“Oi! Who’s Issahyoui-shan. Wipe your tears and snot before talking will ya?”
Taken aback by that teary face, Izayoi handed her some tissues.
And Kuro Usagi, who wiped her snot, returned with her second attempt and her usagimimi were perked in joy.
Izayoi smiled as he returned the hug lightly while laughing in his usual style.
“Ooh, Ooh, I’ve struck the jackpot, the jackpot. It’s such a great thing to be alive.”[37]
“You’re still saying those stupid stuff as usual……! But it sure is great that you are alright……!!”
“I guess you’re right on that. We were quite lucky this time. Jack, Kouryuu, Sala and Coppelia arrived on time and even that masked knight-sama have arrived to represent the Queen’s Knights in the battle. It’s like everyone we know have gathered in this place.”
The path that Izayoi and the others had forged in the world of Little Garden was now in fruitation and not for naught. The accumulation of their daily accomplishments and the help that they had given along the way were now returning to aid them in their time of need.
Kuro Usagi, who was done with her tears and regained her composure, then frantically backed away in her slight embarrassment and cocked her head slightly to ask, “But, where’s this place? Who was it who saved Kuro Usagi and Asuka-san?”.
“Aah, that’s—”
“That Kuro Usagi, would be me.”
And as the gentleman in a tuxedo appeared without any warning before them, Kuro Usagi’s usagimimi perked up as she exclaimed in surprise.
“Co, Co, Croix-sama?! Aie, what?! Why would you be here?!”
“Hahaha. As expected of my precious, to be able to recognise me with just a glance. I’m sure glad to see that you have grown to be such a cute beauty. Although it sure is a pity that I wasn’t able to witness the instant of your growth.”
Kuro Usagi ignored the teasing of Croix as she waited for the answer to her questions. After all, those three years of being teased by Shiroyasha were not all for naught.
Noting that his attempt at harassment was not receiving any results, Croix’s shoulders slumped down as he pressed down on his bowler hat before answering.
“Mah, I was just sent to the outer world for a slight while. I’ve been staying in the other world till the European calendar of 2065 CE…… wandering around for about 1500 years or so?”
“What did you just say?!”
Kuro Usagi’s usagimimi perked in surprise. To which Croix was very satisfied by her reaction as he gave a twirl of his staff to laugh jovially.
“Although there was an opportunity for my return after the 1700s, it was still fairly difficult to pin point an exact time of return for my re-entry into Little Garden from the flow of time in the outer world. I could only look for a better gamble on a method which would give me a surer accuracy in returning to the time that I wanted to be. However, there was still a 3 year gap as a result of the deviation. It must have been hard for you and I sincerely apologize for that. It’s really fortunate that you were able to protect our Community. You have my heartfelt thanks, my comrade.”
He nodded his thanks while holding down his bowler hat. Seemingly in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.
However, being given such a formal thank you by the founder of the Community, he who was of a heavy weight individual in the decision makings, it was causing Kuro Usagi, who was only a junior member in the original Community to squirm in discomfort.
“Although I would like to talk a little more, but there isn’t much time left. We are still protected by the Game rules for now, but it is only a matter of time that they will be broken. We are going to convene the conference for the plans to take down Azi Dahaka and I’m here to fetch little-Izayoi over. Kuro Usagi, you can continue to rest up for now.”
“Al, Alright. Please be safe.”
“Aoh. We’ll be back when the plans are done.”
Izayoi and Croix left the room while Kuro Usagi sent them off with her eyes.
The duo made their way towards the great hall for the conference which they walked along the path from the private villa to the main castle of the floating citadel in silence. Izayoi, upon confirming their distance after leaving the villa, turned on Croix with a clear hostile stare in his eyes.
“……Oi, what’s that about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Drop the act. The one who brought back Kuro Usagi and Ojou-sama wasn’t that Kasukabe’s father?”
Why did you lie, Izayoi chided.
It was just as he said. The one who brought back Kuro Usagi and Asuka to the floating citadel wasn’t Croix.
It was the mysterious man named Kasukabe Koumei who looked like one of the former members of [No Name], who brought Kuro Usagi and Asuka into this Game field.
“And I heard from Ojou-sama that you guys actually let off the people from [Ouroboros]. What’s up with this? I don’t care if you try to lie or hide it, but if you do not have a good reason for these things, I will not be willing to accept and go along with it.”
“……Hmmh, It sure is the case.” Croix continued to walk briskly.
“Regarding all those things, it still isn’t the time for me to tell you about the reasons. I hope that you will just accept it as it is for now. This is the responsibility of that cowardly father. If you have any dissatisfaction with his actions, then go and tell it to him.”
“…… a coward, is it so.”
“Aah. Moreover, the decision to let the [Ouroboros] people off the hook is the instructions of the current [No Name] leader-sama. Just my perspective alone will not be able to overturn it right?”
“The instruction of ochibi-sama? …… Wait, where is he now?”
“Together with the Origin candidate of [Ouroboros]. And it looks like things are going to get interesting.”
Wha?! Izyaoi couldn’t help it as he exclaimed in surprise. It was surely a development that was out of his calculations. Although he did want to have the opportunity to hold negotiations with His Highness and company, but Jin’s lone actions were out of his imaginations.
Croix suppressed his mirth as he pressed down his bowler hat to continue.
“Aiya, looks like that child of the Treasurer has really grown. For the son of that useless father, it sure is great to see him being that much more capable in his abilities. After all that guy was with such a pilfering hand.”
“You have known Jin’s father?”
“Aah. He was the guard of our Treasury. A classic example of a useless person who had stolen from our treasury a couple of times to indulge in his drinking habit. He would then be caught and tied up to the roof by his wife or Canaria. But, what makes it all the more conflicting would be his knowledge to tell good wine from the rest. As such, I’ve some good memories of him. Moreover, he’s quite a fellow who has a curious sense of morals. He would even be able to get his hands on the wines, hidden by the bartender for the exclusive offerings to the gods, back to our Community. He sure is a guy that you wouldn’t be able to hate in earnest.”
“Heh? That sure is unexpected.”
“Aah. …… But even if I did describe that much about him, he still died in the battle three years ago to protect his comrades. Until today, thinking about him sure makes me feel that it’s such a pity that he has left us so early.”
The facial expression of this reminiscing guy with a slight smile was a calm and serene look.
That expression and atmosphere was one that Izayoi would never have expected to come from his impressions of Croix. Perhaps this was the expression that was the core of this guy who was known to be a benevolent god.
“The tragedy of the setting sun is one that will not be wiped out from our minds. Just like the loss of a person’s life, the pain of such a loss is one that will never be gone from our chests.”
“…… that sure doesn’t sound like the words fit for a Grim Reaper. You are able to resurrect the dead right? During the battle with Dystopia, wouldn’t you have done-”
“How could I’ve done that? There are very few methods to resurrect the dead completely. The most that I can do is to transform a dead body into a new lifeform. That sort of mutation isn’t of my interest to engage in. Moreover it’s my comrades whom I would grieve for their loss who died in a battle to complete their calling. How could I commit such a blasphemous act on them?”
Baron Croix gave a troubled smile.
Izayoi was reminded once more that this man was also a divine being.
“Mah, that sort of thing will not happen again. Let’s just leave the records of your failures to three years ago and no further.”
“I hope so too. I wouldn’t want to continue with the bearing of such pain again. May you people win no matter what comes in your way.”
Saying such things lightly as they returned to the castle. However, he had already steeled himself for the worst.
For the number who would be able to return form this battle alive would surely be no more than a small portion.
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