"Haaaaahm…."
On the top floor of the lighthouse, at the frozen cave entrance, Ganesha let out a yawn.
"…How can you relax right now?"
Lawaine glanced sideways at her. Ganesha pouted and pulled out a crystal ball.
"Then, what can I do~? She told us to wait here. Rather, where are you and what are you doing, Lia?"
She didn't get a reply. It didn't seem she had died, so what the hell was she doing?
"…More importantly."
Ganesha looked around her party. Maho of the Principality, the head of the Demon Bloods, a faithful knight, and the palace wizard. The march, which began with around three hundred men — though now fewer than ten remained — was still evenly distributed from all races and origins.
"Isn't it curious? It's very mixed."
Ganesha looked at the Demon Bloods captain. Elesol replied.
—Race doesn't matter in the face of great evil. Even outside this lighthouse, several Demon Bloods are fighting for Her Majesty.
"…Okay~. Work hard."
Ganesha flapped her pigtails. Then, she looked beyond the lighthouse.
"I can't see anything."
There was nothing to see, and just staring made her feel dizzy as even ideas froze.
"By the way… even if we kill Professor Deculein, will that meteorite disappear...?"
That hoarse voice was Maho's. The princess of the Principality was still here, but it seemed she still didn't know much about the world.
"Then, you mean to keep Deculein alive~? The one who called that~?"
Ganesha asked with a smile. Maho wiggled her fingers.
"I'd rather persuade him… we'll need a wizard to stop the meteorite...."
"…"
Ganesha shook her head without saying a word. Lawaine wore a similar expression.
"For now, we will keep Her Majesty's orders."
Saying so, Lawaine drew his sword.
"Not letting anyone go inside…."
Vroooom-
Then, suddenly, the faint sound of an engine rose from the bottom of the lighthouse. A car or something... no, an actual car was climbing the stairs.
Vroooooom------!
While they were puzzled, the engine noise grew louder.
"…Isn't that a car?"
Ganesha muttered blankly. As she said, a car was coming. It was climbing the stairs with a barrier wrapped around it.
"…"
Everyone was dumbfounded. Soon enough, the faces of the two women driving the car became visible as Yeriel and Louina.
-Wait! Wait!
They looked so strange, shouting like that while confusion spread through their minds, wondering how they brought a car up here…
Screech—!
Yeriel and Louina's luxury sedan landed, soaring like dolphins jumping out of the sea. It parked safely with an artistic drift.
"…Whoa."
Ganesha applauded involuntarily. Maho and the other Demon Bloods were stuck repeatedly blinking. As she climbed out of the driver's seat, Yeriel waved the analysis paper she was holding.
"I have something to tell you!"
* * *
…The space was frozen, and the road stretched long. Time was frozen, and the road felt far away. Sophien walking through, couldn't perceive the passage of time or the scale of the space around her. So, she was just walking.
Only to him. Only to meet him.
—This reminds me of the past.
Rohakan's voice echoed in her ears. She quietly thought about what he had told her.
—Deculein had no talent. He surely had a limit.
Rohakan reminisced about Deculein.
—I pitied him and frankly was relieved.
He was relieved that Deculein didn't have any talent.
—He had an evil spirit. He was someone with evil at his root.
That was what he saw in Deculein.
—He was destined to be a villain. However...
…Now he was different. He had a secret they didn’t know.
"A secret."
Deculein had a secret. But, strangely enough, Sophien felt she had a vague idea. It seemed she already knew what secret Deculein kept.
Crack—
The ground under Sophien's feet froze. Now reaching the turning point, she soon recognized this was her destination.
"…"
Sophien quietly raised her head and looked at the someone standing ahead. She was a pure white woman, the knight of winter, and the sword only for Deculein.
"Julie."
Sophien called her name.
"You… you are so pure."
A doll's body that contained Julie's soul. However, its form was still intact. Thanks to being frozen before breaking, she maintained her appearance as a knight and stood upright like a statue. As the purest human being...
"…"
Sophien walked over to her. One step at a time, enduring the mana that froze time and space, she reached for her cheek and gently caressed it.
"Julie. I know how you feel. So…."
The corners of Julie's lips seemed to have a smile. Sophien ran her fingers across them, softly muttering.
"Rest in peace."
—Creeeak.
The sound of a door opening, followed by the warmth of the permeating light. Did Julie permit it? Sophien smiled sadly as she looked beyond it.
She looked to the servant who stood firm and waited for her, who dared to call the Emperor to himself with such arrogance.
"…Deculein."
* * *
"…Deculein."
Sophien was calling me. The Emperor's voice awakened my mind, which had been paused for a while. It oscillated enough to move the Iron Man's body.
"…"
I looked at Sophien. This dead body, unfortunately, couldn't properly welcome Her Majesty, but I still had time.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
I was polite. As a noble of Yukline, it was only right to the most honorable Emperor. Sophien made no expression.
"You look unwell."
She just asked that question and walked to my side.
"Yes."
I answered. Sophien said.
"As promised, I've come to Annihilation."
"It is an honor, Your Majesty."
Honor. Was there a better expression than that? As Deculein and Kim Woojin, I respected Sophien. As the Emperor of this continent, I longed for Sophien from her position on high.
"Your Majesty. I'll keep my promise too now."
I put the wooden board I prepared for Sophien on the desk.
"…"
Sophien stared at me without saying a word, then asked softly.
"Where is God?"
God. They created this world and instilled the soul of Kim Woojin into Deculein.
"They will be watching us from somewhere."
I answered so. Sophien nodded and asked.
"Where is the God of the Altar?"
"…He's at the end of the lighthouse, Your Majesty. Meeting him will come after killing me."
The game had stages, and the final boss was always the last. He wouldn't be the final boss if he weren't the last.
"…Do you want to have a match?"
I asked so. Sophien looked at the board on the desk and the forget-me-not next to it.
"It's a flower."
"Yes."
Sophien reached out and picked it up. She stroked the blue flower buds like gently caressing a babe.
"…Deculein."
Putting the forget-me-nots back in the vase, Sophien shook her head.
"Deculein. If I pierce your heart, will you die?"
Her voice held some fear.
"…Something more glorious will follow."
"Glorious?"
"Yes."
Sophien frowned. I smiled slightly and pointed to my body.
"My body has a spell implanted inside."
The blood vessels and muscles were engraved with the true meaning of psychokinesis, and this heart would play the role of a magic core to drive it forward.
"When this heartbreaks, the chaos will activate my magic."
My magic to save the continent, the way to preserve humans, was very simple. There was no such thing as giant magic. However, the first magic I learned was psychokinesis. It would lift all humans and life on the continent and force them into the canvas.
"I will implement a miracle like that."
"…"
Sophien smiled as if it was absurd.
"Can't you just block the comet with that psychokinesis?"
"Fate doesn’t change, Your Majesty."
Sophien looked into my eyes. No, she hadn't taken her eyes off me at all. As if she didn't want to miss a second.
"The destruction of the continent was fate."
Not now, but someday. Therefore, this lighthouse didn’t manipulate the celestial body's orbit but only its speed, and it couldn't be stopped even if it wasn't now.
"However, even if the continent is destroyed, so long as the people are still alive."
I approached Sophien and put my hand on her shoulder.
"We can live."
"…You mean your death is the price?"
At Sophien's question, I nodded.
"This is already a dead body, Your Majesty."
A body that had already died, that had no possibility of rebirth. It had been dragged along just for this moment.
"…"
Sophien went silent. Then, after a long time, she looked up at me and asked softly.
"Is today your last day?"
"…"
My last. I pondered for a moment, then shook my head.
"I still have one more thing to do."
Even if I implemented the magic in this lighthouse and my heart was pierced by Sophien, I wouldn’t die, though there wouldn’t be much time left. However, whatever time I did have must be devoted only to 'that one.' It was already decided.
"…"
Sophien slowly turned her eyes to the desk. The wooden board I wiped clean rested there.
"Also, there is a ledger that I wrote."
"…"
Sophien raised her gaze again to regard me.
"With that, you will be able to filter out the Altar’s informants."
I was sure of her success. Sophien's will and my magic couldn't fail.
"Change the mind of those willing to and punish those you can't change."
So I told Sophien about the future, offering what advice I could.
"…"
Sophien remained silent.
…Drip.
Rain began to pour down against the windows of the lighthouse.
I spoke softly.
"God is coming, Your Majesty."
God. I still wondered if I wouldn't be able to meet her again, the woman I met in my old world. But such questions should be put aside for the moment.
"So, with not much time left."
For now, just for this moment.
"Would you like to play this last game with me?"
It should only be time for Sophien.
"…"
But Sophien didn't say anything.
—Drip, drip.
We stayed like that...
"Forget it."
Her face still blank, Sophien shook her head.
