Final Chapter: A New Future

No matter how many monsters were massacred below Sekhmet, it didn’t move at all, not even its expression. Like I thought, it doesn’t seem to see the land monsters as its comrades. I see.

The Guardian Dragon of Huzak had stood between humans and monsters in the past, and I wondered what it was thinking now that the country it ought to protect was destroyed.

“A powerful dungeon master appeared, then a horde invasion poured out from a dungeon... Jeez, it somehow all ended up just like what Alicia had said. I guess I’ll have to brace myself for at least one punch from her...”

During my journey through the forest path, I had thought about why the horde invasion had occurred, but I’d finally figured out the reason after hearing the Great Spirit’s words.

That perfume they said that Charlotte had used... I fought the urge to facepalm. No matter how you look at it, it’s definitely the Pendragon perfume.

Once upon a time, there was an item made for a specific jinx which put ancient dragons to sleep, since dragons did as they pleased and razed the world rampantly. The secret Pendragon heirloom was made using a tiny drop of that very liquid, which was then mixed with foreign matter. But who would have thought that the perfume would summon the legendary Sekhmet?

Silva, who had done a wonderful job at defeating the cyclops, walked away from me and kept his distance. “Milooord! Go wiiild,” Silva said cheerily.

“That guy...” I muttered. “Can’t he be serious for once?”

Now that the dungeon master was defeated, the monsters had begun their retreat. There was only one monster left, and it was that thing floating in the sky. It was Sekhmet, the tragic monster who’d devoted everything it had to a person who could never ever return its feelings.

I didn’t know whether it was because Sekhmet hadn’t reached the happy ending it had wished for, or because of a request from the princess, but the pitiful monster had continued its obsession as the years went by and turned towards her descendants as well. The dragon was now the epitome of an obsessive stalker, but there was no way I could laugh at or mock the life it led. After all, I knew of a giant idiot who led a very similar life.

“Now then, was my spell to your liking?” I muttered at the black dragon. The strange monster, which had watched over Huzak all this time, simply stared at me with its red eyes.

I continued. “I don’t know what happened to you, and I don’t want to find out either. However... You want to steal away even Charlotte, who has the blood of the woman you loved. Isn’t that too selfish a wish?”

This eccentric being had yearned for every generation of the princesses from the now destroyed kingdom. Those princesses had been called the Royal White Lilies. I inhaled deeply before the creature that would have never shown up in the anime world. The many eyes on my back and the prayers of hope I could hear provided me with strength. There’s no way I will let you just show up at this hour and snatch her away without doing a thing.

The monster acted as if it was the king of the skies, and its crushing aura made it feel like it was indeed the supreme ruler right now, but that was wrong.

“Sekhmet, you can’t move, can you? But this is only the beginning.”

The winds are crying, you know? You’re pushing down on them with brute force. Against their will.

“My first encounter had been with a wind spirit. Maybe because of that, I know how the wind feels.”

There wasn’t any grace in its actions. If I had been a professor grading its performance, I would have given it a big fat zero. I stomped into a puddle full of mud, and the coolness of the water cleared my mind.

“Armor of wind, shackles of wind. Gather in the sky, and give it your burden.”

I kept my eyes trained on the black dragon. The light spirits illuminated my target with an amazing show of light, almost as if they were saying, “Don’t you dare make excuses for failure like, ‘It was dark, so I couldn’t see it!’”

Jeez. It’s so bright that I’m almost able to see too much, I thought with exasperation.

“Town of wind, castle of wind. Grow heavier, and heavier, and even heavier.”

A refreshing breeze swept through my heart. Seeking to cast a single strike infused with all of my body and soul, I swung down my wand.

“Forest of wind, world of wind. That ends this tale, and you shall fly no more.”

The dark skies responded to my gaze, and the night listened to my words. The wind spirits were elated at my power and they started rumbling, preparing to eliminate the obsidian invader gliding in the night sky in a deathly dance.

Your speed and your strength as a monster don’t matter. I am going to declare this to you, Sekhmet, my pitiful predecessor who devoted your life to your love—

“Gravity Manipulation.”

For the sake of my dream, I shall take you down and gain the title of Dragon Slayer that hangs off your neck.

●

That scent was the liquid jinx that bewildered my ancient brethren, I see. Who would have thought that it truly existed?

Just as its candle of life was about to blow out, Sekhmet regained its sense of self. It rejoiced in this fortune and slowly fell to the ground. I thought that the sky was my territory, and yet... It shook its head wryly in its heart. I suppose this is the rebellion of wind, huh? I see. It seems that I was quite the sore thumb to the winds. I suppose it’s only natural. After all, it had controlled the spirits by force because it didn’t want to be blown away.

However, the feeling of being suspended in the air by some unknown force was oddly pleasant.

It looked to the young boy standing near the girl, almost as if he was protecting her. You pretend as if it wasn’t anything big, but... How much power did you put into this wind, I wonder? At first, the dragon had thought about going on a brief rampage to test the boy and see whether he was suitable as her guardian, but it seemed that there was no need for such a thing.

Sorry, Lily. I wasn’t able to protect the country you loved till the very end. But you know what? I don’t think this outcome is so bad. The black dragon accepted its fate and spent its final moments staring at the girl who was staring back at it. The girl was nearly a mirror image of the woman it had loved. It was almost as if Lily had been resurrected into the world of the living, and when it had first seen her, the dragon couldn’t help but be filled with glee, even though it was out of character.

Right next to the person who succeeded your bloodline, that would be me, if I were a human.

And in its dying moments, it had seen something truly beautiful. Though it had no regrets, it was envious of the boy’s position.

Young man, the glory of being a Dragon Slayer will likely provide you with power. I hope that this life of mine will be of use to you, even if just a little.

When the dragon locked eyes with the boy, it understood what he implied. Even without waving his wand, the boy had been able to chain it to the skies, and while doing that, he’d poured his heart into his gaze. He had replied to the dragon with a silent vow in his eyes, declaring that he would protect her.

Then...it felt that doing any more than this would be simply rude. It felt the strength drain away from its body. Almost as if its duty was over, its life seeped away. With that, Sekhmet’s world faded into white, and...

I shall leave her in your hands, Master of Wandless Spells... A mage with no need for incantations...

With nostalgic memories of a certain girl playing out in its mind, the Guardian Dragon of Huzak laid its large body on the ground and silently fell into a deep sleep.

●

I let out a deep breath. I was utterly exhausted, so much so that I wanted to collapse on the spot and sleep. In the state I was in, even a puddle of mud would probably feel like the greatest bed in the world.

I had used my powers to an extent I never had before. I’d protected Princess Carina and everyone I knew. I’d changed the element of the Mystical Sword. I’d made it down the forest path and decimated the monsters gathered at Kirsch Mage Institute. And finally, I’d made the black dragon fall...

I felt fatigue overtaking my body, and I fought the urge to simply fall forward. My breathing was erratic, and I couldn’t even open my mouth properly. My surroundings were dead silent, and I didn’t even notice that the rain pelting my body had stopped somewhere along the line. Even so, I dragged my body forward towards the black dragon lying on the ground. This is my last obligation towards it.

The closer I got, the more overwhelmed I felt by its intimidating form. It was said that humans had worshipped dragons all the way from the ancient days, and I could see why. The dragon was an extraordinary being that existed on a level far beyond human comprehension, and I instinctively felt like I wanted to cling to and depend on its power.

Not only that, but this dragon was bigger than normal dragons. When it was in its prime, it had been so powerful that it could even drive away armies of monsters from the north all by its lonesome. Wow. Just wow. Even though it had been born as the strongest species in the land, this dragon had dedicated its whole life to one single person and continued to do so even after she died.

Yeah. It was an idiot. Who would go that far normally? But this dragon did it, all the way to the end. That’s the exact reason why it had become a legendary Guardian Dragon, whose tales would be told for years and years.

However, the dragon was now dead. Its eyes were closed, and its face was peaceful. I touched its body, but I could not feel even a bit of warmth. This enormous creature would probably never move again. In its last moments, the dragon hadn’t even struggled and had accepted its death with open arms. The Guardian Dragon, who had protected Huzak for generations, was no longer anywhere in this world.

I breathed out a sigh. No Face, then Sepith, then the Guardian Dragon. What the hell is going on? There should be a limit as to how hard my life can get, you know! I mean, it would make sense if I had gone wild, doing a lot of things that would affect the future, but all I’ve been doing is enjoying my school life. But, well... Complaining about all that won’t get me anywhere.

Plus, even if I’m exhausted, there’s no way I can be so pathetic. For the sake of this dragon as well, which didn’t even resist in the end. Not only that...

“He took down the dragon. That guy shot down a Calamity Species!”

“Now he’s the second! He’s the second Dragon Slayer after Sir Delfrey!”

“Hey, can we go outside too?! Outside the barrier?!”

“No, it’s probably still dangerous.”

“It’s the second Dragon Slayer in Daryth!”

“Look! It’s a dragon!”

The school, which had been as silent as still water, was now filled with commotion. I could see everyone from my spot: There was Shuya, standing stupefied inside the barrier around the cathedral. Alicia was strenuously tiptoeing to get a glimpse because she was short. A familiar soldier gave a respectful bow in my direction. Silva and Professor Loco Moco bantered back and forth. And finally, I spotted the headmaster standing on top of the cathedral, looking pleased.

“It’s a black dragon! It’s bigger than the one Sir Delfrey slew! I’ve seen that one mounted before so I know for sure!”

“This is insane! How are we even alive?!”

Everyone was so pale moments ago, and yet... They’re all so lively now.

Even though I had been such a problematic child, Kirsch had let me in. This school, the paradise which I had chosen in my plan to be driven out from House Denning, seemed to have become a second home in my heart before I even knew it. If that wasn’t the case, then I wouldn’t be so happy right now.

Though seeing this made my effort worth it, I couldn’t have done this all by myself. Silva had helped me to make it across the forest path. The Great Spirit of Wind had backed me up and helped me to take down the dragon. The Great Spirit probably would say that they didn’t do anything, but there was no way that I could have taken down the dragon with one blow on my own merits alone.

“Look! That swordsman is Silva, the top candidate for Guardian Knight!”

“Hey, that’s the Mystical Sword at that, like I thought!”

“Professor Loco Moco is alive too!”

“Hey, Silva! You wouldn’t understand how I feel; you’re the maniac who became an A-class adventurer in only one single year! Not only that, but— Ow! Don’t touch me in the side!” Professor Loco Moco complained.

Silva let the professor lean on his shoulder as they walked into the barrier while bickering with each other. Silva was an adventurer. Maybe he knows the professor from there. It seemed that the top Guardian Knight candidate was quite the celebrity in Kirsch as well, and a boisterous welcome greeted the two as they entered the barrier.

As for me, I can’t just stand around here.

My upperclassmen, who were army hopefuls, held their wands as they began to pick themselves up, but soldiers stopped them. There was no way that these hot-blooded third-years would have sat around doing nothing during this disaster.

When I’d reached the school, Shuya had been about to leave the barrier as well, perhaps trying to save Charlotte. He was technically an army hopeful too. Though he was currently rendered mute from witnessing the fall of a dragon, he should be back on his feet soon.

Not only that, but my father would probably arrive soon from Yoram. Other members of House Denning weren’t around, which made sense considering the circumstances, but...there were still a few Denning soldiers in the area. Ones whom he had trained personally ever since they were fresh and green.

In other words, this would be the only chance I had to talk to her.

“Are there any water mages here?! Please cast a healing spell on the Young Master!”

I began approaching the girl who had stood as still as a statue this whole time. However, with every step I took, Charlotte’s face grew paler and paler.

The Great Spirit of Wind in her arms was snug in its usual spot, which I was a little jealous of. In contrast, her face was white like ash. She seemed so frail that she was almost like a glass sculpture, one that would shatter with the slightest touch. It seemed that she already had an inkling of what I was about to say.

The Great Spirit of Wind waved its little paw in acknowledgment. It seemed that they weren’t angry. It made sense, considering that they’d been bored with the unchanging everyday life here at Kirsch, which was very different from back in House Denning.

“From the looks of it, you’ve heard everything from the Great Spirit of Wind,” I observed.

Earlier, I had talked angrily to the Great Spirit right in front of Charlotte’s eyes. There probably wasn’t any way to talk myself out of this and feign ignorance. However, I didn’t have a single regret in my heart.

“Honestly, I...I don’t know where to start,” I began.

By telling her the truth, our pleasant everyday life, which had lasted all the way until just a day before, might be gone tomorrow. However...I would tell her everything right here, right now. Telling her now was for my own self-satisfaction. I knew that.

“But, well, that dragon was the Guardian Dragon of Huzak, and I have a good guess about why something like that would come to this school.”

Back when I had rushed through the forest path, I had thought that I was possibly too late. That Charlotte had already made the same decision as her ancestors, and that she was long gone from Kirsch. The thought of it had torn my heart apart. I didn’t want to experience that ever again.

“Charlotte, I know who you are.”

The ruckus around us only grew. Even though the area was very noisy, there was pin-drop silence between the two of us.

And then, Charlotte’s expression stopped changing. Her heart probably couldn’t take it anymore, learning of so many things at once.

We could no longer return to our former relationship. But...I’ll stop waiting for you to speak up first. I’ll be the one to confess the truth to you.

“Ever since the day we met... I knew who you were all this time.”

At first, it’d been out of a sense of duty. In my eyes, someone had to help this wounded pair heal their scars. And I’d thought that it was my duty, for I had been blessed with all the privileges one could imagine. There were definitely days when I questioned why I had to be the one. I wouldn’t deny that.

“I waited all this time for the day when you could take the initiative and tell me the truth. But I’ll put an end to that. Let’s stop deceiving each other.”

But, before I knew it, I had started to wish that I could be with her forever. My heart had been slowly stolen away from me, piece by piece, as I saw how earnest she was and how she had the ability to always see the light at the end of a tunnel. After that, losing everything was no longer a torturous pain to me. However, I was sick of staying in this relationship filled with lies.

Even if she rejects me, I don’t care. But I don’t want us to part with both of us blind to the truth or pretending we don’t know.

“Your name is—”

I released the emotions I had built up and concealed behind a dam in my heart. I let them flow and gush out to the precious girl before me. All these feelings were like precious gems that I had been hiding for a long, long time.

House Denning was the family that had defended Daryth for generations. News of their direct descendant slaying the black dragon spread like wildfire across all the countries in the south and further. The many spies scattered across the continent immediately delivered the news to central figures of the Dustour Empire, which was marching forward with its military might.

At the same time, the heroes who would make their mark in the anime world of Shuya Marionette, the people who would become Shuya Newkern’s comrades, as well as a handful of people that even the boy himself didn’t know... As they heard the news of this feat, they remembered the familiar name of a certain someone.

Now, the story of this world had completely shifted off the road that would lead to the anime Shuya Marionette. The good-for-nothing son of House Denning had now made a glorious return to the main stage as the second Dragon Slayer under the flag of Daryth, the leader of the Great Southern Alliance.