WM – Chapter 288: Takatsuki Makoto speaks to the Calamity Witch

—The Calamity Witch slowly collapses while spreading black blood.

My party members including me were shocked. 

Anna-san who shot that light blade was the most surprised. 

“…That’s outrageous… What’s…that dagger?” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch mutters with a faint voice. 

True. If I knew about this, I would have given the sacred treasure to Anna-san from the very beginning. 

“U-Uhm…Makoto-san, what in the world is this dagger…?” (Anna)

“A sacred treasure that my Goddess gave me. I didn’t expect it to show this much power though…” (Makoto)

“I-I will give it back to you, okay?” (Anna)

Anna-san returned the dagger as if overwhelmed with honor.

We were saved by the sacred treasure.

And…the voice that told me to use this…

There’s no doubt it was Noah-sama.

“Noah-sama? Noah-sama, can you hear me? Thank you very much for the help just now!” (Makoto)

I shout to the sky. 

But there was no response. 

Was that my imagination?

No, there’s no way that’s the case.

“Aah…that fearsome Goddess that’s said to have almost caused a war in the Divine Realm by herself at the end of the ancient times? I lowered my guard thinking it was a sacred treasure on the same level as Cain-san… You seem to be quite loved by that Goddess.” (Nevia)

I listened to the pained voice of the Calamity Witch as I looked at my dagger.

The blue blade that has mana in it was shining as beautifully as usual.

The first weapon I got since coming to this world.

The magic dagger that has saved me numerous times. 

“…That dagger…was given to you by Noah-sama… That’s what you said, right?” (Cain)

Cain came here with unsteady steps.

“Are you okay?” (Makoto)

“Somehow…” (Cain)

His wounds seem to have been healed by the armor’s Divine Protection, but the important armor is partially destroyed.

The traces of the fangs of Orthos on the armor are painful to look at.

“Looks like…your sacred treasure is special…” (Cain)

Cain said with a sad face.

No, I am jealous of your sword and full armor.

“In the first place, I heard that it was made from the same material though?” (Makoto)

“Really?” (Cain)

“Despite that, it looks completely different though.” (Johnny)

The one who joined the conversation was Johnny-san.

(Right, the sacred treasures of you and Cain are made from the same adamantite. But the manufacturing method is different… I can’t tell as my God Rank is lower than Noah’s though.) (Ira)

I see… Does that mean she made it stronger due to the lower amount of materials?

“I am grateful…Noah-sama.” (Makoto)

I kneeled in place and gave my thanks to her. 

There really is no response. 

No choice but to thank her once I get back to the future. 

“……You are a devoted one…Takatsuki…Makoto-san.” (Nevia)

“Nevia-san…” (Makoto)

It is not like I had forgotten her.

Everyone was watching carefully for the chance that maybe she would lower our guards and revive. 

But the split up body of the witch was slowly crumbling like sand. 

It is a mystery how she can still talk.

“That’s a relief… Your name will be carved in history for eternity…as the one who saved the world…” (Nevia)

(That’s right, Takatsuki Makoto. With this, the threat to this world is gone.) (Ira)

For some reason, the Destiny Goddess-sama also speaks as if agreeing with the Calamity Witch.

It is true that the Calamity Witch fused with the Great Demon Lord has fallen and the world in the future has been saved.

But something feels off. 

This isn’t the final goal.

“Ira-sama, what happens to the Great Demon Lord in the future?” (Makoto)

That’s right. 

The peace of the past is important, but what’s most important for me is the world 1,000 years in the future. 

Have we safely stopped the change in the future?

(Ah.) (Ira)

““““Eh?””””

“…Tch.” (Nevia)

Ira-sama and my party members raised their voice in surprise.

The last one who clicked their tongue was the Calamity Witch.

Or more like, please don’t forget that, Ira-sama.

(I-I didn’t forget! It simply slipped my mind!) (Ira)

Is it really okay to leave the time to this Goddess?

(Let’s see…yeah, I have confirmed! I managed to confirm the history till the time when the 7 country alliance fights against the revived Great Demon Lord again! In other words, it has gone back to the state of before Takatsuki Makoto went to the past……eh? This is okay, right?) (Ira)

“By 7 countries, does that mean the Moon Country has been reconstructed?” (Makoto)

There’s one more country. 

Well, that’s fine. 

The problem is that the Great Demon Lord will be resurrecting 1,000 years in the future. 

Just as history states.

“She says the Great Demon Lord is going to resurrect.” (Makoto)

I glared at the Calamity Witch.

When I did, she began to laugh.

“Fufufu..that’s right. I finished the reincarnation ritual yesterday. Iblis-sama has departed to the future.” (Nevia)

“Wait! Then what have we been fighting?!” (Mel)

The White Dragon-san shouts. 

“A clone, or so I say, but it was a clone made by splitting part of his soul, so it shouldn’t have been that inferior in power… It seems to have splendidly deceived the Destiny Goddess after all.” (Nevia)

(W-What did she saaaay?!!!!) (Ira)

Looks like she was indeed fully deceived. 

“The Great Demon Lord that was defeated by the Light Hero threw away the world of the past to reincarnate 1,000 years in the future. It is exactly as history states.” (Makoto)

I have been taught this beforehand by Ira-sama.

History has been protected.

“Yes, we can’t match the awakened Light Hero. The original history was that Iblis-sama reincarnated after receiving a fatal injury, but this time around, he managed to reincarnate with spare energy.” (Nevia)

“That means…the Great Demon Lord in the future has become even stronger?” (Makoto)

“That’s right, the next true Iblis-sama is strong.” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch speaks flowingly. 

I am impressed that she is speaking this much even though her body is crumbling.

And she doesn’t show any signs of being worried about that.

Could it possibly be…

“Could it be…you too?” (Makoto)

I asked something that bothered me. 

“…Who knows.” (Nevia)

She responds with a grin.

Ah, she definitely did.

The Calamity Witch is also in the future. 

“Looks like we will be meeting again in the future.” (Makoto)

When I say this with a displeased look, the Calamity Witch frowned as if competing with me. 

“…Takatsuki Makoto-san, you are the hero that saved this world, you know? That beautiful Anna-san and the cute Sage-san there love you, so shouldn’t it be okay to just pass a blissful life in this era?” (Nevia)

“You are telling me to not go back to the future?” (Makoto)

“Yes, please don’t. I don’t want to meet you.” (Nevia)

She said that straight to my face.

Looks like I am hated. 

Of course she does.

“If you had stayed put, I wouldn’t go out of my way to look for you. But you are going to be doing something weird in the future too, right? Like Charming whole countries.” (Makoto)

“Fufu, isn’t that fine if that results in world peace?” (Nevia)

She states so shamelessly. 

For the Calamity Witch, Charming people and controlling them is apparently pure justice. 

“I will find you.” (Makoto)

I state firmly.

But finding them will most likely be really hard, is what I was thinking, but an unexpected response came.

“Ara? We have already met, you know?” (Nevia)

“Huh?” (Makoto)

I was dumbfounded.

“You already know my reincarnated self, you know?” (Nevia)

The Calamity Witch grins.

…Really?

Was the reincarnation of the Calamity Witch within the people I have met? 

“Oi! Who is that…?” (Makoto)

“……Fufufu.” (Nevia)

She crumbles like sand with a meaningful laugh.

And in this way, the Calamity Witch -fused with the Great Demon Lord (clone)- left with an explosive statement right at the very end as she perished. 

◇◇

“What do we do from now on?” (Johnny)

Johnny-san looks at us. 

The Great Demon Lord is gone. 

It is not like we have defeated him completely, but at the very least, there should be peace in this era now. 

“I will be going on a journey to defeat the remaining Demon Lords as I search for a way to return to the future.” (Makoto)

In other words, dealing with the left-overs. 

The Great Demon Lord may be gone now, but we moved in a different way from the original history. 

We must free the lands that are ruled by the other Demon Lords aside from the West Continent. 

It would be easier if they were all to move to the West Continent though.

While I was thinking that, I noticed that everyone had frowns in their faces.

“Spirit User-kun, do you have a disease that kills you if you don’t fight?” (Mel)

Mel-san is treating me as an ill patient. 

 “I thought for sure we would be going back to Laberintos…” (Johnny)

Aah, so that’s what Johnny-san meant by what to do from now on, huh.

“Makoto-sama…you really should rest.” (Momo)

“Makoto-san, we also have to repair the Holy Sword.” (Anna)

Now that she mentions it, that’s true. 

Anna-san’s Balmung is still bent.

“True. Volkh-san and Julietta-san must be worried too, so let’s go back to Laberintos.” (Makoto)

When I said this, everyone made relieved expressions.

“What should I do? I may have quitted my seat as Demon Lord, but I must be a target of revenge for the Heroes.” (Cain)

The one who seems to be lost about what to do is Cain.

What a strange thing to say.

“We have to clear the Deep Sea Temple together, right?” (Makoto)

“……Didn’t we reach the conclusion that we can’t defeat a Divine Beast?” (Cain)

Cain made a face of ‘what is this guy saying?’.

I am most definitely making a similar face.

“Let’s infiltrate the Deep Sea Temple in a way that Leviathan doesn’t notice.” (Makoto)

“That’s impossible… The Deep Sea Temple is on the back of Leviathan, you know?” (Cain)

“We need a decoy to deceive the eyes of the Divine Beast…” (Makoto)

“The Spirit Magic we rely on is useless there.” (Cain)

“Yeah…” (Makoto)

“Uhm, Our King…I came here cause I heard a scary conversation…” (Dia)

Dia poked my shoulder while I was having a heated discussion with Cain.

I responded ‘it is a joke, it is a joke’ with a smile.

Then a small shadow approached me. 

“Makoto-sama…why are you so hurried…?” (Momo)

The Great Sage-sama looks up at me uneasy. 

(Hurried?) (Makoto)

Is that how I looked to them?

(Obviously. Even though you have just defeated the Great Demon Lord, you are talking about subjugating Demon Lords, and clearing a Last Dungeon. People normally don’t think that, you know?) (Ira)

I noticed after Ira-sama pointed it out. 

“I have to find a way to return to the future after all…” (Makoto)

I unconsciously said that out loud.

This is most likely the reason why I am getting hurried here.

The promise I made with Lucy and Sa-san about returning.

I still haven’t found the method yet.

(……It is not like there’s none.) (Ira)

The Destiny Goddess-sama says. 

“Ira-sama? There’s a method to go back to the future?!” (Makoto)

My party members made shocked expressions at what I said.

(In theory… If it is you, Takatsuki Makoto, it should be okay…I think.) (Ira)

The lack of confidence from Ira-sama was worrying me. 

“Could it be that it is the reincarnation method like the Great Demon Lord and the Calamity Witch?” (Makoto)

If I do that, I would become someone else.

(Reincarnation won’t be possible. The person themself has to have quite the amount of mana, or it would be hard to tell the difference between one and the other in the world of the dead, so it is hard to center where to reincarnate. It won’t be possible with your soul, Takatsuki Makoto.) (Ira)

“I-I see…” (Makoto)

Looks like I can’t even properly reincarnate with low mana.

(Well, leave it to me. There’s a little bit of figuring out to do, but I will tell you the method to go back to the future.) (Ira)

“Thank you very much, Ira-sama.” (Makoto)

Is it okay to consider me having a method to go back now? 

“Haah…” (Makoto)

I let out a big sigh.

This time for sure, I am seeing a goal point for the future. 

…It has been long.

Just when I was thinking that…

“Makoto-san!” (Anna)

Anna-san grabbed my hand and her gem-like blue eyes were looking straight at me. 

“U-Uhm…” (Anna)

“What is it, Anna?” (Makoto)

When I asked, Anna-san took a short breath, and she looked at me silently for a while. 

“Will you…marry me?” (Anna)

“Eh?” (Makoto)

Anna-san asked this with a bright red face.

“Wait! Anna-san, I won’t let you steal the march!” (Momo)

“You can meet Makoto-san 1,000 years in the future, Momo-chan, so it should be fine!” (Anna)

“Ugh, that’s…” (Momo)

I have told the two of them that I have met Momo 1,000 years in the future. 

When I told them that the Great Sage-sama has taught me magic, Momo made a complicated expression.

“Makoto-san, I won’t stop you from returning to the future. But…that’s why, before you do that, you and me…” (Anna)

“A-Anna-san, c-calm down…” (Makoto)

I was taken aback by her serious face.

“You said that you loved me in that battle, right?” (Anna)

“Y-Yes…” (Makoto)

I did say that.

Being told that with a smile, I couldn’t say anything back.

I-Is this what’s called taking responsibility?

As if matching my feelings, letters popped up in the air.

[Will you marry Anna Highland?] 

Yes

No

RPG Player. 

Even a choice…

Moreover, the Highland name suddenly showed up.

The Holy Maiden Anna-san that founded Highland.

In other words, this is what it must mean.

(I don’t think it is that bad to marry Anna-chan and take permanent residence here though?) (Ira)

What are you saying, Ira-sama?

(…I am seriously thinking about your well-being here, Takatsuki Makoto. You definitely will be happy in this era. You have pushed through so much unreasonableness already. There’s no need for you to go back to the future and fight the Great Demon Lord.) (Ira)

I could feel the grieve of Ira-sama towards me. 

A tone I could tell she was seriously worrying about me. 

Anna-san in front of me.

Ira-sama worrying about me. 

The choice floating in front of me.

(…It really shakes me.) (Makoto)

I sighed lightly and spoke…

■Author Comment: 

Next chapter is the end of the 10th arc (the Epilogue). It has been long… <TLN: Yeah, I mistook ‘10 chapters’ with ‘10th arc’ in the previous chapter. Sorry!>

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