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Connecting happy events, sad events, and events that gave a strong impression to the place where it happened is a conventional mechanism in memories.

That’s why I do have attachments towards places too.

But the passing of time mercilessly changes those memorable places into unknown shapes.

The large tree where I was picked up from before, the scenery of the village where she spent happy days in, and the place where she was betrayed and was sealed in.

There’s no place where I have been that I have been able to retain the form of. And yet…

“…Even though it should be beyond recognition… Must be because of my talent.”

There’s an absolute need for outstanding spatial awareness when using advanced teleport magic.

My spatial awareness is on the level where I can get a grasp of my coordinates on this planet no matter where I am, as if I were a precise machine.

That’s why, no matter how wondrous of a scenery it turns into, my body remembers that this is that place.

I have a lot of thoughts regarding this, but I don’t feel like worrying about feelings that are comparable to a pebble on the road.

That’s why I didn’t care about the Mana Eater that was coming at me faster than the speed of sound after I just teleported.

“Get lost.”

It honestly doesn’t matter that physical attacks and magic don’t work.

It is rushing at me without a single thought, so I can just open a gate that connects to a pocket dimension.

Next, I just have to disintegrate it together with the pocket dimension and it will starve in a world where nothing exists, not even mana.

That said, only me and her would be able to react to the speed of the Mana Eater, and it would be really difficult for her to create a gate if she came back just recently.

She can’t alter the present world well in her soul state. That’s why she must have relied on space-time magic that can be used even as a soul.

That’s also pretty difficult, but being in a soul state is in theory closer to the path linking to a parallel world.

“Now then…”

I search for the location of her soul.

A little bit ahead from where the Mana Eater flew my way… The Mana Eater must really like the location where a mass of mana that regenerates infinitely appears.

I approached the spot and modified the resurrection magic that’s cast on her soul.

I fill up the mana in her stead and activate the resurrection magic that would normally take time.

Resurrection magic formed the body from the memories of the soul and affixed the soul once again. What’s being formed is the body that the soul remembers.

Normally, it is impossible to keep the memories of your body with just your soul, but you can maintain those memories by using resurrection magic to pay a price.

Her and the others paid with their names, and I paid with my qualifications, and ended up being cursed by the world.

“—Nariya, huh.”

She… Black resurrected.

Her appearance is the same as the one in the Serende Nether. But the mana inside of her is now that of the real thing.

She is in the same state as the time when I sealed her here.

I am happy about her being the same, but that also speaks volumes about how she can’t get out from that curse for eternity.

“Heya there, good morning. Did you see a nice drea—” (Yugura)

In the instant I closed my eyes and opened them to blink, Black got in front of me and she punched my face with her left fist.

My cranium broke along with the bones of my neck. Even my brain was crushed.

It would be a pain if my neck were to tear off, so I had my whole body float and have it be smashed onto the ground.

“To think you wouldn’t even try to evade.” (Black)

“I have switched my thoughts and memories to my soul after all. I am fine with my head being crushed. You couldn’t punch with all you had in the Serende Nether, right?” (Yugura)

Well, the clothes of Black would get dirtied if my head were to burst, so I did use a bit of mana strengthening.

It was to a degree where the knight she was fighting with in the Serende Nether wouldn’t be able to scratch me at all though.

There’s no doubt that the one here is the strongest within the Demon Lords excluding me.

And yet, I can’t feel anger or hatred from her eyes.

I recovered half-heartedly and got up, and she was showing me her back.

“…I won’t be shaken no matter the words. I carved that determination into my soul and body so that it won’t be shaken.” (Black)

“Yeah, I know.” (Yugura)

“If I had been at that place with this body, I wouldn’t have lent my ear to anyone in that place… But what was in the Serende Nether wasn’t my body.” (Black)

Her monologue.

It is easy to understand the meaning of this beforehand. But I don’t want to do that.

I don’t want to rely on something like mind reading to understand her feelings.

That’s why I waited silently…for her following words…and for her to arrange her feelings.

“Ilias…was it? That man believed in that person. He held hopes for her. He entrusted everything to her. He had accepted her not only in his heart but his body. That’s probably why my body desired a sword by the time I noticed. I held hopes for a conversation and sympathy… Desired them. The things I thought I had cut away.” (Black)

I learned of the reason after reading his memories and thoughts.

He believed in this woman called Ilias to the point of entrusting his heart and body to her.

That’s why he thought that if he gave his body to Black, his own body would desire the actions of Ilias.

The weakest body that doesn’t have mana. To think that would be the strongest weapon to open the doors in the locked heart of Black.

“Those words shouldn’t have been able to reach my heart. No, it actually didn’t reach me before. I didn’t change when you faced me with that after all.” (Black)

“…Right.” (Yugura)

I have spoken to her countless times to persuade her. I have even told her the same words as Ilias.

That’s why I thought ‘why?’ at that time. Why did the words that didn’t reach her manage to now? Why did the same words not work when it was me, but reached her when it was Ilias?

“Nariya, do you know what was the first thing I felt when I returned to this body?” (Black)

“…Regret?” (Yugura)

“No, I was baffled.” (Black)

“Baffled?” (Yugura)

I was a bit surprised by the unexpected answer.

Black must have felt that reaction of mine through her back. She dropped her shoulders a bit and continued speaking.

“I decided…that I wouldn’t let my heart be shaken by your words and actions since you are an apostle of God. That’s why I managed to shake away all your words and feelings…” (Black)

My words won’t reach her.

It is not like I didn’t understand the reason.

I am a being that was called here by that damn bastard. My words and actions are simply a result that that damn bastard wishes.

That’s why Black didn’t change her heart no matter what I said or did.

She maintained a stalwart way of being.

“And yet, I was shaken to this degree by just hearing those words through the body of that man. I was baffled by how weak and easy to shake that body was after returning to this body.” (Black)

“What a horrible way of putting it.” (Yugura)

“…And the fact that I was extremely stubborn…” (Black)

The reason why she has her back turned towards me must be because she doesn’t want to show me her face.

But that’s the same for me.

I am probably making a face I don’t really want to show to others.

“That’s your charm. You are more stubborn than even me who made even God lose their patience.” (Yugura)

“…Nariya, do you plan on using space-time magic to rewind the world?” (Black)

“Yeah, I don’t plan on changing that.” (Yugura)

I answered immediately to that alone.

Even if the hatred of Black is extracted, she lost way too much. I took way too much from her.

That’s why I have to give it back to her.

Her name that I wanted to say countless times, the future of living together with others in this world she loved… Everything, all of it.

Even if Black says there’s no need for that and refuses, I will definitely rewind this world.

I understand that such a story doesn’t suit her after all.

“…I see. Then, you should kill me.” (Black)

“Yeah. No matter if humans win or lose, I was planning on returning your name and finishing things with you as a human after all.” (Yugura)

I can’t leave her living in this world in isolation.

That’s why I decided to finish the Black that exists in the present with my own hands.

That’s the last atonement I can do for Black.

Her real name has disappeared from this world. But I have stored her name in Japanese.

The reason why my method overlaps with how that man killed the Demon Lord that was born in this world must be because we are otherworlders.

Any other fate or connection… I feel like that would involve that damn bastard, so I won’t believe in that.

“…Everyone has left, huh. Father, mother… everyone…” (Black)

“It is okay. I will watch over you so that you will definitely be able to live happily next time. I will make it so your family can live their lifespan. I will have Idolak and Ikawaki’s wives keep whipping them in shape, and I will have Zahava not lose her mind that much. I will make Lazarikata live a happy life with Melvis without being antagonistic towards you. Ah, but I might kill Ofaro in the shadows.” (Yugura)

“I would like you to save him though.” (Black)

“I would need to go even further back than the time when I met you. Well…if you want me to save all the people that were involved with you, I would need to go back around 100 years further back. A time paradox would happen if I don’t throw away Tedoral in the middle. Oh well, I will do my best.” (Yugura)

Just how many times have I imagined a future where she is living happily? They were really bright and comfortable dreams.

I wasn’t in those futures, but it is fine for me to not be there. I shouldn’t be allowed to be there as the one who messed everything up.

That’s not a big deal.

I will simply continue watching and protecting her happiness for a mere 100 years or so.

“…Nariya, can I ask you to do one thing?” (Black)

“Okay. Anything aside from not using space-time magic.” (Yugura)

“—I don’t plan on having you throw away your resolve as someone who rejected your words all the time. But…I would like you to wait for a bit before killing me.” (Black)

“…Reason?” (Yugura)

“I promised Ilias at that time… That I will have the people of this world shoulder the fate of this world that was toyed by God together with me.” (Black)

I wasn’t planning on remembering those words, but those are words I said to Black before. It still remained inside my head.

— “Then let us shoulder it just like you! Let us face it! Believe that we can do it just like you could!”

Ilias and Black didn’t exchange words at the time when they were staring at each other. But they must have talked with their eyes.

“How many years should I wait?” (Yugura)

“Who knows. I at the very least think that I have to watch over them until her will remains.” (Black)

“Her will…huh.” (Yugura)

Her comrades and descendants; even if Ilias were to die, someone would be inheriting her will.

There will be an immortal Demon Lord by their side, so her will wouldn’t be snuffed out so easily.

It might remain for decades…maybe even centuries.

Even so, the words of someone from the past will eventually thin out and disappear.

History has proved that the weight of the words from people who lived in the past can’t be inherited as it is by the people in the present and future.

For Demon Lords that live for eternity, it is like entrusting their feelings to a transient dream.

But Black turned back and looked at me before I could say something.

Those were not the eyes of the woman that continued being herself as the Black Demon Lord.

They are the eyes she had in the long past. Black eyes with shining radiance.

“It may be faster than imagined or might be long beyond belief. I will probably regret believing. Even so, I plan on watching over it. I would like you to kill me after that.” (Black)

I honestly would like to redo things at once.

I want to erase the fact that Black tasted despair as soon as possible.

I don’t want Black to suffer anymore. I don’t want her to hold pointless hope.

“—Can’t be helped since you promised. I don’t want you to break a promise.” (Yugura)

“…Thanks. You won’t have anything to do for a while.” (Black)

But I don’t want to bid farewell to Black when she hasn’t fulfilled her promise at all. I don’t want to end our relationship as a betrayal.

That’s unfair.

To think she would show me the eyes that I promised not to cloud anymore at a place like this.

If she tells me this with those eyes, I can’t do anything even if I am omnipotent.

“Fine. You will at least accompany me in killing time, right?” (Yugura)

“Yeah. In moderation.” (Black)

“That goes both ways. Ah, right. That man said: ‘Thanks for the hospitality’.” (Yugura)

“…He is the one to say that?” (Black)

“Ahaha, right?” (Yugura)

Then, let’s close my eyes at least once more…while hoping this is a dream left to others that I won’t wake up from.

——

Mana Eater:

-The only monster created by Yugura Nariya. (He didn’t want to spawn kill Black with his own hands and didn’t want others to carelessly free her)

-The material is magic seal stone. It has lost its original ability to negate magic in a range proportional to its size, but it has the ability to deconstruct.

-It reacts to mana and attacks. It increases in speed proportional to the target, so it is in theory the natural enemy of all living creatures in this world.

-The core is malleable, so physical attacks don’t work. Magic is also deconstructed and turned into food.

-It grows in numbers after eating. If it increases too much, it will use its body as material to create a den. (A measure to not let it increase infinitely in numbers. It turns into plants with high density mana and would comfortably eat that overflowing mana)

-It sends the seeds of rai fruits far from its den so that the creatures that eat that fruit will be drawn to its den and be hunted. (Salute to the bear that saved the life of the protagonist with its body)

-It is the strongest being that could spawn kill even the strongest Demon Lord, but can’t win against the cheats of its creator. The only remaining one is inside a cave of the Gahne Nether. An endangered species. (NEW)

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