Aster, who in a sense had been the root cause of all the chaos right until the very end, had finally fallen silent. Ermes and the others could finally catch their breath.
The cleanup at the scene would be handled by the soldiers who were still mobile. They would confirm Kerberos's corpse, call in a recovery squad, send word to the Royal Capital, and sort through the situation — everything that had led to this, how to deal with Katia and the others, and so on.
They probably wouldn't end up poorly treated. In fact, the soldiers who came to report to Ermes and the others looked at them with even greater reverence than they had directed at Aster — if anything, they were told to go ahead and rest, so they meekly accepted the offer.
As for Sarah, she had long since been knocked out and was receiving the utmost courtesy from the soldiers.
Aster, naturally, was left where he lay.
And now, all of that was finally over.
A carriage that the soldiers had called for had apparently arrived, so Ermes and Katia stood up and walked toward where they'd been directed.
"...I'm definitely sleeping in the carriage. Erm, lend me your shoulder."
"...Understood. Though I'm not confident I can keep myself conscious either, so I hope you'll forgive me for that."
"You should just go to sleep instead."
Both of them had truly been pushed beyond the limits of exhaustion.
After all, since being woken in the dead of night they hadn't had a moment's rest — there had been far too much happening, and no matter how you looked at it, they simply couldn't go on any further.
But surely it had all been worth it.
Once they returned to the Royal Capital — well, there would probably be plenty of things to deal with there too.
But because they had held firm to their convictions, the scenery that awaited them should be just a little more beautiful than before.
Sharing that single understanding, the two of them set off in step.
...And then, suddenly.
Both of them felt a presence behind them at the same time, and turned around.
——A miracle was standing there.
"............Huh?"
Before them stood a semi-transparent woman draped in a gentle aura.
A relatively small woman with a soft smile—indigo hair and eyes like amethysts.
Katia whispers.
"...M-Mo...ther..."
Impossible, thought Ermes.
Even if her
Netherworld of Salvation
was a magic that connected to the underworld—
The woman hadn't died recently, nor had she died here. In a place with absolutely no connection to her, to call forth a specific soul from among the countless dead—and on top of that, to materialize it as a spiritual entity bearing the same form she had in life—
Only Ermes, who had succeeded in reproducing the magic and could wield it herself, could understand. This was simply not possible.
To begin with, Katia wasn't currently activating her
Netherworld of Salvation.
In other words...
From the soul's side—
the magic—
tracing it—
she came here?
Is that what you'd even call it? If anything, that makes it even more impossible.
...But.
Even Magic Inscription Liberation — there are still countless aspects of magic that even Ermes has yet to reproduce.
Then this phenomenon is no exception. It is a phenomenon of inevitability dubbed a miracle, brought about by that mystery called magic — and that cannot be denied.
Above all, I don't want to deny it.
The soul, Theta, drifted gently closer.
She stopped in front of Katia and placed a hand on her head — or at least made a show of it.
—I'm sorry. I'd really love to hold you in my arms, but.
Strangely enough, Ermes could hear that voice too.
—It was hazy, but I could feel it. You faced a terribly, terribly powerful Monster. To protect everyone's happiness.
"...Ah."
—And you defeated it and survived. Something I couldn't do. ...You're amazing, Katia. I'm really sorry I can't touch you.
"I, no... that's... enough...!"
At last, a sob broke free.
"I... just hearing that... is more than enough...!"
Words failed her as emotions overflowed.
Katia wept as though she had regressed back into a child, and Theta looked down at her with a slightly troubled yet deeply affectionate gaze.
It was then that Theta's eyes turned toward them.
—Attendant. You too have been supporting Katia...
She paused there. Her expression shifted — as though puzzled by something, or as though she had noticed something.
And then she said this:
—You... could it be, Rose's child?
"......Eh!?"
Shocked in more ways than one.
That Sita had seen through Ermes's connection to her master.
That Sita knew of her master in the first place — now that she thought about it, Yurugen had said something along those lines too.
And from Ermes's perspective, knowing her master's apparent age, being mistaken for a child was its own kind of shock.
──You don't look alike at all... but somehow, the atmosphere is really reminiscent of that child... and come to think of it, didn't you use Rose's magic back then...
"Um, well, Lady Sita."
Ermes gathered her composure and offered an explanation to Sita, who was cycling through all manner of speculation.
"First of all, I am Master's — Rose's — associate, but not her child. I am her disciple."
──...Are you?
"Yes. My own name is Ermes. We actually met several times back when I was Ermes von Frenbreed..."
──Frenbreed... Oh! That boy who was close to Katia!
Sita clapped her hands together as if the pieces had fallen into place, only to tilt her head again a moment later.
──Wait, but then, why are you Katia's attendant? No wait — that child's disciple...? As if that girl could ever be anyone's master...? Eh? Well, I suppose...
Somewhat adorably flustered, and while she was at it, making rather rude remarks about her own master too.
Still, anyone who knew Rose's private life would find those questions perfectly reasonable. The fact that she could ask them proved just how close Sita had truly been to Rose.
"Well, there were quite a few twists and turns along the way. ...But"
Explaining everything that had happened would take far too long, so Ermes decided to offer just one thing.
"I respect her as a mage. And I have no regrets about being here now."
──...I see.
Theda, too, nodded as if to say that hearing those words was enough.
──If there's someone who can accept that girl as a mage, I'd be very happy. ...Just one thing, may I?
"What is it?"
In response to Ermes's question, Theda gave a playful smile.
──When you see her, tell her this for me. "Come visit my grave at least once."
"...I will."
Ermes felt a touch of warmth at that.
Rose had hated the Royal Capital so much... but knowing there was someone she could share this kind of exchange with made him think that perhaps it hadn't been all terrible after all.
──Ermes. Take care of Katia for me. Oh, and one more thing...
Theda noticed Katia, who had finally begun to calm down, and gave a knowing glance.
"Yes, understood. Let's step away."
There must be many things they wanted to discuss as family alone.
Ermes stepped back, choosing to watch over them from a distance.
...They surely talked about many things.
Things left unsaid in their sudden parting.
The admiration that had taken root in her heart.
How she had nearly been crushed by it, yet decided to move forward anyway.
Things she had wanted to convey.
Words she had wanted to give.
And the feelings she held dear.
That was something only she had the right to hear, and Ermes should not have been prying into its contents.
But there was one thing she understood.
After all the talking was done, after Shieta's form melted away and vanished.
After seeing Katia, who had wiped her tears and was walking toward them.
—Ah, this person is going to be all right now.
"Let's head back."
"Yes."
With the same dignified composure she had always carried, he walked behind her in respect.
Under the watchful eyes of countless soldiers, they took the first step toward their triumphal return.
—On the ride back, the driver watched.
Inside the carriage, three young people slept side by side.
At the center, knees neatly together, a silver-haired boy with a quiet, composed sleeping face.
To his right, a purple-haired girl leaning her shoulder against his, her lovely sleeping expression showing the wholehearted trust she placed in him.
And to his left, a blonde girl who shyly, with just a hint of embarrassment on her sleeping face, had inched her head close to his shoulder.
It was far too gentle and heartwarming a sight — nothing at all like what you would expect of the three who had performed most brilliantly in this fierce battle.
Even the driver couldn't help but soften his expression, easing the horses to a slightly slower pace to cushion the vibrations.
From the moment Ermes arrived in the Royal Capital, a whole chain of turmoil had begun.
The first chapter of the legend woven by emerald magic had, for now, drawn its curtain to a close.