novelVol 2 Epilogue
| ← Ch.11 | Ch.13 → |
Epilogue - Fake End
Part 1
.... . A week has pa. s. sed——since the declaration of war on the Eastern
Union.
The news that Sora had bet [Imanity's piece] spread quickly.
During the selection of the Kings, Sora single-handedly defeated the spy from the Elves.
From there onwards, the suspicion that [Sora was another country's spy] gradually rose after he defeated the Flügel.
Coupled with some n. o. bles that harbored resentment against Sora, demonstrations took place.
The King City of Elchea was surrounded by a human wall, with the people haranguing non-stop at Sora.
——Just like that, Steph dragged her tired feet into the throne hall, before saying:
"Sora.... I'm unable to oppress them anymore."
Even the ministers suspected Sora.
Thus even they partook in the demonstrations against Sora.
"The n. o. bles that followed us can't support us anymore because of this incident...... Even the ministers are holding a joint boycott, Elchea is pretty much in anarchy right now...."
Steph also held distrust to Sora.
Even so, Steph was trying hard to dispel the animosity of the people.
Perhaps feeling that it was useless, Steph slumped onto the ground.
"You've worked hard, Steph. Everything will be solved once the game with the Eastern Union is over."
Sora nonchalantly sat on the throne while playing games with s. h. i. +ro.
He encouraged Steph while saying with a wry smile:
"We are spies from another country? It's too late, they should have doubted us once we defeated the Elven spy."
——like this.
Steph still held distrust to Sora, who mocked the civilians' attempt.
"...... What are you going to do? The demonstrations have already occurred."
"Nothing, just let them do what they want."
In this world, demonstrations were meaningless.
Ifsomeone was unsatisfied with Sora——they could challenge him and take over his authority——but, no one dared to challenge.
Which was to say, they couldn't do anything.
".... . Then can I ask, what was Sora doing for the past week?"
This sentence was half-ironic, half truly needing an explanation.
The answer was very simple.
"I am waiting."
——that was it.
".... . You are waiting for the reply from the Eastern Union regarding your challenge right?"
"Un~ No, that would be troublesome, I hope they can wait a bit longer more."
After replying with such an incomprehensible answer, Sora continued:
"Before that, I wish for a [puzzle] to come——its too long to explain.... ."
As such, Sora didn't know who he was complaining to.
——suddenly, Jibril who was beside him had a reaction.
"——Master, this is...."
But before Jibril could finish her sentence, Sora interrupted her and said:
"I know, you finally came, don't let me wait for too long okay?"
——everyone directed their eyesight to what Sora was talking to.
However, there was no one present in his line ofsight.
Jibril probably felt the presence.
But, Steph couldn't see——even s. h. i. +ro too, so they had to watch as Sora spoke.
"Yes, I know your intentions, of course, anytime is possible."
——Sora said while gently lifting s. h. i. +ro up and placing her on the ground to stand.
He then stood up and surveyed around.
.... . s. h. i. +ro, Steph, Jibril, and.... .
Sora boldly stared at [That] which only he could see.
Taking a deep breath, Sora faced to s. h. i. +ro and said:
"s. h. i. +ro, listen carefully."
".... Un?"
"I believe you."
".... s. h. i. +ro believes too."
An immediate answer from s. h. i. +ro, Sora couldn't help but respond with a smile.
"s. h. i. +ro, we are indispensable."
"s. h. i. +ro, we are bound together with a promise."
"s. h. i. +ro, we are not the lead characters in a Shounen manga."
"s. h. i. +ro, we always win before the game starts."
Sora said all these sentences in flat succession.
It felt as if——
"...... Nii.... ?"
A bad feeling had emerged.
s. h. i. +ro uneasily called out to her brother.
And as if responding to her calls, Sora smiled and stroked his sister's head before saying:
"——We'll go and get, the last piece of the puzzle required to swallow
Eastern Union."
Then——
Sora laughed and said to that:
"——okay, shall we start the game?"
.... ——
.... . ————————
Part 2
Sunlight from the windows s. h. i. +ned onto her eyes.
".... . Un.... Guuu......."
But she refused to wake up, her consciousness still wanting to drift back to sleep.
Feeling loyal to her desires, s. h. i. +ro turned her body, intending to sleep again.
As usual, she grabbed onto her brother's arm, and once again drift——
Her hands didn't catch what was supposed to be her brother's arm, only air.
"... Guu.... ?"
Again——fallen off the bed?
However, with her half awake mind, she remembered that she was sleeping on the bedroom of the King.
In order to confirm the presence of her brother, she reluctantly opened her sleepy eyes——
The person that was supposed to be there had——
————..........
The capital of Elchea——Elchea.
This was the last bastion of the human species, after countless number of defeats of trying to obtain land.
In the castle of the King City, a young girl walked down the promenade.
Stephanie Dora.
Granddaughter of the late king, a highborn girl with red-hair and blue eyes.
——having said so.
She had dark circles under her eyes and her heavy footsteps showed how exhausted she was.
She staggered towards the [King]'s bedroom while holding poker cards and having a strange smile. Almost as ifshe was a ghost.
"Heh, hehehehe.... . today is the day."
After a whole night, her consciousness was about to get cut off.
Stephanie—— known as Steph, leaked out a dangerous smile.
"——s. h. i. +ro, are you awake! Its morning already oh!"
Kok kok, kok kok.
Steph had poker cards in her hands, so she had to knock on the door with her feet.
But......
The door probably wasn't even closed at all.
Because when she knocked on the door, it naturally opened——
"Eh? Weird.... unless she's awake already.... ?"
Steph peeped into the King's bedroom.
What was there——
"Nii.... Nii, where are you.... s. h. i. +ro's fault.... . s. h. i. +ro won't ever.... fall of bed....... so come back.... guuuu......."
Holding her knees and trembling non-stop, while tears flowed out was s. h. i. +ro.
"——Hey... eh? Wha, what happened s. h. i. +ro!?"
Steph was ranting just now.
After looking at her acting weirdly, she hurriedly placed the cards on the floor and ran to s. h. i. +ro.
"Wh, what happened? Do you feel uncomfortable?"
s. h. i. +ro however was unable to hear Steph's voice.
She was crying while exclaiming out:
"Nii...... Nii.... Come out.... . Don't leave s. h. i. +ro alone...."
Hearing her cry so hard, Steph who seemed very worried asked:
"Th, that...... who is the brother you speak off? I'll, I'll bring the person out okay?"
———— s. h. i. +ro finally heard Steph's voice.
What was Steph talking about?
There was only one brother that s. h. i. +ro had.
She took out her phone and opened the contact book, but——
".... Lies.... ."
——How could this be possible?
There was only one contact number in her phone; her brother in which case.
But.
Why——
Why did her phone show —— [0 contacts].
".... Impossible.... . Lies...... Lies, lies......"
s. h. i. +ro started to pale, her white skin losing even more colour.
Steph felt something was unusual, and desperately called out to her.
"s. h. i. +ro, s. h. i. +ro! Hey, are you alright!? What's wrong!!"
However, she was already unable to see Steph's existence.
s. h. i. +ro suddenly opened the messages, mailbox address and image data folder of her phone, but.... . none.
——there was no trace of her brother.
".... . Lies...... this is...... absolutely a lie.."
s. h. i. +ro confirmed the date of her phone.
——21st.
The game they played for the throne was——19th.
s. h. i. +ro instantly confirmed the date by recalling all the images stored in her mind. Without a doubt, the handheld game consoles, tablet, and phone all pointed to 19th.
Then on the 20th.
——what was she doing yesterday?
——...... None.
Her memories—— were blank.
s. h. i. +ro's memories could recall the contents of a book read five years ago.
This was as if——she slept for an entire day.
——Her brother isn't around.
There were no contacts in her phone.
There were also no historical traces from the mails.
——This proved that there were no evidence about her brother's existence s. h. i. +ro categorised all her findings
And narrowed it down to three possibilities.
Possibility number 1: Some sort of power erased her brother's [Existence] from this world.
Possibility number 2: She was becoming [crazy].
Possibility number 3: Or perhaps she was crazy in the first place——[But now she's back to normal].
However, regardless of which of the possibilities are correct.
To s. h. i. +ro, that was not enough for her to withstand the outcome of the answers.
With her trembling voice, she squeezed out her voice.
——because she expected to hear the answer she didn't want to hear at all.
But she relied on her last hope, and asked Steph——mentioning his name this time.
"...... Steph.... Nii....... Where.... . Is.... . [Sora].... ?"
However, the response to her question.
Was just as expected.
——The response she didn't want to hear.
".... Sora? Is that a name? Who is it?"
——Ahh.
——she hoped.
This is a nightmare.
Ifshe woke up, her brother would still be sleeping beside her.
Then she would say——[Good morning].
s. h. i. +ro prayed for this desire, her eyes gradually turned dark
——s. h. i. +ro, fainted.
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