Chapter 255: The End

If you draw a straight line east from the center of the capital, Imenia, you’ll eventually spot an island at its end.

It was a fairly large island, but not one where people could live.

Because it was a volcanic zone.

A dangerous island where volcanic activity continued ceaselessly even now.

The outer areas were barely tolerable, but the closer you got to the center, the heat rose to a level no human could withstand.

A place like that—even if it wasn’t a Forbidden Land of the continent—was an island with no reason to go.

Yet, there was one person heading toward the center of that island.

“……It’s hot.”

Walking alone through the volcanic zone without a single companion.

It was Claire.

Her red hair was soaked with sweat, clinging to her forehead and cheeks, and even though she had dressed as lightly as possible, it was useless.

Among the clothes Hio had given her before, there was one that always provided the optimal temperature, but even that didn’t work here.

No, to begin with, Claire was someone who had never felt hot since awakening her skills.

That was her trait and constitution.

Nevertheless, she felt an intense heat.

It was a heat she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“I have to climb all the way up there.”

In Claire’s gaze fixed straight ahead, a towering volcano came into view.

It wasn’t very tall, but this much heat was already here without even starting to climb the mountain.

She couldn’t imagine how intense it would be once she actually ascended.

Still, she had to go.

“The power of Ignerion.”

The true name of the ancient flame god was Ignerion.

How did Claire know this?

It was a result of a mix of coincidence and effort.

The beginning was an artifact called the Flame Guardian’s Bracelet.

Originally, it was an artifact Hio had obtained from Atawolf’s Gray Castle, but as his level rose, he gave it to Claire as a gift.

Claire, who always wore it, discovered a strange phenomenon, and that led her here.

Hio had helped too.

Well, she didn’t like it, but Airlights had definitely been useful in getting this far.

“……I don’t like it.”

Now the Abyss was gone.

She hated the sight of that clingy girl sticking to Hio’s side whenever they met, as if she had no intention of leaving, but that wouldn’t last much longer.

Because she would overcome the trial, obtain the arrangement left by the flame god Ignerion, and definitely enter the Divine Space of Beltesia.

So now it was Claire’s turn.

The top of that volcano.

The shrine of Ignerion somewhere inside it.

“I will!”

Claire steeled her resolve with all her might and continued walking toward the volcano.

Overcoming the trial and becoming the third god on a continent where gods had vanished.

That was good, but from the start, Claire had only cared about one thing.

Just being together, seeing the same things, sharing the same place.

That had always been her only goal.

***

In front of the mirror, he checked his attire once more and ran his hand through his hair for no reason.

Even though his appearance was already impeccably tidy beyond words.

“Mm. Not bad.”

The man staring into the mirror grinned.

His complexion was a bit pale, but with his high nose bridge and deep-set eyes, he had a fairly handsome face.

Combined with his neat clothes, it was very satisfying.

“Hehehe. Good, very good.”

As the man was gazing at the mirror like that—

“Aren’t you going to stop and go already?”

A blunt voice came from behind him.

“Just how handsome do you think you are, staring at a mirror for hours?”

***

“……It hasn’t even been a few minutes.”

“Exactly one hour and twenty minutes.”

“Ahem. Let’s hurry.”

The man quickly left the room, and Hio followed with a sullen expression.

“The weather is nice.”

The sky was filled with dark clouds.

“The air is refreshing too.”

The rain, which had been falling in single drops, soon turned into large droplets, pattering down.

Yet it didn’t touch the perfectly styled hair or clothes of the man.

An invisible barrier was protecting the two above their heads.

“This place has gotten quite quiet now.”

The place Hio and the man arrived at was a park.

In the center stood a large statue, with several others placed around it.

Beneath them, countless flowers lay.

It was the Hero Memorial Park.

“Wow, they made it huge.”

As the man said, the central statue was so large it could be seen from far away.

A statue of a figure standing with both hands on a sword, its tip pressed into the ground.

Beside it, a golden lion adorned with gold roared.

“I wonder if Vitalianus would have liked it.”

“I don’t know your Order of the Sword well, but I think he wouldn’t have cared at all.”

“Haha. Probably so.”

Now it was raining, but when the weather was nice, many people—regardless of age or gender—visited the memorial park.

Even though several years had passed.

“That means he was a great person worthy of that much respect.”

Hio nodded at the man’s words and then looked at the surrounding statues.

Next to it was a plain statue without any special pose, and beneath it, quite a few flowers were also placed.

It was another hero who died in the War with the Abyss.

Antiphus Praman.

“Who would have thought a Bingija would get a statue in a memorial park.”

“Well, most residents don’t know what a Bingija is.”

“Even so——”

“When I heard the end from you, I couldn’t help but be surprised. If it hadn’t been for Antiphus……”

“A great disaster would have occurred.”

When everyone thought Kreutzvalt was dead, that bastard had tenaciously survived and was planning for the future.

He had planted a seed inside Antiphus’ body to prepare for when his own life was in danger.

When Hio returned through the Passage, he was so shocked to see Antiphus’ corpse—he had driven a sword into his own heart.

Because the presence of the Abyss could also be felt inside.

As expected, his thoughts had been correct.

Antiphus was responsible until the end and saved the world with his own life.

He was a hero no one could dispute.

“Seeing it like that, life is really unpredictable.”

“……Yeah.”

With a faint smile, the man looked around, his expression truly happy.

A park with no passersby.

Even the gloomy weather and rising humidity seemed to delight him as he fully experienced all of it.

Hio stared straight at the man and spoke.

“Are you really okay with this?”

Even with the omitted words, the man understood perfectly and nodded.

“Of course.”

“You won’t be able to enjoy eternal life.”

“You seem to be mistaken now that you’ve become a god. Humans were never meant to have eternal life.”

“Oh, right.”

“Right? Hah, look at you getting arrogant.”

“It’s natural, I suppose.”

“End of the world, end of the world.”

After saying that, they looked at each other for a moment, and then, as if on cue, both burst into laughter simultaneously.

“Where do you plan to go?”

“For now, I’m thinking of just wandering around here and there.”

“Sounds nice.”

Hio extended his hand.

The man clasped Hio’s hand.

“Take care.”

“Yeah. I’ll visit from time to time.”

“Tsk. What terrible words. Now I’m going to meet a pretty lady besides you and get married.”

“So you won’t see me anymore?”

“Well, maybe visit once before I die of old age.”

“How do you know when you’ll die?”

“I don’t. It’s your new Divine Authority—you should know better than me.”

They let go of their clasped hands, and the man turned around.

“By then, you’ll probably have kids—no, even grandchildren. I’ll introduce you, so come visit.”

The man walked away, his back showing no trace of regret.

It seemed he had no attachment at all, but rather was excited about what was to come.

Hio almost felt a little disappointed, but he knew the man was doing that on purpose.

He chuckled at the departing man and waved his hand.

“Goodbye.”

‘How could he ever repay the debt he owed to that man?’

He had spent years studying Divine Authority to fulfill the man’s wish, but he had received so much grace that even that wasn’t enough.

“Thank you for everything.”

It had been thankful and enjoyable.

Beyond words.

Because he was a wonderful teacher, friend, and reliable companion.

“Purunel Pencheff.”

Purunel didn’t look back; he just waved his hand.

Smiling brightly, he left like that.

***

Deep in a mountain shrouded in a serene atmosphere.

A small grave lay in this place, where there was nothing but a rural village nearby.

The area around the grave was kept fairly tidy because Hio often came to grumble and leave whenever his mind was troubled.

Today was no different.

“How disappointing. Isn’t it? With all the time we spent together, how could you just leave like that?”

Naturally, no answer came.

Still, Hio pulled out the weeds that had grown while muttering without stopping.

“And it wasn’t just ordinary time together. We literally shared a body for years, living together, and you say to visit only when you’re old and about to die……”

Hio’s busy hands paused for a moment, then started moving again, but now a faint smile hung on his lips, unlike before.

“Well, I suppose that was his way of being reluctant. Actually, I know. Asking to stay together forever as Purunel would have been greedy.”

Purunel had wanted to die as a human rather than live eternally with Hio.

He said he had lived enough and wanted to live his last days as a human.

“The people I’ve grown attached to are leaving one by one.”

Those who had helped Hio.

Those who had enabled Hio to move forward—countless people—had gone their own ways or to places he could never see again.

“I guess that’s how life works, right?”

With meetings come partings.

With that thought, Hio plopped down in front of the grave.

A cool wind blew, and the sounds of insects chirped faintly.

His somewhat unsettled mind began to settle pleasantly.

‘How long had he been there?’

Suddenly, the sky around turned pink.

“I knew you’d be here.”

Airlights dropped down.

“How did you know?”

“Today’s the day Purunel left. I figured you’d be feeling down.”

“Oh, I thought you looked at Purunel like he was some passing ghost… You remembered?”

“Umm……”

Airlights gave an ambiguous smile and sat down beside Hio.

“Anyway, everything’s ready. Want to go now?”

“By ‘ready,’ you mean Fioria?”

“Yeah.”

Fioria, where Airlights’ Love Cathedral had become the state religion.

She had once said she would invite him to Fioria, and it seemed the preparations were finally complete.

“What did you prepare that took several years?”

“Hehe, well, since it’s a honey—no, a trip just for you and me, I had to do it right. Food, accommodation… and above all, the sleeping arrangements are the most important. Hehe, yes.”

***

After the war ended, Airlights’ personality had changed a lot.

She had become a bit softer, perhaps.

Her excessive obsession with love had diminished, and she had gained some composure.

“Alright. Let’s go. I’m curious how Fioria has changed under your influence.”

“You can look forward to it. It’s a place full of passion and… love.”

“……Huh? Wasn’t it the land of snow and ice?”

“That’s just how it was said. Hehehe.”

As he got up to follow Airlights and started walking, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

“Oh, speaking of which, it should be about time for Claire’s results to come in, right?”

“……Claire?”

“Why, she went to undergo Ignerion’s trial. If she succeeds, she’ll gain the power and Divine Status of the flame god.”

“Do you think that girl—I mean, that kid will succeed?”

“She will. Definitely.”

It was a conviction close to precognition.

That was because Hio knew what Claire’s trait was.

“Hmm…… Is that so. Annoying.”

“Huh? What?”

“Nothing. Hehe.”

Airlights’ expression, which had momentarily turned cold, instantly shifted to a grinning face, as if it had never happened.

“Anyway, until that Claire or whatever comes, you’re coming with me to Fioria.”

“Uh…… Sylvia did say she wanted to meet up soon……”

“……Fine. Time is something we have plenty of anyway.”

“Hehehe. Good.”

With the cool wind blowing, the two walked along, chatting gently.

Behind them, the grave remained.

“Oh, and I heard that Imenia Academy officially changed its name.”

“To what?”

“To the Imenia Magic School.”

A pure white butterfly that had been there for who knows how long watched the two figures disappear into the distance, then fluttered its wings lightly.

It flew up from the grave, rising high into the sky.

As if it was finally okay to leave.

As if it no longer needed to watch.