Episode 170
"Sun God... please... I beg you... ugh."
In the frozen cathedral, Ferloce, who had been offering endless prayers, groans and collapses to the ground.
"Hah..."
Before long, Ferloce looks down at her own knees and involuntarily gasps.
It was because her knees had been reduced to a miserable state from kneeling on the ice-cold floor for such a long time.
- Shaa...
Staring at her knees, Ferloce unconsciously reached out to emit holy power, but then bit her lip firmly.
The holy power that once healed everyone could no longer produce its effect.
Only a very weak ray of light emerged, merely illuminating Ferloce's knees.
"Please... give me a Retry..."
In that desperate situation, Ferloce sobbed and murmured.
"Please give me a Retry..."
But her prayer merely endlessly circled through the empty cathedral.
Since briefly meeting in a dream when she had collapsed, the Sun God had no longer contacted Ferloce.
That was why Ferloce, who had awakened recently, had locked herself in the cathedral with straw-like hope, constantly attempting to communicate with the Sun God.
"Ah..."
But now, it seemed the time had come to abandon even that attempt and give up all hope.
Because the sun visible through the crack in the cathedral's damaged wall was growing darker with each passing moment.
"Back then..."
Watching the sun's appearance, Ferloce bowed her head deeply and murmured.
"If I hadn't pierced his heart... what would have happened..."
At a point when everything was already too late, Ferloce was regretting the past.
If she hadn't pierced Frey's heart, and everyone had time to hear his last words.
And furthermore, if Frey had remained in this world for a while longer.
Even if only for a fleeting moment, there might have been a possibility to persuade Frey not to disappear.
Because that was when Ruby's body, torn apart by Frey, had begun transforming into a demon's body.
If someone had noticed something strange upon seeing that and heard the truth from Frey's family members who subsequently intruded...
And if they had apologized before Frey who was trying to leave his last words...
Perhaps everything could have changed?
"Mmm..."
But no matter how much she made such assumptions, it was now useless.
The sun had lost its light, the world was submerged in darkness and cold, and now it was heading toward its end.
And in such a world, Ferloce was merely praying helplessly.
"Now... only now did I remember..."
Gently closing her eyes.
"That I said I would serve you..."
Recalling the dream she had not long ago.
.
In the memories of the previous iteration that Ferloce had recalled while lying unconscious.
"Frey... did you know?"
"...Yes?"
And in the final scene of that memory, in a ruined world, Ferloce had spoken to Frey who was sitting blankly.
"There is no god."
"...What?"
Looking at Frey who wore an expression asking what she meant when a god was responsible for their current state, Ferloce spoke in a clear voice.
"In this destroyed world, only you and I exist."
"Mm."
"Without anyone else, without even a god... just the two of us."
When Frey slightly frowned at those words, Ferloce smiled and continued speaking.
"So, I'm now unemployed."
"......"
"No, no. Thinking about it, that's not right."
"What are you trying to say?"
Frey, who had been looking at the sky with a slightly hollow expression, asked, and Ferloce, who was still looking at him lovingly.
"From now on, I will serve only you."
Carefully grasping Frey's rough hand.
"I don't need a god anymore, nor my duties as a saintess, nor rules... and I don't need purity either."
"Ferloce."
"In this destroyed world, only you matter."
She was whispering like that.
"I love you... Frey."
"....."
"Forever, no matter what happens."
Before long, Ferloce, who had said those words, quietly leaned against Frey's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"...I see."
Frey, who carefully answered while stroking Ferloce's head.
"This won't do after all."
"What?"
Suddenly standing up from his seat, he began to speak with a serious expression.
"I thought a lot about running away like this. I considered just watching the ending like this and spending the rest of my remaining life comfortably."
"Frey...?"
"But this isn't a happy ending."
Frey, who said that, looked around and spoke.
"This is just escaping from reality."
"What do you mean..."
"Don't worry, Ferloce. I'll make it happier."
Frey, who had been saying that, was now smiling brightly at Ferloce.
"During the 5 deviations through 5 individual routes... I was truly happy. All the stress that had built up during that time, I was able to resolve at once."
"W-where are you going...?"
"So, I need to try again."
When Frey turned his back and started walking forward, Ferloce followed behind him with an anxious expression.
"W-wait... you're not planning to die, right? No! Live with me!"
"......"
"Even though the world has ended... the two of us are still alive! If just the two of us remain, we can spend the rest of our time happily...!"
"Ferloce."
Continuing to walk away from her, Frey suddenly stopped in place and turned around.
"...I love you."
He whispered with a bright smile.
"M-me too..."
Ferloce, who unconsciously responded to Frey like that.
"So, just wait a little."
"W-wait a moment...!"
Feeling an inexplicable anxiety, she began rushing toward Frey.
"I'll give you... and everyone... a happy ending."
Frey, who said those words to her.
"...Retry."
Declared with a trembling voice.
"Just wait..."
And the world turned upside down.
.
"Hic... ugh..."
Ferloce, who had been recalling the most precious iteration she had seen in a dream while asleep due to the Demon God.
"Mmm... ugh..."
Before she knew it, she was shedding tears without even praying.
"Frey... I want to see you again..."
Recalling Frey who had shown her a bright smile.
- Creaaak...
"Hic... huu?"
Ferloce, who had been bowing her head and shedding tears for a while, suddenly stopped crying and began tilting her head.
"W-who is it...?"
It was because the cathedral door, which no one had visited until now, had suddenly opened.
"Who... who are you..."
Thanks to that, Ferloce rose from her seat for the first time in a long while and began rummaging through her bosom.
"D-don't come... I said don't come...!"
Before long, she took out a dagger from her bosom and pointed it at the person approaching her, muttering with a terrified expression.
"N-no... don't come..."
The fading sun made hope seem nonexistent, but she had held onto a small hope that she might be able to communicate with the Sun God again.
It was because she thought that if the approaching person tried to harm or assault her, even that small hope would be extinguished.
"If... if you come closer, I'll attack... huh?"
But Ferloce, who had been trembling while holding the dagger with such thoughts, suddenly began opening her eyes wide.
"F-F-Frey..."
"...Mm."
Because it was so dark around, the identity of the unknown person was only revealed after approaching close.
"...Frey!?"
It was because it was Frey, whom she had missed so desperately.
"F-Frey! Frey!! Y-you...!"
Ferloce, who had run toward him with wide-open eyes.
"Argh..."
Before long, due to her severely damaged knees, she fell to the ground after not getting far.
"F-Frey? Did you come back?"
But despite the tremendous pain, Ferloce rose from her seat and began speaking with a trembling voice.
"S-so you didn't choose to disappear! There... there must have been some misunderstanding! Right!?"
"........"
"F-Frey-nim. I'm sorry... no, that's not it... I don't know what to say...!"
But she soon fell into panic.
Because she didn't know what to say to Frey who had reappeared for some unknown reason.
"Sorry, Ferloce. It seems I don't have time to hear your words."
"...What?"
But even that worry was a luxury.
"I'm going to disappear soon. So, to my question..."
"No!!"
Ferloce, who heard Frey's calm words, dragged her knees dripping with fluid as she approached him.
"I... I was wrong! I was wrong! Frey!"
"......."
"I'm sorry for treating you harshly all this time!! I'm sorry for forgetting the promise I made with you!! I'll accept any punishment gladly!! So, please!!"
"Um..."
"Please stay by our side...!!!"
Before long, Ferloce, who had grabbed Frey's leg, began pleading while trembling.
"I... only now did I remember... that I said I would serve only you...!"
"...Hah."
"I need you! I love you! You who tried so hard to save the world... now everyone misses you and is remembering you!"
"...Haha."
"I'll do anything for you. Whatever you want, everything! I'll give even my soul! My purity too, my faith too! I don't need the rules of being a saintess anymore...!"
Frey, who was watching Ferloce, gently closed his eyes and smiled.
[Affection toward Ferloce: 100]
"Done, finally."
Before long, when Frey who said that took a step back from Ferloce, she widened her eyes and rushed at him.
"D-don't go...!"
"I'm not going yet. Maybe we have a little time to talk..."
To her, Frey answered with a smile in his eyes for the first time in a long while.
- Creaaak...
## "Young master!!"
"""Frey!!"""
".....!"
The cathedral door opened once more, and when four girls simultaneously rushed in, he began opening his eyes wide.
"See! I told you Frey's presence was strongly felt here!"
"S-so this was the meaning of saying we'd meet again...! The young master really did return!"
"Frey-ssi! W-welcome back! I'll restore your location with the imperial authority right away! So..."
"Frey... I love you..."
The main heroines who had traced Frey's traces after he suddenly appeared and left their side had finally pinpointed his last location.
"Hah... hah..."
"Haa... haa..."
Having run all the way to Frey in one breath.
"H-here..."
"Here, take this, Frey."
They each took out something and began offering it to Frey.
"Earlier I made the sandwich too hastily. This time I made it with special care... please enjoy it..."
"....."
"F-from now on, I'll prepare sandwiches every morning, noon, and evening... no, whatever food you desire, I'll prepare it. I'll cover all the ingredient costs. I promise..."
Kania, who had been bothered by ruining the sandwich due to making it with a trembling heart, offered a sandwich that looked delicious to anyone.
"Ah, earlier I'm sorry for only giving you flowers in the confusion. Here, it's puppy love fruit. The fruit you liked the most."
"Mm..."
"I'll give you as much as you want from now on. No, I'll give you everything you want. I'll use any magic for you, and I'll accept any curse for you."
Irina offered the appetizing puppy love fruit.
"T-this is a star-catch flower... I was lucky to obtain one before the forest froze..."
"Hah."
"Welcome back, Frey. Once the situation stabilizes, I'll use all my power to ensure you can live happily and comfortably. And if you wish, I'll enable you to relocate to another continent... and also..."
Klana offered a star-catch flower that had the same color as Frey's hair.
"Frey... I'll live serving you for the remaining years..."
"Serena."
"I... if you want another wife besides me... no, if you don't like me, you can take me as a concubine... no no, even as a maid... just let me stay by your side for the remaining years. Please? I beg you..."
Serena, who was half out of her mind and couldn't bring anything, offered herself.
"Although it's late... I will dedicate my life to being loyal to you for the remaining years... young master..."
"I love you Frey... actually I've liked you since the day we first met... although it's late, even now..."
"Only now did I remember the vow I made to you. Please let me keep that vow for the remaining years..."
Like that, when the main heroines, thinking Frey had reversed his disappearance and returned to life, were pleading with earnest expressions.
"I love you, forever... huh?"
Serena, who had been looking up at Frey with earnest eyes, discovered a pendant blinking at his neck.
"Fr...ey..."
"...Time's up."
Frey, who had likewise been watching that pendant and muttered so.
[Judgment System]
[Targets: 5 main heroines]
[You may pass judgment in whatever form you desire.]
> Yes / No
"Finally..."
He looks at the system window floating before him.
"""........?"""
And the same was true for the main heroines.
The system that had only been visible to Frey was now visible to everyone else as well.
"Judgment...?"
Frey, who had been looking at the system window floating before him for a while.
"With what right."
He pushed aside the system window itself and muttered.
"...From the beginning, I had no right."
"".......""
The silence that began with those words.
"Ah? Uah...?"
Only Serena was flinching as she realized the meaning of the pendant blinking at Frey's neck.
"...Oh right, I almost forgot."
Frey, who broke the long silence.
"I need to leave it behind this time."
He said while shedding a tear from his eye.
"Actually, I always wanted to be loved by you all."
Hearing those words, the girls nodded and tried to answer that they would give love from now on.
"So, if next time comes..."
But seeing Frey's expression that looked so sorrowful, they were seized by an inexplicable anxiety.
And Frey, who looked at those girls.
"...At the end, love me like this."
Answering like that, he smiled more brightly than ever before.
- Crackling...
And the next moment,
The light of the pendant that had been blinking faintly completely disappeared.
"Frey?"
"W-what...?"
Frey also disappeared.
"...Where did you go? Young master?"
Kania, still holding the coffee and sandwich that hadn't cooled down yet, called out to Frey with a hollow voice.
"""..........."""
A long silence began.
- Crackle, crackle...
"...Huh?"
And that silence continued until a small light manifested from Ferloce's body, who had been praying earnestly with her hands clasped together.