"Oh, that's not true…"
I felt like I might misunderstand the word 'despair' as being invented for this very moment.
There was a slowly spreading puddle of blood at my feet.
Next to it lay the Grand Sage Aglupus.
Aglupus's body had been split in two by the Demon Lord Zoga's great sword.
It was evident to anyone who looked that he was dead.
I never imagined that the Grand Sage Aglupus would be killed so easily, and the shock was overwhelming.
"Next, it's your turn."
Saying that, the Demon Lord Zoga pointed his index finger.
At the tip of the Demon Lord Zoga's finger was the form of Nyau. I realized that Nyau was the next target of the Demon Lord Zoga.
In an instant, an unpleasant image came to mind.
The image of Nyau being killed by the Demon Lord Zoga's hand.
"No… "
Unconsciously, I muttered so.
No… I didn't want to lose Nyau.
"Let's run."
With that decision, I pulled Nyau's hand strongly.
"Kiska, no! If Nyau escapes, there will be no one to stop the Demon Lord!"
But Nyau didn't respond to my words.
Even though I pulled her hand, she remained motionless.
In Nyau's eyes, there was a fighting spirit. Unlike me, who had already given up, she was determined to fight until the end.
"That's the spirit!! I like someone with a strong attitude!"
I could hear the laughter of the Demon Lord Zoga.
"However, a weakling like you can't stop me!"
Saying that, the Demon Lord Zoga tried to swing his great sword with force.
"Nyau!!"
I screamed.
At this rate, she would be killed!
"Water magic, Third Tier, Nebula Mist Diffusion!"
In an instant, something like white smoke spread around Nyau.
In the blink of an eye, everything became invisible due to the smoke.
I couldn't see Nyau who was right next to me, and I couldn't see the Demon Lord Zoga either. I couldn't even see the ground beneath me. I had no idea why Nyau had done such a thing.
"Kiska."
Suddenly, she was right in front of me.
"Could you please lower your head a little?"
"Ah, uh…"
As instructed, I lowered my head.
"――――"
A soft sensation touched my lips.
It took me a moment to realize that I had been kissed.
In reality, the time of the kiss might have been very brief. However, it felt like we had been kissing for an eternity, as if time had stopped.
"Kiska, I love you."
Nyau, as she pulled her lips away, whispered this with a sigh.
I tried to examine her expression and looked at her face. Her expression was as if she had decided something.
I had no idea why she was making such an expression.
I was about to say that I loved her too, and as I opened my mouth to speak, I felt a sensation in my chest.
She had pushed me away.
"Wind magic, Fourth Tier, Air Jet Injection."
As she uttered those words, my body gently floated in the air and was pulled backward.
"Nyau!!"
Instinctively, I reached out to grab Nyau's hand, and my hand touched the tip of hers.
However, she didn't take my hand.
Instead, she mouthed something.
When I realized that she had said "goodbye," she was nowhere in my field of vision.
"Oh…"
It seemed like I was flying through the air, propelled by Nyau's magic.
Gradually, my body descended, and I needed to make a controlled landing to minimize physical damage.
I couldn't immediately understand what had happened.
However, in the distance, I could see the fortress of the capital city, Larrichmond. It seemed like I was in the forest outside the fortress.
Oh, I see… Nyau tried to save at least my life and released me into the distance.
And now, she was going to face the Demon Lord alone.
"What is this…?"
I muttered in astonishment.
I had absolutely no desire for this to happen.
"No… I don't want it to end with Nyau."
I didn't want to accept that.
I wanted to meet her again.
So, I started running desperately.
To meet Nyau once more.