The subjugation of Leviathan. And zero casualties in the process.
Those two pieces of news were enough to set Orario ablaze.
"Did you hear?"
"No way they took down two of them this fast..."
"Maybe the age of humans really is coming—"
It was hard to feel it while living in Orario, but in truth, many people knew.
That there were still countless monsters in the world, and countless people being sacrificed to them.
The endless struggle that had continued since ancient times. Now that the end of it had finally begun to come into view, people all over the world—not just in the city—started paying attention to their movements.
Perhaps, at last, the final hero who would put an end to this long war might appear—
"It's finished. There will be no more monsters appearing here."
Neptune and her followers, having emerged from the water, said as much.
The Leviathan Seal. A plug for the Dungeon made from Leviathan Bone, a drop item from Leviathan.
Today, one of the Dungeon's two entrances—the underground waterway beneath Melhen—had finally been sealed. From now on, monsters would no longer appear in the sea.
Maybe not immediately, but with time, the sea would become humanity's.
And I wasn't the only one who felt that way, because a cheer rose up again, nearly as loud as when Leviathan had been slain.
There were cheers from adventurers, and cheers from the residents of Melhen. Seeing that, I was reminded once more that this battle had not been an adventurer's battle, but a battle for all of humanity.
"Mister Vesta."
Amid the noisy cheers, I heard someone quietly call out to me.
"Neptune..."
"I was truly moved by this battle. I think I'll never forget it."
She said it with a wistful expression, as if the memory were still rising up in her mind.
"I won't forget it either."
Yes, I'd never forget it either. Even after death.
As memories faded, others kept piling up in their place, as though to replace the ones that were slipping away.
Would there come a day when all of my memories were buried beneath them?
"...I see."
Perhaps satisfied with my answer, she nodded with a pleased expression.
For some reason, it felt like our hearts had connected. Maybe it was because we had fought together without speaking. Certainly, at the time, it had felt as if something linked us.
"We intend to protect the sea from now on... but."
She hesitated, as if chewing over something, then looked up again with a determined expression.
"If the seas of this world become safe, and we become adventurers and go to Orario, would it be possible to meet Mister Vesta again then?"
Her words stirred up a great many thoughts in me.
I'm not fond of making promises that can't be kept. My meeting with her would probably end today.
Even if she survived and came to Orario, the me there would not be me.
I had already twisted her fate. I had paid a great deal for that, but I did not regret it.
Still, I supposed it wouldn't hurt to be a little greedy.
"Yes, we'll definitely be able to meet again."
"I see."
Seeing her light up and smile with pure delight, I gave a bitter smile of my own.
I'd been a little greedy, but the aftertaste was painfully bitter.
Still... well, it should be fine. Just making sure the farewell was good for me alone.
That much greed should be forgivable. Or maybe not.
...Somehow, it felt like I'd told more lies here than in my entire life.
"Welcome back, my angel's—!"
With a sound effect like thud, the old man launched himself in a Lupin-style dive.
His target was not, of course, his own Familia, but the Hera Familia standing beside them.
"Gah. Hold on, wait a second! You hit bone!"
"Tie him up and report everything to Hera."
"Save me?!!!"
Well, he was subdued pretty quickly.
After leaving Melhen, we headed straight for Orario. There was a bit of a scuffle with the old man waiting at the gate, but for some reason, the feeling that we had come home was unmistakable.
"Is Lady Hestia not here?"
"That old hag doesn't usually come out for this sort of thing."
"Who's spouting such nonsense?"
As if interrupting Arphia's words, Lady Hera stepped in. Had she also been waiting at the gate like the old man?
"Welcome back."
Lady Hera gave a short greeting to her children.
Everyone in the Hera Familia immediately wore expressions like they had seen something they shouldn't have.
Eh...
"Did that old hag eat something strange?"
"Has that old hag really gone senile?"
"Is the world ending tomorrow?"
Different expressions, yet somehow all of them seemed to be thinking the same thing, and it made me feel strange.
Lady Hera ignored their stares without a care, then looked at me and said,
"...You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"Ah, no... thanks to you."
"Good. That's a relief."
She turned on her heel, grabbed the old man by the back of the neck, and started dragging him away. Soon after, along with his screams, a dreadful sound began to echo out.
What had she come for, anyway? No matter how you looked at it, had she really just been worried about her children after all?
"You... just what did you do?"
"Huh?"
While I was thinking that, the Empress looked at me with an expression of utter disbelief and said that.
And not just the Empress. The other Hera Familia members, and even Arphia, were making the exact same face.
...W-what?
Feeling the atmosphere turn awkward, I hurriedly moved away.
Along with the words, "There'll be a feast tonight, so come in before dinner."
Come in before dinner. How long had it been since I'd heard that? I hadn't heard those words once since I started living alone.
Well, anyway, thankfully there was still some time before dinner. I should greet Lord Ouranos first.
"I've heard the story. They say you performed admirably on the battlefield."
"It was nothing."
"Nothing, my foot. Good work."
I didn't know what to do with such excessive hospitality.
Why did I feel so embarrassed when Lord Ouranos and Fels both welcomed me like this? It hadn't always been like this, had it?
"I hear you were unconscious for quite a while. Are you sure there's no problem?"
"Yes, I'm fine. It happens all the time. If anything, I feel more energetic than usual."
That wasn't a lie. I'd lost less of myself than I expected. If things had gone as I'd predicted, I should have been cut down by at least three times as much.
If I was right, then this time I had saved the lives of the captain of the Poseidon Familia and several others. That meant history had changed quite a bit.
Then why had it only been this much?
From my perspective, having been prepared for this to end here, I felt relieved and puzzled at the same time.
Lord Ouranos, who had been watching me with a meaningful look, said,
"You must be tired. You should go on in now."
"Yes, but I'm still—"
"It's fine. Thanks to you, we have some breathing room for the time being. And Zeus said to send you off quickly, since there's a feast today."
Was he being considerate? I felt embarrassed again, but it would be rude to waste the goodwill.
I exchanged proper farewells and stepped away. As I withdrew, I caught a glimpse of the old god's face, and for a moment it seemed as if a shadow of worry had crossed it.
"...?"
Was that just my imagination? At the time, I simply thought it was nothing and stepped back without much concern.
[I'll say it again: you did well.]
Fels, who had been leaving with me, spoke up.
"It's nothing. We all worked hard together."
[Hmm, that's true as well. But you are included in that "all," are you not?]
Fels said that with a serious face. Nothing about the face itself had actually changed.
Was that so... Honestly, I had felt a little detached from everything, so if Fels saw me that way, maybe I should be happy?
[And... someone like me, a researcher, can only watch from afar.]
"Fels..."
Whenever I looked at scholars like Fels, I only ever thought they were amazing, but it seemed they had their own hardships too. The pain of having to watch from afar while everyone else fought to the death.
Without meaning to, I found myself deeply empathizing with that feeling, one I had felt so bitterly back when I was weak.
"Fels, come to think of it, I forgot to say this too."
That was why I was able to remember something I had forgotten. I immediately took the item wrapped in a white bundle from inside my clothes and handed it to Fels.
"This really helped me. Thank you."
[This is...]
What came out of the white bundle was the remains of what had once been Neo Po... Its shape was still more or less intact, but it was already little more than scrap.
Was this the inevitable result after enduring Arphia's monstrous magic? If anything, it was more surprising that the shape was still left at all. That was Fels for you, I supposed.
"I'm sorry. I ruined your creation."
[...No. If my item was of help, that's enough. You may smash it to pieces as much as you like.]
Fels said that in a slightly trembling voice, as if overcome by deep emotion.
[I'm glad. So I was able to fight alongside you after all.]
"Of course. What are you talking about?"
Fels must have thought they hadn't been of any help, but I didn't see it that way.
Not just this Neo Po, but the scholarly work, the potions Fels made. And not only that, but the other artisans who helped build the ship, and everyone who prayed for the expedition's safe return.
Battle does not simply mean raising weapons and firing magic. Hidden in the shadows of those who stand at the front are countless others whose help is easy to overlook.
"Fels is included in that "all," too."
[...Yes, I see.]
I was satisfied by the sound of that voice, and so was I.
I'm glad. I was able to say it properly.
"Fels, if you don't mind, would you like to—"
I was about to ask if they wanted to come to the party with me, but—
[If a bag of bones like me went to a party, I'd only be a nuisance. I couldn't even eat the food. You go and enjoy it for my sake.]
...Tch. Right, that was kind of rude of me, wasn't it?
"I'm sorry."
[No, even saying it was enough to make me happy.]
There was no lie in those words; Fels's voice carried a hint of cheer.
[It feels like I've gone back to the old days for a moment.]
With that, Fels went back into the workshop. They said they'd repair Neo Po just in case it was needed again.
...Even if that "just in case" came to pass, I doubted Neo Po would be needed, but—
Well, whatever.
It probably wasn't that they thought it was useful so much as it was just an excuse to run away.
Despite looking so impassive, that skeleton was surprisingly shy.
...Could she ever break free from her own chains someday?
She probably could.
If it was her, I was sure she could.
So I should relax and focus only on what I had to do. So I wouldn't hesitate anymore.
"...It's cold."
A chill wind cut through the alley.
Feeling the cold more sharply than usual today, I quickly picked up my pace.