Chapter 1053 - ........................
And so...
"........................ I wonder what we're being made to do..."
"...Don't know. Maybe some kind of new training..."
Over twenty hours since the start of the conquest.
Having reached another Wedge, we shared a look of emptiness, which was better than the alternative. Tora-kichi and I were still relatively okay.
"Sora-san, are you all right...?"
"........................ Don't worry... thank you..."
Sora-san was, of course, exhausted. She slumped the moment she stepped into the barrier. I caught her and supported her weight as she said not to worry.
It was obvious she had reached her absolute limit. This wasn't just a rest; if we didn't let her take a huge, huge break, she wouldn't be able to move at all. Looking over at Ashe...
"...Nia, we're not moving anymore today. Rest well."
"...'kay..."
Ashe was looking after Nia, who had run out of batteries, just as I was supporting Sora.
In this space of unknown acceleration, the system clock still hadn't ticked even a second. I was starting to wish it would advance at least a second every twenty-four hours, but Ashe's words weren't just comforts. For now, we decided to have an open-air camp under this Wedge for long enough to feel like today had turned into tomorrow.
There was no other choice.
"Good grief, what kind of game-making is this... Sora?"
"........................"
"...It's too harsh, isn't it?"
She too had powered off. I picked up my partner, who had lost consciousness, and carried her to the foot of the green-based Wedge.
Then, I sat down next to the Princess Prince, who already had Nia sleeping in her lap.
"Ashe."
"Mm."
I held my partner, who had begun to breathe steadily as her fainting turned into sleep, in my lap.
"About giving up. You asked him if that's an option, right?"
"Yes. Of course."
I asked while looking at the knight's back as he stood at the very front of the barrier as usual. The princess nodded, as expected of her.
"I didn't ask him directly."
"You're thorough."
She likely asked him during the interrogation at the East Castle ruins. But since Sora-san was next to her then...
"Based on inferences from fragments gathered through indirect questions... I'm certain he will return us the moment he deems it impossible. I can say that with several grounds for belief."
It seemed she had gathered certain inferences while being considerate.
"I see, that helps. I don't need to hear the grounds."
"...I'm glad you trust me, but I also wanted to tell you my reasoning."
"That's rare of you to say. You're tired too, aren't you?"
"...A little. Like you."
Well, they would hate it if we gave up on their behalf. Sora and Nia.
In fact, it was a situation where it wouldn't be strange for their hearts to break at any moment.
"What, are we backing out?"
Everyone gathered at the foot of the pillar, including the two sleeping girls. Tora-kichi sat down at a distance, perhaps out of consideration for the girls' sleeping faces.
Ashe and I looked at each other.
""No way.""
Our words overlapped perfectly, and we laughed.
"They're unprecedentedly hard workers."
"Sora and Nia both, yes."
"Is it that their bodies... no, in this case, their avatars just can't keep up with the situation? Their determination is equal to ours."
"They would never say they're giving up."
"Yeah. If we tried to convince them, they'd be the ones to make us give in."
"In fact, they might even scold us."
"Exactly. Sora and Nia are scary when they're truly angry."
We continued our back-and-forth. This was likely due to exhaustion; we couldn't stop joking as if to trick the fatigue. Tora-kichi looked at us with half-open eyes.
"What's with that? You look like a couple bragging about how hard their two daughters work."
A ruthless retort flew at us.
"...Hehe."
Even the Sword Queen let out a smile at the conversation that wasn't even that funny.
It was exactly as he said. It wasn't just Sora and Nia; the entire party was simply exhausted.
Even for us, our stamina and spirit weren't infinite.
"........................ Let's sleep. I think I can finally sleep."
"Yes... for a little while."
I glanced in two directions.
First, Kendy-dono, who had turned to look at us. He gave a calm smile as if to say take your time.
I didn't think he was just a knight who spouted meaningful things. I remembered every word he had said since we came here.
Ashe said the knight only gave us stories, but he wouldn't hand over the core information needed to overcome this hardship. But he had said that as long as it was within what we could obtain, he would answer all questions.
In other words, since he never lied or deceived us as far as I knew, the things he was silent about were likely things that wouldn't help us even if he answered.
Or perhaps... answering them would cause some kind of disadvantage to us.
I didn't know the truth. But since I didn't know, it felt better to just trust my friend. It was a cessation of thought for the sake of justice.
If by some chance a betrayal plot started, then so be it. We were players and this was a game. If an unexpected scenario appeared, we just had to face it with curiosity and solve it.
Therefore, I directed a look of dissatisfaction at Kendy-dono as a friend. I turned my face away while catching his bitter smile at the corner of my vision.
Then, the other direction...
"...He falls asleep as quickly as Sora, doesn't he?"
I had spoken to him ten seconds ago. I had only looked away for a few seconds. I saw the two-legged tiger already breathing steadily, and I couldn't help but feel impressed.
"...The same here."
Once she decided to rest, she acted immediately. Ashe, who was still holding the sleeping Nia, somehow closed the distance without me noticing. Her head fell toward my shoulder.
Of course, I caught her. I caught her and half-unconsciously brushed aside the blue-silver threads of hair from her frighteningly beautiful face.
"........................ Good night for now..."
I too slowly closed my eyes as if sinking into the depths of fatigue.
*
He watched them. He watched the precious ones as they slept together like a family.
"........................"
He looked toward the Wedge they had reached. Beyond it was a road that stretched far, leading to a mountain of rubble that recorded the peace and prosperity that had collapsed in the far past.
"........................"
And the small figure standing within it.
Because of the memories that shook his heart like a human's.
"...Wait for me."
The knight, who had seen them off into sleep, was alone.
He let out a murmur that dissolved into the silence, and simply stood there quietly.