kscans

Chapter 175 - The People Thereafter, Part 2

"...Thank you."

"Mother?!"

"No!! I can’t believe it!!"

"Grandmother!!"

Deep within the royal palace, in the guest quarters, an old woman’s life came to an end.

She had been a cheerful person who laughed heartily and brightly. Loved by everyone and loving all things, her life was full of turmoil, and her tales of adventure greatly enlivened the songs of the bards.

She had traveled the world, left many footprints, and ended her long, unconventional life.

Seen off by many tears, the words carved on her tombstone were a short phrase. The words she whispered on her deathbed.

《Thank you.》

This single phrase, whose recipient was unknown, remained in people’s hearts for a long time.

《Thank you, is it?》

《That is just like you.》

The gods of Arcadia smiled happily. To join their ranks, the Little One was summoned to the Celestial Realm.

She had promised the gods she would become an O-saki in her next life.

‘Eternity, huh. To be honest, it sounds like a pain. Can’t you just purify me and let me return to the cycle of reincarnation?’

Chaos and Abyss turned around with expressions of sheer shock. The way their whole bodies conveyed that this was no joke was, in a way, comical.

Even though they’re gods.

The Little One, who had seen the moment they became dolls, still had the image of their innocent smiles from that time burned into her mind. They looked the part now, but at present, perhaps due to their impatience, their anxiety was written all over their faces, making them look young.

《《You will not!!》》

Figured as much.

The old woman, who was once an Earthling called the Little One, let out a dry laugh and brushed it off.

After a bizarre and winding life full of twists and turns, it was finally time to pay her dues. The time to stop being human had come.

《We will grant your wishes. Your age and appearance will be as you desire.》

《We will also prepare a home and a source of income. So that you will not want for anything in your life.》

The two gods pleaded desperately. The birth of an O-saki was their dearest wish. If they missed this chance, who knew when the next would come. For that, they would be as flexible as needed. They would give her anything. So... so!

《《So, please become an O-saki!!》》

Faced with the two who looked on the verge of tears, Chihiro couldn’t help but flinch back.

‘I know, I know! I gave you names, and you’re like my children, so I’ll keep my promise!’

The Twin Gods’ faces relaxed in relief. Then, a little shyly, they murmured, "Mother?"

‘I’m your godmother, so it’s not wrong.’

The old woman’s eyes curved into a proud arc.

《Mother... Yes, that sounds nice.》

《From now on, we shall call you that.》

Behind them, who were giggling happily in their grown-up forms, a line of figures appeared.

《It is lively here. Since you are finally gaining an O-saki, could you not be a little more solemn?》

Standing there were the gods of Earth. The so-called creator gods. They said that all the gods of Earth, in Japan and around the world, were O-saki. O-saki who had created the continents that would become each country on the Earth made by the creator god and guided humanity.

Huh? Well, gods like Amaterasu were originally children of Izanagi and Izanami, so maybe that’s the classification. In that case, Earth is a world with a ton of O-saki. No wonder it prospered.

Furthermore, they each have their own messengers, so the Little One felt like she had glimpsed a part of the reason why Earth was such a wondrous, festival-like world.

Then she noticed that gods from other worlds had also gathered, and before she knew it, the area around the gods of Arcadia had turned into something of a banquet. They each partook of the drinks and food they had brought, celebrating the birth of an O-saki in Arcadia.

It seemed they were enjoying the world the Little One had created, which was a relief.

《Is there a form you desire? Your eyes are set to be golden, but you can decide your hair color, age, gender, and so on.》

At these words, Chihiro thought.

《Curly black hair.》

Black hair was the color of Sakura’s hair and was Chihiro’s identity as a Japanese person. And the curly hair was inherited from Drago. She chose hair with the characteristics of both and further specified her age to be seven. In Arcadia, one could not move around freely without receiving the baptism at age seven.

《Why a child? Wouldn’t it be better to be older?》

《We will make you a peerless beauty. For you are our O-saki.》

‘Nah, I’ll stay as I was in my past life. I don’t want to get caught up in any messy romance stuff, so being a child is better than an adult.’

The gods’ gazes, as if exasperated, gathered on the grinning Little One. The gods knew that she held complex trauma regarding romance from her previous life on Earth, but they had thought it had been resolved in this life. In this life, she had married, been blessed with many children, and lived out her natural life with a good partner.

《You... your roots run deep. Well, I suppose it cannot be helped. Then, a blessing from me.》

Saying so, the god of Earth touched Chihiro with its left hand.

《In my name. I shall protect this one from wicked hearts.》

Chaos and Abyss also touched her with their left hands, pouring in their power while envisioning the Little One of the past.

Instantly, the Little One’s body shone with a brilliant light, and in the next moment, a familiar young girl with black hair and golden eyes appeared. Soft black hair that reached the middle of her back, and large eyes, slightly upturned like a cat’s. A light green poncho and red bib overalls. It was a sight that would make anyone who knew the Little One of the past do a double-take.

And this was the form she had seen when she merged with Fatima in the Abyss.

Perhaps fate had already been decided at that time. Other gods from other worlds also spoke to the slightly conflicted-looking Little One.

《Then a blessing from us as well.》

The gods of other worlds gave the Little One decorative items imbued with blessings, each possessing the characteristics of their respective worlds.

‘Thank you.’

She said her thanks honestly and twirled around in front of the gods.

《It suits you. May you be well.》

Finally, Chaos placed a circlet on the Little One’s head, and Abyss put an ear cuff on her ear.

《All preparations are complete. Where will you make your home?》

‘In Merda’s forest!’

《《Understood.》》

Seen off by the smirking gods, the Little One was reincarnated in Arcadia for the third time.

This was her last reincarnation. And the legend of the Golden King also came to an end.

Because the Golden King who had gained eternity would watch over Arcadia until its end. No new Golden King would be born.

Many memories floated and disappeared in the swirling light, and the Little One’s figure was swallowed by the seven-colored torrent and vanished.

《...Thank you, truly.》

The Little One did not know of the gods’ murmur, filled with deep emotion.

"Merda!"

《Oh, my master. What is the matter?》

Deep within the Queen’s forest. In a verdant place where even adventurers dared not tread, was the Little One’s house. The gods had prepared a small house for Chihiro as she wished, simple but not shabby.

The first floor had a reception room connected to the kitchen, as well as a bath and a storeroom. The second floor had a bedroom, a study, and one guest room. It was a slightly spacious guest room with two beds, prepared for the occasional unexpected guest. The 5LDK-style house, as it would be called on Earth, was a lovely home with brick and plaster exterior walls and a red roof. Chihiro had requested a design similar to a certain count’s mansion in the royal palace.

She made fields nearby, planted fruit trees and crops brought from that mansion, and lived a slow, leisurely life with honey as her source of income. She delivered for free to the orphanage. For others, she sold it wholesale. Pushed by the popularity of Kilfan’s sugar, honey was now traded at a decent price. Still, it was a sufficient source of income for someone living alone, and she sold it to familiar faces in the castle and town.

"...Give me back my tears, will you?"

"Now, now, it’s fine, isn’t it? We get honey delivered like this, after all♪"

The Little One had visited the royal palace kitchen. There was Adonis, who had succeeded Drago and become the head chef. Those born in the era of golden magic were long-lived. They had a long period of robust health, and Adonis, though he looked to be in his forties, was actually around eighty years old. He was at an age where he would gradually begin to decline.

The Little One, though born in Arcadia, had a soul from Earth, so she aged at a rate no different from an Earthling. Because of that, she had reached the end of her life sooner than anyone else in the castle. Her family had watched her grow old with shocked eyes. Incidentally, it was the same for Sakura. She had crossed the rainbow bridge before the Little One, and she remembered Drago’s loud sobs echoing through the mansion for a long time. Chihaya, perhaps because Drago’s blood was stronger in him, or perhaps because his soul was from Arcadia, seemed to have a long lifespan.

"I had a good life, surrounded by everyone as I passed. The rest is a bonus. Next, I’ll be the one to see everyone off, so bear with me♪"

"That’s just the kind of creature you are, aren’t you."

Sighing, Adonis accepted the honey. He then handed over a pouch of money. The Little One was pleased with the clinking sound.

"Are you not going to tell the Head Chef or Haya?"

"No. It’s better not to give them false hope, right?"

"...And Prince Romel?"

"...I won’t tell him."

She had told only Adonis for the sake of selling her honey, but it was better not to tell everyone else. Ignoring Adonis’s complicated expression, the Little One devoted herself to a slow life different from her previous one.

"Honestly!! They’re always stuck to my window! Make sure you put them to bed in their nest, okay!!"

Clinging to the Little One’s entire body were Merda’s children. They were larvae, not yet grown into adults. The white larvae writhed and squirmed happily. They were the size of babies. If someone who hated bugs were to see them, a scream of terror would surely echo through the air.

"You’re heavy! Get off!"

The Little One threw the larvae off with a flick, but they bounced back happily. The larvae were so delighted it was as if you could hear them giggling.

"I’m not playing with you!"

Merda watched with a warm, gentle gaze as the Little One continued to toss them off.

And so the days passed, and a plausible rumor began to spread in the castle.

Difficult documents left on a desk would be completed.

When one was stuck, if they left it in a letter, a solution would be written on it before they knew it.

When someone was in trouble, a child of the Lord would appear from nowhere to help.

A nostalgia felt somewhere, sometime.

Feeling the presence of someone who, though unseen, would lend a hand, people would tilt their heads, but what came to the minds of those who knew the past few decades was, without exception, the Little One.

And then, a rumor of a small child running around the castle and town spread, and as sightings were frequent around the Lord’s Forest, people began to call the child in question the Sage of the Forest. A sage was hidden deep within the forest. A sage who commanded monsters and helped people.

Those who knew the Little One of the past searched desperately, but they were blocked by the Lord’s children and could not search the forest.

In the meantime, Drago passed away, Adonis and Romel passed away, and Chihaya also crossed the rainbow bridge.

"...Chihiro?"

"Yes, Father."

Drago was stunned by his beloved daughter, who remained as she was in her childhood.

Is this a dream? My daughter definitely died of old age.

"Are you alive...?"

"No, I’m here to pick you up. Come, let’s go to Mother."

Drago grabbed the hand offered to him in his blurry, white vision and nodded with a smile of relief at its warmth.

To have his daughter come for him, how thoughtful.

"Ah. You’re right... I shouldn’t keep Sakura waiting."

A single tear traced its way down Drago’s cheek, and still holding Chihiro’s hand, he drew his last breath. After confirming this, the young girl left the room. Adonis stood by the door, looking at Chihiro with a pained expression.

"Thank you, Adonis."

"It’s fine. Haya might resent me, but the Head Chef’s happiness is more important."

Meeting his beloved daughter at the end, he surely had a good death. Adonis patted the downcast Chihiro’s head, and after confirming that her form had disappeared with the honeybees, he called for Chihaya and the others. For the Little One’s sake, he had summoned Chihaya, who was part of the Royal Knights, with a false report, keeping him away from the mansion. Naturally, he was harshly reprimanded by Chihaya for not being there at the end, but Adonis accepted it without complaint.

And when the Little One visited him on his own sickbed, he knew his time had come.

"I see... Thank you."

Pating the downcast Little One’s head again, Adonis, who had been on his sickbed, also passed away.

After the golden magic was lost, many diseases spread throughout Frontier. No matter how long one’s lifespan, one could not win against illness.

The young girl, who ranked among the gods, could sense the time of death.

How many more would she have to see off? The Little One shed silent, copious tears. Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Adonis had patted her head.

Don’t cry. I was so happy to have met you.

Next, she saw off Romel, Dorfen, then Zack and Chihaya, and by the time the Little One’s tears had run dry.

Just as promised, the Little One, who had secretly seen everyone off, finally showed herself in public in a Frontier where no one who knew her remained. The people were ecstatic at the explanation that she was an O-saki sent by the gods.

Her golden eyes confirmed it.

Was it not just like a fairy tale? Frontier was truly blessed by the gods. Furthermore, her appearance, which was exactly like the Little One from the songs the bards wrote en masse, added to her mystique.

Thankful for her words that she would offer consultation when they were in trouble, Frontier secretly called their beloved living god, the Sage.

The young child known as the Sage of the Forest would be with Frontier for a long time.

Also known as the Little One in Your Castle, she ran around the Frontier castle again today.

The Little One danced with a cheerful smile and a lively step. Her figure would never disappear from Frontier.

And so, a new living legend begins. It will surely be a journey just as delightful as the past.

Forever.

Completed April 30, 2022

Kazuhito Minagi