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Chapter 134

### Side: Cordelia Allston

A blinding explosion.

Lute drops to one knee, and I take a step back.

Lilith collapses to the ground, and with the quality of the magic power lingering in the air, I understand what has happened.

A self-destruct spell, drawing out magical power beyond one’s capacity by burning one’s life force.

Lilith is in tatters. I want to rush to her and administer first aid, but I can’t.

I can’t even tell if she’s still breathing.

Holding back my tears, I raise my sword high and charge at Lute.

Lute stands up and readies his silver sword.

The clash of our blades resounds through the cave with a high-pitched metallic sound.

「Hey, Lute?」

Right now, Lute and I are evenly matched.

Master Liu Hai, Merlin, and… Lilith have all risked their lives to inflict damage on Lute.

That’s why I can fight. They’ve all brought Lute down to my level.

I am not fighting alone. Lilith’s feelings… They give me strength!

「Hey, Lute? You’re all beaten up…」

His entire body is burnt, with bones visible in places.

His breathing is ragged, and he can barely stand.

「Why, when you’re so beaten up… why is this happening?」

Lute swings his sword down from above.

I try to deflect it, but the force is still strong, and I’m forced to leap to the side.

「Do you remember? When we were kids, I was taller than you. Haha, but before I knew it… you grew so much taller.」

Lute doesn’t respond.

He just keeps raining down blows with his sword.

「Do you remember? When I received the hero’s oracle, I said that from then on, I would protect you, Lute? But despite being a villager, you became stronger than the hero. You pushed yourself to the brink, and that’s how you reached such heights, didn’t you?」

Lute answers with his sword.

And I plead with him using both my sword and my words.

「You’ve always been like this. Deciding on your own, acting on your own, succeeding on your own. You always succeed!」

Tears flow as I swing my sword.

I keep clinging to Lute’s every move with my sword.

「I was always left behind… You went to the Dragon Village on your own, set out on a journey on your own… You’re always like that… To you, weak people are just those you need to save. As long as you can save them, as long as the results are good, that’s all that matters. But, Lute. Listen to me. I understand you feel the need to protect, especially because of your sister…」

「And yet…」 I thrust my sword towards Lute’s heart.

「But you’re all beaten up! You’re getting battered all on your own! You didn’t even finish off Lilith! You passed by Master Liu Hai and Merlin without killing them! You might have been able to defeat or kill them! Even me! Normally, you would’ve killed me at the start, and it would’ve ended there! There’s no way I could keep up with your sword! No way I could match you! But now… I’m matching you! Why!? It’s because you’re holding back on your comrades, isn’t it!? You’re thinking it’s fine if you get hurt! But… you’re all beaten up!」

Lute swings down—my reaction is too slow.

Excalibur pierces my thigh.

Lute’s movements pause slightly.

But… I’ve lost too much blood. I try to muster my strength, but my body is cold and weak.

It’s no use anymore… I’ve been moving my body purely on willpower, but I’ve exceeded my physical limits. I can’t move anymore.

All that’s left is to convey my feelings to Lute. If this doesn’t reach him, it’s over.

I drop my sword and cup Lute’s cheeks with both hands.

「Don’t try to handle everything on your own… It’s exhausting, isn’t it, Lute? It’s okay to hurt those around you, to cause trouble. So don’t make decisions alone and disappear on us. If something’s wrong, talk to us. Let’s handle it together. If you’re in pain, it’s okay to say so. We might be weak, but we can comfort each other.」

「……」

「Hey, Lute. Let’s rest a little once this battle is over. And from now on, let’s rely on others a bit. Both Lilith and I have grown stronger. That’s because… we love you, Lute. We want to be by your side.」

「……」

「Let’s live together, the three of us. I don’t mind if Lilith joins us. Sure, she and I might argue at first, but eventually, we’ll be able to laugh together. Let’s live happily together. So please… come back to us.」

「……」

「I love you… stupid Lute.」

Thud.

My fist gently knocks against Lute’s head… and then drops weakly.

And with that, I collapse to the ground.

—

### Side: Lute McClane

Complete darkness.

A drowsy landscape.

For some reason, I am drifting down a winter river.

How long have I been drifting?

My body heat is gone, and I can’t feel my hands and feet.

I’m just floating on my back, letting the current take me.

Oddly, I don’t feel cold, pain, or distress.

And I am… incredibly sleepy.

「Haha, this feels like when Moses tricked and killed me the first time.」

As I think that, I hear Cordelia’s voice faintly in the distance, just like that time.

「Lute! Lute! Where are you!? Answer me… answer me!」

I don’t know why Cordelia is here.

I see her dashing along the gravel path on the riverbank, sprinting towards me.

It looks like Cordelia is trying to save me.

My body won’t move, but if she jumps in to save me… will I be okay?

…Just like that time, I notice something looming ahead, and I shake my head lightly.

「Finally… I’ve found you! Wait, Lute! I’m coming to… huh?」

It’s not going well.

A massive waterfall looms ahead of me in the river.

Cordelia notices the situation and, without hesitation, decides to jump into the winter river.

But she’s a bit too far away to make it in time—

「I’m sorry, Cordelia… Goodbye.」

As I say the same words as that time—

「…Lute. I want my determination and feelings… to reach you.」

「Lilith?」

Before I realize it, Lilith is holding onto me, swimming desperately to escape the waterfall’s current.

「…So unlike you.」

「What do you mean?

「…I love you. That’s why I want you to always be my hero, Lute. So, snap out of it! Come back to us, Lute Mclane!」

I got a direct chop to the nape of my neck.

「Ouch… hey.」

But my consciousness suddenly became clear.

Also, being held by Lilith warmed my body, and it felt like the blood started circulating again.

「…That’s right, Lute. Now, let’s swim together with all our strength.」

—Yeah, you’re right… you really got me going, partner!

Looking in Lilith’s direction, I saw Cordelia swimming towards us at full speed.

On the shore, I could see Saegusa and the Guild Master.

「Boss! You are not my Boss if you die here!」

「Lute, you’re always so strong… You can do anything alone. But I think this: you’re not alone. You have friends! I had no confidence in myself, feeling helpless, but seeing you made me want to try, to believe in myself more… That’s why I believe in you, Lute! No matter what happens, you can overcome it all!」

Yeah, that’s right.

I’m not the same as when I was drifting alone down that winter river.

Now I have Lilith, and I have everyone.

Haha, if I look closely, I can see the Dragon King, the elder of the Red Dragon tribe, Liu Hai, and Merlin on the shore.

And just like back then, I have Cordelia too.

「Luuuuuute! I won’t let the darkness consume you! I won’t let it happen!」

—Thinking back, I realize something.

In the end, I didn’t want to become a hero who saved the world.

No, I realize it now.

After spending time together in this second life, the girl I initially thought of as a little sister had become someone special to me.

So, I just didn’t want to see her sad.

I didn’t need to become the strongest in the world.

I just wanted the power to protect her.

That’s why I needed the strongest power. It was as simple as that.

Anyone who troubled her, anyone who made her cry—

I just needed the power to crush them.

For that, I sought the optimal path to becoming the strongest.

For that, I sought efficiency in becoming the strongest.

But… I wonder.

How much have I made Cordelia cry because of that?

How much have I made her feel lonely, this girl who adores me?

How much has she been hurt for my sake?

I don’t think the path I walked was wrong.

But maybe there was a way where I could have trusted and relied on others a bit more.

As I was thinking that, Cordelia, with a desperate look, stretched out her hand towards me.

The helping hand that couldn’t reach me in the winter river back then. It’s reaching out to me again.

「Reach, reach, reach, reach—reach! Come back—Ryuto Iijima! No, Lute Mclane!」

Yeah, that’s right.

I’m no longer Ryuto Iijima. I live in this world… as Lute Mclane.

「Reach himmmmmm!」

Including Lilith, everyone’s words gave me strength.

I stretched out my hand with all my might to Cordelia’s extended hand.

Back then, I couldn’t reach it.

Back then, no one else was there besides Cordelia. That’s why I couldn’t reach it.

But now—

「Thank you, everyone.」

And I gripped Cordelia’s extended hand firmly.

As I grasped her warm hand, for some reason, I heard a sound in my head like I had been hit by a fist.

It was a gentle sound, like the sound of my mother’s knuckle sandwich back in Japan.