Thanks to the human-faced bird child’s child, I escaped from Cocytus thanks to the Wyvern.
The Wyvern broke through the extremely cold prison and finally returned to the upper echelons. In that cold, the reason I was able to hold on without falling was that the dragon’s back was slightly warm. Otherwise, I would have frozen from the cold and the wind.
The volcano visible in the distance felt strangely nostalgic. It continues to shed lava, burning red without stopping. I realized that the shivering from the cold had stopped. It was actually hot. Before descending into Cocytus, I had been troubled by this heat.
Phew, it’s hot, though. It feels like I’m on a griddle. No, it’s hot! The black scales began to heat up and turn red. My tough hide bristled, and then suddenly, a flame ignited.
“Ahhh!!”
I instinctively let go and jumped up.
“Ah, no!”
I tumbled off the Wyvern’s back and fell to the ground.
“Ugh! Ow…”
Fortunately, the height wasn’t that great, so I survived. It hurt like hell, though. When I managed to raise my face, the human-faced bird child was there. He seemed to be saying, “Hurry up and give me my reward.”
Honestly, just wait a moment. Ah, my whole body aches. It’s a struggle to even move a finger. I don’t care where I am or what dangerous demons are around anymore.
Well, a man like me, tattered like a rag, wouldn’t be appetizing even if they were hungry. Lying on the hard ground, I saw my hands in my field of vision. Blood, from someone unknown, clung to them like rust. My fingertips were discolored black and red from frostbite, and my nails were falling apart.
There were also many wounds, impossible to tell when I got them. I couldn’t even tell where my body hurt anymore. I was just tired, sleepy, and wanted to rest.
It’s over. Everything. So, it’s okay to close my eyes now, right? There’s no need to fight anyone. I don’t have to hurt anyone, and no one has to hurt me. Such a simple thing feels like a miracle.
I thought I heard voices in the distance. Do whatever you want, I… I’m going to rest now…
…
Where is this? Did I fall asleep? My body hurts and I can’t move. But I have to wake up. What happened to everyone?
Where is Arrowa? I have to wake up and find her quickly. My eyelids feel glued shut.
Is this paralysis? Ugh, if I can just move my body a little, I should be able to wake up. I have to hurry. I’ll be left behind by everyone.
Wake up, me…!
“Ugh…”
My dry eyes feel like they’re making a cracking sound. My eyelids are stuck to my eyeballs, and each time I peel them open, I feel pain. Just wait a second, I’ll wake up right now. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I turned my body sideways.
Huh? Where is this? This is an unfamiliar room. It looks like a room in some kind of luxurious hotel. Below me is a fluffy down comforter and clean white sheets. My hands were carefully bandaged.
And on the small shelf next to the bed, my tattered luggage lay in a weary state.
That’s right… it was all over. Auroa’s ambitions were thwarted, and the peace of this world was preserved. A single human challenged the highest-ranking sorcerer of the Dark Elves and won after a long battle. A human who had become alone, perhaps.
Everything, everything was gone. My dagger, my shield, my gun. All the equipment I had was used up.
I had become all alone.
“…”
Alone in the quiet room.
A single tear rolled down my cheek. Not frozen, it simply flowed, pooled on my chin, and eventually dripped onto the down comforter.
My vision blurred, and my throat constricted.
“–!!”
All the emotions I had been holding back until now burst forth like a flood, breaking through a dry wall. A torrent of emotions washed away everything, becoming a raging ocean.
“Ugh, sob…”
Large tears flowed endlessly, staining the sheets. Everyone was gone. The things I cherished. Various scenes appeared and disappeared like countless photographs.
What’s the meaning of me being the only one left alive? Should I return to the world I came from and live as if nothing happened? Waking up in the morning, eating breakfast, getting dressed, going to work, just such an ordinary life.
Impossible! I can’t possibly forget any of those memories! Forget? So, eventually, with the passage of time, I’ll forget not only everyone’s voices but even their faces?
No, I absolutely refuse to do that.
“Why…!!”
Where did I go wrong? How could I have saved them? Wasn’t there a path where everyone could have survived?
No matter how much I regret it, time won’t turn back. What’s lost can’t be regained.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!”
I rolled off the bed and lay on the floor, crying. I couldn’t hold back anymore. Once I started crying, I couldn’t stop.
“Why!! Only me, only me survived. Damn it!! This can’t be happening!!”
My pathetic cries echoed emptily in the quiet room.
