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Do you know why I updated at this time?
That’s right! While Nekoneko was on hiatus for two years, I completed a game!
It’s a work called “NAROU Fantasy” and it’s available on “Freem!”.
URL: http://www.freem.ne.jp/win/game/16510
It’s a free game, so anyone with a Windows-compatible PC can play it for free. Please give it a try!
Recently, some fans even made a wiki, which is packed with information the author didn’t even know about. I highly recommend it!
“Adventurer, you have come this far! However, I who rule the demons of the West—”
“Hah!”
“Gyyaaaaaaaa!!”
I sighed as I looked at the boss that disintegrated the moment I swung my right hand.
“I can’t believe I could even beat this thing.”
As I muttered, I looked down at the weapon in my right hand.
In my hand was a lush green plant shaped like a whip… a cat’s toy.
“Hmm. This is probably the weakest weapon out there.”
The cat’s toy is a weapon made famous among Nekoneko players with the phrase “Weaker than a pebble!” Due to its terrifyingly low attack power and the special ability where attacking any enemy only reduces its durability by one, it’s a favored weapon for subduing NPCs.
In any other game, you might wonder what use that would be. But in Nekoneko, being able to attack NPCs without harming them is extremely valuable.
During duel events with players, they might get attacked by passing monsters and defeated, get stuck in the walls due to strange behavior preventing event progression, or need their actions that cause bugs to be skipped to avoid getting stuck. This weapon, which can cause knockback and draw aggro without taking damage, is incredibly useful.
In any case, if even this training weapon resulted in this outcome, then I’m out of options.
I swung the cat’s toy left and right, and Mitsuki’s cat ears twitched in response as she moved. I let out a sigh.
The reason I’m overkilling bosses is, of course, the instrument in my left hand.
This “Lute of Dis Aster,” forged from an empowered Evil God, drastically increases all basic stats of the human wielding it.
With the boosted stats, even a harmless cat’s toy can become a deadly weapon capable of obliterating anything.
Honestly, I’m having trouble with this Evil God weapon.
No matter what I do, it becomes overkill, making it not very practical. But if it were stolen and fell into the wrong hands, it would be a disaster.
As a result, I have no choice but to keep it with me at all times, leading me to create a large number of pathetic overkill victims.
“…But well, it’s almost over now.”
I whispered to myself and turned around.
“Maki. Is this the last dungeon on the list?”
“Eh? Y-yes. This is the last one. Good job.”
Though I found Maki’s slightly awkward attitude suspicious, I felt a sense of relief.
After the Evil God incident was resolved.
We adventured in various places as if we were racing against time, conquering numerous dungeons.
I intend to return to this world, but unfortunately, it’s not certain.
With the defeat of the Evil God, the greatest threat to this world can be considered dealt with. However, Nekoneko has countless events that could potentially be dangerous.
I wanted to eliminate as many potential threats to this world as possible.
But, everything comes to an end.
We were already a high-ranking party capable of clearing the game, and with me wielding the ultimate weapon forged from an Evil God, there shouldn’t be many enemies that could give us trouble.
Oh, right. Just once.
When Ena stumbled and her weapon slipped while equipped with the Ring of Mutual Love, Sahzan’s head was almost crushed by the falling weapon, but that was about the only close call.
I compiled a list of all the places that needed to be conquered to the best of my recollection and gave it to Maki. With this dungeon, it’s over.
This should prevent the world of Nekoneko from perishing for a while… I think.
Or rather, that it’s still not possible to say for certain despite all these precautions is exactly what makes Nekoneko, Nekoneko.
“Well then, shall we head back? Layla and the others are waiting.”
After all, there’s nothing more I can do in this world.
With this, I can return with my head held high.
—We surely saved this world.
…Or so I thought.
For some reason, the walk back today felt heavier than usual.
My companions seemed to feel the same. Even Maki, who is usually talkative, fell silent, lost in thought.
With no monsters blocking our path, having defeated them on the way in, we walked towards the entrance in an awkward silence.
“S-, still, we’ve gotten really used to exploring dungeons, haven’t we!”
Ena broke the silence with a cheerful voice.
“Even though I was a bit bad at dungeons before, I feel like I’ve become a proper adventurer now!”
She said, clenching her fist with an exaggerated gesture.
However, that did remind me of our early adventures.
“Speaking of which, Ena really was a complete beginner at dungeons at first.
Instead of using a skill to cross a broken path, you tried to solve the puzzle that created a footbridge, or you tried to walk down a hallway that might have traps without throwing an explosion gem first…”
“N-no. That’s more because Soma’s strategy was strange, or rather, I still think it’s strange, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it…”
Ena’s reply was somehow unconvincing.
Perhaps she was feeling embarrassed about her past immature self, recalling it now.
“But even though it was only a few weeks, I got so used to exploring Dungeons with this group. It feels like it’s become part of my everyday life, something to be expected…”
At this point, Ena’s tone of voice changed slightly. It was a voice that seemed to recall something precious, to cherish an irreplaceable memory.
“But, it all ends today, doesn’t it?”
Ena said this cheerfully, with a smile still on her face as she looked at me.
“Now that I think about it, I won’t be walking like this with everyone from tomorrow… I feel… a strange feeling…”
“…Ena?”
Only then did I notice that tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“Eh? Ah, what? Wh-what’s wrong? Ah, what? What?”
She seemed to realize it only when I spoke to her. Ena hastily wiped her cheeks, desperately trying to maintain her smile.
“I-I’m sorry. It’s not like that. I didn’t mean for this to happen…”
“My bad! That was insensitive…”
“N-no! Soma-san, you’re not at fault! I’m fine! I’m really fine!”
As if to prove her words, Ena continued to smile.
But the tears didn’t stop until we left the Dungeon.
“Mitsuki. Could you come with me for a bit?”
Upon reaching the Capital City, I suddenly asked.
“Me?”
Mitsuki, who had been spacing out with a cat toy in hand, perked up her ears in surprise at my words. Although she looked completely taken aback, this was something I had decided from the start.
“Yeah. There’s one more Dungeon I want to clear before we finish.”
“In that case, everyone should…”
Interrupting Mitsuki, who was about to speak,
“…Got it. We’ll take Ena with us.”
Ringo, who had been silently following, offered. I sent a silent thank you in my heart to Ringo, who understood my intentions without me needing to say anything.
“Thank you. …Well then, let’s go, Mitsuki.”
“Understood. If you say so.”
Mitsuki seemed somewhat unconvinced, but when I pressed her, she nodded obediently.
Leaving Ena with the others, I set out from the Capital City again, this time accompanied only by Mitsuki. Our destination was…
“…Here it is.”
“Is this… the Cave of Phantom Stones?”
I nodded at her words.
“I’ve been planning this for a long time. Once we finished exploring Dungeons, I wanted to come here in the end.”
–The Cave of Phantom Stones.
This was the Dungeon where Phantom Stones, the material for wedding rings, could be found. It was also the place we would visit to trigger Mitsuki’s marriage event in the Game. And it was where Mitsuki, who was here with me now, had promised to come.
While the promise was one-sided, and I admittedly had some reservations about marriage, I genuinely wanted to come to this place with Mitsuki. If it would become a treasured memory, I also wanted to make the best ring from Phantom Stones and give it to her.
“W-well then, let’s go.”
With my voice trembling slightly, I took a step towards the Cave of Phantom Stones. However, for some reason, Mitsuki’s footsteps, which should have followed, were absent.
“Mitsuki…?”
Turning around, I saw Mitsuki standing still in the same spot as before. She was looking at the Cave of Phantom Stones with a strangely fearful expression and shook her head in a stiff tone.
“…Let’s not today.”
“Wh-what’s wrong? You always wanted to come here, didn’t you?”
Even as I responded in surprise, Mitsuki simply shook her head again, a strained smile on her lips.
“While this is undoubtedly an important place, it’s not somewhere we absolutely have to go right now. We just cleared a Dungeon, and we’re on our way back. I’m also worried about Ena, so let’s head back for today.”
This was the place she had wished for so much. The place she had invited me to come to so many times. I couldn’t understand her attitude and pressed on.
“I-it’s not like you have to worry about me, you know? I’m not forcing you to come along, and I…]
“—Then that’s fine, isn’t it!”
Mitsuki’s unusually sharp voice stopped the words I was about to utter.
“If you have any lingering regrets, you’ll feel compelled to return to my side, won’t you? In that case, the promise doesn’t need to be kept!”
“Mitsuki…”
Meeting my gaze, Mitsuki bit her lip tightly.
“It’s not like I want a physical manifestation. I just… I just want you to be by my side…!”
She trailed off, then looked up as if realizing something. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then whispered with a chuckle,
“…Just kidding.”
“No, ‘just kidding’…”
“You seemed to take the promise more seriously than I thought, so I felt like teasing you a bit. …Come. Let’s go home now.”
I couldn’t fathom Mitsuki’s true intentions. Overwhelmed by the knowing look in her eyes, I could only respond with a simple “Yeah.”
After parting ways with Mitsuki, who said she had something to buy in town, I returned to the mansion.
“Whoa!?”
Something white flew towards me at the gate, and I flinched back in surprise. The white object whizzed past me and splat against the gate with a wet sound.
It was a damp rag.
“Glad I dodged that,” I thought, letting out a sigh of relief, when—
“W-why’d you dodge?!”
“Well, you were throwing something at me.”
The culprit of this mischief peeked out from behind the gate.
“So, why did you do that? Sahzan?”
I asked, my eyes filled with anger. Sahzan flinched for a moment.
“Hmph! You’re my rival, you know! This is my challenge to a duel!”
“Who’s your rival? And besides, you throw gloves in a duel.”
I had no idea how he’d reached that conclusion. He was always so baffling.
But in a way, this was perfect.
“Here, take this as a return.”
As I said that, I tossed an item from my bag at Sahzan.
“Gah!? Y-you!”
Sahzan, struck directly on his mask, bristled. But he stopped when he noticed what I’d thrown.
“Th-this is…”
“Yeah. Fingerless Gloves.”
“Huh? B-but those are your weapons…”
Sahzan looked surprised, but the answer was simple.
“I saw them on sale again the other day. You seemed to like them, so I thought I’d buy them for you.”
“Th-then, this is…”
“A gift. For you.”
When I said that clearly, Sahzan looked at the Fingerless Gloves with a complex expression.
I thought he’d be happy, but it seemed I’d misjudged.
“You’re cheating! If I accept this, I can’t possibly challenge you to a duel anymore!”
“No, you shouldn’t challenge me to a duel even without it.”
I still don’t understand how his mind works.
I said, my voice tinged with exasperation, but Sahzan didn’t seem to hear me. He gazed at the gloves for a while, then began to speak slowly.
“…Actually. If I won the duel, I was going to tell you not to go back to your world. But, never mind.”
Sahzan carefully slipped the Fingerless Gloves onto his hands and pointed sharply at me.
“I am the great Magician Sahzan! If you don’t return from your world, I’ll find you myself! Tremble in fear of my shadows! Hahaha!”
Perhaps that was his way of cheering me on. If so, his clumsiness was beyond description.
“…Sigh. You really haven’t changed at all.”
Either way, Sahzan would continue to live like this. Even after I was gone.
“Well, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
So I left Sahzan, who was laughing heartily, and entered the Mansion…
Just before the mansion door closed, I heard a small sniffle from behind me and pretended not to.
—
Once inside the Mansion and in the main hall, golden hair rushed towards me.
“Soma! You were out so late, I was worried! Dinner’s ready!”
Layla smiled as always. But that smile pierced my heart at that moment.
While we were out, Layla had stayed behind to protect the Mansion. That’s why she, and only she, didn’t know.
The time for Dungeon exploration was over. That I was returning to my original world…
“Layla. Um, about that…”
As I chose my words, trying to figure out how to start—
“I know. …You’re going back, aren’t you?”
Layla spoke first, as if she had anticipated me.
“Wh-why?”
“It’s you, Soma. I figured as much.”
She smiled, a little sadly, but also with a hint of pride, and looked at me with unwavering eyes.
“You know. It’s going to be so, so lonely to say goodbye. But I realized that seeing you happy is what makes me happiest too.”
“Layla…”
As she said this with a smile, I didn’t know what to say.
“Ah, I forgot! The kettle’s still on the stove! T-today, I made something extra special to celebrate, so eat a lot!”
I just watched her hurried back.
I stood frozen. How long had it been?
“…Soma.”
A voice from the side made me realize I had been standing there for a long time.
“Ringo…”
Perhaps it was because I had been witnessing my friends’ sadness all day. As soon as I saw her walking towards me, a momentary lapse occurred.
So I blurted out, “Hey, Ringo. You… you’re really against me going back to my original world, aren’t you?”
I regretted asking the moment I said it. No matter how she answered, it would only put her in a difficult position.
As expected, Ringo seemed unsure how to respond. She was silent for a moment…
“…Mm.”
Then, for some reason, she held out her pinky finger to me.
“Ringo?”
Confused by her intent, Ringo repeated.
“…Again. Make a promise.”
“A promise?”
“…You’ll definitely come back.”
Why was it? The sincerity in those quiet words, the passion, made my chest feel warm.
There was only one way I knew to repay that sentiment. So…
“…Alright.”
I gently interlaced my finger with her small one. And with all the sentiment and conviction I could muster, I vowed.
“—I promise. I will definitely return to my original world. And then, I will absolutely come back to this world!”
When I finished speaking and released her finger, Ringo’s lips curved upwards, small, very small.
“…Mm.”
And, as always, she smiled.
We spent the remaining days savoring the time we had, and finally, the day arrived.
The place chosen for our return to our original world was the courtyard of the Arken Residence, the mansion where the incident of the attempted ring theft occurred.
The method I was planning to use for my return was the forced logout bug, “Forbidden Art: Death Flash.”
Forbidden Art: Death Flash is a phenomenon caused by the wide-area magic spells, Stardust Flare and Bubble Chain.
It would be troublesome if ordinary people passing by were caught in the crossfire of the magic, and even if it’s unlikely, it would be problematic if someone who merely happened to witness the Death Flash was affected.
As a result, Arken Residence, a secluded space where there was no risk of inconveniencing anyone else, was chosen.
“…Well, on a whim, I also wanted to talk to that useless maid again,” I recalled the face of Lilm, the bodyguard disguised as a maid and the culprit behind the Arken Residence incident, as I prepared to leave Cat Ear Mansion.
Leaving doesn’t mean everyone is going. Mitsuki and Ringo would continue to live here; I just needed to collect my personal belongings. Even with my Adventurer’s Bag, it would only take a few dozen minutes, and I felt a strange sense of loneliness.
As I opened the door, regretting to leave, Ringo was standing in the hallway. Honestly, combined with the eerie atmosphere of the Western mansion, she startled me a little.
“…Are you done?”
Unfazed by my reaction, Ringo asked at her own pace. When I nodded silently, she said nothing more and walked beside me.
Watching her blue hair bobbing beside me, I remembered that Ringo and I were the only ones here when we first arrived at this mansion. Perhaps it was fate that the two of us would be here at the end as well.
“At first, I thought we had stumbled into a terrible place.”
Though it had only been a few months, it was a place where we had spent a significant amount of time together. Without a word, Ringo and I made our final rounds.
Every place was filled with memories, and with each recollection, my chest felt tight. After taking ample time to tour all the rooms, I bid farewell to the mansion.
Our departure was a grand send-off, with Raiden and his group, the greengrocer’s wife, and even the King himself coming to see us off.
Leaving the Capital City with such a splendid farewell, from this point on, it was just my companions and me. Ringo, Mitsuki, Ena, Sahzan, Layla, and Bear One.
Maki and I set off towards Arken Residence with our irreplaceable companions.
There was no conversation on the way. The reality that I would be parting with these wonderful companions in just a few hours didn’t quite sink in. There was a palpable air that if anyone were to voice their wish for me to not return to my original world, my firm resolve might crumble like a dam breaking.
However, in the end… none of my companions spoke up, and we safely arrived at Arken Residence.
Word had already been sent ahead. I had intended to greet the Arken family upon arrival, borrow their courtyard, and immediately return to my original world… or so I thought.
“Huh? Is it just Lilm?”
Waiting for us at Arken Residence was only the “useless maid.” She greeted us with few words and invited us inside, saying, “This way.”
“This is…”
Seeing what had been prepared, my eyes widened in surprise. The dining hall we were led to was decorated with a handmade touch, and a lavish spread of food overflowed from the table.
“It is the wish of all of us that you and your companions enjoy your last day here and relax.”
Lilm’s words brought tears to my eyes.
“Those people…”
The image of the Arken family, always so kind and meddlesome, flashed through my mind. They had prepared a party for us and had apparently gone out somewhere as a family, so as not to be in our way.
“Today, I, the maid… well, this unworthy Lilm, will be serving you! Please, everyone, enjoy your last day!”
Even as she delivered that line with a composed expression, she immediately stumbled and fell in the middle of the room as she started to serve, perhaps proving her “useless maid” status. However, I loved the Arken family, including such quirks.
“Soma…”
Lilm’s gaze, as if expecting something, led me to scratch the cat ears protruding from my head.
“After all this, it’s impossible to ignore them, isn’t it?”
“Mr. Soma! Then…”
I nodded at Ena, whose face lit up.
“—We depart tomorrow. Let’s make today count!”
My words kicked off somewhat forced cheers, and our farewell feast began.
That last day… At what was our first and last party before our return, countless things happened.
We laughed, made noise, and cried enough for a lifetime.
As night fell, we naturally fell asleep as if our power had been cut…
—I was awakened by a sound so loud it felt like the end of the world. The familiar escalating sounds instantly jolted my groggy mind awake.
“This, this sound…!”
There was no time to think. I sprinted to the window and threw it open with all my might. There were no signs of anyone in the backyard visible from there, meaning the sound was coming from the other side… I made a split-second judgment and ran towards the courtyard on the opposite side of the mansion.
The culprit who shattered the morning silence was now standing in the courtyard, bewildered.
“Wh-why!? My magic should have succeeded…”
“It’s… strange! Why did it disappear? This way…”
Seeing that figure, I let out a sigh of relief.
“—Stardust Flare wasn’t designed for two users to cast simultaneously. I don’t know what kind of programming they used, but if another person uses Stardust Flare while someone else is using it, the effect gets pulled over to them, and the first Stardust Flare’s effect disappears.”
When I called out, they both spun around as if startled.
“Sahzan. Maki.”
The source of the sound was these two. More accurately, the ultimate magic they used, “Stardust Flare,” was what produced that destructive noise.
“…You were trying to attempt a Death Flash, weren’t you?”
As I asked, Sahzan paled, and Maki hung her head.
Death Flash is a bug that occurs from combining two magic spells with intense effects. However, due to a bug in Stardust Flare, it doesn’t occur even if you stack two Stardust Flares.
That’s why I risked danger to obtain the Bubble Chain magic from the Layla event, but Maki and Sahzan didn’t know about Stardust Flare’s flaw.
The only ones who have mastered Stardust Flare are myself, Maki, and Sahzan. Maki probably thought that with Sahzan’s cooperation, she could replicate Death Flash even without me.
“…So…ma…”
I walked towards Maki, who had her head down.
“Why would you do something like this?”
“B-because, I know! I know how much time you’ve cherished here, Soma! I know how sad everyone, how sad Rin-chan and the others are that you’re leaving!”
Maki stammered, on the verge of tears.
“Truthfully, I’ve always known. You want to stay in the Game world forever. And you’re still trying to go back because of me, right? That’s why…!”
“So, you thought you should just return to the original world by yourself? Is that it?”
To my question, Maki nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
“You’re an idiot. Certainly, without you, I might not have considered returning to the original world. But you know.”
I lightly tapped Maki’s tear-streaked face with my fist.
“For me, returning to Japan with you is just as important as spending time here with everyone else.”
“So-ma…. But, but….”
“Besides, I believe we’ll definitely find a way to come back to this world again. Look.”
I pulled out an item I had prepared from my pouch and pushed it into Maki’s mouth as she was about to protest further.
“Hya!? Wh-what is…?”
“It’s one of the trump cards I devised for returning to this world. A special ‘candy’.”
Ignoring her questioning gaze, I turned around.
“Is it about time?”
“Huh!? E-everyone…?”
There, all our companions had gathered without me noticing. Given the noise we made, it was only natural.
I moistened my dry lips and forced strength into my trembling hands, consciously forming a smile.
“It looks like everyone’s here. As you can see, I can’t take my eyes off this one, or she’ll do something unpredictable. It’s earlier than planned, but I think it’s time to try.”
“S-Soma?! B-but…!”
In contrast to the flustered Maki, the other companions all nodded with resigned expressions. And so…
“…Soma. I’ll be waiting, so…”
Ringo said few words.
“When you come back, let’s go to the Phantom Stone Cave together. It’s a promise, okay?”
Mitsuki offered a smile.
“Please come back no matter what! It’s a promise!”
Ena said firmly.
“Honestly, I don’t want you to leave. But, but… have a good trip.”
Layla said tearfully. They each saw me off in their own way, cherishing our time together.
Finally, glancing sideways, my eyes met Sahzan’s serious gaze.
“I… No. Anytime is fine. I’ll be ready.”
Taking advantage of those words, I broke eye contact with Sahzan, popped a “candy” into my own mouth just like I did with Maki, and the preparations were complete.
Slowly, I looked up at the sky. My heart pounded like a drum.
—Will it really work?
—If I return to Japan, what should I do first?
—Is it really okay to leave?
—Will everyone cry if I’m gone?
A jumble of aimless thoughts flooded my mind in an instant. Still… the option to stay never crossed my mind.
I took a deep, long breath. I met Maki’s gaze beside me. After giving the nervous girl a single smile, I raised both my hands high into the sky. At the same time, I peripherally registered my partner raising her hands beside me. That’s why I shouted, without any worry or hesitation.
“—Bubble Chain!!”
“—Stardust Flare!!”
The two voices overlapped. Light consumed the sky.
(It’s beautiful…)
The explosion of Stardust Flare and the bubbles of Bubble Chain intertwined and mingled, as if dancing. In a matter of seconds, the intensity of the effects would peak, and the result would be clear.
“Ringo. Mitsuki. Sahzan. Ena. Layla.”
So, I looked around at all my companions one last time…
“Thank you, everyone. And…”
I seared their figures, their very existence, into my heart, and then…
“—See you again.”
The world turned white.
Two episodes left until completion.
Next update is tomorrow.
