Jared absorbed the impact that threatened to crush his body and swung his arm with all his might.
The boy’s fist punched through the Progenitor’s cheek, sending her body flying through the air.
As she hit the ground and rolled without a sound, Jared, breathing heavily, exhaled a large sigh.
(…This is bad. I’ve used up most of my magic power with that. I have a supply, but my body won’t hold out much longer.)
He hadn’t killed the Progenitor yet.
She hadn’t given him the opening to achieve that.
That’s why he wanted to deplete her stamina and spirit first, to inflict damage for sure.
He was sure that strike had dealt considerable damage.
He hoped she wouldn’t get back up.
—But Jared’s wish was not granted.
“…Including my life before, I’ve never received an attack like that. Because it was pure strength, it was heavy and painful. If it were anyone else, their neck would have broken from that blow. I’m grateful I could enhance my physical prowess.”
“…You’re a tenacious one.”
The boy, spitting out his disappointment at the Progenitor who slowly stood up, clutching her cheek, suddenly felt dizzy and fell to his knees.
“—C-Crap.”
“Oh, it seems you’ve reached your limit, Jared.”
“I-I’m not done yet.”
“No, you can’t. Rather, I think you fought well. In just a few days, you abandoned all your magic and acquired a new, single type of magic. Yes, it’s truly powerful magic. Originally, it would be useless if you couldn’t engage in close quarters combat, but it suited you well. But that’s all.”
While the Progenitor brushed dust off her body and even had the composure to run a hand through her hair, Jared’s body trembled with exhaustion and the brink of his limits.
“If you could have harmonized more with the Body Enhancement Magic and used it to its fullest, you might have won. It’s a shame.”
She slowly approached him.
However, Jared’s body wouldn’t move.
(Move, move! Moooove!)
Jared tried to stand up and assume a fighting stance no matter what, but his body ignored his will.
The Progenitor stood before him.
She looked at Jared with eyes filled with affection and unceremoniously reached out and touched his cheek.
“It’s a great shame. It’s not what I desired, but the result is the result. I win.”
The Progenitor spoke in a gentle voice, smiled, and reached out to grab Jared’s face.
—At that instant, Progenitor Yuna Miharasaki’s fingers crumbled.
“…Wh-What is that?”
“Ah, I see. So that’s how it is. My body is already… No, Rasmus Lowood’s body has reached its limit.”
“Limit?”
“Remember. Olivier Alway was the most ideal vessel for me. Even if he’s a direct descendant, being male and having little qualification as a vessel, it’s difficult for Rasmus to contain me for a long time.”
“Are you going back to Olivier?”
“No, I cannot do that. I will decay like this.”
“What?”
The Progenitor moved away from Jared and looked at her crumbling fingers — and smiled happily.
“This way, my wish can be granted. I apologize to Rasmus for making him go through this, but it seems he would have met the same fate if I died anyway, so the outcome is the same. I wish I could have let him say goodbye, though.”
“Hey, wait!”
“What is it?”
“What is your wish? You’re smiling even though you’re about to die. That means dying itself is— No, wait.”
The Progenitor’s right arm from the elbow down crumbled like sand.
Then, her right leg slowly disintegrated.
“Fufu, exactly. I wanted to die. I wanted to meet a complete death so I wouldn’t be revived again. For that purpose, I used you.”
“You were trying to be killed by me?”
“I apologize for using you. I also said many things against my will, and playing the villain was tough, you know?”
Finally, her right leg shattered, and the Progenitor collapsed to the ground.
“Hey!”
Jared rushed over in a panic and cradled her body.
“I still have a little time, so please listen.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve always wanted to die.”
“Why?”
“To me, this world isn’t real; it’s like a dream. That’s why, perhaps, even after marrying and having children, a part of me longed for home. I want to see my parents; I want to see them again, just once.”
“It’s normal for children to miss their parents, I think.”
“You’re kind, aren’t you? To the person you were fighting with just moments ago.”
The Progenitor smiled.
She narrowed her eyes as if a parent were looking at a child, and gently stroked Jared’s cheek with her undamaged left arm.
“After being revived, I can finally die completely. If so, perhaps I might wake up from this dream. I might wake up in my original world, in the era I belonged to.”
This was Progenitor Yuna Miharasaki’s reason for action.
“You weren’t planning on doing anything in this era or this country, were you?”
“To be honest, I had thought that if you lost to me, I might give up.”
Her arm, which had been stroking his cheek, crumbled into ash.
“…Ah. It’s soon. Soon, I can finally sleep.”
“Progenitor.”
“Call me Yuna. Please.”
“Yuna.”
“Thank you, Jared. And while you’re at it, will you grant me a favor?”
“Tell me.”
“Could you praise me? Praise me for having worked hard in a strange world until the very end.”
The girl who had longed to return to her homeland, unable to fulfill that wish, continued to live in this world.
She fought for the humans of that time, wished for revival even in death, and now stands before him.
Jared couldn’t begin to imagine what she had felt while living.
However, he had only one thing to say to her as she was dying.
“Ah, you worked hard. Yuna Miharasaki. You kept working hard for strangers in an unfamiliar world. I respect you. I don’t think I could ever imitate you.”
“…Fufu, I’m happy. Yes, I worked hard. I wanted to run away many times, but there were so many people who would cry if I did, so I endured. But I don’t have to endure it anymore, right?”
“It’s okay now. You don’t need to endure it anymore. You worked hard for everyone; if I ask any more of you, I’ll be cursed.”
“Then, is it okay for me to rest now? I’m so tired. I’m so sleepy, I can’t hold on anymore.”
“Sleep well. You don’t have to push yourself anymore, so please sleep peacefully. Thank you, Yuna.”
“Yes. Then, I’ll sleep for just a little while.”
With those words, Yuna’s body began to crumble at an increasing pace.
Her body, turned to ash, whitened Jared’s hands.
“…Dad, Mom… I want to see you again…”
Yuna crumbled away, leaving those words behind.
Here, Progenitor Yuna Miharasaki entered a long slumber.
“…Good night. Yuna Miharasaki. Please, sleep peacefully.”
He had initially fought Yuna with hatred, but now, he only wished for her to rest in peace.
Jared prayed that solace would come to the girl who had wandered from the ancient era.
