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The Record.

A dimension of knowledge created to realize infinite possibilities.

And a god-like existence that oversees The Record.

I had tried my best to ignore that existence until now.

The moment I met its mechanical eye, a flood of information was forcefully injected into my head, turning it upside down.

It wasn’t just a simple disturbance; thanks to it, Merckadian had reached a state where it couldn’t act on its own.

Indiscriminate knowledge was no different from violence.

So, for the first time, I stood directly in front of that existence.

And then I looked into its mechanical eye and asked.

“Can I embark on a journey with them again, disregarding causality?”

For the first time, I asked something.

And I realized that this existence could speak.

[It is possible.]

And the first words I heard made my heart race.

Although it was limited to a part of the territory of the Infinity Atelier, this being was ultimately omniscient.

Such a being said there was a way to ignore causality.

It felt like I had received a definite answer from a god.

“Then, can you make me that way?”

This is how to use the Infinity Atelier.

I give any command to harness the power of the atelier that governs the area.

Then, everything I learned through The Record would change appropriately to fulfill my commands.

There were indeed some constraints in this process, but compared to the power, it was merely a minor dizziness.

The reason for this was due to the existence’s tacit approval or permission.

However, for the first time, this being set a condition.

[For the sake of causality, I shall bestow a trial upon you.]

A trial?

I didn’t care.

As long as I could set out on a journey again with Aswel, Ariya, Serelin, Rapirie, and Nia, I would do anything.

It was better than being powerless, merely researching restoration methods like I was now.

Kuh…guh…

A massive mechanical operation sound echoed throughout The Record.

Like it was starting a calculation, a large number of translucent numbers flickered in and out of the being’s mechanical eye.

SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1ZEl0TmhpNUhsY0dHYkpuKy9GYjEvU0VxUFhVRElVei85NlEvdHhOQ1d1RQ

When the being’s eye returned to normal, another sound of operation began to ring through The Record.

It sounded as though it was affecting not just The Record this time, but beyond, reaching the universe and reality as well.

[— — —’s body shall be fashioned, and define the truth that — — — operates in a single word.]

In exchange.

[The procedure for causality has already begun.]

“Rui? Are you okay?”

The next moment, I found myself cradled in Aswel’s arms.

“I…found you.”

I fainted again, leaving those words behind.

* * *

“Aswel?”

“The hero is not here, my disciple.”

I felt sore all over, as if I had slept for several nights.

When I woke up, I was lying in the Stormblast Duke’s Mansion, and my master was watching over me.

“Master…”

For some reason, I felt guilty looking at my master’s face.

But I still had to say it.

“Master.”

“Yes.”

“I found a way. I…asked that existence directly.”

“……”

My master remained silent.

But soon, with a soft gaze, he asked me.

“Alright, what did it say?”

“It gave me two trials.”

In exchange, some work that I already didn’t know about had begun.

It felt less like it was achieved through offering something and more like the complete opposite.

To realize something, at least I had to undergo these trials.

I knew this because until now, it had granted my commands without any trials or costs.

My master looked at me intently for a moment.

“Rui.”

“Yes?”

“Do you truly desire to be part of the Hero Party that much?”

The moment Aswel’s face flashed in my mind.

I merely nodded silently.

“To the point you’d shake the laws of the world.”

“…Yes.”

Saying that made my heart sting a little.

But I was different from the powerless person I had been before.

“Master.”

“Yes.”

“I think… I was very happy during the past half year.”

“………”

“Of course, there were crises and dangers, but… being with them, it was very good.”

“I see.”

“In fact, until now, I bore no responsibility at all. We all shared the common mission of defeating the Demon King, but I didn’t.”

The reason I initially joined the Hero Party was to gather materials for my magical studies.

However, unlike me, my companions all moved with the heavy mission of defeating the Demon King.

“I think the reason I want to return to the Hero Party is that I want to protect and help them.”

Thus, when I heard that I could put them in greater danger because of me, I considered giving up.

But that being showed me a way, and in exchange required two trials.

So, isn’t it okay to be a bit greedy?

“Rui, I once told you why you should not use the unique mana gathering method anymore.”

“Yes.”

“I worried back then that that existence would descend upon you, fearing your mind would break. That concern hasn’t changed.”

“………”

“The reason part of the Ice Castle turned white is also due to that existence descending partially. So, I thought facing that existence directly was even riskier. Thus, until now, I’ve only thought about avoiding it…”

My master had always put me first, moving for my safety.

“I will find a way.”

“……!”

“I couldn’t break my disciple’s stubbornness, so I will find a way for you to be safe from that existence.”

And it remained the same.

“……Master.”

“Foolish disciple. Go achieve what you want. A master will support such a foolish disciple from behind.”

I felt tears well up unexpectedly.

Since becoming this body, no, since becoming a person in this world, my emotions seemed to have grown richer.

“I heard the Hero Party will depart soon, so you should prepare. Oh, and before that, meet Lati.”

“Sis Lati…?”

“Thanks to that girl, the hero was able to save you.”

After my master left, I intended to seek out Lati.

But it turned out I didn’t need to.

“Rui!”

“Sis Lati… Ugh.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. More than that, thank you.”

“What for?”

“……For helping Aswel.”

Lati, who had been looking at me for a moment, smirked.

“Rui. Do you remember from long ago?”

“When?”

“The day you and I first met.”

It was early spring, about two months after I became my master’s disciple.

At that time, I was coming out of the Ice Castle, looking for various materials in the mountains.

Then, I met Lati, who was staring blankly at the sky.

“Back then, I felt like I lived because you spoke to me.”

She said that she felt an immense emptiness at that time.

A symptom almost like depression felt by one who has lived for a very long time.

“I had lost interest in everything back then.”

Time flowed endlessly, and everything but me was dying, yet I was still alive.

In her eyes, which I first saw back then, Lati had no vitality.

“But then you appeared.”

I met a girl daring enough to roam near the Stormblast Ice Castle.

“I was surprised that a human being was the disciple of El, who has great knowledge of magic among dragons.”

From that moment on, I became a mysterious human to Lati.

“And you were the start of my regained interest in everything.”

That way, Lati learned to look around her.

Then, without realizing, Kunder, who was considerate towards her, caught her eye, and eventually, they continued to meet and ended up married.

“Rui, I think of you like a cherished little sister, but in fact, it’s more than that.”

Though a little sister, she was closer to a savior.

So this time, as a sister, she helped her little sister.

“Thank you, Sis Lati.”

“Thank you, Rui. I will also find a way to help you, just like El. And I will genuinely support every path you walk from here on.”

“Thank you, sister.”

Lastly, it was Kunder.

I found him hovering outside my room, unable to come in, so I opened the door for him.

“……”

“……”

“……Um.”

For some reason, Kunder kept clearing his throat and avoiding my gaze.

I wondered why he was acting like that until I suddenly recalled Aswel had been covered in soot.

“…Kunder, that was too harsh on Aswel.”

“S-Sorry…”

Kunder stammered while apologizing.

Seeing him act flustered while trying to pretend to be angry, I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

“…Pfft. Still, thank you. You did it for me in the end.”

“……That much is what a big brother should do.”

I might treat Kunder like this, but he truly felt like a father figure.

If my master acted as both a teacher and a mother to me, then Kunder had been helping me without making it obvious.

“Thank you. Really.”

I hugged Kunder to express my gratitude, and he silently hugged me back as well.

“…If you ever want to return to Stormblast, then do so.”

Hearing that there was a ‘home’ to return to almost made tears well up again, and I barely held back as I concluded my farewells with the three people.

The next morning, I happily looked at the space of space filled to the brim with magical materials, research documents, Stormblast’s special products, and the unique goods from the Inferblaino Volcano, waving my hand towards the mansion.

Whoosh.

“Lux. It’s been a while.”

I stroked the black mane of Night Lux and headed toward the gates of Stormblast, where I encountered five people.

“Lady Rui!”

“Rui.”

“Rui!”

“Sis!!”

Four people warmly called out to me as they ran and embraced me.

My other home, different from Stormblast.

“Thank you all.”

“Sis…!”

“I’m glad you’re back! You’ve finally perked up!”

Lastly, I stood in front of Aswel, who was intently looking at a map.

“As…”

At that moment, Aswel looked up and smiled when he noticed me.

Thump.

“Rui.”

Thump.

“Welcome back.”

Thump, thump.

He held my hand and congratulated me on my return.

I felt heat rush to my head in an instant.

Though it might not be visible, my face was likely turning red.

But.

I didn’t shy away from his gaze; instead, I looked back and smiled gently.

“Thank you, Aswel.”

The journey of the Hero Party begins anew.