Chapter 227 ·Return (1)

Return ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍(1)

A tremendous piece of good news was spreading throughout the entire West Continent.

It was such astonishing news that it had managed to spread across the vast continent in just a few days.

The demon realm's encroachment was no longer advancing.

Although the demon realm had not disappeared completely, its range was no longer expanding.

The monsters in the affected region were no longer ferocious, and even natural disasters no longer occurred.

The demon realm—a place one would lose their life by merely entering.

It was an area where stepping foot was likened to dipping a foot into lava, but it was no longer called that.

The demon realm, which had existed for hundreds of years and plunged the entire empire into terror.

Now, that place could no longer be called the 'demon realm'.

"What was the condition of the demon realm?"

"Yes. The results report has just come in."

Rubik, the imperial guard knight, answered the Emperor's query.

"When rumors of a change in the demon realm first arose, we hurriedly dispatched a force of convicts for reconnaissance. They have just returned after two weeks."

Wandering within the demon realm for two weeks—it was an act no number of lives could guarantee survival from.

No matter how high-rank a knight was, no one could be certain of surviving there, so prisoners were always sent.

In essence, dispatching them was the same as a death sentence.

But—

"Of the twenty soldiers, only one died, and ten were wounded. All of them were ordinary soldiers without even auras, let alone high-rank knights."

"And the subsequent reconnaissance teams?"

"They too, have found nothing unusual during their reconnaissance up until now."

The follow-up scout team mostly consisted of high-rank knights.

Yet, even with such powerful people, considering the demon realm's former reputation, it was hard to expect 100% survival.

"To begin with, the twenty convicts were all twisted personalities, so there was internal strife, apparently."

That single fatality, apparently, was also due to infighting.

"And since the torture spell disappeared, the knights in charge of controlling them had a difficult time."

It wasn't only the demon realm that had changed.

The 7th Legion, previously forced to be deployed to prevent further encroachment by the demon realm, had now lost the 'spell' that enabled its existence.

"But even without the spell, there's no need to be concerned, it seems."

"That's definitely true."

With that, the Emperor drew a conclusion.

"The demon realm has vanished."

"Yes. It truly couldn't be happier news."

After two weeks of investigation, it was revealed that the demon realm was now safe.

Thus, although it technically was only imperial territory, the Emperor wore a troubled expression for some reason.

"But you know..."

"..."

Rubik wore the same expression.

"What about the whereabouts of those friends?"

In fact, the demon realm reconnaissance over two weeks wasn't just to confirm its safety.

It was to find the missing persons.

"Now, Estelle is making a fuss looking for them. I barely managed to stop her from sweeping through the entire demon realm herself."

Among those friends was someone particularly dear to the Emperor's daughter, Estelle.

Because they'd all gone missing together, Estelle was searching frantically.

"If I hadn't stopped her, she would've torn apart not only the demon realm area but the entire continent."

"She has quite the obsession with that friend."

"To be honest, I want to find them as well. They're the benefactors who saved this continent."

Could it be that the continent truly found peace through their sacrifice?

Did they really meet such a tragic end?

The moment the Emperor ruminated on this,

"Guh!"

"Are you all right?!"

As the Emperor coughed forcefully, Rubik was alarmed.

"B-blood...!"

Shocked by the Emperor coughing up blood, Rubik watched as the Emperor gave a bitter smile.

"So, it's come to this in the end."

He did not have long left to live.

****

The special task force, transported to a place they had never seen before, gathered together and put their heads together.

Though flustered, they were at least relieved not to sense any immediate danger nearby.

"Squad leader big sis, can't we just go outside and check things out?"

When Pram raised her hand and spoke, Silia shook her head.

"We don't even know where this is yet. Moving rashly is forbidden. Remember when you did that back in the 7th Legion days?"

"But there aren't any monsters here."

"Still no."

Silia's reasons for opposing, even in the absence of apparent danger, were clear.

"This isn't the Empire...the West Continent... no, it isn't the world we lived in."

In fact, just a bit earlier, Victor and Rio had gone out the door out of curiosity.

The moment they saw the strange scenery, the two hurriedly ran back inside.

"Yeah, there are strange things running around outside."

"There aren't any monsters, but... some things with wheels were whizzing by. They were much faster than carriages, at least in terms of speed!"

Was this the reaction one would expect from people seeing automobiles for the first time in another world?

As Victor and Rio appeared flustered, Louis gave a bitter smile.

"Right, since there's a lot we don't know, let's not move rashly. Am I wrong, Louis?"

With Silia's words, everyone's gaze turned to Louis.

Since nearly all the incidents up until now had been resolved thanks to Louis, he was the one everyone could trust.

"Actually, Louis isn't your real name, is it?"

To begin with, Louis was the only person who knew anything about this world.

"Just call me Louis."

Louis answered as he sat on the bed he once used to sleep on.

"It sounds better that way."

"True enough. But I was really surprised."

Silia mused over things she'd noticed living with Louis up until now.

Basically, if not for Louis, they'd all be dead.

There were many times she thought he was a reward from god for their harsh lives.

And for a child, he was extraordinary.

When they first met, Louis and Rio were the youngest in the task force, if only by age.

Even so, Louis had led everyone in a way that was mature beyond his years.

Eccentric actions breaking common sense.

The reason for that was now clear.

"To think you were living your second life."

It wasn't just a second life—

"And that you were from another world, too."

Silia gripped a book lying on the floor as she spoke.

Though the item was from another world, the cover had a picture Silia recognized.

"But...."

A drawing she often saw during her time as a knight, assessing the war situation.

"Why is there a map of our Empire... drawn on a book from this world?"

It was impossible.

Was there some way for the people of this world to observe that other world?

"It's true! It looks almost exactly like what I saw so many times in the 7th Legion."

"The colors are a bit different, but it's nearly a copy."

The team members also raised their own doubts as they looked at the book.

Why did this Earth world have information about the other world?

"That's simple...."

The book the team was reading was a walkthrough guide for the game 'End of World.'

Naturally, Louis explained things about that guide and the game 'End of World.'

"So... you're saying the world we lived in was a fictional one?"

"Then, being here is like popping out from a storybook, isn't it?"

Louis nodded in response.

Their response was no surprise.

"So we were just characters in a story?"

"This is... kind of a headache, isn't it?"

"Ah..."

Naturally, everyone was thrown into confusion.

How much of a shock must it have been to realize they were just fictional beings?

"This isn't the time to be sitting here like this."

But amid all that, one team member had a different thought.

"I promised Estelle I'd hang out with her in a week. We need to hurry and get back."

Rio worried about a different problem, wearing a calm expression.

"You're saying that now?"

"So what if we were storybook characters? We're here, thinking and existing like this, aren't we?"

"What?"

The team's eyes widened at her words.

"Rio, you'd say something like that?"

"Huh? Is it weird?"

"..."

No one could quite bring themselves to say, 'How is it you—you, of all people, who seems the least sane—came out with such wise words?'

"What is everyone thinking?"

"Nothing."

As Rio exchanged uneasy looks with the rest of the team, Louis reached for the item he missed the most.

'How long has it been?'

As Louis powered on the smartphone, he instinctively unlocked it with the pattern.

Though he thought he'd forgotten it, his body seemed to remember.

Thanks to that, he could check the current date and accumulated messages.

'I haven't been reincarnated into that world for long at all.'

At most, only a few days had passed.

Even though decades had gone by over there.

'Just as I thought, fired.'

As Louis checked the waiting messages, he saw the layoff notice from his old company.

It was no surprise, considering his unauthorized absence for several days.

'It never suited me anyway.'

Just as he tried to recall what his job was like—

"But what's that?"

Rozen pointed to a ball and some trophies sitting atop a drawer.

"One's a ball, the rest look like medals?"

"Medals? Young master, you were a soldier here too?"

Seeing those items, Louis remembered old times.

"Medals... something like that."

He recalled the time he'd won a national tournament by striking out the batters with his pitching.

But due to a shoulder injury, he had to give up the dream and change course.

It was to forget that despair that he'd become absorbed in games.

The game Silia was now leafing through in the strategy guide was one of those.

"Haa..."

Watching the special task force members marvel, Louis let out a quiet sigh.

How was he supposed to look after these kids in this world?

That was the current problem.

'My strength is the same.'

Amazingly, the superhuman power he'd gained in the other world remained.

It was the same for the other team members.

He even still looked like 'Louis Seifert.'

'It should be easy enough to find manual labor work....'

Earning a living wage should be no problem.

He could just claim to be a foreign worker and find a job.

But how to help these kids adapt to this world?

They'd be bound to cause trouble, gaping in wonder at everything.

All the special task force members were wearing such looks right now, and Louis already felt exhausted.

'Even with Elder sister Silia, could she control them in that situation...?'

Even Silia, who acted the most composed, was no exception—her curiosity would explode soon enough.

Just look at the way she was staring at that book.

Anyone could see she looked less like an adult and more like a kid with a wild imagination.

'What am I going to do from now on...?'

Moreover, did they really have to live in this world from now on?

What if, like Rio, they wanted to go back?

Did they even need to go back in the first place?

Would he have to go with them?

Was there even a way to return to that other world?

'Great Devil, you son of a—'

It was all the Great Devil's desperate final struggle.

With an 'I give up' attitude, Louis lay down on the bed, eyes automatically closing.

Just as he thought he might drift off—

"This...!"

Silia suddenly shouted in a loud voice.

"Big Sis, what's wrong all of a sudden?"

"What?"

Louis, who'd been about to doze off, opened his eyes reflexively.

"Louis. You said this is reality and the world we lived in is a story, right?"

"Yes?"

"Then... what are these names in here?"

Silia opened to the very last page and showed it to Louis.

As Silia read the names, Louis felt something strange.

"Anakin, arina, Isaac? Aren't those three of the five Heroes?"

"They're the other three, except for the two who were sealed in the squad leader big sis's sword."

Why were their names written in this strategy guide?

In a game that hadn't even gotten its final update, and where the names of the legendary five Heroes hadn't yet been revealed—

"Everyone, get ready."

Louis abruptly stood up from the bed and grabbed the guide.

"We have somewhere to go."

He pointed to the address of the game's developer written in the strategy guide.

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