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==============
"You, Aldias, dinner is ready."
"Oh, is it that late already? Let's go, Aldias."
"Yeah."
The man and the young boy, who had been quietly watching the sun set, dyeing the world in orange, were drawn by the clear voice from inside the house and moved inside together. As Aldias entered the room, a fragrant aroma that stimulated the appetite filled the air, and a woman who closely resembled Aldias greeted them with a smile.
"Aldias, how's your training lately?"
"...It's so-so."
"Your dad knows, you know? Cutting a three-meter boulder in half with a sword isn't 'so-so'."
Aldias casually told his mother about his recent progress during dinner with his family, but his father knew better. Cutting a boulder many times his own height in half was far from "so-so."
"How do you know?"
"Eh?! Th-that's...!"
"Hehe, this man, he's so worried about you, Aldias, he keeps sneaking out of work to check on you. That's why his boss always scolds him severely."
His father, startled by his wife's sudden revelation, stammered, "Mom?! You said that was a secret...!!" It seemed he wanted to maintain an air of dignity in front of his son.
"......"
"N-no, Aldias. It was a coincidence... yes, a coincidence. I just happened to go outside for a break. It's not like I'm doubting Freed-kun or anything..."
"Overprotective."
"Ugh!"
The sharp gaze from his beloved son made his father feel as if a sword had pierced his chest. The person recently chosen as his son's tutor, Freed Bakua, was a renowned figure, slated to be the next general of the demon race, and highly trusted by his subordinates. He could safely entrust his son to Freed, but Aldias was still a small child. It was impossible not to worry.
"Well, I think your father worries too much, but please forgive him. He's just like that because you're so precious to him."
"I'm not mad."
"It's not just your father; I worry too, you know? No matter how talented you are, you're still a child."
His mother's downturned eyebrows and anxious expression conveyed, painfully clearly, that she worried about him from the bottom of her heart. Aldias smiled faintly, yet clearly, hoping to alleviate their anxiety even a little.
"It's okay. I'm getting stronger, little by little. I'll protect both of you."
"......"
However, contrary to Aldias's expectation, their expressions didn't clear. Feeling uneasy that he might have said something wrong, his mother enveloped Aldias's hand and spoke.
"Aldias, listen carefully. It makes us very happy that you think that way. But what we want most isn't that."
"...But."
"Even if he is a child of god, he's still just a child."
His father shook his head in exasperation at Aldias, who seemed unconvinced. Aldias frowned in displeasure, and his father roughly ruffled his hair.
"To a parent, a child's happiness is the most important thing."
"Just as you care about us, we care about you too, you know?"
"That's..."
Still, I...
"You don't have to overthink it. We just love you so, so much, Aldias. If you get hurt, there are two people here who will be sad. That's all you need to understand."
"Well, a parent's feelings are something you only truly understand once you become a parent yourself. If anything happened to you, Aldias, we'd destroy the world!"
"That would be... a problem."
"Right? So I won't tell you not to push yourself. But please, always come back to us. It's a promise?"
She extended her pinky finger, and after a slight hesitation, he slowly linked his own.
"Okay. I'll definitely come back to both of you. I promise."
Upon hearing those words, smiles finally returned to their faces.
"Aldias! With Dad too! Let's do it with Dad too!"
"Oh, it's my time now. You're next."
"How cruel?! I want to do it too?!"
"......Hehe."
His father leaned over the table, extending his pinky finger as well, but his mother embraced Aldias, guarding him. He protested loudly against his wife's tyrannical monopolization of their beloved son, but she merely smiled, ignoring him. Aldias chuckled softly to himself at their usual exchange.
This was Aldias's everyday life before his parents were tragically taken by Alv's schemes. A page from a happy memory that would never return.
"─────Aldias-sama, Aldias-sama!"
"...Freed, is that you?"
Demon King's Castle, office. When Aldias awoke, his trusted subordinate was peeking at his expression, with a hand on Aldias's shoulder.
"......Right, it was a dream."
After a pause, Aldias understood the situation. He had been conducting final checks for the decisive battle, but it seemed he had fallen asleep without realizing it. Still, he had a nostalgic dream. Although he used to have such dreams frequently when he was little, he hadn't seen them much recently...
"It seems you're fatigued after all... Perhaps you should rest today."
"That won't do. The decisive battle is tomorrow. I can't overlook even the slightest oversight."
Yes, tomorrow was finally the day of the decisive battle designated by Spaß. For the past three days, they had done everything imaginable: increasing and strengthening their forces, and even crafting artifacts. The moonlight streaming through the window suggested he had slept for quite a while. The country, which had been noisy all night until today, was now quiet. Everyone must be resting to prepare for tomorrow's battle.
"If that negatively impacts tomorrow, it would be counterproductive. Please rest."
"What about you?"
"I'll rest once I confirm you're resting."
Freed's unspoken message was that he wouldn't rest if Aldias didn't, which made Aldias smile wryly. "Something similar happened before, didn't it?"
"...Understood. I'll rest today. But will you accompany me for a bit?"
"? If I can be of assistance."
"My apologies. I just want to get some fresh air."
Aldias stood up, and Freed followed him. Aldias led Freed to the terrace on the top floor of the demon castle, which offered a panoramic view of the city of Garland.
"Hmm? It seems we have company."
As the two stepped onto the terrace, a blonde girl stood leaning against the railing.
"Hm? Aldias and Freed? What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Just for a change of pace. What about you, Aletheia?"
"I couldn't sleep for some reason..."
"I see."
Aldias stood beside Aletiaand silently gazed down at the cityscape. Aletiaand Freed, who stood behind him, also remained silent. After a period of quiet, Aldias suddenly spoke.
"I had a dream about my parents after a long time."
"Aldias's parents?"
"Yes. I wonder why. I used to have such dreams when I was a child, but I haven't had them recently..."
Why now? Why at this moment, with the decisive battle tomorrow? He had done everything he could. The Tortas Allied Forces were, quite literally, the culmination of all the human strength residing in Tortas. All that was left was to unleash all their power. That should be all... but...
"I must not have completely discarded my anxiety."
That's why he sought his father's kindness. That's why he sought his mother's warmth.
──At this crucial time, he escaped to a happy, easy world.
"I'm weak. I only showed strength in front of the Alliance, but in the end, I'm like this."
If he showed such an embarrassing display, he couldn't protect his people. Defeating Spasswould be nothing but a pipe dream.
(Don't cling to past memories. While I'm looking back, the enemy is approaching. Don't be soft. Look forward. Don't stop moving.)
"...Aldias, bend down a little."
"? Why?"
"Just do it."
Aletheia, who had been intently watching Aldias as he closed his eyes and uttered self-reproaching words, pulled his hand and urged him to kneel. Aldias, with a question mark floating above his head, knelt as Aletiapulled him. This allowed Aletiato meet Aldias's gaze head-on, something she usually had to look up to do.
──She then pulled Aldias's head to her chest.
"...Aletheia?"
"Aldias, you're not weak."
"But..."
"What's weak about remembering your parents? What's wrong with clinging to the past?"
"......"
While embracing Aldias, Aletiaspoke gently. Like a mother soothing her child. Like an older sister setting an example. Like a lover offering support.
"To move forward relentlessly without looking back. That might indeed be a noble way of life. But it's surely a very painful and lonely path."
Aldias was strong. Stronger than anyone. That's why he always walked at the forefront. Constantly clearing the thorny path, eliminating dangers for those who followed. But as long as he walked at the front, only enemies would appear in Aldias's eyes. That's why, sometimes, it was okay to stop. It was okay to look back. Because there, surely...
"We're here. We'll always follow you, Aldias. If you're troubled, please consult us. If you're having a hard time, please rely on us."
──We're family, aren't we?
"──Guh!"
"Aletiais right."
As Aldias stiffened, Freed, who had been silently listening behind them, approached.
"Your unwavering determination to move forward is certainly one of your virtues, but your excessive sense of responsibility, trying to shoulder everything alone, is something I'd like you to reconsider."
Saying that, Freed stood beside Aldias, who was kneeling, and placed his palm on Aldias's head. As a subordinate, even a general, this was undoubtedly disrespectful to a king. In some countries, such an egregious act could immediately lead to beheading. However, Freed's expression, usually so composed, was remarkably gentle...
"You are too kind. You try to bear everything alone because you don't want anyone to get hurt."
"That's because I swore I would... so that I wouldn't lose anything more. To be strong..."
"To express your weakness is not weakness itself. To acknowledge your weakness, express it, and still continue to move forward—that, I believe, is true strength."
"True... strength."
"If I can be your support, I will support your back countless times. If you stray from your path, I will pull you back countless times. If I can be your strength, I will lend my power countless times. We believe in you."
──So, rely on your big brother a little.
"Freed..."
Aldias's eyes widened at Freed's choice of words towards him. When did it start... when Freed began using honorifics and changing his way of speaking towards him? He thought it was sometime shortly after he ascended to the Demon King's throne. He had told him, "It's fine to be informal when we're alone," but though his words became slightly less rigid, his formal speech remained. He wasn't entirely pleased about it. He felt a little sad to be treated that way by someone he admired like an older brother. However, as king, he had somewhat resigned himself to it as unavoidable.
"Your big sister will also fully support you."
"Aletheia..."
As Aldias stood stunned by the sudden turn of events, Aletiatightened her embrace as if to remind him not to forget her.
"Aldias helped me. Because of that, I learned that my uncle loved me. Now it's my turn to help... Aldias helps us, and we help Aldias. If we do that, we won't lose to even a god."
"......I see, that's right, it was. There was nothing to worry about."
──The past with my parents is a symbol of weakness?
That's impossible. I don't know anyone stronger than those two.
──My sister and brother are unreliable?
They've always supported me by my side. I've always relied on them.
──The people who believed in me and followed me are a burden?
Because they were here, I was able to keep going without breaking.
──Then, it's okay now.
Ah, there's nothing to be anxious about. I just have to fulfill my role.
"...I apologize. I showed you another pathetic side of myself. I'm fine now."
"It's a big sister's job to take care of her little brother. A good big sister embraces one or two pathetic moments."
Aletiasaid, and though it seemed she was reluctant to let go, she released Aldias. "Ah, you always help me," Aldias told Aletheia, then looked at Freed again, where he found his subordinate kneeling with his head bowed.
"My sincerest apologies, Aldias-sama. Such disrespect is unbecoming of a subordinate. I will accept any punishment."
"...You're still the same, I see. I think you could loosen up a bit more..."
Just a moment ago, his attitude and speech had reverted to their old, familiar ways, but in the blink of an eye, he had transformed from brother to subordinate. Even Aldias was a little exasperated by how quickly he switched.
(Should I call him serious, or stubborn...? Can't he give me a little more time to indulge in sentimentality, this brother of mine...?)
"I have no intention of punishing you. In fact, I wish for the treatment I received just now. How about I punish you by making you stop being so formal?"
"Th-that's..."
"Hahaha, I'm joking."
"Freed, you overthink too much. You should be more frank."
"I can't. If I break discipline, it will, in turn, negatively affect the army. If you ask me, Aletiais too careless."
"It's fine, Aldias says so. And he wants it. I'm a good big sister who listens to her little brother's wishes. Unlike a stubborn older brother."
"Ugh?!"
Freed was speechless at Aletheia's seemingly logical statement. It was hard for him to argue, knowing that Aldias clearly wanted that. Aletheia, perhaps knowing Freed couldn't retort, even curled the corners of her mouth slightly from her usual expressionless face, smirking. Aldias's expression, watching the exchange between his older sister and brother, no longer showed any of the gloom from earlier. It was a casual family interaction, an ordinary, commonplace scene that Aldias wished to see.
To protect this scene, he had to overcome tomorrow. However, there was no need to be on edge right now. Before the battle that would determine the fate of humanity, Aldias joined the circle of the two still bickering.
──And finally, the fated day arrived, which would decide the future of humanity.
============
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