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The Creator God's Return
"..."
Suddenly, I awoke. This was a sub-space transcending the dimension where humanity resided. A pristine, pure white world where nothing else existed. After leaving the nation, I had created a special space in a different dimension and entered a state of dormancy there. This dormancy, vastly different from human sleep, lasted for years. Without my promise to Rosheeda, I might have slept for decades, even centuries. Yet, a sleep that should have lasted five or six years was abruptly cut short.
"...This is..."
As I wondered about this, an indescribable unease crossed my mind.
"It feels like about a year, perhaps?"
It was a much earlier awakening than planned, but the unease in my mind kept me from wanting to fall back asleep.
"I don't think anything would have changed in a year... but perhaps I should just take a look."
Spassraised a hand to the void, and with a hum, a display-like projection appeared in mid-air. It showed the state of the world after his departure. For a moment, Spassconsidered checking on the lakeside, but decided to first confirm the nation's situation and rapidly switched the images.
"!!"
And upon seeing the sight displayed, Spassburst out of the sub-space.
A Nation in Ruin
"Graciano-kun!!"
"!!âCreator God-sama!? Oh, Creator God-sama has returned!!"
Spassburst into the Throne Room and called out to Graciano. Graciano, eyes wide for a moment, his previously dark, somber expression transforming into a radiant smile, while the surrounding knights and civil officials also bowed their heads excitedly, offering words of blessing for his return.
"Indeed, our judgment was not mistaken! Hoist the banners! Prepare the feast! Proclaim to the entire nation that Creator God-sama has returned!!"
"Yes, sir!! We shall prepare immediatelyâ"
"None of that matters!!"
Several knights and civil officials were about to rush out of the Throne Room, but a voice, almost a roar, from Spasscut them off.
"Graciano-kun! I've seen the state of the nation! What is the meaning of this!?"
The castle town, visible even from the Throne Room, was desolate beyond comparison to a year ago. The main street, once bustling with people, was empty, and although there were signs of human presence within the buildings, their faces were dark, as if they had completely despaired of everything. He couldn't comprehend how things could have changed so much in just one year.
"Indeed, you've already seen it, haven't you? All of this is due to the evil 'Witch'."
"A 'Witch'?"
"Yes. An wicked witch who stole our God from Ishvaldi and seeks to dominate the world. Because of her, our nation has lost its former glory. It has become like a city of the dead."
"Witch"âthe word made Spassconsider that an enemy identical to himself, as he had once predicted, might have appeared. Yet, he was troubled by his inability to sense such a being.
(I couldn't sense a being with power comparable to mine? Could it be that she possesses stealth abilities strong enough to evade my senses�)
"...I understand the situation. I will deal with this 'Witch'. Do you know her location?"
"What?! If Creator God-sama is to go as a reinforcement, it would be worth a hundred men!!"
"...Reinforcement? C-could it be... someone has already gone!?"
"Yes, Elyshifan has just departed to subjugate the Witch."
"What?!"
An enemy capable of pushing this nation to such a state. If that were true, even Elyshifan-kun, the strongest in Ishvaldi, would be in extreme danger.
"Rest assured. My son did not depart without a fighting chance. He carries the 'Divine Sword Fragarach' with him."
"!! Fragarach..."
Indeed, with that sword, even supernatural beings could be harmed. Given Elyshifan-kun's abilities, there was a significant possibility. However, it was still dangerous.
"I'll head there immediately! Where is it!?"
"300 kilometers south from here. The lakeside in the forest is said to be the Witch's lair!"
"...Huh?"
At that moment, I felt the blood drain from my entire body. My body trembled as if it had been instantly frozen. No, it couldn't be. It couldn't be. It was a coincidence. Forests and lakesides were everywhere in the world.
"...What are the characteristics of this 'Witch'?"
I asked, my voice trembling. I prayed it was just my imagination. That it was a mistake. Graciano, oblivious to my turmoil, calmly stated the facts. The cruelly undeniable truth...
"Her appearance is that of a teenage girl with white hair that reaches her waist. She always commands the animals living in the forest as her familiars. The Witch's name is... 'Rosheeda'."
At that instant, I burst out of the Throne Room, kicking the door open. I heard Graciano-kun frantically calling my name from behind, but that didn't matter now. Now, I regretted not checking on Rosheeda first, but there was no time for such thoughts.
(Please, be in time!!)
The Burning Forest
"How could this be..."
I could only murmur in shock at the sight that unfolded before me.
ââThe forest... was burning.
The flames had already spread throughout the entire forest, and trees centuries old were being felled one after another. Spass, momentarily stunned, instinctively stopped, but then immediately plunged into the burning forest. His destination was that lakeside deep within.
(Rosheeda isn't always there. It's okay, surely it's okayâ)
Spass's feet, which had been weaving through the trees, stopped. In his line of sight, a large bear lay powerlessly on the ground. And not just that. Various animals of the forest lay fallen everywhere. Upon closer inspection, the animals were fallen as if in a line, leading in the direction Spasswas heading. It was as if they were trying to protect something deep within the forest from an assailant...
"Grrr."
At that moment, a small growl reached Spass's ears.
"!! Are you alright!?"
Spassrushed to the growling bear and immediately tried to heal its wounds... but the bear weakly pushed away Spass's outstretched hand. It then looked at Spassas if pleading, lifted its head slightly, and pointed with its chin in a certain direction. It was the direction of that favorite lakeside of Rosheeda and Spass.
"Grrr."
"...You mean, go?"
The bear nodded silently at Spass's words. Seeing this, Spasshesitated for a moment, then dashed towards the lakeside. After watching his retreating back, the bear, having squeezed out its last ounce of strength to lift its head, slowly lowered it back to the ground.
"It's been a long time, my God. Has it been a year?"
"..."
"It's the first time I haven't seen you for a year, but you seem unchanged."
"..."
"I, too, have not neglected my training this past year, and preparations to inherit the throne are steadily progressing."
Upon reaching his destination, Spasswas greeted not by the person he desired, but by Elyshifan, whose expression was as unchanging as ever. Seeing Spass, he initially widened his eyes but then spoke to Spasshappily with a smile. Spass, however, had no time to listen to his words.
Elyshifan wore the battle armor passed down through the royal family, and in his right hand, he gripped a sword that was all too familiar. Its once pure white blade was stained crimson with blood, still dripping from its tip. And beyond him, leaning against a particularly large tree, was the figure of a young girlâRosheedaâwith a painful, straight diagonal gash from her left shoulder. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared lifeless, but the faint rise and fall of her chest suggested she was still conscious. That didn't mean he was relieved. The sword Elyshifan wielded was undoubtedly the "Divine Sword Fragarach" that Spasshimself had created.
"...Why did you do such a thing?"
"Why... do you ask?"
"About her! That she's a 'Witch'!? There's no way that's true! You're probably the only one who knew of Rosheeda's existence! You must have put something in Graciano-kun's head, didn't you!?"
"There was nothing to 'put' in. It's a fact that you were influenced by that woman. I merely disposed of an arrogant fool who didn't know her place."
"Was it so much so that you had to use Fragarach!?"
"I had already investigated and found that this woman possessed magical talent comparable to mine. There's no telling what such individuals might do when cornered."
"Did you fabricate a non-existent truth for that purpose!!"
Fragarach had three restrictions for its use. The first was that Elyshifan, being of royal blood, had no problem. For the second, as unbelievable as it was, if he truly judged her existence to negatively impact me and, by extension, the nation, it would be understandable. However, he couldn't have fulfilled the third condition alone. That's why he framed her as an enemy of the people. Solely to meet Fragarach's activation requirementsâŚ
"It is to protect the peace of this nation⌠no, this world."
"And for that, you sacrifice an innocent girlâŚ!"
"It is permissible. There is nothing wrong with sacrificing one to protect a thousand⌠In the first place, I did not deceive my father or the people."
"That's impossibleâ"
"I told you, I investigated this woman. As a result, I know she has no intention of harming the nation. And that information has been conveyed to the people without exception."
"Then why can Fragarach be used!? You can't use it solely by your own will! It requires the consent of thirty percent of Ishvaldi's citizens!?"
"Yes, so they consented. With full knowledge of everything."
"...Eh?"
I was speechless at the truth Elyshifan-kun told me. Graciano-kun and all the citizens knew everything? And they consented knowing all that? Why⌠whyâŚ
"It doesn't matter what this woman was thinking. What's important is that because of her, you changed. That's why I killed her. All for your sake and for our nation. And it wasn't just thirty percent. I obtained the consent of approximately fifty million people, equivalent to the entire population of Ishvaldi."
"...That's absurd."
Kill? My precious daughter? For my sake? For the nation? And the entire nation agreed? Why? Why, why, why, why, why, why, why? I don't understand. I cannot comprehend the words this human before me is speaking. Is this truly the being I created?
ââWhat... is this?
"You may not understand now. However, it is enough if you simply remain by our side. That alone will save many people. That's why..."
Elyshifan turned around and once again pointed Fragarach at Rosheeda, who still hadn't moved.
"Foolish woman. Because of you, many people suffered and lost their lives. An evil witch who brought calamity upon this nation will..."
ââDie.
Elyshifan swung his sword down towards the fallen Rosheeda.
At that moment, my vision was dyed crimson.
Rain... was falling. There was no wind, just a rain that was neither heavy nor light. Yet, the countless drops falling from the sky were enough to extinguish the fire that had spread through the forest, seeming to avert a complete conflagration. Amidst it, oblivious to the rain, Spassheld Rosheeda, embracing her. Close by, Elyshifan lay on the ground, his body completely still.
Spasswas consumed by intense self-loathing. If only he had gone to Rosheeda first. If only he had stayed by her side. If only he hadn't revealed her existence.
ââNo, if he had never met her in the first place, she wouldn't have suffered like this...
"...F-father?"
"Rosheeda? Rosheeda!?"
As Spasscontinued his self-reproach, a weak voice called out to him from his arms. Startled, he loosened his embrace slightly, and Rosheeda opened her eyes a little, gazing at Spassclearly, despite her hazy vision.
"Welcome back."
"!!âYes, I'm home."
"...I'm sorry, okay? You told me to be careful, but..."
"You are not to blame for anything. It is all my fault. I am sorry... I'm sorry, Rosheeda."
Spasscould only apologize. With his power, he could even resurrect the dead. However, her wound was inflicted by Fragarach. Spasscould clearly see the lamp of her life flickering out even at this very moment.
"...Don't apologize, Father."
"If only I... if only I hadn't met you..."
"...Don't say such sad things, okay? I'm glad I met you, Father."
"But..."
To Spass, whose face was contorted in sadness, Rosheeda smiled faintly and said, "It's not a lie."
"I envied children who had both parents. My real father and mother died when I was little, so I kept telling myself it couldn't be helped. I didn't want to bother the people who took me in, so I always tried to be a good girl and held back."
ââIt was then that I met you, Father.
"You're a bit clumsy, childish, and sometimes careless, but you stay by my side without me having to say anything. You watch over my growth. I often thought, 'If my dad were alive, would he be like this?'"
"Rosheeda..."
"It's okay. Don't make such a sad face, okay? I'll always be watching over you, Father... I'm sure we'll meet again. So, don't cry, okay?"
Summoning her last bit of strength, Rosheeda placed a hand on Spass's cheek.
ââI love you, Father.
With those final words, Rosheeda quietly closed her eyelids. Her chest, which had been faintly rising and falling, stopped moving completely.
"...Ah..."
Spassembraced Rosheeda's body tightly once more.
"Aaaahhh!"
As if to not let the last bit of warmth escape.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Spass's scream echoed through the surroundings.
Why did she have to die? What did she do? She was just living a normal life. Spass's eyes stopped on Elyshifan's fallen figure as he questioned himself.
That's right, it's their fault. Because of humans, because of such things, my precious daughter died. I believed. I believed they would use my power correctly. But they...
(...I'll destroy them. Such foolish beings, steeped in desire, are nothing but a blight on this world. I don't need them in my world.)
Dark, viscous emotions overflowed from the depths of his chest. Just as he was about to surrender to the hatred that threatened to consume himâ
ââHumanity, we aren't that weak.
At his beloved daughter's past words, Spassbarely held back. He then gazed at her face, now peaceful in death.
"...Can you still say the same thing you said back then? I am..."
His expression was like a Noh mask, making it impossible to read his emotions. After staring at Rosheeda's face in silence for a while, Spasspicked her up and stood.
"It would be easy to destroy them, humanity, here and now. However, that would also be trampling on your feelings... Let's test it. Whether humanity truly can be as strong as you say..."
If they could prove that, he would lend them his strength without limit. But if he judged them incapable... then...
ââHe would deliver their final rites with his own hands.
With those final words, the Creator God of the world vanished from this realm.
Following the Creator God's second disappearance, the death of the prince, who was once promised the future as the next king, brought further shock to Ishvaldi, which was already in turmoil. Having lost their young leader, they quickly fragmented, began to quarrel, and those embers of conflict rapidly spread across the world.
Thus, the great nation boasting an eight-hundred-year history completely vanished from history in just a few years.