We left the ruins and made camp in the forest.
The three of us share a meal around the fire.
Soup that Elle made.
Mana Ledger: Active
Consumption: 1.2 MP Efficiency: 81.4% Ash Output: 0.22 kg
A week ago, this soup alone would have produced hundreds of kilograms of ash.
Now, 0.22 kg.
"This is delicious, Elle!"
"Thank you, Bell!"
Elle smiles happily.
Bell watches me while sipping her soup.
"Kai, aren't you going to eat?"
"I am."
I take a sip of the soup.
Warm. Not bad.
"...It's good, Elle."
"Really?!"
Elle's eyes light up.
"Mr. Kai complimented me...!"
"You're overreacting. It's just an ordinary observation."
The fire crackles.
Ash is falling.
But—around our campfire, the ash is thinner.
Our optimization is slowly beginning to change the world.
Mana Ledger: Active
Time Until World Collapse: 377 Days 22:31:08
Party Composition:
Kai Verner (Efficiency: 98%) Elle Alshera (Efficiency: 62% — Growing) Belphegor (Efficiency: 99.98%)
World Tree Fragments: 1/7 Recovered
Success Probability: 0.31%
0.31%.
A hundredfold increase from the initial 0.003%.
"Mr. Kai."
Elle sits down beside me.
"I'm going to work even harder."
"Good."
"To save the world... I'll do everything I can."
"...I'm counting on you."
Bell sits down on my other side.
"Bell will work hard too."
"Good."
"If I'm with you, Kai—this time, we'll make it."
—This time.
I don't yet know what those words mean.
But someday—the day will come when I understand.
"Let's move. Tomorrow, we head north."
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
Their voices overlap.
I look up at the sky.
Ash is falling.
But—beyond it, I can faintly see stars.
Light filters through a gap in the ash clouds.
The world isn't dead yet.
As long as we don't give up—there is hope.
Lina.
I speak to my sister in my heart.
I couldn't save you.
But I will bring spring back to this gray world.
I promise.