Darkness.
Nothing but darkness.
Esper felt her consciousness sinking into the darkness. There was no pain, no burning, no holy light here.
Only silence.
And then, she saw light.
The light of a campfire.
That warm, orange, flickering glimmer.
It came from far away.
Esper walked toward that light.
She wasn't sure if she still had feet, or even a body. But she was indeed moving, drawing closer.
The light grew closer and closer.
And then, she saw it clearly.
A campfire.
A pile of quietly burning wood. The flames had a bluish tint, unlike a natural fire, but the warmth was real.
A person sat by the campfire.
Long black hair was draped over her shoulders, and her silver eyes shimmered in the firelight. She was flipping through a diary with one hand, her other hand resting on her knee.
She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a simple black long-sleeved shirt and trousers.
Leaning against her shoulder was a little girl who had already fallen asleep.
Long, silvery-white hair fell over her shoulder, her face peaceful and serene.
Esper's body shuddered.
Beatrice.
There was no way Esper could mistake that face.
But at this moment, she didn't seem hostile at all.
She just leaned against the other person like an ordinary child, fast asleep.
The little face that always wore different expressions had none right now, only simple peace and reassurance. It was as if she were leaning against her entire world.
“...Hmm?”
The silver-eyed girl raised her gaze.
Her eyes fell upon Esper as she walked over, carrying a hint of surprise.
“Oh, this aura... You must be Esper, right?”
“...Who are you?”
“How rude.”
The girl closed the diary and casually placed it beside her.
“Just call me Dante.”
“...Dante?”
“Yes. There probably aren't any records of me left in the existing historical archives. After all, even she can't remember who I am anymore.”
As she spoke, her free hand gently stroked Beatrice's hair.
The movement was very natural, as if she had done it countless times before.
“...Where is this? Why am I here?”
Dante tilted her head and thought for a moment.
“If nothing went wrong, this should be Beya's memory space, right? After all, I'm already dead.”
“...You?”
“That's right. I'm clearly dead, but because Beya couldn't bear to let me go, I can only be locked inside her memories. I can't go anywhere.”
She spoke in a very lighthearted tone, as if talking about what she had eaten today.
“But it's actually not that boring. After all, Beya's memories keep pouring in. She even takes the initiative to find entertainment to keep me amused. So it's actually fine.”
“...She actively finds entertainment to keep you amused? She forgot you, so why would she still...”
“The only thing she forgot was me.”
Dante took her hand off Beatrice's hair and placed it back on her knee.
“In her memory, the things about me simply turned into a memory of wanting to do fun and interesting things for a certain person.”
“She doesn't remember that the person was me. But she still remembers that she has someone she wants to make happy. It's that simple.”
“...”
Esper clenched her fists.
Her nails dug into her palms.
“So she abused Ela, slandered the demons, launched religious wars, and made Ela and me go through all of this... all just because she wanted to use it to amuse you?”
Dante looked at her, her silver eyes unwavering.
Then, she sighed.
“Yes. After all, I am very bored.”
A very flat statement.
“By the way, of all the performances she has provided for me, my favorite is still the story between you and Eladia. I've actually started shipping you two a bit.”
Esper's teeth gritted.
Dante looked at her expression. She didn't laugh, nor did she apologize.
“However, I'm not some cold and heartless fellow. I wouldn't just stay indifferent after she made a total mess of your lives.”
She raised a finger.
“I'm a savior of sorts, after all. So as compensation for what happened because of me, I can help you go back.”
“...Help me go back?”
“You're about to die, did you forget? A real, true death.”
Esper froze for a moment.
Death.
Right, she was dying.
The holy light had burned away half her life, her magic was completely exhausted, and Noelle's shield was entirely shattered.
She was currently lying in Eladia's arms, not breathing.
“...It seems like that's indeed the case.”
“Think about it. Do you want Eladia to live on, bearing the sin of having killed you?”
Esper was quiet for a few seconds, then sighed.
“...Alright.”
“Then, come a bit closer to me.”
Dante beckoned to her.
Esper walked over. One step, two steps, three steps.
The warmth of the campfire enveloped her. Beatrice's breathing was steady and even, showing no signs of waking.
Up close, Dante's features were surprisingly soft.
There was something ancient and profound in her silver eyes, but on the surface, she just had the demeanor of an ordinary, bookish girl.
“Stretch out your hand.”
Esper reached out.
Dante gently took her hand.
Her fingertips were warm.
“Return to how you were.”
She said softly.
“『World Reconstruction: Re-enactment of All Things』”
The space began to fracture.
Starting from beneath her feet, cracks appeared in the darkness like shattering glass, and light flooded in through the fissures.
Esper felt her body being reconstructed. Bones, muscles, blood vessels, skin.
Everything that had been burned away was returning to its original state.
Her consciousness began to drift away.
The world grew further and further away, becoming blurry.
But at the very last moment, she saw Dante's face.
The girl smiled at her.
It was just an ordinary smile.
“Esper. Let me ask one last favor of you.”
The blue light of the campfire reflected in her silver pupils.
“Please go tell her that the person who gave her the name Beatrice is already sick of the entertainment she's been finding. Tell her to stop tormenting the living for the sake of a dead person.”
Light swallowed everything.
The last thing remaining in her vision was the profile of Dante lowering her head and reopening the diary.
And the little girl with silvery-white hair sleeping peacefully against her shoulder.
A faint, lingering smile remained on her lips.
.
Northern Main Road. The charred wasteland.
Eladia knelt on the ground, wrapping her arms around Esper's body. Her tears had already washed away the ash on her face, leaving two white streaks.
“Please... wake up... Esper... I don't want you to die...”
Her voice had gone hoarse.
She had screamed until her throat reached its limit.
Then, the body in her arms twitched.
A very faint movement, as if a finger had twitched.
Eladia's body froze.
Then came a breath.
A very shallow breath escaped Esper's mouth, her warm breath brushing against Eladia's neck.
“...Ela... stop crying...”
A hoarse, weak voice that was almost inaudible.
But it was indeed her voice.
Eladia's eyes rolled back, and she passed out.
Rate on N.U.
