Chapter 660 - "And Thus, The Goddess Laughed"

Compared to the God Realm, the Sanctuary is but a small island. Still, it has quite the size...... However, unnn. Somehow, I knew that Shiro-san would be in this place.

Even though the skies above our heads are different from that time...... This place, with flowers blooming all around our feet, is where Shiro-san and I first met.

The edge of the flower field, illuminated by the stars in the skies...... The sight of Shiro-san standing in a place where she can look down on the God Realm is truly artistic, and I couldn’t help but admire her beauty.

[......Kaito-san? Why are you here?]

[Errr, I really had to tell Shiro-san something......]

Shiro-san’s eyes seemed to shake a bit at my appearance, but with her usual expressionless face and intonationless voice, she asked.

[Something...... you really had to tell me?]

[......Yes.]

As I nodded my head, I was reminded of the fortune-telling I received from Elise-san back then. The reversed door...... That for me, victory in the true sense of the word isn’t achieved by simply beating Shiro-san, but by finding the key to open that door.

Throughout the final ordeal, I had also been thinking about this matter too. What this key is, and what could the real victory be......

And I found something...... that I think would be the key. However, I’m not really sure...... if it really was the correct answer or not.

It’s just my hunch but...... I think this would probably be my “first and final chance”. I only have one chance to turn that key, and if I make a mistake...... That door will never open again. I feel like Shiro-san herself would tightly lock that door, never to be opened again.

That’s why, I hesitated for a moment. However...... Well, at the end of the day, all I can do is just be honest about my feelings, and even though I don’t know whether my answer is correct or not...... I’ll just tell Shiro-san exactly how I feel right now.

[......”If I were the one who first met you...... If it was me who had saved you...... Would I have become...... special to you?”]

[!? ]

As soon as I said those words, agitation could be clearly seen appearing in Shiro-san’s eyes.

[......I don’t remember where or from whom I heard these words. However, just these words remained strongly in my mind. I guess these really are...... words said to me by Shiro-san, aren’t they?]

[......................]

These words have been stuck in my head ever since the Six Kings Festival. I don’t even remember who told me those words, but I felt that I should never forget them......

Shiro-san didn’t say anything. However, her silence itself made me sure. It was her who said these words, and that these words contain her wish......

[My answer to this question is this. “Even if the order in which we met changed, I’m sure that today won’t change.”]

[.....................]

For a moment, a hint of sadness flashed across Shiro-san’s face, but her expression changed with my next words.

[Because even now, Shiro-san is still “special” to me, “someone that couldn’t be replaced by others”...... I can’t think of any idea how you can be more special than that. So, I guess it won’t change.]

[......Eh?]

[I mean, honestly speaking, I don’t really think there’s anyone that’s as airheaded and absurd as Shiro-san, you know?]

[......Eh? Eh?]

How should I say this...... I saw something very unusual. Shiro-san looked clearly bewildered. It’s like she doesn’t understand what’s going on......

[......Special? I am special...... Even though I didn’t save Kaito-san......]

[You’re very particular about that, aren’t you...... Hmm, then, who was it that treated me when I was badly injured in Rigforeshia?]

[......It was me.]

[Then, doesn’t that mean Shiro-san saved me?]

[......Is that how it is?]

[That, it is.]

It seems that Shiro-san is obsessed with the idea of saving me, so even if it’s a bit forceful, I decided to push her in that direction.

Well, of course, I know that what Shiro-san meant when she talked about “saving” is something else, but I can’t really do anything about that without my memory being erased, so I’ll have to convince her with something else.

[......And one more thing. Do you remember? The first time Shiro-san and I met...... Shiro-san said you’d give me what I wanted, to which I turned down, didn’t I?]

[Yes.]

[I know it’s too late to say this now, but thank you very much. It’s because Shiro-san brought that kind of choice in front of me...... that I’ve figured out what I really want.]

[...............]

[But well...... It’s that.]

Stopping my words that sounds like I’m trying to convince the shaken Shiro-san for the moment...... I walked before Shiro-san and expressed my feelings.

[......It doesn’t matter. Whether the order we met or what you’ve done...... Shiro-san has helped me many times. There were many times when I was being swung around, but the time we spent together was really fun and made me feel happy. I was drawn to Shallow Vernal, who wasn’t like any other...... So, I’ll say it again. You’ve been special to me for a long time...... No one can take your place, for you’re someone special to me.]

[.....................]

When I told Shiro-san that she was special and irreplaceable with a smile, her eyes opened wide and she fell silent. Then after a little while...... She suddenly lowered her head.

[......F- Fufu......]

[Shiro-san?]

[......Haha, fufufu, is that so...... I’ve already been special to Kaito-san huh...... Ahaha, even though I should have always been reading your mind...... How is it that I didn’t know this?]

I had seen Shiro-san smile several times before. But this was the first time I’d ever seen her laugh with such genuine joy.

Shiro-san then laughed like that for a while, before she turned her gaze to the Sanctuary’s sky.

[......Ahh...... “I’m really glad...... that I created this world”.]

[...................]

[In this world, there are things I don’t know...... and things I can’t do......]

Saying this, Shiro-san turned her eyes that had some tears on its corners to me and filled with deep emotions, she spoke.

[......and I have...... ” a story I can’t end”...... Ahh, this is......]

I’ll probably never forget the expression on Shiro-san’s face today. In the field of flowers illuminated by the stars, a surprisingly gentle smile appeared on the Goddess’ lips.

[......This is...... quite the “happiness”.]

The look on her face as she seemed to sing about how happy she is that there are things she can’t do...... looked so inexplicably beautiful that I was lost for words.

[Thank you, Kaito-san...... and, congratulations. My beloved, my singularity...... You had indeed defeated the “God of the End that I am”. For the first time in my life...... I now stand in a place that is not at the end.]

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but apparently, the key I found was the right one. I see, indeed...... It seems like behind the door, I really had found an amazing hidden treasure.

I think that the best reward of the ordeal is seeing the expression on Shiro-san’s face now...... her unbelievably heartfelt, gentle smile.

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