Resolution
The splitting headache that felt like it would shatter my skull finally subsided.
It was just as the village came into view.
The dull, monotonous scenery of the village hadn’t changed at all. Not that I expected it to—what could possibly transform in just a week? Still, there’s something oddly fascinating about how this place always manages to maintain the same atmosphere.
…Maybe it’s just that the memory of a village disappearing in mere hours left too strong an impression on me.
In any case, the headache vanished as soon as I arrived in the village.
If that damned pain had persisted, I might’ve wasted several more days. At least it eased up once I got here—that’s a relief, I guess.
But that’s the only thing that’s improved.
My sickly body showed no signs of recovery.
Maybe that’s why, not long after reaching the village, my vision started to blur again.
“Feeling… a little dizzy.”
The words slipped out, though I wasn’t sure who I was even speaking to. I let my body collapse onto a long bench, the cold, hard surface pressing against my back. The chill seeped into me, sharp and biting, pulling a sigh from deep within my chest.
I’d been walking for hours. If I were still fine after all that, I wouldn’t be human—I’d be a monster.
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly.
The white light behind my eyelids swirled and flickered, disorienting. The wind brushed over the wounds on my face, stinging faintly. Unfortunately, the pleasant sound of birds chirping was nowhere to be heard.
Time passed like that.
Even a short rest was enough to dull the persistent, grating pain.
My mind wasn’t exactly clear, but the hazy state I was in was just enough to think things through.
It was time to start planning.
First, Cecilia.
Unless the church found her, she’d still be at the inn where she was staying. She’d probably insist on accompanying me to the Empire, but honestly, I’d rather just leave her behind. If she came along and we ran into someone from the church, it’d only spell trouble. Besides, the only place I’m guaranteed safety after opening all the letters is within the Empire itself.
She’s helped me a lot, but what can I do?
I’ve come too far to let the church get a hold of me now.
Next, Valkvogel.
She wasn’t anywhere to be seen when I returned to the village, so she’s probably out hunting or wandering the outskirts. Honestly, I’d like to quietly abandon her here and leave, but I still need to remove the broken collar and ask her for one last favor.
Yeah, a favor.
I need to ask her to stay in this village.
To put it simply, Bella’s dead, so I need her to take over her duties.
Wyverns shouldn’t be a problem for Valkvogel—she can handle them easily. I don’t really care what happens to the people of this world, but at the very least, I should clean up the mess I made before I go.
From Valkvogel’s perspective, it’s a shameless request, but for a former Demon Army officer like her, it’s not the worst deal. If she stays in a normal settlement, hunters will eventually come for her. But if she lives quietly in a remote place like this, she won’t be tracked.
It’s not like dragon hunters would dare step foot in the Dragon Kingdom.
And the Demon Army? They’d have to be completely out of their minds to come all the way to the Dragon Kingdom, the furthest point from the Demon Continent.
The villagers benefit from having Valkvogel around, and Valkvogel gets to avoid the hassle of being hunted. A perfect solution. Truly, I’m a genius.
With my body feeling slightly better, I was just about to go find Valkvogel when a thought struck me.
Do I really need to meet her?
We’ve already had plenty of time to talk. We crossed the continent together, shared conversations, and by the time Cecilia joined us, I’d say our relationship had mostly mended. Now, we’re just a little awkward—nothing too bad.
Of course, it’s not entirely smooth. Valkvogel might still harbor unresolved resentment, and who knows? Maybe she’s just been hiding her blade, waiting for the right moment for revenge.
So, avoiding her altogether and slipping away quietly might not be a bad idea.
Valkvogel has voluntarily helped with wyvern hunting so far. Even if I don’t ask her, there’s a good chance she’ll stay here.
There’s no real reason left for me to meet her. Leaving without a word wouldn’t cause any problems.
And yet…
Why does this nagging feeling linger?
There shouldn’t be any reason for it. I broke her collar back when we went to find Bella. It wasn’t a proper release, but I made it loose enough that it wouldn’t hurt her even if I moved far away. Hell, even if I disappeared from this world entirely, it wouldn’t kill her.
I made sure of that. The collar’s practically hanging on by a thread—it’d fall off with a bit of scratching.
Valkvogel must’ve sensed that I was planning to leave soon. Going to her just to say goodbye feels unnecessary.
Besides, I just got back from killing my enemy. Seeing Valkvogel’s face right now feels… unsettling. Like I might end up on the receiving end of something.
“Where are you going?”
Of course, the timing couldn’t be worse.
Just as I was about to steel myself and slip away, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
It was Valkvogel.
No, if it were just that, I might’ve chalked it up to bad luck.
But she had her claws out. Both hands.
She’d clearly planned this.
Did she anticipate that my body would be in this state?
“…Leaving, are you?”
Is she about to attack me?
No… it doesn’t seem like it.
Her voice is weary, heavy with exhaustion. Her claws, though bloodied, don’t seem poised to strike.
She doesn’t look like she’s about to lunge.
…Right?
“Me? Where would I be going?” I replied, feigning ignorance.
Might as well try to play it off for now. No harm in playing it safe, just in case.
“You’re planning to head to the Empire, aren’t you? If you made it back in one piece, that must mean all the letters have been opened.”
“Well, uh… yeah. That’s right. I guess it’s about time I head out.”
“Then you’re planning to return to your original world, huh?”
“……”
Was it I was nervous? My lie didn’t last long.
Valkvogel casually slid closer to me, settling down at my side.
She tilted her head back, her tired eyes gazing at the sky as if savoring the scenery. Then, without looking at me, she spoke again.
“How do you feel right now? You’re about to return to that world you’ve been longing for so desperately. You must be thrilled, sneaking off like this. I’m curious.”
That hit a nerve.
How did she know I was planning to leave quietly?
I gave her an awkward smile, but she answered before I could even ask.
“Your actions make it obvious.”
“…I’ve got no defense for that.”
“And you weren’t planning to see her either, were you? I mean, I wasn’t going to meet her myself, so I can’t imagine you would.”
“Why would I—? Wait, hold on. If I were going to see someone, it’d be her before you—”
“Ahem!” Valkvogel cut me off before I could finish. “You know why you’re still able to move, don’t you? And yet, you’re just going to leave?”
She interrupted so sharply that my head started to ache from the conversation.
Still, Cecilia, huh?
Hmm.
When I was thinking about it on my own, it felt fine to just leave without seeing her. But now, talking with Valkvogel, it feels like I can’t just skip out on her. Hmm… maybe I should at least check in on her? I don’t need to bring her along, but making sure she’s okay… that should be fine, right?
Living freely is harder than it sounds.
“Fine. Stopping by to check on her isn’t a big deal.”
At my words, Valkvogel looked back up at the sky. I followed her gaze, lifting my head. The sky was completely clear, not a single cloud in sight. It was so bright and pristine it almost made me feel uneasy.
A quiet stillness settled between us.
Maybe it was time to go.
I braced my hands on my knees and began to push myself up when Valkvogel’s small hand stopped me.
I turned to her, wondering what was going on, but she kept her head lowered, her face hidden.
“If, back then, I had stepped forward first…”
“You still have more to say?”
“If I’d been more proactive…”
I tried to cut her off, sensing the conversation was about to take a serious turn, but she didn’t seem to care and continued speaking.
“Even if things didn’t work out… if that day had never happened, would you have stayed in this world?”
…Of all things, I didn’t expect Valkvogel to bring this up.
I thought she’d just say something simple, like “Take care” or “I’ll get my revenge someday,” and that would be the end of it. But no, she had to twist the mood into something like this.
Honestly, I’d prefer if she just ambushed me or something. That’d be easier to deal with than this.
But… it’s not like I can’t answer her.
It was, in fact, a conversation I’d wanted to have someday.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “No one can predict how things will turn out. If I’d stayed there, I probably would’ve ended up getting killed by a real hero eventually. And even if that didn’t happen, I’d have left eventually because I missed my home. In the end, it’s just a matter of whether that moment came sooner or later.”
“You said you didn’t have a reason to go back anymore.”
“Sometimes, not having a reason is the reason.”
Even without a reason, I’d still go back. Because I want to. Freely, without constraints. There’s no reason, but returning to my original world has always been the goal. I can figure out the reasons once I’m there. And even if I never find them, that’s life—I don’t think I’d regret it.
This world isn’t where I belong, anyway.
There are far more people here who want me gone than those who’d want me to stay.
And in my world… well, maybe no one would want me there either. But at least I wouldn’t be outright hated. That’s got to be better than this.
“Oh, and by the way, I’m not into petite types, so I’d probably have gone back regardless~”
“Hey.”
Ah, that might’ve been a mistake.
As soon as I said it, Valkvogel’s eyes narrowed, locking onto me with a sharp glare.
Her pupils, slit vertically like a predator’s, were the kind of look you’d expect right before a fight breaks out.
…Was this her plan all along? To ambush me?!
But no, she didn’t activate her Mind’s Eye. Not because she was worried about my health or anything like that.
There was no killing intent in her expression.
I don’t know why, but I was certain she wasn’t going to attack me.
“If I drop the polymorph, I’m taller than you, you know. You little brat, acting all high and mighty.”
And just as I thought, Valkvogel merely threw a few light punches at me, her expression oddly refreshed. The hits weren’t serious—she wasn’t putting any real strength into them.
If this had been before… how would I have reacted to that look in her eyes?
Time passed as I pondered that thought.
Eventually, when my arm started to ache faintly, her punching stopped.
And with that, Valkvogel slowly walked away.
As she distanced herself, I felt it—faintly but unmistakably.
This story was coming to an end.
“Flan, you’re not going to die, right?”
“Probably not. As long as I don’t run into those church bastards, I should be fine.”
Silence fell between us again.
Valkvogel’s gaze lingered on my face, scanning it carefully.
She seemed to be checking, worried that I might be lying.
“…Yeah. Alright. That’s enough, then.”
Her lips curved into a faint smile, as if she’d never been worried in the first place. It was the first time in a long while that I’d seen Valkvogel smile like that.
And that was it.
I grabbed my knees and pushed myself up. The pain that had been screaming through my body was eerily quiet now, as if it had never been there. It’d probably start howling again after a few minutes of walking, but for now, my body was in decent enough shape to take the first step.
“Well then… take care, Gel.”
I brushed myself off and called her by that name one last time.
She didn’t respond, but… still, it stirred something in me.
Or maybe it was just a lingering sense of regret.
Partings are always bittersweet. Even though it’s better than leaving without saying anything at all, the ache of goodbye is unavoidable.
Sometimes, even a cool, wordless farewell like this can feel unsatisfying.
I didn’t need to look back anymore—there was no reason to.
But even so, I glanced over my shoulder.
Valkvogel was gone.
All that remained was the cold, empty bench, the quiet stillness of nature, and the view of a village I’d never see again.
I guess she left quickly. We’d said everything that needed to be said.
“…Cough.”
Well, I guess it’s time for me to move forward too.
The end of this journey is in sight—clear and vivid.
But at the same time, the shadow of death looms ever closer.
It’s tempting to linger in the past, to lose myself in memories, but unfortunately, time isn’t kind enough to wait for someone like me.
I have to keep moving.
Etching the flickering memories of the past into my mind, I press onward.
Toward Cecilia.
