Thanks for reading~
I had regularly been coming to the graveyard, that"s located in the outskirts of the royal capital.
Occasionally, I would let out complaints alone, but today is a bit different.
Like always, I brought flowers, and put my hands together, but the reason I came here today is to say my farewells for a while.
People would regularly come and clean or offer flowers to that grave, so it should be fine even when I"m not there.
Even though several years have pa.s.sed since then, I"m proud of both of them, who have people other than me thinking about them in their hearts.
""Old man, mum. I"m going to be away from home for a while, so I won"t be coming here. Well, just wish for my safety from that world."" (Velt)
""I will properly look after Velt, so there"s no need to worry. Father in law, mother in law."" (Ura)
""Oi, since when did they become your old man and mum."" (Velt)
""Don, don"t be mean. Both of them would be a lot more relieved than if you were by yourself."" (Ura)
Ura shrewdly ended up coming with me.
To be honest, it was unexpected from the beginning.
""Come on, next we have to greet father."" (Ura)
Next to old man and mum, there is a grave that"s engraved in letters that no one in this world can read.
No one in the town knows whose grave that is.
It"s a grave that only Ura, some authorised people, and I know the ident.i.ty of.
""Father. I will go together with Velt. I won"t be able to come back for a while, but please forgive me."" (Ura)
Demon king Sharkryu. In other words, Samejima"s grave.
Although he is Ura"s father, as expected, there"s no way they could make a grave for a demon king inside the Elfarshia Kingdom.
So, we didn"t engrave Sharkryu"s name in『letters that anyone can read』.
A nameless grave would be too desolate, so I engraved it forcefully. Letters that only we would understand, that I wrote for the first time ever since I was born as Velt Jeeha.
"Sharkryu Vesparda. Resting here, together with Samejima Ryouichi"s soul."
A grave marker I engraved with katakana, kanji, and hiragana. The king, Ura, and the others tilted their heads, but sensei and I forcefully pushed through and wrote these letters.
To be frank, I couldn"t write the ""Same"" kanji in Samejima, so I really was glad that sensei was here.
""Samejima. I"m going to go find the guys that can read the letters on your grave. For some reason, your daughter is also accompanying me, but well, just let her. I won"t make a move on her."" (Velt)
This is going to be temporarily parting with you too, but look forward to the next time we meet.
I"ll work hard so that we can have a nostalgic conversation again.
""Have you finished your greetings?"" (Melma)
""We will clean the graves when you guys are away, so please don"t worry about that."" (Lallana)
""Higu, niicha~n, neecha~n."" (Hanabi)
I turn around, and see sensei, missus, and Hanabi were waiting at the entrance of the graveyard.
When I nod, Hanabi, who had done nothing but cry, jumped at Ura and I.
""Niichan. Nee~chan."" (Hanabi)
This spoilt girl.
Even though Ura and I slept together with Hanabi in the middle all night long last night, it seems it"s still not enough.
Well, I guess I"ve just been spoiling her that much.
""Hanabi, let me hug you."" (Velt)
For a while, I"m going to part from this weight. I"m usually always making her go high with floating, just for today, I"ll hug her closely with both hands.
""Get along with daddy and mummy, okay?"" (Velt)
""Yup."" (Hanabi)
""Don"t worry. I"ll definitely come back. I promise you."" (Velt)
A promise, huh. I feel like the period when I was called a delinquent is quite nostalgic.
Before I knew it, I had become a soft niichan.
""Now, Hanabi, neechan will hug you next. You give me a good bye kiss too."" (Ura)
""Neechan."" (Hanabi)
""Don"t worry. Niichan said it too, didn"t he? We"ll definitely come back, and buy lots of presents as well."" (Ura)
""Uuu, I don"t need any presents, so just gome back guickly!"" (Hanabi)
""Ahh, please don"t cry, Hanabi. If your tears become the farewell gift, I might have to half kill Velt, making his body unable to go on a trip."" (Ura)
""Even though you"re not going to do that! If you"re going to do it, just do it!"" (Hanabi)
Stop it. That"s seriously not funny.
And like, stop making that ""oh, so I could have used that trick too"" face, missus.
""But it"s no good if you keep crying forever. When we come back next time, you might just have a niece or a nephew, no, maybe someone who you consider as a younger sibling will be made."" (Ura)
You"re joking, right? No, her eyes look kinda serious.
If that happens, I"m going to be killed by Samejima though.
Rather, even though I thought she grew up and stopped being so clingy to me, since she says things that throw me off guard occasionally, I don"t really understand how much Ura loves me as of now.
Although I feel quite anxious about the strange words Ura slipped in in the confusion of the moment, we have to go soon.
""I guess it"s about time. So, you"ve decided on your destination, right?"" (Melma)
Where I"m aiming for in a journey without a single clue of the destination.
That had been decided from the start.
""Obviously, I"m going to steadily search from a big as place."" (Velt)
""A big as place? That could only mean one place."" (Melma)
""Yeah. The largest country in the humanity continent; we"re going to the empire. That"s right, our first destination, is the『Archline Empire』."" (Velt)
That"s right, if we don"t go there, nothing will probably ever start.
""Mummy, where"s this "empire"? Is it far away?"" (Hanabi)
""Yeah, it"s a bit far away. Even on a ship, it would take around three weeks I guess?"" (Lallana)
""Is it big?"" (Hanabi)
""Yeah, it"s very big. The territory and population is many times the Elfarshia Kingdom. Around ten times."" (Lallana)
""Is that amazing?"" (Hanabi)
""Yes. After all, it"s enough to be called the largest country in the humanity continent."" (Lallana)
""Humanity continent~?"" (Hanabi)
Yeah, it"s amazing. Well, I don"t really understand that greatness either.
Ura bent her back and slowly talked to answer Hanabi"s question.
""Listen, Hanabi. This world is split into four continents. One of them is where humans like you, Hanabi, live in, this『Humanity Continent』.The one where the race known as demons like your neechan live in, is called the『Demon Continent』. The one where human beasts, dragon people, and other tribes that have the blood of animals and humans live in, is called the『Demi-human Continent』. The world consists of these three continents with the sea in between them, as if making a big triangle."" (Ura)
Ura, I don"t think there"s any point anymore. Hanabi is cutely tilting her head, while making a face as if steam is coming out of her head, you know?
""And then, the centre of those triangle continents, is where the fourth continent is located. In the past, it"s said that G.o.ds lived there, in the『Divine Continent』. The sole continent in this world that no one owns."" (Ura)
""G.o.d?"" (Hanabi)
""Well, that information has been pa.s.sed down, but we don"t actually know if they lived there or not. However, untouched, large territory, abundant mana, and many precious magic jewels have been confirmed to be on that continent, and it"s said that if that continent becomes under your control, you hold hegemony over the world. So, each and every race in this world is keeping each other in check while continuing conflict, trying to make the Divine Continent theirs."" (Ura)
Exactly, that"s the current situation of this world.
With the gigantic Divine Continent as the stage, humanity, demons and demi-humans all made their bases, continuing the battle to take it while spreading their own territory.
And, many lives from different races have been lost in that battle, and much blood has been shed.
Forna and the others are also going back and forth from the empire and the Divine Continent, continuing war.
""That"s weird. Everyone should just get along with each other."" (Hanabi)
Ahh, you really are an angel, Hanabi.
""Hanabi, it"s just as you say. But you know, the people in this world are troubling, since they just can"t do that."" (Ura)
""Why? If all they do is fight, wouldn"t that place just break?"" (Hanabi)
That"s right. In the end, although it was originally an untouched continent that"s abundant in resources, it broke from the repet.i.tion of war.
Everything was meaningless.
""No, well, that is true, yeah. The world isn"t that simple. For example, there was a country called Bolbardie, that has already been destroyed, and they were making a plan to spread tunnels."" (Ura)
""Stop. Ura, it"s fine already."" (Velt)
""Velt! No, this is important, and I want Hanabi to remember this."" (Ura)
""She doesn"t need to remember it. Niichan"s wish is for Hanabi to grow up in good health."" (Velt)
I don"t know how many years, decades, centuries, the war itself will take to end.
No one knows if what they really wanted will still remain there.
No, in reality, everyone knew.
However, considering the hatred from the battles until now, and the lives lost, it"s turned into a situation where no one can draw back their raised fists.
In the end, what Hanabi said is the truth.
That"s why, it"s fine.
""Hanabi, the demons and humans and whatever your neechan was talking to you about, doesn"t matter at all. You love your niichan and neechan. Niichan and neechan also love you. The world is fine like that."" (Velt)
""Yup! That makes sense to Hanabi now!"" (Hanabi)
""That"s how it is, Ura. It"s not like we"re going to partic.i.p.ate in the war after all."" (Velt)
Hanabi isn"t mistaken on anything, so there"s basically no need to explain away every troublesome thing.
Probably because she understood, Ura smiled and nodded.
""Now, that being the case, sensei. First, we"re going to go to the empire. I haven"t really decided where we"re going after that, but it should work out somehow."" (Velt)
The beginning of a new life.
Although one person is crying, I feel optimistic about it.
""See you later, take care."" (Melma)
""Both of you, please don"t fight. Write a lot of letters too."" (Lallana)
""Gome back guickly!"" (Hanabi)
Ura and I somewhat awkwardly hugged the missus.
We also hugged Hanabi as well.
And then, for sensei,
""See you later."" (Melma)
""Yeah, I"ll get going."" (Velt)
""I"m off."" (Ura)
‘Thank you for all the help you gave me.’
Was a bit too embarra.s.sing to say, so we exchanged a high five with that much feeling behind it instead.
We turned our backs to them, and while turning around from time to time, we waved our hands many times until we couldn"t see our family anymore.
""Oi, Velt, Ura-chan, are you guys travelling somewhere together with such heavy baggage?""
""O~i, both of you, what"s up?""
I hadn"t told the others that I"m temporarily leaving the country.
It felt like they would make some big commotion, so not saying it was easier.
Well, there would probably be some big as commotion tomorrow, but we unseriously waved our hands and pa.s.sed by them.
""Oh."" (Ura)
""Hmm? Why is that guy over there."" (Velt)
And then, he was there, in front of the royal capital"s gate where we finally arrived at.
With the same appearance as always, he was carrying a slightly bigger bag on his back.
""Are you done?""
""Yeah."" (Velt)
The person standing there, was Farga.
Farga looked at us, and then didn"t ask any further.
""Then that"s good. Well then, let"s go."" (Farga)
""Yeah."" (Velt)
""Umu."" (Ura)
Putting the royal capital behind us, our story finally started.
Us three"s, Farga, Ura and my…………
………… Eh?
""""Wait, you"re coming with us too!?"""" (Velt and Ura)
""I was just thinking of wandering around some far places."" (Farga)
""""No no no no!"""" (Velt and Ura)
""Besides, when I reported to my d.a.m.n old man that you guys are going to be away from the country, he got worried and told me to come with you guys."" (Farga)
For some reason, Farga ended up slipping in and coming with us.
Like, why is making a face that looks like this is only natural?
Ooh, Ura, who thought she was going to travel together with me as a two, is glaring at Farga with a very dissatisfied look.
Anyway, like this, our trip, that is also an adventure and a battle, started.
Author"s Note: Originally, coming this far would have only needed a few chapters, and I inserted too many unneeded chapters, but it finally feels like they"re setting off.