“If you’re going to offer a choice, tell me everything. You know what we call people like you on Earth?”
「...」
“Scammers.”
I had slightly trusted them.
That they truly wanted to end this game.
That they were different from Tel.
“In the end, they were all in on it.”
Fool me once, I’m a victim.
Fool me twice, I’m an idiot.
Fool me three times...
I sighed deeply.
「We’ll continue this conversation later. First, we must handle the intruders.」
Boom!
A figure leaped out of the flaming gate.
At that moment—
「Our business here is finished.」
The prince swung his sword sideways.
The golden light from the blade filled the surroundings.
[This is an unrecognized dimension.]
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The sensation of floating.
The feeling of leaping between dimensions.
When the light faded completely, I slowly opened my eyes.
Whoosh.
The sound of grass swaying in the wind.
In front of me stretched an endless field of wheat.
“We’ve finally arrived.”
The prince spoke.
Pria looked around the wheat field with vacant eyes.
“Where... is this?”
“Where do you think?”
Phryos smiled softly.
“This is the last remaining inch of land.”
“An inch of land...?”
The prince turned his back.
Then, he began walking along a narrow path cutting through the wheat field.
“...Han.”
Pria met my eyes.
I gave her a small nod.
With a resolute expression, she followed the prince.
I folded my arms and walked behind them.
Before long, a wooden house appeared amidst the wheat field.
It was like a painting—a tranquil scene.
Under the orange sunset, the wheat swayed in the wind around the small house.
I leaned against a massive tree, maintaining some distance from the two.
“In this place... I’ve gathered all the interference force I’ve collected.”
“...”
“I’ve set up a barrier. It should last at least a hundred years.”
The prince brushed his hand against one of the wooden pillars of the house.
Then, he turned back to Pria.
“You don’t need to fight anymore. Townia, the Empire, the people, the monsters, the fragments—you don’t need to care about any of them. Everything you want is here.”
Well, that’s probably true.
If the world is already doomed, what’s the point in fighting?
Clink.
The prince set his sword down on the wooden floor.
“I realized it too late. I thought I was fighting for a great cause, for the people of Townia, for the honor of the Empire. But in that foolish delusion, I lived through seventeen lives.”
“...”
“I acted like the perfect prince, didn’t I?”
His gaze filled with regret.
“I was wrong, Pria. Townia can fall—it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. From the beginning, the only thing I wanted to protect was... one thing.”
“What is it...?”
“Priasis al Ragnar.”
The prince met Pria’s eyes.
“Live a normal life here. Die a normal death.”
“Your Highness...”
“Just hearing you call me that pains me.”
Pria closed her eyes.
“You showed me this barrier... Was it to persuade me?”
“I wanted to show you. That this world is not worth sacrificing your life to protect.”
“What am I supposed to do here...?”
“Anything you want. Whatever your heart desires.”
“What I want isn’t here.”
“Pria. Didn’t you see it clearly?”
“I didn’t see anything.”
Pria opened her eyes.
“Send me back. There are people waiting for me.”
“They’re just illusions.”
“They are not illusions.”
“They’re tools of the goddess.”
“I don’t care.”
The prince furrowed his brows.
“That situation is manipulated. You’re being used.”
“I am prepared for that.”
“It’s not a matter of preparation, Pria!”
The prince grabbed Pria by her shoulders.
“Townia cannot be saved. You will die. That mercenary king, your army, the citizens—they will all be devoured and disappear. Knowing that, can you still say those things?”
“Brother.”
Pria sighed deeply.
Then she looked up at the prince.
“I know you care for me. But... isn’t this running away?”
“This is not running away.”
“If destruction is inevitable...”
The prince spoke in a low voice.
“Then I will proudly fight and die.”
“...”
“I don’t want to see you like this, Brother. You were always my hero—never giving up, always showing me the way forward. And now you’re telling me to abandon everyone and run away?”
“Can’t you understand?! Even if you fight and die...”
“If I come back to life, I’ll fight again.”
“...Pria.”
The prince’s voice trembled.
“Send me back to the battlefield.”
“You...”
“You always told me to stand with pride, no matter the circumstances.”
Pria took a step back.
“The fight isn’t over yet. If I don’t return, the invaders will sweep through Townia. We don’t have time for this. Send me back, now.”
“...”
“If you want /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ to stop me, you’ll have to kill me.”
Pria turned her back on the prince.
She walked toward me.
“Han, do you know where the exit is?”
“Well.”
I glanced around.
I had been observing the surroundings since we arrived, but I hadn’t seen anything that resembled an exit.
“We’ll have to look for it. Give me a moment.”
Pria stepped into the wheat field.
I leaned back against the tree, watching her fade into the golden sea of grain.
Eventually, she disappeared from sight.
“...”
The prince stood still, like a ghost.
I spoke up.
“If you’re out of options, you could tie her up. At least she wouldn’t be able to escape.”
“It’s meaningless.”
“Why is it meaningless? She won’t listen to...”
Cough.
Suddenly, the prince staggered, coughing up a handful of blood.
The blood that splattered onto the ground was dark and viscous.
“I’ve... overused my strength.”
The prince let out a bitter laugh.