CH 77

–World Transfer Complete

.”…………………..”

A voice echoed in my head, and a white world appeared up in my vision. Normally, I would have let my guard down, but not this time. As I looked around me, alert and aware of my surroundings, a familiar voice called out to me from beside me.

“Whew, so much has happened this time …, what’s up Ed?”

“……, no, it’s nothing.”

There was no change in the scenery around me, and Tia was properly back with me. I finally relaxed my shoulders and let out a long, slow breath.

“Fuuu~ ….Looks like it’s the same as usual. So that means …” 

I turned around and looked at the doors behind me. The door to the world we just came out of had the number 004, and the new door, which had yet to be opened, had the number 005 engraved on it.

(Shouldn’t it be 028? Does that mean on the way it was not skipped or something, but the order was switched?)

If there were a large number of doors in a row of the worlds I’d have skipped, I would have had a hard time wrapping my head around what was going on, but this was also something to worry about

(Is it just a coincidence that they have been in the same order so far, or is it inherently random? Or are only the first three fixed, but not from here on out? Nope, too little information)

At the very least, We didn’t know what the criteria were for the next world we’d hop to unless we opened the next door. Will we hop to the appropriate world again, or will we hop to 0029? There were a lot of things we didn’t know, like whether the world we left behind would ever be chosen again or … anything.

“Hey, Ed? Why are you staring at the door as soon as you get back? Even if we’re going to the next world, I’d at least like to know what happened to those kids. ……”

“A-Ah, yeah. Let’s read it then.”

At Tia’s urging, I walked towards the table. On the table, there was a book sitting on the table, and the title of the book was The 004th World: {Records Of the Hero’s Story}. Looks like there was no doubt that the order in which we experienced this time would be consistent.

“I’ve never taught anything to that many kids before. ….  I wonder if what I taught them helped.”

“Who knows. Well, We’ll find out soon enough.”

Opening the pages of the book, we slowly read through the contents. The first thing written in the book was Miguel’s tormented childhood, when he was discovered as a child with outstanding talent but never grew after that. It was not as life-destroying as that of a vagabond from the slums, but the feelings of envy and contempt that were pummeled into the young Miguel’s mind certainly chipped away at his heart.

“He …. really must have had a hard time.”

“I know. If we had met at this time,…. no, I shouldn’t say that.”

If we had met six years earlier, Miguel would not have suffered. But on the other hand, if we had met six years later, Miguel’s heart might have been distorted and shattered.

It was late. But not too late. Remembering Miguel’s face when we parted, it would be the height of nonsense to discuss any other possibility.

From there, it described Miguel’s life as a student. The first year of his school life included our existence, but it also included information that even we, who were there, could not have known.

“I see, so that was the reason for that attack. …”

The Norde attack, which did not exist in the first round. It was apparently the result of a move by the Demon Lord of the north who felt threatened by the students who had been strengthened by me and Tia as if the times were advancing.

Well, if you ask me, that was true. The fact that a mere 12-year-old child was able to use enough spirit magic to shoot down Hordes of Norde, albeit one-sidedly from a safe distance, made their abilities completely different from those of previous years …… and from the first round.

If such things continued to increase in the future, it would be natural to want to attack the school where they originated, even if it was by force.

However, that plan was crushed by the efforts of me, Tia, and Miguel and the others. Miguel and the others, who had grown up safely, began to participate in the battle against Nordes as planned, and――

–The last chapter “The Unfinished Sword Saint” in the 004th World {Records Of the Hero’s Story}

At a turning point in history that would later be called the “Awakening of the Spirits,” the first generation of the Sword Saint Miguel and his companions finally succeeded in establishing a base on the northern continent, which was under the control of the Demon Lord, for the first time in human history.

Unlike the spirit magic users of the previous generation, who could only fight, those of the new generation possessed skills necessary for human life, such as blacksmithing, farming, and sewing.

And the teachings that led them to this point were the words of the two spirits who changed the world. Because they had learned the diversity of human potential and the correct way to interact with spirits, the new generation of spirit users had a variety of skills and could use them in combination with conventional spirit magic.

With the spread of their teachings, mankind finally had a chance to fight back. Over a prolonged period of time from now, they would increase their strongholds on the northern continent and eventually defeat the Demon Lord.

Sword Saint Miguel also devoted his life to that battle, and together with his two friends, Nash, the first human being to master spirit magic of all attributes without a spirit contract, and Thomas, the foolish flame spirit user who burned all his enemies with the power of Saran, the scarlet ichthyosaurus with whom he had a contract, he slaughtered over ten thousand Nordes before his death at age seventy-eight. This was, and still is, the greatest battle in human history.

He said, “I am a novice who cannot even cut the moon, I am still far away from mastering this sword”  kept on using his favorite delicate sword throughout his lifetime, It was passed down after his death as a symbol of the Sword Saints, but only Miguel himself was able to wield it properly as a weapon.

“…. that idiot, I told you to change it.”

""

I couldn’t help but say those words as I finished the book to the end. There was no mention of Miguel’s physique, but the fact that there was no mention of him being particularly small or anything like that suggests that he was a normal adult.

It must have been very difficult to wield that sword in such a state. It was too short for ordinary cutting and too long to be used as a spare. The fact that he continued to use the sword and was so good with it that he was called a sword saint,…,  If he used a proper weapon, he’d probably be stronger than me.

I mean, he must be strong. If it was a killing match using the banishment skill, there was no way that pure sword skills could beat a well-trained hero. And yet, there was this …. itchy feeling to be respected as a mentor by someone like that for the rest of your life.

“Fufu~, you all did a great job. I’m sorry I didn’t get to witness it with my own eyes this time too …. but thinking about it, it’s rather amazing to be able to know the end result of all this, even if it’s only in writing, isn’t it?”

“I think that’s true. Tia may be able to see one or two things through, but a normal human being may reach the end of his or her life before seeing even one thing. …… I mean, in the first place, walking across completely different worlds and knowing their destinies, that must be like being a God.”

“God, huh …. what are we? How can we do this?”

Tia uttered a genuine question, but I didn’t have the answer. I mean, if anyone knew, tell me first.

“I don’t know about that either, but … normally, that’s exactly what God or whatever is doing that for some reason, isn’t it? No, I don’t know the reason for it all the same.”

“Reason… that he wanted the world to be saved or something? The worlds have been better off with Ed’s interference so far, right?”

“Hmmm, I wouldn’t say no, but you know… ….”

It was certainly the most likely possibility, but that would mean assuming that I wanted a second around. Of course, the other party was God, so if they said they knew all that and were doing so, I would have to agree with them. ……

“…Does that mean there’s a reason I was sent to this world?” I muttered

If everything was God’s intention, then there must be some reason why we were sent to the 028th world instead of the 004th world at this time. But as far as I could understand, the worlds were all independent, and I don’t think there was a way…… where if you did something in one world, it would affect the other worlds.

And it was the same for us. If I come back over here, my physical age would rewind, and I myself wouldn’t be able to use my banishment skills. Well, Tia’s …!?

“Hey Tia, I never asked you, but what effect did the skills you got when you came back from Rebecca’s world have on you in the end?

“Huh? Ahh, I never told you.”

Tia responded to my question lightheartedly. Then she grinned, and her hand sank into the void.

“Ta-da! What do you think?”

Tia, with a smug look on her face, was holding one of the steel swords I had in storage.