Chapter 160
【 Then, you know, if we solve your worry, can you not hate us? 】
“…My worry?”
【 Yeah. The array in the basement. 】
Cassius’s blue green eyes hardened in an instant.
“Have you ever gone there without me?”
【 Ah, n-no. 】
【 We haven’t! 】
“Then why bring it up?”
【 We’re fairies, aren’t we? Maybe we could take on the burden Cassius is carrying instead? 】
If the central axis of the magic were transferred to them, the fairies, then Cassius could freely go outside. That was Venta’s idea. Tys seemed to think the same, nodding with a bright smile. But Cassius had no intention of carelessly shifting such a burden onto fairies who were still so young.
And yet Venta and Tys smiled resolutely as they spoke.
【 It’s okay. A lot more fairies will be born from now on. 】
【 Once the world fully recovers, dragon magic won’t be needed anymore, right? 】
【 Until then, we’ll help you. Just trust us! 】
Cassius hesitated.
Once, he had been haunted by the nightmare that the magic he cast by sacrificing his parents and kin would bind the rest of his life to this place forever. He believed the only way out was to go to another world, to find new brethren.
But now he knew that wasn’t true. Because Eki had asked him to live together in this world. Cassius’s life was here.
“…Are you really okay with this?”
【 Yeah! 】
After long deliberation, Cassius made a contract with the fairies.
They had spilled the luck potion and made the grass ring that subjected him to ejaculatory restraint torture, but if they protected the dragons’ magic in return, he felt nothing but gratitude. Well, probably.
When he told Eki the news, she jumped up in delight.
“Ack, then do we have to go to the capital? You said you’d take the acting Association Head position!”
“That’s right. I plan to leave as soon as things are settled.”
“That fast?”
“There’s a spell I want to develop. We’ll talk later. For now, I need to go to the basement.”
The thousand dragon hearts piled high beneath the tower. To move the center of the magic, the magic circle drawn with his parents’ blood also had to be altered. And that was a task Cassius had to accomplish alone. Eki was human, so she couldn’t withstand the power of the dragon hearts.
Leaving her behind as she worried deeply, Cassius went down to the basement. He opened the heavy iron door as he always had and gazed at the clusters of vivid red hearts.
Father, Mother. And nameless kin.
Cassius’s eyes traced the crimson jewels one by one, then looked down at the magic circle filled with their blood and tears.
‘Maybe this will be the last time.’
Once the dimensional barrier was restored, this magic would no longer be needed. Since the dragon hearts held immense power that could harm the world, the circle had to be designed to be destroyed the moment it was released.
As Cassius drew the magic circle in the air himself, he recalled the days when he built this tower and longed to leave for another world. Countless years had passed, but none of those days had held meaning. His life truly began only after he met Eki.
He thought losing his parents’ hearts would be painful, but surprisingly, he felt nothing. Perhaps it was because he had already felt enough grief and let it go. Instead, an indescribable emptiness arose. Cassius stopped drawing and rubbed his chest.
At that moment, Eki’s voice came to mind.
‘Don’t go anywhere else. Live in the same world as me.’
Right. Let’s live in the same world. Not somewhere else, but in the same place as her, seeing the same world, sharing joy together.
Cassius smiled faintly.
The magic circle was nearly complete. He paused, then stared at the glowing red hearts. Then Cassius quietly offered a greeting.
“May you rest in peace now.”
Once, he thought he had been abandoned, but now he knew. They had made that choice to save him. Even so, he had never prayed for or spoken to his parents. For the first time, Cassius bowed his head in silence for his dead family, then left the basement.
“Master!”
Eki, who had been waiting by the window, approached him with a radiant smile. For a moment, the light dazzled Cassius and he stood dazed, then he smiled back and took his disciple’s hand.
Cassius said to Eki.
“Shall we go out now?”
“Oh, really? Will it be okay?”
“Yeah. What wouldn’t be okay?”
“Alright. Then let’s go.”
He nodded.
And so Cassius left the Thousand Tower.
There would be many unfamiliar things, but he wasn’t afraid. Eki would be by his side.
From now on, always.
– [ Master, I Swear I Didn’t Mean To! ], Side Story End –
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