Bonus 6 (Rebroadcast Episode 8: Banquet Day)

Bonus 6 (Rebroadcast Episode 8: Banquet Day)

The light from the candlesticks flickered in the great hall of the royal capital.

The banquet, celebrating the end of years of fighting, was attended by royalty, knights, heroes from all over the world, and many others. Everyone laughed and raised their glasses, as if they believed that peace had returned.

In the midst of the crowd, the moment the young wizard girl went to get her food, the hero quickly held out his hand.

"Here, your hand. Don't get lost."

With the unreservedness that only childhood friends can have.

The girl looked confused for a moment as his hand tried to grasp hers as if it was natural.

"Wait, that's my job."

The princess stepped in with quick steps, and gently placed her white-gloved hand over the hand that the hero had just extended.

"This child is a honored guest to the kingdom. Do you know who should lead her?"

"No, no, no, no, we're childhood friends! I've always taken care of her!!"

"You were running with this child on your shoulders the other day. No matter how you look at it, you were carrying her. It wasn't even a princess carry."

"That's not a carry! That's rescue!"

The girl's hands were being grabbed from both sides at the same time.

"...N-no, it's fine if you guys don't hold my hand in a place like this...?"

That was when it happened.

The swordsman appeared without a word and grabbed the girl's wrist without warning.

"Hya!"

The room fell silent for a moment as the girl's short voice came.

"You!!"

"You're being forceful again...!!"

"...I understand."

"It's not 'I understand'!!"

"Learn how to have a conversation!"

The swordsman stated seriously in a calm voice.

"She's small. Light. She makes no sound. She disappears from sight immediately. On a battlefield, you'd lose sight of her immediately."

"No, this isn't a battlefield!!!"

"It's a party!!! This is a party!!!"

"Oh, so we all knew that..."

The girl's arms were being pulled from three directions, making her slightly unsteady. She was wearing a modest, forced smile.

"I'm the right hand."

"Then I'll take the left!"

"Providing rear support"

"You're only talking about tactics and positions!!"

"I'm talking about status!"

"...Um, I just...I'm just going to go get some food...huh...?"

As she was being pulled, the girl muttered softly.

Although there was one scene like that.

The young wizard girl was sitting at a table in the corner of the hall, eating the fruit she had safely secured on her plate one by one. She was clad in a white dress, her hair ornament fluttering in the wind, and she was smiling brightly.

"Delicious," she muttered softly, and a soft light shone on her.

•

•

The princess was looking out over the banquet from the stage, glass in hand, with a smile on her face, but her gaze fixed on one spot.

--That wizard girl.

The child was smiling as always. But why?

A thorn-like sense of discomfort remains deep in her chest.

Nothing should have changed, but it seems like something is different.

It's like a gap that can't be put into words.

(What... am I missing?)

The princess lowered her eyes and gently brought the glass to her lips.

But she didn't drink it all.

•

•

Meanwhile, the swordsman was leaning his back against a pillar by the wall.

Although he chose to remain silent, he crossed his arms and looked around the entire hall from corner to corner.

Even now, without his sword at the ready, his gaze was sharp.

And he too was fixed on the girl's figure.

She is laughing happily.

She looked just like her usual self, swaying lightly and munching on fruit.

--But still, he felt like something was missing.

She was always by his side.

On the battlefield, her support saved his life many times.

He's sure he's seen that back many times.

Tonight she felt like an illusion, out of reach.

(Why... does she seem so far away?)

He doesn't say it in words.

However, a doubt had definitely been ignited within him, and it was quietly growing.

•

•

And while the hero was smiling and talking, he was also quietly glancing around the hall several times.

His eyes naturally seek her out.

He's close by as always, but tonight for some reason he can't relax.

They talked about it many times.

They fought.

There were nights when she slept next to him.

Still, how much did he "know" about her?

Her smile, her voice, her mannerisms - how much else did he know?

She had always said "it's okay," and he had never doubted what she meant by that. But was that really the case? Suddenly, for some reason, it made him feel uneasy.

(...Maybe I didn't really know anything.)

The hero took a sip of his cup in an attempt to dispel such thoughts.

But the sense of unease remained in my mind.

•

•

The princess, the hero, and the swordsman all had the same question in their hearts.

"We must have overlooked something important."

At that time, no one could say anything.

However, the sense of unease that they felt that night was definitely etched in their mind.

--There was no way they could have realized that this night would truly be the "end" for that girl.

And then, immediately after that.

"Princess, do you have time?"

A member of the research team appears carrying a heavy box.

★

"Princess, do you have time?"

As the banquet drew to a close, that modest voice suddenly changed the atmosphere.

The princess turned around and saw one of the royal research team standing there, carrying a heavy-looking box in both arms. It was black and long - its shape was familiar to anyone. She immediately knew what was inside.

It was the wizard girl's wand.

The princess raised her eyebrows in surprise and slowly stood up. Just as she was about to ask, "What's going on at a time like this?"

Clop--.

Footsteps. A single, light sound of footsteps echoed from the outskirts of the feast circle. The group turned to see the young wizard standing there before their eyes. She was holding a plate in both hands and not moving. Her shoulders were trembling slightly.

Just as the hero was about to call out to her, she took a step towards the princess.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Her voice was in the same tone as usual, but there was a sharp light in her eyes. The girl quickly slipped past the princess and stood in front of the research team. She then put her hand on the arm of the man holding the box.

"This is... mine, right?"

A smile. But there was something scary about that smile. Lightly and naturally, her hand opened the lid of the box and took out her wand. No one could react to her movement.

"Eh, wait a moment, that's--!"

The researcher finally yelled at them to stop her, but it was too late.

The tip of the wand began to glow a quiet blue. A pale magic circle spread at her feet. The atmosphere in the room changed in an instant. A teleportation magic crest appeared.

Standing in the center, the girl turned around. A wry smile appeared on her face. She then slowly looked around at the faces of her three companions.

"I did the calculations, but..."

Just like that, the room was enveloped in light. No one could move. The light of the magic circle flashed, and the girl and her wand vanished.

The hustle and bustle of the party vanished in an instant.

No one could utter a word.

All that was left was the fruit on the plate and the trembling air.

★★★★★

[Runaway Wizard] Episode 8 Rebroadcast Live Thread [Feast Day]

300: Anonymous of the Wind

　Ah, the research team has arrived...

　I've seen this box before. It's no good...

303: Anonymous of the Wind

　Yes, it's impossible, it's impossible from here

　Everyone, be prepared.

307: Anonymous of the Wind

　Wait a minute, a wand? Isn't that the wizard's?

　I mean, where did the wizard go?

309: Anonymous of the Wind

　Ahhh ahh ahh ahh it's started...

313: Anonymous of the Wind

　At the cost of lifespan?

　I know! What's the big deal now?

318: Anonymous of the Wind

　It's coming... my stomach... my stomach...

321: Anonymous of the Wind

　I'm a veteran fan, but please...

　I hope that the shortened lifespan will be at least 30 years...

324: Anonymous of the Wind

　What are you talking about?

　Are you crazy?

325: Anonymous of the Wind

　We're talking about human lifespan.

327: Anonymous of the Wind

　I can't do this anymore, I can't do this, I can't do this

　At least 30 years?

　I honestly can't understand the feelings of the veteran group.

328: Anonymous of the Wind

　I'm scared of the nerve of someone who can say that shaving off 30 years is "better"...

330: Anonymous of the Wind

　It was my first time seeing this, but when I heard such a prayer, I actually became scared.

　Is something bad coming? Hey, is something bad???

335: Anonymous of the Wind

　I can't help but think that something might be different this time...

　But I'm sure nothing will change...

339: Anonymous of the Wind

　82?!

　Huh, 82?!?!?!?

　Eighty-two years!?!?!?!?

343: Anonymous of the Wind

　This is bad, this is bad, this is bad!!!

　The digits!! The digits are wrong!!!

347: Anonymous of the Wind

　What's the guy who said 30 years doing now?

349: Anonymous of the Wind

　He's dead...

351: Anonymous of the Wind

　All the life she had, all that life!!!

355: Anonymous of the Wind

　The days she was traveling were so much fun, so the difference now is hellish.

358: Anonymous of the Wind

　The research team is just saying this, but this is a person's life...right?

362: Anonymous of the Wind

　Is it true that the "little bit" in "I only helped a little bit" was a F***ING 82 years???

373: Anonymous of the Wind

　Don't be so specific, 82!!

380: Anonymous of the Wind

　It's really no good that only the princess's eyes are watering.

　No one is crying, but I know they're crying

390: Anonymous of the Wind

　I never thought I'd hear the phrase "a lifetime's worth, including retirement" in an isekai anime.

399: Anonymous of the Wind

　No, no, no, no more, I'm scared of numbers, I hate math!

402: Anonymous of the Wind

　The theme was "Eat well, laugh well, die well"... huh

407: Anonymous of the Wind

　That means there's almost nothing left, right?

　If she's still alive, then her original lifespan was nearly 100 years, right?

　Isn't it possible that such a lively child could die tomorrow?

411: Anonymous of the Wind

　Even though it's a rerun, it's really no good

　Every time this moment comes, I stop breathing

416: Anonymous of the Wind

　Yeah?

　Can't she get it back???

420: Anonymous of the Wind

　No, I'm really sorry...

　It's a rerun, but I can't stop crying...

424: Anonymous of the Wind

　I thought maybe it would change again

　But nothing changed

　I never thought that not changing would be so painful

429: Anonymous of the Wind

　I thought the situation might change, and I was scared that the numbers might get even worse.

　To be honest, I was a little relieved when I heard it was '82'.

　Now I regret it

431: Anonymous of the Wind

　Even worse would be, for example, using more magic and dying if you use it one more time.

　But even so, the wizard will still use it with a smile.

435: Anonymous of the Wind

　That one blow during the battle with the Demon King took away all of her lifespan, so it seems like there might be a scenario where she doesn't have any left.

444: Anonymous of the Wind

　Sorry to those of you watching for the first time, but I was seriously prepared for it to get even heavier.

　I thought if the numbers changed around here it would be the end.

447: Anonymous of the Wind

　I felt relieved that she was with me as before...

　I mean, it can't be worse than the first broadcast, right?

　If it gets even a little heavier, I'll die.

451: Anonymous of the Wind

　Is it too late to say "thank you" in this world after all...?

　That production team... 

471: Anonymous of the Wind

　But...

　I feel like the three of them have been more concerned about the wizard since the first episode aired.

　...Is it just my imagination?

481: Anonymous of the Wind

　I'm scared when old timers say things like "82 was better"

　I don't think we speak the same language.

After that--

Just like when the show first aired, the diary was made public, and the thread was filled with screams of agony from first-time viewers and veterans alike.