Extra 7: Live Commentary & Impressions Thread Part 4 + Epilogue

Extra 7: Live Commentary & Impressions Thread Part 4 + Epilogue

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[The Runaway Wizard] Extra Edition: Live Commentary & Impressions Part 4 [Wedding!?]

3: Anonymous of the Wind

　Uh, it's a wedding.

　Below are the odds in the thread for who will get married.

　The most popular candidate, Kaya, can't lose here. 2.8

　The second favorite has a good chance of winning. I refused to say her name, 4.8

　I'm not too happy with this ranking, but the third favorite is Filina with 78.4 points.

　They was unexpectedly separated

　What do you think of the long-lived species commentator, Niki?

11: Long-lived Niki

　Huh, me...?

　Well, I guess that's what will happen.

　It's a bit surprising that Kaya is the most popular.

　It is likely that she gained fans through the name-related episode in the previous episode.

16: Anonymous of the Wind

　I think there was also an episode about our lieutenant, Filina, that was related to her name. What do you think about that?

18: Long-lived Niki

　I guess there are pluses and minuses to everything.

21: Anonymous of the Wind

　Stop putting "marriage" and "Wizard-chan" in the same sentence, it's bad for my heart.

26: Anonymous of the Wind

　The wizard is making a shadow puppet of a cat

　Cute

35: Anonymous of the Wind

　The finger shapes are so complicated it's scary

　No wonder the knight's son takes a second look.

42: Anonymous of the Wind

　The knight's son looks a bit like a hero

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58: Anonymous of the Wind

　Wizard-chan

　I guess she's never had magical powers lol

66: Anonymous of the Wind

　The knight's son is a good guy too

　"I thought it would be good to have someone to applaud when you succeeded."

70: Anonymous of the Wind

　Since the branches don't move, is this just flattery?

　Because the wizard has zero magical power.

　...Tch

73: Anonymous of the Wind

　I think it's good

　It's kind of heartwarming.

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98: Anonymous of the Wind

　Duel lol

100: Anonymous of the Wind

　It's rare to see Filina confused.

101: Anonymous of the Wind

　The mischievous smiles of the adventurers are shining brightly.

106: Anonymous of the Wind

　There's no way he can win against my lieutenant!

　Stop messing around!

　Ah, she threw it all away

115: Anonymous of the Wind

　Isn't this Filina's loss for running away from the fight?

123: Anonymous of the Wind

　The knight's son is being mercilessly trained, lol

131: Anonymous of the Wind

　Apparently there's an adventure group that gangs up on young people in town and beats them up under the guise of training.

140: Anonymous of the Wind

　Ah, but you've got a surprising amount of guts.

144: Anonymous of the Wind

　I want to support this kid

　I'll forgive you if you hold hands with the wizard.

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174: Anonymous of the Wind

　"I like bread crusts."

　I like the way you say it

182: Anonymous of the Wind

　Cute

190: Anonymous of the Wind

　Can be repeated any number of times

199: Long-lived Niki

　...Crunchy?

207: Anonymous of the Wind

　I think it gets even tougher when roasted.

215: Anonymous of the Wind

　"The crunchy faction has its own survival strategy." I don't understand it, but it's cute.

233: Anonymous of the Wind

　It's lyrical.

　The color of the bonfire remains the same from the past to the present

231: Anonymous of the Wind

　I hope this peaceful time continues forever

　...The Ministry of Science? I don't know these people...

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255: Anonymous of the Wind

　Now it's time to show the results of getting beaten up by the adventurers!

263: Anonymous of the Wind

　Oh yeah, what about the wand?

　Wizard-chan, don't you have a wand these days...?

　If you have that, it's a one-hit wonder.

271: Anonymous of the Wind

　Eh?

　Of course it's better not to have it

275: Anonymous of the Wind

　"I want to protect you forever"

　I told you so!

279: Anonymous of the Wind

　When I saw that Wizard-chan was alone,

　In fact, he couldn't protect her forever...

287: Anonymous of the Wind

　Well, it's a matter of feeling

　……Eh?

295: Anonymous of the Wind

　What!? Marriage?!

303: Anonymous of the Wind

　Eh?

304: Anonymous of the Wind

　Hah?

305: Anonymous of the Wind

　Huh?

311: Anonymous of the Wind

　Long-lived species Niki, please explain

　I'm about to lose my cool

327: Long-lived Niki

　Well, well, that's just what we was told

　We still don't know if Mia will agree.

335: Anonymous of the Wind

　The little wizard nods (blushing)

340: Anonymous of the Wind

　Crack (sound of a neck breaking)

343: Anonymous of the Wind

　Umm, NTR is out of range...

351: Anonymous of the Wind

　Say it after you sleep

359: Anonymous of the Wind

　[Sad news] Wizard-chan was a married woman

367: Anonymous of the Wind

　Bring the long-lived species Niki here!

375: Long-lived Niki

　No, I've been here for a while now... sorry...

383: Anonymous of the Wind

　I believed Niki, the long-lived species expert, when he said it would be okay...

　This is terrible... This is too much...

388: Anonymous of the Wind

　Knight's son: "I want you to marry me"

　Wizard-chan: "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu"

　Me: "Oh, me too, yoroshiku"

389: Anonymous of the Wind

　Why?!

391: Long-lived Niki

　No, please listen to me for a moment.

　This could be...

399: Anonymous of the Wind

　Shut up!

　That's not the time for that now!

422: Anonymous of the Wind

　Talk to the wall!

415: Long-lived Niki

　Yes……

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455: Anonymous of the Wind

　???

463: Anonymous of the Wind

　...Is this grandma Mia...?

　Huh? Oh yeah, Wizard-chan is here?

471: Anonymous of the Wind

　So it was a different story?

　It's just that there was someone similar in the past.

479: Anonymous of the Wind

　I couldn't believe it was a different person.

487: Anonymous of the Wind

　I felt relieved

　There was no sexy married Wizard-chan.

495: Anonymous of the Wind

　What's with that in detail description?

503: Anonymous of the Wind

　Anyway it was good

　If they're not a long-lived species, then they're not being targeted.

　...Huh? Is it still going on...?

　I have a bad feeling...

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535: Anonymous of the Wind

　[Sad news] Wizard-chan was a long-lived species after all

543: Anonymous of the Wind

　The tone was completely different!

　I mean... you were too tall!

　What does that mean?

551: Anonymous of the Wind

　When she was Filina, she looked completely different.

559: Anonymous of the Wind

　The wand also crackled and transformed, so maybe the owner's appearance changes as well.

567: Anonymous of the Wind

　The personalities were different too...

　So you were playing the role of a useless lieutenant?

575: Anonymous of the Wind

　So, this time it's the role of an innocent young girl...

　Is it all fabricated?

583: Anonymous of the Wind

　What was the real Wizard-chan?

591: Anonymous of the Wind

　Was it all an act...?

567: Anonymous of the Wind

　Wait, you're kidding

　That's...

　Huh?

　That means...

575: Anonymous of the Wind

　I accidentally threw up

583: Anonymous of the Wind

　No, I understand the feeling

　Why are you so shocked?

591: Anonymous of the Wind

　Because it was 60 years ago.

　If Filina was 20 years old at the time, then that means the magician was already 80 years old before she set out on her journey to defeat the Demon King, right?

631: Anonymous of the Wind

　That's it?

639: Anonymous of the Wind

　Well, after 82 years of use, there's hardly any left.

　Your lifespan is twice as long as a normal person's, right?

647: Anonymous of the Wind

　I vomited

655: Anonymous of the Wind

　Wow...ah...

665: Anonymous of the Wind

　The problem is back to the beginning again...!

669: Anonymous of the Wind

　Come to think of it, didn't she use red again...?

　Don't throw away 10 years so easily when you only have twice as long a lifespan.

674: Anonymous of the Wind

　No way... I don't her want to die...

　Even though the four of them had finally gathered together...

676: Anonymous of the Wind

　I was also shocked to find out that Wizard-chan's personality was a role!

679: Long-lived Niki

　Maybe this is it, for the lifespan of Wizard-chan

682: Anonymous of the Wind

　Aaaah!

　Everyone is so noisy!

　Shut up for a moment!!

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★★★★★

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Epilogue

After Mia finished speaking, I looked over to see everyone bombarding her with questions...

I said, "I'll go back to my room first," and quietly went up to the bedroom.

And then――the moment I dove into bed with a puff, I let out a small cry of "Aaaaaah!" and rolled around on the futon.

I never thought my dark past would appear before my eyes in such a way...!

Yes, by "dark history" I mean, of course, my time as a "cool lieutenant."

At the time, I had a fundamentally wrong idea about what being "cool" meant. Looking back, I just thought I was a "sulky, quiet person."

No wonder no one in the adventure group except for the leader spoke to me.

...But, but!

I am different now than I was back then. When I saw the swordsman, I definitely heard the sound of scales falling from my eyes.

...This is it...!　

If I ever get the chance to play the "cool lieutenant" again, I'll definitely do it perfectly this time. Confident of this, I tentatively stand up beside the bed, cross my arms, and lean against the wall.

...Is it like this? Hmm, the balance is surprisingly difficult...

I continued to slide down the wall to the floor. Wow, this is surprisingly fun, I thought, and after doing this several times, I started to feel sleepy.

...Before I knew it, it was morning.

Before I knew it, I was back in bed, and the princess was breathing softly next to me. She must have carried me there.

I stared blankly at her sleeping face for a while.

Then I quietly slip out of the futon and leave the room.

Outside, the air was clear and early morning. The sun was still just above the horizon, and the sky was slowly blending pale blue and gold. The wind glided across the grass. It was a little cold, but it felt good. A small bird chirped in the distance, and I heard the sound of a door opening somewhere. I turned around and it was Mia.

"Oh, you're up early."

Mia chuckled. Actually, when we were together, I was the one who woke Mia up, and I wanted to say, "Your drool got my favorite cloak soaked," but I decided not to say anything. Whoever it was, it was best to bury that dark memory.

"Mia's early too."

I replied with the line, "Compared to the old days," embedded at the end. It was an exchange that sounded just like between aristocrats.

Mia peers into the old stone oven in the garden. I'm sure she's currently mass-producing bread made from the hard edges of bread in it, to her heart's content. There's a gulf deeper than the ocean between her, who prefers crispy bread, and me, who prefers chewy bread, both now and then.

Come to think of it, even in our old stories, I think she cleverly glossed over the mysterious lines like, "The crispy faction has its own survival strategy." I guess that was a dark secret for Mia too. Even though she revealed so much about me when I was her cool aide-de-camp. Damn it.

"Now that I think about it, Mia, they asked you a lot of questions. What were they asking?"

"I was asked if long-lived species know their own lifespan. I told them that we have a vague idea, but..."

Wow, that's really true, I've never heard that before. Mia is very knowledgeable. Truth emerges from lies, I guess.

Mia smiled sadly.

"They said they would let me know if they found Filina, but... I didn't think they would find her. The leader was of the same opinion."

"Leader?"

"Yes. He lives in a mansion on a hill deep in this town. He'll soon be 100 years old. He's been bedridden for a while now, but... people age quickly."

Apparently the leader is also in town. I think I'll go visit him later.

"Certainly, 100 years is a long lifespan for a human."

"If I think that, like that person, Filina will also leave before me... hehe, it makes me laugh. It was a long time ago now... but I still have this thing."

Mia looks at the hair ornament she took out of her pocket with a faraway look in her eyes. It must be the gift she said she would give me in return for the hairpin I gave her.

"The one Filina should accept?"

As I held out my hand, Mia looked back at me with a puzzled expression, then raised the hair ornament and brought it above her head. I tried hopping around, but still couldn't reach it.

"...Yes. That's why I can't give it to you. It's my biggest regret."

...Hmm, this is tricky. If I suddenly transformed, it would be obvious that I was Filina, but... They would be surprised, and there would be too much to explain. I felt that there were many things that would be better for Mia not to know, if she wanted to live peacefully.

However, if things continue like this, that hair accessory will never be used...

"Can you leave it with me and I'll give it to Filina when I see her?"

"No. Even though I'm an old woman like this, I'm sure I'll live longer than you."

...It seems so. She said that her lifespan had run out. Well, I guess the time remaining after it's used up is longer than that of a normal human.

I looked up at Mia quietly.

"Don't worry. I'll definitely outlive you."

"..."

After hesitating for a while, Mia handed me the hair ornament. "What a shame," Mia muttered, looking confused.

"I wonder why. I couldn't resist what you said. Seriously, why..."

"Just think of it as being handed over to Filina and relax."

I laughed coolly, and Mia laughed awkwardly. She might have been crying a little. I didn't know why. But the look on her face... was that of someone who had just had something heavy lifted from their shoulders.

"That's right. ...Well then, I look forward to working with you."

Mia peered into the kiln, trying to pull herself together.

"Now, is the bread almost done? I'm confident in this product. When you toast the crust of bread, the crispy part becomes even more delicious. But it seems like everyone likes chewy bread."

"The crispy faction has its own survival strategy, right?"

"………………"

Mia was silent, as if she was thinking deeply about something. To be precise, it lasted for about three minutes. What would happen if someone who had been talking in front of you suddenly went silent for three minutes? I was seized with a deep fear.

I know this silence is a sign that something is about to happen. I feel the same sensation I felt when I was playing with some driftwood floating in the sea and a large dorsal fin rose to the surface of the water nearby.

"What?"

"You...can't be..."

"The stars are out. I love the stars so much that when I see them I scream and run around. So I think I'll be off now."

Mia was about to say something, but before she could open her mouth, I coolly walked away. I guess you could say I ran away. I don't know why they almost noticed.

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"You.... you should have listen to that. It's a shame for Mia."

"She said that the thing she regretted most was the hair ornament. But I received it. Now everyone is happy."

When I came to visit the leader, he immediately scolded me. When I told him about the conversation we had just had, he stroked his beard and sighed, his face wrinkled. Lying in bed, he had grown into a real grandfather, but his laugh was the same as it had been in his youth.

I also explained why I wasn't telling her. I'd have to tell her about the long-lived species and all the other troublesome details. I don't think that's a good idea. Mia is an old lady, so she probably can't protect herself.

"Why am I okay?"

"The leader got there on your own without me having to tell you to. And you're about to die."

"Didn't you say you were here to visit? Did you actually come to insult me? Yet, you ran away from Mia, who could have easily found you on her own."

...Hmm. After pondering the answer for a bit, I came up with it. In other words, "reaching there" means getting as far as you can to catch me. Mia just now couldn't catch me. So, it was close, but she failed.

The leader opened his mouth wide in exasperation and laughed loudly. The way he laughed was just like he used to be, and there was a hint of resignation mixed in.

"So what? In order to talk to you, I first have to catch you. That's quite a problem... Oh, I have some special bread. I'll bake it for you, so just wait a moment."

"I won't fall for the same tricks as before. I'm evolving every day."

"See you later," I said, and left the leader. I knew I probably wouldn't see him again while he was still alive. So I wanted to remember at least a little of our conversation. ...I was a little worried about the bread, though.

I had a bad feeling, so instead of going through the gate, I jumped over the mansion's wall and went outside (using magic, of course), and saw Mia rushing in through the gate at incredible speed. I vaguely knew that the leader was sending a message somewhere, but... it was scary. I shivered a little as I imagined myself as an old lady running around at that speed.

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Located on a high point in town, you could look down to the foot of the mountain. It was beautiful. Far below the mountainside, in the distance, the town looked small and isolated. As I gazed blankly at it, perhaps because I saw it, Mia's story from earlier flashed through my mind.

...That's right. Come to think of it, she said we could tell how long we'd live. ...How long will I live?

I tried to close my eyes gently and let my consciousness sink inward.

There was a flow of time there.

The feeling of the days piled up one after the other: the smell of the wind, the sound of rain, the laughter of people whose names I can no longer remember.

A female friend was screaming at me, pleading for something. A man was opening his mouth as if he wanted to say something. A hand touched my sleeve. A profile was gently looking at me.

An old man handed me a sinister, bent walking stick and gently stroked my head.

Some heroes turned their backs on the metalwork, holding it in their hands, without saying a word.

A quiet, endless accumulation of memories continued inside me like a mountain path.

...The time I've lived up until now.

All I have walked is the path from this lonely place on the mountain to the town I can see just below. My memories all sparkle and flicker like the rows of small roofs in the distance and the small river glistening in the morning sunlight.

That is 5,000 years.

So, how much is left?

As an experiment, I tried looking in the opposite direction, in the direction I was going.

And then, there was――

The captivating blue sky stretched out endlessly.

The pale blue pierces the clouds, turning darker, and even the sound of the sparkling white wings of birds high in the sky fades away.

There was no end in sight.

No matter how far I go, it feels like it hasn't even started yet.

I took a quiet breath.

--Ah, I see.

Maybe I still have a little bit to live.

"I've been looking for you."

As I was lost in thought, the hero suddenly appeared next to me. Like me, he was squinting, looking down at the town below. I'm sure he couldn't understand what I was looking at, though.

"By the way, I'd like to ask you something."

"Ask what?"

"You can even use a spear? What's that? A pose?"

I quietly looked away.

"...I haven't used it."

"You thought it was cool?"

"I think spears suit tall people. That doesn't matter to me."

"Yes, yes. Right."

I instinctively turned to look at the hero who had stopped talking meaningfully. Not only had he stopped talking, but he had also stopped walking, and was staring at me from a little distance behind me.

"……what?"

"I won't let you get away. Ever."

The hero's eyes were straight as he said this... They seemed to pierce through to the horizon, even beyond the sky.

"I won't let you get away," he said, "Ever."

It might have been the first time someone had said something like that to me so close and to my face.

So I stopped just for a moment.

If he said it like that, I felt like he might reach me, just a little.

Even if you're no longer there.

Because that's something no one has been able to do.

--And then, just as I was about to start walking again.

The voice came from behind me again.

"...You heard it in the oracle too, right?"

"Eh?"

"A hero is someone who does what other people can't do. I'm a hero."

His voice was low, so that it was lost in the wind, but it was still there.

I couldn't help but laugh, because what he just said was quite funny.

"Hehe... Well then, do your best?"

With my back turned, I waved.

One, two....

So let me correct what I said a little bit.

Even if it's a place beyond where there's no one left...

Just a little bit.

...I can slow down my walking speed.

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[THE END]