Season 2 Final Episode + Epilogue (2) End

~Final Episode + Epilogue (2)

Then, about ten years passed.

The swordsman did not show up at the usual gathering at the hot spring inn.

I later heard that he had been reinstated into the army and was assigned to a frontier fort as commander.

On the night of the attack, he remained alone in the fort to buy time for his soldiers to escape.

It was a straightforward end, befitting a swordsman.

Come to think of it, the last time we met, the swordsman's hair had started to turn a little grey.

His large back was still strong, but I remember feeling a little awkward as he adjusted the coat around his shoulders.

...Looking back, maybe the breakup had already begun around that time.

★

About thirty years later, rumors spread that the princess, who was now ruling the country as king, was ill.

I went to the royal capital to pay my respects. Of course, the royal capital was no place to be afraid.

The palace was enveloped in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. I was led into a large hospital room, where the once dignified princess was now lying alone in bed.

"...You came."

"Yes. I heard you were sick."

The princess gave a small laugh.

Her face was calmer than I expected, and even exuded a hint of relief.

We exchanged a few old stories for a while, but that didn't last long.

Soon her condition suddenly worsened.

She sleeps in bed with her eyes closed and groaning in pain, her hands waving in the air as if searching for someone.

Urged by the maid beside me, I gently took her hand.

Then, as if she had found the light, her hands pulled me in tight and embraced me. The strength was so strong it was astonishing.

"...Ah, thank goodness... you're here. I've already been looking for you."

The voice sounded truly relieved, like a young child finally returning home after being lost.

"Look, the party is almost here. Can you hear the music?"

Saying this, the princess gazed into the distance.

I didn't hear that sound.

However, it was surely received by the princess.

...Surely, it will be another night following that night.

The true beginning of the feast has arrived, transcending time.

The princess let out a small sigh of contentment,

And then, just like that, she quietly closed her eyes.

--It was as if she was surrendering herself to the melody of blessings flowing in the distance.

★

Then, one day, several seasons passed.

The hero suddenly disappeared.

One day, I happened to drop by his house, but there was no one there.

The room, which should have been normal as usual, was quiet, tidy, and without a single sound, as if a performance had just ended.

There was a small piece of paper on the desk.

"I'm going out for a bit."

That was all that was left.

According to nearby villagers, the hero carrying a heavy load gave a cheerful greeting and left.

But that was it.

He never returned.

He didn't want people to see him die?

Or did he go looking for a way to fulfill his promise to be "reborn in 1000 years"?

--I somehow think it's the latter.

★

After that, I hid myself in a cave deep in the mountains for about 100 years, because I went to the royal capital.

Maybe they found out back then that I was a long-lived species, or maybe no one even noticed. Still, just to be safe, I decided to change my appearance.

Crack, crack, crack...

Is that about right?

When I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the cave, a girl of about ten years old was standing there.

Apparently, the fact that long-lived species can stretch and shrink is not widely known among the general public. Even if she had been recorded and passed down in legend as a young girl, no one would be able to connect her to me now...or so I thought.

From then on, I moved from place to place near human settlements, such as forests and valleys, living there for several years at a time.

The reason why I didn't completely avoid human contact was because I thought it would be nice to have something to talk about the next time we met. I had just bought a diary, after all.

And, for some reason, when I'm in the crowds on the street, I feel like I see voices and gestures that sound familiar.

Of course it's just my imagination. There's no way something that convenient could happen.

But sometimes I think, maybe.

I thought that was fine.

★

Well, one day like that...

As I was drawing water from the river, the bushes rustled and a young woman appeared, tumbling out.

Her clothes were covered in mud, her feet were scratched, she was breathing heavily and looked very tired.

I stayed there for a while because she didn't move away, but collapsed on the spot and didn't move a muscle.

When I finally offered her the water, she looked at me with startled eyes for a moment, then hesitantly accepted it.

She had beautiful features, and exuded the unique aura of someone of noble birth.

She looked a bit like a princess.

That night at my house, she spoke in bits and pieces.

She was born into a noble family in a certain country, but apparently possessed a power that was considered "taboo."

She was a child who could move things without touching them and see spirits in her dreams.

"So, you had two choices: either be sealed away or executed. Apparently, in that country, it's not permitted to possess such a thing."

That's why she wants to go to the Magic City. It's true, the more taboo something is there, the more accepting it seems. But there's one problem.

It would take about six months to travel from where she was to the Magic City. It would take almost half a year, from one end of the continent to the other. In that situation, it would be difficult for her to escape her pursuers and reach the city.

It would be easy to send her using my wand, but if it was from one end of the continent to the other, the magic would probably be red. I think everyone said, "You can use it when necessary," and yellow or blue would be okay, but red seems like it would be bad for everyday use. In fact, the imaginary princess in my head was holding up a sign with a big X on it.

...In that case... Shall I send her off? If I use yellow and blue, along with other items, I should be able to at least evade her pursuers.

This time I'll keep the talk of shortening my lifespan a secret. I've learned a lesson. Talk of shortening my lifespan is absolutely not allowed.

Its appearance... is fine as it is. If it were to transform right in front of her eyes, I'm sure it would scare her.

"Shall I take you to the Magic City? I'm bored and wanted to meet up with an old acquaintance."

I don't think I even thanked the White Priestess properly. She's probably still alive.

However, the woman looked puzzled, remained silent, and cast her gaze around. I was drawn in and started looking around as well.

The inside of the cave was fairly well-organized. There was furniture given to them by a traveling merchant, handmade shelves, and cloth hanging to separate the rooms. At first glance, it looked like a slightly unusual mountain home.

"Um... so, when will your parents be coming back?"

The woman timidly spoke up.

"Huh, my parents? My parents died a long time ago."

"So, do you have brothers or something?"

"I'm the only one living here, you know?"

"How long have you been here?"

"About five years already...?"

"Five years in a place like this, all by yourself...?"

Setting aside the fact that my beloved home was being described as "a place like this," I finally understood when I saw her put her hand over her mouth and look at the pitiful person on her face.

I am now a 10-year-old child. So, you may feel sorry for me, living alone in a cave in the woods. But there is no need for such concern. Because, deep down, I am an adult. I am simply camping on the weekends as a hobby.

So I laughed, raised both arms, and tried my best to show that I was in good spirits.

"It's okay! Even though I look like this, I'm already an adult!"

"..."

"Huh?"

★

--A lot has happened in 1000 years.

After that, I went to magic school with the girl I sent off to the Magic City. I told her I had no magical powers. The White Priestess forced me to attend just because she thought it would be fun. It was clearly fraudulent admission. I plan to expose her someday.

I also met a girl who said she was building a ship to travel to another world. "This girl wants to chase after someone who was summoned from another world but returned to their original world. That's the essence of youth!" her friend revealed, laughing, before getting kicked roughly by the girl.

I also met a boy who said he had been summoned from another world. Thinking he had returned to his lover, I took him to the girl he had met before, but she had already departed on a boat. When I spoke to the boy, he told me he had no connection to the girl. He said he wanted to go home, so I set out on a journey with him to find a way to return to his original world.

I also met Mia again. ...I don't want to go into details because it was scary, but I would like to say that she was "very, very angry."

★

And then... finally, 1000 years passed.

The sound of the waves lapping quietly echoed around the beach at night.

Compared to back then, the shoreline was much closer. There was no trace of the sand dune where we had once buried the bottle. Looking back at the spot, I reached out to the sand at my feet. There was nothing there. The sea breeze was just gently stirring up the sand.

--It smelled the same as back then. It brought back nostalgia and made the depths of my heart tingle.

Even now, I felt like if I called, they would answer.

If I call out to them, they'll smile and turn around.

...Of course, there's no one there.

I sat down and gently hugged my knees.

★★★★★

540: Anonymous of the Wind

　"Once upon a time, an old acquaintance of mine said to me, 'Let's meet again in a few thousand years,' and now I feel like I understand a little bit of what he meant."

　"--Let's dig it up again in a thousand years."

　"I can still hear you laughing as you said that."

544: Anonymous of the Wind

　I feel like crying

　The wizard was thinking about this

548: Anonymous of the Wind

　This is the first time the wizard has had a monologue.

　I'm taking a lot of damage...

550: Anonymous of the Wind

　The wizard stood up

　Oh no, she's going somewhere

556: Anonymous of the Wind

　The wizard is writing something in the sand

　I can't read it.

　What language is that?

563: Anonymous of the Wind

　I can understand even if I can't read

　She's writing down where she's going for her friends who will be late...

570: Anonymous of the Wind

　Is this the end?

578: Anonymous of the Wind

　In the end, wasn't she saved?

585: Anonymous of the Wind

　Even though they had finally reunited

　It was the same...

590: Long-lived Niki

　But there are a few things that concern me

596: Anonymous of the Wind

　Long-lived species Niki!

602: Anonymous of the Wind

　What's is it that concern you?!

610: Long-lived Niki

　In the end, there were parts that weren't relevant to the story.

　The story of the World Tree

　They went to the trouble of drawing it, and yet it ended without being touched.

618: Anonymous of the Wind

　In other words?

625: Long-lived Niki

　Hehe, I gave you a hint

　Then try to think for yourself

632: Anonymous of the Wind

　……In other words?

638: Anonymous of the Wind

　Lol, it was ignored

645: Long-lived Niki

　No, I don't know.

　It just feels strange

　I feel like we might get something out of it.

651: Anonymous of the Wind

　But even if she can't meet her reborn friends at this point, she might be able to meet them later.

658: Anonymous of the Wind

　Is this the end of the main story?

665: Anonymous of the Wind

　Well, in the end, what we were watching was...

　"It's just a part of that world"

672: Anonymous of the Wind

　So even after that, the story continues in that world...

　I'm sure Wizard-chan will be reunited with her new friends there and live happily ever after.　

　I'm knowledgeable

680: Anonymous of the Wind

　There was someone who said that before too.

　Does that mean the events in that anime actually happened?

688: Anonymous of the Wind

　If so, I have one question

　Why are events from another world being made into anime?

695: Anonymous of the Wind

　Right?

　That's just too much.

702: Anonymous of the Wind

　But it's tough that in the end there was nothing to gain...

　What was this anime trying to convey?

　In the end, the wizard just wrote the mysterious letters by herself.

710: Anonymous of the Wind

　You've been quiet for a while now, but do you have any ideas for this, the long-lived species Niki?

　But it was on the way?

718: Long-lived Niki

　…Eh? Wait...

725: Anonymous of the Wind

　Long-lived species Niki?

731: Long-lived Niki

　………No way

★★★★★

...Now, what should I do?

I look up at the night sky. The stars are twinkling quietly. I knew no one would come. I knew it, but...

I hugged my knees and took a small breath.

Lonely.

I never knew it would be so lonely to have no one by my side.

But I don't know what to do next.

Behind me, I heard a *whoosh* of wind. I turned around, but there was no one there. But the sound sounded familiar. The sound of a slash he had heard on countless battlefields. It was the sound of a swordsman practicing his swing, which echoed tens of thousands of times a day in the temple.

and--.

"Miracles won't happen if you just wait around."

I felt as if I heard a gentle, yet powerful voice from close to my chest. I looked down and saw my brooch sparkling in the moonlight.

The stroke of his sword and her voice reverberated through the night air.

It was as if he and she were still truly alive in this world.

...That's right. If they don't come, I'll just go and pick them up.

I gently place the necklace hanging from my neck in my palm. It was given to me hundreds of years ago. It is protected by magic, and if the owner is still alive, it will point in the direction of their matching mate.

It was silent for a while, and then suddenly it was pulled towards the sky.

The end of the necklace pointed towards the night sky.

"...Beyond the sky, huh..."

Maybe they went to heaven after all? But for a hero to be in heaven... how should I put it, it's hard to believe. But is he in heaven after all...? From what I know, heaven is beyond the sky.

However, the fact that hero is in heaven is a problem. I'm not sure I can go. Should I have done more good deeds in the past 1,000 years...?

A small grumble of resentment escaped from my mouth.

"You said you'd be reborn..."

Something about reincarnation. Was that something someone said at the World Tree? I'm sure I heard it with him.

"--Reincarnation is the soul going around in a circle."

I haven't been there. Because there hasn't been anyone there in the last 1,000 years. Of course, I haven't looked at every corner of the world, so I can't say for sure. But if they were trying to find me, there would probably have been some kind of signal, some kind of movement. I'll do the same if I'm the one searching.

"When a person dies, they give up their soul, and that soul flows into the next vessel. In this way, the world is constantly circulating."

So it's not circulating. Even if it were, the number of people would increase. I think I was wondering back then too, where would the increased numbers come from...

"Souls are not confined to this world. They flow in from other worlds beyond the sky, and overflow into other worlds. The circle of souls overlaps multiple times, transcending a single world."

Other worlds, after all.

Come to think of it, there was a kid who was summoned. Maybe that story wasn't so far-fetched after all...

...No, wait a minute?

Another world. No, the important thing here isn't the soul ring or anything. The important thing here is that the other world is "beyond the sky."

Beyond the sky....

Beyond the sky!!

What's important now isn't the "ring of souls," but the fact that "there is another world beyond the sky."

...I wonder if I can go. To the other side of the sky. To another world.

I slowly stood up.

And take out my wand.

"Don't use your wand unless it's an emergency."

I made a promise to everyone back then.

But now I was alone, feeling hopelessly lonely, and now was the time.

I raised my wand. Magical power flowed through me. The space trembled.

The magic that is activated is - Red. It is the most powerful magic, requiring 10 years of lifespan.

A red light explodes.

I leap into the sky.

But—it doesn't reach.

The sky was high.

The walls of the world were far away and thick.

So I raised my wand again. Red again.

And then, jumping up, do it again.

Red, red, red—with each flame, the world seems to move a little further away.

The water beneath my feet sinks silently. The sea, the mountains, the cities, and the forests all become tiny lights.

I cast the spell nearly a hundred times.

Each time, it took away a piece of my soul.

If it still doesn't reach.

I will risk everything and fly to find that one person out there.

The sky opens up. The edge of the world cracks open and light floods in.

The sound of the waves disappears. The wind calms down.

Time stops, and only light remains - a path stretching straight up.

The world was spinning at my feet.

The earth, the sky, the sea, and the stars all converge into one circle and become smaller.

As if to send me off.

I turned my back to the world and waved.

Goodbye, my world.

I flew.

Pushing through the stars, crossing the night, far away where words cannot reach.

The red light burned, leaving a trail and drawing multiple trajectories.

All of it dissolved into the sky, like a wish.

I felt like I could walk even without magic.

--But because of magic, I can fly.

Far, far away.

To the world beyond the sky where you are.

★★★★★

"---The smell of sand and the sound of the sea were the only things that gently caressed my cheeks, like a memory.

I felt like I now understood a little bit what an old acquaintance of mine once said to me: "Let's meet again in a few thousand years."

"--Let's dig it up again in a thousand years."

I can still hear your voices laughing as you said that."

The wizard girl's monologue ends and the screen slowly fades to black.

Leaving a quiet aftertaste behind, the girl draws some kind of letter in the sand and slowly walks away - the credits begin to roll as her back remains on screen.

"Director! Are you sure this is okay? This is a bad ending, isn't it?"

As the lights returned to the dark screening room, the assistant director was the first to speak. Standing up from his chair, he looked back at the screen with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"It's fine, this is fine. I promised her that this would be the end."

"With whom?! Don't take this work for your own personal use!!"

"Well, well, that's fine. Anyway, the broadcast finished safely. Let's all go out for drinks. I'll treat you."

The director's casual words got the staff excited. A mix of men and women, including the sound director, art chief, and voice actress for the princess, all stood up with smiles on their faces, shouting, "Yay!" and "Let's drink tonight!"

However, amidst the commotion, one person stood up and modestly raised their hand.

It was a small, quiet girl sitting in the back seat.

She has shiny black hair and wears calm, uniform-like clothing. She is young and has a gentle aura, but for some reason she also has a vague sense of distance, as if she has "shouldn't get too close" warning sign around her.

"Sorry, I have something to do after this..."

With a small bow, the girl picked up her bag and modestly headed towards the exit.

"After this?! It's the middle of the night?!"

"Boyfriend⁉"

"Hey. Stop it. ...Well then, see you later, Kamishiro-san. This was your first time as a voice actor, right? Good job on being the lead. ...So, who are you meeting?"

The girl turned around with her bag still on her shoulder.

She smiled shyly, bowed her head gently, picked up a notebook with mysterious writing written all over the cover, and held it to cover her mouth.

"I don't know either. Who's coming, I wonder?"

"...Isn't it better to stop after all?"

"Director! It's a scandal! Is this okay?"

"If we try to stop her by force, I think we'll all be wiped from this world..."

"Wait a second?! Is Kamishiro-san really that dangerous?!"

With the staff members talking behind her, the girl quietly leaves the screening room.

At the end of the corridor, the automatic doors leading out into the night city slowly opened.

There was a familiar sound beneath her feet, like stepping on sand.

★

(Epilogue)

Ever since I was little, I've loved the ocean for some reason. When people around me asked me, "Why do you love the ocean so much?" I couldn't explain it, and I don't really know either. I just felt like I was searching for something. But no matter where I went, something felt different.

I've lived with that sense of discomfort for a long time, and even after graduating from university, that feeling never went away.

I wonder if it was just a coincidence that I happened to watch an anime that was on late at night. The voices I heard made me feel something, and I was instantly drawn in.

And then, the final scene. Letters written on the beach. Even when looking at the bulletin board, they said it was impossible to read, but that was... a place. It indicated a location.

My body moved involuntarily.

There were no trains running, so I took my scooter. I approached the sea and searched for something. Something or someone now. Someone I couldn't even explain, I felt like I would find her.

When I finally reached the edge of the beach, I saw someone sitting in the moonlight. I ran across the beach and over to her.

There was a young girl there, building a fence out of wood and rummaging around.

For a moment, a memory I didn't recognize flashed through my mind. It was of a little girl my age, crouching on the bank of a mountain stream, doing something.

"What are you doing?"

"...Crab farm. It's a grown-ups' game."

Looking at the girl's back as she answered without turning around, for some reason my heart warmed. What should I say? What...?

Without thinking, I opened my mouth. The words just seemed to flow out of me.

"I'm thinking of going on a trip again. So..."

"Then I'll go too."

Without a moment's hesitation, she turned around with a smile, and for some reason tears welled up in my eyes. At the same time, I remembered everything. I had invited her to go on a journey, we had met companions, we had fought the Demon King, and now, just like back then, we were here, the two of us.

...Looking back, I remember that journey, that farewell, and the time leading up to today.

It was all one journey.

That's what I thought somehow.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I didn't wait that long. But even if you were reborn in this world, you might still be three years old, so it was a gamble."

"That's not true."

"Why?"

"I can do that much somehow. I'm a former hero after all."

"Hero is really amazing."

"...Let's go look for the other two."

"Hmm, I feel like the two of them are close by. I just don't really understand."

"So I wasn't the only one who wasn't there?"

"I agree."

"Are those guys serious..."

"But I thought I'd try looking for them anyway."

"You should definitely stop using anime again."

"Why?"

"There's malice in the production...! Stop digging into people's heart."

"It's the director's hobby."

"I don't know much about him, but I think you should cut ties with him."

"He said a person's gloomy expression is a work of art."

"Let's cut it now! ...Now that I think of it, you don't have your wand with you anymore, do you?"

"...I don't have it."

"You have it! You definitely have it!"

★

Reunited under the moonlight, the two laugh and walk off into nowhere. The sound of the waves continues quietly, and the night breeze caresses the sand.

It was as if they were retracing the continuation of a story they had almost forgotten.

...And so, this little journey ended without anyone knowing.

Those footprints were supposed to have been forgotten, but one day, in someone's imagination, they begin to be told again.

★★★★★

300: Long-lived Niki

　Okay, everyone, listen up!

307: Anonymous of the Wind

　Everyone, the long-lived Niki has found something.

313: Anonymous of the Wind

　As expected of a long-lived species!

321: Anonymous of the Wind

　So that's it?

　What did we find out?

328: Long-lived Niki

　After all, that actually happened, and the wizard came to this world to find her reincarnated friends! That's why she told the story! So, I'm sure the wizard is in the anime industry...

334: Anonymous of the Wind

　……?

340: Anonymous of the Wind

　???

346: Anonymous of the Wind

　What are you talking about?

354: Anonymous of the Wind

　That's bad... That's bad...

358: Long-lived Niki

　No

　I know it's hard to believe, but it's true!

360: Anonymous of the Wind

　Why did I let you get to this point...?

367: Anonymous of the Wind

　Yes

　I'll give you some medicine

374: Anonymous of the Wind

　...Long-lived species Niki!

　Let's go back to the ward!

AN:

So that's it!

Thank you all so much for sticking with us this far.

Thanks to all of you, I had a great time writing this.

When I received some interesting feedback, I would chuckle.

There are probably many more things that happened along the way, but I think this is where the story ultimately ends.

The second season is an answer to the question, "In the end, only the wizard will remain because of the difference in lifespan." That's why it ended up being a serious story. I wanted to include more comedy, but... I was aiming for a happy ending, so it can't be helped.

I think I can still write about the daily life part as an extra, but this is the end of the main story. I've combined the end with the prologue and pulled back on the lyrics, so I think this is finally the end.

So once again, thank you very much