Chapter 71: An Epilogue, Perhaps? Probably Something Like That.

The series of incidents that had unfolded between the Great Forest and the Machine City, two opposing worlds, had finally reached a temporary conclusion.

The Great Forest had used the World Tree as material for the dragon, but apparently, it had merely borrowed its power. Once the spell wore off, the World Tree would return to normal—or so Winter had told us. It seemed he had lent us his strength after being persuaded by Miss Tierra.

As for the elves’ sacred treasure, Circus had made off with it. As a result, Walt, Pahal’s older brother, intended to set out on a journey to pursue him.

...That said, the elves of the Great Forest, including the elders, were no longer as obsessed with their “laws” as they had been before.

After all, the elder himself, the very head of their people, had used the World Tree—the symbol of their faith—as a weapon and ventured beyond the forbidden forest. It would hardly make sense to keep binding everyone with rules at this point.

Furthermore, Winter, the very spirit who had bestowed the treasure upon them, had said there was no need to cling to it. There was no longer any reason to pursue it.

Even so, Walt still intended to chase after Circus and take it back. I wondered whether that was simply a matter of pride on his part...

But apparently, that wasn't the case. According to him, “Travel isn't so bad. You occasionally come across some interesting people.”

In other words, while continuing his journey of duty, he had simply begun to enjoy traveling itself.

And so, he would continue his journey. The only difference from before was that now he had somewhere to return to. And he would be traveling with Pahal, who cheerfully declared, “I'm going with you too, big bro!”

Their lonely journey, one without a place to call home, had come to an end. A new journey was about to begin.

I invited them to come along with us, but they turned me down.

They wanted to spend some time traveling together as siblings, making up for all the time they'd spent apart. Still, Walt told me, “If fate brings us together somewhere down the road, then we'll be the ones asking to join you.”

We couldn't know what the future held, nor whether we would ever cross paths again in this vast world. Even so, we would keep moving forward, thinking of that “someday.”

Perhaps that was part of the fascinating appeal of the “unknown”—something no calculation could ever measure.

Meanwhile, although the Machine City had been left in ruins by the battle, according to its leader, Miss Limient, “If we're only talking about restoration, it'll take three days.”

Apparently, the city had been designed to separate into individual parts during emergencies, so all they needed to do was put everything back together.

However, the scientists weren't satisfied with simply restoring things to how they had been. They intended to use this opportunity to further improve the city's military capabilities and convenience. Even with those upgrades included, the Machine City would apparently be back on its feet within a week.

The technological capabilities of the Machine City really were incredible. It made me wonder how on earth we'd managed to win...

No, perhaps “win” wasn't quite the right word.

It was simply that Miss Limient had placed her bet on our “possibilities.” If we had fought them head-on, going all out, there wouldn't even have been a contest. Not in terms of numbers or sheer power.

That's right. They had entrusted everything to us.

The people of the Machine City had abandoned the method that would have guaranteed their own survival and instead placed their hopes in the method we were pursuing: one in which everyone could be saved.

I must never forget that.

...Looking back, so many people had entrusted things to me.

That's right. Even at the very end of that battle—

“—Kizuna. I entrust Tierra to you. Don't let go of the hand you've taken, all right?”

Who on earth had that person been?

She had Tierra's appearance and Tierra's voice, but she was someone entirely different.

“She” had said that this was only the second time we'd spoken. But when had we first met? Was she someone I'd encountered beyond the fragments of my missing memories? And if so, what had “she” meant to me? What had I meant to “her”?

What had happened to “her” afterward? Had she really disappeared?

There were so many things I didn't know.

But there was one thing I understood. Even in that brief encounter, I could tell how much “she” cared about Tierra.

And that same “she” had entrusted Tierra As to me—to all of us. I knew well enough that such trust wasn't something to be taken lightly.

That was precisely why I needed to hear the story from Miss Tierra herself.

About her past. About her relationship with me. About the “her” who had unleashed that incredible attack with a great sword.

If she didn't want to talk about it, I had always pretended not to notice.

But that wasn't good enough anymore.

No matter how heavy the burden might be, I wanted us to bear what she carried together. That was what it meant to be companions.

So I finally gathered my courage and asked Miss Tierra about it.

But—

“Well, um... You see? That was just... the power of desperation, I suppose? Or something like that? Maybe some hidden power awakened within me? Or perhaps it descended upon me... I entered the zone, maybe? Um... Well, something along those lines. Probably.”

What I got in return was a hesitant, muddled answer that was completely unlike her.

...She was trying to brush the subject aside and cover it up. At least, that's how it seemed to me.

If that was how she wanted to play it, then I had a plan of my own.

I didn't accuse her or press her with harsh words. But neither did I back down.

I simply gazed at her—quietly, without saying a word.

“...They say a man changes greatly after just three days apart, don't they? Kizuna-kun, I feel you've become much stronger and more manly after this battle. Even though we were separated for only a short while... I suppose you really are growing into a young man. I'm happy to see that growth, but at the same time, I feel a little lonely.”

After several seconds of silence, she finally spoke. It was as though she'd resigned herself to it—or perhaps she was feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“...Kizuna-kun. I'll get straight to the point. I cannot reveal everything about myself to you.”

“Why not?”

“Let me confess one thing. For me, dealing with the World Eater is not my highest priority. I have my own objective... my own mission that I must fulfill. And if it means accomplishing that mission... I wouldn't mind even if this world were destroyed.”

“Huh?”

“...That's only a hypothetical, of course. But I am not joking. I'm looking in a different direction from you and the others, Kizuna-kun. I'm a rather cowardly woman, you see.”

“That's not true...”

I wanted to deny it—to tell her she shouldn't put herself down like that. But the words caught in my throat for a moment.

Her blue eyes were serious as she spoke of having a “mission.” They held a fierce determination, the kind of resolve that would make her willing to throw away even her own life.

It wasn't the usual warmth and compassion I knew from her. This was a side of her I'd never seen before.

I knew far too little about her to simply dismiss it.

“Listen carefully, Kizuna-kun. Perhaps the day will come when I can tell you everything about myself. But that day is not today.”

Her voice, her gaze, the very atmosphere around Miss Tierra—all of it made it clear that this conversation was over.

I understood that perfectly. Even so, I continued.

“There's just one last thing I want to ask. Did ‘she’ have any regrets?”

“—. Yes. I'm sure she left without a single thing weighing on her heart.”

With her hand resting against her chest, her expression was peaceful. I felt that her words were the truth.

And then—

Thud, thud, thud!

The sound of hurried footsteps approached.

That noise, which made both Miss Tierra and my ears tremble, could only be the prologue to a brand-new commotion.

“Miss Tierra! I beg you! Please teach me the ultimate ramen recipe!”

“Huh? Padron, what? Isn't this kind of the wrong atmosphere for that?”

“The path of ramen is as long as its noodles and as profound as the richness of its broth. —My training will be rigorous, you know?”

“Miss Tierra?!”

WF Strategy Guide

Last Updated: September 1, 2018

◆ Autumn Event [Next Road_Ramen Road] Confirmed! Starting 9/14!

• Predicted Pickup Characters: Here!

• Predicted Event Bonus Characters: Here!

◆ Recommended Characters for WF Rerolling!

• Should You Reroll? Reroll Instructions

• Definitive Reroll Character Ranking

◆ Recommended Characters for Strategy

• Characters You Should Prioritize Raising

◆ [Ending Soon!] Limited-Time Gacha “Stagnation and Innovation in Chaos” Now Available! Until 9/14!

• SSR “White-Coated Empress / Limient Cornerstone” — Full Performance Details

◆ First-Ever Collaboration Event Confirmed!

• Predicted Collaboration Works!

• Predicted Collaboration Character Performance!

• When Will It Be Held? An Analysis Based on Past Events!

About This Site

A strategy guide for War Fairy (WF). We provide useful information, including quest walkthroughs, detailed character and equipment information, and ideal party compositions!

WF Strategy Guide Index Event Details Gacha Details Party Building Equipment Setup Database Character List Equipment List Role Guide Attribute Guide Message Boards Gacha Reports Strategy & Questions Friend Recruitment General Discussion