After it was decided that all of us were going to return to the human world, dad spoke to me with a serious face on him.
ăIâll say this to you once. Donât ever do something like this for the second time.ă
ăEh?ă
I tilted my head hearing his words.
ăFor example, suppose there is someone who has lived out his natural lifespan and died satisfied with his life. Do you think itâs good idea to bring him back to life?ă
ăThatâsâŚă
Dad gently brushed me who couldnât refute him.
ăThereâs this saying about disgracing the dead, right? Seiichi, your action just now wasnât that far from it. Of course, the thought Seiichi is taking life for a grain of salt never crossed my mind even for a moment. However, the thing called life is something that runs out by nature. And people who have died are never to return to alive. Please take it to your heart.ă
ăâŚâŚă
ăWell, even so, there are times when you die without living your entire life. While there are times where you can fight against sickness alike, there are also times you just canât do anything, but thatâs also called fate. However, outside of all that⌠what do you think is best to do when someone you treasure died due to an accident or in an involvement to a scandal? Please think it through while remembering what I said to you.ă
This feeling, it was the same as when Dad scolded me.
In dadâs case, heâd never shout at me, he would make me think of what Iâve done.
And, this time around, he was scolding me for reviving all of them.
If soâŚ
ă⌠Avoid getting into a scandal or an accident?ă
ăThatâs right. Avoiding them before they happen is the best course of action. Now then, what should you do in order to avoid them?ă
ăEhâŚă
As expected, even I donât know that.
Is the answer always bracing myself for it? Or is it always to read the situation of the surroundings?
But, no matter how much I try, itâll be impossible to perfectly avoid every accident/scandal.
Since it was too absurd a question, I couldnât find the answer.
Thereby, Dad declared it clearly.
ăWhy, itâs simple. You only have to protect them, Seiichi.ă
ăEh?ă
ăI know I canât do it, but if youâre born a man then you should at least be capable of protecting those you love.ă
ăâŚDoes that even count as an answer?ă
Really, this dad of mineâŚ
I was able to do my best because I had these parents who gently showed the way.
ăIâve said lots, but what I want to convey to you is that ăDeathă is never a bad thing. Donât just take it to your heart as it is, but you also have to think it through.ă
ăâŚYes.ă
As I was having such a conversation with Dad, Zeanos came closer to us.
ăMakoto-dono. I dare say that an incident like this will be the last of it.ă
ăZeanos-san, what do you mean by that?ă
ăThis is what I felt body-wise, but apparently our bodies as the dead are influenced by Seiichiâs body⌠by the body of the living, and thus our bodies are changed to that of the living, and subsequently allowed us to be revived. This is a deed that could be done because weâre in the ăNetherworldă, a place where even the dead like us can pertain our consciousness⌠Even if someone died in the original world, they canât be revived using the same method. Once youâre dead, your ego will travel to the ăNetherworldă after all. âŚIt would be nigh-impossible to do the same thing as he did before.ă
ăâŚThatâs about right⌠Based on this incident, I too shall place a strict admission limit to Netherworld⌠Apparently, even I was influenced by Seiichi-san⌠Now I can do things I couldnât do before⌠Placing an admission limit is one of them⌠Now, any human who hasnât died wonât be able to enter through teleportation magic or by passing through the gate that placed in the far east⌠ă
Netherworld also expressed his opinions, agreeing with Zeanosâ words.
Wait, what the heck am I, influencing even the Netherworld? Ah, I just donât understand it anymore.
At any rate, I understood that this time will be the last time an incident like this happened.
âŚWell, I fully understood that Dad and Mom were no longer with me, and I also understood that I was saying crazy stuff.
I also understood that they couldnât return to the place where I belonged together with me.
However, now that I had spent my time with them, I couldnât accept that they had died.
Thinking about it calmly, I was shouting something incomprehensibleâŚ
However, now that I can reunite with them, I can touch them like this⌠I can feel the warmth that I thought I would never be able to feel again.
But, to be separated with them without being able to do anything again, and that they were right in front of me⌠I just couldnât bear it.
Though, only my body that went towards such an unexpected direction⌠My mental spirit didât even grow. I know itâs a pitiful story, butâŚ
ăIn addition, Iâm just glad that I could come back to life.ă
ăIs, is that so?ă
Zeanos told me that he was purely delighted that he was revived.
ăSome people may think this as blasphemy towards the dead. But, I wanted to live. I really wanted to live. âŚAlong with Marie here.ă
ăZeanos-samaâŚă
ăI believe that both cases are just as arrogant as the other. If reviving the dead are judged as arrogant, then doing a deed in the name of the dead are also just as arrogant. Well, it is but an opinion of mine, so pay no heed to it.ă
ăHuhâŚă
It seems like Dad and Zeanos are having a difficult conversation, but I have no clue what they are talking about. Can you two make it simpler? âŚAh, Iâm just too dumb, huh?
ăHey, hey, isnât it fine!? Letâs just drop all the hard talk! Look, Seiichi-kun is having a hard time trying to catch up.ă
ăEh, Iâm busted!?ă
ăThatâs obvious, itâs showing on your face.ă
How useless, I am.
After I let out a fake laugh to brush it off, I asked the Netherworld about something Iâm curious about.
ăCome to think of it, you said you have created the Gatekeeper, is it already serving its duty?ă
ăâŚNo⌠Since I just created it⌠itâs currently near your position, Seiichi-san⌠ă
ăNear me?ă
As I casually looked back, there was a Nio statue that usually showed up in Japanese history textbook that posed in front lateral spread like a bodybuilder. Since when!? Rather, while the face is scary, why is its pose so weird!? In addition, his character overlaps! A brawny character is enough with Gassur alone!
As I was surprised with the appearance of Nio statue, my parents looked at it with sparkly eyes
ăMakoto-san, Makotosan! Itâs a Nio statue!ă
ăOu! You are right! To think we can see it in here even though we are not on Earthă
ăPicture! Letâs take a picture!ă
ăThen, let me take my smartphone⌠Iâm sorry, come to think of it I didnât bring a smartphoneâŚă
ăNo way⌠Seiichi! Do you bring a smartphone?ă
ăA sightseeing atmosphere even though weâre here!? No, I brought it though.ă
Right, I brought it⌠I wanted to say that itâs enough with breaking the fantasy. Itâs about me though
Thing was, because itâs a smartphone that came from Instant Farm magic, the camera function shouldnât beâŚ
ăâŚItâs there.ă
The preparation is good, huh!? Iâm surprised!
As I was surprised with the camera function, Mom said to Dad merrily.
ăCome on! Makoto-san, letâs take a picture together!ă
ă Sure. Seichi, you too come hereă
ăEh? Ah, ună
Is it okay to do something like that? When I saw Zeanos and the others that giving off such a feeling, for some reason I can feel a lukewarm gaze towards me. Crap, Iâm embarrassed.
As my face turned reddish, dad pulled my arm and made me stand between him and mom without minding them.
And then, mom talked with a gentle tone.
ă⌠Without me realizing, you have grown up so bigâŚă
ăâŚTrue that. You have grown bigger than meâŚă
Their gaze felt embarrassing to me, so in order to hide my embarrassment, I spoke loudly.
ăLo, look! We canât make them wait too long! Hurry and take the photo!ă
ăThatâs true, I guessă
Dad and momâs faces came near mine
Iâve never done a group photo before, so donât know how to, but letâs do the operation with an unfamiliar wayâŚ
ăPut a smile on!ă
ăYour face is stiff, you knowă
While Dad and Mom told me to do this and that, I took the photo.
ăSay Cheese!ă
The moment I said so, for some reason, the Nio statue stationed itself behind us, raised two fingers up then smiled so it could be included in the photo.
Oi, arenât you having too much fun!? What about your dignity as a gatekeeper?
After the group photo was done, the Nio statue moved back to its previous pose as if nothing just happened.
ăSeiichi, did it come out well?ă
ăEh? AahâŚă
Before I even could say anything, my parents seized the smartphone to check the outcome.
No, isnât it within expectation that it would be surprising that such a stern looking Nio statue made a peace sign?
ăUn, itâs looks good!ă
ăIsnât it. The Nio Statue looks like itâs having fun too!ă
ăSurprising, isnât it!ă
They instead just gloss over it like itâs normal! Thatâs my parents for ya! I canât do that, though! Well, Iâm saying it above the fact that theyâre thinking itâs a vacation even when theyâre in Netherworld, you see!
As I was being led around by my parents just as usual, the Netherworld raised its voice.
ăâŚMay I have a wordâŚ?ă
ăAh, sure. Iâm sorry.ă
ăâŚNo⌠donât mind it⌠well, Iâve never seen anyone taking a picture in the Netherworld, howeverâŚă
I bet. itâs way too dangerous to be a sightseeing spot. Youâll die, after all.
ăâŚWell then, I believe itâs time for everyone to go back to Human World⌠You will be teleported to the place where Seiichi-sama was before he came hereâŚă
In other word, the stadium at Barbadora Magic Academy.
âŚAfter all that happened before, Iâm guessing that there would be no one there, so I think it should be fine if we suddenly just pop out.
ăGot that.ă
ăâŚWell then, Iâm starting the teleportation⌠Seiichi-sama⌠I am deeply grateful for what you have done on this occasionâŚă
ăâŚThank you, from my side as well.ă
From under our feet, a teleportation circle expanded.
And then, for our last time together, the Netherworld spoke his words.
ăâŚMay your future be blissful⌠Please, come visit again another timeâŚă
ăNetherworld isnât some park you can carefreely come and go, right!?ă
I who received such an invitation teleported away along with my parents and the rest.
âââ
ăâŚDid we⌠come backâŚ?ă
There was no mistaking it, after the teleportation magic activated, what laid in my field of view was the stadium of Barbadora Magic Academy.
ăSo weâve managed to come backâŚă
Though it should be obvious, there was nobody inside the stadium.
ăâŚI still canât come to term with it from the bottom of my heart, but⌠we really, really have revived, havenât we⌠ă
I turned my head when I heard Zeanos trying to cope with the big surprise, but it turned that even my parents and everyone else were having the same reaction.
And then, Nataliana-san suddenly broke into tears.
ăWaahhh, hup, hupă
ăNataliana-san!? Whatâs wrong!?ă
Hastily, we came closer to Nataliana-san.
Whilst Lilana-san patting her back, Nataliana-san let out her fit of crying.
ăI⌠I am⌠vexedâŚă
ăYes?ă
ăâŚI died, leaving the person I treasured behind⌠not only that, I was killed right in front of himâŚă
Unlike anyone else in this room, Nataliana-san is the only person I wasnât in direct contact with.
That being the case, the fact that she came back along with Zeanos and the others just like this meant that she somehow somewhere had a string of fate with me.
However, what kind of fate⌠I still couldnât solve it.
Not even I know why and how she diedâŚ
ăâŚWhen⌠I think I can really meet with⌠the person I thought I had lost⌠I, I justâŚă
ăIs that soâŚă
As Liliana kept patting her back, Anna-san spoke of her thought with her most tender voice.
ăItâs fine. We arenât exactly people from this age⌠that is why, we will always here for you until you find that person you treasure. How does that sound?ă
ăWhy, of course! That should do.ă
ăAgreed with that. Ainât we all comrades who escaped the same hell. Yer being stand-offish.ă
Both Abel and Garus told Nataliana much less the same thing.
I see. Iâve forgotten about it, but not only Abel and his party, but Zeanos, Mary, and Lucius arenât people from this time and age.
Not to mention my parents who basically arenât people from this worldâŚ
As my head was filled with such though, father opened his mouth.
ăSeiichiă
ăHm?ă
ăDonât mind your Father and Mother.ă
ăEh?ă
I was befuddled with what came out from his mouth.
My father continued what he wanted to say, ignoring me.
ăMe and your mother donât want to be a burden for you. You do you what you want.ă
ăDo what I want, you say⌠What about you guys?ă
In my regard, I will be happy if they donât leave my side.
After him, it was Mum who spoke.
ăWeâll be spending our lives slowly somewhere. You see, I wants to grow my own garden~ă
My mother was, just as always, doing everything at her own pace.
ăSpending time slowly, you said⌠just where will you live?ă
ăDunno. Seiichi, do you have any place you know?ă
ăIn the end you leave it to me!? No, wouldnât asking Zeanosâ group would beâŚă
ăThings should be different than when we were alive. In addition, if I knew such a good place to live, I wouldnât have to face such a hardship in my previous life, would I?ă
Thatâs one persuasive remark he said, I could do nothing but be silent.
No, even if they asked about a good place to liveâŚ
When my mind reached that far, one place flashed into my head.
ăâŚThereâs one.ă
ăDear me, and where is that?ă
ăA place called the Royal Capital Terveil, Wimburg Kingdom. âŚThe one place that opened their arms to me who just got neglected into this world.ă
A place I would call as my second home.
To be frank, though, it was kinda hard to recommend that place since it was infested with perverts.
ăIs that so? If they took care of Seiichi, then we have to pay a visit to them.ă
ăYouâre right.ă
Father and Mother said so with bright smiles on their faces.
ăâŚBut, you see, this world is dangerous, you know? Despite that, dad, you said you wanted to act separately from meâŚă
I donât want to be separated from my parents. Danger lurks in every corner in this world, you canât even compare it to Earthâs safety. That, of course, doesnât mean Japan is completely safe from danger.
When such kind of worry heavied my heart, Zeanos rest me assured with his words.
ăSeiichi-dono. Wonât you leave your parents in my hand?ă
ăHuh?ă
ăLetâs see. Iâll give them my protection too, so donât be so down.ă
ăMe too⌠guard⌠your familyâŚă
Joining him, Lucius-san and Treasure Chest added their words in.
No, if you guys go that far, wouldnât that be overkill? Just what kind of royalty they are, having the First Demon Lord and the mentor of the Heroes to be their escort? I canât understand Treasure Chestâs motivation, though.
ăIt has been mentioned before; weâre not people from this age. Thatâs why, we canât be not working.ă
ăWork?ă
ăPrecisely, we areââUnemployed.ă
ăAh.ă
That would be obvious.
Zeanos might be a duke in his previous life, now that the very country that betrayed him had long gone, his status was the same as being unemployed.
ăIâm unemployed too.ă
ăAh, then we all here too.ă
ăYeah.ă
ăNow you mention it.ă
ăWhat do we do?ă
Doesnât that make it everyone here is unemployedâŚ!
Even the Hero and the Demon Lord are unemployed!? That would look bad in the eye of society!
When I was having such thought, Treasure Chest stuck out what seemingly his chest boastingly.
ăI⌠Treasure Chest. That, my job. You all⌠unemployed.ă
ăGahak!?ă
Everyone except my parents and Nataliana-san held their chest in anguish. That was a Fatal strikeâŚ
Being hit by an unexpected damage, Zeanos refreshed his thoughts before he voiced his proposal.
ăU, umu. What do you think? Why donât we move to this place named Terveil?ă
ăAh, that doesnât sound bad. About looking for Nataliana-sanâs precious person, why donât we first set our base camp there?ă
ăIâm in if Nataliana-san is okay with it, whatâs your thoughts?ă
ăYeah. Since there would be a Guild there, itâll be best if we register then to earn some cash.ă
ăI agree. Wouldnât that be the most efficient way.ă
ăIâm sure everyone here wonât have any trouble being an adventurer.ă
Iâm sorry in advance, Ranze-san.
One way or another, some unbelievable faces will move into your country somehow. Iâm the one responsible for that, though.
As I gave a long sideglance, Mother looked at me tenderly.
ăLook, Seiichi. We are fine. Everyone will be with us.ă
ăU, un.ă
ăAlso, donât you have your own treasured people here?ă
ăEh?ă
Did we talk about something like that?
That very moment Mother said so, it was then.
ăSeiichi!ă
ăďźă
Even though it wasnât that long since I went away, her voice was filled with deep yearn.
However, just by hearing it made me smile ear to ear⌠it was such a precious voice.
Turning my head toward the origin of that voice, what appeared was the sight of Saria with tears on her cheeks and a smile on her lips.
As I was fazed by Saria, she rushed towards me then plunged into my chest with the momentum.
ăWelcome back, Seiichi!ă
ăUwoah!?ă
Even with all this abruptness, I still caught her with both of my arms.
ăSaria?ă
ăâŚI believed, that you will be fine⌠even so, Iâm glad that youâre back safely.ă
Saria said so to me, upturned eyes and beautiful smile.
Looking at that smile, I strengthened my hug with Saria.
ăIâm back, Saria.ă
ăUn! Welcome back!ă
Saria and I embraced each other tightly right then and there.
ăOh my, dear me, tonightâs dinner will be served with red rice!ă
ăSeiichi sure has become a proper adult.ă
ââI forgot about my parentsâ presence.
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