It's a warm, soft light. The fatigue accumulated during these last few days heals with its gentle light. It's like Charstena's magic.

The gentle light eventually makes me absorb it and form it.

"Surprised. You're wearing a cover technique."

The skin is slightly greener and no scales have grown as it did during dragonization. But instead of the wings, the wings were firm.

Two feathers stretched from light green shoulders to hips. However, the blades are soft and thin enough to be transparent. It was very unlikely to support my weight and fly. Or it might be possible if you disguise yourself as a demon, but you're not going to be able to expect much more combat power like dragonization.

When I looked through my transformed body, I whined to the fairy god in front of me to take confirmation.

"Fairy? Does that feel like it?

"Yeah, that's right. My blessing strengthens my natural healing power and sense of direction, so I'm sure I can go home without getting lost."

The healing power was blown away by fatigue. But what is the sense of direction?

Are you talking about this unfamiliar feeling?

"A sense of direction? Are you talking about this unfamiliar feeling?

"Yep. That's the breath of living and living things. I mean, I feel the location of the organism."

The breath of life...... I mean do you know where these trees are even if you don't see them with your eyes? So Packy didn't go in the wrong direction even in this fog.

Can all fairies feel this?

Sure, I know exactly where I'm going with this. This is going to get us through the woods without Packy's guidance.

"Thank you, Fairy God. I'm leaving."

"Yeah. I hope I can help the kid you want to help. I'm glad you're back, Ray."

"I will definitely come back. I want to ask you something. Thanks for bringing Packy this far, too. I'll give you the rest of the candy."

"Candy ~. But I can't hold it ~. I don't know what else to do, so I'll give it to the fairy king."

"Pfft, thanks"

My palm grab or so of candy seemed too much for Packy, and I handed the rest of the candy to the fairy god. Fairy God laughs happily when he receives candy. Maybe she likes sweet things again, too.

I waved lightly at the two of them, distraught by such candy, and then, with all the momentum, I jumped back into the fog.

As always, in the sight of no sunshine, I walk through the woods relying solely on the breath of the trees.

I was scattered when I came, but now the tree position told me which direction I was going. The inhibitory effect of the fog also did not work. Skills that use protection do not appear to be inhibited. I don't know why...

Running through for 30 minutes, leaving a footprint on the frosty, muddy ground. I walked through the woods of the world tree.

Open vision. Looking back, a forest of bright white and magnificent world trees stands.

This is the second one. There are five more left.

I bite the sense of accomplishment and it runs out again right there too.

I don't have much time to lose in emotion. Get under Saila as soon as possible, even minute by second.

As well as going, my body was lighter than usual again on the way home. My still connected heart was helping me.

It's okay. I can make it with this. There's a Charstena on Sarah's side.

I kept running discreetly as I excited my anxiety-driven mind myself.

I haven't slept in days. But the fairization took away body fatigue. He's still healing me from the tip of my tiredness.

I ran faster and more distracted than I had come.

And keep running for two days. The effects of fairization also expired a long time ago, on the morning of the fifth day out of the city. My appearance was in the inn in that town.

"Charles, is Saila still alive?"

"Fuck, Ray! I'm home now."

Charstena was surprised at me coming back from the World Tree in just five days.

"Saila is ⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉\82

"I'm fine. I'm calm now."

If you turn your eyes, you look pale, but you get a regular sleep. Sarah was sleeping on the bed.

I made it...

I was relieved from my heart and collapsed from my knee. And I offered Charstena a bottle with Shizukuishi as it was.

"This, Shizuku the World Tree"

"You got it! Now Saila can help!

Charstena's face, who received the bottle with a smile, was distorted. Not only that, but also distorts the vision around you.

Oh, I can't do this anymore. I lost my mind when I was relieved. Sleepy......

"Sorry, Charles... I'm at my limit... later..."

I fell forward and fell into deep sleep to get my last 5 days of sleep back.

This place...

A world I remember. But something is different than usual.

I've exchanged words with Nord many times already. Waiting in that world was another me, not Nord. Small body. A little bigger than Saila's.

That was what I looked like when I was in elementary school in my previous life.

But 'Reggie' doesn't try to utter words like Nord did. I'm just standing there with a sad face.

So I asked.

"Saila could have saved her. But why are you crying?

".................. hard"

Yeah, look at my face, 'Reggie' shrugged.

"What's so hard?

".................. sad"

Now 'Reggie' didn't answer my question. It just sounded like he was complaining about something.

"How sad is that?

"............... nothing"

That wasn't a conversation. I ask, and I get a different 'Reggie' mood than that answer.

".................. sad"

And then finally, 'Reggie' disappeared from there. The heart that was connected at the same time was broken.

"... nothing, hard, sad"

That's all Reggie left in my heart.

I woke up in the dazzling morning sun. There, the inn room. It was on the bed in the room I had originally taken. Clothes remain as they were when they went to the World Tree. I haven't taken a bath in days.

Smells just fine. It stinks of sweat, and I have no heart or itch.

When I woke up, I decided to take a bath before I went to Charstena's room. After I said no to the innkeeper, I took a bath.

Rinse off the dirty body before entering the hot tub and soak it in a barrel bath.

"Phew."

Looks like I'm just tired. But it was also worth it and I was made in time. That makes this tiredness seem pleasant too.

But at the same time, I was hesitant to face Sarah.

I just took advantage of her circumstances. I realized it when I was critical, and I just rushed to get Shizuku.

I'm not the kind of person who can tell you that I saved Sarah's life.

I'm sure Sarah will thank me for that. But there's no way I can take that thank you.

So I hesitated.

"... what can I do?

That wasn't what I asked for answers, it was just solitary. From the barrel bath, I thought to myself, looking up at the ceiling where the hot air was a droplet and sticking.

What would be freedom for me?

You want me to be alone?

How am I supposed to change?

And how do I accept 'Reggie'?

I've had a lot to think about.

But none of that seems like an easy answer to me right now.

But it made sense to think about it.

Knowing what freedom means to me is knowing what I want. If you look for freedom, you'll have the answer to whether I want to be alone or not.

Now there are three things to think about.

I thought even more.

Me and "Reggie" made a mistake. Both have to change. So this is one thing.

There must be one thing in two for me to change and one for Reggie to accept.

If the two of us change and accept each other, that will surely lead us to accept Nord's said self.

We're not accepting each other right now. So if we change, we'll be able to accept each other.

Now there are two things to think about.

I still didn't stop thinking.

Knowing what freedom means is essential for me to change. You can't change if you don't know that. I don't know how to change.

So I want to know what freedom my heart wants. Otherwise, one day I'll make another mistake.

So let's find out.

That's what I need to think right now.

Finding out what freedom is for me is the most important thing.

My thoughts got caught up.

I wash my face down with hot water and when I skip drowsiness, when I get up in the barrel, I sprinkle hot water on my face as if I wake up drowsiness with Pasha, and then

"... decided"

That's how I shrugged and took a bath.

After I got out of the bath, I went back to my room without going to Charstena's room.

Put your hips down on a wooden chair, take the paper out on your desk and write with a pen.

By the time that was over, it was already completely dark. When I cleared the room, I left the room with a written down letter and a box the size of a sock, and entered the Charstena and the others' room to keep things from making noise.

…………

Place letters and boxes on a round table, moving carefully to keep the Charstenas awake.

And then I look at Saila's sleeping face, which is bloody good, and I glance at Haku when I'm relieved again.

- I'm sorry I'm such a stupid parent.

I apologized in my heart to Haku that way and then turned to Charstena, who sleeps in bed at the end.

"Shull, I'm sorry. Forgive me for being selfish."

Quietly and quietly, with a voice that was about to be scratched off by the wind, I told him to whisper, looking at his loving sleeping face.

And I turned my heel back and put my hand on the door. I don't deserve to be near her right now. So I thought I'd shut up and disappear.

- Really?

…………

A voice heard from behind. That couldn't have been wrong. It belonged to Charstena. The hand on the door knob stops naturally. Lost in my mind.

I wondered if I could leave without answering in silence or look back ready to be able to turn her cold gaze again. But I scolded myself that I should have been prepared, and I looked back slowly.

At the end of the turn there was a figure of Charstena sitting on a cot with Charstena lying down until earlier, hidden from her hips with sheets down.

Without turning away, she looked straight at my face and smiled small. The laugh also seems somewhere fun.

"Ray is always on his own. But this time, I forgive you."

Charstena with a warm grin and a slightly delightful look. But when I didn't know how to answer, I tipped my neck small.

Surprise? I can't stop it.

"... no... why... why what? Charles said I sucked. Now, I think I do, too. Yet... why wouldn't Shall abandon me? Why don't you hate me?

I've been particularly horrible lately. Many times Charstena stopped me, but I didn't try to. At the end of the day, I'm the stupid one who finally wakes up flat on her. So I thought it wouldn't be strange if they gave up their love. No, I thought there was no way I wasn't being exhausted.

And yet her eyes on me are filled with love no different than before. I didn't know that.

"There's no way I'm going to hate Ray. No matter what terrible person Ray becomes, I will always love him. I... can't live without you"

"... I don't know"

I got a lot of stuff for Charstena. Even this life was saved many times.

But there's hardly anything I could have done to her. I was just swinging around all the time.

Yet I didn't know how I could say I couldn't live without her.

"Yeah. I think so. But I'm so persistent, I don't give up. So whether Ray goes the wrong way or out of reach, I'll keep going after Ray. Absolutely..."

In her gently closed eyes, what is she looking at?

What's stuck in the hand placed on the little bulge?

How deep is her love behind that chest, again, so great?

I didn't know what to do at this time.

Charstena keeps her eyes meditating, 'but' goes on.

"... but I don't want to interrupt the path Ray decided to take. Even without me on that path, if you thought you needed Ray, I wouldn't stop you. Because I don't want to disturb Ray's feelings of realizing the mistake and trying to start over"

"... maybe he's trying to get away because he really wants to do whatever he wants?

I didn't believe in me myself. I thought the conclusion I made might be that I twisted and twisted it before I even realized it because I wanted to.

"Anyone who notices a mistake doesn't make that choice. Ray may not have noticed, but that's very important. People, they make a lot of mistakes, they make a lot of mistakes, and that's how they grow up. So, you just have to start over. That's how people grow a little bit."

Charstena's words that we should start over irritated my tear glands. I did a terrible thing. Her words were still warm to me for being nice.

"Ray figured out how to start over, didn't he? I don't know what that is, but that's something Ray has to find out for himself. So if Ray chose to break up with me, I'm sure that's what Ray needs now."

The light of the moon plunged in from between the clouds. It illuminates the room blue and white, and Charstena's white skin glows beautifully.

But in contrast, Charstena's expression only got a little cloudy.

"As a result, Ray may reject me. That's just a little...... scary.... but if I step into Ray's path, I'm sure Ray will mind me and lose sight of the answer. So I'll wait. I believe in Ray."

The moonlight reflected on the droplets accumulating in Charstena's eyeballs.

But that doesn't make any sense. I approached Charstena slowly and held her gently until I wept.

"Thank you, Shall. I'm going down a different path than Charles. But I'm sure I'll find the answer and pick up Shall. There is absolutely no rejection of Schal. Because I love Charles. That doesn't change the way you go."

"... yeah"

A small, crying voice emanating from my ear. I held her tight. The hand that was turned grabbed the fabric on my back, and it was like representing Charstena's feelings if she didn't want to let go.

"Shull, I'm so sorry. I was thinking of myself now, and I was on track, I know. It's all because of Charles looking at me. So, I'm sorry. It will annoy me again.... but I'm going. I'm looking for an answer that I'm comfortable with myself. Because if I don't go here now, I'm gonna be so sweet on Shall."

Seems sweet, I can't find an answer. So I made up my mind to go alone.

Let yourself be drunk by the rough waves of the world. Now let's not involve anyone, let's impose all the blame on ourselves and ask the world for answers.

That was my conclusion.

Even if I can't believe it, I believe in Charstena, who believed it.

So I'm not lost anymore. I'm going down this road.

"Yeah. I know. Don't worry about anything. I decided to keep an eye on Ray, so it's not hard. A little... just a little lonely. So, for Ray, come back and find the answers that matter. I will always be waiting for you in the capital."

We slowly let go of Charstena and gazed into each other's eyes in a position where our faces were likely to touch each other. I slowly wiped my wet face with Sharstena's tears.

Occasion to kiss usually. But not now. If I do that, I won't go down the road.

"I'll definitely pick you up"

"Waiting."

I have renewed my resolve. I'm not sure where that path leads. Maybe it's a dead end.

But smashing down that path, but at the end of the day, I was determined to always go back the way I was.

Let's find out. Answer me. No matter how many years it takes.

The road I'm on is the one Charlstena pulled me back on. So be sure to go under Charstena at the end of the day.

- Let's go.

Step out of town, and that's the darkness that goes on everywhere.

My figure is drunk by that darkness and disappears.

But when I definitely went back down to her with the answers, my footsteps were strong and I never stopped.

That's when the real journey around the world began.

Just by myself. And have something that you sincerely think you want to look for.

My new journey began.