Heavy and painful silence has been going on ever since I left the city.

All you can hear is the footsteps of the people you know who accompany me. If that was a journey that spanned several days, someone would have spoken to the boulder. But no one tried to break the heavy and painful atmosphere on the move for just a few hours.

That was comfortable for me and just the right thing to do to get rid of the strays in me.

I don't need to talk to them or anything like that to me when she pushes me into thinking about the other me and decides I'm ready to disappear. I was able to break it off just because my resolve was dull.

I am now traveling with just three people: Luxeria, Sylvia, and Lucy. They're all following me as my escort. Two of my hometown spent in a carriage are waiting in the city with the other brave men. A boy named Ghoul is also waiting in the city with those two.

What we are looking for is a village near Arctia. [M]

That's where my journey converges. I'm sure she's waiting for me there. Yes, I do.

According to stories I heard in the city, there's only one village around here. So I'm deciding on my own that's where I once lived.

I know it's a mysterious story. There are other areas that speak ancient languages, and I'm sure there will be places there with villages in the vicinity of equally large cities.

But I was still convinced that the village I was headed to was.

Why, when asked, I have to shut up, but it's just kind of close to her, it feels like that.

So I was able to move forward without getting lost.

That's how there's no conversation, a few hours to keep walking.

We plugged into the mountains.

From what I've seen of that record, the village should have been on land sandwiched by mountains and mountains. I knew it would fit here. Somehow, but I remember feeling nostalgic.

- Are you leading me?

So illusory that the mountain was correct.

He was there before he went beyond the depressed and lush bushes, diving through the trees that grew.

"Innoboo......"

Her voice echoed with her head as she answered the grunt.

- I haven't seen Innoboo in a long time.

... Right. It's been a really long time. Meeting animals who are only in this land is...

Innoboo, who noticed us and ran away. My eyes seeped with thin tears. [M]

- How many years has it been since then?

I'm not talking about 10 or 20 years. Hundreds of years must have gone by. In the meantime, countless people die, and from that time on, technology develops beyond imagination. That is the daily routine of a world that is the business of men and has been repeated with tens and hundreds of millions.

Now I know that. I was too late. [M]

Where I arrived after searching. There was no more of the village I spent time with her.

From the entrance of the village where he fought the warrior chief, a large wooden gate disappears and becomes a field. Instead, the entrance and exit of the village were transformed into a robust gateway that glowed black, and the house that Serna and I had spent was newly rebuilt and inhabited by a total stranger.

A different villager doesn't have a face. The village warrior chief was a young man. The village chief is an old man I don't remember dreaming about.

Everything was different already.

Still, Lucy barked at me for wandering her eyes to see if there was anything left.

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no way we can save Mr. Kitchick here."

………………

I don't answer. I don't care what you say anymore, Later Festival.

There was... nothing here.

At the very least, I wanted to penance where there was something connected to her, knowing it wouldn't arrive anymore.

I didn't even know how to disappear anymore.

"Lucy, calm down. I told you I had to believe him, didn't I?

"But, sister! Mr. Kitchick..."

Ms. Sylvia pulled her hand to forgive Lucy, but Lucy showed resistance to it. It's a momentum to jump at me. [M]

I just whispered. [M] I wondered if I could help getting beat up. After all, there was no point in coming here.

Her voice echoed in my head again when I thought that way.

- I'm here, Reggie.

A voice that crosses my mind. A gentle voice containing peace, warmth and mercy came into Sue and me.

I was about to give up, and I walked out with that voice without thinking deeply.

Serna......

And suddenly they grabbed my hand from behind. If you look, Mr. Luxeria looked at me with an obscure face of joy and sorrow.

"... okay?

Mr. Luxeria didn't say what was. But the meaning was well conveyed to me.

"I said it at the beginning. Saving him."

"But you never tried to talk about the means....... ask again. Are you sure?

"... Yes"

"... right"

His hands are slowly untied. On several occasions, the power to cage in its hands increases or decreases, and confusion is transmitted to its hands. But he chose to let go, and I laughed and accepted it.

"I'm clumsy. I can't find the words to call you."

"... that's enough."

I already got enough fun thoughts and some warm time. Even if it was borrowed, it was enough for me.

"... there was no falsehood in the days I spent with you. As a friend, I'm not going to be able to honestly congratulate you on your chosen path."

The expression of pity grows stronger and the weight rides on his spinning words. The weight added to my heart.

"- Thank you. I've had enough of those words."

And finally, I walk to the back of the village by myself.

The three people who followed me so far only stood up on the spot.

In the meantime, her voice echoes in my head again.

- Reggie, are you sure?

To the voices created by my delusions and fantasies, I cried a single tear.

"This... is how I take responsibility"

- Yes... then come on. Pick me up. I'm in the back of the village.

"... yeah"

When I wiped my tears, I walked out to the back of the village.

Wind blowing down mountain skin. As he speaks of autumn loneliness, he plays through the leaf-scattered trees with a chopping tone.

The leafy leaves dance to the tranquil foliage of the trees that swayed in the wind. Let in the wind, the turbulent dancing leaves are carried into the sky and fall to the foot.

There was no sound, and that place, which fell as if stroking, was where the wooden statues intersecting the cross were protruded to the ground. Wooden statues intersection. In the position where the two round trees were combined, traces of the trees being cut off remain.

"... I didn't think so"

I, one cross... no, stop in front of the grave. The letters carved there unfortunately don't come true for me to read without upbringing. I just know what it means.

The same letter that was inscribed on the name tag of my house and Serna's I dreamed about. I knew it was the letter that showed her.

I was a little surprised that her grave was being built and loosened my cheeks. There was someone there who could make her grave unfamiliar.

"I wonder who did it for me. I wanted to thank you."

Close your eyes and think to someone who doesn't even know.

Thank you for leaving me and Serna in bond.

".................. Serna"

Lifted his lid and put a worn grave in his sight like a dead tree.

She's sleeping under here. I called my name to wake her gently. [M]

"... there was nothing left for me."

The voice is so small that it is likely to be scratched off by the wind. Still, squeeze out the words so that they reach her grave firmly.

They took everything. I was empty.

"... but it's just a story in me, and I'm still in everyone around me."

I can't thank the two of you enough for making me realize that. Instead of me, you remember what I was like. Remember me. [M]

That's all I felt like I was saved.

That's why I thought so.

"I was happy with that, and in my head, I knew I couldn't... I didn't want to disappear. Just a little more, he wants to be with them."

I was in that carriage, on the scale. Take him away, or you will vanish.

But it never reversed.

"But it's supposed to be fun and full, but it's going to be vain. Shout that my heart is not enough."

My heart wouldn't let me choose a path other than extinction.

"I don't have you. He's not here. I don't have anything important around me right now."

Vain blew through with the wind.

"I know. That's what I do, no matter how much I wish. [M] Besides, I know. How they feel waiting for the other me. [M] So here I am today... I will disappear. I'm finally ready to face your death."

Thanks to her. I was able to stand here.

Her thoughts, words, made me ready.

And there was someone who received that readiness. Someone tried to hold me back. The man called me a friend.

So...

"I'm finally here, Serna"

I could face each other without fear.

"I'm sorry, Serna. I can't remember the days I spent with you. Standing in front of your grave, I can't remember your face. I can't even remember what I told you. Even if you remembered, I forgot... everything."

Now this is how I got here, because I saw that record. Nothing more, nothing less.

It was on that record, but I don't know her.

"So, the grief I'm feeling must be small, for no reason."

It should be, it should be.

"But..."

You're not supposed to know anything...

It's not like I can remember anything...

I can't get that record out of my head. Her death, as seen in the record, does not leave, as burned to the eyelid.

".................. it's hard. When I hear your name... it's so hard, it's so painful, I can't stop crying.... That's crazy, I don't know anything about you."

The accumulated thoughts become droplets and fall to the ground. Without stopping, tears stain the ground so as to convey her cheeks from her eyes and bury her on the ground from the tip of her jaw.

"Sorry, Serna. I can't help you, I can't do anything, and I forgot you... you can't reach my voice anymore... but I'm self-satisfied... and I want to apologize to you, in front of your grave"

The sorrow of not being able to do anything, but forgetting her, comes out of her mouth in the form of penance. Even if that were a mass of self-satisfaction, I couldn't help but tell them.

"I'm sorry."

Sue and her breasts are empty.

I wonder how many months I've put into saying just so many words. It's been a long, long time.

But I was finally able to tell you.

"I will never forget this thought... so don't forget the days Serna and I spent. I can't remember anymore. Instead of me..."

I grip my chest good, I swear to her. No reply to that, but I'm sure she'll remember.

Someone named me.

"Goodbye, my other family. I couldn't tell you that day... but I must have been happy."

The best smile I could not show you that day at the end of the day.

I make a smile in front of her grave.

"Thank you, Serna......"

The best smile was uncut, smug, and wet in tears.

I wanted to laugh at you again. [M] I closed my eyes softly, hoping that it would at least pass on to you in heaven that I was happy, though it would no longer come true.

The presence of me, who could not accept Serna's death but remained for it, lost its existential significance. As the ice melted, the nucleus of its existence loosely was about to return to the sea.

I'm going that way now. [M]

I was not afraid to return to the sea. [M] I can leave something important in its ocean properly. So there was nothing to be afraid of.

Instead of disappearing, go back to normal. It's just that that's all.

- Don't apologize. I've already told you how you feel.

Two and unintentional tears flow down.

I don't know if the tears are from a grief I'll never see again, or because I've been forgiven. It's just...

- I've been watching you. Because we were together. Keep it up, yeah. So that's enough. Because...

Her voice brought her back to reality with only a little fading consciousness.

"Peeeeeeeeee"

And the squeal I heard somewhere called me. When I open my eyes, I see a little black dragon flying straight over here.

"Huk......?

Unexpectedly distracted, blinking as if suspicious. But its body, its voice, is there without disappearing.

"Pippy"

Huck jumps into my chest like he's pulling me back from disappearing. The warmth comes through his body to me.

- Because we're family.

Disappearing to me, the voice I hear is small, only slight. But I did feel right beside it.

... Yes, it was.

We've been...

While I touch the little dragon's head, I realize that I don't have much time left.

"Haku, your parents will be home soon."

"Pi?"

I connect words when I smile nicely at Huck, who leans his little neck strangely.

"I asked for another me."

"Pi Pi Pi"

You don't know what they're saying, he stroked Haku's head back strongly, and now it's time for me to fall into darkness.

- Well done. Good day, Reggie.

Wrapped in a gentle voice, my consciousness fell into the flow of the sea.

It spills out.

Little by little the breath of the soul becomes smaller.

The cloth collected to hide the weak shards peels off one piece at a time.

Cloth is thin, varies in color and shape, and has different patterns. Each and every one of them is a component that shapes me. Every time I peel, 'I' disappears.

And when everything is stripped, distorted shapes of shards become exposed.

The hand of the demon of erosion is imminent. From where its hand reaches, the hand of salvation extended with Sue. In that hand, countless pieces of cloth were gripped.

- This belongs to you. Not mine.

I'm stretched out. Hold my hand with the cloth.

"Hey, the other me."

There are boundaries. The only place where the two broken up meet.

"What the hell..."

Awakened consciousness can't hide confusion in a frivolous memory. Ambiguous memories and obscure confusion of consciousness confuse me.

"The line between me and you is about to disappear. I'm starting to get it back."

"... I mean, are we going to be one?

The personality that has broken up with one soul is undone. That means...

"Yeah. But the only thing that can be nuclear is either me or you. So I'm gone."

Extinction on either side. I'll take the other one for granted.

... why not.

How can you accept to disappear so easily?

"Why! You don't have to disappear! You just have to keep sharing it with us!

"No, you can't. The collapse of your soul has not stopped. If I don't disappear, you disappear. I can't change that anymore."

... No. I'm not.

"But that's my fault for forgetting Nord's advice. It's on me. So if it disappears, I will..."

I didn't want anyone else to take responsibility for me. But the voices that can be covered in it, even deny it.

"My weakness gave birth to you. So I have to take the blame. You go back to someone who thinks of you. Because a lot of people are waiting for you."

Someone waiting for me...... Charstena......

But... I still can't go home. You can't go home. I haven't found the answer yet.

"... we can't go back to Charles yet."

The other one gave me such a frightened look.

"You already know that. What's the freedom for you? Do you want to do whatever you want? Traveling the world at will? Was the free adventurer you wanted to be alone?

Freedom to look out for others and behave as you please. She taught me that it was a selfish act, not freedom.

A free adventurer who travels the world at will. Freedom is certainly there for no one I admired to be tied to.

But there was a relationship there with fellow travellers and those we met ahead of us.

Only one freedom. It's just loneliness.

"You're not, are you? You're me, so I know what you wanted to be. You don't have to try to force it into words. You don't have to force yourself to try to find an answer. What's free for you, it's already in you"

Inside like a hand stretched out to my chest blends into me. And grab my heart.

"This is your freedom."

That's a strong longing. The thought, the hand held strong.

I grab the thought and grab my hand back.

"............... are you sure? You're Serna's..."

"I've done that already. Serna has been watching over us. Me and you, we're both her family. So I want you to inherit this thought and live. [M] As long as I have it, I will remain in you."

The arm I grabbed fades.

"You mustn't stop with grief. You have to stop walking with regrets."

Another me pouring in from the arm that got into me.

"Keep moving forward. Serna wants it."

It flows deeper into the thoughts he grabs and engraves them all deeply into my heart.

"Don't let them take it anymore."

"... Oh!

At the end of the day, boundaries disappear.

Along with that, the other me left my thoughts behind and disappeared.

To a world where no one exists but me, a world that has changed its course.

So, I hold onto the thoughts that have been grasped, the thoughts that have flowed in, with both hands.

"... thanks"

Other than that, no words or feelings came to mind.