Interlude: The Magician of Melgalius IV

A dream—I see.

It is a tale from a distant past, a story from long, long ago.

The story of a certain magician—

———

At the end of a long, long journey filled with battles—

At last, Sora challenges the《Tower of Lament》.

She faces it, sacrificing the few friends, comrades, and allies she had.

It cannot be called cruel.

Without those sacrifices, such a challenge would have been utterly impossible.

The《Tower of Lament》is a fortress so impregnable, so unassailable.

That is why it bears the name “Lament,” reaping the hopes of the masses.

Using the《Corridor of Stars》, Sora conquers the First to Ninth Floors—the《Journey to Awakening》—and finally overcomes the greatest obstacle, the Tenth to Forty-Ninth Floors—the《Trial of the Fool》—succeeding in neutralizing them. At last, she invades the《Gatekeeper’s Hold》starting from the Fiftieth Floor.

The《Gatekeeper’s Hold》is a city inhabited by the ruling class of magicians.

The time was nigh when the Demon King would fulfill his long-cherished ambition, and the world would belong eternally to the magicians.

Every magician was filled with hope for the imminent glory and the wisdom they would soon grasp—at precisely such a moment.

None of the magicians could have imagined that someone would dare invade the《Gatekeeper’s Hold》with such audacity, and they were utterly powerless against Sora’s assault.

It was as if that place had transformed into a hellscape of screams and chaos.

Sora unleashed every form of magic she had honed, slaughtering the magicians—killing, killing, and killing without end.

She burned them to ashes, froze them solid, struck them down with lightning, sliced them apart with blades of wind, crushed them with overwhelming gravity, banished them to the ends of dimensions, manipulated time to let them rot, petrified and shattered them, dissolved them with deadly poison, cursed them to death with words of demise, fed them to summoned horrific demons, and disintegrated their very Origins with torrents of aurora—

She killed, killed, and killed until none remained.

No one could stop Sora as she advanced with a terrifying visage, slaughtering through each floor.

It was truly the march of a Demon King.

The curses and resentful cries of the dying magicians swirled around Sora, never ceasing.

“You’re a magician like us, you traitor…!”

“What makes you different from us?”

“If it weren’t for you…!”

“Oh, how I hate you… hate you… hate you…!”

“I’ll curse you… I’ll curse you, Sora…!”

Mercilessly trampling those who spewed such curses, Sora pressed forward relentlessly.

The 54th Floor—the 58th Floor—the 62th Floor—the 68th Floor—the 74th Floor—the 80th Floor—…

Turning the magicians’ utopia into a hellish underworld, floor by floor, Sora advanced.

She aimed for the path to the Demon King—the《Gate of Wisdom》on the 89th Floor.

“…That’s right, what is there to hesitate about?”

As she obliterated the magicians with explosive force, Sora spoke with unwavering resolve.

“This is what I’ve fought for…! To fulfill the oath I swore to the sky that day… that’s the only reason I’ve lived…!”

She hated them. She hated them so much.

The resentments and curses the arrogant magicians hurled at her didn’t faze her in the slightest.

Sora despised the Demon King and all who sided with him.

She burned with rage.

Yes, that’s why she had no reason to hesitate—

She would do what she must until the very end.

———

But, perhaps, this is just a thought.

“I… I…!”

At that moment, Sora might have already been… utterly exhausted.

I had long since realized—her limits.

What would remain for her at the end of this battle?

The few friends and comrades she had forged through her long journey were all gone.

Her purpose—to save her sister, taken by the Demon King—still lingered, but that was a story from over a century ago. It was far too late.

And the people feared her as a second Demon King, the successor to the Demon King.

Even if Sora fulfilled her ambition—she would be finished.

Everything that made her human would come to an end.

She had nothing left. Nothing at all.

Perhaps… whether she won or lost, when this battle ended… she would die.

Leaving nothing behind, saying nothing, Sora would simply burn out and vanish.

She desperately tried to play the role of a ruthless villain—but she had to, just to keep herself fighting, because she was so utterly exhausted.

…In conclusion.

From the very beginning, this story had no salvation.

I… what have I done?

I only thought of myself.

To fulfill my own selfish desires, I used Sora.

I merely cast Sora into a pit of hell.

There had to be another way. A better way.

Why can’t Sora, who fought so hard, find happiness? Why can’t she be rewarded?

This… it’s just too cruel.

To treat Sora as a mere tool for my purpose… the days I spent with her were far too long, and I grew far too attached to her.

“Hey, what are you spacing out for, La’tirika? …Let’s go.”

“…Y-Yes…”

At this critical moment, there’s nothing more I can say.

With the final battle approaching, saying anything now would be meaningless.

But… Sora.

Is this really okay with you? Truly okay?

I know I have no right to wish for such a thing, not even the slightest bit.

I just… in the future world you’ll create, built upon pain and lament…

I want you to smile—