Epilogue: Under the Millennium Cherry Trees
When she heard we were leaving, the Grandsage called for us as well.
“This is quite the view, is it not, Elementalist?” she asked.
“It’s wonderful,” I agreed.
She’d brought us to a garden on the outskirts of the capital.
“Wow!”
“So pretty! The whole place is blooming!”
“I didn’t know Symphonia had someplace like this.”
Lucy, Sasa, and Furiae seemed impressed too. The area was filled with cherry trees, all blooming well out of season.
“This...”
“So they have cherry trees in this world as well.”
Sakurai and Yokoyama were awed as well. So was I, actually.
“What is this place?” I asked the Grandsage.
“The Millennium Cherry Tree Gardens. Abel and Johnnie planted it together after they drove back a million of the demon lord’s army. This garden was where our party took an oath to defeat the Great Demon Lord.”
Oh, I’d heard of that...this place was always included in the retelling of Abel the Savior’s myth.
“This spot is usually seen as holy ground that no one can enter...but at times like these, I think it’s fine.” The Grandsage’s eyes flicked toward a huge feast of food and drink atop a massive wooden table.
Lucy and Sasa both cheered as they took their seats, while Furiae and I moved much more calmly to our own.
As I examined the table, I noticed something. “This was made with Wood Magic,” I commented. “And it’s pretty old. Over a hundred years...no...well over that, right?”
“So you realized?” the Grandsage commented. “Johnnie made this table to celebrate our victory.”
“What?!” Lucy yelled. “Great-grandpa made this?!” She looked shocked. So this was something her great-grandfather—Johnnie Walker—had made. It was hardly a surprise that the table had stood for so long.
“I’m still impressed that it’s been around for a thousand years,” I said. “Even if it is a bit weather-beaten.”
“He called on the elementals to protect it. Not that I can see them.”
I examined the table closer. She was right—water elementals were floating around the wood. There were probably earth elementals and wind elementals as well, though I couldn’t see them. A whole millennium...that was incredible. Johnnie Walker really lived up to his legend.
“Everyone, the preparations are complete,” Princess Noelle announced with a smile. I’d thought that she didn’t need to organize this meal herself...but it looked like she was enjoying herself.
“Sit down here, Ryousuke,” she said, gesturing next to her and letting Yokoyama sit on his other side. So he was sandwiched between two wives... Why’s it always like this with him? He could keel over any minute, and I wouldn’t mind.
“Get me that sparkling wine, my knight,” Furiae commanded. She, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be in a good mood. She must’ve wanted to speak with Sakurai, but that wasn’t going to happen now.
“Here, Princess,” I said, doing as I was told and pouring the wine into a glass.
“You drink too.”
The drink she poured for me was a particularly strong one. I wasn’t exactly a heavyweight when it came to drinking...but she’d already started, so I joined her. Having the spirit “on the rocks” was tough, though. Maybe I should water it down...
“Hmph, we need to get out of this country,” Furiae grumbled. The sight of her face in profile was no less beautiful than the cherry blossoms. She really was the most beautiful human I’d ever seen...
Just then, I felt a tug at my sleeve.
“Ah...Hero Makoto?”
I turned to see that Princess Sophia was next to me.
“Good work out there,” I told her. “We had a lot to deal with.”
“Indeed we did.”
Things had looked pretty dicey for a while there... It would have been much easier to win if Princess Sophia had been by my side, like during the battle in Horn. Without really thinking, I took her hand.
“U-Umm...what is it?”
“It would have been better if I’d used Synchro with you...”
I touched her slender fingers, one by one.
“A-Ah? Um... Hero Makoto?”
She was cute when she was flustered like this. I downed the rest of the fire in my glass.
“Are you drunk?” I heard an exasperated voice from behind me.
“I’m not,” I answered, turning my spinning head toward Furiae. She was snacking on fruit as she drank her wine. The stuff on her fork looked kinda like grapes.
“Give me a bite,” I said.
She grumbled and didn’t look happy, but brought the fork to my mouth.
I bit into the fruit and sweetness filled my mouth as my teeth broke through the crisp outer layer. Wow, it tasted great.
“Here,” she said, bringing another mouthful up.
Was she feeding me...? Like in an anime?
“H-Hero Makoto,” stammered Princess Sophia. “I will feed you.” Frantically, she held a different fruit up to my mouth. Yeah...this one was great too.
“Have another drink,” Furiae insisted.
Quit pouring me spirits, Furiae. I swayed drunkenly, glancing around.
The party was in full swing. Sakurai was making merry with some of his coworkers—the Soleil Knights. To the people from this world, it seemed like visiting places connected to Abel the Savior was a significant honor. Everyone was in a good mood after defeating the Snake Sect and their monsters. Princess Sophia had fed me, and Furiae had poured me drinks, so after being entertained by two beauties, I was also in high spirits.
Although...I had a feeling that Lucy and Sasa were glaring this way.
I think I might’ve had too much... I thought. But that was because Furiae had only poured me strong drinks.
I decided to stand up and go look at the flowers. The whole area looked like it was blanketed in pale pink petals from the cherry trees. I trudged through the blizzard of blossoms, not really having a destination in mind. When I’d walked far enough, I could no longer hear the party.
The petals kept silently dancing through the air.
“What’s wrong?” someone suddenly asked from behind. “On your own?”
“Grandsage?”
She’d been drinking brandy (well, blood that looked like brandy) at the banquet, but apparently, she’d slipped away as well.
“I’ve had too much to drink, so I’m taking a break,” I explained.
“Hmm, I see,” she answered disinterestedly. Still, she didn’t leave. She just watched the flowers next to me.
Should I say something...?
My lack of communication skills meant that I couldn’t think of anything witty, but this was a rare chance.
“What was Abel the Savior like as a person?” I asked.
It was something I’d been curious about. I knew he was legendary, but the Grandsage had actually been in his party a thousand years ago. I wouldn’t really get another chance to ask someone so connected.
“Abel...he was a weird one.”
That was far from the answer I was expecting.
“He was...weird?” The lessons at the temple had depicted him as being practically a saint.
“I know,” said the Grandsage. “Since we’re here, I’ll take you somewhere nice.”
I yelped as a cold hand tugged me along.
Teleport.
The area around us warped, and when I opened my eyes again, we were in a village in the countryside.
“This is Nikka, the village Abel once lived in.”
That was a shock. She’d dragged me along in a Teleport.
“Oh...it is?” I glanced around. This was another famous place—the place of Abel the Savior’s birth.
When I looked up, I saw a white statue atop a small hill. It was probably one of Abel, like in the capital. It was closer to life-size than the one in Symphonia though. I walked up to it...and felt something out of place.
“He was pretty short.”
The legends described him as a burly swordsman, and the statue in Symphonia indeed depicted a gallant swordsman. This person looked much more like a dainty boy, though.
“This one’s closer to the real thing,” the Grandsage commented. “The one in the capital is exaggerated too much.”
“I-I see...”
I peered up at the statue again. He had soft, almost feminine facial features. So he was the one who’d defeated the Great Demon Lord and saved the world...
After thinking over this, I examined the village. It was a quiet place. There were several stalls set up, so I checked to see what they were selling.
Steamed Savior Buns. Sir Abel’s Sword (Replica). And...Statue of the Savior (1/16th scale).
What on earth?
“Anything you want?” asked the Grandsage, peering out from behind me. Would she buy it? Let’s have a look at the price...
“What the?!” A box of buns was ten thousand gald?! That was a rip-off!
“The village has no local specialties, so they make their money by selling things related to Abel the Savior.”
“There’s nothing I really want...” I mumbled after a moment.
I wouldn’t buy any of this stuff myself, and the prices were too high for me to ask someone else to buy these trinkets for me. So, the two of us just wandered around the village for a while.
“Did the savior come back here after he defeated the Great Demon Lord?” I asked.
“No, he didn’t. After the battle, he disappeared somewhere.”
“And afterward...no one saw him again?” That was the history I’d learned at the Water Temple—the savior of the world had just suddenly vanished.
“Do you know anything more?” I asked.
“Who knows.”
She didn’t deny it. Hmm, I guess the details were a secret.
“If you want to hear about back then, then how about this?” she suggested with a grin. “I can tell you about the blighted black knight that was the Wicked Deity Noah’s disciple.”
Guh?! The Mad Hero Cain—otherwise known as the Taboo Black Knight—was Abel the Savior’s archenemy in the legends.
He’d also been Noah’s disciple...and my predecessor.
“W-Well...what kind of person was he?”
Noah hadn’t actually given me the details.
“You haven’t heard from the wicked deity?”
“I haven’t asked.”
I’d tell you, y’know, Noah mentally informed me. Want to hear it?
Hmm, your ex... I kinda want to know, but I also don’t...
Don’t call him my ex!
“So you don’t know about that Demon Lord? He was the worst of them. You don’t know how many times he betrayed us?!” The Grandsage went through it all, her voice filled with irritation: about how he’d killed many of his fellow heroes...and about how he’d suddenly leaped into an important battle wearing ridiculous armor that had turned away spell and blade alike.
Noah...I want that armor.
I don’t have the materials anymore...I used them all up back then! ☆
I saw a mental image of Noah giving a dopey giggle. Looks like I got my hopes up!
“He must have been difficult to defeat.” The legends all painted him as ridiculously overpowered. How had they done it?
As she spoke, the Grandsage’s expression softened. “It was all...thanks to Abel.”
Did she...have feelings for the savior? I wondered.
If he’d been as saintly as the legends said, then he must have also been fairly charming. Plus, he’d saved her life... She must be at least somewhat fond of him.
He had vanished, though.
Her not wanting to talk about it might have to do with some unrequited love... As that thought went through my head, I decided that it’d be rude to pry further, so I stopped.
Abel the Savior’s village wasn’t treated as the “holy ground” I’d expected. Instead, it was a full-on tourist trap. I still had a good time though.
After we’d seen our fill, the Grandsage and I headed back to the capital.
“My esteemed Tackie! Where have you been?”
“Takatsuki, I was looking for you!”
Two people called out to me after not too long—Fujiyan and Sakurai. Sakurai apparently wanted to hear about both of our adventures in Roses.
“Well, if I muuuust,” I answered, before beginning some stories laced with just a touch of embellishment.
After that, the three of us ended up getting enthralled in a conversation about our old world. It was pretty fun. Before I knew it, though, we were surrounded by people.
Princess Noelle had opened the garden in celebration of our victory. Unfortunately, noble girls had poured in looking to greet me. Honestly, some of them were even more blatant than I was used to.
Maybe I should get back to Lucy and Sasa, I thought.
I looked around and then spotted them with Nina and Chris, talking about something.
I wondered what their conversation was about. Despite it being in poor taste...
Listen.
“Miss Lucy, Miss Sasaki, this is bad’h! The noblewomen are after Mister Takatsuki’h!”
“Takatsuki’s shy, though...” said Sasa.
“That’s right. He doesn’t have the guts to do anything. It’s not like he’s done anything with us either.”
Watch it, Lucy! Even the mildest lamb can become a wolf!
So will you? snarked Noah.
Nope. Forget about that.
I turned my attention back to their conversation.
“That’s naive,” Chris commented. “Nobles have no scruples. Even I placed many traps to take Sir Michio for myself...”
That...was a scary thing to hear from her. No scruples indeed.
“Though, he saw through them all’h,” Nina added. “And now, since Chris and I don’t need to fight anymore, you can both have this’h.”
Nina passed a small bottle to Sasa.
“What is it?”
Chris chuckled, whispering something into the other pair’s ears about...an effect it had? I was far away, so even my skill couldn’t pick up the soft words properly. I was worried about it, but some noble girls were striking up some conversation again, so I didn’t hear any of the rest.
I hung out on the edges of the party for a while, drinking and watching the flowers drift.
“Hey, Makoto, come with us.”
“Let’s chat, Takatsuki.”
Lucy and Sasa had turned up.
“Sure, but where are we going?”
“This way, this way.”
“Hurry up.”
The two of them dragged me farther into the gardens, away from everyone. I had no idea where they’d gotten it from, but there was a picnic blanket spread out on the ground among the billowing cherry blossoms. Sasa poured wine while Lucy put out some snacks.
It was like a little hideaway. We were far enough away from the party that the noise wasn’t audible anymore.
“A toast, then,” Sasa suggested.
“Here you go, take a glass.”
The two of them smiled innocently as I took the glass...
But I saw it happen.
I saw Sasa sneakily pour the liquid from that small bottle into my drink. I doubted it was poison, but... What on earth was it? I was worried, so I decided turnabout’s fair play.
“Oh? It’s the Grandsage,” I called, pointing over their shoulders. “Heeyyy!”
The two of them spun to look. I took advantage of the gap to swap the contents of our glasses. (With water magic...in a tenth of a second.)
If Sasa had been sober, she would’ve seen through my ruse right away, but she was drunk enough that she didn’t notice.
“Sorry, guess I was mistaken,” I said when they turned back.
“You’re too drunk,” Lucy commented.
“From the top then...”
“Cheers,” we chorused, bringing our glasses together and draining them.
There was a pause.
Lucy and Sasa looked eagerly at me.
“Hey, hey, Makoto?”
“Notice anything?”
Their eyes were sparkling. However, nothing happened. After all, I hadn’t drunk whatever substance was in that little bottle. I waited for a change in their own demeanors. Gradually, their faces reddened and their breathing grew ragged.
“Wh-What?”
“Hey, Lu...do you...?”
Their legs both started to give out as they fidgeted.
“What’s up?” I asked in a concerned tone.
“So, Makoto. Purely hypothetically, but that wine—”
“I swapped it with both of yours,” I interrupted.
“No way!” the two cried in unison.
Their eyes went wide as they looked at each other.
“Wh-What happens now?” Lucy asked.
“I-I dunno... How are you feeling?” Sasa asked back, reaching a hand out for the other girl’s shoulder.
The two of them both yelped and shuddered.
Uh, what?
“A-Are you both okay?!” I exclaimed. “What was in that drink?!”
This seemed really bad, and I started moving toward them.
“Makoto, wait! Don’t touch us! We’re sensitive.”
“My body feels so hot... It’s like I’m tingling...”
Lucy looked as red as a boiled lobster. Sasa had faintly teary eyes...
What the hell? What’s happening?
“Lucy, Sasa, what was in that drink?” I asked again.
There was a long pause before Lucy answered. “An aphrodisiac...”
There was an equally long pause from me, and my mind seemed to stop. “What?” I asked flatly. “A-An aphrodisiac?”
What was that for, again...
It’s for when you wanna bang, Makoto! Noah answered—utterly crudely—with a cheer.
Ah, yeah, right...
“Uh... Are both of you...okay?”
I realized that the two of them were looking at me like starving animals.
“We wanted you to initiate,” Lucy commented.
“But we can’t hold back now... Oh well.”
The two of them started crawling toward me, Lucy from the right and Sasa from the left. This was bad.
“Makoto!”
“Takatsuki!”
Both of them yelled in unison and then...leaped at me?!
D-Dodge!
I managed to slip back just before the two of them caught me.
“Mmmhh, Makoto.”
“Takatsuki...”
Lucy and Sasa held onto each other, embracing in a kiss. I guess they hadn’t realized that they’d missed their pounce.
What to do...?
You could call out to them, Noah suggested.
Yeah, but...I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to get in the way of their friendlier relationship.
“What?! Aya?!”
“Ah! Lu?!”
Oh, looks like they’d noticed. The two of them went bright red and shifted away from each other.
“That was you?!”
“I kissed Aya?!”
“Lu, you defiled me...”
“Y-You were way more aggressive!”
The two of them calmed slightly as they moved apart. But, judging by their fidgeting, the aphrodisiac still hadn’t worn off.
“How long’s it last?” I asked.
“Two or three hours...”
“That’s so long!”
“Hey, Makoto...” murmured Lucy.
“Takatsuki...”
The two of them turned hot gazes my way.
“I want you...though Aya’s lips were soft.”
“I want you...but Lu’s skin was so smooth.”
The two of them closed in on me again. This time, there was a big tree at my back, so I had nowhere to run.
I was soon cornered.
Makoto, you should never embarrass a lady...
Noah...I want my first time to be more romantic...!
Are you a girl or something...?
Shove off. What’s the problem with that?
“Makotooo...”
“Takatsuki...”
Before I knew it, both of them were pressing in on me. They had hot looks in their eyes as they leaned in. I couldn’t move—Sasa was strong to begin with, and I was even weaker than Lucy, so I wasn’t going to be able to shake them off...
I guess today’s the day I become an adult...
“What are you three doing?”
Someone had just arrived. She had long black hair, and pink petals were strewn amongst the strands, almost like accessories.
“Oh, the two of you are cursed.”
Furiae lightly rested a hand on both of their heads. Suddenly, light came spouting from between her fingers.
After it was done, Lucy and Sasa both let out confused noises.
“You had an aphrodisiacal curse on you,” said Furiae mildly. “I removed it.”
Wait... So the aphrodisiac works the same way as a curse?!
Whew, saved by the curse-pro Furiae, the Priestess of the Moon.
“Umm...”
“U-Uh...?”
Lucy and Sasa seemed to deflate, both looking taken aback. They glanced at each other, then at Furiae, and at me. Finally, their faces went red, and they ran away hand in hand.
“Aya! We failed again!”
“We did! Let’s not try this way again!”
“It’s okay, we’ll manage next time!”
“Do you think?! I think Takatsuki’ll end up angry sooner or later!”
The two of them didn’t seem even slightly regretful.
I turned to Furiae. “Thanks, Princess. You saved me.”
She stared quizzically at me. “You’re...welcome? Everyone’s heading back about now, so I came to get you.”
“Got it. Let’s go then.”
The two of us walked side by side back to the noise of the party.
The feast ended before long.
The Grandsage—who was the host—said she was leaving because she was tired. Lucy and Sasa were wasted, and Furiae said she’d escort them back to the inn. I bid my farewells to Sakurai and Fujiyan and then stayed behind to watch the flowers for a bit longer.
The sun had set, and the petals were spinning through the moonlight. I wandered for a while, deciding to take in the nighttime views. I saw someone from behind, standing alone. She had on a light dress and her hair was bluish-silver.
Princess Sophia.
What was she doing here? And without a guard...?
“Princess?” I asked.
“Oh...Hero Makoto,” she said. Her expression and voice were both cool as she turned around. “It looks like you enjoyed yourself with the girls.”
Oh...she was angry.
“I got caught up in the festivities,” I said as an excuse, then walked forward to stand next to her. I looked at her flat expression. She looked more like she was sulking than actually angry.
“Do you like the cherry blossoms?” I asked.
“No one dislikes them,” she answered. “Abel the Savior said they were his favorite.”
Huh...sounds like he had fairly Japanese tastes.
“It’s tiring standing around like this. Shall we sit down?” I suggested.
“Right...let’s.”
There was a stone nearby that looked like it’d work as a chair, so we sat. We stayed in companionable silence for a while, watching the flowers.
“Hero Makoto...will you be returning to Roses?” Her question seemed hesitant.
“I intend to, yes.”
“I had heard that you received many invitations from the nobility of Highland... Honestly, I think you could have a better life here.”
Oh, that’s what this was about.
“No way,” I countered. “It’s all kinda stuffy here. Plus, I’m an adventurer in Macallan.”
“I-I see! Good!” She suddenly looked relieved. Had she thought I’d move to Highland...?
“Keep me in Roses?” I asked playfully.
“Of course! I won’t give you up to anywhere else!”
Our eyes met and we laughed. Things hadn’t been great when we’d first properly met in Labyrinthos, but even relationships like ours could change over time. The realization felt intense.
We chatted for a while longer, and then I felt something on my shoulder.
“Can I...rest for a while?” She had leaned her head against me. A soft, sweet scent wafted up from her.
“G-Go ahead.”
My heart was pounding as we sat like one of those couples cuddling on a park bench. Should I put my arm around her shoulders? I mean, she was a princess, so... If I was handsome like Sakurai, I could have done it like nothing.
Just go for it!
Noah never changed.
You’re such a pansy. If you ke...the...’ll...
Noah? That’s weird, I was struggling to hear her.
...koto! ...hear...
Noah? Hello, Noah? Helloooo?
Nothing. I couldn’t hear her at all now. Why?
“Now, now, Makoto. You shouldn’t be talking to other women at a time like this.”
A chill ran down my back. That was Princess Sophia’s voice, but something was different, and there was just this feeling that I couldn’t explain.
I looked at where the princess was resting on my shoulder and saw her staring up at me with golden eyes. The moment our gazes met, she gave me a grin I could never imagine coming from Princess Sophia’s face.
“Princess?” I asked, thinking that it somehow wasn’t her. The girl in front of me had her face, but this...couldn’t be her. It had to be someone else.
She chuckled. “Correct. So, who am I?”
I gasped. Whoever it was had read my mind before answering. She’d interrupted a conversation between Noah and me, and she could read my mind. On top of that, if she was speaking through the Priestess of Water...
“Are you...Eir?”
“That’s riiight.”
The goddess in Princess Sophia’s body hopped off the rock and spun around, making a pose.
Where’d all that omniscience go?!
“It’s the second time we’ve met,” she commented. “Last time we were near the Seafloor Temple. Did I shock you? What do you think??? How’s it feel?”
What was with her? A lot of goddesses seemed slightly off...like Noah, I guess.
“That’s rude. I’m the Goddess of Water, so I can give or take Water Magic skills as I please!”
“Forgive me please, goddess!” I pleaded.
I was easily trapped in her web. Mind Reading was scary!
“Kidding, kidding, I won’t take something away that I’ve already given.” She giggled.
It was adorable and beautiful, but I couldn’t relax. And I knew why—there were absolutely no water elementals around me. They were scared of the gods.
Plus, the mana radiating from her was enough to put Lucy or the Grandsage to shame. She wasn’t even casting a spell but was simply present, and her mana still felt so strong. I guess I could understand why... After all, she was a divine being.
“Sorry for shocking you, Mako!”
She sounded easygoing, but...
I was nervous as I opened my mouth. “Not at all... What did you need with me today?”
“I came to thank you for saving Roses. Also, you were bonding with Sophie, so you get points for that too!” Princess Sophia—I mean Eir—began to dance through the petals.
“Thank you for letting me become Hero of Roses while staying Noah’s disciple.”
She giggled. “You’re a good boy. How about it, though? Maybe you could be my believer from now on! I could give you Water Magic (Saint Rank) right now.”
“Wha?” My mind stopped working at her offhanded suggestion.
“I control water magic. If you want, I can gift it to you.”
For...for real?
Nonono, calm down, I told myself. There’s got to be more to it than that.
“Don’t worry—Roses doesn’t have enough heroes. You want a strong skill, I want a strong hero, so it’s a win-win.”
“And what’s the condition?”
“That you become my disciple.”
“And...stop being Noah’s?”
“Yup. Then you get a saint rank skill. Not bad, is it?”
That was incredible. Saint rank was said to be the pinnacle that humanity could reach, while god ranks were only attainable if you gave up that humanity.
Saint rank... I wanted a skill like that.
Will you receive the gift of Water Magic (Saint Rank) and become the Goddess of Water’s disciple?
Yes
No
RPG Player had given me an option. The sound of me swallowing was super loud in my ears. I had to answer.
I flashed back to the painful memory of being left behind at the Water Temple.
I remembered the people abandoning me...all of it flitting through a corner of my mind.
Turns out, my answer was never in question.
“I’m Noah’s disciple, now and forever,” I stated.
“Ack, shot down!” Eir smiled though, not seeming too unhappy about it. Then, she snapped her fingers.
M-Makoto! You’re still my disciple?! That’s great! I love you! That bitch, trying to steal my Makoto!
Noah’s voice was back.
“You’ve got such a good kid as your disciple. I’m jealous.”
Go die in a ditch! I’ll remember this when you come to the temple next! Noah yelled at her.
“Calm down, I’ll bring a bunch of stuff. We can play Momotetsu,” Eir answered in amusement.
So they could play video games...that’s cool.
I half-listened to their conversation, but I was pretty sure that Eir was done talking to me. I’d need to take Princess Sophia back to her room eventually.
Then, Noah spoke up like she’d just remembered something.
Oh, Eir, you had something to say to Makoto, right?
Hm? She wasn’t done yet?
“Right, right. Mako, this is important.”
She really wasn’t done?! The stuff from earlier had already hit me hard.
“Wh-What is it?” I stuttered.
“Listen up, Mako,” she said, her voice turning serious.
“At this rate, Roses will fall.”
Those words...had been a revelation about the demise of Roses.
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