Chapter 70

The oldest victim

(finished all my current school works)

Wooden swords──or rather, swords in general, tickle boys’ hearts, don’t they?

As I grabbed the hilt of the wooden sword I had retrieved with Telekinesis, I was reminded of a souvenir I had bought on a school trip long ago.

As for how I bought it, I had bought it on impulse, but I found it useful in my previous life.

I had never practiced kendo or swordsmanship, but when we put on a play for the school festival, I was swinging it for stage combat practice.

Unfortunately, I had a frail constitution in my past life, running out of gas even faster than the girls, so I couldn’t perform long scenes, but I think I had a talent for performing to make myself look attractive. Just a humble boast.

And perhaps because I was excited from holding a wooden sword again for the first time in a while, I now very much feel like heroically swinging the weapon in my hand just like I did back then.

"Secret Technique... Underworld (冥界) Decapitating Blade!"

Feast your eyes! On the ultimate kenjutsu that I thought up!

Reverting to my childlike innocence and trying to look good like I did back then, with an elegant step that traced the arc of a crescent moon, I began swinging the wooden sword, scattering cool effects using "Curse of Darkness."

With each slash of the darkness-clad wooden sword, jet black darkness swirled and then disappeared with a pop. Yup, very cool.

Seriously, to be able to recreate as is the image I came up with during the height of my evil eye, this supernatural ability is the best!

When I return to Earth, I’ll have to thank Alice-chan and Kakeru-kun again. That’s what I decided.

Still, attaching "Dark (冥)" to the names of certain kill moves is kinda cool. Something like Dark Path Morning Moon Rend is the best.

As I was thinking of such things and single-mindedly performing the sword skills I thought up for the purpose of looking attractive in plays, the young boy watched me with eyes sparkling in reverence.

I get it. It’s cool, right?!

『Even though it's the same wooden sword... Onee-san, you're amazing...』

Fufu, that’s right, that’s right!

This unnecessarily refined, efficient, and pointless movement, which I learned through playing with my chuuni friends and perfected during the school festival—is not bad as a spectacle.

Moreover, I’m performing it in Eight-chan’s body, which is far stronger and flexible than me in my previous life, the effect is even greater. Not only does I look good, it might even be viable in real combat, is what I think.

Of course, if I had to face experts like En or Malkuth in a sword fight, my skill level would be anywhere near enough. But even so, style always takes priority over everything!

"For me, the weapon doesn’t really matter. If you apply sacred arts, you could do the same thing too."

『I could?』

Yeah, elves have the image of being like MP specialists, so this much should be totally doable.

And so, you do it too! Let’s do chuuni swordsmanship!

Let’s aim to be a magic swordsman. I don’t know what the boy intended when he started training with a wooden sword, but isn’t it super cool when a swordsman, who usually fights with a sword, actually has their real ability in the field of magic?

Imagine fighting someone who thinks they have the upper hand by keeping their distance, only for you to say with a smug face, "Since when were you under the illusion that I couldn’t use sacred arts?*" That play the overflows with the feeling of being the immeasurable power is just really nice. (tl note: Bleach Aizen reference)

"Sorry for swinging it around without asking. Here, I’m giving it back."

『Ah… thank you.』

Satisfied after a workout, I handed the wooden sword back with a refreshing smile.

The elf boy accepted it with a respectful attitude. Yep, the holy beast children are all so polite. It may just be that all the children I meet happen to be good kids, but seeing such pure-hearted people makes me feel like my own heart is being cleansed, and it feels good.

Of course, if someone is too beautiful*, their brightness can be damaging. It’s necessary to keep the capacity in mind. (tl note: 綺麗 can mean beautiful or pure)

"Okay then, do your best."

『...Yeah!』

Feeling good, I decided to continue watching the boy’s training for a while.

As I did, the boy innocently asked me to teach him the movements I had demonstrated earlier, which made me happy, so I quite literally guided him step by step. I held his arms and legs from behind and taught him the movements, and it was like I had become his master, which was exciting.

Of course, I made sure to tell him that my amateur swordsmanship was just for show and had no practical use, you know? It would be bad to give a kid who’s seriously practicing the sword bad habits, after all.

That said, for a boy, cool ways of swinging the sword hold a lot of significance in itself. The boy didn’t see it as a problem and still asked for instructions.

Besides… it seems that he hadn’t started swinging that wooden sword this morning because he wanted to seriously fight with a sword, and today was the first time he even started training.

Even so, I feel that he looked pretty appropriate swinging the wooden sword. He must have a talent for it. I complimented him on that, even from my amateur perspective, and he humbly felt bashful. Oh my, the sight of his face turning red is amusing.

Apparently, the reason he had been swinging that wooden sword since early morning was because of the Savers, who had gallantly saved him during yesterday’s incident.

A warrior wielding a flaming sword—that’s Akatsuki En, isn’t it? The moment that warrior saved him, the boy decided that he wanted to become a warrior who could protect his friends, just like him.

A boy who admires the protagonist, transcending the boundaries between humans and holy beasts──nice. This feels like the “classic” feel of shounen manga. If there were a sequel, he’d probably be a major character in the next production.

Of course, En and his group had already saved many people before arriving here, so I’m sure there are other kids doing their best training for the same reason. Yare yare, what a sinful man.

『Of course, I saw what you did too, onee-san! It was amazing how you took down all those Abyss in the sky by yourself…! Everyone said you were the coolest!』

…

…!?

O-okay? Wow, as expected of me! Pulling off an even cooler moment than the protagonist of the original work. Looks like I’ve done it again.

Fufu, I see, I see.

Yeah, I'm happy to say the least.

Even as an original protagonist, there are cases where I feel like I overshadow the actions of the protagonists of the original work too much, which doesn’t fit my aesthetics. But yesterday, all I did was scatter some small fry, and I was the only one who could do deal with the Abyss in the sky in that situation, so it couldn’t be helped.

That’s how I justified it to myself, but… having a local child personally thank me with carefree smile like this… doesn’t feel bad at all.

Still, being hit by such a straightforward emotion, I let my gaze wander while fiddling with my hair to calm down. I’m not feeling bashful, okay? Yeah, cool original protagonists don’t feel bashful that easily.

…Okay, I’m calm now.

No matter how I feel inside, outwardly getting carried away and becoming delighted would be a small fry play for an original protagonist, and I don’t want that.

Eight-chan is a humble cheat original protagonist, after all.

Besides… I have to protect the dreams of the kids who call me cool, don’t I?

"Thanks. Having you say that makes me feel like I’ve been saved too."

Onee-san is happy that the citizens are so well-mannered.

Unlike the townspeople in those "hero persecution" stories, where the ones saved condemned their saviors, the people here didn't shun me, despite the fact that I possess the power to destroy the entire town on my own.

This makes me want to protect them... Feeling even better, I placed my hand on the boy’s head and roughly stroked it.

『Ah… hehe…』

The innocently smiling boy’s reaction was soothing.

Am I a shotacon…? No, no. Anyone would feel good if a healthy and pure elf child praised them. Therefore, my current feelings are completely normal. Yes, proof complete.

After helping the boy with his training for a few more minutes, we parted ways when I used Clairvoyance to confirm that En and the others were ready.

At that time, the boy made an oath that he wanted to be able to protect this town like me one day, and I couldn’t help but widen my eyes, but rather than deny his dream, I just accepted it with a smile.

Wow, I really feel like a superstar right now, and I feel really proud of myself.

What is this, I wonder… haven’t I been way too happy since this morning?

Today, if I checked my horoscope, I’d definitely be ranked number one. No doubt about it. That’s how much today had been filled with nonstop good things.

“～♪”

Feeling like that, I decided not to use "Teleportation" and instead head towards En’s group on foot.

Being in a happy mood, I hummed the OP of Fairy Savers I while strolling down the road alongside Kabbalah-chan, gazing up at the sky.

Ahh, the sky’s getting brighter. Look, the sun is shining so brilliantly—

...Isn’t it shining a bit too much?

There’s a saying: lights are usually followed by shadows.

It means that the better things are going, the more likely something will come to interrupt it. I remember my sister telling me that many times in the past to warn me to not to get carried away and hurt myself.

Between sleeping together with Binah-sama and receiving the townspeople’s warm gratitude, since so much events that benefited me continued nonstop, some bad event was bound to happen.

Even in fanfictions, it’s rare for a story to have good things keep happening from start to finish.

Even in strongest-type fanfiction where the cheat original protagonist is peerless, there are bad events where the villain, beaten up by the original protagonist, commits some evil deed. Good and bad are two sides of the same coin, and it’s difficult for the author to create only one of them.

I’ll be damned, is this a bad event for me?

Or is it still another good event?

Half vigilant, half expectant, I lifted my gaze toward the brilliant sun—or rather, toward the figure of an archangel.

"..Is that radiance the light that illuminates the world? Or..."

The dazzling light slowly descended, ostentatiously heading toward me.

Watching it, I decided to mutter cool-sounding words to fill in time. Ah, Kabbalah-chan, it’s dangerous, so go down.

The reason I realized that the radiant luminous point’s true form was an archangel was, of course, thanks to my supernatural ability, Search.

When observed through Search, I confirmed that the light had the same sacred angelic power that Binah-sama and the others wielded.

However, what was incomprehensible was that I couldn’t see any other information aside from that.

It was the same sensation I’d felt when I tried to inspect the dark fog, or when I used my supernatural ability against the Qlippoth of the abyss “Sheriruth.” The other party was clearly rejecting my "Search."

I mean, I was at fault for peeking unilaterally, but that was the reason I became wary.

But if that’s an archangel… then who is it? It was definitely someone I hadn’t met before.

If that’s the case, that’s either Gevurah, the 5th Archangel, or Yesod, the 9th Archangel… Just as I was considering this, the light finally settled, and I was finally able to take a straight look at its true form.

And having understood everything, I let out a small laugh and, with a knowing look, fixed my gaze on him and said,

"You've come... King."

Ten white wings.

White hair about as long as mine.

The man, dressed in pure white robes that blended perfectly with that color──had a spiritless, dead gaze, completely opposite to the divine light overflowing with vitality.

That was the form of Keter, the "King" of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, the strongest angel, and the final boss of the anime Fairy Savers.

He looked like a handsome young man in his late twenties, but in reality, he was the oldest of the archangels, having lived for over a hundred million years.

...No, why is the final boss showing up in person?

I was planning to head over soon, so couldn't he have just waited quietly?

While doing my best to hide those inner thoughts, I stared at him who had descended before me, and he, in turn, responded with a sharp gaze.

Like some fated encounter, the original protagonist and the final boss locked eyes.

The sudden, unexpected arrival nearly sent my mind into panic, but as we stood face-to-face, I was surprised by how calm I remained.

I thought his sudden, unexpected arrival would send my mind into panic, but as we faced each other, I was impressed by how calm I remained.

Right now, I was being engulfed by the presence of the strongest angel I had ever met.

However, perhaps because of the lingering memory of the dream I had last night, somewhere in my heart had a premonition of this encounter. And as a Fairy Savers fan, I was excited to be see the final boss in the flesh.

『...』

The white-haired archangel, Keter, remained silent, staring at me.

His diamond-like eyes were devoid of radiance and dead in color, but his features still bore a faint resemblance to the boy I had seen in my dream.

But the small child once held tightly in Daat’s embrace had grown so much…well, I don’t even know if that dream was a true story or not.

With the dream I had this morning crossing my mind, I unconsciously murmured as I took in his two-meter tall, firm body,

“You’ve become impressive.”

『────』

Ah. His expression just changed a little.

He closed his eyes and exhaled quietly. It looked like he was trying to calm himself down.

But the Keter I knew was always indifferent, with limited emotional fluctuations.

For a development to unconsciously agitate him—It had to be something extraordinary, something fated.

Charon-sama… At the very least, could you tell me whether his arrival here is part of Fairy Savers ∞'s development or if this is your own original development…?

This situation where the final boss appeared before me ahead of schedule.

As I struggled to decide how to act, the white archangel finally spoke after a long silence.

『...At this stage… Have you come to laugh at me… Daat…』

Unsuitable for his large frame, he muttered in a voice so small it sounded like a soliloquy.

But Eight-chan has sharp ears. My hearing caught the words of his sombre, cool, and handsome voice.

And I finally understood what I had suspected since this morning.

Ahh──that dream really did happen.

Perhaps the goddess-like Charon-sama had assigned me an absurd position. Thinking that, I started racking my brain over how to overcome this situation in an original protagonist way.

Even though, I’m not Daat…

(Author: The oldest (oneshota) victim.

Incidentally, Keter witnessed everything about the boy and her.)

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