Chapter 161
Chapter 161
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: The Final Goodbye
The commotion caused by Victoria's rampage had subsided, and the extremities of our bodies were slowly beginning to fade away.
Like a mirage dissipating before our eyes, it was as if we had never existed there in the first place.
"Victoria. In the world where you are, did we all die?"
The first to speak was, surprisingly, Victoria's father.
Even seeing his daughter dressed in rags and making lewd remarks to Astal, he had let it pass with a forgiving 'it is what it is' attitude.
pHe was just grateful they weren't physically entangled right then and there.
Robert, after all, understood the twisted attachment and possessiveness dragons feel for their mates better than anyone else present.
"Otherwise, I don't think you would have needed to travel through time to save us."
He couldn't help but question the sudden appearance of his daughter as an adult and Astal who had come to save them.
There must have been a story behind it all that he didn't know.
"...Dad."
In her current state, Victoria called out that dear name with a slightly trembling voice.
In the original history, her precious parents should have died in agony akin to torture due to the delayed rescue.
"Yes. Because I was lacking, because I was a foolish daughter..., there was no other way."
Facing them, Victoria uttered self-condemning words.
Even though all these events originated from a demonic plot targeting Victoria's mother,
and even though the young girl had been imprisoned underground, powerless to do anything.
"...I'm sorry. Truly."
Victoria wanted to tell her parents she was sorry, even just once.
That was the guilt and regret she had carried since childhood.
However,
"What did our daughter do wrong? I don't think that at all."
"That's right, Victoria. Mom is just happy to know our daughter has such a cool boyfriend, you know?"
Victoria's parents embraced her gently, their faces showing no sign of blame.
The warmth transmitted through their bodies, and the warmth of a family's embrace felt after so long.
"Mom, Dad...."
That shook Victoria's heart. She was embarrassed and hated herself for the tears that kept flowing.
If this was the last moment she could see her parents, she wanted to face the goodbye calmly, without crying as much as possible.
She shouldn't cry.
After all, I'm just a Victoria from a different worldline to them, and nothing will change when I return to the present.
p"Even if you disappear from this place, we won't forget you. There's no need to act so coldly."
"That's right, you can be a little spoiled in front of Mom and Dad. We know how hard and difficult a time you've endured alone without us."
Victoria's parents gently embraced her, saying there was no reason to forcibly shed those lingering feelings.
A reunion after ten years.
The aftermath was reaching not only the current Victoria but Astal as well.
"...You've grown so much. Our son."
"Yes, Father."
Unlike Victoria, Astal looked at his parents with a somewhat composed expression.
He had already let go of regrets and remorse when he reunited with them inside the corrupted holy sword.
He thought there was no need to cry pointlessly or say he was sorry here.
"How have you been lately? Are you doing well?"
"I'm doing my best to live well. Just as you sacrificed yourself for me and Mother."
Even if nothing in his own life changed, hadn't he at least protected one other world?
That younger Astal and Victoria from childhood would progress as childhood friends, unlike him, and their parents would live on, leading more prosperous lives.
Yes, that was enough.
Because this time, at least, I protected them.
"...You rascal, you sure know how to talk. I thought you'd say it was hard or get teary-eyed like that child over there."
"I've had a similar experience before. And the introduction is a bit late, but she's not a child, she's my lover."
Astal said, casting a glance at Victoria, who was in her parents' arms right beside him.
It was an action he hadn't taken before due to the risk of his very existence vanishing or the future becoming tangled if he changed the past.
But now, it was after confirming his third hypothesis was correct.
"Ha, I thought our son had no interest in women.... I didn't know you had such unique tastes."
"......"
"Just kidding. A joke. Our son looked too serious, so I tried teasing him a bit."
Claude chuckled lightly and patted the current Astal on the back.
The childish naivety he remembered was hardly visible in his son, who had suddenly appeared as an adult.
Judging by how he was strong enough to capture one of the Demon King's Four Heavenly Kings alone and his body was covered in scars, he must have endured a hard life.
Through this, Claude could guess what kind of end he himself had met in the original history, but...
"Well, I'm satisfied just seeing our son looking healthy and happy."
"You're not... going to ask me specifically what happened to me?"
He refrained from confirming it with Astal.
"Is that necessary? In any world, I am your father, and you are my proud son."
"Right, if that fact had changed, it would be different... but seeing you come to save us like this, it seems that's not the case."
Astal's parents looked at him, now an adult, with benevolent smiles.
Then, they spread their arms wide, preparing for the farewell that was about to come.
"...Our proud son, can Mom and Dad hug you just once?"
Perhaps it's a parent's condition to sense their child's heart even without words.
"......"
Realizing that bonds thicker than blood cannot be severed by a sword, Astal silently let himself be embraced.
A causality that originally should not have occurred.
In this strange and beautiful village where past and present intersected, a reunion between parent and child was taking place.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After all the embraces ended, Victoria and I, who were slowly fading away, simply looked at the surrounding scenery.
"I'm sorry our daughter showed such an unsightly side. Dragons originally have a strong obsession or lust for their mates, you see."
"It's alright. I already know about that aspect through legends and various tales, so I wasn't that surprised."
Victoria's mother apologizing for the disgraceful behavior Victoria showed earlier, and my own mother saying it was fine even after seeing it.
Frankly speaking, sticking tongues in for a kiss or rubbing lower bodies could be considered the behavior of a beast in heat.
Yet, they were saying it was okay with expressions that showed they didn't mind at all.
"Oh my, really? It's rare to find someone who knows so much about dragons..."
"Actually, seeing the future Miss Victoria made me very curious about dragon hybrids."
"Oh? Really? Seeing the future Mr. Astal made me think he and our daughter would really suit each other..."
Looking at the younger versions of me and Victoria with peculiar gazes, their expressions seemed to say,
"We seem to understand each other well, shall we exchange mana messenger addresses?"
"Or perhaps... could we live here? We can no longer live in our original hometown, you see."
"Then come live next door to us. Childhood friends living right next door... sounds nice."
A strange atmosphere of trying to set the stage for a political marriage was already palpable.
"Only now I realize... It's amazing that your true identities are our children from the future."
"Indeed. You live long enough to see everything."
In contrast, my and Victoria's fathers looked at each other with slightly awkward smiles.
Comrades in adversity.
Probably both of them, with wives who strongly hold sovereignty, also found it hard to understand the disgraceful behavior Victoria showed earlier.
"...It seems the best we can do is just watch over them."
"That's true, actually. No matter how much parents try to stop it, you can't prevent a child's love."
The two fathers said while looking at their young children.
A man who fell in love with the young lady of the family he served.
And a man who, having fallen in love with a dragon, said he needed neither treasure nor authority.
-Wow... Astal oppa, your hands are cold. They say that happens if you think a lot of dirty thoughts...
- W-who says things like that! And why are you calling me oppa...! Aren't you older than me?
- Ah, right. Astal oppa said he likes older noona...
Looking at their young children now, they knew better than anyone how things would flow.
"Do you like beer? My wife makes amazing lamb stew, let's have some together."
"Sounds good. I think we'll have a lot to talk about."
And so, Victoria and I slowly faded away from our childhood hometown.
- Astal.
- Victoria.
- We have always loved you. So stay strong.
With their parents' warm advice, we returned to the present where Romulus was.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...So, when you returned, you tore your way out of Romulus's body?"
Kyle frowned with a look of disbelief as he spoke, looking at Victoria and me, our forms drenched in wolf blood and flesh.
Upon returning to the present, perhaps as a recoil from creating a new worldline in the past, we had immediately killed the Romulus upon arrival.
"It seems we were the only ones crazy enough to think of returning from the past to the present."
Now, only one enemy remained.
Ergosum Cogito.
I steeled my resolve, gazing at the colossal Demon King's castle before me.