Chapter 46: Thunderbird Subjugation (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: Thunderbird Subjugation (4)
It felt as though I were nestled within a warm, cozy cocoon.
The agonizing pain that had ravaged my entire body began to soften. As I blinked, my blurry vision gradually cleared, revealing the surrounding scenery.
My eyes widened.
It was a world of light. That was the only way to describe it.
The sun hanging in the sky radiated a gentle warmth that didn't sting the eyes. Rows of trees emitting a pale yellow glow surrounded me, and beyond the horizon, there was nothing but an unfamiliar, shimmering radiance.
“What is this place…?”
I had been invited to an unknown world. It felt similar to the [Fictional Hell] used by Leafa the Illusive.
However, the difference between this radiant world and [Fictional Hell] was that I had never seen this place in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱. This was uncharted territory.
Despite my bewilderment, I tried to make sense of the situation.
[Are you surprised?]
“……!!”
A deep voice resonated in my mind. I whipped my head toward the source.
There stood a massive black bird, looking entirely out of place against the luminous backdrop. It folded its wings and gazed down at me. It was the ‘Thunderbird Galia.’
My heart hammered for a moment, but when I realized the creature wasn't in a combat stance, I lowered my guard.
“What’s happening?”
[It appears we are in the ‘Midheaven Realm.’ It seems my former master has invited us here.]
The Midheaven Realm. A place where souls on the brink of death, or those who had passed but had not yet moved on, were invited to find solace and sort through their lingering thoughts.
It also served as a waypoint for souls yearning to reunite with others in the afterlife, allowing them to spend eternity together.
It was a setting mentioned in the ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ guidebook—lore prepared for characters who met unfortunate ends.
In the game’s original story, however, there was no reason for Ian to ever visit this world. The game ended with him becoming a renowned Magic Knight, living happily with his chosen heroine.
‘So, this is where I ended up…’
As far as I knew, the Midheaven Realm existed on the boundary between the living world and the afterlife. In this place, time stretched on indefinitely; not a single second passed in reality.
There was nothing to do here. Not even magic functioned.
It seemed the one who had summoned me was the Thunderbird’s previous master, the ‘Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath.’ She was a tragic figure from Luce’s past who had embraced death under the weight of false accusations.
“Where is your former master?”
The Thunderbird raised its head, pointing its beak toward the sun that emanated that gentle light. Its rays softly warmed my skin.
[The scent I longed for is drifting from over there.]
Did that mean the sun itself was the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath?
While I understood the situation to an extent, I couldn't help but feel confused.
Furthermore, the [To Gretel] achievement was a legendary feat unlocked by clearing a major scenario, but it usually provided no rewards or special events. It was merely a trophy.
Who could have imagined it would lead to this?
[I wish to know your name.]
The Thunderbird’s voice echoed in my mind, vibrating with a strange resonance.
“…Isaac.”
[I am ‘Galia’… After suffering under that curse for so many years… thank you for saving me, child. I mean this from the bottom of my heart… Thank you.]
The Thunderbird’s deep, gentle voice carried a subtle sob. I could only watch him in silence.
[Adadapubu!]
Suddenly, the energetic cry of a young boy came from near my feet.
Looking down, I saw a familiar small creature staring up at me. It was a raccoon familiar, lightning mana swirling around its tail.
No status window appeared. Perhaps it was because we lacked physical bodies here.
But then…
“……!”
Suddenly, numerous magic beasts with elemental mana swirling around them surrounded me. They appeared in the blink of an eye.
Startled, I hastily looked around.
These familiars were…
“The ones I fought earlier…?”
They were the familiars that had been completely corrupted by dark mana, meeting a gruesome end by my magic.
However, there were no longer any traces of darkness on them.
[Thank you, pubu!]
“Huh?”
The purple raccoon familiar shouted at my feet before tightly hugging my leg.
Then, the other familiars began to approach.
They gently rubbed their cheeks against me, cuddled close, or licked my hands and face.
I was utterly bewildered.
[Thank you, meow!]
[Kuooooh—! Thank you! Thank you so much!]
[Thank you for freeing me from that demon!]
[Thank you, thank you…]
[Gratitude to the Great One!]
The voices of countless familiars washed over me like gentle waves.
The bitter emotions they had harbored while being controlled by Vera the Summoner seeped into my consciousness. With every word they uttered, a lukewarm, erratic wave engulfed my heart, leaving me with a solemn, heavy feeling.
[Kyahahaha! You’re strong, friend! You landed a hell of a hit!]
Hakil, the giant red magic beast, approached with a hearty laugh. His turtle-like head, muscular frame, and the eyes on his three pairs of wings were exactly as I remembered.
The other familiars stopped their affectionate gestures and looked at Hakil in unison.
Hakil stopped before me, looking down gently before bending a knee to sit.
The eyes on his wings were all closed. His wings were slightly folded in a gesture of profound respect.
[You see, I always dreamed of exploring the vast world with my master.]
Hakil murmured, his eyes lowered.
[But after being controlled by that demon… I ended up killing my master with my own hands. That day, I lost everything.]
A trembling voice echoed in my mind.
[Living under that demon was a nightmare… Even though we were once enemies, thank you for saving me… Truly, thank you… I will never forget this favor…]
Hakil couldn't hold back his tears, covering his eyes with his massive hands.
Following Hakil, the other familiars began to share their own stories. I listened in silence.
[I met that demon while eating meat with my master, meow… Now, I can never forget the scent of my master’s blood, meow…]
[My master always fell asleep with me in their arms. I loved being held… But I killed them with my own hands. As they were dying, they told me it was okay. They thanked me for traveling with them…]
[My master took me in when I was abandoned. I still vividly remember the sensation of piercing their heart…]
[Adadapubu…]
[Jerry, I was so angry being forcibly controlled by that woman! I was so mad! It was so hard! I cried every single day!]
I hadn't been able to save them. They had been so deeply corrupted by dark mana that even Vera the Summoner’s death couldn't have purified them.
Even if they had been freed from Vera, they would have lived a cursed existence, unable to suppress their murderous urges. They would have continued to kill.
That was the truth. I didn't deserve their gratitude. I had simply killed them without hesitation to prevent a "Bad Ending."
Yet, they believed I had saved them.
They had longed for death—for an end to their suffering.
“Is that so…”
Despite the cacophony of voices in my head, I understood every single one of their stories.
And so, I felt a sense of relief.
For a long time, the familiars shared the stories they had accumulated over their lives, laughing and crying as they spoke.
I nodded, stroking their heads and patting their backs.
*
How much time had passed?
On the horizon, human figures began to emerge from the vast expanse of light. Their numbers grew quickly, reaching dozens in no time.
As if coming to greet us, they turned their gaze in our direction.
The intensity of the light made it difficult to discern their features, yet it seemed all the familiars recognized them instantly.
[…?]
The familiars froze, as if time itself had stopped. Hakil’s eyes widened in disbelief.
This place served as a waypoint for souls. It was obvious who the Midheaven Realm had brought forth.
Soon, tears welled in the eyes of the familiars. They ran or flew toward those people.
In an instant, the familiars were weeping as they hugged their masters. They spoke of how much they had missed them and how much they had suffered.
The masters tightly embraced their familiars, stroking their heads and listening to their cries with gentle smiles.
[It’s been a while, Dyke.]
Hakil stood before his master, a muscular man, and greeted him.
As his master chuckled and extended a fist, Hakil hesitated for a moment.
[…]
Then, Hakil bumped fists with the man. He seemed lost in thought, recalling the time they had spent together.
Soon, the familiars and their masters began to walk together toward the vast world of light, heading into the afterlife.
The familiars looked back at me, shouting their final farewells.
[Thank you! Truly, thank you!]
[Thank you, human!]
[I won’t forget this favor!]
[Adadapubu!]
[I’m really grateful, meow!]
[Kuooh! This mark of flame! I will remember you forever!]
[I’ll carry the grace of your noble deed in this body of fire, even in the afterlife…!]
[Take care! Thank you! Thank you! Really, really, thank you…!]
A vivid light enveloped the familiars as they returned to their masters. They disappeared beyond the horizon with excitement.
I watched the scene in silence, feeling an indescribable emotion.
Now, they would be together for eternity. That would be more than enough time to forget the pain they had endured. They would embark on the new adventures they couldn't complete in this world.
As the figures faded from my sight, I closed my eyes for a moment, quietly processing my feelings.
[I can feel it.]
The Thunderbird’s voice rang in my head.
[My former master is deeply grateful.]
Though the sun felt merely warm and gentle to me, it seemed to feel different to the Thunderbird.
[Even when I lost my mind, I could still feel Gretel’s heart. I knew you had become her friend. I wanted to thank you, child. It seems my former master is grateful to you for the same reason.]
“…”
Gretel. Luce’s former name.
I fell into deep thought. I calmly raised my head and stared at the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath, who watched over the boundary between this world and the next.
In 「Act 3, Chapter 4: Thunderbird Subjugation」 of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, one final mission remained—
To catch Luce, who was falling helplessly through the sky, her mana completely depleted. The journey would end with that single task.
But then I realized why I was in the Midheaven Realm. I needed time to organize my thoughts.
“…I’m about to die, right? And so are you.”
I asked, turning my head toward the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird bowed its head.
[It seemed you were deliberately hiding your identity, so I intended to protect your secret. But it seems there is no longer a need for that.]
A roundabout answer. It wasn't difficult to grasp the meaning behind those words.
Ha, I knew it. How could I have survived unscathed after fighting the Level 175 Thunderbird Galia?
It was a futile ending. I had done all this to prevent a bad ending, only to meet one myself.
However, there was no rush of panic, no flicker of intensity. It felt as if even the most fleeting emotions passed by without leaving a trace. Being able to stay this calm in the face of death was likely the effect of [Ice Sovereign].
Someone once said, ‘If the world were to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.’ That was exactly how I felt.
“Send me back.”
Since it had come to this, there was one last thing I needed to do.
“Luce is falling. There’s no one else to catch her but me.”
If I was destined to die anyway, I might as well save someone I deeply cherished.
I adored Luce. As long as ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ was my reality, I couldn't bear to see her get hurt.
So, at the very least, I wanted to save her before I went.
And then, it happened.
[The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath expresses her gratitude to you!]
[The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath gazes into your fate and offers the gift she deems most necessary!]
A new system window appeared.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, a searing pain flared on my left wrist.
Startled, I looked down. A black, magic circle-shaped seal was being engraved into my skin. Once the engraving was complete, the pain vanished instantly.
“What is this…?”
[Congratulations! You have acquired the [8-star Familiar Contract Circle]!]
My mouth hung open.
Magic beasts from 1-star to 4-star could be summoned with a standard Familiar Summoning Circle, and if their wills aligned, a contract could be formed. From 5-star to 7-star, they couldn't be summoned by a circle, but a contract could be made if you met them and gained their favor.
On the other hand, an 8-star familiar could not form a contract at will, regardless of the relationship. A special seal was required. That seal, the ‘8-star Familiar Contract Circle,’ could only be obtained in the very late stages of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.
The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath had bestowed it upon me.
What kind of fate did she see to give this to someone who was about to die?
Just as I was about to ask, I lost my voice. The light emitting from the witch began to envelop my entire body.
— To Gretel.
Suddenly, a young girl in a worn-out navy blue dress appeared before my eyes. Her rose-gold hair was breathtakingly beautiful.
She was laughing with an old witch who wore a black hat and had a hooked nose.
A curious ten-year-old girl. She held the witch’s hand and set off on an adventure.
Time passed. The girl, now in a school uniform, smiled brightly at her academy graduation ceremony alongside the witch.
Time passed again. The woman, now a wizard, boasted of her achievements to the witch.
Time passed once more. The lady, now a Tower Master, held the witch’s hand as they embarked on a new journey.
Her beaming smile was no different from the innocent laughter of that ten-year-old girl. The witch was so content with this sight that she laughed happily.
The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath. These were the events that would have unfolded had she not met her tragic end.
The fate envisioned by the Great Witch—a reality that never came to be.
They were fragments of a lost future, a calm solace in the sea of memories.
— I will always love you.
Taking in that sight for the last time, I quietly closed my eyes.