Love Me
"Sun God... please... I beg you... ugh."
Perloché, who had been endlessly offering prayers in the frozen cathedral, let out a groan and hesitated.
"Hic..."
Finally glancing down at her own knees, Perloché unwittingly gasped.
Her knees had become a wretched sight after kneeling for so long on the ice-cold floor.
Shaa...
Perloché, who had unconsciously reached out to unleash her divine power upon seeing her knees, soon bit her lip hard.
The divine power that once healed everyone could no longer exert its effect.
It merely produced a faint strand of light that illuminated her knees.
"Please... give me a Retry..."
In this desperate situation, Perloché muttered tearfully.
"Please give me a Retry..."
But her prayers merely echoed emptily through the vacant cathedral.
Since briefly encountering the Sun God in a dream when she collapsed, it had made no further contact with Perloché.
That was why Perloché, who had awakened not long ago, had barricaded herself in the cathedral, clinging to a straw-like hope as she ceaselessly attempted to commune with the Sun God.
"Ah..."
But now, even those attempts seemed futile, and it felt like time to abandon all hope.
Because the sun visible through the cracks in the cathedral's fractured walls was growing ever darker in this very moment.
"If only back then..."
Watching the sun's form, Perloché bowed her head deeply and murmured.
"I hadn't pierced his heart... what would have happened...?"
At this point where everything was already too late, Perloché was regretting the past.
If she hadn't pierced Frey's heart, there might have been time for everyone to hear his final words.
And if Frey had lingered in this world even a little longer.
Even if just for a fleeting instant, there might have been a chance to persuade him not to fade away.
Because it was from that moment that Ruby's body, torn to shreds by Frey, began transforming into a demon's form.
If those who noticed something amiss upon seeing that had heard the truth from Frey's family who rushed in afterward...
And if she had apologized before Frey as he tried to leave his final words...
Perhaps everything could have changed?
"Ugh..."
But no matter how many such hypotheticals she entertained, it was all pointless now.
The sun had lost its light, the world was shrouded in darkness and cold, and it was marching toward the end.
And in such a world, Perloché could only pray powerlessly.
"Only now... only now do I remember..."
She murmured, closing her eyes tightly.
"That I vowed to serve you..."
Recalling the dream she had recently.
In the memory from a previous cycle that surfaced while Perloché lay unconscious.
"Frey... do you know?"
"...Yeah?"
And in the final scene of that memory, in a ruined world, Perloché had casually spoken to Frey, who sat dazed amid the devastation.
"There are no gods."
"...What?"
Gazing at Frey, who wore an expression questioning how she could say that when the gods had reduced them to this state, Perloché spoke in a clear voice.
"In this destroyed world, there's only you and me."
"Hm."
"No one else, not even gods... just the two of us."
As Frey slightly furrowed his brow at her words, Perloché smiled and continued.
"So, I'm unemployed now."
"......"
"No, wait. Actually, thinking about it, maybe not."
"What are you trying to say?"
As Frey, gazing at the sky with a slightly hollow expression, asked her that, Perloché, who still looked at him with affection,
"From now on, I'll serve only you."
gently clasped his rough hand.
"I don't need gods, or my duties as a saintess, or the doctrines... or even my vow of chastity."
"Perloché."
"In this ruined world, you're the only one who matters."
She whispered.
"I love you... Frey."
"....."
"Forever, no matter what."
Finally saying that, Perloché quietly leaned on Frey's shoulder and closed her eyes.
"...Yeah."
Frey, gently stroking her hair, carefully replied.
"This won't do after all."
"Yes?"
Suddenly standing up, he began speaking with a serious expression.
"I've thought a lot about just running away like this. About seeing the ending and spending my remaining days peacefully."
"Frey...?"
"But this isn't a happy ending."
Saying that, Frey looked around and continued.
"It's just escapism from reality."
"What do you...?"
"Don't worry, Perloché. I'll make it happier for you."
By then, Frey was smiling brightly at Perloché.
"During those five individual routes and five derailments... I was truly happy. All the stress I'd built up dissolved at once."
"Wh-where are you going...?"
"So, I need to get back to it."
As Frey turned and walked forward, Perloché followed with an anxious expression.
"W-wait... you're not going to die, are you? No! Live with me!"
"......"
"Even though the world has ended... we're still alive! As long as just the two of us remain, we can spend whatever time we have happily...!"
"Perloché."
Continuing to walk ahead without looking back, Frey suddenly stopped, turned around, and
"...I love you."
whispered with an innocent smile.
"I-I love you too..."
Perloché, unwittingly responding to Frey,
"So, wait just a little."
"W-wait a moment...!"
began rushing toward him in desperate anxiety, but
"I'll give you, and everyone... a happy ending."
Frey said to her.
Retry
And the world flipped.
"Hic... ugh..."
Recalling the cycle that was most precious to her, seen in a dream while asleep due to the Demon God,
"Ugh... ugh..."
Perloché was now shedding tears without even praying.
"Frey... I want to see you again..."
She murmured, recalling Frey who had given her that innocent smile.
Creeeak...
"Hic... huh?"
Perloché, who had been bowing her head and weeping profusely, suddenly stopped crying and tilted her head.
"Wh-who are you...?"
The cathedral door, which no one had visited until now, suddenly opened.
"Wh-who are you...?"
Thanks to that, Perloché stood up for the first time in ages and rummaged through her bosom.
"D-don't come... don't come closer...!"
Finally drawing a dagger from her bosom and pointing it at the approaching figure, she muttered in terror.
"N-no... don't come..."
The fading sun offered no hope, but she harbored a faint one that she might commune with the Sun God again.
If the approaching person harmed or violated her, even that tiny hope would extinguish.
"If you come any closer, I'll attack... huh?"
But as she trembled with the dagger, thinking that, Perloché suddenly widened her eyes.
"F-Frey...?"
"...Hm."
The identity of the mysterious person, revealed only after approaching due to the surrounding darkness,
"...Frey!?"
was Frey, whom she had longed for so desperately.
"F-Frey! Frey!! Y-you...!"
Her eyes wide, Perloché rushed toward him, but
"Agh..."
due to her severely damaged knees, she soon collapsed to the floor.
"F-Frey? You've come back? But despite the immense pain, Perloché rose again and began speaking in a trembling voice.
"Y-you didn't choose to fade away! There must've been some misunderstanding. Right!?"
"........"
"F-Frey. I'm sorry... no, that's not... I don't know what to say...!"
But she soon fell into panic.
For some reason, she couldn't imagine what to say to Frey, who had reappeared.
"Sorry, Perloché. I don't have time to hear you out."
"...Pardon?"
But such worries were almost a luxury.
"I'm going to disappear soon. So, to my question..."
"No!!"
Hearing Frey's calm words, Perloché dragged her bleeding knees toward him.
"I-I was wrong! I'm sorry! Frey!"
"......."
"I'm sorry for treating you so harshly all this time!! Sorry for forgetting our promise!! I'll accept any punishment!! So please!!"
"Um..."
"Please stay by our side...!!!"
Finally grabbing Frey's leg, Perloché began pleading while trembling.
"I-I only just remembered... that I vowed to serve only you...!"
"...Ha."
"I need you! I love you! You who tried countless times to save the world... now everyone misses you and remembers you!"
"...Haha."
"I'll do anything. Whatever you want, all of it! I'll even offer my soul! My vow of chastity, my faith! I don't need saintess doctrines anymore...!"
Watching such a Perloché, Frey closed his eyes gently and smiled.
"That's it. Finally."
Saying that, as Frey stepped back a pace from Perloché, she widened her eyes and lunged forward.
"D-don't go...!"
"Not yet. Maybe we have a little time to talk..."
Replying to her with a smile in his eyes for the first time in ages, Frey
Creeeak...
"Young master!!"
"""Frey!!"""
".....!"
began widening his eyes as the cathedral door opened once more and four girls rushed in simultaneously.
"See? I told you Frey's energy was strongly felt here!"
"S-so that's what you meant by 'see you again'...! Young master really came back!"
"Frey! W-we welcome you back! We'll restore your imperial rights immediately! So..."
"Frey... I love you..."
The main heroines, who had unannouncedly appeared to follow the traces of Frey who had left their side, had finally pinpointed his last location.
"Huff... huff..."
"Haa... haa..."
Thus, rushing to Frey in a single bound,
"H-here..."
"T-take it, Frey."
they each pulled out something and offered it to him.
"I made the sandwich too hastily earlier. This time, I put special care into it... please enjoy it..."
"....."
"F-from now on, every morning, lunch, and dinner... no, whatever food you want. I'll prepare it. I'll cover all the ingredient costs. I promise..."
Kania, regretting having ruined the sandwich due to her trembling hands, offered one that looked utterly appetizing.
"I-I'm sorry I only gave you a flower earlier because things were hectic. Here, puppy love fruit. Your favorite fruit."
"Hm..."
"F-from now on, I'll give you as much as you want. No, anything you want. I'll cast any magic for you, take any curse."
Irina offered a plump, enticing puppy love fruit.
"St-star-gazing flower... I luckily found one before the forest froze..."
"Ha."
"Welcome back, Frey. Once things stabilize, I'll use all my power to make sure you live happily and comfortably. And if you wish, I can arrange for you to migrate to another continent... and also..."
Clana offered a star-gazing flower the same color as Frey's hair.
"Frey... I'll serve you for the rest of my life..."
"Serena."
"Y-you can take other wives besides me... no, if you don't like me, make me a concubine... no no, even a maid is fine... just let me stay by your side for the remaining time. Please...?"
Serena, half out of her mind and having brought nothing, offered herself.
"Even if it's late... I'll pledge my lifelong loyalty to you for the remaining time... Young master..."
"I love you, Frey... Actually, I've liked you since the day we first met... Even if it's late, even now..."
"I finally remembered the oath I made to you. Let me keep that oath for the remaining time..."
At that moment, as the main heroines, believing Frey had reversed his fading and returned alive, pleaded desperately with earnest expressions,
"I love you, for life... huh?"
Serena, gazing up at Frey with desperate eyes, noticed the pendant blinking at his neck.
"F-Frey..."
"...Time's up."
Frey, also looking at the pendant, murmured.
[Judgment System]
[Target: Main Heroines (5)]
[You may pass judgment in any form you desire.]
> Yes / No
"Finally..."
He gazed at the system window floating before him.
"""........?"""
And the main heroines saw it too.
The system, visible only to Frey, was now visible to everyone.
"Judgment...?"
Staring at the system window before him for a long while, Frey
"On what authority."
shoved the system window aside and muttered.
"...From the beginning, I had no right."
"".......""
Silence fell with those words.
"Ah? Uwa...?"
Only Serena twitched, realizing the meaning of the blinking pendant at Frey's neck.
"...Oh right, almost forgot."
Breaking the long silence, Frey
"This time, I'll leave it behind."
said, a single tear streaming from his eye.
"Truth is, I always wanted to be loved by you all."
Hearing that, the girls nodded, ready to pledge their love from now on, but
"So, when the next one comes..."
Seeing Frey's utterly sorrowful expression, they were swept by an inexplicable anxiety.
And looking around at such girls, Frey
"...At the very end, love me like this."
replied with the brightest smile ever.
Crackle...
And the next instant, the faintly blinking pendant's light vanished completely.
"Frey?"
"Wh-what...?"
And Frey disappeared as well.
"......Where did you go? Young master?"
After Kania called out to Frey in a hollow voice, still holding the coffee and sandwich that hadn't cooled,
"""..........."""
a long silence began.
Crackle, crackle...
"...Huh?"
And that silence persisted until a small light emanated from Perloché's body, who had been desperately clasping her hands in prayer until then.