***

The gate opened.

Meyer’s death was not in vain, but why? The guilt of surviving at his sacrifice and the backlash against this unreasonable reality covered me.

However, there was no time to dwell on ideas here.

‘…at times like this, I have to get my act together.’

The dungeon continued to collapse. I can’t let Meyer’s death go in vain. The first priority was to get out of the dungeon.

I grabbed Sevi and said,

“Guys, we’re running out of time. Let’s get ready to go.”

“Is he really… His Excellency… Is he dead? He has defeated the Demon King, why?”

Sevi’s face turned white.

Sevi was usually terrified of the idea of someone else being sacrificed. That is why he was confused and unable to accept this situation easily.

It was not only Sevi. Everyone saw Meyer’s death right in front of their eyes but denied the fact.

My heart sank heavily. I bit my lip, grabbed Sevi’s shoulder, and shook it hard.

“Sevi, come to your senses.”

I was filled with Sevi’s eyes, which were opened blankly. Only then did I realize that I was shedding tears.

I looked back at the others, roughly wiping away tears.

I’m sure I’m far from dignified by the tears that didn’t stop, but I tried to sound as strict and cool as I could.

“Nova, can you take the Commander?”

“…of course.”

Nova nodded decisively. Leaving Meyer in the dungeon had never crossed his mind.

Nova carried Meyer, who was much bigger than he was.

I caught a glimpse of Meyer’s face, pure white.

A face that was considered tranquil. I couldn’t help but see it, and I deliberately rushed the others.

“Axion, Julieta. Give August a hand.”

“Yes.”

Axion and Julieta supported August on both sides.

After the gate was opened, the dungeon collapsed faster than before.

The continuous collapse now shook the ground as if there was an earthquake, and the gate became narrower.

“Let’s get out of here.”

As soon as I spoke, the floor began to crack.

I slipped because I couldn’t keep my balance on the shaky floor, but Nova caught my hand just before I fell.

“Be careful!”

If Nova hadn’t caught me, I might have fallen under the cracked floor. I felt a momentary thud in my chest.

I wondered if the others were alright.

Fortunately, Julieta and Axion had arrived safely near the gate with August.

They turned nervously toward us, sending August, the injured man out of the swaying gate first.

“Get out first!”

I called out to them. I was afraid that something might go wrong because I was naive.

At that moment, Julieta exclaimed.

“Vice Commander, watch your head!”

A human-sized rock was falling over my head. There was no room to avoid. Is this the end? At least I need to get Nova out.

“『Green Curtain』!”

A wall of wind formed over our heads. The speed of the falling rocks slowed. I saw a figure standing over there, it was Sevi, squeezing his excess magical power.

“Thank you, Sevi!”

“Hurry up!”

Sevi exclaimed, more clearly than before. Julieta, Sevi, and Nova.

Perhaps it was worth the rigorous level-up, but they all survived, even though they were all dressed as if they had been fully wounded.

Yes, it was a good thing. I’m happy with this.

I murmured to myself as I watched them walk through the gate one by one.

One possibility that sprouted in my head from the moment Meyer was determined to sacrifice himself.

It shook me with an impulse, a certainty, a realization that I had no reason not to.

“Vice Commander!”

Nova pulled my hand hard in front of the shrinking gate. I was proud that he could afford to take care of me while carrying Meyer.

And so we rolled out of the gate for the last time.

The gate, swinging behind me, closed completely. It was a fluttering moment.

The magi that had packed the sky slowly began to disappear and the blue sky gradually revealed itself.

Everyone was about to cheer the fact that we all made it out of the dungeon safely but quickly stopped talking when they found Meyer’s body, which Nova had carefully put down.

Axion mumbled miserably.

“If I died in the dungeon, I would have died… His Excellency… I’ve never thought of a future like this.”

His fallen red hair shook ungracefully.

I approached Meyer.

He looked as if he were asleep, except that he did not move a muscle.

He seemed to have laid down all the responsibilities and duties he had on his shoulders.

I tried to make time possible. There was not much room.

I put my hand on his chest. The sword went through, and his heart emptied. The preparation was over. All that remained was action.

I looked up and looked at the trio. Above the three of them, nodding in silent prayer, I saw the image of the first time we met two years ago.

It brought back memories of giving Sevi a word of what if in the past. At that time, I told him that if I couldn’t kill the Demon King, the human world would be doomed, so I was going to do everything in my power to sacrifice myself…

I never thought this would happen after killing the Demon King.

I said with a wry smile.

“Sevi, I lied to you. I’m terribly sorry.”

“What?”

“I know all the trio have been through a lot and followed me without complaint… Most of all, thank you for surviving without serious injury.”

“… Vice Commander?”

Julieta looked at me with a strange expression. My words must have felt out of the blue.

But I didn’t have time to explain every single word. I had less and less time to use my skills.

Soon I was talking to other people.

“August, thank you for always taking care of my mess. Axion, I had a lot of fun playing along with you.”

“Sister, what are you talking about? It’s like…”

“I have a lot to say to the others, but I don’t have much time. Please tell them.”

I tried to speak in a light tone, not so heavy. In fact, this was just right for my restraint.

I hastily added the words that came to my mind.

“Oh, to Meyer, I told him he’d regret it. Please tell him that.”

“Wait, Jun!”

Axion, who noticed the unusual situation, urgently tried to hold me.

But it was too late.

I smirked, evoking mana.

I had no intention of dying from the beginning, it was a skill I didn’t even have in mind.

I never thought I would fall so much in love with Meyer.

So much so that I would weigh the price of my life to save this man in a situation where the Demon King was defeated and peace was scheduled.

But I couldn’t bear to go on like this very much. I once told Meyer that if people had faith, we could survive wear and tear.

But that wasn’t it. All it took to live was hope… Maybe I have always dreamed of a future with you.

Such hope that I was too secretive to know myself.

I lost that hope, and I lost the will to live any longer.

Perhaps, Meyer, you might argue that much. What is the point of a life that has been brought back to life after killing you?

But you and I are different.

I have memories of 20 or so years of mundane life, but you do not.

So…

You too can live a little longer in a world without dungeons.

What would a world without anything to bind you be like? How free it would be. How blue is that sky that you protected, even if only for a moment…

I was prepared for only one reason.

That’s right. This is just my self-satisfaction. You sacrificed your self-satisfaction to open the gate, so I’m letting you live in my self-satisfaction too.

I breathed and shouted without the slightest hesitation.

“『Soul Scale』!”

Chapter 19. Scale of the Soul

The magi that covered the sky slowly disappeared, and the demons began to scatter one by one.

Everyone cheered and rejoiced at the obvious evidence of victory.

“The Black Knight defeated the Demon King!”

“It’s humanity’s victory!”

The expedition teams, the aristocrats, the commoners, and regardless, all hugged and cried and laughed at those who fought against the Demon King alongside each other.

Blood, sweat, and dust distorted their faces. They could not believe it at all, even though it was the moment they had been waiting for.

The Black Knights also looked at the sky, full of emotion. It was truly something they had done…

At that moment, Robur, who was standing by Anasta’s side, exclaimed in surprise.

“… Anasta?”

“Yes?”

“Your face right now… You’re Anasta, aren’t you?”

Anasta’s face hardened. She stuttered and touched her face, and soon shone her face on the metal cane she was holding.

She was back to the familiar face of April.