The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 260

260. #5 The Boy and Girl’s Epilogue.

“Wait, you’re…?”

“Lillian!”

“Young Master?”

“Nora!”

[Wow, really?]

“Kayden!”

“Wow, you’re really alive.”

“You were… who again?”

“Hubert, it’s Hubert! Seriously, you forgot me?”

“Just kidding, man, how could I forget you?”

He clapped Hubert on the shoulder in a friendly manner, and Hubert visibly fought to hide his embarrassment.

“Seriously, you’re teasing me the moment we meet again?”

It wasn’t just Hubert, but Nora, Kayden, Lillian, and even Logan.

“Those muscles, tanned by the southern sun! It’s wonderful that you haven’t neglected your training, Young Master!”

Rain flexed his biceps against Logan’s, a wide smile on his face.

“Of course. Trying to catch up to Professor Owen now? You’ve gotten a lot taller, too.”

“Mwahahaha, not yet! He can rip his clothes off with his muscles while greeting people.”

“But aren’t you guys a little too calm about my return?”

“Well… we suspected you were alive even before you reached 7-star status.”

“How?”

“Because of Kasena Page. Everything shows on that girl’s face.”

“Sigh…”

He’d expected it to some extent, but the reunion was an indescribably joyful time.

He couldn’t help but think back to the days when they enjoyed playing magic volleyball together.

His friends were already third-year students, and they mentioned they’d be graduating soon.

“The four of us have been assigned to the Special Task Force after graduation.”

[I’m thinking of studying abroad in Solond.]

“Really? Want a letter of recommendation?”

[A recommendation? From who?]

“The king there is very close to me right now.”

[???]

“You’re friends with a king? What on earth did you go through in the lower realms?”

Lillian asked, a look of disbelief on her face.

“This and that… a lot. It was tough, but fun. But it would have been great if I could have graduated with you all.”

A moment of somber smiles hung in the air. Hubert broke the awkward silence.

“Well, we would have been pretty upset since a valedictorian competition wouldn’t even be possible. I even thought it was good that you disappeared.”

“Ignore what Hubert says.”

[He’s just bitter because he never beat Christa and Lillian for valedictorian while you were gone, lol]

“Shut up, you guys. I conceded, okay? I’ve realized that humility is a virtue.”

“So who’s the valedictorian? It’s not the humbled Hubert, is it?”

“Hold on a minute.”

‘Herself’ interrupted Hubert and answered Rain’s question.

“Who else could it be? It’s me, of course.”

A beautiful woman with 진갈색 [dark brown] short hair fluttering in the cool autumn breeze, Christa Warden, appeared. It seemed like they had run into each other like this several times.

“Now, I am the sun of . I did my best so no one could say I only took valedictorian because you were gone.”

“Impressive.”

“Of course, she’s very impressive. After you disappeared, Young Master, she was incredibly, well, almost obsessively diligent.”

Christa’s aide, Gertrude Fenton, said, pretending to dab away tears with a handkerchief.

“Perhaps lovesick, she became a Glados (4-star) mage at the beginning of her third year. I wonder if she was planning to brag about it when she met you again in heaven.”

“Stop joking. I don’t have that kind of lukewarm relationship with this guy.”

Christa sighed and lightly chopped Gertrude on the head.

The 모습 [image] of her blushing and getting flustered by Gertrude’s jokes had vanished, replaced by a more mature demeanor.

That’s how it seemed to Rain, but the brief crush she’d harbored in her first year had long since faded in the face of her pursuit of magic.

“You became a 7-star mage? Don’t think I’ll suddenly respect you. It may be a little late, but this Christa Warden will definitely—”

“—Ababat!”

At that moment, a beautiful girl appeared, interrupting Christa’s words, jumping and clinging to Rain’s back, rubbing her face affectionately against him.

“Aki, I told you to wait outside the gate.”

“Ababat.”

And Setsunen also appeared, following close behind!

“Such an act of openly disobeying Daddy is evil! I will arrest you here and now in the name of justice… that is what I am!”

Who’s the older sister, anyway?

At the series of commotions, Rain’s classmates’ mouths dropped open, their jaws practically hitting the floor.

The degree of their bewilderment reached its peak when a heavenly beauty appeared, holding a pure white beautiful boy who seemed to be the youngest.

“Sorry, I lost her. She was too fast for me to hold on to…”

As in her past life, her beauty captivated people’s hearts, and her very presence exuded a noble dignity that overwhelmed those who beheld her.

“W-What…?”

When someone finally managed to stammer out a sound, Aki immediately answered, just as she had been professionally trained when crossing the Laboa Bridge.

“Aki is happy. Daddy and Mommy got married six years ago.”

“6, 6 years ago?!”

“Aki was born that way. Thank you. T-Tat? Tat, tat ta.”

Gertrude regained her senses and asked.

“Wait, she’s six years old and that big?”

Aki is bad at lying.

Setsunen jumped in to cover for the stammering Aki!

“If you only have a heart that loves justice, nothing is impossible!”

“???”

“It’s because you don’t have a heart that loves justice that you can’t believe it!”

It was a ridiculous sophistry, but veins popped out in Christa’s eyes.

“Six years old, then you, that, what, eleven years old? Twelve years old? Then, this is obscene…”

“Wait a minute, there’s a huge misunderstanding here.”

“I, I, I will never forgive Rain Ludwig for your way of life! On behalf of all the lonely mages living in this world, I will definitely defeat you someday! Got it? Just you wait!”

She turned around as if she was huffing and puffing, but then she 스스슥 [slyly] approached and whispered in his ear.

“But what about Pipi? No, it’s not like I want to see her or anything, but I received a gift that I have no use for…”

She’s still not honest.

I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking that some things in this world never change.

In fact, there was one more person among the people I had to meet who wasn’t honest.

“Just because you showed up after two years and achieved 7-star status, bringing glory to the family, don’t think I’ve forgiven you.”

Elin Ludwig.

My aunt who taught me how to use 벨 시디어스 [Bell Siderius, likely a magical artifact or technique] when I was young.

Those were the first words my aunt, who had even dismissed her assistant, said after staring at Rain for a long time.

“To think you could do such a thing and show up in front of me so brazenly, you’re quite something.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt. There are circumstances…”

“I thought you were dead. Why wouldn’t I? We even held a funeral. Do you know how hard Seri had to work to take over the heir training?”

“……”

“And I found out that wasn’t true half a year ago. Until then, what kind of heart did I have…?”

Elin took a deep breath, calming the anger that was boiling like lava, and sighed.

“Let’s stop. There’s no point in talking about it here; we’ll only say things we don’t like to each other. You know my personality is terrible.”

“Auntie…”

“I’m really furious and annoyed, but I’ll just say what I need to say at this moment, so listen and disappear from my sight right now.”

Elin, who had been glaring fiercely at Rain from across the desk, turned her chair towards the window.

To hide her tear-streaked face.

And to say these words that she had buried deep in her heart.

“Still, I’m so glad you came back safely…”

* * *

The reunions at weren’t always as pleasant as the ones above. In fact, the reunion with Kasena was close to the worst.

“You’re going to withdraw from school?”

That reunion happened unexpectedly during a conversation with Madelia Page, perhaps half-tricked…

So I think it’s better that way.

It might have been quite difficult to face each other and tell that story.

“Yes. As you know, there’s nothing more I can learn by continuing to attend university now, and it’s also been two years since I took an unauthorized leave of absence.”

“To come back alive and well and suddenly do this… I understand your intentions, but it will be difficult to grant your request.”

“Pardon?”

“If I approve that, I won’t be able to forcibly keep you within the framework of the school while I persuade you to get engaged to Kasena.”

Madelia said with a smile.

In the past, I might have pushed away that subtle joke, the sincerity contained within that joke, with a wall of hollow laughter.

But now, at this moment when I have already received someone’s sincerity, I felt that I shouldn’t do that.

“I’m sorry, Headmaster. There’s someone I have my eye on.”

“Hmm?”

“We’ve already promised each other our future. I don’t think I can get engaged to Miss Kasena.”

I carefully took off the Black Sheep Ring, which I had always cherished around my neck during the arduous journey, a symbol of being recognized by Kasena and Madelia.

And I respectfully held it with both hands and placed it on Madelia’s desk.

This is what Karen দেন [likely a name] gave to Emissa, that is, it belongs to the Page family.

Naturally, it is a gift that Kasena should give to someone who will later form a relationship with her.

“I wanted to return it to her in person, but I couldn’t find her anywhere…”

Even bewilderment was evident in Madelia’s cautious expression.

The reason could be immediately recognized the moment I faced the 연보랏빛 [light purple] woman who crawled out from under the desk.

Kasena Page.

Kasena stared at this side in silence. She clenched her fist at the chest of her blouse, letting out a hesitant breath.

“Why…?”

“……”

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you take me with you back then?”

Even if we had gone to the ends of the earth together, the result would not have changed, but I couldn’t dare to say those words out loud.

“……”

Her gaze, as if wanting an answer, as if 막막 [vague, uncertain], as if 착잡 [complicated, mixed feelings], pained my heart as if it were being squeezed.

Perhaps interpreting the meaning of the silence, Kasena briefly let out a blank laugh and immediately turned her head away.

Tears sparkled in her crystal-clear eyes the next moment.

“Miss.”

As I tried to take a step forward, not knowing what to do, Kasena waved her hand and shouted.

“Don’t come near me!”

Heavy breathing and a sorrowful look.

I had never given her affection as a lover, but I realized for the first time that the meaning could be different for the other person.

As Kasena glared at Rain and lowered her head, her bangs fell and covered her face.

“Rain, you’re the worst person in the world…”

“……”

“Why… don’t you even give me… a chance…?”

When I made eye contact with Kasena again, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

Because that face, stained with tears under her 연보랏빛 [light purple] hair, was so beautiful that any other man but him would have had his heart flutter.

After staring at Rain for a long time with her elegant and pure 보랏빛 [purple] eyes as if she were being sucked in, she kicked open the door to the headmaster’s office with telekinesis and left.

“……”

“……”

Rain was left in a suffocatingly uncomfortable silence.

I felt like my head was frozen because I was so embarrassed by the situation, but Madelia approached with a bitter smile.

“Kasena is very shy, so I had a plan to find out your intentions for sure on her behalf, but it turned out like this. I’m sorry.”

“No, um, it’s not, I’m just a little… I can’t 정리 [sort out] what just happened.”

“Rain.”

“Yes?”

“If your mind is made up, I have no intention of forcing you either. I know better than anyone how much a marriage without love torments each other.”

Rain’s mind was so confused that he couldn’t recognize the shadow in Madelia’s voice.

“But my intention not to approve your withdrawal has not changed.”

“Why is that?”

“You don’t have to come to school. You will graduate with honors in the same class as your classmates.”

“……?”

“A diploma is worth more than you think. Especially for you, who will soon become the center of the new generation of magic.”

“……!”

“I’m only saying this for your benefit, but can’t you at least give me, as the headmaster, the prestige of having produced a great sage from who will succeed Emissa Page?”

There was gentle affection in her gaze.

Compared to the questions and answers with Kasena, which I couldn’t easily and easily answer earlier, this was not difficult.

“Yes, that would be fine.”

As I repeatedly glanced at the seat where Kasena had left without even making eye contact, Madelia gently placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t be so upset. That child will find her own 缘分 [fate, destiny] anew. With the possibility you gave her.”

“But…”

“Originally, people lose something as they become adults. For Kasena, that was you. As a mother, it’s really heartbreaking.”

The words Madelia said seemed to accurately penetrate the sad providence of this world that Rain had felt while living.

“Why can’t people become adults without losing something?”

“Isn’t it because loss teaches people about the value of preciousness? People are sad creatures who can’t know anything properly without experiencing it themselves.”

The last 비통한 [bitter, sorrowful] expression I saw that day would never leave my mind.

For a moment, I wished that Aki, Mir, and Nene would not experience such loss, but I knew that it was a futile delusion.

On the day my hundred-year journey ends, I will leave their side…

And those children will know what loss is there.

“People are really sad creatures.”