SWNOVELXO Chapter 38: Liberation
Emilia watched Fortuna and Guese sitting together from a cliff.
???: [Emilia. It's dangerous for you to be up here alone.]
Emilia turned around to see Archi.
Emilia: [Archi...]
Archi: [The bishop is in the forest today, isn't he? You're not with... oh. He's over there, I see. Were you leaving the two of them alone?]
Emilia: [Yes, I was.]
Emilia turned to look at them.
Emilia: [What do you think of the two of them, Archi?]
Archi: [I think they're a nice fit. Fortuna-sama is very harsh on herself. I wish she would give thought to her own happiness. It may be difficult right now, but with time, they could...]
Emilia: [But... That world doesn't exist anywhere, does it?]
Archi: [Emilia...]
Emilia touched her hairbands lightly.
Archi: [Having beheld an unthinkable present, did you not wish to live here? I'm sure you wanted the two of them to be happy. This is your ideal present, the future you wished for.]
Emilia: [Yes, it is...]
Archi: [Fortuna-sama has already passed, it's unknown whether the bishop lives, and the people of the forest have turned into ice statues.]
Emilia: [Yes.]
Archi: [Your homeland is frozen, you are persecuted by people from the outside, and you had to say goodbye to the spirit who was like family to you. Here, you could live in happiness. Seeing you wish for such a world pains me.]
Emilia: [I'm sorry, Archi.]
Archi: [Why do you wish for that future?]
Emilia: [I want to be an admirable person. Like Mother Fortuna, my role model. Like Guese, who's so kind and strong. Like Archi, who kept smiling until the very end, so I wouldn't be scared. Like Puck, who always protected me and never left me alone. Like Ram, who's always been so dependable. Like Garfiel, who never once uttered a complaint. Like Kiyo, who said that he loves me and convinced me that I can be the best version of myself. I want to look admirable to all of them. From now on, I want to be the one reaching out to help someone like I did for Kiyo in the mansion. That version of me is who I want to be. So I'll be fine. I'm not afraid of the outside world, or of the future. Thank you for worrying about me. I'm just fine, Archi-oniichan]
Archi closed his eyes with a smile.
Archi: [You're such a stubborn girl. You have no idea how crazy that made things for Fortuna-sama and me.]
Emilia: [I...I'm reaaallly sorry about that.]
Archi: [It's alright. After all... A big brother should always spoil his little sister.]
Emilia: [Thanks, Onii-chan!]
Emilia saw Fortuna and Guese waving, and so she waved back.
Emilia: [Thank you for showing this world to me, Echidna. I never thought I'd get to see the two of them, Mother and Guese... Father.... laughing like that. So... Thank you.]
Echidna: [You...]
Emilia turned around.
Echidna: [I really can't understand you. This place is perfect, isn't it? Both you and Kiyotaka...]
Emilia: [Kiyotaka... I see. So Kiyo went through this trial as well.]
Echidna: [He did, but I don't understand why it ends like this?]
Emilia: [If I were to stay in this world, I'd be turning my back on all the people who have faith in me. All the people I care about whom I can still help. This world isn't perfect without them. Without Kiyo.]
Echidna: [You... both say the same thing... You disgust me. I just... hate you so much.]
Echidna faded away as the rest of the world began to fade away, and memories of her hardships flowed into her head.
Emilia: [Just how much have I been protected by others all this time?]
Emilia jumped into the water as she saw her reflection, thinking about how she didn't look as similar to Fortuna as she had thought, as a white light enveloped her.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Emilia walked out to see Ryuzu and a crowd of demihumans.
Emilia: [Ryuzu-san and the people from the sanctuary...]
Ryuzu: [It appears safe to assume you've overcome the second trial.]
Ryuzu walked closer.
Ryuzu: [I must first offer my gratitude. And after hearing from Young Gar and the villagers, the voices of both the inside and the outside, we were finally able to get up and move on our own.]
The villagers told her about their hesitance in trusting her, but that they had chosen to believe in Garf and that they wanted to bear witness to her efforts.
Emilia: [I will definitely pass the final trial no matter what.]
Emilia walked back into the ruins.
Face the disaster that is yet to come.
Emilia closed her eyes and prepared for the trial.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Emilia opened her eyes to a vast expanse of black and dozens of lights shooting past her. She closed her eyes as she then saw a scene of her talking to someone from a doorway.
Emilia: [I hate you... You killed --------. You're a monster! Ever since you came to me, everything has gone wrong! I can't stand you!] AN: I'm a believer that two of the scenes Emilia saw in the trial for "Face the disaster that is yet to come" were the If Routes, so this is the one that replaces one of the scenes she saw.
Emilia opened her eyes, shocked at what she had seen and breathing heavily.
Emilia: [The disaster that is yet to come? Does that mean this is the future?]
She then saw countless flickering lights of different colours ahead of her as they flew past her. She began hearing a barrage of various voices, many of which she recognised. Suddenly, a white light enveloped the area. white expanse, and two silhouettes appeared before her in the white expanse.
???: [I have a servant who is similar to you.]
???: [A servant who is similar to me? What is their name?]
???: [------- ------]
???: [I see... She is my younger sister. I'll do it. I'll join you.]
Emilia looked closely to see that the figures were Kiyotaka and Pricilla as they walked away together.
Emilia: [What is happening?]
She reached out to them as her vision blurred. AN: This was the second replaced scene.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
A fireball was hurled towards Ram as a huge shard of ice blocked the attack.
Puck: [You alright? Even if you did manage to force him out into the open, being too reckless is bad for you, y'know.]
Ram: [No need for concern. Thanks to you, Great Spirit, at least I'm able to fight.]
Roswaal: [It was a good plan to force me outside, but if you think I hadn't planned for this already, you are sorely mistaken.]
Ram: [What?]
Roswaal: [Kiyotaka is a formidable person. Able to manipulate people and use them to achieve the result he desires. In fact, I doubt that the fact that I already activated the spell has gotten past him. You're being used as a method of getting rid of me, dear Ram. Just like I used you.]
Ram: [Ayanotaka already explained that to me.]
Roswaal: [What?]
Ram: [He told me not to do anything rash and to just keep an eye on you in regards to Emilia-Sama. He never gave me anything else to do. This fight... is my choice.]
Roswaal bit his lip before laughing.
Roswaal: [Truly splendid. He's one step ahead of me again. Making it seem like you have a choice while using his eyes to convey what he wants.]
Ram: [Ayanotaka knew from the beginning that this would be my choice. There's no need for him to say anything to convince me.]
Roswaal: [So your motives are just convenient for him.]
Ram: [Maybe they are, but he wants my answer on something, and I'll only be able to give it to him after I see this through.]
Roswaal: [Hm? Your answer? To what miiight that be? ]
Puck: [I have to commend your meticulousness. When did you put the spell on Lia?]
Roswaal: [Before heading to the Sanctuary. Doctoring the contract between you and Emilia-sama was vital for my plans here. Though I must admit it took me many months of planning to ensure that Kiyotaka-Kun wouldn't notice. Many months of tracking... his every single pattern and habit of movement.]
Puck: [You wanted Lia to stay discouraged?]
Puck's face contorted into anger.
Roswaal: [Yes. After all, doesn't he solve things and get by a bit too easily? The only way to gain control was by using someone he'd actually become attached to.]
Puck: [Using my daughter as a way to inconvenience someone who cares about her. You bastard.]
Roswaal: [I don't need to test him like you felt the need to see if he was worthy of your daughter. Kiyotaka was perfect, and she is the one in the way now.]
Puck: [Don't get carried away, witch's disciple.]
An icy aura formed around Puck as his anger grew.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Emilia stepped outside to see snow falling.
Emilia: [Why is it snowing?]
Emilia looked to see everyone huddled under an ice structure.
Emilia: [Everyone! What happened? Why is it snowing?]
Beast-Man: [It only started a few minutes ago, but it's already gotten this bad. It's really concerning.]
Emilia: [Who made this for you?]
Beast-Man: [A great spirit. They said to thank you, Emilia-sama, or rather someone named "Lia."]
Emilia: [Puck...]
Emilia then walked to the side to see a huge tree of ice in the distance.
Puck: [You still have a job to do, don't you, Lia?]
Emilia turned back to everyone.
Emilia: [Everyone, I've finished the trial. But I think it'll be too dangerous to move now. So take refuge in the ruins.]
She looked at the Beast-Man.
Emilia: [Can you guide everyone there?]
Beast-Man: [Don't worry. I'll deal with this.]
Emilia nodded thankfully as she walked towards the tree of ice.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
In an incinerated field, Roswaal was holding Ram in his arms. She was battered and bleeding.
Roswaal: [Ram...]
Puck: [You lost your temper when she burned the book.]
Roswaal: [You stayed with me this long... because... you loved me?]
Puck: [You've lost Roswaal. She achieved her goal. She freed you from that witch as her last act of affection to you.]
Puck sighed.
Puck: [Kiyotaka really is a ladies' man. Maybe entrusting Lia to him wasn't the best idea.]
Puck chuckled a little.
Puck: [But I'm going with my gut on this one. Besides, if he makes Lia sad, he knows what I can do with just one serious punch.]
Puck flexed his arm with a smirk and then looked to Roswaal with a more serious look.
Puck: [Lia will complete the trial soon. And the book you relied on is gone. Your attachment to it was impressive. Rowaal. Now that Ram's wish has been fulfilled, I'll delay the snow as Kiyotaka asked me to.]
Puck floated above him.
Puck: [Roswaal, you amaze me. You're quite the magician. As far as I know, there's no human alive as skilled as you. But no matter how far you go, you're still human. You'll never be like that devil.]
Puck left to delay the snow as Roswaal's eye twitched as he looked around at the snow falling.
Roswaal: [Ram... that's right...]
Roswaal began giving Ram mana as he gritted his teeth.
Roswaal: [Teacher... What shall I... What am I supposed to do? I don't... I still don't know anything. So give me your guidance again, Teacher.]
Emilia made it there along with the Ryuzu clones as she saw Roswaal.
Emilia: [Roswaal let's...]
Emilia then saw Ram.
Emilia: [Ram? What happened to her...]
Emilia checked her.
Emilia: [Roswaal. She's still alive. We need to get her somewhere warm.]
Roswaal: [...}
Emilia: [You'll freeze to death too if you don't move.]
Roswaal: [It doesn't matter. There is nothing left for me in this world. Kiyotaka has gotten his perfect victory. Against an existence like him, I was powerless. He's defeated me entirely, and I've lost everything.]
Roswaal felt as if he could just see Kiyotaka with his back turned to him, his head slightly tilted back with a cold expression, looking at him as if he were an ant.
Kiyotaka: [You've only had 400 years to plan to defeat me. You'll need more than that. You are an unworthy opponent.]
Roswaal laughed a little at his own powerlessness as Emilia shook his shoulders.
Emilia: [Snap out of it. We have to get Ram away from here. I completed the trial. There are so many things that are important right now!]
Roswaal tried to look away, but Emilia made him look her in the eyes.
Emilia: [When you're talking with someone, you need to look them in the face! I won't let anyone say that it doesn't matter anymore! As long as you're alive, there's nothing that doesn't matter anymore. So I'm not going to give up on anyone!]
Emilia turned around, freezing some rabbits. Emilia formed a path, and everyone ran to the ruins.
—————————————————————————————————————
To Be Continued
—————————————————————————————————————
Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
—————————————————————————————————————