- Snap...!

    “Get lost, you squid head!! Go away!!”

    Glare, who had been fighting monsters along the West Coast just moments ago, suddenly found herself in a completely different environment.

    “If you don’t go away...! Uwahhhh?”

    Due to the spatial displacement, she ended up losing her balance and falling to the ground.

    “...Huh?”

    She looked around in confusion, unable to comprehend the sudden change in scenery, and slowly got up, dusting herself off.

    - Drip... drip...

    The seawater dripping from her soaked clothes began to form a puddle on the dark room’s floor.

    Roswyn’s Room

    “Where did that bald monster go...?”

    Glare mumbled in confusion as she looked around the room, filled with white may lilies and star flowers.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    - Thud, thud...

    After a few days of sailing, Frey and his party disembarked from the ship at the harbor, trudging along wearily.

    - Click! Click, click!!

    The loud sounds of shutters clicking surrounded them as they walked.

    “Over here, please look this way!”

    “Is it true that you’ve lost your powers as a consequence of overthrowing the Church!?”

    “What’s your relationship with the Hero Ruby? There are rumors of one-sided violence...”

    Reporters swarmed around Frey, bombarding him with curious questions.

    “There are reports that the victims of your recent actions are voicing their grievances. What do you have to say about that?”

    “There are accusations that you were responsible for the harbor freezing incident in the Western Continent. Is that true...?”

    Frey, struggling to walk amidst the barrage of questions, stopped and began to tremble.

    “Victims...?”

    Frey muttered with a pale face, slipping his hand into his pocket.

    “Oh right. I had changed my perspective...”

    He secretly held the helper potion given by Eurelia, which glowed faintly in his pocket.

    He planned to drink these potions as much as he could once the system was restored and penalties were imposed, in order to face Aishi.

    Rather than the potions given by the thought forms of the Hero Party from a thousand years ago, the half-filled potion given by Eurelia was likely to be more effective. r?

    So, Frey pretended to drink the potion in front of Eurelia and the others, hiding it in his pocket.

    The children would think he had taken the potion, and wouldn’t worry excessively about his mental state.

    “I-it’s all my fault... hehe.”

    However, this choice left the Curse of Mental Weakness persistently hanging over him.

    “Sorry...”

    Although the curse had almost worn off after being in effect for so long, it still affected him enough to hurt his feelings when he heard the aggressive questions from the reporters.

    “How did you lose your left arm?”

    “What’s your response to the scandal involving Princess Clana?”

    “You’ll be facing trial soon. Do you have any plans?”

    The reporters’ sharp, knife-like questions continued to rain down on Frey, who kept his head bowed.

    Convinced by his missing left arm that he had indeed lost his powers, the reporters began to push their luck.

    “What are your plans for the future?”

    “...My plans?”

    As the heroines glared at the reporters and tried to take Frey away from the harbor, he raised his hand to stop them and began to speak slowly.

    “I plan to spend a day wandering around the empire... and then I will attend the academy.”

    His eyes looked incredibly hollow.

    “For just one day.”

    The reporters, who had been taking notes with bored expressions, suddenly widened their eyes at Frey’s words.

    “I’ll spend just one day living a normal academy life... and then I’ll drop out. I’ve already submitted my withdrawal form.”

    As soon as he said this, the cameras started flashing again.

    “What will you do after dropping out?”

    “Do I have to tell you that?”

    “Please answer!”

    “We need to know where you’re going to prepare for it!!”

    Looking at the reporters with weary eyes, Frey slowly turned his gaze to the people gathered at the empire’s harbor.

    Victims of Frey Association

    Send the Monster Frey to the Gallows!

    You Could Be the Next Victim!

    There were still some of his former servants who hadn’t come to their senses, the families, and friends of the villains Frey had punished, and imperial citizens holding placards and shouting along with these people.

    “...It doesn’t seem like I’ll be staying in the empire.”

    Frey, looking at them with a forlorn expression, answered while biting his lip.

    “I’m planning to hide away somewhere in the mountains of the Eastern Continent, living out my days peacefully... or at least that’s what I intend to do.”

    “Anyway, I’ll be leaving.”

    After finishing his words and giving the people around him a vacant look, Frey trudged down the stairs.

    “Who said you could leave!?”

    “Stop him! Frey is trying to escape!”

    - Thud, thud...

    “...?”

    The five main heroines, Ruby, Lulu, Isolet, and the Hero Party quietly followed behind him.

    Thanks to this, the reporters and protestors halted their pursuit, staring blankly at the scene.

    Without paying them any mind, the group moved forward, surrounding the dejected Frey.

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    “...We finally arrived. This brings back so many memories.”

    Leaving the harbor, Frey and his party headed to none other than the Starlight Mansion.

    “I always wanted to visit this place one last time.”

    The longing in Frey’s eyes as he looked at the mansion, a place dearer to him than anything, shone brightly.

    “B-Brother...”

    Aria, watching him with a worried expression, opened her mouth with a pale face.

    “W-Well, the thing is... right now–”

    “Aria. Father is also staying at the mansion, right?”

    Frey asked, cutting off her words.

    Following his advice, Abraham, who had been in a long coma, had been temporarily moved to the well-guarded mansion for better care than the hospital could provide.

    “That’s good. Since I’m here, I should see Father too. I might as well visit my room, have a meal in the dining room, and visit Mother’s room as well...”

    “But... there’s ancient magic... and since I exiled you, Brother, you can’t enter...”

    “I’m envious... I can’t handle spirits yet. Spirit magic isn’t something just anyone can do, right?”

    “That’s true. Originally, only three races in the world could use it.”

    “Can you teach me how?”

    “...Spirit magic?”

    Ruby, who had been mechanically answering with a lifeless expression, slowly turned her head to look at Frey.

    “Yes... Please. I beg you.”

    The desperate look in his eyes was apparent.

    Although he didn’t say it, it was clear that Frey’s wish was to leave a part of himself with everyone somehow.

    - Grab...!

    “Focus.”

    Realizing this, Ruby clasped Frey’s hand.

    “I can’t teach you now, but I can guide a spirit.”

    “R-Really? Then please.”

    “Take a deep breath and calm your mind. I’ll handle the rest.”

    Soon, their hands began to glow blue.

    - Shaaa...

    After a while, a silver light began to form in their hands.

    “...Purrrr.”

    “W-Wow.”

    A curious sound came from within, and Frey looked on in amazement.

    “A kitten?”

    A silver kitten lay between their hands, sleeping peacefully with its eyes closed.

    “Ruby, please take good care of it.”

    “...”

    “Spirits grow when they receive love, right? You’ll take good care of it, won’t you?”

    Without answering, Ruby lowered her head. Her composure was gradually breaking down.

    “...It’s your spirit. You should take care of it.”

    “Ruby.”

    “Take care of it... Frey.”

    “Here.”

    Playfully, Frey placed the kitten in Ruby’s arms.

    “Meow?”

    The silver kitten poked its head out and looked at Ruby, tilting its head.

    “Ruby... Have you thought about my proposal?”

    “...”

    Watching this scene with sad eyes, Frey cautiously asked.

    “If it’s a burden or makes you uncomfortable... I’ll think of another way. There are quite a few methods...”

    “If you want, I can offer my body.”

    “No. No, no. That’s not necessary.”

    Frey hastily shook his head and caressed Ruby’s cheek, whispering softly.

    “I just want to be with you and shine.”

    “The reason star rubies shine is because of the impurities inside.”

    Staring coldly at him, Ruby began to speak.

    “If you come inside me... will it really be you?”

    “...”

    “Or will it just be a soul fragment filling the wounds in my soul, a soul fragment that sacrifices itself until the end?”

    “Who knows?”

    Frey shrugged, and Ruby bit her lip.

    “I don’t know which it will be, but... personally, I hope it’s the former.”

    “Frey.”

    “I still want to see you all.”

    “...”

    “I want to raise my spirit, and I want to see our children. I want to give love to you and our children.”

    As he spoke, Frey fought back tears.

    “So, please pray that it will be the former?”

    Leaving those words, Frey turned to the orphanage director who had been watching anxiously.

    “L-L-Lord Frey... T-Today is a bit...”

    “Please take care of me today.”

    “What? Ah... Yes!”

    And so, time passed.

    “The villain has appeared!!”

    “Ahhh!!”

    “Stop right there!!”

    “No way!!”

    At first, the children were wary or afraid of Frey, but thanks to his dedicated efforts, they eventually laughed and played together.

    “Got you!!”

    “Hehe! Hehehe!!”

    “The boss has been defeated...”

    “Run away!!”

    Ruby, watching Frey smile more happily than ever while playing with the children, quietly turned her back.

    “By the way, do you know a girl named Glare?”

    “She’s my sister.”

    “Really? Do you know where she is?”

    “She went on a trip. She might take a while to come back.”

    “...I see. I wanted to see her one last time.”

    Ignoring the voice from behind her, Ruby began to walk out of the orphanage.

    “Oh, by the way...”

    “...?”

    “Got you!!”

    “Ahhh!”

    Outside the orphanage, it was raining heavily.

    “Meow...”

    “Ugh.”

    Ruby, staring blankly at the scene, sat down and began to pet the kitten in her arms.

    “Hic, sob. Hic... Huu...”

    Her whole body trembled as she tried to hold back her tears.

    - Lick.

    “Help us...”

    When the kitten licked her cheek, Ruby finally broke down, crying out in a cracked voice.

    “Someone... Anyone... Please...”

    Time passed, and the people walking by on the street glanced at her curiously.