Chapter 502: Hope Awaits in the Future

After scolding Alice on the Special Monster Race, I plentifully enjoyed my time. It was a race comprised of Champions, and all the Monsters competing looked like Heroes of the past.

The races themselves were quite heated, with sweaty running battles and fierce direct battles occurring.

I didn't buy any tickets or place any bets, but the Monster Race looked so flashy that it's fun even without the betting.

Dr. Vier and Neun-san were also having fun and were able to forget about Alice, who didn't learn anything at all and keeps on messing around.

By the time we had finished watching some of the races, the sky was beginning to be dyed in deep red.

[Hnnn~~ That was fun! That was a heated race, wasn't it?]

[Yes, it was my first time in a Monster Race, but it was a swelteringly hot battle.]

[That's right…… Oh, it's already evening. What should we do? I don't think we have much time to go around too much anymore……]

Walking out of the Monster Race's racetrack, I talked with Dr. Vier and Neun-san.

The festival seems to be going on until about 10:00 pm, but I can't stay that late because I still have to bring Bell and Lynn back to Lilia-san's mansion.

[Ahh, in that case, there is one last attraction I want to go to…… Can we go there?]

[Yes, I'm fine with it. Neun-san, are you alright with it?]

[Yes.]

Saying that there was an attraction she wanted to visit, Dr. Vier started bringing Neun-san and I along.

[……By the way, what kind of attraction is it?]

[I think there's something called Flying Dragon Gondola somewhere…… Sister Ein told me about it yesterday.]

[Flying Dragon Gondola……?]

[Unnn. It's like the Flying Dragon Services, but they've adjusted the ride so that one can see the scenery better. I heard that it would take us around this big island.]

I see, that certainly sounds interesting. It's fun to fly and look at the scenery, and it was also just right since we would be able to see the beautiful sunset.

[That sounds nice. I've seen the view from the sky a few times, and it's really nice to look at.]

[Unnn, unnn, I can also fly by myself but…… there's a different kind of greatness in watching it like this.]

[I can't fly though, so I'm looking forward to it. Kaito-san, you mentioned seeing the view from the sky several times…… Do you often ride Flying Dragon Services?]

[I've ridden Flying Dragon Services for about three times already. I also flew with Kuro…… and then, there was that time "I was thrown into the sky while traveling from the center of the Demon Realm to the Southern Demon Realm" once.]

[……That sounds strange, isn't it? I just can't imagine what kind of situation…… would lead you to experience something strange like that.]

[……It's that idiot's fault.]

I don't want to have that experience again. Ahh, I guess that time when I went to visit Shiro-san's Sanctuary counts too…… Does being in that place also mean I've seen the view from the sky?

Well, anyway, I think I've experienced seeing the view from the sky fairly well.

After a while of chatting and moving around, we arrived at the location of the Flying Dragon Gondola that Dr. Vier mentioned.

How should I say this…… It seems like everyone was also thinking the same thing…… In front of the sign that said "Flying Dragon Gondola", there was a very long line and at the end of the queue, there was a person with a sign that said "Estimated Wait Time: 3 Hours".

Stunned by the sheer volume of the queue, Dr. Vier approached the attendant holding the sign on the end of the queue.

[……We're the Black-Rank Miyama Kaito-kun's group.]

[Hahh! Understood! Just in case, please allow me to check your invitation…… Yes, thank you for your patience. Please come this way.]

[……Thank you.]

As expected of the Former Demon King, she uses whatever she could…… What an efficient person she is. Thanks to that, we didn't have to wait in a long line to get on the Flying Dragon Gondola.

……Frankly speaking, it was a tremendous view.

It seems like this Flying Dragon was flying at a considerable altitude, as I saw a scene in front of me that would have been impossible without flying, looking down at Magnawell-san.

I mean, I know it's a bit late to say this now…… Magnawell-san is too big. Just his vertical height alone is over 5000 meters, which means that considering the shape of an Earth Dragon…… His total length is many times more than that. It feels like it would be tens of thousands of meters.

[Wow~~ The sunset is so beautiful~~]

[Yes, it's very beautiful.]

I was caught off guard by Magnawell-san's enormity, but I moved my gaze when I heard Dr. Vier and Neun-san's voice.

Thereupon, I could see the city dyed in red, the sea glistening in the setting sun…… It was a spectacular view that left me speechless.

Especially on this fourth day, where there are so many large facilities, it's very nice to see them from the sky like this. Hmmm, I guess I have to thank Dr. Vier and Ein-san for this huh? I probably wouldn't have noticed this gondola if I'd been going around by myself today……

[……How should I say this…… It's unknown, isn't it?]

[Eh? Neun-san?]

As I stared at the view, which I wanted to take a picture of and frame on my wall, I heard Neun-san murmur.

Dr. Vier and I turned around to look at Neun-san…… and saw her with a serene smile as she continued.

[……No, I was just thinking of the obvious, that what the future holds is unknown.]

[Were you thinking about that Japan country?]

[Something like that. I was the daughter of a small kenjutsu dojo. My future had already been decided by my parents…… Told that I would be married with someone who would benefit the family and live to take care of my household…… Without any question, I thought my life would go on like that.]

There must have been more arranged marriages in Neun-san's era compared to my era. Neun-san, at least, lived in a time where it was normal for a woman to marry a man of her parents' choice, and to take care of her household and raise their children.

[……For some reason, I was summoned to another world, and I ended up on a journey to defeat the Demon King. At the time, I never doubted that once I defeated the Demon King, everything would be over and I would return to my previous world.]

[……………………]

[The future really is unknown. In the end, I chose to leave my previous world behind me and took Kuromu-sama's hand. I chose to abandon my Human body and became a Demon of my own will…… And now, here I am, looking at a beautiful scenery together with the Demon Lord who was supposed to be my enemy and Kaito-san who lived in the same world as mine from a different era.]

[Neun's life has certainly been filled with ups and downs, hasn't it?]

[Yes.]

After nodding at Dr. Vier's words with a smile, she turned her gaze back to the sunset and continued.

[……The scene I'm looking at now…… is very different from the future I once envisioned. And compared to the vague future that I had imagined…… is always…… always making me think…… about this "happy everyday life" that I have now. Fufufu, I guess I would have to thank Vier and Kaito-san for that.]

[It's the same for me though? I know that the future doesn't always work out the way we want it…… However, I think such aspects of life are fine as well.]

[That's right…… I don't think I could have predicted that a day like this would come either.]

After saying a few words with each other, we just stared at the sunset without saying another word.

Even though we don't put it into words, somehow…… I feel like we're thinking of the same things right now. Thinking that it would be great if we can have happy experiences like this even in the future……

Dear Mom, Dad————— Pain and suffering, fun and happiness…… There certainly are things we only notice when we turn our heads and look back to the past. In the past, there are memories, in the present, there is happiness————– and I believe that hope awaits us in the future.

The fourth day of the Six Kings Festival will continue for a bit longer.

・ Flirting with Sieg

・ Angel Raz-tan

・ Shea-paisen

Serious-senpai ZERO : [ SERIOUS! ]

Wyvern-senpai : [WYVERN! ]

W-senpai : [ [ DNA D*givolve!!! ] ]

* * * * *

Serious-senpai Equip: Y : […… S- So this is DNA D*givolution…… Fumu, I guess the Equip:Y is the Wyvern part huh. Arehh? I don't feel any change in my outward appearance though…… Rather, what the heck is with this pile of meat?]

Serious-senpai Equip: Y : [WYVEEEEERN!? Oi, rather than evolving, didn't he become processed food!? Eh? This is Equip: Y…… No, like heck this is alright! Wyvern!!!]

? ? ? : [I've brought the shichirin!]

(T/N: It's a small charcoal grill for yakiniku)

Serious-senpai Equip: Y : [Oi, idiot, stahhhhhpppp!]