Chương 211: Chapter 14: “The Boy and Girl of the Nameless World”

"Farewell. I shall continue to observe the world."

"Thank you."

"... The rise and fall of civilizations. How fleeting it truly is."

"... Yeah. It is." After bidding farewell to the Golden Dragon, the three of them followed the teleportation marker back to Esta's hometown. It was a small, secluded settlement. Although weeds had overgrown the paths during their absence, everything else remained exactly as they had left it. The cozy straw houses, and the silent ruins, stood unchanged.

"It's been so long! I'm home!"

"Is this Esta's house?!" Esta led Yu and Asha to the grave of the old man who had raised him. He quietly pressed his hands together in prayer.

"I'm back," Esta whispered to the grave.

"There was no one else left... but I brought Asha with me." Looking at Asha, she was smiling happily, blissfully unaware of the heavy history of this place. Esta loved that innocent smile. He swore in his heart to live in a way that would ensure her smile never faded. About three weeks later, the time for parting inevitably arrived. Yu looked at the World Gauge, then cast his eyes downward, hesitating for a moment. Calling the two children over, he spoke with difficulty, but clearly.

"It's time. I have to go somewhere far away." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Why?" Asha's eyes welled up with tears, her expression full of confusion. Seeing her face like that was painful for Yu. Esta patted Asha on the head, trying to explain. His face, too, looked as if he were desperately holding back a flood of emotions.

"We knew this, Asha. He told us a long time ago that he would disappear someday."

"So... we can't see you anymore?"

"... Yeah. I'm sorry."

"No! Yu, don't go!" Asha's face crumpled in sorrow, and her emotions burst forth in a scream. She clung to Yu with her entire body, desperately trying to stop him. Yu quietly shook his head. Lying here would be pointless. False hope would only be a crueler betrayal. To wander from world to world... that was the destiny of a FabL.

"Nooo! I don't want yooou to go!" Asha wailed, burying her face in his chest. Esta hung his head, fighting with everything he had not to cry. Yu's heart wavered violently. He knew this would happen. But the past year had been too close, too deep. It had always been just the three of them. If he left, only the two of them would remain in this world. And yet, he had to go. Could there be any regret heavier than this?

"Esta... are you okay with this? Are you really okay!?" Yu asked, his voice trembling.

"Even if you ask me that... I... I...!" Esta finally reached his limit.

"Of course I don't want you to go!" Big tears spilled from the corners of his eyes as he threw himself onto Yu.

"I don't want this! I'm gonna be so lonely!"

"Waaaaah!"

"Yeah... Yeah." With the two children clutching his clothes and sobbing, Yu was overcome with emotion. He couldn't stop the tears from pooling in his own eyes. Hiding his face, Yu wrapped his arms around their shoulders. He whispered into their ears with the gentlest voice he could muster.

"Esta. Asha. From now on, you two have to support each other and live on."

"But...!"

"No 'buts'. I taught you so many things for this very day, didn't I?"

"That's..."

"Mm..."

"It's going to be okay. If you two work together, I know you can make it... even when I'm gone." Before he knew it, Yu was crying freely. Large drops of tears fell onto their small shoulders. Yu's body began to fade. Feeling his presence slipping away, Esta and Asha were forced to understand. Yu was really, truly leaving.

"I love you both. So much."

"Me too!"

"Asha too!" Hearing their words, Yu smiled with satisfaction. And then, he vanished. Asha collapsed on the spot, dazed and empty. Esta fell to his knees, wringing out the last of his tears.

"Yuuuuuu!" Their wails echoed through the dim, silent forest. They cried. They cried and cried until they had no tears left. Finally, Esta, his eyes red and swollen, rubbed his face furiously with his sleeve.

"We can't cry forever. If we don't stay strong, Yu will be sad."

"... Yeah. Asha will do her best. It's a promise to Yu." The two of them supported each other as they stood up. Looking up at the sky, their eyes no longer held only sadness. In them resided a strong will to survive and thrive in this harsh, beautiful world.