Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051601476634937
“For me, it’s only been two weeks since that day.”
Silence fell.
No one spoke.
The air in the dining hall seemed to freeze.
“…What do you mean?”
Lilia was the first to speak.
Her violet eyes looked straight at me.
I let out a small sigh.
And then.
I began to talk about that day.
After parting ways with Leona and the others.
The dungeon I found deep in the forest.
The strange magic circle I found at its deepest level.
The strange sensation I felt the moment I touched it.
And then.
How, by the time I left the dungeon, the world had jumped forward five years.
No one interrupted.
They just listened quietly.
To my words.
As if trying not to miss a single word.
“At first, I couldn’t believe it.”
I give a wry smile.
I still remember that day vividly.
“I thought it was some kind of joke, but no matter how many times I checked, it really was five years later.”
Silence.
The cafeteria falls completely silent.
“Just as I wrote in the note I left behind, I did try to come back within a month.”
“But by the time I got out of the dungeon, that deadline had long since passed.”
Silence.
No one blamed me.
That’s exactly why it was so painful.
“I heard it from Emma.”
I looked at the four of them.
“You were thinking I’d abandoned you, weren’t you?”
No one answered.
But.
That silence alone was enough.
Five years.
It’s no wonder you’d think that.
I exhaled slowly.
And then.
I looked straight at the four of them.
“There’s no way that’s true, is there?”
My voice was quiet.
“Leona.”
“……”
“Serena.”
“……Yes.”
“Lilia.”
“……What is it?”
“Mia.”
“Master……”
I called out each of their names.
And then.
I continued.
“There’s no way I’d ever abandon you guys.”
No one moved.
No one spoke.
“I really did intend to be back in about a month.”
That’s why I set out on this journey.
That’s why we parted with smiles.
That’s why I was determined to come back.
“I’m sorry.”
My head bowed of its own accord.
“In the end, I broke my promise and made you wait five years.”
That wasn’t his intention.
But.
The fact was, he hadn’t been able to return for five years.
“I’m truly sorry.”
The silence continued.
After a while.
“…You idiot.”
Leona muttered softly.
Her face remained lowered.
“That’s—”
I clenched my fist.
“You should’ve said that from the start.”
Her voice trembled slightly.
“Leona…”
“That’s why I couldn’t find you.”
Leona let out a small sigh.
And then.
Her gaze drifted off into the distance.
“The four of us searched every single place Alt might have gone.”
“…Every single one?”
“Places you liked.”
“Places we often went on missions.”
“The forest.”
“The mountains.”
“Dungeons.”
“And of course, within the kingdom.”
Leona gave a wry smile.
“We searched all over different countries.”
At those words.
I was lost for words.
Serena continued quietly.
“I even used the Church’s powers.”
Lilia crossed her arms as well.
“I tracked your trail with magic.”
Mia laid her ears back.
“I followed your scent, too.”
“But we still couldn’t find you,”
Leona said.
“He wasn’t anywhere.”
Her voice was quiet.
But.
I could feel the weight of those five years.
“But—”
Leona gave a small smile.
“I’ve finally come to terms with it.”
“Huh?”
She shrugged her shoulders slightly.
“It’s only natural we couldn’t find him.”
At those words.
Serena nodded slightly as well.
“I’m glad.”
“Serena?”
She smiled.
But.
There was something fragile about that smile.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”
“……”
“Maybe he hated us.”
I was lost for words.
“But that wasn’t the case.”
Serena shook her head.
“That alone is enough.”
As she said that,
she lowered her eyes slightly.
“So we weren’t abandoned after all.”
Her voice was so soft that no one else could hear it.
Lilia turned her face away.
“You’re such an idiot,”
she muttered.
“Making me wait five whole years.”
But.
There was none of her usual sharpness in her voice.
“You really are an idiot,”
she said, yet
she seemed somehow relieved.
And then.
Mia.
“Ugh…”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Master…”
Tears streamed down her face.
“I…”
Her voice trembled.
“I thought I’d never see you again…”
Those words pierced my heart.
I couldn’t say a word.
For five years.
I wasn’t the only one who suffered.
If anything,
perhaps it was even harder for everyone left behind.
A quiet stillness hung over the dining hall.
The questions carried for five years.
The anxieties carried for five years.
The answers to them
were finally right before my eyes.
No one spoke.
Only silence filled the air.
I glanced out the window.
Dazzling sunlight streamed in.
Before I knew it,
it was already noon.
To make up for those five lost years,
half a day was nowhere near enough.
Still,
I felt a little happy just to be spending this time together like this.
“But it’s all right.”
I smiled softly.
The four of them looked at me.
“Since we’ve managed to meet again like this.”
I meant it.
Five years is a long time.
There are surely things we’ve lost.
There are surely things that have changed.
Even so.
We were all together again.
That alone was enough.
“So, you know…”
I looked around at the four of them.
Leona.
Serena.
Lilia.
Mia.
And.
Emma, who had always protected the guild.
“Why don’t we start over?”
All eyes turned to me.
“The Wings of Dawn.”
At those words.
Silence fell.
No one answered.
Not Leona.
Not Serena.
Not even Lilia.
Not even Mia.
They just stayed silent.
“Huh?”
I tilted my head.
I thought they’d be happier.
Just like five years ago.
I thought we’d all be laughing together again.
But.
No one said a word.
That’s when it happened.
Clap!
Suddenly.
Emma clapped her hands.
“All right, all right!”
Everyone’s eyes turned to her.
Emma was beaming from ear to ear.
“Let’s save the serious talk for later!”
“Emma?”
“We’re all here together, after all, aren’t we?”
Saying that,
she smiled, looking somehow happy.
“Let’s have lunch first!”
With Emma’s one remark,
the heavy atmosphere eased just a little.
“You’re right.”
I gave a wry smile, too.
“I’m hungry.”
It was at that very moment.
“Then sit next to me,”
Leona said immediately.
“No,”
Serena smiled.
“Next to me.”
“Huh?”
“Is that okay?”
She was smiling.
But.
I wonder why.
It’s a little scary.
“Wait a minute.”
This time, Lilia spoke up.
“Don’t just decide that on your own.”
“That’s right!”
Mia stood up forcefully.
“My master is sitting next to me!”
“No, no—”
I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“Anyone could sit next to me—”
“No way.”
All four of them said it at the same time.
“…Huh?”
I froze in surprise.
Leona crossed her arms.
“It’s been five years, after all.”
Serena nodded in agreement.
“That’s right.”
Lilia let out a sigh.
“Seriously.”
As she said that,
it seemed she had no intention of backing down either.
Mia, meanwhile,
“Master!”
was wagging her tail furiously.
“It’s me!”
“No, I mean—”
Just as I was at a loss,
Emma burst out laughing.
“Hehe.”
“Emma?”
“You all haven’t changed a bit.”
She said that with a laugh.
But.
She seemed somewhat pleased.
Five years.
A scene that had once been lost.
And then.
It was around the time lunch had ended.
“Well then, Alt,”
Leona stood up.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
“You’re staying at my guild,”
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Then.
“Wait a minute.”
Serena smiled.
“Alt is staying at my place.”
“Huh?”
Leona glared at her.
Serena didn’t let her smile falter.
“You two slept together last night, didn’t you, Leona?”
“So what?”
“Today it’s my turn.”
“Don’t just decide that on your own.”
This time, Lilia spoke up.
“To begin with, my research tower is the safest place.”
“That’s not true!”
Mia stood up.
“My master is staying at my place!”
“Why does that even make sense?”
“Because he’s my master!”
“I don’t get it!”
Before I knew it,
all four of them were standing.
“Wait a minute.”
I clutched my head.
“Why are we even talking about where he’s going to stay?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Leona answered immediately.
“It’s been five years.”
“That’s right.”
Serena nodded as well.
“Of course.”
“It’s not obvious at all!”
As she said that,
Lilia had no intention of backing down either.
“Master!”
Mia was wagging her tail furiously.
“It’s me!”
Things were getting out of hand.
Just as I was thinking that—
“Yes.”
Emma quietly raised her hand.
Everyone’s gaze turned to her.
“I think Alt must be tired, too.”
The four of them fell silent.
“Why don’t we call it a day?”
“But—”
Leona opened her mouth.
“Alt was suddenly thrown five years into the future,”
“and reunited with all of you,”
“so he must be exhausted.”
Emma smiled gently.
“So let’s let him rest today.”
Silence.
No one could argue.
“……”
And then.
Leona murmured softly.
“But—”
“Hm?”
“You’re not going anywhere, are you?”
At those words.
Serena.
Lilia.
Mia.
All of them looked at me at the same time.
As if waiting for an answer.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I gave a wry smile.
“Where am I supposed to go?”
Even so.
The four of them still looked anxious.
Seeing them like that.
Emma stood up straight.
“It’ll be fine.”
Everyone turned to look at her.
“I’ll take full responsibility for looking after Alt-san.”
“Emma…”
“I won’t let Alt-san go anywhere.”
She smiled brightly.
At those words.
The four exchanged glances.
After a moment’s hesitation.
“…All right.”
Leona relented.
“I’ll come pick him up tomorrow.”
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
“Me too!”
It seemed they’d finally come to terms with it.
And then.
The four, glancing back repeatedly,
returned to their respective guilds.
Only Emma and I remained in the room.
“That was lively, wasn’t it?”
I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
Emma gave a small chuckle as well.
“I guess so.”
A reunion after five years.
A lot had happened.
But.
Here I was, seeing everyone again.
That alone was enough.
“Looks like things are going to get busy starting tomorrow.”
As I muttered that,
Emma smiled, looking slightly troubled for some reason.
“I guess so.”
The meaning behind that reply—
I didn’t know it yet at that moment.
Because those five years
had changed everyone
more than I realized.
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