『ノエル: すべてをやり直すために (第二の並行世界にて)』

レクイエム

To Die Again

【Zenith 144, Floor 400 - Boss room】

　Finally, 399 floors cleared, I open these massive doors. My heart is pounding not from fear, but, excitement! That Goddess will look down at me proudly once I clear this final floor. And to really rub it in this world's face, everything thus far has been surprisingly... easy!

　But that creature stood before me now...

　Was something I had never seen.

　Even if I wanted to fight, I couldn't.

　Every skill I had mastered over such a gruellingly long time only granted me seconds. With each instinctive parry... I pray, I recall everything I had learnt, I run back each individual battle I had faced.

　Though what's that worth when my sword cracks in my hands? Jagged shards of sharp steel peppering my face from the sword I once wielded as an extension of myself.

「It hurts...」

　Fighting to see through the blurry red veil flowing into my eyes. It's dark. Still, I see the blood and dire position I am in.

〈This was rigged from the start.〉I want to complain...

　However, even I am not so arrogant as to blame this on anything but myself.

　It's my confidence that landed me against this crumbled pillar in such dizzying pain. Just a hilt loosely held in my hand as I struggle to simply look up at what approaches.

　It's hard to breathe.

　Everything is so hard, it all hurts.

「Ahh... again... why again...?」

　Blood and tears; I look so pathetic like this, crumpled up in a ball against a pillar victim to my own hubris.

　I can only watch through my bloodstained eyes as it comes closer... closer... closer until it stares down at my form. I try to move and protect myself. But...

　It's futile.

　The only thing I can manage is trying to ignore the swing about to bring forth my death, to try and preserve my final moments, to think about anything else but the pain.

「Ah... again... I'll bleed to death again...」

「Eh...?」

　Instead of feeling my bones being shattered... I see 「Florvenne...?」

「T-the convent... this field... wait...」

　I'm confused, I'm overwhelmed, but more glaringly, I'm not in the 【16th World Dungeon】anymore. The room where I was bleeding and dying no longer surrounds me.

　No.

　Instead I am back where I first came to this world as "Kairasu", this young 8 year old body I was so unfamiliar with. Stood in this snowy field with the convent just behind me. No sword in my hand, not even some decent clothing... But right back at the start - an Orphan.

「How...?」