Side Story.22

‘That’s that. I should focus on my own problem.’

Walking alone at night without a maid, Maia suddenly stopped and thought.

……But why did Aeterna take Krshunie’s medicine?

‘I don’t intend to take that medicine, Krshunie. I’ll live as I am.’

At a gathering of close associates, Adelstein, who had also heard the news shaking the barracks, replied with a stern face to Krshunie, who offered him the medicine.

Maia watched Aeterna’s face stiffen at his brother’s words, and worried.

She needed to talk to him alone, but couldn’t catch Aeterna as he quickly left the tent.

“……I don’t know.”

Krshunie was a shady character, but he was always loyal to Adelstein.

He was also one of the founding heroes, so surely he wouldn’t harm the army.

Maia tried to push thoughts of Krshunie and his mysterious medicine aside and arrived at the beach where she’d met Liriata.

She remembered: if her body entered the sea, Liriata would sense her and come.

Maia slowly took off her shoes and stepped into the moonlit waves.

‘Just up to my ankles, for now. If he didn’t come……Should I go in deeper?’

She wished he would appear quickly, and just then, white wave foam sprayed before her eyes.

[You’ve come again. So, have you decided?]

Liriata, the merciful ruler of the great merfolk, appeared.

“……Sir Liriata. I…… I still can’t stay here.”

After much thought, Maia answered in a broken voice.

“Is there really no other alternative? Anything, please…….”

She spoke desperately, looking at Liriata.

The ancient merfolk wore a quiet, thoughtful expression.

[……Pay a price. Yes, if you erase all variables caused by your movement…… you might be able to return without the relic.]

Muttering something cryptic, Liriata soon met Maia’s eyes and spoke.

[To leave the staff that brought you to this era in the past and return to the future, you must pay a corresponding price. That price is……]

Maia waited, tense, for him to continue.

[Erasing all memories and feelings you built with people in this era. Erasing every record you left as an individual.]

“……!”

[That should be a sufficient price.]

Maia was speechless, staring blankly at Liriata’s calm face.

No, maybe this was fate.

The outsider who intervened from the future must leave, erasing all traces.

Perhaps that’s why so little record remained about Princess Seiya, whose identity Maia had taken on in the far future.

Suddenly, Maia thought so.

“……I.”

But regardless of logic, her heart ached.

Adelstein and Aeterna.

Unlike how she once saw them as simply the Emperor and the First Grand Duke Aeterna, now……

Even though she couldn’t accept their feelings for her, they were more than grateful benefactors, precious and dear to her, like family.

The thought that she would be erased from their memories—

The fact that all the emotions and memories exchanged between them would be erased as if they never existed……

“…….”

It hurt her heart deeply.

“……I will return.”

But, even so.

Maia squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.

Adelstein and Aeterna would go on to live happily.

All the moments she had lived were built upon the radiant lives of their glory.

If her existence would only remain to them as a trivial delusion, then perhaps it was better for all memories and feelings to be erased……

That was the best ending for everyone.

The same was true for young Hyperion.

In the distant future, the stories he and she would build together would be precious and meaningful in themselves, and she did not want to leave behind memories of this era that could cause unknown variables.

After all, they would meet again.

So……

“I will pay every price you mentioned. Instead, please send me back to my original time.”

Maia made her firm decision and answered.

[Yes. That is your choice.]

Liriata smiled quietly.

Maia, facing him, felt a fleeting sadness at the thought that this was the last time she would encounter the merfolk, a race worn away by the erosion of time, but she pushed down the feeling, knowing there was nothing she could do.

[We will not exist in the time you live.]

A quietly echoing voice was heard. Maia hesitated and asked.

“……Did you know?”

[Of course. Hyperion Luar, the birth of a new transcendent who succeeded us, tells us that.]

Eyes shining like the deep sea hid themselves behind a white veil.

[I do not grieve. It is all part of the natural order.]

Under her feet, submerged in the waves, dazzling light began to bloom.

“This is…….”

At a glance it seemed like magic, but in essence it was something different.

A formation built by the power of the merfolk was winding time, urging the return of the outsider.

[It is an eternal farewell.]

Liriata, opening his eyes again, quietly murmured.

“……Thank you for your help. Truly.”

[The memories will not remain anyway, but are you alright leaving just like this?]

Faces of those she remembered rose in her mind, but Maia forced a smile and shook her head.

No farewell, no advice would remain anyway……

“Leaving without regret is the right thing.”

As she answered and closed her eyes—

“……Maria?”

‘Ah, why did you appear here?’

Maia turned her trembling eyes and stared at Hyperion, who stood blankly in this place.

“What—what are you doing to Maria!”

Hyperion, eyes wide, stared at Maia and, seeing the ever-brightening light at Maia’s feet, roared with burning anger and strode toward her.

This must not happen—Maia, fearing Hyperion might misunderstand and do something rash, reached out urgently and shouted.

“Don’t come!”

“……What?”

Even then, the power of the merfolk was proceeding steadily.

Maia gazed at the young boy who stared at her in confusion, swallowed the stabbing pain, and drew a faint smile.

“Everything will be alright.”

She remembered the moment she first met the young you, fallen into the past.

You, who paid attention only to Adelstein, treated her so coldly and cruelly.

“Everything will be forgotten.”

But now, why—why did you look at her with such a pained expression?

“No, this…… I’ll stop it. I can stop it.”

Hyperion muttered in panic, his golden eyes flashing fiercely.

Golden mana blossomed at his feet.

But at the same time, Liriata’s power finished all preparations.

Blinding light, enough to blind her eyes, vibrated as it lit up the dark night sky.

“Maria!”

Hyperion’s desperate cry echoed.

At some point, tears were flowing from Maia’s eyes.

Even if everything would be forgotten, even if she would be erased……

“Beware of Krshunie Polaris!”

As she was enveloped in pure white light and disappeared, Maia shouted, keeping the past Hyperion in her sight for the last time.

Eyes sparkling like stars looked at Maia in surprise.

Maia smiled with all her strength.

It was a farewell to all the past.