"I'm telling you to stop clinging to this fantasy of 'My Cool Senior' and staring only at her back. There's no such thing as a flawless human being in this world, so the least you can do is look at Rikka for who she really is—at eye level."
Jeanne twirled the skewer between her fingers. What did she mean by that…?
"Otherwise… you'll never be able to stand beside Rikka as an equal."
"!"
With a sharp snap, Jeanne broke the wooden skewer in two.
"Do you have the resolve to shoulder Rikka's hell? If you were to witness her despair firsthand, do you have the strength of character to still support her through it?"
"T-That's…"
"Yearning will only ever take you that far. Staring at her back won't teach you a thing. If all you have is a clichéd, codependent desire to fight 'for the sake of my cool Senior,' there's no way you'll be the one standing by her side at the end. I'm sorry, but that's just the truth."
What does she mean by that…? Mash tried to speak the words aloud, but hesitated.
If she heard the answer, would she be capable of changing herself…? Her emotional maturity wasn't quite there yet to know for sure—
"Stop leaning so heavily on Rikka's strength. A human who is purely strong doesn't exist. You can only protect someone when things are going well. Even as a shield, a third-rate mindset like that is unacceptable."
Gazing up at the moon, Jeanne tossed the question of Mash's very existence back to her.
"If you want Rikka to rely on you more, then gain the 'strength to encourage her through despair.' If you truly want to keep supporting Rikka from here on out, you need the strength to hold her up when she needs it most. Otherwise, you'll always just be trailing behind her like a shadow. You'll never be her true partner."
"The strength… to encourage her through despair…"
Jeanne said nothing more. She simply continued eating her dango, silently gazing at the moon.
Jeanne's words sank deep into her chest, but an answer that could truly unlock their meaning… was something Mash's heart was not yet ready to find—
…Meanwhile, in the King's personal quarters.
"Thank you for your hard work today as well. It is thanks to you two that we can replenish our energy so peacefully like this."
Enkidu lay on the bed, thoroughly rubbing Fou's belly while feeding him dango and enjoying every moment of it.
(Whoa~. Nom nom.)
"So cute. Isn't it unfair? Maybe I should try turning into a Fou, too."
(You can't do that~. I refuse to give up my image rights~)
"Take that~, and that~!"
(Whoa~~)
The King and the Princess watched with gentle smiles as Enkidu and Fou tumbled around together.
"Now then, Ea. Shall we, too, enjoy the elegance and refined beauty of the evening?"
—Yes, Gil.
Surrounded by a starry sky reproduced inside the planetarium, the two leaned close to one another.
"Hmph. A diversion such as this is by no means distasteful. Though it is a bit of a flaw that you possess such a pathetically low tolerance for alcohol, wouldn't you say?"
—I-I'm so sorry! Um, I'll do my best to manage even just a single sake cup, I really will…!
"Think nothing of it. Being weak is, in its own right, a virtue. Without weaknesses and flaws, there can be no progress."
…Without weaknesses and flaws, there can be no progress…
"Every time a living creature acquires strength, it discards something else. That is the very concept of selection. No creation other than Myself is capable of bearing the weight of all things. However, even if one were to continuously choose the correct path, that life would ultimately reach a dead end. Evolution, progress—all of it exists for the purpose of forging a future and building civilization. Do you understand? Whether it leads to destruction or prosperity, if a path falls into a dead-end loop that connects to nothing beyond, there is no choice but to prune it away. Pruning and compiling—that is the very law of the cosmos."
A future that leads nowhere, a dead-end future. That was a pruned future.
…In that case, did that mean—
—Then this future where you exist, my King—this future where all of humanity strives to better themselves—will continue to expand further and further!
Ea's voice bounded with pure delight. The future was still expanding. This future, lived by humans whose true value and limitless potential had yet to see their bottom, was the path moving correctly forward—of this, Ea was absolutely certain.
—Your judgment is the ultimate destination of this future. Which means it lies far, far in the distance. I want to watch over humanity forever as they stride toward that distant future, witnessing every single possibility they bring into existence!
This world was the very world she wished to see. A future filled with shared laughter, quiet elegance, and boundlessly expanding possibilities—that was the human history Ea truly desired.
—So that everyone can continue to smile in this beautiful world, I will do everything in my power, too! Because that is where my ultimate joy lies!
Ea looked up at the rising moon, her eyes sparkling like shining stars. Looking upon the shimmering moon and stars with deep affection—
—Truly, this world is so breathtakingly beautiful! Gil!
From the absolute bottom of her heart, a soul drinking in the joys of the world offered her overwhelming feelings to the King.
"Hmph. Indeed. Humans are lazy beyond measure… yet their character and spirit are no longer so vastly different from those of the gods. It makes Me want to hurl a harsh decree at them to hurry up and reach maturity already… But well, that is a matter for another time. —Ea, first we must see to it that you build a tolerance for liquor, must we not?"
—Huh?
"Collapsing after a single sip renders conversation impossible. Your soul is far too defenseless; I must discipline you at least a little. Now then, where did I leave that Earth Mother Goddess's ale…?"
—W-Wait! Please wait! I still have an after-party where I'm supposed to meet up with Nefertari and the others! Getting drunk would be terrible~!
Ea frantically tried to stop the King, while he amusedly set about selecting a brew. The close friends laughed together in the quiet room.
Thinking upon the expanding world, the night deepened, and refined elegance filled the halls of Chaldea—
And finally, in My Room—
"How's that, Rikka? Does it feel good?"
For some reason, Artemis and Rikka were currently buck-naked, washing each other's backs.
The room had somehow transformed into the Temple of Artemis, featuring a large bath in the center with a massive moon glowing directly overhead.
"Um, excuse me, Lady Artemis."
"What is it, Rikka?"
"Well… every story I've ever heard about your bathing episodes ends in absolute terror… Am I going to get turned into a constellation…?"
Artemis gave Rikka's trembling back a playful slap.
"I'd never do something like that~! Darling told me! Friends are supposed to get naked and bond together!"
"Curse you, Orion…!"
"You are my precious friend, Rikka! The precious, precious friend who scolded me and punched me! In all my long life, that was the very first time I've ever experienced anything like that! It was wonderful! If you were a guy, I'd love you so much I'd shoot you dead just so you wouldn't get in Darling's way!"
"Eek!"
"So… please stay my friend forever, okay? I'll give you tons of blessings! I'll even give you wild boar hides!"
"Ah, let's leave the Calydonian Boar out of this… But no. Even if you don't give me a single thing, I'm still your friend."
Gazing up at the sky, Rikka spoke her mind clearly and directly.
"We don't need profit, loss, or payback. Just being together is enough. Because that's what friends are. Even if you ceased to be a god and became a simple spirit, I would still believe in you. I promise."
What mattered was who they were to each other. Rikka firmly believed that friendship meant standing side-by-side, supporting one another, and entrusting their backs to each other.
"Let's keep getting along. And please, make sure to talk to me when something's on your mind! I'll listen to anything!"
"Rikka…! You're so cool…! Your body is super toned, too! If you stood next to Darling, I feel like I'd faint! You're just like Heracles!"
"Heracles… I'm sorry it feels like 'female Heracles' has become my default setting…"
"Ah, wait, wait! What if we call it something like The Glory of Artemis… How about Diacles? Or Arcles? Want to become a constellation?!"
"Hold off on the 'dying a heroic death' stuff for now! I'm not dying until the world is at peace!"
Inside the temple bathhouse, the two girls frolicked and laughed together.
God and mortal. An impossible friendship grew stronger, wilder, and ever more chaotic. And so, their story would continue to be woven forward.
In the Waiting Room:
"Why am I the one getting tied up at this point in the story?! I wanted to see Rikka-chan's Heracles body, too!!"
"Take that~♥!"
"P G Y U R U ! !"
"Orion's dead!! You heartless monster!!"
FIN ♪
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