"Eleona..."
The appearance of a character, unforeseen even by her, who sees fate,
"Are you planning to join hands with the ancient gods? Do you understand what that action signifies in the celestial realm?!"
Her voice raises in what seems like a threat, yet with an intent to persuade...
"To spread that fact, I must at least seek out the others..."
Her response to the proposition is expressed through the gathering of magic at her fingertips.
"But before that, what about you? You'll probably be dead."
Her words seem to lack any convincing power.
Or perhaps... in this situation, there was no way to change her mind...
"A bit unexpected, but fortunate, isn't it? They say even gods cannot foresee their own fate."
"E...!"
Before Eleona's arrival, she pointed out her own only vulnerability: the inability of gods to foresee the fate of their kind.
Luceria points out this painful truth, and her face contorts as if truly stung.
"Return my Harold... If you release him willingly, I won't cause any harm..."
Morione, like Eleona, offers her a final chance, clearly giving her the choice.
But...
"No... A future without my Harold by my side is doomed to ruin."
The Goddess of Fate appears resolute, not considering any other options.
"So, I'll take my chances with what seems more probable..."
Once again targeting with her axe, she confronts Eleona.
"So, you too desire the Harold..."
Eleona's gaze shifts away from Morione, her resentment fading, replaced by a mix of emotions as she looks at the man beyond Morione.
The one she loves more than anyone else,
"To think you could even bewitch fate itself... Truly, your destiny is remarkable..."
From the beginning until now... She admires the mysterious power that has always drawn women to his side, feeling a blend of disappointment and endless affection that she can't help but feel for him. "Then, I shall take my leave... Goddess Eleona..."
But that moment is fleeting. As Morione prepares to attack, Eleona sharpens her gaze and hostility towards her.
"According to the laws of heaven and the agreements, a god's power weakens as they move further from their assigned temple..."
Morione, with a confident smirk, as if the fight is in her favor,
"If you, usually in your temple in the secluded forest, have come this far, then your power must be significantly weakened."
Is she confident in her victory? She seemed quite at ease.
But, of course, Morione's attitude makes sense... While there is a limit to how much one can weaken, this place is Morione's temple, her home ground, imposing significant restrictions on Eleona.
Snap!
In an instant, Morione disappears as if hiding her presence.
"Right... Your words are an undeniable truth..."
"But,"
Eleona suddenly widens her eyes, as if seeing through something...
Boom!!!
A heavy, ominous sound echoes through the temple.
"Wha- Huff?!"
Soon, Morione finds herself overwhelmed by Eleona's formidable power, crashing to the ground.
Crash! Thud!
The shockwave causes the temple to partially collapse, shattering the floor.
"No matter how weakened I am... You're still just a whelp to me..."
The situation unfolded too quickly for others to perceive...
Eleona's punch, a perfect counter, hits Morione precisely as she charges.
"Wha- How..."
Erina, Luceria, Miru, Marika, Aris, and Arsia, all unable to touch the administrator of fate, despite their full efforts. But even such beings were powerless against Eleona.
"She must have weakened..."
Just as Morione had confidently said earlier, Eleona should have been weakened, and Morione at her strongest.
"Hmph... Even a weakened wolf's fangs can catch a rabbit."
But that was just a theory; the outcome isn't determined by it alone. How can the gentle currents of a valley stream ever overcome the mighty waves of the sea?
Eleona was indeed weakened, possibly at her weakest point.
But...
"You cannot defeat me."
Even to Eleona in such a state, fate was not a worthy opponent...
In a sudden reversal of the situation, Morione now found herself at a greater disadvantage than ever before.
"No! I won't give up just yet!"
She spat out blood, resolving to resist with all her remaining strength.
"Ugh!"
Struggling, Morione sprang up from the ground, lunging with her gigantic axe towards Eleona's head.
Clang!
But Eleona easily caught and blocked the blade, effortlessly stopping the Goddess of Fate who had mustered all her power.
Bang!
And again, Eleona’s fist swung...
Crackling Boom!
Morione, hit squarely again, crashed into the temple walls, causing them to crumble.
"Cough... Choke!"
Once more, Morione spat out blood, barely managing to stand up using her axe as a support. It was pitiful to see her in such a state.
"Today, the fate of all will be erased, the future you chose - accept it gracefully."
But even in such a dire state, Morione declared the end with a hollow look in her eyes, leaping high.
"Spear of the Sun..."
Then, a burst of orange lightning tore through the ceiling, a spear of sunlight, larger than any building, striking down upon her.
"Aaaaaahhh!!!"
Morione screamed in unimaginable pain, taking the full brunt of the massive force, now invisible under the spell’s might.
"Gr...agh..."
Thud!
Finally reaching her limit, Morione dropped her axe and collapsed on the cold floor.
"Cough... Choke..."
Her life force flickering out, her focus blurring, she looked up through the broken ceiling into the dry sky.
Is this how it ends...?
"Cough!"
It was a sight all too familiar, one she had seen far too often.
The end of my tragic fate... always concluded with this scene. "Heave..."
Am I to meet my end like this?
This is a scene I never foresaw...
Was there a destiny I failed to see in its entirety?
"It's over, Goddess of Fate..."
My end slowly approaches... my demise...
Where did it all go wrong?
In the end, I'm dying without obtaining the Harold...
The one I needed to survive, yet my pursuit turned into a tragedy of fate...
And still, the man I've come to love, whom I can never resent.
"I will accept your seed... To correct a twisted fate that should have been from the beginning..."
Eleona points her hand at me, glowing like the sun at its end.
Time seems to crawl... Death is drawing near...
What can I do in such a moment? The slower it feels, the more it terrifies me...
My last glance at him, lying unconscious amidst this chaos, far from where he originally was.
How can even his sleeping face be so endearing...
Content with fulfilling my wish, I quietly close my eyes to await the end.
At least in reality, I get to see his face one last time.
Whoooosh...!
Though unseen, the growing noise around me reaches my ears. Perhaps Eleona's chant is nearing its end...
Sorry... Harold... for trying to imprison you...
I send an unspoken apology to him, my last.
This is truly the end now...
"Wait a moment!"
But then, a twist occurs.
The collapsed Temple of Fate, and from within, a man's voice resonates.
"Harold?!"
When did he regain consciousness? He, who was unconscious until just moments ago, stands up boldly, confronting Eleona.
"Please wait, Lady Eleona."
"?!!"
As Harold speaks, everyone's eyes widen in shock.
Morione, who had resigned to death, suddenly opens her eyes wide, silently staring at him.
"Can you forgive Morione? I may not remember everything, but my memory has returned."
Cutting to the chase, he stands in front of Eleona, who was about to end Morione. "What.. What?! "
"If my memory has truly returned, I remember being your seed... and even our past relationship when I lay fallen. Please, let's resolve this through conversation!"
Harold's words, impossible if he hadn't really remembered, held no trace of resentment despite being used by her.
"What... How can this be?! If that's true, then why..."
"I'll explain, as I'm the one who understands it best... Please, calm down."
Miraculously, his words halt the attack.
"I don't know how it was used, but... thanks to this..."
He then pulls out a faded and tarnished jade bead from his pocket.
"This bead held my memories. I've realized who I really am."
Honestly, I'm also overwhelmed with confusion...
Memories returned to me as soon as I regained consciousness...
My real memories mixed with those from a false life, causing an unbearable headache...
Yes... I'm someone from another world who was transferred into this game for unknown reasons...
I received a bead from Miru... likely the one Morione extracted, containing my true memories.
I don't know what happened while I was unconscious, but the nearly destroyed temple gave me an idea.
Perhaps breaking the bead releases its memories, flowing back to their original owner...
"Perhaps... that's what happened."
Explaining as best I understand, a smile blooms on Eleona's face, previously filled with murderous intent.
"It's been a long time, Goddess. I, your seed Harold, have returned."
Wham!
In a blink, my original goddess embraces me tightly.
"Harold... Harold, Harold!"
She clings to me, calling my name repeatedly, affirming my presence.
"Is it really you?! My beloved, only knight..."
Tears flow as she warmly welcomes my return.
"Yes, it's me, so please don't be sad anymore."
Though I'm moved, the situation isn't quite right for sentimentality yet. "What about you, Morione?"
Deciding to postpone the formal welcome, I turned to address the current problem.
My return, which delighted Eleona, was in stark contrast to the Goddess of Fate, Morione, who was now in a state of utter despair, tears streaming down her face.
The instigator of this whole ordeal, and as it turned out, the one for whom I was meant to be the seed.
"Ugh..."
Despite my question, she just kept her mouth shut, only letting out pained groans.
Perhaps she thinks I hate her now.
After all, she committed such actions... Though I did harbor some resentment, there was something more...
"I will forgive you. Please, tell me your story."
I wanted to know the reason only she could have.
"What...?!"
"My knight?!?!"
"My husband...?"
Those awake and aware threw their questions at me, but I paid them no mind.
There must be a reason Morione so desperately wanted me... I decided to listen to her story and, if possible, grant her pardon.
Forgiveness is hard... but can be worthwhile...
She possesses the ability to see the future; keeping her as an ally could be immensely helpful for my ultimate goal of returning home.
So, hearing Morione's hidden past and potentially forming an alliance could justify the deception I'd endured so far.
"Is that... really true?"
She tilted her head in disbelief, but I nodded affirmatively to her question.
Thus... the long and tumultuous event at the academy came to a close.
Though the journey deviated greatly from the original game's path, it eventually circled back to where it was supposed to be... so I guess that's fine?
In summary, the outcome of this event was...
I managed to recover my original memory.
This was undeniably thanks to Miru's efforts. Her identity remained a mystery, but this time, she played a crucial role.
Having forgiven Morione... I heard many stories from her and consequently reached a negotiation. "We've agreed to help each other achieve our goals. I regained my original life and can now obtain information from her whenever necessary. In return, I've promised to assist her in her final moments."
This essentially resolved the fundamental issue.
However, that didn't mean all problems were solved...
The clash of gods had transformed the temple and its surrounding landscape, causing much commotion in the streets of the capital.
While Luceria and Eleona were fine, the other girls who had fought for me and lost consciousness were taken to a nearby hospital. I’d have to convey my news to them as soon as they woke up.
With that, the major events seemed to have concluded, and now...
"Ah... welcome back, Harold... It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
The temple in the forest, which I should have visited regularly, appeared old and neglected like an abandoned building. Yet, it felt familiar and somehow comforting.
I visited the temple with Eleona to become her seed again.
"Yes, it really has been a long time."
Currently, I had severed my oath with Morione. In truth, the life force I had received from our pact with Morione was meant to help me just survive close calls with death, but it turned out she had manipulated me to acquire me.
Knowing the truth, there was no need to maintain the pact with her. I had ended our contract and came to the temple to renew my oath with Eleona.
"Alright... then... as we did in the beginning... shall we proceed with the oath ceremony?"
At the humble altar, I knelt on one knee before her and bowed my head.
"I, Goddess Eleona, take you as my servant... Become my sword and swear your loyalty... In my name, I will grant you all that I can..."
As she slowly recited the oath, I began to feel something warm settling inside me again.
"Harold... become mine!!"
As she finished, a brief flash of light occurred.
"I sincerely congratulate you on your return... Harold...!"
Her smile, filled with emotion, filled my inner being with light. "Yes, it truly is an honor... Goddess."
Once again, I became her seed.
"I also congratulate you, Lady Eleona!"
With the formal oath exchange, the long and arduous episode of the academy finally came to an end.
"Do we really need to share a bed, Goddess?"
Just when things seemed to have wrapped up nicely, a crisis loomed that very night.
"Considering you belonged to another woman for so long, one night should suffice to reassure me..."
The goddess's proposal was for me to spend the night in the temple.
Compared to the past, things had improved, but the memory of her once-twisted feelings still made me apprehensive.
"If that's what you want, I don't plan to do anything. I would be content just to sleep by your side."
She looked at me with expectant eyes.
Something felt unsettling...
"Is that really all?"
With those words, I turned away and tightly closed my eyes.
Being so close to her, forgotten emotions began to resurface, an indescribably complex feeling...
The terror I once felt due to her unbearable obsession, mixed with the sticky emotions we shared at another time.
It was an ironic situation, feeling both afraid and thrilled by Eleona's presence behind me.
"Uh... Goddess...?"
Then, I felt a soft touch on my back.
"Harold... my knight..."
She murmured my name in a pained voice.
"I'm so glad you're back..."
Was she crying now?
"When I first lost you... I thought the sky was falling..."
Her trembling voice suggested she might be...
Listening quietly to her outpouring of emotions, I continued to bury myself deeper into the plush bed.
"Enduring 20 years, thinking I could get you back... each day was filled with despair..."
"The time you were gone, the emptiness... It may not have been long, but to me, it was like ten thousand years, agonizing..."
Pressing her face against my back, she eventually let out all her unspoken feelings in a sorrowful cry. "So, when I first heard I could have you back, my heart fluttered so much..."
She embraced me tightly, releasing all the sorrow she had felt up to now.
"Having you return now, it feels like a stopped clock has started moving again, do you know that...?"
I just listened to her story, motionless, absorbing every word -
"I love you... Harold... I always have and always will, forever looking only at you..."
Thump!
Her words struck a chord, and suddenly, a rush of intense emotions made my heart race, prompting me to turn towards her abruptly.
"Harold...?"
She seemed a bit startled, maybe even confused, with tears still streaming down her cheeks.
Smack!
Without a word, I kissed her.
"Uh...? Harold... wait..."
Taken aback, she asked for a moment, but somehow, I couldn't stop myself.
"Sigh... Harold..."
Soon, she reciprocated, her tongue actively engaging with mine.
Just moments ago, I had felt afraid, and now...
Such a contradictory action.
But I didn’t want to stop; rather, I found myself desiring her.
Why am I acting like this?
Honestly... I don't even understand myself anymore...
I just wanted to follow my instincts.
"Mmm... Phew..."
Our continued kissing, the sticky sound of lips intertwining, was stirring up desires.
"Haah... Haah..."
Our hot breaths met, creating a mist as if from the heat of our bodies.
"Ah... my knight... my Harold..."
Finally, our long kiss broke, leaving a silvery trail connecting our lips.
The ecstasy was at its peak, her eyes unfocused, cheeks beautifully flushed red.
"I love you... forever ♡"
She opened her arms, welcoming me, and there was no reason for me to resist.