The Final Act and the Casket of Souls

“As you can see, I’m nearing my end. Even in this condition, perhaps I could still linger for another century.”

He punctuated his words with a faint sigh.

“But… my heart has truly reached its limit.”

He never turned, adhering to the game’s rules until his final moments.

“There was a time when she would praise me for these deeds, and I would see her smiling face. Now, however, her smile has begun to fade from my memory.”

I couldn’t help but recall the Ghost Captain, Roger.

“And now, her final wish is almost fulfilled.”

‘If I recall correctly, it was her desire to witness black hair become fashionable, wasn’t it?’

Among our companions, only one possesses black hair.

‘Could he be referring to Miss Margaret?’

‘Yet, she isn’t exactly a sensation.’

“Her wish wasn’t merely for it to become popular. She simply yearned to see black hair become a symbol of ‘normalcy’.”

“Even I could discern the peculiarity of that black-haired girl. Yet, the fact that you all accept such an eccentric individual with such composure is testament enough that this era no longer views black hair with prejudice.”

“I merely needed to witness this with my own eyes, and that was enough.”

While black hair isn’t particularly prevalent now, it is certainly no longer a target of discrimination.

‘Perhaps things changed long, long ago. It’s simply that Grinning Darby never ventured beyond this forest, causing his information to be somewhat delayed.’

“In truth, what she truly wished to eradicate was all rejection stemming from preconceived notions. However, eliminating all forms of discrimination is an insurmountable task.”

“Indeed… the other twin serves as the perfect illustration.”

“Now that my mission is complete, and with no one left to offer praise, there is no longer any reason for me to persist.”

“It is better to embrace eternal rest with a joyful heart, while her face remains vivid in my memory.”

“A reunion with her memory.”

****

‘It seems his mind is made up…’

Consequently, I drew my dagger and advanced from behind.

“Heh.”

I could almost hear his faint chuckle.

“Come, take what you desire.”

“I will, but before that…”

I placed my free hand gently upon his head.

“You’ve worked hard enough, you sweet, sweet thing.”

“…What precisely are you doing? I am considerably older than you, you know?”

“Don’t you like it?”

I replied with a question of my own.

‘When it comes to head pats, my confidence is absolute!’

“…Unexpectedly, it’s not bad at all.”

Beneath his mask, a genuine smile seemed to bloom.

“Do it.”

I had already intended to, even without his prompting.

“Pfft.”

To spare him undue suffering, the short sword struck his heart with unerring precision, ending his life in the swiftest possible manner.

In that instant, Grinning Darby’s form began to shimmer and fade.

****

The disintegration began almost immediately.

His body was already in a state of decay, accelerating his disappearance far beyond that of other humanized demonic beasts.

In less than ten seconds, only half of his body remained.

“…Shulin, I can finally come to see you.”

With those words, he departed from this world forever.

Concurrently, the ‘Paradise’ vanished entirely.

As expected, I found myself back in the forest.

And, of course, the Young Miss and our companions.

“Eileen!”

The moment she spotted me, the Young Miss hurried over in a flurry, clutching my arm and scrutinizing me from every angle.

“How was it? You’re not hurt, are you?”

‘It was understandable. She had no knowledge of the challenge’s specifics, making her reaction entirely natural.’

To alleviate the Young Miss’s concern, I tucked away my melancholic mood, forced a smile, and gave a large thumbs-up with my fingers.

“I successfully cleared it! And without a scratch!”

With that, I picked up the small box from the ground and presented it to everyone.

“Ta-da! I’ve acquired the ‘Sealing Box’!”

“It certainly appears so… But where did that perpetually grinning, utterly infuriating fellow disappear to?”

“He said we’ve completed the ‘Challenge,’ and with ‘Paradise’s’ mission here fulfilled, he relocated it to another place!”

I wouldn’t tell them that what I held was Grinning Darby’s heart.

‘They likely wouldn’t even conceive of it.’

After all, humanized demonic beasts vanish completely upon death, leaving no trace, whereas true demons retain their full physical forms. Yet, Grinning Darby was cunningly positioned between these two, manifesting characteristics of both.

‘Still… it’s better than leaving absolutely nothing behind.’

This small box served as proof of his existence.

‘Somehow, this object felt several times heavier now.’

“Is that so… Eileen, let me see this box.”

Taking the small box from my grasp, the Young Miss rotated it repeatedly in her hands, as if determined to uncover its every secret.

“Eileen, do you know how to use this thing?”

“…Huh?”

At the Young Miss’s question, the very folds of my cerebral cortex seemed to smooth themselves flat in an instant.

“I… I don’t know either…”

‘Neither Grinning Darby nor that mysterious individual ever mentioned how to use it!’

‘I had been so preoccupied with merely acquiring it that this crucial detail had completely slipped my mind!’

“Let me see.”

Margaret hopped up, retrieved the ‘Sealing Box’, and began to scrutinize it intently.

“It appears this device activates by pressing the button on top. Based on my deduction, this round, lens-like part—or rather, this circular mirror—should be aimed at the target for it to function.”

She then aimed the circular mirror side directly at us.

‘Shall we try it?’

The Young Miss and I, in perfect synchronicity, dodged the lens.

‘How could we possibly let you try it!’

‘This thing seals souls, after all! What if we could never return to our bodies?’

‘Moreover, there’s no guarantee it isn’t a single-use item. If we were to expend it now, what would become of our future plan to reclaim the heroine?’

“Oh dear… you two are quite disheartening. I was merely jesting; was such an exaggerated reaction truly necessary?”

‘You certainly didn’t look like you were joking!’

‘You certainly didn’t look like you were joking!’

It sounds absurd, but this was Margaret, after all! She was the ultra-activist among the practical types!

“Wow, your synchronicity is remarkably high.”

‘Is that what you’re focusing on now?’

Once again, we spoke in unison.

“Th-that…”

Just then, the little squirrel timidly raised her hand.

All eyes converged upon her, yet this time, she showed no sign of timidity.

“I think, aside from the method of use, there’s another crucial question: how exactly do we use this thing on Sophina?”

‘Oh, right…’

Since our opponent possesses knowledge regarding the ‘Sealing Box,’ they certainly wouldn’t be easily tricked.

A simultaneous silence descended upon us.

“Hehe~ There’s no point in lingering here. Let’s head back for now!”

It was Margaret who broke the awkward silence.

“We have the item now. It’s not too late to discuss our strategy once we’re back! Besides, the boat will naturally straighten itself when it reaches the bridge!”

As she said, we had no better options at present.

Thus, carrying the ‘Sealing Box,’ we embarked on our journey home.