While we were talking about all kinds of things, the Founding Festival ceremony had officially commenced. The ceremony began with a speech by the King, Laguna-san, followed by an introduction of the VIPs and brief greetings.
Though I say that, as one would expect, the attention of the gathered audience…… was focused on a large object placed on the stage in the center of the plaza, covered with cloth under tight security.
[……Neun-san, that message is absurdly large, isn’t it?]
[Yes, I carved letters onto a slab of magically reinforced ore created by Funf-sama’s Tempering Magic. The material and other aspects are different, but Laguna asked me to make it have a similar atmosphere to the one placed in the Hero’s Hill……]
[After this Founding Festival is over, she probably plans on putting it up somewhere and turning it into a tourist attraction, don’t you think? For someone who says she wanna quit being King, just as usual, she sure gives it her all when it comes to national interest~~]The Hero’s Hill is also famous as a tourist attraction, and it’s said that many people visit the monument there every year. That’s how great the name value of the First Hero must be.
In terms of politics, it may be a response to the strong emergence of tourist attractions from other countries, such as the floating castle created by the Gods in Symphonia Kingdom and the power spot that was under Fate-san’s Providence in Archlesia Empire.
“Now then, in a typical year, following this would have been the traditional events, including singing the national anthem, but both the gathered individuals and esteemed guests are unlikely to be interested in such things. So, let’s put the usual events behind us and get down to the main event!”
Laguna-sans’ words, delivered over Loudspeaker Magic Tool, caused the audience’s excitement to rise considerably. After nodding her head in satisfaction at the audience’s reaction, she began to speak.
“I’m sure everyone has many things they’re curious about the First Hero…… about Hikari. Due to the wish of the person, I myself can’t disclose everything. However, regarding the particular point that everyone is curious about, I have obtained permission from the person herself to discuss it here. The Hero who brought about a great change in this world…… First Hero Kujou Hikari…… still lives today!”
I could immediately tell the significant shock that ran through the audience at her declaration. Yes, that definitely must be the subject that most people here gathered here for. After the conclusion of the Treaty of Friendship, the First Hero disappeared, and neither the Six Kings nor the Supreme Gods would speak about what happened to her afterwards…… The level of public interest in this matter was so high that numerous magazines and newspaper extras discussing the possibility of the Hero’s existence were published after information about the message was released to the public.
And in response to these expectations, Laguna-san affirmed that the First Hero still lives today.“I have no intention of speaking whether Hikari has returned to the other world or remains in this world. However, I would like to declare that Hikari is still alive, and that this message being made public is something I requested from Hikari. A message that was created very recently.”
It’s widely known that the flow of time between this world, Trinia, and the world we lived in, but the specific extent of the time difference has not been disclosed.
I, who can travel between the two worlds, know that there’s roughly about a tenfold difference…… but the time discrepancy also seems to be adjustable at the will of Omnipotent Gods such as Shiro-san and Eden-san, so I don’t think I can really rely on that information too much.
Although Laguna-san’s words confirmed the existence of the First Hero…… Whether the First Hero has returned to her original world and made contact with Laguna-san through some means, or remains in this world, possibly surpassing the lifespan of Humans through some method, is not clear. This ambiguity might spark lively discussions and various theories around again.
“Well then, there’s no point in putting on airs any further. Now, I will reveal the message from the First Hero, Kujou Hikari!”
With Laguna-san’s declaration, the cloth over the stone monument was removed, and the stone monument with Japanese characters…… otherworld script unknown to the audience.
Then, a woman who seemed to be in charge of reading the message, having received the Loudspeaker Magic Tool from Laguna-san, read out the content with a somewhat nervous look on her face.
“To everyone in Trinia, it’s Kujou Hikari. It seems that it has already been over a thousand years since I was summoned to this world, embarked on a journey, and concluded the Treaty of Friendship. While I hold this pen at Laguna’s request, many memories from that time come back to me, and I feel a sense of nostalgia. My battle was concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Happiness. I shall not return to the forefront again. However, I am truly delighted to see that all of you living in the present have inherited what I once wove, creating the peaceful and warm world I wished to see.”
Starting with such a preface, the message undoubtedly continued with Neun-san’s true feelings. The message being read aloud contains such a gentle sentiment, affirming that each and every one living in this world, keeping walking forward, is a hero in creating this peaceful world…… and many in the audience listened in silence.
Glancing to the side, I saw Neun-san gazing at such a scene…… at this world she once wished for and struggled to achieve, with a happy smile on her face.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [⑩…… This would end up like that, right? I mean, after reaching ⑫, it would be another subtitle…… This feels like the pattern where a subtitle focusing on lovey-dovey pops up, right? That’s definitely gonna happen…… Stop it……]
