Chapter 68

TS original protagonist dialogue compilation

The beginning of the final chapter begins with a backstory recollection of the final boss

Binah-sama prepared a place for me to sleep at night.

 

…Or rather, it was Binah-sama’s own bedroom.

 

Of course, I have nothing to feel guilty of, so don’t take it the wrong way.

 

Both Binah-sama and I can use Teleportation, which allows us to instantly travel long distances, so even though it was late, we could jump to the Holy Capital in no time.

 

Although restoration efforts were being carried forward, the town was still in ruins due to the Abyss. We couldn’t unnecessarily put pressure on the evacuation shelters’ capacity, and that was Binah-sama’s arrangement, because if we, archangels, were present there, it would only make everyone overly careful about us. I’m not an archangel, though.

 

In reality, things were in complete chaos around her, with people expressing their gratitude for coming to help them, talking about her real face being revealed for the first time… With that, of course neither Binah-sama nor the townspeople could feel rested.

 

Incidentally, it was the same around me. To be honest, being pampered out of good will by the holy beasts felt so damn good, but considering everything that had happened today, I just wanted them to get proper rest. Even though we had purified them, they had all been poisoned, after all.

 

That being said, it was fortunate that there were no deaths in this incident. Being imprisoned in a toxic, dark fog for thirty minutes, the harm the residents received was miraculously kept to a minimum.

 

Apparently, the residents of the town of Heit were the chosen people tasked with watching over "Sheriruth," the Qlippoth of the abyss sealed at the bottom of the ravine for generations, and including the non-combatants, they were excessively tough professional civilians. During abyss invasions, they fight back with hoe and scythe attacks, which gave off faint Lifecod* vibes. (tl note: Village in Dragon Quest 6 where ordinary villagers have extraordinary fighting abilities)

 

Of course, they were still vastly outnumbered, and if more time passed, casualties would have been inevitable.

 

Just as the situation was getting dangerous, with their hoes and scythes about to be completely devoured by the Abyss, Binah-sama and I made our entrance.

 

Fufun, it seems our timing was perfect for the townspeople. Man, what a predicament.

 

──Well, that's how we're totally getting the hero treatment.

 

At that time, the reason I slipped away from eating together and went to the rooftop was because I was satisfied of their hospitality that lasted for some time.

 

Oh, of course, of course I did what needed to be done for post-processing.

 

Right after the incident ended, I went with Binah-sama to check on that sealed Qlippoth of the abyss, "Sheriruth." Looking down into the rift of the bottom of a gargantuan ravine, the seal, secured by a cage of light, was so firm that it was no wonder it had been preserved for thousands of years. Just as you'd expect, the seal was placed by the archangels in earnestness. There was no way that thing was breaking.

 

With a seal of that level, I couldn’t Search inside the cage itself, but I could sense something unimaginably massive within. That must be the presence of "Sheriruth." Even though it was supposed to be sealed, I felt a dreadful gaze, I felt more danger to myself than with Adyeshach. It was a dangerous atmosphere, and honestly, I don’t want to go near that thing again.

 

However, thanks to this, we confirmed there were no defects with the seal.

 

Binah-sama and Tsubasa seemed to suspect that the recent mass outbreak of the Abyss might be connected to the aforementioned Qlippoth, but it was a relief to learn that it was still sealed away. If the truth had been something like, "The Abyss swarming the town were actually the result of Sheriruth's seal breaking!" that would have been unbearable to look at. That wouldn’t have been the occasion for me to play the harp.

 

Binah-sama gave instructions to the local priest to report to Zaphkiel if anything happened, and with that settled, we decided to sleep for the night. It was already late, and we were exhausted.

 

So, we returned to the Holy City and were once again guided to Binah-sama’s castle.

 

By the way, I took a bath with Binah-sama. It felt really good..

 

I put on the yukata I had worn at the hot springs as sleepwear, and Binah-sama was wearing a yukata with a similar pattern.

 

Being someone who understands Japanese culture, she had her own yukata. Her appearance as she did a little twirl in front of me to show off was really pretty, and she had a proud look on her face. It was smug face Binah-sama.

 

However, perhaps because she had eight wings on her back, her back was even more boldly exposed than Mea’s, and personally, with all due respect, I thought it was a little lewd. Well, the dress she originally wore looked like that, so maybe it doesn’t feel that different?

 

Maybe this is that. For my Japanese spirit, this is probably just my preconceived notion strongly at work, that yukatas should be this kind of thing. It might be similar to that odd feeling of guilty pleasure when you see a stylish foreigner wearing a yukata.

 

Well, putting that aside.

 

"Yeah, it suits you perfectly."

 

『! Thank you! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to wear it as well as you, Eight.』

 

“Fufu, you’re beautiful, Binah.”

 

Of course, wearing clothes stylishly is only natural. Cheat original protagonists always pay attention their appearances.

 

Since she has the same face as me, it’s only fitting that the yukata suits her so well too. It was almost a shame that we were just going to bed.

 

“You have a great sense of fashion.”

 

『Hehe… you think so?』

 

Since I’m not one of those insensitive male original protagonist, but rather a TS original protagonist that is sensitive to girls’ feelings, I will honestly say what I thought when I saw her in a yukata.

 

I had already learned from my sister that it's better to praise someone without being embarrassed if you want to.

 

With that, we left the castle's bathhouse in harmony and headed straight to Binah-sama’s bedroom.

 

Once more, there’s nothing here I need to feel guilty of. Seeing her happily pulling me along by the sleeve, who could possibly refuse?

 

Also, I was curious about what kind of room an archangel sleeps in.

 

『Well, this is my bedroom. I don’t actually use it that much, but the maids made sure to clean it thoroughly.』

 

“Whoa.”

 

...It's normal.

 

I appreciate that she prepared a bed for me, but the room itself was surprisingly simple with just a bed for two.

 

Of course, it was a beautiful room overflowing with a sense of cleanliness, but I couldn't disguise the feeling that it felt a little plain compared to what I had imagined when I heard that it was an archangel's bedroom.

 

Seeing my reaction, Binah said with a wry smile,

 

『I've seen Malkuth and Tiferet’s bedrooms among the other Sefirot, and they were much more luxurious. But for me, this kind of space is the easiest to sleep in. I can’t relax in rooms that are too flashy.』

 

"Heh~, that's unexpected. I thought you were the type to like flashy things."

 

『Sorry for the plain room. If you like, there are better ones available…』

 

"No, I like it here. I also prefer a relaxing room when I sleep."

 

『...I’m glad to hear that.』

 

Yeah, a room that's just for sleeping is nice too. As a cheat original protagonist, I do like flashy things, but when it comes to sleep, any place as long as it’s a relaxing is fine. I could even sleep on a tree. I dislike the smell of medicine, but I rather like hospital rooms.

 

Still, given how she usually dresses in flashy outfits that look like wedding dresses, this was surprising. I had assumed she slept in a canopy bed like a princess from a fairy tale.

 

"Oof… Oh?"

 

As I flopped onto the soft bed, I was taken aback by the gentle, fluffy sensation against the back of my head.

 

Whoa, this is amazing.

 

"This pillow is nice. It feels soft and fluffy."

 

『Fufun, that’s because it’s made from my feathers! I’m pretty confident in its flexibility!』

 

So it’s a self-made pillow huh… That’s amazing!

 

Hmm, being able to do this is truly a strong point of non-humans.

 

Moreover, a pillow made from an archangel’s feathers is so luxurious that it seems to have amazing divine grace. Thank you, thank you*. (tl note: words of gratitude that express that something is divine and that one is thankful for it)

 

…Hm? In human terms, isn’t this kind of like saying, ‘I knitted this scarf from my own hair (♥)’? …Bi-binah-sama!?

 

『?』

 

…I'm sorry, I was impure.

 

Seeing her tilt her head with a curious look on her face, I smiled back at her and rested my head on the pillow, pulling the quilt up to my chest. Then, Kabbalah-chan smoothly slipped in. Why is it so soothing to watch a small animal kneading at the futon? Seeing me sleeping with the small animal, Binah-sama seemed jealous. No.

 

"Kyuu…"

 

"Hehe, looks like Kabbalah-chan is feeling good."

 

I wonder if the futon is also made from Binah-sama’s feathers. It’s so soft and warm. Ohh, so cozy…

 

"This feels good, Binah."

 

『That’s the most important thing. If you want, I can give them to you. Those two are the most impressive of all the items I've made.』

 

"So you like making things. We’re quite like-minded, aren’t we? …Thanks, I’ll treasure them."

 

『...Alright.』

 

I didn’t want to waste my precious day with excessive sleep, so I had never really given much thought about the daily comfort of my bed.

 

But it's better to have a comfortable bed. If she’s offering it out of kindness, I’ll gladly accept.

 

And so, alongside Kabbalah-chan, I buried my face into the pillow without reservation, surrendering myself to its sensation.

 

Ahh… this feeling is irresistible.

 

"Good night, Binah."

 

『Yeah… good night, Daat…』

 

…Sorry, but a lot happened today, and even I was exhausted.

 

So I couldn’t event point out that name, and before long, I drifted off into the world of sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

──I had a dream.

 

A dream of a dreary world.

 

The land was dilapidated, and the sky was a chaotic mix of blue and black, as if someone had splattered black paint across a blue canvas. The unsettling colors spread overhead.

 

And a massive tree, larger than any mountain, towered above the ground, but the majority of it has withered completely, as if it could collapse at any moment.

 

Beneath that tree, two angels were having a conversation.

 

They were female angels dressed in white and black respectively.

 

『...I (boku) understand.』

 

The angel in black spoke.

 

She was an angel in the form of a black-haired girl wearing a jet black dress similar to that of Binah-sama.

 

Her glossy black hair was cut short, just hanging to her shoulders, and her eyes were a beautiful emerald green. Her face and figure were strikingly well-proportioned, and a cool feeling of dignity and transience perfectly coexisting—wait, that’s me! That’s clearly Eight-chan!

 

However, the girl had ten jet black wings sprouting from her back.

 

Unlike mine, which were made using Curse of Darkness, her wings were undoubtedly the same as those of angels.

 

From her outfit, I understood that she was a different person, that we were alike only in appearance.

 

The girl turned around with a smile on her face, slightly shaking her black wings.

 

『Why was I the only one born with black wings…? Why was I the only one who could control the power of darkness…? Everything, was for this purpose, wasn’t it?』

 

She slowly raised her right hand, and a book wrapped in a faint light appeared.

 

The cover had a picture of some kind of tree on it, just like my Phantom Thief Notebook, but it was far too thick to be called a notebook. It was more like a statute book.

 

She turned and handed the book to the silver-haired woman standing before her.

 

Silver hair, white skin, golden eyes, and a voluptuous bust—wait, that’s Charon-sama! What are you doing here!?

 

『I’m entrusting the Book of Sefira to you, Charon. The next generation of angels, and the future of the World Tree… I leave them in you.』

 

『...I understand.』 (tl note: also means “to understand and accept a responsibility”)

 

When Charon-sama received the thick book that was handed to her with both hands as if it were a certificate, she cradled it carefully in her arms. …Somehow, she seemed just a little bit more childlike in atmosphere.

 

More than anything, the Charon-sama of this dream was different from the one I knew; she had ten white wings sprouting from her back.

 

Judging by the name the girl in black had just called and her appearance, the white-winged one was undoubtedly Charon-sama, but as always, her expressionless face made it difficult to read her emotions.

 

Still, from the slight trembling in her golden eyes, it seems that she was feeling sad.

 

Looking at the girl with those eyes, Charon-sama declared,

 

『Daat… I will never forget you.』(tl note: Charon is the only one who uses archaic pronouns, even though they’re from the same time period)

 

It was a sorrowful farewell, like a scene of final farewell in this life.

 

Hearing those words from Charon-sama, I finally realized the true identity of the transcendental beautiful black-haired girl in front of me.

 

Daat──I see. So this is Daat.

 

That's what Binah-sama often calls me.

 

Certainly, if she knew this form, then Eight-chan’s appearance is exactly like Daat’s. Hmm, a beautiful girl!

 

The girl Charon-sama called "Daat" wasn’t just an overlap in character with mine or something like that. Her first-person pronoun, breathing, and even behavior were exactly like mine. It’s almost a little scary.

 

If that’s the case, hmm… So this is how I look from an outside perspective. This is… really…

 

──not bad at all!

 

I may not be Daat, but seeing the real her, I thought she was incredibly cool.

 

No, my phantom thief outfit is obviously cool, but the jet black dress she was wearing—a dress that contrasts with Charon-sama's , which has a goddess-like-ness to it—gave off an even stronger dark heroine vibes than Binah-sama. Binah-sama is cool too, of course, but there's something about the virtue of her character that can’t be hidden that conversely dilutes that dark feeling. Unlike me!

 

In that regard, the angel known as Daat was the closest to my ideal atmosphere.

 

If I'm forced to say something, it’s about her wide-open back designed to match her ten wings, or the fact that her skirt was about 15 cm above the knee, far shorter than mine or Binah-sama's… or the fact that the amount of exposed skin was significantly higher than mine, combining an expression of coolness with femininity, so it feels like a different direction from mine as a TS original protagonist.

 

However, since it’s very helpful as a chuuni-style fashion reference, by all means, I'll be sure to use it as a reference for the future.

 

As I was taking a long hard look at “Daat’s” figure in this strange dream, she suddenly smiled and gently embraced Charon-sama in her arms.

 

Ooh, Kimashitawa*…! No, I shouldn’t say that. (tl note: A phrase that yuri otakus utter in excitement)

 

The atmosphere between them wasn’t something to be made fun of like that.

 

Original protagonists should act appropriately in serious settings. That’s just common sense in fanfictions.

 

『Nee-san... I won't forget you either. One day, when my life returns to the World Tree, we'll meet again.』

 

『...I'll be waiting.』

 

『Yeah… wait for me until then.』

 

They were murmuring something to each other, but unfortunately, their voices didn't reach where I was.

 

I could have approached rudely, but seeing the scene of the two women embracing each other so intimately, one in white, the other in black, I didn’t feel the need to.

 

More than focusing on the content of their conversation, I wanted to cherish the preciousness of this sight.

 

As I watched over their embrace with that feeling, someone descended from the sky just as they separated.

 

It was an angel in the form of a boy.

 

He had ten wings, just like them.

 

Hey, hey, there are three angels with more than the eight wings of Ten Archangels of Sefirot. Is this some kind of bargain sale on high-ranking angels? Even a kid has ten wings, this is like one of those overinflated, unfortunate fanfictions. This turn of events is starting to be a bit…

 

『Daat!』

 

As I watched the situation with an indescribable expression, the boy rushed toward Daat.

 

When Daat noticed him—a beautiful boy with even whiter hair than Charon-sama—she let out a small, wry smile, as if saying, "It can’t be helped then…"

 

『You came too.』

 

『Don't go, Daat! Going to the World of the abyss alone is absurd!』

 

The white-haired boy drew closer, his expression terribly anxious.

 

『I'll go too! I'll fight alongside Daat!』

 

He was somewhat frantically pleading with her.

 

Hearing the boy's words, Daat shook her head with a troubled smile.

 

Bending down to meet his gaze, she held both of the boy’s shoulders and admonished him.

 

『...No. That’s not it. I’m not going off to fight.』

 

As she brought her face closer, her eyes met the boy’s his pupils, which were as clear as diamonds.

 

Neither of them took a step back and simply stared at each other without even moving, as if there was something they couldn’t give up on.

 

After a moment, Daat broke into a smile and reached out and stroked his white hair.

 

A terrifyingly natural patting skill… if it were anyone else, they might have missed it. Jokes aside.

 

As Daat continued to fix his hair, which had been disheveled from his rushing, she spoke,

 

『I’m going to reach a mutual understanding with the Abyss. That is the reason I was born.』

 

『Mutual… understanding…? With the Abyss…?』

 

『They know nothing. Born from nothingness, living only by the instinct to return everything to that nothingness, they are pure white and pitch black beings, sadly so. That is why I, the one who governs over knowledge, want to teach them. Just one thing. Something very precious to life… The emotion called ‘love.’』

 

“...Love…”

 

The boy looked very anxious and sad, and as he looked at Daat, he made even me want to pat him on the head.

 

Daat, too, looked lonely as she took in his gaze.

 

『That is my mission... A mission that only I can fulfill.』

 

Saying this, she embraced the boy, just as she had done with Charon-sama.

 

His face was pressed against her chest, making it impossible to see, but I could see Daat’s from my position.

 

The words she speaks were endlessly gentle, in the same pleasant whispering voice as mine.

 

But her expression──she looked as if she was holding something back.

 

『You have your own mission. That’s why, you can’t come with me.』

 

『A mission… More than that, I—!』

 

『Fufu… Thank you. I’m happy you said that.』

 

『...』

 

The boy had a voice that seemed like he can never stop crying, and she gently patted his back to soothe him.

 

Then Daat spoke into the boy's ear in a whisper.

 

『I love you, Keter. Become a splendid angel who brightly illuminates this world.』

 

『──Daat!』

 

…Eh?

 

That kid, is Keter!?

 

The shocking words Daat spoke left me flabbergasted, and before I knew it, the dream had ended.

 

That happened while I was sleeping.

 

(author: Thank You for 2.5000 Points!

I never thought I’d get this far, so thank you very much! Thank you thank you.

I don’t know if this will be the final chapter, but it seems the story of Fairy Savers ∞ is entering its final arc.)

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