Chapter 43: Distorted Happy Ending

"Ah."

Aria let out a short breath and spoke. Though brief, her voice carried intense emotions.

"Didn't most of the souls go to eternal rest?"

Knowing that she was already caught, Aria asked, and I calmly nodded.

"Yes."

A short answer sufficed.

Right now, I needed to gauge how much Aria, who had already entered the second round, knew about me.

"So, I wasn't discovered by the living but was only caught by the dead."

It was Aria's oversight not to realize that they could still see her even if she couldn't see them.

"Now that I think about it, it's quite obvious. I must have been too excited about seeing you, Professor."

Aria admitted her mistake with a sheepish smile. I approached her and waved my hand, which was emanating with blue mana.

[Kyaaa!]

[Ugh! Deus!]

"Too noisy."

At my gesture, the spirits fled back to the academy building. Their screams would have made it difficult to continue the conversation.

"Professor, you're still the same."

Aria's eyes, which were slightly hazy with ecstasy, looked up at me. Her gaze was somewhat uncomfortable, but I endured it and asked her.

"Why did you reawaken the spirits resting in the academy? Did you use the Necromancy Stone?"

"Wow! You already knew about the Necromancy Stone? Its official name is Lemegeton."

Aria took out a small black gem from her bosom.

It was the unique item, Necromancy Stone, which I had seen in the game multiple times. It was one of the forbidden artifacts that terrified the Griffin Kingdom. It was also dangerous enough that only high-ranking nobles and royalty knew of its existence.

"If they knew it was here, those nobles would be trembling in fear right now. But this wasn't such a terrifying object in the beginning. It was a stone a child received from a demon when they said they wanted to see their deceased mother."

With a chuckle, Aria grabbed my wrist. She was so fast that I couldn't react.

"Here you go."

And then, she carefully placed such an object on my palm.

"I wanted to give it to you without being too obvious, but since you've already figured everything out, I can just give it to you like this."

"You are giving this to me?"

"Yes, with this, you'll become several times stronger than you are now."

"..."

The energy emanating from the object was chilling; it wasn't a simple in-game stat increase or additional effects that could be labeled. The strange energy could only be sensed, not seen.

"I have so many other things I want to give you, but I'll get them for you later! You'll be surprised at the objects I'll be able to get!"

Smiling happily, Aria said as she looked at me. Unswayed by this, I furrowed my eyebrows and asked.

"Let's get back to the topic. Why did you awaken the spirits within the academy?"

"It's the same reason I gave you Lemegeton. I want you to become much stronger than you are now."

Her black eyes gradually lost their liveliness. She resembled a machine that relentlessly executed its programmed actions unless directed otherwise.

The glimmer of madness in her eyes, as well as the intensity in her words, had hinted at something deeper.

"That grimoire which taught basic necromancy was delivered successfully, right? It was actually quite challenging to steal it."

"..."

"I had to take it from a tremendously talented Necromancer's home to give it to you, Professor."

No wonder.

Even if it was a black market dealer who secretly sold various items, having a necromancy book at such a convenient time did seem far too coincidental.

So, this was Aria's intention.

Although I was a little surprised, my expression didn't change. Aria kept on talking.

"Since there were spirits in the academy, I thought you would be looking for necromancy-related books, so I prepared in advance. Now, you can use magic against those spirits!"

Clap!

Aria clapped her hands while giggling, feeling pleased with herself.

"This is the perfect combination between theory and practice! You must know it too, Professor. Your skills in necromancy have become incredibly powerful after the incident here at the academy."

"..."

"Of course, many people are now aware that you're a necromancer. But don't worry, I have a solution for that too."

"..."

"So, it's all fine. As long as you keep getting stronger, just enough to protect yourself—"

"Guilt."

I interrupted Aria's seemingly endless words. I swallowed the question I had first asked, and spoke again.

"Do you feel no guilt?"

While no one suffered physical injuries from the incident, there were masses of people who suffered psychological damage and trauma. On top of that, she forcibly awakened the resting souls and turned them into evil spirits.

No matter how you looked at it, her actions were closer to evil than good.

"Yes?"

Aria looked puzzled as if she received an unexpected question. Then, she spoke in a cold tone.

"Professor, everyone values their own life the most, don't they? You should know that better than anyone."

I stared at Aria without answering. I noticed that her eyes had lost focus, so I fixed my gaze on them.

"Don't think about anyone else."

Aria suddenly reached out her hand. And she grabbed both of my wrists firmly; with her strength, I couldn't easily shake her off.

If we were to fight now, I would undoubtedly lose. The protagonist who was experiencing her second round, and the one who had already witnessed the destruction of the world, was more powerful than I had thought.

"Professor, you only need to think about yourself. No matter what happens, you have to survive, endure, and stay by my side."

Her grip was strong, and it conveyed the message that I shouldn't go anywhere.

But I remained composed and told her calmly.

"I know very well how you felt about me in the previous round."

"Huh? You already know that it's the second round? As expected of you, Professor! I thought convincing you about this whole thing would be extremely challenging."

"If you are talking like this, then it must mean that the previous me died."

"...I don't want to think about it. Please don't mention it, Professor."

Though Aria's expression grew noticeably dark, I paid no attention and continued talking.

"In that case, there is one thing I am curious about."

"Yes, please ask anything. If I can answer, I'll tell you everything."

Then without hesitation, I asked.

"What were my last words before I died?"

"..."

This stemmed from personal curiosity, and I also needed to know what conclusions I came to in the first round after experiencing countless events.

If it was truly me, then there was a possibility that I knew Aria would proceed to the second round. It meant that I would have prepared a will that would be helpful for me right now.

"...I couldn't hear everything clearly. The situation was too urgent."

"A brief answer will do."

"Professor..."

As if not wanting to recall the situation at that time, Aria's eyes trembled. She took a deep breath before speaking heavily.

"...You said, 'If you have a next life, then at that time...'"

If you have a next life, then at that time?

"I couldn't hear the rest clearly due to the urgency of the situation... but with just that, it meant you might have anticipated that there was a second round!"

"Yes, it seems so."

I was relieved to learn that I was indeed in the second round. However, I also felt I knew roughly what I wanted to say to Aria in the first round.

The protagonist, Aria, would lead the world with her exceptional leadership. She would utter elegant words of friendship and camaraderie. However, considering her current state and the fact that this could be the only legacy I left behind, those words I left weren't for me, but were for Aria.

And that's why.

"Aria, if you have a next life, then at that time..."

I easily guessed what I would say next.

"Don't look for me."

Perhaps it was something like this.

"What?"

Aria's eyes trembled again. She let go of my hand, which she had been holding tightly, and took a step back.

"W-What are you saying, Professor? This joke has gone too far."

These words came from me. It seemed to be a significant shock to Aria.

"It is just a simple guess. But if it were me, I would have made sure the second round you did not come near me."

"W-What are you talking about? There's no way! Professor! No! My Professor would never try to distance himself from me!"

"..."

"Please don't say strange things. I really wanted to meet you. It was only after you sacrificed yourself for me that I understood."

Aria reached out. Her tears welled up as if she wanted to embrace me.

"I understood that you were my world, Professor. So, saying such things..."

I pushed her away.

"Aria Rias."

A pure, virtuous, beautiful girl filled with love.

"You are not yourself anymore."

The protagonist who should save this world, had now broken too much.

And it was all because of the disturbing and complicated emotions woven underneath the name of affection.

"I-I am! It's me! This is... this is love!"

"..."

"You will understand soon, Professor! If you spend time with me...!"

"Stop."

I pressed my fingers against my temple, my head aching from sudden exhaustion.

"Stop showing such a pitiful appearance."

"Ah..."

Aria seemed shocked. She clenched her lips and crumpled the edges of her uniform with both hands.

Perhaps she became like this after my death.

Now that I knew of Aria's current state, I couldn't just stand by and watch.

Let's forget about the perfect-ending plan for now.

The most important thing to do now was to bring her back to her original nature. It was impossible to witness the flawless happy ending of [Retry] with the current Aria.

If she continued like this, then there was no reason for the second round to exist.

Because with things like this...

Even if it was the second round, there won't be a happy ending waiting for everyone.