Chapter 531: The End of Sorrow and Love

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『How long... have I waited... for this moment...!!』

The former hero, Herotti, clad in silver armor, shouted, holding Kawayuikko tightly in his arms.

And then he stared at the princess in his arms.

His expression... well, I can't really tell because he's a skeleton.

But he's probably trying to put on a gentle smile, full of love.

"H-Herotti... Let go of me! Let me go!"

Kawayuikko, on the other hand, is struggling.

She's trying to get out of his arms.

But the protagonist skeleton's strength is beyond what a living woman can handle, and for now, her resistance is futile.

『Princess Kawayuikko... I love you...』

"Love...!? Now...? What are you saying now!? How many hundreds of years do you think I've waited for you!? What love, don't screw with me!!"

『I love you... I love you...』

"You don't love me!! I don't love you anymore!!"

The protagonist skeleton continues to whisper words of love, looking at Kawayuikko affectionately... but the princess rejected his love without hesitation.

That's right... That princess had already given up on him long ago.

I somehow sensed that, while listening to the phantom princess's lines.

Because she never once mentioned the protagonist skeleton.

If she still loved him, she would have said something like 'Please help the skeleton in the silver armor'.

But all the phantom princess said was 'Help me'.

Just about herself.

The princess's love has completely worn away.

<Perhaps she got tired of seeing Herotti stuck in the wall?>

『I love you... I love you...』

But on the other hand, no matter how many times he's rejected, the protagonist skeleton continues to whisper his love.

Because unlike Kawayuikko, everything but his love has worn away.

That's why he doesn't do anything but offer his love, even if she hates it.

He can't do anything else.

"Stop it... already! Don't force your old-fashioned love story on meーーー!!"

Now, realizing that physical resistance is futile, Kawayuikko used her special ability... or rather, her magic that has been sublimated into a special ability, without hesitation.

Countless black fireballs appeared around her, in response to her scream, and after a beat, they started to attack one after another, towards Herotti while avoiding her!

But!

『I will protect the princess!!』

The moment Herotti shouted that!

The silver armor he's wearing glowed brightly... and a spherical, white, translucent, barrier-like membrane appeared around him and the princess!

It deflected all the incoming black fireballs, blocking them completely!

"Wha!? Is this the effect of Yoiyattsu's treasure, the 'Wickedness-Destroying Silver Armor'!? The power of love, it's said to erase evil power... Gyaaaaaaaaah!?"

And the white, semi-transparent membrane not only prevented magical attacks from the outside... but also began to torment Kawayuikko, who's inside it as well!

Th-This is!?

<Th-There's no mistake... Kawayuikko has been deemed evil... by that Wickedness-Destroying Silver Armor!>

What kind of cruel development is this!?

"Ah, ah, ah... It's crumbling... My body is crumbling..."

And the Wickedness-Destroying Silver Armor... is not only tormenting Kawayuikko, but also negated the mana that was protecting her body.

Her body immediately starts turning into black dust.

Her fingertips are already gone.

Only her flesh is disappearing first... and in some places, like Herotti... she's already just bones.

"Do... [Dollfication]...!!"

Perhaps as a last resort.

Kawayuikko, bringing her face close to Herotti's, tried to kiss him.

『............』

Herotti just stared at her.

"............"

Kawayuikko's eyes also glanced up at his hollow eye sockets.

And then—

"This is just... wrong..."

She gave up, and stopped resisting, completely entrusting herself to Herotti's arms.

"I... I wanted to kiss you... more happily... didn't I?"

With those words, a single tear rolled down from the princess's eyes... and then her facial skin quickly turned into black dust, transforming her into a skeleton.

『I love you.』

『Is that so?』

『I love you.』

『I don't love you anymore.』

『I love you.』

『...But, ufufu. Thank you, Herotti.』

The two skeletons continued to turn into black dust, exchanging calm words.

And the first to disappear was Herotti.

There's no more story for the protagonist, having defeated his enemies and reunited with the princess.

All his bones disappeared, and all that was left was his silver armor, which fell to the floor with a clang.

The princess's skull, which had been supported by him, also rolls on the floor.

『I remembered... In the end... love...』

The princess's skull, rolling on the floor, looked up at the cloudy sky through the hole in the ceiling, and muttered.

『That's... cruel... Herotti.』

Gently, and then—

『I curse you... God.』

In a cold voice that even made me flinch.

The next moment, the princess's skull completely turned into black dust and disappeared... and at the same time, the fort shook violently.

And then, from the gaps in the floor, walls, and ceiling... something slimy, like sludge... started crawling out, floating in the air... and gathering together, forming a disgusting, wobbly blob.

<Oh, I see... how foolish.>

Extra-sama, looking at the blob, muttered.

<Did he not realize the possibility... that curses can be returned?>

The blob, gathering and gathering... grew to the size of a large bus, and started floating towards the sky... passing through the hole in the ceiling, and went outside.

"Hmm."

At the same time, my body started glowing.

The effect of the princess's [Dollfication] wore off.

I got up, moved my arms and legs, and confirmed that there are no problems.

And then, I immediately looked up at the sky.

The blob, floating towards the sky, is rapidly increasing its speed... and the next moment, it was already creating a hole in the ominous, reddish-black clouds that covered the sky, ascending even higher.

The reddish-black clouds were gradually cleared away, centered around the hole created by the blob...

And before long, a beautiful blue color spread across the sky.

"...It's over."

<Yes, it's over... Everything.>

Lying on my back... I just stared at the blue sky.

A clear, endless blue sky.

The blob that should have ascended to the sky... was nowhere to be found.