Chapter 236 – RETURN (2/2)

Hugging her mother that she really loves. A young and lovely daughter’s best way to show her love.

If it was the previous Eleanor, she would’ve accepted that naturally. She would receive her actions naturally and hug her back while stroking her head.

But this Eleanor is different. This Eleanor who does not have the self-consciousness of being a mother could only be confused, and she froze.

「The future me……was able to gain such common happiness, huh」

Eleanor’s whisper was full of emotions.

It felt as if, it was full of something that had burdened her.

「Eleaーー」

『Leave her alone for a while』

When I was about to call out to her, the sword Eleanor stopped me.

『I know myself the best. A thing such as “common happiness” is too much of a shock for me in this era』

……I see.

「Hikari, let’s go over there for a bit」

「……un」

It looks like Hikari felt something as well. She followed me without saying anything.

We took some distance from Eleanor and watched over her.

「Are you shocked?」

『Although I had forgotten when it was, but there was a time when I wished to possess a human body』

「Because you wanted a common happiness?」

I asked using Eleanor’s words.

『It is not as simple as that』

「But, it is not that far away, huh」

I felt that it was like that from Eleanor’s tone. Seeing Eleanor show silence, I felt that I was right.

And after waiting like that for a while, Eleanor raised her face and came to us.

「Sorry to keep you waiting」

「Are you alright now?」

「Rather than that, let’s think of a way to get out of here」

「You look positive, completely different from earlier」

Eleanor looked at Hikari. She reached out her hand and stroked her daughter’s head.

「After all, I can’t leave Hikari in a place like this forever」

「Well, naturally」

「The problem is, what should we do……」

Eleanor started to think. I could tell the difficulty from the deep crease she’s making between her eyebrows.

『If it is about that, then there’s no problem』

「Do you have a way?」

『Umu, come out lass』

Eleanor said that and summoned Tanya.

It’s the maid ghost inside Eleanor.

『M-Me?』

『Umu. You shall be the key. Do the things I am about to say』

「Yes」

「What are you doing?」

Eleanor asked dubiously.

「I don’t know too. The you here is planning something」

「Hmm……」

『Understood, I’ll try it』

After a while, Tanya who had received an explanation took a step forward and placed her hands together, looking like a nun who is praying.

Tanya’s body started to faintly glowーーbut when I was thinking about that, something came out of the space.

Something.

I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s “something”.

But even so, it is something that is the first thing that appeared in this place where there is nothing.

「What’s happening?」

『She borrowed the powers of that other lass on the other side. After all, it seems like the two of them are connected』

「Tanya huh……I see」

Tanya and ghost Tanya. Their peculiarity of possessing the same soul was used huh.

「However, it’s useless just by doing this」

『From now on, it’s your turn. Hikari, return to a Demon Swor』

「Un!」

Hearing her mother’s words, Hikari returned to her Demon Sword form.

『Use us and break through the space. There’s is a crack now, you should be able to do it』

『Hikari will do her best〜!』

「I got it」

First, Eleanor.

I raised her and threw her with full strength.

Just like the time I destroyed a castle and fortress, I threw her with full strength towards the crack in the space.

The space where there was nothing shook and trembled.

Eleanor pierced through the crack and reached the other side. The crack spread big enough for an arm to pass through.

『Otou-san, don’t hold back okay?』

「Hikari is such a good girl」

『Ehehe〜』

This time, it’s Hikari. It’s her first time.

The same thing I did to Eleanor, I did to Hikari for the first time.

I gripped her hilt tightly and threw her with full strength.

The space that was once pierced spread once again. It is now big enough for a human to barely pass through.

『A-Amazing……the space was really broken』

「There’s no time to get impressed. Tanya, you go first」

『Yes!』

After Tanya went out, I also passed through the space tear and turned around.

「Eleanor, let’s go」

「……」

「Eleanor?」

I reached out my hand through the tear in the space, but Eleanor didn’t move. Not only that, she even took a step back.

「Eleanor, what are you doing. Let’s get out of here」

「I’m fine」

「What are you saying, you’re the one who mentioned about getting out」

「I did not say a thing about leaving myself」

「What……ah!」

I recalled, the words Eleanor said.

ーーAfter all, I can’t leave Hikari in a place like this forever.

「You! You planned this from the start」

「That’s right. I’ll stay here. An existence like me must not stay on that side」

「What are you saying」

「No, not that. I am, tired now. Although I gained the body I wished for, I got the thing that I really wanted even if I did not possess a body. Everything that I’ve done was for nothingーー」

「What will happen to Hikari if you disappear. If you disappear in the past, Hikari will!」

「I am……not connected with you, right?」

「ーー!」

「Got it right huh」

Eleanor smiled. It was a kind of smile that I saw from her the first time.

Strictly speaking, it’s not that. Eleanor is implying “no one knows if we’re connected or not”.

Eleanor did not move. The tear in the space slowly repaired.

「Go now. Give Hikari……give that girl, the happiness she deserveーー」

When the tear was about to completely close, Eleanor told me her last words.

I, returned inside the tear.

I passed through the tear and returned that space again.

And, the tear was closed.

「Whatーー!」

Eleanor, she had a face as if she saw something she could not believe.