The Night the Returner Sleeps

The wanted notice has been lifted. The avatar that broadcast warnings featuring my face issued a correction, and the Security Bureau mages who came to capture Shay have returned under orders from the Black Tower Lord.

It’s been chaotic since the first day we arrived at the Floating City, but now we can finally relax a little. The Blue Tower Lord prepared accommodations for Shay and me, complete with a small room.

The Blue Tower Lord introduced the lodgings, saying,

“You wouldn’t know how to use the magic tools, would you? I’d like to show you, but you can’t handle them unless you’re a mage. You’ll have to make do with the inconveniences for a while.”

“What about becoming a mage?”

“You need to be able to sense and inject mana, at the very least, and you also need the knowledge to utilize it. If you’re starting from zero, it’s nearly impossible to learn in a short time, but you’ve already learned formal magic, and Rankart declared you a ‘genius’… *chuckle*. So maybe you’ll pick it up quickly?”

“Did you just laugh at me?”

“Oops. Did you hear that?”

“I’ll change that laughter into admiration, just you wait.”

“Heh. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

After the amiable conversation, the Blue Tower Lord waved and returned to the Crystal Tower. Having achieved a small piece of peace, I relaxed and sat down in a chair.

“Phew. That was tough. We got caught up in an incident as soon as we arrived.”

“…So. Since when did you two become so close?”

Really, why does she care so much? Does she think that just because she’s become close to the Blue Tower Lord, that I can’t?

Toward Shay, who seemed in rather foul spirits, I made my best effort at explanation.

“Head of the Azure Tower also has connections to Rancarht, apparently. The Federal Intelligence Bureau? He’s the head there, and Rancarht’s one of their investigators. Rancarht got the Azure Tower Head to introduce him, and that’s how he started looking for you, Shay.”

“…Hmm.”

“In the first place, the person you were trying to ask for help *was* the Azure Tower Head, wasn’t it? Seems to have the right kind of character, doesn’t he? The order’s just a little different, but the outcome’s the same.”

“…Ahem.”

“Anyway, with all these successive incidents, you must be quite fatigued, Shay. You should get some rest, shouldn’t you?”

Shay was nearing a state of complete exhaustion, having been caught up in incident after incident on the floating city without getting sufficient rest. If his energy and stamina had been up to par, he wouldn’t have been running away so feebly just now.

Though even then, he wouldn’t have been able to best the Tower Head, probably.

The Verdant Tower Head, the Sable Tower Head, the Azure Tower Head. Their strength overwhelms even the s*xtet of War-Stars of the Empire. Just considering their unique mana, never mind if they properly utilize white magic. Then their destructive power would be something else entirely.

To be frank, they seem much stronger even compared to the Elders, who are just brutishly strong. Though maybe it would be different in a battle of attrition.

And the Demon King… he was in a different category altogether, in many ways.

Not like a God, though. Not as if he’d attained some great understanding of the vast principles governing all things. It was simply that his own unique mana was overwhelmingly powerful.

And now, my curiosity deepens.

Just how strong was the King of Sin, who even the Sword Saint and the Demon King couldn’t defeat?

“Shay. By the way, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

“…Why should I answer?”

“At least hear the question before you push me away!”

Why so hostile, anyway! You were a little softer before we came up here, and now you’re back to the way you were!

“Fine, I’ll listen. What is it?”

“That ‘thing above the floating city’ that you mentioned. What is that?”

“Ah. That.”

This question must have been important to Shay as well, because his expression turned distinctly serious.

*’My mood hasn’t completely lifted, but… I’ll let it slide this time.’*

Let it slide? Why should I care about your mood? Something’s odd about him.

I was on the verge of calling him out on it, but Shay’s story seemed important, so I decided to let it slide as well. Just this once.

“Hugh. I must have mentioned it. That I regress.”

“Yes. You did. But I didn’t get a proper explanation.”

“Yes. I’ve experienced death more than twelve times… and each time, I return to a back alley in the Empire, a few years earlier. And then I begin a new iteration.”

I already knew it, but I had to pretend I didn’t. I put on an earnest expression, feigning rapt attention.

Oblivious to my charade, Shay seriously began to recount his past.

“In the very beginning. I was drafted into the military, ignorant of everything, swept up in war, and died. Then, I was reborn. After that, I ran, fought, gathered information, built strength, all to survive. I used every means possible to escape death. But, while I died sooner sometimes… I never died later than that war.”

“What war are you talking about?”

“The Second Sin War.”

Shay shuddered after saying those words. Just the name alone sounded like something enormous.

“Could that possibly be the war fought against the King of Sin?”

“…Yeah. That’s right.”

“You’re telling me they used the word ‘war’ against just one King of Sin?”

“It was justified. The King of Sin was stronger than any human could ever be…”

Shay muttered blankly, and began a short, hazy recollection.

Not clear at all. Back then, Shay was too weak and insignificant to even participate in that battlefield. He was simply swept away.

Even with some skill in ki cultivation, he couldn’t even stand on two feet. The earth quaked and storms raged in the sky. Lightning fell like rain, and the world was torn apart dozens of times by reverberating roars.

He barely survived thanks to the power of the Heavenly Mirror, but that was it. An impartial death came for Shay as well. The King of Sin, who had easily slaughtered sword saints, demon lords, and holy maidens, appeared before Shay.

And I, only now, recognized the true nature of that face. It was the form of ‘sister,’ with grey hair.

“You can’t defeat the King of Sin. That’s why I decided to postpone the King of Sin’s birth, and eliminate what would become its power in advance.”

“How?”

“By preventing the First Sin War, which would become the catalyst for the Second Sin War. And by interfering with Nevida’s plan.”

Ah. Right. The Second Sin War implies there must be a First.

“The war I was first drafted into and died in was the First Sin War. Spreading plagues, discrimination and massacres, conflicts over demonic gods, the disparity between the Empire and its vassal states… Every country on the continent fought for their own reasons. It all ended with the Empire’s victory, but… the world was devastated by the great war, and resentment towards the Empire grew even stronger. Sin spread rampant throughout the land.”

This recollection was also hazy. Perhaps it was because it involved such a large concept. The black plague, the massacre of prisoners at the borders as a result, the resulting conflicts and divisions. The vassal states’ discontent and confrontation.

Amidst the blurring afterimages, Shay dredged up the most intense memory.

“And… the catalyst for the First Sin War is. The Great Descent.”

“The Great Descent?”

“Yeah. From the sky, *that* falls from above a floating fortress…”

Shay’s voice trailed off as he spoke. Just when it seemed his memories were growing even hazier, Shay closed his eyes, nodded off, and then woke up.

No wonder his memories were particularly vague. You were dozing off.

“Are you tired?”

“I’m alright. I can still manage.”

Shay shook his head and mustered his strength. He was trying to wake himself up, but in my opinion, it was a pointless effort.

“Saying you can ‘still manage’ means you’re *not* alright. That’s enough. Just sleep for now.”

“Let me finish the story I was telling…”

“That should be enough to continue tomorrow, no? It’s not like something’s chasing us. We have a tomorrow.”

If you’re going to doze off and recall things hazily, I’m the only one who loses out. It means you’re not reading properly.

Especially regarding this floating city, you need to listen even more closely. Who knows what could happen.

“…But.”

“I’m getting tired too and need to rest. While we’re at it, you should get some sleep as well, Shay. You must be exhausted from being chased around without even being fully healed.”

I stood up, signaling I wasn’t going to listen anymore. Shay still looked dissatisfied, but I ignored it and moved behind the chair Shay was sitting on.

“Ah. Just a moment. Now what was this…”

I channeled a small amount of mana, and the chair’s shape began to shift. The armrests widened, the backrest reclined, and the chair transformed into a proper bed.

Shay asked, looking bewildered, “A magic tool?”

“Yes. They say the floating city is cramped, so they use a lot of magic tools like this.”

I even dimmed the lights so they wouldn’t get up, and brought over a blanket, tucking them in. Shay grumbled at the complete bedtime mode, but soon couldn’t resist the weight of their closing eyelids. Watching Shay yawn widely, I was about to go to sleep myself when…

“…Hughes.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve failed a lot so far. I failed about thirteen times, died, and came back again. I gained greater power, found out more information, discovered more treasures… but…”

Shay’s eyes blinked sleepily. No matter how strong they are, a master of Qi, exhaustion is unavoidable. Especially when their arm was torn off and reattached, and they were forcing it to move with Qi, the energy expenditure must be immense with each passing moment.

I decided to stay in the floating city for the time being anyway. Lancart wouldn’t be causing any trouble either. For the time being, Shay could focus on recovering.

“Meeting you is a first for me…”

“I figured.”

If they had known all along that I was the human king, they would have come looking for me more often. Tch. That’s why I didn’t want to get deeply involved with Shay.

If I thought it would get exposed someday, well, it couldn’t be helped. I was just barely coming to terms with it.

“…And, this iteration… has been tough, and my arm… was torn off, but…”

Like their closing eyes, Shay’s words grew fainter. Right before closing their eyes and almost falling asleep, they barely managed to finish their last sentence.

“…But because you’re here… it feels like it’s going the best…”

With those words, Shay breathed softly and fell asleep. Not even caring that I was watching them by their side.

Hmm. I wonder if Shay knows. How much effort I’ve put into covering up this ruinous human relationship.

So that’s why it feels like it’s going well. Well, it’s a good thing. If I can’t stay away from a regressor, it’s better to get closer.

I pulled the blanket up to Shay’s shoulders and was about to get up to take care of my own business when…

Huh.

Something was pulling on my sleeve. Looking closely, I saw that the regressor’s right hand was gripping my cuff tightly from under the blanket. It was an action I had no idea when it had started.

“Shay-ssi.”

Though I called, there was no answer. Just a moment ago, she was fighting sleep. Now, she refuses to wake. Make up your mind, seriously.

A troublesome situation, but who am I? I am the escape artist once called a magician. If I can’t escape this grip, the name of magician weeps.

I slip a card between her fingers and the edge of her sleeve…

“Huh?”

Her grip is so strong a single card can’t pass through? What is this? Even rigor mortis isn’t this intense. Is the Heavenly Mirror working?

Tch. No choice. If I forcibly pull it away… Ah, wait a moment. I just reattached this person’s arm. What if it falls off if I yank it?

A situation where I can neither advance nor retreat. I, who escaped a gravity barrier, am at a loss with this tiny grip. My pride smarts.

More than anything, I need to catch some sleep too. How can I sleep while being held like this…?

“Ah. Can’t I sleep, you say?”

Eh, to hell with it. I abandoned the thought of detaching Shay’s hand. Instead, I lifted the blanket and lay down beside her.

It’s because you’re holding me that I couldn’t leave. I’ll just sleep here.

With the sound of her soft, even breaths as a backdrop, relishing the warmth emanating from her side. I, too, fell asleep with Shay’s arm attached.