The operation was a success. The operations command center sprang up when such reports came in. Everyone was in an uproar. And so it would be. Because we had not been able to move forward in the old fashioned way for so long. And now, here we are, reclaiming the land in our hands.


　All of the remaining demons have been hunted down, and the demons are coming back one by one. They're already coming back, they're getting excited. It was clear from the voices outside. But it wasn't like there were zero casualties this time. It was less than ten percent of the total, but there were still counter-magicians who died.


　And I stared in dismay at the names in that list of deaths.


　Bertina Wright.

　That's what the list shows. No matter how many times I looked at it, I kept staring at it, even though it was never going to change.



''.........''


　It seems that Julia and Sherry have confirmed the death.

　They are in the middle of bringing Belle's body over here now, it seems. I was stunned to hear such a report. I just couldn't believe it. I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes. Belle will come back. Yes, he will. This must have been done in order to surprise me. At all, Belle is a bad person for doing this kind of mischief at the time of such an important mission. I'll have to scold her when she comes back.


　As I was thinking about that, Julia and the others seemed to have returned.

　At that moment, the noise around us quiets down.

　It's as if the clamor of the past was a lie, the air in the place quiets down. I immediately left the Operations Command Center. Of course, this was to help Belle who had returned.



"....Bell?


　When I walked outside, I saw Yulia and Shelly walking slowly toward me. I could already catch them in my vision.

　But it was........somewhat melancholy. Even the other anti-magicians could sense it, and they were completely silent.


　Shelly is holding a large stick-shaped object wrapped in some kind of cloth. And there is a large cloth wrapped around her right eye, which is stained crimson.


　Perhaps he had an injury to his eye? And the left eye was red and swollen, as if it had been rubbed repeatedly. It was the same for Yulia-san as well.

　His twin eyes were dyed bright red. It was immediately obvious that it wasn't deploying the Twilight Sight, the twilight eye.

　Both of them had tears in their eyes. That too, to the point of withering away. Otherwise, they wouldn't have left a mark like that.


　On Julia's back, such as it was, was a human being the same size as him. I know that figure better than anyone else. It's Belle. Belle had returned.


　I break into a smile and run to the spot with a tata. It's still drizzling, but it doesn't matter. I can't wait to say welcome back to Belle now.



''Belle I'm not going to welcome you back!
....
It's good to see you. You're back in one piece this time.
....
"Hey, Belle. Why don't we have some cake together, as usual?　I'm making a chestnut cake this time, okay?　I told you before, didn't I?
....
Hey, Belle, are you asleep?　What's going on?
....


　I continue to talk to Belle on Julia's back. At the same time, I realize. That there is nothing in the left arm sleeve of Belle's military uniform. Her right hand is hanging slackly. But nothing is sticking out of the left sleeve.


　I glimpse more of it in my eyes. The cloth that Sherry was holding was wrapped around it, and then I could see the tips of people's fingers. The worst possible assumption passes through my brain, but I dare to pretend not to see it.



''Be.........Belle?　Hey, what's going on?　Are you tired?　Are you still sleeping?　It's about time you got off, Julia-san, since you're probably heavy, shouldn't you get off?
....
Well, hey. Julia, you have to say something to Belle. Say something to Julia. What's wrong?


　I had completely forgotten about the outside world now. I'd decided to call him Julia when it was just the two of us, but I'd call him out normally. Because that would make him look away from me. It's as if he's staring at something poorly.


　Poor, something?


　That must be.....


　No, it can't be. I still call out to Belle, "Belle....




'Belle ... hey, Belle,'
....


　I shake its body. But it doesn't respond. And a pitch-black lump sticks to my hand. What is this ... what is it?　I didn't think this was....


　I knew. That the blood would coagulate over time and turn black. In other words, it's Belle's blood. We've got to do something to treat it, quick, quick!


'Julia!　Get Bell in sickbay now!　So much blood!　And it's turning black, so it looks like it's been there for quite some time!　Hurry........we have to go now!
...Princess Liane.
"...what's going on?　With such a thoughtful expression on your face...
Colonel Bertina Wright has been killed in action. We have already confirmed her death...
'Hmmm, such a vicious joke is so unlike you, Julia. Hey, don't you think so too, Shelly?
The doctor is dead. I have a will.
'Oh no. What are you talking about?　What....


　Sherry turned her bright red eyes to me and told me.


'Thank you for your help,' she said. And this.....


　It was a pendant, already blackened, that I had given to her. It was the one I had given Belle just the other day. That blackness must be Belle's blood. I received it with blood that was completely coagulated, and I received it trembling.


''Ahhhhhhhh.........''


　No, no. Nope. Nope. No! - No. No! - No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! - No! No - no - no.


　That can't be it. Belle is alive. There's no way she's dead. Because she's promised to come back. She would never, ever, ever come back. She swore that she would come back alive and that they would open a cake shop together someday.

　How could Belle break her promise..................


''It's a lie!　Belle can't be dead!　That's impossible!　Don't lie to me!　Lies..................this is not true!


　I cried out without a care in the world. The tears overflowing from these eyes never stopped. I had heard the reports. But I wanted to believe it was a mistake.

　But this way, Belle on Julia-san's back was like a real corpse.

　There was no warmth in that body. It had a cold body, like a person who had completely died.


''.........Princess Liane, I understand your feelings.......but Belle-san was defeated by the demon. We have lost.........
'No!　Belle is the greatest swordsman of mankind!　There's no way you can lose, right?　Hey!


　I winced and backed away. I put my hands on my cheeks and wipe the tears away, but they never stop.


　It keeps flowing forever, and it shows.

　Yes, it's already clear to me long ago.


　That gentle Belle is no longer........in this world. There's no need to use the Extraordinary Ability 《Extras》. There is no more........magic element in Belle. There's no magic element, the foundation of life....no.


''Ahhhh........................''


　I crumble to the spot. I've already figured it out. That it's true that Belle is dead. I can't see Belle anymore. I can't talk to her alone, or ask her to pat me on the head, or eat the cake I made for her, anymore........it won't happen.


　It won't happen.........


'As for Belle........how was her end.........'
"...fought admirably. Mr. Bell has done his part.
'Well I see....'


　I lie face down on the ground. Even if you do your best to do your part, if you die, it means nothing..............


　--Belle why...............


Now all you have to do is take her to the doctor's office and let her go. And then you'll take care of the rest you'll take care of it.
Okay.


　I bow my head and they make their way to the infirmary.


　I look up to the heavens. The rain is over and the light returns to this world. But it's a red-black, twilight light. Bright, how bright, how far bright, purple-black light.


　My heart, on the other hand, is dark. I can't see Belle anymore.


　No more ........I will never be able to meet her.







　When I recognized the death again, I broke down crying again.


　Unable to say goodbye, I just cried.


　It was as if all of the fluids in this body were going to come out as tears.


　--Hey, Belle. I don't ... what am I going to do now? Without you, this world has no meaning. Hey, Belle. Tell me ... hey, Belle.


　Knowing that the question is meaningless now, I continued to cry on the spot, thinking about Belle.


　Until these tears dried up.