The Reaper has lost his right leg, his left leg is sewn to the ground with sword and ice, and his right arm is scorched with flames. In addition, his left arm is frozen by my freezing magic, and his entire body is carefully sealed with Rustyala's sacred magic.

　He's even more tattered than I am.
　My lost right leg appears to be slowly being repaired by the magical power. However, the right arm, which is nearly carbonized by Maria's fire, is slow to heal. Maria's magic seems to be a bit special.

'I win, Reaper. If you're going to do any more, I'll have Maria burn it more.
'I hope you're not going to give me that ....... I'm going to burn to death. ......

　He made no pretense of resisting the Reaper.
　He knew he wasn't in a position to reverse the situation.

　With a sigh, I lay down on a large figure.

　I sit down with my sword in my hand.
　When I thought the fight with the Reaper was over now, all at once, I lost my strength.

　The Reaper speaks to me as I sit down.

'That day - that last night was also spent with Rowen like this ......'

　It was abrupt.
　I didn't know what to say and continued to listen to the story.

'Rowen had the power to kill Attachi, but ...... he stopped his sword at the sight of Attachi. He was kind ....... Rowen played with Attachi until the end, my first friend .......

　The Reaper monologues.
　It's not that he wants answers.
　He just wants me to know.

The 'Shadow Adoring Reaper' wants to play with Rowen all the time ....... That's why I wished to protect Rowen .......

　Reaper's wishes.
　I accept them and I tell them what I'm going to do.

"The Reaper. Still, I'm going to make good on my promise to Rowen. ...... I want to make Rowen happy. --because I love Rowen.
'Even Attah loves Rowen. I want to make her happy. ......!　But that means Rowen is going to die: ......!　That's it, I don't like that much: ......!　

　The reaper wails at my unchanging answer to his wish.
　I continue to talk.

I continue, "I'm sorry, Reaper. My answer has always been the same: That everyone should follow their heart. But that's not the case with Rowen now. You have been given a dream and you keep chasing it, and you've been wrong about what you want. I can't let that go unnoticed.
'I don't know about that. I still don't know that Rowen is wishing the wrong thing: ......!
"I don't think 'hero' or 'strongest' or 'swordsman' is what Rowen wants. I just can't see it. ......

　I got an edge of 'glory' similar to that, I got an edge of 'glory'.
　But it only tormented me.

　But it only irritated me.
　But that only made him despair.

'But even if it was a mistake!　Rowen might agree!　Maybe they'll convince me to stay gone!

　I say, shaking my head at the still biting Reaper, "Hey, Reaper.

'Hey, Reaper. Remember what I said.
Your brother's words ......?

　She has an idea of what that word means. There's no way it can't be.

"'Don't play with your fate,' I've been screaming deep down in my heart all along: ......
...... Yeah, that was loud. You were also shouting ...... 'Don't let them lie'.
'Yeah. What follows is 'my wish--'
"'--Don't make a mistake,' right?" ......

　Finally, the Reaper himself continued.
　By repeating those words, the Reaper's strength slowly slipped away.

'Then what about my wish ......?'
Even if Rowen is suffering and unhappy, do you still want to be with her?
It's a--
'I'm sure that would only make the Reapers suffer. You'll both suffer, and no one will be happy. Procrastinating on the answer will only make you suffer more.

　If we just stay together, it will fall apart at some point.
　If we don't not just maintain it, but move forward, it will break down. And that breakdown leads to tragedy. I know this from experience.

　The Leapers, who grew up with my emotions, saw that.
　So I don't say it back, and I listen.

"The Reaper, Rowen wants it to end. I think the guardians (guardians) always want only to fulfill their 'unfinished business' and disappear. That Tida and Alty have always wanted to disappear.

　I use my former guardians (guardians) as an example to try to get them to give up the Reapers.

'I know that ....... I know that, so I can't stay: .......

　The Reaper loses strength from his entire body and looks up at the sky. I continue to look at the sky, which is beginning to turn black as I stare at it, trying to keep the tears from spilling out of my puddle.
　I looked up at the same sky.

　It was the same as the night of the dragon slaying one day.
　We both looked up at the sky - but we couldn't mingle.

　I'm at a loss for words.
　The Reaper sees that I have no desire to fight and laughs sarcastically.

'...... Hee hee. That's so sweet, brother. If you could just kill me here, it would all be over.
You know that. If you do, you'll get Rowen in trouble.
If it doesn't work out, that's what I'm going to do. I'm prepared to do that.
'Huh ......, you're a real pain in the ass, you're ......'
Yeah. With your brother. ......

　That's right. We're just like the Reapers.
　I can't help but feel like I'm looking at my own child.

"I'm not going to tell you anything else ....... I won't say anything else. "I'll let Rowen take care of the rest. I'll take you to the final tomorrow and that's it. ......
'Yes, ....... I wonder if that's the only way to see Attah's reversal ....... I'm going to have to ask Rowen to do it now. Please don't disappear ......, I mean it .......

　The story is over.
　Me and Reaper are silent, looking up at the sky.

　So, if Rowen puts the Reaper before the 'unborn', that's not a bad end to the story.
　Rowen and the Reapers start a new life in this confederacy. We will go after the Palinkron. It'll all be over.

　--But I'm afraid it won't.

　I'm sure it won't.
　And the Reaper is so certain, he didn't choose it in the end.
　The Reapers are crying because they didn't get to choose.

　Seeing us who have lost the will to fight, Rastiara speaks to us while putting away her sword.

''...... Did Reaper-chan's persuasion fail?　Kanami said he's going to be able to convince everyone here?
I'm sorry. I just couldn't do the reaper.
...... I see. So, what are you going to do now?　A lot of things have changed in my schedule. ......
'I'll leave it up to Loewen to convince the Reapers to go. So we'll keep everyone on the Leaper and take the Leaper to the finals tomorrow. That's the end of the 'Dance Tournament'.
'Are you sure you want to take the Reaper with you?　Isn't that dangerous?　It could be two against one, you know?
We'll be fine. If it comes down to it, it'll be me and Rowen beating the Reaper, two against one. Rowen insists on a one-on-one with me. Since Rowen is the only one who can convince the Reaper to go with me anymore, I'll have to take him.
'Weird trust ....... Well, I'm not going to stop now. ......

　Rustyala seemed to be envious, even though he was accusing me of it.
　He envied the situation of the final match, but he also envied our strange bond.

''But, Kanami. Instead--!
Yeah, Lastiara and the others will be in the audience for the final.
'If anything happens, we'll interrupt you. That's one thing I can't give up.
I know.
Do you really understand: ......

　Skeptically, Rustyala looks into my face.

　Face to face, eye to eye, they are close together and my heart beats faster.
　I know what it is. I'm halfway through, but it's because I'm back (・・・・・・・) and I'm back (・・・・・).

　But it's not the emotion I need right now. I suppress it with reason.
　Then I look back into Rastiara's eyes seriously and tell her that I'm serious.

　Rustyala exhales in disgust and calls out to Maria, who had moved away a bit.

''Hmmm, Maria. It looks like there's a bit more trouble ahead. I'm going to go call my friends for a little while, would you mind watching Kanami and Reaper-chan?
'Oh, yes ....... I understand.
If the Reaper tries anything strange, you can burn him enough not to kill him. Oh, and keep an eye out for Snow, okay?

　When called out to him, Snow straightens his posture and returns his voice.

''Calmly, Rastiara-sama!
'Snow ....... We'll talk about that weird honorific later, too: .......

　With those last words, Rustyala leaves the training grounds.
　Thus, we are left in the training grounds.

　Reaper looks up at the night sky with an exhausted expression, Snow keeps an eye on Reaper as instructed by Rustiala, and Maria is ready to fire fire fire magic at any time.

　In the past, these three lived under the 'same roof (Epic Seeker)'.
　This situation reminds me of those days. As I recall, the three of us used to knit scarves together. But things have changed too much since those days. Nothing will ever go back.

　Of course, I have no intention of going back.
　But I don't have to give up everything. I remember the days of the past, and I remember the little promises we made together.
　After thinking about it for a bit, I call out to Snow.

"Hey, Snow...
Hmm?
'I'm not busy, can you bring me my knitting kit?　The one from the last time I made a scarf.

　I decided to make the most of my extra time and asked Snow to help me out.

'Heh, what?　What are you talking about, Kanami?
No, you were thinking of knitting a scarf?
'Well, ......, did you hit your head?　Tomorrow, Kanami has to fight Lowen Alais, right? Then you should get some rest. Rather, you should go to bed. The Reaper can't even move.
'I'll go to bed when Rustyala and the others get back. But I just remembered a promise: ......, please.
"Promise?
'Yeah, I promised. Now that I remember, I have to make it: ......

　I ask Snow for help.

"Hee-hee.

　While Snow and Maria looked at him curiously, only the Reaper chuckled.
　The Reaper was the only one who seemed to remember that petty verbal promise.

　Later, though, when Rastiara and the others returned, Snow reluctantly brought out his knitting tools.
　I then show my futile dexterity and complete an item in a short amount of time.

　The Reaper laughs when he sees the scarf I've finished making. I laugh too.
　There's no feud there, as we'd had earlier.

　In the end, I couldn't convince the Reaper. But that doesn't mean there was no point to it. When I laughed with the Reaper now, I could understand her feelings a little bit, even if there was no 'connection'.
　I could mingle with her a little bit.

　That's why the Reaper has been so quiet.
　She's accepted the idea of going to the finals with me.

　After all, with the same best friend, me and Reaper must have the same feelings deep down.

　Me and the Reaper meditate at the same time.

　Now I can finally find some peace.
　It's been a really long battle.

　There are no more enemies here.
　There are no more enemies here, my trusted friends are watching over me.

　I'm falling asleep for the first time since the tournament began.

　--The fourth day is over.

　This is the true meaning of the word: I've made it through to the semi-finals of the tournament.