Is there anything else I should ask?
　........................
　I know.

"Are you all that d*mned?
I have only the ninth, eighth, sixth, fifth and third curses.

　You don't remember all the forbidden spells.
　But the Sixth Forbidden Spell is an unknown one.

'The Sixth Forbidden Curse Ha, the one that summons the Black Sword.

　If he also inhabits the forbidden spell of one higher number, then he'll be able to get information on the second realm of the fifth forbidden spell that I can't use yet.

"The second realm of the fifth one accelerates. "The fifth second realm is accelerated to the point where no one can follow it.

　This was useful information.
　He didn't know the power of the other forbidden spells.
　He also said that he can only perceive where the spellbook is located in the spellbook of the ninth forbidden curse that he created.

　I asked Clarice the other day because Noyes had previously made a statement that could be taken as that, except for the first forbidden curse, which is in an old mythological document.
　However, the content of the literature given to me was a series of very abstract and vague expressions, not to mention the reliability.
　It's tough to estimate the ability of the forbidden curse with that description.
　Well, it was true that there was no description of the first forbidden curse.　

　The forbidden curse document.
　As I recall, besides the spell document that Hibigami brought with him, there was another one in the Empire.
　Other than that, I heard that any of the three major organizations in Doomsday Township also possessed it.
　Does that mean that one of them, other than Lokia's 'Kingdom of Fools', owns it?
　At all, Lokia didn't seem to mention the topic of the spellbook, so it probably didn't occur to him.
　But in that man's case, even if he knew about it, he seems to be unconcerned about pretending not to know about it.......

''So..........the first forbidden curse is the lowest level of the holy ruins.

　A forbidden curse that not even the King of the Conjuring Curse could have inhabited... wait, what?
　Who was the original writer of the story of the forbidden king in the mythical pseudoscript itself in the first place?
　I asked the King of Forbidden Spells, but he replied that they didn't know who had written it down first.

I'm sure the gods were at least a little involved. I'm sure there are a few gods involved," he said.

　This is the only thing that even that Mr. Clarice wouldn't know about.
　Now, the other thing you might want to know is ... ah, yes.

"How could you read the d*mned spell book?
One of my parents was a stray forbidden tribe. I didn't realize this until long after they died. At first I didn't understand how I was the only one who could read forbidden spells.

　Apparently, the Forbidden Curse King's parents were living apart from the forbidden clans that Mr. Military God went to see.
　After his parents died, he suddenly got a copy of the forbidden spellbook and read it out loud, and that was how it all started.

　After that, there were many untold stories by the demigod's forbidden spell user that could not be told.

'--De, notice, Ba, he was called the Forbidden Curse King.

　Who exactly wrote the forbidden spellbook?
　Why was it written in that language?
　Why was the Holy Curse defiled and turned into a forbidden curse?
　Why did the forbidden beasts - the world of the former gods - become defiled?

　These are mysteries that even the king of the forbidden curse does not know.

"I don't understand, that man was called Hibigami?

　Hibigami.

That strength seems to be beyond human comprehension. But it's different from the power of the gods. That man is a mystery to me.

　I'd like to have more forbidden spells.
　To beat that man.
　But when I think of the Forbidden Conjuring King...

Yeah, I know, I know, I know!　That's enough for now, Sa.

　Suddenly, the Forbidden Curse King raised his voice in annoyance.

''W-what's going on?''
I'm afraid I've been scolded for being too much.
Shit.

　I was impatient.

'You better tell me that soon!　Then you should spend less time--
I don't mind. It's a special day.
"....the King of the Conjuring.
But that's as far as it goes, my friend. That's not good enough to hold the beast down, it's just the end of the world.
You know what?

　I look at my left hand.

From now on, I'll try to avoid using forbidden spells as much as possible.
Why don't you take a break from it, janitor?
No, because if you don't refrain from doing so, the Forbidden King...
I'll give you three years to screw him without worrying about me. Unnecessary distractions can kill you. You'll never win against that man if you keep your mind off things.
But...
"I will not allow you to hesitate to use a forbidden curse. I'll stop restraining the beast when I see that you've shown me any concern about using a forbidden curse in the future. And as a result of not being able to use the forbidden spell to its fullest extent, Sagara Kurohiko will lose Curie Versteen and Cecily Arclight to Hibigami.
It's a--
If you don't like it, then don't hesitate to use a forbidden curse. Understand?
Okay, okay I get it.

　I'm not sure which one of us cares more about which one.

But I'm going to train myself in combat so that I won't have to rely on forbidden spells as much as possible. Even you can't turn off the load of using a forbidden spell, can you?
Yeah, that's right.
''Any forbidden spell other than the ninth is like a trump card at the moment. So I'll try to use them as little as possible.

　'Huh,' I breathe.

'But if I think I should use it, I won't hesitate to use it. If I decide that I should use it to protect the people I care about.
Yeah. That's good.

　They are silent for a moment.

'Hey, King of the d*mned.'
Huh?
I'm told it's going to be a drain on your strength so it's going to be hard to see you like this for a while.
I know.
I want to talk to you again.
I've already told you what I'm going to tell you.
I don't want to. I just want to talk. Or chit chat.
Strange man.

"I don't hate a daredevil like you.

I don't... hate... people like you.
Yeah. I repeat, I'm sorry.

　The goddesses who tried to save the forbidden king.
　The goddesses who went mad out of love.
　Goddesses who loved the Forbidden King so much that they were madly in love with him.

It's okay. I'll use any means for the sake of my loved ones because I understand that feeling. It's enough to know that what you're doing is a bad deed, as long as you're aware of it. All you need is the determination to take on everything.

　Again, silence dominated the scene.
　It was a calm silence.

'It's about time.'

　Suddenly, the Forbidden Curse King spoke up.

''A showdown with Hibigami ... win.
Thank you.
Gotta hand it to you, junior.
The beast... for a while, sir.
Yeah, I'm on it.

　Then the landscape changes once again.

　　　　　　　　　　*

　Meadows.
　Blue sky.

　I was sitting alone in the meadow, a little bit away from the royal capital.

"Even the gods are kind...

　........................

　Well.

Back.

　　　　　　　　　　*

Huh?

　As I ducked under the west gate and headed home, I saw a familiar figure standing in the middle of the road.
　He was looking down at the ground in a pensive manner.

''Currier, mister?''

　The one who looked up and turned around was Currier-san.

The headmaster told me that you had gone out for a walk through the west gate. I was waiting for you here.
This is...
The place where you passed out on your matriculation day was the place where Sagara Kurohiko and I first met.

　This is where I met Curie-san.
　I was sent to another world, and I was the first person from another world I met.

''I've been thinking.
What do you mean?
"I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't met you.

　Currier-san approaches.
　Standing in front of her, her hair swayed and flowed in the wind.
　Holding her hair back, she said, "I'm so glad I met you, Kurohiko.

'I'm glad to have met you, Kurohiko.

　It's a--

Me too, sir.

　Miss Currier smiles.

'I see.'

　Yes, I nod my head.
　
　Trying to calm down, is that it?

It's about that... that's it... hand, right?
Hands?
Can I hold your hand...?
What?
We have to get to school.
'Oh....'
Well, if you don't want to, you're welcome.
Okay, I understand.

　Currier-san took my left arm with her left hand and, in a gesture of trepidation, she tried to entangle her right hand in my left hand.
　It was as if she was touching something broken.
　I take a deep breath once and then decide to make up my mind.
　Then I took her hand in my own.
　She freaked out for a moment, but soon, she squeezed it back gently.

'I knew it was a man's hand ... my hands are rough, aren't they?'
''No, that's not true. Besides, no matter what kind of hand it was, I wouldn't hesitate to hold it if it was Currier-san's.
You didn't listen to me before.
That's because I'm embarrassed.
Hmm.

　'I see,' said Currier-san, smiling.

'I see, you were embarrassed.

　Then we start walking from either side.

　'Mr. Currier,' I cut in.

'Are you going to go to Rouvelargan sometime to look for that guy, Tassogale, for example?
''Well I don't care about the value of my existence anymore, but I'm tempted to ask why they built the thirteenth orphanage in Doomsday Township. What was the purpose of it?
So when you go to Ruvel Argan, I'll have to go with you, won't I?
Yeah, all right. .... hmm?　What's going on?
'No I was a little surprised that you nodded so honestly.
You can say no, but you'll still come with me.
Well that's true, I suppose.

　Hmph," sniffs Currier, "I'm getting to know you pretty well.

'I'm getting to know you pretty well, too.

　And then he squeezed my fingertips tightly.

　After a short walk, a beautiful girl with thin, glossy lemon-colored hair shimmering in the sunshine, a beautiful girl so overdone that it still feels like a lie, came into view.

''Ah!　You finally found the--?　You're holding hands!
Oh, Miss Cecily.
'Moo!　It's not fair!

　As she rushed over to me with a pout, Cecily-san intertwined her white left hand with my right.
　It's typical of her to hold it without hesitation.
　With a thump, she pokes my arm with her shoulder.

''Oh?　Okay?　Now that's a flower in both hands, isn't it?

　I can't help but feel my cheeks relax.

'I'm glad to have met you, too, Cecily.
Huh?
Because it was Cecily that I met her, I feel like Soraku Kurohiko was able to become the 'me' he is today.

　Cecily's voice is getting fainter and fainter.

I'm very grateful for the fact that I was able to change a lot of things thanks to meeting Kurohiko and Currier.　I mean, what is it, what is it all of a sudden.......you're out of tune......

　Cecily lowered her eyelashes and turned around and became stern.

........How far do I have to let you grow in my presence, you dullard......

　The 'Jewel of Renowthred' who grumbles and complains in a whisper.
　He's surprisingly weak when he's on the side of being pushed, isn't he?


　The three of us walked towards St. Renowthread Academy.


''I hope the three of us can stay together like this for a long time to come.


　'I'm sure you'll be able to stay,' said Currier.


'If the three of us wish so strongly, I'm sure we can stay together. Even if we are temporarily separated from each other.


　And Cecily.


　I looked up at the sky.
　I saw a single bird flying in the air, letting the gentle breeze carry it away.


'I hope these calm days will last forever...'


　That's when it happened.
　I suddenly felt something and looked back.


　Three people.


　Three men and three women holding hands.

　A man in the center.
　A man in the center, a man, a woman on either side.

　The face of one of them looked familiar.
　It somehow resembles the statue of a goddess standing in the square of the royal capital.

'Kurohiko?'

　When Currier-san's voice came, the three of them were already gone.

''What's wrong?''

　Apparently Mr. Currier and Cecily didn't see it.

No, it's nothing.

　Was it a vision in broad daylight?
　Or.........


　The wind, blowing.


　An otherworldly wind.


　The two people on either side of me stopped and started a conversation, pointing to the birds in the sky, and something fun to say.


　I close my eyes.


　There's no way to return to the original world, that's what the King of Forbidden Spells had said.


　But I didn't care, I thought.


　I've learned a lot of emotions I didn't know I had by coming to this world.


　I discovered a lot of important things.


　I feel like I've been able to change a little bit because of it, and I feel like I can change more in the future.


　I feel a gentle breeze that wraps softly around my whole body and I hope.


　So I want to live in this world.


　I want to walk with the people I love.




　As Sagara Kurohiko, a forbidding spellcaster in the land of the sacred tree.





　In the world where the wind blows.