9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 227 - Epilogue (6)

“Leopold III originally used a spell to continue a bloodline that should have been severed. But as a side effect, you were dragged into this world. The mechanism is unclear, but there’s a fundamental principle that all mages know.”

“Phenomena resist magic. Magic is not eternal.”

“Exactly, Lucas. Magic fundamentally twists the principles of the universe. It creates elements from thin air and reverses the flow of time.”

I understood. I’d seen an archmage suddenly summon flames and frost, and the magical aesthetics industry drastically slowing aging among the wealthy.

“But that’s not natural. Of course the universe tries to restore its original principles. That’s why magic requires enormous energy. This fundamental principle is the reality behind the side effects you and your friends experienced.”

“Alright, so.”

I organized my thoughts with a deep sigh.

“What happened to me was fate-twisting magic. The universe I’d altered naturally tried to return to its original state, and in that process side effects occurred, merging the two universes I’d experienced into one new universe. People whose fates were changed by me are reborn as members of the new universe, repeating their destinies. To balance the twisted fate… What the hell kind of nonsense is this?!”

“You don’t need to understand it, it’s speculation that even I find hard to believe.”

“No, Fael, you didn’t die and reincarnate, you kept living. You would have witnessed the big event of worlds merging, right? Even history was fabricated.”

“Hmm.”

Fael lowered his eyes for a moment.

“To be honest, Lucas.”

I could feel him carefully choosing his words.

“I didn’t know either. Not until I noticed something felt off.”

“What felt off?”

“At some point, people were talking about countries I’d never heard of, developing deserts with technology I’d never seen. I didn’t notice at first. Then I got a strange feeling, and when I thought back carefully, the world had already changed.

We realized something was wrong about 30 years ago, Lucas, when you reincarnated. But actually, I don’t know exactly when the two worlds merged. Me, Namir, the researchers—if we hadn’t known the truth, we wouldn’t have felt the dissonance either.”

“Ugh, that old fool!”

I groaned, remembering the mad Leopold III.

“What the hell did he do? What a massive butterfly effect.”

“The term ‘butterfly effect’ didn’t exist in our original world either.”

Fael joked with a slight smile. I didn’t have the mental space to play along.

“Ugh, and the people whose fates changed because of me, so at least the citizens of Lüdelheim…”

“You know, don’t you, Lucas?”

I closed my mouth.

I think I understand.

Why only a very small number of people came to repeat their lives. Why they said I saved them.

I killed Kruger. But the fate I changed isn’t significant. Even without me, Kruger would have started a war and fallen. The people would have been equally angry and dragged Kruger down.

But according to history without me, the White Raven Order would have been caught and killed by Kruger long ago, and Johann would have been hanged after Kruger’s fall. Emma would have died pregnant in Ossel’s prison, and Sophia, even if she despaired seeing the reality of war, would have had no means to reveal the truth.

“That’s it.”

My voice trembled with joy.

“Fael, am I really a savior?”

“Would you look at this letter? It’ll be the same as my answer.”

Fael pointed to the envelope on the table.

「To the little prince Luca.

Luca, it’s frustrating that I’m closing my eyes without seeing you, but there’s nothing to be done. So I decided to leave my feelings in writing.

I don’t think I’ll be reborn. Even without you, I would have lived trying to stop Supreme Leader Kruger and revive post-war Rubellia.

Luca, there’s something I want to tell you. Whether I and your friends are reborn or not, you were our savior. So don’t despair over the people you let slip through your hands, the misfortunes you couldn’t prevent.

I think your new world is both a side effect of magic and a gift the universe gave you. A reward for leading those you loved in a better direction.

Of course, we don’t know for certain if my theory with Fa-Elhar is correct. We can’t even be sure if you and your friends will really reincarnate. That’s why I asked Fa-Elhar. To wait until you’re reborn and realize the flow of fate, to confirm the truth. And to deliver this letter to you.

Luca, I’ll say it once more. Don’t despair and move forward. To imitate your way of speaking, ‘How would I know about universal laws? I’m just going to live as I please!’

Live that way, Luca. If you’ve reincarnated, don’t worry about principles or rules like that, just live happily. That’s my final request.

— Your old friend, Marianne.」

The letter became stained, and a small laugh escaped my lips.

“Hey, Fael… Is my way of speaking really like that? ‘How would I know about universal laws? I’m just going to live as I please!'”

“Yeah, exactly like that.”

The answer came without hesitation. I giggled and sniffled.

“Before I killed him, Kruger said this chaos was all caused by me. That I lit the fires of war. I thought it was bullshit. But I could have stopped it more definitively. I should have killed that bastard earlier. I kept thinking that.

After regaining my memories—no, after meeting my friends again—I sometimes regretted it. Whether it was right to make my friends remember their past lives. But yeah, Her Majesty is right. I’m just going to live as I please. Just like I have been, and will continue to.”

“Yeah, Lucas. That’s who you are.”

Fael nodded with a sage’s eyes.

“Is the story over? I’m coming in.”

The sliding door opened with a rattle, and Namir poked his head out.

“You came quite early, Namir.”

“I ran here at full speed for you. I had time left, so I even showed my face to Daniel.”

Having wiped away my tears, I waved at Namir.

“Oh, Namir! Good to see you. You really were amazing.”

“Brother Lucas, your changed appearance is a bit awkward. But it suits you better than before.”

“I was born this way, what’s there to suit or not? But where did you go?”

“Ah, yesterday was Lea’s memorial day. I visited the Shan tribe palace. Her remains are enshrined there.”

Namir answered matter-of-factly. Right, Shan-Lea died more than 30 years ago.

“It seems like the genetic disease was the problem. Lea’s older sister, Shan-Maya, also passed away from that disease. That was the limit of our technology.”

I couldn’t detect any sadness in Namir’s voice. As if it had sunk under layers of time.

“Oh, speaking of which!”

As the three of us quietly drank date palm tea, I suddenly turned and stared at Fael.

“How have you two lived so long? Even if aesthetics has developed, living close to 150 is pushing it these days, right? Hannah and Assad said they’re past their prime now, and Namir is one thing, but Fael, you’re older than them. And why did you go into hiding? Blocking information so thoroughly? Don’t tell me it was to keep my secret?”

“Of course not, Lucas.”

Fael answered with a slight smile.

“I figured you’d be curious. Actually, it’s not much of a secret. As the forest gradually recovered and not just elves’ physical abilities but magical abilities and lifespans changed, we discovered a certain law.”

“Remember the Golden Clan?”

Namir interjected.

“The bloodline of the five most noble and pure tribes? Fael was one of the last remaining Golden Clan.”

“Right, that. We discovered that the closer to Golden Clan blood, the stronger the influence from the Great Forest or mana water. Originally, only chieftain families had such pure blood, and by the time we realized this law, even chieftain families had mixed with various bloodlines and become meaningless.

I’m also close to that bloodline after Brother Fael, so I’ve lived this long, but since my mother was human, I can’t really be called pure-blood.”

“I was planning to live quietly after restoring the forest to the Great Desert anyway. And if this fact became known, it could lead to unpleasant situations. So I hid myself.”

Namir shrugged and added to Fael’s words.

“Inequality of consciousness could develop, or people might rush to get brother’s genes. So brother made the researchers sign confidentiality agreements and left for the forest. The other chieftains were happy for brother to disappear too.

So the secret of the Golden Clan was buried. Since it would end when brother dies anyway, there was no need to reveal it. As for me, I was tired of working and wanted to live quietly with Lea, doing research, so I followed Brother Fael.”

“Really nothing special.”

“That’s what I’m saying, Brother Lucas.”

“By the way. When you two die, will you reincarnate? I mean, do you count as people I saved?”

I’m still embarrassed about this whole savior thing. Writhing with shame, I asked, and Fael and Namir looked at each other.

“Hmm, well. Wouldn’t we have to die to find out?”

“You’ll live longer than us, so watch over us. That’ll be fun too.”

“Yeah, that would work.”

I nodded lightly.

“Oh, brother. There’s another welcome guest. Want to meet them?”

Namir suddenly asked.

“Who? Your children and grandchildren?”

“Geez, would I call someone you’ve never met a welcome guest?”

“They haven’t seen my face either, Namir.”

“True. Anyway, you’ll know when you meet them. I went to the Shan tribe village partly to bring this person.”

Who could it be to keep me in suspense like this? Having heard Fael’s story anyway, I readily agreed.

***

“Hello.”

Going to the garden pavilion where they said to wait, I found a completely unfamiliar woman. She looked fairly young, but naturally this isn’t a world where you can judge by appearance, so I just tilted my head.

“Who might you be…”

“I’m Lucy Himmel.”

It felt like being hit in the back of the head with a hammer. Seeing my frozen reaction, she carefully added.

“I’m Alina Himmel’s daughter.”

Of course I’d tried to find Captain Himmel too. But maybe because she never became famous, there was no information about her left at all. At most I could search military bases or ask friends for their memories. But my friends barely knew Captain Himmel either.

And here I was encountering traces of her like this.

“Captain Himmel, no, Alina…”

I slowly opened my mouth, feeling a sad premonition.

“Yes, she passed away.”

Lucy nodded.

“Long ago. Much earlier than Shan-Lea.”

“I see.”

“Please don’t be too sad. She died peacefully in her sleep from old age. She didn’t receive magical treatments. She said they didn’t suit her.”

That sounds like Alina.

“Mr. Lucas. I’m a mage.”

“Yes, I heard from Alina.”

She immigrated to the Great Desert and accidentally drank mana water, awakening magical abilities. Thanks to that, the secret of mana water was revealed, making her a benefactor of the elves from their perspective.

“I learned the secret through participating in Mr. Fa-Elhar’s research.”

“I suspected as much from when you called me so formally.”

“Ah.”

Lucy’s lips parted slightly.

“Right. Anyway, Mr. Lucas, my mother told me after hearing that story. That she too was saved by you. So if the research is true, she’ll be reborn in the next life. She asked me to tell you. That you don’t need to try to find her again or save her once more. This life was enough.”

That was also very much like Alina, so I quietly nodded.

***

We stayed in the Elven Federation and enjoyed ourselves to our heart’s content.

We met the red dragon Tan, and toured various cities like tourists.

Befitting the richest country in the world, all the cities operated with cutting-edge systems, while the areas outside cities were carefully preserved as wild forests. Daniel was moved to tears everywhere we went, saying it was different from the wasteland of 100 years ago.

We also stopped by a casino, which was certainly splendidly flashy with tourists from all over the world gathering to enjoy themselves. Oscar demonstrated his past life skills to the fullest, multiplying his initial investment nearly a hundredfold in one night.

“Wow, why don’t you just make this your profession?”

“What are you saying! I like dragons! I’m going to do work where I can see dragons. Like, a caretaker!”

Oscar got indignant and shouted at my offhand comment.

While touring, we were guided by Hannah and Ashtard, and heard many interesting stories.

Like how Hannah married Philip Decker.

“What?!”

I jumped up making that sound, so surprised.

I knew Philip, who was Johann’s subordinate, liked Hannah, but to think he’d cross over to the Great Desert to propose. Hannah accepted, and Philip lived quietly until he died, completely washing away that blood-soaked life.

“Oh right, he only said he didn’t know Johann Werner’s whereabouts. It was probably a secret he’d take to the grave.”

“Well, I’ve given up trying to find out anyway.”

And I heard stories of Ashtard’s secret missions for Namir. Assassinating political enemies, infiltrating somewhere as a spy, things like that. Ashtard seemed to have lived quite an eventful life too.

***

After playing to our heart’s content on vacation, we returned to Schufaben.

When we returned, Fael lent us his private airship again. Before getting off at Lüdelheim airport, Hannah grabbed me.

“Mr. Redan, Lord Fa-Elhar asked me to give you this.”

She handed me something like a bank book. Opening it, I saw my name printed on it. And an amount exceeding 10 billion won in Korean money.

“Is this for me to use?”

Dumbfounded, I asked, and Hannah nodded with a smile.

“He said since he couldn’t keep his promise to make you king in your past life, this is instead. Well then, take care. See you again next time!”

We left the airport and took the surface train. At each transfer station, friends got off one by one.

“Lucas, what are you going to do from now on?”

When only the two of us were left, Erika asked.

“Hmm, first I need to play with Colin. I haven’t seen him for a week. Marco probably took good care of him, but still. Oh right, I decided to propose to you properly next week.”

“Not that, I mean how are you going to live? Now that you know all the secrets.”

“Hmm.”

I fell into thought for a moment, then shook my head.

“I don’t know either. Can’t I just live?”

As the train arrived at District 13’s shopping area, I grinned and took Erika’s hand. We burst into the familiar Redan Tavern.

“Brother! Sister Erika! How was the Great Desert? I wanted to go too.”

“Show us the photos you took, brother. Oh, did you see the pictures we posted?”

Georg and Nina, who had returned from their honeymoon, welcomed us warmly.

“Finally here. Please take Colin away.”

“Woof! Woof!”

The haggard Marco whimpered. Colin ran to me and jumped into my arms. Buried under Colin’s fluffy body and sprawled on the tavern floor in a big X shape, I looked up at Erika, who was bursting with laughter, and giggled.

Savior? Universal gift? I don’t know about that stuff.

Let’s just live.

As my heart desires.

Happily.