By Zephyria 
I initially thought my eyes were deceiving me. It wasn’t possible for someone’s hair to turn completely white so suddenly, was it? Perhaps it was just the light reflecting off it? The thought lingered for a moment, but we were indoors.
While I was undoubtedly taken aback by the surreal phenomenon, an inexplicable sense of unease washed over me, making it difficult to speak. I merely blinked before averting my gaze.
Aska, too, seemed surprised, his brow furrowed deeply. My expression must have been even more intense than his.
Amidst the suddenly heavy atmosphere, Ophelia, the only one who seemed unaffected, broke the silence.
“If the things here were to leave this place, it would cause chaos in the world. It’s best not to take them out if possible, but I’ll leave that to your judgment. Especially be careful when handling Magic tools.”
Her tone was strange.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“There are hardly any proper Wizards left, but there’s always a chance.”
“……”
Before I could respond, Ophelia rose from her seat. Then, without warning, she headed outside. Aska and I exchanged glances before reluctantly following her.
I quickened my pace, closing the distance between us.
“Are you dying?”
I finally voiced the ominous thought that had been swirling in my mind. I felt that if I didn’t ask directly, she wouldn’t answer.
Ophelia, while stroking Reindeer’s head as he sat in the grass, said, “I told you, nothing is eternal. That’s the law of the world.”
“No, I’m asking if you’re dying now.”
She always spoke vaguely, like writing poetry, but I couldn’t understand why she was doing it even at a moment like this.
“How long has it been since I fell asleep? Has it been that long?”
Aska, who had been silent, frowned and asked. This wasn’t a situation for jokes like before, so I shook my head.
“About three years.”
“Then, even at most, the lifespan reduced would only be a few decades, that’s…”
I listened intently to Aska’s muttering before being startled. I received enough life force to live for about three years, but the giver was so different? I thought the values might not be the same, but this was too much, wasn’t it?
“Did you not have much left from the beginning?”
Aska was so surprised that he forgot to use honorifics. It suddenly occurred to me that Ophelia had introduced herself as an old woman.
Because we were of different races and she looked much younger than me, I had forgotten that she was an old woman.
“A friend of mine recently finished a long journey and returned.”
Reindeer, sensing that something was different, kept rubbing his face against her body. His clear, large black eyes also seemed sadder than usual.
“When I leave, our race will completely disappear from this world.”
She seemed to be referring to the Forgotten Race that Mahir had met in Gaulaprum. After hearing the description of their appearance, I had expected that she and Ophelia were of the same race.
But I wasn’t curious about any of that. For the first time in a long time, I felt a tightness in my chest. Aska, feeling similarly, asked reproachfully.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner? If I had known you didn’t have much time left, I would have…”
Ophelia shook her head at Aska’s words.
“The magic you use is too old-fashioned. No one but me could have done it.”
That meant that if it hadn’t been for this method, Aska would never have been able to heal his wounds. I didn’t know whether to be grateful or apologetic.
“I’m saying this just in case, but there’s no need to feel sorry. It was much more fun than just waiting for the day I would leave.”
Before I could respond, Reindeer suddenly whined. It was the first time he had made such a loud noise in the three years we had been together.
Ophelia’s fingertips, stroking the head of the crying Reindeer, were gradually becoming transparent.
I had expected to leave eventually since Aska had awakened, but I didn’t expect to say goodbye so suddenly. I had planned to buy lots of gifts later and come back to visit.
What should I say to someone who is dying? I should be used to it by now, but I always struggled when faced with such situations.
“Is there anything you want to ask of me? Anything you want me to do?”
I had been with her for three years while waiting for Aska, but I didn’t know much about her.
“Then I have a favor to ask.”
Ophelia answered my sudden question as if she had been waiting for it. I had been worried that she might refuse, but thankfully, she didn’t.
Actually, I wanted to express my gratitude first, but the words wouldn’t come out easily. I wanted to say thank you for healing Aska, thank you for being by my side while I waited, and thank you for everything you had given without any compensation, including your last remaining life force.
“When I leave, Reindeer will be left alone in this forest. Could you take him with you?”
Had Ophelia been thinking about today since Aska fell asleep? Perhaps the reason she had constantly tried to pique my interest in Reindeer was for this moment.
“As you’ve seen, Reindeer is very capable.”
Before I could say anything, Aska spoke first.
“Even if he wasn’t capable, we could grant that kind of request. Right?”
Aska looked at me and asked. I nodded without hesitation. The Reindeer, who couldn’t speak and was just big, was very arrogant, but that was also cute, so I didn’t feel any aversion at all.
Even if I had felt aversion, I couldn’t have refused Ophelia’s last request.
“Thank you. Now I can close my eyes in peace. I was always worried about Reindeer.”
Ophelia smiled with a relieved expression as she closed her eyes. Almost her entire body was now transparent. The grass could be seen faintly through her.
She slowly stroked Reindeer’s head and opened her mouth.
“Kyle may be a bit rough around the edges, but he likes you, so you too…”
It was then, as the last words to Reindeer began, that Ophelia’s eyes, which had been peacefully closed, suddenly snapped open. I couldn’t help but be startled as well.
Reindeer’s body was also gradually becoming transparent.
“What are you doing?”
The peaceful atmosphere vanished in an instant. I didn’t know what was happening, so all I could do was frown.
“Go with Kyle.”
Reindeer remained motionless with his eyes closed.
“You weren’t even born that long ago.”
“……”
“There are so many fun things outside. You always envied me whenever I told you about my adventures.”
“……”
“Go on adventures with Kyle and Aska, eat delicious food, and save people in trouble.”
Her calm voice was gradually becoming anxious. Despite her desperate persuasion, Reindeer never opened his eyes.
Only then did I realize that the Reindeer had decided to leave with his master.
Ophelia’s blue eyes, which had been without any fear or sadness, momentarily clouded over. But Reindeer had already chosen the path he would take.
Accepting that further persuasion was meaningless, Ophelia said with a sigh.
“Okay, then let’s go together.”
At that small whisper, Reindeer finally opened his eyes. His clear eyes, like a black spring, looked only at her.
There was truly no time left. Death came in the blink of an eye, so I felt that if I hesitated any longer, I would regret it.
Having already accumulated so many regrets in the face of death, I forced open my reluctant lips.
“Thank you for saving Aska.”
“Did I save him? It was practically natural healing.”
“Without you, Aska would never have been able to sleep for so long. If you hadn’t given me your last remaining life force so I could breathe. You saved both of us.”
Ophelia’s expression became subtle, perhaps because she wasn’t used to my tone.
“Thank you for protecting Kyle while I was gone.”
Ophelia, unable to bear it any longer, said a little curtly.
“You should either use honorifics or speak informally, pick one.”
“Thank you.”
Ophelia’s eyes narrowed at my polite tone.
“Are you using honorifics because I’m an old woman?”
“No, you were with Kyle while I was gone. So I’m doing it out of respect. I was flattering you before I fell asleep.”
“Tch.”
It was too honest. I couldn’t help but laugh as I watched Ophelia laugh in disbelief. Then Aska laughed along. Reindeer didn’t make a sound, but it was clear from his expression that he was laughing too.
“I really have to go now. The way out is…”
“I know.”
It seemed that I had had all sorts of dreams while I was asleep. Ophelia nodded, then moved her lips as if she had something more to say, but all that came out was a short farewell.
“Take care.”
I was about to say goodbye, but seeing her eyelids drooping heavily as if she were sleepy, I said softly.
“Sleep well.”
Following that, words that no human could imitate flowed from Aska’s mouth. It was a sound similar to when Ophelia had said her name when we first met her.
With a faintly curving smile as her last expression, Ophelia and Reindeer disappeared without a trace, like sugar dissolved in water.
“……”
“……”
Aska intertwined his fingers with mine and held my hand tightly. I tilted my head to the side and rested it on Aska’s shoulder. We stared at the land where they had slept for a long time.
“Are you sad?”
At the small question, I slowly closed and opened my eyes and shook my head.
“Just curious.”
“About what?”
“……”
What will our end look like? When Aska lies down next to me, will you be able to say, “Then let’s go together”?
I wasn’t confident.