Miracles and Magic Aren't Free

The moment the card flew towards her, Hiyorimar felt a sense of dread.

Sealed within the Black Box for fifty thousand years, it was naturally hypersensitive to the aura of sealing abilities.

On this card, Hiyorimar sensed a power similar to that of the Black Box.

If it meekly accepted the seal, it would only return to those dark, sunless days of the past.

But if it didn't comply...

Putting aside the dangers of the real world, it couldn't even defeat the crimson demon before it!

Waaah, why is a Herrscher like me living such a miserable life?

Has the power system in this world collapsed? Aren't Herrschers supposed to be the strongest fighters???

Wait.

Suddenly recalling certain scenes from the young man's memories, Hiyorimar felt a sense of release.

It seemed that only the First Herrscher died with dignity; the subsequent Herrschers...

The Second Herrscher, Sirin, with six Herrscher Cores merged into one, was beaten down two or three times.

The Third Herrscher, Raiden Mei—directly slammed in the face by the young man before it, and in the original timeline, she constantly suffered setbacks.

The Fourth Herrscher, Wendy, was blown up on the spot by a swarm of mechs from Anti-Entropy.

Looking at it this way, Hiyorimar, as a Herrscher...

--It really was better to just obediently shrink back into this card.

Accepting reality, Hiyorimar, with teary eyes, looked at Gu Yu and made its final plea.

"Big brother, let's make a deal."

"How about letting me out for some fresh air once in a while?"

"Hm?"

Upon hearing the syllable from the other party, Hiyorimar instantly became incredibly cowardly and shook its head frantically.

"Just kidding, just kidding, I didn't say anything."

Then, its form gradually faded and disappeared before the two of them.

Looking at the sealing card that automatically returned to his hand, Gu Yu let out a slight sigh of relief.

Although Hiyorimar, after being beaten soundly by him, was no longer capable of weakening the power of the Knight Emblem in Gu Yu's hand.

Even so, it was still a Herrscher.

Gu Yu was able to beat Hiyorimar into such a state entirely by relying on the special properties of the Moon Rabbit form, having preemptively disabled Hiyorimar's three major senses.

Otherwise, if they had truly fought, he estimated it would have taken much more effort.

Of course, that wasn't the most crucial part.

Beating Hiyorimar soundly was simple, but eliminating it was not.

Even the genius scientist Dr. Mei from the previous era couldn't kill Hiyorimar. If Gu Yu had directly destroyed Hiyorimar's body, it likely wouldn't have died.

The final outcome would have been just like the plot of [Sakura Samsara] in the original work, allowing Hiyorimar to regain its power.

As for taking the path of persuasion...

--Gu Yu had no such intention at all.

Theresa could forgive Otto for causing Cecilia's death and use warmth to persuade Hiyorimar.

But Gu Yu, who knew Hiyorimar had crippled a test subject with a single move, could not muster any good feelings towards the Herrscher before him.

Although Raiden Mei and Yuno were also Herrschers, they at least hadn't committed any massacres of humans.

The number of lives Hiyorimar had taken was countless. For such a Herrscher, Gu Yu felt no pity whatsoever.

Therefore, in the end, he could only act like Dr. Mei and seal Hiyorimar.

Of course, there was another reason for not destroying Hiyorimar.

If Gu Yu had dealt with Hiyorimar here, although it wouldn't die, the Honkai Energy it had painstakingly gathered would absolutely scatter into the surrounding space.

At that time, the Decade Stigmata, which automatically absorbed Honkai Energy, would definitely absorb a large amount of the surrounding Honkai Energy.

Gu Yu's main body was not yet in a safe zone. If he were to fall unconscious due to excessive Honkai Energy at this moment, who could guarantee that nothing would happen later?

As Gu Yu pondered his next course of action, Yae Sakura finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Hiyorimar sealed.

"Haa... it's over..."

Just now, she had recalled everything.

In countless cycles of reincarnation, she had been forced to watch Hiyorimar control her body, leading her, who harbored hatred towards the villagers, to end everything in Yae Village.

Therefore, upon seeing this terrifying demon finally subdued, Yae Sakura's heart completely relaxed.

But then, Yae Sakura fell into complete confusion.

She should have died five hundred years ago, but now, she was actually alive as a Pseudo Herrscher.

Kallen is dead, Rin is dead, everyone in the village is dead.

What's the point of her living on?

"Hmm, speaking of which, I've felt a gaze on me since a little while ago."

After putting away Hiyorimar's card, Gu Yu looked towards a giant ancient tree.

"Come out, I can feel you have no ill intentions. I won't attack strangers who aren't enemies."

"Mm, I understand."

Then, Yae Sakura, whose mind had been blank moments before, suddenly cried out when she saw the visitor floating out.

"Rin!"

In Yae Sakura's eyes, her sister Yae Rin, who should have died five hundred years ago, was floating out from behind the big tree like a ghost, timidly.

No, the Yae Rin now was undoubtedly a ghost.

"Sister, it's been a long time."

Seeing her elder sister, whom she had been gazing at for a long time, Yae Rin said with great comfort.

"You have finally been freed from this cycle of reincarnation."

Then, she looked at Gu Yu, who had undone his transformation, and bowed to him with utmost respect.

"Mister, whoever you are, thank you for everything you've done for my sister."

"If it weren't for you, my sister might still be tormented by that fox demon."

After saying this, Yae Rin's figure gradually became fainter.

She had been relying on her obsession, attached to the Stigmata space.

Being able to manifest a physical form, thank her benefactor, and bid farewell to her elder sister was already a miracle of miracles.

Sensing her end, Yae Rin closed her eyes with a smile.

"Sister, remember when Rin told you that she wanted to become an excellent Miko, right? Now, Yae Village is gone, so please forget that."

"If possible, Rin hopes you can pursue your own happiness. Whatever kind of happiness it may be, you have that right, now that you are free from the curse."

"Wait, Rin!"

Watching her sister's figure grow fainter and fainter, Yae Sakura stretched out her right hand as if trying to grab something.

"Then..."

"Farewell, sister."

After saying this, Yae Rin's consciousness began to fade.

And then...

"Um, I don't think I said this was free."

In the midst of this incredibly touching scene, Gu Yu uttered a line that completely ruined the mood.

"After all, I worked so hard for so long. How can I face myself without charging some interest?"

Then, he threw a blank card at Yae Rin.

"Let me tell you something."

"Miracles and magic are not free."

PS1: As usual, please vote.

PS2: A brief supplement to the protagonist's profile.

Gu Yu, born January 11, 2000. The country is obvious to everyone.

He is not Tsukasa Kadoya, so don't guess wildly...

Also, the name's origin is not the "Guyu" solar term. He is an only child, and he doesn't have a sister named "Lixia."

The name originates from [Gu] and [Yu], and he chose this name hoping to overcome his [Gu] (laziness/desire) and become a writer.

This is a name I placed great hope in [stares at the sky].