The familiar room, the familiar stove, the familiar scent of cooking.
Though there was no possibility of staying here for long, sitting on the little stool still made Fujimaru Ritsuka let out a heavy sigh of relief.
As expected, having a relaxing "save point" like this during a journey was better.
"Fou!"
Fou cried out, leaping onto Gerda's shoulder and affectionately rubbing against her cheek.
"Oh my, Fou, you're so cute."
"But I still need to heat up the soup, so why don't you go play with everyone else?"
Gerda was startled a little, but quickly recovered. She lifted Fou off her shoulder and set him on the floor, smiling as she spoke.
"This place is very comforting."
With her hands folded before her, Brynhildr leaned against the doorframe, studying the furnishings inside the house.
"It truly is a warm place. Ah... if this world were normal, then this would surely be a wonderful place."
"But now..."
There was unmistakable sorrow in her eyes.
Clearly, she understood the nature of this Lostbelt.
—Naturally, she also knew how this Lostbelt would end.
"Big Sister Gerda..."
Norla stared at his ice-blue hands, helplessness showing in his eyes.
This world had always been like this.
Some people had done nothing wrong, yet were punished for it.
Others committed every evil imaginable, yet never paid any price.
—Ruslan, what was your reason for standing there?
What reflected in his eyes was a person's back.
Though he had not possessed even the slightest awareness at the time, he knew that someone had wailed and wept as they stood in front of him.
Even in the face of attacks from powerful magi, that person's body had been as fragile as paper, yet they had still remained there.
Why had you stood there then, only to stand