Caught up in a Hero Summoning, I arrived at another world, Trinia. At the end of the year, I was given an ordeal by the God of that world, Shiro-san, and with the help of many people, I was able to overcome the ordeal... and finished saying goodbye to the people who took care of me back in Earth, I returned back to this world.
Then, after I finished greeting my acquaintances and visited Shiro-san, she asked me for a revenge match... Unnn, nope, don't understand.
[...Errr, Shiro-san?]
[What is it?]
[A revenge match?]
[Yes. A revenge match. Just having this defeat frustrates me, so I'm going to win this time.]
[....]
It's not that this is the first time I've realized how much of an airhead Shiro-san is, but I still didn't expect this turn of events. If she's talking about a revenge match, does it mean that she's going to put me in another ordeal?
I thought that Shiro-san was somehow satisfied with the results of that ordeal but...
[No, that's "not what I was talking about".]
[...Yes?]
[It isn't a revenge match for that ordeal. As you thought, I'm satisfied with the result... although I'm still dissatisfied that you cleared it in one shot.]
You're still dissatisfied with one I cleared it in one try!? N- No, that aside, it doesn't seem to be related to the ordeal. Rather, it's not a revenge match for that ordeal?
...Then, what kind of revenge match is this?
[This revenge match is for when Kaito-san defeated me when we first met.]
[...E- Errr... that time when you gave me your blessing?]
[Yes. At that time, Kaito-san told me that "I couldn't give you what you really wanted".]
[...Yes, that really was what I said.]
When I first met Shiro-san, I certainly did tell her that when she told me that she could give me one thing I wanted.
[And thus, it's time for my revenge. Let's see if I really can't give you what you wanted, Kaito-san.]
[...H- Huhh?]
What is this? I can't read Shiro-san's intentions at all. It's just that, putting aside the Shiro-san back then, the current Shiro-san should know that I don't really want to become super powerful that much.
If that's the case, what is Shiro-san trying to give me? The only thing that comes to mind...
As I was thinking about this, Shiro-san lightly waved a finger in front of me... and for a moment, a blinding light enveloped the area. When the light cleared up———— I became lost for words.
[...Mom... Dad...]
[It's been a while, Kaito... Though I say that, we did just meet in that dream of an ordeal, didn't we?]
[How should I say this... This feels strange. For us, who were supposed to be dead, to be "resurrected" like this...]
[...Resur... rected?]
My mind can't keep up with the situation at all. The shock was so strong that I couldn't organize my thoughts. I was just dumbfounded, quietly parroting Mom and Dad's words, but with a slight smile on her lips, Shiro-san spoke.
[What are you surprised about? I'm a God. It's no big deal for a being such as I to bring a dead person back to life... negotiating the transfer of these two souls from Earth God was much more of a hassle though.]
[...Transferred from Eden-san... Then...]
[Yes, these two are undoubtedly Kaito-san's parents. They aren't just different people that had the same memories of the original.]
[!?]
Mom and Dad... were brought back to life? She did it so easily, as if it's something natural for her to do...
[Please leave the emotional reunion for later. I've already spoken to Lilia Albert beforehand, so I'll have her explain the future to the two of them.]
[Yes. Well then, Kaito, see you later!]
[...I can understand your confusion. I mean, even I don't fully understand it yet either... but well, just thinking how I can live together with Mom and Kaito... makes me happy.]
As Shiro-san lightly waved her hand again, Mom and Dad turned into light. Even with their disappearance though, my thoughts still hadn't regained its composure. However, there's one thing I'm sure of... It's that I could be with Mom and Dad again.
Little by little, I felt heat budding within me and tears dripping down my eyes. Is this alright? For such a happy thing to happen, for such an unbelievable miracle to come true...
[...And who would dare complain? I am the God of this world. My words are the rules.]
[...Shiro-san.]
[As long as I'm here, you don't have to worry about things like choices. You don't need to give up on anything. I have never been an impartial God. I will favor the one I like to the fullest. I will never give you a future other than one filled with happiness.]
Saying those words, an extremely smug smile appeared on Shiro-san's face... it isn't just my imagination, as a three-dimensional "Doya!" was literally floating beside her, which made me reflexively chuckle.
(T/N: ドヤ / Doya. Smug.)
Ahh, that's unfair... That's really unfair... There's no way... I can win against that...
Looking at me whose tears won't stop coming out, Shiro-san erased the letters floating beside her and gave me a beautiful and gentle smile that I couldn't help but admire.
[...How about that? Kaito-san, the thing that you wanted... was I able to give it to you?]
[...Yes.]
[That's great. In that case, I can finally say these words. I wasn't convinced that I would be able to say them without being able to beat you after all...]
[...Eh?]
[Kaito-san, you have taught me emotions. I love you... You, who had defeated the End that I am. Please make me... more special to you than before.]
Her voice was beautiful and filled with emotions, as if her previous lack of intonation was but a lie. The words she had weaved was a confession of love. Looking at the smile on her face that felt dazzling to my eyes, I slowly spoke my reply.
Even if she didn't resurrect Mom and Dad, I would have given her the same answer. However, unnn. What she did earlier made me realize it once again.
Shiro-san's thoughts and actions for me makes me so happy that my tears won't stop. And from the bottom of my heart...
[...Yes, with pleasure.]
...It was the best proof that I had fallen in love with this absurdly airheaded, yet sparklingly loveable God.
In the middle of receiving an explanation about the world from Lilia, Akari, Kaito's mother, suddenly turned her gaze out the window.
[...Mom?]
[No, it's nothing.]
Akari had come to this world before her husband, Kazuya. The reason for this is simple: Eden, who dotes on the life of every being in her world, was reluctant to hand over their souls to Shallow Vernal, "even if it was only for a limited time", and only Akari's soul, which they had agreed upon earlier, was loaned out a few months earlier than Kazuya's...
Akari thought about that time. Before she came to this world and met with Kaito, calling herself with the name Luce, she had a bet proposed to her by Shallow Vernal...
————As for me, I don't need to use your souls. It's easy to create a stranger who looks just like you. However, if I'm going to do something, I want everything in the scene to be perfect. That's why I decided to use the real you. I didn't expect that it would take so much effort though...
————What if he or I don't want to hinder Kaito's path?
————Nothing much, I guess I'll just create another person who looks like you. However, indeed... It's most time-consuming to prepare someone who acts exactly like you... so let's prepare some advantages for you both as well.
————Advantages?
————Yes, the likelihood of such a thing happening is low but... if Kaito-san "overcomes my ordeal in one try"... After the ordeal, I will prepare a time when you and Kaito-san can talk freely for a while... a time when "you can firmly make your farewells".
————!?
————I repeat, it matters not to me if you refuse. I have no interest in you two. You are but tools to make my ordeal for Kaito-san perfect. If you refuse, I will immediately return your souls to Earth God. That will also lessen the burden on me.
Yes, there was indeed such a conversation. At that point in time, Shallow Vernal held no intention of resurrecting Akari or Kazuya even if Kaito cleared her ordeal in one shot.
Akari understood that Shallow Vernal was only interested in Kaito himself, holding not a single interest in anyone related to him.
(...However, she had brought us to life. Shallow Vernal-sama spent two years negotiating with Earth's God to get her to agree to officially bringing our souls to this world.)
Akari had never met Eden herself, but she had understood that negotiating with her had been very difficult for Shallow Vernal, as she said that it was the most difficult part in her preparation for the ordeal.
She had stated as such when their souls were being lent. It should have been even more difficult, asking her to hand their souls over.
However, Shallow Vernal did just that. She turned her eyes, which had only been directed at Kaito, to her surroundings. Because she came to understand that "it was also a factor leading to Kaito's happiness"...
(...Kaito really is my pride and joy. He even changed the mind of that God...)
This result would not have come if Kaito had merely overcome Shallow Vernal's ordeal. Because Kaito had changed Shallow Vernal's heart... Because Kaito had taught Shallow Vernal, who had been seeking him for "her own happiness", about the "love" in which you desire for the happiness of the person you love...
Yes, it is because Kaito won over Shallow Vernal in the "true sense" of the word... that God performed a miracle.