The Festival of Heroes… is a world-wide festival that takes place once
every ten years in the Friendship City, Hikari, the largest city in the
Human Realm and in the whole world.
It takes place from the 1st Day to the 30th Day of the Heaven month,
with many elaborate events held each day. The total number of
participants over the course of 30 days is almost ridiculous to count,
but the biggest crowd is on the final day… the 30th Day of the Heaven
month, where the main event of the Festival of Heroes is held.
On this day, the three rulers of the Human Realm, the Six Kings of the
Demon Realm, and the Supreme God of the God Realm… and lastly, the
God who created the world, the God of Creation, all gather in one place,
and it's a precious opportunity for ordinary people to see the pinnacles
of each realm with their own eyes.
The huge stage in the center of the Friendship City, Hikari… It is said to
be the place where the Treaty of Friendship was once made, and there
stood the three rulers, the Six Kings, the God of Creation and her
Supreme Gods… and lastly, Mitsunaga Seigi, the one who holds the role
of Hero this year. Finally, the last event of the Heroes of Festival was
about to take place.
Even with that gathering though, the Dragon King Magnawell is the only
one whose size doesn't allow him to enter the plaza where the stage is
located, so he participates by stretching his neck out from outside the
city.
This year marks the 100th time the festival has been held, and while the
events have changed over the years, only the final event has been
exactly the same for the past 1000 years, including the flow of events
for that day.
After the one who had the role of Hero gives their impressions of their
travels around the world, the representatives of each world give
speeches wishing for continued peace in the future.
In the Human Realm, the ruler of the country in charge of summoning
the Hero that year will give a speech, in the Demon Realm, the
Underworld King Kuromueina will represent the Six Kings, and in the
God Realm, the God of Time and Space Chronois will give a speech on
behalf of Shallow Vernal.
That was the way the Festival of Heroes had been concluded for a
thousand years, and everyone thought it would be the same this year.
However, that day… the world was shocked.
Using a Loudspeaker Magic tool, Mitsunaga Seigi conveyed his thoughts
as the one who holds the role of Hero regarding his memories of his
time in various places, and Ryze, Symphonia's King, followed with a
speech wishing for world peace.
Then, receiving the Loudspeaker Magic tool from Ryze, Kuromueina
made a speech for world peace as well. So far, the event of that day was
the same as before.
But then, just as Chronois was about to receive the magic tool from
Kuromueina, someone stopped her.
Yes, the one who stopped her was the world's God, Shallow Vernal.
Thereupon, Shallow Vernal rose from her luxurious chair before the
astonished Chronois, and calmly looking at the crowd, she spoke.
[…It has been a thousand years since the Treaty of Friendship was
signed. For all these times, I have kept my eyes on the world.]
Her voice echoed not only in the Friendship City, Hikari, but to the
entire world. This was truly an unusual situation.
Shallow Vernal has never spoken at any of the Festival of Heroes so far.
In fact, there are few people in the world who have even heard Shallow
Vernal's voice.
[The thousand years may not have been long for me, but the world has
changed a lot in that time. People from different species and different
places of birth live together, and even though there are still some
disagreements, everyone works to create a future together.]
At the sound of Shallow Vernal's beautiful and dignified voice, many of
the people unconsciously kneeled on the ground and bowed down their
heads. Some of the priests serving in the temple were moved to tears.
[It is truly noble and spectacular. Now, I truly believe… that I am glad to
have created this world… Thus, on this occasion, on the 1000th
anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, I give a "reward" to all the
inhabitants of the world. To each person in the world, I bestow upon
you a small miracle. A small boost of happiness for the future…]
At the moment Shallow Vernal announced this, the bodies of all living
beings in the world lit up for a moment. A small seed of happiness was
given equally to all living beings in the world created by Shallow Vernal.
They could be cured of an illness they had always been carrying, move
their body that has been immobilized due to a past injury, obtain an
item they desired by chance, or perhaps, have a little better luck than
before… It was such a gentle gift.
[…To those who live in the world I created. I hope that the world will
continue to be a gentle and peaceful place where we can all work
together as we do now… and I am hopeful that I can continue seeing
such a future.]
The events of that day would later be talked about for a long time as
"the Day of Miracles"… As for the reason why Shallow Vernal had done
such a thing, and the fact that it was an otherworlder who made her
think that "She was glad that she created the world"… only few people
know about it.
Stopping the loud alarm clock, I slowly raise my body up.
[…Hmmm.]
Still feeling a little sleepy, I stretched out and looked around the room,
which only had the bare minimum of furniture.
It has been two months… since I left the other world and returned back
to Earth. Considering the difference in the flow of time between this
world and that world, nearly two years should have already passed in
the other world.
Hmmm, I was actually planning to return to the other world sooner…
but completing the procedures to voluntarily withdraw from the
university, cleaning and organizing my room, and repaying my filial
duty to Uncle and Aunt had taken more time than I thought.
However, I've finally finished everything I could think of… and now, I'm
finally ready to move back towards that world.
Thinking about this, I took out a magic tool from my magic box that
resembled a magnetic compass. This magic tool, made with Shiro-san's
power, gives me the ability to teleport between the two worlds, and if I
use it, I can return to the other world right now.
What I feel is that I've kept my loved ones waiting for a long time, so I'd
like to leave right away… but I can't go back just yet because I received a
message via Eden-san saying how "they're coming to pick me up, so I
should wait until then".
No, I mean… It has already been quite a few days since I got that
message, but what exactly does it mean? Also, what's with this anxiety
I'm feeling?
It's just my imagination, right? There's no way that was the case right?
…It would be great… if "Kuro and Shiro-san aren't actually still in the
middle of arguing over who should pick me up"…