A Commonplace Story Of Overpowered Sorcerer

"Aren't you going to give me a name?" Aletia questioned Rio. Despite her deadpan, Rio could feel her sadness and disappointment from her quivering red eyes. It said that eyes were the window towards the soul, and Rio agreed with that sayings. However, Rio couldn't speak out his answer.

He decided to take out the recording artifact he found in the chamber before. His action confused Aletia and Liselotte, who was on the verge of giving Rio a piece of her mind from disappointing his girl.

"What are you doing?" Liselotte questioned Rio and stared at him quizzically. However, Rio ignored her and focused on Aletia.

"Do you remember about my previous words in regards to this artifact?"

Rio put aside her troubled mind and recalled Rio's previous world when he showed off the diamond-like artifact before. She nodded and replied, "You said about clearing my misunderstanding. But, I don't understand."

"Then, I allow me and this artifact to make you understand." Right after Rio said that, he poured a bit of his mana into the artifact, triggering it off.

The artifact shined, and suddenly an image was projected. Seeing the person that appeared there, Aletia opened her eyes wide in shock and murmured in a daze.

"…Uncle?"

Rio wordlessly embraced Aletia with one arm while pulled Liselotte into his embrace with his other arm. He knew what would happen next. Aletia would need their support. Hence, he did that.

Despite her confusion, Liselotte kept her silence and watched the recording.

It was unclear whether it was unconsciously or consciously, but Aletia was also gripping tightly the hands of Rio around her waist.

In front of those three, the person in the image recording―Aletia's uncle, Denreed Gardia Wespertrio Avatar slowly began to talk.

[…Aletia. Long time no see, I wonder if saying that is a little wrong. I think that you are surely hating me. No, surely word like hate will not be enough at all. What I did...Hah, that's not it. This is not what I want to say. Even though I have been thinking of various things, now that the time has come to leave my last will I cannot speak smoothly.]

While making a self-deprecating wry smile, Denreed pulled himself together by clearing his throat.

[That's right. First let me say my thanks. …Aletia. Surely, right now on your side there should be someone who you are trusting from the bottom of your heart. At the very least, that person must be a strong person who could obtain metamorphosis magic and able to challenge the true Great Orcus Labyrinth, a person who didn't abandon you from the guardian that I prepared and rescued you.]

Rio's eyes were closed. As though to listen to those words, or possibly to lament the departed.

[…You. You there who is close to my beloved niece. I wonder if you are male? Or else are you female? For Aletia, what kind of existence are you? Are you her lover? Are you her friend? Or do you become her family, or her comrade? My apologies that I cannot meet you directly to say my thanks, but I still want to say it no matter what. …Thank you. For saving this child, for being close to her, thank you. I offer you my greatest gratitude in my whole lifetime.]

Aletia didn't even twitch. What Rio could see were only her glittering golden threads that were sparkling from reflecting light.

[Aletia. Surely many questions are flooding inside your c.h.e.s.t. Or else, perhaps you have already know the truth. Just why, that day, I hurt you, and buried you inside that bottom of darkness? What kind of existence are you, and who is your true enemy?]

The story that was talked from there was the facts that only Rio who already knew and speculation that didn't miss from the truth.

Namely, that Aletia was born as a special being, and she was aimed by Ehit. Denreed who noticed that pretended to kill Aletia in his coup d'etat with the disguise that he was blinded by greed, he then sealed her in the Depth of Great Orcus Labyrinth, the room where she was sealed itself was a hidden place that could fool even the god. The sealing of Aletia was also a bitter choice for him so that her presence couldn't be possibly detected even for a bit.

[I was hesitating whether to tell you the truth or not until just before that day. But, for the sake of deceiving those guys with certainty, I judged that I shouldn't tell you. I also thought that if you hate me, then that would be a motivation for you to live.]

Surely Denreed also couldn't stay for long in the sealing room. That was why, after pretending to kill Aletia at the palace, there was no doubt that there was also no time for him to talk with her. Just how filled with bitterness that choice that he made? It was shown by the strength of his hand clutching at the other side of the image.

[Even so, it doesn't change that I had hurt you. I won't say anything like your forgiveness after this late. However, I want you to please believe only this. I want you to know this.]

Denreed's expression changed from anguish, into an expression of smiling while crying. That look was overflowing with gentleness and kindness, at the same time, it was also filled with a hopeless sadness.

[I love you, Aletia. I love you from the bottom of my heart. I have never thought of you as bothersome, not even for once. ―I thought of you as my daughter.]

"…Un, cle. Uncle Den. I―I too…*Sob* ― *Hicks―Hicks* ― *Sob*..."

Thought of you as a father. That feeling was flowing down along with the tears that traced through her cheek, unable to form into words. But, the strength of the hand that was clutching Rio's hand conveyed that feeling more eloquent than anything. At the same time, Liselotte had her hand on Aletia's head, combing her golden hair softly as if she was trying to console her. Liselotte was accompanying Aletia in crying.

[I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything but to entrust you to someone in the future. I'm sorry that I act like a pathetic father.]

"…Such things―"

What was in front of their eyes was a recording of the past. It was nothing more but Denreed's last will. But, such a thing was irrelevant. Aletia couldn't help but yell no matter what.

Something shining was gathering at the corner of Denreed's eyes. But, he didn't let that flow by any means. While enduring tightly, he spun words toward his beloved daughter with all his heart.

[I wanted to be at your side, seeing your figure when you grasped your own happiness someday. It was my secret dream to punch the man standing at your side once. And then, after that, I wanted to exchange sake with him, and say "please take care of my daughter". It was the partner that Aletia chose. Surely, he would make a firm promise with a serious face.]

Denreed was looking at far away as though seeing a dream at the other side of the image. By any chance, there might be the Aletia of the past at the direction of his gaze.

[It will be the time soon. There are more things that I want to talk, various things that I want to convey but…with my creation magic, I can only make an artifact of this degree.]

"…no-, I don't wanna―*Sob*. Un― *Hicks* ―Father!"

Denreed smiled wryly at the approaching limit of the recording, to that Aletia reached her hand while crying. Her uncle, no, her father figure's―someone who took care of her after her real parents' death―deep and deep affection, and that tragically tough resolve fiercely shook Aletia's heart, indescribable feelings were overflowing out.

Rio hugged Aletia even tighter as he felt tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. When he read this scene, in the epilogue of Arifureta, even someone like him was touched. But, watching it in the real life... the impact made even someone like him almost pouring his tears. No, he was already crying. And Liselotte joined them, crying together with them.

[I cannot be on your side anymore, but even if this life is about to run out I'll continue to pray. Aletia. My beloved daughter. I wish for infinite happiness to shower above your head. For you to walk a path that is warmer than sunlight, and gentler than moonlight.]

"…Father―"

Denreed's gaze wandered. Surely that was because he was imagining the person who was being close with Aletia.

[To you who is very close with my beloved daughter. It doesn't matter what kind of shape it is. Make that child, to be the happiest girl in the world. Please, I beg you.]

"…Naturally. I swear it with my life."

"Yes... Don't worry. Please rest in peace, Sir Denreed."

There was no way Rio's and Liselotte's words reached him. But, without any doubt, Denreed was smiling in satisfaction. Surely he was convinced of how the person, or people, in this case, in the future who listened to his words would answer. In various senses, he was a preposterous, presumptuous, and arrogant person. Perhaps it was just as expected from Aletia's father figure.

The recording was fading down. Denreed's figure melted into empty air. It was as though his soul was going away…

Rio, Liselotte, and Aletia were snuggling to each other so close that they wouldn't separate no matter what while gazing straight ahead while weeping silently, there the last words of Denreed resounded.

[…Farewell, Aletia. I wish that the whole world that is surrounding you, to be filled with happiness.]

Inside the sealed chamber on fiftieth floor of the real Great Orcus Labyrinth, Aletia's heart-wrenching crying voice was echoing. It contained sadness. However, that was not all there was to it, it was a voice that was choked with warm tears of gratitude. That warmth gently enveloped Rio and Liselotte.

Aletia rotated her body and clung to Rio's c.h.e.s.t. Liselotte also hugged her while rubbing her back. There Aletia vented her emotion to her heart's content.

It was unknown how long time passed like that.