𝐁𝐲𝐞-𝐛𝐲𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝
『Hey, wake up!』
『Albero, hey!』
『Albero. . . . . .』
『Albero-kun, wake up.』
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Albero heard such a voice from somewhere.
When he slowly opened his eyes, there was. . . . . .his precious, first friends.
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“Ratts. . . . . .Howl. . . . . .Marlon. . . . . .Rachel.”
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Behind him, his classmates were present.
He remembered all their names. Though they hadn’t talked much, they were friends from the same class.
Albero slowly stood up.
As he looked around, there was nothing. It seemed he was sitting in a completely white space.
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“Everyone. . . . . .what happened to us?”
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He spoke out, but no one responded.
Everyone just wore a gentle smile.
And then, he noticed someone behind Albero.
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『Albero-kun. . . . . .』
“Laby. . . . . .where is this?”
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Laby approached Albero and covered his mouth with her index finger.
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『We are leaving.』
“Eh. . . . . .where? I too. . . . . .”
『No. You. . . . . .can’t go yet.』
“W, Why. . . . . .?”
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Laby softly touched Albero’s chest and smiled gently.
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『You’re special. . . . . .that’s why, live.』
“What are you saying. . . . . .hey, Laby!!”
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Laby walked past Albero and joined Ratts.
Albero tried to follow but was stopped by an invisible barrier.
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“Ratts. . . . . .!!”
『Goodbye, Albero. Oh, take down that black jerk for me. And that. . . . . .secret book under the dorm bed, I’ll give it to you.』
“I don’t need it! Hey, wait. . . . . .hey!!”
『Hehe. Take care.』
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Ratts disappeared.
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『It was fun, Albero.』
“Howl. . . . . .Howl!!”
『Don’t cry. Well. . . . . .I’m glad I could protect you in the end.』
“What do you mean by that. . . . . .?”
『Hmm. Goodbye.』
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Howl disappeared as well.
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『Thank you, Albero. . . . . .I’m glad we were friends.』
“Marlon. . . . . .”
『Eat properly. . . . . .and take care of your health.』
“. . . . . .”
『Hehe~. I’m so hungry.』
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Marlon disappeared too.
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『Leave it to me. You. . . . . .take care of things over there.』
“Rachel. . . . . .”
『Hehe, I was annoying, wasn’t I? But. . . . . .it was all for you.』
“I know. . . . . .”
『Then it’s fine. Take care.』
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Rachel disappeared.
The other students greeted Albero and vanished one by one.
Finally, Laby was the last one left.
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『Albero-kun, take care.』
“Laby. . . . . .”
『You’re not dead. You’re special. . . . . .you haven’t realized your true power yet.』
“What. . . . . .?”
『You must live. For all of us. . . . . .』
“What do you mean. . . . . .I too. . . . . .”
『No. Fufu, do your best for everyone.』
“That’s. . . . . .too much.”
『It’s okay. I know you can do it. . . . . .』
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Laby approached the invisible barrier separating her from Albero.
And then. . . . . .she softly kissed him through the barrier.
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“Wha. . . . . .”
『Hehe. I’m embarrassed. . . . . .I have to say, you were my first love.』
“Eh. . . . . .?”
『First loves don’t come true. But. . . . . .I was content.』
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Laby began to fade.
She was smiling.
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『Thank you━━』
“Ah. . . . . .”
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Laby’s body disappeared, and Albero’s consciousness vanished as well.
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◇◇◇◇◇◇
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“───Ah.”
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When Albero woke up, he found himself sitting.
He felt a faint cold sensation. And then he realized. . . . . .there was a wall behind Albero, and nearby, trees and grass grew.
Glancing at the wall, it looked somewhat familiar.
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“Ah. . . . . .This is the Rushout family’s backyard.”
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It was the Rushout family’s backyard.
Albero stood up. After a long time, he was back at his favorite place.
And then───.
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『Mogu.』
“Ah, Mog. . . . . .so, did I. . . . . .die?”
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At his feet, there was a small black mole.
Albero gently picked up the mole and hugged it.
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“I’m sorry. . . . . .I died without achieving anything. . . . . .I couldn’t even fulfill our dream of living together in a peaceful place.”
『. . . . . .』
“But from now on, we’ll be together. Mogu. . . . . .”
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Albero held Mogu tightly.
And then───.
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『Albero. You are not dead yet.』
“───What?”
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He heard a voice.
And that voice. . . . . .came from Mog.
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『Albero. I. . . . . .want you to live. Live for the friends who lost their lives for you.』
“Mog. . . . . . your voice.”
『Albero. I. . . . . .loved being by your side and being held by you. It felt good when you petted me, and I got spoiled by you.』
“. . . . . .”
『Being with you in this form, for the rest of our lives, wouldn’t be bad. . . . . .that’s what I thought.』
“Mogu. . . . . .”
『Albero. I will unleash my true power. By doing so. . . . . .you’ll come back to life. And at the same time, you’ll gain 『power』. . . . . .Use that 『power』 to defeat the demons.』
“What. . . . . .”
『Call out my true name. By doing so. . . . . .all the true power sleeping in this temporary form will become yours.』
“Then. . . . . .what will happen to you?”
『I’ll disappear. But. . . . . .I won’t regret it. Even if my form or appearance changes, my heart, which loves you, will always be with you.』
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Mog said this, looking at Albero with its round eyes.
True power, true form. . . . . .Albero didn’t want any of that.
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“I don’t want that!! All I want is. . . . . .”
『Albero. Please live. . . . . .for the friend who saved you, for the girl who wished for your life, live.』
“Mog. . . . . .”
『Now, call out my true name───』
“───!”
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Albero called the name with trembling lips.
And he felt an immense power being released from Mog’s body.
Mog’s body became translucent.
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『Goodbye, Albero』
“Mog. . . . . .Mog. . . . . .I, I. . . . . .”
『Don’t cry. . . . . .Didn’t I tell you? Even if the entity known as me disappears. . . . . .my heart will always be with you. And of course. . . . . .with your friends too.』
“. . . . . .Yes.”
『Albero. Defeat the demon. . . . . .protect the peace───』
“Yes. . . . . .I understand!!”
『And━━Thank you for everything until now.』
“━━Yes.”
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Munch disappeared───and Albero’s consciousness faded away.
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◇◇◇◇◇◇
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Just before Esterize and Abel collided───both felt an overwhelming 『presence』 and stopped.
Esterize stood behind Abel, and Abel, in order to confirm 『something』 he felt behind him, confidently turned his back to Esterize. Even though he exposed himself like this, Esterize did not move. . . . . .There was something of such significance.
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“What?. . . . . .Hey, didn’t you die?”
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Abel was addressing. . . . . .without a doubt, the boy Albero, whom he thought he had killed.
A large hole was opened in his chest, and blood flowed from his entire body.
Yet. . . . . .only his eyes shone brightly.
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“Disgusting. . . . . .Die again!!”
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White flames were released from Abel’s hands, trying to engulf Albero.
But it didn’t happen. Because from the ground where Albero stood, a pitch-black 『rod』 rose and extinguished the white flames.
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“Ah, wha? Hey, my flames. . . . . .what’s with that rod?”
“. . . . . .”
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By now, everyone present was fixated on Albero.
The students, Esterize, the teachers watching through Faluo’s Summoned beast, and even the principal named Meteore who had flown in upon hearing the news.
Albero raised his shattered, blood-soaked right arm horizontally.
It creaked with just a movement, and blood dripped continuously. But Albero seemed unconcerned.
And then he proclaimed.
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“Come forth. . . . . .Mog. . . . . .no. . . . . .『Jabberwock』!!”
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Jabberwock.
The 『rod』 called by that name transformed.
It wasn’t just a pitch-black rod. The rod thickened, and the tip split into five.
It didn’t just split. It expanded, it moved.
It was five fingers. Five distinct fingers.
The fingers, moving like a creature, flew towards Albero. And then. . . . . .a gigantic pitch-black 『arm』 crushed Albero’s right arm.
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“Gaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh?!”
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The black arm devoured Albero’s arm.
At the same time, it transformed to replace the vanished arm of Albero.
It pulsated, turned into a skin similar to dragon scales, and the part from the upper arm forward transformed like it was wearing a gauntlet.
After all the changes─ Albero also transformed.
Offering the monstrous right arm, the skin on the right half of his neck turned black.
Right eye. The whites turned red, and the pupil turned gold━━ just like a Summoned beast’s eyes.
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“Hey, hey. . . . . .a transformation?”
“I. . . . . .”
“Huh?”
“. . . . . .I.”
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Albero was muttering something.
Abel tried to listen, tilting his head and straining his ears.
Then─ Albero moved.
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“I’ll never forgive youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!”
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Albero’s rushing right fist struck Abel’s face.
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