NOVEL NEXT Vol 05 Extra Final Episode The End of Cyril's Journey
Vol 05 Extra Final Episode The End of Cyril's Journey
We no longer lived in the small house Lucy and I once lived in. Now, we resided in a large mansion, built with the idea of accommodating two families.
Lucy had arranged a beautiful garden as part of her hobby, and I enjoyed sitting on the porch, relishing the scent of the flowers. Over thirty years had passed since the establishment of Erucy, growing from a mere village of two hundred people into a nation so large that no one would believe its humble beginnings.
Bell Erucy… the city I built as Erucy's bulwark, had evolved into one of the world's leading commercial cities. Lately, Lately, a thought had been crossing my mind. Maybe Erucy no longer needed me?
And perhaps, that thought was correct. After so many years, I had brought Erucy to a state where it could continue to prosper even without me. Once “The last task” was done, I planned to retire and live leisurely with Lucy, Kuu, and the rest of my family. I wanted to travel aimlessly, slowly enjoying time. The day when such a leisurely life would be allowed finally seemed within reach.
「Cyril, what are you brooding over?」
「It's rare to see you so lost in thought, Cyril-kun.」
Lucy, the elf, and Kuu, the fire fox, my beloved wives, approached with tea and cookies. Both the elves and the fire foxes don’t show signs of aging, so the two of them remained as beautiful as ever.
「Well, I can be contemplative too. Who would've thought that little Kuuna would bring home a fiancé?」
「Cyril, you appeared calm, but you must have been panicking inside, right?」「You especially doted on Kuuna, after all.」
「She was the youngest and was always so attached to me. To think that Kuuna is now old enough to marry… I don't want to get older… I remember when she used to interrupt my work just to cling to me, saying she wanted to be Daddy's bride.」
I smiled faintly. Kuu and Lucy sat down beside me.
The three of us enjoyed cookies and tea together, basking in the peacefulness of the moment. The daughter that I had with Lucy had long since married. With Kuu I had three children – a set of twins, a boy and a girl, and our youngest daughter, Kuuna. The twins were still single but had already left the nest, each focused on finding their path in life. Kuuna, who I thought was still a child, suddenly ran away from home and then returned to Erucy with a fiancé. I rigorously trained them for about two months, and just yesterday, I saw my daughter off with her fiancé. I figured I deserved to spend today lost in thought.
「By the way, Cyril, you were really serious when fighting with that boy, Shouji. You should have let him shine a bit since Kuuna was watching.」
「…Actually, I had thought about that too.」
The young man called Shouji was strong. I approved of their engagement because I believed he could protect Kuuna, and I spent two months imparting all the skills I could to him.
Before he left Erucy, he asked me to fight him with all my might. Technically, he was on par with me. His physical abilities were probably superior to mine, now in my mid-forties and starting to show signs of decline. But I didn't feel like losing. There was a flaw in him that wasn't related to technique or physical prowess.
However, to boost his confidence, I planned to hold back at the end and let him win.
「But I couldn't do it. There wasn't any room for that. If I had let my guard down, I might have been killed. So, I had to go all out and ended up winning.」
That was the truth. For the past ten years, the thought of losing hadn't even crossed my mind. He truly was a reliable man.
「Cyril-kun, you seem in high spirits.」
「It's much better that the man taking away my daughter is strong rather than weak. Anyway, I enjoyed the time he was here… Now, there's nothing left for me to regret. Well, except for that last big task.」
That task was about the seal of the Erna, that Suzina entrusted to me before I underwent 【Samsara Recursion】that day. Despite all the efforts Ashno and I made, we could only prolong the life of the seal. Now, thirty years later, its limit had arrived.
Of course, it's not like I hadn't prepared any countermeasures. While the seal was on the brink of breaking, it also presented an opportunity to address the root cause of the seal. Neither my power alone nor the power of Erucy was sufficient. The key lay in my youngest daughter, Kuuna, and the man she chose. I intended to help them with that. I chewed on a cookie. My wives' baking was as exquisite as ever.
「By the way, it arrived safely. The remnants of the weapon Shouji-kun broke.」
「Thank you. That guy, after all the help I gave him, he breaks the weapon in just one fight.」
One of the reasons Shouji had come to Erucy was to learn blacksmithing from me. The magical spear he envisioned had a very interesting structure, and it stirred my blood.
He couldn't have completed it alone. So, I helped him finish it… and yet, he broke it. I had ordered my subordinates to collect the fragments, and it seemed they had finally arrived.
「As their master, I should provide them with some unsolicited help. I haven't given them an engagement gift yet, so this is a perfect opportunity.」
I would repair and improve the magical spear for him, showing him the greatness of his father-in-law. He's a sore loser, so when he sees the difference in our skills, he'll surely feel vexed. I'll also include a little mischief. Who knows, it might even save his life one day.
「Ah, Cyril, you're making a mischievous face.」
「Well, who knows what you're talking about.」
My afternoon plans were set. I was starting to look forward to it.
「Cough!」
I coughed. Blood spilled from my mouth. My body wouldn't last much longer. Originally, I only had about fifty years of lifespan, and I had suffered too much from the backlash of 【Samsara Recursion】.
「I want to wrap up various things quickly. After finishing everything, I planned to go on a leisurely trip with the three of us, but it seems that my time is running out.」
「Don't say such ominous things.」
「That's right. We need you to live much longer.」
「Yeah. I might even want another child soon.」
「Ah, me too, Lucy-chan.」
The two of them were concerned about me. I smiled.
I couldn’t die just yet. …Suddenly, I found myself thinking about the past “Me”.
【Samsara Recursion】
Over and over, being reborn with my memories intact, I've lived many lives. If I wanted to, I could embark on a new life again. But no, that was enough. I wanted to live as Cyril, and die as Cyril. I wanted to spend my time with Lucy and Kuu and die alongside them.
I felt sorry for “Me”, but I was satisfied now. There would be no more 【Samsara Recursion】. All my past selves died with some regret. That's why I, Cyril, would end this life without any regrets. That would be my tribute to all the others “Me”.
「Lucy, Kuu, think about where you'd like to travel. I'll finish everything within a year. Then, we'll enjoy a happy retired life.」
I stand up. Now, let's finish the last task. To add a flourish to the best life I've ever lived.
TN: ‘Elf Tensei' concludes here, but the story extends into ‘Cheat Majutsu de Unmei wo Nejifuseru.' In this series, Kuuna, Cyril's youngest daughter, emerges as one of the main heroines. You'll also see adult Cyril and his family, albeit in more secondary roles. If you're interested, you can follow the story at this Syosetsu link: [https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8925cq/]. I had considered translating this series as well, but another group has already started. However, if they discontinue their work and there's still interest in the novel, I may pick it up in the future.
That's all from me. I hope you enjoyed ‘Elf Tensei' and feel that my translation has done justice to this wonderful series.