◇Great Sage Momo’s Reflection◇
“Fuwaaah~…” (Momo)
I make a big yawn.
This is my own residence in the capital of Symphonia.
Lately, I have only been awake for around 2 days of the 7 days in the week.
The reason is because I, as a half vampire, can charge more mana when I am asleep.
It would actually be faster if I were to drink the blood of people though.
I just can’t get myself to drink the blood of others proactively.
…Aside from that person, Makoto-sama.
—A long time has passed since the defeat of the Great Demon Lord, Iblis.
The human Anna-san and the elf Johnny-san are not here anymore.
Close to a thousand years have passed.
Only a limited amount of species can live for that long.
You would have to be an undead like me, or a dragon like the White Dragon Master.
Now that I think about it, I haven’t met the White Dragon Master for more than 500 years already.
She looked after me until I became a competent mage.
In the battle 1,000 years ago, I could only stand there all nervous.
I think I have become stronger than the me of that time.
I am being called the strongest mage of the continent after all.
“I have nothing to teach you now, Little One. From here on, call yourself the White Sage.” (Mel)
When White Dragon Master acknowledged me as a competent mage, she told me this.
The ‘White’ must mean that I am the disciple of White Dragon Master.
It seems like when the disciple of a mage grows competent, they give them something that’s related to themselves.
By the way, the White Dragon Master has become a legend of this continent, the Holy Dragon-sama.
That Ancient Dragon is the daughter of a Demon Lord though…
Of course, Makoto-sama is not here.
He left to the ‘future’.
After defeating the Great Demon Lord, we went around the world, and drove off the Demon Lords around in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, in the free time there was, he would try to clear the Deep Sea Temple.
What’s making that person so hurried?
But well, his attempts would always not go well, and he would always return with his shoulders drooped.
The Black Knight Cain who was always going with him disappeared when Makoto-sama left.
“See ya, Momo. Let’s meet again.” (Makoto)
The voice of Makoto-sama resonates again in my memories.
Those are the words he said to me while he patted my head for the last time.
It has been close to 1,000 years since then.
(…I want him to call me by my name again.) (Momo)
Lately, I have been seeing that dream often.
The Dark Era where demons and monsters filled the place.
It was scary, but those days I travelled together with Makoto-sama…
They are all nostalgic.
I want to live together with him again.
I want to talk to him.
I want to hear his voice.
…But I can’t.
I feel as if a stone weight was placed on my heart.
Let’s get some outside air.
I exited my residence.
◇◇
Midwinter night.
This cold would be painful to the skin for humans, but unfortunately, I as an undead don’t feel anything.
The sky shows a full moon.
The reason it is considered an ill omen is because of Queen Nevia from the Moon Country.
She is now called the Calamity Witch.
Now that I think about it, that witch said she planned on reincarnating in the future too.
What a problematic thing.
Even though she already tossed the world about so much in the past.
I had all sorts of emotions in me as I walked around aimlessly in the garden of the Highland Castle.
“Great Sage-sensei?”
I thought no one would be here at this time, but I was spoken to.
“Noel, huh.” (Momo)
Golden hair shining with the light of the stars, and her clear blue eyes.
The beautiful second princess of Highland.
(They look similar…) (Momo)
The Sun Oracle that looks like the mirror image of Anna-san.
I can understand why they say she is the reincarnation of the Holy Maiden.
“What brings you here at this hour?” (Momo)
“I couldn’t really sleep and was praying at the Great Church. Anyways…will the Great Demon Lord really resurrect in a few years…? What should I do when that time comes…?” (Noel)
She was looking here uneasy.
—The Great Demon Lord Iblis that ruled the world 1,000 years in the past.
The incident where the Oracles of each country got an oracle at the same time.
Since then, plans have been on the making to oppose the Great Demon Lord with the Sun Country as the center of it.
The Northern Expedition was one such plan.
Until then, there have been troubles between countries every now and then, but right now we are joining hands and preparing ourselves to face the resurrection of the Great Demon Lord.
Even so…
“That’s a talk for the future. Don’t get too caught up in it.” (Momo)
“Okay…” (Noel)
Princess Noel hangs her head down.
She must be anxious.
The Holy Maiden that was in the party of the Savior that saved the world.
The Legendary Hero that founded Highland.
The weight of being called the reincarnation of that must be too much for a girl in her teens.
“Uhm…can you tell me of the heroic deeds of the Savior-sama?” (Noel)
“Again…?” (Momo)
I let out a sigh.
The general public thinks that I have an Inherit Skill that allows me to receive the power and memories of the previous generation Great Sages.
But the reality is that I am the person herself and am an undead.
The highland royalty and a number of nobles know of this.
“Can’t be helped. I will tell you the story of when we defeated the Immortal King Bifrons.” (Momo)
“Yes!” (Noel)
She looked here with sparkly eyes.
(I actually was just watching how Makoto-sama and Anna-san defeated him though…) (Momo)
It pains me a bit.
But if this lightens the heart of Noel, I shall tell her as many times as she wants.
I speak of this epic while mixing a bit of dramatization.
After that, time passed once again and…
—A notice of otherworlders appearing had arrived.
The ones who appeared were the second Light Hero after Anna-san, and otherworlders with powerful Skills.
However, Makoto-sama wasn’t within the otherworlders that came to Highland.
But it is okay.
I have heard about it.
How to meet Makoto-sama.
◇◇
“Uhm…Great Sage-sama, are you really going through the trouble of going to Laberintos?”
“That’s right. Got a problem?” (Momo)
When I -someone who rarely comes out from my residence- went to the castle to tell them what I wanted to do, the King and the Prime Minister frowned.
“No no! There’s no problem at all! But even if a Taboo Dragon has appeared, I don’t think it is a matter that would require the Great Sage-sama herself to go…”
“It is my decision. If you are against it, stop me by force.” (Momo)
I glared at my surroundings, and the nobles and royals avert their gaze.
The ones here know that I am a member of the Savior’s party.
It is the authority that I rarely use, but I will use it when the chance requires.
“P-Pleasure working with you, Great Sage-sama.” (Sakurai)
The current era Light Hero, Sakurai Ryosuke, speaks to me with a nervous countenance.
The Hero that came from a parallel world.
(…Strong.) (Momo)
I could tell from the aura around his body.
I could tell that he has potential that can exceed Anna-san by a lot.
But as natural from someone that has just come to this world, he doesn’t know how to use his power.
“This will be your first campaign. If you are in trouble, I will help you.” (Momo)
“Thank you very much.” (Sakurai)
He is a polite good boy.
“Great Sage-sama…are you really going to Laberintos?”
“You are Highland’s strongest fighting force. Please reconsider…”
“I am done talking.” (Momo)
I closed the conversation forcefully, and accompanied the group in the subjugation for the Taboo Dragon that appeared in Laberintos.
—The first time I met you Momo was when you went with the future Light Hero to Laberintos.
The knowledge of the future that Makoto-sama told me about.
I definitely must not let this moment escape.
(I can finally…finally meet him…) (Momo)
I even felt as if my stopped heart was going to move.
And so, the Light Hero-kun splendidly subjugated the Taboo Dragon in Laberintos.
There were some dangerous moments, but it was acceptable as his first campaign.
And then…I found him.
◇◇
“Excuse the intrusion…”
Black hair, black eyes, and thin.
This single young man that gives a slightly unreliable impression and is a novice adventurer had entered my tent.
(……Aah.) (Momo)
I felt like crying.
I desperately try to stop my voice from coming out.
(We…finally meet.) (Momo)
I asked the Light Hero-kun, who is a friend of his, to call over the otherworlder Takatsuki Makoto.
The person that was judged to have the weakest Stats and Skills within the otherworlders.
Because of that, he wasn’t invited to the Sun Country.
Not only that, all of the countries judged him as someone unworthy and didn’t take him in.
Because of that, he stayed under the care of the Temple, and was on the verge of being forgotten.
This information reached my ears quite a long time after the otherworlders came to this world.
When I heard this report, I doubted whether this person was really that same Makoto-sama.
But…
(Aah… It is Makoto-sama…) (Momo)
There’s no doubt.
It is that same person in my memories.
“Come closer. It is hard to speak from there.” (Momo)
I desperately try to not let my voice tremble here.
The Makoto-sama in my memories was more bold, but the one in front of me seemed to be a bit nervous.
(I see… The Makoto-sama here doesn’t know about me…) (Momo)
Remembering this, I regained my calm a bit.
And then, I notice there’s two girls at the back of Makoto-sama.
(Aah, he has girls around him again…) (Momo)
I got a bit irritated there.
When I used Appraisal to check who these women were, I saw that one was a half-demon and the other a lamia monster.
Moreover, the red haired girl is the great-grandchild of Johnny-san!
I can’t let this one go…right~?
I gifted the red haired elf that is terrible at controlling mana with a magic tool, and I gave advice to the lamia girl that seems to not be familiar with the use of her Change Skill.
(…I ended up sending salt to the enemy.) (Momo) <TLN: basically means giving help to the enemy.>
A phrase I learned recently from the otherworlders.
It is apparently an aphorism from the homeland of Makoto-sama.
Even so, it has been a millennia since I managed to talk to Makoto-sama.
Aah, I want to talk to him more.
◇◇
After that, I would find any chance I could get to meet Makoto-sama.
Or so I say, but as the Great Sage, it was difficult to create that opportunity.
That person, every time I met him, he would get stronger.
He managed to utilize a Great Water Spirit in an instant.
Saved every country he went to.
And even defeated a Demon Lord.
He was becoming the Makoto-sama I know.
And then…Makoto-sama finally travelled 1,000 years to the past.
I am sure he will save the past human me.
And then, I will fall in love with him.
I have been in love with him for 1,000 years…all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time all this time.
I am now in front of the black coffin deep in my residence.
“Just when…are you going to wake up…?” (Momo)
I mutter powerlessly.
When I opened the coffin, there was Makoto-sama frozen inside with ice magic.
Ice that is being protected by a Great Water Spirit.
I can’t melt it.
“It has already been…1,000 years, you know…?” (Momo)
I touch the ice.
It is hard, inorganic, and doesn’t have any warmth at all.
“When are you waking up…?” (Momo)
No response……or at least that’s how it was supposed to be.
“Shrimp? Are you crying?”
“?!”
A blue skinned beautiful woman suddenly appeared in front of me.
I, as an undead, can’t see Spirits.
But a Great Spirit that’s a mass of mana is a different story.
“Undine…?” (Momo)
“In the short time I haven’t seen you, you now have quite the grandiose appearance.”
It seems she is talking about my Great Sage outfit.
“What’s ‘short’ about this?!” (Momo)
I ended up shouting.
A 1,000 years is ‘short’?!
This is why Spirits who have no sense of time are just…!
No, right now that’s not important.
(That Dia showed up must mean…!!) (Momo)
I hurriedly returned my gaze to the coffin.
“Ah…Aaah…” (Momo)
The ice that didn’t melt for 1,000 years was disappearing without a trace.
My ears picked up the *thump thump* from the palpitations in Makoto-sama’s chest.
Slowly…very slowly, Makoto-sama opened his eyes.
◇Takatsuki Makoto’s POV◇
(Takatsuki Makoto, order the Great Water Spirit to freeze you. Then, you can just wake up 1,000 years later.)
The instruction of the Destiny Goddess-sama was truly sloppy.
“Cold Sleep, huh…” (Makoto)
It is not like I didn’t think of this.
Or more like, I thought that was the only way.
What’s scary is that I am defenseless while I am sleeping.
Also, the point of ‘can I properly wake up 1,000 years later?’.
(It is okay! Have Momo-chan watch over you while you are in your cold sleep.) (Ira)
“Have Momo keep watch?” (Makoto)
“Me what…?” (Momo)
The Great Sage-sama made an anxious look at my mutter.
“Momo, I leave myself to you!” (Makoto)
“Eh, y-yes! I don’t understand that well, but leave it to me!” (Momo)
She responded energetically.
She is a good girl…
I will explain to her properly later.
“What should I do to wake up 1,000 years later?” (Makoto)
(Ask the Great Water Spirit.) (Ira)
“Momo won’t do?” (Makoto)
(Momo-chan won’t be able to undo the spell of the Great Water Spirit. It is either you wake up yourself, or have the Great Water Spirit wake you up.) (Ira)
I see.
“Dia, can you wake me up 1,000 years in the future?” (Makoto)
“I don’t have a sense of time, so I am not that confident… Is 1,000 years around the amount of time the Divine Realm War happened?” (Dia)
(That’s 15,000,000 years ago.) (Ira)
“…”
“…”
Not good.
Looks like it will be hard for Spirits to have a sense of time.
15,000,000 years ago is the mythological era.
It wouldn’t be funny to continue sleeping for 15,000,000 years.
(Can’t be helped~. I will teach you Destiny Magic. Learn timer magic.) (Ira)
“There’s such a spell?” (Makoto)
(There’s not. I will create it for the sake of you, Takatsuki Makoto.) (Ira)
“…Sorry for the trouble.” (Makoto)
(Fufufu, be grateful!) (Ira)
And so, I was taught magic directly from the Destiny Goddess-sama.
Then…the day I was going to Cold Sleep.
There’s Johnny-san and Mel-san obviously, Volkh-san, Julietta-san, and the people of Laberintos seeing me off.
Momo was in a permanent state of tears, and it made me feel extremely bad.
And Anna-san is…angry.
“It would have been fine to stay together for a bit longer…” (Anna)
She said this with puffed cheeks.
But I have told her for a long time already that I would be going back to the future.
She has also accepted it.
She saw me off with a smile at the end.
“Well then, I will be going.” (Makoto)
I give my farewells to everyone of the past.
Anna-san, who had recovered from her bad mood, approached me.
“Makoto-san… Do you remember the promise?” (Anna)
“I do.” (Makoto)
“I won’t forgive you if you forget it, okay?!” (Anna)
Saying this, I was sent off by Anna-san.
That sad smile and the crying face of Momo were my last memories.
◇◇
When I slowly opened my eyes, an orange light entered them.
A dark ceiling spread before me.
The fires of candles were waving at the corner of my vision.
“…Uuuh…”
I could hear the crying of someone.
It was from right by my side.
Someone is closeby.
“…Ma…koto…-sama…”
A small white haired girl.
But it is not the Momo of the past that I remember.
It is the Great Sage that saw me off in the Great Church of Highland.
But the way she was burying her face on my chest and trembling slightly really is that very same Momo.
She was waiting for me.
All this time, for 1,000 years.
My body feels heavy.
Even opening my mouth was a chore.
I have been sleeping for 1,000 years.
Of course that would be the case.
But I had to say it.
I have to convey my gratitude.
“Momo…I am back.” (Makoto)
I somehow manage to squeeze out words.
“I have been waiting…always…” (Momo)
The voice of Momo was raspy.
“Thanks.” (Makoto)
I move my heavy arm and gently pat Momo’s head.
And in this way, I managed to return to 1,000 years in the future…to the present.
■Author Comment (10th arc afterword):
And so, this is the end of the 10th Arc of the Zero Believer’s Goddess.
How was it?
The amount of words for this arc are enough that even one book wouldn’t be enough, but I lost my sense of limit in the 10th arc, and stuffed in what I wanted to write.
So I say, but at first it was a plot where they defeated the Demon Lords one by one, so I trimmed it quite a lot.
In the middle I got anxious thinking ‘Can I finish writing this?’ and somehow managed to make the past peaceful.
From here on, I will be giving details about a number of characters of the 10th Arc.
[Momo = Great Sage-sama]
10th Arc’s Main Heroine.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I wrote the 10th Arc because I wanted to write the Epilogue of the 10th Arc.
But the heroine power of Anna-san increased by the latter half and she was being pushed away.
But Momo will have a spotlight in the last arc, so it should be okay.
The present has a lot of rival heroines, so it might be tough though.
I have uploaded an illustration of Momo on twitter, so please do check it.
It is the scene of ‘Come closer’.
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