Johan stands several steps away from the large working desk inside the King's Chamber. Stacks of documents remain open on the table, some pages not yet touched. The pen is still in Krieger's hand, yet his hand no longer moves.
Krieger stares at the red-haired man before him with widened eyes. His face appears tense.
Johan slowly walks closer.
His steps are calm.
The sound of his footsteps echoes clearly in the room that suddenly feels far quieter.
"You know, your previous game truly played me, Krieger," Johan says in a flat tone.
He continues walking.
The distance between them grows smaller.
Johan stops briefly, then resumes his steps.
"Do you know?" he continues. "I played you afterward, Krieger."
Krieger swallows.
The hand holding the pen slowly lowers onto the desk.
He tries to remain calm, yet it is obvious his thoughts are scattered.
Johan, however, continues approaching casually.
His expression does not change.
"However," Johan says again, his voice still calm, "I did not expect the World Enemy to appear this early."
He stops several steps from the desk.
His gaze fixes directly on Krieger.
"And that will be the final day for him."
Krieger reacts immediately.
"W-What do you mean?!" he asks quickly.
His foot steps one step back from the desk.
"What do you want?!" he continues with a louder voice.
The room falls silent again after the question.
Johan simply watches him for a few moments.
Then he walks again.
One step.
Two steps.
Now he stands close enough directly before Krieger.
"What do I want?" Johan replies quietly.
He raises both eyebrows slightly.
"My delayed plan," he says.
Johan stops directly in front of him.
"And I will continue it."
Slowly, Johan raises his hand.
His movement appears relaxed.
He folds his middle finger behind his thumb.
Johan tilts his head slightly.
A faint smile appears on his face as he looks at him.
"Goodbye," he murmurs quietly.
The cynical smile remains clearly visible on his face.
C-TAST—
A sharp flick lands directly on Krieger's temple.
His consciousness disappears instantly.
---
At last, Rose arrives in the region of Lumineth.
Before her stretches a vast green field. The grass grows neatly and healthily, moving gently whenever the wind blows. Her hair moves softly with each step she takes.
Across the green expanse, roses and jasmine grow in great numbers. The red of the roses stands vividly among the white jasmine scattered across nearly the entire field, beneath a bright blue sky. White clouds drift slowly following the wind, accompanied by a rainbow stretching across the horizon, curving from one side of the hills to the other.
Rose stops walking.
She takes a deep breath.
The air entering her lungs feels light and fresh.
Rose exhales slowly.
She inhales again.
Then exhales once more.
The wind blowing across the field carries a soft fragrance of flowers.
Rose looks around.
A field arranged like a garden filled with various plants. Some flowers shine bright yellow, others purple, blue, and even red.
Several dirt paths cut across the field, forming small roads used by visitors and villagers to walk through.
Along some paths, many people stroll calmly. Some are villagers carrying small baskets filled with gardening tools. Others are clearly visitors. Their clothing varies, suggesting they come from many different regions.
Several couples walk slowly while speaking quietly to each other. Small groups stop to observe the flowers growing along the paths.
Not far away, several children run across the grass. They run in circles while laughing joyfully. Their laughter is clear, yet strangely it does not disturb the calmness of the place.
Several adults stand nearby, watching them while occasionally calling their names so they do not run too far.
A little girl runs across a dirt path, chasing a butterfly flying low above the jasmine flowers.
"Hey! Don't go too far!" a woman's voice calls from behind.
The children only laugh before running back toward their parents.
Rose watches all of it.
The laughter and playfulness of the children blend with the soft sound of the wind moving across the field.
Rose lifts her gaze slightly.
Small hills stand in the distance, lined with a long mountain range beyond them, with the ocean visible along the horizon.
Rose stands still for a moment.
The wind blows again, gently moving her hair.
She begins walking again, following one of the dirt paths across the field. She walks between small gardens arranged in different shapes. Some are filled with flowering shrubs, others with small plants neatly arranged into patterns.
Rose notices more people caring for their plants. An elderly woman waters flowers with a small bucket. A man trims dry leaves from a bush.
"…So peaceful," she murmurs.
Since arriving here, her shoulders feel far lighter.
Her mind, usually crowded with many thoughts, begins to feel calmer.
Rose raises her head and looks at the rainbow on the horizon.
Its colors shine clearly beneath the sunlight.
She walks past another garden, larger than the previous ones.
In this garden grow flowers much taller. Some nearly reach her chest, their striking colors blending beautifully with the green grass and the blue sky above.
Several butterflies fly among the flowers.
Their wings move slowly as they travel from one blossom to another.
Rose stops again.
She watches the butterflies for a moment.
Not far from where she stands, two small children stop near a tall rose bush.
"Look, there are so many butterflies!" one of them says with amazement.
The other nods quickly and slowly tries to approach so the butterflies will not fly away.
Several steps behind them, a man—likely their father—stands with a faint smile.
He does not stop them. He simply watches calmly.
Rose observes the small scene a little longer.
"…I cannot even remember the last time I saw this many butterflies."
The wind blows again, brushing through her hair.
Leaves from a large tree standing in the middle of the field move gently.
The trees rise tall and lush. Their trunks are thick and strong, with wide-spreading branches. Their leaves have many colors—some green, others orange and pink.
Several leaves slowly fall following the wind.
Rose looks toward the tree.
Around the large tree, several people sit on the grass. Some read books. Others simply lie down while watching the sky.
An elderly woman sits beneath the shade of another tree nearby, speaking with a visitor who seems to have just arrived.
Some people even bring snacks and sit casually on the grass, enjoying the view of the wide field.
Even though many people occupy the field, the atmosphere remains calm.
Rose observes everything briefly.
She walks and climbs slightly toward the large tree standing on the raised ground.
The closer she approaches, the cooler the shade from the leaves becomes as they block the sunlight.
The grass beneath the tree is thicker and softer, swaying gently with the wind.
Rose stops and immediately sits beneath the tree, stretching out her body on the grass.
The wind blows again through the branches.
The soft rustling of leaves can be heard.
Rose looks upward.
Orange and pink leaves move slowly above her head.
Several leaves fall free, some landing near her face, others on the ground around her.
Rose takes another breath.
The air she inhales feels fresher than before.
She exhales slowly.
"…Truly the paradise of the world," she murmurs softly.
Rose looks around again.
The vast green field.
Blooming flowers.
The blue sky with white clouds.
The rainbow across the horizon.
The gentle wind that continues to blow.
"…A place visited by people from across the world every day, always leaving their wishes here," she murmurs. "Perhaps it would not be wrong for me to make one."
Rose slowly closes her eyes.
Both hands rise to her chest and tighten into fists.
"For my brother… rest peacefully there…" she says silently, pausing for a moment. "I miss my friend… Will I meet him again… especially with him in this place."
Her clasped hands rise until they touch her forehead.
She inhales and exhales slowly, then opens her eyes.
For the first time in a long while, her head truly feels light.
Rose finally lies down beneath the tree among the grass nearby.
She places both hands behind her head as support.
Her gaze remains fixed on the sky.
The natural sounds around the tree are deeply soothing, and before long, she quietly falls asleep.