Erebus became a pillar of light and was forcibly returned to the heavens.
This time, adventurers could still see that beam.
But unlike the last time—when fear spread like plague—this time, only cheers echoed.
Everyone knew exactly what it meant: the god who had brought the Great Feud to Orario was gone.
Good riddance. Good riddance!
"Please wait."
After the farewell, Astraea called out to Shadow.
…Was he recognized?
Cid's thoughts flickered, but he turned around as if nothing was wrong.
He had absolute confidence in his disguise. Absolute confidence in his acting.
If the "extra" identity was slowly being exposed, it wasn't because his performance was bad—it was fate's fault.
So yes. He remained confident.
"Shadow… you resemble someone I know."
Astraea studied him, searching for familiar traces.
And failed.
Body shape, gait, even the way he spoke—everything was different.
And Cid had lived by her side for years. If they were the same person, she would have recognized him.
So… was she overthinking it?
"Heh. Goddess, your way of flirting is antique. A goddess of justice should have more important things to do, shouldn't she?"
Shadow stayed unmoved. He wasn't about to get baited by a probe like that.
If he ever revealed it, it would be on his terms. Being found out would be an unforgivable failure for "Shadow."
"What will you do next? The 'Greatest Evil' method can't be used forever."
Astraea had already set aside that odd suspicion and turned to the future.
Orario had just survived a war. What it needed now was recovery.
Another Great Feud wouldn't make Orario stronger—it would push it into a real abyss.
"I have my way. Not your concern."
Shadow turned to leave—
and was stopped again.
"Please wait. I have a child in my familia… someone somewhat similar to you."
"Oh?"
"One day, it may be him who stands before you, as your opponent. I hope you'll look forward to it."
In Astraea's eyes, given the level of magical talent this man displayed, he might be the only one capable of touching that "false daylight" realm again.
Even against a foe this unfathomable, Astraea would trust her own child.
And perhaps… a worthy opponent would give this solitary Shadow something to anticipate.
Because right now, he looked… alone.
…
Shadow had no words.
You want "Extra" to fight "Shadow"?
This wasn't about winning.
This was about whether it was even possible.
Then, Shadow remembered Filvis's duplication curse.
Maybe he really did need to research it—test whether "Extra" and "Shadow" could exist at the same time.
Otherwise, even if Astraea's suspicion was dispelled for now, the future was uncertain.
"An opponent, huh? That does sound… exciting."
Shadow jumped off Babel and vanished into the morning light.
A leap of faith.
Alicia was exhausted. "Slaying a dragon" was not something you joked about.
She forced herself through a wash, eyelids drooping, body swaying.
But she still staggered to the shelter.
"Cid! Your big sister is here!"
Her mental state was in ruins—so she yelled it out in public.
Civilians who hadn't left yet turned their heads, curious.
Orario's losses were immense. Not just people—homes, streets, everything.
Some had nowhere to go and simply stayed in the shelters.
Alicia was famous. Plenty of people here recognized her, and some had been personally helped by her.
Her reputation was consistently excellent—because she was consistently doing good.
But civilians didn't know much about adventurers' internal affairs.
Now they whispered.
"So the Crimson Flower of Justice has a little brother?"
"She does… that guy, what was his name again?"
"They're really close."
"Too close, maybe? Being her brother sounds exhausting."
Alicia ignored them and searched for Cid.
Cid had already arrived twenty minutes ago—instant costume swap right after the leap.
He'd been ready to greet her.
But Alicia shouting in public made him reluctant to step forward.
It wasn't about embarrassment—Cid never cared about that.
It was about attention.
Alicia had become the focal point. If he walked up, he'd become one too.
Remaining an "extra" among civilians was his last line of defense.
…But Alicia was visibly about to collapse.
With a quiet sigh, Cid stepped in and caught her.
"Cid…?"
Once she confirmed it was him, Alicia relaxed completely—and fell asleep on the spot.
"My extra life…"
Cid sighed again, carrying her out under the civilians' kind, curious stares.
If he forced himself to be optimistic, maybe they still wouldn't remember his face.
Maybe they'd only remember that Alicia was… dangerously doting.
Guildmaster Royman breathed in the air of victory, yet his heart felt heavy.
Orario had won, but the cost was brutal.
Without two or three years, the city wouldn't return to its former prosperity.
"We have to push adventurers back into the Dungeon. We have to take more commissions. Orario must remain the world's center."
For years, Orario had been the world's center. He would not let that end in his era.
"…And who did this?!"
Royman spotted two scars that stretched beyond sight—straight out of the city.
Magic blast lines. Carved across Orario and continuing into the distance.
"Report! This was the magic of Cid Rofiel—formerly Astraea Familia, now Hestia Familia. Do we… make him pay damages?"
"Are you insane? If a method wins the war, we use it. If we demand compensation afterward, who will ever bleed for Orario again?"
Royman's heart ached—but he wouldn't sabotage a contributor.
Asking a hunter to kill a bear and then revoking his license afterward was the sort of stupidity only fools committed.
"…Can we preserve one of these? The other goes through the commercial district—we must restore that quickly. But this one… we could leave it for a while."
Royman had a bold idea.
He'd seen plenty in his life, but even he rarely witnessed magic of that magnitude.
Keeping the scar could serve multiple purposes.
Orario had won, but in the hearts of outsiders, it might no longer feel like the untouchable center of the world.
He was going to send adventurers into the Dungeon partly to restore Orario's prestige.
If this scar remained, outsiders with ambitions could see it with their own eyes.
One: deterrence.
Two: …a tourist attraction.
"Finn said that young man is the next commander he's chosen."
"Then I'll help him build a name. Let's establish his authority early."
....
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