The Executed Sage Reincarnates as a Lich and Begins a War of Aggression

She was knocked out of her stance mid-air and landed without successfully attacking me.

She staggered a little and looked down at the arrow stuck in her chest.

Her face contorted as she came to a realization.

“I see… This is…”

“It’s the arrow that killed you back then.”

I said succinctly.

The arrow I fired was the one used during her execution dozens of years ago.

Before the battle began, I managed to find it after scouring through the Valley of the Dead.

To others, it was just a typical rotten arrow.

But for her, the very person whose life was lost to that arrow, it was a product of causality.

The arrow contained the concept of “a hero slayer.”

It possessed a magical meaning and acted as a sort of curse.

The arrow and the hero were connected through causality.

Once unleashed, it possesses a homing power that would take her life.

The fact that she had an immortal soul didn’t matter. 

That causality of death was just that strong.

It would activate and ignore the characteristics of the soul.

The reason I didn’t use it until now was due to the possibility of her blocking it.

I wanted to use it during extreme conditions where neither of us had leisure to spare.

Therefore, I saved it until now.

“…I feel a little tired.”

She lowered her sword as she confessed.

I couldn’t feel her fighting spirit anymore.

She seemed to have admitted defeat.

As she touched the arrow, she smiled slightly.

“It really is a precise measure. Now that I think about it, your measures have helped me countless times. I get to taste it personally this time, though…”

Her words were tinged with nostalgia.

She must have recalled the days of our journey.

Back then, I also served the role of a tactician.

During our battle against the Demon Lord’s Army, I devised all our plans and strategies, and she acted accordingly.

Even during our clash against a strong demon, I thoroughly came up with countermeasures before we proceeded into battle.

In that manner, I had contributed to the victory of the hero from the shadows.

She and I confronted each other now.

She spun her words without feeling any pain from the arrow.

“You’ve grown strong. As a person who once fought alongside you, I feel proud.”

“It’s all thanks to you. I wouldn’t have been able to reach here on my own.”

The reason I could call myself a sage was thanks to her.

The one who raised me as a herald was none other than the hero.

Same could be said for me becoming the Demon Lord.

They both centered around her.

I managed to come to my answer now because I have heard her true thoughts.

She impacted me greatly in this battle.

The smoldering conflict within me was resolved and I, who was always chasing after her all this time, was able to surpass her.

As I dispersed my own sword, I came to a decision and spoke.

“…Claire-sama.”

“What is it?”

“Thank you for everything up till now.”

I lowered my head.

Even as I felt various emotions running through my mind, I thanked her.

I focused on keeping the nervousness out of my voice.

I clenched my trembling hands tightly.

“No, I’m also grateful to you. Thank you for your care all this time.”

When I raised my head, she had a gentle expression on her face.

Her clear eyes showed her sincerity.

“I’ll entrust the future of the world to you. Don’t be held back by the ideas of a dying hero and step forward with your own will.”

“Yes… I understand.”

I nodded in response.

The battle ended with the Demon Lord as the victor.

In that case, I needed to continue on with my principles.

That was the responsibility of the victor.

She looked up at the night sky and sighed.

As she moved her gaze towards me, I could see a certain kind of joy.

“I was being negative regarding my resurrection, but it's a surprisingly good thing.”

“What do you mean?”

I asked.

I had assumed she didn’t wish to be resurrected.

Therefore, it was unexpected to hear that she thought it was a good thing.

As I was unconvinced by her answer, she confessed plainly.

“Dwight Havelt — I got to witness the growth of a person who is dear to me. There’s nothing that could make me happier.”

As soon as she finished saying it, her eyes glazed over.

She immediately looked down, wiped her eyes, and turned around.

As the moon and stars softly shone, she said quietly.

“I’ll be watching over you in the afterlife. I don’t seek any more reunions, okay?”

“Of course, I understand.”

“I- see—“

She soon fell back onto the wasteland in the night.

Her movements ceased.

The soul within her dispersed.

After watching the final moments of the hero, I knelt down and offered a moment of silence.