Chapter 389 - A Wonderful World

“Snowflakes on petals and turning of seasons. A warm cup of tea and healthy good reasons.~~”

A girl in a flowing, white dress stood upon a hill, gazing at the green meadows before her. The clear, blue sky spoke of a grand day waiting to come. The early morning temperature, while chilly, wasn’t the sole reason for the goosebumps on her arms.

“The joy of life that each new morning brings. These are a few of my favorite things.~~”

Her brown hair swayed in the wind, ending in light purple tips that seemed to dance to life. It was the last remnant of a power she once had – that of preserving the life of a planet.

While she had given up that role to another, her heart still fluttered at the scenery before her, an Earth full of life, just like how she hoped for Leguardia. It had taken a few years, but the planet had soon stabilized. Flora and fauna now covered the once dead planet, and cities were slowly expanding to cover the growing population that had been sparked by one man.

She brought out a telescope to scan the horizon, seeing the person in question at the bottom of the hill. He was dressed in a black tuxedo, barking out orders as he always did. He was a planner through and through – that was something that would never change, no matter the circumstances.

The girl looked down next to the ring on her left hand, smiling as she stroked it. So much time had passed that she wondered if she would regain her feelings from before, but sure enough, they reared their head once more. And it had been the same for him as well.

“Sistina! There you are! I was beginning to wonder if the bride had run off!”

A blue-hair girl in a purple dress glided up the hill on a levi-board. Holding the hem of her dress in one hand, she popped off the board and landed gently next to her.

“Why would I run off? This is an important day for me. Even more important than the end of the project that you have been working so hard on these few years. It is because of you two that we could let go and repair the misunderstandings of the past.”

Sistina grinned and gave Katalina, her bridesmaid, a big hug. It was due to Katalina’s ingenuity that a Resonance Stone large enough to support a planet had been created. That was the very reason Earth and Leguardia could survive upon shared energy.

Sistina and Joe, the ‘Architect’, spent their days managing the sole city that had been created on Earth before. What already existed still needed guidance, so it was naturally their responsibility to maintain it. But even without god-like powers to guide them, the persistence of humans was a miracle that kept themselves going.

But then, Katalina continued to travel all across Leguardia, studying the revival of a planet, in order to understand how a planet ticked. Using that data, she gathered everyone to create a replacement core for the Earth, thereby making it no longer necessary for the two places to be linked.

The brand-new core for Earth had been installed just the previous week, with Katalina and many of her friends coming to visit for the occasion. It felt like the perfect time to plan a celebration – for the Earth as well as a new life that awaited the two former gods. Sistina patted her belly in anticipation of the change.

Now that the Earth was once again vibrant with mana, it seemed like everyone’s job was done. But Katalina wagged her finger at the collective group that had gathered.

“No, no. This is only the first step. After all, there are still other places that could use this tech as well.”

Everyone looked at each other for a moment, until Chrys suddenly went, “Ah!”

Her home, the planet where elves once lived, had also perished long ago. With their current capabilities, they could locate and construct a core for that planet as well. Chrys would no longer be the last of her kind, as the memories of those that once lived there could be called up, just like Joe had done for Earth.

“Yoshaaa! My ‘Space Force’ is gonna come in handy after all!” Koujiro cheered.

They had defeated the gods of a planet, reviving two planets with their own abilities. It was time for them to step into the sea of stars and see what they could do out there. The exploration crew that had covered both planets simply nodded and looked to the skies. A brand-new adventure was waiting for them again.

Perhaps, they would find more planets in need of help. Rather than praying to the gods to send aid, they would come to them.

With these people at the helm, Sistina was sure that they could achieve more in a lifetime than two lone gods had done in millennia.

“Everyone’s almost gathered. Shouldn’t you make your way to the venue?” Katalina asked.

“Yes. I just wanted to come up here and see everything unfold. It is such a gorgeous day that I couldn’t help myself.”

Then, Sistina tilted her head.

“Come to think of it, where is Claude? I haven’t caught a glimpse of him yet.”

“Ah, busy as always. He had one final task to do before coming here. A straggling guest that needed to be rounded up. The moment that he realized that he could make it in time, there was no convincing him otherwise.”

“True. It wouldn’t be complete without her. You didn’t want to go yourself?”

Katalina shook her head.

“No. I think it’s best if I let them be. They have a special connection, different from mine, but special nonetheless.”

“I see. Then, shall you lead the way?”

Katalina set down her levi-board, climbing on before taking Sistina’s hand to help her on. Far from any coach ride or expensive vehicle, it seemed appropriate for her to arrive at the venue in such a way. After all, the efforts of a single creation could blossom into something grand. That had already been demonstrated by the inventor before her.

But she couldn’t have done it alone. Those close to her pushed her forward, encouraged her, and gave her the motivation to succeed. And in turn, that success led to success for others, until it covered every place that they walked upon.

Surely, such good fortune would continue to bless them, as long as they believed.

As the board moved forward, Sistina clung to Katalina for support, watching the scenery whiz by. The day was gorgeous, and it was a blessing for everyone that experienced it.

They passed by a field of flowers, looking much like gems as the sparkle of mana escaped from their petals. They passed by a glittering lake, full of fish and people in boats idly gliding by.

Smiling, another song suddenly came to her, one that was once sung on Earth. It had been so long since she last heard it, so the exact words were lost. But even if she did remember, they hardly held the same weight to her as it did for the original creator.

She replaced the forgotten lyrics with new ones.

“I see healthy green.~~ Cores shining blue.~~ They bring us life.~~ Surely, it’s true.~~ And I think to myself.~~ What a wonderful world.~~”

These were her own words, carrying the weight of ‘her world’. Only through that could she convey the feelings she held.

As if responding to that melody in her head, a clamor echoed in the distance. Finally, they were approaching a large gathering of people ahead, chairs and tables set up around an altar. It looked like the start to some festivities.

“I see friends around.~~ They share their light.~~ We come together.~~ A beautiful sight.~~ And I think to myself.~~ What a wonderful world.~~”

It was truly a wonderful world when one could cherish moments like this once again. Not even time could change that. The tide of people came towards them, excitement bubbling upon their faces. Their attention was turned toward the one who they had come here for.

“The star of the show has arrived! With that, everyone is here!” someone called out.

“Ah, that means everything turned out as planned,” Sistina whispered to Katalina.

“Of course. Your soon-to-be husband isn’t the only one good with ideas,” Katalina said before zooming off to her designated spot.

With that, Sistina stepped before the aisle, and the music started.

She was ready for it.

This wonderful world.