The Istalsil Outer Keep had collapsed.

The following morning——

The facts that The Hegemon City Elmekia had publicly announced spread across the world in the blink of an eye.

"It has been determined that the attack on the Holy Land Canaan was carried out by O-PARTS independently developed for the Elmekian royal family by Elmekia Dusk. The Party 'Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage' happened to discover the research facility hidden beneath the outer keep's underground levels, and the royal family promptly confirmed it. The Elmekian royal family has acknowledged this as a serious violation of the city charter, and has dismissed both the Rank One of Elmekia Dusk and the Rank Four who served as lead researcher of the O-PARTS. Both have been exiled from the Hegemon City."

At sea——

In a cabin aboard the ship heading back to the Holy Land Canaan.

"And that's the story."

"...Meaning?"

"The Hegemon City used Elmekia Dusk as a scapegoat. Eidos, I think they called them. If word got out that something that dangerous was being manufactured on the royal family's orders, the Hegemon City's own standing would be at risk. This was to avoid that."

The one who crumpled the gossip sheet was Elies.

"Ancient Castle Istalsil was split between the main castle and the outer keep. Those Eidos were being developed in the outer keep's underground — Elmekia Dusk's base of operations. If they say the party acted on its own, it all checks out, right?"

"...Yeah, I guess."

Rewrapping the loosened bandages on his arm, Ren gave a small nod.

The truth was buried in darkness.

"It's a symbiotic relationship. We provide knowledge of the various O-PARTS born in the Divine City, and Elmekia Dusk brings them to completion."

The existence of the Three Sages of the Epitaph would never come to light.

Even if someone mentioned the Divine City Sieramiris, without any evidence to prove its existence, nothing would be believed.

"Still, even as damage control, there's one thing that doesn't sit right. The Hegemon City's decision to exile Knight King Zelbright."

Elies sat in her chair, arms folded.

"He's a man they call the strongest swordsman in the world. It might be a natural punishment for Elmekia Dusk, but if another party picks him up, that's a serious problem, right? It'd create a rival party that poses a direct threat to the Hegemon City."

"...Oh, about that."

Ren stood up from the sofa across the desk and turned around.

"Hey, Elise."

"————"

"She used too much power. She's asleep — won't wake up for a while."

A dark-skinned little girl breathed quietly on the bed.

On the bed beside her, tilting a wineglass with effortless grace, sat Fear.

"Ahh. Nothing beats a drink after a workout."

"...Senpai? I mean, drinking's fine, but..."

"I know what you're going to ask. As for Zelbright's whereabouts — by the time we reached the Celestial Mirror Chamber, no one was there. The only one we found was you, collapsed on the floor."

"I see..."

The moment he shattered Knight King's two-handed sword. After that, Ren's memory cut out entirely.

By the time he came to, members of the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage had carried him on their backs to a cabin aboard the ship.

...The Hegemon City exiled Zelbright. Really?

...Who could possibly give that man an order like that?

Having crossed blades with him, he understood.

Knight King Zelbright was a swordsman beyond all measure. Provoking that man's wrath was a direct threat to the Hegemon City itself. An order to leave the city couldn't be given so easily. If anything, the idea that Zelbright had left the Hegemon City on his own was far more believable.

"But how exciting."

"What is?"

"We've become quite a bit more famous this time around, haven't we?"

The Archangel smiled softly.

The Hegemon City Upheaval — it was being said that the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage was the one who had put a stop to the O-PARTS conspiracy orchestrated by Elmekia Dusk.

But the fact that Ren's party, the Knight of Reincarnation, had been deeply involved was also something hundreds of ordinary citizens in the Hegemon City's streets had witnessed.

"Ahh... Kyelse and Elise especially, right? The thing about how they drew in the special task knights and Elmekia Dusk while barely injuring any civilians. That made it easier for the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage to storm the castle."

"Yes, that's what it says in this gossip sheet too."

Elies held up a different thin paper from the one she'd crumpled.

Ren had gotten a look at it earlier — Elise and Kyelse running through the main streets of the city district were prominently illustrated. And the likenesses of both were strikingly accurate.

"Right now, your party's practically being treated like noble outlaws. They're calling you the up-and-coming party that exposed Elmekia's conspiracy. Things are going to get busy."

"My, my. What shall we do if people ask for handshakes and autographs wherever we go? Perhaps have them offer one gift per handshake — wine, sweets, that sort of thing. Hehe, the possibilities are simply endless."

"...What kind of dream is that?"

The holy maiden with a sly grin, and the Archangel pressing a hand to her lips with obvious delight.

Ren could only shrug at the two of them.

"Speaking of which, Elies — going back to what you were saying."

"What?"

"The experimental tanks you found in the underground facility — what was in them? O-PARTS? You said you barely had time to look before you had to escape."

"I was blocked."

The girl propped her cheek against the armrest, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Those Eidos things? The one that appeared in front of me was the same type as the one we saw at the Holy Land. And then there was Rank Two — Ouga, some creepy swordsman."

"Rank Two..."

A swordsman whose existence was all but hidden behind Knight King Zelbright's shadow. The only thing publicly disclosed about him was his name. Even Elies had never laid eyes on the man before.

"He was a swordsman who commanded Eidos. I know firsthand how terrifying those light monsters are, so I couldn't recklessly charge in — it was a standoff. While we were at it, the underground facility on our end got caught up in the foundation's collapse, and we scrambled to escape."

Fight Rank Two and the Eidos to investigate the experimental tanks, or prioritize the safety of the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage.

Given that they had already discovered the Eidos, Elies choosing the latter was the right call.

"But I'm glad you made it back safe."

"Yeah. There's plenty that still doesn't sit right, but I'd say we accomplished our objective, more or less."

Elies leaned back in her chair.

"We confirmed that the Eidos are Elmekian O-PARTS. And after a blunder that massive, Elmekia Dusk won't be able to show their faces for a while. Losing Zelbright — their absolute pillar — has to be a huge blow too. You were curious about where the anti-angel armaments came from, weren't you? I haven't seen the Three Sages of the Epitaph myself, so I can't say anything about that."

"...Yeah."

If the goal was solving the mysteries — starting with the true identity of the light monsters — then the mission was largely accomplished. No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they'd gained more than they'd originally set out for.

The existence of the Three Sages of the Epitaph, who supported the Hegemon City's prosperity from the shadows.

And the ancient city — the Divine City Sieramiris — and the flourishing of ancient summoning arts there.

But——

New knowledge had also planted new questions in Ren's mind.

"From parts unknown at the end of the world, someone — something — attacked the Divine City."

The shining ones.

To escape the mysterious higher beings that had attacked the Divine City, humanity had abandoned the ancient summoning arts.

The number of practitioners and researchers of the ancient summoning arts had gradually dwindled, until eventually even those who remembered their existence became vanishingly rare.

...The "shining ones" who attacked the Divine City.

...The enemy that the Three Sages of the Epitaph created the Eidos to fight against.

"Elies. That thing you mentioned before — about the spirits being frightened. Has it gotten better?"

"That's exactly the problem. The reason I said things don't sit right."

Sylph, the primordial spirit of wind, rested at Elies's knees.

Behind her chair, Undine, the primordial spirit of water, was also visible.

"As you can see. We've come back from the Hegemon City, and the spirits still won't leave my side. Maybe it's because they saw the Eidos."

"That is strange, certainly."

Fear spoke while adjusting the blanket over the sleeping Elise.

"We destroyed the completed Eidos. Even if a few test subjects remain, the threat of the Eidos should have been significantly diminished."

"True. Maybe with time, the spirits' fear will gradually fade."

The holy maiden replied with a weak sigh.

Watching her and the two spirits huddled beside her——

"There's still more you're hiding from me, isn't there? Something you're keeping secret — or maybe even something you yourselves don't know about this world!"

What came to Ren's mind was his exchange with the Three Sages.

...There's no doubt the spirits were frightened of their Eidos.

...But even after Fear-senpai and the others defeated the Eidos, the spirits' fear still hasn't gone away.

Which meant.

"Maybe whatever's threatening the spirits in this world... isn't just one thing."

"Huh?"

Elies raised her voice, dumbfounded.

"Ren, what do you mean?"

"I have a feeling the spirits' fear has a bigger reason behind it than the Eidos. Otherwise, you'd have to say that spirits all across the world reacted to the Hegemon City's Eidos and got scared, right? If it was just the spirits near the Hegemon City, sure, but that's hard to believe."

"A bigger reason — like what?"

"I don't have a clue yet. But I'm starting to think the Eidos might actually be the exception — the smaller reason."

He couldn't shake the feeling that "something" capable of making spirits across the entire world tremble was still out there.

The existence of the Divine City Sieramiris and the flourishing of the ancient summoning arts.

And the "shining ones" that had driven them to ruin. That these beings were the enemy in the End War three hundred years ago was also, most likely, no mistake.

...But that's not all.

...This information alone doesn't explain why spirits all over the world are scared.

Something still remained.

A missing piece of knowledge yet to be discovered — the fragment that would tie everything together.

In other words——

"So what you're saying is that the Encore holds the key to unraveling all the mysteries."

"Probably, yeah."

He nodded at Fear's words. The Brave Hero's journal that had quelled the End War. What was written in it? What truths lay hidden within?

"Senpai? Our next destination?"

"The Underworld. A vast subterranean realm where the final Seal Bearer awaits."

The current Demon King.

The demon who had inherited the throne from former Demon King Elise was, of all people, Elise's own younger brother.

"For now, let's ride along with them to the Holy Land. We'll rest our bodies until Elise wakes up, and then head for the Gate of the Underworld."

"...Yeah. I think that works."

He drew in a deep breath, then let it out.

Pushing off the sofa with a burst of momentum, Ren rose and pointed his toes toward the cabin door.

"Going somewhere?"

"Just stepping out for some air. I'll be right back."

Leaving those words with Fear and Elise, Ren left the room.

Through the swaying corridors of the ship.

Toward the deck of the vessel——

A wasteland of red-brown earth stretched to the horizon.

Beyond the scattered stands of brown trees, nothing else entered view. Sand snakes creeping across the ground and the large predatory birds that hunted them had all gone still, as if holding their breath.

——They sensed it.

——The presence of an absolute predator that had appeared in this wasteland.

A swordsman in black.

Even through the swirling dust devils, his stride never faltered.

"............"

As though just remembering, he turned around.

Far beyond the horizon, the hazy outline of a massive fortress loomed.

The Hegemon City Elmekia.

Once, Elmekia Dusk itself had been his purpose.

A place where the strong from across the world gathered to duel day after day. He had heard it was a city of carnage.

But even in Elmekia Dusk, where warriors like that gathered, not a single one had lived up to his ideal of strength.

And so he had sought the Encore.

His purpose: to confirm the identity of the enemy that Brave Hero Eleline had faced in the End War. He'd thought it possible that within those pages, a foe worthy of the path of conquest might be recorded.

——But none of that mattered anymore.

"I'll let you have the Encore. Take it."

Addressing someone who wasn't in this wasteland, the heretical conqueror let out a quiet, scornful laugh.

News of Elmekia Dusk's punishment had surely already spread across the world by now. And that would become the stone that sent even greater ripples through it.

"The question is when. When you'll encounter the true fabrication lurking inside the Hegemon City."

A suppressed laugh.

The Party "Knight of Reincarnation" was caught in the vortex of fate surrounding the Encore. Whether they wished it or not, the world would drag the Fake Brave Hero in and spawn an even greater spectacle.

How far into the future would it be?

The day the Knight of Reincarnation would learn of the true fabrication hiding within the Hegemon City.

——Fake Brave Hero Ren.

——Sword Saint Shion.

The moment when the reincarnations of the Brave Hero born in this era would all gather in one place — that time would surely come again.

The hour of reckoning.

Picturing the scene of the inevitable future.

"It's been a while since I headed for that place..."

Gazing toward the far horizon, Zelbright murmured those words.

Outside The Hegemon City Elmekia's borders.

In the shade of the grass, with the Hegemon City's city walls visible just behind them——

"Haah... haah... Honestly, Shion, you idiot! We ended up running the entire time!"

"I agree. I'd prefer to focus on my role as the brains of the operation."

The Enchanter girl — Karei — gasped for breath, hands on her knees.

Beside her, an Aria wearing a monocle fastidiously wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

"Ahh... What a shame. In the end, I barely got to talk to that reincarnation of the Brave Hero. All I did was fight Rank Three — Casadine — until the castle collapsed. And I didn't even get to meet the legendary Three Princesses."

"Shi-on?"

"Come on, don't be so mad, Karei."

Withering under the glare of the angry girl, the golden-haired young swordsman put on an apologetic smile.

"But we had no choice except to run. The outer keep started collapsing, and if we'd dawdled, Elmekia Dusk would've caught us. ...Still, it really is a shame. Rank Two — the swordsman Elies ran into in the basement. We only knew the name 'Ouga' — I wanted to look into what kind of person he really was."

"He who chases two hares catches neither. Our primary objective — putting pressure on The Hegemon City Elmekia and the Three Sages of the Epitaph — was accomplished. That should keep them from making any moves for a while. We should be satisfied with that for now."

"I second Gabrie's opinion."

Karei's red-and-white robe fluttered as she set off with a skip in her step.

"Come on, Shion, Gabrie — let's get going."

"Oh? Still got energy, Karei."

"I'm just in a hurry. The goddess told us to keep the Trial Gate in Heaven a secret from everyone else, remember? We need to clear out before anyone spots us."

The girl marched on ahead.

Behind her, the two men — Shion and Gabrie — walked side by side.

From grassland into forest.

Looping around the landmark tree, and beyond.

"It should be right up here. Let me see... wha...? Huh...?"

Karei's bouncy voice.

Then she stopped dead and her eyes went wide.

The Trial Gate to Heaven — the one Goddess Resflaze had personally shown them. No one aside from their party, Melody of the Spirits, should have known it existed.

But what stood before them was——

The Trial Gate, mercilessly destroyed and reduced to rubble.

Faced with that scene.

"...It shouldn't be possible to destroy so easily."

Gabrie was the first to speak.

"The Trial Gate is something special, even to the angels. Every gate on Earth has been blessed with the protection of the seven celestial angels. And someone shattered it, just like that."

"From an Enchanter's perspective, I'm more shocked that the angels' concealment wards were seen through in such a short time."

Karei narrowed her eyes, hands on her hips.

"It hasn't even been a full day since we used this gate. Who could possibly have found it that fast?"

"Karei, could you do it?"

"Not without already knowing the location. Who on earth could have tracked this place down?"

Gabrie and Karei stared down at the gate with tension in their eyes.

Meanwhile.

The genius swordsman who led their party was still gazing in silence at the wreckage.

"Shion?"

"...Looks like we've got another thing to investigate."

The golden-haired young man wore a rare grimace.

"Someone who could see through the angels' concealment wards and then destroy a gate this sturdy. The prime suspect for something like that was exactly Elmekia Dusk. But while we were in the Hegemon City, they were focused on defending the city. They wouldn't have had the manpower to send a squad out to a remote area like this."

The Hegemon City was not involved in this gate's destruction.

Which meant this was the work of someone else entirely.

"...Who did this?"

"Only one thing comes to mind. The Silent Agency, Karei."

The Silent Agency — an unidentified anomaly that roamed hidden realms across the world.

The first report dated back over a hundred years.

A party that had explored previously uncharted hidden territory had discovered ancient ruins deep within — only to find them already reduced to nothing. That report had been the beginning.

...At the time, it was assumed to be natural erosion.

...But after that, more unexplainable instances of mysterious destruction kept turning up all over the world.

Despite being called an "agency," no one knew whether it was an individual, a group, or some unknown natural phenomenon.

If one thing could be inferred, it was that the Silent Agency didn't seek out O-PARTS, treasure, or the Encore hidden in these realms — rather, it seemed to exist for the sole purpose of obliterating all of it.

Its destruction of numerous hidden realms constituted a serious violation of environmental preservation regulations. Cities worldwide had placed enormous bounties on its identity and enlisted countless parties to hunt it down.

And yet——

"Wait, Shion — the Silent Agency's true identity is..."

"Yeah. I was almost certain it was Elmekia Dusk operating in secret. The Three Sages of the Epitaph could easily have known how to find a Trial Gate, and no one besides the Hegemon City could sustain that kind of worldwide destruction of hidden realms."

"Rare for your intuition to be wrong."

Gabrie pushed up his monocle.

"First we contact Goddess Resflaze, I suppose. She's no doubt already aware, but."

"...Yeah."

The destroyed Trial Gate.

The golden-haired swordsman gazed sadly down at the wreckage.

"Even with the Eidos gone, the spirits' fear still hasn't subsided. And the dark clouds over the world show no sign of clearing. The key to revealing the whole truth really does come down to the Encore."

"So we're heading to the Underworld too?"

"Let me think it over. There's actually one other idea I have about the Silent Agency's identity... Honestly, I was hoping it was Elmekia Dusk, because I didn't want this other possibility to be true."

Dusk.

For a moment, he gazed up at the sky burning red above them.

"It's always the way. The bad premonitions are the ones that come true."

Sword Saint Shion.

With deep concern pooling in his eyes, the young master swordsman turned his back on the crimson sky.

A red sea.

Lit by the sun sinking beyond the horizon, the deck burned in shades of scarlet.

"............"

Bandages wrapped from his neck down to his side.

The sea breeze slipped through the fibers of the cloth, stinging the wounds and calling the pain back to the surface.

"Kyelse."

Calling her name, Ren walked toward the bow of the ship.

"How's the seasickness?"

"...My head's spinning..."

Leaning against the deck railing, face pale, was the silver-haired girl.

"Maybe you should sit down."

"...I will."

An unexpectedly obedient reply.

Kyelse slid down the railing and plopped to the deck.

"Ren."

"Yeah?"

"You're even more beat up than usual this time. Fear was shocked."

Kyelse pointed at the bandages peeking through the gaps in his clothes.

"............"

"...Was he that strong?"

"He was. I think even you'd be surprised."

Knight King Zelbright.

Even the Three Sages of the Epitaph had said his natural strength approached that of Sword Emperor Eleline. If Kyelse had seen that man, what would she have thought?

"............"

"Frustrated?"

"...I don't know. In the middle of the fight, I was just desperate."

He'd felt the overwhelming gap in their ability whether he liked it or not. But as for frustration — there hadn't been room for that kind of emotion.

"The whole time, I was just thinking about how to close the gap."

What he'd learned from Kyelse, from Fear, from Elise. What the spirits had taught him.

...I wanted to live up to their faith in me.

...I wanted to close that unclosable gap, even a little. That was all I could think about.

"Kyelse."

"What?"

"...Next time, I won't lose."

His grip on the railing tightened without thinking.

"I'll keep at it."

"That's what I like about you."

The girl, utterly wrecked from seasickness, smiled with amusement.

"You aren't Eleline. Just build your strength your own way, little by little. If you're ever unsure about something, lean on me. We're party members, after all. In fact, ask me anything — as much as you want."

"Then, are there any drills I can do on the ship?"

"Of course there are. Let's see — but before that."

With those words.

The dragon girl collapsed onto the deck, face up.

"...Pick me up and carry me back to my room. I can't take this seasickness anymore..."

Afterword

Thank you for picking up this book. I'm Sazane.

Encore at the End of the World, Volume 4 — the Hegemon City Upheaval arc. How did you find it?

This volume's theme was "places not on any map."

Among the many unknown regions out there, these are places that haven't even been recognized as hidden realms yet.

There's a special kind of tension and excitement in filling in your own map through adventure — something different from conquering a landmark already marked on the charts.

And then, the Fake Brave Hero versus the Knight King.

At the end of their showdown, the Fake Brave Hero experiences what true strength really feels like — having now met the modern-day heroes he should aspire to, I hope you'll continue to watch over the path Ren walks from here on out.

Now, some acknowledgments for Volume 4.

To my editor N, who poured tremendous effort into bringing this book to completion. Between this and the simultaneously running "Project Encore" (more below) — thank you so much for everything.

To Fuyuno Haruaki-sensei, who illustrated the gorgeous cover art featuring Elies. Zelbright's character design and the beast designs were so exciting to see!

And to everyone who picked up this book.

Thank you always for your warm support. Thanks to all of you, "Project Encore" — a multi-platform expansion — has been green-lit!

Project Encore——

- *Manga adaptation of Encore at the End of the World***

Serialization confirmed in Monthly Comic Alive.

Every panel is truly beautiful, and the characters drawn from them are just lovely.

Serialization updates will also be posted on Sazane's Twitter (https://twitter.com/sazanek)!

- Collaboration CD — Music by Dragon Guardian

Scheduled for September 2015.

A collaboration with the RPG metal project "Dragon Guardian."

Volume 1 of Encore at the End of the World will be reborn as music. An entire album — every track — will recreate the story of Volume 1 through vocal songs. A truly luxurious project.

This might be a fairly rare type of media mix for a light novel. I hope you'll enjoy the world of Encore reborn as fierce yet beautiful music!

- Drama CD

Scheduled for October 2015.

A completely original script set during the timeline of Volume 1 of Encore at the End of the World.

The main focus is a fun, comedic journey with Ren and the Three Princesses, while also covering canonical episodes that serve as behind-the-scenes stories from Volume 1's main plot. (Currently writing at full speed!)

This is a truly rare opportunity to hear the "voices" of Ren, Kyelse, and the others — please look forward to it.

The stellar voice cast delivers incredible performances!

And finally, a preview.

Volume 5 of Encore is planned for an October release, simultaneous with the Drama CD.

The next theme is the vast underground world — the "Underworld." A Demon King's palace awaits, complete with a rousing welcome (?) from the colorful Five Great Disasters. But lurking there is the shadow of an uninvited guest——

Having passed through the showdown with the Knight King, the Fake Brave Hero finds an answer in the Underworld arc.

This is where the adventure — and the true heart of the story — begins.

I'll do my best to build momentum through both the novel and the media mix projects, so I hope you'll continue to support Encore going forward.

Sazane Kei