CH 5

v11c5 - The Advice of the Mechanized God

The 6th Day of the second Fire month.

I had come to visit Lillywood-san’s residence in the Demon Realm. I feel apologetic since she’s already busy, but there was one thing I wanted to suggest, so I sent a hummingbird before I visited. As I waited alone in the great hall of her residence, guided here by one of Lillywood-san’s subordinates, a little later, the door opened and Lillywood-san came in.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

[Ah, no, I should be the one apologizing for intruding…… instead?]

When I turned my gaze towards the sound of the voice, I saw Lillywood-san…… and I could clearly see that she was extremely tired. I don’t have to think about why too much…… After all, they’re “withered”, her hair…… no, her leaves, I mean……

[……Errr, Lillywood-san…… Are you alright? Ummm, errr, you’re withering, you know?]

“Y- Yes, I’m sorry for seeing you something unsightly…… It’s just that when I’m extremely fatigued, the color of my leaves change in color as if they were withering. Once I get some rest, they will return to normal……”

[Y- You must be quite tired.]

“……Yes. I’m quite tired.”

Usually, she would have said something like “No, that’s not the case.”, but it seems like she doesn’t have the composure to keep up appearances anymore. How should I say this, seeing Lillywood-san looking more terrible than I imagined, what I was going to talk about wouldn’t come out of my mouth. Thereupon, as if to save me from that dilemma, Lillywood-san called out to me.

“……You wrote in the hummingbird that you wanted to talk about something, but is something the matter?”

[Ah, yes……  Errr, ummm, I didn’t really need to ask you this in person but…… I have a suggestion.]

“A suggestion?”

Yes, I could actually tell my suggestion through the hummingbird, but I was curious to see how Lillywood-san was doing, so I decided to meet her in person. However, when I saw Lillywood-san looking more tired than I had imagined, I felt very bad about it. As expected, I should have just told her with the hummingbird…… No, since we’re already here, let’s just tell her my suggestion as soon as possible.

[Errr…… this is just for example, okay? For example, I invite Isis-san on a date…… Let’s see…… Would it help Lillywood-san if you were freed for a day or so?]

“……………………”

[Ahh!? No, it’s not like I’m going to trick Isis-san! I really wanted to go on a date with her…… It’s just that I don’t want to cause you any inconvenience, so I’m just asking for confirmation for the time being……]

“……Kaito-san.”

[Ah, no, of course, if it’s not possible…… It’s just a suggestion after all.]

When I heard from Alice about Lillywood-san’s current situation, I came up with the idea of reducing her burden by spending a day with Isis-san. Well, I also wanted to go on a date with Isis-san, so this suggestion wasn’t actually 100% filled with good intentions……

I would be happy to have a date with Isis-san, Lillywood-san would be happy since she would be able to focus on her work, and I think Isis-san would also be happy when she enjoys herself on our day. It was a plan that kill not just two, but three birds with one stone. However, upon hearing my suggestion, Lillywood-san’s head lowered and her body began trembling. I may have been unnecessarily touching upon something that isn’t my business, so I tried to tell her that it was just a suggestion…… but Lillywood-san’s hands moved around my head, bringing me within her firm embrace.

“T- Thank you very much! Y- You’re the only one on my side here!!!”

[Mwaahhh!? L- Lillywood-san, w- wait……]

What’s happening isn’t just a metaphor, as my face is literally buried in her chest. My face was tucked in between Lillywood-san’s very ample breasts, and their shapes seem to change, plugging the holes in my nose and mouth. Soft elasticity like a marshmallow, her warm body temperature…… Before I could consider such a situation as lucky, the tragedy of not being able to breathe struck me first.

“Uwaaahhhh, I- I’m already filled up with work, you know…… but since I can tell that Isis is really trying to do her best, I can’t possibly say that she’s a hindrance…… and yet, the other members of the Six Kings just threw every responsibility of watching over Isis towards me…… I thought I don’t have anyone on my side anymore!!!”

[W- Wai…… It hurts…… breathe……]

Although I tried to desperately struggle to escape from her massive breasts…… but for someone like me, whose ability is “just about as strong as a slime” according to Megiddo-san, there’s no way I was able to pull away from Lillywood-san’s embrace. Her chest was in front, her chest was on my right, and her chest was also on my left…… My entire face was squeezed into her chest and I became dizzy in all sorts of ways. However, she seems to have been overcome with emotion, as my voice doesn’t reach Lillywood-san…… and rather than relaxing her arms, Lillywood-san embraced me even more tightly.

“I’m sure I’ll be able to finish most of the work in a day with Isis’ absence! Really, thank you very much!”

[……Your…… breasts…… I’m drowning……]

“……Oya? Kaito-san?”

[…………………..]

“Eh? Ah, m- my apologies! Kaito-san, please hang in there! Kaito-san!”

Soft, warm, plump puddings of life…… The only fate awaiting me was this shameful end…… drowning and being swallowed within this ocean of breasts…… Hearing Lillywood-san’s faint voice, flusteredly calling out to me…… I lost consciousness.

“……I’m really sorry.”

[N- No, it’s alright.]

Today, on this day, a new page is engraved in my mind’s black history. Fainting from being strangled out of my breathing by breasts…… Big breasts are definitely weapons. No, seriously……

“……Even so, that really helps me. How could I possibly thank you……”

[Lillywood-san don’t have to thank me for that…… I just wanted to go on a date with my beloved lover.]

“……I’m feeling a bit envious of Isis now.”

[……Eh?]

“No, I haven’t said anything. Kaito-san, do you mind if I request one thing?”

[Eh? Yes, what is it?]

I nodded my head to Lillywood-san, who told me that she had a favor to ask with a gentle smile on her face. I wonder what her request is? Since it’s Lillywood-san asking it, I’m sure that it wouldn’t be anything strange but……

“In the Six Kings Festival…… If it’s fine with you, can I ask you to go around with me on the day of the festival that I’m organizing?”

[……Eh? Ah, errr, yes. I don’t really mind but……]

“Thank you. Well then, I can leave my thanks for today at that time……”

[N- No, like I said, you don’t have to thank me……]

“No, I would be the one bothered by it instead. It may sound selfish, but I’d like to repay you for the debts of gratitude I’ve received, even if only a little bit.”

[……H- Huhh…… Well, if Lillywood-san is fine with it……]

“Yes. Well then, I’ll be looking forward to that time.]

From what I’ve heard from Alice regarding the Six Kings Festival, Lillywood-san said she would be willing to go around with me if I’m fine with it, but just like an extremely honest woman, she still confirmed it with me since she got the chance huh? Hmmm. Well, I also think it will be fun to go around with Lillywood-san, so I immediately agreed.

And thus, in addition to the plans that have already been decided regardless of my intentions regarding the Six Kings Festival, it was decided that I would go around at that time with Lillywood-san. Still, for my whole life, I never thought that I would pass out because of breasts. No, what is this? Thinking about it now is making me feel pretty embarrassed. Seriously, in more ways than one————- Big breasts are weapons.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The 7th Day of the second Fire month.

Speaking of which, this may have been brought up when we were talking about the common sense of this world, but I heard something interesting from Lilia-san lately. The middle of the year was supposed to be the Earth month, and the end of the year was the Heaven month, but the name was changed in order to honor the achievements of the First Hero. Anyway, I think them making such a thing was the first strike to make Neun-san faint in agony. I can definitely say that it was a pitch-perfect embarrassment to have your name on the calendar.

The reason why I remembered this now is because I am currently on my way to a place related to the First Hero, Neun-san.

[……Kaito…… Are you alright?…… You’re not tired…… right?]

[I’m fine. It’s a beautiful day and walking like this feels good.]

[……Unnn…… I’m glad that it was sunny…… Even if it was raining…… I would have just…… “blown away the clouds”…… but I’m glad…… that it’s sunny.]

[Y- Yes, that’s right, isn’t it!?]

The one who told me that she would just blow away the clouds when it’s about to rain is Isis-san, walking hand in hand with me. Yes, as I had suggested to Lillywood-san yesterday, I was going on a date with Isis-san today. I had considered the possibility that she might refuse, saying that she had to prepare for the Six Kings Festival…… but when I sent her a hummingbird asking that, she replied with “I’ll go”in two seconds. And now, the two of us are leisurely walking on a plateau a few distance away from the royal capital.

The purpose of this trip was to collect the memories that I had promised Isis-san before…… Going to the actual place where a scene in a book occurs, and taking home a souvenir from that place. It seems that Isis-san has been collecting various rare items, but this time, since I was the one who invited her, we decided to go for something relatively easy to retrieve. Well, it might be a bit early for me to say this, but it feels like a picnic instead. The item we were going to retrieve today was a book about the adventures of the First Hero, a “night flower” with properties similar to the light tree I’d seen back when I had barbecue with Kuro, it emits light at night. This flower seems to grow in clusters on sunny plateaus and is relatively easy to find.

[……Kaito…… I made…… a bento…… for today…… Shall we eat……. together…… later?]

[Ohhh, I’m really looking forward to it then. Thank you.]

[……Fufufu…… Unnn…… You’re welcome.]

Hearing my words, Isis-san, who is wearing a gothic dress with a white-based design and lots of frills, happily smiled. I was soothed by her cute smile, and since we weren’t in a hurry, I walked leisurely with Isis-san while chatting with her.

[By the way, it seems like you have a lot of things to prepare for the Six Kings Festival, but aren’t you tired?]

[……Unnn…… I’m fine…… I’m actually…… not that good…… at making things…… I’m causing trouble for Lillywood-san and the others…… but…… I’m really doing my best…… So that Kaito can have fun…… I’m doing my best.]

[I- I see…… P- Please do your best! I will be cheering for you!]

[……Unnn!]

It’s that feeling. I completely understand Lillywood-san’s feelings now. Being faced with such an enthusiastic Isis…… There’s no way I can complain. It was painfully obvious that Isis-san was trying her best, and I could tell that she was happy to be involved in such an event. Praying for Lillywood-san’s soul in my heart…… I gave up on trying to indirectly persuade Isis-san.

[……Fufu……]

""

[Isis-san, you seem to be having fun?]

[……Unnn…… Going on a date with Kaito…… is fun…… Whether it’s the conversation…… the scenery…… even the most insignificant things…… everything…… everything…… makes me feel happiness.]

[……Isis-san.]

Ahh, geez! Why in the world is she this cute!? If she smiled at me with such a happy look on her face, it would make me want to reflexively hug her. I mean, unnn. Since we’re lovers anyway, hugging her should be fine, right? It’s considered safe, right? Unnn, it’s safe…… Let’s hug her.

[……Ahh.]

[………………..]

[……Kaito?]

[Ahh, I’m sorry. I just reflexively……]

[……No…… I’m glad.]

It feels like her slender body would break if I were to hug her tightly, but I was able to hold her in my arms. Isis-san also didn’t particularly resist my embrace, and rather, she just gives me a happy smile with a blush on her cheeks. Not caring about other things, just this happiness in my arms. It certainly is as Isis-san said. Even Isis-san’s most trivial gestures look inexplicably loveable. The way she gently put her hand on my hand that was hugging her body, the way she rests her head on my chest, it’s just so cute.

[……Isis-san.]

[……Kaito.]

Just like that, I looked into her beautiful red eyes and called out her name, while Isis-san called out my name and closed her eyes. And as if it was the most natural thing to do, our lips touched each other, conveying our happiness and love for each other. Needless to say, something like this happened again every now and then, so we had to stop multiple times, which considerably delayed our progress.

Taking a lunch break along the way and stopping at every opportunity, we arrived at the night flower cluster well behind the schedule. Flowers of different colors spreading around the area…… It feels as if I was sitting on what looked like a carpet of flowers, while embracing Isis-san by her shoulder.

[……Looking at it in the daytime, it looks just like a normal flower, doesn’t it?]

[……Unnn…… but…… when it gets dark…… it’s very…… beautiful.]

[I see…… What should we do? There’s still a few hours before the sun goes down……]

[……If Kaito doesn’t mind…… I’d like to stay…… like this…… for a while.]

[Yes, of course. Gladly.]

Placing her head on the side of my head, Isis-san’s voice sweetly whispered on my head. In this place surrounded by flowers, sitting side by side like this, I feel like the mood right now is good. Isis-san seemed to be feeling the same way, and wasting no time, she laid her hand on my and leaned on my body, intertwining our fingers. As the scent of flowers tickled my nostrils, I slightly lowered my gaze and saw Isis-san’s beautiful nape through the gap in her dress, which made my heart strangely beat faster. However, I don’t think that my heart beating faster feels uncomfortable, but rather, how should I say this…… a mesmerizing warmth welled up from deep within my chest.

Isis-san and I stayed like that together for a while, never seperating with each other, until flowers around us began to glow fantastically with the coming of the night. Thereupon, feeling a bit of regret from having to part with her, we collected some night flowers…… Leaving this memory of this day in this form.

As a side note, saying “…… I’m really happy…… to make memories…… with Kaito.”, Isis-san bashfully giggles, looking too cute. We then hugged and deeply kissed each other, and as a result, I ended up coming home later than I expected.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

While Kaito and Isis were enjoying their date, Alice, who was sitting on a relatively large rock a few distance away from them, was having a conversation with a certain person in her mind.

(…… I see. With those circumstances, Miyama Kaito would certainly move…… In that case, whether it occurs sooner or later, that situation will surely happen huh.)

(Well, it depends on Kaito-san whether it will be before or after the Six Kings Festival, but the fact that it will happen is almost settled. The rest depends on the trigger. Well, I have already made preparations so that we can move at any time, so we just have to wait for the right moment.)

The person with whom Alice is conversing is her best friend…… Iris, who resides in her heart tool. The two were discussing the matter involving the Demon Lord  that is likely to happen in the not-too-distant future.

(However, how should I say this…… It sure feels uncomfortable hearing you talk with honorifics.)

(I’ve lived with this tone for tens of thousands of years, so talking like this feels more natural for me now. Please get used to it as soon as possible. I mean, can I ask you something?)

(Unnn? What?)

(……Iris, didn’t you say something about only being able to talk to me in dreams?)

(That really was supposed to be the case, but to be honest, I don’t understand it either.)

Being able to have a conversation with Iris in her heart tool isn’t a bad thing in itself, and was rather a delightful situation for Alice. However, there was a discrepancy with the explanation given by Iris when they just met again, so it was natural for Alice to question this. However, the problem was that…… Iris too didn’t have the answer to this question.

(To be honest, saying that I’m going to transfer my soul to the heart tool was great and all, but in the end, it was a technique constructed not by a God, but a human. At best…… I thought I would succeed in sewing a piece of my soul into the heart tool.)

(Well, there’s no precedent for this, so I guess you can’t be blamed for being uncertain with the results.)

(However, what I’m feeling now is different from before. Up until now, even though I was watching the situation from inside the heart tool, my consciousness was choppy…… I was asleep and awake repeatedly, so to speak.)

(But you’re firmly conscious now?)

(Yeah, I thought that talking to you when you were unconscious was my limit, but we’re now talking normally like this. The result is better than I expected, so I think this is fine…… but I can’t figure out why.)

Hearing Iris’ explanation, Alice put her hand on her chin and thought about it. There are still many incomprehensible unknowns, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have any deriving factors that would lead her to a conclusion. In the first place, Iris’ current state of dwelling within a heart tool is completely unprecedented, so even supplementing missing information with guesswork is difficult.

(…… Iris, did some kind of trigger for this happen?)

(Hmmm, I can’t think of anything that comes to mind. …… No, come to think of it, after talking to you in the dream, I thought I heard a ‘click’ as my consciousness faded away.)

(A sound huh…… hmmm, it’s difficult to say with just this information. Even if Iris’ current state is the result of some external influence, it is still puzzling. I wonder if even Shallow Vernal-sama could cause such an unorthodox phenomenon without me noticing. …… But even if she could, she would have no motive for doing so.)

Even if Shallow Vernal could interfere with the heart tool within Alice’s mind without her noticing, there is no reason for her to do so.

(Hmmm, I don’t think I’ll get an answer to this even if I think about it. I don’t really like concluding things like this, but I guess I’ll just have to assume that Iris’ technique miraculously worked well by chance.)

(I suppose so. I don’t think one should be optimistic with things, but this result doesn’t bring any inconvenience for us at the moment. If this is the case, I don’t think it’s a good idea to think too much about this…… It would be better to accept it, while being vigilant about what may happen.)

(Right. Well, anyway, if Iris’ consciousness is clear, there are many things we can do with it, so I’m rather thankful for that.)

(Good grief, what are you planning now…… Keep it in moderation, okay?)

(Yes, yes. Well, for the time being, I’ll think about that later, and think about Vier-san’s case first. I’m done with the preparations, but it’s better to hypothesize the possibilities as much as possible, so I’ll think of a few more patterns.)

As she consulted with her best friend in her mind, Alice was smiling the whole time. Feeling as if she was back in the old days, having so much fun talking with Iris……

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

When I came to my senses, I found myself standing in a strange place. It felt as if I’m up in the sky, with nothing but the blue sky all around me. Beneath my feet was something shining with a dull luster…… What is this? A giant gear? The only thing floating in the sky was a sideways gear with a radius of about 20 meters, and I was standing on top of it.

Even when I wondered why I was in such a place, all I could remember was falling asleep under the covers at night. In that case, am I dreaming? The sight around me certainly is strange, so it’s more appropriate to call it a dream, but somehow the hardness of the gear under my feet and the slight breeze caressing my cheek…… feels so realistic and doesn’t feel like I’m in a dream. Did Shiro-san do something again? No, it feels different from how she usually does things, or rather, if it really was Shiro-san, she would have talked to me immediately.

While I was thinking like this, several metal plates suddenly appeared in front of me, lining up neatly…… they connected to the gear I’m standing on, seemingly forming a staircase. Could I take it that I should climb up here? I don’t really know what’s happening, but there really aren’t other paths for me to go to. When I timidly tried to reach out to the floating metal plating, the plate seemed to be firmly affixed in the air, and there seemed to be no problem even if I climbed up. After I tried climbing up a few steps, making sure they really are affixed in place, I started climbing up the stairs while making sure I’m slightly vigilant to my surroundings. After climbing the stairs for a while, I saw another big gear. Or rather, that big gear just suddenly appeared. Anyhow, it seems that I found my destination, so I sped up my pace a bit and went up the stairs……

[Fufufun~~, fufufun~~]

And in that place, I found a woman. She had her back turned to me, so I can’t see her face, but she’s about 150cm tall and has long rust-colored hair…… She’s wearing a simple one-piece dress with a cardigan over it, but her most characteristic part would be the mechanical wing on her right shoulder. While the woman hummed a song, she was arranging plushies on something that looked like a shelf…… arehh? Didn’t I see those weirdly creepy cat and panda plushies back in Alice’s store……

Immediately after I was thinking about that, the woman turned around. She was a beauty with a well-groomed face, but what caught my attention even more…… were her bright iridescent eyes. Looking straight at my face, a bright smile appeared on her lips as she spoke.

[Welcome. Or perhaps, in this situation, I suppose I should say “Nice to meet you” here? My name is Makina…… Your——— “mother”!!!]

[Eh? No, you aren’t though……]

This is troubling, I can’t keep up with the situation. Why the heck is a woman I met for the first time declaring she’s my mother? Even though they may have passed away already, I haven’t forgotten the face of my parents. The woman in front of me…… Makina-san’s face was completely different from my mother, nor do I have some sort of aggressive past like I’m a child picked up under the bridge. Heck, didn’t Makina-san herself say “Nice to meet you” just now? And yet, what does she mean she’s my mother……

[Ahh, sorry, I’m not saying I’m your blood-related mother, but I’m your mother in a much broader sense. You’re a child born in the world I created, which means you’re my child.]

[H- Huhh……]

[You were born in the world I created. And so, for me, you are my child!]

Saying this, Makina wryly smiled…… Eh? Does that mean Makina-san is a World Creator like Shiro-san, and the one who created the world I was in?

…..Arehh? What is this? I feel like I heard such a story a while ago, but I can’t clearly remember it. What is this murky feeling……

[Ahh, I made it so that you won’t remember “the me over there”. That out of place feeling may have been what’s giving you that murky feeling.]

[……Errr……]

[Well, I understand your feeling of doubt, but I also have various circumstances on my side as well. Simply put, I’m the God of that world…… I’m under various contracts with Shallow Vernal, but even though talking to my child in this way isn’t breaching our contract, it’s still within the gray zone. She’ll complain about this if she finds out, so I’m just taking measures.]

With a smile on her face, Makina’s hand brushed some sort of invisible wall. Thereupon, the scenery that was visible just a moment ago switched to the rooftop of some skyscraper.

[Incidentally, my child’s current condition…… you’re just normally sleeping. It feels more like I called my child’s consciousness here.]

[H- Huhh……]

My child, which she probably was referring to me…… She called only my consciousness here huh…… Hmmm, if Makina-san is a World Creator, I guess her being capable of doing such a thing isn’t strange. However, I wonder why? This person somehow has this strange atmosphere around her. She doesn’t have this unrealistic feeling Shiro-san had when I first met her, nor does she have this intimidating feeling like when I met Isis-san and Megiddo-san. It feels like she really is just a normal person.

[Ahaha, that can’t be helped. I’m trying to suppress my strength so that Shallow Vernal doesn’t find out about this. Besides, if I release even a small piece of my power, this space may not be able to withstand the pressure and end up getting splatted.]

[…………………]

Splatted? She’s saying it all cutesy, but in other words, Makina-san’s power is so strong that even if a little bit of her power was released, this space will be crushed, right? What is this, this woman’s scary.

[Ahh, sorry. Did I scare you? It’s alright. Even if that happens, my child won’t be hurt even a little bit. No, it really would be better if I create a stronger space, but that would increase the risk of being noticed by Shallow Vernal.]

[I- Is that so?]

[Unnn. Moreover, being in touch with my child too much would also make her find out about it, so that’s also no good. Truth is I really want to “lick my beloved child” right now, but it sure is difficult trying to control myself.]

[I see……]

Arehh? Was that just my imagination? Did this guy just seriously say something strange as if it was natural? Licking and all those stuff…… I must have misheard things, right? I really wish I just misheard things. Also, even though I might be curious, I’m somehow feeling chills running down my spine, so I just decided not to think deeply about this. I feel like if I don’t ignore her here, I’d end up finding myself in an irreversible situation.

[Ummm, so, Makina-san…… Ah, no, I guess it would be better if I call you Makina-sama?]

[Nno, you can call me Makina-san. Ahh, of course, you can also call me Mother!!!]

[……Errr, why did Makina-san call me in this space?]

[Unnn. Well, I guess you would wonder about that huh. To put it simply, I’m thinking of giving my child various “advice”.]

[Advice?]

[Unnn, I’ve brought about a lot of trouble for my child in the earlier incident. As an apology, I was thinking of giving my child a few hints for the future. I’m saying this now though, but I won’t tell you the answer. Doing that would make it lose its meaning. My child’s actions themselves hold meaning because my child thought a lot about this and arrived at his own answer.]

I wonder why this person frequently softly says scary things…… It seemed as if the highlights of her eyes had disappeared for a moment, but I wonder why? Even though she had this bright and gentle atmosphere around her, I’m having this cold feeling running down my spine……

Just as I was thinking about that, Makina-san lightly slid her fingers…… as if she was flicking through a big touch panel. Thereupon, just like before, all the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. From the rooftop of a skyscraper, we’re now at the rooftop of a slightly lower building…… Nearby, I could see some play equipment and a small stage, feeling as if it was the rooftop of a department store a long time ago.

[Hnn~~ The wind feels good.]

[Eh? Ah, you’re right.]

[Speaking of which, does my child like heroes?]

[Heroes?]

[Unnn! Heroes are cool, aren’t they? I like them. Being the ally of justice makes them cool, don’t you think!?]

With her words, Makina pointed to the rooftop stage. When I moved my gaze to where she was pointing at, two things appeared on the stage. One is a being dressed in a red costume that makes them look like they’re a tokusatsu hero, while the other is a being dressed in a black armor with lots of spikes around it. The two are facing each other in the center of that stage.

(T/N: Tokusatsu are live-action films or tv dramas that make heavy use of practical special effects, e.g. super sentai, kamen rider, godzilla, ultraman. You can imagine this tokusetsu hero as power rangers.)

[Now then, here’s a question, my child. Among these two fighting on the stage, which do you think is justice and which is evil?]

[Eh? That is……]

[Ahh, I’ll say this just in case, but there’s no talking about their backstory like even though they look like a villain, they actually have a beautiful heart or stuff like that. Just by looking at this situation with a quick glance, which do you think is justice?]

[……It feels like the guy in red is the ally of justice.]

If we’re just talking about our impression at first glance without thinking too deeply about this, no matter how I look at it, the one on justice’s side would be that guy who looked like a tokusatsu hero. When Makina-san nodded when she heard my words, the hero on the stage moved, defeating the evil-looking opponent and ending the scene with a guts pose.

[Unnn, I suppose it was as you say. In that case, what about this time?]

With Makina-san’s words, the two characters on the stage disappeared, and this time, two characters who looked like tokusatsu heroes appeared, one white and one black. If she’s asking what about this time, I guess she’s asking which I think is justice and which is evil huh?

[Yes, it’s exactly what my child thinks. This time as well, not minding backstories or anything like that, give me your impression of a quick glance at them.]

[……Hmmm. I’m troubled, but from their impressions, the white one feels more like justice.]

[Fumu fumu, I see…… In that case, if this were the situation, what about now?]

I’m not sure what Makina-san’s purpose with her questions is, but I know she’s trying to convey something to me. While I was watching the stage with a number of questions in mind, wondering what exactly her purpose was and what the hints were for…… What appeared this time were red and white tokusatsu heroes appearing on the stage facing each other. Now this is difficult to answer. Both are heroes that have the impression of justice to them…… but there’s no easy-to-understand visual differences between them, like one side having darker shades as before.

[This is a little…… To be honest, it’s hard to say who it is between them.]

[I see, this certainly is difficult. Well then, I’ll tell you the answer…… It’s “the winner”.]

[………………….]

Along with Makina-san’s words, the red hero defeats the white hero. Thereupon, many people gathered around the red hero, while the white hero laid alone on the ground.

[My child, have you heard of the words “the winner is justice”? I don’t think those words were mistaken. If you can’t judge things objectively, you would need some other factor to decide after all.]

[……I see.]

I don’t really understand the logic behind it, but I think those words were correct…… but I personally don’t really like it. After all, if that were the case, it’s as if……

[……Hey, my child?]

[Eh? Ah, yes.]

[If the winner is justice…… Does that make “the loser evil”? Does the person who confronts justice have to be evil? That’s not the case, right? There’s a possibility that justice and justice collides, or evil and evil collides, don’t you think?]

Perhaps guessing the words in my mind, Makina-san spoke ahead of me that the opponent of justice wasn’t necessarily evil. Yes, I think it’s exactly what Makina-san says. There’s no rule establishing that the opponent who confronts justice must be evil. No, in the first place, calling any of them justice or evil may be a mistake.

[Unnn, I suppose. I also think what my child thinks is right. But you see…… The world “doesn’t always move depending on what is right”.]

[……………………]

[No matter how right something can be, such a thing may be considered evil by many. The reverse can also be true. Fufufu, it somehow ended up sounding difficult huh.]

After saying that with a gentle smile on her lips, Makina-san raised one finger and continued.

[Now then, even though we have digressed a bit, I’ll now say my hint. In the future of a battle where the winner had become justice and the loser had become evil, who is it that hates the concept of “loser is evil” the most?]

[……The loser?]

[Is that so? Was it the loser themself? Or perhaps, was it the people who were close to the loser? Or perhaps…… Was it the “winner” who “they had fought against” and understands the feelings of the loser more than anyone else?]

Saying this, Makina-san stares at my eyes. Her iridescent eyes shining in complicated colors stared at me, and after a while, Makina-san smiled.

[Listen closely, my beloved child…… In order to reach the best possible outcome, the person you need to save “isn’t just them alone”. I will have you forget the conversation we had here when you wake up, but you’ll remember just these words when you need them.]

I couldn’t understand who it was that she was talking about, or which words she was trying to accentuate. However, I wonder why…… I mysteriously feel like her words would definitely be needed in the future.

[……Yes.]

[Unnn. Do your best…… Well, if it’s my child, I know it will be alright. If need be, I will also be there to help you. It’s not embarrassing for a child to rely on their mother, such a thing is a matter of course. You always act spoiled around me as much as you want! Of course, even if it’s 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, if it’s for my child……]

Just as she was saying that, Makina-san’s face suddenly got knocked on mine and a tremendous thunderous roar rang out.

[Eh!? Wait, Makina-san!?]

[……Ahh, that was dangerous, my love nearly brought about a big bang.]

Ahh, I’m somehow feeling that chill running down my spine again. What is this indescribable eerie feeling? What the heck will happen if her love brings about a big bang…… The part about it not calling it a mere explosion scares me so much that I don’t want to know about it.

[Well, with that, I’ve finished “about 90%” of my business is over,but there is “57 minutes and 42 seconds” left until my child wakes up, so come talk with Mother some more!]

[Eh? Ah, y- yes.]

As I thought, there was this indescribable fear in me towards Makina-san. As far as our conversation goes, she seems to be kind to me but……

While such thoughts were in my mind, the scenery changed again. This time, we were on the roof of a tall building in a big city with lots of tall buildings around.

[Ahh, since we’re at it, how about we have some meal? This place we’re in is something like a dream, so you feel full in reality, but you can still enjoy the taste.]

[Eh? Ah, yes. Thank you.]

[Well then, I have a special treat for you……]

While sitting on the edge of the rooftop, Makina said with a smile, before bringing out something like a paper bag out of nowhere. As I received it, I looked at the place she was sitting at, but I shrank back. As expected, even though this may be a dream, I still hesitate to sit on the edge of a tall building, so I just sit a few distance away and checked the contents of the paper bag. When I heard that a God has prepared a meal for me, I felt rather awe-inspired…… but I wonder how should I say this? Inside the paper bag were two individually wrapped round packages, a drink and fries…… Unnn? Arehh? That’s weird…… No matter how I look at this, this looks like a burger set from a chain restaurant. No, I think this certainly is delicious, and I like it too but…… This is the special treat? How should I say this…… This God sure feels like a commoner.

[Eh? A- Arehh? That won’t do? That’s my favorite though…… Would you prefer something else?]

[Ah, no, I was just a little surprised.]

It’s not that I don’t like burgers, it’s just that I really was surprised. I thought that since a God is preparing a meal, it would be made up of fancy food that I’ve never seen before……

[Fancy food…… How about some steak!?]

[…………………..]

I had thought of this before…… I feel like she’s much more like a commoner than I imagined. Thinking of steak when she hears the words fancy food, she’s surprisingly approachable. How should I say this…… I could feel how dangerous she was, making me feel sweaty from nervousness…… but I don’t think she’s a bad person.

[……Thank you. I’ll have a bite then.]

[Unnn, unnn, don’t hesitate to ask for more, okay?]

The way she smiled, looking like she was having fun, doesn’t exude the majesty of a God, but she looked somewhat cute. I think she’s a mysterious person who sometimes makes remarks as if she had seen through everything.

[……Haahhh…… My child as he’s eating is also cute.]

Yeah, other than that strange chill running down my spine I’m feeling sometimes, I think she’s approachable. With that in mind, I took a burger out of the paper bag and ate it. It’s been almost half a year since I came to this world, so it feels like it has been a long time since I had eaten a burger.

[Ahh, speaking of which, my child.]

[Yes?]

[……Thank you.]

[Eh? What for?]

[I wonder? What could be the reason why I’m thanking you?]

""

I was confused by the sudden words of gratitude Makina-san said with a gentle expression on her face, but Makina-san just smiled mischievously, not telling me the details. Tilting my head in confusion, I sensed that she didn’t have the intention to speak any further on this topic, so I turned my gaze toward the view from the rooftop, remembering the words Makina-san had told me earlier.

The person I need to save isn’t just them alone.

Those words alone don’t make any sense, but perhaps, something is about to happen. But from what she said though, she made it so that I would forget our conversation here and remember only some of our conversation when I needed it. Those were something a World Creator had said. Then, it will definitely be the case. If so, thinking about this and that here doesn’t really have any meaning…… Let’s just not think too deeply about it.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

As she watched Kaito eat his burger while worrying about various things, Makina gently smiled.

(Yes, yes, that’s good enough. It’s important to worry about things, but my child, you also have times when you think too much. Even if you’re worried about something, there are times when it’s best to let nature take its course.)

Having such thoughts in her mind, Makina brought forth a burger for herself and ate it with a smile.

(It’s been a long time since I had a meal like this with someone. It somehow feels really nostalgic.)

On the rooftop of a skyscraper with almost no wind, with the cloudy skies above them……, it was a memorable view for her who found the world outside her birdcage for the first time.

———-Arehh? Makina, why do you look so tired? Are you that excited to be in a new city for the first time?

———-……That’s not it. It’s not because I was too excited, it’s because I had my first skydive before I came to this city.

———-You lead quite an aggressive life~~

———-And whose fault do you think this is!? Tell me!!!

Thinking back, her best friend had been preposterous from the first time they met. The day after they met, she took Makina out of her birdcage and headed for the city, then ran over the ocean, dashed up into the air, and landed on the roof of a skyscraper in a skydiving-like fashion. It was quite preposterous, but it’s a precious memory that she will never forget.

———-Well, putting that aside, we should eat while it’s warm.

———-Mnghhh…… Geez, what a troubling friend you are. Thanks…… What’s this?

———-It’s a burger.

———-Hamburger…… Ahh, I think I’ve seen a lot of people eat this a couple of times with my clairvoyance.

———-Saying that she has never eaten burgers, this is why you’re a “naive island girl”……

———-Naive island girl, that’s the first time I’ve heard of that…… No, what’s troubling is that it’s true.

The burger presented to her while she had a wry smile on her face was the first food Makina ate outside her birdcage……

———-This is delicious! I’ve never tasted food this tasty before!!!

———-Well, not if all you eat is jellies and canned military food.

———-Amazing, for a food this tasty to exist in the world…… I wonder how I should say this? I feel really moved!

———-For you to get so excited over a single hamburger, that’s really cheap…… Well, I’m glad you liked it.

———-Unnn! Thanks, Alicia!

———-Ahaha, you’re welcome.

Since that day, Makina’s favorite food has been  burgers. No matter how many other delicious meals there are, to her, burgers, the taste of happy memories with her best friend, are the best, and she believes that there is nothing more delicious than that. Even though she has lived many years as a god, the memories of that time have not faded one bit.

(……Now then, I wonder how my best friend, who overthinks more than my child, move from here on out……Maybe I should help her again in secret. The “Demon Lord” case aside…… even Alicia would have a hard time having no hints about “Shallow Vernal’s”case.)

While thinking about such things, Makina leisurely enjoyed chatting with Kaito until he woke up.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The 10th Day of the second Fire month.

Today, Lilia-san and I are going to be shopping for clothes for the Six Kings Festival. Thinking about it, I’ve gone out with Lilia-san many times before, but this is the first time we’ve gone out alone on a date. Also, when we stayed at the summer resort before, it felt more like we were set up……

[……I- I’m sorry to keep you waiting.]

[Ah, no…… Your clothes look great on you.]

[Y- Yes, thank you.]

Instead of the easy-to-move-in clothing Lilia-san usually wears, she’s currently wearing a long skirt that barely shows her feet. However, it wasn’t a fluffy dress, but a loose fitting design, making it look more like a stylish casual wear than a dress. Its cream color also matched Lilia-san’s blonde hair and looked great on her.

[Well then, shall we go?]

[Y- Yes!]

[……Would you like to hold hands?]

[H- H- Hold hands!? N- No, t- t- t- that’s a bit too difficult for me…… If you could wait a bit longer……]

……Lilia-san is too nervous. She was so flustered that it was easy for me to see it. It might be rude of me to say this, but this looks a bit amusing. Well, to be honest, I was also a bit nervous…… But people calm down when they see other people who are more nervous than they are, so the more nervous Lilia-san is, the more I feel comfortable enough to smile at her.

[Lilia-san, could you relax for a bit…… Let’s just take this easy and have fun.]

[Uuuu…… Y- Yes. I’m so embarrassed……]

[No, it’s fine if we get used to it at our own pace. Now then, shall we go?]

[Yes.]

After making a follow up with a wry smile on my face, I went out shopping with Lilia-san.

Even so, she’s this flustered just by going out shopping huh…… I feel like it’s going to be a long time before we can hold hands on our date……

No, I think we’ve held hands before at a summer resort…… Would it be wrong if I make her conscious about that time? Well, I’ll just let her gradually get used to it.

Even though I said we’re going to go shopping for clothes, it doesn’t really mean that we’re going around too many stores. Lilia-san is a Duchess, so the clothes she would wear for the Six Kings Festival naturally must be of a certain quality. This naturally narrows down the number of stores that sell clothes suitable for the Head of a Duchess’ family. The first store we visited today was the same one I went to buy my clothes when I first came to this world…… According to Lilia-san, this is where she often buys her clothes.

[Welcome…… If it isn’t Duchess Albert-sama. Welcome to our establishment.]

[I’d like to have some formal wear…… No, something a bit more casual.]

[Understood. Please wait for a moment.]

The clothes we’re buying today are the clothes we’re going to wear around the Six Kings Festival. We would certainly be attending a party on the last day of the festival, but it would be uncomfortable to spend the other six days in formal wear. On the other hand, if we were to wear casual clothes, it wouldn’t be good when we meet other nobles. So, we came here to buy clothes that were somewhere between casual and formal wear. When Lilia-san familiarly expressed her request, the clerk politely thanked her, moved to the back of the store and returned with several pieces of clothing.

[This one is the latest design and has a luxurious feel. Its white color is very beautiful, so it’s easy to match it with accessories……]

[Hmmm. However, it looks like it would be difficult to 'swing a sword around” in this.]

That’s your criteria for choosing!? No, no, why are you assuming you’ll be swinging a sword at the Six Kings Festival, Lilia-san?

[For ease of movement, how about this one? It’s very light and stretches well, so I can confidently recommend this if you want nimbleness in your gait.]

[……However, I don’t really like pink……]

[I see. Then, you can try this one……]

Unnn. This is troubling…… I can’t keep up with what they’re talking about at all. I don’t know much about women’s clothing, and even less about what a noble would wear. As I looked at the scene, wondering what to do, Lilia-san turned to me with a smile.

[This one will take a little while, so if Kaito-san doesn’t mind, why don’t you take a look at the clothes? They have men’s clothing here, too.]

[I guess so…… I guess I’ll do that.]

Nodding at Lilia-san’s suggestion, I moved my gaze to choose my own clothes, but at that moment, the sales clerk asked Lilia-san.

[Duchess Albert-sama, if you don’t mind me asking…… May I ask who this gentleman is?]

[A- Ahh, errr…… He’s…… m- my lover.]

[Oh my! Please excuse my rudeness…… It seems like I’m not very knowledgeable or thoughtful enough. But, I see. Looking closely, he certainly has the face of a high-class person, so he must be a very famous person.]

……High-class? Who is?

[My apologies. I don’t often have the opportunity to see “noble-sama’s” face, so please forgive me for not recognizing you.]

[…………………]

……Noble? A- Ahhh, I see…… She thought that since I’m the lover of Lilia-san, a Duchess, I would naturally be a noble…… I was tempted to ask her what exactly noble-like she saw in me, but telling her that I’m not a noble would only prolong this topic, so I just told her a few words and started to choose my outfit. A different clerk came and explained the clothes to me but…… To be honest, I haven’t found any clothes that I like. In a way, that might be something that’s obvious…… The clothes I’m wearing now were made by Alice. To be honest, Alice’s taste and skills are top-notch, and since the clothing I bought from her were tailored to my tastes, it’s hard for me to find something better than that.

In fact, ever since I started buying clothes at Alice’s miscellaneous goods store, I can’t remember buying clothes at any other store. As I was thinking about this…… out of nowhere, a familiar masked girl…… Alice appeared in front of me. Alice has a big smile on her face and a small, 30x30cm wooden board in her hand. And written on it was “Alice-chan’s special handmade clothes ~~ Six Kings Festival Specifications ~~ Set of 3, one white gold coin”.

In Japanese yen, that’s 10 million yen…… This f*cking b*stard….. She wants to earn more after getting a lot of money from me yesterday at her food stall. She completely set her eyes at me. Instead of opening her store and waiting for the customers to come to her, she went with the method of offering what I need at the right time at a high price…… Frustrating it may be, but it’s very effective. White gold coin…… However, knowing her, I’m sure that the goods she made are worth more than their cost…… Taking that into consideration, doesn’t that mean that they should be cheap?

After some thought, I silently let Alice hold onto a white gold coin. Thereupon, Alice brightly smiled and disappeared as if nothing happened…… With this, I’ll have three outfits delivered by the day of the Six Kings Festival. I know Alice has good taste, so I can count on her. I feel like I’ve really lost though……

[……Ummm, as I thought, I’m fine with the clothes I have.]

[Yes, I have heard from Phantasmal King-sama. I’ve prepared some tea here, so please make yourself comfortable.]

……She’s also one of Alice’s subordinates huh…… From the flow of things…… Could it be that it’s all according to Alice’s calculations? This guy may actually have more business acumen than I thought.

After Alice ended my clothing selection at that instant, I waited for Lilia-san over a cup of tea, as recommended by the clerk. This store mainly caters to the nobles, and it seems like it’s common for them to take a long time to choose their clothes, so there are several tables and chairs set up in an open space. It kind of reminds me of those shops that deal with cars…… Well, I’ve never bought a car before, so this is just completely something I imagined.

I finished drinking the tea the store offered me and some time had passed, but it still didn’t feel like Lilia-san’s shopping for clothes would end. Well, it’s not like we’re in any rush here, so I’m just going to take it easy and wait…… but you see, being bored from all the waiting, I just can’t help but wonder how things are going. So, I got up from my seat and went to the place where Lilia-san was, to check up on what the situation was like on her side for a bit.

There, I found several beautiful dress-style outfits lined up in front of the wall, and Lilia-san had her arms crossed in front of them, seemingly troubled while looking at them.

[……Lilia-san?]

[Ahh, Kaito-san. I’m sorry it took me so long.]

[No, it seems like you’ve feeling troubled?]

[Yes, I’ve narrowed down my options, but there are still a bit too many of them…… I was just trying to decide which one to buy.]

When I was told that, I took a look at the clothes that were laid out in order. There are about ten outfits…… which is certainly a bit much. The Six Kings Festival lasts for seven days, so if the purpose is to find clothes to wear at the Six Kings Festival, then the maximum number of clothes she’s going to buy is seven. Of course, she could also just buy all of them and wear the remaining three for her private life but…… with Lilia-san’s character, she probably wouldn’t want to waste money like that. I think that’s why she’s having a hard time deciding which ones to buy, because she’s thinking of buying only what she needs.

Thinking about this, I looked at the clothes one by one again. All of them look good on Lilia, and it’s hard to decide which one to buy. Lilia-san looked troubled about this, and I’d like to give her some advice…… but I’m not really an expert in women’s clothing, so I’m not sure if I can give her any good advice. So, I decided to simply tell her what I thought.

[……Hmmm. In my personal opinion, I like these kinds of clothes.]

I thought that the white base color with gold threads interwoven in a not too flashy way would look good on Lilia, who has blond hair and blue eyes. I think a chic black dress is also good, but I think white suits Lilia-san.

[I think Lilia-san would look good in any of them, but I think this dress fits the image of the innocent Lilia-san perfectly.]

[I- I see, t- thank you…… P- Please wait for a little longer. I’ll decide soon.]

[You don’t really have to rush.]

Lilia-san’s face reddened a little at my words, but she replied, she started picking up each piece of clothing, as if she’s starting to make her choice. As for the dress I said looks good on her, she picked it up first, gave it a quick glance and then moved it to a place separate from the rest of the clothes…… How cute. As I smilingly watched Lilia-san earnestly choose clothes, I heard the door of the store open and I reflexively moved my gaze in that direction.

[……Excuse me, I’m fine with those not as expensive as a noble’s, so can you help me find some slightly expensive clothes…… Oya?]

[……Sieg-san?]

[Sieg?]

To our surprise, it was Sieg-san who came into the store, and both Lilia-san and I were astonished at the unexpected encounter with her. It was the same for Sieg-san. Looking a bit surprised, she called out and approached us.

[……Kaito-san, Lili…… I didn’t expect to see you here.]

[Indeed.]

[Sieg, it’s your day-off today, isn’t it? Are you going to buy some clothes?]

[Yes, it wouldn’t be necessary if I were to participate as Lili’s escort, but I’ve been directly invited…… As expected, I couldn’t just dress like usual.]

[I see……]

[Are Kaito-san and Lili also shopping for clothes?]

After exchanging a few words, I answered Sieg-san’s question with a nod. Thereupon, for some reason, Sieg-san gently smiled and alternately looked at Lilia-san and I.

[……I see you’re on a date.]

[Wha!? T- T- T- That is……]

Lilia-san…… There’s a chance that she may be trying to deceive her, but she’s really easy to understand.

[Fufufu, how enviable…… Ahh, that’s right. If it’s fine with you, “can I also go with your date”?]

[Eh? E- Errr, that is……]

[Of course, I don’t mind.]

[Lilia-san!?]

While I was at a loss for what to say to Sieg-san, who nonchalantly asked me to go on a date with her with a calm smile…… For some reason, Lilia-san readily agreed. As I raised my voice in surprise, both Lilia-san and Sieg-san tilted their heads in wonder at me.

[Kaito-san, is something the matter?]

[Eh? N- No, ummm…… Is that alright?]

[What do you mean?]

[N- No, I mean, going on a date with the two of you at the same time……]

[Unnn? Isn’t that “pretty normal”?]

[…………….]

Unlike the confused me, Lilia-san looked like she really didn’t know why I was asking her that. At that moment, as if she understood what I was talking about, Sieg-san clapped her hands.

[Ahh, that’s right…… Speaking of which, monogamy was the norm in Kaito-san’s world, wasn’t it?]

[Y- Yes…… Could it be that this isn’t uncommon in this world?]

[Yes. Polygamy is the norm in this world…… It’s not particularly unusual for one man and several women to go on a date. Well, of course, I think it’s more common for just two people to go on a date.]

[I- I see……]

When she put it that way, that would certainly make sense.

[……If Kaito-san feels bothered about it, it’s fine to decline, you know?]

[Ah, no, it’s just that I’m a little surprised by the cultural differences…… I also enjoy being with Sieg-san, and you would never be a nuisance.]

[Fufufu, hearing that makes me happy. Well then, if Kaito-san doesn’t mind, I would certainly like to go with you.]

[Yes.]

I was surprised, but as long as Lilia-san and Sieg-san don’t mind, I’m happy to have a fun date with my two lovers. When I agreed to Sieg-san’s request, not only Sieg-san, but also Lilia-san smiled happily. For the shy Lilia-san, having the familiar Sieg-san might be comforting for her.

[Ahh, but before that, Sieg-san’s clothes. The size may be a little different, something like this should be great…..]

[No, Lili…… Please don’t bring me such an expensive item. I don’t have as much money as you do. I can barely afford to buy the lowest grade of clothing in this store…… Also, if possible, not a 'skirt”……]

[……Speaking of which, you don’t really like skirts.]

[Rather than me not liking skirts, what I didn’t like were “clothes that make it hard to move around in a forest”……]

Like I said, aren’t your standards quite strange!? Lilia-san and Sieg-san, what exactly do you think you do at the Six Kings Festival!? There’s no way you would need to go around in a forest there……. You wouldn’t, right……? As I watched the two women get excited about choosing clothes, I quietly called out behind me.

[……Alice.]

[Yes, yes.]

[When it’s Lillywood-san’s turn to host the festival, would she turn the venue into a forest?]

[……She did say that the theme of her event would be “interacting with nature”.]

[I see, thanks.]

[No, no, I’ll be excusing myself then~~]

…….Could it be that I’m actually the wrong one here? After all, it’s a festival hosted by those  distinctive Six Kings. Is it the right answer to prepare ourselves for a battle? I’m starting to lose my mind……

[……Ahh, can I ask you something again?]

[Hey, hey.]

[From Alice’s point of view, what do you think about going on a date with another girl?]

[Hmmm, I’m fine if it’s with Kuro-san or Fate-san…… It feels “too troublesome” if it was with the others, so I would have to pass.]

[I see, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.]

Different people have different opinions about huh. It doesn’t seem like there’s anyone among my lovers who are on bad terms with each other, but I think it would be a good idea to ask them about this later.

With the addition of Sieg-san, whom we met by chance at a clothing store, we decided to move on to a date with one man and two women, which feels unusual for me. However, we decided on our clothes first…… Lilia-san bought about 5 clothes, including the one I recommended. As for Sieg-san……

[Mhmm…… T- This is expensive……]

[Sieg-san? You looked like you’re feeling troubled?]

[Hmmm. It’s a festival hosted by the Six Kings and I didn’t want to appear discourteous, so I came here to buy something……  As I thought, since they were made for nobles, all of them are very expensive…… It’s hard to make up my mind……]

The clothes Sieg-san is looking at are pants-type that look easy to move in. At first glance, it looks like something for men, but its colors and patterns are cute. The price of one of them is 5000R…… 500,000 yen, while the other one is 7000R…… 700,000 yen. Both of them seemed to be inexpensive, even compared to the top-bottom sets of this store. I thought it was cheap for a moment, since my senses had become numb after buying 3 outfits for 10 million yen from Alice, but when I thought about it again, 500,000 yen for one outfit is quite expensive. Putting aside if it were for the Duchess Lilia-san, it seems to be a price that is difficult for Sieg-san to afford. Incidentally, all the clothes that Lilia-san bought were in gold coins…… They cost several millions. The fact that they aren’t expensive stuff like formal dresses reminded me once again of the magnificent nobles are supposed to be.

……Well, my clothes, which I buy from Alice, are also considerably expensive……

[Sieglinde-sama, may I recommend these clothes with the newest designs?]

[……These designs look quite lovely, don’t they? The price is…… 15,000R!? I- I’ll pass.]

How should I say this…… Unnn. I don’t know if it’s because I’m surrounded by people so rich that they don’t even know money exists, but seeing Sieg-san’s appearance, looking like a commoner, feels really refreshing. Even so, the clothes the clerk just brought in…… It’s a pale green pattern that looks good on Sieg-san……

[Ummm, excuse me. Can you please adjust that one to fit Sieg-san’s size?]

""

[……Eh? K- Kaito-san!? W- What are you……]

[We’re on a date anyway, so I’ll buy it for you as a present.]

[In that case, may I recommend some accessories that would go well with this outfit?]

[That looks beautiful…… I’ll take that too.]

[Kaito-san!? Y- You can’t do that! T- They’re too expensive……]

When I told her that I’m going to buy it as a present for Sieg-san, she called out to me in a panic.

[Fortunately, I have lots of money, and I don’t have anything planned to spend them on…… I also think that this would look good on you, Sieg-san. Besides, I’m your lover, so let me at least give you clothes as a present.]

[N- No, but…… If you include the accessories, that’s over 30,000R, you know!? T- That’s expensive……]

[Ahh, Lilia-san too, please let me give you that dress I picked as a present.]

[……Thank you. I’ll take your word for it then.]

[You’re ignoring me!? Lili too, how can you easily agree!?]

Unlike the flustered Sieg-san, Lilia-san smiled at my suggestion and just thanked me. This may be because of the difference in financial sense between the two of them.

[……Kaito-san’s personal wealth can’t be compared to that of an ordinary noble, you know? Kaito-san, how much money do you currently have?]

[E- Errr, I haven’t really counted them but…… It should be about “1500 white gold coins”.]

[O- One thousand five hun……]

Even after making money from the monster race before, lots of things happened and the money I have just kept increasing. For example, when I was making the music box, I received a large amount of jewelry from Isis-san that I still have a lot of leftovers…… The quantity was a bit large, and I was worried about the capacity of my magic box since Magnawell-san’s scales took up most of the space, so I decided to sell some of them. As a result, I have a lot of money in my pocket. Even after giving out special bonuses to Anima and the others, I still have a lot of money…… I’m going to have to seriously think about how to use them.

[……Don’t come out of nowhere and smile like that, idiot.]

As I was thinking about this, Alice appeared out of nowhere with a smile on her face. Even though I say that she’s smiling, her eyes were totally looking at me with “eyes of a predator looking at a delicious prey”. Shooing away the idiot, I turned to Sieg-san, whose mouth was flapping open and close like a fish.

[And that’s why, please let me give you a present.]

[……U- Uuuu…… T- Thank you. I’ll make sure to repay this someday.]

[Don’t worry about it. I’ve always been really indebted to Sieg-san after all.]

When Lilia-san asked me how much money I had, Sieg-san seemed to have given up and after apologetically thanking me, she accepted my request. But really, I’m only buying it because I want to see Sieg-san in it, so it’s perfectly fine…… I think it’s a very good purchase. After thanking me several times, I watched her and Lilia-san head off to get their sizes measured, and a thought occurred to me. Speaking of which, what about Anima and the others? I heard that Eta and Theta would somehow prepare their clothes but…… as for Anima…… Unnn. I think she would definitely not prepare at all. I mean, Anima had already received an invitation from Alice, but she still dared to ask to participate as “my companion”…… She’s definitely planning to attend in her usual military uniform. However, there’s hardly any time left before the Six Kings Festival, so if I ask something made for her now…… I don’t think they would make it in time.

[……Unnn?]

[………………….]

And there Alice appears again. With a smile on her face, she’s holding several design drawings in her hands.

[……I’ll have this and this…… Also, this one.]

[Thank you for your patronage~~]

The price is fairly expensive, but I could expect its quality and the speed that these clothes are made would be overwhelming. Somehow, she really has become a very useful mobile store…… Somehow, it feels like she has been exclusively targeting me lately……

Pushing past the reserved Sieg-san, we finally finished shopping for clothes. By the current time, I guess we’ll be having lunch next. Let’s go search for a good restaurant from Kuro’s guidebook. Anyhow, I think it’s about time———– I think about how I should use my money.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

After buying our clothes, we were moving around the city to have lunch. We went to a place that Kuro’s guidebook said was “recommended for women”.

[……Mnhh, I feel like I’ve only been receiving things from Kaito-san.]

[Don’t worry about it. I bought it because I like it.]

[Thank you…… Ei.]

[Huh? Wha!?]

I reiterated to Sieg-san, who was still a little concerned about me buying her things, that I didn’t mind. Then Sieg-san smiled happily and with a very cute shout, she hugged my left arm.

[S- Sieg?! W- What in the world are you……]

[Lili, listen here, okay? We are Kaito-san’s lovers. It’s natural for us to walk arm in arm like this.]

[……N- No, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration……]

[I see, t- that’s right…… L- L- L- Like this……]

[Lilia-san too!?]

Believing Sieg-san’s slightly exaggerated words, Lilia-san hugged my right arm with her face blushing red as if she had made up her mind. A fearsome pincer attack, where both of my arms are held in embrace…… In an instant, my body temperature rose and my face became hot. The soft sensations I feel from both sides. Lilia-san is embarrassed, but she is pressing her body a little closer, capturing my arms in between her frighteningly soft twin hills, putting me in a very dangerous situation. I’m not sure if Sieg-san is more composed than Lilia-san, but as she leaned her body while hugging me, she held my hand with our fingers interlocked.

T- This is dangerous…… I don’t know how I suddenly found myself in this situation, but this feels really dangerous. Lilia-san, Sieg-san…… Both of them are amazingly soft, warm and smell good. Sieg-san’s tall and slender body is tightly wrapped around my body, not letting any space between us, and as her face rubs against my shoulder, my face is extremely close to hers. Lilia-san isn’t as tall as Sieg-san, but her breasts could already be considered as imposingly lethal weapons, holding my arm hostage and changing their shape upon contact.

The way she hid her face in my arm, as if she was embarrassed, looks adorable, but it also feels like it’s whittling away my reason.

The situation where both my arms are held by beautiful women holding their own strong point, this truly is holding a flower in each hand…… I must completely look like a riajuu right now.

However, I didn’t have any composure to enjoy this situation. I was wrapped up in the scent and warmth that drifted from both of my sides, and all I could think about was how to keep my dizzy head calm.

Suddenly receiving great damage for my reason, we made our way to the restaurant, while I felt conscious about the stares of the people on the street.

When we reached our target restaurant, Sieg-san and Llia-san finally released my arms. That was a close call…… in all sorts of ways. This lover-like situation is surprisingly very damaging to my reasoning.

The restaurant we arrived at was a little off the main street and not that spacious, but it was clean and stylish with nice tables and chairs. What bothers me though is that there weren’t many customers even though it was lunchtime. Sitting down at a table, I looked at the menu that the waitress brought over…… I see, as it was recommended for women, there were many dishes with egg and vegetables, and a wide variety of salads. I may be biased with my thoughts, but their lunch menu certainly feels like they’re targeted to ladies…… Unnn, I think it certainly fits Sieg-san’s image. It’s just that Lilia-san……. how should I say this…… She feels more like a meat eater……

[Kaito-san? Are you thinking about something strange right now?]

[N- Not at all!]

……That was a close call. It was almost about to get lectured.

I was panicking for a bit, but I managed to place my order and we waited while chatting with each other…… As there were no other customers, the food was immediately served. I ordered the recommended set, which consists of an omelet on top of bread, salad, and soup. It feels like one of those simple, but tasty meals. Well, for a guy like me, this lunch feels a bit lacking…… Well, if it’s not enough, we can just order more, so let’s just try them out. Leisurely putting my hands together, I thought of starting with the salad, so I brought my fork towards it…… and immediately withdrew it.

……They added the vegetable I hate the most there.

A bright green object, dazzlingly exemplifying its existence…… It was cut into thin strips and added to the salad, giving me an inexplicable sense of dread.

……There’s bell pepper in it…… I’ll say it again because it’s important. There’s bell pepper in it. There’s nothing I can do. Unfortunately, I’ll have to give up on this salad. Bell peppers really are impossible for me. Bell peppers are seriously scary. I wish all the bell peppers from the world would disappear……

Just as I was about to give up on the salad, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed the plate containing the salad.

[……I’m sorry, Kaito-san. I actually “really wanted to eat this salad”, but I ordered the wrong one…… I’m sorry to be so selfish, but I’d appreciate it if we could swap.]

[Eh? Yes……]

[Thank you.]

Then, with a smile, Sieg-san replaced my salad with her own. Sieg-san particularly ordered her salad, instead of just ordering the recommended set…… and what was put in front of me was a very ordinary caesar salad. After we exchanged plates, I turned to Sieg-san and she gave me a quick wink. Then she started eating her salad as if nothing had happened. Lilia-san also didn’t mention the bell peppers in particular, and proceeded to eat while smiling and making idle chit-chat. She doesn’t make fun of my childish taste buds, but rather gently cares for me…… It makes me feel once again how kind the two of them are.

……Unnn, I’m falling in love with them all over again. Both Sieg-san and Lilia-san are really wonderful women, and I felt so proud to think that I’m their lover.

Strangely, the salad I ate that day…… tastes more delicious than usual.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

The 11th Day of the second Fire month.

I woke up at the usual time and headed to the dining room as usual, but I found Lunamaria-san on standby along the way. No, it doesn’t seem like we just met by chance. She was standing in the middle of the hallway, her gaze staring right at me.

[Oya? If it isn’t Miyama-sama? Good morning. What a “coincidence” it is, meeting like this.]

[No, this obviously looks intentional, you know? You’re waiting here for me……]

[Hahaha, you and your jokes again……]

What now? What kind of evil scheme is she up to this time? Her smile looks really suspicious.

[……So, what do you want from me?]

[As expected of Miyama-sama, you cut right through the chase. You’ve opened up this Lunamaria’s bleary eyes.]

Freaking shameless…… Ahh, I’m starting to get worried. What kind of absurdity is she planning to do now? My heart is screaming at me that this wouldn’t end well, probably because of my  deep trust in Lunamaria-san’s personality.

[……In fact, I have something I’d like to earnestly request Miyama-sama……]

Here it comes. She’ll probably say something outrageous again……

[I would like to ask you to choose my mother as a companion for the Six Kings Festival……]

[……Unnn?]

Arehh? This isn’t what I was expecting. I thought it was just another request to get Lilia-san in a good mood or asking me to come with her so that she could apologize to Lilia-san. However, what came out of Lunamaria-san’s mouth was regarding Noir-san.

[……When you say companion, you mean that, right? Applying for her in advance and bringing her along with me.]

[Yes. As Miyama-sama may remember, the scope of the companion’s activities depends on the rank of the invitation.]

[……Yes, that’s what I heard.]

It seems that the iron-rank invitation that Lunamaria-san has is limited to one companion, and the range of activities of her companion is also quite restricted, according to that cat-eared Demon who came to explain to us about these things…… I think her name was Caraway-san? I see, that would make it difficult for Noir-san to act freely, so she was asking me to make her my companion. My black-rank invitation allows me to bring along as many companions as I want, and they don’t have much restrictions on the scope of their activities. For Lunamaria-san, it would be better for Noir-san to ask me to make her my companion than making Noir-san her companion.

[……Yes, of course, I don’t mind.]

[Thank you very much!]

[I was just about to think of applying others as my companion too……]

I tell Lunamaria-san, who bows her head at a beautiful angle, that she doesn’t need to worry about it. It’s totally not because I’m feeling guilty for suspecting that she’s planning to do something bad again just now. Lunamaria-san thanked me several times for my agreement before leaving, leaving me to think about some things. Even so, unnn. Companions huh…… I certainly feel like it’s about time I decide who I should bring. Aside from Anima, Eta and Theta, I’ll invite some of the servants I’m good friends with at Lilia-san’s mansion, but the problem is the people outside of Lilia-san’s mansion. It seems like most of my acquaintances outside of Lilia-san probably have accepted someone’s invitation.

Orchid and Ryze-san are most probably invited already, and Noir-san will be invited via Lunamaria-san. As for Rei-san and Fia-san…… Have Sieg-san invited them yet? If she hasn’t, I think I should suggest to apply for their invitations as my companion. Other than them…… Ahh, that’s right! There’s also Dr. Vier! I’ve known her for quite some time already, and I’ve had tea with her and been under her care. She’ll probably refuse because she’s busy with her job as a doctor, but let’s leave thinking about what to do when she refuses me…… Let’s go invite her first. It was still a little early in the day, and thinking that I should visit her clinic after lunch, I started walking towards the dining room.

Also, what about her who I got acquainted with recently…… Eden-san? There’s a part of me that thinks she’s already invited, but there’s also a part of me that thinks that she isn’t invited to this event…… I guess I’ll just invite her for the time being? However, I’m afraid to meet Eden-san one-on-one. Alright, I’ll ask Kuro to indirectly contact her next time.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

When I visited the clinic a little later than lunch time, I was greeted by Dr. Vier with her usual gentle smile.

[Welcome, Miyama-kun. What’s the matter? I don’t think today was the day for Noir-san’s treatment though?]

[Good afternoon…… No, I came for Dr. Vier today.]

[For me?]

[Yes, do you have some time today?]

There was a possibility that Dr. Vier didn’t know about the Six Kings Festival, so I asked if she had some time she could spare. Thereupon, Dr. Vier flipped through the notebook she had on the table.

[……Unnn. It’s alright. I don’t have a home visit this afternoon.]

[Is that so, then……]

[Since it looks like this would be a long talk, how about we talk about this over a cup of tea? A patient I had treated today gave me some delicious cookies.]

Saying that with a smile on her face, Dr. Vier leads me to the living space adjacent to the clinic. Unnn, I think we’re close enough that she would let me into her kitchen like this, so it’s not strange to ask her out. Thinking about this, Dr. Vier urged me to sit on a chair.

[……So? What do you want to talk about?]

[Yes, actually……]

Listening to what she said as she prepared to make a cup of herbal tea, since I think it was a good starter, I tried to get to the point…… but at that moment, I heard some hurried footsteps, so I shut my mouth and turned around to hear that sound. Thereupon, the door to the kitchen was vigorously opened and a familiar person appeared.

[Vier! I’m here to play! Look, I got some very tasty…… you…… kan…… Eh?]

[……E- Errr, good afternoon…… Neun-san.]

[……Kaito-san?]

[Y- Yes.]

(T/N: Youkan is sweet bean jelly.)

Neun-san, who appeared with a big smile on her face, immediately stiffened when she saw me, and her face gradually turned pale. And then, moving like a broken tin can, she moved to the corner of the room…… and sat down, hugging her knees.

[……I can’t become a bride anymore…….]

[…………………]

I couldn’t even react quickly enough before her tension drastically dropped down!? S- She got absurdly depressed for some reason. Thereupon, Dr. Vier approached Neun-san and called out to her with a wry smile on her face.

[Hika…… Neun. You abruptly came, but why are you suddenly depressed?]

[……Kaito-san saw me being unladylike…… I can’t…… be a bride anymore.]

[…………………..]

No, I’m sorry to say this, Neun-san…… but isn’t it a little too late to say that? You’re the one who showed up carrying a dragon at our first meeting, you know……

[……Arehh? Speaking of which, Neun-san and Dr. Vier are acquainted with each other?]

[A- Ahhh, unnn. We’ve known each other for quite a while. Hikari, I mean.]

[Eh? Did you just call her Hikari?]

[Ah…… No, ummm……]

Neun-san’s real name came out of Dr. Vier’s mouth…… That should mean that Dr. Vier knows that Neun-san is the First Hero. However, why is she that flustered?

[……Ahh, that’s right! It’s alright. I also know about Neun-san’s true identity.]

[Ehh? A- Ahh, I see…… I’m glad. I can be relieved then.]

I see, she was flustered because she thought I just found out that the First Hero was still alive.

[Even so, for you to know that Neun-san is the First Hero…… Could it be that Dr. Vier……]

[ ! ? ]

[K- Kaito-san!?]

[……Did you help Neun-san when she was the Hero?]

[…………..]

[…………..]

[Eh? What’s the matter?]

[No, it’s nothing.]

[Yes, as Kaito-san thought, I had been under Vier’s care when I was a Hero, and we are still friends because of that.]

Arehh? What is this? Both Neun-san and Dr. Vier’s expressions and voices are quite normal. However, I could feel a strong sense of urgency in the emotions conveyed by my Sympathy Magic. Moreover, they’re coming from both of them……

Feeling a strange sense of unease, I don’t really have any particular reason to pursue this matter, so I just nodded my head in agreement. How should I say this…… something feels strange. Yes, it’s as if———— they’re hiding a big secret……

I was strangely caught off guard by their reactions, but I didn’t mention it, and the three of us, including Neun-san, exchanged some light conversation. After a while of idle conversation, as if she remembered about it, Dr. Vier returned to our original topic.

[Come to think of it, Miyama-kun? In the end, what’s the reason why you came to see me?]

[Yes, since Neun-san is here, this may not be necessary but……]

[Unnn?]

Since Neun-san is a member of Kuro’s family, she definitely has an invitation, and if she and Dr. Vier are close friends, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had already invited her to the Six Kings Festival. Well, it’s not like I’m going to lose anything by suggesting it, so I’ll just invite her. As Dr. Vier tilted her head as she was about to get up and prepare another pot of herbal tea, I told Dr. Vier about the main topic of my visit.

[The Six Kings Festival is about to be held next month, so if you’re fine with it, would you like to go?]

[……Eh?]

Immediately after, the pot slipped from Dr. Vier’s hand and fell on the floor, shattering to multiple pieces. Eh? What’s with her reaction…… What’s with this…… storm-like emotions……

The moment I asked that to her, my Sympathy Magic read the various emotions that erupted from Dr. Vier. Dr. Vier’s expression didn’t change. She only looked a little surprised…… However, the emotions I felt through my Sympathy Magic were as dreadful as a murky river.

Regret, fear, anger, lamentation, anxiety, escapism…… Feeling the surge of dark emotions gushing towards my body, I was at a loss for words. Thereupon, Neun-san unexpectedly rose from her chair and approached Dr. Vier.

[……Ahh, you really are hopeless, Vier. You’re still the same “klutz” like usual.]

[A- Ahaha, unnn. I’m sorry, my hand slipped……]

A klutz like usual? Is that really all there is to it? I mean, what happened just now, rather than because of Dr. Vier’s klutziness…… It looks more like she’s so shaken that she lost grip of the pot. Moreover, I’ve also felt that from Neun-san too…… I could feel her flusteredness, as if she was trying to cover something up. Her expression appears to be calm, but I felt like I had touched something I shouldn’t have.

[……Miyama-kun.]

[Eh? Ah, yes!]

[……I’m sorry. I’m glad you invited me, but I have a lot of patients that even need my visit to receive medical treatment, so I don’t have the time to attend.]

……It’s a lie. I don’t even need my Sympathy Magic for me to know that. However, I can’t say anything. Dr.Vier must have known that even if she lied in her current state, she would be found out. And yet, she still dared to lie…… I guess that means that I shouldn’t go any further into this topic.

[I see…… I’m sorry for being unreasonable.]

[No. I was happy with just the thought, Miyama-kun. Thank you for inviting me.]

I don’t know. Why is it that something like this is happening? I was just trying to invite Dr. Vier to the Six Kings Festival……

And yet, why is she…… overflowing with sorrowful emotions, yet still smiling as usual? I don’t know, and I’m afraid to know. This is definitely because…… I felt that if I asked her about it, she would probably be very hurt. In the end, a subtle awkwardness remained, and unable to initiate any more conversation, I decided to return to the mansion when I found a suitable time.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

At night…… As I lay on my bed in my room, I couldn’t help but think of what happened with Dr. Vier and Neun-san today, even though I tried hard not to think about it. The emotions I felt from Dr. Vier at that time felt so painful. They were so sorrowful and cold that I couldn’t even imagine them from the always calm and smiling Dr. Vier. A part of me wants to know why, but another part of me thinks that I shouldn’t go any further. It’s just a guess…… but could it possibly be related with that 'sin” Dr. Vier had mentioned earlier?

In the first place, I have always been incredulous about how Dr. Vier apparently killed as many people as there were crosses in that church. No, even if that was true, I interpreted it as it was because of her profession…… That those crosses were the amount of lives that she was unable to save. But when I saw Dr. Vier today, I thought, almost intuitively…… that it wasn’t the case at all.

But then, the confusion in my head became larger. Would the kind Dr. Vier take the life of another without a reason? No, I don’t think so…… I want to believe that’s the case. However, I don’t know what that “reason” could be…… No matter how much I think about it, there’s no way I can get an answer. Holding my fuzzy head, I thoughtlessly raised my upper body, and right at that moment, a glowing magical bird appeared in front of me.

[…… A hummingbird?]

This is a means of communication that is very useful in this world, something like a mail made out of magic. I wonder who would send me a hummingbird at this hour? As I touched the hummingbird, glowing letters appeared in the air.

“Sorry to call so late at night. Can you come to the church now? -Vier”

It was a short and concise message…… but I felt that it contained something very heavy.

As soon as I saw the words, I got up from my bed, changed my clothes…… and invoked my Teleportation Magic Tool. Because I was supposed to be regularly visiting Dr. Vier’s clinic for Noir-san’s treatment, I registered the location of Dr. Vier’s clinic’s front. In an instant, my body was enveloped in light and I was teleported to my desired location.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

In the dimly lit church, Dr. Vier was standing in front of the altar, illuminated by the moonlight shining through the stained glass. She wasn’t really offering a prayer, but just standing there with her face slightly raised, as if gazing at the moon beyond the stained glass and appreciating its fantastic beauty.

[……I’m sorry to call out to you at this hour.]

[……No.]

Dr. Vier’s voice echoed in that quiet space, and the expression on her face as she slowly turned around…… looks as if she was about to cry.

In the church at night, surrounded by the eerie silence, Dr. Vier and I faced each other. After a few moments of silence, Dr. Vier slowly opens her mouth.

[……Miyama-kun. Ever since you saw me and Hikari at lunch, a question had been in your mind, right? Why are these people so shaken about it……]

[……You’ve noticed that?]

[Unnn. I mean, Miyama-kun is the type of person who can’t lie. Your face shows your emotions immediately, so it’s very easy for me to understand.]

[…………….]

I wonder why? Maybe it’s because I was told something like that before…… but I thought I saw Kuro’s smile for a moment on Dr. Vier’s gentle wry smile. I had always somehow had this vague feeling. I felt strangely comfortable talking to her, but that was probably because…… Dr. Vier resembles Kuro. It isn’t the way she looks, but the way she feels. Perhaps, that’s why I couldn’t assent with the word sin that Dr. Vier mentioned before.

[Seeing Miyama-kun’s reaction, I knew it would be difficult to keep it a secret…… No. I thought it would be painful to keep deceiving Miyama-kun.]

[……Eh?]

[I couldn’t tell you this for a long time but……. Miyama-kun, thank you for 'saving Kuromu-sama”…… for doing what I couldn’t do……]

[Then, as I thought…… Dr. Vier…… is part of Kuro’s family?]

She said words of thanks. Ever since Neun-san had shown up, I had thought of the possibility…… but it seems like Dr. Vier was Kuro’s family. However, if that’s so, why is she hiding it from me? Did she just not tell me because I didn’t ask?

[……I “used to” be her family.]

[Used to?]

[……I haven’t seen Kuromu-sama in over a thousand years already. I’m not qualified to call myself part of Kuromu-sama’s family.]

[……What does…… that mean?]

Dr. Vier’s face contorted in pain as she tells me that she is Kuro’s former family. When I heard those words, I remembered what Kuro had said to me when she told me about her past. Kuro said that she had to hurt her precious family…… because she hadn’t been honest with her about her wish. As for the name of her family, she hadn’t clearly told me her name…… but I wonder if she was talking about Dr. Vier?

[……Unnn, Yeah…… Let me introduce myself again.]

[……Unnn?]

[My name is Vier…… A Demon raised by the Underworld King Kuromueina…… I once called myself the “Demon Lord” and waged war on the Human Realm. I am…… the most foolish person in the world.]

[……Demon…… Lord?]

I didn’t know what Dr. Vier was talking about. No, I couldn’t understand the meaning of the words she’s saying. However, my mind wouldn’t process such information at all. Demon Lord she said, is she talking about that Demon Lord? That Demon Lord who had led a huge army to invade the Human Realm and was defeated by the First Hero, Neun-san, a thousand years ago…… The true identity of that Demon Lord is Dr. Vier?

I was so confused that I couldn’t speak, but Dr. Vier seemed to be waiting for me to calm down, before she continued talking.

[I’m a unique species of Demon that doesn’t hold a race name. I was just born, not knowing anything, and Kuromu-sama picked me up and raised me. The name Vier is one of the most precious treasures I received from Kuromu-sama.]

""

[……………….]

[I loved Kuromu-sama so much…… I was thinking of her as my real mother. She said that one day, I would be strong enough to help her…… Yes, that’s what I thought.]

Speaking of which, I’ve heard that from Alice. She said that the Demon Lord was like a little sister for the Six Kings……

I’m getting even more confused. When I heard the story from Alice, I didn’t think too much about what the Demon Lord was thinking when she invaded the Human Realm.

However, if that Demon Lord was actually Dr. Vier…… Then, why did a kind…… why did a woman who should have been kind like her do such a thing? A question like that just surged out from within my mind.

[……I was picked up by Kuromu-sama about 8000 years ago, I think. One of those days, I noticed that there was a shadow hidden beneath Kuromu-sama’s smile.]

[……That’s……]

[Unnn. I’m sure Miyama-kun would know about it as the person who had saved Kuromu-sama…… At that time though, I didn’t understand why Kuromu-sama had that look on her face.]

[…………….]

[However, one thing was clear to me: I didn’t want her to be sad. So, I thought about it a lot. I thought, and thought…… and ended up making a hopelessly big “misunderstanding”.]

Each word uttered with deep regret seemed to pierce my heart, and I was wrapped up in an emotion I couldn’t quite describe. Sympathy? Anger? Pity? Concern? All of them seemed to be the right answers, but all of them seemed to be wrong.

[In the past, Kuromu-sama and the others challenged the Gods to a battle. I didn’t know the details, but that legend was widely known in the Demon Realm…… I thought that Kuromu-sama’s sorrow was because she was unable to defeat the Gods.]

[……That is……]

[Unnn. Looking back on it now, I should have known that the kind Kuromu-sama would never think of such a thing. But at that time, I didn’t have the composure to think……. Just having the thought of such a deed being for Kuromu-sama’s sake, I wasn’t able to think straight.]

[……Then, the reason Dr. Vier invaded the Human Realm was because……]

[……I wanted to make Kuromu-sama the king of the world. So that no one would hurt Kuroma-sama’s feelings, so that no one would make Kuromu-sama sad…… I thought of making Kuromu-sama the one standing on the absolute top of the world. I thought that doing so would be my way of repaying Kuromu-sama for raising me……. I seriously thought of such things.]

[……………………]

I probably should have said something. But still, no words came out of my mouth. After all, the person herself already understands her mistake. She helplessly regrets it, and even now, she continues her never-ending atonement. That’s why, I, who didn’t know at that time, can’t reproach Dr. Vier…… nor could I comfort her.

[I was really…… really stupid. I’ve hurt lots of people…… It feels agonizing. It feels painful…… Every time I hurt someone with my hands, it feels so painful that I feel like crying. However, I’ve been fooling myself with the excuse that this is for Kuromu-sama…… I’ve continuously done all this stupidity, until Hikari defeated me.]

[………………]

I’m not sure if it was because she was being reminded of that time or not, but big drops of tears began flowing down Dr. Vier’s eyes. Ahh, as I thought, she really is…… a helplessly kind and loving person. That’s also the reason why she had become this distorted and continued to suffer until today.

[Even though Hikari had beaten me, I still didn’t give up…… I tried to make my battered body stand up and make Kuromu-sama the king of the world…… but it was at that moment that Kuromu-sama appeared before us……]

[………………]

[Kuromu-sama…… was “crying”…… Looking at the battered me, she sorrowfully cried…… Even though what I wanted was for Kuromu-sama to not cry anymore…… Even though I wanted to protect Kuromu-sama…… The person who hurt Kuromu-sama’s feelings the most was me.]

[……Dr. Vier.]

As tears ceaselessly flowed in her eyes, Dr. Vier began to talk about those days as if she were repenting.

It was the story of a Demon and the important existence that she wanted to protect, even if she had to bend her principles…… but because of a big misunderstanding, she hurt that important existence more deeply than anyone else……

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

In front of a girl dressed in light armor, heavily breathing out…… lies a single person.

[……I…… did it……?]

As if she still doesn’t feel her victory or if there’s still some other reason, even though the girl…… Hikari had defeated the nemesis that she had been seeking for, but she still doesn’t look cheerful at all.

[We’ve done it, Hikari! We’ve finally done it.]

[……It doesn’t look like she’d stand again. It’s your…… no, our win.]

[I don’t care about all that, but I have important things to do at the treasury, so can I go there?]

[Laguna, Fors…… Hapti, could you please restrain yourself a bit?]

After hearing the words of her friends who she had overcome hardships and difficulties together to reach this point, Hikari finally relaxed her shoulders. However, the expression on her face remains unchanged.

[We still have to deal with the remnants but…… this should do for now……]

[……Laguna.]

[What is it? Hikari? You don’t look so happy.]

[……Was the Demon Lord…… really evil?]

[……What?]

The words that spilled out of her mouth were asked by a girl called a Hero and had fought her way up to this point…… It was a question after defeating her last enemy, the Demon Lord. Hikari turns to Laguna, who was looking at her with a puzzled look on her face, and as if she still hasn’t organized her thoughts, she unconfidently spoke.

[……Everyone saw it, right? The cities and villages before we got here…… There certainly were some cruel killings and looting in some parts of the country. However……]

[……The majority of the assaulted places…… couldn’t be called as tranquil, but they weren’t oppressing Humans.]

It was unknown whether she was reminded by Hikari’s words or not, but looking like she’s thinking about something, the Elven magician…… Fors muttered.

[Yes. There’s also the prisoners we found in this castle…… They were properly being treated as prisoners of war.]

[……Mnhh, indeed, I could certainly understand that she wasn’t a monster without reasoning…… She also fought earlier fair and square…… But you see……]

[……It’s not just that. That Demon Lord’s eyes…… They weren’t the eyes of someone fighting for her own desires…… She had such a strong determination, as if she was wielding her sword for someone else’s sake…… That’s why I’m feeling bothered.]

Hearing Hikari’s words, her friends also had complicated expressions on their faces. They can certainly understand what Hikari was trying to say, and it made sense when they heard it. However, even if that’s so, it was difficult for them to say what to do about it.

[……………….]

[ [ [ ! ? ] ] ]

Immediately afterwards, “the three of their group, excluding the missing Hapti” turned towards the fallen Demon Lord. Before they knew it, there they felt the presence of an overpowering being……

[……Vier, why…… are you doing this……]

[……Ku…… romu…… -sama.]

The girl who suddenly appeared held up the fallen Demon Lord in her arms and as tears shed from her eyes, she called her name. The Demon Lord seemed to be still faintly conscious, as when the girl called out to her, she slightly opened her eyes and with a hoarse voice, she spoke.

[……If Vier dies…… what do you think would happen…… I don’t want that to happen…… It makes me feel sad.]

[……A- Aahhh…… Kuromu-sama…… I- I……]

[I’m sorry…… If I had properly talked to you…… because of that, Vier had……]

[T- That’s not it…… This happened because of me…… It is I…… A- Ahhhh…… Kuromu-sama, please don’t cry…… It is…… my fault……]

As Vier talks to Kuromueina with tears in her eyes, the moment they saw her…… No, the moment when Kuromueina appeared, Hikari and the others were unable to take a single step or even blink.

[……What…… is that…… that “monster”…….]

As if she was squeezing out those words, Laguna’s voice trembled as she whispered. Hikari and Fors also felt the same way. They had defeated the Demon Lord…… That Demon Lord also held power that wouldn’t make her feel ashamed to be called with such a name, and they had barely won a hard-fought battle to the death with such a being. However, as if to treat their efforts as a mere joke, the power they felt from the girl who appeared in front of them just now……. feels so overwhelming that the Demon Lord looks like a baby in front of her. Her appearance naturally made Hikari and the others feel despair. Before such a being, they didn’t have any chance of winning…… Their instincts were loudly screaming at them such.

However, Kuromueina didn’t look at Hikari and the others and only exchanged a few words with Vier…… and after Vier lost consciousness, she closed her heart-broken eyes. Immediately after that, the ceiling of the castle disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place, and the face of a really huge dragon appeared. Not only that, a tree suddenly seemed to grow behind Kuromueina, and on both of her sides, a pillar of fire and a pillar of ice appeared. The tree transformed into a leaf-haired woman, from the shattered ice emerged a girl floating in faint light, and a huge magical beast pushed aside the pillar of fire. And before one knew it, there also seemed to be a being in a robe hiding their face silently standing on Kuromueina’s right. Incredibly powerful magic power, beings with incredibly tremendous presence…… Just one look at them and they could instinctively understand that all these beings who appeared were overwhelmingly strong.

[A- Aahhh……]

It was unknown whose voice it was…… but as if more despair was piled up in the despair they’re already feeling…… In front of them, Kuromueina slowly wipes her tears and stands up.

[……Well met, Human Realm’s Hero. My name is Kuromueina…… I’d like you to talk with us for a few moments.]

The beautiful sounds of her voice…… were definitely clad in the majesty of a king.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

[……Do you really have to go?]

[…….Yes.]

It has been several months since the existence of the Demon Realm was conveyed to the Human Realm through the Hero and a truce between the Demon Realm and Human Realm was signed…… Vier, whose wounds have healed after receiving treatment, is about to leave without seeing Kuromueina, who is busy talking with the Human Realm’s representative. As she sees Vier off, Ein’s expression doesn’t look good.

[……You know that Kuromu-sama doesn’t want this, right?]

[Even so, I don’t have…… the face to look at Kuromu-sama anymore.]

[……Is that so.]

While she was being healed, Vier had heard the truth from Kuromueina…… and she finally realized her mistake. And after realizing it, she deeply, deeply regretted it…… However, no matter how much she regretted it, there was no way to turn back time for her. All her mistakes and all her sins…… She knew that she had to accept it and let it burn within her heart, carrying the responsibility of her actions in her shoulders.

[You intend to leave without even meeting Funf huh……]

[I can’t meet her……]

[………………….]

Bowing deeply to Ein, Vier left her family. Whether it’s Kuromueina or her family members…… All of them would cover up Vier. They defended her…… And receiving her family’s kindness…… was too painful and agonizing for her right now. She will never return to her beloved family again. Telling herself that this was one of her punishments, Vier was about to embark on an aimless journey of redemption when a shadow appeared in front of her.

[……Shalltear-sama……]

[……I’ll just say this now. I will not forgive you for bringing chaos to the Demon Realm…… Even if you were “holding back from taking the Humans’ lives”, you are still responsible for the mismanagement of the idiots you brought with you.]

[……Yes.]

[I originally would have killed you. However, because Kuro-san bowed her head to me and begged me, I will let you off the hook for once.]

Shalltear was the only one of the Six Kings who insisted that Vier should be killed until the end. Of course, she also held affection for her family…… However, she’s someone who would discard such affection if deemed necessary. She’s basically someone who would take the side of the majority rather than that of an individual, and she wasn’t satisfied with the result of this matter. However, she couldn’t ignore Kuromueina’s plea, as she tearfully begged her to forgive Vier…… And for just this one time, she decided to let her go.

[……However, there will be no next time. The next time you do something that will bring chaos in the world, I will kill you.]

[……Yes. Thank you very much, Shalltear-sama.]

[You’re a strange girl. I’m telling you that I will kill you the next time this happens, and you’re thanking me?]

[……I’m very glad to hear your stricts words…….]

[……………….]

The kindness of her family members was painful for Vier, who had a deep-seated belief that she shouldn’t be forgiven…… and that’s why she felt glad for Shalltear’s strict warning. After saying this and bowing her head to Shalltear, Vier was about to leave the place when Shalltear called out to her.

[……There’s no salvation at the end of the road you’re treading on.]

[……I know that. But it’s fine…… That is…… fine.]

Perhaps, if Vier had the frailty to run from her own sins, the outcome might have been different. However, Vier didn’t turn away from her sins. She accepted her sins as her own and vowed to atone for them with her whole life.

[……But then, “if someone forces you off that path”…… If an exemplary being who recognizes your redemption appears, and yet, still wishes for your happiness…… That could possibly change the outcome.]

When Vier was out of sight, Shalltear muttered. At least, at this point of time, as far as she knew, there was no one who could save Vier. It’s impossible even for that Hero girl…… This isn’t a fight that girl can confront Vier to anymore. If there’s any chance of saving Vier…… The only one who could confront Vier…… is a being who knows and accepts all of her sins, and tries to respect and save her. At the moment though, such a person hasn’t appeared. But one day, there’s a possibility that such a person appears…… praying just a little bit for her family that had left, for such a miracle that she herself has also been waiting for…… Shalltear disappears.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

""

After she finished telling me everything, Dr. Vier exhaled once and looked at me.

[……This is what I’ve been keeping from you. Are you despising me now?]

[No, well, to be honest, my mind hasn’t quite caught up yet but…… as for despising you……]

[I see…… Thank you.]

I’m not going to criticize her for the fact that Dr. Vier was the Demon Lord. However, because I received so much information, I couldn’t put my thoughts together and could only give a vague reply. Seeing me like this, Dr. Vier smiles and speaks.

[……That’s why I’m not going to the Six Kings Festival…… I can’t go. Even though you went out of your way to invite me, I’m sorry.]

[Ah, n- no……]

[However, I’m glad that Miyama-kun invited me. Well then, I’m sorry to call you so late at night. You’re able to return using Teleportation Magic, so I’m sure you’ll be fine, but have a safe trip home.]

After saying that, Dr. Vier let out a very sad smile and turned her back to me, starting to kneel down and pray before the moonlight. As she seemed to be saying that she had nothing more to say, I wasn’t able to say anything…… and bowing to Dr. Vier once, I left. I could have directly gone back with Teleportation Magic, but I wanted some time to clear my head, so I decided to walk down the dimly lit street for a bit. Surrounded by the quiet, cool night air, my footsteps were the only sound that could be heard.

[……Hey, Alice.]

[……What is it?]

[……Does Kuro know about Dr. Vier……]

[She knows. It doesn’t seem like they’ve personally met though…….]

When I called out, Alice appeared next to me and answers my question as she walks down the street at night, having a slow stride like mine.

[……Doesn’t Kuro…… ummm…… “walk around Symphonia Kingdom’s royal capital often”?]

[……Yes, Kuro-san enjoys eating while strolling, so she goes here and there…… but she visits this royal capital much more often than other places.]

[Then, as I thought……]

[Well, she’s definitely checking out on how she’s going…… That’s why she often brought Hikari-san with her when she comes to the capital.]

[I see……]

As I listened to Alice’s words, I continued thinking, even though my mind has still not caught up with everything. Is this really something that I, a third party, can easily step into? If Dr. Vier was as arrogant as the Demon Lord I had imagined, I might have been able to condemn her. However, Dr. Vier regretted her past actions and continues to suffer in atonement.

[……Hey, Alice. What do you think I should do?]

I found myself saying these words. I think I can’t do anything about it, but I can’t forget it either……. I don’t think it’s okay to stay like this though.

[……I don’t know. It isn’t my place to say anything about it.]

[……I see.]

[However…… I will respect Kaito-san’s opinion.]

[……Thanks.]

Depending on how you look at it, her opinion might have sounded cold. However, the words Alice said…… were very gentle words….. as she said it didn’t matter what path I chose, and when I needed help, she would always be there to lend a hand. After thanking Alice, I walked through the night streets for a while before I used Teleportation Magic to return to my room.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

Even after a night of sleep, I still feel fuzzy within my mind. I also don’t think this should be something I could talk about with Lilia-san and the others. I was so troubled that I didn’t go out that day, which was unusual for me, and stayed in my room, lost in thought. But even after I thought about it for a long time, I couldn’t come to a conclusion on what to do. No, I don’t even know what I’m worried about anymore.  The easiest choice would have been if I could dismiss it as none of my business, but I guess it’s in my nature to get involved , but I guess it’s in my nature to get involved in these troublesome matters.

[……Kaito-kun?]

[Eh? Yes, come in.]

I smiled a bit awkwardly back at Kuro, who had been in the room before I knew it. Since it’s Kuro, I think she knows that I talked to Dr. Vier. That’s probably why she’s a bit sad.

[……So you’ve met Vier.]

[Unnn. No, well, it’s more accurate to say that we met without really getting to know each other……]

[……Hearing Vier’s story, what did Kaito-kun think?]

[……My honest opinion is that I don’t know.]

No, it might just be that I’m being slightly partial towards Dr. Vier’s side. I didn’t see Dr. Vier with my own eyes when she was the Demon Lord. The only one I know of is the current Dr. Vier. She might be a bit klutzy, but she’s a kind person who always thinks of others…… That was the impression I had of Dr. Vier.

[Hey, Kuro? Can I ask you one thing?]

[Unnn.]

[……Do you want to meet Dr. Vier?]

[……Unnn. I want to see her. After all, she’s my “family”…… I want to see and talk to her.]

With a lonely look on Kuro’s face…… she called her “family”……

Dr. Vier said that she used to be Kuro’s family member, but Kuro told her that she was her family without hesitation. No, I think Dr. Vier actually thinks of Kuro like family too. She even tried to start a war for Kuro’s sake…… I think she also wants to see Kuro.

[……However, I think Vier will feel hurt again when she sees me…… that’s why I can’t meet her.]

[……I see.]

I guess this is probably the biggest factor? Dr. Vier felt guilty for making Kuro cry. Kuro also feels guilty that Dr. Vier became the Demon Lord because she didn’t speak her true feelings. I think it’s because they both feel guilty about each other that they have misunderstood each other even though they love each other very much.

Ahh, I see…… I finally understood why I had been so worried about this matter. I want to…… “try do something about it”….. I want to bring Dr. Vier and Kuro together again. However, both Kuro and Dr. Vier said that they couldn’t see each other. That’s why I was having a hard time figuring out what the right thing to do was. Maybe it’s none of my business to get involved in a family matter as an outsider. I’m sure it would be easier if I could dismiss it as none of my business. However, as I thought, this won’t do. It seems like I’m really the kind of person who can’t give up on something once I’m involved in something.

Then, it’s no use worrying about it…… I’ll go meet Dr. Vier again tomorrow. To be honest, I don’t even have a plan, but I think I should start with talking with her first.