───A dense negative atmosphere is wafting around the [World's Disposal Ground]. There is no sign of plants or animals there, and a wilderness spreads out all around. However, in such a dead land, there are three shadows of persons that appear.
Their bodies were covered with an unrecognizable black haze, and it was impossible to distinguish their voices, ages, or even genders.
One of those shadows opens the mouth.
"──It seems that one of the "Pieces" has disappeared."
"He~h? That's amazing. She was also a disciple of one of those "Holy," right? Did they kill her?"
"No idea. But any sign of the power I gave her has been completely obliterated."
"I see… would it be because the world purifying itself? It's troublesome, isn't it?"
"Eeh? I doubt it. Maybe that girl was just too weak?"
"Well… I can't say anything about that. At the very least, she had the "Holy" technique and a piece of our power. And also, she had developed enough negative emotions to accept my power. In that case, she wouldn't give up her power on her own."
"Then I guess she's either been knocked down by one of the "Holy" or erased by another self-purification process."
"This kind of pisses me off. We're here because this world exists after all."
"Don't be so sulky. Besides, our [Poison] is steadily consuming this world. Some of the "Holy" have fallen to us, too."
"Ahahahahaha! It's funny when I think about it! The existence that was created to protect the world from us is now the enemy of the world! That's great!"
"Well, they're just the "Holy" after all. I have no idea what they're capable of, but it's better than nothing."
"Don't be so careless, okay? Although the power of the individual "Holy" is frail, it is still a bit troublesome when they are in groups. And above all, we, the so-called "Evil" ones, have been defeated many times by the hands of the "Holy" ones."
"You don't have to worry about it so much, do you? It's been a long time since any other "Evil" was eliminated. And I heard that at that time, there was only one terribly strong person and that such a person was not born very often."
"Yes. And that person is just a human being, after all. He's not even alive anymore."
"Well, I guess that's true… Speaking of which, what happened with the other fellows?"
"Hmm? Everyone else is doing the same as you, corrupting the "Holy" or some kind of Dark Guild in human society? I'm sure they are playing around by instigating people there."
"Sigh… I don't want them to make too many flashy moves. If they move too much, those "Holy" guys that haven't fallen on us yet will start moving."
"That would be impossible. We're always on a quest to destroy the world, after all. It's rare that you're so careful."
"Well, that's true too. …Now, I think it's time for me to go away. It's a hassle, but I'd like to check the "Piece" just in case."
"Eeh? Why don't you just leave it alone? She could be dead by now, right?"
"Yeah, but… It's just in case. That will be good if she's alive. Even if she's dead, her body might be useful for something else. It's a valuable sample, after all. It is definitely worth retrieving."
"Hmm… Well, that's okay. I'm going to take a nap then."
"Yes. Since I'm not so interested in the "Holy" guys, I guess I'll take a break too."
Then the three shadows that had gathered together, one by one, left behind a black haze and disappeared as if they were melting into the air.
──The [World's Disposal Ground] was once again enveloped in silence.
＊＊＊
"…I wonder if she's really alright now?"
"Woof?"
"Fugo."
A few days have passed since I was forced to bring the unconscious Yuti to my house and put her to bed. And when I see Yuti still not waking up, I can't help but ask Night and Akatsuki that.
Night is twisting his head the same way I am, but Akatsuki is extremely confident. That's how powerful the [Sanctuary] skill is.
I'm worried about this because when the girl who sleeps in front of me wakes up, she might attack me again. I know she's fine because of Akatsuki's [Sanctuary], but…
Still, I'm a bit worried about it, so I had her weapon, the bow, evacuated to the Earth's house. In order to get to the Earth's house, you have to pass through the [Door to Another World], and since that requires my permission, Yuti can't collect it on her own.
As I watched her continue to sleep for a while, she woke up!
"Ngh… ah… where is…?"
"Ah! You wake up──."
"Huh!"
"Uhyaah!?"
The moment I called out to the awakened Yuti, she got up with a speed that made it hard to believe that she had been unconscious just a moment ago and took a posture to hold the bow.
However, Yuti noticed that her important bow was missing.
"Huh! My, bow…!"
"Eh, it looks like she's attacking me even without a bow!?"
Surprisingly, Yuti made the only arrow appear in her hand, and when she held it in her other hand, she attacked me. But without that black haze and because she just woke up after being knocked out, I succeeded in avoiding the attack without difficulty.
…When the black haze was present, she was evenly matched with master, but in this way, she seemed to be not very good at close combat.
For now, it would be unavoidable if she continued to attack me like this, so I immediately restrained both of Yuti's arms. However, Yuti tried to escape from the restraints and started to react violently.
"My bow, give it back!"
"If I return it, you will attack me!"
"If you don't return it to me, I'll attack you!"
"No, you can't!"
Indeed, she's still attacking me like this even though I don't give her the bow. However, no matter how bad she is at close combat, she's an existence with a master who is crowned with the same "Holy" like me. Furthermore, her strength is powerful, so her status is probably higher than mine.
That's why I seriously try to hold her back, but she's also very violent, so a desperate battle ensues.
As I was desperately resisting and thinking that I would surely lose in this situation, the door to the room was suddenly opened.
(Sorry for the intrusion.)
"Huh?"
"Ah, master! Help me, please!"
Master Usagi came over, and I immediately asked him to help me, but he just snorted.
(Hmph. Just hold her down.)
"Don't say something unreasonable."
"…That composure, it won't last forever. I'm going to kill him, and then I'm going to kill you."
Then Yuti, who was desperately wrestling with me, stared at Master Usagi with a tremendous look on her face.
But──.
(Hou? The "Evil" has tricked you, and you want to kill me?)
"Eh?"
At Master Usagi's words, Yuti's strength suddenly left her. Master Usagi stared straight at such Yuti.
(Since that time, I've looked into a lot of things. About your master, the "Bow Saint," and the resurrected "Evil." And… about the people who killed your master.)
"Huh! …Yeah. Then you should understand. I am not fooled by "Evil." It was all because of humans who betrayed us…"
(That betrayal was the work of "Evil" in the first place, you know?)
"Huh──."
Yuti was stunned by Master Usagi's words.
I don't know, is this something I'm allowed to hear?
Despite my thoughts, Master Usagi continued.
(…The "Evil" instigated the people that the "Bow Saint" has been protecting and had the "Bow Saint" killed.)
"What did you…"
(The people that the "Bow Saint" had been protecting were taken hostage. And the "Evil" forced the "Bow Saint" to die or the people she had been protecting would die.)
"Eh…"
"That's…"
Master Usagi's face twisted as he was speechless at what "Evil" had done.
(…"Bow Saint" chose the lives of the humans she had been protecting. And she accepted to be killed by the humans' hands.)
"No, way…"
While Yuti is even more shocked and stunned than I am, Master Usagi continues further.
(But the "Evil's" wickedness doesn't end there. After having the humans kill the "Bow Saint,"… the "Evil" then killed those humans.)
"What?"
"────"
Eh… The person called "Bow Saint" laid down her life to protect those people, right?
"T-then, master was… for… what…"
(…..)
Master Usagi did not answer Yuti's question. No, he couldn't answer it.
Then Yuti began to speak faintly.
"…Master… master has been protecting humans all along. Even before she became the "Holy" protector of the world, she has been protecting humans. I was proud of such a master. But one day, the humans we had been protecting suddenly attacked us. They said they were going to take master somewhere. And the master was taken somewhere. I tried to stop them. But my master wouldn't let me. I tried to stop them from taking my master, even if I had to kill them, the person who was taking my master. But she stopped me. She said it's okay. …Master didn't come back. She was brutally murdered. The gentle master didn't hurt a human until the end. That's because she's the "Holy." No, it's not that. Master is kind. But I'm not kind. I don't forgive the humans who killed my master. ──But if you say that it's not just the fault of the humans, but that "Evil" is also involved, then…"
Yuti stared at her palms in silence, then turned her face down and muttered quietly.
"…I'm sorry. I want you to leave me alone."
"Y-yeah…"
As expected, I couldn't refuse Yuti's request now that I'd heard this story. We left Yuti in the room and went out into the garden, where Master Usagi stared straight at me.
(…"Bow Saint" is also an existence that greatly exceeds the limits of her species, even if it's not as great as "Evil." There is no way a mere human could easily kill such an existence. Perhaps while the "Bow Saint" was slowly dying off, the "Evil" was killing humans right in front of the "Bow Saint"…)
"No way!?"
(That's what the "Evil" is. After all, they are the lump of maliciousness and other negativity that exists on this planet. It would be best if you remembered that.)
"R-remember it, you said…"
Even if you say so, I can't do anything about it. The only thing I can do is to quietly continue my training in the [Great Devil's Nest].
As I was thinking about that, Master Usagi said with a dumbfounded look on his face.
(Hey, why are you holding yourself up as if it's a simple matter?)
"Eh?"
(The "Evil" might come to retrieve Yuti. After all, she's a precious existence that has inherited the "Holy" technique but hasn't become a "Holy." That's probably why she was targeted by the "Evil" this time… And Yuya. You also fall into this category. That's why, regardless of your intentions, you will be caught up in the battle with "Evil.")
"E-eehh!?"
Master Usagi's unpleasant words surprised me.
(…Anyway, keep that in mind. Also, Yuti is still very young. You'll take care of her. Okay?)
"Y-yes…"
Apparently, I had no veto power. And before I realized it, I seemed to have been caught up in a battle between the ridiculous beings of "Holy" and "Evil."