The day after going to see the barrier, we all gather to discuss countermeasures against the approaching imperial army.
"First of all, if we assume they can't destroy the barrier, then they'll most likely target the teleport points like the little lady said yesterday. Given our own experience teleporting here, I'd like to think the security is pretty solid, but we can't be sure."
Hyrince takes the lead, voicing his concerns.
Just as Katia told the elves before, if the imperial army has no means to break the barrier, they must intend to invade using a teleport point.
According to Ms. Oka, due to the special properties of this village's barrier, it's impossible to get inside without using a teleport point.
As long as the imperial army can't destroy the barrier, all we need to do is protect the teleport points to ensure that we avoid any needless battle with them.
The easiest way to do this would be to temporarily disable the teleport points, but the elves' attitudes yesterday made it clear they would do no such thing.
"Why would they be so stubborn about taking our advice?"
"It's probably their stupid elf pride. Although they might have just been hiding the fact that they can't disable the teleport points."
Hyrince looks disinterested, but that sounds like a pretty important theory to me.
"They can't disable them?"
"Chances are they can't. At the very least, normal teleport points can't be disabled from only one side. You need someone operating on both ends to deactivate them. And once you do that, it takes some time and effort to reactivate them. On top of that, the teleport points here are special, since they have to cross that powerful barrier we all saw yesterday. Maybe they were so snippy about it because it's too difficult to stop and restart them?"
I see. That makes sense.
"Do you know anything about this, Anna?"
"Regretfully, I do not. There is no hope of a half-elf such as myself being privy to that sort of information. My apologies."
Anna looks terribly morose, and I realize it was foolish of me to ask her.
If I had thought about it for a moment, I would have realized that someone who was persecuted like Anna was wouldn't have access to such confidential information.
I stupidly reopened old wounds, and on top of that, she told me she was sorry about it?
I'm the one who should apologize.
"No, I'm sorry for asking you such a stupid question."
"Not at all, Master Schlain. You need not apologize for anything. It is I who disappointed you with my incompetence."
"No, no…"
We're starting to get into an endless loop of apologies, so Hyrince raises a hand to stop us.
"Let's move on. By my reckoning, we can't stop the teleport points. Therefore, I believe our best course of action would be to help defend them here. What do you all think?"
"But in that case, what do we do if it turns out that any of the elves have been brainwashed?" I ask.
There could be an elf in the village who's been brainwashed by Hugo.
If so, they would most likely try to deal with it internally.
"Shun, there's nothing we can do about that,"
Hyrince responds bluntly.
"It's just as Mr. Hyrince says. Surely we cannot Appraise every elf in this entire village, correct? After all that boasting yesterday, they'll likely try to keep a situation like that among themselves. If they think they can resist being brainwashed, I'd love to see them try."
Katia smiles mirthlessly.
She must be still angry about the elves claiming to be immune to brainwashing, since she's been brainwashed herself. Her sarcastic tone makes her irritation crystal clear.
"I mean, I know we have no way of finding brainwashed elves if there are any, but should we really just forget about it entirely 'cause of that? If there are, couldn't they wreak havoc in here or assassinate key people or something?"
"Kunihiko's right. Besides, we don't really know for sure that the barrier can't be broken, do we? In the worst-case scenario, an army of intruders could come in through the teleport points, while brainwashed elves raise a commotion in the village at the same time. What if the barrier does get broken on top of all that?"
Kushitani takes her partner's hypothetical scenario to its logical conclusion.
"That certainly would be the worst…,"
I murmur.
The atmosphere in the room grows heavy.
"I hate to say it, but…that's not really the worst-case scenario yet, is it?"
Fei opens her mouth and brings the mood down even further.
"You remember, don't you? There's someone even worse out there than stupid Natsume."
At Fei's words, it all comes back to me.
No, that's not the right expression.
Those memories haven't left my mind once.
The person who canceled out my magic with a wave of her hand, who defeated Ms.
Oka as easily as if she was twisting the arm of a baby, who Fei took one look at and deemed a
"monstrosity."
"Shouko Negishi." Fei's voice is grave.
The reincarnation Shouko Negishi. Her name in this world is Sophia Keren.
She's overwhelmingly powerful and seems to be working with Hugo.
And according to Ms. Oka, she's also one of the reincarnations who's sided with the "administrators."
"Negishi? You mean that Negishi?"
Tagawa asks uncertainly.
In our previous lives, Shouko Negishi definitely stood out.
So Tagawa and Kushitani seem to remember her, too. "Oh, it's her, all right," Fei confirms, then looks to me.
At her prompting, I explain the incident with Hugo in the capital and what our encounter with Sophia was like.
"Is she really that strong?"
"I took one look at her and knew I couldn't win that fight—I'll tell you that much."
Fei is the strongest of all of us, so her words carry serious weight. That means no one in this group has any hope of beating Sophia alone. Incidentally, I got Tagawa's and Kushitani's permission to Appraise them earlier. Both have stats just below mine, higher than Katia's. That means they'll be strong allies, but that also means they're still weaker than Fei. If Fei can't beat Sophia, they won't stand a chance. "A power that can cancel out magic, hmm…?"
Tagawa furrows his brow.
"Would that ability work on the barrier?"
Hearing that, I can't help but gasp. Clearly, Sophia has some kind of skill that can cancel out magic.
What if she can cancel out the barrier, too?
"I don't know," I respond honestly.
I don't know how strong Sophia's magic-canceling ability is or what its limits are, and I don't know how thoroughly the barrier will be able to resist it, either.
But if the barrier can't stand up to Sophia's ability, then we can no longer assume it's impenetrable.
"Uh-oh. So now what? We keep an eye out for the barrier-breaking, keep an eye out for intruders from the teleport points, keep an eye out for brainwashed elves running wild, and keep an eye out for some monstrosity who none of us can beat? Give me a break already."
At Tagawa's words, the somber mood sinks even further.
"Not to mention, we can't be sure that Negishi is the only reincarnation with them," Katia adds as if to strike the finishing blow.
Is now really the time to say that…?
No, I suppose we have to confront all the possible problems.
Still, I can't deny that I've been avoiding that particular topic.
"We know there are at least three reincarnations against us: Natsume, Negishi, and Hasebe, who's brainwashed. And according to the information I've gathered, there are still two reincarnations whose whereabouts are unknown: Shinobu Kusama and Kyouya Sasajima."
As soon as those two names come up, especially Kyouya's, my heart sinks even further. In our old world, Katia, Kyouya, and I were best friends.
And now, it's possible that Kyouya has become our enemy.
Just thinking about it puts a pit in my stomach.
"Shinobu and Kyouya, huh? What do you think the odds are that they'll be with Hugo's army, Kanata?"
"I'm all but certain that at least one of them will be. It could very well be both, but I can't say for sure."
Katia's words strike home a grim reality.
Judging by what Ms. Oka has said so far, there are almost certainly other reincarnations who have taken the side of the administrators.
Which means that out of the two who are unaccounted for, at least one of them is most likely our enemy now.
And considering that Ms. Oka has stopped searching for the reincarnations, I'm assuming that means she knows where all of them are.
If she knows where they are but can't bring them back and won't tell us about it, that hints they're not on our side.
Like Katia said, we can't know for sure, but it's entirely possible that both of them have allied with the enemy. At the same time, something feels off about it. Would Kyouya really join up with those mysterious administrators?
Kyouya had a gentle, kind personality.
He was a quiet person who avoided standing out or conflicting with others, but deep down I think he held a strong sense of justice.
When Katia—Kanata—took a joke too far, Kyouya was always there with a firm scolding.
Could that same Kyouya really forgive all the awful things Hugo has done? "Hey, Katia. Do you really think Kyouya is our enemy now?"
I decide to voice my honest concerns to Katia.
The Kyouya I remember would have never accepted Hugo's actions.
He was always deeply disgusted by evil deeds. So actions like forcing a brainwashed Sue to kill her own father or brainwashing Katia into fighting me would go against everything he stood for.
"I couldn't say. If you only consider the old Kyouya, it would be unnatural for him to support Hugo."
"Then why…?"
"Because we can't base our assumptions on our old lives, Shun. Just as we've been living different lives in this world, Kyouya has been walking his own path for equally as long. It's possible he's become a completely different person in that time."
She's right, of course.
We've been here plenty long enough for someone to change.
Katia herself has asserted that she's essentially a different person.
Yuri became obsessed with religion in a way that would've been unthinkable for her old self.
And even Hugo didn't do such insane things back then.
Everyone has changed.
From other people's perspectives, I might have changed, too, even if I haven't noticed it myself.
My stubborn belief that Kyouya hasn't changed is probably just me selfishly clinging to memories of our old lives.
"Yeah…you're right, huh? I guess it's possible Kyouya's changed…"
"Is anyone going to talk about Kusama or what?"
Just as I start to sink into despair, Kushitani cuts in with some perfectly timed dry humor.
"Sorry, Kusama. I guess we all forgot about you."
Tagawa follows suit, clasping his hands in mock apology to our absent classmate. Everyone laughs a little, releasing some of the tension in the room.
Kushitani must have said that to lighten the mood for everyone.
Honestly, I don't know how someone so quiet and thoughtful can spend all her time with the likes of Tagawa.
"Kusama, hmm? I have to admit, I can't picture that dork joining up with the side of evil, either."
If Natsume was the leader of the class, Kusama was the class clown. "I dunno," Fei drawls. "I bet Shino would hop on board to do odd jobs without any idea what they're plotting behind the scenes."
None of us reincarnations can argue with that.
Kusama was definitely the kind of person who would happily run errands for anybody. Fei would know since she was always getting him to do stuff for her back then.
"So it is possible that both of them are with the enemy now…"
I don't want to believe it, but we have to be prepared for the worst.
"So on top of Negishi, who's stronger than anyone here, we might have to deal with two more reincarnations of unknown strength, too. Like we didn't have enough problems? Gimme a break already."
Tagawa's complaints hit the nail on the head. We can't deal with all this alone.
"Yeah, it'll be tough. But we still have to do it."
Otherwise, the risks we took to get this far would all be for nothing.
After my resolute declaration, Hyrince steps in.
"Right. Sorry to interrupt while you're getting all worked up here, but remember, this is ultimately a battle between the empire and the elves, got it? We're only here to provide backup."
He pauses for a moment to let that sink in.
"All of us are extras in this battle. It's not a fight we have to win no matter what. Don't forget that."
"But if we lose, the elves—"
"That's war in a nutshell. Besides, I hate to say it, but I have no obligation to defend the elves. If we can defeat Prince Hugo in this battle, I'll certainly be thrilled, but honestly, the rest doesn't really matter to me."
Hearing this from Hyrince stuns me into silence.
"Listen. Don't get your priorities mixed up, okay? All you have to do in this battle is protect the reincarnations who live here. And that includes yourselves. After that, your secondary goal is to defeat Prince Hugo. There's no point worrying about who wins between the elves and the empire. That's for the elves to handle, not us."
I can't help but wonder if he's saying this because he's bitter about how rude the elves were yesterday.
But Hyrince is a mature adult, and he's not done speaking.
"Of course, since we are here to aid the elves, I fully intend to do everything in my power to help them win. But the last thing I want is for any one of you to die for that cause. So if it gets to that point, remember that you can always retreat. Got it? Good."
Hyrince's tone doesn't leave room for anyone to object.
But I can't bring myself to agree, either.
The rational part of me knows that he's right, but the rest of me doesn't want to accept it.
"Shun. I know your history with Prince Hugo. And I know how much this battle means to you. But still, please make sure you put your survival first. I can't watch another person I care about to die right in front of me. Please."
That's not fair. If you put it like that, you know there's no way I can object. Hyrince lost Julius and the rest of his friends right before his own eyes. I can't refuse a request like that.
"All right. I understand." Hyrince breathes a sigh of relief at my answer.
"Personally, I'd prefer that you form a group with all the other reincarnations and stay on the defensive, but you wouldn't be satisfied with that, right?"
Hyrince looks at me searchingly.
It's true that based on everything he's said, it would be safer and more in line with our goals for me to stay with the reincarnations who can't fight and be prepared to run away if necessary.
But I want to settle things with Hugo, too. No, that's not quite right. To be more accurate, I want to make sure Hugo doesn't hurt anyone else.
The more he plunges the human world into chaos, the easier it is for demons to take advantage and attack. My brother Julius gave his life to defend the human race, and now Hugo is threatening to destroy them anyway.
That's more unforgivable to me than any personal grudge I have against Hugo. I aim to stop him with this battle. And when I say I don't want Hugo to hurt anyone else, that includes the elves.
They haven't exactly been friendly toward us, but that doesn't mean I want to see anything terrible happen to them. I don't think I have it in me to stand idly by and watch as an entire race gets dragged into war. So I can't just stay in a safe place with the other reincarnations and wait. I have to do whatever I can to protect everyone. Otherwise, there was no point coming to the village in the first place.
A single glance at my troubled expression told Hyrince all he needed to know.
"Yeah, I figured. So forget that plan. Let's do as much as we can to help the elves win, then. That way we might get a chance to approach Prince Hugo."
I'm grateful that he's so worried about us, but we can't just leave everything in the hands of others.
"Thank you. And I'm sorry, everyone. I know it's selfish of me, but I really need to settle things with Hugo. I don't want to drag all of you into it, though."
"Oh, don't apologize. I have a score to settle with Hugo myself, after all."
"Yeah, hiding out in a safe place sounds lame anyway. I'll go with you."
Katia and Tagawa have my back immediately.
While looking at the latter, Kushitani's expression says that she can't help but go along with him.
Anna doesn't say anything, but it looks like she's quietly steeling her resolve. Fei, for once, is silent. I can't tell what she's thinking.
"Fei?"
"Mm. Huh? What is it?"
"Well, you seem worried about something…"
"Oh, sorry. Don't worry about it; it's no big deal."
"Is that so…?"
Her tone isn't very convincing, but since she says not to worry, I have no choice but to trust her.
"So, like we were saying earlier, I think our best bet is to help guard the teleport points. Assuming the barrier can't be destroyed, that'll be the most likely target. Even if the barrier is destroyed or if brainwashed elves start working from the inside, all we can do is deal with that when it happens. So it makes the most sense to protect something that we know for sure needs to be protected. If the enemy does ignore the teleport points and starts causing trouble elsewhere, we'll just have to run over to them then. If that does happen, we'll probably need your help, Miss Fei. Is that all right?"
"Yes, that's fine," Fei answers lightly.
"So basically, we'll have to play it by ear. Let's just do what we can, as best we can."
Hearing those words, a light goes on in my mind. I recall the words of Basgath, our old labyrinth guide.
"Everyone has things they can do and things they can't. Trying to do the impossible anyway won't change a thing. Just stick to what yeh can do."
He was exactly right. Maybe I've just been too greedy all this time. I saw the situation as impossible because I was assuming we would deal with everything ourselves. But all we can do is try our best.
Thinking of it that way, the burden on my shoulders feels a little lighter. It's simple. I'll do what I can do with all my might. And then I will do my best to fulfill my duties as the hero.
That's right. I lost sight of what really matters. Settling things with Hugo is important, but there's something bigger than that at stake. Protection. That's what comes first. Julius's main goal as the hero was to protect everyone's peace. If I really have to, I can wait to settle things with Hugo in order to put that first. Because as long as the barrier stays unbroken and we manage to protect the teleport points and any brainwashed elves are dealt with, Hugo won't be able to lay a hand on the village.
Which means that we won't be able to lay a hand on Hugo, either. But that's all right. What matters most isn't settling the score with Hugo. It's protecting people from senseless violence. Doing everything I can to create a better future.
That's what's most important. Right, Julius?
"Yes, I agree with Hyrince's plan."
Our goals have been decided. All that's left to do now is wait.