The barrier-generating artifact was a relic from the age of the gods, and even someone
with his considerable amount of skill was having trouble finding a way to repair it.
That was why he found it difficult to believe a teenage boy would be able to accomplish
the task.
Hajime ignored him completely and began weaving his way through the other
craftsmen. He reached the ruins of the artifact and placed his hand on the cylindrical
pillar. First, he cast Ore Appraisal.
"Huh, I see now… No wonder it's such a tough barrier."
"Hmph, what can a brat like you accomplish?" Volpen harrumphed dismissively, but
Hajime had already understood the principle behind the artifact that had protected
the capital for centuries.
He put both hands to the stone and began transmuting. Red sparks ran down the
length of the pillar, and the pieces started knitting themselves back together. The
speed and accuracy of his transmutation left Volpen and the other Synergists stunned.
"It's beautiful…" Shizuku muttered, entranced by the red sparks dancing through the
air. This was the first time she'd seen Hajime transmute anything.
"Well, there you go." Less than a minute later, the artifact had been perfectly repaired.
Hajime poured a little of his mana into it to reactivate the barrier. Particles of white
light rose up from the cylinder, diffusing into the air.
A soldier ran into the artifact chamber and reported that the third layer had been
repaired.
"Unbelievable… You repaired an ancient artifact so easily…" Shizuku smiled wryly and
explained to Volpen that Hajime was, like her, summoned from another world.
"No wonder…" Volpen muttered.
When Shizuku mentioned it was Hajime who had made her katana as well, a predatory
gleam appeared in Volpen and all the other craftsmen's eyes. Hajime ignored them and
started walking toward the room that housed the next artifact.
But Volpen and the others weren't going to let him leave so easily. Not after such an
envious display of skill.
"Please wait! Take me as your disciple! I'll do anything!"
"Whoa! Wh-Where the heck did that come from? And stop clinging to my legs! You're
creeping me out!"
Volpen continued begging, and his disciples decided to join in. They clung to Hajime's
legs, rooting him place. Disgusted by the horde of old bearded men rubbing their faces
against his legs, Hajime tried to kick them all off. But they were surprisingly stubborn,
and held on with all their might.
In the end, he was forced to use Lightning Field to shock them all off. Still they crawled
after him, squeezing out every last ounce of their strength. Unable to ignore them any
longer, Hajime finally told them no directly.
"Look guys, I'm leaving the capital tomorrow and I have no idea when I might come
back. The last thing I want right now is a disciple, and honestly I probably couldn't
teach you anything even if I did take you on."
"But you repaired that artifact with such ease. Not only that, you were the one who
created Shizuku-dono's weapon. I couldn't even begin to guess how to construct such
a thing. If you would just teach me your secrets…"
"That's because I used creation magic along with Transmutation. You guys can't use
magic like that, so…"
"No way…" Volpen's shoulders slumped in disappointment. The artifact that protected
the capital was actually enchanted with spatial magic, which was why the barrier it
produced was so powerful. Because of that though, normal transmutation had little
effect on it. With enough people working at it for long enough, it could be partially
restored enough to be usable, but never fully repaired.
Thinking he was finally free, Hajime turned to leave the room. But though Volpen
looked defeated, he hadn't given up yet.
"That doesn't change the fact that your Transmutation skills are beyond anything I've
ever seen! Please, teach me all you know!"
"God you're persistent!"
A craftsmen's dedication to his art was not to be underestimated. Volpen was the kind
of person who'd go to any lengths to improve his skill.
In the end, Hajime had to repair the other artifacts while listening to the pleadings of
the kingdom's finest Synergists. It was a surreal feeling to have a train of wailing old
men following after him.
Somehow the rumor spread beyond just this building, and more and more craftsmen
started trickling in to beg an apprenticeship of Hajime. He got so fed up that he threw
them all past the city walls, but they just kept coming back, like zombies.
Hajime knew it was probably a bad idea to send all of the capital's capable craftsmen
to the hospital while the city was still being repaired, so he attempted to flee instead.
However, the Synergists Guild's information network had tracked his every move. No
matter where he ran, Volpen and the others were there waiting for him. They piled on
question after question, and it was clear they wouldn't leave him alone until he
answered them.
Hajime spent the better part of the afternoon playing an impromptu game of hideand-seek as he attempted to escape the Synergists' clutches.
"Damn, how are you guys still finding me? I'm using Hide Presence and everything!"
"Hahaha, such skills are meaningless against a craftsman's intuition!"
"Your passion for your art betrays your location, Nagumo-donoooooo!"
"Haaah… Haaah… We can sense the supremacy of your skill from miles away!" When
it came to sensing like-minded people, the Synergists were even better at it than
Hajime.
Hajime seriously considered using Donner and Schlag on them. They were creeping
him out so much that he almost would rather kill them then let them touch him.
Eventually, news of the commotion reached the castle. All of the Synergists had left
their post at once, and the city had devolved into chaos. Liliana had to head out
personally to restore order, so the craftsmen were convinced to give up.
"Yaegashi… you could have helped, you know. They're your friends, aren't they?"
Hajime trudged back to the palace and glared at Shizuku, who was enjoying a cup of
tea.
Yue, who was sitting next to her, got up to pour Hajime a cup as well. She really was
devoted to Hajime.
So devoted that when a horde of bloodthirsty craftsmen had started chasing him
around the city, she'd surreptitiously left along with Shizuku.
"Don't ask for the impossible. It's true that I got to know them pretty well since they
did some work on the katana you gave me, but there's no way I could have gotten them
to stop."
"You must be tired, Hajime." Yue walked over to Hajime and tenderly took his head
into her arms. He hugged her back, and then carried her over to his seat.
"Now that is just unfair. Yue left you too, so how come…"
"What are you talking about? There's no way I'd treat you and Yue equally, is there?
There's a lot of things that would piss me off if you did it, but if Yue did it I wouldn't
care."
"Well, seeing as she is your girlfriend, I can understand that, but… I still want to punch
you in the face."
Just because Shizuku could understand the difference in their treatment didn't mean
she had to like it. Besides, even if it was natural for a couple to flirt with each other, it
still irked her to see them flirting in front of her face.
Hajime sat Yue on his lap and started feeding her tea cakes. I'm totally just a third wheel
here, aren't I? Shizuku thought to herself. Just as she was about to flee to the safety of
Kaori's room, Hajime's door was flung open with a bang.
They all turned to see a young, blond-haired blue-eyed boy standing in the corridor.
He couldn't have been more than ten years old.
He glared at Hajime, his glare growing in intensity when he saw Yue sitting on Hajime's
lap. It seemed their intimacy bothered the boy.
"You monster! How dare you do that to Kaori! A-And why are you off playing with
other girls when you have her… Unforgivable!" The prince of Heiligh, Lundel S. B.
Heiligh, stalked into the room.
He balled his hands into fists and rushed at Hajime with a primal roar. He wasn't going
to be satisfied until he punched Hajime.
Hajime casually plucked a sugar cube from the tea tray next to him and flung it at
Lundel. It flew faster than Lundel's eyes could follow and smacked him squarely in the
forehead. He fell to the ground, the back of his head slamming into the floor. Then, he
cradled his head in his hands and rolled around the on floor in pain.
Finally, he recovered enough to stand up and charge at Hajime again, so Hajime fired
off another sugar cube. This one hit Lundel with such force his head snapped back.
The cube bounced back up in the air while Lundel soared a few meters back before
crashing into the floor.
"Y-Your Highness! How dare you do that to the crown prince!?"
"I'll kill you for that!"
"Men, protect the crown prince!"
Lundel's bodyguards poured into the room and rushed at Hajime.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Each guard was met by a sugar cube that sent them flying in a
beautiful somersault.
But Lundel and his guards were both tougher than Hajime expected, and they got back
up. Impressed by their persistence, Hajime grabbed one giant handful of sugar cubes
and fired them all off.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Sugar cubes slammed into the
guards at the rate of a machine gun. Lundel and his guards spasmed on the ground, as
if they were having a seizure.
Though Hajime made sure not to use too much force, the cubes still hurt.
Shizuku watched on in shock as Hajime continued tormenting the prince and his
guards. By the time she finally returned to her senses enough to try and stop him,
everyone was lying on the floor writhing in pain.
Hajime stopped once he'd ran out of sugar cubes and surveyed the damage. Lundel
was lying on the ground bawling his eyes out.
He hadn't been seriously injured, but the barrage of attacks had broken his soul.
His guards rushed up to him, trying to reassure him.
"Don't worry, Your Highness, the wounds aren't too deep!"
Just then, Liliana stepped into the room and analyzed the scene. Shizuku was scolding
Hajime for going too far, while Hajime ignored her and continued sipping his tea. Yue
sat on his lap, stuffing herself full of tea cakes. Lundel was crying on the floor while
his attendants tried to console him.
She massaged her forehead, more or less understanding the situation from that single
snapshot.
"Looks like I was too late…"
"Princess. I think your brother's a little mentally unstable. Think you could take care
of him for us?"
And whose fault is it that he's like this!? Liliana wanted to yell at Hajime, but it was
partly Lundel's fault for starting things, so she just heaved a heavy sigh and went to
comfort Lundel instead.
The source of Lundel's anger was of course what had happened to Kaori.
When he'd seen how different Kaori looked, Lundel had demanded to know what had
happened.
The answers he'd received basically pointed to Hajime being the culprit. That alone
had made him pretty angry, but when he'd seen how fondly Kaori spoke of Hajime, his
rage reached a fever pitch and he'd gone after him.
Then, when he'd seen Hajime, the man who had forced Kaori into a new body (or so
he'd convinced himself), the man who Kaori loved more than anyone else, wrapped
around the arms of another girl he'd completely lost it and rushed at him.
He'd fully believed himself the brave knight rescuing the poor princess from the
clutches of the demon lord. Sadly, the demon lord he was up against was far stronger
than him.
Lundel hadn't even been able to get close to Hajime. He'd been beaten down with one
hand, and a trayful of sugar cubes. It was the shame of such a humiliating defeat that
had left him in tears, not the pain.
He sobbed into Liliana's chest, crying her name over and over.
Maybe I really did go too far. Hajime thought as he scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Shizuku shot him another angry glare. Yeah, that was probably really immature.
Sadly, Lundel's travails were far from over. For it was then that Kaori walked into their
room.
"Oh, Prince Lundel. And Lily, you're here too…? Wait, is Lundel crying!? What's
wrong!?"
"K-Kaori!? Uhh, I-I wasn't crying in my sister's arms or anything…" Lundel quickly
extricated himself and wiped his tears. No man wanted to be caught crying in his
sister's arms by the girl he loved.
Kaori could easily tell what had happened when she saw Hajime, Shizuku, and Liliana's
expressions. She rebuked Hajime, but in a way that did more damage to Lundel than
her intended target.
"Jeez… Hajime-kun. Don't go making the prince cry. You shouldn't be bullying little
kids."
"Hey, he's the one who came at me. I just thought I'd punish him a little for it…"
The fact that Hajime had never been taking him seriously in the slightest shocked
Lundel. But what hurt him even more was the way Kaori had talked about him. Lundel
clutched his chest and groaned in pain.
"Punish him… Did you at least go easy on him? Remember, the prince is still a child!"
The searing pain in Lundel's chest grew tenfold. Being treated like a child by the
woman you loved was the greatest shame a man could suffer.
"Of course. I just flung a few sugar cubes at him. Look, he's not even that hurt. You
don't really think I'd pull my gun out on a kid, do you?"
"But he was crying in Lily's arms… Plus, look at how red his forehead is. How could
you ruin his cute little face? I know he's a little prone to misunderstanding things and
rushing in without thinking, but Lundel's a good kid at heart. You should be nice to
him…"
And now Kaori was pointing out how cute he looked. Furthermore, she'd clearly seen
through the fact that he'd been crying in his big sister's arms. Lundel fell to all fours
and hung his head in despair.
"Uh oh…" Lily muttered to herself. Shizuku and Lundel's bodyguards begged Kaori to
stop. Any more of her inadvertent verbal barbs, and they were worried she might
really kill him.
Unfortunately, Kaori wasn't done yet. She went over to Lundel and spoke in a voice
filled with worry,
"Are you okay? See, Hajime-kun, you were too hard on him…"
"No really, I'm fine. More importantly, Kaori… What do you think of me?" Though he
was covered in scars, Lundel worked up the courage to ask the question burning in his
heart.
"What do I think of you? Let's see… I'm kind of jealous of Lily, I guess. I wish I had a
rambunctious little brother like you."
"Gah… L-Little brother…"
Kaori delivered those words with a smile, but they were poison to Lundel's ears.
Why do you have to rub salt in the poor kid's wound!? Shizuku yelled to herself. She
implored Lundel to quit before he hurt himself any further with her gaze.
Lundel, unfortunately, had far too much foolhardy courage to stop now. His father had
died only a few days ago, and until just recently he'd been crying into Liliana and his
mother's arms every night. But just the other day he'd made a promise at his father's
grave. That he'd be strong. And he wasn't going to turn back on his word. He would be
king one day. He couldn't let himself be so weak that a little pain could deter him.
"So then… you'd rather be with him? What's so good about that guy anyway!?" Lundel
glared daggers at Hajime. It was obvious he thought himself the better man. Even now,
Yue was nestled in Hajime's lap. You couldn't blame Lundel for thinking of Hajime as
a terrible womanizer.
Sadly, Kaori had set her heart on Hajime and Hajime alone.
"Huh? Wh-What's this all of a sudden? Jeez, that's so embarrassing. But, fufu, yes, I
suppose I would. He's the man I love the most in the world. As for what's good about
him, well… everything. Fufu…"
With that, Lundel's hit points finally reached zero. He sunk to all fours again, his entire
body trembling.
Kaori worriedly rubbed his back, but he slapped her hand away and struggled to his
feet. Once he was up, he dashed straight for the door.
Before departing for good, he turned back at the doorway and screamed.
"I hate you alllllllllllllll!" After that, he dashed down the hallway and out of sight.
Tears glistened in his eyes as he fled from the room. His screams echoed loudly
through the halls.
His dumbfounded bodyguards returned to their senses and hurriedly chased after
him.
"That's youth for you."
"D-Don't sound so unconcerned… It's your fault he's crying right now."
"Nah. I mean, I guess I started it… but Kaori's the one who finished him off."
"Grr, I can't deny that…"
Hajime and Shizuku bantered with each other as they watched Lundel's first love
wither away in a spectacular fashion. Kaori made to go after Lundel, but Liliana
stopped her. Kaori had done enough damage. Liliana knew her brother would
eventually have had his heart broken by Kaori, so she was prepared for this. She'd just
sleep together with him tonight and comfort him like usual. Lundel would be the king
of Heiligh very soon. It was probably best he experienced having his heart broken once
or twice before he had to deal with the rigors of kingship.
Liliana closed the room's door and walked over to Hajime, with Kaori following behind
her. It appeared she'd come here not to find Lundel, but to speak with him.
She sat down in the seat next to Shizuku while Kaori attempted to situate herself on
the other side of Hajime's lap. A short wrestling match between Kaori and Yue ensued
where they each tried to push the other off.
In the end, they both remained sitting on the edge of Hajime's knees, their arms
locked. If Kaori had been in her old body, she wouldn't have stood a chance against
Yue. While Yue might have specialized in magic, her ability to control mana directly
and strengthen her body had still put her leagues above Kaori. But in her new form,
Kaori was the one with the advantage.
"Kaori… you've become so strong…" Shizuku muttered.
"Uh, Shizuku. Could you stop staring and break them up already?" Liliana replied,
watching Yue and Kaori worriedly.
The shock of Kaori's death, however temporary, had turned Shizuku into a far less
capable woman than she had been. Letting the only person with common sense left in
their class devolve into a blubbering mess was something Hajime wanted to avoid, so
he flicked Kaori's forehead and forced her onto the seat next to him.
"Aww, why is it always Yue?"
"Fufu, I'm the only one allowed on Hajime's lap."
"Can we get back on topic please…" Liliana asked hesitantly. Everyone ignored her.
"Hajime-kun…"
"Don't give me that look, Kaori. Isn't sitting next to me good enough?"
"Fine. You can have his hand."
"Huh? Really? Then can you stroke my cheek like you always do for Yue? Or is that too
much?"
"If that's all, then I don't mind, I guess."
"Ehehe, thanks, Hajime-kun."
"Okay, I'll wait. I'll wait until you're all done. Then you'll finally listen to me, right?
Sniffle…" Liliana sobbed to herself, having completely missed her opportunity to butt
into the conversation.
It was only thanks to Shizuku's intervention that Hajime and the others finally
returned their attention to the princess. Now that she'd had her fill of Kaori, Shizuku
was back to her normal, serious self.
The fact that Hajime was willing to indulge Kaori a little now proved that their bond
had grown deeper, but Shizuku knew it wasn't the time to dwell on that.
"Ahem. What I wanted to discuss were the rumors you asked me to spread regarding
the fate of the Holy Church, Nagumo-san… Surprisingly enough, people believe them.
It appears Aiko-san's fame as the Fertility Goddess is greater than I expected."
"I see. Well, people believe what they want to, after all. Especially when the story's
exaggerated and sentimental. I didn't think there'd be any problems. The real question
is how well the story'll hold up when people start digging deeper… Well, no point
worrying about it."
"Indeed. Though I still find it difficult to believe that our entire faith was built upon a
lie… It's fine if one or two individuals know, but if the truth gets out to the public we'll
have riots in the streets. Your suggestion was truly a lifesaver, Nagumo-san. Thank you
very much." Liliana thanked Hajime, a troubled expression on her face.
Shizuku tilted her head, wondering what her friend was talking about. It turned out
had asked Liliana to spread rumors about the head temple's destruction. They
wouldn't be able to hide the fact that the cathedral had been blown up forever, and the
faster the palace provided an explanation the better.
Naturally, however, Hajime knew Liliana couldn't tell the people the truth. The fact
that Ehit, the god everyone praised, was actually an uncaring monster who treated
people like playthings would have sent people into a panic. Especially if they
discovered all of the priests and bishops they put their faith in were actually deranged
maniacs.
Therefore, Hajime had drafted an alternate explanation and passed it on to Liliana.
She had then used that as a basis for what she'd told the people.
Namely, that an evil god had brainwashed the high-ranking bishops. Liliana had
claimed that they had been the ones to betray the capital to the demons.
Which was why, according to Liliana, Aiko had reluctantly taken up arms against the
corrupted church.
Pope Ishtar had fought valiantly together with her and died in the resulting conflict.
Supposedly Aiko's sword had turned into a pillar of light in the middle of the fight,
which was the huge ray that had killed the demon army.
Or at least, that was the story Liliana told people.
It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't technically a lie either. At the very least, the most
important facts were true.
Furthermore, Aiko had gone around telling people that this new evil god was going
around masquerading as Ehit. And that if they wanted to stay true to the teachings of
the real Ehit, they needed to start thinking for themselves. For otherwise, they would
be led astray. They needed to decide what was right and wrong for themselves, and
not just rely on the teachings of the Holy Church. It was only by doing so that they
would be able to honor Ishtar's memory. On top of giving such speeches, Aiko had also
attended Ishtar's memorial service.
In other words, Hajime's plan had been to create a fictional "good Ehit" and tell people
that Aiko was working for him. That way he could pretend all of the problems
stemmed from this fake evil god who was actually the real Ehit, and plant the first
seeds of doubt in the people's minds.
If both the evil god and the "good Ehit" called themselves Ehit, then people wouldn't
just blindly be able to put their faith in "Ehit." They would need to think for themselves
whether or not anyone invoking the name of god was preaching something good or
evil.
This story also helped avert the panic that would occur if Liliana had just told everyone
the god they'd believed in was a deranged lunatic. Most importantly, though, it meant
that if Hajime ever had to seriously pit himself against Ehit, he might be able to count
on the people's help.
"I see. You like to plan pretty far ahead, Nagumo-kun. I guess that's why you only told
Ai-chan the truth of what you'd learned at first too…"
"I hope you didn't think I was a brainless musclehead. Though, usually they're just
things I come up with on the spot and try in the hopes that they might work. It's not
too much of a loss if they don't, and I can always fall back on shooting my way through
things if I have to…"
"Fufu. I didn't mean it like that. I was praising your foresight. If anything, it's
reassuring that you think this far ahead."
Shizuku looked at Hajime, impressed. He simply shrugged in response.
Kaori and Yue glared at Shizuku, angry that she understood Hajime in some way that
they didn't. Shizuku started when she noticed their glares and stammered.
"Wh-What? What's wrong?"
"Yue, what do you think?"
"Hmm… She's still okay. They're just friends for now."
"I suppose. For now, anyway…"
"Mhm… We must be careful."
Yue and Kaori whispered to each other. Shizuku couldn't hear them, but she had a
sinking feeling she knew what they were discussing. And once again, Liliana was
ignored.
Hajime stared at the two of them warily, worried about their whispered dealings.
Whenever those two started colluding, nothing good came of it.
That evening, a single figure stood in front of the massive monument honoring the
spirits of Heiligh's dead. The sun's final rays cast the palace grounds a dazzling shade
of crimson, and the monument cast a long shadow into the mountain wall from which
it had been carved.
"I'm so sorry…" Aiko muttered.
Numerous flowers and offerings dotted the monument; many brave soldiers had died
recently.
The battle was still too recent for the dead to have all been tallied, so the most recent
casualties didn't have their names carved into the stone yet. Once all of the names
were in though, Captain Meld would be the first to be added here.
Among the offerings, Aiko spotted a pair of weapons that she recognized. A longsword
and a spear. They had been the artifacts of choice for two of Aiko's students— Daisuke
Hiyama and Reichi Kondou.
Aiko wasn't even sure what she was apologizing for anymore. Was she sorry she'd
never be able to bring them back to Japan? Sorry that her students had caused the
deaths of innocent people? Or sorry that she herself had killed so many? Dispirited,
Aiko hung her head. She only stirred when she heard footsteps heading her way.
Aiko knew he'd made his footfalls heavy to alert her of his presence. Hajime normally
walked much quieter.
Aiko slowly turned around.
"Nagumo-kun…"
"Fancy meeting you here, Sensei."
Her eyes met his. The fading orange light of the sunset was reflected in his clear pupils.
In his hands he carried a single flower. It appeared he'd come here to make an offering.
Aiko was surprised that Hajime of all people would do such a thing.
Hajime saw the bewilderment on her face and smiled awkwardly.
"Even I feel a little sad when people I know die, Sensei."
"Huh? Oh, uh, I didn't mean to imply that…" Flustered, Aiko flailed her arms around
wildly. She hadn't expected to hear such hurt in Hajime's voice.
He shrugged his shoulders, indicating that it wasn't a big deal, and silently walked up
to the monument.
Aiko kept shooting him sidelong glances, but his attention was completely occupied
by the memorial in front of him. It seemed he had no intention of talking, either.
Aiko found the silence unbearable, and spoke more to dispel the gloomy atmosphere
than anything.
"Umm, are those flowers… for Hiyama-kun and Kondou-kun?"
"Hell no. They're for Meld."
Hajime raised an eyebrow at Aiko. You seriously thought that?
"Why Meld-san…?"
"Well, it's not like we knew each other that well or anything, but I respected that guy.
He was the country's knight commander. He could have had anything, but he still
worked so hard for us. And even though he messed up a bunch of times, he always
kept on trying to improve himself… He deserves at least this one flower for all of that."
"Nagumo-kun… Yes, I suppose he does…" Aiko watched Hajime with a gentle look in
her eyes. She was glad there was still so much humanity left in Hajime. He might kill
his enemies without any mercy, but he also mourned for those he cared about. Enough
that he was willing to bring an offering to their graves.
In truth, Hajime had just wanted to escape being dragged into the bath by Yue and the
others. He'd been walking down the palace halls and spotted a flower in a vase, and
had thought bringing Meld an offering would be a good way to kill time. Of course, he
didn't mention that to Aiko. Besides, he'd meant what he said. He may have come here
on a whim, but he truly believed Meld was someone who deserved to be remembered.
Hajime put thoughts of Meld in the back of his mind and focused his attention on Aiko.
"You're not blaming me…"
"Huh?" Aiko tilted her head in confusion.
"About Hiyama's death. This isn't like what happened with Shimizu. Sure, maybe
monsters were the direct cause of his death, but I'm the one who killed him. I killed
one of your precious students. Kondou too. Even if he was already dead, I was the one
that blew apart his body. I figured you'd be mad at me."
"...…" Aiko's smile vanished, replaced by a brooding frown.
Hajime waited patiently, giving Aiko as much time as she needed.
The two of them stood there silently for what seemed like hours.
Finally, Aiko spoke hesitantly.
"To be honest, I'm not sure it's that simple. Hiyama-kun murdered Shirasaki-san.
That's not something I think can be easily forgiven. Of course, I do think he should
have lived so he could repent for his crimes, but I can understand your choice. The
same goes for what you did to Kondou-kun. You must have been furious, Nagumo-kun.
You cared deeply for Shirasaki-san, and she had been murdered before your eyes… It
would be unfair of me to get angry at you just because this wasn't the outcome I hoped
for. Besides, I no longer have the right to judge you." Aiko crossed her arms and
absently rubbed her elbows, as if trying to warm herself up.
"Because of what you did to the Holy Church?"
"...…" She nodded silently. Hajime's words and Tio's restoration magic had helped
Aiko keep her sanity right after the event. But as time passed, the guilt had started
eating away at her again.
Hajime noticed that there were dark circles under Aiko's eyes that she'd hidden with
makeup. She hadn't been sleeping well the past few days. She probably sees nightmares
about that explosion.
Silence returned to the small field they were in. Hajime didn't know what to say.
Unable to withstand the oppressive silence, Aiko once again spoke up.
"Nagumo-kun… doesn't it ever bother you?"
"The fact that I've killed people? No, not really. I think the time I spent in the abyss
broke those parts of me, so I can't really sympathize."
"..." Aiko's looked sadly up at her student. It pained her that Hajime had suffered so
much that he'd been forced to throw away parts of his humanity to survive.
"No one… blames me."
"Hm?"
Aiko's true feelings spilled out.
"No one blames me for killing them. My students still look at me the same, and the
people in the palace even thank me for what I did."
It was true. The other students had been too shocked by Hajime's display of brutality
to think much of the fact that Aiko had killed a couple of bishops and the pope. In fact,
they respected her for fighting on their behalf. The nobles and ministers, too, all were
grateful to Aiko for saving them from Noint's brainwashing.
"I told David-san and the others what I'd done, but all they said was that they needed
some time to think. Even though I was the one who destroyed the foundations of their
faith, even they didn't blame me." Aiko bit her lip so hard she drew blood.
She wanted someone to condemn her. After all, she was a murderer. Knowledge of that
sin was a heavy burden. Only madmen and monsters thought nothing of killing. Most
people would be agonized by guilt.
It would actually have eased her pain if someone condemned her for her crimes, which
was why Aiko had unconsciously looked for someone to denounce her. However, no
one did.
Hajime was confident that Tio would have been able to obliterate the Holy Church
even without Aiko's help. It might have taken some more time, but she would have
done it. So to Hajime, it felt like Aiko was taking on too much responsibility for
something that wasn't really her fault. He scratched his cheek awkwardly, looking for
the right words to say.
"I mean, in the end, it was Tio's breath that killed everyone. You just helped her do it,
right, Sensei? You don't have to take responsibility for all of their deaths…"
"That doesn't matter! At that time… I helped Tio knowing that it might lead to their
deaths. That makes me no different from a murderer!"
Aiko retorted with more vehemence than Hajime expected. Embarrassed by her
outburst, she shrunk back into herself.
After a moment's silence, Hajime asked her a question.
"Do you regret helping?"
"Ah… No. I was prepared for the consequences… There was no way I could ignore what
the pope and the bishops were trying to do… And I didn't want you to die… Plus, if I'd
left them alone, it would have been my students who would have suffered later, so…"
Pained though her voice was, there wasn't an ounce of regret in it. She'd known Ishtar
was trying to help Noint kill Hajime. And she'd also known that the rest of her students
would be next. She'd resolved herself to dirtying her own hands, if it meant saving
them.
Even now, she still believed that was the right decision. But that logic didn't help ease
the anguish she felt at being a murderer. Feelings weren't rational, after all.
Hajime let out an inaudible sigh. I'm the student here, so how come I'm the one who has
to give out advice? I just came here to kill time, too…
He thought back to what Yue and Shizuku had said about Aiko being in love with him.
Maybe that was why she was confiding to him now. She was starting to see him more
as a man, and less as a student.
Hajime glanced about, trying to think of the right words to say.
"Sensei, are you going to continue being my teacher?"
"What?" Aiko didn't expect that line of questioning. She remembered Hajime asking
her something similar before.
Back then she'd replied "Of course!" without hesitation, but now…
"...…" She hesitated. Was it really alright for someone who'd murdered to guide
others?
Aiko grit her teeth so hard they almost cracked. She felt incredibly conflicted. Hajime
knew she'd have a hard time replying, so he continued.
"If you still want to keep being our teacher, even after this… could you listen to this
one selfish request of mine?"
"A selfish… request?" Aiko looked up at him in confusion. Her face was pale, and she
looked ready to collapse at any minute.
"Yeah." Hajime turned away from the monument and looked Aiko in the eyes.
There was a warmth to his gaze that sucked Aiko in. She felt a little more reassured.
Hajime saw himself reflected in Aiko's eyes, and felt the weight of responsibility settle
on his shoulders. He made sure to choose his words carefully. But no matter how
carefully he phrased it, his request was certainly the epitome of selfishness.
"Sensei… I want you to hold on to that guilt you feel forever. I want you to feel
burdened by it. I want you to do things the right way. Fight for the right reasons,
agonize over those you kill, and cry about what you've done. To me, you're the most
human person here. You feel all these emotions I've long since lost… You're the role
model I look up to as what it means to be truly human. That's why I want you to
continue suffering. Because you're the example I'm learning from. I think, if I keep
watching you, I'll at least be able to act more like a human should when we return to
Japan."
"Nagumo-kun…" Aiko's eyes opened wide in surprise. Hajime hadn't tried to comfort
her, or condemn her. No, he'd asked her to continue suffering.
Yet it was these words that chased away the dark clouds that hung about her heart.
This selfish request had done what no amount of comfort or condemnation could
have.
Accepting the consequences and necessity of her actions would be the hardest thing
Aiko had ever done. Especially because of how traumatizing the event had been. There
had already been so many times she'd wanted to just run away from what she'd did,
or broken under the strain. There would probably many more times like this in the
future, too. But her personality and her resolve wouldn't let her. That would just make
the ordeal more painful.
She only knew she could do it because there would always be someone there to prop
her back up if she was about to collapse. Someone who'd lost his humanity, but was
trying his best to remember what it meant to be human.
This really is the most selfish request I've ever heard. It was a merciless, kind request.
Clear teardrops streaked down Aiko's cheeks. She'd held in her tears all this time, but
now the dam finally burst.
Hajime turned away awkwardly and mentioned one last thing.
"Well, if you absolutely feel like you can't bear it anymore… and there's no one else you
can rely on… and I mean no one else… I don't mind lending you a shoulder to cry on."
"You… really are…" Aiko smiled weakly and leaned against Hajime's back. He was
purposely acting like he hadn't seen her already start crying.
"In that case, I'd like to borrow your shoulder for a little bit, Nagumo-kun."
"Go for it, Sensei."
Aiko leaned into Hajime, entrusting herself to him. Crying, she reaffirmed her
dedication to always being everyone's teacher. And to always bear the sins of what
she'd done. She felt that as long a certain selfish student of hers was watching, she
could keep on going.
Their shadows elongated as the sun slipped below the horizon. Aiko's sobs were the
only thing that could be heard in the darkening palace grounds.
Once Aiko had finished crying everything out, the two of them had returned to the
palace. Aiko's flushed face and embarrassed expression raised a lot of eyebrows, and
Hajime broke out into a cold sweat when he realized how this looked to Yue and the
others.
As always, Yue, Shea, Tio, and Kaori had then dragged Hajime into their room.
Shea's noisy complaints did bother him a little, but what truly terrified him was Yue's
silent glare.
In the end, David and the others returned to serve under Aiko again. It appeared their
love for her had won over any loyalty they might have felt to the Holy Church.
Traveling with Aiko had introduced them to many different ways of thinking, and their
perspective on the world was different from when they'd first been assigned as her
guards. Plus, they'd started growing suspicious of the Holy Church when Ishtar had
refused to let them meet Aiko and ordered them to remain on standby in the capital.
Naturally, the knowledge that Ehit cared nothing for them and that the Holy Church
had been decimated had still come as a shock. But in the end, they'd come to accept
that they couldn't hate Aiko, and that she'd made the right decision.
It was of course possible that they were just looking for something to cling to. For they
had converted and become adherents of the Fertility Goddess Aiko. Either way, they
had sworn to protect her with their lives.
Their love for Aiko had sublimated into a kind of cult fanaticism, but it was possible
that was what they needed to accept the destruction of the Holy Church.
"I can't believe you! Why do you keep doing this!?"
"Hajime-kun… You really should be more careful about what you say to people."
"Fufufu, I expected no less from Master. I take my eyes off him for a moment, and he
has already gotten another woman to fall for him…"
The three girls complained about Hajime while eating dinner in the main hall. Hajime
ignored their pointed glares and continued enjoying the splendid feast laid out before
him.
Next to him, Yue said nothing, but she did shoot Hajime a dirty look. Considering the
situation, she couldn't really blame Hajime for doing what he had, but that didn't
change the fact that Aiko clearly thought of him more as a love interest than a student.
It was a complicated situation all around, and Yue did have a little sympathy for Aiko.
After all, Hajime's plan for dealing with her feelings was to pretend he hadn't noticed
them.
"Hajime, do you think Aiko will break?" When Hajime had told her what had happened
between him and Aiko, Yue had grown a little worried. Hajime lowered his fork and
thought about it for a few seconds.
"Hmm, I think she'll be fine. Worst comes to worst, I'll just make her an artifact with
spirit magic that'll keep her sane. Knowing her though, I don't think we have to worry.
She'll get better in time."
"I see. That's good." Yue's gaze softened, and Hajime smiled.
"Yue-san… I should have known. You're always two steps ahead."
"Is this… what makes Yue better than me? Gah, I won't lose! I definitely won't lose to
her!"
"Impressive. I know not whether she does it unconsciously or on purpose… but she
always knows how to tug at Master's heartstrings. She truly is a master of seduction. I
cannot help but be amazed."
"That doesn't feel like praise."
Shea looked shocked, Kaori was gritting her teeth in frustration, and Tio watched Yue
in admiration. Yue grimaced slightly in response, but Hajime simply stroked her hair
reassuringly and smiled wryly.
Kouki and the other students walked into the dining hall, interrupting the party's
lively meal. Aiko was with them as well, so everyone who'd been summoned from
earth was gathered here.
Hajime looked over at them and raised an eyebrow. He'd actually asked what time
Kouki and the others usually ate so that he could pick a time they weren't there.
However, it seemed his plan had failed.
Well, it's not that big a deal, Hajime thought and returned to his meal. Yue went back
to eating as well.
The classmates all milled about uncertainly. Some were brimming with curiosity,
others weren't sure how to approach Hajime and his friends, while others felt
uncomfortable in their presence.
They kept on shooting Hajime furtive looks throughout their meal. The students all
knew by now that he had absolutely no interest in any of them, and didn't see himself
as one of their comrades anymore, which was why they hesitated to speak to him. Aiko
was shooting Hajime glances as well, but for a very different reason.
"Ah, Shizuku-chan! Come sit with us!"
"Is it really alright if I sit next to you guys?"
"Of course it is."
Hajime wasn't sure he'd ever get used to Noint's grim face smiling so openly. Shizuku
didn't seem to mind though, and she took a seat next to Kaori.
The other students had found it hard to believe that Kaori had really been reborn in a
different body, but that smile was just so her that they had to accept it was really Kaori
in there.
Even in Noint's body, Kaori's warm smile had the power to make an entire room relax.
Compared to the time everyone had thought Hajime had died, Kaori's temporary
death had been far less of a shock.
Kouki sat down next to Shizuku, and Suzu and Aiko settled in across from them. That
put Aiko directly next to Yue.
The other classmates all settled in on either side of Hajime's party. Suzu appeared to
be rather nervous in the presence of Yue. When she first sat down she stammered
some odd words.
"S-Sorry for interrupting your meal, ma'am…"
Yue tilted her head, wondering why Suzu had referred to her as "ma'am."
The moment Kouki and the others were seated, the palace servants brought out food
for them. It was the same high-quality fare they had served Hajime.
As everyone began eating, Aiko accidentally met Hajime's eyes. She blushed beet-red
and turned away. After a few more furtive glances, Aiko whispered,
"U-Umm, Nagumo-kun… If possible… could you not tell anyone…" Yue felt a little
miffed that the two of them were talking with her sitting right in between them, but
she held it in. She knew how embarrassing it must have been for Aiko to cry in front
of Hajime, and she could understand wanting to make sure he didn't say anything to
anyone else.
Hajime mentally thanked Yue for not saying anything and turned his gaze to Aiko.
When their eyes met again, Aiko blushed to the tips of her ears. Shizuku and the others
knew it was already too late to do anything about Aiko's infatuation, but that didn't
stop them from glaring at Hajime. Fortunately, the other students couldn't see Aiko
from their angle, so most of them didn't even notice. Only Kouki and the other
frontliners sitting nearby saw, but they didn't immediately understand the reason for
Aiko's blushing.
Atsushi and the other male members of Ai-chan's guard squad all glared resentfully at
Hajime.
"That bastard, he's totally gotten her to fall for him now," they muttered under their
breath.
Yuka, Nana, and Taeko tried to look uninterested, but it was obvious they were trying
to sneak glances at Aiko and Hajime.
"What are you talking about, Sensei? Did something happen?"
"Huh?"
Hajime put on a perfect act. For a second, Aiko was confused, but then she realized he
was playing dumb on purpose and smiled knowingly.
"No, of course not," she replied.
Though it was a little vexing that Hajime was always looking out for her, Aiko felt a
little happy about it too. She smiled faintly.
The more they watched, the angrier all of the girls got at Hajime. Only Yue was still on
his side. She patted his shoulder affectionately and started feeding him food.
Such was the power of the main heroine. She was on a completely different level from
the others.
I really do have the best girlfriend in the world! Hajime fell for Yue all over again. As he
was mentally thanking Yue, Shea tugged on his sleeve from the other side.
"Hajime-san, say ahhh…" Shea was tired of all these new rivals popping up, and was
determined to remind them that she was vying for his affections too. Blushing slightly,
she brought her fork to Hajime's mouth. She made sure her bunny ears brushed
against him as she did so. Shea was just as crafty as the others.
Hajime was used to this at this point, and he let her feed him without a fight. Shea's
ears and tail twitched happily as she watched Hajime eat her food.
Naturally, Tio and Kaori weren't going to let this go without a fight. The two of them
thrust out their forks as well, intent on feeding Hajime themselves.
"H-Hajime-kun, have some of mine too! Say aaah!"
"Master, I implore you to try some of my food. Please open wide."
"Just this once, you two."
There was only so much of the same food he could eat before he got tired of it. To be
fair, he ate some of Kaori and Tio's food, then put a stop to the feeding. Both Kaori and
Tio melted when they saw him eating it.
"This is… starting to get really awkward…" Shizuku muttered, her expression stiff.
Suzu, Kouki, and Ryutarou all grimaced awkwardly.
For a moment, Aiko considered trying to feed Hajime as well, but then snapped back
to reality and mentally berated herself for even considering such a thing. The others
ignored her one-woman comedy act.
Fortunately, the other girls all started squealing to each other, dispelling the awkward
atmosphere. They'd been afraid of Hajime before, but now they were gossiping about
his love life. On the day Hajime had fallen into the abyss, no one would have even
imagined that he would have returned with a harem of girls. It stood to reason that all
of the girls in the class were burning with curiosity regarding his relationships.
Even the guys had stopped being so timid around Hajime. Though that was mostly
because they were burning with jealous rage instead.
Every single one of the girls in Hajime's harem was a beauty without peer. Shea
especially drew a lot of attention. Otaku or not, most guys found bunny girls
irresistible. The way her bunny ears twitched when she smiled at Hajime had
everyone smitten.
But no matter how jealous they were, no matter how badly they wanted to ask Hajime
the secret to getting Tortus girls to fall for him, none of the guys had the courage to
speak to him.
They felt bad for making fun of him before, back when they'd all thought he was
incompetent. Furthermore, the innate pressure Hajime exuded made it hard to go up
to him.
Only those who had spent some time with Hajime were able to converse normally with
him. And those that could, like Nagayama and Yuka, were eager to ask him questions.
But before they could engage him, Hajime turned his attention to Kaori, who was
blushing while looking at her fork.
After a moment's deliberation she came to a decision and apologetically popped the
fork into her mouth. She blushed even deeper.
Hajime was about to say something scathing like "What are you, twelve!?" but Yue beat
him to the punch.
Kaori noticed Yue's gaze on her and met her eyes. It was then that Yue pounced.
"Pervert…"
"Y-You've got it all wrong! I'm not a pervert! I-I was just eating my dinner!"
"Dinner seasoned with a side of Hajime."
"Th-That's not true! Besides, Tio's way more of a pervert than I am! Look, she's licking
her fork all over!"
"Slurp! Slurp! Slurp! Hm?"
Red-faced, Kaori pointed to Tio. She stopped slobbering all over her fork and looked
questioningly at Kaori.
"What seems to be the matter?" Tio showed Kaori the fork, emphasizing that there
was nothing on it. She was definitely tasting something other than the food. Hajime
tried not to think about it. Over time, Tio had transformed from a perverted masochist
into a plain regular pervert.
"Tio, stop that before I send you flying." Hajime rubbed his temple and gave Tio her
only warning.
"Mrrr, if you insist. But you have yet to kiss me, Master. Unless I do this, I will be unable
to sate my burning lust." Her reply only irked Hajime more.
Just then, Tio's eyes lit up as she remembered something.
"Oh yes! I remember now! You still have not given me the reward you promised,
Master! I demand you do so now!"
"Huh? Reward?" Hajime scrunched up his face, but then clicked his tongue when he
remembered what Tio was referring to.
The others looked at him quizzically, and Shea asked the question they were all
thinking.
"What's this… about a reward?"
"You see, when we were fighting at the Divine Mountain, Master promised me a
reward if I could keep Sensei-dono safe. And as you can see, she is still hale. Nufufufu…
Master. You would never go back on your word, now would you?"
"Hey, that's not fair!" Shea and Kaori yelled at the same time, but Tio wasn't swayed.
With everyone's attention on him, Hajime turned reluctantly to Tio. He put his chin in
his hands and responded to her.
"Alright, what is it you want? Don't forget, I only promised to do anything as long as
it's reasonable." Like the time he'd given Shea her reward, he wasn't going to acquiesce
to requests like "sleep with me."
Tio nodded in an exaggerated fashion, indicating that she understood. Then, fidgeting
a little in embarrassment, Tio spoke her request.
"Fear not, I shan't ask for the impossible. I just want you to punish my arse… like you
did when we first met." Tio put her hands to her cheeks and squirmed in shame. I can't
believe I really said it! As far as she was concerned, it was a reasonable request because
Hajime had already done it before. Forget the fact that it was a pretty hardcore fetish.
I should have expected this from a pervert like her.
As Hajime had feared, everyone but Yue and the others shrunk back in disgust.
They looked at Hajime as if he were some kind of heinous criminal.
"Hell no, you perverted dragon. And stop saying that in a way that people'll
misunderstand."
Shocked at his refusal, Tio vehemently protested.
"B-But why? Surely this is a reasonable request! All you have to do is drive that thick,
hard, black pole into me like you did last time! Then, when I beg you to take it out you
simply must ignore me and keep pushing deeper! All I wish is for you to mercilessly
torment my arse!"
"How many times do I have to tell you, stop causing misunderstandings!"
Hajime had been upgraded from "heinous criminal" to "monster" in the other students'
eyes.
"But you can't deny that that is the truth, right Nagumo-kun?" Unhappy that all the
other girls had gotten to feed him, Aiko followed up with a barbed statement.
"She isn't lying…"
"Yeah, he really did stab her with it."
"Yeah, Nagumo-kun, you have no mercy!"
Yuka, Nana, and Taeko decided to dogpile onto Hajime as well. They ostensibly
sounded like they were whispering, but Hajime could tell they'd meant for everyone
to hear.
The students' suspicion transformed into certainty, and they all glared at Hajime.
"Hajime-san, you can't really call it a misunderstanding…"
"Hajime, it's because of you that Tio's a pervert. Accept responsibility."
Even Shea and Yue had betrayed him now.
"N-Nagumo-kun… How could you do such a thing… to Tio-san…"
"Hajime-kun, I'm so jealous… I mean, you need to answer for your actions…"
Everyone was looking at Hajime as if he were the demon lord himself. Hajime abruptly
stood up, his chair clattering backward. He raised his right hand high, and pulled his
black pile bunker out of his Treasure Trove. It was already covered in red sparks.
A bead of cold sweat dripped down Tio's face.
"Okay, Tio. I'll give you the reward you wanted. You wanted it in your ass, right? I'll
gladly stick it in harder and deeper than last time. It'll be over so fast you won't even
have time to scream." It was only then that Tio realized she'd gone too far.
He'd only driven it into her ass last time because they'd been in the middle of a fight.
Seeing everyone look at him as if he were some kind of pervert had tipped him over
the edge.
Perhaps the most maddening thing was that he couldn't actually say Tio was wrong.
"W-Wait, Master. I know this is what you used last time, but that doesn't necessarily
mean I want you to use it every time. If you put that inside me, I'll truly die! I'll
apologize for being so impertinent, so please put that dangerous weapon away!"
"No need to be shy, Tio. Didn't you say you wanted this? Going to your room would
take too much time, so let's just do it here."
"Oh nooooooooo, Master's serious! Yue, Shea, Kaoriiiiii, help me! Stop him!"
Sobbing, Tio turned to Yue and the others for help. Even she wasn't so much of a
masochist that she wanted to die. Or perhaps she was. The fact that she was panting a
little meant she was beyond help now.
She fled to Kaori and tried to hide behind her chair. Her terror was enough to satisfy
Hajime, and he returned his pile bunker to the Treasure Trove with a hmph.
Though now the other students were convinced he was scarier than a demon lord.
Rumors of a white-haired demon lord with an eyepatch started circulating through
the capital after that, but fortunately for Hajime's sanity, he never found out.
"Alright, what do you really want? I don't mind giving you a reward, as long as it's
nothing perverted." Sighing, Hajime flopped back into his chair. Around him, everyone
breathed a sigh of relief.
No one present had wanted to see a beautiful young woman's ass ravaged by that
deadly weapon.
"V-Very well. In that case, may I request for the right to sleep next to you? Usually it's
always Yue and Shea next to you. I've never once had the opportunity to do it. Is that
a reasonable enough request for you?"
"Yeah, that's not a problem. You should have just said that from the start."
"My surging passion cannot be quelled so easily. Please try and understand."
Hajime turned back to Shea, who shrugged.
"I guess I have to let her," she said in a resigned voice.
It appeared Hajime would be spending tonight sandwiched between Yue and Tio. Once
they got in bed he had no doubt he'd be sandwiched by something else entirely,
though.
The girls began gossiping with each other again, while the guys muttered angrily to
themselves.
After that, Hajime was treated to a lecture from Aiko about how indecent it was to
sleep with multiple women. Though she sounded respectable, her issue wasn't so
much that Hajime was sleeping around than it was simple jealousy. Shea interrupted
midway to point out that after the things he'd done with Yue, something as innocent
as sleeping was hardly a problem. That led to Yue smiling seductively and flirting
openly with him, which in turn led to the students getting even noisier, and a number
of the male students got very uncomfortable boners. Needless to say, it was quite a
chaotic dinner.
Hajime watched the ruckus while thinking back on the events of the day.
He'd brought Kaori back from the Divine Mountain and showed everyone her new
body, watched as a gold-ranked adventurer was robbed of his family jewels, and spent
an afternoon running from crazed Synergists, which had resulted in Liliana having to
personally come to put an end to the chaos in the city. He had then beaten down the
crown prince and watched his first love wither away. And after all that, he'd run into
Aiko while looking for a way to kill time, and ended up consoling her. Finally, at dinner
he'd struck terror into the hearts of his former classmates.
All that, in a single day. It seemed that trouble and mayhem were fated to follow him,
wherever he went.
Tomorrow he would leave for the empire together with Liliana. He had no intention of
actually stepping foot in the empire's capital, but he'd learned now to never say, or
think, never.
I wonder what'll be waiting for us in the east… Hajime smiled his usual fearless smile,
ready for anything the world might throw at him.