After conquering Haltina's labyrinth, Hajime and the others decided to spend a few
days recuperating in the beautiful city of Verbergen. As they were responsible for
healing Verbergen's wounded and helping the Haulia free all the slaves within the
empire, Verbergen's citizens spared no expense in giving Hajime's group the best
reception possible. Thanks to that, the party's days in the beastmen capital were spent
in the lap of luxury.
But of course, they couldn't stay there forever. Tomorrow they'd head for the seventh
and final labyrinth, the Frost Caverns. The group gathered in a quiet clearing on the
outskirts of the city to discuss the details of their departure. They all sat down on
nearby stumps, and Hajime started off the meeting.
"Alrighty, so to get to the Frost Caverns we're going to have to go through the Schnee
Snow Fields, but that shouldn't be much of a problem since we have Fernir."
"Normally, we'd have to journey through the frozen wastes for months to get there.
Really, thank you so much for agreeing to take us with you, Nagumo-kun."
"Just so you know, Taniguchi. Taking a shortcut means we might end up skipping some
important experiences we're supposed to go through to clear the labyrinth. You
shouldn't be too happy that you get to breeze through everything."
"Ugh. I'll take that to heart…. I promise not to let my guard down in the labyrinth…."
Seeing as she'd failed to clear the previous labyrinth, she couldn't really argue back
when Hajime told her she was letting herself get carried away. Especially since she'd
forced her way into his party again.
Hajime's piercing gaze passed over Kouki and Ryutarou as well. Both of them
grimaced and nodded. Yue, Kaori, and Tio all gave him knowing looks.
"What?" Noticing their gazes, he turned back to them.
"Mmm…. It's nothing."
"Yep, don't worry about it."
"Pay us no mind."
The three of them shook their heads, but they continued giving him the same knowing
look. Hajime looked away uncomfortably, and Shizuku's gaze flitted between him and
Yue. She'd more or less guessed what was going on, though Hajime still seemed in the
dark.
Is it just me, or has Nagumo-kun changed a little? He feels less aggressive than before.
Like he's settled down and matured a little, almost. Normally, Hajime's response to Suzu
would have been far harsher, but now he'd shed a lot of his needless antagonism. His
heart had begun to soften now that he'd finally found a concrete way back. He was
starting to become more human. As Shizuku was musing about the changes he was
undergoing, the party's final member arrived.
"Sorry I'm late, guys. My dumb family was trying to give everyone in Verbergen edgy
nicknames, so I had to beat them all up."
"You did good, Shea." Hajime smiled and gave Shea a thumbs-up. She returned his
smile and his thumbs-up.
Hajime casually scooted to the side, and Shea sat down next to him as if it were the
most natural thing in the world. On his right was Yue, and on his left, Shea. Originally.
Kaori had been sitting on Hajime's left, but she hadn't been able to get a word in
edgewise as Hajime had moved away from her and Shea filled the gap.
"Mrrr," Kaori growled to herself. Noticing her discontent, Shea turned to Kaori and
silently asked "Wanna swap?" with her gaze. However, Kaori just smiled and hugged
and Shea. Shea smiled back and leaned against the party's priest.
Shea's changed quite a bit as well. It's like she's gotten more generous, kind of. Or maybe
calmer. Either way, the reason is obviously Nagumo-kun. Shizuku's astute observations
said much about her perceptive abilities.
Having her love finally reciprocated had done wonders for Shea's self-confidence. It
was as though she'd grown from a girl into a woman in one fell swoop. Her charm had
an aura of maturity to it, too.
"Oh yeah, I got this on the way here."
Shea laid out something that looked a lot like a magazine on the table in front of her.
She then pulled out a few more of the same volume and stacked them together.
"Verbergen Monthly — Volume 1 Re-edited" was written on the front cover in bold
letters.
"Hm? Is this what those winged guys were handing out earlier?"
"That's right. The harpies are the ones in charge of spreading the news to everyone in
Verbergen. They stopped publishing news when the demons and the empire attacked,
but normally they release these once a month. Someone probably came to interview
you guys over the past few days, right?"
"Oh yeah, they did. Some girl called Mao asked me a bunch of questions. I think she
was the harpy chief or something?"
"Oh yes, she asked me some questions too."
"That was the first time in my life anyone ever interviewed me. It was quite the
interesting experience."
While Verbergen had grown more lively with the return of the beastmen's freed
comrades, it had still suffered heavy losses. Plenty of soldiers had died during the
consecutive battles, and plenty of slaves had died in the empire without ever getting
a chance to return home. And it was precisely because so many had come back that
those who didn't left even bigger holes in the hearts of their grieving families. It was
for that reason that the harpies had decided to resume publication of their monthly
magazine. They hoped that lighthearted news articles and funny editorial columns
would be able to ease the pain of Verbergen's citizens, even if only by a little.
In commemoration of their grand re-opening, Mao had wanted to interview Hajime
and the others to give the first volume some punch. And so, she had gone to each
member of the party and asked to interview them. Smiling, Kouki picked up one of the
volumes.
"Man, that was nostalgic. Reminded me of the times I got interviewed back in Japan."
As a good-looking kendo champion, Kouki had often appeared in kendo magazines
and the like. He'd also debuted in a few fashion magazines and any other magazine
that needed hot guys for its covers. Hajime and Ryutarou didn't particularly mind his
popularity, but if any of the other guys from their class had been present they probably
would have clicked their tongues in irritation. Kouki absently flipped through the
pages until he spotted a certain headline.
—The Hero Is Actually Gay!? And He's After Nagumo, No Less!—
"What the hell is this!?"
Kouki threw the magazine to the floor. Everyone else picked up a magazine and flipped
to the same article. This was part of what was written within:
—The hero, Kouki Amanogawa, played a major role in helping the Haulia free the
slaves the empire had captured. He snuck into the city and created a diversion by
acting out a role given to him by Hajime Nagumo. His efforts should certainly be
lauded, as it is thanks to him that so many of our brethren were able to return safe and
sound. According to this humble reporter's investigations, a good third of the
unmarried girls he freed have attempted to flirt with him in one way or another.
Unfortunately, none of their feelings have been answered, but this intrepid reporter
discovered that there's a jaw-dropping reason behind that.
According to my interview with a certain girl, upon her confession, Kouki told her, "I'm
sorry, but right now there's something else on my mind. Until I make Nagumo…." As
he said that, Nagumo happened to be passing by, and Kouki was distracted by the sight
of his broad back. I'm sure you perceptive readers can already tell what Kouki's next
words would have been. "Until I make Nagumo mine!" of course. The reason Kouki has
rejected every woman's advance until now is because he harbors a deep, burning love
for Nagumo. Kouki had gazed so passionately at Nagumo's back for that very reason,
as well. This may be rather presumptuous of me, but I will continue to support Kouki's
love from the shadows—
Yue rose to her feet and glared daggers at Kouki.
"Prepare to die," she muttered as she readied her Divine Purgatory.
Shea, too, rose to her feet in a hurry.
"Don't worry! I'll protect your ass, Hajime-san!" Shea said as she pulled Drucken out
and held it aloft.
"Wait! Please wait! It's all lies! That article is nothing but lies! Surely you two can tell,
right Yue-san, Shea-san!? That's obviously slander made up by the biased views of the
reporter!" Kouki desperately tried to clear his name.
"A-Amanogawa, you…."
"Stoooooop! Don't give me that look, Nagumo!"
"B-But Kouki-kun. You really do give Hajime-kun these intense stares sometimes…."
"You too, Kaori!? I'm begging you, stop taking things the wrong way! I only look at him
like that because I'm trying to show him my resolve! I won't stop until Nagumo's
admitted I'm stronger than him that's all!"
"Wait, you wanna be on top?"
"Ryutarou, now is not the time to be joking around. If you don't cut it out, I'm gonna
send you into next Tuesday."
It took some time to calm down Yue and Shea, who were glaring at Kouki like a pair of
yakuza debt collectors. Shizuku, who'd done most of the calming, slumped in her chair,
exhausted.
"Thank you so much, Shizuku," Kouki bowed his head and said. That was just how
scared he'd been of Yue and Shea.
"I'm not sure I want to know what comes next, but should we keep reading, guys?"
Hajime looked dubiously down at the magazine in his hands. Shizuku gave him a tired
nod.
"I don't really want to know either, but it's scarier not knowing what Mao wrote about
us."
"Y-You're right. I finally made friends with some of the beastmen children. I need to
know if there's something in there that'll make them hate me…."
And so, the party decided to keep going. They flipped back to the beginning and
started reading through more carefully.
—Special Feature! Princess Shea Of The Haulia Clan's Heart-Throbbing Romance!—
"Princess!? I'm a princess!?" Shea's bunny ears shot straight up. Hajime grinned
ruefully and spoke up.
"The article's not wrong, technically. The Haulia are an officially allied nation of
Verbergen and have the equivalent of a seat on the council. Plus, you guys are heroes.
And since you're the daughter of those heroes' chief, that basically makes you
something like a princess, right?"
"Mmm…. Lower your heads, commoners. You stand in the presence of the great Sheasama!"
"Please stop, Yue-san! You're going to embarrass me to death!" Shea definitely didn't
have the personality of a princess. Blushing, she hid her face in her hands and looked
away.
Hajime and the others snickered as they watched her reaction. Past that point, the
article continued with:
—Shea-sama is the daughter of the Haulia's chief, Cam Haulia. Despite her position,
she's lived a life of hardship and strife. She lost her mother at a young age and later
had to flee her home along with her clan in order to survive. But once they left the
forest, Shea-sama and her family were chased by the empire all the way to the Reisen
Gorge. After numerous scrapes with death, Shea-sama and her family returned to
Verbergen, only to be exiled!—
"And you're one of the elders who voted to exile us out of Verbergen…." Shea glared at
the magazine's pages. Her evil eye was almost as intense as Yue's. However, right now,
Mao was writing from the objective standpoint of Verbergen Monthly's editor.
—But though the odds were stacked against her, Shea-sama never gave up! After many
trials and tribulations, she finally met the love of her life, Nagumo!"
Shea stopped glaring and started blushing.
"I-It's kind of embarrassing when she puts it like that."
"Yeah, this kind of stuff really makes you blush."
Hajime and Shea discovered just how awkward it was to have their story written down
by someone else. Yue smiled at the flushed pair, while Kouki turned away awkwardly
and Ryutarou clicked his tongue in irritation.
—I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to interview Princess Shea directly.
Interviewer: When you met Mr. Nagumo for the first time, what was it like? Did you
know from the start he was the one for you?
Princess Shea: Actually, I knew he was my fated partner even before I met him! I wasn't
surprised to see him, since it was our destiny to meet. But the first time our eyes met,
I felt this huge shock, and then my head went blank, and it felt like I was flying!—
"….Were you referring to the time Hajime electrocuted you with Lightning Field,
elbowed you in the face, then threw you at the flock of wyverns?"
"Yue-san, I have to keep up appearances somehow."
Kouki turned to Hajime in disbelief. Hajime just looked away, pointedly ignoring
everyone.
—Interviewer: So does that mean you loved Mr. Nagumo from the moment you met
him?
Princess Shea: Nope, not one bit. My whole family was about to be executed, so I was
more worried about keeping them alive than what kind of person Hajime-san was.
How cruel fate can be! Right after escaping one crisis, Princess Shea ran headlong into
another! Truly the gods have it out for this girl!—
"The reason everyone was about to get executed was because you, Miss Reporter,
voted for it. It wasn't the gods who had it out for me, but you guys!"
"I can't tell if she's a dedicated author, or just impudent."
—Interviewer: In that case, when was it that you first noticed you loved him?
Princess Shea: I think it was when Hajime-san faced the council of elders and said,
"Shea's the love of my life! I won't forgive you if you try and take her away from me!"
Man, that sent shivers down my spine….—
"Hey! I never said anything like that!"
Everyone's gazes turned to Shea. Cold sweat ran down her forehead, and her bunny
ears waved back and forth.
"Sorry…. I got a little carried away."
Shea was still a girl, after all. She wanted to make the story of her first love sound
special. Everyone's expressions turned kind, and Yue followed up with, "He did say 'I
won't let you take these guys away from me,' though."
"I-I'm surprised you still remember that, Yue."
Yue remembered what he'd said back then almost word for word. This time,
everyone's gazes turned to Hajime.
"O-Oh god…. why didn't I pick a better way to phrase that?" Hajime muttered while
covering his reddening face.
—Well, you can see how they formed such a deep bond after that. And so, this is how
our Princess Shea splendidly defeated Yue and became Nagumo's sole girlfriend. It
appears Yue has given the couple her blessings as well. I admire her for admitting her
defeat in such a gentle manner. I suppose even she realized that there was no way she
could win against Princess Shea's charms. At any rate, my thanks to Princess Shea for
regaling us with such a moving tale.—
Yue's head swiveled toward Shea.
"Shea, what's the meaning of this?"
"I-I-I-I don't know! I never said anything like that!"
"….Okay. In that case, I'm going to go kill Mao real quick."
"Yue, calm down!"
Kaori grabbed Yue's arms and pinned them behind her back.
"I'll kill that bitch," Yue muttered while struggling to break free from Kaori's grip.
I guess she bent the truth a little to make the story more relatable for other beastmen….
Hajime thought absently to himself.
"Th-This Mao woman seems to have no regard for her life," said Tio. Everyone nodded
in agreement.
—Next, I asked princess Shea if she was worried about the other girls traveling with
Nagumo. She didn't seem to understand the intent behind my question, so I rephrased
it. I asked her what she thought of her fellow female companions. Recorded below is
her answer, word for word.—
"What!? Word for word!? She said she was going to edit out the embarrassing bits!"
Shea exclaimed.
The other girls' eyes glinted with a dangerous light, and they gazed at their magazines
with newfound intensity.
—I love all of them. I love them so much sometimes I think the reason I was born was
so that I could meet them.—
"Ugh," Shea groaned and flopped onto the table in front of her. Her face was beet-red,
and she was covering her bunny ears with both hands.
—Yue-san feels like my big sister. She's the one who taught me how to fight and was
my very first friend. I became who I am thanks to her. I won't forgive anyone who tries
to hurt her, even if that someone is Hajime-san.—
A faint blush spread across Yue's cheeks, and she looked warmly at Shea.
—As for Kaori-san…. Actually, when I first met her I thought she was really annoying!—
Kaori jumped up in shock at those words.
"Wait, Shea didn't like me!?" she yelled.
—I mean, she kept comparing herself to us all the time, and it was a real pain. She
should have just, you know, done things with more of a bang. Or like a whoosh.—
Kouki turned to Ryutarou and muttered,
"You know, Shea-san's thought processes are a lot like yours."
"Hey, Kouki, what the hell's that supposed to mean, huh?"
Eyes glued to the page, Kaori ignored both of them.
—But, well, Yue-san really likes her! She's always teasing Kaori-san every chance she
gets! She's like one of those older schoolkids who's always bullying someone younger
than her because she can't admit she likes her! Curse you, Kaori-san, stealing my Yuesan for yourself. You already have Shizuku-san, so go flirt with her Instead!—
Kaori glanced over at Yue. Yue turned up her nose and looked away, but Kaori could
tell that she was blushing. That caused Kaori to blush as well, and she looked down
awkwardly.
"Wait, am I being totally ignored here? Not that I mind, but…." Shizuku muttered to
herself.
This must be the loneliness Shea feels.
—Still, you know, she's probably the person I respect the most now.—
Everyone turned to Shea in surprise. She was still covering her ears and didn't react.
—When she'd died and been reduced to just a soul, the first thing she asked for was
the strength to keep fighting together with us. She even sacrificed her body to get
stronger. That was when I realized she'd actually been a really strong girl all along.
Unlike me, she'd been jealous of Yue-san, and unlike me, she'd always been worried
about how she was weaker than everyone. But she was able to overcome all of those
feelings and become the person she is today. I think she's definitely a way stronger
person than I am.—
Kaori's eyes went wide, and her hands started to tremble as she continued reading.
—So right now, I love her too. And she's someone I aspire to be like. I won't let anything
ever get Kaori-san down again. I'll protect her.—
Kaori hugged Shea tight. Shea looked up in surprise, but Kaori didn't let go.
"You know, this is starting to make me a little jealous."
"Mmm…. Same."
Yue nodded to Shizuku, and both girls shared a rueful smile.
"Oh, it seems Shea said something about me as well."
Tio flipped the page, excited.
—Tio-san? Oh, she's a huge pervert!—
"Why!? Why must you do this to me, Sheaaaaaaaaaaaa!? All I wished for was some
kind words!"
Even though you're a masochist? Everyone thought simultaneously as they glared at
Tio. Tio dropped to all fours and started banging her fist against the ground.
"Umm, Tio-san. There's more!"
"Truly? Is there hope for me yet?" Tio returned to her seat and picked up the magazine.
—Seriously, who awakens to their fetishes by having a giant stake driven through their
ass!? That's not normal!—
"I was a fool to hope! Shea hates me!" Tio once again fell to the ground and started
slamming her fist against it. Suzu, who'd taken a liking to Tio after the battle with the
cockroaches, consoled her until she was ready to read on.
—But well, I think Tio-san might be the one who understands us best. Whenever
something happens, she's there with the right advice to give. It's like she's always
watching over us.—
Tio made an odd noise, and her ears went red.
—She's actually a really nice person who's always doing her best to help us. And even
though she's a pervert, she's actually the most composed out of all of us. I think
Hajime-san knows that too, which is why he always relies on her when things start
looking bad.—
Eyes sparkling, Tio turned to Hajime.
"Don't stare at me at like that," he said, and awkwardly looked away.
—You always feel safe when she's by your side. Also, please keep this off the record,
but she reminds me a lot of my mom. So, well, I love her too. Ehehe. Oh, but my mom
wasn't a huge pervert like she is!—
If only she wasn't a pervert, Tio would be perfect. Disappointed, Yue gave her a scathing
glare.
"Seriously…. Give me back my respect and admiration."
"P-Please forgive me…." Tio covered her face and looked away. Not because she was
hurt by Yue's words, though. She was just embarrassed, and more than a little happy,
at how much Shea praised her.
—By the way, it's Hajime-san's fault that Tio-san became a pervert, so I'm expecting
him to take responsibility for that. If he ever throws Tio-san away because she's a
pervert, I'm going to send him flying with Drucken.—
Hajime groaned. He looked as though he'd just swallowed a bug.
"Master, you will take responsibility, will you not?" Grinning, Tio turned to him, as did
the rest of the party.
After a moment's hesitation, Hajime sighed in resignation and looked Tio in the eyes.
"At the very least, I'd never leave you because you're a pervert. And it's true that I rely
on you more than anyone. Ever since you joined the party I've felt a lot safer."
"O-Oh, I see. As long as you understand…." Tio looked down, struggling to process the
waterfall of emotions that had just crashed down on her. Her bashful expression
looked nothing like when Hajime was stepping on her, and for once she looked like the
peerless beauty she was.
Kouki and Ryutarou gulped, spellbound. Meanwhile, Suzu and Shizuku smiled proudly
at her.
Hajime awkwardly cleared his throat to lighten the mood.
"Ahem. Apparently, Shea said some stuff about Amanogawa and the others too. Let's
keep reading, guys."
"What? We're in here too?"
Kouki and Ryutarou back down at their magazines, interested to find out what Shea
thought of them.
—Huh? The hero? Hmm. I don't really know him that well. I haven't talked to him or
his friend that much. They're just not that interesting to me.—
"I figured as much," Kouki muttered, his eyes glazing over.
"I'm just 'the friend?' Shea-san, please don't tell me you don't remember my name?"
Ryutarou muttered, his eyes looking at nothing.
—As for Suzu-san…. Whenever she sees me and Yue-san, or Kaori-san and Shizukusan, she gets this sad look in her eyes.—
Suzu gasped, and Kaori and Shizuku shot her worried looks.
—I mean, I know why she gets that look. That's why I was happy when she asked
Hajime-san to take her with us again. Because it means she hasn't given up yet. She
still wants to keep on trying. I really like people like her.—
Suzu fidgeted bashfully, while Kouki and Ryutarou slumped onto the table. The
difference between Suzu's treatment and theirs had been the final blow.
"And Shizuku-san…. Well, it's just a matter of time for her!"
"What!? What's that supposed to mean!?" Shizuku shouted.
Meanwhile, Yue, Kaori, and Tio nodded in agreement.
"Seriously, what's that supposed to mean!?"
No one answered her.
—Shizuku-san looks like she always has it together, but honestly, I feel like she's a bit
of a handful. Even though it seems like she's always looking after Kaori-san, it's
actually Kaori-san who's looking after her. Whenever I see the two of them together, it
doesn't feel like Shizuku-san's babysitting her, but more like she's clinging to her.—
Shizuku looked up, stunned. Her gaze wandered about aimlessly as she tried to
process that.
"Well, everyone else already knew you're obsessed with Kaori, Yaegashi," Hajime
chuckled. Yue and the others nodded in agreement.
"Ehehe, Don't worry Shizuku-chan, I love you too," Kaori said with a smile. In response,
Shizuku wrapped her ponytail around her face, pulled her knees up, and buried it
between them. Is that the Yaegashi-style embarrassment guarding stance? Hajime
thought idly. Grinning, Suzu gleefully read the next passage aloud.
—How do I put this…. She's a really cute girl. If we're all carnivores, then I'd say
Shizuku's the only herbivore.—
Hajime and the others repeated the word "herbivore" to themselves, then nodded in
understanding, making Shizuku twitch from behind her ponytail. The party then
returned their attention to the magazine. It appeared the special feature on Shea was
almost over.
—And that wraps up Princess Shea's thoughts on her comrades. As expected of
Nagumo's one and only lover, she's both magnanimous and perceptive. Truly, she
stands a level above the other girls. I'm certain our beloved Princess Shea and
Nagumo's love will last forever.—
"She's really pushing Shea…."
"That won't save her from my wrath…."
"Yep, I think we need to have a little talk with Mao."
Reporter Mao's future was starting to look bleak.
—Before ending the interview, I asked Princess Shea one final question. "What is the
most important thing to you?"
Princess Shea:….The future. I think the most important thing to me is the future.
There's a valuable lesson that I, Shea Haulia the Diviner, learned, and it's something I
want to pass on to all of you. Prophecies aren't something that come true, they're
something you make come true. As long as you keep working toward the future you
desire, you'll be able to reach it one day. I guarantee it.
There you have it, folks. Princess Shea is the person she is today because she kept
working toward the wonderful future she envisioned for herself. As a reporter, I am
honored to have interviewed someone as great as Princess Shea. Thank you so much.
And that's all for the Princess Shea special feature.—
For a while, no one said anything. They all just looked kindly down at Shea.
"Ugh…. It's embarrassing how cool I tried to sound at the end there. I got way too into
that interview and got totally carried away."
Shea mentally berated herself for trying to act cool and give the readers life advice at
the end.
"Please say something, guys," Shea muttered, as the silence started to stretch.
However, Hajime and the others remained quiet, their gentle gazes feeling like
piercing glares to Shea.
"Grrr! It's not fair if I'm the only one who gets a public execution! Let's take a look at
your guys' interviews too! I bet they're just all as embarrassing as the Hero's!"
"That reminds me, this has been published all across the city, hasn't it? Hahaha, looks
like everyone in Verbergen thinks I'm gay. Hahaha…."
Kouki laughed mirthlessly, his spirit broken. Shea flipped through the magazine while
Ryutarou tried to smack his friend back to his senses.
—An Exciting Interview With Cam Haulia, Champion Of All Beastmen!
Cam: My name is Cambanties, dark hunter of the forbidden depths. And I have only
one thing to say. Our mighty Boss, Hajime Nagumo, the crimson sovereign of the white
night, divine destroyer of—
A single gunshot interrupted the group's reading. They all jumped and looked up at
Hajime.
"Don't move. Don't read another word. Move anything, especially your eyes, and I kill
you."
He sounded like a terrorist as he gathered everyone's magazines, ripped out the
offending pages, threw them onto the ground, and incinerated them in 3000-degree
flames.
"Now then, let's keep reading while I kill Cam. What's wrong, guys? Turn the page
while I go find Mao and kill her too."
It appeared Hajime had some embarrassing moments recorded in this magazine as
well. Sadly, he knew it was too late, and that his "legendary" feats and new nickname
had already spread throughout Verbergen. However, Hajime's public execution had
caused Shea collateral damage as well, and she flopped onto the table again. She likely
wouldn't rise again. Everyone aside from Shea silently turned the page and read.
—The Relationship Between The Chosen--
This article's headline was simple. "Chosen" was the term used by beastmen to refer
to people who'd conquered at least one labyrinth, meaning this article was likely about
the party as a whole. The fact that this wasn't a special feature showed the difference
in treatment Shea received compared to the rest of the party.
—We asked the Chosen, Nagumo, Yue, Kaori-sama, Tio, and Shizuku about their
relationship. It's clear from a glance that all of these girls have feelings for Nagumo.
But what are their thoughts regarding each other, their rivals?—
Unlike Shea, Hajime and the other girls didn't panic. They were confident that they'd
picked their words carefully enough during the interview to not embarrass
themselves. However, Kaori did exclaim "How come I'm the only one with a -sama after
my name!?" while Shizuku undid her ponytail and shouted, "Hey, doesn't that make it
sound like I'm in love with Nagumo-kun, too!?"
Kouki turned to her and spoke in a strained voice.
"They just lumped all the Chosen together. What're you getting so worked up over,
Shizuku?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Good point." Shizuku straightened her back while avoiding Kouki's
gaze. Kaori found her friend's reaction odd, but she swallowed her words and turned
back to the article.
—As we're running out of pages, I'll just summarize how the interviews with them
went.—
"What?" Yue and the other girls exclaimed.
—There's not enough space to go into detail about Yue's feelings for Princess Shea.
Needless to say, the two care very much for each other. In fact, during the interview,
Yue gushed for so long about Shea that I nearly threw up. I must confess, readers, I'm
a failure of a writer. I mentioned Yue in the article's headline, yet I'm not even
including her interview. I wish I could hang myself. Unfortunately, I'm a harpy, so it
wouldn't even hurt.—
It was hard to tell if Mao was actually regretting her actions or not.
—Moving on, Kaori-sama and Yue's relationship is quite an odd one. When I asked the
girls about each other, they gave me a neverending litany of insults. It made the
interview drag on longer than it needed to, honestly.—
Yue and Kaori glared at each other, their spirit stands fizzling into existence. Before
they could start fighting though, the next few sentences distracted them.
—Despite the harsh insults, both girls' faces lit up when they talked about each other.
It's obvious they don't dislike each other. This is just my impression as a reporter, but
I believe that Yue enjoys the time she spends with Kaori-sama, while Kaori-sama
treasures the relationship she has with Yue. At the very least, when she was talking
about Kaori-sama, Yue's expression had the same warmth as when she was talking
about Shea. Similarly, Kaori-sama's smile was as gentle as when she talked about
Shizuku. While their feelings toward each other may not be the same as their feelings
toward Shea or Shizuku, they are at least just as strong.—
"Don't misunderstand…. It's not like I like you or anything, Kaori."
"You're the one misunderstanding here, Yue. It's not like I like you or anything, either."
The two tsunderes were in perfect sync. Though they both harrumphed and turned
away from each other, their cheeks were red.
—Furthermore, I've heard quite a few stories about Kaori-sama from ardent believers
of Kaorism. According to one adherent, after watching Yue prank Kaori-sama, he
approached Kaori-sama and asked, "Should we sneak into her room at night and get
back at her for you?" Supposedly, Kaori-sama flew into a rage upon hearing that and
said, "Yue's one of my best friends! If you harm even a hair on her head, I'll disintegrate
the lot of you!"—
Kaori slumped onto the table.
"W-We're not really friends or anything. Just rivals," she muttered.
Yue glanced over at Kaori, her blush growing deeper.
—What was perhaps more surprising though, was when Yue told me that she holds a
great amount of respect for Tio, of all people.—
"F-For me?" Tio exclaimed, her eyes wide. It was especially surprising considering Yue
had just told off Tio minutes before. Panicking, Yue tried to explain herself, but before
she could Hajime read the next few lines aloud.
"When she was talking about Tio, Yue's expression appeared quite exasperated, but
this perceptive reporter spotted hints of respect and admiration as well. Moreover,
Yue's own words confirmed her feelings. Though I doubt she hadn't intended to let it
slip, near the end of our interview Yue muttered "The fact that she never changes is….
reassuring." Unbelievable as it may sound, Yue holds just as much respect for Tio as
Princess Shea.—
"D-Don't misunderstand. It's not like I respect you or anything, Tio."
"Fufu, is that so? I see…. So you do not respect me at all. But even if you do not, you
still find my presence reassuring. Fear not, I will always be by your side." Tio's tone
was teasing, but there was a hint of happiness in it as well. Fourth to fall, Yue also
slumped onto the table, together with Shea and Kaori.
"I don't see that side of you often, Yue," Hajime said as he grinned and turned the page.
—Shizuku's comments were far too serious and boring, so I've omitted them from the
article.—
"Sorry, I'm too serious and boring to be reported on."
Shizuku once again wrapped her ponytail around her face. It appeared this was a
touchy subject for her.
—Tio was, as everyone else describes her, a huge pervert, But also a reliable,
knowledgeable dragonman. Below is one of the exchanges that left the greatest
impression on me.
Tio: Hm? If I were to describe Yue and the others in a single word, what would it be?
Fufu, were you expecting a cliched response such as 'my rivals,' perhaps? My apologies
for disappointing you. If I were to pick a single word…. it would be miracles. Every one
of my comrades is a miracle. That we were all able to meet each other is a miracle as
well. We have a normal boy who crawled his way out of the abyss. A 300-year-old
vampire who escaped from an eternal seal. The only rabbitman in generations to be
born with mana. A strong-willed priest who made the body of an apostle her own.
Who could possibly have imagined such absurd people could exist? Surely not even
god predicted this. Everyone's existence, and our chance meetings, are all miracles.
Right now, my life is filled with miracles. And nothing could make me happier.—
Tio slumped onto the table.
"I certainly did say that. But in my defense, I let myself get carried away in the heat of
the moment," Tio croaked.
Even she was embarrassed at how those words sounded when read aloud by someone
else. With this, Yue, Shea, Kaori, and Tio were all slumped on the table, while Shizuku
was hiding behind her ponytail. The only party members still standing were Hajime,
Kouki, Ryutarou, and Suzu. And Kouki had been nearly destroyed by the article calling
him gay, so in reality, only three people had any HP left.
"What a terrifying magazine. It's managed to my kill off my entire party."
"It looks like…. there's not much to your section, just like with Shizushizu."
"But unlike Shizuku, Mao asked you some pretty interesting questions, didn't she,
Nagumo? And look, it's not like your questions got skipped over."
"Hey, Nagumo…. is it just me…. or are you used to giving interviews? These answers
all sound like a pro's."
"My mom's a really famous shoujo manga author, so she often gets called for
interviews and stuff. On top of that, she likes messing with people, so she always gives
crazy replies to all the questions. And I'm the one she always ropes into helping her
rehearse her answers."
You never know what kind of skills will come in handy.
Suzu turned to the last page of the Chosen article.
"Oh, it looks like she ended the article with Yue-san's interview."
Yue twitched. She desperately thought back to her interview, trying to remember if
she'd said anything embarrassing or not. She's really cute when she's like that, Hajime
thought as he read through the interview.
—Seeing as Princess Shea has officially become one of Nagumo's girlfriends, I asked
Yue what she thought about all the girls vying for his affection. Even I, a humble
reporter, could tell that her bond with Nagumo has grown since her last visit to
Verbergen. And as a fellow beastman, I wanted to make sure she won't be harassing
Princess Shea now that she has to share Nagumo's affection.—
"So she knew Yue hadn't backed off, but she wrote all that crap anyway. She really
doesn't value her life, huh?"
As Mao was treating Yue like she was the head wife in this article it was clear she had
a solid understanding of their relationship. The fact that she pushed Shea anyway for
the sake of encouraging fellow beastmen meant she valued her magazine more than
her life.
—As an apology to Yue, and as a nice way to round off this article, I have, in the end,
decided to include her interview as is.—
"Ah, she totally backpedaled on her earlier decision."
"I can see why. Yue-san's scary when she's mad."
Suzu and Ryutarou could practically hear "Sorry for saying all that stuff, please forgive
me," dripping from the words on the page. As most of the party had been downed,
Suzu decided to read aloud the words of Hajime's beloved Yue.
—Everything I hold dear was given to me by Hajime. If he hadn't freed me that day, I
would likely still be trapped in the dark depths of the abyss.—
Everyone listened silently, hanging on to Suzu's every word.
—He gave me a reason to live. Thanks to him, I met my best friend, a member of the
race I admire so much, and a friend I can be myself around. I'm sure that from here on
out, I'll keep receiving things from Hajime, which is why I want Hajime to find things
important to him as well. Whether they be people, objects, or something else entirely.
Once this journey is over, I want to see Hajime smiling in the sunlight, surrounded by
tons of people he treasures.—
It was for that reason that Yue had first accepted Shea. She wanted the boy she'd met
in the abyss to one day be able to smile in the light.
Absolute silence filled the clearing. Even the insects had stopped chirping. Finally, the
silence was broken by the sound of Hajime flopping onto the table. He was red to the
tips of his ears. Hearing the vampire princess' heartfelt confession had been too
embarrassing to bear. This was the first time anyone saw the monster of the abyss
trembling in embarrassment.
"In the end, looks like Nagumo's entire party got KO'd."
"God, that was so sweet it gave me diabetes. I need coffee or something to clear my
mouth out. Come on, Kouki, let's get outta here."
"O-Okay…. Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Oh, but let's go somewhere quiet,
Ryutarou. I don't want anyone in Verbergen to see me with another man."
"Ah, wait! I'll go with you guys! It's too awkward to stay here!"
Kouki, Ryutarou, and Suzu left the clearing in a hurry. Hajime and the others laid on
the table like that for a long time after they left. Hearing their comrades true feelings
had left everyone embarrassed beyond belief.
The sun's dappled rays warmed the group's backs as they laid there in a harmonious
circle.
The scene was both a miracle and a sign of a bright future to come.
The first issue of the revived Verbergen Monthly turned out to be such a huge hit that
Mao had to do multiple prints. Shea's story, in particular, was an inspiration to
beastmen everywhere and was eventually republished in Verbergen as a fairy tale.
Centuries later, Shea's cinderella-esque love story became a legend.