After I finished talking with the three Supreme Gods, the next step was
finally to talk to Shiro-san… And since the next one is the unpredictable
Shiro-san, I began bracing myself for her to do something outrageous
again.
However, when she moved to stand next to me, she remained silent as
she poured alcohol into my cup, before staring at the scenery swaying
in the wind.
[…Shiro-san?]
Feeling that she's acting somewhat out of the ordinary, I tilted my head
and called Shiro-san's name, to which Shiro-san slowly turned her head
in my direction.
Her beautiful golden eyes quietly gazed at me, and her silver-white hair,
shimmering in the onsen water, accentuates her divinity.
[This is a good opportunity. I said before that I wouldn't talk about it
until the time was right, but I think we should talk a bit.]
[…About what?]
[About that "wish" you told me back then.]
Shiro-san's words that she said without any inflection… told me about
something I asked her to do before.
It's about what I'm going to do after the year I've spent in this world…
after the Festival of Heroes ends…
I had already decided what I want to do myself, but it wasn't something
I could accomplish on my own. That's why I asked Shiro-san that wish.
At that time, I remembered Shiro-san said that "she promises to help
me", and that "we would talk about the details later". In other words,
what we're going to talk about now will be about that.
[I don't mind fulilling your wish. However, it takes lots of effort to fulill
your wish… Do you understand that?]
[…Yes.]
It's true that what I asked Shiro-san to do was, in a way, unreasonable
and selish.
That's why I was prepared… that there would be some kind of
conditions to fulill it.
Quietly nodding, I waited for Shiro-san's next words.
[Therefore, I will give you one condition in fulilling your wish.]
[Yes.]
These conditions… that Shiro-san presented, I wonder what they are?
At least, I can tell from the atmosphere that it's not just something like a
date.
That's why I felt some anxiety sprout within my mind but… Shiro-san
lightly moved her hand there.
Understanding that she was encouraging me to drink my alcohol, I
gulped down the sake in my cup, and as Shiro-san poured me more, she
spoke.
[…In Kaito-san's world, there's something called an RPG, right?]
[Eh? RPG? Are you talking about the game?]
[Yes.]
Why did she suddenly mention that? Unnn. I've liked games before, and
I certainly have done a whole lot of RPGs, but why mention that in this
situation?
When I ask her back while tilting my head, without any change in her
expression, Shiro-san continues.
[In these RPGs, there's a being called Last Boss, acting as the inal
ordeal you need to overcome, right?]
[Y- Yeah… That's generally what they are…]
[Well then, I'll let you know about this now.]
After announcing that much, Shiro-san, looking at me with eyes that I
couldn't read any emotion at all, told me the shocking words.
[From your arrival to this world, until the Festival of Heroes ends… If
you take that as one story, then, "I am the Last Boss" for you.]
[…Eh?]
What is she talking about? Shiro-san is the Last Boss for me? Why?
[You've met so many people, formed so many bonds. But it's not
enough.]
[…Not enough?]
[Yes, at least, it still isn't now… Let's go back to the condition.]
[ ! ? ]
The moment Shiro-san told me this, a feeling of intimidation weighs
down on me, so heavy that I can't ind the words to express it.
It was dificult to even breathe, and while releasing a pressure that
seemed to crush every single cell in my body, the Absolute God quietly
announced.
[From now until the Festival of Heroes ends, gain more experience.
Weave as many bonds as you can. Turn those bonds into your own
wings, not for the sake of anyone else, but for your own sake instead,
and then… Stand before me. At that time, "Show that you can triumph
over me".]
[Wha!?]
[…This is the condition I offer to you.]
Win against Shiro-san? Me? Against an authentic God who is said to be
the most powerful in this world and holds nearly omnipotent abilities?
No matter how I think about it, that's impossible… Does that mean my
wish won't come true?
As I'm thinking like that, Shiro-san reads my thoughts and quietly
speaks.
[Don't worry. I'm not going to offer you a condition that you can't
achieve. I'm not asking you to ight me.]
[…T- Then, what in the world are you…]
[After the Festival of Heroes ends, I will put you through an ordeal. You
must overcome it.]
[…What if I can't overcome it?]
An ordeal that Shiro-san, the God of Creation, would impose on me…
Honestly, I can't even imagine what it's like.
So, those words relexively slipped out of my mouth.
[In that case, the choices you will have in front of you are the same as
the rest of the otherworlders.]
[...…]
[However, if you have survived my ordeal… Even if it means "crossing
blades with the God of your world"…I will grant you your wish.]
I don't know why Shiro-san gave me such a condition.
However, I think this is something important for Shiro-san… That's
probably why the atmosphere around us sounds solemn and serious.
[If you wish for more than that, you need to prepare for that… Show me
your true worth.]
[…Yes.]
[If you show me your true worth… I will "ask you to marry me".]
[…Yes?]
Arehh? That's weird… Was the atmosphere so tense earlier that it made
my ears go crazy? I thought I just heard a word that was completely out
of place there.
[…Ummm, Shiro-san? What did you just say?]
[If you overcome my ordeal, I will ask you to marry me.]
[…Hmmm?]
It really is strange… I kinda feel like I heard something that sounded
like she was going to ask me for marriage.
Eh? Was I just confessed to? Eh? Why?
[I have feelings for you.]
[Hwehh!? Ah, errr, yes… Eh?]
[However, all these things are new to me, so I don't know what to do
next.]
[H- Huhh…]
Shiro-san has feelings for me? I can feel from the atmosphere that she
isn't joking… but with her face still expressionless, I don't feel that it's
real, or rather, how should I say this…
[So, I want to see a deinite proof that you're someone dificult to
acquire and a being that is unlike others. Show me your true worth, and
give me a reason to believe you're worthy.]
[…Can I ask one thing?]
[Yes?]
[…I'm sorry if I'm just misunderstanding it. However, could it be… that
those stuff about condition is just something to break the ice…]
[It's just an excuse.]
She just easily declared it!? Without any hesitation, she just said that
the condition was just an excuse!?
[And with that, I'm looking forward to being with you.]
[Eh? Ah, yes, please wait a moment there!? Errr, ummm, that means,
errr… S- S- S- Shiro-san, ummm, likes me?]
[Yes. I have feelings for you.]
[I- Is that so… Thank you very much.]
Shiro-san told me so matter-of-factly that for some reason, I'm the one
getting more embarrassed here.
However, the fact that Shiro-san likes me… To be honest, I've never even
thought about that.
How should I say this… I really feel like Shiro-san is someone above the
clouds, someone unreachable by my human hands… So, I've never been
aware of such things before… No, it might be wrong of me to say that
"I've never been".
H- However, what do I think about Shiro-san? Honestly, I'm even more
caught off guard that when Sieg-san confessed to me, I honestly have no
idea.
[Your reply isn't required for no.]
[…Eh?]
[I still don't know if my feelings for you are strong enough for me to
take priority over everything else. So, I will ask you after you inished
the ordeal.]
[…I- I understand.]
I have plenty of time to think about it huh… However, that makes me
more and more curious about what the ordeal is.
In a way, that's an act of trying to get the hand of the Absolute God,
Shiro-san… I guess it would be something really outrageous.
[So, since the Festival of Heroes is still occurring, just like before, let's
deepen our friendship.]
[Ah, yes.]
[Well then, let's get on with it.]
[Wait a moment, Shiro-san… Why are you holding my hand!?]
[Just like what you did with the God of Life, we will be deepening our
friendship.]
[No, no!? That was the wrong way of deepening friendship… Hey, don't
bring my hand to your breasts!? Wait!?]
Dear Mom, Dad——– The words that Shiro-san told me were a shock to
me. In particular, I was really surprised to hear Shiro-san declare that
she has feelings for me. However, the other is still the same Shiro-san…
It was completely unexpected for me, but it really seems that, for me
——– It seems like the Last Boss would be Shiro-san.