She won't let me see Dr. Vier. She won't let me go any further… As Neunsan said these to me, she wasn't in a battle stance, nor was she wearing
her helmet… She had her Japanese katana at her side, and placed three
fingers of both her hands on the ground.
[What are you…?]
[I'm begging you, Kaito-san. Please don't get involved in this matter
anymore.]
Bowing her head on a dogeza, Neun-san pleaded in a sad sounding
voice for me to stay out of it.
Of course, that wouldn't convince me to just say, "Okay, I see." but I
couldn't say a word in front of her pleading figure as she rubbed her
head on the ground.
[…Can I ask why?]
[…If you were to talk to Vier… She'd be deeply hurt.]
[…What do you mean?]
[You're the one who saved Kuromu-sama… For that, I am truly grateful.
But at that same time…"You're the one who has accomplished what Vier
couldn't".]
When I was told that, I couldn't think of any words to refute. It's not
that I was trying to save Kuro because I wanted to save her. Even so, in
the end, I was able to free her from the curse she had been for a long
time.
I think that what I did would be something splendid for people close to
Kuro but… I see, for Dr. Vier… My existence also shows her how
powerless she is…
[…Vier has always been suffering… for hundreds of years already. With
tears streaming down her face, she apologized to the now-deceased
victims and continued to push herself to atone for her actions.]
[......]
[Vier should have been forgiven by now. And yet, she still won't leave
the path of redemption. Vier won't ever forgive herself forever. She will
continue to suffer… So, please don't corner Vier any further. Please, just
leave her alone.]
[......]
"I walked away from the street where the church was located", not
knowing what to expect.
I can't stop thinking about the exchange I had with Neun-san earlier.
…Perhaps, I was naive in my outlook.
I thought that if I could successfully persuade Dr. Vier to see Kuro… that
would solve the problem.
However, that would certainly hurt Dr. Vier a lot. There's even a
possibility that she would fall into even deeper suffering than she is
now.
I want to solve this matter as amicably as possible. However, Neun-san
stood in front of me. If I tried to contact Dr. Vier, it would be inevitable
that I would clash with Dr. Vier… and there'd be no way that this could
be solved peacefully.
Isn't this enough already? I'm just an outsider anyway, and wanting Dr.
Vier and Kuro to meet just because of my selfishness and for my own
self-satisfaction, wasn't it?
Whether it's Kuro or Dr. Vier… Both of them said that they can't meet
each other, so there's no need to stick my head in it.
I know I should just give up… and yet. D*mn it… Why is it that I am still
feeling so bothered?
I really don't know what to do anymore…
[Yes! Here's your "Hyperspice Cookies", Thank you for your
patronage~~]
[…Hmm.]
As I was trudging with my head down, I heard such a voice and
reflexively looked up.
Thereupon, I made eye contact with someone I recognized… and the
other person's face twisted in utter displeasure.
She's my acquaintance, and yet, she's reacting to my presence so
harshly… She's definitely the God of Disasters that I knew from my
previous visit to the Hydra Kingdom… It was Shea-san.
[…Shea-san.]
[…Tsk.]
She just relentlessly clicked her tongue in front of me.
Shea-san then glared at me and with an irritated tone, she spoke.
[…What's with that hopeless look on your face… It's irritating to look at.
If you have a reason for that, say it… It'll probably be just something
stupid, but I'll listen.]
[...…]
Her voice sounded angry but… arehh? The words she just said, couldn't
it be interpreted as her saying "You don't look so good, is something the
matter? You can consult me about it, you know?", or something like
that?
H- Her kindness is still as incomprehensible as usual…
[E- Errr… Well then, would it be alright to consult you about
something?]
[…Tsk.]
[…Eh? Ah, no, I didn't mean to impose on you…]
[What are you saying, just get your ass moving. There's a bench in the
plaza over there… I don't have much time. Make it quick.]
U- Unnn. Even though she complains about all sorts of things, it seems
like she would still listen to me.
Shea-san brought me to a bench in a nearby plaza, and I sat down side
by side with her… And then, I started talking about the situation.
I wasn't sure how much Shea-san knew, so I started off by telling her
something about "a doctor named Dr. Vier" to make it sound
ambiguous. Upon hearing this, she replied "Ahh, you're talking about
the former Demon Lord huh.", so I assumed that Shea-san knew about
what was going on and decided to tell her everything.
I told Shea-san about Dr. Vier, Kuro, Neun-san… and about how I don't
know what to do.
After I finished telling her everything… Shea-san looked extremely
bored.
[…Are you an idiot? The First Hero is an extremely large idiot already,
but you're even worse than her.]
[Ugghhh… N- No, it's not that I was thinking of stupid things…]
[That's not it. What I'm saying is that, what kind of hubris are you
saying now? Even though you're just a mere human.]
[Wha!?]
Shea-san's cold eyes glare at me and she gives me a stern warning.
[You're the one who's thinking of saving this person… Do you think
you're someone who can save everyone? Don't be conceited. You're just
a small being. You can't do a d*mn thing on your own.]
[…But that's… I'm also trying to…]
[If you think you know what you're doing, then why are you here "all
alone"?]
[Eh?]
[…You're a very small being. However, you have the power to change
the very foundation of this world if you want to. Why don't you use that
power?]
[…T- That is…]
In other words, what Shea-san is trying to ask is "Why am I not using
the power of the Six Kings or the Supreme Gods that I'm close
to?"…"Why am I not asking for help from people around me?"…
To be honest, for this matter… The Six Kings are all parties that are
involved, they are all Dr. Vier's family… That's why I don't want them to
get involved in this.
I wonder why? Ahh, that's right… I knew that no matter what I did, I
would end up hurting Dr. Vier, and I didn't need Neun-san to tell me
that, because I already understood that myself.
As I was thinking about this… My collar was suddenly grabbed by Sheasan and she glared at me.
[…Don't act spoiled. You've been an outsider from the start, and on top
of that, this issue you've intruded on is quite sensitive… There's no such
thing as an amicable solution for this.]
[ ! ? ]
[Then, what should you do? What, do you want to stay all neat and tidy,
and solve everything peacefully? Stop being a hypocrite! Or perhaps,
even if you're smeared in mud… Will you bare your own fangs just to
persist like that? Go think for yourself!]
[…Shea-san.]
[Are you a pure and peaceful saint? Or perhaps, a selfish, unsightly
beast?]
Saying that, Shea-san removes her hand from my collars and stands up
from the bench.
As I blankly gazed at the scene… Strangely enough, I felt like the
fuzziness in my mind cleared up.
That's right. It is as Shea-san said… I've been an outsider right from the
start, and all of this started because of my own selfishness… I want
Kuro and Dr. Vier to make up, because I don't want to see Kuro looking
sad. This situation is just because of my selfish desire.
Then, what should I do? This is something I selfishly wanted, and there
are obstacles in the way of achieving my selfishness… Then, the answer
is obvious.
[…We've talked for long enough. The rest is your business.]
[Shea-san!]
[Unnn? Is there anything more?]
Shea-san was about to leave, but I loudly called out to her.
When she turned around, I immediately stood up and bowed my head.
[Thank you very much!]
[…Fumu, that should mean that you've made up your mind huh?]
[…Yes. It seems like I'm a selfish, unsightly beast. I want to reunite Dr.
Vier and Kuro… No, "I'll forcibly make them reunite"!]
[Then, will you ask the help of the Six Kings?]
[…No, I decided right from the start that I won't be borrowing the
power of the Six Kings. As for the Supreme Gods, I don't know to what
extent they are related to Dr. Vier, so I won't ask for their help.]
[That's, well, quite selfish of you… Then, how are you going to break
through the First Hero?]
Her tone sounds like she was testing me, but I could feel gentleness
within those words.
It's as if she already knows what I'm about to say…
[I can't get past Neun-san and get to Dr. Vier all by myself… That's why,
I'm begging you! Please lend me your strength!]
I looked up once and then bowed deeply once again, before telling
Shea-san that I needed her help.
I've just heard that Shea-san has no direct connection with Dr. Vier and
she only knows things about her, so she perfectly fits the type of person
I can rely on.
When Shea-san heard my request, she was silent for a while… She then
said, sounding somewhat happy.
[…Hmph, you've become a better you than you were just a few while
ago.]
[…Then…]
When I heard Shea-san's voice, I looked up. She had a slight smile on
her lips as she held her hand out to me.
[Fine then, "Kaito". I am a benevolent Goddess… If you bow to me,
asking me to lend you my power, I will respond to your wish!]
And so, calling me by my name for the first time, she agreed to help me.
Dear Mom, Dad—— It seems like I'm not a pure and righteous saint,
nor a worldly person who knows when to give up. I'm going to be
selfish and drag Dr. Vier out in front of Kuro… Yes, the situation here is
simple. If Neun-san stands in my way———– I'll just push my way
through.