A+A-Chapter 9
EPISODE 9『FAILURE』Translator: Norva
Editor: Norva
Amatsu and Mich.e.l.le go out from the bas.e.m.e.nt after cutting off the sealed door.
The scene of a familiar orphanage spreads to Mich.e.l.le’s view.
It felt like a different world now.
On the upper floor, the children are still sleeping without knowing anything.
「…………」
「Right now we gonna escape just ourself」(Amatsu )
「……Un」(Mich.e.l.le )
Even for Amatsu, he cannot fight well when he needs to watch for someone.
Now they need swiftly run away from the orphanage and go to the city to call for help.
Mich.e.l.le convinced and resolve herself to go ahead.
Leaving the orphanage, the two stepped into the surrounding forest.
The moonlight that shines through the gaps of the trees is shining thinly in the forest which covered with the darkness of night.
Mich.e.l.le’s physical strength has already reached its limits, and the two have decided to catch their breath in the forest.
She leans against a tree while suppressing rough breathing and heartthrob.
「……It’s strange」(Amatsu)
Amatsu who was not leaning on the tree was wary of the surroundings has muttered that single word. The expression of Amatsu illuminated by the pale moonlight is somewhat grim.
「……What’s wrong?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「From the middle of the bas.e.m.e.nt, the pursuit has become strangely loose. There is still no sign of anything from the surroundings」(Amatsu)
Mich.e.l.le wondered if it was a good thing.
Perhaps Lilly’s gave up to Amatsu’s strength.
Is what she told Amatsu.
「I do not think so」(Amatsu)
Amatsu answered with a grim look.
「Because they’re not the kind of people who would give up that easily」(Amatsu)
「……then why are not they attacking?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「I not quite sure but……they probably up to something」(Amatsu)
Amatsu told that they would absolutely escape from the forest.
After arranging their breathing and recovering physical strength, they begin to get away from the forest with all they got.
Mich.e.l.le is going to rush into the neighbouring town as it was and called for help while Amatsu returned to the orphanage to help Sheena.
Such plan was suggested.
「……If I can get out of here, what will become of me?」(Mich.e.l.le)
Without a place to live and knowing the whereabouts of her family.
Even if they were able to save Sheena, is there any place would receive them.
Her body trembles with horror as she thinks about her future.
「Keep on living, I wonder if I could……」(Mich.e.l.le)
「……don’t worry」(Amatsu)
A warm hand of Amatsu was placed on the head of Mich.e.l.le.
Timidly, Amatsu comes caressing her head with a little hesitation.
Though it quite awkward, the gentleness could be felt from it.
「 The world outside is wide, I’m sure there’s a place where you can live」(Amatsu)
「……I wonder if it true」(Mich.e.l.le)
「Yes it is. If it the reliable Mich.e.l.le, I’m sure that you will able to live outside, too」(Amatsu)
With a gentle tone, Amatsu told her.
「And there are plenty of other orphanages than here, too」(Amatsu)
「…………?」(Mich.e.l.le)
The tone of the Amatsu suddenly changed. As if, it was such a tone like he has seen it with his own eyes.
「Did Onii-chan has ever seen the world outside?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「――Eh?」(Amatsu)
It was the dumbfounded expression that seemed to be taken by surprise.
「Well……huh? that’s pre……tty weird」(Amatsu)
In a con
fused state, Amatsu put his hand on his face to trace his memory. Soon, he raised his face while say「No」denying it.
「……Actually, I have never been outside. Because inside that bas.e.m.e.nt incubator was all for me」(Amatsu)
「Then……is this your first time out?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「Well, I think so. I was not aware of this, but……
this is the first time I saw the moonlight, the wind, the swaying leaves, and everything else」(Amatsu)
It was the first experience for Amatsu and delightfully smiles bloom from his face. At the same time, Mich.e.l.le could see a slight sorrow at those face.
「This is entirely was my first time and I don’t know anything else. But, there is one thing I strongly think about」(Amatsu)
「……What is it?」(Mich.e.l.le)
With the kind of expression which remembers the thing of the distant day, Amatsu told her.
「There are lots of happiness in this world……I seemed to be born for sake of protecting it」(Mich.e.l.le)
「Onii-san……you really looks like a fairy tale hero」(Mich.e.l.le)
In a casual phrase of Mich.e.l.le, Amatsu frown as he bears the pain.
「I’m not……like that at all. I’m not a hero」(Amatsu)
Amatsu remembers a voice of somebody. The words that he has been listening to since he was born.
――It looks like a failed product again.
Just a mere failure which is far from being a hero.
――It makes us waste the material……its a trash, don’t you think?
What a shame.
――Yeahー, This fellow is a failure, ain’t he? The good for nothing imitation and the purpose was he born for.
And he continued being told so.
Amatsu/Homunculus is not a hero.
A fake, good for nothing, a worthless product of failure.
「……I can’t be the real hero Amatsu because I’m just a fake and worthless product of failure」(Amatsu)
Fake.
A failure.
Mich.e.l.le tilted her head to the words that spill over from the mouth of Amatsu.
「Onii-san is a fake?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「……Yes, it is」(Amatsu)
Amatsu affirmed it. In response, Mich.e.l.le asked.
「――Is that a bad thing?」(Mich.e.l.le)
As Amatsu solidifies while answering with, “yes”.
Mich.e.l.le kept on speaking to him who could not speak.
「But Onii-san helped me, I think that fake do not matter」(Mich.e.l.le)
「……but, I am」(Amatsu)
「Is the heart that trying to help me is a fake, too?」(Mich.e.l.le)
「That is……」(Amatsu)
That is different――
It should be different.
Contrary to a vague conviction, Amatsu heart was screaming differently.
「If so, I think that’s fine」(Mich.e.l.le)
「――――」(Amatsu)
Amatsu was at a loss for words at the words of Mich.e.l.le that accompanied by a faint smile.
Then,
「……Thank you, Mich.e.l.le」(Amatsu)
He thanked her.
「That’s weird, it is strange for Onii-san to be the one who said the thanks」(Mich.e.l.le)
「No, it’s not strange」(Amatsu)
「No, it’s weird. It is strange. Plus your appearance is strange, too. You’re barely naked」(Mich.e.l.le)
「Well, it can not be helped. When I ran away, I tear the curtains and made it as a clothes……」(Amatsu)
「There is too much exposure, Onii-chan is a pervert」(Mich.e.l.le)
「……How could you said that?」(Amatsu)
It was certainly a conversation that was exchanged in such h.e.l.lish place.
The two who had caught their breath began to move.
Amatsu goes ahead through the dark road at night without a hesitation.
The place with the exposed tree root and bad footing, however, they keep running through it without any problem.
Mich.e.l.le can keep up because of Amatsu was running slowly to matching her pace.
When Mich.e.l.le asks why he able to advance through the dark night road, he answers it with「I’m born with it」
Amatsu seems to be a homunculus which was produced to reproduce the “hero Amatsu”.
For this reason, the physical feature is high from the beginning and his eye is also effective at night.
「……But I can only use a bit of magic, though」(Amatsu)
“Hero Amatsu” is said to be able to use a number of mighty magic, but Amatsu can only use two magic.
“Transformation” and “hardening”.
It seems to be magic which transforms body and magic to make it hard.
It is the magic that can be acquired because a homunculus has a different structure from humans. Amatsu told her as he was sneering at himself that far from being a hero, he seems was more like a Mazoku or the demonic being itself.
「Still, your Onii-chan is already, enough」(Mich.e.l.le)
「……do you think so?」(Amatsu)
「Yes, with that magic, you can become an
adventurer or a knight templar」(Mich.e.l.le)
「Adventurer……… or a knight templar」(Amatsu)
While running, Amatsu considers Mich.e.l.le’s words.
「……Perhaps, it is good trying becoming one after I has help all those kids」(Amatsu)
Mich.e.l.le was nodded as to confirm it.
If it Amatsu, I’m sure that he can become famous no matter what.
He can save lots of people.
If he becomes an adventurer, he may climb to A rank.
「……I’d like to help a lot of people when I get out」(Amatsu)
Amatsu was muttering it as if he clenched his teeth.
「……! Mich.e.l.le, here it comes!」(Amatsu)
Immediately after that, there’s a tremendous human figure appeared from the shadow of the tree. It’s a patrol-type golem, unlike what they saw in the bas.e.m.e.nt.
Completely surround the two of them, the earth golem comes rushing while shaking the ground.
「……This is bad. Mich.e.l.le, come over here」(Amatsu)
Looking at that number, Amatsu decided that he was at disadvantage and immediately started the withdrawal.
They move forward through the gap of the earth golem encirclement while leading Michel by the hand.
From the back, he could hear the sound of a large amount of earth golem chasing them.
Amatsu arms were transformed and he slashed down the trees behind him and the falling trees collide and slowed down the earth golem.
「……Yeah, we almost there」(Amatsu)
Amatsu never goes out.
Still, the structure around this orphanage is being taught by Lily.
Amatsu advance through the forest by his collation of memory and its topography.
The encounter with earth golem was also within the a.s.sumption and the route that they use to escape was the one closest to the exit.
「Haa……Haa……」(Mich.e.l.le)
The face of Mich.e.l.le who it is led by the hand is bright red and heavily sweating. Just from the rough breathing, it easy to know that she almost reach her limit.
「Mich.e.l.le, we’re almost there. Don’t give up……!」(Amatsu)
「U-un……」(Mich.e.l.le)
In response to such words, Mich.e.l.le puts a force on her legs that seem to loosen up. They ran through the muddy ground and jump over the exposed tree root as those two go through the forest.
「Okay, little more――――」(Amatsu)
Abruptly, the nearby tree was exploded before he could finish his word.
Immediately afterwards, Amatsu right arm is dancing in the air after being severed from his shoulder.
「Ugh……」(Amatsu)
「Onii-san!?」(Mich.e.l.le)
While bearing the pain and searching of the surroundings, Amatsu understood it. The tree which had been shattered to pieces did not explode.
「OiOiOiOi, what’s up with that slow reaction!」
The voice of a young man which come from overhead.
To Mich.e.l.le, the voice sounds familiar.
Because of it’s――――
Someone comes down from the tree and the ground shattered as he comes down.
Grey hair shining in the moonlight.
With slender and tall body with a pair of fierce distorted black eyes.
「You are……」(Amatsu)
「……There’s another Onii-san!?」(Mich.e.l.le)
It was a young man who looked like Amatsu with a close-up view.
「――Yo, failure」
However, the expression has no resemblance with Amatsu at all.
His eyes were filled with malice and hostility were like a beast itself.
The young man said while having his cuspid exposed.
「The hero has arrive?」