Chapter 302: Interlude – Chaotic Lorel
‘My head hurts’.
This is simply a metaphor, it is not like she actually had a headache. She simply had those words surface in her mind after the report.
She couldn’t help but feel as if her head was throbbing.
She even felt as if she had a fever.
“I will prepare the elites to perfom the a.s.sa.s.sination at once. Of course, I will also—”
“Don’t.”
“! I will definitely make it succe—”
“DON’T!!”
The rejection was thrown with a strong tone.
Her, Kahara Sairitz, raising her voice to such an extent was an incredibly rare occurrence even for the man that had his head lowered and knees bent and had given the report.
“?!”
“I have no intention of having you kill your own child. Why did you try to put your hands on Izumo, Marito?” (Sairitz)
“…As I have reported, Izumo betrayed us.” (Marito)
The man, Marito Ikusabe, father of Izumo speaks out his reason bluntly.
“Didn’t I order you not to do anything to him no matter what happened?” (Sairitz)
“I took it as the people of the Kuzunoha Company and those involved in it.” (Marito)
That’s a lie.
Marito had completely understood the point of caution Sairitz had ordered to him in his mission.
That this also referred to his own son, Izumo.
But the moment Izumo told his friends that he would be leaving his family, witnessing the feat that he pulled off at that instant in the execution, and to finish it off, secretly calling him to tell him upfront about his intention of leaving the family and showing his desire to be independent…
It turned into a situation where father and son clashed blades.
The result was as Sairitz technically pointed out. Izumo pushed back Marito.
Thin, sharp, silent, and secretly.
The clearness of that technique he showed in the execution wasn’t a special case or a coincidence.
The fight reached a conclusion with a clear winner, and Marito basically ran back to his master in Naoi.
“What a bad lie. Anger, and…envy?” (Sairitz)
“!”
“Your honesty in reporting even the part that was close to a defeat is something worth of praise, but…it is about your family, moreover, with envy in the equation…this is complicated.” (Sairitz)
The man in front of Sairitz is incredibly competent, and a man that possesses a rare sense of duty and honor.
He reigns in stealth and information gathering. There are times when he has to dirty his hands in truly inhuman acts, and yet, he doesn’t rot or crumble.
It is because he holds definite pride in serving their liege family and the country.
And yet, his own son didn’t follow the policy of the country, and the fact that someone showing their back to their employer’s house has appeared must have been a clear disgrace to him. Sairitz understands that anger of his.
More so, Marito has never been bested by a warrior or mage of the same attributes.
He who is said to be a genius in stealth had his own pride.
He has of course never lost and be let off.
Marito might not have noticed, his eyes, that are in a sense specialized in looking at people, had clear jealousy towards Izumo.
This is already a matter that cannot be ignored.
The root must be pulled before unsavory eyes bloom.
Sairitz didn’t want to witness the loss of a long time friend and subordinate that has pa.s.sed happy and painful times together with her.
“I understand the scolding in regards to my family’s blunder, but me envying him? I was surprised by his unexpected growth, and ended up having a hard fight. But with preparation, there should be no problem.” (Marito)
The objection of Marito served to prove the thought of Sairitz.
She let out a short sigh.
Sairitz begins to treat his wounds with a loose tone, showing mostly the face of a friend.
“This is a heavy wound. Marito, your vision has narrowed quite a lot. This is dangerous.” (Sairitz)
“?”
“In the first place, why is it that you fought Izumo, lost, and yet managed to return?” (Sairitz)
“…!”
“Why is it that in your thought process, the name of the Kuzunoha Company didn’t come out.” (Sairitz)
“Could it be…” (Marito)
“There’s no way they would just watch. You, who has seen a part of their fight, must understand that, right?” (Sairitz)
“…Yes.” (Marito)
Marito understands this clearly too.
The fact that the people employed in the organization called the Kuzunoha Company are all -at the very least- stronger than him.
If it is the higher ups, their power could even tip the scales of a war, and their representative Raidou is already…
‘Hm?’
Pushing his thoughts to that point, Marito tilts his head.
Then, why is it that he was able to put a hand on someone related to their company, even if that person is his son.
“You were allowed to watch them as a person affiliated to me.” (Sairitz)
“Yes.” (Marito)
“You know that in the past, a Wise-sama once said that: ‘If thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee’, right?” (Sairitz)
In the world of politics, magic, and stealth of Lorel, that is one of the sayings that are pa.s.sed down like a golden commandment.
There’s many meanings taken from it, but if Makoto were to hear it, he would go ‘is this a SAN value measurement?’ and writhe.
“Are you saying my movements were completely on the know?” (Marito)
“Obviously. Raidou-sama is the type of person that can have a grasp of the many plans set in the whole city, and crush them all with brute strength. With that in consideration, you were able to call Izumo and fight him.” (Sairitz)
“They knew that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to kill Izumo…?” (Marito)
Meaning that the feelings between father and child were taken into consideration?
‘In that case, the man called Raidou has a soft side to him’, is what Marito thought.
But well, if he were asked if he could do anything with that information, there would be the need to put way too many things on the scale before that, and he couldn’t think that it would be worth it.
“Yeah, and…this is just my guess, but Raidou-sama didn’t do anything, not because you wouldn’t be able to bring yourself to kill that boy, but because you wouldn’t be able to kill him in terms of ability.” (Sairitz)
“?!”
“That person is not the type to put emotions in these kinds of situations. Anyways, Marito, good work on your mission in Kannaoi.” (Sairitz)
“Huh?” (Marito)
It was such abrupt grat.i.tude that Marito ended up accidentally letting out a dumbfounded voice.
Sairitz didn’t really find fault in this and had a smile on her face.
“I will give you a break of a few days, no, 7 days. After that, I order you to investigate the movements of the demi-humans in the northern forest, hills, and mountain range. Regarding the personnel, you can freely use the people in the division. I have also ordered the dragon knight division in the national border defense front to cooperate as well, so keep in mind to have a favorable cooperative relationship as you face this mission.” (Sairitz)
“…Yes! Sairitz-sama, thank you very much.” (Marito)
Marito understood the intention of Sairitz.
Investigate the north; in other words, polish your ability.
‘I will give you a break for a while, so no matter what you do from now on, go get more power’.
“Well, you are right about that, but it is also true that I am bothered by the movements of the demi-humans a little bit, okay? Don’t slack on that. It goes without saying but, fighting them is strictly prohibited.” (Sairitz)
“I have certainly heard it loud and clear. I will be taking my leave!” (Marito)
The presence of Marito disappears.
Just in case, she uses a magic tool to check the presences in the surroundings, and after checking that there is no one, not only the inside of the room, but also around the area that she is alone, Sairitz lets out a big sigh.
The contents of the report doc.u.ments were unbelievable.
The rise of Princess Iroha wouldn’t prove any trouble if it were that alone, and it would simply be a matter of what the name for the next decoration for the top of Kannaoi will be.
But her traits as a governor she has seen recently, coupled with the doc.u.ments that show in detail the people of talent in the surroundings, and the special discord between Naoi and Kannaoi, she will become a dicey problematic existence.
Sum that to her favorable relationship with the Kuzunoha Company, and Princess Iroha’s existence becomes the number one bomb in Kannaoi.
Even so, thanks to the G.o.dsend fact that Izumo is her fiance, she was still able to see the information in a positive light, but…Izumo Ikusabe withdrew from the Ikusabe household.
Their chess piece has turned sides, and on top of that, has grown into a powerful combatant.
It would be impossible in shogi, but this is reality.
There’s the need to keep in mind that your own pieces can turn to the enemy side on their own.
If she were the one doing it, it would have felt good.
“But there’s no a.s.surance that what Izumo is thinking is to integrate or absorb the Ikusabe into the Osakabe. Also, I don’t think Princess Iroha and him will have the thought of kicking down Naoi and having Kannaoi become the capital of Lorel.” (Sairitz)
In the first place, why did Izumo betray them?
It is also a mystery why he was in Kannaoi that night, but that’s 100% the Kuzunoha Company’s deed, is what Sairitz concluded.
She couldn’t find any other reason after all.
But she couldn’t understand the reason for the betrayal.
It is true that Izumo and Princess Iroha are fiance and fiancee.
Obviously, they are promised to marry.
She knows that they are more important than just plain strangers.
But…Princess Iroha is simply one of the many fiancees of Izumo, and they don’t even know each other’s faces.
What they know comes from each other’s letters, and it wouldn’t be strange if they were to know the current appearance of the person if they were to include a portrait or something like that, but…
Izumo and Princess Iroha are children of a military household.
It should be their supreme duty to treasure their family, and live for their household and for their country.
Arranged marriages should be just one of the many functions of a military household.
Also, she can’t think it possible that Izumo and Princess Iroha would suddenly awaken the desire to bring down Naoi.
“Speaking of sudden changes in thoughts, maybe the perfume that holds the power of the hero is influencing somehow? But the relationship between Raidou and the heroes is by no means good. Especially with the Empire’s Hero… Then, I don’t think he would just leave the effects of the hero there.” (Sairitz)
Then what’s going on?
That night, Izumo learned about how his fiancee was in danger, and ran to Kannaoi, luckily met with Princess Iroha, fell in love at first sight there, and as if in a play, Izumo resolved himself to live by the side of Princess Iroha even if he has to betray his family.
After that, with the training of Raidou he got, plus the power of love, he managed to obtain some kind of awakening, and managed to beat back Marito…
“Pfft!” (Sairitz)
Feeling how ridiculous her own imagination was getting, Sairitz ended up laughing.
Things like love at first sight and plays, there’s no way fairytale stuff like that could happen in real life.
And in reality, the mother of Princess Iroha, Haruka, married someone she didn’t even wish to, and smoldered in Kannaoi.
Even with that, she did what she had to do as a mother and as a member of the Osakabe household.
Truly reality. That’s just how it is.
“…Ah, but Chiya-sama liked that kind of stuff, didn’t she.” (Sairitz)
Beautiful and kind fairytale worlds.
Overcoming the walls of their societal standings, continuously chanting your ideals to an unreasonable world, and finally causing change.
It is the ideal world that many dream of.
That’s why it exists only in paper, and all the people that understand this are able to divide reality and fiction when thinking.
Saying: ‘It would be nice if that happened’.
Sairitz’s life changed completely when she met one of the Priestess candidates, Chiya.
Chiya said she was going to use her whole life for the sake of the world she wishes for.
When Chiya eventually became a Priestess and Sairitz served her, she herself climbed to the highest position that is the Empress.
If the Empress wanted, she would be able to put the Priestess as just a decoration, and do what she wants with most of the political matters, and yet, Sairitz had absolutely no intention of doing that.
Everything is for the sake of Chiya.
So that it gets closer to that ideal world that’s in her eyes.
That’s why, she would use any and all means possible to twist everything that doesn’t reach that girl’s eyes into that world.
Lorel is flourishing as a byproduct of that.
Sairitz is loved by many of her subordinates.
For this woman that is trying to beautify the world for the eyes of one person, the love of riff-raff is unimportant though.
Actually, if Sairitz were to open her heart up and were to do a banquet or something, she would be able to sympathize pretty well with a certain woman that loves the food of the Kuzunoha Company.
Reality has unreasonableness running rampant just like Sairitz thinks, and ideals are normally just a stage to be trampled down, but life-changing encounters certainly do exist though.
“That’s why Chiya-sama must have been attracted by that woman who is like the peak of the idealistic and doesn’t flinch even when rushing to the frontlines. How annoying. From what I have seen, even she sees reality, and she is the kind of person that would be fine with using dirty means if the situation requires it… Well, let’s stop thinking about fiction. I will have someone investigate Izumo and Kannaoi in detail. Right, Apple. Their movements have gotten strangely active lately. Seriously, one thing after the other.” (Sairitz)
She was the one who put the *potent medicine* into the country.
The Kuzunoha Company bit into the Grand Labyrinth just as planned.
They even dug it up.
It has been confirmed that the strangely docile Superior Dragon Doma has stopped acting up, and the other one that she was told might be there as well, the illusory Superior Dragon, Futsu, they have been able to confirm that it actually doesn’t exist.
They also pulled out the mercenary group that was difficult to deal with.
When looking at it in this way, she wouldn’t hesitate to lower her head to the Kuzunoha Company, and she even thought of granting them almost anything Lorel can do as a show of their grat.i.tude.
There haven’t actually been any bad doings from them, and they plan on notifying them about the rewards they are still considering.
But what follows isn’t good.
When she dug the information about them, there was a lot of harvest from it, and if it were only that alone, it would have been something to be happy about.
But the fact that the legendary existences, Apple, grew active was something that Sairitz didn’t expect at all.
The loyal and talented intelligence agent apprentice, Izumo, surpa.s.sed his father, and for some reason, not only did he announce his withdrawal from his family, he plans on tying the strings with Princess Iroha.
“He clashed blades with Marito and told him straight on. It means that he plans on leaving my side and cutting off connections. Rather than calling him pa.s.sionate, he was more like a loyal machine. That’s how I saw him, and yet…” (Sairitz)
The betrayal of Izumo.
This was also completely outside her expectations, moreover, it is detrimental to her.
However, for some reason, the tone of Sairitz currently didn’t have the anger of a few moments ago.
It is probably in part because the surprise is winning over her anger.
But this is as rare for her as raising her voice.
For good or for bad, she is by no means the kind of woman that would forgive a betrayal.
“Maybe because he is involved with Raidou. I was at fault in this matter too. It is true that, even when I could clearly see the signs of change, I was looking too much at the growth of Izumo’s power. There’s no doubt my true feelings are that I would prefer not to make Marito kill his own child, but…the number one reason is no doubt the fact that I fear worsening my relationship with the Kuzunoha Company.” (Sairitz)
Even a large scale coup d’etat that might have changed the fate of Lorel, they ended it in one night.
For them, writing or erasing events that could even tip history is something they can freely do.
Honestly speaking, it is on a whole different plane from the diplomacy of a major power.
How do the other countries see them?, Sairitz would really like to hear their opinions at least once.
“Also, now that it has turned out this way, I would like the cooperation of Raidou and the Kuzunoha Company in having Chiya-sama return safely. At worst, there’s the possibility that, after defeating the demon race, Limia and Gritonia will become enemies after all.” (Sairitz)
Sairitz thinks that Aion is already doomed.
If it were only Tsige, it would be another story, but the Kuzunoha Company is lending them their strength.
Even though there’s no other choice but to accept their independence, they still don’t break their tough act. Maybe Aion got some kind of reinforcement.
Sairitz had one thought.
‘I honestly don’t understand’.
That’s all.
However, there was the chance that there would have been a revolution and a change in politics in Lorel too.
Thinking about that, she felt a chill run down her spine.
The revolutionary army that made Kannaoi their main base was going to move towards Naoi. Naoi was going to face them with their whole force.
Their commander was famous as a brave warrior, moreover, even held a trump card like having Water Spirits in her body; that Haruka.
When Water Spirits are involved, in this current situation where their Priestess isn’t present, there’s no doubt it would have heavily affected morale.
As expected, the Kuzunoha Company was no poison. Their intervention may not have had the best of results, but she had to admit that it was a good move.
“Limia still hasn’t completely recovered, and us at the back are within a chaotic state that’s close to a civil war. Just what’s happening to the world…” (Sairitz)
Sairitz was worrying about the future of the wide world.
For her, her meeting with Chiya was like that of Izumo and Princess Iroha that night.
In a future day, Sairitz would hear a report that would leave her mouth wide open and be at a loss for words, showing a face that she has never shown before, and the one doing the report would now have something that they would have to bring to their grave.
◇◇◆◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆◆◇◇◆◆
“Oh, Bia-san. About to depart?”
The legendary knight of Lorel that rampaged greatly the other day, Aznoval, spoke to one of his comrades, Ginebia.
The female priest that had fully finished preparing for the travel pushed out her fist into the abdomen of the knight.
“Put.clothes.on.” (Bia)
“Oph! Don’t I have clothes on already?! This is intense pain that can’t be wrapped up with a simple ‘it hurts’!” (Aznoval)
“You only have pants on. In normal society, that’s called being half-naked!” (Bia)
“…Haku-san goes around in pretty skimpy clothes most of the time though.” (Aznoval)
“That girl is a dancer. Showing her beautiful body is part of her job. It has a different worth compared to the nakedness of a musclehead.” (Bia)
“Guh. This time around, there was a reason why I had to do it. I apologize for showing you an unsightly sight.” (Aznoval)
Aznoval lowers his head meekly.
“…What reason?” (Bia)
“It got pretty heated up while I was having an argument with Takane-kun, and I had no choice but to take it off.” (Aznoval)
“…Aah, I see. What did you talk about with Takane-kun?” (Bia)
Ginebia looks at Aznoval with a gaze that could freeze one’s body.
Rather than saying she accepted what he said, it was more like those eyes were saying ‘I don’t understand’.
Well, the fact that she asked another question means that she gave up on pursuing that matter though.
There would be something wrong with you if you were to accept an explanation like ‘I undressed because the argument heated up’.
Rather than having a musclehead response for it, the decision of Ginebia to change the topic was for the better.
“About the matter of Doma who is running away from me, and about the members remaining in the labyrinth. If possible, I would like you, Bia-san, to stay, and treat and nurse Pione though.” (Aznoval)
“…Master, no, Azu-san, I have already done what I can in regards to that girl’s treatment. The remaining necessary treatment will be dealt with by herself, her comrades, and time. You understand that, right?” (Bia)
“Yeah, but…there’s still the need for emotional support, like a sense of relief. Isn’t that sort of stuff needed too?” (Aznoval)
“The chances that that will lengthen the recovery time needed instead is higher. In the cases of emotional wounds, there’s the need for a delicate amount of pampering. That goes the same for humans as well as hyumans.” (Bia)
“You are saying that, rather than eliminating it, it is better to measure the correct amount?” (Aznoval)
“Yeah, at least in this case.” (Bia)
Words with no hesitation.
Ginebia is also a summoned j.a.panese person, and at first, the job of priest was simply a game job she got.
Simply someone in charge of healing.
Even so, after healing an uncountable amount of people, continuously saving them, and continuous understanding, she began to obtain plenty enough experience and technique to be called a specialist.
“Understood. This time around, the only one that can stay from our group is me, which is completely opposite to the usual, so I might have gotten a bit nervous.” (Aznoval)
“As long as you understand. And so, Doma is still scared of you? There should be a limit to how scared you can get, good grief.” (Bia)
“Well, I can communicate with him through Takane-kun though. He desperately refused to meet with the Kuzunoha Company face to face though.” (Aznoval)
“…Ahahaha. Well, do your best, Master-sama.” (Bia)
Ginebia had already thrown away all her enthusiasm and truly looked like she didn’t care about it anymore as she gave her regards to Aznoval in monotone.
There was no emotion at all.
Nothingness.
“‘I don’t want to meet that monster. If you are to make me meet and speak to him no matter what, I will kill myself. I will turn myself into an egg’, he said.” (Aznoval)
“Then, I will be going.” (Bia)
“Wa?!” (Aznoval)
Aznoval grabs Ginebia’s arm when she turns around.
“Let me go! Isn’t it okay? If he wants to die, let him do it! Doma would break through its sh.e.l.l and come out 1 month after anyways! We could even leave the egg to the Kuzunoha Company! Like I care!” (Bia)
“You have that incredible skill, Bia-san. There should be no problem even if you were to depart a tad later! That…Aura Road, was it?” (Aznoval)
“I can’t cross from sea to land with it!” (Bia)
“Or was it called Soul Respite…? Eh? I haven’t heard about it for a hundred years. What was the name of that skill?” (Aznoval)
“Spirit Road, SPIRIT ROAD! I think this name is super simple, but it is already on the level of being cursed. No one remembers it! Why?!” (Bia)
It seems like something snapped in Ginebia, she begins to speak pa.s.sionately about the pains of her skill’s name.
‘Ah, s.h.i.t’, is what Aznoval thought, but it was already too late.
The skill of Ginebia, Spirit Road, is actually not a unique skill.
The Apple members originally didn’t have a method for party teleportation.
If it is individual abilities, Hitsuna and Ginebia can.
Considering the difficulty of teleportation magic in this world, that’s actually natural, and magic that safely teleports a party freely was just delusional, stuff of fairytales.
In the cases where it was really needed, Hitsuna would deal with it forcefully by overlapping several talisman magic spells. The burden in Hitsuna is heavy when using this method, so if possible, it was better not to use it.
And so, Ginebia made overlapping contracts with Spirits of many elements, healing herself while adjusting her magic power amount to the limit with minute control, and activating her job skill all at the same time, she created a movement method where you walk through a special s.p.a.ce that allows you to move several times the distance which rivals teleportation.
It was the birth of an absurd skill.
For convenience’s sake, it would be better to put a name to it, and that name was Spirit Road.
But not only every member of Apple and Picnic Rose Garden, even the many people they meet like the Kuzunoha Company which they met recently don’t remember the name properly.
It is certainly on the level of it being cursed.
Spirit Forest, Spirit Corridor, G.o.ddess Corridor, G.o.ddess Path, and the Aura Road of just now.
Even though it is no doubt an incredible skill.
When Ginebia explains it, she says things like ‘It is like a road of Spirits’.
She would jokingly say: ‘It is not a name that should be spoken carelessly’, and that might have spread the misunderstanding.
It is a mystery.
“The people of PRG mistake it quite often too.” (Aznoval)
“PRG, you say. Shortening it in that way just because it is long is a bit questionable. They are a historical mercenary group.” (Bia)
“Then, Pringl—” (Aznoval)
“Stop!” (Bia)
“Fumu, because of our meeting with Makoto-kun, my memories of my time in j.a.pan have been rising up lately. I am getting into a bit of a childish mood.” (Aznoval)
“Haah. Well then, we will be going our way now. Doma may be like that, but he has a surprisingly otaku side to him, so maybe he will mix unexpectedly well with Makoto-kun, but if the person himself says he doesn’t want to meet him so much that he would commit suicide, well, isn’t that fine too? They have Tomoe-san who was Shen in the past, so I think she already knows about Doma’s darkness, or more like, his uselessness.” (Bia)
“Even so, we cannot ignore his att.i.tude towards the hyumans and demi-humans, so if Makoto-kun and I properly lecture him, it might serve as the trigger for him to change.” (Aznoval)
Ginebia holds her head.
The man in front of her sometimes is way too forceful.
She already knew this, but she was once again reminded of this who knows how many times now.
“Doma will crumble emotionally first. It is pointless. Pointless.” (Bia)
She understands the reason why. Aznoval has left Doma half-dead in the past.
A serious fight happened between the two, and the knight won against the dragon.
Moreover, it was a complete beatdown.
It has already been a hundred years or two hundred years, but every time Doma feels the presence of Aznoval, he would end up hiding.
Even now.
He by far fears Aznoval more than Sofia who killed him and absorbed him.
And he fears the Makoto that he saw when inside Sofia as much as Aznoval, or even more than that.
Even if Takane, who Doma is fond of, were to stand at the front, having Doma in the same s.p.a.ce as Aznoval and Makoto at the same time is nothing but impossible.
(How to say it, Doma is servile, an otaku that can’t read the mood, and stays in the shadows. He is really attached to Takane-kun who was able to replicate the games that he loves and plays 24/7, but honestly he is annoyi—I mean, he is the very definition of a cringy child that doesn’t know how to gauge the distance between friends.
Right now when he is managing the labyrinth properly as a master of it, even if he were to be rehabilitated, no one is benefiting from that, and it is not like something would be changing.) (Bia)
If she had to put out a possibility, it would be that Doma would begin to have a sense of responsibility for the management of the dungeon and remodel it, which would make the work of Takane a bit easier.
In other words, there’s no merit in having Doma have a societal rehabilitation. There’s no need to spend effort in making him be able to adapt to society.
He is the kind of guy that has perfected the ability to be shut-in for more than 2 years without anyone around.
There’s few who would want to get close to him, whether they be people or dragons.
According to Takane, he currently likes romance games and RPGs that deal with modern j.a.pan.
“Bia~! Everyone has finished their preparations and are waiting here~!”
“Muh.”
The voice of my partner, Haku Mokuren, made Ginebia direct a face of ‘and that’s how it is’ to Aznoval.
“…I don’t know what’s making you this hurried, but for now, begin by doing what you can first, Master.” (Bia)
“Yeah, you are right.” (Aznoval)
“Well, at the time when Doma messes up something in regards to Pione, I will be obligated to cooperate. See ya then!” (Bia)
‘Obligated is quite the powerful word there’, is what Aznoval thought as he saw off Ginebia who ran off to her partner.
It seems like Ginebia was also worried about Pione, who is a member of PRG and was wounded deeply emotionally.
(Watch over Pione, and save in moderation the adventurers that get reckless in the dungeon. That’s what I can do right now. The other thing would be to check the villages around Kannaoi. It is true that I can’t nurse Pione. She herself, her comrades, and time, huh.) (Aznoval)
Aznoval remembers the words that Ginebia used to admonish him in regards to Pione.
It is kind of like counseling, and it is quite the realistic thing.
Aznoval understands that there are times when one needs really painful treatments, but Pione herself probably didn’t have much time for respite.
That: ‘Wasn’t it my fault in the first place, for not being by the side of my friends when they were charmed?’.
‘Wasn’t it my mistake for not noticing at all the Empire’s Hero and the abnormalities in the surroundings?’.
There were definitely methods to free them from the charm, but they got fatigued within the long periods of treatment time, and the girls escaped from Pione.
It was no doubt due to the weak heart of those three girls.
Even if in the end Raidou exerted excessive self-defense and killed them, pushing all the blame to Raidou was a kind of escapism.
Pione now understands the true meaning of the people charmed being able to remember everything they did in the time they were charmed.
Why do you think the charmed people that Raidou captured by putting them in a state of apparent death are slowly considering suicide?
It was all content that, if dealt wrongly, even Pione would have wanted to kill herself.
This must be what they mean by ‘a hard pill to swallow’, Aznoval thought.
Hatred, revenge, and the unfulfilled promises with her friends, can result in searching for someone to push all that responsibility to.
That’s why, there’s no doubt that it is important to have Pione find some other reason to live fast, but…
(At times, putting your all into revenge can serve as a fuel to continue living on though…) (Aznoval)
‘No, that’s not it’, Aznoval shook his head.
It would be one thing if you are about to fall over from the pressure in your heart and are all alone.
But Pione has many comrades that want to save her, want her to live, and smile together with.
Then, instead of burning yourself in a life of vengeance, he wants her to find a new objective and heal their hearts together.
So that, one day, they can once again move forward.
Ginebia speaking about the increases in suicides in Kannaoi must have been because she was aware of this.
The current objective for now is to wait for that time when Pione is able to extend her hand towards the other victims of the charm just like her friends were.
There’s no doubt what she needs is what Ginebia said before.
Aznoval sighs.
The current situation of Kannaoi, and the people that are suffering from the memories of the time they were charmed.
“In other words, if we can’t put a brake to the suicides in Kannaoi, she is telling me to follow it up lightly, huh. Looks like it will be quite the big job.” (Aznoval)
‘But well…’, Aznoval smiles.
It feels like there’s more worth in doing this than killing someone to protect someone.
“Ah, Azu-san, got some time?”
“Takane-kun? Something happened?” (Aznoval)
“Doma has run into the shelter room.” (Takane)
“…Haah.” (Aznoval)
Looks like there’s the need for a bit of time.
The dungeon of Yaso-katsui is returning to its usual.