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I don’t know the principles behind this, but she even had the moon prepared in here.
How should I say this—— It’s like I’m a Science Fiction movie.
Pigimaru slipped under the bed.
As for Slei, she fell asleep while she’s in a prone position.
Seras and I were laying down on the bed side by side.
This bed is large enough for three people to sleep on it.
As long as we stay aware of where we sleep, this bed isn’t narrow enough that we would end up touching each other’s skin.
[………]
Seras turned away.
From the sound of her breathing, it doesn’t seem like she has fallen asleep yet.
[Touka-dono… Are you still awake?]
[Yeah.]
[It looks like we’re finally about to unveil the secrets of these Forbidden Curses huh.]
Disposal Ruins.
Black Dragon Knights.
Ashinto.
Golden Demon Zone.
The Witch of Taboos.
It feels like my journey has been going on for a long time, but it also feels like all of these things passed in the blink of an eye.
[The reason why we could make it this far, just having your existence here with me was a really great help for this.]
[I’m honored.]
I stare at the ceiling.
[You’ve got something you want to ask me?]
[—————]
I waited for what Seras is going to say.
After a brief moment, I could feel nervousness in her voice as she asked a question.
[…Once you’ve finished your journey for revenge, what are you going to do next?]
[Once I’ve finished my revenge huh? I haven’t really given it that much thought… If I had the means though, I’d like to go back to my previous world once more.]
[You would like to see your Uncle and Aunt that you’ve mentioned before, wouldn’t you?]
[Yeah.]
It’s fine if I could only say a few words.
I want to say my thanks…
—for all these favors I’ve received from them.
[What about you, Seras? Right now, it seems like the world thinks that Seras Ashrains has already died.]
[I don’t know… I didn’t think much about it either. In a sense, just as the world perceives it, I feel I’ve already died once…]
[Wouldn’t you like to see that Princess-sama you mentioned before again?]
I remembered that she had that necklace that was given to her by the princess of the Holy Kingdom of Neia.
Seras had kept that for a long time without selling it for money.
[…Unlike Touka-dono’s situation, we’ve already said our goodbyes to each other.]
[I think that for you, the Princess-sama’s existence is just like how my Uncle’s existence is to me, isn’t she?]
“Fufu…”
Seras lightly giggles.
[Yes, that might be so…]
[Back when you were running alone, you were planning to travel to another continent by riding a ship from Jonato, right?]
[Yes. However, right now…]
Seras turns her body towards me.
[Wherever you, my king may be, that place would also be where I belong.]
Looking straight towards me, Seras said.
[My life, my sword and my very being, I devote all of it to you.]
I could see some feverishness in Seras’ gaze.
It seems that she’s still feeling flushed from her bath.
The faint color of cherry spreading out her radiant white skin.
Her fine, silky blond hair rippling on the bed.
Her distinctive long ears that have slightly changed their colors.
[Ah…,——– My apologies, I suddenly…]
She turns her back towards me again.
I could feel nervousness and agitation from her.
(T/N: 興奮 could be read as agitation… but it could also mean arousal…)
[I’ll invoke
I brought my palm close to her back.
Then…
Squish
Seras held my hand with her own.
It’s as if she’s showing refusal.
[Umm—— Can you please… not use
[Do you think you’d be able to sleep?]
[…I don’t know.]
[I understand… I’ll let you do what you want for the time being.]
After saying that, we laid on our backs again.
I think about 10 minutes of silence passed when…
[…Other than my father, this is the first time in my life that I have shared a bed like this with someone of the opposite gender.]
[This is also my first time.]
[For your first time, you look quite composed…]
Peeking towards her, Seras had a slightly clouded expression on her face.
Her cheeks were even unusually pouting.
I think I know what she’s thinking about.
It must be because I hardly showed any reaction to this.
[You have a likeable personality, Seras. You’re also beautiful, that I think you’d definitely charm a person of the opposite gender. You can be confident about that.]
I honestly said.
[I think when it comes to the opposite gender, the one I like the most in this world would be you, Seras.]
[————————-,………]
I could tell that Seras gasped just now.
She turned her body to the side.
While she’s still lying down, her face is now facing towards me.
[You know that I’m not lying, right?]
[Umm… Yes.]
[Also, how should I say this… If I were in a situation like this with the opposite gender, I think I would probably be able to keep my calmness even towards people other than Seras. It’s just as Erika said earlier. “I’m not really as responsive as boys my age”.]
[Ah, now that you’ve said it… She did say that…]
[I think I have an idea why though. Therefore… I’ll tell you about it when that time comes.]
…I don’t really want to talk that much about my sh*tty parents.
I think I could probably tell Seras about them though.
[Ah…]
Seras’ eyes relaxed a bit.
[Yes… I will be waiting. Umm, Touka-dono…]
[Hmm?]
[I also have something that I have to tell you about someday.]
Could it be about that thing she did in that cave?
[Alright. Someday, right?]
[Yes, someday…]
[………]
[………]
Seras brought her face close to my chest.
As if she’s snuggling on my body, she also brought her body closer to mine.
I can almost hear the sound of a beating heart… I’m wondering if I should say something like that.
Even within the lack of light around us, I could still see Seras and the overflowing blush on her face.
When I felt her small shoulder, I could feel some nervousness from her.
[I’m sorry…]
Seras apologized.
In her fading voice with a sigh mixing along with it.
[I just suddenly did it… Inadvertently…]
[Inadvertently?]
As expected, even I would be a little bewildered with what she said.
Inadvertently huh…
I suppose she’s moved closer before she’s even aware of what she’s doing.
After what happened in the cave the other day…
At times like these, it seems that she tends to inadvertently take action with what she’s thinking in her mind.
I would usually just keep calm about it but…
[To- Touka-dono… I can’t stand it anymore… Ummm——-
Could you please use
Seras’ eyes were swirling around.
I could also she’s embarrassed from the crease on her eyebrows.
It’s as if she’s been inflicted with the Abnormal State, confusion.
I exhale out.
[Alright.]
I held out my palm towards her and invoked
[—————, Zuuuu…]
Seras quickly falls asleep.
It’s like I’m looking at a child who can easily sleep well.
I slightly shifted Seras’ body.
I also placed the blanket over her body as well.
I’m still feeling a bit excited though…
Just as how it had been before, her appearance while she’s peacefully sleeping haven’t changed.
Leaning my chin on my hand, I looked towards Seras’ face as she sleeps and spoke.
In a tone that may sound like I’m talking to someone.
[…You’re quite the strange one, aren’t you?]
Returning back to my earlier sleeping position, I lay down on my back again.
Seras won’t wake up until the effect of
No matter what I say.
No matter what I do.
[Pigimaru.]
I called out to Pigimaru who was under the bed.
[Pii?]
[I’m going to sleep now. If something strange happens, tell me.]
[Pigii…!]
“Roger that!”
Or so his squeal sounds like that.
I don’t know if it’s out of concern, but the volume of his voice was also very low.
[…I knew I could count on you.]
Saying that with a wry smile on my face, I quietly close down my eyes and fall asleep.
Chapter 167
The Heroes, Onward to Magnar
The Heroes of 2-C departed from Alion.
I, Sogou Ayaka, was together with Alion’s army as we headed west.
Our destination is Synad, the royal capital of Magnar.
I was riding a horse while we’re marching.
However, there are also some Heroes who weren’t good at riding them.
They did practice riding them, but they weren’t able to improve very much within the time given for us.
Those ones were now travelling with us by riding in a carriage.
To begin with, there are hardly any high school students in modern Japan who have any experience in riding horses.
It’s no wonder that so many students can’t ride them.
There are only a few Heroes who were on horseback.
Me, Sogou Ayaka.
Kirihara Takuto.
Yasu Tomohiro.
A boy and a girl from Kirihara’s group.
Suou Kayako.
Shougo Oyamada also couldn’t ride one.
He was now swearing alone in the carriage.
[It’s not that I don’t like being in the carriage… But why does Takuto’s group have the same kind of carriage as the other low-ranking bunch… This is terribly lame~. You know what I think? I’m seriously opposed to that idea of equality… Equality is just the logic for those small-fry characters~… From a winner’s point of view, that idea is just nothing but a hindrance~.]
Incidentally, some of the Heroes didn’t participate in our march.
The Takao Sisters were annexed to fight against the Eastern Invasion Force.
They were accompanied by Nyantan and some of Alion’s Cavalry.
Currently, the ones fighting against the Eastern Invasion Army—– the Eastern Army is mainly composed of the armies of Alion and Magnar.
The Eastern Army also annexed Magnar’s White Wolf Knights.
Ikusaba Asagi and her group were annexed to fight against the Western Invasion Force —-The Western Army.
They are being accompanied by the Drunken Sword Clan.
Asagi and the others left the other day, riding fast horses in order to join together with the Western Army.
That’s why they’re also not here now.
The other day, the city in the Western Magnar was invaded by the Great Demon Emperor’s army.
It is said that the city was thoroughly trampled down.
I was also told that among the victims of their invasion was the former commander of the White Wolf Knights.
However…
“The Holy Extermination Force, led by the Saint have rushed in and are now pushing them back.”
(T/N: The Holy Extermination Force, previously “The Annihilation Monks”. I’ll just sync this with the manga.)
A few days after Asagi and the others left, a magical war pigeon brought this information to the Goddess.
By the way, the magical war pigeon is just like that so-called carrier pigeon.
It is said that these special pigeons were mainly supplied by the Magician Guild.
Therefore, all of the remaining Heroes were annexed into the fight against the Southern Invasion Force—- The Southern Army.
From above my horse, I glanced behind my back.
(This is the army for war… No matter how I look at it, it always feels amazing seeing this scene…)
Soldiers neatly marching in a row.
A large amount of rows formed by these masses of people stretching out in this gently-sloping path we’re treading upon…
The irregular sounds of armors and other equipment clanging against each other.
A peculiar atmosphere composed with nervousness and boredom.
[…………]
I’m still not used to this sight.
I thought my senses were already familiar with this world.
However, that sense of unreality returned back again this time.
I feel like I’m just an actress starring in a movie.
During this march, the Goddess was sending out her commands while she’s riding on a luxurious palanquin.
A portable shrine with a canopy that looks really expensive.
However, the person in that portable shrine is that so-called body double.
The real Goddess is wearing a hood as she’s riding on a horse.
She said that she prepared it just in case that they conduct a surprise attack.
(A war huh…)
I’m already getting used to fighting monsters—- I think.
It’s just that… I’m a little scared about the fact itself that I’m getting used to it.
However, the reason I’m fighting is all to protect my friends.
Naturally, I never liked the act of killing monsters.
With a grim face, I just stared off into the distant plains.
(Yes, in order to protect the others… I must kill——)
[Are you alright?]
It was Suou Kayako who called out to me.
She made her horse run next to mine.
She mentioned before that she had no experience riding horses.
However, Kayako is a child filled with skill.
She was able to splendidly ride her horse in a short period of time.
To be honest, I feel like she could do better if she were in Kirihara or Asagi’s group.
[Ah, Suou-san. Yes, I’m fine… Thanks.]
[You know, you’ve been acting strange lately.]
[Eh? Me?]
Nod
Kayako reservedly nodded her head.
[Lately, I feel like you’ve been thinking about lots of stuff.]
[…Yeah, that might be so. I also think so. However, I need to get stronger… For the sake of everyone.]
I could see a faint shadow appearing on Kayako’s face.
[It’s frustrating.]
[Eh?]
[It’s because we can’t say that it will be alright since we’re here. There’s too much of a status difference between Sogou-san and the other children, including me.]
[It’s alright, yo
u guys are already doing a great job. However, there may still be some people who were shocked about the death of our classmates the other day… And I’m a little worried about that.]
The other day, two male students died in the Golden Demon Zone.
The students in my group seemed to be in a lot of shock.
Of course they would.
Not long ago, they were the classmates we had been sharing desks in the same classroom.
And those people suddenly died.
Kayako spoke.
[This time is quite different from when Mimori died.]
[…Yeah.]
There wasn’t even a corpse left at that time when Mimori Touka died.
Therefore, we haven’t felt any sense of reality at that time.
This time though, we were confronted with the clear appearance of death.
(However, I think that this should have been the normal reaction to death… It was Kirihara-kun and Asagi-san who were more strange for hardly reacting at all… However…)
What about me?
I was indeed shocked.
However, my mind has quickly shifted towards our current battle.
Perhaps… I may have been an unexpectedly cold-hearted person.
[Sogou-san.]
[What is it?]
[I’ve heard that compared to Hijiri-san or Kirihara-san, Sogou-san haven’t progressed that much as an S-Rank Hero. As I thought, we may have been dragging you down…]
[Suou-san.]
In a reproachful tone, I interrupted her.
[…………]
[Please don’t make that kind of face, okay? It will be alright… Everyone—- Our friends from 2-C, I’ll definitely protect them.]
[In that case, I hope it’s about time for you to already unlock your inherent skill but… Umm, I guess that’s impossible…?]
The Goddess’ horse lined up on my right side—- the opposite side of where Kayako’s horse is.
[Goddess-sama…]
There’s a faint trace of fear running through Kayako’s eyes.
The Heroes in my group have a particularly strong sense of dislike for the Goddess.
Nowadays though, I was also included among that group.
[…I’m sorry. I think I’m doing my best to unlock it but…]
[Umm… You don’t “think you’re doing your best”, you need the desire to do it. In this society, even a child knows that there’s no point in doing something meaningless just for the sake of “doing your best”…]
Wryly smiling, the Goddess takes a pleading pose.
