“Satsuki, can you heal her?”
“Sure, but...” Satsuki nodded, but glanced over at Leviathan, who was still glaring at us.
She was probably worried that Leviathan wouldn’t accept the treatment. I figured it was up to me to persuade her...
“Um, I guess I should introduce myself, huh? I’m Rekka Namidare. This is Satsuki, Harissa, and Tetra. Should I call you Leviathan? We’d like to use magic to cure you, and then hopefully we can talk...”
“...Then answer my questions first.” Leviathan’s gaze alone made me feel tremendous pressure. “To begin with, who are you? At first I thought you were with Bahamut, but I guess that’s not the case. You don’t seem like the guardians of the seal either. Most of you, anyway.”
“Umm...” Did Leviathan not know what humans were? Is that where I needed to start my explanation? “Satsuki, Harissa, and I are creatures called humans.”
“What are humans?”
I suspected as much...
“How am I supposed to explain what a human is...? I guess they’re the most numerous creatures on the surface?”
I couldn’t say “the smartest creatures” because it would have sounded like bragging. I wasn’t exactly a shining example of human intelligence anyway.
But when Leviathan heard what I said, her eyes went wide. She slowly staggered to her feet and grabbed me by the shoulders.
“Are you saying there are a lot of them on the surface? How many?!”
“Ow! H-How many? I think there’s like seven billion or something, but... you’re really shaking me! It hurts! You’re going to dislocate my shoulder!”
“Seven billion... Then the surface wasn’t destroyed?”
“N-Not that I’m aware of, but... Oww! That really hurts!”
“O-Oh, sorry...” Leviathan let go of my shoulders, then stared off into space for a while as if lost in thought. Large tears began to well in her eyes as she finally whispered, “I see... The surface is okay. I’m so glad... I was sure he’d destroyed it all.”
I still didn’t know what her story was, but now I at least knew she was happy the surface was safe. If she was really the “Monster Who Defied God” that had destroyed the surface, would she be crying over that?
“Well, before you tell us about that, we need to heal your wounds. Satsuki, go ahead.”
“Right.”
Leviathan kept crying, but she didn’t really resist as Satsuki worked her magic. Once she was in better shape, I waited for her to calm down and then tried to talk to her again.
“Um, Leviathan?”
“Call me Lea.”
“Huh?”
“Call me Lea, human named Rekka Namidare. And you don’t have to act so scared when you talk to me,” Leviathan... Lea said with tears still streaming down her face.
“R-Right. Got it.”
I wasn’t sure why Lea had suddenly opened up to us, but I gave her a brief summary of what had happened.
I told her about the bloodline of the Namidare, as well as Tsumiki and Tetra’s stories. I told her why we were working with Bahamut. And I told her the reason why we’d been suspicious of her.
After telling her everything, I could hear her grit her teeth.
“So he’s still a master con man. How dare he call me a monster...!”
She trembled with rage for a moment and then took a deep breath.
“I’ll tell you the whole story. About him, about me, and about my mistake—the reason I’m trapped here behind the seal instead of him.” Lea closed her eyes as she slowly began to speak. “God made the Perfect Beast, Bahamut, and placed him above all living creatures. He was the king of the beasts, and was given life so that he could be eaten at the last supper before the apocalypse. But Bahamut was filled with greed. He was proud of his kingship, and destroyed the surface for his own pleasure.”
“But Bahamut was made by God, right? So then why...?”
“I don’t know what humans think, but God isn’t perfect... As punishment, God pierced Bahamut with a spear he made himself, and then sealed him inside this false world. After the sealing, he was called the “Monster Who Defied God,” and a clan of guardians was placed by the Hall of Sealing to keep watch over him.”
Tetra was listening to Lea’s story carefully.
“...So the Monster Who Defied God in our legends is Bahamut? But then why did you take his place?”
“Yes... I’m about to tell you that.” Lea took another deep breath and paused for a moment.
It probably had something to do with the “mistake” she’d mentioned earlier. The look on her face was that of a repentant sinner.
“Bahamut was sealed away, and I was created as a new offering to God. This time, God gave his creation great wisdom, self-control, and emotions so that I wouldn’t destroy the surface. Just like God intended, even though they called me ‘The Strongest Beast,’ I lived peacefully. However...”
“...However?”
“My heart... It was weak,” Lea whispered in a voice so hushed that I could barely hear her.
“My power was too strong. I couldn’t get close to anyone, and no one could get close to me. But my heart was weak, and I couldn’t bear the loneliness... I took this form so that no one would recognize me, and went to Jizu Village where the seal was located.”
“Why?”
“...To meet Bahamut.”
Everyone was shocked at this sudden development. Lea had gone to see Bahamut on purpose?
“I thought that since Bahamut’s power was equal to my own, he wouldn’t fear me... That he would be my companion. I wanted desperately to believe that. I was weak and foolish back then.” She laughed bitterly at herself. “From his perspective, the perfect prey fell right into his lap. He was more than happy to talk to me and be kind to me. As we spoke through the sealed door, I started to take pity on him. And I started to blame God for sealing him away. That’s why I broke the seal when Bahamut asked me to.”
“But...” Tetra was shocked.
It was true that if someone had the same kind of power Bahamut did, it would be possible for them to open the seal from the outside. That was probably why Bahamut had chosen to use her.
“You can imagine what happened after that. He passed through the door, locked me in here, and then sealed it closed again.”
“He was afraid of you because you had power like his, right?” Harissa chimed in. She was probably right.
“...Yeah. It looks like what she’s saying is true.”
Satsuki used the Magic of Omniscience to verify her story. Even without reading through tens of millions of years’ worth of records, she now had enough information to narrow down her search and get to the heart of the matter. The truth.
The short of it was that Bahamut had used Lea for all she was worth, then locked her in here so that she wouldn’t pose a threat to him.
We were finally getting the real story.
“Just hearing that is enough to piss you off, huh?”
I was angry, but Lea was almost timid.
“No... It was all a result of my weakness. I was sure that Bahamut was going to destroy the surface for his own satisfaction. It seems you were lucky enough that that didn’t happen, but my own selfishness still put the surface in danger.”
“No, that’s...”
I wanted to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but her sharp gaze cut me short.
“I regretted it for so long. While I was trapped in here, I had dreams of him destroying the surface again and again. Time passes slowly in this world. Every second I wasted here, my thoughts were of all the lives that were being lost. I wondered if anyone had survived, or if there was even a world left out there. I had no way of knowing.”
Lea looked up to the heavens, her eyes filled with resolve. The sky was bright and hazy, but there was no sun. Beyond it was the surface—the real one.
“As long as he’s free, the surface could still be destroyed at any moment. That’s why I will do what it takes to defeat him. Even
if it costs me my life.”
Lea stood up and glared in the direction of the temple where Bahamut was lying in wait, then started to walk.
Seeing the same sad resolve in her eyes, I quickly stood in her way.
“W-Wait! You don’t have to go by yourself, right? I’ll help you! And if I’m strong enough, I’ll think of something! So don’t do anything stupid!”
“This battle is my responsibility. I can’t get you involved.”
Lea tried to push us away.
Fighting alone would be her way of atoning. I could tell that what she was thinking.
But I stopped her anyway.
“You can’t win! Did you forget how badly he trounced you back there?”
“I still have to do this.”
“...You! All of you!”
Tsumiki, trying to save Nozomiya.
Tetra, trying to save Jizu Village.
Lea, trying to defeat Bahamut.
They were all so stubborn because they didn’t want to make their parents worry, or they had given up on relying on the villagers, or they didn’t want others to get hurt...
And yeah, I got all that, but...
But come on!
“I said wait!” I grabbed Lea by the arm and pulled her back.
“What are you doing...?”
“I just told you about my bloodline, didn’t I? You’re my heroine now. Without me, your story will never reach a happy ending.”
“...But you were just caught up in this by chance, right? I don’t want that.” Lea looked at me with eyes that were still keen, but tinged with sadness. “I thought the surface had been destroyed because of me, but I was wrong. You humans have lived and thrived up there... I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me, or how much I love all of you for that. Words fail me. That’s why I couldn’t stand to see you hurt.”
Lea’s words were filled with emotion, and I felt each one tugging at my heartstrings. I could tell that she really wanted to protect mankind. That included us. Her sincerity was obvious from her voice.
But...
“I know. But I don’t care.”
“What?”
“Why are all of you people trying so hard to do everything on your own?!” The feelings that had been stewing in the pit of my stomach came roaring out. “Did you not hear what I told you? Even if I’m caught up in a story, I’ve got the ability to leave it if I want to. So if I decide to save you, or Tsumiki, or Tetra, that’s what I want to do!”
I got a step closer to Lea.
“Maybe you’re doing this because you’re nice. Maybe it’s because you feel responsible. But when you can’t do something on your own, it’s not wrong to ask someone for help. It’s normal!”
Another step.
She was just a bit taller than me, so I looked straight up into her eyes.
“So let me help you. That’s what I’m here for!”
“...”
Lea moaned softly. She opened her eyes wide and reeled as if she wanted to run away.
I grabbed her hand.
“You spent all this time in this empty place, blaming yourself, right? Maybe you can’t help being scared of asking for help. But don’t be.”
It had been tens of millions of years on the outside. Since time passed even slower in this fake world, it must have felt like an eternity here alone.
Perhaps guilt had worn away at her heart until there was nothing left.
But that just meant I had to help her remember—remember how fragile she was. I just needed to remind her that she’d been so weak and lonely that she’d clung to Bahamut for help. I needed to remind her of how it felt to want to rely on someone.
Maybe it was the wrong choice once, but she wouldn’t regret it this time. I wasn’t about to let that happen.
“I’ll never let go of your hand. If you’re willing to believe in me, then squeeze back.”
“......”
Lea said nothing for a while. But I didn’t let go.
And eventually, I felt a hesitant strength in her hand. She was clasping my hand back.
“...Are you really going to help me?”
There were tears rolling down her cheeks. I hadn’t wanted to make her cry, so I decided to try and lighten the mood.
“Looks like that’s becoming my specialty lately.”
I chuckled a little...
“So leave it to me.”
And nodded as reassuringly as I could.
Chapter 5: Connecting the Threads
My initial hopes that things would work themselves out this time had long since been dashed. Bahamut had betrayed me, and all my stories had run into dead ends. I was back to square one with each of them.
I mean... I guess it could have been a lot worse.
But if I had to start over, the first thing I needed to do was come up with some solutions.
“Lea, does Bahamut have any weaknesses?”
“I’m afraid not.” Lea shook her head. “He’s ‘The Perfect Beast.’ Just like the name implies, there’s nothing about him that you could consider a weakness.”
“Hmm... I see.”
Well, so much for that then. I started to wish God hadn’t handed out the title “perfect” so easily.
“Why don’t we find a way back home first? If Bahamut traps us here, we’re doomed.”
“Oh!” I gasped when I heard what Satsuki said.
“No, there’s no need to worry about that,” Lea interjected.
“What do you mean?”
“When he locked me in here all those millennia ago, our powers were equal. That’s why he didn’t want to fight me. But now, it’s obvious that he’s the stronger. He can be sneaky, but he’s the type to eliminate any potential threats.”
“...Man, he’s got a nasty personality, huh?”
“We need to find a way to beat him quickly, no matter what.”
As we began to discuss potential plans...
“Um...”
“Hm?”
Tetra reluctantly raised her hand.
“I do know one thing—one weakness Bahamut has.”
“Huh? Seriously?!” I grabbed Tetra without even thinking.
“Yes. I discovered it when I was reading about the old traditions in the village, so I’m pretty sure it’s true, anyway... I think it was left by God.”
“?”
Why was Tetra being so hesitant? If she was onto something, it would make a big difference for us.
...No, wait. Something wasn’t adding up.
She’d told me at Nozomiya that the method to reseal the Monster had been lost. Why would she lie to me after coming to me for help? And that wasn’t the only thing that didn’t make sense.
After we first talked to Tetra, I’d asked Satsuki to use the Magic of Omniscience to look into the traditions she was talking about. But Satsuki had also said that it required a special tool that no longer existed.
And if that special tool really wasn’t an option, why would Tetra bring it up now? That would mean it was still possible to restore the seal.
So why would Satsuki lie, too? I had a lot of questions, but I waited for Tetra to explain.
And when she did...
“Bahamut’s weakness is... the blood of my clan.”
She gave us the worst answer I could’ve imagined.
“Wh-What...?”
“...”
I was shocked, but Satsuki just stared silently at the ground.
“The blood of the guardians will cause his body to burn and rot. If it gets inside him, it will act like a fatal poison. God made us explicitly to kill Bahamut,” Tetra continued. “There’s no sustenance here in this artificial world, so if Bahamut ever managed to destroy the seal, he would be hungry. And the guardians who live right next to the Hall of Sealing would be the first food he saw... Really, we were a trap that God set for the monster who defied him.”
“Are you saying... God made your village just so that Bahamut could eat it?!”
“Yes. Do you
remember the coffin and the statue of the goddess with the sword in the temple?”
“Y-Yeah...”
“That sword is a reminder that if there isn’t enough blood, we’re to use it to run ourselves through and multiply the blood in the coffin.”
“What?!”
I instantly hit my limit. I felt the rage boil up inside me with nowhere to go. Unconsciously, I clenched both fists.
He made life just so that it could die? That’s messed up! And on top of that, he wanted them to kill themselves?! Hell no!
Lea had said that God wasn’t perfect. She was right. There’s no way an asshole like that was omnipotent.
I understood why Satsuki had lied to me. She couldn’t tell me... just like Tetra couldn’t. Tetra wanted to save her village. She wouldn’t do something that meant sacrificing it.
But that meant the reason she was telling me now...
“So if I let Bahamut eat me...”
Yup. That was why.
“You dummy. Nobody’s letting you do that.”
“But there’s no other way.”
“I’ll come up with something. I’m thinking now.”
“But as long as the Monster is guarding the temple, we can’t leave this place. So...”
“Shut up.”
I’d rather die than do something so cruel. And besides...
“You’re trying your best to be brave, but your knees are shaking. I can’t let you do that.”
“!”
“Tetra, you need to stop trying to handle everything on your own, too. The problems of the world don’t fall on your shoulders alone. Trust in me and everyone else. If you want to make Jizu Village a better place, then talk to the villagers. Don’t give up on going to them for help. And for now, let’s figure out a way to beat Bahamut.”
After telling Lea what I really thought, it was easier the second time. Things were looking pretty bad, but I was feeling pretty good.
That’s right. There was no reason to give up.
We could all put our heads together and come up with a way to beat that “Perfect Beast” asshole.
“...You’re right.” Satsuki suddenly raised her head. “Lea, you said that before Bahamut was sealed away, God impaled him with a spear, right?”
“Yeah.”
I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 2 Page 8
