“Shea, do you hate monsters?”
“Huh? O-Of course I do!”
“Why?”
“B-Because...”
Shea couldn’t understand why her mom was asking this. Does mom think I’m a monster too? She thought sadly, her bunny ears twitching. Mona gently cupped her daughter’s cheek, and looked gently into her eyes. There was a surprising amount of weight to her gaze.
“You’re afraid because you’re different from everyone else. It’s scary, and lonely, and sad. I know. But you know, Shea. Mom’s jealous of you. She’s jealous, and she’s happy to have such a wonderful daughter.”
“Why?”
“Because if you’re different from everyone else, that means you can do things no one else can. Don’t you think that’s amazing?”
Mona’s words made no sense to Shea, and she looked around restlessly while sky blue tears dripped from her eyes.
“Amazing? What would you do, if you were like me, mom?”
“Fufu. Weeell, your mom’s always wanted to be a hero ever since she was little.”
“A-A hero?”
Mona had a surprisingly weak constitution, and was sick in bed for half of each month usually. Shea blinked in surprise as she looked up at her mother. It was an odd thing to say, for someone as weak as her, but then Shea nodded, thinking it was very like her to have such a wish.
“That’s right, a hero. You know, I’ve always wanted to be someone who could protect their family. And not just spend all my time running away or hiding. I wanted to be the kind of person that could stand up to anything that tried to hurt the people I love.” The rabbitmen were gentle, peace-loving people. It was rare for one to be as assertive as Mona. However, she had too weak a constitution to become the kind of person she wanted to. Though she had a stronger will than any of her brethren, a stronger heart than any of her family, fate had dealt her a body that was frail even by the low standards of her already weak race. Could anything be more ironic?
But that was precisely why she had prayed.
“I had always prayed my child would be stronger than I... And Shea, you were everything I could have hoped for. You can’t imagine how happy I am to have you as a daughter.”
“Mom...”
Mona hugged her daughter fiercely, trying to convey the depth of her happiness and pride.
“Shea. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beastman, or a monster, or even a freak. They’re all just words. Only you can decide what kind of person you want to become. And all that matters is you become that person. It’s precisely because you’re different from a normal rabbitman that you can become anything your heart desires.”
“......”
Shea could see from up close just how much her mother loved her. Captivated by her gaze, Shea stared back.
Then, like a prophet, Mona started predicting the future.
“Shea. I’m sure you’ll face many hardships in the future. Far more than any normal person would. Growing up will be hard. That’s what happens when you’re different from others.”
“Mom...”
Shea’s rabbit ears drooped and she looked around uneasily. But that wasn’t the end of Mona’s prophecy.
“But I know you have the power to overcome all of them. That’s why, Shea, never hate yourself. Stay bright, stay cheerful. Blow away all those nasty things with a smile. Puff out your chest with pride, ‘I’m Shea Haulia, got a problem with that!?’ As long as you still love yourself, everything will turn out okay.”
“Everything?”
“Yep, everything.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“Fufu, what a good girl you are.”
Her unnaturally bright hair bobbed up and down as she nodded. She decided first she’d start by trying to love the color of her hair.
Mona’s serious gaze vanished, and she smiled playfully.
“Oh yes, mom has one more prediction for you.”
“?”
“One day, I’m sure you’ll meet some wonderful people. It’s possible they won’t be rabbitmen, or even beastmen. They might not even be from this forest... but they’ll be different, just like you, Shea.”
“Just like me?”
“Yep. I’m sure you’ll meet them eventually.” She can’t see the future like me, so why is she so sure? Shea tilted her rabbit ears to the side quizzically.
“After all, it’d be too sad... if you were the only one of your kind in the world. The world can be a cruel place, but it can also be a kind one. That’s why, I’m sure you’ll meet them one day, Shea. People you can trust to have your back, and who will trust you to have theirs.”
“Are there really people like that outside the forest?”
“There are, I’m sure of it. Fufu. Who knows, maybe one of them will end up being your husband.”
“Fweh!? M-M-M-M-My husband!?”
“Yep, and there’ll be a girl you’ll fight with over who gets him that’ll come to be your best friend!”
“Fight with!?”
Mona looked like she was really enjoying herself now. The young and impressionable Shea drunk in every word of her mother’s prophecy.
She had long since forgotten her sadness at being called a monster, and talked happily with her mom. Then Cam, who’d just returned from gathering food, and all the other Haulia who’d seen her run past came into the house and started teasing her about her future husband.
Cam looked a little disappointed upon hearing that Shea was already going to be married, but both Mona and Shea ignored him. No one could have foreseen that her supposed future husband would go on to turn the Haulia into a race of bloodthirsty raiders. Not even Mona could see the future that accurately.
“Mmmmm...” A single girl’s yawn vanished into the general tumult of the busy inn. She stretched and opened her eyes.
“Mmm, it’s morning already?”
“More like it’s past noon already. Just how much longer were you planning on sleeping, you airheaded rabbit?”
Those words instantly brought Shea to alertness, and her bunny ears perked up sharply.
She looked around and saw Hajime sitting by the window, polishing his revolver and staring at Shea with a look of disdain.
“Huh? What are you doing here, Hajime-san? Wait, don’t tell me you snuck in here to— Abweh!?”
“I just said it’s past noon. Yue left to go shopping ages ago. We promised to go together but you wouldn’t wake up even after I tried shocking you so she left by herself.”
“I-I see. Sorry. I’ll get ready and then we can go catch up to her... Wait, so then why did you stay behind in my room?”
Her bunny ears tilted quizzically. Shea had thought Hajime would have gone with Yue. Hajime grimaced and muttered “I’m... not good at dealing with that monster of a clothing store owner.”
The clothing store owner that Hajime and the others had traveled back to Brooke with seemed to put him on edge. He was so unwilling to meet with him that he’d even turned down a date with Yue.
Shea smiled awkwardly and replied, “He’s a nice guy once you get to know him, though.” The way Hajime had said “monster” bothered her a little. Probably because of the dream she’d just had.
“What’s wrong, Shea?”
“Huh?”
Before she knew it, Hajime was staring intently at her. He must have somehow sensed her discomfort. Though she was happy he’d noticed, she wasn’t sure how to respond. Before she could think of what to say, Hajime answered for her.
“Is it something to do with your mom?”
“Huh!?”
“Do you have a mind reading skill too or something!?” Shea asked, amazed. Her bunny ears flattened in shock, and she brought her hands up to the voluptuous chest she’d inherited from her mother.
“Nope. You were just muttering ‘mom’ a lot in your sleep.”
“Oh... I see. Ahaha, how embarrassing. I can’t believe I’m still doing stuff like that even at this age.”
Shea scratched he
r head in embarrassment, but Hajime didn’t buy it and kept staring at her with the same intensity. Finally, it seemed he’d realized something and shrugged his shoulders dismissively.
“Well, it didn’t look like you were having a nightmare at least.” Shea’s heart skipped a beat as she realized he must have been worried about her in his own classic way. She hadn’t told either Hajime or Yue about Mona. It wasn’t like she was trying to hide it, there just had never been a chance to bring it up. Hajime himself had guessed what must have happened to her considering that she hadn’t been anywhere among the Haulia, and that Shea never talked about her. He thought it was a topic she preferred to avoid.
He was far more considerate of her now that they’d cleared a labyrinth together. Shea’s ears and tail flapped about happily.
“Yes, it was a very nostalgic dream. My mother died ten years ago from an illness. Her constitution had always been weak, and after she gave birth to me the doctors said it would be a miracle if she lasted another ten years even.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, she didn’t die when we were being chased by the empire, and I was at least able to say my farewells to her, so it’s not like you need to take any extra care not to mention her or anything.”
“Who said I was?”
Hajime turned around sulkily. Shea followed up with a “Someone’s not being honest with themselves~ Hehe,” to which Hajime responded with a flick to the forehead. Shea rubbed at the red mark that had appeared on her forehead before continuing cheerfully.
“I was actually thinking of telling you and Yue about my mom sometime soon. Would you like to hear about her?”
She wore the same expression she had when she’d told Hajime there were some futures you couldn’t change no matter how hard you tried. Perhaps she had been thinking about what had happened to her mom when she said that. Though this time, there was a hint of pride mixed into her voice as well. Hajime could tell just how much pride Shea must have had in her mother.
“Go ahead. I’m tired enough to sleep through a whole barrage of electric shocks. So since we’ll be staying in here a while longer, I might as well hear some stories about your mom to pass the time.”
“Ehehe, okay.”
Her ears flopped about happily. Hajime found them rather charming, and stretched out his hand to scratch them. Obviously there was no deeper meaning behind that action, he just wanted to know what they felt like. But at that moment,
“No flirting.”
“Oh, Yue. What’re you doing there?”
“Wawawah. You scared me for a second, Yue-san.”
Yue’s emotionless face was glaring at them through the open window. The bags in her hand indicated that she’d finished shopping, and had returned to invite Hajime and Shea to go out with her.
Hajime leaped out the window. Shea quickly got dressed herself and followed after the two.
The warm rays of the sun, something she’d seen little of in the sea of trees, shone down on her as she watched crowds of adventurers and merchants and craftsmen go about their business. Shea closed her eyes happily and skipped lightly through the street.
Many sad things had happened in her life. Most of them had been things she couldn’t change. She’d lost many things important to her. But just like her mom had said, Shea had met them. And that meeting had saved her family. That meeting had led her out into the sunlight. And now, all of Mona’s family had become the kind of determined fighters she’d wanted to be herself.
“You can become anything your heart desires.” Mona’s words echoed through Shea’s mind. “Do you hate monsters?” Nope, definitely not. Shea could say that with certainty now.
“Hajime-san, Yue-san.”
Because next to her were her two favorite people in the world.
“Yeah?” “...Hm?” Hajime and Yue turned around and exclaimed simultaneously. Shea smiled, then said the following.
“I’m glad I was born a monster.”
She smiled, content with who she was.
Hajime and Yue looked at her blankly for a moment. They exchanged a brief glance before smiling back at her. She couldn’t tell if it was an exasperated smile or a happy one. Regardless, this is what they said to her:
“Stop talking nonsense and get over here, you troublesome rabbit. If you lag too far behind, you’ll get a crowd of people begging you to be their slave again.”
“...Yeah. Come closer. I don’t want to have to go looking for you if you get lost.”
Not exactly words of encouragement. But their expressions were gentle. Shea knew that even if they didn’t say it out loud, they treated her like a member of their family now.
Her rabbit ears twitched merrily.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!”
“Oi you, who said you could get between me and Yue?”
“You’ve got guts, Shea. If you want a duel, I’ll gladly take you on.”
Shea purposely butted in between Hajime and Yue while taking both of their hands. Their empty threats were always just that, empty. As the sun neared its zenith, the town grew even livelier. The trio’s banter became just another part of the hustle and bustle of the busy main street. Mom, I’ve found the husband and best friend you said I would. Well, he’s not exactly my husband just yet, but... I’ll do my best to change that! Shea resolved to herself, praying that her words would reach the soul of her departed mother.
Afterword
Hello to all you chuuni lovers out there who picked up this book. It’s me, the chuuni lover Ryo Shirakome.
I know it took a bit longer to get this volume of Arifureta out, but thankfully the wait is finally over.
The atmosphere of this book’s pretty different from volume one, and as I’m sure many of you have noticed, Shea’s gotten a lot more of the spotlight in the published version compared to the web version.
I’m not sure if you guys liked that more or less, but... As long as you enjoyed that bit with the pile bunker, I’m happy.
Yes, very happy. Man, pile bunkers are awesome... Now then, by the time this novel comes out, I’m sure my readers on Narou will have realized the main story’s already over.
So what happens next? Will I keep writing more after stories for Arifureta? Will I return to being just another fan of books? Will I write an entirely new story? Or will I just think of a hundred sentences and write them all out at random? Unlike Shea, I can’t see the future, and I honestly don’t know where I’m going to go next, but... well, it’ll probably be something new and interesting. I hope.
But first, whether it’s a new novel, or a game, or an anime, or even a movie that I work on next, I first need to get down on my knees and beg my publishers for a break. Please support my earnest endeavor to earn a break.
Volume three, if they let me publish it, will finally be the reunion arc.
I hope you’re all looking forward to it as much as I am. I’m hoping I get to add extras into that one too.
And now, onto the acknowledgments.
I’d like to thank my illustrator Takaya-ki, my editor, my publisher, my proofreader, and everyone in the editing department. Without you, this book wouldn’t be here. Thank you for giving your all to make this book a reality.
And last but not least, I’d like to thank you, dear reader, for choosing to pick up this book.
May we meet again in another volume of Arifureta.
Ryo Shirakome
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Copyright
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Vol. 2
by Ryo Shirakome
Translated by Ningen
Edited by DxS
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used f
ictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 Ryo Shirakome
Illustrations Copyright © 2015 Takaya-ki
Cover illustration by Takaya-ki
All rights reserved.
Original Japanese edition published in 2015 by OVERLAP, Inc.
This English edition is published by arrangement with OVERLAP, Inc., Tokyo
English translation © 2017 J-Novel Club LLC
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.
J-Novel Club LLC
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The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.
Ebook edition 1.0: July 2017
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 2 Page 30
