Translator: Shuvi

Editor: Deus ex-Machina, Perditor

TL Note: So I’ve sort of had enough of this novel with how it’s developing with the “save girls” theme. I will definitely finish up this volume with the short epilogue, but I am planning on dropping it after in the event that someone wants to pick it up. I am thinking of picking up unbreakable machine doll.

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A few days after contact with the coma incident culprit. On this day, Suimei who had been going through sleepless nights thinking about dark and healing magic on his arm, was staring intensely at the spine of a book in the famed Imperial Library.

“Dark magic huh…”

Dark magic. According to what he had heard from Felmenia, who was an expert on magic in this world, it was hard to cla.s.sify even among the eight cla.s.ses of magic in this world, a special type of magic. However, it wasn’t Felmenia’s area of speciality, so her knowledge was limited to the effects and condition at the time he had received it. There were dark magic users in Astel, but they usually didn’t like to be involved in other people’s matters meaning that they couldn’t learn more in detail from them.

In that case even if they came to the Imperial Library famed for it’s quant.i.ty of books, there weren’t many on dark magic. Even for the ones that did exist, for those about manipulating the dark, heretical elements, that you couldn’t use it without great apt.i.tude, that it destroys the pract.i.tioner’s body, etc., there weren’t many that could be of reference.

As Felmenia and Lefille said, even in history users of dark magic were few, and they died premature deaths because of how it destroyed the body. Dying early, the books that may have been left behind by them were limited.

“.......”

Loosening his bandage on his left hand, Suimei took a look under.

The magic that had penetrated his golden fortress and injured him. The black haze with a sort of moisture as if it was living, Dark. The after effects were that the affected arm and hand were full of wrinkles as well as black bruises.

Just what was this?

Fire, water, wind, lightning, earth, wood, light, these all had material existences, while on the other hand darkness had no particular energy or physical form.

Normally, darkness was something that absorbed light, the s.p.a.ce where there is nothing. The s.p.a.ce with no light, meaning that nothing was there.

Though it was true that in this world there could be something thought of as dark energy or dark matter. The aforementioned were numbers and material existences theorized to exist as a necessity to uphold the laws of physics.

If dark is based on that, then there should be magic to materialize it. Because through the mysteries of numbers, if imaginary numbers were once again combined with each other they would change from nonexistence to once again existing.

But in this world that hadn’t even developed mathematical theory, the general notion of complex numbers that had only relatively recently been discovered in Suimei’s original world and the manifestation of numbers should not exist. Even a.s.suming that it did, there was no way that they would be actively trying to achieve an effect like dark magic.

On one hand, it was impossible to make “nothing” manifest, and moreover for it to have a direct effect on the Astral Body. In that case it wasn’t something that could be inferred off of normal methods of thinking.

The power to interfere with spells, obstruct light, an Astral attack that had direct bodily effects. A power that exhibited all of those effects, could it really exist in this world?

While pondering that, laughter began to leak out of the calm Suimei.

“Ha, hahahaha…”

Yes, this was the stuff. The time when you ran into a wall while pursuing mysteries. He could feel the emotions of pursuing the unknown. This was precisely the reason why he reached for the unknown, his true feelings as someone who studied the mysteries. And once again, to reconfirm that he always had to continue his pursuit. It was the same for this dark magic.

The level of civilization in this world, if compared to the other one, was low. In that case he had to return his common sense of theories and laws to match the level at that time. To the era of caloric and phlogiston theory ( No, way farther back than that. What was farther than that? Normally, Astral Attacks were thought of using the power of the pagan G.o.d Goetia ( Arts borrowing the power of a mysterious ent.i.ty, attacking the spiritual body that could not be reached by normal means and witchcraft and old Gandr techniques and hexes of yin yang were also the same. Their congealed fanatical thoughts could easily damage the spirit and soul of other people. It was curse magic. But in this world, all magic was considered to make use of the elements. Then, barring a few exceptions, it was unthinkable that they could use curse magic.

But, that was, at that time, what spread out from the left hand should have been resentment.

That was right. At that time he was unconsciously saying it, but he felt it. The disgusting feeling that he had sensed. That power was certainly hatred and resentment. Something that she had to deal with. In that magic that disregarded one’s own body, she remembered her anger. Even though she was so small and so young. She was using that kind of thing.

Suddenly Liliana’s figure pa.s.sed through Suimei’s head. The culprit was also about as young as her. If we take that to be the case, then wouldn’t it be ideal to correct her path as a magician?

My head is all muddled right now. I need to collect myself.

He wasn’t thinking logically right now. His mind was connecting different matters through trivial similarities, convincing himself of the theory he came up with himself. What he was thinking of right now felt like a premonition.  But there was no way something like a premonition would fall upon him. That’s why Liliana was not that shadow, and was not a dark magic user. She wasn’t walking on the wrong path of magic.

“...Su..mei...no.”

That’s why, think hard. Right now I’m thinking about dark magic. It was a power that definitely had a negative effect. So then, what element did it use? No wait, in the first place did dark magic use an element? Could the premise itself be wrong? Then in that case we have to think farther back in the history.

“...Suimei-dono!”

“?!? Ahh, Menia.”

In response to her shouting right next to his ear, Suimei snapped out of his thoughts, whipping his head up as if he had jumped. The owner of the voice was Felmenia.

“Oh Menia? No, I mean, what in the world is wrong?”

“Um, I just interrupted your thoughts.”

As she answered, she tried to apologize for interrupting while fumbling with her hands at a corner of the desk.

Then, while arranging the magic items he had brought to read the grimoires, Suimei also asked back. She was the one who he had asked to gather information after all.

“So, found anything yet?”

“I haven’t really come up with anything.”

“I see. As I thought no one will cooperate with us.”

“It seems that some information has been communicated to the people living in the Empire from the religious believers. That’s the word that’s been floating around.”

Felmenia had a sullen face. As they had thought, it would be hard to get any results from asking around. It seemed it would be the most useful to just have those that would cooperate keep an eye out.

“The military police were comparatively more helpful.”

“Why?”

“It seems they don’t get along too well with Elliot-dono.”

“Oh?”

“Well I’m sure Suimei knows already but, before the two of you fought, he was joining the search for the criminal. When he was about to set out to search, the military police also decided to cooperate with him but now using his t.i.tle as hero under the Salvation Church, he’s using them to get them to provide all their information for his search.”

Certainly, using the name of the hero and the backing of the church would be very beneficial. Although the used party would have bad feelings about it.

“Well anyway, the military police I was talking to said ‘All the achievements are accredited to the hero’ in a dejected tone while drinking, with pretty clear negative feelings, so they probably won’t help the hero too much.”

The hero Elliot. They had only spoken at the Twilight Pavilion but it seemed he was a more diligent person than Suimei had thought. Because of the religious believers, they weren’t doing a straightforward search for the culprit of the evil deeds this time, although to their credit, they probably didn’t have a complete grasp of the crimes either.

“Then, do the military police want to use us for their revenge or something?”

“They’ve already begun their gamble.”

“They’re quite willing huh. Even though the citizens might get hurt in the process.”

Affected by Felmenia’s sigh, Suimei began to rub his temples. As he did so, Felmenia seemed like she might have another reason for the military police’s inactivity.

“There’s a little bit more but, I’ll tell you when I find some proof.”

“Okay. Also, what happened to that n.o.ble we came across when we were running?”

“He is currently recuperating in his residence, but his state of consciousness is the same as everyone else, it hasn’t returned yet.”

The man who seemed to have taken the short shadow’s magic was whisked away by the military police while Suimei watched his status from afar. After investigating, did they have to go and look as well?

“I see. Then I leave it to you to keep watch.”

　　　　　★

After listening to Felmenia’s report, the two of them both sat down at the same time in the library’s chairs, upon which Suimei thought of something.

“I just thought of it but, we can talk without any hitches and we both can read books huh.”

Recently, he had been thinking alot about books and conversations. That matter about the discrepancy in Elliot’s speech and him being able to read books in a different language.

“It’s because of the blessing from the hero summoning ritual. Haven’t we talked about something like this before?”

“Well I noticed that I was really thinking about it a lot earlier. I didn’t listen to the details but, in the end, why is it that we’re able to communicate?”

“Through the summoning ritual, a translating function is automatically given to the summoned people but, it seems that this is something that is based off of the summoned person’s knowledge.”

“Oh?”

“In the case of Suimei, to my knowledge… the things from your world are cross checked with my knowledge and if there are any matching terms they are translated while things that didn’t exist in Suimei’s world are merely translated word for word. Of course it works vice versa for the words that I don’t know.”

In other words there is a limit between the concepts that exist and those that don’t. Certainly, earlier when he had fought with Felmenia, she hadn’t understood the words “Barrier Technique.” In that way the translation is limited, and likewise how the concept of dark magic doesn’t exist in the other world, since the phrase is just the two words for dark and magic in this world, those are individually translated and put together.

As Suimei’s thoughts continued, Felmenia puffed out her abundant chest as if there was something to brag about.

“So in other words, the one that is helping you in speech, reading, and p.r.o.nunciation, is my knowledge!”

Next to Felmenia who let out a happy-looking “Ehem,” Suimei seemed to let out a sigh as if saying “you did well,” in admiration. Then, Felmenia brought up a topic that she had forgotten to talk about earlier.

“Oh right, Suimei, in the end how did the things you wanted to investigate turn out?”

“It was no good. There’s literally nothing I can refer to here.”

Suimei jokingly raising his hands in surrender as if it was all over while Felmenia put on a gloomy expression. Noticing they had taken it differently, Suimei suddenly changed to a serious tone.

“But right now I’m thinking about a counter-measure.”

“Counter-measure?”

“That and also what that thing even was.”

“Even for us, there is still a lot not known about dark magic but...can Suimei a.n.a.lyze it with just the knowledge from your world?”

“I don’t think there is anything that can’t be a.n.a.lyzed. There shouldn’t be anything in this world that can’t be understood. Well, right now it’s also my goal.”

Is what he said in an optimistic tone. To deduce from the knowledge he had gained, “is it not this?” After was just the matter of observing and making sure. Then, Felmenia tilted her head and spoke.

“So there’s also a separate matter that’s been on my mind.”

“What?”

“The words that she added onto the end of her chant. Even I’ve never heard them. Umm…”

“Algo, Lecula, Ragua, Sec.u.n.to, Labielalu, Beibaron...right.”

“Yeah, that was it. I don’t recall ever hearing those words before. What could they be...”

Her voice trailing off, Felmenia’s face deepened in thought until a voice came from behind.

“Excuse me, are you free right now?”

When they turned around, they saw a man clad in the white uniform of the library.

Suimei had become acquainted with him the first time he had come to the library.

“Librarian-san. You’re letting me use a lot of materials to research again today.”

“Yakagi-kun… Seem’s you’re full of vigor today as well.”

In response to the librarian’s praise, Suimei replied with a “well…” while giving a smile.

At that moment, Felmenia, who didn’t know him, asked a question.

“Forest person? Suimei, who is this?”

By forest person she probably meant the elves. Since he had introduced himself earlier as an elf, it was most likely just a different name for that.

“This is the librarian Romion. He explained the workings of the library when I came here before.”

“Is that so. It’s unusual. From what I’ve heard the forest people don’t really like to get close to others.”

Felmenia raised her eyebrows as she spoke. In response, the librarian made a wry smile.

“I’m often called eccentric since I left the forest I was born in.”

As he spoke in a sort of self-derisive voice, the perception of elves in this world seemed to be like that in stories of the other world. They lived reclusive lives in the forest. Putting that aside,

“While that may be true, is there something you need?”

“None, when I pa.s.sed by I noticed you two were talking about dark magic, and I was interested.”

To the interested Romion, Felmenia widened her eyes as if surprised.

“Do you know of it?”

“Well, I spent some time with it, so more or less.”

　　　　　★

Unexpectedly being able to learn something from Romion, they sat around a table. Taking his seat, Romion immediately began to talk.

“Dark magic. Even within the eight elements, fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, wood, light, and darkness, in a word, it is strong. No, rather, it is an atrocious magic… is maybe how I should put it. So, why are the two of you investigating it?”

“Well, it’s for him.”

Being singled out, Suimei showed the bandage on his left hand. As he did so, Romion put on a surprised look.

“This… so you were looking into dark magic…”

Felmenia returned a question to Romion who groaned while adjusting his gla.s.ses that had fallen down a bit.

“That you understood upon looking at it, do you also know the symptoms?”

“Before working here as a librarian, I was a magic doctor. I have also been responsible for curing those affected by dark magic. Can I see it for a bit?”

Without much reason to refuse, Suimei extended his bandaged left hand to show him. Romion observed it for a while, until eventually letting out a sigh of admiration.

“... It’s stable right now. Normally, if one had received dark magic this strong, it would have already corroded the body to the core. Suimei-kun, did you...?”

“Well, I only used the healing magic I knew.”

“No, it’s an amazing method. I’ve never seen a treatment this effective.”

Saying that, Romion’s expression made a complete turn-around, and he asked seriously,

“Where did you receive the dark magic?”

“The criminal that has been causing all those incidents recently.”

“You couldn’t have been attacked?!?”

To the surprised Romion, Suimei summarized the situation. Due to the G.o.ddess’s oracle, he was competing with Elliot, and had fought with the criminal a few days earlier.

Romion made a steep face as he listened.

“...I see, that... certainly I have heard that someone was competing with the hero but, for that to be you…”

Letting out a worried breath due to the situation, Romion corrected his posture. Then, he spoke while looking at them with a sincere expression.

“How do I put it… please stop.”

“By stop, do you mean looking for the criminal?”

“Yes. It is not my place to say this but, if the criminal uses magic then it is too dangerous. Of course if you don’t handle it well, you could receive a fatal disease from receiving dark magic, but it is also possible to die from the shock.”

“Regardless, to me there are two companions involved.”

“However, your life is irreplaceable, right? Going along with the hero is of course dangerous but…”

As Romion spoke, he glanced at Felmenia. In response to his modest opinion, a complicated expression surfaced on Felmenia’s face.

“Furthermore, earlier you mentioned Beibaron correct?”

As Romion said that, Felmenia questioned with a frown.

“About that…”

“Those words, I’ve remembered hearing them.”

“If you know them, would you inform us about it?”

Romion nodded and slowly began to speak.

“It’s a Cthulian G.o.d.”

“Cthulian G.o.d?”

“Yes. Cthulian G.o.ds were created at the same time as dark magic but lost in the old ages. They have special attributes...essentially they amplify dark magic.”

“Amplify?”

“Yes. If these words are combined with dark magic, then the power is multiplied by several fold. I’m a.s.suming that the dark magic caster used them right?”

“Then, the dark magician.”

“Probably can use quite powerful dark magic.”

In response to Romion’s explanation, Felmenia held her breath.

“I will say it again. Please stop. No matter how many lives you have it won’t be enough.”

“But we have to do it.”

“For your companions?”

Seeing Suimei nodding, Romion sighed, giving up trying to persuade him any further.

“If you’re going that far then stopping you is futile.”

“Even though you went as far to explain everything to us, sorry.”

“I understand. Never forget the danger of dark magic.”

Saying that, Romion said “I’ll be going,” and returned to his work.

“Cthulian G.o.ds and dark magic… Suimei-dono?”

Felmenia tilted her head with a bitter face as she sunk into thought. Muttering as if she had some concerns, she looked towards Suimei, noticing that he was looking off somewhere else.

“Cthulian G.o.ds... hmm.”

　　　　　★

From that time, another victim had popped up while the criminal was still at large.

On this day as well, Suimei went looking for cats in order to remember the city layout.

The military police, the hero, as well as themselves. Perhaps because they realized that they were being searched for, but the criminals seemed to also have reduced their crime rate, so the searches at night turned poor results.

As a result, they were trying to look for more help in searching as well as poking their faces into every alley, bush, and empty s.p.a.ce.

And, now, having just found the second cat, Suimei exited the alleyway.

“Hey, stop biting. My fingers don’t taste good.”

He had pet it once, but perhaps the cat liked something, so Suimei was troubled at the cat that was play biting his left index finger. The habit of cats to play bite was fundamentally the actions of a cat bringing down prey and attacking, but the cat he was holding right now was relaxed as if it wanted him to keep petting it.

As he thought such while petting, a familiar face appeared in front of him.

“Suimei Yakagi…”

The familiar features were that of Liliana Zandike.

“Hoh, twintail eyepatch huh. It’s been a while.”

“Twintai… why that name?”

“No, it’s nothing. Anyway, it’s unexpected meeting you here. Did you end up wanting candy?”

Suimei joked, but perhaps she wasn’t in the mood but, Liliana responded coldly.

“No.”

“So it wasn’t candy?”

“That’s, irrelevant.”

“Then what’s up?”

Suimei asked the steep-faced Liliana. It didn’t seem like she was off playing but, from the way she responded something was off. But, she was concentrating on Suimei’s chest, and her cold visage was somehow insufficient. At Suimei’s chest were two cats, but,

“The, cats...I…”

“Huh?”

As if to say she wanted the cats, Liliana spread out both hands and approached.

　　　　　★

Giving Liliana one of the cats, right now she was calming down at a chair next to the water fountain.

“Meow, meow, meow, meow.”

Without even looking over at Suimei, Liliana was making meowing sounds while innocently playing with the cats. If anyone saw the famous child holding the two front paws of the cat, it would look like she was happy in paradise. The smile that she had right now was almost shining.

“Meow, meow, gyuu.”

With the end of the rhythm, Liliana hugged the cat. She must really love cats, as she was quite lovely with them and looked as if she had forgotten about me. Suimei then raised his voice.

“You look like you’re having fun.”

“?!? Un-until when, will you, be there? Suimei Yakagi-kun!”

“Um, until you give them back?”

Saying, that, Liliana asked back suspiciously.

“Give them back? These, kittens, to you?”

“Yeah.”

“These are wild, right? Not yours. Why are you, abducting cats? This could turn into a matter for capital punishment by the military court, you know.”

Abducting? While staring daggers at him, and moreover mentioning capital punishment without any discussion, she was speaking quite dangerously. Even though the cats had only said “meow” as they came with him.

Well,

“Why? I wasn’t abducting cats.”

“Oh… I see. Then in that case, it is okay.”

Was it fine? Liliana voiced her acknowledgement and then became absorbed into playing with the cats again. It didn’t seem like they had really understood each other. At any rate,

“You like cats huh.”

“Not just cats,. dDogs too;. bBecause, all animals are good.”

After a little while, Liliana then threw out an unexpected question.

“I heard, but, you are competing with, the hero, to catch the recent event’s criminal, right?”

“Ah, you’re well informed.”

“Because information, naturally comes to my ears.”

It was probably because she was part of the military information department, as she didn’t seem like she was bragging. Continuing her question,

“Why did you think to compete with the hero?”

“That’s well, because I have two companions with me.”

He had spoken thinking she already knew.

“If the G.o.ddess decreed such, then wouldn’t it be fine to leave it to the hero? That way, you wouldn’t get involved with anything, and should be, more free;. And, if it was the G.o.ddess’s oracle, then you shouldn’t do anything reckless.”

“You’re quite cold.”

“It might be cold but, it’s the, truth.”

“Truth huh.”

As he repeated after her, Liliana turned towards him with an irritated look.

“Is it not? Also, I want to ask, but what’s wrong with your hand?”

“You’re asking about this? The criminal got me.”

As he said that, Liliana looked down at his bandage.

“...Is it, bad?”

“No not really. It’ll heal right away.”

“Heal…? It’ll heal?!?”

“Hmm? Why are you so surprised?”

Seeing her unexpectedly surprised, Suimei asked back. As he tilted his head, Liliana averted her eyes.

“N, no, I just heard from the colonel. I heard so…”

“I see. But your thoughts are strange.”

“Strange… do you know? The criminal has hurt many people, he’s a very dangerous person. It would be better, if you didn’t get involved.”

“Weren’t you just all strict with me earlier? Are you worried?”

“No, not really.”

She replied instantly.

“I’ve said similar things recently, but, if I had the intention of losing I wouldn’t have accepted the challenge.”

“Why? Why are you, fixated to that degree? Furthermore, if it’s to save the world then…”

Would it be typical to give up? Sacrifice the few for the many. Certainly, because of the approaching crisis, the question of sacrificing the few might not come up.

“Before that.”

“What?”

“Let them go already.”

Suimei pointed at the cats Liliana was holding. The cat’s had at some point began swinging their tails left and right.

“When cat’s aren’t happy they usually wave their tails like that. Wouldn’t it be hot to be held like that?”

“...They don’t want it?”

Liliana looked sad. Upon releasing the cats with a reluctant expression, the cat’s looked over at her and watched her. It seemed they were still interested in her and didn’t dislike her. Seeing thishat, some of the sparkle returned to Liliana’s eyes as she gazed at them.

“I asked earlier but,”

“Yeah. Why am I going against the G.o.ddess and hero, was it?”

Liliana nodded. Taking in a breath, Suimei responded after a little.

“You, don’t you have something you want to protect?”

“Want to protect, you sayid?”

“Yeah. That’s how it is for those two to me.”

“...”

Yes. That had to exist. Felmenia had come to helpsave him on her own accord;, and, it didn’t even need to be said for Lefille. It was the same for himself, they were two that he should protect.

“I, don’t really know. It’s, unnecessary to do unreasonable things to that extent…”

“You don’t know? For example, your family or something?”

“...”

It felt like he could hear something she couldn’t voice out.

“What’s wrong?”

“I, don’t have something like a family.”

Her tone dropped by several degrees as if she was rejecting something. It was as if he had stepped on something sensitive. Suimei didn’t know what had sparked her anger; but, she should have a father. Adding up the times he had met with her, there were three times he had met the military man with the swept back hair.

“That person, wasn’t he your father?”

“The colonel is my superior before my father.”

What did that mean. In any typical family, even there was that kind of relationship, in peaceful times wouldn’t he be her father first? Just as he was about to speak up, Liliana hung her head.

“The colonel is not my real father. Because I was thrown away by my parents.”

“So it was like that. Sorry. Was that something I shouldn’t have asked?”

“Not really.”

Suimei apologized once more. Then, he once again repeated his answer to the question.

“Well, my a.s.sociation with the two of them is still shallow but, the two of them are important to me.”

“That’s why you’re doing the unreasonable? Are you looking for a premature death? You’re an idiot.”

“That’s cold.”

“But, I also…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s, nothing.”

Seeing Liliana shake her head, Suimei replied with an “I see,” and stopped asking.

Glancing at her face, he noticed that at some point her eyes had lost their sparkle, becoming distant and empty. While gazing at the cat that stuck a paw out, she played with it.

After staring absent mindedly for a little, Suimei looked for a frozen candy from a nearby street stall. Standing up, he bought two and then came back.

“Here. Thanks for before.”

Liliana looked up with sleepy eyes at the frozen candies he stuck out.

“I thought I, said I didn’t need it.”

“Isn’t it fine? You don’t lose anything so, take it.”

“I don’t need it.”

“I already bought them so.”

Liliana hung her head silently, and then spoke in a melancholic voice.

“Why are you being, so nice to me?”

“Why…?”

“It would be fine if, you were just cold-hearted to me like the rest of them, treated me as if I was an unpleasant thing.”

Dark. Her pupils, his own reflection in her eyes, maybe everything. She was in the middle of a pitch black darkness. A thrown away unsympathetic thing. Those words made him think of her situation.

“I’m creepy aren’t I? Even though I’m little, I have magic to harm others. No matter who you ask, it’s only offensive magic. That’s why.”

“Is everyone like that? Like that time.”

“In the Empire, I’m a frightening object. Created by the information department to hide in the shadows, I’m a huge dark light.”

“Is that why, there’s no one like me?”

“That’s right. There’s no one like you, aside from the colonel.”

Driven by her warped purpose, she gradually calmed down. Liliana depressedly dropped her shoulders and remained silent.

“You don’t talk much but, you’re a nice person.”

Saying his thoughts, Suimei took out a softened piece of dried meat and gave it to the cats.

“But, isn’t it hard?”

“That is my job. To be unpleasant. I cannot refuse.”

“Is that why you’re just resigning yourself to it?”

A twelve or thirteen years old girl. She shouldn’t even know her own future plans.

“All we’re talking about is myself.”

“Do you want to hear about me?”

“...Why did you come to the Empire?”

“There was something I wanted.”

“Where did you learn, that strange magic?”

“I was taught by my father.”

“How did you find the criminal?”

“I was looking for him and it was just a coincidence.”

“...”

“What, is this an interrogation? Were you told by the colonel to search for people of similar builds?”

“That’s right.”

Liliana quickly responded. Was it not necessary to hide it?”

At that time,

“An unexpected meeting, Suimei Yakagi.”

Hearing a voice from the side, Suimei turned his head and saw the hero Elliot.

“Ah, hero-sama.”

Was it a walk, or maybe part of his search? It was an unusual encounter.

“Are you in the middle of a break? You seem quite free. Could it be that something’s holding back your search?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask you, what are you doing idly chatting in this kind of place? Haven’t you heard that that yields poor results?”

“Don’t get carried away just because you found the criminal once by chance. I mean, right now, aren’t you just playing with animals?

The two of them were trying to provoke each other, but the exchange didn’t develop into anything dangerous. It was because Suimei and Liliana had calmed down due to Elliot’s intentions with his greeting. It had nothing to do with the earlier outbursts.

“Are the magic priest and the others not with you today?”

“I’m not always with Christa you know. She has her own time. That being said, aren’t you here today with a different girl?”

After he said that, Elliot looked at Liliana.

“You better not have be doing anything with those girls.”

“Isn’t it healthier than if it were with guys?”

“Well, I can’t deny that.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Suimei snorted. Upon which, Elliot once again looked at Liliana.

“She is?”

“Not a companion. She’s military personnel. I’m being questioned because for cat abduction.”

“You’ve definitely been caught red-handed. It’d be nice if she’d just take you to jail.”

“Whatever you say.”

Giving a sidelong glance to Suimei, Elliot then smiled at Liliana. However, she only mustered up a wall of killing intent and magic power without regard to his ident.i.ty as the hero.

Elliot was a little bit surprised, but his att.i.tude didn’t crumble.

“I guess she doesn’t like me?”

“Who knows, she’s always like that.”

It was a fitting response. Suimei also didn’t know what she wanted. Seeing her care about the cats, however, Elliot called out to her and approached.

“Hey.”

“What?”

Was there something he wanted to ask? As Suimei curtly replied curtly, Elliot asked again in a serious tone.

“Let me ask again. Why are you going against the G.o.ddess Alshuna? Even if you say it’s because you can’t understand the oracle, it’s the thoughts of the G.o.ddess of the world you live in you know.”

“Rather than that, I’d like to know why you, someone who came from another world, is blindly accepting the words of the G.o.ddess of this world.”

“I’m not blindly accepting it. I just think it something I should do, and so am accepting it.”

As he said that, Elliot looked up at the clear skies. In response to what he said, Suimei also remembered something.

(Maybe Reiji was also like this.)

Reiji also had said that he felt a sense of responsibility from somewhere and obstinately claimed it was for the people of this world. Perhaps there was some kind of similarity there.

“The G.o.ddess Alshuna is the G.o.d that made this world, right? Omniscient and omnipotent, she protects the people from interferences I heard. Think about it, would the words of a lofty being like that have no meaning?”

“Lofty huh.”

Suimei said those words with a scornful laugh as if it was a joke of a junior. Elliot, who had replied so diligently, harbored anger upon hearing that.

“What’s so funny?”

“What’s so funny? Of course it is. Omniscient and omnipotent? Lofty? What, are you going to say next that she’s doing it from the goodness of her heart next? Are you guys that high and n.o.ble? All you guys do is throw away others for your own benefits. Can you really have such deillusions?”

“deIllusions. I don’t think you really have any basis for that, do you?”