s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「S-Shuri-cchi!?(1)」


s.h.i.+n.o.bu involuntarily rushed towards the bed and stared at her face. As her complexion had somewhat improved compared to earlier, s.h.i.+n.o.bu felt relieved as she exhaled.


s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「I was worried, you know……Shuri-cchi」

Shuri: 「I’m sorry……s.h.i.+n.o.bu-san(2)」


As she did so, Shuri attempted to lift her upper body as her face distorted in agony.


s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Ah, I told you that you have to rest!」

Shuri: 「No, I’m……fine.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Shuri-cchi……」


Following this, as Shuri roused her upper body while ignoring s.h.i.+n.o.bu’s words of restraint, she looked at Hiiro who was observing them with folded arms.


Shuri: 「You really are……Okamura-kun(3)……am I right?」

Hiiro: 「……fuu, will you understand if I do this?」


Then, using the spell 「Origin」『元』, he reverted into the human Okamura Hiiro. Of course, it went without saying that the two were startled. Yet, as they understood that this was definitely the Hiiro that they knew, the two of them were somewhat convinced.


s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「How do I say this, Okamura-cchi looks better this way.」

Hiiro: 「This is the Demon World. In order to avoid annoying disputes, isn’t it obvious that taking the appearance of an 『Evila』 is better?」


As she looked at Hiiro, who spoke thus in an unfriendly manner, Shuri slightly smiled.


Shuri: 「Fufu, you’re definitely Okamura-kun. Do you perhaps remember, Okamura-kun?」

Hiiro: 「Ah?」

Shuri: 「Although you said that you had no memory of ever talking to us when we were in j.a.pan, you actually talked to me during the entrance ceremony, even if only once.」


Of course, Hiiro didn’t remember any of that. Rather, Hiiro had thought that she was spouting bull s.h.i.+t. Although Shuri held slightly melancholic, downcast eyes, she began to move her mouth in an attempt to explain herself.


Shuri: 「Okamura-kun, after the entrance ceremony, you went straight to the library, right?」


Come to think of it, I did go there. As Hiiro thought thus, he nodded in his mind.


Shuri: 「At that time, I had also gone there. As I also enjoy reading books, I was so excited about what kind of books they would have there that I accidentally tripped over my feet.」

Hiiro: 「So you’re saying that we met then?」


It seemed that he did not remember.


Shuri: 「Yes. As I was about to enter the library, you contrarily came out. At that time, as I had just knocked your shoulder, the book that you were holding fell to the floor.」

Hiiro: 「……ah」


Hiiro gradually remembered that something like that had certainly occurred.


Shuri: 「Have you remembered? Although it was a conversation that couldn’t be called one, when I picked up the book, I spoke the following. 『Do you like books?』At that time, do you remember what kind of answer you gave me?」

Hiiro: 「……no idea.」


Hiiro did not remember in precise detail. As she was capable of remembering such things, Hiiro expressed admiration towards Shuri.


Shuri: 「You told me this. 『It’s my reason for living.』」


Suddenly, silence a.s.saulted the room as everyone’s eyes began to focus towards Hiiro. Perhaps due to slight embarra.s.sment, Hiiro turned his eyes towards the sky.


Hiiro: 「Did I really say such a thing? Isn’t that just some bull s.h.i.+t?」

Shuri: 「No. Although we had only conversed to that extent, it was so simple yet complex that it left a great impression on me.」


She answered as she wore a delicate smile. 「As expected of s.h.i.+shou(4) desu zo! Yo, Reincarnation of Intellectual l.u.s.t(5)!」As Nikki had spoke while getting carried away, Hiiro’s fist decided to pay them a visit. Mikazuki, who had witnessed the spectacle, began to make fun of Nikki who had been scolded.


Hiiro: 「Haa, so? For what reason did you bring up such a story? You couldn’t possibly be trying to elicit sympathy from me with that, right?」

Shuri: 「No, I simply just wanted to try and have a talk with Okamura-kun. I mean, ever since we came here, you immediately got separated from us.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Is that so……to think that Shuri-cchi and Okamura-cchi had such an encounter.」

Hiiro: 「Our encounter has nothing to do with this, right? At the moment, the problem is with you guys. To me, as long as you guys get out of here by night time, then that’s fine with me.」

Shuri: 「…………that’s right. If we impose any more than this, we’ll be causing trouble for Okamura-kun after all.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「W-wait! You alright with that, Shuri-cchi!? There’s no way that your condition has gotten better, right? Not to mention, even after we walk out of here, it wouldn’t be strange for us to get a.s.saulted at any time, you know?」

Shuri: 「But we still have to look for Chika and Tais.h.i.+ as well.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Y-Yeah, but……」


Certainly, they were worried about the whereabouts of the two that had been blown away. However, they were currently in, what some might call, the heart of enemy territory. Furthermore, as they were heroes, on top of being 『Humas』, it was unthinkable that they would be able to easily escape from the country under the current circ.u.mstances.


s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Also, Shuri-cchi. If what Hiiro says is true, then wouldn’t that mean we no longer have a place to stay in the human world?」

Shuri: 「T-that’s……」


The two depressingly hung their heads. Indeed, the King had used the heroes as disposable p.a.w.ns. If they were to perhaps return to him unharmed, they would simply be treated as puppets once again. The two were not so foolish as to still possess the desire to fight under the command of such a King.


Hiiro: 「I don’t really care, but one of the Demon Lord’s envoys are coming here soon to call me.」

???: 「Eh-!?」


The two’s faces paled respectively. That was to be expected. After all, they had come this far with the intention of slaying the Demon Lord. Such a Demon Lord would undoubtedly show them no mercy. The idea of them thinking that they would be killed if found was only natural.


Nikki: 「Mumu?(6) Why would s.h.i.+shou be called for?」


Nikki asked as they tilted their head to the side.


Mikazuki: 「Nikki is such a baka!(7) Isn’t it obvious that it’s because Goshujin(8) is so cool mon!(9)」


Mikazuki followed it with thus.


Nikki: 「Muu~(10) what do you mean by baka!? Also, I’m the one who knows the most about how cool s.h.i.+shou is desu zo!(11)」

Mikazuki: 「You’re wrong mon! The one who knows best is Mikazuki da mon!」

Nikki: 「It’s me desu zo!」

Mikazuki: 「Mikazuki da mon!」


*Poka-!* *Poka-!*(12)


Nikki: 「Nowa-!?(13)」

Mikazuki: 「Myu-!?(13)」

Hiiro: 「You guys go outside for a bit. You’re annoying.」


As they saw Hiiro’s cheeks twitch due to anger, the two rubbed their heads as they dejectedly left the room.

As Shuri had seen the three’s exchange, she-


Shuri: 「You get along well, don’t you?」

Hiiro: 「Have your eyes gone rotten? Those guys are my subordinates.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Subordinates, you say……you’ve really made your way up in this world, huh……Okamura-cchi」

Hiiro: 「That’s just because, unlike you guys, I haven’t been playing around.」


As they were told such, they could not object. Although they wanted to believe that they were not playing around either, it was also a fact that the difference between their level of experience compared to Hiiro’s was so overwhelming that one might call it embarra.s.sing.


Hiiro: 「By the way, hurry up and decide what you’re gonna do. Just to give you a warning, I won’t be lending you a hand.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「B-But why?」

Hiiro: 「Because we’re unrelated parties.」


As she was told thus frankly, s.h.i.+n.o.bu hardened.


Shuri: 「We were just together at that time……we are unrelated.」

Hiiro: 「That’s right. You guys and I have no relations.h.i.+p whatsoever. We just share the commonality of being summoned together.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Because we’re strangers……because we’re unrelated, are you saying that you don’t care what happens to us?」


Her tone had become slightly infused with anger.


Hiiro: 「Aa(14), that’s right.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「No way!」

Hiiro: 「Even you guys didn’t bother to wonder about how I was living in this world all by myself, right?」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「T-that’s……」

Hiiro: 「The thoughts that I felt when I killed a monster that resembled a person. The fact that I had almost died while fighting a Unique Monster. Even the fact that I had used these hands to wound people, you guys didn’t know anything about it, right?」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「B-But isn’t it only natural that we didn’t know about it!?」

Hiiro: 「Aa, of course it’s natural. After all, we’re unrelated.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「But that’s……」

Hiiro: 「Then are you saying that you would rush to my side over such long distances just for my sake? While you guys were sleeping and eating in the castle without a care in the world, if you had know that I was surrounded by monsters in the Demon World, are you saying that you would have rushed to my side at full speed?」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「…………」

Hiiro: 「That doesn’t seem to be the case, huh. If you guys possessed such benevolent thoughts, then when I said that I would live in this world by myself, you guys would have tried to stop me by using any means necessary.」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「…………」

Hiiro: 「Ultimately, you guys haven’t been thinking about anyone else but yourselves. Even when you were told to partic.i.p.ate in the war, you guys didn’t bother to investigate whether or not the 『Evila』 were really such an existence that had to be exterminated, right? That’s because you guys didn’t think about anything else but yourselves. Have you looked around this city or the Demon World? Have you ever been to the village of the 『Orchid Race』? Even though those guys over there have had their friends destroyed by the Humas, they have been enduring for all this time while believing that, as long as they have patience, the war will soon come to an end, you know? What about the 『Shukaara Race』? Did you know that they have a history of saving humans, and that they pray as they believe that, one day, humans can fall in love with 『Evila』? Furthermore…」

s.h.i.+n.o.bu: 「Please, enough already-!」

Hiiro: 「…………」


As s.h.i.+n.o.bu covered both of her ears, her att.i.tude conveyed that she did not want to hear anymore.


Hiiro: 「Even so, you guys were thoughtlessly going to exterminate the 『Evila』? It’s comical, you guys’ short-sightedness. Look at your surroundings. The world is not so simple, you know. A variety of people hold various thoughts as they live their various lives. I don’t know what kind of justice you guys held as you fought your way here, but, in my opinion, you guys who don’t see anything are the evil ones.」


Hiiro simply opened the window and went outside. The two that had been left behind hung their heads, as if their time had stopped.



Next time, as I had said before, Hiiro will make a serious decision.
If you were to think ‘Heh~ so it’s come this’ then that would be fortunate ww