kscans

Chapter 244 - It's Okay to Run. Even So...

Being late October, the nights had grown chilly.

I pedaled through the thoroughly darkened town on a bicycle I hadn’t ridden in ages. This might have been the first time I’d gone out this late for something unrelated to a dungeon.

My parents, however, far from stopping me, had pushed me out the door with all their might. They were practically giddy. And that was despite me telling them that Aira-san and I didn’t have that kind of relationship.

The designated meeting spot was a deserted park.

I remembered coming here for some school event back in elementary school, and I seemed to recall there being all sorts of playground equipment and trees surrounding the area.

But now, it was remarkably sparse. All that remained were three pull-up bars, a sandbox, and a single bench and vending machine. The trees that once ringed the park were now just scattered here and there, several meters apart. It was unavoidable for safety reasons, I suppose, but it made for a lonely scene.

Slightly bewildered by a sight so different from my memory, I parked my bike in the corner of a parking space that had been added in place of the trees.

A single car was parked there. I recognized the model and glanced toward it, but a familiar voice reached me first.

"Kyou-chan-kun."

"Ah, Aira-sa—"

I started to reply, but the words caught in my throat.

There she was, illuminated by the moon and the park’s streetlights. Gently tucking her silvery-white hair behind her right ear, she offered me a placid smile.

She must have been looking at the vending machine when she heard the sound of my bike. Twisting at the waist, Aira-san turned and gave a little lift to the can in her hand.

"You’re surprisingly early. Were you that eager to see me?"

She wore a blue vertical-striped sweater and a long white skirt. Combined with the scenery, she looked incomparably… well, mature, compared to her usual self.

As I stood there, stunned, Aira-san approached me with a quizzical look on her face.

"What’s wrong? Staring off into space like that. Don’t tell me you’re not feeling well?"

"Ah, no… I’m fine."

"Hmm. I suppose calling you out at this hour was a bad idea after all."

"It’s no problem. I’m really okay."

"I see… Well then, this is my apology. Please, have a drink."

"Oh, thanks…"

She came to a stop right in front of me, looking up at my face.

My heart was still pounding in my chest. I averted my gaze as I took the can from her.

Trying to distract myself, I immediately popped the tab and took a sip.

"Guh?!"

Sooo sweet! The warm, syrupy liquid that filled my mouth nearly made me choke.

Watching me, Aira-san let out a cackle.

"It’s oshiroko. It’ll warm you up."

"What kind of choice is that?! Isn’t this when you’re supposed to get canned coffee or something?!"

"The only tea in that vending machine was afternoon tea. And it was cold."

"Right, your family are hardcore tea fanatics!"

"Well, I mainly chose the oshiroko to see that reaction!"

"So you’re a deliberate offender, you damn—!"

"Oh, my. Such filthy language, Kyou-chan-kun."

"And your way of speaking is just plain idiotic, Your Disappointmentship…!"

"AHO?!"

Well, thanks to that, we were back to our usual dynamic. And, all things considered, it tasted pretty good.

Sipping at the oshiroko, I looked down at the disappointing college girl before me.

"So, what did you need? At this hour."

"…Right. Do you mind if we walk while we talk?"

"I don’t really mind, but…"

Normally, she wouldn’t make someone with an open drink walk around much.

She was, despite everything, a well-raised person, so she wouldn't eat or drink while standing unless it was a buffet or something. Neither Aira-san nor Erina-san would. Mia-san, too, for that matter.

In the first place, it was rare for her to suggest we be alone like this.

Raising a mental question mark at this out-of-character behavior from Aira-san, I fell into step three paces behind and to her side.

"…So, how have you been lately?"

"What’s with that? You sound like a father struggling to make conversation."

"I am your father."

"Nooo. …Let’s see."

After a deadpan reenactment of a certain dark-sider, I took another sip of oshiroko.

"Well, I guess you could say things have been fulfilling. Probably."

"Oh? In what way?"

"I hang out with Erina-san and the others pretty often, and I’ve saved up a good amount of money thanks to my adventurer work. Though I’ve also had weird rumors spread about me and started getting a lot more unwanted attention."

Between the sports festival and the ‘Tokyo Incident,’ I’d stood out way too much. It seemed the price of fame I’d been avoiding for so long had finally caught up with me.

There were rumors, both true and false, and I was constantly being stared at. If it were just malice, it wouldn't be so bad… well, I’d hate that too. But it was unbearable to have gazes filled with strange expectations, respect, or even something bordering on worship.

Aside from my power, I was just a normal high school student. It was, simply put, stressful.

Still, even with all that, the time I spent with my friends was fun. So, on balance, I suppose it was a net positive.

"Rumors, hmm? There are good ones and bad ones, but online, the former seems to be more common. I often see posts about how you’re protecting the future of Japan…"

"I’d rather they didn’t. We’re not exactly heroes of justice, you know."

"True enough."

The park that had felt so large when I was a child now seemed like nothing more than an ordinary, not-so-spacious park.

Even though we were walking slowly, we were already more than halfway around it.

"How about you, Aira-san?"

"Let’s see. Well, I’m getting by, I suppose."

"Huh."

"Lately, I’ve even been able to hold casual conversations at the university. I don’t have anyone I can call a friend yet, but it’s no longer a struggle just to spend time in the lab."

"Well, now… you’ve certainly grown."

"How cheeky. I’m older than you, you know. Can’t you sense this overflowing intelligence?"

"Is that intelligence overflowing so much it’s making a puddle on the ground?"

"What kind of expression is that?"

Aira-san chuckled, then stopped and turned to face me.

"See that bench? A long time ago, I happened to play a card game there with an elementary school girl I met by chance."

"Ah, I heard about that from Erina-san. Something about you playing dirty, it turning into a real fight, and you getting beaten to tears."

"Hmph. Well, everyone has a past."

"A dark past, you mean."

I took another small sip of the oshiroko.

I’d always avoided it, but the sweetness was almost addictive. Though I felt like drinking it regularly would probably be a bad idea.

"You know quite a few of my pathetic stories, don’t you?"

"So you were aware they were pathetic…"

"That’s because the thing I considered most worthless was my own existence."

She said it so casually.

"Objectively speaking, I’m highly capable in everything except for physical activities and interpersonal skills. Instinctively, I even have self-love. But subjectively… my mind rejects the very existence that is ‘me’."

"…I remember you saying something like that before."

"Yes. That time you tactlessly barged into a maiden’s inner world because it was an emergency."

When we accidentally ended up in the Minotaur’s labyrinth, I learned how she truly saw herself.

What I had vaguely suspected up until then became a certainty at that moment.

Arisugawa Aira, this woman who called herself a genius, had judged herself as 'unworthy of living' due to a past trauma.

Her reasons for wanting to live were just strong enough to outweigh her reasons for wanting to die. That was the only reason she was still alive. She was the kind of person who would vanish in an instant if she ever found a good enough reason to die.

But.

"I believe I told you back then that I want you to live."

"Yes. I remember."

No matter what she thought of herself, my own feelings wouldn't change.

At this point, a life without her would be… lonely, I think.

"It was an incredibly selfish and, on top of that, a terribly cliché line. I remember it all too well."

"You’ve got a sharp tongue."

"You’ll just have to accept it with grace."

She gave a slight shrug, and I offered a wry smile in return.

Then, we started walking again, slowly circling the park.

"Now then. To get back on topic, you and your friends are the talk of the town. Though not quite as much as that certain trio, of course."

"Trio… oh, you mean them."

"Indeed. The Dungeon Agency is pushing them as official spokespeople, so their media exposure is on another level. Though they rarely do direct interviews."

"They’re probably the kind of people who’d be a disaster if you put them in front of a camera and let them talk freely."

"What, are they perverts too?"

"No… I think their values just don’t align with modern Japan."

It was just a hunch, but that trio had a different aura about them.

They were relentlessly self-disciplined, yet couldn't suppress their cat-like curiosity. I got the feeling they were desperate to unleash the emotions they kept bottled up inside.

If the other candidates were ‘those who have liberated their inner selves,’ then that trio was the opposite. Their smiles and their few media comments probably weren't lies.

It’s just that they had strong desires pushed deep down inside. And because those desires might accidentally leak out, they couldn't appear on TV much.

Of course, it’s normal to have things you want to hide, and this was all just my own speculation anyway.

"Hmm… Can you read people’s minds?"

"No. I just get a vague sense from the mana they unconsciously emit."

"I thought so. There’s no way you can read everyone’s minds. You blockhead."

"Huh? Why did you just insult me?"

That was completely out of nowhere.

Was it that? Was she telling me to consider the feelings of a woman being looked at lecherously? Crap, I thought I was safe because she hadn't noticed, but I guess I was wrong.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

"I’m sorry. I’ll just get on my knees and…"

"That’s why you’re hopeless, for saying things like that."

"Aira-san called me hopeless…?!"

"Hahaha. I’ll kill you. Socially."

"I am truly sorry."

"You are forgiven. I’ll also forgive you for looking at me with lewd eyes. I shall accept it as the price of beauty."

"Thank you…!"

It seemed I had avoided a trial. Still bent at a ninety-degree angle, I sighed in relief from the bottom of my heart.

By the way, did her saying 'looking at me' imply it was okay to continue in the future? No, if I asked that out loud, it would be undeniable sexual harassment, so I’d better not.

Aira-san sighed as if to say good grief. I straightened up and followed her lead.

"…We’ve already done another lap."

Returning to the park entrance, she stopped.

Then, she turned to face me again.

"It’s about time we get to the main topic."

"Finally?"

I stared straight at Aira-san, my voice tinged with exasperation.

As always, her face was unfairly beautiful. When a beauty like her looked so serious, she seemed like the heroine of a story. Despite being a disappointing college girl.

"Hey, Kyou-chan-kun."

"Yes."

"Won’t you run away? Somewhere far away."

Her cherry-pink lips spun the words with cold indifference.

"I’ve already picked out suitable places to escape to in case the leylines collapse. With my abilities and yours, we can make it anywhere. We can even drag Erina-kun and the others onto a plane or a boat. I’m sure Baba-sama would come with us, too."

Her voice was mechanical, devoid of emotion… no. She was trying to keep it devoid of emotion.

But unable to hide her desperation, her words picked up speed.

"You can block Erina-kun’s teleportation and Mia’s magic. Even in a contest of strength, you can hold them both down at once. Even if they overwhelm you with martial arts, you should be able to at least restrain them. If we go far enough that they can’t return to Japan on their own, Erina-kun, at least, will give up."

"Aira-san."

"Everyone is forcing their hopes onto you all too selfishly. You’re still just teenagers. This isn’t the Warring States period. You’re not at an age where you should be risking your lives. And besides, who cares about the future of Japan? You belong to a country to live, but dying for it is nonsense. Especially when there are plenty of other communities to choose from."

"Aira-san."

"Don’t worry. I am a self-proclaimed genius. I admit I’m usually a disappointment. But this time, I’ll use my full abilities. We can escape anywhere, and our lives after we escape will be secure. Your family, Aika-kun and the others—they can come too. I can manage up to thirty people. So…"

She rattled on, seemingly oblivious to my voice.

"So… please, run away."

A single tear traced a path down her cheek.

"You told me you didn’t want me to die. I’m returning those words to you, exactly as they are. For Erina-kun, for Mia, for Baba-sama. I don’t want any of you to die."

With a soft thud, Aira-san threw herself into my chest. Her long silver hair swayed as she pressed her forehead against me.

Her muffled, tear-choked voice continued.

"It’s okay to run from a fight you might not win. You have no such responsibility. So…"

"…To be honest, I want to run away, too."

"Then—!"

"Even so."

After a moment’s hesitation, I placed my right hand on her head.

"I’ve decided to fight."

"…That was your 'answer,' wasn't it?"

"Yes. It hasn’t changed. I might regret this choice later… but for now, at least, I’m not running."

For revenge for Byakuren.

To surpass my past self.

Because I want to stand by her side.

And for various other reasons. There isn't just one single reason, but because of many different things, I've already made my decision.

"So, I’m sorry."

"…Don’t apologize. It makes it sound like I just confessed and got rejected."

"Haha. You’re right. If you confessed to me… no. It's nothing."

I’m sure if Aira-san confessed to me… I’d be surprised, and then I’d nod.

After that, I’d probably be over the moon.

Because, when it comes down to it, I’m incredibly fond of this woman who is, appearances aside, a total disappointment.

"If I confessed my love to you right here and kissed you, would you run away with me? And bring Erina-kun and the others?"

"Who knows. But I don’t really like that sort of thing."

"I thought not…"

I couldn’t see her face, but I was sure we were both smiling.

"But… I see. I have no right not to respect your answer. After all, I was the one who pushed you to find it."

"Just so you know, you don’t have to feel responsible or anything."

"Oh my, do you think I’m the kind of woman who feels such things?"

"I do. You may be flighty, but you’re a kind person."

"…You fool."

"If I’m a fool, you’re the disappointment of all disappointments."

A few seconds later, Aira-san took a few steps back.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

"Honestly, you’re a helpless one!"

She looked at me with her usual, infuriating smile.

"Do you think you’re the protagonist of a story, or a hero from mythology? Ow, ow, it hurts! Someone bring me a bandage! One big enough to cover his entire head!"

"Shut up, you moron."

"Moron?! After calling me a fool, now I’m a moron?! What kind of talk is that to the most beautiful woman of the century?!"

I started sipping my oshiroko again, only to find it was empty.

Hmm, from the weight, I thought there should be a little left… ah, the azuki beans are all at the bottom.

"Honestly, you’re a hopeless case! But it can’t be helped. A fool is a fool, after all!"

"Excuse me, I have some azuki beans left at the bottom of my can."

"Now?! You’re supposed to shake it while you drink when the liquid gets low, you fool!"

"Seriously…"

That was a minor shock. Was there any way to recover from this?

"Hey! Listen to me! And why am I the one playing the straight man?! That’s your role, Kyou-chan-kun!"

"I think taking a break is important."

"Could you please not throw me a curveball when I’m being completely serious?!"

I mean, from my perspective, she was just bringing up something I’d already decided on.

And she was the one who led me to find my 'answer' in the first place. The sense of 'too little, too late' was overwhelming.

I gave her a deadpan stare, and she cleared her throat theatrically.

"Ahem! In any case! …If you and the others are going to fight, then I will support you with all my might. You can scrape your forehead on the ground in gratitude."

"I’d rather not do it on the ground, but I am grateful. Truly. In fact, I’m thankful for your help every day."

"W-Well. Our usual explorations are my request, so it’s a mutual arrangement."

Aira-san folded her arms under her chest, her eyes darting about slightly.

I wish she wouldn’t emphasize her chest like that. I might end up unleashing the full potential of my [Spirit Eye].

"Honestly… I suppose I should say this?"

Aira-san thought for a moment, then held out her right hand.

"Let’s look out for each other until the day we die. Kyou-chan-kun."

"Yes. Same here, Aira-san."

And so, with straight faces, we shared a firm handshake.

It felt kind of embarrassing, and we both burst out laughing.

"This is almost like a confession."

"It really is. How awkward."

I immediately relaxed my grip, but her fingers caught on my hand.

As if reluctant to let go, her slender, pale fingers slowly slipped away.

"…Shall we head back?"

"Yeah. I’ll walk you… no. Come to think of it."

I looked over at the car parked in the lot.

"Is the Professor here, by any chance?"

"Yes. When I said I was going to the park at this hour, she volunteered to be my driver and bodyguard."

"I see. But why is she suppressing her mana so much… And yet she feels like she’s ready to strike the moment she senses anything?"

She’s probably even using her unique skill to hide the mana circulating inside her. Even with my [Spirit Eye], I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t known she was there and looked for her.

"Well. Perhaps she’s watching to make sure you don’t turn into a beast and attack me?"

"Hah, nice joke."

"Kyou-chan-kun. I haven’t forgotten that you eagerly photographed me in my pilot suit and are cherishing those pictures, you know?"

"My self-control is made of orichalcum! Sir!"

"Don’t call me ‘Sir.’ Honestly, my grandmother's family has a complicated history with that title, so please stop."

"Ah, sorry about that. Anyway, I was wondering if you could lend me your wisdom regarding these azuki beans."

"In the middle of this conversation?! Good grief, you’re a handful. With your strength, it would be faster to just rip the can open with your bare hands!"

"Ah… but my hands would get all sticky."

We walked towards the parking lot, talking about such silly things.

Laughing together, just like always.

"…Thank you."

"Huh? Being thanked for an idea this simple is actually kind of irritating."

"That's not what I meant…"

I was happy she told me it was okay to run.

And that’s what solidified my resolve.

"I will absolutely survive. So, you’d better not die either, okay?"

Stopping near the rear seat of the car, she turned to look back at me.

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

Her hair, shimmering in the moonlight, fluttered as she placed a hand on her chest and gave me a confident smile.

—Damn it… she really is a beautiful person.

So much so that just looking at her made me smile.