kscans

Chapter 75 - A Room in the Church and a World of Six

"Actually, I'm going to go help Aira too,"

Cecily said, giving me a meaningful look as she patted my shoulder and walked past.

Only I, Famu, and Mizuki returned to the guest room.

"Mizuki, we're all alone now. Let me feel your boobs."

I sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to me for her to sit.

"Huh? I thought it was just going to be a hug?"

she said, but sat down next to me anyway. Famu sat down on my other side.

I wrapped my arms around both of them from behind and began comparing their chests. It was a moment of pure bliss. As I did, I tried to think of how to start a conversation with Mizuki. I wanted to talk about Task, but I needed an opening. As I mulled it over, my thoughts were absorbed by the soft sensation of their breasts. I got lost in the moment, and Mizuki let out a soft sigh. When I looked at her, wondering if she could get turned on even in this situation, she glared at me. I instinctively pulled my hands away.

"...Mash, I want you to make it so I can't think of anything but you,"

Mizuki said.

"Hey, we're in a church, you know. Technically..."

I replied, and she pushed me down onto the bed, looming over me.

"After all that groping, don't you think that's a cruel thing to say?"

She kissed me, forcing her tongue into my mouth. Her tears traced a path down her cheek and fell onto mine.

"Mizuki, calm down."

"I'm broken. With these hands, I killed someone, and with this body, I'm trying to create a new life."

"Mizuki, I said calm down."

I held her tight. Mizuki struggled to break free, so I held her even tighter.

"I was the one who gave the order. I was the one who stabbed him from behind and finished him off. You didn't kill anyone, Mizuki. It's not your fault."

"Mizuki, that person brought disaster upon this town. The townspeople suffered because of them,"

Famu added, trying to console her as well.

"Just because they were bad, does that mean it's okay for me to do the same thing? Is that really okay?"

"Mizuki, I was the one who killed him. You're not at fault."

"Master. Master is not at fault. The one at fault is Mizuki, for dwelling on it,"

Famu cut in.

"You were trying to comfort her too, weren't you? How about you stay quiet for a bit."

Famu looked like she was about to retort but held her tongue. Maybe I'd been too harsh.

"Mash, my special skill, [Super Kill], only activates randomly, but I know when it's about to happen. I can stop it if I want to,"

Mizuki said.

"Are you saying you chose not to stop it? At that moment, you were cornered, two against one. It's my fault you were in that situation. Don't blame yourself. Blame me."

"I... I want to go home. But I don't deserve to go back to my world anymore..."

Mizuki's shoulders trembled.

"What do you mean, deserve?! If you want to go back, then go back. I'll help you."

"Mash... but... I can't... go back..."

Suddenly, Mizuki's body grew heavy against me. The strength had gone out of her.

"Mizuki?"

I shook her, but she didn't wake. She seemed to have fallen asleep. I held her body for another moment, kissed her cheek, and slipped out from under her.

At some point, Cecily had returned to the room.

"She was being loud, so I put her to sleep."

"...Cecily, you can use mental magic too?"

"I noticed I hit level 30 a little while ago. I learned some mental magic, so I thought I'd give it a try."

She tries out new spells on her allies so casually? What a dangerous person.

"You can make someone fall asleep that easily...?"

"I don't know, I think it's harder to affect someone if they resist. Mizuki wasn't on guard at all. Neither were you and Famu during that last battle, for that matter,"

Cecily replied.

"I held on, but Famu fell asleep, didn't she?"

"Warrior-type classes probably have low resistance to it."

Adventurers were supposed to get a bonus to all their stats, so their resistance should be higher, but maybe Famu's and Mizuki's classes came with a penalty. I'd been completely unguarded until now, but from here on, I'd need to think about countermeasures for mental magic.

"I want to continue my talk with Mizuki. I need you to wake her up."

Our conversation wasn't finished. In her current state, even if she woke up, we'd just go through the same words over and over.

"Mash, you can't help her,"

Cecily said matter-of-factly.

"Why not?"

"You and Mizuki share the same values. You both think killing is a grave sin. You can't deny that, so no matter how much you try to comfort her, it's meaningless."

"...You're right. But I can't just leave Mizuki like this."

Was she telling me to just leave her be because it was impossible? As her companion, that seemed far too cold.

"That's the problem. You're trying to make yourself look like the bad guy to convince her that her crime is lesser. You're just pouring oil on the fire. You pretend to comfort her, but you're actually negating her actions. There's no way that will get through to Mizuki."

"..."

I couldn't say anything in response. I looked at Famu. She was watching me anxiously. She was worried about Mizuki, too. When she tried to cut in earlier, she must have realized the same thing as Cecily and was trying to correct my course. The idea that I was the only one who could understand and comfort Mizuki because we came from the same world was nothing but arrogance.

"Famu, I'm sorry about before."

I apologized to her. She shook her head.

"Mizuki just wants empathy. Mash, right now, she just wants you, of all people, to be by her side."

"Is that right?"

I believed her words were correct. But was that really what Mizuki was thinking?

"Mash, don't forget that she steeled her resolve and struck down Task. Even if she regrets it now, that is something she has to resolve on her own."

"I see I was wrong. Thank you, Cecily."

Cecily nodded. I stroked the head of the sleeping Mizuki.

"I'm sorry, but could you wake Mizuki up for me?"

"Before that, are you okay, Mash? You look pretty terrible yourself."

"I don't know... Strangely, I don't feel any guilt. But I do think that battle should have been avoided at all costs."

I didn't feel anything in particular about Task's death. Was I just that kind of person? Or was it the sort of thing where the guilt would surface after some time had passed?

"He told you things he didn't have to. No matter what you did, there's no doubt he intended to kill us."

"You're right,"

I nodded. Was she telling me to give up because it couldn't be avoided? This was Cecily's way of comforting me.

"But right now, it's about Mizuki."

"So that's what you're thinking. Well... Mizuki's your girlfriend, so you can do as you please."

Cecily seemed to have keenly sensed my lingering uncertainty about how to approach Mizuki.

"So, about waking Mizuki up."

"Huh? Me?"

Cecily said, as if it had nothing to do with her.

"Huh? Who else..."

Did she put Mizuki to sleep without knowing how to wake her up? What was she planning to do if Mizuki never woke up?

"I'll, uh, go get Aira."

Cecily hurriedly left the room.

With Aira's healing magic, Mizuki woke up. Her eyes were red. Incidentally, Aira had also reached level 30.

"Mizuki, my level is up to 24. Famu is at 22. What about you?"

"Mine... is up to 21,"

Mizuki replied after checking her character sheet. It was likely due to the effect of my special skill, our previous battles, and defeating a massive number of Big Hoppers today. Laciel was the one who defeated the Big Hoppers, so it felt strange since we hadn't gained any actual combat experience.

"That's great. But for you, Mizuki, getting stronger might be a mixed blessing since [Super Save] will be harder to trigger."

As she got stronger, she'd be able to protect herself without activating her special skill. By spamming [Super Save], she could raise her defense and increase the probability of [Super Kill].

"Mizuki, do you remember what I said earlier?"

"Yeah,"

Mizuki nodded.

"Can I take it all back?"

"What do you mean?"

Mizuki asked.

"I'd forgotten that you're fighting for all of us."

"It's not for everyone. In the end, it's for me."

"I know. But I want you to let me carry the burden you've taken on."

"But..."

"In return, if I ever have to take on a burden in the future, I'll have you carry it with me."

"...What's that supposed to mean?"

Mizuki murmured. But her tone wasn't sharp.

"Mizuki, Master always says it. We are all together,"

said Famu.

"Mizuki, I'll stick with you, too. At least until we get to Miglutt,"

added Cecily.

"Mizuki, I'm here too,"

Aira finished.

"Myra isn't here, but I'm sure she's thinking the same thing from beyond the grave."

"...Master."

Famu seemed to want to reprimand me for using Myra as a punchline again.

"We can't stop our journey. As long as we keep traveling, things like today will happen again. Today, it just happened to be Mizuki."

"...I understand what everyone's saying. I haven't sorted out my feelings yet, but for now, I'd like to accept your words."

It was clear Mizuki wasn't convinced. If I were in her shoes, I'd surely feel the same. But for now, that felt like it was enough. This was just one voice among the many emotions she was holding. I wanted to believe that Mizuki would overcome it. While she was at it, I hoped she'd overcome the trauma of when I assaulted her, too.

The next morning, while we were eating breakfast, Hyakka came to the church with some bad news.

"We've been summoned by the Citizens' Council. A personal request from the Consul himself. I need you to attend."

"No way. We're going to see the hundred-year-old hero's tomb now. I promised you, and I promised Kalpana. Besides, I plan on leaving this city as soon as possible."

If someone with the power of a god stuck around, it would upset the city's power structure. It was easy to imagine how much of a nuisance that would be for the rulers. By having me attend the summons, they probably wanted to show the citizens that my existence was subordinate to the Citizens' Council.

"If ya say that, we won't be able to stay in the city anymore,"

Hyakka said, pouting.

"When is it?"

"Right now."

"..."

We didn't all need to go. I looked at Myra. She nodded. It seemed she would come with me. When the two of us were about to go, Famu also started getting ready. Was it okay to take her to a council of humans? Wouldn't she be subjected to heartless words? I hesitated.

"I'll go too. But I won't enter the council chamber. I'll wait outside with Famu,"

Mizuki said, sensing my anxiety.

Just then, Kalpana arrived.

"Kalpana, sorry, but we have to go out."

I briefly explained the situation. Kalpana nodded.

"How about you exchange information with Chihiro while you wait?"

"Huh? What's this, ya tryin' to separate me and Chihiro?"

Hyakka overheard with her sharp ears.

"I think having a connection with the wandering folk would be a good thing for you guys too."

"That's true. Alright, I'll guide Mash to the Citizens' Council. Chihiro, you wait here."

After seeing Chihiro nod, we left the church.