Chapter 208: Sympathy
For the time being, I decided to return back to Seras and the others.
Seras recognizes my presence and runs over to me.
But…
[I’m glad that y——]
In the middle of speaking, Seras stopped—— and rushed to me at greater speed.
[Are you hurt!?]
Slei also ran over to me.
Nyaki’s face turned pale.
[Don’t worry. It isn’t my blood.]
Saying that to Seras who was about to check my body from injuries, she pats her chest.
Regaining her composure, she then asked.
[The Heroic Sword, have you defeated them already?]
[There were only two of them who chased after Nyaki. The others don’t seem to be following.]
Nyaki, who is standing at the edge of my vision, looked surprised.
[T- The other members of the Heroic Sword other than Ruin-san and Satsuki-san should be strong as well nya…… W- Who in the world are you nya?]
[Speaking of which, I guess we haven’t introduced ourselves with each other yet huh.]
Toad and Bardwitcher were approaching earlier, so we didn’t have the time for that.
After the encounter with Nyaki, I’m pretty sure neither Seras nor I said our names.
Is what I thought but…
[I’m sorry. In fact, I’ve decided to reveal my identity while we wait for you.]
Looking as if she’s ready to be scolded, Seras said.
[To gain her trust, I still think I thought that I should tell her the truth from the start…… Moreover……]
Glancing at Nyaki, Seras shrunk down.
[Nyaki-dono is too pure, so it feels difficult to tell her false information…… My apologies.]
Even though she said that, it seems that she hardly gave her much information about my background.
I feel like she efficiently dealt with this.
[Well, it won’t be much of a problem to divulge it to Nyaki. Moreover, well……]
I also looked at Nyaki.
“Nyaki-dono is too pure, so it feels difficult to tell her false information.”
[……To be honest, I can understand why you felt that way.]
And thus, I revealed my real name normally too.
[Is it okay if I call you Touka-san nya?]
[Call me what you want, Nyaki. And, this guy is……]
I opened my collar a bit and peered into my robe.
[Introduce yourself.]
[Puyuuun.]
Pigimaru descends to the ground from inside the robe.
Nyaki’s eyes opened wide.
[Slime-san nya.]
[He’s called Pigimaru.]
[Pii?]
Pigimaru asked for confirmation.
“Is this child our friend now?”
—-or it feels like he’s acting that.
Nodding back at him, Pigimaru stretched out his protrusion to Nyaki.
[Puyuu.]
[He’s asking for a handshake. Just be gentle on your hold.]
Looking slightly dumbfounded, Nyaki reservedly gripped the protrusion.
[I’m Nya- Nyaki nya.]
She still seems to be stiff but……
It looks like Nyaki is starting to get less nervous.
It’s going great.
[And, this one’s Slei.]
[Pakkyyuuu~~]
[Funnyaaa!?]
Slei rubbed her cheeks against Nyaki’s.
Somehow.
It seems like she’s cheering her up.
[My name is Nya- Nyaki nya.]
[Pakyuu.]
It was at that moment.
Nyaki moved.
Sitting on a seiza, Nyaki shrunk and bowed her head.
[For saving her life, Nyaki would like to thank you from the bottom of her heart nya…… Touka-san, Seras-san, Pigimaru-san and Slei-san—— Nyaki will never forget this gratitude nya. And also, I’m really sorry for the inconvenience Nyaki caused nya. I’m sorry nya……!]
Nyaki looks up.
[Then everyone, please hurry up and leave this place nya! Nyaki will rest here for a while and then, head over there as I planned nya!]
Nyaki points towards the depths of the Demon Zone.
……I see.
In Nyaki’s mind…
It isn’t as if she wants us to protect her here.
[……Nyaki.]
[Y- Yes nya.]
[You’re still saying things like that?]
[Funya?]
[Unless you don’t want to……]
I held out my hand.
[How about you come with us instead?]
[F- Funyaaa……!?]
[If you really don’t like it, you could at least stay with us until we ensure your safety. That’s why I went out of my way to get everyone to introduce themselves earlier.]
For a while, Nyaki looked like she was stupefied.
It seemed that she hadn’t caught up with the meaning of my words yet.
Eventually, it seems like she finally understood.
[……T- That’s no good nya! If Nyaki goes with everyone, I will definitely just bring troubles nya! It seems that Nyaki, a Divine Beast, is absolutely necessary for Heroic Sword for the moment nya! That’s why…… They will definitely chase after me nya! Besides…… I don’t know what would happen to Touka-san and everyone if they found out that their friends were killed……]
Nyaki cried again.
However——- She had a smile on her face.
[Even with the short time we talked, I know that Touka-san and everyone are good people nya…… That’s why I absolutely don’t want everyone to go through something terrible nya…… Nyaki…… Even if Nyaki doesn’t see Ninya, Mainya and everyone again…… I still meyt such kind people in the end…… So, I’m really, really, really satisfied nya……]
So for her, it’s either death from being caught by Heroic Sword.
Or death after a monster finds her huh.
Nyaki is already prepared to die.
[Everyone, thank you very much nya.]
Tears dripping from her eyes even with the smile on her lips, Nyaki said.
[Even for a short time…… Nyaki felt warm for the first time in a long time.]
I just let out a sigh.
[Nyaki…… It looks to me like you’re misunderstanding something from back then.]
[Funya……?]
[The two strongest people in the Heroic Sword are people who wanted to challenge the “Humanity’s Strongest”…… is what you said earlier, right?]
[Y- Yes, nya.]
[The “Humanity’s Strongest” is already dead though——- and I’m the one who defeated him.]
[Nyaaahhh!?]
[It’s the truth, Nyaki-dono.]
Seras added.
[I was actually about to be killed by the “Humanity’s Strongest”. Civit Gartland…… but that’s when I was saved by Touka-dono.]
With tears still in her eyes, Nyaki looks towards me with a surprised lok on her face.
[T- Touka-san…… defeated that “Humanity’s Strongest”!?]
[Well, yeah.]
It was through an honest fight, but by deceiving him though.
Well, the fact that “I defeated him” should still be the same.
[That’s why you didn’t have to run away from them.]
Nyaki hung her head down.
It seemed like her mind was jumbled up with all sorts of emotions.
Well, I can imagine why.
At this point in time——- She’s probably feeling pity for the Heroic Sword.
For she learned that I’m apparently stronger than them.
Feelings of pity for the Heroic Sword surged at that moment when she knew that they would almost certainly be killed.
Perhaps, in Nyaki’s ideal view of life.
It would be better if no one had to die.
No matter what kind of person it is, the few deaths there are, the better.
Nyaki is probably thinking—-
“If things are like this, I should just keep running away.”
—like that.
Without the key, Nyaki, one wouldn’t be able to enter the Faraway Country.
In that case, the Heroic Sword will not be able to kill the inhabitants of that country.
If we just keep as we are and Nyaki runs away—— No one else will die.
However, the Heroic Sword is Goddess Vysis’ secret force.
There’s no way that they wouldn’t eventually stand in my way.
I will definitely clash with them somewhere—— In that case, it’s better to crush them now.
……Even if they aren’t though.
Overlooking what they did to the Speed Tribe and Nyaki……
Then—— I don’t think I will ever be a proper adult.
[Sorry, Nyaki.]
Turning to the direction where Heroic Sword would be, I said.
[I’m not the kind of person…… who would just let the Heroic Sword go unchecked. I’m not as kind as you are.]
Nyaki raised her face.
[Touka-san……]
A frail voice.
In fact, Nyaki is weak.
From what I’ve heard from Nyaki, there’s not a single person who saved her.
No one has been kind to Nyaki.
However, Nyaki is kind even to the people who caused her suffering.
To this Nyaki who is brimming with kindness——- How heartless can they be to hurt her like that.
[However, I wish you would keep that kindness in your heart. I’m sure there are people will be saved by your kindness.]
With a movement of my finger, I called for Pigimaru and he slipped into my robe.
This time, I would bring Slei with me.
[Seras, you will continue to be in charge of looking after Nyaki. There are seven more people on their side. They may consider splitting up and conducting an extensive search.]
[You mean that some of them may slip past through you?]
[Yeah. It’s your sword that would protect Nyaki at that time then——- The sword that was described by that Strongest Blood Champion as having talent, incomparable to others.]
[——Leave it to me. I’ll do my best to make sure that you can fight without worrying about anything else.]
[I’m counting on you. ……Let’s go, Slei.]
Following my words, Slei started to walk forward.
It seems like night is about to fall.
That’s what I could see from the color of the skies.
The darkness—— would be our time.
Heroic Sword.
If I were to go fight in an honest, straightforward battle, the other side might be superior.
Civit hadn’t mentioned the Heroic Sword in the name of opponents he wanted to fight.
However, that’s because information about them itself was hardly available.
At least, it wasn’t known to the general public like Civit.
How many I’m going to end up facing is also unknown.
However, what I know for sure is that……
They are capable of making a Human-Faced decide to flee instead.
Just this point is an undeniable fact about them.
On the other hand, I probably can’t deal with a Human-Faced in a straightforward manner.
They aren’t people that I should take lightly.
However——– even so.
I’m not sure if I’d be satisfied with just “killing” them.
[………………….]
Speed Tribe.
Eve’s parents.
I’ve heard stories from Eve about the days she spent with them.
That they were good people.
Really good people.
Especially Eve’s parents.
The more she talked about them—— the more they sound like they resemble them.
It’s just like—— how my uncle’s family is.
[……And they were “killed for fun”?]
Not stopping from walking, I put the Fly King mask on.
Then, for all the fun they felt……
[Don’t think I would just let you die that easily.]
Even if it’s cruel.
Even if they say I’m inhuman.
Towards these people……
——————————————————————There’s no place for sympathy.
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