She won’t let me see Dr. Vier. She won’t let me go any further……. As Neun-san said these to me, she wasn’t in a battle stance, nor was she wearing her helmet…… She had her Japanese katana at her side, and placed three fingers of both her hands on the ground.

  [What are you……?]

  [I’m begging you, Kaito-san. Please don’t get involved in this matter anymore.]

  Bowing her head on a dogeza, Neun-san pleaded in a sad sounding voice for me to stay out of it.

  Of course, that wouldn’t convince me to just say, “Okay, I see.” but I couldn’t say a word in front of her pleading figure as she rubbed her head on the ground.

  [……Can I ask why?]

  [……If you were to talk to Vier…… She’d be deeply hurt.]

  [……What do you mean?]

  [You’re the one who saved Kuromu-sama…… For that, I am truly grateful. But at that same time…… “You’re the one who has accomplished what Vier couldn’t”.]

  When I was told that, I couldn’t think of any words to refute. It’s not that I was trying to save Kuro because I wanted to save her. Even so, in the end, I was able to free her from the curse she had been for a long time.

  I think that what I did would be something splendid for people close to Kuro but…… I see, for Dr. Vier…… My existence also shows her how powerless she is……


  [……Vier has always been suffering…… for hundreds of years already. With tears streaming down her face, she apologized to the now-deceased victims and continued to push herself to atone for her actions.]

  [………………….]

  [Vier should have been forgiven by now. And yet, she still won’t leave the path of redemption. Vier won’t ever forgive herself forever. She will continue to suffer…… So, please don’t corner Vier any further. Please, just leave her alone.]

  [………………….]

  “I walked away from the street where the church was located”, not knowing what to expect.

  I can’t stop thinking about the exchange I had with Neun-san earlier.

  ……Perhaps, I was naive in my outlook.

  I thought that if I could successfully persuade Dr. Vier to see Kuro…… that would solve the problem.

  However, that would certainly hurt Dr. Vier a lot. There’s even a possibility that she would fall into even deeper suffering than she is now.

  I want to solve this matter as amicably as possible. However, Neun-san stood in front of me. If I tried to contact Dr. Vier, it would be inevitable that I would clash with Dr. Vier…… and there’d be no way that this could be solved peacefully.

  Isn’t this enough already? I’m just an outsider anyway, and wanting Dr. Vier and Kuro to meet just because of my selfishness and for my own self-satisfaction, wasn’t it?

  Whether it’s Kuro or Dr. Vier…… Both of them said that they can’t meet each other, so there’s no need to stick my head in it.

  I know I should just give up…… and yet. D*mn it…… Why is it that I am still feeling so bothered?

  I really don’t know what to do anymore……


  [Yes! Here’s your “Hyperspice Cookies”, Thank you for your patronage~~]

  [……Hmm.]

  As I was trudging with my head down, I heard such a voice and reflexively looked up.

  Thereupon, I made eye contact with someone I recognized…… and the other person’s face twisted in utter displeasure.

  She’s my acquaintance, and yet, she’s reacting to my presence so harshly…… She’s definitely the God of Disasters that I knew from my previous visit to the Hydra Kingdom…… It was Shea-san.

  [……Shea-san.]

  [……Tsk.]

  She just relentlessly clicked her tongue in front of me.

  Shea-san then glared at me and with an irritated tone, she spoke.

  [……What’s with that hopeless look on your face…… It’s irritating to look at. If you have a reason for that, say it…… It’ll probably be just something stupid, but I’ll listen.]

  [……………….]

  Her voice sounded angry but…… arehh? The words she just said, couldn’t it be interpreted as her saying “You don’t look so good, is something the matter? You can consult me about it, you know?”, or something like that?

  H- Her kindness is still as incomprehensible as usual……


  [E- Errr…… Well then, would it be alright to consult you about something?]

  [……Tsk.]

  [……Eh? Ah, no, I didn’t mean to impose on you……]

  [What are you saying, just get your ass moving. There’s a bench in the plaza over there…… I don’t have much time. Make it quick.]

  U- Unnn. Even though she complains about all sorts of things, it seems like she would still listen to me.

  Shea-san brought me to a bench in a nearby plaza, and I sat down side by side with her…… And then, I started talking about the situation.

  I wasn’t sure how much Shea-san knew, so I started off by telling her something about “a doctor named Dr. Vier” to make it sound ambiguous. Upon hearing this, she replied “Ahh, you’re talking about the former Demon Lord huh.”, so I assumed that Shea-san knew about what was going on and decided to tell her everything.

  I told Shea-san about Dr. Vier, Kuro, Neun-san…… and about how I don’t know what to do.

  After I finished telling her everything…… Shea-san looked extremely bored.

  [……Are you an idiot? The First Hero is an extremely large idiot already, but you’re even worse than her.]

  [Ugghhh…… N- No, it’s not that I was thinking of stupid things……]

  [That’s not it. What I’m saying is that, what kind of hubris are you saying now? Even though you’re just a mere human.]

  [Wha!?]

  Shea-san’s cold eyes glare at me and she gives me a stern warning.

  [You’re the one who’s thinking of saving this person…… Do you think you’re someone who can save everyone? Don’t be conceited. You’re just a small being. You can’t do a d*mn thing on your own.]

  […..But that’s…… I’m also trying to……]

  [If you think you know what you’re doing, then why are you here “all alone”?]

  [Eh?]

  [……You’re a very small being. However, you have the power to change the very foundation of this world if you want to. Why don’t you use that power?]

  [……T- That is……]

  In other words, what Shea-san is trying to ask is “Why am I not using the power of the Six Kings or the Supreme Gods that I’m close to?”…… “Why am I not asking for help from people around me?”…….

  To be honest, for this matter…… The Six Kings are all parties that are involved, they are all Dr. Vier’s family…… That’s why I don’t want them to get involved in this.

  I wonder why? Ahh, that’s right…… I knew that no matter what I did, I would end up hurting Dr. Vier, and I didn’t need Neun-san to tell me that, because I already understood that myself.

  As I was thinking about this…… My collar was suddenly grabbed by Shea-san and she glared at me.

  [……Don’t act spoiled. You’ve been an outsider from the start, and on top of that, this issue you’ve intruded on is quite sensitive…… There’s no such thing as an amicable solution for this.]

  [!? ]

  [Then, what should you do? What, do you want to stay all neat and tidy, and solve everything peacefully? Stop being a hypocrite! Or perhaps, even if you’re smeared in mud…… Will you bare your own fangs just to persist like that? Go think for yourself!]

  [……Shea-san.]

  [Are you a pure and peaceful saint? Or perhaps, a selfish, unsightly beast?]

  Saying that, Shea-san removes her hand from my collars and stands up from the bench.

  As I blankly gazed at the scene…… Strangely enough, I felt like the fuzziness in my mind cleared up.

  That’s right. It is as Shea-san said…… I’ve been an outsider right from the start, and all of this started because of my own selfishness…… I want Kuro and Dr. Vier to make up, because I don’t want to see Kuro looking sad. This situation is just because of my selfish desire.

  Then, what should I do? This is something I selfishly wanted, and there are obstacles in the way of achieving my selfishness…… Then, the answer is obvious.

  [……We’ve talked for long enough. The rest is your business.]

  [Shea-san!]

  [Unnn? Is there anything more?]

  Shea-san was about to leave, but I loudly called out to her.

  When she turned around, I immediately stood up and bowed my head.

  [Thank you very much!]

  [……Fumu, that should mean that you’ve made up your mind huh?]

  [……Yes. It seems like I’m a selfish, unsightly beast. I want to reunite Dr. Vier and Kuro…… No, “I’ll forcibly make them reunite”!]

  [Then, will you ask the help of the Six Kings?]

  [……No, I decided right from the start that I won’t be borrowing the power of the Six Kings. As for the Supreme Gods, I don’t know to what extent they are related to Dr. Vier, so I won’t ask for their help.]

  [That’s, well, quite selfish of you…… Then, how are you going to break through the First Hero?]

  Her tone sounds like she was testing me, but I could feel gentleness within those words.

  It’s as if she already knows what I’m about to say……


  [I can’t get past Neun-san and get to Dr. Vier all by myself…… That’s why, I’m begging you! Please lend me your strength!]

  I looked up once and then bowed deeply once again, before telling Shea-san that I needed her help.

  I’ve just heard that Shea-san has no direct connection with Dr. Vier and she only knows things about her, so she perfectly fits the type of person I can rely on.

  When Shea-san heard my request, she was silent for a while…… She then said, sounding somewhat happy.

  [……Hmph, you’ve become a better you than you were just a few while ago.]

  [……Then…]

  When I heard Shea-san’s voice, I looked up. She had a slight smile on her lips as she held her hand out to me.

  [Fine then, “Kaito”. I am a benevolent Goddess…… If you bow to me, asking me to lend you my power, I will respond to your wish!]

  And so, calling me by my name for the first time, she agreed to help me.

  Dear Mom, Dad———— It seems like I’m not a pure and righteous saint, nor a worldly person who knows when to give up. I’m going to be selfish and drag Dr. Vier out in front of Kuro…… Yes, the situation here is simple. If Neun-san stands in my way———– I’ll just push my way through.

  **********