CH 213

Chapter 213 – Reconciliation

“…No one wants to be alone.” (Torimoto)

“Eh?” (Shakuhara)

“Loneliness breaks people. That’s why no one likes to be lonely. It’s an instinct.” (Torimoto)

“…What are you saying…?” (Shakuhara)

“To you, the place where you comfortably belong is by Saniwa-san’s side, isn’t it?” (Torimoto)

“I…guess so.” (Shakuhara)

“Then I don’t think you need to let that go.” (Torimoto)

“But…! But it’s always, always because of me… that she’s getting hurt…! And there’s a war coming! A big war! If that happens, I’m sure she’ll fight for me… even if she’s scared… even if she doesn’t want to.” (Shakuhara)

“That is already the path that Saniwa-san has chosen for herself.” (Torimoto)

“No! She was forced to make this choice! It’s only because I’m here! That’s just wrong!” (Shakuhara)

“Friends are there to help you. No matter how injured she gets or how much pain she’s in, she wants to be by your side. Is that wrong?” (Torimoto)

Shakuhara bit her lower lip, not refuting my point. Perhaps it was because she couldn’t.

“I don’t think it is. There’s someone she cares deeply about, and she wants to stay by that person’s side forever. Even if a cruel fate awaits her.” (Torimoto)

“But… But….” (Shakuhara)

“But certainly, your feelings aren’t wrong either.” (Torimoto)

“….Eh?” (Shakuhara)

“I mean, think about it. You also care for her deeply… She’s someone precious to you, so you want her to live. It isn’t wrong to wish for something like that.” (Torimoto)

“……….Do you also have someone like that?” (Shakuhara)

“….Yeah, I do.” (Torimoto)

Well, in my case, all of them were stronger than me, a human. They weren’t people I could win against without items. I would probably lose even against Ior, a 7-year-old boy.

“But I don’t want her to stand on the battlefield. I don’t want her to kill people without a second thought. What about you? What if that person who was precious to you wanted to fight with you?” (Shakuhara)

“I’d fight, together.” (Torimoto)

“…?! Why? They might die…!” (Shakuhara)

“I’m very selfish.” (Torimoto)

“…Selfish…?” (Shakuhara)

Shakuhara looked at me with a gaze that seemed to say ‘what does that have to do with anything?’.

“Yes, I want them to be with me all the time, and I want them to live on. But thinking about it normally, standing on the battlefield might get them killed.” (Torimoto)

“Right… So…” (Shakuhara)

“But there’s always a chance they won’t die and might even end up surviving.” (Torimoto)

“…That… might be possible.” (Shakuhara)

“Then I’d take those chances. I would stand with them together on the battlefield and find a way for both of us to survive. I’m selfish, so I wouldn’t choose one over the other.” (Torimoto)

“But you could both die!” (Shakuhara)

“Even still, I would choose this path. No matter what anyone says, if we want to continue to be together, we have to try until the very end. That’s the future that I envision with them.” (Torimoto)

“The future… that you envision…” (Shakuhara)

“You have one too, don’t you? The best future that you could hope for.” (Torimoto)

Hearing my words, Shakuhara was silent for a while. Then, she nodded slightly and said, ‘there is’.

“I want to… always be with Riwa, laughing together. Forever and ever…” (Shakuhara)

Shakuhara, who had been putting up a strong front until then, finally broke down and started sobbing quietly.

At that moment—

“—Me too, Kei-chan!”

Suddenly a voice came from the doorway.

When I looked up, I saw that Saniwa was standing there.

“R-Riwa…?!” (Shakuhara)

“Sorry… I didn’t want things to end like this after all, so I came back… and then…” (Saniwa)

And this time, it ended up being her turn to eavesdrop on the conversation. Actually, I already knew because I had detected her presence.

Saniwa ran up to Shakuhara and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” (Saniwa)

“Why are you the one apologizing…?” (Shakuhara)

“Because… Because I made you suffer so much, Kei-chan…!” (Saniwa)

“I’m… sorry too.” (Shakuhara)

I didn’t seem to be needed here anymore, so I quietly left the room.

“…How unusual of you, milord.” (Shiki)

“What is?” (Torimoto)

“For you to get involved in the affairs of others. Especially when it’s of no benefit to you.” (Shiki)

Shiki was right. Whether the girls got along or not, it didn’t bring any benefit to me directly. And that was only natural. They were strangers to me.

And yet, for some reason, I had spoken up.

Was it because I had felt that Shakuhara’s awkward behavior somewhat overlapped with my own?

“I guess you’re right. It was just a whim.” (Torimoto)

With that, I returned to my room.