– Awareness & Determination

Posted on March 7, 2017 by crazypumkin

Editor: Poor_Hero

Looking at the fainted Zirco-san, Buu-san and I smiled wryly at each other. As for Ivan-san, he was crouching down and, for some reason, sobbing…..

What was this chaos?

In the end, everything ended without me explaining anything even if I wanted to when I first teleported them into my room.

Did I mess up the order of what I was to explain?

No, or can I say it can’t be helped?

There was nothing much I could do. It was not my fault.

Since there was no other choice, I summarized everything with Buu-san, the only one still sane. Since we had to report this chain of accidents to the King, there was no harm in making sure we were on the same page.

” The root of [Shadows] were, as expected, in Hattuo. ”

I said as Buu-san nodded.

” I am convinced since this is a human supremacy country as well. ”

That’s right.

We should have suspected Hattuo from the start when we realized the 3 [Shadows] sent to kidnap me were Beastmen that were wearing [Collars of Slavery]. Or at least included them in the list of suspected masterminds.

Plus……

” …..Are they fighting against themselves? ”

” Might be. Since they attack Ivan-san in his uniform too. ”

” ……No, it might be the [Shadows] trick. ”

I said, changing my mind. If it was them, they wouldn’t blink an eye at being sacrifice to jumble up the investigation of them being friend or foe. This was the conclusion I came to after seeing their methods of doing things.

Yeah, the mastermind was completely black.

” …….Even so, the summoned beast. A mystery. It is obvious that Demon was way stronger than Spinel. ”

That’s right.

According to the mana I felt, Demon’s mana chill was a lot stronger than Spinel, who might have mana slightly higher than the norm. Plus, Spinel’s attacks were a lot weaker than Demon’s.

I had thought that since Demon was a battle mania, he might have followed Spinel if he was stronger than him but…..

Even if Spinel was concealing his mana inside him, something seemed wrong. Like, somehow….

” Like he was tired…. ”

That one sentence that accidentally got leaked out shocked Buu-san.

” Huh? What tired? ”

” Ah, no. I thought Spinel’s movement looked like he was very tired. ”magic

” Was it? ”

” Eh, isn’t it so? You did see how he moved right? ”

Was I wrong in thinking he was conscious just now? Looking at my expressions, Buu-san’s stunned expression changed.

” No no no no, he was moving at a speed that I already find it hard to follow! ”There was nothing I could say at that. Buu-san quickly changed the conversation after he saw how speechless I became.

” But, in that basement where the [Collar Of Slavery] is attached to me…. There are a lot of magical tools lining around. I wonder if there is any connection… ”

” Is that true?! ”

I said, hooking onto his words.

Damn it, damn it!

To have missed such important evidence… Why was I so impatient, idiot!

Panicking, I teleported back to the hall.

◆

By morning, Zirco-san regained consciousness and even Ivan-san had enough time to recover from his shock and we began to head back to Elzmu with an additional member.

The floating me.

The nervous Ivan-san.

The staring Zirco-san.

Buu-san was assigned as the driver and it was a nice and relaxing trip back as long as one ignored a few things.

◆

When we reached the royal palace, Father was waiting at the gates.

” ―――― Will. ”

That face, which always had a shining beautiful smile on it, was scarily emotionless and it stopped me in my tracks. I was a little relieved he was not shouting.

The sharp eyes, hiding all emotions, pierced through me. It let out an aura as if commanding me to ‘Come here’ but my cowardly legs refused to budge. As opposed to me panicking at my legs, which felt like they were glued onto the floor, Father was slowly making his way towards me.

” Do you know why I am angry? ”

The flat voice came out low.

Even though we were outside, it seemed like a space that only contained the 2 of us.

” .. Because I… went out… on my own. ”

Even I was shocked at how much my voice trembled. Being stared straight on, I can’t even avert my eyes. What am I, a frog?

It was really scary, seeing Father being angry for the 1st time.

Really scary.

It was like I was all alone. The face that I had become familiar with began to warp right in front of me. Like how I felt cold despite the warm and cheerful sun bearing down on me.

This was not like me. Even I knew that.

” That’s not it…..Will. ”

My face paled as I stared upwards at Father and all of a sudden, he hugged me. I had no resistance to the action which I usually struggled against, due to embarrassment. Rather, relief spread throughout my body and my eyes became hot.

…..How uncool.

” Father…. ”

” Why did you go? ”

Happy at finally hearing some form of emotion from Father’s vice, warmness spread throughout my cheeks.

” I.. don’t wish….. for anyone… to be… injured.. ”

” Right? ….I was worried. This is not like you, what happened? You should know this. You are strong, even stronger than me. ”Father’s voice sounded loud right beside my ear.

” …..But even so. I am really worried. ”

A soft and gentle voice. Ahh, that’s right. I knew that. Father removed his arms and stood up. He sighed. He was my usual father.

” …..Hah, but you did great. As expected of my son. ”

And when I wanted to say something, I found myself trembling like a newborn fawn as big drops of liquid starting tumbling out of my eyes. Father, who had averted his eyes like he was embarrassed, shifted it back at me.

” ……! Will?! What’s wrong?! ”

Noisy.

There was nothing to be flustered about, Father.

I had vowed not to ever cry.

” Will, really, eh, are, are you hurt? Are you in pain? ”

I am fine, idiot.

I strongly rubbed my ‘cold sweat’ away and rushed into Father’s arms.

” ……《ありがとう》. ”

[TN: Arigatou. Come here too, you.]

Ah, there was no helping that what I was thinking had leaked out.

Leaving my stunned father aside, I ran into the gates at full speed.

◆

It was the year when I turned 8.

It was when I was 8 that it seemed like I had a trauma without knowing it. Without knowing it, I had amused myself with other things, trying to hide it but… I had been afraid.

Something was snatched away from me when I was 8. Even if she did not care for me, she was still the most important thing to me. My mother. When I thought I had already forgotten all about it, it dragged itself back up on its own.

That’s right, this was not like me.

I forgot to look around me.

I had gone too far in not informing my family and getting permission from the King on my own to chase and destroy the fortress of the underworld, the group of [Shadows]. The pain I brought to my family was like I punched them flying while calling them stupid.

I had run off and raged on my own. Firstly, Hattuo was only a speculation, as well as the speculation that they were aiming for me. It was lucky I got it right this time but something bad might happen if it was wrong.

” Hahhh…. ”

I sighed reflexively.

In the end, it was all about my ego.

Thinking about not wanting to lose them too, thinking about wanting to protect them too. Thinking about how important they were to me too, how much I loved them too.

But all of them felt the same way as I did. Not only did I not realize that, I even went and created trouble/worries for them.

Damn it. How embarrassing.

……To had drool from my eyes at the age of 25!

In the end, I still didn’t know what was right or wrong but I had decided to, at least, pay attention to what was around me. I shall pay attention to those whom I hurt as well as those who hurt me.

If something similar ever happened once more, I wondered if I would make the same mistake again. At that time, let’s discuss it with everyone.

At the very least, I had decided.

Although there were still some things I don’t know, for now, I want to meet up with everyone.

◆◆◆

AN: I wrote Chiffon-san. Girlsssssssss!! Not enough girlssssss!!!

Just a report for future chapters.