Kanata, sensing rain, seemed to be collecting it.
Returning to their base, Kanata set up the parachute fabric he used as a bed, stretching it diagonally outside the cave to catch the rainwater.
“So that’s how you collect rainwater. You’re already quite skillful.”
“I have a friend who’s an engineer. He taught me. Though he could probably do it better.”
“Your friend is capable, then.”
“Yeah. His only flaw is that he’s too serious.”
“I think being serious is a good thing?”
“Do you really want to be lectured at twenty-four-seven? Is that fun for you?”
I understood. He’s like Ashes, I thought.
“I kind of get it. I have someone who lectures me too.”
“Is that so? But even though I find it annoying most of the time, in a situation like this…”
“Yeah, when you think about how you want to survive and hear their nagging again…”
If I survive and go back, I’ll be drowning in Ashes’ lectures.
“I told you! That’s why I said please cancel the慰問 (comfort visit)!” I’ll probably get lectured extensively like that.
Ashes and the Questers are probably, no, they definitely must be looking for me.
I know that they’ll choose to search for me over supporting the frontline for Adel, my older brother.
That’s why I’ll survive. No matter what.
It’s frustrating and regrettable that I can’t do anything myself and have to rely on Kanata, but that’s my current strength and reality.
“Alright, this is good. Let’s pray for rain.”
We decided to rest our bodies in the cave and wait for the rain.
Inside the cave, I told Kanata about the circumstances of my kidnapping.
We couldn’t do much besides talking, and conversation requires a topic.
Even after hearing my story, Kanata’s expression didn’t change much.
“Well, that sounds like quite the unwarranted retaliation. There’s a saying ‘foolish elder brother, wise younger brother,’ and it seems to fit perfectly.”
“Unwarranted retaliation, I wonder?”
“Rose had nothing to do with it. If your older brother had fallen for someone else as Sabina said, and then murdered her boyfriend like the scum he is, it wouldn’t even be revenge. People like that only think about themselves.”
“I don’t want to believe that Adel, my older brother, is that kind of person, but I also can’t believe Sabina is lying.”
“Yeah, otherwise she wouldn’t have gone to such extremes. At least she must have had some information that led her to believe it was Rose’s older brother’s doing. Then she swung her fist, but afterward, she regretted it. She probably realized she should have stopped. She probably grew fond of Rose, which is why she protected her with her own life in the end.”
“…”
“Rose doesn’t need to worry about it. The moment she involved an innocent person in her revenge, she was ‘finished.’ Even if she had managed to defect to the Alliance safely without running into us, she would have had to live with regret for the rest of her life.”
“…” “I can’t be as detached as you, Kanata. If she had those kinds of circumstances, she should have told me.”
“Yeah, she should have. Life would be easier if you could rewind and start over, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. She made the wrong choice twice. If she had told Rose her situation, or refrained from her outburst, she probably wouldn’t have died. But she didn’t mess up her third choice. She shielded Rose with her own body and paid the price with her life.”
The price, huh? If what Sabina said was true… what should I do?
Rain sounds could be heard from outside the cave.
As if mourning Sabina’s sad past, and the deaths of Helga and Paula who lost their lives for my sake, and the many Knights.
“Tearful rain, perhaps. In this world, maybe becoming a soulless person like Tozen is the correct way to live.”
That’s right! Kanata is a member of the Asura Unit. That means he’s a comrade of that “man-slaughterer” Tozen!
“…Is someone like that your comrade?”
It might be rude to my savior, but I can’t hide the sting in my words.
“You know Tozen?”
“The unit that attacked the base during the慰問 (comfort visit) was Asura Unit’s Fourth Squad.”
“…To be attacked by Ra-hou and still be alive.”
“The Knights stopped them at the cost of their lives. Also, Sabina said that Tozen was so engrossed in killing that he forgot about me.”
“…What is he doing, that guy?”
“Someone who enjoys killing people like that! Is he your ‘precious comrade,’ Kanata?”
“You’re misunderstanding that a bit. Tozen and the others don’t enjoy killing… Well, the result is the same. …!! … Stay here. Don’t ever come outside.”
What’s this! Is he planning to run?! … The Fourth Squad mowed down my precious Knights like trash!
“Kanata, we were still in the middle of our conversation…”
Kanata didn’t pay attention to my words, stood up, and headed for the exit.
“We can talk later. I have to go and greet our guests.”
“Guests?”
“It’s not just us who want to take shelter from the rain.”
Kanata said coldly, drawing his sword.
I could hear it too now, the growls of the beasts lurking in the forest.
He told me to wait here, but I’m going outside. If the presence I sensed wasn’t just my imagination…
Outside the cave, Kanata was facing a giant mutated bear.
Kanata glanced back and reproached me with a dry gaze.
“I told you not to come out, didn’t I?”
Seizing a brief opening as Kanata gestured for me to go back inside, the mutated bear charged at Kanata.
Even with the charge of a mutated bear twice his size, Kanata didn’t flinch.
Suddenly, with a mournful growl, the mutated bear collapsed to the ground.
It had been caught by Kanata’s Evil Eye. What a terrifying power, to kill a creature with just a glare.
“You’re tougher than you look. You managed to dodge my gaze at the last second. Never underestimate a wild animal’s instincts.”
Kanata approached the mutated bear, sword at the ready.
Then, raising it high above his head, he said,
“Don’t take this personally. … Not that it matters. Well, I’ll see you in hell!”
“Wait! Don’t kill it!”
Kanata stopped his sword just before beheading the mutated bear.
“Why do you stop?”
Kanata’s face, his golden eyes blazing, was terrifying. I truly realized he was a member of that Asura Unit.
But…
“Let me talk.”
“Talk? You have Animal Empathy? But for animals not mutated by Bio-Metal…”
“The creatures in this forest aren’t normal. I’ll try my best!”
I concentrated my mind and sent a thought to the mutated bear.
(Please, run away. If you don’t run… you’ll be killed.)
(…Grrr…)
As expected, I couldn’t grasp clear images like with Tachikaze. But… I could sense its fear.
(It’s okay, I won’t let him kill you! We’ll be gone in a while, so don’t come near here until then, okay?)
(……)
I see. This mutated bear is, after all…
(You’re its mother, aren’t you! You have to live. Now go. Go!)
The mutated bear weakly got up and lumbered away towards the forest.
“…Persuasion successful. But you know, it’s a nuisance if they come out…”
“I’m sorry. But… look.”
Kanata shrugged as he looked in the direction I pointed.
There was a cub, watching its mother bear with concern. It wasn’t cute, even though it was a cub.
“Even mutated creatures have children, I guess. But this one isn’t exactly cute. It’s the Witch’s Forest quality, I suppose.”
“That’s true. I feel like even that cub could kill me.”
The mother and cub mutated bears disappeared into the depths of the forest, walking side-by-side.
“Even as Mutated Creatures, they have parental love… Much more compassionate than humans who sometimes abandon their children.”
Kanata muttered with a difficult-to-describe expression.
But his slightly lonely eyes and helpless voice… He said he hated his father, but was Kanata abandoned by his parents?
“Thank you, Rose. I didn’t have to have an unpleasant experience.”
Kanata, his eyes back to normal, no… gentle, petted my head.
Hey! I appreciate the praise, but don’t treat me like a little kid!
“I’m a lady of sixteen, you know!”
“My bad, my bad. It’s just a habit. I’m always with this super selfish but super compatible demon and angel genius kid.”
“What’s that? I want to hear about it! I want to hear!”
“If I start talking about Lilith, it’ll take a long time. I’m thinking of writing a book titled ‘My Beloved Lilith Lohengrin’ someday.”
How much do you like that little girl? Don’t tell me… Kanata is…
“Ah! I’m not a Lolicon! I prefer big breasts! No, lately, I’ve been noticing the appeal of flat-chested girls and I’m struggling to control my wavering heart…”
She’s so flustered, it’s cute. She’s completely different from the scary face she had earlier.
“I get it, Kanata, you’re lecherous. I’ll listen to your long story until the rain stops, okay? ♪”
I’ve added a drawing of Kika to this doodle corner.
