Chapter 23

"Dear Sōma. My dear child. How terrible, how could you kill so many people?"

While saying it was terrible, the girl looked very pleased.

"Because, if we don’t, the Shemur will! The Shemur will!"

"Is that true? Is it really true?"

The girl's question left Sōma speechless.

"It’s because you can’t live in this world without her, right? You can’t live alone. Because you’re scared. So, you’re running away under the pretense of helping her, aren’t you?"

The girl was exposing a part of Sōma that he had subconsciously realized but never dared to face.

"No, I’m not running away!"

"You are running away!"

She negated Sōma’s pitiful resistance in a single word.

"Smart, smart Sōma. You knew this would happen, didn’t you? But you didn’t want to think about it. If you did, you couldn’t run away."

The girl spread her arms and spun around, singing.

"But the place you ran to is a dead end. There’s no way out, no matter which direction you go. You entered a place where you can’t run away from yourself, even if you try to run. What a very, very foolish Sōma."

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!!"

◆◇◆◇◆

Sōma woke up with a start at the sound of his own scream.

Looking around, he saw that it was the same prayer room as always.

There was no sign of the girl and the ghosts who had been there just a moment ago.

"…Was that a dream?"

A tear trickled down Sōma’s eye.

He let out a dry laugh.

"For Shemur? For Zoan? Are you kidding? I just ran away…!"

He thought it was just as the girl in the dream had said.

Sōma felt so pitiful and ashamed that he could only laugh.

There was no way to run away.

He couldn’t run away.

He had already crossed a line that should never be crossed.

Yet, he could only laugh at the ugliness of himself, who was still trying to turn a blind eye to reality.

The laughter eventually dried up, and Sōma hung his head weakly.

As if mocking him, the north wind whistled past.

At that moment, the nearby bushes rustled.

Sōma turned around, feeling a sense of déjà vu, and there were Jeta and Shemoma, the young Zoan siblings, just as they were the last time.

Sōma felt awkward because the last time he had parted ways with the young siblings on a bad note, but they showed no sign of being bothered by it and came running over with pattering footsteps.

"Big brother, are you crying? Does something hurt?"

Shemoma, who was about the same height as Sōma, who was sitting down, looked at him curiously.

Sōma forced a smile on his stiffened lips.

"Nothing’s wrong. What’s the matter with you two?"

He felt annoyed with himself for worrying even these small children.

As a result, his tone became stiff.

However, the siblings, who didn’t notice this, started talking happily.

"Mom and dad said that we were saved thanks to big brother."

"Yeah, we were told we could eat as many rice balls as we wanted."

"Recently, we only got a few rice balls, so it was great to eat until we were full."

"Yeah, the meat was delicious too."

The Zoan, who had lost their winter food supplies, had been rationing their food.

However, thanks to the victory Sōma brought, they obtained the food supplies the humans had brought, and the food shortage was resolved.

The young siblings were overjoyed to be able to eat their fill for the first time in a long time.

"Also, also, mom and dad don’t fight anymore, right?"

"Yeah, everyone used to have scary faces, which I didn’t like."

Children are more sensitive than adults think. No matter how much they try to hide it in front of children, the tragic atmosphere that hangs over adults can hurt children’s hearts.

"So, I’m giving this to big brother."

Shemoma took out a necklace made of colorful seeds, stones, and animal teeth strung on a thread.

It was probably made by the two young siblings. The seeds and stones used were mismatched, and it couldn’t be said to look good.

However, it was clear that the young siblings had tried hard to make it for Sōma, despite their lack of skill.

"Thank you, big brother."

The siblings, who had put the necklace around the frozen Sōma’s neck, said in unison.

Tears welled up in Sōma’s eyes.

He felt saved by the fact that there were people who still thanked him, even though he had killed so many people with his selfish thoughts.

If it had been Garam or Shemur who thanked him, Sōma, who was in self-loathing, would not have been able to accept it sincerely.

It’s not that he thought they weren’t genuinely grateful.

Both of them were in responsible positions within their tribes and always worried about the future of their people. They couldn’t help but have ulterior motives in wanting to save their people.

However, the siblings, in their innocence, had no ulterior motives or calculations in their words, which is why they struck Sōma’s heart so strongly.

The siblings were surprised by Sōma’s sudden crying.

"What’s wrong, big brother? Are you hurt somewhere?"

"Are you okay? Should I go get medicine from grandma?"

While listening to their worried voices, Sōma remembered his grandfather.

It was the day he learned in school that Japan had once been at war. As a child, Sōma had asked his grandfather if he had gone to war and killed people.

Now, he regrets asking his grandfather such a painful question, even though he was just a child.

His grandfather, who usually smiled kindly at Sōma, looked as if he was about to cry and said with a sad smile:

"Sōma, I never did anything shameful. Believe that."

Although he didn’t say it outright, Sōma thought his grandfather must have killed people in the war.

He didn’t know what his grandfather was thinking at that time.

Perhaps he had suffered and agonized even more than Sōma.

"Don’t do anything shameful, Sōma."

His grandfather’s words echoed in his ears again.

That’s right. He had made a decision, hadn’t he?

No matter what the reason, he had decided to save the Shemur and took action.

It was too late to pretend it never happened.

Crying and pitying himself here would only be shameful.

Moreover, if he regretted what he had done, it would only hurt the people he had saved and insult the people who had died.

"…Thank you."

The words of gratitude came naturally from Sōma’s mouth to the young siblings.

"Really, thank you. I’m so happy. Thank you."

His words of gratitude included not only for the necklace but also for saving his heart, though the siblings didn’t know it.

"Strange. We’re the ones saying thank you, but big brother is saying ‘thank you’ too."

"Yeah, it’s strange, isn’t it?"

"Is it that strange?"

Sōma managed a stiff smile.

It was the first genuine smile he had shown in a long time.

"Yeah, it’s strange~"

"Yeah, it’s strange."

The siblings laughed, and Sōma joined in.

A little away from the three, Shemur had been watching the whole scene.

She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and returned to her tent before Sōma noticed her.

◆◇◆◇◆

After parting ways with the young siblings, Sōma decided to apologize to Shemur first.

He had caused her a lot of worry over the past few days. He felt ashamed of himself for causing her so much trouble since coming to this world.

He thought he needed to tell her that she didn’t need to worry anymore.

"Shemur, are you there?"

Following the instructions, he first cleared his throat at the entrance of the tent and then called out. Immediately, a response came from inside.

"Yeah, I’m here. Come in, Sōma."

Lifting the flap, Sōma stepped inside and was startled.

For some reason, Shemur’s atmosphere felt different from usual.

Standing there, unsure, Sōma was called by Shemur, who was sitting cross-legged.

"Sōma, can you stand in front of me?"

Sōma stood in front of her as instructed, and Shemur, looking quite tense, took several deep breaths.

Then, she placed the mountain knife on the mat in front of her and slowly took off the vine chest armor and the tunic she was wearing.

Sōma quickly turned his head away as her ample chest burst free and swayed.

"What! What are you doing all of a sudden, Shemur?!"

"It’s embarrassing for me too when you turn away so obviously…"

Sōma was at a loss, not knowing how to face her properly.

"Anyway! Can you look at me?"

At her strong request, Sōma hesitantly turned to face her.

However, his eyes were inevitably drawn to her chest.

Sōma was a boy of his age. It was only natural for his interest to be piqued, but it wasn’t just that. He was also reminded of the mark on Shemur’s chest that he had heard about from the old woman.

"Good that you’re facing me, but don’t stare too much! I’m a maiden too, you know."

Sōma tried to focus on Shemur’s face and suppress the urge to look down.

Finally, Shemur, who had regained her composure, took a small breath, made a fist, and bowed slightly to Sōma with a stern voice.

"I, Shemur, daughter of the Garguz of the <Tooth Clan>, swear by my father’s name and my pride."

Saying this, she quickly tore her chest with her own claws. Blood seeped from the claw marks, staining the hair on her chest. Shemur’s lips twisted slightly in pain.

She looked directly into Sōma’s eyes, which were startled by the sudden action, and continued.

"I will be your eyes and see everything.

I will be your ears and hear everything.

I will be your nose and smell everything.

I will be your whiskers and feel everything.

I will be your fangs and crush the enemy.

I will be your claws and tear the enemy.

I will be your horns and pierce the enemy.

I will be your hooves and run.

I will be your mane and show my might.

I will be your tail and follow.

I will be your fur and protect.

I will be your bones and support."

She picked up the mountain knife and cut a lock of her long hair from the nape of her neck. She rubbed the lock of hair with her blood-stained hand, dyeing it red.

"Here, I make Kisa Sōma my ‘Lord Below the Navel’ and offer my soul, heart, and flesh to you."

Shemur offered the lock of hair stained with her blood to Sōma.

"Take this, Sōma."

Sōma, who took the hair as instructed, asked in a dazed manner.

"Lord Below the Navel?"

"Yes. —We Zoan believe that the soul is here."

Shemur placed her hand slightly below her navel.

"When a Zoan meets someone they can expose and entrust their soul to, they call that person their ‘Lord Below the Navel’ and make a vow to offer everything to that person."

"Offer everything?!"

"Yes, Sōma.

If you command me to fight, I will fight against any enemy.

If you desire this body, I will accept any treatment you wish to give it.

And if you want this life, I will show you my severed head on the spot."

The weight of her words made Sōma want to return the hair to her.

"Don’t make a woman look bad, Sōma."

However, he was pushed back by Shemur’s gentle smile.

"But, me…?!"

"That’s not it. I want to offer everything to you because it’s you."

"But I’m weak…!"

"I know. But you helped us even though you are weak. Even though it must have been painful, you still tried to help us. That’s why I want you to be my ‘Lord Below the Navel’."

If Sōma had been just a strong person, she would have respected him.

If Sōma had been just someone who drove away the enemy, she would have been grateful.

But she would never have wished for him to be her ‘Lord Below the Navel’.

The Sōma Shemur knew was too