Chapter 82

"Damn it! Damn it! What the hell! What the hell is going on!"

It was late at night. The location was a park outside the small town of Horuad, a place planted with countless trees. A man was pounding one of the trees fiercely, his voice muffled with anger. It was Daizaburo Hinoyama. His eyes flickered with intense hatred, agitation, and anxiety.

"Sure enough, you're quite violent... Well, there's nothing to be done about it. After all, the lovely and pitiful Princess Kaori was snatched away by another man right before your eyes, wasn't she?"

From behind such a Daizaburo, a voice, nine-tenths mocking and one-tenth sympathetic, addressed him. Daizaburo turned sharply, as if his neck had snapped with a "snap!" Realizing that the person there was the one he had agreed to meet in secret, his face instantly showed relief, then he clenched his fists and replied in a voice like a low growl.

"Shut up! Damn it! This... This shouldn't be happening! Why did that bastard survive! Why did something like this happen..."

"Don't lose it, you're the one who wanted to talk, right? If we're seen during a secret meeting, it'll be too much trouble to come up with an excuse."

"...There's no longer any reason to obey you... My Kaori is already..."

The moonlight cast shadows through the gaps in the trees, and a figure, like a silhouette, lurked in the shadows. Daizaburo, while pounding the tree beside him, spoke unhappily to the silhouette.

The reason Daizaburo had assisted this person's plan was that he had been told he could make Kaori his own. Now that Kaori was gone, there was no longer any reason to help. At this point, with the danger of being exposed as the murderer in front of the victim himself gone, even the threat of exposing his failed attempt to kill Aichi was no longer useful.

However, the figure in the darkness, grinning like a crescent moon, made another devilish temptation to such a Daizaburo.

"If she's taken, take her back. Isn't that right? Fortunately, we still have the best bait here."

"...Bait?"

Completely confused, Daizaburo was at a loss. But the figure only pursed its lips and nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, bait. Even if she prioritizes her own feelings and leaves her companions... Can she really abandon her friends, her childhood friends... When she learns they are in dire straits..."

"You..."

"It's easy to call her out. There's no need to be pessimistic. Especially this time, even I thought it was over... But in the end, it went smoothly. Well, you could say it was a stroke of luck. If we return to the capital, it will be complete, right? Then your wish will surely come true, won't it?"

"..."

Daizaburo, knowing it was futile, still glared at the accomplice hidden in the shadows. The figure, meeting that gaze, smiled as usual.

Daizaburo didn't know the full scope of the plan, but from the words just spoken, he realized that it indeed included something detrimental to his classmates. This person could easily betray those who had shared hardships with him for his own purposes and felt nothing about it. Realizing this, Daizaburo felt a chill run down his spine again.

(Still a bad guy... But I can't turn back now... To get my Kaori back, I have to do it... That's right, there's no need to be confused. This is for Kaori, I'm not wrong)

Daizaburo didn't notice that his thoughts had become a mess, contradictory and confused. Accomplices like this often unconsciously avert their eyes from the things they are instructed to do and seek justification to legitimize their actions. Daizaburo's justification was all for Kaori.

Looking at the silent Daizaburo, the shadowy figure clearly understood his feelings. Therefore, a smile appeared on his lips as he waited for the "I understand" response.

"...I understand. I'll cooperate as I have until now. But..."

"Ah, I understand. I get what I want, and you get what you want. Give and take, that's what the saying goes, right? It's a critical time now. So, please take care of me in the capital?"

The figure, completely ignoring Daizaburo's twisted expression, turned and disappeared into the gaps between the trees. After that, only one person remained in the park, a boy with eyes as murky and dark as mud, his gaze flickering with madness.

---

While a suspicious meeting was taking place in the park on the outskirts, elsewhere, two young people stood under the bright moon.

Unlike the meeting place, this location was on a small, half-circular arch bridge. Designed to connect the gaps between alleys and shops, it spanned a waterway. This waterway was dug due to the many restaurants and lodging facilities in the small town, to meet various needs. The waning crescent moon was reflected on the slowly flowing water, and the moonlight reflected on the face of the young man peering down from the bridge.

However, to be precise, he wasn't peering; "dejected" would be a more accurate description. Moreover, his handsome face was gloomy, far from the usual radiant appearance. His posture was like that of a former president of a small company who, after his company went bankrupt and he was left with a huge debt, stood on a bridge at dusk, feeling despair about his future. This image perfectly matched the young man, our hero, Hikari Amakawa.

"...Aren't you going to say anything?"

Hikari, staring at the moon reflected in the water, spoke. The person he was addressing was one of his childhood friends, Yatsugatake Shizuku.

Unlike Hikari, Shizuku was leaning against the railing of the arch bridge, slightly tilting her head back to gaze at the floating moon in the sky. On the other side of the railing, her signature ponytail swayed gently in the breeze. Hearing the words of her childhood friend, who did not meet her gaze, Shizuku, still looking up at the sky, replied quietly.

"What do you want me to say?"

"..."

Hikari didn't answer, no, he couldn't. Staring at the moon reflected in the water, his mind was filled with the scene of Kaori's confession. The expression and posture of her confession, filled with anxiety and joy, were undoubtedly sincere, even to the point where the slow-witted Hikari was convinced.

Hikari had known Kaori for ten years, and he had never seen such a heart-wrenching, powerful expression from her, someone so endearing.

It was a bolt from the blue.

Every time he thought of her expression, a strange feeling welled up in Hikari's chest. It was a dark, heavy, and quite sticky feeling. Unconditionally, and without any basis, but it felt natural to believe that Kaori, his childhood friend, would always be by his side and would never change. More precisely, the idea that Kaori belonged to him. In other words, jealousy.

Was this jealousy born from love? Or from possessiveness? Even Hikari himself didn't know. In any case, the thought of "being taken away" was forming a violent whirlpool in his chest.

However, the one who "took her away" was Aichi (who would vehemently deny it), and the one who decided to go with him was Kaori herself. Additionally, in his attempt to deny the reality of Aichi's existence, he rashly challenged him to a duel, only to be defeated. The anger towards Aichi, the doubt about Kaori's feelings, and various other thoughts mixed together, making Hikari's mind as chaotic as a full garbage bin.

So, he tried to ask the childhood friend who had silently stood beside him, but... her response was quite cold. Hikari couldn't find the right words to continue and fell silent.

Shizuku glanced at Hikari, her eyebrows forming a frown, and with a "there's no helping it" atmosphere, she spoke.

"...What you're feeling now, Hikari, is unreasonable."

"...Unreasonable?"

Hearing Shizuku's words, Hikari repeated them in a parrot-like manner. Shizuku, moving her gaze from the moon, looked at Hikari and continued.

"That's right. Kaori was never your to begin with, was she?"

"...That... So, are you saying she belongs to Nanami?"

Straight to the point, hitting Hikari's sore spot. Hikari's eyes wavered, and he almost insultingly rebutted. In response, Shizuku gave him a strong flick on the forehead. "Ouch!?" Looking up at Hikari, who involuntarily tilted his head back, Shizuku scolded him in a cold voice.

"Idiot. Kaori is Kaori's own person. The choices she makes, where she goes, are all decided by Kaori herself. Of course, who she wants to belong to... is also decided by her."

"...When did it start? Shizuku, you know, right?"

Shizuku nodded without asking what he meant.

"Middle school... Kaori and Nanami-kun's meeting... Well, he doesn't remember... In fact, he doesn't even know they met."

"...Why, what's going on?"

"That's something I heard from Kaori. It's not my place to say more."

"Then, really, when Kaori approached Nanami in the classroom... That... was because she liked him...?"

"Yep, that's right."

"..."

"..."

The fact he didn't want to hear was simply stated by Shizuku. Hikari shot her a reproachful look, but Shizuku remained unperturbed. Annoyed by Shizuku's attitude, Hikari, like a spoiled child, vented his thoughts.

"...Why Nanami? In Japan, that guy was just a shut-in, unmotivated, nothing special in sports or studies, a complete nobody... Always laughing and brushing things off... When Kaori talked to him, he was dismissive... A shut-in... If Kaori talked to me, I would never brush her off. I've always valued her and would do anything for Kaori... And Nanami is the worst kind of guy who treats girls who serve him like objects. Not to mention, he's a murderer! He killed a defenseless woman without hesitation. That's not normal, right? Yes, it's strange that Kaori likes such a guy. There must be something 'snap!' Gah!?"

Hikari, getting worked up, started bad-mouthing Aichi and making up facts. For this, Shizuku, once again, flicked his forehead (this time without rhythm). Ignoring Hikari's glare, Shizuku looked surprised.

"Your bad habit is showing again? Stop making convenient explanations for yourself. You should have noticed by now."

"Making convenient explanations... That kind of thing?"

"Right? Hikari, you don't know anything about Nanami-kun, do you? Whether it's in Japan or here, you know nothing... Those girls all looked very happy, no, they looked very content. Ignoring that fact and making statements... The current Hikari is just trying to connect Nanami with a bad guy because he thinks Kaori and Nanami don't suit each other. If that's not making convenient explanations, what is?"

"But... But... Murder is a fact, right!"

"...At that time, I also intended to kill that woman. I just couldn't. From now on... If I encounter the same situation, I will definitely strike with the intent to kill. To survive. For myself and for the people I care about... I don't know if I can really do it until that moment... But I am, in a sense, guilty of attempted murder... Would you despise me as a murderer?"

Hikari, hearing Shizuku's confession, was speechless. Shizuku, his childhood friend, who was very caring and had a sense of responsibility and justice twice as strong as the average person, suddenly seemed distant when he heard she harbored serious murderous intent. However, when Hikari noticed the shadow of worry and fear in Shizuku's smile, he shook his head.

While looking at Hikari, Shizuku continued her monologue.

"Indeed, his change is quite surprising... Considering his personality in Japan, it's almost as if he became a different person... But, despite that, Kaori must have felt he was still [Nanami Aichi], probably because he didn't completely change... And, we can't forget that he fought and killed for us."

"...Is killing the right thing?"

"Right... is impossible. Killing is killing... It can't be justified, and it can't be done."

"Then..."

"Even so, we have no right to blame Nanami-kun. We asked him to do it because we were weak. Without him, we wouldn't be here... In any case, if you have objections, do it yourself. If you can't achieve the desired result, it's simply because you lack the strength. Complaining about the results of something you couldn't do yourself is just throwing a tantrum."

Hikari, realizing the implications of Shizuku's words and remembering how he could only lie there, unable to do anything, when Aichi was going all out, couldn't argue and fell silent with a frown. His expression clearly showed "But murder is wrong, that's a fact!"

Looking at such a stubborn Hikari, Shizuku, in a cautionary tone, repeated the advice she had been giving him and the things she had felt since coming to this world.

"I don't dislike Hikari's straightforwardness and strong sense of justice."

"...Shizuku"

"But... It's about time you started to doubt your own correctness."

"Doubt correctness?"

"Yep, indeed, a strong belief is necessary to achieve great things. But, running blindly without ever doubting can lead to distortion at some point. So, after understanding all the facts of a specific time and situation, think about whether your thoughts are correct or incorrect. After figuring that out, [even so], should you still do it... These are things you must constantly think about. ...Living truly and correctly is incredibly difficult. In this world, even though we cut down monsters, we are still taking lives... That's what I think."

Hearing that Shizuku considered these things every time she killed a monster, Hikari was surprised and opened his eyes wide.

"Hikari. Often, what you think is correct isn't correct, and even if it is correct, remember that it can become a weapon that harms you and others. Well, this time, the reason you're making convenient explanations isn't because of the [correctness] you firmly believe in, but just jealousy."

"No, no, I'm not jealous..."

"At this point, making excuses is unbecoming."

"..."

Hikari lowered his head again and started looking at the moon reflected in the water. However, the gloomy atmosphere had lightened, and he seemed to be deeply thinking about something. The situation of spiraling into a negative spiral was unavoidable. Shizuku, knowing her childhood friend's tendency to go on a rampage, sighed lightly.

Then, now, he needed some time alone, so Shizuku got up from the railing and quietly left. As she turned to leave, Hikari's voice fell softly.

"Shizuku... You won't go anywhere, right?"

"...What are you suddenly talking about?"

"...Don't go, Shizuku."

"..."

Hikari's words had a slightly pleading tone. While it was a line that would make the Japanese students who liked Hikari and the kingdom's young ladies scream "Ah!" in excitement, unfortunately, the expression Shizuku saw was just [dull]. The loss of Kaori might have made him weaker... Shizuku glanced over her shoulder at the moon that had been swaying in the water, which Hikari had been staring at since the beginning.

"At least, while I'm not that [moon]... I will reject clingy men."

Leaving these words, Shizuku left the place. Hikari, after staring at the alley where Shizuku disappeared for a while, returned his gaze to the moon reflected in the water. Then, he realized the meaning of those words.

"...A moon in the water..."

A moon in the water. This phrase refers to something that can be seen but not touched, like a flower in a mirror or a moon in the water. Unconsciously looking at the moon in the water, if it were compared to Kaori, it was indeed something unattainable, especially after seeing the expression on Kaori's face when she confessed to Aichi.

Shizuku said she wasn't the [moon in the water]. In other words, there was a possibility of obtaining it. However, the words that followed were quite harsh. Hikari couldn't help but smile bitterly. What had he said to his childhood friend?

Hikari stopped looking at the illusory moon and raised his head to the sky, reaching out his hand. If he believed unconditionally and without doubt that he could reach [it]... It felt especially far away. Hikari sighed deeply and began to carefully consider the words of his strict yet gentle childhood friend.

Will it change, or will it not change... It depends on Hikari himself.