Chapter 77

The Guy who Nonchalantly Mixes into the Moving Family Reunion Scene (apparently, the project was supposed to be a group project of 5-6 me

The Guy who Nonchalantly Mixes into the Moving Family Reunion Scene

(apparently, the project was supposed to be a group project of 5-6 members each, but since I wasn’t paying attention and no one told me or invited me, I ended up doing everything alone. Haha)

A voice could be heard.

It was someone’s voice that was fervently calling out to her.

Mea, who had remembered her reason for being and realized her role, was alone in the depths of despair.

In the blank and empty world, she sat hugging her knees, staring into empty space with hollow eyes.

She couldn't think of anything──she couldn't think about anything at all.

『It's En's voice... En is calling for you, Mea.』

The small black bird, Chesed, perched on Mea's shoulder, called out to her desperately. She understood.

His voice… and the voice of Akatsuki En calling to her from somewhere both reached her ears.

But it was no use... It was hopeless.

The screams of her heart drowned out even those warm words.

Each time she heard their voices, her mind felt like it was going to go crazy.

Her chest also ached, it hurt so much that it felt like it would burst open.

It was so painful, so miserable… that she even wished to disappear somewhere.

Mea──was born as an offering to the king, kept alive only to die.

Surrounded by kind people, she had come to know happiness. She had thought that even someone like her could become human.

She had cried and laughed like everyone else… She had held on to the hope that one day, she too could become a spiritually rich person like them.

But she was wrong.

She was not a modified human, she was never even human.

From the beginning, she was never meant to hold such hopes.

"…In the end… Mea was empty."

Everything she had thought was fulfillment had been nothing but make-believe.

What she was was a hollow puppet that had tried to become a human without knowing its position. That was the reality.

A solemn man's voice responded to Mea's depressed voice.

『That’s right… No matter how far you go, you were destined to die for me. You are nothing more than a sacrifice to lead me to the throne of God.』

『Keter! You…!』

It was the voice of Keter, Mea’s creator.

His figure could not be seen.

Toward the words that had been indifferent told from nowhere, Chesed gave a look of protest, while Mea returned a vacant gaze.

How Keter perceived their emotions was unclear, as no emotions could be read from his voice.

『…But you should rejoice. There was meaning in you living. Your life will, without a doubt, be used to save this world.』

──Yes.

If there was any saving grace, it was that her being born had not been meaningless.

From his perspective, her life undoubtedly had value.

If Mea was the sacrifice that would lead to the supreme angel Keter reaching Fairy Burst to protect Fairy World, then her life would truly be useful in eradicating the Abyss.

That meant her life would indirectly save this world... For an empty being, it seemed an honorable end.

From the very beginning, her life had always been meant for this.

Then so be it... Even so.

If that was her role, then fulfilling it must be the right thing to do.

But──

“...Just promise one thing.”

This past year had been a blessing. As if it was all a dream or an illusion.

So she would reflect upon those times as her life reached its end. If she thought of it that way, she felt a little saved, like she could accept this fate.

That’s why.

"Promise that after you eat Mea, you will never attack the human world again."

She would yield to her fate, but this sacrifice would be the last──was her earnest wish.

She truly believed that both humans and angels were kind people. A future where they hated and fought each other was too sorrowful for Mea to accept.

It was thanks to none other than humans that Mea had been able to become the sacrifice Keter desired, the existence called the “Mugenkou.”

If Keter felt even the slightest debt of gratitude toward those humans, then it was reasonable to demand that he never lay a hand on the human world again.

That was the only resistance Mea could offer at the moment.

『W-What are you saying, Mea!? This kind of self-sacrifice──』

"It's okay, Chesed… Thank you. This is what Mea was born for. If Mea can be useful to everyone, then that’s enough."

Keter, the strongest archangel, would gain the power that can oppose the Abyss. She thought it would benefit both worlds in the long run.

If the immortal* Keter could defeat the Abyss without relying on humans, then he could stabilize and protect this world indefinitely, and the antagonism between fellow angels over differing principles would disappear. (tl note: the “lifespan-less” type of immortal)

That was what Mea believed.

They shunned humans likely as retribution for the sins committed against the holy beasts and because they regarded them as dangerous, but perhaps the origin of it was the impatience and anxiety that had been born from the many disasters that had piled up in this world up until now.

If they could settle the matter with the Abyss, which was currently their greatest threat, the archangels might finally face the human world with a calm mind… In that situation, she believed, fellow kind people would be able to understand each other.

Of course, there was the possibility that after defeating the Abyss, he would simply switch policies and defeat the humans next.

Therefore, Mea negotiated with Keter, the King.

By presenting the greatest compensation she could give, her own life.

『…I accept. You will continue to live as my flesh and blood. As the proud Mugenkou.』

After a long silence, Keter's voice responded.

At the time, if his face had been visible, perhaps Mea could have guessed what sentiments he had when he responded, but there was still no one in this mysterious, pure white world except for Mea and Chesed.

While Chesed was speechless after personally witnessing Mea’s resolution*──an unfamiliar female voice resounded. (tl note: can also mean “resignation”)

『I can’t allow that.』

The one who bluntly said that was not Mea, nor Chesed of course.

“!?”

『What…?』

All present gasped in surprise.

For the first time, they felt an agitated atmosphere from Keter as the voice reached their ears.

Who was that voice just now…? Mea looked up at the empty space with a confused look.

Chesed, too, looked around restlessly with a look of suspicion.

──In the next moment, a single leaf fluttered down from nowhere in front of Mea.

When the leaf touched the ground, a figure of a woman appeared, like an indistinct hologram.

She was white and ephemeral, just like this pure white world.

She had silver hair that reached the ground and golden eyes like the setting sun.

Wearing a pure white dress, the woman of unmatched beauty had a body as well-proportioned as that of Archangel of Beauty Tiferet, and she was shrouded in an unworldly mystique that one might mistake her for an archangel at first glance.

However, her back had no wings, the symbol of angels.

Immediately after her full figure was revealed in this pure white world, Keter’s voice resounded.

『Why... Why are you getting in my way!? Charon!』

Charon──was that the woman’s name?

The voice Keter used to call that name carried intense emotion, a complete change to the cold demeanor he had been showing until then.

His shout, with heavy echo like a rolling thunder, had an intimidating air that seemed to numb the entire space.

Receiving that voice from above, the silver-haired woman──Charon──cast her eyes down with a sorrowful look and crouched before Mea, and spoke while gently placing her hand on Mea’s cheek.

“Ah…”

『"I'm sorry, Keter... I didn’t want my daughter to die.』

“...Eh?”

The gaze that was filled with affection as she looked straight at Mea felt somewhat similar to T.P. Eight Olishua.

Responding to Charon’s expression with a dumbfounded gaze, Mea was astonished by the words she had just muttered.

My daughter──she had indeed said that just now.

Before Mea or Chesed could press her for answers, Keter, the father, responded.

『What a joke…! You… What are you, who let Daat die, saying now?!』

His shout was filled with intense hatred and fury.

It was likely the first time in his life that he had seen the king behave in such a way. Chesed’s eyes were filled with shock.

Just who is this woman? The two of them wondered.

…And yet, the sensation of her fingertips on Mea’s cheek oddly didn’t feel unpleasant.

If anything, for some reason… she felt a sense of security.

It was a feeling similar to when her head was patted by En, Akari, or Eight.

Her voice trembling, Mea asked.

“Who are you…?”

『I am Charon… the will of the World Tree, Sefira.』

『The World Tree…!? Could you be a primordial archangel──』

While Charon’s hand was touching her, Mea felt confused mind settle down little by little. She didn’t know what that feeling was or where it came from.

However... it felt very warm. Like the Mitsui family.

Charon tightly embraced Mea as if wrapping around her, softly patting her back as if to show appreciation for doing her best up to now.

Then, toward Mea, who was going along with her without any resistance, she muttered like she was performing a soliloquy.

『I wonder... am I like a mother to Mea?』

"...Mother...?"

『You’re an existence born from the genetic information of the Kabbalah left behind in the World Tree, infused with the power of Keter. Therefore... from my perspective as the World Tree itself, it’s not an exaggeration to say that you are a child born between me and Keter.』

“Eh… Huh?”

The appearance of her smiling, the outline of her cheeks slightly curving, carried an aura that was too bewitching to be considered as simply impish.

It was an expression that, had an adolescent boy personally witnessed it, he would have undoubtedly go red in the face, but fortunately, no one present harbored such emotions toward her.

Mea and Chesed were only bewildered by her sudden appearance and domination of the situation, but Keter, on the other hand──

『Don't say such creepy things.』

He dismissed Charon's words coldly, as if taking no notice of her joke.

At that moment, the hand that had been rubbing Mea's back suddenly stopped moving, and her face, which returned to being emotionless, looked up.

『How sad.』

The remark, muttered in a voice only Mea could hear, seemed to condense all her emotions into those two words.

Although Charon’s expression was dignified, Mea sensed that she had just received a non-negligible amount of shock.

Looking down at her, Keter's voice asked her a question.

『This space that is sheltering Mea from my power is your doing, isn’t it?』

『Yes. Before this child's mind could break, I used my power to invite her heart into Sefira's domain.』

『What an unnecessary thing to do… To think you would interfere.』

From his way of speaking, Mea was able to grasp the true situation she found herself in.

"You… protected Mea’s heart…?"

『That’s how it is. If left alone, you would have had your mind broken and deprived of it by Keter.』

Charon answered Mea's question plainly.

The reason the rampaging Mea was standing in this space perfectly unharmed was because Charon had intervened in secret.

Charon let go of Mea, stood up, and spoke as if addressing Keter, who was like watching from somewhere.

『Keter… you are now about to walk down the wrong path. Therefore, I have come to stop you.』

『And what can you, who is nothing more than an observer of the world, possibly do? What can you protect? If back then, you decided to look on from afar… just keep quiet and watch as you have until now.』

A shadow cast over Charon’s profile at Keter’s cold yet impassioned words.

Mea, who was meeting them for the first time, didn’t know much about Charon or the relationship between her and Keter.

However, the fact that she had come to help her──was something she could feel from the warmth permeating from her hand.

So much so that Mea could honestly feel her words that disclosed that she was Mea’s mother.

『It’s as you say. I interfered too much… I’ll leave without being told. But, I’ve bought time.』

『…! You──!』

It was at that moment that the situation of them glaring at each other changed.

Tremendous explosive flames, like a volcanic eruption, shot up in front of Mea──beside where Charon stood.

The raging blast fluttered her hair and the hem of her dress.

They were flames that Mea recognized.

A pillar of blue flames had broken through the space.

And in that moment, like a glass window, a massive rift wrenched the space open──and a Saver appeared.

“Mea!!”

Releasing the sword of blue flames in his hand, Akatsuki En vigorously jumped out from the other side of the gaping hole in space.

The moment she saw him, a smile appeared on her face, along with great joy──and a pure desire to live.

"En…? En!"

"I'm here too. I came to save you."

"Eight… Thank you…"

『See? It’s like I said, isn’t it, Mea?』

"…Yeah… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Chesed. I love you all…!"

From behind En, who had entered this world through feat of strength, with a look of amazement that seemed to want to say, “Good grief,” T.P. Eight Olishua followed.

The two──had come to save her.

That fact simply made her so happy. It was her honest feeling.

Tightly holding Chesed to her chest, large teardrops trickled down without her knowing.

"It's alright now… We will definitely not let you die. You know that, don’t you? Your big brother is invincible."

"Yeah… yeah…!"

Light returned to Mea’s eyes.

That’s right… Even she, who once had nothing, now had people she cherished. A place to return to.

After a glance at Charon, who had gently pushed her forward from behind, Mea followed her heart and jumped into En’s chest with honest feelings.

This was her true answer to Keter.

"Mea… wants to. With En… Onii-chan, with Onee-chan, with everyone… Mea wants to be with you…!"

"Aah, we’ll be together forever. No matter what that guy says, we will protect you. I will never let my family die again...!"

En caught her small body in his arms and nodded firmly with determined eyes.

As the girl in black, Eight, who watched over the siblings, bonded not by blood but by heart, with a gentle smile──walked toward the lone woman in white in the back, she called out in a soft voice as if having a secret conversation.

"…Why are you here?"

『Because I deemed it necessary. I will leave soon… so I’ll keep this brief.』

"…What is it?"

Eight appeared surprised that the goddess-like woman in white──Charon was in this place, but the familiarity in which she called out to her seemed to hint at an established relationship between the two.

After casting a glance at Eight, Charon, whose outline had faintly become vague, turned her gaze to Mea, who was being embraced in the En’s arms, and spoke.

『Eight, open the 'Book of Knowledge.' Now is the time for you to obtain the Mugenkou into your hands.』

“...!”

Eight’s eyes widened slightly at the words told with an authoritative tone.

It was a reaction that openly expressed surprise, which was unusual for her, who never breaks her composed expression no matter the occasion.

She flipped through the pages of the notebook she was holding in her left hand from back, then fell into deep thought with her right hand near her mouth.

"Hmm... There are less than ten pages left, but... Well, I suppose it's about time I filled them up. I've gathered all the abilities I need."

『You must hurry. I will soon disappear, and this space will collapse.』

"Got it."

Blinking deeply, Eight appeared to make up her mind, and took out a pen from nowhere into her right hand, her emerald-green eyes sparkling dully from beneath her silk hat.

Then, she made a declaration as if telling herself.

"Now then... Time for the final task of T.P. Eight Olishua the Supernatural Ability Phantom Thief."

After that, Eight moved his right arm with incredible speed, her pen moving quickly across the pages of the open notebook.

Eight, who quickly filled up all the pages in a few minutes, made the pen that had finished its role disappear from her grip and moved toward Mea without a moment’s delay.

Her expression lacked its usual composure, and there was an out of the ordinary feeling of tension in the air.

"To think I'd have to use this power on the same person twice... But this is a request from none other than the lovely goddess. And, more than anything, it’s to save you, so please forgive me this time as well. Mea──right now, I'm going to receive your power."

"Ah──"

With her shining right hand, Eight touched Mea’s head as if she were stroking a baby's hair.

That was her, the Supernatural Ability Phantom Thief’s, characteristic quality.

(author:

Charon: "The advent of the author."

Eight: "!?"

)

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