Chapter 40

Let’s go to the hot springs

(sorry i'm late)

Chesed seems genuinely apologetic. He’s probably troubled by his defeat at the hands of Kaitzul. He seems to think that even if he is revived, he would be of no use to Fairy World.

 

In terms of raw combat power, he might be right.

 

The current Chesed is nothing more than a fragment, and even if I manage to successfully revive him, he would be weaker than he was in his peak.

 

Therefore──Archangel of Mercy Chesed believed that it would be more useful to remain as a battery for me rather than to revive with only remnant strength.

 

Hmm, you could say he's a bit pragmatic about himself, or maybe he's just too high… Even though he presides over "Mercy," this kind of rational judgment is so typical of an angel. (tl note: high feels weird, but ガンギマリ here refers to the facial expression when one is experiencing a sense of euphoria due to drugs or other factors.)

 

Wait, seriously…? it looks like the battle with the Qlippoth of the abyss is inevitable.

 

Just like the Sefirot, there are a total of ten Qlippoth. Half are sealed, while the other half are waiting for their reincarnation. The Chesed within me believes that the reincarnation rush of the Qlippoth will begin with the resurrection of Adishut.

 

Chesed said that even if that’s not the case, the Abyss is expected to become more active, and that this world desperately needs the power to fight.

 

When I conveyed Chesed's feelings, I thought they would get angry and tell me to stop the bullshit, but Tiferet sighed and said in exasperation,

 

『He’s the same as always… I thought the setback he experienced might have had an impact on his mind, yet he’s still saying things like that.』

 

As an archangel who has known him for a long time, his high self-sacrificing explanation was no surprise. I think so too.

 

But, you know… I don’t think Chesed should dismiss the feelings of others like that. If he had a body, I'd want to give him a stern lecture.

 

『Idiot! You're really a hopeless idiot! You're truly a failure… I don’t care anymore!』

 

As expected, Malkuth was furious.

 

She yelled at the Chesed within me and then flew off somewhere in a rage.

 

I didn’t expect to encounter a line directly from the original work here… Man, the Chesed inside me looks really depressed.

 

This is why you should just obediently be revived. You’re really so…

 

"…It would be nice if there was a way to talk to him directly…"

 

Chesed must have his own intentions. But when I have to speak on his behalf, it becomes difficult to fully convey each other’s feelings. These things need to be discussed directly, without a third party.

 

What to do… As I was wondering if there was a better way to do this, Tiferet looked into my eyes and said,

 

『T.P. Eight Olishua... Do you have any intention of opposing us?』

 

I guess she wanted to be sure in her own way.

 

Given that she initially tried to kill us with an opening special move, it’s tempting to say, “What’s the point of saying that now?” but Eight-chan is soft on her favorite, so I won’t say anything.

 

“As long as you remain the kind and beautiful Tiferet, I have no intention of denying you."

 

『──!』

 

I replied with a nihilistic smile, almost like a pick-up line, and she blushed, averting her gaze. Cute.

 

Since her complexion is so fair, it’s easy to tell when she’s embarrassed, which is cute. Because she’s a stern beautiful woman, the gap is overflowing, and even the serious men watching from the sidelines falter.

 

I gave a glance at the two of them and continued.

 

"They feel the same way. None of us really want to fight you… In truth, there are no real enemies here."

 

『...』

 

"So, Tiferet, I want you to tell your king. 'Don’t mistake who your true enemy is.'"

 

Eight-chan urged the Ten Archangels of Sefirot to reflect.

 

Tiferet, who once held nothing but a maxed out murderous intent towards us, became more subdued under the strain of recent events, which made this perfect moment to push for reconciliation, and I approached her with a strong attitude.

 

Adishut and Kaitzul—common enemies like them can become envoys of reconciliation because they are too strong.

 

It was a clever strategy to use their existence to blur negative feelings toward humanity.

 

『...I still can't trust the existence of humans.』

 

…But it didn't work. Well, that's true.

 

If the holy beasts do a one-eigthy and go, “Humans are wonderful!”, then the holy beasts of this world are really pitiable.

 

『But... it's not like there aren't those who can be saved, isn’t that right… Chesed...』

 

Since someone like you hanged your hopes on them, I want to guide them more──Tiferet muttered those words in a low voice and faced En and Chota.

 

Then, her silky blonde hair swayed.

 

She bowed her head.

 

“...!”

 

『I apologize for shooting at you without warning. I should have tried to understand you more... I'm sorry.』

 

Yes, it's important to apologize when you can make a compromise.

 

Oh, by the way, Chouta apparently apologized properly for provoking Malkuth back then. That’s great.

 

Although, in her case, it seems that his apology only infuriated her further, saying 『Are you making fun of me? Fine, step outside!』, leading to the one-on-one confrontation earlier.

 

Flat chests really are no good... Looking at Tiferet's ample two hills, I reaffirmed the clear difference in size. I’m talking about the capacity, you know.

 

And our main characters also have a great capacity.



The two sincerely accepted her apology, and it can be said that their reconciliation with the Archangels has taken another step forward.

 

"Well, I'm not going to say anything about that now but..."

 

"About our comrade that you shot down... about Tsubasa, do you know where he is?"

 

Oh, as expected of En. The leader doesn’t miss anything.

 

That’s right, Tsubasa──Tsubasa Kazaoka's location.

 

I was worried that if he took on the role of Akihiro in the original story, he might be imprisoned on the island "Yod" of Chokmah... but if Tiferet, who shot him down, knows something, she might have some information. We looked at her with eyes of expectation.

 

Tiferet, with a slightly displeased expression, answered his question.

 

『It’s Elohim… Your comrade is on the island you're heading to. Without a single injury.』

 

"Is that true!? That's perfect!"

 

"So he really is safe... As expected of Tsubasa."

 

It wasn't that she hesitated to tell us where Tsubasa was, but rather, she seemed reluctant to mention the island "Elohim."

 

Do they not get along?

 

『I went to that island too, but he was already being sheltered by Binah, and I couldn’t even set foot on it. It seems you all have won quite a bit of favor.』

 

“Eh…?”

 

Binah──The name of the administrator of Elohim, and the Third Archangel who presides over “Understanding.”

 

I see, that’s good to hear. Binah hasn’t appeared in the original story, and there are no records of them in the Chesed Memory, so it's still unclear. But if Binah is protecting Tsubasa, then, as Haniel-san said, they might be on our side.

 

Archangels do make mistakes, but they rarely lie. Knowing Tiferet's straightforward personality from my knowledge of the original story, I believed her and gave a grateful smile.

 

"Thank you, Tiferet."

 

Chesed said the same thing, so it was just right.

 

『...I'm your enemy. Isn't it strange to thank me?』

 

“There's nothing strange about it. After all, you and Malkuth protected Chesed's island, didn't you? So thank you. That’s also what he said.”

 

『...As a Sefirot, it's only natural.』

 

Looking at Hod, it seems that protecting islands without their lords is indeed the duty of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot but… in her case, it's not just that.

 

It’s because Tiferet loves Chesed.

 

It was precisely because the one who was lost was Chesed that she acted. And because she was thinking of him, she didn't hesitate to attack us.

 

Hmm, youth!

 

Their relationship between the two is hinted at as being deeply connected comrades, with a close bond even within the anime "Fairy Savers."

 

…Ahh, so that’s why the original work’s Malkuth was so openly furious and attacked Chesed—Akari-chan.

 

In the latter half of the anime, the pacing made it hard to understand Malkuth’s feelings, but it probably wasn’t just about rebelling against Keter—she was also frustrated with her beloved older brother and sister drifting away from her.

 

When I watched it in real time as a child, I didn’t notice, but growing up makes you realize new things, and that’s one of the fun parts of children’s anime.

 

...Hmm. Alright.

 

“It’s a nice thing, isn’t it? The emotion called love.”

 

『...Y-yes…』

 

Huh? I tried to sound interesting, but they just looked perplexed.

 

…Perhaps the two of them never became romantically involved because the they have been together for hundreds of years.

 

What do you think, Chesed? Chesed? Cheseeed? ...No good, it seems like he can't hear my voice.

 

It’s a troublesome thing that I can hear Chesed’s voice, but he can’t hear my mind. Well, thanks to that, he doesn't know what's inside my mind, so I guess that’s lucky. I decided to think that way.

 

 

 

 

After chatting for a bit, Tiferet mentioned that she had something to investigate about "Kaitzul," and she flew off somewhere.

 

People with their own wings are amazing, as they can easily cross between countries. I could do the same if I wanted to, but for today, I still have things to do here on the island of "El."

 

This is a token of gratitude for my atonement—the restoration work for the island.

 

It seems that Tiferet led the reconstruction of the destroyed buildings while I was sleeping, but using "Clairvoyance" and "Search," I found that Adishut's poison was still lingering in the island.

 

Purifying this place is my way of making amends to the island inhabitants.

 

And so, today, I decided to spend the whole day hosting an airborne purification tour.

 

Knowing Tsubasa’s whereabouts means I no longer need to scout Yod, which frees me up to focus on what's right in front of me.

 

──There, become clean, become clean.

 

I created five white and five black wings—a total of ten wings—and rose to a height where I could see the whole town. There, I amplified my purification harp, a compound of "Purification" and "Anywhere Harp," playing it loudly.

 

Last time, when I unleashed Chesed’s power in full power, twelve wings sprouted, but to avoid fainting, I adjusted the energy this time, ending up with this number of wings.

 

I look the same as when I helped the kobold village, but this time I had the permission of the real angels, so I can confidently show off Eight-chan’s Archangel Mode.

 

But, uh... flying over the island while the sound of a harp is ringing feels a bit like I'm a campaign car or a food stall truck.

 

To spread the sound of purification across the entire island, this is a necessary step. Yet, it's such a noisy act that I would have been an annoying noise onee-san under normal circumstances. (tl note: noise onee-san is probably a reference to noise obaa-san.)

 

But this is an emergency.

 

The stares from the islanders below are a little unnerving, but I hope they'll understand that this is for their sake. Up here, with the strong winds blowing, I'm enduring a lot, too. So please, don’t sue me.

 

"...Yes, thank you for listening."

 

By the time I purified all the traces left by Adishut, the moon was already shining in the night sky.

 

This was my longest performance to date, so even I was exhausted this time. I played through my entire repertoire.

 

But I did it.

 

Though the corrupted land is not yet fully restored, fresh sprouts had begun to emerge, and life was starting to return.

 

Since I used supernatural abilities, the damaged areas should be back to normal in a few months.

 

The holy beasts, who suffered from Adishut's poison, all recovered safely, and when I landed back on the ground, the townsfolk greeted me with more joy than I could have imagined.

 

...I couldn’t really enjoy it, though. It felt like a match-pump. (tl note: Match-pump is a Japanese loanword that refers to a hypocritical method or act of setting up a fire yourself, meaning that you light a match and then use a pump to put out the fire.)

 

Still, I couldn’t resist the carefree laughter of the children who said, 『Thank you, onee-san!』, so I pulled my top hat down to hide my face, and walked awkwardly through the revived town.

 

I, the cheat original protagonist, have unexpectedly lost… What the heck.

 

At that moment, inside my head, I was screaming like one of those hapless protagonists: "S-stop it... I just want to be an original protagonist!" Eight-chan loves to be praised, but this time I was just embarrassed.

 

──But the airborne purification tour had its rewards for me, too.

 

By flying all over the island, I discovered some "hidden sights" on this island.

 

With a burst of enthusiasm, I pulled out a bucket and towel from Item Box and barged into the room where Mea-chan was and declaring triumphantly,

 

"Mea, let's go to the hot springs!"

 

"Eh...?"

 

It seemed like Mea-chan just woke up. Hm, it seems she got a good night's sleep, that’s the most important part. Perfect timing. I was feeling excited after finishing my work, so I explained to her with a summary of what happened, her eyes blinking repeatedly.

 

──There’s a hot spring.

 

──There’s, a hot spring.

 

The location is at the base of a large active volcano, at about 3,000 meters of elevation. I found a natural open-air bath in a secluded spot with a fantastic view!

 

There's no way I could pass this up. Think like a hot spring-loving Japanese!

 

While I kept myself physically clean during my travels with Purification, no matter how spotless I stayed, you can't purify the dirt in your heart or the fatigue of your spirit.

 

But hot springs are an different.

 

It warms you to the core, letting you enjoy the fresh, otherworldly scenery at the same time. It cleanses the soul, and the spirit is healed and makes it unable to hide its joy.

 

Is there a greater entertainment than this? No, there isn’t!

 

I do enjoy being an original protagonist on a daily basis, but that’s just my livelihood, it’s not entertainment.

 

That’s why right now, both body and soul are craving a warm hot spring. The sky was freezing... I shouldn't have tried to look cool by dropping my barrier just because it was atonement. Brr…

 

──As for my current attire, I already changed out of my phantom thief outfit into a yukata I prepared in advance, fully ready to go.

 

This made me feel even colder, but I told myself it was a worthwhile investment to enjoy the hot spring even more.

 

Fufufu… It was worth it to carefully select a nice-looking yukata in case something like this happens!

 

The figure of Eight-chan in a yukata was such a picture of beauty that even En’s group I passed by before coming to this room looked on nervously and complimented me with, "It suits you…”. Thank you!

 

Genuine praise from those two, who usually care more about practical things than appearance, was rare, and I couldn’t hide my smile. I told them I’d be heading to the hot springs with Mea-chan, and with that momentum, I came to invite her along.

 

Now, let’s go. Let’s go immediately. Before I catch a cold. Not that I would.

 

"So, with that said, come with me to the hot springs. Look, I even made a yukata for you."

 

"Eh? Eh...?"

 

I just finished making Mea's yukata a short while ago. Even I didn’t have a child-sized yukata on hand, so I took one of my spares, trimmed it down, and spent about an hour adjusting it for her.

 

But there was no sense of skimping on the final product. The dimensions should be perfect. In times like this, my "Search" ability becomes dependable. I’m glad I swiped it from that glasses-wearing guy who was pretending to be intelligent, one of the remnants of PSYence.

 

"...Are those clothes needed to go to the hot springs?"

 

Hm, of course they’re needed, what are you talking about?

 

Speaking of hot springs, it has to be the yukata! Sure, we'll be taking them off soon, but the elegance is necessary, the elegance!

 

“That's just how humans are, right? I prepared it for you but... is it no good?"

 

"N-no! That’s not it! T... thank you, Eight."

 

"I’m glad...!"

 

I tried asking in a slightly manipulative way, appealing to her conscience, and she readily agreed. I did it. Mea-chan is so cute, yay!

 

"Do you know how to put it on?"

 

"...Last year, onee-chan taught me. But I don’t remember it very well..."

 

"Then I'll help you out. First, you tuck the right side in—"

 

"...Fufu..."

 

I am a TS beautiful girl original protagonist.

 

Therefore, I learned how to wear a yukata ages ago from the staff at my favorite clothing store!

 

When I buy clothes at that store, they often ask, "Can I take a photo of you?" But I'm the kind of original protagonist who cherishes my Favorite Users, or rather, my fans. I owe that clerk for introducing me to some great outfits, so I would gladly let them show off my pictures to their online friends. I wonder if she’s also doing well. (tl note: favorite user here refers to users who click “favorite” on online works.)

 

Well, as a result of that feeling of being in a low position without being able to demonstrate my abilities, I can pull off reliable big sister moves, even with little girls. Amazing, right?

 

"All done. There, cheese!"

 

"? Hm..."

 

I tied the obi perfectly. Yes, it suits her well and makes her look like a fairy. The figure of a silver-haired loli in a yukata, it’s nice.

 

And what’s more... since it’s the same pattern as mine, looking at her now, she almost seems like my little sister. What’s with this girl? Is she my devilish little sister? Amazing.

 

"Isn't it pretty? It suits you."

 

"Kyuu."

 

"Wow...!"

 

It wasn't the pattern I originally chose for her, but I guess it's because the material is nice. I pulled out a digital camera from Item Box and snapped a quick two-shot of us together, then showed it to her.

 

As an original protagonist who values the atmosphere of the moment, I don’t usually use recording devices like this. But today was a special exception.

 

...I simply wanted to cheer up Mea-chan a bit. After all, it's my fault that she was feeling down. I hope we can reconcile with this.

 

My plan worked, and after seeing the photo, Mea-chan’s heterochromatic eyes lit up with delight.

 

"Now then, shall we go? It’s cold outside, but with my teleportation, we’ll get there in an instant."

 

"Ah... yeah!"

 

I held out my hand to her, and Mea took it with a sunflower-like smile.

 

This island is windy at random, making yukata a poor choice for nighttime wear. But I have "Teleportation," which can take us to our destination in an instant.

 

The mass limit isn’t an issue since Mea and I together are well within the threshold. Even if we add the weight of Kabbalah-chan, who hopped onto my shoulder who knows when and photobombed our two-shot, it’s not a problem.

 

Therefore, it doesn’t matter how cold it is outside. We’ll be soaking in warm water soon enough.

 

...Honestly, I was a bit surprised at how chilly a yukata is for a girl.

 

Hmm… This cool feeling that comes from not wearing underwear feels a little dangerous… but the saleswoman assured me that it was normal, so it must be true. I vaguely recall hearing something similar in my past life.

 

…Huh?...Wait a minute... when I glanced earlier, it looked like Mea-chan was wearing panties as usual...?

 

Well, it’s fine.

 

I won’t put on underwear in front of Mea-chan nor make her take hers off, as both will give off terrible impressions. We’ll be taking everything off at the hot spring soon anyway.

 

“Now then, I’ll lead the way.”

 

Yes, this is the ultimate entertainment. There's no need to worry about the details! A warm hot spring is waiting for us.

 

Shaking off all distractions, I activated "Teleportation." In an instant, we arrived at the hidden hot spring I'd discovered at a secluded area.

 

"Ah."

 

"Oh..."

 

"Kyuu?"

 

『！？』

 

When we arrived at the hot spring, there was an unexpected guest waiting for us. She had been relaxing alone in the bathtub, and our sudden arrival took her by surprise.

 

She—Malkuth, completely naked, was before our very eyes.

 

...Hmm, she's small, but maybe a bit bigger than me. Who knew?

 

They’re bulging when seen from the outside, though.

 

As a TS original protagonist, I felt no sexual desire, just like with Arisu-chan but... seeing her in that mysterious state, I became very happy. (tl note: mysterious here refers to something that is beyond the comprehension of human wisdom.)

 

──Seeing something beautiful has nothing to do with lust, it's about wisdom.

 

Hot springs really are great.

 

I felt like I’ve grown to like this open space even more than I did in my previous life.

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