Chapter 38

Things you should not worry about in adventure fantasy

An unfamiliar ceiling──that one phrase can tell you almost everything you need to know; it’s an incredibly effective description. That phrase was tossed around frequently in the fanfiction communities back in the day. (tl note: Shinji’s line)

 

That’s why I’ll say it too. An unfamiliar ceiling…

 

Hmm? Why am I lying down in a place like this…? Ah, I remember.

 

Super Eight-chan, who had unleashed all her powers in addition to the Chesed Power, had collapsed from the backlash. Just as I was about to fall to my death, my soul friend, Mea, saved me.

 

Hm, Mea?

 

Mea’s sleeping right next to me.

 

“Zzz… Zzz…”

 

With steady breathing, she had fallen asleep sitting in the visitor chair next to my bed. The way she sleeps is just like En-onii-chan. It seems, after all, that they’re family connected not by blood, but by the heart.

 

But that posture of yours isn’t good for your back, so you should stop doing that. Not that I should be saying this when you’ve come all the way to visit me.

 

“Fufu.”

 

But even though she was in that position, seeing her peacefully asleep, I couldn’t help but smile. She’s such a healing presence.

 

This girl’s so therapeutic. It’s no wonder everyone loves her like a dream girl. She must have been worrying about me and looked after me without ever leaving my side, even for a short time. When I thought I felt some warmth, I realized she was tightly holding my left hand between both of hers, binding me in place.

 

Ugh… I can’t move with this. Normally, I’d just go back to sleep in this situation, but unfortunately, I’m a good sleeper, so once I’m awake, falling asleep again is tough. Plus, I’m kind of feeling it.

 

While many cheat original protagonists are typically sleepy types… I’m also strong in the morning. Yare yare, I’ve proven I’m the strongest again, even in places like this.

 

…This isn’t the time to be saying things like that. What should I do in this situation?

 

This is bad. What’s bad? What’s bad is that I’m feeling it…! I still have some leeway though.

 

What am I feeling? Don’t make me say it, it’s embarrassing.

 

W-well? TS original protagonists don’t use the toilet, so it’s fine, right? In the worst case, I can just use "Purification" around my lower abdomen, and that’ll be that. To be able to turn even an idol’s nonsense into reality, supernatural abilities are so convenient. This skill can pinpoint what I specify and purify it, making it the most suitable travel companion.

 

As I was thinking about all that, with nothing better to do, a small familiar creature suddenly climbed onto my futon. Ohh, it’s you, Kaballah-chan!

 

“Kyuu.”

 

“Thank you. You’ve been watching over me too, weren’t you?”

 

Just as I woke up, I thanked Kaballah-chan, who bravely made her presence known.

 

Having such a thoughtful partner makes onee-san happy.

 

But you know, Kabbalah-chan… I’m glad you’re happy I woke up, but could you maybe stop hopping around my stomach for now? Because I need to purify myself. I need to purify this rising urge.

 

As if it understood my silent plea, the intelligent carbuncle hopped off me and onto Mea’s shoulder, giving her a gentle headbutt on the cheek.

 

What a master of consideration. Thanks to the fluffy sensation Kaballah-chan provided, Mea opened her eyes widely.

 

And at that exact moment, her eyes met mine while I’m laying on my back—and her usually expressionless face lit up.

 

“Eight!”

 

“Yeah, it’s me, Eight.”

 

“Mea’s so glad…!”

 

“Seems like I worried you… It’s okay, Mea. Sorry, and thank you.”

 

“No… It’s Mea who should say that to Eight…”

 

She smiled when she saw me awake, but then her face quickly turned sad.

 

She must be feeling guilty, thinking it’s her fault I collapsed after transferring Chesed’s power to me. She seems to feel a strong sense of responsibility.

 

But that’s not necessary. I acted on my own free will. Just like you said, Mea.

 

When I told her that, she looked startled, then cast her eyes downward with a guilty expression.

 

What the heck… Don’t worry about me.

 

If anyone should feel sorry, it’s me. I never expected that when I removed Chesed’s power from her body, something like that would come out.

 

The Qlippoth of the abyss, “Adishut”—I now understand why that being was lurking within her.

 

The stolen Chesed factor clued me in to a pretty bonkers “truth.”

 

“Are you anxious?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“About yourself. You look like you're worried about who you are.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

I knew it. In addition the guilt she feels towards me—there’s another reason why she's emotionally unstable.

 

Well, of course... if I found out something like that was lurking inside my own body, I'd be terrified too. I'd probably cry. And on top of that, she doesn’t even have her old memories.

 

Up until now, she thought she was a modified human. But she might not even be human at all──so it’s only natural that she’d feel uneasy.

 

Actually, I also think of her as a special being, even without the body modifications.

 

Although I was supposed to have stolen Chesed's power, she still has four wings on her back, so it’s not like she's completely lost the power.

 

Judging from how she didn’t join the fight against Adishut, she might be weakened, but her own constitution still seems not different from an angel’s.

 

Yes... Mea is going to change. This is probably her awakening flag.

 

It sound’s outspoken—but after using “Search” on Mea as she is now, that’s what I thought.

 

So really, there’s no need to worry.

 

Hmm... Alright, maybe I should try cheering her up a little. Counselor Eight-chan will make an appearance again.

 

“Come here, Mea.”

 

With her letting go of me, I managed to sit up and patted the spot beside me on the bed, inviting her to sit there.

 

Then, more like a small animal than a small animal, she hesitantly sat down. At the same time, Kabbalah-chan jumped from her shoulder onto my lap. Ugh... Hm, Hmm...!

 

As  I  said! Don’t press on my lower abdomen like that! I’m starting to lose composure!

 

Whew... whew... Al-alright, I’m fine. I can still resist.

 

If I use Purification now, she might think I’ve been afflicted by poison, and there’s no need to worry Mea-chan unnecessarily. Plus, it would be kind of awkward to deal with this in front of a little girl.

 

Just remember—original protagonists don’t use the toilet… OK.

 

After ruminating this, I gently wrapped an arm around Mea’s shoulders.

 

“Ah…”

 

To comfort her, and maybe a little to distract myself, I patted her head. A classic, flawless original protagonist move.

 

We’re both girls, and there’s an age difference, so it’s all good. Very wholesome.

 

Arisu-chan was happy when I did the same thing in the bath, too.

 

Using the distance afforded by taking advantage of being a TS beautiful girl, I spoke to her gently.

 

“You’re doing great, Mea. I guarantee it. You’re an amazing kid.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“Really, truly.”

 

“But… Mea might be a monster… Mea, might not be human…”

 

Hmm… How stubborn. You’re an original protagonist with strong self-denial, aren’t you?

 

But that’s no good. It’s fine to have that kind of original protagonist, but you can’t keep worrying forever.

 

Especially someone like her, who already has so many people on her side.

 

As if to persuade, I told her,

 

“What’s important is the state of your heart.”

 

──This is just my pet theory, but a monster who wonders, “Am I a monster?” is, at that point, not a true monster.

 

You know, in works about grotesque monsters as the subject, there are often moral lessons to be learned. “Humans are the real monsters,” or something like that. A hero of justice who wields the power of a certain demon is a great example.

 

Yes—the “heart.”

 

“Heart?”

 

“That’s right. Even if someone started out as an ordinary human, if their heart is twisted, they can easily become a monster. So appearance and form don’t matter. Even if your body is different from other kids’, as long as your heart remains kind, you’re more of a praiseworthy human than anyone else... more so than I am, even.”

 

Thinking that way, I wonder if I, who obsesses over being a perfect, cheat original protagonist, might actually be the monster. There’s no way that’s true, though.

 

However, people who does outrageously awful things and truly believe they’re decent humans without a shred of doubt about their evil deeds are what I’d call monsters.

 

If we’re talking Fairy Savers, that’d be the boss of PSYence.

 

He may be human in terms of species, but his way of thinking is far more monstrous than even Keter, the final boss.

 

Compared to him, Mea-chan is just cute. Even if she had one or two Qlippoth in her body, that’s still way too tame to call herself a monster.

 

"If you’re feeling anxious, you can lean on others as much as you like. En and Chouta will definitely help you out."

 

And of course, me too. I’ll be there to give advice from time to time.

 

After all, Mea-chan is my lifesaver. As long as she doesn’t hate me, I’ll keep helping her.

 

"So, believe in yourself a bit more. Okay?"

 

"…Yeah…yeah…"

 

With an big sister-like wink to encourage her, Mea nodded and sobbed. Tears flowed endlessly from her heterochromatic eyes, as if something had finally burst inside.

 

…Eh, eh? I made her cry? Is this my…? Eh, ehh…

 

“Ah… eh, Are you alright?"

 

"…Yeah… I’m okay… sniff… hic..."

 

"R-really? I have some drinks, and plenty of snacks, too. Do you want some?"

 

"No… It’s fine… Mea’s fine, so…"

 

Awawawawa, what do I do? What do I do!?

 

Using my Item Box, I tried everything I could think of to stop her tears from flowing, pulling out Japanese drinks and snacks like a magic trick. It was chaos.

 

No, no, you’re not fine at all, are you!? If you want to cry, you'll feel better if you cry a lot, you know? So just go ahead and cry!

 

X-yeah… It’d be easier if it were a boy, but with a girl like Mea-chan, I really don’t know the best way to comfort her. At least when it was with Arisu-chan, Kakeru-kun was there.

 

Gah! At this point, even Kaballah-chan is fine, so help me!

 

"...!"

 

"It’s okay, it’s okay. No one is going to blame you for anything, right, Kaballah-chan?"

 

"Kyui!"

 

Alright, as expected of Kaballah-chan! She’s a carbuncle that can read the mood.

 

Using my thighs, as a stepping stone, she hopped to Mea’s shoulder and gently licked her cheek, offering some comfort.

 

Even so, despite just meeting each other, you already get along so well. Maybe you grew close while watching over me.

 

…Yup. Young girls and small animals truly make a timeless golden combination. They looked far better together than I ever could. (tl note: timeless here refers to having an ancient and honorable origin.)

 

"You are not anyone else—you are yourself. As long as you’re you."

 

"...As long as… Mea is Mea?"

 

"I’ll celebrate you over and over. I’ll say ‘Thank you for being born.’ And if it ever gets too much, cry in front of me. No need to hold back."

 

"…Eight… You’re like a mom…"

 

"Hm, you think so? No way, I’m not nearly that important."

 

"No… That’s not true. Eight, you’re amazing… strong, kind, and warm."

 

I held her shoulders, comforting her like you would a small animal, and little by little, Mea’s breathing began to calm. That’s good, that’s good.

 

Compared to Kakeru-kun, who was her age, her crying was still a bit awkward… but whatever will be, will be. Once she returns to her world, maybe she could find comfort with Akari-onee-chan’s akarippai. That would be nice. (tl note: Akarippai is short for Akari’s oppai (boobs). It is usually used as a tag for illustrations of Akaza Akari , a character from " Yuru Yuri ", that particularly emphasize the size of her breasts.)

 

──Now then, as for my relationship with Mea.

 

Up until now, I kept direct interactions to a minimum since we’re both original characters, but now that I know the goddess-like person’s intentions, there’s no need for fanfiction-like considerations.

 

As a first step in building a new connection, I chatted idly with Mea for a while to deepen our communication.

 

As we were doing this, she fell asleep, probably tired from all the crying or from taking care of me. You’re still so little, after all, Mea-chan.

 

"Rest well, Mea."

 

“Hm…”

 

I lay her down on the bed, taking my place, and cover her with the blanket before quietly stepping away.

 

Perfect communication achieved. Mea is happy, having healed some of her emotional wounds, and I’m happy too, having grown closer to her. It was a meaningful conversation that made both of us happy.

 

With a smile, I leave her side and look forward with clear eyes.

 

Now then—off to the bathroom.

 

No, I’ll just use Purification. Mea is asleep, so I might as well do it here.

 

It’s quicker to use “Purification” than to teleport to the bathroom. Beautiful girls don’t use the toilet.

 

“...Hmm…!?”

 

“?”

 

Ouch…! Standing up made it come all of a sudden.

 

No, no good…! Forget worrying about Mea’s tears, you should have been worrying about your own, you fool! (tl note: First sentence is in Osaka dialect.)

 

As I make a nori tsukkomi in my mind, Kaballah-chan looks at me with a puzzled expression. Sorry, but if I don’t do this, something’s going to come out. That will from that. (Nori Tsukkomi is when you go along with the other person's joke and then make a tsukkomi (straight man) afterwards.)

 

When you reach your limit, it’s normal to get a weird tension, right? As a fellow living being, I want you to understand.

 

And so, I place my right hand on my lower abdomen and activate the supernatural ability, “Purification.”

 

──Phew… Alright, that’s everything dealt with.

 

I feel awful. I kind of feel like I did something indecent next to a sleeping young girl. It’s like the sensation of leaking it but not really. How do I say this… It’s like when you wet yourself in a dream. Maybe some people demand that sort of thing, but I definitely don’t have that fetish. No way.

 

However, I was sweating profusely… It would have been a dangerous situation if I had relaxed. First from when I ran out of energy and fell, now this, I seem to keep finding myself in unexpected scenes. This is no good.

 

Or rather, the whole mess started when I carelessly lost consciousness.

 

As the saying goes, “Good things come with many troubles.” So the more things are going well, the more you need to watch out for pitfalls. Eight-chan learns from her mistakes, she’s an original protagonist who reflects, after all.

 

Now then, I’m feeling refreshed, so I’ll go outside.

 

It’s bright out, but I’m not sure how long I was out. If it was just a day, then that would be good.

 

Mea’s asleep, so maybe I’ll ask En. Thinking this, I head toward the exit of the room.

 

But at that moment, I don’t know how long she has been standing there, but I came face-to-face with a blonde beauty who looked all too familiar.

 

『T.P. Eight Olishua… You…』

 

It was Tiferet, the sixth angel of the Ten Archangels of Sefirot, the one who presides over “Beauty.” With her eyes wide open, she stared at me with shock.

 

...I was seen.

 

“Oh, you’ve come. Good morning. Or should I say, hello?”

 

It’s okay. Stay calm, stay calm. Although I felt the inner tiny, chibi character Eight-chan writhing around in agony, I am the cool and mysterious original protagonist, so I remained composed.

 

Actually, it’s fortunate that it was her who saw me. If it was her who we have a hostile relationship with, I can tell lies without constraint… or rather, I can deceive her with some smooth talking.

 

『That was the Purification sacred arts just now… Why did you use it on yourself?』

 

“I still had traces of Adishut’s poison in my body. Don’t worry, it’s completely gone now.”

 

『…』

 

That’s how it is.

 

Yup, what I just purified was Adishut’s poison. Is that clear?

 

It could actually be partly true. There’s no telling if poison might be lurking undetected.

 

This cover story has the advantage of being unverifiable, so no one can prove me wrong. But if it were a friend I was talking to, it might’ve only cloud things over unnecessarily.

 

In particular, if Mea-chan had heard, she’d probably be even sadder, thinking it was her fault I had to bear something like that.

 

In that regard, Tiferet’s fine.

 

To her, I’m nothing but a hated human. If she hears I had a bit of poison, it’ll just end with a “Ah, I see.” As someone who knows Tiferet from the original work, it was tough for me to be treated with cold reception, but this is the real world, so I considered switching conveniently.

 

It definitely wasn’t that my embarrassment kept me from thinking of a better excuse, so don’t be offended.

 

──That's how it should have been.

 

『……I apologize. I placed an unnecessary burden on you……』

 

Why… why are you so gloomy, Tiferet-sama!?

 

Isn’t this sudden change in attitude to creepy? Her unexpected admirable attitude made me shrink.

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