Nidome no Yuusha - Chapter 153

The world is being dyed in the madder red color of the sky.

After such old decayed ruins.

『Hey, Kaito, do you remember? The day we* met for the first time』(TLN: Royal We)

『…… Oh, of course. I remember』

『At that time, I* told you, 『do not touch me, do not approach me, do not try to get familiar with me』. Even though we knew, geez, both Kaito and myself are such big idiots. In the end, it ended up like this after all』

『…… There's nothing that could have been done, I mean, I came to love you so much that I couldn't help myself. In the first place,■■■■■ is the one at fault for being my type and hitting my strike zone way too hard』

『Idiot, idiot, idiot. Where do find a hero who seduces the Demon King? Where do you find a Demon king who falls in love with the hero? If you say such a thing at the end, it makes it even more painful』

A red-haired girl in front of me expresses a forced smile.

『Throw everything away, even if it's for the little remaining time. I don't mind spending it like that』

『……』

Oh, my heart aches.

Why? It’s obvious right.

It’s because I know what she's going to say next and I came here deciding I’m going to decline it.

『If it's something I can do, whatever it is, I’ll do it. Even, if you want half of the world, I'll give it to you. So, please come to my side, please』

That face that seems like it's about to burst into tears at any moment.

I could feel her feelings that she was hardening so desperately shaken.

『Don’t you say it, I don’t want to. I'm selfish, so I want it all. I don’t want the world I spent with you to break. After about 2 or 3 years, I hate the fact I won't be able to be with you anymore! I’ll be sure, I’ll be sure to remove that root from you, even if the possibility is low, I will be sure to grab it! 』

『Kaito……』

『I will never admit, I won’t admit you’re going to die, and I won't allow you to give up either! Like I would watch you become a victim of the world!!』

It's no good, it won't work, you won't reach it. It’s already too late.

You have no choice but to kill her with those hands that can't save anything or leave anything.

You will definitely regret not making that choice.

『I will take you back to my world! Humans, Beastkins, Demons, you and me will cooperate together to put a stop to the conflict by building a Great Barrier, and we'll laugh at the end and return to my world! 』

Such a day, won't come.

『I will introduce you to my family and boast about you to my friends, that 『this beautiful girl is my wife』. That’s right, I’m sure it'll be fun, because there's nothing like hero or demon king over there in the other world, we can flirt all we want in front of the public』

Such a dream, won't come true.

『I refuse to spend time with you while being frightened of the day that is to come. I have been called the great hero who have come to save this world. In that case, I'll aim to save everything altogether like a real hero, and create a happy ending where everyone is happy. I won't settle for anything less, I won’t be satisfied with half of the world! 』

『……Good grief, this big fool. You really are bullheaded』

Ah, but why?

Even in my dreams, I can’t interrupt the scene.

Though, I still can’t remember what’s going to happen after this.

I at least know that there is no bright future ahead.

『In that case, Kaito, I believe in you!! You are definitely going to save me!!』

The girl retracts her hands while wiping her face.

『Leave it to me! I love you so much afterall, stupid girl!!』

『You better come to my rescue quick!! If you don’t, I will sulk!! And I love you, you big dumbass!!』

With that said, the people turned their backs on each other and start walking.

The sky that I looked up was still red.

Even though it is supposed to be an important memory, I wake up from the dream without knowing what kind of memory it is.

The only thing left was the color of the sky that burned vividly into my eyes.

☆

A hospital that should be called a giant castle of white wall.

In that room, I had received my last examination before the second discharge procedure.

「You, Are you made of superalloy or something? Or are you a cyborg or something?」

「N, no, I’ve been wondering about that myself lately」

「My God, to receive an explosion at close range, and be discharged three days later. You were saying it hurts on that very day, but you were so nonchalant about it」

「Ahaha, that was umm, seems that I was lucky……」

「It’s certainly a kind of bad luck, because if you really are lucky, you won't be involved in anything like this in the first place. It’s just a coincidence that you’re able to be in such healthy state」

Ahh, Maeno-sensei sighs.

The inquiry ended for now, and he flings his jacket over his shoulders.

At that time, we were caught in the explosion.

The reason for the explosion seems to be the fact that rats sneaked into the aging gas pipe and gnawed at it, and combined with the sparks caused by static electricity, which caused a large explosion.

The fire started to ignite the surrounding objects, and it was likely to develop into a big fire, but fortunately the damage was done only in one corner because the sprinklers that discovered it early by the sound luckily were safe and operated normally and the fire was stopped.

At first, there seemed to be a rumor about it being a “police station terrorist bombing!?”, but the cause was officially announced within the day, and the commotion settled, and the police are busy trying to deal with the situation.

In any case, there are various kinds of confiscated items and evidence of many cases stored over there.

Most of them were caught in the explosion, burned, or waterlogged, and so on.

Even if I don't know the full gist, I can imagine that difficult a situation it is. But now, rather than the details of the accident, our safety after getting caught up in the explosion was more important.

However, I and Mai who got caught up in the explosion, only came out with only a few minor injuries miraculously.

No, only Mai who covered me in the last minute came out with a minor injury, while I, myself got blown away and scorched by the blast, with a few pieces of metal stuck in my back.

My back was like that of a hedgehog, but no damage was done to my vital organs, and even though I passed out after the explosion, treatment was already over by the time I woke up.

Although I had suffered minor burns on my arms and feet that were exposed to the hot blast that even Mai couldn't cover, but it seems that it's not life-threatening. And even the burn itself is really mild, and it looks slightly red now that two days has passed.

Making sure that there was no traces or scar that will remain for life on my sister's body, as they finish up, feeling all psyched that it's well done, as I puffed my chest towards Yuuto who was grinding the university entrance exam, he striked me on the head. Even though, I was wearing a bandage on my head.

But even if I had ended up with more needles on my back, it would still be much better than my sister getting hurt.

……Thanks to that, there was also a problem that got worse.

「So, how about Miyakawa-San……」

「She's still receiving treatment in the intensive care unit. Quite a few pieces of the metal fragments that splattered hit her in a very dangerous place. Since the hard part has passed, she should regain consciousness after a while, but she will be hospitalized for at least two weeks」

「Is that so?」

In that place, only Miyagawa-san was in a critical condition fighting for her life.

Mai, who was the only one who retained her consciousness immediately called for help, thanks to that we survived, but her consciousness has not returned yet. And it seems that she is in no situation to receive visitor.

「Ukei-kun, even though the numbers on the test says you're fine, don’t overdo it. For the time being, be sure to change the bandage dressing on your head everyday until your next psychiatric appointment. The wounds on your back are almost closed, but be sure to apply ointment and replace the bandages everyday until your next check at the hospital. Your recuperative power is absurdly strong, but there are times when wounds fester due to lack of care you. I hope your sister helps you every day」

Yes, I understand」

I bowed and left the examination room and returned to my room.

Somehow, I have kinda gotten used to seeing this room. No, this time I was discharged in just two days, so I did not even stay that long.

「Oh, dear brother. I’m through with the discharge procedures」

Mai was waiting for me with stuffed clothes of a few days packed in a bag.

「I see, thanks」

「Not at all, it’s for my dear brother afterall. Now, let’s go home, dear brother」

Saying that with a smile that only looks unnatural to me, Mai skillfully intertwines her empty arm with my arm.

The smile seemed weak-willed and shy, a servile smile like that of when she lacked confidence.

The light deep within her eyes that seems like it's about to break.

No, although the strains look similar, it's clearly worse than that of childhood, that light that is dependent on me so abnormally.

(Ahh, I knew it……)

Mai's mental state was clearly getting worse.

She didn’t want to leave my side for a second, so she took a break from school and stayed by my side.

It seems like she didn't want to go home to pick up the change of clothes, and unlike the last time, the necessary items are arranged at convenience stores and in-hospital shops.

We eat together, even when I go to the bathroom, she's waiting by the door, and when I go out for a walk, we link arms rather than holding hands. Even, the action of holding hands was decided to be carried out only when we go out before, but now it's even done indoors if there's free time.

When I woke up and tried to persuade Mai who was in close contact with me in an apparently excessive manner, she looked like a machine and said, 『No way』, and clung to my arm strongly.

No matter what I say, she kept on saying 『No way』 repeatedly, I had no choice but to turn into a figurine until Mai was satisfied.

I’m sure, rather than the smile that she's expressing now, the expression of that fragile doll is the essence of the current Mai.

「You're right, shall we head home」

(Now then, how do I cajole her into going for counseling?……)

I did not say anything to Mai and instead started walking.

When it gets this obvious, there's no time to be disputing whether it's my will or something.

I intended to have Mai go for counseling. I thought it could also be in this hospital, but I just can't dispel my feeling of distrust towards Maeno-sensei.

So, I was going to go to another psychiatric department of another hospital not this one.

(Besides, I might be able to remember something myself)

It seems that the items that I was going to receive turned into ashes because of the fire caused by the explosion .

I had a strange conviction that I could regain my memory, and because of it the feeling of disappointment was pretty strong.

However, the dream I saw while I was unconscious, whether the shock of the explosion made me fall in the right direction or something, is the most vivid and close to the heart. It felt like that.

However, the thought that I might not remember at this rate, on the contrary became stronger because I came thus far.

The demon inside me is already at the other end of the line.

On the other side of the glass between us, a chain wedge is pulled out.

Only a few of them are ever harder and sharper than before.

My fingertips are attacked by pain as if it is being chopped off just by shaking it slightly.

I lost a big clue and decided I was going to remember, but the last step is the other side of the cliff.

A distance that is short, yet far.

Even if I looked for another hospital after all this while, I don’t think anything is going to happen soon.

Even so, I don't care how trivial it is I wanted a stimulus.

Since Mai is in such a situation, I can not afford to bear any extra burden.

「……」

The enthusiasm was burning my heart like a fire engulfing my surroundings.