Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 29 - Chapter 7

Gently in Both Hands

Tuesday, April 5th

The setting sun greeted Koutarou and the girls upon leaving the underground shrine. The sounds of people talking and heavy machinery running could be heard from not too far away. With the school year about to start again, there were fewer part-time workers at the site these days and progress on the dig had slowed down some. To make up for that, they continued working into the evening.

“Jeez, we’re finally back to normal...”

Koutarou held his right hand up to block the light shining in his face. After being underground, even the evening sun was dazzling. With his eyes shielded, he took a good look around his surroundings. After he was done with that, he finally let go of the girl’s hand he was holding with his left.

“Hahh, what did I even get so worked up for? In the end, the tenth was hidden behind the others. Jeez, I feel stupid just thinking about it...”

Everything had been resolved. By Koutarou’s side were now ten girls, none of which were transparent or fading. The missing excavation site had returned. It all felt right, even the sunlight and the breeze. Things would be busy from tomorrow onward, but he and the girls had their peace of mind for now.

“This is all because of you thinking stupid things.”

“Has your attitude changed?”

Bathed in the evening sun, the girl’s long hair shone in nine colors. But the brightest thing of all was her smile. It was like she had been purged of her sadness.

“Of course. You’re one of us now.”

Whap!

Koutarou smacked the girl’s forehead with an open palm like it was no big deal. It was the same way he treated Theia and Sanae.

“Good. I’m very happy.”

But despite being hit, the girl’s smile didn’t fade in the slightest. If anything, it looked even brighter now. Though they’d practically just met, it already seemed like they had a dynamic together. It was a charming sight, but one person in particular seemed to take issue with it.

“I won’t forgive this! What’s with this transcendent cheating?!”

It was Theia. She was a more mature person than she had been two years ago, so she’d chosen to stay quiet and wait for everything to settle down before letting her feelings erupt. And she was now staring at the girl in question with a glum expression.

“Now, now, Your Highness, she is the Goddess of Dawn. She has also been through a lot, and she’s even a part of us...”

Ruth tried to calm Theia with something of a forced smile. In truth, she could understand how Theia felt. All of the hardships and anxiety they’d experienced over the past few days had been because of her. But in the end, they were connected to her. They were her. And Ruth couldn’t help feeling that her stubbornness was reflected in Theia’s personality. That’s why she sympathized with the girl instead of blaming her. The same was true for the other invaders as well.

“No, I won’t accept this! Koutarou belongs to me! I won’t give him up to someone trying to steal him from the sidelines!”

“My, how troubling...”

Despite one of her facets rebelling and trying to usurp her, the girl in question seemed to be enjoying herself. Unable to foresee anything that was unfolding around her, she was thrilled with one unexpected thing after another.

“Besides, she’s—”

“Theia-chan, if you want to get technical, aren’t we the ones who came in from the sidelines?” asked Shizuka.

“Ugh... W-Well, no matter. Let’s say we’re even and start things over.”

Theia was primed to keep complaining, but she held back after hearing what Shizuka said. She couldn’t deny the vague feeling that she was the one in the wrong.

“Thank you, Theia. I’m sorry for making you endure needless hardships,” said the girl.

“Don’t force yourself anymore, all right?”

“All right.”

“Your Highness, saying something so outrageous to the Goddess of Dawn is...”

“I don’t care.”

Though a new member had joined their party, the atmosphere around the girls had completely returned to normal. But perhaps that was to be expected, since they were only welcoming one of their own. Nothing had fundamentally changed. Sensing that, Koutarou also finally calmed down and returned to his normal self too. When he did, something dawned on him.

“All right, let’s go home. After all this, I’m starving.”

“Me too! Me too!” cheered Sanae.

“Let’s have something delicious to celebrate!” shouted Yurika.

With that, Koutarou and the girls exited the grove. They no longer had any reason to remain here, and every reason to return to Corona House.

“This calls for that glorious sukiyaki dish. Let’s have it once more before it starts warming up,” suggested Theia.

“Agreed!” shouted Sanae.

“Yes! One with lots of meat!” chimed in Yurika.

“But Theiamillis-san, won’t you just put the air conditioner on max and ask to have it again when summer rolls around anyway?” asked Clan.

“Ignoring the temperature is how you get to enjoy it during all four seasons.”

Right now, the biggest of those reasons was food. The past few days, Koutarou and the girls had been feeling more dead than alive from all the tension and worry. Their appetites had suffered for it, but with everything resolved, that was no longer an issue. Everybody wanted to get back to Corona House and fill their stomachs with good food. Everybody, that is, except for one of them—the new girl who was still being pulled along by Koutarou again.

“...Sukiyaki?”

“Have you never tried it? Well, I guess you haven’t, huh?”

“No.”

“Then this is a good opportunity. We can start beating proper table manners into you while we eat.”

“I’m eating too?”

“That’s where we have to start?! Holy moly... Listen, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you’re going to be human, you’ll have to act like one.”

“Act like a human... All right!”

Being a supreme divine being, the girl had never eaten before. She’d never experienced the need to. Of course, that went for many other things as well. Almost everything she’d be doing from here on out would be a first. Even walking on her own two legs was a new experience. It was all terribly exciting.

“So this is all totally new to you, huh? Wait, now that I think about it...”

Seeing the girl like this, Koutarou realized something. Something that would be a big problem for them in the future.

“Before you properly become human, why don’t you erase your memory and ours?”

“Why?”

“Because it’d be more fun to forget all the unnecessary stuff. Especially during a vacation.”

She’d be taking a break from her job. It really was like a vacation. But remembering work on your time off was always a buzzkill. Moreover, she’d be able to enjoy relaxing and playing more if she didn’t have to worry about what was ahead of her. There was no need to know what was happening behind the stage during a play.

“Are you planning on enjoying my vacation with me?”

“Yeah, well, I guess I will. As I think you already know, I’m bad at compartmentalizing things. The same goes for most of these guys. So it’s just in case. So the truth doesn’t slip out.”

“Of course. Thank you for your consideration, Koutarou. I’ll do just that.”

The girl put her right hand on her chest and smiled at Koutarou. She didn’t particularly look like any of the girls, but her smile reminded him of all of them. It affirmed for him that they really were all the same person. It was the truth, but forgetting it might be for the better. Thinking that they looked similar by coincidence would be more fun.

“It’s not just for your sake, either. It’s for all of us.”

“Heehee...”

With Koutarou having gathered all nine lights in Nalfalaren, the girl was no longer omniscient and could no longer see his feelings. But in return, there were other things she could now see clearly. For example, Koutarou’s awkwardness and how he tried his best in spite of it. Because of that, she decided to listen to Koutarou and erase her memories. She now understood that there were certain things people were better off not knowing.

“May I tell you my name?”

“You don’t have to. I’ll forget it anyways. Besides, knowing you, I’d bet it’s the same.”

With that, Koutarou glanced down at his waist where the glowing rainbow sword was hanging. When she saw what he was looking at, she flashed a brilliant smile.

“Heeheehee, that’s right!”

Even though he couldn’t read her mind, Koutarou understood the girl well. It was proof of the deep bond between him and the nine girls. His connection with each of them also connected him to her, and that made her truly happy.

“Jeez... I guess we were all doing just as you expected, huh?”

“No. The one who has the most control right now is you. Right now, everything is within your reach.”

Koutarou still hadn’t made his third wish. She would do anything he asked her to, though that might still be true even if he’d already spent his three wishes. And since she’d be stepping down as a god for a time, the world was more or less in Koutarou’s hands. But that third wish would likely go unspent.

“Satomi Koutarou has managed to get the achievement for bringing the super-ultra goddess back home to tiny room 106! It’s a universe first! On top of that, he even boasts that he doesn’t need her maiden powers! Now that’s a real man for ya!” cheered Sanae.

“I’m supposedly doing something amazing, so why doesn’t it feel like that at all?” mused Koutarou.

“Probably because while it’s your wish, it’s also all of ours,” explained Kiriha.

“The legendary hero has chosen the ordinary, and the goddess has followed in your footsteps,” said Clan.

Koutarou and the ten girls shared the same wish. It went without saying. That’s why there was no need for a great power to make it come true.

“I see... This is a rare occurrence, but the whole thing has been set up so that, once it does happen, I can’t object. Well, it makes sense that her scheming would be on the same level as yours, Clan.”

“Don’t start with that again!”

“Maki-chan, it looks like Satomi-san hasn’t given up yet.”

“What can we do? That’s the kind of man we fell in love with.”

The small something within everyone’s hands had been slowly growing little by little every day. Koutarou and the others’ wish was a result of that. And once they reached the end of their lives and looked back on it, they’d realize just how big it had become.

“That’s right. Before you erase our memories, just tell me one thing. You said that there were infinite worlds earlier, but... are there any where my mom is still living happily?”

“Yes, an infinite number of them. But sadly, this isn’t one of them.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

Somewhere, his mother was still alive and well. That was all he needed to know. In this world, he was surrounded by people who were precious to him. Demanding for his mother’s return would simply be selfish.

But the thought of the infinite possibilities of his other lives inspired him. Not only were there worlds where he was still with his mother, there had to be one where Kashiwagi Shiori had dragged him all the way to nationals. Whether the Shiori he’d met before would be able to do it or not would be up to her, but it made him happy to think she could.

“Death isn’t the end, Koutarou. After everything you’ve seen, you know that too, don’t you?”

“Yeah... I understand that now.”

Koutarou put on a small smile and nodded before patting Sanae, who had jumped up onto his back like always, on the head. With that, he felt like he truly had nothing to object to here. Just like the girls had been over the past two years, he too had been saved. It had all been for this moment.

“Sakuraba-senpai, I’m thinking of completing the half-knit sweater that my mom left behind this year, so please lend me your strength.”

“You can count on me. But won’t we forget all about this tomorrow?”

“I’ll make sure to leave that part in if you want. That’s within my power.”

“Please do.”

“By the way, everyone, are you all fine with sukiyaki for dinner today?” asked Ruth, “I was thinking of heading to the shopping street to get the ingredients.”

“I have no objections. I’ve been wanting to steal Kiriha-san’s recipe for it,” replied Shizuka.

“I’m fine as long as there’s meat. I missed out on the beef stew, after all...” groaned Yurika.

“Beef stew? I wanted to try that too,” agreed Maki.

“It seems that we missed out on a lot, disappearing first...” added Clan.

“Ruth, I’d like to get some takoyaki while we’re out shopping,” said Theia.

“Ah, that’s unfair! I’m going too, then!” shouted Sanae.

“I would like to partake as well.”

“Uncle, you can’t eat too much, okay?”

“I know, I know.”

“That’s right, speaking of the shopping street... Kiriha-san, we ran into a girl who saw the hero show that said she wanted to see Black Rose. She was really worried about you.”

“She was worried? Then I’ll be sure to visit her while I’m out shopping.”

“You have to take good care of your fans, ho!”

“She’s a good little girl, ho!”

While carefreely chatting away, Koutarou and the ten girls returned to Corona House. Nothing special would likely happen from here on out. They’d head over to the shopping street together, take care of some odds and ends, then return to room 106 for dinner. After dinner, they might play games like normal, or they might watch TV and discuss plans for the next day. After all the commotion, they’d take turns taking baths, then have some ice cream together before brushing their teeth. And at last, after lecturing everyone who wanted to stay up late, they’d all retire for the night. It would be like any other evening in Corona House.

But that was exactly what Koutarou and the ten girls wished for. Each day that went by like that, that small something they held in their hands would grow. That something would take shape over a long period of time. All for the sake of a small, yet very precious miracle.