The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet
"Is that really all right?"
As Eris stepped out of the room, someone addressed her.
She turned around and saw Iris standing there.
Eris grimaced.
"…So you heard that whole conversation."
"I'm sorry. I happened to see you enter the room and became curious, so I ended up eavesdropping."
Iris awkwardly averted her gaze.
Seeing her reaction, Eris judged that there was no lie in her explanation.
"If that's the case, I won't blame you for it. But… what did you mean by what you said just now?"
"It seemed to me that you wanted revenge."
"Revenge… Yes, you're right. There hasn't been a single day when I haven't thought about it."
Eris gazed into the distance.
Then she clenched the hand resting against her chest.
"The injustice suffered by my family, the suffering of my friends, the tragedy that befell my village… I haven't forgotten any of it."
"Then why?"
"Perhaps… because she apologized."
Although Eris murmured those words, anger still lingered on her face.
She hadn't completely forgiven Mina.
That would have been impossible.
However, there was no justice in cutting down someone who had apologized.
No noble cause, either.
It would merely serve to ease the pain of those left behind.
That, too, was something that could be necessary.
It wasn't something that could simply be dismissed as unnecessary.
It wasn't… but…
"She seemed to be apologizing to me sincerely. And I… couldn't bring myself to cut down someone like Mina-san."
"You are very kind."
"No, I'm not. I'm simply a coward."
"Even so, that can be a form of kindness."
"And…"
After a brief pause, Iris continued.
"I respect you for making the decision to sheathe the blade of revenge."
"Respect…? Why?"
"It's something I couldn't accomplish through my own strength alone."
"You…"
"Hehe, the details are a secret."
Iris placed her index finger against her lips and smiled mischievously.
Looking at her, Eris also managed a small smile.
Although Iris hadn't said it outright, Eris had probably realized that they carried similar burdens.
"Well then, I'll be going."
Iris bowed and headed toward the back of the house…
"Ah! There you are, Iris!"
"Hey, what are you doing at this hour?"
Kanade and Tania appeared.
Both of them gave Iris suspicious, half-lidded looks.
"Don't tell me you're planning to sneak into Rain's room at night…?"
"Huh?"
"How shameless! I can't let you get away with that."
"Huh? Huh?"
Kanade and Tania each grabbed one of Iris's arms.
"Time for your punishment!!"
"W-wait!? Th-that's not it! I wasn't planning anything like that this time…"
"No excuses!!"
"I'm telling you, it's really not…!!!"
Despite Iris's desperate attempts to explain herself, the two dragged her away.
"…Hehe."
Left alone, Eris chuckled softly, feeling a little more at peace.
――――――――――
"I… would like to help Rain-san and Chiffon-san."
The following day, Mina made that declaration.
Her expression looked somewhat clearer than before.
Not all her problems had been resolved, and her worries and doubts hadn't disappeared, either.
Even so, it seemed as though some of the darkness clouding her eyes had lifted.
"To be honest, part of me still believes in Monica-san and Reez-san… or rather, part of me still wants to believe in them. But… just as strongly, I want to believe in you, Rain-san, and Chiffon-san, too."
"I see."
"So… for now, I'd like to cooperate with you. If I've been deceived, then I can't continue helping Monica-san and Reez-san any longer… I can't allow myself to commit any more sins."
Mina spoke while looking straight at me.
In her eyes, I could sense something that hadn't been there before: a kind of resolve.
"…Rain, can we trust her?"
"…Isn't she planning something awful again?"
Kanade and Tania quietly whispered into my ears from either side.
I understood their concerns.
Mina was someone who had repeatedly opposed us and fought against us.
There was no way we could trust her so easily.
If anything, trusting her without hesitation would be strange.
It would be strange, but…
"I'm going to trust her."
Comments
Post a Comment