Episode 31 — Hollow
～ Part 2 ～
“”Seiyaaaa—————!””
Pursuing a stray ghoul, Kyousuke’s punch cladding in flames complete destroyed it. Kyousuke’s body which had been strengthen due to Akai’s blood was supposed to be able to handle physical combat to some extent. Of course, since he had no (physical) strength, there was no other choices but to make use of speed and packing in burning heat on top of that.
Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be good to damage the crops so projectiles like 『Prominence Ball』 were unusable and the increased in ability was greatly welcomed.
There were 3 ghouls remaining. The knights were confronting one of them. Kyousuke and Akira should take down the other two.
Akira shouted.
“What was that!”
“It’s Prominence Drop! The thing you spread your legs’ bones and kick!”
“Ah, that.”
Kyousuke kicked the floor of the highway and jumped. Akira emitted flames from his whole body, lifting Kyousuke into the air. The remaining two ghouls have gathered in one place nicely. We can finished them off at once with this.
Akira rearranged the shape of the bones. The shins split open vertically as if the structure of the feet had turned into a bird’s claws.
“BLAZEE!”
When Kyousuke spread both his hands and shouted, Akira strongly burst out flames from his back and instantly accelerated, aiming toward the ground.
“”CRAAA————SSH!!””
The flames spreading open in the shape of claws sandwiched the two ghouls’ bodies up and down, then it burned as if tearing them up and biting into them. With the spear-like bones stabbed in like that, he kicked off without pausing.
Just before landing, Akira hurriedly put the bones back the way they were before. While rolling up a cloud of dust on the highway, Kyousuke and Akira landed. At exactly the same time, the knights finished off the other ghoul. With this, the ghouls in this place had been annihilated.
Kyousuke patted his chest in relieve.
“Thank you for your cooperation!”
A man who seemed to be the leader of the knights said with a salute.
“I have heard the story from Her Highness Princess, but it was as expected.”
“Ah no, well, It’s not my power alone…”
Kyousuke feeling embarrassed scratched his head.
Like that, the knights lowered their heads and left in order to hunt for other ghouls.
“As expected, something on the level of ghouls cannot stop us now.”
Akira said so, impressed.
“Ah, well…”
In the now calm place, they looked at the bodies of the ghouls rolling on the highway. It had been perfectly carbonized to the core by Akira’s flames.
Taking a breather, a lot of things came to his mind. About the origin of the ghouls. About Akai. About those related to the Blood of Red Moon. And then the thing that Akai had said, Kyousuke’s own 『problem』. Kyousuke, while not shifting his gaze from the thoroughly burned ghouls, asked Akira.
“Akira, does it seem like I have some kind of problem?”
“Nn?”
“A classmate said such a thing.”
When Kyousuke said such a thing, Akira separated from his body and lightly floated up.
“…Now. From me, I cannot say anything.”
It’s unusual of him, that pushing aside the question way of speaking. Kyousuke shrugged his shoulders.
“I have a close relationship with Kyousuke, so I cannot answer your question as for whether you have any problems or not from an objective point of view.”
“Does that mean I have some problems after all?”
“Is that what you think?”
“I’m not self-conscious of it though.”
Besides, even if Kyousuke did have some problems, Akira had never failed to pointed it out up until now, not even once. It would be a strange story if Akira had been keeping silent if Kyousuke did have some problems. Akira said no more than that to Kyousuke.
Suddenly, Kyousuke recalled Goubayashi who left 2nd year class 4 some time ago. Goubayashi believed that his current form reflected the «oni» within himself and left on a training journey in order to face it. If such a thing was also a «problem», it could be said that his current form also reflected the problem that he had to face.
My problem. A skeleton’s problem. What the heck it supposes to be?
While he was endlessly worrying about it, Rin, accompanied by Hanazono and Kaminari, came back. Right, there was also the persuasion of the girls. This is going to be difficult, as he was thinking so, he noticed that Rin who was crawling ahead had a strangely triumphant attitude.
He could also see that the expression of Hanazono and Kaminari walking behind her had also changed a little.
“Uutsuroogi-kuun!”
“Uwaa…”
Rin bounced up and down ∗boyon∗ and dove at Kyousuke. Like that, they ended up combining unintentionally.
“Utsurogi-kun, for now, mission accomplished. Let’s go home!”
“Mission accomplished … that, those two?”
“Yes yes. We talked about it. There isn’t a conclusion yet but, ne~! Hana-chan, Totoha-chan.”
When Rin called out to them, Hanazono scratched her face a little embarrassed. As for Kaminari, she curled up that big body of her.
“Well, I’ll try to think about it for a bit…”
Hanazono said in a seemingly carefree tone while floating a bitter smile.
“It doesn’t mean the problem has been solved though. Well, it’s not good to run away.”
“Yeah. Me too, I will talk face-to-face with Miya and make my decision after that.”
“Promptly, no matter the problem, you cannot solve it by worrying about it alone.”
Rin’s voice was quite indifferent. Kyousuke would like to believe that his heart wasn’t seen through, but the keyword 『problem』 weighted heavily on his mind. On the other hand, Rin was able to make those two change their mind and face their 『problem』 in such a short time, he honestly felt like praising her.
“You’re great, Himemizu.”
“Eh, no. I haven’t done much in particular.”
Naturally, it was time to return to the royal capital. For now, all present headed to the residence of the landlord in order to inform the people who took care of Hanazono and Kaminari. There was no sense of tension in the way Hanazono and Kaminari exchanged words at all. They also had a somewhat refreshing expression on.
“But the few words that I’ve said didn’t work at all.”
“Nn, well ne~…. Because Utsurogi-kun’s words are…”
He suddenly stopped his legs.
“…my words?”
“No no, it’s nothing, nothing. Rather than that Utsurogi-kun, I’m hungry~.”
“There are almost nothing left in my wallet now. There is no choice but to accept and bring back vegetables from the residence.”
Following after Hanazono and the others, Kyousuke and Rin walked. Behind them, Akira was intently watching the friendly conversation of the two people.
That evening, Rin was called by Akira. While thinking that it was unusual, she slipped out from the girls’ shared room. In the guest salon where light was out and completely dark, a lone will-o’-the-wisp faintly stood out, waiting. It might be a surprisingly convenient body to be able to be found immediately in any dark situation.
“Yahhoo, Hino-kun.”
“Ahh, Himemizu. How was it? Hanazono and the others.”
“Ah, yeah. They were having a serious conversation with Aya-chan and Miya-chan.”
Sugiura and Hanazono, Nekomiya and Kaminari, they honestly wanted to return together. Although it couldn’t be said to go to the extent of venting that feeling, but it was good to share and discuss it properly. Nekomiya, while speaking in a pompous tone as usual 『Good grief, you’re doing something unnecessary』, but somewhere in those words, a hint of relief could be felt. Probably, while saying one thing or another, she felt reluctant to say farewell without properly convey her feelings.
If you want to live in this world, that’s fine too. But if possible, I want to stay with you until the last minute before parting. Of course, it’s best to return together. The words of those two, both Hanazono and Kaminari had listened seriously.
“Well, I think there isn’t a need to worry anymore. Is that all you want to talk about?”
“No, it’s about Kyousuke.”
Because Akira’s body, which was already standing out in the darkness, flared up strangely, Rin instinctively felt frighten.
“Hiii! Excuse me legal wife-sama! I just want to be close friend with Utsurogi-kun.”
“That’s not it. In any case, I called you for serious talk.”
“In my opinion this is also quite a serious talk but…”
If she was hated by the legal wife, then even a life as a concubine would be impossible. She would feel sorry to be kick out from Kyousuke’s side.
However, the words that came out from Akira next strongly stuck to Rin.
“Himemizu, today, what did you try to tell Kyousuke?”
“Eh…”
“After 『Utsurogi-kun’s words are…』. What did you want to say about Utsurogi-kun?”
“Eh, umm, that is…”
If Rin had eyeballs, they would be swimming in the air without thinking right then. That was by no means something she could say directly to legal wife-sama. It was something that she had tried to tell him many time up until now but hesitated to say, both because of not knowing how to say it and because it was something which could hurt his gentle heart. Much less saying it in front of his best friend Akira, that would be suicidal.
But even more surprising, Akira continued her words.
“『Hollow』“
“Uuu.”
“Or perhaps 『light』. You were trying to say such a thing, weren’t you?”
Exactly bullseye.
Yes, that’s how it is, Kyousuke’s words are light.
To tell the truth, Himemizu was certainly rescued by those light words. When Rin lost her way, it was those 『hollow』 and 『light』 words of Kyousuke that illuminated a bright road for her. Therefore, Rin held quite some good-will toward that Kyousuke.
However, it was just immediate, harmless and inoffensive response. Rin started to feel such a thing about Kyousuke’s words. While it worked well for Rin, in cases like Hanazono and Kaminari where one had already come close to have their own answer, it didn’t hold enough power to change their mind in the opposite direction.
『It’s okay』『That’s fine, isn’t it?』『I think it’s good』. Kyousuke’s spoken words were roughly like this.
Even when he expressed a negative opinion, there wasn’t any subjectivity.
“It’s fine. Since I’ve always felt it.”
Akira said in a somewhat calm voice, but it had a feeling of helplessness in it.
“But it took me ten years to notice. To notice it in just one month, Himemizu. You’re great.”
“Eh~, no~…”
“No need to be modest. I’m glad. There is someone who looks at that guy properly. If it’s Himemizu, I can give you the Kyousuke First-class Qualification.”
“What is that unpleasant qualification.”
“Sorry, it’s a joke. I want to soften the atmosphere.”
Akira coughed, clearing his throat.
“You probably noticed, Himemizu. Kyousuke has no desire or individuality.”
From a little while ago, she had started feeling a sense of discomfort.
The first time she thought it was strange was at the 2nd class meeting in a different world. At that time, Kyousuke asked Rin for her answer and followed it. Because he said it as if it was his own opinion, she thought that their opinions simply matched by coincidence, but that wasn’t the case.
Surely up until now, Kyousuke had always lived by seeking out the opinions of others and use it as if it was his own. That was why there wasn’t any subjectivity in whatever words he said. There is no substance. There is no truth. Therefore, light.
It seemed similar to Rin, but it was the exact opposite.
Rin’s own opinions were often changing and winding, but the essence at its heart wouldn’t shake, it wouldn’t change.
“So then, Utsurogi-kun, he’s empty…”
To Rin’s muttering, Akira nodded.
“Ahh, Kyousuke is empty. I understand well why he reincarnated as a skeleton.”
“Hino-kun, you’ve been getting along with such Utsurogi-kun for a long time, isn’t that right?”
“We’ve been getting along. However, considering Kyousuke now, I don’t know if it’s correct to call that getting along.”
So to speak, ever since Akira noticed Kyousuke’s problem up until now, Kyousuke hadn’t show even a single change.
Akira said that he had tried various things in order to let Kyousuke gain independence. When they were hanging out, he would try to let Kyousuke do things which were popular. It had been like that ever since they were children. Letting him read books and play games. Kyousuke was more or less passionate about them. But that was all.
Books are interesting and games are fun. So even now, he continued to borrow and read only children books, and also ask Akira to lend out the retro games in Akira’s house. But he didn’t try to gain any new hobbies other than that.
Rin suddenly thought of something and asked.
“Speaking of which, say, what about Utsurogi-kun’s parents?”
“They passed way. In a fire.”
“I see…”
Somehow, it is as expected. She felt bitter.
“I thought that he would hate me when I reincarnated into this wisp body. Kyousuke was also caught up in the fire when his parents died. For him, fire is supposed to be a symbol of thing that snatched away his happy family, but even so, he didn’t reject me, he didn’t hesitate in combining with me either. Much less,”
From that point on, Akira didn’t put it into words. Rin could tell, the strength of his flames were weakening somehow.
“Things shouldn’t be fine like this.”
“Ahh, still…”
“It cannot be good. I like that Utsurogi-kun but I would hate looking at such Utsurogi-kun who remains empty without his own self like that forever.”
“You’re right, it’s painful to keep watching him like that.”
Akira nodded, just barely.
“Thank you, Himemizu. It was nice talking to you.”
“Me too. I am glad to hear an important story of Utsurogi-kun. Thank you, Hino-kun.”
“Kyousuke is also happy. Having a friend like you.”
“Fr–friend…!”
Rin spread all over the floor with a feeling as if she dejectedly dropped her shoulders.
Friend, friend? It cannot be helped. Fine, I’m going to make a blatant appeal. But well, I’m good. Even if I want to become such to Kyousuke in his current state, he would doubtlessly says something like 『Really, all right then』. Light words with no substance.
No, since he averted his eyes from body, he could be tempted somehow, doesn’t he?
“Well, I think it’s fine. I will do my best as a holder of Kyousuke First-class Qualification. Legal wife-sama.”
“I’ll say this once, but Himemizu.”
Akira said in a somewhat puzzled state.
“Oh? What what?”
“The feelings I hold for Kyousuke are not romantic feelings or the like.”
“Lies.”
Next Episode: Countdown
Comments
Post a Comment