Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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Chapter 228


Keira's point of view.

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　I've been having the same nightmares lately.
　I remember that day when my mom and dad left me in the dark forest.
　For me, it was the happiest memory and the one I hated the most.

『———Keira, I have a request for you today.』

　Mom's smile is the same as always.
　At that time, I thought it was her natural smile.
　That's why I was happy that she relied on me, a child.

『If you go do a few errands for me, we can happily live together as a family again.』

　The same kind words from Dad as always.
　But they are just words without any feelings.
　At that time, I easily believed that and wanted to be helpful ——— so I stepped into the dark forest alone.

———I shouldn't have been born.

　I hear a dark, stagnant voice in my ears that seems to erode my heart.
　A voice I don't know who it is ——— but I'm sure this is the voice of my heart.
　The true feelings without falsehoods that are never spoken out.

———Why am I the only one who has to go through this?

　My family abandoned me because I had dark magic.
　I was about to be eaten alive by monsters.

———I don't want to be alone.

　If Gref hadn't picked me up, I would have died somewhere.
　Without Rose and Ram, I still would not have been able to open up to anyone.
　But if I'm with Gref and the others, my dark magic might hurt them.
　That's the only thing I don't like.
　If that's the case, I'd rather...

———If it's that person, he won't get hurt even if he is with me.

　A voice echoed in my ear.
　...That person, Usato-san, accepts me.
　He understands my suffering.
　He teaches me how to use dark magic.
　Like Gref and the others, he gives me a smile that is not false.
　He stops my magic from hurting anyone else.

———I'm sure he wouldn't reject me.

　Right.
　It's decided that way.
　Neither his expression nor his words were empty.
　That's why———,

●
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"———uwh..."

　———Is this the very definition of the worst feeling?
　Waking up from the dream and covering my eyes with my hands to block the sunlight coming in through the window, I remember the dream I just had and feel a tremendous sense of disgust.
　It made me realize how ugly I am and how much I only care about myself.

"Keira?"
"!?"

　As I got up from bed and looked at my hands, I couldn't help but look up when I heard the voice.

"Usato-san..."

　Entering through the open door was Usato-san, a demon tribe who saved us from being attacked by monsters.
　He's a user of dark magic like me, but he's so kind that I can't believe he has the same magic as me.
　When he noticed me awake, he looked relieved and sat down in a nearby chair.

"Good morning. How are you feeling? Do you remember that you used too much magic yesterday and passed out?"
"...I am sorry"

　Of course, I remember.
　I did not follow Usato-san's words and trained on my own and collapsed as a result.
　And———I lied to this person.
　He looked puzzled at my apology, but he gave me a smile that wasn't fake.

"Don't worry about it. I've trained until I collapse, too. In fact, it feels like the real thing starts after I collapse... Ah... T-This is something I shouldn't use as a reference. Hahaha."

　Occasionally, there are unique pauses in Usato's conversations.
　Even though he's not talking to anyone, he reacts as if he's talking to someone else. Is it characteristic of him?

"Keira, shall we take the morning off from training?"
"...? Eh!?"
"Your magic power probably hasn't fully recovered yet, so you need to rest a little more."

　No. No, no.
　I can't help but raise my voice in response to Usato's words of sympathy for me.

"I-I'm fine! I can do it!"
"No. ...Like the magic power, you can't do what you can do if you stay tense. We'll take the morning off until your magic power recovers."
"I-I'm already..."

　Even though the objective is completed.
　But I can't say it.
　I lied so I can't tell the truth.

"already?"
"...It's nothing"

　Usato-san tilts his head with a smile on his face, and I can't say anything else.
　Seeing me like that, he let out a small sigh as if he couldn't help it, and continued to speak.

"So, shall we go get some fish?"
"...Yes?"

　Eh, fi... fish?
　Usato-san's sudden suggestion caused me to let out an unintentional sound of surprise.



　The river flows with a quiet sound.
　If you look into the water, the water is so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom, and you can see some fish swimming in the water.

"...It's cold"

　For some reason, Usato-san and I had come to a river near the village.
　I sit on the riverbank, only dipping my bare feet in the water, and turn my gaze to Usato-san, who is standing in the middle of the river, standing upright.

"Speaking of rivers, fishing is a thing, but on second thought I don't have a fishing rod and can't make one. So, we should think about it the other way around. We don't need a fishing rod...!"
"Hou..."
"Fuh, don’t praise me."

　Usato-san, with a satisfied smile on his face, had a familiar owl on his shoulder before I knew it.

"Usato-san, what are you doing...?"
"As you can see, catching fish."
"As you, can see?"

　...Eh, with your bare hands?
　Naturally, I was surprised that he took off his shoes and entered the river, but did he seriously intend to catch fish with his bare hands?
　If it was before the Demon King person resurrected, that might be possible, but now the nature of the Demon King's territory and the animals there have regained a lot of vitality, so river fish shouldn't be so easy to catch.

"Grab it? No, that's not it ——— Nea, use the binding spell."

　When Usato-san mutters something in a whisper, his right hand is covered with the black magic power of dark magic.
　Raising his fist, he slammed it into the water with incredible speed.

"———Falling-knocking Fist!"

　At that moment ——— the water surface bursts from where Usato-san slammed his fist.
　Something purple rushes through the water, and about a dozen fish float by. They are breathing, but for some reason they seem to be unable to move.

"Oops..."

　After Usato-san quickly caught about six fish, the remaining four fish that had only been floating around began to move energetically as if they had regained their life.

"H-How did you do that now!?"
"Eh? Ah...I-I knocked the fish unconscious with the force of hitting the water surface."
"Can that be done with dark magic too!?"

　If possible, I would like to try it too.
　When I asked him about it with such thoughts in mind, Usato-san was blatantly flustered.

"No, this doesn't have much to do with dark magic. It's a technique that can be done using brute strength and other factors."
"Brute strength...? Is your brute strength also great, Usato-san? You're a monstrous man!!"
"Hofuh!"

　The owl on Usato-san's shoulder held its mouth with its wings and its little body trembled.
　No, if I think about it, it was the same when he protected us from a pack of Hang Wolves. Even from the demon tribe's point of view, he was throwing the Hang Wolves with great force, and it's not surprising considering he had that kind of power.

"Oi, you, why are you laughing?”
"Ho~u"

　The owl flies from Usato-san's shoulder as if fleeing from the angry Usato-san who has his cheeks twitching.
　While flapping its wings in the air, the owl headed for my shoulder...Eh!?
　Suddenly, the owl jumps onto my shoulder, making me jump in surprise.

"U-Usato-san, w-w-w-what should I do?"
"This guy got away to a clever spot ... That girl is fine. She's basically quiet and won't hurt you."
"Hohohoo"

　W-When I look at it calmly, it's true that she might be quiet ......, but her cry is a little strange.
　When I reach out to this girl on my shoulder, she offers me her head, and she seems to understand my words.
　When I timidly stroke her, she narrows her eyes and seems to be enjoying it.

"Hou"
"..."

　Ah, this is a creature that completely deceives people.
　I'm sure many people were fascinated by this child.
　After stroking it for a while as if possessed, Usato-san, who had put away the fish he had caught, raised his right hand.
　Then the owl on my shoulder flew up, stayed on Usato's right arm, and jumped straight to his shoulder.

"Well, we caught some fish, so let's go back."
"...Yes"

　I can't help but let out a disappointed voice, but Usato-san smiles at me.

"Haha, you can do whatever you want to this guy when we get back."
"Are you sure!?"
"Howa!?"

　Embarrassed at my own loud voice, I walk with Usato-san along the roadless path leading to the village where Gref and the others are staying.

"Did it make you feel better?"
"...?"
"You seemed to be extremely impatient during yesterday's training. I thought it would be good if you could clear your mind while recovering your magic power."

　Indeed, in order to be able to handle my own magic, I trained and ignored Usato-san's words. Because of that, I was reckless to the point of almost running out of magic power, and I caused trouble for Usato-san as well.

"Gref-san, Ram, and Rose were worried too."
"Gref and the others..."

　The moment I heard Gref and the others' names, unpleasant thoughts rushed into my head.
　That is the worst possible future, where my magic attacks Gref and the others, injuring them, and finally taking their lives.
　I don't like it.
　I don't want that to happen.
　I tell myself that if I learn how to use dark magic from Usato-san, it will be fine, but I can't erase the imagination that pops into my head.

"Uhm, Usato-san."
"Hmm?"
"Can I ... Can I follow you on your journey?"

　I had uttered those words unconsciously.
　By the time I realized it, it was already too late, and Usato-san stopped on the spot, silent and not saying anything.
　I felt a familiar fear at that reaction, and I opened my mouth, letting my emotions flow.

"I-I don't want to hurt anyone! Gref, Rose, Ram... no one else...!"
"..."
"So, Usato-san, you can stop me and teach me about dark magic———"
"Keira. Sorry, I can't do that."

　For a moment, I couldn't understand what Usato-san was saying.

"Our journey has a purpose. I cannot take you on our journey for that reason."
"Why..."
"This is an important mission. I can't put you in danger."

　Is that true?
　Perhaps I'm being turned down for saying something inappropriate.
　Perhaps he is lying to me, a child?
　A voice of doubt echoes in my head.
　Pushing in heartless words, I still desperately appeal to him.

"I-I won't be able to learn how to use magic if I keep going like this! So...!"
"It's okay, I know ... you don't have to lie."

　I have even been caught lying.
　If things continue like this, Usato-san will leave me behind. Like mom and dad when they tried to use me, whom they didn't want, as food for monsters.
　No. No, no.
　I was shaking with agitation, but Usato-san still talked to me.

"I was wrong. What you don't believe in isn't your magic. It's you."
"I-I don't believe in myself!? There's no way I can believe myself!!”

　Although Usato-san speaks calmly, I raise my voice.
　I realized it when he asked me face-to-face.
　I didn't believe in myself, no other way around.

"I was a child who deserved to be abandoned! I was born with dark magic! I wasn't a good child for my mom and dad, so they abandoned me!!"
"..."
"I was the only one who thought we were family and it was a lie! They were just scared of me, and they always hated me!!"

　I know it's wrong to complain to Usato-san about this, but I can't stop the dark feelings that are rising from deep within me.

"If I had stubbornly survived and not been picked up by Gref, I wouldn't have had to worry about Rose or Ram getting hurt!! We wouldn't have been shunned by the people around us and caused Gref a hard time!! Because of me, people are scared, and the people I care about are unhappy!"
"...Keira"
"I wish I had died in the dark forest at that time———"
"Keira!!"

　Usato-san's loud voice brought me back to my senses.
　Usato-san is in front of me, his arms wrapped in dark magic and looking behind me.

"Don't look back. Just walk slowly towards me."
"Usato, san...?"
"I'll do something about that thing that came out of your body. So...!"

　———There's something right behind me.
　Looking at my feet, the dark magic I had unknowingly activated was spreading around my feet, and it was flowing behind me.
　Tormented by the sensation of a large amount of magic power draining from my body, I involuntarily turned around.
　There is———,

『———Wish you die』

　It was something far taller than I am, something black and humanoid, as thin as a skeleton.
　It swung down at me, gallivanting its knife-like fingers.