158. Kocchi Omiro
158. Kocchi Omiro
"[The judgment is the ultimate punishment──that is, death.]"
The goddess of justice, Justitia, spoke.
"[...Truly, it is not my intention, but nevertheless, you shall soon be 'life' nonetheless.]"
Enjoy the final right granted to you.
"......First"
The final statement.
A single word from a man with death before his eyes──
"I sincerely and deeply apologize for causing public concern within society due to my actions."
─was an apology.
A typical apology.
So textbook and typical...
"Because of me, so many people shed tears. Because of me, so many sins were committed. I shall shoulder all of this upon my back and depart from this world."
...And therefore, utterly disgusting words.
Rather shed tears and repent.
Rather scream and shout and struggle in wickedness.
If you are a villain, end it like a villain. If you are a sinner, end it like a sinner.
But what was that sight?
To the very end, dignified and to the very end, upright, he 'appeared'.
Despite reality being the exact opposite, his demeanor was so dignified that Minerva, seated in a wheelchair, and Chrono almost seemed like the defendants.
"However, everyone, please do not distort or misunderstand."
He didn't stop.
He spoke without stopping.
"All of this is merely my sin, and never the sin of my daughter."
"What occurred due to my ignorance, what occurred due to my foolishness, yet what I, weak and frail, could not bring myself to say, my daughter said it for me."
"As a father of one child, I am proud. My heart is so at ease even on this departing path, knowing I raised a child so well."
"Only, I fear that my stains might carry over to stain my child."
"""""................"""""
This──was akin to 'fear'.
A 'fear' as if witnessing something that must never be seen.
Not human, but something whose very existence was 'alien'.
A peaceful smile.
A laugh filled with paternal love.
And the father's words that followed.
"Minerva, do not forgive this unworthy father..."
"Always curse this father, resent him, hate him──and love the one beside you."
"And if it is at all possible..."
Righteous Judge.
Judge who is upright, just, and fair.
"Would you not please sever the relationship between me and my child."
"[...............]"
"This is my error, and solely my error. To my daughter, though I have nothing to pass down, I do not wish to only add the weight of life."
"[........I am..]"
Justitia spoke.
She spoke quietly, pressing her eyes with both hands.
"[I am confused. By the existence of a person like you. Just what is 'truth' and what is 'falsehood'.]"
The Scales didn't tilt.
Proof that not a single lie was mingled among everything he'd said so far.
If so, could all those words truly be seen as words of 'paternal love'?
"Just and fair Justitia, I believe that in any matter, one must look not at the 'person' but at the 'circumstances' that made them."
"[................]"
Chrono spoke.
His answers uniformly displayed aspects of paternal love.
Words proper as a father, reasonable as a father, farewells akin to the final repentance a father could offer his daughter.
...But Judge. Let's think about it honestly, everyone.
"A condemned man with execution before his eyes, looking at his own daughter and saying [never become like me]...
...Do you see that as something an ordinary human is capable of?"
"[...........]"
"Please, do not be fooled by human wisdom."
"[....Those words also have a point.]"
The Scales didn't tilt.
Meaning Chrono's words were 'sincere'.
And so, at the very last of the last, Justitia spoke.
"[Do you regret it?]"
"I do regret it."
"[If you were given time once more, can you promise never to commit such acts again?]"
"I can promise."
The Scales didn't tilt.
"[Can you promise not to harm people.]"
"I shall promise."
The Scales remained unchanged.
However, Chrono spoke.
"How many 'people' are present in this place in total?"
"N-.....?"
"Is it not simple arithmetic? Ah, if counting is difficult, I shall alter the question."
Chrono, to the very end, asked toward 'him'.
"Does the number of 'people whom you regard as 'people'' in this place exceed twenty (20)?"
"............."
It was a simple question.
Combining the jury, judges, lawyers, and prosecutor right away, the minimum exceeded 30 people.
Twenty? That number was naturally exceeded. Exceeded and then some.
So──answer, please.
"I have no obligation to answer."
Evasion.
There was no obligation to answer what the plaintiff's side said.
But──
"[Answer.]"
"............"
──If this were 'reality', could I pull this kind of crap?
"[Do the people in this place... total over twenty?]"
"................"
A sight of being unable to answer.
How curious. Why was that? How come?
Perhaps it was because of the 'fundamental ideology' that 'that man' possessed.
"Sociopath."
Yeah.
"One who does not see humans as humans, one who loves only himself."
That was the essence of that man.
And so, the words he spoke of 'moving for the sake of humans' amounted to nothing more than words saying 'I will move for my own sake'.
"I know all too well how to shake such a person."
They fundamentally cherish what is theirs.
They never pay attention to what is simply in their hand, but toward what they hold in their hand and have taken interest in, they show endless interest.
Even if it brings misfortune to the target, even if it's an act to seize that person into their grasp, even if it ultimately destroys that person's future.
So,
Therefore,
──Chuup.
".....??"
"[Oh my.....?]"
"Eub.....eueup...???"
He kissed Minerva.
A kiss that was short, if you will, and long, if you will.
"W-wait a moment, eub....chureup....hueup──?!!"
The sight of tongues intertwining was by no means a sight befitting a courtroom, but at least this one thing he could be certain of.
"Really....hueup....chyureurup....♡"
She didn't avoid it.
Minerva didn't avoid it.
What that signified was only one thing.
"Paha....."
When he detached his lips, a transparent bridge was laid between their lips.
Lightly wiping his lips with the back of his hand, Chrono spoke.
"...Your daughter was amazing."
"....................."
Her eyes clearly changed.
Blazing hostility. An expression gradually losing its composure.
And,
"To think my daughter....is loved by someone, I am glad."
"......Heuum."
At the final moment, a sight of enduring.
At that sight, Chrono was certain.
'TerTer.....!'
This bastard Jupiter was truly the NTR-specialized Protagonist.
Chrono lightly exhaled and tapped Minerva, who was spacing out beside him, poke poke.
"It's the last moment, you should say a word."
"Ah.....!"
Only then did Minerva open her eyes.
Immediately grabbing the mic and looking at her father, now someone who was her father, Minerva...
"...Father."
"Please call me Dad... even so, that must be hard now."
"..........."
A skit that wasn't quite a skit, just like usual.
Nevertheless, Minerva's heart was not at ease.
'Ultimately, all these things....'
All stemmed from her own mistakes, her misunderstandings.
Even if he had committed sins worthy of it, the act of cutting off her father with her own hands just to survive was something that weighed on her chest beyond imagination.
'.....As expected..'
Wouldn't it be better to speak the truth now?
Since the Goddess of Justice was watching, couldn't she be justly settled for the value of her sins and proceed forward again with a clean body?
Just as various delusions were rampaging within Minerva's heart, he spoke.
"There is no need to hold guilt."
"!,....Father..."
He shook his head.
Saying not to be sorry.
Saying not to be sad.
"It was not your fault, but my fault. And that was merely revealed today."
"Father....Dad....Daaaad.....!!"
She shed tears.
Even so, she called him Dad. Even after suffering such a thing, she called him Dad.
Even if all economic rights were stolen away,
Even if all relationships with friends were severed,
Even if he always squeezed her breathlessly, chained a leash to prevent escape,
Demanded results, pressured her grades, subtly suppressed her, constantly stirred her up,
Nevertheless, Dad was Dad.
To her, he was nearly the only person.
The sight of such a person turning a blind eye to her sins and mistakes, saying it was fine──was a scene where Minerva had no choice but to shed tears.
'That, that is... oh wow.'
Chrono saw it.
It was visible to Chrono's eyes.
Having already noticed once, he couldn't help but see it.
Therefore,
Because he already knew, had already seen it, and having seen it,
"Somehow I thought it would be like this."
"....Are you... Chrono-gun?"
After the trial ended, the Guild Master was restrained and loaded into a transport vehicle.
But for some reason, it didn't go to a detention center or prison, circled around and around, and finally when night came, they left him in the middle of a mountain and left.
Just before the man left alone vanished somewhere, Chrono had simply tailed him.
"How strange. I didn't feel any sign of someone following..."
He deliberately stalled for time and drove in circles.
Thus, he got out when he thought it was 'safe,' but as if to show off, Chrono's party was waiting right there.
"That's, well, a trade secret."
"It was all thanks to Mai."
"Huh?"
Mai's species was Pegasus.
A Heavenly Demon with wings on her back.
So, naturally, flying through the sky was something she could do, right?
And since she flew through the sky, she could never be confirmed by the vehicle's rearview mirror, so it was perfectly suited for tailing.
"Anyway, at first it was suspicion, and then it was at the level of doubt... but now it's changed to certainty."
Chrono held Agape and Squite in both hands and spoke.
"The Hypnosis App."
"───!!"
The second of the Academy's three great NTR villains.
"Where is 'Kochiomi Ro'?"
He was still alive.