An Inconvenient Truth
It had been a good plan, but as a rule, plans rarely unfolded the way they were meant to.
Yes. Exactly like this.
"No, listen to me! Why the hell won't you tell us?! If we're going to fight, we need to know what tribe it is, where they're holed up, and which demon is backing them!"
"Oh, Weller. I can read you like an open book. Why on earth would I tell you that?"
"You damn lunatic of a sister! Why are you so obsessed with Alzen anyway?! Is there any reason for you to go this far?!"
"Of course there is. I trust my instincts. The only man who has ever made my heart race is Alzen. And he'll be the only one from here on out, too. So I'm going to marry him."
"You crazy bitch! He's your little brother! The younger brother you looked after and played with when you were kids!"
"Only his flesh is. What's inside is entirely different, isn't it? Besides, the more I think about it, the better it sounds. What if my little brother was actually the fated husband Mother bore for me all along?"
"Guh... urk!"
Beyond the canvas of the ger, I could clearly make out the silhouette of Weller clutching the back of her neck in sheer apoplexy.
"...Man, this is totally screwed."
They seemed to be taking a while, so I had walked over to check on them, only to find the conversation spiraling into absolute lunacy.
Flicking a spark to my rolled cigarette, I took a deep drag and blew a long plume of smoke up into the high, clear sky of the wasteland.
"...Lord Alzen. Lady Cecilia and Lady Arpe are approaching."
"Hm?"
At Muriel's prompt, I looked over my shoulder to see Cecilia and Arpe walking toward me, both wearing distinctly complicated expressions.
"Sir Alzen. What are you going to do now?"
"About what?"
"Your identity! You've been found out!"
"Hmm..."
Exhaling another stream of smoke, I met the frustrated gaze Cecilia turned up at me.
"Well, I wonder. What ought I to do? Got any brilliant answers, Cecilia?"
"That's...! Well, I..."
She had started to say something with immense vigor, only to rapidly deflate, her head slumping forward.
Watching her steal sheepish, pitiful glances at me brought an incredulous snort to my lips.
"Look at this cheeky brat. Who are you feeling sorry for? You want to die?"
"Eeeek...!"
When I reached out to thoroughly ruffle and squish her fluttering pale-blonde hair, she scrunched up her face and batted frantically at my hand.
"S-Stop it! And besides, this isn't the time for jokes! Vivian's in a terrible state!"
"Vivian? Why?"
"Well... um..."
Her hesitant stammering was so grating that I pinched both of her cheeks and gave them a long, firm tug.
"Uwaaah?!"
"Just spit it out. You trying to give me an ulcer?"
"Nooo...! I told you, it's not something easy to say! Vivian said... she said she doesn't want to see you right now, Sir Alzen! At this rate... gasp!"
Having blurted it out in the heat of the moment, Cecilia slapped both hands over her mouth, her face draining of color.
"...Is that so? Vivian said that? That she doesn't want to see me?"
"A-Ah, um, I'm sorry, Sir Alzen! It's not like that... Sh-She's just a little! Just a little awkward right now! It's not that she hates you or anything!"
"Hmm..."
Puuull! Stretch!
"Mmmph, blebbgh?!"
As I kneaded her squishy, tender cheeks like dough, she flapped her arms in utter confusion.
"...Well, it is what it is."
If my relationship with Vivian fractured, it would sever one of my vital connections to the original protagonist... but having Cecilia and Arpe around meant it wasn't an unbearable loss.
...At least, that was what I forced myself to think.
"...What... did you just say...?!"
At my indifferent murmur, Cecilia's eyes went wide. Grabbing hold of my sleeve in disbelief, she gripped the fabric far harder than I expected, her hands trembling violently.
"W-Wait! What does that mean?! Sir Alzen! Don't tell me..."
"Cecilia. May I speak now?"
"Ah?!"
Shoving aside a Cecilia who looked ready to interrogate me with fiery indignation, Arpe tilted her chin up haughtily and met my gaze.
Oh, wow. She looks entirely like a villainess right now.
"Do you have something to say too?"
"Sir Alzen."
"What."
"What is your real name?"
"...Kang Han-gil. Kang is the family name, Han-gil is the given name."
"I see. Then that is how I shall address you from now on."
"No, you won't. As a rule, call me Alzen."
"...I suppose that makes sense. You need to keep it hidden from others... Very well. I shall only call you that when it is just the two of us. Next, what happened to your left arm?"
Her slender fingers poked at my left arm, which was wrapped tightly from wrist to shoulder in the Silk of Atonement.
"If you were watching back then, you ought to know. It suffered demonic mutation."
"Demonic mutation... How did that happen?"
"Fighting a Demon King."
"Oho...!"
Arpe's eyes ignited with a dangerous, predatory glint.
I could practically hear the sound of my perceived value skyrocketing inside her head.
This is giving me a really bad feeling.
"Does that mean the power of a Demon King dwells within that left arm?"
"Yeah. To some extent."
"Splendid. Hmm. Then next... why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what? That I'm Kang Han-gil?"
"Yes."
"Why would I tell you that?"
"Of course you should have! We are friends, aren't we?!"
"I've told you before, that's not how you use the word 'friend'..."
"From now on, tell me everything without hiding a single detail! Understood?!"
"Pass."
"Eeeek...! Are you really going to be like this?!"
"Yep."
"......"
With her hands planted on her hips, she glared up at me before letting out a long, theatrical sigh.
"Haaah... Very well, it can't be helped. I shall overlook it this once."
"Look who's being generous."
"In any case, it finally makes sense why your goal was to slay the Evil God. You aren't trying to kill it out of some sense of duty or justice, are you?"
"Something like that."
"Fufu. I like you even more now."
Nodding in pure satisfaction, she suddenly threw her arms around my torso and hugged me tight.
Because it was the very first time she had ever initiated skinship like this, I found myself momentarily stunned.
"What's this now?"
"I learned your secret, and I have looked deeper into the person you truly are. Starting today, that makes us far closer. Understood, Han-gil?"
As she tilted her head up to look at me, a thick, viscous flame of greed and possessiveness simmered within her eyes.
The sheer madness in that stare was enough to send goosebumps rippling across my skin.
"...Do whatever you want."
Knowing full well that she wouldn't listen to a single word I said anyway, I gave a half-resigned nod.
"Heheh...!"
At that, a radiant smile bloomed across Arpe's face, and she began rubbing her cheek affectionately against my chest.
"H-Hold on! It was my turn! Sir Alzen... no, Sir Han-gil! Answer me properly! What do you mean by 'it is what it is'?!"
Right then, Cecilia tugged at my collar once more, crying out with an agonized expression. Somewhere along the way, she had glanced sideways at Arpe and abruptly switched how she addressed me, though what logic led to that was anyone's guess.
"It doesn't mean anything deep. It is what it is—it literally means there's nothing that can be done about it."
"What kind of...! Does that mean you don't care even if Vivian avoids you?! Aren't you sad at all?!"
"...Don't you think it's a bit cruel to ask me that, Cecilia?"
"...!!"
I furrowed my brow slightly, yet forced a faint smile to remain on my lips as I asked. Cecilia froze in place, her eyes blowing wide in shock.
"I never had a choice in any of this. From the very beginning to the very end."
"...Ah, sniff. N-No, Sir Han-gil. I... I didn't mean it like that..."
"I know. So don't cry."
"Ugh, hic, snk...!"
Releasing her trembling grip on my collar, she let fat tears roll down her cheeks and started to clasp her shivering hands together in prayer.
I reached out, grabbed those hands, and brushed them aside.
"Hic...?! S-Sir Han-gil...?"
"Cecilia. Don't pray for my sake when I haven't asked you to. Especially not to that godforsaken Goddess."
"Ah... I-I'm sorry. I just... this is the only thing I know how to do... sniff, waaah...!"
Watching her weep in genuine sorrow, I stroked her hair and let out a tired sigh.
"I'm sorry. I lost my temper for a second."
"No. Not at all. It makes... sniff... complete sense that you would feel that way, Sir Han-gil... hic...!"
"Is that so? I'm glad you understand... Dry your tears. Go check on Vivian. She might start getting weird ideas if she's left alone."
"...Sniff... O-Okay. I will..."
"Arpe. You go too."
"What, me as well? I refuse."
"......"
When I stared at her in silence, her shoulders flinched.
"Hmph. Fine, it can't be helped. As your dearest friend, I shall grant this special favor. Leave Vivian to us."
"...Just don't confuse her further with your nonsense."
"What do you take me for? I am hardly that foolish."
Poking out her tongue in a spiteful little gesture, Arpe grabbed Cecilia's hand and hurriedly dragged her away.
"Haaah..."
As I exhaled another breath of cigarette smoke, Muriel wrapped her arms around my back from behind.
"...You really don't need to go this far."
"This is what I wish to do."
"Is that right? Well, nothing to be done about that either, then."
Sizzle!
Grinding the discarded cigarette butt beneath my heel, I murmured softly under my breath.
"It is what it is..."
Hearing my voice, Muriel's arms tightened their embrace around me.
"Hard to breathe, Muriel."
"...Endure it, please."
"Ha, seriously."
Letting out a soft chuckle, I quietly absorbed the warmth seeping into my back.
"Your rotten personality was the problem from the start! Why are you always so selfish and overbearing?! Ever since we were young, you've done nothing but act on impulse! That's why you got kicked out of the Duke's Castle! You damn crazy woman!"
"Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?! And I wasn't kicked out, I left on my own two feet! Because none of you understood me! From that day on, I decided that no matter what anyone said, I would forge my own path! Even family has no right to tell me otherwise!"
"Didn't you ever think about the family you left behiiiind?!"
The shouting match between Weller and Tsarkhella had completely abandoned all semblance of logic, careening headlong into raw emotion.
"We were... worried about you...! Both me and Mother...!"
"......"
As Weller's grief-stricken, tear-choked cry rang through the air, Tsarkhella fell silent.
"Phew... It seems talking any further is pointless. Get out, Weller."
"Says who?! Since it's come to this, I'll drag you back to the Duke's Castle by force!"
"Ha... Insolent little sister. You really think you can?"
"Shut up...!"
Even with the thick canvas between us, I could feel the vicious, tempestuous surge of mana stirring inside. Letting out a sigh, I tapped the back of Muriel's hand.
"Think we ought to stop that?"
"...It appears we must."
Though her voice remained placid, Muriel slowly unclasped her arms with a touch of reluctance. Drawing a dagger, she slipped inside the ger.
Following slowly behind her, I was greeted by the sight of Weller aiming the legendary relic Stubbornness of the Foolish directly at Tsarkhella, while Tsarkhella was already crackling with furious arcs of lightning that danced across her entire body.
Both of them had their mouths pressed into tight lines, looking like they were on the verge of bursting into tears. It was quite a spectacle.
"Alright, that's enough of the ugly sisterly squabbling. Let's sit down and talk this out peacefully."
"......"
"......"
Neither Weller, her eyes rimmed with angry red, nor Tsarkhella, whose tear-glossed eyes crackled with electric sparks, offered any reply.
"Sit. Both of you. While I'm still asking nicely."
"...Phew..."
"Hmph..."
Only after repeated prodding did the two of them finally take their seats, glaring daggers at each other.
"Good grief... Grown adults throwing tantrums like toddlers... Anyway, Tsarkhella. You still have no intention of telling us where that tribe is?"
"None. If I tell you, you'll run away."
"That puts me in a bind..."
"Just be good, marry me, and spend our wedding night together. After that, I'll gladly tell you everything."
"Wow, seriously..."
Faced with such unadulterated, pure madness, I hadn't the faintest idea what to do. It was enough to drive a man completely insane.