Heretic (2)
My head had turned into a complete, jumbled mess.
Once, from the news that Sirin would be sitting out the subjugation of the Beast of the End.
Twice, from being branded a heretic.
Three times, from learning it had happened because Rubia was at my side.
And four times… because both Rubia and Ser had accepted my new status as a heretic with complete calm.
“Uh, um… eh?”
I don’t know. I have no idea.
I just… want to eat jelly.
I want to lie in bed, hug a soft blanket, and have Rubia feed me jelly…
“Hahahaha! That face of yours is priceless. Mm, yes. Of course. You would find it hard to understand. Noah, take this chance to learn well. The world has always worked this way.”
“Y-yes…?”
“The strong and the loud make the laws, make the heavens, make the world. And you think those same people would have any trouble burying a single person? Yes—right now I can think of reasons easily enough. That Rubia, whom you kept at your side, went missing for a full fortnight. That you, who stayed beside her, possess a Fragment of the End. That it has eroded your mind and driven you mad. Do you need any other reasons beyond those?”
“My mind… eroded…? The Fragment has side effects like that…?”
Of course, every time I used a Fragment my mind grew hazy and I felt like I was no longer myself…
But once the effect ended, everything returned to normal, didn’t it?
Could my personality have changed without me even noticing?
“Rubia, am I… am I weird?”
Faced with the sudden question, Rubia gave a bitter little smile, scooped me up in one smooth motion, and settled me gently onto her lap.
“Not at all. You’re exactly the same.”
Then she hugged me tight and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“Hehe… th-that tickles. Hup, ahem. Then… it’s all just baseless rumors, right?”
“Lady Noah. Originally, the world is a bizarre place where, if a human is mixed among monkeys, the human becomes a monkey—and if the human refuses to accept it, they are branded a fool and an idiot and killed.”
Having finished speaking, Ser let out a deep sigh, sank back into her chair, and chuckled softly.
“In the end, we have simply followed the natural order of the world. We have become one very small and innocent monkey, one slightly less small and arrogant monkey, one genius monkey, and one sacred monkey.”
Rubia, still holding me, snorted a quiet laugh and nuzzled her cheek against my hair.
“Sacred, my foot. Don’t worry too much, Noah. No matter what happens, I’m on your side.”
“Mm… yes. Thank you.”
I surrendered my whole body to Rubia’s arms, the ones that had pulled me back up from the pitch-black depths.
Then I firmly caught the hand that was stroking my thigh with a rather perverted touch.
“Then from now on… I shouldn’t stay next to Rubia. B-because of me, you might get hurt for no reason…”
“That will depend on what decision Rubia makes. So, Rubia. What do you wish to do? Ser, you must decide as well, so think carefully.”
Sirin slipped her hands into her sleeves, straightened her posture, and spoke in a solemn voice.
It’s okay… it’s okay.
Being a little apart doesn’t mean we’re separating forever. We can still meet in secret at night, right…?
Yeah. That would be thrilling and plenty romantic.
Even if our bodies are apart, Rubia can still sense where I am and what I’m doing… so it’s not like we’re completely separated.
So… even if Rubia chooses the city, it’s fine. It has to be fine.
No matter what answer comes out, I absolutely, absolutely must not show any disappointment. Act like always.
“Entering the city and secretly assembling a subjugation force under the Order’s nose, or the three of you carrying out the subjugation alone. If you choose the former, the subjugation will become vastly easier. You will have to deceive the Order’s eyes, so civilian casualties will be unavoidable—but with advance preparation, you can certainly reduce them.”
Clink— the sound of Ser’s coffee cup tipping.
Rustle— the sound of Rubia’s sigh scattering into the air as it stirred her hair.
Thump— thump— the sound of my heart pounding as if it would burst.
“If you choose the latter, the subjugation will become exceedingly difficult. Should Valoran appear in a city you did not choose, the civilian casualties will spiral beyond control. No matter how swiftly you move, that city will not escape destruction.”
“I don’t care which we choose, so I will follow Lady Rubia’s decision.”
Clatter— the empty coffee cup was set down on the table.
“I—”
Rubia’s lips parted.
“I’m staying with Noah.”
“…Eh?”
At that answer Ser snorted a laugh, rose from her seat, and left the room. Sirin, wearing an inscrutable smile, asked Rubia,
“Why make such a choice?”
“Mm, I don’t know how to put this delicately, so I’ll just say it straight. Cartia is a city I saved. A city saved solely by me, ignoring the opinions of both the Empire and Erden. I guarantee it. Without me, Cartia would already be ruins.”
“Perhaps so.”
“No. It definitely would have been. And yet, if a city that was abandoned by Erden— a city that was saved by me— tries to cast Noah out just because of Erden’s decision…”
Rubia’s arms tightened around me even harder.
“Then let it fall. Honestly, I’d rather destroy it myself.”
“Even though you are a priestess?”
“Hah, I saved it once—what more do they want? If you repay kindness with enmity, you’re nothing but a beast. Not a human. And to be perfectly honest, Noah is far more precious to me than Cartia.”
“Hahaha! So one Noah is more precious than hundreds of thousands of people?”
“Of course. From the start I’ve been a selfish, rude bitch. Until not long ago I was a crazy bitch who didn’t even think of saving humans—I wanted to kill them all. Sure, I used to be kind. Innocent, too. That’s why I saved Cartia. If it had been me before I met Noah… the me of just a little while ago… I would’ve just said ‘good riddance’ and sat in my room drinking coffee.”
“Huk… Ru-Rubia?”
Rubia flinched and carefully raised her hands to cover my ears.
But… it was meaningless.
“Anyway, that’s my choice. Same goes for Urusphier. A city Noah saved. A city that held a festival for Noah. If a place like that tries to cast Noah out, I don’t see any need to save it. Right, Noah?”
“Uh, no… even so—”
“Noah, if you had to choose between me and a city, what would you do?”
“I would… of course save Rubia.”
“It’s the same for me.”
“B-but Rubia is a priestess— mmph?!”
Smooch— Rubia’s lips sealed my next words shut.
“Pwah…! W-why did you suddenly kiss me…!”
“Did you hate it?”
“Neheh?! N-no, I didn’t hate it… but… that’s…”
“If you didn’t hate it, that means you liked it, right?”
Faced with such a blunt question… I couldn’t bring myself to answer and only gave the tiniest nod.
“Then shall we do it one more time?”
“Uh, th-that… later, when it’s just the two of us… in the room.”
“Then I don’t think a kiss will be enough to finish it.”
“Hiiik… s-say things like that quietly…”
“Kuhuhu. Yes. You’ve changed from last time. Completely changed.”
Sirin, who had been quietly watching us, rose from her seat and placed a fist-sized orb on the table.
“Noah. Since this body occupies the largest share of the reason you were branded a heretic under false charges, I must offer an apology for it.”
“S-Sirin…? Why?”
“Was it not at this body’s request that Rubia remained here so long?”
“Eh… even so, that… wasn’t it to save Lady Ser…?”
“Whatever the reason, the result is as it is, so I must take responsibility. I shall make it so that you can move a little more freely—wait quietly.”
“Uhek…”
Sirin came to my side, ruffled my hair roughly, then looked at Rubia and smiled.
“Rubia, with the choice you just made, you will never regret it. Is that not so?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Excellent.”
Then she spoke toward the orb resting on the table.
“You heard well, did you not? Did I not tell you? The future you saw has long since been shattered.”
“Ahaha… you’re right. I’ve never been this wrong before. To think it would turn out exactly as Sirin said.”
A familiar voice flowed from the orb.
“…Huh?”
“Wow… you recognized me just from my voice? I’m touched. Fufu. It’s been a while, Miss Noah. And Lady Rubia. Or would you prefer I call you Lady Aileen?”
“Aileen… don’t tell me—”
“Yes! That’s right. The Adventurer’s Guild receptionist of Alrba Village—Hermila!”
Clap clap clap— soft applause came from beyond the orb.
Hermila.
The one who had found me when I suddenly arrived in this world.
Who had helped me become an adventurer.
Who had always looked after me… my benefactor.
“He-Her… Hermila-niiim…”
“Yes, Miss Noah. It’s Hermila. I’m so happy to hear from you.”
“The rest of you talk among yourselves. This body will step outside for a while.”
“Mm, go ahead. But what’s with dropping your voice like that in front of the kids? Trying to sound authoritative?”
“…Silence.”
“I’ve always told you. With Sirin’s current appearance, you only look cute.”
“It would be wise to shut your mouth before I go find you and thrash your backside.”
Tsk— Sirin clicked her tongue, yanked the door open roughly, and left the room.
With Ser and Sirin gone, the suddenly empty room held only Rubia’s dazed expression and…
“Sniff… hng… He-Hermila-nim…”
…the sound of my sniffling.
“Miss Noah. After you arrived in Cartia you said you’d come back to Alrba, so why haven’t you? I want to see you soon.”
“Nweh…? Hic… y-you want to see me…? Uu… me too, me too—”
I wiped my tears and was about to climb down from Rubia’s lap when—
“Aha, so Noah wants to see Lady Hermila.”
Creak— a chilling sound reached my ear.