Chapter 16
Translator: True Detective
016. Beginning
A dream is a dream because it cannot come true.
I think something like that. Hehehe.
For example, my dream is to watch Yuna's sleeping face from by her side!
But unfortunately, unless the world splits in two or a hidden in-game event occurs where Yuna and I are isolated alone on a snowy winter mountain, that's just a distant dream.
But isn't it perhaps more valuable because of that?
If anyone could achieve their dream.
If anyone could do what they wanted to do, no one would consider dreams valuable.
Whine, whine.
But even so, there are people who make an effort to achieve their dreams.
If you watch things like movies, those people are eventually rewarded.
Hehehe.
But I haven't made any effort at all.
I've never done it even once, but it feels like I received such a reward.
Why, you ask?
Gasp, gasp, gasp!
Because Yuna appeared before my eyes!
Even though I can't watch Yuna's sleeping face.
This much is enough.
Hehehe. Because I could see her incredibly close.
Uh-uh. But.
She keeps coming closer.
Yuna's face is getting bigger.
'Gasp. Could this be a dream?'
Then that's incredibly troublesome!
Because Yuna is making an incredibly bad expression.
It's an expression that looks incredibly distressed.
Whine, whine.
I wish I could quickly wake up from this bad dream.
My Yuna shouldn't have this kind of frowning expression anymore, but should always have a smiling face.
Because I already saw plenty, incredibly plenty of things like that a year ago.
To wake up from the dream, I secretly pinched my thigh.
Whine. But it hurts.
I stopped crouching and picking flowers.
And standing up with a thud.
I slowly let the flowers slip from my hand.
Then I lightly trampled on them.
'...This should be enough.'
To Yuna, I must only show a cold, sophisticated, villain-like appearance.
Showing my true feelings.
I must not show my true feelings.
So I trampled on the flowers I intended to give to Yuna.
Because I can just pick these again later.
At that moment, the bushes rustled.
'Huh?'
Is it something like a raccoon?
Then that's incredibly dangerous! Wild raccoons have an incredible amount of things like rabies.
If you approach it because it's incredibly cute, you'll die because you can't drink water.
Because rabies is that kind of disease.
So you absolutely shouldn't carelessly approach friends like raccoons or whatever.
I approached the bushes.
To block with my body so a raccoon or whatever wouldn't pop out.
Because something like that shouldn't happen to Yuna.
'Ughhh...'
But come to think of it, I feel like my face is turning red.
Because...
'Because it's truly covered in an incredible amount of stuff like dirt!!!'
It's completely, incredibly embarrassing.
Ugh... It's because someone tripped me earlier and I fell.
So my face is covered in dirt.
I brushed it off for now, but there are still some dingy dirt marks remaining.
Whine, whine.
But Yuna is soft-hearted.
From now on, I must not make crying sounds or weak sounds.
Because from now on, I have to thoroughly play the villain.
Hehehe. I am a complete villain.
The villainess herself.
So I will hurt Yuna.
Yuna is a person who sparkles like sunlight.
She can spew out incredibly warm energy to everyone around her.
But I am not.
If I'm by Yuna's side, I'll only be an incredible hindrance.
Whine, whine. When I can't even walk properly.
I don't really know why Yuna came, but.
If I hang around her, only Yuna will become unhappy.
That's a crystal-clear fact.
An incredibly immutable truth, just like the sky is high and the ground is bumpy.
So I must always hurt Yuna.
I have to chase Yuna away from my side.
That is my role...
But my heart alone, I want to leave by Yuna's side.
Separating my heart and leaving it by Yuna's side. Isn't there a technique like that?
There's things like magic power and magic, so why isn't there something like that.
Whine, whine. I slowly opened my mouth.
"You, I really hate you."
Actually, I like her incredibly much.
So I pretended to sneer while looking at Yuna.
"You said let's never see each other again. Why did you come?"
Actually, I want to see her every day. I'm completely, incredibly thankful she came, hehehe.
"What's with that state?"
I can feel that Yuna's appearance is no joke.
So my heart hurts incredibly, immensely.
Ugh. Yuna must have had an incredibly hard time.
At that, Yuna shouted furiously.
"...Hey, is that all you have to say the moment you see me!?"
Seeing the bloodshot veins in her eyes, it seems she truly couldn't sleep much.
As proof, there are incredibly dark circles under her eyes.
Gasp.
This kind of Yuna is also incredibly pretty and lovely.
Should I say it's an appearance that stimulates decadent beauty?
Whine, whine. But you have to sleep a lot.
I heard somewhere that everything from skin beauty to aging to the probability of getting cancer is related to sleep time.
Hehehe. I'm so proud of myself for remembering all this.
In the next note, I'll have to advise Yuna to sleep a lot, hehehe.
"That's all I have to say to you."
"...You."
I heard the sound of Yuna gritting her teeth.
"I just, came because I was curious."
"About what?"
"...Why did you save me then? Th-throwing your whole body. E-even while suffering something like that... why..."
"Ah, that."
I chuckled.
And sneered.
'I could say something incredibly touching here and apologize for all my actions up to now.'
Because Yuna is an incredibly kind angel.
Because she's a precious friend whose heart, even if weak, is too weak.
She would forgive everything at any time and give me a hug.
That's why it won't do.
I've already passed too many branching points.
The path back... I don't really see it now.
I cannot reveal my true feelings now.
Because then Yuna's heart will end up completely breaking.
Hehehe.
I absolutely, positively, absolutely decline something like that.
I truly, completely like Yuna.
So I want her to always win a happy ending with a brightly smiling face.
Because being thrown into such an unreasonable world must be incredibly sad.
Whine, whine.
But I am not needed for Yuna's happy ending.
I am scheduled not to exist.
I must not exist.
So I said it.
"I regret saving you."
Yuna stayed still for a long time with a slightly blank face.
Then she shouted.
"...What did you say?"
"I am regretting it. I saved you thinking you were the princess. But of all people, it had to be you. Yuna Castilla."
Hehehe.
It would be nice if Yuna got fiercely angry after hearing my words and left the spot.
But such a thing did not happen.
Yuna slumped down.
And.
She muttered.
"...Liar."
Aria Witri.
She is definitely lying.
She could be certain.
Because...
'You told me not to go to the ball. That it was dangerous.'
Aria definitely said that.
Yuna remembers it clearly.
"I really hate you. Yuna Castilla."
"...Me too. Aria Witri."
However.
Something about the situation was strange.
Aria Witri showed an agitated expression she had never shown before until now.
Sweating cold sweat, she faced her with a face clearly showing signs of bewilderment.
Even glaring at her.
Very unnaturally, that is.
"You are, the person I hate the most, the most in the world! So I, I have always..."
"I know. I really hate you too. To the point where I want to kill you. But..."
You definitely have something you're hiding, don't you.
Yuna couldn't bring herself to add those following words.
Because of one person uniquely coming to mind.
It's that person's fault.
Even though she experienced such a thing, where in the world and what are they doing.
Even the sole ally in the world is maintaining silence.
That means exactly one thing.
'M-my fault...'
It means everything is her fault.
H-however.
That can't be true. It was self-defense.
If she could, she wanted to grab her heart, pull it out, and squeeze it mercilessly.
Because it was that painful and frustrating.
Therefore.
Yuna glared directly at Aria.
Her heart is in pain.
And, the cause is...
"It's, it's, it's, all because of you."
"Right. It's all because of me."
Aria nodded her head as if feeling relieved.
And she showed an even more arrogant expression.
"It's... not my fault."
"Yeah."
"Everything, is not my fault. It's not my fault, I said."
It was merely a small incident that occurred at the end of coincidences overlapping with coincidences.
"So tell me. That i-it's not my fault. That it's all something you brought upon yourself... and."
That helping me back then was absolutely not due to a coincidence or a mistake.
That the words saying you regret it are also entirely a lie.
Yuna gritted her teeth.
The archenemy standing before her eyes, a span shorter in height.
The person she hated the most in the world.
However.
Yuna wanted to get a definitive answer from her.
"How stupid."
Aria laughed.
Very loudly, she mocked Yuna to the point her voice echoed on the forest path.
Because that was the path for Yuna's sake.
"Aren't you truly stupid?"
"...What?"
"Right. It's all my fault. But were you nervously worrying about something because of that? Pfft... truly stupid. Uneducated bitches are a problem because of this."
"Wh-what are you saying right now?"
Aria laughed.
She shouted while laughing so hard her mouth could tear.
"The sight of you feeling guilty over something that isn't even your fault is just so funny. Pfft. As expected, an orph- who grew up without parents..."
Smack! Yuna lightly struck Aria's cheek.
And dropped her head with a thud.
"Right, it's all your fault. I have no fault. I... misunderstood."
"If you know, get lost."
"...Yeah. Back then, at the ballroom. I was sorry."
Yuna slowly turned her steps around.
Aria thought.
That this was enough.
So she smiled satisfyingly.
"...Why are you saying words you don't mean."
Until her leg strength completely gave out upon hearing Alisa's words.
Collapsing right there.
Until she shed tears little by little over the flowers she had trampled on.
She definitely thought so.
"Don't cry... while smiling. Because I will be by your side."
Alisa hugged Aria and stroked her head for a long time.
'I don't know what happened, but, well...'
She seems to have quite a lot of history.
This is also her first time seeing an Aria Witri like this.
'Pitiful child.'
Originally, she was going to give up soon.
Since nothing would change, before meeting a painful end...
She was going to go peacefully.
'Looking at this child, I guess I can't do that.'
So Alisa decided to stay by Aria's side.
"...Please don't, wipe your nose on me."
"Hmph..."
Aria decided to stand up again.
Because it was Yuna's birthday party soon.
There was no time to rest. Hehehe.
Because the given time was short. Before that, she absolutely had to see Yuna an incredible amount.