Believe Me

“So for this teacher of yours, Lua, you’re just going to tell him things exactly as they are?”

“Yes. Just tell him exactly how things are.”

Thanks to Sinia’s promise to help explain things, my heart felt a little lighter.

Even Odd probably wouldn’t be able to resist Sinia’s empathetic vocabulary.

Since everything turned out well in the end, maybe he might even praise me for doing a good job…

“…Is that asking too much?”

Well, either way.

Right now, all I could do was wait for the conversation between Rier and Odd to finish.

“Would you like to have some tea while we wait?”

“Ah, yes.”

I eagerly sipped the sweet tea with steam rising from it.

There were occasional requests to tell her about what happened during my meeting with Tine, but that was nothing.

Compared to everything Sinia had done for me so far, it was barely a drop in the bucket.

The firmly closed reception room door began to open again after what felt like about an hour.

Thump

Thump

“Hoo….”

I couldn’t help feeling tense seeing Odd walking out with his characteristically stoic face.

The fact that I was somehow hiding behind Sinia with just my face peeking out said it all.

But eventually, I had to face him.

Sure enough, I nervously raised my eyes toward the person walking in my direction.

“I’d like to speak with her alone for a moment. Could you provide us with a small room?”

For some unknown reason, he asked Sinia for a quiet place without even making eye contact with me.

What’s more, even Rier told Sinia to do as Odd requested.

Click

“Hmm, this doesn’t really look like a small room… Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

As a result, I ended up trapped alone with Odd in one of the mansion’s larger rooms.

I tried to send SOS signals to Sinia, but Odd hadn’t left my side for a single moment since leaving the reception room, so I couldn’t even open my mouth.

Of course, I understood that it would be unreasonable for a third party like Sinia to forcibly intervene when a teacher wanted to speak with his student alone.

I knew Sinia was trying to help in her own way, but…

When my most reliable ally vanished in an instant, my feelings of dismay and confusion were indescribable.

The hellish silence that began shortly after.

Rustle

Unable to endure it any longer, I once again knelt down properly and raised my hand high.

The problem was that there was no change in his expression even after seeing me like this.

In other words, he was really, truly angry.

“…I’m sorry…”

I barely managed to force the words out in a voice that was almost crawling, unable to even raise my head properly.

Only then did Odd’s lips slowly begin to open.

“I honestly didn’t expect you’d run all the way to this distant place as soon as I left.”

Everything that followed was nothing but scolding.

I couldn’t even begin to offer excuses or explanations, just quietly accepting the reprimand.

However, when he asked how Asha would react if she found out about this, I had no choice but to force my mouth open.

“I-I’ll accept any punishment gladly. But please, couldn’t you… not tell my sister?”

Despite not being in a position to make demands, I begged him to keep what happened in the Northern Continent a secret.

In response, the shadow before me gradually lowered.

And his eyes remained completely motionless.

“…Why did you do this?”

For some reason, the question gave me a sense of déjà vu, and I had no choice but to tell Odd what I had told Rier and Sinia.

Just saying that I wanted Asha to be safe wasn’t enough to completely convince Odd.

“One of the reasons your sister wanted to hide your power was because of the Battle Maniac. So what do you think Asha will think when she hears that you yourself went looking for a fight?”

“Of course, it’s true that the Battle Maniac will be helpful in conquering the Tower. But that’s not reason enough for you to go this far. It’s strange that you even thought of doing something like this in the first place.”

“It would be better if you honestly confessed who put you up to this right now. I absolutely need to know what insane person provided you with information about the Battle Maniac.”

The problem was that he misunderstood everything I had done as being under someone else’s control.

If you think about it, it’s true that none of this seemed like something a child would come up with.

And critically, it seemed like this time he wasn’t going to let it go so easily.

“If you keep your mouth shut, I’ll have no choice but to keep you under my surveillance as your sister said. And that means 24 hours a day.”

It seems he had already finished discussing contingency plans with Asha.

So finally, I had no choice but to reveal facts I had never told anyone before.

I couldn’t think of any other way at the moment.

This was the only option I had left.

“The one who told me about the Battle Maniac was… myself. More precisely, my past self.”

“What?”

My voice, which had been crawling until just a moment ago, became as clear and calm as possible.

I also forced myself to lift my gaze that had been avoiding his, making our eyes meet in the air.

“I know it’s hard to believe. I know, but… this is absolutely not an excuse or a justification. Please… believe me.”

Without giving him time to sink into doubt.

Just the facts.

Only things he couldn’t know unless he heard them directly from the person involved or experienced them himself.

“I know why you were living in the snow mountains. I know why you had to bear the dishonor.”

“I can identify the people you cherished most. I can even name the monster that left a scratch on your axe.”

“It’s all because you told me yourself. To my past self.”

As Odd said, for the sake of a future I wanted to obtain even if it meant taking risks too burdensome for a child.

At the same time, to avoid the worst that I had already experienced numerous times.

“Nobody ordered me to do this. I’m definitely not being controlled.”

“I’m doing this because I know what happened when I did nothing.”

“It has to be me. No, these are things I have to do.”

“Please believe me.”

I laid out only the truth to his gradually wavering eyes.

I was willing to answer any question to prove that I wasn’t lying.

After what felt like a considerable amount of time, the only question extended to me was:

“Then, is your job done now that you’ve sent the Battle Maniac to the Tower?”

Coincidentally, the only answer I could give was:

“…No. This is just the beginning.”

Just the statement that there was still a long way to go.

This reality might seem harsh if you call it harsh, and gloomy if you call it gloomy.

But this is literally reality.

I already knew painfully well that adjectives like “harsh” or “gloomy” aren’t really necessary when defining reality.

…One loss is enough.

“Whatever I do from now on, please don’t… tell my sister Asha. She’ll definitely worry too much.”

There’s nothing good about worrying someone who’s already gone to a dangerous place.

Really, not a single thing.

“But don’t worry too much. After all, these are things I’ve already done once before.”

I appreciated the concern for my future, but… I hoped he wouldn’t block my path.

Only after pouring out everything I wanted to say did I close my mouth.

Gradually, I heard a familiar voice with an unfamiliar tone.

“I hate regretting things too late. Because no matter what, nothing can be exchanged for regret.”

“People who have left never come back. No matter what happens.”

“In the end, all that remains is a handful of ashes. I think things like memories and recollections are all illusions.”

Was it just a momentary illusion that the face that had always seemed so strong suddenly looked sad today?

Even his expressionless gaze somehow seemed lonely today, making me unknowingly swallow the words I was about to say, over and over.

…Is that why?

“Are you going to… make me regret again?”

I couldn’t immediately answer the heavy question placed before me.

Yet, knowing I couldn’t keep my mouth shut forever…

“…Please believe me.”

Instead of clear evidence or valid reasons, I only asked for unconditional trust.

Those five words were all I could offer right now.

“…I’ll be going now.”

Swish

Immediately after, the scenery around me was filled with shimmering colors of all kinds.

After a few short seconds, a vast prairie finally revealed itself.

And, as expected, this time too, thud.

Well, at least it didn’t hurt that much.

Unlike the hard, frozen snow ground, landing on soft soil helped quite a bit.

What gradually came into focus in my vision were steep cliffs extending endlessly to the left and right, a massive waterfall dropping from those cliffs, and a dense forest formed by various trees growing tightly together.

I momentarily lost myself in the marvelous natural landscape that I was seeing almost for the first time, then started walking toward the enormous building located right in the center of this natural wonder.

Not long after, the person I finally came face to face with was someone who irritated me just by looking at them, both in my first playthrough and now.

At the same time…

“Looking at how you only seek me out when you need something, you’re just like your sister.”

The person who possesses the power and abilities I need most right now.

“…I’ll be in your care, Uncle Rayner… Brother.”

“Of course you’ll be in my care. Normally, outsiders like you aren’t allowed in the Academy.”

As expected, I could feel my face wrinkling by the second at Rayner’s uniquely infuriating voice.

Nevertheless, somehow, I tried my hardest to display the smile I had worn dozens or hundreds of times before.

…Though I’d like nothing more than to bite that face that’s only decent on the outside right now.