Volume 2 - CH 381

9-15. Side -Reizen- My Old Self

“Well, she’s got the slave mark on her, just like us. You can at least guess what happened to her. Don’t pry too much.”

After saying that, Theic waved his hand lightly and left the room.

The person called “Derdo” also leaves the room.

The only ones left were me and a woman named Karuna.

Although we were about to be dismissed, Karuna sat down on a chair, not moving in the room.

Neither do I know where to go from here. ……

It’s so awkward!

I don’t know what to do about this awkwardness. ……

“……Err……….Karuna, -san?”

“…….”

She nodded her head.

For now, I’m relieved that she’s listening to me.

“Aren’t you going back home? Is there another meeting? It was done for me.”

“None …….”

“None?”

“Place to go home, none.”.

“….. Aahh…”

We are the same.

Guess what? I sit down on a nearby chair, too.

We don’t talk about anything, but we sit in the same way for a while and kill some time.

But I feel awkward.

I want to have some kind of conversation, but I don’t know what to say …….

“Thank you …….”

“*startled!? Eh, did I do something?”

“You saved me.”

“Ah, ……. No, it was nothing out of the ordinary. I mean, how could you fight so hard against Uchikage?”

“My skills are to slow down the opponent’s movement and to speed up my own.”

That’s strong. ……. I don’t understand why that priest is so bothered by it.”

“I’m just in the way. Maybe …….”

The words of Karuna, for some reason, tightened my chest.

I can feel some old memories resurface..

The fact that she was needed by her colleagues, but hated by her employer.

The memory of being betrayed by those who believed in me came back to me vividly.

Being told in that room that I had been betrayed.

I also understood that help would never come.

I still remember the despair I felt at that moment.

I had no idea what I had worked for, what I had risked so much for.

In my stupidity, I couldn’t realize that.

I couldn’t even realize that I had been deceived.

(…… me and …… the same ……?)

I felt like Karuna was the same person I used to be.

I don’t know why they think she is just in their way.

It was the same even in my own case.

But I don’t think the reasons matter now.

Being betrayed certainly hurt, but it allowed me to find a new way to live.

However, from the way she is talking to me, she understands that she is an obstacle.

And that’s what makes her a little different from me.

Her words made it sound as if she had already given up.

But that’s not true.

Even my dim-witted self could understand that it is absolutely different to sit around waiting to be betrayed.

Not a single person should be allowed to be used as a pawn.

‘……No. I know there are people out there. There are people waiting for you.”

“…… there are, but they’re not here. I don’t even know where I am anymore. And as long as I have this, I can’t move around as I please. ……”

Through the gloves, she raises her left fingernail to the back of her right hand.

The place where the slave mark is supposed to be.

Not everyone likes to be this way.

Not even me.

… Around this time, Ouren-aniki should be heading this way.

Although we teleported back here,…….

We can’t do anything before then, but I’m sure aniki will help us. ……

All we can do now is wait for that. ……

“…..I’m a member of the Reitei.”

“……Ah……”

“Don’t worry about it. However, my friends are probably on their way here to help me and the prince. Not sure what’s going to happen though. ……”

“…… you have someone waiting for you, huh?”

“Karuna-san, you have people waiting for you, too, don’t you? If you have any relatives, there must be someone waiting for you.”

“……”

I don’t know anything about Karuna-san, but at least she looks fine.

I believe no one is really alone.

…… Probably …….

Now I’m starting to lose confidence in myself. ……

“Ah, you don’t have to tell me about yourself just because I told you about mine!”

“Isn’t that unfair ……?”

“Nah, it seems like Karuna-san’s story is kind of heavy ……. Even if you talk to me, who’s such an optimistic, dim-witted person,…….”

“*giggle,……. I am-. ……”