CH 194

Light

Dark

The morning that day was strangely noisy. 

“…What are you guys doing?” (Souma)

The residents of the mansion who are the dolls, the long haired woman in all fours, the red handed one, and the expressionless blue haired girl were making a ruckus while scrambling over something sparkly. 

“Wait, seriously, what are you doing, Ringo?” (Souma)

Now that I look closely, no, I don’t even need to look closely to tell that Ringo was also naturally mixed into the struggle of the mansion’s residents. 

When I asked this, Ringo stopped in place, and after looking at me for around 3 seconds, she tilted her head.

“…Training?” (Ringo)

“No, even if you ask me…” (Souma)

She gave me an unclear answer.

But well, I can somewhat understand what Ringo is trying to say here.

Ringo was using skills and Skill Cancel to move around restlessly within all that scuffling for the sparkly thing. 

The mansion residents were moving their joints in the opposite direction and throwing each other which is outrageous in itself too, but this might unexpectedly serve as battle practice.

…Yeah, but I noticed that what these guys are fighting over is the key of the mansion.

“That’s fine, but finish it up by breakfast, okay? Also, properly bring that key with you.” (Souma)

“…Hn, I will…do my best.” (Ringo)

Ringo nodded lightly and returned to the key battle filled up with determination.

There’s most likely a rule that they won’t give the key back unless you get it with your own effort. 

Losing the key would be troubling, but Ringo, who tends to look sad lately, seems to be having fun, so that should be fine.

(Well, if push comes to shove, I can just call the Bear.) (Souma)

By the way, Leila must have been really scary for the Bear, it shut itself inside my adventurer bag and hasn’t come out since.

Shutting itself inside my bag is questionable, but I am sure it will show its face when it gets bored.

“I will be heading to the dining room first then.” (Souma)

I wished Ringo good luck and left the place.

“Hm, it is you?” (Souma)

When I went to the dining room, there was Sazan with the stone slate and a notebook on the table, writing something with a serious face.

“Hoh, it is you, huh. Leila was all motivated for some reason. It seems like it will take a bit more time before breakfast is done.” (Sazan)

“…I see.” (Souma)

I think I have an idea as to why Leila is motivated and at the same time I don’t…

“Why are you grinning all of the sudden? So creepy.” (Sazan)

“N-Not really. I haven’t remembered anything.” (Souma)

“Remembered? What are you saying all of a sudden.” (Sazan)

I averted my gaze from the questioning look of Sazan below his mask, and pointed at the notebook opened in front of him.

“A-Anyways, it is rare for you to be writing something. What are you writing about?” (Souma)

When I threw that topic to him, he puffed his chest out a bit and faced the notes towards me.

“Can’t be helped. If you want to know that much, I don’t mind showing you.” 

I didn’t say a single word about wanting to see it, but well, it would be a pain to have a quarrel here, so I grab the notebook while going ‘yeah yeah’.

The notebook looks the same as the ones used in Japan and doesn’t seem to have anything special to it. 

No, a notebook existing in a medieval world setting is already weird in itself, but aside from that, there’s a number of entries emphasized with circles.

“I have summarized in an easy to understand way the information of the Evil God we got from the recording.

It is actually information that could be considered top secret, but you were a big contributor in being able to write this down. And so, I-I am making a special exception here and showing o-only you.” (Sazan)

“Is that s—” (Souma)

I thought he was being hardworking here despite appearances and peeked at the notebook, and then froze in place.

“Well, uhm…what’s this?” (Souma)

Sazan snorted at my questioning look.

“Hm? What, you were not watching that recording properly? 

These are obviously all the special abilities that the Evil God was using!!” (Sazan)

Being told this, I looked at the names of the special abilities again.

The Slaughterer Flash, Kill Beam.

The Annihilator Roar, Genocide Wave. 

The Dimensional Destroyer, Dimension Breaker. 

The Memories of the Remaining, Deadly Memory.

The Omen of Destruction, Disaster Sign.

The Isolation Density, Shutter Mist.

The special ability names that really show half-assed knowledge of English have a lot to retort about, but more importantly…

“How did the skill names turn chuunibyou-like?!” (Souma)

Now that I think about it, I feel like the Evil God was shouting the names of the abilities, but there’s no added voices to the recording, so the ability names are not shouted by a narrator dramatically with letters showing on the screen. 

Or more like, what’s this Slaughterer Flash? 

Can’t it be Kill Beam like normal? 

But well…I do admit it is cool.

“Good grief, you really don’t get it.” (Sazan)

I threw a totally normal question here, but Sazan responded with a mood as if telling me I am an idiot. 

“It is obviously the image. 

Or more like, weren’t you watching the recording? 

Weren’t letters shining in your head when the Evil God used the special abilities?” (Sazan)

“Stop it! I will end up imagining it the next time I see it, so stop!” (Souma)

How are you going to take responsibility if in the last chapter we watch today, I will imagine the words [The Annihilator Roar] or something like that!

The serious scene will turn into a gag in an instant.

“Of course, the extra text is my original. 

I would actually be charging for the use of them, but if it is you, I don’t mind if you use them for free—” (Sazan)

“I won’t! If I do, it will only be for a little bit in my mind!” (Souma)

After shouting it all out, I sighed.

It always ends up going in a weird direction when I talk to this guy. 

I calmed myself down and gave back the notebook. 

“At any rate, you…you really still intend to fight the Evil God even after seeing that?” (Souma)

Seeing that recording where even deaths showed up, it is probably commendable that he hasn’t lost his fighting spirit.

…No matter how you think about it, I doubt Sazan would be able to win against that with his power.

“Obviously. Defeating an Evil God Fragment has been my goal since way back. 

Also, I have told you I have memories of fighting the Evil God even if they are faint, right?” (Sazan)

“Aah, the memories of Nameless that were left in the bracelet, was it?” (Souma)

Sazan lowered his gaze to his own bracelet at my words.

“Yeah, but I barely have any memories of the time when he called himself Nameless. 

Nameless is the post name at the time when he threw away his name and became a mage under the service of the royal family. He received a new name from the hero worthy of his duty after the Evil God Great War. 

What remains in the bracelet is mostly the events that happened after that, and most of the memories related to the Evil God are missing from the bracelet to a point where you would think it was on purpose.” (Sazan)

Was it a battle he wanted to erase from his memories?

Or was there another reason?

“But there’s one thing. It seems like he left some words regarding the Evil God to us descendants.” (Sazan)

“Hoh, what did he say?” (Souma)

When I asked this, Sazan said with a serious face that didn’t suit him.

—“You must not fight the Evil God at any cost.” 

I gulped.

From what I could see in the recording, Nameless is the strongest mage in the Nekomimi Neko world.

He specialized in fire and light, and comparing the power of the spells, he most likely had way more ability in magic than Sazan.

Even someone like that left words about never trying to fight it, so the Evil God really must be an unbelievable opponent. 

“I tried writing down the abilities of the Evil God, but I think it still has hidden abilities.” (Sazan)

“…Is it okay to fight an enemy that your ancestor told you not to fight?” (Souma)

When I said this, Sazan laughed it off.

“Hmph! I am the descendant of an eminent family, the world’s strongest dark magic user, and the Great Mage Sazan-sama! 

…Also, if I feel like I definitely can’t win even after researching about it, I can just not do it.” (Sazan)

“You…” (Souma)

That’s pretty pathetic, but I was instead relieved by his usual behavior. 

“Today will be the last chapter. 

The hidden ability might be made clear with that, and you might be able to see the unknown past of my ancestor. 

For you, it would be a chapter that you definitely must not miss.” (Souma)

“…Yeah.” (Sazan)

But the energy of Sazan suddenly got weaker. 

He looked down as if something bothered him. 

“What, aren’t you happy? 

Weren’t you really into watching the recording? 

We are finally hitting the climax and all…” (Souma)

“It is not like I am not looking forward to the last chapter. 

I do want to watch it.” (Sazan)

I tilted my head at Sazan who seemed to be sulking. 

“Then, why are you giving such a lukewarm reaction? 

In order to show you this I have—” (Souma)

I was about to continue what I was saying, but Sazan suddenly stood up.

He violently spoke as if pissed off.

“You really are one dense guy! 

There’s no way I can just be happy about it!!” (Sazan)

“Sazan…?” (Souma)

I was taken aback by the sudden threatening attitude, and he spoke in one go.

“Once we finish watching the last chapter today, my promise with you will end. 

When that happens, you people…you will be returning to your original world. 

That’s why I—!” (Sazan)

But at that moment…

The words of Sazan that were increasing in passion were suddenly cut off. 

Sazan made an even more dumbfounded face than mine as he looked to the side.

I naturally faced in that direction and…

“Ringo…” (Souma)

Ringo was standing there with the key of the mansion in hand.

“Ah, n-no, that just now was…” (Sazan)

Sazan seemed like he was about to make an excuse, but it didn’t turn into any meaningful words.

“…Key. I thought…about giving it…back.” (Ringo)

She spoke with a lot of pauses and a pale face while walking all unsteadily my way.

This behavior…there’s no doubt about it. 

It is clear that Ringo heard Sazan talk about how I am going to be returning to my world.

I doubt we will be able to hide it here anymore.

I took a deep breath and looked straight at Ringo.

Ringo shook as if scared for some reason once we made eye-contact.

“Sorry for keeping it a secret until now. Uhm, I…” (Souma)

I tried to tell everything to Ringo.

But I couldn’t.

“Ringo?!” (Souma)

Ringo did something I couldn’t even imagine. 

The moment I spoke, Ringo closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, grabbed the stone slate on top of the table, and ran off with it. 

“P-Please wait!” (Souma)

I shouted this and her shoulders quivered for a moment, but Ringo ran off the room just like that.

“Damn it!” (Souma)

I hurriedly chased after her.

I have more Agility than her. 

I should be able to catch up to her if I chase after her right now.

“R-Ringo-san?! Souma-san too?!” (Ina)

“Sorry, Ina! Later!” (Souma)

I passed by Ina who opened her eyes wide in the corridor, and single-mindedly chased after Ringo.

Ringo looked back and noticed my chase, but she didn’t stop even with that and went up to the 2nd Floor…

“Wait, hear me o—” (Souma)

Jumped into a certain room that has the door open, and closed the door.

I chased desperately after her but I was one step late.

“…Damn.” (Souma)

I scratched my head in front of the room.

When I did, Sazan and Ina caught up to me.

“Souma!” (Sazan)

“Souma-san!” (Ina)

I waved lightly at the two who shouted, and I once again faced the door in front of me.

“This place is…” (Ina)

“Yeah…” (Souma)

The room Ringo entered is the Thief Shoo Shoo room that Sazan and I have been in before.

It is a trap for intruders, so you can’t open the door from the inside or the outside without the mansion key that Ringo has.