CH 112

Chapter 112: The King's Gentle Punishment

TL: Akabane

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Milan and Yuzuriha cooperate with Hagiri. That fact hit me very badly. But I can understand why they did it. It was very difficult for me to offer them conditions that would be commensurate with Suo's release. I had prepared a story for that purpose, but I was just barely able to survive the battle that had just taken place. It is quite understandable that Milan and her team would offer a helping hand. Yes, I understand. I understand.

"The deal is now done. We will keep our non-aggression to each other for a while."

"Yeah, I know. We'll be nice to each other."

Hagiri and I shake hands in front of everyone. This is just a ritual. But I'm sure I, and probably Hagiri too, had a lot of droll feelings inside. After the transaction was completed, I transferred the cash into Hagiri's account and immediately burned Suo's bonds that I had obtained in exchange with a lighter to erase her from the world. The chains that bind Suo are no longer in this world. From a larger perspective, I could see this deal as a win-win for me. I have freed Edileza and can now influence Hagiri's plans, albeit to a limited extent, through Milan and the others. If I am thorough in my Machiavellianism, I won the game. That's a fact. We were silent as we left the restaurant where the conference was being held. Milan and Yuzuriha kept their eyes down. Suo was restless, her eyes darting about. Ayashiro was looking at Milan and the others with a somewhat stern gaze. Usually they are a lively, noisy, and fun group, but this air was terribly cold.

"Let's take a rest. I'll have them hold the room."

Ayashiro said. I was definitely terribly tired, and my body ached all over. I just wanted to lie down right now. I nodded and asked Ayashiro to get me a room. And we went to the room as if we were running away.

[Hagiri's POV]

I thought I was so close to having all of this sight that I could see through the glass walls of the restaurant. Not just this view. I believed that I would be the king of everything on this planet. But after today's incident, I can clearly feel a dark cloud hanging in the air.

--- "Why are you so lowly...you may have the vessel of a king, but inside there is nothing but sludge...? Oh, why have you become like me? Why are you only a prince when you are the ideal me, the one I created by removing all the bad parts of me from me? Why can't the goddess love you?"

Leaning back in my chair, I remembered my grandfather's words. He was a great scientist. He found a way to save the world, but he couldn't do it, so he entrusted me with his dream. It was a wonderful dream. A dream that made me who I am.

"Hey, Hagiri. Can we stop this now?"

"No, I won't stop. I won't stop until I see the end of my dream."

"Even if Hagiri's dream doesn't come true, everyone knows you're an amazing person."

"Admiration from others is a given. It's only the approval of others that makes a person a person. I'm not a person, I'm a king. That's not enough. I have to fulfill my dream and save the world."

Tomoe, who was beside me, kneeled down and put her head against my leg. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Hagiri. I don't want it. I love you as a human. Even if you weren't a king, I would always love you."

Tomoe doesn't understand. Women are givers, so they surely don't understand the preciousness of being a king.

"You can leave it to someone else to save the world. It doesn't have to be you."

"No, I don't want to. I will save the world. I will never accept that. I will never allow the world to be saved by someone other than me."

I know that. Right now, the person closest to the king is Kanahisa Tokiwa. But he doesn't understand the value of that. I cannot give the throne to someone like that. This is a matter of dignity. I am the king. We don't need two kings in the same world. I will remove him from this world. I promise.

Ayashiro got us a spacious and beautiful room. Normally, everyone would be giggling with excitement at the luxury of the room, but everyone now is not saying anything. Everyone sat quietly in their sofas and chairs, looking uncomfortable.

"I know everyone's minds are still not in order, but I'm not going to get anywhere if things continue like this, so I'm going to take charge of the situation."

It was Ayashiro who broke the silence. She stood up and bowed to Milan and Yuzuriha.

"First of all, let me thank you personally. Thanks to you guys, we were able to free Edileza. Thank you for saving my precious friend."

Seeing this, Suo also stood up and bowed to Milan and the others.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I didn't have to kill Kanata. Thank you."

Suo's eyes were slightly teary. The burden she had been carrying is gone. Suo's life will improve dramatically from now on. So, what Milan and Yuzuriha did must be right. The discomfort I have is what is wrong. So, I should just swallow it. I stood up to thank Milan and Yuzuriha.

"Yes, you're right. You've been a big help to me too. Thanks to both of you."

"Keep your head down!"

A shout echoed through the room. The voice belonged to Ayashiro. Ayashiro's lips were tightly knit and she was staring at me.

"You don't need to bow down to these two! Tokiwa! Not you! You will never thank these two!"

The gesture was terrifying. Normally, she was a gentle and compassionate woman, but now she was as sharp and fierce as a yaksha.

"Here's the thing! I'm personally grateful to you. But what you're doing is just plain wrong!"

Ayashiro yells at Milan and Yuzuriha. The two are shaking with fear at the sound of his voice.

"Tokiwa and I had prepared the materials for negotiations to free Edileza! Whether it will work or not! We were properly preparing for the battle with Hagiri!"

That's certainly true. In order to free Suo, Ayashiro and I had used the information in the file we had obtained earlier to acquire a large amount of stock in a promising start-up company that Hagiri wanted. We were eyeing the possibility that we could use that to free Suo. I think it was very likely. Suo was not Hagiri's woman, and she didn't seem to be very important to Hagiri's core plan. I thought it should be a deal that could go well enough.

"You guys screwed it up! Even if the deed comes from sincerity! And look what happened! The situation has become more chaotic! Your deal is a childish act that may save Edileza, but it will only postpone the conflict in the battle! Why didn't you discuss this with Tokiwa! Why did you contact Hagiri on your own! You fool!

Ayashiro cursed Milan and Yuzuriha under her breath. There is no sweetness of friendship there at all. There is only a coldness that is packed with righteous arguments. Perhaps that is why. Milan and Yuzuriha also began to distort their faces with anger.

"We only did what we could do! Kanata was about to be killed at that time! That's why we wanted to save him! Because we owe him so much and he love us so much! That's why we wanted to repay it, even if it was just a little!"

"That's right! We wanted to help Kanata! Because we've always been saved! We just want to pay her back! And even Ayashiro's plan didn't always work! But it worked! What's wrong with that?!"

I think they have a valid point. I would have done the same thing as the girls if I were in the same situation.

"Himena. Calm down. They two haven't done anything wrong. You don't have to do anything to them..."

"Shut up, Edileza! You are not a subject of our kingdom!"

Ayashiro, who loved Edileza so much, refused to accept her restraint.

"I've heard your excuses. Repayment of a favor? Who do you think you are? Tokiwa is your king, right? You're going to pay him back? That's ridiculous! You're giving back what your king gave to you? How dare you! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

What Ayashiro was saying sounded delusional. But for some reason, there was something in the trembling of her words that attracted people.

"If you have been endowed with the favor of the king, the only thing you can offer him is service! Don't get him wrong! Your king wants service, not help! And now you want to engage in diplomacy with other kings? That's an arrogance! This is unforgivable! You put your trust in your king because you are subjects who can't defend yourselves. Don't think you're on equal terms with another king! That's hubris! And it's disrespectful to our king! You fools!"

The words were overdecorated and harsh. Milan and Yuzuriha were in tears as they were told. Ayashiro came to my side, glaring at them.

"Tokiwa. I'll make a wish for you."

Ayashiro stroked my cheek with both hands with an exaggerated expression.

"Let those two have their true feelings. Let them hear your voice, not clever logic or words of understanding. Give them the words you think best."

Ayashiro's words reminded me of the previous world.

--- "I want to hear your voice."

I was stubborn to Igarashi who committed the crime. I couldn't exchange any words with her, nor could I make a decision. But if I had been able to speak to her without embellishing my words at that time, would anything have changed? I will never know. I turned to Milan and Yuzuriha. They were shaking with tears streaming down their faces. And they were looking at me with sad, guilt-filled eyes. So I thought to myself. Something would surely change here and now. I opened my mouth. The words were shaking with sadness.

"To tell you the truth, I hated it. I didn't want Milan and Yuzuriha to cooperate with that Hagiri, whom I hated and loathed so much. I hate that! I hate it! Of course I don't like that!"

I yell like a child that I don't want to do it. Hearing this, Milan and Yuzuriha nod their heads even more. When a woman does something I don't like, it hurts me terribly. It's enough to make me hate everything. But still. I didn't want to leave...

"So I will never forgive you! I will never forget what happened today!"

I said and hugged the two of them tightly and tightly. I tightened my hold so tightly that no one would be able to rip it off.

"Kanata. ...It's so tight... ah."

"Kanata. It hurts. It hurts so much...ugh..."

"I'm not letting you go. I'm not going to give you to anyone else. You will stay with me forever and ever."

They pressed their faces to my chest and cried.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Kanata. I'm sorry. I want to be with you forever too."

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Kanata! Don't let go of me! Don't let go of me! I'll give it all to you!"

We just don't want to leave each other. We're separated because of what we're doing for it. That's why we have to be sure of each other. We want to be close to each other so that we don't get separated. I want to keep them by my side forever and ever. That's what I'm praying for.

When everyone had settled in, Ayashiro ordered a tea set from room service.

"If you had left it alone like that, I bet it would have been a betting scene, wouldn't it? I'm a virgin and I don't want to see a live play, not p*rn. You should be thanking me to death for ordering the tea set."

I'm very afraid that Ayashiro's dirty jokes doesn't sound like a dirty joke. I decided to take a bitter cup of tea to make me feel better. In addition, Milan and Yuzuriha are still squeezed in on both sides.

"Well. I'd like to have a serious meeting from here. What is Hagiri's goal after all? Does anyone know?"

Everyone present shook their heads. But only one person opened her mouth.

"Saigi."

Suo mumbled.

"That man is trying to do something called Saigi. I have no idea what it is."

Saigi, sacrificial? I believe the title of the paper I stole from Hagiri was "The Study of the Sacrificial King".

"From the way it sounds, it sounds like a religious ceremony. The work Hagiri wants me to do is like a performance in Izumo, so it's related, right?"

Milan tilted her head. Perhaps Milan is counted as one of the core members needed for the sacrifice. One thing bothers me. In my previous world, Milan, despite her talent, was never seen working in television or film. It is possible that she didn't budge, but more than that, could it be because of that sacrifice? In the previous world, I was just a regular guy, so perhaps something that would have been a sacrificial sacrifice took place? Could it have caused Milan to go under? Such unpleasant imaginations popped into my head.