Chapter 313 – c a l l y o u r n a m e

<Author’s Notes>

My apologies, I couldn’t get around to updating for a while because I had been busy.

Also, we received a new review after the last update. Thank you very much.

[? Mimori-kun? Is that…… a person’s name?]

Kashima’s voice was trembling had been trembling from the start.

I thought that the trembling in her voice was because “she was nervous because she was alone with the Fly King”———–

Kashima slightly raised her gaze.

It was as if she was checking something.

But eventually, she lowered her gaze and positioned her eyes on my face.

Those eyes……

They aren’t the eyes of someone trying to find out someone’s identity.

Those eyes———– They’re those of a person who was already sure of something.

It isn’t that she’s hyperventilating, but Kashima’s breathing is shallow and short.

I suppose I’ll wait for her next actions.

After she relatively steadied her breathing, Kashima lowered her head……

[It’s not supposed to come out.]

After a moment of silence, as if she’s trying to find the right timing……

[For the people of this world…… It doesn’t come out. Their Status, I mean.]

The Status is supposed to be visible only to you or the Goddess.

Right now, I don’t have my Status displayed.

The Status Window isn’t visible in my view.

However, Kashima can see it?

As expected———— I can only assume that it’s her inherent skill.

Looking like she was about to cry, Kashima moved her trembling finger, in a way that looked like she was trying to operate a smartphone.

Eventually……

[Touka Mimori————]

Kashima called my name.

She read out my Status.

Level.

Stat numbers.

Abnormal State Skills I’ve learned, and their Skill levels.

It’s impossible to do this by guesswork.

No one but me should have known this much detail.

Not even Seras.

Kashima Kobato has a unique ability to view the Status of someone.

That’s the only way I could think of in the current situation.

This time, Kashima’s face scrunches up and tears well up in her eyes.

Then, she repeats the same question.

[You’re…… Mimori-kun, right?]

……No good.

With a situation like this———– I don’t have the option of talking my way out of this.

I deactivated the Gem of Voice Alteration in my mask.

Then, lowering my voice……

[Even though you should have already been through a lot of rough times in this world…… That timidness of yours sure didn’t change———— Kashima.]

[Mi… mori…… -kun————- You…… survived————]

As if some sort of dam had been broken……

Kashima sobbed for a while.

▽

Finally managing to stop crying, after Kashima sniffed……

[I- I’m sorry…… I was just happy, relieved, surprised…… It’s like I’m relieved of my tenseness, and my feelings became a mess.]

Kashima wiped away her tears with the sole of her palms……

[You’re…… Mimori-kun, right?]

She repeated that question for the third time, as if she were asking for confirmation.

[Kashima could already tell with some ability of yours, right? Yeah…… It’s me.]

Kashima’s expression crumbled, looking like she was about to cry again.

[……It really is Mimori-kun……]

I had now moved to the seat next to Kashima, so that we could talk with our voices lowered.

After a series of sobs, Kashima apologized again.

[Ummm…… I’m sorry, okay? All these times, I’ve just been wanting to ask you this…… that I couldn’t help but cry, stopping us from talking……]

It seemed like she had calmed down enough to make normal conversation.

Taking a deep breath……

[I’m sorry…… I still can’t get my head around this…… Fuuu……]

[Did you already realize this back in the negotiations with the Faraway Country?]

[……Ahh, unnn. Actually————]

Kashima readily divulged the effect of her inherent skill.

It can be used effectively when matched with Asagi’s skills and the other Heroes.

[It seems difficult to use it directly in battle, but it’s still an interesting ability.]

[You see———–]

Kashima also explained the time when she first noticed my true identity.

It was apparently by chance that she found that Status Display above the Fly King’s head.

She said it was because she had forgotten to deactivate her inherent skill.

[……At first, I thought I had just seen things wrong. That perhaps, there are people in this world whose Status I can check…… for example, if they’re under the Lineage of Heroes.]

However, that wasn’t the case.

The ability of Kashima’s inherent skill is to view the Heroes’ Status.

With the operation of her fingertips, she can display and zoom in on the Status of other Heroes.

As for what “she can and can’t do”, it seems to depend on the distance from the target.

In other words, if the target is too far away, she would either be unable to display the target’s Status or only display it in a small size.

[Well…… There’s no protecting me from that then. Seems like my acting was pointless.]

[……You survived. But…… Mimori-kun, weren’t you thrown into that Disposal Ruins that apparently had zero probability of survival……]

[I desperately escaped from that Disposal Ruins.]

[That ability the people named as Sorcery…… That was your inherent skill?]

[Yeah.]

[I- I see……]

[After I got out, a lot happened, but there wasn’t enough time to tell my whole story.]

[Unnn…… You’re right.]

After wryly smiling, Kashima fell silent for a few seconds……

[I’m sorry.]

[ ? ]

[W- When Mimori-kun was teleported to the Disposal Ruins…… I was so scared. Trembling in the corner of that room alongside our other classmates who were just as scared…… Even though I heard Mimori-kun’s voice…… Even though Mimori-kun called out to us———–]

As if she’s regretting……

As if she’s confessing some sort of sin……

Kashima put her forehead on her entwined hands and wept again.

[I didn’t have the courage Sogou-san had back then…… I was so scared……! All I do is talk about myself! I’m sorry———- I’m sorry.]

[What, it’s just that huh.]

Kashima looks up.

[————Eh?]

[Dealing with a situation like that would normally be impossible. I do think Sogou is amazing for trying to save me…… but a person who would defy Vysis to protect me from that situation isn’t normal.]

[B- But……]

[I’m saying you don’t have to worry about it, Kashima. It’s just……]

For a moment, my thoughts stopped.

It seemed like even at a moment like this, I was trying to take advantage of the situation huh.

[If you’re really feeling bad…… I think cooperating with me for a bit would be helpful.]

I myself could tell.

The way I said it was unusually a little bad.

[U- Unnn…… I don’t know if that will be enough of an atonement…… b- but if it’s something I can do…… Please tell me anything!]

[Then first of all, would you please lower your voice?]

[———–Ah.]

[You never know who’s listening after all.]

[……I- I’m sorry.]

Well, I couldn’t really feel the presence of anyone outside the room though.

[First, you need to enforce your mind and body that you don’t know my true identity.]

[I- I understand…… You’re hiding your identity…… for a reason, right?]

[Just in case.]

[……Ummm, Mimori-kun…… You were taken care of by the Faraway Country…… and because Goddess-sama sent her soldiers there, you got angry…… and to make sure that won’t happen again…… you joined forces with Mad Emperor-san…… to defeat Goddess-sama, right……?]

[We’re gonna thoroughly crush Vysis. That is all.]

[……I see. Unnn.]

That at least looked like an affirmative answer.

As for what she actually feels, that is something I don’t know.

I guess Kashima also reacts in this way which is surprisingly difficult to judge.

“Fufu……”, Kashima wryly smiled.

[I- It feels kinda strange…… Mimori-kun being alive…… and us talking like this. I should have had a lot of things I wanted to talk about…… but I somehow forgot about them. Perhaps, I don’t know what is that I wanted to talk about…… Ahaha……]

“Immediately forgetting about something, I certainly am like a pigeon”, Kashima said with a wry smile.

[Errr, is there some way I could also help? I don’t even know if keeping your true identity a secret can be called cooperation……]

[Then, can you give me detailed information about Asagi’s inherent skill?]

[Asagi-san’s skill? ……Unnn, alright.]

[I’ll ask this just in case…… but is that alright? Kashima is a member of Asagi’s group———-]

[It’s alright. However, I’m only going to tell you what I know……]

It doesn’t feel like she thinks what she’s doing is betrayal.

I could feel some sort of understanding from Kashima.

[The inherent skill Asagi-san acquired———]

From what I heard, it seems that Asagi’s inherent skill had evolved.

It’s not just a skill that strengthens the ability of her group, which I heard from Sogou before.

She also now has a single-target weakening ability.

Moreover……

[An ability to make the Status of the target the same as your own Status huh.]

I see.

So she used that ability to defeat the Exiled Emperor huh.

However, the range is her greatest bottleneck for casting it.

It’s not comparable to my <Paralyze> or to that Forbidden Curse.

It requires her to approach to a very close distance.

Kashima also told me about that time they defeated the Exiled Emperor.

[———–And that’s how we defeated that grandpa who called himself Exiled Emperor.]

[………………….]

That’s too much of a gamble.

Asagi’s way of winning doesn’t work well against people who are afraid for their lives.

It’s conceivable that the Exiled Emperor would realize their intentions and kill them in an instant.

If it’s that Asagi, she shouldn’t have failed to assume that.

……Did she think the worst case scenario, dying, is alright?

In that case———– Her sense of normalcy, that is.

The brakes which would normally be in people’s consciousness.

Perhaps, that was also the same case for the Exiled Emperor……

Even though one would normally think “There’s no way that a weakling would nonchalantly approach me in a place like this”……

He may have misjudged the situation and got defeated.

In any case……

[You telling me these really helps. Thanks, Kashima.]

[U- Unnn! No problem! We’re allies…… It’s also my way of atoning for Mimori-kun, so it’s for my own reasons too…… Ahaha……]

Allies huh.

[Have you always been by Asagi’s side, Kashima?]

[……Unnn.]

[What do you think about Asagi? From how you see it…… Do you think she’s someone you can trust?]

[Eh? U- Unnn…… I currently think she’s someone that can be trusted.]

Kashima talked about the story of how they betrayed the Goddess after the battle at Jonato.

With the Mad Emperor inviting them, Asagi took him up on it and betrayed the Goddess.

However, Asagi said something that I’m quite curious about.

[Asagi-san…… She said “she’s just riding the winning horse”. Ahh, also…… going back to our world is more of a secondary clear condition, as her top priority is to ensure that everyone in the Asagi group is safe from now on? She said something along those lines.]

[That sounded like she’s viewing things like a game.]

[But in fact, thanks to Asagi-san, no one has had any major injuries since that time from Jonato. I feel like we’re on our way to our goal of returning to our world…… That’s why everyone trusts her. The same goes for me too……]

After a few moments of hesitation, Kashima continued.

[I thought…… She really is someone I could trust right now.]

Riding the winning horse huh.

That way of saying, that is to say————

It wouldn’t be strange for her to just betray this side at the last minute.

If we aren’t the winning horse, it’s possible that she will return to the Goddess’ side.

[You know what?]

As if she was about to speak frankly, Kashima broke the ice.

[The Asagi-san when we were first summoned here…… I felt like she had strong emotions around me. Even after that, she was somewhat irritated…… Rather, even though she looked cheerful, it felt like there was this sharpness hidden underneath.]

Kashima looked as if she was searching her memories……

[But I feel like…… that gradually changed. It’s possible that it may just be me though.]

[You mean you simply got to know each other better over time?]

[That might be the case. However, I wonder why…… It felt somehow out of place to say we’re friends…… but I wonder why? There were still times when she was irritated with me…… but she seemed to be nicer to me than before? Also, for some reason, I get the impression that she’s being frank only to me……]

[Only to you, Kashima? She wasn’t like that to the others?]

[Unnn, she’s only like that to me———- Ah, I’ll say this just in case, but that’s just what it seems to be. Ummm…… She sometimes tells me the opposite of what she says to everyone. I don’t know if she’s just disclosing her secrets or just expressing her true feelings but…… Ahaha…… You see, Asagi-san seems to think I’m some sort of irredeemable fool…… I guess she thinks of me as someone who it would be okay even if she speaks her mind? Well, that’s my theory……]

Kashima embarrassedly, yet self-deprecatingly smiled.

……She said that was just her own impression, but one can’t help but feel that Asagi has some complex emotions about Kashima.

As if to switch her thoughts, Kashima put her hands together.

[A- At any rate, that’s why, if I just be careful…… I don’t think she would perceive that I know that Fly King-san is Mimori-kun. After all, inside Asagi-san, I would probably be the “stupid and slow Poppo-chan”……]

[……It’s actually not the case though.]

[Eh? I- Is that so……]

[For example…… You called out to me in a voice loud enough for Asagi to hear that we’re gonna talk about Sogou, right? That was well thought out. That makes it so that Kashima talking to the Fly King is more natural.]

[Ehehe…… Is that so? Ahaha…… I guess being praised makes me happy?]

Though I say that……

In the future, there may be some changes in Kashima’s actions now that she found out who I am.

If it’s Asagi, it wouldn’t be strange if she notices the out-of-place feeling brought by that change.

She may also arrive to the answer that that out-of-place feeling may be related to my true identity.

No, it’s even possible that she already had an inkling of my true identity.

It would be better if I also assume that Vysis may also already know about me surviving.

……Now then.

I guess it’s about time huh.

[Mimori-kun…… Ummm?]

[Hmm?]

[Do you remember? You know…… The two of us picked up a kitten a while ago……]

[Ahhh…… In the end, you did look after that cat, didn’t you, Kashima? Thanks.]

[Eh? You knew about that?]

[I went to the vet and asked them about it. They told them about it. The doctor over there…… How should I say this…… Thinking about it again, they’re somehow very flexible. Some people would think he was sloppy about rules and regulations though.]

[I- I see…… Umm, you see? I actually wanted to tell that to Mimori-kun. You see…… You once called out to me back in school, right? I wasn’t able to tell it to you back then…… the me back then had been afraid of talking to boys. But at that time…… not being able to talk to you, even though I knew it was Mimori-kun…… that’s something I’ve always regretted.]

Kashima looked like she was about to cry again.

It’s just…… That is something I somehow understood.

At that time, I did try to talk to her about that abandoned cat we found the other day.

However, I changed my mind and stopped trying to talk to her about it.

It would stand out after all, boys talking to girls they don’t usually talk to, that is.

That is a conspicuous act for a “mob”.

I am one of the mobs.

I don’t need to have a presence in class.

I prefer to be invisible from others.

I want to be unnoticed.

That was the best way to deceive even myself.

That’s why I didn’t try calling out to Kashima again after that.

[It’s fine, I didn’t really mind it.]

[But…… Isn’t it quite harsh of me to have just stayed silent when you spoke to me? I’m sorry, Mimori-kun……]

[Well, I was also embarrassed to call out to you back then. I mean, boys may be teased when they talk to the class’ girls, you know? By someone like Oyamada, I mean.]

[That is…… T- That might be the case……]

This reason should make it easier for Kashima to accept.

[Well…… Since you apologized already, let’s just end this here, Kashima.]

[……Mimori-kun.]

Even though she almost looked like she was about to cry again, Kashima smiled.

Incidentally, Oyamada’s death had been kept a secret from Asagi’s group.

I asked the Mad Emperor to conceal this information.

There’s only a very limited number of people who know about the Hero who died during the attack on the imperial capital.

▽

I briefly discussed future plans with Kashima.

Though I say that, it’s almost just me telling her what I planned.

[That matter about persuading Sogou…… Do you really intend to do that?]

[I’m going to do it. Also, about what Mimori-kun said earlier……]

[Yeah, if it comes to that, I’ll leave things to your judgment.]

[……Unnn. Alright.]

I got up.

It’s about time we pack up here.

Kashima also stands up and adjusts her skirt with her hand.

[Fufu, I know it’s not possible right now because you need to be extremely careful…… but when it’s all over, I’d like to meet Mimori-kun again———– You know, without the mask.]

[Someday.]

I took one look at my pocket watch.

[In order to prevent Asagi from discovering my true identity, let’s avoid contact with each other for the time being. We will act independently and separately. Of course, we will cooperate with each other where we can. But basically, each group should remain independent of the other, just working toward the same goal———– Is that okay with you?]

Kashima’s face strained upon my words.

[I understand.]

[Well then, I will take my leave.]

[Unnn.]

Reactivating the Gem of Voice Alteration again……

[See you later, Kashima.]

[——————, Unnn.]

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