Chapter 144 (1/2)

Chapter 144: Parting ways

I’m so dead

I can neither say nor do anything about this predicament

I can’t do anything but stare due

I only got a gli me, at least, I think I did Ahh, so that’s a hero’s sword, it suits him

“Momokawa! You, you killed Rei––”

Sou h pitched sound very faeon It was the sound of blades clashi+ng

Large, brilliant sparks danced in the air It’s beautiful, I thought nonchalantly

“Whaf!”

I was hit by a gust of wind My hair was flung back, and I closed my eyes on reflex

“–– Kotarou-kun”

And when I opened theain, there she was

“… Mei-chan?”

“Yes, Kotarou-kun, I’ve come to save you”

Her sel, nay, a Goddess That beautiful saze filled with kindness was directed only at me Is this how the devout feel towards their God? It must be, I’m certainly a believer now

But the girl standing there was neither an alhty God, nor the Goddess of beauty

“Yeah, It’s… It’s been a while, Mei-chan”

Futaba Meiko Job : Berserker She was the one person I could trust with all my heart

“Futabsan, what are you doing!”

Souma Yuuto bellowed

Just noas about to be cut down by him He saw Reina’s corpse and decided that I h

And as if trying to follow after her by killinghis sword But Mei-chan interfered She used a huge black halberd and ca him

But as expected of a hero, he sensed the danger, and swerved around, right as his sas about to hit , but because of his bad posture, he wasn’t able to brace his legs Souain as expected, he landed flawlessly on the ground

Anyway, this is how I avoided instant death

The only reason Soumkun didn’t do a follow-up attack was because Mei-chan had placed herself between us, protecting ht hand and a black wall-shi+eld in her left She rooted her shi+eld on the ground as if to hide me

So I was now behind Mei-chan, literally the safest place in this whole Goddaeon And now that I was safe, as in not petrified in the face of death, I sanely evaluated the situation

“Futabsan! I knew it, she did betray us!”

“W-wait, stop it, Yuuto-kun and Futabsan, both of you need to calm down!”

Ah, that’s nostalgic, I thought as I verified that everyone had survived

Looks like the Souma party that had left me to die hadn’t increased or decreased in members They’re all familiar faces

There’s your Sou at Mei-chan, and me behind her, as if ere her worst nefor a ceasefire between Souht? Maybe she wasn’t eating properly? I think I’ll treat her to some boar stew later

A bit behind Sakura and Class Rep, there was the ‘already shaking in fear from the sudden turn of events’ duo, Takanashi+ Kotori and Natsukawa Minami

I could also spot Kenzaki Asuna, the culprit behindpale when she saw Mei-chan, ready to fight and willing to kill I see, so her trau beaten black and blue by the berserker is still there

But isn’t there so she needs to say to ive ive her with just an apology though

“You three, Ueda, Nakai, and shi+mokawa… I see, so you’re the bastards that helped him kill Reina!”

Yanore him please

And no, they’re all innocent! They tried their very best so that the reclusive NEET would see reality They fought valiantly to keep the guardian beasts in check Bla them is completely and utterly unreasonable

If you must, then blame me!

But playing attorney comes later

There’s no longer room to talk once you draw your blades to kill When there’s a weapon pointed at you, words only act as further provocation That’s what it means to resort to violence

“W-we didn’t do it!”

“Yeah, we only wanted to rescue–– ”

“Dudes, this is really bad, we gotta get out of here”

Correct you are, shi+mokawkun They’re the type that just don’t listen when they’re angry

Well, since Reina is already dead, we can’t expect any excuse to pass

I bet that Souma Sakura, she’d say that I had to save Reina no matter what, that I should have absolutely prevented her fro her in self-defense Heck, she’d say that I should’ve died instead if it was a choice I fucking bet she’d say all that with a straight face If was Reina’s life > power gap > my life For her, it’s a matter of subjective value

So even say I was in court and the judge dees still wouldn’t have it in theive me

“I won’t… I’ll never forgive you!”

Look, he’s even saying that His Cross Calibur looks like it’s about to go nuclear

But noasn’t in ier I had so me

Mei-chan, she probably also realized that I was the one who killed Reinchan But she still aio, without the slightest hesitation Only because she believes in me She’s the only one in the world who’d say: My life > power gap > Reina’s life

I say this every ti someone’s trust feels absolutely fantastic

If instead she was soetting the ‘C’mon, It’s better to confess and atone for your crimes you know?’ treatment, that literally never works in your favor

That’s hoesoet out of this noe aren’t supposed to

“Oh-kay people, I’d like to explain how this all happened, so let’s all put the pointy bits down alright? Ayase-san has died Indeed it’s quite a tragic accident and–– ”

“You have some nerve! Mo Reina as some kind of accident!”

“Class Rep, would you be so kind as to tell Soumsan to calm down? Otherwise, we simply can’t resolve this matter in peace”

“No Momokawa I won’t listen to any more talk…”

Sou If Mei-chan wasn’t here, I would’ve shat my pants under that much bloodlust

I figured him more reasonable than his hysterical sister –– but perhaps the fact that his childhood friend was killed sent his composure to orbit

“This bitch… shi+tting up my life even after death…”

I cursed at Reina who I still hate very much by the way If only we’d met them at the next fairy square, We could’ve set our stories such that we never saw Reina, and it could’ve been such a happy reunion