315 312. Now 60 layers are filled with ■■. With you ■ People, ■ Ji ■■■ Ma ■■■■..txt (1/2)

Leaving the difficult enemies, the Guardian and the Fiends, to our friends, Rastiara and I run up the stairs of Foozeyards Castle.

Even though it's a tall building, it doesn't take long for us to get to the top if we run as fast as we can with our physical abilities.

Of course, there are a few knights of the guard standing in our way. But they weren't on a level to deal with us. Basically, we ignore them and leave them behind, occasionally knocking them unconscious as we pass them by.

Thus, as I climbed the stairs, the attack of the knights who interfered with me stopped.

I've just entered the 41st floor. When it comes to the area beyond even the royals' living quarters, it seems that even in an emergency, the knights on guard cannot enter without permission.

I knew this was going to happen.

Me and Rastiara slowly climbed up to the forty-fifth floor, regulating our breaths that had been disrupted by our all-out sprint, and stopped climbing the stairs there. Above here are the heavyweights who run the Hoosier State and the 'Senate' - a world that has nothing to do with me.

The only one who matters to me is Nosfi on this floor.

We take a side street and head to the largest room on this forty-fifth floor. The scenery in the corridor along the way was lightly familiar to me. It couldn't be exactly the same, but it was very similar. The corridor overlaps with the corridor of Hoozeyer's Castle a thousand years ago, which I saw in ”Past Vision” just a few minutes ago.

And the doorway at the end of the corridor is also very familiar to me. There were other rooms, but I didn't get lost. Without hesitation, he pushed open that heavy door and walked in.

The decor of the room was very similar.

On the floor was a finely patterned carpet that looked like it could be displayed in a museum. There was a gorgeous chandelier made of magical stone on top. The walls are lined with several paintings that are ten meters wide. To be honest, the room can only be described as overspent and in poor taste.

There was no table that should have been in the center of the room, but there were only chairs.

There are two chairs, and in one of them sits a chestnut-haired girl named Nosfi.

Nosphy stands up when she sees us enter the room.

'Are you two ......?'

Nosfi looks at the two nearby seats with a surprising look on his face at the fact that Rustyala is also there. It's not that he doesn't like it. It's just that the seats I had prepared are missing, so I'm in trouble ...... It looks like such a mild confusion.

Nosfi begins his hospitality with a gentle smile.

You have come by quite forceful means, Uzumi-sama. It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with us.

'Nosfi wanted me to fight Fafner with him, but I refrained from doing so. That would take too much time. We can talk about those things later.

'Hmmm. ....... I'm sorry to hear that ......

Nosfi understands that his schedule has been broken and takes the book from its bosom. He flips open the pages and looks at it, while strengthening the magic of his body.

''In other words, Uzuraha-sama chose to forcibly take this 'Scripture' from you. You have chosen to fight head-on against me, the 'thief of the truth of light'...

No, I'm not. I didn't come here to fight.

It's true that the Scripture is necessary for Ragne's wounds to heal.

But I'll tell them that's not my main goal.

Soon I'll do what I have to do.

'Nosfy ....... It's late, but ...... it's really late, but I'm here to apologize. A thousand years ago, I did something I shouldn't have done to Nosfi. I said some things I shouldn't have said. I even tried to forget that responsibility. I came to apologize for that.

No sword, no magic, he stepped forward and held up the words.

Nosfi cracks a smile at the action. For the first time here, she looked disgusted.

For Nosfi, this might be the least desired development.

'...... You remembered your memories with me, didn't you?

Yeah, I saw it. ...... I'm really sorry. It was my fault. I was the reason for everything. It wasn't Nosfi's fault.

Nosfi's face darkens as he repeats his apology.

Still, I continue to talk.

'Please, Nosfi. I don't care if you don't forgive me. You can punish me as much as you want. ...... but let's not fight each other as enemies like this. It's not right to involve Elle, Sera and the others. It's not a place like this, but a quieter place for the two of us to have a slow 'talk'. Because--

First of all, I have to tell you this much.

On the contrary, this is all I have to say.

'Because Nosfi is my 'daughter' ....... We're family. ......

Never looking away, I say, facing Nosphy.

And I'll never leave her alone again, I try to get closer to her.

Before I can do so, Nosphy replies.

''To 'discussion', you're 'daughter' ....... That's very kind of you, Uzumi-sama. You are truly kind ....... But - I'm sorry, Uzurinami-sama. I can't believe those words myself.

Now she laughed.

But her response was the exact opposite of her expression.

With a radiant smile, Nosphy went on and on about my complaints.

It's too late now. ...... Really?　Do you really consider me your daughter with all your heart?　The words seem light to me. I'm sorry, but the words feel very, very light.

............!

They say that Aikawa Uzumi is not worthy of trust.

I can't respond to those words with a single word.

That kind word already feels like a trap to me: ....... Instead of sympathy, I can only see it as a ploy to get this 'scripture' back for a time. ...... It feels like a token apology. I, for one, don't like the formality of it anymore. I've stopped being a good boy that says ”yes, yes, yes” and does what I say. I've become a bad boy. So, Uzumi-sama--

Nosfi answers.

I don't know if it was the 'cost' of the magic, but it was a very 'honest' answer. I'd like to believe that she is now expressing her true feelings, just as I am.

'There's no need to apologize. I don't want an apology, I want your hostility, not something that may or may not be true. You're not going to be able to get the job done. If they hate me, and then they hate me, and then they hate me - then I will be happy. I will finally be happy as a human being.

Nosfi appeals back to me that being hated by me is what makes him happy.

'Does that make Nosfi happy that I hate you ......?'

'Yes. Fufufu--I'm sure I'm satisfied. Because the more Uzuraha-sama hated me, the more I hated her, the less this body's 'regrets' faded away!　That day (...), the day Uzumi-sama first showed a troubled face because of me!　I could certainly feel my presence!　I was truly touched that Master Uzumi was in trouble with me!　I'm in your midst!　That feeling is the feeling of being alive that remains with me now!

That day was probably the day I rejected Nosphy in his bedroom in the castle on the 66th level of the labyrinth. At that moment, for the first time in his life, Nosphy finally got a glimpse of me and felt safe.

Because of all the mistakes I kept making, Nosphy felt happy for something like that.

'Nosphy ....... Let's not be happy by being hated ....... Happiness is something much warmer ....... In the first place, are you really laughing now, from the bottom of your heart?　I don't think so. All I've done all this time is make up laughs, you and I. All we did was look at each other's face and talk like we were touching boils. ......!　I don't want to do that anymore!　I don't even want you to!

'Wow!　Is that what you don't like about Uzumi-sama: ......?　Then I don't mind!　I have no qualms about continuing this bizarre relationship!　That's why I'm so happy.　Hmmm.

Very happily, Nosfi laughs.

He's trying to prove with that smile that his harassment of me is his happiness.

But that smile is different.

It's too different from the smile I saw in the past, when he was still pure.

'Nosfi!　It's because I carried my heart 'instead' on my back a thousand years ago. ......!　It's my fault, just because I think that ...... it's not normal happiness!

Normal?　Normal happiness ......?　Hmmm, hahahaha--I don't know!　I don't know anything about that!

”Nosfi, it was my fault, too. I kept ignoring it, and it was my fault--

'Enough (・・・・・・)!　I don't want to hear that story!　Well, I'm not going to listen to an apology!　I will never listen to you!　Hmph, haha, because (...)--!

Nosfi continues to laugh.

She maintains a radiant smile befitting a saint.

However, I, who use dimensional magic, can see the flicker in that faint expression.

Right now, Nosfi is carrying multiple emotions. Even though he's smiling, he's actually sad enough to want to cry. Even though he's laughing, he's actually angry to the point of wanting to kill. Even when he's laughing, he's really in so much pain that he wants to die. So, even though I'm laughing, I'm already--

'Haha!　Because (...), Master Uzumi didn't listen (・・・・・・・) to me (・・・・・・・・)!　No matter how many times I call out to you, over and over and over again!　They didn't even listen to me!　And now you're going to 'discuss' it?　Haha, I've been trying to have a 'discussion' with Uzumi-sama all along!　And you didn't do that, even though it was Master Uzura Wave who didn't do it!　So why do I have to have a 'talk' with you now?　Where is the element of belief in that 'discussion'!　I don't believe you!　I, for one, am saying something crazy!　Yeah, I haven't said a single word!　Because I'm always right!　You're disgustingly right!　Right, right, right, right!　I really hate this curse of being a good boy!　So I want to be wrong this time!　Even if I'm wrong, even if they don't like me, I want to get this wish through!　Be a bad boy, be an enemy of the world, be an enemy of Lord Uzumi!　I'm going to let you have your way!　I'll make sure that I will let the world know that this is my passion!