373 370. Tidas unskilled.txt (1/2)

Mud heaved on the ground and walls, and the inside of the central sanatorium was as dark as the bottom of a well. But Romis was more puzzled by Tida's words than the situation.

'I am the victim ......?'

I guess I thought it was the most unworthy of me.

Watching from a distance, I agreed with him. Romis, who controlled and exploited all of Fania, was clearly on the perpetrator's side.

'Yes. Yes, you and all of Phania are my victims. That's what 'the thief of reason' is all about, Lomis.

Wait. ....... What the hell are you talking about?　All of them?　That can't be true.

'I suppose we are the 'stealers of reason' because we make things happen that the world can't reason with. You know the power of that 'miracle' better than anyone else.

With a light tone of voice, Tida let a little bit of darkness erupt from her palm, and Romis's flames that she had just devoured also erupted and danced with her.

With each word, she carried the 'power of darkness' on top of it, eating away at Romis' heart. Illuminating it with the 'Power of Fire' that was taken from it, I won't allow any lies.

''I became convinced of the 'curse' when the lords I helped began to alienate me and finally betrayed me, even my old friend, the Director of the Seventh Demonic Research Institute. Quite frankly, she had no reason to betray me. No matter how weak-minded she may be - no, the more weak-minded a person is, the more difficult the act of betrayal is to bear. And yet she betrayed me very easily.

It's a ploy by me ....... I'm the one who conspired behind your back, threatened him, and made him betray you. It's definitely not a 'curse'. The whole thing was my plan: ......!

'The biggest 'curse' of all is that. Why did you plan to betray me in the first place?　I had no reason to betray you, and neither did you. I am ashamed to admit it, but I was so dependent on you, and you knew that very well. Why did you risk attacking me when I was a safe and capable pawn? I was so familiar with your machinations that the probability of a successful surprise attack was very low. So why then?　Three years ago, you went through the trouble of betraying me, your friend?

Tida repeats the question to Romis as often as she asked her master.

In the darkness like the bottom of a well, Romis mutters with a quiver in his eyes.

It's ......--, there was a reason ....... I can't trust you anymore, and the reason, indeed, is ......--

You won't find it, will you?　Of course. The only thing that was there was the 'curse' of 'the one who steals the truth of darkness'. Three years ago, you forced the 'price' of not being able to trust others onto me.

'Imposed,' you say ......?　Me?　--No!　I had a reason to doubt you!　I know more about The Price, than anyone else!　As long as you know how it works, don't let your mind wander!　I can even use the 'Demonic Poisons' I've collected to resist interference!

'I see. If you say you were not misled and resisted, then tell me the reason for your betrayal now. You used to be the man who studied the 'price' before anyone else for me, who had become the 'thief of the reason for darkness'. You were the one who put all of the Neysha family's efforts into saving my childhood friend (me). I'm sure you're not the only one who has a friend in mind, but you suddenly betrayed me and the one who stole the logic of the fire and tried to rule Fania alone - tell me the reason for your change of heart now.

There's a reason ....... I knew that if I didn't go it alone, I would surely fail in my recovery and research one day ....... So I--

'There was no sign of that at all. We hadn't failed once, and our recovery and research were going well. You, a bright young man, betrayed us just because of such vague fears?　Why is that?

'No!　Not only was there anxiety, there was solid reason for it!　I sensed in that moment that you would fail and eventually betray me!　So I needed to be alone!　The reason for this is ...... the reason!　I've got it!　Otherwise, it would be crazy!

Romis shook his pale face and tried to deny Tida's words. However, he couldn't find a solid rebuttal for any length of time and began to scratch his head.

Seeing this, Tida nodded very sadly and then turned to speak to her mentor.

'Kanami, listen to me carefully. ...... This means that the three of us who became the 'stealers of reason' three years ago have not finished paying the 'price' of our power. We've had our lives ruined, our hearts shattered, and dropped by a monster - and yet it was only a deposit, and we still had a lot of debt left over. Haha, funny story, isn't it?

Tida mocked herself and jokingly compared it to money. But we couldn't giggle as we listened in the dark.

The collection of debts, regardless of the will of us 'thieves of reason', is also forcibly collected from those around us. The phenomenon of forcing that 'price' on us is what I call a 'curse'.

I finally understand what the word 'curse' means.

And Lomis, the biggest victim of that 'curse', is moaning in front of us. The sight of him scratching his head with his nails, his eyelids widening to the point that his eyeballs are popping out of his head, and the way he repeatedly spits and asks himself, you can feel the horror.

Next to Romis, very lightly, Tida goes on to explain.

'In the case of my 'dark power', there are many 'costs' that stagnate the mind. It's what's called a demon. As long as I'm alive, I will always make the people around me feel uneasy.

In other words, three years ago--

He who steals the truth of darkness is cursed with the curse of distrust.

The thief of Fire is cursed with the curse of Oblivion.

The one who steals the logic of the wind bears the curse of self-doubt.

--The one that steals the logic of the wind carries the curse of self-destruction.

By the way, this ”curse” does not work on the ”stealer of reason”. It is related to the resistance of the 'demon poison' that Romis mentioned earlier.

In this place, it seems that only Master is safe.

That's probably why Tida was only concerned about me, not Master, before the operation to retrieve the 'One Who Steals the Reason of Fire'. He must have thought that if he were to betray his plan, it would be Tiara Hoozeyers, who was cursed. In fact, I was thinking of betraying Tida if it came down to it.

From those events, I can determine that the story is not false.

Above all, the Apostles were talking about exactly the same thing as Tida is now, using the word 'fate' instead of 'curse'.

If there is only one concern, it's the 'curse' carried by the master.

As I recall, the Apostles said that the 'Gentiles' had finished 'paying the price' with a special form of summoning. However, having seen my master's leopard and awakening just a moment ago, I can't believe it.

'So the harder I try to save Fania, the more the dark 'curse' is scattered and the more they all betray each other. ...... Hey, Romis. Is it about time you understood that?

Can you believe it?　That's ridiculous. It's not possible!　It can't be--!

'Yes, that's what I thought at first. But for the last three years I've been checking and checking. There's no doubt about it anymore. ...... Because I became 'the one who steals the truth of darkness', my father, my mother, my old friends and colleagues, all of them have been forced to betray me. Your kindness, your rightness, your strength, it was all taken away from you by me. Romis, I'm sorry: ......

'Impossible ......!　This I was moved by your will ......!　No!　I was the cause of all this!　It was because of my strength!　I took it from you, not you!

'Oh, I'm so sorry ....... No matter how much you couldn't believe in anything in the world and no one else in the world ......, I was the only one who had to keep believing in you ....... I hope you can forgive me for my weakness in not being able to do that. Please forgive me for being a friend from birth, but all I could do was stab you in the back, please forgive me ......, no way, you can't ....... Haha ......

Romis, who refused to acknowledge reality, repeated his rebuttal that it was different, and Tida went on to apologize on her own.

Tida's face, though noumenal, was as twisted as Romis'.

There was a look of regret on her face as she continued to pursue her friend Lomis for three years, and at the same time, she regretted that she had been hunting him down.

Seeing that expression, Romis put his hand to the wound on his hip, his eyes wavering. Looking at the sticky and bloody palm, he swallows this current situation a little more.

''Ugh, you were robbed ......?　Is it really me, the Tida?　From time immemorial, Tida was supposed to be weak and I was supposed to be strong. Tida was the underdog and I was the top. Tida was the taker, and I was the taker. So why are you--?　No idea!　Ah, that was once unthinkable!　Yes, once--

Halfway through, Romis stopped speaking, as if he had come to himself.

Then, with eyes that seemed to have found a faint light in this darkness, he went on with the rest of his recollections.

'Or, once ......?　Once, Tida was the lowest?　Was it?　Have I been that selfish and racist?　Didn't you admit that you have friends in different positions and personalities?　So, in those days we vowed to hold each other's hands as childhood friends, to make up for each other's shortcomings, and to fulfill the responsibilities of the house together - haha, haha......!　We were supposed to trust each other!

Gradually, Romis' breathing becomes more and more ragged.

The bleeding caused his body to lose its vitality. Nevertheless, Romis used the last of his strength and began to roughly pound the mud pond with both hands.

''Ah, yes!　I've only trusted one person in my life, Tida!　So why did I betray Tida ......?　--I don't know. I don't know. I was worried, I'm sure!　But I don't know why I was worried: ......!　Why?　Why, why, why, why--!　Why am I now in this dark place, killing each other with Tida?　I don't know why!　Ah!　Ahhhhhh--!

Driven by the upheaval, he was willing to bleed out his waist and keep screaming.

Together, fresh blood splattered. Romis's breathing was erratic, his eyes unfocused and wobbly. Even the untrained eye could see that if he continued like this, he was going to die of blood loss.

Tida, the person who had fallen into this situation, panicked and tried to run to him.

''Romis!

He reaches out his black, muddy hand to save the life of his former friend.

But that's what my friend--.

'Nah, stay away (・・・・), Tida ......!　No more ......, pollute my mind, no more ......--

Romis refused, with all his spirit.

His shaking eyes caught Tida's image, completely terrified.

There must have been a lot of mixed emotions in Romis' mind.

In the end, he chose to die of blood loss rather than be saved by Tida. As if running away from Tida, he let his body, which had lost a lot of blood, fall into a pool of mud.

In the pool of blood and mud, Romis became immobile.

Refused, Tida mutters softly, lowering her outstretched hand.

'Oh ....... That one word scared me. I was scared, and I was late ....... I'm really sorry, Romis .......

With that, Tida ignored Romis' refusal and touched him with her muddy hands. The mud would cover the wound and save his life.

Tida said nothing more.

However, he seemed convinced that the fight was over, and he let the darkness that he had been letting scattered around the room return to his body. Furthermore, she also sucked up all the pools of mud that had accumulated at her feet.

It was as if he was trying to bring back all the darkness that was in Fania. In fact, the presence and intimidation of Tida, who contained a large amount of darkness and mud in her body, clearly increased.

-- Thus, as soon as the central sanatorium regained its original form, The One Who Steals the Reason of Darkness would finish its completion.

Tida left Romis unconscious and picked up the 'Heart of the Flame God' that had fallen nearby.

He then distorts the Noh mask of the mud and asks his master, with a face that can be taken as both laughing and crying.

'Kanami, this is the end. Thank you so much for saving Fania from this me. As a token of my gratitude, I swear that this 'Stealer of the Darkness' Tida will obey you in the future with whatever orders you give me. If you tell me to scratch my head off now, I'll scratch it off in a heartbeat, but ....... What do you think?

After confessing that he was the cause of all this, Tida spoke of self harm.

But if he was a master who could nod to that, this Fania could not be saved. As a matter of course, he denied it.

''Tida, let's go to the Hoosiers together. I think we need to study the 'curse' together to find a way to suppress it, as you say. Of course, this isn't an order, it's a request from my people.

...... That's really sweet of you, Kanami. ...... agreed. I'm going to Hoosier's. I'll trust you and help you with your story about the Apostles saving the world.

Thanks ....... I'll take your word for it, too. I believe in Tida to the end.

Hmmm, I'll just keep repeating myself. Very well. I hereby swear to you that I will believe in Kanami to the end.

They promised each other that they would talk to a trusted colleague.

Honestly, the trust between these two is very unusual and distorted. But there was definitely a 'relationship of trust' there. A 'relationship of trust' of sympathy that can only come from weak people.

And with that 'trust' that I can't relate to for the rest of my life, the two of them try to decide how to treat Romis.

'Kanami, I want Romis to get out of town. As long as he's alive, he'll be able to live anywhere. Somewhere other than here, I'm sure Romis Neisha can start over.

I don't mind. I don't think he was the root cause of this time. If it was, it was somewhere else.

The Master nodded back and showed his willingness to agree with Tida's proposal.

Looking at the two of them, I had been taking a step back for a long time--

'Let's hurry. Fania's soldiers, once kept away by my mud, ...... should be back soon.

Well, wait.

I stopped them both in a hurry.

At the same time, I'm quicker than Tida to speculate on the consequences of ”if we let Romis get away with it here”.

Romis Neesha is my kind of person.

There is no doubt that if we let him escape, he could live anywhere. That's why I think it would be a bad idea to keep him alive.

I'm going to read the future out of control of the skills I was born with.

”Romis Neysha's life and mind were once destroyed by the 'Stealers of Reason'. But with his exceptional mental strength, he will rise again. With the experience of this defeat, he will definitely try again, even better prepared than this time. Because his life was ruined by the 'Stealers of Reason', as the person closest to the 'Stealers of Reason' in the world, he will seek redemption from the 'Stealers of Reason' -

I'm sure it will be a lot of fun, defying my assumptions.

Reading about that future, my natural s*x is excited, but I quickly shake my head.

Sure, I love to have fun.

I want dramatic stories, like books, in the real world.

But more than that, [I love my master], I learned from today's battle.

I don't want to put my beloved mentor through a hard time again, and I will never allow anyone to just put him in danger.

Thoughts and skills, mind and body.

I matched those two, and my answer was one.

''-- Tida, Master. That man should die here and now.

He drew the sword at his waist with the intent to kill, and for the first time today, he finished his preparations for a 'sword technique' instead of a 'body technique'.

He didn't expect me to object here.

Tida braced herself in surprise, and her master hurriedly tried to intercede.

''Tee, Tiara ......?　Let's calm down a bit. Romis Neysha was my childhood friend in 'The One Who Steals the Reason of Darkness', so his mind was just more twisted by the 'price' than anyone else. I have a lot of thoughts, but I can't use the 'power of fire' on him anymore. Even if I leave him alone, I'm fine with it.

I'm not fine. Master, if you let this guy go now, he will definitely come for revenge.

W--

When I strongly objected, my master was speechless with surprise.

No wonder. This was the first time I had rejected Master's proposal so clearly.

However, from now on, I will deny what I should deny.

I am no longer just a reader who enjoys Master's stories from a distance. I have learned to deny even the Master for the sake of the Master - a 'person' living in the same time.

Tida must have felt that firmness of will.

She turned to face me and began to earnestly persuade me.

'Princess of the Foozeyards. If you get away from me, I'm sure Romis will be freed from the 'curse' and return to the Romis of old. It's not Romis who was guilty, it's me here.

'Sweet (...). What's the 'curse'? In my opinion, it's his fault for giving in to such a thing. Even if there was no influence from others, he chose that path. He's done this far because he wanted to. He had the wherewithal to do it. From the beginning.

I heard that the Master and Tida think that this Romis will learn his lesson and change his mind after this debacle, but they are too naive. If I were Lomis, I would definitely repeat the same thing.

If I were Lomis, I would certainly do the same thing again,” he said, ”I'm sure he'll come back to steal the power of the One Who Stole Reason. At that time, there is no guarantee that we will win again. I don't want to put my master in danger anymore. ......!　I don't want to see my master suffering and crying ever again: ......!

Romis and I had the same sympathy for each other that we have for those who steal reason.

That's why I have to kill him now.

In the face of my clear intent to kill him, Tida's voice grew hoarse.

'Well, wait!　Princess of the Fooziers!　If there is any sinner worthy of death, it is me!　No, in the first place, you could be under the influence of The Curse now too!　It's possible that my mind is stagnant and I've lost my cool--