Chapter 20 (2/2)
”But, that Earthquake back there… you really can't underestimate Golems”
”Well, these Gole, after all Because of the large aht, bleay a large part of the surroundings in the forest with its Earthquake, ahhh… how nostalgic”
””You/Sensei, just how did you et out alive!?””
In a place where , Zeros, who survived for a week, was definitely extraordinary
They ed to survive the threat of monsters they have never even heard of, but Zeros, who's been in farsituations, seemed far away
The two students know The place they went doesn't even reach the gates of hell
That deerous place
The co, which became their daily routine, finishes while the horror they experienced not long ago lingers in the air
Recently, Zweit has been acting suspiciously Occasionally, he would steal glances at Celestina and then heave a deep sigh
Even now, he sighed after looking at her figure from behind
”This day, for sure… but…”
From an outsider's perspective, it only looked like an elder brother harboring soer sister
Utterly ignorant of such things, he wanders on, trying to hide both his deter that theat hi before?”
”No, this is just your original personality, right?”
”I don't understand! I've always embraced my pride as a man!”
”Your pride as a man? Didn't you use your status to force Luceris-san into being your woret doing so on it, but you still don't listen to other people's advices…”
”I don't understand her at all, it's so frustrating… eh, shi+shou!?”
Zweit flinched in astonishht behind him
He didn't feel his presence at all
”I didn't even notice…”
”Well, Zweit-kun… wouldn't it be better to stop now before it's too late?”
”Stop what?”
”Although you only share the sa for your blood related sister is a bit…”
”No!! It's not like that!!!”
Looking around, he realized that his actions were taken the wrong way by the people around
”Weren't youat your step-sister?”
”I already told you that's not it!! I just wanted to apologize!”
”Apologize? H this whole situation
Zas the heir to the Archduke of Solisthea, and the person who had been bullying Celestina for a long ti for the opportunity toto her for what he did in the past
”You know this already, but she has never been able to use ic But, I didn't know at the tiic formulas themselves I've always been proud to say that eneration after generation
I couldn't stand the fact that such an incoe Until recently, that is…”
”I see, I understand now”
Zweit is proud of his lineage, family history, and all of that He found it hard to deal with Celestina, who didn't seem to have any talent
But, ould happen if the situation changes? If a person thought to be incoic foric textbook, and is therefore, treated coldly because of it It wouldn't be odd to feel guilty about it
Zweit couldn't bear the guilt, specially because he was in a position where he actively harassed her
”…If that's what you think, then why did you treat Luceris-san like that?”
”I don't know! I think there was so with me at the time”
It was most likely due to the influence of his faction and the e the past, you know?”
”Ugh… that's true, I understand it wellrecklessly as if I was having a fever dreah, but in any case, I want you to look at your past self and think, do you only want to apologize to Celestina?”
”I already said that's not it!! I don't likewith you?”
”There are some people with that particular taste”
”Well, but I don't!”
Zeros is h he just ca Zweit getting flustered
”…Anyway You should apologize now, right? You can do it, it's easy”
”Easy to say when you're not the one apologizing”
”That's the weight of the guilt you've been shouldering all this tio”
”I can't do it after all! It's too troublesome!!”
I looked like he didn't have much determination now, and it didn't seem like Zeros would step in tooon in Zweit's head, but he believed that in e and step forward Although, in a way, it was a pitiful scene
”If you really think what you did rong, it's iht away If you stay the way you are right now, you won't even be able to apologize in the future
People tend to take the easy way out If you can't bon your head when you actually do so, then you'll lose that pride you hold dear so , how should I put it… I don't really knohat to say”
”So, is that all you are going to do then? You, who has been cold to her all this time? If you correct your uilt, you know?”
”I know… but when I think about going…”
… What a wuss Is what Zeros thought at thatpersonality?
For soht of Zweit hesitating that usted by hio now saying you don't wanna do it, just apologize!! You brat, what's with being such a pussy!? Are you even a !?”
…And exploded all at once
”What's theand now you're saying you're feeling a bit shy, you shi+tty brat!?
Didn't you have pride as a man!? If you don't show it now, you'll be a pussy ass bitch forever!”
”Uuuu… that's…”
It see out of Zeros' body That's how heated he was
”That's what!? You are an aristocrat for fuck's sake You'll eventually have to bon your head to people you don't like for the sake of the people you have to protect And you're telling ize to your little sister!?
If you think you've done soize iive you, it's your own sin, so you rave that in your heart, be a man who can protect others in the future!”
”S-So… if I'onna happen if you keep everything to yourself! Take action first and foremost!
You knohat you have to do, just let it all out, and after that it's Celestina's reply you'll have to worry about But things will reht now! If you understand then go the fuck now, you brat!!”
It's the first ti to this world It's been a long time since anyone has seen hi around his subordinates in that manner, back on Earth A nuht to meet a deadline
Needless to say, after that he was dubbed 'The Sat seemed almost like a black company
(TN: ”S” as in sadist I think)
”T-That's true, I haven't done anything yet shi+shou… I have to do what's right!!”
It seeinally a hot-headed person, felt truly moved by Zeros' words from the botto goodbye to his past self
A soft breeze was caressing Celestina's cheeks, as on the balcony looking at the distance The wind of blowing through the forest carries the scent of the trees and vegetation to her nose
That is one of her favorite ways to pass time However, at such a delicate moment, there was an intruder… Zweit
”Hey, Celestina”
”What can I do for you, nii-sama?”
”Well, there's an issue I wanted to talk about”
”An issue… is it?”
Feeling that so, she cautiously waits for his I did ere kids!”
”Nii-saets flustered due to the sudden way in which Zweit lowered his head towards her
”I am the heir to this Duke house That's what I've been told since I was a child, and I couldn't accept that soic shared the same blood as ic formulas themselves, not in yourself So, I wanted to s I did to you That's why I' down my head, I'ive me…”
”Nii-sama…”
Celestina kno proud, Zweit is, of his own lineage
It ht've been just bad luck that she was the only one in her faic, and was treated coldly because of that
But, for the first ti hi down his head
The house of the Duke of Solisthea have been the guardians of the country for generations A faic, that have protected many people because of it
He was born to such a family, and bullied her, convinced that Celestina had zero talent forthat it was abecause of it, Celestina felt the pride of being born as a noble She felt like it was her turn to answer honestly to his resolve
”Nii-saic?”
”Hah? So suddenly… well, it's aht But at the sadom How much blood would be shed if one of his low mana consumption spells ends up in the army?”
”It would completely obliterate the battlefield His spells have overwhel power that can't coe annihilation ician has e annihilationresearched by each faction It would beco person Such anuclear warhead
As an aside, the difference between regular wide range ic, is the power output of the spell itself Regular wide range ic has a lio over its pre-established liic has an unspecified output
Having a stable output makes the spell easier to use, and that's the reason why they are in such high dee annihilation ic, the power output is, in theory, unlimited and could potentially destroy the world
”Sensei said that, if I drown in power, there's always the danger of creating a heinous ic thattactical-type ic…? Hm, if it's shi+shou then it's possible… After all, he's wholly dedicated to ic for destruction Isn't it our duty as disciples to create a way of using ic that can help as much people as possible?”
”I will be the next Archduke The house that protects this kingdom It's our duty to protect the people, and I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that I will fulfill my duty as a noble”
”Nii-sa, but it could easily lead to a tragedy if used incorrectly When I came back here, I understood that I needed to be responsible in wielding such power As a noble, I'll do what I think is the best for the people”
The two of them had decided to tread on different paths Celestina wants to enrich the lives of the people, while Zweit is ai to protect them even if he has to shed blood
Both are necessary, but they are opposite paths that won't ever meet with each other”
”Celestina… have you seen shi+shou's annihilation ic floas impressive, but it was too advanced to understand And also… too dangerous”
”That's why you want to go the opposite way”
”Nii-sahting?”
”That is my duty Is because of the people's heavy taxes, that I've been able to live safely until now I've been raised with such privileges, and I won't run away even if I ht die”
(TN: kanji reads blood tax '血税' I assume it means heavy taxation, but it could also mean conscription)
Zas already resolved to do whatever it took
Celestina noticed in that ed his brother
Zas regarded as a genius since a young age, and received a harsh education Unlike the general education ht to keep to heart his responsibilities as a nobleman
Therefore, he was lead to think that Celestina's presence, who couldn't use ic to protect the people and fulfill her duties as a noble, was unforgivable
Though, it was also because he was raised with the hard-earned tax payers' rew up to be such a useless person Be that is it may, to protect the people, he was prepared to follow the sarandfather
”There's no difference in pursuingthe people's lives, isn't there?”
”It's the difference between enriching their lives and protecting the on this path I've decided”
”No, if that's what you want to do, then that's enough for ive you, onii-sama”
(TN: remember that she usually just calls him nii-sama)
”Oi…?”
Zweit's deterh for her to see that
Froht of other people's lives Seeing that, she kept her dark thoughts buried deep inside herself, only to realize that she has only been running away fro I can do right now When I graduate from the Academy, I'll be in the military”
”I…”
”Why don't you look for so only you can do around here? There's no need to rush, grandfather probably won't send you off on a political o? Kreuz-niisaonna beat his ass though♪…”
Zweit laughs in a carefree e
On that day, they let bygones be bygones However, Celestina's expression seerim and sad It was the first tiht Zweit carried on his shoulders
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