224 Idio (1/2)
Even Naoki, who had a twisted personality, was somewhat moved by Seiji’s sincere expression.
No, perhaps it was because he had such a personality that he could be moved by this sincerity.
A completely honest, direct, undecorated expression that came from the heart… this was the type that he found the most difficult to deal with.
”...What do you wish to tell Milady?” Naoki asked after a pause.
”Will you tell her for me?” countered Seiji.
”That,” said Naoki, ”depends on the message’s content.”
Seiji blinked when he heard Naoki's answer.
He then looked up at the sky, as if he could see someone there, and began speaking.
…
After they finished talking, Seiji and Shika left the amusement park.
Naoki and Iroha watched them leave.
Although they should have left this place immediately as well, the two siblings stood there motionless for a long while.
”What’s this? Just what exactly…” Iroha muttered to herself, her eyes awash with complex emotions.
What Seiji had said was completely different from what she'd expected.
At first, it sounded ridiculous, but upon closer consideration, it was…
”Telling Milady to forgive herself… what is that? How dare he say that! It was correct of Milady to exile such a piece of garbage from the Haruta family! He is simply human scum! He has no sense of guilt at all!! This bastard… this bastard is so arrogant! Just who does he think he is!?”
Her angry shouting echoed in the abandoned amusement park.
Naoki furrowed his brows, looking pensive.
”Say something as well, my stupid brother! Aren’t you really eloquent!? Why didn’t you say anything to him!? Use your conversational abilities that you’re so proud of, and defeat him in a debate!!” The girl fixed her brother with a vicious stare.
The blonde-haired boy remained silent.
”Why aren’t you talking!?”
Iroha shoved him, pushing him back two steps.
Naoki finally sighed. ”I was unable to counter anything he said…”
”What!?” Iroha exclaimed in disbelief.
”I couldn’t counter him since what he said… is exactly what Milady needs to hear the most right now.” He seemed to be struggling with inner conflict.
”You… what the hell are you talking about! Is something wrong with your brain!?” Iroha stared at her brother in disbelief.
”Don’t shout so loudly. A loud voice reflects your hollow words.”
”What—” Iroha started angrily.
”You probably detected it as well but simply can’t accept it.” Naoki voiced the truth that even his younger sister knew in a light voice. ”Milady feels guilty about exiling her own younger brother from the family.”
Iroha didn’t know what to say to this.
”But, if you think about it carefully, although she's a resolute character, Milady is, at heart, still a gentle girl. Exiling her younger brother… yes, it was the correct thing to do—everyone agreed with it, and nobody thought it unjustified. Despite this, would she be able to forgive herself?”
This was a blind spot that Naoki hadn’t noticed before.
”Before he told us, I never even considered such a thing. You were probably the same as well, Iroha. We just naturally assumed that Milady wouldn’t feel any guilt. But, truthfully, with her personality, it’s impossible for her to not feel guilty.”
”After all, he's still her blood-related younger brother. And she personally had him exiled. Even though her younger brother, the lowest of scumbags, truly deserved it, our gentle master’s heart was still pained by the decision. We ignored this. Even though we had always been by Milady’s side, we never even considered it…”
Naoki’s voice was filled with regret as he forcefully clenched his fists.
Iroha fell silent. She couldn’t speak, as she didn’t know what to say.
”Milady wants forgiveness… and only two people are able to give it to her: one is Milady herself, and the other one is—” Naoki looked at the direction that Seiji and Shika had left ”—Seigo Harano… no, Seiji Haruta.”
”He noticed this. He thought of something that we—and everyone by Milady’s side—didn’t think of, even though he himself was the one who should be the least likely to come up with it. Any normal person would be brimming with complaints or bottled resentment—or at least that's what I'd expect.”
”But… why… Why can he say something like having Milady forgive herself with no trace of hatred whatsoever!!?” Naoki roared the last few words.
He thought back to the scene from just earlier.
That handsome boy smiled faintly. ”Sister,” he said gently, ”when you exiled me before… you were correct to do it. If you still feel bad about what you did, then listen to me, and stop thinking about it.”
”Please forgive yourself. You did the correct thing by exiling me, and you shouldn't feel any lingering regret for doing so. I was the one who was in the wrong… everything was my fault.”
”I’m sorry… even if I’m saying it too late now. If you are worrying about me, there's no need to do so. I’m living quite well now.”
”I hope that you’re living quite well as well.”
…
Just what exactly was this?
Was this the speech that an exiled person was supposed to give!?
Was this arrogance? Or naivety? Or stupidity!?
Just what type of idiot would say something like this!!?