Arifureta Vol 4 Chapter 6 (2/2)

“… … hee. Is that compared to us?”

Hajime narrowed his eyes to Yue’s evaluation. Honestly, the high evaluation was more than he imagined. Strangely, her expressionlessness was destroyed changing into bitterness while talking about it, these were the things he noticed. Yue could be seen thinking of how to answer Hajime’s question, and then she replied while looking into his eyes.

“… … compared to normal Hajime… … around 60%”

“Seriously… … is that the maximum?”

“Nn… … but, there are rooms for improvement, probably”

“Ooo. That’s certainly at the level of a monster”

Hajime was secretly surprised at having heard Yue talk about s.h.i.+a’s monster-like power, then he looked at s.h.i.+a without saying anything. If it’s said around 60% of Hajime without any strengthening, s.h.i.+a’s strengthened status should be around 6000. It was around twice as much as a truly strengthened hero. Truly a power worthy of being considered “monster level”. It can be said she was capable of reaching Yue. It really was something unimaginable from her usual sobbing and whimpering appearance.

s.h.i.+a noticed Hajime’s half-astonished half-amazed gaze. She cheerfully stood up, then walked up to Hajime with a serious expression while desperately controlling her hurried mind. Straightening her posture, her gray hair with a blue hue was fluttering and her rabbit ear stood up straight. From now on she’ll express her once in a lifetime request. Well… … it can also be called a confession. Her body trembled in nervousness, even though her expression stiffened, there is an unyielding spirit in her eyes, step by step, she advanced. Finally, she firmly matched her gaze with Hajime’s, then spoke her wish.

“Hajime-san. Please take me along on your travels. Please!”

“I refuse”

“An immediate answer!?”

s.h.i.+a who didn’t think she’d be refused because of the mood right now, opened her eyes wide with a look of astonishment.  “What is she saying all of a sudden?” was the thing that could be seen from Hajime’s eyes while he watched s.h.i.+a as if watching a shameless person.

s.h.i.+a was indignant. It’s okay to struggle some more! Something like that.

“Ho-how cruel, Hajime-san. Even though I was seriously asking that, to easily…”

“Well, though I don’t want to know even if you said it. First of all, what about Kam and the others? Don’t tell me, you aren’t trying to take them along, right?”

“Th-that’s wrong! It was my own story just now! I already talked before to father and the others. Even though it’s not like they think I was a burden… … that’s… …”

“That’s? What is it?”

Somehow s.h.i.+a started to become bashful. While upwardly peeking at Hajime and playing around with the tip of her fingers. A sly, cunning gesture. Hajime was suspiciously looking at s.h.i.+a.

At their side, Yue looked irritated while staring at s.h.i.+a.

“That’s… … I, I just wanted to follow what I thought of…”

“Haa? What are you trying to follow? If it’s now, you won’t be burden to your tribe, right? If you have that power then generally, there shouldn’t be anyone you can’t beat”

“… …”

s.h.i.+a who bashfully tried to answer made Hajime reach his limit of patience, he then pulled out Donner. It wasn’t known whether she noticed that but s.h.i.+a yelled “Woman’s courage!” in her mind then voiced out her desire.

“I want to stay beside Hajime-san! I love you!”

“… … Ha?”

I’ve said it, now I only need to bite it! Was what s.h.i.+a thought while panicking, in front of her, Hajime looked dumbfounded as if he was a pigeon that ate a toy bullet. Exactly the appearance of someone who didn’t understand what happened. However, after a while, as if the meaning finally transmitted into his brain, he instinctively blurted out a remark (or tsukkomi).

“Nonono, isn’t that weird? Where the h.e.l.l did I raise the flag? Even though I can’t say for myself, I thought I treated you harshly… … don’t tell me, did you get off from that?”

s.h.i.+a never thought he would think of her like that and started to back away one step with regret from Hajime. Then s.h.i.+a fiercely protested.

“Who’s a pervert! I don’t have that kind of hobby! Rather, if you  noticed that I was treated harshly, why don’t you be a little nicer…”

“Well, there is no need for me to be nicer to you… … first of all, are you seriously in love with me? Aren’t you just tempted by the circ.u.mstances?”

The reason for Hajime not believing s.h.i.+a’s goodwill is because he thought it was just a suspension bridge effect. It wasn’t a surprise because everyone could see Hajime’s att.i.tude toward s.h.i.+a was harsh in every aspect. However, s.h.i.+a who had her feelings doubted was very ill-humored.

“It was not related to the circ.u.mstance at all. No matter how many times you saved me from predicament, my const.i.tution won’t change… … even though I was glad at that time when you protected your promise in front of the Elders… … that may have affected me, but this feeling’s already born so how can I do anything about this. Even I sometimes think about it. Something like “why it was this person”. Hajime-san even now never calls me by my name, somehow it suddenly hit me and it hurts, just like a demon, answering only what’s needed, always throwing himself into a crowd of demonic beasts, has no mercy, just like a demon, is never nice to me, only favoring Yue-san, just like a demon… … huh? Really, why am I in with love you? Huh~?”

While speaking, s.h.i.+a began to doubt her own feelings. s.h.i.+a inclines her neck and Hajime has veins popping out of his head, while barely being able to resist pulling out Donner unintentionally by mistake, while hearing her answer.

“A-anyway. I can’t let you come along no matter what you feel”

“That’s! That was a joke just now? I truly love you so please take me along!”

“You know, your feelings are… … well, even if they are real, don’t you understand that I already have Yue? Rather, to be able to say that confession in front of her… … even I thought about it a while ago, your number one weapon was your body strengthening, but that’s not it, right? I think it was your heart that’s completely made of Azanthium”

“Who’s the one with the heart made from the ore with the greatest hardness! Uu~, it’s become like this as expected… … ee, I understand. Everything about Hajime-san. It was as tricky as I thought”

Suddenly, s.h.i.+a “fufufu” laughed suspiciously while turning toward Hajime.

“Because I thought this might happen! I’ve gained an ally while risking my life! Now, Yue-sensei! Please help me!”

“Ha? Yue?”

Hajime blinked his eyes having heard an unexpected name. Gotcha!, that’s the smug expression of s.h.i.+a, then she glanced at Yue by their side.

Yue’s expression was so bitter as if she bit 100 insects at once, then genuinely unwillingly told Hajime.

“… … … … … … … … … … … … … … Hajime, let’s take her along”

“Nonono, what’s with that interval. You obviously hate it… … don’t tell me it was the winning bet…”

“… … Regrettably”

Hajime roughly understood the circ.u.mstance from Yue who dropped her shoulders, he no longer felt anger but amazement. Surely, s.h.i.+a was thinking, for Hajime to hear out her wish, her power truly isn’t enough. Once again, she remembered how Hajime took Yue’s words as a priority in decision making. Therefore, she needed a method to make Yue her ally. It was not an exaggeration to call it “a life risking” method, because she understood it’d otherwise be impossible considering she somewhat knew how Yue feels. In these ten days, it can be said she was literally dying to find out Yue’s habits (in training/combat). In other words, that’s just how serious s.h.i.+a thought about it.

Hajime was scratching his head. Even if he saw how Yue was reluctantly admitting her, there’s no reason for him to take s.h.i.+a along. In the end, it was a matter of Hajime’s feelings.

Yue was shrugging her shoulder as if saying that it can’t be helped. It was because in these ten days she, more than anyone had watched how s.h.i.+a worked hard and how she destroyed the trouble that imposed her, so Yue allowed her to be a travel companion. In the beginning, she never felt hatred toward s.h.i.+a or her feelings toward Hajime.

On the other side, s.h.i.+a who asked Yue for help with a triumphant expression started to feel unease but she steeled herself. It was because s.h.i.+a already tried everything she could, so she could only wait for her fate to play out.

Hajime inhaled and exhaled deeply once and looked straight into s.h.i.+a’s eyes, then he spun the words of confirmation one by one. s.h.i.+a quietly regained her power when he heard his words.

“To go with us, don’t you already know the answer?”

“Didn’t you know? Isn’t the future not an absolute thing?”

s.h.i.+a said that because she was able to catch a glimpse of the future. She believes that the future can be changed by actions and resolution.

“It’s a journey full of danger”

“I’m glad I am a monster. Thanks to that I can go with you.”

That was the derogatory term from the Elders. However, she takes pride in it now. After all, she learned that there are things she wouldn’t be capable of unless she was a monster.

“My wish is to get back to my hometown (original world). You’ll likely never meet your family again, you know?”

“I have talked about that. “Nevertheless”. Father and the others understand”

They are family that always protected her until now. There is no word that can express her grat.i.tude. A family that’s always together no matter where they are, when she told them her feelings, they will surely smile without any need of words.

“My hometown isn’t somewhere you can easily live in”

“I’ll say it no matter what. “Nevertheless””

s.h.i.+a has shown her feelings. It won’t stop with just that “word”. It can’t be stopped. That’s the kind of feeling this was.

“… …”

“Fufu, is that the end? Then, it’s my victory, right?”

“What victory…”

“It was my feelings that won. … … Hajime-san”

“… … What”

Once more, clearly. s.h.i.+a Haulia’s wish.

“… … please take me with you”

Hajime and s.h.i.+a looked at each other. Hajime looked into her azure eyes to confirm her intentions.

Then… …

“… … … … … … Haa~, do whatever you like. Curious one”

Maybe because he saw something in her eyes, before long Hajime gave out a sigh then told her he gave up.

Inside the Sea of Trees, one shout of joy and a sound of disgruntled noise echoed. Having seen that, Hajime could only give out a wry smile with a lot of implications that there’ll be a lot of trouble from now on.

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