Lately, I've been having the same nightmares.

I remember that day, when my father Mr./Ms. and mother Mr./Ms. left me in the dark forest.

For me, it was the happiest memory and the least favorite memory.

 

"——— Keira, I have a request for you today."

 

Mr./Ms.'s smile is the same as always.

At the time, I thought it was a natural smile.

So I was happy that they relied on me as a child.

 

"If you come to me for a little errand, we can live happily as a family again."

 

Mr./Ms.'s kind words as usual.

But that's just a word with no emotion in it.

At that time, I believed it easily, and I wanted to be useful--I stepped alone into the dark forest.

 

I shouldn't have been born.

 

I can hear such a dark, stagnant, heart-wrenching voice in my ears.

It ——— a voice that I don't know anyone about, but I'm sure it's the voice of my heart.

Unfeigned true feelings that are never spoken.

 

―――Why do I have to go through this alone?

 

I had dark magic, so my family abandoned me.

He was about to be eaten alive by a monster.

 

―――I don't want to be alone.

 

If I hadn't been picked up by Gref, I would have been dead somewhere.

If it weren't for Rose and Rum, I still wouldn't have been able to open up to anyone.

But if I'm with the Grefs, my dark magic might hurt everyone.

I just don't like that.

Better yet, I'.......

 

He wouldn't hurt me if I was with him.

 

Such a voice sounded in my ears.

…… That person, Mr./Ms. Usato, accepts me.

He understands my suffering.

It teaches you how to work with dark magic.

Just like Gref and the others, he gives me a genuine smile.

It stops my magic from hurting someone.

 

I'm sure he wouldn't reject me.

 

I got it.

That's how it is decided.

His expression and words were not empty.

So-,

 

●

 

"——— ......."

 

―――Is this exactly what you mean by the worst feeling?

When I wake up from my dream and cover my eyes with my hands to block the sunlight coming through the window, I am tormented by a tremendous sense of disgust as I remember the dream I had just had.

It made me realize how ugly I was and how much I only thought about myself.

 

"Keira?"

"Huh!?"

 

I got up from the bed and stared at my hands, and I couldn't help but look up at the voice that was called.

 

"Mr./Ms....... Usato"

 

Entering through the open door was Mr./Ms. Usato, a demon who helped her when she was being attacked by demons.

He's a dark magic user like me, but he's so kind that I can't believe he has the same magic as me.

When he noticed me awake, he looked relieved and sat down in a nearby chair.

 

"Good morning, how are you feeling? Do you remember yesterday when I used my magic Mr./Ms. and fainted?"

「…… I'm sorry."

 

Of course, remember.

I didn't obey Mr./Ms.'s words and trained without permission, and at the end of it, I collapsed.

And then--I lied to this person.

He looks at me curiously that I apologized, and he gives me a smile that isn't fake.

 

"I don't care, because I've trained until I collapsed. Rather, it's like the real thing after you fall...... Oh...... This is something that should not be referenced. Hahaha"

 

Sometimes, there is a peculiar pause in Mr./Ms.'s conversation.

He's reacting like he's talking to someone when he's not talking to anyone, but is it unique to him?

 

"Keira, shall we take the morning training off?"

「……? What!?"

"I don't think my magic has fully recovered yet, so I need to rest a little more."

 

No good. No, no, no.

In response to the words of Mr./Ms. Usato, who takes care of us, I involuntarily respond with a rough voice.

 

"Wow, I'm fine! I can do it!"

"No, I don't...... It's the same with magic, but you can't do what you can do if you're tense. I'm going to rest in the morning until my magic is restored."

"I'm not anymore...... Huh?"

 

Even though the goal has been achieved.

But you can't say it.

I can't tell you the truth because I've lied.

 

"Already?"

「…… It's nothing."

 

Mr./Ms. tilts her head with a smile on her face, and she can't say anything more.

He sighed a little as if he couldn't help it, and continued to speak.

 

"So, do you want to get some fish?"

「…… Yes?"

 

Eh, Saka...... Fish?

Mr./Ms.'s sudden proposal made me cry out in love.

 

 

 

A river that flows with a rustling and quiet sound.

If you look into the water, the water is so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom, and you can see several fish swimming.

 

「…… It's cold."

 

For some reason, I came with Mr./Ms. to the river flowing near the village.

Sitting on the riverbank, with only his bare feet dipped in the water, he turns his gaze to Mr./Ms. who is standing in the middle of the river.

 

"When I think of rivers, I think of fishing, but if you think about it, I don't have a fishing rod and I can't make one. I don'...... need a fishing rod!"

"Huh......"

"Huh, don't praise me."

 

Mr./Ms. Usato has a satisfied smile on her face and is accompanied by a familiar owl on her shoulder before she knows it.

 

"What are you doing Mr./Ms. Usato......?"

"As you can see, it's a fish catcher."

"See, right?"

 

…… What, with your bare hands?

Naturally, I was surprised that I took off my shoes and entered the river, but did you really want to catch it with your bare hands?

The Demon King was still alive before the resurrection of humans, but the nature of the current Demon King Territory and the animals there have recovered considerably, so river fish should not be so easy to catch.

 

"Grab it? No, no, no--Nair, the spell of restraint."

 

When Bosori and Mr./Ms. murmur something, his right hand is covered in the black magic of dark magic.

He raised his fist and slammed it into the water with unbelievable speed.

 

"——— fist!"

 

At that moment, the surface of the water bursts when Mr./Ms. Usato slams his fist.

When something purple spurs around the water, about a dozen fish float up. He's breathing, but somehow he seems to be stuck.

 

"Okay......"

 

Mr./Ms. quickly caught about six fish, and the remaining four that were just floating began to move energetically as if they had regained their breath.

 

"Hey, how did you do it now!?"

"What? A...... I knocked the fish unconscious with the force of hitting the surface of the water."

"Can you do that with dark magic?!"

 

If I could, I'd like to do it.

When I asked her about such thoughts, Mr./Ms. was blatantly upset.

 

"No, this doesn't have much to do with dark magic, it's a technique that can be done with brawn and other factors."

"Arm strength...... U, does Mr./Ms. have great arm strength? It's monstrous!!"

"Hoh!"

 

The owl on Mr./Ms.'s shoulder pressed its mouth with its wings, shaking its small body.

No, come to think of it, it was the same when he protected us from a pack of hangwolves. Even from the point of view of the demon tribe, he threw the Hang Wolf with great power, and considering his power, it was not surprising.

 

"Oh, come on, what's the point of laughing?"

"Whew"

 

An owl flies from his shoulder as if to escape from Mr./Ms., who is angry with his cheeks twitching.

Flapping its wings in the air, the owl headed towards my shoulder...... What?!

Suddenly, an owl jumps on his shoulder and startles him as if he were jumping.

 

"Usato Mr./Ms., what should I do?"

"He's got a smart run...... He's going to be fine. I'm basically quiet and I won't hurt you."

"Ho-ho-ho"

 

Well, if you try to calm down, you may be quiet...... The squeak is a little strange, though.

If you reach out to this child on your shoulder, he will hold out his head, and he will seem to understand your words.

When I stroked it fearfully, it squinted pleasantly.

 

"Huh."

「……」

 

Oh, this is a creature that is completely degrading to man.

Perhaps Mr./Ms. must have been fascinated by this child.

After stroking it for a while, Mr./Ms. Usato raised her right hand to catch the fish.

Then, the owl on his shoulder jumped up, stayed on Mr./Ms.'s right arm, and jumped straight to his shoulder.

 

"Well, the fish is caught, let's go back."

「…… Yes."

 

I can't help but feel depressed, but Mr./Ms. Usato's smile at me.

 

"Haha, you can do whatever you want when you get back."

"Are you sure!?"

"Huh!?"

 

Feeling ashamed that I had made a loud noise, I followed Mr./Ms. Usato along the roadless road that led to the village where Gref and the others were.

 

"Did you feel refreshed?"

「……?」

"Yesterday's training made you look very impatient, so I thought it would be nice if I could feel better while I regained my magic."

 

It is true that I ignored Mr./Ms.'s words and trained myself to be able to handle my magic. Because of that, he was so reckless that his magic power was almost exhausted, and he also caused trouble for Mr./Ms. Usato.

 

"Mr./Ms., Lamb and Rose were worried."

"Gref and the others ......."

 

The moment I hear the names of Gref, a bad idea comes to my mind.

It's the worst possible future where my magic strikes the Grefs, hurts them, and finally takes their lives.

It's disgusting.

I don't want that to happen.

He tells himself that if he learns how to use dark magic from Mr./Ms., he will be fine, but he can't erase the imagination that comes to his mind.

 

"Um, Mr./Ms. Usato."

"Hmm?"

"I...... May I accompany you on your journey?"

 

I had unconsciously uttered such words.

By the time he noticed, it was already too late, and Mr./Ms. Usato stopped on the spot remained silent and did not say anything.

I was horrified by the reaction, and I opened my mouth with my own emotions.

 

"Wow, I don't want to hurt anyone! Gref, Rosé, and Lamb...... No one else...... Whew!"

「……」

"So, Mr./Ms. Usato will stop me and tell me about dark magic--"

"Keira, I'm sorry, I can't do that."

 

For a moment, I couldn't understand what Mr./Ms. Usato was saying.

 

"Our journey has a purpose, and we can't take you for that purpose."

"Why......

"It's an important mission, and I can't put you in danger."

 

Is it true?

It may be that they have said something random and have been rejected.

Aren't you lying to me as a child?

Such a voice of doubt echoes in my head.

Pushing the heartless words, I still desperately appeal.

 

"Wow, I still can't learn how to handle magic like this! So...... Whew!"

"It's okay, I know...... You don't have to lie."

 

He even found out that he was lying.

If this continues, Mr./Ms. will be left behind. Like your father Mr./Ms. and mother's Mr./Ms., like when you tried to use me as bait for a monster that I didn't need.

No good. No, no, no.

Mr./Ms. still talks to me, shaking with agitation.

 

"I was wrong, it's not your magic that you don't believe in. It's you."

"Oh my God, I don't care about myself! You can't believe it!!"

 

In response to Mr./Ms.'s calm tone, I raise my voice.

I was questioned face-to-face, and I realized it.

I didn't believe in myself.

 

"I was a child who deserved to be abandoned! I was born with dark magic! He wasn't a good kid for his father Mr./Ms. and mother Mr./Ms. so he was abandoned!!"

「……」

"I was the only one who thought it was family, and it was a lie! It was just that I was scared, and they hated me all the time!!"

 

I know it's wrong to complain to Mr./Ms. about this, but I can't stop the black emotions that welling up from the depths of my heart.

 

"If I hadn't survived and Gref hadn't picked me up, I wouldn't have had to worry about Rose or Ram getting hurt!" I didn't have to worry about being shunned by the people around me and giving Gref a hard time! Because of me, everyone will be scared and the people we care about will be unhappy!"

「…… Keira"

"If I die in the dark forest then--"

"Kee-lah!!"

 

Mr./Ms. Usato shouted loudly and returned to me.

Mr./Ms. Usato in front of me is looking behind me with dark magic on his arms.

 

"Don't look back, walk slowly."

"Usato, Mr./Ms.......?"

"It came out of your bodythat person・・・I'll do something about it. That's why ......!"

 

——— there's something right behind me.

When I look at my feet, I can see that the dark magic that I had unconsciously activated spreads out at my feet, and it flows behind me.

Tormented by the sensation of a large amount of magic draining from my body, I involuntarily looked back.

There's ———、

 

"——— Death Ndesimae"

 

Something as thin as a skeleton, something that far exceeded my height.

It swung down at me, snapping its knife-like fingers.

___________________________________________________

Kira was just desperate because she didn't want to hurt anyone.

The ...... that half of the reason why it looked suspicious was because the dark magic was acting strangely.