Hello everyone! I'm back!
I present you with the 9th and (most likely) penultimate chapter of the NovelsNomi.
It took me more time than planned and I originally intended to put one more (important-ish) scene here, but I decided to leave it for the next chapter.
Not much to say, let's get this show on the road!
(* * *)
Previously on The World Light Novels Only Know:
After meeting Tōru and Asami on the street the two girls prepare food for Keima (and themselves) and feed him. Tōru, Asami and Eri play Cluedo (at which Asami excels) and then make Keima join them for a round of Monopoly (with Keima reigning supreme). A few interesting moments happen, including Tōru revealing Mio and Yui went to her school at some point, Asami somehow going on a happy (and embarrassing) rant about how wonderful existences humans are and how exciting and diverse the "gang" around Keima is.
Keima himself has a few interesting observations concerning Tōru and Asami, but also other girls, himself and the Japanese population in general. The last monologue is witnessed by an invisible Haqua.
So... while at first glance everything seems back to normal... it seems some things might be changing...
4 more girls were added to the cast... the entire "gang" becomes a bit more close-knit, more people getting used to everyone else... and Keima starts to think... things... I wonder where it will lead us.
Let's find out!
Enjoy!
(* * *)
"It's freezing!" Eri whined, pulling her cute, but not very cold-proof cap down to cover more of her face. "Why is it so cold?"
It was a chilly Tuesday morning and the Katsuragi twins were walking to school. The sun was not only weak and just rising, but it was also blocked by the thick and heavy blanket of lead-colored clouds covering the skies. There was no snow yet, but the temperature was low and the chilly wind running wildly across the street wasn't helping either.
"It's December morning on the northern hemisphere... of course it's freezing," Keima replied, seemingly not noticing the cold himself, glove-wrapped hands clicking PFP buttons as expertly as usual. "Did you really expect it to be warm all year long? Wait till the middle of January, you'll see what cold actually means."
"Ugh," Eri uttered. She never thought she'd say it, but she'd rather inside the warm school than outside at this.
"Hey!" a third voice spoke some distance behind them, making the two teens turn around, though both knew who they'd see.
"Ayumi-san!" Eri spoke excitedly. "Good morning."
Indeed, the jacket-clothed teen ran up to them and stopped in front of them.
"Good... morning," she said, trying to catch her breath.
"Morning," Keima said and resumed his walking, eyes on his game. Part of him hoped that the runner just, well, ran into them by accident, it wasn't the first time it really happened, but knowing his luck he should know better.
A few moments later he was proven correct.
"Umm, could I have a word with you in private?" Ayumi asked. Apparently, it was a rhetorical question, because the girl grabbed Keima's arm and dragged him to the side without waiting for the answer.
"W-what is it?" Keima asked. For some reason, Ayumi seemed to be acting rather gentle (at least for her standards). Keima didn't mind that, but he was wary, so he tried to not say anything insensitive that would get him kicked across the street. Surprisingly, it went easier than he expected.
"I remember," Ayumi told him.
"Remember what?"
"Those girls from yesterday, Akuragawa-san and Fuse... san," Ayumi clarified.
"You expected to forget them?" Keima asked
"Not like that!" Ayumi snapped. "Listen, I know what we did yesterday, I mean not all the details, but I understand what happened and I didn't remember them, but now..."
"You remember them?" Keima wasn't sure if he should be surprised at this point.
"I do," Ayumi confirmed, "I don't know, when I was going to sleep the idea those girls were there was bizarre, but when I woke up today the thought that I didn't remember them was the bizarre one..."
"How about Asami?" Keima questioned and when Ayumi looked at him, confused, he continued. "Asami Yoshino, our classmate."
"Yoshino-san? What about her?" Ayumi asked.
"Do you remember her being involved?"
"Yes?" Ayumi said uncertainly. "How I could forget about that one, it was both amusing and annoying seeing you had trouble between her and... that other... blonde..." Ayumi slowed down at the end, gaze becoming distant before it refocussed again, "should I be remembering this?" she asked, though Keima felt it was rhetorical as well.
"I guess so," Keima said, "and yes, they seemed to be in a similar position to Aoba and Shino."
"What's going on"? Ayumi asked and Keima sensed fear in her voice. "I mean, this kinda is like Mel said... but how is that possible? How could I remember them and at the same time know I shouldn't?"
"It's not new though," Keima said shortly.
Ayumi looked at him weirdly. "What do you mean?"
"Isn't it the same with Eri?" he pointed at his sister. "She wasn't my sister. Then she was. Since the incident with Satyr you remember both, yet you never really freaked out over her or what she actually did to you, to all of us."
"But it was Eri," Ayumi said as if it explained everything, "it's someone I know."
"Don't be stupid, what happened yesterday was done by Eri too, you know," he countered, "and it not just Eri. Thanks to Satyr's incident all you've learned something you had no idea about before."
"That's different!" Ayumi said. "Ever since Mel happened, magic was a given, so things like sharing memories weren't that much of a surprise," she paused, "but merging timelines? What if we started something bad that will come back at us?"
"Then it'll come," Keima said calmly, "from what I've been told, the only other option we had yesterday was death, so we had no choice and whatever happens, it will still be better than just giving up and dying."
"I don't get how you can just accept something so outrageous so easily," Ayumi said.
"I'm just a human," Keima shrugged, "I don't know how this stuff works and we the space-time continuum physically collapses on us at some point then I'll be the most useless... Devils and goddesses can worry about that stuff. Me thinking about it would be useless, so I'll just move on."
"So as long as it doesn't disturb your gaming, you'll ignore it?" she asked, not really surprised.
"If it's not broken, don't try to fix it... now let's get going," he said as he went back to his game, "if I have to attend school, then I'd rather not be late."
(* * *)
The school looked as usual, at least on the surface: people were still walking to their classrooms or just milling about in general, either ignoring Keima or snarking at him. The first thing that was unusual (though one half of Keima's brain told him to get used to it, cause it was pretty normal at this point) was Yui waiting at him in front of his classroom. Granted, she didn't openly jump at him or anything, but she started asking if he was alright and clearly proved she hasn't learned the concept of 'private space' since the last time Keima had seen her.
Fortunately, Ayumi's company proved beneficial for once ("He looks fine, doesn't he? Leave him some space, girl, geez!"). Yui reluctantly let Keima pass, but she pulled Eri closer and starting talking to her. It could be something 2-B pencils-related, but the cross-dressed could also be plotting something as usual, Keima wasn't sure, as he entered the classroom. He expected the inside would be better, but he was mistaken. He barely had time to put his backpack on his desk when Chihiro approached him.
"Hey," the normal girl said.
"Hey," Keima said back, a little surprised because Chihiro walked closer than either of them would normally perceive as comfortable. "What's up?"
"I remember," Chihiro said in an excited whisper and Keima knew what she meant before she continued, "the two girls from yesterday! I remember them! And not just from your memories, but I remember them afterward too, like from the railway station... but at the same time I kinda know I didn't remember them before!"
"I've already told him that," Ayumi who appeared on Keima's other side whispered.
"By the way, where's Eri?" Chihiro asked Ayumi quietly. "Is everything alright?"
"She's fine," Ayumi said, "she was held up by Yui."
"Don't you think you two should sit down now?" Keima suggested.
"Huh, why?" Ayumi turned to the door. "Nikaidō-sensei is not yet here and we have still some time left before the homeroom."
"It's not that!" Keima said.
"Then what?"
"Don't you think you're acting weird?"
Both girls blinked.
"Weird how?" Chihiro asked.
"You're by my desk first thing in the morning and talking to me like you've known me for years!" he said.
"We kinda have known you for years, in a way," Chihiro said quietly, her eyes narrowing, "would it kill you to be nice for once?"
"Now it actually could!" Keima said.
"What do you mean.
Keima fought the urge to groan. "You've shunned me like everyone else for months! And now you're talking to me, the otamegane, openly like that! Look around! People are already looking weird at you! Think about your reputation!"
He thought they both just got too excited or scared of what happened yesterday and went overboard and didn't notice that the entire classroom could see and, in fact, was looking at them. Keima expected they'd just back up when he pointed that. Maybe blush or hit him in the process, but would back up.
"You're impossible!" Ayumi scoffed before she crossed her arms over her chest. "Let me get this straight," she looked at him with a glare, "in your letter, don't deny it, I saw it, in your letter you called me your friend and you said I'd run hundreds of kilometers to help my friends and yet, you think I would and should stay away from you because my high school reputation is at stake?"
"Well said!" Chihiro nudged Ayumi with a smile, before turning to Keima. "Besides, think about my reputation? Well, jokes on you, my reputation is mediocre at best anyway."
Keima just looked at the two of them, perplexed by the stubborn expression on their faces. Before he could react, he heard a chime signaling the start of the homeroom, after which Eri entered the class hurriedly, followed shortly by Nikaidō.
"Everyone on your seats! The homeroom is about to start!" the teacher said in her usual tone. "And Katsuragi, if I get as much as a glimpse of you playing games, you're staying after class!"
"I'm starting to think she actually wants you to play so you'd be forced to stay after class," Chihiro whispered to him as she walked back to her desk.
The homeroom soon started, but Keima didn't pay much attention, his thoughts on what had happened a moment ago. On some level, this was more concerning that the timelines merge thing... the latter was seemingly over and done with, nothing more he could do about it... but the former was different. It was yet another intrusion of the real that wasn't going to go away by itself, especially since it was one he had invited himself.
And to add to it, Keima felt this funny prickling at the back of his head and he was ready to bet it was because a certain Asami Yoshino was watching him throughout the entire homeroom.
(* * *)
If Keima were to say that the next few days proceeded completely normal, he'd be lying.
First, as expected, his classmates were surprised by Ayumi and Chihiro talking willingly to him like that. Keima tried once again to talk some sense into them, explain that if they wanted to talk to him, they could do that after school, that there was no need to risk their high-school reputations... unfortunately, it didn't work.
As for Chihiro, she either sang "I can't hear you" or pretended to be deaf altogether, ignoring all of his arguments.
Ayumi was a bit different. She listened to him and even replied. In her words, Keima could either leave her be or get his ass kicked, and that regardless of which option he chose, she'd continue to talk to him and treat him however she wanted whether he liked it or not.
Needless to say, Keima gave up. He at least tried. If they ended up with fingers being pointed at them, it was their business.
Second, on Wednesday he saw a small crowd of people in one of the school corridors. Normally, he'd ignore it (he should have ignored it, in fact), but he recognized one of the voices. So he looked closer and it turned out it was a sort of confrontation between Yui and Aoba.
Yui was the one being a bit loud. She wasn't looking very confident. Keima surmised the cross-dresser expected Aoba would act similar to how she acted on Monday: aggressive, brazen and rude, but underestimated her adversary. Aoba was seemingly playing dumb, pretending if she didn't know what Yui's deal was. She was acting polite and confused, managing to come across as a poor victim of unfounded bullying.
Keima just moved on, figuring out intervening openly could be one of the worst choices to make here.
Much, much later on that day, however, while lying in his bed after a gaming session, Keima thought.
He saw everyone (well, everyone that knew about it) freak out about the timeline merge thing, but for Keima it wasn't that big of a deal. Yes, it kinda was big deal, but that was at the time. It happened, it succeeded, it was over. Case closed.
Of course, there were still some unexplained things about that, but Keima wasn't sure whether he wanted to know more... it was magical and real business... which meant he, a human residing in the ideal, shouldn't be concerned with it anymore.
No, the timeline thing wasn't what he was worried about really... it was 'a human residing in the ideal' that he was thinking about...
Of course, he was still connected with the ideal. His views on his games didn't change. Neither did his views on most of the real...
...'most' being the operative word here.
Aside from a few situations, it's been relatively calm recently, but Keima knew it was in big part due to the mail he had sent shortly after everyone had received the memories, asking everyone to let him be for a bit...
That was 2 weeks ago however. Keima knew the current 'calmness' could not last forever. It wasn't like in games where the status quo would remain despite ridiculous amounts of impulse pointing otherwise. No, those were real people... people that for one reason or another were part of his immediate reality. Sure, he didn't really expect to hear from some of them too often, but the sheer number of people would mean he'd have to deal with them on a daily basis... and some of them, like Yui and Aoba, would certainly be more troublesome.
Thinking of those last 2 girls reminded him of another issue. It was clear as day that the cross-dresser and the gamer still harbored feelings for him and haven't given up on him. Sumire was similar, maybe she wasn't so active (probably because she lived in another city), but her intentions were obvious as well. Keima wasn't sure about the rest, but it was safe to assume that they had a romantic interest in him as well, just weren't so active... for now.
Keima knew he could pretend all he liked, but the truth was he was surprisingly useless at making the girls dislike him. "No-one could like a six-timing bastard" thing didn't work and the goddess hosts didn't hate him. All the bad things he had done to Chihiro and Ayumi didn't make them hate him either, not for long at least. The only thing he could do now was to continue to push everyone away, but he didn't want to do it for two reasons.
First, he doubted it'd be effective.
And second, he didn't really want to push everyone away... no matter how troublesome dealing with this inevitable predicament promised to be...
He didn't really know what to do about all this.
Maybe this was some after-effect of the timeline merge thing...
Maybe he was just tired...
And with that thought, he fell asleep.
(* * *)
"Katsuragi-kun," Keima heard his name being called.
It was Thursday and the bell signaling the start of the lunch break rang just a moment ago, half the class was already up and out of the room or chatting with their classmates.
Keima turned to Nikaidō, who was the one calling him.
"Yes?" he said uncertainly.
"Come with me," Nikaidō replied curtly.
"What did I do this time?" Keima asked, as he was led out of the classroom, though he was pretty sure he didn't actually do anything.
"Just follow me," the other woman said, walking down the corridor, before speaking up, "oh, has Eri calmed down? Is she back to normal?"
"I think so," Keima said, "why?"
"Just making sure," she replied, "I doubt it'll matter anyway."
Keima remained quiet, but his curiosity was piqued when Nikaidō led him to the shoe lockers.
"Change your shoes and grab your jacket," she told him, "we're going outside."
"You're not leading me behind the library to shoot me or tie me up and hand me over to aliens for experimentation?" he asked when they exited the high-school building.
"Where did you get that scenario from... actually don't tell me that, I don't want to know," Nikaidō replied, "we're going somewhere where no-one will interrupt or eavesdrop... though it irks me that we're using school grounds for this."
"You sound almost like a real teacher," Keima said and wasn't really surprised when he got a smack on his head in return.
"Shut up!" Nikaidō said, cheeks colored from embarrassment. Or anger.
(* * *)
"Here," Nikaidō said finally, "go in there."
They were in one of the two southern buildings on the campus. Keima has never been in this particular building before. The interior wasn't in the best shape, most of the rooms seemed unused or full of various old equipment. Keima surmised the school was simply too big, the declining demography not being able to provide enough students, so the building was used as a big storage room. It wasn't even heated, inside felt barely warmer than the outside and mostly because of lack of wind.
The door Nikaidō was pointing to didn't look new either.
"You're not accompanying me inside?" Keima asked, seeing that the teacher turned to walk away.
"No," she said, "just because there's a lunch break doesn't mean I don't have things to do."
Keima wasn't sure what things Nikaidō had to do (aside from bullying the delinquents), but he shrugged and opened the door.
Inside of the room looked a bit squalid as well, but Keima paid it no heed, more interested in two figures that were sitting by one of desks.
The first was Haqua du lot Herminium, her clothes, purple hair and scythe looking out-of-place here. The other person, however, was an even more unusual sight in a shabby and unsightly place like this, despite the Mai-High uniform she was wearing.
"Vulcan?" Keima asked, though the crimson hair, squinted eyes, halo and wings certainly proved it wasn't Tsukiyo.
"Thank you for coming, Katsuragi," Haqua greeted him, "apologies for taking up your lunch break, but if you want, please help yourself," the devil pointed to a small pile of omelet-soba sandwiches on the desk."
Keima wasn't interested in sandwiches though.
"What are the two of you doing here?" he asked instead.
Vulcan snorted.
"I'm certainly not sightseeing," the goddess said, pun unintended before she turned to the devil, "what did it has to be here?" she asked, voice showing clear disdain for the sleazy and ugly room.
"Where else?" Haqua asked, voice irritated. "The high-school and middle-school buildings are full of students milling about! The auditorium and the main building are not safe! There are people in the gym and the library and the other south building are no good either! Hell, even the theater has the drama club people in there right now, doing some sort of play during the lunch break!"
"You were just scared of going to the theater," Vulcan hissed through her teeth.
"So unless you want to do this outside, or on a cold rooftop or inside a cave, we're doing it here," Haqua continued, ignoring the goddess' quip we're doing it here, "besides, you brought this upon yourself, so serves you right!" she quipped on her own, only to receive a glare from Vulcan.
"Why you-"
"You were the ones who called me here," Keima interrupted before their argument could go overboard, "and I'd rather be somewhere else on my lunch break too... so if you need me for something then say what it is or I'm leaving."
"Fine!" Haqua said, before addressing Keima in more calm and polite tone, "please have a seat, Katsuragi".
Keima did as he was told.
"I asked the Chief to bring you out here, because I convinced Vulcan-san," the devil indicated to the goddess, "that she really wanted to tell you something and I'm here to make sure she tells you the truth, all the truth and only the truth."
"Do I even want-do I need to hear it?" he asked. Whatever the two wanted to tell him, it probably was involving something paranormal and Keima didn't really want to get more of that. Especially, since Vulcan wasn't too keen on talking about it, if the murderous glare she was giving Haqua was any indication.
"If you care about the girls you seduced half as much as you claim to, then you damn should!" Haqua snapped.
"Are you implying I don't?" Keima narrowed his eyes and looked at the purple-haired woman.
"I didn't say that," the devil looked away, not being able to stand his gaze, actually seeming to be embarrassed by her own outburst.
"Alright, I bite it," Keima looked at Vulcan now, "what is this thing I need to know?"
"Let's start with the timeline merge thing," it was Haqua who spoke first, making Keima look at her, "did you perhaps wonder why only you were affected? Do you actually know what was happening to you when you were asleep?"
"Rimyuel said something was happening to my body, but nothing specific," Keima said.
"Why did it happen only to you?" the devil asked.
"I was needed to connect the timelines, apparently, right?" Keima replied with a question.
"Then why hadn't it happened to Eri as well?" Haqua said and when Keima paused she continued. "To keep it short and simple: from what we have gathered, when it had happened to you, it should have happened to more people, maybe to a lesser extent, but it should. Yet it didn't. And we think we know why."
"What's the reason then?" Keima asked.
"In short, it happened only to you because you were more sensitive to it thanks to what Vulcan and a few of your female friends," she emphasizes the word slightly, "did to you recently," Haqua finished, feeling a sense of satisfaction as she watched Keima's brow furrow, knowing that she got him interested.
Indeed, some of the dots that have been appearing at the back of Keima's mind for the last two weeks or so connected finally, revealing that there was some larger picture to unveil, nagging at him and he wanted to understand it.
"Explain," he demanded firmly, as his eyes landed on Vulcan.
"Very well, but remember: you asked for it yourself," the goddess replied, but Keima saw that it was a front as he noted, with more than a little satisfaction, that Vulcan wasn't as collected and stern as usual with him. For once he felt and like he wasn't the one of the two who was wrong and about to be threatened. He had to admit.
Whatever he was about to hear, he was thankful to Haqua for setting it up.
(* * *)
Ten minutes later, however, Keima has momentarily forgotten about being thankful to Haqua.
"You did what?" he snapped openly, exposing his less composed side, not caring if he was being loud.
"You heard me," Vulcan replied calmly, though she unwittingly leaned back in her chair a little.
"What right did you-" Keima started, but Vulcan beat him to it.
"And what right did you have to seduce, deceive and hurt innocent girls?" the goddess accused. "At least now you know how it feels to be used like that... that is if you're capable of such feelings."
Haqua massaged her forehead, unable to decide if Keima not screaming and Vulcan not calling him a filthy scum was above or below expectations at this point
"Don't you dare compare my actions to yours!" Keima rebutted and the devil noted that it was above expectations. She doubted Katsuragi from half a year ago would care enough about that to actually get offended after all.
"I was forced!" Keima continued. "I was acting to save my life!"
"That doesn't mean you haven't hurt people!" Vulcan retorted. "Did you even apologize to Tsu-everyone?"
"I did apologize at the railway station," Keima gritted his teeth, "or were you too blind and deaf to notice?"
"They cornered you, so you had no other choice but to grovel!" the goddess wasn't yielding. "You weren't really sorr-"
"I WAS FUCKING SORRY!" Keima shouted, leaning forward, hands clutching the desk. At this Vulcan froze, not even complaining about the volume, eyes wide open for once as she stared at seething Keima... before he slumped down, face hidden by his hair. "I was sorry..."
"Alright, I believe you," Haqua said, feeling really weird patting Keima's back and even weirder when he didn't push her away.
It was apparently a day of many firsts today...
"We believe you... in fact, Vulcan really wants to tell you something right now," the devil added, turning to the goddess, her eyes almost spelling 'you promised'.
Vulcan sighed. At least Tsukiyo wouldn't be conscious to witness it.
"I'm sorry for calling you a mongrel ugly womanizer and all other names I've called you in the past," Vulcan said, trying to sound solemn and honest, but she wasn't drawling. The faster she was done with this the better. "I am sorry for causing trouble for you and not believing in you. I'm sorry for endangering you and interfering with your missions. I'm sorry for accusing you of... things. I'm sorry for doing this thing without your consent," she finished.
If she thought that saying all this was embarrassing and humiliating enough then the silence and Keima's look made it even worse. Even Haqua was looking as if she was surprised she was hearing this, despite her being the one to suggest it in the first place.
"I'm sorry for hurting and deceiving you and Tsukiyo," Keima said slowly, "and for not showing you the respect you deserve."
"You're forgiven, just... mind your words a bit more," Vulcan replied. She started to straighten out non-existent wrinkles on Tsukiyo's school uniform. Haqua moved back from Keima and sat on her chair again, looking away, hands fiddling with the handle of her scythe. Keima just looked at the table in front of him, gaze distant.
For several seconds, the human, the goddess and the devil remained silent, the moment proving too out-of-character for their liking.
"So... we have established that both of you were deceiving people and hiding stuff at some point," Haqua started finally, trying to be gentle with her words, "we can agree this makes you both even in that regard... Katsuragi's deception had its merit though," Haqua turned to Vulcan, "perhaps you should now disclose the merits of your actions."
"Yes," the goddess straightened herself, "as Herminium-san explained at the beginning, it was my... solution that helped us get through the recent crisis."
"What do you mean?"
"We generally agreed that my orb was what caused you to be sensitive to other timelines. Normally this would not have any side-effects, but when the timelines diverged too much, they started to exert 'pressure' on each other, like a spring which tries to spring back more the more you stretch it... this caused the timelines to resonate. We theorize thus would have affected everyone and ultimately results in our reality collapsing, but, as I said, thanks to my orb, you were more sensitive to that kind of resonation, which resulted in your coma, which we used as a symptom and acted with counter-measures before the situation escalated beyond recovery."
"That's the truth," Haqua concurred, "and while I certainly disagree with some aspects of it, I do have to admit it was helpful in the end... so I thank you... and I apologize," she finished, turning to Vulcan, cheeks red: it was obvious admitting that was hard for the devil.
Vulcan simply nodded.
"Not sure I feel that way about thanking someone for something they didn't actually predict or mean, but I guess it was helpful," Keima said, "is that the only merit?"
"No, it's not the only one," Vulcan replied, "and I think you should be one of the people being able to appreciate the other merit."
Keima raised his eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Setting the girls free," the goddess said firmly.
"What do you mean?" Keima asked and the goddess visibly rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean!" Vulcan said. "As stupid as you can be, you can not see or not know that they're still in love with you! The way things are, everyone is at a disadvantage. We, the goddesses, cannot leave our hosts and our hosts have to deal with our presence. The hosts also cannot move as long as they remain in love with you, you said that yourself. True, they can move on with time, but my solution is faster! And most important," Vulcan looked at him, "this will give you the friends you want."
"The friends I want?" Keima repeated.
"Don't play dumb!" the goddess said in an annoyed voice. "You can be insensitive and rude and inconsiderate, but you do consider them your friends. You said so in the letter to Diana's host, your behavior in this conversation earlier confirms that as well."
"And how is your thing supposed to help with that?" the gamer asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Vulcan said impatiently. "When this thing is over, the girl in question loses her feelings for you, which means she lets go of that burden and can finally see in the way you want her to see you: as a friend."
Keima just looked at the goddess, dumbfounded.
"Taking from Katsuragi's reaction, it's safe to assume he also finds it unlikely that it was your true reason for doing this," Haqua said, turning to Vulcan, "what are your plans concerning your host?"
"Tsukiyo's her own person and she'll decide what to do!" the goddess replied curtly.
"You're avoiding the question," the devil said, then sighed, "but no matter," she then turned to Keima again, "actually there's one more reason we wanted to talk to you."
"I hope there's no a third orb," Keima said sarcastically.
"It's more like fifth, to be honest," Haqua replied.
"What?" Keima asked.
"There was the Chief's original orb and then there were 3 orbs for Ayumi, Mio and Kanon," Haqua said, "so four in total. The next one would be fifth."
"Sixth including my testing orb, but whatever," Vulcan said.
"Anyway, normally I'd leave things like that, even discourage such ideas," Haqua continued, "but unfortunately, we don't have that luxury right now."
"What do you mean by that?" Keima asked.
"Basically we're alive because the orb served as an early-warning system, right?" the devil said. "However, even with that being said, we still don't know if it's over. What if something went wrong?"
Keima sighed. What Haqua was saying was similar to what Ayumi and Chihiro had said a few days before, but Keima didn't understand why the devil was telling him this now. It wasn't his concern anymore and besides, there was no way to tell if something was still-wait.
"You don't mean-" he started out loud.
"That's right," Haqua said, "we can detect if there's still something wrong the same way we did it the first time: to use Vulcan's orb."
"Just to be clear, we can do it in a different way," Vulcan interjected, "with no girls involved, just as a checking mechanism... but if we're going to do it anyway, then it wouldn't hurt to give another girl a chance... if you and the girl in question agree of course."
"And who is the girl in question?" he asked.
Honestly, he wasn't sure that knowing which girl would it be was such a good idea... but he had no idea what else he could say right now and somehow he couldn't stand staying silent.
"Well, there's still Tenri, Yui, Shiori and Tsukiyo," Haqua said, "I suppose if we're to go with the previous order, Shiori would be next... though we haven't actually asked yet."
"We wanted to inform you first," Vulcan said.
"And get your approval first," Haqua added with emphasis. Keima opened his mouth, but the devil continued, "you're free to ignore my advice, but I'll give it anyway: don't decide now. Sleep on it first. We can give you one day," that last part seemed to be directed more at Vulcan, "how does it sound?"
"I think..." Keima started after a moment. "I think I'll take you on that advice."
Haqua nodded.
"Thank you," she said before standing up, "I think we're done here."
"Very well," Vulcan replied, "the sooner we get out of this filthy place the better."
For once Keima fully agreed with the eldest goddess.
(* * *)
Okay, here you have it.
It was not a very intensive chapter, but it was interesting nonetheless.
So first, as you can see, the merge "awareness" has propagated as Mercury have predicted. So now everyone will remember Aoba, Shino, Tōru and Asami being involved (Keima conquering them, they appearing at the railway station along with other girls etc.). Similarly, Aoba, Shino,
Tōru and Asami will now remember everyone else (including Jun, Minami, Rieko and Sumire) being involved.
This explains some more stuff concerning the merge, but probably not everything (hopefully we'll see more in the next chapter). Also I understand if it seems jarring, but as Keima explained it's not like we haven't seen it before: goddess hosts regain their memories at some point (so although what they remember has no doubt happened, it still felt weird to them at first). Moreover, Eri changing reality is even better example with people being both aware of what she is and what she was too.
Anyway, it's Flag 95. This series of mine has been going for 95 chapters, and 76 chapters since Vulcan's orb was introduced... and finally, finally Keima learns of its existence.
His reaction is both underwhelming and overwhelming and Keima has now to decide whether this practice should continue (or at least happen one more time). It might be too early to fully explain what happened here and why Keima, Haqua and Vulcan reacted the way they did, but let's try to make some highlights:
1. Vulcan apologized (extensively) to Keima.
2. Haqua apologized and thanked Vulcan.
3. Keima apologized to Vulcan.
4. Keima used swear words and admitted he cares about people close to him. We have seen that before (more or less vaguely) in manga canon and in earlier chapters of Nomis (even outside of Vulcan's orb), but this here is more direct and it also might be a sign of something greater, which brings me to the next point.
5. Keima, Haqua and Vulcan are acting a bit weird here and they all realize that. I don't want to call their behavior out-of-character (especially as both my beta-readers didn't get that feeling, btw. thanks to Sir Sleeps-a-lot and ZelgadisGW for beta-reading this), because there are some reasons why this is happening.
Part of it is the timeline merge and Satyr's collected memories. The entire group or "gang" becomes more aware of stuff, more close-knit, once could say they have become mentally older (by getting to experience other people's worldviews, goals and worries), also physical time is passing too... people are understanding each other better, forgiving each other, learning from each other.
This is true for Keima too... but there's one more thing that is tied to just him (or mostly him). I hopefully will be able to explain it better somewhere in the future (possibly in the next chapter).
Going back to the plot: the orb, I mean the cat is out of the bag now and Keima is given the time to , what his decision will be and who the next girl will be (if any) remains a mystery. I'm pretty sure you have no idea what will happen, have you? :P
Anyway, I hope you liked this rather weird chapter.
From other stuff, I was wondering for a time whether revealing the truth about Vulcan's orb to Keima was a good idea... but I have to admit: I really like the side effect of it: Haqua earning points in Keima's book for setting it up and Keima not being the bad guy around Vulcan for once.
Cause, seriously, Keima needs both recognition and the story needs more Haqua x Keima moments. ;)
Also, curiously, one of the drawbacks of including the Light Novel girls is that I'm bound to confuse "Ayumi", "Asami" and "Amami" at some point. I almost made that mistake somewhere in this chapter already. xD
Moving on, as usual, I want to thank you for all your reviews, favs and follows. Here are the replies to the latest reviews:
Ghost Man: Thank you for your review. They are always great to read :). Yup, of course, games are oxygen, it's taught in kindergarten :P. Heh, I guess rich would use that term and rich people are rare indeed :P. Lol, never hard actual tempura, I just made up stuff... though the potatoes/meat thing is kinda based on Polish stuff :P. Never played Cluedo myself before... and I played Eurobusiness instead of Monopoly. Yup, Asami might not be my all-time favorite, but she should prove plenty interesting at times. Heh, not sure Tōru can read Keima, but she makes a point. Lol, Keima could definitely have some real-estate and live off renting it xD. Lol, was it an Ace Attorney joke? Lol, not sure I get that Dio reference either :P. Yup, lots of heroines in school and even some outside of it :P. And ranting Asami is adorable indeed :P. Lol, Mari learning stuff is always one of the most dangerous things for Keima :P. Yeah, that monologue at the end was kinda impromptu, but I hear you man :P.
Big Bad Beowulf: Hello :). Thanks for the review! Glad you liked the interactions! Heh, I like the devil-god-angel dynamics between Eri, Keima and Tōru :P. Yup, it was my headcanon that Yui and Mio attended all-rich school before and it ties wonderfully with the canon too :). Yup, one could say Asami acts like me, fangirling when she sees KamiNomi characters interacting together. Hope you liked this chapter as well!
William F Somebody (chapter 7): it's fine, we all have a lot of work to do, I understand. I hope your writing will go well. I love the double review :). Yup, it's Aoba vs Shino combat! I just assume Aoba couldn't bait Shino by being polite and she can just always fix her reputation afterwards (especially since everyone now knows she was bluffing). Well, Aoba thought insulting might scare the rivals off and she needed to behave consistently... but still Aoba does believe she's the only one fit for Keima. Yes, Aoba doesn't think she caught up to Keima yet in terms of skill, but they're not having teaching meetings, so she's "disciple in spirit" for now. For now it seems obvious Aoba would not want to use the orb. Those three are indeed one of the least likely to use the orb, but how does it go in the end, we'll see. Chihiro was encouraging others to use it after AyumiNomi too. Yup, Aoba is really scary, I'm not actually sure how to handle her so she wouldn't be too over-powered :P. Yup, it's Tōru! :) Well, the quirky side (like clothes) is mostly an act, but Tōru's fond of it so :P. Yup, Asami's great in this chapter! :) Heh, how exactly Tōru feels about Keima and how far she wants to go is not 100% clear (even after this chapter), but you have a point.
William F Somebody (chapter 8): Okay, the first thing to explain:
Satyr only collected relevant memories. It's basically more or less what we have seen in canon. When there was something relevant to the conquest itself, it'd appear in the collective memories (the source being either the girl in question or, more likely, Keima). So the things Keima knew about Tōru in the novel, he knows them now too... but he doesn't know about other things about her life: before her conquest and after the conquest. He might also asks what he alrady knows to understand her better or to check what she remembers, but generally it's how I said it. And thus, the merge seems complete (at least for Keima, but by now you know it has happened for others as well). Aoba questioning Shino is similar: basically the only things Aoba knows about Shino is what we know from the novel and the novel mentioned rather little about her, making her the heroine we actually know the least about. So no, nothing "protects" Shino. Shino knows about Aoba's slapping Keima the same way Aoba knows about Shino thrashing Keima's game. But Shino doesn't know who Aoba's parents are and similarly Aoba didn't know what was the specifics of Shino's childhood trauma. No, I don't think Asami would tell Ikumi anything about this, because, like everyone else who received the memories, she received a contract from Haqua, forbidding her to share the info without permission. How to hide it from Ikumi and introducing Ikumi in general would be very interesting though :P. I guess having to keep secrets from Ikumi would be troublesome, but alas... Well, to be honest I just needed excuse for Tōru to know how to cook... but I managed to weave it into the scene believably :P. Yup, it's been quite some time since we had girls actually vie (I know nice words too, see? :P) for Keima's attention like that :P. Yup, Asami and Keima can play board games. Sometimes :P. Yup, Tōru and Asami are one of the few girls (aside from Elsie) who consider Keima good-looking ("having striking eyes", "being handsome" and "his good-looking face being his only redeeming quality" respectively). And Tōru's kinda wary of guys in general. Yeah, Asami has it hard: likes people, but can't get too close. Fortunatelly, she's now a bit more comfortable with being closer... and with coming to terms that she can't stay as close as she'd have liked. Yup, Asami certainly understand some inter-people stuff that Keima doesn't :P. You're right, Asami is just observing... I hope what would happen if she actually put that knowledge to good use. Nope, Asami was just embarrassed and just pushed Tōru in a random direction :P. Keima should figure out the mask thing, but he's just to oblivious. If he figured that then he would've also figured out that Haqua was in love with him muuuuch earlier :P. And he might know Asami's in love with him, but he just doesn't realize she's only (well, mostly) using that mask when around him now... especially since he only sees her when she's around him so... :P Yup, as you've seen in this current chapter: Keima actually cares a lot. Yup, there's Haqua indeed! And more Haqua this chapter. And I can promise there'll be Haqua next chapter too ;).
Mint-Car92: Hello to you as well :). Yup, Tsukiyo's a bit tsundere, at least in my opinion. Yup, but getting on a large gaming binge would probably be bad too :P. I'm sorry for your economy class thing... I guess Tōru's class a bit different... besides, she probably put more effort into it than just what she was taught in school, she might dislike that food's always prepared for her by others. Also mind it's almost half of December in-story now and Tōru's conquest was probably in May/June, so she had pretty much half a year after her conquest to do something in her life, so maybe she took a hobby, who knows :P. Yup, but Mio being in a different school makes sense and Yui being in different school is pretty much canon :P. Lol not sure Ryōcould afford that kinda school, but that is interesting possibility indeed :P. Maybe I should have Ryō start hitting on Tōru though, just to see him getting pummeled :D. Yup, Keima understands his former conquest targets better now, so that's interesting :). Glad you liked my Japanese society monologue thing, it was kinda spur of the moment thing though :P. Well, Hinoki might've lived overseas, but she's of Japanese descent and her "escape" to USA was kinda-ish caused by similar societal issue, at least in my opinion :P. Yeah, Haqua's appearances are always nice. The salvation thing you're saying is both interesting and a bit worrying... I wonder if the girls are not becoming too reliant on Keima... then again I love the prince-princess relation between Keima and Tōru :P. Yup, Asami's plenty overjoyed about getting the memories. Hm... I actually wonder how well could Asami understand Keima... would she understand him better than he thinks she would? :P Thank you once again, I hope you liked this chapter as well :).
El Sasori69 (chapter 7): The Pencil was reference to a manga chapter where Fiore uses that, reasoning that Haqua is thin and has brains only good for studying. And the "hi-to" is Tōru changing from almost saying "to his room" into saying "to your room". She just didn't want Keima to go onto a multi-screen gaming marathon. Anyway, thank for the review :).
El Sasori69 (chapter 8): Welcome back! :) Glad I managed to cheer you up, hope you're doing alright. It's been a few months since Keima conquered Aoba so she most likely has an extensive gaming collection :P. Basically, the Aoba you see here is pretty much the same as from the novels. As for your other question, no, there are no three Aoba, there were only two Aoba's (from manga timeline and from light novels timeline). After they merge they have combined into one. The same goes for everyone else like Chihiro, Keima, or Eri. However, one version usually takes priority. For Aoba, Shino, Tōru and Asami the novel version takes priority (hence they act as we know from novels), while for others the manga version takes priority... there might be some exceptions though... not sure if I'll get to talk about it, we'll see about it in the next chapter. As for why Aoba doesn't have info on Shino, I explained it in a reply to William F Somebody's review above: Aoba only knows as much as Keima knew about Shino and Keima knew relatively little. Satyr copied only this much too, because they weren't interested in anything else. So sorry, no three Aoba's :P.
Okay, that's all for now!
See you next time!