Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World Chapter 7, an arifureta shokugyou de sekaisaikyou/ありふれた職業で世界最強 fanfic

Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World

Chapter 7: Similar Emergency, Different Mindsets

The first thing he felt when he woke was the sudden urge to hurl.

"MMMRRRGGG! KARK UKOH! ARRRGH! KOH!"

But the feeling was empty. Instead, a coughing fit threatened to tear his throat apart. Pain surged through him, causing his body to convulse and shiver in cold sweat.

"The minister's awake. I need a healer here now. One of Apostle-sama's Respite spells—!"

"AAARRRGHHH!"

He didn't register who spoke. Only that it was an adult female's voice. One of the maids, perhaps. He also noticed that he wasn't sleeping in his room guest room within the palace, nor was he the only one crying out pain.

"UURRRGGGHH! HUKOH!"

His coughing persisted. The feeling of throwing up was completely gone. Instead, he now shuddered, the feeling of fluids escaping his nose as well as the corner of his eyes sent his body into a frenzied panic. For the first time in his long life, Minister Rhett Decorose felt like he was drowning in his bed.

"Minister, please hang in there! Healers, I need one now—!"

"Please, let me handle this one!"

Another voice made their presence known. But compared to the urgent one from before, this one was younger, calmer.

"Eh? Ah, all yours, Shirasaki-sama."

"Just a 'Respite', correct?"

"Yes, ma'am. Apostle-sama said that was all needed for when they woke up."

"Got it. Please, help me by holding him down."

Apostle? Was he going to be assisted by the Apostles? That news alone brought reprieve to his mind. However, his body continued to convulse, claiming otherwise. He felt a pair of hands as they assisted in keeping him in the bed.

"Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"

The convulsing stopped. The pain caused by the coughing fit dissipated. The fluids still flowed out of his body, but he didn't feel uncomfortable in any way. In fact, heh felt fine as he relaxed back into the sheets.

"I'll handle this. Please go and grab more towels for the other patients."

"Understood!"

As the maid left the bedside, the young girl, no, the angel that was left smiled reassuringly.

"Rest easy here for the time being. You'll be alright soon."

"What… wha… happen?" he mumbled, trying to compose his thoughts. "I-I was… Apostles-sama's… welcome party…?"

"You and many others collapsed during the party after being poisoned." The minister's eyes shot wide open, but he felt a heavy feeling fight down any anxiety he had left. "Don't worry. You've all been treated already."

Tears that ran like streams escaped the man or was it just his imagination that he didn't seem to run out. His mouth felt numb, but it didn't bother him as much either. Instead, for having saved his life, the man tried to thank the angel.

"Tha-Thank… you… for your mercy… Apostle-sama…"

"I'm not the one you should be thanking." The angel's smile, radiant as it was, faded ever so slightly at his response. Instead, she gestured over to the ones across his bed. "The one's you owe your life to are those two."

"Those… two?" looking over, two familiar faces could be seen.

Seeing the first one, he felt chills run through his spine. Dark visions of fire and devastation, of horrid decay and mass genocide, appearing momentarily before vanishing once again. A fleeting nightmare that scared his very being.

The warm and relaxing feeling came over him once more, allowing him to gather his thoughts. He saw the second one. It was someone he mocked. Someone he belittled. An Apostle he didn't bother giving a chance before dismissing any chance of being useful.

What he saw the 'useless' Apostle do was enough to rock his core.

"Transmute. Relieve this poor soul. Ease, as I command thee, Respite!"

The floor beneath the bed opposite the minister suddenly glowed. The patient in it stopped convulsing just as he did. Soon, the young boy on the bed was just crying, bawling his eyes out.

"Shhh, it's alright. Everything is alright now." The young man who he had dismissed out of impracticality and foolish heroism was now calming the child with soothing words. "You're safe now. What's your name?"

"M-Ma—" the boy wiped his face before answering. "Marcus-s."

"Iselda-san."

"I'm off, Yamamoto-sama."

"Remember to keep them calm while you explain. Amelia-san, please help assist."

"Yes, sir!"

The other young man, the one that caused the minister's blood to start pumping fast only to be soothed once again by an unknown force, spoke to a maid nearby who nodded and left immediately alongside her colleague. Left alone with the child and the Synergist Apostle, he turned and placed a hand on the crying boy's head.

But unlike the face he had given the minister before, the eyes filled with despair powerful enough to chill the old man's bones, the expression he wore now, as he handed the child a towel to wipe his face with, was one of compassion and mercy.

"Marcus, eh. That's a fine name you have. Don't worry about anything, kid! Just keep wiping the tears and let your spit flow."

"Am I-am I dying?" he sniffled once more, about to bawl again. "Mis—Mister?"

The eyes he gave were not mocking, not infuriated. Not even annoyed or indifferent. Instead, he looked to the young lad as a parent would their child.

"Oniichan won't let that happen, Marcus. I swear it." He used the towel to wipe the boy's newly wet nose. "On my word, as a follower of Anima, I promise I won't let you or any child die. Not today."

"Anima? Is that… god?" the child asked, curious and calmer than before. "Is Oniichan… a saint?"

"Just rest here. Keep wiping that face, okay?" The young man dodged the question, smiling once more and handing the boy the towel which he used to wipe his face. "Your parents will be worried sick if you look like that. Ara."

""Marcus!""

"They're here."

Two adults, the man resembling the boy, started running to the child's bed.

"Mama?!"

"MARCUS, MY CHILD!"

"Mama? Papa?! UUWAAAAAH"

Relieved at the sight of his family, the child began to bawl once more.

Looking again, Minister Decorose noticed the tears streaming down weren't tears. They were a different color of brownish sap.

Touching his own face, the hand slowly revealed that he was suffering the same symptoms.

"What… is this…?" he asked, unable to speak clearly as some of the brown fluids escaped his mouth as well. "What's happening… to me?"

"Your body is expelling the poison right now."

Hearing the whisper to his other side, the other boy, the one he belittled, had approached the minister after surrendering his seat to the worried parents.

"Here, use this." A fresh, clean towel in hand, he held it out to the older man. "As soon as it starts escaping your system, wipe it with this. Don't worry, the poison's been neutralized. It won't hurt you until the spell wears off."

Hesitant, Decorose took a few more seconds before taking the towel and wiping his face. Now that his periphery had been cleaned slightly, he could see the rest of his surroundings.

The hall they were in was different from the one where the party was held. Most likely the adjacent one used to expand the ballroom during larger events. Balcony windows had been thrown wide open. Sunlight and a fresh breeze flowed into the hall.

Half the place was populated by beds, each with least one person sleeping, sap escaping their eyelids, and a maid tending to them. There were those like the one opposite him where family tended to the patients instead of the maids. A few were still convulsing in their sleep, but doctors and healers prioritized them as needed.

The boy before him, however, was clearly exhausted. Sunken eyes and swaying as he stood, the lad was struggling to remain still but wore a determined look on his face.

"How…long had I been…?"

"Several hours." Nagumo Hajime, he remembered the boy's name, replied. "We finished your treatments around five hours ago. Now, it's just clean-up and double-checking for any residual poisoning."

"Will they need stronger healing magic, Nagumo-kun?" The angel Apostle on the opposite side of the bed asked worriedly. "I'm not really confident in my advanced healing spells yet so I don't know if I would be of much help."

"No. There's no need to worry about that, Shirasaki-san."

Dropping a sap-coated towel into a bucket at the side of the bed, Hajime took out a fresh one from a bag he carried and handed it to a nearby maid busy assisting another patient.

"In the first place, had Eichirou-kun not used his own magic to neutralize the poison, healing wouldn't have helped much at all."

"Eh? Why is that?"

"The poison they consumed is like a cyanide compound from our world. The cells stop absorbing oxygen and all the infected ones start dying quickly. The human body can actually repel the poison in small doses, but when it's too much, not even healing magic can help neutralize it fast enough. It's especially so for the kids. They have smaller bodies and their bodily system may not be able to handle it. It could kill fast in just a few hours at the fastest. Or so Eichirou-kun told me."

"It's-it's that bad?!"

The minister didn't understand what 'cyanide compound', 'cells', or 'oxygen' were. But with more than half of the patients being children, he did understand that they would have all died. Had these people not acted fast enough.

"Right now, the one doing all the work to keep you all alive is your own bodies." Pushing a fresh towel to the minister's hands, Hajime took the dirty one away. "Just lie down and rest. Eichirou-kun will come by as soon as he's done with the more critical patients. Good work to you as well, Shirasaki-san. You can rest and leave the everything to the doctors for now."

With a nod to the girl, the boy turned to leave. In his arms, he struggled to carry a bucket filled with sappy towels and a bag with clean ones. But he didn't stop moving, collecting even more and further heavying the load he already strained himself with.

"Quite an admirable person, no?" The angel sighed.

"Apostle… sama?"

"Both he and Yamamoto-kun were the ones to act when you all started falling ill."

"Despite being a non-combat class and weaker than the rest of us you call Apostles, Nagumo-kun has been following Yamamoto-kun's instructions and working the hardest to help save all of you." The angel's smile faded, replaced by a mixed expression of frustration and relief. "Even though I'm one of the Heroes and a Priest, I could do nothing but panic as soon as Liliana-sama collapsed."

Minister Decorose could do naught but watch the Apostle ball her fists before recomposing herself. The angelic smile had returned, but the older man's experience told him the expression was a façade to hide the self-vexation.

"I should go and see if anyone else needs more help. Please, excuse me, minister."

The Apostle, disregarding her own position over him, a mere minister, bowed low before taking her leave. Another maid soon came to trade his sappy towel for a fresh one. Bu by then, the fluids had already stopped escaping the minister's system.

As he waited, he watched the others around him. Slowly but surely, many of those in pain began to lessen. A few concerned families had begun to trickle in, finding their relatives peacefully waiting. Compared to the fainted and choking visages they held before, the dirty sap-soaked smiles were more of a relief.

Learning they had been poisoned, the minister's mind began to work as it was used to. Who did it? How and where did they distribute it? Why? As a man who worked for the Heiligh Kingdom, he couldn't let such an occurrence just slip by. Intentional attacks of poisoning on the noble families could very well cripple the nation. Had it got to the king, and just by how composed everyone was, it didn't, then the kingdom might very well be vulnerable to direct attacks in the aftermath. To let such an incident occur under his watch, the damages they suffered here were like a slap to his face.

The minister pondered and stressed. But he never got far in his contemplation. The invisible force that had calmed him down was preventing him from doing so. He couldn't even be frustrated about it. The old man just felt drowsy.

"I'm relieved to see the poison's already been expelled from your person, Minister Decorose. You should be free to leave after we run checks later."

The terrifying young man took the angel Apostle's seat. A neutral but tired expression studied his own aged face. Rhett observed the teen-ager before him. Black hair, violet eyes behind his glasses, and a name that was akin to the rest of the Apostles. How could he have missed it before? Such irresponsible behavior to someone so revered.

"Yamamoto-sama had been… an Apostle all along." Yamamoto ignored him until Rhett struggled to sit back up to apologize. "I've shown a disrespectful side to you!"

"Don't move and lie back down!"

The boy ordered but the old minister refused until he was forcibly pushed back down on the bed. Decorose felt his body was weaker than normal. He was old, yes. But it felt even more tired than it ever had in years. Probably due to the poison.

"None of that right now. Focus on recovering. Unless you want to waste my efforts saving you."

The words were like a threat looming over his neck. He would gladly receive the punishment if he knew it would appease the Apostle's supposed anger. After what he did, after all the disrespect he'd shown the boy last night, he didn't deserve to be saved.

"If it bothers you, then just learn from your mistake." Yamamoto-sama spoke from the side as he pulled out paper slips, each with different magic circles from his coat pocket. "We have a saying in my world. 'Don't judge books by their covers'. You made that mistake twice."

He held one of the slips forward, chanted what the old man recognized as a search spell, and discarded the ashes of the completed magic slip before looking into his eyes.

"First was deeming a Synergist worthless for the frontlines in a war. The second was assuming my opinion amounted to nothing compared to your vast experiences. More so when you have no proof or evidence that what I say is wrong."

His tone still carried indifference. Enough to berate but not insult.

"Had this been more dire circumstances, being poisoned before an enemy siege for example, we wouldn't be able to save anyone because those in power failed to see any potential value in what we had to offer."

Decorose felt ashamed of his negligence. He might not have known a Synergist was capable of using healing magic. But to have written off the boy's will to help? He could have theoretically crippled the country. What he ignored as childish selfishness and lofty ideals had hidden a noble soul that only wished to help in his own unique way.

Had the boy earlier been dissuaded by the minister's words, he may have chosen to not help heal them at all.

This Apostle had every right to be mad at a mistake like this, especially from the Minister of Defense who should be responsible for defending the nation from its enemies. Having been so conceited, he believed he wasn't wrong in his judgement. Ignorance had nearly cost him the good relations between the kingdom and two of the Apostles that the kingdom itself needed for protection.

"I am truly sorry… for my behavior last night."

"Worry not. Such mistakes happen often. And though they vary in impact, they are just that. Mistakes." Yamamoto-sama spoke with reassurance while tucking away the rest of the slips save for one. His indifference from before was gone, slowly replaced by a comforting smile, albeit a tired one. "In my world, Anima teaches us to generously forgive but not forget."

"Who… is Anima, your grace?"

"Anima is being that wishes for her children to all get along. Young and old, talented or not, sickly and healthy. No matter who they are, Anima accepts them all as his children. And when she stands before his family's enemies, none survive her wrath save for the remorseful and reluctant. An entity so benevolent, so compassionate, he warns those she deems worth saving." The smile vanished. The Apostle's eyes seemed to glow with a cosmic light, akin to what he was faced before. "The visions you had last night. Those are the consequences of mistakes similar to yours."

Something held itself in the minister's throat. He began to sweat buckets at the thought of a deity deeming him worthy enough to warn. Not only was it an honor, but the necessity of such visions implied something far worse.

"On my belief to Ehito-sama, I promise to learn from my mistakes! Yamamoto-sama, I apologize for ignoring your benevolent advice. As a servant of Ehito-sama, I—"

"You misunderstand who you should be directing your apologies and gratitude to."

The air chilled for but a second.

"You people may call us Apostles of Ehito, but I bow to no such god." His expression changed from indifference to solemnity. "Your deity may have summoned me here to assist your world, however, I act in the name of Anima, not Ehito. It is by Anima's teachings that I forgive any child that makes mistakes and it is by Anima's will that you and all these people are saved. Remember that, Minister Decorose."

The boy stood up and gave the man one last inspection. Nodding to himself, he raised the last slip of paper above the minister's prone body.

"Libero."

A pause, but the paper didn't burn as all disposable spell circles should. Instead, Yamamoto's eyes shone with a small light like a dim star as the minister felt his aged body warm up.

Looking at his hands, he noticed that they felt light and free. Sitting up, he noticed his back didn't ache in pain anymore. Like all the stress and burden he'd been carrying had all just vanished. Despite feeling the wrinkles and short beard he still had, in a strange sense, he felt young again. The calming sense had dissipated, but the minister didn't feel shock so much as he did reprieve.

Like he had been liberated from an invisible yoke.

"I'll have one of the physicians give you a final check before letting you go later. Rest and reflect, child of Ehito."

The young man, no. Minister Decorose shook his head. He already made that mistake before, he refused to do so again.

The Apostle of Anima took his leave.

From the minister's bedside, he moved to tend to another patient, a struggling young lady. Watching from the coziness of his bed, Rhett observed as the Apostle arrived, comforted the patient and immediately got to work healing her. Like he had done for the child earlier, he relieved her of pain and panic. Calming the child with a warm expression and kind words.

He then moved to young teenaged boy accompanied by his father. The man, the minister recognized, was Earl Ulric, one of the noble lords that had been having monster trouble recently. The young boy was already healed and was simply being assisted by a maid to clean the fluids off his face. The Apostle exchanged a few words with the Earl and performed the same spell he did with the minister.

The paper slip didn't glow or burn for it again.

The boy, similar to the old man, stared in awe and wonder at the release he must've been feeling. After being thanked incessantly by the parent and child, Yamamoto-sama left to find another patient in need.

This continued on for some time. Never pausing. Never frowning. Not even his exhaustion fazed him. Composed all throughout with the compassion of a saint and the unyielding vigor of an angel, the man that worshipped another god worked tirelessly to save them all.

Such dedication was awe-inspiring for the old Rhett. In all his career, Decorose had seen people diligently work to assist others, be they physicians or mages. But none had the same charisma and air as Yamamoto Eichirou-sama. His arrival to a scene calmed all. His words gave them motivation and direction.

His magic, the minister noticed, didn't use a circle at all. He was merely using the slip of paper as a ruse that it did. It was as if a demonfolk was hiding in human form.

But it didn't seem that way as the Apostle was healing the humans.

Minister Decorose checked his own body again. He'd dabbled with magic before. He studied it long ago to see its important uses for the Kingdom's defense. From the assumption that Yamamoto-sama was a demon, he expected traces of magic to be left in his body. Something to act as poison in the future.

But there was nothing to worry about. He felt only relief. Calm. Enough to let him not worry too much, but not to lower his guard. If a demon's aim was to eradicate the humans, Decorose doubted this spell would be very detrimental. In fact, if used in battle, it could actually keep the minds of soldiers composed in the heat of a fight. Far from what a demon needed.

If the Apostle of another god was able to use magic without the need of a circle, he may have been showing the circle so as not to cause panic with his patients.

Coming to this understanding, Rhett Decorose remained silent. If any nobleman, physician, or maid noticed as well, they kept their silence. The Apostle of Anima worked in peace, saving them all from a poison neither Ehito's mages nor doctors could heal.

The minister, waiting for the one to permit his leave, stewed in his thoughts.

To be disrespectful to such a respectable man was a disgrace as a minister of the kingdom. He'd been trained to honor and revere the ones that serve Ehito-sama and that punishment would be dealt those that fail to do so.

To forgive such an ill-mannered one such as himself, the god called Anima was truly benevolent. If the Pope and not Yamamoto-sama had given the advice he ignored, he would have been seriously reprimanded by the Church for his arrogant display. Maybe even excommunicated.

And yet, a god not his own was willing to forgive his rudeness.

Minister Decorose laid down and stared at the ceiling. When the doctor assigned for his final check would arrive and let him go, the first thing he would do was head back to his room and sit back on his favorite chair, drinking tea. Taking the Apostle's words to heart this time, the practical man would use his rest period to reflect even further.

The god called Anima had given him visions of death and destruction. A scene unfamiliar to a mere official such as he that it was practically worthless other than to instill fear into his heart. It may have given a soldier strategic meaning, but to a simple official that only ever fought a war behind a desk using his pen and documents, it was just a nightmarish scene to behold.

But looking back, there must've been a purpose to the visions.

'An entity so benevolent, so compassionate, he warns those she deems worth saving.'

The statement caused the old man's heart to jump with delight. So much so that he nearly forgot he should be resting. But it also dropped just as heavily when he thought about the implications.

To be deemed worthy by a god, he must have been deemed important in some way. Worthy, maybe, but why him of all people?

Ehito had never seen it fit to bestow just anyone with visions or prophecies other than the members of the Church. It was a fact that any who received revelations must be part of the Church of Saints, else their prophecies be blasphemous lies. But Ehito didn't give the Church or any of his followers a sign.

The god Anima was not his own and still chose to warn him, despite not being a worshipper.

'The visions you had last night. Those are the consequences of mistakes similar to yours.'

''Similar to'? Did that mean such devastation would occur because someone chose to ignore those that did not have any value or worth at first sight?' He contemplated. 'Because of ignorance, an omen that warned of countless deaths will come true?'

This implication rocked the man in his seat, sending sweat down his wrinkled brow. But it also renewed his resolve to help his kingdom. His home.

Minister Rhett Decorose had been known to be a practical man. Anything that had value would be assigned to where it was worth putting. He had done so by giving specific jobs and opportunities to the talented and skilled, allocating the resources where they were most needed be they men or materials. Anything else would be tossed aside for the sake of the status quo.

But that was before he was poisoned.

Sat behind his desk, a younger man took the place of the old minister. He began toiling harder than ever, searching for alternatives of applying what he already had and looking for those that offered what he didn't but may need. Becoming an open minded individual required practice, more so when he needed to retain his practicality and efficiency. But it was all for the sake of the country he loved after all.

Looking to a pitcher of water on his desk, he considered asking a maid to deliver some more of the juice that was served last night. The sweet drink would probably help keep him awake as he worked.

'No,' he shook his head. 'No rewards until I've righted all my wrongs for today.'

He would one day look back on this as the day he became a new man. All the while, he would remember the steadfast visage of the saint that admonished him, the teachings of a god from another world, as well as the boy that saved his life even after he was deemed worthless.

"Wow! That's amazing!"

She awoke to the familiar voice of her brother. Prince and heir as he were, Lundel wasn't exactly a quiet child. Then again, he was only ten. Liliana really didn't have much patience for her younger sibling. If only she had a little sister. Ah, how adorable it would be to have one!

"And? And? What did the hero do?"

Wait, a minute, what was Lundel even doing in her bedroom anyway? He never bothered her since he was always off trying to impress Apostle Shirasaki Kaori-sama. What was he up to?

"The young hero cast the only spell he knew, crafting copy after copy of the black and white swords."

Liliana's eyes shot open. She recognized that voice. She knew it very well. She'd heard it more than she did Lundel's the past week and there was no way she would dream of forgetting it now!

"Eh? Only copies?"

"It wasn't perfect by any means. Compared to the one's made by the archer in red, his were like glass, shattering as soon as they hit flesh. But the hero didn't let up."

This tone was the same he used when she wanted to hear his stories. The envy she never knew was there burned within her chest as she realized Lundel had beaten her to the punch to hearing one today. Then she blushed furiously at the sudden realization of the implication of her feelings.

"One after another, for every blade that broke, two would take its place. Like a storm, he rushed down the possessed priest. Any of the demonic sludge that got in his way was torn asunder. Soon, he reached his foe."

"What did he do next?"

"The hero stabbed him with the jeweled sword his companion gave him. The very same sword the priest had used to murder his companion's father. At first, it didn't go through, but after giving the pommel a punch, the fragile blade destroyed the immortal priest and the demon within. It was his ironic end."

As Eichirou-sama finished the story, her little brother cheered and applauded all by himself. Soon, she felt the bed rock and Lundel's footsteps as he tried to emulate what Liliana could only guess as the fictional hero's footwork.

"Think I could be like that hero someday?"

"Not 'like him', no. But I guarantee you can be a greater hero than he was. After all, the young hero only had two weeks to become one. Lundel-sama has all the time in the world. Maybe then, you can win the heart of the 'fair maiden' you so desire."

"You really think so?"

"Hahah, I hope so, Lundel-sama."

'Really now, such a child.'

She remarked as Eichirou-sama complimented the boy just to entertain the pretend-fighting. She didn't really approve of leading him on to believe such drivel that he could win hearts by just being brave. But he was just a child, so she didn't think it wrong to let him dream. For now, at least.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Oh, we have a visitor?"

Liliana felt the bed rock again. This time, she knew it was Eichirou-sama. Steady, composed steps made their way to the door. As he answered it, she couldn't hear the exchange, but she could still recognize his sweet, sweet voice…

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! STOP! STOP! STOPU! YOU JUST WOKE UP! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF SO EARLY IN THE MORNING?! HOW SHAMELESS!'

"Lundel-sama, it seems her Highness the Queen wishes to see you in her chambers."

'"Mother does?"'

Thinking it aloud as her brother said it and ran to the door, Liliana wondered why her mother opted to summon her child instead of visiting instead. Then again, why was Lundel here in the first place? All the questions kept piling up, and she had no way of finding out anything since she was still pretending to be asleep just so she could listen more to his voice…

'AWAWAWAWAWAWWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! STOP IT ALREADY! STUPIDLILIANA!'

"My Lady, if I may be frank, you don't make for a good actor." The shouting in her head was silenced as she felt the bed sink slightly to her side, where the voice was coming from. "You may be able to fool Lundel-sama, but I've had years of experience from noticing my own siblings fake sleep."

'Ah? Was I caught?' Liliana's eyes opened slightly to see Eichirou-sama's teasing smile.

"Good morning, Liliana-sama."

The way he was looking down on her as she lay on the bed—, the princess side of her head shoved that obscene thought in the recesses of her mind. She didn't need it now, when she didn't know why he was here in the first place. But, maybe later— 'AHHHHH! ENOUGH ALREADY! Focus, you dumb child!'

"Good morn', Eichirou-sama." She mumbled, suddenly finding her tongue not working as it should. "Why… to what do I owe the pleasure of such an early visit to a lady's bedroom?"

She opted for the 'demanding but formal' tone. He was a man. She was a woman. They were not married. Such a visit was considered immoral without proper justifications, and thus, as a member of the Royal family, she should hold herself accordingly and demand an explanation.

"My apologies, my Lady. I was concerned for your health so I couldn't wait to see you again until later." The sincere smile the Apostle held was enough to derail her composure even further. "I apologize for my rudeness and ask for your forgiveness on this matter."

"Co—co-co-co-concerned for me, you say?" she started, sputtered and started again. "Then, I guess I have no cho-choice but to forgive you. But I don't understand why yo-you must be so worried."

She caved way too early. But she couldn't fight against the friendly gesture. Specifically, his concern. She managed to press the question though, despite looking away the entire tome red-faced.

"About that, my Lady, my concern was due to your being poisoned during last night's party."

"Eh? Poisoned—?"

"I had treated you as needed, but unlike the other victims, you didn't wake up shortly after."

"Victims—?! There are- What is—?! Ugh!"

As she struggled to sit up, she felt her strength leave her. Liliana felt surprisingly weak. She almost fell back if not for his strong, warm hands assisting her up to sit and lean on his shoulder.

"Lady Liliana, please don't push yourself too much! You've only just re—!"

"How could you tell me to not push myself when there are people who are suffering the same fate as I?!"

Liliana hadn't meant to yell at Eichirou-sama. She wasn't mad at him. Not at all. But the frustration she felt deep in her chest at the news was enough to shatter her composure. Her strong sense of responsibility, despite her young age, overshadowed her own well-being. To find that her people were suffering while she lay here in bed, relaxing and enjoying herself, it was disappointing and she hated herself for it.

'What have I been doing, sleeping the day away?! How disgraceful as a Princess of Heiligh!'

But her anger was not to last.

"Respite."

With a small glow of the slip of paper held before her face, Eichirou-sama's short spell suddenly washed away the storm that muddled her thoughts. She felt so calm and yet so weak that she grasped onto his chest for support.

"I-I must…!"

"Liliana-sama, please settle down." He said kindly, berating her but in a soft way. "You're in no condition to be moving around."

"But… the people—…!"

"Are all fine." He laid her down on the bed as gently as he could. "They're all fine, Liliana. You have nothing to worry your mind over."

Strangely, she felt she could trust his words. She didn't struggle anymore as she just lay there, wondering just what had happened.

After explaining a bit about the incident and her collapse, Liliana finally let the subject go. Not that she could worry about it with Eichirou-sama's magic at work. Instead of resisting further, she just sighed and collected herself.

"Thank you…" she whispered. "As Princess of Heiligh, I thank you on behalf of my people, Apostle Eichirou-sama."

"Liliana-sama," he suddenly replied. His expression somewhat lonesome but regretful as well. "Such gratitude is undeserved."

"Eh?"

"I didn't save those people because I'm an Apostle."

There was something else his tone hid. With how much his face was struggling to stay calm, she could see it was a topic he might've been struggling with for quite a while. Something Liliana felt he was pained to say.

"The only reason I saved them was because they were your people." He paused before continuing. "Knowing you would be sad if any of them got hurt during a party you hosted for our sakes, it pained me to let that happen."

There was more to that than he was letting her know. Due to her lessons, she knew the art of reading between the lines. Whatever his reasons, they may have been offensive to her, or something he didn't wish to bother her with. Again. However, she couldn't care less about deception from someone she had come to trust so much in such a short time.

"My reasons were selfish. So please, don't thank me as an Apostle—"

"Please raise your head, Eichirou-sama."

"Liliana—?!"

He was silenced by her palm touching his cheek. The warmth he exuded despite the cool morning air was welcoming. Like Liliana had been alone for so long and only now found another soul to accompany her own.

"It may have been selfish, but you still saved my people. No matter how you yourself see your actions, I will not let it slide that you did something great for my sake and the sake of others. I thank you. If you cannot accept the thanks from a Princess to an Apostle, then could you at least accept it from Liliana to Eichirou-sama? For my sake?"

She said as much while lifting his face awkwardly with her own hands. Being prone, she was actually looking up to him so her actions more pulled him close than lifted his face up. The fact that he leaned forward for her sake was lost to her though. Maybe it was the spell, but she didn't care.

"Do you regret saving me or my people?"

"NO—!" he started, realizing he had raised his voice, then repeated quietly. "No, my Lady. I would never."

He was conflicted.

She wanted to comfort him.

He was alone.

She was alone with him.

Staring deep into his eyes, the place his stories had mentioned as the windows to one's soul. In it, she saw someone in need. Someone isolated, wallowing in their solace. She wished to make sure he didn't have to be.

"Let's try this again. Thank you, Eichirou-sama." She waited and waited until she could wait no more. "Your response?"

"Your welcome… Liliana."

Unable to win against her persistent willpower, he conceded to her gratitude. His frown faded to a smile and his eyes shone once again. She smiled as well. He leaned forward in surrender, touching her forehead with his.

She felt relief flow though her from contact. Be it from his warmth or the spell, she really didn't care. She just felt she was. And judging by his smiling response, he was too. Even if the smile was still a little sad.

KNOCK KNOCK CREAK

Without warning, the door suddenly opened and Helina-san, the devoted maid she was, had barged in unannounced.

"Yamamoto-sama, the King wishes to see you with the Prime Minis—Ara…"

Normally, the maid would knock, present herself, then come in once invited. But as Liliana thought the pleasantries were a waste of precious time, she had ordered the maid to forego it when she was entering the princess' study or bedchambers.

As this room was currently being used by Liliana to rest, the maid had just walked in after a quick knock through force of habit.

"Please, pardon my intrusion."

"Wait a minute—! Woah, my Lady?!"

Eichirou-sama, astonishing both Liliana and her maid, nearly jumped out of the bed to call Helina back before she exited the door. If it weren't for the princess' hands still clasped on his head, he would have reached the maid in no time.

Surprising even herself though, Liliana had tightly kept her grasp onto him so that when he pulled back and got up, she came along and nearly fell off the bed.

"My Lady, are you alright?!"

How would Liliana, in her calm and peaceful self, describe the situation, you wonder?

She was in his arms, that much was clear. He had stood up with her hands grasped onto his face when it happened. As she fell, the grip loosened. But when he caught her, they ended up slipping past his head with her elbows now bent around his neck. He had one arm on her back to carry her and the other held her behind the waist while her legs dangled off the bed and his bent to catch her fall.

Now that she thought about it, his face was mere inches from hers and have been ever since she forced him to accept her gratitude. His eyes, brilliant violet gems that reminded Liliana of stars, were filled with worry and surprise. He was even breathing loudly enough for her to hear and synchronize her own with.

For lack of a better expression, he looked about ready to take her. Or maybe she was trying to take him.

The proximity didn't bother her. Not at all. Had she not been under the calming spell he had cast, Princess Liliana S.B. Heiligh of the Kingdom of Heiligh would very well be a sack of tomatoes in a sleeping gown right about now.

But currently, at this moment, she thought of being just 'Liliana'. A teenage girl who just so happened to be in the arms of this dashing Apostle. This kind and warm young man. In this tranquil instant of her life, she honestly pondered to herself:

'What would happen if I just inch myself just a little bit forward?'

"I shall be waiting outside. Please, don't mind me."

"Wait! Helina-san?! It's a misunderstanding!"

Alas, the moment didn't last. The Apostle had called out after the interrupting maid to no avail. As soon as the door had shut and Liliana was left alone with Eichirou-sama once again. The moment she had unconsciously been longing for was taken away just like that. She just pouted as she hung from his chest.

"Haaah, here we go again." the young man sighed in defeat. Turning to focus on the girl he was carrying, he asked. "Are you unhurt, Liliana-sama? Liliana-sama?"

"I'm fine…" she replied while looking away dejectedly. "Nothing to worry about."

Eichirou-sama returned her to the bed. And after giving his apologies, took a quick leave to see what her personal attendant wanted to talk about. All the while, Liliana scowled at the ceiling. Not because of the young man's denseness, rather her hesitation.

'I was so close too. Just a few more seconds…'

This was not something Liliana would think on her own. Well, she would, but not as composedly as she was doing so now. With the strange sense of relief washing over her being, she deliberated freely, without nitpicking at the indecency or the audacity of the thoughts.

"I apologize, Liliana-sama." He returned with a regretful look on his face. "I've been summoned by your father to meet with the Prime Minister to go over the incident."

Liliana wanted to be annoyed for being deprived of her… no, she wanted to be mad that Eichirou-sama needed to leave. Helina who stood at the doorway could see that as well and bowed regretfully. Liliana felt like she wanted to shout her disapproval or maybe growl in indignation. Not at the maid but the world and fate.

But the calm spell was preventing her from venting her feelings, and she couldn't stop him if her father needed him for something important. That would just be plain selfishness. As a Princess, she couldn't keep acting immature like that. As a princess… she scowled further, unable to even click her tongue.

"If Otou-sama is requesting for you, then please. Don't worry about me, Eichirou-sama." She smiled as best as she could in her artificially calm state. "I'll be here, resting."

"I truly am sorry for not being able to stay longer." His sincerity would usually have been enough for her. Only, she wanted more. At the very least, she unconsciously hoped so. "I'll be sure to visit you sometime later."

She nodded at this and dropped her gaze to the sheets he pulled up for her. Clean as they were, they felt cold. She felt alone in them. Expecting her door to close shut as he left, she nearly jumped when he came back to put a hand on her cheek.

"There's no need to look so down, Liliana-sama. I'll be back later with stories."

"I'd like to hear the one you told Lundel earlier!"

The request came out of nowhere. It even surprised the Apostle sitting over her. But as this may be the last she'd see of him until later, she wanted to be a little selfish and request one.

"My Lady, I've only told Lundel-sama the first third of that story. I'd be happy to tell you all of it and more when I get back."

His caring expression was beaming. It made Liliana think of an older sibling looking after a younger one. That was as close as she could put it. She had never had an older sibling, being the eldest, nor did she have anyone to look up to in that manner. Just a few priests, officials, and servants she could place as surrogate uncles and aunts.

But the feeling she got from the smile was different. It was something that made Liliana's heart skip.

"Until then, rest peacefully like you did last night. Can you promise me that?"

He spoke to her as if she was a child. As she was, she knew she couldn't do anything even if she wanted to. But having been spoiled so much already, she couldn't just ask for more. Sinking into the bed to show her confirmation, she nodded once and pulled the sheets so that they reached up to cover half her face.

"Good girl."

He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead, earning him one surprised tomato princess in bed and one cheering-while-silently-fist-pumping maid in the background.

"Get better soon, Liliana. Sweet dreams."

Eichirou-sama had left. The door had closed. Liliana was now alone. Unlike before though, she didn't feel alone.

She felt something touch her forehead. It took her a while to notice it was her own fingers. It took her another minute to process that she took that hand with those fingers and touched her own lips with them.

In her peaceful tranquility, she couldn't scream in glee. The spell was still in effect. But it didn't stop the girl from hiding beneath the sheets, balling up, and rolling back and forth as she came to a realization of what she was doing and why she was doing it. She also felt it somewhat nostalgic, as if the kiss on the forehead had happened not just recently, but more than once.

Her thoughts searched for the memory. But it came as a blank. The feeling was still there, but it didn't so much as bother her as just throw everything into shambles.

Slowly but surely, Liliana fully realized and accepted her feelings. And when the spell wore off a little later, she was back to her panicking and mortified self. Until then, her calm allowed her to speak one line without her mind bursting into metaphorical flames of shame and embarrassment.

"Ah, so this is what it feels like to be in love…"

Hatayama Aiko was a worrywart. She knew that her earnest mannerisms when it came to her students was more than necessary for a simple high school teacher, but she couldn't help it. Aiko wasn't the type to leave anyone behind. Despite only having been their teacher for less than a year, she cared for the kids too much already.

It was partially due to her responsibilities as an adult. Being the eldest and most mature of the group to have been transported to Tortus, she held it in herself to keep them safe from all the dangers they could face in this foreign world.

And one of those dangers had already come to pass, unnoticed at the last second.

"Ai-chan-sensei, please wait up!"

"No time, Sonobe-kun! I have to find out what's going on now."

Rushing as fast as her short legs could take her, Aiko marched her way to the audience chamber accompanied by some members of the class. Mostly her fan club and a few of the others who weren't assisting the doctors and servants with the other patients.

"Ah, Ai-chan is so responsible~~~!"

"But, sensei, wouldn't it be alright to take it easy?"

"Yeah! I mean, they said Yamamoto-kun already solved the issue of the poisoning, right?"

Unknown to many, that was exactly the reason why she was rushing. To think that one of her students would actually attempt to heal poisoning without any medical certification and actually succeed was amazing. But that, in and of itself, was the problem. Her student, a child, was doing things that should be left to adults. Adults like her.

And yet, all she did was panic when everyone started to lose it.

"It doesn't matter if it's resolved or not, Aikawa-kun. As a teacher, I need to know what's happening for everyone's sakes."

The student didn't bother objecting. They all came to understand a lot about their little instructor through spending so much time with her, before and after the summoning. One of those things was that once Hatayama Aiko set her mind on something, she would do her all to get it done no matter what anyone says. She was a tough not to crack like that.

"… don't misunderstand me, Helina-san. My relationship with Liliana-sama will not go further than that of friendship."

Hearing a voice coming from ahead of them, Aiko stopped in her tracks. This forced the others behind her to all stop abruptly as well and end up nearly crashing into the diminutive teacher.

"What's up, Ai-chan-sensei?"

"That's weird," the little adult looked ahead then to the adjacent hallway with no one in it. "I thought I heard Yamamoto-kun's voice."

She didn't see him from where they were all gathered, but she was sure he she heard him. This, however, was taken differently by the classmates that did follow her.

"Are? Is Ai-chan hallucinating?"

"Maybe. She hasn't had her beauty sleep since last night after all."

"But to hear Yamamoto-kun of all people…"

"No way? Is it her Love Radar?"

Hatayama ignored the children. Knowing them, anything she had to say would be misconstrued for intimate attachments to her own student. Or maybe a joke of such. It was childish, but they were children. Instead, she kept walking in a rushed pace, trying to see if she could hear where he was coming from.

"So you say. But going so far as to give the child a kiss with an added promise of return, wouldn't you call that 'more intimate than friends', Yamamoto-sama? You could actually call it 'romantic'."

This one was a different voice. A female one. Could it be one of the maids? Was Yamamoto-kun flirting with a maid? The thought worried the teacher. Not for personal reasons, rather she didn't think it appropriate to be off doing such things when there was an emergency to focus on.

"After all that talk of not being worth Liliana-ojousama's attention, you sure do a lot to garner it. From playing her music to telling her stories. If you don't mind this humble one saying, you spoil her too much."

'Eh?' Aiko's thought process halted, genuinely confused now. 'What are they talking about?'

Initially, she thought Yamamoto was flirting with the woman. But with the addition of calling the Princess' name, Aiko couldn't help but have her curiosity piqued.

Turning the bend, she found the two walking ahead together. Her student was still dressed in his suit from last night's party. He probably never had time to change, being so busy and all.

"What's this?"

"Ara, it's Yamamoto-kun."

"What's he doing?"

"Flirting with a maid?"

"When he already has the Princess? Kuh! I'm jealous!"

"Ugh, boys…"

Peeking around the corner with her, the other members of the fan club all had just their heads looming around the bend. Neither the boy nor the maid had noticed them as the teacher followed behind after them.

"I'm mostly doing so to entertain myself more than her. The music and stories remind me of home. Retelling and performing them for Lady Liliana-sama is more so I don't forget."

She noted the tone of his voice. Normally, when he spoke with her, she could feel the emotion and respect his words carried simply by listening. Right now, they were devoid of all that emotion. He just sounded tired, exhausted.

"Yamamoto-kun?"

Knowing this fact, Hatayama Aiko couldn't help but call out to him. When he turned to face her, the tired look in his eyes were more than enough to convince the teacher she was correct.

"Ara, Hatayama-sensei, good morning. I see everyone's doing alright."

Betraying the exhaustion he wore, now he was speaking in an upbeat and friendly way. Aiko didn't think he was trying to hide it on purpose, but the way he smiled now felt somewhat artificial after seeing his tired face.

"Yo, Yamamoto-kun. Flirting with another girl so early in the day? Even though you already have Ai-chan and the Princess?"

"Good morning to you as well, Sugawara-kun. But it's not like that. This is Helina-san, Liliana's personal attendant. She's been ordered to take me to the king right now."

He spoke to the girl calmly and unfazed, as if used to the teasing despite having only traded words with his female classmate a few times. Truth be told, Aiko had honestly thought he was only friends with Nagayama-kun's and Tsuji-kun's groups.

"Good day to you, Apostles-sama. I thank you for assisting us calm everyone down during the incident."

The maid named Helina-san bowed. Looking closely, Aiko recognized her as the one who was following Yamamoto-kun's instructions while he tried to help the Princess.

"Ah, no, it's nothing to thank us for." Aiko bowed in turn. "Amanogawa-kun and the rest were the ones to do most of the work."

The maid nevertheless gave her and the others an appreciative smile.

A sign of respect, something that the young adult knew was more of a formality to most of her students than an actual gesture. From what occurred during the party before the panic, Aiko knew the nobles were either worshipping their titles or downright plotting to gain influence by marrying their children to them.

As a Japanese adult of the modern century, such acts as political engagements weren't foreign to her. Being born in a rural area with a close-knit community, she commonly saw such bonds but at least those were mutual. In the cities, there were more than a handful of kids from her other classes that suffered from loveless political marriages.

'If those children suffered so much, what about the ones who get married for their title as Apostles?'

Such was the thought that pressured Aiko to defend her students from the vultures. Respect and reverence for religious figures were fine, for now. But the way they eyed the innocent kids as status boosters was more than enough for Aiko to feel disgust for this world's aristocracy.

To think there would be a day where she would see something so blatantly corrupt.

"Speaking of which," Yamamoto-kun's voice brought her back to reality. "I don't see Amanogawa-kun and a few others."

"A few of the class stayed behind to help with the victims."

"""UWAH!"""

The sudden answer that came from next to Aiko got everyone jumping from their spot.

"Ayako and Suzu are working with Hajime to calm a few of them down. Kouki went ahead to meet with the pope. Hiyama and his gang weren't around so I'm not sure about them

None had expected the place to be occupied in the first place and not even the teacher knew a student was walking ahead of her. Yamamoto-kun, however, wasn't fazed a bit.

"Kousuke, you should stop doing that to everyone. I know you enjoy being a ninja, but cut them some slack, will you?"

"What makes you think I enjoy it, bastard." Endou-kun scratched the front of his bangs. Compared to yesterday night, his hair was drawn back down, hiding half his face again.

"Nothing. Just a feeling." Contrary to being insulted, the boy just smiled back before turning to the maid. "Helina-san, I'll report to the king and prime minister with everyone else. Could you please head back and keep an eye on Liliana-sama's condition for me?"

"As you wish, Yamamoto-sama." The maid nodded and made to walk back the way they came, but Aiko noticed her give the boy a wink and smirk before she disappeared from view.

"Now, let's not keep the king waiting, shall we?"

Ignoring the maids covert message, Yamamoto-kun walked ahead of the group, leading them to the audience chamber. All the while he exchanged small banter with his close friend, Endou-kun. Aiko was placed in the middle ground, between the two and the rest of the class who followed with.

"Ai-chan's being left out?"

"Aw, I thought there would be something blossoming there~~~."

"Nah, Ai-chan-sensei is everyone's Ai-chan. It doesn't matter if Yamamoto-kun doesn't pick her!"

"Say anymore and sensei will get mad, y'know."

Such was her reply to silence the teasing of the children. She let it off most of the time as it was how some of them coped with the stress. They would usually tease her, but ever since coming here, it got worse to the point that she felt they were only doing it to maintain a sense of normalcy. Like they never left Earth to begin with.

Rather than stop them, Aiko opted to just not let them go too far. She wasn't a guidance counselor. She didn't know how to reassure them. All Aiko could do was her best. Noticing someone's gaze, her eyes met Yamamoto-kun's as he looked over his shoulder.

"Ah, that's right," he said. "I forgot to thank you, Hatayama-sensei."

"Eh, for what?"

"For helping with the victims yesterday. Seeing someone like you work so hard for their sakes, a lot of the patients wanted to thank you for being there for them."

"Eh?" he must've been referring to the time she was ushering the collapsed kids to the makeshift hospital hall. "Ah, no. I didn't do much to get thanked for."

"Don't be like that, sensei. The children I spoke with all wanted me to pass on their thanks to the 'Angel of Hope'. Please accept the fruits of your efforts more."

His smile over his shoulder, despite looking tired, was genuine. It was enough to send a comforting relief flow through the small teacher. She had only been doing what she could for those children at the time. Had it been her students, she would have done her all. It still wasn't something she felt she should be thanked for. It was the duty of an adult to look after the young ones.

And yet, his words were enough to calm her soul.

"Ara, Ai-chan's red."

"Yamamoto-kun, you bastard…"

"Akai Ai-chan… so cute~~~!"

"Uwah, so smooth…"

Such was the response he got from his simple praise. It was enough to grate on the teacher's nerves, but not to damper her relief.

"Then, you're welcome, Yamamoto-kun." She nodded back as they walked. "But to be called an 'Angel' is… kinda embarrassing for sensei."

"My apologies. But they were all so enamored with you and your hopeful attitude that they couldn't help but call you so. I'm merely repeating what they all said."

Unknown to her, Yamamoto kept the true reason why she was called so. The 'hopeful' bit wasn't a lie. The 'angel', though, was more for her childish innocence rather than her womanly charms. Saying that without offending his teacher was on the scale of impossible, so he opted to remain silent.

No sooner than their banter ended, they arrived to the hall. The king and pope were already waiting for them. Stood next to the king, opposite Ishtar, was a middle-aged man in a suit who Aiko recognized as the Prime Minister. Amanogawa, who stood next to the stern Knight Commander and elderly Court Mage while waiting at the foot of the stairs, was waving in their direction.

"Oh, everyone, you're here."

The Hero looked over them with smiling eyes. But when he laid them on Yamamoto, Aiko noticed the boy hesitate before reforming his smile.

"Eichirou-sama," standing up from his spot and surprising everyone, the king made his way to approach the young man in question and envelop him in a hug. "I thank you once again for healing my family."

"Raise your head, Eliheid." Yamamoto stopped him before he could bow low. "The thanks go to Anima, not me. I merely exacted her will."

Aiko didn't know which to be surprised at more. Either the King of Heiligh's friendly demeanor towards the younger boy or the casual priestlike gesture from her student. Probably the latter. She had seen the King and Yamamoto together during their first morning here, but the religiousness coming from a Japanese teenager was something she didn't see every day.

Even from the adults of Japan and her own family and friends in the country, casual religious behavior like this was usually reserved for the most zealous of followers or missionaries from abroad. Not teenagers or children of the modern era.

Still, it didn't look or sound off when Yamamoto himself acted so. Strange as Aiko thought it would be, he seemed to be the natural theist despite being a teenager of the twenty-first century.

"I've seen to your children and trust me when I say they have far too much energy for someone who just survived poisoning." He jested but in a friendly yet polite manner. "They will be fine. But that isn't what you called me for, is it, my friend."

"It's as you say," the king nodded and returned to his seat.

"A good day to you all, Apostle-sama. I am the Prime Minister. You may have recognized from your first day here." He bowed to the class which they returned. "I have summoned you all today concerning the incident last night. Having such an incident occur during your welcoming party, as the representative of the Kingdom of Heiligh, I would like to apologize for letting it happen. It is my utmost regret for allowing it to ruin—"

"No need for your apologies, Minister. You couldn't have known it would've occurred and even if it did, none of your world's current technology or magic could have prevented it from happening. Please, let's leave it at that and talk about more pressing matters."

Yamamoto-kun had his hand up as he interrupted the man. But with a kind smile that said all was forgiven, he continued.

"About the victims. None of them have died and those remaining that are suffering from bodily pains are currently undergoing treatment."

"Ah, I see. Thank you for that." The old man, unbothered by the interruption, merely sighed in relief and nodded his thanks. "May I ask, is the reason why some fellow Apostles are not present is because they stayed behind to assist in the patients' recovery?"

"That's right." Surprisingly, it was Amanogawa-kun's turn to reply. Aiko didn't think he would and nobody expected him to. Everyone had their eyes on Yamamoto, initially. Now even he watched the Hero carefully. "Those of our classmates who are skilled in healing magic, especially Kaori, have been working around the clock to help the doctors and nurses."

"Hoh, that is a relief to hear. Once again, I thank you for the assistance."

Amanogawa-kun looked proud of himself for responding to the minister, but it didn't seem like it was anything really important to mention, in Aiko's opinion anyway.

"Let's not forget. It isn't just the Priests and mages that helped," Yamamoto-kun stole back the spotlight as he gave a tired glance to his classmate before turning to the front. "One of the Apostles, a Synergist, my friend, Hajime, was the one who made the healing of the victims possible following their poisoning."

"Eh?!"

"""Nagumo-kun?"""

""A Synergist, you say?""

Amanogawa was stunned in place. The classmates were abuzz in wonder and confusion The Prime Minister and Court Mage, however, both jumped at the news with shock and awe. The Court Mage especially jumped and ran to Yamamoto-kun, nearly pushing him over if not for Endou-kun catching his back.

"HOW?! How can a mere Synergist be capable of such magic to heal that unknown poison?!"

"Ugh, Senec-sama. Weren't one of your young apprentice mages were affected as well… Ah, I see, it was that child," Yamamoto-kun, remembering a face, simply grasped the man by the shoulder as if to reassure him. "Please calm down. The boy is no longer in danger."

"That doesn't matter! I know he's fine! I've seen him already! That miracle!" The old coot grabbed on with begging eyes as if to demand information. "How could a class so incompatible with magic be capable of such a feat!"

The man, Break Senec, Aiko remembered his name, latched on like a madman. Despite seeming like he didn't care about his student's condition, he already did make sure the boy was okay. Aiko had seen him during the child's treatment herself. Right now, however, he was showing his true colors as a mage. The desire to learn more about magic. To define what he couldn't understand. To know how it all worked.

In a way, Aiko could sympathize with him. She wanted to know as well just how it was possible they saved all those people. One minute, they were all struggling to breathe while vomiting. After treatment, they were all dripping with a brown sap that oozed out of there orifices while feeling fine. The bizarre sight was something to behold.

"Senec-sama, please. I'll get to that explanation in a bit. So please." The boy was relinquished with a promise to explain. Righted by Endou, he looked towards the fore. "Now then, Prime Minister, could I please have someone deliver a sample of the pleap fruit. A fresh one if you would."

A nod and a whisper to one of his aids and the man was off with the task.

"Now, while we wait, I shall explain how the poison spread and affected everyone." Yamamoto stepped forward. "The key was in the juice. To be specific, the pleap fruit's. I believe the Princess said that it was a gift for us as it resembled a produce abundant in our world?"

"Yes, she made it clear it was to be so."

"Well, to vastly oversimplify, that fruit resembled the apple fruit of our home world of Earth."

"Eh? An apple?!" Aiko nearly shouted and cupped her mouth as soon as it escaped her. "You mean—?"

"Correct, Hatayama-sensei." The boy nodded. "Turning the fruit into a juice was what made the drink somewhat lethal despite it being a seemingly harmless sweet drink. It's also the reason why so many of the victims were children. Luckily, being almost so similar to the apple, the poison wasn't immediately lethal."

Aiko realized what that implied. It wasn't handed properly and just made into a drink. Being a daughter of a farmer, she understood how such a small thing caused all those symptoms and threatened so many in such a short span of time but left them all with a large time margin to be saved.

"Yamamoto, what does the apple-look-alike have anything to do with there being so many poison victims?"

Amanogawa-kun, oblivious as he was, prompted a question.

"You're not the studious kind, are you Amanogawa-kun?" Receiving a glare at his question, Yamamoto just shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't really expect anyone but to Hatayama-sensei to understand, so I might as well explain. Like I said, the key was in the juice. But it wasn't that the pleap fruits juice was specifically poisonous."

"Stop beating around the bush already!"

"Amanogawa-kun, could you please let him finish?" Aiko stepped up to defend her student. "Yamamoto-kun hasn't gotten a wink of sleep yet because of him healing the patients. Let him reply at his own pace."

Unlike the rest of the class, he and Nagumo had been up all night tending to the patients. It was clear to the teacher when she couldn't sleep properly and saw them still at work during her early morning stroll. Appalled as she was, she was still unable to help due to being inadequate with healing magic.

"Eh?" The Hero, as if receiving the news for the first time, looked ashamed. "Ah. My apologies, Yamamoto."

"Haaah," Yamamoto eyed the Hero lazily, too tired to even shout back. But he just sighed. "I never expected you to notice anyway, so please, keep shouting before I do get to the point."

Looking humiliated, Kouki took a step back and allowed Yamamoto to go on.

"Now, where was I? Oh, right." The boy straightened up with a deep breath and resumed. "The fruit and drink itself wasn't inherently toxic. But a certain part of the fruit is—Oh, it's here."

Arriving on cue, the Prime Minister's aide arrived and presented a fruit to the Apostle. Fiddling it in his hands and even checking if it was clean, he took out a sheet of paper from his pocket and uttered a simple chant. Before settling the apple-look-alike on his palm, atop the slip.

"Divide, as I command thee, Split."

SLINK SNAP

The pleap fruit was sliced clean in half from atop her student's palm.

CRUNCH

"O-oy! Yamamoto?"

"Ah, my bad. I haven't eaten breakfast yet either, my apologies." True to his words, the boy was devouring one of the halved of the supposedly poisonous fruit without a care in the world, much to everyone's shock. "Mm, delish."

"A-Apostle-sama?!"

"Here you are, Prime Minister," the boy held out his open hand. "These are the culprits to our little incidents."

"S-seeds?"

Aiko, from her spot behind her student couldn't see it. Even when he turned to face them, she cursed her lacking height for still being unable to see it. Yamamoto was considerate, however, as he lowered his palm at an angle, a few black dots visible on it. They were indeed seeds.

"On Earth, we have the apple." Yamamoto-kun resumed while snacking on the other half. "Smaller than this delicious thing, a little harder and not as sweet. But there is an all-important fact to consider when consuming them. The seeds are considered toxic when eaten in large quantities."

"Or, in this case," his tone dropped several degrees. "If they are prepared incorrectly."

"You, go get the Head Maid. Have her call on everyone involved with delivering, preparing, processing, and distributing the fruit." Quick to react, the Prime Minister already sent another aide off with another task. This one far more urgent and had his brow in wrinkles. "But… how could such a dangerous thing remained unknown to us before all this?!"

"The answer to that, Minister, lies in its flavor and difficulty to grow."

"It's not popular, you mean?"

"Indeed. This fruit is sweet. Too sweet for most." He nodded to his side, implying Endou who stood next to him lips pursed. "The only ones who enjoy such things are mostly children and maybe a handful of sweet-loving adults. I take it Minister Decorose-sama was one such man."

Aiko remembered that name. It was one of the dignitaries that had been conversing with her students as well as herself. She had been asked what she could provide as an Apostle, answered politely, then chatted animatedly with about the Kingdom's current economic state. She heard they were running a system similar to European feudal systems, but only then did she notice the relevance of his talking to her. Her class that could help support economic growth, specifically in the agricultural sector.

"Yes, the Minister of Defense has had a penchant for sweets for as long as I've known him."

"That explains why he was one of the victims. The poison isn't really all that bad since the human body can help endure and expel it on its own. According to our world's sciences, the average dosage to kill a man would be proportional to their body size. In this case, I was initially surprised that someone as old and large as Decorose-sama was included. Guess his sweet tooth bit him back this time."

He shrugged but Yamamoto nodded but carried on.

"Back to the point, the fruit wasn't really popular with adults for being too sweet. From what I've gathered, only a handful of nobles really knew where to get them and even fewer actually grew them. I've also heard from Liliana-sama that they don't grow much in the surrounding areas due to the cold climate and devastation by monster attacks. Being such a high-risk low-reward item, I doubt any poisoning cases would even be so serious as to warrant an investigation on the fruit."

So he explained why it was so rare. By his logic, the low demand coupled with the high maintenance made it an unpopular commodity. As a child of farmers, Aiko could see where he was coming from.

"Then… the children—"

"Were all poisoned because the juice's toxicity content." The Hero's query was answered before he finished. "I told you. Pleap fruit is similar to, but more than, an apple. Not just in flavor too."

"Nguh." He bit into the seed and shivered slightly. "Eh, bitter as hell."

"Eh? Eichirou-sama—?!"

"Yamamoto-kun! Why are you eating it?!" Aiko cried suddenly, unintentionally interrupting the king in his surprise. Stating the dangers of the seed then suddenly biting into one while implying the poison was even more so, the teacher worried for his health over respect for the monarch. "You said it was poisonous! What are you thinking?!"

"Not to worry, Hatayama-sensei. We are safe from its effects."

"Even so, you shouldn't just… Eh?"

"Being Apostles, our Resistance stats allow us to endure the pleap seed poison. For us, there shouldn't be any lasting problems."

"Still…" she worried.

Hatayama Aiko worried. It was in her nature to worry over her students. Kids like them should be enjoying life. Not fighting a war, or being kidnapped into another world, or healing an incurable poison, or even eating said poison to prove a point! This was not a life they should have. And yet, his casual smile, despite fatigue overtaking it under his façade, eased her fretting and prevented her saying anything further.

It was strange. To have her anxieties washed away by a simple gesture. She couldn't fight it no matter how hard she tried. But even if she did, there would be nothing she could do. She felt helpless as the student did all the things an adult should be taking responsibility of.

"Minister, I've brought them."

Kicking her out of the contemplation, the aid returned with more people following after him. The Head Maid lead the procession of around twenty to thirty servants, ranging from cooks to maids to butlers to deliverymen.

They were all lined up on the opposite side of the hall, just across from the Apostles. The rows were far from organized and resembled a mob. More than a handful acting nervously to be summoned before the king and Apostles and even more were confused while looking around. All the while, several guards had taken positions around them, further raising their anxiety.

"Is this all, Head Maid?" the Prime Minister asked, no, demanded.

"Yes sir," unperturbed, the old woman replied while standing separate from the group. "These are all those involved with the handling of the pleap fruit."

Among them, Aiko saw children. Kids the age of thirteen or even as young as eleven. Of the maids, there were more than a handful barely out of their teens. She even spied the maid that she knew accompanied Yamamoto-kun.

Iselda was her name? The child had her hand clasped with another, taller maid's. This one seemed far more anxious than the children were and seemed to be latching on to her junior for support. Glancing over to Yamamoto-kun, his expression barely changed, seeing the maid he was assigned as a suspect.

"As you are all responsible for the handling of the dish that supposedly poisoned our guests," the minister's words halted some of their breathing. "We will have you all undergo interrogation. Once we find the perpetrator, they shall be punished accordingly—"

"Enough of that folly, Prime Minister." Ishtar, having never spoken until now, disagreed. "Being such light-handed in your approach would be sure to allow the culprit a chance to escape Ehito-sama's judgement."

"Then, what would you suggest, Ishtar-sama," the king asked solemnly.

The pope gave them all a looming glance. From where she stood, Aiko could see it in his eyes. He didn't care what happened to them. They were insignificant to him. Like how so many of the adults in high society disregarded those below them, Ishtar Langbard had the eyes that said he cared little about the masses beneath. But then that begged the question for Aiko:

'Why is he intervening now?'

"Have all the cooks punished for treason. Everyone else is to be dismissed from their jobs and sold as slaves."

That sent a ripple across the room. A very tense one. A lot of the servants were in a panic and begging forgiveness. The ones who weren't were either crying out in anger or kneeling down in prayer. They began to get so rowdy that the cordon of guards began raising their weapons. That only served to cause even more tension.

CLUNK

"SILENCE!" The pope shouted as he slammed his staff. Unlike the beautifully ordained stave with ringlets before, this one was a plainer rod. "Insolent sinners. For having ruined the evening of the Apostles and to even go so far as to complain instead of accepting your just punishment, how shameful of you all. And you call yourself believers of Ehito-sama?"

That quieted them down. But there were still many who cried in fear and frustration.

"Ishtar-san," Amanogawa, looking frustrated, spoke up. "Is there no other way to punish them?"

"Please do not concern yourself over this, Hero-sama. Ehito-sama will deliver their divine punishment, be it as slaves or executed prisoners."

"But there's got to be another way! There has to be! Doing it like this, it doesn't feel right."

He sounded desperate. Aiko knew her student was all about justice and doing the right thing. This scenario was against what he stood for.

"I agree with Amanogawa-kun. Punishing these people without a trial is wrong and immoral. At least give them a chance to defend themselves."

Aiko agreed. She knew most people would. On Earth, it was democratically agreed upon to give prisoners a proper trial. Doing it this way, even if it was just to avoid the actual criminal from escaping was just too harsh. Had this been carried out in their world, the judge would be put on trial for violating human rights, be they a religious figure or not.

"Worry not, Apostles-sama," the pope ignored them yet again. "Ehito-sama is just and fair to all his followers."

"… what a load of bullshit…"

Aiko swore she heard one of her students curse the pope under their breath. It was an ingrained skill she had as a teacher to overhear the slightest of things. But right now, she couldn't tell where it came from or who said as much.

"You got that right, Kousuke."

Whispering from the front, Aiko heard and saw Yamamoto as he massaged his temple and took several steps forward. "Your highness!"

"Eh? What is it, Eichirou-sama?" suddenly being addressed, King Eliheid broke his shocked face from the pope to look to the young man.

"Drastic measures such as that shouldn't be taken." The boy stood firm under the pope's seething gaze. "If all we need is the truth, then just asking them should do over needless slaughter. Besides, there's a chance that all of them are innocent due to a simple mishap. Are you willing to toss your people aside for the sake of catching a single criminal on the off chance they are all guiltless?"

His words were hopeful. They held an air to them that conveyed the needlessness of bloodshed. It may have been the words themselves or maybe the way he said it, but the young man gave the servants hope. Hope that Ishtar dashed just as quickly.

"We don't have time for interrogating them all. Do you expect the culprit to just willingly admit the truth?" The pope mocked. "Prolonging their incarceration gives the culprit a chance to escape. I suggest punishing them all immediately!"

"Langbard-sama, are you suggesting Ehito is incapable of serving out justice unless the culprits are either dead or enslaved? Forgive me for saying this, but that doesn't seem very godlike at all."

The tone Yamamoto had was mocking but also curious. With how snide his expression was, Aiko could tell her student was provoking the older man. But with how tense the atmosphere was, she couldn't scold him or tell him to stop.

"How about you let Anima deal with this?" he suggested. "As my deity is benevolent, I shall prove their innocence or guilt through magic. No blood need be spilled except for the guilty, if there even is one. What say you?"

"There is no such magic to force one to speak the truth!" The eldest man in the room frowned. "The blessing of Ehito-sama does not extend to the free will of his followers as it is Ehito-sama's right alone!"

"And that is the reason why he is beneath Anima."

No one missed the sudden growl in Ishtar's face. No one. Even the king very nearly jumped from his throne.

"Yamamoto," the Hero, however, sounded just as hopeful as the servants were in their pleading eyes. "Are you certain you have a way?"

"Yeah." For once, Yamamoto didn't seem annoyed by Amanogawa. In fact, he had a smile on his face and a strange gleam in his eyes. "Given the chance, no one will have to die today. And, if they are cooperative enough, maybe even the guilty would fess up who ordered it all."

"Got it." Amanogawa-kun nodded, for once, he didn't look bothered by Yamamoto-kun. "I support Yamamoto in this. Ishtar-san, please give him a chance."

The support of the Hero was all that he needed. The guards partially lowered their weapons, hesitant to kill their own countrymen. The accused servants as well cried out and pleaded.

All the while, the one who claimed responsibility under Anima's name stood tall and unmoving. Aiko hoped it wasn't overconfidence on Yamamoto's part, but before she could even think to say anything, Ishtar responded.

CLUNK

"I've heard enough! Throw these people into the dungeons to await their punish—"

"Langbard-sama, don't tell me Ehito is not only incapable of punishing his own sinners without mortal help," Yamamoto interrupted. "But he's also ungrateful at accepting the generous help of his superior god?"

"Wha-what are you blathering about?!"

"You people ask your god for help, and he gets it in the form of children from a world of a higher plane." The boy sounded like he wanted to laugh. "But then when those children, the ones you call Apostles, want to resolve a minor incident with a generous offer of a bloodless solution, you refuse. Vehemently at that."

"As I've said, what are you getting on about?!" his voice seethed.

"If you don't mind me asking, Ishtar, for what reason did you summon us here, if not to give you and your people salvation?"

The pope's face twitched from behind his scowl. Aiko didn't miss it. As a teacher, she understood what Yamamoto-kun was doing. He was probing the pope for answers, taking advantage of the situation they were in. If he replied, they got answers as to why they were truly summoned. If he relents, the people would be saved.

A moment passed. Then two. The old man that looked down the defiant boy glared hard… until he gave up with a click of his tongue.

"Very well," the pope's tone was low and cold. "If you wish to continue with this farce, go ahead."

"Oh, I knew you would understand," the boy mocked back. "Anima forgives you for your near interference yet again, Pupa. Not to worry, however. Through her grace, no innocent shall be harmed."

As Yamamoto slowly approached the mob of the nervous accused, he pulled out a sheet and something that resembled chalk before beginning to draw on the audience hall's floor with the paper slip's contents as reference.

Despite the magnitude and complexity of the circle, Aiko found his choice of words rather odd. As if this wasn't the first time the student and the pope had this exchange.

"Yamamoto, what did you mean by 'again'?" The Hero, clueless as the teacher was questioned.

"You see, Amanogawa-kun and everyone else, Langbard-sama nearly intervened in the healing ritual of Eliheid-sama's children. As it was Anima's will they survive, I took measures to prevent Langbard-sama from interfering. First, I had to silence him. But then when he remained uncooperative, I had to put him to sleep."

They were all taken aback by the news and maybe the audacity of his saying it.

"Did you have to go so far?" Meld who had remained observant thus far decided to question while glancing at the fuming priest. "He's the pope, y'know?"

"What was I supposed to do?" He shrugged as if to show he didn't know what to do at the time. "Langbard-sama was overreacting to the situation. Had I not, Lady Liliana and Master Lundel would have both died without medical attention. Them as well as the rest of the victimized aristocracy."

"Is this true, Ishtar-sama?" The Prime Minister decided now to speak up. But the pope didn't respond. He was too busy staring at Yamamoto-kun's direction. "If Yamamoto-sama was even a little late, the Kingdom would have lost the heir and the princess as well! This is a grave situation for even one such as yourself to lose your calm in—"

"No need to be so harsh on him Prime Minister. Ishtar is only human, after all." From his drawing on the floor, the boy didn't look up, but spoke aloud for all to hear. "The situation has long passed and no one was harmed."

Facing the throne as he kneeled, he smiled like a saint.

"Anima has already forgiven you for losing your composure, Langbard-sama. She understands your actions as a fit of personal concern over the lives of the children of Ehito. Thus, your near-interference at the time has been looked over."

No one else spoke up or responded. All they did was watch and observe as the young man etched his circle onto the floor.

"This?! This is—?!" The Court Mage was the only one to break the silence, heavily breathing while crawling on all fours around the magic circle. "The complexity of this circle, its markings, that formation, all of these I don't recognize… And this dust…" sniffing a line, he was taken aback. "With such a complicated magic circle, why are you using such poor magic crystals?! The mana used to sustain something of this caliber should require more than these powdered stones could handle!"

Neither Aiko nor her students knew what he was talking about. They've only been having lectures on magic every so often. And being from another world, the topic was still alien to them. But from how he spoke and the expression of disbelief he wore, Hatayama Aiko could tell Break Senec's common sense of magic was about to be blown away. That or Yamamoto was attempting to do the impossible.

For the sake of her student, she prayed it was the former.

"Haaah, this is why working with Hajime makes this easier." He sighed as he got up. "Now then. How to explain?"

Dusting his knees, he addressed the rest of the hall. Specifically the audience of anxious servants. After a few seconds of contemplation, he was ready.

"Alright. To those who have been accused of poisoning the noble families and disrupting the welcoming of the Apostles, I present to you a choice. This circle before me," he gestured to the floor with a smile. "This is my deity's personal magic. Once activated and a question has been asked, only the truth shall be spoken. If you believe you are innocent, I urge you to step in alongside your fellows. Those of you who remain were you stand, Anima will not assume responsibility for you as you have chosen to be judged by Ehito, or in this case, Pope Ishtar."

A glance to the pope. The man was staring hard, both at Yamamoto and his circle. Aiko didn't know if he meant it as a challenge or he doubted the legitimacy of the circle. She spared a glance to the others on the stage as well. The King watched in awe but was cautiously glancing at the priest every now and then. The Prime Minister was sweating bullets, unable to hep but also interfere.

On the ground, Amanogawa had a determined expression. The rest of her students all watched in awe, wondering what the magic would do. Meld and his men stood still and observed curiously. The guards had all stepped aside to let the servants voluntarily approach her student's circle.

"Now, have you made your choice?" Yamamoto raised his hands. "Tried by a foreign god and given a chance to live?" he held up his left aimed at the air. "Or punished by Ehito for a crime you may or may not have committed?" he held up his right while directing it at the pope.

Aiko personally thought that was a low blow. It was a no-brainer for a human being to choose the choice with a higher chance of survival. Doing so was only human instinct. But to pit their faith in Ehito against it by using Ishtar's ruthlessness? Aiko wasn't religious by any means, but even she believed this was underhanded.

"I shall only begin when all those who wish to be judged fairly have taken their place in the center of the circle."

Yamamoto was patient, announcing so. All the servants were nervously glancing around. They looked eager to try for their freedom's sake but not wanting to be first, instead waiting for one of them to make the first move. After a few bustling and shifting around, one of them stepped forward.

"O-oy! Iselda-chan?"

The older maid called out to her junior. The child ignored her and took gentle steps until she stood directly at the center of the circle. Despite being the first, she was trembling in place. Even she wasn't immune to the stress and tension the others felt.

Judging by the girl's expression, Aiko felt she might've been really religious and had felt betrayed by suddenly being dismissed and instructed to becoming a slave. But that didn't matter as her student approached the girl, patted her on the head to calm her down and whispered something that only she could hear.

It must've been effective as her trembling stopped just as Yamamoto returned to outside the circle.

"One out of the thirty or so of you." He nodded to himself. "At the very least, I have saved one. Not my proudest to show to Anima, but it is still better than zero—"

"Wait!" Another one of the servants, an old chef this time, stepped forward. Looking around the circle, he then turned his beady eyes toward the Apostle. "Your magic cured one of my apprentices after she had drunk the poison. I thank you for that."

"Ah, so you're young Sue's master, are you?"

"That's right." He took a deep breath then wore a determined look. "You saved that child. I will trust you on this."

At his words, one more, then two, then all of the servants soon followed through. Aiko noticed that the first maid to step forward was being berated by an older one for leaving her behind. After all the accused had gathered in the circle, it began.

"Ignosce illis, quia peccavimus.
Non ergo animarum suarum imperio cadunt in ventum."

The circle glowed and wind started to circle the place. The accused began to panic, but when no harm befell them, the all stood in awe.

"Per lumen tuum, et gloria divina,
Invenire mendacium nobis signum."

The words echoed in the hall as Yamamoto began performing something neither Aiko nor the class had ever witnessed before. It was magic on a grand scale that even had the Court Mage speechless.

"Veritatem Fateri!"

The circle's light changed colors. From red to blue to yellow and on. The vibrant rainbow continued to swirl. The people within the circle were all a mix of emotions as well. Wonder, bewilderment, fear, confusion. From the adults to the young kids, no one could even fathom the amazing scene they were in. Aiko's students as well were speechless.

"Holy…"

"It's beautiful…"

"Is Yamamoto-kun… what do they call it?"

"A saint…?"

Well, speechless as they could get before rustling up a new rumor to denote the boy.

They whispered behind their teacher who wanted to disagree. For a teenager to pull off something this amazing and bewilder even the adults, he could have been really, really talented, or he could be a miracle worker. This was a world of magic, sure. But then, he had said his magic wasn't of this world. So then, that implied it was from Earth.

But Hatayama Aiko, not in her twenty-five years, had never heard of flashy performances like this being legitimized as magic, unless it was a phony magic show.

"Okay. Now, to prove your innocence, I shall ask several questions. All you need to do is answer. Is that clear?" They all nodded. Then paused. Suddenly, they were all acting surprised as if to wonder why they were nodding. The light from the circle began changing color once again as soon as their confusion began to mount. "Now, now, I've told you. Only the truth can be answered here. This is a part of the magic, after all."

His interrogation began.

First were the questions of knowledge.

Who knew that pleap fruits were poisonous? Many answered negative while a few admitted to know. The following question was directed to them.

Where did they hear it from? 'Rumors' was their unanimous admission. This proved the fruit's characteristics weren't documented or universally accepted.

Which part of the fruit was poisonous? None were sure and had guessed the flesh or skin. A child had guessed if it was the seed. But when prompted how he knew this, it was just that, a guess.

Finally, how was the juice made? The general consensus was too crush the fruit in a container. Several variations from honest guesses. But all had agreed that removing the stalk, skin, and seeds were necessary and that only the flesh should get crushed due to the three things being dirty, bland, and bitter consecutively.

This batch of questions proved one thing: none of the servants present actually had knowledge on how to properly prepare the drink but had a minor understanding of what needed to be excluded.

All the while, the circle's color remained pure.

The next batch of questions covered method of preparation and what they all did. No faults were found. No one had purposefully tampered with the dishes by mixing crushed seeds or anything else.

The final set of question was of intent.

"Are there any one of you who had malicious intentions during the course of the party concerning the present nobles?"

"""No.""" "Yes, eh?"

For the first time since starting, the color of the circle fluctuated and shone differently under one of the servants.

"Amelia-san, step forward please."

"Eh? Ah?! What?!" The girl was in a panic. The first to be given a different response was usually the first sign of trouble. "But-but, I didn't mean any—"

"Amelia!" The Head Maid herself silenced the girl's ramblings with a frozen stare Aiko only dreamed of emulating.

"Now," Yamamoto approached her slowly, calmly, so as not to startle her any further. "Did you poison the drinks served last night?"

"Eh? No!"

"Did you mean to poison the target of your malicious intent?"

"No, no, no!"

"Who did you mean for your malicious intent?"

"The-the," she cupped her lips, trying not to say. Seeing this, Aiko and the rest of the audience watched as she almost ended up crying.

"Amelia, if you find it difficult or embarrassing to say aloud, do you want to have one person else hear it and conveyed to me instead?"

The girl glanced at him hopefully then nodded furiously. Stepping aside, the Head Maid leaned in to listen to her woes. She hesitated at first, but with a nod and a head pat of reassurance, she relented. The eldest maid then conveyed the child's grievances to the Apostle before he nodded and spoke clearly, directing it to the Prime Minister.

"Margrave Verdoben is now a suspect of harassing the palace's staff. Multiple accounts. This child and many more are both witnesses as well as a victim." The cold tone echoed along the hall. "I trust this matter will be addressed by your grace personally, or is it within your laws and Ehito's teachings to allow such debauchery?"

"No-no such thing, Apostle-sama. By my honor, he will be dealt with."

"See it done. Does anyone else have any complaints?"

None responded. Neither the king, pope nor knight commander. The Hero, however, trembled where he stood.

"Eh? You mean… I was wrong…?"

No one really paid much attention as Amanogawa stood in place and contemplated his impressions of the nobleman. The only exception was the invisible boy observed all.

The Minister was already giving his instructions for an investigation. Aiko thought he looked relieved to be doing something other than watching as well as furious for another offense going unnoticed and bothering the Apostles. How such an incident went unpunished she know, but with her student having called attention to it on his own accord, Aiko felt a little amount of pride that there was some extra good to what he was doing.

After repeating a few more questions, the interrogation ended. The circle hadn't alarmed up for anyone else and they were all proven innocent. Much to the dismay of Ishtar.

"It seems my conjecture was right after all. None of these people were guilty of poisoning anyone."

The servants as well as the present Apostles all breathed a sigh of relief. The Knights and guards relaxed as well and only the Court Mage remained in a frenzy, trying to study much of the circle before its light faded and the inscriptions made by magic crystal dust vanished with it.

"I see. We shall investigate further into this to find the real culprit. I believe there are no objections to that regard?"

"Hmph."

"None, Prime Minister." The king nodded while ignoring the pope's indignant attitude before turning to the Apostles. "Eichirou-sama, once again I thank you for the help you have given us. To you all as well, dear Apostles, for the aide you gave us during the incident."

"We were just doing our duty, your highness." Amanogawa-kun, speaking in full capacity as a Hero, spoke for most of his classmates humbly. "No need to thank us for this."

"As my students say, we only did what was necessary for the emergency."

Aiko was fine with being humble. Her students didn't need the reward. What they needed was a way to go home, something that the king can't provide but hopefully, Yamamoto will succeed in achieving. Until then, they shouldn't owe these people too much and just play it safe.

"Such humbleness," the king bowed to them once again. One for the Hero and another for the short teacher before nodding to one more person. "Eichirou-sama, about the matter we discussed previously."

"I leave it to you, Eliheid-sama."

Yamamoto-kun bowed graciously as the king nodded. Just as Amanogawa-kun or any of the other classmates could wonder what they were talking about, the king rose up from his seat.

"By my name, as Eliheid of the Heiligh Kingdom, I hereby give this Royal Decree to have the credit of solving this incident got to Anima. By this decree, any and all prayers of thanks and gratitude concerning it will all be addressed to the Yamamoto Eichirou-sama's god of another—"

CLUNK

"Not so fast, Eliheid!" The pope stepped forward. Pointing a finger at the man, he berated loudly, like a parent would their child to humiliate in a public setting. "By who's authority do you order this decree? Ehito-sama has not given his blessing for you to make such—"

"Ehito has no say in this matter, Ishtar." Another interruption from the audience. Yamamoto-kun stepped forward as well. "Your god has no say in who gets the thanks or praise for this matter. Unless you wish to claim that it was Ehito's will that these people be tossed to an early grave without giving them a chance at validating their innocence? I do believe this incident has stressed your aged mind far too much, Langbard."

"I agree with the boy, Ishtar-sama." Meld-san spoke up with his knights wearing surprised but agreeing expression. "Had this young man not stepped forward, more than a few of our innocent citizens would have been falsely executed and enslaved. All because of hasty decisions."

"I side with them as well, Ishtar-sama." The Prime Minister cleaned his spectacles and stepped forth. "Perhaps this matter has had an effect on your mind. I suggest you rest for the day, Ishtar-sama."

Finding no allies among the upper echelon of the governing body, the pope glanced towards the Hero, Apostles, and the rest of the audience.

No one gave him the time of day among the classmates. The servants and guards all seemed to think his mind was just addled and exhausted. The Hero didn't say anything. He didn't even look at Ishtar or notice everyone doing so. Still lost in his own contemplation.

Aiko watched tensely, hoping that the man just up and left. From the entire exchange alone, she had already deduced Yamamoto to have offended the religious order of this world by his insistence of claiming glory for his god.

As the worry wart teacher she was, this was something all she could do about was worry. However, she had nothing to fear. For now at least.

"Hmph, perhaps you are right, minister. I shall retire early then, to rest before I make any more mistakes."

Retreating from the stage, he made to glare once more at Yamamoto-kun before leaving the hall through the back. Clearing his throat, the king finished his Royal Decree before dismissing them all.

Aiko had wanted to take this opportunity to have a little one-on-one with Yamamoto about the consequences of his actions, but he was already gone by the time she was done listening to the king. Apparently, he had left as soon as Eliheid started his decree, stating exhaustion as his reason before being accompanied by two maids and an Endou out the audience chamber.

Judging by how the king didn't seem to mind, it was probably because he too was worried for the boy's health. To that, the diminutive teacher just sighed and hoped to talk with her student another day.

The details of the new Royal Decree were thus.

'All thanks of resolving the incident is to be given under Anima's name. Those who were saved by the Apostle, Yamamoto Eichirou's, Divine Protection magic is to make a written prayer of their gratitude to be burned at any fireplace or hearth before the end of the night. The letter should entail their gratitude, whatever else they wished to pray for, and finally a closing line to end the prayer.'

That day, many hearths burned bright with appreciation and acknowledged the generous god of healing and mercy. Rumors flew swiftly as the wind of a deity that resided in the Apostle's world. A benevolent being that took the form of a caring mother and just father all at once. One who watched out for her children as well as those her children called friends and companions. One who took in those that Ehito had given up on.

Many cried out for it as heresy. Few believed the pope to have actually been suffering of exhaustion and believed his decision to order for the servants' punishment as just and right. But many more countered that. If the pope was truly pushing for the killing of innocents, many found it abhorrent behavior for the Church of the Saints. They also deduced that if this god was a form of heretical teachings, what about the Apostles who came from the heretic god's world to save them all? Was Ehito right in summoning them and thereby recognizing the so called heretic as a deliverer of his will?

The upper class debated as much. Some going so far as to suggest that it may not be so bad to recognize the new god's name. Others spoke of dissent, claiming that it was a false prophet and a usurper among the Apostles trying to oust Ehito. Many more debated on just how a fake god could heal a relatively new poison that affected nearly two-hundred nobles and not be found a fraud when the physicians and the healers of the palace themselves claimed it to be a miracle of foreign magic.

The commoner masses and uneducated folk, however, all chose to remain silent, praying that this new god would bless them in some way, shape, or form. Why? It was all due to the closing line of prayer that all the healed nobles as well as the acquitted servants had to write down in their letters.

"Glory to Anima, healer of the sick, defender of the innocent. By his just hand, and her comforting embrace, all is for the sake of his/her children."

"Gloriam Anima, omnibus patrinus."

"You sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine."

I waved off his concern, desperate to get some time to myself. I didn't hate Kousuke or his company, but right now, I really wanted to be alone.

"If you need any help, please don't hesitate to call on me, Yamamoto-sama."

"I as well, Yamamoto-sama… I really can't thank you enough… for your help."

"No worries. Go get some rest, alright?"

"As you wish, let's go Amelia-senpai."

"Thank-hic… thank you again…sniff…"

The older maid sniffled and hiccupped her thanks as her junior guided her away. Suspicious as I was about them before, now I was unsure.

"I'll go visit Hajime and check on him if everything's fine with the rest of the patients."

"Thanks, man."

Kousuke nodded and vanished, figuratively, just before I closed the door and locked it with a click.

"Haaah…"

I slumped back on the empty seat at the center of the room. A sigh left as my heavy shoulders relaxed then tensed again. It was around noon by now. The sun shone from behind the drapes, illuminating the dim room with subdued orange light. But the place was spotless. It must've been cleaned while I was at the party. The suits I had been comparing before attending were all removed from the bed and neatly returned to the closet. The mirror across me showed a haggard and stressful young man after all that bullshit the pope put me through.

"Come on out!"

No one responded to his maddened cry. The silence allowed him to hear the fast thumping of his beating heart. Slowly but surely, the quiet reply proved he was truly losing his mind.

"I know you're there! Stop hiding already."

He got up from his seat and walked directly before the mirror. Red and tired eyes akin to those of a wild beast. His throat, parched from the earlier meeting, itched to no end.

"Shut up with the narrating and come on out already!"

'… Fine. Fine. Such a melodrama...'

From the corner of my eye, I saw the reflective surface of the glass shimmer slightly. But when I glanced as it, I was disappointed. I looked the same on the mirror as I should in reality. No glowing eyes. No ghastly grins. No change whatsoever to my appearance.

"Where are you?"

'I never left. I've been in your head all this time since yesterday.'

The sound was all around. At the same time, nowhere. Looking in my vicinity, no one was present in the room except for myself and my reflection.

'Just how long do you plan on looking for a voice?'

"Haaah…" Well what exactly was I expecting? For it to have a face? "… … … What the fuck is going on?"

One moment, I was alone and panicking. In another, I had some… thing… moving my body against my will. Then, I became a passenger in my own head. Next thing I know, the kids were fine. Liliana was fine. Coughing up syrup and shit but otherwise better than they were before, struggling for air.

Shit.

Thank god.

'From that response, I believe my choice of actions were satisfactory?'

It sounded proud. I wasn't.

"To hell with 'satisfactory'. What the hell were you planning, making me Ishtar's public enemy number one?!"

'I did what I must. The fool would've interfered with the healing had I not silenced him. Unless, you would rather I had let the children die?'

I didn't respond to that. I couldn't. The answer was clear as day.

No. Definitely no.

Maybe it was right. This could be the best decision there was. Or at least, at the time.

'Of course, it is. Even you saw it for yourself. The pope cares not for his followers, no matter how faithful they are. Not just the two children or guests would have died if he saw my powers as heretical. Even their servants for my standing for their rights, had I not played the 'interference of another god' act.'

My thoughts went back to when I helplessly watched as a handful had gotten down in their knees, begging for amnesty from the pope. The way Ishtar just watched them with indifference, like they didn't matter at all, made me think he would order their deaths without even hesitating. Looking back on it, maybe he would have.

Had this… thing… not hijacked me and intervened.

"Still. Did you have to knock him out? You could have at least paralyzed him or stopped him from moving last night!"

'And then what? Release him as soon as it was over? Are you absolutely certain he wouldn't attempt something to undo their recovery and claim it as 'cleansing Anima's contaminating of Ehito's followers'? Can you promise he won't use their demise after as a legitimate reason for ridding the kingdom of you?'

"… No… fuck…"

Ishtar seemed to be the type to always be in control, no matter the situation. He had been when he convinced Amanogawa to take on the mantle of Hero. He was whenever the king was there to make decisions. If not directly, he was always around, influencing them from the shadows or the side. But now, he wasn't.

Not when he had been made to play the delirious fool in front of his believers by this...thin—

'How many times must you be so rude to someone who's done their best to aid you?'

"What?"

'Constantly referring to myself as an object, just how insolent can you be?'

"I don't exactly have a designation for you, now do I? You just popped out of nowhere and start pulling some Latin-based sorcery like you're some sage's reincarnation. Hell, let alone who, I don't even know what you are!"

'I am my own being. I have my own sentience. That alone should prove I am not a mere object. 'Cogito, ergo sum' is what your people called it, I believe.'

"How the hell can you even quote Descartes when I've never had a parasite in my head before getting into this hellhole?!"

'Because I can access your memories. Maybe it is due to our current… circumstances, but I can reminisce your memories as I could my own, if I had them.'

"Wait… what? You don't know?!"

'Granted, I have not the slightest inkling to my own identity. I know not who I am, where I'm from, or the origin of my abilities. But I do know who you are, about your original home, as well as this place. Or what you've already found out about it."

"You've been peeking into my head?"

"My reach into your mind is the same as yours. I can sift through your recent recollections about as much as you can. Anything you might've forgotten before I came to be is permanently lost, however. I can also empathize with some emotions related to certain memories.'

Great.

Just great.

Not only was I growing careless from homesickness, my sanity is losing its grasp as well! Now I have an imaginary friend that can sift through everything I know and empathize with all the crap I have to deal with. If this isn't some crackhead coping mechanism to help me keep it together by the stitches, I don't know what is!

Amazing! Fantastic!

It's an absolutely fucking wonderful time to be alive!

'Hey! I am not some parasite nor am I a fabrication created by your mind. My abilities should serve as proof of that.'

Shit. It's right on that point. No imagination could be able to bend nature to their will or harmlessly force poison out of another's body. Then again, if this was schizophrenia, maybe it would explain why I had lost control of my own body.

'You did not lose control. I merely borrowed it for the sake of assisting you.'

"'Borrowed' in the sense that I couldn't even do anything while something reigned free to—"

'I have told you to stop referring to me as an object!'

"And as I've said. I don't know who or what you are. I have nothing to call you by."

'…Then, think up of a name for me.'

Huh?!

'Give. Me. A name. Was that too hard to comprehend? If you find it so difficult to refer to me as a sentient being, then name me.'

It… that was a true point. If one can't designate or categorize, one wouldn't see any other way to do so. Thinking of a and calling by name should eliminate the problem.

"Alright then." I nodded at no one in particular as I leaned back into my seat. "How about… Jim—"

'Stop right there. Just because I'm a voice in your head does not permit you to name me after a cricket.'

Dammit. It was thematically fitting as well.

'Refrain from any more animal names as well. I am a… well what exactly isn't important now. But I am self-aware. So at least give me something… human.'

"Okay. Joh—."

'No.'

"Jack—."

'No.'

"James—?"

'No.'

"Oh come on! Why do you have to be so—?!"

'Will you stop shouting? A voice I may be, but the higher volume serves no purpose other than to call attention to yourself. I can communicate with you just fine even if you'd just think what you wish to say.'

Wait. Was I calling attention to myself?

'Had the young maids and boy not left, they would no doubt hear you talking to yourself from beyond the door.'

Ah. Shit. Now that I think about it, you've been responding to me even when I was just thinking to myself.

'Indeed. Now hurry up and give me a name.'

It would be oh so fucking easy if someone wasn't so picky.

'If someone were to give you a designation to last for eternity, would you prefer they be indifferent about it? How would you feel if your name meant 'arrogant' or 'bastard'?'

None of those names were offensive!

'But neither are they really unique. No offense to the current owners of those names, but I'd rather not be the ten-millionth John. Not something copied over so many centuries.'

What do you want? Caesar?

'Rejected. A name denotes identity. I wish to be known only by a name you gave me about me. Not naming me after another.'

Hmph. It's just a placeholder. Why put so much importance on it?

I thought about it. And continued. And continued. And… … … nothing. I got nothing. Absolutely nothing.

'What is it that you find so difficult?'

You said you want a name with meaning. I can't give you meaning. I hardly know you. How am I supposed to name you when you don't have a physical characteristic, discernible traits, or even a gender that I can correlate the name with?

'You have my voice. Try think related to that.'

I sighed and thought about it. Then, how about Vox—

'Please avoid translations of the word 'voice'.'

Tch. A name on voices. Voice. Voice… Speech—?

'Please make it a short, effeminate name.'

What?!

'I said to make it a short girl's name.'

And why did it have to be female? You don't even sound remotely effeminate.

'You said you found it difficult without characteristics to go by. I don't know what my original gender was, so I'm simply laying out my current preference through random conditions. Is naming me female a problem?'

No. It's just… you know what? Nevermind. It's your damn name. I don't care.

'Well then hurry up.'

I stood up and sighed. As I began pacing, I contemplated on my options and what I had to go by.

Voice. Speech. Song. Singing… Female.

How about 'Emer?'

'No.'

'Lyra?'

'Nope.'

…

Several or so suggestions later…

My eye was twitching. I had stopped pacing nearly an hour ago and lied back on the bed. The noon sky had passed and afternoon was upon me. I had yet to rest ever since arriving to my own bedroom. The reason as to why was none other than the picky voice in my head.

'Did you think of a name yet?'

Yeah, I fucking did! How would you like 'Euphie—'?

'Denied. Naming me after a fictional human character is better than an animal. But to name me after one that reminds you of such depressing emotions… I'd rather not.'

Oh. My. God. Why is that important?! It's just a fictional character from a TV show! What the hell is the problem now?!

'It doesn't… feel… right. Fictional it may be, I feel uncomfortable to be associated with tragic characters.'

HOW?!

'I can't explain it. But when I touch on your emotions, I feel… off. Like they're several times more intense than they should be.'

Ugh. Fine. But that doesn't explain why you can't just accept any other meaningless name. It was hard to choose one without any conditions or preferences but rejecting nearly eighty names already is fucking ridiculous!

'I'm sorry, okay! Not one of your suggestions clicked.'

For god's sake, if you don't find it good now, you could just change it later. It's not like you have to go through the name changing process on Earth.

'As I've said, I want a name to call my own. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I'd prefer if it wasn't generic, animal-related, food-related, male, too long, childish, ridiculous, a name of someone you know, and related to some negative emotion in your memories.'

I facepalmed. Hard.

I was exhausted. It—no, no… wants a feminine name—she had been adding new conditions after every five or six suggestions. I was worn-out from running around and thinking. Going through names like they were pennies for a long-distance payphone call was just stupidly draining.

Of all the things to trouble me today, why was a name so fucking annoying?

"Haaah. Ah, I give up. Fuck it. Fuck it all to hell."

'Have you given up or not?'

"Screw this. 'Mia' will do."

''Mia'? Is that.. a pun? Is this a joke to you?'

You wanted a name to 'call your own'. You get one. It means 'mine'. It's short, a girl's name, and when you need to introduce yourself, you can say "oh hi, my name is Mia/mine" and the message will get across.

'It's not funny.'

I'm not trying to be. Your name is 'Mia' because I'm tired of thinking. You gave me a headache for denying each and everyone of my suggestions despite them all being perfectly adequate. I'm done.

'Oy, don't just leave it at that! Take this seriously!'

I AM taking it seriously. A name means nothing to me. I don't give a damn about the other Eichirou's or Yamamoto's in existence. All I care about is the one who gave me the name. If you don't like, make one up your own. You have access to my memories, don't you? Have fun sifting through all the books I've read in the past!

'That's not fair!'

I never had a choice of my name to begin with. Why should you? It doesn't matter. Right now, you are Mia. End of discussion.

'…'

'… Mia…'

"Got a problem?"

'… No… It'll do… for now at least.'

"Haaah…Finally!"

Jumping off my bed, I made to undress before actually getting some sleep. I'd rather not wear a suit to bed. Besides reeking of sweat, my family photo would just get wrinkled.

"Now that we had that sorted out. I can get some rest. We'll discuss everything else later. I'm too tire—"

BADUMP DUMP

'O-oy! What's wrong with you? Hey! You alright?'

"What… the…?"

Why am I face first on the floor? My hand had fallen by the side of my face while the other was crushed beneath my own body's weight. I couldn't move. My eyelids felt heavy.

Ah shit. I feel sleepy. The exhaustion from yesterday's caught up to me.

'Haaah… that's all?'

I couldn't respond. I wanted to… but my mouth was being uncooperative. I was losing consciousness, fast.

'To have such a weak body, as a host, you certainly aren't much to behold.'

Bite me. If you don't like it, go get someone else.

'I would if I could, but, well, as you can see, such is impossible.'

Ah. Dammit.

'Worry not. I shall take care of your body while you're out.'

My droopy eyes shot wide open and struggled to stay that way.

What the hell are you planning on—?!

'Nothing at the moment. Merely to prepare you for bed. Of course, you wouldn't have a problem with that, will you?'

Why? You aren't planning anything else?

'Do I seem like the type to assume your identity at my convenience?! Hmph, how rude… Perhaps it's because we share a body and thereby, whatever happens to you will just as negatively affect me. This is just me doing my part to keep you alive and healthy. Besides, for all we know, we're stuck together. Whether we like it or not.'

Huh… seems… reasonable…

'Sleep. Let me take care of things while you rest.'

Unable to fault her logic, I let the darkness take me. Just as I plunged into the deep, I felt the controls of my body be taken away from me.

He was gone. Asleep.

Here I was, alone in his body.

"Finally. Some peace and quiet!"

Pushing off the floor, I felt the heaviness of his body weigh me down by the arms. It was different compared to the weightlessness of floating inside his head. I could feel.

"Ow…" Dusting off his, no right now it was my, chest, I cricked my neck before giving the new body a few stretches. 'This body really isn't all that impressive…'

Walking up to the mirror, I saw his face. The eyes were a deep shade of violet. Unlike yesterday, they weren't shining. Why? Even I didn't know. I tried smiling. It came out normal. Or as normal as it should.

Having only come into existence recently, I wouldn't know how to tell if one was healthy or not. Sifting through his memories on the matter, his eyes weren't all that sunken despite having to wear thick glasses to account for his deplorable eyesight.

While on the topic of his face, his looks were, as far as the memories told me, pretty average. Not effeminate and certainly not very manly. Pretty much in the midpoint. If it weren't for his generic black hairstyle, he wouldn't look as bland as those characters in the novels he's read.

I pulled back the hair as far as I could. His forehead was clean but mediocre. His complexion wasn't all that strange either. Maybe slightly tanner than the average teenager. It probably had to do with his family's travelling.

Family.

The words brought a strange feeling into play.

Taking a seat, I decided to explore my host's mind a bit more. Of course, I will do as needed and have his body rest. But that doesn't mean I can't learn more about him during the process. Now, let's see.

'Yamamoto Eichirou. A really, really nervous wreck. Likes to relax and watch, most of the time.' In short, lazy. 'Enjoys music, has a talent for storytelling? How conceited!'

Looking through his memories, I saw his siblings enjoying the music and the stories. I noted how his instructors praised him while practicing various songs on an instrument I was personally unfamiliar with, but when it came to the stories, the only positives were that he was willing and able to enact or perform them through action or costumes. I doubted that was enough to call him a talented storyteller.

'Home is… pretty much nowhere permanent.' Now wasn't that curious. 'Traveling with family's twisted his sense of home from 'place to relax' to 'anywhere family is'.'

The warm feeling resurfaced. Twice as uplifting this time.

'Family. Siblings. Two?' Beaming expressions come to mind. "This fluttering feeling. It's… burning? A passion along with… joy? He seems to adore them, as far as his doting is concerned.'

I felt the emotions well up as I thought of them. The ones he seems to cherish most. Oddly enough, they were also the ones he thought of when he was with the princess this morning. Even while I waited at the back of his head, I could feel what he felt except tenfold. The exception was when he, or his mind, was asleep.

'And thank god for this peace I finally get. Now, where were we? Ah, right. Parents. Father.' The feelings there were a little mixed. 'A slight distance, but otherwise familial. The mom… huh, that's strange. It feels… empty. Like I, no, like he doesn't remember…'

I winced and thought that shouldn't be right before taking off his coat. Pulling out the contents of the inner pockets, I laid the Status Plate artifact thingy on the bedside table. As for the other,

'Ah, here it is.'

A photo of the 'family' he so cherishes. Looking over it, I saw the toddlers and the younger Eichirou. I saw the father and the one next to him, opposite the boy.

'So this is the moth—?' His mind disagreed then corrected me. 'The stepmother?'

That explained the blank I got when I thought of the word. Hm… I tried digging further while studying the faces on the picture as well as that of the siblings of the one taped to the back.

"Adorable."

I couldn't help but say so aloud. I may not have been here long or known them personally but, having access to not only his memories but his emotions as well, it felt like I had experienced enough to know I could call them adorable.

'Hm?' Right as I was flipping it back, I noticed the seam where the smaller photo of the twins was taped onto the family group shot. A gap was present between the pictures. 'What's this—?!'

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

"Ack—!" A sudden pain surged through my skull. The photo dropped to the floor as I held onto both sides of my head. "What the—?!"

BADUMP

It surged forth like a ringing in my ears before disappearing completely and replaced by beats.

BADUMP

'… No… No! ...'

'What?' I noted the return of someone who should have been asleep.

BADUMP

'… … Please… … Don't!...'

"Eichirou?" I asked through the thumping in my head.

BADUMP

'… No!... Not again!...'

The words were fragmented. More echoes than an actual request.

'Is he… having a nightmare?'

The whimpers continued on and on for a while. Slowly, they began to fade along with the thumping. Soon, it was quiet once again.

'That was… strange,' I thought.

Really, really strange.

I looked down to the photo and picked it off the floor. I didn't dare look at the seam again. It might've been the cause of my mental roommate's sudden episode. But as I looked at the photo, I noticed it was blurry.

I took of his glasses and pulled the image closer. It was still fuzzy, indistinct. Maybe he was farsighted, but the memories disagreed. His eyesight was really bad and was actually in the negative. Nearsighted as hell. I should be able to clearly see the photo from an inch close.

It wasn't until I had worn them again and checked the mirror that I found out what was wrong.

Tears. A lot of them. It was flooding my face. His eyes were like leaking dams.

Staring back at the photo, I noticed a new feeling in my chest. I hadn't noticed it before because of the pain in my head. But now that I did, it felt intense. A mass of emotions swirled within. The more I tried to comprehend them, the more the tears came flowing.

Finding a towel, I dried his tears off of my face. Thinking on it, it didn't feel like I was in pain. Rather, it felt like he was and I just watched it happen. The ringing was like a sign of his pain. The thumping, I realize, was his heart racing.

A glance at my reflection, my eyes were now dry, but they were red. Bloodshot.

I didn't understand if it was anger. Or fear. Or sorrow. Whatever it was, it was too heavy to comprehend. Even though I could feel his emotions somewhat amplified, the feeling that wasn't my own had surged through me but felt muted. Empty. Like it was being erased just as soon as it came to be.

'Just who are you, Yamamoto Eichirou?' One glance at the photo then back at the mirror. 'Ah, how confusing.'

The feeling was. Just as much as the missing memories and sudden physical reaction. I sighed then remembered something else that was equally, if not even more gravely, important.

'Who am I?'

So here you guys go. A bit late, yeah. But bad news, this one's actually early compared to the upcoming chaps.

Announcement time: I have IRL stuff to deal with.

Expect the next three or so chapters to be really delayed. Like maybe an extra week or two. I have an idea on how to move the story forward and jump right into the FALL that so many of you must've come here for (despite me trying not to emulate canon too much) so expect that in two chaps, maybe end of this month or a bit into next.

As for this chap, you all may notice it got a little shabby at the later bit. I experienced a crash and wasn't able to recover most of the already finished bits.

Fun fact. That's the reason why this is a slightly shorter chap. I didn't really have the free time to go over it all again. If I feel like it, maybe I'll polish it up. But right now, I really need to focus on some major BS school as school.

Second fun fact. While looking up the other kanji that my OC's name could spell out, I found the most literal one google could give me was for 'picture'. So I used that to cover up the last part the crash had taken away from me.

Anyways, enjoy this while you can. Next chap WILL be a time skip for all you rushers.

P.S. Almost forgot.

One of you told me in the reviews that you expected a self-insert and not an OC and were misled by my summary. A lot of you probably experienced the same. My bad. I apologize for that. I really wasn't thinking much when I put that there. It's updated now to make sure no one else gets it mixed up.

Thanks for the notice. :3