"Itadakima..."
I stop myself mid-sentence, suddenly realizing there's no need for such words this morning.
"I have errands to run early today. Stop just reading books and do some actual work."
A note left on the table. Even in her absence, the hero still manages to provoke me. Truly irritating whether she's here or not.
"...Delicious."
The moment I taste the apple pie prepared for me, I can't help but let my true feelings slip. I panic for a second, but fortunately, I'm alone. If the hero had heard me say that, I can't imagine how much she would have mocked me. Relieved, I continue eating. The magic spell Azeliuze compels me to eat apples to suppress my desire to eat humans, but apples alone are hardly filling, and I've grown tired of them. This apple pie was devised as a solution. Although I would never admit it to the hero who came up with it, this apple pie is now my favorite food. I believe the hero mentioned that she likes something called "Luf Omelet," but it didn't suit my taste.
(Come to think of it, the hero has been rather quiet lately... I wonder what she's planning?)
Eating alone in silence, I can't help but notice something strange in the quietness. It's the hero's absence. Plus, her odd behavior these past few days. To put it simply, she's been subdued. Usually, she would pester me to the point of annoyance, but that has tapered off. It's still quite irritating, but the change is unsettling. It throws off my rhythm. What could she be plotting now? I'm sure I'll end up being dragged into it somehow, which is just depressing.
(Well, whatever... I'll never understand what goes on in her head. I might as well enjoy some quiet reading.)
Just as I was about to take a book from the newly placed bookshelf for some peaceful reading, I freeze. I remember the note on the table. A chill runs down my spine, a feeling of dread. My thoughts and actions have been completely read by the hero. But going to work right now feels like admitting defeat. However, if I continue with my reading, who knows what she'll say later. Should I proceed or retreat? As I stand there holding a book—
"Good morning, big sis! I came to play!"
A third option arrives: playing. It seems my brief moment of peace has come to an end.
"...You again? Don't you ever get bored?"
"But playing with you is fun, big sis. And my name is Shutoro. I keep telling you that!"
"Names don't matter."
My rudeness doesn't faze him. In some ways, this child who never listens is an even greater nemesis than the hero. At this point, I just have to give up. I put the book back and clean up my finished breakfast. I have to do this; otherwise, the hero threatened to give me direct orders. Still, names... Perhaps I should start remembering them, but learning human names is bothersome. I'd rather memorize the contents of books—that would be far more worthwhile.
"Huh? Where's the hero?"
"Who knows? Probably off helping someone again. How admirable."
I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart. From what I've observed this past month, the hero's kindness is abnormal. And that's just in this village. It must have been even worse during her travels. It's the one thing that makes me sympathize with her other companions. As I'm thinking this—
"I see... Hey, are you and the hero fighting?"
"Huh...?"
The child blurts out something completely nonsensical. What on earth is he talking about?
"What do you mean? Why would I need to fight with her?"
"Because the hero has been down lately. That's not good, you know. You shouldn't fight. You need to make up."
I can only feel confused by this child's misunderstanding and concern. Why would the hero and I be fighting? We're enemies—there's no "fighting" to be done. And "making up" makes even less sense. But I can't deny that the hero has been acting strangely these past few days. Perhaps this child knows the reason. And if "making up" is the solution, however incomprehensible—
"Making up, huh... So, what exactly am I supposed to do?"
This situation continuing is undesirable for me too. While it's nice that she's quieted down, it's also very unsettling. It throws off my own rhythm.
"Oh! That's easy! It's—"
With shining eyes, the incomprehensible human child proudly tells me his plan for reconciliation—
"Here you are, hero. I'm not sure if it will suit your taste."
"Thank you, Village Chief. And I'm sorry for visiting so early."
I bow slightly while sipping the tea I've been served. It has a sweetness and warmth that puts me at ease. It's a tea I could never make myself. The Village Chief must have noticed my expression as he watches me with a smile. I feel almost embarrassed. It's like reverting to childhood in front of one's parents.
"Don't worry about it. It's rare to have an opportunity to speak with you like this."
The Village Chief sits down across from me. I'm truly grateful for his words. I should have arranged a meeting like this with him earlier, but before I knew it, a month had already passed. Losing track of time when I'm focused on something is one of my bad habits—my companions often pointed this out. I need to be more careful.
As I'm thinking this, I notice something about the room's interior. I'm currently in the Village Chief's study. Naturally, the room is filled with books. That's fine, but the content is somewhat different from what I expected. There are many books related to the Goddess. And that's not all. There's also a small altar-like structure. The room is filled with items used for worshipping the Goddess.
"Village Chief, this is..."
"Yes, as you can see. I used to be a priest, though it's now mostly just a formality."
The Village Chief explains, as if embarrassed. For me, however, it makes perfect sense. Despite knowing him for only a month, I've sensed his character and gentle demeanor. Being told he was a priest makes everything click into place.
"But I think I can still be of some help to you. You came today about her, about Aura, didn't you?"
"How did you know?"
"I'm a priest, after all... That's a joke. Actually, Shutoro was worried. He said you and Aura seemed to be fighting, and he was concerned."
"I see, Shutoro..."
I can't help but smile wryly at the reason, surprised how easily my troubles were discerned. I had tried to hide it, but apparently Shutoro saw right through me. The sensitivity of a small child, perhaps. It wasn't actually a fight but rather my one-sided struggle, but I regret causing worry. Although, even without Shutoro's involvement, the Village Chief might have seen through everything anyway.
"Actually—"
Under the watchful gaze of the Village Chief, I explain everything, step by step. How we ended up here. The life Aura and I have been living. Our interactions. What happened the other night. It was like a confession. The Village Chief listens kindly to my clumsy narrative. It's a first for me since setting out as a hero. A different feeling from talking with my companions. Perhaps because of this, I feel I can express my current feelings with surprising honesty.
"—Since then, I haven't known how to approach Aura. How pathetic. And I call myself a hero."
I find myself confessing this. Since that night, I've been at a loss about how to interact with Aura.
"I'm not Frieren."
Those words still pierce my heart. But it's not Aura's fault. It's my problem too. Unconsciously, I had been projecting her onto Aura. Thinking that if I could reach her, I could reach Aura too. Looking back, it was arrogant. At the same time, she's no longer here. Confronted with this fact, perhaps I felt a sense of loneliness.
"...No, you are indeed a hero. And this is likely an issue between humans and demons."
"Humans and demons...?"
"Yes. As I mentioned before, she is a demon, hero. As for her words that concern you, I believe she had no intention of hurting you. Don't you feel that too?"
"That's..."
The Village Chief poses this question as if he had prepared the answer in advance. And at the same time, I finally realize. As the Village Chief says, Aura had no intention of hurting me. After that incident, she didn't seem concerned about it at all. It was as if she didn't even notice or care. For her, those words had no special meaning—they were just matter-of-fact.
"Demons lack what we call 'malice.' I knew this as a fact, but having the opportunity to speak directly with a demon confirmed it for me."
Demons lack malice. Perhaps it could also be described as a lack of guilt.
"I once asked her what she thought about the humans she had killed. She answered that she didn't think anything of it. Without the slightest remorse, as if it were perfectly natural."
The Village Chief tells me this calmly. I can picture the scene. For them, it's just natural. Humans are food, merely prey. I had unconsciously forgotten this. No, that's not right. I wanted to forget. That fact. Aura's superficial village life. I didn't want to deny it.
I remember that day. The burning house, the daughter held by a small demon, and the murdered village chief. Since then, I gave up on understanding demons. If I tried to understand them, I couldn't fight them. I didn't have that luxury. And yet, maybe I had been forcing my atonement for that day onto Aura. But that too, was about to be abandoned when—
"But hero, that is not evil... It is not a bad thing."
"...Huh?"
The Village Chief's unexpected words stopped me.
"When she begged for her life, I told you to give her a chance for atonement. But that was wrong. Because demons don't even have the concept of atonement."
The Village Chief continues calmly. You cannot create something that doesn't exist. Frieren may have been distant, but she wasn't devoid of emotions or sensitivity. Demons, however, lack these. Trying to raise them like children is impossible.
"I was wrong too, hero. Trying to make demons atone is our human convenience, our arrogance. We must understand that demons are such beings and learn to live together."
I'm speechless at these words. Yes, demons have no concept of sin. That's the convenience and measure of humans—of us. Forcibly applying it to demons won't work. Demons can't become human. Humans can't become demons. Such an obvious fact, clear even to a child. Yet I still don't know how to approach Aura from now on. I can't change her. Not before, not now, not ever. Was saving Aura that time really a mistake?
"...It's alright, hero. I may have sounded presumptuous, but you've already begun changing her."
The Village Chief says this as if reading my mind. But I don't understand what he's trying to convey.
"I have...?"
"Yes. Look at these. These are the books she borrowed and read. Do you notice anything?"
The Village Chief stands up and spreads several books in front of me, apparently prepared in advance.
"These are..."
They are the Goddess's scriptures. Not just those, but also books on trials and criminal law. Contents utterly unsuitable for her.
"At first, she read various books at random, but recently she's been focused on these kinds of topics. She's probably not aware of it herself, but these subjects interest her."
I realize he has a point. It's about Aura's submission magic, Azeliuze. I once heard from Frieren that magic is greatly influenced by the user's personality and characteristics. Especially unique magic, not common spells. Aura's magic involving scales might also reflect her unconscious mind. But what does this have to do with me?
"You were the catalyst, hero. When she first came here to borrow books, she said, 'I want to know what it means to atone.'"
The Village Chief gives me the answer I've been searching for.
"She will probably never understand its meaning. Even so, isn't it important that she's trying to know?"
Trying to know. Continuously seeking knowledge. That's what matters. I too must try to understand demons—to understand Aura.
I may feel aversion at times. My feelings may not reach her. Even so, we must live together. Otherwise, even if the Demon King disappears, the conflict with demons will never end. Not until one side ceases to exist. That's probably my role as the one responsible for her life.
"—Thank you, Village Chief. Thanks to you, I think I can act a bit more like a hero now."
"I'm honored if I could be of help. But as I said before, don't bear everything alone. This village has me and the other villagers."
"Of course, I'll be counting on you."
Standing up again, I thank the Village Chief. I haven't found a clear answer, but he's shown me a path. Now I just need to keep going. I'm sure it'll be alright. My old companions aren't here, but I have equally reliable friends.
"By the way, Village Chief, you're amazing. My best friend is also a priest, but he's always drinking—quite the worldly monk."
"Compared to Heiter, I'm nothing... I'll pretend I didn't hear that last part."
I remember the self-proclaimed priest who was always drunk. He's probably still doing whatever he wants in the Holy City. I should have the Village Chief teach him what it means to be a priest. The Village Chief pretends not to have heard me. I truly can't hold my head high enough.
After expressing my gratitude once more, I leave the Village Chief's house. Looking up at the sky again, it seemed clearer than usual—
"I'm home—"
I say as I return to the inn. It's already evening. After helping around the village, the day flew by. I had planned to check on the fields but couldn't. I don't know if Aura went to work or not. Unconsciously taking a deep breath, I enter the room, and at that moment—
"—Welcome back, Himmel. You're late."
What I see is something I never expected.
"—"
I freeze in place. But can you blame me? The scene before me is so strange, I might as well be dreaming.
First, her appearance. She's wearing an apron she doesn't usually wear. It's fatally unsuitable for her. Even I, who make it a principle to compliment women's attire, would give up. Next, behind her is a kitchen in complete disarray, too distressing to look at directly. And on the table, what appears to be the burnt result of her efforts.
"...It's no good after all. Nothing's going back to normal. That kid teaches nothing but nonsense."
Aura shrugs her shoulders with a sigh, as if disappointed. What on earth is going on? I can only stand there, bewildered.
"...Aura, what is this?"
"Oh, this? That kid said doing this would make you go back to normal, so I tried it. Seems it was pointless though."
Without any hesitation, Aura reveals the truth behind this situation. "That kid" probably refers to Shutoro. As the Village Chief said, he wanted to reconcile Aura and me. Preparing dinner is just like Shutoro, but what's ruining it is Aura herself. And she's admitting it so brazenly. Besides—
"...Is something wrong, Himmel?"
Aura hasn't noticed. The main reason for my surprise. Whether taught by Shutoro or unconscious, asking would be tactless.
"...No, I just think it's very like you. So, did you go to work properly?"
"How annoying. Of course I did. To begin with—"
As Aura continues with her usual bad attitude, I tease her while settling back in. My doubts are gone. A one-sided quarrel ends with a one-sided reconciliation. She has no idea. But that's fine. She is changing, even if not in the way I—in the way humans—might hope.
If someday, Aura and I could become friends, then perhaps with her too—
Dreaming of such a distant future, I take a bite of the burnt Luf Omelet, my favorite food—