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Chapter 329 - Hijiri
Chapter 329 - Hijiri
Chapter 329 - Hijiri
Letting go of her weapon, Sogou broke into a run.
[Hijiri-san!]
As if leaping into the air, Sogou hugged the Elder Takao——— Hijiri.
[You survived…… You’re alive and well!? I…… I had thought———]
A smile didn’t creep up Hijiri’s lips.
However, she gently hugged Sogou back.
[I’m sorry I’m late coming to see you, Sogou-san.]
[……, ———–! ……Y- Yes!]
With a wordless sob, Sogou cried into Hijiri’s chest.
She’s like a child clinging to her mother.
While holding Sogou in her embrace, Hijiri looks at me.
I nodded in response, silently thanking her.
?
During the conversation with Sogou earlier———-
I took out my pocket watch while I was explaining <Freeze>.
At that time, I was thinking of the approximate arrival time of Takao Hijiri, which had been conveyed to me in advance by Erika’s familiar.
That was an act to confirm it.
Also, Slei’s neighing that I heard in the middle of conversation with Sogou……
That was a signal to let us know that she was coming.
As for telling Sogou that Hijiri was coming here, I decided not to tell her ahead of time.
Sogou can’t trust me.
There’s a good chance that she would think that “I’m using Hijiri’s name to trick her into setting a trap for her”.
……If she had taken a little longer to arrive, I was planning to stall her by acting.
Yes————- Takao Hijiri was already awake.
“Kirihara is advancing through the Golden Demon Zone with his monster army.”
When I received that report, that was the second time Erika gave out an urgent signal.
“Actually, I’ve received this signal once before for another urgent matter.”
That is, before that, it was an urgent signal to let me know that Hijiri had awakened.
After she woke up, I communicated with her through the familiar.
Along the way———- I revealed my true identity to Takao Hijiri.
In the course of our exchange, I decided that she was someone worth revealing this information to.
Considering the future, it would certainly be easier to move around if I told her who I really was.
In fact, it could be said that under the current circumstances, there’s almost no longer any merit in keeping my identity hidden.
If that’s the case……
I thought it would be better to reveal my true identity and talk about various things as soon as possible.
Thus……
Once again, having Erika’s familiar as the liaison, we started to compare our information with each other.
We agreed to cooperate in order to defeat the Goddess.
Hijiri made a number of assumptions about the Goddess.
She also told me the basis for her guesses.
Most of those various guesses about the Goddess coincided with mine.
Before I left for the battle with Kirihara, I contacted her again.
Compared to me, Hijiri had spent more time near Kirihara than I had.
I thought I could ask her about Kirihara’s abilities in detail.
And the information I had obtained———- were more than I had expected.
She had analyzed Kirihara Takuto in surprisingly precise detail.
An analysis at a level that, if done well, would allow me to moderately win over him.
Personality traits.
Inclinations of his thoughts and desires.
It was an analysis based on considerable powers of observation.
It was so good that I couldn’t help but ask if she got a doctorate for Kiriharian or something.
And the explanation was short and concise (probably due in fact to the fact that we’re talking through Erika’s messenger).
Finally, Hijiri concluded with the following statement……
“In short…… he’s an approval-seeking monster.”
Yes.
The inciting words I threw at Kirihara in this battle……
Since I had been disposed of, I haven’t met Kirihara Takuto even once.
We didn’t have much of a relationship in our previous world.
However, the reason I was able to agitate Kirihara in such a way———-
It was that I had information from Takao Hijiri, who was observing and analyzing him from close by.
During the fight with Kirihara……
“I see———- It really was just as she analyzed huh.”
Yes.
It was just as she——— Takao Hijiri had analyzed.
That was the only thing we talked about.
“Also…… I want to consult with you about the President.”
I told Hijiri that.
I asked her if she could come out of the Demon Zone and help us out against her.
The Takao sisters have reached the deepest part of the Golden Demon Zone with just the two of them.
And the southwest area toward Mira———- In other words, the western side of the Faraway Country and Urza.
So far as it goes, we, the Fly King Squadron, have already trudged through this area.
The probability of them encountering an unknown crisis seemed low.
In that case, I thought that the Takao sisters should be able to cross over through that path as well.
“Indeed…… Since it’s in regard to Sogou-san, I guess it can’t be helped. I had done something bad to her after all. I should feel responsible for this. If it’s a plan to get rid of her, of course, I won’t get along with it, but if it’s a plan to save her…… Alright, I’ll go along with you.”
Agreeing with my suggestion, Hijiri continued.
“Fortunately, thanks to Erika-san, Eve-san and Liz-san, I was able to recover. Erika’s precious concoctions must have helped, because I can see now. I was saved by those girls. And from the bottom of their hearts…… those girls were grateful and worried about you, Mimori-kun. In that case, the choice for me not to return the favor here———- doesn’t exist.”
I thanked her for the last time.
“That really helps, Takao Hijiri.”
“Just in case, I’ll apologize now.”
“About what?”
“We didn’t try to save you like Sogou-san did at that time. I won’t make excuses, and no matter how many times we had to repeat that moment, I don’t think we would have acted differently then and there. However, I’m sorry we didn’t save you.”
“……So you’re actually the kind of person who would apologize for something like that, Takao Hijiri.”
“Though my impression of you has changed quite a bit just from this conversation through the familiar and your reputation as the Fly King. Also, calling me by my full name in the middle of this exchange is just being wasteful of characters.”
?
From what I heard, it seems like she used her little sister’s Acceleration-type Unique Skill to move within the Demon Zone.
Her little sister’s Unique Skill apparently lets them go through some routes, allowing her access to a shortcut.
And———–
[Haahhh…… Haahhh…… I finally caught up…… Elder Sister…… Did you make it in time?]
Coming out of the woods a good amount of time after her big sister was Takao Itsuki.
Probably because she’s been pushing herself too hard, she seems to be more exhausted than her big sister.
Slei is following behind her.
[Oh? Ohhh…… It’s really Mimori…… You really are alive huh….. So…… Kirihara and the President? Now isn’t this quite the line-up…… The rumored Fly King Mimori…… and the S-Rank Heroes, all in one place…… Haahhh…… Haahhh…..Fuuuu……]
[Good work, Itsuki.]
[Hey, Elder Sister. Is Kirihara…… still alive?]
[He’s alright. The guy’s still alive.]
[And, President…… Is she alright?]
At her words, Hijiri’s eyes lowered.
Then, as Sogou had buried her face in her chest and cried, she gently touched the back of Sogou’s head.
[I should be the one to make her alright.]
Amazingly, that had disappeared……
Sogou Ayaka’s will to fight———– and that pressure she had earlier.
So much so that you could say that it had vanished.
The “axis” of the current Sogou Ayaka…… I guess we can say that that has been secured for the time being huh.
Now then……
I heard about the properties of the Forbidden Curse from Munin.
I’ve also witnessed the <Dispel Bubble> being destroyed by the Nullification Curse.
I look at the gauge right above the sleeping Kirihara.
Unless the gauge runs out or I release my skill, Kirihara will not wake up.
Even if he does wake up———— I can deal with him immediately.
[…………………]
Mimori Touka.
Pigimaru.
Seras Ashrain.
Slei.
Munin.
Sogou Ayaka.
Kirihara Takuto.
Takao Hijiri.
Takao Itsuki.
[Well then……]
As I sat down on the nearby rubble……
[Why don’t we talk for a bit?]
<Author’s Notes>
For the time being, this ends Volume 10.
Thank you very much for your patience in sticking out with Volume 10.
This series started in 2017, so I guess you could say that this novel has been serialized for a reasonably long time.
This series has been longer than I, the author, had expected, and the response we have received has been very positive.
I would like to take this opportunity at the end of this volume to thank everyone who has been with us over this long period of time and everyone who has been with us up to this latest chapter.
The next volume will start as before, with an Intermission Chapter.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet your expectations as usual…… but I hope I can work hard until the end. (……I’m getting tired in the last few days, so I’d like to take a break).
I would be happy if you could keep an eye on the next chapter as well.
I would also like to thank you all for your comments, reviews (I received 2 new reviews, thank you very much), bookmarks and rating points.
To be honest, the support of my readers is a big part of what keeps me going.
I guess you could say it’s a kind of nourishment to keep me writing (thank you also for your kind words of concern for my health).
With your support, as always, I hope to continue to do my best in the next chapter.
We are planning to update the next chapter around 11:00 pm today (Well, the usual announcement update to coincide with the announcement of the new Light Novel volume……)
In any case, thank you very much again for your patience with Volume 10.