Maou na Ore to Fushihime no Yubiwa-Volume 4 Epilogue โ€” A step to the beyond

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Volume 4 Epilogue: A step to the beyond

After that.

Around two weeks have passed since the first and probably last incident where the ghouls in town were turned into zombies. ฦ’๐š›๐ž๐šŽ๐‘ค๐˜ฆ๐š‹๐“ทo๐šŸe๐˜ญ.c๐จ๐™ข

What do I say?โ€ฆ As Iโ€™ve been here at the Netherworld for a long time, Iโ€™ve lost my sense of reality.

Weโ€ฆ Who cares!

According to Lilith-sanโ€™s reportโ€ฆ Itโ€™s been decided that at last we can return to the human world.

It seems that after returning to the human world, the International Monster Association plans on lending us all-out support to protect me from the Black Tamers.

According to Lilith-san.

The person entrusted with guarding me has been deemed the most competent monster tamer in the IMA for two years straight, butโ€ฆ What kind of person is that guy?

I ended up hoping to return even a second earlier to the human world.

Time to set sail.

In order for us to get on board of the high speed yacht that Lilith-san had chartered, we went to the harbor area.

โ€œOneesama. Chiharu-samaโ€ฆ Please take care.โ€

โ€œYup. Aruruโ€ฆ Thanks for going out of your way to send us off.โ€

When I conveyed to her my sincere grateful feelings, Aruru exaggeratedly shaking her head,

โ€œโ€ฆ F-far from it!

Chiharu-sama, right now you are regarded as a hero by us ghouls! Itโ€™s impossible for a princess of this country to not come to send you off!

Reallyโ€ฆ Reallyโ€ฆ No matter how much we thank you, Chiharu-sama, it wonโ€™t be enoughโ€ฆโ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

How do I put it, wellโ€ฆ Itโ€™s come to that.

Having freed the continent of Living Lodge from the evil clutches of the necromancer, overnight, I came to be treated as the man of the moment.

It seems that, due to this timeโ€™s incident, the anti-human faction that was the main one among the ghouls has lost impetus, while the ghouls from the pro-human faction are in rapid increase.

โ€œE-ermโ€ฆ Sayโ€ฆ Human. For saving usโ€ฆ Well, thanks.โ€

โ€œYup. Take care, you too Meruru!โ€

โ€œHyau!?โ€

Even though I planned to pet her head as a parting gift, Meruru swiftly brushed off my hand and hid behind Aruru.

โ€œUfufu. Meruru is not honest.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

Iโ€™d say that, since the incident, Meruru has gone through a sudden change.

Specifically, even when we are together, she doesnโ€™t bite me in the arm and somehow she seems to have grown distant with meโ€ฆ

โ€œโ€ฆ Chiharu-kun. When I met you for the first timeโ€ฆ Sorry for being so unkind.

I know that itโ€™s impudent to ask you for this now, butโ€ฆ My daughterโ€ฆ Please take care of her.โ€

โ€œThatโ€ฆ Not at all! Please raise your head!?โ€

No matter what they say, having the king of a country bow to me doesnโ€™t sit well with me.

โ€œWe were mistaken with you.

Those hateful monster tamers like the Black Tamersโ€ฆ That among humans there were wonderful youths like youโ€ฆ I realized with this incident.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Is that so?โ€

I canโ€™t express it before Satosu-san, butโ€ฆ

The ones in the wrong, were they just the Black Tamers?

Ever since the end of the other dayโ€™s battle, that doubt started crossing my mind.

Things are not that simple. ๐—ณ๐˜ณ๐’†๐˜ฆ๐‘ค๐ž๐š‹๐—ป๐š˜๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐™ก.๐‘๐จ๐˜ฎ

It was for a short time, but since coming to the Netherworld, it made me come to a realization.

Monsters and humans.

IMA and Black Tamers.

The problems each one shoulders are deeper than I imagined.

The one who can mediate between humans and monstersโ€ฆ Ainโ€™t it just me, a chimera of those twoโ€ฆ?

Curiously, lately Iโ€™ve been struck by that sense of duty.

Why is it?

According to Lilith-san.

In normal circumstances, it seems that thereโ€™s absolutely no way that a chimera between human and monster is born.

Could it be that, unexpectedly, thereโ€™s a reason Iโ€™ve been born into this worldโ€ฆ

Whaaat, surely Iโ€™m just over thinking things?

โ€œBy the way, Chiharu-kun. I need to consult it, butโ€ฆ Can I ask just one thing of you?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Yes. What is it?โ€

Satosu-san, with stern demeanor, โ€œahemโ€, cleared his throat,

โ€œTo me, so as from now on the friendship between humans and the ghoul clan deepens, it would mean much if you, by all means, joined our household.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Y-yeah?โ€

โ€œChiharu-kun. What do you say? My daughter?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

I-I donโ€™t understand.

Whatโ€™s this guy spouting all of a sudden?

Besides, the one more flustered than me was Zonmi.

โ€œF-f-f-f-father!? What are you spouting all of a sudden!?

Whatever may be, Chiharu and Iโ€ฆ M-marryingโ€ฆ Itโ€™s still too early!โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s the problem!?โ€

In other words, come the proper timing, Zonmi wouldnโ€™t be unwilling to marry me?

โ€œChiharuโ€ฆ Do you hate it? Marryingโ€ฆ with me.โ€

โ€œI-itโ€™s not that I hate it, butโ€ฆโ€

Being asked that all of a sudden, I was at a loss for an answer.

โ€œThe hero who saved the cityโ€ฆ Chiharu-sama marrying princess Zonmi!?โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s great! If Chiharu-sama comes to live here forever, weโ€™ll be at ease!โ€

โ€œHey, everyone! Letโ€™s give our blessing to princess Zonmi!โ€

โ€œโ€œโ€œโ€œWedding! Wedding!โ€โ€โ€โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

This mood, whatโ€™s with it?

The ones that started singing a โ€œweddingโ€ chant wereโ€ฆ The group of nearly ten thousand ghouls that had come to see us off.

As if displeased by the choir that blessed our wedding, Iris, beside me, stuffed her cheeks.

โ€œMonster tamer. Could it be that thouโ€ฆ Hast thou forgotten your pledge with me?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Eh?โ€

โ€œI was the one thou exchanged a pledge of betrothal before! Dostnโ€™t tell me thou hast forgotten!โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

Aah. Since she has stopped being all sticky with me since Manami gave her sex ed, I had forgotten until just now, butโ€ฆ That promise is still alive inside Iris.

โ€ฆ Now that I think of it, I havenโ€™t seen Manami for a while.

At such an important timeโ€ฆ Good grief, where would she be loitering around.

โ€œS-sly! If it comes to that, I too announce my candidacy!โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

For some reason, after stating that, Kyouko grabbed my arm.

โ€œโ€ฆ Wait a minute. If you have proposed to marry me, could it beโ€ฆ Kyouko, do you love me?โ€

As I asked that, Kyoukoโ€™s cheeks became really flushed,

โ€œD-donโ€™t misunderstand! If everyone except me proposed marriage to you, it would be unbalanced!โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

She developed a cryptic logic.

Is it all right for you to propose in marriage due to such a pitiful reason?

โ€œใฏใฏใฏ! Stop joking, you two!โ€

โ€œManami!? Where have you been till now!?โ€

โ€œThe one who will marry oniichan can only be me, his true blood-related sister! Oniichan! Accept Manamiโ€™s love! Tou!โ€

Suddenly, Manami took off the white cloth that covered the mysterious object that had been there for a while before us.

โ€œUwahโ€ฆ For reals?โ€ฆโ€

What now?

What came from inside it was a monument statue modeled after us siblings.

Moreover, if we talk about its design, as Manami was in a pose of straddling me, it was the worst thing that, upon further look made you involuntarily say โ€œdoes this really fit here?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ I see. Now that you mention it, Iโ€™ve heard of it.

The thousand deaths course winnerโ€™s privilege is having a monument statue of yourself erected in the city.โ€

โ€œLilith-sanโ€ฆ Nowโ€™s not the time to calmly explain about things.โ€

I-itโ€™s the worst conclusionโ€ฆ

All of the present people were taken aback.

Besides, as if it was nothing unusual, she made the crowd of ten thousand ghouls that were excitedly chanting wedding cheers until a while before become silent in a flashโ€ฆ In some sense, itโ€™s amazing. This sister of mine.

And.

To tell the truth, Iโ€™m actually grateful for my sisterโ€™s actions.

Why is it?

If the spiral of wild enthusiasm of the flock had continued a little while more, even Iโ€ฆ Would have suffered some sort of reaction.

Somehowโ€ฆ Itโ€™s not like I hadnโ€™t been urged by a conclusive determination, but thanks to my sisterโ€™s eccentric antics, I could leave it unsettled like that.

โ€œEโ€ฆ Whaโ€ฆ?โ€

Thinking it better, I think that something like this has occurred not only once or twice.

In the end, with the weird mood created by my sister not having been dispelled, we rode on the boat and set sail.

โ€œFuahโ€ฆ With all this, Iโ€™m beat. Iโ€™ll go ahead to the cabin to rest.โ€

Itโ€™s not like I really was so tired, but, yawning a bit exaggeratedly, I left the deck.

โ€œChiharu. Wait, please!โ€

โ€œMy bad. Zonmi. Since today Iโ€™m so tired, letโ€™s leave it forโ€ฆโ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Wait, please.โ€

I was tugged with force from the sleeve.

When I turned my headโ€ฆ There was Zonmi with a serious gaze.

โ€œI still havenโ€™t heard the answer from before. Chiharu, do you dislike the idea of marrying me?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

Right after Zonmi inquired me.

I noticed the surrounding girls directing their glances at me.

โ€ฆ

โ€ฆโ€ฆ

What to do. Donโ€™t I say something?

However, how should I answer?

Should I sincerely say that I donโ€™t know?

โ€ฆ No, somehow or other, I think that if I give Zonmi an ambiguous answer, the girls here wonโ€™t give their consent.

Troubled, in the end, what left my mouth, as if leaving the decision to othersโ€ฆ Were the worst words, not fitting of a man.

"--T-thatโ€™s right, what about you? What do you think?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ About what?โ€

โ€œAboutโ€ฆ What Satosu-san said earlier. Could it be, donโ€™t tell me you really want to marry me?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

โ€œJust kidding. Thereโ€™s no way. Ahahahaha.โ€

Right after I averted my gaze, like seeking for help.

Like that time with Iris beforeโ€”

Zonmiโ€™s tender lips plugged up my mouth.

โ€œ!?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆ Chiharu. Listen to me seriously.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

โ€œThese are my feelings. Since where do I harbor these feelingsโ€ฆ Honestlyโ€ฆ Not even I know.

However, Theseโ€ฆ Feelings of mine are the real thing.

โ€ฆ Chiharu. I like you. I love you as a man.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

From nearby there came a sound of something hitting the ground with force.

Looking at the noiseโ€™s source, there was a teary red-eyed Manami dashing out at full throttle before me.

โ€œManami-chan!?โ€

Not even sparing a glance to Kyouko, who called to her, Manami left the place.

To Manami, this situationโ€ฆ Was without doubt a shock.

At this time, thereโ€™s no need to think about itโ€ฆ The one who keeps the balance of our relationshipโ€ฆ Was none other than Manami.

However, the die have been cast.

Theyโ€™ve been unknowingly cast.

Our time, just now, has made a big turnaround.

Contrasting with the feelings hidden inside our hearts, the boat we were riding peacefully headed to the human world.