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Maou na Ore to Fushihime no Yubiwa-Volume 4 Epilogue โ A step to the beyond
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. ฦ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฆ๐๐ทo๐e๐ญ.c๐จ๐ข
What do I say?โฆ As Iโve been here at the Netherworld for a long time, Iโve lost my sense of reality.
Weโฆ Who cares!
According to Lilith-sanโs reportโฆ Itโs 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, butโฆ 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.
โOneesama. Chiharu-samaโฆ Please take care.โ
โYup. Aruruโฆ 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,
โโฆ F-far from it!
Chiharu-sama, right now you are regarded as a hero by us ghouls! Itโs impossible for a princess of this country to not come to send you off!
Reallyโฆ Reallyโฆ No matter how much we thank you, Chiharu-sama, it wonโt be enoughโฆโ
โโฆโ
How do I put it, wellโฆ Itโs 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 timeโs 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.
โE-ermโฆ Sayโฆ Human. For saving usโฆ Well, thanks.โ
โYup. Take care, you too Meruru!โ
โHyau!?โ
Even though I planned to pet her head as a parting gift, Meruru swiftly brushed off my hand and hid behind Aruru.
โUfufu. Meruru is not honest.โ
โโฆโ
Iโd say that, since the incident, Meruru has gone through a sudden change.
Specifically, even when we are together, she doesnโt bite me in the arm and somehow she seems to have grown distant with meโฆ
โโฆ Chiharu-kun. When I met you for the first timeโฆ Sorry for being so unkind.
I know that itโs impudent to ask you for this now, butโฆ My daughterโฆ Please take care of her.โ
โThatโฆ Not at all! Please raise your head!?โ
No matter what they say, having the king of a country bow to me doesnโt sit well with me.
โWe were mistaken with you.
Those hateful monster tamers like the Black Tamersโฆ That among humans there were wonderful youths like youโฆ I realized with this incident.โ
โโฆ Is that so?โ
I canโt express it before Satosu-san, butโฆ
The ones in the wrong, were they just the Black Tamers?
Ever since the end of the other dayโs battle, that doubt started crossing my mind.
Things are not that simple. ๐ณ๐ณ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐๐๐ป๐๐ท๐ฆ๐ก.๐๐จ๐ฎ
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 monstersโฆ Ainโt it just me, a chimera of those twoโฆ?
Curiously, lately Iโve been struck by that sense of duty.
Why is it?
According to Lilith-san.
In normal circumstances, it seems that thereโs absolutely no way that a chimera between human and monster is born.
Could it be that, unexpectedly, thereโs a reason Iโve been born into this worldโฆ
Whaaat, surely Iโm just over thinking things?
โBy the way, Chiharu-kun. I need to consult it, butโฆ Can I ask just one thing of you?โ
โโฆ Yes. What is it?โ
Satosu-san, with stern demeanor, โahemโ, cleared his throat,
โTo 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
โโฆ Y-yeah?โ
โChiharu-kun. What do you say? My daughter?โ
โโฆโ
I-I donโt understand.
Whatโs this guy spouting all of a sudden?
Besides, the one more flustered than me was Zonmi.
โF-f-f-f-father!? What are you spouting all of a sudden!?
Whatever may be, Chiharu and Iโฆ M-marryingโฆ Itโs still too early!โ
โThatโs the problem!?โ
In other words, come the proper timing, Zonmi wouldnโt be unwilling to marry me?
โChiharuโฆ Do you hate it? Marryingโฆ with me.โ
โI-itโs not that I hate it, butโฆโ
Being asked that all of a sudden, I was at a loss for an answer.
โThe hero who saved the cityโฆ Chiharu-sama marrying princess Zonmi!?โ
โThatโs great! If Chiharu-sama comes to live here forever, weโll be at ease!โ
โHey, everyone! Letโs give our blessing to princess Zonmi!โ
โโโโWedding! Wedding!โโโโ
โโฆโ
This mood, whatโs with it?
The ones that started singing a โweddingโ chant wereโฆ 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.
โMonster tamer. Could it be that thouโฆ Hast thou forgotten your pledge with me?โ
โโฆ Eh?โ
โI was the one thou exchanged a pledge of betrothal before! Dostnโt tell me thou hast forgotten!โ
โโฆโ
Aah. Since she has stopped being all sticky with me since Manami gave her sex ed, I had forgotten until just now, butโฆ That promise is still alive inside Iris.
โฆ Now that I think of it, I havenโt seen Manami for a while.
At such an important timeโฆ Good grief, where would she be loitering around.
โS-sly! If it comes to that, I too announce my candidacy!โ
โโฆโ
For some reason, after stating that, Kyouko grabbed my arm.
โโฆ Wait a minute. If you have proposed to marry me, could it beโฆ Kyouko, do you love me?โ
As I asked that, Kyoukoโs cheeks became really flushed,
โD-donโt misunderstand! If everyone except me proposed marriage to you, it would be unbalanced!โ
โโฆโ
She developed a cryptic logic.
Is it all right for you to propose in marriage due to such a pitiful reason?
โใฏใฏใฏ! Stop joking, you two!โ
โManami!? Where have you been till now!?โ
โThe one who will marry oniichan can only be me, his true blood-related sister! Oniichan! Accept Manamiโs love! Tou!โ
Suddenly, Manami took off the white cloth that covered the mysterious object that had been there for a while before us.
โUwahโฆ For reals?โฆโ
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 โdoes this really fit here?โ
โโฆ I see. Now that you mention it, Iโve heard of it.
The thousand deaths course winnerโs privilege is having a monument statue of yourself erected in the city.โ
โLilith-sanโฆ Nowโs not the time to calmly explain about things.โ
I-itโs the worst conclusionโฆ
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 flashโฆ In some sense, itโs amazing. This sister of mine.
And.
To tell the truth, Iโm actually grateful for my sisterโs actions.
Why is it?
If the spiral of wild enthusiasm of the flock had continued a little while more, even Iโฆ Would have suffered some sort of reaction.
Somehowโฆ Itโs not like I hadnโt been urged by a conclusive determination, but thanks to my sisterโs eccentric antics, I could leave it unsettled like that.
โEโฆ Whaโฆ?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.
โFuahโฆ With all this, Iโm beat. Iโll go ahead to the cabin to rest.โ
Itโs not like I really was so tired, but, yawning a bit exaggeratedly, I left the deck.
โChiharu. Wait, please!โ
โMy bad. Zonmi. Since today Iโm so tired, letโs leave it forโฆโ
โโฆ Wait, please.โ
I was tugged with force from the sleeve.
When I turned my headโฆ There was Zonmi with a serious gaze.
โI still havenโt heard the answer from before. Chiharu, do you dislike the idea of marrying me?โ
โโฆโ
Right after Zonmi inquired me.
I noticed the surrounding girls directing their glances at me.
โฆ
โฆโฆ
What to do. Donโt I say something?
However, how should I answer?
Should I sincerely say that I donโt know?
โฆ No, somehow or other, I think that if I give Zonmi an ambiguous answer, the girls here wonโt give their consent.
Troubled, in the end, what left my mouth, as if leaving the decision to othersโฆ Were the worst words, not fitting of a man.
"--T-thatโs right, what about you? What do you think?โ
โโฆ About what?โ
โAboutโฆ What Satosu-san said earlier. Could it be, donโt tell me you really want to marry me?โ
โโฆโ
โJust kidding. Thereโs no way. Ahahahaha.โ
Right after I averted my gaze, like seeking for help.
Like that time with Iris beforeโ
Zonmiโs tender lips plugged up my mouth.
โ!?โ
โโฆ Chiharu. Listen to me seriously.โ
โโฆโ
โThese are my feelings. Since where do I harbor these feelingsโฆ Honestlyโฆ Not even I know.
However, Theseโฆ Feelings of mine are the real thing.
โฆ Chiharu. I like you. I love you as a man.โ
โโฆโ
From nearby there came a sound of something hitting the ground with force.
Looking at the noiseโs source, there was a teary red-eyed Manami dashing out at full throttle before me.
โManami-chan!?โ
Not even sparing a glance to Kyouko, who called to her, Manami left the place.
To Manami, this situationโฆ Was without doubt a shock.
At this time, thereโs no need to think about itโฆ The one who keeps the balance of our relationshipโฆ Was none other than Manami.
However, the die have been cast.
Theyโve 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.