Volume 3 - CH 18

No conversation happened after that. After finishing her meal early, Yumiela #2 said she was tired and retreated to the guest room.

Patrick and I talk about her in my room.

“Haa… that’s not what I was expecting. It would have been easier if she had been more aggressive.”

“I agree. She’s too….”

“She’s already here… hmm, something doesn’t feel right about this.”

I sympathize with Yumiela #2, but I don’t know if she should be forgiven. A world’s destruction is too big to sweep under the rug.

I can’t even imagine what she would have to do to make amends.

“When I first met her, I thought she resembled Yumiela in some ways. It’s like she’s looking at everything in the world, including herself, objectively to the point of lacking awareness….”

“Ah, I used to be like that. When push came to shove, I thought I could just flee.”

I used to be like her, but I’m different now. I have gained a lot of things that are important to me and need to be protected.

Back then, I had nothing. I would lose nothing by cutting off my current relationships and running away from this kingdom.

It’s the same thing for her. Since she had nothing, she could go anywhere, anytime.

“Huh? Think about it, don’t you think Yumiela #2 is feeling sorry about herself? Does she ever feel like it’s her fault?”

“Come on!”

Patrick affirmed without a pause. It was unexpected because he wasn’t the type of person who would speculate on something. He continued.

“It’s not possible. She saw Yumiela, it’s like she’s seeing another possibility of what could have happened….”

“For me, it was different because I had memories of my previous life.”

“It didn’t matter from her point of view. You living a happy life is enough for her.”

I see. My existence would prove that everything in her life was a mistake. All her efforts were pointless and her choices were full of mistakes even if she didn’t mean to make them.

If she had made a few different choices, she could have avoided the worst consequences. Maybe she would have had more success than I did. Well, it’s only a small difference.

“But I’m smarter, more feminine, and better at socializing than #2. More importantly, I’m stronger….”

“…Are you joking?”

“What? I’m serious. Regardless of what you thought about #2 destroying the world, she was confronted with the fact that she made a mistake when she met me. Don’t you think so?”

Patrick looked distracted for some reason. We were supposed to talk about something serious here. What’s wrong?

He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure.

“Let’s put aside the differences between you and her for now. I figured #2 might escape.”

“Escaping… Do you mean running away from me? Running back to her world?”

“I don’t know.”

She made mistakes, gave up everything, and doesn’t have anything important left. Where will she run to?

Patrick was hesitant to answer my question.

“So, what is she running from?”

“……From living.”

“That’s… no way.”

“She felt as if she was about to disappear. She has a similar vibe to the  Yumiela I remember during school but is somehow different. It wouldn’t be any surprise if she chose to die herself.”

That’s…. This was all in Patrick’s imagination, but I couldn’t just dismiss it as impossible.

Wouldn’t it be foolish to destroy the world, then kill yourself and commit suicide with the entire human race?

It reminded me of the last time I saw her. She looked somewhat satisfied after finishing her meal.

I couldn’t stand it any longer and ran out of my room.

“I’m going to check up on #2!”

It can’t be. I don’t know how and I can’t think of anything to do, I have no advice to give, but it would still be wrong for her to choose her death.

Running through the hallways, I knew which guest room she was sent to. The largest room had been cleaned even though no one was coming.

I have a bad feeling about this. The door slammed open as if it were going to break.

“You’re alive?!”

“……Startled me. What the hell are you doing?”

Yumiela #2 was looking out the window.

Her black hair was facing me, assimilating her into the dark night. It gave me the illusion that she was disappearing into the darkness.

Don’t tell me… she was going to jump out the window?!

“No!”

“Haa?? What are you doing?”

I rushed over to #2 and pinned her down to avoid her jumping off the window.

My restraint on her tightened.

She then began to resist with all her might. She struggled to escape from my grasp. I won’t let you throw yourself away.

Keeping #2 secured, I pull her up and release her after making sure she’s moved to a safe place away from the window.

“Haahaa… I thought I was going to die.”

“As expected, you were going to die.”

“Haa? You are the one who tried to kill me.”

“What? I thought you were tired of living and would throw yourself down.”

What? Am I mistaken? Or had Patrick misunderstood something?

Half embarrassed and half relieved, she sighed deliberately and said.

“You know that there’s no way I could die from this height, right?”

“Oh—”

Right. I panicked. I’m glad to know she’s not suicidal.

“And I’ve also decided that when I die, I’m going to take some unsavory people with me. Don’t you think that’s delightful?”

The way she laughed heartily in amusement. I knew she was a villain.

Then again, is there anyone else she could take on her way? There should be no one left alive in her world.

“You don’t have anyone to take with you anymore.”

“I hate you.”

Can’t you even understand that? She tilts her head adorably.

When I was in shock at her unexpected proclamation, Yumiela #2 loosened the collar of her clothes and said.

“Nee, I want to take a bath.”

“……Oh, yeah, I’ll have them prepare it for you.”

Is this how shameless the hidden boss is? If she had been this shameless earlier, life would have been a little easier.

She started humming in a good mood, looking forward to taking a bath. I was treated as if I wasn’t there.

Somewhat unsettled, I left the guest room.

Shortly after leaving the room, I found Patrick leaning against the wall. He must have come because he was worried about #2, too.

We talked as we walked side by side down the hallway.

“Did you hear our conversation?”

“ Only  half of it.”

“I was wrong. She does not have any plans to die easily.”

I glance up at him. He was trying to hide it, but I could see he was happy.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I should be happy, but I don’t feel bad either.

Then, the voice interrupted me.

Since our encounter with Yumiela #2, he had retreated into my shadow and remained silent, but now he decided to finally speak up.

“What a shame. It would have been easier if Onee-san’s parallel universe self had died on her own.”

“…Remn, you’re an evil god, aren’t you?”

“What? She was a dangerous person who destroyed the world, remember? Of course, I would want her to disappear to protect this world.”

The God of Darkness tends to be a bit too totalitarian. It might be unavoidable due to his position as the god who controls the world, but he doesn’t understand human emotions too well.

“Is she really dangerous?”

“Of course, she is.”

“What if she never harms anyone ever again?”

“That doesn’t change the fact that she’s a risk. She has the ability to end the world all by herself. Keeping someone like that alive is a joke I wouldn’t make.”

Remn doesn’t seem to understand people’s emotions and isn’t used to dealing with them.

Patrick pointed out his slip of the tongue.

“A risk factor with the power to destroy the world, Yumiela fits the bill perfectly.”

“Hmm…. But Onee-san is on our side, right? You wouldn’t want the world to disappear, would you?”

Finally, I’ve come to understand his mindset. He is a totalitarian who is determined to protect the world. For the sake of the whole, he doesn’t care much about the individual’s sacrifice.

The reason why he’s being friendly to us is probably because of the threat of Yumiela #2.

His stubborn refusal to call people by their first names may express his inner self not seeing individuals as individuals.

“I would never think about protecting the world or anything of that magnitude beyond my means.”

“Didn’t Onee-san have the intention to fight her?”

“If #2 hurts the people around me or me, I’ll fight her. I will protect those within my reach.”

Even with all the power I have to destroy the world, I can’t make everyone in the world happy.

This is why I’ve decided to protect only those within my reach.

“At least, our interests are mutual.”

“I’d like to save #2, too, if possible.”

“You should give up because it’s impossible. No matter how long your hands are, you’ll never be able to reach her.”

I was planning to ask him about the best plan for #2’s future, but it seemed impossible.

But Remn had a point. Wanting to save my parallel universe self, someone who had destroyed the world, was reckless.

What should I do? If I and those around me were to be sacrificed, it would be the end of the world….

After walking around having such a conversation with the shadows, I arrived back in front of my room.

“Oh. Remn, why didn’t you talk to me before? Is there a reason why you hide from #2? ……Huh?”

No response came from my shadow. He was gone. It seemed that Remn could access the shadows from anywhere, but I couldn’t quite figure out the detailed system.

Patrick’s face looked a little troubled as he glared down at my feet.

“Stop looking so grim. He left because you scared him off, didn’t you?”

“Ah, sorry. But the God of Darkness is a shrewd fellow. He’s too vague on whether he’s a friend or a foe.”

“#2 is vague, too.”

If only things could be done in a more dualistic way as friends or foes, we wouldn’t have to worry much. While I would prefer not to antagonize either of them, it’s not going to be that easy.

Will I eventually have to fight #2 for real? Even if I’m stronger than her, I don’t want us to fight.

“I’d like to be alone for a while to figure things out.”

“All right. Call me as soon as you get tired of being alone.”