The Darkness was Comfortable for me

“Horse riding; so elegant. I also had a taste of it in my homeland, but are the horses in this world the same as the ones here?” (Ferdinand)

Ferdinand speaks sociably to us.

Did he really come here solely out of curiosity?

Thinking about it normally…that would be the case.

Worigami-san said that we shouldn’t hold strange suspicions between Chosen, and that he would like to cooperate with each other as fellow Chosen. I did think for a bit that I might be way too on guard.

“The horses here are actually more tame.” (Hikaru) 𝗳𝙧𝐞𝚎w𝗲𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝑒𝘭.𝑐om

“Heeh, that’s great! I fell off a horse when I was a child, so I am still a bit scared. There’s no cars in this world, so for long distances, you would have to ride a horse…” (Ferdinand)

He is doing harmless talk here, but I can’t trust him.

There’s people like the student I don’t even know the name of that killed me and Nanami after all.

Of course, the chances a person like that is mixed in the 2nd group are terribly low, to the point that it might even be fine to ignore it. I understand that logic.

But I can’t draw that line.

My heart…my soul still hasn’t recovered to the point of believing in strangers.

“…If you have no business here, can you please leave? We want to practice.” (Hikaru)

I decided to end this conversation.

No matter the case, we will be leaving the morning of the day after tomorrow. There’s no need to further our connection with the 2nd group Chosen of this city.

With the conversation being cut off…no, even before that, Ferdinand showed a thinking gesture, and spoke.

“Hikaru-san…could it be that you intend to leave this city?” (Ferdinand)

“…Eh? No.” (Hikaru)

I unconsciously showed displeasure in my answer.

A displeasure I can’t describe at having our actions seen through.

“What will you do about Nanami-san?” (Ferdinand)

Ferdinand said the name of my childhood friend out of nowhere.

“Huh?” (Hikaru)

“No, I was just wondering…are you not going to reunite with her?” (Ferdinand)

“Reunite…? What do you…mean by that…?” (Hikaru)

I don’t understand.

What is he saying here…?

“Aah, I see. You don’t talk much with the 2nd group, right? Then, it can’t be helped that you don’t know… Actually, Nanami-san was re-elected to be a Chosen.” (Ferdinand)

“…Huh? …You must be lying…” (Hikaru)

“It is not a lie. She was apparently preparing herself with the help of your little sisters, you know? Of course, for the sake of reuniting with you, Kurose Hikaru.” (Ferdinand)

I could feel the blood in my body freezing in contrast to the indifferent attitude of Ferdinand.

It doesn’t feel like he is lying.

…No, he was apparently a soon-to-be lawyer, so lying must be right in his skillset.

But…we are talking about that god.

If it is that god, the chances of them putting Nanami in the 2nd group are…plenty high.

“I have made contact with almost all the Chosen that have come to this city, but Nanami-san has still not come. But isn’t she on her way? …Like, let’s say…the person that’s heading straight here with a passion from the north.” (Ferdinand)

Lies! …That feeling was currently clashing with my thoughts that it might be true, and my head was swirling.

If Nanami has truly been transferred, then she would aim to reunite with me.

There’s no doubt she would head straight towards this city no matter where she has been transferred to.

There’s no doubt about that.

That’s because, if the roles were reversed, I would have done the same.

“There were only broad choices for the transfer location. The aforementioned north person must have chosen the Dart Transfer. You throw a dart onto a map and you get transferred into the place you hit. I didn’t have confidence in my throwing hand, so I chose a normal transfer… Didn’t the north person have an absolute reason as to why they would force themselves to transfer to a place close to Meltia?” (Ferdinand)

Dart Transfer to choose your transfer location? There was such a choice given now?

If it is as he says, if the Chosen that got transferred to the hell was Nanami, it would be a reason as to why that person would be aiming for this city.

Most of all, Nanami is pretty good at darts.

“Oops, sorry for the long talk there. Well, if you are going to be leaving the city, you can use me to leave her a message. I am mostly around the 1st Floor of the dungeon.” (Ferdinand)

Ferdinand said only that and left soon after.

“He was kind of a weird person. Nanami-san is your childhood friend, right, Hikaru? I heard she is coming here.” (Rifreya)

“It is obviously a lie. Kuro, there’s no way you would believe that load of bull, right?” (Jeanne)

“Ah, was that a lie? It sounded kinda true though.” (Rifreya)

“It might be his plan to keep us in this city. If not, he wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of coming all the way here and talking with us.” (Jeanne)

“Huuh, now that you mention it, that might be true.” (Rifreya)

Even when the 2 were talking, I was spaced out.

Nanami has come to this world.

This inconvenient world that has nothing, heading to this city.

Just as he says, the Hell Chosen being Nanami does feel like there’s some validity to it. freℯ𝓌e𝚋𝐧𝘰vℯl.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Nanami is unexpectedly a very decisive person.

There’s times when Nanami would be the one taking the lead on occasions when even Celica would falter.

Even at the time when she was selected as a Chosen, at the end, she was even thinking about how to live there in a positive manner. I can’t think of how I should be living even now.

Nanami has come to this world.

I have Rifreya and Jeanne with me now, but if Nanami is with me, I might be able to become more positive.

She would slap me into shape when I am hesitating, and she might tell me that our world is fine.

…That’s a sweet and dangerous poison called hope.

Just like how it is difficult to judge the verity of messages, there’s no method to tell whether Ferdinand’s words are true or not.

Just like how Jeanne shot it down in one go as a lie.

His words were too convenient for me.

That’s right, I know.

…Even if I know…

I can’t just ignore it and throw it away.

“Oi, oi! Kuro! Are you okay?! What are you getting all bewildered by his cajolery?! Nanami is the Hell Chosen? As if that’s possible!” (Jeanne)

“B-But…it might be true. Or rather, why didn’t I think of that possibility?” (Hikaru)

“Oi oi, get a grip of yourself here. The Hell Chosen is a monstrous human that basically crawled out from the depths of hell, you know? It is obviously a 30 year old brawny mercenary with a whole ton of experience. There’s no way it would be Nanami who sounds like she is even frailer than me!” (Jeanne)

I can understand where Jeanne is coming from here.

There’s no way Nanami is that strong.

Or more like, it would be impossible for most humans.

However, Jeanne doesn’t know my little sisters.

Celica and Karen; if those 2 have sent Nanami to this world with perfect preparations…getting out from hell might be possible.

You can bring guns when you transfer, and guns should be effective against the monsters of this world too. If you shoot their Spirit Vein Center, you could even defeat a Demon Lord in one hit.

That’s how deadly strong guns -especially rifles- are.

“Sorry, Jeanne. If Nanami has come to this world, I…I have to wait here.” (Hikaru)

“Oi…are you seriously saying that…? What about the journey? We even made the preparations, and even did horse riding training here… No, most importantly, I am sure now. What he is saying is a lie. He must have a reason why he wants us to stay in this city. Even if Nanami is heading to this city, you can just reunite with her once the messages have come back, right? We have made the preparations already… I have been looking forward—” (Jeanne)

Jeanne is most likely correct and I am wrong.

The chances of Nanami being chosen and having come to this world should be low.

I understand…the logic.

But having touched that possibility…

“Nanami…she would arrive here believing that I am here, so if I am not, she would be sad… Sorry.” (Hikaru)

Once the message system comes back, we would be able to know if Ferdinand is lying or if he is telling the truth, where Nanami is; all of those things would be cleared up.

At the very least, I can’t move from here until then.

More so when it would only take a short while to be able to know.

Also…there’s the side of me wondering if he would go out of his way to make a lie like that.

How self-interested of me.

Even though I thought he is someone I shouldn’t trust, I want to believe in his words.

…No, I am already believing in them.

“Jeanne, just for the time until the messages come back -until the answer comes to light. That’s why…can you please postpone the journey?” (Hikaru)

“Postpone? Postpone, you say…? Kuro…didn’t you say you can’t open the messages? Are you relying on my messages? If that’s the case, count me out. I am not your messenger. It is information you want to know yourself, so shouldn’t you be the one confirming your own messages?” (Jeanne)

What she says makes complete sense.

If we are going to stay in this city waiting for Nanami, I should obviously be confirming the messages myself.

“…Got it. At that time…I will confirm the messages myself.” (Hikaru)

“Kuro…you…that much? Are you seriously saying that…?” (Jeanne)

It seems like Jeanne was surprised by what I said.

Is it because I said that I would open the messages I have not been touching this whole time?

But if Nanami is coming here, and I can confirm that, I think I will have the courage to open them.

At the very least, I feel so right now.

“I have been looking forward to this… To go out into the world.” (Jeanne)

“Jeanne…” (Hikaru)

“I was looking forward to it!!” (Jeanne)

Saying that, Jeanne ran off towards the city.

I can’t chase her.

“Is that okay, Hikaru?” (Rifreya)

“It is my own selfishness. Sorry, Rifreya.” (Hikaru)

“Aah, I don’t mind. I don’t care where we are as long as I am with you. Then, I will go chase her.” (Rifreya)

“…Please do.” (Hikaru)

Even I knew that Jeanne was secretly looking forward to this journey.

Jeanne is not the most emotion rich person, but Jeanne and Karen have some similarities.

The reason I am together with her is because I am paying back my debt of gratitude towards her for giving me the Resurrection Gem. That’s why, doing an action that goes against her wishes is truly biting the hand that feeds me.

…That’s right, I knew.

Even when I did, I ended up prioritizing my selfishness.

I have no right to chase after her.