There weren’t many people on the beach, probably because it was evening.
Sadiz and I sat down on the beach and talked about what happened to me.
That day, I met Tre’ainar.
By possessing me, Tre’ainar was able to go out into the world.
Somehow, he started to train me.
Unusual training that I have never done before.
That we read books together.
That he was strict.
We were teasing.
We had an argument.
I had my back pushed out.
Our talk couldn’t be brief. To think my daily life became so intense.
Sadiz listened to me in silence the entire time without interruption.
“And… I was taught… a technique called the Great Demon Spiral. Well in fact…… I didn’t know what it meant for Sadiz…”
A technique that took everything away from Sadiz.
I asked for lessons from the one who took everything from Sadiz.
So, it was inevitable that Sadiz would be distraught at the graduation match.
I can’t resent Sadiz.
But then the question is…
“Sadiz… I found out what this technique meant… but I still used it earlier. I will continue…… to use it.
“…………”
“That’s why… I’m… sorry… Sadiz.”
I’ve never known a time of war.
But I know what Tre’ainar did.
I also know what Tre’ainar has taken from Sadiz.
I also know that Sadiz will never forgive Tre’ainar.
“It’s fine if you …… despise me, and you can …… choose not to forgive me, but still I’m…”
Honestly, if you were to tell me this out of the blue, I wouldn’t believe it or be able to wrap my head around it.
I can see a ghost, and that ghost is The Great Demon King Tre’ainar.
To be honest, Sadiz and I were talking without being in this situation, she would have dismissed it with “Is your head all right?”
But I used Tre’ainar’s technique.
How do you explain that?
I had no choice but to reveal everything.
“Pl, please wait… Little man… that, a little longer…”
Although she didn’t outright deny me, Sadiz was confused and holding her head.
“Honesty… even if I was suddenly told about something I cannot see… but, if you’re convinced that you can ‘see the ghost of the Great Demon King’…… then everything up to this point would actually make sense…”
This reaction was natural.
Even Sadiz, who is smart, would not immediately believe in the existence of ghosts if she was suddenly told of their existence.
That said, Sadiz also knew that I wasn’t lying.
“Assuming that …… all of that is true… the ghost of the Great Demon King… would not do something to harm Little man.”
“It’s not like that. I can see him, we can have conversations, but he can’t touch me, and in this state Tre’ainar can’t use magic on me either.”
“Is … that so? B, but… conversations, then can he… um…… what does he say… erm…”
Seeing Sadiz’s reluctance, I knew what I wanted to ask.
It was what I expected.
“I’m not being threatened… I don’t think I’ve been …… verbally manipulated or …… brainwashed. I’ve been …… influenced, though.”
“Huh!? Little man… ah… tsu…… sorry…… I didn’t mean to…”
She thinks I’m being brainwashed, doesn’t she?
I can’t blame her for thinking that.
In fact, Tre’ainar’s words influenced me quite a bit, got me heated, made me think, and so on.
From the perspective of some people, this may also be considered brainwashing.
But I’d like to think it’s not like that.
“Tre’ainar… are you, brainwashing me?”
『Wrong! Dullard!』
“Wrong… dullard…… now, he’s angry. Kuhahahaha. Is that so ridiculous you can’t believe it?”
Even after this kind of exchange, even after I divulged Tre’ainar’s existence, Sadiz would only see me acting out on my own.
“…… no way…… you can speak so casually? To the Great Demon King…”
“Hmm? Ah~… Well, I asked him before if he wanted me to stop talking to him like that, right? When I did, he said being treated formally made him feel uneasy.”
“…… is…… that right?
Sadiz looked at me with a sad expression.
But it doesn’t seem to be grief over the fact that my mind is finally in a sorry state.
But whatever it is, I have to say this.
“It’s just… since I met him… I’ve been through a lot, but… now I’m …… fulfilled. And I want to keep learning from Tre’ainar and getting stronger.”
“……”
“I’m going to live…… with this guy.”
I’m going to live with Tre’ainar.
I clearly told Sadiz how I truly felt.
And then……
“Little man… what…… What…”
Sadiz bit her lip, her shoulders shaking.
“What the hell are you saying!? What…are you!”
She cried out.
“Little man! You’re talking about the Great Demon King who once tried to destroy the human race in this world. You asked him to teach you… spent time together…. why…… in the first place, if Little man didn’t learn the Great Magic Spiral from the Great Demon King… if you hadn’t learned that…”
“Yeah, I would still be stuck in place at the Imperial Capital… rotting away with a feeling of inferiority to the princess. At least…… I wouldn’t be as strong, as you said I was.”
“That’s not true … that’s not… besides … in the first place … in the first place, why is it the Great Demon King Tre’ainar!?”
Screaming, and glaring at me… no, Sadiz glared sharply at someone who she couldn’t see, not me.
“I can’t forgive him! I hate the Great Demon King Trainer, who… took everything from me… and still trying to take more! Why are you so… Little man sincerely wants… he feels that strongly…no way… There’s nothing you can do about it!”
Then, Sadiz stood up, scampered around and shouted.
“Don’t be, ridiculous… i, if you’re there, come out, come out! Don’t be ridiculous! Don’t you dare take my Little man away from me!”
However, no matter how much you shout “Come out”, Tre’ainar was here from the beginning.
But Sadiz can’t see him.
She can’t even hear his voice.
“It’s not fair! Why only the Great Demon King!? The Great Demon King who took my father, my mother, my family, and my hometown and everything else, now he’s going to take Little man from me. no, way… such a thing…… I can’t allow that to happen?”
So, Sadiz couldn’t vent her anger even if she wanted to.
All Sadiz could hear was the sound of waves echoing on the empty sandy beach.
“Ugh, uh… why…… why!”
Then, Sadiz collapsed to her knees on the spot, shedding large tears.
“Why the Great Demon King? Why can’t I see you? How can you…… in less than a few months… raise Little man… to be so great and strong?”
“Sadiz…”
“Ever since he was born… I was by Little man’s side… I loved him more than anyone else… we spent more time together than with anyone else… after taking everything from me, this time you took Little man too… how do I not resent you? How could I not hate you! How do I stop you… ugh … uh…”
It was the first time the cool Sadiz had screamed so emotionally.
“…. if only …… I hadn’t …… remembered my past trauma at that time, if only I hadn’t …… screamed! Nothing would have changed…”
Certainly. If it hadn’t been for that incident, I might still be in the Imperial Capital.
Sadiz and I might not have ended up like this.
“And… Little man too… you don’t intend to return to the Imperial City… and on that journey… I can’t accompany you, can I?”
“Yeah.”
“You can’t …… say such a thing …… with such …… unwavering eyes…”
But here we are. And I’ve already decided on my answer.
“I’m not mad at Sadiz anymore… I’m sorry too… but…… still, I’m not going back. I’m going out into the world… just the two of us.”
“Two people… is it?”
“Yeah, with Sadiz around… I’ll get spoiled.”
“That’s how much I want it…… then…”
“But please don’t come. I’m free to live now.”
Right. I know that, as well.
I also remembered how much Sadiz has cherished me since I was born.
That’s why I’ll love Sadiz like this… always……
“Me… you want to throw me away because I’m a burden? You don’t need me anymore!”
“No, I’m not. I’m graduating.”
“You can’t use those words! Graduating? Does that mean independence or separation from parents? Please don’t use such pretty words to fool me about going on a journey with the Great Demon King Tre’ainar!”
That’s why, I also knew that Sadiz wouldn’t back down easily.
I know she won’t break easily.
“Little man… is free to live? If so, this journey of freedom… do you really think… that Master and Madam… would keep silent without saying anything if they knew? Do you really think …… that I’m going to let you go quietly like this??”
Sadiz stood up again.
While her eyes were swollen with tears, she exposed an intense, anger intimidating feeling.
“Still… you think you can dismiss me… and just go with the Great Demon King? You would choose…… the Great Demon King over us?”
With a swaying stance, it looked like she was ready to pounce at any moment.
No matter how much I said, if it doesn’t work, I would have to use force… I was expecting such a development … I wasn’t surprised.
“Even if it means fighting me?”
I don’t want to fight.
I don’t want to fight Sadiz alone.
But still, if Sadiz wouldn’t allow it and forcefully stood in front of me, then I…
“I――――”
“I can’t do it!!”
“…… huh?”
“…… ugh … uh … I, I should be able to…”
But before I said anything…
“I should be able to… but I can’t! There’s no way…… I can do …… more to make you hate me, Little man…”
“Sadiz…”
“There’s no way… I could seriously fight you, Little man…”
Sadiz yelled again and sank back into the place.
It’s the same for me.
I don’t want to fight Sadiz.