575-Self-respect




 --a thin fingertip gently touched my cheek.

'What's wrong?'

 The sound of a warm voice caresses my ears and gently calls me back to consciousness.

 The place is the Demon King's Academy Quarters in Pablo Hetara. Misha is looking into my face as I lay on my back on the bed in my bedroom. My head was in her lap.

 Her soft platinum blonde hair was illuminated by the light and emitted a fantastic glow.

 In her serene and compassionate eyes, I could see the moon.

 .

''I suddenly saw something like a daydream. It was 16,000 years ago in Hyphoria.

 I recall a scene that just flashed through my mind.

"Memories of Ronculus?

 Misha turns his divine eye intently into my depths, gently adjusting the shape of the wounded root.

'Looks like it,'

 There was no sign of Ronculus, but there was a tree ship.
 He must have been on it.

'What's on your mind?'

 Hmm.
 I don't remember any particular change in my expression, though.

"You are well aware.

 Then, just a little bit embarrassed, Misha spluttered.

'I'm always watching you.'

'There are three points that concern me. Isak the Plagueman was put to sleep by an oath to Ordoff, the prior king of Hyphoria, and was hidden in the temple of Hyphoria. Ordov should have had the opportunity to destroy the plagues, but he did not.

Why?

He had a dream. I don't know what it was.

 Snap, Misha blinks.

 Then she laughed just a little.

'Did you hope it was a gentle dream?'

Well. Either way, Ordov has been dethroned. If he could trust his dreams to Rebrahard, though, there's probably a reason for that stiffness.

 Then Misha smiles at me.

'Me too,'

 She says, stroking my roots with her gaze.

'If it's for a kind reason, I'm glad.'

 I smile back at Misha.

'Ordoff also told me not to mess with Pavlohetara. But now, after sixteen thousand years, Hyphoria is an alliance of Pavlohetara's academies.

'Is that the other thing that bothers you?'

 I nodded.

 Lebrahard may have broken the words of the previous king.

"I would like to know more about Pablo Hetara.

 So far, I've spent time in this Pablo Hetala Palace and enjoyed the Silver Water Pecking Order War and the Sixth College Tribunal Conference, but there were still many things I didn't understand.

 In the first place, which little world built this Pavlohettara Palace?

 The founders would have a stronger say in the matter, but there is no indication that any of the St. Upper Sixth Academy is being treated differently.

''What about Ronculus?''

'It looks like I've endured quite a bit inside my roots. It's going to take me some time to adapt.

 <It hasn't been too many days since the Fusion Reincarnation (Radpilica).
 Instead of waiting for Ronculus to wake up, it would be faster to search for him himself.

 As I try to sit up, Misha's hand grabs my head.

'Not today.'

 She slowly lowered my head and placed it on her own lap.

''Tomorrow, there's a Sixth Academy Court Meeting for one of the Parrington cases. If the Militia World becomes the Holy Upper Sixth Academy, there will be a lot of noise around.

 Quickly Misha extends her index finger and touches my chest.

'My roots are messed up again,'

 Her eyes stare at me appealingly.

'I'll fix it. Wait.

 After the battle with Ronculus, the wound at the root opened up again in Parrington's , once it had begun to heal.

 The Lion of Perdition of Artsenon. This was because the power of destruction tried to run out of control according to its craving.

 It forced him to suppress it, but the damage was greater than the external wounds.

"The power of annihilation can be channeled into the two-rate sword. It won't be much of a problem.

It's just that I'm able to push myself.

 Misha stares at me intently.

'Now that I can move, even though my wounds are deep, I have more to worry about.

"Ha-ha.

 I laugh it off.

"Don't make such a big deal out of it. Do you think this is going to be the death of me?

 Misha shook her head from side to side.

'I worry about more than just destruction.'

 With gloom in her eyes, she says.

'Don't get used to the blood and wounds. When Anos is hurt, I suffer too.

...hmm.

 I have no problem with that, but I can't ignore a sincere appeal like this.

'You're a worrier, Misha. It can't be helped.

 Then she laughed happily.

'I'm sorry for worrying about you.'

 Misha gently strokes my hair as a sign of appreciation.
 What a ticklish thing to do.

''Well, if you get into the St. Jude's Sixth Academy, even Pablo Hetara will have power. It might be easier to find out if we wait until tomorrow.

"Hm.

By the way,

 I point to my bedroom door.
 I put my magic power into it and the door opens with a bang.

''Kyaaaah!''

 Sasha, who was on the other side of the door, lost her balance and fell forward.

'Are you okay?'

 Misha asked, looking concerned.

 Unable to be passive, Sasha buried her face in the floor.

''It's perfectly fine........''

 I don't find that attitude to be very convincing.

'So?'

 I ask Sasha, who is still burying her face in the floor.

'What are you playing at?' The floor in Pablo Hetara is hard.

I'm not playing! If you just open the door, that's what you're supposed to do! Just when you think you're having a serious conversation with Misha, you're caught off guard.

 Sasha wakes up with a start, like a spring-loaded device, and with a sharp tongue, she pokes at me.

"God. Your nose is getting a little low.

 Sasha stroked the slightly reddened head of her nose.

'I'm sorry,'

 I picked myself up and walked to Sasha's side.
 I reach out loosely and gently touch my fingertips to her nose.

''What...? Ah, um........Anos.......?

So you'll have to take responsibility.

 I laughed cheerfully.

"--do you want me to take you higher?

Stop it.

 Haha, I couldn't help but laugh.

'So?'

 Sasha looks back at me suspiciously, as if she couldn't grasp my intentions.

'What were you doing at the door earlier? If you need me, why don't you just come in?

...because...

 Sasha tends to get down and mutters.



 I used Sasha's to offset the magic power to suppress the root of my destruction before, but now that I can channel the extra power into the two-rate sword, I don't need it as much.

 It is vital to adjust the form of the disturbed root, but that would be Sasha's weakest area.

''Then there's nothing I can do to help you...''

Oh, no, I don't get it.

'That's not... that's what it would be like for Anos...'

 Sasha turned over and squeezed the hem of her own uniform.

 I said as I walked back to the bed.

'I'm bored in my treatment. If you're not busy, you can talk to me.

 Sasha looked up slightly.

''But Misha's here too...''

I never get tired of talking to you.

 Then, as she looked over, Sasha's face broke into a smile. However, as if she thought it was too cash to smile here, she turned her face away to hide it.

''...Is that so? Well, then, if you have to, I'll think about it, but...

I have to.

 The turned away face turns to me.

''Yes ... yes ...''

 Sasha approached the bed and climbed on top of it, trying to suppress her happiness.

'Sasha,'

 My head is on my lap again and Misha reaches for her sister.

'Magic, lend me your power.'

'Wouldn't a magic wire be better? Isn't that a distraction?

 Shaking her head, Misha shook her head.

'Come on,'

 Sasha sits down as she and Misha hold hands and are pulled.

'More. Stick with me.

Yeah......................

 Sasha screams in surprise.

 Misha gently lifts my head and places it between their knees.

'Half-ko,'

 Misha smiles at her, and Sasha looks down in embarrassment.

'My feet, they're numb.'

Well then, I guess I'll have to do it... yeah I guess I'll have to...

 As she said this, she glanced at me with a red face.

''Oh, by the way, I was wondering...''

 Sasha says to me in a whispered voice.

'There's a good chance that Anos's previous life was in some deep world, not the Militia world, right? I wonder if we can ever get those memories back? See, then maybe we can find out about Pablo Hetala...

 You listened carefully to what I said to Misha earlier.

If you knew you were going to reincarnate, you may have left your memories behind somewhere. Just as my father Cerys and Edgess did in Elesia.

 <The magic pearl and scarlet marrow pathetique that contained the , it should have contained not only power, but also memories.

 At that time, the knew that the reincarnation would be incomplete.
 Then it was natural to think that he had made preparations.

''It would depend on when I died in my previous life in the Silver Water Holy Sea, though. If it was before the Erenesia World was reborn into the Militia World, then the order of reincarnation would be infinitely weaker.

But the world of Militia was founded 700 million years ago, right?

''It's only about fourteen thousand years old in the Silver Water Holy Sea.

 Sasha gave him a questioning look.
 Then Misha explained.

'Because Luna fell to the Eronesian world fourteen thousand years ago.

 But we're pretty sure the Militia world has been around for 700 million years since its creation...?

I'm guessing the time is off.

'...Well, let's see, for example, within a day in this Seventh Elesia, does that mean that in the Militia world, a year or even longer will pass?

'Simply put, yes. But we haven't been able to identify any discrepancies in time between the Small World and the Militia World we've been to so far. One second in this Seventh Elesia and one second in the Militia World are exactly the same.

 Sasha looked more and more suspicious.

'Then what do you mean?'

'The time shift occurred once, for some reason. And now it's back to normal, I suppose.

 For example, it would make sense if nearly 700 million years had passed in Militia alone while the time in this Silver Sea was standing still.

 I'm not sure if the Militia world accelerated or if the other small worlds stopped, though.

'That's the third thing that bothers me.

Not today.

 Misha says without pause, and I can't help but laugh.

'This is not going to destroy us. ' "Hey, Sasha,

I don't want you to think that as long as you don't get destroyed, you won't get hurt.

 I cleared my throat and laughed.

 It's quite a bit like that, as expected of sisters, they say similar things.