Then he grabs both of my confused cheeks with his hands.

''I know it's not right. Still, I want to take everything from Uzumi-sama. Right now, right here: ......

　The two black eyes reflect only my image in a frenzied way.
　I know that Nosfi needs me with all his heart. But I couldn't nod back so easily.
　As if to escape, I confirm again what she wants.

I'm sure you'll be happy with that, if you can get your hands on the proof of that vow.　Do you really think you can fulfill your ambition?　Sorry, but it doesn't seem that way to me at all: ......
It's the only thing I can think of.

　The answer is immediate, as if to block my escape.
　That lack of hesitation leaves me speechless again.

"......!

　I am the only one who is lost.
　That hesitation accelerates and accelerates and keeps spinning in my head, just like in battle.

　If I give her everything she asks for, that could be the end of the ordeal of the sixty layers. That's not a bad thing for me. It's a fascinating and very easy story (・・・・・・・).

　But reason denies it.
　First of all, the basic premise is that this is not the 'right thing to do'.
　It's obvious. It is no longer akin to rape. Legally and humanely, it's out.

　And it's not just me, but also Nosfi understands that.
　In other words, she knows that she is asking for something that is 'not right'.

　Honestly, I don't think that's where the straightforward unconsciousness is being fulfilled.
　Indeed, in this unreasonable world - just doing the 'right thing' might make you unhappy. You may be happier if you choose to do 'what is not right'.
　But can she be satisfied with what she has gained by making such a mistake and disappearing?　Wouldn't it just create another regret and regrets?　The questions are endless.

　There are still reasons to deny it.

　I simply don't believe that this act is an unconscionable thing for Nosfi to do. After all that, I can see Nosphy muttering "this is different too" again. Not only the skill 'sensitivity', but also the intuition that comes from experience told him so.
　I don't feel like this simple thing (・・・・・・・・) will make the guardian (guardian) disappear at all. I think what this girl wants is something much different.

　But confirming one by one that "this is different too" in that way may be the only way to get to the resolution of Nosfi's unresolved issues.

　If you're ......, should we know that this is 'not right' and do what she says? Or should we deny her what she wants because it's 'not right'?

　Oh .......
　I can't shake the hesitation.
　I can't narrow down the right answer.

　The skill "Parallel Thinking" is lost and cannot be divided, but the thoughts are accelerating everywhere. Calmly, he counted his gains and losses in order to win this battle. The sense of searching for the 'best' is the same area (level) as when you are in a fight to the death with a guardian.
　The nerves in your brain are about to be burned out, just as they once were.
　My face naturally contorts in pain.

　To give in to Nosfi's demands or not.
　I continue to wander and wander and wander and wander. ......

　-- After that hesitation, the faces of my friends flashed through my mind.

　First of all, the faces of my sister Yotaki -- and then Dia, Maria, Snow, Reaper, Sera-san, and the various benefactors who had helped me in the other world -- and finally, Rustyala. --

　--Yes, Rastiala (・・・・・・).

　At the far end of my thoughts, a girl with golden eyes was fluttering her long, shining hair.
　She was smiling up at me as if she were peering at me from below.

　My heart beat faster. My core trembled and goose bumps rose on my cheeks.
　A burning sensation came out of the depths of my stomach.
　It's not like Rastiara is here, but you suddenly turn your head away. I look away, not wanting even my imaginary girlfriend to see what's happening now.

　...... I knew this from the beginning.
　She (Rustyala) is the reason why I couldn't accept the word 'wife' from Nosfi.
　The best way to think about it rationally would have been to use the position of being a 'husband' to take advantage of a guardian (guardian) named Nosphy. Just doing that would have hastened their return to earth by more than half.

　But it couldn't be done.
　For a very simple reason. Because there was another girl I liked. That's all.
　So I couldn't admit we were married, even if it was a lie. That's the only childish reason.

　When I understood that, all I thought about until my brain was seared - I threw away rational thought and gain and loss, and the words leaked out of my mouth on their own.

'Duh, no. ....... I can't do that, I can't ever do that ......!

　With his face turned away, he squeezed out his voice.
　I felt my body, which had been holding heat, cooled down by a cool regret.

　I denied it in favor of the girl who wasn't here (Rustyala), not the girl who was lamenting her misfortune in front of me (Nosfi). I feel like I'm going to be twisted out of my body with guilt.

　But I can't drink the spit I spit.
　I've already made my choice.

　I can see Nosufi's face contorted in my mind. I can see the future when shedding tears of sadness. If I ended up in a fight with her, it would be my fault.

　I turn my face, which I had been turning away from, to the front of the room, taking a battle stance so that I can deal with whatever happens.
　No matter what kind of Nosfi's reprimand, I'll take it, and I'll be prepared to take it--


What?


　But that resolve is in vain.
　What I saw in my eyes was the exact opposite.
　It wasn't a look of sadness that Nosfi had stuck to his face.

　The girl in front of her was smiling with her eyes wide open and the corners of her mouth hanging up in a two-yaa.
　She looked very happy and surprised, as if she had met with unexpected luck.　

　And the biggest change was her 'magic power'.
　Her magic power had visibly decreased.

　Nosfi's body was (・・・・・・・・・) thinning (・・・・・・).

　I know that phenomenon.
　It's a phenomenon that happens when a guardian (guardian) fulfills his or her unfinished business. It is difficult for her to maintain her body because she no longer has any remorse.
　She is so thin ...... that her very existence seems to be disappearing from the world.

'No, nosfies ......, the body is .......'

　Confused by this sudden phenomenon, he pointed at Nosfi's body.

''--Ah, yes. I, my body, what's wrong with it?

　Even Nosfi, who had been dumbfounded with a smile, came to himself.
　He then brings his hands in front of his eyes and knows that his own body is strange.

'What ......, or is the body thinner ......?　This is the resolution of unresolved issues ......?

　It seems that Nosfi knew the significance of this phenomenon, too.
　Now, here and now, he understands that part of his own life's longing has been fulfilled.

　Even more wide-eyed and amazed, Nosphy begins to ponder quietly.
　What he's thinking about is perhaps the identity of his own unfulfilled dreams.
　Anyone would do that. What he thought was unreachable has fallen unexpectedly and sprung up. It's only natural for a person to find out what caused it.

　And when he came up with the cause, Nosfy laughed even more.

'...... aha!'

　She laughed, looking very silly.
　He laughed out loud, as if in desperation, with a face that didn't look like her chastity.

'Haha, hahahaha!'

　She understands her own unconsciousness - and laughs at her unconsciousness.

　No, it's too distorted to describe it as 'laughing'.
　She is 'laughing' from the bottom of her heart as she ends up looking down at something.

'Nosfies ......?　Are you sure you have no more unresolved issues now ......?

　I was half-convinced, but I was afraid to ask.

'Haha. Yes, not all of it, but it seems so. And finally, I can see it. My true passion, my true 'identity'.

　Nosfi nodded back with a sunny face.

　--even though she denied the wish?

　It was a natural progression for me to think so.

"Hey, why ......, why is this ...... at this time?
'I wanted to think it couldn't be that way: ....... Well, it's just the way it is ......

　Sullenly, alone, Nosfi continues to nod.
　But I can't nod.

　Nosfi has attacked me, but it's still an attempt.
　I haven't been able to make a mistake.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.

　For those of you who are not convinced, Nosfi continues to explain.

"Apparently, Uzumi-sama. It seems that 'making a mistake' for me was the 'denial of right' until today. Yes, all you had to do was 'deny' ......

　'Making a mistake' and 'Denying Right'.
　I didn't see much difference between the two.
　It's enough to make it faintly obvious that the past is more important, not the future.

　Nosfi's explanation is over.
　I guess she thinks she's explained it all. She looks up to the heavens and laughs again, leaving me with a question mark in my face.

''Uh-huh, uh-huh, ah-ha-ha-ha-ha--!　It's very funny to hear me, such as me, talking about 'saints', 'idols', 'flags' and 'spirits'. It's a good laugh, isn't it, hahahahaha--!

　They continue to sneer and sneer and sneer.
　To be honest - it's an uncanny sight.
　But she laughs so contentedly that I dare not stop her.
　But I know that I need to understand what's on her mind. Fearfully, I interrupt her laughter and talk to her.

'Hey, hey, Nosfi. What was your true unrequited love, after all?　Can you make it a little easier for me to understand: ......
...... hmmm. Hmmm, let me summarize, I guess I wanted you to listen to my selfishness.

　Nosfi looks back at us and thinks for a moment.
　Then, with a cat-like expression on his face, he begins to vexingly explain.

'I've lived my life without being selfish about anything ......, so it seems that anything to relieve that resentment would have been fine. It's so easy, it's a bit of a letdown in reverse. Hmmm.

　That was a plausible story.
　That would explain the sudden thinning of his body.
　But I didn't believe it right away. Because her scent, which was there from the beginning, had been swelled many times over.

'Well, that means ......'
'I told Uzumi-sama about my selfishness and got a little bit of relief from life's sorrows. That's why your body has become thinner ....... Um, so I'm sorry, Uzurinami-sama. It was very far off the mark to say that we need the proof of the kiai. All I want is to 'speak my mind', yeah, that's all I want.

　With those words, the rod of light that had cut off my retreat disappears.　
　At the very least, she no longer seems to be interested in forcing me to join her kiai.

　In other words, her unrequited desire was not so great that she had to use magic to restrain me. --It's a much more modest wish.
　Can this nosephew disappear as easily as Rowen did?
　Ho, really (...) ......?

Can you just say your ego (...) ......?
Just say it. Hence, you don't have to listen to me. I guess I'll just say it.

　If you don't even have to make it happen, then it's an uncomplicated untried thing to do.
　Of course, there must have been a lot of anguish before he could be honest with himself. But when I heard that this was the end of the battle with the Sixty Guardians (Sixty Guardians), I couldn't believe it, though it wasn't very likely.

　So, I offer my help to erase the unfinished business perfectly without being caught off guard.

"...... No, don't get me wrong, Nosfi. It's not that I don't want to hear your ego. I couldn't do it this time, but I'm willing to listen to as many as I can for a little egoism.
Hmmm, that's very sweet of you.

　Nosfi laughed when he heard that.
　It was a smile that he had never shown yesterday. It was similar to the innocent smile shown by a young child without any reservations.

''Then, sweet Uzurinami-sama. I'll take you at your word.''

　Then he smiled like a cat again, and with a flowing motion, he approached me and tried to take my hand.
　My hypersensitive senses caught the beginning of that movement. However, since there was not the slightest bit of magic or hostility there, it was impossible to get rid of that hand.

''--I'm going to say my selfishness. If you don't mind, can you cheer up my 'friend' Lord?　I'm not going to tell you to convince her. Just get her back to where she was yesterday.
Lord?　Is that all you need?

　As he squeezed my hand tightly, I felt a little sluggish.
　His ego was clean, and there was no way to refuse it.

I'm sure you'll be able to make up with Lord if you can. Because I'm a 'friend' of mine!
I can do that. I'll cheer Lord up and let him make up with you.
''Hmph, thank you. You really are very kind, Uzurinami-sama. Hmph, haha, hahaha--!

　Nosfi continues to laugh as he gets his selfishness heard.
　It's as if he's reached the pinnacle of his life's happiness.

'Ta, that sounds like fun ....... No, it's like I've found the answer to my life, so I know it will be .......'
''Hmmm, oh, I'm sorry. But now that I know that this is my unrequited love, I can't laugh and I can't hold back.
'Patience is certainly not good ....... It's better to say what you want to say, and to laugh when you want to laugh, but ......--

　--But I think there's a limit.

　I'm confused by this sudden change of nearly 180 degrees.

Yes. So I'm going to do the rest of my life with a little bit of selfishness. ...... Hmph, ah, that's good. I'm so glad to have met Uzumi-sama and Lord. I feel like everything has turned out well for me, having met both of you before anyone else. The fact that the three of us are here on this day, in this place, in this position - I feel that this is fate. Yes, this is fate!　Thanks to you two, I've come to understand who I really am!

　With that, Nosfi lets go of her hand and turns to walk out of the room.
　She really seems to have had enough. Her steps are light and she looks like she's going to start skipping now.

　Just before she opens the door and exits, Nosphy looks back.

''Oh, the liner is placed in a fish tank at the end of the hallway, so please collect it for her. I think it would be too complicated if I told you, so could you tell Uzumi-sama that I was apologizing to him?

　When I didn't see a liner anywhere in the room, it seemed to have been thrown outside.

'Yeah, okay: ......'
So, please. --really, please.

　As if to remind me, he wishes twice.
　Then, finally, he looks up into the air and mutters

''I won't put up with this anymore. Because I've finally become a child instead of an adult--'

　Is it speaking to itself? Or is it speaking to someone else? I don't know now.

　With those words, Nosfi is gone.
　A silence befitting of late night has returned to the room, and the darkness of night is deepening.

'Fufu......'

　A sensation took over as if the storm had passed.
　Sleepiness, for example, has been completely blown away. I only take a break for a breath, open my bright eyes, and step out the open door with a chilly night breeze coming in.

　There was no more of Nosfi in the hallway. There was just a liner lying in the corner, wrapped around a magical, shiny cord.
　As soon as I find him, all the restraints, including the gag, are released.
　After regaining her freedom, Ryner inhales heavily with her mouth while standing up and then screams.

''--Ah, that woman!　You're okay, Christ!　Is that guy doing something to you?!
'I'm fine. I just talked to Nosfi for a minute.
'What?　Did he put me in a plastic bag just to talk to me?

　An exasperated Ryner exerts his magic power. He's about to chase after Nosphy, who has just left. But I have a feeling that catching up with Nosphy here will only result in return fire, so I follow up.

'...... It was an important part of her life. She didn't want anything to get in the way, so I hope you'll forgive her. She apologized too.
'A life story?　...... tch, you should have said so then.

　Ryner, who knows who the guardian (Guardian) is, knows the importance of the story and shuts down.

'So, after much discussion, I found out that Nosfi's unrequited love is 'to speak of selfishness'. Apparently, she's never said a word of egoism in her lifetime. ......
"...... egoism?　Well, you're being selfish. So, what kind of selfishness have you been having?

　The first thing that came to mind was the affair after he was bound.
　A wish for a sign of commitment.
　But that's probably not the best place to say it. I'll just explain the last part briefly.

'He can't do it himself, so he wants you to cheer up Lord instead. So I'm going to go to Lord's again in the morning.
'Energize the Road ......? I wouldn't be opposed to that. --but Christ. Do you really believe that that 'selfishness' is an unconsciousness?　Honestly, I can't help but think that everything the Nosfy guy says stinks. To put it bluntly, isn't it all a lie?

　Reiner says clearly what I've been trying to avoid saying.
　I know.
　A lot of things are wrong with Nosfi right now. I feel unpredictable and uneasy. In some cases, he might not only be an obstacle to returning to earth, but a life-threatening enemy.

　Ryner's fear of that possibility is the same as mine from not long ago. The me who was there now, when I kept doubting the guardian (guardian) and monster (monster) "The One Who Steals the Reason of Fire (Arti)". That's why I shook my head at the past me.

'Just a little more ....... I need you to make me believe her just a little bit more .......

　I still wonder sometimes.
　I wonder what would have happened if - at that time - I hadn't run away from Alty's wishes and taken them seriously. ...... To find out, I thought I would listen to Nosfy's selfishness to find out.

　Besides, Nosphy's wish to 'cheer up the Lord' is not in conflict with his goal of heading to earth. It's true that I don't have the luxury of time right now, but it's not something I can't do. It's something I've always wanted to do to cheer up the Lord. If this is enough to make them both more relaxed, then it's worth a challenge.
　However, it's possible that Nosfy may have been able to see past that last-minute boundary (line) of challenge: .......

　Ryner nodded, sighing as he caught my thoughts.

'...... is ah, okay. If that's what the Lord (Aruji) says, then it's the knight who follows it silently. I'll see what happens for a little while longer.
Thank you, Rainer.

　After we finish talking, we walk back from the chilly hallway to our room.
　On the way there, we lightly stake out The Dimension and look for the girl in the vortex.

'Cheer up Lord, or ......'

　The same Lord is still sleeping in the vault, curled up in the shattered paintings.
　The figure cooing in his sleep is too young.

　I lie down on the sofa and curl up just like Lord. And I close my eyes. I'm not sure if I'm still tired, but it wasn't long before I lost consciousness. The same goes for Ryner, who sleeps on the bed next to him.

　Thus, this time the day would be over.
　Tomorrow, I will fulfill Nosfi's wishes and cheer up the Lord - and then I will sink into the darkness once more, determined to do so.

　...... Only, regrettably, this time I couldn't dream.
　The chance to remember the past, which would have been very important, was never returned.
　I was afraid that this would bring about a great deal of regret later on, and I couldn't bear to be anxious about it.