Chapter 109

“How does it taste?”

It was surprisingly delicious.

Quite, very, a lot.

The bread was savory, light, yet chewy, and the ham was just salty enough while maintaining its meaty texture.

The egg was just an egg.

Even though I dislike Escario, I can’t lie.

It’s best to be honest when something tastes good.

“It’s delicious.”

“Is that so?”

Escario, who was watching me munch on the sandwich, poured a red liquid from a bottle into a cup and handed it to me.

“What’s this?”

“Wine. It may not be a specialty, but it has its own charm.”

I don’t have good memories with alcohol.

The only person I feel safe drinking with is Eve.

“Sorry. I don’t drink alcohol from others.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a thing. Don’t dig too deep.”

If it were Eve, I would have drunk it.

After almost having a bad experience drinking from a stranger, I don’t drink alcohol from anyone but Eve.

“I see. I respect that.”

Was it the atmosphere or my mood?

I felt that Escario seemed different from usual.

His usually arrogant eyes were now relatively calm, and his haughty demeanor was now just ordinary.

Is it because we’re at home?

Probably.

I also let loose when I’m at home.

“That day, the weather was just like this.”

“Huh?”

Escario started with a rather abrupt topic.

“The day I fell for you.”

“Hmm.”

Even if he says that, I don’t remember.

It’s not that I don’t remember, but I never saw it in the first place.

“It’s fine if you don’t remember. Just listen.”

“Sure.”

Listening doesn’t cost anything.

As I nodded, Escario glanced at me and then looked back at the distant clouds.

“Even though I look like this now, my past self was quite ugly. The Light Realm God, who governs light and justice, was hard to believe.”

A ham-human?

But I think it’s wrong to judge people by their appearance.

“Escario, the Light Realm God. No one here saw me, Escario, without the title of Light Realm God, so there’s no need to say more.”

“Huh.”

That’s unfortunate.

But I’m not much different, am I?

If you strip away the titles before my name, I’m nothing special either.

“So my personality became quite twisted. If I like something, it must like me back, and if I want something, I must have it. That’s how I became.”

“Is that so?”

He seems to know his personality is twisted.

Yum.

This sandwich is delicious.

It’s much better than the hamburgers I’ve eaten before.

Where do they sell this? I want to buy some.

“Then I met you.”

“Where do they sell… huh?”

“…”

“…Sorry.”

“I’ll pack some for you to take. Are you even listening?”

“I was listening. The sandwich was just too delicious.”

“…I’ll believe you. Anyway, when I went to Mitran’s Garden… I met you. Like fate.”

Fate, my foot.

I’ve heard that story too.

“To be so obsessed with a handkerchief and chase you around like this, you probably can’t understand.”

“I get it, you too.”

“But.”

Escario stretched his arms back and leaned back.

Just looking at him, he’s quite handsome.

Compared to our Chilho, he’s lacking, but Chilho is just too good, so Escario isn’t that bad either.

“In all the years I’ve lived, it was the first time I received such kindness.”

Wow.

“Receiving such kindness for the first time, how could I not fall in love?”

Hmm.

This sandwich is really delicious.

It’s not dry, savory, and just salty enough…

“…Are you listening?”

“I’m listening.”

“Then eat slowly. Don’t you eat in the human world?”

I do.

But this is the first time I’ve had such a delicious sandwich.

“Right, I fell in love. So what?”

“Would you consider accepting my feelings?”

“No.”

No.

Of course not.

Why would I?

My quick answer seemed to upset Escario.

“Isn’t that too harsh?”

“It’s better than leaving false hope.”

But in such cases, it’s best to cut it clean.

Leaving room for hope is worse than just cutting it off.

My throat is a bit dry.

But it’s not unbearable.

“Escario.”

Instead of answering, Escario just looked at me.

I met his gaze directly.

“Your long, drawn-out story, yeah. I heard it.”

“Is that so?”

Something like hope bloomed on his face.

Usually, when something is described as long and drawn-out, it’s not a good story, but it seems he doesn’t know that, probably because he hasn’t been in society.

“But. Who doesn’t have a story like that?”

“What did you say?”

“I have a story too. Hey, when I was born, I had no mom or dad. The orphanage is my earliest memory. Always beaten and starved, my only wish was to eat meat until I was full. Am I more pitiful than you or not?”

“That, that.”

“You said you got everything you wanted. Except me. I never got what I wanted. Even now.”

“Now… what?”

“Family. I wanted to have a family and live peacefully. Vesprede? Fine. Let’s say I’m Vesprede. So what changes? That I’m a god? So what? If I don’t eat, I get hungry, if I eat something delicious, I feel good. It’s the same as always.”

I feel like the story is getting off track.

“That’s it. I never resented my life, what I couldn’t have, I just didn’t have, and I’m the kind of person who tries to get it again. Yeah, you’re trying to get it too, right?”

“That’s true. I also…”

“Then, kid.”

I stood up abruptly.

Escario just sat there, looking up at me.

“You should have done this.”

I turned around, looked down at Escario, and knelt on one knee.

“Oh, beloved Vesprede. I waited five thousand years to meet you. Won’t you give me time to get to know you again? Even so, my love for you will not change. If I could set an expiration date for my love, it would be ten thousand years…”

What am I even saying?

“You should have done this. Then the chances would have been higher than now.”

“Huh.”

Escario let out a disbelieving laugh.

“So, the chances are low now?”

Of course.

I stood up and looked down at Escario.

“Not just low, but nonexistent. I hate killing people so much. You came and slaughtered people like that, and now what? I love you? That’s really laughable.”

“Do you like humans that much?”

If you ask if I like humans that much, no.

I just hate death.

Someone’s end.

Someone’s demise.

The end of the world surrounding someone.

The end of relationships.

I just hate that.

“No. I just hate the idea of someone dying. Especially people dying because of you, who came here because of me.”

Escario closed his mouth.

A faint breeze blew from somewhere.

Leaves fluttered, and we just looked at each other without saying a word.

“Vesprede.”

“What?”

After a long silence, Escario’s voice broke the stillness.

“Why are you just standing there?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is it okay as long as your hands aren’t stained with blood?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Your subordinate organization, the Mogmog Group. Do you know how many people have died at their hands?”

“What…?”

I was momentarily speechless.

“I want to ask you. Even if your hands aren’t directly stained, do you think about those humans? The number of humans killed by the Mogmog Group is far greater than those I’ve killed. Have you ever thought about those humans? Can you, who haven’t, criticize me?”

Escario’s gaze was serious.

In contrast, I was shaken.

The Mogmog Group.

Before the Magical Girl appeared, they caused massacres wherever they went.

And now, I am the boss of that Mogmog Group.

Hidden by the cheers of those who welcome me, I never thought about how I must look to those who tremble at the mention of the Mogmog Group.

I, too, almost died at the hands of the Mogmog Group.

And there are people who actually died, and those who suffered greatly.

Even if I didn’t directly kill them, can I really be justified in killing when I’m part of an organization that has walked such a bloody path…

If asked, how should I answer?

“You are no longer an individual. As the boss of an organization, can you escape responsibility by saying it wasn’t you, you didn’t order it?”

“That, that.”

I stuttered, unable to form proper words.

Not knowing where to start, my mind went blank.

I just stood there, looking down at Escario, dumbfounded.