Chapter 122

“Well, I understand for now. So, how much liquid assets do we have?”

It’s an important factor. How much cash we have is a very important factor. If we go down to the human realm, we’ll have to leave Eve’s house, and to do that, we’ll need to get another house. We’ll need to secure a deposit and all that, and if we get those from Eve, Edell will definitely nag about it, so anyway, I have to get it on my own.

“As for liquid assets, you always had them in your account, so you can just check the passbook. I don’t know much beyond that…”

Passbook, passbook. Is there a bank?

“Is there a bank?”

Kenneth looked at me as if I was asking something obvious. Well, I might not know. Besides, wouldn’t it be a bit awkward if there was a bank in the Dark Realm?

“Ah, and you should also organize your passbook once. You’ve been away for so long…”

It’s strangely realistic, really. Before that, can the currency of the Dark Realm even be used in the human realm…?

“Hey, Kenneth.”

“Yes.”

Kenneth pushed up his glasses with his finger and looked at me.

“What’s the currency unit in the Dark Realm?”

“Gold. Gold, Silver, Copper.”

I knew it. The currency unit is different, isn’t it… What’s the use of taking this there?

Ah, really, nothing works out.

*

I understand the situation now. I know there’s a passbook, but it would be faster to just get it reissued than to find it. When I asked Kenneth, he said I need an ID first. Even though I’m Vesprede, since my appearance has changed since I opened the account, I need to have an ID, so again, it’s strangely realistic.

“Mom, you’re here?”

“Yes. Sohee, nothing happened, right?”

“Yes, older sister. Nothing happened.”

Seeing Sohee smiling warmly, it seems nothing really happened.

“What did you do for fun?”

Seeing the rose on Kabe’s head, I can guess what she did without asking. While picking off the leaves stuck to her clothes, I asked Sohee.

“We went to a place called the Rose Garden. I heard it was a place you cherished… It was really nice. Beautiful roses were in full bloom, it was truly spectacular.”

“Right?”

The Rose Garden is a really nice place. It’s spacious, and sitting at the table in the middle, sipping tea, makes you feel like nothing else in the world matters.

The fact that all this is mine is really…

…

Wait, all this is mine?

“Amonin, come here.”

I gestured to Amonin, who was watching us with a satisfied smile from behind. He widened his eyes and came to my side.

“Amonin, is all this mine? The mansion and the garden.”

“Yes, it’s all your property, Goddess.”

“It’s all mine.”

“Yes, it is.”

Good. Take that, Edell.

*

“What are you doing out here again?”

It’s time to go back. If we’re any later, Dusik will worry, so Kabe, Sohee, and I decided to head back now.

I wanted to go back to Jueon, but unfortunately, the location wasn’t recorded when we came, so we couldn’t open a gate to Jueon. Instead, next time, we’ll open a gate and come, and after that, it won’t be a problem, so we’ll do that. We took a cart to the station.

Amonin can’t go far from the garden, so he only came out to see us off to where we boarded the cart, but Kenneth came out to see us off at the station.

“I came out to see you off since you’re going back to the human realm.”

“That’s true, but you’re busy with work, why come out?”

Seems like life’s been a bit easier lately. Maybe I should just laze around and let Kenneth keep working. It’s better for the one who’s been doing it to continue, right?

“Then, I’ll open the gate.”

“Okay.”

When Kenneth opened the gate, I suddenly thought of a serious problem.

“…Kenneth, go now.”

“…Yes, understood.”

After looking at the gate once, Kenneth nodded and scurried away. When are we going to expand the gate…

“Alright, Kabe goes in first. Sohee, go in.”

“Your posture is quite embarrassing, older sister.”

That’s what I’m saying.

After letting Kabe in, then Sohee, crawling in like this is really… a bit, the posture is really not good.

If someone at the station sees, it’ll look like I’m wiggling my butt in. Shouldn’t we maintain some dignity?

So I decided to crawl in backwards. At least that’s less embarrassing.

I started crawling into the gate backwards, starting with my lower half. When I was halfway in, someone slapped my butt.

“Ouch! Hey, who, who is it!”

But no one could hear me. It hurt so much that tears welled up. I pulled back out and this time went in headfirst. I have a good idea who dared to slap Vesprede’s butt, but I need to confirm.

“It’s me.”

“…Why are you here?”

It was Aquamarine.

*

“Being on a business trip isn’t particularly strange, is it?”

“But is it okay to slap your superior’s butt like that?”

“Think about it. I came to report for duty, and there’s a butt wiggling in. Don’t you feel like slapping it?”

Well, that’s true. I probably would have slapped it too. But it’s different when it’s my butt.

“First of all, what’s with the gate? It looks so shabby. Is this how the God of the Dark Realm travels? Aren’t you embarrassed? Aren’t you ashamed?”

As Aquamarine’s harsh facts poured out, I felt myself shrinking. Honestly, at this point… I don’t have much to say.

“Hey, Aquamarine.”

…I’m your superior, you know?

“You’re still part of the Light Realm, right?”

“What?”

“Well, when you think about it, this is all because of that lunatic Escario. If he hadn’t been so obsessed with me, Vesprede wouldn’t have disappeared, and since Vesprede just reappeared, development hasn’t progressed much.”

“Well… that’s true.”

“So this is all because of the Light Realm. Am I wrong?”

I can’t stand being wronged.

“Well, that’s true. I take back what I said earlier. Then develop it a bit.”

“I want to develop it too. But what’s with this Development Restricted Area…”

Developing the Dark Realm, easier said than done. Whether I can do it or not is another matter.

“Anyway, you reported for duty?”

“Yes. But there’s nothing to do.”

That’s true. It hasn’t been long since the fight with Escario ended, and it’s still too early to plan a fight with the magical girls.

We have nothing to do. Wait, we do have something to do.

“Aqua.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know… the Memorial Tower?”

*

The Mogmog Group was clearly an evil organization. When they first invaded, there were many casualties, and they boasted undefeated combat power until Eve appeared, and even after Eve appeared, they continued to harm humans until the Dark Realm was developed.

I wasn’t directly involved in such actions. But that doesn’t mean I have no responsibility. The deeds of the organization I’m part of, even if I didn’t get my hands dirty, still bear some responsibility on me.

“Why the Memorial Tower all of a sudden?”

“There are many people who died because of us.”

In the taxi, sitting blankly, Aqua didn’t say anything more after my answer. She must have realized why I wanted to go to the Memorial Tower.

“Why don’t you call some reporters? Should I contact the PR department?”

“No.”

What’s the point of such a showy apology? Although the suit I hadn’t worn in a while was a bit uncomfortable, I deliberately kept my posture straight. I wasn’t going for a casual outing, but to apologize to the victims who died because of our Mogmog Group.

“Anyway, I’ll make a public apology. Today, I’m just going personally first.”

“Hmm.”

Aquamarine made a strange snorting sound, staring at me, then turned her head to look out the window.

“You’re still a bit different.”

“In what way?”

I looked at Aquamarine at the sudden remark, but she wasn’t looking at me.

“There’s something like that.”

“That’s bland.”

“Eat some salt.”

“I’m a soy sauce person.”

“Picky.”

After the trivial conversation, the taxi stopped in front of Olympic Park. And while Aquamarine paid the fare, I got out first and looked around, and I immediately knew.

That’s the Memorial Tower.

A tall, towering monument-like tower. Just looking at it, you could tell it was the Memorial Tower.

“That’s it. You can tell right away, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.”

Aquamarine started walking ahead without waiting for my answer. I could have told her to wait, but I just followed her without a word.

I bought a chrysanthemum from a stall and walked towards the Memorial Tower. Maybe it’s just my mood, but the closer I got to the tower, the heavier my chest felt.

Many people died. An uncountable number of people died for their own reasons. If it weren’t for the Mogmog Group, they would have lived their own lives, but because of the attacks, they died screaming, leaving behind children who lost their parents, parents who lost their children, and people who lost their property.

What meaning does it have for me to offer a single chrysanthemum to such people?

Holding the flower, I hesitated for a long time in front of the Memorial Tower. Putting this down, does it have any meaning beyond self-comfort? Isn’t it just hypocrisy?

Was it right for me to come here—

“Not coming is worse.”

At Aquamarine’s sudden voice, my hand twitched slightly.

“Your predecessors didn’t even do that. They might not even have known there was a Memorial Tower. Compared to them, you’re better. So, it’s okay to put it down.”

“…”

I just listened to Aquamarine’s words without saying anything.

“And don’t think you’ll be forgiven just by putting that down.”

Aquamarine wasn’t looking at me. Looking up at the tower, she was speaking to me.

“Atonement is like that. At least if you sincerely feel sorry for these people. It’s not like, ‘I’ve put down a chrysanthemum, so I’ve done my part.'”

After a brief pause, she finally looked at me.

“You should say, ‘I’ve put down a chrysanthemum, and now I’ll make sure no more people die.'”

Only then did I place the chrysanthemum on the altar. Opening the incense box on the altar, I took out three sticks, and Aquamarine lit a small flame on her fingertip.

Lighting the incense with that flame and placing it in the censer, I stepped back and bowed deeply.

This one act of worship won’t make the victims forgive the Mogmog Group’s evil deeds. But even if it’s an apology that won’t be accepted, I must know how to apologize.

Even if it’s an apology that won’t be accepted, I must do it.

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