“——I was, dreaming.”
“Dreaming?”
“Yes, a very long dream.”
It was, a very convenient dream.
There were days Nanaki felt despair. There were days Nanaki drowned in sorrow. There was the day Nanaki lost Nanaki’s home and cried. But despite that, there was clearly hope in that dram.
It was definitely not easy, but it was obtainable for me. If there is hope, then I can reach it. A very kind, convenient world.
“But I woke up. I alone, woke up. That’s why I can no longer return to that dream.”
Nanaki loved Mother.
Nanaki loved him.
Nanaki loved Nanaki’s sister.
“……that’s why you are resigning?”
I have left all those in the dream.
Nanaki, could not bring those out.
“Let us go our separate ways. Master…… no, Zean Alfred.”
Thank you for everything.
I have been in your care.
Take care.
These all feel wrong.
Even if my heart changed, the memories of my time here remain. I, Nanaki clearly loved those days. Nanaki liked this place. That is indicated by the tears that involuntarily spill out.
“Thank you. Getting to meet you is my pride.”
“……you have served me well. Thank you.”
It’s nothing much. It is already the usual him.
With the mask of a smile he shows everyone, he spoke in his usual indifferent manner.
Even though he will be troubled.
Even though he is terrified.
The first time we met, it was also like that. Even after being lethally wounded, he acted tough in front of me. He really is stupid. But I saw traces of Mother in him. They really are similar. Mother and this person.
Then he will surely move on.
Even without me by his side. Even if destruction awaits. Even though he should know what awaits him without my power.
“You will not stop me?”
For some reason, that was irritating and before I noticed, my mouth had moved.
Even though this person before my eyes, shouldn’t matter to me.
“……I see, you’re different.”
Hearing my words, his eyes widened.
I didn’t intend to say anything special. But for some reason, he threw off that mask and laughed. The real smile that I had once seen.
“I’m relieved. I, don’t know you.”
“Don’t know me?”
“Yeah.”
He said that, in a very happy tone.
“If it was Nanaki, the Nanaki I know, she would not have said that.”
I see.
Honestly, I am impressed.
That is true. Nanaki would never have said that.
“Your way of living was like a gem. It shined, it was beautiful and was very strong. Anyone would think this way. To want to become like you, to want to live like you. Most cannot be faithful like you. It is difficult for us to live correctly. Because if we push past someone, we will one day be pushed aside ourselves.”
So, he continued.
“So, everyone wants that. Everyone wants the strength to live correctly. Everyone wants the courage to push through. Everyone wants the resolve to live like that. It is natural for you, having all that, to shine. That’s why everyone yearns for that. Even I looked up to you. That day, on the rooftop, I resolved myself to live like you.”
hecate too~
That is certainly something like a gem.
Everyone always wants and reaches out for beautiful things. Even I, even Nanaki was like that. There was a person that showed courage on the rooftop that day. There was a person with pride. There was definitely a part of me that found that beautiful.
That’s why——
“You’re not Nanaki.”
I really am not Nanaki.
“Nanaki will never turn back on her decision. You who has asked if I would stop you, is a stranger that resembles her.”
And another answer.
I am not Nanaki. Nor am I what used to be Nanaki.
I am the original personality of the weapon. And the cage to contain that monster. Because I am a superior weapon, I could shut it in right after I awakened. Because it is me who was asleep in her all this time, I understand that better than anyone else. Yes, how deviated that is from the world is not something that even needs to be considered.
“Seriously, you always surprise me. It seems you are not blind.”
He gave me an answer, so I chose to respond with a smile.
The person standing before my eyes that is not human. An existence I don’t care about.
Despite that I still thought. This, might be because of a remnant of Nanaki.
“If only you——”
were human.
“……goodbye. Zean Alfred.”
“Aah, goodbye. Stranger that resembles her.”
Concise words of farewell.
With a bag packed with some luggage, I left the estate.
No regrets, there should not have been any. Yet this feeling of reluctance might be the remnants of having lived as Nanaki. It was like that before too. I intended to say if only he were human, but my mouth stopped moving halfway through.
Even though he should not be precious anymore, I tried to protect him from the curse.
“It seems I don’t have to wait long……”
(T/N: Can’t figure out how this line fits in, interpreted a bit liberally「そう長くはなさそうだね……と」)
Soon after leaving the estate, a familiar face awaited me.
Hi hi, Friend, was it?
Whether I can call you that is a slightly difficult question. I have memories. It feels like I have feelings of friendship with you. But the current me is not Nanaki. The Nanaki you know, is surely still struggling inside me.
“……you knew.”
I asked my frozen partner for the truth.
You knew that we were not human, that humans do not exist anywhere in this world. I thought that you hated humans, but in reality the ones you hated were us weapons. But it must have been because of your kindness that you did not tell Nanaki. So that Nanaki did not suffer under the curse, you protected her.
Seriously, that child is disappointing.
But both her and I learnt about the world.
That’s why I want you to tell me. Why did the world become like this. About the world people, humans came from. The end of that. Please tell me. Having learnt the truth, I cannot ignore the lie of the world.
There are no such things as gods anywhere.
So Friend, if you are still my friend, please tell me. The truth behind the battle known as the god world war. Because I have an inkling of the existence that helped build that lie.
What should I do in this world without humans.
I might be able to find the answer.
….live
just be Nanaki
There is someone lying to the world.
Hearing Friend’s long, very long story, I became sure of that.
Which means she should also be under the same curse as me. And a long time before me. Then she might know how to get rid of the sadness.
That is reason enough.
“……I believe I told you to go to Freegrant with Envy?”
“Yes. But something much more important came up, hence I have returned, your excellency.”
At the end of the long marble corridor is the deepest part of the capital. On the throne protected by both science and magic, sat the emperor of this country.
Aberta G Frost.
The descendant of the first emperor Flyme G Frost, who was said to have united humanity a hundred years ago. Based on the history learnt from Envy, he should also have been the one that discovered the energy known as mana.
“Aberta G frost. I have a question for you.”
“Oh? You address me without honorifics, Nanaki?”
“Calling me Nanaki is slightly wrong. The currently me can only respect humans.”
“——you.”
With that one sentence, her expression clearly changed.
The fearless smile before vanished and her sharp eyes glared at me. It seems she really did know. About the truth of this world. Then there is no need to explain about myself and the curse.
“I see, I guess I should say……finally.”
After a long silence, she slowly opened her mouth.
“What do you want to ask.”
“Everything you know.”
“So greedy. Just like your mother.”
“Yes, of course.”
I replied with a smile to Aberta.
“Let’s see……temporarily, I will go with Yahime.”
(T/N: reminder, Nanaki basically means seven(th) princess. Yahime would be eight(h) princess and Nanaki’s mother, Mutsuhime, six(th) princess.)
“Yahime?”
“My name. Somehow, it feels wrong to be called Nanaki. Well, in the first place if we are going by the numbers, I should be the one given the number seven. After all, as the original personality as a weapon, I should be the original and the Nanaki born from the dream world can be said to be the fake right?”
“Well, there are many things I have something to say about, but if I spoke my mind here the conversation will not progress. It is annoying, but because Yahime-chan is understanding and considerate, I will act maturely here. And thus, it will be the shortest possible acquaintance, but once again, I will be in you care——Aberta.”
“……do not say my name with that face.”
There must be some kind of reason for her to so clearly show such a displeased expression. But it seems that is related to Mother. But that person does not matter to me. Right now, the information I want to know is not that.
“Now then, let’s start from the gods.”
“Hmph, you should have a rough idea.”
“Yes, kind of. But not why their form is so different from us.”
As the same weapons, our strength and size are too different.
I could not find that out from Friend’s story.
“First, go and pour some tea.”
“Why is that?”
“……because it will take a while.”
I resigned though, from being a maid.
……at least Yahime kept some of Nanaki’s cuteness…….?