Chapter 167: Paradise is in your palm
After saying goodbye to the snack and entertainment street, Kirataka finally followed the boss's instructions and brought the girls to the beach.
This is a coast with a sandy beach. Visitors can choose to watch from the fence on the shore or go down to the beach through the passage to play.
For example, Higokumaru couldn't wait to rush to the beach.
Mei was a little worried about her, so she followed her, leaving only a few people on the shore.
Yae Sakura and Sirin were both leaning on the shore, looking at the endless horizon, lost in thought.
Rin sat next to him, licking the candy apple in her hand.
Looking at the cute girl, Kirataka felt as if his heart was healed.
However, the question still needed to be asked:
"Cold."
"Um?"
The girl blinked and put down the candy apple in her hand.
"You chose the landing point for your Stigmata space today, right?"
He was deliberately sent to the vicinity of Yae Sakura who was bathing. No matter how you think about it, it must have been something Rin did on purpose. There is no other possibility.
"Oops, is it exposed~"
Rin stuck out her tongue playfully.
As the embodiment of Yae Sakura's Stigmata space, she can naturally control everything in the space and can also easily set up a foothold for outsiders.
"I hope you can have a better relationship with my sister, little Shiro~"
The girl explained.
"...There's no need to use this method."
Kirataka said somewhat helplessly.
The petite cherry-haired girl looked up at Yae Sakura who was standing by the railing and said softly:
"My sister was resurrected in this era. Almost all the people she knew in the past no longer exist. She has no one to rely on. The first person she met was you. After that, you saved her and me in the Stigmata Space. I think you can become my sister's new support."
Having gained immortality due to the power of the Herrscher of Corruption, but being forced to live alone in this world, it is indeed a bit sad to think about it.
"I understand your intention, but it's not a good idea to do this anyway."
Kirataka stretched out his finger, ready to flick Rin's forehead as punishment.
The girl closed her eyes tightly and shrank her body as if she were ready to face the pain at any time.
Seeing her well-behaved appearance, he couldn't help but laugh. The head that was about to pop out finally turned into a pair of big hands covering the girl's head, gently ruffling the hairstyle that she had specially braided for this fireworks festival.
"Ah, little Shiro, bad!"
The girl stood up like a frightened kitten, covering her head and complaining in a delicate voice.
Even though she stood up, the petite girl was only at the same level as Kirataka who was sitting on the bench.
While fixing her hair, Rin said:
"Oh, little Shiro, Sirin... her past seems to be a little bit messy. Although I have tried my best to take care of her, I think it is still up to you to guide her. After all, you brought her here, so you know her better."
In accordance with Kirataka's previous instructions, she has been taking good care of the resident Sirin.
But her inner problems were not something she could solve.
Kirataka glanced at the purple-haired girl leaning on the railing. Her back did look a little lonely.
"I'll take my sister to the beach to look for Mei and Higokumaru. You can go and keep Sirin company."
…
Sirin leaned on the railing on the coast, staring at the endless sea, lost in thought.
——The more noisy the fireworks festival was, the more distant she felt.
After all, she is just a passer-by. Everything here does not belong to her, and this world is not her original world.
The noise and the crowds here have nothing to do with her.
Both cotton candy and candy apples were delicious, but the sweeter they were, the more bitter she felt in her heart.
She had no sense of belonging to this passing world, but the same was true of her own world.
The original world left her with only unpleasant memories and a painful past.
…Except for Cecilia.
Speaking of which, when she was in her own world, she could occasionally hear a mysterious voice whispering to her, asking her to carry out the mission of destroying humanity and civilization.
But here... it seems that she has never heard such a sound before.
"What are you thinking about?"
A familiar voice sounded in her ears.
Sirin looked back and saw Kirataka standing beside her.
She turned her head and answered firmly:
"...nothing."
"Really?"
Kirataka asked with a smile.
"…"
Sirin remained silent.
With the help of Su's power, he had felt Sirin's past and understood her better than she thought.
She had nothing to be attached to in that world, except for one person.
"You're missing Cecilia?"
Kirataka asked.
"…"
The girl nodded without comment.
The only woman who had given her motherly care since she left the Tower of Babylon.
Even though she was eventually forced to turn her blade against herself, Sirin never resented her.
"So you want to go back and take a look?"
"…No, I won't go back."
The girl refused stubbornly.
Now that she has left that world, there is no need to go back.
After all, if she goes back, Cecilia will...
"You think you'll cause trouble for Cecilia if you go back?"
Kirataka expressed what was in her mind.
As a loyal follower of Schicksal, if Cecilia meets Sirin again, Otto from that world will probably arrange for her to be captured, and she will be caught in a dilemma.
"...Um."
"Then just enjoy your life here. How do the cotton candy and apple candies taste?"
"Not bad, but... I'm not from this world after all."
Sirin whispered.
She lacks the necessary sense of belonging.
"If you want, I can bring you here to play often in the future."
"Why do you care about me so much?"
Apart from her deceased mother, Cecilia was the only one who had ever felt such care.
Kirataka smiled and replied:
"There could be many answers. I don't want to see a Herrscher use her power for destruction. I don't want you to be in danger alone in the Quantum Sea. I have something to ask of you, so I'm trying to please you. These are all true. Of course, the main reason is... because I don't want to see you alone."
"…"
"You can't build a paradise with just one hand. It has to be like this..."
Kirataka stretched out his hand towards Sirin:
"When two hands come together, they can create a paradise."
——Bang!
The fireworks exploded at the right time, and the colorful fireworks covered the sky. The momentary light illuminated the earth, allowing the girl to see the face of the person in front of her clearly.
"...Humph, you only know how to act cool."
The purple-haired girl blushed slightly as she spoke in a low voice.
"Hmm? What did you just say?"
"Nothing!"
"Let's go, they've all gone to the beach, let's go over there too."
"...Um."
The girl put her hand on his and, pulled by him, slowly walked down the stairs.