Chapter 387
Chapter 387
「「「「KYAAAAAAAAAAH IT TALKEEEEEEDDD——!?」」」」
Screams echoed within the living room of Blau Niebel’s house.
Hajime, Kouki, and Kousuke looked like they had seen a repulsive monster.
This happened right after Aularodde finished explaining things in general and about the story of hero and holy sword.
Their gaze was fixed on Netemp Mother who was making embarrassingly cool posture and Etemp-san who was making banzai pose on her head.
Yes, just like how Yue and others were shocked in the future, Hajime and others were also startled when the two suddenly started to talk fluently.
「……Master, I’m happy for that great reaction but……I already talked normally when I switched to the apostle body before this. You don’t need to look at me like I’m a monster……」
「O-ou. Now that you mentioned it that’s true……」
「In the first place, master was able to understand me just fine before this. And yet, what’s with that KYAAAH IT TALKED. Pupuh, master is adorable.」
「……」
Hajime was unusually shaken when Netemp Mother calmly retort at him, but then Hajime couldn’t stop his vein from pulsing on his forehead when Etemp made fun of him right after that.
「Or rather, Etemp-san and Netemp-san could actually talk normally huh.」
「No, Super Britain Hero, the personification of the bottomless darkness Lord Abyssgate. We couldn’t talk or anything you know?」
「……Are you saying that on purpose? Hey, is that on purpose? You can just call me Kousuke you know?」
「To suddenly ask me to call you by name like that……filthy. Are you a hero from somewhere?」
「Don’t get me mixed up like that! Can you not use me as the synonym of filthiness!?」
Etemp and Netemp Mother who suddenly started to talk normally had exactly the same voice quality, on top of that their mouth didn’t move at all――or rather they had no mouth, so it was unknown which one of them was speaking. It felt like the one with more annoying component was Etemp though……
Anyway, this screwing around speech and conduct were truly that of Etemp & Netemp-san. This wasn’t caused by something like an apparition possessing them. There was no room for doubting about that.
「Could it be, you two were strangely quiet since coming to this world because……」
「Yes master. It feels like, our soul got the jitters. Then when we focused a bit and put some effort, there was a feeling like perhaps we can do it and then when we tried we really could talk.」
「……Even though their voice is exactly like the god’s apostle, how can it sound so easygoing and frivolous like this……」
「Of course that is because I am Neunte but not Neunte, I am master’s Netemp-san!」
「The same-!! I’m Etemp-saaan!」
「That’s not an explanation at all!」
When Netemp was able to converse clearly after she was switched into Neunte body, Hajime had planned to ask her about her true identity in detail one day, but that chance had come to him unexpectedly quickly.
But there, Aularodde who was watching with her eyes widened murmured with her eyes widening even more.
「This feeling……don’t tell me, they interfered with the thought element on their own?」
Netemp Mother and Etemp-san bent backward in unison. They also didn’t forget to make their fingers and legs snapped up to point above. An overwhelming smugness radiated from them.
「Using Ehito’s formula to convert piety into magic power as reference, we tried our best with apostle’s knowledge, technique, and also “fighting spirit” that we learned from Shia-sama.」
「Fu-fu-fu, I won’t let everyone think that Netemp is better than my anymore! Master! Please look! I can also do something like thisss!」
There wasn’t even any time for question. Etemp-san whose tension kept increasing without limit suddenly started to shine dazzlingly.
Then right after that, a ball of light was converging beside Netemp Mother――
「Transcendentally beautiful fairy Etemp-chan, is✩here♪」
Left hand on the waist, right hand forming peace sign beside the eye, one leg lifted up to bend backward in the air, and a lovely wink that made it looked like stars were sprinkled from it!
Etemp-san was there looking completely like the sagacious figure of a “god’s apostle”, but with a pose that looked like a certain annoying ledy.
However, she was stark naked.
Kouki and Kousuke averted their gaze in a flash. Aularodde and Blau Niebel went 「My」 and blushed while covering their face with both hands. No matter how she spoke and acted, she was formerly a woman with artistic beauty that was made by god, so it was only natural.
And, Hajime’s reaction was,
「Are you Tio huh. Wear some clothes.」
He became calmer instead and made a tsukkomi. Kouki and Kousuke looked at him with eyes that were saying 「T-this guy, as expected his level is different-」. But let’s set aside what kind of level they were referring to.
「Oops. How embarrassing of me.」
It seemed it was plainly a mishap on her part. As expected she had abundant expression that was unthinkable for “god’s apostle” ――she blushed and moved her hands to hide her breast and lower body.
「As expected from Nee-san. How cunning. That was really cunning of you to appeal to master with your naked body. On top of that you played the role of a clumsy girl……aren’t you ashamed to act like that at your age?」
「The matter of age also apply to you, this foolish little sister-」
Etemp-san flashed again and this time she was wearing clothes properly. It was the familiar war maiden outfit.
Although on her back there were three pairs of wings that she didn’t have before. Yes, it wasn’t silvery wings, but beautiful half transparent fairy wings that looked like they were stacked up geometrically.
「Oi oi, don’t tell me you transformed into apparition? By your own effort?」
「Master, I’m a fairy. Do you understand? I am the one and only transcendentally pure and lovely genius beauty, a “fairy”. There isn’t any “apparition” factor in me.」
「Don’t overly exaggerate your attribute so nonchalantly like that. You’re completely an “apparition” from how you don’t have even a shred of humility.」
「How horrible. Even though the protector fairy Etemp-chan is always standing by behind master anytime and anywhere until now!」
「What the hell is this. Your speech and conduct are getting even more annoying second by second……」
「Master, please look! I can also do something like thiss!」
Fairy Etemp said that and her figure quietly turned transparent before she vanished completely. And then,
『Like this I can also make myself invisible and guard mastter! Praise me! Now quickly, give me cheers and applause!』
「Are you a heroic spirit from somewhere huh. Or rather, don’t make a ruckus at my ear.」
There was a flash and Etemp immediately appeared behind Hajime. For some reason she was making an embarrassingly cool pose and strongly insisted 「I prefer that master called me a Stan○ instead」.
It seemed that after Yue and Kaori, Hajime too had obtained “something behind him” that he had been dearly wishing to obtain (?).
Aularodde ignored such exchange and stared fixedly at the materialized Etemp once more.
「This thought element’s density, the massiveness of the conception……has she really been reborn as apparition――」
「You there! I’m a fairy!」
「N-no, you are composed of thought element of another world, so by definition you are apparition――」
「I – am – a – fai – ry!」
「……Yes, you are a fairy. I can’t believe that you are really reborn as a fairy by your own effort. Especially when the world is at its current state.」
If they were here inside the Heaven Tree, there was a foundation for “fairy” to be born here. However, as expected an apparition that was born from the flow of conception of another world couldn’t do that here.
And yet, Aularodde saw it with her own eyes how Etemp formed herself with conception of another world, and furthermore with a vast amount of it.
「The possibility that I can think of is……that you already have a vast amount of conception dwelling within yourself from the start?」
Most likely, the answer for that lied at the true identity of Netemp & Etemp. Hajime and others also formed their own guess and turned a sharp gaze at them to force them to spit out the answer right away.
「Then, in the place of my hopeless elder sister who is frolicking disgracefully, this peerless beauty gifted with both intelligence and great looks shall explain it.」
「Your self-praise is also nasty. You sisters are the same. More importantly, you aren’t going to materialize like her too?」
「I want master to fiddle and toy with this Mother’s body!」
「Your wording.」
「I’ll become the battle maid robot who offers master the greatest service!!」
「Listen to what I’m saying.」
Aularodde and Blau Niebel were sending Hajime a gaze of astonishment and scorn. I never thought that he is a person who got sexually excited to a puppet body……they thought. He wanted to shot them but he endured because the talk wouldn’t progress like that!
「And? In the end what are you guys? You two are Neunte and Erst right?」
「Indeed those are the core our existence.」
Netemp Mother nodded while giving a glance at Etempbig sis who was stuffing her cheeks with cookies so delicious it was unthinkable that Blau Niebel created it with a mix of mysterious powder. She showed indecision whether she should also quickly materialize herself or nod.
Kuh, so the merit of materialization lies at that aspect!
This is why you are just a foolish little sister! Aa, how tastyy~, the taste of cookie that I taste for the first time since I was born is the greateeest~
Etemp was showing off. As expected perhaps she would materialize too――
「Hurry with the explanation.」
*Dopapan-* There were two gunshots. Netemp Mother and fairy Etemp somersaulted midair and fell on the ground.
Outside the window, the little fairies who were secretly peeking into the house screamed something like 「Kyaaaaaah, the end of the world has finally comeeee」 while running away.
For now, the two mysterious existences were made to sit in seiza posture. Their attitude became meek at their master’s atmosphere and they began to talk.
「Master, do you remember? At the last battle against Ehito in the sanctuary, that guy absorbed us.」
「……There is no way I can forget that. It wasn’t just apostles, that bastard also every single monster in the holy precinct. The repulsiveness of the meat lump that resulted from that is still seared clearly in my brain even now.」
Ehito’s last form that was only witnessed by Hajime and Yue――it was a writhing lump of meat that was grotesque and profane. After Hajime took Yue back, Ehito only had his own soul and even that soul was on the verge of vanishing. He was reduced into that shape from his obsession to simply surviving.
「This is something slightly off topic but, we apostles were puppets without a soul as already master knows, but at the same time we were also a record storage of history.」
「Aa, if I remember right you guys all shared your memory with each other.」
「Ii」
Hajime looked at Netemp Motehr with suspicion. Are you planning to play stupid again? His eyes said.
「I’m sorry master. It completely became a habit……」
「I-I see……」
Netemp Mother was pressing her fingertips on her lips shyly. It seemed that she was saying the truth. Apparently Netemp and Etemp still continued to use “Ii” in the place of “yes” even now.
She cleared her throat.
「It seems that even an existence of a soulless doll like us can have a vast amount of conception dwelling within due to the record of an eternity of history and our position as apostles of god.」
Fairy Etemp continued after Netemp Mother’s words and stared at empty air as though she was recalling something while opening her mouth.
「The conception dwelling within Ehito and the conception within us apostles, and in addition sacred beasts that existed in legend and vast amount of conception directed toward magical beasts were mixed chaotically within that lump of meat.」
「And there, master. You shot that conception into it.」
Hajime’s last concept magic “Returning the Agony You Spread Out Back at YouIt’s Payback For Everything You Have Done, You Shitty Bastard” that finished off a god.
「Within that chaos, the negative emotions from millions, trillions of death that Ehito and we caused brought the concept of death to us, and as the result, we were annihilated together with Ehito down to our particles but……」
「Where did the prayer filled with faithful and pure wish, the positive conception go to? This is the answer.」
The people of Tortus had continuously believed in the existence of a virtuous Ehito. That conception also dwelled within the apostles. It also wasn’t difficult to imagine that other conceptions other than fear were also residing within the monsters of the holy precinct.
Then certainly, it wouldn’t be strange even if the positive conception that was offered to the holy precinct’s existence was still remaining. It also wouldn’t flow into the Fairy World if Ua Alto was still in its withered state and the path was blocked.
「……In other words, the existences of you two are like a hodgepodge of such positive conception?」
「Master, wording.」
「Say it in a cooler way! Mister Aby, please show an example.」
「Eh!? ……You two are an aggregation (cluster) of positive subconscious, something like that?」
「「As expected from the one who has peeked into the abyss of chuuni!」」
「Shaddup! Continue with the explanation already!」
Kouki smiled wryly while calming down Kousuke. Fairy Etemp puffed out her chest while he was doing that and she showed a smug face.
「We who ended up becoming an aggregation of positive subconscious wandered in Tortus for a while after that. And then after Kaori-sama returned to her original body, we dwelled inside the body of Neunte who had returned to being a soulless doll again.」
「The reason we did that is unclear but, most likely that was the result of us seeking master subconsciously, and master yourself had fought that body personally and perceived that physical body as a comrade, so that might be the cause we entered that body.」
「Why did you two go to me?」
「Master, this positive conception also included a lot of feeling of deep gratitude for ending the insane game of the god you know?」
「It’s only natural that we wish to stay beside master. The conception that form our fundamentals is also fully made up of that.」
「……I see.」
Hajime’s expression was complicated, but Kouki and Kousuke saw through him that he was slightly embarrassed. Their smile naturally slipped out.
Hajime seemed to notice that and he spoke his last question slightly hurriedly to cover up his embarrassment.
「Setting that aside, if you two are aggregation of conception in the end, why is it Erst and Neunte that became the base?」
「We also don’t have a positive proof of what that is the case but, most likely that’s because the former Erst is “The Apostle of Beginning”.
The name Erst had the meaning of “first”, in other words, I am the number one! There is no little sister who can win against her big sister! she sent a sidelong glance to Netemp Mother as though to say that.
Netemp Mother’s body blow roared and fairy Etemp blocked it with her elbow.
Hajime cocked his gun. The two then continued the story obediently.
「After dwelling in Neunte’s body, there was something like an internal war happening, who is going to serve master! Such power struggle occurred in the subconscious level.」
「Naturally there wasn’t any bond of sisterhood between the apostles when we still served the god, even so Erst’s existence was regarded as special so……」
This was also a subconscious thing, but as the result the conception of apostle gathered and Erst’s consciousness rose to the surface. She won the power struggle.
Neetemp Mother shook her head with a look of extreme sorrow and muttered 「That was truly a black history for us」. Fairy Etemp glared at her 「Aa? What do you mean by that huuuh」 like a yakuza.
「I don’t know whether these sisters get along well or not. ……Well, doesn’t matter. And, what about Neunte?」
「After the apostles’ consciousness was formed from the chaotic whirlpool of conception, I was also able to establish my consciousness as an individual. Most likely it was because my emotional attachment to master was particularly strong. After all I was the individual who got my heart directly shot by master!」
That sentence should be added with the notes that her heart was shot physically by a pile bunker.
Netemp Mother created a heart shape with both her hands in front of her chest. Hajime ignored her appeal with that ‘moe kyun’ pose and turned his gaze to fairy Etemp.
「What about the other apostles?」
「After coming to this world I was able to completely control the aggregation, so I’ll be able to project and make their consciousness possess other objects.」
「Well, they are originally apostles, so I think that all of them will have the same personality at the beginning.」
Netemp Mother added that if each apostle accumulated experience while being in a separated state from the aggregation, their individuality would grow even more separately than a blank slate apostle.
Hajime folded his arms and made a contemplative look to sort the information in his mind. Netemp Mother and fairy Etemp made a thumb up while saying.
「Now now, master. Please don’t think so hard like that. Transcendentally beautiful protector fairies get, hell yeah! You can just think of this like that! I am master’s Etemp! It’s fine like that isn’t it!?」
「Master will be able to tinker with the ideal combat maid robots and push them down to your heart’s content! You can just think of it like that! I am master’s Netemp! There is no problem like that!」
「I’m worried because if I don’t properly think hard about this, it feels like that before I noticed it you guys will already multiply endlessly.」
「「……Ii?」」
「Don’t pretend to suddenly become unable to understand words.」
Fairy Etemp and Netemp Mother put their hand near their ear in unison with an expression that seemed to say 「Eh? What did you say?」 as though they were hard of hearing.
In the near future it felt like in addition of the army of demons, there would also be a full-scale of former apostle now fairy army joining his ranks of subordinates.
「You guys, don’t materialize as you please okay? Or rather, Etemp. You too, what are you doing showing up as you please like this. Even though it was more convenient when you were an arachne. It was cooler too.」
「Horrible-. How can you say that when you are facing a peerless beautiful fairy with loyalty in limit break like this! Master you devil! Demon! But I like that kind of master!」
Fairy Etemp broke out crying ‘yoyoyoh’ even while sending glances at Hajime. She was truly annoying.
「It have been in my mind since some time ago, but why are your attitude resembling Miledy a lot huh?」
「As Erst, I have an emotional attachment to her. After all, historically she was the first opponent who I was unable to kill, she also turned the table on another apostle body.」
She was crazily strong in a different vector from master. At the same time she was so unique that it made me think Is this girl alright in the head? Even though I shouldn’t have any emotion, she frequently came up in my memory. There was something to her to a degree that made me assaulted with a strange sensation.
And so,
「I thought that perhaps there is no one better than her to use as example in order to obtain individuality.」
「What in the world is it with that woman’s influence? It’s scary. Her speech and conduct would sometimes show up slightly even through Yue and Shia……」
After all is said and done, I’m the peerless genius and beautiful magician Miledy-chan who is the only one in the whole universe! So it’s just natural! Hajime hallucinated Miledy-chan making her signature side peace gesture & a wink that scattered stars from her eye. He shook his head to chase her out from his brain.
「Well, I’m already aware of master’s arachne fetish, and I will still need some more adjustment so that I can materialize without any problem even in other world than this world. Are you happy? You can obtain two deliciousness from a single Etemp-san you know?」
「Go back already.」
「Ii!」
There was another flash. Then the arachne body that was lying flat on the ground suddenly moved its legs around with very disgusting motion before it started moving normally.
While watching that, Kouki who looked like he had dried out as though he was lacking water in his body spoke to Kousuke whose expression was convulsing.
「How should I say it, the demon king army is rapidly being strengthened huh.」
「It’s laughable right? Even so those are “just an army” yeah? There are still the strongest top brasswive~s in the lineup. Please give your impression as the hero.」
「I want to retire from being a hero.」
「You should polish your dogeza. Surely that will be the greatest weapon for a hero when facing the demon king army.」
「The abyss lord is at the demon king’s side right? Can’t you intermediate if I give you a bribe?」
「Is it alright for a hero to give bribes?」
「It’s something that I learned after leaving high school and starting to travel. A hero who can’t do dogeza or giving bribes is just a third rate hero.」
「That really good kid hero has become a complete delinquent……」
Kouki spat out such nonsensical proverb with a crisp expression. It made Kousuke unconsciously trickled a tear from his eye.
Hajime ignored those two and turned his gaze to Aularodde. Then she immediately,
「Hiih, please don’t kill meee!」
She activated Charism○ Guard on her chair. She was absurdly scared. Blau Niebel’s complexion was also pale. Her atmosphere was like someone who had decided to sacrifice her life 「When push comes to shove, I’ll use this chubby body to be goddess-sama’s shield!」.
It seemed they realized that Hajime was a “godslayer” from the conversation just now and became scared.
「No, I’m not going to do anything. I still need you to do my last request after all.」
「You still have another demand!? I already talked about the secret of the world, and I even agreed with the matter of interference right to the Branches……but even those are still insufficient!? Or rather, could it be that after you have finished taking everything I have to offer, you won’t have any more need for me and get rid of me……」
「Goddess-sama, please get a hold of yourself! If it really comes to that……this Blau Niebel swear she will stop him even if I have to sacrifice this body wan-」
「Oi, stop it. I’m going to die.」
Aularodde’s eyes rolled to show the white of her eyes from stress. Kouki and others looked at Hajime like they wanted to say 「Is this guy a fiend……ah, this guy is the king of fiends」. Hajime himself almost got his eyes rolled back from seeing the sign of Blau Niebel going to present him with something that would definitely reduced his SAN value to minus instantly.
「A-anyway, looks like our talk have covered up all the major points, so how about we start reviving the “small Heaven Tree’ for now? No matter what we are going to do, we will have to start from that first.」
「Yeah. If not, we don’t know when the grand invasion of the apparitions is going to start again.」
Kouki and Kousuke’s words returned Hajime and Aularodde to their senses. They did everything they could to not let the sight of the muscle fairy hugging her body while wriggling around entered their eyes.
「Then Aula. What should we do specifically?」
「Ah, yes. I want everyone to head to the small Heaven Trees at the four directions. Please bring a branch of the Heaven Tree to those locations.」
By doing that, she would be able to revive the small Heaven Trees at the four cardinal directions even from afar through the medium of the Heaven Tree’s branches.
Kouki muttered with a pondering expression.
「It will be better if one person stay here just in case. It will be meaningless if the Heaven Tree got taken down while we are gone.」
「Then Amanogawa, you stay behind. You are the one who received the blessing of Heaven Tree, and you are good with defensive battle right?」
「Then Nagumo and I will go to the north and east where there are still surviving cities. What are we going to do about the travel there?」
「It will be enough using the compass and Crystal Key. We won’t need to cross the wall of worlds, so it won’t consume that much magic power. Let’s take care of this quickly.」
「Master, master. Please take Etemp-neesan and me along with each of you. We’ll be in charge of recording.」
「You two, could it be that taking recording has become a hobby for you?」
「Perhaps that’s because originally we were also in charge of the duty to manage record? Filming is super fun.」
「I, I see.」
For some reason Etemp & Netemp-san looked like they were leading a fulfilling life. The two of them immediately played rock-paper-scissors (Etemp intentionally entered her fairy mode) to decide which one of them would accompany Hajime. They really looked like they were having fun.
「Goddess-sama, I’ll go to tell everyone about the world’s salvation wan. Come with me――」
「That’s impossible for me.」
「It’s still impossible non!?」
「We don’t know what will happen in life. Remember this well Blau Niebel. It’s impossible that there is something impossible.」
「I wish you won’t use that cool line as excuse for your worthlessness.」
「What if the world salvation failed after I talked big……or even less than that, what if something unexpected happened and the world salvation got postponed……I won’t have any courage to open an interview for apologizing to everyone-. I’ll show myself only after we succeed!」
The goddess wanted to prepare insurance and precaution first. Certainly someone like her should be called as good-for-nothing instead of reliable. Even Blau Niebel was looking at her like she was looking at something disappointing.
Kouki smiled wryly while concluding the talk.
「Aula, we are going to have to travel to regenerate the “World Tree’s Branches” after we revived the small Heaven Trees, but will the heaven tree be alright while we are gone?」
「If the apparitions regain their sanity, there will be a lot of children who can be entrusted with protecting the Heaven Tree.」
Besides, Aularodde’s gaze turned toward Blau Niebel.
「It’s not like Niebel clan doesn’t have the aptitude to become avatar at all. I can’t possibly leave my post here for dozens of years, so Blau, I’ll leave you to be in charge while I’m gone. I’ll create a sacred treasure later so that you can wield some authority as the goddess’s substitute, so please take care of this place. Please work together with the children who are great apparitions and protect the Heaven Tree.」
「Myyyy! This me is going to become goddess-sama’s substitute? What a great honorrrr!!!」
UOOOOOOOOOOOONN-, a roar of delight burst out once more.
Hajime and others almost fell from their chair. The fairies who were hesitantly returning to the window outside to peek cried again 「The world is ending this time for suree~~~!!」 and ran away.
「W-wait goddess! Don’t be hasty. You are going to commit something outrageous right now!」
「What is it? Blau has carried out her role as my priestess very well until now. She can be trusted, and although she is lacking in strength, the apparitions will make up for it so there won’t be any……」
「You can do something terrifying like that! Because you don’t know about the manly women who ran rampant in another world!」
「I don’t understand!?」
Blau Niebel’s appearance was really similar with Chrystabel. It was as though they were blood related.
In other words. This would be like that Chrystabel becoming a goddess.
A manly woman goddess――for short, “manly goddess”. There was a danger of such thing emerging here.
「Why won’t you comprehend the dreadfulness of producing such atrocious new race!?」
「Rather I don’t understand what kind of understanding you are demanding from me though!?」
Surely this dreadfulness could only be understood by boys who got their ass targeted. That sticky and fiery glaring was a demonic eye that even the demon king couldn’t overcome.
This might be an omen to a terrifying future……like that Hajime opposed the appointment of the goddess substitute till the end, but there was no other qualified person, so at the end with the persuasion of Kouki and Kousuke who also showed understanding 「We understand your feeling」, Hajime gave up and accepted the situation.
Like that, even while feeling anxious from turning his back on the preparation of the birth of the manly goddess, Hajime and Kousuke each departed to north and east.