Chapter 170: Digging Up Old Stories From The Past Only Troubles Me

Sword rearranged his legs, and started to speak.

"――This girl's father is genuine scum. He's been known as a lustful playboy for a long time. He tricked a ducal daughter and married her, aimin' for her dowry. ...But, the young lady had fallen in love with the earl for real. She put shackles on him, tryin' to tie him down, but hatin' that her father scooted, playin' 'round at one place after the other. The ducal lady, now the wife of an earl, had made this girl while havin' gone nuts, and bitched 'bout everythin' her daughter did. Her education was nothing short of abuse. I mean, 'nyone would think that a five-years old havin' perfectly mastered readin', writin', and manners is weird as fuck, right?"

It seems like not everyone thought so, Sword. I wanted to give him that retort, but gave it a rest.

"And then after his wife croaked, that bum of a father came back. Moreover, with a child from 'nother woman in tow. Up until then, that sucker hadn't done shit for his fief, leavin' it all to other folk. But then he shamelessly came back, had a blast with the money of his wife, cruelly treated the child he made with his wife, and only dotted on the girl he made with 'nother woman!"

Oh, right. Something like that did happen, didn't it? I've already forgotten all about it.

...is what I want to say, but Sword was really pissed.

"The commoner girl, who had no education whatsoever, had been brought up to be very egoistic. Though I think that's a normal behavior among noble children? 'nyway, do you really think that a girl, who didn't receive any motherly love nor fatherly love, would grow up normally if she had to watch her half-sister gettin' pampered while only bein' blamed for all her half-sister's failings?

Damsel Scarlet remained silent, casting her eyes down.

In exchange, I distinctively answered, "In reality, I grew up normally, didn't I?"

"Your obviously sick."

Whaa! Sword poured cold water on me. Rather, he arbitrarily decided things!

"She's got no mercy for those opposin' her, and even though she can be kind to monsters who fear her, she treats dumb nobles and adventurers as inferior to monsters. She tortures without battin' an eyelid, and abuses others without a shred of conscience, thinkin' all will be fine as long as she heals them up in the end while takin' no responsibility for 'nythin' she does. She's a crazy girl who boasts that she's goin' to destroy this world upon her death so that she won't be dropped into this world ever again. Do you know how deep her darkness is? So? That Primrose girl was bein' treated coldly by the family that took her in? Her older sister was cold to her? That's only natural, damnit!"

*

Sword talked himself into fury, so I soothed him.

"Now, now, it's inevitable from Primrose's point of view, isn't it? She grew up completely selfishly after being allowed almost anything by her gentle commoner mother and her mother's lover. But then, she was taken to a new home against her will and was treated harshly by the people over there. So it's not weird even if she perceived that as being a cold reception, seeing how she was a little child back then, don't you think?"

He suddenly glared at me, "Your the victim here! You should have destroyed that earl house rather than threatenin' to destroy the royal palace, right!?"

"But, as a result of that, I was able to meet you."

Sword stopped, being at a loss.

"That's why it's not such a bad story for me. Besides...well...as a matter of fact, I think the 『Indra who desired love she'd never be able to obtain』 died when I was on the verge of death at an age of five."

Sword and Damsel Scarlet became speechless.

I placed a hand on my chest, "The me, who's here right now, was reborn as another person who had the memories of another world inserted into her. And since I don't desire any love, I've got absolutely no problem not receiving any either. That's why I might have been sick before I was reborn, but right now, I'm very normal, you know? Isn't this world full of people who only care about their own pain and think that their own deeds are no big deal while kicking up an exaggerated fuss if they're beaten at their own little games? Am I not slightly better than them, seeing how I believe that my own deeds and paying for my deeds are no big deal?"

"...Bah, your prattlin' stuff that's nowhere near normal, aren't you? Do you understand at least that much?"

Whoa! He turned my own words against me.

"...I am terribly sorry. I have carelessly spoken of something without understanding the circumstances..."

"Don't mind it. Sword is at fault here."

"Huh? It's my bad now?"

I nodded, "I wanted to hear her story. And her story is fictional. Even though some of the developments might resemble this world, it still remains no more than a fiction. Even in the other world, it was no more than a fictional story. She mentioned that at the very start, didn't she? The one who talked about it as if it was reality was you, right? Back when I talked about using the proper weapons in games during monster hunts, you got angry at me when I didn't tell you that it was about a game, didn't you?"

"Ugh."

It looks like I hit him where it hurts.

"I wanted to hear it. And she only talked about a commonplace, fictional story where the names matched reality by chance. But, don't you think it could be quite beneficial information for us, if things here resemble those commonplace developments?"

Sword nodded reluctantly, "...Now that you mention it, you got a point."

"Sword. I was able to meet you, and right now I'm happy. So, you don't need to dig up my past each and every single time. I don't want you to always think back on it either. We're young, so let's look at the future awaiting us. Thinking back on the past is something we can leave for our deathbed."

When I told him off like that, Sword breathed out, visibly relaxing.

"I guess your right. Sorry. Scarlet, you too. Sorry for scolding you 'bout some fictional story."

"...No, I must apologize as well. Even though I had somewhat heard about parts of her backstory, I did not pay attention to my wording."