Chapter 182: The Great Sinner's Revival

* * *

"............Mm......"

Giovanno awoke to a cold drop falling from the ceiling and splattering against his forehead.

"Hngh............"

With effort, he raised his body as the chains clinked and jangled.

Sleeping on the cavern's rocks without any blankets or bedding left his entire body aching.

The chains were heavy and his arms wouldn't lift, but he somehow stretched, rotated his shoulders and neck, and yawned.

(............I'm alive.)

And he vaguely thought that.

Having committed grave sins, sentenced to exile, and though acknowledging he deserved to die, not wanting to......

Unable to resolve himself to death, he had wandered the forest and encountered a mysterious girl, receiving meat from her to sustain his life.

She was a strange girl.

Despite harboring the symbol of misfortune, black hair and black eyes, in her body as a cursed child, she seemed to exude unending strength and vigor.

Like a mass of life force, in any case she seemed a girl overflowing with the power to live.

In contrast, how wretched was he?

Unable to die completely, unable to live completely.

Still continuing to waver......

"......For now, I should get up."

Now then, finding himself about to be consumed by the vortex of dark, damp thoughts again, Giovanno lightly slapped his cheek to change his mood.

Putting a lid on the conflict swirling in his heart, he decided to begin taking some kind of action for now.

"Mm......mmm? But where did that young lady......Emi go......?"

And he quickly noticed.

The mysterious girl who had shared fire and meat with him yesterday, granting him this future called today, was nowhere to be seen.

He looked around restlessly.

In the cavern were the remains of the campfire.

And the floor, unusually bloodstained, must have been where the Mountain Topopolock corpse was placed.

Now not even a scrap of meat......or a fragment of bone remained.

Turning to look further back, there was the cavern entrance.

The rain seemed to have completely cleared and the clouds gone, for warm light was entering the cavern interior from the entrance.

Now, even looking all around like this, the girl named Emi was indeed nowhere to be found.

"Could it have been......a dream......"

Muttering that in confusion, Giovanno looked up at the ceiling.

And there......was where Emi had been!

Emi was somehow, incomprehensibly to Giovanno, clinging to the ceiling asleep!

"Whoa!!"

As the surprised Giovanno cried out, Emi barely opened her eyes and spun around as she fell to the floor.

"......You're awake......?"

And rubbing her eyes in an irritable manner, she stretched her body with a big yawn.

"Wh-Why were you on the ceiling!?"

"Don't wanna......sleep together with, an old man I just met."

Saying that, Emi clenched and opened her hands, rotated her shoulders, rotated her waist, did a few squats, and hopped up and down.

(No, I asked 'Why are you clinging to the ceiling'!?)

"So......old man, did you decide on yesterday's answer?"

"......!"

Emi, who seemed to have fully woken up after moving her body a bit, opened her large, darkly glistening eyes wide and stared at Giovanno.

The "answer from yesterday" referred to the answer to the question of "Will you teach [Invisible Hand] to Emi?"

Giovanno had been gifted meat and asked by the girl before him to teach his unique ability in return for the favor......but he had postponed giving a response.

"It's not complicated. When I want to see it, you use [Invisible Hand]. That's all. I'll learn it myself just by watching."

Can a unique ability really be learned just by watching?

Giovanno didn't know, but for this mysterious girl, it was surely the case.

The girl pressed Giovanno in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Since you seem weak, old man, I'll protect you while I learn the unique ability. Even after I've learned it, I don't mind taking you to a human settlement."

She could hunt such a massive Mountain Topopolock.

There was likely no falsehood in the words of this girl named Emi.

Just by showing [Invisible Hand] to this girl, Giovanno's life that had been on the verge of flickering out would be protected.

"............"

"Hey, there are only benefits, right? Why aren't you nodding?"

The pressure emanating from Emi gradually intensified.

She was starting to get irritated.

Her expression remained unchanged, but her emotions were clearly conveyed through the aura she wore.

Especially to a weakling like Giovanno.

He could no longer postpone his answer any further.

Giovanno sighed and began to voice his true feelings.

"Young lady......I am, you see, a great sinner......"

"I can tell by looking. Chains, clinking."

Keeping his head bowed, Giovanno laughed wryly and continued.

"I committed an unforgivable, grave crime and was exiled to this land. I am, you see, someone who should die."

"............"

"Your offer is very much appreciated. With your power, I could surely survive. I would end up, living on. However......"

Here, Giovanno raised his face and looked at Emi.

He had an exhausted expression.

"Is that......alright......when it actually comes to choosing that future, I can't help but hesitate......"

In a truly feeble voice at the end, Giovanno stated it.

When hungry, one wishes to be sated.

When cold, one wishes to be warmed.

When cornered, the body commands to live.

But once those needs are met, doubts immediately well up.

Should I be allowed to live?

Even now, that was the case.

He was still wavering.

Despite wishing "I want to live," the moment a means to do so was found, he agonized over "Is this alright?"

That was precisely why Giovanno could not openly accept Emi's proposal.

Giovanno let his shoulders droop powerlessly and hung his head.

There was no longer the figure of the wicked count who committed evil deeds with a nonchalant face, bringing misfortune to many.

Tormented by the useless thing called a conscience that had gone off somewhere at crucial times yet now returned at this late stage, unable to find any value in himself, there was only the figure of a shabby, filthy man.

Hearing the words squeezed out from such a man.

Emi......

"LIKE I CAAAAARE!!!"

shouted angrily!!

Her voice was so loud the cavern trembled and shook!

"Eh, ehhh!? 'Like I care'......"

"I AM TELLING YOU TO TEACH ME THE UNIQUE ABILITY!! YOUR LIFE, YOUR SINS!! I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAAAT!!"

"Ehhhhhhh!?"

By now, Emi's irritation had reached its max!!

Because she had waited all night since he was mumbling about stuff, yet he was still mumbling about stuff now!!

[Intimidation] of an unimaginable degree from her small body assailed Giovanno!

Overwhelmed by the terrifying pressure, Giovanno unconsciously scooted backward with his rear planted on the ground.

"If you want to die that much, die after I've learned [Invisible Hand]. If you're scared of suicide, I'll kill you. That's right, I'll crush you to a pulp with my version of [Invisible Hand]. Good idea."

Approaching Giovanno, grabbing his bangs to lift his face and forcibly meet his eyes, Emi calmly listed such horrifying things.

It was no bluff.

If she decided to do it, she would do such things without hesitation.

Giovanno was made to fully understand that by Emi's [Intimidation].

"Or what will you do? Die now? I don't mind, you know? It's a waste, but it can't be helped then. It'll be over in an instant, okay?"

Saying that, Emi pressed her hand like a knife against Giovanno's neck.

Slowly, gently.

Yet for some reason, as if a sharp blade had been placed there, a single line of blood flowed from Giovanno's neck.

"Hiih......"

"What will you do?"

"Ah......ah......"

"What will you do?"

Giovanno's mouth flapped open and closed as he trembled.

He thought he had to say something, but no meaningful words came out from the overwhelming terror.

"Okay, then I'll give you a ten-second time limit. Ten, nine, eight, seven......"

However, the monster before his eyes began a countdown with no consideration for Giovanno's state!

"I......I!!"

Giovanno somehow forced out words, trying to speak.

But in the end, that effort bore no fruit.

Because.

Zu......mishi, zuzu, zu......

That sound began echoing in the cavern, and then......

ZUGASHAGAGAGAGAGA!!!

An indescribable thunderous noise and vibration assaulted Giovanno, causing him to lose consciousness.

* * *

"............Mm......"

Giovanno awoke to a cold drop falling from the ceiling and splattering against his forehead.

"Hngh............"

With effort, he raised his body as the chains clinked and jangled.

And he looked around, trying to ascertain what had happened to him.

However, there was only complete darkness.

He couldn't see anything.

"[Ignite]"

But that was when it happened.

A small flame lit up beside Giovanno.

He saw Emi creating a small fireball in her palm, illuminating the surroundings.

(A unique ability......!)

Using what seemed like magic without incantation.

In other words, Emi was a unique ability user.

Since she wanted to learn Giovanno's unique ability, she likely had other powers she could use as well.

Perhaps even clinging to the ceiling earlier was due to a unique ability.

But putting that aside.

"Just what happened......?"

Resolving this question took higher priority.

"Probably a landslide. Yesterday's rain loosened the ground? The cliff collapsed, and the cavern was blocked."

In response to the words inadvertently slipping from Giovanno, Emi replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Her expression was the same blank one as always.

Not a shred of fear or confusion could be discerned......

"Okay, so you're awake too, old man. Let's continue from earlier. Six, five, four, three......"

"Wait, heeeey!! That countdown is still going ooon!?"

Giovanno shouted unintentionally!

Emi tilted her head slightly while pressing her hand like a knife against Giovanno's neck.

"Well, of course."

"What do you mean 'of course'!? It was a landslide!? We were buried alive!? How can you be so calm!?"

"This level of thing is trivial to me."

Emi declared arrogantly.

Giovanno was momentarily stunned into silence.

"More importantly, what are you panicking for, old man?"

"What......!?"

"If you want to die, there's no need to panic, right?"

"!!"

"If you want to die, no need to warm yourself by the fire. No need to eat meat. No need to panic over the collapse."

Giovanno froze, his weakpoint exposed.

Emi withdrew her hand from his neck and continued speaking while staring into his eyes.

"You keep whining 'I should die.' But the fact that you're saying that means you want to live, old man."

"............"

He had no words to refute it.

If he was truly convinced "I should die" from the bottom of his heart, he should just die.

It was an extreme argument, but certainly true.

Giovanno wanted to live.

That was something he understood himself.

However, he never expected to have it pointed out by such a young girl.

"But I have committed grave sins......"

"That's why, WHO CAAARES ABOUT THAAAT!! WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH MEEE!!"

Emi shouted again, filled with anger.

"YOU, LIVE! LIVE AND TEACH ME THE UNIQUE ABILITY!! YOUR CRIMES OR WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT! DO WHATEVER AFTERWARDS, YOU BASTARD!! IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, THEN LIIIVE!! TEACH ME THE UNIQUE ABILITYYY!!"

Emi's furious voice reverberated throughout the cavern blocked at the exit, shaking Giovanno's body intensely!

And Emi's argument was!

Refreshingly!

Thinking only of herself!

Not a pretty sermon dressed up in nice words!

Just forcing her own ego on him!

But precisely because of that, her words were as straightforward as could be, powerfully piercing through the heart of the villain Giovanno who had been wandering in circles!

"Kuku......haha, hahaha......HAHAHAHAHAH!!"

For some reason it was unbearably funny and felt so good......Giovanno laughed uproariously.

"......What's wrong, old man? Lost your mind?"

"Shut up! You're the one who made me laugh!"

"You're the one who laughed, old man."

"Hahaha! Well, that's certainly true!"

He wiped tears from his eyes with his shoulders and caught his breath.

Since his crimes had been exposed and he was arrested......no, perhaps since becoming count, in any case Giovanno had never laughed this hard.

He felt somehow refreshed.

Giovanno turned to face Emi again and spoke.

"I am weak. I can barely even exercise."

"What are you boasting for?"

"You'll protect a guy like me, right?"

"That's the promise."

"I want to eat delicious meat like yesterday."

"Easy to hunt."

"I'm old, so I want to eat vegetables too."

"Any edible grass is a vegetable. That's my theory."

......Giovanno bowed his head.

"I still want to live. Protect me, Emi."

"That's the wrong order."

Emi grabbed Giovanno's head, forcibly lifted it up, then......this time she bowed her own head.

"Please allow me to learn the unique ability [Invisible Hand]. I am in your care."

A brief moment of silence passed between the two.

"My, Emi, you suddenly became polite."

"You suddenly became insolent, old man."

"I had completely forgotten until now, but I am a villain, you see."

Finding such trivial conversation strangely funny, Giovanno laughed uproariously again.

Emi's expression didn't change at all and she didn't even crack a smile, but in contrast to the sharp atmosphere until now, she seemed satisfied.

"But, well......"

After laughing for a while, Giovanno sighed as he gazed at the darkness where the cavern entrance had been.

"To live and to learn, we first need to get out of here......"

"I told you, right? This level of thing is trivial. I will protect you, old man."

Leaving behind the perplexed Giovanno shrugging his shoulders, Emi walked over to the entrance blocked by rocks.

The small fireball that had been illuminating the surroundings vanished.

The cavern interior was immediately engulfed in darkness.

"Old man, wait there."

With those words, Emi fell silent.

And then.

Mishi......mishi......

A sound like space creaking began echoing in the darkness.

"Cover your ears."

(Telling someone with their arms tied......unreasonable!)

Following Emi's words, Giovanno covered one ear with his shoulder and the other with [Invisible Hand].

And the next instant!!

DOGOOOOOON!!!

A tremendous roar shook the cavern again!!

"Guh......!?"

Giovanno involuntarily closed his eyes!

As the reverberations of the roar subsided, he fearfully opened his eyes and what entered his vision was......though he had no idea what or how, in any case, the cavern entrance that had reopened.

The outside world with warm early summer sunlight pouring in spread beyond the cavern!

"Caverns are dangerous because of this. A base should be made... somewhere flat?"

Emi had already exited the cavern and was muttering something to herself out there.

Then, glancing at the dumbfounded Giovanno inside the cavern, she urged,

"Old man, hurry and come out."

Giovanno.

Giovanno slowly began to walk.

Toward the shining world.

Toward the perilous unexplored region teeming with monsters.

Toward the incomprehensible, fearsome yet beautiful girl.

The self-centered, overbearing, yet honest and straightforward girl.

He began to walk.

Toward a new life!!

I believe there are three aspects to the "serves you right" feeling toward Giovanno.

The "'The Reincarnated Extra' reader's emotional 'serves you right'", the "legal 'serves you right'", and the "Pokkeroce Kingdom citizens' emotional 'serves you right'".

The "'The Reincarnated Extra' reader's emotional 'serves you right'" is the retribution sought by the readers of this work against him, and I think this has already been resolved to some extent by him suffering on the verge of death.

The readers know he is a bad guy based on the setting, but they don't actually know the people who suffered because of him.

So they should be able to sympathize with him a little.

The "legal 'serves you right'" has been resolved by him being sentenced to exile.

He managed to survive by luck, but he was exiled, so.

But the "Pokkeroce Kingdom citizens' emotional 'serves you right'" has not been resolved.

The people who were enslaved and met misfortune due to Giovanno will surely not forgive him to this degree.

If you felt some lingering dissatisfaction about his revival, this is likely the cause.

However, Emi doesn't care about such things at all.

She is self-centered and self-serving to the end.

The knowledge carried over from her previous life makes her exercise some restraint, but she is indeed selfish and overbearing.

She just doesn't show those bad aspects much since she has few opportunities to interact with humans.

As long as it's good for her, that's all that matters.

She has no qualms about harming others if necessary.

That's the kind of child she is.

She is not a being that discourses on human ethics.

But when it comes to living, Emi is extremely positive.

The will to live.

This will, fearsome yet beautiful, undeniable by anyone, is the core element of Emi as the protagonist, I believe.

......What am I even saying?

There will likely be another long gap until the next update, so this afterword was a bit lengthy.

Apologies for that.

Let's meet again in the continuation of Arc 12.