Chapter 220: Turning My Back on the Rising Morning Sun

* * *

Early autumn morning.

Although it's gradually getting brighter, the indigo darkness envelops the surroundings, hiding the vividly colored autumn leaves of the Zamago Forest.

In such a still dim forest, I was walking alone.

With each step I take, the fallen leaves crunch and rustle.

The scent of damp earth spreads through the cold, clear air.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the breath is white.

It's already quite cold.

Autumn is about to end soon.

Winter is coming soon.

"Migya..."

"Mi-Migya..."

In the shadow of the bushes over there, the Forest Topopolocks are watching me while cowering in fear.

They may think they're talking in a low voice, but I can hear them perfectly.

They are usually reckless snacks that attack without understanding the difference in strength, but as expected, they seem to be afraid of me now and only observe from a distance.

I don't feel like killing them that much, so I'll let them go.

Right now, I'm walking with my third and fourth arms, [Black Arms], manifested.

These strange arms, named by Extra-sama, are pitch black, spiky, and have quite an intimidating presence.

It seems that if the opponent is weak-willed, just seeing these arms will scare them.

They are freely extensible, and I can change their size and shape to some extent even at this point, but it's still difficult to manipulate their detailed shape.

But I have the conviction that I'll be able to do it someday, and there's something I want to try doing with these [Black Arms], so I'm currently in training.

Now, why am I walking through the forest with my [Black Arms] out?

It's to carry rocks.

I already transported the large rocks for repairing the collapsed defensive wall yesterday.

What I'm carrying while lifting with my [Black Arms] now is... a tombstone.

The old man's tombstone.

The old man's funeral was already held yesterday.

The alcohol-smelling woman... Niese used to be a priest of the Holy Goddess religion, and under her direction, the funeral proceeded without a hitch.

The old man's body was sent off with tears by his comrades and burned by Patchino's magic.

The sparks crackle and rise into the starry sky.

Each of those sparks is the old man, and the old man will spend his time sparkling in the world of stars from now on.

I don't know what kind of ideology the Holy Goddess religion has behind cremation, but I thought it might be something like that.

If so, I don't think it's bad.

The old man's bones were buried as is in a hole dug by Earthcell.

According to Niese, the burial will be complete once we install the tombstone there.

So with that, I volunteered to procure the tombstone and took on the task.

I extracted the old man's tombstone from a cliff near the former cave of Mount Nanga where the old man and I first met.

I carved out the shiniest, hardest, and blackest rock I could find with [Mantis].

This is what a tombstone rock should be like, right?

It was a work in the dim light, but since my eyesight is better than others, there was no problem.

The shape of the tombstone is a neat rectangular prism.

The size is about that of a vending machine from my previous life.

I could have made it bigger, but the old man might get embarrassed.

He would scold me, saying, "You fool!"

So I held back a little.

And I'm carrying it with my [Black Arms].

This is important to me.

These [Black Arms] were born from trying to replicate the old man's [Invisible Hand].

Although the result was something almost entirely different, in my heart, these [Black Arms] are an important technique I inherited from the old man.

That's why I'm using this technique to carry the old man's tombstone.

Just like with my master, using the inherited technique to make a grave is my way of expressing gratitude and mourning.

As I kick the fallen leaves, rustle rustle, the forest suddenly opens up.

I've arrived at the base.

I jump over the trench we made with the old man and climb the gentle slope.

Halfway through, I pass through the grass and walk on the path that leads directly to the base's gate.

I walk while vaguely recalling memories of the old man.

I quietly open the gate's door so as not to wake up everyone sleeping, and head towards the Aburi vegetable field.

The old man's bones are buried in the corner of the field.

When you think of the old man, you think of fields.

I want him to watch over the food production at this base from now on.

...I'm a little worried about whether it will be in the way when expanding the field in the future since it's in the corner though.

It's probably fine.

Everyone liked the old man.

So this grave will be fine.

It won't be a nuisance.

With a thud, I install the tombstone at the old man's burial site.

I silently put my hands together and close my eyes.

I convey words of gratitude in my heart.

...I wonder how long I stayed like that.

As the sun gradually rises from beyond Mount Nanga and begins to illuminate the Zamago Forest, I feel its brightness and open my eyes.

I look around.

The splendid defensive walls covering the whole area.

And outside them, the autumn leaves of red and yellow covered in morning dew are sparkling in the morning sun.

This is a beautiful place.

We made it, old man.

Thank you.

Thank you, old man.

...Bye then.

Conveying my final words of farewell, I turned my back on the tombstone.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?"

As I head towards the gate to leave the base, Earthcell is standing there.

Next to him are Patchino, Modokin, Niese, and Darmacy with worried faces.

I unintentionally click my tongue.

I pass by them with my head down, avoiding eye contact.

I was moving around since before sunrise because I didn't want this.

I guess the old geezer saw through a lot.

"Miss, are you really leaving!?"

Patchino's voice, sounding like he's about to cry.

A grown man shouldn't make such a voice.

"...The old man died. In the first place, my job was to protect the old man. There's no point in staying here anymore."

I answer with my back turned.

Yes, I intend to leave this base.

"D-Don't say that!"

"That's right, let's continue living together from now on, okay?"

"Uoooohhhh!!!"

Everyone tries to stop me, speaking over each other.

My heart unintentionally... becomes warm.

But.

"Shut up, I'll kill you."

I [Intimidate] everyone with killing intent and silence them.

"Miss, why are you saying that!? Aren't we comrades...!?"

Patchino somehow squeezes out his voice and asks that.

Comrades.

Yes, we are comrades.

Comrades who built this base together.

But that's exactly why I can't stay here anymore.

I'm a black-haired, black-eyed cursed child.

A cursed child who brings misfortune to those around her.

Black hair and black eyes lead to misfortune for those around?

What nonsense!

If I think about it with the sensibility of living in my previous life, I would laugh it off and be done with it.

Unfortunately, I have too many experiences that confirm it to be true.

After being told about the lore of black hair and black eyes by the old man and the others, I looked back on my own life again, and sure enough, no matter how you look at it, my surroundings are full of misfortune.

Incidents happen wherever I go.

It's only because Extra-sama is with me and I'm also strong that I somehow manage, but for a normal person, it's a life where it wouldn't be surprising if they had died long ago.

And... this time too.

The old man died.

I think.

If only I hadn't been there, the old man might not have died.

The old man might have become unhappy because I was there.

Sure, if I hadn't saved him, the old man would have died long ago.

That's why Extra-sama says the old man's death isn't my responsibility.

Even so, the old man died because of me.

I can't help but think that way.

That's why I'm leaving this base.

Because everyone is a precious comrade.

Because I don't want to make everyone unhappy anymore.

"No matter what I say, you won't change your mind about leaving here, will you?"

I nod with my back still turned to Earthcell's question.

"Then! Let me say just this!"

Earthcell raised his voice and said to me, who was like that!

"Come back anytime! Because Emi-chan is our comrade!"

Ah...

Ah...!

Again!

Again, my vision blurs!

I also shout with a trembling voice!

"I will never, ever come back! Because I'm... everyone's comrade!"

* * *

I started running.

With the rising morning sun at my back, I run with all my might on the path we made together in the Zamago Forest.

I wonder what kind of faces everyone had in the end.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Everyone... be happy!

I run, run, keep running.

The base quickly disappears from view, I pass through the forest, come out onto the highway, and run single-mindedly west and west.

I didn't look back.

Because the morning sun was too dazzling.

A new journey.

And it was also the moment when Emi's way of life was once again determined.

The long Arc 12 will also end in two more chapters.