Chapter 642

『Fran! Are you okay!?』

I heard that gentle voice again...

Was it not my imagination? But from where?

I couldn't feel any sign of him.

Just as I was looking around for the source of that voice, Rhyn reappeared in front of me again.

「Fran. You have a tough battle waiting for you in the future. This is not a fate; it is inevitable for you now. But in your current state, you'll probably lose your life」

「Rhyn?」

「So, this is a gift from me――or should I say, from us. It may be small, but please accept it」

It was right after Rhyn had said that and opened her hands.

The surrounding area turned completely white.

「Huh, Rhyn?」

There, I saw another Rhyn. But just as I was thinking about what was going on, another figure suddenly appeared next to that Rhyn.

What appeared was another Me and Master.

That was definitely Me and Master, but she looked a little different than me, like her equipment, and her expression for example...

Intuitively, though, I understood.

Maybe that was me from a different world, or maybe from the future, I didn't know which one it was, I wondered where that Me had come from.

But the voice from earlier seems to be coming from the Master over there.

『Fran!』

「Master?」

『O-ooh! You can hear me now?』

It seemed that my mumbling had been answered.

How I envy her... the Master with her was still Master...

『I'm gonna heal you now!』

The Master over there then tried to do something, but it seemed that he had failed.

『Why won't my magic work!』

「I'm sorry. I wasn't able to make a perfect connection. I used your enhanced strength to bring us together. I also used your connection with each other, and yet, this is as far as I could bring you」

「Romio, Zelos Reed, and Zelyse. Using the three's connections and with the help of Master, we were able to change fate. But I need you to be patient for a little longer...」

Said the Rhyn beside me and the Rhyn over there while bowing their heads.

I didn't really get what they're talking about, but it was a miracle that I could talk with Master again.

Then I called out to the Me over there.

「Hey... Me」

「What is it, Me?」

「...Are you happy?」

「Nn. I'm happy every day with Master and Urushi. Are you not happy?」

「Nn...」

Aah, I knew it. That Me over there was happy. But that was only natural because she had Master and Urushi with her.

「After all, Master has...」

「What's wrong?」

「This Master has...」

「Nn」

That Me nodded gently at me. Then, I couldn't hold my words any longer.

「He doesn't show his kindness anymore... He doesn't say anything to me at all... He stopped praising me, and he never scolds me anymore!」

What was coming out of my mouth were my true feelings, which I'd never told anyone before.

Because I felt like if I said that, all of it would come true...

「I hate Master that is in such a state! That's not the Master I know! I want Master like that Master over there!」

My words poured out one after another.

「Tell me, Master! How can I get Master back to normal! How can I get him to smile like before! Tell me!」

I blurted out everything I wanted to say.

「Master, what am I supposed to do...?」

『I don't understand. There's nothing wrong with me. It's more that Fran herself seemed upset』

But what came back from Master was not the words I was expecting. I was a bit hopeful because I just heard the gentle voice of the Master over there...

『Combat action in this state is dangerous. Try not to get too agitated』

「That's not what I want to hear!」

『Fran. Don't get too agitated』

「So noisy! Shut up! Shut up, shut up! Don't talk to me with that voice! The one like you are not Master!」

Immediately after I shouted so, a gentle voice muttered in dismay.

『O-Ooh... F-Fran has become like a delinquent!』

He sounded a little bothered for some reason.

「Delinquent?」

「What a delinquent is?」

The two of us tilted our heads at the same time. It was the first time I had heard that word.

「A-ah. That is, like a bad kid with a foul mouth, maybe? It was like a nickname placed on a kid who talks rudely to their parents or teacher」

「I see! Then, that Me has become a delinquent」

「I'm not. I'm not a bad kid」

「But, you seem to have become one」

「No, I'm not!」

I wonder why. I was supposed to be being made fun of, but I was having so much fun talking like this.

But there was a voice that put a damper on such a pleasant mood.

『Current status. Fran's aggressiveness is much higher than it used to be. The term "delinquent" applies to the Fran now』

My happy mood suddenly turned sour. For some reason, it made me feel very sad. I couldn't help but turn my head down. Why... why was it so painful?

Then I heard a shout in my ear.

『Oi! You bastard! What the hell are you saying!? Are you really me!?』

『...What am I saying?』

『You think Fran has become a delinquent? That was because of you! Then, all you had to do was make sure she didn't become one!』

『I'm a sword. I don't have that kind of right』

『That's not true, right!? I don't care about rights or anything like that! Did you forget what were we? Weren't we supposed to be Fran's Master!?』

『Master is just a name. It is merely a symbol used to identify an individual name. My essence is a sword』

『You're wrong! We're not just a sword, we're her Master! And you think a master is just a symbol? That's wrong too!』

『I'm not wrong. It's a fact』

『You're wrong! Master was a name that Fran gave us, remember? That is our goal, that is Fran's hope! And I wanted to make it come true! Don't you even remember that!? We're just a sword? Don't forget that before that, we're her Master!』

『I am...』

『Look at her! Fran is crying! You don't feel anything when you see her like that!?』

I just realized it when the Master over there mentioned that I had been crying all this time. I wonder why I couldn't stop my tears from coming out?

『...She's, crying?』

『You didn't even notice it, did you!? You can't even say a word of comfort to Fran when she's crying!? Have you turned into a mere sword!?』

「Master...」

『I...』

『I'm going to ask you one more time. You see Fran crying, and you don't want to say a word to her!?』

『I...』

『Don't you feel anything when you see Fran's tears!? You idiot!』

『I...!』

Master's voice over here sounded like a human being for the first time in a long time. And at the same time, I heard a voice that I missed so much.

「Eh? Announcer-san?」

「I thought you were gone...」

「I see...」

『Announcer-san... I...』

「Even worse...? Then what should I do?」

「Eh...?」

「Do your best, delinquent me」

「I'm not a delinquent!」

The other me chuckled when I reflexively said that back. But I didn't hate it.

「Nn. See you, Me」

『Fran! Remember that I will always be on your side! No matter what happens, forever!』

Prompted by Announcer-san and the Me over there, I hesitantly opened my mouth.

「Nn... Hey, Master. Can you hear me?」

『Fran...? I...』

For the first time in a long time, I heard that gentle voice again from the Master over here.