[What good are those tears of yours?]
[Look at yourself. What good are tears? Can your tears save anyone?]
Dan Moroboshi, that terrifying guy with the cane, once said this while chasing someone around in his Jeep.
Naohara thought those words made a great deal of sense.
In a world where the strong preyed on the weak, tears seemed far too feeble and powerless.
They could neither protect your loved ones from harm nor bring the dead back to life.
If anything, shedding too many tears would only invite the enemy's merciless ridicule and scorn. Only overwhelming strength could truly make one's enemies tremble in fear.
Naohara believed in this so strongly that he had even incorporated the idea into Sephis's character settings.
But now, Naohara realized that perhaps tears were not entirely useless after all.
At the very least, crying allowed people to release negative emotions such as grief, pent-up frustration, and anger.
In turn, that could ease the immense psychological pressure they were under and help them regain control of their emotions.
As the saying went:
A woman's tears were her deadliest weapon.
Today, Naohara finally understood firsthand just how much truth there was to those words.
Akemi's sobs echoed in his ears, almost as if they possessed some strange magical power.
If she kept crying like this, their destructive power would probably increase tenfold on the spot!
Besides, humans were ultimately creatures heavily influenced by what they saw.
Faced with the younger sister of one of his former companions, Naohara inevitably felt sympathy for her.
"Try to calm down. You're not a child anymore."
Naohara spoke gently while softly patting the girl on the back, trying to help her relax.
"Come to think of it, if we really wanted to be strict about age, I might actually have to call you big sister."
Naohara blinked, the corners of his lips lifting as he spoke half-jokingly.
Right now, distracting her was undoubtedly the best approach.
And technically, he was not wrong. If Akemi's previous life and current one were added together, she was at least over four hundred years old.
And him?
Even if he added up the ages from all three of his lives, he would barely reach sixty.
Compared to her, he was practically a green rookie fresh out of training.
Akemi burst out laughing.
"Come on, casually discussing a girl's age is taboo."
"Though being called 'big sister' does sound pretty nice, I still prefer being the little sister."
Then she gave Naohara a playful wink and added,
"But if Naohara-nii really wants to experience what it's like having an older sister, then Akemi will naturally do her very best to cooperate and make your wish come true~"
Although she knew perfectly well that he was deliberately changing the subject, she willingly played along.
At that moment, an indescribable sense of reassurance welled up from deep within her heart.
A brilliant smile spread across the girl's face as she continued in a sweet voice.
"And considering how gentlemanly and thoughtful Naohara-nii was just now, Akemi is super happy! So I've decided to give you another fifty-two points!"
"Hmm, that makes fifty-four points. I'm another step closer to a perfect score. Speaking of which, do I get a special surprise if I reach full marks?"
"So what does Naohara-nii want?"
"Anything is fine. If it's from Akemi, I'll probably like it."
"What a sneaky answer. Hmph. No extra points for that one."
...
Time passed little by little as the two continued chatting for a while longer.
After several minutes, Naohara judged that the timing was about right and brought the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Akemi, come back to Nazarick with me. Momonga and the others will definitely be happy to see you."
Naohara gave Akemi a concise but thorough explanation of everything relevant that had happened since he arrived in the New World.
Once he finished, he extended the invitation with a serious expression.
"Come on, Akemi. Nazarick will be your new home."
Akemi's identity was anything but ordinary. She was the younger sister of the Supreme Ruler [Yamaiko].
Naohara could easily imagine the uproar her appearance in Nazarick would cause.
Especially for Yuri, the leader of the Battle Maids.
Akemi held an extremely special significance for Yuri. After all, she was the younger sister of Yuri's own Creator!
Of course, nothing was ever absolute.
Perhaps not everyone would be genuinely pleased by Akemi's arrival.
Naohara had already considered that possibility. He would handle the necessary discussions himself.
"Nazarick..."
Akemi murmured, her voice tinged with an indescribable melancholy and unease.
That unease did not come merely from having to leave behind a familiar environment. More than anything, it came from uncertainty about the unknown future.
Once she left this place, what would be waiting for her?
New challenges, an unfamiliar world. Everything ahead seemed hazy and uncertain.
And would that long wait truly be over?
Even Akemi herself found it difficult to believe.
It felt almost like she was trapped inside an unreal dream.
"Hey~ Naohara-nii."
Akemi suddenly called to him softly.
"What is it?"
Her eyes were as clear as water as she stared straight at him, an inexplicable light flickering within them.
"What you said earlier still counts, right?"
"You'll face everything that comes next together with me, and you'll never leave me for [a lifetime]~"
After saying that, she stared directly at him and waited for his answer.
?
Had he actually said that?
Or rather, was that really what he had meant?
Don't just remove the "we" from what I said. Momonga would be heartbroken if he found out.
And "a lifetime"?
Why was she putting so much emphasis on those words?
The atmosphere suddenly felt rather heavy. It was almost as though some invisible gravity had wrapped itself around him.
"Mm... a lifetime."
Faced with Akemi's expectant gaze, Naohara steeled himself and nodded.
Something about her mental state seemed a little off.
Upon hearing his firm answer, Akemi's face blossomed into a radiant smile.
It was as though the entire world had brightened along with it.
"Mm, a lifetime~"
The girl hugged Naohara's arm tightly, as though she were speaking to him, yet also as though she were telling herself.
Naohara glanced at her but ultimately said nothing more. Instead, he casually sent a Message to Momonga and Herohero.
Out of a mischievous impulse, however, he deliberately avoided explaining things clearly. He merely sent them something vague enough to let the two of them imagine the rest for themselves.
"All right, let's go."
This trip to the Sea City had proven incredibly fruitful.
Not only had he found Akemi, but he had also acquired a useful World-Class Item, further strengthening Nazarick's reserves.
Still...
Wasn't he forgetting something?
Just then, a faint sound reached his ears. The door was slowly being pushed open.
"Um... did I come in at a bad time?"
A clear, pleasant female voice sounded from the doorway.
Keno cautiously poked her head inside, her curious gaze sweeping across the room.
When she saw a scene completely different from what she had imagined, she froze slightly, surprise showing on her face.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked the question in a soft voice.
Hearing Keno, Naohara finally remembered.
"...No. Your timing is perfect."
After a few seconds, Naohara answered with a smile and promptly extended his other free hand toward Keno, beckoning her over.