I Choose You, Beatrice — A Forced Transaction
「"...You."」
「Thoughts of rage occupied her entire body. She trembled with such fury that she wanted this boastful fool before her to die immediately.」
「"What right do you have to compare yourself to Mother? What right do you have to compare yourself to 'That Person'? What right do you have to make Betty abandon four hundred years of responsibility—are you insane, Hikigaya Hachiman? How can the weight of you alone compare to all of this!?"」
「"Of course I can't compare to those things."」
「The fool, who seemed to possess at least a modicum of self-awareness, shook his head. Good. This is good, Betty thought. He didn't insult Mother, he didn't insult 'That Person,' and he didn't negate four hundred years of effort. That way, Betty wouldn't have to curse him, resent him, or hate him.」
「Betty thought this was surely for the best. But then, why was she crying? Why was she disappointed? Wasn't this supposed to be a good thing?」
「"So, let me tell you."」
「"—Tell me?"」
「Her sunken heart suddenly throbbed.」
「"Yes, tell you." The fool's voice was powerful and resonant. He said: "Beatrice, you are smart and cute, almost reaching Komachi's level. You are powerful; a hundred of me wouldn't be your match. You can survive perfectly well on your own; living for four hundred years is the greatest proof of that. Even though you always act childish, being able to live for four hundred years all alone proves your mental fortitude is the absolute best—because I'm not sure at all if I could persevere for four hundred years and still be the way I am now."」
「"Those words... what use are those words at this stage!"」
「Hearing her heart-wrenching scream, the fool who had done nothing but offer praise paused. His smile remained tender and affectionate, unintimidated.」
「"They are useful. Of course they're useful... You are so strong, you can do many, many things I can't. Therefore, I have a utilitarian need for you. I need you."」
「Betty looked at him blankly, her lips trembling incessantly as if she had realized something.」
「"The current me is willing to believe in the existence of the 'Genuine Thing,' to believe that a relationship can be maintained through pure emotion. But, in order to take your hand, besides emotion, I want to conduct a business transaction with you, Beatrice."」
「"You give your knowledge, your strength, and use your everything to help me. And then, in exchange, I will take your hand, Beatrice."」
「Betty's eyes widened. "That kind of... phrasing... it's self-contradictory, completely incomprehensible... What on earth are you talking about?"」
「"It's not contradictory at all."」
「The fool said audaciously: "You are strong, smart, and cute. You can survive alone, and your mind is firm and mature... But, you need me, Beatrice. You need to hold my hand, you need me by your side, you need me to be close to you."」
「"You need me. So, as the price for holding my hand, you must do your absolute best to help me, and you must transfer all the feelings you have for 'That Person,' Echidna, and your four hundred years of duty onto me."」
「This talkative fool spoke as if he were stating something natural, but in these words, Betty couldn't find a single benefit she was supposed to gain.」
「"Wrong!" Betty glared at him with hatred. "What Betty needs is 'That Person.' You are not 'That Person'!"」
「The boastful fool retorted decisively: "You are cute, but you are lonely. You are smart, but you are lonely. You are strong, but you are lonely. You can survive well, but you are lonely. Your mind is mature and firm, but you are lonely."」
「Leaning on his sharp sword, he moved slowly toward Beatrice, step by step, accompanied by pain.」
「"Four hundred years of waiting, four hundred years of erosion, four hundred years of despair. The hatred for Mother, the envy of Puck, the numbness of waiting, over and over, again and again."」
「"You are lonely, so lonely you're about to break. So lonely that it actually doesn't have to be 'That Person.' So lonely that you want to flee, to cry, to kill yourself. You are so lonely that you want someone to take your hand, to forcefully drag you out, to liberate you from Mother, from responsibility, and from the Forbidden Library."」
「"That's how you are. You are in such desperate need of me, of Hikigaya Hachiman, Beatrice!"」
「"Shut up!" Betty's entire body shook. "A mere human, what do you know about Betty!"」
「"I know! I know everything! I know better than you do what Beatrice needs!"」
「Her shouting was drowned out by a louder voice. Moving right in front of her, the fool's gaze—his look—made Betty freeze, feeling a sudden chill.」
「It was the most familiar gaze, the most familiar look... the numbness of staying in the Forbidden Library day after day, the despair accumulated from repeated disappointments, the loneliness of hating Mother in the middle of the night.」
「"That's... that's..." She trembled, faltering in disbelief.」
「"That's right. This is Beatrice's gaze. This is Beatrice's look. These are the emotions belonging to Beatrice, and the memories belonging to Beatrice... I know. I know everything."」
「"How is that possible—"」
「"Maybe it's impossible, but here I am, standing before you, Beatrice."」
「The Hikigaya Hachiman who had made Betty feel a chill slowly crouched down. He looked at the stunned Beatrice, every word striking her heart. "Abandon your mother, abandon your responsibility, abandon your waiting. You need me. Beatrice needs Hikigaya Hachiman."」
「The bewildered Beatrice sobbed. "But... you aren't 'That Person'..."」
「"If you say 'That Person' one more time, I'll take it as you choosing them. I'll turn around and leave right now, leaving you lonely for another countless four hundred years. That is your own choice."」
「Beatrice murmured, tears falling as she bit her lower lip. "—How can this be... you clearly, clearly aren't..."」
「"In your eyes, I'm a very gentle person. I wouldn't do something like this. Have I changed? ...Of course I have, Beatrice. How could I possibly sever your four hundred years of resolve with mere 'gentleness'!"」
「"Mother... Mother..." Betty clutched the book tightly, tears flowing in painful hesitation.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head gently. "Choose. Choose 'That Person,' your mother, and your four hundred years of persistence—or choose me. However, that was a lie, Beatrice."」
「"...A lie?"」
「"Yes, a lie. Because I never intended to give you the right to choose in the first place."」
「A blood-stained, filthy hand—a hand that clearly shouldn't have had any strength left—reached out. Hikigaya Hachiman pulled that Gospel of Wisdom from the arms of the panicked Beatrice.」
「Under Beatrice's startled gaze, that sharp sword swung violently.」
「The blank book that had bound her for four hundred years was shattered into pieces by the blade's strike, scattering across the floor with a rustle.」
「"Everything I said before was just to sell myself, to give you some mental preparation. No matter how you want to choose, I've decided that you need me—you can only choose me. Or rather, it doesn't matter which one you choose, because I will definitely choose you—"」
「"This is a forced transaction, Beatrice!"」
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