The Hikigaya Hachiman Created by Them
"Wait, a forced transaction? This is—"
In the Hoshin Trading Company, Anastasia's eyes widened. Her heart throbbed violently, and she stood up abruptly, utterly shocked.
「Watching the shackles of four hundred years scatter across the air, Betty was dumbfounded. She murmured to herself: "Betty's... Betty's..."」
「"The book no longer exists. Even if 'That Person' comes in the future, you won't know who they are. At this stage, you can only choose me, and you can only be chosen by me, Beatrice."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's voice dragged her out of her endless sorrow. Betty gritted her teeth and grabbed the collar of this indifferent man. Her thoughts, which had been stagnant for four hundred years, were finally awakened. Rage filled her heart, forcing her to scream, venting her fury and sorrowful questioning.」
「"How dare you... By what right? How do you dare... Everything Betty has, everything Mother gave, Betty's four hundred years of persistence... If I just give it all up, what was the point of these four hundred years? ...Answer me, Hikigaya Hachiman!?"」
「"The point is that you persisted until now, until you reached me—until you reached the me who would drag you out, Beatrice."」
「Betty laughed miserably, tears of mockery falling. She let go of his collar and pointed at this incredibly confident man, laughing through her pain. "How can you compare to Mother? How can you compare to all that? I can say it as many times as you want: you don't measure up to Mother, you don't measure up to 'That Person.' Even if you can understand Betty's four hundred years of loneliness, you destroyed Mother's memento. Betty... Betty will surely..."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes remained confident as he interrupted her ridicule. "Then, let me ask you."」
「"...Ask me?"」
「"Yes, ask you." A flame burned in Hachiman's eyes that Beatrice didn't understand. "Do you hate me, Beatrice?"」
「Betty did not answer. He was not disappointed. After a short pause, he continued: "The current you—are you willing to long for freedom, to break your shackles, and to live truly free?"」
「Betty still didn't answer. He asked further: "Are you satisfied with the status quo? Do you hope to step forward? Do you want to find happiness?"」
「"I don't hate you, I actually quite like you; I am willing to long for it, more than anything; I am not satisfied, I hope to step forward, and I want to be happy."」
「Betty glared at him, watching the man provide the answers to his own questions. "Don't answer on Betty's behalf without permission!"」
「Undeterred by her rebuke, Hikigaya Hachiman looked straight at her. "But, Beatrice, would you refute these answers?"」
「Betty froze. Her lips moved as if to refute him, but in truth, she didn't want to refute him at all.」
「"My existence, compared to your mother, 'That Person,' and four hundred years of persistence, is insignificant. However, the one fighting against those things right now isn't just me—it's also you, Beatrice."」
「"—What are you saying?"」
「Crouching, Hikigaya Hachiman dropped his sword. He took hold of Betty's clenched fist and gently lifted it, like a cunning fox beguiling a chick.」
「"I'm saying," he spoke with a smile, sounding relaxed, "choose me, Beatrice."」
「Beatrice gritted her teeth. "What Beatrice needs is 'That Person,' not you!"」
「"You need me more than 'That Person.'" Hikigaya Hachiman spoke decisively. Betty was stunned: "...Why?"」
「Hearing this, the man before her suddenly changed the subject, speaking of things seemingly unrelated.」
「"Emilia doesn't actually need me... If I weren't here, Roswaal's Gospel wouldn't have instructed him to make those arrangements that hurt her."」
「"Rem doesn't actually need me... If she hadn't followed me to hunt the White Whale, she wouldn't have encountered the Archbishop of Gluttony and fallen into a coma."」
「"It's not just them. There are many, many people who don't actually need me. Even without me, someone would eventually knock on the door to Yukinoshita's heart. I am not unique."」
「"But you are different. You need me."」
「Beatrice shook her head in incomprehension. "...Why?"」
「"Because to you, I am unique, Beatrice," Hikigaya Hachiman said softly. "In the whole world, only I understand your loneliness. Only I understand your feelings of four hundred years. Only I can empathize with you. Only I—only the me like this—can love you deeply from the heart, cherish you, make you happy, give you freedom, and know what you want most."」
「Betty wanted to struggle, to flee; she shed tears, hating reality. "But... but... you aren't 'That Person.' You don't have that qualification..."」
「"I do!"」
「The moment those resonant words were spoken, Hachiman's eyes turned sharp. Many things flashed through his mind—everything up to this point.」
「Had he encountered such stubborn resistance and so many rejections as his former, insecure self, he surely would have been despondent long ago... but.」
「"I do have it, Beatrice," he said. "A mere qualification... that sort of thing was given to me long ago, Beatrice!"」
「'The best brother in the world.'」
「'You did well. You deserve praise. I should commend you.'」
「'You are the world's number one strategist. Hold your head high, Sir Hachiman.'」
「'The greedy me has set my sights on the most beautiful love in the world, Prime Minister.'」
「'As long as I can become your hero like that, Rem is satisfied. Rem doesn't care about anything else.'」
「'If being a knight for a lifetime still feels like you're not qualified, then I... I will give you the qualification to be relied upon by me.'」
「Felt had affirmed him; Priscilla had affirmed him; Crusch had affirmed him; Anastasia had affirmed him; Rem had affirmed him; Emilia had affirmed him.」
「"—If a 'me' like that still doesn't have the qualification... then it is you who are speaking with audacity, Beatrice! You're just a spirit who's been lonely for four hundred years and needs me. Who do you think you're facing? Who do you think I am, Beatrice!"」
「"To make you happy, to give you freedom, to liberate you from four hundred years of loneliness, and to let you leave your mother's shackles."」
「"Such insignificant things are effortless for me. For the Hikigaya Hachiman who has been affirmed—"」
「A creaking sound of strain echoed as Hikigaya Hachiman, brooking no argument, picked up the stunned Beatrice. Ignoring her protests as she seemed to struggle and kick him, he stood up resolutely.」
「"If you're truly unwilling no matter what, then drain my mana and let me die right now. But if you don't do it now, then obediently let yourself be coerced by me and sign a contract. I'm going to make sure you can never return to those four hundred years of the past."」
「"You no longer have the right to choose, Beatrice. Now—"」
「"The world's number one Hikigaya Hachiman has chosen you! Prepare to welcome happiness, Beatrice!"」
「He turned forcefully and strode forward, pushing open the doors of the Forbidden Library.」
「And then...」
「He headed toward the future!!」
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