Shinka no Mi

Chapter 99 A Step towards Happiness

As I noticed that my level rose after I defeated the Evil Spirit King, I hastily checked my status, but the only thing that changed was in the skill column.

「Hmm?」

The thing I newly obtained was an inherent skill named 【Synchronization】.

…This is yet another skill I don’t understand.

I couldn’t understand what I didn’t understand, so I obediently looked up what kind of effect it had, then…

【Synchronization】…Synchronize with your surrounding.

Like hell, I understand that!

What’s with that explanation!? You think I’ll understand with only that!? I don’t!

Can’t you give me a more detailed explanation!?

I tried to examine the skill’s effect somehow, but in the end, I got no other explanation, and the effect remained a mystery.

As I just couldn’t get contained with that, Treasure Chest and my parents came closer.

「…Merciless as usual… I, spontaneously took sympathy on the enemy…」

「I have no excuse for that one time.」

I only could apologize to the Treasure Chest that I killed in the same way with that. I am sorry.

「Seiichi. You sure have grown splendidly. Your dad is proud.」

「He’s right, I can’t wait for your future.」

My parents floated gentle smiles and stroked my head gently.

It was embarrassing, but the joy overrode it, so I kept silent and let them stroke me.

While we were having our time, a voice unexpectedly came from all around.

『…Seiichi-sama… Seiichi-sama…』

「Eh?」

「This voice…」

「What the hell is happening?」

Everyone else seemed surprised by it, but since it was a familiar voice to me, I calmly responded to it.

「Ah, Netherworld-san.」

「Netherworld!? So you’re saying that voice is the voice of the Netherworld!?」

「Eh? Yeah.」

「And how the hell are you calm about it…」

Anna muttered so with a tired look on her.

Ah, normally you’d be panicking here, huh. …No, I’m normal too okay!

「Is it already fine?」

『…Yes… Thanks to you, I was able to produce a new gatekeeper safely… My deep gratitude…』

「You’re welcome.」

「…Being called out by the Netherworld in itself is already abnormal, but Seiichi-kun who accommodated it is far more abnormal…」

I couldn’t say anything back to Lucius-san who let out an amazed laugh. Exactly as you say, good sire.

「Well then, since my role here is finished, you will return me to the human world, won’t you?」

『…Affirmative… As I have promised, I shall return you to the Human world…』

「YOSSHHAAA!!!!」

Thank goodness! With this it’ll end without me being dead!

I was delighted with that fact, but then I suddenly realized one thing.

「Ah… come to think of it, is there a difference in this world’s time axis and the human world’s time axis…?」

Even if I returned, I’d like to avoid any Urashima Taro kind of development where a hundred years had passed there. Because I’d have to part with Saria and the girls.

Besides, the Netherworld only had a single colour for its sky, so I couldn’t tell how much time had passed.

However, my worries were in vain.

『… Please be relieved… The time axis between the Netherworld and the Human world is the same… Regarding the time you have spent in the Netherworld, I assume it’s been about a day…』

「I see. That’s a relief.」

I’m glad I won’t become Urashima Taro.

I don’t want it if I ended up having no acquaintance there, or becoming a withering old gramps the moment I return after all. …Though I’m sure this body will adapt to it.

「Well then, let’s return us to the previous human world right away. Ah, dad and mom, everyone is coming along right?」

When I told them that then looked back to my parents, everyone gave me a troubled smile.

「…What’s wrong?」

「…Seiichi, I’m sorry. We can’t go with you.」

「……Eh?」

I couldn’t process what was my dad saying.

「Wh, what are you talking about. We’re returning together, you know? Look, even Zeanos and everyone else too…」

Zeanos slowly shook his head.

「Unfortunately, it’s impossible.」

「WHY!?」

「Because we have died.」

Lucius-san said so, loud and clear.

「Eh?」

「I’m telling you, this is our farewell, Seiichi.」

「Wh, why would it be. We have defeated the Evil Spirit King, so why don’t we all return with me? Besides, even if you say you died… Aren’t you all alive right now!?!?」

「I’ve said it haven’t I, Seiichi-kun? This, doesn’t mean that we are alive like you.」

「WHY!?」

I drew closer to Lucius-san who kindly tried to warn me.

「A human who has died once can’t live again. Of course, resurrection magic exists, but that only works immediately after death. This is a rule of the world that can’t be mended by anyone, it’s absolute.」

「I, if that’s the case, then, Netherworld-san! Return my parents and everyone else to the human world too! I’ve helped you defeating the Evil Spirit King, haven’t I!」

『……Seiichi-sama… It can’t be done… It can’t… Especially since I am the Netherworld itself, I can’t break that rule…』

「…」

On Netherworld-san’s apologetic words, I went silent.

As I gritted my hand with all of my might, hiding my face downward, mom hugged me tight.

「Seiichi. It’s okay. If it’s you, it’ll be okay. Why, you are our prized son after all. Seiichi, didn’t you find people who you treasure in the new world? You can’t make them cry, you know. ——Now, go ahead. Your precious people are waiting. We can’t go with you, but keep looking forward and live happily.」

Even while smiling and crying, my mom said so.

Listening to it, I was——.

「Like hell I care about it!」

『!?』

「The rule of the world? Live happily? ——Don’t make fun of me.」

「Seiichi. We’re trying to talk seriously——」

「Serious talk can go to hell for all I care! Go joke around!」

「Go joke around!?」

As expected, hearing their words really grinded my gears.

In various stories, for sure, the dead people that the protagonist met didn’t come back to live, but he stayed positive then walked toward the setting sun.

But… if my precious people stayed dead, damned setting sun or happy end means nothing but shit!

「If you want me to live happily, then be alive! If someone I love… someone I treasured stayed dead, just how am I suppose to live happily!?」

「Seiichi. This is not a story.」

「Yeah, this is not a story!」

Precisely, a story is sometimes cruel.

The death of the protagonist’s loved ones are exchanged for his happiness after all.

「Exactly because this not a story, in order to grasp my own happiness, I’ll have every each of you to come back to life!」

It’s a foolish remark. I’m clearly looking down upon life.

Still, I don’t want to deny my own feelings. Even though it’s selfish, I want to continue on with this will.

Whatever happens to the world, I don’t give a damn.

What the public says or whatever it is, not even my business.

I’m just saying my egoist wish for my own happiness after all.

In the meanwhile everyone was overwhelmed by my remark and ambiance, Dad who somehow gotten back on track opened his mouth.

「No matter what is coming out from your mouth, reality is not that easy-going. Give up.」

As though to remind me, he said that to me.

Not limited to him, the Netherworld in its entirety persuaded me to give up.

However, my body was the only one who——lived up to my plead.

『Skill 【Synchronization】 is activated. Herewith, the synchronization with the surrounding is undergoing.』

I was bewildered at the sudden announcement in my brain.

Heh? Synchronization? Why would that mysterious newly obtained skill is….

As I was dumbfounded by the confusion, abruptly, my parents’ and everyone else’s body were radiating.

「Wha!?」

「This is…」

Everyone was surprised by the phenomenon that occurred to their body, but for me, the announcement once again flowed into my brain.

『The Synchronization is completed. The subject of the current synchronization was to synchronize Seiichi-sama’s nature of 【the Living】, as it was to synchronize with the surrounding, the surrounding people’s nature of 【the Dead】 has been synchronized to be 【the Living】.』

I just couldn’t muster out any words.

And that was not only me, even my parents and everybody else were lost for words.

And then, Lucius-san spoke with a bitter smile on him.

「I give up… To think you’d actually violate the rule…」

「N, no way…」

After dad heard that, Lucius-san laughed gently.

「Apparently, we have come back to life thanks to Seiichi.」

『!?』

My parents who couldn’t believe it had their eyes opened wide.

However, the Netherworld gushed out words that seemingly to follow up Lucius-san’s remark.

『…It’s really something unbelievable, but… everyone, because all of you have become 【the Living】, similarly to Seiichi-sama, I can return you to the Human world… really… I can’t understand it anymore…』

Being told that way by the Netherworld as well, my parents were left speechless for a while, before gradually walking closer upon me then embraced me tight.

「Seiichi! I, I… once again, I can see you growing by your side!? Is that so, is that really so!?」

「Seiichi… Seiichi…!」

Succumbing myself to them, all the while being crushed, I kept showing them a smile then hugged them back.

「That’s right. Please keep living healthily even until I become an adult, okay.」

「Yeah… yeah…!」

「But of course…! We won’t die until we see our grandchildren and see them growing…! So please get married soon!」

「Isn’t that a tad too hasty!?」

I’m still a high schooler you know!? …No, now I’m a teacher though!

Even among Zeanos’ group, the joy of being able to return to human world spread and thus we congratulated each other.

No matter what the others said, a meaningful death was not something I hope for. Worse if it was the death of my treasured people.

When the people I cared for are living and smiling like this, is what my happiness.