𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭
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At night, I was talking alone with Miss Vajra.
We were sitting on a fallen tree by the lakeside.
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“You were asked by Ellison-sama to. . . . . .kill her?”
“Yes.”
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Miss Vajra said, looking down.
Even though her face was hidden by a cloth, I could tell she was sharing something very painful.
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Most likely, it has become a trauma.
The events from that time.
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She decided to share such a painful thing with me.
I felt her courage was truly amazing.
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“Ellison was not human. She was a demon. Well, half.”
“You mentioned that before. She was half-demon.”
“Yes. . . . . .She had great power. But. . . . . .She had one problem.”
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A problem. . . . . .?
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“She aged just like a normal human.”
“. . . . . .Isn’t that completely normal?”
“Yes, it is. By the way, did you know that monsters live longer than humans?”
“. . . . . .No, I didn’t know.”
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Monsters, like humans, have finite lives.
But. . . . . .I’ve heard for the first time that they live longer than humans.
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“The higher-ranking the monster, the longer their lifespan. Martel, Chatura, Anila are good examples, aren’t they?”
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Certainly, since the time when Ellison-sama was alive, they have been living.
It seems true that higher-ranking monsters live longer.
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“Ellison only had a human lifespan. Meaning. . . . . .she aged.”
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Aging is natural for humans.
What’s the problem with that. . . . . .?
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Ah.
That’s when it hit me.
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“Everyone around Ellison-sama. . . . . .They’re all. . . . . .”
“Yes, everyone around her was a monster. While the monsters remained unchanged, only Ellison grew old.”
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I don’t know at what age she died.
But. . . . . .to grow old while everyone around you remains unchanged must have been. . . . . .very lonely.
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“Ellison was never physically robust. At some point, she couldn’t stand up on her own. From then on, she confined herself to that basement.”
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. . . . . .I didn’t ask why.
Probably because she didn’t want to show her weak side to all the monsters.
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Ellison-sama was a kind person.
She must have thought that showing her weakness would worry everyone around her.
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“Being confined, Ellison withered away. Her forgetfulness grew severe. . . . . .Once, when she looked at my face, her caregiver, she couldn’t remember my name for a moment. She broke down crying.”
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. . . . . .Forgetting the name of a friend must have been heartbreaking.
People die and as they age, their memory declines.
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It’s inevitable once you’re born human.
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“She always used to say, ‘Why am I not a monster. . . . . .?’”
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Miss Vajra said in a flat tone.
Probably, she’s really hurting. Suppressing her emotions, trying not to cry.
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. . . . . .I tightly grasped her hand.
Hoping that it would alleviate some of her pain, even just a little.
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Miss Vajra smiled slightly and continued the conversation.
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“One day. . . . . .something strange happened to Ellison.”
“Strange. . . . . .?”
“Yes, suddenly. . . . . .Ellison became younger.”
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. . . . . .! That’s. . . . . .impossible.
Humans age. That change is supposed to be irreversible.
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“Ellison. . . . . .only appeared to be younger. But as a consequence, she was cursed.”
“What do you mean. . . . . .?”
“. . . . . .It’s Ouma.”
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. . . . . .Ouma.
I’ve heard that name before.
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Mr. Thirteen. . . . . .no, it’s Mr. Makola now.
He suffered terribly at the hands of a Demon King.
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“Ellison made a contract with Ouma. By consuming a large amount of its blood, she transformed from a monster to a demon.”
“. . . . . .Human, to a monster?”
“Exactly. And so the human Ellison. . . . . .became a monster. But. . . . . .she went berserk. . . . . .all orchestrated by Ouma.”
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In other words, Ellison-sama became a monster after absorbing Ouma’s blood, and she went berserk.
This was all part of Ouma’s plan. . . . . .
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“How can you be so sure?”
“. . . . . .He watched Ellison go berserk. . . . . .grinning. . . . . .and said, 『Was the experiment a failure?』”
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. . . . . .So, Ouma disappeared, leaving only the berserk Ellison-sama behind.
Miss Vajra tried desperately to stop Ellison-sama.
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And for a moment, Ellison-sama regained consciousness.
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“At that moment, she asked me to. . . . . .kill her before she killed everyone else. . . . . .”
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I embraced Vajra’s shoulders as she said that.
Then it probably followed the history we know.
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For Ellison-sama’s sake, Miss Vajra killed her.
So that Ellison-sama wouldn’t end up killing her beloved friends.
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“For Miss Vajra. . . . . .Ellison-sama was a dear friend, wasn’t she? You still regret killing her, no matter the circumstances?”
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Miss Vajra nods.
. . . . . .It must have been painful. It must have been hard.
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Branded as a traitor by other friends, banished from the forest. . . . . .
Wandering this world all alone.
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“. . . . . .Miss Vajra.”
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I tightly hugged her.
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“You’ve done well. . . . . .all on your own.”
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