Chapitre 62: Chapter 3.33 - Wednesday, July 20th, 9.01pm
"Erm… can you forgive me already my cute little sis…?"
"…………"
After I'd finally confessed my incident back at my active time from 17th July to 18th July, my cute little sister, Restia— got angry with me.
She locked herself in her room, which Ruby and Fortuna are accompanying her.
"Cheer up, myaster."
Felix came to cheer me by snuggling her head on my hand.
I probably am making a terribly pitiful look right now. Though it's not Felix that I need now, but it still soothes my heart a little.
"Oh, thank you, Felix—"
"—NYAA!!?"
BAM!
Just as I was about to hug Felix in my arms, Restia snatched her away into her room.
"—……Eh?"
…It took me a while to react— maybe it was because it happened too fast and abruptly; I knew it was already too late for me to get Felix back.
Thus, all I could do is head downstairs depressingly with a pitiful look and a half-dead body as the side-effects of it.
"Well, well. Didn't your dad taught you not to hide secrets from your family?"
It took me a slight moment to react to Principal's murmurs as I went past the dining room depressingly.
"............"
…Such a busybody he is to step a foot into someone's family business.
However, what he said is, in fact, the truth.
I then retreated my heavy footsteps, peeking at him from the door.
"My dad also taught me to say the right thing at the right moment," I then replied.
"Really? It looks like you didn't learn it, though." He said sarcastically.
Here he is again, starting some pointless conversation to attract my attention.
"This is all because you are setting a bad example. If there's something you want to tell me, just say it already."
I probably knew what he's going to talk about; that's why I stepped into the dining room and locked the door.
"Hold it." He told me.
CLAP.
Principal suddenly raised his hands and clapped once.
"!"
Which then, our surrounding noise died down immediately.
For a moment there, I thought he was slapping a mosquito.
"Did you cancel out our noise…?" I asked.
"To be correct, this is an isolation barrier." He explained. "The space within the barrier is separated from the outside— air can pass through, though. Even if you aren't affected by magic spells, but your surroundings could. You have something that you don't want any of them to know in our conversation, isn't it?"
My prediction is spot on.
Wasting no time, I took the seat opposite him.
"… It's for their sake." I replied. "Did dad tell you everything about my condition…?"
"Take it easy." He told me while leaning on his chair with a relaxed look, building a relaxing atmosphere.
…It's apparent that he knew.
"As promised, I will now tell you the results of your test." He said.
"Hold on." I stopped him before he could continue. "Before that, what is this test all about?"
Though I received some sort of explicit instruction, I never knew the purpose of this test.
"I can't tell you yet." He heaved a sigh. "The most I can tell you is— you will be facing something similar to this in the future."
"What…?" I was dumbfounded.
He said the same thing as Dómr did.
…The future?
He didn't even tell me a specific time.
"And now, your result." He continued while ignoring me. "Congratulations. You passed with full marks. You did a splendid job in saving them all."
There's not even a cheer, celebration, or whatsoever.
"W-Wait—"
Those words came out of his mouth without a single shred of excitement in it.
"Though I expected you to save them all, I didn't expect that you'd be taking them under your wing as well—"
"HOLD IT...!"
BAM!
I slammed my fist on the table to break the flow he brought me into.
"…How rude. What is it?"
"YOU ALREADY KNEW I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WILL BE FACING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS AT THE FUTURE!!?"
"Ah… right." He murmured nonchalantly. "I forgot to ask about your remaining time… then tell me, how much time do you have…?"
It caught his attention, albeit he's not the least bit affected by it.
I thought so. Principal's not just a random person that would easily let me control the conversation.
…He's a king.
"…Around 2400 days or lesser," I replied.
"Two thousand and a four… this means you will be dead when you were just about to turn seventeen… or lesser…" He then seems to have figured out something. "Ah, I see now. No wonder you took those magical beasts under your wing and say something like 'independent' to your little sister… It's because you don't want her to feel lonely when you are gone, isn't that right?"
Just like that, he speaks out my thoughts that easily.
"…Don't ever let any of them know about this."
The only thing I could do is just to give him a warning.
"Sigh… like father, like son. Always bearing all the responsibilities on your shoulders." He shakes his head resignedly.
It may not seem convincing from a ten-year-old kid, but he accepted wholeheartedly, just like buying a piece of advice from an old friend.
"Where are my parents...?"
Because of that, I was hoping that he could tell me where my parents are.
"As I said, I'm trying to find the answer as well. All your father wrote to me is 'Remember our promise? I will be leaving my children in your care.'"
It's the content from the emergency letter he once spoke of.
When Nightwalker asked, he didn't tell him.
Did he know my memories would remain with me and I wouldn't tell my other personalities?
That's not enough. I need to fork out more information…!
"How could he just leave us like that…!?" I uttered.
"It's pointless to put up that act, brat. I'm indeed completely clueless."
I wondered if I'm a bad actor. He broke my facade that easily, as if he was breathing.
"…Tch." I could only click my tongue from the frustration.
"A person who says that obviously knows where they are…!" I protested.
"Whatever, say what you want. I'm not the least bit concerned by it."
In our exchange, there isn't any room for me to prevail over him.
...He's the second person to do so after my dad.
"Since this is a request from your father, then I will fulfil that request with my dignity as the King of Central Imperial Island on the bet."
His dignity doesn't matter to me anyway.
"…Very well. Please leave me and take Restia and the others away from this island."
He looks vexed when I said that.
"When you get emotional, your judgment gets clouded…" He seems to be reminding himself.
"…!"
I was surprised that he remembered that. He's been listening carefully to my every word.
"Such an irresponsible thing to say, brat. If I leave you, who on earth is going to be my successor…?" He added, still looking vexed.
He looks like he's in pain.
...Is it really that difficult to find another successor for your throne?
"I thought Nightwalker already told you this morning— just give up on me already!"
"How could I do so after watching your splendid performance…!? I will never let this precious chance slip off from my fingertips…!" He protested.
"What's the point of it!? I was only alive because the best doctor in the world found a way to prolong my life— I'm not even supposed to be ALIVE…!!!"
"But you are still alive, aren't you...?"
"ARGHHHHHHH…!!!"
That frustration made me yell and scratch my head. This guy is not budging the slightest bit at all...!
"What should I say to make you give up!?" I grumbled.
"Why, because I don't want you to give up."
I was stunned when he told me such so naturally.
Then I sat adequately and glared at him.
"…Not even the best doctor in the world could cure me. Rather than giving up… I was more prepared to die at any moment." I told him.
"Even if Raph doesn't have a method to cure you now, but that doesn't mean he can't cure you in the future."
I'm surprised that he knew Uncle Raphael as well.
It's weird to hear him calling Uncle Raphael by his nickname just like dad does.
"Even if he has the cure, there's no way you could find him. I'm sure you know that he and his family are always on the run from the pursuit of both angels and demons."
The best doctor in the world who once saved me from the brink of death is, without a doubt— doctor Raphael.
Doctor Raphael was once an angel with a high executive position in the heaven's realm.
As a doctor, he always stayed behind at the heaven's realm— aiding and curing his fellow angel comrades as they returned from the war against the demons.
One day, an emergency was needed as one of the battalion angels sent to confront the demons suffered a heavy loss.
As the best doctor in the heaven's realm, Raphael immediately set off to the world's realm.
However, it was too late.
Both sides suffered a complete annihilation— but one.
A demon— an enemy of their own kind.
The demon was on the brink of death— she desperately pleaded with the angels under Raphael, who are going to kill her, to spare her life.
The kind-hearted angel, Raphael— knew she wouldn't last any longer even if his comrades spared her. He did not hesitate to heal her terrible injury, deeming that every life born is fair and equal, and decided to give the demon a second chance.
His comrades could only report to the higher-up, and thus, Raphael was banished from entering the heaven's realm.
Even if banished, he never had any regrets about saving that demon.
In fact, he was glad that he was banished— because he could finally explore the world's realm for once.
He wandered across the world as a doctor, lending a hand to those in need for many years. He learnt and exchanged his knowledge with doctors from different races.
One day, by chance, he reunites with the demon whom he once saved after many years.
They had a long talk about their personal lives and problems.
It was found out that the demon's name is Lilith— and she's the princess of all succubus.
Lilith was also banished from hell's realm.
She was banished because she dishonoured her dignity as a demon. As the leader of the succubus demons, she pleaded with the angels to spare her life and was even healed by an angel in return— which was an extreme disgrace to demons.
Somehow, Lilith knew of the news that Raphael is banished from the heaven's realm. She set foot in the World's realm, searching for Raphael to repay his kindness by saving her.
Raphael gratefully accepted Lilith as his assistant. Together they travelled across the world as famous doctors.
Somehow, even though they loved each other, they've never conveyed their feelings.
Because they knew once they did, they would meet an endless pursuit of death by both angels and demons.
This lasted until they meet a human who boldly supported their love.
And that human— is my dad.
Not long after Raphael and Lilith married, as expected— the angels and demons, which came from heaven and hell's realm respectively, forbade their marriage and denied their love.
Dad easily solved this conflict.
He let the angels and demons choose to let Lilith become an angel; if not, let Raphael become a demon.
Lilith and Raphael both once held a high position in their respective realms, so they are significant assets that could benefit if they join either side.
However, their choice soon escalated to a conflict between the angels and demons.
After both suffered heavy losses, Raphael cured the demons while Lilith cured the angels.
In the end, Raphael and Lilith chose to stay in World's realm, and so, the angels and demons decided not to interfere with their newly wedding life.
But then, another problem arises.
Raphael and Lilith did not bear any children, even after a few years passes.
There's never been a case of a child born from an angel and demon.
Through research, Raphael found out that his sperm does not even attach to Lilith's ovum. Their genes were entirely different.
He deduced that they can't have their own child, where they desired greatly.
My dad suggested Raphael to modify their genes of their productive cells. If it was through science alone, it was impossible— but dad deduced it is possible through magic.
Raphael and Lilith tried thousands of times. Eventually, their hard work paid off. Their sperm and ovum finally united with each other.
Yet, even if their genes were modified to accept each other, it dies after a few days as soon as it becomes a zygote.
They tried and modified it several times, but it was futile.
It leads Raphael to suffer from depression.
Thanks to Lilith, dad and his friends supporting him— Raphael finally regained his will.
Until nine years ago, a miracle happened.
Lilith was pregnant.
Because Lilith is a succubus, some of their friends doubted her.
However, dad and Raphael believed in her. Even though Lilith was a succubus, she never stayed together with any man aside from Raphael.
And thus, the result was clear.
A hybrid baby of an angel and demon was born.
Because Raphael was too excited to receive his own baby's birth, he fainted, and my dad took over instead.
Dad then named that baby 'Mattanarafa'. It means 'a gift from God that heals' because she is a miracle child, a gift of the impossible— a gift from God of Fate.
For some reason, the angels and demons knew about this— no one knew why.
To either angels or demons— that baby represents the signature of peace, and it must not live.
…Because both sides do not want the war to end.
They hunt the baby, aiming for the kill. Even if they couldn't kill her, they cursed her with their words.
'Cursed child'.
'You must not live'.
'Die for the sake of the world'.
Or so Mattanarafa told me.
Mattanarafa had terribly low self-esteem because of that.
Two years ago, I became her friend.
Nevertheless, Mattanarafa is kind-hearted— just like her father, Raphael.
She had the playful side of her mother, Lilith, as well. That side of her improved ever since we became friends.
They are probably hiding somewhere in this world, avoiding the sights of the angels and demons.
…Just like how we left that place in a hurry two years ago.
I wonder if we would ever meet again…
"Six years, brat." He uttered. "You still have six years. You and I had plenty of time to find him. Even if you don't believe me, can't you just give yourself a chance to live on?"
"I'm giving myself one right now. I will just live a fulfilling, satisfying six years for them."
"Tsk…!"
BAM!
After clicking his tongue, Principal slammed his fist on the table with an extremely irritated look.
For the first time, our conversation came to an equal footing.
"Can't you just live a little more selfish!?" He complained.
"I just lived the way I wanted to. There's nothing wrong with that."
"ARGHHHH…!!!"
With that horrible scream as he scratched his head, he suddenly stood up, grabbing me on my shirt before I knew it.
"Don't make me tell your sister everything…!"
"Don't you dare!"
It's never a wise thing to result in violence. But I did it anyway.
By the time I regretted it, Principal's fist is already on my cheek.
WHACK!
"…Eh?"
When I knew it, I was already lying on the floor.
The right side of my cheek stings.
…He lightly punched me in the face.
"…You calm down yet?"
"…And you?"
"Hahaha, it seems we were alike."
My face has swollen quite a bit.
"…It was— until you threw that punch," I told him as I sat back on my seat.
"It doesn't matter. You are already a dead man. If you don't cherish your life, fine— then give it to me. I will continue to polish you in your father's stead." He said confidently.
"…You must be mistaken. I told you I will live a fulfilling, satisfying six years for them."
"No, no, I'm not the least bit mistaken. I'm talking about your life after six years. That life where you had already abandoned."
"Haha, after six years?" I ridiculed. "I don't even know how I am going to live for the current six years."
"It's a small matter to me." He told me. "If that's the case, I will help with that."
CLAP.
After he clapped, I could hear my surroundings again.
He dispelled the barrier.
"It's late, have a good sleep for now. Not only you, everyone will be waking up early on six tomorrow."
"…And I need you to do me a favour too."
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone