Can Someone from a Tradition-Ridden Village Pull Off a Narou-Style Story in a Modern Dungeon? ～The Higher Being Behind Me Is Way Too Much of a Final Boss～ - Chapter 121: Coiling Lies

-Thank you DCRangeRange, Dean Dexter and Cannedbread
Follow me on Patreon via Linktree https://linktr.ee/Mnotia-

The burning sky signaled the end of the battle.

"......Mmm, it's over?"

While piling up the corpses of Aberrant Entities like a mountain at the edge of the city, Nene muttered, looking thoroughly bored.

Her arm had pierced through the Aratsuba and was thrust into a utility pole.

"The air about it feels like the Five Sealing Families, but it's faint. Did it split its soul?"

The outcome had been decided the instant Nene encountered the Aratsuba.

She had finished handling a large number of Aberrant Entities, dealt with multiple Aratsuba, and still had not used NARROW even once in this battle.

No, to be precise, for her this was not a battle but merely within the realm of training.

"Ugh, at this level Kamikiri won't even be satisfied. I wonder if this much counts as training for Senano and the others too."

Just as she began seriously thinking that ending things like this would be a disservice to her disciples and that she should start an impromptu mock battle, she noticed.

"......Mhm."

She sensed a presence in the alleyway melding into the darkness.

From experience, she knew it was an Aberrant Entity.

Moreover, it was a superb individual when it came to training.

"Looks like I'll be able to enjoy this a little, after all."

What emerged from the shadows was a grotesque figure, as if a human body had been turned upside down and then only its face rotated one hundred eighty degrees.

Its face was fixed in a smile, and its limbs were discolored to a dark red.

As if intending to laugh, only the sound of air leaking from its rotated, twisted throat could be heard rhythmically.

The piercing rusty smell and unpleasant raw stench were enough to make one instinctively grimace, telling of this Aberrant Entity's viciousness.

"This is no Aberrant Entity from ZONE, is it?"

Nene saw through it at a glance.

This was clearly an Aberrant Entity of A-rank or higher brought in from outside.

"Was it an Aberrant Entity under the Aratsuba's control, or is it something else entirely?"

Nene spread her fist inside the utility pole, grabbed its contents, and yanked it out all at once.

Scattering sparks and electric light as she pulled out the lump of concrete, she held it like a weapon and turned back toward the Aberrant Entity.

"I'll give you the first move. Come."

It likely did not understand words, but the Aberrant Entity twisted its neck once more and closed in on Nene.

It seemed it would still be a little while before Nene returned to Senano and the others.

■

The two quietly gazed up at the deep crimson sky after the battle.

They clenched their fists, soaking in the afterglow of victory and feeling the reality that they had defeated the Five Sealing Families.

It was the first great thing the two of them had accomplished together.

"We did it."

"......Yes, we did."

Was he trying to forcefully suppress his rising emotions and feign calm?

Ei's voice trembled, and his shoulders seemed tense.

Watching him, Senano, who affirmed him, was perfectly composed.

The guilt overflowing in her chest continued to grow even now.

"If we're together, we won't lose to the Five Sealing Families anymore!"

"Yes."

Each time she affirmed those words, Senano lied to Ei.

But for Ei's sake, this lie was necessary. At least, Senano believed so.

"I'm sure it will be like this from now on too."

"Yes."

"We absolutely won't lose, right?"

"Yes."

"So let's get married, Senano-san!"

"Yes...... Eh!?"

Her consciousness, which had been sinking into self-loathing wondering if she had misheard, was forcibly pulled back.

She looked at Ei as if jolted.

He, in a cute wedding dress, looked straight up at her and said it once more.

"Let's get married!"

"Eh...... Why so suddenly?"

"Suddenly, I wanted to marry you, Senano-san. Senano-san, I may be inadequate, but——"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! Why so suddenly?"

Ei had surprised Senano with sudden words and actions before, but this was far too abrupt.

The fact that he showed no sign of lying made it even worse.

"Tell me the reason."

"I just want to marry you for some reason."

"That's not an answer...... Huh? Wait, could it be?"

From Ei's current appearance, Senano formed a hypothesis.

It was an utterly absurd one.

"When you take that form, you want to get married......?"

"......Ah! Yes, that might be it!"

"What kind of logic is that...... No, could your thoughts be contaminated by directly using Chitsugi no Hanayome's power......? Ei, are you okay!?"

What could naturally be inferred from abnormal words and actions was contamination by an Aberrant Entity.

(There's no way handling an Aberrant Entity comes without demerits. I...... did it to Ei again......!)

She grabbed his shoulders firmly and looked into his face, demanding an explanation, but he only closed his eyes quietly.

"......"

"No, I'm not giving you a vow kiss."

"So mean!"

"There doesn't seem to be any contamination besides your thoughts. Alright, let's return to Enri Academy right away and have your thoughts cleansed."

"Ehh, let's get married!"

"Even if you say it like you're begging for candy. It's not something to decide so lightly."

"It's not lightly!"

Ei shouted with even greater seriousness.

"I wanted to marry you because you're Senano-san! I think I could have held back if it were anyone else! But Senano-san is different! Let's get married!"

"O-Oh...... Hmm."

"As your spouse! As your mate!"

"Changing what you call it won't help. Just hurry up and take that off."

"Uu...... Okay......"

Ei dejectedly grasped the hem of the wedding dress.

But then he looked up as if realizing something.

"Senano-san, I can't take this off. Probably, I won't be able to unless I'm satisfied by getting married......!"

"Are you saying that while thinking about how I'd feel reporting this?"

"Reporting to the registry office?"

"It's not a marriage registration."

While lightly deflecting the advancing Ei, Senano inwardly accepted that logic.

(Since there's a god who loops things under the pretext of reconciliation, a demerit for treating an Aberrant Entity as equipment isn't out of the question.)

Rather, should she say it was a relief that it was only this much?

Ei was demanding marriage with a serious face, and if she accepted, this gray dress would probably truly be undone.

"Senano-san......"

"Haah."

Senano sighed.

Then, as if telling him clearly, she said.

"This isn't a real marriage. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes!"

(It's probably not Ei but Chitsugi no Hanayome itself that wants this. So this is what happens when you treat an Aberrant Entity that isn't managed by syntax like NARROW as a tool.)

Thinking she had learned something, Senano turned back to Ei.

That simple act alone announced that something had begun in this moment.

"——I, Oritsu Ei, vow here and now to live together with Senano-san forever."

"......!"

Ei said that with a voice as gentle as calm spring sunlight.

Normally, would she have been able to laugh and respond?

Or would she have grown embarrassed and dyed her face red?

Senano was neither now.

She was using all her strength just to suppress the strangely large, dark emotion within herself.

"I vow too. I will protect your smile and make you happy."

The words were fact.

Therefore, this act was a betrayal.

A grand farce for the sake of protection.

She gave Ei a false victory, contaminated his thoughts with an Aberrant Entity, and sullied his purity.

To protect him, she trampled on Ei's heart.

"Then, a vow kiss...... right?"

"......That, as expected, is no good."

She had no such right.

That was exactly why Senano chose to deceive Ei again.

"Instead, I'll give you this."

"......This is?"

"A collar. This time it won't harm you. It only sends out a signal when you use the power of Sorayodo no Oohito. Proof that you are my partner."

"......! Is that okay!?"

"............Yes, of course."

The shadow that fell on her face was fortunately hidden by the dancing sparks.

With his veil raised, showing his neck and quietly closing his eyes, Ei looked as if he were waiting for a kiss.

If only there weren't the burn scar left as if coiled around his neck, she might have been captivated by that sight.

A slightly pinkish raised burn scar that split the beautiful white skin.

Seeing it made her hate her own existence all at once.

".................."

"Senano-san?"

Perhaps wondering why nothing was happening no matter how long he waited, Ei called her name.

Senano came back to herself and took out the collar.

"Okay, I'll put it on. Tell me if it's too tight."

"Yes...... Hehe, are you nervous? Your voice is trembling."

"Yes, I suppose. Just a little."

Trying to smile as usual, Senano gently fitted the collar onto Ei.

As if covering up her own sin, she layered it over the burn scar...... and quietly fastened the collar.

"......Mm."

"That's done. It's fine now."

Ei slowly opened his eyes and traced the outline of the collar with his white fingertips.

Before long, the gray dress began to change from its edges, turning into something like threads and starting to unravel.

Soon, his appearance would return to the usual Ei.

"Senano-san, you can take this as unmistakably my true feelings."

Stroking the collar lovingly, Ei looked up at Senano with faintly moist eyes and said.

"I really am happy to have met you!"

"!"

From the moment they met until today, Ei had always shown Senano the same unchanging smile.

But the smile of this moment seemed even more beautiful and full of value.

Was it because she had come to know his purity anew?

Because she, uncharacteristically, had gotten carried away with the pretend marriage?

Or maybe——.

(Ah, as I thought, I'm no good without Ei.)

Was it because she had re-recognized how foolish and fundamentally mismatched an existence she was?

"I think so too. I'm counting on you, partner."

Words that should have been her true feelings felt strangely hollow.

But Ei smiled as he always did.

『......? Is something off with Senano-chan? This was supposed to be more gag-oriented content, but it got all sentimental.』

『Ah~^^』

『Well, if she's satisfied as an offering, then good!』

-Thank you DCRangeRange, Dean Dexter and Cannedbread
Follow me on Patreon via Linktree https://linktr.ee/Mnotia-