Breakthrough with the Forbidden Master
chapter-351

I haven’t done chapter themes in a while. Anyway, here goes…

Chapter 351 – Intermission (Psychic Girl, All Grown Up)

I will never forget the sadness I felt at that time.

Just thinking about it still makes me cry.

On that day, Big brother disappeared.

He told me that he loved me. He told me I had done nothing wrong.

He left me and Slayer behind.

Why?

If Big brother was here, I wouldn’t be selfish anymore……

――Next time we meet…… when is the next time?

So, I didn’t understand.

Even after listening to the explanations of Mr. Chieftain and Ms. Lal, neither I nor Slayer could understand it at the time.

No. I just couldn’t accept it.

But there was one thing, just this one thing that Ms. Lal has told me over and over again.

――That man was not lying. You will be reunited once more. When Hiro and Mamu’s child was born and grows up……

That’s such a long way off.

Slayer and I had been huddled in the new elven settlement for a while, spending many days moping.

But, in the midst of all this, both I and Slayer realized that there was something we had to do.

――What do you mean you’re returning to the Allied Forces, Espie? Why throw yourself back into the war? Do you think your brother would want that?

――Un. I’ve decided… Ms. Lal, Gouda is dead, but the Demon King Army is still strong, and Hiro and the others are in a pinch……

―― Is it… for the sake of your former comrades?

――Not at all. Because…… if either Hiro or Mamu dies, Big brother will not be born!

Yes, if it is true that Big brother is the child of Hiro and Mamu, then if something happens to them, Big brother will not be born.

I won’t be able to meet Big brother in the future.

That was the one thing I absolutely didn’t want.

――I’ll return to the Allied Forces. Hiro and Mamu…… if either one of them dies, I won’t be able to see Big brother…… I absolutely don’t want that to happen…… I’ll protect them, beat up the Demon King, and make a world where Big brother is born!

That was the answer I came up with at the time and what I thought I should do.

――I’m going to work with everyone for now. We have to be on the lookout for the Bockmati Family, the Hunters, and now the Japone Samurai, Ninjas, and war fugitives…… Brother protected all the elves…… so now it’s my turn to protect them.

――Un, if both me and Slayer are gone, it might be dangerous with just Ms. Lal and Mr. Chieftain……

――When we reunite with Brother, he’ll be sad if the elves are gone……

――That’s right, please protect them at all costs, Slayer

――Ah. If things get bad, we’ll run away…… If something happens to you, I’ll be alone in the future and have your brother all to myself.

――There’s no way I’m going to die! I’ll blow away the Demon King Army in no time!

The Allied Forces had listed me as missing, but when I joined up with them, Hiro and the others were in a pinch, and for my dashing appearance to save the Allied forces from such a predicament, I was treated like a hero at the time, and the fact that I had disappeared without a word became a non-issue, with my comrades at the time welcoming me back warmly.

Bethreal had a lot to say about it, but my return and my subsequent successes made it all right.

――Espie, you’re alive! I’m so glad! Really! And, great of you to rush over! You’re one of our best companions!

――Thank you, Espie. And I promise. If anything ever happens to you again, we will protect you!

But I still don’t think I was open to everyone.

――The feeling of compassion for friends who believe in each other is what makes miracles happen. We can overcome any obstacle! Don’t you agree? Espie!

Huh?

For friends?

No. I’m fighting for Big brother.

Such an idiot. Don’t get the wrong idea.

In the first place……

――Espie, you can rely on us, okay? If you have a problem with the Kingdom of Bethreal, you can always tell us! We have your back! You’re our friend, and like a little sister to us!

――Definitely not. And if you call me your little sister again, I’ll beat you up.

――Oh, hey, Espie~. Seriously… she’s such a difficult princess

I don’t like Hiro. I really don’t.

―― Here, I’ll pat your head ~. Good girl, that’s a goodgirl ~――

――Eh, don’t touch me!

――Whoa!? Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!

Hiro got carried away and tried to touch my head without my permission.

I would never allow that, even if it meant dying.

I knocked him out without holding back at all.

――I’m not Hiro’s little sister! Don’t ever touch my head! If you touch me again, I’ll just beat you up!

Don’t kid yourself. Don’t kid yourself.

Don’t touch my head.

There is only one person in the world who can pet me.

Me, Hiro’s sister? Annoying, so annoying.

I only have one Big brother.

There is only one in the world, the coolest and best big brother in the world.

You’re not him.

I don’t care what happens to you after Big brother is born.

With that in mind, I endured, but I still fought, knowing that I could never let Hiro and Mamu die.

――Espie-jou……

――Koujiro…… what?

――I won’t ask too deeply…… I just want you to answer me one thing. The reason you’re fighting with us right now, risking your life…… is it because there’s something you want…… afterwards?

――What is it?

――I don’t know what happened to your Onii-san, but…the way you were acting, at first I thought you were on a rampage… that you were desperate…but the way you fight, I can’t help but feel like you’re fighting for something, trying to protect it, right?

Koujiro didn’t ask me what happened to Big brother.

At first, Koujiro thought that Big brother was dead, and that I was driven by rage and going on a rampage in the war.

But I think he realized I’m not like that at all.

I don’t get along with Koujiro because he can see through a lot of things.

――Un. I want to see Big brother again… that’s why I’m fighting……

―― Is that so? Then I’ll have to fight harder than you and be of some use.

But I don’t dislike Koujiro that much.

――…… Ah……

――…… ah……

At the headquarters of the Allied Forces, I occasionally pass Sadiz, who was under Mamu’s protection.

Before, I had never tried to have anything to do with Sadiz.

But Sadiz was a poor child who didn’t have a family, only Mamu, and maybe because I had met Big brother, I couldn’t just leave her alone.

――You can call me Sis if you want.

――Oh, e, erm……

So I decided to play with Sadiz from time to time, and we got along.

But Hiro and the others were no good. I won’t let them pet me. I won’t even be their little sister.

I’ll only protect them. For Big brother to be born into this world.

I fought.

I waited.

Fought.

Waited.

Fought.

Waited.

――The war is over! We won! And from this day forward, the conflict between humans and demons will come to an end! No more killing each other!

Even after the war ended, I waited.

Waited.

Waited.

Waited.

Occasionally fought.

――No waaaayy! There’s, like, no way I’m letting Hiro get married! After what he did to me…… He might think he can hide his identity by calling himself ‘Ragaan-Man’, but he totally can’t fool me! He’s so gonna take responsibility!

――I’m going to fight, Slayer! I won’t let anything get in the way of Hiro and Mamu’s marriage! Besides, Hiro isn’t Ragaan-man! That was Big brother…… ah……

――Y, you idiot, Espie! That’s……

――…… he? Like, what’s that supposed to mean?

Fighting… loads of fighting… un.

And……

――Hey, Sadiz, let Espie hold him too♪

――Uh…… fine, as a special treat! But only for ten seconds! Even Sis Espie can’t do it too long!

It was then that I finally realized that Big brother hadn’t been lying.

――This child is a new member of my, Hiro, and Sadiz’s family…… he’s Earth.

――Oh…… yes…… Earth…… that name……

――Uuh…… Yes, it’s been ten seconds. It’s over. The time for you to hold Little man is over. Only Sadiz may hold him for a long time.

It was true. Everything Big brother said.

So really, we can see each other again.

――Slayer! He’s born! Big brother was born! His name is Earth! He’s Big brother! He’s definitely Big brother!

――Really?! Then…… we really…… someday, really…… we’ll really be able to meet Brother…….

――Un! Un!

――we did it, we will…… Hooray! We’ll see Brother again!

――Un! We did it, we did it! We did it!

We held hands and jumped up and down for joy.

In fact, that was the first time that Slayer and I were truly happy together with big smiles on our faces.

That’s how happy we were.

We just waited, not knowing if that future would really come, but now that we know that it will definitely come, we finally had hope.

That’s why I can work harder.

I’ve come to feel like I can just wait patiently.

――Today’s Union Meeting subject is the Bockmati Family. The recent arrest of their boss, Inai, in our empire has weakened the organization. However, we must remain vigilant of the remnants and other missing executives.

―― That’s right. Me and Solja… no, I mean… well, His Majesty, were able to arrest Inai pretty easily, but if there had been other martial leaders, it would have been a bit tougher.

――I’ve heard about that. According to the information I have obtained, some martial leaders, such as Deitkonne, Devan Nash, and Jallareta, all infamous in the underworld for being stronger than a thousand Bounty Hunters, crossed into Japone territory along with their underlings, but have since disappeared…… doesn’t that worry you? And, Hiro, calling Solja ‘His Majesty’ feels a little strange, doesn’t it?

I did my best on the surface. But Slayer isn’t as good as me~, well, I think he did his best.

After all, he wiped out all the martial leaders of the Bockmati Family who were trying to find and capture elves.

But, if this were to come out, then the elf settlement would be exposed too, so we have to keep it a secret.

Yes, a lot happened……

A very cute baby girl was born between Mr. Chieftain and Mrs. Yitea…….

That thing with Ms. Lal……

Norja’s …… un…… as for that…… un……

Slayer’s decision to stop being a hunter and open a tool shop……

That I also cut ties with my country when the time was right……

And other things about me and Slayer……

“We…… we’ve waited long enough, haven’t we…… we’ve done our best…… Slayer.”

“Yeah. It’s almost here… yeah…… soon.”

Both Slayer and I were restless as we reflected on what had happened so far, almost bursting into tears, but also smiling, and at the same time getting nervous.

We’ve been waiting anxiously ever since we saw “Earth Lagann” off.

I’ve been waiting for the day when Earth Lagann will come back and become our big brother…… For a long time…… for a long time……

“Oh!”

“Huh!?”

At that moment, something flashed a short distance away.

I couldn’t see it through the trees in the forest.

But I knew.

Someone appeared over there.

And the person who appeared there ran this way at a tremendous speed.

But, you know, no matter how fast you run, I won’t forgive you.

Do you know how long… how long Slayer and I have waited…… really, really…… How long do you think we’ve waited!

“Espie!”

“Un!”

No matter how hard you run, I won’t forgive you!

No matter how much you apologize, I won’t forgive you!

No matter how much you hug me, I won’t forgive you!

No matter how much you pat me on the head, I won’t forgive you!

I will never, ever, ever forgive you!

No matter what, I’ll never forgive(bloom) you again!