Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 12 Chapter 2 (section)

==19==

Celis was questioned about the true nature of her feelings.
“—I’m”
The feelings were right on the tip of her tongue, but then she swallowed them down.
What she wants to do with her true feelings, is a question she still doesn’t know how to answer.
She likes Basara—that much is fact.
If it’s Basara, she’s willing to dedicate all that she is, and if that’s what he wishes for, she wouldn’t even mind becoming his sex slave.
If it’s together with Basara, she would happily descend into hell.
That much is all true.
…But.
If she does that, then it would be just as the Vatican wants.
Even though she wanted to tie the master-servant contract with Basara so she would stop burdening him, that master-servant contract could become trouble for him and the other girls.
That’s something she doesn’t want to happen at all.
Because of that, she doesn’t follow what she wants but what she feels is best for Basara.
That’s the reason why she doesn’t follow what she wants, but what she feels is best for Basara.
…Even so.
Basara had said he would tie the master-servant contract with Celis in the way she wants to.
—It’s likely he completely sees through to her feelings.
Moreover, Mio and the other girls are set on how she should tie the master-servant contract using Maria’s—succubus magic. Because they believe that to be Celis’ true desire.
And currently Celis is being questioned.
They questioned what she really wants to do.
But,
“….I’m sorry”
Even though they really made her think. Even though she really questioned her own heart.
Even though it’s making her confused—to the point of getting frustrated.
When it comes to prioritizing Basara or herself, no matter what her own desire can’t find its way out.
Just as Celis tried wording an apology,
“——Ah”
Suddenly, a shocked voice spilled out of her.
Nanao, who’s right beside her, enveloped her with a gentle hug.
“It’s alright, don’t apologize… Didn’t I tell you, I couldn’t come to my answer by myself either”
The kind Nanao continued,
“I didn’t even really understand my own feelings. When there’s more than two important feelings at stake… I’m sure that it’s hard to give up on either, and it must really hurt”
However,
“It’s alright, you don’t have to suffer alone. We’re all here. That’s why, Celis-san, share your feelings”
“I’m sure we can find the best answer for you and for everyone as well”
After all,
“We’re all by your side Celis-san… I’m here, and Toujou-kun is too”
Having understood the feelings of Nanao,
“Tachibana-san…”
As she’s held in that embrace, Celis’ voice shook.
“It’s alright to call me Nanao… I’ll call you Celis-san too”
It’s at that moment, as Nanao rubbed her back gently,
—They could hear a sound from the first floor.
The opening of the living room door.
“—Welcome home, Basara-sama”
“Welcome home, Basara-niichan”
Zest and Kurumi welcomed this house’s master—no, the girls’ master, and those voices could be heard from the room.
And then,
“—Hey, I’m back”
Responding to Basara’s short voice that can be heard from the hallway,
“—“
Without realising it, Celis froze up and gulped down.
Finally, the time has arrived.
As Basara’s footsteps faded into the living room, Celis got super nervous.
“It’s alright… It’s alright, Celis-san”
Nanao tried to calm her down by continuing to hug her.
With that, Nanao’s chest was right at Celis’ ears.
…Ah… Nanao-san…
Celis then realized the sound of her chest had the same fast sounds as her own.
Even so—she faced Celis seriously, trying to calm her down.
“—“
Celis, almost in tears, hugged her back.
The two who are about to tie the master-servant contract with Basara—the two of them, were hugging each other.
—And then, after ten minutes that seemed like forever.
Footsteps from the living room could be heard going up the stairs.
Their destiny was slowly coming closer—at that truth, Celis and Nanao gulped down, looking at the door.
The footsteps stopped at Celis’ door, and then there was a knock on the door.
Celis and Nanao then got up from the bed.
“…W-we’re here”
As their voices trembled, there was a click opening the door, and in they came.
Three people walked in through the door.
Mio and Hasegawa with their kind faces.
And then,
“Toujou-kun”
Nanao who’s next to Celis let out a sound towards Basara, who they thought they would face in the living room.
“What’s wrong… Is there a problem?”
Even though one person was enough to call them over, three of them had come—and on top of it Basara too.
“No, it’s nothing. It’s just, we have something to discuss with Celis”
“…”
Celis returned Basara’s words with silence.
—There’s a condition related to her master-servant contract with Basara.
It should happen in a way that Celis truly wanted.
Celis had yet to answer that question for Basara.
Of course, that reason being Celis still can’t get the answer out from inside her.
Due to her silence,
“Celis-san…”
Nanao’s worried voice called out to her.
“Nanao… You go ahead with Mio”
Basara said with a calming voice.
“…Okay, I get it”
Since it’s something her master Basara was telling her to do, Nanao couldn’t do anything but agree to do it.
Therefore Nanao began to walk downstairs—at that moment,
“—It’s alright. Believe me”
Nanao softly said, just so only she could hear her..
—Those comforting words were surely meant to support Celis through regarding whatever Basara and Hasegawa wanted to talk to her about.
As if having said all she meant with all her feelings, Nanao went to Mio’s side.
“So Celis-san, we’ll be going ahead first”
At the moment Mio said that—her eyes met Celis’.
On her face was an extremely gentle look,
…Mio…?
The meaning of the look wasn’t easily understood, however Mio didn’t mind, she went with Nanao outside of the room, and closed the door behind them.
After that—two sets of footsteps walked down the stairs and disappeared.
“—Celis”
Basara called out as he looked straight at her,
“…”
Reacting instinctively, Celis’ body trembled.
She was nervous.
“Our master-servant contract… I had told you my condition for it is that it should be done in a way that you truly want. When we talked about it before, you said you wanted to use your own magic”
With that said, Basara’s stare intensified.
“This is just a final confirmation but—is that still how you feel now?”
“—I”
Celis began answering back but no words came out beyond that.
—What’s the most important thing to Celis Reinhardt?
Is it her love for Basara? Or was it to be of use to Basara.
…I wonder, why?
Even though when I asked for the master-servant contract, I wasn’t conflicted.
Even after everyone told her to be honest, she still wasn’t sure what she should do.
“What should I do… I don’t know what’s right”
As she murmured, words finally spilled out.
—Even if they didn’t answer Basara’s question.
But what she finally said, was a lie without anything to conceal it.
“…Yeah, I understand what you mean”
“Eh—?”
Celis looked up responding to Basara’s voice.
With that, her eyes met with Basara’s right in front of her.
With a smile, so extremely kind,
Celis looked at Toujou Basara with her eyes full of surprise.
“Me too I… I don’t know what’s the right thing to do. No matter how much I keep thinking about it”
“What’s the thing I can’t give up on no matter what—I thought of that”
“What you can’t give up on…”
To Celis who replied like in a trance, Basara nodded with a “yeah” taking a glance at Hasegawa as she leaned against the wall of the room.
—That way of thinking, is a piece of advice given to Basara by Hasegawa when he was once conflicted.
Facing it that way, one wouldn’t just realize their true feelings, but also put them in the context of the situation in front of them, and it had helped him overcome many difficulties.
“That’s why I now live with everyone in this house, and will be together with them in the future. Also, I want to protect our life we have now”
Moreover, Basara said
“This is just my guess but… Isn’t the thing you don’t want to give up on your sense of justice?”
As such, while she can’t forgive Albareos’ deeds, she can’t bear to lose the Vatican who raised her and her friends.
She holds Basara and the girls dear but, regarding their relationships based on the master-servant vow—it’s difficult for her to understand, and it doesn’t fit into her own logic and common sense as per her world view.
…That’s why, for sure Celis,
Thinking of that sense of justice inside her, she had said that she wants to tie the master-servant contract using her own magic.
That feeling is understandable.
Nonetheless, Basara continued to express how he really felt.
“Rising all the way up to the rank of holy knight, certainly you believe the justice of the Hero Clan is right. And I don’t plan to deny that.”
However,
“I don’t want you to put yourself at risk with the master-servant contract by taking on a magic with such nature—that’s how I really feel”
“Basara—“
After becoming aware of Basara’s real feelings, Celis wasn’t sure what to say.
“Doing what’s right… Even if it’s just by a little bit, I’d like to reduce the chance of a mistake. With your upbringing, and your personality, when you bring that into consideration I can understand how you feel”
Hasegawa, who had been quiet all this time, softly parted her lips and spoke.
“Originally, the master-servant contract was intended for those who were already master and servant. It’s because for those with a fixed role as such, they could strengthen each other through the contract. Even though there’s cases of tying the master-servant contract onto enemies by force, it’s because it didn’t matter if someone dies”
“Celis… You and Basara are childhood friends. Even if you tie the master-servant contract with him using magic, it doesn’t nullify your relationship with him up to this point. There are plenty of possible incidents that could happen to trigger the curse of the master-servant contract”
To top it off, Hasegawa said.
“More than anything it’s about personality… At the base of it, You’re overly serious. That’s not saying it’s good or bad. But that’s why while you have to acknowledge the nature of relationships between Basara, myself and the other girls, it doesn’t mean that you think it’s right”
“That’s—“
Hasegawa smiled sympathetically, at Celis, who looked very sorry.
“It’s alright. It’s not a wrong way of thinking. The relationship between us and Basara, if you look at it from a conventional point of view, it’s definitely going to be seen as odd”
But.
“If you think your master is wrong, the curse will activate instantly. That’s why if you tie the master-servant contract with Basara, you have to believe, from the bottom of your heart, that our relationship is right. But, are you able to do such a thing?”
“…I probably can’t right away”
Responding to Hasegawa’s point, Celis spoke honestly.
“However… I can start to understand bit by bit”
“That’s an admirable position… if you tie the master-servant contract using your magic, the curse would activate as petrification”
Hasegawa continued.
“The way to relieve the symptoms of the curse is to strengthen your feelings for your master from deep down. In the month and a half you’ve been with us, you’ve done that significantly but… Even so, your upbringing and personality really affix your values and worldview”
As such.
“The curse won’t wait for your change of heart. As you are right now, tying the master-servant contract. You wouldn’t be able to live in this house.”
“But…t-thats”
Celis said, trying to object.
“Until I get used to it, can’t you lend me your help, Afureia-sama? You, with your togami powers… Surely you can help in keeping the curse from activating?”
“I did think of that but…”
Hasegawa said exasperatedly.
“Celis… I’m sorry, but that isn’t possible”
“W-why is that?”
Celis said, looking at her surprised.
“Do you not get it? I’ve tied the master-servant vow with Basara”
Hasegawa said.
“If the curse activates for you, that means you’ve betrayed Basara in some way. I can’t suppress a curse that activates for my master Basara”
“That’s…”
Basara looked at Celis as she stood dumbfounded.
—It’s not odd that Celis had not thought of what Hasegawa pointed out.
Ultimately, the master-servant contract is a system that came from the hierarchical demon society.
With the hero clan, even if they tie contracts with spirits and beasts, such a contract between humans doesn’t happen, so it’s hard to completely understand the finer details.
…In addition to that,
The Ten Gods are of absolute importance to the hero clan.
Due to that reverence, the way Celis thinks, putting all her trust in Hasegawa, would stop there. More than anything—to Celis, Basara is a close childhood friend.
With having her naïveté pointed out, Celis was at a loss for words.
Hasegawa asked,
“What will you do? Would you still want to tie a master-servant contract that threatens your life with Basara?”
And to that, Celis objected,
“O-of course. No matter what, I will tie the master-servant contract with Basara. I will not give up on that. Without that I’ll be holding you back—“
Interrupting her, Hasegawa rejected her declaration.
“—In that case, unless you make it with Maria’s magic, it’s far too dangerous”
But Celis didn’t seem to understand that at all.
“Why’s that, Afureia-sama… I don’t fear death”
“Of course. I’m not doubting your justice or your courage”
But with a voice turned cold, Hasegawa said,
“If you die from the curse of the master-servant contract, it would no longer be an issue of whether or not you’re holding us back. It’s without a doubt, trouble to us. It’s a tragedy with nothing beyond it. Especially for Basara who continues to shoulder the blame for the catastrophe that happened because he couldn’t control his power, feeling the weight of it, do you want to add further to that?”
“——!?”
Celis looked at her surprised.
Wanting to do things based on her own justice, that’s something that Basara can understand.
—But, in the end Basara and Celis weren’t seeing eye to eye.
The kind words turned to sharp. A soft sympathetic smile into a blank expression.
Celis didn’t know how she should react at all right now.
Therefore, Basara, without looking at Celis,
“…Sensei”
First, He instructed Hasegawa not to torment Celis anymore.
Because Celis wasn’t at fault for this.
Following his instruction, Hasegawa withheld any other words she might’ve had.
Basara then walked right in front of Celis, and placed his hands gently on her shoulders.
“Celis—“
“…”
Celis still couldn’t manage any words.
The girl looked down quietly, as if she was about to cry.
She said with an upset voice,
“…Basara, surely you understand why the Vatican let me go to you”
Nodding with a quiet voice, he said,
“…Yeah”
“Are you just going to follow the Vatican’s plans without any resistance?”
Basara shook his head as Celis looked up at him.
“That’s not it. We’re just going through with what’s best for us—if on top of it we somehow manage to meet Vatican’s expectations then so be it”
“…So do you think me tying the master-servant contract with you using the succubus magic is for the best?”
In response to Celis,
Toujou Basara resolutely said,
“If you must tie the contract with me at all cost—then yes”
To Celis who was wide-eyed in shock, it was an unexpected response.
“—“
“But this is what I decided unilaterally. I’m the one forcing you to go through with it this way and you’re just going along with it. Therefore, no matter what the result, it’s not going to be on you. It’ll be my responsibility”
Even if after the fact, the Vatican said something, it wouldn’t be on Celis.
By all others’ understanding, tying the master-servant contract using the aphrodisiac trait would entirely be Basara’s fault.
Of course, this isn’t the ideal situation, but even a little, it helps Celis’ heart.
…Besides.
In this way, it’ll also put to a stop the investigations of the Vatican, the ones with the most overwhelming power among all the different hero clan districts.
Of course, if it’s just as Basara wants, he would like to avoid causing anything that unnecessarily strengthens his ties with the Vatican . At the moment, Celis is by Basara’s side as a representative of the Vatican. As such, to the Vatican, if Basara and Celis tie the master-servant contract, they would see that as a reason to push for stronger ties with Basara.
And then, Celis, understanding the situation said,
“…I have to stop living as a member of the hero clan, huh?”
Basara responded,
“I can’t deny that it’s definitely a choice”
With that said, Basara then revealed something to Celis.
—It was about his difficulties in establishing an alliance with the demons.
How Celis and her affiliation with the Vatican is the crux of that.
“That’s… I can’t believe I’m already troubling you, Basara”
“Don’t worry about it. Celis, you’re not the problem—it’s the Vatican”
Toujou Basara said, in order to alleviate Celis’ guilt.
“Besides—there’s a way for you to remain in the hero clan, and for us to solve the problem with making the alliance with the demons, and even to thwart the Vatican’s plans”
“In addition to tying the master-servant contract with me—for you to stand at the top of the Vatican”