Editing Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 1 Epilogue (section)

===Part 3===

Everywhere you could look around, all you could see was a white, bright and organized atmosphere with the smell of disinfectant. This was JPN Babel’s infirmary. Aside from Miu and Akatsuki, there was no one else. The infirmary had a total of 8 beds. Miu was sitting in the innermost bed.

“I can’t deal with you…how is it, does it still hurt?”

Miu’s tone involved a hint of anger.

“Ah? This? There’s no problem, it won’t kill me.”

Akatsuki gaze rested on the bandages on his waist. He had a carefree smile on his face. After being bandaged by the doctor, Akatsuki’s upper body was wrapped in layers and layers of bandages, as if he was a mummy in Egypt. According to Akatsuki, this came from the impact when he forcibly blocked the attack of Cockatrice’s sharp claws. In theory, inside Babel’s barrier, you should not receive any damage to your body, so impacts should all turned into mental damage, and once you exceed your limits, you will lose consciousness. A person who has strong willpower will be able to withstand greater amounts of damage. Once the mental side feels pain, it will automatically affect the body, producing an illusion of being hurt. In short, the mental damages will still provide a feedback to the body.

—The Cockatrice’s abnormal strength originated from the malfunction of the training system. Right now the chaotic scene was already under control, but the Cockatrice’s attacks caused many students to lose consciousness, and they were all sent to the medical building that houses critical patients. Even the medical staff in the infirmary all hurried over to support the medical building after wrapping Akatsuki in bandages. Luckily, the unconscious students’ conditions were all fairly stable. Kuzuha and Chikage’s damages were not serious either. As for the petrified students, it was confirmed that there wasn’t a problem after a precise examination. At the same time Akatsuki defeated the Cockatrice, the petrification was lifted.

Miu looked at Akatsuki. She was constantly pondering.

…Were you not afraid?

—At that time, Akatsuki prevented the combat skills instructor from using the forced termination of the system, expressing his willingness to defeat the Cockatrice, and successfully ended the crisis, settling the out of control program as well. The system engineers specially went to the infirmary to express their gratitude to Akatsuki, proving that Akatsuki’s judgment was correct at that time. If they had decided to use the forced termination, the petrified students would not have been able to recover until the system had recovered. Akatsuki must have noticed the danger, but he did not hesitate and jumped in to protect Miu, even if it meant his body would be petrified. Miu felt uncomfortable<!-- "unconceivable" in translation -->, her heart had hidden doubts since the time that she came to this world.

…Why are you willing to protect me?

Hide her from his comrades, and bring her to this world.

Even allowing her to pretend to be his dead sister to avoid suspicions.

Miu staying beside Akatsuki wasn’t without any reasons, she was only following her father Galious’s will.

If the situations permitted, she would live together with Akatsuki; if Akatsuki was not reliable enough, she would immediately kill him. Based on her feelings, Miu despised Akatsuki who killed her father. If killing Akatsuki could avenge her father, she did not know how happy it would be.

However, Miu currently did not have any plans on killing Akatsuki based on her personal feelings. To complete her father’s will, Miu wanted to observe Akatsuki clearly, to determine what kind of person he was.

—Although her father entrusted her to Akatsuki, it was not necessary for him to promise. That being the case, why does he still risk his life to protect me?

In order to fulfill his promise with her father? Or to atone for the death of her father? There were too many possibilities; it would be easier if she asked directly.

Miu suddenly had a feeling, maybe Akatsuki would never say the answer. However, in order to determine whether Akatsuki was a reliable person, it was a very important piece of evidence.

…So I must be aware of it.

Even if Akatsuki was not willing to say it, she would still look for the answer herself.

From now on, she would use the identity of Ousawa Miu and remain beside Ousawa Akatsuki and attempt to enter his inner heart.

—In the world of Alayzard, a group of people called Akatsuki a hero. A hero does not just mean the title of a hero, those people must understand Akatsuki as well.

If others can do it, so can I.

One day, I will be the same as those individuals, able to see Ousawa Akatsuki's truest side.

“—Hey.”

“Huh…Waaaa!”

Miu who was lost in thought was surprised to see Akatsuki looking at her. Miu was shocked and unconsciously shrinked back. Seeing this, Akatsuki could not help but sigh.

“Are you still confused? If you have time to care about others, why don’t you care about yourself first.”

“Huh —W…Wait! What are you trying!”

Akatsuki grabbed onto Miu’s hands and dragged her onto the bed.

“N…Nooooo! Release me! I’m not hurt at all!”

“Don’t pull this act, you think I’m blind? If you’re not injured, then why are you clutching onto your right shoulder? During the time when you tried to protect class rep and Izumi, you raised your holy staff and barely managed to maintain the defensive barrier, as a result you hurt yourself accidentally right?”

Ah, she was discovered.

“…Mmph!”

“Don’t use those pitiful eyes and look at me. There is no need to think or endure during painful times.”

Finishing what he said, Akatsuki slowly patted Miu’s right shoulder.

“Yes…”

A thick warm hand. A slight pain came from Miu’s right shoulder.

The reason was the same as Akatsuki, it was the feedback of the pain on the mental side to the body.

“…Ahh!”

Miu’s body gradually lost strength, but she could feel that her right shoulder’s pain was slowly being relieved.

Taking a closer look, a bright light came from Akatsuki’s left hand.

“Is this…recovery magic?”

“Of course not, I cannot use magic at all. This is just a simple first aid.”

Akatsuki gazed rested on Miu’s shoulder.

“This is called inner ki, its effect is to stabilize the body’s ki and rapidly increase the recovery abilities.”

So Akatsuki asked what feelings she was experiencing.

“The pain is gradually being relieved, and what is replacing it is a warm feeling. But…”

Miu glanced at Akatsuki.

“You aren’t going to take this opportunity and disrupt other people’s ki and make me do strange things right?”

“Ahh doing good deeds really doesn’t get rewarded…Since you were looking forward to it, I will fulfill your wish then!”

So Akatsuki's right index finger gently poked Miu’s forehead.

“…Huh?”

Miu was suddenly surprised.

“Waaaa…ahh…ahh…ahhhhh —!”

Then she held her forehead and screamed, probably thinking of the tragedy in the gym warehouse.

“What did you do? What kind of ghastly acupuncture point did you press this time?”

Miu was trembling nervously. This kind of appearance made Akatsuki shake his head and give a wry smile.

“An acupuncture point which will make you more honest.”

“Liar, I won’t believe…Huh?”

Miu waited vigilantly. Afraid of the painful tragedy being reproduced again. However, after a while, nothing happened. A confused Miu suspiciously stared at Akatsuki.

“—If you want to cry then cry.”

“Uh…?”

At this point Miu was completely confused.

“I just pressed an acupuncture point that will make you more honest, so you can cry as much as you want.”

Akatsuki whispered into Miu’s ears.

“After Galious’ death, you still haven’t cried right?”

Her eyes widened. What he said was absolutely true…

“…You…You’re so mean, why do you suddenly…”

Miu did not understand the reason why Akatsuki was doing this, and did not even understand why he was making her think about this past.

It’s not like you can cry if you want to cry.

“That’s too much… How would you right now make me…”

Akatsuki’s expression was very calmly.

“Clumsy fellow.”

Akatsuki gently stroke Miu’s hair.

“Do not force yourself to accept everything. Come, I’m just standing here, let all your grief, hatred and your suppressed feelings out.”

That’s right.

“No matter what the reason is, I am still the enemy who killed your father.”

“…!”

Miu’s body shuddered. 

Akatsuki’s expression was extremely serious.

“Even if you were psychologically prepared, it will be difficult for anyone to accept the truth about their father dying at someone’s hands. There is no need to hold back. When you want to cry, you should just let it all out. Then —“

Akatsuki paused.

“—In front of the enemy, scream out your hatred.”

This was the starting point. Only by mutually accepting it and facing the facts could they continue to go on.

“Galious wanted you to observe whether I am trustworthy, but it does not mean that you have to suppress your own feelings.”

So —

“When you want to cry, but if you can’t cry, I’ll think of a way to make you cry. In the entire world only I can do it, so feel free and cry, cry as much as you want.”

Because —

“—I already pressed the honest acupuncture point.”

“Ah…!”

Miu finally understood Akatsuki’s intention. There were no abnormalities in her body, and there was nothing called an honest acupuncture point in the world, but Akatsuki had really pressed onto that acupuncture point. Just like the time at the gym warehouse, he never obtained Miu’s consent.

So feel free to cry, everything is my fault — This was the meaning behind Akatsuki’s words. Miu raised her head and looked at Akatsuki, and from Akatsuki’s loving expression, she found the face of her father.

Father will forgive me.

—Cry.

“—!”

The pent up tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

“…Uwaaa…Uwaaa…”

Once she started to sob, her emotions bursted out.

Just cry, Cry as much as you want.[[File:HYnA vol 01 013.jpg|thumb]]

“Uwaaaaaaa —!”

“That’s correct, just cry as long as you want.”

Miu escaped from Akatsuki’s hands that were on her shoulder.

Her forehead pressed along Akatsuki’s shoulder and her clenched fists pounded Akatsuki’s chest.

“—“

Letting all of her sorrow, pain and hatred out.

Akatsuki silently accepted it.

Accepting Miu’s venting