Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

==Part 6==
That was Mio’s answer to Kumano’s question. And it wasn’t something they made up. That was her putting out her real feelings on display.
“I wish to continue living with Basara and the others just like we always have… That’s my goal… that’s the only thing I wish for.”
“I was raised in this world as a human. After my parents were killed and meeting with Maria, I was faced with the reality that I’m a demon. But I still wish to live as a human, and this is the world that I want to live in.”
“I just want to live normally with Basara and Maria… with Yuki, Kurumi and Zest…. That’s all.”
A deafening silence followed Mio’s declaration. No one spoke a word. Mio gripped her hands into fists on her lap. She said everything that she had to say. She didn’t ask for anything more. Just what she really felt from the bottom of her heart. She prayed that her feelings reached the Elders.
“Well then… how can you prove that you are saying the truth?” Fuji’s words broke the silence.
“Prove…?”
“It is easy to say things. But how can you prove that your words are not lies and that you don’t have any other motive?”
Kumano followed with his input.
“Or, how could you assure us that your feelings will not change down the road?”
“Even if it may be the truth now, people’s feelings change… you might change in the future and pose as a threat to the world.”
“But…that’s…”
“I mean, have you all considered the current strengths you possess?”
Atsuta cut in with a biting tone.
“Naruse Mio…You and that demon Zest are both S class mages. That succubus Maria is a sub- S class, with Yuki and Kurumi also being around the same.”
His eyes then shifted towards Basara.
“And Basara… when you were still in the Village, people were praising you as the ‘prodigy’ but you lacked any real combat experience. That made you a B rank at best. And even when you defeated Takashi, we still only considered you an A rank.”
“But currently, you are a S rank, and one that is far stronger than Naruse Mio. The growth that you all went through in this short amount of time is simply incomprehensible. And your immense strength is a threat. All of you together are way past the point of us simply keeping tabs on you.”
There was nothing Mio could say against that. She was prepared that her feelings might not have reached them. She knew that no matter what she said, some in the Village would not accept her simple because she was the daughter of Wilbert.
But their strengths were not because of their desire for fame and fortune. They had to get stronger in order to survive. But if the Village was to reject this, how exactly were they supposed to have survived all this time?
Mio bit her lip in anger. She really had no response to the questions.
“Why remain quiet? Are you not saying anything before the words from before were simply lies?”
Atsuta didn’t hold anything back in his interrogation.
A tear was about to form in Mio’s eye. For the Elders have rejected everything. She simply tried to convey her honest and true feelings. But they swatted that away in an instant.
She just felt so weak…
She knew that the longer she held her silence, and if she was to shed a tear, the Elders will use that as evidence against them. That they would determine them a threat that must be exterminated.
So, she had to speak. She had to say something.
“I-.. I…”
It was at that moment when Mio spoke up, that she heard someone else speak up. “Sir Elder, could you please take back what you just said?”
It was Basara.
The piercing gazes of the occupants in the room all focused on him. For up until now, Basara had maintained a very polite and professional tone with them. But his current tone was anything but gentle.
Just like how Atsuta cannot overlook the rising threat of those living in the Toujou household, Basara too couldn’t just oversee what he said to Mio. Basara knew all about the girls in his care. That’s why there was no way he could forgive those who denied their past and how they grew up.
“You’re telling me to take back my statement?” Atsuta snapped at him.
“Trusting someone’s feelings only comes from those who trust each other. And the future is full of different possibilities. It would be impossible to guarantee and make promises based on that.”
“You were the one who asked us questions, yet to refuse to accept any of our answers and reject them. Is that a worthy behaviour of someone in your position?”
He took a breath.
“And in this chamber of all places?”
Just as he said that, the air in the chamber started to thicken. This was the judgement by the gods and spirits who reside in this room. The ‘corruption’ has started.
“This is…”
The Elders could logically understand the situation, but they couldn’t come to terms to it. They should know about this Ceremonial Chamber more than anyone. But they could not understand why there was corruption taking place inside this chamber.
Of course, they wouldn’t.
The Elders do not know that Basara is able to borrow, and is contracted with, Hasegawa, an ex 10 God. Further to that, they spent a year together, in a different dimension, on their hot spring trip, so currently, the blood of Raphaeline, his mother on the God’s side, coursed through his veins as strong as ever.
Which all meant that Basara was under the divine protection of 2 individuals of a Togami class. And their positions were far higher than that of gods, including the 4 Gods, residing in this current chamber.
So that is why Basara remained non-confrontational with the Elders up until now. If they were to fight, the corruption from such an encounter won’t just threaten the chamber but the very Village itself.
But Basara cannot let this meeting continue in a way that will lead to the end of the peace his family was striving for. And in order to keep that peace, he decided that it was okay to let a little bit of corruption run through the chamber. There was no way the Elders would allow for corruption to remain in the Chamber of Ceremonies. And if they were to realize that it was their own words and actions that caused it, it would lead to a big shift in their behaviour as well.
“But as Elders, it is our responsibility to make sure that our Village is safe. It’s only natural that we eliminate or weaken anything that threatens the Village.”
Basara did not back down.
“It’s ridiculous to expect absolute certainty for our futures. And if it is the Village’s responsibility to eliminate anything that might become a potential threat in the future, what’s the Village’s proof that they will continue this?”
Fuji spoke up to retaliate against Basara. “Our history is our proof.”
‘Our ancestors have been protecting this world from the very beginning and our Village has been protecting this country as well. And it will remain this way in the future as well.”
However, Basara saw the weakness in that point raised by Fuji.
“But isn’t that based on our past accomplishments? How is that proof, or guarantees the Village will continue to protect this country?”
“That’s because when we say ‘future guarantee’, we do not refer to it as the 100% you see in statistics and data. It depends on whether we can entrust the future to you.”
This was Atsuta trying to define the word ‘absolute’ to legitimize their argument.
“For centuries, the Hero Tribe has been protecting the Human World from Demons. Our history and track record is the very proof we need that we will continue to do so in the future.”
Basara paused. Not because he didn’t have anything to say back. But because he finally understood their angle. The Hero Clan has a record of protecting the world. But Mio does not have any record of her not being a threat to humanity. And in fact, after inheriting Wilbert’s power, there have been a number of assassination attempts on her life. Basara could see that they plan to argue that Mio’s existence itself is a threat if people come and try to attack her.
“Basara…”
Basara turned to see Mio’s defeated look as she kept her eyes on the floor. And so, he placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head when she looked his way.
Of course, there was the risk of people making an attempt on Mio’s life in the future. They can’t rule out the possibility of someone trying to do so.
But that was the same for the Hero Clan. While they preach about absolute guarantees based on their past accomplishments, they refuse to accept Mio’s words because she lacked any past records.
So Basara took a deep breath and looked at the Elders in front of him.
“Well…. If we’re talking about past accomplishments… how would you explain the tragedy from 5 years ago?”