LIGHTNOVELWORLD chapter 70
70. Converging Affection
The sensation of my fingertips spreading unconsciously, gradually increasing in area. Unable to bear the terror of my sense of touch becoming vague from my shoulder and thighs down, I clenched my right hand into a fist and hit my own knee hard.
“Why did I end up with such a future…”
I regained my senses from the mercilessly inflicted pain and asked Dr. Gentian in as calm a voice as I could muster.
“What happened to me in the future? I’ve become physically incapable of doing anything on my own and am being taken care of by Nightingale like a feeble baby bird.”
I’m too scared to even look at the projector screen displaying the playback finished screen.
The first time I saw a vision of the future, I saw myself being killed. I was overcome with intense fear then as well, and I felt scared to face them. But this time, it’s even scarier. Even though it should be better than dying.
Perhaps I had been somewhat hospitalized. I’m safe, and as long as I don’t act awful, like cheating on them or trampling on their feelings, the heroes definitely won’t harm me. Even if someone dies, it won’ t be me, I was convinced of my own safety somewhere in my heart and hadn’t taken my scariest possible future, my own death, all that seriously.
Butfully because my future self was so blissfully happy, so deeply in love. And because that fit so well within me. I felt clearly that this wasn’t some nightmare-like future like I’d seen before, but a possible world.
“I don’t have to do hero work…I don’t have to do dangerous work, right, Doctor?”
If something unfortunate happens to me, it’ll be because I’m unable to be independent. My future self was deeply moved by Nightingale’s tender care, and he fell in love with Nightingale. The prediction derived from the short video is a vision of Danger approaching me.
“Of course. I have no intention of sending Sora into dangerous places in the future. Your job is only to interact with them. I swear that you will not be asked to do any activities that are like the usual hero work.”
“Then, why did I end up in such a state?”
If it’s something like a broken arm, that could happen in everyday life. Falling down the stairs, getting into a minor accident. But when it comes to a serious accident where all four limbs become completely immobile, I can’t help but think that there’s a possibility that it could happen to me.
“This story is…well, Himawari’s…no, Momo’s would be less stimulating. I want you to think about it yourself after you see Momo’s new vision. I understand that you don’t want to have any more unpleasant experiences , but you still need to see what happens next.”
Unable to muster the energy to reply, I instead clenched my sweaty palms, which were still slick, and turned my gaze to the white wall.
The video started immediately. The location was a familiar sight. It’s a video inside this base.
“What did you do?”
It was Momo who appeared in the drab room that looked like a conference room or multi-purpose room, with only folding tables and pipe chairs. She’s wearing her hero suit, but only her mask is off. Her breathing is ragged, and her thin , pink bangs are stuck to her cheeks with sweat. She looked very similar to the Momo of the present.
“What did you do to Senior Sora?”
Unlike the other vision of the future that showed their new home, etc., what’s on the screen is just a room in the hero base. And for some reason, I’m not in it.
“What are you talking about?”
Instead, Nightingale is the one talking to Momo. Nightingale is wearing a simple jersey and has her hair tied up a little high, looking exactly like the real thing I met just a little while ago. That alone tells me that this future is relatively close .
“You…”
Even though she’s supposed to be playing the future where Momo and I got together, Momo is glaring intensely at Nightingale. A look of boundless anger, different from the faint, dark expression of jealousy she had towards Philance Red when we first met.
“You’re the one who did that to Senior Sora, aren’t you!!”
Clang. The pipe chair next to Momo is sent flying.
“Did you think wouldn’t I figure it out, Momo? That you could fool me? There probably isn’t another person in this world capable of doing something like that… Tokiwa Uguisu!!”
When Momo spread her arms in the air, two pistols appeared before her as if in response to her murderous intent. The sharp points of metal peeked out from the barrels of the cheap toy guns. Momo’s violently swaying twintails, her face distorted with murderous intent and rage, didn’t suit her. Even when she killed me in the future, she had maintained her usual cuteness and smile, but the Momo here didn’t seem to have any leeway.
“Heal him! Return Senpai to normal right now! Or I’ll kill you.”
Without a shred of hesitation, the metal was aimed at the unarmed Uguisu-san. The room was large, but the distance between them was only about 3 meters. Momo wouldn’t miss from that range.
And the real me, overwhelmed by Momo’s shouting, was beginning to realize the unpleasant truth hidden in her words.
“…I refuse.”
“Whaaat!?”
Bashun!
The sound of metal bending echoed with the roar. The blade pierced the wall a few centimeters beside Uguisu-san with great force. And in the blink of an eye, the wire that had been rolled up in the restraints launched reduced the distance between Momo and Uguisu-san to zero. She forced Uguisu-san against the crumbling wall and pointed the pistol she held in her other hand firmly at Uguisu-san’s temple.
“If you say that again, I’ll kill you for real this time. I won’t miss next time.”
The finger on the trigger was trembling, not from fear, but from her growing murderous intent. A hero killing a hero… I didn’t want to see any more of it, even if it was just a premonition.
“Are you okay with that? Killing me?”
However, the person in question was clearly calm.
“If you kill me, Sora-san will never be able to return to normal. You know that too… You didn’t miss, you aimed to miss, didn’t you?”
“Wha!?”
“If I can’t have him, I’ll kill him. You can’t possibly consider such a decision now. Because you’ve fallen for Sora-san for real, not as a cute accessory for a dreamer.”
“That’s not true, that’s not true, I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you, and Senpai, who can’t remember Momo anymore. I’ll kill you all, kill you, kill you, kill you, kill you !!”
Despite saying all these words, Momo’s words didn’t reach Uguisu-san as if they were empty threats. Momo, who had continued to scream in vain, finally burst into tears.
“I’ll kill you… I will, I definitely will.”
The gun in her hand looked like a toy, and Momo, who was supposed to have cornered her against the wall, collapsed so badly that she could barely stand.
“If you step aside, Sora-san will be safe. That’s the most effective thing for you right now.”
“Why… Why? If you love him, don’t do something so cruel… Senpai, scared, sobbing, in pain, I can’t watch anymore, this is ridiculous”
“The ridiculous one is not me or Sora-san, but this situation. The fact that I’m not loved by Sora-san is ridiculous. I’m just going to redo it.”
“This isn’t a game. Senpai is really suffering, please, please return Senpai to normal. You can do it, can’t you? Please, give Senpai back, please, please…”
Uguisu-san looked down coldly at the jumbled words that were uttered while her speech was interrupted. It was a cruel, demonic gaze, completely unlike the usual timid, gentle, and sometimes pushy Uguisu-san.
“I never thought that Nadeshiko-san, who is only interested in her own cuteness, would become like this… My husband is a charming man after all.”
“You love Senpai too, Sora-senpai, so why did things turn out like this?”
“…I couldn’t become anything to Sora-san.”
Momo looked up at her with a shocked expression, and she smiled Yuyuchuochaoly.
“Even though I’m his wife. I couldn’t get any of Sora-san’s love, compassion, or admiration. I was chosen, but I wasn’t given any role. Sora-san didn’t choose me for any role in his life.”
“W-what are you saying…?”
“Did you think I didn’t notice? That’s fine, Nadeshiko-san is loved by Sora-san. How does it feel to receive all of Sora-san’s love even though he has a wife named me? Are you just happy, or do you feel guilty? I don’t know, but it must be wonderful.”
She put her palm to the muzzle of the gun, as if mocking Momo’s wilted killing intent.
“He told me he wanted it to be undone. I guess he thought I didn’t notice. Sora-san is surprisingly blunt sometimes. It’s much easier to tell who your beloved husband’s favor is directed at than to know which way the wind is blowing.”
“But you didn’t have to go that far, you didn’t have to hurt Senpai.”
“I have no intention of hurting Sora-san. I just won’t let go of him. I’ll start over and become his special wife again. The current Sora-san sees me as a woman with no value, a wife who doesn’t deserve a special promotion. That’s not right. I can only become myself when I receive Sora-san’s special love. That’s why I’m changing my approach. You’re in my way. , everyone has to leave the stage. When he becomes lonely and his heart is at its weakest, I’ll be there to comfort him. Then, surely, Sora-san will finally love me for real. He’ll stay with me. There’s no point in a love that’s tied down by force. I want him to love me from the bottom of his heart, and then, when the time comes, I’ll get a real confession and love from Sora-san. This time, I’ll definitely succeed. I’ ll show him how much he loves me. I won’t let him think about making it undone. I’ll make him think that he chose me, that I’m the best and most special woman .So…”
She gently pushed away Momo’s arms, which had been weakly blocking her path, and Uguisu-san said happily.
“I’m sorry. If you love Sora-san, please give him to me.”