With the goal set, I decided to temporarily part ways with the swordsman Noct.
The reason is that I wanted to acquire the skill "Agility Enhancement" in the room where the armored Bugbear appears and use skill synthesis to obtain the "Thief's Skills".
From now on, since I don't know what kind of battles I will be involved in, I don't want to cut corners in strengthening myself.
"Hey, Agetha."
"What is it?"
Agetha's voice resonates in my mind.
Agetha still communicates with me remotely.
"Do we really need to kill the hero Eligion?"
While I successfully removed the sage Nyau as a target, I couldn't exempt the hero Eligion. Personally, I don't have any special attachment to the hero Eligion, but if there is a way to avoid him dying, it seems like the best option.
Besides,
"The hero Eligion is strong. In that case, I think it would be better to make him an ally."
I've seen his strength with my own eyes many times.
"It's difficult to make him an ally. Killing the Holy Knight Canaria would make the hero Eligion hostile toward us."
"How about explaining the situation and trying to persuade him?"
"Unfortunately, persuading him is impossible."
Agetha spoke as if resigning.
"I managed to persuade him."
"…"
I heard Agetha's sigh.
"I've already looped through this timeline multiple times. In one of those loops, I successfully persuaded the hero Eligion."
Realizing that I couldn't defeat the warrior Gorgano and the Holy Knight Canaria with my own strength, I sought a way to persuade the hero Eligion to become an ally. While I initially failed, through repeated loops, I've already figured out how to persuade the hero Eligion.
"So, you persuaded him. What happened next?"
"The hero Eligion was killed by the Holy Knight Canaria."
I spoke honestly. Then, I suddenly recalled how the future had drastically changed due to Nyau's intrusion.
"I see."
Agetha nodded and fell silent, lost in thought.
"Well, if that's the case, there might be room for persuasion. However, I wouldn't want to drastically change the method that once succeeded. You probably understand, based on experience, that altering one event can lead to significant changes in the future."
"Well, I get that, but…"
I've experienced a few instances where changing the approach even slightly resulted in a significant difference in outcomes.
"But if I fail, I can always try again."
I've already died countless times. At this point, a few more deaths won't bother me.
"Kiska."
I was surprised to be called by that name. It was because Agetha was right in front of me. Agetha had refrained from manifesting her physical form to conserve energy, communicating remotely instead. Despite that, she chose to reveal herself in this manner.
"Is Kiska dissatisfied with my approach?"
Saying so, she stared at me with an anxious gaze.
"No, it's not like that, but—"
"Lies!"
She shouted emphatically.
"I've known for a while that something's off with Kiska. Why? Could it be that you've come to dislike me? No, no, no! If Kiska dislikes me, I won't be able to go on living!"
Saying that, Agetha collapsed on the spot.
"Sorry, Agetha. There's no way I could ever dislike you."
I instinctively drew closer to her.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"…Prove it. Prove that you don't dislike me, right here, right now."
Saying this, Agetha stared at me. I somehow understood what she was seeking. So, I grabbed her shoulders and kissed her.
Perhaps it was because Agetha was teary-eyed, but the taste of the kiss was saltier than usual.
"Mmm. I still love Kiska."
As we parted our lips, she said that.
For now, it seemed like she had calmed down.
"Um, I'll be honest."
Honestly, I should have been honest from the beginning.
The reason I opposed killing the hero Eligion was not out of pity or any sentimental reason.
"I mentioned before that I was bullied in the village."
"Yeah, it was because of your silver hair, right?"
"In truth, I think it was because Noct betrayed the heroes, and I became a target for bullying in the village."
If I could persuade the hero Eligion, I thought I could dispel the image that people with silver hair, like the Alcus people, were traitors. That's why I was searching for a way to avoid killing the hero Eligion.
After that, I shared my past with Agetha.
What I went through in the village.
Since being banished to the depths of the dungeon, I had met various people, but I had never revealed my past to Agetha.
I must have felt a resistance to confessing my miserable past.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Suddenly, I noticed that Agetha was in front of me, breaking down in tears.
"I didn't know that Kiska went through something like that. I'm sorry. I've only thought about myself until now and never really considered Kiska."
"It's okay; there's no need for Agetha to apologize."
"But Kiska was bullied, and the root cause was me. I ordered Noct to do it, so it happened."
"It's okay, really. Both you and Noct might have been the catalyst, but it doesn't mean you're at fault. So, thank you. Just seeing you cry like this makes me happy."
What I said was my sincere truth.
Certainly, I thought Noct was the main culprit for what happened to me. But blaming him was still off the mark.
As I pondered this, Agetha wiped her tears, stood up, and said this with moist eyes.
"Kiska, I'll change your past. I'll erase the stigma on the Alcus people as if it never existed."
"…Can you really do that?"
"Yeah, leave it to me."
Saying that, Agetha wore a confident smile.
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