Re: Slayer - The Flame Tsuguko in Another World

Chapter 29: I Love You...

Echidna: That? Oh, you mean the Great Rabbit!

Kaoi: The Great Rabbit... How come I'm so calm right now?

Echidna: It's because of the tea you drank last time. It directly affected your Sloth Witch Factor, encouraging stability. If not for that, your soul itself would have crumbled to pieces. Now, I'm ready to accept your gratitude.

Kaoi: ... Thanks. Will I remain this way when I retune?

Echidna: That kind of gratitude wounds my maidenly heart. So long as you remember what happened here, you should be fine.

Kaoi: Then is there a way to overwrite my vow? So that I can remember once I step outside. As it stands, I'm likely to return slamming my fist into the ground. If I find the price reasonable. I'll pay.

Echidna: Hmmm... alright.

Kaoi: Thank you....wait.

Echidna: What? Do you have something else to say?

Kaoi: It's just that, when I first got here, I asked a question and you answered it.

Echidna: I just answered a question. That's all.

Kaoi: It's just how did you know the context of what I was asking?

Echidna: By whatever do you mean?

Kaoi: You invited me to this tea party mere moments after I had passed the first trial. Not enough time for anything involving a rabbit let alone the Great Rabbit takes place.

Echidna: And what do you make of this?

Kaoi: That somehow you know of an event that never took place.

Echidna: ...Kaoi, the only way you'll receive a straight answer from me is to ask a straight question.

Kaoi: There might be consequences.

Echidna: If that proves to be true, can I expect you to defend me?

Kaoi: Echidna...

The demon slayer didn't want to do this given the last time he tried it but now he just had to know.

Kaoi: When I die, I restart to a certain point!

Kaoi closes his eyes expecting the hand of envy to grasp his heart but no hand came. He opens his eyes to meet the smiling face of Echidna.

Echidna: It's a bit embarrassing to have you staring at me like that.

This can't be real.

Kaoi: When I die, the world is reset to a certain point!

Echidna: I heard you. And before I heard you, I saw you.

Can it?

Kaoi: When I am killed, the world resets! When I am murdered, I go back in time!

Echidna: Hey, calm down! I know how you feel but—

Kaoi: When I killed myself, I return to the streets. When those around me die, I killed myself, and the world is sent back! When everything feels like it has gone to hell, I slit my neck and I go back!

Even though Kaoi was still standing. The demon slayer was barely holding it together. He falls back onto the chair and uses the table for support. Not noticing the stream of tears leaking from his eyes.

Kaoi: This weight... all this time... I haven't been able to tell anyone. To confide in them. I just bear with it. The cold. The dark. The pain. I just allow them to weigh down my soul each time I die.

It was then that Kaoi felt a hand gently caress his face.

Echidna: I know, I know every step you've taken on your path here. I was watching. But watching is all I was doing.