"Is it because the person closest to her fell into depravity under the temptation of power that she's afraid to face the power within herself?"
After hearing the entire story, Arthas let out a soft sigh of helplessness, a sound tinged with understanding and a hint of sorrow.
He didn't quite know what to say. Power… something that everyone else relentlessly pursued, yet Koneko, who was born with great power, utterly loathed the very power she possessed, abhorring the blood that coursed through her veins.
"Well… that's pretty much the gist of it. If it's at all possible, I'm hoping you can enlighten that little girl a bit, nudge her in the right direction, so that she can face the power she possesses head-on. No matter what kind of past there is, at least power itself isn't inherently wrong. The only thing that's wrong is the person who chooses to wield that power, the one who makes the conscious decision to use it for good or ill."
"Yeah, me? Why single me out for this task, though?"
Arthas said with some confusion, his brow furrowed slightly. In his opinion, his relationship with Koneko wasn't exactly stellar. It was mainly because Koneko was usually so withdrawn, always sporting a silent demeanor and generally disinclined to interact with others.
"If it's not you, then who else is there, genius? The most suitable candidates are only you and Rias, wouldn't you agree? You two are the leaders, after all! You're the ones who can inspire confidence and guide others."
"I'm just a soldier, though."
Arthas touched the tip of his nose with a self-deprecating smile. Although he said that, after the training session had concluded, Arthas still followed Azazel's instructions and made his way to Koneko's room.
However, after standing in front of the door for what felt like an eternity, Arthas once again found himself at a loss. What in the world should he say after he went inside? How could he possibly broach such a sensitive subject?
Just as he was standing there, lost in thought and completely paralyzed by indecision, the door to the room suddenly opened slowly from the inside, and a tired-looking Koneko emerged, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
"Eh… eh?!"
Upon seeing Arthas, the girl let out a soft shriek of surprise, her eyes widening in shock. Then, with a swift, almost impulsive movement, Arthas squeezed his way into the room, covering her mouth with his hand and pushing her back inside, effectively silencing her.
What in the world am I doing right now? I'm acting like a complete idiot, aren't I?
Thinking this with a mixture of amusement and self-reproach, Arthas, at this very moment, was still covering Koneko's mouth, pressing the girl down onto the spacious bed. For some inexplicable reason, Koneko, who was initially flustered and bewildered, became surprisingly quiet after realizing that the person looming over her was none other than Arthas.
It was almost as if she were a domesticated kitten, instinctively seeking affection and comfort from her beloved owner.
"Um, I'm sorry… Koneko."
"I-It's okay, Arthas-sama."
Koneko said slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. This particular form of address, however, caused Arthas to be slightly taken aback, his eyebrows arching in surprise.
"When did I suddenly become a -sama, anyway?"
"But… Arthas is so incredibly strong, and you're going to marry Buchou in the future, so isn't it only natural to call you -sama? It's a sign of respect, after all."
Koneko said this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, tilting her head slightly. Arthas coughed lightly, revealing a somewhat embarrassed expression.
"What do you mean by 'marry'? Don't just go around saying things like that, okay? These kinds of things are never set in stone, you know. As of right now, I'm simply a soldier in service to the Gremory family, not some exalted -sama or anything like that."
Arthas said this, pulling Koneko up to a sitting position. The atmosphere between the two of them once again descended into an awkward silence, a palpable tension filling the air.
Unlike usual, whether it was simply because she was too tired from the rigorous training or because of something else entirely, Koneko wasn't actively concealing her true appearance. Her adorable cat ears were twitching ever so slightly, and the two fluffy tails behind her were constantly swaying back and forth with a restless energy.
Although he didn't possess much knowledge regarding feline behavior, it seemed like she was constantly wagging her tail because she was feeling uneasy, right? But why was she feeling so uneasy?
Looking at the girl's constantly swaying tail, Arthas couldn't resist the urge to reach out and gently pinch it between his fingers.
"Myaoo…"
Koneko couldn't help but let out another soft, almost involuntary shriek, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at Arthas. However, she didn't display any overt signs of resistance, her body remaining still and compliant.
"Th-That… that's a very sensitive spot, so please be gentle, Arthas-sama."
"That's exactly what I'm saying, though! Stop calling me -sama, it makes me feel incredibly weird and self-conscious, you know."
Arthas said with a somewhat helpless smile, his hand still gently holding her tail. Koneko, her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, lowered her head in embarrassment.
"How about this… you can call me Onii-chan, okay? It's a lot less formal, and it would make me feel more comfortable."
After pondering for a few moments, Arthas said this. However, this seemingly casual sentence caused Koneko to tremble all over, her body shaking slightly. Tears began to flow uncontrollably from the girl's eyes, tracing glistening paths down her delicate cheeks.
"Wh-What's wrong?! Are you okay?"
"N-Nothing… it's just that I remembered some things that make me feel incredibly sad, that's all."
The girl, who had lowered her head and was now sobbing softly, managed to choke out these words. Arthas let out a soft sigh, his heart aching with empathy. He naturally knew what Koneko was crying about. Without a doubt, she had been reminded of her sister.
"Koneko, I know about you… I know everything, you know."
"Wh-What?!"
"About your sister, and about the power of the Nekoshou that resides within you, I know everything there is to know."
Arthas said this, and Koneko was immediately stunned into silence, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Azazel asked me to come here and help you resolve the knot in your heart, to help you come to terms with your past. Although I'm not really sure how to do it, I need to ask you something. Do you still hate your sister, even after all this time?"
"Waaaaah… I hate my sister… why did she abandon me so cruelly, why did she do such terrible things… because of my sister, everyone around me is always blaming me, they're all afraid of me… I don't want to… I don't want to become like my sister, a monster that everyone fears and despises…"
"How could that be? Everyone likes you a lot, you know. Everyone in the Occult Research Club, everyone at school, and also President Souna and the others. There isn't a single person who hates you, Koneko. You're loved and appreciated by so many."
He gently stroked Koneko's head, his fingers running through her soft hair. For cats, this was an action that would make them feel incredibly comfortable and soothed.
"Waaaaah Meow~" The pure white and fluffy tail moved slightly, swaying back and forth with a gentle rhythm. Unconsciously, Koneko's crying gradually subsided, her sobs becoming softer and less frequent. Cats were just such small and easily comforted animals, and even the strongest race among the cat spirits couldn't completely escape their feline nature.
"I'm sorry, Arthas Onii-chan. Being able to meet Buchou and everyone else, being able to meet Arthas Onii-chan, is the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me. You gave me a brand new life, you gave me warmth and affection, and you showed me what it truly means to belong. That's why I don't want to be a burden to anyone… I want to become stronger, so I can protect everyone… But… truly, the power that's sleeping inside me, the power of the Nekoshou, I don't want to use it… I'm afraid of it… I…"
"Hey, Koneko. You need to remember one very important thing: Power itself is neither right nor wrong. It's simply a tool, and it's up to the individual to decide how to use it. I don't think your sister was actually bewitched by that power back then, you know. Perhaps she had some unspeakable reason, some hidden motive that she couldn't share with anyone, right?"
"Sister… had a reason?"
Hearing Arthas say this, a glimmer of hope, a flicker of light, involuntarily appeared in Koneko's eyes, chasing away the darkness that had clouded her gaze.
"That's right. You need to believe in yourself, and you also need to believe in your sister. Deep down, you still love your sister, don't you? You still care about her, even after everything that's happened."
Arthas said with a gentle smile, continuing to speak in a soft and soothing tone.
"Since that's the case, then you need to become even stronger, Koneko. Tame the power of the Nekoshou that sleeps within you, harness it and make it your own, and then go out there and defeat your sister, and finally understand the real reason why she abandoned you all those years ago!"
"…D-Defeat my sister?" She raised her head in surprise, her tear-filled eyes meeting Arthas's gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.
____________________
for more advance chapters visit my patreon
patreon.com/kane45
Tier: 10$ Casual Reader - 20+ Advance Chapter
20$ Intermediate Reader - 40+ Advance Chapter
40$ Expert Reader - 80+ Advance Chapter
Update: "Monday to Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day"
"Saturday and Sunday - Off"