Even if Kei made Arisu believe that destroying the world was her inborn, unavoidable mission, it could not change one established fact.
If Arisu was truly just Arisu, then she would never, from the bottom of her heart, be willing to become the princess of the nameless gods as Kei wished.
And precisely because she understood this, Kei could only choose deception.
So what I needed to do was very simple.
"Arisu," I asked, "Do you really not want to stay by my side and everyone else's anymore?"
Just those soft words made the girl's body tremble.
"Arisu… Arisu's existence will only hurt everyone…"
"O Princess, this is the meaning of our existence."
Kei's words caused the tears Arisu had only just barely held back to uncontrollably well up in her eyes once more.
"Sensei actually hates Arisu too, right?" Arisu said in a trembling voice. "Because Kei used Arisu's body and tried to kill Sensei, that's why Sensei is afraid of Arisu, wary of Arisu, and doesn't trust Arisu…"
"That's right."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a trace of human-like disbelief flash through Kei's eyes. She clearly had not expected me to interrupt Arisu and admit it outright.
Arisu herself froze for a moment as well, before speaking in a tone that was clearly dejected yet trying her best to pretend she did not care.
"I, I see… so it really is like that… then, Sensei, please stop worrying about Arisu…"
"Do not continue to foolishly interfere with the princess completing her mission."
Ignoring Kei, I asked Arisu in return, "Why?"
"Huh?"
"After that, even though you still did not know the reason, you had already vaguely sensed it, hadn't you? And didn't you already make your greatest effort to try to make things right with me? Or was it because you felt there was no hope left, so you decided to give up and cut your losses?"
I shook my head and sighed, disappointed. "It seems your feelings toward me were only that much, after all."
Hearing this, Arisu immediately forgot even to cry. She hurriedly stood up, her eyes brimming with tears, tugging at my sleeve as she flusteredly protested,
"N-no, that's not it!"
At the side, Kei was dumbfounded. "P-princess?"
Oh foolish AI, incapable of understanding Arisu's deep sticky love towards me and only me, you must be stunned now.
Unable to comprehend the effects of my charm.
That said, the fact that Arisu was pulled out of her withdrawn, uncommunicative state so easily was equally beyond my expectations.
It seemed Arisu's feelings for me far exceeded what I had imagined.
Realizing this, a warm current surged up from the bottom of my heart.
But when I tried to take Arisu's hand, she instinctively dodged away.
I knew this was because the knot in her heart had not yet been untied, so I did not force it, instead smiling lightly.
"Just a joke. In any case, Arisu, now that you can calm down a bit, let's talk openly."
I glanced at Kei and added, "On the premise that we ignore that thing."
"What are you trying to do? You are just planning to coax and deceive the princess again, aren't you?" Kei frowned. "Such boring tricks. The princess already knows her duty and will not be easily swayed by you!"
But recalling Arisu's reaction just now, I felt Kei's words were more than a little forced.
"…Sensei, what else do you want to talk about with Arisu?" Arisu asked softly.
I pondered for a moment. "Hmm… let's continue the previous topic. Even if you think that the gentleness I usually show is just to spare your feelings, you should at least believe what I said just now."
Arisu gave a slight nod and showed a sorrowful smile. "Sensei really does hate Arisu. After all, Arisu did something like that."
"So." I took a deep breath and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, Arisu."
"Eh? Why… why is Sensei suddenly apologizing to me?" Arisu looked uneasy.
"Because I horribly doubted you and never properly communicated with you. Even though I had guessed that you might be frightened and anxious, I still refused to open my heart and talk to you, until things developed to this point."
I lowered my head. "This is entirely my fault. Arisu, even though it is shameless of me to say this, I still hope you can forgive me."
"W-why?" Arisu was completely at a loss. "Why apologize to Arisu, who did something wrong? Please don't do this. Arisu has never blamed you…"
"But isn't that also a mistake?" I asked in return. "Could it be that Arisu thinks that as long as the victim does not mind, there is no need to apologize?"
Faced with my question, Arisu hesitated for a long while before nodding. "In classic RPG stories, that's how things usually go."
Kei, who had been frowning tightly since earlier, suddenly changed expression, realizing the direction in which I was steering the conversation.
But it was already too late.
"Very good." I nodded in satisfaction. "Arisu, I've already forgiven you."
Arisu blinked, looking completely incredulous.
And I gave her a smile as gentle as could be. "So don't blame yourself anymore. After all, in classic RPG stories, that's how things usually go."
Such a simple verbal trap would only work so easily on someone as pure-hearted and prone to cornering herself as Arisu.
"It's not the same… Arisu can no longer become a hero. Arisu is the Demon King who will destroy the world…"
Arisu's expression twisted in struggle. "Even if Sensei is willing to forgive Arisu, Arisu has no way to forgive herself…"
"O Princess, there is no need for self-blame." Kei unusually spoke half a sentence that sounded almost human. "This is simply a fate we cannot escape."
Only half a sentence, at that.
Hearing this, Arisu's expression calmed. She gazed at me, her smile desolate and beautiful.
"That's how it is, Sensei. In the end, Arisu, as the Demon King, cannot stay by Sensei's side anymore."
"That's true."
Arisu lowered her gaze.
The look Kei gave me became strange again, carrying a hint of suspicion and a hint of smugness.
"Then change jobs."
I said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Change jobs…?"
"This is also a very common setting in RPGs, isn't it? As long as you obtain the job change certificate, no matter what your initial class was, you can change into a new one."
"But, but Arisu knows," Arisu was on the verge of tears again. "In reality, there is no such convenient thing. There is no item that can let an Arisu who was born as the Demon King easily become something else!"
"No, you're wrong, Arisu."
I denied her decisively, then, under the girl's confused yet hopeful gaze, pointed my thumb at myself.
"The most striking job change certificate is right in front of you, isn't it?"
Without question.
That would be me.