The next day, I headed toward the Tenrei Shrine on the mid-slope of the sacred mountain.
In Hanemiya, the capital of Kyokuto, the reconstruction work had resumed, a stark contrast to yesterday's lively festival.
In the clear morning air, the sounds of people carrying rubble echoed quietly. Steam rose from shared pots of food, and figures could be seen replacing tiles on rooftops.
The atmosphere of recovery, different from the festival's clamor, filled the city.
With that scene at my back, I climbed the sacred mountain.
The reason I was heading to the Tenrei Shrine was to investigate the principles located there.
The principles were like the heart of this world.
They were the device that maintained the wall separating this world from the outside, and they supported the very structure of this world.
My main goal was to destroy the wall separating the two worlds and go to the outside.
But that wall existed to prevent the "magical energy from the outside world," which was deadly poison to humans, from invading this world.
If I broke the wall, poison would flood this world.
Sacrificing others for my personal goal was out of the question.
Several ideas for reaching the outside world without sacrificing anyone had come to mind.
But to confirm whether they were truly feasible, I needed to understand the principles.
While organizing what I needed to do in my head, the torii gate—exposed to rain and wind, with patches of paint peeling—came into view.
I passed through the torii and quietly stepped onto the shrine grounds.
Two figures were already there.
"Good morning, Orun."
"G-Good morning!"
Fuuka was the first to greet me.
Beside her, Nagisa gave an awkward bow.
"Good morning, both of you. Sorry for calling you out so early."
As I spoke, I naturally walked forward.
"P-Please don't worry about it! I was planning to come here anyway to help dismantle the scaffolding!"
Nagisa waved her hands hurriedly, but her movements were stiff.
Her voice was also slightly strained.
...She's nervous.
But that was understandable.
Right now, I was known as the "Demon King" and was internationally wanted.
In reality, it was nothing more than a false charge fabricated by the cult guild to socially isolate me.
Nagisa must have heard the truth from Fuuka, but the impression created by that infamous name could not be easily erased.
The fact that she was even speaking to me was more than enough.
"Dismantling the scaffolding? Isn't that heavy work for just you and Fuuka? Couldn't you ask others for help—ah, right. This is a restricted area."
Access to the sacred mountain was limited to members of the Shinonome, Asagiri, and Tendo families.
Only on the final day of the Spirit Dance Festival were others allowed entry. On any other day, only a select few could enter.
Normally, I did not have that qualification either.
But with approval from both Fuuka and Nagisa, I was currently an exception.
"Yes... But it's not actually that heavy. The Asagiri family has passed down an original magic spell specifically for assembling and dismantling this scaffolding. After dismantling it, we store it in a storage magic tool, carry it outside, and then burn it following the proper procedure."
"I see... So the Asagiri family has its own method."
When I replied, Nagisa's expression softened a little. Even so, her posture still carried some stiffness.
I wanted to build a good relationship with her if possible.
But that would have to be done slowly, without rushing.
"...Um, Orun."
Nagisa suddenly spoke, her gaze lowered.
There was a hint of fear mixed into her voice.
"Actually, there are two things I want to tell you...!"
"Two things?"
"Yes. The first is—thank you so much for your efforts in saving this country the other day! I heard that Philly leaving the country was also thanks to you, Orun. Thank you very much!"
Nagisa bowed deeply.
Her voice was clearly filled with gratitude.
"There's no need to thank me for that."
I replied with a wry smile.
This had been Fuuka's long-cherished wish.
I had simply moved to fulfill a comrade's desire.
Besides, I also had my own reasons for wanting to suppress the principles early.
"…Even so, thank you."
Nagisa raised her face and looked straight at me once more.
I didn't think thanks were necessary, but accepting them would probably ease some of her tension.
"You're welcome. ...So, what's the second thing?"
"…The second thing is——"
When I shifted the topic to the second matter, Nagisa hesitated for a moment before continuing.
After a brief pause, her gaze drifted away.
Her fingers tightly gripped the sleeve of her own clothes.
"It's about the summit meeting that took place last month. ...At that meeting, I took a position in favor of the proposal to issue an international warrant for your arrest, Orun."
Her voice trembled slightly.
Even so, she did not run from the words.
The summit meeting was the gathering of national leaders and their equivalents to discuss cooperation against the magical beasts that had begun spreading across the world.
At that meeting, strengthened international cooperation was agreed upon, and the conquest of the Great Labyrinth was set as humanity's top shared priority.
—It was also the place where my international wanted status was decided.
"It's true that there was pressure from the cult. Even so...the fact that I raised my hand at that meeting remains unchanged. In the end, I was partly responsible for driving you into a corner."
Nagisa bowed deeply once more.
Her shoulders were trembling faintly.
"I'm truly...very sorry...!"
Nagisa remained bowed, unmoving.
Looking at her, I realized something.
...I had misunderstood.
I had thought Nagisa was tense because she was afraid of me.
But in reality, it was guilt over the fact that her actions had helped turn me into an internationally wanted criminal.
If that was the case, I needed to clear up that misunderstanding quickly.
"Raise your head. This isn't something you need to apologize for. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for making you suffer like this."
"N-No! There's no reason for you to apologize...!"
"No, in this matter, I'm the one at fault. Because being internationally wanted was something I wanted."
"...Eh?"
"I knew the cult had their eyes on me. I also knew they would target the "Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky". To draw the cult's target away from the "Silver Rabbit", I asked Princess Lucilla to propose my international arrest at the summit meeting. If she brought it up, it would publicly show that the Kingdom of Nohitant—the base of the "Silver Rabbit"—was hostile toward me, right?"
"…Now that you mention it, it was Princess Lucilla who made that proposal..."
Nagisa's eyes widened in shock, momentarily speechless at what I had said.
"Fuuka, what Orun is saying is true."
Fuuka, who had been quietly observing until now, spoke up.
"Fuuka Big Sister..."
"I was present when Orun and Lucilla discussed this. Orun clearly said he would take the blame for that incident. Lucilla understood his intention and framed him as an internationally wanted criminal."
"..."
"So there's no need for you to feel guilty, Nagisa."
At Fuuka's words, Nagisa kept her head lowered, biting her lip hard.
After a long silence, a trembling voice escaped her.
"…Even so, I can't forgive myself..."
When Nagisa finally lifted her face, her eyes were filled with regret and sadness.
"I couldn't defy the cult's orders until the very end...!"
Nagisa's cry sounded as if she were punishing herself.
Her shoulders shook.
The feeling of powerlessness at being unable to do anything with her own strength, and the regret over past failures.
Those were emotions I knew all too well.
"…Nagisa."
I slowly walked closer to her.
"We don't always walk the perfectly right path. If someone never makes mistakes, it just means they aren't moving forward. Mistakes and regrets are proof that you tried to move forward. And after moving forward, you stand at the next crossroads. Whether to stop or keep walking."
Nagisa stared at me with wide eyes.
So I continued.
"The fact that you're acknowledging your own weakness here and now is far braver than silently obeying someone's orders."
"…Brave...?"
"Yes. Facing your own weakness is scary for anyone. You want to run away. But you're facing it properly right now. In that case—you're no longer just someone who follows orders. From now on, you can walk according to your own will."
Tears that had welled up in Nagisa's eyes quietly spilled over.
But the shadow that had been on her face earlier was gone.
"…Can I really change?"
Fuuka gently moved closer to Nagisa, who had murmured those words.
"The moment you think you want to change, you've already started changing. It's okay. You can become a strong person, Nagisa."
At those words, Nagisa finally gave a small—but somehow proud—smile.