Chapter 355. Refugees Wandering the Ends of the Earth
「Anastasia stated her purpose directly: she intended to go to the Pleiades Watchtower with Hikigaya Hachiman to find a way to break the Authority of the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony.」
「This was not a request for permission, but merely a notification to Roswaal, as the two most important parties involved had already agreed. After a year of being suppressed by Hachiman, Roswaal, whose power had utterly collapsed, now had no right to oppose decisions made by Emilia.」
「Ram had no time to stand up for Roswaal either, because she also approved of this decision—with only one requirement: she would take Rem with her to the Watchtower.」
「This was something Hikigaya Hachiman had promised her long ago.」
「With Emilia and Beatrice as witnesses, Ram's request to join the journey was quickly approved by everyone.」
「Finally, the most indispensable person for the trip to the Watchtower—Meili, the beast tamer who possessed the Divine Protection of Mabeast Manipulation. Otto had already dispatched soldiers to invite her back.」
「During the wait, Otto explained: "After the Bowel Hunter was killed, Meili surrendered. We discovered afterward that her outlook was quite deformed because she had been raised incorrectly; her true nature is actually salvageable."」
「"Combined with the need to go to the Pleiades Watchtower, Hachiman-san decided to spare her life back then. However, there were conditions."」
「"As punishment, Hachiman-san put Meili to full use, making her frequently lure mabeasts out of the forest so they could set ambushes outside to eliminate them. Consequently, the mabeasts in that forest are now on the brink of extinction, and the villagers' situation has become very safe."」
「"Hachiman-san also had Meili list the innocent people she had killed, then dispatched soldiers to investigate. If those people had surviving family members, he had money secretly sent to them as a meager form of compensation on Meili's behalf."」
「This set of procedures was, for the most part, a win-win situation.」
「After a year of observation, Meili had now managed to get half a foot into the Emilia camp. The treatment she received here was quite good—her food, clothing, and housing were all excellent—but she held no power, was subject to restrictions, and did not have their full trust.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman had once discussed with Otto that after observing for a few more years, if there were still no issues, it wouldn't be impossible to formally accept Meili.」
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"The way this was handled is indeed not bad."
In the Sacred Vollachia Empire, Vincent agreed quite strongly. For capable people, putting them to their best use is the optimal path. Since Meili wasn't irreconcilable like the Bowel Hunter, it was naturally best to win her over.
However, the matter of giving money was unnecessary—there was no profit in it.
While people like Vincent were remarking on how kind Hikigaya Hachiman's personality was, back on Earth, many people knit their brows and began to voice their protests.
"But isn't this too unfair? Meili killed so many people when she was an assassin, yet Hikigaya-senpai lets her live such a comfortable life? Isn't this too unfair, too much?"
At the Shirogane household, Shirogane Kei felt the disappointment of her "idol filter" shattering.
Until now, Hikigaya Hachiman's methods in various matters had been fair, decisive, and moral. This was the first time his actions had met with widespread opposition.
"How could Senpai do such a thing!"
Although they had known previously that he spared Meili's life to successfully conquer the Sage's Tower...
In everyone's imagination, Meili should have been confined in a dungeon as a prisoner. That would have been appropriate. No one expected her to be so comfortable.
"Because you've got it wrong, Kei. You're transferring Meili's fault onto Hikigaya."
Looking at his indignant sister, Shirogane Miyuki sighed. "Meili killed many people, and punishing her would certainly be best, but not punishing her is also Hikigaya's freedom."
"Meili has half a foot in the Emilia camp now, yes, but her killings happened before that. At that time, Hikigaya didn't know her at all, so he naturally had no obligation to stop her."
"Meili has faults and guilt, but Hikigaya, who accepted her, is completely unrelated to those faults and guilt. He doesn't need to bear them for her—Meili entered the Emilia camp by force as a loser of a failed assassination attempt."
"You have to remember, Meili is essentially a 'spoils of war' for the Emilia camp. She is fundamentally just a prisoner."
"The Emilia camp members are also victims of Meili's killings. If the Emilia camp themselves are willing to forgive Meili and not subject her to severe punishment, that is their own freedom. No outsider has the right to interfere."
Shirogane Miyuki's objective analysis acted like a bucket of cold water poured over the fired-up Shirogane Kei.
She began to think and realized that if Hikigaya-senpai didn't punish Meili, there truly was no one who could criticize him.
After all, Hikigaya-senpai himself was a victim of Meili. He wasn't erasing Meili's past sins as an outsider, but from the same position as those killed by her.
"Besides, Hikigaya-senpai didn't pardon Meili's faults on behalf of other victims; he only helped Meili provide compensation..."
Shirogane Kei realized with a start that, given the prerequisite of needing Meili, this approach was indeed the best of both worlds. If they imprisoned Meili, who knew if she would summon mabeasts to wipe out Emilia and the others once they reached the Augria Sand Dunes?
Treating her well and building a rapport was necessary.
"I see... Was I just... holding too high an expectation for Senpai?"
Shirogane Kei shook her head dejectedly, murmuring to herself.
Miyuki patted her shoulder. "Hikigaya is not a god. He can't be perfect in everything. Given his own needs, he could only choose Rem over killing Meili for those innocent people."
Similar situations were playing out all over Earth.
Only now did the vast majority of people realize with a shock...
It wasn't just Emilia.
It wasn't just people like Emilia who held blind and immense expectations for Hikigaya Hachiman, believing that he could solve everything.
Without realizing it, even they—the bystanders—had uncontrollably become the same way.
"But in a situation where perfection is impossible, Hikigaya has his limits, too. He can only choose the relatively best course of action."
"..."
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"How do you feel, Meili?" In the wild outskirts, sitting on the back of a magic beast, Elsa teased the dazed Meili charmingly.
"I don't hate Big Brother at all, but... that sort of thing can't happen anymore."
Meili understood. Now that the three Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, Lust, and Greed were dead, she wouldn't be as useful as she was in the future.
"Elsa, you dummy, we can't change anymore. There's no going back."
Leaning against Elsa's shoulder, Meili said deeply: "...Sister."
"Yeah—being an incompetent sister isn't bad either. From now on, let's flee together and wander the world, my silly little sister."
Elsa flicked Meili's forehead and spoke with a smile.
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