"What a coincidence. Do you also have a friend coming today?"
"Also?"
As they walked, Yukina Himeragi suddenly stopped and looked at Cid in confusion.
Noticing her gaze, Cid nodded.
"Yeah. I've got a friend coming to Itogami Island today too."
"Really? Since it's such a coincidence, then let me come with you to pick up your friend.
Senpai's friend… I'm really curious what kind of person could be friends with someone as kind as you. They must be a really kind person too, just like Senpai."
"K-kind? Ha, ha… hahaha. I think you shouldn't expect too much from my friend, Yukina. I'm not as good as you make me sound, and someone who can be friends with a person like me may not be evil, but they definitely can't be called kind either."
"Senpai, you're being too modest."
M-modest?
Cid's mind drifted to how, in order to play the role of an Eminence in Shadow, he had once painted grand visions and made wild promises to the witches, which ultimately led Netheril to go from a terrorist organization to a nation whose international style could only be described as "America."
And then there was yesterday, when he had been discussing how to be evil with Uncle Rizevim. He had casually given Rizevim a rough lecture on how to become the kind of villain who made the protagonist question his values, was despised by the masses, and could neither be beaten nor argued against. The way Rizevim had looked at him then, it was as if he wanted to jump in and do it himself.
Uncle Rizevim had even gotten so fired up from listening that he said once he killed the current Four Great Satans and reclaimed the name Lucifer, he would appoint Cid as Beelzebub.
Thinking about his wanted status across the world and his position as the ruler of a nation that could practically be described as a copy of "America," putting the word kind on him…
Well, let's take a look at the friend who was coming this time, everyone.
...She didn't seem like a good person either.
After recalling the actions of that silver-haired, blue-eyed, mole-beneath-the-eye, shady elf, Cid suddenly realized that this friend of his was not exactly someone who could be called kind either.
To talk about the recent past, he had already run into her killing people more than once or twice. To go further back, she had plagiarized all kinds of famous works from his previous world, and those works were the very ones he himself had told her about.
"Um… Senpai, are you okay? Could it be that when you were injured at the Keystone Gate, there were hidden wounds the doctors failed to notice, and now they're flaring up and affecting you?
Come to think of it, Senpai, maybe the reason you forgot my name is because of that injury. Senpai, let's go to the hospital right now."
Cid's sudden lapse immediately caught Yukina Himeragi's attention, since all the attention she had along the way was focused on him, worried about his condition.
Already badly shaken by Cid forgetting her name, Yukina Himeragi, in her panic, had even started suspecting that he had injured his head at the Keystone Gate and that it had gone unnoticed. She tried to drag him off for an examination, but fortunately Cid stopped her in time.
"Stop, stop, stop, Yukina. I already told you, I wasn't injured at all at the Keystone Gate. No matter how unlucky I am, there's no way I'd get hit by collapsing rocks."
Yukina Himeragi did not believe a word Cid said.
That had been a rescue carried out hundreds of meters underground inside the already collapsing Keystone Gate, while carrying someone on his back.
Even if she herself had been in perfect condition, she was not confident she could have pulled off that rescue without getting hurt. The ground under her feet could suddenly cave in at any moment and throw off her balance, and with huge rocks falling at random, the best-case scenario would have been taking a few minor injuries.
If luck turned against her and the worst happened, then deep within the Keystone Gate, once it completely collapsed, the full weight of the structure would have crushed her body until not even bones remained.
Smashing the boulders was out of the question. Setting aside the Spiritual Energy consumption, just the act of breaking them would have disrupted her balance while running through the air, which was enough for her to dismiss the idea. Once her movement was delayed, death would be certain when the Keystone Gate fully collapsed.
So in Yukina Himeragi's eyes, Cid-senpai was obviously lying to her because he did not want her to worry about his condition.
And more than two days had already passed. With Cid's constitution as a Magic Swordsman, plus the fact that he was deliberately hiding his injuries, covering them up would have been far too easy.
The more Yukina Himeragi thought about how she had wanted to check on Cid the day before yesterday, only to wait for a long time with no one answering the door, and how she had then been delayed by other matters yesterday, the more convinced she became of her guess.
Her Senpai had to have suffered serious injuries. He just did not want to tell her because he did not want her to worry.
She wanted to say something, but seeing how Cid was stubbornly refusing to admit it and had no intention of going to the hospital, she could only let out a helpless sigh.
"I've pretty much finished talking about my friend. What about you, Yukina? Since she's your friend, she must be a very powerful Attack Mage too, right?"
The moment Cid brought up her friend, Yukina Himeragi perked up and nodded repeatedly.
"Mm-hmm! Sayaka-chan is actually even stronger than I am. Back when we were at the High God Forest, she was the one taking care of me.
Ah… Sayaka is her name. Her full name is Sayaka Kirasaka. She was my roommate at the High God Forest. Today I'll introduce you to her so you can get to know each other.
Well… her personality does have a tiny little issue, but it's nothing serious…"
As Yukina Himeragi continued her introduction, Cid let it go in one ear and out the other while mentally reviewing the map of Itogami Island.
If he remembered correctly, turning left at the next intersection and going straight would lead to the port.
After confirming it, Cid casually responded a few times to Yukina Himeragi, who was chatting nonstop beside him, and turned right.
A few seconds later…
"Huh?" X2
He turned his head back and met Yukina Himeragi's eyes.
She had gone left, the exact opposite direction from him.
Rubbing his chin, Cid compared the directions with the map in his head and came to a conclusion.
"Hmm… Yukina, your friend is arriving by plane, right?"
"Y-yes. Sayaka-chan was in a hurry for some reason, so she booked a flight straight to Itogami Island."
"Oh, that's really… ahem, that's really unfortunate. My friend is coming by boat."
Spreading his hands, Cid put on a helpless expression and spoke in a regretful tone.
"Looks like we'll have to split up here, Yukina. I was actually looking forward to meeting your friend."
"Y-yeah… what a coincidence it was. I thought I could spend some time with Senpai and introduce you to Sayaka-chan…"
Yukina Himeragi's mood visibly dropped.
She was still smiling, but anyone could tell it was forced. The reluctance, regret, and disappointment around her made her look especially pitiful.
"Alright, alright, it's not a big deal. After I finish the Rating Game tonight, you can introduce us tomorrow."
"Y-yes, that's right… Then I'll introduce Sayaka-chan to you tomorrow, Senpai."
"Mm, see you."
"Goodbye, Senpai."
After saying goodbye, Cid headed straight toward the port without looking back, leaving Yukina Himeragi standing there alone.
She could only bite her lip in frustration as she walked alone toward the airport where her friend would arrive.
I should have been happy knowing Sayaka is coming to Itogami Island to be with me.
Running into Senpai on the way and spending time talking with him should have made me happy too.
My respected Senpai and my close friend who always takes care of me meeting each other… shouldn't that be double the happiness?
Then why does it feel so painful knowing Senpai can't come with me to pick up Sayaka-chan, and that we have to part ways?
Why couldn't Senpai's friend come by plane instead of by boat? Then I could have gone together with Senpai.
Or Sayaka-chan, you could have just come one day later. Then I could have brought Senpai to meet you.
I wanted to experience that triple happiness. Reuniting with my friend, spending time with Senpai, and having my friend meet the Senpai I admire…
Ignoring someone who had fallen into her own tangled thoughts, Cid continued toward the port according to his plan while calling Nagisa Akatsuki.
Before leaving, he had already checked, and there were still no signs that anyone had returned to the Akatsuki house. Considering Nagisa usually treated him to meals every week, he decided to give her a call just in case.
He should have called earlier, but Yukina Himeragi had been sticking to him the whole time, making it inconvenient. He had only just managed to get away from that troublesome girl.