“I understand everything, Kenyya-kun. With that in mind, won’t you trust me?”
Reina’s explanation was vague.
However, she was heading this way now.
She asked that we please hear her out without hostility.
“I see… Sorry. I was acting as a resistance member in secret.”
“No, it’s fine. But we were enemies, weren’t we? I never thought I’d be fighting you in reality, not just in the Simulator.”
“…Sorry.”
“There’s someone who wants to talk to you. We’re heading there now, the three of us including Papa.”
“…”
“Mitsurugi? It’s me, Zeke.”
“Zeke-san… I’m sorry for betraying you like that.”
“…I see. I’m relieved. You’re still you. I thought even your personality had been fabricated… There’s no need to apologize. You must have had your own reasons. So, let’s talk. We have no intention of fighting. If you can’t trust us, you can wait inside that unit.”
Kenyya understood that appearing at the negotiation table in a KOG was a considerable concession.
If Kenyya had malicious intent, he could kill unarmed people in seconds.
“Tanaka-san…”
“Zeke-san… he can be trusted. He’s a citizen of the Aasgard Empire, but he’s also an ally of the Japanese.”
“Is that so… I think so too.”
Tanaka nodded.
Tanaka, who knew Zeke well, said it was okay to trust Zeke’s words.
Kenyya didn’t know why Zeke was so kind to the Japanese.
Even so, he had experienced his character many times.
He was not discriminatory, and he could say with certainty that he would never do anything cowardly.
That’s the kind of person he was.
“Understood. Then, I apologize for the rudeness, but I’ll wait inside the Takemikazuchi.”
“Ah! Thank you, Mitsurugi!”
Still, trusting everything was something only a fool would do.
That’s why he would wait inside the Takemikazuchi.
From inside, he was confident that he could break through any strategy the opponent might use.
Tanaka and Kenyya waited inside the Takemikazuchi.
It was cramped, but there was still enough room for two people.
Then, a military vehicle approached from afar.
Kenyya had no idea what kind of conversation they intended to have.
A car stopped in front of them.
Zeke seemed to be the one driving.
And Reina got out of the stopped car alone.
(Reina…)
What kind of face should he make when he met her?
Even though the goal was to neutralize her without killing her, he had pointed his sword at her.
Not in the Simulator, but with a weapon that could actually take her life.
“Kenyya-kun… you’re there, right?”
Reina slowly walked over and touched the Takemikazuchi.
“It was amazing. Really. I’ve never seen a fight like that. You’re really amazing, Kenyya-kun. And even though I fought seriously, I still couldn’t win, even with a custom unit.”
She was trembling.
“I was scared. I really felt like I was going to die. You’re amazing.”
Seeing her like that, Kenyya stood up.
Looking at Reina, who seemed depressed and sad.
“Tanaka-san, I’m sorry!”
“Hmph. Ah, it’s fine. Go ahead.”
Kenyya opened the cockpit and got out of the Takemikazuchi.
He was probably being foolish, but seeing her like that, he couldn’t believe she had come to kill him.
He couldn’t stand seeing the sad expression on the girl’s face.
His emotions moved Kenyya.
(Really, looking at him like this, he’s just a kind boy.)
Tanaka watched his back as he left the cockpit.
He didn’t look like the boy who had snatched victory from the world’s strongest empire.
“Kenyya-kun!?”
“Reina, I’m sorry. I pointed my blade at you. I didn’t intend to kill you, but I was serious. I thought some injuries were unavoidable.”
Kenyya used the ladder to climb down from the cockpit.
Reina, who hadn’t expected him to come down, was surprised.
He appeared in front of her and bowed his head to Reina.
“I-If you’re going to say that, then I was the one who was serious about you.”
“No, you didn’t know. I knew it was Reina. For a moment, I even considered taking your life. That’s why I wanted to apologize.”
“Is that so… You came down to apologize? Even though you might get killed!?”
“Yeah… I’m sorry? Reina.”
He looked at Reina with eyes like a child about to be scolded.
Reina was even more surprised.
The strongest pilot who had cut down 100 people seemed to be afraid of being scolded by her, who was much weaker than Kenyya.
And then, her icy expression melted.
“Fufu. Really…”
It was the first time Kenyya had seen it, and Reina hadn’t seen it in a long time.
She couldn’t help but smile back at Kenyya.
“You’re a strange person.”
“…”
Kenyya couldn’t speak.
Seeing Reina’s smile for the first time, his mouth remained open.
He had never seen that smile, so innocent and carefree, even in his previous world.
“Then, I forgive you. In light of your sincerity.”
“Ah, thank you! Reina.”
Then, timing it when the conversation had come to a pause, Zeke approached.
“Mitsurugi, we’ve talked about various things…”
“Zeke-san.”
“There’s something I want you to hear first, from this person.”
Then, Zeke-san opened the back seat of the car.
A young boy appeared from inside.
“Y-You… Why are you here!”
“Hello, Kenyya-kun. Or, should I call you this now?”
He had golden hair, a little long.
His body was small, but he exuded a definite presence.
“A member of the resistance ‘Amaterasu’, and the first to make me taste defeat.”
The commander of the enemy they had been fighting to the death until just now, the ruler of the world.
“The Japanese Samurai.”
Lord Earthgards stood there.