Chapter 12: The Place Where I Am

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Gazing at the world from atop a tall tower.

Rin, showing her resolve to never let go of my right hand, grips it tightly.

The two of us watch a world where night turns to dawn.

“This place…… they call it the ‘Completion Tower.’ Inside…… it seems to hold the memories and records of all living beings that have existed so far. They say it can even regenerate life.”

“That’s amazing……!”

“Yeah. The ‘Decaying Venom’ that had spread across the world…… it’s also the venom created by the genius scientist who saved Tsuki-san. So, believing that someone would one day appear to save the world, that scientist built the ‘Completion Tower.’ I saw it in Tsuki-san’s memories.”

“I see……”

Using my power, Rin performed a magic to regenerate this decayed world. It seems we could only use it because it was something Goddess Tsuki desired too.

When the magic activated, my little sister, who communicated with Goddess Tsuki, apparently peeked into all her memories. She hung her head for a while but leaned against me, saying, “If Onii-chan hadn’t been there…… I…… might not have been able to recover……”

I feel a little happy seeing my sister act spoiled again after so long. Even the other day when it was just the two of us, I could tell she was holding back somehow.

“Hey, Rin. What’s going to happen to this world from now on?”

“Hmm. The venom’s gone, but it’s still harsh for living things to thrive freely. As you can see from here, the whole world’s turned into a wasteland. But the mechanical humans have stayed behind for this day, so starting today…… once dawn breaks, they’ll carry out the world restoration plan. It’ll probably take decades to finish, but when it’s done────life will overflow in the world again, they say.”

“I see. The world’s going to become peaceful, huh.”

“Yup!”

“Hmm~”

“Onii-chan? What’s wrong?”

“Goddess Tsuki’s gone now, right? Since she turned into that crystal.”

“Yeah? That’s right.”

“So…… does that mean for this world, Rin…… you’ve become a goddess!?”

“Eh!? Me, a goddess?”

My little sister’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I mean, all the lives born from now on will be thanks to you, Rin. Doesn’t that mean it won’t be long before people worship you as a goddess?”

“But I can’t really do anything for them……?”

“Isn’t that fine? You don’t have to lend a hand just because you’re a goddess. There’s no need to force anything either—just correct them if they stray off the path. But I feel like this world’s going to be okay now. After all, it’s a world where Rin’s become a goddess!”

“Ahaha~ What’s that supposed to mean~”

Dawn breaks, and a red sun rises from beyond the mountains.

The world, once shrouded in darkness, gradually takes on color as it’s bathed in sunlight.

“Onii-chan! Over there!”

Where my sister points, a massive structure rivaling the super-giant ‘Completion Tower’ we’re in reveals itself.

It didn’t show up under the moonlight last night—maybe it’s made of some special material?

“It’s huge.”

“Yup! It looks like that’s where all the mechanical humans live!”

The lower part of the building opens, and flying cars with mechanical humans inside start emerging one after another.

I’ve never spoken with them, but…… they somehow look happy.

“From now on, they’ll work every day to make the world beautiful again. I’m looking forward to it, Onii-chan~”

“Yeah. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The world’s darkness is completely dispelled by the sun, and light reaches where we’re sitting, bringing warmth.

Suddenly, my sister looks behind us.

“Onii-chan, let’s go there! But it’s far, so carry me!”

“Uh, sure.”

I princess-carry my sister and start running.

We arrive at the garden in the center of the ‘Completion Tower.’

“Tsuki-san never gave up hope because this place was here~”

“A garden, huh. But it doesn’t look like any plants were grown here. And there’s no soil either?”

“Yeah. There’s no soil because the tower itself has the same properties as soil, so you just put seeds in the gaps here. They say that’s enough. But even if a sprout comes up, it withers…… Tsuki-san tried over and over again, it seems.”

“Over and over……”

“Believing that one day a sprout would grow……”

“But……”

“No, Onii-chan, look at this.”

“Hm?”

In the tiny gap my sister points to────there’s a seed so small you’d miss it unless you got close. And────it looks like it’s just about to sprout.

“This…… it’s the plant Goddess Tsuki was raising!?”

“Yup!”

“Then…… what Goddess Tsuki was doing……”

“I think it’ll finally sprout now! Because Tsuki-san never gave up…… I think this garden will be full of green from now on!”

Rin says this with a smile, but there are small tears in the corners of her eyes.

Having seen Goddess Tsuki’s past, my sister must have felt both her pain and her hope.

“That’s great, huh.”

“Yeah! And────”

“Hm?”

“Tsuki-san’s efforts wouldn’t have worked alone, but…… Onii-chan made them come true!”

“Rin.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s not just me. You too, us together. Right?”

“! Y-Yeah, that’s right!”

“Yeah. Goddess Tsuki’s surely grateful to you, Rin. You’re amazing too.”

“Ehehe~ I did it with Onii-chan!”

Watching my joyful sister────I suddenly recall Mom’s face.

“Oh. Shouldn’t we head back soon? Mom might be worried.”

“Ah! Right! Mama…… she’s probably super worried……”

“By the way, mom caught a fever and collapsed before I came here.”

“Eh!? Mama got sick……? This is a big deal! Onii-chan! Let’s go back right now!”

“Yeah.”

Rin pulls my hand.

Right before leaving, I cast the skill Natural Growth (Weak) on it.

As we leave the garden, I feel like the tiny seed glimmers for a moment toward us.

In front of a rift in the world, I take out a crystal to measure potential, releasing a black mist.

“Wah~ Onii-chan’s black mist~”

“Rin? You’re not scared?”

“Nope. Not at all?”

“I see.”

The black mist starts seeping into the rift’s gap, making a crackling sound as it begins to widen the fissure.

Soon, with a sound like shattering glass, the space splits open.

A different scenery appears in the empty space, and I step inside, holding Rin’s hand.

“Mama!”

“Rin-chan!”

Entering the house, Mom runs over with a frantic look and hugs my sister.

“Welcome back……!”

“I’m home…… Sorry for worrying────”

“It’s fine, you know? Rin-chan, just coming back safe…… I’m truly grateful for that.”

“Mama……”

“Hinata, thank you too. You properly went to find your sister, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Thanks for waiting for us, Mom.”

“Of course. Now, you must be hungry, right? Let’s eat.”

“Mama? I heard from Onii-chan that you got sick……”

“Oh? You’re worried about me?”

“I was really worried!”

“Thank you~ But I’m fine now! Mama’s strength is her health, after all!”

“The only person I’ve heard say health is their strength is you, Mama.”

“Hehe. If you worry about it, you lose, okay? Come on, food, food~!”

“Yeah~”

Watching my sister follow behind Mom feels so reassuring.

“Mom~”

“It’s fine~ Tell Hina-chan, Shino-chan, and Hiroto-kun I say hi too~”

Ahaha…… I haven’t said anything yet, but it’s like she already knows everything.

I sit in the living room right away, pull out my smartphone, and contact my friends.

“Everyone, we found Rin. She’s helping Mom with cooking now.”

“Wah! Rin-chan, welcome back~”

“Welcome back~”

“Good to know Rin-chan’s safe. Hinata-kun, good work~”

A flood of chat messages comes from my friends all at once.

Looks like they were all worried too.

“Oh! Hinata! Call the police too!”

“Got it.”

I call the police right away, hiding the other world stuff and lying that we found her sleeping at an arcade.

Surprisingly, they believed me easily, and I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile wondering if that was okay. If Mom or Rin had called, it might’ve turned into a big deal.

Even though I’m used to it…… I’ve settled into Seishin Town, but the vibe in Eran Town still overwhelms me.

A delicious smell wafts from the kitchen.

“Hinata-kun, you’re not hurt?”

“Nah. Rin and I are both fine. Thanks for worrying about us.”

With the calls done, I wipe the table and turn on the TV.

It’s showing the moon, which returned to normal last night after the sky split open.

Tons of commentators and experts are giving their opinions, many linking it to dungeons or Goddess Island.

Goddess Island, huh……

I need to decide this month whether to go or not.

Mom said it’s fine, but I wonder if I’m even qualified to go to a place like that…… Still, Hina and the others said they’d come with me if I went, and thinking about the team, it might be better to visit Goddess Island and explore.

The world Goddess Tsuki managed, Arcadia.

A long history piled up, and in the end, it became a wasteland with a special venom scattered across the world. Seeing glimpses of it feels like I’ve learned a lot.

“Onii-chan~ Sorry for the wait.”

A big plate lined with delicious-looking meat comes out.

I head to the kitchen right away to help carry the food Mom made.

“Mom, lots of meat dishes today, huh? That’s rare.”

“Of course! After something tough happens, you need to build up your strength! Meat’s the way to go at times like this!”

Hearing the word “meat” from Mom, who usually insists on balanced meals, makes me chuckle a little.

The table’s filled with so much food, I’m worried the three of us won’t be able to finish it all.

“That’s a lot……”

“Hehe. Ever since Hiroto-kun came over to hang out, I can’t help but make too much~ It’s fine to leave leftovers; I’ll use them for bento sides. No need to force yourselves~”

““Let’s eat.””

My sister and I clasp our hands together and start eating.

Eating with friends is delicious and fun, but sharing a meal with just family like this feels truly happy too.

“Oh? Hehe.”

“Hm? Mom? What’s up?”

“Lately you two have been eating apart, but today you’re sitting side by side, I thought.”

“Now that you mention it, yeah…… but the other day, our friends were here too.”

“Hinata? You can’t, okay? You need to properly look after Rin-chan too.”

“But I-I am looking after her?”

“Really~?”

While bantering with Mom, my sister next to me keeps grinning ear to ear.

“Mama~”

“Yeah?”

“Um, I told Onii-chan about my potential.”

“Oh…… you did, huh.”

“Yeah.”

Mom looks at me with a slightly apologetic expression.

But I know both Mom and Rin did it thinking of me, so I’m not mad—more like grateful, feeling how much my family loves me.

“Mom, thanks.”

“Haah…… I’d honestly feel better if you got mad at me. Both you, Hinata, and Rin-chan have grown up so kind……”

“Haha. Well, Rin and I────we’re Mom’s kids, after all.”

“Exactly!”

Mom’s slightly surprised face seems to blush a little.

That day, for the first time in a while, we enjoyed a family meal together and spent a slow, happy time as three.

Night.

“Mom, Rin. I’ve got something to talk about.”

When I say that, Mom turns off the TV she was watching and looks at me with a serious expression. Rin too.

I haven’t even said anything yet, but they both read the mood like this……

“Sure.”

“Um…… I’ve been thinking a lot, and I………… I’m thinking of quitting Seishin High School and moving back home.”

“Hinata……”

“Onii-chan……”

“I…… honestly thought maybe it’d be better if I wasn’t by Rin’s side. That’s why I wanted to get stronger and took the entrance exam for Seishin High School…… When I passed, I felt relieved, like I’d found an excuse. Like maybe I wouldn’t have to burden Rin anymore.”

Mom and Rin listen silently. Rin’s eyes well up with big tears, but she’s trying hard to hold them back.

“And going to Seishin High School, meeting everyone…… being able to go to dungeons and earn money…… but all I did was misunderstand things on my own────”

“Hinata, that’s not true. That’s…… my responsibility as your mother. It was something I should’ve faced you both about properly. But…… I knew you were being shunned by others, Hinata, so I tried not to make it awkward for you.”

“Mom……”

“So you don’t need to worry about that anymore, okay? I just want you, Hinata, and Rin-chan to live your lives the way you want. The last thing I want is to be a shackle holding you two back. That’s why even your dad—I let him live freely. I don’t even know where he is or what he’s doing.”

Now she locks eyes with Rin.

“Yeah. This whole thing made me realize…… it might be an excuse, but the most important thing to me is my family. That’s why I want to be close to Rin, so I can rush to her side anytime.”

“Onii-chan……”

“It was a short time, but…… I learned and realized so much.”

“But…… if Onii-chan comes back here…… Hii-nee and Shii-nee…… they’ll be separated from you…… and the yummy food…… their voices………… they won’t reach anymore!”

“That’s……”

“Hinata? Have you talked to your friends about this?”

“No, not yet. I wanted to talk to you two first before consulting them.”

“I…… still want to be with Onii-chan! But! Hii-nee, Shii-nee, and Hiroto-nii—all the great people you’ve met, Onii-chan’s precious friends…… I don’t want them to drift apart because of me…………”

“Rin……”

Big tears roll down Rin’s cheeks and fall onto her thighs.

I think I understand my sister’s feelings painfully well. I don’t want to part from my friends either. But…… this incident made me realize that if something happens to her and I rush over, the distance is just too far.

If I can only choose one────

“Hinata, are you sure? You got into the school you wanted, and in Eran Town…… you were shunned by lots of people, but over there, you’ve made friends and the Kamui family’s been good to you, right?”

“I don’t mean to take my friends or anyone lightly. But…… even so, thinking something might happen to Rin again……”

“……As your mother, I’ll respect your opinion, Hinata, and I’d love to live together as a family of three again. But…… don’t the people who’ve been kind to you need your strength too? And maybe…… it’s something only you can do?”

“That’s……”

“So, you know? I…… don’t want you to throw away your current life, Hinata. But it’d be a problem if you’re so worried about Rin-chan that you can’t focus on studying or being an explorer.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Mom────gives me and my sister a gentle smile.

“I thought we’d always be family even if we’re apart, but when trouble hits, I end up relying on you too, Hinata. So, there’s only one solution.”

“Mom?”

“Mama……?”

“Hehe. How about this?”

With a sly grin, Mom────suggests something outrageous.

My sister and I are shocked by the unexpected idea, but we decide to trust Mom when she says, “Leave it to me!”

Right after, I tell the team everything that happened today, exactly as it went.

When I said I’d quit Seishin High School and move back home, I could picture their sad faces even through the smartphone, but when I shared Mom’s suggestion, happy messages came flooding in.

The next day.

With Mom off to work, my sister and I start cleaning the house.

Even with all the windows open, it’s gotten so warm that sweat drips from Rin’s forehead.

“Onii-chan’s not sweating!”

“Hm? Oh, thanks to my skill.”

“Eh~ I’m jealous~ I want it too!”

“Even if you say that…… it’s not something I can just give you……”

“Eh~ Couldn’t I get it if you used Threads of Bonds from yesterday?”

“Hm? Maybe. Wanna try?”

I connect Threads of Bonds with my sister.

This way, all sorts of feelings we’re both having get transmitted too.

When I focus on the skill Heat Resistance────

“Wah! It’s not hot anymore!”

“Amazing…… the skill applies, huh.”

Calming down and trying it out, I figure out how it works.

Using Threads of Bonds, I can copy one of my regular skills to her while we’re connected. So both Rin and I can avoid the heat with Heat Resistance.

There’s almost no delay in copying, so it seems I can give Rin whatever skill’s needed at the moment.

With this, we could probably run around with Absolute Stealth too, but let’s try that another time.

For now, it’s just me and my sister focusing on cleaning the house.

────That’s when it happens.

My sister lets out a loud yelp.

“Wah!?”

“Rin!?”

When I look at Rin, the small yellow crystal left by Goddess Tsuki from yesterday’s fight is floating in front of her.

Even though I didn’t mean to connect it, somehow threads link me, Rin, and the yellow crystal together.

A dazzling light spills out from the yellow crystal────and a pitch-black shadow swallows Rin.

“Rin!!”

“! Onii-chan! Wait!”

Rin, now completely engulfed by the black shadow and looking like a pitch-black figure, holds out both hands to stop me.

“A-Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Um, Tsuki-san wants to do something! It doesn’t hurt or feel bad! I want to see what Tsuki-san’s trying to do.”

“O-Okay……”

It looks pretty dangerous just by appearance, but if Rin herself says she’s fine, I guess I’ll trust her.

“Wah!? Ahaha~ It tickles~”

The black shadow squirms, sticking to and peeling off Rin’s body repeatedly.

“Oh, Onii-chan~ Take a picture of how I look right now~”

“O-Okay……”

My sister’s something else—telling me to take a picture even though it looks tough; she’s got guts.

I use my smartphone to snap a photo of Rin swallowed by the shadow.

It lasts a few minutes────then light spills out from the black shadow.

It’s blinding, but I can’t risk something happening to Rin, so I put on Fool’s Mask. This lets me stare even at the sun.

The glowing black shadow starts separating from Rin.

And then────

“Ehhh!?”

I can’t help but shout.

What’s there is────

“Waaah! Onii-chan, you idiot! Don’t stare at me naked like that!”

Rin blocks my view.

But with the mask, I can’t cover my eyes.

The black shadow has turned into a girl with slightly darker skin, almost identical to Rin, looking up at us.