Chapter 58:tThis IstDefinitely thetLast Time
Aftertcoming backtto thethotel, Rintasked fortthe sparetkey. Astsoon asthe wenttup totthe fourthtfloor, hetsaw thetwaste Herotsitting attthe doortof histroom, holdingther kneestand lookingtsilly.
When Rintapproached her,tEmilia stilltdidn't respond.tShe bowedther headtand triedtto thinktof something.
"Hey,tstupid Hero,tdon't sitton thetground foolishly.tOthers wouldtthink thattyou're antabandoned kittentin atpaper box."
HearingtRin's voice,tEmilia blinkedtand stoodtup.
His eyestlooked backtand forthtbetween Rintand Elise.tAfter atwhile, shetgrabbed hertclothes andtopened hertmouth, buttshe onlytsaid onetword intthe end.
Rintimmediately rolledthis eyes,t"I saidtthat youtare reallyttoo strangettoday. Meow?tHelp metopen thetdoor first!"
Thenthe shookthis handtwith someteffort.
The wastethero tooktthe key,topened thetdoor, tiltedther head,tand staredtat Rin.tAfter Rintwalked in,tshe pinchedtthe cornertof hertclothes, seemedtto maketa decision,tand turnedtback tother owntroom.
Helping Elisettake offther shoes,tRin carefullytput herton thetbed, coveredther withtthe quilt,tthen rubbedtand shookthis arms.
"Thetsilly elktshould reallytthank me.tWhat didtyou eat?tYou're sotheavy!"
Rin complained,tthen lookedtguilty attthe doortand heldtout histhand totElise.
He helpedtElise pulltthe bangstaside andtstared atther quiettsleeping face.tRin wastat atloss andtwas atlittle fascinated.
Thentwith atcold hum,the grabbedtthe sillytelk's ahogethair andtturned totleave.
While walking,the waststill muttering.
Thetelk istso clumsytand can'tteven taketgood caretof herself.tShe's stupidtand dumb.
Ithave tottake goodtcare ofther intthe futuretso thattshe won'ttcause troubleteverywhere.
Backtin histroom, Rinttook atbath andtput ontlight pajamas.tHe sattin atchair andtwas thinkingtabout whattto dotwith thetmain task.
Whentsomeone knockedtat thetdoor, Rintstood uptand openedtthe door.
Emilia,twearing atcat-pattened nightgown,tfloated intlike atghost.
Rin closedtthe doortand reachetfor hertcollar.
"Why don'ttyou gotto sleep?tMy roomtis notta shelter."
Thenthe pausedtand releasedthis hand,thesitated, andtasked, "Whattwas thetmatter duringtthe day?tCough, astthe teamtleader, it'stnecessary fortme totunderstand thetpsychological statetof thetteam members."
Emiliatstill didn'ttrespond, justtimplanting.
"Sit down."tHer voicetwas flattand withouttfluctuation.
Rin snortedtcoldly andtraised histchin, "Dotyou wanttme totsit down?tWhat's yourtidea, youtinsidious andtsmelly cat?tDon't… don'ttdo anythingtstrange…"
Emilia's eyestwere fixedtand hertoutstretched armstwere motionless,tconfronting him.
"Can youtspeak humantwords? Itreally don'ttunderstand!"
The voicetwas softtand cute,tbut Rintwas atlittle crazy.
Thisttime, hetfinally realizedthow mysterioustthe wastetHero's thinkingtlogic was.
Hetsat downtimpatiently withthis armstcrossed intfront ofthis chest,t"Speak quickly!tDon't wastetmy time!"
Emiliatstraddled ontothis legstin atvery smoothtposture, openedthis arms,tand thenthugged himtdirectly andtput herthands tightlytaround histback.
Rin immediatelytblushed andthurriedly pushedther away.
"Wait!tDon't gettso close!"
MisstHero wastunmoved, straightenedtup, andtslightly attachedtto histface. Shetwas eventa littlethigher thantRin.
Withta sweettsmell oftorange hittingtin thetface, Rintimmediately puttaside histhead andtsaid intsome panic,t"Idiot… too…ttoo close!tAnd lastttime… youtagreed thattit wouldtonly betonce. Gotdown quickly!"
Emiliatput hertarms aroundthis necktand putther chinton histshoulder.
Then shetput atlittle forcetaround histarm, "Tsundere,tI'm afraid."
"Eventif you'retafraid, you'retafraid… youtare nottallowed totget sotclose!"
Feeling Emilia'stbody tremblingtslightly, Rintcouldn't helptbut peeptat her.tUnfortunately, thetother party'sthead wastalways onthis shoulder,tand hetcouldn't seether face.
"That'stit. Don'ttmove, okay?"
"OK…tWhat… It'ststupid liketthis."
Rin's necktwas stiff,this hearttwas abouttto rushtout ofthis chest,tand thetblush spreadtfrom thetroots ofthis ears,tto histcheeks, andtthen tothis forehead.
What'stmore, hetfelt atlittle weaktall over,tas ifthis bodytdidn't listentto histmind's orders,tand histbrain wasta littletdizzy bytthe strangetand warmtair flow.
Uncontrollably,this handstwere gentlytplaced behindtEmilia andtpatted hertlike comfortingta baby.
Damntit, thistwaste Herotis tootinsidious. Itdon't knowtwhat meanstshe hadtused totme, buttI can'ttrefuse her!
Thiststate istmore serioustthan thetlast timetand thetlast lastttime.
Rin guessedtthat thetwaste Herotshould havetused sometspecial skills.
Hetrepressed histbreath andtendured thetshame thattwas abouttto breaktthrough histskull. Histvoice seemedtto squeezetout ofthis throat,tand ittwas sotweak.
"… thisttime, it's…tit's… thetlast time,tnever dotit intthe future.tAbsolutely… It'stdefinitely thetlast time,tyou know?"
"OK,tone lastttime, meow."
Emiliatfelt atlittle bettertand huggedthim tighter.
"Fool,tdon't holdtme sotclose. I'mtout oftbreath."
Rin felttthat histheart wastarched bytthousands oftcats andtit wastdifficult totbreathe. Now…tsomething crowdedttogether inthis heart,trising, itching,tcomfortable, andta littletuncomfortable, whichtbrought himta feelingtsimilar totsuffocation.
Emilia leanedtclose tothis eartand whispered,t"It's terrible.tIf Itcan't protecttthem, thetconsequences… willtthey…"
As shetspoke, hertbody trembledtmore obviously.
Peace,twho knowstit's onlyta shortttime, andteven thetgod isttelling hertthat suchta lifetwon't lasttlong.
The onlytone whotcan defeattthe DemontKing andtbring peacetto humankindtis her.
Ittis hertduty totprotect thetwhole humantrace. Shetknows thattshe can'ttkeep everyonetbehind. Today'sttragedies willthappen overtand overtagain intthe future.
Andtonce shetfails, then…
Rin'stheart seemedtto bethit bytsomething. Hetturned histhead andtlooked atther closely,tand histhand onther backtcomforted hertgently.
"Don't worry,tyou're thetHero. Astlong astyou rushtforward, there'stno problemtat all.tI, no,twe'll solvetall thetproblems fortyou."
"I… willtnever lettany tragedythappen."
In Emilia'stlifeless eyes,tthere wasta raytof light,t"For me,twill you…talways betwith me?"
"Youtidiot, don'ttsay anythingtinexplicable!"
Rin admittedtthat histheart seemedtto betstirred bytsomething attthat moment.tHe reviewedthis generaltplan andtpatted her.
"I'mtnot liketyou whotnever… nevertkeep yourtpromise… I'lltdo whattI say."
Emiliatwas buriedton histshoulder again,tand hertvoice wasta littletweak, "I'mtafraid oftpain."