Chapter 338 - Asagi Ikusaba

[Im your ally though?]

[That is- until the very end?]

[As expected of you. That certainly blocks up trying to explain my way out.]

[Kas.h.i.+ma had once mentioned it before. Thats youre simply riding the winning horse. I want to know your true motives.]

Hoho, Asagi twirls the ends of her hair with her pinky finger.

[In othar wards.. Youre questioning Asagi-san if theres a possibility that shed double-cross, right? If G.o.ddess-chin gets the upper hand in the coming battle, youre worried that Asagi-san would readily take her side Thats what you were saying, right?]

[To put it simply, yes.]

[Why thank you for the straightforward answer.]

Ya see here, Asagi continues.

[My mission is to finish this Isekai Hero Story while everyone in the Asagi Group is safe. And then, returning everyone in Asagi Group to our original world. Well, Asagi-san personally doesnt care about returning.]

Though, I think you may have already heard this from Poppo-chan., Asagi concluded.

[As long as you can accomplish that mission, it doesnt matter which side youre on?]

[Unnn. Its just I dont really think I can achieve the second clear objective if we stay on the G.o.ddess side.]

I silently urged her to continue.

[In other words, I feel like G.o.ddess-chin doesnt intend to return us to our original world. Well then, did the former Heroes properly return to their original world? Were the former Heroes thrown down the Disposal Ruins, or unexpectedly, were they disposed of in this world, unable to return?]

Asagi put her fingertips to her cheeks, making her lips pout cutely.

[Well Couldnt the reason why shes doing that is the resource needed to send the Heroes back to their former world, the Big Bosss Tyrant Miasma? Any other ideas why? I mean, she probably has other good uses for that. As a Deity, I mean. Fufufu Hanging the carrot called returning to the original world, and once you reached the goal, you will be killed If thats really the case, shed make quite the great Evil G.o.d.]

Asagi also seems to have arrived at that reasoning.

Meanwhile, Kas.h.i.+ma only looked at Asagi with a tense expression on her face.

[In other words You dont think you can trust Vysis.]

[Unnn. I mean, as long as they havent been brainwashed, its hard for people to completely trust that G.o.ddess-chan. That smile of hers clearly nyook like a lie after all, nyahaha.]

After Asagi said this in a good-humored tone

[But well, I mean, G.o.ddess-chin is someone from another world, right? Could it just be that shes working with a different set of values than us? Couldnt the reason that I couldnt trust her be because of the meagerness of our way of thinking as a human? Since shes a Deity, isnt it possible that she has super high-dimensional thoughts that humans cant even comprehend? Looking at things with prejudice isnt good. So, after Mimori-kun died- Ah, excuse me. After Mimori-kun was discarded, I continued to observe her. And then I realized that this G.o.ddess was just a vulgar, evil Deity.]

[She looked sh*tty to me right from the start though.]

No, to be more precise Since around the time the original me was brought out huh.

Sh*tty enough to curse at her and flip the birdie eh?, Asagi teased.

[Even so, I highly evaluate G.o.ddess-chins brainwas.h.i.+ng and instigation skills. I do get the impression that the precedent-based conceit cultivated by her extraordinarily long lifespan and the narrow-minded behavior that seemed to come from her occasional stress-induced impulses are holding her back a bit.]

Thereupon, Asagi held up an index finger and spun it around in the air

[However, I could really feel like she got this obsession with something. I dont know what her goals are, but couldnt that be the secret to G.o.ddess-chins strength?]

That was a different way of saying it, but her a.n.a.lysis was close to how Hijiri views the situation.

However, I have the impression that Asagi has an even clearer way of verbalization.

Come to think of it, at that time, it wasnt with Hijiri, but a comparison with me

I thought that her a.n.a.lysis about the Mad Emperor back in the castles dining room was the same as mine.

[So, Asagi I still havent heard your true motives from your mouth]

Asagi calmly shrugs her shoulders.

[Its not like I have any other intention though? When I was wondering what to do while I didnt trust the G.o.ddess, I was solicited by Zine-chin. Theres a way to return to our original world without relying on the G.o.ddess, he said. And so, I decided that Zine-chin was a winning horse. Thus, Asagi-san decided to join Zine-chins side.]

Asagi put one hand on her waist.

Letting out a sigh.

[Thats all there is to it, truly simple as that.]

Then, raising her gaze

[G.o.ddess-chin doesnt seem to want to return us to our original world, and then her distrust just has to grow too strong, and in the first place, getting a mission clear has become impossible. Well, that doesnt make her a winning horse.]

[Thats why, its unlikely that youd betray us?]

[Umu, thats right.]

[..]

Thereupon

[Geez, Poppo-chan~~ Things are getting complicated because of the way youre telling your story~~ I mean Because Poppo-chans way of saying held this nuance that Asagi-san couldnt be trusted, things turned out like this witch trial?]

[Eh? Ah S- Sorry]

[Kobato.]

[Hmmm?]

[You know, if you dont trust me, Id seriously be in trouble here?]

[That That isnt what I had int Im sorry.]

[Die.]

[Eh?]

[Eh?]

[Ah, errr]

I interrupted her.

[No, no matter how you look at it, you cant just suddenly tell people to die.]

[Hmm I guess so. Im sorry, Poppo-chan. Thats just a little joke~~ Im so sorry~~ Well, look, Asagi-san is just a mysterious character whose true intentions are hard to see Thats why Asagi-san is easily misunderstood Sniff. Ah, did my acting just now resemble G.o.ddess-chins?]

[.]

That time Asagi said die just now The feeling I got from Asagi

No.

Even if I try to poke on that matter, nothing would probably come out.

Rather than that

[Asagi Theres one thing that personally bothers me.]

Something that doesnt make sense to me

Or rather, something that I just couldnt grasp.

[Ou, ask me anything.]

Just now, when I asked her if shes our ally-

When Asagi talked about her mission

Asagi said something that bothered me.

Well, Asagi-san personally doesnt care about returning.

With her back against the wall of the barracks

Seras was standing slightly diagonally behind Asagi.

She didnt give a lie signal.

Therefore, when Asagi said she doesnt really care thats her true thoughts.

She doesnt care if she cant return home

That is what Ikusaba Asagi thinks

In other words, for Asagi herself, returning isnt an objective?

Let all Asagi Groups members survive.

Return the Asagi Group to the original world.

I understand that these are her objectives.

But when it comes to only Asagi herself, she doesnt have the desire to return.

Then, what?

[How about you, Asagi?]

[Yas?]

[From what youve said so far, I cant see it.]

[Youre talking about?]

[Your own motives.]

For example, just like I have my own personal motives.

Revenge.

On the other hand, the motive for most of our cla.s.smates

The desire to go back to our original world

And then, theres Sogou Ayakas motive

The desire to protect her cla.s.smates

She has such a motivation to achieve that.

And beyond Sogous desire to have them return after that- was for she herself to return.

However

[You dont want to go back to our original world?]

Asagi strokes her chin in admiration and smiles at me with cat-like eyes.

[Hoho Mimori-kun, you sure perceived an interesting spot huh? Asagi-san had nyot thought youd poke on that matter.]

[You like this world so you want to stay behind doesnt seem to be the case, right? What you just said was that you dont care. In other words You dont care whether you stay behind or go back. Therefore, its not like you have a strong desire to remain in this world.]

Unlike the rest of our cla.s.smates, she doesnt have the desire to return to our original world.

She doesnt have a strong desire to stay in this world either.

Of course, she doesnt want to take revenge on the G.o.ddess like I do.

In the first place Asagi doesnt seem to have any strong emotions.

Then, what in the world are Ikusaba Asagis true motives?

I dont know.

Even if Ikusaba Asagi says shes our ally

Thats just something I cant understand.

This just makes things hard to move around in.

No, no, Asagi spoke.

[This is much simpler than you might think, Mimori-kun I mean, it was just like I said. Asagi-san was just clearing the missions Asagi-san had set. Hmmm, even so I think it would be more interesting if we did not talk about this matter.]

I look at Seras.

She- didnt tell any lies.

It also doesnt sound like shes trying to be evasive with her wording.

.

Shes just as Takao Hijiri described- Foreign.

Right now Theres one thing that has been crossing my mind since a while ago.

Theres one motive that comes to mind.

Just as Asagi said, its much simpler than I might think.

Perhaps, for Ikusaba Asagi-

[You see things like its a game?]

Ikusaba Asagi, with a dull obsidian glint in her eyes

[Yes.]

She responded.

After being summoned to another world At some point in time, Ikusaba Asagi had decided on a mission.

Perhaps, before deciding on what kind of mission it will be

She may have noncommittally gathered her pieces her players.

And then

After deciding on her mission, she was working to accomplish it.

Yes.

Perhaps, Ikusaba Asagi

Shes doing her best not because she cares about the Asagi Group

Its because she had set Asagi Groups safety and return as her mission that shes doing her best.

If thats the case

Then, her thoughts should be mainly concentrated on one thing.

To achieve the game clear How should she move?

Everything

Everything was for the sake of completing her mission.

Asagi herself may have unintentionally mentioned the name of the game she was playing earlier.

The thing she intends to finish which she mentioned before- Isekai Hero Story.

Before, at the castle in the Imperial Capital

When I revealed my ident.i.ty, Kas.h.i.+ma said this.

Asagi-san She said shes just riding the winning horse. Ahh, also going back to our world is more of a secondary clear condition, as her top priority is to ensure that everyone in the Asagi Group is safe from now on? She said something along those lines.

My reaction after hearing that back then.

So that actually was the correct answer.

No, that may be why I thought of that as one of the possible answers before.

However

If Ikusaba Asagi really sees things as just a game

On the contrary, that makes all of my concerns disappear.

After all, if this is the case

Based on the mission content that Asagi mentioned just now, all we needed to do now was to build our plan for the future.

I mean, Asagi

Perhaps, this time, she was trying to take advantage of our ability to judge the authenticity of a persons words.

I do feel somethings out of place though.

This time Asagi has given us relatively clear answers.

In many cases, she clearly answered with a yes or no.

With our conversation in the dining room in the castle as proof, she should be capable of being evasive with her words.

But in some of her answers

Asagi probably dared to present a clear answer in order to prove her point.

For what purpose did she do this?

To clear the doubts pointed at her?

To prove her own innocence?

Why did she do all that?

That should be obvious.

Its because she decided that doing such a thing would be to her advantage to accomplish her mission.

[]

A game huh.

I looked at Asagi again.

Asagis now whistling to herself, and noticing my gaze, she asked Whats up? and tilted her head.

For her, if things go badly

Success, failure

Life, death

She doesnt care so much about all that.

Thats why she was so lighthearted Thats why she looked so nonchalant.

As long as she continues to play the game, she would eventually get a game over.

However, death in the game would also be a restart

Thats her way of thinking.

When she dies, she just gets a reset.

The game she plays would simply change.

Perhaps, the very life of Ikusaba Asagi-

She sees it as nothing more than playing a character in a game.

All her performance Its to achieve her most optimized self for clearing the game.

As a player herself

In this game, shes acting as the character named Asagi Ikusaba.

An acting that covers up her real self.