Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 12: Ice Princess
While the Ice Princess embraced me, she didn’t seem to want to let go, so I gently patted her back.
“How have you been?”
“That’s my line. I’ve been seeing through Aya-chan’s eyes all this time.”
Saying so, the Ice Princess finally let go of me. Come to think of it, I don’t really know what she does in Aya-chan when she’s not coming forward, so…
“Can you see things?”
“Yes. Everything Aya-chan sees or hears reaches me. And vice versa. Even now, Aya-chan is seeing everything.”
Because of the Ice Princess’s nature, I waved my hand while peering into her eyes.
I wondered if she could see me, but since there was no reaction from Aya-chan, I figured it wasn’t visible.
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Planning to ask Aya-chan about it when she returned to her usual self, the Ice Princess turned to Nina-chan.
“Nice to meet you… I guess. Girl from the island.”
“Who… are you? You’re not Aya-chan, are you?”
Nina-chan was surprised by Aya-chan’s sudden change in appearance.
Come to think of it, I forgot to explain that… I thought to myself as she introduced herself.
“I am the Ice Princess. A ‘monster’ of the Sixth Rank.”
“What?! Why is a monster inside Aya-chan!”
Nina-chan exclaimed loudly, trembling with fear. She gripped my hand tightly, almost painfully.
Where should I start explaining… I turned to Nina-chan.
“Well, that’s a long story…”
“No need to be considerate. I became a ‘monster’ by human hands. By those in there.”
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As the Ice Princess pointed straight at me, Nina-chan’s gaze turned to me.
While what she said wasn’t a lie, it was a bit misleading… I thought as I took out the relics from my chest. I picked one up and showed it to Nina-chan.
It was one of the monsters I exorcised during the summer camp a year ago.
Nina-chan’s gaze was drawn to the crystal of monster magic.
“This is it.”
As I said that, the Ice Princess continued.
“A man named Harunaga Kano. He’s like a man distilled down to his worst parts. But, what’s there is not the man himself, but the ‘insect’ that succeeded him.”
Nina-chan blinked several times, as if she didn’t quite understand.
The faint sound of the vending machine “beep” filled the slight silence.
With a slight delay, the Ice Princess continued.
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“I was used as an experiment. That man wanted to turn me into a monster. That’s why I’m inside her.”
“So why are you inside Aya-chan?”
“I was saved. By her… and by Itsuki.”
The Ice Princess’s answer seemed to echo Nina-chan’s answer, but at the same time, it didn’t.
“Nina, I’ve heard about your situation from Aya-chan. So, like-minded individuals, I wanted to talk to you.”
“I’m not a monster.”
“But you’ve been twisted by a monster.”
Those words made Nina-chan freeze.
Frozen in place, she slowly shook her head.
“…No. It’s not because of the monster.”
Nina-chan’s hand, holding mine, trembled.
Trembling, as if fighting against the fear from the depths of her heart, Nina-chan continued to pour out her emotions.
“It’s because… I was weak.”
“…Nina-chan?”
“I laughed at Dad because I was weak. Because I didn’t have the talent to be a Purifier Exorcist. Because I felt worthless…!”
Gritting her teeth as if she was determined, Nina-chan began to express her emotions like a burst of heat.
“If I had been stronger, if I had more talent… it wouldn’t have happened.”
“No… that was because of the monster.”
As I tried to refute her words, Nina-chan screamed.
“If it had been Itsuki, he wouldn’t have been in the same situation!”
“…That’s…”
I tried to deny her words, but I couldn’t. I was at a loss.
Come to think of it. No, even without thinking, I knew. If it had been me, I would have surely resolved it.
While I couldn’t confidently nod to resolving it without any victims… if asked if I could exorcise the monster, I would nod.
After all, I have exorcised a Sixth Rank…
Should I say it?
That she and I are different. That comparing us is meaningless.
Is that really the message I should convey to her?
No, absolutely not. Even now, I can understand that much.
The words I should convey to her are not so fatally misaligned.
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“I… I didn’t have the talent to be a Purifier Exorcist. I’m worthless!”
“Don’t say such things, Nina.”
The Ice Princess reprimanded briefly.
But Nina-chan didn’t stop.
“But, but…! The only one who cared about me was Itsuki. Only Itsuki taught me how to exorcise monsters. I thought if I taught Itsuki magic, he would notice me. I thought as long as Itsuki was there, everything would be okay. But…!”
Nina-chan’s voice became fragmented as she desperately searched for the words she needed to express herself.
“Itsuki becomes stronger on his own. He learns fairy magic more and more. When he doesn’t understand something, he tries it out himself, does it, and moves forward…! Even during today’s blacksmithing incident, I thought. I should have stayed there, I thought. Then Itsuki could have had his sword forged. That was the value I could offer to Itsuki! But… but…”
Not only her hands but her voice also trembled.
Even if I told her she didn’t have to do this, she probably wouldn’t agree.
“But I wanted to be with Itsuki. I know this is selfish of me…! I have no choice but to go there now, but I don’t want to go, but if I don’t, I won’t be able to give anything back to Itsuki.”
Nina-chan’s voice choked up.
With a voice that seemed to forcefully push it away, Nina-chan strained her voice.
“I… I don’t understand my own feelings…!”
With that, Nina-chan quietly began to cry.
I gently stroked her back to calm her down.
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While I was stroking her, the Ice Princess continued.
“Nina. I am on your side. Not just me, Itsuki is too. Aya-chan too. Everyone is thinking about you.”
“Then what should I do?”
“You should cry.”
In response to Nina-chan’s question, the Ice Princess answered calmly.
“Turn all that sadness into tears. Cry as much as you want. And when you’re tired of crying and look around, there will be someone reaching out to you. Isn’t that right, Itsuki?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
In response to the Ice Princess’s question, I quickly nodded.
“I’ll always be on Nina-chan’s side.”
“You’re on my side too, right?”
“…I’m everyone’s ally.”
It felt a bit forced, but my feelings there hadn’t changed at all.
I don’t want the people close to me to die. I don’t want them to suffer… That’s what I think.
“So, Nina. It’s okay to cry as much as you want.”
Was that the Ice Princess’s way of being kind even if she couldn’t cry?
Before confirming her intention, the Ice Princess disappeared… and then Aya-chan returned.
Aya=chan gently stroked Nina-chan’s head as she cried.
“Sorrow accumulates if you don’t let it out when you’re sad. So, Nina-chan. It’s good to let out a little bit of sadness at a time.”
Saying that, Aychan gently hugged Nina-chan as she cried.
Then, after waiting for Nina-chan to calm down, Aya-chan turned to me.
Her face was slightly flushed, and Aya-chan continued somewhat shyly.
“Itsuki-kun, you can always tell me when you’re in trouble.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Aya-chan.”
“T-this is also for Nina-chan… right?”
Saying so, with her face still red, Aya-chan hugged me.