ch1-ch20 · 008-ch8

Chapter 8: Choice

For a moment, my thoughts ground to a halt.

A skill that kills you when you use it?

"Two people have been confirmed with the Descent Arts skill worldwide in the past. Both users died."

"W-wait, what do you mean!?"

"Descent Arts and Summoning Arts are fundamentally different. Summoning Arts is a skill that contracts with beings from another world and borrows their power. But Descent Arts is a skill that 'summons a god-like being in exchange for your own life as a price.'"

I swallowed hard.

"...I'm not dead, though... right?"

"That's what makes this special."

My sister's voice grew slightly sharper.

"Every past user of Descent Arts died after using their power. It's a globally recognized fact — Descent Arts is 'a skill that guarantees death when used.' No exceptions."

"..."

"But you're alive."

This fact was abnormal — that's what she was trying to say.

"Why?"

I tilted my head as I asked.

"I don't know."

Sis answered curtly.

"It shouldn't be possible under normal circumstances. There's this idea that the user of Descent Arts becomes a sacrifice for the being they've summoned. Given the scale and power, it makes sense that it would demand that kind of price. And yet you're alive. Why?"

I couldn't answer.

Lumiel on my lap was staring at me intently.

Could it be...?

"...Lumiel chose not to take my life?"

"Pretty much, yeah. To put it dramatically, you could say she's keeping you alive."

Sis nodded slightly.

"The being that descended broke the rules of Descent Arts and didn't take your life. But why... that part I don't understand."

"..."

Lumiel had wiped out the World Clock's monsters in an instant and saved the town — I'd thought a hug was too light a price for that.

So what had Lumiel used to compensate for what should have been my life?

Lumiel grabbed the edge of my shirt and tugged gently.

"Listen carefully. The fact that Descent Arts can be used without a price — that's more significant than ten S-Rank Hunters being born in this country. To put it extremely, this one girl alone could cover the country's defensive capabilities from now on."

My sister's words weighed heavily on me.

"If you become a Hunter, your skill will naturally fall under the Association's management. A skill as powerful as Descent Arts will be thoroughly investigated. Her existence will be treated as a 'national defense asset.'"

"Th-there's no way that's possible. They can't do that without my consent, right? What about human rights?"

Sis leaned forward slightly and stared at me intently.

"Do you really think it's impossible?"

With a solemn expression, she continued.

"I've heard that in some countries, there are plans to artificially configure skills to create stable soldier Hunters. The ultimate goal is to produce a 'Descent Arts skill holder.' That's in a country where human rights are far less valued than in Japan, though."

"That kind of thing..."

"One life is cheap if it means stopping a single World Clock, right? If you clear the area around the clock like they did in Akayama Town, you can prevent secondary damage too — and in your case, it would be risk-free and reusable. Do you think the government would leave that unchecked?"

At that question, my mind went blank.

It was entirely plausible.

Before I knew it, I was holding Lumiel tightly.

"...What should I do, Sis?"

Lumiel's power was enormous — I understood that. So should I stay like this, as her master?

"First, find out who she really is."

Sis said quietly.

"Descent Arts is speculated to be a skill that summons a being matching the user's 'wish.' So — did you wish for her?"

"...No."

I had just followed the instruction to 'find the shining pure-white cat.' I hadn't tried to summon Lumiel. If anything, it felt like Lumiel had come to me on her own.

"..."

Lumiel was unnaturally silent, not saying a word.

"Then there must be some other reason she descended. Figuring that out comes first."

My sister's words struck me sharply.

I'd been thinking in terms of "become a Hunter or not," but it wasn't just about that — I needed to act to protect Lumiel.

Shouldn't figuring out what her power really was, and why I didn't die, be the first thing I do?

"Investigate Descent Arts without the country finding out... protect Lumiel... keep my job... aaaaghhh..."

What, what am I supposed to do...!

Seeing my distress, Sis hesitated before speaking.

"I don't want to put you anywhere near Hunters, but..."

"Sis! Tell me!"

I leaned forward, pressing her.

After a long silence——

"Joining a trustworthy guild is one option. But if you choose wrong, the Association or the country will find out about Descent Arts, and we'll end up in the situation I just described."

A guild was an organization — like a company — that Hunters belonged to. It was common knowledge among Awakeners that if you wanted to work as a Hunter, you joined a guild first.

"But if I join a guild, wouldn't the country find out about Descent Arts anyway?"

"Normally, yes. But if it's an independent guild with high combat power among its members, the country and the Association can't dig too deep. They'd be in trouble if the guild got upset and refused to participate in World Clock defenses."

She said this with a mischievous smile.

"Independent guild...?"

"I'll give you the details later, but it's a guild that doesn't receive interference from the Association or the government. If anything, it would act as a shield to keep the country and the Association at a distance. You don't even have to be a Hunter to join."

"So a guild that isn't monitored by the Association!"

"Exactly. The real ideal would be no one finding out at all, but that's impossible anyway."

It sounded like a pretty tough condition, but the logic made sense. If I was being picky, I'd prefer a guild with fewer members for peace of mind...

"If you seem 'suspicious,' they'll dig into you. That's why having a guild that maintains a reasonable distance from the Association as your backing will prevent unnecessary prying."

Everything my sister said was undeniably correct. I understood that this was the best answer for us right now.

But honestly, I was nothing but anxious.

Seeing my face, Sis seemed to understand and smiled faintly.

"Someone as kind as you was never suited to be a Hunter in the first place. That opinion hasn't changed. But it'll be too late if you wait until the country finds out to think of a countermeasure. You have to create an environment where you can protect this girl yourself."

She looked at Lumiel with gentle eyes.

But there was another problem — did a guild like that really exist?

As if reading my doubt, Sis continued.

"If you have the resolve and the will, I'll handle the rest. I know a trustworthy independent guild. Full of oddballs, but still."

She thumped her chest proudly.

But on one condition — her expression turned serious.

"Until I contact you, you protect her yourself. Don't ever make her sad. Got it?"

I stroked Lumiel's head and nodded firmly.

"...Thanks, Sis. I'll protect Lumiel. I promise."

Sis let out a soft smile and patted my head.

After that, I listened to some idle chatter and complaints about how Dad's feet have been stinking lately, and then we headed home.

◇◆◇◆◇

We'd talked for so long that the area was dyed in sunset hues. Maybe because the future direction was decided, my steps felt lighter than on the way here.

"Akira. Good person."

Lumiel, who had transformed back into a white cat, muttered quietly.

She had quickly accepted Lumiel's existence and shown us a surprisingly precise path forward. Some of her words had been harsh, but I understood it was all advice for our sake.

"Right? I trust my sister more than anyone."

"...More than me?"

"Huh? I trust you too, Lumiel."

"Which is higher?"

"There's no higher or lower, come on. Are you getting jealous over something like this?"

I lifted Lumiel onto my shoulder. I couldn't see her expression, but she seemed somehow reassured as she patted my head softly.

For now, I'd have Lumiel stay in white cat form as much as possible and avoid drawing attention. I'd live my life as normally as I could and not make any strange moves. Then I'd wait for my sister's contact.

"Moving application, change of address notice... I've got a mountain of stuff to do."

Since I was moving anyway, maybe I'd go bold and rent a slightly bigger room! (Plus, there are subsidies.)

◇◆◇◆◇

In the silent house, Maeda Akira slowly exhaled.

She tilted the cup in her hand and took a sip of the now-cold tea. Bitterness spread through her mouth.

"...Well, well."

Leaning back in her chair, she stretched. A faint crack of joints echoed, and she felt the tension release.

She opened the book in her hand, and something tucked inside as a bookmark caught the light.

Akira flicked it with her finger.

——An S-Rank Hunter License.

The metal plate gave a soft ring.

After staring at it for a while, Akira chuckled quietly.

"Can't be helped. It's for my adorable little brother."

She slid the certification into her pocket, stood up from her chair, and headed for the entrance with a light step.

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