My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s - Chapter 197~Reunion~ Kurou POV

「….hah.」

A short exhalation escaped from my mouth.

『What? This is the first time I’ve seen you make that face.』

That guy who should no longer be in this world but looked just as I remembered smiled.

The black panther beastman who should no longer be in this world.

My childhood friend who was hailed as the hero and the second most important person to me after my younger sister.

「…Litta, huh?」

Seeing that nostalgic appearance, I unconsciously asked this.

However, I immediately shook my head and denied my own expectations.

「No, that’s impossible. Without me nursing you, you should’ve died.」

Someone important to me whom I couldn’t meet even when he was on the verge of death.

If I remember correctly, at that time, because I had received a large amount of orders and had cut off all contact with the world, I found out about the death of my childhood friend two weeks after Litta had passed away.

Reaping what I sowed, I, who thought only of myself, was truly the lowest.

I never make it in time.

I wasn’t there when my younger sister died, and I couldn’t exchange last words with my childhood friend either.

Every time, I stuck somewhere and could not advance any further.

『Oniichan, you’ve become a little mean.』

Hand on her mouth, the young girl elegantly giggled.

That mannerism was, something that she acquired a long time ago and she was strictly disciplined by that mother of ours.

「…Aria.」

The young girl who had the same face as my younger sister in my memories laughed with the same facial expression and the same gesture as my younger sister.

Seeing that nostalgic appearance, my heart ached, as if it was being squeezed.

After my younger sister died, a baby was born in the village where I stopped by by chance.

Both my childhood friend and my younger sister had died, and I, who was wandering around, searching for a place to die, met her.

A woman who wanted her child to live even if that meant her own life would no longer be the same.

A beautiful pregnant woman named Lilia.

Due to a nearby monster attack a week before I came to the village…

She, who charmed people with a look, died when she gave birth to the child, and I, who went out in search of wild edible plants at that time, was late once again.

And so, I gave the child that was born the name “Ria”, which was shared by the female names that I recognized, “Aria”, “Lilia”, and “Amelia”.

TN: Aria (Aria), Lilia (Riria), and Amelia (Ameria). In the katakana, they all have “ria” in them.

No, to tell the truth, perhaps I wanted her to grow up in place of my dead younger sister.

“Ria” in place of “Aria”.

Maa, even if that were the case, it was impossible for that stubborn tomboy to be the same as my younger sister.

「I, I…am too ashamed to see you….」

TN: he changed from “watashi” to “ore”

I had yet to figure out why they’re here, but it was impossible for me to not recognize my blood-related younger sister.

In front of my dear younger sister, I unconsciously returned the first person pronoun I had always used before.

Seeing me like that, Aria just giggled.

『Oi, oi, ojousan, this guy is always mean though?』

The slightly transparent Litta put his hand on Aria’s shoulder, and said this as if poking fun at me.

Looking closely, Aria was transparent as well.

Behind me, Tsuda screamed,「Ghosts!?」, as if surprised.

Perhaps they’re something similar to that.

「I see, it’s a necromancy-type device that summons the spirits that have a close relationship with the one who poured their magic power into it….」

How could he create such a complex and demonic item.

Even the current me could not create nor repair such a thing.

I brushed the dust off of the demonic item that Tsuda Tomoya touched and sighed.

Since a long time ago, my childhood friend’s demonic device creation skill had always been the best.

And so, he was able to master those high-class tools.

And because of this, he became the hero.

『Correct. He who directly touched it, most likely, had not had anyone he knew pass away since he became old enough to understand the world around him.』

Smiling happily, Litta looked at me.

Looking at that gentle look on his face, I felt my nose tingling.

「How could the guy who had originally made these arrangements, under the assumption that I would touch it, shamelessly say that.」

I had not come here in many years, so it was impossible for me to accurately remember where everything was in this room, but I knew that this demonic device had not been here.

「This place was where I put various devices. It’s probably so that when I came here, I would feel a sense of discomfort, right? Presumably, you had put it here after returning from the demon king’s castle, huh.」

Still, there was a limit to being overly prepared.

Contrary to me who was sighing, Litta’s gaze wandered around, not looking at me.

Lowering my eyes, I stopped at a certain point.

『By the way, the one over there, is that that black cat from the rumors?』

With sparkling eyes, Litta turned towards Yoru.

Come to think of it, when we headed towards the demon king’s castle, the rumor that Yoru was the “demon king’s right-hand man” had started circulating.

「That’s right. Now, he is accompanying the current generation of heroes though.」

When I said that, Litta loudly laughed.

Come to think of it, this guy would laugh at almost anything.

『Seriously, are you serious!! That right-hand man of the demon king!?』

As expected, Aria too was influenced by Litta who was clapping both hands that were holding his stomach and laughing.

Sighing, I was extremely troubled.

That’s right, this guy was, surprisingly, someone who did things at his own pace.

「Who cares about that kind of thing. More importantly, why did you leave this magic tool to me?」

Purposely putting it in this kind of place, what in the world did he want to tell me.