Arifureta After II I Become the Deity of the New World? Second Part
AN: This chapter is a bit late, I'm sorry!Part 1
☆Top Idol Lily
In the center of a dressing room that was quite large, Liliana who was buried in bouquets and also presents and letters from fans was moving her pen with a terrific momentum *scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch* while still dressed in a cute stage dress.
Without even feeling bothered that her fingertips were dirtied with ink, she kept moving her pen with a momentum that felt like it would even produce afterimage. The reason for this was of course in order to draw her manga.
There wasn't even thirty minutes until her next show. And then once she stood on the stage she wouldn't be able to make it to the deadline. Therefore, she had to finish her manuscript in less than this thirty minutes!
*whoosh* Liliana's left hand reached out. What that hand grasped was a Calory ○te. It was a really excellent ration if you ignored how it would turn lumpy inside the mouth. She had no time to eat since the morning, so she replenished her nourishment like this. (TN: I never ate Calorie Mate before and the author here is using a word ぱっさぱさ(passa pasa) that I cannot find the meaning, to describe the sensation. I just put the word lumpy as placeholder, anyone know how to describe the sensation of eating Calorie Mate?)
And, at that timing, regardless of how Liliana's had asked the staffs so that no one entered the room until the decided time, the door of the dressing room was knocked.
Liliana whose princess skill was lively even in this kind of time was replying brightly with a voice that would make anyone who heard it to feel happy despite how Liliana's eyes didn't even look away from her manuscript and how her hand also didn't stop moving.
「Ye~~s. The door is not locked~」
「Eerr, excuse us.」
「E, excuse us for the intrusion.」
Seeing the people who entered, then indeed, they were people who weren't a problem even if the staffs let them enter.
「Ah, Kaori! Also even Shizuku! You two really came for me!」
Just as Liliana said, the people who timidly entered inside the dressing room were Kaori and Shizuku. The two of them were making a really speechless expression toward Liliana who was surrounded by bouquets and many other things, wearing a showy dress, yet her fingertips were dirtied by ink while diligently drawing pictures.
「Somehow, you really feel like an entertainer here……. Eer, so, Lily. You suddenly sent that kind of mail, 『Emergency! Emergency! Hee~lp-. Especially Kaori!』, just what in the world with that?」
Just as Kaori said, Liliana sent reinforcement request to the wives.
It seemed that she especially needed Kaori's reinforcement, the reason for that was,
「Yes, I'm glad that it's Kaori who arrived first. I'm sorry for the hurry, but please use the magic to prolong time. Also, it has to be finished in about twenty minutes……for now, please expand the time difference to ten times. Ah, Shizuku sit over there, please help with the inking.」
「「Eee~~~」」
It seemed this former princess at last found herself lacking time and she now attempted to solve the problem using magic. Asking to use magic that interfered even with the principle of the world in order to finish a manuscript――it was a special bargain sale of an age of god magic. In a sense, it could be said that this was really fitting for a wife of the demon king.
Kaori and Shizuku couldn't hide their complicated face after hearing the reason they were called here.
「I understand that you are really in trouble but……somehow I don't really feel it at all.」
When Kaori unconsciously muttered that, Liliana lifted her face and showed a crisp expression.
And then,
「Kaori.」
「Eh, wha, what is it, Lily?」
「I am Liliana. A woman who will do anything if it's to protect the deadline.」
「Aa~, yep, that's right.」
Kaori went「Well, isn't it fine」and sent a half-smile at the crisp Liliana while releasing her age of god magic. With this, a ten-fold time difference was created between inside this room and outside it.
For a while, the sound of *scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch* and the sound of *splat splat, plop plop* resounded inside the room. Putting aside the content of the manga, both Kaori and Shizuku knew very well that Liliana was working hard, so they seriously endeavored to help her.
Like that, after around an hour, some more reinforcement arrived. It was Hajime, Yue, and Shia. Even while they too showed an exasperated face at the reason they were called here, their thought toward Liliana was already like「Good grief, just go until as far as you can go」, and so they began to participate in helping her.
「Hey, Lily. When we passed through beside the stage just now……」
「Yes? What is it?」
While Yue and Shia were obediently helping, Hajime suddenly started talking.
「Somehow, two people who I recognize really well were wearing black suits and sunglasses while doing otagei with really smooth move. That wasn't just my hallucination right?」(TN: Otagei=Fans who were yelling and dancing at pop concerts)
「Aah, about Shinji-san and Yoshiki-san.」
「……As I thought, it's those two huh.」
「Yes. You don't know Hajime-san? Those two right now are starting up a security firm and working as bodyguard that specialized in protecting celebrity. This time they are accepting to guard my concert also because they are acquaintance.」
Liliana was tilting hear head while saying incomprehensible thing like「Since they became a hot topic that "the otagei of the black suited bodyguards is godly", it seems they are also undertaking the role of the captain of the groupies」.
Nakano Shinji and Saitou Yoshiki.
Those two who were the bunches who once were doing spiteful harassment toward Hajime, after the death of Hiyama Daisuke and Kondo Reiichi who the often hanged out with, they began to change little by little. They displayed a desperately earnest fight in the legendary decisive battle even when facing the apostles and right now they didn't hold any antagonism even against Hajime.
Such Shinji and Yoshiki, after graduating from high school they were living aimlessly without doing particularly anything, but just recently they started up a security firm that specialized in guarding celebrity.
They were wearing uniform of black suit and sunglasses which would make anyone want to give a straight-man retort that they watched too many movie, but their skill as bodyguard was super first class. Their experience in facing monster and god's apostle in another world was something that couldn't possibly be surpassed by the like of suspicious person, so it could be said that this was only natural. They had already piled up many achievements and received deep trust from the world of show business.
And those two, from piling up many days of being the security of idol concert, they saw the groupies who were doing otagei activity and it seemed that for some reason they got triggered. While those two were standing at both sides of the stage to keep a watchful eye for anyone suspicious, they displayed generously the physical ability their body was blessed with and completely and thoroughly copied the otagei moves.
Since a video of two bodyguards wearing black suits and sunglasses doing otagei with really smooth move was uploaded in a certain video site, they were treated as god of otagei world and won a popularity that wasn't inferior even against the idols at the present from a part of the community.
Rather, their fame was so much that there were even people who came to the concert just to witness the "dancing black suited bodyguards".
「Nn, their dance was really amazing.」
Yue said that while lifting her hand midair. She connected spaces using space magic and tried to secretly have a look.
Like that a hole manifested midair and the spectacle at the other sight of that hole was――
「Lily-, Lily-! Fuuh, fuuh, fuuh, fuuh!!」
「You guys-, put your soul more into it! Heat up the concert with your whole body and spirit! Here are the audience seats. But this place is also another stage-」
Shinji was waving around a light stick with really smooth moves while inciting up more shouts of support for Lily. Yoshiki was showing a movement that was completely synchronized with his partner while passionately leading the groupies.
「Ca, captain. The movement is just too intense, my stamina is already……」
「These dancing bodyguards……they are monster.」
One person, then one more person, the group of otaku was collapsing before the concert was starting. By the way, the captain referred to Shinji, while Yoshiki was called as the demonic vice-captain.
Shinji who was dancing single-mindedly while dressed in a smart black suit shouted at the collapsed otakus.
「Is this fine with you? Ending it here like this.」
「Eh?」
「Are you fine with this, giving up on everything.」
「Cap, tain?」
The group of otaku who was heaving and drenched in sweat, turned their eyes toward Shinji who was smoothly dancing.
「We are, the people who protect the idols. We protect their body, their heart, we are the people who offer them our life so they can shine!」
The smoothness in Shinji's dance was gradually increasing. It was truly a master-class otagei that was filled with soul and spirit!
「Stand up you guys! Never Give Up! If someone doesn't give up, then they will surely be able to reach the summit of their dream! A man taught that to me!」
The gazes of Yue and others turned toward Hajime. Surely if talking about a man who exerted strong influence to Shinji and others, then it could only mean Hajime.
Shinji's words that were overflowing with spirit caused one of the collapsed otaku to ask in amazement. Even during that time, Shinji was drawing a beautiful trajectory of light stick in the air while demonstrating an artistic dance.
「Captain. Just what is your dream? Just what is it, that make you go until this far!?」
It was a heated question that came from an otaku who was somehow swallowed by the place's atmosphere. Right now, the people who collapsed, and also the people who didn't, everyone was drenched in sweat while directing a serious gaze at Shinji.
「What is this for, you ask? That's obvious.」
Shinji looked at them, and then he looked at his pal, then he declared powerfully!
「It's to-, HAVE A SHOTGUN WEDDING WITH IDOL-!!!」
*DOLL DOLL DOLL~~*, the proclamation of Shinji was echoing inside the concert venue that was in the middle of preparation. It echoed really clearly.
……It seemed, that was the main reason why they founded a security firm that specialized in celebrity. Yoshiki beside Shinji was looking up to the sky while his lips formed a thin line as thought he was biting his lip against something.
「Wha, what are you saying!? Something like that is obviously impossible! It just cannot happen!」
The otaku who asked just now argued. But, such words didn't reach Shinji. The reason was, because Shinji had seen it. In a world where he was walking along right beside death, he had witnessed the indomitable spirit of that man!
「No, it's not impossible! Because I know! I know a man who even though he was dropped into the bottom of hell, even though he faced nothing but despair-, yet he continued to struggle without giving up and created a harem-. A man who day after day, is always having a debauch party with transcendentally beautiful girls-. The man who reached the summit-」
*gachari* A sound rang. When Yue and others came back to their senses with a 'hah' and turned their gaze toward the sound, over there they saw the figure of Hajime drawing out Donner. It seemed he was planning to snipe at Shinji through the connected spaces. In panic, Shia moved to stop him using Cobra Twist.
「Even we, if we don't give up we should be able to achieve a shotgun wedding with idol! We should be able to do it! Or rather, about this matter, even if we put aside Nagumo, I just cannot grasp how the hell that Endo can create harem-. Why, why Endo? Why am I no good huh? Forget harem, there ain't even any sign I'll be able to get a girlfriend y'know. Or rather, there ain't even any encounter. There ain't even a tiny bit of it! I ain't popular at the level 'am I actually cursed as retaliation for harassing the demon king in the past?' level already here! GODDAMN IT ALLLLLLLL-」
Right now the light stick was leaving behind afterimages while Shinji's otagei was showing a movement that was unthinkable to be at the level of human. That was, the dance of someone who had stepped their foot into the territory of god! The manifestation of the overflowing yell of the soul!
「Captain……a person like you is……」
「Are you trying, to challenge the impossible……」
「Heh. What an idiot. But, I don't hate it yeah, a passionate idiot like you.」
The otaku group was starting to stand back up! Perhaps they felt sympathy at that yell of the soul that laid everything bare. A fearless grin was emerging on every single one of their――
Yue closed the space.
「……Nn. Lily. Is this okay?」
「Ah, yes. Yue-san. Your precise work really helps.」
「Yes, Lily. I also finished here. What's next?」
「As expected from Shizuku. That's an excellent work. Please do this next.」
They resumed their work as though nothing had happened. It seemed they decided that they didn't see anything. Even Hajime who ate a smooth transition from Cobra Twist to Triangle Choke by Shia also obediently go back to his seat.
「Come to think of it Lily. Is there anything particular in your surrounding?」
「Anything, particular?」
Hajime asked while he was rubbing his neck. Liliana sent Hajime a glance while tilting her head without dropping the speed of her pen at all.
Hajime was putting tone on his manuscript page while nodding「Yeah」.
「Look, recently my existence became known right? Especially because Kaa-san dropped the bomb.」
「Yes. Well, even if Hajime-san called it dropping the bomb, but I too am calling Sumire-okaasama as "okaa-sama" normally, so it became known with natural flow though.」
「No, not just about your relationship with me, but also about this and that in private.」
Those words caused Liliana's face to spontaneously turn red.
Just some time ago, when Liliana received interview in television, Sumire also participated there as a special guest. At that time, Sumire jokingly said「Liliana is the wife of my son you know, so don't make a move on her okay~」.
If that was all then it would be nothing big because it was something already known, but Sumire who got carried away then dropped the bomb by frankly exposing a part of the married private life between Liliana and her son. That was already a talk that could smash apart the dream of the male fans into pieces.
Furthermore, Sumire also casually said「It's not just Lily-chan you know~」while giving hints that Liliana's partner actually also had other women and he had an indulging relationship with those women too.
Naturally, there was no way the media wouldn't bite at the impure private life of Liliana-sensei who was a beautiful manga artist and also an idol who was at the peak of her popularity, though Hajime crushed the commotion before it could create a stir.
Thanks to that, for some reason the topic wasn't getting excessively discussed in TV shows and the like, but even so it didn't mean that there wasn't any effect at all.
One of the effects was the rash acting of a part of the wildly fanatic fans.
「Before this too, you almost got attacked by a reckless fan right? Who knows what can happen.」
「Perhaps that is so but, currently there is no sing like that. Besides, I'm not so weak that a civilian can take me by surprise. I have also trained much in "Hauria-style close quarter hand-to-hand combat art ~This is the bunnies' way y'know~" from Shia-san's direct teaching.」
「……」
Hajime's gaze turned toward Shia. Shia looked aside. When Hajime muttered「It's really fresh how the style name is accompanied with subtitle there」, Shia's cheeks blushed with a puff. There was no doubt that her currently invisible rabbit ears were surely a flopped down rabbit ears from shame.
「Rather than that, everyone. Can you all come to listen to my concert today?」
Liliana changed the topic to wave off Hajime's worry and also implying that she was fine. Hearing that question, Hajime and others looked at each other's face.
This was the stage where their important family was standing on. Although they had attended her concert several times before this, it was impossible for them to go home after coming this far. Their answer could only be one. With an unanimous decision, they would cheer at the idol wife, and idol fellow wife.
After that, Liliana who somehow managed to finish the manuscript before the deadline handed it over to her editor with a really nice smile. The editor gave a thumb up with a posed look before she straddled her beloved motorcycle Kawasaki's Ninja ZX10-R and vanished into the city. ――Though she was a woman who finally welcomed her 60th birthday this year……
Like that the last concert for today began. Liliana in her fluttery and frilly dress lavishly sent winks and *twinkle-☆* and heated up the venue.
Below that stage, even the two black suited and sunglasses bodyguards who were taking position as security while demonstrating smooth otagei like they were possessed, they were greatly heating up the venue by becoming one with the otaku group whose gaze seemed to conceal some kind of determination.
After the concert closed the curtain with enthusiasm and excitement and fulfillment, surprisingly there was still works for Liliana to attend an autograph and handshake session. Even while Hajime and others were getting exasperated with just how much work she was doing, they still stood from slight distance away and watched over Liliana who was currently mass producing fans with her 'former princess & real idol smile-!'
Fan number 1――a silver haired and mismatched eyes young man with atmosphere like a stepping stool reincarnator. (TN: Fumidai tenseisha(stepping stool reincarnator)= a term for characters who are used as foil to make other character look good, or characters that tried to carry out wicked scheme only to meet unfortunate end themselves at the end. Like Kouki or Hiyama, I guess. I just looked up this term in a hurry, so please correct me if my understanding is wrong.)
「Lily-sensei. I'm a great fan! It's a lie that you have a husband right!?」
「Thank you very much. Can I trouble you to teach me your name?」
「Eh, ah, I'm Satoshi.」
「……To Satoshi-san, here. Thank you very much for always coming to my concert. Please come again next time okay?」
「Yo, you remember me……yes-. I'll absolutely come! I will cheer for you!」
Fan number 2――a girl with her front hair styled like Sada○.
「Sensei. What do you think about love between the same gender?」
「Can you please tell me your name?」
「u……○ko, desu.」
「Aah, you are the person who were always cramming your fan letter with the words "I love you" aren't you? Thank you very much. I'm happy that a cute girl like you is supporting me.」
「a, u」
「Please support me from here on too.」
「yes」
Fan number 3――A male hero wearing a high-class suit that had the embroidery of super-deformed Lily.
「Lily-sensei. I come here today bringing a marriage registration. Plese, give your sign at here.」
「That's a splendid embroidery no matter how many times I see it. What's more, it always has different pattern each time. If I remember correctly, you sewed it yourself right? I feel embarrassed somehow, thank you very much. So it's fine if I sign here then. Fufu, what a humorous person.」
「Say, Lily-sensei. I cannot read this though……are these letters from a country somewhere?」
「They are Hairihi Kingdom letters. ……Is it, no good?」
「-. Don't be absurd. Though I will be happy if next time I can have you write it in Japanese.」
「My. Ufufu. Then, please come again at the next concert okay?」
「Of course.」
Fan number 4――An onee-sama person who was strangely muscular
「Lily-chaaan! The concert today is also reeaally great!!」
「Dear me, I'm totally moved」
「Fufu, thank you very much for every time. It's because all of you onee-sama are always cheering up with loud voices(deep voices) that I immediately notice when onee-sama's group is coming.」
「Oh noes, how embarrassing. When we are excited, our voice unconsciously turned ju~st a little bit burly you knooww」
「Oi, just now, someone said『It's not the level of burly anymore. That voice was completely like the voice of beast』, who's the guy saying that, aaa!? I'm gonna butche――cough-. I'll give him punishment mon.」
「Now now, Kenji――cough-. Reika-san. If you make that kind of gallant face(berserker face), everyone will be charmed(traumatized) you know? Rather than that, please come next time too without fail. I also want to meet all the other onee-sama.」
「Ah geez, Lily-chan, you always know what to say to make us happy. Yes, of course, we will come to cheer for you again. After all we, the members of "Manly Woman Path", all of us love Lily-chan so much!」
Even while conversing intimately with the fans, Liliana was still handling the long queue so swiftly it was a mystery.
Seeing her like that, Hajime commented briefly.
「So deep.」
It seemed he commented about the fans.
By the way, all those fans would participate in the event where Liliana appeared every time without fail, so Hajime and others also knew their face. And then, Hajime became really uneasy with their speech and conduct, so he investigated their background from feeling worried.
What he understood from the result was, for example the fan number 1 the young man, his appearance was completely like a stepping stool reincarnator, but actually he was a splendid monk with priesthood. He disguised(?) himself using wig and colored contact and attended Lily's event secretly.
Furthermore, fan number 2 the girl, she was actually the young daughter of Japan's preeminent great conglomerate that managed long-standing department stores. Fan number 3 the male hero was the oldest son of a lawyer family that had continued for generations, a son of the current chairman of JF○A. Fans number 4 were the Japan version Chrysta――the leaderships of an organization that took control of the underworld of the underworld of the pleasure district of the whole Japan. (TN: Japan Federation of Bar Associations. Btw, will I get any problem by brazenly putting the censored names like this? Should I put some censoring?)
Other than them, there was a frog faced virtuoso doctor that was said to possess god's hand, a detective that often said 'in the name of my grandfather', a super high school student level female high school student, an unfortunate looking young man that called a fat kitty cat「sensei」, a foreigner whispering「The human of this star is――」while holding a canned coffee in one hand……etc (TN: Can anyone help me with the references here? I only know about the doctor, as for the rest, I give up)
Certainly they were really deep. Those fans came from a deep fan stratum. There was no doubt that inside Liliana there was an ability to attract people. And then, she conversed intimately with those men and women of dee~p character, sometimes she ignored them, sometimes she led them on, and she then ended the conversation in a pleasant note and sent them back. Seeing her figure like that reminded Hajime and others of the princess who once fiercely fought against the nobles and empire diplomats using smiling face and dignity and words (thorn and indirect implication are optional).
「It's true they have deep personality but……how should I say it, Lily's personality, it's different from normal idol, it's……」
Kaori spoke in hesitation while her cheeks were twitching. Yue and others supplemented on her saying with an expression that seemed to say that they really understood what she meant.
「……They are clingy.」
「I can feel obsession from them desuu」
「Perhaps this is saying too much but……recently I also feel something like worship from them.」
Exactly like they said, actually a really small proportion――in places like BBS in internet and so on, a topic that talked about 'there are a lot of fellows with screw loose among Lily-sensei's fans' was spreading.
「Is this really fine?」
Kaori was staring at Liliana worriedly. Following her, Hajme and others were also staring at the figure of the idol princess who was showing a natural and perfect smile that was overflowing with so much elegance and intimacy.
For Liliana who had been competing against veteran nobles and foreign diplomats since her childhood, it was a trifling matter to pound a degree of information of her fans into her head. If she could exchange words with them for just once, she would never forget their face, and if she conversed with them just for a bit, even from just that she would see through what kind of gesture and way of talking they would like and dealt with them using that.
Against someone like that, there was no way an idol fans wouldn't have their heart captured, which continuously increased the production of fanatic fans even now.
Like that, by the time the line was handled until only half remained, the worry of Hajime and co became reality.
「Sorry but, you can stop right there.」
Before Hajime and others moved, Shinji who was standing by near Liliana quietly walked forward and called at one of the fans to stop moving. At the same time, Yoshiki moved casually beside Liliana.
「Eh, eh? Wha, what is it?」
「……I won't say anything bad. Just go home for now. I don't want to create a disturbing topic in this kind of place.」
It was a man who looked like a fan who was told right to the face「Please leave」by a black suited bodyguard. The fan looked cowering without any composure, but behind his hanging down long hair could be seen a glaring gaze peeking out.
The young man argued vehemently with small stifled voice why it was only him that got stopped like this. Shinji's gesture and gaze expressed that he would never let the man pass. The overwhelming pressure from Shinji that was different from a civilian greatly scared the young man while also made him lost a bit of temper.
The bright atmosphere until now completely changed and the fans and staffs at the surrounding felt a strained tension in the air. While they were starring uneasily between the young man and Shinji, Liliana who guessed the situation stood up.
「Shinji-san. I'll be fine, so please let that person through.」
「No, but still. This is also pretty much my work……」
Liliana called at Shinji. Shinji frowned with a troubled look while looking behind over his shoulder.
But, at that time, the atmosphere of the young man who was shrinking away from Shinji suddenly changed entirely. His fingertips that were moving restlessly stopped still.
「Shinji? Right now, you called that man by name? That man who should be a mere security guard?」
That voice was small and sounded a bit stuttering like before. However, a hint of dangerousness that came from boiling great emotion could be felt from it.
Perhaps the people at the surrounding also felt that hint of danger, they were starting to take distance like a tide drawing back.
In the middle of that, it was only Liliana who kept staring straight at the young man and she nodded.
「Yes. I called him by name just now. Because he is my friend.」
「You act as you please again in a place where I don't know. What a bad child. You always always, with other man at a place where I don't know. Even though I have been this patience like this. Even though I was thinking of forgiving you about that self-proclaimed husband too.」
「Forgiving? Why, do I need your forgiveness? What is that forgiveness for?」
「Shut up-. I won't forgive you anymore-. Unforgivable-」
The young man was talking incoherently, however, seeing Liliana who was staring straight at him without faltering and asked him back, the young man faltered in return and he shouted.
Like that, he entered his hand into his breast pocket and took out a kitchen knife from there. Before this the security had carried out inspection when audiences entered at the beginning, so it was unclear how this young man could bring in something like that. Shinji and Yoshiki grimaced at the hole in security.
The surrounding people screamed and they backed further away. They were forming a circle around Liliana and the others where there was nobody else other than them.
Hajime looked like he was going to move at the corner of her sight, but Liliana stopped him with her gaze. In respond Hajime scratched his cheek before he leaned his back on the wall to show he that he was watching carefully. That gestured showed his trust toward her, at the same time it also expressed Hajime's intent that no matter how the situation ended up he would help her dealing with it. Liliana's cheeks loosened slightly seeing that.
Although, for the young man, it seemed he saw that smile as something that was mocking him. He shouted「So you are also laughing at me-」while charging forward with the kitchen knife raised high.
Shinji sighed while clenching his fist to subdue the young man. But, beside him a silhouette stepped forth smoothly.
Of course, it was Liliana. Behind, Yoshiki leaked out a stupid voice「Ah」.
「You-, you forever, belongs to meee-」
「First, you should hear what other people say.」
The kitchen knife was swung down. The surrounding people held their breath. They screamed and averted their eyes from the tragedy that would happen in the next moment.
In an instant.
The up and down of the young man was reversed.
「Ah, eh?」
The young man leaked out a confused voice at himself who before he knew it was rolling on the floor with just a light impact.
「I don't know what kind of life you have experienced until now, but I'll feel troubled if you are demanding from me the responsibility for that feeling where things cannot go as you wished it.」
The young man came back to his senses from those words of Liliana. He forcefully stood up once more and rushed while shouting again. He thought that surely just now he only slipped.
But, the result was the same.
Just before he could touch Liliana, his field of vision was overturned in a circle and he then faced up to the sky along with a light impact.
This time he understood. That he was thrown down by Liliana.
The humiliation and the reality that wouldn't move like how he wanted caused the young man to spew out words that were already hard to comprehend while this time he charged forward trying to stab his knife.
But, perhaps it should be said as expected. The arm that he thrust out was softly grasped, right after that the young man's body revolved around Liliana once like a satellite in contrary to his wish. He was swung around back to the path he just came from and then he was pushed away by one of Liliana's hand.
「I'm very good in remembering people's face. However, I don't remember you.」
The screaming young man charged. Liliana's arm rolled up his arm, and then she twirled beside him as though she was dancing on the stage and she flung away the young man with a really natural flow.
「You-」
「In other words, you had never came to an event where I participated even once. Isn't that correct?」
The young man was only thrown without any pain. The young man whose face was dyed bright red from shame and rage was rapidly approaching while swinging around his kitchen knife senselessly, but……the arms of Liliana who smoothly stepped close to the young man gripped his collar, at the same time, the young man was thrown down to look up to the sky without being able to offer any resistance.
「Most likely, you had watched me through television at home. And then, it caused you to hold an emotion that lead you until you are causing something like this. But, is that really something that you wished for?」
Irimi Nage(Stepping-in Throw)
Kote Gaeshi(Wrist Reversal)
Shihou Nage(Four Directions Throw)
Tenchi Nage(Heaven and Earth Throw)
Kokyuu Nage(Respiration Throw)
Kaiten Nage(Rotation Throw)
Liliana was talking about the situation while continuing to knock down the young man unharmed with her techniques at the center of the empty circle.
「Oi, Shia. Is that the "This is the bunnies' way y'know" you taught Lily?」
「Please don't mention the subtitle…… I don't really teach her anything. I taught her the basic of hand-to-hand fighting, and also the basic of Aikido more or less, but in the first place I'm not someone who is using that kind of flowing Aikido.」
「But, isn't that guy practically handled by bunnies there?」
「That's why please stop it with the bunnies, Hajime-san. That's something that Lily-san learned by herself. It seems she watched the technique in internet video and copied from that.」
「What's with that learning aikido through correspondence. Is that girl actually a hidden buggy character huh?」
「Isn't that right desu. She is already in the level where it might be dangerous for me if I don't use physical reinforcement in our bout. I tasted the terror of Aikido before this. Well, even so I don't really have the motivation to learn it though. As I thought, for a rabbit it has to be an impactful battle that made your blood boil and your flesh dance.」
「Just what kind of rabbit you are huh? Ah, you are a rabbit from another world.」
While Hajime and Shia were conversing about Liliana's hidden talent, a sobbing sound was starting to echo in the venue before one knew it.
When they looked at there, the aforementioned young man was crouching while raising a sad weeping voice. As for Liliana, there wasn't even a single crease on her frilly idol dress and her breathing also wasn't disordered at all.
The audiences were still petrified from admiration and shock. Shinji and Yoshiki were taking out Uma○bou from somewhere and turned completely into spectators. What happened with being a bodyguard?
Liliana approached the young man who was continuing to do nothing but crying in a posture that looked like half prostration. And then, she began to gently brush the young man's head.
「It's painful isn't it? It's so tiring, so much so that you cannot stand up anymore isn't it?」
It appeared that while Hajime and Shia were conversing, Liliana had gotten out the circumstance of the young man from him. And it seemed that Hajime and co had interest in the young man's circumstance and emotional state as much as they had interest with the darkened skid mark on the road that they completely failed to hear the story.
Feeling the sensation of the gentle brushing on his head, the young man raised his head in astonishment while crying. Liliana smiled gently to him. And then, she whispered something into his ear.
When the young man received those words, his face that got soppy from tears and snots became even more disheveled and he broke out crying loudly once more.
Liliana gently brushed the young man's head once more. She looked like a mother consoling her child.
It appeared that she succeeded in persuading the madly rampaging young man. A completely speechless air was flowing inside the astonished concert venue.
Hajime ran his gaze through the venue, before he suddenly started clapping. Of course, it was in order to prompt the praising toward Liliana who even though she was attacked, instead she admonished down the attacker. He did this because he didn't do anything, so in exchange he would at least give cover fire.
The scheme of Hajime who took the role of being a hired applauder splendidly struck home. At first there was only sparse applause, but gradually it was getting louder before at last grand applauses reverberated like thunder along with cheers.
Even though there wasn't any encore or anything, yet the venue was filled with repeated call of「LILY-! LILY-!」.
In the middle of that, Liliana who seemed to guess Hajime's intention sent a glance at expressed her thanks to him with her gaze. Right after that,
「……Oi, did you see?」
「……Nn. Her lips, for an instant, really it was only just for an instant but――it grinned.」
「It felt like she said『Just as planned』……don't tell me, this assault situation is planned? ……How terrifying.」
「No, Shia. There is no way, surely it's impossible to plan for that young man to be here. Everything from the persuasion and then Hajime's applauding act until the reaction of the fans, it isn't anything like 'just as planned'.」
「Shizuku-chan. As for me, rather than saying it's『just as planned』, I think it's more like『Ku-ku-, seizing the mentality of the mass is no trouble at all』. Remember, even at that time in the decisive battle she also said something like『Manipulating the mass is just too simple』.」
When Hajime and others returned their gaze to the scene while feeling slight shudder in their back, over there they saw the figure of Liliana responding to the applause of the fans while smiling gently like a holy mother and helping the young man to stand up.
What was truly terrifying was this most excellent queen who properly possessed both purity and impurity.
The beautiful girl that was a famous shoujo manga while also being an idol, she had suppressed an assailant right from the front using martial arts, and she didn't stop there, due to the dramatic development where she reformed the assailant, the fans in this place became delirious with passion and went wild with enthusiasm.
Surely this unexpected occurrence would become news at night today that would be broadcasted to the whole country. Like that, Liliana's fame would be going to a new height without knowing any place to stop.
After that, just as expected, Liliana's fame was climbing high with a momentum that pierced the sky. Even people who held no interest to manga and anime watched and read the dramatic and touching news and began to hold interest to Liliana's existence itself.
And then, Liliana freely used her inherent princess skill and responded to the people's wild enthusiasm in entirety.
And not just that.
The young man who was reformed from Liliana's words talked how Liliana was a being that was overflowing with kindness, that he was saved by her, that she was exactly the goddess of kindness and salvation who descended to the present world, and with a respond to a television's news coverage as the impetus, sometimes there were fan letters or blog posts with content that talked frankly about the sender's troubles reaching Liliana.
Naturally, Liliana wasn't able to personally go to resolve those troubles, and she also didn't have any intention to do such thing.
But, even though Liliana herself was unable, Liliana knew a lot of acquaintance who were able.
There was the chunibyou monk, or the yandere young daughter of a great conglomerate group, or the lawyer wearing a painful-to-look suit, or the group of one-sama who were running in full speed through the path of manly woman, or a doctor, or a detective, or an apparition, or an alien……
Of course, she also had a lot of connection that she obtained from her days of working part-time.
And then, Liliana was a former princess. She excelled in using people more than anyone else.
After that it went without saying.
With pure virtue and correct calculation, Liliana used her fans to help her troubled fans.
If you ask then you will be helped.
When such story spread, naturally the quality and quantity of people asking for help increased.
When six months passed, the number and content of the requests for help became something that Liliana couldn't possibly deal with by herself. However, if she said「I'm stopping already」here, a riot would occur with certainty. After that Liliana devised a plan while feeling that she became unable to pull out.
That plan was,
――Liliana Aid Network
Such thing, in a manner of speaking it was the starting up of a "jack of all trades".
The difference with the normal jack of all trades was how it didn't have any employee who would bind the contract or act at the scene other than employee that dealt with the paperwork.
Liliana who categorized the gathered troubles in the dedicated site, aggregated them, and scrutinized their degree of priority and the content would then make her judgment. And then, she would choose from among the registered members of her fan club the person capable to resolve that problem.
There wouldn't be any reward. If there was any reward, then it would be the direct call from Liliana that asked "please" and preferential right for her event. And then, the words of "thank you" that they received directly from Liliana at the dawn when the trouble was resolved.
But, this system was surprisingly functioning.
The Liliana fan club members with de~ep personality and who were ridiculed by a part of the community as bunches with dozens of screw loose in their head, they would move with the readiness to work like a slave for the sake of "please" and "thank you" from Liliana.
That was already a kind of great wave. The great wave that was sometimes generated at the turning point of the era, that also should be called as the flow of the world.
The saved people became fan club members, and then those members would then saved other people, and those people who were saved would become the fan club member.
That cycle was without end, and before long it surpassed Japan and spread even overseas. "Liliana Aid Network" became a foundation before she knew it and even began to reach out its hand toward world scale relief activity.
One time it stopped a regional dispute, one time it established infrastructure in a developing country, granted education and goods to unfortunate children, planted greenery on a completely withered land……
And then when she realized……
「「「「「Your Holiness-! Your Holiness-! Your Holiness-! Your Holiness-!」」」」」
「「「「Holy Mother of Kindness! Holy Mother of Kindness! Holy Mother of Kindness!」」」」
Hairihi Volunteer Association, became Hairihi Religion.
「How did it turn out like this……」
In an event that commemorated the production of her manga's live-action movie, Liliana who was standing on the stage in order to sing the theme song was muttering with twitching cheeks.Part 2
☆Living God Lily
「Uu, really, just how did it turn out like this……」
Liliana who was doing the final check of the paperwork while doing ten second charge inside the office in preparation for her conference with the secretary general, returned to reality from her long reminiscence that she did before she knew it. It was actually really like Liliana for her to verify her paperwork and eating simultaneously even while reminiscing. (TN: Ten second charge seem to be the slogan of a jelly drink in Japan.)
Liliana was unconsciously letting out her complaint while thinking that recently she wasn't able to meet Hajime and others again. But suddenly a reply came back in respond to her complaint.
「That's obviously because you are a princess.」
「Howah!?」
There should be no one other than her in this office. Naturally, Liliana who let her guard down because there should be strict security in this place raised a strange voice.
When she turned her gaze, she saw there a rift in space and the figure of Hajime who came out from there.
「Hajime-san! Geez, please don't startle me.」
「That can't be helped. Even though I'm your family, but in this place with a really strict security where the secretary general of the UN is also in attendance, how I can say something like 'I came because I just want to talk a bit though, I'm also family so please let me in'. There is a limit even in being unable to read the atmosphere.」
「……Hajime-san. Before I realized you have become someone who is trying to read the atmosphere. You have really become an adult. Just as I thought, a person will mellow when he have as many as seven children.」
And then, 'I'm always getting a late start……' saying that Liliana's shoulders dropped in dejection.
「Just what are you saying? Even though you cannot even go home enough from getting so busy with the work as the founder of a new religion.」
「Uguu. It's harsh getting told that.」
Liliana pressed on her chest as though she was getting stabbed, but she immediately pulled herself together and made a fearless smile.
「But, that too will be over soon. If I can have this association recognized as an official volunteer organization from this conference, I too will be able to beg off from all duty. In the content of the agreement with the UN, there are requirements to establish an inspection division that is configured with only UN personnel as a monitoring mechanism, and also a decision-making body that has to accept at least one person from every country where they will vote to make decision. This association will stop being an organization where anything is decided with the will of just me alone. It will be a democracy you know Hajime-san, democracy! Like that my authority will be shaved and I will fade out naturally from here!」
「……Is that kind of plan going to be okay?」
「It's fine, there is no problem. ……Fufu, if the conference this time can go well, then I will retire. And then, I too will make a child with Hajime-san and devote myself in parenting!」
「Somehow, it feels like you are raising up flag there.」
Hajime's expression turned lost for word seeing the holy woman going 'ehehe' in a trip of delusion about her calm and happy future.
「Oops, come to think of it, Hajime-san, you want to talk? You are coming expressly in this timing, does that mean there is anything important?」
Liliana noticed Hajime's expression and she went 'hah' and returned to her senses. She tilted her head and threw a question at Hajime to varnish over her act just now.
Still with a complicated expression on his face, Hajime said「Aah, there is nothing really important」while shrugging.
「Well, how should I say it……what I want to say is, I also quite like Lily who is working busily.」
「……That's a surprise attack. What's more, I feel really complicated whether I should be happy or not.」
Even while she was saying that, Liliana's cheeks were blushing red.
「Wh, why so suddenly? Saying that kind of thing in this kind of timing, isn't that exactly something like a flag?」
「I guess. But, I want to say it ahead just in case. Remember, quite some time has passed already since your workaholic behavior was identified, but in the end you are undertaking completely staggering job like this. You aren't addicted to work anymore, but in the end, Liliana S. B. Hairihi is unable to change her way of life, isn't that how it is?」
「That's……」
She retired from being a princess and wished to grasp the happiness like a normal girl――like that the kingdom's people saw her off and she came to this world. Even though it should be like that, yet right now Liliana was going to tackle a conference with the top of the world where her fate was at stake.
Even though she tried doing part-time work, even though she tried to become a shut-in NEET, even though she tried to become a manga artist, even though she tried to become idol, but in the end perhaps the path that the human called Liliana was walking would always ended up converging to a path where she took responsibility of many people and stood in the lead to guide them.
It was because she was a princess. It was because she couldn't stop being a princess.
Was it just as expected, that she was unable to live the way she aspired for? In the end, was a person like her an existence who would put her beloved as secondary?
Liliana's shoulders dropped and she answered her own question.
Hajime who was watching such Liliana with a wry smile slowly approached her side. And then, he gently pinched at the cheek of Liliana who was showing a depressed expression.
「I came here not to make you wear that kind of face. Didn't I say it? I also like Lily who is shutting herself inside the office like this while getting chased by work.」
「Hajime-san……」
「Isn't it just fine, even if your aspiration stay as aspiration. Isn't it just fine, even if you put your husband as secondary. It is also not bad in its own way even if there is at least one wife treating me roughly. You see, it's Liliana's individuality that other wives doesn't have.」
「I don't want that kind of individuality at allll」
Even while saying that, Liliana was fawning on Hajime by rubbing her cheek on Hajime's cheek.
「Well, that's how it is. Just go without getting too worked up. Because no matter where Lily is going, I'll properly run after you everywhere.」
「Fufu, thank you very much. Hajime-san. But, as I thought, I will do my best here. Because I am Liliana. A woman who won't let my aspiration stay just as aspiration. Or rather, I want a child.」
「That's what you're stressing on?」
They smiled at each other and their lips overlapped naturally.
But, at that time, a reserved knocking sound that sounded like it was being considerate to the two's tryst was resounding.
「Looks like it's time already.」
「Ou, go do your best, your holiness.」
「Geez, please stop saying your holiness. I am the chairman.」
After joking, they smiled once more at each other and Liliana left the room behind. She didn't look back at Hajime who was left behind and she straightened her back with dignity.
And then the result of the started conference.
Before the mass media, the UN secretary general declared with blushing cheeks.
「She is truly-, the goddess who descended into this world! She is a living god! Hairihi religion will bring about salvation to the world!」
The populace gathering outside the conference building while watching the broadcast in real time, and the people watching television, they all raised cheers simultaneously.
「How did it turn out like this!?」
The scream Liliana raised was lost among the cheers that were raised even by the press people and vanished in vain.
Before, at another world, an existence that introduced himself as a god talked about his ambition that he would also become a god in earth. He proclaimed that he would become the god in the new world for sure.
But, the result was that the mad god was defeated by the demon king.
And then right now, in the place of the mad god, a wife of the demon king――
Became the god (?) of the new world.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
In the middle I didn't know anymore what I am writing……
Thank you very much for the many requests.
I took notes of them, so I'm thinking that I want to try writing them someday.
Something like Tio and Hajime getting spirited away, or Shia going bunnies in world of martial arts, or Yue and Hajime tackling underground world……or Remia……she is difficult~
After that, I'm thinking that I also want to try writing a bit long extra story.
The next posting is planned to be at 6 P.M Saturday too.