第４９９堀：誰だって見えないところで…… (Part1)
**Chapter 499: Everyone Has Things They Keep Hidden...**
Everyone has things they keep hidden...
**Side: Rurua, Weed Affiliate, Diplomat to Litea, Director of Weed Hospital, Wife of Yuki**
The day has finally arrived.
It has been approximately five days since I was separated from my husband.
To be precise, five days, thirteen hours, forty-three minutes, and thirty-four seconds.
I have endured these hellish days, but they are finally coming to an end.
In four hours, at 14:00, the gate to Baide will open.
I never imagined that "summoning" could be such a cruel thing.
I had always perceived it as a wonderful part of fairy tales, and even when my husband mentioned it had aspects of kidnapping, I hadn't truly grasped the depth of it.
When I heard that my husband and the others had been summoned, my mind went blank.
When I learned they were being dragged into a war, I was beside myself with worry.
Even if they survived that, would they be subjected to unreasonable demands by those who summoned them? Had they contracted some strange endemic disease? My heart felt like it was being torn apart every single day.
And now, I am filled with nothing but rage toward the criminals who summoned—no, kidnapped—my husband and the others.
In our case, we are quite fortunate.
My husband is a man of both wisdom and courage, a hero among heroes, and even when summoned, he possessed the means to contact us. Others, however, would likely be used by that country until the very end, never able to send a single word home.
...That is beyond cruel; it is not something humans should ever do.
To ensure this never happens again, we must appeal to every nation and establish proper laws.
I will see this through. So that such misfortune never visits anyone else...
For that purpose, I will crush the nation of Haiden into the dust.
Now, I should start preparing.
I’ll finish my prayers to Lilishe here and head back home.
"Um... that didn't sound like a prayer, it sounded like a declaration of war, didn't it? Rurua-chan, calm down, okay?"
"Yes. Lilishe-sama. I am perfectly calm. I will blow Haiden away without leaving a trace. Now, please wait for the good news."
"W-wait a minute!! Rurua-chan, take a deep breath!! A deep breath!! Hifie-chan!! Hifie-chan!! Help me!!"
For some reason, I was held back by Lilishe-sama and ended up talking a bit longer.
"...I see. This is a severe case."
"Right? Can't you do something? You have experience with being a bit unhinged, don't you?"
"...Lilishe. You... no, Rurua comes first right now."
For some reason, Hifie-sama was brought into this as well.
"Personally, I wouldn't care if that dirt-digger got dragged away."
"That’s because your relationship is already over. I, myself, wouldn't have the confidence to stay calm if Taizo-san were dragged away. Well, I suppose one might say, 'Look who's talking, considering you did the kidnapping yourself.'"
"Isn't it fine in Hifie-chan's case? I mean, Taizo-san was supposed to have been blown to smithereens by a bomb, right?"
"Um, Lilishe-sama, Hifie-sama, if this is idle chatter, I will hear it another day. I am going to be busy today crushing Haiden..."
That’s right.
I have a big job to do today.
I need to erase the trashy country that snatched my husband.
I must erase everything, including the summoning ritual itself.
Sumire is lonely, missing Sakura, Schans, and the others.
How terrified must Sakura, Schans, and the others have felt while they were being held captive...?
I must settle the score for the sake of the children.
"Yes, yes. Rurua-chan, please calm down, okay!? You can't just go and crush a country called Haiden."
"I understand very well that you are angry. I understand from the bottom of my heart that you cannot suppress it, but wouldn't that go against the wishes of the Yuki you love?"
"……That is."
It is true.
My husband has explicitly told me to stay calm and handle things peacefully.
But I feel that such a soft approach won't solve anything.
"...My husband is kind. There are times when we must be strict in his stead."
"I certainly understand what you are saying, Rurua-san. But while it may look like a soft approach, it is not. If you do not prepare the proper steps, you will only create unnecessary tragedy. There must be people in Haiden, too, who are just living happy lives, like you and me. You must not take that happiness away."
"……"
Deryu had said something similar.
...But, but!!
"...Even if you were once a Saintess, you are human. It is natural to have emotions you cannot suppress. But that is precisely why you should be able to endure it. You should be able to see things calmly. If you have carried a nation on your shoulders as I have, you should know that you cannot create misfortune out of a fleeting emotion."
"Ah..."
Something inside my heart felt like it had been filled.
"Rurua-san. This is the turning point—whether or not you will be useful to the Yuki who gave you your 'now.' Will you just wail and rampage like a woman, or will you act like a dignified lady..."
"……"
A goddess who held the same feelings as me and tried to destroy all her enemies.
I felt like I finally understood what Deryu wanted to say.
Not to burn with revenge, not to cause misfortune, but to act simply for the sake of the one who loved me, and whom I love.
"Haa, fuu..."
I take a deep, deep breath.
I decided to be with my husband.
I have no right to obstruct his path with my own selfishness.
Yes, this resentment is just my own personal selfishness.
I just wanted to vent my anger.
He said he would settle the score himself, so if I move on my own, it really is just selfishness.
Such a woman is unfit to be his wife.
Above all, I could not forgive myself.
"...Lilishe-sama, Hifie-sama, thank you. I almost became a fool unworthy of my husband."
"Phew. That's good. Then, please give our regards to Yuki-san as well."
"Yes. Tell him that everyone was worried. It’s only natural to hear a little scolding for that. Wanting to settle things peacefully is, in a sense, Yuki-san's own selfishness, after all."
"Fufu. Yes, I will certainly convey that request."
The two of them went out of their way to give me a reason to make my own selfishness easier to express.
They were telling me I didn't have to hold back.
"Then, I will be going."
With that, I finally left the church and returned home.
"Ufufu. As expected of Hifie-chan. Experience speaks volumes, as they say."
"...Lilishe. Shall we have a long talk now?"
It’s good to see the two of them getting along so well.
However, when I returned home...
"W-wait!? What happened!? All five of you!?"
There, sitting in front of the entrance, were Deryu, Kirue, Ria, Jessica, and Sasari, all covered in wounds.
"Oh, good. Rurua, help with the healing."
"Y-yes."
I followed Eris's instructions and helped with the treatment.
"What on earth happened..."
When I asked that, the answer came from somewhere else.
"Oh, has the stress relief finally ended?"