310 – Cri and Punishnt, Life and Death
Due to Yamada-kun’s statent, the fact that oni-kun had killed Natsu-kun had beco clear. Since Natsu-kun wasn’t amongst the reincarnators gathered at this treehouse, I think it’s likely that so people had guessed why. Even so, even if they had been able to guess that Natsu-kun had died, I really doubt that any of them could have imagined that it was one of their ex-classmates who had killed him. The proof of that, is in the chilly silence that dominated the room.
The only exceptions were Tagawa-kun and the tied up Kusama-kun and Ogiwara-kun. Also, the ones who knew it beforehand, or rather saw it in front of their eyes – Ooshima-kun and Yamada-kun. Since even Kudou-san had lost the ability to speak, naturally the others had looks on their faces showing that they either couldn’t properly digest Yamada-kun’s words or that they were befuddled. Even for those who understood, perhaps they doubted whether it was actually true or sothing, as they were glancing around restlessly at the others.
Most likely, for the reincarnators who had been living inside the elf village, death was probably a distant concept. For that reason, even when they were told that an acquaintance had died it didn’t feel real to them. Even more so that it was one of their ex-classmates who had done the deed. In Japan it was rare for people to die of anything except old age, and maybe that expectation had been carried over. In which case their sense of death would completely run counter to this world, where people die all the ti whether they’re an acquaintance or not.
On that point, Tagawa-kun and Kusama-kun who were raised outside the elf village have a proper sense of life and death in this world. Which is why they’re not flustered. However, in comparison to that, why is Yamada-kun so indignant when he was also raised outside?
In the first place, Yamada-kun should have held a considerable resentnt against Natsu-kun. After all, his father’s death and being chased out of his birthplace is because of Natsu-kun. Furthermore, Natsu-kun even did sothing so cruel as to brainwash Yamada-kun’s sister and friend, and set them on him. Eh? There was soone who allowed that to happen? Who might that be eh? Well, putting that aside. Even if Yamada-kun has had any thoughts of killing Natsu-kun, isn’t it too strange that he would actually want to let the guy survive? I don’t get it.
「Say, is what he said, true?」
The one who broke the silence, was Kudou-san. Oni-kun and Yamada-kun keep glaring at each other and don’t move. When those two glanced to the side, Kudou-san turned around towards again to repeat her question. But ehh, you’re picking !?
「If what he said was true, then does that an that after you lot used Natsu-kun you then killed him?」
Hm, well, that’s mostly correct.
「I will not deny it.」
「I’ll take that as confirmation.」
In response to my answer, Kudou-san said that with a severe expression. Well, it’s not actually wrong after all. In practice, what I did is probably even more unscrupulous than what Kudou-san is imagining though. But I’ll refrain from saying that. I’m sure we’ll both be happier that way, yep.
「I’ll say this first – him being killed is simply sothing that would inevitably happen. Therefore, there’s no problem even if I killed him.」
「There surely is a problem!」
Interceding between oni-kun and Kudou-san, Yamada-kun jumped in with a shout. It surprised a bit that he did sothing out of character and he had jumped up so quickly that he knocked over his chair.
「Shun. Since you are actually the primary victim, don’t you think it’s strange that you are sticking up for him instead?」
「Well, that might be true. It’s not like I have forgiven Natsu-kun, and I don’t have any intention of sticking up for him either.」
Oh? I guess Yamada-kun wouldn’t be able to forgive Natsu-kun after all huh. Well indeed, if he could forgive all that, he’d have to be so kind of incredible saint. Or rather, going that far would actually be too strange huh.
「However, despite that, isn’t it strange that you’re basically saying “yeah I killed him and it’s over”?」
In response to Yamada-kun’s words, so of the reincarnators showed signs of approval. Well..…. I guess so. Since they were raised in the enclosed environnt of the elf village, it’s not so strange for them to have kept their sense of values from Japan. Criminals in Japan are impartially punished according to the law. The death penalty is only applied in the case of genuinely extre cris. There’s even a movent for abolishing the death penalty. The value of a person’s life is different compared to this world. That even applies to criminals.
「It was necessary for Natsu to live and atone for his cris. He had the duty to do so. It was wrong to kill him and stop that. Once soone’s dead, then it’s all over, right?」
Hmm. He is certainly making a decent argunt, but also, I can’t help but think that he sure is naive. After all, there’s tons of criminals in this world who don’t show the least inclination of atoning for their cris. Taking his words at face value that no matter what kind of criminal they are they would eventually repent, is the kind of thing that only exists in expedient stories. If soone refuses to reform themselves no matter how much you try, then you’re just wasting your ti with them. In such cases, I think it’s much neater to nip the problem in the bud and kill them off quickly you know. Well, since I don’t know what would have happened in Natsu-kun’s case, this is simply just my own opinion though.
「That’s true. Once soone’s dead then it’s all over. Killing is bad. That much is natural. It’s not sothing forgivable.」
Oni-kun approved of Yamada-kun’s words.
「In that case…」
「Then, isn’t it also natural that Natsu cannot be forgiven as he has taken many lives?」
Whatever Yamada-kun was about to say, oni-kun interrupted him. Carried within oni-kun’s words was a force strong enough to silence Yamada-kun.
「Listen Shun. People who have had soone close to them killed are not going to forgive the killer. No matter how much that person tries to atone for their cri, the hatred in their hearts will not vanish. It might fade. But, it will not vanish.」
Those words had a strong sense of it being sothing that he had experienced personally. On hearing such heavy words, it could be understood that soone close to oni-kun had been killed.
「Shun, I think what you are saying is praiseworthy. However, no matter how he struggled he was not in a situation where he could be forgiven. He had to die. That’s why I gave him a rcy killing. Can’t you agree with that?」
There’s no way that Yamada-kun would be able to refute oni-kun’s compelling argunt.
「I can’t agree, indeed.」
Or so I had thought. However, sothing powerful shined in Yamada-kun’s eyes. Sothing unyielding was definitely there.
「Shun. Surely you can understand from seeing this world? This world is not like Japan. Life is cheap here. Even if you still carry your sense of values from Japan, can’t you see that it’s inevitable?」
Oni-kun asked the obstinate Yamada-kun that, trying to persuade him.
「It’s inevitable? Why do you think so?」
However, that gave rise to an unexpected counterattack.
「Certainly, life is cheap in this world. People die for minor reasons. It’s precisely for that reason that Julius-onii-sama also… no, never mind that now. Anyway, despite all that! Just because of that, that doesn’t make it okay to take those lives away so easily, right!?」
A shout. A shout with the power to overturn my perception from just earlier that he was naive. I had thought that he was naively sticking to his sense of values from Japan still. That was wrong. His shout indicates that Yamada-kun is still persisting with those naive thoughts, despite understanding all that.
「This world is not like Japan? Sure it’s not. Nothing in this world is like Japan. But, does that an we gotta toss away our sense of values from Japan? That it’s hopeless?」
At Yamada-kun’s words, Ooshima-kun’s shoulders started trembling. Does that reaction indicate that Ooshima-kun had also thrown away her sense of values from Japan due to her life in this world?
「Kyouya. Let ask you this instead. You said that it was inevitable. Aren’t you simply giving in and saying that it’s inevitable because that’s how this world is?」
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