﻿\setgamedatatitle("Verlnya_07")

\text("Caym")
Risbell? Sure, come in.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I've brought Verlnya-san.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Good, thank you for your trouble.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Verlnya-san, please have a seat.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
Thank you.
\endtext

\text
That day, when Risbell showed up at Caym's office, she was
met with another sudden proposal.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...Well, I figured you'd bring it up sooner or later.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hm? What are you talking about?
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I thought Caym-sama would soon say he wanted to add
Verlnya-san to his ranks... That's what I meant.

\endtext

\text
Yes, Caym had suddenly brought it up.
\endtext

\text
He wanted to welcome Verlnya as a subordinate in his army.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
???
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Ah, please don't mind it. He always brings things up out of
nowhere.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Don't make it sound like I act without thinking.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Isn't that true?
\endtext

\text
Pressed by Risbell, Caym found himself at a loss for words.
\endtext

\text
Verlnya watched the two of them with a puzzled look on her
face.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Ah... A-hem! Um, the reason we asked you here today,
Verlnya-san...
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It's because Caym-sama has requested to welcome you into our
army.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
Me...? Into the Demon Lord's army...?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
That's right. But, this one here insisted I make sure to
confirm your wishes first.
\endtext

\text
As Caym said this, he pointed his thumb at Risbell standing
beside him.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I just thought forcing someone isn't right. So first, please
tell us what you think, Verlnya-san.

\endtext

\text
At Risbell's words, Verlnya closed her eyes and thought for
a while.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
...The eradication of the Diabolica was Structa's
long-cherished wish. But when I look at all of you―

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
I'm starting to lose confidence that the Diabolica were
truly our irreconcilable enemies.
\endtext

\text
With her eyes open, Verlnya sat in her chair, looking down
at her knees.
\endtext

\text
Though her gaze was fixed there, she was probably facing
something far beyond what she could see.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
Now that I have a body and emotions, I've changed from who I
once was.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
Maybe that's why I'm feeling so confused right now.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
However, the logical thinking within me as a Structa
shouldn't be broken.

\endtext

\text
After speaking all at once, Verlnya fell silent again, deep
in thought.
\endtext

\text
Her former self as a Structa, and her current self with a
body and emotions...
\endtext

\text
It seemed she was trying to find some way to reconcile the
two.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
...Ever since I separated from the Structa collective
consciousness, I've been thinking about it constantly.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
The sense of duty we Structa had, that we must eliminate the
Diabolica as a species...

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
I've been questioning whether that was truly the right thing
to do...
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
And now... as I interact with all of you directly like this,
that sense of duty―
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
In other words, I've come to the conclusion that that
obsession had no real justification to begin with.

\endtext

\text
As Verlnya lifted her face, it was clear from her expression
that she had come to terms with the sense of duty―or rather,
obsession―she once held.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Yeah, when you try to judge others by logic alone, it
usually leads to extreme emotions.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Thinking in terms of grand units like species instead of
individuals is where the real mistake lies.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
We... or at least I, have been fighting against a world
ruled by such mistaken ideas.

\endtext

\text
Caym nodded, and Risbell followed suit, nodding as well.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
Yes. We have tried to make this world itself adopt the same
way of thinking toward the Diabolica as we did.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
That the Diabolica are enemies to be eliminated. But looking
back now, at the root of those actions―

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
It was nothing more than a selfish desire for our own
species to prosper.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
We, who claimed to uphold the order and stability of the
multiverse, were in fact ugly beings who excluded other
races for the sake of our own peace...
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
That's the conclusion I've reached.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Well, I can't say I don't understand that.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
This world is survival of the fittest. As long as you can't
read others' hearts, caution is necessary. But you all went
too far.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
I... think so too. And I apologize. To you, Diabolica―Caym,
Risbell.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
From now on, with this body I've gained, I will live to make
up for the losses I've caused you.

\endtext

\text
As Verlnya spoke, her expression was more peaceful than ever
before.
\endtext

\text
She wasn't exactly expressive yet... but she was getting
there.
\endtext

\text
However, the inorganic coldness from before had faded,
replaced by the impression of a calm, dignified woman.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hmm, making up for losses, huh. Then, will you work as a
member of my army?

\endtext

\text
But at Caym's question, Verlnya gave a self-deprecating
smile and shook her head.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
No, from the perspective of your soldiers... I'm still a
hated enemy to them.
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
I think... it's still too soon for that.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hmm...
\endtext

\text
But Caym agreed, thinking Verlnya had a point.

\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
For now, I'll work behind the scenes. I want to help you,
Risbell... with your work.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Thank you. Honestly, I'd love to have you as a member of our
fighting force, Verlnya-san.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
But as you yourself said, you were the leader of an enemy
organization.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I expect the soldiers will resent you even more than they
did Minerva-san.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
So for a while, I'd like you to work here in the office with
me and help out with my duties.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Is that alright, Caym-sama?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Yeah, that's fine. I don't want to cause unnecessary
confusion among the troops either...

\endtext

\text("Caym")
I'll think of ways to help them understand what kind of
woman you really are.
\endtext

\text
Caym replied to Risbell with those words.

\endtext

\text
But at that, Risbell pouted at Caym.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Caym-sama, you just made a really pervy face, didn't you?
Please don't do anything weird, okay?

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hmm? Whatever do you mean?
\endtext

\text("Verlnya")
???
\endtext

\text
The exchange between Caym and Risbell.
\endtext

\text
Not understanding what was going on, Verlnya just looked on
in confusion.
\endtext