﻿\setgamedatatitle("Minerva_15")

\text("Minerva")
This place...
\endtext

\text
Minerva stands frozen in place.
\endtext

\text
Behind her are Caym, Risbell, and a small number of escort
soldiers.
\endtext

\text
The Demon Lord's army was on the march. Risbell had asked
Minerva to leave the ranks because there was something she
wanted her to see.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
What... what is this...?
\endtext

\text
A vast wasteland dyed in the colors of sunset. There isn't a
single person in sight, but there are clear signs that it
was cultivated and inhabited until very recently.
\endtext

\text
The charred remains of houses scattered about were probably
once individual settlements.
\endtext

\text
The fields have been trampled, and a huge amount of stones
have been thrown in to make sure they can never be farmed
again.
\endtext

\text
It seems poison was thrown into the wells. Miasma wafts out,
and the grass around them has withered in circles from the
seeping toxins.
\endtext

\text
Mixed with the smell of charcoal and smoke on the wind is
the foul stench of rotting flesh and bone.
\endtext

\text
―The source of the smell was the wetlands. Even though there
was no river flowing in, a vast, oily swamp had formed in an
unnatural spot.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It's the site where a large number of corpses were buried.
The rot and poison prevent plants from growing, and the fat
never dries up, so it turned into a swamp.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
What happened here...?
\endtext

\text
Minerva asks, her face pale. Judging by her expression, she
probably already knows the answer.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
This is the result of Structa's schemes. I've stayed here
before... This whole area used to be a traditional
settlement for demi-humans.
\endtext

\text
Caym picks up a clump of scorched earth at his feet and lets
it fall from his fingers.
\endtext

\text
Far off on the horizon, the city walls of a human town are
bathed in the setting sun.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
The vegetables grown around here were sold to that town―For
years, both sides got along well, and there were never any
problems.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It happened recently. An epidemic broke out inside those
city walls.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...It happened in other towns at the same time, probably
spread by travelers or merchants.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
A lot of children with no resistance died... It's a sad
story, but things like that happen all the time.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
...But in that town, Structa stirred up the grieving adults.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
The residents kept their mouths shut tight, so the
investigation was difficult...
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
They claimed the cause of the disease was vegetables sold
from the demi-human village. That those vegetables were
poisoned, and that's how the children were killed―
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Someone believed to be Structa incited the townspeople like
that.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
―On the morning when the children were cremated together,
the townspeople took up weapons and headed straight for this
village.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
This is the result. ...The agitator had already escaped long
before. Given the circumstances at the time, it's hard to
judge the townspeople too harshly.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Minerva-san... are you alright?
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
I'm fine. ...This isn't just here, is it? This is happening
all over the continent, right, Caym-sama?

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Yeah. You're a fine subordinate of mine now... but I thought
you should see this for yourself.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
It might be painful, but if you let time pass without
knowing and only find out later... it'll hurt even more.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
―Thank you for your concern.
\endtext

\text
Saying that, Minerva looks back once more at the ruins
burned by fire.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...What is evil, and what is justice? Now, it's not as clear
to me as it was back then.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
But... one thing I am certain of is that anyone who commands
or incites others to 'hate' someone is without a doubt
'evil.'
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...That may be true.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Well, as long as you understand that. Come on, let's go. I
want to catch up with the main group before the sun sets
completely.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Understood, Caym-sama. ...Oh, what's this?

\endtext

\text("Caym")
What is it, Minerva?
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
No, there's something in the ground... What is this...?

\endtext

\text
Minerva picks up the object that was half-buried at her feet
and brushes off the dirt.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It's a doll, isn't it? Maybe it belonged to one of the
children here.
\endtext

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

\text
The cloth doll with one arm missing was shaped like an orc
girl. ...The reddish-black stains were probably the owner's
blood.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...!
\endtext

\text
As if she could feel the girl's final agony, Minerva lets
out a sob from her throat.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Just leave it be, don't worry about it... Though, that's
probably impossible for you.
\endtext

\text
Caym sighs. Minerva just isn't the type to be so callous.


\endtext

\text("Minerva")
―Once, I slaughtered countless of this girl's kin.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
I believed it was justice, and that those who opposed us
were evil, without a single doubt―
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Among them, there may have been this girl's father or
brothers.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
―I'm sorry.
\endtext

\text
Minerva bows her head to the doll in her hand... to the girl
who owned it.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
I can't die yet... not until I've done what I must in this
world.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
But after that, surely―
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hey!
\endtext

\text
With a light smack, Caym hits the dejected Minerva on the
head from behind.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Eh...?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Don't 'eh' me. Idiot. That's not allowed either. I forbid
it.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
B-but, my sins―
\endtext

\text("Caym")
If you die, do you think that'll fix anything? Do you really
believe all the sins you've committed will just disappear?
\endtext

\text
Caym swings his arm, directing Minerva's attention to the
devastated landscape spreading out before them.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
...Look at this. Are you saying your life is worth enough to
balance out all of this?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Ugh... th-then, what should I do...?

\endtext

\text("Caym")
You live. That's all there is to it. No need for logic or
reason.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Besides, even the dead wouldn't be happy if the person who
killed them just showed up right after, looking all gloomy
and bowing their head.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
―If that's the case, it's way better to live a fun,
fulfilling life and then go see them after that.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...Huh?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Don't get it? If you just follow them right away with that
miserable face, they'd have no choice but to forgive you.
Even the ones you killed.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
But if you show up after living it up, they'd be way more
satisfied getting to yell, 'You killed us and then had a
good time, huh?!' and beat you up a bit.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
At least, that's what I'd prefer.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Wha... ah, no... but...
\endtext

\text
Minerva stands there in a daze. Risbell watches over her
with a look of sympathy―

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Well, that's how it is. ―Don't go thinking you can atone for
your sins with something so soft.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Besides, there's no guarantee they'll even want to forgive
you in the first place.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Live your life to the fullest, enjoy yourself here, and then
let the ones who hate you in the afterlife beat the crap out
of you. ...That's what I've decided to do.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Y-yes...
\endtext

\text("Caym")
I'm going ahead. ...It's getting a bit cold.
\endtext

\text
Turning his back, Caym starts to walk away. In his place,
Risbell gently comes over to comfort Minerva.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Please don't think too deeply... or rather, too seriously
about it. That's just how Caym-sama is.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Y-yeah... though honestly, the whole idea of life after
death doesn't really sit right with me.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
―So, is Caym-sama telling me to live this life so I can be
punished even harder after I die?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
.............
\endtext

\text
Risbell thinks for a moment before speaking.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Caym-sama's words are a bit inappropriate in some ways,
but...
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I don't think Caym-sama is telling you to forget your sins.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
We all live with sins. No one is completely innocent.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Both Caym-sama and I have shed a lot of blood for our goals,
and that will probably continue.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Forgetting your sins or convincing yourself you've never
sinned is certainly an easier path, but―

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
That's the same as what the Structors do, isn't it?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
That's right. ―And, well, this is just my own opinion,
but...
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
If the dead truly have someone they could never forgive, it
would be those who believe their sins are justified in the
name of justice.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
...I see.
\endtext

\text
Minerva thinks for a moment, then nods.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
So that's the reason why, even after becoming so powerful,
we still call ourselves the Demon Lord's army?

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
―The reason we don't claim a new justice, but instead
brazenly call ourselves evil?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Well, something like that.
\endtext

\text
Risbell lets out a sigh.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Either way, Caym-sama is always like that, so there's really
nothing else we could call ourselves but the Demon Lord's
army...
\endtext

\text
Minerva lets out a small laugh.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
I see. That makes perfect sense.
\endtext

\text
Then, looking at Risbell, Minerva gives her a genuinely
impressed expression.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
But... Risbell-dono, you really have a very Structor-like
way of thinking.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Is that... supposed to be a compliment?
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
In this case, yes. ...Actually, I only realized it after
incarnating like this myself.
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
To be so rational and logical, even while having this
fleshly body that's so easily swayed by emotions and
desires...
\endtext

\text("Minerva")
It's amazing. Truly worthy of respect.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Come on, flattery won't get you anything from me...

\endtext

\text("Caym")
That's right, Minerva.
\endtext

\text
At that moment, Caym slows his pace and returns, cutting in.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
This bitch is actually pretty greedy. She holds grudges,
she's persistent, and she throws fits all the time.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
...And she really loves sex, too.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
S-stop! Please don't say unnecessary things, Caym-sama!

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Ow, ow! Stop hitting me, Risbell!
\endtext

\text
Watching their exchange, Minerva can't help but smile.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Right... that's not what I came back to say.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
There's a project to relocate the survivors of this village
and rebuild it. ―It'd be tough to do it in the same place,
after all.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
I didn't think it was the kind of job you'd be interested
in. But if you want to try, you can work with Risbell on it.

\endtext

\text("Minerva")
Ah...! Y-yes! Is that alright with you, Risbell-dono?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Just call me Risbell. ...Yes, of course, I'd be happy to!

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Let's go. If we don't, the sun will set for real this time.
\endtext

\text
Laying the armless doll on the ground, bowing her head once
more, Minerva follows after Caym――

\endtext