Led by Asta, a youth with a shaved blonde head, a round face, and plump cheeks appeared. Though called a young man, he was not much different in age from Rose, making him still just a boy to me.
"Lord Kai Heinemann, my name is Okame Nato. I thank you deeply for saving my companions."
Straightening his posture nervously, the boy bowed his head low with utter respect.
"I merely stepped in because I had business of my own in this mansion. There is no need for gratitude. More than anything, it was Lucile and the others who risked their lives to save you, despite you attempting to harm them unprovoked. If you owe anyone thanks, it is them."
"Yes. That was my intention from the start. That is precisely why I cannot afford to forget this! My sins are not something that should be forgiven so easily!"
Clenching both fists tightly, Okame spoke with fierce conviction. He truly did not seem like the type to attack Lucile and the spirits without good reason. Had something happened to fundamentally change him to this degree?
"If you were not a promising youth, that might be true."
"Even you say so... However, as expected, I am merely an immature, ordinary person who cannot even control his own contracted phantom beast. I understand that all too well now. But please do not misunderstand. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly relieved that things turned out this way."
Confronting one's own weakness is extraordinarily humiliating and painful. Yet, one cannot become strong without knowing that weakness. That is a privilege granted only to those who acknowledge their shortcomings—a passport to growth. That fact alone was enough to say he had a bright future ahead of him.
However, being able to perceive one's own weakness in a positive light is an entirely different matter. Reaching that state of mind is impossible without thoroughly tearing down all of one's preexisting values.
"Relieved that things turned out this way?"
I decided to ask him frankly how he had arrived at such a conclusion.
"Yes, because with this, I have finally escaped the curse that has bound me all this time."
"A curse, you say..."
Come to think of it, Somni and Gil had said something similar before. Perhaps those steeped in aristocratic society are better able to view their weakness positively once they become aware of it.
If so, could it be that the twisted values of the nobility ironically had a constructive influence on young people?
No, surely not.
"This incident allowed me to return to my roots. I never want to go back to the foolish person I was yesterday. That is why I ask that you leave my memories of what happened in this mansion intact."
Indeed, if the events here had utterly shattered this boy's previous mindset, altering his memories might revert him into an arrogant youth once more. That would be a foolish move.
"Understood. However, you must swear never to speak a word of what happened here."
"Of course! And please, would you permit me to join Her Highness Rose's faction?!"
"You wish to join Rose's faction, do you...?"
Rose would likely be moved to tears of joy if she heard this, but gaining a supporter through such a stroke of luck would hardly serve her in the long run. In that case, perhaps I should introduce him to Gil. Having once been in a similar situation, Gil would understand how he felt. In a broader sense, that could still be considered falling under Rose's umbrella. At the very least, he would not be opposing her.
"I beg of you!"
Finally, he dropped down, pressing his hands and forehead against the floor in desperate supplication.
"All right. Asta, explain the circumstances to the people in Fiesta and introduce him. They must be desperately short on hands right about now, too."
"Understood."
"T-Thank you so much for your consideration!"
Cheering, he sprang up with vigor and bowed deeply once again.
(He's definitely going to be so jealous of me!)
Whispering that in a hurried rush, he pumped his fist and did a little dance of joy.
With that, Asta led the still-ecstatic Okame away. In this manner, we had successfully secured our base of operations in Babel.