"You must not."
Willieris-sama’s voice brought everything to a halt.
"Come on, just a little bit won't hurt. He’s come all this way, and he won't get physically injured here, right?"
"No. While Ryoma-kun appears to be in human form right now, he is currently nothing but a soul. It’s true that his body won't suffer wounds, but there is a distinct possibility that his soul could be damaged. In fact, that would be far more serious. If things go poorly, he could end up a shell of a person. If you absolutely must do this, you should wait until Tekun prepares some armor, or at least consult with Fernobelia first."
The gentle impression she had projected until now vanished, replaced by an air of absolute refusal. Upon hearing her words, Kirilel-sama made a visible face of disgust.
Ending up in a vegetative state because of a training accident was a bit much for my taste.
"Forget Tekun, consulting Fernobelia is a pain... He probably wouldn't cooperate anyway."
"Why don't you teach him how to use the Intimidation Skill instead? Ryoma-kun mentioned he didn't quite grasp it, right?"
"Yes. It failed to activate against the bandits, and I haven't been able to use it when I actually need to."
"See? That should be fine, shouldn't it?"
Willieris-sama nodded, implying that oral instruction was acceptable.
"I still think practical experience is the best teacher, but... well, he’ll be coming back here eventually. I guess we can do it another time. To be honest, I think the Intimidation Skill will be quite difficult for you."
"In what sense do you mean that?"
Was my ability simply lacking?
"It's the opposite. Normally, if someone has as much skill as you do, they should be able to use it naturally. Listen up. Intimidation is an appeal to an opponent's fear, wariness, and primal instincts. If you're reasonably skilled, you can use it to suppress an enemy's movements or as a feint. When it comes to battles between masters, that sort of thing is a standard technique.
...And you're already in that realm. When you're fighting, you actually use it properly. But when you don't feel like fighting, you become so incapable of it that it's almost impressive. Even a common thug with a loud voice is better at it than you."
They say the Intimidation Skill can be acquired even by those who simply act like bullies on a daily basis. However, skills acquired that way usually only reach Level 1 or 2.
"Right... look at it this way. Suppose there's a massive man in front of you. He's crouching on the ground, trembling. He's wailing and has completely wet himself. And yet, he's screaming at the top of his lungs, 'I'll kill you!' Would you be afraid of someone like that?"
"...No. I might find him a bit eerie, but I wouldn't be scared."
"Exactly. Words alone aren't enough to scare someone. If they aren't accompanied by a corresponding attitude and intent, they won't work on anyone."
I see... but what about my case? It shouldn't be that there was something wrong with this body. My attitude should have been resolute. In fact, there had been times when I successfully intimidated others. And yet, there were times when it worked and times when it fell completely flat.
"In Ryoma's case... I'm certain it's a matter of the heart."
A matter of the heart...
"Ryoma, you were originally a Japanese person from Earth, right? From that country where people say, 'Let's put down our weapons and talk! If we do that, we can surely understand each other!' That kind of ideology."
"...Kirilel-sama, I feel like that's quite a biased view. It’s true that Japan was often called a safe country by foreigners, but..."
"Is that so? A lot of the Japanese who came here in the past were like that."
"There were a lot of them? I mean, have that many Japanese people come here?"
"Ah... well, as I mentioned before, we select and bring over people who are 'safe.' So, the proportion of Japanese people among the souls we bring over might be on the higher side."
"Of course, there are people from places other than Japan as well," Lulutia added.
"Most of them either get used to the way things are here or turn a blind eye, but there was one guy who stuck to his non-combative stance until the very moment he died. I couldn't understand him, but he was truly admirable," Kirilel said.
There had been someone like that? I realized I had let the conversation drift. I needed to get back to the main topic.
"I'm sure there are all kinds of people in Japan, but for now, can we agree that it's a safe country?"
"Yes."
"In such a safe country, did you live a life where you habitually threatened people of your own volition?"
"...No, I didn't."
While I might have been feared because of my appearance, I never intentionally tried to scare anyone. In fact, because I was feared for my looks alone, I tried my absolute best to avoid frightening others. Even so, it often felt like it wasn't enough back then.
"That's probably why. You've developed a habit. You can use it when it's truly necessary, but otherwise... if you're holding back or being half-hearted about it, you probably suppress it unconsciously. You've had a warped kind of growth, it seems."
The word "warped" caught my attention, but before I could ask, sharp glares from Willieris-sama and Lulutia pierced Kirilel-sama, as if they felt she was being insensitive.
"Anyway, as I said, it's a matter of the heart."
She awkwardly changed the subject, and I missed my chance to pursue it. I was curious, but I decided to try asking another time.
"Matters of the heart aren't my specialty. What was that word in your language... counseling? I've never done anything like that. Even if I could, it would take a long time to show results, and I'm the type who learns through action rather than words. That's why I'm not much for teaching it, anyway."
"No," Willieris reminded her.
"I know... so, to be honest, I'm at my wit's end. Just take your time and keep gaining experience in real combat. You'll get the hang of it eventually."
"So it's 'practice makes perfect, there are no shortcuts.'"
"That's the long and short of it. That body still has room to grow, and if you want to become stronger than you are now, you have plenty of time."
True. With this body still in its early teens, I shouldn't reach the end of my lifespan for many decades. My policy was to continue with bandit subjugation in the future... That reminded me.
"Changing the subject, is it possible for bandits to rehabilitate themselves after being caught?"
I remembered that I had intended to pray for the rehabilitation of the men I captured, so I decided to ask. However, judging by the expressions on the goddesses' faces, it seemed unlikely.
"Unfortunately, the recidivism rate for those who have committed a crime once is high. Especially for those caught for banditry; they are expelled from the Guild and cannot re-register even after their release, so it inevitably becomes difficult for them to find employment. Of course, it's not impossible to find work without going through the Guild, but most workplaces hire people through the Guild because they want reliable and safe personnel..."
"Over here, unlike in Japan, the mindset of 'protecting oneself' is deeply rooted. There aren't many people who would hire someone with a criminal record."
"I heard that you are employing people from the slums, Ryoma-kun, but in general society, even if those people haven't committed any crimes, many would still keep them at a distance just to be safe."
"I suppose I can understand that..."
It was a topic that hit close to home. I could understand how an employer felt. It would be terrifying to bring a stranger into my current shop and have my employees come to some kind of harm.
However...
Bitter memories flashed through my mind.
"...Lulutia. I know I'm asking something foolish, but if I were to increase employment opportunities for people after their release, would things get even a little bit better? I have a plan to increase the number of branch stores for the laundry shop. Right now, I'm only training three managers, but if the shop continues to do well for a few years, the number of managers I train will increase, and new stores will open. If that happens, I'll need to hire a large number of new employees."
"...It depends entirely on how much the person regrets their crime. It depends on how much they want to rehabilitate and how much social prejudice they can withstand. I do think having a workplace would make it easier to reform, though."
"You're under no obligation to go that far for them, Ryoma," Kirilel said.
She was right. There was no doubt about that.
"Is there some reason why you feel that way?"
"There was a little something in my past... Willieris, did you not know?"
"As far as I know, nothing comes to mind."
"Me neither. We leave the selection of otherworlders to Lulutia and the others. We only know what they tell us and what we see of life here with our own eyes. It takes time to remember a person's life in detail from beginning to end, after all."
I had thought all the gods knew everything, but when it was put that way, it made sense.
"A lot happened during a period when I was younger."
It was during my first year as a member of the workforce. While I was shopping at a convenience store late at night on my way home, I had the misfortune of encountering a trio of robbers.
The men who burst into the store each had a gun, and as soon as they entered, they fired wildly toward the ceiling. Amidst the chaos, the trio watched with smirks, demanding wallets from several customers, including myself. They also instructed the clerk at the counter to bring them all the money.
All three robbers were men, and they didn't bother hiding their faces, smirking the entire time. Their behavior—as if they were just playing a game—seemed like they were drunk, but it was different. At the very least, it was clear they were not in a normal mental state.
Terrified by the trio, the clerk began preparing the store's money... but his limbs were shaking, and he was extremely sluggish, tripping and dropping coins. Seeing this, the trio spoke to the clerk in the same smirking tone as before.
"Hurry it up." "Are you resisting?" "Buying time, are we?"
After those words, they began an ominous conversation among themselves and then, as if on a sudden whim, pointed a gun at a woman who was in the store.
"Well then, let's kill her as an example!"
The moment I heard that declaration, my body was already moving. It didn't seem sane, but I knew those words were serious. The men's attention was entirely focused on the woman. They seemed to be expecting an entertaining show and were paying no attention to anything else. They didn't even notice me as I started to move.
As a result, suppressing them was easy. However, in the process, I broke the arms the three robbers were using to hold their guns. I also inflicted an internal organ rupture on one, a skull fracture on another, and a subclavian artery injury on the third. Consequently, I was detained on suspicion of excessive force.
The shock of the police officers who arrived, and their gazes mixed with confusion and fear, left a lasting impression. Of course, after my detention was extended again and again...
- The opponents all possessed actual handguns. I, on the other hand, was unarmed.
- Subsequent investigation revealed that the men were using drugs.
- Combined with the random firing upon entering the store, it was judged that there was a high probability they would have actually shot the woman.
- Since there were three opponents, it was judged that simply knocking their weapons away would likely result in a counterattack, and the situation was not one where holding back was considered feasible.
- While I ultimately inflicted serious injuries, my attacks consisted only of parrying the arms holding the guns and delivering a single strike to the body or head.
- After the attack, I immediately instructed that the police and hospital be contacted. I also performed as much first aid as possible.
- Security cameras captured the entire sequence of events, and it was judged that I had limited my attacks to the minimum necessary.
- There were also testimonies from the clerk and customers who witnessed everything.
Based on these eight points, self-defense was miraculously recognized. And since self-defense was recognized, I was legally innocent... but the story didn't end there.
I was released by the police around the time the news—that three robbers with handguns had been repelled by a single man and that the armed robbers had suffered serious injuries—had spread through the world and was being talked about incessantly.
"My son did something bad. But did you have to injure him this badly?!" "He might have died if the hospital hadn't been close!"
Initially, I was apparently treated as a hero, but after footage was aired of the elderly families of the perpetrators tearfully appealing to the cameras during intrusive interviews, the internet and weekly magazines began making a fuss every day for entertainment. During that time, I had no way of knowing the state of the world, but...
"By the day I was finally able to return to work, my place there was already gone."
Regardless of the fact that I had helped people, I was seen only as someone who had nearly killed three men. Seniors and colleagues who used to greet me warmly stopped approaching me. People whispered behind my back that I was trash, living shamelessly without making amends for a crime I should have paid for. While the topic had begun to fade in the world at large, it didn't disappear so easily when the person in question was right in front of them.
Then, within a week of returning to work, I was called in by an executive along with my boss.
"You seem to intend to repay our company through your future work... but I won't say anything bad. It will be hard for you to continue like this. You should quit and find a new path. ...I hear your work is also falling behind. For my part, I believe that is the best contribution you can make."
My boss at the time, upon hearing those words, went as far as to kowtow to the executive. However, the executive wouldn't listen, and the final word was that the decision was mine.
However...
"Though, the responsibility for any losses incurred or the dissatisfaction from your colleagues will fall upon the person who kept you here."
"In other words, he meant the boss standing next to me... He was a very good man."
He bowed his head to clean up after a subordinate's failure. He voiced his opinions to those even higher up when faced with unreasonable orders. He was strict about work, but he was reliable and respectable. While I was detained—the reason I wasn't discarded early on, and the procedures for the bail request so I could get out—he went to great lengths for me. And he was a doting father who would show me photos of his three children at any opportunity, calling them his treasures.
"What a scumbag," Kirilel muttered. "If he wanted you to quit, he should have just fired you outright. It's much cleaner for the person being told."
"Under Japanese law, once self-defense was established, the company couldn't use the incident as grounds for dismissal. So, to kick me out of the company, they had no choice but to make me quit of my own will."
It was a so-called "recommended resignation." I could have ignored it and stayed with the company, but the opposition and dissatisfaction from those around me would remain. I felt that more than I cared to admit, but that man accepted me. He even encouraged me. That's why I felt I could make up for it through my future work.
But... I would be endangering the position of my benefactor. The company wouldn't hesitate to do that.
My decision to resign was made immediately after leaving the room.
"Thank you for everything."
When I told him that for the last time, he looked frustrated and apologetic. But he also looked somewhat relieved. It was only natural, given the considerable burden I had placed on him.
"After that, I looked for a new job, but because the period from being hired to resigning was too short, I couldn't avoid explaining the reason for leaving during interviews, which led to a series of rejections. I managed to get into the company I worked at until just before I died... but I felt that the experience back then was close to the situation of someone with a criminal record. I just happened to think about it now."
A trained body and skills were completely powerless before the law and public opinion. I didn't think my judgment at the time was wrong. Of course, I still don't. However, it was a fact that I had inflicted serious injuries on the opponents, so I felt the changes in those around me were inevitable. That was the result of what I had done. I had to accept it.
But I did regret it, in my own way.
...Banditry is the same. They must be judged and pay for their crimes. I still don't like the words and actions of those men yesterday, and I have no intention of hiring them. But what about someday, after they have paid for their crimes? What if they have had a change of heart? If they truly had a change of heart, shouldn't they be given another chance? That's what I think.
"So that's why you're considering hiring them," Lulutia noted.
"No, I haven't decided to hire them yet... First, the point is that they are different from the innocent people in the slums. Even if they are former criminals, hiring them forcefully and on my own authority would be a mistake. Not just in terms of risk management, but it would be an act of disregarding my current employees. So, if I were to do it, I would first need to explain it to the employees, bow my head, and gain their understanding so they could at least be given an interview.
I could consider preparing a new store and gathering them there, but... first, confirming what crime they committed, why they committed it, and their intention to rehabilitate would be essential. 'Crime' is a broad word, after all..."
For example, although the bandits this time lacked courage, they had a sense of avoiding murder. I talked with one of them quite a bit, and there might still be room for rehabilitation. However, among criminals, there are those who think nothing of committing crimes... it's an extreme example, but I would absolutely refuse people like thrill-killers who enjoy murdering. It would strictly be limited to those who reflect and in whom I can feel the potential for rehabilitation. Mostly minor offenses, I suppose.
"Maybe I should leave the role of interviewer to someone else... At least right now, I think my feelings are leaning too much toward the side of the former criminals."
"...I get what you're trying to say. You're a complicated guy. One moment I think you've cleanly cut them off and handed them over, and the next you're starting to think about what happens after they get out."
That might be true. Thinking about reaching out a hand after pushing someone away. If someone told me my actions were contradictory, I couldn't argue. But that's what a human is. Selfish to the core, wishing for whatever is convenient. I am one of those humans too.
"That's one thing, and this is another."
"Isn't that fine? You have your own position as well. On top of that, regardless of the reason, it is not a bad thing to reflect on your own actions and think about others. But remember, taking on too much is forbidden."
"Thank you, Willieris-sama. ...For now, I think I'll try consulting with our Vice Manager about this."
Whether I do it or not, that's the first step.
Come to think of it... I spent three years in the forest after coming to this world, and more than six months have quickly passed since I came to town. Right now, I have the goal of going to the Shulls Great Forest to recover my grandparents' legacy. But the C-Rank I need for that is just ahead. Preparations are moving forward, step by step. I might be able to go as early as next year.
After that, what will I do? What will I live for? What will I use my money and power for? I don't want to just keep working for the sake of living without a goal. Even if the environment and work are different, that would be no different from my previous life. With the fifth year of my life in another world approaching, I still have no long-term goals. But vaguely, I think that if I'm going to do it, I want to use my power for something good, something that helps people.
"...In Japan, there's a saying: 'One god may cast you aside, but another will take you in.' It means that in this world, if there are people who abandon you, there are also people who will help you..."
I am here now because Lulutia and the others picked me out from among the candidates. I am spending every day in a way that would have been unthinkable in the past, and it's fun.
"That's why I'm still grateful."
"Ryoma-kun..."
"I don't know what will happen with my life from here on. But I want to be on the side that can pick people up, too..."
When I put what I was vaguely feeling into words, that familiar soft light began to shine.
"Is time up? Then, I'll be going now."
"Yes, do your best."
"May good fortune visit you. Next time, I shall introduce my husband."
"I'll keep an eye on you once in a while, too. Let's have a match someday."
"Thank you very—"
"Dah!"
As I tried to thank the two goddesses, Kirilel-sama shouted.
"I told you, you're too stiff!"
"Ryoma-kun, shouldn't you have had enough time to get used to it by now?"
...I understand.
"Thank you. Willieris. Kirilel."
"Good!"
"Fufu, until we meet again, take care."
"Hey! You didn't say my name—!"
My consciousness returned to my physical body...