Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 15 - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Because the Two Kept Misunderstanding

My consciousness left my body behind and sank into the depths. Just as always, I arrived inside my own world. It was deep within the place where hearts connected to hearts, the world molded by my memories. Or so it seemed...

It was the same high school as usual, but something was definitely different. That only stood to reason. Even when two people looked at the same thing, they perceived it in different ways. So depending on the viewpoint, the world constructed by memories would change too.

There was no mistaking it. This was Katou’s world. My power had been the one to construct it, but her memories had been used as reference. It looked like I’d reached my destination. Perhaps because of that difference, I was wearing the school uniform I hadn’t put on for quite some time. I didn’t have the leisure to feel nostalgic about it, though.

“I have to find Katou...”

After thinking it over for a bit, I entered the school building. It was fortunate that I still had my memories of school. I walked without hesitation. The building was rectangular and consisted of four parallel blocks that ran between two vertical ones. The B and C blocks in the middle were for the regular classrooms. The A block at the end housed the staff room, and the D block on the other side had all the special rooms for specific classes.

The first place to look was naturally Katou’s classroom. With that in mind, I headed for the first-year classrooms on the first floor. Unfortunately, I’d never asked what class she was in, so I didn’t even know whether it was in the B or C block. I searched the slow and steady way. I peeked into a classroom from the hallway, and after seeing that she wasn’t there, I went to the next one.

From one room, to a second, to a third...

Katou was supposed to be a part of the wind-instrument club like Mizushima, so she had a connection to the arts rooms in the separated E block as well. I considered the possibility that she was there, but it turned out I didn’t have to go that far.

I found Katou sitting all alone in a classroom. Upon discovering her, I felt relief and joy, but immediately reeled those emotions back. Something about her was off.

She stared out the window in a daze. It was as though her soul was gone, leaving her hollow. I opened the door and stepped inside, but she didn’t react. After crossing the room, I stood by her side. Even so, she still didn’t react.

“Katou.”

I called out to her and her eyelashes finally twitched a little. She blinked slowly, her movements sluggish like a statue coming to life.

“Senpai...?”

It seemed my voice barely reached her. There was the slightest hint of joy in her expression, but it quickly vanished.

“No... There’s no way.”

Her vacant expression returned. It seemed she wasn’t properly cognizant of me. This hadn’t happened when I bumped into Salvia and Asarina in my world... Maybe dealing with a human was different from normal. I still hadn’t reached her heart.

“How stupid. There’s no way Senpai would come here.”

It was like she’d given up on everything. Her lonely smile made me feel a tightness in my chest.

“I’m not a monster. Our hearts can’t be connected. These feelings won’t reach him.”

Her words tore at my heart.

“Senpai won’t turn to look my way... I’m human, after all.”

Because she was human. I now knew how significant that was to her.

“But that’s fine.”

She slowly shook her head. Clenching a hand lightly atop her desk, she placed her other on her chest.

“Majima-senpai faced me while tormented by his trauma. Thanks to that, I was able to stay by his side. So, I’m satisfied. Just being with him brought me happiness, after all.”

“Katou...”

This was her world. These were definitely her true feelings. For the first time, I learned of what she’d been keeping to herself.

Envious of the monsters who nestled together, her desire to become a monster had grown and grown. And yet, because she was no more than human, she’d given up on ever conveying her feelings.

Nevertheless, so long as she was by my side, she was satisfied with her happiness. Thinking back on how that’d manifested as her ability in reality, I realized this was all reflected by her power. All of her feelings were so strong, and supported each other as an unshakable foundation. That was exactly what had granted that monster its strength...to the point where it couldn’t be undone.

There was no point in doing things superficially. I had to uproot everything from the very foundation. Coming to that understanding, I was now convinced.

I was the only person capable of bringing her back. After all, Katou’s wish to become a monster was preceded by her perception that her feelings couldn’t reach me due to her humanity. That impression was the root of the problem. So, only by proving this was wrong would her wish falter. As a concerned party, I was the only one who could do that.

When I thought of it like that, it was fortunate that the mental path hadn’t formed a connection with Katou as a monster. If it had, it would’ve put her under the impression that we could only get through to each other because she was a monster. That wouldn’t allow me to overturn her preconceptions. To get her back, I had to completely upset these firm and mistaken assumptions she had. To that end, I had to...

“I’ll have to throw away my preconceptions too.”

I shifted my eyes to the hand Katou had on her desk. It was so dainty and delicate, like a piece of glasswork. Thinking of how it might break if I touched it carelessly had me endlessly nervous.

The regretful memories I had of being absolutely unable to trust her when we first met had made me this way. Precisely because she was dear to me, I never wanted to hurt her again.

I drew a clear line as a “companion” that I would never cross because of her androphobia. I’d made sure never to touch her as a man would, even by mistake.

However, that stance was also one part of what had driven her misunderstanding. As a matter of fact, my ignorance played a big role in why Katou was so content with remaining nothing more than my companion.

Back when we first met, when I distrusted all humans, I’d desperately faced her like a fellow companion. It was precisely because she treated that so dearly that she was satisfied with being by my side. Precisely because we cared for each other, we slowly misunderstood each other’s feelings and couldn’t convey our own.

Our harsh past had rendered our relationship like that. However, right here and now, that was no good. I knew this, so I grasped her hand.

I consciously stepped over the boundary line of being companions.

I stepped forward so that we could reach the next stage.

At the same time, this was also an act to draw in her heart, which had gotten so distant and was gradually being lost.

“Katou.”

I called out to her once more.

I formed a far stronger connection to her heart from far closer.

This time, my voice reached her.

“Sen...pai...?”

With that, her unfocused eyes finally reflected my image.

“Thank goodness. My voice reached you.”

That simple fact brought me relief, reconfirming my feelings for her. As such, I wasn’t going to hesitate anymore.

“Umm, Senpai? What’s...?”

“I’m here to get you, Katou.”

Still unable to process the situation, Katou continued blinking in confusion.

“No,” I said with a smile. “I guess it’s more accurate to say that I’m here to tell you something.”

I opened the lid on the emotion I’d been suppressing all this time. This was what I had always considered taboo. I looked at the girl in front of me as a man would.

“Ah...”

Through our hands, and through my eyes, my passion was conveyed to her.

“Huh? What? Senpai?” Katou’s face gradually turned redder. “Wh-What are...?”

Realizing I was holding her hand, she was shaken by my gaze. The rare sight of her in a fluster was so adorable. Able to recognize that now, I couldn’t stop. I had no intention to.

It was all very simple. To overturn Katou’s recognition that her feelings wouldn’t reach me because she was human, I just had to convey my feelings to her.

“Katou. I love you.”

My confession came out more naturally than expected. Staring at me, Katou’s eyes shot open considerably.

She froze in place. Her thoughts had likely come to a complete halt. She really wasn’t budging at all. I didn’t mind. I was fine with waiting for as long as she needed.

“Is that...true?” she muttered after a short while.

“It is.”

“Even though I’m human?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Then you really...”

“Yeah.”

She surely wanted to confirm it again and again. Each time, my answer would be the same.

“Just as I said, I’m in love with you, Katou.”

I conveyed my feelings to her once more. Because we’d kept misunderstanding each other, I wasn’t going to let this be misinterpreted. And finally, my feelings got through completely.

“Ah... Aaah...”

In a flash, Katou’s eyes were filled with tears. They came spilling out. From the day I first met her, I’d never seen her make this expression. These were tears of happiness at finally obtaining what she’d wanted for a long, long time.

“Senpai...!”

She called out to me and jumped into my arms. I caught her firmly. As I embraced her dainty body, she wrapped her arms around my back and squeezed tight.

“Me too... I love you too, Senpai. I love you so much! I’ve loved you ever since we met!” she said, her voice filled with joy as she spoke right into my ear. “I love you. I love you so much. Aah, finally... I finally said it.”

She savored the words. She was going through a flood of emotions. Conveying her feelings was like a miracle to her.

“I love you, Senpai...”

“Yeah, I love you too.”

Inside a world that existed only for us, we shared a hug. Her feelings realized, and her devotion rewarded, the forlorn assumption she’d carried for so long was vanishing. There was no longer any need for her to be a monster.