Eternally Regressing in Another World

"Get in first, I’ll take care of the chain."

"Okay."

I got Shiran into the carriage first and started removing the anti-theft chain. That’s when a woman approached, standing near the carriage. She just stared straight at me, unsettlingly so.

"Um, can I help you?"

The woman didn’t answer. But inside the carriage, Shiran looked frightened. Something was off with this person.

"...Who are you?"

"Are you this child’s father?"

A question in answer to my question. Not clear what was going on, but Shiran was clearly scared. Might be best to just get her to leave quickly.

"Something like that. Is that all? We’ve got somewhere to be."

"Somewhere to be?"

At that instant, the woman’s expression shifted unmistakably. I’d seen eyes like this before, many times. Eyes filled with murderous intent! Reflexively, I raised the chain in my hand vertically. The next moment, a small spark flashed, the chain catching a knife.

"What are you planning to do!? Kill another child!? Demon child! Monster! Murderer! Give him back! Give me back my son! GIVE HIM BAAAACK!!!"

Her son? ...So that’s it. This woman was a victim connected to the incident that had gotten Shiran cast out. The mother of the boy who’d been killed, Jill!

"Wait, please! Shiran didn’t kill anyone..."

"SHUT UUUUUP!!!!"

Bad, there was no way she’d listen to reason like this! How was I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding!? She wouldn’t accept anything short of catching the real culprit.

"P-please, at least calm down and talk..."

"Shut up! I’ll kill you, kill you, kill you!!"

Even calling for help around us wasn’t an option, the carriage blocked the view from the road. And a nearby pillar acted as a wall, keeping this spot hidden from passersby. ...No choice.

"Kill you both and join my son..."

"SHUT UP!!!!"

I yanked the chain down hard. The woman, who’d been pushing with all her weight, lost her balance badly. Seizing that opening, I grabbed her by the collar and pinned her against the carriage.

"How long are you gonna keep screaming about killing!? Listen. Shiran hasn’t killed anyone!!"

"Shut up! All murderers say that!"

The woman kicked my shin hard. Face contorted in pain, I gritted my teeth. Sensing another blow coming, I delivered a firm headbutt as a deterrent.

"Ngh!"

Her face twisted in pain. Seizing that moment, I pushed my words hard.

"Listen. I’m a hypocrite! Whenever I try to help someone, there’s always some self-satisfaction behind it! But you’re too far gone with grief! Kill Shiran, kill me, and once everything comes out, you’ll be the one in a cell! I want to stop that! So stop! STOP!!"

My desperate words visibly planted a seed of doubt in the woman’s mind.

"But... but everyone’s saying it. That kid’s a monster, a murderer. That plenty of people saw her covered in blood!"

"Does something being widely believed make it true? What have you actually seen of this kid!? What do you actually know about her!? You don’t even know which end of a knife to hold, and you’re ready to throw your entire life away just to give the real killer a good laugh!!"

Under my fierce tone, the woman’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

"No, that’s not... Jill, that girl..."

"Look at my eyes!!"

"Ngh..."

No hostility remained in the woman now. Just a storm of confusion, unease, fear, and regret, probably.

"He was a child you loved that much. You don’t want to become something like that in front of him, do you?"

"...No."

"...Shiran, let’s go."

The moment I climbed into the carriage and gripped the reins, the woman collapsed into sobs. I didn’t turn back at the sound. I’d already said everything I could to her. I chose to believe she’d understood.

"Hey, tomato mister. That was really cool just now."

Under the glow of the sunset road, Shiran spoke happily.

"You think so? I was in way over my head, honestly."

Remembering the scene from earlier, cold sweat ran down my back. Not dying back there had just been pure luck.

"Hey, is tomato mister a hero that makes people happy?"

Another one of her puzzling questions. I answered after a moment’s hesitation.

"I’m not fighting to make people happy. I’m just risking my life so people don’t end up unhappy."

"...Still sounds cool to me."

"You think so? Thanks."

The carriage moved along the road, bathed in the crimson glow of sunset. The horse’s call and Shiran’s cheerful voice echoed together.

—-

"Get in first, I’ll take care of the chain."

"Okay."

I got Shiran into the carriage first and started removing the anti-theft chain. That’s when a woman approached, standing near the carriage. She just stared straight at me, unsettlingly so.

"Um, can I help you?"

The woman didn’t answer. But inside the carriage, Shiran looked frightened. Something was off with this person.

"...Who are you?"

"Are you this child’s father?"

A question in answer to my question. Not clear what was going on, but Shiran was clearly scared. Might be best to just get her to leave quickly.

"Something like that. Is that all? We’ve got somewhere to be."

"Somewhere to be?"

At that instant, the woman’s expression shifted unmistakably. I’d seen eyes like this before, many times. Eyes filled with murderous intent! Reflexively, I raised the chain in my hand vertically. The next moment, a small spark flashed, the chain catching a knife.

"What are you planning to do!? Kill another child!? Demon child! Monster! Murderer! Give him back! Give me back my son! GIVE HIM BAAAACK!!!"

Her son? ...So that’s it. This woman was a victim connected to the incident that had gotten Shiran cast out. The mother of the boy who’d been killed, Jill!

"Wait, please! Shiran didn’t kill anyone..."

"SHUT UUUUUP!!!!"

Bad, there was no way she’d listen to reason like this! How was I supposed to clear up this misunderstanding!? She wouldn’t accept anything short of catching the real culprit.

"P-please, at least calm down and talk..."

"Shut up! I’ll kill you, kill you, kill you!!"

Even calling for help around us wasn’t an option, the carriage blocked the view from the road. And a nearby pillar acted as a wall, keeping this spot hidden from passersby. ...No choice.

"Kill you both and join my son..."

"SHUT UP!!!!"

I yanked the chain down hard. The woman, who’d been pushing with all her weight, lost her balance badly. Seizing that opening, I grabbed her by the collar and pinned her against the carriage.

"How long are you gonna keep screaming about killing!? Listen. Shiran hasn’t killed anyone!!"

"Shut up! All murderers say that!"

The woman kicked my shin hard. Face contorted in pain, I gritted my teeth. Sensing another blow coming, I delivered a firm headbutt as a deterrent.

"Ngh!"

Her face twisted in pain. Seizing that moment, I pushed my words hard.

"Listen. I’m a hypocrite! Whenever I try to help someone, there’s always some self-satisfaction behind it! But you’re too far gone with grief! Kill Shiran, kill me, and once everything comes out, you’ll be the one in a cell! I want to stop that! So stop! STOP!!"

My desperate words visibly planted a seed of doubt in the woman’s mind.

"But... but everyone’s saying it. That kid’s a monster, a murderer. That plenty of people saw her covered in blood!"

"Does something being widely believed make it true? What have you actually seen of this kid!? What do you actually know about her!? You don’t even know which end of a knife to hold, and you’re ready to throw your entire life away just to give the real killer a good laugh!!"

Under my fierce tone, the woman’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

"No, that’s not... Jill, that girl..."

"Look at my eyes!!"

"Ngh..."

No hostility remained in the woman now. Just a storm of confusion, unease, fear, and regret, probably.

"He was a child you loved that much. You don’t want to become something like that in front of him, do you?"

"...No."

"...Shiran, let’s go."

The moment I climbed into the carriage and gripped the reins, the woman collapsed into sobs. I didn’t turn back at the sound. I’d already said everything I could to her. I chose to believe she’d understood.

"Hey, tomato mister. That was really cool just now."

Under the glow of the sunset road, Shiran spoke happily.

"You think so? I was in way over my head, honestly."

Remembering the scene from earlier, cold sweat ran down my back. Not dying back there had just been pure luck.

"Hey, is tomato mister a hero that makes people happy?"

Another one of her puzzling questions. I answered after a moment’s hesitation.

"I’m not fighting to make people happy. I’m just risking my life so people don’t end up unhappy."

"...Still sounds cool to me."

"You think so? Thanks."

The carriage moved along the road, bathed in the crimson glow of sunset. The horse’s call and Shiran’s cheerful voice echoed together.