Chapter 46: Sheele, Go and Die
"Hahaha—
You all heard him at that time, right? Kobayashi actually said something like 'I was born to set it right'... Don't you think that guy is super chuunibyou? Was that a performance? It was like reciting lines from a stage play. Don't tell me he thinks he's a savior, hahahahaha..."
Leone clutched her stomach, laughing so hard she couldn't stop, her face a picture of pure joy.
After the mission, the members of Night Raid were reporting to Najenda, including Kobayashi's reaction in the warehouse, his fight with Raika, and the declaration he made at the end.
"I think he was serious. I have high hopes for him."
Bulat closed his eyes, his cheeks slightly flushed, as if he were still savoring the image of Kobayashi under the moonlight. It had to be said, he found it very attractive.
"So cool! He was really cool!"
Tatsumi had already become Kobayashi's devoted fanboy.
"Mmm, for some reason, I have a feeling he'll achieve his goal," Akame also thought highly of him.
"Wait! Let me write that sentence down!"
Lubbock took out a pen and paper and scribbled, then shouted excitedly, "Awesome! That line is awesome! So heroic! I'm going to use it as a famous quote for my manga protagonist! If I use it to act cool, I'll definitely attract a lot of girls! I can foresee it!"
"No way, do you all think so highly of him?"
Leone was stunned and asked in surprise, "Isn't that just a childish fantasy, something you say to deliberately act cool? Right, Mine?"
"Eh? M-mm... Hmph, no matter how you look at it, he was just trying to act cool."
Suddenly being called upon, Mine immediately snapped back to reality, stammered a nod, then turned her head away with a pout, her cheeks slightly flushed, putting on a tsundere act of agreement with Leone.
But everyone in Night Raid, who knew her well, could guess what she was really thinking.
"Don't tell me Mine also thinks he can do it?"
"I don't think he's cool at all!"
"I didn't say he was cool either."
"Acting cool" and "being cool," although only one word was added, expressed completely different meanings.
At least for now, it seemed that they had all been charmed by Kobayashi after just one small mission together. Wasn't that too strange?!
"Is that so? He has leadership charisma too?"
Excitement shone in Najenda's eyes.
She hadn't expected Kobayashi to have this kind of talent as well. It was truly a pleasant surprise.
Leadership Charisma
A charismatic leader must be a skilled communicator. They are not only eloquent but also able to communicate with their followers on a deep, emotional level. They can effectively express their own attractive vision and at the same time, evoke a strong resonance in their followers.
And after just one mission, the members of Night Raid already thought so highly of Kobayashi and had said such resonant words.
It seemed that letting him witness the darkness of the Capital was the right decision.
Lubbock had said that Kobayashi was Neutral Good, and people like that are dedicated to helping others and will do the best things a good person can do.
In that case, the method was simple. She didn't need to do anything at all, just give him a little push from behind.
The parasites of the Empire would do the rest.
A group of useless subordinates. In the end, doesn't it still fall to me, the Boss, to make a move?
Najenda was feeling a little narcissistic.
"Huh? Where's Sheele? I don't see her reporting in." Najenda noticed someone was missing as she smugly surveyed her subordinates.
"Sheele probably went to comfort Kobayashi."
Mine shook her twintails in annoyance and snorted, "That guy has been silent since he got back. It's so pathetic that he needs someone to comfort him."
"Don't say that. He's like that because someone he knew was killed, and a child at that," Bulat said, playing the good guy as usual.
Tatsumi also looked a little sad, because he had had the same experience.
"But shouldn't his humanoid Teigu be the one to comfort him?"
"You said it yourself, she's a Teigu. Although RyuZU is humanoid, does she really understand the human heart?"
"...Tch."
Refuted, Mine clicked her tongue in annoyance and shot a fierce glare at Tatsumi.
This left the country boy, who had once been comforted by Sheele, completely bewildered, not knowing how he had offended her.
On the back mountain.
Kobayashi stood in front of a grave.
He didn't know this little girl; they had only met once.
Even though she was a stranger, he still felt a little uncomfortable.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"Is that you, Sheele?"
"Mmm."
Sheele answered softly, then hugged him from behind.
—Soft.
It was the same kind of all-encompassing embrace, but Leone's was firm, while Sheele's was soft.
His head slowly sank into it, and a feeling of warmth and comfort enveloped him. Sheele was like a gentle older sister, silently supporting him from behind.
Sheele had always been like this.
Although she was an airhead, she was very sensitive to her companions' abnormalities and could often sense emotional fluctuations that others couldn't.
Sheele said softly, "Don't be sad."
"I'm not sad. Or rather, not too sad," Kobayashi shook his head, but his spirits were still low. "I want to cry my heart out or properly vent the anger in my heart, but unfortunately, I find that I can't."
He knew the reason.
Looking at the necklace around his neck, the reason he couldn't vent his emotions was because of it.
Aqua's blue crystal necklace was very powerful, so powerful that it was as if the Goddess of Water were with him, and any extreme mental abnormalities would be erased. It was like with Ainz Ooal Gown; when his excitement or anger exceeded a certain threshold, he would be forcibly calmed down.
It was a complete buzzkill.
There were pros and cons. Should one say, as expected of Aqua's consistent style?
"It's alright, you don't have to be sad."
Sheele hugged him and whispered gently in his ear, "Even if you can't vent, you can talk to me, if that would make you feel a little better."
"...Thank you, Sheele."
She's so gentle.
She cherished her companions, brought them healing, and had a very kind heart.
"Hey, Sheele, you said it before, right? It's because you have a screw loose that you have such a talent for killing, that you can clean up the trash in the Capital, and that you have a place where you can feel you have value."
"That's right."
Sheele nodded, but then asked, puzzled, "Have... I told you about my past, Kobayashi? I'm sorry, I've forgotten."
"That's not important."
Kobayashi looked up at the night sky.
The bright, clear moonlight could not dispel the darkness of the Capital. This place, like a hell on earth, was becoming more and more disappointing.
"I want to save everyone... but I know that's impossible. So I want to save most people. At the very least, I have to protect the people I care about."
"Me too. I also want to protect everyone in Night Raid."
"Is that so? You too, Sheele?"
That's right.
After all, Sheele was the gentlest person in Night Raid. Knowing that she couldn't do anything well, she wanted to do something for her companions.
But Kobayashi cruelly stated the truth. "But, Sheele, if this continues, everyone will die."
"I know. For some reason, I have the same bad feeling," Sheele had the same thought.
"In that case, are you willing to save them with me? Not just our companions in Night Raid, but also the corrupt Empire and the ravaged people."
"If I can be of any help."
"Then... Sheele, go and die."
"...Eh?"