Chapter 20 (215): Traveling with Priscilla
If Chin and the others were brought along, the situation would only grow more chaotic. The existence of the White Whale would completely strip their already ununified group of any ability to resist. Therefore, the best course of action now was to send them back to the mansion.
And since Chin had yet to meet Emilia, for the time being, communication could only be done through letters.
With Hikigaya setting out early, there was a chance he could bring them out of the mansion before the battle even began.
But still… the White Whale.
Whether he could get past this hurdle was clearly a gamble, but it was also a forced choice. With the information currently available, he had no bargaining chips to negotiate with anyone.
The only thing he could offer was his life, and the only thing he could take away was his life.
That alone was already enough.
This time, Rem chose to face the legendary mabeast. Before Rem received any message from Ram, Hikigaya had her return to the mansion first.
One reason was to add combat strength to the mansion, and the other was to guide Chin and the others.
Of course, persuading Rem took quite a bit of effort from Hikigaya. In the end, he even told an outright, colossal lie.
"I'll stay here and properly receive treatment, Rem…"
"Really? If it's Hikigaya-kun, you'll definitely be especially disobedient, won't you?"
"I promise you, I'll return safely to your side."
After an intense internal struggle, Rem ultimately softened and accepted Hikigaya's proposal, while also asking Crusch to take good care of him.
'I'm sorry, Rem. We'll definitely meet again. By then, everything will get better.'
Watching Rem disappear into the distance, Hikigaya simply turned around and lightly nodded to Crusch.
"Thanks for not exposing my lie."
There was no expression on Crusch's face as she quietly looked at Hikigaya.
"I thought Lord Hikigaya never lied."
"To be honest, I thought so too."
"Then may I ask, Lord Hikigaya, what was your lie for?"
Hikigaya did not meet Crusch's sharp gaze. Instead, he looked up at the sky with a hint of helplessness.
"Sometimes, you simply can't take her with you into hell, even if she's willing to follow you."
A gentle breeze brushed past Crusch's sleeves. Still stunned, she stared at the boy before her.
"Although I don't know what kind of preparations you've made, perhaps I misunderstood you before. Your resolve… I've deeply felt it."
"So, are you going to stop me?"
"According to my promise with Rem, I should comply. According to my heart, I should stop you. But… I also know that no matter what I do, you'll continue forward without hesitation, because you already have your answer, don't you?"
"Thank you for your understanding. It might sound strange, but I actually quite enjoy drinking with you."
Crusch did not fully understand the meaning behind Hikigaya's words, but she showed a faint look of agreement.
"If it were with you, I'm sure it would be quite interesting."
'Interesting? That's the first time anyone's ever said that about me.'
[Rem: "Even though I know Hikigaya-kun has this kind of ability, going off to die like this… it hurts too much. It's because Rem failed to protect him."]
[Ram: "Rem has already done very well… this isn't your fault. Of course… It's not Little Hikki's fault either. But if we want to save everyone, we can only rely on him."]
[Crusch: "Even though he could have fled, he still chooses to explore the unknown territory of his own life. A truly admirable man."]
[Anastasia: "Another death? No one knows what will happen. If Hikigaya really dies like that, we'd lose a lot of fun, wouldn't we?"]
[Priscilla: "This guy should hurry up and die."]
[Beatrice: "I can't understand this guy's motives, but he's definitely an idiot. Making a choice like this relying on Return by Death… it's a wonder he hasn't gone insane, I suppose."]
[Roswaal: "Ara ara, now this is interesting."]
After bidding farewell to Crusch and the others, Hikigaya quickly used the money Crusch had given him to search the town for a dragon carriage driver.
Perhaps because the pay was excessive, even knowing that the destination was the dense fog zone, someone was still willing to take the job.
'No matter which world it is, there are always people who treat their own lives like insects for the sake of money.'
'This is the cruelty of the world…'
While negotiating the price with the driver, Hikigaya was just about to pay and sign the contract when he was interrupted by a suddenly appearing blonde woman.
"I'll pay double!" Upon hearing this, the driver's eyes immediately lit up with greed and he backed out.
"Damn… even now I run into her."
Hearing Priscilla's voice, Hikigaya simply let out a quiet sigh. When it came to this woman, he really couldn't afford to stumble over her.
With no extra time to waste, Hikigaya turned around and prepared to leave. After all, wasting even a second could be disastrous for the situation.
"You dare ignore me? Such nerve! Al, kill him!"
Al scratched his head awkwardly. "Princess, cutting someone down in the street is illegal. No… even off the street, you shouldn't be cutting people down."
Perhaps having regained her composure after these days of rest, Priscilla did not get angry. Instead, she revealed a deeply meaningful smile.
"No one has ever escaped from my grasp. Al, follow him closely. Isn't he trying to rent a dragon carriage? Today, I'll make sure he leaves empty-handed!"
Al: "Princess, this really doesn't sound like you…"
Without continuing to argue with Al, Priscilla, despite wearing elegant and domineering high heels, quickly followed after him.
Although Hikigaya left first, he was well aware of the two following behind him. This had nothing to do with perception. One was a strange muscular man wearing a helmet, and the other was a girl with overwhelming curves who carried herself as though she were invincible wherever she went. When these two appeared together, it was as if they filled the entire street.
Again and again, the prices Hikigaya offered were bought out by Priscilla at double the amount. Hikigaya knew his own prices were already high, yet this woman…
'She's basically a mentally undeveloped girl, isn't she? Except for that part…'
'Spending money like this… truly worthy of being a princess. Crusch is way more normal than her.'
[For some reason, Crusch felt like laughing when she heard this, but she held it back and only said, "Be careful not to overpraise someone."]
[Watching the footage, Priscilla grew even more furious. This man wasn't a product of this world at all, so he wasn't affected by her Blessing. Meanwhile, the version of herself in the footage didn't understand that, and kept clashing with herself at every turn.]
Hikigaya gave up searching altogether and simply stood in place, waiting for the two behind him to approach.
For some reason, when she actually saw Hikigaya waiting for her, Priscilla, who had been 'sneaking' after him the entire time, felt an unprecedented sense of tension.
Although she didn't understand where this feeling came from, she tried her best to ignore it. After all… she was a princess!
Waving her fan, she strode fearlessly up to Hikigaya, wearing an incomparably confident smile.
"I say, there should be limits to one's actions. Disturbing others like this isn't very princess-like."
Priscilla looked at Hikigaya with displeasure, covering her face with her fan: "I wasn't targeting you specifically, you ignorant fool. I'm simply recruiting a large number of drivers. What about it? Do you have a problem?"
Hikigaya spread his hands: "No problem. But may I ask, Princess, which direction are you heading? I'll avoid it."
"I'll go wherever I please. What business is it of yours?" Perhaps feeling that she held the upper hand, Priscilla showed a bright, smug smile.
'Asking me for help? Impossible.'
'Today, I'll let you taste what it means to deal with me.'
Hikigaya felt helpless. The woman before him was completely like a mentally immature girl, utterly impossible to communicate with.
However, when dealing with someone so competitive and immature, there were still methods.
Hikigaya took out a coin. Without any unnecessary words, he looked straight at the girl and calmly said: "Miss Priscilla, let's play a game."
"What game? I have no interest in playing games with ignorant fools."
Ignoring Priscilla's refusal outright, Hikigaya continued: "It's simple. A coin toss. One round decides the outcome. If I win, you do whatever I want. If I lose, you only need to provide me with a dragon carriage. How about it?"
Al: "Hey, brother, this isn't a good idea… the princess, she…"
"Al, enough." Priscilla cut him off immediately, her face already showing a smile full of playful amusement.
Losing would only cost her a dragon carriage, which was trivial to Priscilla. Winning, on the other hand, she had already imagined how she would torment her new slave. Of course… Priscilla had never once considered the possibility of losing.
Hikigaya: "You're not scared, are you?"
Priscilla showed a look of utter disdain. "I simply don't want to play such a game with an ignorant fool. However… Since you're so sincere, I'll reluctantly accept you as my new slave. I truly look forward to bringing you before that half-elf and seeing the look on her face."
Hikigaya: "Not to hurt your confidence, but the coin hasn't been tossed yet."
Priscilla: "I want heads."
"Alright. Then I'll take tails."
[Felix: "It's over… with Priscilla's Blessing, it's impossible for her to lose a game like this."]
[Wilhelm: "Lord Hikigaya doesn't seem like someone who would take such a reckless gamble."]
[Julius: "Have their conflicts really escalated to this extent…"]
[Crusch: "Don't worry. Sir Hikigaya isn't the kind of person who acts without a backup plan."]
[Anastasia: "Even though Priscilla's Blessing really is powerful, for some reason I feel like Hikigaya is pretty amazing too."]
[Priscilla: "Heh… I've already won."]
[Emilia: "Please… protect Hikigaya-kun…"]
[Yukinoshita: "You really are… getting more and more cunning."]
[Hikigaya: "After dealing with someone like your sister so often, it's hard not to become cunning."]
[Haruno: "Ara ara, saying things like that about others, Hikigaya-kun really does have an awful personality."]
As Hikigaya lightly tossed the coin upward, the fates of the two became intertwined like a thin thread, and then… it fell.
"Clink clink clink…"
The coin spun and tumbled endlessly on the ground, like a spinning top that would never stop, rotating without pause.
Once, twice, three times…
Priscilla's face maintained her signature confidence from beginning to end. Clearly, she did not believe for a second that she could lose.
Of course, Hikigaya didn't think he would win either.
When it came to losing a hundred battles out of a hundred, Hikigaya had never believed in the arrangement of fate.
So… if he wanted to win, he could only do it himself.
As the coin lost its final bit of momentum, as if everything were about to reach its conclusion, Hikigaya did not hesitate in the slightest and simply activated the gate of life within his body.
Al: "Where did that wind come from?"
Just as the coin was about to fall toward heads, a sudden gentle breeze flipped it over to tails.
The result was set in stone.
[Manabu Horikita: "Hmph, I knew it."]
[Ryuen: "Using a trick like that would get your hands chopped off."]
[Kiryuin: "But he won, didn't he?"]
[Sakura: "This really is Hachiman…"]
[Horikita: "Maybe in the past I would've thought his methods were a bit dirty, but now I understand clearly, when facing an opponent like this, you have to break away from conventional thinking."]
Faced with a result that could no longer be overturned, Priscilla was momentarily speechless. Her pupils trembled in shock, and it felt as though every part of her body was burning with anger.
Al let out a slow breath. "Thank goodness…"
Hikigaya: "I won."
Priscilla: "You cheated! You… playing a game with a lowly fool like you was the biggest mistake of my life!"
Hikigaya: "A win is a win. I never said there were any restrictions, so as long as the final result is tails, that's enough."
Priscilla's voice, filled with rage, drew the attention of many onlookers.
"You're a born liar!"
Hikigaya: "So, Miss Priscilla, are you planning to go back on your word?"
Priscilla still hadn't noticed the ordinary people gathering around her. She simply crossed her arms and spoke irritably:"Even if I do go back on it, what can you possibly do about it?"
Hikigaya: "There's not much I can do, but take a look around you. If certain tabloids were to see you like this, they wouldn't even need to fabricate rumors. Your glorious reputation would be damaged on the spot. I'm sure Miss Priscilla wouldn't stoop to arguing with me, right?"
Al: "Princess, he does have a point. And as one of the Dragon Priestesses now, every word and action you take is extremely important. If you end up losing public support…"
Priscilla: "Did you hear that? I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for myself."
Hikigaya: "Yes, yes, you're absolutely right."
Seeing Hikigaya's increasingly perfunctory attitude, Priscilla felt utterly toyed with. She couldn't understand why him lowering his head felt so effortless, yet made her furious. She clearly wanted to truly control him just once, yet every time it somehow ended up the other way around.
Under Priscilla's arrangements, a luxurious dragon carriage arrived before Hikigaya almost instantly. Since it was meant to uphold Priscilla's reputation, it naturally couldn't be anything subpar.
And then, something rather unbelievable happened.
When Hikigaya boarded the dragon carriage, Priscilla herself got on as well.
"What are you doing?"
"This is my carriage. I'm merely lending it to you for now."
"That's not what I meant… the place I'm going this time is extremely dangerous. You..."
"Are you saying I need your protection?"
'Just how arrogant does someone have to be to arrive at such a bizarre line of thinking?'
Al also jumped on without hesitation, but Hikigaya had no intention of letting these two follow him to their deaths.
They had no reason to gamble their lives for someone who was originally a rival, all over an irrational wager.
"My destination is the White Whale. You could say it's nine deaths out of ten."
Upon hearing the words 'White Whale,' even Priscilla froze for a moment, while Al was completely stunned.
"Brother, why are you looking for the White Whale? Don't do something reckless…"
Hikigaya: "I don't know how to explain it to you, but… you should realize how dangerous this journey is now, so…"
Al: "Princess…"
Priscilla gritted her teeth and stared at Hikigaya with an intense gaze that couldn't be ignored.
"Then I'd like to see for myself whether you, a lowly fool, are truly heading off to your death. I'll just watch from the side. Thinking about it that way, it actually sounds rather amusing."
Hikigaya: "Tch… why won't you listen?"
Priscilla: "I have no obligation to listen to you. Besides, I've always been interested in that White Whale. I might as well slaughter it while I'm at it, once I gather my army…"
"There's no time for that. I'm leaving now. Please get off."
Looking at Priscilla stubbornly refusing to leave, Hikigaya had no solution. Even now, she probably thought he was just trying to drive her away.
But Hikigaya truly didn't have the time to keep wasting like this. He had already delayed far too long. At his command, the dragon carriage began to move.
Al: "Princess, we don't have a way back anymore."
Priscilla: "I'd like to see what you, a mere mortal, can actually accomplish."
Hikigaya said nothing, instead placing all his thoughts on Rem's side.
He hoped that this time, Rem would be able to withstand the Witch Cultists.
[Priscilla: "It's just the White Whale. What's there to be afraid of?"]
[Al: "Even if the princess is amazing, this isn't something to joke about."]
[Anastasia: "This time, Priscilla really did walk straight into it…"]
[Crusch: "There's nothing to be done. Hikigaya actually won using such a cunning method. With Priscilla's personality, there's no way she could accept that."]
[Anastasia: "But still… will they really be able to encounter the White Whale?"]
[Emilia: "If possible, I just hope everyone can stay safe…"]
[Rem: "Rem also hopes that Hikigaya-kun can return to the mansion safely."]
Perhaps because of the high-end dragon carriage, its speed far exceeded Hikigaya's expectations. According to what Rem had said last time, it should have taken at least half a day to reach the mansion, yet this time, by evening, they had already covered half the distance.
There was a village here.
But inside the village, there was not a single person.
Al: "Something's wrong. This place is very wrong."
Hikigaya: "Now you understand how dangerous this journey is, right?"
Priscilla: "I truly can't comprehend what a lowly fool like you came here for."
Hikigaya: "For now, let's leave this place…"
This time, Priscilla didn't talk back. She had finally realized the seriousness of the situation, though in Hikigaya's eyes, it was honestly a bit late.
Hikigaya: "Where's our dragon carriage? And the driver?"
Al: "Yeah, where did the driver go? Don't tell me he got scared and ran off?"
Priscilla: "What are you talking about? What dragon carriage, what driver?"
Hikigaya: "The driver who brought us here. He clearly said he'd rest in the forest…"
Priscilla: "I don't recall such a person at all. From beginning to end, hasn't it always just been me and you two servants?"
"I don't know when I became your servant, but Al… is your master always like this?"
Al also looked confused: "The princess may be arrogant and sharp-tongued, but she's not someone who would ignore a driver… isn't everything a bit too strange…?"
Hikigaya: "It is strange. And… the dragon carriage is gone too. Did that guy really run off out of fear?"
Priscilla glared at Hikigaya angrily: "Leaving me behind in a place like this! Lowly fool, you truly deserve to die!"
'Hey, hey, can we be reasonable here? I'm a victim too, you know…'
Just as the group was at a loss, a flock of birds suddenly burst out of the forest.
The huge commotion seemed to put both Hikigaya and Al at ease.
'Thank goodness, the dragon carriage is still here.'
"Hey hey hey hey hey! Move aside, move aside!"
A young man wearing a green hat was wildly charging through the forest in a clearly out-of-control carriage.
Hikigaya and Al exchanged a glance…
Priscilla waved her fan and directly stopped the boy.
"Lowly fool, you and your dragon carriage have been requisitioned by me. Be grateful."
The boy staggered to his feet and said, "What's going on…? My carriage suddenly stopped listening to me…"
Hikigaya walked up and helped him up.
"What's your name?"
"Otto…"
"We're all stuck here. I hope you can give us a ride."
(End of this chapter)