# 131. The Hero Party That Raised Me Is Restraining Me (8)
It's cold, as expected.
The dawn sky held a quiet stillness.
Dark, with nothing visible except the stars.
Walking through the deserted city center, Saten looked up at the sky and spoke.
"When I look at the night sky, it feels like my heart floating in the air has settled into place."
Comfort.
Ease.
Does she feel those emotions when looking at the night sky?
"So, Saten, do you like the night?"
"I've never thought about it in terms of 'like' or 'dislike'... but I'm probably closer to liking it. Since I hate mornings."
Saten's expression soured slightly.
Does she hate mornings that much?
Honestly, there were parts of Saten's words I could relate to.
For example...
"There is the downside of light coming through the curtains and disturbing your sleep."
"So it's not just me. Of course, there's what you mentioned, but I have a different reason for hating mornings."
Saten said this and turned her head forward.
Then she began looking around at the shops and buildings in the city center.
It was too dark to see clearly what form they took, but I could vaguely tell that buildings were there.
Saten spoke in a dry tone.
"I have absolutely no interest in buildings like those."
"That has nothing to do with why you hate mornings."
"No, it's deeply related."
Saten strongly expressed her opinion and brought her face close.
...Too close?
I said gently.
"...I understand that, so lower your face. It's uncomfortable."
"Yes. Anyway, what I want to say is, simply put... 'information.'"
"Information?"
"Yes. For example, the building on the left is in a style that was popular 60 years ago. It was built not with bricks but with timber made from magical beast carcasses."
Treants.
Spriggans.
Buildings made from the carcasses of such creatures?
*Thinking about living in magical beast carcasses is a bit creepy...*
More than that, I didn't know Saten was so knowledgeable.
Saten seemed to have memorized information not just about this building on the left, but about the roads on the ground and numerous architectural styles.
Surely these things were what Saten meant by "information."
"You know too much information, and when it enters your vision, it automatically comes to mind?"
"Yes, exactly. Useless information keeps popping into my head. Even without being conscious of it, when I see something, I think about it."
So that's why she hates mornings when things are clearly visible.
When it's dark, you can't see your surroundings well, but when it's bright, you have no choice but to see even if you don't want to.
Having unwanted information automatically pop into your head must be quite an ordeal.
"You have a clear reason for hating mornings."
"That's why I think I like nights more. When I can't see, my head is at ease. I want to think only about what I want to think about, like with magic."
*Tap- tap-*
Saten said this as she walked through the quiet city center.
She was breathing comfortably despite the cold weather.
Watching Saten like that, a question suddenly came to mind.
"You must have been very stressed outside, Saten."
"That's right. My thoughts are complete when I'm in my room rather than outside."
"Then let me ask you one thing. Has this automatic thinking always been like this from the beginning?"
"..."
*Pause-*
Saten stopped walking for a moment.
About 10 seconds passed.
Only after that time did Saten open her tightly closed mouth.
"No. It wasn't like this from the beginning."
"...That's answer enough."
It wasn't like this from the beginning.
With that answer, I could understand.
*The Cecilia family created that habit in Saten.*
Her obsession with "information" and "punishment" must have been formed that way.
If she couldn't memorize things, she would be punished.
To avoid punishment, she had to memorize everything.
The actions she took to survive there became habits that now torment Saten.
I could judge Saten's behavior in that way.
"...Saten."
"Yes."
"Feeling comfortable because you can't see is the same with Non-elemental Magic. You can just turn your head or close your eyes."
Remember that.
The answer is close by.
Perhaps moved by my words, Saten stopped walking and stared quietly at my face.
"Mister."
"Yes, Saten."
"Your words are really cool. But you're tied up with rope, so it lacks persuasiveness."
"...I see."
Because of the rope.
It lacks persuasiveness.
I see.
"..."
I walked toward our destination without saying anything.
A restrained city center walk with Saten.
Since it was dawn when others couldn't see because it was dark.
I thought it was truly fortunate.
The place we arrived at after passing through the city center was a park.
If we had come during the day, it would have been noisy with people and couples.
But now it was a park with no one at all.
It was a suitable place for Saten, who disliked crowded places.
"I'm thinking of walking through the park for a bit. Is that okay?"
"Are you asking now after already coming here?"
"...I'm sorry."
"I'm not blaming you, I'm asking out of curiosity. You don't need to apologize."
Saten took a step forward first as if it was fine.
Though we had walked a lot today, she still seemed to have energy left.
"But I'm curious about something too, Mister. May I ask a question?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Walking along a flower path where colors couldn't be seen properly.
Saten asked what she was curious about.
"The strongest person in the Hero Party would be Luna, right? Then between me and Hare, who's stronger?"
Saten asking with pure enthusiasm.
In her questioning eyes, there was a feeling that the answer was already decided.
*Please say I'm stronger, Mister. You know that, right?*
Surely.
Saten's eyes were saying that, having already decided on the answer.
However, even though Hare wasn't here.
I had to tell the truth.
"Until before, you had the advantage."
"That means..."
"It means not now. Hare is stronger than you."
People full of talent become stronger the more they experience near-death situations.
They can expand their limits and come to understand physically where that line is.
Thinking is important, but experience is more important.
The reason Hare's growth was faster than Saten's, who had only stayed in her room, was due to the difference in experience.
Saten walking along the flower path took somewhat frustrated steps.
"At first, Hare would have been beneath my feet, but I realized while fighting this time. That Hare has become much stronger than I thought."
"People naturally grow as time passes."
"What about me? I don't think I've grown yet?"
"Your heart has grown."
"I... want growth in skill more than growth of heart. If only my skills would improve, I don't need a heart. A heart doesn't feed you."
...I don't want to admit it, but she's right.
After falling into this other world, I too had to do things several times where I had to abandon my heart to survive.
The more I did so, the more my heart gradually turned to ash.
I breathed in the fresh dawn air of the park and said.
"Don't think too hastily, Saten."
"It's hard to think hastily-"
"There's a reason for the saying 'the more urgent, the more you should take a detour.' If you hit a wall, going around is also a good method."
"...Okay. I'll stay still for now."
Saten, who felt anxious about the others getting ahead.
She closed her mouth for a moment and walked through the park.
She had a slightly sulky expression.
*She doesn't know how to handle emotions, so she's too honest.*
Still, compared to when she came to my room.
She seemed to have become a bit more at ease.
The anxiety about being the only one whose skills weren't improving seemed to have been quite significant.
"Mister."
"What?"
"I saw flyers while coming here. Flyers made by the Cecilia family. The bounty has gone up quite a lot."
"They no longer reply to letters, but they keep raising the bounty."
I don't know what the Head of Family is thinking.
But they continue to make moves to find Saten.
"So, when should I go find the family?"
"Wait, you'll go find them?"
"Yes, I want to destroy my family quickly."
She's serious.
But not now.
"Two years. No, three years."
"What?"
"After that much time, you'll be able to handle a family. If you want to destroy the family, go then."
"...You're not stopping me."
"Because that family is one that can be destroyed without issue."
The fact that it hasn't been destroyed until now is just surprising.
As Saten wished, I too wanted the Cecilia family to be annihilated.
"Before that, I also need to deal with the Church..."
"The Church... is that because of Estia?"
"You could say that."
"I wish you wouldn't touch the Church, Mister."
"Why?"
Suddenly she wishes I wouldn't touch the Church?
I couldn't help but question Saten's unexpected words.
"Why do you think that?"
"It's a waste of time. Estia has a gentle personality, so she doesn't want the Church to end. But I want my family to be destroyed."
And in the time that would be spent on the Church.
Saten said with an expressionless face but slightly trembling eyebrows.
"I wish you would look at me. I'm different from Estia, aren't I? Please devote your time entirely to me."
The time you weren't here this time.
The time we're alone together now.
Saten grasped my hand with her cold hands and said.
"As much as you need us. I need you too, Mister. So..."
Please don't leave for long periods from now on.
"I'll follow you even to distant places. So please don't leave me alone."
Saten pleaded as if begging with a trembling voice.
In such an earnest situation, the only answer I could give was that I understood.
The saying that dawn is a time when people become honest was surely a lie.