I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 3 Chapter 3.7
After a few minutes had passed, the disruptive effect faded away. I can’t help but think, “If only it had been a little faster,” but such thoughts are nothing more than escapism.
We concealed Count Putepe with a “phase-concealing cover texture” and headed to Nina’s house. Now, we are sitting at the living room table.
Nina, sitting across from me, is staring intently at me. As for myself, I am struggling to find the right answer, so there is a heavy silence hanging in the air.
By the way, I have already informed my subordinates of the current situation. Count Putepe’s subordinates have also been captured, and search teams have been dispatched to his mansion. Therefore, I can focus on the matter at hand.
What should I do, really?
Nina probably sensed that Shis’s appearance was a fake, even without knowing about the “disguise” itself. So, the only option is to honestly tell her the truth as it is. However, the problem lies in “how much should I reveal.”
It is possible to maintain silence. Considering my position and taking Nina’s personality into account, she probably won’t press for further inquiries.
But causing unnecessary doubts and suspicions when trust is already shaky is not a wise move. If things go wrong, it could lead to a state of paranoia and even endanger her life. That would be counterproductive.
On the other hand, revealing everything in detail would be excessive. Especially when it comes to the topic of my past life, it is a delicate matter that I have only shared with Akatsuki. If I were to disclose all of it, I might be seen as a lunatic, and there is a risk of damaging the trust even further.
In order to maintain a good relationship with Nina, a balanced approach to information disclosure is crucial.
I believe it’s necessary to tell her about my true identity as Zex. Now that it’s known that I possess the ability to disguise my identity, further deception would be foolish. Naturally, I should also explain the strong reasons behind my lack of colors. There is nothing scarier than unknown powers.
Time continues to tick away relentlessly. As the sense of impatience grows, I made an effort to calmly organize my thoughts.
Hmm?
Inside my mind, I tilt my head in confusion.
It’s been at least thirty minutes, and Nina hasn’t said a word. I expected her to berate me for deceiving her or interrogate me about every single detail… But as if mocking those expectations, she remained serene. She just stared at me without showing any signs of wanting to speak.
What could be her intention behind this silence? Not only her expression, but even her magical energy is as calm as a still lake, making it difficult for even me to grasp her emotions. It seems she only becomes emotionally expressive during training sessions.
Let’s get serious. I return her gaze and our eyes meet. I concentrate on trying to discern the true meaning hidden deep within her eyes.
As we continued to gaze at each other, I whispered, “Could it be?”
No, it can’t be… But I can’t think of any other explanation.
Despite having come to my own conclusion, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered by this unexpected turn of events.
I took a deep breath to calm my mind. Then, I focused my thoughts on the conjecture I had just arrived at.
It was certain that Nina was waiting for me to start talking. Otherwise, she wouldn’t remain completely still and silent.
But my speculation went further. Why was she not taking any action and waiting for me to speak?
The most likely reason is that she still trusts me.
Yes. There was a possibility that Nina still had faith in me, despite the fact that I had deceived her and kept up the charade until now.
It’s hard to believe all of a sudden. Nina has lived a life filled with constant betrayal. She has been mistreated by her family, except for her sister, and subjected to violence during the civil war. She grew up in an environment where nearly everyone was an enemy.
Therefore, the lies that I have revealed here must have dealt a heavy blow to her heart. It should have shattered the trust we had built up, causing an impact strong enough to undermine it.
And yet, what resides in Nina’s eyes is trust towards me. The emotional perception through psychic magic undoubtedly captured her genuine belief.
It can’t be described as unwavering. What is rooted deep within her gaze is fragile and fleeting. It is so delicate that it can only be found when scrutinized like this, a reliance that lacks solidity.
Nevertheless, it was certain that Nina had not abandoned her trust. Considering her life experiences, it wouldn’t be surprising if such trust had completely disappeared.
Suddenly, an image of Nina during training flashed in my mind. It was her dignified presence, with intense determination in her eyes, striving to survive on pure instinct.
I was convinced. Ah, this girl is truly pure to the core.
Despite a past of mistreatment, being hurt unjustly without fault, and being deceived by someone she placed her trust in. Even if the world’s injustice descends upon her, Nina remains untainted. While she may direct her anger towards others, she does not let resentment consume her.
The essence of Nina Goshirane Haneus(*There might be a slight error in surname*), this young girl, is “unyielding purity that permeates her being.”
No wonder she didn’t become the heroine in the original game.
In fact, there was a sub-heroine concept for Nina that was mentioned by the scenario writer. They said that she was deemed “unsuited to be a heroine” and the idea was scrapped.
And it makes sense. Indeed, Nina is not suitable to be a heroine. Or rather, she is not suited to be the romantic partner of a hero.
The hero wouldn’t be able to fully accept her ability to maintain such purity. He, who clings to the values of modern Japan, would be fatally incompatible with Nina. I can envision the image of the hero, who upholds his own sense of justice, and Nina, who pays no attention to it.
But that’s beside the point.
How should I respond to Nina, who places genuine trust in me?
There’s really no need for words in this case. There is only one way to respond to such pure feelings.
I make up my mind.