Chapter 203: Farewell, Light-chan
Translator: imperfectluck Editor: vb24
‘Keep that room just for my use? That feels a little…’
In the end, Seiji just decided to treat it as having an extra personal room.
"That’s what I’ll reward you with for the time being. This isn’t everything that I want to to give you, but it’s the most appropriate gift I can think of for the time being."
"In the future," Natsuya said in a gentle tone, "if you ever need anything—not just money, anything at all—feel free to ask me. I’ll help you to the utmost of my ability as long as it’s reasonably within the range of the payment you deserve."
The president gaze was fixed on Seiji while she was speaking, and her voice seemed especially gentle.
Seiji faintly felt that he was being flirted with.
Saying that she would take care of his needs… did this count as her financially supporting him?
Hey, it felt like this was rather similar!
He suddenly came to this realization and immediately denied it.
No, no, the president was simply paying him for helping her with the Yin-Yang Master duel, and her tone of voice was gentle merely because she viewed him as a true companion, just like Hitaka and Rana.
‘She’s definitely not financially supporting me or anything! Yep, I’m definitely not a gold-digging man!!’
Seiji resolutely calmed himself down and smiled.
"I feel that you’ve paid me more than enough, so there’s nothing else that I could request."
"If you don’t request of your own volition, I’ll save the favor I owe to you and give it to you when I feel it’s appropriate," Natsuya said with a wide smile.
‘That’s truly something that fits the president’s style,’ Seiji inwardly thought to himself as he admired her character.
This concluded their discussion.
Seiji bade farewell to Natsuya and left with the bank card and key.
Natsuya-sama is such an amazing beauty! It was my honor to fight on her behalf!
A voice suddenly spoke up in Seiji’s mind.
"Light-chan? You’re awake?"
Indeed, Seiji-sama. I happened to wake up just earlier and heard that you were in the middle of a discussion with Natsuya-sama, so I decided not to distract you, came the heroic spirit’s reply.
"How’s your current condition?"
Great! I’ve already recovered my strength after all this resting.
"That’s good then."
But there’s also something that's not so good.
"What is it?"
My task is already complete, and it’s time for me to leave now.
While the last sentence was still spoken in his mind, Seiji instantly detected a presence and turned around. He was greeted by the sight of a tall warrior's figure who was clad in light green military attire with a longbow on his back and a sword clipped to his waist.
"Light-chan…" He instantly realized that this must be Light-chan.
The handsome man was surrounded by an aura of heartiness. He had a mustache, fierce eyebrows, and eyes that were glowing green. The man smiled widely at Seiji when he saw him turn around.
"That’s me, Seiji-sama," Minamoto no Raiko acknowledged. "In this final moment, please allow me to take this form to walk a few steps together with you."
"So you could materialize yourself in such a form…" Seiji looked at him. "Of course I allow it… or rather, I’m happy that I can see you like this."
The warrior spirit smiled faintly.
The two of them walked onwards together.
"Time’s up already. It seems so fast. I still wanted to chat more with you. I’d really like to drink alcohol and feast together with Seiji-sama as well."
"You’re able to drink alcohol in that form of yours?"
"Of course! It’s a pity that there’s no time remaining. If there was, I’d definitely have a drink together with Seiji-sama!"
"Sorry, but I’m still underage."
"Don’t mind such a small matter! Seiji-sama is an outstanding man, so you should drink alcohol when you want, and have fun whenever you want, without paying attention to what people around you think!!" Minamoto no Raiko spiritedly waved his hand with a grand flourish.
Seiji didn’t even know what to say to such a remark!
"You probably just want an excuse to drink alcohol, don’t you, Light-chan?" He ended up chuckling. "Even if your personality is somewhat questionable at times, all in all you’re an incredible person, and… an amazing heroic spirit."
Seiji looked deeply at him.
"I’m truly grateful to you. If it wasn’t for you, we definitely wouldn’t have won the duel. Even though our time together was short, it was my honor to become your host. It was such a great thing that the spirit that came to me was you."
"Seiji-sama…"
"I regret not having the chance to communicate with you more. I hope that I get the opportunity to meet you again in the future, Light-chan… no, the great heroic spirit, Minamoto no Raiko!"
A momentary silence fell between them.
Then, the heroic spirit began laughing heartily.
"It was my honor as well to become your bonded spirit and fight for you and Natsuya-sama."
After he finished laughing, his tone turned serious.
"You will become someone truly strong, Seiji-sama. Your personality, resolution, willpower, and strength… will aid you in walking the path of the extraordinary! Please continue walking down this path at your own pace. If it’s fated to be… no, as long as you continue down this path, I will definitely meet you once again. Although the me at that time may not be the same me as from now."
"What does that mean?"
"Heroic spirits are formless, Seiji-sama," Minamoto no Raiko explained. "I was a human in the past, but the human me died long ago. The current me gained life through people spreading stories about my legend. You could say that I was born as a result of humanity’s common knowledge. I am Minamoto no Raiko, yet I'm not the real Minamoto no Raiko. I’m not a unique existence like a real human; instead, I possess many different forms all created by the different ways in which humans view me. I don’t really know how to explain it clearly either. Seiji-sama, you just have to understand like this: many different versions of me exist, and these versions may even be completely different from me."
Seiji was rendered speechless by this. ‘No way! Isn’t this just like…’
He felt as if he didn’t dare to continue imagining it, but he still had to confirm it.
"For example, there will be a you that uses a different weapon?" Seiji tried testing the waters.
"Yes."
"There will be a younger or older version of you as well?" Seiji’s eyes began to twitch.
"Yes."
"There will be an insane or maybe an even evil version of you all clad in black?" Seiji’s cheeks were beginning to twitch as well.
"Mmm… it's possible for there to be such a me as well."
"Will there even be a female version of you with gigantic breasts?" Seiji covered his face with his hands.
Minamoto no Raiko was temporarily rendered speechless by this!
"Seiji-sama…" Thick black lines covered the heroic spirit’s face as his expression became rather complex.
"No need to say more, Light-chan." Seiji averted his gaze while still covering his face. "I just… imagined some inappropriate things. I apologize."
An awkward silence fell between them.
Finally, Seiji ended up sighing.
"Alright, I understand now that I might meet a different version of you in the future. If that’s really the case, will that version of you remember who I am?"
"I don’t know. I might remember you, but I might also forget you." The heroic spirit shook his head.
"I see… I hope that the other version of you will remember me, otherwise… I’ll be sad." Seiji smiled wistfully.
"I hope so as well."
"No matter what other forms you take, as long as you can remember me, we’ll still be companions who fought together side-by-side in the past. Of course, what I hope for the most is that I can meet with the exact same you again, not any other version, in the future."
"I hope for that as well," Minamoto no Raiko stated in a voice filled with sincerity.
Both of them smiled at each other.
"It’s time for me to leave now."
"Alright. Take care."
"Farewell… please take good care of yourself, Seiji-sama."
The heroic spirit stopped speaking.
As the figure of the warrior disappeared, Seiji felt an energy course through his body and travel through his head, before slowly disappearing into the air.
"Goodbye, Light-chan."
Seiji gave a sincere farewell to this great heroic spirit who had helped him so much.
Neither he nor Minamoto no Raiko had even considered having Natsuya Yoruhana extend the temporary contract for Seiji to remain as her Spirit-branded Retainer.
It was meaningless for her now, plus it would be a burden on her Spiritual Power as she would need to maintain their connection.
Now that the duel was over, the president needed time to recover more than anything, so there was no need for her to maintain a temporary Spirit-branded Retainer. Lengthening the contract would mean slowing down her recovery process, which was something neither Seiji nor Minamoto no Raiko would wish for.
Farewells should be done decisively right then and there. Just leaving a hope that they could meet again one day… that was the emotional bond between Seiji and the heroic spirit.
Seiji walked alone on his way back to his apartment.
Overhead, high up in the sky, a green-colored flash finally disappeared.