The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley”

“W-what do you mean, message!? Chappie is alive, right!? He has to be!”

“That’s right! You watch your mouth, or my Master will get angry! He’s humanity’s strongest and a symbol of hope, you know!”

“That’s right! Say it more, Pochi!”

“I’m the TRUE symbol of hope, though! Because I’m Pochi, the Grand Heavenly Beast!”

Damn it, I can’t rely on Pochi to support me…!

“Shut up! I’ll tell you the whole story, so get off my wings already!”

“…Okay, fine. So it’s actually a message from Chappie, right?”

“That’s right, sir. I’m actually a Grand Heavenly Beast. So Chappie should be looking at me with envy…!”

“Ugh, great… You two really are just like him…”

“I am. Considering how reckless he is… I can’t help but think you are just like him.”

“W-whoa, really!? You think our personalities are similar!?”

“Now that is an important thing to know! As important as the fate of the world! In fact, if anyone gets it wrong–“

“–Shut up, shut up, shut up! Settle down! And you, Pochi! Sit!”

“Okay, okay!”

“ARF!!”

Huh? Why are we suddenly sitting down in front of Shi’shichou?

Pochi’s even following that ‘sit’ command so well that probably would surprise even Tarawo. Why’d she even do that from just being told to ‘sit,’ anyway?

Hmm, maybe Shi’shichou is simply a more talented beast master than me.

“I will say it only once, so listen carefully.”

“”……””

“…’Father! Mother! Are you two well!? I’m having fun living my life alongside Bright and Ferris! Hmm? What do you mean, I didn’t need to mention that? Well, I just thought you’d also like to see them– Wha!? Hey, Ferris! Are you trying to deafen me with all that shouting!? And Bright, you shut up, too! You’re not the only one who wants to fee Father– What? Get to the main point!? Ridiculous! Do you even mean what the word ‘message’ means!? If it’s not to inform Mother and Father of my achievements, when what is it!? In fact, that’s the only thing it does! What? Hey, Shi’shichou! What do you mean, you can’t memorize it all!? And you call yourself a legendary beast!? Ugh, shut up, shut up, shut up! Sit down and listen! Father… Mother… I am alive! Healthy, happy, and fighting to uphold justice awesomely! As Chappie Mask would say, this fight is to protect the legacy of Leole Mask and Pocchie Mask! I… I would like to see you two again soon! That’s the only wish I have! Nothing more! But I know that cannot be done yet! As Bright has said, it is not yet the right time for us to meet… But I WILL see you again someday! There is no reason for me to feel that way! I just know that we will! It’s our fate! Justice… MY justice is made of Father’s strength and Mother’s kindness! That is the unchangeable truth! I will not give up until we meet again! And then… and then you will praise me! Father! Mother! Give me all the praise in the world! For all the effort I have put into everything! …Oh no, this is bad, Bright! I just said I wanted nothing more, but then I just went ahead and asked for more anyway! Hey, Shi’shichou! One more time! Let me change my message! …What!? You can’t remember any more than that!? You birdbrain! I said let me–‘ …And that is all I can remember. Wha–!? Hey! Why are you two hugging me!?”

“”CHAPPIEEEEEEEEE!!””

“IT’S ME! YOUR FATHER!!”

“IT’S ME! YOUR MOTHERRRRRR!!”

“Ugh–!? How are your grips so strong!? Get off me! And you don’t even lay eggs! Since when were you my parents!? Hey! Let go! HNGGGGGG…! How strong! Hey! Is there anyone here!? I need help! I need help badly! I ask for nothing more! JUST HELP MEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

…And so, with the voice imitation by Shi’shichou being so accurate, we ended up hugging him with our full strength… and it was a whole thirty minutes later when we realized that he was in fact not Chappie.

“Why the hell are you here!?”

“Yeah! Bring Chappie here now! He’s in your throat, isn’t he!? Don’t try to hide him from us!”

“Ngh…! I did NOT think my voice training would end up being harmful…!”

Shi’shichou grumbled to himself while unruffling his feathers — didn’t quite catch what he was saying though, because I was more concerned about Chappie’s message.

“You’re curious as well, sir?”

“Yeah, very curious.”

“I knew you would be! I mean, Chappie was talking with someone else, but Shi’shichou did not recreate their lines as well! What a major oversight!”

“Not THAT, damn it! Shi’shichou only committed to remembering Chappie’s words — it makes sense! The actual curious thing is what the message contained!”

“T-that’s right! Bright and Ferris!”

“Yeah, them! Hey, Shi’shichou! Bright and Ferris were there too, right!? When was this message recorded!?”

When I asked him that, Shi’shichou stopped rearranging his feathers for a brief moment.

Then he stayed silent and simply went back to doing his thing.

“H-hey! Shi’shichou! You have to tell us–“

“–No, wait a minute, Pochi.”

“Huh? Why, sir?”

“The silence… That’s his answer.”

“Huh? But why!?”

“Well… there must be a reason why he can’t say it. A reason only Bright and Ferris know.”

“A reason why he can’t say it… Hmm…”

As Pochi groaned to herself, I recalled something.

“…Hmm? What’s the matter, Master?”

“Well, it feels like I’ve heard a similar story from somewhere else…?”

“Huh!? W-where!?”

“If I remember correctly, you weren’t there with me, I think?”

“That would mean… it was when you were alone!”

“Yeah– I mean, actually, no. There might have been SOMEONE ELSE with me as well.”

“Hmm, that’s pretty unclear…”

“Oh! I remember now! It was Konoha!”

“Konoha!? How is Konoha even involved in all this!?”

“When Gaston and his brigade fought Billy, Konoha’s life span should have ended shortly after the death of Gaston. But that didn’t happen thanks to an improvised spell that turned Konoha into Baladd’s Familiar. Here’s the thing, though… I CAN’T do that. So I asked Lina this: ‘Did something else happen when Sir Gaston fought Billy?’ She answered that by summoning Baladd, then Baladd summoned Konoha — who said that it was ‘a secret’ and that he ‘made a promise.’ Konoha is the second most tight-lipped person I know, right after Gaston, so I’ve been thinking about the person he made that promise to… And then I figured that maybe it was–“

“…Bright!”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bright was able to use some magic spells and magecraft that I don’t know. Then there’s the part where they drove Billy away!”

While we were talking, Pochi and I nodded to each other.

Then we looked at Shi’shichou — one of the people who must have promised Bright to keep things a secret.

He still said nothing, only giving us a faint smile… which was more than enough to convey something to us.

Upon realizing that that ‘something’ was quite close to an affirmation, Pochi and I turned to each other again and smiled.

“When was Sir Gaston attacked, sir!?”

“On day two of month six! Just a little bit over a month ago!”

“That means all three of them ARE in this era, right, sir!?”

“Yeah! I don’t know how Bright and Ferris managed to live for this long, but now we know that they’re out there somewhere! Lylia… Lylia was right!”

“We can see them again!!”

“YEAH!!”

As Pochi and I celebrated, Itsuki came over to call us.

“……Why are you two hugging each other?”

And it looks like she’s more curious about our celebration than whatever business she has with us.

“N-no reason… Ahem! So, what is it, Itsuki?”

“You have guests waiting outside. ‘Bring out Poer!’ they said.”

“…Huh? Who even calls me by that name nowadays…?”

“They’re part of a pretty major adventurer team around these parts, apparently. What are they called, again…? Eddo… Boars… I think?”

…Huh, strange.

Why did the image of fava beans suddenly appear in my mind?

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