Seraphim is a Bystander

The Seraph and the Garden God's Discussion - Part 2
From Seras’s point of view

 
Yuzu-chan sat on the cushion, almost defeated by its softness, yet she desperately tried to keep a serious face as she began speaking to me.
“...Let’s start with something simple. Tell me your name.”

“Oh right, I never told you, did I?”
“No. You asked for my name, yet didn’t give yours.”
Thinking back to our conversation in the bamboo forest last night, she was right—I hadn’t introduced myself. Sharing my name could be risky depending on who I’m dealing with, but in this world, knowing my name wouldn’t really change anything. Besides, I already told Ichijou-sensei.

“Seras. Since I share a body with Aoi, I suppose I could go by Futaba Seras... but just Seras is fine.”
“Seras, huh. You said you share a body—but you don’t seem like someone who’d be bound by a mere human.”
That’s a fair observation. Unlike living beings who are constrained by biology, beings like us are only bound by those more powerful than ourselves.

“Well, like I said yesterday, outside of this world, I’m just a cog in the system.”
“Oh?”
“I’m just executing orders. That’s all. I only do what’s necessary for my job.”

“...That’s hard to believe.”
Understandable. She’s [N O V E L I G H T] lived as one of the most powerful beings in this world. Without witnessing my powers firsthand, she wouldn’t believe I come from beyond this world—and even now, she might still doubt it.
“But do I have any reason to lie to you?”

“...”
“So? That’s not all you wanted to ask, right?”
“No. Assuming you’re telling the truth, what exactly is that child to you? Why do you need me to be with him?”

She’d finally overcome the lure of the cushion and now looked at me with a serious expression.
“You’re still watching over Aoi, right? You must’ve noticed something.”
“Hmph… You really are an irritating creature. You know full well my power has no real effect on that child because of your influence.”
“But surely you’ve seen something, right?”

After a moment of thinking, Yuzu-chan began to speak, organizing her thoughts.
“That child… he has the makings of a hero. His nature resembles those who left their mark in previous ages.”
“Correct! Even without seeing his fate directly, I figured you'd catch on.”

“Yes, but...”
“There’s never been anyone with greater power than you, right?”
At my words, she silently nodded. Up until now, no hero born in response to the world’s crises ever surpassed her strength. After all, Yuzu-chan was created as one of the highest-tiered existences in this world—there’s no logical way a mere human should surpass her.

“Then you can guess why someone like Aoi had to be born, can’t you?”
“...So that’s why you came from beyond this world.”
I didn’t respond directly—just smiled. Past heroes never needed to surpass Yuzu-chan, because the disasters they faced never did either. So if a hero does need more power…

“Hmph. Then it makes sense why I can’t see his fate.”
“You’re pretty sharp when you’re calm. Why were you so fiery when we first met?”
“...Remaining composed in front of something like you was never an option.”

“Got mad because your pride was wounded, huh?”
“S-shut up!”
I chuckled at her blushing face and gestured for her to continue. That short-tempered side of hers is actually kind of cute when you get used to it.

“...Fine. So you gave me this beast form and placed me by his side to prepare for that eventuality?”
“Exactly. Though there are other reasons, too.”
“...? I won’t pry further. But wouldn’t it be faster for you to handle it directly?”

“Too much hassle.”
“...Are you serious?”
Totally. Though that’s not the only reason. I began explaining to the exasperated Yuzu-chan.

“Kidding. Mostly. But if I intervened directly, it’d defeat the purpose. The one who needs to act is Aoi, not me. Otherwise, there’s no point in me being here at all.”
To keep the flow of fate as undisturbed as possible, the pages the goddess tore out shouldn’t be rewritten—they must be repaired. That’s the task the Creator God gave me. There must be some meaning behind it… I guess.
“Hmm. I have no interest in meddling with matters beyond this world. As long as you’re not trying to destroy this one, I don’t care.”

“Fair enough. That works for me.”
Less politics and speculation to worry about. As far as people in this world go, only Ichijou-sensei, Yuzu-chan, and Ao know about me. That’s enough. They’re all a pain to deal with anyway.
“So, is that all, or—huh?”

“What is it?”
Ignoring Yuzu-chan’s puzzled look, I diverted the halo I’d been using to organize the bookshelf and shifted it to sensing mode. …Damn. I’d been so focused on the conversation and work that I didn’t notice until now.
“Sorry, Yuzu-chan. Gotta go—talk later, okay?”

“Wait, what are you—?”
Before she could finish her sentence, her body vanished from this space. I had just returned her soul to her real body. As silence returned, ripples spread across the surface of the void—this time not from where Yuzu-chan had been, but from the opposite side.
“…Welcome. It’s rare for you to come here, you know?”

“Um…?”
At the center of the ripples stood someone I knew better than anyone in this world—Aoi, wearing a puzzled expression.