As expected of a dream—Angel Onee-san fulfilled her wish so quickly.
Just seconds after Yoshino Himekawa expressed her wish, she felt her body enveloped by a warm, comforting power.
If possible, she wished this feeling would last forever.
Unfortunately, the warmth only lingered for a few seconds before vanishing.
Once the sensation faded, she immediately felt a profound change—her usual weakness had disappeared. Strength surged through every limb and bone, and she couldn't help but leap up.
She jumped up...
Huh?!!!
Standing on her hospital bed in striped pajamas, Yoshino Himekawa stared blankly at the familiar hospital room, her little head filled with question marks.
...
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): So, Yoshino, did your wish come true?]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): It... it did. So this wasn't a dream after all...]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Of course not. Everything you're feeling right now is real.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Eh? So Yoshino-chan thought we were just part of a dream all along? That's so mean~ So sad~ crying behind hands.jpg]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't know...]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Haha, just kidding! I'm not mad at all.]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): Thank goodness, I was worried...]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 2 / Group Leader): Worried about what?]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): I thought... maybe you all would hate me.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): How could we!!!]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): You're so cute, Yoshino! There's no way we'd hate you—we like you so much we can barely hold back! Right, everyone?]
[Kanae Kocho (Level 7, Stage 2): Chika-chan is absolutely right. We all adore you, Yoshino-chan.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): Don't mind Chika. She's always joking around.]
[Yuuki Asuna (Level 7, Stage 2): It's all Chika-chan's fault—she should've known better than to joke like that with someone as shy as Yoshino.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Don't worry, Yoshino. Everyone here really likes you. Just think of us as your family.]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): Thank you!]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): And... thank you, Eriri-nee, for healing my body!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): No need to thank me. We're family—no need for formalities. Besides, I was the one who offered, so just accept it with peace of mind.]
[Yoshino Himekawa (Level 1, Stage 9): Mm!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): So why haven't the other two newcomers said anything yet? Shouko-chan? Echidna? @Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1) @Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9)]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): I'm here. Hello everyone. Sorry for not speaking up until now.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): No need to apologize. You're in class right now, aren't you, Shouko-chan?]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Yes, but I can't hear anything the teacher says...]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Fortunately, a classmate has been helping me by taking notes these past few days, so I managed to learn a little.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): Shouko, that classmate you're talking about—it's Ueno Naoka, right?]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Yes, it's Ueno-san. She never looked down on me for being deaf and even helped with notes. I'm really grateful to her.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): ...]
--
Chapter 485: Return to the Embrace of the World (2/3)
[Adele (Level 7, Stage 1): Shouko, do you really like Ueno Naoka?]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Yes, I want to become friends with her. Not just her—I want to be friends with everyone in my class.]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): If only I could communicate with them more easily...]
[Adele (Level 7, Stage 1): ...]
[Yuuki Asuna (Level 7, Stage 2): ...]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 2 / Group Leader): ...]
Remembering what Ueno Naoka had said before being kicked from the group, and now reading Shouko's message, the group fell into silence.
Having seen the memory playback, they knew how kind-hearted Shouko was, so they weren't surprised by her words.
But they felt it was unfair—Shouko wished for friendship with people who would soon subject her to cruel bullying.
It made them despise those kids who bullied her even more.
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): It's okay, Shouko-chan. You don't need to worry about your hearing. You saw how I healed Yoshino's body, right?]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Yes! Eriri-san is amazing! Just like a goddess who grants the wishes of mortals!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Hehe, thank you for the compliment, our cute Shouko-chan.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): So you don't have to worry. I'll heal your ears and restore your hearing~]
[Shouko Nishimiya (Level 1, Stage 1): Eh? Really? You can do that?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Of course! Just wait, I'll do it right now.]
As the saying goes, plans can't keep up with changes. Eriri had originally planned to visit the A Silent Voice world tomorrow to heal Shouko.
But since she was already pulled into the chat group, healing her now made no difference.
Eriri extended her consciousness once again across the universe, arriving beside Shouko.
It was recess time at Suimon Elementary. Having seen Eriri's message, Shouko sat with her eyes closed, a hopeful expression on her face.
In the back right corner of the classroom, Ueno Naoka sat casually, whispering to Ishida Shouya and a few other mischievous kids, casting occasional annoyed glances at Shouko.
Ignoring these bullies from the original story, Eriri repeated the same procedure she had used on Yoshino.
Bathed in cosmic energy, Shouko's hearing was restored.
No one felt the change more clearly than Shouko herself.
With her eyes shut, she focused intently on the sounds flooding in from all directions.
Though she still wore hearing aids, the sounds entering her ears were crisp and vivid.
Overwhelmed by the noisy chatter around her, tears streamed down her cheeks.
In that moment, she felt like she had truly returned to the embrace of the world!
...
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Alright, Echidna, I'm sure you're reading the chat. Yoshino and Shouko both came out to greet everyone. You're the only one left. How long do you plan to hide?]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): ...]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): Can you really grant any wish?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Oh~ finally willing to speak up, huh?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): If you're referring to what I told Yoshino, then yes—without a doubt. No matter the wish, I can make it happen!]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): Sorry, I was just really confused about the existence of this chat group. The Book of Wisdom never mentioned it or any of you.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Of course not. That Book of Wisdom you hold only contains information from your own world. It's essentially a highly degraded version of the Akashic Records—it could never detect something like the chat group.]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): What are the Akashic Records?]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): You seriously don't know? Haven't you ever heard of using Google?]
[Chika Fujiwara (Level 7, Stage 2): Huh? You can find stuff like that on Google?]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): Obviously. I wasn't sure before, but considering what Eriri said and the Book of Wisdom's limitations, I'm convinced now. It must be true.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): Google? Akashic Records? I'm really curious now!]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Ahem, Google is just a normal search engine. It helps people look up recorded information—nowhere near the level of your Book of Wisdom.]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): As for the Akashic Records, they're the universal database of all life information—recording every thought, word, and action in the universe, moment by moment.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): I see. No wonder you say my Book of Wisdom is just a degraded version. There are still so many things in the world I don't know.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): So, you knew about me and that little girl named Yoshino because you have access to the Akashic Records?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Not exactly. You should check out the memory playback in the chat group, the one labeled Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-. That will explain why we know so much about you.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): I see. So there's still much I don't understand about this group. But that can wait—I have something more important to ask first.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): Eriri, you said you can grant any wish. Could you grant mine?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Hmm, if I'm not wrong, your wish is to create a world where everyone understands one another, right?]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): You know my wish? Well, that makes sense. If you know my background, you must also know my dream.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): So... can you make it come true? I'll do anything in return.]
[Honami Ichinose (Level 7, Stage 1): That's such a wonderful wish. If everyone in the world could understand one another, how beautiful it would be.]
[Rias (Level 7, Stage 2): A world where everyone understands each other? Does that world even exist? Even family members struggle to truly understand one another.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): Give it up. Unless everyone becomes a selfless saint, such a world is impossible.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): If that's your wish, I bet you've tried hard to achieve it, but nothing's worked, right?]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): You're right. Ever since I absorbed the Witch Factor and became the Witch of Greed, I've been trying to change the world. But my failures taught me one thing—one person alone can't change the world.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): I originally wanted to find others who shared my goal. But now that I've joined this group and saw how Eriri granted Yoshino's wish, I wanted to seek her help.]
[Ruri Goko (Level 7, Stage 2): Give it up. A world where everyone understands one another just doesn't exist.]
[Rias (Level 7, Stage 2): As cruel as it sounds, I agree with Ruri Goko.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): I see...]
[Akeno Himejima (Level 7, Stage 1): Ara ara~ but I think Eriri might just be able to create such a world.]
[Echidna (Level 3, Stage 9): Huh? Really?]
[Akeno Himejima (Level 7, Stage 1): Just a guess, but to me, Eriri has always seemed like an omnipotent being.]
[Arifureta (Level 7, Stage 2 / Group Leader): Mhm, from what I know about Eriri, making your wish come true should be possible. But I imagine there would be side effects. What do you think, Eriri?]
[Eriri (Level 8, Stage 9): Echidna's wish isn't hard to fulfill. Just modify the thoughts of all living beings in the world and set the right programming. Then a world where everyone understands each other will appear!]
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