Chapter 34: The Value of Existence
"Even if I disappear, it doesn't matter."
The Wrath Devil hesitated for only a moment before giving her answer.
"Fine. Your resolve is impressive, but your dream is unrealistic," Chiya said plainly.
"..." The Wrath Devil fell silent, knowing in her heart that he was right.
In truth, while her dream was highly impractical, Chiya actually knew of a viable way to achieve it: simply have Pochita eat the Wrath Devil.
Pochita was the Chainsaw Devil; any devil he consumed would be forgotten by humanity. The Wrath Devil would vanish entirely, and even the concept of "Wrath" or "Anger" would be erased from existence. Makima herself had mentioned that humans once possessed a sixth sense, but the "Sixth Sense Devil" was eaten by the Chainsaw Devil, so it no longer existed. Other concepts like AIDS and the four possible conclusions to a life besides death had similarly vanished.
However, Chiya had no intention of helping the Wrath Devil realize this dream. Losing the emotion of anger would not be a good thing for humanity. The consequences were unimaginable, and he couldn't bear that responsibility. From a personal standpoint, he didn't want to lose his own capacity for anger either. Besides, Pochita would have to be willing—and in the original story, Pochita was extremely reluctant to eat Makima.
Chiya continued his mental conversation: "Moreover, I don't believe losing anger would make people happier. Anger, like your power, is a 'double-edged sword.' It has its benefits and its drawbacks."
"That human boy next to you... I can sense his rage and hatred toward the Gun Devil. It's so severe it's nearly blinding him," the Wrath Devil countered, using Hayakawa Aki as an example.
"But that is also his primary motivation right now. What makes him suffer is the Gun Devil, not the emotion of anger itself," Chiya said. Furthermore, he had other ways to ensure Aki led a better life; there was no need to strip him of his emotions.
"..." The Wrath Devil still couldn't agree with Chiya's perspective, so she simply stopped talking.
"Since you're following me now, I'll slowly show you the value of your own existence," Chiya added. He hadn't expected the Wrath Devil to be someone who struggled so much with her own nature.
The value of my existence...? Although she didn't speak, the Wrath Devil was touched by his words and fell into deep thought. Beside them, Aki and Himeno remained completely unaware that Chiya and the Wrath Devil had been debating privately for so long.
Aside from lunch and a midday break, Chiya and the others patrolled until 5:00 PM. After clocking out on time, Chiya headed home. When he rang the doorbell, Denji came to open it, wearing an apron.
"Denji, you're...?" Chiya was surprised.
"I wanted to try making dinner for once," Denji explained.
"Then I'll be your official taste-tester," Chiya offered immediately. Denji beamed with joy.
Chiya soon discovered that not only Denji but also Pochita was in the kitchen helping out. He was quite curious to see what the two of them could produce. After about ten minutes of bustling in the kitchen, they brought out two large bowls: curry and miso soup—staples of a Japanese home. (As a transmigrator, Chiya's own cooking was mostly Chinese style, making him seem very un-Japanese in the kitchen).
Denji served the rice and soup for Chiya, making a bowl of curry over rice. She watched him with eyes full of anticipation, which made Chiya feel a strange surge of pressure. He took a bite.
Emmm... To be honest, it wasn't particularly delicious, but it was full of Denji's heart. Whether it tasted good or not was no longer the point. Denji hadn't even picked up her own bowl; she just stared at "Chiya Nii-chan" expectantly.
"I like it very much," Chiya said. He avoided judging the specific taste, which was both truthful and kept Denji from feeling discouraged.
Denji was overjoyed. "I learned it from TV! If you like it, Chiya Nii-chan, I'll try to learn more new dishes!"
"I'd like that," Chiya agreed readily. It was a good thing for Denji to have a hobby.
After dinner and a short rest, Chiya set out for the Special Division 1 training base. Now that he was the Vice Captain, it would be improper not to introduce himself to the team.
The base wasn't far from the headquarters; a ten-minute taxi ride brought him there. Unlike the "Special Anti-Devil Divisions" in the original story—which consisted mostly of non-humans and Makima's pawns—the regular Special Divisions were large. Division 1 alone had dozens of members, and the base was expansive, featuring a professional 400-meter track.
A young man was smoking outside the gate. Seeing an unfamiliar face approach, he spoke up: "Sorry, this is the Special Division 1 training base. Could you please show some identification?" Even if someone wore the uniform, strangers couldn't just walk in, as suits are easy to fake.
"I am Otonashi Chiya, Vice Captain of Special Division 1. Nice to meet you," Chiya said, showing his credentials with a smile.
"Ah! My apologies! Vice Captain Otonashi, I'm so sorry!" The young man turned pale and bowed deeply, nearly performing a full dogeza. Given the strict hierarchy in Japan, this reaction was dramatic but not uncommon.
"It's fine. It's our first time meeting, after all," Chiya said kindly.
Finding the new Vice Captain so approachable, the young man breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly stubbed out his cigarette, straightened his uniform, and led the way.
"Everyone! Vice Captain Otonashi is here!"