"You guys have a short time, so you probably don't have that much time to do things like that, right?"
That's what Elquet said. What she said was true, without a doubt. Human beings do spend too much time on useless things, but -
"This is our human nature. Perhaps that is why we are called primates and why we are the masters of the earth."
"... I can't understand it. I can understand each word, but I just can't understand it when it's put together."
Elquet looked at Shinji in confusion. Her confusion might also be the confusion of this planet that gave birth to human beings.
Shinji sighed softly: "To be honest, I don't really understand what I'm saying, I just have this feeling - it's true that the knowledge we learn now will basically not be used in the future, but there will be times when it can be used. For example, I don't think I will go abroad, but what if I go abroad? Wouldn't English be useful? No one can predict things like the future, right?"
"That seems to be the case."
"Besides, is wasting time really such a bad thing? Who defines what is so-called waste? Others? Or yourself? Different perspectives will lead to different answers. From a biological instinct, humans are inefficient creatures, wasting most of their lives. But from an individual perspective, it's different. You think school life is meaningless, but maybe Gaia will think our date today is also meaningless."
"Huh? Why do you say that?" Elquet was stunned.
"Gaia asked you to follow me in order to explore the spirit world. But where are we now? Is it the spirit world?"
"No, it's the Earth, ah—"
"Not only dating, everything you do on earth is a waste of time. Eating is a waste of time, you don't need to get energy from food. Sleeping is a waste of time, you have unlimited energy. Watching movies, shopping, playing games, including sneaking into school and sitting in the classroom to play teacher-student role-playing with me, are all a waste of time."
Hearing Shinji's words, Elquet showed a quiet and empty look and spoke in a low voice.
"Yeah, it's all a waste of time, so why should I do it?"
"The answer is simple, because doing so makes you happy, and that's enough. Even if it's unnecessary, as long as you can get pleasure from it, it has meaning and is not a waste of time."
"is that so?"
Eyes redder than blood stared at Shinji quietly, just looking at him, looking at him.
"I... still don't understand. I've never done anything meaningless before, and I don't have any interest in unnecessary things. But after meeting you, I seem to have changed, become very strange."
"It's okay to be weird."
Shinji left the podium, walked in front of her, and reflected his smile in her pupils.
"Don't think about your past, don't think about whether it's right or wrong. Answer me, Elquit Bronstad, are you happy during this time with me? Can you get pleasure from those meaningless things?"
"I'm happy. Very happy. Living like this, being able to be so happy, is something I never thought I could do before - joy... Am I broken? This has lasted this long - really, it started a long time ago, just watching my dreams -"
Elquet's figure became as unclear as a phantom projected by a projector.
Eight hundred years of wandering, a mirage-like dream.
The outline of the white princess emerged dimly in the night light.
"Although it seems the same on the surface, inside... happiness, pain, those unnecessary emotions are more numerous now. I can no longer ignore the things that I could ignore before, so am I broken?"
"Who knows? I am a human, not a True Ancestor, so I cannot answer the question. However, you should be able to find the answer from the planet's memory. As far as I know, other True Ancestors are not as obsessed with necessity as you were before. They will also do some meaningless things to get pleasure and pass their long lives."
"Like sucking blood?"
Shinji's smile froze and he started talking about something that was irrelevant.
"I don't deny it. But there's more to it than just blood-sucking, and not every True Ancestor would suck blood. As long as it doesn't cause trouble to others, it doesn't matter what you do."
"Including blood-sucking?"
This argumentative person.
"Of course. Don't humans have an obligation to donate blood? There's really no difference between transfusing blood through a tube and drinking it directly. As long as there are legitimate blood supply channels, the amount of intake is controlled, and there is no problem with simply sucking blood, and not increasing the number of Dead Apostles. That's why I always admire Van Ferm, he does a great job. He is one of the few Dead Apostles I don't want to be an enemy of, so please don't attack him if you can, even if he's standing right in front of you."
"Because he didn't cause any trouble to humans?"
"Yes, not only did it not cause any trouble, it was also beneficial to humans and the planet. The same goes for you, Elquet. I have been thinking about your situation, and finally came to the conclusion that it doesn't matter anyway. You didn't cause any trouble to others - so let her be bad or not."
"Really? But, Shinji, you often yell at me and hit me on the head. Is that different?"
Elquet's vision was still gloomy, and that kind of vision was really heartbreaking.
"Of course it's different, because I'm not someone else. I've said that we are friends, family, and partners, and that's all. If you cause me trouble, I'll hit you on the head, and family means tolerance for each other. And, I like you better now than the you who was pursuing meaning."
"Really?" There was a glimmer of light in the gloom.
"real."
"No lie."
"No lie."
"Then can I continue like this? Keep eating delicious food, playing interesting games, watching good movies, keep doing meaningless things, and keep causing trouble for you?"
"Okay. But I will continue to give the willful princess an 'iron fist'! Otherwise, you will really cause trouble for others."
"... That's too much! Am I... really that willful?"
Elquet pouted, but his eyes were no longer gloomy.
Shinji breathed a sigh of relief, then burst into laughter, "Pfft, ahahahaha! What are you talking about? Why does it feel so awkward to hear the word willful coming from you? No, I'm dying of laughter."
"... !!"
Ah, I'm angry.
"Shinji, you idiot! I was talking to you seriously, but you laughed at me. Humph, you just said you liked me."
"Did I say that?" Shinji pretended to be stupid.
"Yes, you said you like me the way I am now." Elquet persisted.
"Oh, you must have heard it wrong." Shinji continued to play dumb.
"That's right."
"I heard it wrong."
"You heard me right!"
"I heard it wrong!"
"Shh, don't talk. Someone seems to be coming?"
"Where is the person? I don't sense..."
Elquet turned his head to look at the corridor, but found nothing. When he looked back, he saw Shinji jumped out of the window, and he immediately reacted.
"You actually ran away! Stop!"
How could Shinji listen to Elquet? He ran even faster, turning his head and speaking while running.
"Come chase me, if you catch me I'll let you hehehehe... Bah, I'll take you to a better restaurant."
"Hehehe, you can't run away."
Elquet folded his arms across his chest, full of confidence.
Such pursuit is still meaningless, but she no longer dwells on it.
Somewhere deep in my chest, I am being dominated by a strange emotion.
This emotion easily overwhelmed the past eight hundred years and the teachings of the True Ancestors that he had received since childhood.
This emotion is called joy.
The red sunset glow gradually disappeared, and the princess, bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, raised her head to greet the arrival of the night.
The moon is rising above my head.