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“Now you can make amends.”

Elmer seemed thoroughly happy. Twisting Fil’s face, Feldt muttered self-deprecatingly, “Even if—even if I survive and atone for my crimes… What on earth am I supposed to do after that? What am I supposed to atone for, and why?!”

“You just said so yourself. You want to see the outside world, right?”

“”

Even then, Feldt tried to say something, but Elmer crouched down in front of him, set a hand lightly against his cheek, and, with ever-so-slightly serious eyes, began to talk. Maybe he felt a bit awkward about it, as he spoke in a small voice unintelligible to the people around him.

“C’mon, let’s go outside. Someday, you can take all the villagers out and show it to them.”

“But—”

Feldt was trying to refuse something, but Elmer gazed into his eyes and spoke, not giving him any other options.

“Being unhappy isn’t a crime, but… Not seeking happiness is.”

As Elmer smiled at him kindly, Feldt looked away, still rejecting him.

“Do you think beings like me and Fil could ever be happy?”

When he heard that, Elmer looked just a little stern and put his other hand on Feldt’s other cheek.

“In this world, see, lots of people die never even knowing the word hope. Maybe their parents are dead the moment they’re born, or they’re starving and there’s not a drop of water in sight, or maybe they were born just to be killed… But you know about hope. Denying that is an insult to your life.”

Elmer’s gaze was intent. Was there anger in it? As if to drive it back, Feldt glared back at him with all the spirit he could muster.

“You—you couldn’t understand how we—”

“I don’t know how you feel. Even if someone took what’s been done to you in the past and did it to me now, I could never know. After all, I already know the outside world. But, listen, you can come over to this side, y’know?”

Startled, Feldt’s eyes went wide, and he took another hard look at Elmer. Elmer kept speaking in that same quiet tone, as if he hadn’t even noticed.

“So, Feldt. Don’t say sad things like that. I’m the one who gets sad, but, anyway. If you’ve got time to say that stuff, you guys should make that hope of yours come true and learn about happiness… I’ll teach you. I’ll show you, all right? I’ll teach you, I swear, no matter how many years it takes…”

When he’d said as much, Elmer gently pinched his cheeks and pulled them to either side.

“So, c’mon, give it up and s-m-i-l-e, all right?”

I haven’t changed my mind. I still think this man is evil.

He was convinced of that, if nothing else, but…

For this one moment, Feldt decided to give in to the demon’s temptation.

He’d realized this man had captured him long ago—from the very moment he had come to the village. He also knew he’d never be able to escape, not for all eternity.

Elmer watched Feldt for a little while longer, and then…

Abruptly, he heaved a great sigh, muttering in disappointment:

“…So why are you crying?”