War Games Are Also Lovely
And so the war had begun.
Despite defeating the biggest obstacle Tokisaki Kurumi, the fortress and Banouin Castle were very much alive. However, this time Jugasaki’s morale was at an all-time high. With the clear and calm judgement of Higoromo Hibiki, the Jugasaki army rushed to the sandy beaches with a raging momentum.
“Kuh……different from before……!”
“They??got??me??!”
A scream resounded. One by one the poi paper from Banouin’s soldiers was shot down.
Moreover, Jugasaki, who had been in the backline until now, had jumped to the forefront.
Naturally, the Banouin army was pushed back by this overwhelming aura.
“Don’t be afraid! Move forward at full speed! Go all out! Laugh heartily to your own content!”
Even if the meaning behind her words and deeds are unknown, it was the sound of a trumpet of victory for the rebels whose morale was at an extreme high.
Every move Jugasaki made caused the rebels to let out a scream of joy.
Intense, heroic, brave, and beautiful, all the qualities of a wild beauty of a lovely girl engaged in combat.
“This way……we can win!”
As their subordinates asked Hibiki, Hibiki replied with, “don’t let down your guard”, even though she was also certain of their victory.
The winner would experience the feeling of being alive, the feeling of victory in combat, and the feeling of being alive through fighting.
The same thing goes for the losing side. Although defeated, they would also feel alive in this battle.
Like the serpent of reincarnation (Ouroboros), they had been repeatedly fighting??and living through that joy.
The fortress finally fell and Banouin’s main squadron from the main castle finally came out to fight. The rebels, who had realigned their camp at the fallen fortress, also restarted their advance.
Consequently, both armies were confronting each other right outside the castle walls.
“Banouin Kareha??! Is here??!”
Responding to Jugasaki’s challenge, Banouin Kareha slowly appeared. The awe-inspiring majestic Jugasaki Retsumi versus the bewitchingly elegant Banouin Kareha. Kareha opened her mouth while moving her fan.
“It’s too noisy here. Jugasaki-san, have you come here to lose again?”
“Idiot, of course we came to win! We might have lost dozens of times, but now I see the signs of victory!”
“……Yes. The chance seems five times more than before. It looks like the fortress has fallen.”
Until now, the rebels had almost completely lost. Usually, they would be left in a tragic state without even reaching the fortress……being pinched in by the fortress and the main squad, their small vanguard would erode away and be defeated without much effort.
However, this time they survived even after taking down the fortress and arrived all the way here.
Not only that, they would also now have to worry about enemy attacks coming from the now conquered fortress.
Additionally, the number of soldiers was about the same on both sides.
And to phrase it lightly, with the exception of Banouin Kareha, Banouin’s soldiers lacked experience in a drawn out fight.
This was the drawback of winning too easily so far.
But??Banouin Kareha didn’t waver.
“But. We haven’t gotten so weak to lose to something at this level. Right everyone?”
Banouin’s gentle smile caused a chill to reach her soldiers’ hearts. Occasionally, fear not only restrained people, but also sometimes inspired them.
Even if it meant being injured, they would stand up from this fear. Kareha’s gaze held such a power.
In order to defeat the rebels, Banouin’s soldiers cried out to the heavens. Not deterred in the slightest, the rebels began transforming their Unsigned Angels into their non-lethal state one after the other.
“This time we’ll win!” ??Jugasaki.
“You’ll lose this time as well.” ??Banouin.
The trumpets of war echoed against each other.
Jugasaki shouted, “All troops charge!” Banouin Kareha responded in kind with, “Get rid of them.”
The war where no one will die had begun.
“Mizuha-san, you can see better from here.”
Then, on a cliff overlooking the battlefield, Tokisaki Kurumi waved her hand to Mizuha. Mizuha ran to her side while tilting her head in confusion.
“Tokisaki-san, aren’t you participating?”
“……A lot has happened.”
“Mizuha-sama.”
Waiting by her side, Sagakure Yui whispered into Mizuha’s ear. Mizuha let out an ‘ah’ sound from her mouth as she lowered her head in a panic.
“I’m very sorry, Tokisaki-san.”
“……It is fine, I don’t mind.”
She couldn’t raise her gun at such a straightforward apology. In the case of Rinemu, who would laugh “Ahahaha! You lost! Ahahaha!” she could retaliate as much as she wanted.
“In terms of the war situation……ah, the rebels still hold the advantage.”
“B-But. Kareha-ane sama is amazing.”
The soldiers gathered around Jugasaki to steadily cut down Banouin’s army. With Kareha as their rampaging horse, Banouin’s army brought chaos onto the battlefield.
Although Cistus was included in Banouin’s troops, it was Kareha’s strength that was more prominent.
As soon as her fan was swung, countless cherry blossoms appeared fluttering against the wind.
Even a small petal could land a strong blow if struck, puncturing the poi sheet in an instant.
“Defense! Defensive formation! Surround Kareha-san and concentrate on defense!”
After Hibiki gave the instructions, her immediate subordinates began to move.
Although it was a roughly processed shield held together like an iron plate, it was able to block Kareha’s attack. Sure enough, cherry blossom petals couldn’t pierce through an iron plate.
“Push forward and wait!”
“Yes sir!”
The soldiers that heard Hibiki’s instructions surrounded Kareha.
“Colonel Higoromo! Stop pushing forward! Kareha is about to rampage!”
In response to the warning from Jugasaki, Hibiki was about to change the order??but she was one step too late.
“It can’t be helped. This may make you hurt or cry, so can you please bear with me?”
Kareha moved.
Surrounded by the iron shields, she casually moved to the corner.
“Sss!”
Poking the shield with her fan, the shield crumbled apart like paper with a single swipe. At the same time, the soldiers were all blown away.
“Eh……eh!?”
The surrounding soldiers were all stunned. Kareha had easily broken through their siege.
“F-Follow me! Surround her after securing some distance first!”
Hibiki gave her instructions. But the soldiers couldn’t move as if rendered frozen by Kareha’s outrageous power.
“I’ll suppress Kareha! You guys just surround them!”
Jugasaki shouted as she began to chase after Kareha.
“Colonel Higoromo, I’ll leave the command to you! It’ll be fine, you have already defeated over half of them! All you have to do is imitate my command!”
“Ok!”
And so, Jugasaki Retsumi finally approached Banouin Kareha.
“Hello, now die!”
“As vulgar as ever!”
Gagagagaga, the machine gun type Unsigned Angel was firing water with tremendous power.
The target was the poi strip of paper on Kareha’s head.
However, the waves of bullets were all cut off and blown away by Kareha’s fan.
Both were surrounded by the shield siege.
Jugasaki shouted. Loud, happily, and innocently, it gave a fresh impression of an elementary schooler competing in a race.
“This time, we’ll win!”
“This time will still be my victory!”
Kareha responded while pleased and motivated.
The firearm shot out water and the fan scattered the sakura petals. Jugasaki approached Kareha while also dodging. The battle swirled like a tornado where no one else could interfere.
“??Their target is clearly the poi paper, but they’re fighting fiercely as if trying to kill each other.”
It was no wonder that this fight had Kurumi’s admiration. Although their bullets were water and sakura petals, it still had enough destructive power to cause each other’s side to bleed from a single graze. Mizuha watched the two of them fight as if praying.
“Sagakure-san, who do you think has the advantage?”
“……That’s……”
She mumbled while struggling to look at Mizuha. Seeing Mizuha nod, she began to speak.
“It’s Jugasaki-dono.”
“Ah, I also agree.”
“……Kareha-sama’s consciousness is more distracted than usual. It’s as if……she’s indifferent about losing.”
“That’s right. But can it really be thought of like this? Kareha-san is showing her true power and going all out as she does normally.”
“Wha??”
“……Surely, she must have been waiting until now.”
But it wasn’t always like this.
Suppose there was a girl who could be strong for someone. What if she was working hard until someone came to beat her?
To keep going all out in order to not lose to any stranger??
But now, there was a desire to be defeated by someone that she knows well.
Really, how strong.
Kareha sighed in admiration. If they were really trying to kill each other, she would likely been dead four times now. It took all of her strength just to protect her poi sheet.
Never be overthrown by someone other than her. Kareha worked hard for that.
Because of that, it was too late anyway.
She was both happy and a little sad. Jugasaki may think that she has weakened. But that would be wrong.
Not being able to use her full strength because of reasons??on the contrary it was the exact opposite.
This is my strength.
Struggling with all of her strength, effort, and tension to be able to live like this.
This was for the sake of Mizuha, the girls that admired her, and her own personal sense of justice.
But that was now over.
Just keep staying the same. Be myself??that was already enough.
Clearing all accounts, closing up shop, she finished her review by the light of the fireflies.
The fan flashed once, twice, three times. Jugasaki avoided them all at a paper-thin difference. It felt as if all her movements had been seen through??no, it must have been seen through.
Perhaps over and over, just like watching a video, she had studied Kareha’s movements. If she made this attack, it would evade like this. And after evading, move in this manner to counterattack and take the advantage??
She was happy to the point of tears.
It wasn’t an illusion of wanting this to keep going on forever.
Ah, but??
There is a beginning because of an end and there is an end because of a beginning.
Banouin Kareha and Jugasaki Retsumi both knew it would be over soon.
“??Unsigned Angel <Ougai Sange · Kogarashi>.”
A genuine tornado manifested in this duel surrounded by shields. The sakura petals scattered, scattered, scattered. Far from the poi paper on her head, it was a serious technique that could tear apart her entire body. Yet, Kareha went all-out without hesitation.
Jugasaki laughed fearlessly.
“I’ve already seen through this trick!”
Yelling out at the same time, she activated her own Unsigned Angel.
“??Unsigned Angel <Vajrantana>! Mode……cannon.”
The shape of the machine gun transformed. The caliber grew larger as the gun barrel changed into a cannon barrel. Jugasaki shouted after setting up this huge cannon.”
“All members spread out!”
Even though it wasn’t part of Hibiki’s commands, the surrounding shield soldiers quickly fled after hearing that majestic scream.
Jugasaki knew well. Kareha, after firing that tornado, wouldn’t be able to move from the amount of Reiryoku consumed. She wouldn’t be able to escape.
……But as usual, it was fine. A single petal could cut into her body like a razor and leave her in a critical state……but even if it wasn’t for that, she would lose if caught in that tornado.
However, Jugasaki had a cannon which could penetrate that tornado.
The other side of the tornado was invisible to her, but??
“I know, Kareha! You’re there! Shoot! Fire! Pierce through!”
Jugasaki quickly predicted Kareha’s location.
The heavy artillery let out a loud roar as it shoot out an oversized water bullet. The cannonball went straight for Kareha without caring about the tornado.
“Ah????”
She understood this feeling. No doubt this would hit the poi paper??more than leaving just a hole; it would completely blow it away. The tornado slowly disappeared.
By the time she noticed, everyone watching her was holding their breath. She lowered her fighting hand and just stared.
“Ah……”
Banouin Kareha’s poi paper, which had never been broken before, had been completely wiped out with nothing left.
Kareha spoke in a calm and relieved tone.
“I’ve lost.”
Cheers and cries erupted at the same time.
“She actually……lost……”
Mizuha softly fell. Sagakure Yui quickly rushed to hug her as she asked Kurumi.
“So with this……Jugasaki Retsumi will be the Dominion of the Eighth Region Hod.”
“That’s right. ……But as I originally said, will Kareha-san become the next rebel army?”
“Yes. ……Some of them won’t follow her after losing, but……”
Despite having said that, this mistaken that led to her defeat was only at a paper-thin difference.
Additionally, there were too many abnormal elements this time. It was fine to consider this to be an accidental victory.
“……But it seems Kareha-san looks resigned?”
“Eh……!?”
Yui and Mizuha anxiously turned to look at the battlefield.
Kareha patted the dust off from herself and then turned to face Jugasaki. Kareha softly sighed and announced with a bright expression.
“Ah, ah, I finally lost.”
“Did you see that!”
Jugasaki posed with a smile and victory hand sign. While watching her, Kareha smiled and nodded.
“Yes, yes, you win, you win. Banouin Castle is now changed to Jugasaki castle.”
“Eh? Seriously?”
Kareha looked stunned at Jugasaki tilting her head.
“……What were you fighting for?”
“Well……to win……but I didn’t think of anything after that……”
Kareha gave a look that screamed “are you kidding me” and sighed again.
“Well, I’ll teach you what a Dominion should do.”
“Eh……I’m the Dominion?”
“Isn’t it natural because you won? Take responsibility for your victory. If you don’t take anything after winning, it’ll be too pitiful for the people who have followed you so far.”
Jugasaki turned away as if her mood has spoiled. Kareha laughed while thinking she looked like a child.
“Now listen everyone, it was me who lost and suffered a complete defeat. If anyone disagrees, they must defeat Jugasaki on their own.”
Noisy chatter surrounded them as a result of those words.
Perhaps not having made any recognition of what happened after victory or defeat, it seemed everyone didn’t fully understand the current situation.
Inevitably, Hibiki raised her hand and asked.
“Um……so what does that mean for us in the future?”
“After this……”
Kareha opened her mouth to speak, but Jugasaki loudly shouted to interrupt her.
“A party!”
“……Party?”
“We you see, we won after all. Afterwards, the positions will reverse after that!”
“……With that said, shouldn’t you say that the game is over now?”
Kurumi, who had arrived there, asked in a stunned tone. Jugasaki whispered “I guess you can also think of it as that”, while trying to dodge the issue.
“……You need to forget about that. I am no longer the Dominion. You are the Dominion now.
From now on, you’ll lead the fight for the Eighth Region Hod, so of course it’s necessary for you to fight.”
“Eh, that’s too troublesome……”
As Kareha stared at her fiercely, Jugasaki felt herself shrink in size.
“Ah, I know, I know. I’m responsible for winning. Alright, then as my first order as Dominion, let’s throw party where Banouin’s side can come as well!”
While still having some misgivings, the surroundings let out a cheer in response to those words.
The war was over. It will start again anyway, but the biggest event was now over??it was fine to be a bit noisy now.
The beach was chosen as the venue for the party. It left an odd taste to hold a party where they had just been fighting, but Banouin Castle couldn’t hold everyone there.
After all, choosing the beach made one think of a barbeque.
It was summertime with swimsuit and the water guns as toys to play with.
At first, the atmosphere was awkward between Banouin’s side and the rebels. But the fact that they didn’t kill each other made things a bit easier for them.
Extremely ordinarily, the party atmosphere for the girls gradually increased.
Kurumi and Hibiki, the two were finally at close distance apart.
“Yeah, we can finally meet up!”
“Yes, yes. It’s been a while; do you remember when my swimsuit came undone?”
“……No! Nothing in particular!”
As natural as flowing water in a stream, Kurumi insisted on asking about her memories involving the swimsuit. Hibiki strongly reminded herself that she would lose the moment she got careless.
“Humph. ……Leaving that aside, it’s finally over.”
“It’s a burden off my shoulders too. I don’t want to be a Colonel ever again.”
“Isn’t it pretty good? As Colonel Higoromo, wouldn’t you live a leisurely life here?”
“Hahaha, no way ~”
Hibiki mentioned to her that fireworks were created just for this party venue.
“So are you going to set off those long-awaited fireworks?”
“Seeing the elegant taste, I happily accept them.”
Kurumi’s face brightened as the fireworks were being presented. Lighting up??blue, red, yellow, multicolored light shinned during the night sky.
“Ahahaha! So??much??fun??!”
Hibiki held the fireworks in both hands and spun around in a circle. Perhaps emotions were at high like this because the war was over.
“Really, don’t throw around fireworks like that.”
Despite chiding her, Kurumi also moved her fireworks closer to the grassy field to sketch out the literal characters for that name.
Only, the problem was that she didn’t know the meaning behind those words. Name, she couldn’t remember that name anyway. As if a piece of her head had been dug out, only that person’s name was??
“Forget about it. Think optimistically.”
The road to the word beyond (reality) was still far away.
Even so, the thoughts for that person hadn’t faded at all.
Just??this warm and sleepy world inevitably made her self-aware. Going on like this would make her consider taking a long vacation here.
“Hibiki-san, there’s almost no more fireworks.”
“Eh.”
Hibiki grunted while throwing her fireworks into the bucket.
“I’m going to ask the new Dominion, Jugasaki-san, to open the gate to the Seventh Region Netzach. Here……staying too long makes me feel lazy.”
“Uh. ……That’s really poking at a sore spot, Kurumi-san.”
The Eighth Region Hod was overwhelmingly happy compared to the other regions.
Even the intense training wasn’t painful and only caused you to sweat a lot. Here wasn’t any killing or singing, so there’s less mental fatigue.
Plus??this was summer anyway.
Although it was a hot summer, it continued on forever. It was as if the entire region was whispering for them to take a break.
Whether the sound of dawn or evening cicadas, even when it became quiet during night??it was inevitably reminiscent of summer vacation.
“Ah, Kurumi-san. Fireworks! Fireworks!”
“You just finished setting off the fireworks??”
But Hibiki vigorously turned Kurumi’s head towards the direction of the sea. Then, Kurumi understood what she was trying to say.
“……When were these type of fireworks prepared?”
“They were specially prepared after victory a long time ago. It seems from the other side of the sea, the left-behind group heard of our victory and took them out of the warehouse.”
In the night sky, huge sunflowers bloomed. They were launching super-large fireworks.
The girls cheered.
At this point, it didn’t matter who was a part of the rebel army or Banouin’s army.
Just appreciating this violent and gorgeous beauty??filled their hearts with satisfaction.
“Then let’s go.”
“You don’t want to watch it?”
“No need to watch it at all.”
Kurumi said internally. The person she wanted to watch this with wasn’t part of this world.
And more importantly??seeing something so beautiful in the sky would make her feel like stopping here.
“Is Jugasaki-san here?”
Kurumi yelled out to the rebel Quasi-Spirits who were watching the fireworks.
“Our leader seems to be talking to Banouin Kareha at a teahouse on the other side of the fortress.”
“Ara.”
“Oh, are you going to see Jugasaki-dono?”
Ace of Spades stood up from lying on the sandy beach.
“Yes, that’s right. Does Ace of Spades-san wish to accompany us?”
Ace of Spades nodded at Hibiki’s invitation.
No, rather it was the corners of her playing card that bent down a little.
“What’s with this……it’s too dangerous here……”
Looking closely, every part of her body was scorched black. This was likely due to the residue left behind by the fireworks.
“Paper is flammable……”
“I wanted to be at least plastic……!”
She bent her knees in astonishment……no, it was her entire playing card self that was bending down.
The Quasi-Spirits that disappeared, they left behind their regrets and grudges till the very end.
However, this sort of thing was unbearable for Banouin Kareha.
“Retsu-chan!”
They ran up to each other and hugged. The coldness of skin caused her hairs to stand up.
The Astral Dress gradually faded.
“Pull yourself together! Hey, Retsu-chan……hey!”
It was a surprise attack.
Kareha invited Jugasaki to the teahouse. As all the Quasi-Spirits were participating in the barbeque, the teahouse was silent without any lights on.
“Eh, I wanted to make some noise because it’s the long-awaited moment of being together with Kareha-chan.”
“I would like that as well, but there are many things I need to inform you before that.”
What to do as the new Dominion, how to handle emergencies, relationship with other Dominions in each of the regions, and so on.
“What a pain……”
“That’s not okay. If you return to the rebels after winning, the balance of the Eighth Region Hod will collapse. Victory without meaning, isn’t that the same thing as allowing everyone around here to turn into an Empty?”
Fu, Jugasaki puffed her cheeks out. While complaining that it was annoying, one could tell that she was still taking notes in a serious manner.
“How about a defensive war next time? Mutually with another region at our own convenience.”
“Would that be any different?”
“It’s different. Like uhh……”
“Ah, if it takes this long to say it, I would have been able to settle it myself. Pass, pass.”
This time it was Kareha’s turn to pout. Jugasaki shouted without showing any concerns.
“But it’s been so long since we’ve talked like this!”
“Yes. ……Well, that’s because you were always losing.”
As Kareha said teasingly, Jugasaki turned her face to the side.
“But I won this time.”
“Yes, yes. It was amazing.”
Bang, hearing that loud noise, both of them looked up in surprise.
Far across from the beach, huge fireworks rose up from the rebel site.
“Oh……” “Ha……”
Both of them let out a sound of admiration at the sight before laughing together.
“To think there was such a thing.”
“Because I have been waiting for the day to use it!”
Jugasaki raised her chest. That smile was a bit too dazzling for Kareha.
“By the way, is it true that the season of the Eighth Region Hod is controlled by Kareha-chan?”
“Yes?”
“So, for example……can we go from summer to autumn?”
As Jugasaki lightly asked, Kareha clenched her fist and slightly raised her eyebrows.
“S-Sorry! Forget what I asked just now!”
Noticing this, Jugasaki hurried to apologize. But Kareha slowly shook her head.
“……It’s okay to change the season. But I would be happy if you wait a little.”
“A little?”
“Yes. I want to immerse a little bit more in this summer.”
“I feel like we been doing summer for a while now……”
“I like summer.”
“But isn’t it too hot to dress up like this?”
“Is it too hot? I find it unexpectedly cool.”
Kareha laughed. Jugasaki looked on at Kareha in surprise as she spoke.
“Hold me for a bit.”
Without waiting for a reply, Jugasaki hugged Kareha.
“Wha, wait. Can you let go of me?”
“Uh-huh…...it really doesn’t feel hot.”
“Right? ……Now can you let go?”
“You use a good shampoo.”
“Hey, that’s creepy. Hurry??up??and??let??go!”
Kareha pushed back Jugasaki’s jaw with her fan, but she didn’t falter. Eventually, Kareha gave up and put down her fan.
“……Hey, Kareha-chan, are you hiding something from me?”
Jugasaki suddenly declared just like a surprise attack. The girl shook slightly as if those words had pierced her heart.
“……Certainly, yes.”
“Do you not want to say it or still can’t say it? Do you trust me or not? Which is it?”
“I don’t want to say it, but I trust you.”
After hearing those words, Jugasaki quietly let go of Kareha.
“Hmm. Then it’s fine. By the way, I have no secrets at all!”
“Yes, yes, I know you don’t have any.”
“So I’m trusted!”
Confronted by this smile that could brighten onlookers, Kareha also laughed.
Have hope, a desire to cling on this hope. To say clearly that it didn’t exist. Even so, Kareha??
“……Actually, I”
Struggling to squeeze out those words, Banouin Kareha was most unprepared for this moment.
It wasn’t a water gun, but an Unsigned Angel fired with the intent to kill.
“Get down!”
Kareha was pushed away by Jugasaki. The five roaring gunshots struck Jugasaki, not Kareha.
The scene in front of her was dyed red. The sound of her hope was gradually crumbling.
“It’s not over! Kill her!”
Tokisaki Kurumi had once said that there was someone in rebel army who wanted to actually kill her Quasi-Spirits. Kareha didn’t even know that her name was Todou.
Not participating in this happy war, these girls mistakenly thought that killing her would make the Eighth Region Hod peaceful. Or perhaps were they incited by someone else?
In any case, they had even removed Jugasaki, who had been their leader, as an obstacle.
Whatever the reason, this behavior was absolutely unacceptable.
“Banouin Kareha! I will defeat you here for the Eighth Region Hod!”
“……Fool. Now, shatter!”
Countless bullets of condensed Reiryoku were fired. A weapon intended for killing was incomparable to a water gun. However, this was still cruelly insignificant for Kareha.
“<Ougai Sange>??Kamikirimushi”
Springing to life, the cherry blossom petals surrounded the five of them.
“T-This is……!?”
Cold and without hesitation, Banouin Kareha’s Unsigned Angel crunched those five apart. And then, Kareha abandoned all interest in them.
“Retsu-chan!”
Kareha’s scream resonated.
On the way to the teahouse, Tokisaki Kurumi’s group was walking leisurely.
“Ah, Kurumi-san. About Kareha-san and Jugasaki-san??”
“That they are good friends? I’ve heard that before.”
“To fight as enemies all the time……it must have been painful.”
“Although I want to say be that as it may……”
In any case, Kareha must say good-bye to Jugasaki. This would be a pretty shocking event for Jugasaki.
“……Is summer over already?”
Hibiki whispered as if suddenly remembering.
“If the Dominion changes, will the season also change?”
“It may change. It seems this season was done at the request of Kareha-san.”
“But to be honest, Kareha-san and summer do look like they go together. Wearing a complete kimono in this weather.”
“I like summer even if I don’t go along with it.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, yes. ……Why is it that I only noticed after reaching the Eighth Region Hod? I like summer.”
Did she like summer from the very beginning, or did she like after coming here?
And if the latter??then why?
It was like a vague reply that could be grabbed but not be caught.
“Like this……for me it would be better for autumn to come early.”
Hibiki whispered as if sulking for a bit.
“To be jealous of even the season, that’s quite heavy for a Quasi-Spirit……”
“I’m not jealous!!”
“??Retsu-chan!”
Kareha’s scream came from the direction of the teahouse.
Kurumi ran first with Hibiki following immediately afterwards. A little while later, Ace of Spades also started running.
An unpleasant premonition burned in Kurumi’s chest.
At that time, the contents in which Banouin Kareha had confessed to Kurumi.
For myself, the goal is slightly off.
If the battle continues this way, the transformation into an Empty will only continue.
You see, pain is not enough. The matter of me becoming an Empty must be kept a secret.
So before that happens, I want to lose gloriously.
Ah, but I can’t lose on purpose. I must lose after I have fought with all my strength.
Then, it may be possible to leave the Eighth Region Hod.
As if dreaming, Kareha had said those words. Obviously something had happened. Something fatal that should never be allowed to occur.
“Kareha-san!”
“Tokisaki-san……”
Kareha, who was holding Jugasaki’s body covered in blood, was standing there.
“……<Zafkiel>??The Fourth Bullet <Dalet>!”
A quick response before being asked anything, the bullet that reversed time was shot into Jugasaki.
The punctured hole healed as blood returned to her body.
But??
“Retsu-chan!? Hey, hey, wake up……wake up……”
“It could be……we were one step to late.”
Strictly speaking, the bodies of the Quasi-Spirits in the Neighboring World, while also including Kurumi herself, are not made of flesh and blood. The physical body was made of Reiryoku which constitutes all types of matter.
So being shot between the eyebrows and having one’s heart crushed wouldn’t necessarily mean death. However, Quasi-Spirits could only move because of the Sephira fragment acting as their core.
The Sephira fragment was like the blueprints for psyche of the Quasi-Spirit. In this way, Reiryoku was able to build the physical body. The fact that a finger had been injured meant the Sephira fragment had grasped the trauma and given the body the information that the finger had been damaged.
Of course, if the body is repaired, then the healed wound will also be easily repaired. However, the issue with Jugasaki right now is the information that had been engraved on her Sephira fragment. If it said, “I have died from a bullet”, it was no use to rewind time. Life can’t be given to a person that has chosen to die.
In this sense, Jugasaki Retsumi was currently standing at the dividing line.
Whether the Sephira fragment would choose life or death, wandering between this line……the choice would be up to Jugasaki Retsumi.
“It may well be a drowsy sleep in the world beyond. Whether you wake up or disappear, it’s fifty-fifty honestly.”
“……Retsu-chan, to protect me……”
Kareha collapsed to her knees. The color of her hair was changing along with the night breeze.
“What happened??”
The rebel army and Banouin’s army rushed down from the beach and saw the worst case scenario together.
Damn, Kurumi cursed her own mistake. At the moment Kareha screamed, she should have first sent Hibiki and Ace of Spades to hold them back until the situation calmed down.
But it was too late.
They saw it.
The remains of Jugasaki Retsumi who collapsed, the traces of battle that remained and Banouin Kareha holding onto her. And above all else, all of the color had faded from Banouin Kareha’s hair.
Perhaps Jugasaki Retsumi was the last lynchpin for Kareha. Because she was there, Kareha was barely able to escape being an Empty.
But that lynchpin broke and disappeared.
And worst of all, every Quasi-Spirits besides Kurumi, Hibiki, and Ace of Spades misunderstood the situation.
“……Kareha-sama……did……you……Jugasaki-sama?”
Someone said something that shouldn’t have been said.
“Please wait!”
Kurumi shouted quickly??standing up and shooting <Zafkiel> up into the air.
“Kareha-san pleaded with me to help Jugasaki-san. Please stop this useless speculation. If Kareha-san is hurt by these words, wouldn’t that also injure Jugasaki-san?”
“……Kurumi-san!”
Kurumi realized from Hibiki’s cry that she made the wrong choice again. What she should have done first was suppress Kareha.
“Sister!”
Mizuha, who should have been on the sandy beach, shouted to her. Everyone turned their attention to Mizuha.
Kareha jumped to the roof of the teahouse. Her beautiful black hair had completely faded. Her silver hair was glistening under the moonlight. Even her kimono was a mess.
It was extraordinary.
It was an extraordinary beauty.
“Are you intending to run?”
As Kurumi asked??Kareha nodded with a grin.
“I haven’t done it. No one would believe it now.”
“If you escape now, won’t that just convince them?”
“……Even that no longer matters. I’m leaving.”
Kurumi let out a sigh.
“So you may become my enemy.”
“That said, I’ll do what’s appropriate. I am an Empty. All I want is to scatter and fade away.”
“……I’m in no mood to listen to your ridiculous words.”
“Don’t go, sister! Don’t give up……!”
“No, that won’t do. I can’t go over to the enemy. ……Good-bye.”
As soon as Kareha unfolded her fan, the surroundings were immediately covered by a snowstorm of cherry blossoms. Fortunately, it had no attacking power. But the sheer number was overwhelming.
Kurumi jumped to the roof and looked around??Kareha was no longer there.
An all too painful silence, despite not participating, it felt like being complicit in a bullying scene.
The cause lied with everyone, but a single person had made the worst mistake.
Kareha embraced the nothingness and disappeared.
Bystanders believed her to be the culprit.
“……Really, every one of them. How irritating.”
Moreover, Kurumi wasn’t able to chase after her.
A violent wind passed through everyone who was there.
Summer??was soon about to end.
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