Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume14 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 4===

He had apparently fallen asleep. Inside the dark bedroom, Harauki sat up blankly on the tatami floor. Moonlight was streaming into the room, causing Konoha's glasses on the desk to shine brightly. It was very quiet at home&mdash;After a bath, while he was thinking "I'd better prepare dinner," he had fallen asleep out of exhaustion. What were the others doing?

Perhaps too exhausted by training, his mental circuits still had not connected successfully with his body. Only his brain managed to start operating barely.

(This could very well be the first time in my life I've exercised my body the most...)

But speaking of exercising the body, Haruaki recalled Kirika several days earlier. He recalled how she had allowed part of her body to be chopped off for Lilyhowell's sake. He felt like he could see her resolve towards something. It felt as though she was saying that such resolve was necessary in order to go forward.

Did he have that kind of resolve? Haruaki asked himself introspectively.

(Of course.)

Of course, he had long noticed the ambiguity in his surroundings.

Lilyhowell had not explained the specifics of what was going to happen when he wounded Nirushaaki using the poisoned sword borrowed from her.

He could predict it. He was no fool.

The opponent might die if he used that poisoned sword. She could lose her life.

But even so...

He had a goal, a wish that he wanted to accomplish no matter what.

(If Konoha must be taken back like this...)

Lying on the tatami floor, he lightly lifted an arm which finally managed to move, raising it towards the moonlight.

He did not know if it was due to fatigue or some other reason&mdash;His arm was trembling.

"...Haha."

Hence, Haruaki realized concretely.

Extremely horrifying. So scary that he wanted to run away. A black shadow was crawling along his spine. His fingertips felt as though they were touching the asphalt that would trap him forever if he dipped his hand inside. Regarding this irreversibility, it felt like being entangled by a certain bottomless entity.


''Ah, so this is what's meant by being cursed''&mdash;?


Just as Haruaki clenched his trembling hand, a sound came from the front door. Forcing his body that was finally able to move to stand up, he walked over to the entrance.

Kuroe had returned with a bloody and filthy Fear.

"After you fell asleep, Haru, Kiririn called me and basically said that before she went home, she noticed Ficchi acting weird, so she's asking me what Ficchi's doing at the moment. Then I had a bad feeling because Ficchi still hadn't returned. I ran over to that place&mdash;And it was just as I feared."

By Kuroe's side, Fear simply kept her head hung. Simply from that, Haruaki seemed to realize what had happened to Fear and what kinds of feelings accompanied her actions.

He felt apologetic. At the same time, he found her very foolish.

Hence, Haruaki reached out lightly and stroked Fear's silver-haired head.

"Don't worry. I&mdash;won't die."

"..."

"That's why I'm also training in addition to the battle plan. I'm sure Konoha will recover soon. Maybe just by bringing her back to this home, her memories might recover all at once."

Haruaki deliberately spoke in cheerful tone of voice. Still not looking up, Fear said:

"...Hey."

"Hmm?"

"You're willing to go so far just to rescue Cow Tits, but what does that have to do with me? What do you think...?"

The answer was simple.

"Well, there's basically something this home can't do without. There's this combo. It just doesn't feel right until a certain duo shows up together. That said, my explanation is very vague. What about you, Kuroe?"

"Agreed~ Ficchi, if the two of you aren't present together, it feels like this family is ''nuso'' missing something important. No, is it ''nunyu'' instead...? Or ''soho''...?"

"Hey, there's no need to worry about that nonsensical onomatopoeia, right?"

While the two of them were talking, the silver-haired head under Haruaki's palm shook slightly.

"Is this... really okay...?"

"There's nothing bad, right?"

He truly believed from the bottom of his heart. That duo simply existed here. It had started a long time ago. By this point, it would be possible to change&mdash;Absolutely.

"You're really great big idiots..."

Standing at the concrete entryway, Fear moved forward without taking off her shoes. Leaning her upper body slightly foward, she bumped her forehead against Haruaki's stomach.

Because he knew what she was seeking&mdash;

For quite a long while, substituting for words, Haruaki kept caressing her head gently.