Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume15 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 5===

Waking up in her room the following morning...

The first thing Fear did was use her Rubik's cube to check her own condition.

"Mechanism No.19 gouging type, spiral form: «Human-Perforator»..."

The emulated cube on the floor transformed while making tiny metallic impact noises. The drill that could not be more familiar. An object comprising a hard and solid handle with a rotatable spiral blade. A torture tool for gouging human flesh.

This was the only past self of hers remaining now.

"Hmm..."

She gripped the handle and tried swinging the tool, taking care not to carve a hole in the sliding door. The same weight as always. The same tactile sensation as always. This made her breathe a sigh of relief somewhat.

«A Hatchet of Lingchi», «A Skewer Loved by Vlad Tepes», «Morgenstern» and all others... Although it was no longer possible to transform into other tools of torture and execution... Although it was no longer possible to make the emulated cube display those forms either&mdash;

She believed it was fine to have just the drill. It could be used for thrusting, swinging, throwing. Hence, there was no problem at all. Even if any problem arose in the future, there would always be a solution. What if there was no solution? As long as she asked Haruaki and the others for help, they would try their best to solve the problem. That was good enough.

Turning the «Human-Perforator» back into the Rubik's cube, Fear tried to stand up from her sitting posture on the tatami floor with calves bent against her outer thighs. However&mdash;

"Ugh, so painful..."

A certain part of her body was hurting. Stinging numbly. It was due to Haruaki's behavior the previous night.

"Seriously, damn Haruaki... He clearly could have been more gentle..."

She grumbled with cheeks slightly reddened and pouting lips. However, she felt that this pain was like proof of her courage. Although embarrassed, she did not feel ashamed. Puffing out her chest forcefully as though cheering for herself, she walked out of the room.

The living room was already filled with lively chatting as well as the lovely aroma of miso soup.

"Oh~ Good morning, Ficchi. I was just thinking whether I should go wake up you."

"Umuu, good morning."

Not only Kuroe but everyone was here already. Konoha, Kotetsu, Honatsu, as well as&mdash;

"G-Good morning, Fear..."

"Y-Yeah."

She made eye contact with Haruaki who was currently placing breakfast plates on the table. Her heart inexplicably started to beat fast. Haruaki also blushed and froze.

"Hmm...? What is going on between you two? Your attitudes are weird... you know?"

Seeing Konoha frowning with a puzzled look, Fear was brought back to reality.

"N-Nothing much, just the same as usual, yeah."

After what had happened last night, it felt even more embarrassing. Whether conversing or looking at each other&mdash;Everything was making her heart pound with a feeling of exhilaration.

Extreme happiness.

"Muu...?"

"Hmm? What is going on? Somehow, the atmosphere feels not quite the same."

Konoha and the others threw gazes of suspicion, but of course, what happened the night before was a secret between the two of them... At least at the current stage.

In order to hide things, Fear took her eyes off Haruaki.

"Anyway! What's for breakfast today? I'm starving!"

"Oh... Right, today's eggs were fried using the frying pan Fear gave me as a gift. That pan really is great to use."

"Very good, umuu. Continue to use that pan from now on and cook delicious~ things for me to eat. Let me eat to my heart's content! That's why I gave it to you as a present, this is an order!"

After speaking extremely rapidly, Fear sat herself down hard on her seat cushion. After looking at the dishes arranged neatly over the dining table, she could not help but relax her face.

Somehow, she felt that certain things were operating completely differently starting from today. A new frying pan. A new her. Days slightly more wonderful than yesterday were waiting ahead of her. She had this feeling.

However, just at this moment&mdash;

A cellphone rang loudly from Haruaki's pocket.

"I've never seen this number before... Who could it be? Hello?"

After Haruaki picked up the call, his face instantly froze.

Then after a period of time when it seemed like the other side was explaining certain things on their own&mdash;

"Ah, wait...!"

Just as Haruaki frantically tried to speak, the other side hung up apparently. Haruaki immediately took the phone off his ear.

"Hey, who called...?"

"''It's Pendragon''."

Still with surprised and troubled expression, Haruaki repeated the exact words that had passed through his ear.

"'<i>I found the spear. You guys come over and pick it up</i>.'"