Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume2 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 6===

Having regained her freedom, Sovereignty took stumbling steps like a puppet as she approached Shiraho. Shiraho remained sitting on the ground, her face covered in tears.

"So... vereignty...?"

She did not reply but simply knelt before Shiraho, her expression hidden by her hair. Sovereignty embraced Shiraho's head.

"&mdash;I thought... I would never have a chance like this again."

"Yes... That's right."

"I really wanted to hold you tight. Although one might call it a curse, it is truly how I feel and I wanted to embrace you tightly in my arms. But then the Killing Organ started to sprout out&mdash;Escaping from the room back then, I was thinking: Oh no, I won't be able to embrace Shiraho again. That was when sorrow began to fill me."

"Yes... I see."

"But now, even if we embrace, you won't be killed anymore. So you are still alive, Shiraho."

"Yes, I am still alive. And so are you."

Shiraho wrapped her arms tightly around Sovereignty in turn.

Haruaki watched this scene from a distance with a petite figure standing by his side.

The unfolding scene was making him a little embarrassed, so he knocked the head beside him with his fist.

"Hey you, why are you hitting me!? I'll curse you!?"

"You... Yeah seriously! I've got so many complaints against you, I don't even know where to start! So I'll just encapsulate everything with that fist just now."

"...Are you referring to our decision not to explain the plan to you? It couldn't be helped. The doll cannot control the Killing Organ voluntarily&mdash;that was what Shiraho said. Hence, we had to push Sovereignty to the limit and force her to expose her fully armed state. This was done by keeping Shiraho in his view and making the doll lose control to anger so that the curse's impulse is drawn out."

For this purpose, it was necessary to deceive Sovereignty into thinking Shiraho was in a desperate crisis, even severe enough to make her cry. Naturally, Shiraho could not be let in on the plan as a result. Furthermore, anything that could alert Shiraho to Fear's true intentions had to be prevented&mdash;such as a certain excessively kind-hearted person failing to express anxiety or attempt to restrain Fear's violence, or simply foiling the plan because of poor acting skills. Consequently, it was imperative to keep things secret from that particular kind-hearted person.

"Before I figured things out, I was really breaking out in cold sweat. I thought you had... Umm, returned to the way you were again..."

"But you believed in me, which was how you figured it out, right?"

She smiled gently as she replied. For some reason, Haruaki felt a little contemptible.

"However... Partially it was because I felt that you were provoking Sovereignty in an over the top manner. Seriously, why did you have to deliberately make yourself the villain?"

"I am a cursed torture tool, long accustomed to being hated by others."

Fear gazed into the distance as she spoke, so Haruaki knocked her another one on the head. This time, it was only a light tap.

Fear did not complain.

Head bowed down as she examined her body, Kirika approached and said:

"This uniform is a writeoff. What an unexpected expense. Though that said, it's a lot better than last time."

"Last time? Right, last time it was your casual clothes that were ruined... By the way, is your injury okay?"

"It's healed already. That aside, are you okay, Konoha-kun? You've been silent from a while back."

"U-Urghhh... Eh? Ah, excuse me! I'm a little nauseous from accidentally catching a glimpse of your blood, Ueno-san, so right now... B-But I'm already fine!"

After that, Kirika and Konoha apologized to Haruaki independently even though he no longer minded. After he told the two girls that, they both displayed relieved expressions.

Seeing Shiraho and Sovereignty still embraced together, Haruaki asked for Konoha's opinion:

"So umm, I'm simply curious. What do you think will happen to them from here on?"

"Well... The curse of 'falling in love together with the owner, then activating the Killing Organ and embracing the owner unto death' still remains, except that the Killing Organ is no more. So, uh&mdash;"

"'Embracing each other in love'&mdash;I guess that's basically the case. Indeed, the urge continues to linger in my body, except that 'wanting to kill' has been replaced by 'wanting to hug.'"

Sovereignty looked up and spoke. Was it because her desire had been fulfilled? Her expression seemed quite refreshed.

"Currently things have calmed by the curse's desire will probably revive. Because the owner remains the same..."

"Just have a hug every time you feel the urge, doesn't that work? No problem."

Shiraho was the one who pointed out the truth instead. Simply stated, Sovereignty was now akin to being afflicted with the "Hug Shiraho Poison."

"However&mdash;There are still some things I don't understand. Right now things are fine because the Killing Organ is gone, but as time passes, perhaps the nature of the curse might change. If it changes to a compulsion to kill Shiraho using methods apart from the Killing Organ, then..."

Indeed, Sovereignty's worry was inevitable. No one knew what could happen in the future.

Too obscure to predict.

Too complicated to understand.

Too strange for relief.

This was the future binding them&mdash;the shakles called a curse.

Nevertheless.

The words to break these shackles were so clear, innocent and high-minded.

"&mdash;Don't make me laugh."

Shiraho glared severely at the lover whose reunion came after such tribulation.

Although her lover's body was injured all over, the harmful sharpness remained no longer.

No curse was impossible to lift.

Looking only at the lover devoid of sharp blades, Shiraho continued to declare clearly:

"You are just an ordinary doll now and hence only an ordinary human. I am not going to be killed by someone like you. When the time comes, I will wake you up with a punch."

While delivering this speech, the emotions expressed in Shiraho's face no longer resembled those of a doll's. Consequently, Shiraho was also an ordinary human. Weak, strong, fragile, sincere, full of contradictions&mdash;But precisely because of that, Haruaki and the rest were relieved to watch from afar this human expression. Naturally, Sovereignty was greatly surprised to witness Shiraho's behavior up close.

But it was probably not limited to surprise.

These two, whose positions were originally diametrically opposed, now stood on equal ground without precedent.

Shiraho reprimanded him with all her strength: Don't say anything discouraging.

It must have been exceptionally uplifting.

Consequently, the human-doll gazed into the determined eyes of the doll-human.

"I see... I'm not alone."

Sovereignty smiled as if bidding farewell to gloom.

Then came personal time for the two of them. After a while, Shiraho pressed her face against Sovereignty's&mdash;in other words, to avoid letting Haruaki and the rest see her expression as she whispered:

"...So, about that thing you once mentioned, I don't think we need it anymore?"

Simply from those words, Sovereignty understood what she meant. After displaying a surprised expression momentarily&mdash;

"That's... right. But are you okay with this, Shiraho?"

"Like I said, I don't need that thing. I don't know the details but you should return it... Just like I said just now, I won't let you kill me. So things are fine even without that thing."

Shiraho displayed a subtly angry expression. Seeing that, her lover also relaxed her expression and said:

"Well then let's do it. Hmm, I also have a reason to return it in person."

Then Sovereignty turned towards Haruaki and the rest of the group who had no idea what they were talking about.

"I have a request, could you come over?"

"If I can help in any way, please tell me."

"Yeah, but rather than asking you... More correctly, I'd like to ask Katana-san over there."

"Me? What's the matter?"

Letting go of Shiraho gently, Sovereignty pointed to a certain location on her chest. Beneath her tattered clothing, snow-white skin was exposed. As Haruaki shifted his gaze away guiltily, Fear, Kirika and Shiraho all narrowed their eyes at the sight.

"Underneath this spot is an object that resembles a card. A few decades ago when I was still in Europe, a strange man decided on his own to insert it into my body."

"A card?"

Haruaki recalled the cursed axe wielded by the person from the organization that targeted Fear&mdash;The Frontline Gathering Knights Dominion. A disk had been found inside that axe.

"Could this also be... An Indulgence Disk? Does it look flat and smooth like this with corners?"

Fear frantically gestured with her fingers to draw a rectangle.

"Yeah, just like that. Black and slim."

"What is going on? Weren't the Disks all taken by those people from the Knights Dominion, Kirika?"

Kirika could only shrug in response.

"I've only heard rumors so I don't know any other details... But even if possession had fallen to other parties, it would not be surprising. The important thing is, in regards to that disk, what do you know? Did that man tell you anything about it?"

"Uh&mdash;the man who inserted the card didn't tell me this. But what I know is&mdash;it belonged to Fear originally and that it is able to suppress curses to some extent."

Sovereignty looked up and glanced at Fear.

"Recently, the curse-suppressing effect weakened&mdash;I'm guessing it probably started after Fear began to be active."

"What did you say...?"

"Ah, no, I don't really know how it works, I'm just guessing here. It's not your fault I became like this, Fear. That's not what I wish to think, which is why I'm telling you now."

Sovereignty shook her head and smiled:

"Any time in the future, if I ever go berserk like earlier and cause any irreparable harm&mdash;I would surely try to find an excuse to escape responsibility, like 'A certain someone caused the curse-suppressing effect to weaken.' I don't want to make that kind of excuse to my friends. Besides, since the effect had already weakened, keeping it is meaningless. So that is why I want to return it to Fear."

"You sure? After all, it's true that it does reduce your curse to some extent, right?"

Fear's question was only reasonable. Consequently, Sovereignty turned to look at Shiraho who had made the suggestion. Was it really okay? If the curse could no longer be suppressed, the victim would be Shiraho herself.

However she had already made her decision. Determined not to be killed no matter what happened. Accepting her resolve, Sovereignty's answer was naturally&mdash;

"This kind of thing did not belong to me in the first place. Besides&mdash;"

Stroking Shiraho's head gently, Sovereignty continued:

"Thinking further on the nature of my curse, it feels like that disk has been an obstacle between us all this time. Although what lies await for us in the future is unknown, I neither want to deceive myself and others nor do I want to shift blame to anyone else. We will work hard together the two of us. This is the way for an ideal romance, right?"

Shiraho half-closed her eyes and murmured softly, a little happy:

"Yes&mdash;this kind of romance sounds like a curse."



Because Konoha said she wished to avoid seeing blood, Sovereignty temporarily returned to her doll form. Even so, she did not look too different from a real human. Konoha made a small incision on her chest while Fear inserted her fingers to extract the Indulgence Disk. Although the reason was unknown, this sort of wound did not reflect upon the human form apparently.

This followed by a brief period of peace and quiet.

Konoha rushed into the nearby thicket, making rustling noises as she changed her clothes. Haruaki had wondered if he should assist her, but then again it would not be right for a man to be helping by handing over underwear.

"Anyway, back to the topic, I never expected to find this kind of thing in such a surprising place... Isn't it too much of a coincidence?"

Recalling the disk handed to Fear, Haruaki mutttered. Hearing his comment, Kirika informed him with a disturbed expression:

"...Perhaps it's not entirely by chance. Yachi, do you remember what I told you before?"

"Eh? About what?"

"Although it's just a rumor&mdash;Indulgence Disks apparently attract one another. Remember I told you when we captured that woman from the Knight's Dominion?"

"Now that you mention it... I recall something like that."

"Of course, the reasons and principles behind it are unclear. Also, there is the implication of intensity in the description of 'mutual attraction.' Is it a physical attractive force like magnets, or perhaps&mdash;attracting one another in fate? If so... Hmm, what's the matter?"

Haruaki recalled. On the first day of the unconscious incidents, Fear had rushed out of the superintendent's office and ran around the school building without any apparent goal&mdash;What was it that she said?

Intuition. My subconscious told me this is the direction.  I feel like the culprit's presence is summoning me. There's this uneasy feeling flowing from within... Could it be possible that the Indulgence Disk's characteristics were the cause?

"It's possible, but it's not very distinct, right? I'm sure Fear-kun would find it quite strange if she feels like she's being pulled by forces as she runs around all day. Besides, she would have figured out Shiraho and Sovereignty swapped identities even earlier if that was the case. I suppose she simply feels like something is attracting her sometimes, maybe...? Perhaps that kind of property should be categorized as attraction in causality...?"

"Teacher, I think you're not being clear enough so I can't understand. Simply stated, what is it?"

Haruaki raised both arms to surrender. Originally murmuring to herself, Kirika answered simply:

"I don't know either. Based on the property of mutual attraction, various chance events occurred throughout this incident&mdash;scattered across the world, one of these Indulgence Disks happened to be present inside Sovereignty by chance, who happened to be purchased and brought to Japan by Shiraho's father by chance, then coincidentally entrusted to the superindendent who is connected to the Yachi family, and now the Disk is returned to Fear by chance&mdash;Perhaps the attraction is the reason for all these coincidences. But I'm simply speculating on the spot."

"Hmm&mdash;But if we blame everything on the Indulgence Disk, I think we're over thinking things..."

"Of course. This is purely speculation to examine its plausibility, don't take it too seriously."

Hearing her say that, Haruaki decided not give the matter any further thought. After all, he was currently so exhausted he could not think straight.

A voice came from the thicket: "Ah no... Eh? M-My bra is missing...! Am I in big trouble?" Kirika shrugged and said: "I'll go help Konoha-kun for a bit." Then she made her way over. Along the way, she picked up the piece of underwear that had fallen nearby. The instant she witnessed its size, Kirika swayed unsteadily as if from dizziness, but Haruaki pretended not to see.

As for the others&mdash;Haruaki turned to survey the surroundings. Sovereignty had returned to human form and was side by side with Shiraho, discussing their future plans. On the other hand, Fear was slightly further away, holding the Indulgence Disk in one hand as she stared blankly at those two together. Haruaki felt concerned.

"What are you doing?"

"Hmm... What should I say, seeing those two&mdash;"

At a loss for words, Fear then placed her hand gently on her chest.

"How should I put it? ...There's an indescribable feeling in my heart. Like happiness but also like embarrassment... And a little like jealousy. What is going on?"

"...You are beginning to understand things you never comprehended before."

Haruaki deliberately gave an ambiguous answer, but Fear did not ask any further. Perhaps to a certain extent, she had already realized.

Really&mdash;Fear murmured softly as she gave Haruaki a glance.

"Changing the subject, once we get home... Umm, I'll be relying on you."

"On what?"

"O-Of course I mean this!"

Fear waved the card in her hand.

"To be frank, it hurt a bit last time. You shoved it in so violently... You must be gentle this time!"

"Because it's a tight fit for you... I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything."

"G-Give me a guarantee! That kind of thing is so embarrassing, of course a guarantee is required! Every time I scream in pain, I'll demand one rice cracker from you!"

"Are you trying to con me out of rice crackers by screaming in pain as much as you can? What a criminal idea, I can't agree to that!"

Feeling a belt tightening around his neck, Haruaki turned his head in trepidation&mdash;

Only to find an expressionless demon.

"What's that about something embarrassing being tight and painful...? Yachi, tell me all about it."

"Class Rep! W-Wait a minute, you'll understand as soon as you listen to me!"

"Oh? You're willing to tell me? Although I was thinking it would be fine even if you insisted on silence&mdash;Provided you are very confident in the sturdiness of your neck! Hohohohoho!"

"Laughing in this expressionless manner makes you really scary!"

"Uh... Although I understand what is going on, I'm not going to stop them."

Behind them, Konoha was smiling politely with a complicated expression.

Shiraho and Sovereignty looked at each other in surprise.


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