Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume4 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 8===

Time seemed to slow down for an instant.

Fear watched as Aiko rushed in front of her. She watched as Aiko took the hit for her, pierced in the chest by the knife flying from the school building&mdash;

"Ah..."

Coughing as she spat out chunks of blood, Aiko swayed as though she were dancing. The muddy ground, through the principle known as gravity, caught her body violently.

Stabbing into the heart, invading the very root of her existence, the knife fulfilled someone's desire.

"Wha&mdash;!"

"Aiko!"

"Aiko-san!"

They all ran over frantically. Fear reached out but stopped her arms halfway, unable to embrace her. Picking Aiko up in her arms seemed to be so dangerous an endeavor that anything could happen.

"W-Why&mdash;W-Why... would this..."

"Very obviously, it's that person's doing!"

The instant Fear turned her head towards the school building, Kuroe extended her hair, aiming for the third floor window. Entangling Bivorio's body, Kuroe instantly tied her up. Bivorio was already weeping in delirious state, making no effort to resist or to escape.

"A final struggle in vain huh? What should we do with her!?"

"Kuroe, never mind that woman, Aiko is more important right now!"

"Hmm... Indeed. I want to concentrate my powers, so I'll leave my hair like this and sever it!"

According Kuroe, her severed hair would maintain their stiffness for a while even after being cut. The extended hair was severed and lost tension. Bivorio's body lost balance and fell over while still tied up, disappearing from the window's view.

"Please, hurry and heal her!"

"I'll try my best..."

Kuroe severed her hair and swiftly wrapped it around Aiko's wound. As indicated by the anxiety on Kuroe's face, despite the life force infused through the hair, color still did not return to Aiko's face. Kuroe's powers were able to increase natural healing. Ahhh, but... What if it were a wound that could not heal naturally no matter how much one struggled...

Aiko opened her eyes slightly. Since she was lying down and her bangs had slid to the side, her eyes were visible in a rare moment.

"...I... have... sinned. So... it's okay."

"What are you talking about!? Didn't I tell you that I'm the same!? Cow Tits and Kuroe also! No, you're referring to joining the Family and betraying us? That doesn't matter anymore. Everyone is safe and sound so it's fine! From now on, you'll lift your curse together with all of us, so! Even if you've sinned, you didn't need to do this for protecting me&mdash;"

"No. This is... sin unrelated to curses."

She had committed sins that cannot be forgiven even if the curse can be lifted. Fear recalled what Aiko had said earlier.

"I&mdash;By my own volition... Unrelated to the curse... Only because I wanted to kill... I killed a human."

Weak exhalation.

It was... a breath of confession.

"His name is Heinzmann Diemelgerg. My previous owner. Also a knight from the Frontline Gathering Knights Dominion, the One-Man Force: «Isolate»."

"Wha&mdash;"

This unexpected confession caused Fear to hold her breath. In that case, in other words&mdash;Aiko belonged to the Frontline Gathering Knights Dominion? Those people had not interfered any further ever since that Peavey woman was defeated. That said, Fear knew that it could not have lasted indefinitely and that they would return to cause a commotion eventually&mdash;

"I arrived... to this place as... the equipment of the knight who was sent to destroy you. Then for the sake of battle, I was forced to perform necessary restocking of venom. I've always hated it so I was very unwilling that time as well, I hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it absolutely... So... Deciding I was never doing it again, just because of that... I killed... Heinzmann."

"Speaking of which, that name... Just now, that..."

Recalling something, Konoha narrowed her eyes and murmured. Perhaps seeing her reaction, Aiko gazed without focus and said:

"...In order to take care of the body, I made it into venom. The place was... Near where I met everyone for the first time... An abandoned house. After that... Not knowing what to do... I walked and walked... and saw a river. The river was very clear and beautiful, but my hands were filthy. So I... used the river... to wash my hands&mdash;That's why... I was there."

Hence they had met. There was cute little dog there, but since her owner was no longer alive, she did not need to kill it. Foolishly, not knowing anything, she embraced the dog&mdash;

"...It wasn't due to a curse's impulse, neither was it required by the curse's powers. I simply murdered because I wanted to kill. That's my sin. This is... retribution... for that sin... So... it's alright."

"Of course it's not alright! Come on, how could it possibly be alright!?"

"Even if retribution and atonement are required, it doesn't have to be in this way! This... this!"

Aiko happily gazed back at Fear and Haruaki.

She smiled.

"Uh... May I... make two... requests?"

How could anyone refuse? But conversely, Fear hoped that Aiko could listen to a simple wish in exchange.

No matter who listened to this wish, if only someone could realize it, no matter who.

"...I never considered what I was going to do after killing Heinzmann. All I could think about was stopping things. Going to your home... Was pure chance. But... Really... I never expected&mdash;A good place. Although time was short... I know."

"Yes... Yes yes, that home is a good place. Although it's old and decrepit, with only spaciousness as its only good quality&mdash;It's a good place nonetheless. S-So!"

How strange. Why was his voice trembling? Why was his vision getting blurry?

"Right, so... I... want to stay... in that home. No matter where, even just a storeroom, I hope you can put me in that home. Provided... it doesn't cause you any trouble..."

"How could it cause any trouble... You're going to lift your curse together with Fear and the others, right? So&mdash;As the master of the house, I give permission. Yes, I give permission!"

"...I'm so glad."

Clasping Haruaki, whose voice was trembling just like hers, by the hand, Aiko smiled again.

"As your senior, I also give permission. Compared to a certain noisy, complaining pair of runts, you're several times better than them as a junior."

"Likewise coming from me, senior number two. I'm really looking forward to using my seniority to force my junior to confess who she likes... Really."

Konoha and Kuroe spoke respectively in calm tones.

"S-Senior number three agrees. I mentioned it just now, between us... Victory has not been decided. I still have not shown you... my dignity... as your senior..."

Aiko's bangs quivered from her breath. Her breath carried the same meaning as previously.

"So... What's your other wish? I will realize it using my full authority as master of the house. Tell me, Aiko!"

"...Pocket."

With just a single word, Haruaki understood what she was trying to say. Naturally, everyone present understood.

She did not wish for her pockets to be empty.

Rather than the curse of venom, she wanted something gentler.

Rather than something cold and hard like pebbles, she wanted something warmer.

She wished to fill up herself, making herself more fulfilled&mdash;

"Look..."

Haruaki's hand slowly reached into her pocket.

Aiko made a satisfied expression she had never displayed before.

"...Pwah~"

She smiled. Her next whispers were very calm.

"Ahhh... I don't have to curse anyone anymore. I don't... need to be cursed by anyone anymore. Although I still remember the past and these memories bring me pain, I'm not alone. I'm really... relieved&mdash;"

Then as though she had suddenly remembered something, she gazed tenderly at Fear:

"But&mdash;That's right. I really want to... watch Fear... dance... officially..."


Halfway through her speech, she disappeared.


Her clothes collapsed, having lost what occupied them. Sitting on top of the clothes was&mdash;

Shattered where a knife was embedded...

What could only be described as beautiful&mdash;

An indigo pot.

Haruaki remembered. Whether her initial arrival at their home or what happened after she entrusted her wish to the Family.

He remembered everything.

However, even though his memories returned...

Why&mdash;why didn't everything return to normal?

"Damn it... Kuroe, hey, Kuroe!"

"...Sorry, I can only raise a person's natural healing ability, but there's nothing I can do if the wound is too deep. Neither can I do anything for someone who has reverted to tool form&mdash;And it goes without saying, I can't bring the dead back to life either. However..."

"However?"

Konoha answered Haruaki's question as she knelt down and picked up Aiko's fragments.

"...We carry dual traits of humans and tools. In other words, damage incurred in tool form can sometimes heal like a human's wounds. Like a chipped blade returning to its original, newly sharpened state, or a frayed plushie repairing itself on its own. Last time when I cut open Sovereignty's chest lightly, the wound closed up under the same principles."

"Th-Then in that case!"

As Haruaki looked up, Konoha shook her head with a mournful expression.

"Nevertheless&mdash;Whether humans or tools, once completely 'dead,' there is no way of recovering. Like a broken blade is not longer a blade and an incinerated plushie is no longer a plushie, once destroyed beyond recognition, there is no hope of recovery."

"...Then... what about her...?"

"I understand what you're thinking, Haruaki-kun, but according to my judgment, to be honest&mdash;The chances are slim. This is based on the fact that she could no longer maintain human form, as well as this level of damage as seen here."

"But then again, the chances are not zero, Kono-san."

Hearing Kuroe point out quietly, Konoha nodded.

"Certainly&mdash;Even though it might approach zero infinitesimally, it's possible that destruction is not complete. Although who knows how much time it would take, there is a chance that recovery might happen eventually&mdash;That cannot be ruled out. That said, it's only the optimistic view."

Hence, that was why Konoha was picking up the fragments. In case this miracle really happened, Aiko would then be able to recover with ease. Despite talking about slim chances, Konoha surely did not wish for that to be so.

Naturally, Haruaki was the same.

Hoping, wishing, praying and believing.

He would wait forever. Just as she had wished, that home would wait forever for her to return.

Just as this moment, beneath the sunny sky where all the dark clouds had disappeared, an announcement was heard from the sports ground:

'Due to the sun coming out, the afternoon events will start in ten minutes. Participating students, please prepare as quickly as possible&mdash;'

Time, which seemed as though it had stopped, began to move as a lively bustling came from the other side of the school building. Haruaki listened as Fear whispered softly:

"...What a dummy, that girl, that was not two but three wishes..."

Fear stood up and turned around, rubbing her arm against her face several times. It was completely obvious what she was doing.

"She said she wanted to see me dance officially, right?"

"...That's right, she did say that."

Haruaki answered Fear who did not turn her head back.

"Well then... I must let her watch. Yes, indeed&mdash;We promised. So, Haruaki, you must stand somewhere with a clear view! Together with her!"

Then Fear started walking.

Towards that direction, her fists clenched tightly.

Even so, Haruaki could still see her petite shoulders trembling, as though the aftermath of certain emotions lingered.



&mdash;Dance! Fear commanded herself.

Despite the suffering, despite the pain, who knew if she could dance successfully.

What mattered was neither looking back, nor halting in her steps, nor the tears falling from her eyes.

Instead, it was the dance.

Even though little of her stamina remained, she gritted her teeth and danced.

This was their promise.

The promise they had made on the veranda&mdash;To celebrate her arrival.