Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 10===

While patrolling, Konoha halted and looked up at the school building's large clock overhead. The time was fast approaching midnight.

Her current location was the open space between the school gates and the school building, calling it the front yard would not be wrong. This was a broad and spacious path leading from the gates to the school building where countless students passed by and interacted with one another every morning. Left and right of the path were bushes, lawns and a few trees. The moon, clear and bright, was illuminating these things faintly.

Although no presence could be felt, Himura was probably somewhere, looking up at this clock. Konoha did not know if he had used the cursed mask that could eliminate all sense of presence or if he concealed his presence on his own. Either way, Konoha was quite impressed that he was able to prevent her from sensing his presence.

Konoha looked at the hands as they traced the passage of time, shaking her head lightly. Now was the time for thinking about the enemy, not Himura. Then she found herself confronted with an exceedingly simple question.

In other words&mdash;Was she able to defeat her?

Konoha recalled the scene at the park. Overwhelmed in both strength and speed, she had collapsed in such an unsightly manner.

Unlike last time, the "time" accumulated by Elsie should not be that much, so there should be a solution. By focusing on defense completely to stall for time, there should be a way. There should be a way. There should be a way&mdash;

&mdash;''Honestly''?

"...!"

Konoha could not answer this question, rising from the depths of her heart.

She bit her lip. Admit it. Hinai Elsie was very strong. Perhaps she very well could be the "strongest" indeed.

However, Konoha could not allow herself to conclude the matter simply with "we can't win."

Elsie was going to take away everything. Whether the life of Konoha, the girl from the Knights Dominion, the cube of torture and execution, or&mdash;

No, no, no.

This was one point she could not accept. Even if it meant making the entire world her enemy, this point alone could not be conceded at all.

She shifted her gaze that had settled on the clock. The faint moon leapt into view as a result.

The unreal glow was unbelievably causing her consciousness to grow hazy.

Lately, she had been frequently having dreams. Ever since losing to Hinai Elsie on that day, Konoha had been having extremely unpleasant dreams. As mentioned earlier, perhaps simple fatigue was related&mdash;However, Konoha believed that it was also linked to the memory of defeat.

Guided by the moonlight, Konoha slipped into her ambiguous consciousness as that dream surfaced before her eyes.

The dream was harshly reprimanding her.

Why did you lose? You know very well. Because you are not your quintessential self, your strength is lacking. Because you refuse to admit, you lost. Recall once again. Even if you pretend to have forgotten, you absolutely cannot have forgetten. Muramasa, Muramasa, Muramasa. The demon blade, thirsting for and drinking fresh blood. Recall it, recall it, hurry up and recall it&mdash;


''In actual fact, she had been lying all along''.


(This is a necessary... lie.)

As though trying to escape the moon's mystical powers, Konoha closed her eyes and clenched her fists tight.

However&mdash;If... If necessary&mdash;

If in order to protect him, she had to admit that point no matter what&mdash;

"Wow, it's really quite cold outside. Uh, Konoha, is it really okay for you?"

"Oh... Haruaki-kun..."

Haruaki had changed into clothes that were easy to move around in, walking out of the school building towards her. Despite searching for presences all along, she had failed to notice him. Too lax, this ability to concentrate. Unacceptable&mdash;Konoha warned herself.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing... On the other hand, Haruaki-kun, why are you out here? It's currently time to rest."

"After going to the washroom, I suddenly felt more awake. Then I started walking around and found you here, Konoha, spacing out."

Standing under the moonlight, he smiled. Konoha felt her heart skip a beat.

Unacceptable&mdash;She murmured to herself mentally again. Ahhh, indeed. Right now, the most important thing, what she ought to do was&mdash;

Perhaps, it might be fine already.

If under this crescent moon, if in front of his smile&mdash;

"Haruaki-kun... I have something... I'd like to tell you."

"Sure, what is it?"

Just say it out&mdash;She thought.

Tell him your sins.

That villainous and ugly lie, what she had concealed all this time&mdash;


"I-I actually..."


Just at this moment&mdash;A presence. This time, Konoha sensed it.

She closed her mouth. Konoha did not know if it was fortunate or not that she failed to tell Haruaki about her secret. However, now was not the time to be pondering that.

"Nuunuu, damn you, Haruaki. I was thinking why you haven't returned from going to the washroom."

"Ficchi, this would normally be called a tryst, right? How heart-poundingly exciting."

"Fear-san, Kuroe-san... With Amanda-san here as well? Why aren't you at the night watchman's room, protecting her?"

"Just when I poked my head out to have a look, Amanda-chan woke up, acting a little awkward like she wanted to go to the toilet. So we took her to the toilet... Then after that, we decided to take a short stroll before going back. By the way, Kiririn is still taking a nap."

"Oh, so it's the same as me huh. I guess it does feel quite unusual to be in school at night. Given the rare chance, everyone wants to take a walk, right&mdash;Konoha?"

Konoha raised her hand lightly to signal an end to the conversation.

In a certain sense, Fear and Kuroe could be considered unexpected arrivals, but the presence Konoha sensed was much different from them.

In other words&mdash;

"''GOODEST EVENING''! No no, since it's past midnight, I guess I should say ''MORNING'', right? I never could figure this out... Anyway, Elsie is back!"

Opposite to the school building where Fear and the other girls had emerged...

Probably entering by traversing over the tightly shut school gates&mdash;


Hinai Elsie was walking boldly towards them.
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