Editing Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyoubi:Volume6 Chapter2 (section)

===Part XII===
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"Ehh~ defendant, Alice Color prayed for an unprecedented miracle and revived himself, and prayed for a miracle to create a new world, creating a black surface--which has the potential to cause chaos in the world, and the sealing is certainly warranted—"

By the end, Shaun was reading the verdict with absolutely no interest in the trial.

"—Therefore, Alice Color and the black surface are hereby sentenced to be sealed."

<i>Kan, </i>the gavel swung once.

"—And now, the court is closed. Good night."

The hall was silent.

Ai was sitting on the defense attorney's seat with her heart frozen.

The swing of that gavel signified the end of everything, yet she did not feel the direness of the situation, as though she was in a dream.

She wanted to laugh and point at Shaun, asking what the latter had said. She wanted Dee to say, <i>That's right, isn't it?</i>

"Damn it…."

But Dee just slammed her desk and turned her head away.

The moment Ai saw the tears on her cheeks, her heart finally started to buzz.

Alice let out a breath and walked to the back, not looking back at all.

Words began to rush back into the hall in waves, and Ai's mind began to buzz with them.

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"—Can I have a word?"

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Just before Ai was about to say something—

A man stood up from the audience. He had a broad belly, a strident voice, and a suit as old as he was, but as shiny and well-kept.

He was the mayor of Ostia, Bendo Gram.

"—I have a few questions to ask."

Bendo, who was usually surrounded by his young lackeys, had none of them. Instead, a group of old men, high profile faces of the town, stood up from the aisle.

Bendo glared at Madame, ignoring Shaun, who was already stirring a bottle of alcohol.

"—Yes, what shall it be?"

Madame too frowned at the prospect of disturbance and turned to face them. To describe the difference in fighting strength, it would be akin to ants taking on an elephant. Nevertheless, these ants were intimidating the elephant with an unusual vigor.

Ai stared at the situation without knowing what was about to happen, when a voice called out to me from behind.

"…Ai, Dee, listen to me. We're going to move as planned."

"Mr Julie…?"

Julie had arrived by their side without them knowing, and said such ridiculous words. For some reason, Dee turned away a pained look on her face.

"When this starts, we'll start off with attacking Madame. You guys take the chance to run outside."

Ai looked over and saw several strong men lurking behind Julie.

"P-please wait. What are you saying? What do you mean by move'?"

The question was answered by Bendo.

"No, no, we're just having a little trouble understanding, and we'd like you to explain it to us—it’s really not a good thing to be old. I know it's hard for you to understand though, Missy."

"No, no, I understand. I was over 70 years old when I died."

"……That's part of what makes it so hard to understand. Missus."

"Understood—then, please ask your questions."

"Thanks. First of all—I’d like to know the result of this 'show' trial, and what will happen to us."

Tension returned to the hall, and Madame's right cheek twitched, a few wrinkles appeared.

"…Understood. I shall inform the ‘Witch’ of the results of the trial. First of all, due to safety concerns, we cannot inform you of Master Alice’s sealing. As for the black surface, it is difficult to move, so we shall simply bury it. I believe the elevation of this hill will be doubled."

"I see—that can be changed now, can it?"

"…Such an appeal should be made during the trial."

Madame's gaze finally strained. In contrast, Bendo shrugged his shoulders in bemusement.

"That's a strange thing to say. I'm sure you've come to the conclusion, and all appeals shall be for naught. Didn’t you already conclude that everything you’ve done isn’t even a 'show' trial? You just unilaterally presented your demands and unilaterally exercised them. We are well aware of cases similar to yours--bandits."

"…What are you trying to say?"

"'I'm telling you that you're nothing but bandits, Missus."

Bendo smiled and curtsied, completely unruly the entire time.

"Therefore, we shall treat you as such."

"So, we are, bandits, to you…"

"That's right. Now, since we’re dealing with bandits, that's easy. All you have to do is weigh their size and their demands. If it's worth it, we accept it, if not, we fight""hmmm."

Bendo's gray eyes stared at Madame.

"The opponent is a group of Deformed that goes by the name of ‘Coven’, They have created an inexhaustible supply of weapons and have taken over the town. The damage will be enormous if we’re to fight—and for comparision, your demands are some black surface we have no idea what it’s about and a shitty brat—hmph, I see. That makes things simple."

Bendo stroked his beard and grinned fiercely.

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"This deal isn’t worth it!"

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It was Alice who panicked more than anyone else.

"Be-Bendo? You idiot! What the hell were you thinking!?"

The chains on his hands jangled as he screamed.

"You just said it yourself! The town and me! There's no need to compare the two!"

"Yeah, that's right! There’s no need to compare this problem!"

The politician's finger pointed at Alice.

"Alice, you don't know how grateful we are to you at all!"

"What…?"

"You've forgotten, Alice! We are truly grateful to you!"

Bendo held out his hands like a phoenix., to which the citizens agreed.

"Alice, kid…you have brought our broken home back together again. We’ll never forget that."

"I'll never forget how you took in my entire family when our entire clan was starving to death!"

"Alice!" "Alice!"

The people thanked him, but Alice's expression intensified with every word.

"How about it Alice!? Look how grateful we are to you! You don’t know, right? Did you forget? I hate to say this, but I feel the same way as them! We've left you to die twice or thrice before, but we’re not shameless enough to let this happen again!"

"You idiots!"

"Oh, you're right, we admit it! We're a bunch of idiots! We're idiots who don’t live too smartly! What’s the point of intelligence in this ending world!?"

With a snap, Bendo took off his jacket, balled up his fists and swung jabs.. The old men beside him finished their preparations for battle with their ‘old moves’.

Ai could understand why Bendo did not have his usual lackeys with him. He had left the younger ones behind.

"Listen up, you bandits! Touch that boy and you'll see! All of us Ostia citizens won't stand for it!"

<i>Oh!</i> The men shouted, and the voltage in the hall reached its peak.

But despite the buzz, Alice's expression was cold.

"No, Bendo…."

Dee muttered.

"That's not good enough…that's not going to stop Alice…"

Ai knew that.

She knew it was not enough.

"…Can you give me a minute?"

Alice said softly.

"What are you waiting for, Alice?"

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Madame."

Saying that Alice looked behind.

There, an old-haired girl had a mix of of two expressions on her face. One was the expression of a child worried that a trial was to be ruined, and the other was a monster licking her tongue at the prospect of coming destruction.

"Madame, please. Wait."

"Oh? What are we waiting for, Master Alice? Ufufu, ufufu."

Fang clashed against fang, and jaws buzzed like wasps.

"…I'm telling you to hold those fangs."

"Yes, of course I shall wait, I do not want to ruin it all either. But I do not have long to wait though. Ufufu, ufufufu. "

"I'll get them to shut up in a minute."

Then Alice took the jug on the table and slammed it onto the floor.

Glass shattered. Ice water flowed. Everyone was silent, unable to grasp his intentions.

With all eyes on him , Alice crouched down, picked up the sharpest piece of shattered glass and,

He plunged the blade at his own neck.

The tip of the blade dug under his skin, and the transparent blade glowed red.

For the third time, silence filled the hall.

"Everyone, stop resisting."

Ahhh.

"If you don't stop. I'm going to cut this head off and let the Gravekeeper bury me."

Why?

Why was he so insistent on being Alice Color? Why did he become so sharp?

Alice had the Buzzer Beater ability. At this moment, he had the ability to seemingly shooting himself out. He was a silver bullet that had been fired long ago. The magic bullet that ran with the curse of ‘certain hit’ on its body.

One would be certain the bullet would not stop until it shattered.

"Alice, you!"

Bendo's fists were shaking. His face turned red as if it had been boiled.

"It's no good…this isn't going to stop Alice…"

Dee covered her face in despair.

"Schwartz. Hailette. When I give the signal, take these two and run away immediately. The rest of you follow me."

Julie was no longer listening to them anymore, and was simply sharpening his fangs in preparation for the fight that was to come.

"Ufufu, ufufufufufu."

Madame laughed. She laughed as though she was gnawing on a piece of chewy meat.

And Ai....

Ai was looking at Alice. She leaned forward and watched his expression for a long time. She was looking at him, expecting to see fear and hesitation. She had been looking at the expression of the sixteen-year-old boy who had shouted that he did not want Class 3-4 to die.

Alice,

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Alice was smiling.

He looked like someone who had lived a hundred years.

He looked like someone who had lived a full life.

His expression was calm.

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It was a smile that Ai could not help but notice. Ai’s rule was that the Dead had to die, and the Living had to live. Alice’s smile was that of a Dead, which she was powerless against.

Despair slowly strangled her heart.

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

The reality of the situation had taken shape in front of her eyes.

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

That was a simple fact that could not be changed.

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

It was the absolute proof that even if one was to dedicate oneself to a dream, it might not necessarily come true.

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

It was the last scene of the story, just as it was declared from the beginning.

Ai Astin could———————————————————

"AHHHHHH!"

Ai shouted. Her body was seemingly about to vanish like bubbles. She felt an impact all over, one which her heart, feelings and even her body were on the verge of disappearing.

"Mr. Alice!!"

All eyes were on Ai. Enemies and allies alike, everyone was looking at Ai.

Alice Color too,

Alice Color was also looking at Ai.

"Mr. Alice!"

"…What."

"Mr Alice! Mr Alice! Mr Alice! Mr Alice!"

"I’m asking you, what…Ai Astin?"

Ai called out his name. She kept shouting, wanting to ensure that particular person was still around.

"Please don't go!"

And Ai began. She began the most painful three minutes of her short life.

"Please don't go! I beg of you! Please, don’t do this anymore!"

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

"Why! Why are you like that? Why do you keep running towards your dreams even if it means hurting yourself all over!?"

"You…"

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

"What is your 'dream'? What do you ‘want’? It’s nonsense! It's stupid!"

"Ai, what are, you …?"

For every word she spoke, her body was ripped in two.

Bones shattered, flesh tore, skin bubbled and disappeared.

Ai Astin could not save Alice Color.

Then...

She did not have to be Ai Astin.

"What are you talking..."

"You're just trying to act cool! You just want to die for your own dreams! That's fine for you! But what about the rest!? Us! Me! How do you think we feel?"

The words tore Ai apart the moment they left her mouth.

"Do you know how the people around you feel when they see you become so sharp? And then you finally break!? "

"! Enough!"

"Think about the feelings of those around you!"

"Enough, Ai!"

"Please treasure yourself more!"

"Ai!"

"Please—"

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"Live on!"

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"………………………You got to be kidding…"

Alice's hands shook uncontrollably. His face was flushed with pure anger.

"You’re kidding, Ai Astin…you…you…."

He exerted more strength into his right hand that was grabbing the glass shard glass, and more blood dripped from it.

"You don't have the right to say that!!"

Alice yelled while gripping his own blood.

"You don’t have the right to say that, Ai! You’re the one who sacrificed everything for your own dream! You of all people!"

A bullet of words shot through Ai’s heart. Hundreds and thousands of fatal wounds perforated Ai.

"You said you didn't even care about yourself! And you’re saying that now!?"

Ai’s mind disappeared, his body was ripped apart, and her spirit vanished.

"You’re the monster who goes about saving the world! And now you’re telling me consider the feelings of those around me! To treasure myself!? To live on without my dreams!?"

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"Yeah!"

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And…

The Ai before the age of twelve was shattered.

She was born to a Gravekeeper and a human,

Raised on falsehoods and lies,

She buried Hampnie Hambart, communed with the Princess of the Dead in the Capital of Death, grasped her dream in the School of Living,, and abused his practice in the Tower of the World.

In the World Tower, she fulfilled it—and then freed the sealed town,

Ai Astin, who had dreamed of saving the world was finally shattered to dust.

Ai was no longer Ai. The twelve-year-old girl who dreamed to sacrifice everything for her dream was gone.

[[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 10.jpg|thumb]]

"I'll say it again as many times as I want!"

Her body felt heavy. She felt dead, as though she had lost her soul.

And yet,

"Please live, Mr. Alice!"

And yet, she cried.

"I'll live too!"

The tears that had formed within her eyes immediately burst the dams that were her eyelids.

The tears she had forgotten for a long, long time returned.

"It's so hard, so painful! My body feels like it's about to fall apart, but, I…hic…I’ll keep…I’ll keep living… …"

The tears were as hot as flames, and warmed her body from where they flowed.

"So—!"

And Ai started to run.

She had no shovel, no Gravekeeper clothes.

She had abandoned all her dreams and hopes.

She just ran to him as Ai.

Time began to move slowly. Each moment seemed to melt away.

One step.

She flipped over the fence and stumbled as she ran. Bendo and the others cheered, and Julie's fingertips, outstretched to stop Ai, just barely missed her.

Two steps.

Madame laughed as her cheeks seemingly tore away. The floor and tables became woodmen that started to suppress this ruckus. Destructive Fist rushed out, and Noellfaen floated

Three steps.

Ai took a big step with her right foot. Her teary, distorted vision caught sight of Alice. She raised her hands and took the last steps.

Four steps.

He was right in front of her—

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Five steps.

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And so Ai jumped into Alice's chest.

They fell to the floor due to her momentum. Time began to flow again. The sounds of fistfights echoed and battle cries were raised.

But none of that mattered right now.

"Please live …Mr Alice…"

She put her hand on his chest and whispered while tears flowed down her face.

"Please don't be alone…please be with everyone…with me…please live on…."

"…You’re saying that…?"

Alice remained limp as if he had been shot through the heart.

"Yes…."

"…I never thought…you would…say such a thing…"

The glass in his right hand fell with a clink.

Alice covered his face with both hands. There were two persons’ tears flowing down his face.

"Ah-ahhh…what is this situation? What kind of miracle is this? Now Ostia and Coven are at war. It’s a mess everywhere, and Dee is somehow leading the Deformed …"

He puts his hand on her head and ruffled it.

"You’re crying."

"Wh-whose fa…"

"And..."

Alice said, and looked up to the sky. There was something shining in the sky, reflected in Ai’s eyes.

"The moon is rising."

It was a half-moon, split down the center—no.

On a closer look, the moon was a little plump.

"What kind of miracle is this…?"

The moon of the tenth day of the month began to regrow its lost half.

Alice called the moon a miracle. Ai sat beside him, watching it as well.

Half of the moon was shining through her tears amidst the orange twilight.

Ai did not understand the tears or the meaning of the moon in that month. It did not matter. Ai Astin could not understand Alice Color.

But that was okay.

"Live on…huh?"

"Yes."

"I have no dreams or hopes, but…just live?"

"Yes. "

She stood up, as she had been doing for a long time. There was a crucial difference however. She stood up as though she did so for the first time in her life..

The world seemed rather interesting to her.

Bendo was beating up every woodman that came at him, the old men were showing surprising strength, Julie was calling out their names in a very pathetic manner, Dee was hiding under the desk, protected by the Deformed for some reason.

The setting sun and the rising half-moon looked down on them.

"Let's go, Ai."

"Yes, Mr. Alice."

They quietly walked back into the room.

No shovel, no Gravekeeper's outfit, no twin guns.

Just the two of them, Ai Astin and Alice Color.

They returned to the world.

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