Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume17 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 14===

Somewhere very far away from the school&mdash;

In front of a certain room inside their rented apartment...

Alice Bivorio Basskreigh was currently on the phone with a familiar supplier. A regular conversation of information exchange akin to periodic updates. Considered a part of casual chatting, she would take the opportunity to ask how ''they'' were doing lately. She asked about the town where she had visited in the past.

"I see now... I understand. Thank you very much."

'I really don't want to see those Knights Dominion guys expand their influence further. It'd be a huge problem for me if business gets increasingly difficult... Here's to balance and world peace. Bravo. So long now.'

She exhaled while putting the cellphone into her pocket after the call ended. Next to her, a girl was sitting in the corridor, staring in boredom at the door in front of them.

"They seem to be in quite a crisis over there."

"That geezer's voice is too loud. I almost heard everything. How incompetent."

The girl&mdash;Nikaidou Kururi&mdash;glanced sideways at Bivorio then asked:

"So what are we gonna do?"

Bivorio closed her eyes lightly and pondered.

Her feelings towards them were complicated. She used to be their enemy and fought them. Then she realized the error of her ways. They also made her learn that her way of life was wrong. Saved by them? In one sense, probably, but in another sense, probably not. That being said, she had no idea what they thought on this matter.

But if one were to take the perspective of being saved by them, this point was quite clear. They had saved her from imprisonment as well as the bleeding Kururi. Hence, it was at least certain that they were owed a favor. However...

Bivorio sighed. Putting aside for now what their relationship was with her group&mdash;

"Even if we hurried over there now, it would probably be too late."

"...Right. Besides, we're not obliged to run all the way there to meddle in someone else's business. Speaking of which, it's not like it matters to us whether they live or die."

Kururi muttered as though arguing.

Bivorio relaxed her expression slightly.

The supplier had told her about their current situation. The town was facing "Dominionization." The school's students were taken hostage. The Frontline Gathering Knights Dominion's Lord had arrived with a legion under his command. Fear-in-Cube was feeling frightened by her own power. Although details were scarce, the Draconians were also causing trouble to them.

Just from the description, the situation sounded extremely despairing. However&mdash;

"Don't worry."

"...?"

Whenever any member of their group came to mind, it was never in isolation. Like a chain reaction, one would naturally think of another person appearing beside them. Another person holding hands. Another person smiling together.

In other words&mdash;Them, living in the set of bonds known as "them."

"They have reliable comrades. If comrade sounds strange as a term... You can also say that they treasure the interpersonal bonds. These bonds will become their power."

"So... Can I be honest? That's super lame. It's not like this is manga aimed at teenagers."

Bivorio giggled.

"Interpersonal bonds becoming power... The same applies to us too."

"Hmph, how come I never noticed?"

"Oh my, is that really the case?"

She narrowed her eyes. In front of the two of them&mdash;what they had been gazing at all along&mdash;the door to a bedroom.

A certain traumatized family member had kept herself locked inside that door for eternity&mdash;

It slowly opened.

"Hmm? You're waiting for Elsie-san to come back? Oh my, ''MAX THANK YOU'' for real!"

Sent back by the Lab Chief's Nation, only reunited with Bivorio and Kururi several days prior, Elsie spoke while smiling tenderly. As for why she had entered the room like this, it was something she naturally suggested on her own initiative without anyone asking after she learned about the situation.

There was another woman behind Elsie.

Her best friend in the past was Elsie&mdash;Originally missing, later discovered to be badly wounded and protected by the Lab Chief's Nation until recently. Obediently holding hands with Elsie like a child was&mdash;

Oratorie Rabdulmunagh, the family's prided shut-in.

On her emaciated face was a smile that seemed shy, apologetic and timid at the same time.

Even so, her forceful and excessively cheery best friend still held her by the hand aggressively, taking a step out of the room just like that&mdash;

Still with a smile on her face, Bivorio said in a gentle tone of voice as though teaching her own child:

"See, Kururi? Forget about noticing or not noticing, isn't it right before your eyes?"
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