Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Epilogue (section)

===Part 1===

What are your plans from here on? She asked.

&mdash;I can't go back anymore. The other person answered.

Why did you join them? She asked.

&mdash;No particular reason, I just went with the flow. The other person answered.

Apart from that place, do you have any other place you belong to? She asked.

&mdash;Nowhere. The other person answered.

Then after a period of silence... Do you still remember what happened so far? She asked.

&mdash;I have listened all along. The other person answered.



At the same time, the other person turned to look at the ordinary scene outside the window&mdash;bearing a smile.

Watching that kind of expression, she thought to herself.

The past could not be changed. Time could neither be stopped nor reversed.

Even so, one must believe that "the present" could be changed, then continue advancing forward. She believed that humans need this kind of resilience. After getting to know those girls who were closer to human than anyone else despite not being human, if this person was able to smile like this while reminiscing about them, then there was all the more reason for this person to apply this sort of resilience and move forward courageously.

Hence, she&mdash;Un Izoey&mdash;asked once again.

"Without any place you belong, going back will mean your elimination. I hereby ask you... Do you wish to work?"

&mdash;I am an enemy. The other person answered.

"I believe what you said about going with the flow. Since there is no reason to put effort in staying there, neither is it possible to return to that place, there should be no problem."

&mdash;Even so, aren't you worried I will betray your organization? The other person answered.

"My reply: not worried. The pain of betraying and the pain of being betrayed are both known to you. Besides, without any place where you belong, there is no benefit in betraying us either."

Silence.

Un Izoey gave the other person time to consider as well as supplementary information.

"Let me state beforehand, the work is simple. Due to one of our members disappearing, you will be replacing the position, something like a contracted employee. But if you agree with our ideology and want to pursue the unknown, that's a different matter. Are you interested in the belief of unraveling the unknown? I ask this kind of question."

&mdash;No idea. What I want to know is what I'm supposed to do next. The other person answered.

"A remarkable unknown. Do you have any idea?"

Next, Un Izoey remained silent, waiting for the other person's conclusion.

In this white sickroom, in this sickroom that contained only two people, Un Izoey was waiting for the answer from the young girl who was sitting up in bed, staring out the slightly ajar window.

After a moment, she spoke:

"I have... a condition."

"What condition?"

"That person. I wish to... see that person."

It was obvious who that person she was referring to. A knight in isolation who had been captured. The person who once wanted to kill this very girl.

"I won't do anything. I just want to see her. Neither have I thought of helping her escape. She will surely be eliminated if she returns to the Knights Dominion. Staying here... is safer."

"If she sees you, she will condemn you a traitor. She will want to kill you again. In spite of that?"

"In spite of that."

She answered immediately, then continued in a whispering voice:

"Even if it's a lie, even on a whim, my memories won't disappear, the past won't disappear. I did feel happiness for real. Hence, I want to tell her. I just... want to tell her this..."

Her gaze was still directed outside the slightly ajar window.

"Thank you for giving me memories. Also&mdash;"

Wind blew in from the window, gently caressing the girl's white hair.

Like an intangible mother.

"&mdash;Goodbye."