Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume14 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 2===

"Haruaki!"

"Yachi, are you alright?"

"Haru, do you feel unwell anywhere?"

"Hmm... Huh...?"

Haruaki suddenly sat up to find himself in his own room. Next to the futon was Fear, Kirika and Kuroe, all watching him with worried faces. For an instant, he had no idea what was going on.

"Uh, why is everyone... What happened to me...?"

"You... don't remember?"

Fear's voice sounded quite worried. What happened? &mdash;Haruaki spun his drowsy mind at full speed.

"...Oh."

Finally, he remembered. He remembered everything that had happened so far.

Then he laughed out loud.

"Oh yeah...? Haha. Oh dear, seriously, what's up with Konoha? She punched me. How terrible and it was painful. Hahaha&mdash;Urgh!?"

Haruaki's breathing choked for a second. Fear first made an expression of surprise then her face darkened as she grabbed Haruaki's collar and pulled him towards her. Close enough for them to feel each other's breathing, she said:

"&mdash;Shameless brat, I understand how you feel, but come on, face reality."

Fear's eyes contained seriousness, anger, unease and fright. At the same time, she was desperately suppressing these emotions.

With Fear still grabbing his collar, Haruaki heard an inhaling sound and turned to look at the source. Kirika had a solemn expression&mdash;if anything, her face was livid with fright&mdash;and she said to him:

"Yachi, Fear-kun and Kuroe-kun have already told me what happened after I died. I'll be straight with you... You're only alive purely ''by chance''. There is no possibility apart from that. Konoha is not infiltrating the enemy camp by feigning memory loss out of certain considerations. That is also not the reason why she used a fist against you instead of a knifehand strike."

On top of Kirika's thighs while she was sitting formally in seiza, her fists could be seen clenching tightly.

"With equal probability as getting punched, she really could have chopped you to death on the spot. Whether she was willing to listen to my plea, from her perspective, it really was nothing more than the difference between stepping forward with her right foot or her left foot first. Simply a whim, a moment's fancy, nothing more than pure chance..."

Kirika also drew her face up close to Haruaki. Something shiny could be seen faintly in the corners of her eyes.

Haruaki was thunderstruck. The world shook for a while as the dislocations in his sense of reality were realigned.

The current situation, as well as his own situation.

In a real sense, he finally understood.

"Ficchi and Kiririn are right. I understand you're very shocked, but we can't move forward unless you face reality as it is. If you die while day dreaming... It'd be throwing good money after the bad."

Haruaki slowly turned his head and looked at the three girls' faces, then exhaled forcefully.

"You're right. I'm sorry&mdash;and thank you all. Fear, Class Rep, Kuroe."

He bowed his head, conveying a will of "I'm okay now." The three girls exuded relief.

Making a wry smile completely different from the smile of escapism just now, Haruaki patted Fear's arm since she was still grabbing his collar.

Fear instantly went "muu" and pouted.

"Hmph!"

Then as though hiding her embarrassment, she pushed Haruaki towards his futon.



&mdash;It was already evening.

Holding a pack of rice crackers in one hand, Fear sat down on the veranda. Her reason for choosing the veranda was, of course, because Haruaki was already sitting there spacing out after waking up.

While chewing the first rice cracker she had taken out, she glanced sideways at Haruaki. Taking out a second rice cracker, she stood it upright.

"Want one? If it's just one, it's not like I can't share with you."

"The sun must be rising from the west. But I'll have to pass this time. Because my stomach is still throbbing with pain."

Haruaki answered while touching his belly. "Really?" Fear stuffed the second piece into her mouth. So tasty.

"Don't eat too much, it's almost time for dinner."

"I didn't eat lunch today so I'll have to compensate with rice crackers."

Considering their injuries, they would best stay still for today&mdash;Both Haruaki and Fear had received such orders. Hence, Kirika and Kuroe were currently preparing dinner in the kitchen.

They were currently alone together.

She was sitting on the same veranda as him, looking at the same garden as him, eating rice crackers.

The warmth of Haruaki beside her almost seemed to be transmitted through the veranda's floor. She could already admit&mdash;It felt very comfortable. Staying by Haruaki's side, silent like this, it felt inexplicably comfortable. Very blissful. She wanted this to continue forever.

(But...)

Something was not quite the same.

Right now, only right now, she could not help but think this. Her heart was restless and ill at ease. A sense of anxiety was boycotting the blissful feeling from another side. Was it really okay for her to accept this kind of situation gladly? &mdash;This kind of guilty feeling.

Tsk! Fear mentally clicked her tongue. Seriously, what a dilemma.

Whether present or absent, that woman was always such an eyesore&mdash;

"Oh right, what happened to the people Lilyhowell gathered?"

"...I asked Kuroe to move out all the ones who could be moved. After first aid treatment, we left them at a safe place then called an ambulance. I don't know anything after that."

"I see."

Once again, the focus of her thoughts shifted over from this topic to the question she had been pondering earlier. What exactly should they do? What should they do from here on?

Time continued to flow away silently. Only the crisp sound of chewing rice crackers was coming from her own mouth. She had already stopped counting how many she had eaten. Haruaki had stopped reminding her not to eat too much.

Just at this time, a phone's ringtone was heard. Haruaki took out his cellphone from his pocket.

"It's Un Izoey."

"Pick it up, pick it up. I want to listen too."

The two of them brought their heads together next to the flip phone. As a result, Fear's cheek was pressed against Haruaki's hand that was holding the phone. She felt a commotion in her heart but deliberately avoided thinking about it. Right now, the conversation was more important.

"Hello? What's up? Did you receive any new information?"

'&mdash;My reply: a report on the contrary.'

Fear could feel Haruaki's fingers quietly relaxing his grip on the phone.

"Then... What's the matter? Say, do you know what happened today?"

'My reply: yes. The basic situation is already known. This phone call's intent: simply an apology.'

"Apology? What do you mean by that, country girl? Be more clear."

Un Izoey seemed puzzled to hear Fear's voice but immediately steadied her mind and answered:

'About Muramasa Konoha's memory, there was one part I deliberately withheld. Not "losing memory" but phenomenon of "turning into her past self," I explain with this kind of explanation.'

"What's the difference?"

'In other words, impossible to recover. From the start, she does not possess the memories that are supposed to be retrieved. She did not forget. The current her is the person who never made memories together with you. Hence my statement... If it's simply talking to her, telling her old memories, or giving stimulation, these kinds of "usual methods," I can say with certainty that the probability of her regaining her memory approaches zero.'

"...That does seem to be the case, as much as I don't want to believe it."

Haruaki muttered quietly, mixed with sighs.

'Before your first contact with her, I was unable to explain. Umm... Because I was thinking this information might be wrong.'

"It's okay, you're just worrying about us. Also... I think we would find it hard to believe too unless we actually met her for real like that."

"But then what should we do? It's not like we can just leave her like that."

Fear recalled how Konoha had gone as far as to attack amateurs mercilessly. She looked very happy yet a little bored at the same time. In any case, she was not the Konoha whom Fear knew.

"Hmph, that girl who used to vomit at the sight of blood... is more... like her..."

"...Fear is right. So, Un Izoey, can you listen to my opinion?"

'My answer: yes.'

"Anyway, Konoha is very dangerous the way she is right now. So even if it's slightly coercive, I think we've no choice but to capture her by force. Then the problem is what comes after her capture. The mask the enemy used on Konoha&mdash;It's called  «Bartolomey Oblivion», right? Does that tool have a reset function? If we can get our hands on that tool, maybe..."

'To be honest, that is unknown. I think further investigation is needed, but that used to belong to the Knights Dominion. Information too little, uncertain if answer can be obtained, I answer with this kind of answer.'

What an honest girl. Haruaki first closed his eyes, somewhat disappointed, then nodded lightly and said:

"&mdash;That's true, there will be things that even your side doesn't know. No matter what, we'll just have to assume there's a reset function for now and take action with that goal in mind..."

"Then to get that tool, I guess we have to defeat Nirushaaki. The problem is how to defeat her."

Fear narrowed her eyes and recalled that woman's appearance. An American Indian style shirt. Complete immunity to attacks. How could she be defeated? She also had two Japanese swords in her possession. Two demon blades with curses powerful enough for them to take human form. Furthermore&mdash;

"She's wearing that weird mask. What is it?"

'My answer: apology that this is unknown too. To begin with, Nirushaaki is an elusive being, just like her title the «Battle Demon». I investigated the Lab Chief's Nation's materials but still haven't found any information. I plan to continue investigating.'

Plan to continue. These words reminded Fear of something important.

"Oh right... You need to be quick. You can't keep dallying because we've got a time limit."

Haruaki's face tensed and looked sideways at Fear. 

"They said that... The reason why they're staying there is because they summoned the Commander and are waiting for his arrival. I think they said it'll take a week roughly."

"I'm not interested in competitions of strength but seeing as he's the Commander, that guy must be the strongest of the Draconians, naturally. When Nirushaaki fights that guy, there's no guarantee that her weapons will survive intact. It won't be surprising even if they get broken during the fight."

Fear spoke inauspiciously without mincing her words. Or one could call it considering the worst possibility.

'My understanding: a solution must be found within a week, in other words, I give this kind of understanding.'

"&mdash;I'll think again carefully, what can be done during this time. I'm willing to do anything. Anything! If you come up with a plan, tell me."

Haruaki's tone of voice was resolute and emotional unlike his usual self. Fear found this new side quite curious but also felt unsettled. Then Haruaki narrowed his eyes as though thinking about something while muttering into the telephone receiver.

"Nirushaaki's faction is really dangerous. It'd be too dangerous to ask Sovereignty and Chihaya for help since they're not used to fighting. So, you... can't fight alongside us, right?"

After a pause, Un Izoey answered in a forced voice:

'My apology: I assert this is impossible. This time we can only provide information.'

"I see."

He was simply asking, hence Haruaki was not too disappointed and nodded readily.

"Then please continue to gather information. Also, say hi to Amanda for us."

'Yes. She is next to me. She also asks me to say hi to you&mdash;What's the matter? I ask this kind of question.'

"What's the matter?"

'She pulled my skirt. Want me to look at that? That is... Hmm... I see.'

What happened? Fear and Haruaki exchanged looks, but that was not going to produce an answer.

"By the way, I still haven't asked. Where are you two right now?"

'My answer: we are currently at a location on surveillance, in other words the other person related to this incident, the abandoned building where Lilyhowell Kilmister is hiding. I explain this kind of explanation.'

"What?"

Next, she returned to her usual tone of calmness and said something that Haruaki and Fear could not possibly listen calmly to:

'Another thing came up that should be reported to you. Lilyhowell Kilmister has kidnapped unrelated normal couple, currently taking them into abandoned building... What are your plans?'