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

===Part VII===
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"Welcome back, Ai."

Ai did not remember much about where she had returned from, or how she returned.

The next thing she knew, she was in front of the house when Dee came running up to me.

"How’s Alice doing?"

"…You really know everything, Miss Dee?

"When I was really perceptive, I wouldn't have to ask these questions—woah, you’re like shaved ice, Ai. Let's go inside for now."

Dee grabbed Ai's hand and pulled her into the house.

This was Alice's old home, where everyone once stayed during the winter. It was a short time, but Ai, Celica, Julie and Scar liked the house so much that they decided to stay here first when they returned to the real world.

The group was greeted by a dilapidated house. Alice's house had been completely ruined over the course of ten years. Walls had fallen down, ceilings had caved, and it became a very sunny location in the morning.

Aware of this fact, Alice and Dee awkwardly suggested that they went elsewhere, ‘this place is fine’ but everyone else insisted so. They set up a tent inside the house, drove their car in, and somehow managed to live there.

"I'm home, Ai is back."

In the living room, the remnants of the fireplace were burning the debris on the ceiling, casting a faint light around.

Ai put the penguin cushion around her back—it too was eroded by wind and rain, to the point where one could not tell if it was a penguin or a sea lion—and sat on the wicker chair.

<i>Ack ack. </i>Dee coughed irritably.

"Ugh, It's a shame for the Ghost to have a sore throat after only three hours of talking. This body really is weak."

"You really performed admirably today, please take care of yourself, Dee. Here, have some apple tea."

Scar handed over a teacup and smiled.

"Apple tea is good for the throat. Also, everyone said that since you performed, they will reward you, so they gave some special ingredients. This is ginger milk porridge."

Scar, who was strangely knowledgeable about such grandmother's trivia these days, said as she transferred the porridge from the pot. Celica, who had been weaned a week ago, peered at it with interest. So did Julie, for no particular reason.

"Here, Ai, have some, too."

"Thank you…."

The porridge tasted gentle.

Ai felt the warmth for a moment, then quickly extinguished it. It was getting easier for her to do so.

"……"

<i>Ruu ruu,</i> the autumn insects were chirping. The half-moon in the west was glowing.

"So, Dee, have you told your parents you're coming here?"

"Yeah. I've told Papa and Mama."

The conversation continued as before, but Ai could not breathe the warm air there anymore.

"What did your parents say?"

"They sighed a lot."

Dee laughed and Julie lets out a sigh, probably the same sigh that her parents let out at that moment.

" Don't worry, Uncle, I did my best to persuade them, and unlike my time as the Ghost, I've been upfront with papa and mama."

"… Well, that's good."

—Surely Dee did talk to her parents properly just as she did to Maccia.

It was said that Dee hardly talked to her parents when she was the Ghost. Of course, it was because she did not approach the sealed world for fear of a possible reset…but another significant reason was that she did not want them to see her bad reputation spread far and wide..

But at this moment, Dee had the ability and strength to talk to her parents upfront.

A power that Ai had lost.

"…Ai?"

Finally, Dee noticed.

"What's wrong, Ai, are you sick?

"…No."

Ai's expression froze as she tried to hide her inner thoughts.

"No, you're right. I'm not feeling very well. I'll stay here …."

"Oh, sorry. Can you tell me something first?"

Dee's face changed to a stern look as though she was taking care of some unpleasant work that needed to be done.

"Just tell me how Alice is doing, Ai. You went to look for him, didn’t you?"

"Yes…"

Ai sat back into the chair with a thud. The chair was as hard as an electric chair.

Ai spoke. She told them how she had charged into Madame’s body right after the trial, and how she had met Shaun there. Dee questioned every detail, while Julie frowned in anger.

"So…I found the prison, and talked to Mr. Alice…"

"So? You asked Alice, right? Why did he admit to the crime?"

"……Yes."

As she spoke, the feelings she felt at that moment returned to her. The fire in the fireplace and the warmth of the cup in her hand seemed so distant to her, and her heart had flown to that prison. It was a more comfortable place than this warmth and kindness.

"Mr. Alice didn't tell me…Why? I asked, but he said he couldn’t answer…because he decided not to talk …."

"So you just returned dejected?"

After all.

"Because…it's impossible."

"I see."

Dee did not say anything more. She was no kinder than Alice, and therefore kinder.

"Well, yeah, Alice’s not going to say what his objective is."

"……Mr Alice's …objective ?"

A beat later, Ai looked up.

"Mr Alice's objective is …."

Dee stated so flatly, Ai’s dull mind did not react.

"Miss Dee, do you know why Mr. Alice said that?"

"I noticed it right away…wait, don't you get it yet Ai?

Dee glared at Ai as though she was looking into the heart.

"I-I don't know…"

"You don’t know what Alice is thinking? At all?"

"B-but how do I…"

"Are you an idiot?"

The look on Dee's face was one of utter contempt. There was a cruel smile on her face, the smile of a child making fun of a toddler who could not figure out a one plus one problem.

"Use your head….this is something that everyone but you noticed. That includes Scar and Celica. Even Uncle has noticed."

"E-even Mr. Julie?"

<i>Why am I ranked lower than a baby?</i> That was the face Julie made.

Dee sighed, not trying to hide her annoyance.

"Hey Ai…I beg of you, think about it. The usual Ai would have noticed this right away. Why did Alice say he was the cause? What do you think would have happened if he hadn't? Why did Alice lie?"

Ai could not get to the truth, even after all that. Her thoughts were stagnant and her head refused to think.

After a full minute of pondering, the answer finally came to her. She felt the answer she derived was wrong. She hoped so.

Why did Alice plead guilty when he was accused? Why did he not say they were wrong? If he had not admitted to being guilty, who else would be accused?

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"For…me?"

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She felt that was ridiculous; she thought Dee would deny it immediately.

And yet, Dee just nodded coyly.

"For <b>us</b>, to be exact."

Julie and Scar both nodded gravely.

"I’m not completely sure of this, but my guess is that Alice was the one who brought them here. He probably felt that since it’s a matter of time until they sniffed it out. That’s why his reaction initially felt so off. Like, when I said Ai was supposed to be the accused, his reaction was so mild. In other words, Alice already knew he was going to be the accused—seriously, he’s the same as always, always slipping up at such moments."

Ai’s head was in a daze.

"I'm sure the outcome is that Alice and the black surface will be sealed off. The citizens of Ostia will be under probation. In a certain sense, the town has a shield backing it. The protection means that they’ll assist in our revival, and this deal is basically perfect. Minimal costs for maximum effect. In other words, Alice has saved Ostia (the world) again."

<i>He really hasn’t changed, huh? </i>Dee muttered, and then lowered her voice,

"…I used to think Alice was the same as Ai. I thought that just as Ai survived her broken dreams, Alice lived on after fulfilling them. It doesn’t seem to be the case though…Alice hasn’t changed at all…he hasn’t changed even after you revived him. To be honest, I'm kind of glad about that. Even though he's going to disappear, I'm still happy…so I won't stand in his way."

Dee glanced at the clock. The date was about to change.

"…Since there’s an opportunity, I’ll go explain to Uncle and Maccia. Tomorrow at court, I’ll prioritize the protection of the black surface. I’ll try to drag on the issue about Alice’s personal freedom as long as possible, but I’ll give up in the end."

"Miss Dee…are you sure you want to do that?"

"Nope."

It was an instant answer.

"But if that's what Alice wants…I…we can't say…anything about it. We decided, not to mention this…"

Dee said, her hands clenched white. Her rules were already set in stone.

"But that’s…but that’s!"

"If you don't like it, you can do it."

"Eh?"

"Just like you stopped Alice from disappearing that time. You have to stop him this time. I believe you, no, you’re the only one who can do this. You’re the only person in the world who can stop Alice."

Dee said, hoping once again for the miracle that had caused Ai's dream to fail.

Dee had told her to break her dream once more.

Ai purred like an abandoned cat.

"… What's with that face? Didn’t you fail before? What reason is there to hesitate about a second time? Even if you can't, you should just try. Or..."

Dee was taunting Ai, or so she intended,

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"Do you think that Alice's disappearance will erase your sin?"

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Ai felt scared. Not at the words, but at her own heart.

She was scared of her own heart, that she saw the dream of Alice dying.

"Hey, hold on a minute. Why aren’t you angry…Ai, are you actually—"

Dee had completely overestimated Ai. She assumed that Ai would be motivated if she had taunted the latter.

"Ahh…ahhh…"

Ai unconsciously reached out her hand to the side of the fireplace. There was a shovel that she had not touched ever since she returned to the present world. She grabbed the shovel and hugged it. But naturally, the Gravekeeper's shovel would not save Ai.

She thought she would cry. But she could not.

"…~…~…!!!"

Her head hurt. She felt sick.

The air felt like it was rotting. She could not believe that she did not have a stake hammered at her head. She felt like she was wandering naked on an ice field or in the desert.

"Ai, Ai, get a grip!"

"She’s cyanotic!"

The whole world was denying her. She felt that she was an ugly duckling, a beggar in a royal palace, the black in the white. She felt so out of place that she could not breathe. She felt as though she was thrown into a different universe.

She could vaguely see Julie's panicked face. Dee's voice was echoing as she called out Ai’s name.

And so the world became increasingly distant.

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"Welcome back."

Julie turned around as he finished putting the wood in the greatly weakened fireplace. He turned around to see Dee standing dejectedly in the darkness.

"……I'm back."

"How’s Ai doing?"

"She's asleep now, but Scar said it's okay for me to come back because she's there…"

Dee sat down in the rocking chair Ai had been sitting on, her legs folded in, and buried her face in a cushion that resembled either an otter or a sea lion.

"You messed up."

"……………Yeah."

Dee was disappointed and depressed.

"……Uncle. Are you angry?"

"Why would I? You were just trying to cheer her up, weren't you?"

"……Yeah. I was trying to. But…"

"Well, it definitely backfired..."

[[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 08.jpg|thumb]]

Julie knew immediately that Dee was trying to taunt Ai into recovery, and did not stop her.

"Still, it’s a problem she has to face at some point."

"…Yeah."

"And there's a time limit."

Yes, that would be more of a problem at this point.

"… I thought Ai was just like Alice. I thought even if she was a little dejected, she would perk up immediately once she encountered trouble like Alice. That's what I thought. …"

"I guess not."

"Yeah. Ai is different from Alice. …"

"Oh, no, I didn't mean that. I meant Alice…he’s not perking up either."

Dee widened her eyes, clearly looking puzzled, and probably did not expect this part to be denied.

"Alice hasn't changed, right? Why else would he do this?"

No, it's not that he hasn't changed, it's just that he's stubborn. Think about it, the reason why he’s so determined to die is because there’s no hope now. Right now, I don’t think it's that bad now. He just doesn't care about himself, he's just looking for something big to sacrifice himself for."

"Mmm. What’s that about? What do you know about that, Uncle?"

"I do. I've been there myself."

"……"

Dee paused.

Julie could not help but chuckle when he saw that. It seemed even the battle-hardened Ghost would be troubled when the matter involved herself.

"Good grief, love is blind. Blisters are dimples. You're the kind of person to spoil your lover, aren’t you?"

"Ugh, what’s with that bemeaning look of yours? Uncle, you’re getting to cocky."

"—Why do you guys think so little of me…"

"That’s because you’re talking about love to Dee Ensy, who never had a lover…and might never have one in the future… "

Dee puffed out her cheeks in a huff.

Julie stopped. He would admit the words he said might have been a mistake.

"…Did you really like Alice that much?"

"…Yes."

"And you're saying it's okay for him to be sealed?"

"Because..."

Dee cringed.

"Because Alice made the decision…"

"I don't get you guys."

Julie scratched the back of his head.

"…You won’t understand, Uncle. You won’t understand what we did, and how Alice responded. But that's why we can't make mistakes anymore, we have to fulfill Alice’s wish."

"…Even if it might be wrong?"

"Yeah."

<i>Love is blind…</i>.Julie repeated again.

"Well, you can do whatever you want. I'll do it my way."

"? Uncle?"

Ignoring Dee's questioning look, Julie started to move towards his goal.

He looked around. They were not in the kitchen, not at the stairs leading to the second floor. They were in the darkness behind Dee.

"Oiii, Noell, Dust, can I talk to you for a minute over here? Aren't you part of the so-called jury?"

A crimson noblewoman appeared as though emerging from the darkness, and there did not appear to be signs of anything else appearing from there.

The lady did not seem to be interested in talking, and rejected Julie's invitation with a mere movement of her hand, before sinking into the darkness.

"What, Uncle, did you want to talk to Dust and the others?"

"Mmm."

"No, no, no. They're all so tight-lipped. They don't tell me anything either."

"They're not your comrades?"

Julie had heard about Dee's relationship with them before Ai did.

They were assassins who had come to kill Dee for their own reasons. They were also said to be Deformed who followed Dee for their own reasons.

"Not comrades, but allies, I guess."

Dee burst out laughing, and one had to wonder what she was happy about. Julie let out a sigh and stared at Dee, who was clearly getting more scrapes and bruises on her kneecaps and arms.

As for Julie, he really hoped that Dee would not have to do such things anymore. He felt that while apologies and atonement were important, Dee’s safety was more so.

But...

"Don't stop me. Uncle."

"…I know. "

In the end, Julie was the one who was 'persuaded'.

"And if they're not our friends, are they our enemies? They’re part of the jury, but they aren’t neutral or anything, right? Are they spies?"

"No, they're not."

"Why not?"

"Well~ this is something the Deformed understand clearly. Basically, the Deformed only have interest in their own wishes. Especially those with powerful abilities."

"Is that…so?"

"Yes, that's right. Think of me, Alice, and Hampnie Hambart as examples."

She was very persuasive.

"I know Dust and Noell's ‘wishes’—and including that, I can be sure that they’re neither our enemies nor our allies. They’re actually affiliated to—"

"Ortus and Fellmigora?"

Dee looked up as if she had been hit.

As everyone knew, Ortus was the advanced country of the dead,

In contrast, Fellmigora was the country of the Living.

"—Yes. Dust is the ambassador-at-large of Ortus, and Noell is a noble of Fellmigora. How did you know that, Uncle?"

"Well, I heard a little."

"…I see, you have a friend in Ortus. As for Fellmigora, did you hear that from Hampnie?…You have a few unexpected tricks up your sleeves, Uncle. And it seems like you met the Witch before…"

"We'll talk about it later."

At this moment, the priority would be those two.

"…I'm curious though. Why are they here?"

"I told you, they're here to kill me."

"That's <b>not enough</b> to get the ambassador-at-large from Ortus and a nobleman from Fellmigora to come here, right?"

"Not enough…"

Dee, as expected, was flabbergasted. Julie used to be Hampnie’s aide, and was competent at this level of politics.

"Dee, I want you to listen to me calmly. Ask yourself, are you blinded by the price of your own life? Is there something wrong with what I'm saying?"

With those words alone, Dee changed her attitude.

She curled up in the rocking chair, her brain spinning with tremendous concentration. One could hear the remnants of her thoughts forming murmurs, and her vision was swimming about, seemingly clearing her memory.

"…Something’s fishy."

<i>Yes,</i> Dee concluded.

"Damnit, I guess I'm a little out of sorts after all."

"Do you think killing you is just out of convenience to them?"

"I hate to say it, but I guess so…"

A dark cloud suddenly began to form.

Coven alone was a problem, but Ortus and Fellmigora were also involved behind the scenes.

"How could those two countries, of all places, be working together with Coven?"

"You don't know either?"

"Not at all."

They cupped their heads and groaned.

"Have you told everyone about this at the meeting?"

"No, I thought it would only complicate things."

"I guess so."

The Ostia Town Council was in the midst of a full scale meeting. which Dee and Julie would have liked to attend, but there was nothing they could do.

"What's going on with the meeting?"

" I don't know. It should be over by now…do you want me to go ask?"

"No need for that!"

An extremely loud voice shook the ruin, and the man arrived. It was Bendo Gram, the most dashing man in Ostia, who strode across the damaged floor with his lackeys in tow.

"Shhh!"

"Oops, pardon me."

After bowing in apology to Scar, who had peeked out from the tent, Bendo began to speak with a volume that showed no repentance.

Goodness, those old heads at the Commerce and Workers Guilds really love to kick up a fuss. They try to overturn our decisions whenever they get a chance. You can never be too careful with them!"

"……"

‘I’ll leave him to you’ Dee showed Julie just a face as she ignored Bendo, and Julie quietly sighed to himself.

"Hm? What's that, Julie? Ohh, milk porridge? And apple tea, too! Di-did you prepare for me because I was talking at the meeting…such wonderful citizens! Don’t mind if I do. Ah, there’s no spoon—the lady there! Can you get me a spoon? "

Throwing a spoon at the annoying mayor who did not let her ignore him, Dee let out a heavy sigh.

"'What are you doing here, grease cockroach?"

"Aigo!"

Bendo let out a mysterious cry and spewed out the porridge he contained. In the darkness, his cronies were also spewing porridge.

"L-lady, isn’t that…too hurtful? Even I feel pain from that…"

"That's a nice heartwarming story."

"…Goodness, you and Alice have become completely rotten. There’s no point teasing you guys nowadays. Hmph, what, Ghost? You idiot?"

"Sorry about that."

"…You used to be more obedient when I was changing your diapers."

"Th-that’s foul play!!"

Dee took the cushion and kept slapping Bendo. The mayor regained his composure and ate the porridge with gusto,

"Seriously, it's been a real mess over here, you know. Alice’s situation is unfortunate, but even Julie wasn’t there."

"No, I'm just…."

"What are you talking about? Do you know how awkward it was for me when the Security and Ops departments grabbed me and asked me why you weren’t there when they were supposed to be on my side?"

Dee stared at them with a bewildered expression.

"Surprise number two—I didn’t think you’re that important, Uncle."

"Well, Dee, as for who’s more important, you…well, we’ll talk about that later—"

Bendo chowed down the porridge, finished the apple tea, and slapped his knee.

" Ostia Town Council has just made a decision."

Julie and Dee suddenly stopped moving.

The decision of the city council. In other words, the the citizens of Ostia had finally come to a decision. They had been holding that meeting since the middle of the trial, discussing it until then.

Bendo's gaze flickered to Maccia, Julie and Dee nodded deeply and urged him to go on.

"We—"

Bendo then spoke the consensus of the citizens of Ostia. Bendo's low voice drifted across the pale darkness that was torn by the fireplace light. It was like a kind of silence, like the sound of insects in the darkness or million of ripples.

"… What's that?"

The silence was torn apart by Dee's voice.

"What kind of greeting is that?"

"That’s stupid!"

Dee stood up instantly.

"This is impossible! You've seen what their abilities are!"

"I don't care about that."

Bendo, Julie, the lackeys—all the adults smirked.

"But we will do it. That's it."

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