Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume4 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 8===

"...Why?"

Hanging her head, the girl did not answer. Her drenched hair not even swaying, she did not answer.

"Why? Why are you doing this? Answer me, Aiko!"

"...Because I want to forget."

She murmured her answer, even softer than the sound of rain.

"Forget what?"

"Forget that I am myself."

Fear frowned but Aiko only continued to stare at the drenched world. She spoke extremely feebly, like a curse:

"...I've sinned, sinning repeatedly all this time. I've killed people for curses. Whether dogs, cats, babies, I've killed all of them to use as curses... The stench of those extinguished lives already pervades my body. That is why animals and babies cry when they realize this fact. I clearly love them so much, but these arms are not even allowed to embrace them. Every time I see them, I am reminded of who I am. I don't want that anymore..."

Fear recalled the incidents of the dog from their first encounter and the baby that Kana had brought.

Aiko was suffering because they disliked her? More correctly, it was the sight of their revulsion that forced her to recognize her past sins, thus resulting in her suffering.

"I've killed people too. Hundreds, thousands. Which is why I'm cursed. I've also suffered whenever I recall those sins. But precisely because of that... I want to lift my curse. For the sake of sinning no further."

"I think... That's not a bad idea. But&mdash;I've been wondering. What about during the process? Do I need to carry this sense of guilt all this time? Do I need to live my life while fearing those memories? Every time I see something I want to hug, I am struck by the feeling as though I were pronounced 'unforgivable.' Do I want to lift my curse even if it means experiencing all that?"

Saying that, Aiko shook her head lightly.

"...Too much of a coward. Sorry, I'm too much of a coward. Compared to anything else, compared to lifting my curse in the future, I want to forget my past sins. I want to erase the fact of my past existence."

"That's why you want to rely on Abyss' power? Seeing Haruaki lose his memories, you want to end up the same way!?"

"...If I don't follow their orders, he won't help me. So I must do this. I must do what that man desires..."

"For the sake of forgetting your sins, you'll commit fresh crimes? That's a most contemptible contradiction!"

"...Can't be helped. Besides&mdash;"

She paused for a mere instant, only enough to take a deep breath.

Her voice sounding like a prayer as it conveyed her unwavering determination, she continued:

"Besides, in the end... surely... this time's sins, can be forgotten too&mdash;"

Splotch&mdash;The sound of Aiko leaving footprints in the mud.

Futile&mdash;Fear thought to herself. Aiko's wish was futile. She was wrong. Only this, Fear was absolutely certain.

But even if she told Aiko now, Aiko was probably not going to listen.

"Looks like&mdash;I'll have to wake you up first."

"It's useless, there's no other way. I've committed sins that cannot be forgiven even if the curse can be lifted&mdash;So I must do this, I must do this..."

"I see that you have an unmentionable past, but I can't forgive your for what you're planning to do&mdash;Perhaps I'll use a bit of force, so don't go hating on me."

"...I'm the one who needs to apologize. I clearly promised you... The sports festival... To cheer for you..."

"But you did come, right? You arrived as promised."

Fear smiled. But Aiko did not.

She simply stretched out her hand and muttered:

"Indigo Venom No.1, Name: «Unknown». Indigo Venom No.2, Name: «Sakura». Indigo Venom No.3, Name: «Unknown»."

Instantly, several of the many pockets of her coat&mdash;the few pockets that were not bulging and filled with pebbles&mdash;began to squirm restlessly.

Next, indigo-colored masses flew out from the pockets, instantly expanding and landing before Aiko, turning into the shape of beasts. Dogs. But they were no ordinary dogs.

Despite retaining a form resembling fur, it was as though their bodies were made of indigo-colored metal. Flat but shimmering like a water surface&mdash;If one were to ignore the color and the solid texture, it would be similar to the way mercury reflected light. Beneath those eyelids, the beasts' eyeballs were no exception, filled with the indigo mercury-like metal in a hollow manner. Feeling instinctively frightened by those inorganic gazes, Fear&mdash;

"Is that your curse?"

"...Indeed."

"Then let me show you mine. In the same way that these things stands as evidence of the people or cats or dogs you've killed, this is the evidence tha I've constantly killed people, people, people, people, people, people and more people! Emulation start&mdash;Mechanism No.22 bludgeoning type, spike-ball form: «Morgenstern», Curse Calling!"

A heavy weight was produced in her hand that was manipulating the Rubik's cube. The rounded steel club fell upon the muddy ground. She felt the mud's soft sensation transmitted through her arm. It felt like smash someone's brain to pulp, a most displeasing reminder.

"This is shamelessly showing off to each other. I guess I can be proud of the fact that there's nothing about these powers to be proud of?"

"...Yes."

As Aiko nodded, each of the three indigo venom beasts ran swiftly on their four legs. They bared rows of sharp and brightly shining teeth that were colored like indigo mercury. Fear swung the spiked club at the closest approaching one.

"Ahhh, I recall the conversation that we had that one time. Seriously&mdash;between you and me, who is cursed more?"

"...I don't want to know at all."

"I concur!"

With vigor as though she would obliterate the raindrops from the air as well, Fear swung the heavy weapon.