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Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyoubi:Volume6 Chapter1
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==Chapter 1 - The Fallen Star Thinks of the Heavens== ===Part I=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a terrible dream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The wind howled through the classroom. The chalk on the blackboard had all fallen off and snapped into pieces, the calendar was flipping back and forth between this year and the next. The floor and walls were as red as dusk, and all matter was becoming noisy and unidentifiable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice too was no different.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seems like this is the end…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice murmured softly, staring at his palms that were emitting noise.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">His expression was strangely calm.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He gave a tender smile, as though he had lived a hundred years.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As though he had lived his entire life.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry for shoving this dirty work to you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai shook her head. She knew the expression she had even without looking. It was a very radiant smile, a smile of happiness that showed no uneasiness of whatever that was going to pass.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Your decision is a very sad one. But since it is your sincere wish, I shall assist."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She spun the shovel around, adjusted her straw hat, and smiled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because it's my dream."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I see,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Alice heaved a sigh of relief.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So you're going to bury me, for real?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"For the sake of my dreams, I shall bury you too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ll leave it to you then."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, and laid by the side. Ai twirled her shovel and stabbed it into the ground. </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Swoosh</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the wooden floor had somehow turned into a desolate earth. Also, the desks, walls and dusk had disappeared, replaced by the mountainside and the morning glow.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The wind.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the top of a mountain, right before dawn. Looking around, she found forty-seven brand new graves.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Before she knew it, Alice was at the bottom of the grave, looking at the sky and Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He apologized with a glance from his left eye.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For some reason, his left eye seemed a little red.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you talking about?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai played dumb, pretending not to notice as she dismissed the possibility.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dead closed his eyes softly. Ai did not say anything else and dropped the first pinch of earth into the hole.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sand danced in the air. The shovel spun. The hole was quickly filled with soil, and the Dead was no longer recognizable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And so the grave was completed.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phew.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai let out a white breath and stared at the sun that had begun to rise. The sunrise was so bright that the area seemed to be shrouded in fog.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, what are we going to do now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Within the light, someone asked.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, that's obvious."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gave the perfect answer.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ll save the world."</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She felt absolutely horrible waking up..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She had difficulty breathing, she was lacking in blood, her pajamas were soaked in sweat, and her hair was stuck in her mouth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She barely managed to sit up, grabbed her collar, and started to gasp in and out. Her limbs were cold as ice. Her brain was deprived of oxygen, and the corner of her vision had turned black.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not move a muscle. Her heart was the only thing beating fast.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"———Haa——haa——haa…hahahahahahahahaha</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">…</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai panted alone hard in a dimly lit tent that seemed to have been abandoned since the dawn of time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hah…hah………hah …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For some reason,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For some reason, she felt that she had a very scary dream. A very, very horrible dream. A forbidden dream that should not be seen. A dream that should not be recalled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But a very pleasant dream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A dream that nobody else could see.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uuu…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her body trembled. That little thought alone sent a strong chill down her spine.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The breathing that had been gradually stabilized started to become erratic again, and a nauseous feeling scorched her chest, her heart increasingly uneasy.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She yearned to see the person who had disappeared. She wanted to meet him and confirm that he was still alive. She wanted him to tell her it was all a dream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She wanted him to call her name.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just like that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey, Ai, it's morning, are you awake? I’m opening up, you know?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just hearing that voice caused her heart to beat warmly. Her limbs that were frozen like ice felt some warmth amidst the numbness, and her eyes devoured the blood, adding color to the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Yes—Come in, Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The tent flap was lifted. The dazzling morning sun stung her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the backdrop of the light, Alice Color was smiling.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Good morning, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was indeed there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was helplessly relieved.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Good morning, Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yo--what's up? Why do you look so excited? Did you have a good dream?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eh?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai tilted her head and touched her face. She thought it should not be the case..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, it’s a really horrible dream…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, did anything good happen after you woke up?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I only met you after that, at most."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice laughed in bemusement.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, never mind. I'm glad you're feeling better. Food's ready. Go wash your face."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The flap fell and the tent was dark again. Ai looked out of the tent, somewhat reluctantly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The outside was full of light.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Everything was golden. The sun was shining in the distance, and the lake water was reflecting it like a mirror. The scorched streets were covered with haloes like old coals left in a kiln, and people were huddled around each one of them, waving their chisels.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Reconstruction has begun.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Leading the group was Alice. He stood at the front of the town that was going to be revived, looking on happily.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He really had a blissful smile.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the smile of a guardian, looking at the life he had protected.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai felt warm and fuzzy when she saw that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(—For the sake of my dreams, I shall bury you too—)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She remembered what she had been dreaming about.</span> ===Part II=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ostia town Hall, first floor hall.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The building, formerly a customs house and once a hideout for bandits back when it was abandoned, was at this point full of activity and confusion.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The bridge! Just get the bridge connected! "Hey, does anyone know how to operate a sailboat?" "Find a demoman!" "Yeah, don’t let it move. No, I say, no move. No, stop." "Oi, I got gas!" "Get it here!!" "Us first!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">More than two hundred people come and go in and out of the hall, and no one stays in the same place.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It had been six days since that day—when the world created by Class 3-4 had collapsed and 30,000 citizens returned to the real world. The reconstruction phase had gone past the initial turmoil, and the turmoil itself became part and parcel of daily life, starting to be controlled..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, where's Alice?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bam!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> A man shoved the door aside and stormed into the hall. He was followed by his lackeys, who looked like goldfish poop.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The man was in his fifties, so plump and greasy that he looked as if he would ignite if he was set on fire. His silver hair was trimmed short and neatly bundled , and his gray suit was ironed so tightly that it looked out of place.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was Bendo Gram, the mayor of Ostia.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It had been six days since their return, and the staff began to show signs of fatigue. Bendo walked briskly among the workers, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bam! Bam!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> slamming his feet hard as he bellowed, "Alice! Answer me! Alice!" He searched everywhere from the cracks between the bookshelves and under the desks. While everyone wondered </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There’s no way he’s in there"</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, nobody, not even his lackeys, pointed it out.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And while doing so, he actually found Alice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice! Ohh there you are!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo plunged his upper body into the gap between the bookshelves and pulled Alice out with a lunge as though he was pulling out a radish. It appeared Alice was rifling through old documents.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice, still upside down, flipped through the documents and glanced at the mayor. Both of them started a conversation without questioning the current situation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, it’s you, Bendo?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey! Don't call me that! Call me mayor!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't be so formal. I used to let you change my diapers when I was little."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re not the one who should be saying that!"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">This damn brat…</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo cursed, and casually tossed Alice aside. Alice adjusted himself in midair like a cat, and landed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Goodness. Why is such a damn brat—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, what do you want?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, Alice, sign this."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was presented with a request for passage to Fort Hortology, the main transportation hub in the area.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo shivered with anger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The monkeys of Hortorgy! Do you know what they said to me when I paid them a personal visit!? They actually said ‘We never heard of any Bendo Gram. Bring us the signatures of Alice Color or Dee Ensy. The signature of the latter is obviously a fake though. Kukekeke! '!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, it’s no wonder. You haven't been here for more than eight years, Bendo. What else can we do about it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But that doesn't mean you should be okay with it! I’m obviously the mayor! I'm a big shot!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, yes, yes, you’re right."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't be rude! I'm the one who's taking it out on you! Follow the conversation!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're such a bother, old geezer."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice finished signing and handed back the documents.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—And the rest?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mmm, lads!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With these words, the attendants rushed to Alice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Alice, we need lime! By the truckload!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s at the cave in the backwoods."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, do you have electrolytes for the batteries?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Warehouse 3, Parliament Hall."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, I need some dried building materials—"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice, Alice, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">the voices calling out to him echoed incessantly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The biggest obstacle to the revival of the town was simply a lack of resources. 30,000 people were suddenly returned to the world, faced with a town that was ruined for at least a decade, along with the harsh cold of mid October. At this rate, it was likely many would become Dead within a month..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The one solving these issues was Alice, who had spent more than a decade wandering the world, buying supplies and hiding them throughout the city.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">His first priority was to free the sealed world, but he also did consider what to do after he had freed them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, the guards want some plunger equipment and maintenance kits."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dig at the lone pine tree in the schoolyard and have a look. There should be some stuff there wrapped in red line greaseproof paper."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice, Dr. Quess wants the medicine on this list."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't know anything about medicine. I got two ambulances full of medicine in the pharmacy parking lot, see what you can find."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Got it! </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The young men ran off.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">When most of the lackeys had left, "Hmmm" Bendo stroked his chin,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Things are getting a little more stabilized now. Alright Alice, once you’re done, go get some rest."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't need a break."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't get cocky, just go home."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I said I'm fine."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—You don’t understand what I’m saying?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo slowly brought his face over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That girl hasn't eaten or drank all morning either."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He pointed his chin to the other side, beyond the window of the town hall. There was a girl sitting alone in the shade of a tree, denied of her shovel and Gravekeeper's clothes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Be gentle with the lady—right, now that we got this clear, go take a break."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oi, old geezer."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just get some rest. Don't show your face for six hours. I'll tell everyone to kick your ass out if they see you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, he waved Alice off as though he was shooing a dog, and Alice was whisked out of the town hall.</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yo."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let’s go home."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai stood up slowly, stretching her legs. Her legs and feet were numb and stiff from sitting for half a day.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They left the town hall and arrived at the main street, where a market had formed. It was one of barter trade, where the bare minimum variety and quantities of necessities could only be obtained. Alice stops by the commissary to get dinner for five and snacks for two. It was a lunch box filled with stew, a basket of bread, and two ready-to-eat sandwiches.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He handed one to Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Thanks."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was all Ai managed to say.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She received the sandwich, brought it to her chest, and trudged on.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gong on gong on, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">trucks as large as a whale drove by incessantly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re not eating?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After a while, Alice said,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You won't have any strength if you don’t eat."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……You too, Mr Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice's sandwich showed no signs of having been eaten.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As soon as she said that, Alice started munching on his sandwich. It was like a wounded beast forcing itself to consume nourishment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Would you want mine as well?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai held out the sandwich in her hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Huh?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Intent unknown. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">That was the expression Alice showed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's yours, you know?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Then why are you giving it to me?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have no appetite."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You actually have moments when you don’t have an appetite?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you mean by that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, it’s nothing. "</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ack, ack, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice faked a cough, and swallowed the rest of his words in a panic.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We-well. Don’t mind if I do though."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The two of them walked again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai just hobbled on weakly. She could see nothing but the ground, and could only see Alice's heels on the edge of the road as she followed along.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was not thinking about anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She did not feel anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was as if all desire, not just appetite, had vanished.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Say, you..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After about five or five hundred minutes or so, Alice suddenly said,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Unusually, he seemed to be hesitant in his choice of words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What is it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, no, I mean."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He took two deep breaths.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know, I was wondering if you'd like to come live at my place from now on."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai stared at Alice blankly. Omaesa, korekara saki mo ore no ie de kurasanaika? What language was that? So she wondered what language it was, only for her comprehension to catch up. Clearly, it sounded like,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"How about it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wh-when you ask me such a thing. Erm, well,"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You don't like it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I mean, I already live here…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not talking about the past. I'm talking about the future."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">F-future!?</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her throat let out a weird, melting-like voice, and her eyes were rolling around.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, the future, that, well."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai, I'm going to take responsibility."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"R-re-re-res-responsibility!? What responsibility do you have, Mr. Alice!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There is!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ever then, why, erm, why does it sound like a pro-proposal!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What's that? That was the expression he showed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a skeptical look, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">propose,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he mumbled the word repeatedly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No. No! No! That's not what I meant!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The next moment, he screamed, his ears flushed red.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"When I say my place, I mean if you want to stay in Ostia. It’s not just you too. The old man, Scar, they’re both welcome too! And anyway—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Seeing the unusual Alice flustered and impatient, Ai immediately understood.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, you know, how do I put it? It's—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…………………Ah, I see. So that’s what you mean…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"A-Ai?"</span> [[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 01.jpg|thumb]] <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay, Mr. Alice, I get it now…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai’s heart quickly regained its original temperature, and the rippling emotions subsided heavily.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do you want to stay here? </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was Alice’s fault for being strangely discreet in his choice of words that Ai was mistaken. She had foolishly digested the layers of oblaat that Alice had wrapped around his words and let them melt away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Within those sweetly wrapped words was a bitter poison-like pill.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Alice, you’re pretty much asking this right? ‘How long are you going to stay here?’."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice frowned, as if he had tasted the bitterness himself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Look, I’m not going to say that …If you want to stay in Ostia, you can stay as long as you want, and if you don't want to stay, you're free to leave."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was silent, silent as death. Alice too was silent, standing next to her like a shadow, waiting for Ai's decision.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Did you give up on your dream? "</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was what Alice really wanted to know.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you going to spend the rest of your life giving up on your dreams?"</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Or will you continue to chase them and return to the wilderness?"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice instead asked discreetly if ‘she wanted to stay here’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no choice but to go or leave.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had too many things she did not understand anymore. </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't know, Mr. Alice…I don't know, everything, anything, I just don’t know…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">No tears came out. She had no idea if she was sad or not.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…The things I could do even though I couldn’t understand a while ago, I can’t do them anymore…the dreams only I can see are gone…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She stopped in her tracks.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Ai…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice called out in frustration.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Say, Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do I have here?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai put her palms together and held them out in front of Alice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"………No, there's nothing."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes, you’re right. There’s nothing here…but in the past, I’m the only one who could see that there’s something there. There should be something like a flame, something that definitely exists…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ever since the moment she made that oath on the hill, there should be a flame burning on her hands…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I can't see it anymore…It's like it wasn’t there in the first place. I can't see it anymore…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai slowly clenched her fists and stuffed them at her chest, seemingly putting her heart back.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For six days, Alice had been waiting for her decision. No, it was not only Alice, Julie, Scar, Dee and many others who had been waiting for Ai's decision.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet...</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was depressed, but no tears were spilled. Instead, a series of painful words fell and rolled between them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Everyone is waiting for me to make a decision, but I can't even do that…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice scratched the back of his head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Man, something’s really off with you…to be honest, I'm a little surprised at the way you’re being right now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, you did fail—you brought me back to life."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai’s heart suddenly shivered.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Like, it's a mistake, yes...but I thought you were the kind of person who would go all ‘so what’ and continue on. I thought you’re the type to say ‘so what’, continue to charge on, and save the world."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I can't do that anymore, Mr. Alice. I just can’t."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why not? I've always failed over and over again, but I made amends in the end. That’s how I’ve made it till now.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Goodness, you know what I'm talking about…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was being kind after all.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know my dream is unlike yours. My dream has to be perfect. Isn’t it all empty words to say that I want to ‘save everyone’ with the pretext that 'some people will fail and can't be saved'?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mm…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m right, no?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……You should've just come up with a reason to explain it…you're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, I’m really a bother."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, that’s what makes you interesting."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice casually patted Ai’s head a few times. The head without the straw hat was well ventilated, and it seemed he could feel her warmth too.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was warm.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gently turned her head and chewed her lips so that the idiot next to her would not notice. She covered her cheeks with her bangs to hide the redness. Her heart seemed to beat faster than it had in a long time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At the same time, however, Ai's heart was rapidly freezing. She rejected the warmth and put on an armor of ice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, if you can't decide, that's fine. I'll wait. It doesn’t matter whether it’ll take a week, or a month."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…There’s nothing worth waiting for."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, don't say that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She moved her head, breaking free from the warm hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don’t have the right to do that…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, come on, that's really not like you. It's funny hearing you mention 'right'. Are you sick or something?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Mr. Alice, I."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gestured a slit chest to reveal her heart.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She put her hands on top of each other, spread her palms and showed Alice the black words on them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This morning, I dreamed that you died."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was immediately taken aback. The expression on his face, along with a certain guilt, became a blade that gouged Ai’s heart deeply. The blade was made of cold steel and froze the blood from the edge of the cut.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the pain was comforting to Ai. She felt that coldness and pain were more appropriate for her at this moment compared to the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—I dreamed of the moment when I accidentally saved you in the classroom. I turned that scene into a dream in which you died—I don't know why. Maybe I thought everything would go back to normal if I thought this would be the proper development…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no longer the flame of her dream in her hands, merely dark words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do you understand, Mr. Alice? The one wanting to save is just a person…I don’t have the right to save you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A painful silence fell upon them, Ai was afraid of what Alice would say, even though she had said it herself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So please…leave me…alone …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice's silence lasted for an eternity, and Ai had a hard time waiting. Her heart was adrift, unbearable as she did not get any response.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was about to run away when Alice spoke up.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see it too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, gently pointing to Ai's palm.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There, I see your fire burning. I can see it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…………Is that, so …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">All Ai could see was a heart covered in blood and wounds.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, maybe you can't see it, but now that you mention it, I get it. Your heart is still burning. It's just a little harder to see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Is that…so …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, that's right—All right, come here!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kya!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Suddenly, Alice grabbed Ai’s hand and started running through the alleys and the forest formed by drying laundry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-Where are we going!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"A stroll!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"H-how is this a stroll?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What kind of stroll required them to go at full speed?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up and let’s go!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice just sprinted off wildly.</span> ===Part III=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">After rescuing a car stuck in a ditch, taking a lost old man home, and feeding a wild dog that had been scared off by the sudden increase in the number of humans, Ai finally believed Alice’s definition of ‘stroll’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She would swear that the man, who was currently getting his face licked by a dog, definitely did not have anything on his mind.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm pretty sure this little fella is the pet of the Krauses, and it got left behind when its family entered the entire world. I remember they got someone to adopt it…I see, so you’re looking for your master?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Payback!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Alice utilized his mysterious creativity to retaliate against the dog that was trying to lick his face. It was not much a payback to begin with, but both of them appeared to be enjoying themselves, so Ai did not say anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's its name?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmmm~~what’s its name again? I remember it’s Krau…Krau…yeah, Krauwa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Are you sure?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Krauwa (temp designation), who had been happy till a moment ago, suddenly looked unhappy. "Yep, it’s Krauwa of the Krauses. No doubt about it'' Alice assured Ai confidently.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then they took Krauwa (temp designation) home. The family was so grateful that they welcomed the dog and the two of them, and even gave them a gift.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You mistook the dog’s name."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said as she held the sweet bread that was given to her. They fed the dog sandwiches, but somehow they got more food.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said unhappily, biting into a piece of raisin bread.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Close enough, wasn’t it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah yes, you're a liar, a liar. That wasn’t even close."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up…anyway, yeah, that’s right. Don’t you feel that not getting it right at all feels similar to getting close to the answer?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">By the way, Krauwa's real name was Bernard III.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was completely different.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s not important.."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nom nom nom</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What about you? How does it feel to have saved the world after waiting for so long??"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? W-what do you mean by that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm talking about Krauwa."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was talking about Bernard III.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You see how happy the Krauses were, right? The old man was so happy he nearly broke a bone, and their daughter was crying with joy."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…We only brought their dog to them."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But still, their world was saved, you know?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Right?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> He smiled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Not only that, but there’s that lost old man and the car in the ditch. You’re amazing to save three worlds while on a stroll. I guess a certain something really loves you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was the moment when Ai could hazard a guess as to where he was getting at.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you, Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hm? For what?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You were trying to encourage me, weren't you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She had assumed Alice was not thinking of anything, but at this moment, she felt apologetic to him.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice's face suddenly turned into a scowl, and after a few moments of hesitation, she sighed loudly and threw away the script.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're a real pain in the ass, aren't you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, you are. Couldn’t you have not noticed this at all? Even if you did, you should have played along."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I can't do that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not be blinded by the immediate joy and run forth without resolving the contradictions.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was the case despite knowing that it would be a lot easier if she had remained oblivious.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know how they say that time heals all things?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said as she looked down at her toes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"When something important to the main character is destroyed, one of the supporting characters will say, 'Time heals’. But I think that's a lie."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's not healing. It's just forgetting. Forgetting the sins that were committed, forgetting one’s failures…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seriously, you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice threw his hands up in the air, as though declaring that Ai was a lost cause.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What’s wrong about forgetting it all? That’s how you’ll get healed."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not saying it's bad. But …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai looked at Alice. She stared at her sin squarely in the face.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"If I'm going to forget my sins, I want to choose to do so of my own free will."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't want to leave it to 'time'. I want to at least choose that for myself."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seriously, you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice appeared to be completely speechless.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">'You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry, that’s how I am—but if there’s one thing I can still be proud of, this is it. I’m a mentally fragile person, I’ll fail, I’ll make mistakes, but I’m not going to double down on it. That's the one thing I don't want to do."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That’ll be tough."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Even Ai herself had no idea as to why she had become such a troublesome person.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haa, that’s a waste of time……let's go home, alright?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice abandoned his script, raised his hands in seemingly surrender, and changed his path</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai raised the basket filled with bread, and turned behind by the right,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Excuse me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was then when they encountered a group of people who clearly had a ‘we’re in trouble’ aura. The center of that group was a young couple, and the husband asked as if he were representing them,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do you know our daughter?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice looked at Ai. Something</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> really adores you, huh?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> He asked.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai merely replied with a sigh.</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a group of relatives, consisting of a young couple just over thirty, their parents, cousins and brothers. The father, who was in his prime, introduced themselves as the Edwards, and explained the situation to Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Your daughter has not returned to the real world?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai and Alice were sitting on the stairs of an open deck that had probably been a fancy café fifteen years ago, and heard him out.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, she’s my beloved granddaughter. She’s really pitiful. The poor girl is probably crying somewhere right now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"She's a sweet girl, very strong, always smiling."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey, you don't think the…Witch kidnapped her, do you? Oh, oh God…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please, Alice, you have to find my big sister!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was quite a fuss going on.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alright alright! Tell me the name of your daughter or granddaughter or big sister!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"E-Everyone, please calm down! Please talk one at a time!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice and Ai were jostled by the Edwards who complained about their predicament, and they tried to sort out the situation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll talk."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The first person to step forward was the father who was the first to speak. Once he stood forward, Alice and Ai heaved a sigh of relief.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">His name was Shiba Edwards, and he worked as a librarian in the sealed world, and was acquainted not only with Alice but also with Ai, who frequented the library for research. His personality was gentle and he was always smiling.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At this moment however, the smile on his face was gone.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Father-in-law, everyone, please look elsewhere. I shall explain this to Alice? "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please do."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba bowed to his relatives with a stern expression. Ai could not tell if it was courtesy to his family, or that he was being overly anxious that resulted in such a harsh attitude.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai saw that half of his relatives were looking around the town and the other half watching from a distance, and so she looked directly at Shiba and the only other person left, his wife. Alice folded his arms and started to groan.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Your daughter's gone, huh…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, we don't know what to do anymore…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Are you implying that the Witch took her?”</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“”Witch!””</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The relatives listening by the side were terrified, and took a few steps back.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was not too sure, but it seemed the word ‘Witch’ alone was something nobody really wanted to hear. In hindsight, it was the same situation at Gora Academy, for even the mention of Dee, the "Witch of the West" caused Q class to be completely terrified. Of course, given what Dee had done, it was not hard to comprehend their reactions..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, no, there’s no way that could happen."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba shivered for a moment, but quickly regained his composure and continued.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My daughter and I got separated when we came back, and then…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So basically, a random returnee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice immediately replied.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't worry, we'll find her right away."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a reason for his words. The scenario described by the couple was not that unusual.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The people who had returned to the real world that day six days ago had generally returned to where they had been, but some found their places flooded or collapsed in reality, and ended up at completely unrelated places.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The guards will probably take care of you guys if you go to them. I remember your daughter’s very sick, Mr Shiba, right? We better look for her immediately then…eh, what’s her name again?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, flipping through a list of things that he kept in his pocket.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My daughter's name is…Isola Edwards. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Isola Isola…hmm, not on the list. I don’t remember her either. I'm sorry, Shiba, but you might want to ask at the guard station."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Understood, we'll just wait here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hm?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice momentarily stopped in his tracks. The assumption was that he would run away, but he instantly stopped.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Ah, right. If everyone leaves, we won’t be able to meet up with the old man and the others. Right, I’ll go ask them in a jiffy."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, and ran off. Ai waited until he was gone, and another minute, before asking,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, what can I do for you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You are very perceptive."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba too appeared to be waiting for this moment, and he spoke up,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is this something you don't want Mr. Alice to hear?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… I don't like secrets though…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course, I won't force you to keep quiet. You can tell him if you feel there’s a need to."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nevertheless, Shiba still hoped that she could keep mum about this..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't want him to be reminded of my daughter."</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Isola is a child who can’t 'grow up'."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba began to speak softly. Only when talking about his daughter did he give that gentle smile that Ai remembered from the sunny days in the library.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Can’t grow up, you say…like Mr Julie’s?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, not in that mental sense."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He denied so, slowly and firmly. Shiba was also a part-time teacher at the Ostia school, and him speaking to Ai reminded the latter of class.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"To be honest, it’s brutally simple, the body itself, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At that moment, Shiba's wife, Lethe, who had been slumped over—began to bawl out. Shiba embraced his wife’s shoulders in his large hands to console her, saying, "It's not your fault".</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Our daughter was destined from birth to live a shorter life than others. A great doctor told us that her muscles would lose their elasticity as she grew, and eventually they would atrophy, causing her heart to stop beating."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is, that so…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the first time Ai had heard that Shiba had a daughter. He definitely did not intend to hide this, but it was not something that could be mentioned so simply.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But still, Miss Isola did enter the sealed city, right? She was willing to enter even if it meant her death…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a world where one can die normally.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This was one of the rules of that sealed world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai respected Isola. In a certain sense, even if one had died in the real world, that person could have survived. She however did not make that choice, and chose to go to a world where death did not exist, and Ai was very impressed with that..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But at that moment. Lethe finally had enough, and collapsed in tears.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahhh! Th-that’s not it, little Ai! She wasn't prepared for that! I-I took that time away from her!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Calm down Lethe, it's not just your fault. It was our fault too…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Something was amiss.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was driven by this thought as she watched them break down in tears. The feeling that she had recently experienced, the feeling that the premise was wrong to begin with, rather than it being difficult, came back to her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Ai paid attention to their ages.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A young couple who had just turned thirty. What did that mean?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Mr Shiba, when did you enter the Sealed City with the others?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thirteen years ago…the beginning."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Isola's age at that time was…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"She only learned a few simple words when she first entered the world."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahhh!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Lethe sobbed again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"When did you find out about the disease …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, we found out once we entered."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai closed her eyes tightly as she understood everything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It was after we entered the sealed city. Isola was a beautiful baby, like the world loved her, and we could not imagine that a terrible disease was lurking in her…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The mother's cries echoed in the ruined city, and Ai could do anything about her tears.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"After we found out our daughter was sick, we were tormented by guilt. For ourselves, we accepted Alice’s invitation, because we felt it was acceptable. We felt back then that dying naturally was something to be proud of—but that notion was discarded the moment she got sick. If she stayed in the outside world, she could have lived her life to the fullest at the very least, even if she had died. … we had permanently deprived her of that opportunity…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"B-but, she could not return to this world after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was then that Ai noticed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl did not return.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That’s what I told Alice that, but we already reported to the guards and the town council. I even checked with them before coming here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Why do you want to keep this a secret from Mr. Alice so badly?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because he doesn't know about this…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was inexplicable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But then again, wasn't Mr. Alice the one who led you to the sealed city?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That Alice is already dead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A cold sweat ran down Ai’s spine.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know, don't you, Ai? Alice has died several times in the last fifteen years, and he got reset each time. Just from what I remember, he died three times already. Every time he did, we had to make acquaintances with him again and tell him that we owe him a favor, that we are his good friends…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">How tragic would it be for someone with that past?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tried to put herself in his shoes. One day, Alice would ask Ai, "Who are you?" One day, Alice asked me, "Who are you? She will have to start all over again with the fifteen-year-old, forgetting that they met at Gora Academy, climbed the World Tower together, and celebrated his sixteenth birthday.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Twice, thrice.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh, so that's why,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai thought to herself. When he was in the sealed city, Alice had been a popular person in town. Everyone called him by his name affectionately.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Alice had always kept his distance from them. He was alone, looking at the town beyond a windowpane.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai finally understood the meaning of those eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">No matter how fond they were of Alice, Alice did not know. Rationally, he knew his past self he made memories with them, and they treasured each other, but his emotions were unable to comprehend.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was why he always kept his distance from them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The second time he appeared, our daughter turned seven, and started to fall sick."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba said, with eyes similar to Alice's.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"His anguish at that time was unimaginable. He blamed himself even more than we did. ‘I should have put more thought into this. I should have been more careful,' so he said…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And he forgot about that, too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba continued with a stiff voice, as though deliberately restraining himself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"When we met him for the third time, we decided to stop telling him the truth."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Is that, so?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My daughter suggested it back then. She was twelve."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Twelve years old.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I still remember that moment, a little while after she turned twelve, when she heard that Alice had come back to the town after a long absence. She told me that she and Alice had promised to go pick her favorite dream chrysanthemums on her birthday. She smiled and said that she had managed to make it in time…but she cried alone that day…and came back without any flowers…and right after that, she made that suggestion…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai firmly sensed the fact that Isola was a person of flesh and blood. She thought of a twelve year old girl with a dying body, deprived of the time to choose, but still caring for someone else (Alice).</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She thought of the young girl who would tell such a gentle lie at the age when Ai was still living her dream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What was she thinking…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She frowned, as though thinking this was the toughest part to accept..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I, no, we all don’t know what she’s thinking…but it seems Alice has asked our daughter about it a few times before. "Did you want to be in the original world? You don’t like the sealed world?’"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Surely this was a question he would ask..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He would have asked her, without a second thought to the wounds he would have to bear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I heard our daughter say she didn't know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess so…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"To be honest, we didn’t believe what she said…I'm sorry to say it, but that girl was really kind, and that made it hard to read her true feelings. We didn't know what she was really thinking when she suggested hiding the truth from Alice or when she asked this question. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai felt that it was to be expected. She could understand Isola's feelings better than Shiba and the others.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola probably did not have any hidden feelings like Shiba said. She was afraid of hurting the people around her, and became more adverse to talking.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Back then, I didn't understand her…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Suddenly, Shiba said, looking a little different from before.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Back then?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…When she…</span><b>didn’t save Alice</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"She didn’t save…Mr. Alice?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Shiba looked into Ai's eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"By the looks of it, Ai, you didn't know, did you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kn-Know what?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The classroom in the setting sun—the noisy desks and chairs—the school festival fifteen years ago."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was!</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You were the first one to save Alice, that's for sure. But, Ai, there are many people who were almost there."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice once said that Ai was the 35,696th helper, and that 35,695 people before her had failed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But there were some people who had gotten very far.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"They were divided into two groups. One such group that originally lived in this town."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba held up his index finger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Those from this town naturally knew that there was an incident at Ostia School. Many would be excluded if it came to those who were rather privy of what happened, but it was said there were a few such people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai remembered. She remembered the strange feeling, that some were trying to obstruct her. It seemed Dee was not the only source of them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And there's another group of people who have discovered the truth on their own, Ai, just like you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He pointed a finger at Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There were about four such people, my daughter was one of them. Isola discovered the mystery of the world on her own."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then why couldn't Isola and the others destroy that world?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai asked, and at the same time, she realized what was going on.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Surely it was not that they could not destroy it, but that they did not.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Because by the time they discovered the truth, the world and Alice had already become important to them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether driven by regret, desire, friendship, or love, each of them had their own emotions that kept them from destroying the sealed world and kept their mouths shut.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(I'm sorry, but I'm not counting on you.)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai finally understood why Alice had been so cautious. He really saw the moment when the chance for salvation slipped away from in front of his eyes, time and time again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—I don't know why the others didn't destroy that world. And I don't know much about what Isola was thinking either. To be honest, I was delighted when I heard this story. I thought she could return to the real world. However, she gave up on that choice without hesitation. That's what I don't understand. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Shiba hugged his wife tightly. By comforting her, he seemed to be comforting himself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Even now, at this moment, I don't know what's going on with her."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Please don't think about this too hard."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you very much…but this is not good parenting from us, is it? Why did she disappear? Why didn't she come back to this world?…We don’t even know the reason why she’s doing this, and we call ourselves parents…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"P-Please wait a minute. It's not that Miss Isola didn’t want to go back on her own, right?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice might pop by the next moment and say, "Hey~there was a mistake. Your daughter’s nearby."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, it's not."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Shiba—and even Lethe—simply denied it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-Why not?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Our daughter did not come back as per her own decision. The moment we returned, we looked her in the eyes. Her eyes showed that she was planning something."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"H-how do you know that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple looked at each other, with a puzzled look on their faces.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because that's the kind of girl she is."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What kind of girl is she?</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At this point, Ai understood that these parents who kept saying that they did not ‘understand their daughter’ were just putting on a front.</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice came back with a face like a dog that could not ‘fetch the toy it’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry. I couldn’t find the name Isola with the guards or the evacuation shelter. I just asked based on age and appearance at least, but …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No luck?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I-It’s embarrassing…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They sent him on a fool’s errand just to buy some time, and decided not to bully him any more.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Guess we have no choice—well, shall we go?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go where?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"While you've been running around, I thought of a certain answer."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Really!?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Shiba and the others immediately pursued the matter.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, it's true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no certainty, but the scenario he had described was probably related to ‘that’. That was what Ai’s instincts were telling her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you very much! I'm glad we consulted you after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba then whispered, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm really glad I turned to you, since you were able to help even Alice.</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple bowed their heads in thanks, but Ai's heart was completely cold.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't worry."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai shook the mother's hand cautiously.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We'll find Miss Isola, I'm sure."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Thank you, little Ai."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">No,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai cordially replied as she monitored her own heart, ensuring that she was not in ecstasy over the joy of helping others, and not save the world until she had corrected her mistakes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She did not allow herself to move forward while ignoring her mistakes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could sense Alice's annoyed gaze on her. That was fine, she was such a person after all.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let's go, shall we?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"To school."</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Ostia School for Boys and Girls was, surprisingly, filled with people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"? What’s going on?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Hmm, you don’t know, Ai?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Alice, do you know?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I don't."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just for once, shut up forever."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They walked up the hill with the Edwards family. For some reason, there was a group of people hanging out there, surrounding the school from a distance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They all seemed to be in distress.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai walked on, thinking that if it was the old her, she would have run in to ask what happened. Not long after, she spotted a nostalgic but changed scenery over the hill.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The steel main stood gates like a guillotine that ruthlessly cuts off late arrivals every morning, the statue of a great man whose head had been unrecognizable, and the brown schoolyard was bumpy as if it had been bombed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the middle of it sat a strange black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The black surface was standing on the ground, a dark color that appeared as if night had been cut out and put into a frame.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the residue of the miracle that the sealed city had left behind with its collapse. It was a jet black surface.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ohhh…</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">it was the first time Shiba and the others saw it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai… What is that? It looks like the gate we went through when we entered the sealed city. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think it's probably something similar."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Why did you bring us here …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's simple."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai raised up her index finger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I was thinking, if Miss Isola is really not in this world, then where did she go?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No way…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, she may have gone to another world, different from the sealed world and ours."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai herself had yet to dismiss the possibility that Isola had gotten lost though.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see, I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was more readily convinced than Shiba.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I thought it was strange. I couldn’t figure out why that black surface was left behind, but, I see, so that makes sense. It was Miss Isola who made it, wasn’t it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It 'might' be."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I'm convinced."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It doesn't matter if you're convinced. "</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What do you think, Mr Shiba?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai asked the man standing beside her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was Lethe who responded.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's…that!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's wrong?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You! Don't you feel it? That's it! That's her! Beyond there!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"C-calm down."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She grabbed her husband by the shoulders and shook him hard. Seeing how great her response was, Shiba could not hide his dismay.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What little Ai and Alice said is true! You don't understand! Come on, have a look!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Even if you say so, I…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba apologized with just his eyes. Ai gestured to him that he should not take it to heart, and at the same time, thought that they should end things for the day. Lethe clearly was at her limit."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Anyway, calm down for now. We've had enough for today. Let's just go home and start again another day."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There’s no need for that! Enough already! Have a look! Feel it!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba’s actions were all to console Lethe. He shook his head and looked at the same object that his wife was staring at.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He had a look.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai and Alice too were also staring at it. The black surface had its mouth open as usual.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't think there's anything there."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And apparently that was true for Shiba, too.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, it can't be! Yes, if you look closer, you can see that there is something..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lethe then stumbled over, beyond the cordon rope, and into the schoolyard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With these words, a female student showed up.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seriously! Isn’t there a sign right there!? No loitering! Queue up! No climbing over the rope! I don't want you not to make me any busier, you hear me! Dee Ensy is closed for the day! Please wait until tomorrow!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The female student was dressed in her school uniform, her hands on her hips, looking angry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This goes for you two as well, Alice and Ai!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> And the girl smiled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Now then, what are you here for …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee stared at them with a wary expression.</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The cause of the black surface?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a signboard with the words ‘Black Surface Plane Exploration Survey Operation Management Association Headquarters’, the name definitely something Dee came up with herself. She was in this tent, adding a third spoonful of sugar into the thick coffee in the tent. This was after Ai and the others had told Dee about the situation at hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So you’re saying it’s because of Miss Isola, huh?…Hmm, I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you think?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't think it's impossible. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a reliable assertion coming from Dee. However, they were more interested in the coffee that had a fourth, fifth spoonful of sugar added. It was the sixth spoonful.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's certainly unnatural that the black surface remained after our world collapsed. I wouldn't be surprised if there’s a reason for it. But I'm only interested in the practical use of the black face, so I don't really care.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the end, Dee added eight spoonfuls of sugar and downed the coffee at once.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fuaahhaa! That's what all-nighters are for!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Are you tired?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I'm not! I’m~going~ strong~! Yoo-hoo!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It seemed she was too tired to feel that she was tired.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why don't you at least change your clothes?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On a closer look, Dee was wearing the same uniform as before, and it was all torn and tattered, a stark contrast from the vacuum-preserved purity and the prim and proper attire in the sealed world.</span> [[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 02.jpg|thumb]] <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh, no no no. I'm wearing this uniform because it just fits, so I'm using it as a staff uniform here. Isn't that a good way to tell the difference? And it just so happens that most of the main staff are students."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahhh, so that's it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On a closer look, one could see most of the members of the tent were wearing student jackets or tops.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So I'll just take the school uniform as that for the Black Surface Phone…Black Surface Plan Explanation…Black Surface Plane Exploration Investigyaaahhhh!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ah, she bit her tongue.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hot coffee probably flowed into the bite mark, and Dee was rendered speechless as she made a weird dance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">… Ai had a thought that if she would end up biting her tongue, she should not have given it just a long name. Ai remembered that there was a drink given along with the good just now, and wanted to hand it over to Dee.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So she thought as she pulled out a bottle of soda.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">""(Miss) Dee, here.""</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Two voices overlapped.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She turned around to find a person with such a large presence standing there, causing her to wonder how she did not notice that person before.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A noblewoman in a blood-red dress.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The lady was perfectly dressed except for the fact that it was inappropriate for the venue. She wore high heeled shoes, gloves that covered her elbows, an intricate hat that covered her face that was some complicated four-dimensional design, and a huge parasol as a finishing touch.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">All of them were deep red.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The bottle of water Ai had been holding out retracted at the same speed as it was handed over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, Dee took the lady's water bottle that was a little higher, took lots of gulps </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh you saved me, thanks" </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">and</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">she thanked the lady.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The noblewoman replied, "No," and then went back to the edge of the tent.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, where was I? Ahh, the black surface?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, I'm curious about that too…but, who is that person over there?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don't worry about it. Just think of her as a mannequin."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, that's not what I'm saying…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was true that she resembled a mannequin with the way she stood there, but that alone would cause Ai to have another terrifying imagination.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And so? What do her parents want to do? Where are they now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee continued with the topic.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…They’re outside now, looking at the black surface. Mr. Alice is with them."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll meet them. Bring me over."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—No need, we’re already here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice and the couple entered the tent. Dee tensed for a moment at Alice's presence, then quickly switched her expression.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It’s been a while, Shiba, Lethe."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My my, it’s been a long time, Dee. You've grown up."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so? I don't know. I feel like I haven't grown in fifteen years."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No no no, we’re not wrong. You do seem to have grown quite a lot over the past few days, Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I-Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Both Shiba and Lethe seemed to be mentally recovered, and the way they talked to Dee resembled relatives who had not seen each other in a long time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice and Ai made eye contact.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Did anything happen?"</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I don't think there was anything in particular. …"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, yes, Dee, we actually have a favor to ask you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"A favor?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This time, Dee asked with her eyes </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"What’s going on?" "I don't know."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee, can you get us through the black surface?"</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…There's been an increase in such instances lately. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The black surface was in the center of the schoolyard, and right in front of it was a tent filled with various acoustic measuring instruments, dimmers, and various other measuring devices used in the investigation of the black surface. Dee had her hands on her waist as she said so,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Such instances, as in??"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"People who want to get through the black surface."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee said grumpily, chewing on a candy cane to keep herself awake.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Nobody has returned from this road, but more and more people want to go there even after I tell them."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee glanced behind.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a family meeting going on in the Edwards household.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Think this through, Shiba! Where's your usual calmness?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yea, brother-in-law, calm down! You're risking your life for that thing?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was quite a loud squabble. Ai and Dee looked on as if they were outsiders.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It’s a common scene recently."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah. People wanting to enter through the black surface, and people wanting to stop others. Mostly relatives."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The family meeting was increasingly heated, and just when the voltage was about to reach its peak.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Everyone."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Someone spoke with a soft, low voice, but it was one no one could ignore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think your concerns are justified. But we've already made up our minds."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba's voice was not filled with determination or confidence. Rather, he seemed to be trembling with anxiety.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, everyone knew that Shiba was a person who would not bend his thoughts when he spoke with such a tone.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That’s common too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The sight of Dee saying this lethargically resembled someone who had seen similar movies. It was inappropriate given the seriousness, but Ai knew that Dee had not slept more than twenty hours this week, and could not say anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"In the end, the one who spoke up won. Those who are left behind hang around here with their regrets…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This is ......</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haha ...... haha ...... when you see Miss Isola. Give this to her. ......"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dream chrysanthemum.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It is the birth flower of October, blooming in autumn.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm not sure what to make of it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice, you can't possibly...</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"...... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ......, sorry, what?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba did not ask any more questions.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He just tucked the flower into his shirt with care. I'm not sure what to do with it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">...... It's kind of strange, Alice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What's that?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Thirteen years ago, in this very place, you invited me to enter the Sealed World. We were young then, almost as old as you are now.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahm, Deenibbled on the candy cane like popcorn. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the main gate and the people glancing at the black surface from there. They were a group of people like that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kept you waiting Dee. We’ve decided."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes yes. So who's going with who?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just me and my wife."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Got it. Write your names down here, and we'll report back to the guards."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee had them fill out some more paperwork, gave them some precautions to follow before going through the black surface, and then took a backpack labeled ‘for experimentation use’ that was filled with the bare essentials, along with a rope that was at least a hundred meters long, tying it at their waist.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee, what's this?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s for communication…supposedly, but every single attempt for this has failed. You get me uncle? Just move at a constant speed, stop once when you get somewhere, stop twice if there's someone inside. If there's danger, run out as fast as you can."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I understand. I hope we can be of some help to you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes. Take care then."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bye, bye.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Dee waved them off without showing any remorse. Both Shiba and Lethe simply responded and tried to go to the black surface, but were caught again by their relatives who said, "Hey, wait a minute."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh~ another argument~? Can you please spare me already…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Miss Dee, can you please be a little more serious?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s impossible. I’m all out of it."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">More or less,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Dee muttered to herself. She showed her </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘man, living’s a pain’</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> expression.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oops."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With that, the candy cane she was holding fell off. Ai, who was not expecting it at all, could not react. Right when the candy cane was about to land on the ground and hit the dirt.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"………Dee, be careful."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The lady grabbed the cane along with the bag and gave it back to Dee.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry, sorry, thank you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No worries."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The lady then slowly retreated to the back. Ai looked at them suspiciously, but the lady remained iron-faced, ‘hm?’ merely giving a cute wink and not answering anything else.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What’s the matter, Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… No—but more importantly, shouldn’t we be stopping them…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not going to stop them. I'm not that kind of a character."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I won't stop you if you do."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……...so—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What? I can't hear you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"….I too can’t be bothered with this…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A dry breeze blew.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a wilderness breeze that blew from the west.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee looked at the sky, letting the wind brush her hair, and said without making eye contact,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—What's the schedule for the next shipment?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Still undecided."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see, that's a shame. But I wish you could ship them in sooner. I prefer it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Can’t guarantee that…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You could have lied and said you’ll do your best. Aren’t you in the service industry?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……I’ll do my best."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Good."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee patted Ai on the head and ended the conversation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Hm, looks like they’re done talking."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The siege of the relatives collapsed, and the couple exited.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the end, it seemed their original decision had not changed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Goodbye, both of you, Ai, I'm really glad I consulted you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you, little Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Even though they were thanking her, Ai could not take it in stride. She could not decide if she did the right thing or not.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Are you sure you want to go?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Honestly."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai hesitated for a moment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have no idea what you guys believe in."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess so."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're like people trying to climb the World Tower. You’re acting like fervent believers, seeking things that shouldn't be there, fanatics trying to make your delusions real."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess so."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I guess so?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai did not expect such an answer. It was not an answer a fanatic would say.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You seem surprised, Miss Ai. You're right. Unlike my wife, I haven't seen anything on the black surface."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then why?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s why."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba smiled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's why it's worth the trip—that world needs not only those who believe, but also blockheads like me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't really understand."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess so."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba laughed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, from here on out, let the results speak for themselves."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"All right."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Now then…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple all said their goodbyes once more, and finally stood in front of the black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I wanted to say goodbye to Alice too, but…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Shiba looked around and said so. "I’ll be out for a while" Alice said this a long while ago, and had yet to return.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't want to bother you any more than I already have. Looks like we have to go too, Lethe."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, dear."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Wait!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At that moment, a human whose head had some grass attached to it emerged from behind the fence at the edge of the school yard towards the back of the hill. He stepped over the fence and ran all the way over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haaa…haaaa…haaa…haaa…did I make it…? "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, what's wrong?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…This!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a purple flower in his outstretched hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haaa…haaa…when you meet Miss Isola, hand this over to her…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dream Chrysanthemum.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a flower that would bloom in autumn, October.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the flower he promised to pick with her, but did not manage to fulfill his promise.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice. Did you—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Haa…haaa…haaa…sorry, you were saying?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—It’s nothing."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shiba did not ask any further.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He merely kept the flower into his shirt pocket, treasuring it well, ensuring that he would not lose it accidentally.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Somehow, it feels strange doesn’t it, Alice?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What’s strange?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thirteen years ago, you invited me to the sealed world here. We were young back then, and no different from you in age."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, that's what it was, Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had a vision.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were young Shiba and his friends there. They had none of the composure or confidence of a decade later, only a glow as they protected the little girl beside them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was watching them with a smile.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now and forever.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was the only one who never changed his appearance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Goodbye Alice…goodbye, everyone."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, goodbye."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The time had come to say goodbye.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll see you on the other side, if possible…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Yeah."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And with that, they were swallowed up by the black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no dazzling light dancing around them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no earth-shattering roar.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The two of them merely disappeared like a lamp that was switched off..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You fools…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The old man, who had opposed the idea until the very end, dropped to his knees.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"16.26, no signal at all. The rope was never pulled…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee mumbled as she retrieved the rope that had snapped in mid-sentence.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai and Alice were the only ones who stood still.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They recalled the significance of the events that just happened, and saw the petals of the Dream Chrysanthemum flutter in the air.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">—Since that day, the number of people who wished to cross the border increased exponentially.</span> ===Part IV=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">Seven days have passed since their return.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice felt that yesterday turned out well.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had been depressed for a long while, but after talking to others and being appreciated, she seemed to be back on track.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So Alice thought that Ai would be more energetic on this day.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So why is this happening …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At the main entrance, where he had been kicked out like yesterday, Alice held his head in his hands.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was looking at a girl who was seated there, not moving at all.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yo."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Oh, Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">We're leaving."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai slowly looked up at Alice, slowly stumbled to her feet while her legs were numb, and looked as frail as a newborn deer.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On this day, Alice did not wait, and walked quickly to the market.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, wait…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a voice behind him, and those who knew of that owner would surely be shocked.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"P-Please wait. …</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Eventually, Alice slowed down.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a bad decision.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wargh!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a slight impact, Ai hit his back.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So-sorry."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What are you doing?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-woah, I-I'm sorry. I'll move…move away immediately…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Ai's legs were numb and she could not stand up straight, and her right hand would not leave her back like a drowning man grasping at a straw.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Tch…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"S-Sorry…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The tongue click was immediately misunderstood. Alice was merely expressing his own unhappiness, but Ai had assumed it was her fault.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lots of gears were disoriented.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice did not want Ai to feel unbearable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I’m sorry. I’ll stand up right away. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai appeared to be in pain, but there was no sign of tears. She was trying to stand up on her own as quickly as possible.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It's fine."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It's okay to lean on someone when you're tired."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Alice did something that surprised even himself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let's go."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Where?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He held Ai's hand and started walking.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They walked through the main entrance, down the main street and into the market. At all of these places, familiar faces were looking at them, wide-eyed. Some of them were even whistling. Alice wondered which idiot did so, but unfortunately, it so happened to be the mayor of this city. It was a real shame.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"M-Mr. Alice, I'm totally fine. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up, can I believe what you say?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Auu—but, erm."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I told you to shut up!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice dragged her forcibly by the hand through the marketplace, got dinner just as they did the previous day, and went home.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Are you angry?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said as soon as they left the market.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not angry."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I'm sorry. I know it's troublesome for you…to have to wait in a place like that…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not angry at you!"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pii,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai lowered her head with a squeal.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Oh.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He did it again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-you're angry though, aren't you …?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I'm not. It's true that I shouted at you, but it’s a different kind of anger! Do you understand!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-yes, I understand—erm, I'm sorry…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You don't know what I’m talking about!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry!</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was hopeless.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice gave up on explaining and hurried down the street. He knew that this attitude of his was making Ai feel uneasy again, but at this point, he did not care anymore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He felt that Ai should just keep dwelling on it, be increasingly dejected, continue to misunderstand others, and continue to live with her head lowered.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let's go…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice could not find the chance to let go of her hand, but at this moment, it was squeezed tightly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The strength of the grip was so weak compared to her usual monstrous strength, so much so that he would not have noticed it otherwise.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was as if she hesitated to hold his hand. It was like the hand of someone that was about to fall off a cliff, but could not muster the strength for fear of involving the other person.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was like a swallow that was starving but could not coo its other siblings. It was like the last claw marks of a cat dying in the dark, hiding its wounds.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Again…)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice wanted to do something about this, to ensure that she could regain her prior confidence.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But he said all he could. He ran out of tricks the previous day.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What more could he do?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah…I-I'm sorry. Did I squeeze too hard?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Furthermore, Ai tried to let go of his hand. She kept quiet. She wanted to conceal what she did.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I’m fine now, really…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As if her heart was leaving her, the weak strength in the hand suddenly disappeared, and each finger slowly slipped away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was as though Ai was letting go of her last lifeline.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And as for that hand,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice grasped it tightly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"E-erm, Mr. Alice?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re asking me what…can you please let go of my hand?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You refuse me…erm, what…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice did not know either.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"! Ow…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Enough, we’re going back."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, Mr. Alice, that hurts!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uuu~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai made a face of a bullied child.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's wrong with you… If you're angry, just say so. I don't know what's going on anymore…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">That is why!</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m the same!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?—Wait, kayaa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai got forcibly dragged along by Alice, and tripped over. Alice lifted her with his right hand, the bowl soup dinner in his left hand shaking violently.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oops."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I-I'm sorry. See, it's still dangerous…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's because you're not putting in the strength."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He squeezed her right hand again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Squeeze it harder."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We’ve known each other for so long, don’t hold back now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice did not hold back at all, and squeezed Ai’s hand as if he were holding a 45 caliber gun or grabbing a person that was hanging from a cliff.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He hoped to convey something that could not be conveyed by words or attitude. He prayed that the tip of his right hand would connect their hearts through the tip of his body.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Ah."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He had no idea if it was conveyed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Ai put just a little bit of strength into her right hand, as if she were a wild bird drinking water from a human hand for the first time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The weight of her trust was less than one kilogram.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was enough.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let's go."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no reply, but this time she obeyed him honestly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was finally relieved.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Whooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was supposed to be the case.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"CCHHHEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOO!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This runaway locomotive caught them from a hundred meters behind, it reduced the distance to zero in eleven seconds and smashed through the space between them with a machete-like chop.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai saw the numb right hand and left hand swim through the air in slow motion, and thought to herself.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Julie's an idiot.</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"AAAALLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCEEEEEE…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Julie tumbled a few rounds forward before his chop could follow through, but his eyes were glowing as he caught sight of Alice who was preparing to run away. He was so fast that she was worried, wondering if they could communicate properly with him.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re mistaken, old man.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yoouuu doooonnn’tttt gggeeetttt tttoooo caaalllll mmmmeeee an old man!!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? I’m a stranger now? No, wait! You’re already at this age aren’t you!?—Ow ow ow ow!! "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice was dragged down to the ground, his arms latched behind him, and he was raised up.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you doing, old man!? What if you break my arms!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m trying to break them off. Of course I can."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh dear…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">This old man is serious…</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Alice mumbled in a rather calm voice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice…I've warned you many times…that anyone who messes with my child will die…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think it definitely won’t end at dying though…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The arms were tied tighter than before, but Alice’s voice remained calm as though he could no longer feel pain.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is bad, Mr. Julie. He’s already prepared to die. You should stop..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And I thought you said 'I'm not a lolicon' every time I advised you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai decided not to stop Julie..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"To think I trusted you when you said that…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You wouldn’t be asking me all the time if you believed me. What do you mean, ‘every time I advised you'?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice sounded like a convict on death row, and was in turn not afraid of anything anymore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And yet! And yet, you!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Julie said in anguish, like a parent who just had a terrible misfortune befall her daughter, the cause of it being someone she trusted.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of all people, my daughter! Ai! I can't believe you’re holding hands!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">No.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At first, Ai was a little panicky, but once he said so, she felt it did not seem like such a big deal.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're exaggerating, Mr. Julie."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She tried to say so with a nonchalant look.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It was because my feet were numb, so Mr. Alice had to help me out. There was no such…erm…thing like…that. Yeah…it’s just business."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was a little self-conscious at the end, but she did explain properly. The worst reaction for her to have would be to get flustered. As long as she remained calm, everything would be alright.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Julie did not stop.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No! That’s not it!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-You’re wrong, Mr. Julie. Stop—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s what I’m talking about! You know, like trust and fear mixed together at the crucial moment, holding hands at such a place! It’s worse when you’re holding hands like that!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Awawawawawawa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai flailed her limbs as though she was scrubbing something.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"M-Mr. Julie!? Wait! N-No more—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"See! Ai shows a look of trust to that bastard other than us, and now she’s showing such a face—"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">""CCHHHEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOO!""</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Two chops smacked Julie front and back , and the big man fell to the ground without a sound.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And while the man fell over, Alice remained guarded against the attack on the other side.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That was a formidable foe…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Both of them looked down at the big man, as though they were comrades who finally defeated a sworn enemy.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…There’s no greater enemy than him in our tough travels thus far…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ve lived thirty-plus years of a bizarre life, and I never encountered anything like this. This old man has become more than just an airhead these days…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re right."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At that moment,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai~, Alice~."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, Miss Scar."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They turned around to see Scar carrying Celica not too far away, and a small group of people surrounding her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just then, Scar came running through the group. The hem of her flared skirt fluttered, and Celica bounced on her chest.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The others in the group chide the young mother, "Take note of this." But the mother and child were both smiling happily and not worried.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daw, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai high-fived the giggling Celica and asks Scar from up close,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you on your way home now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, since we are here, let us go together—can you please wake him up?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, she was referring to Julie.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"He actually left the luggage and started running. Goodness me. Do you agree, Celica?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daw,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Celica agreed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Though unwilling, Ai had no choice but to give the big man a good shove. Alice ran five meters away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ugh!...Ugh, this place is…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you awake?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah……anyway, why am I sleeping here?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re tired, old man."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Apparently, Julie’s memory was erratic. Seizing this position, Alice returned at the speed of light.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You've been on the frontlines, helping the recovery. Got to take a break once in a while."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Aren’t you being caring now, Alice? Well, thanks…but why do I feel like punching you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hahahahaha, you're a weirdo, old man."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"More importantly Julie, please get up and grab your stuff."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar said unhappily, and Julie hurriedly did as told.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do not leave us and go running off now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm? Y-yeah—alright, come here Celica."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a bear-like smile, Julie stretched out his arms to Celica. But the baby turned away with a pouty face, as if she had been served old milk.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The others who had walked with Scar chuckled at the sight of her, probably finding it bemusing.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh my. Looks like this child doesn’t want to."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yep yep, papa’s so dirty after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They were the ladies doing the laundry, cooking and other domestic work. Scar had been spending most of her time with them lately, and likewise, Julie has been driving around on the frontlines of the recovery effort.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Th-that’s not true. I just bathed three days ago…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do you wish for papa to bathe every day, Celica?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Grr, Scar…where do you learn to use your daughter for your opinions…?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">From where, I wonder? </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar replied with a smug look. The old women behind her snickered away. It seemed they got along really well.</span> [[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 03.jpg|thumb]] <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well then, everyone—see you tomorrow."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a little wave of Celica's hand, the group left them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What a coincidence."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After leaving Celica in Julie's hands—or rather, Julie forcibly snatched her away from Scar—Scar looked a lot more relieved, leaned forward, and smiled at Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, Miss Scar, what did you do today?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just laundry. Ah, but we started from making detergent today. Ai, do you know how to make detergent?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar began with her lecture before she heard the answer. Basically, they put lots of oil, ashes, and some kind of unfamiliar medicine in such a big pot and…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar seemed to be enjoying herself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She wore Gravekeeper boots, the shirt Julie had given her, and a flared skirt that she had personally stitched. She was living happily neither a Gravekeeper nor a human being.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…By the way, I did see what happened just now, you know?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Bffftt!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was completely caught off guard. Scar really should be underestimated these days. No one would have thought at first sight that she was a Gravekeeper.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Is there a need for such an intense reaction? Were you not holding hands?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But she was not thinking of anything different in particular.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-yeah. That's right……that's right…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was deeply relieved.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, I sometimes hold Julie's hand firmly."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait a minute."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai turned her head to the left like a rusty doll. Julie was trying his best to stop Celica from escaping towards Alice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Is there something wrong? I've been told by people in the washing area that I should do this once in a while…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, it's nothing strange. Nothing at all…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was really a sticky situation to explain their way out of. One had to wonder what the folks at the washing area thought of their relationship and more importantly, what did Scar think of Julie? What did she think of Ai and Alice? Ai had the urge to ask, and yet not…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had a lot on her mind, and in the end it felt that it did not matter, so she pushed the responsibility to the person closest to her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Maybe Mr Julie is the worst …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That is probably true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She agreed with great seriousness. Ai could not help but laugh at that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar had become truly human. She was able to understand and care for people's hearts. That was why Ai was able to laugh, and why Ai was able to...</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She froze.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank goodness …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar said, gently raising her scarred right eyebrow.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? What’s good?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The fact that you are smiling, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">If warmth and gentleness could melt a person's heart,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Those words would be most appropriate for this situation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gently patted her own cheeks. Incredibly, the smile that had been missing had returned.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Happiness had returned.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You've been feeling moody for a while now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar smiled warmly, and Ai's heart froze cold.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But it is a good thing now that you can smile again..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What was I smiling at …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry, I did not hear you. Could you repeat that……Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was as though Ai woke up from a dream, or was returning to one.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her vision was clearing up. The October sky was clear enough to the point where it felt like it would snap. The air was clogged with the buzz of reconstruction, bustling. The shattered town caused an increased amount of information, putting pressure on the visual cortex.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai took a deep breath, wanting to swap out the oxygen in her body. The upcoming winter air was frighteningly cold, robbing warmth from her body and her heart.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What was she doing?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What was she being healed of?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What happened to her pride? Did she not say that </span><b>she wanted to make the choice for herself?</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai…what is the matter?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……What do you mean?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar was unable to respond to the reflexive question.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Sorry, Ai, did I do something wrong just now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai shook her head slowly like a well-made automaton.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You didn't do anything wrong."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was the one at fault.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wah, wait, don’t cry, Celica. All right! I'm going to take a bath! I'll shave too!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just then, Celica threw a tantrum and almost fell out of Julie's arms.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Wait a minute, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar felt that something was amiss with Ai, but she went over to pick up Celica.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Left alone, Ai was surrounded by a chilling air. Her heart was ripped open and her mind was bleeding.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry to keep you waiting…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar returned. At this moment though, Ai was sinking in a large heap of snow, and could no longer melt. Luckily for Ai, it appeared Scar noticed something as well, and Ai was spared of more questions, but…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Daw."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, another pair of terrifyingly impassive eyes stared at her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Celica was strangely angsty to the point where she nearly fell out of Scar’s clutches and started swinging punches at Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Daw!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Thud.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The punch hit Ai in the cheek.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was light as a mosquito bite,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But with a thud, Ai found herself falling on her buttocks. She raised her hand and placed it on the cheek where she had been hit.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was so hot and painful, it was a wonder it did not leave a mark.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"A-Ai!? Are you okay? Goodness, Celica, what are you doing!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay…I just slipped."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Saying that, Ai stumbled to her feet. Her body was heavier and more difficult to move compared to when Hampnie had kicked her, or when she had run around Ortus all night.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It seemed Celica’s mood improved after delivering the punch, and she no longer threw a tantrum, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Goodness, you"</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that was the expression she showed as she leaned forward again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uu!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She handed Ai a pacifier that was sticky with drool.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Daw!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her face was basically saying, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Here, have a bite."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I appreciate the sentiment."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said, and returned the pacifier. She then hopped and pulled away from the group.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry. I just remembered something. Please go home first."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Julie was understandably reluctant.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes. Go ahead and have dinner without me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oi—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai ran off without listening to what the others said.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not allow herself to remain at such a warm place.</span> ===Part V=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was only one place she could go.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai dragged her feeble steps forward as though she was taking turns moving her feet. The streets of Ostia were bustling with activity, and everyone seemed to be very busy. It seemed like every place had a sign that said "No Ai Astin allowed here".</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She walked. She walked and walked, and before she knew it, Ai was in the same place as yesterday.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Before her was the slope that led to the Ostia School for Boys and Girls.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But there was something wrong there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a line of people on the hill in front of the main gate, one that did not exist the previous day. It seemed the queue lasted from the bottom of the hill to the schoolyard. Some of the more business-minded people had even set up stalls in anticipation of the queue.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai watched them from the side as she walked silently up the hill. Eventually, she left the path to the school and entered a slightly higher path, looking down at the school grounds.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a huge snake there, its scales formed by human beings, coiled leisurely in the schoolyard, its head buried in the center.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was a black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At the head of the snake, the center of the vortex, was a young couple holding hands, hopping into the black surface. In their eyes, there was half uneasiness and half anticipation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The people behind them too jumped into the black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That queue was full of people waiting for their turn.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……What’s going on?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite noticing it, Ai's muffled voice was quiet. She was unable to muster that interest. Even after knowing the situation, she would not be able to take action anyway.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I guess I should go then?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She just wanted to head over to her destination as soon as possible. She was only passing by this place, and was heading for somewhere further. Ai turned her gaze back to the schoolyard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And at that moment,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, isn’t it Ai!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was Dee, carrying a bucket.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss…Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oui, I’m Miss Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee greeted by opening and closing her right hand, the bucket of water in her left hand shaking hard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… What are you doing?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What am I…do I look like an old lady sprinkling water on the street?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She might be saying that, but she was actually spraying water though.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Or are you saying I’m a fireman?…Anyway, how do I act like a fireman?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You don't have to do that…please stop. The water will spill—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Right after she said so,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee probably messed up somewhere again, for the bucket of water that she was swinging like a cartwheel fell off. Ai tried to get around to where the bucket was going to fall, but she was rooted to the stop when she saw what happened afterwards.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee lost her balance and was about to fall on the back of her head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That angle was really bad.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tried to insert force in the opposite direction, but her sluggish body slipped at the critical moment, and she could only flail futilely.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was too late.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Be careful, Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The moment she thought so, that noblewoman in bright red caught her from behind before she knew it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why, sorry about that, Dust Believer. Thanks."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee said and stood up by herself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The lady saw Dee stand up, and pulled her distance. It seemed the lady had covered quite the distance earlier.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai kept staring at the lady.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's the matter?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…No, it’s nothing."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Since the lady was not going to answer, Ai should just deem her as a non existence, as Dee said. So she decided and turned back,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Goodness, I didn’t think you were such a clumsy oaf."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're noisy."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A strange boy was floating there, carrying the bucket. One had to wonder how he did so, but he managed to collect the water without spilling a drop.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">…The number of suspicious characters had increased…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The boy returned the bucket and returned to his original position along with the noblewoman.</span> [[Image:Kamisama v06 Illustration 04.jpg|thumb]] <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee…erm, that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh, him, just think of him as air."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, he’s floating like air, but that’s the only common point they have—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, don’t sweat the details. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It appeared Dee was uninterested in revealing the specifics as she looked into the bucket as if to say, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm done talking about this."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, thank goodness the water didn't spill though. I came all the way to the school to get it. The well down the road is dry now, it’s troublesome."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"'Down the road'…?."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai's destination should be the only place there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Miss Dee, are you going this way too?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai turned her eyes beyond the alley. The place ‘further beyond’ really was unsuited for Dee—no, it was not a place for the people in Ostia to visit for that matter.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The only person suitable for such a place would be Ai herself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, but why?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because…aren’t you very busy, Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Saying that, Ai looked behind. She had no idea what was going on, but Dee, the person in charge, should not be absent.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm? Ahh, the situation there is already stable. Menhim kicked me out when I dozed off while walking though. He told me not to show my face for about five hours."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I'm sure he wants you to go get some rest."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, yeah. But that's okay. I’m free to do whatever I want during my breaks."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…They say break is part of working though."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Work is also a break."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you mean?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't know! All right!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kyaa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Wahaha! Dee laughed and hugged Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Woah, wait Miss Dee! Watch the bucket!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahahahahaha. You’re so squishy Ai. I got a freebie!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"P-please let go of me!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Don’t wanna~! Hm, what’s this? I feel very agitated for some reason. Oh yeah, I guess this is what they call a runner's high!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee chuckled as she spilled the bucket of water on the floor.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's refreshing to be so tired in the outside world, I never felt tired when I was being the Ghost."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmmm…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Hearing those words, Ai relaxed her resistance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee seemed to be really agitated. After letting go of Ai, she spun around the bucket like a ballroom dancer.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was like a child who had just learned a new game.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But don't worry, this level of fatigue really isn’t something to worry about. I'll gladly stay up for two or three nights, but..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee said as she turned behind, looked over her shoulder, and stared at the schoolway.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I didn't expect the situation of the black surface to stabilize so quickly either."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There, the black surface continued to swallow people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What's that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai asked, calmly observing her own mind. It's okay. I'm just asking.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm not choosing anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I'm not going in the wrong direction.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ever since yesterday when you left, more people started showing up."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee seemed to have explained this many times over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The first to enter were the relatives gathered around. They made up their minds and said they were going to enter the black surface. That’s fine, that’s common. But there’s a lot of them, and like, of those who stayed behind, half of them decided to queue up after that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Next in line were their relatives' relatives and friends of friends. And after them were the relatives of the relatives' relatives and the friends of the friends' friends. After them were the relatives of relatives of relatives of relatives of relatives ….</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was how the giant snake grew rapidly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was puzzled and asked them. How could you enter the black surface without hesitation? There could be nothing there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Their only answer was, "Because we have our own world there".</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After finishing the story, Dee relaxed her shoulders.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It feels like we’re the ones who really don’t understand. Do you see the queue over there? I heard that even the ordinary grandpas and grandmas knew that they should go over. "I just knew I had to go over." That’s the reason they told me while laughing. They all sounded like a certain person."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai did not answer, but looked at the schoolyard. At the center of the whirlpool of people was a towering black surface, and people were jumping into it without hesitation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nobody could guarantee that there was a new world beyond the black surface. Perhaps there was a world worse than what they had. That was not what they thought however, and they drove their own bodies forward.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And that was why,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A new world was surely developing beyond that black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We didn't need confirmation or investigation after all. We could go in with just conviction. It’s a ‘chicken and egg’ situation here. Their wishes will create a new world."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At first, it was just a small dream; the world Isola Edwards had created, a small one for one person.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the wish had already been approved by her parents and hundreds of others, and was still growing at this very moment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, a skeptic like me would like to have at least some definite information. But to be honest, I can't do anything about the research at the moment. What we only need to do now is to sort the queue, which makes things a lot easier. So."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So then—Dee carried the bucket and twirled around, walking towards the alley.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Since I got the chance, I've decided to visit Alice's grave."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>You’re going too, right Ai?</em> So she asked with her eyes.</span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The cemetery was empty and deserted.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was no wonder, for everyone else was looking forward now. There was no one stopping to look back at the past, whether they were working on recovery or martyring for their dreams.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Only people like them would stop in their tracks.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…A graveyard is really creepy, isn’t it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee clung onto Ai’s arm as she said so timidly. It seemed she felt out of place in this place.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee really was completely different from Ai, and the latter exhaled softly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For some reason, her breathing felt a little relieved ever since they entered the graveyard, my breathing had become easier. The tension had dissipated and the constricting sense of urgency had faded.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hee! I just heard a strange sound!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's the sound of the wind."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kyaa! Something touched my arm!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's a leaf."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uuu~I'm scared~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… By the way, I've been feeling a sudden heaviness on my body since a while ago…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hiii! Ai, stop saying scary things like that!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It’s definitely because of you though, Miss Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai forcefully pried away Dee who was holding her tightly, and walked forward.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait for me, Ai, I don't know the way."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"? Didn't you just come here?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I was so scared I forgot about it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee put a fist at her head and stuck a tongue out. Ai thought of leaving Dee behind, but when she saw Dee's little "pyaah!" from the gust of wind that followed, she forgave Dee.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seriously…it’s surprising when you’re called 'Ghost'…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ugh, because …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Come on, this way. Let's go."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai dragged her by the hand while she was cuddled like a ball.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know your way around well, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so?".</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’ve been to Alice's grave a few times, haven’t you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"————"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai immediately stopped as though she tripped over, and continued on as if nothing had happened.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have a good memory after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The answer appeared to be directed at the question, but yet did not seem like one, </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">hmmm </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">and Dee let out a skeptical reply. Ai cautiously observed her tone, but could not discern anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, we're here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And then they arrived at the place they were looking for.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice Color.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The tombstone with the name engraved on it was inconspicuous, plain, silent, and covered with sand like many others.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Okay, let's do this."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Setting down the bucket, Dee started throwing brush and stuff into it. There were other things on the ground around her, including a scythe and some offertory flowers.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That's wrong?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There’s no rag."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I forgot. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee slapped her forehead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm~I think the buckets have a few of them…I’ll go get them!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, Miss Dee..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee ran off without waiting for the reply. The noblewoman and the boy followed her like a shadow.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Once the bunch of noisy ghosts left, the graveyard was left with a moment of silence. Ai heaved out a sigh of relief and was finally surrounded by a true sense of peace.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The wind blew and the leaves fell. The three months of winter spent in the sealed world had caused her to skip over the real summer, and the season was approaching autumn. The seasons of life, spring and summer had passed, and the graveyard seemed much more comfortable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was unlikely to come back for a while.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai approached Alice's grave, the pebbles crunching under her feet. The place had been swept clean, not a single leaf could be seen on it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai sat down hard like a corpse. As a corpse, her body immediately stopped moving. Her legs slowly stretched forward, her forehead bumped against the gravestone, and the body heat was comfortably drained away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Time, indeed, was ticking from autumn to winter.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And then Ai cried, her tears trickling like melting ice.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(You’ve been to Alice's grave a few times, haven’t you?)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Have you been to Alice's grave several times?)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The original answer to that question would have been ‘yes’, and Ai had come by here several times till date.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She would drop by here whenever she woke up in the middle of the night, or whenever she had some free time, crying at Alice's grave.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not cry at any other place, but for some reason, she was able to do so at this place.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai did not know why. She did not, but she just could not help but return to this place to cry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I can’t."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She covered her face with both hands..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I can’t…I’m not supposed…to cry anymore…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As if to seal the wound with her hand, Ai held her eyelids and tried to choke back the tears. She used to cry at any given instance, but she just could not keep crying all the time…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a horrible sight.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In a corner of the graveyard, a girl was crying alone. She was terrified of the tears spilling from her eyes, as if they were drops of blood.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I can’t let time heal me anymore!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At this moment, she did not believe that she actually dared to say such words. Even though she had said so, she would unwittingly cry every night and let the sadness heal her wounds.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uuu.....uuuuuu…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could reject happiness. She was immediately wary of the warmth provided by Alice and Scar.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But she could not do anything about the sadness and pain. Because it was a punishment, feeling them was proof of righteousness. It was proof that she would always remember her sins.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But it was different.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just as warmth and kindness could break a person's heart.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai learned that coldness and pain could heal a person’s hearts.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She had always earnestly faced the fact that she had accidentally caused Alice to be revived. But she, being tormented, was actually being healed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was in despair.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Neither warm nor cold would do. No matter which I chose, she would eventually be healed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Even if there was a difference between happiness and unhappiness, she would ultimately be forced to forget her dreams and sins.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a really terrifying fear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But...</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But even that fear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Eventually, it would heal.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uu, uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The tears show no signs of abating. Every single tear left Ai terrified, as though her pride took the form of something tangible, leaking out from within her body. Ai was truly terrified to the point where she used her palms to catch the tears and drink them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a really tragic scene.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span></p> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm back."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It all ended abruptly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The moment Dee returned back, Ai stopped crying as if it was the reason for the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She did not stop her tears on her own volition.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was just that even in this place, she could not cry when others were around.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She regained a little bit of hope that had returned to her. Yes, she just need not return anymore. Surely she would not cry anymore. And until she got her conclusion, she should keep her distance from Scar and Alice and the others.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Imagining the impossible, Ai felt a little more at ease.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, let's start."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee politely ignored Ai, who still had tear marks on her face, wet a rag and began to clean the grave.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll get it cleaned up for you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a brush and a rag, she carefully washed the tombstone, and the mossy tombstone was soon cleaned.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai sneaked away and watched from a nearby fence.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was grateful that Dee did not say anything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Sniff…Miss Dee…did you come to clean the grave?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, or rather, mourning. The whole thing, basically."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The only sounds heard were the bouncing brush and the running water.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But say, Ai, since you've been here so many times, you should have cleaned up."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Did you notice?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sorta, Dee replied. Even after reviving, she did not lose her temperament as the ‘Ghost’. In terms of the subtleties of conversation, Ai stood no chance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee…are you mad at me?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? Why?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Because I'm crying in a place like this. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahh, Dee looked off into the distance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not mad at you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re lying."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m not lying."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scrub, scrub, scrub.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It's just that you probably had the same goal as me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Eh? The moment she thought so,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee stood up quickly and began to put away her tools.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You're leaving?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yep. I need to rest after all. Ah, yes, Ai, this is for you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Dee muttered to herself, "Where did I put that?" Dee rummaged through the pockets of her clothes, pulled it out of her breast pocket and handed it to Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For a moment, Ai did not recognize what it was that had fallen into her hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a familiar silver button, stained with dirt.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is this…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a button from the Ostia Boys and Girls High School.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, it's Alice's button."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee…did you actually…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hand that held the button shook uncontrollably. The silver button, the moist black dirt, and an out-of-place shovel. The reality derived from the hypothesis surrounding these items shook her thoughts.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Did you dig up Mr. Alice’s grave?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee simply answered.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why did you…do such a thing …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because I wanted to be sure."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Su-sure of what?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That Alice is dead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was breathless. She just could not breathe.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I just wanted to make sure, you know? I wanted to make sure that the original Alice was dead. I wanted to know that though Alice is revived, what we did before this didn’t disappear at all. I feel that I can’t move forward until I get this clear, that it’s not right. My heart will continue to be trapped here otherwise. That’s why I dug his grave</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">……and found that Alice was dead."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I didn't mean for anyone to see it,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Dee said, sounding a little embarrassed. On a closer look, one could see that her eyes were slightly red.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But since it’s you, Ai…as a comrade, it’s fine for you to know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Comrade …?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, because Ai's a comrade."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you mean, I'm…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You came here and cried, just like me, to accept what you did, right?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">No.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was mistaken.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re really amazing after all, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Not."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? Did you say something? I can't hear you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……That’s not it, Miss Dee…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai hugged the silver button tightly and eked the words out.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You overestimated me…I didn't come here for any of that. I was just here to cry. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh, I see. Now I know why I can cry here. </span><b>It's because Mr. Alice here is dead.</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> I can still be immersed in my dreams here…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm not as active as you are, Miss Dee…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've been running away the entire time…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And at this point, that place of escape had been destroyed…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai assumed that Dee would be angry if she said such things. She felt that Dee would be completely livid and abandon her there and then.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Dee did not show any of those feelings and just patted Ai on the head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see, Ai, so you’re just running away?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I'm, sorry…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay, I'm the one who had selfish expectations. I'm sorry, too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was just so strong and kind.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay, isn't it? I mean, you don't have to get over it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Alice and Mr. Julie…said the same thing as well…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm, I guess so. I’ll say something else then—there’s nothing wrong with whether you buck or or not.."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Either way works?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, whether you run away or not, I'll respect that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Such, such a line was,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Since you have this chance, just run away all you want before you decide. It's okay. We'll buy you that much time."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With that, Dee hugged Ai's head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fufufu, it's nice to have a body after all. It's great to be able to touch. Good for me. It’s so great."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wa-wait Miss Dee…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Brood away all you want Ai, it's the fastest way to do things after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Dee took the button from Ai's hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll do the same. In future, I’ll do that for every step I take."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And so the story began with the light shining from the west.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Monday, God created the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Tuesday, God distinguished the order and chaos.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Wednesday, God honed the numerical values.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Thursday, God allowed the Time to flow.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Friday, God overlooked every corner of the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On Saturday, God rested.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And so, on Sunday, God abandoned the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But was that true? Was the world truly abandoned? Which was the correct answer.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The answer remained unknown.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And so the man appeared from the west.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Deeeeeee Eeeennnnnssssssyyyyyy!!! Ghhhoooossssstttttt!! Witch of the West!!!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The air was scorched, and the earth cracked.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've come for your head!"</span> <noinclude> {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;" |- | Back to [[Kami-sama_no_Inai_Nichiyoubi:Volume6_Novel_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]] | Return to [[Kami-sama_no_Inai_Nichiyoubi|Main Page]] | Forward to [[Kami-sama_no_Inai_Nichiyoubi:Volume6_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] |- |} </noinclude>
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