Mushi Uta:Volume 13 Chapter 2
2.00 OPS3 Part 5[edit]
Shiika’s nostrils were tickled by the nostalgic scent of a grassy-smelling tatami mat.
Among the tatami in the sitting room, one alone looked new based on its color. As the curious Shiika examined it, the tall old man lit his cigarette and spoke.
“That one’s had a hole in it. I replaced it the other day.”
“Grandpa, I told you not to smoke inside.”
A long-haired woman came into the room, holding a pot. The smell of the tatami was replaced by the scent of boiled vegetables and meat.
“Hotpot! Hotpot!”
A little girl, her hair bunched up in the shape of a dumpling, peeked into the pot placed on the table.
“Ah. Shiika-san, are you picky about food?”
While placing small dishes on the table after the earthen pot, the woman spoke. She was still young, but due to her frilly apron as well as her slightly wide physique, she had a strong motherly impression.
“N-no, it’s fine.”
“Good.”
The woman grinned at her.
The two-storied wooden building was worn out, with even the small scratches on the pillars covered in old dirt. As far as she saw there was no proper door and the entire house was divided by paper sliding doors. The stairs at the end of the corridor creaked loudly when the bun-haired girl came down.
“Thanks for the meal.”
The girl’s voice signaled the start of a lively mealtime.
“Teacher was angry today. Ken-kun was being mean to Ryou-chan, and then...”
“Oh, right, grandpa. Can you please pick up Meiko the day after tomorrow? I’ve had an urgent job come up.”
“Ah, well, alright. The factory’s gotten quiet anyway.”
Chicken hot pot, pickled vegetables, tsukudani, and other boiled or stewed food filled the table.
As Shiika hesitated where to start, the woman loaded Shiika’s plate with the chicken hot pot.
“If you don’t eat quickly it’s all going to be gone, you know?”
Being faced with this kind smile, Shiika was confused.
“T-thank you very much.”
“No need to hold yerself back. It’s all full of yesterday’s leftovers anyhow.”
“Grandpa!”
When the woman puffed her cheeks, the phone placed between the sitting room and the kitchen started ringing.
“Hello, thank you so much for always. …Eh? Hah, is that so? Until when—I see, I understand. Right, that’s fine. Thank you.”
Placing back the receiver, the woman came back to the table. She turned to the old man with a worried face.
“Preschool’s on break for a while, starting tomorrow. Because of what happened to Akamaki City.”
“A break? Yay, I don’t have school tomorrow!”
“Really, what are they on about! Just because our neighbor’s in a lot of trouble, doesn’t mean we need to panic as well.”
“What am I going to do about Meiko… should I take the day off as well?”
Her pensive face turning to surprise, the woman looked at Shiika.
“Ah, I apologize for discussing that in front of a guest.”
“N-no, that’s fine.”
The moment the name of Akamaki City came out, Shiika tensed as well.
However, even this restless atmosphere soon retrieved its former calmness. Following the woman and old man’s example as they nodded and smiled at the incoherent conversation made by the little girl called Meiko, Shiika found herself smiling as well.
The chicken hot pot was really delicious.
A normal meal with a normal family.
How many years had it been since she could participate in such a peaceful space?
If possible, she wanted to stay there just a little more.
Right, she could pretend she knew nothing until all battles ended—
“By the way, Shiika-san, are you fine being here right now?”
Shiika gulped at this sudden question.
“Err… w-what do you mean by that?”
“What do I mean—with how things are in Akamaki City, people around here are all restless. If you go out like this, won’t your parents worry?”
Shiika relaxed at seeing the woman’s worried face.
Being there right now—
Although the woman was clearly worried for her, to Shiika it sounded as though she was blaming her.
“I-it’s alright… I’ve, err, told them already.”
“Well, that’s fine then.”
Completely unlike the woman who now seemed relieved, Shiika’s heart was racing.
Was it fine for Shiika to be in such a peaceful household at such a time?
The answer—was no.
It was obviously a mistake. She obviously couldn’t waste the precious, limited time she had on relaxing like that.
Even so, Shiika found herself having a meal in this small house.
Why had it become like this?
The reason for it—obviously lay in Shiika herself.
2.01 OPS3 Part 6[edit]
Shiika raised a question.
“About Erii—what kind of a girl was she, I wonder…?”
No one answered her.
Her Mushibane comrades, the still-asleep Alpha, as well as Satou Youko and even Ayukawa Chiharu all stared at Shiika, speechless.
What are even talking about all of a sudden—
Everyone’s gazes seemed to be telling her so.
Shiika herself had not said this with any sort of deep meaning behind it.
If the relations between Mushibane and whoever it was that stood behind Lucifera and the rest turned hostile—
Shiika had to do something as Mushibane’s leader.
However, C had done something to Ebina Yuu, and she stared at Shiika. Wasn’t this at odds with C having supposedly lost her personality?
And so, after all these doubts and her sense of duty mingled together, she ended up muttering that unconsciously.
“By Erii—you mean C? Meaning, you want to know how she was before?”
Acting as the representative of everyone present there, Nanana asked.
“Does it have any relevance with what’s going on so far?”
“Ah, err, well… I mean…”
As Shiika mumbled this, Lucifera’s cellphone received another message.
“—I see now.”
She started speaking while looking at the screen.
“To find out what C did to Yuu-san and where she escaped to, perhaps investigating C’s roots would lead to some clue. And we know nothing about C in the first place.”
“Hasn’t C already lost her personality? Is there any need to know who she was?”
Aijisupa, the boy with the hairband spoke calmly, and Lucifera responded.
“C’s personality it gone. —This assertion came only from Miguruma Yaeko.”
“…!”
Shiika and others all widened their eyes. Lucifera continued.
“We should doubt all of Miguruma’s words. Had C truly lost her entire personality? If some of it still remains, then finding out about C herself could end up extremely vital for the upcoming fight. At the very least we must get Ebina Yuu back, otherwise the strategy to defeat Oogui is a no go. In the first place, Miguruma’s orders regarding the three operations are definitely odd, stop it you idiot, you don’t need to reveal every bit of my thought you’re receiving… ah.”
Lucifera hurriedly put a hand over her mouth. Apparently her mistress or whoever was checking on her even right now using some unknown method.
Nanana glared at Lucifera and at Satou Youko who was sitting on her suitcase.
“I can’t even begin to describe how suspicious this is… Shiika, are we seriously going to join forces with this lot?”
“Uh… but—”
Shiika mumbled again.
“…”
Chiharu kept staring at her, without blaming her or anything else.
She’d obviously be bothered by how Chiharu felt; this was the sister of Kakkou who was made Fallen by Shiika, after all. She had no idea how Chiharu thought of her.
“Y-Yuu’s eyes that I saw just now… it’s the first time I’ve seen her make a face like that, but—because it was the exact same as Erii when she chased me before…”
“Say something like that sooner!”
Being told that by Lucifera, Shiika shuddered.
“—Is what my mistress says.”
“Shut up! You don’t have the right to say that to us!”
Even as Nanana argued back, she turned back to Shiika.
“But that’s true, Shiika. Since you’re Mushibane’s leader, you can say whatever you think. Right?”
“Right, have some confidence, Fuyuhotaru. Everyone’s counting on you.”
The oldest among them, Namie, tried encouraging Shiika with a serious expression.
“…”
Seeing that Chiharu’s expression remained unchanged, she could do nothing but bite her lips.
“Yeah…”
“Should we really investigate about C just to look for Ebina Yuu?”
As Aijisupa asked her to confirm this, Shiika looked around her.
She knew at a glance that everyone was waiting for her decision.
“—Yes.”
Shiika nodded.
She could do nothing else.
Although her own statement wasn’t the cause for it, if she denied it here, it would cause unrest among the members of Mushibane. Shiika could understand that much.
And, wondering whether it was the right answer or not and looking at Chiharu’s face—
“…”
Seeing her completely unchanged, she once more felt unsure.
“Doesn’t SEPB have all information about C, though? We don’t even know her real name, what are we going to do?”
“C’s real name is Horiuchi Erii.”
Namie was the one who answered Nanana’s doubts.
“For a while, I’ve worked together with her while we were on the East Central Branch. —Well, even so, I know nothing but her real name and her hometown.”
“That’s quite enough. If we can limit it to the name and region, the Akasegawa Group can investigate it in an hour.”
While Mushibane’s admins started talking among themselves, Lucifera approached Chiharu.
Putting her face closer, it looked like she was whispering something to her, but Chiharu shook her head.
“—No.”
Despite Lucifera speaking silently, Chiharu answered calmly.
“Because I’m with her—with Shiika-chan.”
Shiika’s body immediately tensed all over.
Nanana glared at Lucifera and Chiharu.
“What are you whispering about? If you’re still scheming something—”
“I-it’s nothing at all. Please don’t mind it.”
“Ah, what shall I do. My legs are tired, I want to drink some tea.”
Sitting on her suitcase, Satou Youko quickly pretended this was someone else’s problem. Since she was neither a Mushitsuki nor related to one like Chiharu, it was weird she was there in the first place.
“You said you know C’s hometown, so where is it?”
Aijisupa asked.
“There’s no time. Let’s send someone there while waiting for the Akasegawa Group’s investigation.”
“C was born and became a Mushitsuki—in Kurobishi Town.”
Namie said.
“Transportation’s in a real bad shape now. No matter how much we hurry, it’d take more than two hours, most likely.”
A silence fell.
While they had less than 48 hours remaining, was there any worth in wasting that precious time?
She needed to demonstrate there was.
And since the silent Chiharu was staring daggers at her from behind—
“I will go.”
Shiika could only say this.
2.02 OPS3 Part 7[edit]
The town called Kurobishi was next to the large metropolis of Akamaki City.
It had no sea or mountains, only one large river passed through it, and there were no places for sightseers. However, it had the largest area and largest populace among Akamaki City’s satellite towns. It even had a station for the bullet train that connected all of the big cities, and from there it branched out into countless routes, both large and small, looking like veins.
Super Class Rank 1, C—real name, Horiuchi Erii. The house where this Mushitsuki girl was born was in the low-lying part of the city.
Around the small elevated train station there were izakayas, fast food places and all sorts of restaurants. Even going just 100 meters away you could find old-fashioned stores making tsukudani or senbei. Shiika had no idea whether the fact most of them had their shutters down was because of feeling anxious due to the situation at Akamaki City or if they were simply closed in the first place.
“This is where Erii was born…”
Getting off the limousine, Shiika scanned her surroundings.
There were few people walking in the street in front of the station. The white limousine stuck out like a sore thumb, so passersby glanced curiously at the boys and girls getting off.
“She really lived in a surprisingly low-brow place. I thought she was more of a city girl…”
The one saying that was C’s former colleague, Namie.
Shiika felt the same. Although she’d met her only for a short while, it was very different from the image she had from her beautiful face and decorative clothes.
Nanana spun her cane.
“This town only has C’s family home and her former elementary school. Our company’s investigators already monitored both of them, but they were unable to find C—or someone that looks like Ebina Yuu.”
“For now, let’s split and go there as well.”
Aijisupa spoke.
“Y-yeah.”
Shiika nodded and so she, Chiharu, Nanana and Lucifera were going to go to C’s family home.
Namie and the other admins were in charge of C’s elementary school. The remaining members would walk around and try looking for clues regarding C.
“I’m leaving Fuyuhotaru in your case, Aijisupa.”
Speaking to Aijisupa, Namie then took several people and left. Seeing her off, Shiika’s group also started moving.
“What a miserable place. We can’t even drive around properly!”
While walking through the narrow alleys, Nanana cussed while looking displeased. As they entered the part of city with clusters of residential districts, the long limousine couldn’t take turns anymore so they ended up needing to go by foot.
Aijisupa walked without any complaints, and Chiharu was as taciturn as always. Perhaps feeling guilty due to her betrayal of Mushibane, Lucifera also remained quiet and obedient.
“It’s such an elegant, nice place.”
Shiika finally found something to say, but Nanana just snorted.
“It’s musty and old. I really can’t believe that someone ruling over information and technology machinery came from here. At the very least I personally don’t like it. Jeez, did my heel just snap off? They should at least pave the roads.”
“There’s little less over 39 hours remaining.”
Aijisupa said without looking at a watch.
“If you’ve got any complains you shouldn’t force yourself to come. Matching our pace to you is a waste of time, too.”
Nanana’s brow twitched and she glared at Aijisupa.
“A-Aijisupa-san, you shouldn’t…”
“Right. I already told you about the place, so I’ll just wait in the car. Just tell me later if anything happened.”
“Eh, Nanana?”
“I got curious and came along, but my legs hurt. Goodbye, Shiika.”
Showing a forced smile, Nanana turned on her heels. Without Shiika having the time to stop her, she took the secretary along and they headed back where they came.
Shiika pulled on Aijisupa’s sleeves as he kept walking ahead without slowing down at all.
“Aijisupa-san, you shouldn’t have talked like that…”
“Time is precious. Akasegawa should be aware of that.”
“W-well, true, but still.”
Only Shiika protested against this; Chiharu looked completely apathetic, and Lucifera kept walking with her face down.
What Aijisupa said was true. Just like he said, Nanana should’ve been aware of that.
However—the atmosphere was bad.
The same happened while they were in the car on the way to Kurobishi Town.
Mushibane’s members and the traitor Lucifera, as well as Nanana who gave orders to her own employees through her cellphone—all of them were so tense there were sparks in the air. Because of the government’s traffic control and the congestion of cars escaping from the capital, they weren’t able to approach Kurobishi Town like they thought, so there was some dissatisfaction there as well—
But Shiika knew the real cause for it all.
“…But that’s certainly true. Let us go back to Nanana with good news as soon as possible.”
Shiika endeavored to smile brightly, pumping her small fists.
Aijisupa nodded, but Chiharu and Lucifera made no reaction whatsoever.
Ever since they left Akamaki, tension clung to them like some sticky substance.
Its cause was impatience—as well as anxiety.
Could they really trust Lucifera’s mistress or whoever she was?
Where did Ebina Yuu go to?
Was C, who was controlling Yuu, really in Kurobishi Town?
Could they actually defeat Oogui within the allotted time after losing their key person?
These thoughts were spreading to the entire Mushibane led by Shiika.
“Ah! It’s that house, isn’t it? That nameplate says ‘Horiuchi’ on it.”
Shiika pointed ahead to a two-storied house. The wooden house looked decrepit, and its edges were dirty with black soot. There were lines of plant pots behind the entrance gate.
“It’s fine we managed to come here and all, but what now? Should we look and see whether C—or rather Ebina Yuu is nearby?”
Lucifera asked.
“The Akasegawa Group’s probably doing that.”
“…”
Looking at the Horiuchi household from a distance, Lucifera, Aijisupa and Chiharu were silent.
Shiika made up her mind and spoke.
“Err, I’ll go speak directly with the people in the house.”
“Eh?”
Lucifera raised a voice of surprise.
“If we want to ask about Erii, going to her family is best. Right?”
“That might be true, but… alright, then I’ll come with you as well.”
“I’ll be fine on my own.”
Shiika endeavored to speak in a powerful tone of voice.
“If it’s just me alone I think they’ll be less cautious… and if I say I’m a past friend of Erii’s, they might believe me.”
“No, there’s no way we can let you go alone. It’s dangerous.”
“It looks like a normal house; there’s nothing dangerous.”
Lucifera’s cellphone rang. Glancing at the screen, she then spoke.
“I’m also against this. We came here on the premise that C might be there, so if we hypothesize that C really is present—”
“I’ll shout if anything happens. Leave it to me, please!”
She spoke cheerfully to not have them worry. Shiika glanced at Chiharu.
“…”
Chiharu simply stared at Shiika, offering neither assent or rejection. From her expression—Shiika couldn’t tell if her choice was right or not.
“Wait, Shiika.”
“Wa…wait a minute!”
“I’ll definitely bring back a clue!”
Shaking off the two trying to stop her, Shiika headed to the Horiuchi household’s front door.
Mushibane was very anxious right now—
And the cause for this was with Shiika.
As their leader, she had the duty to lead them.
Just like her past friend, Tachibana Rina.
Just like the SEPB member who functioned as a sort of leader and she met into Fallen, Kakkou.
They always took the initiative, stood right at the very front with their comrades and moved. Therefore, Shiika had to lead by example just like them.
“…”
Even so, she felt tense as she stood in front of the gate.
She was going to face C’s parents now. Meaning, it was the family of the mastermind who plunged the country into fear, as well as—
The real family of the Mushitsuki Shiika and the others had to defeat.
“It’s fine, I’m fine…”
Telling this to herself, she pressed the doorbell. It was just a button and there was no microphone connected to the inside, let alone a camera.
“Because I have to do something…”
The fate of Mushitsuki and by extension the country rested on her shoulders.
She didn’t have the time to hesitate or stop in place—
“Yes, coming.”
Opening the front door, a woman showed herself from inside the house.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her slightly pudgy build was covered by an old-fashioned apron. Perhaps she was in the middle of cooking, since Shiika could faintly smell fresh vegetables in the air.
Shiika had intended to introduce herself as calmly as possible to not arouse any suspicions in the other party.
However—
“—”
Seeing the woman’s overly plain appearance, she felt her throat get clogged.
Is this person—a relative of Erii’s? Her mother… no, probably her sister—she doesn’t really look like her—but she’s very, very plain—well, that’s a given since she’s not a Mushitsuki—
There was also the fact that Shiika had never been an extroverted person in the first place.
However, seeing this completely unguarded familial woman, she thought to herself.
Hmm? How long has it been—since I spoke to a completely normal person unrelated to Mushitsuki—
“Err… and who might you be?”
Just like she aimed for, the woman didn’t seem cautious of Shiika. However, seeing her sink into silence, she was puzzled.
“U-um—I’m, Erii…-san’s friend.”
Hearing that words that finally came out of her mouth, the woman’s expression froze.
“Erii’s…?”
“Ah, err, rather than a friend…”
She’d been acting suspiciously right from the get go, and Shiika’s face reddened now.
This was a blunder.
The woman would definitely be put off by her now.
So she thought, but as the nervous Shiika looked at her—
“I see, Erii’s…”
Her expression suddenly softened.
“So you came to light some incense for her?”
“—Eh?”
Shiika froze.
The woman turned to go back inside, leaving the door open.
“Thank you. You may come in.”
“Eh… incense…?”
Seeing the frozen Shiika, the woman smiled. She could even sense some relief from that expression.
“I’m so glad. Even that girl had an actual friend…”
“…”
“What’s wrong? Come on, come inside.”
Being urged inside, Shiika took off her shoes. She didn’t really understand the situation, but apparently C’s relative trusted Shiika.
Still, for her to be talking about incense—
“Right, if she’d still been alive, she’d be around your age.”
Looking at Shiika with a nostalgic expression, the woman narrowed her eyes.
“Were you Erii’s classmate?”
“Wha—”
Shiika startled and looked at her own body. Her hand unconsciously touched her own chest.
Shiika had a childlike face, she was short, and even her physique—no, but even so, Erii was three years her junior. Should she deny this? But it was convenient for the woman to have this misunderstanding—
Feeling conflicted, Shiika made her decision as Mushibane’s leader—
“…Yes…”
To smoothly advance their strategy.
2.03 OPS3 Part 8[edit]
The woman who welcomed Shiika introduced herself as Erii’s 8-years older sister, Yukari.
“I’m so happy. This is the first time one of her friends came here.”
Yukari said this with a smile.
As Shiika entered the living room, she saw a small girl sitting smugly in front of the tea table.
Her hair was gathered into a bun behind her head and she looked to be about preschool age. Her large eyes and puffy cheeks made her adorable. She looked up at the sudden visitor with eyes like saucers.
“T-thank you for having me.”
As Shiika bowed her head, the girl turned a puzzled face toward Yukari.
“Where are your manners? Meiko.”
“…Hello!”
As though this was conditioned reflex, Meiko gave her a cheerful greeting. However, she still looked puzzled.
“She says she’s a friend of your sister Erii. She’s, err…”
“Ah… I’m Shiika. Anmoto Shiika.”
“Big sis Shiika, then.”
Yukari told this to Meiko, but the girl just looked blankly.
Wearing a bitter smile, Shiika was led by Yukari to the adjoining room.
“She doesn’t remember Erii much. That’s to be expected though, considering she was only two years old when Erii was gone.”
The six-tatami room was probably used as a bedroom. In one corner there were an alarm clock and pocket-size paperbacks. There was also a large pile of folded laundry.
And in the very back of the room—was an altar.
“…Erii.”
Looking at the picture placed in the altar, Shiika felt pain in her chest for some reason.
That was without a doubt a picture of the girl who’d once introduced herself as Erii. She was slightly thinner than when Shiika met her, her hair was loose, and her face—was completely expressionless without a smile.
“Still, what made you come here after all this time? I’m glad for it, but I was really surprised.”
Yukari opened the altar’s drawer and brought out some incense, handing it to Shiika.
“E-err, about that, I, well…”
“Heeey, I’m back.”
“Ah, welcome back. —Grandpa’s home. Sorry, can you wait a little? Oh right, will you stay for dinner since you’re here? It’s still early, but we eat early here.”
Yukari eagerly left the room. The scent of ingredients staining her aprons wafted in the air as she left.
Hesitating on what to do, Shiika turned back to the altar and lit the incense.
“…”
As she offered the incense, its distinctive scent made the deceased portrait feel all the more real.
A picture of the deceased. A fragrance to send to the dead.
There was no doubt that Horiuchi Erii existed here as someone who was dead.
Shiika did have some questions about how Erii’s family was treating her since she belonged to the SEPB as a Mushitsuki. —But she never even considered the possibility she’d be considered dead.
Was this arranged by the SEPB or by Erii’s own decision? She didn’t know.
Did Erii find this fine? She was still alive—although she was a Mushitsuki, she kept living and fighting. Even so, her family thought she was dead.
This—definitely disgusted Shiika.
By offering the incense before this Buddhist altar, she felt like she was complicit to this disgust and even felt guilty of it.
“Hmm?”
As she felt a gaze and turned around, she saw Meiko half-peeking from the sliding door.
Was Erii’s friend something so rare? Meiko’s eyes were full of curiosity. Unable to tell how she should react, Shiika opened her mouth wondering if she should call out to her, but since she didn’t know what to say, she just remained silent.
Meiko kept glaring at the confused Shiika.
As a result of feeling so flustered, Shiika just lightly waved at her.
Meiko tilted her head. But she soon waved her small hand back.
“Ehe.”
As the happy Shiika smiled at her, Meiko also grinned back.
Seeing the bun-haired girl’s adorable smile, Shiika felt some of the tension leave her.
This household knew nothing about Erii as “C”—
Being touched by their overly peaceful atmosphere, Shiika realized this fact.
“Here you go, Shiika-san. You can come watch TV until dinner’s ready.”
Yukari came back. She brought out a flat cushion from within the sliding screen and took it to the living room.
“C’mon, Meiko. Clean up.”
“I’ll help.”
As Shiika said this, Meiko uttered a “yeah,” looking bashful.
Returning to the living room, she saw an elderly man taking off his work clothes. He had a striking appearance, with the slim body clad in a tank top and slanted eyes that would probably look scary if he was angry.
“Hey, grandpa, don’t strip here. —Shiika-san, this is our grandfather. Mom’s currently at work.”
“H-hello. Nice to meet you.”
“Erii’s friend, eh? Hmm.”
He directed very suspicious eyes toward her.
So it was unnatural after all? Shiika reflexively averted her eyes.
“Well, feel like home.”
Saying this, the old man vanished into the corridor. Yukari wore a bitter smile.
“Sorry, he’s not very sociable, but don’t mind him.”
“T-that’s fine.”
As Shiika felt her heart beating heart over the prospect of getting busted, she felt something flat slapping onto her hand.
It was a sticker.
She could see bun-haired Meiko was smiling bashfully at her.
Perhaps this was her own way of getting along with the friend of a sister she barely knew.
“Thanks.”
Shiika returned a smile and looked at the sticker.
It was a glossy, pink heart.
—And thus.
Shiika ended up eating an early dinner with a family she met for the first time.
“Won’t your parents worry if you’re out this late?”
“I-it’s alright… I’ve, err, told them already.”
“Well, that’s fine then.”
Seeing Yukari’s smile, she couldn’t really relax; perhaps because she was lying to this family. Or perhaps because she got too used to the world of Mushitsuki.
No—
Shiika came there because she had a certain resolve.
“Thanks for the meal.”
The completely normal meal advanced and the grandfather piled up the empty bowls.
Yukari was facing an immense challenge as she tried getting young Meiko to eat her vegetables.
From what Shiika understood from the mealtime conversations, the mother worked at nights. Yukari worked in any part-time job she could. The grandfather managed the neighborhood factory.
While obtaining all this vague information, the discomfort within Shiika swelled further and further.
Shiika was present there as the friend of the late middle sibling.
Even so—the topic of Erii didn’t rise even once.
“Thank you for the food. E-err… it was good. Very much.”
“I’m glad.”
Shiika put her chopsticks aside and Yukari smiled. The older woman looked at her sister.
“This one’s a goner. She’s already half-asleep.”
Meiko, with rice grains on the sides of her mouth, was already nodding off.
“Clean up and go to sleep already.”
“I haven’t finished already. Wait a little.”
“Ah… I will help once you’re done. Err, washing the dishes and all that.”
“No, it’s fine, it’s fine. You’re our guest, take it easy.”
Shiika and the grandfather finished eating and Yukari kept eating side dishes alone.
Once Meiko fell asleep, silence befell the dining table.
“E-err…”
Shiika couldn’t bear staying there any longer, so she decided to break the ice.
Grandfather and Yukari looked at Shiika.
“I-I’m sorry for not telling you the truth. I’m actually not Erii’s classmate…”
“Oh my, really? I apologize to you, then, for jumping to the wrong conclusion.”
“What are you to Erii, then?”
She hesitated on how to answer the old man as she saw his creased brow.
“I spoke a little with Erii once, so I’m definitely not her friend or anything—”
Once, while Shiika was on the run from the SEPB, that girl appeared.
At first, she helped Shiika’s escape.
However, her true form was an assassin who meant to eliminate Shiika.
—If only you weren’t there…!
Saying this, the girl known by the alias C glared at Shiika.
She was her ally and enemy. Their only common point was perhaps the fact that they were both Mushitsuki.
No, that was wrong. There was another common point.
Kakkou.
Shiika came to know later that this girl admired Kakkou.
Shiika also selfishly regarded him as a friend.
Therefore, since she and Erii had common friends—
“…I wanted to become friends with her.”
Those was her true feelings.
Erii seemed to hate Shiika, but Shiika did not hate her. She felt no grudge toward being targeted like this—perhaps because it happened too much before.
—Only I know him…!
That was why she wanted to speak with Erii, who knew Kakkou well.
Kakkou, the boy who held the same dream.
Kakkou would definitely never talk about himself—
“Because Erii was very similar to me.”
There was no mistake that there were much more differences than similarities between the two—but she felt that the fact that both were Mushitsuki and that they had Kakkou as a common friend was the most important of all.
Yukari and her grandfather listened to Shiika quietly.
She hoped that this pair would forgive her for looking at them with eyes that were just the slightest bit reproaching.
“So when I found out what happened to Erii… I became very sad.”
Yukari and her grandfather looked shocked.
“So you didn’t know… Erii has died.”
“Eh, no way.”
“…”
Shiika bit her lips and lowered her gaze.
She knew this. No one in this household did anything bad.
Although she knew this—she thought it was too cruel for them to think Erii was dead when she was still alive.
To be honest, Shiika didn’t want to blame just this family.
There was also Miguruma Yaeko. As well as—all people connected to this fight.
Being told that Erii lost her personality, she just accepted this. It might be true, but if Shiika had to say—
Why didn’t they think that Erii was still alive?
Because they didn’t want to hold onto this lone ray of hope?
Because a Mushitsuki could vanish so easily?
If Shiika was in Erii’s position—she wouldn’t give up.
Thinking about her vanishing from this world without telling anyone, without leaving anything behind, was too sad to bear.
“Erii… what kind of a girl was she?”
Shiika raised her face and inquired Erii’s family.
They said she was dead, but she didn’t ask about the cause of death. The SEPB had many possible ways to fake this, and if her family really thought she was dead due to some easy trick—she might look at these sinless people with blaming eyes again.
“…”
Shiika didn’t miss the fact both Yukari and her grandfather’s expressions froze.
“Erii…”
“Right…”
Seeing the both of them exchange glances while looking troubled, Shiika furrowed her brows.
Why would anyone make that face when asked about their family?
It was the kind of face normal people would make upon seeing something bizarre.
Right, just like—someone seeing a Mushitsuki.
Shiika recalled the faces of her own family when they saw she was a Mushitsuki.
Unable to understand why they’d make this face while recalling Erii, Shiika was stunned.
“She was a smart kid, I guess.”
“Right, she was very smart.”
She knew they carefully chose their words.
“Something happened at the local elementary school, so we sent her to some good private one… but there was even some talk about her skipping grades.”
“Right. We weren’t able to understand anything about her…”
Shiika realized from their behavior.
Even before becoming a Mushitsuki, Erii was already something like a Mushitsuki.
Meaning, ever since she was born in this town—she understood herself to be “abnormal”.
“I really feel like she was born in the wrong place.”
“And what did you know of her, Shiika-san?”
Being asked this herself, Shiika ended up unconsciously clenching the fists on her lap.
“Erii—”
When she became a Mushitsuki, perhaps she finally was reborn into the place fitting for her.
By mixing with the abnormal beings called Mushitsuki, she might have been able to escape the world where only she was abnormal—
“She helped me… and she also yelled at me…”
“Yelled? Did she, really?”
Her grandfather was surprised.
“Also—I believe she fell in love.”
“Eh…?”
Yukari was speechless.
Was it so unexpected for someone to help people, get angry and fall in love?
“Um, I’m sorry. I should be going.”
She was at her limit of holding back her emotions. Shiika stood up.
“Is something the matter?”
Ignoring the surprised grandfather, Shiika headed to the door. Yukari hurried after her.
“I-I feel like I should apologize. Have I said anything that angered you?”
“No, nothing like that. I just remembered I have something to do.”
She couldn’t even look her in the eyes. The moment she slipped on her shoes and was about to exit, Yukari spoke.
“Ah, maybe—you’ve got the wrong person? It didn’t sound like Erii after all…”
Shiika’s legs stopped on the cusp of exiting.
She bit her lips.
Erii was still alive and fought as a Mushitsuki all this time—and it might be Shiika and the others who would actually rob her life.
Right, she felt like spilling everything—
“—No, it wasn’t a mistake at all.”
After asserting this, Shiika now truly exited the Horiuchi household.
As she tried exiting the premises, she saw Aijisupa and the rest waiting for her from afar.
“…”
She turned back to the door. Yukari was still looking at her.
Shiika exited the area of the house—or she pretended to, but she actually went around the wall. Walking against it, she went all the way to the rear entrance.
Aijisupa and the rest were probably shocked at this unexpected action of hers.
And they definitely lost sight of her.
As she went to the empty back of the house, she glanced around her. It looked like she could jump onto the first-floor roof if she climbed the small storage shed.
She wasn’t athletic in the least, but by using a bundle of magazines as a foothold, she managed to climb on the storage shed. She then made a dangerous leap from there to the roof, and used the veranda’s fence to climb all the way to the second-story roof.
Violent passions swirling within her got her to take a bold action.
“One, two… up I go…!”
She managed to climb to the second-story roof so that Aijisupa’s group couldn’t see her.
She was out of breath.
People from the surrounding buildings and apartments could probably see Shiika. However, her Mushibane friends on the surface shouldn’t be able to tell where she went to.
Shiika was alone on the roof of the Horiuchi household.
Gathering her breath, she sat while hugging both knees.
“These people have done nothing wrong.”
There was no clue regarding Erii in that house.
“But—I can’t forgive them.”
A small light was formed above Shiika’s head.
“Erii’s still alive and well…”
Shiika’s Mushi—a glowing firefly—appeared and its glow gradually strengthened.
Erii’s family did nothing wrong.
They simply didn’t know.
Even so—she wanted her own family to know.
“If this was Kakkou-kun, who’s always called a demon… he’d definitely do this.”
This could be said to be just Shiika being selfish.
It might be an unjustified grudge created by seeing herself in Erii.
She actually intended to do this all along.
Ever since she saw Erii’s picture in the altar.
As the firefly overhead was about to spread its wings—
It stopped its movements.
“—”
Shiika felt a presence from behind.
It was certainly not Aijisupa and the others. Because she climbed up here to lose them.
“—Nanana had called this a bet, but this wasn’t my intention.”
Shiika mumbled without moving a muscle.
“The hometown has nothing to do with it. Because I thought you’d be watching me no matter where I went.”
She slowly turned around.
“That’s why the real meaning was in me specifically coming to Erii’s hometown.”
A girl stood behind Shiika.
Her appearance was familiar, but she was slightly changed from when she last saw her. She wore no glasses and her plain t-shirt was replaced with a fashionable dress. Her hairstyle changed as well, and beneath her sharp eyes on her right cheek was a heart sticker, with yet another sticker on the left side of her neck.
“If something of your personality still remained—it didn’t matter if someone like me was near your family or not.”
Standing up, Shiika faced that person.
“Erii.”
The girl with a heart symbol standing in front of her eyes.
That person had clearly changed from the appearance of her original body.
“Give Yuu-chan back.”
She returned Shiika’s gaze with a gaze that was twice as—no, dozens of times fuller of hatred.
Ebina Yuu—no, Horiuchi Erii stared at Shiika.
2.04 OPS3 Part 9[edit]
Kakkou was a Mushitsuki who held the same dream as Shiika.
He was the strongest in the SEPB, a Rank 1, and was feared as a demon. Shiika didn’t think he was a bad person, but since he was at times heartless, he would definitely do this.
All in order to accomplish his goal as the strongest Mushitsuki leading the SEPB.
No matter who begrudged him, who hated him, he would wield his power and fear to advance.
As a surviving Rank 1—should Shiika choose the same path as Kakkou?
“…”
Having appeared on the Horiuchi household roof, Yuu was glaring at Shiika with an expression of rage.
Shiika stood up and faced Yuu. Being faced with this exposed hatred, she felt sweat form on her brow.
“You’re not Yuu-chan… you’re Erii, right?”
The dress-wearing girl offered no answer to Shiika’s question.
“Why are you staying silent?”
Perhaps feeling Shiika’s anxiety, the firefly overhead increased its glow.
“…!”
The thing in Yuu’s shape grimaced.
She probably thought Shiika was about to harm the Horiuchi family. Shiika felt her heart throb at this fleeting sight of Yuu’s dismay.
Without any doubt, Shiika was threatening her.
She had supposedly resolved herself for this, but her chest was being constricted by guilt and self-hatred.
If this was Kakkou—he wouldn’t show any weakness here. Rather, he would destroy the entire building to agitate his opponent.
“Answer me. Erii.”
Shiika bit her lips, but she was unable to take any further action. Even now that she took those who treated her so kindly as hostages, she was crushed by extreme regret.
Herself and Kakkou.
Both Rank 1 Mushitsuki with the same dream.
Even so, she was unable to take the same action as Kakkou despite being a step away.
Was it because Shiika lacked resolve?
“Move away from C, Shiika.”
Suddenly a voice called at her from the side.
Having arrived at the roof at some point, Aijisupa stood in one corner. The hairband boy held his arm away a moment from snapping his fingers toward C.
“She really did appear… so Fuyuhotaru’s intuition was right.”
On the other side of the roof was Namie, her long hair fanned by the wind.
“It doesn’t seem like it was intuition, though.”
At yet another corner of the roof also stood Lucifera, who was glaring at her cellphone screen.
Something that looked like smoke gathered next to Lucifera and a petite girl appeared. —She was their comrade who had a teleportation ability. She’d apparently brought all of them to the rooftop.
“Fuyuhotaru-san had apparently meant to use these people as hostages to bring out C all along—wait, really? Fuyuhotaru-san did that?”
“What?”
“No way… Are you being serious, Fuyuhotaru?”
Aijisupa and Namie startled and looked at Shiika.
There was the sound of the roof creaking from further behind.
Coming up to the ceiling from the same direction Shiika came—was Kakkou’s older sister, Ayukawa Chiharu.
The girl called Satou Youko was also there.
“—I-I mean.”
She averted her eyes to escape Chiharu’s gaze and looked back at Shiika.
“I had no other choice… there was no time and we must have Yuu-chan back.”
Biting her lips, Shiika clenched her fists.
“Because we must have our strategy work—”
She heard a giggle from behind.
Shiika’s heart leapt.
Chiharu was finally about to curse her—
She thought this and was assaulted by unimaginable fear, but she was wrong.
“You’re just like—that person called Kakkou, are you not?”
The one who laughed was Satou Youko, who was standing next to Chiharu.
“I do think Kakkou wouldn’t use any excuse, though.”
“…!”
She felt her own face warming up.
No matter how much she tried imitating Kakkou, in the end it was only an imitation.
Shiika didn’t have the kind of strength Kakkou possessed—
“I do think you have it in you, though? I mean, I believe that she would’ve have appeared here so easily if you hadn’t made a performance like you really were going to kill her family.”
“…”
“Or did you actually seriously consider doing that for a moment?”
Shiika’s heart once more throbbed and jumped.
“If that’s true, you might be hiding even worse cruelty than Kakkou’s. Looks like you’re back to your senses for now, but it might be that this very fact—that very strength that allows you to mercilessly erase other people with any ‘excuse’—is the reason for you being a Rank 1, Shiika-chan…”
Just like a grim reaper’s scythe.
The blade of those cold words carefully stroked Shiika’s neck from behind.
However, since Shiika feared seeing what expression Chiharu was making, she couldn’t look around—
“Shut up.”
Aijisupa turned his arm toward Satou Youko.
“She’s right. You’ve managed to summon C like that.”
“…He’s right. Outsiders should shut up.”
Namie also glared at Youko.
“Ah, I-I’m sorry. I’ve said too much. I’ll shut up now, alright?”
She spoke in a completely different tone, then added something else.
“But one final thing. —Is this girl really C?”
Hearing those words, everyone focused their gazes on Yuu.
Yuu had not spoken a single word. Even while they were all talking among themselves, she simply kept glaring at Shiika, unmoving.
“You are Erii… right?”
Shiika asked again.
She had no idea what Erii was thinking, to control Yuu’s body like this. However, she kept glaring at Shiika, she had the heart symbol that fit her tastes, and above all else, she appeared to protect the Horiuchi family home—her own birthplace.
However, Shiika didn’t understand why the girl kept silent.
She didn’t even shower Shiika with curses after seeing her attempt to do something so horrible—
“…”
Yuu suddenly averted her gaze.
While being dyed by the setting sun, her profile was directed toward the western sky.
Judging from her severe expression, did she find even the mere act of speaking with Shiika disgusting?
“Doesn’t look she wants to talk. —We stand out too much here. Should we neutralize her and take her with us?”
White steam began rising from Aijisupa’s extended fingertips.
A heavy sense of tension drifted on the rooftop.
“…There is no need for that. I don’t know who she is, but she seems to understand the meaning behind our words and action. It should end with a single sentence from Snow-san.”
For some reason, Lucifera spoke with discontent while looking at her cellphone.
“’Come with us. If you refuse—I’ll kill the people in this house’ is all she needs to say.”
“…!”
Everyone gulped.
And—their gazes focused on Shiika.
“—”
There was no way she could say that—
When Shiika noticed Yuu looking at her with even more hatred in her eyes even as Shiika hesitated, she understood.
Shiika couldn’t allow herself to be swept away by her emotions right now.
“…Please do as we say.”
Biting her lips, she spoke in a low voice at Yuu.
Perhaps actually feeling Shiika being more earnest as she wrung out these words—the girl that looked like Yuu grinded her teeth so hard that even Shiika could hear it.
The girl let both arms fall to the sides. She was apparently showing that she wasn’t going to resist them.
“Wow, scary.”
Satou Youko’s mumble tore deep gashes into Shiika’s back.
“Alright… let’s move.”
Aijisupa cautiously approached Yuu and restrained her arms.
By managing to secure Ebina Yuu for now, the tension resolved. Aijisupa and Namie took Yuu and jumped off the roof. Lucifera also followed them.
As Shiika looked for a place she could get off the roof from—
“They say that you once turned most of the SEPB Mushitsuki into Fallen, right?”
Someone whispered in her ear.
“…!”
Having approached her at some point, Satou Youko now sat right behind her.
“What sort of an ‘excuse’ did you have back then?”
Several years ago, when Shiika was still an elementary schooler.
Shiika became a Mushitsuki and, as a result of her rampage, had annihilated the Mushitsuki from the SEPB.
Back then—
Shiika had been unable to restrain her Mushi.
She did nothing and it was the SEPB that came to attack.
She had this excuse.
“You actually haven’t thought of anything, right?”
As Youko grinned at her, over her shoulder—
Chiharu’s face was glaring at Shiika.
“As expected from a Rank 1—You’re all monsters, aren’t you?”
No.
I’m not a monster—
Before she could deny this, the teleportation girl cut between Shiika and Satou Youko.
Being glared by the girl, Satou Youko retreated with a smile.
“Ah, so scary. So truly scary.”
“…”
Shiika bit her lips and spoke toward the girl who was going to move her down.
“…I can get down by myself, that’s fine. You can go ahead first.”
The teleport girl made a worried expression, but nodded and became smoke. The puff of smoke moved from the roof to the surface.
Shiika, who remained alone on top the Horiuchi household roof, mumbled to no one in particular.
“—I actually thought that even if I didn’t come… Erii would come here.”
Just like she aimed for, Erii arrived at this region.
However, the reason for it wasn’t because Shiika made her family hostages.
Because she had a certain wish.
“Because if she really is going to vanish, she wanted to at least have her farewell before that…”
If Shiika had spoken of this reason, would her comrades have come all the way there?
They would probably refuse.
Since they had no time, this sort of naïve sentimentality wouldn’t pass.
“Because I was the same…”
Since she was a Mushitsuki as well—
These words shouldn’t be spoken by Mushibane’s leader.
Leaving these words behind in her heart, Shiika climbed down the roof.
2.05 OPS3 Part 10[edit]
“Let us assume that this girl really has, just like Snow-san says, C’s—Erii’s personality.”
Inside the limousine on the way back to Akamaki City, everyone focused their gazes on a single person.
Appearance-wise, she was Ebina Yuu.
However, the eyes that glared at Shiika were both like and unlike Yuu’s. Her expression definitely belonged to someone else—they were exactly the same as the Mushitsuki called Erii.
“We have new doubts in that case, then. You supposedly split off your personality to protect it from destruction before getting swallowed by the power of the Original Three, right? —This alone sounds unbelievable, but in that case, why were you near Alpha?”
While looking at her cellphone, Lucifera spoke.
They put Erii in the center seat inside the limousine, and Shiika faced right directly from her. On both sides of Shiika were Akasegawa Nanana and Lucifera, while Erii was being sandwiched by Aijisupa and Namie.
There were no restraints. It was because Shiika asked this, saying that it wasn’t necessary.
In one corner of the wide limousine was also the combatant called Kabuto, clad in black goggles. He’d met up with them in Kurobishi Town to inform them of the progress of Operations 1 and 2.
The progress of the two other Operations—was unsatisfactory.
“Regardless of the fact that Alpha’s hiding place was exposed, you have done nothing to Alpha himself… meaning, her aim is not Alpha. She hid near Alpha, and, immediately upon getting in contact with us, stole Ebina Yuu’s body for some reason. What’s her goal?”
The reason Erii appeared next to Alpha.
Shiika had a rough idea of this truth. She glanced back at Erii’s eyes and bit her lips.
“Erii… is bearing a grudge against me.”
“Meaning she targeted you?”
Asked this by Nanana, Shiika nodded.
“Why—”
The next question rose from the seat at the very back of the limousine.
From Ayukawa Chiharu.
“Why does she hate Shiika-chan?”
Shiika felt her shoulders stiffen. She couldn’t get herself to look at Chiharu.
She didn’t know the reason C hated her for sure—
But she couldn’t answer Chiharu, who clearly hated her as well.
“—For Kakkou, Fuyuhotaru’s existence is nothing but a curse.”
Shiika startled at these sudden words.
The one who answered this was Namie. Smoothing up her hair, she looked at Erii with a side-glance.
“She had this childish thought.”
“…A curse?”
As this word came out of Chiharu’s mouth, it felt a hundred times heavier.
Kabuto, who until now remained silent with his arms crossed, opened his mouth.
“C’s a Mushitsuki that was caught by Sleeping Beauty and Kakkou together. Even after she joined the SEPB I heard that she did well at Central Headquarters, but—everything changed after the night of the meteor shower. Sleeping Beauty fell asleep and Kakkou came back to the East Central Branch… and C was dispatched to the East Central Branch again. This was just to demonstrate her strength and she was soon pulled back to Central Headquarters, though.”
“For C, Kakkou was special and she was convinced that he alone succeeded Sleeping Beauty’s dream after she retired from the battle between Mushitsuki.”
Kabuto was a current member of the SEPB’s East Central Branch, and Namie was an ex-member of that same branch. C was a former colleague to both.
Chiharu asked expressionlessly and with a calm tone.
“Sleeping Beauty’s… dream?”
“To end all fights and save Mushitsuki.”
Nanana, who knew Sleeping Beauty well, spoke. Chiharu frowned.
“My brother—Kakkou succeeded that dream and was trying to save Mushitsuki, then?”
“It’s just a childish wish. Kakkou only ever thought about surviving. According to Branch Head Haji—the Branch Head at the time, it was apparently because he made a promise with Fuyuhotaru.”
Hearing Namie’s words, the memories of young Shiika rose to her mind.
—So you can’t give up your dream as well.
Shiika made this promise with the boy who was about to turn her to Fallen.
“Even after Kakkou came back from Central Headquarters, he never spoke about Sleeping Beauty even once.”
Kabuto said.
“That fact urged C even more. Although there was no way he’d forget Sleeping Beauty who was so close to him, he seemed to be bound by his promise with Fuyuhotaru…”
“And then—the very person who cast this curse, Shiika, had been revived from the Fallen state.”
Understanding the situation, Aijisupa muttered this and looked at Shiika.
Namie nodded.
“One thing for certain, C’s heart was not calm at all.”
“…”
Finally realizing the reason behind C’s hatred, Shiika felt her chest constricted.
That day, Shiika made a small promise and parted with that boy—with Kakkou.
After this, his existence grew much larger than Shiika had imagined. While she spent her time as a Fallen he fought to the death, met many people, parted from them, and shouldered many feelings.
The more he fought and survived, the more people were born to support that strength.
As he got hurt and managed to survive, he looked ahead, finding hope for Mushitsuki.
However, something stood in that hope’s way—
The small promise he made with Shiika.
“My brother… how was he, actually?”
Chiharu asked Namie and Kabuto.
“Shiika-chan and Sleeping Beauty… who did he think of as he fought?”
The two Mushitsuki exchanged glances.
“I do not know… that man never opened his heart to anyone.”
“And the lone person he trusted, Branch Head Haji—cannot currently speak.”
“He would probably say he was a lot of trouble.”
Nanana jeered.
“They simply imposed their selfishness of him. Sleeping Beauty or C, all Mushitsuki are the same. I don’t even want to imagine how much weight he was carrying on his shoulders.”
While lightly striking her own shoulder with her cane, she shot Chiharu a side glance.
“And now you’re trying to force that very same weight on Shiika this time, aren’t you?”
Chiharu was silent. She didn’t even turn to look at Nanana’s glare.
Shiika couldn’t say anything.
“…”
It was useless.
Kakkou kept his promise to Shiika.
She couldn’t pretend she didn’t see the path he’d taken this far—and the burden he was carrying.
Not just Kakkou.
—It’s like my dream.
The one who said this was also a Rank 1, Shiika’s very first friend.
Tachibana Rina’s feelings also bore on Shiika—
“—Erii. Please answer just one question.”
She felt about to be crushed, but Shiika looked right into Erii’s eyes.
“Is Yuu-chan safe? Is she fine despite her current state?”
Shiika had to confirm this most and foremost, even before inquiring about Erii’s goal.
Back when Erii appeared as an assassin to intercept Shiika, Ebina Yuu was there with her as well. It wouldn’t be odd for Erii to regard Yuu as an enemy as well.
“…”
Erii neither confirmed nor denied. She just averted her face, wordless. Her gaze looking to the distance could only capture the limousine’s white ceiling.
“Let me state this clearly.”
It came from Lucifera. She was receiving mails from time to time.
“The possibility of Erii’s aim being Snow-san—is low.”
“…Eh?”
Shiika looked at Lucifera’s face without thinking.
Unusually, Aijisupa’s expression also changed. He furrowed his brows, looking puzzled.
“What d’you mean?”
“The fact that Erii bears a grudge against Snow-san is the truth—even now she’s glaring at her with murder in her eyes, but still. But her actions aren’t logical. After appearing in front of the hated Snow-san, she ran off—and even after being dragged to Kurobishi Town, she made no attempt of anything against Snow-san. That’s odd.”
Nanana argued against Lucifera’s words.
“Then that’s even stranger. Among all those there, the most important ones would be just about Shiika and Alpha, right? Even so, Erii didn’t do anything to either of them.”
“No, there’s another important thing.”
Lucifera removed her gaze from her phone and looked toward the end of the limousine.
The girl being stared at grimaced. She gripped the necklace hanging from her neck.
She was Ayukawa Chiharu.
“Sanbikime.”
Shiika widened her eyes.
Mushibane’s members and even Kabuto all looked at Chiharu, astonished.
Lucifera returned looking to her cellphone and spoke.
“Chiharu-san… you’ve been hiding it, but you’ve been acting strange for a while now. What’s the matter?”
“Sorry, Lucy-chan—for staying silent until now.”
Chiharu raised her face and spoke.
“For a while now… Aria’s scent has been getting stronger from somewhere far.”
“…!”
Lucifera’s face froze.
Everyone who was unable to take in the situation could do nothing but pass their faces from Chiharu to Lucifera.
“What do you mean? Sanbikime? Aria? Explain already!”
Even hounded by Nanana, Lucifera did not remove her eyes from her cellphone.
“This is bad. It’s a really bad situation. If it’s become like this, it’s too much for us to handle. We need Snow-san and the others to help too—”
“Would you mind explaining already!”
“We need your help. Before Sanbikime births a new Mushitsuki—or perhaps, before C appears there—”
Lucifera looked at Shiika.
“Please help us retrieve Sanbikime—Aria Varei.”
Notes[edit]
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