Editing Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 26 (section)

==Chapter 26: Various Mothers==
[[File:Horizon10B_p0057.jpg|thumb]]
''I don’t

''Want to accept it

''But I am willing to

'''Point Allocation (I Will Get Mad About It Once)

●

…''Oh, really. A cause for celebration?

''This really isn’t the time or the place for that,'' thought Asama while also feeling a sense of peace. Horizon, with her arms reattached, gave a nod and spoke.

“It would seem Toori-sama and I judged correctly when we welcomed you.”

“Judge. That’s right. And I know we’d all look after any child born between us, no matter whose it was.”

“Judge,” agreed Horizon before looking to Asama and raising her right hand. “To be honest, since it was acceptable for me, I was already thinking it would be acceptable for you as well. Instead of making a big deal about inheritance and heirs, I thought it would be best to just relax and enjoy our lives together.”

But…

“I think it is important to know that, even in the age of the Apocalypse, we were still happy enough to have children who would carry on after us.”

Asama wanted to bow down and worship her on the inside, but she was relieved in a number of ways. And Horizon…

“Although knowing how secretly carnivorous you can be, Asama-sama, I can easily imagine you were ‘relaxing and enjoying your life’ in a different way from someone as easygoing as me.”

“W-we still don’t know anything for certain! And that includes how things were for you!”

“True,” agreed Horizon, crossing her arms. “Now, I just hope we can raise them properly in the future.”

“Heh heh. Horizon, are you already certain you will be having kids in the future?”

“Well, I mean, it seems obvious given…”

Horizon looked to Asama. ''What is this about?'' wondered Asama.

“Barring some kind of accident, I just can’t imagine Asama-sama cutting in line after we decided on an order.”

That did far more damage because she actually agreed with it.

●

''Wait…could I cut?'' wondered Asama, but when she thought about it, she realized she could make replacements to the order, which would let her control it if she wanted to.

Still, if there wasn’t any kind of accident, it did seem like it would end up just as Horizon had said. But…

“Hmm… But that could be difficult if it went against someone’s will, like they were being forced into it or felt obligated…”

“Heh heh. Don’t worry so much.” Kimi laughed and slapped Asama and Horizon on the shoulder. “This just means a time came when you were willing to take that step. Maybe for a while you didn’t think your relationship had reached that point, didn’t want society’s expectations to push you into it, or wanted to prioritize your freedom…but you will eventually get tired of all that.”

“Isn’t that the same as resigning yourself to your fate?”

“Even if it is, what’s wrong with that if it brings you to a new stage in life? Either way, you must have decided you were willing to take that step.”

“Judge.” Horizon nodded. “No one forced us to live together. So when the time comes, we will do what we each want and then support each other. And if Asama-sama was able to make that decision…”

“Then you must have as well.”

“You do like to live freely, Horizon.”

“Judge,” said Horizon again. And Asama…

“–––––”

For a moment, she thought she sensed Horizon smiling. So she turned toward her again to check.

“What is it, Asama-sama?”

“Oh, um.”

He was tilting his head behind Horizon, so he must not have noticed. So Asama chose to say nothing. She may have been mistaken after all.

Then Horizon summed it up for them.

“This is a cause for celebration. It is not a competition and it is not an obligation. I imagine our future selves understood it to be a gift.”

And…

“When we eventually discover mine, I ask that you celebrate with me, Asama-sama.”

“Yes, of course. I don’t think you could stop my dad from doing so.”

She felt the same way.

Horizon was thinking first about the group as a whole before considering herself or any other individual. She herself could come second there.

Asama had not moved into the Main Blue Thunder as an individual. She had moved in as part of a relationship.

So…

“Heh heh. You’ve found an excuse that prevents you from leaving this relationship, haven’t you?”

''That’s right,'' thought Asama as she realized something.

…''My lid is open!

She had gone through so much internal argument over whether or not she would accept Hirano Nagayasu, but now she could accept the girl.

She sensed anew how convenient and powerful she could be about the things she cared about, but…

'''Gold Mar:''' “This is one hell of a party night.”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “Heh heh. Oh, Tomo. I see you coming up with all sorts of reasons why it has to turn out that way in the future. Lucky you.”

'''Art-Ga:''' “If you think this means I’m only pairing you up with the Chancellor from now on, you’re sorely mistaken. I hope you’re ready.”

'''Asama:''' “Th-that is not what I want to hear right now! And why are you joining in, Mito!?”

Just as she sent those words of protest…

“Um.”

Hirano interrupted. But instead of admonishing Asama, she was speaking to someone else.

“Kasuya, wait.”

●

A part of Mitotsudaira felt somehow relieved.

This fragmentary look wasn’t enough to know what the future would hold. This was all secondhand and it only addressed who was whose family.

But apparently she and her friends had children.

Horizon had questions about her body and future. She had to be delighted to have proof that moving in together hadn’t trapped them.

Asama could be inflexible and she excelled at restraining herself. If she had done what she wanted and received something precious from it, then it was, as their king had said, a cause for celebration.

''’Silver Wolf:''' “But as Horizon pointed out…Tomo would never let herself take that step without celebrating Horizon first.”

'''Gold Mar:''' “So like she’ll allow some cheating but not a full-blown affair?”

'''Art-Ga:''' “I’ve drawn that one.”

'''Asama:''' “I feel like Naruze is being the meanest here!”

But from what they had heard, the future sounded like a surprisingly decent place.

And, recalling what Asama had been like before they moved in together, Mitotsudaira felt like teasing her a little.

“I’m happy for you, Tomo.”

“What for?”

“”I remember when you held a washroom meeting concerning your worries about my king.”

“Th-that was only-”

'''Horizey:''' “You mean you went #2 for a refreshing farewell to your worries!? Is that it, Asama-sama!?”

'''Me:''' “I feel like you haven’t solved anything if that’s your solution.”

And just as the usual mood was setting in…

“Um, hey.”

Kasuya waved her right hand back and forth with Argent Clou still equipped.

…''What is this about?

Curious, Mitotsudaira waited to see what the girl claiming to be her daughter would say.

Kasuya breathed in once and then looked her in the eye.

“My father is the same person.”

●

Asama saw Horizon tear up a floorboard and take her “you thief” pose.

“Horizon! Horizon! I know it’s repeat material, but you shouldn’t do that with the floorboards!”

“No, Asama-sama. As the Vicereine of a combat nation strict about jokes, I must do this!”

“If you say so.” Asama looked over to see him seated naked on the floor. “Um, Toori-kun?”

“Yeah, what? Finding out I have a third secret kid just feels like…I’m probably about to get chewed out.”

“Toori-sama, that is fine as long as it is within the Main Blue Thunder group, but are you able to financially support such a large family?”

“Well…” interrupted Asama. “I should be able to get some help from my dad, or really the Asama Shrine. And I feel like Mito would get help from her mom.”

“Actually, is this really true, Nate?”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “I-it’s all so sudden I don’t know what to think!”

Mitotsudaira’s confusion was interrupted by a second intrusion.

'''Still Got It:''' “It’s true, Nate! You and your king are that girl’s parents!”

●

Mitotsudaira viewed her mother’s message.

…''We’re close to Europe now, aren’t we!?

Osaka Bay was in view. Just as England had intruded on their conversation earlier, now they were receiving a divine transmission from Hexagone Française. Her mother interacted with them more than anyone else in her family, so this was hardly a surprise.

Her mother would know what was happening here. So she had to ask her mother about this.

'''Silver Wolf:''' “Mother! Are you certain the person in front of me is my future daughter?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Testament! Of course I am! I’ve known since the Kantou Liberation!”

How could she know?

'''Still Got It:''' “Her scent! It was so much like a mixture of yours and your king’s! I sniffed it out!”

'''Horizey:''' “Oh, excuse me, Mitotsudaira-sama’s mother. I have a question.”

'''Still Got It:''' “Oh, and what might that be? Thank you for looking after my daughter, by the way.”

'''Horizey:''' “And thank you for everything you have done for us. …Now, I have reason to doubt that this Kasuya Whatever-sama is actually Mitotsudaira-sama’s daughter.”

What could that be? Horizon succinctly explained.

'''Horizey:''' “Kasuya Whatever-sama has what would generally be considered large breasts, but Mitotsudaira-sama does not share that trait. Can she really be her daughter?”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “What did I do to deserve thiiiiis!?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Quiet, Nate! This is an important topic concerning you!”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “If it’s about me, why should I be quiet!?”

But she had a feeling each additional word of complaint she made would receive a 500-word response with a Horizon Rule applied on top, so she shut up.

'''Still Got It:''' “Listen, Landlord Princess.”

Her mother spoke.

'''Still Got It:''' “Nate takes after her father.”

'''Horizey:''' “Judge, I see. But then why does her daughter Kasuya-sama have large breasts?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Yes, that is a good question.”

Mitotsudaira smashed her sign frame before restarting it.

●

'''Me:''' “Wait! Could she have gotten her boobs because she takes after me when I crossdress!?”

'''Horizey:''' “That wasn’t very funny, so strike it from the record, Asama-sama.”

'''Circle Be:''' “Lineage probably does play a role, but aren’t there individual differences?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Maybe, but my mother was on the larger side too.”

'''Asama:''' “Hm… I seem to remember my mom being bigger than me.”

'''Horizey:''' “Could it be that Mitotsudaira-sama’s individual difference power was unusually great for her family whereas Kasuya-sama’s is normal?”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “How great is my ‘individual difference power’!?”

●

“Silly girl,” Asama heard Kimi say. She turned around to see Kimi’s lips curled into a grin as she pointed at Asama’s divine transmission sign frame.

“Heh heh. That Kasuya person has those boobs because she takes after my foolish brother.”

“Huh? Not that ridiculous theory again…”

But then it hit her.

…''She has a point!

'''Asama:''' “I get it now! That Kasuya person does take after Toori-kun!”

What did that mean?

'''Asama:''' “Looking at Kimi and Toori-kun’s family is enough to know the women of his family are big in that regard! So taking after him would give you big boobs!”

●

'''Gold Mar:''' “So you’re saying Mito-tsan underwent a mutation that flattened out the big boobs bloodline she inherited from Ture-yan, but the Chancellor used his Kimi-chan Power to correct that in their daughter’s generation?”

'''Wise Sister:''' “Heh heh heh. Foolish brother! Excellent work when you only had my dregs to work with! Those are some real concentrated big boobs!”

'''Me:''' “Um, so if I have a kid, that Sis Power will give her big boobs?”

'''Flat Vassal:''' “S-so they’re the chosen bloodline!? Please can you share even a little of that power with my ancestors! Oh, but leave out Kimi-chan’s lunacy and the Chancellor’s craziness!”

'''Novice:''' “I feel like we’re talking about a breeding game at this point.”

'''Still Got It:''' “But ''my husband''’s family, or his mother at least, were not like me, so if that Nate Power comes from that lineage…it would mean that my blood could not defy my husband’s blood. Hee hee. Oh, that man.”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “Must everything you say act like a punishment for me!?”

'''Worshiper:''' “Nothing any of you are saying makes any sense.”

●

''Anyway, they seem to have finished their discussion,'' thought Kasuya.

While the two of them faced each other with their guards up, her mother and opponent turned to look at her.

'''I more or less understand.”

“Does that mean you accept who I am?”

A lernen figur opened. It was Catholic and came from Hexagone Française.

'''Still Got It:''' “Testament, based on a logical assessment of the bloodline and such, I believe that you, Kasuya Takenori, are certainly my descendant.”

…''Oh.

This was a surprise.

She had only hoped for recognition from her mother, but this was from even higher.

She gasped at the unexpected acceptance from someone superior to her mother.

'''Black Wolf:''' “Are you…sure?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Testament, quite sure. After all, I had already confirmed this at the Kantou Liberation and some later investigation back home.”

Was that about her scent? Her skill? Or…

'''Still Got It:''' “You use that Argent Clou weapon. I have a similar weapon in my shed, but it was different. That must mean you brought yours from the future. …As the world was thinned out by the Apocalypse, I assume our silver gear was combined to combat the thinning, leading to that form.”

●

Kasuya gasped.

Her Argent Clou had adored her and belonged to her for as long as she could remember, but…

'''Black Wolf:''' “I have heard that is where it came from…”

'''Still Got It:''' “Hee hee. I am quite perceptive, aren’t I?”

That was quite the self-praise, but the leaps of logic that had required did make it impressive. But Kasuya’s mother glared over at her and…

“I was the one who asked mother to look into that. And during the Kantou Liberation, when I asked if there was a separate version of Argent Clou, mother, you told me you didn’t know.”

Kasuya was surprised to learn her mother had been curious about her. And while that made her tense up…

'''Still Got It:''' “My, my. Are you still being difficult? I didn’t need to check the shed to know. I had already guessed most of it from her scent.”

Did she mean their battle during the Kantou Liberation? That had been a close duel, but…

'''Still Got It:''' “When I smelled her scent, I was curious what clan she was from, so I took a good sniff of her crotch to get her marking scent. And I detected the unique scent of our family.”

'''Black Wolf:''' ‘Hyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

●

'''AnG:''' “Marking.”

'''Kimee:''' “What? Was Kasuya trying to mark Kantou as her territory?”

'''Tsurugi:''' “Hold it, you two! To defend Kasuya as her half-sister, she may be a Loup-Garou but she does not do that in front of people!”

'''Black Wolf:''' “I don’t do it ''not'' in front of people eitherrrr!”

'''Onitakemaru:''' “Is it like that thing where dogs sniff each other’s butts when they meet?”

'''Kohime:''' “Onitakemaru-san, you shouldn’t say that because Kasuya-san isn’t a dog.”

'''Super Justice:''' “I notice you aren’t saying the Shogun is incorrect, though!”

●

''That’s my mother all right,'' thought Mitotsudaira, keeping her mouth shut so as not to get involved.

Keeping a low profile could be useful.

Meanwhile, Kasuya shouted into her lernen figur.

'''Black Wolf:''' “Wait! Would you mind phrasing things in a less misleading way, grandmother!?”

●

The Reine des Garous had been participating in the discussion from outside the candy house, but the instant she heard one word spoken by her daughter’s daughter, she smashed her signe cadre with a right chop enveloped by a small explosion of water vapor.

The wind burst, the candy house’s candy window shattered, and her husband shouted to her.

“Wh-what happened, Mrs. Loup-Garou!?”

She held her palms out toward him to tell him to wait. The right arm of her pajamas had been shredded by the attack even she hadn’t expected, but she opened a new signe cadre and grabbed it with both hands.

“Naaaaaate!!”

●

Mitotsudaira checked her sign frame while Kasuya gave her a puzzled look.

She held out a palm to tell her to wait a second.

'''Silver Wolf:''' “What is it, mother?”

'''Still Got It:''' “Listen, Nate. You need to teach your child how to speak properly!”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “Be reasonable. …Are you just flustered by your first contact with your grandchild?”

'''Still Got It:''' “No, this is a basic rule. Because if we accept what she is saying, it makes my husband a grandfather.”

''Yeah, yeah,'' she thought, but her mother was dependent on her father. Her mother had to be reluctant to let someone else redefine that relationship.

…''I suppose it was the passage of time that let her accept my birth.

So maybe it was just too soon.

Her mother went on to provide a compromise there.

'''Still Got It:''' “Listen. Tell her to refer to me as her ‘mother’s mother’ or as her ‘great mother’. If she wants to be more respectful, she can use ‘ultimate mother’.”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “What about ‘eccentric mother’?”

'''Still Got It:''' “What are you talking about, Nate? I am as normal as they come. I am a legal citizen of Hexagone Française, after all.”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “Yet you can’t seem to stop breaking the law!”

The divine transmission had ended before she got her retort out.

…''She never changes, does she?

And Mitotsudaira felt like she had been assigned a middle management role. So as her first job, she turned toward Kasuya.

“My other asks that you do not call her ‘grandmother’. And she will catch you if you try to run, so if she shows an interest in you, I would recommend not resisting too much.”

“…Sorry for the trouble.”

''It’s nothing really,'' she thought. They would soon be dueling, but…

“If you are my and my king’s child, then you deserve at least this much.

“But,” she added.

She turned her gaze toward the Azuchi’s bridge. Where another daughter was located.

“I never imagined Tomo and I would become sisters-in-law. It does sound like something my king would do, though. And he will be delighted to know he has three children.”

“Actually…”

Kasuya’s response rapidly filled Mitotsudaira with dread.

…''Don’t tell me…

An indescribable premonition led her to look directly at Kasuya again. And…

“The thing is…”

Kasuya pointed at the Azuchi.

But further forward than Hirano on the bridge. In other words…

“Inside the ship? What about it?”

“Testament, our liaison officer is currently in there. And, well…”

●

Katagiri held his head and groaned.

'''The Boy:''' “Okay, listen. The entire point of me handling this big reveal and explaining everything for them was so the rest of you could focus on combat.”

But when he checked their status, several of them had come to a complete stop.

…''Well, maybe you could say now is the time for the more personal revelations.

This was an important matter for them.

They had always behaved so the Double Border Crest wouldn’t consume them.

After they had come here and woken, there was no hiding their presence from destiny, so they had taken a prominent position.

What they needed to do had already been determined in the future. But those feelings were a separate matter from this moment when they were actually facing their parents and revealing the truth.

And now his turn had arrived.

At Kasuya’s prodding. So…

'''The Boy:''' “Um, are you listening? To continue where the others left off…”

He said it.

'''The Boy:''' “I am that father’s fourth child.”

●

Asama saw Horizon deliver a whip-like kick to his crotch from straight ahead and below.

The kick to the nudist made a nice sound and he floated up for just a second.

“Oof.”

With a non-comedic breath, he collapsed to his knees and Horizon tilted her head.

“So who is this mistress from outside the Main Blue Thunder?”

“Huh, hold on. I don’t remember anything like this, so what could it mean?”

Horizon glared at him, but this created enough of an opening for Asama to intervene.

“Um, Horizon? How about we wait to make a decision here?”

“Judge. Let’s hear him out.”

Horizon sat in the “armchair” created by her raised arms.

So Asama moved next to him while he repeatedly slapped his lower stomach to try and reinvigorate himself.

“I know you take relationships seriously, Toori-kun. So I think you would have told us about something relevant to our relationships. So even if you did create a relationship outside the Main Blue Thunder, I imagine it was with permission from Horizon and the rest of us.”

'''The Boy:''' “Incorrect.”

“Incorrect?”

Horizon frowned at the reply from the divine transmission.

…''What does he mean by that?

This wasn’t enough to know, but if he really had come from the future, then he would have information they didn’t.

…''Wow, we’re at a real disadvantage here!

Asama realize anew that they needed to carefully scrutinize this information to make sure they weren’t being manipulated.

But for now, the boy revealed who he was.

'''The Boy:''' “My mother is, um, Musashi’s acting captain.”

●

Everyone fell silent just before the entire Musashi hopped three meters up as if pitching forward.

●

“Eh? Eh? What? What? T-Toori-kun and…m-me!? No, but, ehhh?”

“Suzu-sama! Suzu-sama! Pull yourself together! This is much like having a dog bite you by accident and you still have a chance to keep your distance, so right now you need to let go of the Musashi model! Over!”

●

'''Horizey:''' “Is this a case where my approval rating would improve if I went ‘how could you’ and hit him with a devastating kick?”

'''Asama:''' “I feel like I should apologize to Suzu-san for thinking ‘Oh, right. Her!’ ”

'''Bell:''' “N-no, I’m also…really confused, so, um, sorry…”

'''Me:''' “No, no. You don’t need to apologize, Bell-san. And I’m not gonna apologize to you either. I don’t know how it happened, but it must mean something important happened between us, right?”

'''Horizey:''' “To be honest, Suzu-sama has provided us with a place to spend the night and food to eat on many an occasion and will likely do so on many more occasions, so if she were to ask us to hand over Toori-sama in payment, I was thinking it would only be fair to give her a share.”

'''Wise Sister:''' “Heh heh. Foolish brother! Since when were you a form of currency!?”

●

Masazumi thought while watching the others blather on her sign frame.

…''Mukai is part of this too?

She reflexively found this odd.

Both because Mukai didn’t seem like the type and because she hadn’t joined them in the Main Blue Thunder.

Maybe that was only because there weren’t any more empty rooms there, but…

“She didn’t express any interest in joining them when they first came up with the idea of moving in.”

That felt like a branch in the road.

And that was why, ever since, she he had opened up the bathhouse’s changing rooms during emergencies, even late at night. It felt to Masazumi like Mukai had shifted over to assisting them in her own way from an outside position.

…''Then why would she break that restriction she placed on herself?

“The Apocalypse?”

It all went back to that.

What was it Katagiri had said?

“They saw the end of the world after we failed and the Genesis Project was lost.”

That meant the end of the world had become unavoidable. Most likely, destiny had completed its suicide while maintaining a mind of its own, so everything had thinned out.

But would Mukai desire Aoi in a short-lived situation like that?

…''This is getting into the subtleties of human behavior.

Maybe Mukai would decide to do what she liked after seeing the end. It was impossible to know until it actually happened.

And Masazumi felt kind of awkward running this thought experiment without Mukai’s knowledge. But…

'''Art-Ga:''' “My prediction was right! It was sexy-times in the bath! That’s what happened, right!?”

'''Asama:''' “Hm… That would keep them from getting chilled, but I think the heat of the bath would cause certain substances to coagulate, which could cause problems.”

'''Bell:''' “U-um, wait, everyone?”

…''Saying these things out loud in front of her isn’t great either!

So she made a tentative decision that this was just how it had to be for now.

But then she took a breath and looked at her sign frame.

…''Hm?

Something seemed off about what Katagiri had said. This part in particular:

“We failed and the Genesis Project was lost?”

●

'''Vice President:''' “I need your opinions. What do you think of this? Be quick.”

Narumi viewed those words with him while waiting on Takao’s stern.

He was currently being healed. Unlike humans, half-dragon armor took time to recover using simple healing spells. It was faster to supplement the damaged portions with a combination of biological putty and a hardening agent. That also prevented infection, so she was helping apply the treatment.

…''This kind of repair is the same with mobile shells.

She did like that she could be sloppier than with Unturning Centipede’s exterior. And while using the chisel included in the repair set, she checked the text form the Vice President.

It said…

'''<We failed and the Genesis Project was lost.>

…''This sounds like more trouble.

However, this one wasn’t a code. She only had to read it without just skimming through.

'''Obscenity:''' “So it wasn’t our failure that ensured the Apocalypse would happen!?”

“Hm,” he said while accepting some portable food brought over on a stretcher by the health committee.

'''Uqui:''' “In that case…it is odd for him to mention the Genesis Project.”

'''Unturning:''' “Judge. You’re right. In the future the Ten Spears came from, the Ten Spears didn’t exist and the battle we are fighting right now wouldn’t have happened. Musashi would have gone straight in to stop destiny, so the Genesis Project itself wouldn’t have been relevant.”

“But,” said the Mito Lord. Even though she was currently dueling Kasuya of the Ten Spears.

'''Silver Wolf:''' “But based on what this Katagiri Whatever said…it sounds like the Genesis Project was in progress separate from our failure.”

'''Worshiper:''' “Huh? But that’s weird, isn’t it?”

'''Vice President:''' “It is. What Katagiri is saying is a bit strange compared to our present reality.”

Their conversation must have helped the Vice President find her own opinion.

She spoke clearly.

'''Vice President:''' “Before, Nobunaga told us they know the Logismoi Oplo can’t kill destiny.”

What did that mean?

'''Unturning:''' “Did they learn that by extracting the Ten Spears from the future?”

'''Vice President:''' “Judge. The Genesis Project took its current form because the Ten Spears came to this era. That would mean the Genesis Project was enacted in the previous world without anyone knowing it wouldn’t work.”

Understanding that truth led to a new truth and question.

…''This means the Genesis Project was carried out in the future world.

But that was odd. Because…

'''Unturning:''' “Musashi intends to eliminate as much forced death as possible, but did we carry out the Genesis Project in the Ten Spears’ future instead of challenging destiny?”

●

“That’s right,” nodded Masazumi. “In the Ten Spears’ world, Musashi allowed the Genesis Project to happen.”

''But it was more than that,'' she thought.

Katagiri had said Musashi failed.

…''Failed, huh?

They had forgotten because everything was going so well for them.

'''Novice:''' “It’s about the verb tense, isn’t it?”

'''Vice President:''' “Go ahead.”

“I will,” Neshinbara went out of his way to post before doing so.

'''Novice:''' “When we saw him say ‘we failed and the Genesis Project was lost’, I assume we all imagined that as some kind of final battle. Of course we did when that’s where we find ourselves now. …But think about it. We aren’t promoting the Genesis Project.”

He said it.

'''Novice:''' “The Genesis Project was lost. But why? Because, like Nobunaga said, the Logismoi Oplo are not the Judgment Weapons. But since we don’t support the Genesis Project, that has nothing to do with us. So…”

'''Horizey:''' “Are you saying we failed at some point in the Ten Spears’ world?”

“Judge,” confirmed Masazumi.

'''Vice President:''' “I can only speculate, but I think their appearance in this era changed destiny. We do know Lord Motonobu created the Judgment Weapons based on information from them. And we too were somehow influenced by them, allowing us to break through the point where we should have failed.”

'''Unturning:''' “So our insufficient research and stubborn doubling down with the final boss and mid-boss a bit ago was never supposed to happen?”

'''Gold Mar:''' “Ow ow ow ow.”

…''Yeah, that one hurts all right!

But it also made some sense.

'''Vice President:''' “The Ten Spears came here to ‘stop’ us. They knew the Genesis Project wouldn’t work and they worked to improve it, but that also prevented our failure, which is now making a mess of things.”

But she did have to wonder.

…''When was it we failed?

If they had suffered an irreparable failure and were forced to entrust everything to the Logismoi Oplo, when would it have happened?

●

…''Was it at Mikatagahara?

If the Musashi had been sunk there, they wouldn’t have been able to carry out their subsequent activities and would have been forced to let the Genesis Project take charge.

But that was a “defeat”, not a “failure”.

Then what was it they had failed to do?

'''Worshiper:''' “Um, there is one thing I’m curious about as an ordinary person.”

'''Vice President:''' “I’m reluctant to acknowledge that self-assessment, but go ahead.”

'''Worshiper:''' “Right. …Shortly before all this, their liaison officer wanted Aoi-kun, Ariadust-kun, Flatda-kun, and the other officers suspended.”

What about that made him curious?

'''Worshiper:''' “The children of our class’s old hags and geezers know that you are dangerous. …That means you were a threat in their world too. But…”

But…

'''Worshiper:''' “Why were the children of such nuisances allowed inside Avalon?”

●

''Oh,'' thought Kasuya.

…''They’re approaching the truth.

They were still facing each other and hadn’t let down their guard, but they were conversing. She no longer saw this as a battle, which felt terribly contradictory and selfish since artillery fire was still being exchanged.

The world needed Hashiba to stop Musashi.

But even as they acted to preserve the world, they wanted their opponents to understand them.

…''I can’t believe this.

It was true they had spent so much time refining their strength in order to defeat Musashi.

But now that they were speaking like this, part of her wanted their parents to give in. The fact that another hopeful part of her was close to certain that would never happen proved everyone here wasn’t focused on what was best for the world. But…

“Maybe our duels were always going to be that way.”

●

The situation was on the move. At the same time, Mitotsudaira sensed a ''space'' between her, her companions, and Kasuya who was still facing her.

Everyone around them was fighting over what would happen to the world.

But they had come to a stop to determine how they would save the world.

She knew they couldn’t stay like this forever, but a calm part of her told her she couldn’t wast this time.

The black haired girl in front of her claimed to be her child.

She said she was born to her and her king.

And, as the world vanished in the Apocalypse, she said she and the other children had entered Avalon as a shelter.

…''What does that mean?

Musashi was currently battling those Genesis Project supporters.

But if they were who they claimed to be, they would have originally been with Musashi.

'''Silver Wolf:''' “If Musashi failed…why were our children be allowed that final refuge?”

'''Novice:''' “To explain that, how about we rethink this again?”

Neshinbara proposed an idea.

'''Novice:''' “Our future selves failed. But that wasn’t at some past point – it really was in the final battle. In other words, we were the ones who carried out the Genesis Project and failed.”

'''Horizey:''' “Impossible.”

Horizon was certain.

'''Horizey:''' “Toori-sama and I would never accept the Genesis Project.”

●

Masazumi nodded in agreement with Horizon. But then she realized something.

“Is that it?”

Kanou, who had been standing silently behind her, asked a question here.

“Did you figure something out, Musashi Vice President?”

“There is one way – or series of events – that would lead to us accepting and carrying out the Genesis Project.”

''I can’t believe this,'' she thought as she had Tsukinowa open a new sign frame. That didn’t really accomplish anything, but it helped cleanse her mood.

And she spoke into it.

'''Vice President:''' “I have some wild speculation.”

'''Novice:''' “I’d love to hear it.”

''I’m sure you would,'' she thought with a bitter smile and took a breath. And a moment later…

'''Vice President:''' “We failed in the future. Our failure in the final battle against destiny caused the Genesis Project to be lost.”

'''Asama:''' “But why would we be doing the Genesis Project?”

'''Vice President:''' “Because we failed.”

That was it.

'''Vice President:''' “We failed more than once. Our future selves most likely failed twice.”

'''Horizey:''' “When else did we fail?”

'''Vice President:''' “At Mikawa.”

It had to be there.

'''Vice President:''' “I bet we failed to retrieve Horizon at Mikawa. So Horizon was lost there and Aoi probably was too.”

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    | [[Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 25|Chapter 25]]
    | [[Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 27|Chapter 27]]
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