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Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyoubi:Volume7 Chapter3
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==Chapter 3 - The Ashes and the Flames== ===Part I=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">She had no idea as to where she ran from, or how she did.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She just kept running and running until it was night, and found herself at a motel in the hills.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On a shabby deck with only moonlight, Ai was leaning against the sash, staring blankly at the town. Next to her was a hotel pamphlet she had just picked up. It contained the scenery she was looking at, a beautiful scenery with a sparkling lake surface. ‘This motel offers the best view of Ostia.’ The photo was dried out due to rain and evaporation, but the beauty of the photo remained.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But in reality, the scenery had already changed a lot.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The scenery in the photo is gone.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Ai's eyes, half of the town was burning.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Stretching out her right hand, Ai pointed to the area where Alice's house used to be. She started moving her finger from the school, went down the hill, a few winding narrow old streets,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was nothing but fire at the tip of my index finger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The café she would visit on her way home, her favorite cobblestone pavement.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Everything was gone.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…………"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gently closed her eyelids and buried her face in her hands that were on the railing.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's fine."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice, who was staring into the darkness just like her, said so,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We’ll revive the town again."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her voice sounded soothing. Feeling a little embarrassed that she had worried him, Ai forced herself to reply cheerfully,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Did you contact the others?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice shook his head silently.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They managed to arrive here with the same members, but on the way here, they got lost with the town citizens and Shaun, and could not find them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They tried to get Scar to seek out the Dead, but she said the entire town was enveloped in Madame's presence, making it impossible to search for just the citizens. They should be able to find safely if they could reach the other end of the town, but with flames in their way, it was impossible to reroute over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee and Julie agreed that it was reckless to act in this darkness and fire.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai wanted to join the citizens as soon as possible, but she could not argue against such stiff opposition.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"According to what Dee said, there’s no way we can take further action today. Let’s sleep soon so that we can get moving tomorrow."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…At a time like this?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Especially in times like this, you know. Taking a break is part of having a good fight."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, pulling a piece of chocolate out of his pocket and tossing it into Ai’s mouth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was milk chocolate.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm…mmm…is that so?."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai felt a little apologetic, but she could not refuse at this point, and licked the chocolate in her mouth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I don't feel like I can rest much…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're so uptight. Why don't you learn from Dee a little more?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, her. She’s going to go all out resting."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Haaa…speaking of which, where did everyone go?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"The old man’s fixing the cables."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Huh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Scar got captured."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What do you mean…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Immediately after she said that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah! Ai’s here~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Behind her, a runner's high-strung Dee was pointing at Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Found you~. Let’s go now~"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Huh? Huh, no. Where to?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai asked as she was nudged along.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Some~where~good~"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had a bad feeling.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"E-erm. If it’s a good place, Mr. Alice can join us …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you saying now, you little girl? How can you let Alice come alone too!? You perv!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee tapped her face a few times, and gave a monkey face towards Alice who involuntarily caught a stray.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Come on, let's go. I'm not going to hurt you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-Wait, Mr. Alice, help me!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Behind her, Alice waved politely in the background.</span> ===Part II=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were three main selling points of the motel described in the pamphlet. One was the scenic location, second was the delicious meals made from local ingredients. Unfortunately, those two were no longer available.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the last one was still alive.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Steam, steam, steam and more steam.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On the side of the motel was an open-air bath using natural hot spring water.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yahoo~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Surprisingly, Dee was the first one to yell and jump in. While nobody else was around, she splashed the water everywhere hard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well~This hot spring is great~! Awesome!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That's good to hear."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai showed a serious look the entire time, one that basically screamed ‘I was dragged over here, and if I get scrubbed all over, I’m getting out’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Here here, Ai, jump in too. It’s your job to act like your character, right? Here! Come on!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That's enough, Miss Dee!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee sidestepped the water droplets that Dee sprayed her, looking really angry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What kind of situation do you think you're in? It’s no time to play!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Dee was having none of it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahhh, ahhh. It’s hopeless. Your head is completely stuck. There’s no way to solve anything that can be solved now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wh-what did you say?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Watch me!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee pulled Ai's towel with all her might. Ai was defenseless the moment this happened, unable to resist, and fell into the pool, causing a large pillar of water.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait! Miss Dee! Wargh!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahaha. Watch me now"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-you did it!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ladylike time was over. Ai was really incensed off at Dee's antics in this situation and tried to take her to task,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was then that Scar lashed out at them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Stop it, both of you, Celica will try to imitate! "</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let me do that too!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Celica raged away in Scar’s arms, and Scar was livid.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Quite right, you should set an example as big sisters! Come over here and wash yourselves first!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y yes…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why me too…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The mood did not allow any room for complaints. The two of them obediently crawled out of the pool to wash their bodies. While they wanted to stay far away from the terrifying Scar, the bath buckets were either cracked or moldy. There was only one that could be used, and they started washing each other’s backs as though they were train carriages latched together.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What, Ai? Is that how you wash your hair?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? But I always wash it like this…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So you 'always' wash it wrong? Come here for a moment."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahaha~Ai got scolded."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You too Dee. You still have foam on your hair. You have yet to wash it off. Come here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? N-no need, I’m not a kid..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was caught again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was dazed by the feeling of the back of her head being squeezed. It felt really good to her, and her tension seemed to melt away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her body was all cold by the time Scar released her. Shivering, Ai hurried back to the bathtub.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Splash,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the hot water escaped from the pool, and . Her body, which was covered with small scratches and bruises, released a soothing pain, and her stiff muscles were relaxed, to the point where even her heart felt relieved.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was shivering in the warm water up to her nose, sending her soul into space. She wondered if she should be taking a bath at a time like this, but her body could not resist the delight that came with the warm water.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm~ hmm~ hmmm~♪"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, she felt that Dee, who was right before her, should put up more resistance against pleasure than that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Miss Dee is so relaxed in this troublesome moment."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai herself was enjoying this, but she was still reproaching Dee.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Things aren’t going to get much better even if I act serious♪ I should relax like this and think with my softened mind what we should do next~♪ The thing we should do right now is to focus on relaxing♪"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was as sluggish as her words were, and placed a folded towel on her head, his body fluttering like seaweed, and sang so poorly, it was off tune.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It feels like Bendo is being suspicious♪. I wonder if someone whispered to him without me seeing♪. Ah anyway, let’s call Ai and Scar to the wilderness♪. Should I have the Gravekeepers back down and have them fight♪? Or shall I use Celica as a hostage♪?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The humming was ridiculously off key.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You always do such a thing, it’s only a matter of time until you get backstabbed."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll take it in stride then."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee continued to float on the hot water, showing no concern.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thunk.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The tub that Scar had placed there made an unexpectedly loud noise.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Celica was laughing and giggling in her special hot tub.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was floating with her eyelids closed, as though she was back to being the Ghost again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is for the black surface, too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The retired ghost with her eyes closed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don’t understand. Why are you so obsessed with that black surface, Miss Dee?."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said, letting drops of water fall from her bangs. She thought she knew Dee’s extremism very well, but even she felt this was too much.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We don't know if there really is another world, right?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, there is another world. Because Isola created it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Floating between the water and the air, Dee nodded vigorously.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You think that’s not the case because you don’t know her, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is she that amazing?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">How can she not be amazing?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Fifteen years old Isola Edwards was a girl who sought the mystery of the world, but refused to destroy it. She was born with a deadly disease, and was constantly told that she had ‘three more years to live’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was the girl who created the black surface, kicking open a world that could exist even after death.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Ai only knew about such superficial information.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"She’s amazing. She really resembles you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I'm really bothered by the fact that you’re looking as if this can explain everything…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know, she's amazingly positive. She knew she might not live until the next day, but she would call us ‘big sis Dee’, ‘big brother Alice’…that’s what she kept calling us even when we were almost the same age…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Suddenly, an image appeared in Ai’s mind. Alice and Dee stood next to Isola's life, just as Ai had watched Madame's life. As Isola grew with every passing moment, there were two ghosts who could never follow the passage of time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"After I became the Ghost, I was so scared of resetting that I never dared to approach the sealed city. She’s still a good friend of mine, or so I thought…I think you two would have been best friends."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… Yes."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Surely this would be the case. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai found herself liking Isola a lot more than she thought she would.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I wish I could be friends with Miss Isola too…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She mumbled softly, as if sighing.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Ghost did not let this slip by her. She floated on the water, flipped over, and sank into the pool, smiling while looking a little sad.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tilted her head due to the change of mood. The moment Dee spoke, it seemed like she was saying something she wanted to say for a long time, but was unable to.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…But well, it’s great."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? What’s great…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That you survived, Ai. I thought there’s no hope. I thought people like you wouldn't give up on their dreams even if they died, but would try to die once they gave up on their dreams."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee laughs like snow melting in the pool.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's what I thought, too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh? Really?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nodding her head, Ai raised her hands and looked through them in the moonlight. It was strange that the blood was still flowing beneath the skin.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">'So, ever since yesterday, I felt it was strange. I couldn’t understand why I’m still alive, why I’m still moving…I don’t have a dream anymore…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dream? Why are you talking about dreams?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee straightened her knees in surprise, and Ai continued, worried that she was speaking out of turn.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But aren’t dreams the basis for people?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Basis?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Aren’t actions and decisions taken when you have a dream ‘for things to be like this’? Don’t we work hard because we have dreams, that we move forward? Ultimately, don’t we eat bread for the sake of our dreams?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s extreme!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee stood up and shouted through the window.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Scary! This girl’s scary! Is this what she thinks every time she eats?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s what I’m thinking though."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai did not take Dee's joking words as one.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ve been thinking, I can eat bread because of my dream, I can breathe because of my dream, and that’s why I want to live. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And now that dream is gone, I'm alive, happy that I’m taking a bath, angry, and laughing."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai wanted to end the battle, to revive the town. She hated the idea of dying, and she wanted to stay alive.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">These feelings were real.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Ai did not know why she felt that way.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no reason anymore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why am I still able to live on…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai raised her hands out of the pool and stared at them. The blood was burning red under the warm skin.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee leaned closely to Ai, watching over her gently,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Who knows? </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You've been living for 13 years without knowing that? You're really an airhead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good grief, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee shrugged her shoulders exaggeratedly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee, do you know the reason?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course. I mean, everyone knows except you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"R-really?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Dee started teasing Ai, shrugging her shoulders and poking Ai's nose.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">'Please tell me, Miss Dee!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yep, sure."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee did not tease her any more.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"In your own words, Ai, it's because you still have other dreams."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Those dreams are what's keeping you alive."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai kept blinking away.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Eh? But I don't have dreams anymore—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You just haven’t noticed it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">… Is that so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It is."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee pulled her right arm out of the bathtub and reached for the world of stars.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You see, that dream is the first dream that all of us have. It’s one we have since we’re a baby…no, something that we always had long ago, an ancient wish."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee’s words sounded like a bedtime story, one that parents would narrate to their children.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's the first fragment to create a dream, the reason why living things live."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the reason why a child would become an adult.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Saying that, Dee showed a tender smile.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A feeling arose within Ai when she saw that smile. No, she had that a long time ago, one that caused her heart to beat.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead of telling her the name of the dream, Dee asked Ai one question.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai answered.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you want to be now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The question slowly melted into the bloodstream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Putting her hand on her chest, Ai asked herself deep inside.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What do I want to be?</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What did Ai Astin want to be?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Both Dee and Scar waited patiently for the answer.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I want to be me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the first time she had ever said those words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the moment she said that wish, it became the most valuable matter to her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the dream of the dragon that flew in the sky for the first time, the dream of the fish that stepped on shore for the first time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the dream of matter within the primordial cove.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the reason for human life.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I want to become, Ai Astin…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She found herself shedding tears.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">How much had she neglected ‘myself’ till this point? How much had she mistreated this precious dream she had from the beginning.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was an important dream that her parents had moored together in their lives.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Ku…kuuuuuu!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai cried. She could not raise her voice and cry like a child. She merely regretted her actions and cried through her teeth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the tears of an adult who knew her shame, who knew herself.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I…I…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">So dazzled by her newly acquired dream that was so beautiful, she discarded her old dream.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ku, uuu~"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She trampled her own ego when she dreamed of saving the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet, the dream that she had discarded was still there, rooting for Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her friend picked her up and carried her along.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I was fine too. I’m sure you’ll be fine as well, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee gently hugged Ai's shoulders, as though she was returning the dream she had safeguarded for Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Henceforth, Ai could no longer be an adult.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The cries of the children were absorbed into the star-filled sky.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"> "Alice used to tell me that it's better to have dreams that don't come true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">When Ai had calmed down, Dee said,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But recently, I think that's wrong."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sniff…how so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai asked, thinking that half the water in the pool was probably her tears.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You know what? A dream you work hard to fulfill! Isn’t a dream at all!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Huh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's just a goal!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-yeah, that's true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was worthless.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Right? When you say you want to become a dressmaker or a beautiful bride, you're really saying you want to ‘open a clothes shop’. Do you understand what I’m saying?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes…I understand…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But before people knew it, they lost their ‘self’. They might not be able to open their clothes shop, a grocery store, or a tailor, but that’s not a bad thing. People do forget though…and that’s a little unfortunate."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai knew very well the fate of a dream devoid of a ‘self’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"A dream without a ‘self’ might come true, but it’ll only be empty…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And when they don't come true, people get sharper and sharper. Some even start assuming it’s their own fault."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re hitting my sore spots…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s the point! Remember this well!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee barked, and then nibbled on Ai's ear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Saving the world here is the same thing. No matter how difficult that is, it’s just another goal."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, that’s right…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was not because Ai would be Ai if she saved the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was because Ai was Ai that she wanted to save the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She would be a weirdo if she really could not say such words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I must have really worried a lot of people."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She really missed the people she had met so far. She wondered what Ulla and Tanya would think if they were to see her at this point. What would they think? Surely they would not reproach Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai used to think that she was worth less than a piece of trash after her dreams had failed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But they would not think so at all..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She really felt completely indebted to Julie.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…But thank goodness."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee let out a sigh of relief.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm so glad you're back, Ai—I saw so many people who couldn't come back when I was the Ghost. I almost went over there myself. You’re the most extreme of them all, Ai, and I even thought you probably could end up saving the world. To be honest, I didn’t think you’d actually come back, and I thought it might be better for you not to come back."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Really,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Dee smiled a lot on this day, as though she was attending her own birthday party or a festival.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But Ai, you’re back."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee smiled, but her heart was increasingly heavy</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, please, Ai, save Alice…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eh?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Ai sat up. Dee found herself sinking into the pool, cupping her knees, her smile gradually losing vigor as though she was in an ice bath.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice definitely hasn’t come back yet…he lost his goal, but he can’t find himself, and he’s just wandering between dreams and reality…it’s no wonder, since he’s been working hard, for his ‘dream has forsaken him’.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice's dream too was supposed to come from Alice himself. He wanted ‘to free his friends even if it met his destruction’, and the origin of it was ultimately a dream only Alice Color could have.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But he harbored this dream for far too long.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He wished too much for his own disappearance.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"If Alice disappeared like that, his dream would have been dreamed so beautifully…like Hampnie Hambart."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee's white pearly smile quivered as she seemingly chanted.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But fortunately or unfortunately, Alice survived…so Ai, please bring Alice back so that things won’t become unfortunate."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai nodded firmly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s good…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee exhaled as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and floated back to the surface as if the water was finally warm again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess I’m done with everything left to do…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please don’t talk as if you’re done briefing. Mr Alice is very stubborn, and I‘ll need your help, Miss Dee. It’s just starting."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I’m done with one of my tasks."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her face was a mixture of sadness and satisfaction.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because it’s you, Ai—no, you’re the only one who can do it. My role is over."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Why?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because, you and Alice are connected by a thread of fate, right, Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There it was.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Again with that?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai dipped her disgusted face into the hot water up to the top of her nose. Ahem ahem ahem.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"If we’re talking about a thread of fate, aren’t you more connected, Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There’s none for me. I cut it myself."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She lifted her right hand out of the water and waved it in the air.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee, do you hate Mr. Alice now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No…I don't think so, not really."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I guess. You like him to the point where you’d destroy the world after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"D-Don’t say that out loud! It's embarrassing…but if I have to say it, don’t you like him enough to ‘revive him’?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Erm, I'm not sure about that. I don’t think it’s love though."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Probably, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tilted her little head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And, what kind of feeling is love?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I am interested in that too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At that moment,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar, who had been listening to their conversation quietly, interrupted the moment she had an opportunity to.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Celica, by the way, was already out of the hot water and was snoozing in a basket on the side.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee, what is the feeling of love exactly?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, it’s hard for me to explain…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"For example, what kind of feelings do you have for Alice?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? Me? My feelings for Alice…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee stared into the void as if she was remembering something, and her expression suddenly appeared tender.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Well, yeah, you feel gentle in the heart, and even warm here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She put her hands together, onto her chest.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And then you’ll really want to see him…you want to be with him…s—no!."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That certainly is meaningful."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kya——————!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Suddenly, Dee stood up with a red face and slapped the surface of the water.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you asking me now!? Why am I answering!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee, what is the feeling like when you say you really miss him. How about the frequency and intensity?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uh, well, it's not measured by distance or anything. If I'm far away, I’ll think that he’s nearby. If I’m near him, I want to touch him. It’s a feeling that the closer I am, the more intense it is…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—————————!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee banged her head against a rock.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee, when you say your chest gets warm, do you mean your heart?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I don’t think so, Miss Scar. I think you mean the soul or something."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Pl-please stop! What are you doing to my precious love? Don't analyze it! Don't be interested and all! Don't come——!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee tried to resist and retreat from the two Gravekeepers looming in, but Ai aside, there was no stopping Scar the moment she got serious.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Specifically, what is that heart of love you speak of?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I can only describe it as a throbbing heart…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"When do you feel a throbbing heart? When will you meet someone?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I feel that even if we don’t meet, like when I'm alone and I think of him…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you think about him?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai realized it was bad, but it was too late, for Dee had fallen limp by the edge of the pool, becoming a doll that could only answer. She was completely naked, looking into the sky with a vacant look, and the situation seemed perilous.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Pull yourself together, Miss Dee, the wound isn’t so bad."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Ai, seriously…please take care of…Alice…and the black surface..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Pull yourself together, Miss Dee, you're turning into salted kelp."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar kept asking until the very end, "Hmm" and finally answered with satisfaction as she nodded hard, saying,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, that was not very helpful for reference."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re saying that after all this!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee, revived by the energy of anger, slaps the hot water. The now awake Celica was really happy.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And what do you mean, ‘reference’? What are you referencing~…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee, calm down."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai stroked Dee's limp head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar was moving leisurely at her own pace.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That is, of course, a reference to my mind."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? W-What do you mean?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a swoon, Dee instantly came back to life and slipped into Scar's arms, as if she had gained more efficient energy than anger.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you referring to uncle? Am I right? There’s no one else but him, right?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ohh! And then? Well? What do you think, Scar? Do you feel this way too?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"In conclusion, no."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I see."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It seemed Dee had nothing more to say, and she murmured to herself with a bitter expression.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Mr Julie is really pitiful."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai felt deep sympathy for Julie, who was probably doing his best to maintain the car.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It is strange, no? I assumed I like Julie, but given what you said, Dee, it does not seem to be the case.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh!?"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was so surprised that she slipped and sank on her bottom.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do-do you like uncle after all, Scar?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I said this might not be the case."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Scar, please save Miss Dee before answering. She can't hear you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait! Wait, wait, wait! What’s going on?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She heard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What else could it be?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It seemed Scar’s head was flushed, for she tilted her head, showing a reddish look.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hearing your conversation had me wondering. A Gravekeeper is a being without a ‘self’. And so I wondered, what caused me to become who I am now?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a human expression, Scar smiled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And then I thought of you. It appears that I have a tendency to overthink what makes me. I was wondering if this is what you call love."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmmm~."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee crossed her arms, greatly troubled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Maybe it's love."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What is the difference between crush and love?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…… Sorry, I don't understand it either. They're similar, but maybe a little different."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that so? I shall observe this feeling for a while then."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar gave a somewhat happy smile.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Why do I feel like I've lost?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Dee, it's not about winning or losing, is it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes yes, you’re a good girl, little Ai—no, wait, what about you, Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What about me?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai let out a huge sigh. She did not want to remain in the bath any further.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You hate him?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't hate him."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then do you like him?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don't!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But you do think about him a little, right?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pew, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai heard something snap in her heart.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It’s true that I’d be lying if I say I won’t think about him. I was the one who revived Mr Alice after all."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A battle trumpet was being blown in Ai's mind. Reason and intellect came together to wave the assault flag.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Unbeknownst to her, Dee was smirking,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"See, I knew it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Maybe I do like Mr. Alice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Y-you see? "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai really felt Dee was an idiot. Since she knew this topic would hurt her, she should not have touched upon it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I say maybe, but I think it’s rather unlikely—then again, even if I do like him, so what? "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"E-erm—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee seemed to have finally realized.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was angry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It doesn't matter who I like, is it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, Ai?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It doesn't matter what I do with my feelings."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai’s budding sense of self started to be earnestly angry.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why does everyone make it sound like an exaggeration? Miss Dee, Mr. Julie, the people in town, they all try to make fun of us and look at us ‘that way’."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They never realized that every time they did so, something between them would break.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please don’t name whatever feelings I have. What you’re being is a busybody, Miss Dee…shall I tell you here and now why you’re one?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Sorry…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was quick to apologize.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry, Ai…."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good grief, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai sighed and regained her composure.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I said too much too. I’m sorry…but you should have confessed earlier, Miss Dee."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, well, when you say that, it just felt like…it’s impossible for me…I believe Alice will have it tougher than you, Ai, because he’s still in the phase where he just lost his dream."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai remembered Alice's burnt right arm, and the manner in which he cried tears of blood.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"He's just a kid, you know. He's not even in love yet, or doesn’t even know how to live. That’s why he’s so reckless."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Then why don't you hold him together, Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, but…Ai..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please don't use me as an excuse.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hm-hmph. Since you say so, don't cry when Alice falls in love with me then."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fine by me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At that moment, something that had been smoldering in Dee's mind for a long time seemed to disappear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Surely the feeling that arose within Ai had entrenched itself within Dee as well. Ai was glad that she had been able to return the favor to her dear friend.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alright! I'll do my best!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With that, Dee stood up.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oh, you're finally going to confess?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I'm not going to do that now, because there's a high probability of failure. I’ll start by wearing down his defenses first."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That’s really typical of you, Miss Dee. It’s fine."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Okay! Then I'm going!"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Huh?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Before Ai could show any surprise, Dee had jumped out of the bathtub and lumbered towards the changing room.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Erm, what are you intending to do, Miss Dee?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ll go conquer Alice!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Calm down. Please stop first."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a dire situation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee's face was flushed, and it was obvious she did not think this through. Apparently, she had taken too long a bath with the two Gravekeepers.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You can’t, Miss Dee. You’ll only regret it tomorrow. You should stop if you don't want to feel awkward, you should stop. Or rather, I'll make you stop!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai~let~go~ Don't worry, I've seen what to do in such situations so often when I was the Ghost."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you mean ‘so often’? What’ve you been doing with your invincible body? You’re a peeping tom!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tried to stop Dee by clinging to the latter’s flabby stomach, but the floor was too slippery for her to hold on.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fufufu, coming from you, Ai? Well, of course, in terms of sex appeal, there’s no way you can compare to me. Fufu. Obviously I’ll be the one to snatch Alice~"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">" Please don't say that! I don't think I’ll be able to extend any more kindness by stopping you though!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">On a side note, Scar was in the hot water, being a complete bystander, looking on with a face of morose enjoyment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let-go~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please come to your senses!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Dee reached the changing room and opened the door.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She felt it was not Alice’s fault.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Naturally, he was not here to peek, and he did knock.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Furthermore, Dee was trying to tempt him with sex appeal. No one could blame him if he saw her naked body.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But such reasons had nothing to do with the euphemism of a girl's heart.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Kya——————————!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That day, the last remaining bath tub in the motel shattered.</span> [[Image:Kamisama v07 Illustration 09.jpg|thumb]] ===Part III=== <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why can’t you just say you got something…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Steam rose from Dee as she stomped off, her footsteps loud and clear.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My bad…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice continued, stroking his cheek that had a clear palm imprint.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Alice, I’ll talk to you later…you weren’t trying to peep, were you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Julie, who was on the verge of one step ahead of the demon, chases after him.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Celica, please do not fool around. It is easy to catch a cold after a hot bath.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar was exceptionally concerned about Celica catching a cold from the cooled water, and put thick clothes on the latter.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai herself was wearing thick clothes, steaming as she passed through the night mist.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, what do you want?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Nothing much, I was outside fixing the car, and this guy came in."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The gang left the motel. The stretch of dense forest was darker than the starry sky. The cobblestones at the roundabout were peeled off, and the trees in the garden had grown wild and were sprouting in all directions. A blue car, dirtier than ever, blended into the landscape as if mimicking a ruin.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Next to it was a young man who resembled a bullied dog.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Shaun!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai skipped over the bumps and ran to the car.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're all right?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You say I’m alright when I look like this?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaun was covered in scars, especially on his arms. The shirt sleeves were torn off and used as bandages, and for some reason, he was wearing his shoes wrongly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is worse than being dead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The exhausted young man sneered, showing a look that was a mix between self-mockery and sarcasm.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's not true."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaun lifted his face in surprise.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It’s too early for you to die, you know."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At this moment, Ai could say those words proudly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, what do you want?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, yeah, actually, I was with some guys from the town just moments ago…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaun pointed to the bottom of the hill.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"They’re going to launch another attack tonight."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were artificial lights there, different from flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"They're going to attack my stepmother's main body."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh? But it’s impossible to defeat her even if that’s the case…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah, that's why they're looking for you Gravekeepers too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai glanced at the two shovels propped up against the car.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Only the Gravekeepers would stop the Dead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was about to have to make another decision.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I volunteered to do the job. I got a different goal though, so please, I beg of you, hide and make sure they don’t find you! They want you Gravekeepers to bury my stepmother—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar immediately stopped him.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Those hiding in there, do come out. If you do not, I shall deem you hostile and personally bury you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She picked up one of the shovels and pointed the blade at a nearby bush.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai noticed it once she said so. She could not hear breathing or heartbeat, but there were people hiding there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Why, excuse me, young Scar. Ah, we forgot you have the ability to detect the Dead’s whereabouts. Sorry to startle you. It's me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And with that, the men trickled out.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo Gram and the citizens.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You've been…spying on me?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course. You were cooperative with us, but you’re an enemy until yesterday. It’s a courtesy to supervise you…and sure enough, you seem hostile to us. How foolish. Why would they accept such a request from you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ugh!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Seize him!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hands reached out from the darkness and pinned Shaun to the ground.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr Bendo…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ohh, young Ai. Glad you're okay. It's good to see you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo, the mayor who had taken such good care of Ai since the days of the Sealed City, always wore a crisp, unwrinkled suit,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We've been looking for you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He was already dead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Come with us. Good news. We've captured Madame's body."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The blue car drove down the mountain, flanked by militia jeeps in front and behind.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It was a lot of damage, but I guess that's the end of this matter."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo said, appearing to be in a good mood.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I was initially fearful of how serious it could be! Well, good work!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice poked his head out of the passenger seat.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"More importantly, Bendo, get your postmortem done…otherwise you’ll end up 'selfish'. The sooner you do this, the better…or I can do it for you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I don’t need you to take care of my mess, Alice. Don't worry. I'll be gone as soon as this is over."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That’s!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai blurted out without thinking. Bendo smiled gently and narrowed his dilated pupils.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thanks for trying to get me to stay, little Ai…but to be honest, I'm taking it very hard."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He looked at Dee spitefully.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've been fooled by that little girl, and now I’m in such a foolish state. But that doesn't mean I can't be twisted like that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At where the Dead looked, Dee continued to nonchalantly chew on a piece of gum.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"… This is the best I can do, according to my common sense. There’s no way I can accept any post-mortems. I'd be closer to being ‘selfish’ if that happens."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But that’s…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, this is the last time…I want to leave this world with the memory of protecting this town."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo hesitated to pat the head of Ai, who was about to start crying. His proud soul had deemed himself evil, and was unwilling to touch the radiant life.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And seeing that, Ai leaned her head forward, basically headbutting as she rested her head on his palm.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dead's hand gently touched her, just a little, and then quickly withdrew.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So, which one of you is going to bury Madame?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no doubt on his face as he asked this question.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He never expected that Ai would be so hesitant, given how honorable he was.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hill of flames was already before them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hill appeared to be the embodiment of hell.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We’ll have to walk on foot from here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo said, getting out of the car.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh, but what are we going to do with all these flames?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai got out of the car and looked up at the hill. There was some gap between the burning flames, but it was not that easy to move through.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hm, about this…see?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-what are you doing?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo suddenly put his hand into the flame.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No need to panic."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, for some strange reason, the flame moved away as much as it was pushed, and Bendo's hand was not burned.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…What’s going on?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's probably the metamorphosis Alice spoke of."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai touched the flame with trepidation, but the flames shunned her as well.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This flame is not going to set anything ablaze indiscriminately. It's just..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo pulled a knife from his pocket and threw it at the flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The previously unresponsive flames immediately intercepted the knife and melted the iron core at a tremendous high temperature.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Basically, these flames follow a certain concept—it only reacts to ‘violence’ and counterattacks accordingly."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice's ability to shoot down bullets.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame’s ability to uphold the law.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Both powers caused a metamorphosis, but they ended up reverting back to their original wish.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…If I had known sooner, we would have saved a lot of meaningless sacrifices…but thanks to these, It made finding Madame relatively easy."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just then, there was a commotion in the jeep behind them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please! I beg of you!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A man who had his hands cuffed together pleased loudly,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please take me with you! At least let me see her final moments!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shaun?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo narrowed his eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey, Mr. Mayor! Please!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai tried to keep her voice as firm as possible, so as not to show her bias towards him</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I too ask for this."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm, well, sure…hey! Bring that guy along too! Over here! "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a tired sigh, Bendo looked at the top of the hill.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Let's go, I want to finish this before dawn."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">While the flames did not burn the body, the sight of it seemed to chip away at Ai’s spirit instead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Purgatory-like hills seemed completely devoid of reality, for the half-heartedly regenerated town of ash looked eerie instead, as though it had blended with the flames. Ai felt this might be the Afterlife people referred to. The flames did not hinder the steps of those scaling it, and flickered like ghost flames, leading them to the hill.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And once they reached the peak.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a place of fairy tales.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ooohhh … ooohhh …"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As the ghost flames swayed at the peak, a huge old woman made of iron and ash was being held captive by pale, burning flames and a light spear that felt tangible.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The flames of purgatory surrounded them, and an unknowing black surface floated above it all, transcending everything.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s with this reality? </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai's mind went momentarily blank.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And then,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Unexpected people were waiting for her there.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're here. I've waited long enough."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A boy floating in a halo said.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A noblewoman in a flame dress opened her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee's expression finally changed the moment she saw them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The two Deformed appeared as jurors in the trial and disappeared before they knew it.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Fellmigora periphery nobleman, Noellfaen.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dust Believer, ambassador-at-large to Ortus.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Noellfaen and Dust Believer? What’s going on, Bendo!? Why are they here!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Watch your mouth, young girl."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The boy spoke elegantly, acting as though he never recognized Dee.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We have signed a contract with your chief. We are allied."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I never heard of this!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Of course not, why should a young girl like you know of a conversation between countries?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This was what Dee had meant when she said that Bendo seemed suspicious. Bendo had personally done a deal with them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Bendo, what have you promised these people?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Protection of the citizens and supplies. They've agreed to defeat Madame and take over the black surface."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, the Living powerhouse of Fellmigora and the Dead powerhouse of Ortus had no interest in such a battle of territory. They arrived to bury this ‘possible link to the new world’, one that would undermine their power base.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet, it was only two days.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The speed was beyond Dee's expectations.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Bendo!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee, who was the only one who appreciated black surface from the same point of view as the others, called out the name as though she had the urge to beat him up. It was the only reason why she, who had said that the idea of life and death were worthless, kept fighting.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the supreme authority here would not budge.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I won't apologize, Dee. There’s no comparison between a creepy hole and a citizen's life. I think it’s the right thing to do…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee's point of view was too high for them to sympathize with her. Even the guard Captain, who was most devoted to her, looked aside.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">If she had a few more days, she could have broken that common sense… Dee gritted her teeth and began to search for a way to reverse the situation.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But time was not stopping.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"And who, o Mayor, can bury the Dead? Please hurry. The tongues of flames have been trying to burn us for quite some time now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We’ll get down to it right away."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo turned his gaze towards Shaun.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Have you said your goodbyes?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaun shook his head at the sight of Madame, probably betting everything on this last bit of hope.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She showed no signs of recovery.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A forefinger reached out from behind Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on, young Ai. Finish the rest."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo pointed at Madame with a look of mercy.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Living pointed.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dead pointed.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Go on, go on, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">they urged the little Gravekeeper.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was about to remember something incredibly frightening.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait, Bendo! That is indeed Miss Madame's body, but burying it won't make this situation any better! It might even make it worse..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We know, but if it's a possibility, we’re willing to give it a try."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But,"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was going to say that when Madame had confronted Celica, she had felt something about the change in the flames. She wanted to say that she did not want to bury people anymore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">" I don't think it's likely to get any worse. It seems that this body and the flame have become completely separate entities. The body seems annoyed with our attacks, but the flames reacted to her attacks. Don't worry, you can bury her."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But,"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai wanted to refute.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet,</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on." "Go on."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The forefingers wavered in the flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They were stroking at Ai's distant memory.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were only two Deads that Ai had buried so far.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">One of them was Kizuna Astin, Ai's father.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The other was—Hana Astin, Ai's mother.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had no recollection of what happened.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She just followed the instructions of the villagers, as though feverish..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Go on, go on, they said, pointing to the darkness of the grave, and their hands,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They seemed hot to her, just like that time.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Go on."</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Right when Ai was about to reach her limit,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Leave this to one."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Another Gravekeeper stood up, carrying a silver blade.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I shall take care of it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar stepped forward, holding Celica in her left hand and the shovel in his right, to protect Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ai!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Get a grip! Hey, Bendo, what did you do to her?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And before she realized, she was surrounded by her companions. Someone propped up her back, and smacked her cheek.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I didn't do anything…are you okay, Lady?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo said with a completely normal expression.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The villagers probably had that look on their faces, too.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait! Miss Scar! Miss Scar—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai hastily stood up and grabbed Scar by the sleeve to stop her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No need to worry, Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Scar gave an encompassing smile and gently removed Ai's hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I know how you feel. Did I not tell you to leave this to me?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The expression on her face was as noble and upright as when she was the Gravekeeper.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame noticed them.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"SHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The situation Madame was in would have caused anyone to forget her prior silence. Her flaming skeleton was swaying, and she tried to run off. At that moment, Celica started to cry again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please let her go, everyone."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar looked upwards and spoke to the two Deformed who were acting like bystanders.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—What?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Who knows?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……Well, certainly."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The two Deformed who lived in the world of the supernatural seemed to have sensed something from Scar, and unbound Madame obediently.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"SHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame’s massive body immediately began to climb, and she scampered off towards Celica.I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And as expected,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Whoa!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She froze.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The giant stopped immediately.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do not cry…ah, do not cry…ahh."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In her agony, Madame scratched her cheeks with her hands of blades, seemingly trying to coax the baby to not cry..</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wahhh~!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh…ahh…Shaun…do not cry…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai was convinced. Madame was not acting maliciously after all.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She simply wanted to go to the side of a crying child.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Shaun, please do not cry. …Oh."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame's face crumpled in an expression of compassion and madness.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"My, baby …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For the first time, Scar, who had been ignored as though she was a mere platform for the baby, came into Madame's sight.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This child does not belong to you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A chill went down the monster's spine.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…! Ga, gagaga!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The body of junk rattled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The atmosphere was tense. Madame was akin to an amoeba of indeterminate shape, expressing her feelings with her flesh, and was on the verge of returning to her madness.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, only Scar was able to speak boldly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This child belongs to herself."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Scar gently smiled at the still crying Celica,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do not worry, Celica, she is not scary. She is just a normal, kind old lady."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—Ga, gaga!!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"She came to see you because she was worried."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah ….ahh."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The body composed of murder weapons shaking unsteadily. The joints of the junk had loosened. The blades made of rusted, severed blades lost composure, and suddenly made a funny face.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Seeing this, Celica suddenly stopped crying.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The funny faces continued to play along, showing tearful smiles.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At this moment, the baby’s reactions appeared realistic, for Celica inadvertently forgot to cry as she stared at the toys efore her. The crow that was crying was smiling. It appeared Celica found Madame’s various funny faces to be very amusing, and she started clapping.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah…ah…ahh…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Would you like to hug her?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar held out the baby, seemingly ensuring that Celica could touch Madame. Ai and Alice almost jumped out of their skin, but Julie of all people stopped them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Uu…ah!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame became a mosaic of delight and confusion, and suddenly reached her hands out.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah……."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But her hands were made of dull blades, and they could not hold a baby.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah! Ahhhh! Aaahhhh!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The madness was coming to life, and Madame cursed the world as she shoved the murder weapons into her own face.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was on the verge of falling apart again. She absorbed too much matter that her mental state was too dispersed, and she was on the verge of losing her ego..</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psst.</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But it did not happen this time.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With a crunch, the blades that had formed Madame's hands fell to the ground.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hold still."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psst, psst.</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The sounds of dusting snow off the back echoed again.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It must have been hard for you to carry such a heavy weight on your back…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the hand of a family member sweeping the back of a person who had returned from returning from a long journey. It was the hand of a friend upon the shoulder of a wounded person.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the hand of a mother patting the head of her child.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, ahhh…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The junk that armored Madame completely fell away one by one. The eyes and hands of the Gravekeeper separated the junk from her actual body.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The hands that would bury the Dead and deal finality were certainly giving birth to something other than destruction.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah…ahh……ahhh………"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame was akin to an infant being combed as she let the Gravekeeper clean her up. Her body became smaller and smaller, until she became a small, old woman.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahhh…ahh …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Come."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Scar handed Celica to the old woman.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The color of intelligence had returned to the old woman’s face.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Thank you…thank you…oh, good child, good child…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The old woman beamed and tickled Celica's cheek. Her movements were adept.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank you… for being so beautiful, just like your mother…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">After playing with Celica for a while, Madame returned the baby to her mother.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you done…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame stood there alone and closed her eyelids.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I remembered everything."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her voice and body were trembling.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I remembered everything from the day the flames burned."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The old woman covered her face with her wrinkled hands.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What…have I done!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Stepmother…!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, you!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shaun waved off the guards' hands and stumbled over. The old woman had ashes pouring from her eyes,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I too am sorry…for the things I have done to you…calling you Shaun, as a child that does not exist to me…what a grave sin it is."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m the same!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The fists of the man who was no longer a boy shook uncontrollably.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've done terrible things to you…but I kept hiding it, acting like I’m your son…if you say that’s a sin, then I too have sinned!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai thought that everything was finally going to be okay, that Madame had restored her mind. She could make amends with everyone, and move on to the next day.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">However,</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shink!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> An iron spear pinned Madame to the ground.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the Dead, led by Bendo.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr. Bendo! What are you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"That's my line, young Ai. What’s going on here?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo Gram and the Dead stood there with terrifying expressions on their faces.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"'You guys don't really want to bury her, do you?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This time, Ai declared.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Madame is now harmless!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So what about that!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What? What are you talking about?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">For a moment, Ai did not understand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"S-So what? She’s harmless! There's no need to fight anymore!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…No wonder I felt that something’s amiss/ It seems you’ve got this fight all wrong."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo leaned his head back, looking really exhausted.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is a war, young Ai. It’s a war where she either kills us, or we kill her."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"B-But Miss Madame is now powerless... "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"All the better for us. There’s no obstacle to our swinging fists."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But aren’t you just venting your frustrations? Please don't do that! What’s wrong with forgiving her?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phew—</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo let out a long, unnecessary sigh.</span> <b> </b> <b>"We were murdered."</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The words contained a tinge of misery befitting the hills of hell.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai knew that she should not have blurted out. She knew the futility of that.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But Ai was at a loss for words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"B-But..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We've were murdered."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We were killed by that monster."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"……"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Are you going to say, ‘even so’, young Ai? That we should forgive her?"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahem, </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo coughed, the air exited his lungs, and he spit out black blood.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It is fine, Miss Ai. …"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Madame gently patted Ai's back in a comforting manner.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have done such things…accepting such punishment is a relief to me instead…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She had already accepted her fate.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…If you guys aren’t going to bury her, that's fine too. We'll carry her into the wilderness and wait for another Gravekeeper…along with us…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thud,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Bendo suddenly walked towards Ai. The other Dead around him did likewise. There was no violence there, only a flame burning peacefully.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">What Bendo said should have been nothing more than a grudge, but Madame's acceptance of her sin became a justification to him.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai had nothing left. Reason, justice, hope, nothing.</span> <b>But even so,</b> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Mr Bendo."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Do you still need something?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I…have a dream …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai looked at the night. She was looking at the starry sky, framed by flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a startled Alice and Julie.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I want to be myself."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"So what….—!"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dan!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Running with ashes rising beneath her feet, Ai snatched Madame in an instant.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Young Ai! What do you think you're doing?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But that's not all to it."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you talking about? Are you going to oppose us!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Then Ai pointed the shovel.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Because I want </span><b>everyone to be everyone</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What are you—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr Bendo, you aren’t being yourself!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai shouted.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mr Bendo, Mr Captain, everyone! You’re all fakes! The real people I know wouldn’t have lost to their vengeance! The people of Ostia have dignity!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The spirit of the words bound the people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You too, Miss Madame! If you want to atone for your sins, please don't take the easy way out by disappearing! Take a lesson from Miss Dee here!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Just as Scar had exorcized Madame with the Gravekeeper's hands, Ai was trying to exorcize the Dead with human words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai cried. She was crying as though something worthy of grieving happened.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please don’t give up on yourself! Just because you died! If you can't do that!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai stabbed her shovel into the earth and stood before them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I shall…stop you."</span> [[Image:Kamisama v07 Illustration 10.jpg|thumb]] <span style="font-weight: 400;">She was sad, anguished, but she could not stop. She raised her shovel to ready herself. If this could not work, then until that moment…</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'll oblige."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice stood at where Ai hoped he would be.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Really, it’s never boring being with you, huh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The rest of the group gathered behind them one by one.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was not all. About half the people who stood with Bendo’s group went over to her side.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Bendo was certainly troubled at that moment, and with his usual eyes, he was trying to reconsider and open his mouth like he should.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Such a strange matter."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai looked up at the sky with hostility.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Mayor, this appears to be a rebellion."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, this is—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm, how troublesome. I don't know if I can negotiate with you as the representative."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Looks that way."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The only two people present who were drifting in the air as bystanders wanted to ruin everything."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We have no choice but to occupy the town."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It appears so."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the depths of purgatory, the angel and the demon discussed something that was worthy of hell. "</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Dee Ensy, be thankful. This place will be under the protection of our Emperor."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is he talking about?</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Please hold on, Noellfaen. Why are the Living supposed to be in charge of this place? Us Dead are supposed to be in charge."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Enough with the foolish words, demon. Are you trying to turn this place into a second Ortus?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What is wrong with that? The best outcome is to have the Princess stationed here. No Living shall pass the black surface"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai felt that she had done well.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Even though she was attacked and ignored, she endured and did not retaliate. She had Dee persuade them, and said all she could. Considering their predicaments, she did not badmouth them either.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But everything was,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Please do not stop me."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai took a step forward with a tense, ominous tone in her voice."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Stop?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice said, dangling two guns.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Who’s stopping?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee was furious to the point where her veins were popping, and she stood forther.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They had enough.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai plunged her shovel deep into the ground.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Madame, stand back."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She then pulled it out at once. The earth dug out by the silver blade was spewed out into the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The soil rained down like a squall upon the flames in the area.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">With that, the immortal flames were extinguished.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Everyone."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai said, holding the shovel up to her eyes, without letting go of her emotions.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I shall introduce myself again. I'm the Gravekeeper, Ai Astin."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her voice echoed coolly, overwhelming the constant buzzing of the flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I have the power to bury all the Dead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hoh, that’s interesting. Then use your power to bury this dead demon here, and you shall be rewarded."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">While the mouth yapped such words of dissonance, a silver bullet was fired at his mouth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just to introduce myself again. I’m Alice Color."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The bullet was vaporized into a pillar of light just before it hit the lips. However,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Gah!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">He managed to parry this shot, and the other two bullets hit both shoulders.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Any projectile I shoot is certain to hit the target. Everyone knows I’m a dangerous man.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Wait, don’t do that if you know that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai turned pale because she feared that Alice harmed someone, but the latter merely winked as an excuse. Dee then said,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m Dee Ensy, their boss."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’m Julie, Ai's foster father."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No, I haven’t agreed to that—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I am also a Gravekeeper, Scar, and this is my daughter, Celica."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Everyone started introducing themselves for some reason. Madame and Shaun were wondering if they should do the same.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Hoh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Faced with the two Gravekeepers, his trump card against the Dead, Noellfaen turned to Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"What do you wish for?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">'I've been telling you for a while now. Please leave."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I've also told you I can't do that."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Noellfaen, who must have recognized Ai as the one to negotiate, explained his reasons.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Say, child. Do you think our deeds are evil?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Fellmigora intended to maintain the status quo, the world of the afterlife. They thus wanted to manage this black surface that would be a hindrance to their plans.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…We too have pressing reasons to be here, Gravekeeper child…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ortus in turn was thinking of creating a new nation, and sought eternity in this world. They were afraid that the potential Dead would be lost to the new world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I don't think it's wrong."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">As the one being persuaded, Ai understood their feelings somewhat.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She understood why they would not back down.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I understand that you are just trying to protect your world."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She lifted her head and looked at the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"In that case, you should understand, right? What you’re going to trample on is a world someone wants to protect…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She looked up at the black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This black surface was made by a friend of mine that I have yet to meet."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola Edwards.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl who was the only one who went to a different world of her own volition while all 30,000 citizens returned home.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A person who lived with a deadly disease, yet never hated anyone; a brilliant person who could have destroyed Alice, but steadied herself on the brink. A comrade of Ai's who liked dream chrysanthemums.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Would she be offended if Ai treated her like a friend?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"—It’s not your hope, nor is it your despair. It’s her dream. This is the world she wanted to protect, just like you…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">If she got angry, Ai would apologize.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai held up her shovel.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…If you still want to come to me, then by all means …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">That was the last straw for Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I too shall fight to protect the world."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her friends took their stances behind her. The flames of ash trembled as they noticed the signs of destruction. It was a sign that they were serious.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I never thought I would die here."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The angel answered after a long silence.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Well, it can't be helped. I suppose it’s good bitter medicine to wake the fools back in my country."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"An outstanding person like you is willing to die in battle? We shall welcome you in Ortus once you die."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dust Believer chuckled.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Shut up Dust Believer, you're the one in danger of extinction."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think that is a rather trivial matter."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I suppose so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">They glanced at Ai. There was determination in her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Suddenly, there was silence. Ai's eyes were downcast as she held the shovel, the angel spread his wings, and the bones stood upright, retracting the flames.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The winds of war had calmed, and it was as if peace had arrived.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But it was only a facade, for the surrounding area was filled with stinging hostility and aggression.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gobble, gobble, gobble.</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The flames of ash reacted to the hostility and blazed at an unprecedented vigor. The flames were no longer effervescent, and were waiting for the moment to devour them all.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And time began to move slowly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">An angel grabs a pillar of light like a great tree.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The bones danced while dressed in a flaming dress.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai grasped her shovel and lowered her center of gravity.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Living followed the angel and pushed the limits of the Deformed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dead ran with torn limbs as weapons.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The friends offered encouragement from behind Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The fire of retaliation surrounded everything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The black surface ignored everything as it merely spreaded itself like an otherworld.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">No one could stop this conflict, not Ai's shovel, not the angel's light, not the noblewoman’s bones, nor the fire of deterrence. All that was left was for the moment of conflict to explode.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Supposedly.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">People and flames collided. Confusion should have led to more confusion.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The black surface, which had been watching the people like an abyss of the universe, shook at that moment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Right before the destruction, right when hundreds of deaths and annihilation would occur.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">A wave that should not have shaken prevented a battle that could not possibly be prevented.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai gripped the shovel as her mouth slacked and opened wide, staring at the black surface. Everyone was ignoring the start signal and looking at completely unrelated places.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ripples appeared on the black surface. The boundary that had rejected all interference was shaking.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It was a phenomenon that occurred only when the Living passed through from this world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But at this moment, nobody was near the black surface. Ripples were appearing from within the black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And then,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oopsie—"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were no dazzling lights, no rumbling earth.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl appeared.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She has fluffy silver hair, droopy eyes that look like she was crying or smiling, a worn-out sweater and a thick checkered skirt that were most probably her favorite clothes. And on her head, a single dream chrysanthemum flower.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The person who emerged from the black surface had been silent for so long, and appeared at first glance to be just an ordinary girl.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Thank goodness…I made it through……."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">…Who is she?</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The question was prancing upon everyone's face. Nobody recognized her.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But for some reason, Ai had a sense of déjà vu about the girl's appearance. She had never seen or spoken to the girl before, but she felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had been friends for a decade.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss…Isola…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, there's someone who knows me. Woah, you’re really, cute…oh, and there's big bro Alice and big sis Dee, too…ah, but…."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl blushed, perhaps embarrassed by the attention,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Nice to meet you, I'm Isola Edwards."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The stated name belonged to that of the person who created this black surface.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I’ve returned to this world, albeit unexpectedly."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola bowed her head.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, a puzzled silence descended upon them. This time however, Isola was included in the confusion.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Um, I'm sorry for interrupting. It seems you’re busy…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That does not matter."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The angel asked,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Did you exit from that black surface?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, yes—woa, it’s an angel. You're floating. It’s amazing~"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…That does not matter…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry."</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another child…</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Noellfaen shook his head in disgust.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Where do you come from?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ah, erm, I don’t know if you understand if I say it’s an otherworld. Even though I created it…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was chatter.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hey! Isola, were you the only one in that world? I sent 1,202 people from here!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Capitalizing upon this confusion, Dee raised her hand.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, they’re all there, big sis Dee. 1202 people, not a single one missing. Everyone is now living normal lives in that world right now."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Again, there was chatter. All the people present faltered.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I-is the world you speak of the one from fifteen years ago..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes, it’s a world without Gravekeepers or Walking Dead."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Then, are there children too..."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola beamed.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We have confirmed the development of fertilized ovaries in some mothers. I believe it is possible to conceive children there."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">People were speechless.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The highly disciplined soldiers questioned away without regard for their own roles, and even exposed themselves defenselessly in the battle.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I only heard from the doctor. I do not know the specifics, so you’ll have to ask the people who’ll come through in the future."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Future?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai asked.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"By 'future' do you mean…people can come and go between here and there?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It is impossible to come and go.. One can either go, or come…this black surface is like the prior original. Every person can only traverse once in life."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In other words, the only person who could come here from the other side at this moment was Isola, who was there from the beginning.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I suppose it’ll probably be several decades before the next person comes over there, when the children born there realize that they are dying."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her words slowly sank into the hearts of the people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The biggest despair of this world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The fear that there would be no children, no one to inherit them.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It vanished at this moment.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ohh…"</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psst,</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the weapons fell.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh! Ahhhh!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Living cried with their bodies, and the Dead cried with their hearts.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The battle was supposedly unavoidable.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes! Did you hear that!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yeah! How’s that possible! I can't believe this day has arrived!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The world was not redeemed because of this. The fact remained that this world would eventually be left with nothing but Dead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But surely a different wind was blowing.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai stood there in a daze.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The world had been saved.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The world was being saved before her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The shock just went through her body. She was neither happy nor sad, her heart was trembling, and she seemingly did not know what to feel.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">There were cheers.</span> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whoa!!</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Both Living and Dead were united, raising their fists.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Tell everyone what we saw here. The black surface shall save both Living and Dead!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dee immediately started to ‘whisper’ While the crowd cheered, Ai left the frenzy and walked over to Isola.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You must be Miss Ai, no."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola was thin and gingerly frail. She was really just an ordinary girl.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And yet, she saved the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Ai. You're amazing."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Eh?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet that person praised Ai.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re the one who saved big bro Alice, right…from death too."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…You’re the amazing one, Miss Isola."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Really?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes. You saved the world."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Hmm~, but I couldn't save big bro. I think you’re the more amazing one after all, Miss Ai."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Is that, so?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Yes yes. I respect you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…It’s kind of a mess, isn't it?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fufufu, really…ah, big bro…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice arrived behind Ai’s back.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's been a while."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Seems that way."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Alice gave a somewhat gaudy smile. For Isola, he was an older brother figure, but for Alice who had been reset many times, it was almost like a first encounter."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's okay. Don't worry about it, big bro. We can create memories together in the future…I finally made it to the starting point"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola stretched out, took a deep breath, loosened her flushed cheeks,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"After all…there's plenty of time."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She stared at the world with moist eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"There really is…lots…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Isola?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She looked strange.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">One would have assumed her flushed face was due to tension, but the redness faded, and the face slowly turned brown. The muscles did not move, and she was repeatedly heaving and breathing hard.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Miss Isola!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl fell over.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…I'm glad I made it…really, thank goodness …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"W-What's wrong with you!? What's going on!?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"I'm sorry to scare you… but don't worry…it's just that I've reached the end of my life …."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"! You’re sick!"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai remembered Isola's illness. It was a congenital disease that caused muscles to lose elasticity as they grew, and finally even caused the heart to stop beating.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Anyway, just lie down for now"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No…please…let me see the world just a little bit more…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola, supported by Ai and Alice, still refused to fall down.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The night was about to dawn.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ahh, so beautiful…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Isola was shedding her last tears.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Every time… I see the sunrise, I'm terrified that I won't see tomorrow…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her lips became dry, and her eyes slowly lost their luster.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"But I don't have to be scared like that anymore…I can see tomorrow again…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She smiled as though she was being held in her mother's arms.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is heaven, isn’t it…?"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Heaven.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The words penetrated the people.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The madness was over; Living and Dead, soldiers and generals, everyone was listening to Isola's words.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The world was turned upside down.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Life that was lost had been restored, but it would not revert to its original state. Both blend and remain together.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Reality had been transported beyond the black surface, and this place would become the land of the Dead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The first person in that land was crying, hoping to ingrain herself in this new world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">But her face suddenly winced,</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Or perhaps this place might be hell…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She whispered anxiously.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"No."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai's heart was speaking.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You're right, this is indeed heaven."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her lips were quivering, as if she was being asked to represent the world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">While carrying heaven on her back, Ai looked straight into Isola's eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Tears flowed freely.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"We won’t, let this place, become hell."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"…………I see…thank you."</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, Isola's life was coming to an end. Her skin was losing tension, and her eyes would soon lose their luster.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">"You’re like an angel…"</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The morning sun shone into her pupils and diamonds danced in her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Her eyes reflected the whole world.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the sky, a seven-winged angel and a demon of flaming bones danced.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The earth was infested with the Living and the Dead.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At the edge of the world, flames dance, enveloping everything.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Only the moon, the sun, and the black surface were still moving supernaturally.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And standing at the forefront was a girl with sparkling eyes, crying for Isola.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(So pretty…)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not convey her thoughts into words anymore.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Ahh, yes, I wanted to say this…)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">She mustered up the last of her strength. She conveyed her thoughts with just her eyes.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">(Hey, Miss Ai…if you want to...————…with me)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">And so Isola breathed her last.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">It would be a little later before they become friends.</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:Volume7_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] | Return to [[Kami-sama_no_Inai_Nichiyoubi|Main Page]] | Forward to [[Kami-sama_no_Inai_Nichiyoubi:Volume7_Epilogue|Epilogue]] |- |} </noinclude>
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