Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 13 Chapter 5 (section)

== 5.00 The Others ==

The temporary headquarters of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau were wrapped in silence.

It seemed that none could understand the truth Miguruma Yaeko had revealed so easily. The faces of the people looking at her were dyed with surprise, confusion, as well as anger.

“Y-you bitch… Have you set up this operation to intentionally fail?!”

The vice-minister tried grabbing Miguruma.

“No, not at all.”

As she wore her Smile of Shackles, the vice-minister froze.

“I did intend on doing whatever I could to defeat C. There was enough of a chance to block C’s evolution. Right—if the Rank 1s all completed their missions, the result would have been different.”

The screams of Mushitsuki heard from the speakers reverberated inside the tent.

“However, they lost. The newly-born Rank 1 C has won.”

C’s accelerated evolution was unexpected to Miguruma. The proof of that being that even she almost died during that.

“C will probably become able to perfectly draw out a person’s dream before long. If she also absorbed all of the Original Three—I am convinced she will be able to birth Mushitsuki as well.”

Would the current Rank 1s be able to beat C after undergoing this sudden change?

Or would C, the Rank 1 of the new generation, purge the old generation of Mushitsuki?

If asked what option she hoped for, she couldn’t deny it was the latter, however—

“I have promised Terasu that I will make her a Rank 1 once this operation was over. That was no lie, and it will definitely become so.”

Miguruma had honestly grappled with this crisis.

Just like she did until now, and just like she would keep on doing.

She simply and seriously—kept aiming for the Undying.

“C will turn all non-Mushitsuki people into Mushitsuki, and will revive even the Fallen or the dead—”

One of the subjects of her research had finally assumed form after she grappled with it thus far.

There were no winners or losers there.

“Everyone will become Undying—anyone can become a Rank 1.”

This wasn’t what Miguruma chose.

Mushitsuki themselves, as well as the people who weren’t Mushitsuki, settled this.

Because they’d been unable to defeat C, the new Rank 1, and thus unable to stop Miguruma.

“That’s so horrible…”

One of the intelligence division Mushitsuki mumbled this. She was a low-ranked combatant who couldn’t go on this final fight.

“That is hurtful. I still love Mushitsuki so much, though.”

She gently stroked the cheeks of the subordinate glaring at her.

“Rather, I am your only ally. All this time, you were utterly hated by people and oppressed, were you not? That will stop from now. After all, everyone will become the monsters called Mushitsuki.”

After a while of her stroking her subordinate Mushitsuki, Miguruma turned toward the branch heads.

“—Well then, let us retreat now. All of you are to gather the remaining combatants.”

“Eh…”

Branch Head Takemi emitted a stupid voice, and she ordered him.

“Our operations have ended. This temporary headquarters will get discovered by C before long. I have prepared a safer place, so let us head there.”

Miguruma’s research was ongoing.

Before long she’d become unable to keep up with C, but she had to continue her surveillance.

“W-wait…! I told you, you have no authority anymore!”

“Who other than me can handle the monsters called Mushitsuki?

She inquired the vice-minister.

When he asked before who’d replace her, no one raised their hand.

And now as well—the vice-minister was completely speechless.

“W-what should we do about—”

She heard a trembling voice from above the floor.

“What should we do about those still fighting on the battlefields…!”

Powerless and kneeling on the floor, Goroumaru Touko shouted this. Acting Branch Head of East Central Branch, the woman who was branded as incompetent, had traces of tears on her cheeks.

“Have you not heard, Acting Head Goroumaru?”

Looking down on Touko, Miguruma spoke in a soft voice like a mother admonishing a young child.

“I have said that the operations are over.”

“No… they’re not over at all—”

Speaking like an unruly child, Touko slowly stood up.

“I believed… that the Mushitsuki headed to the operations will definitely win. Also, even without understanding your thoughts, Vice-Deputy Miguruma—you should still have some heart left to lead Mushitsuki as a human being…”

“You are not wrong. I have thought about the possibility of them winning. As a human being, that is.”

“No, you are—neither human nor Mushitsuki. You’re something much scarier.”

It happened just as Touko spat this out clearly.

“Operation 1 can no longer continue…!”

A boy’s voice echoed from the speaker.

It was the voice of East Central Branch member, Tsukihime—Ogata Akatsuki.

“We will now move on—to our reserve plan!”

Voices of surprise rose in the tent.

“Reserve plan… he said?”

Starting with Takemi, all the branch heads turned at once to look to Miguruma.

“…”

Miguruma Yaeko did not erase her smile.

She was completely calm.

Her smile did not crumble.

However—

“I—haven’t heard anything about this.”

So she muttered.