Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 5 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 12===

Yuumei Space.

Overhead was the shattered chandelier. The paintings that should have adorned the walls all bore traces of claws or fangs and the carpet underfoot was torn here and there, exposing the underlying stone floor.

What filled the large vacant space from which a large number of people had evacuated was the continuous ringing of clashes.

“Kagura, above!”

Monica’s shout echoed in the meeting room.

“G-got it……!”

She pulled the trigger on her high voltage electric gun.

With an intense sound and light, the electricity stretched in a line and coiled around the white poisonous snake falling from the ceiling. It’s movements stiffened in midair……but it didn’t stop with just one shot. Aiming for Kagura below, it extended its fangs and opened its mouth──

“So……persistent!”

Vaiel backhanded its head. Its rope-like thin body was blown away next to the wall and it began changing back to dirt upon hitting the floor.

“Come on, don’t space out.”

“I-I know that. …………But,”

Kagura tried her hardest to calm her ragged breathing by putting a hand on her mouth.

──It’s hard……with three people.

It would be fine if it was somebody other than Sheltis; right now, the important point was having a fourth person.

If they had four people, they could group up with two in the front and two in the back and cover for each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

They couldn’t do that with the three people they had now, and all three had to be in the frontline to protect the Priestess and General Affairs Bureau Chief’s entourage. Because even she who was inexperienced was in the frontline, Monica couldn’t concentrate on giving orders.

“Three more left.”

Three of Maha’s clones were slowly descending from the floor above. There were several poisonous snakes at their feet and red manticores waiting behind them.

“It’s the final part……we’ll……end it.”

But even as she said that, sweat was dropping from Monica’s brow like a waterfall. It wasn’t just from fatigue, Maha’s clone had likely landed a grazing blow on her torso. ……Her face is deathly pale. From her pained hand movements, it’s likely that her sternum or a rib cracked in that blow.

“……Monica.”

“You don’t have time to worry about others.”

Vaiel’s words pierced her painfully.

……I know that.

……The one most unsuited for direct combat here is me.

That was why Vaiel was sticking close and backing her up and Monica was protecting the opposite direction by herself. The strain on their stamina and mentality was completely different.

Maha’s clones floated from the landing above.

Monica prepared her {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} to respond to that ── but her body suddenly swayed.

“Monica!?”

Kagura reached out her hand but it was too far to her location.

Clack. The {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} fell to the ground. But she didn’t react to that. Could she be unconscious……? Dizziness. No, did she faint? No matter the case, at this rate……

“Damn it!”

Vaiel clicked his tongue and ran to support her but he was much too slow. The unit leader’s body crumpled and Maha’s clones were attacking──

 

“''You……''“

“''You have angered the one person in this world that must not be angered.''“

 

Yuumei Space was filled with light.

The red warning lamps were dyed anew with the even stronger crimson.

“……Wha!?”

Even Kagura who wasn’t a shinryoku warrior knew. The brilliance of shinryoku swirled violently and couldn’t be contained within this room.

“────”

The enemies were pressured into pausing by the incomparable shinryoku.

Within that light, the Priestess held up the female unit captain.

“……This is from my senior Priestess, Meimel.”

Wrapping her left arm around the fainted girl’s shoulder, she supported her delicate body.

“She said that if a Priestess resolves to head towards the frontline of her own will, then she should say so. That’s why……I’ll say it.”

In front of my eyes, everybody is protecting me and getting hurt.

……I don’t want that.

……I don’t want to become a Priestess who would just watch that.

Lending her senpai her left shoulder, she pointed at Maha’s clones with her remaining right hand.

Then Ymy made a declaration.

“I will be your opponent now.”

“……Ymy?”

“Senpai, I’m happy you came to. You suddenly fell over.”

She smiled and brought her open right hand to Monica’s right cheek ── and pulled it as hard as she could.

“Fu, fuat ahh hu huing!?” <ref>[T/N: A really messed up version of "What are you doing!?".]</ref>

“It’s encouragement. That’s a lie, it’s punishment to senpai who’s a unit leader from me as a Priestess. My earlier words included you, senpai, you know?”

You have angered the one person in this world that must not be angered.

……That’s right. There’s someone I really want to get angry at.

“Senpai, I’m at my limit for holding back. Senpai……you really treat me like your kouhai at the crucial times. Do you not see me as a Priestess?”

“Wha-what are you──”

“If the one here were Meimel or Syun-rei, Monica-senpai, you would have probably asked them for assistance. You should know at least how outstanding the defense of a Priestess’ barrier is.”

She stared intently at Monica who frantically pulled away.

“…………”

“Even so, senpai just keeps protecting me. You just say to hide behind you.”

Monica was silent as she held a hand to her reddened cheek.

“……You’re wrong.”

With her head downcast.

“Yes, maybe I would have asked Meimel-sama or Syun-rei-sama for support. But not wanting you to come to the front is…………really…………”

With her words coming in short bursts, the female unit leader put together her words earnestly.

“My prided kouhai who exerted and worked hard to become a Priestess…………in the slim chance that something were to happen……I don’t want that.”

“'''Yes'''. '''I know'''.”
[[image:-eden05_-00f.jpg|thumb]]

She smiled and picked up the fallen {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}}.

“But a Priestess can’t overlook such a kind Guard being hurt.”

To Monica who was looking at her with a blank expression.

Ymy handed over the {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} without a word.

“Let me support my Guard senpai. I have no Sennenshi so it’s my first battle and I don’t know what I should do. That’s why.”

“……That’s why?”

“In place of the fourth Guard who isn’t here, I shall become the fourth member of senpai’s unit. Please command me.”

“Hah!? Wha……th-that’s really……!”

“It’s an emergency measure. A Priestess is saying it’s fine, so it’s fine.”

She stepped in front of Monica looking to defend her.

──I’m going to do it.

The gap created by Sheltis’ absence. I don’t know just how well I can fill it but I’ll do my best.

“Amazing, it’s amazing, Vaiel. Did you hear that? A Priestess being a part of our unit, that’s completely extraordinary!? It’s thanks to Monica collapsing!”

“Really, your worthlessness actually turned out helpful.”

“Those two are kind of annoying……saying that somebody who collapsed is worthless.”

Monica looked half-shocked as she smiled bitterly.

She took a {{furigana|crossed rod|Rosario}} in one hand and raised the other {{furigana|crossed rod|Rosario}} with her other hand.

“……Just this time, Ymy.”

“Yes.”

“Support us with barrier-style spells. It’ll be fine if you can alleviate or obstruct their attacks. The scope is this entire room and the targets are limited to the four of us. Can you do it?”

“It would be troubling if you were to underestimate a Priestess.”

……Though I’m actually a little weak in barrier-style spells.

Even as she added that in at the bottom of her heart, Ymy replied with a smile.

……It’s a spell I’m weak at.

……But I can’t fail here.

She would do her utmost to the limit of those feelings.

No matter how difficult and no matter how large-scale, she didn’t feel like she could fail.