Editing Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyoubi:Volume7 Chapter3 (section)

===Part III===

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The hill of flames was already before them.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Leave this to one."</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"This child belongs to herself."</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psst.</span></i>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<b>But even so,</b>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"…Such a strange matter."</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Everyone."</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"I too shall fight to protect the world."</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Oopsie—"</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">There were no dazzling lights, no rumbling earth.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The girl appeared.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">+</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The world had been saved.</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"This is heaven, isn’t it…?"</span>

&nbsp;

<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>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">(So pretty…)</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She could not convey her thoughts into words anymore.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">(Ahh, yes, I wanted to say this…)</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She mustered up the last of her strength. She conveyed her thoughts with just her eyes.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">(Hey, Miss Ai…if you want to...————…with me)</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">And so Isola breathed her last.</span>

&nbsp;
&nbsp;


<span style="font-weight: 400;">It would be a little later before they become friends.</span>

&nbsp;

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