Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 7th Episode 25 (section)

=== Part 3 ===

She seemed to have lost consciousness for a short while.

As Arisu opened her heavy lids, she rounded her body on top of a desolate ground.

“Nngh…”

Even when she tried to move, her body was so frozen she couldn’t even stand up. This was probably a side effect of fusing with the Morpho butterfly. After great pains she looked up and confirmed the situation just using her eyes.

“Came here to pick up a fight? Seeing you all alone, you probably came here in a rush to save her. That means your comrades are heading over here, eh?”

“Your face is too stiff. You’re actually holding back the pain. If you want me to hold back a bit, just ask. Well, I’m not going to hold back either way, though.”

In the center of the now roofless, ruined building, two boys were glaring daggers at each other.

One was Harukiyo. His uniform was in tatters and his left arm was dyed by fresh blood.

The other was a boy clad in pitch-black long coat. His face was hidden by large goggles, but she was used to his voice.

“Ooh, is that Kakkou? He looks real strong.”

“What are we going to do? Should we try to escape?”

Speaking from a distance were the freckled girl and bespectacled boy.

“Come at me. Or are you hesitating whether to protect that woman first? Aren’tcha a nice demon?”

“You too, are you just going to keep groaning? Does it hurt? Trying to hold back the pain of your arm being wounded by that woman?”

Seeing the two creating that explosive atmosphere, Arisu realized.

Daisuke had searched for Arisu and rushed there. —Because he was behind her, Harukiyo had to dodge being targeted by the gun and was directly hit by Arisu’s attack.

“Can you move, Arisu?”

While still locking gazes with Harukiyo, Daisuke called to her.

“It’s a bit… difficult.”

She was unlikely to be able to move. She was assaulted by an extreme fatigue like someone having just finished running a marathon. Detached from the spear, the Morpho butterfly was fluttering carefreely in Arisu’s sight.

“Hah.”

Giving Arisu one bored glance, Harukiyo turned around. He was probably going to leave.

Arisu called to his back.

“Harukiyo… what do you mean that Mari gave up her dream?”

“You ain’t got the right to ask me. Because you’re weaker.”

“—You didn’t even think you’d get injured by me, right?”

Harukiyo’s legs stopped.

“Next time I’ll be stronger. Next time, I won’t settle for just one arm. Wouldn’t it be a waste, taking your eyes off of me?”

“…”

The boy was silent. He only slightly moved his wounded arm.

“I’ll be the one to make a move on you, next time. I will… make you answer everything.”

“I’m a wanted person, you know? Are you telling me to stay here right in front of the SEPB?”

Turning around, Harukiyo narrowed his eyes and looked at Daisuke.

“Stay? What are you even talking about?”

“I have an idea. Come here for a bit. You can stay there, Daisuke. …That’s way too close. What are you thinking, stepping on a girl’s face… it’s fine, come here, put your face close.”

After gesturing to him while still lying on the ground, the puzzled Harukiyo brought his face closer to Arisu. She loosened his tie and tied it around his face.

“It’s hard to fasten this. Got anything I can use?”

“It’s time for the arts and crafts club. I’ve got some tape used for dioramas, can you use that?”

“It’s time for the fashionable gal. We can use this hairpin too. Yup, this sloppy is fine.”

“You sure are natural traitors, you two.”

Daisuke looked at the three them starting to fiddle with Harukiyo’s face after they came closer, puzzled.

“What on earth are you…”

“Oh, how mysterious. I now have no idea who this is. The SEPB will never find out, either.”

Arisu let go of Harukiyo’s face.

The boy’s face was splendidly hidden by the tie and tapes. He resembled a mummy from horror movies.

While massaging his own face, Harukiyo grinned.

“Oh, truly mysterious. This solves the problem.”

“Are you thinking the SEPB is really that stupid…?”

“—And?”

This disguise wasn’t good in the least even as a compliment, but Harukiyo did not seem dissatisfied. The boy crouching next to Arisu emitted even more of a superhuman presence than before. He really transformed into something worthy of being called a devil.

Harukiyo’s arm grabbed Arisu’s collar. As she couldn’t move, he forcibly pulled her up, gazing into her face with crimson burning eyes.

“What do I get from staying in town? Are you gonna become strong overnight and kill me like a cockroach?”

“Kill? Don’t make me laugh.”

Arisu no longer flinched from his pressure.

They conversed within the distance of a meagre few centimeters. Never mind Daisuke who was approaching them, even the two Mushitsuki who fought her couldn’t reach there.

“—Something as easy as that wouldn’t solve anything.”

Arisu accepted the devil flame’s pupils glaring directly at her.

Harukiyo narrowed his eyes, looking pleased.

“Oho. And what is that, exactly?”

“I don’t have to answer. But I’ll soon become stronger than you—and make you listen to me. No matter how much you struggle or run away, I’ll never forgive you.”

“…”

“And as long as I don’t know whether what you told me about Mari is true or not—one day, I’ll definitely check your answers.”

Harukiyo’s head blurred.

Daisuke pushed his gun against the boy’s head.

“Let go, Harukiyo.”

“—Shuddup.”

Harukiyo glared at him with a side glance.

“I’m in the middle of something.”

“I wasn’t asking.”

Perhaps due to him feeling that Harukiyo really was angry, a green checkered beetle landed on Daisuke’s shoulder. Its body transformed and it fused with the boy.

“…Tch.”

Harukiyo grimaced, letting go of Arisu. The two boys glared at each other.

“Wait, Daisuke—”

“Hah, checking my answers. Also, a punishment worse than death. —Not bad at all.”

Harukiyo easily removed his gaze from Kakkou and looked down at Arisu thrown to the ground.

“The deadline’s tight, Ichinokuro Arisu.”

She knew.

Arisu’s body announced that.

Until now, after she fused with the Morpho butterfly she felt temporary pain and fatigue.

However, Arisu’s body now wasn’t assaulted by pain and fatigue—she couldn’t move, as though her body had taken roots. As if she was being hugged by an unseen spirit.

Despite not being a Mushitsuki, she fused with a Mushi.

The cost for this normally impossible action probably really did eat into Arisu’s body. —She already knew that since long ago.

“Haha.”

Looking at Arisu smile silently, Harukiyo smiled happily.

“You’re finally lookin’ serious. So you really can do it.”

She couldn’t go back.

The moment she decided this, she’d already been resolved. She wouldn’t doubt anymore.

She would find Mari’s will—

At first this was her goal.

However, for Arisu as she was right now—it was simply an opportunity.

''—I… loathe Mushitsuki.

The moment she heard Ichiku Kimitaka’s words, she found her own kind of answer.

“…”

Arisu reached out both hands wordlessly.

The two boys exchanged glances. They clicked their tongues at the same time and also wore disgusted faced—looking like they really hated this from the bottom of her heart—but both grabbed one hand each.

Daisuke grabbed her left hand.

Harukiyo grabbed her right hand.

The two Mushitsuki helped her get up.

“Still, I’m not excited one bit about being chased from now on. I feel too refreshed without any ulterior motive.”

“How do you think I feel, then, as someone who lives with her?”

While strongly pulling on Arisu’s arms, the complaining boys butted heads.



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