Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 3rd Episode 11 (section)

===Part 5===

On the rooftop of the hotel they were lodging in, Arisu looked at Daisuke.

Seating down and leaning on the fences, he gazed up the night sky.

"Just where I wondered where you'd gone to… it'll be roll-call soon, so you have to come back to your room, Daisuke."

Even when Arisu called him Daisuke made no movement. Sighing, she sat down next to him and also looked up at the foreign sky. The stars she could see from there were even prettier than those of Akamaki City.

Wearing jerseys instead of their school uniform, the two sat shoulder-to shoulder in silence.

—After losing consciousness at the five-storied pagoda, Arisu had woken up on Daisuke's back.

She had fought some giant centipede, but had no memories afterward. According to Daisuke, once she had fainted after being assaulted by the centipede, Oogui had made Fuyuki Minato into a Mushitsuki, and then disappeared. He also said that the boy with glasses who had defeated him easily was someone related to the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.

"Say, now that Minato-kun's turned into a Mushitsuki… what'll happen to him?"

Arisu inquired, hugging her folded knees.

In the end she was unable to save Minato.

That fact vexed her more than anything, and she felt pitiful at being unable to do anything.

"He was secured by the SEPB. From now on the local branch will handle him."

"I see…"

"I was also unable to defeat Oogui. From now on it's the problem of the Mushitsuki himself. Even if you worry you can't do anything about it."

Daisuke spoke in monotone. Looking at the night sky, he seemed to be deep in thought.

There was no way for her to just be told "don't mind it" and stop caring. But in actuality it would probably turn out like that. Just as all Mushitsuki that Arisu had seen so far, like Mari or Daisuke, Minato would also be fighting with his Mushi.

"…All of us in the SEPB will settle this. You should just live normally like you always did."

Probably worried about the dispirited Arisu, Daisuke's voice sounded somewhat kind.

"I also told you this this morning… but when you act kind it's reaaally creepy…"

"That's none of your business."

As he looked up at the sky, Daisuke's face returned being sullen like always. But for some reason, he wouldn't look Arisu in the eyes.

"Aren't you hiding something, Daisuke?"

"…I'm not."

"What is it now. A naughty slave that hides stuff from his mistress needs to be punished. I'll leave you with Ena and—"

"Give Saionji-san a break already."

Saying this wholeheartedly, Daisuke dropped his gaze. Just as Arisu thought he sent a glance at her face, he said something completely different.

"Say, what kind of person was Hanashiro Mari?"

Arisu tilted her head. Just as she wondered what was going with him all of a sudden, she never thought he would inquire her about Mari.

"Why so suddenly? Didn't I explain it to you countless times already? You said it's required for your investigation."

"Isn't that fine. I just wanted to ask again."

"…Hmph."

As she sent doubtful eyes at him, Daisuke ashamedly averted his eyes.

She had no idea what he thought about that made him ask about Mari again. Yet Arisu smiled and closed her eyes.

Reminiscing about Mari on the school trip's night wasn't bad. Even her friend surely wanted to participate in the school events along with her.

She could still clearly recall Mari—

"She was very kind. Yet she was a late bloomer in certain areas, and the first time I came to visit her in the hospital, we couldn't really speak normally—"

While feeling the morpho butterfly land on her shoulder, Arisu started speaking.

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