Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 12 Epilogue (section)

===Part 2===

'—Hey hey, did you hear that? Mitsuki, can you believe she and your brother said something so awful? At this rate, don't you see, they're going to sacrifice you, Mitsuki? Are you really fine with this?'

Sitting on a chair, I—Mononobe Mitsuki—listened to the displeasing words coming from the shadow and sighed.

"Please be quiet. You will wake up Shion-san."

Was she exhausted from releasing antimatter at full power? Shion-san was curled up asleep on the bed.

The two of us were alone in the cramped cabin. The annoying shadow nagging at me did not count as human.

"Be quiet...? Now is not the time for that! I really heard it! I'm not lying! I can hear clearly hear every sound that reaches darkness—reaches shadows."

This voice and tone was truly identical to Miyako's. It apparently recovered its vitality because I had taken in new darkness.

"How ridiculous..."

To think that it was capable of imitating Miyako so perfectly even in such a situation, I was truly astonished by the ninth dragon's attention to detail.

"Please, believe me, Mitsuki!"

"I believe your words alright. Seal the ninth dragon within me then use Code Lost to kill me—This is a logical-sounding solution that is simple and easy to understanding. There is no need for you to lie regarding this either."

"Then—"

Ripples appeared on the shadow's surface and Miyako's face appeared faintly. However, I shrugged after giving her a glance.

"You completely missed the point. You completely... failed to understand Nii-san."

I spoke with pity and stood up from the chair. Did the fake Miyako fail to understand me? She fell silent, confounded.

Seeing her like that, I mocked her.

"However... Thank you for the information. As a result, I understand now. ''I know how to fully realize my wish''."

After covering the sleeping Shion-san with a blanket on the bed, I walked to the cabin's entrance.

I had made my decision. I knew what I should do. All that was left was to take action for real.

"Kyah!?"

However, the instant I stepped into the corridor, I ran into Iris-san by accident. Iris-san seemed to crash into me before stumbling two or three steps back. Then she stared at me in surprise. She must have come to visit Shion-san and me.

"Mitsuki-chan, where are you going all by yourself?"

"—I need to find Nii-san. Although I know that I should not be alone, Shion-san fell asleep..."

After I apologized straight away, Iris showed a look of understanding and held my hand.

"Oh, I see! Then I'll come along too!"

"No, well, I think I shall go later—"

I was gong to find an excuse to return to the cabin for the time being, but I changed my mind mid-sentence.

—Indeed, this was a good opportunity. ''Let me make things simple and easy to understand''.

"So, I think Mononobe went up to the deck with Vritra-chan. It looked like they had something important to talk about..."

"As always, Iris-san, you never listen to others. Please go away."

I shook off Iris-san's hand that was holding my hand and responded with a cold voice and gaze.

"Eh..."

She looked at me with exceptional shock. One could hardly blame her. This should be her first time seeing me act this way. This was also the first time for me to expose my true and ugly heart.

"Iris-san, I am very jealous of you."

I hesitated at first about what to say. What came out from my lips were such words.

"W-What are you suddenly saying?"

Iris-san showed obvious puzzlement, but I continued unfazed.

"You are cheerful, honest, and very kind-hearted, caring for others from the bottom of your heart... Iris-san, that is the kind of attractive and cute girl you are. It is only natural that Nii-san fell in love with you."

"No way—C-Compared to someone like me, Mitsuki-chan, you're prettier, more competent, and admired by everyone... Even Mononobe thinks of you as..."

"It is true that Nii-san does cherish me. He told me he loves me. However, that only applies to Nii-san as he is right now."

"Mononobe, right now?"

"Indeed, Nii-san is protecting me due to Neun's instinct. In the beginning, I was shocked by this revelation. All of Nii-san's feelings for me are fake."

"But that's—"

Iris-san wanted to object but I nodded and said:

"Yes, Iris-san, just as you said before, love and affection are feelings born from human instinct. Hence, I no longer consider Neun's instinct to be fake. However, please consider ''the future'' after that."

After initiating the conversation, my words naturally flowed forth. I could no longer stop. I could not allow myself to stop.

"I believe Nii-san will be victorious. No matter what hardship he must endure, Nii-san will destroy the ninth dragon, to save me, I suppose."

"Yes, Mononobe won't lose for sure!"

Iris-san clenched her fist tightly and agreed. However, this very kind-hearted but very dense girl still had not realized what was it that I truly feared.

"Indeed—Nii-san will surely succeed. But when that happens, what would I be to Nii-san, despite being by his side?"

"Eh..."

I told the correct answer to Iris-san who was showing a confused look.

"Everything will proceed smoothly and we will surely accomplish the ideal outcome. In other words, when the time comes, the ninth dragon that only exists within me will be destroyed. At that time, Nii-san ''will lose the reason to protect me''."

"——"

Iris-san gasped. I smiled in self-deprecation at her.

"Did you know? Instincts can vanish. Love and affection can fade away. Nii-san's feelings for me will crumble and scatter. Of course, that does not imply that Nii-san will hate me, but things will definitely be different from before. At least... I could never win against you, Iris-san."

"W-Wait! N-No way—"

Iris-san looked like she wanted to deny all of what I said, but failed to find words.

This was only natural. I had been seeking salvation the whole time, yet no matter how much I contemplated, I still had not found the answer.

"I too, had attempted to convince myself that there was nothing I could do. However, that was no good, ultimately. Compared to the time when I wanted to yield Nii-san to you, Iris-san, and give up on Nii-san, things are different. That is because I now know that Nii-san loves me. Consequently, I... I cannot give up on the 'Nii-san who regards me as the one dearest to him'!"

Pouring the flood of my feelings into my words, I cried out, directing my dark gaze at Iris-san.

"Mitsuki-chan..."

"Iris-san, are you able to imagine Nii-san no longer loving you? To me—It is unthinkable. For me to see Nii-san change his feelings for me would be a fate worse than death."

I whispered helplessly while summoning in my hand my fictional armament of a bow, Brionac.

"Eh..."

Raising Brionac, I prepared an arrow of dark matter, aiming it at the frozen Iris-san who was standing before me at point-blank range.

"Now that I have said this much, do you understand? The future that Nii-san, you, and the others are aiming for, is not the future I wish to see. In other words, I am—everyone's enemy."

Along with my parting words, I shot the arrow at my "enemy"—
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