Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 12 Epilogue (section)

===Part 3===

—BOOM!!

The ship shook violently with the sound of an explosion.

"—"

Vritra and I were glaring at each on the deck. I tried hard to steady my footing while checking out my surroundings.

"Hey, what hath happened?"

Clinging tightly to me, Vritra asked urgently.

"Hold on, I'm checking the situation inside the ship..."

I focused my mind and started to investigate the abnormal situation inside Marduk. However, before that—Another explosion happened at the starboard.

The deck was blown away from inside. Holding her bow fictional armament, Mitsuki flew out.

Standing on one of the massive special artillery turrets, Mitsuki looked down at the two of us who were on the deck.

"Mitsuki...?"

While I called out my sister's name in surprise, I heard Jeanne's anxious voice in my mind.

'Captain, there has been explosions all over the ship—We have fires on our hands! The drive system is seriously damaged—'

However, I did not get to hear this report in full.

Looking at me, the expression on Mitsuki's face was too transparent. An unidentified sense of unease began to spread in my heart.

"My apologies, Nii-san. It would be a problem if you chased after me, so I had to cause all kinds of damage first."

"Da... mage...?"

"I shall take care of the two remaining unknown territories. Aid from you or the others will not be needed, Nii-san. Please wait here quietly together with everyone."

Although I was rendered speechless for a moment, I immediately regained my senses after hearing these words.

"Wait—Mitsuki, are you planning to do something alone?"

"...Not alone. I have help."

Mitsuki shook her head and gestured to her feet.

Due to the setting sun's rays, her pitch-black shadow extended all the way to the deck beneath the turret.

However... A substance darker than a silhouette expanded from the shadow there, stretching upwards to form a human figure. It was terrifying.

"This is..."

I recalled the time when shadows of Mitsuki's parents had appeared, but this outline was clearly different from theirs. This human figure even gave an impression of mass. A girl had materialized from it.

Like Mitsuki, she was wearing Midgard's uniform. Her skin was slightly dark, as though symbolizing her birth from darkness. And that face of hers—It bore a strong resemblance to Shinomiya-sensei and Shion.

"That's right, I am Mitsuki's companion, her dearest best friend."

The girl smiled and raised her hand. Next, a black sphere which looked like dark matter was generated on her hand, and turned into a naginata.

"Best friend... Don't tell me—"

I remembered her face. In the underground level of the Asgard laboratory, I had seen her soul. Because of that, she was not supposed to be here. This unbelievable scene made me doubt, but I still called out her name hoarsely.

"Shinomiya, Miyako...? No, it can't be. This is impossible. Mitsuki, don't be deceived! She's an impostor! Although I haven't told you, Mitsuki, the shadows also turned into Uncle and Auntie—they took on the forms of Uncle Kazuki and Aunti Misaki."

I confessed about the shadows turning into Mitsuki's parents while pointing at the thing that had transformed into Shinomiya Miyako. However, Mitsuki smiled wryly and nodded.

"Yes, I know. She is not Miyako. However, we ''currently'' share a common goal, so I am merely making use of her. If the need should arise, I shall destroy her immediately."

Mitsuki raised her left hand, producing a flood of blue light. In response, the fake Shinomiya Miyako panicked and flew into the air.

"Hey, don't say something so scary! I am clearly trying to help you sincerely, Mitsuki..."

"Stop pretending. However, so be it for now. Let us depart—Miyako-''san''."<!--note: Mitsuki never uses honorifics with the real Miyako-->

Mitsuki generated wind from her fictional armament and flew into the air.

"Wait!"

Since Marduk was sabotaged, I had no means of chasing her. Vritra beside me also had her dark matter sealed, preventing her from flying into the air.

"—Siegfried!"

I summoned my fictional armament and aimed into the air.

I was planning to fire antigravitational matter above Mitsuki so that the repulsive field would push Mitsuki down, back to the ship. If I could stall for a while, Lisa and the others would be able to rush to the scene.

Seeing my movements, Mitsuki spoke coldly.

"Iris-san is in my cabin. It would be best if you hurried to save her."

"Wha..."

My heart jumped violently, making me forget to breathe. With mournful eyes, Mitsuki looked down at me while I was hesitating over my next move.

"These are Nii-san's true feelings. Hence... ''Leave everything to me''."

Leaving behind these words filled with intense determination, Mitsuki disappeared into the orange sky together with her companion.

Too late... to chase after them. Understanding this, I lowered my hand.

—Leave everything to me.

These were my parting words to Mitsuki three years ago. A promise with the intent to protect everything.

However... I was wrong.

Now that I was the one being left behind this time, I finally understood.

This sentence—was actually a one-sided farewell.
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