Editing The Unexplored Summon Blood Sign:Volume2 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 8===

“(How could this happen?)” muttered Kyousuke.

The White Queen did not seem to mind.

<In true Illegal fashion, they used vulture funds to buy a civilian spaceship company. They used that technology to contact the abandoned station and modify it to their liking.>

“…”

<That means my body is enjoying a flight near the moon. Perhaps you could call this a digital out-of-body experience. Brother, you and your surroundings are out of my reach. Unlike the Sewn Realm Summoning that Guard of Honor organization used in this city before, this will not summon Materials without end. For one thing, this was running experimentally even as Guard of Honor summoned me into that cocoon to have me all to themselves. This is really just the dregs of my power, so don’t you think you can let your guard down?>

“(Like I can believe that. If you wanted to, you could use an explosion in orbit to crash the entire station into the earth.)”

<Hee hee. You really are a cowardly little rabbit, brother☆ But that’s what makes you so adorable.>

It did not matter where exactly the Queen was.

She could smash the entire world to pieces as long as she had appeared somewhere in the world, wherever that might be.

Kyousuke agonized over the fact that no one seemed to understand that.

Did Yasuzumi Hayato and Benikomichi Yuuki really think they could control her?

“(But the End of the World, huh?)”

That phrase may have contained a small hint of hope.

Even if they were his enemy, he hoped beyond hope they would actually control her.

Never mind the fact that he knew that was hopeless.

<It is a different method from the one you used in the past, brother, but there were something similar in your ideas file, wasn’t there?>

“(That was just an empty theory. It seems to make sense, but I doubt it would actually work.)”

<They take everything needed to summon me, close it up in a box, and send it somewhere no one can reach. No one knows if I was summoned or not. But that’s exactly why it’s effective. …That was the idea, right?>

“(Again, it wouldn’t work.)”

<That is a matter of perception, brother. Because you are so extremely skilled, you notice the true faults without even opening the box. That is why it fails for you. But most others don’t. If there is an egg, they innocently believe a chick will hatch from it. Only the hen knows just how hard it is to keep that egg stable and warm. …And that ignorance provides the power needed to force this method to work.>

“…”

The fact remained that the White Queen was here before his eyes.

Even if the method was wrong, she remained in this world by force.

Who was the truly frightening one here? Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki for carrying out the plan or the White Queen for going along with it on a whim?

<See, see? And by that theory, I couldn’t hurt a fly while separated from my body like this. So stop giving me that unpleasant look and start flirting with this harmless and powerless version of me☆>

Kyousuke refused to believe it so easily.

For one thing…

“(Why are you helping humans? A space station? The End of the World? If you wanted to, you could easily break free of that manmade cage.)”

<It seems “this” is the safety method to keep that from happening. By binding my body but giving my mind freedom, they hope I won’t get bored. As long as I’m happy, I won’t go on a rampage.>

“(That doesn’t explain anything. You’re the strongest of the strong, so I can’t imagine why you would obey anyone else.)”

<Because I knew you would show up before long if I did this. In that way, they passed with flying colors.>

A sweetness even more concentrated than gum syrup could be seen in her carefree smile.

There was affection there, but also something unhealthy that felt like it would burn his chest if he so much as licked at it.

“(Why are they trying to create a world without death? Do they have a good enough reason to explain your cooperation?)”

<How many times do I have to tell you I’m not interested in the human world? As long as you were going to show up, brother, nothing else mattered. As for them, they’re looking at this in a Mahayana way more than a Sthaviravada way.>

“(The salvation…of all mankind?)”

<It really is nothing more than that. Isn’t it ironic for a group of assassins to create a paradise that rejects all forms of death?>

Librarian-chan had fallen silent for a while.

She did not want her sister’s ghost to appear all over the place and she herself had nearly been killed by that ghost.

But were the people in this factory really doing anything wrong?

A world without death.

An age in which everyone was immortal.

If that was possible…

“(It would lead to hell on earth. Do they actually understand that?)”

Kyousuke’s words stabbed into Librarian-chan’s chest.

He had likely been speaking to the White Queen, but it had been enough to tear away Librarian-chan’s naïve thoughts as she listened in.

“(Civilization is built on the assumption that people die. For example, people don’t commit crimes because they’re afraid of being executed. Countries don’t start wars because they don’t want a ton of their people to die. That’s just how we think. When you get down to it, people go along with civil rights and environmental protection because the alternative could threaten their lives. But all of that will crumble in a world without death. …If that age arrives too suddenly, all the safeties we’ve put in place will fail. Kind metropolises will transform into post-apocalyptic ruins in no time.)”

<Brother. How much work do you think people have put into building up civilization this far?>

The White Queen sounded like she was questioning his sanity.

And she continued in a graceful, insane voice.

<People tend to only remember the four great ancient civilizations. There were many others and people lived happily there with smiles on their faces, but no one remembers their names. Civilizations are no more valuable than that. So why get so worked up over them?>

“(This is on another level entirely. This planet truly will be covered in desert.)”

<The age of the dinosaurs was covered in ice and came to an end. But does anyone now feel any pain for them while using their oil?>

“(But this time no one will be able to die as it happens!! This could lead to an age in which seven billion starving people crawl around a desert planet! And it will continue for centuries, millennia, and all eternity!!)”

“…”

Librarian-chan could not bring herself to speak.

She finally understood why Kyousuke had called it a living hell.

A world of no restraint and no benevolence. All cities would crumble, all nature would vanish, and only scorching deserts would remain. Nevertheless, they would be unable to die and forced to crawl around as dried-up mummies, searching for even the slightest puddle.

Death would become an unreachable hope.

It truly was the hell seen in picture books.

And instead of being sent to hell, hell would come to this world.

“(You knew it would turn out like that, didn’t you?)”

<Of course I did.>

“(You knew, but you didn’t correct their mistake! You just smiled and pretended to obey them as they dreamed of their paradise without giving it any real thought!!)”

<Why wouldn’t I? As long as I have you, brother, mankind and the planet are of no consequence.>

Her intoxicated voice was that of a dreaming maiden.

The loveliness of her face and voice made her unbelievably hideous to Kyousuke.

When people did evil deeds out of malice, one only had to remove that malice. But the White Queen could not be persuaded or threatened. She could not be controlled through external stimuli.

<More importantly, are you going to be okay, brother?>

“(What are you talking about?)”

<They are referring to this battle as “mankind’s final death”, so they will not feel even a twinge of guilt. That means they will not hold back as long as the situation warrants it.>

Kyousuke looked to the door.

He had thought Hayato and Benikomichi Fuuki would attack if they noticed him here.

But he had been wrong.

<Brother, you seem to think it was your skill that allowed you to sneak in this far, but it would be more accurate to say you were following the bread crumbs left for you. And while they are a summoner and vessel, they are assassins first and foremost. If they have a surefire way to kill, there is no reason for them to stick to the summoning ceremony.>

“(It can’t be…)”

<As long as they lured you deep into this giant factory – yes, about fifty steps away from the exit – their victory was assured. I thought that sounded quite boring, but what do you think?>

“It can’t be!!”