Mushi Uta:Volume 4th Episode 15

Episode 15. The Dream-Protecting Magician

She met the Kind Magician.

She seemed to be around high school age. She was smiling, bathed in the morning sun while sitting at the height of 180 meters above the ground.

She had black hair and an eyepatch covering her eyes, and she hid her bandaged right arm inside her long coat. Seeing that she was holding a cane with her right hand, her legs were also probably injured. The headphones hanging on her neck were broken.

She was a girl covered in wounds bathing in the sun, yet she somehow looked happy. As if she was seeing the sun for the first time in years.

"…"

Seeing this girl's figure, Ichinokuro Arisu came back to her senses with a start.

She was in Akamaki City, the city that was effectively the center of modern Japan as it housed all its important functions.

Arisu was on the rooftop of one of the highest buildings even within the city, known as Akamaki Skypeer.

The only way to reach the observation deck enclosed by a dome made of half-mirror from all 360 degrees was through the use of two elevators. The elevators were installed along the sides of the building, and since they were see-through, one could view Akamaki City from above while ascending.

The observation deck bathed in sunlight could also be called a hanging garden.

While Arisu stood near the elevator, a morpho butterfly fluttered nearby. Flapping its wings, it flew toward the headphones-wearing girl sitting down.

She noticed the morpho butterfly. She widened her eyes in surprise, but soon passed her gaze to Arisu.

"Umm… Hello."

Arisu bowed unconsciously. She, too, was using crutches. This was the aftereffect of the incident she'd gone through after being invited to a cruise the other day. She suffered no injuries, but her left leg was left somewhat paralyzed.

After a checkup in a normal hospital she'd been moved to a special hospital. Arisu had chased after the morpho butterfly that had suddenly flown away, finally reaching the hanging garden.

It had been a while since Arisu acted by herself.

Normally the boy who served as her monitor would always be at her side, but he was absent today. Ever since the cruise party, he'd been going somewhere every day. —Kasuou, who served as his replacement, was engrossed in buying sweets and so didn't seem to have noticed Arisu was gone.

"…"

Seeing the morpho butterfly and Arisu, the headphones girl wore a wide smile. She lightly tapped the seat next to her.

She was apparently telling Arisu to sit down.

She hesitated.

The morpho butterfly fluttering between the two of them was no mere insect. Since it could sense special beings, it reaching the other girl meant that she, too—was not a mere girl.

Mushitsuki—

There were supernatural beings in this country known as Mushi. They possessed adolescent boys and girls, feeding on their hosts' dreams and hopes. The government declared them to be non-existent, but there were many civilian eyewitnesses. While their existence was vague in normal society, those possessed by Mushi were abhorred and became targets for fear and hatred at present.

"You're… a Mushitsuki, right?"

Until now she'd met many Mushitsuki, but almost all of them in dangerous situations. It was her first time to meet someone like this.

Arisu was apprehensive but the headphones girl nodded. As if asking her if there was a need to ask. She soon nodded, shaking the dust off the seat.

It would make Arisu feel bad if she didn't sit down after all that. She gingerly approached the girl and sat down.

"Oh…"

Suddenly the girl's finger touched Arisu's forehead. She unconsciously shrugged.

Apparently her hair became disheveled when she'd been chasing the morpho butterfly. The girl's hand arranged her hair.

"T-thank you."

She thanked her. The girl smiled, looking at the visitors walking through the hanging garden.

She lost all of her apprehensiveness.

The one common point to all Mushitsuki Arisu had met was that they were antagonistic to all other people.

Yet the headphones girl readily confirmed being a Mushitsuki and didn't seem cautious despite Arisu seeing through her.

When had this feeling started?

The morpho butterfly at Arisu's side wasn't her Mushi. She'd inherited it from her friend who died to illness. She wanted to know why her friend Hanashiro Mari had left the morpho butterfly to her and, so she sought out other Mushitsuki.

She didn't want to fight at all.

She simply wanted to know more about Mushitsuki.

So since when had Arisu started feeling cautious around Mushitsuki?

"U-umm…"

Tentatively trying to speak to the other girl, Arisu looked at her. She tilted her head and watched Arisu.

These gentle eyes directed at her caused Arisu to swallow her words.

Arisu had no siblings. However, if she had an older sister—

—She hoped it would be this person.

When she unconsciously thought this, the headphones girl nonchalantly hid her face.

"…?"

Averting her gaze from Arisu who furrowed her brows, the girl glanced at the center of the observation deck.

There was a girl about the same age as Arisu there. She was a petite girl clad in a pink coat that looked high-quality even at a glance. Tough men who seemed to be her guardians were surrounding her.

The headphones girl continued hiding her face while looking toward the girl.

"Is there something wrong with that girl?"

The girl smiled at Arisu's question. She softly reached for Arisu's forehead.

She was going to fix her hair again—or so she thought and was thus careless.

"Both of us—"

The girl opened her mouth for the first time.

"Seem to have changed quite a bit. Right, miss Hunter?"

Arisu widened her eyes.

Hunter—that name was the alias of Hanashiro Mari who used to hunt Mushitsuki in Akamaki City.

"Not killing me that time was your mistake."

A small Mushi crawled on the smiling girl's fingers.

With legs much longer than its small body, a Mushi resembling a daddy long-legs. connected to the girl's fingers by shining thread climbed on Arisu's forehead.

The morpho butterfly glowed in warning, but it was already too late.

"Memory Rapport…"

The girl's muttering voice—sounded incredibly kind.

Part 1

People who were useless no matter what they did could be found anywhere.

In short, the girl known as Kidou Tsukasa was probably also one of them.

She didn't know her father, and her mother hated her. Tsukasa didn't know why, but apparently her mother disliked her very existence. Since she'd often beat her up for trivial reasons, once she graduated from elementary school she ran away from home.

The ones who accepted Tsukasa were a small group of boys. Making the room of a musty old apartment their headquarters, they were a gathering of those with similar circumstances to her.

"Ha… Ha…"

Tsukasa's group was the lowest in the hierarchy of the world of violence and crime.

They made money from purse snatching or thievery and "paid" percentage of that to higher-ranked groups. By doing this they were allowed to live around.

The youngest among her group, Tsukasa was also the weakest.

At "jobs" she was a nuisance, and since she was bad at housework and the like she wasn't very useful.

No matter where she was, no matter what she did, she was useless.

Within a year of her joining the group, she even lost the motivation to try and make everything better.

Since she couldn't do anything, she could only gain her comrades' sympathy and live—

"Haa… Haa…"

Yet Tsukasa was even about to lose even that pitiful way of living she'd chosen.

Entering a merchant storage to steal like always, Tsukasa made a blunder and was discovered by the police. Also, this time their leader was also caught by the police.

Running through a dark alley, Tsukasa was in despair.

Even if she came back to their hideout, she probably no longer had a place there. All that awaited her was lynching by her comrades. This time they'd probably beat her to death.

She couldn't live by herself. If she were to be caught by the police she'd be sent to a correcting facility, and her "seniors" there would be much scarier than her comrades.

What am I supposed to…!

She could think of only one answer.

She had to somehow escape the police and somehow beg her friends for forgiveness. Whether by stealing or by blackmail, if she offered a tribute to cancel out her huge blunder—

"Kyaaa!"

When she passed the corner, she bumped into someone.

She hurriedly stood up thinking it was the police, but she was wrong.

It was a girl younger than her wearing a lavish coat. Bumping her shoulder against the wall and looking at Tsukasa, she made a frightened face. She didn't look the type of person to wander around back alleys.

It was a gift from the heavens. Perhaps God sympathized with Tsukasa.

Tsukasa looked around with dazzled eyes. She couldn't see any guardians or figures of adults. Only Tsukasa and the girl were there.

"H-hello… I got lost… How do I get back to the main street…?"

Tsukasa carelessly grabbed the coat of the girl who squeezed her voice.

"Kyaa!"

Uncaring the girl was afraid of her, she started searching in all her pockets.

If she came back with enough money then perhaps her comrades would settle with only beating her halfway to death. She was determined.

"…H-help me…"

Tsukasa let go of the teary girl. Although she looked rich, she didn't have anything like a wallet.

Clicking her tongue, she violently grabbed the girl's arm. She pulled her through the alley.

"Umm…?"

If she returned this girl to her guardians, perhaps she'd receive a small compensation. No, she had to get some money no matter what.

Tsukasa, who couldn't do anything, had no other choice left.

She'd do whatever it took to keep her life. She would probably be treated like a slave—even more useless than she'd been until now, but she had no other way to keep living.

"Ah!"

Walking through the silent alley, a sudden gust of wind suddenly blew at them. A potted plant left on the veranda of a dirty apartment fell down.

The girl raised a shriek because Tsukasa had noticed that and covered for her.

She was able to push her aside but couldn't escape herself. The heavy pot hit her shoulder, bloodying her torn clothes. —She wasn't able to do anything well.

"You're bleeding…!"

Pulling the flustered girl's hand, she kept walking as if nothing happened. She'd be beaten up until she couldn't sit down anyway once they came back to the hideout. Compared to that, if she'd let the girl get hurt her compensation would suffer and it would have a greater effect on her life.

Seeing blood was probably a shock for her. When the girl walked with Tsukasa she looked like she didn't know what to do.

But when they passed the corner of the hill road, her expression changed.

"And to think I was completely lost a minute ago…!"

The large main street was visible ahead. They could also see people walking between large buildings.

"Amazing…! It's like magic!"

Tsukasa tilted her head. She couldn't understand what the girl was so excited about.

"Thank you."

Turning back, the girl wore a carefree smile.

Tsukasa had her breath taken away.

Thank you—

It was the first time in her life someone had thanked her. To the extent she couldn't immediately understand what these words meant.

A small emotion was born in Tsukasa's torn heart like a ripple.

"I'll be fine from here. —Ah, but please wait here! I need to give you something as thanks, and take care of your wounds…"

The girl spoke such that her good upbringing was obvious. She was now bright and happy, completely different from how she was scared just before.

—Tsukasa's heart was shaken.

The small emotion that filled her heart seemed about to vanish.

She bit her lips.

She desperately clung that unknown emotion.

"…I don't need anything."

Tsukasa muttered.

"Huh?"

She lightly pushed the surprised girl's back toward the main street.

With Tsukasa glaring at her, the girl made another somewhat frightened expression. She walked toward the visible main street as if pushed by Tsukasa.

Yet on the way she stopped, turned toward Tsukasa and lowered her head.

"…"

Illuminated by the sun sinking on the city, Tsukasa stood still, watching the girl's back.

Since she wasn't able to go back home with money, she'd be killed.

And yet, if she received money, she would feel as if—as weird as it was to say it—her very first great achievement would be gone.

She couldn't do anything well.

She couldn't accomplish anything.

But even someone like Tsukasa—

—Thank you.

Would she be able to save someone ever again?

"What a lovely dream."

Standing in place, Tsukasa noticed a purple glow raining down toward her.

The glow was shaping itself in front of her, finally converging in the form of a woman.

She was a beauty clad in a crimson-colored long coat and wearing round sunglasses. No matter how sudden it was for her to appear, Tsukasa didn't think it strange.

Oogui—

She discovered the fact that the one in front of her was one of the Original Three, the beings that birthed Mushitsuki, only much later.

"Will you tell me your dream?"

Her sweet, otherworldly voice shook her eardrums.

—Thinking back to this later, she was stupidly simple.

She thought of this just by accomplishing one small thing.

So she ended up wishing.

From the depths of her heart.

"I just wonder if even someone like me—"

Born that day and that moment was a helplessly simple Mushitsuki.

She simply got carried away and was born as a Mushitsuki who was about to commit trifling failures.

"Can help people…"

And so, this Mushitsuki would end up being called as such.

"The Kind Magician".

Part 2

Time passed quickly ever since she became a Mushitsuki.

After leaving far for some business, Kidou Tsukasa returned to her hometown for the first time in months.

"…"

From the main street with its lines of buildings she looked at the rising sun.

She saw the hill where she'd become a Mushitsuki. She could see the cluster of buildings clearly even from afar.

That day felt like it was ages ago. Quite a bit of time actually passed, though.

Smiling, she started walking in the street. As she walked with her long black hair fluttering behind her, Tsukasa's figure was reflected on the polished window of a building.

She'd grown 10 centimeters taller after becoming a Mushitsuki. Her face with brand-new headphones was sharp and her skin was pure white. Her slender arms and legs were protected by boots and gloves.

She could hear a baby crying from the street.

A young mother was trying to lift her baby high up in the air to make it stop crying. Yet the baby's bad mood was not appeased and its mother seemed troubled.

Looking up at a shadow cutting the sky, Tsukasa flicked something with her fingertip.

Launched by her finger was a small daddy long-legs. The spider easily rode the wind, attaching itself to a bird flying overhead. The bird and Tsukasa were connected by a transparent thread.

"Sight Rapport."

The next instant, Tsukasa's vision changed.

An image of flying in the sky.

Starting with Tsukasa walking on the road, she could also see lines of cars beneath her.

That vision soaring toward the sun—was from the eyes of a flying bird.

"…"

Preserving the image, Tsukasa passed near the crying baby and touched it softly.

The shining thread passed from Tsukasa to the baby.

Tsukasa's sight returned.

On the other side, the boy was surprised and stopped crying. Seeing her baby suddenly laugh happily, the mother was confused.

This was Tsukasa's ability as a Mushitsuki.

Using the spider, she could switch the senses of two targets. The baby just now had seen things from the bird's point of view.

Seeing that it stopped crying, Tsukasa absolved her ability.

The thread of light snapped off.

Separated from the bird, the spider lightly floated down, returning to Tsukasa's shoulder.

After relaxing for only an instant, now a voice came from the front.

"Wah!"

A boy dashing through the walkway and a man riding a bicycle were about to crash.

Tsukasa's movements were ingrained into her body at moments like these. She flicked the spider with her fingers again before she could think.

"Pain Rapport."

The breaking sound of the bicycle echoed. Next came the thud of an impact.

"…!"

A sharp pain ran through Tsukasa's shoulder. Unable to withstand the impact, she staggered.

With the passersby focusing their sights on him, the child that the bicycle crashed into opened his eyes. He stared in shock at his shoulder that should've been injured.

Tsukasa smiled, passing by the child as if nothing happened. Because the rider hurriedly applied the brakes she didn't break her shoulders.

After receiving the injury meant for a stranger, Tsukasa smiled and absolved her ability.

Separating from the child, the spider passed back to her shoulders.

"…"

Feeling a gaze on her, she slipped between buildings.

The instant after she entered an empty alley, a voice called out to her.

"Wait."

Turning around, she could see a boy commanding a strange monster.

He wore the uniform of a high school located nearby and at a glance seemed like the kind of normal boy one could find anywhere. Yet the monster under his control couldn't be said to be normal at all.

—It was a Mushi.

The boy wore the goggles he'd gotten out of his bag. They were mechanical goggles that hid his entire face.

"I've seen it. I'm going to capture you as a Mushitsuki. If you resist I'll hurt you."

Tsukasa sighed.

The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—they were the government agency that found, captured and isolated Mushitsuki. The combatants that blended into civilian life like the boy in front of her were apparently called the monitor squad.

These people appeared in front of Tsukasa several times until now.

"…"

Leaning her body, Tsukasa made the spider climb her fingers. She wore her headphones and used the remote controller in her pocket to set the volume to max. The high volume shook her eardrums, but as she was used to it, Tsukasa's expression was unchanged.

"Seems like you're not gonna go quietly with me!"

The boy sent his own Mushi at Tsukasa. The monster with a body at least two times larger than Tsukasa assaulted her.

Dodging the monster's legs, she flung the spider toward the boy.

"Hearing Rapport."

Confirming the spider attached itself to the boy, she activated her ability.

"—UWAAAH!"

The boy suddenly held his ears and shrieked.

Tsukasa switched her hearing with the boy's. He should be blasted with music at full volume right now. Most of her enemies would be confused and unable to understand the situation just with this.

Feeling its host's abnormal situation, the monster's movements grew dull. Tsukasa leapt, aiming at its jumbled legs.

"Pain Rapport."

The moment she muttered this, Tsukasa's head was pounded by the Mushi's leg.

Yet she felt no pain.

The one blown away was the goggled boy. His head bending back, he simply lost consciousness. —Since she had avoided the back of her head where there could be lasting damage, he'd probably soon regain consciousness.

Since its host went out cold, the monster's movements also ceased. Its body quickly shrunk and it clung to the incapacitated boy.

"…"

Pulling back the spider attached to the boy, Tsukasa left the place with a brisk pace.

Tsukasa's Mushi had no ability to fight.

It only had the special ability to exchange things like senses and bodily information. During the other times she'd confronted the SEPB combatants, they all seemed to fear it as an especially rare mental control ability.

It took her more than a year to master her ability. But now that she fully controlled her Mushi's power, it wasn't difficult to escape from the organization known as the SEPB.

More than that, Tsukasa right now could do anything. She never lost against anyone with that ability and she was also able to get money.

And above all else, she was able to help weak humans.

Tsukasa had absolutely nothing, but the power known as Mushi changed her.

The Tsukasa that couldn't do anything no longer existed—

"…"

Passing through the narrow alley, Tsukasa looked into the main street while hidden in the shadow of a large building.

She saw a few uniformed girls gather on the road. They were students from a rich girls' school waiting for the bus.

One of them, a girl wearing a pink coat, looked around her.

When she noticed Tsukasa hiding herself, she said "Go ahead, Kirari. I will get the next bus!" toward someone who seemed to be her friend and rushed toward Tsukasa. Her friend that wore a star-shaped hairpin seemed puzzled, but didn't stop her.

"Hello! We haven't met for a while, so I was worried!"

The girl who created the opportunity for Tsukasa to become a Mushitsuki wore a carefree smile. Ever since then, at times she found her waiting for the bus just like that and they met each other many times.

Tsukasa smiled.

The girl was the daughter of a rich family, so they hadn't had many chances to meet alone. If she was seen speaking with someone like Tsukasa it'd cause problems for her.

"Is something troubling you?"

Tsukasa asked as if on cue. Every time she came to check on her she asked the same question. In the past she'd resolved countless small matters.

The girl made a Hmm and looked up at the sky.

"There's nothing. Thank you."

Seeing her say this and smile brightly, Tsukasa smiled back. She nodded and turned on her heels.

If the girl didn't require any help, she didn't need her.

"Say—"

The girl called toward Tsukasa as she was leaving.

"Are you going somewhere again, Miss Magician?"

She asked in a lonely tone.

Both Tsukasa and the girl didn't know each other's names. The dreamy little girl referred to Tsukasa as a "Magician". She probably believed the power of Mushi she'd showed her from time to time was real magic.

"Also, I wanted to ask you this from a long time ago… why do you always save me?"

Tsukasa turned around.

If she truly was a Magician, then the one who'd given her this chance was none other than this girl. Tsukasa was meant to die without accomplishing anything, but was given a single ray of hope.

Yet Tsukasa didn't know enough words to be able to convey that. The fact that her upbringing was bad and she couldn't articulate herself was unchanged even now.

She tried just flashing a smile and leaving that place behind.

"If you won't tell me, then at least—"

The girl grabbed onto Tsukasa's coat.

"Won't you stay in this city?"

Staying in this city.

The girl's wish was not a bad choice for Tsukasa.

Staying in a single city and living without danger. Her admiration for the life of a normal person was also unchanged from the past.

"I'll do it after I—"

Tsukasa muttered.

"Finish my current job soon."

Showing her a smile, the girl's expression sparkled.

It probably didn't look like it due to her height and the sharp face shaped by her life's experiences, but Tsukasa was in high school age. She wouldn't be able to find a job and a place of residence easily, but it wasn't an impossible age for her to stay in one city.

Her magic-like power of Mushi called enemies to her. If she stayed in one place she couldn't use saving people as means to make money.

"I will wait for you."

After parting with the girl smiling from ear to ear, Tsukasa entered the train.

Since it was past rush hour it was mostly empty. Finding a woman who was obviously an office worker returning from an all-nighter, Tsukasa flicked the spider at her.

"Pain Rapport…"

Since the woman was nodding off, when the train shook she banged her head against the door just as expected.

A throbbing pain ran through Tsukasa's forehead. The woman didn't seem to know what happened. She rubbed her painless forehead absentmindedly.

Tsukasa smiled wryly. She had to be resolved to bear pain several more times until reaching her destination.

Tsukasa met with lots of people in trouble.

During the time she'd just become a Mushitsuki, she thought it was her fate as someone with this ability.

But on the other hand she ended up thinking differently.

Perhaps everyone had people in trouble near them—

Even now there were hurt people everywhere without anyone noticing. Or perhaps someone did notice, but gave up thinking they can't do anything.

"…"

She arrived at her destination past noon.

Akamaki City.

Tsukasa's goal was here.

Ever since becoming a Mushitsuki, there was something Tsukasa kept doing even while polishing her abilities.

In this country were villains that kept living happily while trampling the weak like Tsukasa once was. Was there anyone more fitting to dish out punishment to these villains than Tsukasa as the representative of these weak people?

She had the power to help people.

She had obtained the power of magic, making her invincible, so there were no people she couldn't help—

"I have to… save many more people."

Exiting the station, Tsukasa was greeted by the air of the capital city. Smiling, she looked at the spider riding on her hand.

"…!"

Her heart leapt.

The spider—smiled.

Feeling a chill, she turned her head. She looked down at the spider again.

Its fanged mouthpart simply moved creepily again. It looked to her as if it was warped in the form of a smile—but that seemed to be her imagination.

She was probably just nervous before a huge job. Tsukasa patted her chest.

The mysterious woman with round sunglasses had given her magic in order to save people. There was no way that the spider symbolizing that would go against her and laugh.

Tsukasa came in front of a certain tall building. She entered a café in front of it, sitting near the window.

"…"

Ordering coffee, she looked intently at the building.

—After becoming a Mushitsuki, Tsukasa first ambushed the man that picked up the "sales" from the boy group she'd belonged to. She threatened him using her ability and asked about the organization above.

It was the local gangster group that used children just like Tsukasa to generate profits. After waiting for other good opportunities, Tsukasa attacked several other executives. Doing this she asked further and further—

After many months, Tsukasa found the routes where money flowed one after another. Even with her ability she was caught in trouble and nearly died at times. Yet she didn't give up.

Finally she arrived at an old man who served as a chairman for a corporate giant operating through the entire country. His company was publically known as a manufacturer, but he was also a big-shot in the moneylending business. Coincidentally his residence was in Tsukasa's hometown, but according to info she'd gotten by threats he spent most of the year at a hotel.

The more she investigated what the old man did the more it was abnormal. He sucked weak people dry and used that money to produce many more weak people—

According to the schedule of the chairman she'd found after much hard work, today he was supposed to be inside a certain building in Akamaki City for a party. Unlike the great hotel he was staying in, this building had no parking space.

I'll do it tonight—

The chairman would appear on the road in order to enter a taxi or some escort vehicle. Since it was a street in the capital it wouldn't be strange for him to cross paths with a young girl like Tsukasa.

"…"

It happened after her thousandth cup of coffee.

"Dear customers, it will soon be closing time…" the staff called out as it happened.

Tsukasa rose from her chair with a jolt. She left a few bills on the table and flew out of the café.

She saw a black-windowed limousine parking at the building's entrance. Suited men appeared in droves.

Tsukasa cut into the road, walking toward the entrance. Her Mushi came crawling out of the hem of her coat.

A white-haired man appeared from the entrance. Surrounded by a crowd of people, he approached the limousine with a smile.

Tsukasa quickened her pace. She prepared so she could flick off the spider at any time.

"…!"

But just before she thought of flicking the spider…

The sound of a patrol car leapt into Tsukasa's ears. The police were chasing a biker riding without a helmet.

He was probably trying to escape. Since he drove recklessly his bike swerved.

Why now…!

While shouting in her heart, her body moved on its own. She flicked the spider, attaching it to the biker.

"Pain Rapport…!"

Immediately after, the rider collapsed. He rolled on the ground and hit a power pole.

"Gh…!"

Impact pierced Tsukasa's entire body. The skin under her clothes ripped and her forehead became covered in blood.

She was about to faint, but she gritted her teeth, raising her face. She made the spider get off the biker and absolved the ability.

"Huu…! Hah…!"

Stifling her labored breath and hiding her wounds with the coat, Tsukasa cut near the building.

I can't miss my chance because of something like this…!

Even the old man and his entourage were enraptured by the bike accident. Thanks to that she was able to reach in front of the building just before they entered the car.

"Pain… Rapport…!"

She muttered inside her mouth while flicking the spider.

—With Tsukasa's ability, she could control only the sensation immediately after attaching the spider. Right now she couldn't pass on her wounds to the old man. This was why she couldn't pass over the senses of someone who was already injured or suffering from some sort of disease.

"Huu… Huu…"

She hid in an alleyway, staggering, and wore a strained smile.

Success. She was able to attach her Mushi to the old man.

Tsukasa's ability activated the moment the spider was attached. The thread's range was several kilometers, and before a certain amount of time passed the old man had no way to escape from her magic.

All she needed to do was to "finish" business as long as the effect was maintained.

The time it would affect him wasn't very long.

She wrung out her energy to walk away.

"—I see, so your ability can pass over things that happen to people."

She saw it just as she raised her face.

Inside the dark alley was a floating silver glow.

Emitting this light was a morpho butterfly—

"Or should I call it an exchange, perhaps? If so…"

The morpho butterfly warped. Its tentacles suddenly extended and it changed into a single staff—a shining spear.

Grabbing the spear was a pure shite arm. Only a slender right arm, right half of the body and a right leg were revealed by the silver glow.

"Depending on the usage of the ability, you can be said to be undying."

Tsukasa froze upon seeing the girl's exceedingly chilly gaze.

The air trembled.

The pressure emitted from the spear stopped Tsukasa's breath. Her whole body broke out in cold sweat.

"Ah… Uh—"

She forgot all about her wounds or fatigue from using her ability. She was pushed away by an overwhelming power and could only feel herself trembling.

She noticed her own misunderstanding.

Every time she somehow overturned the SEPB assassins, she thought she was a strong Mushitsuki.

But she was wrong.

She simply had good luck so far.

There was a new kind of "monster" among Mushitsuki right in front of her—

Even that silver spear's tip would probably easily pulverize Tsukasa's Mushi. So she was convinced by the wave of power that assaulted her body.

"Who—who are—"

She held herself together by barely being able to speak. If she'd stayed silent she would've probably collapsed on the spot.

"…Hunter. There are people who seem to refer to me like that."

Hunter—meaning, was this girl hunting something?

If so—

Tsukasa smiled.

Perhaps this might be good—

"If you hunt Mushitsuki… then go ahead and kill me."

She bluffed with all of her might, challenging her.

Yet the girl's answer was calm. —No, it was cruel.

"Not interested. Even if I attack you it'll probably have no effect. Seeing that you didn't pass the damage just now to that gentleman, it doesn't look like I'll be able to push my sickness onto you. …Well, with that kind of ability, if I attack the Mushi itself or cut off the thread it'll probably lose its effect."

The smile Tsukasa barely held warped in despair.

She'd been completely seen through. Never mind that, her ability was perfectly analyzed.

How many Mushitsuki had this person confronted—or hunted—in order to become able to analyze abilities so easily? Tsukasa felt a chill.

"Such a stupid ability."

The girl chuckled.

A stupid ability—hearing these words, Tsukasa widened her eyes.

"My ability—"

She gritted her teeth.

"Is magic…! It saved me, and I saved many people with it!"

The spear-user dared calling the ability that her benefactor admired as magic, stupid.

Yet the devil-like tone of that girl changed not in the slightest.

"I don't really care, but your target was that gentleman, right? But just before that you saved a biker. Do you have any pride in your power—in your Mushi?"

The spear-user smiled. It was a sneer.

"So you tried becoming a kind magician."

Exactly so.

That day, after answering the question of the mysterious woman, Tsukasa became a magician.

Nothing went well for her and she was unable to do anything, but she was reborn as the Kind Magician.

"Kill me…!"

Tsukasa pressed closer to the spear-user.

She couldn't keep up her ability for long. If only the spear-user attacked her then, she'd be able to complete her goal. If she tried severing the thread, Tsukasa would use her own body as a shield.

"Elvioréne's Mushitsuki really are simple-minded. Didn't I tell you I don't care? I know your ability enough that I don't even need to fight."

Hunter retreated with a laugh. The silver glow grew distant.

"You will soon realize that the power of Mushi is no magic. You fake Undying Mushitsuki…"

Leaving these ominous words behind, the presence of the spear-user vanished.

Tsukasa clenched her fists in anger and frustration. Yet soon recalling what she had to do now, she started running.

"Huu… Hah…"

She had no time.

Entering the road, she looked around her.

She searched for a way to fulfill her objective.

"…!"

She raised her face.

She saw a structure aiming for the heavens. That was supposed to be the Akamaki Skypeer observatory—

Forgetting about her wounds, she rushed to the observatory in her full speed. Ignoring the red light on the crossing, she ran avoiding the honking horns of cars.

While running she looked at her fingertips.

The shining thread was connected to far away. It still hadn't lost its luster, but she knew her remaining time was short.

That day she became a magician.

Because she'd gained the power to save people, Tsukasa had the duty to save many people even all alone.

"…"

Reaching Skypeer, she bought a ticket on the ground level. She tumbled inside the elevator that would take her up to the observatory.

The elevator was rising. On the other side of the transparent wall, the townscape of Akamaki City was left beneath her.

She reached the observatory.

Without even the time to see the beautiful hanging gardens, she looked around the area. In the middle of running toward the fixed window, she grabbed the pot of an ornamental plant.

She threw the pot at the window. The window broke to fragments with a loud crash.

Soon screams rose in the hanging garden. The time was close to night and she saw many couples among visitors.

Because of the difference in air pressure a momentary gale came from outside.

Tsukasa kicked the railing, standing on the opened window.

"…"

The wind coming from behind made her hair float. The visitors clamored and guards came running.

Tsukasa's ability was switching the senses and information between people. Meaning she could receive pain instead of people—and she could also pass to others the injuries she received herself.

She looked at her fingertips. The thread that was supposed to connect her ability was losing its luster.

She mustn't fail.

Wounds that would allow her to somehow live wouldn't be enough. Just letting a car crash into her or stabbing herself with a knife wouldn't be enough.

She had to thoroughly die.

Who would receive that death, Tsukasa or the villain torturing weak humans?

The power of magic would decide.

It depended whether or not the ability would hold—until Tsukasa fell to the surface.

"Unlike back then when I couldn't do anything…"

She didn't hesitate.

Smiling, Tsukasa lightly tilted her body outside.

"I have the power of magic now—"

With her eyes closed, the magician was sucked into the air of Akamaki City.

Part 3

The wake ceremony was grand.

There were countless funeral bouquets arranged inside the spacious hall, with people wearing mourning clothes coming and going. Among the guests were also some government officials she remembered seeing on TV.

"Hearing Rapport…"

It was the residential district of her hometown.

From the roof of an empty building, Kidou Tsukasa looked down on the mourning crowd. The thread extending from her fingertip was connected to the house dog raised by the late master of the house.

"It was a horrible way to die…"

"Turning all bloody inside his car all of a sudden… how scary. I heard he had many dodgy dealings, but is such a thing possible?"

The whispers the dog could hear were transmitted to Tsukasa through the spider's thread.

Tsukasa smiled.

She had won the bet—

"…"

Suddenly her smile warped. She held her mouth and grabbed the railing. Her shoulders shook and she felt nauseous.

She killed a person—

She, herself, and none other, killed.

The fact that she'd killed a human being agonized her. Although until now she'd hurt enemies using her Mushi, she never killed them. Yet this time she acted with clear killing intent and did it.

Yet Tsukasa suppressed her nausea and straightened her back.

"…"

She tried forcing herself to smile.

What was agonizing her? She finished her business.

"Hehe…"

It was something impossible for anyone other than her kind magician self.

It was refreshing. She had nothing left to do.

"…Uuh."

Her smiling face warped.

Because of that she had to do something about this crushing guilt—

She desperately thought of the faces of people she'd saved. The first that came to mind was obviously the smile of that girl.

—Won't you stay in this city?

Right. She promised herself that she'd stay in this city once this job was done.

Feeling saved, she swore.

Starting tomorrow she'd become a normal girl again. She'd look for a place to live in, use her Mushi power only for small savings, and look for a proper job. She could forget everything about the dark world.

Finally her sense of guilt lessened.

After achieving this huge job, Tsukasa went to leave the wake ceremony.

"Grandpa!"

Her feet stopped in place.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!"

This voice was heard by the house dog. It was the cry of a girl.

Tsukasa's eyes widened to their absolute limits. She sharply turned around to the house.

Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it would break.

Staggering while she walked toward the house, she bumped against the railing.

"Seems like even that wicked man was kind to his granddaughter…"

"Looking at her it seems like he really was a kind grandpa."

"What a pity…"

Tsukasa opened her mouth. Yet she couldn't speak.

"S… s…"

Flapping her mouth like a fish, she finally recited the chant to use her ability.

"S…Sight Rapport…"

The senses exchanged with the dog turned from hearing to sight.

"…!"

Tsukasa's Mushi activated its ability in turn.

The first thing she could see was a girl clinging to the coffin—the same girl that Tsukasa made the promise to stay in the city with.

Her emotions obstructed her ability. Losing control of her Mushi, sight, hearing and all other senses came and went from the dog.

"Ua… Aahh…"

Her knees folded. She bumped her head against the railing, holding her mouth with both hands.

"Agh—"

Tsukasa had killed.

She killed the grandfather of the girl who was her benefactor.

Once, she heard that both her parents passed away in an accident.

Even if he was undoubtedly a villain, to his granddaughter he was the one and only family member who loved her.

"AaaAAAHHH—"

Tsukasa from the past was revived in her screaming mind.

Unable to do anything right—

Incompetent—

Did Tsukasa stay exactly the same despite gaining the power of magic? She had brought pain by her own hands to the girl that had once given her a small sense of accomplishment. She'd committed the unforgivable crime of killing.

"Uuh… Uuhhh…"

She curled, clinging to the railing.

She was useless.

She couldn't do anything right. She'd always fail. Even with magic nothing changed.

Tsukasa lost any and all reasons for living—

"—But will she be fine from now on?"

As she lost control of her Mushi, Tsukasa received the voices from the wake ceremony mixed in with noise.

Her shoulders twitched.

"Had he not written in his will that if the worst happens he would pass all of his assets to that girl? She'd already lost her parents to an accident, so if someone wants the seat of the next chairman…"

"Shhh, don't speak of that. There are many dangerous people around the chairman…"

"But still, no matter how much money you have, being targeted for your entire life is a bit…"

Like a puppet—Tsukasa raised her face with mechanical movements.

Opening wide her tear-stained eyes, she stared at the house.

"…"

Tsukasa should've had no reason to live.

The Kind Magician known as Kidou Tsukasa died long ago.

She died when she jumped from the hanging garden of Akamaki City.

What killed her was the power of magic.

"I will soon realize that this wasn't magic at all… oh, right."

Only now did she understand the meaning of Hunter's words.

"You're… not my ally. You were simply playing with me, sneering when you saw me being elated…"

Mushi—

It was nothing like magic.

The only thing is did was give her a much worse way of living than before she gained power.

But even so—

"You can keep watching to the end."

Tsukasa smiled.

From now on she'd become a ghost that did nothing but protect the girl.

A Mushitsuki who accepted the suffering of others as much as she could.

Watch over me with your red eyes.

"Look and laugh at the stupid Mushitsuki that couldn't become a Magician."

That day—

The Mushitsuki known as Kidou Tsukasa quit being a magician.

Part 4

Arisu came back to her senses with a jolt.

She could feel a tear flowing down her cheek.

The memories that flew inside her like raging waves were cut off, restoring the sensation of sitting in the hanging gardens.

Widening her eyes, she looked up the older girl sitting next to her.

"…"

Kidou Tsukasa was gently smiling.

The memories of what she'd done until recently were in Arisu's head. After despairing from her actions, Tsukasa also received the pain of other people, escaped the SEPB, and—

"I was unable to become a magician…"

She noticed that Tsukasa's eyes were losing their vitality. Due to disregarding her own body and her long life of escape, Tsukasa was exhausted. By sparing the use of her Mushi powers, her dream was eaten to the utmost limits.

When Mushitsuki overused their Mushi powers, they exhausted both mind and body. And Mushitsuki who continued to lose their dreams as compensation for their powers would lose their very lives too.

"I was just another stupid Mushitsuki, nothing more. I believed Mushi to be magic, got carried away, and failed… it was just like she said that time. This power was not magic or anything like that."

Saying this, she glared at Arisu's face.

"—That's what I wanted to say by showing you my memories. Because I couldn't say it well with words… but seems like I've gotten the wrong person anyway. This was the first time I've used Memory Rapport, but your memories also flowed back to me."

Although tired, her voice also seemed somewhat refreshed.

"You both are and aren't Hunter. If I'd been killed by Hunter that time I wouldn't have failed… I also wanted to say this to her."

While Tsukasa said this and smiled listlessly, Arisu was speechless. Having viewed the life of a Mushitsuki, she couldn't even think of words of sympathy or consolation.

"My preparations are finally complete."

Tsukasa's gaze passed from Arisu to the elevator.

"I've pinned down the executives aiming for her. I also obtained evidence connecting them to the perpetrators. There were reliable people among the executives, and also someone who could become her friend. I did what I needed to. Now if they actually try killing her, and the reliable people will round up all of them…"

Tsukasa muttered to herself incoherently.

"I told the perpetrator that she'll be here now. I'll finally settle the score… I have to take responsibility for what I've done…"

Realizing the meaning of Tsukasa's words, Arisu turned around to the elevator.

"She came here after receiving a letter from the Kind Magician… I want her to be the only one who still thinks of it as kind magic… That's enough for me…"

The girl Tsukasa was speaking of—now grown taller than how she was in her memories—was about to board the elevator along with the security police accompanying her. She was the girl who created the opportunity for Tsukasa to become a Mushitsuki.

"…!"

Arisu touched her head.

The spider that was there until a moment ago was gone—

The elevator's door closed.

On the neck of the girl clad in a pink coat—was a small daddy long-legs.

"Pain Rapport…"

Tsukasa murmured. On her face hidden so the girl wouldn't see it was a smile full of satisfaction and loneliness. Ever since the waking ceremony of the person she'd killed, Tsukasa continuously hid herself from the girl.

As she saw Kidou Tsukasa's memories, Arisu knew what she was trying to do—

"Why—"

She rose up with vigor, rushing near the elevator.

Yet the elevator the girl rode on started descending already. Arisu punched the button of the nearby elevator.

"There should be another way! Why do you have to…!"

She turned back to the seat, shouting.

"Your way of doing things is…!"

As Arisu wrung out her screaming voice, Tsukasa kept her kind smile.

Arisu turned back to the elevator, pounding the door. The girl was approaching ground level.

"What do you think Mushi are?"

Tsukasa was there. She also knew it was a long time since she'd uttered these words. Yes, ever since she'd come face to face with Hunter, Hanashiro Mari.

"When I'd received magic, I thought I was saved by Mushi. And—when I made my mistake, I thought it was my enemy…"

"…!"

Finally another elevator arrived.

"Ichinokuro Arisu. You are always worrying, too. Is that morpho butterfly that Hunter left to you an ally or an enemy? You also know fully well that you have to decide this soon."

The elevator reaching the hanging garden was empty. She wrenched open the doors and entered with the cane, much too slow for her liking.

She turned toward the hanging gardens bathing in the sun.

"In the end I was unable to reach a conclusion."

The Mushitsuki known as Kidou Tsukasa—the Kind Magician wore a carefree smile.

"I'd like for someone like you to find the truth one day. —You should be able to understand the feelings of both a Mushitsuki and a normal person."

The door closed.

The figure of the wound-covered girl disappeared as Arisu descended.

—No, she already couldn't see her figure due to the tears warping her vision.

"…!"

Looking down to the surface, she saw the other elevator reach the ground.

On the walkway was a large truck headed directly for Skypeer.

—If only the truth of the perpetrator trying to kill her existed…

Tsukasa's words resurfaced in her mind.

Arisu's elevator wasn't going to make it in time—

"Mari… Please, Mari…!"

She looked up at the morpho butterfly.

The butterfly she'd inherited from Hanashiro Mari was silent. The morpho butterfly could be said to be completely apathetic on situations which didn't endanger Arisu herself.

"Mari!"

She raised her voice to almost a scream.

Finally the morpho butterfly responded to her call. Emitting silver light, it burst into countless tentacles. Merging with the cane, it became a single, large spear.

The truck destroyed the fence, charging toward the elevator that just reached the surface.

"UWAAAAAH!"

Drawing a large arc, she threw the silver spear toward the truck.

There was a silver flash.

The spear emitting silver scales pierced the elevator's door and was thrust toward the ground.

Skypeer was assaulted by a violent tremor.

Arisu's unleashed spear split the truck's rear into two, but it couldn't stop the vehicle in place. She could see it directly crash into the elevator.

"—"

Arisu's knees crumbled as if to cling to the wall.

While she raised a scream the elevator kept descending. With alarms blaring from overhead, it reached the surface while shaking.

On the other side of the open door was a gruesome sight.

The screams and shouts of visitors were flying around and the Skypeer's staff was frantically rescuing people from the debris. She could hear sirens from afar.

Rescued along with men covered in blood was a girl wearing a pink coat.

She appeared to have lost consciousness. Her clothes were ripped.

And yet it didn't look like she was injured at all—

"Au… Uuh…"

A small daddy long-legs climbed on the girl's shoulder. The spider spouted bodily fluids and its movements stopped as if in exhaustion.

"Arisu! What're you doing here…"

He probably came there in search of her after receiving contact from Kasuou. It was her monitor and fellow house member, the boy called Kusuriya Daisuke.

"Daisuke…"

She buried her face in the chest of the approaching boy. He was confused at her unexpected action.

—What do you think Mushi are?

The words of the Kind Magician resurfaced in the crying Arisu's mind.

She had no idea.

Right now Arisu had no answer.

She simply hated seeing that sort of ending for Mushitsuki—

Inside her warped line of sight, the spider on the girl's shoulders raised a cry—and melted into thin air along with the lingering traces of magic.

Notes

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