Capítulo 54: vol 15 PT 2

ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)

C143

Shizuku's True Feelings

The fierce sound of clashing blades resounded through the large space where a huge round ice pillar was standing at the center.

"HAAAAAAH!"

{Oh, your swordsmanship is disarrayed again, you know?}

Along with spirit-filled war cry, she unleashed a quick god-like sword draw. Several streaks of black lines drew through the air in an instant, but not a single one of those sharp sword flashes reached the opponent.

Instead, the opponent who mocked her swordsmanship nearly struck her in the forehead with a weaving thrust. She somehow avoided it by twisting her head, but a shallow cut was left on her temple.

"-, 'Scorching Wave'!"

The thrust that almost hit her before was one of Yaegashi's own techniques. Therefore, Shizuku understood better than anyone that the thrust consisted of three stages. Her temple was cut, and it was difficult to evade with her slightly disarrayed posture.

Before the approaching flash of the second thrust could gouge her, Shizuku pushed her sheath on the ground and scattered the shockwave. The ice shards of the smashed ground changed into improvised buckshot and she somehow escaped from range.

{It's great that you have the present from him, isn't it? If you didn't have that, you would have been dead against me since some time ago, wouldn't you?}

"Haa haa…"

Against the white Shizuku who was sheathing her white katana while teasing her, the black ponytailed Shizuku kept silent while her shoulders heaved.

Currently, Shizuku was fighting her false image much like Hajime had.

The false image she faced was different with Hajime's in that it was really white. White hair in a ponytail and skin that was like white porcelain. Her blade and clothes were also all white. Her piercing reddish black eyes were awfully eye-catching.

That white Shizuku opened her mouth while showing a sarcastic expression and wearing a wide grin that was unimaginable coming from the usual Shizuku. It had been like this since a while ago. The content of her speech was naturally the exposition of Shizuku's negative emotions.

{It hurts? Painful? Scary? Do you want to cry? You don't need to hide it, you know? I am you, so I understand everything. Yes, everything.}

It had been fifteen minutes since the battle began. During that time, Shizuku's blade didn't strike once. The white Shizuku still looked clean.

In contrast, although she barely evaded a fatal wound just now, Shizuku had shallow cuts all over her body. She was soaked wet with sweat and blood. Even now, the blood flowing from her temple and cheek was trickling down drop by drop from her slender chin.

{Actually, I didn't want to do something like learning the sword. Rather than wearing Japanese clothes or a dojo uniform, I wanted to wear cute and frilly western clothes. Rather than carrying a bamboo sword, dolls and glittery accessories are far better.}

"… Shut up."

The first time Shizuku was guided by her grandfather to swing a bamboo sword was when she was four years old. Her grandfather was the head of the Yaegashi family and inheritor of ancient sword style, Yeagashi-style. Surely, he made Shizuku swing the bamboo sword only for fun. But, of all the things to happen, the four-year-old Shizuku displayed a glimpse of her talent.

The grandfather who realized that her cute granddaughter inherited a talent for the style broke out from his usual sour look. Even now, Shizuku clearly remembered how happy her grandfather's smile was.

Since that day, sword art and kendo practice became a part of Shizuku's life. Her grandfather, her father, and everyone in the dojo too, all of them praised how amazing she was…

But, actually…

{That time when Kouki entered the dojo, I thought that a prince had finally arrived. 'I will protect Shizuku-chan too', I think? I dreamed of a cool boy that would say that to me like in a picture book story. If it's him, then he can make me a girl. He will protect me. He will spoil me. I was thinking that. But, you see?}

"Shut up."

While clenching her teeth hard, Shizuku's figure turned hazy using 'No Beat', stepping in with god speed and drawing her sword. A flash of space ruptured – 'Flash Blossom' drew its track through space itself to bisect the white Shizuku, but a white track that drew exactly the same trajectory perfectly neutralized it.

Not giving up, Shizuku further unleashed her slashes, but everything was evaded, blocked, and her opponent didn't miss an opening to increase Shizuku's wounds.

{What Kouki brought about was only jealousy toward you. Isn't that right? Kouki was overflowing with a sense of justice and kindness since elementary school. He did everything skillfully and became the target of all of the girls' attention. You who swung bamboo sword even though you are female, your short hair, your plain clothes, you who couldn't talk about girly topics, by being at the side of such a Kouki made the girls unable to tolerate it. Yes, yes, even now I remember those words. The words said to me by one of the girls who liked Kouki. 'You are a girl?' she said. That was shocking, right?}

"Just shut your mouth!"

The bitter memory from elementary school revived in the back of Shizuku's brain. At that period, her hair was cut short to practice the sword. A lot of her clothes were also plain. Her beauty over cuteness was certainly weakened related to girlishness.

With such a Shizuku, there was no way the girls would stay quiet if she was together with Kouki, who was popular since he was elementary school student. Shizuku received the jealousy of other children who didn't know mercy and moderation due to their young age. Even among those, those words were something she couldn't forget even now. Putting aside her external appearance and her sword skill, Shizuku's inside was exactly a girl. For such a Shizuku, those words were a large bitter shock.

Once, she had asked for help from Kouki. But, at that kind of time it was settled what Kouki was going to say. He would say, "Surely, they didn't mean any ill will", "Everyone is a good kid, you know?", "They will understand if you talk to them", etc, etc. Exactly like those words, Kouki spoke with the girls about their attitude towards Shizuku. It went without saying that the harsh treatment towards Shizuku got stronger. Furthermore, the concealment so that Kouki wouldn't realize such things happened increased all the more.

Even when Shizuku consulted Kouki, what Kouki returned to her was only a troubled smile. Before she knew it, Shizuku stopped relying on Kouki.

Such a living continued throughout her period of elementary school. If she didn't meet Kaori, who stayed by her side when she entered middle school, perhaps her heart would have broken and she would have abandoned everything.

{Even though I actually hated it, it was scary to betray my family's expectation and I couldn't stop learning the sword. Even though Kouki was the cause, I couldn't distance myself to push my childhood friend who didn't have a single speck of ill will because of my guilt… truly, you are an indecisive and half-baked girl.}

"-such a thing-!?"

The sword of the white Shizuku severed gravity using 'Multi Flash' and brought Shizuku a moment of weightlessness and suspension. At that moment, the sheath the white Shizuku was holding was swung horizontally. Along with that, 'Scorching Wave' was also invoked. White ripples of magic power spread. An impact with pain enough to almost blow away Shizuku's consciousness attacked her exposed defenseless side. Her body was blown away grandly.

Shizuku bounced several times on the ground before she somehow came to a stop while sliding on the floor.

"Gohoh, gehoh."

Blood was spat out in a splatter from her coughing mouth. She felt intense pain from her ribs. Two or three of her bones had obviously been broken. It seemed that the impact injured her internal organs. In some way or another, she fastened her consciousness that was departing to the beyond.

Brisk footsteps resounded toward Shizuku, who couldn't immediately stand up. It was just like a countdown that notified her of approaching death. Impatience floated across Shizuku's expression while she struggled to stand up desperately.

The white Shizuku sweetly whispered to that agonized Shizuku with a kind tone, her mouth splitting open like a crescent moon. She was like a demon.

{It's fine even if you don't stand up anymore, you know? Someone else will clear this labyrinth even without you suffering like this. If you do that, you can go home. It's fine. Even if you give up here, I won't take your life. If you sleep just like this, by the time you wake up, everything will be over.}

"What, are you…"

{Just giving a choice… Of course, if you don't give up, I'll kill you. I'll slice you apart without mercy.}

The white Shizuku's wide grin could make somebody tremble in fear. The naked white blade in her hand was sticky with the proof of how it had shredded Shizuku. The blood trickling through it looked as though it was flowing through white snow. From the tip that was pointed at Shizuku for show, drop by drop of her own blood dripped down. Looking at that scene, the crouching Shizuku's expression turned pale.

But, the next moment *KI-!* Shizuku glared back at her false image without paying attention to the blood spurting from her wounds. She began to fill her limbs with strength.

"Guh, uaAAAAH!!"

{… I see. That's right, isn't it? If it's you, then you will stand up, isn't it?}

The white Shizuku nodded once, her eyes narrowed quietly, and she swung down the thin white blade. It was blocked by Shizuku's black blade while she was on her knees raising a war cry.

Simultaneously,

"Fly, 'Far Sky'!!"

By using a skill for the sake of pulling things apart, Shizuku somehow blew away the white Shizuku and bought some distance. The white Shizuku twirled in the air and landed gracefully on the ground with a somersault like a cat. Shizuku stood up while giving it a glance.

"You are annoying, yapping like that. You just keep saying incomprehensible things. I won't accompany you in such a psychological battle."

{Psychological battle, huh? So you won't acknowledge your own feelings until the end. Until this year, you kept being stubborn like that. You made your surrounding stay quiet by your strength, constantly paying attention to someone… so that you aren't even aware that you are actually wishing to lean on someone…}

"Do you not hear I'm saying that you are noisy!?"

Shizuku charged without even a little of her usual calmness. There was no tactic or anything. She was merely swinging her sword unsightly through the air with reckless swordsmanship. Her feeling of wanting to shut up the opponent was clear to see.

The false image was created by reading the negative emotion of the target and using that as the base. And then if the exposed emotion wasn't accepted by the target, the false image's strength would rise without end. In reverse, if the target accepted her own fault then the false image would be weakened… but the current Shizuku was in the former state.

Therefore, with her heart disarrayed, Shizuku's sword attack was already like child's play against the white Shizuku, whose strength increased.

The white Shizuku lightly handled the full might of Shizuku's technique and beat her down in reverse with a polished sword technique. The injury on Shizuku's flank, the damage to her internal organs, and the blood loss made Shizuku's movement dull, causing her injuries to increase further. That turned into impatience which made her grow violent and made her movement even duller. It was a vicious cycle.

To add insult to injury against such a Shizuku, the white Shizuku opened her mouth with a laugh.

{That time when you arrived in this world you were also like that, right? In truth, you were full of anxiety. You were scared from the bottom of your heart when you were Ishtar told you about the subjugation of the devil race. The night when you first killed a monster, you cried in a place where no one could know it. The feeling of cutting flesh wouldn't disappear. The blood clinging to your skin felt like it wouldn't go away. You were hiding many times trying to wash it off, weren't you?}

"Haaa-!!"

Shizuku tried to drown the words of the false image with her spirited yell. But, that act itself expressed Shizuku's denial, because she couldn't accept it, the difference in strength between them opened even farther.

{That time when Nagumo-kun fell into the abyss, if you didn't pour all your strength into consoling the deranged Kaori, surely, the one who would be crushed by terror would be you. Since that day, when you felt a real death, all the time, toward the terror of death, toward the terror of killing… you continued to be afraid.}

"Aguh!?"

The white Shizuku's 'Lightning Blossom' burst, paralyzed Shizuku's body. Taking that opening, a white flash caressed Shizuku's neck. *pushu-!* With that sound, fresh blood scattered out.

Thanks to Shizuku enfolding herself in 'Scorching Wave' and blowing away their bodies to open a distance, she managed to barely dodge a fatal wound. But blood was flowing like a river from between Shizuku's fingers pressed against her neck. Her carotid artery wasn't cut, but even so, it was a wound on her neck. The bleeding was quite a lot.

A clear vision of death floated in her brain. An overwhelming terror and despair began to assault Shizuku's heart. The emotion that she desperately suppressed leaked out and her hand that was holding the black katana was clattering.

The white Shizuku's lips that looked excessively red split open widely. Sticky words flowed out like a muddy stream.

{Hey, you. You were happy at that time, weren't you?}

"Eh?"

That sudden question made Shizuku leak out a dumbfounded voice while still pressing on her neck.

{I'm talking about that time Nagumo-kun came to save your class. You understand, right? There is no way you can forget that most dramatic moment in your life.}

"What are you saying…"

{A life threatening and despairing pinch… no? At that time, you had given up for certain. You were going to accept the unreasonable death and gave up everything. You didn't believe that anyone would come saving you gallantly in this world… Because of that, that red radiance, that large back, that overwhelming power without any match, it stole your heart.}

"Yo, you're wro-…"

If felt like something that she didn't want to recognize by any means, that she mustn't recognize no matter what was going to be said. Shizuku immediately tried to yell words of rejection. But, as though to tell her that such resistance was pointless, the white Shizuku mercilessly declared.

{That time when Kaori was killed was also like that. If you aren't aware yourself, then I'll say it. At that time, for the first time since you came to this world, you 'clung'. You clung to Nagumo-kun. To such a you, he said 'believe me and wait'. And then he really answered your expectation. Just like you believed, he saved your best friend along with your heart. Since that day, you kept desperately averting your eyes, but… now, you won't be able to lie to yourself anymore.}

"Stop it, you are wrong. I'm…"

Toward Shizuku, who was shaking her head like a kid refusing something, the false image thrust the truth that she couldn't possibly escape from.

{You????love Nagumo-kun.}

"…"

Shizuku's throat was clogged. Her head was still shaking left and right in denial. She didn't even have the composure to be bothered by the blood flowing from her cut neck.

The reason was because that was an emotion that she absolutely mustn't recognize. Because that was an unforgivable feeling, a proof of the worst betrayal.

Toward Shizuku, whose mind had been cornered so much that she didn't even have the leeway to say a word of denial, the false image gently sent her the finishing blow. It was as though she was sending her a flower for the departed.

{Geez you, to fall in love with the beloved person of your best friend ??This traitor.}

"…"

Shizuku's knees lost strength. She only just supported herself enough with the black katana that she didn't fall on her knees, but the light of determination was disappearing from her eyes.

The words thrust into her heart… were just that severe.

It was really hard to control this thing called a heart. It was not an exaggeration to call a person who could perfectly control their own heart as abnormal. It was the same with the feeling of liking another person, something that couldn't be explained with logic. That was why, even if Shizuku fell in love with Hajime just like Kaori, it was an exaggeration to call her a betrayer just from having that feeling.

But, the white Shizuku??Shizuku's negative emotion, the depth of her heart, her own feeling stated that she was a 'betrayer'.

Perhaps, that originated from the honesty that Shizuku had by nature, and her undying gratitude and good will toward her most important best friend who she snuggled up to at her most bitter period.

Her feelings for her treasured Kaori were too strong that she couldn't forgive herself just by liking Hajime. Not to mention the various faces she showed to Hajime from her uncontrollable emotion. The smiling face from her heart, her clingy and miserable face, her charming face watching in a daze, her sulky face, and even her relieved sleeping face… all those happening in a place where Kaori didn't know. Such a thing was also a reason that spurred her guilty feeling.

{Furthermore, you attacked Shia, didn't you? Why was that, I wonder? Why it wasn't Yue or Kaori but Shia, why do you think?}

"I, am…"

{The answer is simple. You envy Shia, don't you? You understood from the start that you cannot win against Yue, so you don't even feel jealous of her. There is no way you can attack Kaori no matter how jealous you are at her. That's why, you selected that girl as the target of your attack. The one who was recognized by him as a lover and the easiest one to envy… You really are a coward aren't you?}

"…"

Already, she couldn't hope to avert her eyes. The enemy before her eyes wouldn't allow that. Each timed word pierced her like an arrow. It also shot through her words of rebuttal and broke it apart. Strength was leaking out from under her feet. In contrast, the white Shizuku was overflowing with bountiful strength.

As the proof of that, the white Shizuku stepped in with 'No Beat' and unleashed a kick that scooped up Shizuku from below, not permitting her to react at all.

"Gahah!?"

Against Shizuku, whose breath was forced out and her body floating in the air, countless slashes assaulted her like a pouring rain. At an unconscious level, Shizuku lifted her black katana as a replacement for a shield, but there was no way such a thing could block everything…

"AAAAAAAAH!?"

Her whole body was chopped up to the heart's content of white Shizuku. The white Shizuku struck the sheath at the shrieking Shizuku as though making doubly sure. Shizuku was blown away fiercely as though she was run over by a dump truck and her back struck the ice wall. The ice wall at her back was pulverized in a radiating shape.

All the air in her lungs was forcefully spat out due to the impact that made her whole body act like a ragged cloth. The pain came from so many slash wounds that she didn't understand anymore where the pain come from. Shizuku's body informed her that it was at the limit. Just like that, Shizuku's body slid down the ice wall and now she was in a sitting down posture with her back reclining on the ice while her four limbs splayed open.

Blood stickily stuck on the ice wall, even the ground started to have a puddle of blood gathering there. With hazy eyes, Shizuku was staring at her other self calmly approaching her. Her body couldn't move, the piling up burden on her mind was sapped of any will to move.

{Even your absurd life that kept pulling out the short stick will have the curtain closed here. The reason for this comes as a result of your own hand, you're truly foolish.}

Shizuku didn't respond. She was quiet as she looked up at the white Shizuku. From an appearance with wounds all over her body without even twitching, she even looked like she had expired already.

{Is there something you want to say in your last moment, I wonder? I'll carve it in the ice wall for you. Each of the spaces are connected to each other in this place, so if your luck is good someone who breaks through their trial might arrive here and find you last will you know?}

"…"

Shizuku didn't respond. In exchange, at her cheek, tear drops were flowing down. Grains of light were silently tracing her cheeks, creating a stain on her lap drop by drop.

Shizuku herself wasn't clear just why tears were overflowing like this. Was she in terror because she sensed her own death? Was she in despair that she would lose her future? Was it from the mortification of all the things said to her? Was it from the sadness of being unable to meet her important people anymore… or possibly, from all the above?

While staring down wordlessly, white Shizuku drew back her naked blade tightly behind. She took a crouching posture, her hand that was holding the sheath stuck out in aim. Its target was Shizuku's head.

The sharpness of the white katana was the same as the black katana. It was possible to have her life ended without feeling any pain by piercing through her forehead.

The sudden swelling killing intent and the finishing blow was right in front of her eyes.

In front of the tip that was aiming at her, something inside Shizuku was welling up. Her mouth flapped and closed, trying to express that emotion without caring of her own reputation or appearance.

"… I, still… don't want… to die."

{…}

There was no way anyone would listen to those words here. It was merely earnest words that wished to live. That she still didn't want to die. She wanted to meet… Her best friend, her comrades, and then, the person she fell in love with at this land of another world. One more time.

But, she wasn't able to stand up by herself anymore. Because both her body and her heart were completely tired.

That was why…

"He… lp, me… some, one… he, lp, me… please…"

She wished for help while crying like a child. Shizuku was always someone at the side being relied on, clung on, and then she always gave help to those people. She had never done something like complaining, asking for help to anyone while crying, saying that she couldn't do it anymore, that she couldn't stand it anymore.

In reality, she dreamed of being 'a girl that was protected like a princess', but while she kept looking for that, she was compelled by necessity to polish herself, and then her role became like the knight instead. Before she knew it, she even tolerated this version of herself without any dissatisfaction, however… as expected…

{How unfortunate. To use those words is too late already.}

Her true feeling that leaked out at the very end was drowned by her merciless other self.

And then, the sublime killing intent was emitted from the white Shizuku. Shizuku reflexively closed her eyes tightly. The brutal white blade thrust straight toward that forehead, to pierce her life.

…

"?"

{… This is impossible.}

No matter how much time passed her death didn't arrive. The moment she closed her eyes, she felt like her back got light all of a sudden, but rather than something like that, right now her attention got attracted to the dumbfounded voice of the white Shizuku.

Shizuku timidly opened her eyes.

Over there was…

"Eh, eh?"

"Geez, what's with this timing? Don't tell me this is the aim of the great labyrinth itself."

There was the white tip that stopped just before it touched her skin and the metallic arm that kept it there. With creaking sounds, a metallic artificial arm she had seen before was reaching out from behind her that firmly grasped the white blade, stopping the killing blade a hair breadth from Shizuku.

The complaint that she could hear at the same time made Shizuku opened her eyes wide, and she looked back over her shoulder. Over there was a passage where the ice wall had disappeared before anyone realized, Hajime who seemed like he came out from there appeared, crouching to support the sitting Shizuku with an embrace.

"Na, Nagumo, kun?"

"… Chih, you are too beaten up."

Hajime looked down at Shizuku in a bad mood, next he glared at the white Shizuku with a beastly sharp glint. And then red spark ran from the artificial hand grasping the white katana. Immediately after that, the artificial hand began to vibrate with super high speed that it blurred.

*KIIIIIIIIIII!!*

{-this-}

A peculiar running sound could be heard. At the same time, the white blade creaked and cracked. The dumbfounded white Shizuku returned to her senses with 'hah' and pulled back trying to recover her katana but… in the next moment, the white katana was pulverized from halfway as though it was crushed.

Without stopping Hajime aimed his artificial hand straight at the white Shizuku and from its palm explosive slug bullet was fired. Fierce impact attacked the white Shizuku along with a red ripple, blowing her far away.

Furthermore, Hajime took out crossbits and let them fly to the white Shizuku to assault her. He didn't have any intention of killing her because this wasn't Hajime's battle. Until the end, it was only buying time.

To separate the two parties, seven crossbits fired buckshot while taking skilled cooperation. While feeling like the thunderous roar was far away, Shizuku stared fixedly at the face of Hajime who was supporting her back from behind.

It was as though she was seeing a dream, that actually she had been killed and the Hajime in front of her eyes was just a phantom her brain showed her before she died or something. She feared that in the next moment, he would vanish.

Hajime took out a tube container from his 'Treasure Warehouse' while Shizuku was like that. He opened the lid and without reservation, he thrust it into the mouth of Shizuku that was opened absentmindedly.

"Nmuh!?"

"Don't spit it out. Drink up like your life depended on it."

Shizuku's eyes darted and she almost reflexively spat out the foreign object that suddenly entered her mouth. So that wouldn't happen, Hajime embraced Shizuku even tighter to make her unable to resist while forcefully making her drink the god water.

Shizuku panicked for a moment, but being hugged tightly by Hajime where his warmth was transmitted to her made her stiffen with a snap this time. While holding the tube in her mouth, she stared hard at the face of Hajime which was at a really close distance. Finally, she was able to comprehend that it was a reality, and she had been saved by a hair's breadth. She became unable to avert her gaze as though she was imprisoned by Hajime's eyes.

Before long the body of Shizuku who had gulped down all the god water was healed completely from all the wounds covering her body as though everything was just a lie. However the blood she lost couldn't be recovered without using regenerative magic, so it didn't change how weak her body was.

"You are really… Nagumo-kun?"

"Do I look like anything else?"

"Bu, but, why, why are you, here, I…"

"Calm down. I finished my own trial and when I went through the passage that appeared, I came out here. Most likely each space is connected to each other. Well, I thought it's just too good to be true that I came out behind Yaegashi though."

"The, then, Nagumo-kun really is, I…"

Perhaps because the pain of her body had vanished, and she felt for real that she had escaped death, this time tears of relief overflowed from her eyes. And then, with her body still embraced, as though to ascertain his existence, it was as though she could see nothing else but Hajime. Shizuku's hand slowly reached out at Hajime's cheek. However, just before her hand touched, her expression warped painfully and her hand drew back.

Furthermore, as though to say that being hugged by Hajime mustn't happen, she weakly pushed on Hajime's chest and tried to take distance. She rubbed away her overflowing tears with her sleeve and averted her face completely from him.

Looking at Shizuku's state that was obviously strange, Hajime guessed that she was considerably humiliated by her false image, he gave a glance at white Shizuku who crossed sword with the crossbits using her white katana that should have been broken but now had been recovered and opened his mouth.

"Come on, all your wounds have been recovered completely. Now is the time for a revenge match. Beat her quickly."

"a. Bu, but, I… I cannot win against that, so…"

Shizuku looked at Hajime with clinging gaze while making an excuse. That appearance from Shizuku that he had never seen before made Hajime looked at the sky thinking "This is not just getting humiliated, even her heart is broken!" He thought that among the four of Kouki's group that she was the strongest mentally, so honestly, this was unexpected.

The white Shizuku took advantage of the crossbits' opening and gradually closed the distance. There was no meaning if Hajime defeated it, so the crossbits were moving in a half following pattern, it seemed the white Shizuku was predicting that.

Shizuku showed a frightened look from seeing her approaching white self.

It wasn't like herself. That appearance was really not like her at all. Possibly, this was her true… Hajime frowned at the scared Shizuku that couldn't stand up and matched his gaze with her stooped gaze. And then he began to stare at her with an extremely serious face.

"Na, Nagumo-kun? Err, that fellow is…"

"Yaegashi. Don't worry."

"Eh?"

Shizuku was flustered toward the approaching enemy, but to be told that while being stared straight with a serious face made blood unconsciously gathered in her face.

In front of such a Shizuku, Hajime abruptly took out a certain thing from his 'Treasure Warehouse'.

That was…

"Now, take this. This is the 'Masked Pink—Mark II' I made for you."

"… Nagumo-kun?"

While giving a scornful look and feeling angry towards why that thing came out right here, she unintentionally forgot her weak mind. The elaborately designed pink full face mask was forcefully pushed on her. Seeing that showy mask suddenly come out and now being pushed at her real body, even the white Shizuku reflexively stopped in vigilance.

Giving white Shizuku a glance, Hajime kept presenting the Masked Pink–Mark II persistently at Shizuku.

"Nagumo-kun! This is not the time for screwing around! That fellow is coming here!"

"Excuse me. I'm not screwing around at all here. Listen well, if you wear this powered up Masked Pink then your perception ability will be increased by three times. With this, you can win even against that."

"Wh, what a pointless high-spec like usual…"

"Now you want it right? If you are saying that you cannot win without this, then take it without reservation."

"I don't need it! I can win even without wearing that kind of thing! Rather, if I wear that kind of thing I'll be fighting like mad! Who can bear being treated like a degenerate for the second time because of that thing!"

With a cramped expression, Shizuku fiercely objected at Hajime who was emphasizing his prized item with a serious face. Shizuku rubbed at her temple as though she was enduring a headache.

That gesture and her tone were just like her usual self. Hajime grinned widely at Shizuku who was glaring at him even now and easily stored the Masked Pink–Mark II back into his 'Treasure Warehouse'. And then, he said to the dumbfounded Shizuku.

"That's right. You can win, even without this kind of thing."

"-, I, I am…"

Even while making a face as though she was chewing a bitter bug from how easily she got provoked by Hajime's incitement, Shizuku couldn't say anything. Ignoring that, Hajime added more to his words.

"Yaegashi. Don't forget. That thing is certainly another of your faces, but it's not everything there is to you. It's nothing more than a part made up from your negative emotion. The important feeling should be possessed by the Yaegashi Shizuku in front of my eyes right now. Isn't that right?"

"The thing… possessed by me…"

Memories overflowed in Shizuku's brain. That was her family's smile from the bottom of their heart each time she grew. The time when she helped someone together with Kouki and the group. The time when the person they helped thanked them from their heart, how she was able to meet Kaori exactly because of that painful time. And all the other many things that were hard to throw away that she couldn't forget, filled with warmth and gentleness.

Just why she couldn't remember even a little of those until now… the answer was obvious. That was due to the whispering voice she was hearing since they stepped foot into this great labyrinth little by little guiding her consciousness.

Light of determination returned into Shizuku's eyes. Suddenly lit up light was flowing into Shizuku's four limbs.

"You giving in to the words of that kind of fellow, is also the proof that you are properly facing it. After all, a real good for nothing will only become defiant hearing that. What's left, is what do you want to do? That's all. You are just too serious. Just accept it more irresponsibly, irresponsibly. After all, for the time being if you just survive then later on you can deal with it no matter how many times, anyway you like it."

"Nagumo-kun…"

'By the way, I'm in a good-for-nothing side' Hajime said while shrugging his shoulders, at the same time he began to collect his crossbits back. Him buying time was enough already.

While feeling the gaze of Shizuku staring at him, Hajime leaned on the ice wall and crossed his arms. And then he sent her his words while staring back straight at her. Hajime himself didn't do it intentionally, but surely those words were the ones that Shizuku wanted the most.

"I'll be watching here."

"…"

"You can just keep challenging it until you win. As long as I'm here you won't die. I won't let you die. It's fine."

"… that's… the clincher." (TN: The most accurate meaning is, phrase that brings someone around, esp. in personal relationships)

Those last words were words that were only inside her mouth that didn't reach even the ear of the person herself. Naturally, it shouldn't reach Hajime but, sure enough, what kind of expression would he make if he heard that? Shizuku imagined it, and then she leaked out a chuckle thinking that surely he would make a troublesome expression.

And then, she thought that surely Aiko-sensei and Liliana were also like her without a doubt, to fall in love with this kind of nasty man, it made her feeling strangely amused about just what was wrong with her.

It felt like the her until just now was all lie. She stood up with a light leap as though her body was like a feather. And then, she hugged the black katana that was a present from Hajime tightly in her breast before facing her standing still false image with a determined expression.

With her back toward Hajime, Shizuku asked silently, but with sweetness somewhere in her tone.

"… You will be looking, right? At me."

"Yeah."

"You will protect me when I need it right?"

"Yeah."

"I see. Then… I'm going."

"Ou. Go get her."

Her lost blood wasn't recovered back. In truth, even now she felt like fainting from blood loss. But, her steps were far more certain even compared to when she first entered this space.

She faced her false image. The white Shizuku was silently waiting with a sheathed blade.

{Really, flirting in front of the enemy? That's a really good face you have there.}

"Is that so? This is thanks to Nagumo-kun. We aren't flirting. Though I think it will be great if we can do that."

{My, my, as I thought you are betraying your best friend. And then, to your rival in love you…}

"Let's stop this unproductive talk. There is no meaning in this soliloquizing. I'll survive, then meet Kaori and others one more time. Everything else will start from there."

{…}

That unshakable Shizuku shut up the white Shizuku. And then she noticed how her strength was weakening little by little. In other words, Shizuku was aware of her own emotion and she began to accept that…

"Perhaps I will have a dispute with her, that I will make her feel a horrible shock. She might even scorn me. But, I won't give up. I'll show you that I can haul in the best result for me. I'll challenge it no matter how many times. I absolutely won't give up."

{In the end, you are going to be a fighting woman then?}

"I guess. But, seventeen years, I have been living that long like that until now so it's too late already. Certainly, I have lived until now by stifling down various things, but what I obtained as the result of that, is also an important thing that I cannot abandon already. And then, I believe that surely from now on too I will obtain the lovelier things… Because it seems, that even a fighting woman can be protected by someone that is far stronger than me."

{Until the end, it's still an indirect reason like, 'because he is an important person for Kaori' you know? No doubt about that.}

"Even so, right now, I don't mind."

Shizuku softly lowered her waist, she lightly drew back one of her feet with the other foot bending forward, taking the stance of quick sword draw.

"I don't have any extra strength left. One attack. I'll put everything in this one attack. Endure this if you can."

{Fufu, I see. What magnificent spirit. Really what a timing he appeared at. Someone who is there at the essential time, in the essential place… I thought something like that existed only inside stories.}

Presence emitted from Shizuku sharpened to the utmost. With her body that had reached the height of fatigue due to the mental burden and bleeding, certainly, she could only put her everything in one attack. It was exactly an attack where she staked her all.

For an instant, the white Shizuku directed a wry smile at the man leaning on the wall who revived Shizuku like a phoenix at the eleventh hour. Surely that whisper was also something that Shizuku undoubtedly felt.

The white Shizuku also similarly dropped her waist and took the stance of a fast draw.

The pressure rapidly swelled up. The determination to beat the opponent emitted like it would cut apart the other by itself came from both sides respectively. Different from the chilly air, the sharp cold filled the surrounding space.

Shizuku's heart was calm like a spring inside a deep forest. Because on her back, she felt a large presence. Because she understood that he was looking straight at her. Because she believed that when the unlikely event happened, he would protect her.

"??fuh."

{Haah!!}

They stepped in simultaneously.

Their ponytails fluttered like falling stars, Shizuku and white Shizuku crossed each other.

And then they stayed unmoving a few meters from each other with their backs facing the other.

And, at that time, a rustled sound could be heard, Shizuku's ponytail was undone. The string that fastened her hair was cut. Was that because of the sword slash, or perhaps it was deteriorating due to several battles…

In the midst of the tension that turned into silence filling the air, the one sheathing her katana… was Shizuku.

*chin* The moment the pleasant small sound of the sheath resounded, the white Shizuku slipped off smoothly. Her body was bisected into two. Like that, the figure swayed and blurred before melting and vanishing in the air. Its face looked from the side seemed to smile broadly in satisfaction.

Right after that, Shizuku's body stumbled to the side, and she crumbled down. She became unable to stand up after her feeling slackened down due to being freed from extreme fatigue and nervousness.

But, Shizuku didn't strike the hard ground.

"Splendid. As always, that's admirable swordsmanship." (TN: The kanji used in the admirable word can also be used for falling in love.)

"Nagumo-kun… fufu, you can also proceed to fall in love from there you know?"

"What are you saying?"

"My, that's unfortunate."

Hajime gently lowered Shizuku on the ground.

After Shizuku cracked that joke, a third path different from the passage Shizuku passed and the path Hajime came out from melted out from the wall.

"Yaegashi, you have difficulty in walking?"

"It seems so. I need a little rest. Although, nothing can be done about the blood loss so I need regeneration magic used on me. In any case, I cannot move properly right now… and so Nagumo-kun, take care of me okay?"

"Aa?"

"Carry me in your arms okay?"

"… Yaegashi, did you change a little? Like you have no reservation anymore, or you became shameless…"

Toward Shizuku who spread open her arms demanding to be carried in his arm, Hajime only returned a slightly bewildered gaze at her. Shizuku leaked out a chuckle while enjoyably swaying her downed straight black hair.

"I'm just thinking that I'll be slightly more honest. Rather than that, let's quickly link up with everyone else. That's right. Nagumo-kun, can you create an artifact enchanted with regeneration magic I wonder? You had included that function in the black katana too but the effect is insignificant."

Hajime tilted his head toward Shizuku's change while thinking that indeed it wasn't guaranteed that anything would happen until they linked up with Yue and others, so he responded to her request because it would be better if she recovers quickly. Shizuku made a further request while he took out material from the 'Treasure Warehouse'.

"While you are at it, can you make it a hair ornament? See, my hair string was cut. It's better if it's cute. Sort of like that snow crystal you gifted for Yue and the others."

"… What a demanding fellow. It looks like you are really cutting loose on various things, huh?"

Even while complaining, Hajime thought "Well, let's make it for the success celebration too". He used a pearl-like crystal with a faint radiance which had high affinity with magic power, making a hairclip from that. It was like countless fruits in a row, or perhaps like drops of morning dew lining on a leaf, a row of beautiful jewels.

"It's pretty…"

"Here, it's fine like this right? Let's go quickly after you wear it."

For a while, Shizuku stared ecstatically at the regenerative hairclip created in less than a minute, but she then tied her hair in a ponytail in panic after Hajime called out at her.

"… How do I look?"

With her cheeks reddened, Shizuku looked up at him and asked that question. Seeing that Hajime's perplexity deepened thinking that as he thought something was strange.

"… It's falling far short of the real regeneration magic, but there was no problem when I attached regeneration magic in it to work on the flesh you see."

"… That's not what I'm asking, though."

Of course, Hajime understood what Shizuku was actually asking him. However, for some reason, this exchange gave Hajime a déjà vu. It was just like, yes, it was exactly the same like the atmosphere Aiko showed him at the god mountain… yes.

Even while sighing deeply at Hajime who was playing dumb, "Well, guess it cannot be helped" Shizuku shrugged her shoulders before slowly holding out both her arms. It was wordless, and the second request for a carry.

Anyway, it was definite that Shizuku couldn't move properly, so reluctantly Hajime was going to take out gravity stone from 'Treasure Warehouse', but Shizuku beat him to the punch.

"If you are planning to crucify me like before then I'm in firm opposition to that. When we are coming out from this great labyrinth, I'll circulate Nagumo-kun's rumor as a seriously ill patient."

"…"

Of course, it was patently obvious what kind of sickness Shizuku meant based on where her gaze was looking at. His hair, eye patch, artificial arm, Shizuku's gaze was moving alternately on those things.

Hajime wordlessly returned the gravity stone. In this case, Hajime guessed that she obviously would also refuse being carried like in a stretcher. It seemed that she persistently wanted to be carried by arms.

This unusual selfishness of Shizuku was increasingly spurring the bad premonition in his chest. However, they also couldn't stay here for much longer. He also wanted to be spared from a lethal wound by Shizuku, so reluctantly Hajime crouched while showing his back in front of Shizuku's eyes.

"Muu, it's better if it's princess carry, but… it can't be helped."

'What is it that couldn't be helped', sealing such a retort at the bottom of his heart, Hajime got up while ignoring to the utmost the weight and soft sensation transmitted on his back. Wasting no time, Shizuku tightly entangled her arms around Hajime. Her body was also pressing on him as tightly as possible.

Hajime stood up, he wordlessly entered the newly appeared passage and began walking silently. He guessed that surely this passage was also connected to the space of another person.

There, a whispering voice reached him. It wasn't the whispering voice of the labyrinth. It was Shizuku's voice that contained more sweetness. She was talking into his ear in a posture where she put her head on Hajime's shoulder.

"Hey, Nagumo-kun."

"Hm? What?"

"Did you listen to the conversation between me and the other me?"

"No, I was too far, the voices of you two were also small."

Hajime shook his head toward Shizuku's question. Shizuku murmured "I see…", then she showed a gesture of thinking a little about something. And then, she showed her palm in front of Hajime's eyes while opening her mouth once again.

"This hand, it has hardened from holding a sword right? As I thought, this is not a hand of a woman."

Hajime didn't understand the intention of the question and his expression turned dubious, but for the time being, he sent his gaze toward the palm of Shizuku in front of his eyes. Certainly, the skin of her palm looked thick and hard. That was the proof of the many years she spent polishing her skill.

"If you said, that a soft hand without a single scratch is a 'woman's hand', certainly this hand doesn't look like that."

"…"

"But, I think it's a good hand."

"… Really?"

"Yeah. Compared to the hand of someone that has never carried anything heavier than a chopstick, this hand is far prettier."

"…"

Hearing those words, Shizuku's exposed palm suddenly clenched tightly into a fist, hiding her palm as though it suddenly got shy. At the same time, the strength of her arm embracing him grew stronger.

"Nagumo-kun, thank you for coming to save me."

"It's not like I was coming to save you. That was just a coincidence."

"Fufu, that other me said it. It was like a story in a book. Even that time in Orcus and the time in the palace was also like that. Were you actually choosing the timing?"

"Don't talk stupid. Each time, I was just barely… no, that time with Kaori I was late in a meaning. Anyway, there was nothing worse for the heart compared to those times. I want more surplus time for that here."

Shizuku leaked out a chuckle at the fed up Hajime.

"You see. On the inside, I am really girlish you know? Actually rather than sword art, I wanted to play house, I yearned for something like a princess that is protected by the cool boy. Even at Haltina Great Labyrinth when I was pulled into the dream world, I was a princess that experienced a love story with a knight. Though as expected, that was really a painful story that I cannot tell to anyone."

"Certainly, that must be painful."

Shizuku smiled wryly saying "There is a better way for saying that" while poking at the head of Hajime who expressed his honest impression without mercy.

"Well, you are wondering what I want to say, right? Because I am someone like that, I'm really thankful to Nagumo-kun that always came running when I was in danger, that's what I mean. When you told me that you are watching, also when you told me you won't let me die, I felt really really grateful."

"… You are exaggerating. If Yaegashi died…"

"Kaori will be sad, right? I know that. Those times weren't for me, you did those for Kaori's sake."

Shizuku cut over Hajime's words. There was no sign of self-depreciation in what she was saying. She was really just saying the truth, her air was quite indifferent.

Certainly, it was like that, but the way Shizuku said that it was like he was being seen through that "If it is for Kaori's sake you will do anything right?", that made him dissatisfied that he added some correction.

"… 80 percent is because of that."

Shizuku was puzzled. If he said that around 80 percent was for Kaori's sake then…

"And the remaining 20 percent?"

"Well, that's because Yaegashi is a good fellow, see? I'm not going to actively try to forsake you."

"…"

Unexpectedly, if Shizuku was in a pinch, then Hajime was going to proactively reach out his hand to her. Understanding that such feelings existed inside Hajime, Shizuku's cheeks were slightly tinged with heat.

And then she buried her face into Hajime's neck while sleekly dropping a bomb just like her best friend was prone to do.

"Nagumo-kun, I want to quickly meet up with Kaori. Not just Kaori, but I want to meet Yue, Shia, and Tio too. And then, I'm going to say to them that I have fallen in love with Nagumo-kun. I don't know what is going to happen, but I want to try being a little more honest and clash ahead."

"Is that so? If that's the case then, let's qui… oi, Yaegashi, just now, you."

"Nagumo-kun, I'm a little… tired. Protect me… properly… kay"

In Hajime's ear, soft breathing sound of a sleeper could be heard gradually. It seemed that she had fallen asleep, entrusting her body to Hajime. Her skill to leave alone a bomb right after dropping it was a deed that was exactly the same as her best friend.

Hajime frowned before fixing his hold on Shizuku while continuing to walk silently. Inside his heart, he was holding his head wondering "How does it become like this?"

Not noticing how the cheeks of Shizuku became bright red like an apple…

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ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)

C144

Completely Forgotten Memory

"FLY AWAYYYYYYY!!"

{GUUUUUH!!}

In a huge space where an ice pillar was located, Shia's resounding battle yell was followed by a thunderous roar produced from Doryuken. Mixed among those sounds, a Shia with black rabbit ears, a black tail, and black hair crashed into the center ice pillar with a grand impact.

The impact pulverized a part of the ice pillar scattering ice fragments magnificently everywhere. Inside the glittering ice fragments reflecting light, the black Shia, Shia's false image, was holding her left shoulder, crouching on the floor while lifting her face. There was a bitter smile that seemed to say "You got me" floating on her face.

{Ahaha, you aren't moved at all, eh? Indeed, it should be a darkness that you are harboring but...}

"That is that. How my family got driven out, how a lot of them lost their lives, no matter how much it was glossed over, no matter how tormented with guilt I am, no matter how much I try to obtain forgiveness, it doesn't change that I am the cause of all those, those are things that I have to shoulder for my whole life. That worry, that resolve, I have since a long time ago."

{… What is called the darkness of the heart, is something that will sink people into the bottom of the swamp even with all that you know.}

The part of darkness nesting inside your heart wasn't something that someone could be liberated from so easily. Therefore, the false image Shia could only laugh seeing how Shia went completely unshaken no matter how many negative words she had whispered since the start of the battle.

"You are me, but as expected you are not everything of me. I understand that the will of the great labyrinth is included in you. If that's not the case, then from the start you should have understood already that the current me won't be shaken by words of that level."

Shia tapped her Doryukken on her shoulder while sending a powerful gaze at her false image who was trying to stand with trembling legs. In those eyes, just as the person herself said, there was not a single waver. For the current Shia, the average mental attack wouldn't even give her an itch.

Certainly, it was because of her that her family was driven out from the Sea of Trees, and due to that, she lost a number of her family members. For Shia, that was a nightmare that couldn't possibly be forgotten, an eternal wound of the heart. But she wouldn't stop moving because of that torment anymore.

The reason was simple. Because Haulia clan was already strong, they chose the path that they walked by themselves. And because at her side, there was her beloved lover and friend.

Her families, including her father Kam who was strong and gentle through thick and thin had sent her off. Hajime, who was entrusted with Shia by Haulia, had accepted Shia from the bottom of his heart. Yue, who sometimes was like her big sister, sometimes as her best friend, always allowed Shia to nestle close to her.

For herself who was that blessed to 'fall' at her own convenience, was something unforgivable especially to Shia herself above all. She had been completely helped. All this time she had been protected. It was impossible for her to bend her knee just from hearing her own feeling. For the current Shia, she felt like she wouldn't lose no matter what kind of enemy she faced.

{Indeed, no matter what I say, it's only me who gets weaker. I see, this trial to 'overcome oneself', you have cleared it already from a long time ago.}

"That's how it is. My important people are waiting so… I'll force my way through!"

{Fufuh, fine. The last attack, do it to your heart's content!}

The white and black Shia stepped with a force that pulverized the ground, at the same time they charged while their partner the war hammer burst. Echoing bursting sound and the impact sound that was like the air screaming. Attacks that were respectively unleashed from a large swing while rotating once surpassed the sound barrier and broke through the white membrane.

Two war hammers clashed right from the front, producing a thunderous roar and impact that pulverized the surroundings. A crater with Shia and the false image at the center was created as though an explosion happened.

And then, the one that was blown away was… the black Shia.

The black Doryuken that left her hand was spinning in the air. Black Shia was blown away in a parabolic arc before she flickered and vanished without waiting to hit the floor. She was melting in the air from her legs. At last, when her head was vanishing her lips slightly loosened.

At the ground zero, Shia who was still in her posture of swinging Doryuken went "Fuu~", she slowly breathed out and relaxed her body. Nearby, *karan, koron* the sound of cartridge falling on the ground resounded.

"Everyone that went ahead, will they think proudly of the current me, I wonder…"

While leaking a wry smile at her own words that naturally slipped out while looking at the ceiling, Shia shouldered back her Doryuken. Ahead of Shia's gaze, a new passage appeared.

"Surely for Hajime-san and the others, this trial won't be a problem but… it's worrying about Shizuku-san and her friends."

While stepping into the new passage in a rush, Shia thought about Shizuku and her friends whose conditions were considerably beaten up due to the labyrinth, which put a worried expression on her face.

Actually, she never would have imagined that Shizuku would overcome the trial and raise her maiden power.

Shia's rabbit ears were twitching while she was trotting through the passage when she finally reached a dead end ahead. For a moment, Shia considered whether she mistook the path, but her excellent sensing ability caught a familiar presence at the other side of the dead end causing her to reflexively made a joyful face.

Keeping her trot, she raised Doryuken in order to destroy the ice wall. A passage was created for her. There was no way the passage ahead was a dead end. An entrance would be automatically created there, which was something she could easily imagine, but… her mental tendency was to think "Let's destroy the obstacle anyway!" Just who influenced her to think like this would be anyone's guess.

"RYAAAAAhuaa-to-to!"

Doryuken was swung in order to smash the ice wall and as expected, lost its target because the ice wall vanished automatically when Shia was near. This caused her to hit empty air. Shia stumbled from the centrifugal force and flew into the new space just like that.

"A, ahaha, I guess this is how it works if you think about it. So, it opened up. … I wasn't seen by Yue-san, was I?"

Shia's cheeks reddened from embarrassment while her gaze was timidly wandering around in wonder whether her failure was seen by Yue or not. Yes, the presence that Shia sensed was Yue's. Her tension rose up from happiness that she could be reunited with Yue quickly.

In the end, indeed there was a Yue ahead of her gaze. The same as with Shia, at the center of the huge space there was a gigantic cylinder ice pillar, Yue was standing quietly beside it. Her back was facing Shia, so Shia didn't know what expression Yue was making.

There was no presence other than Yue at the surrounding, Shia could see two other passages other than the one she came out from, so she guessed that Yue had already defeated her other self.

Shia smiled proudly of Yue's achievement and she was going to call out to her. But, there, Shia suddenly noticed how strangely ragged Yue's state was.

Of course, Yue had 'Automatic Regeneration', so she couldn't receive an external physical wound. But her clothes were not included as the target of that ability so there was a need to use regeneration magic but… her clothes, here and there they were torn, burned, or frozen.

That was to say that Yue received the attack of her false image time and time again…

Shia widened her eyes slightly. Even if it was Yue whose way of fighting was pressuring the opponent with even more vast pressure while getting attacked herself, based on the nature of this trial Shia thought Yue would be able to clear it unharmed.

Furthermore, although she had defeated her false image, Yue didn't advance ahead. Far from that, she didn't even repair her clothes and stood while thinking deeply of something. From how Yue was slightly looking up without the slightest twitch, it was possible that she hadn't even notice Shia's entrance.

Toward Yue who was drifting off in an atmosphere that felt hard to approach, Shia slightly hesitated. She took a deep breath and raised a determined voice.

"Yue-san!"

"… Shia?"

Toward that bright voice that reverberated in the room, for an instant, Yue twitched in surprise before looking back over her shoulder. And then, looking at the figure of the smiling Shia there her eyes looked down.

"Shia… the rooms are connected?"

"Yes. That's how it looks like. I cleared the trial, passed the newly created passage and arrived here. Yue-san, you have cleared yours too, haven't you?"

"… Nn. No… problem."

Shia only confirmed her result without mentioning the terrible state of Yue's clothes. Perhaps finally noticing her own state due to that, Yue used regeneration magic while glancing a little embarrassedly at the unharmed Shia. In an instant, her clothes were repaired.

Shia felt lost inside her heart. Should she ask her whether something happened or not?

Yue was obviously shaken from the words of her false image. To the degree that she excessively got hit, to the degree that she even forgot to fix her state, to the degree that she didn't notice Shia's approach.

Just what in the world was said to her? Yue's appearance was unthinkable to come from how she normally was. That was how severe the words were that the false image had told Yue. For that reason, what kind of words should Shia say to the shaken Yue, or should she snuggle close to Yue until Yue had put herself in order. Shia was hesitating between the two choices.

(Just what in the world… Yue-san didn't seem particularly affected in the labyrinth. I didn't think Yue-san could be shaken by being confronted regarding the relationship between Hajime-san and us. I guess, the darkness of Yue-san's heart, it might be the betrayal three hundred years before… hmm, even that feels like it's already too old for the present…)

Exactly because Yue was important to her, the inside of Shia's heart kept muttering like that.

"… Shia, I'm fine. Rather than that, let's advance forward."

"Yue-san… you are right. Let's quickly reunite with Hajime-san and others!"

"… Nn. I want to quickly meet Hajime."

"Fufu, that's right!"

Yue guessed what Shia was thinking and made a wry smile while urging her toward the new passage.

Yue was obviously not 'okay'. Despite this, Shia couldn't skillfully say any words for Yue's sake. It made her down to the point that her rabbit ears flopped down and looked withered. But she put herself together thinking 'when we meet with Hajime-san surely we will manage somehow!', and with a deliberately bright tone she agreed with Yue.

Like that, the two of them walked through the new passage side by side.

"Everyone, I wonder if they are able to safely overcome the trial? I think the difficulty level is lower than the forest of tree labyrinth but… the condemning here is unique, isn't it?"

"… Nn, indeed. Perhaps it's impossible for someone like the hero (lol)."

"Isn't that right? Because this trial is something like his natural enemy…"

Along the way, the two of them became animated with trifling talk. Yue was nonchalantly handing down a sharp evaluation of Kouki, but in general what she was saying wasn't mistaken, so Shia couldn't say anything. Certainly, for Kouki who loved to have a convenient interpretation, this trial that was pushing various things at them was considerably unfit for him.

Although even though they were raising Kouki in the topic, inside their hearts worry for the hero was nonexistent. It was merely the flow of their dialogue, and in any case, it was also Shia's encouragement toward Yue who tended to submerge herself inside her own heart. Anyway, compared to one of them staying quiet, talking like this was Shia's consideration for distracting the mood.

Perhaps Yue also noticed Shia's intention, since she responded to the talk with the an air of humor. However, as expected, after a moment it looked like her mind was going far away somewhere. Her eyes strangely lost focus, wandering as though they were looking at a far distance.

In the back of Yue's mind, the words of the false image she fought just now were flowing once more.

?Who was the real betrayer?

?You still, don't remember?

?About your parents?

?What are you, did you forget?

?You are just trying not to think of it?

?You are running away?

?You are really thinking that you can be at his side forever?

"…"

The sneering false image of herself. That fake kept using words that hinted at the tragedy three hundred years ago.

Three hundred years ago… Yue was the inheritor of the throne of the vampire clan's country. It was a small country, but it was a country so powerful that it was extolled as the country of a small fierce god.

The reason for that was the characteristic of the race of the vampire clan. Through the intermediary of blood, they strengthened their body, magnified their magic power, and lengthened their life. There was no other race with such a power. The act of sucking blood itself also made others harbor thoughts of awe.

The one born of the direct royal lineage of such a country was Yue. She stood out with beauty and overflowing magic power causing her to be given expectations since she was a baby. She had the natural talent to absorb all the magic and knowledge taught to her. Unfortunately, she didn't have talent in martial arts alone, but Yue's existence was so clearly above the rest that such a thing could be decided to be unnecessary.

And then what guaranteed her status was the cheating ability she manifested at the age of twelve. The direct manipulation of magic power and the ability to configure the magic circle by imagination, and then the characteristic magic 'Automatic Regeneration'??those were terrific abilities just like those from the characters who were recorded at the age of the gods.

At that time, there was so many countries in number that couldn't be compared with the present, the war only kept intensifying, but Yue who was dispatched on the battlefield as ready fire power for her country amply exhibited her strength, trampling down the enemy literally like a fierce god.

As the result, Yue's fame and awe increased, and at seventeen she ascended to the throne.

At twelve, she was smeared with the killing intent and hatred of the battlefield, and just five years later she became the pillar that supported the country. If it was a normal girl, surely she would be crushed by the pressure and her mind fall sick. But Yue was too strong and wise to be crushed from that.

There was also the help of her trusted vassals and her uncle who was the prime minister. After that too, Yue bet everything and offered her all for the country's sake. he protected her country throughout the war. She believed that she would keep protecting them just like that.

Until that day when her most trusted uncle along with his subordinates came to kill her.

After two years passed since Yue succeeded the throne, she noticed that a strange distance was created between her and her uncle. No, honestly speaking her uncle began to avoid Yue. And his subordinates were also the same.

Yue at that time was very perplexed at the sudden distance with her uncle, who in a certain meaning she had contact with even longer than both her parents. While worrying whether she had made a mistake that displeased her uncle, several times she tried to create a chance for the two of them to talk.

However, ultimately the chance for the two of them to speak frankly with each other didn't come to pass when she noticed a gap had been created in their relationship and a few more years passed.

Furthermore, unnoticed by her, the awe of the people toward Yue changed into simple terror toward a monster. Bad rumors regarding Yue were flowing without pause. Her great service in the battlefield for the sake of protecting her country was ironically spurring those rumors.

The people who she trusted the most had already left Yue's side with no one remaining. In exchange, her uncle's political power was increasing and people gathered around him. Such a thing happened to an unnatural degree.

And then, that final day arrived. The day of destiny.

At the time while she was welcoming an envoy from another country in the throne room, her uncle along with his subordinates in full equipment rushed in. And then they slaughtered without question her. These close aides that were from the faction of the previous king and queen, their killing blade, killing intent, were also directed at Yue.

While Yue was dumbfounded, her body was hit with lethal attacks many times. Her 'Automatic Regeneration' instantly recovered her wounds, but even so Yue was at the height of confusion, no, Yue was denying the reality and didn't even try to counter attack. Then she noticed she had been sealed with her body unable to move, and in the middle of transport to be imprisoned in that abyss.

Looking at it objectively, what happened could only be seen as her uncle aiming at the throne of the king due to his ambition causing a coup d'état. Actually, Yue herself submitted to reality and came to think that her uncle betrayed her during her three hundred year imprisonment.

But, but…

(… Why didn't un… that man, kill me?)

That was right. That strangeness Yue only realized now while being sneered by her own false image.

That day of destiny. Yue didn't resist the betrayal of her uncle. All this time, Yue was convinced that her uncle helplessly sealed her because he couldn't kill her due to the 'Automatic Regeneration'. The absolute darkness of three hundred years, and then the overwhelming isolation had stolen all thought of any other possibility.

But, 'Automatic Regeneration' wasn't absolute. It was dependent on magic power. If her magic power dried up, then she wouldn't regenerate. It was possible to kill her if she was continuously attacked until her magic power ran out. In actuality, Yue didn't resist because of the extreme shock and in the end, her magic power was considerably decreased because she regenerated too much.

Her uncle should have killed Yue.

(… He was strong. He was at a level above the rest both as a politician and also as a fighter. For such a man to fail to kill me at that place… was impossible.)

In the back of Yue's mind, the memory of three hundred years ago was resurrected vaguely. The truth that was pushed at the deepest recess of her mind inside the darkness was coming back little by little in a clearer image.

(… That man didn't kill me, but he had to seal me. … Why is that?)

Yue immersed herself in her thought and traveled down memory lane. A nostalgic voice resounded in the back of her mind. A tone of voice that was gentle, yet painted with sadness and frustration, and also guilt to the utmost.

(?, I'm sorr?. Other than this, there is no other wa? Someday, surely, ?a person you can lean on will appear. If it's that person, surely they will protect you from?without fail. ?, I, do something like thi?. But, don't for?. ?e, I love?)

Blond hair exactly the same as hers. Red eyes. Face with standing out wrinkles carved from hardships. For Yue who was hazy due to the effect of the seal and the mental burden and the heavy consumption of her magic power, she couldn't listen to everything. But, one thing that she remembered? was the sensation of the hand lovingly brushing the cheek of Yue that was sticking out from the cube that sealed her.

Yue quietly brought her hand to her cheek. Somehow she felt like she could feel the warmth of that time. That was a warmth different from Hajime. If she had to say, it was like what a parent would direct toward their daughter…

(… I, was thinking of that man as a father? But, that's, my real Otou-sama and Okaa-sama were…)

To someone who should be a betrayer, who should be a hated enemy, a fragment of her memory was contrary to her expectation. She searched for her true parents deep in her hazy memory.

However, no matter how hard she fished at the shelves of her memory, no proper recollection came out. But rather than forgetting, it was more like there was no impressive event with them that she could remember even after three hundred years passed… that was how she felt.

On the contrary, she had the feeling in her fragmentary recollection of her parents, that they somehow resembled closely the atmosphere of the people of the country that she saw at the trial of the Merujiine Undersea Ruins.

It felt like an ice block slid down Yue's back. Chilling shakes assaulted her whole body.

(… Don't tell me, Otou-sama and others were…)

After she started doubting, unnatural memories kept coming out the more she pulled out.

Based on Yue's memory, the war at that time was also heavily influenced by religion with no exception. But she thought that her country was unnaturally thinly related with such thing.

Even after Yue was enthroned, when she came into contact with the religious envoy her uncle would also attend with her without fail. In the first place, as long as the situation wasn't something that was really important then it would be her uncle that would deal with all that.

Her uncle was deeply knowledgeable and wiser than anyone. If it was about domestic affairs, if it was on the battlefield, he was a powerful familiar user that made use of several monsters. But, now that she thought about it, it felt like he was off the proper track as a vampire.

Both of Yue's parents treasured her and raised her up like a princess, they would give her anything she wanted and allowed anything that she wanted to do, but now when she looked back, rather than seeing it as love of parents toward their child, it felt like more of a respect and affection for her.

Rather, it was her uncle that gave her love as a parent.

Yue suddenly recalled.

(… That man when he began to put distance with me… he looked really painful.)

Her uncle, after one year past her enthronement, was constantly frowning in distress, it was like he was rapidly aging. That change was surely unnoticed except only by the people who were extremely close to him. Yue at that time was also feeling very worried at the same time when she was feeling anxiety and sadness from their distance.

Her uncle betrayed her for the sake of his ambition and imprisoned her for a very long time inside the prison of darkness. Yue believed that, but she was shaken by the words of her false image, a fragment of her resurrected memory was slowly showing Yue another possibility.

Surely, looking at it objectively, being imprisoned in endless darkness had fixed itself in Yue's memory completely. If she didn't hate someone, didn't throw away her hope and soaked in despair while passing her time apathetically, her heart wouldn't last. That was why she firmly took the reasoning that looked the most correct as truth.

But…

(… I mistook my memory?)

By any chance, there might be something different to the truth. Yue who began to think so and once more asked a question.

That was… why did her uncle have to seal her?

At the same time, the words of her false image flashed.

??You really think that you can be at his side forever?

"…"

Terror ran through Yue's body. Reflexively, she embraced herself tightly to repress her body that was going to tremble.

Hajime was the light for Yue. He appeared by tearing apart the darkness, illuminating, warming her, a light that gave her peace and happiness. To lose that, was the same as death for Yue.

But, if, if it turned out that she couldn't stay by his side…

"Yue-san!"

"!? Ah, Shia?"

When she noticed, Shia had caught Yue's shoulders and stared at Yue from the front with a serious gaze. Just how much had she immersed herself in her thoughts? When she noticed, the end of the path was visible behind Shia who was looking at her, It seemed they had walked until the end of the path.

Shia released her hand from the absent-minded Yue's shoulders. This time, she grasped Yue's two hands tightly. She clasped those hands to her chest in order to transmit her existence and warmth to Yue even for a bit.

"Please talk, Yue-san. What was said to you?"

"That's…"

Shia threw away her hesitation looking at Yue's abnormal condition and asked straight. She thought that she must not wait anymore to deal with Yue because there was no more time for careful consideration.

Shia was staring from really close as though to peer into Yue who was speaking ambiguously. Looking at Shia's determined face, Yue felt that she couldn't avert this talk and sighed deeply.

"… I'm sorry Shia. I myself still haven't sorted this out."

"You cannot talk about it?"

"… Nn. I was told of various things about the past… my feelings toward Hajime and Shia is not shaken at all so there was no problem with the trial but… from that, there might be a mistake in what my memory remembers. I want to sort it out, so wait for a little."

"Is that so…"

Shia didn't seem like she could accept it. Her hands were grasping Yue's hands tightly and didn't loosen at all.

Thinking back, Shia had really come far and become strong, Yue secretly smiled of that. And then she considered while looking at her grasped hands.

Even though she was just a regretful rabbit that could only run away and cling to other people, she desperately worked hard, followed them with her all, and before they realized it, she had become like this, someone that could protect them. She even made the obstinate Hajime surrender. Perhaps she couldn't even call her as someone like her little sister anymore. Now she was a splendid woman.

Perhaps because of that… the words which welled up from her bad premonitions leaked out from Yue's mouth.

"… Shia."

"Yes. What is it, Yue-san?"

"… If, if, something happens to me then please take care of Hajime."

"…"

Those words were entrusted to a beloved person, with a serious gaze. For Yue, those words were the greatest and highest words of trust.

But, Shia who was entrusted with those words…

*PAN-!!*

"!?"

Returned a slap.

It wasn't done with body reinforcement, but even so, it was a serious slap without any mercy or holding back. The eyes of Yue whose head was turned away from the snap widened. She returned her gaze at Shia, there, she met eyes burning in rage that she had never witnessed until now.

"… Are you joking?"

Her voice too contained rage that she had never heard until now. Shia's body was trembling, surely from the overflowing emotion that she was currently repressing. Even her atmosphere, it was like the scorching magma that she experienced at the Guuryuen Great Volcano.

It was Shia's serious fury. That great pressure and rage made Yue stiffened for a moment.

She immediately opened her mouth to make an excuse.

"You, you're wrong… I, if it's Shia…"

"So it's not a joke?"

Shia confirmed with scorching tone while taking a step back from Yue. She then abruptly shouldered Doryuken. She looked down at the dumbfounded Yue with dangerously narrowed eyes. And then, Shia opened her mouth with even more scorching low voice.

"I don't know what you were told about, but you really turned into a pathetic coward, didn't you? That pathetic face, I'll put it into shape together with your guts."

"… Shim Shia? Wa?"

Toward Shia who was releasing tremendous rage, Yue tried to tell her to calm down. At that moment, an attack of Doryuken without a single drop of mercy was swung at her.

Yue barely back stepped to dodge the horizontal sweep. Doryuken passed by and impacted the ice wall at the side without stopping, pulverizing it with a thunderous roar. Although the ice wall began to regenerate immediately, the radial hole that was instantly created showed Shia's seriousness.

"… Shia. This joke has gone too far."

"Joke? Are you still saying cowardly thing like that after it has reached this point? If you don't understand, then I'll say it clearly, I'm serious here. If you don't withdraw your previous joking statement… yes, I, will seriously wreck up Yue-san."

"… Shia, I'm seriously-"

"FLY AWAY! SHAORAAAAAA!!"

"!?"

Shia's Doryuken was swung fiercely once more. The speed of the swing surpassed the sound barrier and generated a wall of air like a white membrane, right after that, *PAN-* a bursting sound exploded. And then, the ice wall of the passage that was hit was pulverized into very small fragments with just one attack.

Yue desperately evaded that attack in the narrow passage with few places to dodge. But in the first place, close range combat wasn't her specialty. She was already surpassed by Shia who specialized in that range. It was clear that she would be immediately cornered.

Yue thought that she had to restrain and calm Shia down first. She resolved herself and stood her ground in the storm. In a moment, the war hammer was swung down with a terrific momentum from above. That grazed Yue's right shoulder and pulverized her shoulder bone just from that.

Even while staggering from the pain and impact, Yue left that kind of wound to her 'Automatic Regeneration', invoked her 'Calamity Sky' and sewed the swung down Doryuken to the ground. At the same time, she invoked 'Ice Coffin' and jumped over the leaning forward Shia.

While turning around, ice was visibly rising rapidly from below Shia's foot. Just like usual, Yue's 'Ice Coffin' was trying to lock her inside the ice.

But, for the current Shia, there was no way a magic of that level could stop her.

"That's naïve, Yue-san!"

Doryuken should be hard to move with the weight of 'Calamity Sky', even if it could be moved the ice was clinging too close to the body that she wouldn't be able to break it with Doryuken… Yue thought that but Shia suddenly raised one of her hands and struck down on the ground.

Instantly, *DON-!!* such shockwave sound was generated while the surrounding ice was blown away with Shia as the center. She blew away the ice clinging to her body by generating an impact with her fist.

Furthermore, without stopping she lifted up Doryuken with all her strength, changing it into firing mode and pulling the trigger without a moment's delay.

A bullet flew out along with a bursting sound. A slug bullet in a narrow and straight passage ? naturally it was hopeless trying to dodge it and Yue employed a protective wall. Aiming at that, this time Shia fired the slug bullets rapidly. Inside the passage, magic power rippled as faint blue color were spreading in many layers and the grand impact was raging on.

"… Shia! Stop playing around."

"That's my line, Yue-san. Have you come to reflect on yourself a little to withdraw your statement?"

"… Why?"

"Why? Do you really not understand?"

"…"

The protective wall was cracked due to the impact of the bursting slug bullets. Naturally, Yue immediately repaired it, but she couldn't move due to the extreme rapid fire.

Yue looked at Shia across the protective wall. She was looking while frowning sadly, wondering why Shia was that angry toward the proof of trust she gave her.

But, ahead of her gaze ? the expression of Shia who was pulling the trigger of firing mode Doryuken was even sadder than Yue's, even now she looked like she was going to cry. There was still fury overflowing there, but she was obviously hurt by Yue's words.

"You said you entrusted, that means the future ahead from there will be without Yue-san there isn't it…"

"… Shia."

"Something like that, such a future… do you think I will accept it? Do you think I will be happily permitting it!? Do you think I will honestly say [yes] hearing that!"

The reason Shia was angry was, in other words, something like that. It sounded nice if it was called trust, certainly it was the greatest trust Yue could show, but for the receiving side it was something intolerable.

That was natural. Shia loved Yue. A trust with the assumption that Yue who she loved wasn't there wasn't something she could accept with a smile while saying "Yes, that's fine."

After Shia fired the last bullet of Doryuken, she stepped forward with a force that pulverized the ground. Yue whose eyes widened in realization from Shia's words, for a moment, shaved her consciousness from controlling her magic.

That was a fatal opening in front of the current Shia. Doryuken weight was increased up to two tons in one mercilessly strike.

"Guh!"

The protective wall was pulverized, a shockwave along with strong wind attacked Yue. She has blown away magnificently.

In that interval, Shia instantly reloaded Doryuken's bullet. And then Yue has blown away until the wall of the dead end. The moment the entrance of the passage behind her opened, she was further struck by the bursting slug bullet.

"'Divine Severance'!"

Once more Yue deployed a protective wall while she was protected by that spherical wall she has blown away into the room from the entrance due to the impact.

From inside the flame explosion that wrapped the entrance of the passage, Shia leaped into the room with her rabbit ears flapping.

Ahead of them was…

"Fue!?"

{Wha, what is!?}

The appearance of Kaori and a gray false image in Nointo's appearance stiffened in their posture where their twin swords locked with each other.

"Now, Yue-san! If you don't want to be wrecked up, please say sorry right now!!"

Shia pointed with a snap at Yue with her Doryuken.

… It seemed that she planned to ignore Kaori there completely.

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Capítulo 54: vol 15 PT 2

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