『Would you mind if I stipulated two conditions?』 (Black Suit)
『That you do not reveal the existence of the contract.』 (Black Suit)
『This serves to ensure the secrecy of the contracting act, and it also guarantees the efficacy of the agreement concluded between both parties.』 (Black Suit)
『Simply put, one might call it "formal aesthetics."』 (Black Suit)
『It is crucial for the execution of the contract, so I ask that you adhere to it.』 (Black Suit)
『And the other condition is ──』 (Black Suit)
●○●○●
「── Aaaah...! Good grief!! I was so nervous!!!」 (Subaru)
「Excellent work, Subaru-sama.」 (Arona)
「Truly impossible, seriously impossible. My heart was pounding like I was playing Pop-up Pirate with only two slots left. I expected to be kidnapped at any moment.」 (Subaru)
The contract was concluded, and the wind cooled the heat that had risen to his head. A pure "one-on-one" confrontation. Since he had relied entirely on others until now, the taste of this victory was irreplaceable.
No, as a conversation, it did not even reach the level of a negotiation. To put it bluntly, Subaru was the one who pointed a lethal weapon at "Black Suit," threatening him to force his seal of approval.
And because the other party conceded regarding the risk-reward balance involved... he managed to reach this outcome.
「... He was more understanding of the conversation than I expected.」 (Subaru)
「I have set an identification pattern for the organization "Gematria." If he approaches within a 100-meter radius of Subaru-sama, I will alert you via a ringtone.」 (Arona)
「Goodness, how scary. Arona is truly the shrewdest and most vigilant one here.」 (Subaru)
「Since I cannot use the functions of the "Shittim Chest" while installed in "Schale," I thought that taking strict measures to avoid risks through other means would be beneficial for Subaru-sama. Furthermore, I would like you to avoid excessive movement with your current body, and I also want you to refrain from exposing yourself to this night wind, and──」 (Arona)
「... Are you a health management AI? If you heard about my previous lifestyle, you might have fainted. My life subsisted on instant noodles (Cup Ramen).」 (Subaru)
「── I will increase the dietary management protocols.」 (Arona)
「A joke! I was joking, I tell you!?」 (Subaru)
「As long as Subaru-sama does not care for his body, I will do what must be done.」 (Arona)
「Ooh... The biggest threat was Arona-tan, huh...」 (Subaru)
Indeed, Subaru's life rhythm and habits are nothing to be praised, and Subaru himself acts haphazardly even when trying to pay attention to his health.
If he must be managed, he would prefer to be pampered and treated gently. However, his partner knows no mercy; she is the type who would peel the "crispy batter" off a pork cutlet (Tonkatsu) if it were served for lunch.
「By tomorrow... the two of them will return, huh... ── Arona, is there any point in going to the attack site tomorrow?」 (Subaru)
「If the target is Okusora Ayane and Kuromi Serika, and if matters proceed according to the contract, the probability of not receiving a return commensurate with the effort exerted is high. However, uncovering an unknown location that cannot be detected by any means is effective in terms of risk preparation.」 (Arona)
「Hmm... Then it is better to go retrieve Nonomi quickly. "Highlander" Academy, was it? Should I have conducted an "investigation" in my capacity as Schale?」 (Subaru)
「Yes. At present, Subaru-sama's influence continues to expand. As the Chief of Schale under the General Student Council, I have created an online account for you.」 (Arona)
「A meeting with the Acting President Rin has already taken place. If you post a comment requesting assistance as a certified official account, I believe we will witness some movement.」 (Arona)
「── I cannot live without Arona. Please take care of me from now on; thank you, Arona-sama.」 (Subaru)
「Yes.」 (Arona)
After receiving a concise reply carrying an undertone of pride, and given that tomorrow's schedule had changed completely, he had to rack his brain to devise a new plan.
── First and foremost, delivering the good news to Hoshino and Shiroko.
Since the two students will return, all he has to focus on is "Izayoi Nonomi" alone, so he can do as he pleases now.
Once their connection to a terrorist organization is exposed, "Nephthys" will reach a dead end (Checkmate), whether they resist or not. And as the price for their continued torment of Hoshino and her companions, he will make them face hell from all sides.
Subaru does not fully understand the legal details regarding exposing investigative corruption or illegality and what "Nephthys" entails... but in a world where the concept of the "State" as an entity does not exist, and schools enjoy autonomy, if private corporations seize control, it is only natural that they would enjoy doing whatever they want freely. Subaru sighed at this distortion in the structure of "Kivotos."
In the first place, it is strange for students to hold state-like authority and practice politics.
When you say "students," they should be more... ── Due to the lack of beautiful experiences in his own life, he could not formulate the words, but he thought they should be more carefree and lively.
He muttered this while conjuring the image of Hina in his mind...
The epitome of the overworked employee, Sorasaki Hina. For some reason, she has to bear dark circles under her eyes for non-academic reasons; she cannot sleep or eat properly, and that is why her size has become so small and cute like th──
「Subaru.」 (Hoshino)
「── !」 (Subaru)
「Hoshino! Were you awake!」 (Subaru)
「Yeah.」 (Hoshino)
── "Speak of the devil"; another character suffering from fatigue and possessing the same petite size as Hina appeared. She saved him the trouble of going to call her.
With only a few minutes left to reach the school building, and while wondering how she managed to call out to him when he had snuck out without uttering a word, Subaru ran toward her in high spirits.
「Subaru too, where are you going at this late hour of the night?」 (Hoshino)
「Ah... I can't reveal it fully, but maybe I went to meet a first-class scumbag. I think you know who I mean?」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Hoshino)
「I'm sorry I left without telling you guys; I couldn't take you with me for fear of the risks... But wait! I beat him to a pulp, you know? Ayane and Serika, they're coming back tomorrow!」 (Subaru)
「── So that's how it is.」 (Hoshino)
「Wait, wait, your reaction is too cold, Hoshino. I retrieved the two of them from that bastard without much trouble; you could be a bit happier...」 (Subaru)
「───」 (Hoshino)
「... Hoshino?」 (Subaru)
Something is there, a strange and unnatural atmosphere. He regrets being a bit cheerful; considering Abydos's past, speaking this lightly makes him want to kneel and apologize by rubbing his forehead against the rock, but there is something else, something different ──,
Something is not in its right place.
「... Are you okay? As expected, maybe this late hour has affected your health. Let's return quickly to the school...」 (Subaru)
Yes, the moment he extended his hand to Hoshino.
「── Don't touch me.」 (Hoshino)
「Eh...?」 (Subaru)
With a face crumbling from crying, Hoshino slapped his hand away.
「Hoshi... no, are you... crying...?」 (Subaru)
「──...」 (Hoshino)
「Why? Did you see a nightmare or something? If so, you can borrow my chest to...」 (Subaru)
「... Shut up!!!」 (Hoshino)
「──」 (Subaru)
「Enough! I...!」 (Hoshino)
「I won't accept anything...!!」 (Hoshino)
「I will never be deceived ───!!!」 (Hoshino)
The moment Hoshino screamed and gripped her gun with a slightly trembling hand, Subaru touched Arona hidden behind his waist ── and immediately after, she aimed the gun at Subaru with erratic breathing resembling hyperventilation, and fired.
Thanks to the accumulated experience from "Return by Death," Subaru was extremely sensitive to approaching death, so he rolled to dodge the shot. And because she probably hadn't expected him to dodge the attack, a freeze prevailed between them that lasted for a fleeting moment, or perhaps an eternity.
「── Subaru-sama!」 (Arona)
「────h!!!」 (Hoshino)
Thanks to the distorted noise emitted from the old mobile phone, Subaru's body began to move before Hoshino.
Subaru lunged, delivering a body tackle toward Hoshino's petite frame.
And it is unknown what the secret is, but despite possessing that monster-like endurance and physical strength, Subaru managed to knock Hoshino to the ground easily.
「Hoshino!」 (Subaru)
「Calm down, please calm down!」 (Subaru)
「Ooooh... ── Ah...!」 (Hoshino)
「It's okay! I, I will never deceive you!」 (Subaru)
「You might have misunderstood something, but I wouldn't do something like ──」 (Subaru)
「Don't speak any more than that!!!」 (Hoshino)
「Aguuu...!?」 (Subaru)
It seemed Subaru had the upper hand in the scuffle, but Hoshino, who was pinned down, kicked that illusion away, reversing the situation in her favor and pushing Subaru under her with sheer difference in physical strength.
Immense power, force exceeding iron vises and resembling a hydraulic press in factories, squeezes Subaru's slender neck. She threw the gun away, and while she was crying bitterly, no tears were flowing.
Or perhaps, her tear ducts had dried up, and there was nothing left to come out.
「You! ... No, that's not wrong!! You, you are everything... Hah, oh... Eh, no...」 (Hoshino)
「I know... I know!! You doing this, something like this... ── Shut up! That's impossible, it can't be, Subaru came only a short while ago...!」 (Hoshino)
「── You, it's impossible... for you to know about Yume-senpai...」 (Hoshino)
── She is talking to herself.
It was clear from all angles that she was in a state of delirium, and he realized that talking to her was pointless, but he had no means to escape the situation where he was being strangled while pinned to the ground.
Subaru was receiving Hoshino's raging anger, and perhaps this was the first moment Hoshino revealed her true self before Subaru.
── She is broken.
That is the impression Subaru formed of Hoshino. The dark shadow that seeped even from her appearance feigning laziness and indifference, which was exposed every time they exchanged words.
Or perhaps she is a person struggling desperately for her students and for Abydos, as he felt through over 100 loops of "Return by Death."
However, in truth, those things are not the elements that constitute her ──,
He realized now that she is merely a "discordant" existence wearing those traits as a mask.
What does the content of a candy bag look like after being hammered from the outside? ── And can one know what happened to what's inside?
── One cannot know until the bag is torn open.
「Ho ──... Aaaaah... Agh...」 (Subaru)
「Y-You, will... betray! You, will definitely betray me! You must betray me; if you don't betray me ──!!」 (Hoshino)
「I, what am I supposed to do...?」 (Hoshino)
Disjointed screams, and unintelligible wailing, erupted from a body resembling a broken gramophone.
── The happiness brought to her cannot triumph over the unforgivable pain.
── The trust granted to her cannot triumph over the unfillable doubt.
── For a person who sees happiness as pain, and pain as happiness.
── Forgiveness is the ultimate form of punishment.
「── Y... ou...」 (Subaru)
「── The... Jun... iors (Kohai), are imp... ortant... aren't they...」 (Hoshino)
「──」 (Subaru)
And for that reason, Subaru desperately pried at the hand gripping his throat, to create a gap for breathing by any means. His lungs, which were on the verge of suffocation, had almost stopped supplying oxygen to his brain.
Therefore, Subaru desperately pried at the hand gripping his throat, to create a gap for breathing by any means. His lungs, which were on the verge of suffocation, had almost stopped supplying oxygen to his brain.
Even if it's just a little, even if it's barely anything, he must inhale oxygen.
If he doesn't, he won't even be able to convey his words.
「With hands that have done such a thing... I won't let you touch any Kohai (junior)! I... ── love Hoshino very much.」 (Subaru)
「I want Hoshino to be happy too.」 (Subaru)
「────」 (Hoshino)
For just a moment, for a mere fraction of a second, her grip loosened.
「── Hah!!!」 (Subaru)
「Ah...」 (Hoshino)
Subaru seized the opportunity while choked beneath her straddling form, wrapping his arms around Hoshino's body and rolling her aside.
That moment of weakness had seemingly returned Hoshino's physical abilities to that of an ordinary girl as her appearance suggests. As Subaru tried to compensate for the oxygen deficit in his hemoglobin, he gasped with a hoarse voice.
「Kuh, hah, hyuu... ── cough, cough...」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Hoshino)
「Hah, hah... ── Oeuuugh!! ── Aaaah damn it, get up quickly, me...!!」 (Subaru)
His vision swayed and distorted due to lack of oxygen, and his limbs did not respond with enough strength, but Subaru forced himself to remain conscious despite the pain in his squeezed neck and the ache in his sternum that felt as if it had cracked when he was pinned down.
Because of the severe pressure on his neck, blood suddenly rushed to his head, making him feel nauseous and vomit. Yet, he turned around, realizing that Hoshino's condition was the most critical.
── And when he turned, he almost looked away to escape the sight his eyes fell upon.
「Hoshi, no.」 (Subaru)
Crying, but tears do not flow. Screaming, but no voice comes out.
The mask she wore did not break, and her open eyes stared only at the ground.
── That face was something permissible only for the dead.
「Don't show... a face like that...」 (Subaru)
「...…」 (Hoshino)
「Didn't you say 'save me'? You were in pain and wanted help...」 (Subaru)
「── So what is the point of suffering even more than this...!!」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Hoshino)
「Yume-senpai.」 (Hoshino)
「Yume-senpai, what do you think?」 (Hoshino)
「...」 (Subaru)
「── That's right, surely, I will be able to save everyone.」 (Hoshino)
「When everything ends.」 (Hoshino)
「If I end everything.」 (Hoshino)
She staggered, swaying as she stood up.
── And began walking toward Subaru.
「T-」 (Subaru)
Seeing that, Subaru staggered as well.
He moved his body that wouldn't respond to strength, flailing his dangling limbs to escape from Hoshino.
── A midnight dance, for the two of them alone.
She approaches him, dragging her feet covered in sand.
He flees from her, dragging his feet covered in wounds.
With staggering steps, she comes toward him.
With staggering steps, he moves away from her.
With irregular breaths, she sighs.
With irregular breaths, he sheds tears.
She moves her arms to move forward.
He moves his arms to escape forward.
「Ah」 (Hoshino)
The hand of Cinderella for whom the twelve o'clock bells have tolled, the Prince grasps it.
「── Hoshi...」 (Subaru)
With a weak grip that could barely hold anything.
And with a feeble strength that could barely knock anyone down.
She raised both hands that could not even kill, her hands reaching for Subaru's neck once again.
Aurora fills the world. A red aurora fills the field of vision, and a red sun dyes the world.
A deep red color, deep like the color of blood ── covers the world.
── The greatest mystery of Kivotos, the Divinity that name refers to, began to manifest.
The pink halo floating above the girl's head distorted and mixed with noise like the screen of an old, shaking television, and the exquisite pink turned into a dark, blackish red. The halo began to take a shape resembling an eye.
Somewhere far away, a man screamed a resounding cry; somewhere far away, another man quietly realized the end of the world; and from somewhere far away, a Divinity that sensed the manifestation descended from the stars.
And before her, the boy who ── received her pain with his body.
Silently, he let his tears seep into the dry ground.
「Yume, Senpai.」 (Hoshino)
With the manifestation, a storm of explosions erupted in the surrounding area. It was enough to dissipate the life of the boy shedding tears ──,
Until the end, the grip on his neck did not close completely.
The boy remembered only that ──,
「────」 (Subaru)
「I, made it in time.」 (Shiroko)
He opened his eyes wide, realizing that the inevitable death had not come.
His body was being carried on someone's back, feeling a sense of floating. The place is the roof of a nearby house, and the scene overlooking it was not the beautiful starry sky as it was, but a nightmarish world dyed in crimson red.
── Explosions were repeating as if to crush Abydos completely.
「──... Shirokooo...!」 (Subaru)
「This isn't the time to cry, Subaru... I rushed over when I heard the gunshot but... ── Is that Hoshino-senpai?」 (Shiroko)
In the direction she gazed, Hoshino stood transformed into an entity resembling a red and black shadow. Explosions had leveled the surrounding buildings, and Shiroko, having leaped away to shield Subaru, had the right side of her body torn apart. Her eyes were burned, deep burn marks remained on her face, and her right arm was rendered useless.
Subaru's body was similarly scorched and riddled with wounds, yet his injuries were lighter than Shiroko's.
When he felt the heat of Shiroko's gushing blood flowing onto his face, he realized her condition.
「That injury...」 (Subaru)
「It's fine. I can still move.」 (Shiroko)
「── Why, to this extent...」 (Subaru)
「I want to realize what Subaru aspires to. That is why I reached out my hand. I didn't reach out merely because I wanted to achieve it, but because I wanted to make the dream Subaru spoke of come true.」 (Shiroko)
「So don't give up, Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
「──...」 (Subaru)
「Is there a way to bring Hoshino-senpai back to normal?」 (Shiroko)
「... I don't know. I don't understand what is happening at all.」 (Subaru)
「Means of counterattack?」 (Shiroko)
「I'm not sure if it will work, but I still have a trump card. If we can get close to her, I can draw her attention to me.」 (Subaru)
「That's enough. Let's knock her unconscious regardless. Where is your partner?」 (Shiroko)
「D-Damn it, I dropped her...!」 (Subaru)
「There is no choice. I will get you within close range of Hoshino-senpai to create an opening, and I will knock her out...」 (Shiroko)
「── We will win, Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
Both were in a wretched state that allowed no room for encouragement, and the despair that it was "impossible" filled his heart. The despair that even if he "Returned by Death," nothing might change, dominated him.
── Yet, she was creating a chance for him to resist until the very last moment.
Even if what is happening now is an irreversible situation. Even if this is an insoluble tragedy. Even if this is the epilogue after the end.
Nevertheless, Natsuki Subaru is still alive.
「...」 (Subaru)
「Let's go, Shiroko... We haven't lost yet.」 (Subaru)
「We won't lose to... that foolish bastard weaving such a haphazard fate.」 (Subaru)
「Nn, hold on tight.」 (Shiroko)
Amidst the residential area battered by explosions, Shiroko darted toward the center, using the buildings as footholds.
As expected, the strength that allowed her to compete with Hoshino daily lay in her running legs.
Subaru recalled "Yoshitsune's Eight Boat Leaps" as he watched her jump between houses. As the distance to the target closed, the chill piercing his skin intensified.
── Finally, they approached a distance visible to the naked eye.
Carrying Subaru on her back, Shiroko charged ferociously toward the red and black shadow, cutting across the open, scorched field that had been conveniently leveled for her path.
The red and black shadow showed a mechanical reaction unlike human movement. It perceived Shiroko not as a person, but as a system intercepting anything approaching it.
From the shotgun held by the red and black shadow, threads of light fired, clearly ignoring the constraints of distance. Those rays, which could be described as lasers, grazed Shiroko's skin and carved away at her life.
Yet, she did not deviate from the fastest, shortest path. It was a suicidal charge in a straight line, but Shiroko, compensating for this recklessness with her skill, did not allow the storm of rays to hit Subaru.
「─── Hoshino-senpai.」 (Shiroko)
「■, ■... ■■」 (Hoshino)
「You've become weak, haven't you?」 (Shiroko)
She did not receive a fatal hit at a distance where she should have been struck. Because of the frenzy that caused her to abandon all the techniques forming the core of Hoshino's strength, the hand that should not have reached, reached.
── When the distance to the muzzle closed until it almost touched.
Shiroko threw Subaru to jump in an arc directly over Hoshino's head.
To let Subaru use the only trump card he possessed ──,
「Hoshino! It's me!」 (Subaru)
「I Return by Death ──!!!」 (Subaru)
── He had completely forgotten that constraint.
Subaru had overlooked it; he forgot that Arona had warned him to suffice with the intent to reveal it, and that declaring "Return by Death" aloud must not be heard by anyone...
「──」 (Hoshino)
「─── Ah.」 (Hoshino)
●○●○●
「────」 (Subaru)
He wakes up.
This was strange, for only moments ago he had been awake, right in the middle of an unbelievable battlefield.
To wake up implies there was a time he was not awake.
And there had been no room for that in the place he was just moments before.
Something is wrong. Originally, declaring "Return by Death" pauses time in the world, accompanied by excruciating, indescribable pain, and then "something" comes and spreads a terrifying chill.
He does not know the exact effect, but the stronger the person, the stronger the impact; even Hoshino "imagined death."
So he was determined to draw her attention, but the result was him losing consciousness. More importantly, he had actually managed to utter those words. Usually, the excruciating pain comes "before he speaks them."
The surrounding area remained a scorched field just as it was, but the sky was no longer red. The chill that had been stinging his skin vanished, and Subaru was now lying under a starry sky.
── And he, too, was resting his head on someone's lap (Hizamakura).
「... What, happened...」 (Subaru)
He searched for Hoshino with his gaze, but there was no sign of her.
Had he lost consciousness? The sky, slowly beginning to brighten, answered that question.
What on earth happened? There is someone to answer that question.
Subaru was now on that girl's lap.
「── Shiroko?」 (Subaru)
「Nn.」 (Shiroko)
「I-I feel like you... suddenly grew up?」 (Subaru)
「Nn, the growth rate was significant.」 (Shiroko)
She had changed to possess a magnificent "dynamite" body, to the point where her chest blocked his view. This was enough to turn any healthy high school boy into a beast; it was extremely unhealthy.
「... Even I understand that.」 (Shiroko)
「Sure, you just grew up, but what is that dress? When did you get it? More importantly, where is Hoshino? What really happened?」 (Subaru)
「Nn, a lot of things happened.」 (Shiroko)
「... A lot of things?」 (Subaru)
「Yeah.」 (Shiroko)
The strange silence made his skin crawl, and despite her attractive appearance, his intuition told him something was wrong.
Complete silence. The stillness that replaced the roar of explosions from just moments ago made his heart nearly freeze, were it not for the presence of Shiroko beside him, who had grown up for some reason.
「You've become very attractive... Waah! Your hair is so long!? And so smooth... ── But seriously, where is Hoshino?」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Shiroko)
「Won't you tell me what happened after that...?」 (Subaru)
「── Hoshino-senpai, I killed her.」 (Shiroko)
「───」 (Subaru)
「Eh ──?」 (Subaru)
「Because there was no other way.」 (Shiroko)
── His mind fell into utter chaos.
Why? How? What happened? How did things turn out like this? What could cause such a result? He tried to scream those questions.
── But when he looked into Shiroko's eyes, his heart's pounding did not stop.
「Wh-, ah, why, what? Eh, why...」 (Subaru)
「Subaru, calm down.」 (Shiroko)
「...」 (Subaru)
She gently silenced him with a thin glove, the material clinging softly to her skin.
His attempt to speak, his effort to act—all of it dissolved as he lay on Shiroko's lap.
As his breathing grew ragged, Shiroko stroked his head to soothe him, then withdrew her hand from his mouth.
── With a fluid motion, she brushed aside the hair that had fallen onto Subaru's face and leaned in close.
「...」 (Shiroko)
「Have you calmed down?」 (Shiroko)
「... Not at all, not in the slightest... but, a beautiful face does soothe the nerves...」 (Subaru)
He forced his emotions to settle and met Shiroko's gaze.
He had no time to comprehend what had occurred, nor the luxury to play detective and investigate the causes.
「Nn, I'm sorry. I pushed you... but we have no time. I'll keep this brief.」 (Shiroko)
「Hoshino-senpai didn't turn back. While you were unconscious, Subaru, I was the one who finished Hoshino-senpai.」 (Shiroko)
「That is all... Can you accept that?」 (Shiroko)
「── I told you... that's impossible.」 (Subaru)
「Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
「...」 (Subaru)
「── I want you to fulfill the promise.」 (Shiroko)
「Ah... that, is...」 (Subaru)
It was no longer possible to keep it.
It had become an unattainable dream.
「So, listen.」 (Shiroko)
「The promise.」 (Shiroko)
「Next time, make sure you keep it.」 (Shiroko)
「───」 (Subaru)
It was a shock like a bolt from the blue.
For the meaning of those words was...
「Sorry, this might be different from what you're thinking, Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
「!」 (Subaru)
「Somehow... only after 'things came to this', did I realize it.」 (Shiroko)
Gently, without aggression, and with no intent to harm, a gun was placed against Subaru's chest.
── He never expected to feel "that" from black steel.
The warmth known as kindness.
「Do you promise me?」 (Shiroko)
「── Ye-ah...!」 (Subaru)
「Don't cry, Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
「... Yeah.」 (Subaru)
「Nn, good boy.」 (Shiroko)
He knows what is about to begin.
He knows what is about to happen.
── Yet, for the first time, Subaru feels at peace with "Death."
Embracing a sweetness he had never felt before, and a forbidden solace.
「It's a promise just between us, Subaru.」 (Shiroko)
「── Yeah.」 (Subaru)
「Don't forget it.」 (Shiroko)
「Even if I die, I won't forget.」 (Subaru)
As she stroked his head, he wiped his tear-stained face with his hand and swore an oath.
「── I will save you all, I promise...!」 (Subaru)
Upon that soft lap, within arms holding overflowing kindness, and alongside the hand praying for a wish to be granted.
── In this moment, in this fraction of a second, and for the first time since arriving in this world... Subaru welcomes a gentle, warm death.
── A death so sweet it nearly melts him away.
「Nn, good.」 (Shiroko)
「Goodbye, Subaru... You did very well.」 (Shiroko)
── On the lap of the God of Death, Anubis.
A single soul, possessing no special traits, found repose.
The God left behind in solitude stroked the two corpses with sorrow.
And as the world came to an end, she quietly drifted into slumber.
●○●○●
「── So, I wonder what terrible things you want to do to this old lady~?」 (Hoshino)
The pain of the "Crucifix Hold" coursed through his body. In that moment, he felt a grudge rising because she had tightened her grip enough to turn him into a tattered wreck.
「Are you going to make me do a solo suicide attack? Or... since you're heading to the front lines, do you want backup?」 (Hoshino)
A familiar voice and habitual gestures. Though it was strange to say, this was only the second time he had experienced this.
He had a mountain of things to say. Emotions he wanted to confess crowded his chest to the point of pain. Yet, nothing came out, stuck like a lump in his throat.
Seeing Hoshino in perfect health no longer seemed like an ordinary sight to him. When he saw Shiroko flashing a victory sign like a pro wrestler, he swore in his heart to pay her back double next time.
「── Subaru? Did I perhaps use too much force?」 (Shiroko)
Helpless emotions swelled within him as he watched them treat him as if nothing had happened.
As they wondered why he lay motionless with his limbs spread eagle and approached him ──,
「Gabacho! (Surprise hug!)」 (Subaru)
「Nn.」 (Shiroko)
「Ohey!??」 (Hoshino)
He voiced the sound effect himself as he pulled the two of them close and embraced them with all his might.
While he enjoyed the texture of Shiroko's fluffy animal ears, Hoshino's cowlick tickled his skin.
「Ah, I made it. I arrived. I... I came to the 'next time' again. It is the absolute worst feeling.」 (Subaru)
「But.」 (Subaru)
「── Thank you both.」 (Subaru)
「... Nn, too clingy. Sleeper Hold.」 (Shiroko)
「Guehhhh ──!?!?!?!?」 (Subaru)
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