398 395. Agency.txt (2/2)

In Tiara-sama's memory, there was a figure of him who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Lord Titi, who was called the 'Demon King'. His magic power and dignity were no less than the 'Stealer of the Wind's Reason', and he was called the 'strongest' in the Age of Chaos, making even those apostles fear him.

But what is the reason for that ”stealer of nothingness” Seldra to be here?

The question, ”What do you think?” is quickly answered.

”After finishing my work, I was looking at the strength of the descendant Snow Walker. As the Most Powerful One of 1,000 years ago, I was a little curious about the power of the current 'Strongest'.

That's when he finally turned his attention to his kindred spirit, Snow.

Only, his gaze was quickly broken, and Serdra looked at another person. He smiles at the fallen Glenn, as if he's found his own kind.

Finally, his gaze catches me again, at last.

'But now it's more than that, you. A replica of the tiara, you and I need to talk.

A sharp look came from Seldra, saying that she had answered the question herself and it was my turn to answer it. The question at the beginning of the encounter was repeated once more.

'Why don't you run away?　You and Nosefy, whose name is Hoozeyards, will die if you follow that 'thread'. You will be used up. --that's your fate.

Serdra was following the red 'thread' and 'break' with his eyes when he uttered the word 'fate'. He not only knows, but he can see them. Without a doubt, just like Ragne, Serdra is the one who knows.

There would be no easy way to get away with it.

Most importantly, Seldra is sincere so far.

Even if Snow and Sera-chan were here, I thought we should answer honestly too.

''...... The reason I'm not running away is because I trust Tiara-sama.

You believe in it?　What do you think I believe about this guy? There's not a single part of her that I can believe. She was full of lies from start to finish.

'Not really. There was a lot to believe in. I'm sure Lady Tiara will write the last page to my satisfaction.

Your mother just wants you to look like the b*tc* she is, the one who insists on it. There's not an ounce of love in it.

'Sure, in the eyes of those around me, maybe. But that's up to me. I think it's up to me from now on whether that's love or not.

So Seldora shut his mouth for once.

I suppose he understood that I would not be able to be swayed by anything he said.

However, from the look on Serdra's face, she still doesn't seem convinced. I supplement with some trouble.

'And ......, I want to help.

Serdra frowned when she heard this and tried to make sense of it.

'Kanami would save us without you. As long as you have the 'magic' of Nosfi Fuzzyards, I'm sure.

No, Serdra. It's not just Kanami I want to help. I want to help everyone.

Does that mean we're the 'stealers of reason' at ......?

Yeah, you ”logic-stealers” too. If everyone, including you ”things that steal the logic of water,” don't you feel like there's a real happy ending if you don't get saved?

”...... Are you seriously suggesting that you want to help 'the one who steals the reason for the water' too?　That s*xist woman calls herself 'The One Who Steals the Reason of Water', but in reality, she is something else entirely. Something more horrible ...... more akin to that out there, if anything.

Seldora then pointed to the 'break' that was watching over me behind me.

I'm sure I can already see it. He then lined up that one 'world' and each person and introduced them to each other.

'If you meet them, they will take your soul without mercy. The Aikawa flycatcher is an enemy of the world that has come to do just that. They are not beings to be talked about as being easy to help.

'Maybe: ....... But if that little sister is suffering, I'd like to make sure we have a good 'talk' and reach out to her. ...... just like Kanami, even if she's dead.

So, even more so, Seldra's expression becomes distorted.

She looks like she doesn't understand my words ”I believe in you”, ”I'm convinced”, and ”I want to save you even if you die” at all, and then she piles on the questions of the encounter.

'If you know so much, why would you go to meet Yotaki?　That's not just going to kill you, it's going to take your entire life. ......

Maybe it's because we made that kind of promise in the first place, ......?

I could tell that Serdra sincerely cared about my future.

And as I seriously answered his question, words I hadn't expected to hear came out of his mouth.

It was probably because of the passage in ”Chanting” that I mentioned earlier.

Once I've reviewed my life, my wishes are neat and tidy.

What was important in my life wasn't just the day I was united with Kanami at Hoosier's Eleventh Crossing.

The day that Kanami came to kidnap me to the cathedral for the first 're-birth' ceremony - or, to be precise, the words we exchanged in the back of the tavern in the Wirth on the night of my first companionship with Kanami - are also my most important bars (words).

”...... I promised Kanami that I would do it. In exchange for Kanami fulfilling my 'dream', I would help her return.

I think that was the moment I started moving as me.

It was also the moment I got my friends and the beginning of my 'dream' time.

And I was scared of waking up from that ”dream” for a long time.

I was very anxious.

But now, it's different. What I have in my heart now is

Kanami showed me a fun 'dream'. She even made them come true for me. ...... but I haven't given anything back yet. So I can't just run away.

I'll help you leave ....... There's nothing wrong with that level of 'contract'. You can travel with dimensional magic. Kanami will definitely be able to return to his world. You don't have to help me.

'No. ....... It wasn't the place that Kanami said she wanted to leave (・・・・・・・・・・). What Kanami had in mind at that moment was--

He just couldn't explain that to Seldora until the end.

'--Seldra.

The cold wind that danced up from the stairwell intensified, for a girl climbed up the stairs.

With that one call, I felt that not only the air but also time was frozen.

Forced to interrupt the conversation, I and Serdra turned to look at each other at the same time.

A girl with black hair that matched her brother's to her waist was walking towards us.

Her eyes were the exact same color, black that seemed to suck you in just by looking at them. The facial structure is so similar between the brother and sister that even though they are of different genders, you can almost fawn over them.

They are really beautiful. Their unhealthy white skin and pure white clothes are layered on top of each other, and further colored by the magical white of the freezing attribute that rises from their feet.

Most similar to her brother is the fact that her surroundings are distorted by the magical power of the dimensional attribute. As if reminiscent of the magic of the past 《Dimensional Winter (Di Winter)》, the magic power of the two attributes is intertwined and swirling around her.

This is Kanami's sister.

Seldora clicks her tongue at the appearance of 'The One Who Steals the Reason of Water' Hitaki.

''Chit .......''

What are you doing at ......?

Hitaki grimly questioned Seldra.

'The duplicate (replica) of the tiara was trying to head down, not up.

Then we'll just send him on his way down. No need to hold him back.

Even as they were talking, the temperature around them was dropping endlessly.

The greatest characteristic of the 'Stealer of the Reason of Water' was the cold air.

Their breath turned white, the blood shallows beneath their feet froze, and minute but icy crystals began to dance in the air.

'It was my job to keep them from going up. I don't know anything else - and you know I'm going to tell you,” he says.

'Yes, I know. But it's important to have this exchange. In using you as a righteous man.

Even with his magic power suppressed, he still has this much influence.

The Snow next to her gasped, unable to move slightly, her whole body stiffened.

The same goes for Sera-chan.

Both of them are speechless, shuddering at Hitaki's true power and appearance.

The reason I can barely keep my cool is probably because I knew beforehand from Tiara-sama's memory.

'...... I'll shut up now. The rest of you can do what you want.

'Yes. She's more important to me than having a long talk with you here.

Hitaki seemed to be a collaborator with Seldra, but not a companion.

Then what about against us?

Even with this, we traveled together in a boat for only a few days. She kept sleeping, but we were by no means total strangers.

Finally, the conversation with Seldra ended, and Hitaki's gaze turned to me.

''Thank you for waiting. It's nice to meet you, 'Last Tiara (Rust Tiara)'. I'm Aikawa Uzumi's sister, Aikawa Yotaki.''

Yeah, nice to meet you. Hitaki-chan.

Formal greetings were thrown in first.

Leaving Snow and Sera, who were frozen and unable to move, only to me - just unlike when I was dealing with Seldora, the air was very friendly and cheerful.

''Hmph. However, I don't feel like it's nice to meet you. Is it because we were traveling together, even in our sleepy state?

...... Yes, I feel like that too. To me, you're one of the most important people in my life, Flynn.

Even as you talk to me, the fifteenth floor of Hoosier's Castle is rapidly transforming.

Ice grains mingle in the shallows of blood, and the movement of the flowing wall of blood stands still, and next thing you know, it's colored.

The color is white.

The red 'thread' that was attached to my body disappeared as I was swallowed by the white.

I pulled back to the floor at my feet as if to escape.

All that was left was the 'cut' and the 'something' that had been swirling in the air for a long time - no, only a large amount of white 'thread' extending from the tip of Hitaki's hair.

Only her 'magic thread' ruled, and the fifteenth floor gradually transformed.

It becomes very similar to the white garden of Hoosiers a thousand years ago.

So 'we' report the results of our journey with Kanami, just as we did a thousand years ago.

'Friends? Hmph, so you weren't so reserved.''

...... Maybe you remember a couple of times when we used it as a hug on a boat trip?

'Yes, I remember. I'm not going to lose consciousness to the extent that I'm asleep, because I'm not going to lose consciousness. ...... Rustyala. Even though your years are in the single digits, you'd better get out of the habit of using someone else as a cuddle, don't you think?

'Hmm, that's a tough one to discuss. If that doesn't work for Hitaki, then I'll take Dia as my next hug. If that doesn't work, then Maria or Snow. It's no exaggeration to say that I'm traveling with you all for this purpose.

'...... haha. You're really lonely, aren't you? If I were to say you're old enough, that would be ....... I personally think that kind of thing is adorable.

We exchange words, as if to confirm that we're not alone.

It appears to be the trivial banter of a naïve relationship - but in fact, it's something else entirely.

'Yes, I guess I don't like to be alone ....... I'm sure that if you're going to have an 'adventure', you should all be together. It's selfish of me, but I don't want anyone to be left out of my group. I just want everyone to be together forever.

...... After all, you are your brother's 'lover', aren't you? That's the kind of thing that really makes you a good match. You look very much alike.

'Yes, me and Kanami are kindred spirits.' -- so I like Aikawa (・・・・・・) Kanami (・・・・・・).

However, I had no intention of fighting at all.

Thus, the ”duel” that had been going on for a thousand years was coming to an end.

It was very easily settled by a loser called me.

It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one. Everyone in the confederacy saw that, and the 'world' recognized it. So, no matter where anyone looks, I am Kanami's 'one and only destiny'.

As the 'slit' looked on, Hitaki continued to listen to the conditions of the 'curse' being fulfilled while the 'slit' looked on, with no expression on her face.

Then, after a sufficient pause, she bites her lower lip shallowly and turns her face down slightly to ask me. It was the only place I felt her raw emotions were riding on it.

”...... Rustyala Hoosiers, did you enjoy your 'adventure' with your brother?

Yes, it was fun ....... Adventure” is very different from reading about it in a book or doing it in person. Fighting monsters in the labyrinth, eating good food with the money you earned, and chatting with your friends in the same inn ...... was really fun.

Okay. Then it's fine. Then there's nothing wrong with that: ......

Hitaki stammered.

There was no more need for chit-chat and the conversation stopped.

After all, now Hitaki-chan was promised that he would win the duel and his goal would be accomplished. I guess there is nothing more to say to me.

''Oh, Tiara ....... You really are ......--

So it wasn't my name that Hitaki muttered, it was my mother's name.

She wasn't looking at me anymore, while she was looking at me.

Abominably - but lovingly, she went on to utter the exact same answer as a thousand years ago.

'Correct. You are really ...... well made.

He looked at me and admired that.

The words were so heavy and bitter and crazy--

That's why I can't watch it anymore.

Without hesitation, Hitaki moved her hand.

Ice was being generated without a chant.

Its shape is a blade.

The tip of the ice sword extended and approached me.