Accel World Vol 8 Chapter 2 (2/2)
Chiyuri, who had changed into light green pajan on the she spoke
“Both of you, have a seat”
“Huh…”
“Uh, unh”
The two of them hurriedly downed their after-bath iced tea and sat down side by side on top of the mattresses before Chiyuri, who had stood up quickly The reason why they had so seiza[4] style was that their understanding that «both of theraved in their bodies and souls since they were young had caused them to do so
Without wiping away her s expression, Chiyuri, who had folded her arreat momentum, continued and spoke
“Well then, let’s have the explanation again, shall we? Haru and Takkun, this time what have you two perpetrated, and how bad of a situation has it become?”
—Uh oh, she had already seen through that far
While earnestly being ih speed
The biggest reason why he had also involved Chiyuri in this «spontaneous sleepover» was due to the expectation that her existence—to be precise, this state of affairs in which the three childhood friends huddled their bodies together like in the past—would block out the interference of the ISS Kit, which had been preserved «soo as far as to reveal the entire situation to Chiyuri The reason was that it would be equivalent to exposing as far as the deep wound that Takuuilt for the fact that it was he who had destroyed their circle of three people
However, Chiyuri had already sensed the situation to a certain extent; no, nearly to the crux of it What was more, if they wanted to attempt to erase the Kit with Chiyuri’s «ability», then they couldn’t hide the truth anyways
Haruyuki glanced at Takumu to the left of hiaze straight back for a second, then turned back to Chiyuri and spoke
“Chii-chan, I believe you’ve already at least heard the rureat shadow over the Accelerated World beginning about a o…”
Fro
How he had went in the direction of the depopulated area Setagaya by himself and had received the «ISS Kit» in its sealed state froenta Scissor», whom he had encountered there
How he had returned ho to be due to the interference of the Kit after clih he had removed his Neuro Linker
How on the same occasion his parents had sent hiht fever, he had attempted to collect information in the shi+njuku area However, he had been sold out by the coion and had taken a real attack by the PK group «Supernova Remnant»
How Takumu had dived into the Unlimited Field with the all the Reth of dark Mind Power How as a result, while his Brain Burst had been protected, a considerable portion of his consciousness had been corroded by the Kit How he, believing that he would hara Nebulas at this rate, had enta Scissor», to pin down the distributor of the Kit, and to obtain infor a sie to control the Kit’s power
However, immediately before that, he had entered a direct connection duel with Haruyuki, who had run froht with all the strength and suppressed e the Kit’s interference to soree, but
“…But, it still hasn’t disappeared from inside me”
Taku story, with both his hands gripped his blue Neuro Linker, which he had not been wearing out of the bath, and brought his talk to a close with a half-whispering voice
“The «Kit» is somewhere inside this Neuro Linker…and a part of it isso power from the other linked Kits; even now, htif I see that night insideto prevent that by spending tonight with the three of us together…That’s the reason that you were suddenly invited, Chii-chan Everything’s…a result of my foolish conceit…”
There, Taku his head
Chiyuri, as still standing and had finished listening to the long story without stirring an inch, abruptly bent down on her knees in front of Taku three-fifths of her ar to blur the edge of Takumu’s left eye At the same time, a subdued murmur
“…Sorry, Takkun”
“Huh?”
To Takumu, who had raised his face and had opened his eyes wide, Chiyuri began to talk gently
“From the past, I knew that you were really a very sensitive and kind person…maybe as sensitive and kind as Haru, Takkun However…I’ve always depended on your kindness…”
Her pupils, always swirling and sparkling like those of a cat, slowly became downcast Chiyuri let down her hands, seated herself in seiza position like the other two, raised her face again, and spoke in a firm voice
“When I was small, I believed stubbornly…That no matter how old we became, how etting along with one another But in reality, that’s impossible, isn’t it? The flow of tih I understood that somewhere inside my head…I always hoped that for just a little bit s could stay like that…”
She took a deep breath—
While looking in turn at Haruyuki and Takureatly unexpected
“Haru, Takkun This is so I haven’t said to anyone outside ht not be able to live for long”
Coed somewhere between his ear and his brain, for a while Haruyuki was unable to recognize what they meant Taku his body stir, there was no sign of even his breathing
Before the eyes of the two and further her peaceful expression crumble, Chiyuri continued and opened her mouth
“Both of you, you already knohy I was able to clear the «first condition of a Burst Linker», right?”
“…Unh”
While slightly nodding, Haruyuki thought in a corner of his mind
To becoram» in one’s Neuro Linker, there were two conditions The first was «having continuously worn a Neuro Linker since ih-level quantum connection aptitude»
The second was able to be cleared through prolonged full dive experiences or active training—like how Chiyuri had done so herself However, the first couldn’t be helped by the will of the person himself or herself at such a late point In brief, one could say that one’s aptitude as a Burst Linker was halfway inherently decided
The reason why a newborn baby was equipped with a Neuro Linker was al labor reduction» or «education for gifted children» Haruyuki and Takuiven infant-use Neuro Linkers immediately since birth, Haruyuki for the former reason and Takumu for the latter
However, Chiyuri fell under neither of those categories
Immediately before she was born, her father had suffered fro conversation using his real voice difficult for him However, Chiyuri’s parents, who had wanted their beloved daughter so heard both their voices, had chosen to use the Neuro Linker’s «thought voice function» Fro her father’s voice through a Neuro Linker
“…The disease that caused Papa to lose his voice was lower throat cancer”
“!”
To the tho had again turned speechless, Chiyuri shook her head to calm them
“It’s okay; it’s not soht away With the advancement of RTMMs[5], cancer itself isn’t a disease as scary as it was in the past…But, you know, once it’s begun to metastasize, it’s impossible to completely annihilate the cancer cells spread here and there even with today’s technology In these ten years, Papa’s had a relapse once each in his esophagus and his lungs…each tis and MM therapy…but it seems he was told by the doctors that if he had another relapse, his prospects would be grim”
Chiyuri, who continued to chat on, stoutheartedly e eyes were thinly moist
“…Of course, both Papa and Mama were considerate so that I didn’t worry but…despite that, we’d been fa treatment, he seemed so pained from the side effects…Maht and rubbed Papa’s body That’s hen the treatot better, I made a prayer to the Gods I said, “Please let us be the e are now” That was…back in fourth grade To me, that time was…that time, when every day was enjoyable and seeht, was…”
Chiyuri, who had shut heras if refraining fro her tears
Haruyuki, unable to say anything, pictured the face of Chiyuri’s father in his mind
Around third or fourth grade, after they had returned fro outside till they orn out, nearly every day they intruded on the Kurashi+ma residence, had dinner, and even took a bath Haruyuki had frequently met Chiyuri’s papa, but he was never let known a bit of his painful fight continuing several years against the disease He alore a same playmate
“…Chiyu, I didn’t…”
Didn’t notice anything
To Haruyuki, who had tried to say that, Chiyuri again pointed a smile and shook her head bit by bit
“I said it, didn’t I, that nothing’s going to happen right away Maybe at this rate there won’t be a relapse ever again —That’s why I also really shouldn’t only have been afraid of the future Despite that, I pretended not to see everything that was changing…I didn’t try to understand Takkun’s feelings either…even if «now» became the «past», I continued to try to return there Last fall…when Takkun tried to learn s, it was obvious too Because even if he were at my side, even if we made a dive call, I didn’t properly see the current Takkun”
At that moment—
Takuhtly clenched his fists above his knees and violently shook his neck left and right
“That’s wrong…Chii-chan, that’s wrong The one to blame is me, as unable to trust you I didn’t notice at all what you were carrying inside your heart Onlythat selfish wish on you In the end…on your Neuro Linker…I set up on your Neuro Linker…”
His forcibly squeezed out voice fairly reseht with Haruyuki during the evening
But Haruyuki believed that his openly spoke feelings were not uttered out of self-blaht hard to s his words
Takumu clenched his hands one last time to the point where his hands creaked—then he drained his strength and continued in a husky voice
“However”
He lifted his head and looked straight and Haruyuki and then Chiyuri, then spoke
“However, I will change, Chii-chan I proer One day I will recompense for all my sins such that I can lead your hand toward the future this time for sure”
“…Unh”
Finally letting a teardrop spill, Chiyuri also nodded
“I too…I too will stop looking at just the past Right now…I’m still scared, and I can’t see the path ahead of me, but…despite that, I treasure the present, this ht now It’s fun and I’ether with Takkun, Haru, Senpai, Nee-san, and Ui-chan and being able to aioal That’s why…”
She sucked in a deep breath and resolutely straightened her back; after wiping her eyes with a jerk, Chiyuri spoke in a clear voice
“That’s why I won’t let that «ISS Kit» thing do with you as it likes I will also protect you Together with Haru, I will protect you, Takkun”
References
↑ Piece of wood near the entryway of a residence
↑ An expression said before a ive thanks
↑ A bed of salted rice bran used for pickling
↑ A for position in which one kneels doith feet pointed backward and sits upright
↑ Radiation Treatment Micromachine I believe this is a term created by the author