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Published at 4th of December 2016 10:37:28 AM


Chapter 2

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Santa Sangre

 

t felt like being in the sea of emerald green. It was the color of the sunlight passing through the transparent leaf, shining down from the cloudless sky shrouded by only the tree branches. Depending on the location, the color would change to blue, red or green, and strengthen the effect of elemental magic that shared its color.

“──In green places like this, wind and thunder elemental magic will be stronger.”

They were in the square right before the entry point, the church, which was one of 10 worlds in 『CtG』. While looking up at the spreading sea of leaves above them, Clamp began to describe this bizarre sight.

──This is a world sphere with mysterious plants throughout the land, “Wizards’ Glaive”

It was a world of magicians where most magic-classified skills were banned. However, it was filled with difficult quests and dungeons that could only be cleared by mastering those remaining available magic spells.

The light passing through the layer of tree leaves gave many complex shades of green depending on the thickness of the leaves. As a consequence, it hypnotically attracted visitors. The world itself was literally a natural kaleidoscope of a fantasy world.

Kasugai Yuu’s avatar was Clamp, the adventurer. The group, which he was the leader of, had arrived to one of the town in Wizards’ Glaive, Raiankarydi.

Clamp was wearing swordsman-like equipment, just like he did in Dragons’ Glaive, but instead of armor that favored physical defense, he was dressed with a cape. He was a bit depressed after being compared to as “A Snufkin[1] but without the coolness” by Mifa.

And while looking at Clamp’s whole body from head to toe,

“Ahahaha, Daddy turned green. Like a poison slime.”

Haruha let out cheerful peals of laughter.

“But Haruha, it’s the same with you.”

He looked down at his daughter as he pointed it out. For her, she was wearing the same equipment when she fought in Gunman’ Glaive, but by dyeing it black through color edit, she now looked a lot like a small young witch. Naturally, Haruha, the witch girl, was also lightly dyed green.

“It’s true! We all green, we all great!”

While saying it like a slogan, Haruha rubbed together her ‘green’ hands. For Haruha, who was born from inside the game, her avatar in this world was literally her ‘real’ body. She was able to move her body more smoothly compared to the time she was Kasugai Haruha in real world.

From behind, someone placed a hat on Haruha’s head. It was a large brim pointy hat often used by witches in fairy tales. Looking through expanded mode, he saw the tag 『The Wicked (replica)』 marked on it.

“Ehehe, they sell this area-limited item here so I bought it”

The one who bashfully said that was Mifa, who, all of sudden, had bought the hat in question out of impulse from a nearby stall.

Mifa is Miharu’s avatar, but compared to Clamp and Haruha who behaved similarly to their own self in reality, Mifa behaved very differently, giving a very different impression.

Her blonde hair blended in with the sunlight passing through the canopy as if she was like an idol on stage. Furthermore, her avatar’s bright expression and lively way of talking was nothing like the real Miharu. At first, Yuu was puzzled by the gap between Mifa and Miharu.

Today in particular, she edited her costume black to match Haruha’s own black and it made her look more mature…… somewhat.

Haruha loosely opened her mouth and looked up at Mifa.

“Mommy, you look like NP Witch.”

NP Witches were computer-controlled witches and one of the enemies appearing in the game. They wore a black mantle and the matching pointy hat which “really” fit their real life counterpart.

“We’re match now”
-Mifa

“That’s right, you look cute, Haruha”
– Clamp

“Haruha look like a witch right?”
– Haruha

“This is a world sphere with mysterious plants throughout the land, “Wizards’ Glaive”── The world of magicians.”

 

“We’re match now.”

Mifa then put on the same hat and 《Equip》 it. With this, the hat would never fall off on its own unless she received above a certain level of shock or deprivation effects.

Haruha 《Equip》 the triangle hat as well and checked her own appearance through the status window in front of her ──In there, she’s not dyed green──. Comparing her image with Mifa, she blushed. Whether in game nor not, the girl loved to imitate her parents.

Then Clamp who had just perused the map screen and confirmed their current location suddenly got pulled from below.

“Daddy, Daddy, Haruha looks like a witch right?”

“That’s right, you look cute, Haruha”

‘Ehehe’ giggled Haruha as she produced a smile, and then returned to Mifa in a good mood.

“He said we cute, Mommy!”

“Eh? Ah……”

They unconsciously looked at each other── Clamp and Mifa couldn’t say anything.

Yuu did think that Mifa in a witch outfit looked cute, but to say it that bluntly to the person face-to-face would have given off a very different meaning compared to the meaning when said to Haruha.

They had been able to comfortably talk to each other during the time when they only knew each other through their avatars over the internet. But now both of them are living in the same place.

The first to open their mouth was Mifa. She covered her eyes with her hat and stammered,

“Tha, thank you……”

“No…… unn, well…”

……………………

“──W-Well then! What is the thing we’re trying to investigate here?”

“Aah. They were often witnessed in the forest in this area──”

Knowing full well that she just blatantly tried to change to topic, Clamp gladly followed suite. In reality, their reason to be here wasn’t just to play around.

“They’re 『Ghosts』 that aren’t recognized as either player or NPC.”

◆Part 2◆

Over a week had passed since the day Miharu started to go to the same school as Yuu. It was also the day Haruha met Kanna Sakura.Their lives began to change little by little. That was, the nature of their uncommon daily life.

While preparing for the upcoming test, Yuu visited the nearby arcade during his way home from school at least once a day. Somehow he felt the need to be Kanna Sakura’s opponent, but it’s not that simple to meet her again.

Despite going to the same place and at the same time when they first met, he couldn’t find her. All he got was just the feeling of guilt when he discovered the name SKR, a Push Yasokichi-user, in the game’s high score list.

Why did he search for her like this? It might have been because, Sakura from that time── looked like himself before he met Haruha and Miharu. A game was not something to be played with such a grieving face; he wanted to say to that face of her.

And commenting on Yuu’s behavior,

“I don’t mind about the thing with that middle school student, but what are you going to do with that Kodzuchi-girl? ……The two of you look awkward in front of each other.”

The one who said that was Mifa.

Miharu tend to refrain from saying too much, but in 『CtG』and as Mifa, she showed no hesitation to say what she wanted to say. To add on top of that, she didn’t even try to hide her hostility towards Fuyufu. And yet, she was always interested about Yuu and Fuyufu’s development in their relationship.

(Kugimiya-san did say “I’ll support you”, but……)

Miharu herself had no intention in getting along with Fuyufu. It also appeared that Fuyufu felt the same way. In short, they had bad chemistry with each other. They always glared at each other every time they met in the hallway or on the way to school. Unfortunately, Yuu was in a delicate position where he couldn’t support either of them.

His childhood friend who had always been by his side from afar versus his “daughter’s mother” whom he 《Married》 inside the virtual world. For Yuu…… having either of them as enemy was not an option.

That’s why── all he can do was to prevaricate the topic.

“Like always. But, that’s okay. Being suspected by her…… is common practice”

“Mmnnn……”

Mifa appeared to show a lack of interest. At first glance, she appeared to be acting normally in front of Yuu despite his relationship with Fuyufu…… but, somehow she seemed to be regretting something.

“More than that, are you going well with the class? From what I see, you seem to be liked a lot.”

“…………Somehow they recognize me as a romance master…… Ah, I’ve restored your point up to 50.”

He had absolutely no idea what she meant by that, and she said nothing more. Miharu herself appeared to be occupied by her weird title.

It seemed that she got along well with the girls in the class, but it looked like she still didn’t have a friend whom she could talk to casually.

“Haruha is stronger than a raging whale!”

“This is the pulling overarm throw[2]!”

“Kyaaaa~~”

Meanwhile, Haruha was happily doing sumo practice with the NPC Nanny, Payakino. Haruha happily screamed as she was thrown by Payakino, the giant mushroom stuffed doll. It’s Haruha’s favorite activity recently. (By the way, ever since Hajime hurt her hip from playing sumo with Haruha, doing it in real world is now forbidden.)

“Next time Haruha meets Sakura-chan, Haruha will show her Haruha’s sumo skill!”

“First of all, you need to solidify the basic and enhance your skill.”

For the sake of her reunion with Sakura, Haruha was fired up. She sure liked her a lot despite having only played for a few hours together. Although, it’s still a mystery as to why she called her Sumo-san.

Believing the person whom she only played with once as a friend── such childish innocent thought. Her belief that she will meet Sakura again reminded Yuu of his own childhood self that he had forgotten.

(Since when have I become this tactless……?)

Right now, his only friend whom he could talk to comfortably was just Kouta. It’s not like he wanted to become popular, but he felt that his current lifestyle forced him to avoid others.

(No wonder Fuyufu got irritated.)

Ever since he started taking care of Haruha, he was able to view things objectively by himself.

 

And in the middle of such fresh and peaceful days, that man had appeared out of the blue.

Niiro Mansei, a high-ranked researcher of “Human Equilibrium Institute” who used 『CtG』 to create Haruha and entrusted her to Kasugai household in the real world. He’s a mysterious slim man in black who wore fake smiles below his round sunglasses.

“Well, actually regarding 『CtG』, we have a potentially problematic topic at hand.”

While sitting straight and entwining his hands together, he brought out the ominous topic. He was well aware that he made Miharu his enemy during his last “favor”, so he came in when Miharu and Haruha went out for shopping.

“……So what do you want by telling us this?”

“Well well, please listen to me first. You will know soon enough.”

Niiro remained calm, but his forcefulness wouldn’t take no as an answer. He had easily crushed his escape option of saying “I don’t want to get involved so I won’t listen”.

“For starters, the first problem. It is something reported by the players.

In the vicinity of Raiankarydi in Wizards’ Glaive, we’re hunting an unknown group.”

“Unknown……?”

“Yes. Their appearance is that of a normal avatar, but when inspected through extended mode, the texts were all garbled up and we couldn’t get anything. ──Aah, by the way do you happen to know what this is about?”

“Why do you ask me that?”

“Aren’t you the best person to ask about 『CtG』 bugs?”

“……I don’t intent to be one, and I don’t know any such bug.”

“As expected, this is quite a problematic matter. They are neither a player’s avatar nor an NPC, an existence uncontrollable by the system. We have the duty to immediately clarify their identity and to find out what created them. You understand why right?”

Of course. If such unknown existence went rampant in large quantities and interfere with the game’s controls, it will certainly harm Haruha who must periodically log-in into『CtG』to sustain her life. However, Yuu yelled in an irritated voice,

“Then…… why do you tell me all of this? You people should just──”

“Yes. About that, I’ll explain to you after I talk about one more thing.

Well then, the second problem. This was brought up by the user’s family, not the user themselves. I wonder how to say this……. it’s more abstract compared to the previous one.

Their personality changed. Immediately after playing 『CtG』”

“…………It’s not just their imagination?”

“The changes are extreme. One day their personality changes all of the sudden. And each one of them changed differently, there are those who become more cheerful and there are those who became gloomier. Amongst them, there was also a kid who had locked himself inside his room for 3 years suddenly becoming sociable.

We’ve received over 10 reports of these cases, and considering the potential crisis we may have to face, we can no longer ignore this.”

“You are saying 『CtG』can modulate a person’s mental state?”

“Needless to say, normally it can’t. In order to prevent itself from making any chemical changes to the user’s brain or spinal cord, Ramiel is equipped with many layers of safety mechanisms.

But still, Kasugai-kun. You know there are exceptions for this.”

“Memento Coppelia……”

A personality created in the virtual world like Haruha. Memento was a prototype who failed in the real world and ended up with a corrupted mental state. She had the ability to bring physiological impact to the player’s real body in the real world. However, she was eventually defeated by Clamp.

With her ability to bring divergence in an instant, she managed to kill Yuu once.

“That’s right, an ability that Hadzar acquired on their own── we call it the Absolute Unit Evolution[Man-Mod].

In Memento’s case, she activated the activity of the person’s mirror neurons, and exploited their communication strengthening ability and caused them to experience strong reactions towards pain. Just like hers, if it’s something that causes a non-existing phenomenon then there was a possibility it was able to bypass the safety lock.

Therefore, there is a possibility of the existence of another team experimenting Hadzar possessing a Man-Mod that we are not aware of.”

──Finally.

Finally he got to the heart of what it was about.

“Are you planning to have Haruha face another Hadzar?”

Only a Hadzar could defeat other Hadzars as both possessed overwhelming fighting power in the virtual world. Therefore, he had used Haruha to deal with Memento. But.

“The one who defeated Memento was me. If there is a need to fight other Hadzars, from the start, you should have let me──”

The boy tried to place his hand on his chest, but the man in glasses stopped him.

“Just calm down for a second. It does not necessarily mean you have to fight. First of all, we’re still not sure whether it’s the work of a Hadzar or not, and it’s not like all Hadzar is like Memento, we might be able to talk this out.

For the time being, we ask you to investigate this matter.”

“It doesn’t have to be us right……”

“──Sure, we can just leave the management to our staff. You’re right. However, we have a promise to be not be directly involved in cases with a Hadzar’s involvement. On other hand, people from the institute are forbidden to blindly interfere until we confirm the involvement of a Hadzar.

Therefore, we request Kasugai-kun and others, who’s on the boundary line of general users, to investigate this case.”

Niiro Mansei adjusted his sunglasses with his middle finger and it casted off a faint ── very faint, close to non-existence ── smile for the very first time.

“Do you understand?”

◇Part 3◇

──Like hell I know you bastard! He thought, but it’s the truth that he has no option but to accept his proposal if he wanted to consider Haruha’s safety. And even if it’s not, it doesn’t change the fact that this is urgent.Haruha should be a precious sample for Niiro, but even so he still tried to have her fight Memento despite her questionable chance of winning…… In the end, Yuu and Miharu had no option but to protect her by themselves.

Later he talked about it with Miharu and she replied with “Just investigating right……” while making a frown and agreed.

As he reminisced the event, Clamp was walking through inside the forest where the “ghosts” were reported to be seen. As he had expected, the landscape was stained by the green light passing through the semi-transparent leaves clouding[3] above. As he pushed through the cotton-like soft undergrowth, he advanced to the center coordinates of the sightings.

It was like a mirror maze where all you see are just trees, leaves, and grass, but fortunately this is a game world. No worries about getting lost since you can just simply open your map and check your current location there. Even their footsteps are recorded.

Throughout the Wizards’ Glaive, Yellow Brick which is a shining yellow brick road spreads across the place. Just by walking on that road, your Spirit Point[Skill Point], which you use to use skill and magic skill, recovery rate will increase, therefore this in this World Sphere where the usage of magic is essential, most adventurers chose to travel on this road.[4]

However, the “Ghost” Niiro talked about seems to be hiding deep in the woods, far away from the road, which enforces the strangeness in the situation.

In such a sinister forest,

““Payapayapayapaya Gyafun♪ Gyafun♪

Toady’s lunch is… what, hoi♪ (hai♪)””

There was the happy and carefree singing voices of Mifa and Haruha under the sky of the sea of tree.

““After the rain, the mushrooms go boom♪ (boom♪)”[5]

While holding Mifa’s hand, Haruha pushed her tempo and loudly sang, following Mifa. Haruha loves to imitate MiharuMifa, and she used the guitar case she got from Miharu when Miharu ran away from home and made it into her toy box. Among all thing, to sing along with her is her favorite. With a strong infectious smile, she lightened Clamp’s stiff legs.

By the way, the song that they sang was 『Ugo☆Ugo Fever』. It’s a funky soulful song written by Payakino by making full use of its songwriting routine.

At first glance, they look like a pair of mother and daughter witches ──Or more like, sisters── enjoying a picnic. But, set aside Haruha, Mifa was actually exercising her skill. She used magic using a singing voice called 《Curse Song》.

《Curse Song》 is about singing to match the fixed songs ──It doesn’t matter what the lyrics are, but like a Karaoke rating system, depending on your voice volume and intonation, the effects subtly changes── as such, the desired effect achieved from simply singing is divided into two types. The one Mifa was currently using is the latter, to detect presences depending on the range of her voice──

“Nn! ……《Soundwave Search/Song》[Active Sonar] reacted to something!”

Mifa and Haruha’s carefree song abruptly stopped and changed into a tense voice.

“This reaction…… large numbers of people are currently fighting!”

Following the direction of Mifa’s line of sight, he saw a flash on the other side of the dense forest.

Just like what Mifa said, the plaza-like woodland they arrived at was filled with lots of people. However, the sight in front of them weren’t exactly what you would call a fight.

It was like a dispute between same or equal numbers of people ──around one, two, to three people──, if you look at it like that it looked like unilateral violations.

Both sides have strange appearances. Those on the winning side were wearing matching masks and cloaks that covered their whole body, making it hard to distinguish between them. The only obvious characteristic distinguishing them was just the numbers drawn on their mask.

Meanwhile those on the losing side each wore different individual mantles and a hood that covered their faces. The only common point between them was just their covered faces.

While the masked man went forward, defending themselves from the swordsman’s counterattack who was aided by defense magic, they overwhelmed the hooded group with magic attacks by the rear guard.

The hooded group tried to do the same and made a counterattack but the gap between their cooperation was far too huge. The attacking big swordsman was hit by a lighting attack and defeated; his legs were instantly cut off and rolled on the ground. And the bloody letters Cut Off! Stained the green world.

As he watched over the battle from a distance under the shade of a tree, Clamp leaked a puzzled voice.

“……Bingo, it’s the 『Ghosts』. But, what is the meaning of this?”

Once he changed his vision to AR mode, he abruptly reached half of his goal. They’re the strange group with garbled name and simple status window. The problem is,

“The losing side is the one with corrupted display…… a bit unexpected”

As Mifa just said, the one getting defeated easily was the “Ghosts”. No matter how you look at it, the suspicious ones were those people in masks, but at very least they’re just normal players as seen through the display.

To be honest, it felt a bit anticlimactic. In the worst case, he thought that he would have to face a group of Hadzar. The movements of the people wearing hoods have too many individual differences and none of them surpass the power of a normal human player.

In that sense, the masked group’s bizarrely rounded tactics[Manuver] was way more eerie.

(……Are they just a simple bugged NPC or a player with a broken display? If that is the case I would like to leave it to the administrator, but…… who the heck are those people in masks?)

It’s hard to decide. At this rate, the hood group will likely be massacred, but it’s hard to imagine one will die simply from being killed in game, so it’s not a big problem. It won’t become a reason for Clamp and his family to intervene.

As he felt Mifa’s gaze of agreement, he will decide their next move── But then.

“Aa…..”

The Sound of a small voice from the side. It wasn’t Mifa. Along with Mifa, Clamp lowered his line of sight.

It was Haruha watching the masked group curiously. But now, the only thing in her eyes was one of the members of the hooded group. No, that hooded person was hit and blown away by the masked group’s attack, and she was looking into that person’s face.

That face.

That was the face of Kanna Sakura, the person Yuu had been looking for a while now.

The moment she realized that, Haruha’s figure had already disappeared from their protection.

 

The masked man marked with the number 『4』 had a duty to carry.

As the man who had mastered large varieties of magic attacks, he was the rearguard and attacked with 《Electric Arrow》[Bolt Dash], a magic attack with excellent power and a fast cooldown that surpassed its cost performance. Its only weakness was that it had a short and narrow attack range, but he compensated for that by having the vanguard swordsman to trump the enemy. As a result, his enemies amusingly fell onto the ground.

Once again, the lightly-armored girl was blown away and her hood fell. It revealed the face of their enemy. Naturally, it’s a familiar face, and the man delivered the final blow without hesitation.

They are “Ghosts”[6]. An existence that must be erased.

However.

“Saaaakuuuuraaaa-chaaaaan~~!!!”

The targeted girl was pushed down by a little girl who jumped at her and the man’s light bullet missed its target and hit a tree behind them.

『4』 wasn’t the only one who was taken aback by the strange intrusion. Everyone who participated in the fight stopped their movement. A kid appeared all of a sudden in the midst of combat. Not only was her presence out of place, but the fact that they didn’t notice her until she approached them confused them.

“You, you’re… Haruha, from that time?”

From the way she called her name, it also appeared that the “Ghost” also knew about the kid. Meanwhile the kid rubbed her cheek against the girl’s breasts as if she wanted to crawl into them.[7]

“We finally meet! Haruha has mastered Sumo!”

She uttered nonsense, but one thing for sure, it’s okay to ignore what she just said. No matter how you look at it, she’s just a child who wasn’t even 10 years yet, if that was the case, she should be a Travel PC who can’t interfere with combat.

My attacks won’t be interfered with by her, so I can just ignore her and mop the floor with these “Ghosts” ── 『4』 thought. Naturally, the other masked men thought the same.

The masked swordsman 『22』 then swung his sword at the “Ghost” who was occupied with the little girl. There is no need for him to aim in this position.

“Wait! That kid is──”

The sound of a voice was heard from afar. This time, the presences were clear. Two people were running desperately pushing through the grass. They’re a swordsman-like guy and a girl who was wearing the same triangle hat as the earlier kid. Looking through the AR Mode, their names and simple stats were displayed; they’re just common players.

“I beg you, please back off for a moment! Don’t lay a hand on that kid!”

The witch-like girl was begging, but the words from the guy after her was a sincere urgent warning.

 

“Do you all want to get killed!?”

 

『22』 ignored him and swung his sword. But, his blade missed its target.

His wrists that were unprotected by his gloves started sporting blood. Because of that, he lost his strength and his attack missed. Since when did he get cut, both 『4』 who was slightly away from him and naturally 『22』 himself had no idea.

If only they knew, they would have at the very least, put more effort into their defense.

But in the end 『22』‘s body was ripped to shreds and he went down on his knee above a pool of blood that was flowing from his own body. If you got seriously injured in 『CtG』 you will continue to recover like a vampire in an anime as long you still have Endurance PointHit Point left, but you will still lose your strength temporarily when you bleed from injuries on your vital points. And then.

His fallen head was hit with a roundhouse kick, as his head twisted in a strange direction 『22』 turned into a Corpse[Mannequin] in an instant. Under Ramiel specification, no matter how many HP you have left, if your brain or spinal cord was damaged and can no longer maintain its connection, it will be treated as a game over.

It just felt too unsatisfying, hollow, and shallow to call it a fight── like an unfortunate accident that is overwhelmingly common. Like a pointless disaster.

In other word, just an unreasonableness commonly referred to as fate.

The one who accomplished that was the little girl who released herself from the “Ghost” girl all of a sudden── the kid known as Haruha.

She indifferently swung the knife stained with 『22』‘s blood and tainted the green ground with red droplets. Seen through the shadow from underneath the brim of her hat, was the glow of her pupils.

Then, she turned her back to the confused the “ghosts”, and spoke to the masked men.

“Hey”

It was said in a light voice, lacking of any kind of hostility or malice.

“Why did you hurt Sakura-chan?”

『CtG』 is a game that allowed battle between players, so there was nothing wrong── to answer like that is common sense. But, 『17』 who was in front of Haruha did not answer. Because it would be a lie. That’s why, he gave an honest answer.

“They are not human.

They are not supposed to be he──”

He failed to finish, 『17』’s tongue was pierced with a blade deep into the base of his tongue and into his mouth, sewn down to his throat. Haruha who threw that knife then climbed up 『17』’s bended body like a flight of stairs then produce a red light ball with her left hand and hurled it into 『17』’s open mouth.

It was 《Exploding Fireball》[Fireball], elemental magic that will create an explosion upon landing. Its power is not a big deal, but when it explodes in narrow spaces, it will create an impact that was multiple times stronger.

Before 『17』‘s back landed on the ground, he had already turned into a mannequin. His head swelled up all over the place and its insides was blown to shreds, there was no trace left of its former shape.

“Y…..you, are you really that kid from that time……?”

After she expressionlessly defeated the second guy, Haruha faced the “ghost” girl who spoke in an idiotic voice, smiled.

“Haruha, is strong in this game”

──This kid is nuts. And, apparently he had angered that strange kid.

Under their united awareness, all the vanguard swordsmen gathered around the girl and 『4』 and the other magicians shoot 《Bolt Dash》 magic all at once. Her left and right are blocked; there was no way for Haruha to avoid the incoming 《Bolt Dash》.

That was what it should have been. But.

The next moment, the swordsmen on Haruha’s left side were struck by knives on their thighs and their posture broke, and the swordsmen on the right side wondered── what just happened, all of them were defeated, their calves were torn, their waists were pierced, and their throats were slit.[8]

The enemy’s agility was not unusually high or anything. Just that her swift movements, passed through the gap of his senses, exactly like that of a well-executed magic trick…… as such.

All the lightning bolts lost its small target and disappeared once it passed its maximum range. The small Haruha’s figure disappeared into the grass like a snake. Then the second time she emerged, she pierced one of the bent swordsman’s throat with a knife and pulled out another knife from her thigh, then she hit the pommel of the knife that was in his throat with a palm heel strike and further added to the number of mannequin she made.

“Kugh……”

He instinctively groaned, 『4』 switched his skill. It’s a magic that took longer to chant[charge] than the one he had used earlier, but the rectilinear and poor to changes 《Bolt Dash》 won’t be able to catch that kid.

Other masked men connected to his will concentrated their sword and magic attacks on Haruha in order to buy time.

There was no need for words in their cooperation. Their absolute trust and genuine camaraderie makes a world without lies possible.

Haruha had shown extraordinary poise so far, but as expected she couldn’t handle the simultaneous attacks from all sides and gradually retreated as she stained the chasing masked swordsmen with blood.

Meanwhile 『4』‘s skill finally charged. It’s a high-level attack 《Lightning Whip Attack》[Lightning Whipper] he mastered when he was still adventuring alone. As the name implied, it’s a magic that created a lightning whip and wrapped itself onto the enemy. Not only does it have a wide area of effect, no matter how small or agile the target was, it’s impossible to avoid.

It rests on his hand, the band of lighting released the sound of heated oil. Simultaneously his allies retreats from the rays, and then he swung it up.

“Nngh!”

Along with a silent yell he swung it at Haruha. Above the young girl, the phantasmagoric lighting approach!

That moment, Haruha.

Thrust a knife into the stomach of the falling swordsman──

And threw it.

Naturally, it wasn’t, the swordsman’s body.

It was something thin, long, crimped, and wavy. That’s why it entangled with the lighting whip, and while emitting a nasty burning smell it sealed the whip’s movement. While entangled with the lighting, it was thrown in a rough and unexpected direction.

──Human’s guts, are said to have five times the length of the person’s height.

“Wha……!?”

Seeing his trump card avoided in the most unexpected way, for a moment, 『4』 couldn’t decide on the next move to take. He might have been able to hit Haruha if he shook it off by force. But, he failed to do that.

──Through the gap he made to use 《Lightning Whipper》, the triangle hat little girl approached with frightening speed. Stepping on 《Fireball》that she casted, she shot forward through the air, she used the recoil of the explosion and came at him like a storm caused by devil.

The last thing 『4』 recognized was the gooseflesh chill coming from his entire body when the tip of the knife that was thrust through the eye hole of his mask hit the surface of his eyeball.

 

Around the same time. Clamp and Mifa who ran into the battlefield had failed to prevent Haruha’s recklessness.

But they were also attacked by the masked swordsman. It was just one person; she had ignored Haruha from the very beginning, like a boxer, using a leaning posture she rushed at Clamp.

The number marked on her mask is 『44』. Looking through AR Mode, her avatar name is Yusra, gender ♀[Woman]. She must be aiming for parity since her level is equal to Clamp.

“Wait, we have no intent to……”

Fight, but even if he said that she wouldn’t listen. After all, at that time Haruha had already slaughtered scores of the masked men. There is no way she would spare Clamp and Mifa who were clearly connected to Haruha

Sure enough, no questions asked, the masked Yusra attacks. Unlike other masked men, she was not using swords or magic, but rather her fists.

Clamp managed to avoid it, but his cheek was hit and the blood splashing from the impact took form; Graze Hit !. It was a fighting skill known as 《Meteor Fist》[Knuckle Shoot], it created bullet of fists in succession. It has speed equal to a professional boxer’s jab, there is no other way to avoid it other than using his intuition to work out where the bullet was aimed according to the angle it was fired.

“Kugh……”

There is no room for negotiation as expected. And against a dangerous opponent such as her, holding back meant death. And it’s not like he can log-out leaving Haruha alone in this situation.

(There is no way I can leave Haruha all alone!)

By the time he noticed he was told off by Hajime. “Well well, if you feel danger I can bring you back here” ── and such. Do you want to let other player get killed by Haruha!?

He clicked his tongue inside his mind and unsheathed Single-edged Sword[Scaramax] from his waist── at the same time, he blocked the second fist with the fuller part of his sword. Yusra’s fist seen up close, her shining red gauntlet cracked.

As it is, Clamp and Yusra began a fierce face-off at close range. They’re both too close to each other for Mifa to enter the fight or provide support. Mifa spoke from afar.

“Aaagh come on! What should I do here!? Do you want an assist song or something?”

“Mifa, you stop Haruha and learn about the situation from that middle school kid! There is no way of telling whether it’s good to fight them or not like this!”

The only thing certain here was that the avatar who had the face of Kanna Sakura is Sakura herself. That would explain her reaction when she saw Haruha. Why she’s a “Ghost”, and why she was being attacked by suspicious masked men, as long they don’t know why they won’t able to settle this matter.

They are not “Husband and Wife” for months for nothing, Mifa immediately understood and headed towards the rampaging Haruha. Yusra did not chase after her. For some reason, she aimed for Clamp alone from the very beginning.

“──You!!”

She took a back step away from the barrage of fist, and shoot through the repelled attack. Just like her opponent’s, it’s a high speed piercing skill that is impossible to perform manually. Either to avoid or block, it forces her opponent to break their posture and retreat ── such a underhanded trick

“Uuowaa!?”

And he fell along with the goofy scream of his own. His arm was taken, and he was thrown with what you would call a Judo one-armed shoulder throw. Being hit with an unexpected counterattack, he was helplessly thrown to the ground.

The reason why he couldn’t expect that was because skills with specification of “Once the requirement is met and activated, you will able to ignore the law of physic and automatically catch your opponent and throw him/her” does not exist in the game command. Throwing technique skill-specific preliminary action ──taking a fixed stance── did not occur. It was completely manual, in other words, he was thrown by the player’s martial arts.

Getting hit by weapon-less manual action won’t decrease his HP, but he will still receive the impact from it. Receiving a nasty blow on his back, he tried to wake up while enduring his clogged breath, and once again faced Yusra who charged at him with semi-auto high speed strike.

That time Clamp── smiled.

(She is amazing! This fighting style, not even mother who created the system would possibly expect this!)

A hybrid of the game system skill’s unrealistic high speed strike and flexible martial arts the player herself mastered in the real world. She mixed those two high level skills in harmony. Like a new type of martial arts.

(Discovery! This is a discovery! With this, one can revolutionize the game even if they aren’t one of the developers! Furthermore, her Kinetic visual acuity and reflex are way beyond normal level. She can become an amazing 『CtG』 player!)

Wearing the face of a suspicious person, while dedicating a feeling of gratitude he was driven by the desire of wanting to get beaten by her. No, he’s not a pervert. For him, she is the benefactor who thought him a “Way to enjoy this game” that he didn’t know. Kasugai Yuu’s awareness of “Must play through 『CtG』” is that strong.

But, he can’t stay happy from finally meeting a worthy opponent forever. Right now Clamp is not a unresponsible[Solo] adventurer, depending on the identity of those “Ghosts” it possibly won’t be a play[Game] anymore.

“I’m sorry but…… I must go to where that kid is. I’ll have to defeat you now”

He tightened his expression and provocatively declared. Yusra remain unshaken and rushed in. Clamp swung his sword with his right hand──

And he cut off his own left wrist without hesitation.

“Kugh!?”

From the wound on his wrist an excessive amount of blood gushed out. The splashes hit Yusra’s mask, and the blood formed the word Self Hit!, taking away her vision.

Clamp came close to Yusra who reflexively stopped her movement, and struck her mask with the pommel of his sword. Furthermore, as she staggered and bent down he brutally kicked her. He then stepped on Yusra’s shoulder as she lay on her back, and pressed the point of his sword to her neck.

By that time his left wrist’s bleeding turned black and started recovering while consuming his HP. He was able to retain his consciousness from the rapid blood lost, and he delivered words of apologize unfitting for the current situation.

“Haruha…… our child, I apologize for what she has done. I’m sorry. And do me a favor, shall we make a deal here?”

Yusra, the 『44』, ignored his offer. But, for the first time she spoke. Her voice was dry, not showing any trace of her feeling.

“Like always…… that crazy fighting style of yours”

Certainly it was a “crazy” way to fight. Even though senses of pain is decreased in this virtual world, one would usually feel hesitant to cut oneself just to take away their opponent’s vision. It’s exactly because Yuu, who could separate this amazingly real virtual world as “just a game”, this can be done without preparing in advance. However.

“Like always, you mean……?”

Without answering, Yusra took away her mask. And what was under the easily taken off mask was.

The face of Kanna Sakura that he saw earlier.

“Eh……?”

Bewildered, he instinctively pulled his sword. “Yusra” did not miss that chance and held the point of his sword with her gauntlet and stood up, as expected while he was still being hesitant she took distance.

Then once again Yusra created a fighting pose── then lowered her arm. When she looked at it, all the masked men were already wiped out by Haruha’s tyranny. Those several remaining then retreated. Haruha was held by Mifa, it appeared she was stopped from chasing after them.

“……I will back off for now”

Yusra then followed the other masked men and retreated with a back step. Although it was muffled by the mask, her voice was that of Sakura. But, her scarce voice intonation brought a severe sense of discomfort

“Again, let’s play again”

And, eventually.

Until her figure disappears from ExtendAR vision effective range, Clamp just stood there stunned.

◆Part 4◆

“So……How was it?”

“Well…… I think my grades will drop more than what I got in the intermediate test.”

One dawn after the bizarre event at the green sea of trees── Kasugai Yuu and Kugimiya Miharu were taking a rest in their classroom.

After that incident, all the “ghosts” had vanished from their sight while they were unable to decide on whether to go after the masked men or not. They searched for them for two hours, but in the end, they got no luck and it was already midnight outside by the time Hajime brought them back to real world.

After that while listening to the sounds of her breathing, Yuu carried the half-asleep Haruha to bed. Then, he instinctively held her lonely-looking hand which resulted into him end up studying on the bed because she wouldn’t let go of his hand. Thanks to all that, this youthful high school student seriously lacked some sleep.

The first day of year-end test. For whatever reason, the subject that day was math which was too much for the current two to handle. Miharu who had just transferred to the school, received some “consideration”. But only to some degree.

“You sure have it nice, Kasugai-kun. You’re good at science right?”

“Well, not much. At least not, much compared to those who actually are.”

Thanks to the fact that various incidents were happening in 『CtG』, his head were going nuts for constantly thinking about the masked men and numbers all at the same time. While holding down a yawn, Yuu stood up from the seat. Since it was a test day, students were free to go home in the morning.

“For dinner I’ll──”

“Master~. Let’s go home~”

Miharu was about to say something to Yuu, who had already held his bag over his shoulder. However, the moment she heard the voice she immediately shut her mouth and faced away into the opposite direction.

The voice belonged to her classmate, Tsukami Yatoko who was a cheerful girl and had taken liking to Miharu ever since the day she transferred in. Although it was still a mystery to Yuu on why she was calling Miharu her “Master”.

“Aah, Tsukami-san”

“Let’s study for test at 『Ruso Garden』. Nogi and Rokkaku said they will come too.”

Actually, Nogi Sunao and Rokkaku Renko were waiting right behind Tsukami. By the way, 『Ruso Garden』 is a well-known chain of restaurants famous for its delicious omelet rice.

“Forgive me. But I must go back home early today……”

“Eeeh~…… Master’s family sure is strict. Then, let’s go to the station together.”

The reality is, she just wanted to go home early just to play with Haruha. So she told her classmates that the curfew at her house is strict. Although, from what Yuu heard, Miharu’s mother is a pretty strict person anyways. So technically speaking, it’s nothing new to her.

In reserved manner, Miharu bowed down to Yuu. Then Tsukami raised her hand at the same time.

“Well, goodbye, Kasugai-kun.”

“Bye then, idio….. I mean, Kasugai-kun”

Since this past week, there have been many cases where girls had mistakenly called him “idiot”[9]── Following the bizarre chain of events, same thing happened with Higuchi-sensei once who was the homeroom teacher ── but Yuu decided not to let it get to him. He didn’t feel like crying because he didn’t think about it.

(Kugimiya-san sure has it tough……)

Girls in Yuu’s class are considerably nice people. But for a shy person like Miharu to maintain her relationship with them, it wouldn’t be easy if they learn about her secret with Yuu or Haruha.

A person with two lives. It’s not that rare in this Rube Goldberg’s[10] construction of human society.

Will he thinks all that, he exits to the hallway. At that moment, he murmured the thing that been on the back of his mind since last night.

“As matter of fact, can a single person split into two?”

“Sakura” and Yusra. Not only they have the same face but somehow, “Sakura” recognized Haruha’s face and Yusra recognized Yuu[Clamp]’s. There was no way that it could be just a mere coincidence.

But by allowing them to escape, he had lost a valuable clue. However, there was still something to gain. It’s something Yusra said.

『Let’s meet again』

Yuu felt a strong premonition in those words.

Right in the afternoon, his legs led him to the arcade as the sun shone brightly above. But it didn’t take him more than 20 minutes to reach that place from school.
The first time he came to this place was shortly after the day he was enrolled in high school. Worried about Yuu who was depressed and still hadn’t blended in with the class, Kouta had dragged him there for some change of pace. Unlike the arcade where Haruha had all her money sucked dry by a crane game, this one had a net café installed at the larger stores facing the national hallway.

On the second floor of that shop, Yuu had met that girl at the competition housing corner and had achieved a narrow but a miraculous win.

“So you came.”

Kanna Sakura. Her appearance was practically the same as around a week ago when she was playing with Haruha. However, she wasn’t wearing her boyish jumper and instead was in a neat and clean sailor uniform.

She sat on the hard sofa that was near the entrance of the shop and then looked up at Yuu with an equally hard gaze.

After they logout from the game the other day, Hajime went to investigate about her. But from the info she got, in real world Sakura didn’t show any suspicious behavior and she’d been attending school for the past week without absence. However, that day she left school early and ended up there.

“Yesterday, you were our only clue.”

“As for me, Haruha was the only clue in order for me to contact with you guys. So I waited. But then I realized that you will eventually come here anyways.”

There were no signs of roughness and lacking of composer like the last time. Her voice was simply calm and polite. Although, she did sounded a bit emotionless which made him miss the cheeky side of her.

There was an aura of Discomfort. But, she really was the Yusra with whom he fought with. Therefore, his conviction deepened.

“Does that mean…… that you will tell me about what had happened, I mean about your changes, about those your 『Ghosts』 that look like you?”

“Yes. Ikui Librium wishes to meet you. That means I want to you to meet Ikui Librium. I’m certain that she will be able to grant your wish.”

“Ikui…… you say?”

“She’s our leader. By the way, are you alone today?”

“……I just wanted to deal with you myself.”

Yuu did not wanted to have Haruha and Miharu involved in problems related to 『CtG』. His sense of duty as the son of the man who created 『CtG』 and his simple wish of not wanting to be Niiro’s puppet, are what drove him to think that way.

“Is that so?”

Sakura simply replied and stood up. Then she walked inside the shop── not exactly, but she headed towards the net café and Yuu hastily followed her.

“He-Hey. What do you want?”

He was taken to a private room by Sakura who had already secured a place for both of them. It was the first time Yuu visited this type of store where it felt like a self-study space in the library equipped with a simple slide door. Just with a big sofa and table for two and a big TV connected to a laptop and──『CtG』 terminal[Ramiel].

Sakura, who had taken a side on the sofa, had already started attaching her Ramiel. Her appearance with a headset visor and a choker looked like the attire of a slave receiving some punishment.

Since he recognized her as Haruha’s friend, he saw her as a kid. Still, he couldn’t help but be nervous being alone with her in a small space. Dressed in summer light clothes, it was evident that she was doing some sort of sport, as her faintly muscled limbs shone on the black sofa.

Regardless if she was aware of Yuu’s subtle consciousness of her or not…

“Please wear yours too and login. I’ll be waiting for you at the Raiankarydi church.”

…Sakura pressed her Ramiel’s power switch and jumped into the world of 『CtG』.

◇Part 5◇

There’s no need to wait, Clamp was at Raiankarydi the last time he logout. As a result, he shows up directly inside Rainankarydi church.

The one who faced him unsurprised was the girl he fought last night, Yusra. She wore a 『44』 mask with beak-like nose and a plain cloak.

Today she doesn’t appear to have any intent to fight, so he decided to ask her as a greeting.

“……That clothes, won’t you get confused with your comrades?”

“There aren’t much people who would mistake an index finger as middle finger.”

She replied with ambiguous answer. That’s certainly true, and come to think of it he’s not really sure how his brain can distinguish a finger from another, but as a matter of fact he can easily move his five fingers independently without trouble.

Clamp remained silent, and as a respond, Yusra quietly walked away. Without hesitation, she exits the church and traverses her way to the inside of the green forest away from the yellow brick road.

Clamp couldn’t help but to feel uncomfortable being together with her in this empty forest. Even if he tries to ask her about those “ghosts” or another “Sakura”, everything will be answered once he arrives to where Ikui-something is — that’s why…

“May I ask?”

Clamp asks something completely different.

“Kanna Sakura, why are you so obsessed in doing rematch with me…… Kasugai Yuu?”

It’s something he had been wondering all this time. Her relentlessness wasn’t normal, just like Yuu’s obsession with 『CtG』.

“………………”

After a considerably long silence, she replied.

“If I’m not desperate, my lie will be exposed.”

“Lie?”

“I do Judo.”

She suddenly went out of topic, but he continues to listen in silent. As someone who was thrown by her yesterday… it’s something he wanted to know.

“When I was way younger than Haruha, I trained in a Judo dojo where my father was in when he was little. At first, I’m simply happy being able to move my body and roll people who were bigger than me, and turned out that it seemed I have talent and everyone praised me and was proud of me because of that. Eventually, I start to think I’m special among those in elementary school level.

Then, as special person, I must work hard to meet others’ expectation.

As a result, blessed with luck, I was able to win in a national tournament individual match when I was still a freshman in middle school.”

“Amazing……”

“──Many have said the same thing. I was happy — being expected and trying to live up to it. But, it all ended one day.

During practice, when I was tired and at lost in focus, I got injured… and it’s incurable. I was able to recover enough to the extent it won’t cause a hindrance in my daily life but, I can no longer do harsh exercise.

My life ended once at that point.”

“……That……”

It’s easy to line up words of denial but, it’s not a problem that a mere 16 year-old kid can say something about.

While he’s still wondering, Sakura[Yusra] indifferently continues the story.

“For example, like getting injured from protecting a friend from bad guys, it might be nice if my injury have that kind of cool meaning. I might be able to be proud of it. But, it’s different. I just simply getting injured from practicing too much. I felt it that time — a slight sense of discomfort, but I optimistically think it’s something normal… then just from a little mistake, it broke.

I reap what I sow…… such plain, common, and nothing but a stupid careless mistake, only worth of a faint sympathy, and there’s no one to blame…… just from that one failure my life crumbles, nothing left.”

All Sakura wished for was a meaning in her crushed dream.

It’s not like he doesn’t know how she feels. Yuu himself was dumbfounded when he lost his mother all of the sudden. There were times when he thinks of intangible things like following proper procedures before dying. Lacking any of that, won’t that make her death completely meaningless? He thought.

But if there is meaning in it, it is…… no, it’s about Sakura now.

“What strange was, everyone else, did not change.

Even though I’m no longer the same person as I was before, my parents, my friends from school, and everyone from the dojo, still treats me the same.”

“Well, doesn’t that mean they’re being considerate of you?”

“Yes. But, to put it the other way, it’s just simply that. My near 10 years of hard work and everyone’s expectation… it’s not their business so it can’t be helped, but my own sense of loss didn’t match theirs.

I don’t hate them for that. Just, my own worth that I believed in and other people’s expectation is completely different from each other, my head went black. Everything that gives meaning to my life were all…… just misunderstanding.”

……Just maybe, Sakura just wanted to apologize. She wanted someone to look more heavily on her failure and blame her.

The face of Memento Coppelia who defined herself as an error and naively continues to commit sin to receive punishment flickers in his head.

“Ever since, I start to skip school and go outside playing games.

My father who was worried about me, bought me a Ramiel, and I was moved the first time I played 『CtG』. I was able to move my body as much as I want without worrying about getting injured. I was hooked for a while, but, exactly because it’s so realistic I was able to feel its faint different with reality. It clearly reminded me of the fact that I won’t able to freely move my body like this in the real world. I immediately feel empty, and my play time gradually lessens.

After that, I start to play fighting game.”

Finally it all connects……. But on other hand, Clamp felt oddities in her calm and objective manner of speech up to this point. Let alone the fact that it’s coming from Sakura who let her emotion taken better of her in past.

Yusra’s voice continues to flow indifferently.

“It has the right sense of distant. It’s way different from reality, there’s always someone to fight, and I was able to vigorously use my eyes and hand.

And, just like Judo, it seemed I have a talent for it. As long I figured out the rule and theory of it I’m undefeated, and people will start to praise me as I rise up my rank── to sum it up, it felt great. It was a perfect replacement.

But, for it to be a replacement is nothing but a lie.

That’s why, in order to not notice that lie, in order to feel good, I desperately play games. Just like Judo that 『I must absolutely do』, by playing games with all my might, I’ll be able to think the two as the same thing.

Yet, one day, I lost to a person who lacks of motivation.”

“Eeerrmm…… if it’s me you’re talking about, it’s not like I’m not motivated or anything……”

“Then that means, I lost to a both timid and frivolous person, or should I say, to a servile guy.”

……If I apologize here my image in her mind will get worse, Clamp thought, so he continue to listen silently.

“Ever since, every day I go to the arcade and do CPU fight using Push Yaoskichi, fight Push Yasokichi using Push Yasokichi, analyze Push Yasokichi, and train myself with Push Yasokichi to master Push Yaoshiki… but everything all went to waste.”

“Sorry…… really, sorry……”

“It’s okay. I didn’t want to meet you either way.”

“Eh……? But, you──”

“The truth is I was afraid of losing again. I was afraid to lose the 『replacement』 I just found. But, even so, if I run away from you, then I will notice my own lie.

I was looking for you while hoping to never meet you again.

In other words, I was lying.”

Kanna Sakura, the girl who had lost the thing she devoted her whole life to from early age, play 『CtG』 and other competitive games in order to fill the emptiness in her heart.

As result she became timid and was afraid to lose it once more, and it makes her obsessed with win and lose… and Yuu had threatened that by fluke. That’s why she must pretend to chase after Yuu.

“……If we fight once more using my main character, you will surely win.”

Even though he doesn’t think so, he had no option but to say it.

“You’re a genius. Your great Kinect visual acuity, reflex, area grasping ability…… you have talents that normal person won’t able to beat. I won against you because I just happen to have a nice timing. One out of thousand chances, you will win.

Your skill blows and manual throwing technique was amazing. You’re…. even if you’re not obsessed with games, you’re still a person who can open the new door to unlimited possibilities.”

That’s why there is no reason for you to think so hard. That was what he wanted to say.

“Don’t mind that anymore.”

Easily.

“It’s already over, after all.”

She cut it off. As if, the story of the girl known as Kanna Sakura, never existed to begin with — she cut it off.

In fact, the current Yusra, had severed herself away from the past she has spoken of. Her behavior and tone of voice were nothing like those coming from the girl he met before. Whatever happened, there’s no way she could change so much in merely a week. Is she still even connected to her, that one more “Sakura”?

After that, Clamp finally reached the place where he can find that answer. Deep inside the sea of trees, abruptly stand, a strange building.

Its appearance, including its outer wall and floor — the entire surface of the tower were made out of transparent crystal. Inside the transparent tower up to its glass and hierarchical structures, group of players in mask lined up, and their gazes were directed at Clamp.

Although it’s a bit too late, Clamp cringed.

Looking back at Clamp, Yusra present the crystal tower with her hand and gently introduces──

“Welcome. This is 『World without Lies』, Crystal Hotel.

This is our 《Crystal World》 ideal fort.”

◆Part 6◆

Meanwhile, at that time──“Nnnn~…… I’m fine I said. People in the house I’m staying at and everyone at school are being nice to me.”

『Really~~? If anything happens, you can just go back home… okay? I’ll try to convince your mother. Just like with the Chorus Club, I can──』

“My mother had nothing to do with it…… Also, how about yourself, Koro-chan, didn’t you had a fight with your boyfriend, what happened after that?”

『Well well, Haru-chan…… don’t remind me please.』

“Aah~…… What was it about again?”

『Well…… he made fun of me you know. Remember Nishiyama from our class? That mantis-like girl. Recently, Sano-kun said he want to buy a new computer and so he consulted about it with that girl who seems to know a lot about it.

Then, he irritates me, when I ask Sano-kun to teach me about the computer, he instantly said “It’s impossible for you.”. That might be true, but talk about being unsociable……』

“I SOOOOO GET THAT!!!!”

『Uwa!? What happened all of the sudden?』

“Mommy, your voice is loud.”

“All guys are like that.

……There’s this one guy who fell in love with his childhood friend, and that childhood friend of his has a really bad personality. Also, he’s a pervert, not to mention he is also being chased by Yankee-like middle schooler, and each time I try to do something he always try to run away and leave me alone with our child. Well, of course I can’t fight as good as him or Haruha, but still!

And today, he went off somewhere without saying anything. He did sent a mail saying 『I’ll likely be late today.』 but come on, why didn’t he just call?! Doesn’t he understand that I’m worried…….!?”

『We-well Haru-chan, calm down! Okay?! 』

“…..What, you’re saying I can’t complain too? What’s up with that? *hic*”

『Half-crying all of the sudden!? Or more like, who’s he? Your boyfriend, Haru-chan?』

“He’s not! That idiot is not my boyfriend!!!”

“Mommy, what happened? Want to eat a snack?”

『That’s enough, and moreover, what’s up with that child’s voice I keep hearing!?』

──And like that, she finished the phone call with her friend from back home while she fold the laundry in the living room.

After she vent off all of her stress, Miharu stood up along with her newly discovered determination. And without any meaning, Haruha imitates her and stood up.

Yuu who sent that plain mail still didn’t come back. He went to meet Kanna Sakura to investigate the strange phenomenon. It’s just Miharu’s intuition but she’s most likely right. He was worried about Sakura so much even before they got caught up in this incident. There’s no way he would let her off so easily.

Making doubly sure, after she make Hajime confess (with long mental stare), she managed to confirmed that Yuu checked about Sakura’s whereabouts yesterday.

Three months had passed since she became his partner in both game and real world. Reading Yuu’s mind is “easy-peasy” for her now.

He must’ve kept this secret from Miharu because he himself is not sure what’s case is all about. Occasionally, she can feel that Yuu is treating her the same way as a child[Haruha].

It’s true that she had a hard time making a friend in school, and during the fight with Memento in 『CtG』 she didn’t do much but still, she’s at the same age as him, and she trained enough so that she can give Clamp a help. There’s no way she can allow anyone to treat her as a child anymore.

When it comes to this, all she has to do is to show her good side.

She will show it to him ─ Yuu, who had left her and Haruha alone to have a secret meeting with that girl. The secret of those masked men and those “ghosts”… Miharu herself will reveal it all.

Well, it won’t be that easy though……

◇Part 7◇

──She thought.In just within an hour, Mifa had already encountered the “Ghost” group.After that, she logged in into 『CtG』 and walk her way to Raiankarydi to gather some information. It was then she heard a mosquitoes-like cry from the alley.

“Thank goodness…… those people from yesterday came.”

It was pair of hooded “Ghosts”. She saw them back in the middle of yesterdays’ commotion.

There were a group of two, a pretty big girl and a petite girl whose braids sticks out from her hood. The braids girl seemed to be a little down, hiding behind the shade of the big girl.

“We’re sorry for yesterday…… but, we must run away from the Clerics at that time……”

But the one who actually talked was the braids girl and the girl who’s acting as her shield appeared to be frightened as she looked at Haruha who’s obediently holding hands with Mifa.

Miharu herself had no intention to bring Haruha along with her, but she insisted to follow her. It will be problematic if something like yesterday would happen again but,

『Sakura-chan, she looked like she was in trouble so Haruha must help her.』

Haruha was unwilling to back off and it’s hard to say no when she said she wanted to help her friend. Miharu herself hate it when Yuu pushes her out of the loop, so it’s impossible for her to do the same to Haruha.

In the end, she brought her along after Hajime agreed to “Even if you aren’t facing a Hadzar, I’ll log you out when fight like yesterday happens.”, but,

“Ermm…… we’re in trouble actually, so we wanted to enlist the help of OKG.”

“Ooo-kee-jii?”

 

But the one whom the “Ghost” girls talked to wasn’t Mifa, it was Haruha who rolled her eyes over the unfamiliar word.

Thus Mifa and Haruha were taken to the “Ghosts” hideout.

They call it a hideout but it’s just a place surrounded by dense bushes that cannot be seen from outside. In the river side of the forest, inside ─ there were dozens of “Ghosts” waiting. Each one of them has a garbled text as seen through AR mode.

Their eyes were directed to Mifa── and moreover, to Haruha. Their glares were filled with vigilance. Mifa hold Haruha tightly with her arms.

“Errm, before anything else…… can you please explain to us what’s going on?”

She talked to the pair who brought them here. The big one is Anzu, and the braids one is Ren. But faster than either of them, the first one who opened her mouth was,

“It’s Sakura-chan!”

As if to respond to Haruha’s cheers, “Sakura” from yesterday lower her hood and reluctantly walks in. Mifa made a smile in a hurry.

“You’re Kanna Sakura-san from that time…… right?”

At the very least, her appearance and agile gestures were like hers from the other day. That “Sakura” is now standing in front of them wearing a hooded cloak and default clothes as her initial equipment.

When she first met her in the arcade she was like a sharp blade, but now, she was like a timid girl who had her fangs taken off her. She looked over Mifa and Haruha with her eyes, then she ask out of wariness.

“…………Just what are you people? At first, I thought you were just a group of weirdo playing house…… but you aren’t a normal player right?”

“But Haruha is Haruha……?”

The first one to answer was the young girl under Mifa’s arms. Her voice was trembling. “Sakura”‘s cautious eyes easily loosen up in respond.

“N-No…… I knew that, but that’s not the point.”

She’s a good girl. Just like what Haruha said longwindedly when they were in the bathroom, Kanna Sakura is a nice girl. From the fact that she did not change her avatar appearance, it’s clear that she has a simple mind. She’s practically a stranger to a MiharuMifa, but it felt like meeting an old friend to her.

“Just like what you said, we’re players with a pretty strange circumstances. But, we have no intention to fight you, Haruha’s friend. Absolutely no.

Please believe me.”

While embracing Haruha’s stiff body, she said it with outmost sincerity. Then “Sakura” whom she eye contacted with catch her breath, and looked away awkwardly.

“……It’s okay. Regardless of the outcome, you guys helped us. Even if you’re an enemy, there is no way the situation will get worse than what it is now.

I’ll tell you what you wanted to know.”

“Thank you.”

“Sakura” then began explaining, and she directed her gaze toward Haruha.

“But still…… I suspected it, but to think that you’re that OKG…… you’re so slow[11] back in the Arcade.”

“Oookeeegiii?”

Haruha and Mifa blinked in surprise. She heard that a little while ago… is that some kind of code?

“What is that?”

“It’s short of O.K.G[Over Kill Girl].

People talked about it here and there…… a story about a kid who slaughtered dozens of rampaging NPC at Gunmen’s Glaive. A cheat enabling a Travel to attack, a physical debug system prepared by the administrator, things like that… it became hot topic in various bulletin board.

Well, and eventually, she’s named massacre killing little girl[Over Kill Girl]. When I first heared it, I thought it were just nonsense… but once I see her with my own eyes. I’m convinced, that she’s certainly an OKG.”

“Y-yeah……. just like what the rumor said, it was a really brutal fight, completely ignoring the rules….”

Anzu stiffly nodded from the side. It was just known as a rumor, but it seemed to be spreading pretty far and become well known.

“O…… our kid became an urban legend……!”

Miharu[Mifa] who doesn’t check the forum other than system-related ones hold her head over the astonishing fact, meanwhile Haruha in question hold Mifa’s hand and loosely smile, then twist herself shyly.

“Ehehehe…… you made Haruha blush *blush*.”

“No, we’re sooo not praising you……”

“But, don’t OKG sounds like an idol in a TV. Idol sing and dance?

When Haruha is bigger, maybe Haruha can be an Idol with Mommy? Mommy will sing, and Haruha will be doing the handshakes.”

“What happened to being a sumo player, oi.”

“Sakura” then kneeled and flicked Haruha’s forehead with her finger. She looked over Haruha who happily closed her eyes with one left half-open, and then she raised her head and said.

“Come to think of it…… he’s not with you today? That guy who you called Daddy?”

“Daddy still hasn’t come back from school. He said he will buy me a Choko no Egg[12]. He might be troubled for not finding any in stores.

But Haruha need one more Rasupu-chan figurine to complete the collection, so Haruha is looking forward for that.”

Choko no Egg is an egg-shaped chocolate snack with a small toy inside. Depending on the timing, it might be flying off the shelves……. Sorry for Haruha, but Yuu probably forgot about buying it already.

“Sakura” made a no sense face, and Mifa carefully answered.

“That person…… Clamp is investigating about other the thing.”

She had a problem deciding if it is okay to tell her that that he went to visit Sakura in real life. “Sakura” herself meanwhile did not suspect a thing.

“Is that so……. I actually investigated him, Clamp of Scarabaeus. He wasn’t as famous as OKG, but I heard his name every once a while.”

“Ah, I heard that he killed a player killer named Memento-something with a strange suspicious techniques ……”

The one who said that was Ren. It’s clear that she’s still scared as her voice was trembling. “Sakura” nodded shallowly.

“Haruha said that her 『Daddy』 defeated that Memento, and thanks to that I was able to find him. With this I’ll be able to get revenge on the humiliation he did to me back in the Arcade, I was happy…… but it doesn’t matter now.”

It was the first── tearful face “Sakura” ever shown. As she walked over to “Sakura”, Mifa asked.

“Tell me what happened. Why among the masked men, you were there?”

 

“Sakura” began to talk after she shorted out her memories.

Kanna Sakura who login into 『CtG』 to look for Clamp of Scarabaeus started training herself for the upcoming rematch, in other words, increasing her avatar── Yusra’s level by participating in battle and doing quests.

In middle of that, she found herself in Wizards’ Glaive, and in there Yusra met the guild known as 《Crystal World》.

All of their members wear a strange mask that cover their upper half face, from what she heard in the city, the guild was formed few months ago.

Initially, they were like a religious group, but due their overly eccentric former guild master, †Noah†, they barely gathered enough people and many players thought that they will eventually be disbanded soon.

『Each one of you is not aware of the true value of this world! Humans are nothing but animals. Therefore, no matter how hard you discipline your mind and spirit, once you’re reduced to poverty, you will return to be a mere mindless beast. Injury, illness, old age, all of it will affect and physiologically interfere with your mind and undermine your virtue.

However! In this virtual world, we won’t bear the burden of physical bidding, allowing us to stabilize our mind to the fullest! Not filching to pain or summit to pleasure, as long as we straighten our mind and abandon our greed── we will be able to create a world without lies, the true real world!

That’s right, a completely transparent world, 《Crystal World》! Now, let’s advance on a quest of truth in this new world with us!』

But, regardless of how advanced the virtual world is, majority of 『CtG』 players are those who seek for unusual and strong stimulation. There are only few people who took interest in his insight.

In middle of that.

The moment a certain girl joined the guild, the tide changes. This girl who were preaching on the street playing no heed to day and night suddenly appeared in front of †Noah†, and right after listening to his speech, she said.

『A world without lies.

Well then, your wish shall be granted. Everything will be okay if you become Iku. Everything will go well if everyone becomes Iku.』

Ikui Librium Gepetto.[13]

That was the name of the blue haired girl. She’s around 16 or 17 year old. She has a slender body like that of a young tree, and has somewhat an androgynous appearance. Her standing figure with thin robe hanging on her shoulder makes her looks younger.

That time, Ikui did something. In 《Crystal World》, they call that act as “disproportionation”, and no outsider even aware of it till now. And so, everything changed.

After that, 《Crystal World》 began to engage in fortune telling in the streets of Wizards’ Glaive. Ikui’s fortune telling is infallible, especially when dealing with costumer with human relationship issues, she was able to give them satisfying answers. In the past, †Noah†’s reputation was not exactly favorable, but through the young player’s reviews and words, his name was spread.

Thus, avid costumers gradually become a member of 《Crystal World》 guild. And 《Crystal World》 that finally raised enough funds from dozens of member bought the Guild Base Building ・ Crystal Hotel and made it their headquarters.

In the Crystal Hotel built inside the deep forest of Wizards’ Glaive, 《Crystal World》 continue to do fortune telling and “disproportionation”, and further recruiting more members. Starting then, the guild members started wearing a mask with pointy nose and call themselves as Cristal ・ Cleric.

Yusra learned about 《Crystal World》 when a player whom she met in a subjugation quest before talked about it. She was that big girl, Anzu. She’s a big fortune telling fan and she invited Yusra to go with her to the Crystal Hotel.

The fortune Yusra asked to Ikui Librium was to know the whereabouts of Clamp of Scarabaeus. But, Ikui then made an absent-mided eyes and stare at Yusra’s face. Her whisper was like a small bell.

『Do you wish for a lie?』

『? …….No, I hate liar.』

Won’t that be unfair, Yusra answered, and Ikui nodded. Then, she stretched her hand slowly. White, white, a ghost-like hand.

『Well then, I shall grant that wish of yours, then you may come. Everything will go well if we all come. 』

Ikui’s fingertips touched the tip of Yusra’s nose── then Yusra lost her consciousness.

By the time she woke up, she found herself in Raiankarydi church. She woke up in the same restart point as when she gets a game over, but that should only happen after she logout once. She can’t understand why she was thrown there.

Furthermore, all of her equipment disappeared and she’s wearing the default plain clothes, somehow she can’t change to ExtendAR Mode…… and moreover she can’t activate menu screen. In other words, she can’t logout by herself.

A surprise one after another, the other players in the church were staring at her with suspicions ──the next thing she realized was that her status menu was garbled and people suspected her for modification──.

(What? What happened, to me?)

Thinking that 《Crystal World》 just fooled her, Yusra once again went to Crystal Hotel. But, standing right in front of the said place and was blocking her way was── Yusra.

Not only she have the same face, but she wear exactly the same equipment she lost, and moreover her semi-auto martial art skill and manual control fight style combination was unmistakably something that she herself develop after many trails and errors.

In the end, Yusra was killed by the same-faced Yusra.

Again, she got teleported back to Raiankarydi church. She didn’t even get a game over.

Later Anzu appeared in the church wearing a plain default clothes just like her, and she met some people who provided her with information. They identify themselves as the victim of 《Crystal World》, just like her.

『Ikui Librium ・ Gepetto of 《Crystal World》…… She is, a monster who have the power to split avatar in this virtual world!』

 

“──Splitting…… an avatar?”

Mifa ask back, but it’s not like she didn’t believe them. In fact, it’s exactly why she was stunned. It’s an unbelievable story for a normal player, but Mifa and her family knew about Memento who has the power to enhance human stimulation.

But “Sakura” ── no, Yusra did not think so and let out weak voice.

“We’re not lying. He…… Clamp also saw her right, erm, myself?”

“Yes. I believe you, it’s why I’m taken aback. But, how can such thing happen……”

“Don’t ask us. We’re the one who wanted to know”

Yusra glanced at Anzu and Ren, and then continued her story.

“After that, Anzu and the others, along with those with the same circumstances hide in the woods and go from place to place regularly…… if we stay in the city, people will mistake us as a cheater, and sometimes the people from 《Crystal World》 will be there to recruit people.

Those people always attack us each time we met, probably hate the fact that we have the same face. Same goes for yesterday. Even though they’re just a split of us……”

“But, even if you’re killed you will just return to the church right?”

Then it’s all okay, said Haruha, attempting to reassure them── Yusra got mad and yelled.

“It’s not that simple! We don’t even know what kind of thing we are!? We’re not even sure if we can safely return back to the church next time…… not to mention, no one in the real world would even know what happened to us!”

“I’m sorry……”

The one who obediently apologized was Mifa. Haruha made a surprised face and was frozen in place. Yusra saw that and let out weaken voice, calming down her own anger.

“Maybe because some data got broken we can’t pass the church reincarnation mirror, meaning we can’t even escape from Wizards’ Glaive……”

“Can’t you report that to the administrator?”

“We don’t know…… there are some victim who reported through player whom they acquaintance with, but there’s still no reply.”

……That probably because the human equilibrium institute or the other institutes above them ignored those reports, they have given priority to all Hadzar-related cases. But unlike continuous fainting incident Memento caused, this case did not go on public, because there aren’t any victims.

After all, Sakura in the real world still act normally and went to school. At the very least as long she doesn’t show any problematic behavior, they won’t do any active investigation.

“……Four days had passed since I was first trapped. There are also some who are trapped for months, and I might be too and yet, the other players are even aware of what is happening.

That means… it doesn’t even matter whether we’re there or not, no one outside will even talk about us……”

Yusra then lie down as if surrendering, and her body formed the word of “Big”[14].

“But before of even thinking of a way to go home, more importantly, do we even have a place to go back to?”

She leaned her face towards her elbow, as if she was about to cry.

But in this virtual world… you can’t cry.

◇Part 8◇

“Pleased to meet you” it was Ikui Librium’s first words.

……What is starting? As he thought of that,[15]

“Iku is not familiar with the concept of first meeting. It is Iku’s wish for you to understand that this way of speaking is the result of Iku trying to avoid making any false remarks.”

She continued to explain. Her voice was smooth like a seamless slate. As weird as she sounded, he could strangely still understand the rough meaning of her words. In other words, because she tried to be as literal as possible, her speech ended up like that.

The 《Crystal World》 that aimed to create a world without lies.

Clamp was taken to the top floor of Crystal hotel. Looking down, the entire surface of the floor was made of transparent crystal plate.

30 meters or greater above the ground. In this room that was traversed directly from the birdcage-like elevator, one could feel the diamond colored light passing through the roof of the trees.

Despite the enchanting layout of the room, the room itself was not that big. The room can easily be filled by fifteen adults, although there were just six of them it already felt cramped enough.

Ikui then sat on top of the bed at the corner of the room, from her side appeared a magician-like man wearing a mask with the number 『1』 on it, along with two masked warriors from both his sides. As Yusra sealed the exit route, Clamp faced Ikui by himself.

De facto leader of the 《Crystal World》 guild, he came here to investigate Ikui’s identity…… or he was, because he had already achieved that from the moment they met face-to-face.

The only girl who did not wear a mask in this crystal tower, Ikui Riburium.

Wrapped by a thin translucent robe and possessing a neutral, graceful face, this girl who appeared to be somewhat absent and faraway was absolutely nothing similar to the innocent Haruha or the cruel Memento.

But, all of them let out a unique air; their mysterious purity and blade-like dangerous atmosphere are precisely what they all have in common.

There’s no mistake. She is──

“That’s right. Iku is a Hadzar. A product of 『A method to produce new humans』”

Once again, she answered before he could even ask, he couldn’t help but feel chilled from her behavior and action.

No matter how you look at it, the timing is too good. Almost as if──

“That’s right. Ikui’s Absolute Unit Evolution[Man Mod] is to figure out the wish of a human within Iku’s range of sight”

Man Mod. Niiro once talked about it, the name of the unique ability that Hadzars possess.

“A-Are you saying you can read minds……?”

Surprised, he tried to brace himself, but it didn’t seem to bother her even in the slightest bit.

In contrast Ikui remained expressionless, which made Clamp suspect whether she was sleeping with her eyes open or not.

Just how far she can see through him, he still doesn’t know.

“No. The only thing Iku knows are just wishes”

“Therefore Ikui Librium is able to grant those wishes without hearing their words”

The one who said that was the 『1』 masked magician. Looking through the extend mode, his name tag spelled †Noa†. He spoke in a flat tone like Yusra and Ikui, but this man alone sounded like he’s in a play.

Clamp sighed. He don’t know just how powerful Ikui’s ability is, but it’s clear that she’s a Hadzar and her mind-reading is not a simple magic trick. This will surely be a troublesome negotiation.

“……First of all, tell me what you want. Why do you want to meet me?”

“Understood. Iku’s, in other word, Hadzar’s owed wish is to become a Neo Primate and enter the stage of self-replicating.

Iku is aware of the fact that you’re the 『Parent』 of the first successful incarnated unit, Haruha. And to be able to meet the human who was able to make that happen is Iku’s wish.”

Ikui’s response was unnaturally smooth; enough to make you think that she’s a nice obedient girl. It was unexpected that she knew about Yuu, but come to think of it Memento also knew about him, could it be that Haruha’s “parent” is a famous figure among the Hadzars.

And, judging from the way she easily said the word Hardzar in this situation means that Yusra and other members are also aware of the existence of Hadzar.

Is it okay to let people know about this…… he thought, but that is Niiro’s job to think about. Clamp should just continue his own work.

“So….. What do you want to do after seeing?”

“No. There is nothing to it. It was just a simple wish of Iku to see you in person”

“If that is the case, then──“

“Your wish is to hear the answer of your question. Iku shall grant that wish of yours”

Clamp shut his mouth. To speak in this situation is just idiotic. Also, he wanted to know the identity of the “Ghosts” and the relationship between “Sakura” and Yusra.

But his wish, was not granted.

“No. Iku does not possess the mean to grant that wish”

“Oi! Could it be, are you saying that you don’t know the reason why a lookalike of Yusra over there became a 『Ghost』!? There is no way such a coincidence would happen──”

“We are also puzzled by the existence of those ghosts”

Again, the 『1』 †Noa† spoke. Clamp quickly glared at him.

“But it seems that you guys have an idea of what is the cause”

“Somehow, each time Ikui Librium performed 『Disproportionation』 on a new comrade, they showed up at the church. We do not know what they are, but since they have the same appearance as us, we call them 『Ghosts』”

“……What is disproportionation?”

“To make people unable to tell lies anymore”

The one who answered from behind was── Yusra. Clamp turned 90 degrees backwards.

“I don’t get it…… does that have anything to do with Ikui’s mind-reading power?”

Indeed, there is no way you can say lies in front of her. Is it some kind of seminar done to warn new members who just joined 《Crystal World》 to not lie. If that is the case, it’s not that hard to understand why Sakura’s personality change so much.

But, †Noa† denied it.

“Ikui Librium has one more power. That is the power to unite our wishes into one and bless it”

“That’s right. Iku’s wish is everyone’s wish.

Therefore, if everyone became Iku there will be no lies”

Ikui faced Clamp with her pale eyes. Even now she looks sleepy and powerless, but she appears to be unshaken by anything. Clamp was entwined by her stare.

“Then…… in other words, what do you mean?”

“Every action that we, the 《Crystal World》,   take is a result of mutual agreement”

Yusra griped her own hand then opened it slowly.

“All of us act to accomplish the same purpose, and are linked for the same purpose.

There are no lies in each of these fingers”

“Does that mean that you were all taken under Ikui’s will……?”

Doesn’t that mean they have been brainwashed! Clamp unconsciously grabbed hold of his sword, but Ikui unceremoniously shook her head.

“No. It’s the other way around.

Because, Iku’s wish is their wish. We aim to accomplish the goal that everyone shares. Therefore, if Iku transfers herself into them, that wish will become everyone’s wish. There will be no need for anyone to lie.

And, that consensus shall be the key to a world without lies”

“I don’t know what happened, but Kanna had turned into a completely different person!”

“Right. To get rid of her lies, we cut off the unnecessary parts of her.

It’s just like the origin of this virtual world. In order to have multiple wills to cross without conflict; those wills must be rounded up together like the stones on a riverside. The pile of round stones must be lined out with no gaps, and eventually it will become one single rock. One lump of rock is solely just one on its own, therefore no lies can be done within.

That is, the way to create a world without lies”

If you mix together dozens of egos together then try to pull out something out of it, what you get will surely be an innocuous and uncharacteristic personality. Under the name of peace and unity, the participants of this ritual were reduced and changed into a plain personality just like Sakura.

Then he realized. Niiro had said it already, the cause of the “Ghosts” appearances and personality change cases, is undoubtedly her.

Somehow, Haruha’s sparkling smile passed through his mind.

“──That is worse than lies! They’re throwing their selves!”

He yelled as anger had gotten the better of himself, but Ikui did not react. Her blue eyes did not flinch even a bit.

And then she easily said.

 

“That’s right. However, isn’t it hard for you to say so many lies?”

 

To Fuyufu, who was always by his side longer than anyone else, he kept the secret of Haruha and Miharu.

To Miharu, he failed to tell her about his undecided feelings towards Fuyufu.

To Haruha, the girl whom he wanted to protect, he couldn’t help but feel powerless in front of her existence.

And then── to his mother who died before he was able to tell her about his true feelings.

Their faces became a sharp knife and pierced his chest.

His breathing, throbbing, and movement, stopped.

Inside the room surrounded by four walls made of crystal, the clear sunlight refracted and distorted his vision like a kaleidoscope, it teared up his eyes.

 

 

And as if entering into the gap of his confusion, Ikui’s hand approached Clamp’s face. Precisely like a crystal, like ghosts, those small opened finger were crystal clear──

“Kugh……!”

Clamp violently slapped that hand of her.

“?”

Although getting roughly rejected Ikui’s expression did not change. No, to say the least her face looked slightly puzzled. However she stayed indifferent.

Irritated, he yelled.

“Mind your own business…… I’ll deal with my own problem myself”

“That is not possible”

The one who arrogantly said that were †Noa†, and the two swordsmen who were standing by Ikui’s sides.

“Wishes that are not yet normalized will only cause distortion”

“Personal happiness can only move, not spread”

Without giving signs or receiving any sign, the swordsmen casted 《Acceleration》[Accelerate] to each other. Although it only has a short effect duration, it’s the skill that creates a ball of light that generate attraction force within the range of the user’s vision.

While being pulled by the force the pair unleashed slashes that cut both of Clamp’s legs before he was able to react.

It was not just fast, but at the same time, their attack covered up the weak points of the other which prevented Clamp from even defending himself. That is the meaning of uniting wishes into one. Like grabbing things with five fingers, without the need to think they all move in conjunction to accomplish a shared objective without failure.

(Did Haruha really kill all of them in one sweep……!)

Unable to do anything as he got both his legs cut off Clamp fell onto the floor, and Yusra quickly locked his shoulder joints from behind. Meanwhile his other hand was pressed between his body and the floor, he couldn’t move at all.

“Every time you always unsettled me…… so you too, should become Ikui Librium”

“You…… are you really okay with that!”

“All the pain I had when I was injured with this incurable injury, and the suffering I had when I chased after you, is all gone. I was saved”

“That is──”

He wanted to say something to Yusra, but he couldn’t finish his words. That was because it was hard to breath as his back was pressed so hard, and it also because he’s unsure whether it was okay to deny the fact that Sakura was saved by being taken in by Ikui.

Me too…… if I become just like them, will I be freed from the regret I have when I lost my mother?

As his mind was caught in the middle of hesitation and confusion, all of a sudden, Ikui sat by his side. Her blue eyes and white hand. It took tens of seconds to logout through the menu, it’s impossible to escape from the virtual world in this situation.

Clamp’s scream filled the entire room.

“Kugh…… what do you guys want to do with all this!?”

“Eventually all players will become Ikui Librium, and this virtual world, will become a utopia free from any contradiction and suffering”

The one who answered was †Noa†, and naturally no one voiced any denial. †Noa†’s dubious representation aside, that is certainly their consensus. Everyone is aiming for the same purpose; therefore this is a world with equality and no discontent.

In this world of 『CtG』, and with Ikui’s power, that is possible.

“………Geez”

Clamp sighed. What Niiro Mainsei said proved no help.

“Again, in the end, she is not a person who we can peacefully talk this out with”

Ikui who was about to touch Clamp suddenly pulled back her hand and took a step back. Yusra, and the other three look at her in confusion.

And then, before Ikui was able to explain the meaning of her retreat.

The hidden bomb that Clamp was hiding under his clothes explodes.

◆Part 9◆

After that Clamp died and logged out safely, and Kasugai Yuu’s consciousness departed back to the real world.

The vision of a cloudy world displayed over his Ramiel visor as he opened his eyes. While fighting the unreasonable pain spreading over his guts, he took off the visor.

What he first saw was the unfamiliar net café’s small two-room. Not even an hour into the game and he was already dead tired, and the overly cold air conditioner makes him feel sluggish.

By his side, Kanna Sakura had also taken off her Ramiel. She still wore the same apathetic face as before, but a faint color of condemnation could be clearly seen in her eyes.

Yuu apologized as he return his Ramiel to the charger spot.

“I’m sorry, for getting you caught in that explosion along with me”

To deal with the Hadzar-related cases like this one, he had prepared something to force-logout himself before it’s too late, and it was that expensive and powerful bombs. The other guys aside, Yusra who was standing near him wouldn’t have survived that. He ended up making her pay a needless death penalty.

If he use the instant teleportation caused by the coordinate bug that he used during his fight against Memento, he wouldn’t have to take such aggressive action. But just the other day, the management team had already fixed that bug.

But the similar “When placing item on the field directly from the item box and activating a magic shortcut, the coordinate data of the previously placed item will remain” bug still hasn’t been fixed, it seems no witnesses from his fight against Memento reported that.

Since it was his emergency trump card, it became a great setback for the “Clamp of Scarabaeus”. He planned to give up on it, but when dealing with opponents like Ikui, he couldn’t help but to rely on it.

(……Ahh, oh well. I was cheating to begin with)

As he thought about that, Sakura said no words of discontent, and just simply asked.

“Why did you run? Why did you run away from the words of salvation, where no one possess any ulterior thought, and all with your memory and will still intact”

It’s hard to explain the obvious. They just physically aim to create a world with no lies, and what’s wrong with that. As he thought about that, he stood up.

“Dunno. Maybe……”

He recalled the crying face of a young Fuyufu. What he recalled was a crying face from long time ago, but his present self is smiling.

“I don’t hate lies. I think”

He wasn’t very sure himself, but, he answered so.

 

Yuu then exited the room. Now that he had learnt about the existence of Hadzar, her power, and her objectives, he must report this to Hajime.

For whatever reason, Sakura did not stop him at all. She just simply watched over him.

As he left, he left one word for her.

“At the very least, I like the you whom I met back at the arcade more”

Sakura did not say anything, however, just a little she regained the atmosphere of her past self as she faintly replied.

“…………Again, I lost to him”

◆Part 10◆

That night.

Hajime Hidari was troubled.

The Kasugai household’s living room was filled with a threatening atmosphere.

Sitting in front of the table were Yuu, Miharu, Haruha who was sitting on Miharu’s knee, and Niiro Mansei sitting face-to-face to Hajime. It’s supposedly the time to report all the information they’ve gathered so far…… however.

Yuu and Miharu strained the atmosphere of this meeting. Miharu was mad at Yuu who went by himself, and Yuu was mad at Miharu who went to 『CtG』 to investigate without permission.

“Well, both of you…… you two are putting the cart before the horse here, getting angry over worrying each other like that”

It’s troublesome to let this be prolonged any longer ──these two always drag things out when they fight, it’s really annoying── therefore, Hajime bluntly said.

However.

“We’re not fighting.

It just, not only did she make such careless contact with an unidentified party, when we met she proudly said 『Welcome back, I’ve looked into the case for you』 and the likes, then gets into a bad mood all by herself, this hard worker Kugimiya-san.”

“Eh? Hmph, not only did he invite a middle school girl he just met at the arcade to a private room-date, despite ending up as a perfect example of the common expression『Mummy hunter become the mummy』, he acted like an overbearing husband and impassively ranted 『Just leave such things to me, you just have to worry about house chores or something』, isn’t this just a hysteric caused by such a chauvinistic Kasugai-kun?”

………………………………

Despite sitting side-by-side, these two high school student refused to even lock eyes with the other, it’s scary. Anyway, it’s scary.

(Geez, isn’t this just a simple married couple quarrel……)

Hajime placed her hand against her forehead and sighed, she decided to cut short to persuasion.

“If you continue to be like that, Haruha-chan is going to be troubled you know. In Married couple[such] quarrel, a kid won’t be able to decide who the right one is and end up being troubled by it”

Once the two quickly reflect on themselves after knowing that their fight would hurt Haruha, so she thought it would be effective, but.

After hearing her own name, Haruha raised her head and went “Eh?” then frankly said.

“Well, it’s… normal?”

………Ah is that so. Hajime became convinced. She might’ve just been simply sick of dealing with Yuu and Miharu.

“Daddy and Mommy are always fighting! Haruha can’t deal with it anymore, Haruha says that to them. They still sleep together at night though, so it’s okay.”

In the end, Haruha got used to it. Exactly because they fight often and made up as often that she is convinced that they will stay in a good relationship even if they quarrel from time to time.

“Those words are kind of misleading though……”

The two quickly averted their eyes and blushed.

Hajime got really irritated, but she decided to ignore it.

“Well then”

Now that the atmosphere had taken a turn for the better, Niiro who had been silent for a while opened his mouth.

“Taking account of all the information you two have gathered so far, we can finally see the outline of this incident”

Yuu and Miharu’s eyes switched direction to Niiro. Haruha lowered her head and made a troubled face.

“First off, about Ikui Librium Gepetto’s ability, just as the person herself said, it’s safe to say that her power is a power to read other person’s desire.

It’s a masterpiece known as the reception-type Hadzar created by a team other than us.

By sensing the neural cells emitted from a human body within her field of view, and decrypt it’s meaning crafted within it, she is able to accurately read what the other person is thinking and wants to do”

“Ermm…… in other words, she’s able to read people’s mind……?”

Miharu asked as she clung onto Haruha.

“It depends on your definition of mind. All she should be able to read are the real-time images of the mind, the person’s constant desires, and his/her future actions, she shouldn’t be able to read other person’s memories or his/her trauma that the person himself/herself is unaware of”

“So, reading his/her desire huh……”

“In contrary to Memento who interferes with her opponent’s empathy ability, she’s an individual who possess tremendous empathy herself. She’s able to accurately read other person’s desire after all, she possess overwhelming advantage against people who fight with their brains or instincts.

However, she doesn’t interest me much”

“Why? It sounds like a ridiculously useful ability to me”

Yuu genuinely asked, but the answer was obvious for a person like Niiro and Hajime.

“What our team pursues is a new human that has both intelligence and emotion, and is able to resonate with the current human. Does Ikui Librium whom you met fits such a character?”

“……No. Even including the fact that she’s a Hadzar, she appears to be just an existence that merely grants other people’s wishes and desires…… well, her method aside”

Yuu then crossed his arms together, and Hajime shrugged her shoulders a little in respond.

“I’ve also read my share of the report, Ikui is, ever since she generated from the form of a little girl she’s able to read the desire of people around her.

Not to mention as a Hadzar she possess a weak sense of self, being raised in such a condition had blurred the boundaries between herself and other people within her mind. In the end…… she failed to develop self-consciousness. 『I』 is a sense of being 『No one else』 after all.

That’s why when she grew to the equivalent of a 10 year old, they did not conduct incarnation experiments into the real world. It was obviously impossible. Even now, she’s using part of Haruha-chan’s data to stabilize herself I suppose”

Precisely because she knows about that, she tried to approach Yuu who became Haruha’s “Father”.

“Therefore Ikui confuses herself as the human she came across, and behaves according to their consistent actions.

And, the things that all humans…… no, organisms, have in common are self-replication and breeding. Originally, it can simply be fulfilled by giving birth to a child……”

“But Ikui decided to increase the number of people who share the same thoughts as herself huh. Why did she do such…… an outrageous thing?”

“We won’t know unless we ask the person herself, but surprisingly, it might be because of a simple reason like one can’t give birth in virtual reality such as 『CtG』”

She frankly said. Yuu and Miharu instinctively looked at each other and blushed. Haruha looked at them and titled her head in confusion.

“But Haruha was born in game right?”

“You’re special in a lot of ways after all, Haruha-chan”

Hmmm, Haruha appear to be completely unaware of that. Her eyes were glassy and she looks sleepy. Come to think of it, since Miharu returned early she did not take a nap today.

Yuu lightly cleared his throat and asked a question.

“But, is it possible to change a person’s personality?”

“Taking account of her original ability, perhaps by electrical activity she forcefully tuned the desires and the decision making part of the brain of the person she touches and synchronizes it with herself. It’s similar to when an electric eel discharges electrical currents and shocks its prey’s muscle to disable its body I suppose.

I would name it 『Fahrenheit 451』.

……By understanding the function of a person’s nerve pulse, she is able to control that person huh? Fumu……”

On behalf of Niiro who stopped in the middle of his explanation to think, Hajime took over the conversation and continued.

“I don’t think it will last long though, so they must be taking『Treatment』 and get tuned on a daily basis. 『CtG』 doesn’t allow long-term login periods, so maybe they can be cured with medicine or something”

“Come to think of it, it says stuff about currency or something. I see, so there is a way to heal them huh……”

Looking at Yuu who was patting his chest in relief, Hajime refrained from saying “There might be a way to cure them, but there is no guarantee that they can be cured”.

“──Ermmm”

Miharu spoke stiffly.

“I still don’t understand anything about the 『Ghost』 case yet. If the power of that Ikui person is to change other people’s personality, then what exactly are the 『Ghost』 people who appeared at the same time?”

The one who answered her was Niiro who had just finished thinking.

“We need to verify it first, but there is one hypothesis we can conclude from it.

It’s most likely a bug. However, it’s different from the software-related ones that Kasugai-kun’s mother was involved it. It’s a bug that’s caused by the hardware”

“By 『CtG』 hardware you mean, that thing that is processed by the user itself……”

“That’s right, the Nephilim Computer.

As you might have already know it works with a horribly fuzzy processor, therefore it’s able to reproduce the reality of the real world, in this case, things become willy-nilly over its awfully flexible specification.

It’s assumed that the players who got tuned by Ikui had instantaneously got their brain wave patterns changed. Unable to cope with these rapid changes, the 『CtG』 system treated the previous and current brain waves as different avatars and works it so that the second ego can exist at the same time.

“That…… but, those 『Ghost』 are not as awkward as NPCs and possess feelings, intelligence…… and memories too though?”

Miharu seemed to be not convinced as she once talked with the “Ghost” and felt their human touch as Mifa. Hajime has also seen that scene through Haruha’s Ramiel, so she fully understands why Miharu was confused. But.

Hajime took out a notepad and drew an illustration of a deformed brain inside a small walking doll.

“To put it simply Nephilim Computer is a giant brain where the wisdom of a hundred thousand people are fused together, and the common existence known as souls are given avatars to walk inside it.

And if that Nephilim mistakably recognized one person as two, it might create a second avatar that possess the knowledge and memories of the original person. Of course the 『Second one』 does not possess a flesh body in the real world that is connected to Ramiel that serves as the gate to the game system, so it can’t deal with the software of the game program, therefore it becomes an entity unable to be recognized by the system. It might also be the reason why the data is broken when they were seen through AR Mode”

“A bug created from the unique device known as the Nephilim Computer and the unique character known as Ikui Librium Gepetto…… Ah, rather than an insect it is”

The thing that closed the conversation was Niiro Mansei’s dry voice that somehow got on others’ nerves.

“Truly, a ghost”

◆Part 11◆

As she took a hot shower, she enjoyed the tickling sensation of sweat falling from her skin.Kanna Sakura then laid down on the bed in her room, spreading her limbs wide to relax and allowed herself to surrender to exhaustion like a doll.

Her room was small. When she was younger, she liked this smallness that reminded her of a secret base. The fluorescent lamp she just replaced constantly shone with a white color. The rest of the luggage that couldn’t fit inside the room was taken to the loft made by her father, but even now it appeared to be almost at bursting point.

Her bookshelf was buried by a cover.

Sakura, whose instinctual drive had been altered by Ikui Librium, did not feel boredom and did nothing. But as she had no orders to execute, she was on standby.

The only things that flowed in her head were Kasugai Yuu’s face, when he said he liked her painful self better but denied the fact that the current her was saved, and also Haruha’s innocent smile.

Recently her mother looked more worried than before, when she looked at the current her who was calm and no longer behaved in a problematic manner.

She glanced at her bookshelf. Naturally, she did not see the randomly lined up certificates and trophies nor the unevenly lined up game walkthrough books.

It was because it’s was under a cover.

◆Part 12◆

Several hours ago.Miharu was drying her hair in the dressing room. Her gloomy expression covered by her long hair.

The dryer that she just randomly switched off was a dryer called Perl Pink, a product clearly targeted for women, which she found placed behind the washstand mirror. After receiving the permission from Yuu, Miharu and Haruha used it to dry their hairs ever since.

It appeared to belong to Yuu’s mother. It didn’t appear to be used often, and he said it’s practically new so he didn’t throw it away. However, it’s likely that even if it’s broken, Yuu wouldn’t throw it away. Somehow, she thought so.

It’s a proof. The proof that Yuu’s mother, who lived here, did not spend her days here. Miharu touched it, and inside her head she imagined the figure of ── He showed her a picture of her before ── Yuu’s mother using the dryer just like her right now. It made her a little happy. It made her feel like she was a person of this house.

On the other hand, she felt a different sensation when she was at her real mother and father-in-law’s house. That, certainly, was pain instilled into her chest.

(I wonder what Kasugai-kun thinks of me when I use this dryer.)

Right now, that was what she wondered the most.

Then, she felt that she started to understand a little more. The thing she heard at the living room, about the dreamy world, in which the Hadzar known as Ikui Librium, talked about.

(But, to know what everyone else is thinking…… is scary)

She let out a bitter laughter and her breath hit the steamy mirror that was clouded by the steam of the bath, further fogging it.

In the end, the 《Crystal World》 incident that happened in 『CtG』 could not be resolved immediately.

Seeing the suffering Sakura, Miharu felt very unhappy. Since there was a possibility that they were able to discuss things out with the team in charge of Ikui Librium, she was told to wait for a day or two── after being told that, she just couldn’t say anything more.

It’s the best to be able to resolve things peacefully. If they ended up having to fight like they did against Memento, Haruha and Yuu will surely do something reckless. Of course she will try to stop them, but this pair of father and daughter was pretty stubborn themselves.

Not to mention OKGHaruha had been asked by the “Ghosts” to help them on a raid against Ikui.

Things might return to normal once Ikui, who’s clearly the cause of all of these, was defeated── that was the remaining ray of hope the “Ghosts” had left. But, the power of 《Crystal World》 member way surpassed theirs. No, with their inhuman level of perfectly coordinated attacks they were even able to defeat groups composed of skilled players out there.

In the face of such desperate situation, OKG and Clamp of Scarabaeus appeared in front of them.

Due to Yuu and Haruha’s personality, they wouldn’t be able to refuse their request in such a situation. Especially if the person who asked them was Sakura.

But Ikui Librium, depending on how you looked at it, might even be a more dangerous opponent than Memento. If they messed up, Clamp and Haruha might end up getting caught by the 《Crystal World》.

If that was the case, then it’s better to rely on Niiro and his men.

But the depressing part was that she couldn’t tell the “Ghosts” Yusra and her friends the detail of the situation. After all, if the original Yusra and her friends returned to normal, just what would happen to those “Ghosts”? Everything depended on the Nephilim Computer whim; there was no guessing what it would do.

Would they simply be annihilated? Would they remain to exist as irregular existence? Would their memories be merged with their real body?

She didn’t have the courage to say such irresponsible things like “We won’t know unless we try”. Yuu had said “……I’ll go explain things to them once we know what exactly will happen” and Miharu was determined to go along with him when he did.

In addition, Hajime said she would try to construct a program that would allow their memories to merge. But she also did say to not expect too much, hence there’s nothing else to do but to hope.

Brooding, she headed to the second floor bedroom–Yuu’s bedroom.

The dark room was only lighted by the nightlight and filled with the smell of other people that she was not used with yet.

Although she had already adapted to living in the real world and able to take care of the house alone during daytime, Haruha still insisted on having the three of them sleep together at night. She seemed afraid of losing her consciousness in the dark and waking up only to find that the two of them were no longer there with her.

Once, Haruha was so shocked when she woke up in the middle of the night finding no one (as Yuu went to the toilet), she started bawling.

Because it took some time for Miharu to dry her hair, she told Yuu to go upstairs and accompany Haruha to sleep first. She thought that they might be sleeping at the moment so she silently approached the bed. But then.

“Ah, Mommy……”

Yuu was quietly making soft sleeping sounds while Haruha alone, who wore cute pajamas while hugging a wool stuffed doll, opened her eyes.

How rare.

Usually she would immediately fall asleep once she buried herself onto the bed.

“You can’t sleep?”

“Nn…… can we talk?”

Miharu climbed onto the bed as she watched over Yuu’s sleeping face. Not as easily as Haruha but he would fall asleep faster than her, and would usually let out a snore. When he’s asleep, his face looked more childish than normal, but maybe that was because he’s tired and his cheek appeared to be harder.

In a hushed voice, she told Haruha.

“It’s okay, but Kasugai-kun is sleeping so we should speak quietly okay?”

“Okay.”

As Miharu laid down and covered herself with her towel blanket, Haruha rolled her small body and hugged her. She buried her head into her breasts that was wrapped in sleepwear.

“What is it?”

Maybe it was to prevent her voice from leaking out, but Haruha cupped her mouth with her hand as if whispering

“You see……”

*psss* *psss*, the small voice that came from her mouth tickled Miharu as it rang inside her breast. She smiled and smelled Haruha’s hair that smelled strangely differently from hers.

“Haruha……, is Haruha hated by Sakura-chan?”

For a moment, she didn’t understand what she meant, but then she realized that she must be worried about the time when she said some insensitive things and got yelled by Yusra in the virtual world. Now that she mentioned it, she did seem to be a bit lifeless lately.

“Haruha is scared when sleeping, but Sakura-chan said she’s fine to die on the other side- that she should not have existed.”

“Unn…… is that so?”

“Haruha, is not a person from that side, so Haruha doesn’t know.”

That moment she saw Haruha’s wilted flower-like face.

For a little.

Just a little, Miharu thought,

If that “Ghost” Yusra disappears, wouldn’t she forget what she said to Haruha that time…… such horrible thoughts.

(Won’t that make me an idiot parent……)

She tried to stop thinking about it and shook her head to the side.

“……Of course not. Even I’ve hurt someone else before.”

“Mommy too? But Mommy is so nice!”

“Haruha, your voice. Too loud.”

Haruha gasped and covered her mouth with the stuffed doll as she looked over Yuu’s direction. He didn’t show any signs of waking up.

To make sure he’s asleep, Haruha was about to pinch Yuu’s nose but stopped right before she did. After Miharu told Haruha its okay through her eyes, Haruha once again faced Miharu.

“Mommy is such a kind adult, so there’s no way Mommy would trouble others.”

“Even I’m still a kid. After all, I also have a mother.”

“Ee……? Ah, that’s right. Mommy is Mommy’s mother‘s child after all”

“Yes. That’s why even I…… am not doing well at school.”

Haruha appeared to be in shock. Yuu and Miharu are humans who were born in the real world after all, so she believed that it’s because they are adults that it was okay for them to go outside.

“I lied to my classmate…… errm, friends who study alongside with me I mean.”

She kept secret of her relationship with Yuu and she couldn’t resolve the misunderstanding the love-story loving girls were having. Not to mention, she couldn’t also let anyone know about Haruha.

Can such a liar-self make new friends? Even if she could, could such friend made under so many layers of lies be considered a friend?

All of these reminded her of her father who disappeared from her sight for the sake of a woman other than her mother. Her father who lied to his family and marriage. As a daughter of such a person, Miharu wanted to live as honest as possible. But in the end, she became a member of said family of liars.

Probably, because she herself was such a liar, she couldn’t trust other people, suspecting that they were lying to her. She suspected them to be like her father who disappeared all of the sudden and her mother who found other people who are more precious than Miharu. She was afraid of being betrayed by anyone she loves.

Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry so much like this in 《Crystal World》, the world without lies.

“Lie……? Lie is something other than the truth right?”

“Yes. Somewhat, it is like that.”

It’s lonely to be alone. [Editor’s note: HRNNNGGHHHH!]

But, she’s that afraid to be so close to others that they could look into each other’s hearts.

She wanted others to accept Yuu.

But, at the same time she didn’t want them to get close to Yuu.

Fuyufu was a good partner for Yuu, who’s a nice person albeit quite sloppy.

But……

But when everything was the truth then everything was also lie. Inside Miharu’s heart there was also a ghost like Yusra, it might find its main self to be shameless.

“……I’m, bad with socializing with other people after all, and when I’m in trouble, I lie. Haruha who can get along with Kanna-san so fast is way better.”

*Squeeze* Haruha hugged Miharu.

“You see, Mommy. Sakura said this once.”

A person who is strong against anything is creepy. It’s more human-like to have weakness. No matter what Mommy did to her friends, Haruha, will still love Mommy”

“……Thank you. I’m proud of Haruha who, even though you said something terrible to Kanna-san, is repenting about it.”

Miharu then hugged Haruha as well. Miharu’s who was a small girl was completely wrapped by her arm. When she was little, Miharu was also a kid who could burrow herself into her mother or father’s arms.

That’s right. If both Haruha and I were children, then we could just grow up together. Yuu…… might get left out. However, he would surely catch up in a hurry.

With such whimsical thought, her heart naturally calmed down.

“Let’s meet Kanna-san again and apologize to her.”

“Unn!”

“Then, let’s sleep shall we. We must wake up early tomorrow after all.”

“Kaaay~……”

Haruha obediently nodded and Miharu stroke her head as she closed her eyes.

(I should work hard too……)

The darkness of the summer night made her sweat. And so she loosened the button of her sleepwear.

 

──It’s not that he opened his eyes, but Kasugai Yuu heard Miaru and Haruha’s conversation. He heard from the boundary of dream and reality.

It was raining over there. He heard Miharu and Haruha’s whispering voice alongside the sound of the rain.

Hated…… scary…… die…… Mommy is so nice!

Haruha’s lisping voice. She had quite a large vocabulary and her pronunciation was not bad, but it’s only been a few months since she was born. Even though she knows the word, she still doesn’t fully understand it yet.

Come to think of it, when Fuyufu was little, she knew a lot of words but her pronunciation was that of a kid.

“Listen, Yuu-kun. It’s simple. Because the chocolate Manjuu I’ve been saving disappeared, and Yuu-kun’s hand are all sticky, so…”

Starting then, Yuu’s lie no longer worked on Fuyufu. That’s why he could easily lie without any worries. Fuyufu’s mother, on the other hand, was such a kind person that she would innocently accept whatever he said to her. He couldn’t carelessly lie to her out of playfulness. 『A snack disappearing by itself? How curious, I wonder if a cat came and stole it?』. By the way you mustn’t feed chocolate to cat.

And with that lie he had said out of whim to Fuyufu’s mother, he made Fuyufu cry once. It was the first and last Fuyufu’s crying face he saw. That time onwards, Yuu was determined to never make Fuyufu cry ever again. It was such a painful experience that Yuu too, also cried about.

A face is crying. Rain. All of the sudden, the scene changed. It was from just a while ago. Not even a year into the past.

The pouring rain became curtains that covered the temple corridor they were trapped in, 15 years old Fuyufu, who wore her middle school uniform as replacement of morning clothes, talked to Yuu.

『Why didn’t you cry?』

Then he realized.

It’s about Kanna Sakura. Today this noon, when Yusra talked about Sakura, the thing he failed to hear properly, he’s reminded of the sense of incompleteness. That thing abruptly took form in that dream.

He might be able to figure it out if he talked with Sakura. The answer to Fuyufu’s question that he couldn’t answer that time.

Yuu probably needed to ask about it.

──Did you, properly cry?

 

『Then, let’s sleep shall we.』

Maybe because his worry had disappeared, Miharu’s whisper reached his ears and his consciousness fall into darkness.

Come to think of it, I still haven’t apologized, for making Miharu cry.

◇Part 13◇

In the dark.

*Groowwwlll*

The elevator descends and made sound like a growling stomach.

And then the light turns on. Like spotlight, it stretch from above and light only a spot in the darkness.

“I’m the seventh division chief, Niiro Mansei”

The one who stands below the shaft of light was a man in black who refuse to take off his sunglass even in the dark. He is the researcher who led the production of Haruha in the Human Equilibrium Institute, and also responsible in its management.

Within the pure darkness that cloud over one’s sense of distance, Niiro’s rusty voice echoed.

And as if to answer to it, the second shaft of light tear the darkness.

“It’s rare to hear a call from you instead of the Department of Human Relationship[16]”

The figure lightened by the light was that of an old man in a white coat. He’s clearly not Japanese. Brown skin and dark-red curly hair, and his eyes were covered by his knife wounds-like wrinkles, he appears to be quite skinny but he’s a sharp old man.

“I thought you have no interest in my humankind?”

His voice was tenacious like a rolling muddy dumpling[17]. It has the force to stop one’s breath.

“No, Maharl. I expect a lot in Ikui Librium’s ability, as something that will contribute greatly in Nephilim control system improvement”

“What I’m creating is the new humankind. Though it seems you are too fixated on inheriting the current humanity feeling and hate how I use the Gepetto-type”

“If you don’t connect human’s body, intelligence, and all their feeling together there won’t be any proof of human remain”

“There is no need for those that inherits earth to inherit humanity”

Niiro shrugged and Maharl rolled his eyes. The two of them are not free. The two of them are regarded as genius of their own kind, and in the same time they think themselves to be slightly more superior compared to others.

Without that much of arrogance, there’s no way they can create new humanity.

Maharl insert his hand into his white coat pocket and wriggle his finger like spider.

“Let me hear your business. Weren’t you busy managing Haruha and the S Type together?”

“You know right? Ikui have gone too far lately. The 《Crystal World》 she been raising is starting to rise some rumors”

“Hmm. It’s different to Memento’s case. Ikui Librium is just providing those who come to her a place to rest, there is no victim”

“That is the matter of perspective”

“I did hear that we’re receiving some inquiries, but I’m not informed of any complaints though?”

“Because of Ikui Librium, the 『Ghosts』 that appears in 『CtG』 are lamenting”

“I heard of them, but won’t they disappear once we restart the system. They are nothing but mere foam of cache you know”

Niirou’s team has reached to that conclusion already. To restart Nephilim Computer, it’s needed to make preparation several months in advance and large amount of personals and it also comes with high risk. It’s something they want to avoid if possible.

“Even though it’s just simple restart, there’s no way we can do it each time a 『Ghost』 appear. Also, if the number of those『Ghosts』 keeps increasing, there is no telling what malfunction Nephilim will do with all those emulation being put into their resources

Also, the more human get tuned by Ikui Librium, the more chances outsiders to learn the truth. When that happen,s it might hinder our plan”

“It’s the Department of Human Relationship’s job to stop that from happening right. That shows how important this work is”

The old man took out his both hand out of his white coat, and spread it together like wings.

“Listen, Niiro-kun. This is a chance. Possibly the last chance to recreate this humanity that had reach stalemate state and leading towards its own self-destruction”

If Ikui Librium becomes the new world seed, all human in earth will cooperate together in conjunction to accomplish the same objection.

It’s not that they will become standardized like machine or lost their individuality you know? Like how ant born from the exact same gene, each will live accordance to their environment and divided into either work ant or queen ant. Just, we’re making them aware of their position as being a member of a group.

By reviving the ancient language, Ben Yehuda[18] manage to unite a country, but Ikui Librium will return human back to their previous form before they even acquire language, they will attain a more advance form”

“But then Human physiology and sensibility won’t be maintained.

Not only giving up the survival by genetics, if you abandon the inheritance of Culture[meme][19] it won’t be human anymore. Compared to Ikui’s cells, even the 『Ghosts』 are more worthy to salvage”

The sound of Niiro’s voice was somewhat all over the places. But, his gaze towards the old man remains unshaken as if it was frozen in place.

Maharl laughed as if coughing.

“HAH! Well, you’re stubborn as it is. Then, what would you do?”

“As what we had agreed, we will do selection on Ikui Librium who refuses to accept improvement through repetition of failures.

By battle between Hadzar”

“Very well──”

The old man’s reaction towards the declaration of war was short.

“Come”

Finally they negotiate. Under the worse agreement.

 

“Well”

──In the darkness after the old man had left, Niiro Mansei muttered.

“Though I do understand why he so obsessed with the unification of will”

“Eeeh?”

“Maharl’s homeland is under exhaustion after a lot of partition because of a long civil war, and because of the overly frequent conflict between the government and anti-government, the entire country is filled with spies and guerrillas, no telling when and where you will be stabbed both physically and socially.

As result every one of them become paranoid, and what happened was storm of lynches and betrayal, aiming to attain victory faster than others. Maharl who was going and back from his research institute at other country was accused as traitors and he lost his family at the time”

“That sure is… bitter. What a tragedy. A cruel story like in fairy tale”

“Maharl must’ve thought the same. Humanity must be reshaped down to its core. That’s why he’s trying to turn the world into like Ikui Librium, where no hatred can be born”

“Wonderful! Thinking it like that, won’t that make us the bad guy?”

“But we will do it. He and Haruha will surely lend us their strength. Kasugai-kun feels indebted over what happened in 『CtG』, and fortunately it seems a girl who is deeply connected to him also got caught in this incident”

“Aaa……Again, I’ll be able to see Onii-san in action……”

“That’s right. He will surely try to prevent Haruha from fighting Ikui Librium. But, the only reason Kasugai-kun was able to fight equally against a Hadzar was because he’s using the unpredictable bugs. His affinity towards Ikui who can read other people’s train of thought is the worse.

Even so do you think he can win? You”

“Of course, it’s certain.

Onii-san will surely humiliate her by proving she’s unqualified to be the new humanity and kill her”

Inside the darkness of 『CtG』 isolated space, a silver hair drips like a thread. The girl who was talking to Niiro raised her white face.

“After all, he’s Meme’s dear prince on white horse who crushed Meme’s spine with its hoof”

Memento Coppelia who somehow wears girl uniform of Yuu’s school, innocently blushed out of love, and let out a trembling sound that melts into ecstasy.

“……Aaaa, I wonder what kind of brilliant trick he will use to slaughter Haruha’s enemy this time?”

 

Translators Notes and References:

↑A character from Moomin. More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snufkin ↑A sumo technique ↑In case this sounds weird, it just means that the leaves were clouds in the erm sea of tress in the sky above ↑Possibly a reference for the golden/yellow road in Wizard of Oz. ↑From the phrase, “Ugo no Takenoko” which says “After the rain, mushrooms will pops out one after another” meaning things will happen in successions. ↑The earlier “Ghost” was 幽霊 (Yūrei), combination of 幽 (dim) and 霊 (spirit). The most common Japanese word for ghost, for obvious reason because ghosts are see-through. Meanwhile, this “Ghost” is 亡霊 (Bōrei), combination of 亡 (departed) amd 霊 (spirit). Bōrei is the Gothic term for ghost in Japanese, meaning ruined or departed spirit. ↑That’s our hugging mole Haruha all right. ↑I changed neck to throat because slitting throats sounds so much cooler than cutting necks while conveying the same meaning. ↑Formerly “Suttokoi”, refer back to chapter 1. ↑Rube Goldberg means “ingeniously or unnecessarily complicated in design or construction. ↑Not literally “slow”, somewhere along the line of “unskillful”, “stiff”, etc. ↑チョコ no エッグ, literally means Chocolate Egg. An actual real product in Japan. ↑Most likely based on Mister Gepetto, a puppet master from Pinoccio. ↑This: 大. ↑Ikui said “Hajimemashita” (in a way of saying “Let’s start” or “We begin”) instead of “Hajimemashite” (Nice to meet you) ↑Originally [人統委], though I’m not sure about this one. ↑To be more accurate, it’s “like a rolling ball of mud” but it’s funnier when translated literally. ↑A man said to be the driving spirit behind the revival of the Herbrew language in the modern era. Later he became acquainted with the early movement of Zinoism and concluded that the revival of the Hebrew language in the Land of Israel could unite all Jews worldwide (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliezer_Ben-Yehuda) ↑Meme as in “an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation” in case you don’t know.




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