Tatakau Shisho

Volume 7, Chapter 4: The Magic Blade is Dancing – Part?3

Hamyuts sat alone on top of the roof. As always, Lascall was finally so kind as to say something profound and then disappeared. As selfish as ever, she resented.

But she had no idea. She kept thinking about Olivia.

She already knew that Olivia inherited the Violet Wish according to Lascall’s words. How was she planning to make it come true?

“My victory is 90% decided.”

Olivia had said. In that case, it should be possible to estimate her means of doing so.

How was Olivia planning to make the Violet Wish come true? And how were Yanku and Kyasariro connected to that? Was there any secret of reversal hidden somewhere in these peaceful days?

She had no idea.

“Ahhh I’m so confused!”

Hamyuts scratched her head.

“I don’t get it, I just don’t get it at all!”

Hamyuts was lying on the roof and gazed up the starry sky. The wintry sky was clear, and the stars’ twinkling was much brighter than during autumn.

While looking at this starry sky, Hamyuts recalled a matter from about a week ago.

December 21, 1926

On that day as well Hamyuts received a boring report from Mirepoc. Mirepoc spoke to her unmotivated boss.

“Tomorrow’s our day off, so please be patient and listen.”

She spoke in the way that a tutor would use to scold his students that had bad grades.

The tips of Hamyuts’s Sensory Threads were tied to Olivia. She was doing her tailor work today as usual.

Yuri apparently received orders from Yukizona and so has flown to the southern frontier. She was said to be escorting Laty from the Indulging God Cult.

It didn’t seem like they noticed Yanku stole Shlamuffen.

I wonder if she’ll live and get back, Hamyuts thought as if it was none of her business.

Hamyuts spent her days watching the island from her office.

“Are you listening, Director?”

“I am. Keep going.”

Mirepoc continued her report with a disappointed expression.

A person approached Olivia’s tailor shop. It was Kyasariro. That usually bright and carefree girl now had a bitter expression on her face. She came at the back door, beckoning at Olivia to come out.

“It’s a bit hard to talk inside. Will you come with me, Olivia-san?”

Olivia left her store with a tense face and followed Kyasariro. They both entered the promenade that Olivia named the road of hesitation.

They sat on a bench. There was no one around. Kyasariro started speaking with a somewhat tired voice.

“So I thought about what we’ve discussed.”

Olivia nodded. She seemed to be trusting Kyasariro. If she were betrayed by her, that would probably mean that she had no allies in the world.

“So what will you do?”

“I believe that what you told me is true, Olivia-san. The Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult are connected. And that’s not all. The ones to create the Cult were the Armed Librarians. Meaning what destroyed the Cult was them fighting against the Armed Librarians.”

Olivia was surprised.

“You did well to understand that.”

“Because I’m an Armed Librarian. I have various ways with which to gather information.”

“I see, you’re quite amazing.”

Kyasariro sighed.

“Say, Olivia-san, are you going to fight the Armed Librarians no matter what?”

Olivia widened her eyes and looked at Kyasariro.

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Fighting us is outrageous thing to do. It’s not an issue of the Director or Matt-san being strong or whatever. The Armed Librarians are the people who protect this world. This isn’t just the Indulging God Cult; they also fight against other bad and selfish people around the world. They prevent wars, fight against terrorists and such, doing this sort of thing for the last 2000 years.

If the Armed Librarians were to disappear, the world will become messed up. Even if the Indulging God Cult is defeated, other bad guys will be acting as they please.”

“…Kyasariro. Are you scared?”

“I’m talking about you now, Olivia-san. I know you have the resolution to fight even if you die. But that’s not enough. Do you have the resolution to mess up the world?”

Kyasariro looked Olivia in the eyes.

“I see. So if I don’t have this resolution, you won’t come with me.”

Olivia thought.

“It’s fine. I’m ready for it.”

“How can you?”

“Because it’s my duty.”

Kyasariro looked puzzled.

“Kyasariro. I’m alive now due to the death of many people. Vend Ruga… My friends on the ship… Charlot… Renas Fleur. Probably also Volken. Since they all died I am alive now. I’m carrying an incredible amount of lives on my shoulders.”

“…Yeah.”

“They’re all crying inside my heart. Why did we die? Why did we have to be killed? My heart is full of their deaths.”

“…”

“To tell the truth, I’m already sick of fighting. I also don’t want to destroy the Armed Librarians and mess up the world. But I can’t exist without fighting. They’re all living inside me. I have to fight for them, otherwise I don’t know why I even survived.”

“…Olivia-san.”

“Kyasariro. I know this is a selfish request. I think it cannot be helped even if I’m resented by you. Even knowing this, I still ask you.

Destroy the Indulging God Cult. Expose the secrets of the Armed Librarians.”

Kyasariro covered her face using both hands. She stayed silent like this for a while.

“Olivia-san.”

She spoke with her hands still covering her face.

“…Sorry. I’ve talked about you with Master Matt.”

Olivia looked up at the sky. There was no sorrow or anger in her expression. It was a quiet expression that Hamyuts couldn’t have read even by stroking her with Sensory Threads.

“It’s all too big for me. I’m just a fool. I never shouldered anything and I can’t do so. I like myself more than justice or other people’s lives. I’m a simple gal who enjoys life. I’m too scared to do something like destroying the Armed Librarians.”

Kyasariro covered her face. She wasn’t crying. The one who should have been crying was Olivia.

“I’m scared that the current peace will be broken. I’m too scared to fight. I can’t bet on my life like you, Olivia-san.”

“…But was there a need to talk with Mattalast that bastard?”

Olivia said while smiling. She could probably not come to hate Kyasariro.

“As you are you will be killed, Olivia-san. I don’t want that. So I consulted him. I asked him how to settle this without killing you.”

“I don’t want that. He’ll take my memories again. I never want to forget Vend Ruga again. Even if I forget I will recall him again.”

“Yeah. I know that. Because that’s the kind of person you are, Olivia-san.

That’s why Master Matt used his wisdom.”

Kyasariro brought Argax out.

“Matt told me this. Olivia-san, you are probably fighting in order to avenge Vend Ruga. Then you just need to have your revenge.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Director’s the one who killed Vend Ruga… but we’ll erase that memory.”

“…”

“There’s this technique studied by some Bada guy, a researcher from the Indulging God Cult. After erasing one’s memories with Argax, fake memories can be inserted as well.

The Indulging God Cult was the one who killed Vend Ruga. Neither the Director nor the Armed Librarians had anything to do with it.

Both the fact that the Director had known of the Indulging God Cult ten years ago, as well as the fact they are still alive – forget it all. The Cult did everything wrong, and the Armed Librarians did nothing wrong.

It all just needs to become that.”

Olivia listened to her explanation expressionlessly.

“What a horrible man, fiddling with people’s minds like that.”

“But if we do this, we can settle this without you being killed, Olivia-san.”

Olivia sank into silence for a while. Before long she smiled, still silent. Kyasariro quietly stood behind her and struck the back of her head with her palm. Olivia lost her consciousness and collapsed.

Kyasariro held Olivia up. Then she poured water inside Argax and activated it. She used mouth to mouth feeding to make the unconscious Olivia drink the memory-erasing water.

A bit later, she let down the unconscious Olivia and called out.

“Come out, Matt-san. It’s over.”

Mattalast jumped over the fence from inside the premises of Bantorra Library.

“I’m leaving Olivia-san to you. Please keep your promise.”

Mattalast nodded and grabbed the unconscious Olivia.

“I always keep my promises. When she wakes up, Olivia will cleanly forget all about revenge.”

“I see. Thanks.”

Kyasariro turned her back to Mattalast and said her half-hearted thanks. Mattalast once again jumped above the wall and vanished.

“…Director. You’re probably listening.”

Kyasariro said.

“Oh my, how sharp.”

Hamyuts mouthed without thinking. Mirepoc started wondering which part of her report was sharp.

“Please don’t kill Olivia-san. She’s not the kind of person to fight against you. Let her live in peace.”

Hamyuts stood up. Mirepoc asked her where she was going.

“To the restroom. Please wait here.”

Saying so, Hamyuts opened the office’s window and got onto the roof. Mirepoc widened her eyes.

“Director… it can’t be that she became senile while so young, right…?”

Hamyuts ignored Mirepoc and took out her sling. She wrote letters on the stone meant for communication and threw it.

‘Fine.’

Kyasariro picked up the stone that struck her head and read it. She grinned, a relieved expression on her face.

Hamyuts returned to the office from the roof.

“Director, the toilet’s not there.”

“What’re you saying, stupid? That’s obvious.”

Kyasariro sat absentmindedly on the bench for a while afterwards. Then, she poured water into Argax while fiddling with it.

“…I’m really sorry, Olivia-san.”

Saying this, she took a drink. Her face, filled with sorrow, was instantly changed into that of the normal Kyasariro.

“Mm, why am I holding Argax?”

She stared mysteriously at the cup in her hands.

“Did I break someone’s heart? It can’t be Mirepo, right?”

She tilted her head while saying so.

Present – December 28, 1926

Kyasariro and Olivia were speaking amicably in the party.

Hamyuts hung down her Sensory Threads from the roof and checked their state.

It seemed like their indecent talk that kept going for a while had already ended. The mood of the circle of female Armed Librarians surrounding Olivia became somewhat serious.

“So what happened to that person?”

Kyasariro said.

“He died. When I came to him, he was already in his last breath.”

Olivia said while tilting her glass.

“Even the lead weapon Vend Ruga became like that and it was over. He understood me and died.”

Olivia told them about Vend Ruga. Kyasariro and the rest listened to her with great interest.

“Who was he killed by?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The Indulging God Cult. The destiny of a traitor was to be erased.”

“…How poor.”

Tena was being moved to tears.

“I wonder why he betrayed the Indulging God Cult. I have no idea already. I barely knew anything about him. I can’t remember anything other than the warmth of his hand.”

“…How moving.”

“But it’s fine. I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life. Even just remembering his hand’s warmth is enough.”

Olivia said and concluded the story.

Once, the name of Vend Ruga had been completely sealed as something that must not be spoken of. However, Mattalast decided there was no longer any need to keep it a secret.

Olivia’s memories have been altered. There was no need to worry about any secrets being leaked from his existence. The fact that Hamyuts had known the Indulging God Cult ten years ago also stayed in the dark. All threads leading to the Violet Sinner have also been severed.

There was no longer any need to keep it a secret.

“The best way to conceal a secret is by not letting anyone know of its existence.”

Mattalast once said. This time he also used this method.

“The Armed Librarians’ secret which could shake the world is now a simple sob story. Admirable, Mattalast.”

The natural liar Mattalast. I have quite the outrageous man as my subordinate, thought Hamyuts.

“Will this be Olivia’s end, I wonder?”

Hamyuts muttered while looking up at the sky.

It probably will. No matter how she thought of it, there will probably not be any more disturbances coming from Olivia. Since she believed Vend Ruga had already been avenged, she lost her will to fight.

Meaning, the only remaining possibility was with Yanku. What will he do?

Hamyuts wrapped her Sensory Threads around him. She started intently observing his every move.

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