Anxiety alone occupied Rui Utsurugi’s heart.
She wanted to rush to Hinata’s aid on the ground immediately.
But abandoning the people would sadden Hinata.
Rui was dedicating herself to preventing casualties for that reason alone.
—Behind her, in her blind spot.
Hidden by a flashy vortex of flames, a single knife was approaching Rui.
Only when it reached a fatal distance,
“——”
Slowly.
In a world moving in slow motion.
Rui noticed the weapon behind her.
The knife that would surely pierce her in less than a second.
But her divine gift lux was already activated multiple times.
Even for her, instantaneous activation in this state was difficult.
Avoiding it was impossible.
In Rui’s eyes, anticipating her own future, a slight but certain color of fear appeared.
The moment the short sword was about to touch her back.
The knife falls with a thud.
A deadly weapon capable of taking her own life. She’s surprised at how weakly it touched her, as if poking at something fragile.
Her confusion lasts only a moment.
Recently, Rui witnessed a similar phenomenon.
“…!”
She quickly scans her surroundings—and spots that figure.
A black robe adorned with red spider lily patterns.
With the hood pulled low over my eyes, I walk into the hall amidst the fierce battle.
As I approach quietly, several people begin to notice me.
All of them, both men and women, fix their eyes on me.
Of course they would.
After all, this robe is identical to the one worn by .
Among them, a large man lowers his guard, while a girl bares her hostility.
They are and Rui.
Since both know that I am , the recognition interference doesn’t work on them.
“What do you want, ?”
The large man breaks the silence.
I notice Hinata’s body tense up at the name that leaves his mouth.
“Here…”
I softly begin my response.
—…Hurry.
” is not here. Nor will she come.”
“Huh…?”
wears a puzzled expression at my cryptic words.
Not just him, but the other members and the two angels were also staring at me.
—…Hurry up.
“I happened to be alone nearby. Now I can talk to you without her knowing.”
“Is that so? Then get to the point quickly. As you can see, we’re in the middle of something fun.”
Everyone was on guard against each other.
If this conversation ends, the melee would likely resume immediately—a delicate balance.
“Well then, I’ll get straight to the point… I came to give you an answer about the other day.”
“The other day?”
tilts his thick neck.
—Hurry…!
“Ah, the recruitment.”
“Yes, didn’t you say, ‘Join me instead of ‘?”
“—!”
The two Exia, guardians of the Tenkyoku, react to this information about the executives.
They’re surprised by this rare insight into the enemy’s upper echelons.
—Hurry up…!!
“So you came all the way here, ditching …”
curls up the corners of his mouth into a grin.
Intoxicated by the prospect of expanding his faction, I return a friendly smile to his grin.
“Yes. I…”
I don’t really want to betray Kushina, even if it’s a lie.
But if I can use even this moment to buy time.
“I… will become ‘s subordinate—”
—It happened without a sound.
Interrupting ‘s laughing words, something flashed at the edge of my vision.
A streak of silver, like a shooting star—no, it was an “arrow.”
From its arrowhead to its feathers, it was a uniform silver color, like a mirror.
An invisible arrow reflecting the surrounding scenery.
Only because time seems to flow slowly can I barely perceive it.
As if driving a nail into tofu.
It pierced smoothly into the ground at ‘s feet.
“…!?”
Only then did finally notice it.
He and I turn simultaneously in the direction the arrow came from.
But there’s no one there.
Just a wall of glass windows.
—No.
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Beyond the glass, past the towering buildings.
There stands an exceptionally large building.
With the majestic appearance of a white castle—the 10th Branch of [Prim-Libra].
It’s easily several kilometers away.
Yet I’m certain.
This arrow was shot from that place.
‘s judgment was quick.
“You lot, retreat! Carry those lying on the ground!”
No sooner said than done, he strikes the ground with both arms.
The ground explodes, instantly covering the area in dust.
probably intends to escape underground.
Indeed, it’s possible now.
That man may seem rough, but he has a keen eye for tactics.
Of course, he had even this in mind.
—I’ve won this gamble…!
I only needed to buy a little time.
Just enough to prevent Hinata and the others from being defeated as they would have been originally.
That’s all it took for this to happen.
[Lately, I’ve been chased around by that silver woman from your side. I can’t rampage to my heart’s content.]
himself said so.
The silver woman—that’s Rinne Yaotome.
The strongest Exia of the 10th Branch.
If she’s pursuing , she’ll surely take notice of this situation.
Even would be at a disadvantage if he made an enemy of her.
He has no choice but to retreat.
“…”
I turn on my heel and, under cover of the dust, put away the black robe.
Then I slip into a nearby store.
Slumping against the wall,
“—Haaaaaah…!! That was so nerve-wracking!!”
I let out a big breath, as if to shake off all the tension from before.
—At an altitude of about 250 meters, on the rooftop of the 10th Branch of [Prim-Libra, the White Scales of Cyclic Protection].
A female, neither girl nor woman, was standing in the wind.
Her silver hair flutters gracefully.
Atop the white castle, she wears a jet-black military uniform.
Gothic Lolita-style decorations are scattered here and there.
In her hand, she holds a longbow disproportionate to her small frame.
“That red spider lily robe, must be a subordinate of mentioned in the reports.”
Her soliloquy plays a melody befitting her androgynous beauty.
She recalls the actions of ‘s subordinate, .
“He stood in a perfect position, not obstructing my line of fire, yet not alerting to the possibility of outside sniping. …Coincidence? No, he stood there without hesitation. —As if he knew I would aim there.”
With a wry smile, she dismisses her own wild speculation.
“After all, that would make him seem like an ally of ours, of Libra.”
—On this day, two rookie Exia engaged in combat with , a prominent member of [Nega-Messiah], and over a dozen of his subordinates.
The girls barely managed to withstand the enemy’s offensive, preventing any civilian casualties.
This incident greatly improved the reputation of [Prim-Libra] and further elevated the fame of the two who accomplished this feat.
For a while after this, public opinion will be abuzz about them.
—Despite their own conflicted feelings.
“And that’s the gist of what happened today.”
Forced to sit formally.
I relay the day’s events to Kushina, who stands in the kitchen wearing an apron.
Of course, including my attempt to betray Kushina and join .
The sound of a knife tapping on a cutting board continues.
“Hmm.”
All I get is an offhand reply.
Having embraced her passionately as soon as I got back (as compensation), she seems a bit miffed.
“It’s fine, isn’t it? You did it to help Hinata and the others. I don’t like ‘s methods either.”
Kushina glances at me over her shoulder, then returns to cooking.
“As for Rui Utsurugi… well, if it comes down to it, I’ll help too.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
She answers tersely, not stopping her cooking.
When Kushina is like this, she’s usually thinking about something important.
It seems she’s not angry after all.
I thought for sure she’d reproach me for my tightrope-walking relationship with Rui…
“…”
As the atmosphere doesn’t feel right for me to move, I remain seated formally, which forces me to think.
—I’m not the real Ibuki Ibusuki.
In a sense, I’m an outsider to this world—this stage called “Watayume.”
After all, I’m just an otaku spectator, merely observing the brilliant characters on the stage.
And yet, I had changed the story of a girl named Hinata Soehi.
The incident with Rui, and now this.
Events significantly different from the original story have occurred.
The Rui incident is just me being hated, so that’s fine.
But
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