The [Price] of the Deal EP.23 799 41 3

"I have one proposal."

 

 

 

 

"Use me as the test subject instead of Hoshino."

 

 

 

"In return, I'll grant you one wish."

 

 

 

"One wish, you say?"

 

 

 

"Yeah, you invited me in the past because you wanted something from me, didn't you? Besides Hoshino, I mean."

 

 

 

"...."

 

 

 

"Oh, of course, you know I can't grant a wish that harms others, right? Even though I'm the one making the request."

 

 

 

"...So, are you going to do it or not?"

 

 

 

 

 

"Hehehe, I'm surprised you survived in that state."

 

 

 

"Then, as promised, the price of our deal. I shall claim it."

 

 

 

"As the third prophet and one of the celestial triangles at the apex of the Sephira."

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone witnessing this situation would be thinking the same thing.

 

 

 

'Why the hell is this bastard still alive?'

 

 

 

It's a valid question. She was clearly suffering immensely from fear and was bleeding profusely. Anyone would think she'd be dead.

 

 

But for some reason, I'm alive and well. My mind is clear.

 

 

Of course, I've lost a lot of blood, so my body isn't in perfect condition, but I'm alive nonetheless.

 

 

 

If you're wondering how I survived, we need to rewind time a bit... Well, not really in real-time, but from my perspective, it was a while ago.

 

 

.

 

..

 

...

 

 

 

"Where the hell am I now..."

 

 

 

After losing consciousness from fear, I woke up in a place painted entirely black.

 

 

 

"...Am I... dead?"

 

 

 

It wasn't an unreasonable thought. I was in a life-threatening situation before I blacked out.

 

 

 

Of course, if I really did die,

 

 

 

"Then that message was a lie..."

 

 

 

The message I saw when I came here would have been a lie.

 

 

 

"...Ha, haha... Damn..."

 

 

 

'What did I do to deserve this?'

 

 

 

I was just trying to go home after being dragged here against my will.

 

 

 

"Ha, haha... So, what? Is this hell?"

 

 

 

Suicide is usually considered a grave sin. It wouldn't be strange if this was hell.

 

 

It didn't feel like heaven either.

 

 

 

"...Damn, all I wanted was to go home. Is that so much to... Huh? What's that?"

 

 

 

As I was despairing in this grim reality, a doll-like figure appeared before me.

 

 

 

She had long, sky-blue hair and looked somewhat like Nonomi.

 

 

 

"...Is she dead too? Should I try talking to her? Excuse me..."

 

 

 

Relieved to see another person, I tried to speak to her.

 

 

 

"...Huh? Wh-what are you doing?"

 

 

 

"I'm sorry."

 

 

 

Suddenly, the woman prostrated herself before me, begging for forgiveness.

 

 

 

"I'm sorry."

 

 

 

"Uh... Uh? Who are you? Why are you apologizing to me..."

 

 

 

I asked her why she was apologizing.

 

 

 

"I'm sorry."

 

 

 

"No... I mean, who are..."

 

 

 

"I'm sorry."

 

 

 

For some reason, she kept apologizing.

 

 

 

"....Sigh..."

 

 

 

'Should I just ignore her?'

 

 

 

Realizing that conversation was futile, I turned to leave and explore elsewhere.

 

 

 

"My name is Yume."

 

 

 

"....Yes?"

 

 

"I'm the one who brought you here to Kivotos."

 

 

And so, I received the information I wanted to know... or rather, didn't want to know, and unwillingly, I survived.

 

 

 

But maybe it's because I survived again. Or perhaps it's because I learned the truth. When I woke up, I was a little grumpy.

 

 

 

Specifically, at Hoshino.

 

 

 

Of course, I know it's not Hoshino's fault.

 

 

 

It was the man in black and Yume who brought me here. Hoshino didn't lend a hand, nor did she know about this.

 

 

 

...But still, human emotions are hard to control.

 

 

 

And so, driven by a slightly mischievous feeling, I ended up taking a certain action.

 

 

 

A prank where I pretended to be dead right in front of them.

 

 

 

I had heard that halos briefly disappear, so I decided to pretend to be dead when mine vanished. I immediately put my plan into action.

 

 

"Ugh... No... Sora-chan... Wake up..."

 

 

 

And that's how we got here.

 

 

 

'Was I too harsh?'

 

 

 

I did it out of a bit of spite, but even without opening my eyes, I knew I had messed up big time.

 

 

 

'B-but this much is okay, right?'

 

 

 

Honestly, I was in the wrong, but I figured this level of mischief was acceptable. I'm a victim too...

 

 

 

"Sob... Ugh..."

 

 

 

Victim... Damn it, I was wrong.

 

 

 

Why else would she be crying like that? It's my fault.

 

 

 

'...Now I have to let them know I'm alive...'

 

 

 

Should I get up now...?

 

 

 

Everyone is crying because they think I'm dead. Is this the right time to get up?

 

 

 

'...Should I observe the situation a little longer?'

 

 

 

If I got up now, the outcome was obvious. So, feeling guilty, I decided to peek through my eyelids and monitor the situation.

 

 

 

'I'm screwed.'

 

 

 

Of course, all I could feel was that I was utterly screwed.

 

 

 

Seeing everyone crying, not just Hoshino, filled me with guilt.

 

 

 

Especially when Sensei pulled out the "adult's card"....

 

 

 

'No, no, no, why is he taking that out!?'

 

 

 

Is he planning to revive me with the adult's card?

 

 

 

Of course, it might be possible with the adult's card...

 

 

 

'The problem is, I'm very much alive.'

 

 

 

This is really bad. I have to stop him, and fast.

 

If he uses the adult's card to save me, even though I'm alive, he'll be wasting his time.

 

 

Even if the card doesn't work because I'm alive, if it does activate, I'm screwed.

 

 

 

 

The cost of saving someone wouldn't be cheap.

 

 

 

"Sen...!"

 

 

 

Just as I gave up on pretending to be dead and was about to call out to Sensei,

 

 

 

Rumble!

 

 

 

 

 

"Wh-what was that?!"

 

 

 

"W-what's happening?!"

 

 

 

"...."

 

 

 

The ground beneath us shook, and suddenly,

 

 

 

'Damn it.'

 

 

 

Appearing from the ground right before us was a being that shouldn't be here.

 

 

 

One of the infamous prophets,

 

 

 

'Why are you showing up now...'

 

 

 

Binah revealed herself before us.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

 

'Why are you showing up now...'

 

 

 

Binah, who shouldn't appear in the story at this point, manifested before us.

 

 

 

This meant only one thing.

 

 

 

'Is this the price, man in black?'

 

 

 

The man in black had a hand in this.

 

 

 

He knew a lot about the prophets. Whether he lured Binah here or something else, he was the only one who could have summoned her.

 

 

 

'...Seriously, give me a break...'

 

 

 

Making a deal with the man in black was a bad idea after all.

 

 

 

Ziiing!!

 

 

 

Before I could lament my situation, Binah spotted us, and a beam of light began to condense in her mouth.

 

 

 

The target of the laser, of course, was

 

 

 

'What a damn nuisance...'

 

 

 

Me.

 

 

 

The man in black probably wanted me to fight Binah, so he made her target only me.

 

 

 

But right now, I'm pretending to be dead.

 

 

 

"....."

 

 

 

The others were at a distance, so they would be fine, but Hoshino, who was closest to me, wasn't moving, thinking I was dead.

 

 

 

Even if the others tried to pull Hoshino away, there wasn't enough time.

 

 

 

In other words, Hoshino was in danger.

 

 

 

'...I have no choice.'

 

 

 

I'll deal with the consequences later, but I can't just stand here.

 

 

 

I'm nervous about not having my halo... but if I die like this, it might be for the best.

 

 

 

Besides, even if I survive,

 

 

 

'My future self will handle it.'

 

 

 

"Hoshino, I'm borrowing your shield."

 

 

 

"....Huh?"

 

 

 

And so, thinking that my future self would take care of things, I grabbed Hoshino's shield and stood up.

 

 

 

"Go ahead and shoot, you worm."

 

 

KABOOOOM!!!

 

 

I took Binah's massive laser head-on.