The Total War Without Me EP.24

"My name is Yume."

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

"...What?"

 

 

 

What did this woman just say? The one who brought me here?

 

 

 

The woman who identified herself as Yume.

 

 

 

I couldn't wrap my head around her sudden confession.

 

 

 

So.

 

 

 

"Say that again."

 

 

 

I grabbed her by the collar and asked again.

 

 

 

The one who brought me here? What did she mean by that?

 

 

 

"I-I... I called you to Kivotos."

 

 

 

"...Ha, haha."

 

 

 

"Cough! Cough!"

 

 

 

Could it be?

 

 

 

"Th-This is... inside your mind... You're not dead... yet."

 

 

 

Could it be that, in a place like this,

 

 

 

"The reason I... appeared like this is..."

 

 

 

I'm encountering the mastermind.

 

 

 

"Hey, shut up for a sec."

 

 

 

Yume? I know who she is. Hoshino's senior and the missing student council president, right?

 

 

 

But no matter how precious she is to Hoshino, I can't bring myself to say anything nice.

 

 

 

"...Let me ask you one thing."

 

 

 

"...W-What is it?"

 

 

 

"I've been really, really, *really* curious about this ever since I reincarnated here."

 

 

 

"Why me?"

 

 

 

"...Huh?"

 

 

 

"Why?"

 

 

 

"Out of all the people, why did you take me, living a good life, and reincarnate me into Kivotos?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fizzle

 

 

 

"Cough! Cough!"

 

 

 

'Wow, I actually survived that...'

 

 

 

Just before Binah's laser hit me,

 

 

 

Thankfully, a halo appeared above my head again, and I was able to block Binah's laser, even while coughing up blood.

 

 

I guess this is what they call a close call.

 

 

 

...But,

 

 

 

Tick, tick!

 

 

 

'Why are you flickering?'

 

 

 

It was fortunate that the halo reappeared at the right time, but for some reason, the newly formed halo was dull and flickering erratically, as if it was unstable.

 

 

 

Like it could break... right now...

 

 

 

"Sora... chan?"

 

 

 

"...Ah."

 

 

 

'Oh, right, Hoshino's here...'

 

 

 

"Uh... um... well..."

 

 

 

'W-What should I say in this situation?'

 

 

 

I've never died and come back to life before. I don't know what to say in a situation like this.

 

 

 

"Ah... um..."

 

 

 

'L-Let's just say something...'

 

 

 

I racked my brain and slowly turned my head to face Hoshino, who was calling me from behind.

 

 

 

"G-Good morning, Hoshino..."

 

 

 

Then,

 

 

 

Grab!

 

 

 

"Whoa!"

 

 

 

Hoshino rushed over and hugged me tightly.

 

 

 

"I'm so glad... I'm so glad... I didn't lose you this time..."

 

 

 

"...Ahaha, sorry for making you worry, Hoshino..."

 

 

 

'I'm really sorry.'

 

 

 

As we were having this dramatic reunion, the others gathered around me as well.

 

 

 

"Sora-chan!"

 

 

 

"Sora!"

 

 

 

"Sora-senpai!"

 

 

 

"Senpai, are you okay!?"

 

 

 

"Ah, yeah. I'm fine. Just a little cold and my whole body hurts like hell, but other than that, I'm fine."

 

 

 

Especially after blocking Binah's laser, I feel like collapsing right now, but I'm okay.

 

 

 

"That doesn't sound fine at all!?"

 

 

 

"Haha."

 

 

 

'Man, Serika's consistent, which is nice~'

 

 

 

...But still.

 

 

 

Whirr!

 

 

 

Shouldn't we be running away soon...?

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

"Alright, everyone, the enemy is one of the Prophets, named Binah. Be careful, as she mainly uses lasers and missiles."

 

 

 

["""""Yes!"""""]

 

 

 

"Man, I never thought I'd actually see a Binah Total Assault with this many people~

 

 

 

 

"The Problem Solver 68, the After-School Sweets Club, and even Hina's party from Gehenna. My heart is pounding with excitement~"

 

 

 

Of course,

 

 

 

"Oh, Sora, you have to stay by my side, okay?"

 

 

 

"Okay..."

 

 

 

It would have been better if I wasn't the only one left out.

 

 

 

I originally planned to participate too.

 

 

 

I had a bad feeling about this.

 

 

 

The reason for the Total Assault was Binah targeting me, after all.

 

 

 

I felt responsible and wanted to help.

 

 

 

'...Huh? Are you asking if I just want to participate because I want to die?'

 

 

 

Hey~ I know my limits. Of course, with my current condition, I might end up dying in the fight against Binah, but after making Hoshino worry so much just now, I can't do that to her again, no matter what.

 

 

 

If I'm going to die, I'd rather do it somewhere Hoshino can't see.

 

 

 

Anyway, I really wanted to join the fight against Binah.

 

 

 

But,

 

 

 

"No."

 

 

 

"But... my condition isn't that bad... and it's kind of my fault..."

 

 

 

"Absolutely not."

 

 

 

Hoshino was vehemently opposed, so I had no choice but to stay quietly by Sensei's side.

 

 

 

'...How can I refuse when she's making that face?... Honestly, it was terrifying...'

 

 

 

So, I really had no choice but to sit out of the fight.

 

 

 

"Then, Sora-chan has to stay here quietly?"

 

 

 

"Okay..."

 

 

 

Maybe she came to check on me before the battle, but Hoshino approached me and gently hugged me, saying,

 

 

 

"...Can't we really fight together..."

 

 

 

"No."

 

 

 

"...Okay."

 

 

 

'I guess it's really not possible...'

 

 

 

Her expression was more relaxed than before, but not completely.

 

 

 

Well, it's not surprising, considering I just pretended to die right in front of her.

 

 

 

I hope she'll relax later. Yeah.

 

 

 

...I really hope she does.

 

 

 

I'm already being confined sometimes, and I don't even want to imagine anything more than that.

 

 

 

'...What? Are you saying that's actually a good thing? No, that's because you've never been confined before. Do you know how hard it is to be confined?'

 

 

"Uhehe, don't worry, Sora-chan. We'll finish this quickly. I'm worried about your body too, so we'll finish up fast and go to the hospital."

 

 

 

"...Okay."

 

 

 

'Hospital... I don't really want to go...'

 

 

 

I'll have to consider making a run for it later, at the right time.

 

 

 

"I'll be back, Sora-chan."

 

 

 

"Okay, see you later."

 

 

 

Hoshino seemed satisfied with my response. She was still a bit awkward, but she smiled brightly and turned to join the others.

 

 

 

"Sigh..."

 

 

 

'I'm still a bit worried...'

 

 

 

I watched Hoshino walk away, unable to shake off my unease.

 

 

 

"...Well, I guess they'll finish this quickly."

 

 

 

Even if it was just the After-School Sweets Club, it would be one thing, but Problem Solver 68 and Hina, Gehenna's Prefect Team leader, are here too.

 

 

 

There are two of the strongest fighters here, right? So it's probably just unnecessary worrying.

 

 

 

'Of course, I can't help but worry...'

 

 

 

"...Well, it should be fine."

 

 

 

'More importantly... I need to deal with this person.'

 

 

 

I looked at Yume, who had been silently watching me all this time, and asked,

 

"So, are you really not going to tell Hoshino anything?"

 

"...."