Road to Paradise (4) - 47

Several days passed... and then came the Eden Treaty.

A promise of harmony to stop hating each other.

A promise of unity that the Student Council President, before her disappearance, had so desperately wanted to push forward.

"That tragic future is ultimately coming true."

Yurizono Seia watches it all unfold in the world of dreams.

"To believe in the children, living for an ideal... this is the result. I don't want to see a bad ending, so I remain in this world. I'll overlook the strange things done in my form... but in the end, it's a dream-like conclusion."

Fate cannot be changed.

"The Student Council President, Trinity, Gehenna, no one can change this tragedy. Sensei. The things you will experience are a fixed fate that cannot be avoided or changed."

Seia gazes at the empty sky with hollow eyes, watching the dream that is becoming the present.

The Eden Treaty is in full swing in Trinity. In front of the Old Cathedral of Communion.

In the airship above Trinity, Gehenna's Pandemonium Society was watching the scene of the Eden Treaty, and on the ground, the Tea Party and the Prefect Team were present.

For security, there were members of Gehenna's Prefect Team, the Pandemonium Society's honor guard, Trinity's Justice Task Force, the Tea Party's honor guard, and the Sisterhood.

"The Eden Treaty...... Will this change many things?"

Sensei asked, looking at the scene of the event, which was like a festival. Sensei, who had his mask down to his chin because of his changed appearance today. Hasumi answered, looking at Sensei.

"Yes. It will...... There may be many who dislike Gehenna like me, but there will be many who don't want to fight, just like me."

"In the first place, the very idea of hating is wrong. I'm worried that because of such feelings, the Eden Treaty will become meaningless......"

"Hmm, Sensei is quite negative today. And you have a lot of bandages on your body."

"......That's true."

Sensei watches it from around the Old Cathedral of Communion. His eyes were somewhat hollow, as if empty. And he was feeling an unknown sense of foreboding.

"Mika, in the end, didn't come."

"She hates Gehenna more than I do."

After handing over the host position back to Nagisa, Mika completely abstained from the Eden Treaty and remained in the Tea Party room. It was natural for her, who had a fundamental dislike for Gehenna.

All the high-ranking members of the Tea Party, except for Mika, were present. Gehenna also had all the high-ranking members of the Pandemonium Society and the executives of the Prefect Team on the ground.

At most, only Makoto, the chairman of the Pandemonium Society, and her executives were in the airship above. All other key figures were conducting the Eden Treaty in front of the Old Cathedral of Communion.

Not only the Kronos School but also various media outlets gathered to publicize the historic moment, and students from various schools, not just Trinity and Gehenna, gathered with interest, making it an important place of unity that might become a festival for a future anniversary.

Just as Nagisa and Hina were about to shake hands and the Eden Treaty was about to be concluded.

Sensei saw something huge flying in from the far side of the sky.

KWAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!

The huge missile that fell on the Cathedral overturned heaven and earth, causing an explosion that blew everything away.

"Ugh...... What was that, just now."

Sensei, who was safe thanks to Arona's protection, staggers up from his seat, and Hasumi, who was next to him, gets up with injuries.

"First, get out of here......"

Hasumi staggers and advises Sensei to escape, and as expected, students in familiar uniforms appear around them.

"Wait, why is that girl here?"

"It's a Squad......?"

"No, that name tag... It's definitely Sensei from Schale. Squad wouldn't be here in the first place."

"Ari, us......"

Dozens of students approach Sensei and Hasumi. Arius Branch School had raided the scene of the Eden Treaty.

In the sky, an exploding and falling airship could be seen, and around the Arius students, nuns of unknown identity appeared.

{Sensei! You need to get out of here quickly! Most of the energy was used up in that explosion!}

"......Got it."

"Go ahead. I'll take care of this."

Hasumi buys time for Sensei to escape. Sensei quickly runs away from the scene.

Arius students chase after Sensei, shooting at him. The nuns around them, for some reason, don't chase or attack Sensei but attack other students.

"You! That name tag...... Are you Sensei from Schale?"

"You're, Hina..."

While running away, he runs into an injured Hina. Hina momentarily aimed her gun, but she recognized Sensei by the name tag around his neck.

"I don't know why you're wearing the same uniform as them...... but hurry up. If you die, it's all over."

Recalling the previous incident of the Student Council President's disappearance, Hina protects her. Even though she was pushing herself quite hard, she was concerned about Sensei's safety first.

Countless bullets and RPG rounds fly towards them.

Kwaaaang!

"Ugh!"

"Sensei!"

Sensei falls from the impact, and Arona's barrier reaches its limit. Hina hurriedly tried to take her and escape, but everyone was targeting Hina first.

One person approaches them.

"I finally found you, Sensei of Schale........."

"..........."

It was Saori, the leader of the Arius Squad. She had come in person to finish off Sensei... but then she saw Sensei lying on the ground, her eyes widened, and she panicked.

"Saori......"

"......Misaki. Why, are you..."

Today, Sensei was in the form of Arius Squad member Imashino Misaki.

Having met her before in Azusa's form, Sensei knew this form. Knowing how his current form would appear to Saori, Sensei felt a sense of pity.

"What is that look...... Are you mocking me?"

"Sorry, it's not my intention..."

"...I heard that the appearance of Sensei from Schale was shrouded in mystery, but you had the ability to transform into others. Well, it's not strange for an outsider like the Madame... So, you appear as Misaki to my eyes?"

"Everyone's form, Saori..."

"......How do you know my name?"

Saori was looking down at Sensei, aiming her gun.

Saori's gun was shaking as she looked at Sensei, who was calling her by her name in Misaki's form.

Right now, she could kill Sensei. Arona's barrier was at its limit. Sensei didn't know if his body could withstand bullets like other students.

Saori knew nothing about the barrier or Sensei's condition. She was just thinking of eliminating Sensei here.

But......

"Saori...... Don't do this."

"........"

Seeing Sensei speaking in Misaki's form and voice, Saori's gun wavered.

She could kill him right now...... but she couldn't shoot.

All the members of the Arius Squad are precious. But if they become enemies, she is prepared to shoot. She could do it to Azusa or Hiyori, whom she raised herself. But there are two people she could never do it to.

They are Atsuko and Misaki.

The princess of Arius, and the reason she endures all the pain and takes on all the dirty work as the leader of the Squad is to protect Atsuko.

And Misaki...... was her younger sister who had despaired of reality many times and tried to take her own life. Her younger sister whom she had saved many times. Her classmate, her younger sister, and her friend understood her the most.

A friend who had tried to commit suicide many times by cutting her neck and wrists, who had thrown herself many times, wishing for death...... a friend she wanted to live.

"You're...... not this kind of person, Saori."

Sensei, having learned about Saori when he met her in Azusa's form before. She believed in the goodness that still remained in Saori's heart. Because it was still possible to turn everything back. Because Arius could surely be saved.

Sensei remembered the time he spent with the Arius Squad that day.

Saori looked at Sensei with trembling eyes, then closed her eyes tightly.

BANG!!!

"Ah──"

The trembling gun barrel pierced Sensei's abdomen instead of his head. Sensei looked down at the blood flowing from his abdomen, touching it with his hand. Then, Sensei lost consciousness and collapsed.

"Sensei!!!"

"............"

Hina's scream echoed, and Saori looked at Sensei with shocked eyes. It was definitely Sensei, a different person. Nevertheless, perhaps because of his appearance...

It felt as if she had killed Misaki with her own hands. Saori's hand trembled as she lowered her gun. Soon, a vehicle from Gehenna's Emergency Medicine Club came, running over the Arius students.

Hina desperately fought off the students, picked up Sensei, and threw him to Sena, who had driven the car. Sena quickly put Sensei in the car, administered first aid, and drove away from the scene.

Hina fights alone against Arius to stop the pursuit.

"Leader? What's wrong?"

"......Misaki."

"What is it?"

"...No, it's nothing."

Misaki arrived at the scene a little later and joined them. Saori couldn't look Misaki in the eye, even when she called her name.

"Saori!!!"

"...Azusa is here, Leader."

"......"

"Leader?"

"...Ugh!"

"......Everyone, take the Leader and retreat. I'll take care of this."

Seeing Misaki's face, and then seeing Azusa running towards them with an angry face...... Saori recalled shooting Sensei with her own hands and retched. She remembered the day they had laughed together while having a meal that was too good for them...

The exaggerated thought that she had betrayed Azusa and killed Misaki consumed her mind.