Chapter 84: Beyond the Veil of Forgetfulness

The smoke of battle had finally cleared, yet the sky remained dark beneath the heavy clouds. Cutting through that gloom, a single aircraft streaked across the heavens, trailing a line of light behind it.

"Ugh…!"

"You okay!? Can you still hold on!?"

"No problem! Hurry!"

Having recovered Sensei, Mayumi and the Arius unit were now speeding toward the Arius Autonomous Zone—to Beatrice’s side.

"I-I can’t hold on much longer…!"

"Grab on."

"Th-thank you…!"

Clinging desperately to a small protrusion meant to serve as a windbreak, they pressed forward, using the rare moments of calm to rest their weary bodies.

"...Mayumi. It might sound strange to ask this now, but—can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

Saori’s voice came through the comms, the wind howling and static crackling in between.

"It’s about the person you’ve been looking for."

"...You have a lead?"

Now that the chaos had finally subsided, Mayumi realized how completely the topic had been buried until now. There wasn’t much they could do mid-flight except rest and talk—so she decided to listen.

"Before that, I never asked—what’s your relationship with that person?"

"…Ten years ago, during the civil war. They protected us. They’re… my savior."

"Ten years ago…"

Kirihana Suou had appeared before Saori and the others nine years ago. The timing didn’t quite match—but it wasn’t impossible. Except for one detail: back then, Suou would’ve still been a child.

"Dark brown hair, gas mask, short, boyish speech, a hand cannon—that sound right?"

"Yes, that’s them! Wait—you actually know something!?"

Mayumi’s voice spiked, trembling with excitement. It was no surprise—she’d spent ten years searching. What if they’d already died? What if she’d never see them again? That fear had haunted her every day—and now, a spark of hope flickered.

"...Hey, Saori. Could it really be—"

"Yeah… it shouldn’t be possible, but knowing her, I wouldn’t put it past her."

"R-right… that sounds exactly like something Suou would do, haha…"

Yet despite Mayumi’s rising hope, the Arius Squad’s reactions were hesitant—murky. They seemed to have an idea, but no certainty. In truth, it was more likely they were wrong. Their voices wavered somewhere between belief and doubt.

"But… is that even possible? During the civil war, Suou would’ve been, like, six years old…"

"Suou…? You mean Suou is the person you’re talking about?"

Azusa, who hadn’t met Kirihana Suou at the time, was completely lost. She thought she’d disguised her voice enough that Sensei wouldn’t notice—but it still sounded unmistakably like her.

"Wait, wouldn’t Atsuko know more about this? What do you think?"

"…No. Back then… they didn’t really let me get involved in that kind of stuff. I don’t even remember hearing Suou’s name or seeing her face."

"Could it have been an alias?"

The squad traded guesses, trying to piece together scraps of memory and logic. Then—

"Ugh! Who are you people even talking about!? Let me in on this conversation already!!"

"Whoa—whoooa!? P-please don’t shake the plane!!"

Mayumi had clearly lost her patience—her whole body showing it—nearly tossing a few passengers into open air.

"If it weren’t for the safety harnesses, we’d be done for…!"

"Mayumi, calm down—!"

"Eep, s-sorry…!"

Even Sensei’s strained voice crackled through the comms, caught up in the chaos.

"No, that was our bad too… Mayumi, have you ever seen Suou’s rope?"

"Rope…?"

Mayumi paused—then remembered. That white one.

"It’s ridiculously tough, no clue what it’s made of… and it moves like it’s alive…"

"That’s probably her technique at work."

"That makes it even creepier!!"

"Yeah… it was a nightmare during training too…"

It had been a little over a year since Suou started using that thing. If you dropped your guard for even a second during drills, you’d end up tied up and staring down the barrel of her gun. Even now, they could all vividly recall that eerie precision.

"What is that thing even made of…?"

"Suou’s hair."

Azusa said it casually—and Mayumi froze, needing a moment to process.

"She’s insane! That’s like some kind of cursed object!!"

"Haha… cursed object…"

"I was shocked too when I first heard. Her hair just… suddenly got shorter."

They’d grown used to it over time, but in truth, it was anything but normal. Even coming up with the idea was strange—but actually doing it? And that length… She must have spent years growing it out, only to weaponize it.

After a beat of realization, Mayumi’s voice trembled.

"With that length… she must’ve been growing it for at least ten years, r-right…?"

"…"

She spoke the thought aloud—and suddenly, the connection struck her like lightning.

"Suou’s rope has streaks of dark brown in it. Not burn marks—just natural color. Nine years ago, that was her original hair color."

"…"

"She uses a hand cannon. She’s shorter than Azusa. And she used to wear a gas mask."

"Saori… you mean… you’re saying Kirihana Suou is… that person?"

Mayumi’s voice shook, barely containing the emotion welling inside her.

"You’re saying she’s the one I’ve been looking for all this time…?"

"…It’s only a theory."

She tried to sound cautious—but everyone present felt the same unspoken certainty. The pieces fit. Her personality, her actions—everything.

"Nine years ago, she suddenly appeared before us. Said something absurd about making us her sisters."

"That’s completely absurd!"

Mayumi groaned; even Asiri’s old stories hadn’t prepared her for how bizarre it sounded when said aloud.

"…Still, it’s true she saved us. Once Suou arrived, life got a lot easier. She was always bright, always smiling. I relied on her more times than I can count."

Saori spoke with a faint, nostalgic smile—then added something that anchored her suspicion.

"…That brightness… once, just once, it vanished. Right in front of me. She said she’d killed someone. Because of her own mistake."

Among them all, the one most convinced was Saori.

"I’ve always wondered… where did that happen? Why did Suou make that face? If it was during an internal conflict where a halo-destroying bomb was used, it wouldn’t be impossible."

"……"

—What…!? That bomb…!? A halo-destroying bomb!?

A faint fragment of “her” memory resurfaced within Mayumi’s mind.
Those words—“halo-destroying bomb.” She didn’t know exactly what it was, but she could guess enough from the name—and from Suou’s attitude. Whatever it was, it killed people.

"……We once seriously tried to drive her out. All of us together."

"Ah, that brings back memories…"

It was far too dangerous to be called a nostalgic story, yet a memory nonetheless. Hiyori narrowed her eyes, trying to sink into recollection—only to shiver at the terror it brought back.

"……And the result?"

"Total defeat. She dodged every one of our attacks, and we collapsed from exhaustion."

"……Yeah. Suou wasn’t even fighting seriously. I think… even against high schoolers, she would’ve won."

"……!"

Bit by bit, Mayumi’s doubts solidified into conviction. Uncertainty turned to inevitability.

"Come to think of it, Suou’s always been knowledgeable about everything. From the very first time we met, she already knew all our names. I never understood why… but she’s far, far more than she looks."

"……I see."

At last, Mayumi could no longer deny it. That person—her benefactor—

"Suou-san… it was you…!! You were the one who saved me back then…!!"

Without a doubt—it was Kirihana Suou. The very same person she’d seen that day.

She wanted to thank her. To talk to her. To say “thank you for saving me,” and “thank you for showing me the way.”
For that, she absolutely had to save Suou.

"But… there’s still something that doesn’t make sense."

"Suou once said she knew the future. Not only that—she claimed to have lived somewhere else, for a long time."

"……"

"Judging from what everyone’s said… maybe that wasn’t a bluff after all."

The half-truth Suou had shared only with Sensei—the one caught between lies and reality—had been nothing more than another bluff.
A truth meant to conceal a deeper lie.

"……All the more reason to hurry now!!"

"Wait! If you raise the output any higher—!"

"Ah, can’t. The output’s already at its limit."

"……What?"

As if obeying Mayumi’s words, the machine gradually powered down, its engines dimming as it began to descend toward the ground.

"Hey!! We’re still far from Madam’s location!!"

"Look."

"……? That’s…!"

Following where Mayumi pointed, they spotted the airship Suou had taken earlier—surrounded by countless members of the Justina Council of Saints.
Beneath it, flames and toxic smoke rose in thick, spiraling plumes.

They were still far away, but close enough that Saori and the others could make out the scene with their sharp eyes.

"Then we need to hurry even more—"

"That’s not an option… look."

She shifted her finger slightly, pointing toward a crimson glow ahead—a machine with a faint, magnetic shimmer.
It looked remarkably similar to Mayumi’s own device, weaving through the air as it dodged projectiles fired from the ground.

"Anti-air missiles…! They predicted an aerial approach…!!"

"Hey, what’s that machine anyway? It looks kinda like yours."

"Ah, that one…"

Lowering her mechanical finger with a faint metallic click, Mayumi watched as the red craft evaded the final missile lock and accelerated toward them.

"Let’s call her… a self-proclaimed hero."

"Mayumi!! Finally found you!"

The red machine gouged into the ground as it decelerated, landing heavily before them.

"You’re as reckless as ever, Sayuri."

"Heh, that’s only because your invention’s so well-made! This baby lets me pull off stunts like that."

She struck a confident pose and glanced toward the camera feed showing Saori and her team.

"So, you’re the famous Arius Squad, huh? I’ve heard the gist of things—but introductions first.
I’m Hiroto Sayuri, same as Mayumi here—former Arius."

"Saori Joumae. We appreciate your cooperation in this."

"No problem. It’s only natural… besides, there might just be a hero here."

"…A hero?"

What was she talking about? Saori had no idea, but she tried to deny it outright.

"There is one. Right here."

Mayumi’s quiet words cut through the air.

"……I see. So you found her, didn’t you, Mayumi?"

"……Yeah."

The two seemed to understand each other completely—though no one else could follow what they meant.

"So then… what’s our next move?"

There wasn’t time to dwell on the cryptic exchange. Saori forced the conversation forward, refocusing on the crisis at hand.

"I got the situation from Mayumi’s transmission. I left everything in Gehenna to the others, so our focus is rescuing Kirihana Suou—she’s beneath that airship, right? Still… it’s not looking great."

"Is that so…"

"Yeah. The ground’s filled with traps, and most paths are blocked by rockfalls. I thought we could approach from the air, but it looks like those black ones already have countermeasures in place."

She ran a frustrated hand along her scorched, dented armor—the aftermath of the Justina Council’s earlier strike—and let out a sharp breath, unable to mask her irritation.

"You could just blow the rocks away, couldn’t you?"

"That’s what I thought too, but—"

Sayuri lifted a nearby boulder and hurled it down one of the blocked routes.
A heartbeat later, it exploded violently, scattering shards in every direction.

"Yeah. Every path’s like this. They’re dead serious about keeping us out."

"That’s… not going to be easy."

"With those guys up there, taking them out from the air’s tricky too. So, what now…?"

"……"

For Suou, Mayumi’s machine wasn’t something she could’ve predicted.
And yet, such meticulous countermeasures had been set up against them.

In the distance, flames and noxious smoke coiled skyward—traces of Suou’s battle.
Her possible death felt more and more tangible, closing in like a shadow ready to swallow them whole.

"What do we do…!?"

Her breathing grew erratic, composure slipping away. Her thoughts blurred white. Every breath came shallow and tight. What should they do—? Her mind began to spiral when—

"……Sensei. Get out of the cockpit."

"‘What…?’"

"Just do it."

Mayumi’s voice cut through the static like a blade. Reluctantly, Sensei obeyed, stepping out with unsteady legs.

"……Sayuri. If it breaks, I’ll just rebuild it somehow… that’s fine with you, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I’m not that unreasonable. A person’s life is on the line here, after all."

"……Listen. Sayuri and I will clear the airspace—destroy the rocks and traps from above. While we do, you all head straight for Suou."

"…!"

The missile fire earlier, the Justina Council still hovering above, the flames and gas below—there were too many unknowns.
Even in armored units, there was no guarantee they’d survive.

And yet… it was the only way to reach Suou in time.

"Don’t worry. Suou-san was the one who made those defenses. In other words, they’re countermeasures designed for you guys. None of them are lethal—at worst, they’ll just slow you down."

"Well, it’ll suck if my ride gets trashed, but… I’ll make it work."

"……She’s our benefactor. My benefactor. Please… save her."

"……Yeah…! Leave it to us!"

The blue and red units shot into the sky, spiraling together in twin helixes as they surged forward—followed by a chain of explosions.
The rocks blocking their path shattered, clearing the way in an instant.

"‘……Let’s move.’"

"……Yeah."

Seeing the newly opened path, Saori and the others charged ahead—determined to reach Suou in time, to make sure their allies’ efforts wouldn’t be in vain.

"……Please be safe, Suou…!"

All to save Kirihana Suou.

The halo-destroying bomb detonated right before my eyes. In an instant, a sharp, soul-ripping pain tore through my entire body.

"—gh!"

My consciousness wavered. Something on my face cracked. At the same time, the pain began to ebb—like thorns being slowly pulled from my flesh.

"Ugh… gah…!"

I couldn’t manipulate the mystic energy properly. But the sensation of fading away never came. I’d won the first gamble. My mask was the same type as Atsuko’s.

"Haa… ngh—!"

I inhaled a vial of stimulant, forcing my mind back into focus. My blurred vision gradually sharpened.

"Haaah… guh… ha…!"

Still, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even stand. The damage was far greater than expected. Even with the mask on, this was the result. But it was better than dying. I didn’t believe for a second that Beatrice was dead yet.

"…!"

The remnants of the Justina Council of Saints were disintegrating before me. At the very least, the halo-destroying bomb had proven capable of annihilating terror itself—that much was clear. Yet at Beatrice’s feet… the Council remained, its form untouched.

"Hah… ha-ha…"

—Wh-Why… why didn’t it work!?

Beatrice. I finally understood why the halo-destroying bomb hadn’t affected you before. It wasn’t that it had no effect—this moment proves otherwise.

"You blocked it…!"

"…It’s over now."

You’re preventing the bomb’s effect—but only around yourself. The intact Council beneath your feet proves it. A barrier, or maybe a modified variant designed to grant such protection… and you’re consciously maintaining it.

The first explosion—its massive fireball had vanished in an instant. And now, the second—the flames rising up had already lost their heat. It could be a bluff, but that seems unlikely. The effect must persist for a limited duration after activation. I fell for the first decoy, but the fact that I’m still alive proves it… and—

"—Gah!"

Just like the mask’s protection, it’s not perfect. The damage still gets through.

"…To think you’d go so far as to use a halo-destroying bomb, even knowing it would harm yourself."

"…!"

"And that bomb—it’s the same type used in the assassination attempt on Yurizono Seia, isn’t it? Meaning… Yurizono Seia is still alive."

Yeah. That’s right. I’d already assumed you’d figured that out.

"And that… was your trump card."

"Damn it…!"

All that’s left… is this one last halo-destroying bomb. The one Cyan and Anna helped me get—the final weapon Beatrice hasn’t realized exists yet. I just need to drive it straight into her!

"And now… your time is up."

"—Ghhk!"

But she felt so far away. Even taking a single step toward her felt impossibly distant.

"Even with resistance built up, poison is still poison. It seems your stamina has reached its limit."

"You’re… not one… to talk… are you…?"

So what? So what if we’re both dying? I’ll kill you. No matter what, I’ll kill you. Move.

"…You still intend to fight?"

"I’m… not exactly… the type to… give up easily…"

Just a little more. Just a bit further. If I can just get this weapon—my life—to reach her…

"…I don’t understand. What drives you so far?"

"…"

What drives me? Isn’t it obvious? Because Cyan, Anna, Saori, Misaki, Atsuko, Hiyori, Azusa… I have to avenge them. I have to save them.

"To throw away your life purely out of a sense of duty… how meaningless."

"Duty…?"

Is that what this is? Duty? Why do I even want revenge? Why do I want to save them? No—it should be obvious. Of course it’s obvious… isn’t it? I… don’t know anymore.

"So you deny it? Then tell me—why?"

My head swayed. My thoughts slipped away. Useless noise filled my mind.

"…"

Why… did I end up like this? What am I even fighting for? I don’t think I’m wrong. I don’t regret it—really. But… I just can’t remember anymore.

Honestly, I’ve already forgotten so much. So many things.