Chapter 94: Without turning back, the girls pressed onward.

In that timeless space, after Kirihana Suou had departed—

"…She’s gone, then. Honestly, she really is selfish."

Left all alone, Seia murmured to no one in particular. Once again, she was reminded of just how self-centered that girl could be.

After stirring everyone’s hearts so completely, she neither noticed nor understood the consequences—no, she even misread them—and ran toward death, acting purely on her own convictions. If Seia were one of Arius’s students, she probably would’ve kicked Suou two or three times by now. Not that it would have made any difference.

Those sardonic thoughts ran their course before Seia recalled Suou’s final words.

"‘I suppose I won’t be needing this anymore.’"

With a flick of her sleeve, the scene she had created dissolved. In the now-blank white space, Seia pressed her fingers to her lips in thought.

"This space… it was born from that thing—the one that shattered my body and drove my prophetic power into overdrive."

She remembered the eerie light she had seen—the ominous presence summoned by Beatrice. It was something not of this world: a color darker than black, woven from every hue of the rainbow. A force destined one day to bring ruin to her teacher and to this world itself.

Seia’s body had never been particularly strong. Whether that fragility was the price of her unwanted foresight or the side effect of some mystical anomaly, she didn’t know. But that light had easily warped and twisted her.

Her ability to shape reality through daydreams had turned into nothing more than a cage to trap her inside.

"…Either way, I suppose I should try walking."

Resigned to the absurdity of her situation, Seia stepped forward through the endless white void. It had no depth, no height, no sense of direction—but somehow, her footing felt solid.

Forcing her frail body onward, she walked while gasping for breath.

"The only thing I can really do here is manipulate what exists inside this space… No, maybe… this much, at least, should be possible."

To ease her exhaustion, she conjured a yellow-and-white two-tone vehicle labeled “School Lunch” and climbed aboard. Probably another lingering bad habit she’d picked up from Suou, she thought wryly—but even so, she kept moving forward.

"Wha—!?"

The scenery suddenly shifted.

"This place…"

She recognized it—not from experience, but from its distinct atmosphere. A wooden-and-paper building, exuding a faint, pleasant scent.

It was unlike anything found in Trinity or Gehenna. Feeling guilty for crashing into it with her vehicle and breaking part of the structure, she looked around.

"The Hyakkiyako Autonomous District…?"

"What a noisy guest you are."

"Ah—!?"

A voice came from behind. Seia turned slowly toward it.

"You are…"

There stood a girl with foxlike features, much like Seia herself. Her entire body, her clothes, even the tips of her hair were pale, tinged faintly with red.

An albino girl—the complete opposite of that ominous light Seia had seen. The only dark thing on her was the skimpy, undergarment-like top barely covering her chest.

"S-sorry, I didn’t mean to break anything."

"I don’t mind. I just didn’t expect someone to not only wander in here, but crash straight through a building in a four-wheeled vehicle."

So it was Suou’s bad influence after all. Seia found herself silently blaming her—despite her absence—and noticed the pale girl’s mildly disapproving gaze.

"…Your body… I see. You’ve encountered the Iridescence, haven’t you?"

"—!?"

The Iridescence. Seia instantly understood what the girl meant.

That light—like a sun dyed in countless hues. Yes, “Iridescence” was the perfect name for it.

"But how strange… someone who’s come into contact with the Iridescence shouldn’t be able to maintain their consciousness this well."

Her momentary displeasure shifted into curiosity.

"The Iridescence… you mean that light?"

"So you did see it. That’s right—the same one. A being that arrives from beyond Kivotos, bringing with it primeval calamity."

The girl narrowed her eyes as if recalling something, then raised a long-stemmed pipe to her lips. After a slow drag and a thin wisp of smoke, she continued.

"Whether it possesses will or consciousness, I cannot say. What matters is that to the people of Kivotos, it is a deadly poison. Those exposed to it have their bodies twisted… and their minds devoured."

A deadly poison—one that warped the flesh and corroded the soul. The description fit Seia’s condition all too well, and she gave a slow, understanding nod.

"Ordinary citizens of Kivotos wouldn’t die instantly from it… but their individuality would be warped, their very selves twisted into something unrecognizable. Whether such a being could still be called the same person… that’s another matter entirely."

Her words were soft, laced with quiet regret.

"Still, for the Iridescence to even find Kivotos is nearly impossible. It would be like spotting a single grain of sand in a desert. If it truly reached you… that must have been an extraordinary coincidence. Ordinarily, it could never happen."

"Ah—!"

Seia’s eyes widened. There was something she knew—something that explained how the Iridescence could have reached them in the first place.

"…You seem to have realized something. Indeed, there’s something peculiar about your body. Tell me—what happened to you?"

At that question, Seia tried to recall what she had been doing. She remembered escaping that strange space—that much was certain. The next step should have been awakening back into reality.

But aside from this white-haired girl, there was no clue how to do so. After a few seconds of hesitation, she opened her mouth to speak—

"Hmm. Perhaps I should take a look myself. Excuse me."

Before Seia could respond, the girl leaned close and peered deep into her eyes. For an instant, Seia’s vision went dark—and when it cleared, the girl had already stepped back.

"I see now… Someone tried to use the Iridescence to reshape your body. Foolish. If that had continued… no, wait. The ritual was interrupted?"

At those words, Seia exhaled in relief. The ritual had been broken—meaning Suou must have escaped from Beatrice.

"To think she managed to destroy the ritual through brute force… quite a remarkable girl, that one."

"Yeah… I couldn’t agree more."

"Well, no matter. I understand enough now. You caught a glimpse of it through the ‘Daydream’—that window called the ‘Ritual.’ That’s why you survived."

The girl nodded firmly, satisfied with her conclusion. Watching her, Seia suddenly thought of something else.

"The sacrifice used for that ‘ritual’… what became of them?"

"Hm? Ah, that? Is that what troubles you?"

If the Iridescence twisted all it touched, then what about Suou? If Seia had survived only because she’d seen it through her daydream, could Suou have escaped unscathed?

As if to dispel that lingering fear, the girl answered plainly.

"The sacrifice was nothing more than building material for the ‘window.’ The window neither sees what lies beyond nor cares for itself. You’d do better to worry about your own condition—your mind may be here, but your body is on the verge of collapse."

At those words, Seia felt both relief and dread at once.

"…Isn’t there any way to stop it?"

"There isn’t… or at least, I would say so. Yet, you’ve encountered a stroke of fortune. I—Kuzunoha, the prophet of Hyakkiyako—can see you."

Introducing herself as Kuzunoha, she tapped the end of her pipe and placed a small clump of ash on the floor with a faint click.

As if preparing for a solemn duty, she straightened her posture and faced Seia directly.

"I shall guide you. But there is a price. In this case, it shall be ‘future sight.’ What say you?"

"Please."

"…An immediate answer. Even though I had prepared a gift as well."

Kuzunoha let out a quiet, wry chuckle—one tinged with melancholy.

"For a friend. For a promise. And for the one kind enough to make her friends cry… your benefactor."

"…Heh. I see."

At Seia’s quiet response, Kuzunoha’s pale lips curved into a broader smile, baring her sharp white teeth.

"Well done."

She placed her hand upon Seia’s forehead. Consciousness, once shrouded in darkness, began to flow and shift like water, carrying words that resonated deep within her mind.

"With this, we part, Seia—Prophet of Trinity. When you return to the living world, do not seek me out. I am no longer there. Focus only on saving the one who would call themselves Arius’s prophet."

"…?"

Someone who didn’t exist in reality? Seia tried to grasp the meaning, but a sharp pain shot through her head.

"Ah, yes. At the end—when your essence begins to fade—the final prophecy may awaken. It is a necessary pain. Endure it."

───I wish you had said that earlier!

Before Seia could even voice her protest, her consciousness was swallowed by the words, and a torrent of visions tore through her mind.

A world dyed crimson. Towers built upon falsehoods. A spreading chaos. A black sun. Shattered machines. Gods bringing death—and then───

"Ah—! Haa… haa… ngh…!"

She awoke in a white hospital room.

The view through the window told her that dawn was near. It hadn’t been long since Suou had broken free from the ritual—that much was certain.

"Phew… what in the world was that…? No, this isn’t the time to think about it."

Her body creaked as she tried to move after being bedridden for so long. It seemed Mine had been turning her regularly to prevent bedsores, but even so, she could barely summon the strength to support herself.

"Guh… ngh…! Aaah!?"

Still, she forced herself to stand—using the window frame for support—but ended up tumbling out of bed, knocking over a flowerpot on the way down.

"Stop right there, intruder! Your target must be Miss Seia, isn’t it!? Looks like you’re the one in need of ‘medical aid’!"

Hearing the crash, Mine burst into the room, steam still rising from the towel in her hands.

She raised her shotgun from behind her shield, ready to strike.

"…There’s no one here?"

"H-Here, Mine… I’m over here…"

Finally, she spotted Seia wedged awkwardly between the bed and the window.

"Seia-sama…! You’re awake!"

"Glad you caught on quickly…"

With Mine’s help, Seia was lifted back onto the bed. A small Shimaenaga fluttered to her hand, and she gently cupped it.

"Please, Seia-sama, you must rest. Your body is still in terrible condition…"

Perhaps even her physical form had been affected by the Iridescence influence—Mine’s worried expression made that clear. In her other hand, she held not only the towel but also a disinfectant wipe, a vial, and a syringe.

"I appreciate the concern… but I can’t afford to rest. There’s something I have to do."

Even if this was within Trinity’s autonomous district, it was still Mine’s personal hideout—far from the Arius district.

And the Justice Realization Committee of Trinity was efficient. By now, they were surely regrouping and preparing a counteroffensive into Arius territory.

Time was running out.

"Please… I’ll explain everything on the way. Just take me there—back to that place."

"That place…?"

"The Arius district."

"Wha—!?"

Ignoring Mine’s startled gasp, Seia somehow managed to push herself upright.

Time passed.

Following the faint traces of her foresight, Seia pieced together the best course of action.

She and Mine set out for the Arius district, retracing the same route Suou had taken when she went to rescue the Supplementary Lessons Club. Along the way, they encountered the Abydos Ruined School Countermeasures Committee—who, at Hifumi’s request, had been heading toward Trinity—and joined forces before continuing on together.

"Honestly, I didn’t expect to find not just some girl from Trinity, but the top of the top herself in a place like that."

Fortunately, Takanashi Hoshino already knew Seia’s face—and her reputation.

"Ahaha… To be honest, it was hard to tell if we could really trust her…"

Then again, this was Kivotos—a world where even androids could pass for students. Trust was never easily given.

"Still, it worked out in the end. Hifumi’s here, Sensei’s here, and the Arius branch doesn’t seem hostile."

At those words from Sunaookami Shiroko, Seia shot her a doubtful glance.

That torrent of information that had flooded her mind—the vision—she remembered it vividly. The girl who had pointed a gun at Sensei back then… it had been her. Even if her current appearance was different, Seia couldn’t mistake it.

"‘Everyone! You really came to save us!’"

"I-It’s not like we came just for you, Sensei! Hifumi said she needed help, so… we didn’t have much choice!"

Seia’s thoughts began to drift again, only to be pulled back by Sensei’s joyful voice.

When she looked toward it, she saw Sensei and Hifumi surrounded by the countermeasures committee—wearing masks that made them look anything but sane.

And among them… there she was—the wolf girl.
That much was certain.

"Sensei, this isn’t the time! We have to get out of here, now!"

"Y-Yeah, you’re right."

With a sharp tone that cut through the suddenly cheerful chatter, Saori snapped everyone back to focus. In that moment, she was the only one calm enough to assess the situation clearly.

"Oh? Are you young ladies the new prospective residents I’ve been hearing about?"

"…We’ll negotiate that matter later."

"Phew, thanks. We can’t exactly just let anyone waltz in without a talk, you know."

Suou’s plan had been straightforward—evacuate to the Abydos District and establish a base of operations. Seia must have already explained the situation to them. Negotiations were always part of the plan, but no matter their intentions, what they were doing was still technically illegal—trespassing and occupation.

It couldn’t be helped, but now that the information was out, pretending not to notice was no longer an option.

"Couldn’t we ask that girl over there—Yurizono Seia—to stop this whole thing? She’s the head of Trinity, isn’t she? If that’s the case…"

"That’s impossible," Mine replied flatly to Tou’s suggestion.

"Why? She’s the representative of the victims, and her word carries weight. If she just—"

"If not for the girl she’s carrying on her back, then maybe. But as things stand…"

"…Ah. I see."

The assassination attempt on Seia could be overlooked—the intended target had survived. The damages to Trinity, too, could be brushed aside—since no tangible culprit could be identified.

But the destruction of the Eden Treaty and the open declaration of hostility toward all of Kivotos—those acts couldn’t be erased. Not while the girl who had committed them was still alive.

Even if Tsurugi herself were willing to forgive, human emotions weren’t so easily reasoned away.

"Guess what, everyone. If we abandon our squad leader, we might get out of this alive."

"We refuse."

"Thought so. In that case, we’ve got no choice—we move out!"

Confirming the obvious, Saori relayed their plan to the newly arrived allies. And thus began the preparations for the Arius Branch’s escape.

"I can’t move anymore, Ayuyaaan…"

"Same here… I’m completely out…"

"Why did both of you go overboard with your output!? Now I have to carry you! Think ahead next time!"

Several of them had reached their limits and could no longer move, but there was no time to rest. Asiri, Sayuri, and Mayumi took turns carrying the exhausted ones, sprinting in the direction Seia’s group had come from.

The rogue members of the Justina Council of Saints—following Beatrice’s final orders before her departure—tried to block their way. The group evaded, countered, and pressed forward step by step… until finally, they reached the road leading out of the district.

"Once we cross this, we’ll be in Trinity territory!"

"I know. Saori, Suou—both of you need treatment first. Take a squad and follow us. Mine, show us where you were hiding me earlier."

"…Are you sure about this?"

"I don’t fully trust you yet. But I don’t sense any hostility—and it seems she’s the one who needs medical care the most."

Despite the calm tone, both Saori and Seia felt a chill at the word "medical."

From what they’d seen earlier, Mine’s combat ability rivaled that of a squad leader. Even while holding Seia in her arms, she had fought the Justina Council of Saints on equal footing.

"Okay! Squad leaders, follow me! I’ll take you to the Millennium District! It’s probably the safest route!"

"No way! I don’t wanna leave my sister! And who even are you, just popping up—fu—!?"

"Alright… problem… solved…"

"…Let’s go! Follow me!"

Before the argument could escalate, Shio was knocked unconscious and slung onto Filli’s back. Somehow, there were even more people being carried now than before the reinforcements arrived—but regardless, the group pushed through the gate and out of the Arius District.

"Sensei, you’re coming with us. We’ll need your help convincing Nagisa."

"Yeah, I got it."

"Alright then, old man—we’ll head back to Abydos for now. If anything comes up, contact us through Hifumi, okay?"

Outside Arius—and into Trinity’s territory.

The groups separated once again, but this time, not a single person was left behind in Arius.

Unlike before.

"Azusa-chan! We’ll see each other again—definitely!"

"…Yeah. See you soon."

They made a promise—to meet again.

"…Bye-bye, Onee-chan."

And so, leaving behind fragments of hearts and memories, they departed that place.