Kayama Esumi: The Window of the Soul

It has already been two years since Kayama Esumi enrolled at Trinity General School.

Sixteen years have passed since she was born into this world of Blue Archive. The persona of the man she had been in her previous life had almost entirely vanished over the long stretch of time, leaving behind little more than the inheritance of past memories. Before she knew it, Esumi had adapted quite thoroughly to this world.

"Halos floating over heads... bodies so sturdy that bullets mean nothing... firearms as everyday accessories. This really is a different world."

With a dull thud, she placed her two favorite guns, Niki and The Flame, on the desk. She gave a long stretch before approaching the window. Squinting at the scenery of Trinity General School stretching out before her, she leaned her back quietly against the wall and slowly reached a hand toward the glass.

"The eye is the window of the soul."

The moment she touched the cold, hard glass, Esumi recited a famous quote by Leonardo da Vinci, the painter who had existed in her previous life. He was a genius artist with superior observation skills and a sharp mind, excelling not only in art but in invention as well. He was the most famous person in the world—someone even people with no interest in art had surely heard of, let alone an art geek like Esumi. This was a very short line attributed to him, a so-called "famous quote."

While there are many other famous sayings attributed to him, if one considers how much he valued observation as the most fundamental skill of an artist, the phrase was quite poignant.

"A fine sentiment."

A comment drifted her way from behind in response to her muttered words.

Esumi let out a dry laugh and turned around. There, lying on a large bed, was Yurizono Seiya.

"A fine sentiment? To a quirky artist like me, it feels a bit cliché."

"I do not think just anyone could make those words sound so fitting. It only carries weight because it is you saying it, Esumi-nee. After all, I am quite ignorant when it comes to art. To be honest, I do not truly understand how incredible your skill as an artist is within the industry—the way you construct a unique worldview simply by looking at still life or landscapes. However, I can sense that it is a realm one cannot reach simply by 'looking' at things."

Esumi laughed softly and tilted her head toward the girl.

"It is surprising to hear you say that, Seiya. Don't tell me you've actually gained an interest in art?"

"Perish the thought. Simply watching you paint is quite enough art for me."

"I see. That's a shame. It really is fun."

"By nature, humans cannot find joy in an act that consumes nothing but effort and time until a result is achieved. Does a person normally feel joy in the act of simply walking toward a destination? Most people would realize there is no demand for the labor spent on that action, and they would instead devise and obtain more convenient means. However, among that vast majority, there are a few who enjoy the process and dive into it with glee. In short, my position regarding art is the former, while in your case, you are the latter—someone who finds joy and pleasure in both the creation and the result."

"I see. You're using some rather difficult language, but essentially you're saying you'll never have an interest in art? You could have just been honest and said so."

Shrugging her shoulders, Esumi stepped away from the window and walked quietly toward Seiya. Sensing a slight hint of displeasure from Esumi for having essentially said art wasn't worth the effort, Seiya hurriedly spoke up.

"That... I did not mean to offend you. The words I chose were far too rude for someone who loves art as much as you do. Forgive me, Esumi-nee."

"There's no need to apologize. Art is quite popular in the Trinity district, but unfortunately, that isn't the case in other districts. There are plenty of students even in this school who are as indifferent to art as you are. Don't get so depressed just because you said something a bit rude. Besides, I'm glad I got to know how you think about it."

"Thank you. You are always saving my heart."

Seiya let out a word of thanks with a wry smile, then suddenly sat up and began shifting around on the bed. Esumi, who had approached her side, frowned at the sight.

"Seiya, what are you doing?"

"You have seemed exhausted lately, Esumi-nee. You went to the trouble of coming to my room to care for me, after all. Why not join me for a nap as a break? Look, I have cleared a space for you to sleep."

"No... I appreciate it, but that's not happening."

With a sigh, Esumi pulled over a nearby chair and sat down immediately. Seeing this, Seiya, who had made space on the bed, raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. However, she chose not to voice her complaints and simply stared at her in silence.

"Besides, what exactly did you see that made you think I was tired? I thought I was putting on a calm front so as not to show any weakness."

"Aomori Mine from the Remedial Knights told me. She said that lately, you have been sleeping and eating much less, and that you are losing weight. Furthermore, though this is something I heard from students in the Sanctus branch, it seems you have been busy every day with various negotiations with the Sisterhood. It is not my place to talk, given that I am bedridden due to my abilities, but you should take better care of your body."

"Ah, I see, Mine did... Now that I think about it, the Remedial Knights are in charge of your medical checkups. *Sigh*... For the record, this isn't the first time I've neglected my meals because I was immersed in my work. I make sure to sleep on my days off, and I plan to fix my eating habits soon. Right now, I just... don't have the time to manage my health."

"Which means you are currently exhausted. Is that not so?"

"Physically, not really."

"Not physically... so it is mental exhaustion then. In that case, let me help you with something, since you are always the one looking after me. To start with, why not lie down? I am sure I could have pleasant dreams if I were with you, and above all, were you not the one who said that embracing is the best way to reduce stress?"

Seiya began gently patting the bed with her arm, the sleeve of her garment hanging loose.

Esumi squinted at the girl's almost toddler-like movements and muttered for her to stop being unseemly. Feeling like she had no choice, she moved from her chair and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Will you not sleep?"

"No. Most people would be hesitant to sleep in someone else's bed, even with permission."

"I do not mind."

"You don't. I do."

"Then do you truly believe that simply sitting on the edge of the bed will relieve your mental fatigue? You are always nagging me to lie down if I am going to push myself, yet your own actions lack conviction."

"That's because you're a patient, Seiya. Unlike you, my body is perfectly healthy—mostly. You're being dramatic over a little built-up fatigue—wait, hey!?"

Esumi's string of excuses was cut short when Seiya suddenly pushed her down. Her head was pressed into a soft pillow, and while her legs hung off the bed, Seiya climbed on top of her to keep her from moving.

"This is..."

"You left yourself wide open, Esumi-nee. Though, it is your own fault for letting your guard down just because your opponent is a patient."

Before she knew it, her face was less than thirty centimeters from Seiya's. Even though Seiya usually had a sleepy look in her eyes, right now, her gaze was sharp and awake as she looked down at Esumi.

Esumi glanced at the sharp gaze directed at her and then spoke calmly.

"I'm surprised. I didn't know you had a hobby of pinning people down."

"Only because it is you. I would not dream of doing this to anyone else."

Seiya's oversized sleeves were placed on either side of Esumi's face, and her beautiful, long golden hair draped down over Esumi's chest and neck. It was like a waterfall of hair, Esumi thought idly to herself.

At that moment, Seiya, who had been staring at Esumi's face, spoke up as if noticing something.

"I knew it. You have dark circles under your eyes. Your lack of sleep must be quite serious."

"You're only noticing that now after looking at me this closely?"

"It is because you are always so beautiful that I did not notice until this moment. I have been quite captivated by your face this whole time, you see."

".....!"

"Oh? Your ears seem to have turned a bit red. Could it be... that you are not used to being wooed at such close range? How unexpected. To think that you, who are always looked upon with such admiration by those around you, had such a cute side."

Seiya smiled as she toyed with Esumi's ear using her sleeve. Esumi narrowed her eyes and glared back, but considering the situation where she was pinned down and immobilized, Esumi was at an overwhelming disadvantage.

Of course, if she forced it, she could probably escape. However, Seiya was frail and weak; if Esumi struggled too much, she might accidentally injure her.

Still, she didn't want this embarrassing situation to drag on.

"Seiya... Do you have any intention of letting me sleep normally? Or do you plan to attack me like this?"

Esumi turned her head away as if to escape Seiya's hand, throwing the words out while hiding her irritation. Upon hearing this, Seiya blinked several times, suddenly stopped moving her hands, and buried her face in Esumi's chest.

At the same time, Seiya, who had been on all fours over Esumi, lost all her strength and leaned her entire weight on her. Despite being a seemingly frail and sickly girl, her weight felt substantial as it pressed against Esumi's body.

"Are you okay?"

Esumi couldn't help but feel anxious at Seiya's sudden change, considering she had been triumphantly teasing her just a moment ago. She placed a hand on Seiya's small head and spoke in a concerned voice.

"Did your condition take a turn for the worse?"

Even if it was due to the side effects of her prophetic dreams, Seiya's emotional instability was nothing new. It had always been Esumi's job to soothe her, so she stroked the girl's head and back with care.

However, in response to Esumi's worried attitude, Seiya looked up with a relatively composed face.

"Hm? My condition? Ah, no, that is not it. I simply realized that, as you said, my original intention was to have you sleep when I pushed you onto the bed. I merely stopped teasing you so I could fulfill my original purpose."

"Oh, is that all... and here I was, actually worried..."

"My, were you worried about me, Esumi-nee? Or perhaps, deep down, you were actually hoping I would make a move on you? It seems that despite your appearance, you are quite interested in such affairs. Well, with such a blessed body, I am sure it is not the first or second time you have been looked at in that way."

Seiya buried her face back into the soft bounce of Esumi's chest and spoke mockingly once more. Judging by that comfortable-looking smile, it was true that there was nothing wrong with her health; she had likely just relaxed her strength to lean on Esumi so they could sleep.

"Honestly..."

However, as someone who had genuinely been worried about her, Esumi didn't find the joke particularly funny. She changed the hand that had been gently stroking Seiya's head into a fist and brought it down on top of her head with a bit of force.

"Ow."

"Don't mock someone's goodwill. You actually gave my heart a startle..."

"Hm, let me see... Hmm. No, your heartbeat is quite calm, Esumi-nee. In fact, the rhythm is very steady. Your heart is perfectly fine. You can rest easy."

"Why are you casually listening to my heartbeat... and you don't have to press your animal ears against me so hard. You can hear just fine without doing that. Besides, when you move around like that, it's a bit... ticklish."

Seiya, her ears twitching, replied that there was no harm in it. Then, she closed her eyes and transitioned into sleep mode.

"Being surrounded by your scent puts my mind at ease... and... I feel... somewhat... sleepy..."

"Wait, Seiya?"

Whether it was because she felt safe holding onto Esumi or she was already tired, she fell into a peaceful slumber before she could even finish her sentence.

As a result, Seiya was now fast asleep, using Esumi's body as a cushion.

"Sigh..."

Well, now that it was impossible to escape with the weight of Yurizono Seiya on top of her, Esumi let out a heavy sigh of exhaustion. At this point, her own recent lack of sleep began to take its toll.

After all, she was lying in a fluffy bed specifically prepared for a patient like Seiya to sleep comfortably. Combined with the warm sunlight streaming through the window and the pleasant scent drifting from Seiya, drowsiness was ready to plant its victory flag before she could even think of running away.

Actually, truth be told, she wanted to fall asleep right this second, but a small spark of resistance within her was desperately trying to prevent it. However, since the outcome of this battle was already obvious, she began to drift into a state of escapism.

"Come to think of it, I feel like something similar has happened before...?"

Looking back, she had ended up napping with Mika after she suddenly burst into her room last year. She had also napped with Nagisa after saving her in the heavy rain—twice, if you count her birthday. With this, Esumi had finally slept with all the original Tea Party characters.

It was a situation so far beyond being a "playgirl" that she was starting to feel a bit repulsed by herself.

(Is this okay? Me napping with Blue Archive characters like this... this won't have a bad influence on the original story, will it? Besides, was Seiya always this kind of character who makes you want to protect her? Is my memory from my previous life wrong?)

This protective instinct was something the past Esumi, who had loved all characters equally, had never felt before.

Whether it was a special emotion she felt because she was born as a woman in this world, or if it was just an emotion that had suddenly sprouted while she was looking after Seiya to keep her promise to Tsux, she wasn't sure.

Regardless, what was clear at this point was that Esumi's relationships with the original characters were becoming deeper than she had imagined. Since she had enrolled at Trinity General School instead of Wild Hunt, she had been prepared to eventually interact with the Blue Archive characters, but this situation was somewhat unexpected.

"Only one more year until graduation... I hope I can graduate safely."

Next year, the future second-year group would be enrolling. That would mean even more interactions with named characters than before.

Even if she kept trying to run, there was a limit.

If possible, she wanted to keep her relationships limited to Nagisa's generation. Considering the current state of things, she held onto a hope that seemed unlikely to come true as she unconsciously reached out to hug Seiya's back. Following the lead of the sleepiness that had finally raised its victory flag, she too departed for the world of dreams along with Seiya.

"Please... don't go... anywhere... Esumi-nee... Where... are you..."

However, having already departed on her journey of dreams, she failed to hear it.

Whether she was unconsciously seeing a prophecy or a nightmare, Seiya let out a pained, agonizing voice, seeking the figure of Esumi who originally shouldn't exist in that world. Esumi, who had begun to breathe peacefully in her sleep, never noticed the beads of sweat forming on Seiya's forehead from the tension of her anxiety.

She had no way of knowing that this frail girl was currently trapped in a nightmare.

1-2

This time for sure, I can have a good dream... That is what I believed a few hours ago.

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the "me in the waking world" believed it.

Either way, I had previously assumed that as long as my beloved friend was by my side, I could resist these terrible dreams that show me unpleasant futures and painful pasts.

To me, Yurizono Seiya, she... Kayama Esumi, is special.

She is a mysterious person who loves nothing but art and is exceptionally skilled at suppressing my unstable emotions—or rather, turning them toward a positive direction. Her words, her knowledge, her emotions. All of them make my heart tremble, giving me joy and excitement.

I will no longer hide these feelings; I might as well confess them now.

I am in love with her... from the bottom of my heart. One might even say I have become her captive.

However, this is not a romantic feeling, but merely a form of family love combined with a strong sense of possessiveness.

Well, even if I say that, there is no blood relation between her and me. We are complete strangers. It is obvious if you compare my small, sickly frame to her strong, blessed body.

But humans sometimes seek connections with those around them that go beyond actual family. Unity formed by genetic information, bloodlines, and tradition is certainly strong.

Yet human history was not built solely on the unity of families. Mentors and students, masters and servants, kings and loyal subjects, superiors and subordinates... humanity has built its long history by connecting people with different backgrounds and experiences, or by one party continuing to hold the other in high esteem.

To trust and unite with someone more than your own family... could this not also be called a form of family love?

Hm, I seem to have digressed.

To repeat myself, I do indeed love Esumi-nee. I love her from the bottom of my heart. I could even say I hold an affection for her that is more than family, yet less than a lover. She supports me when I become emotionally unstable from using my prophecy, and sometimes she encourages me to stand back up.

She is truly like an older sister who always reaches out her hand while guiding her younger sister.

That is why I deeply admire her and call her Esumi-nee as a sign of respect.

Of course, this could be seen as a petty act of defiance against her, as she never directs anything but benevolent affection toward me.

She seems to have no interest in making a lover, or even reliable friends. Thanks to that, I no longer have to worry about her becoming someone else's special someone, but conversely, it means she will not become mine either.

But that is fine. No, it is better that way... As long as she is by my side, I can remain a normal student, just Yurizono Seiya.

The world where Esumi-nee exists is reality and truth.

The world without her is merely a dream. A uselessly realistic and accurate, ominous dream... If I am with her, my anxiety will surely vanish.

But reality was not so kind.

"Ah... this is the worst."

I am currently dreaming. And as always, it is one of those prophetic dreams. An ominous dream where I can see an unavoidable future.

"What kind of dream is it this time...?"

I call it a prophecy, but to be honest, there is almost no criteria to determine that this is a dream.

It is only based on my experiences up until today, and simply the presence or absence of Esumi-nee. Of course, since I clearly remember burying my face in her chest until just a moment ago, I would notice if I suddenly found myself standing in an unfamiliar place whether I liked it or not.

However, the scenery and space entering my brain through my eyes are undeniably close to reality. Because humans obtain most of their information through their eyes, a prophetic dream that is as close to reality as possible sometimes causes great confusion in my senses and consciousness. It could be said that it accurately represents what Esumi-nee said: "The eye is the window of the soul."

Once again, I will see this dream through my soul.

"Is this... a hospital? It does not look like a school facility."

I look around for a moment.

I knew this would happen, but when I turned my gaze, an entirely unfamiliar landscape stretched out before me.

Based on the structure of the building, the layout of the corridors, and the equipment scattered around, this appears to be a hospital. However, it does not seem to be the facility that the Remedial Knights of Trinity General School use as their headquarters. In other words, this facility is either outside the school... or perhaps it is a large hospital within the Trinity district.

Suddenly, as if being pulled by something, my consciousness turned toward the corridor.

Then, several students with pale expressions came toward me from the other side. That said, I am currently like a spirit viewing events from a bird's-eye view. There is no chance they would notice my presence.

In other words, their destination was not me, but likely the room behind me. I just happen to be in front of a certain hospital room. Perhaps the patient they want to see is inside this room.

However, strangely enough, the nameplate near the door did not have the name of that important patient.

"Is that..."

It was right after that doubt arose.

The students I had seen earlier appeared from the other side of the corridor, heading for this room. When they finally came close enough for me to see their faces, I realized who they were.

"Nagisa... Cheri... and she is... Misono Mika from the Pater faction?"

Kirifuji Nagisa and Otaru Cheri, who belong to the Filias branch of the Tea Party.

Both of them are acquaintances of my beloved Esumi-nee, and they have built relatively deep relationships with her.

One is a lady who discovered Esumi-nee's artistic talent. The other is her only beloved pupil. Both are formidable individuals who have built special relationships with her that are different from mine—rivals in love, so to speak.

However, I did not know much about the remaining person.

Misono Mika.

A member of the Tea Party who holds a seat in the Pater branch. From what I heard, she and Nagisa are childhood friends.

But that is all. I have only heard from Esumi-nee's own mouth that they interact through her connection with Nagisa, and she has not built a relationship with Esumi-nee that is different from others like they have. Furthermore, I do not have much personal acquaintance with her.

I do not understand. Why would the three of them come to this hospital room together?

And who is in the room ahead?

But as if ignoring my deepening doubts, they glanced at each other, and Nagisa took the lead in opening the door to the room. They looked tense.

At that moment, as if the scene had suddenly shifted, I found myself moved inside the hospital room.

".....What?"

And then I saw it... No, I ended up seeing it.

Kirifuji Nagisa, Otaru Cheri, Misono Mika.

It was not just the three I had seen in the hallway earlier.

Aomori Mine from the Remedial Knights. Hanekawa Hasumi and Kenzaki Tsurugi from the Justice Task Force. Utazumi Sakurako from the Sisterhood. Besides them, other rising stars of my year who are already attracting attention were all standing around a single bed. If I looked closely, there was an IV pole next to the bed, and the electrocardiogram monitor nearby showed a very low heart rate.

There was almost no doubt that the patient sleeping in the bed was terribly weak. Coma, or perhaps a vegetative state... it was a situation where one wouldn't even know when they would regain consciousness. It was no wonder they stood there in a daze, helpless.

But I... I unfortunately had an idea who the person lying in that bed was.

"No... that can't be... this must be some kind of mistake..."

To be honest, I could not see the person lying in the bed clearly. Their backs were in the way as they surrounded the bed, making it hard to see.

However, the owner of the light blue hair visible through the gaps between them matched the characteristics of the woman I knew.

Moreover, on the table near the bed lay two revolvers that were terribly dirty and heavily worn... they looked exactly like the favorite guns held by the woman I had just seen in the waking world.

Even with just this circumstantial evidence, I could understand enough.

The one lying in that bed is her... it is Kayama Esumi.

"It's a lie... I won't accept it. She has never once appeared in a prophetic dream before..."

My brain accepted this sight with strange composure. But my heart strongly rejected it.

It is only natural.

If the person lying in that bed was truly the Esumi-nee I knew, it would mean that something dangerous enough to put her in a coma would visit her in the not-too-distant future. Whether it would be due to an accident or an incident, I have no idea at the moment.

But I had no choice but to believe this—no, I had to accept it.

This is a prophetic dream.

A story of a fixed future that is no different from the dozens or hundreds of other dreams I have seen until now.

I cannot avoid it.

I cannot run from it.

I cannot forget it.

The scenery I am seeing now is something I will surely see again eventually.

The sight of my beloved Esumi-nee sleeping as if she were dead, surely... surely? ...No, wait. Calm down.

Is this truly a prophetic dream?

For a moment, I felt something was off.

Because in all the prophetic dreams I have seen until now, Esumi-nee's figure was nowhere to be found. Neither her figure nor her name ever appeared, as if she did not exist in that world from the beginning.

That is precisely why I could recognize the world where she existed as reality without any doubt.

Why is Esumi-nee, such an outlier that even my future sight does not recognize her, appearing in my prophetic dream now?

The thought crossed my mind that perhaps what I am seeing now is not a prophetic dream, but a nightmare. Yes, that's it. It must be.

I pray. I can only pray. I desperately tell myself that this is a nightmare... not the usual prophetic dream, but just a creepy dream.

Thanks to her, I was able to find hope in this world.

Thanks to her benevolence, I was able to pull myself together even when I was jerked around by prophetic dreams. No matter what anyone says, I will absolutely not accept that a misfortune befalling Esumi-nee, of all people, would be the first prophecy I see of her.

"Please... don't go... anywhere... Esumi-nee... Where... are you..."

The fear that I might lose her. The irritation at myself for being unable to judge whether this is a prophecy or a nightmare.

And my pathetic self, completely unprepared for the "what if" future.

While I felt like I was being crushed by various negative emotions, I realized I was unconsciously calling out for the real her... for Kayama Esumi.

Just like an immature younger sister chasing after her older sister's back...

I wonder if the her in the waking world would reach out a helping hand to someone as pathetic as me.

Knowing her, she would listen and hug me like she always does.

But what about me?

What can I do for her?

Can I do nothing but watch the future of the woman who has supported me and treated me so kindly many times?

There was no answer to that. No, I could not give one.

To quote the words Esumi-nee herself said in the waking world, my eyes... the window of my soul... could no longer distinguish between a prophecy and a nightmare, and I could believe in nothing due to doubt and fear.

I turned my gaze once more. But still, my heart and my brain refused to accept it.

Is this sight I am seeing a future that will truly come...?

Or is it merely a nightmare...?

There was a new, unknown terror for Yurizono Seiya, who possesses the ability of future sight.