Tengu City, Ratatoskr's underground facility.
"Mhm... there don't seem to be any problems."
After reviewing the dical report in her hand, Reine nodded gently at Nia, who was sitting in a wheelchair, and said,
"Thanks to Yutsuki and Shin's tily first aid back then... your body hasn't suffered any severe injuries, and your Spirit power circulation is quite stable. Perhaps due to blood loss... you'll feel rather weak right now. But as long as you rest properly, you'll fully recover after a while."
"Ah... is this the disparity between people?"
Nia let Reine's advice go in one ear and out the other. She stared intently at Reine's proud bosom—large enough to easily hold a small teddy bear—then patted her own flat, plain-like chest beneath her hospital gown, a wave of desolation rising in her heart.
Even though they were both working adults.
"...?"
Tilting her head in confusion, it took a mont for Reine to understand what Nia was referring to. She said slowly,
"...It's okay. Shin... doesn't care about size..."
(Shido: "Achoo!")
"Can I take that as comfort...?"
Her mouth twitching slightly, Nia sighed, wagged her finger, and said with a serious face,
"No, no—Reine-san, here you're supposed to say the conventional line, 'Ah—having big breasts isn't a good thing either, my shoulders get very stiff,' to ntally mock ."
"Hah..."
Reine nodded, half-understanding.
"You have enough energy to joke around. It seems there's nothing major to worry about."
Kotori, sitting nearby with a Chupa Chups in her mouth, spoke up.
"Imouto-chan, my comrade!"
Hearing Nia's words, veins bulged slightly on Kotori's forehead. If the person in front of her wasn't a patient who had just returned from the brink of death, Kotori would have absolutely used her lady-exclusive martial arts to pin her to the ground and rcilessly grind her.
Suppressing the rising anger in her heart, Kotori sighed and asked.
"So, how are you feeling yourself?"
"Didn't Reine-san over there just say it? Absolutely no problems."
"I'm not talking about physically, but ntally."
Kotori shook her head, chose her words carefully, and asked sowhat vaguely,
"I an... regarding your mories. I heard from Yutsuki-nee that you've recovered the mories of being imprisoned by DEM for these past five years... so..."
"Ah, about that."
Seeing Kotori's hesitant attitude, Nia imdiately understood what she ant.
Over these five years, Nia, imprisoned at DEM, had undeniably suffered all sorts of inhumane abuse.
Soone who has experienced a fire might develop a fear of fire; soone who has been stabbed by a blade might faint just holding a knife.
Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a well rope.
The trauma suffered in the heart is often much harder to heal than physical wounds. Let alone the fact that, given Nia's experiences over these years, if it were anyone else, even if they had a ntal breakdown and chose to bite their tongue to commit suicide, it wouldn't be strange.
Actually, when she recalled those mories, she did break down.
"I'm fine."
Nia gently shook her head.
"Really? You're not forcing yourself, are you?"
"Really."
Nia nodded, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, scratched her hair, and said.
"How should I put it... Although those mories are indeed still there, they don't feel real... Even when I recall them, it just feels like flipping through soone else's diary."
"Cognitive impairnt?"
Reine tried to summarize Nia's words.
"Ah—don't say that. Please don't say that. If my current state is an illness, then let stay sick like this forever. Actually feeling those mories as real is sothing I definitely want to be spared from."
Saying this, Nia sighed lightly and answered in a calm tone,
"Don't worry. I feel that I'm already fine."
This wasn't a lie.
The breathing in her chest felt more comfortable than ever, there was no burden on her shoulders, and her body felt as light as a feather. If she hadn't been ordered to rest, Nia might have found a balcony and leaped into the blue sky.
If the mories were always accompanied by painful monsters, then now, those monsters had definitely been defeated by heroes.
Just like the protagonists in those 2D worlds, brave and cool heroes.
Hearing Nia's words, Kotori's expression relaxed slightly.
"Alright. I'll believe your words for now. If there are any problems, don't hide them and tell us imdiately, understand?"
"Understood. By the way, Imouto-chan, where are the others?"
"Everyone is waiting outside the door." Kotori shrugged and answered, "Do you want to take you to see them?"
Nia nodded affirmatively.
"Mhm, please."
———————————
The automatic doors slid open to both sides, and everyone's eyes unanimously converged on them.
Nia, wearing a white hospital gown, was pushed out in a wheelchair by Kotori.
"Yo~ I'm back, everyone."
Nia waved at everyone and said.
"Nia-chan!"
"Haha, you're much more energetic than expected."
"Relief. It's better than anything that you're okay."
The Spirits gathered around Nia, greeting her one after another. Seemingly unable to handle everyone's concern, Nia sowhat embarrassedly turned her head away, scratched her cheek, and said.
"Ehehe... what's this, when did I beco so popular... if you want autographs, line up and co one by one."
"Honestly, couldn't you use a cuter way to hide your embarrassnt?"
Yutsuki sighed speechlessly.
"Sorry, my personality is just troubleso like this."
Nia shrugged and turned her gaze towards Shido.
"Um... sorry, boy. I... got caught by DEM and... caused you a lot of trouble... I'm very sorry."
"It's fine." Shido gently shook his head, held Nia's hand, and said softly, "You're still alive, that's more important than anything."
Seemingly choked up by Shido's words, Nia lowered her head and stamred.
"Wow... you really got . I'm really bad at handling this kind of atmosphere."
"I say, don't you have anything you want to say to ?"
Seeing Nia only apologize to Shido, Yutsuki asked with a hint of displeasure.
"Of course, I have a lot I want to say to Biri-chan too. Um, co a little closer."
Nia smiled bitterly and waved at Yutsuki, gesturing for her to co closer.
Yutsuki frowned slightly. Although puzzled by Nia's action, she still bent down and leaned in.
—Smooch!
Giving Yutsuki no chance to react, Nia planted a kiss on Yutsuki's lips just like that.
In an instant, the entire room plunged into an eerie silence.
"Phew~ Thanks for the al."
Leaning back in the wheelchair, looking at the wide-eyed, stiff-bodied Yutsuki who clearly hadn't processed what happened, Nia said with a fully satisfied expression.
"Um... Nia... could you explain this to us."
Shido looked at Nia with a shaken expression and asked.
"Boy, don't misunderstand."
Nia explained with a righteous face,
"It's not that I like girls. It's just that among the people I like, one happens to be a girl."
"What do you an by—Mmph!"
Before Shido could finish, Nia grabbed his collar, pulled him closer, and pressed her lips against his without explanation.
"—!?"
If Nia kissing Yutsuki just now rely plunged everyone into silence, then this second kiss undoubtedly caused an uproar.
"Wh-What are you doing? Let go of Shido right now, Honjou Nia!"
"Can I take this as a declaration of war?"
Tohka and Origami hurriedly pulled Shido away, glaring at Nia with hostility.
"Hehe... plan successful."
The corner of Nia's mouth curled up, forming a wicked smile of plan accomplished.
"If I kissed the boy first, Biri-chan would definitely be on guard next. But if I kissed Biri-chan first, the boy would definitely think 'Doing this equals an indirect kiss with Biri-chan,' and would half-willingly let kiss him."
"Shido..."
"Wait! You're misunderstanding! I-I don't have the ti to think about such things. An in-indirect kiss or whatever..."
Seeing everyone suddenly focus their gazes on him, Shido hurriedly waved his hands in denial.
However, his face, which grew even redder as if Nia had pointed it out, made everyone's gazes even colder.
"Why did you suddenly do this? Nia."
Kotori sighed and asked helplessly.
"My~ Imouto-chan. You see, although my first kiss was taken by the boy, I was unconscious at the ti, so I have no mory of it at all. If I didn't seize the opportunity to experience it once, wouldn't it be a huge loss?"
Nia glanced at Shido, who looked extrely embarrassed from everyone's questioning, and Yutsuki, who still hadn't snapped out of it, and a bitter smile appeared on her face.
"Besides, since I know I have no hope anyway. Isn't it better to leave myself a beautiful mory and then quickly withdraw?"
Falling out of love the exact mont you fall in love—that's probably what this was like.
"...Hmph. I'll pretend I didn't see that this ti."
Kotori turned her head away and said in a tiny voice.
"...Thanks."
After whispering her thanks, Nia took a deep breath, and a smile synonymous with "causing trouble" blood on her face again.
"By the way, I just thought of sothing. If soone were to kiss right now, since I've already kissed the boy, wouldn't that equal an indirect kiss with the boy?"
To Honjou Nia's baffling, twisted logic, unsurprisingly, Izayoi Miku's eyes lit up.
"You are absolutely right! Nia-chan, we will definitely get along! Whether it's kissing a cute girl, or indirectly kissing Darling, I couldn't ask for more!"
At the sa ti, Tobiichi Origami abruptly raised her head, seemingly having thought of an absolutely brilliant plan.
"I see... If I kiss Ryougi Yutsuki first... then I can legitimately have a French kiss with Shido."
Without hesitation, these two Spirits with the strongest drive to action imdiately began acting on their desires.
And then—
They collapsed under Yutsuki's death grip.
"Phew... this is really troubleso. You guys really can't settle down for even a mont."
Gripping their skulls tightly, Yutsuki, having finally recovered her senses, revealed an amiable smile.
"Honey... your love... is a bit heavy..."
"In order to kiss Shido... I don't mind."
"I mind."
After replying with a cold sneer, Yutsuki turned to the others and asked gently,
"Do you guys... want to try too?"
Tohka and the others shook their heads without hesitation.
"And... Nia."
"—Y-Yes!"
Hearing this gentle voice hiding murderous intent, Nia imdiately shivered, hurriedly straightened her back, and answered.
"I don't want to raise my hand against a patient, so I'll let you off this ti. But if you do it again next ti... I will show you hell."
Nia's face instantly turned pale. She could hear that there was no joking around in Yutsuki's tone.
"Yes! I am very sorry!"
"...Phew. I'll let you off for now then."
Slowly exhaling, Yutsuki let go of Miku and Origami, and turned to look at Shido.
"Shido, it should be about ti, right?"
"Mhm, we'll be there in a bit."
After checking the ti on his phone, Shido nodded, walked behind Nia, and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair.
"Um, what are we doing next?"
Nia asked in confusion. To this, Shido smiled slightly.
"You'll naturally find out in a bit."
——————————————————
A few minutes later, Shido and the others walked out of the underground facility and arrived at the roof of a building belonging to Ratatoskr.
The scenery before them was pitch black. The cold night wind blew across the roof, carrying flecks of fine snow. To ward off the cold, everyone had put on thick coats and donned winter gear like scarves, gloves, and knit beanies. They laid a blanket on the ground and sat down to rest.
"—My. It's really cold out here. Right, Yoshino-san? If your clothes aren't enough, we can use body heat to keep warm, right?"
"N-Um..."
"...Don't get close to Yoshino... Miku, I've already seen through your intentions."
Miku eagerly initiated a conversation with Yoshino. Yoshino smiled bitterly in distress, while Natsumi seed to want to protect her, grabbing the corner of her clothes.
"I see... we're watching the sunrise."
Exhaling a puff of white smoke, Nia looked around and said in sudden realization.
"I say, couldn't you just tactfully pretend you didn't notice at a ti like this."
Seeing Nia expose their intentions, Yutsuki flicked her forehead in exasperation.
"It's rare for everyone to kindly prepare a surprise for you. Even if you figured it out, you shouldn't say it out loud."
(Are you really one to talk, Yutsuki...)
"Hm? Do you have sothing to say, Shido?"
"N-No. Nothing at all."
Seeing Yutsuki's gaze turn to him, Shido hurriedly shook his head.
"Sorry, my personality is just troubleso like this."
Nia shrugged, her gaze looking out towards the distant night.
Right now, the ti had long passed midnight of December 31st, stepping into January 1st, the first day of the year.
For Japanese people, welcoming the first sunrise of the New Year is an important event not to be missed.
(I completely forgot.)
Nia thought with annoyance. Over these past few days, first she was busy rushing her manga manuscript, then she declared war on Shido and the others. During that ti, she even received a death prediction from her Angel. Various things popped up one after another, making her completely forget about the New Year.
"It's almost ti..."
Just as Shido's voice fell, a subtle change occurred in the sky.
The pale light of dawn erged from the horizon, splitting the deep night in two.
Gradually, gradually.
As if pushing open a heavy door, the sunlight walked slowly towards the city, dispelling the darkness bit by bit.
Subsequently, the morning sun peeked out from behind the mountains, painting the sky and clouds with a faint orange hue.
"Ooh..."
"So beautiful..."
Watching the beautiful scenery before them, the Spirits couldn't help but widen their eyes. Even Nia couldn't help but be srized at this mont.
"Ah... I lost again..."
After a long while, Nia exhaled and said with wholehearted conviction.
"Thank you guys... Biri-chan, boy..."
"...zZ~"
"Hm?"
Hearing the sound of steady breathing, Nia turned her head in confusion. She saw that Yutsuki and Shido were leaning against each other's shoulders, their eyes closed, fast asleep.
"Ah... as expected, they fell asleep."
"Relief. They finally relaxed."
"You worked hard, Yutsuki, Shido."
Seemingly having anticipated this situation, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Tohka and Yoshino picked up a pre-prepared blanket and quietly draped it over the two.
"Um..."
Not quite understanding the current situation, Nia asked softly.
"Those two... haven't slept at all since the day before yesterday. Even before that, they basically stayed up late."
Origami answered softly. She silently stared at Shido's face for a mont, then looked at Yutsuki beside him, sighed sowhat sullenly, but ultimately looked away obediently.
"..."
Nia was instantly speechless. Of course she knew that the reason they lacked sleep was entirely to prepare the work for their competition with her, as well as to formulate the plan to counter DEM's attack and save her.
(Honestly, what is it about a person like that makes them willing to do so much for ?)
This doubt couldn't help but surface in her heart, but she probably realized that thinking about it wouldn't yield an answer. Nia smiled bitterly and cast her gaze into the distance.
And this sunrise before her was probably the final thing those two wanted to convey to Nia.
The sun slowly rose into the sky. The boundary line between day and night was inching closer to this building bit by bit.
Nia closed her eyes, waiting for that boundary line to cross this building.
The sunlight brushed against her cheeks, and the temperature in the air changed accordingly.
So warm. This simple thought surfaced in Nia's heart.
"Phew..."
Taking a long, deep breath, letting the fresh air fill her lungs, Nia slowly opened her eyes.
The originally pitch-black and silent night had vanished, replaced by a colorful and beautiful world illuminated by the warm sunlight.
I am still alive!
Honjou Nia realized this with unprecedented clarity at this mont.
Because she was alive, she could sit here;
Because she was alive, she could welco the sunrise of the new year like this;
Because she was alive, she could experience the goodwill given to her by others;
Because she was alive, she could clearly gaze upon this beautiful world.
"...Yutsuki, Shido."
Admiring the morning sun in the distance, Nia spoke softly in a gentle and joyful tone.
"Happy New Year."
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