"Hey... Shido, if you were still alive, would you bla ? If I apologized to you... would you be able to... forgive ?"
Gazing blankly at the sky, Yutsuki could not help asking.
Of course, she knew very well that this was only aningless self-deception. It was an assumption that did not even have the possibility of an "if". It was only nonsense spoken by a girl who had seen a grave marker, been moved by the scene, and let nostalgia and guilt slip from her heart.
After a short while, ti helped her bury that sadness back into the depths of her heart, and Yutsuki showed a smile.
"...Sohow, ever since I ca here, I've only been apologizing. Since I ca all this way to visit your grave, I should at least talk about so happy things."
Saying that, Yutsuki leaned her back against the grave marker and spoke in a light tone.
"Did you know, Shido? Tohka is already the owner of a bakery now. She's beco a little famous in town too. Our Tohka doesn't just have a talent for eating. She's also an amazing hard worker. Every day, she studies how to make even better bread. When I saw her shop finally open successfully, I was so moved I almost cried."
...
"After Origami graduated from high school, she secretly applied to the police academy without telling . Honestly, I was against it at first. With her grades, she clearly had better choices. But in the end, I couldn't talk her out of it, so I agreed. Really... I never noticed before that she had such a strong sense of justice. I guess I should say, as expected of a forr soldier from the AST?"
...
"Kotori-chan is studying abroad now. It seems she plans to join Ratatoskr with her parents soti soon. Looks like Kotori-chan really does have a strange fate with Woodman's company. With her ability, she should rise very quickly. To be honest, at first I worried over whether I should seal her parents's mories too. But after thinking about it, I gave up on that idea. Since her family is still alive, of course she should cherish them properly. I had no reason to interfere."
...
"Miku has beco a star everyone knows. These past few years, she often held free concerts in areas damaged by spacequakes, and she unexpectedly gained a lot of popularity from it. Now she's even branching out into acting and voice acting. But her old careless habit still hasn't changed. One ti, her address was accidentally exposed, and her ho was almost completely surrounded by paparazzi and fans."
...
"Kaguya works at a ga company, while Yuzuru beca a nurse at a hospital. In their third year of high school, those two discussed it for a long ti, and finally decided they didn't want to beco each other's chains. Well, even though they said that, they're still as close as ever. Even now, whenever they have free ti, they hold all sorts of strange competitions to show off how close they are. Just like children."
...
"Mukuro is a kindergarten teacher now. That child's world is small, her desires are light, and she also likes children very much. Compared to the flashy world outside, this kind of quiet, peaceful job seems to suit her more. Every day when she cos ho from work, she tells about the naughty little things the children at the kindergarten did."
...
"Natsumi... That child dropped out of high school. It seems that when classes were split in third year, she ended up in a different class from Yoshino and was isolated by the students there. It didn't quite reach the level of bullying, but it still hurt her badly. I didn't persuade her to return to school. Instead, I asked Nia to let Natsumi intern as her assistant. Now she's already a manga artist who can stand on her own. Though she's a bit of a shut-in, she hasn't given up on herself, so you can rest easy."
...
"Speaking of Nia... that girl is still the sa as ever. Other than when it cos to manga, she's always so careless and lazy. She often cos over just to freeload als, and to Tohka and the others, she has beco a very good 'bad example.' Among everyone, she's the one who changed the least. In a certain way, that actually makes very relieved."
...
"Yoshino-chan... I've always thought she was the strongest of them all. And in truth, she really is. Ever since we moved, she's always been helping with housework——no, I should say she's been learning housework. After graduating high school, that child chose not to continue studying or get a job. Instead, she stayed ho and took care of the apartnt for , like a housewife. It seems she thinks I'm getting old, so she wants to stay and look after . She's too sensible, and it actually leaves at a loss sotis."
...
"And there's Mana, your real little sister. In a way, she worries even more than Natsumi. Ever since the hidden illness in her body was cured, she's been jumping around like a tomboy. And just like you, her sense of justice is too strong. She also has a natural talent for getting into trouble. In middle school, she often got into fights. She only settled down a little after entering high school. Now she's the advisor of the high school kendo club, and also the boss of the delinquents in town."
TL:Don't worry, after the next chapter and afterword, it will be the normal end route, and also special chapter of each spirits in this tiline, the detail of every thing yutsuki was just talking about, the spirits new life, struggle, individual growth....it's really good too....ahh...I will go cry so more...
...
"Ti passes so quickly. In the blink of an eye, seven years have gone by. Watching them grow up healthy and happy, beco independent, and have lives of their own... I'm truly... very happy." As she recalled and spoke of the things that had happened over these years, Yutsuki felt both comforted and a little sad.
"But when I think that, from now on, they'll fall in love like ordinary people, get married, have children... I feel very complicated. Maybe this is what it feels like to beco a parent. Everyone has grown into beautiful young won. If the other person isn't a man who can make them happy, I definitely won't accept him."
...
Hidden behind a tree trunk, Kurumi curled herself up, hugged her knees, and buried her head between them, not making a single sound.
And yet, even so, Yutsuki's voice still entered her ears with perfect clarity.
Her voice was so kind, so gentle, and yet so powerless.
It was as though she was not facing a lonely grave, but a beloved family mber to whom she could open her heart, soone with whom she could share all her worries and all her joy.
As if that boy who had once saved Yutsuki was sitting right beside her.
That made Kurumi's heart hurt unbearably.
Every word Yutsuki spoke was like a sharp blade stabbing deep into Kurumi's chest.
Her throat tightened, her nose stung, and tears kept gathering in her eyes. If she was even a little careless, they would spill out.
Guilt.
That feeling spread endlessly through her heart.
She had clearly known all along just how deep Yutsuki's feelings for those girls were. She had clearly known what a terrible effect the boy's death would have on this world. Yet in the end, because of that small weakness in her heart, she had chosen to run away and left this world to fend for itself.
The boy's death had wounded Yutsuki no less than it had anyone else. But not only had Yutsuki not taken her anger out on Kurumi, she had accepted her, then chosen to clean up this hopeless ss on her own, carrying all the sins and pain on her shoulders alone.
(What can I even do?)
Kurumi thought in confusion.
Yutsuki was less than a hundred ters away from her, but Kurumi did not know how to face her. Even if she did et her, she did not know what she could possibly say.
This was a world that belonged only to those two.
For soone like her, who had escaped from her wish and her mission, she had no right to appear and interfere.
"Hey... Shido... It's enough now, right?" (TL:no no ahhhhhhhhh)
Just as Kurumi was about to leave silently, Yutsuki's words forced her to stop.
A chill spread from deep inside her spine. An indescribable unease rose in Kurumi's heart, forcing her to step out from behind the tree.
The setting sun was sinking.
Dim yellow light passed through the withered forest and fell upon the earth. The cold autumn wind swept through the place, carrying dry leaves into the air, like a gloomy and heavy oil painting.
"I... killed people... Not just one person, and not ten... Nearly ten million innocent lives died because of my choices."
"I... lied to everyone... I said that soone nad Itsuka Shido never existed in this world... I said I was just a lonely old woman with no one left... I said I didn't know anything about the mories they lost... These past few years, I've been lying all this ti... This morning... I even lied to Yoshino, saying I'd go back for lunch, I haven't heard Mukuro's new story from kindergarten today, I lied to Natsumi about leaving without a word,I haven't taste Tohka's new recipe, I haven't watch Miku's newest concert,…and Nia…Kaguya…Yuzuru..Origami..Kotori…Mana… I'm sorry..." (TL:Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)
"The wish you entrusted to ... I couldn't fulfill it either... Maria, Marina, Reine-san... They're gone... They'll never co back..."
"Even your face...your voice...your scent..your eyes..your warm hand....your tight embrace...how you used to smile... honestly... I can no longer rember it much now....I'm sorry Shido....I'm sorry.....I'm sorry...I'm sorry.....I'm sorry...."
(TL: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)
"But...I'm tired..…I've done enough right?"
"So I'm sorry... From now on... let rest properly..."
The girl within the painting seed as if she was about to enter a brief sleep. With a calm and peaceful smile, she slowly closed her eyes.
And at that very mont, an enormous wave of spirit power suddenly burst from Yutsuki's body.
Kurumi seed to realize sothing. Her eyes widened in terror.
——!!!
At the sa ti, the whole forest stirred. As if fleeing from so savage flood or beast, the animals in the forest scrambled for their lives, rushing toward the outside of the forest.
"No... NOOOOOO!!!!"
Tears slid down Kurumi's cheeks beyond her control. A faint voice squeezed out from her throat. At last, Kurumi took a step forward and ran toward Yutsuki with everything she had.
"Ugh——"
But the step she had finally managed to take was blocked by a wall.
It was a barrier condensed from the spirit power released by ten Sephira Crystals. Forget now—even Kurumi in her pri could not possibly break through this barrier.
And yet, even so, Tokisaki Kurumi clenched her teeth and kept striking the barrier.
"Don't go! Don't go! I'm begging you! Yutsuki!!!!! Please please please!!!!!"
Watching Yutsuki's eyes gradually close, Kurumi cried out with all her strength.
"Please don't leave alone!!!!!!!!!" (TL:ah..ah..ah...ugh...pain...lord...what is this pain....)
...
Her body grew heavier and heavier.
Her mind beca muddy.
Her five senses slowly lted away like ice dropped into water.
The existence known as Ryogi Yutsuki was fading.
She had continuously overloaded herself by absorbing violent spirit power, and had used all kinds of Angels without restraint. This body and soul, already full of wounds, had finally reached their limit in this mont.
"——!!"
Through the haze, she seed to hear a voice calling her.
Barely forcing her eyes open, in the blurry world, Kurumi stood on the other side of the wall, crying like an abandoned child. She looked so pained and helpless.
This was the future Yutsuki had seen long ago.
In that instant, a trace of hesitation and guilt appeared in her heart.
To Yutsuki, this mont was a prophecy of certain victory, and also her release.
But to Kurumi, it was the beginning of a new nightmare.
She had to leave sothing behind.
Not for the most evil Spirit who had killed ten thousand people.
But for an ordinary girl nad Tokisaki Kurumi.
A blessing that would let her live on.
Clinging to that one thought, Yutsuki used the last of her strength to squeeze out a smile, and moved her lips slightly toward Kurumi.
"Welco ho, Kurumi."
In the next instant, a dazzling pillar of light rose from the earth and pierced through the entire sky.
TL:AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AUTHOR YOU'RE SUCH A SNAKE. AUTHOR AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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