TEASER
Volume 4 Chapter 4.4
With the Strength of Our Bonds Part 4
The gigantic Qi-blade
destroyed three of the four-layered magic barriers installed in the arena.
Immediately afterward, the spectators' seats were struck by a shock as if they
had been hit by an earthquake.
Eventually, the
billowing smoke cleared up, exposing the arena to the public. Everyone was
speechless at what they saw.
A deep scar was carved
into the ground. The artificial trees were toppled outward, and most of them
were shattered.
And on top of the
collapsed artificial tree, there was the figure of Nozomu. His body, which had
slumped down, did not move even a twitch.
"Ah......."'
A dull voice escaped
Lisa's mouth. Her eyes were wide open and her face was pale.
[~, W-Why!?]
While Mefi, who has
been assimilated into Lisa, was shaken, Lisa's emotions, which she had been
desperately trying to contain, erupted. Lisa's whole body went cold as if she
had fallen into an icy lake, and only her heart was beating rapidly.
"A,
aah......."
Nozomu was lying on
the ground. Seeing this figure brought back memories of her father's death in
Lisa's mind.
He had turned white
and cold, like a wax figure. Her mother broke down in tears, and.........
"I-I have to help
him!"
"Lisa!?"
Lisa shook off Ken's
hand and ran. His pleading-like voice and the noise buzzing in her head were
distant now, and she forgot all the anger, sadness, confusion, and conflict
she'd felt toward Nozomu.
If I don't
help him quickly, he's going to die!
That was the only
thought that occupied her mind.
But Lisa's steps were
stopped at that very moment. Two girls ran past her at once.
"Nozomu!"
"Mimuru, hurry up
and fetch Norn-sensei!"
"Ah......"
Irisdina and Shina's
screams pierced Lisa's ears.
Her voice leaked out
with a hint of loneliness and emptiness, and the black emotion instantly
quenched the overflowing impulse.
[A~aah, see? There's
always someone to take your place.]
Mefi, taking advantage
of Lisa's emotional breakdown, intensified her interference with Lisa's psyche.
She quickly sealed up the memories that Lisa was about to recall along with the
emotions.
"Why in the world
did I......"
Lisa's eyes, which
were filled with turmoil, once again caught Irisdina and Shina as they tried to
rush to Nozomu.
Her expression was no
longer the one of impatience, but a cold indifference.
(What a bunch of
idiots, they're just going to be betrayed just like me anyway......)
With dismay and pity,
she spun around on her heel and tried to get back to Ken and the others.
At that moment, a
single tear began to well up from her glassy, vacant eyes.
(Huh? Why?)
Unintentionally, she
reached out with her hand to wipe the drop that trickled down her cheek. The
tear on her palm was somehow very hot.
‡
Irisdina and Shina
tried to rush toward the fallen Nozomu, but their way was blocked by the last
magic barrier surrounding the arena.
"Inda-sensei,
please disarm the barrier quickly!"
"I know. Wait a
moment."
Urged by Irisdina's
desperate cries, Inda ran her finger across the control panel of the magic
barrier. Norn, the infirmary doctor, was standing by the barrier with a
stretcher ready to go.
Irisdina and Shina
were anxiously waiting for the barrier to be lifted, restlessly pacing left and
right in front of it. However, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
This is just a teaser.
The full chapter is currently only available for my Patrons.
This chapter will be available for free on June 13, 2024.
