Chapter 4: tensions at the funeral.

Three days after Miho's death, her funeral took place in the Kumamoto cemetery. Participating in the funeral ceremony were her classmates and schoolmates, student council members, even delegations from Anzio, Pravda, Saunders, and Chi-ha-tan. The Kuromorimine school was not invited. All were dressed in mourning, and they were divided among those who wept (Saori, Hana, Yukari), who kept their faces low (Katyusha, Carpaccio, Anchovy) and those who suffered in silence (Darjeeling, Kay, Anzu). Some of those present wanted to say a few words to honor the extinct dear:

Hana: "The death of Miho is a terrible tragedy, she was a sincere and unselfish friend, a loyal and valiant companion, she made us what we are today, she was our light, our oxygen. 'It is more we will be swallowed by the darkness ... Forever. "

Yukari: "Miho was like a sister to me. She was a brave, unselfish and wise girl; she always managed to instill courage in those around her. We have always divided everything. We have always supported each other in times of difficulty ... But now she is dead. And without her the world has lost its light ... If I think I can no longer enjoy her company, I feel like dying! "

Saori: "Miho was a kind and caring girl. Thanks to these talents she was able to earn everyone's sympathy and trust. Even her opponents in the field. Now that she is dead, the world has lost all its light. "

Yuzu: "If it was not for Miho, Ooarai probably would not have won just one match. She has given courage, hope and self-confidence to all of us, allowing us to overcome the worst adversities. And I will be eternally grateful for this. It is therefore with a broken heart that today I attend this funeral ... A splendid and heroic girl like her did not deserve a similar end. "

"Fortunately, the MEXT has decided to postpone the final for the duration of the investigation." Momo stated.

"It makes no difference ... Without Miho we are still destined to lose." Anzu answered, dark in the face.

"We do not have to throw in the towel like that! Miho would not have wanted it! She wished we would fight to the end, giving our best! "The bespectacled exclaimed.

"And we will do it, you can count on it."

The redhead snorted, and then looked up at the sky, covered with clouds.

"What a gloomy time ..."

"Most suitable for a funeral." Erwin intervened.

"Strange that Kuromorimine first proposed the postponement ..." Mako commented.

"It was inevitable anyway. And then those witches are not in a hurry, they know they still have victory in their hands. Or at least I'm convinced of it ... "The blonde said.

"But look ... You talk about witches ..." Saemonza exclaimed.

"What's up?" Anzu asked, noting that they had all turned to the right.

"Look at yourself." Momo answered.

A delegation of Kuromorimine led by Shiho, Erika and Maho was approaching the grave of Miho, where it would soon be buried.

"Momo, I had instructed you to warn them that they were not welcome."

"I did it, president. But apparently they have decided to ignore your request. "

Hana, who stood in front of them, thought about the new arrivals.

"How dare you show yourself here?" She asked, furious.

"Even though she moved to the Ooarai one time Miho was one of us. Besides, she was my sister. "Said Maho.

"And my daughter." Shiho added.

"Ergo, we have every right to participate." concluded Erika.

"This is a private ceremony, and you are not invited. We do not want journalists or even scrappers." Anzu warned.

"Send them away! I do not want the vipers of their team here! "Yukari exclaimed.

"Please ... Even if we are adversaries on the sporting side, there is no reason to hate us!" Exclaimed one of the kuro, a girl with short brown hair and black eyes.

"And who would you be?"

"My name is Koume Akaboshi."

"And then why Anzio, Pravda, Saunders, St. Gloriana, Chi-ha-tan yes and we do not?" Asked Maho.

"Because we can trust them."

"What would you like to say?"

"That is a strange coincidence that Miho was killed the night before the final, when we had to fight against your team," Momo said, adjusting her glasses.

Erika laughed mockingly.

"What are you doing, insinuate?"

"Do not insinuate, I say: you killed her!"

At that moment a thunder pierced the air.

At that accusation the kuro widened their eyes.

"This is absurd ... We are a team of Sensha-do, not killer!" Exclaimed Maho, indignant.

" Do not take us for the ass. Did you think nobody would suspect you? You had everything to gain from her departure, including an easy victory and revenge for what happened a year ago! "Erwin interjected.

"We have nothing to do with it!"

Anzu burst out laughing.

"Do not complicate things, just admit it! We all know that you despised it! "

"We were not us!" Shiho said nervously.

"Did you strangle her?" Hana asked, addressing Koume.

"This is absurd, she saved my life! I would never hurt her! "The latter replied, shocked.

She did not mind and pointed to Erika.

"You?"

She pointed to Maho.

"You?"

Finally she positioned himself in front of Shiho.

"Or maybe you, mother degenerate?"

"Do not dare, little girl! Even though we were not on good terms, it was still my daughter!"

In response, her interlocutor spat in her face, a lump of saliva hit her face straight.

"You're a whore! Here's what you are!"

She was shocked by that gesture, but not her daughter Miho, who in a fit of anger hit Hana with a fist on her nose, making her fall to the ground. Immediately she jumped on her and started punching her, but at a certain point Hana stopped her and pushed her back. Even with her bloody nose he managed to laugh.

"Truth burns, eh?"

She attacked, beginning to strike Maho, who backed slightly, before responding in kind.

Immediately Kay, Nonna and Darjeeling blocked Hana, while Maho was detained by Erika and Koume.

"You are killers! ASSASSINS! "Hana shouted.

"And leave me!" In the meantime Maho was saying, furious.

"Please calm down! We're at a funeral, not a boxing match! "Carpaccio interjected.

"She's right, we should be united in mourning, do not bite each other!" Caesar gave her the strength.

"We just want to say goodbye to Miho ... A daughter, a sister, a partner and a friend. Please let us stay! "Shiho prayed, bowing.

Anzu looked at her for a few seconds, then nodded.

"All right, you can stay."

"Are you sure?" Momo asked her.

"I do not want problems on this day, and I doubt they will give up paying tribute to Miho, so ..."

Although upset, the blonde nodded.

"We are grateful." Koume said, bowing in turn.

The redhead did not answer, merely staring at her.

"Even if the idea of bhaving at my side the murderers of Miho nausea I'm afraid I'll have to send down the toad, the frog and all the tadpoles." Erwin said, disgusted.

"We did not kill her, is it clear or not? And then it could have been them! "Erika replied, pointing to the representatives of the other teams, primarily Pravda.

"We?" Katyusha asked, stunned.

Itsumi folded her arms and smiled smartly.

"I bet you burned the defeat at the hands of Miho, so you ordered your slave to stangle her!"

"How dare you!"

"Or maybe the culprit is from Anzio ... True, Anchovy?"

"You're crazy! We even feasted together after their victory!"

"But the defeat burned you, did not you?"

"Of course, it's natural! But we took it sportingly! "

"Please, let's stop accusing each other ... It's true that all of us, except St. Gloriana, have been defeated by Miho, but this is not enough to make us killers!" Kay said, trying to calm the spirits.

"Erika, that's enough. Another word and I'll get you away! "Shiho warned.

"Yes, Fraulein Shiho ..."

The rest of the funeral took place quietly, although many of those present were watching suspicious or even hatred of the Kuromorimine delegation. When the ceremony was over and the buried coffin moved away from the graveyard.

"Erika ..."

"Tell me, Maho."

"You have nothing to do with it, do you?"

"With what?"

"You know what I'm talking about ..."

"Your question is as offensive as superfluous ... I did not kill her."

"You said you hoped it would not come at dawn. And strangely your hope has come true. "

"It was a sentence dictated by anger, nothing more."

Maho looked at her without replying. Could she really believe her, considering she was who knows where the night of the crime?

"Momo?"

"Yes, president?"

"Invite Anchovy, Kay, Katyusha, Darjeeling and Kinuyo to my office."

"And why?"

"You'll find out in due course ..."

"Agree…"

Having said this, the bespectacled girl put her hand to her cell phone, connected to Facebook and wrote a message to each of the aforementioned.