Ok! here is next chapter again.
The time when I woke up,
I couldn't even remember where exactly I was…
But it was calm and comfortable…
The sunshine that passed through the door, the breezy winds from the pond and all…
I could see my siblings playing around the garden—their innocent smiles remained in their face even though…I believe, there was something terrible that happened before this…
Maybe they just don't get it…
But…
….it's better to leave it like that… right?
I got up from my bed and started to explore my surroundings, only to notice a lot of flowers planted in the garden. My mother calmly tending to it while Nozomi stood next to her.
"You sure it's fine for you and your family to be left alone for now?" Nozomi asked,
"Yes… I do not wish to let any of my children do what my husband did….we just want to live in peace…without any crimes, without everything else that's related to it… I will end the line on me…" My mother replied.
"….once you abolished this contract, you cannot renew it…ever again…"
"That was my plan… it's better for us to work hard for what we wish for than to shout as loud as we could to make it come true…I mean… that's how a human's life is supposed to be, right?"
Nozomi smiled faintly,
"it's not that bad to let one be spoiled by their wishes, but I suppose…if that's really what you think…"
"Thank you for taking care of us, Nozomi-chan… you're now free to go…"
Nozomi bowed politely and… took the red box—that I have always known to be mine, keeping it inside her clothes and fading to thin air.
Hmm…
WAIT!
WHAT THE HECK?!
"M-Mama!" I shouted,
"Niko-chan?" My mother look into me with her flustered face.
"W-What the heck are you doing! We still need her!" I shouted.
"What do you need her for? She has done everything she could for us…" my mother said.
"W-What about Maki?! She must still be somewhere, deep in the trouble! I must save her!" I shouted.
"Maki….. is that your boyfriend?" she asked.
W-What the heck!?
"M-Maki is a girl!" I said.
"Oh…. so… girlfriend?"
"NO!" I yelled loudly.
Even though there's part of me that wishes for her to be one…
Hn…wish….huh?
Why have I never wished that off of Nozomi?
Why are we always occupied with our own business?
Yet I know that I want to be with her….
But we are always separated somehow… in our own adventures, by our own need…
….i feel like…
We should change it somehow!
Maybe it will be different than how it was in the previous time line, just like what Nozomi mentioned.
"Niko-chan?" My mama snapped me out of my thought.
"Y-Yes?" I replied.
"This is just a warning, Niko-chan… but… we've gone through a lot… don't act recklessly…" my mama said.
Well..it's nothing reckless…
Nothing as reckless as releasing Nozomi from the contract!
That's like making me drop my only weapon— my only way to make a change!
"I want to save Maki! Then there should be the others too that still need saving—I'm sure of that!" I said loudly.
"Niko-chan! Think of your siblings! Don't be selfish!"
"I'm not selfish! Heck! I don't want to be as selfish as living here in safety while others could've used something to save them! I want to help them!" I said.
"Then if you fail?! Do you think our family could recover easily from the loss?!"
"I will never fail!" I said loudly.
She remained quiet as I said it,
"If you let me… I promise I won't fail…" I said clearly.
She once again took a minute to rethink of my response.
"Niko-chan… listen… it's not that mama doesn't trust you… but… I want you to know that we're already done with the problem— there will be no point of us to return there…" she said,
"There is a point! I could save my friends!" I said loudly.
"And what did they do to you? From what I've always remembered—you never had any friends that actually liked you for who you are!"
"W-what?! How could mama say that out of nowhere!?"
"That's what you said to mama!"
I…said that?
When?!
"You also said that you don't like any of your friends because they are blaming papa for discovering the Wish makers… then you brought this trouble to papa…"
I…I did that?!
"….and that's how your papa got so worked up, to get back the pride of the Yazawa-clan by showing off his power from owning the wish maker!"
W-What the heck?!
"Come to think of it, this mess is all your fault!" my mama said.
What the hell?! She is now throwing things at me?!
"If only we didn't spoil you, then you would've never caused all these problems!"
"Now mama's blaming it on me?!" I yelled.
She frowned at me,
"Just go if you want! I don't care anymore!" she shouted.
"Fine! I'll go!" I said loudly back at her as I walk away.
I can't believe this,
What's wrong with her all so sudden, sheesh…
Sometimes my mother is so ridiculous and does that to all of us.
Putting that problem aside, I left with my horse— a young horse that has been trained enough to carry me and my belongings…
Apparently, I was taken to a neighborhood town, just a few kilometers away from the borderline of my hometown. I wonder if that neighborhood town is a good place to hide… unless there's a magic that sustains those crazy asses inside…
I keep rushing to the town, I know it shouldn't be so far away…. Though I feel like I've been rushing endlessly, like the path has somewhat grown bigger and longer than it should be. Perhaps there really is a magic that works in here…
But how can I pass through this?
Sigh…
This is why I hate it when my mother acts like that. She shouldn't have released Nozomi because I still need her…
Sheesh!
I hate her for agreeing to my mom like there's nothing to worry about!
Didn't she know that everyone is in trouble right now?!
"Aahh—Nikocchi…. You still need me…. how spoiled are you!" A familiar voice said from behind me.
I quickly turned around,
There's Nozomi floating behind me—wearing her smug face,
"You shithead, coming out of nowhere!" I said as I tugged the reins to halt my horse.
She chuckled,
"Well… I have the feeling that Nikocchi wouldn't let Maki-chan be in trouble alone…" she said,
"W-what?!"
"That's your priority, right?" She smiled,
Well…yes…
But…
"Don't worry Nikocchi… I know you're a trouble buster…" she giggled mockingly,
I regret saying that I need her… maybe I don't need her…
I'll just go on ahead….
Everyone must be waiting for me…
"…and Maki-chan is 'everyone' to you…." she continued again as she followed me.
I wonder when I will reach that town…
"You're in love, Nikocchi…"
Hell, I don't even know what I feel towards her…
I just know that I'm attracted,
Besides…I'm busy saving the world….
"You're deciding too fast—I don't even understand myself…"
"Nothing is too fast when it comes to love. It's a gamble, ready or not…get it or lose it."
"We haven't even made any moves on each other!" I said.
"But you do express it a few times— and you know how happy you are when she is close!"
"I know— but what can I say? I can't say it out of nowhere!"
"You don't need a reason, Nikochi! Just say it!"
I feel like she said that to me before…but…either way…..
"I can't, ok?! It's stupid if I do that out of nowhere!"
"That's what you said in the last-last-last-last time line, then you regretted it the timeline before this, and now you have to say it so it becomes a different timeline!" she said.
"Ggh! We have business here, you shithead, we're not here to play! The world is more important!"
"…and what is the world to you if you are not working for your own wish? Do you think there's anyone in this world that lives without a mission? Everybody lives for a mission and they're all working for it— even though they might've never realized it. Your mission is just to tell the truth to her… there's nothing else you can do other than that…"
"W-What the heck?! Do you think I have nothing to offer, huh!?" I yelled,
"Do you? You're still living from my pity…" she said.
What a pain in the ass!
"I'm not!" I said loudly.
"Well did you ever find what you're good at until now?" she asked.
"I'm good at many things!" I said.
"Not even better than I or Ericchi…" I replied.
"Who cares?! I'm doing my best… my best and your best can't be compared!"
"That's what everyone says to someone who can't be any better than anyone. Truth to be told, everyone will always look for the better in this world….except for someone who has always kept their eyes on you, always remembered you and always think about you even though she may have never said it— you know who!"
Yeah…who?!
"My mother?!" I said.
"Lame! You're not taking the hint at all!"
"You're the lame one! Don't be too pushy about this, ok?! I'm going to do it my way!"
"You'll never reach her as long as you keep running in this endless road…"
"Then make me go to her!"
She sighed and rolled her eyes before something bright shines upon me.
As I realized that I am now placed in a bamboo forest near the rice field that seemed familiar,
I strolled down the forest alongside with Nozomi and my horse.
As we reached the corner, I noticed that Maki, Hanayo, Rin, Honoka, Kotori and Umi already waited there.
Nozomi seemed to not give any special reaction to it— though, I feel like it wasn't like this before…
"Are they waiting for the reapers to come?" I asked.
"The reapers are only there when something happens to one's wish maker...or let's just say, when the owner couldn't take care of their wish maker, the reaper will come after them…"
"So…who was her wish maker again?"
"She has two… Umi and Kotori…" Nozomi said.
"Ah…."
"actually, all wish makers were owned by her ever since she said that she will pay with her life…becoming a merchant made her have all kinds of wish makers, even I was owned by her as well… but she could let someone borrow it—and she borrowed me to you…"
"You…are only borrowed? I thought all the hard work to summon you is a sign that I own you!"
"My…Nikocchi…I'm Ericchi's wife…and Honoka-chan's wish `maker…I can't be owned by you too… that will be too much… unless you want to be my daughter!"
"Heck—No!" I replied immediately.
"But let me remind you again, didn't you remember what Honoka said?"
"What?"
"That what you did to summon me was only a substitute-way…"
Right…
"You're not really paying me with anything, you know… not even a single soul…"
"I can't kill anyone important to me just because I want to wish for something…" I said.
"I understand that… don't worry…" she giggled.
"That's why I said…you're still living from my pity…." She continued with a faint smile then ran into those people who stood on the rice field.
I wonder what exactly she means by that… It's annoying…
I mean… why does she feel so important, I'm very sure I'm not living from her pity! I can do things on my own! Unless...she was just trying to make me show how good I am in something…
To say the truth though, I don't know what I'm good at…
Then to know that I was spoiled…
I was spoiled!
Somehow I've never remember anything about that!
I know my papa was spoiling me, but I feel like…
Well…
It just something that I couldn't describe… it's like my mind is open with a lot of things…
Ah either way!
"Oi!" I greeted them.
"Niko!" Maki smiled at me,
"Niko-chan!" the others called me out too.
"So I suppose there are eight of us now, right? That's a nice number..i suppose…" Umi said.
"Yeah… but not to mention that we both were so close to getting Eli-chan…" Kotori said.
"Yes! She escaped! That was annoying!" Honoka said.
"E-Escaped?! How dare she escape from a battle! That's not what a warrior should do!" Umi shouted loudly.
"Hey-hey, Now… escaping is one of the strategy that exists…" Nozomi said as she glanced at me teasingly.
Oh-shut up…
"Now I wonder about that Eli and the other Eli, which one of them will win?" Umi asked.
Nozomi tilted her head,
"Ericchi and another Ericchi?" she tried to confirm.
"Yes… they can't merge because their bodies are different…" Maki said.
C-Could that be….?
Because she has a spear between her legs?!
"I suppose that'll do something…huh? I'm glad…" I said.
Nozomi nodded,
"Hmm…I see…" she said…
"…I suppose it was not that bad…. Every mistake has its own benefit…" she continued.
"Uhm…can you two please confirm their location?" Kotori asked,
"They should still be in the Yazawa fortress…thats if they're still fighting though…" Maki said.
They're still at my place, huh?
Alright…
That means that I can't go back there..
Well...who wants to go back there…
And…honestly… with my father's death… I feel like that isn't an obligation for me anymore…
Not that I don't love him…
I love him as my father… but… I feel like it's better for him to die as honorable man than live as a greedy man. Just like how his fate was in my real time line….
Hmm…
In my real time line…?
Now that I think about it…
When is my real time line? If the reality keeps changing from time to time, shouldn't that mean that I keep repeating it over and over with different ways of treating it? Then that also means… they're all my real time— my reality?
This is crazy…
I wonder which one is the unvarnished truth?
The end of my adventure and all…
"….speaking of which…" Maki's voice snap me out of my thoughts,
"…I wonder…what does the 'rice-girl' mean to you, Hanayo?" she asked,
"Uh…that's me…?" she replied.
"I know..but…what's with it?" Maki asked again.
"I love Rice…."
"Alright…but..why?"
"Rice is good…."
"I don't get it…."
"What do you not get? Rice is great, especially white rice…"
"I know…but… why are you written as the Rice girl?"
"Because I love rice…"
"That's it?!"
Maki seems annoyed.
Where did she find out about her being written as the rice girl? Why is she so worked up about it?
Maki sighed heavily then crossed her arms,
"Fine…can anyone here tell me what kind of black magic caused you to become Wish makers?"
"Black magic….? Where did you find out that it was black magic-nya?" Rin asked.
"I—it doesn't matter! I just want to know!" Maki replied.
What is she up to?
"Why does that matter to you, Maki-chan?" Nozomi asked.
"Because I want to know more about it…" she said.
"It really doesn't matter where it started— it won't do anything. Just finish it according to what you want to create for us…" Nozomi said.
Huh? Create what?
Maki seems to understand what she is talking about though.
But more importantly, what is Nozomi hiding? Did she know something?
"Hey, you know anything?" I asked.
"Now—now…" Nozomi said loudly,
She is totally ignoring me!
"…No reapers are coming, no one dying or anything, what will you all do here?" Nozomi asked.
"No one dying? What about Eli? We lost her!" Umi protested.
"That doesn't matter either… not for you all… It is my problem… please don't interfere…"
What?
That's not fair!
"Hey-hey, you're being unfair!" I said.
"Who is?" she turn her eyes to me,
"You! You're interfering with our problems, why can't we do the same?" I said.
"Yeah! That's not fair-nya! Nozomi-chan solved my problem, why can't we solve Nozomi-chan's problem-nya?!" Rin said.
What problem does she ever solve?
Uh…Either way!
"Ahh! Speaking of which… I think, for now, we should take shelter to rest… it will get colder at night…" Nozomi said—ignoring both of our complaints as she started to walk away from us.
"Nozomi!" Maki tried to make her listen,
"Come on, everyone… follow me…." she said as she keeps moving.
She took us to a shrine,
A big empty shrine which looks as thought it was closed a long time ago, with dirt and seals scattered around the area, the unoccupied dusty rooms and the dry pond in the untended garden.
Nozomi opened everything like she was fluent with the place itself. With her magic, she cleaned a few areas and left the outside in its true state. I don't know what her intention is, but maybe she is just trying to prevent other people from coming in?
Maybe that's it…
When we all enter the place, Nozomi sealed the door back, and then lead us to the main hall— a big empty hall with all the Gods and Goddesses statues placed neatly in each corner.
"Nozomi-chan… what is this place?" Honoka asked.
"Honoka! Don't embarrass us! This is clearly a shrine!" Umi said clearly.
"Honoka-chan…. how could you not know…." Kotori said with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry-I'm sorry… I have never visited this kind of place in my whole life… hehe…" she said sheepishly.
"Embarassing!" Umi said loudly.
"Hehe..now-now, everyone… please take a seat…." Nozomi said suddenly as everyone, including me, got a chair behind our backs. Then something forced us to sit down—and lock us on our chairs with spectral chains.
"H-hey!"
"Whoa!"
"N-Nya!"
She smiled softly— yet a strange expression lit up her face. What she is up to now?!
"W-What is it, Nozomi-chan? I have never seen you do this to us before!" Hanayo said as she wonder about the chair she is sitting on.
"Everyone… please listen carefully…" Nozomi said as stood right in front of us,
"I want all of you to relax and enjoy the day… is that too much to ask?" she continued.
"W-What?! We can't enjoy the day if we're all faced with this chaos!" Umi stated.
"E-Even though it seems that everything is already over with the massive deaths around this city, I still feel like this is not yet over… we can't relax!" Kotori added.
"Yes! Plus! We haven't done anything for Eli— and the Eli that came with me must still be somewhere outside!" Maki said.
"I told you… that's my business… leave it to me…." Nozomi said.
"…and do you think you can finish that alone, huh!?" I followed up,
Remembering how she was in that timeline…I mean...getting dominated…
"If there's only one person who can stop her, that person is me…." Nozomi replied.
"Y-you're just selfish! The problem that Eli caused is big and—…."
"It is up to me about how I want to treat her, right? Besides… you're all alive right now… that's all that is important…. I don't care about the rest…" Nozomi cuts in before Umi managed to finish her sentence.
"Don't be ridiculous… what's the point of you saving us if you are not allowing us to do what we want?" Maki said.
She has a point!
"Yeah! You're just imprisoning us!" I said.
The room went awfully quiet for a moment….
"This will be your last time repeating the time…." Nozomi said with a soft yet sad smile,
"….and this is how I want it to end… please…. Let me do this… for the best of us…"
"You shithead! No one is asking for this! you're doing it for yourself!" I said clearly.
"Maybe it is—but… maybe it is also for each of your future…" Nozomi replied again before she carefully walks to the side of the room.
"….everything here will change as I'm filled enough to recover everything…." she continued…
F-Filled enough?!
W-What the heck is she talking about?!
"So please… relax…ok? It will only take a while…" she grinned cheerfully—though her eyes express sadness
"Nozomi!" I shouted—yet she ignored us and disappeared to thin air.
What the hell?!
For a few hours,
We tried to release ourselves from the chains. My power that I got from Nozomi was also somehow depleted like it never existed before. The power that I got from the moment I wished to get enough strength to climb up that dead pit….she must've taken it back…
"This is— insane!" Umi complained,
"My power is sealed! These chains are sealing meeee!" Kotori complained too.
"Must—get–rid of it-nyaaaaa!" Rin said loudly as she struggles to get rid of the chains.
"These chains are so rough and…uurgghh…" Hanayo tried to unleash herself too.
"Ggggghhhhhhhhh…" Honoka made a weird sound as she tried to get her hands off the bounds.
"Aaahh! It's hard to get rid of this!" I complained as I also tried my best to get rid of the chains.
I turn my eyes to Maki—who seemed to be all quiet and troubled,
"Oi! Maki!" I shouted,
She turn her eyes at me,
"Why are you doing nothing?!" I asked.
"…and what's the point of me doing something? I can't get off this chair…." Maki said.
That's a good point..but…
"You didn't even try!" I said,
"even if I tried until I'm dried off my energy, it will not do anything… Nozomi is fixated with her plans… there's nothing we can do but wait…" she said.
"You're an idiot! Of course there should be something even if you don't see it! You just need to try—damn it!" I said loudly.
"Then give me the idea of 'trying'….i bet you have nothing!" she said.
"Oh yeah?! I'm sorry but I've watched enough movies about how to deal with this kind of situation!" I said.
"Magic tricks? I don't believe them! They're just tricks, they can't help you escape for real!" she replied.
"Not magic tricks! You know the trick that's often used by the good guy!"
"Those are just movies!" Maki replied.
"uhm…What's a movie-nya?" Rin asked
Oh right… they don't know what movie is…they came from this time after all…
But… how come Maki knows what a movie is…?
I mean… that's mean… she came from my reality too…? Or at least…from the same age?
"Movie is a movie! I can't explain it to you!" I said.
"It's something from the future, Rin-chan…" Hanayo said.
"Something from the future? Then…Niko-chan and Maki-chan came from the future?"
"N-Not quite… I…I can't explain in detail! But…. either way! Keep trying to release yourself from the chains!" I said.
"I told you, it's useless! Just stay and save your energy!" Maki said.
"You won't get anything from doing nothing!" I said.
"I rather do nothing than to lose something for nothing!" she replied.
"You don't know if it will do anything! There's a possibility of you to get something out of it!" I said again.
"I said—…" she frowned deeply,
"—it will never do anything!" she stood up as she powerfully breaks the chair…
Well….
Everyone remained quiet as they could see Maki breaking the chair off—releasing herself from the bind even though the chain still attached tightly on her wrist.
I think I won this one…
"Uhm…Maki-chan….?" Honoka tried to confirm of the situation…
"See?! I told you! You just need to try!" I said.
Maki remain quiet for a moment as she looks at herself.
"Maki… how did you get that kind of power?" Umi asked.
"I…wished to Eli that I want to be able to fight…" Maki replied,
"Hmm…I see…so the power from Eli isn't sealed…" Umi said as she looks down into her locked wrist,
"Then—Maki-chan, can you get us free too?" Honoka asked.
"I'll try…" Maki said with a nod.
"I'll start from you…" she continued as she look into me.
"Huh? Me?"
"Don't complain!" she said— and I could see a hint of red on her cheeks, maybe its just the glow from her red hair…but I get a feeling she is actually hiding something—like…
"Sheesh, you don't need to be shy! I know you just want me to be free because—…" and before I managed to finish my sentence, she swiftly chopped my chair with her arm,
"Whoaaaa!"
She broke the chair into pieces and I was so close to fall down. But luckily, I was able to hold…
Oh….
OH GOD!
W-W-WHAT AM DOING?!
WHY DID I HOLD ONTO HER LIKE THIS!
I circled both of my arm on her shoulder, then my legs locking into her waist.
THIS LOOKS REALLY WRONG!
IT'S ALMOST AS LEWD AS THOSE SHITHEADS!
Why did I even do this….?
WHY!?
Also….Why did she just touch my butt with her hands?!
I couldn't do anything!
I—I mean! I feel like I have no excuse to say about why I'm holding her like this!
I could feel her hands trailing up to my hips,
Until something suddenly started to feel a little tense….
This is bad!
"M-Maki you idiot!"
It takes a moment for all of us to be released,
It's easy to get rid of the chains as we got Kotori released. She is able to untie the chains without cutting it.
…then I feel like the touch that Maki did a few minutes ago is still wrong in so many levels! Whats worse is that she didn't even apologize to me! Instead, she blames me for hopping onto her like that! I mean, I didn't even mean it! She was so quick on destroying the chair!
"Thank you, Maki…I'm glad you're able to release us…" Umi said politely to her,
"Yeah… I'm glad too! I can't imagine myself to be stuck here until Nozomi returned…or…finished with her thing…." Kotori said.
"Yeah! That's really cool-nya!" Rin said cheerfully.
"Maki-chan so strong!" Honoka complimented,
"Yup! Very strong indeed!" Hanayo smiled gently at her,
"W-We should hurry up and find Nozomi… we can't let her do things alone…" Maki said—turning away the topic.
"I agree…we should hurry up and get out this place…" Umi said.
"We need a plan…." Maki said.
"Ooo! A plan! Well…." Honoka started—then they all started to discuss…
I feel so left out here…but…
Even if I tried to join in on this…I feel like I won't do much… but that will be ironic because I just helped Maki do what she just doubted…
So I suppose I'll have to try too!
"Heeeeeyyy! I know how to find Nozomi!" I said loudly.
Everyone turn their eyes on me,
"How?" They all asked.
Crap…
I don't know how!
I didn't expect them to actually hear me out!
"We can use Eli as bait! I heard from her that she always knows where she is— or maybe vice versa because I know Eli can find Nozomi wherever she hides!" I said.
"Ohh! That's a good idea-nya!" Rin said.
"Yes! Good idea!" Honoka said.
"We can tie these chains on Eli-chan!" Kotori said cheerfully.
"And how do we find Eli though…?" Hanayo asked.
"Uhm…that's the problem…." I said.
Then they all remained quiet again…
I realized that Umi and Maki are giving me the look that I don't like…
Then the two sighed.
"….we can't just look for Eli, you know… it will be hard to escape from her if we met the wrong one…" Umi said.
"Yeah…and you wouldn't know how hard it will be to escape from her wit. I mean..even though she turned up like that, she is still as clever as she has always been…" Maki said.
"Once we're out of this place, we might not be safe either…so we have to prepare ourselves to face the worst…." Kotori said.
"What do you mean we're not safe? Aren't we just in a shrine? It should be just somewhere near that rice field, right?" I asked,
"Hmm… it is, but...we still wouldn't know about what might be outside the rice field…" Hanayo said.
"Question— why are we gathering at the rice field to begin with? I feel like we've always been doing that…" Maki asked,
That's actually a good question.
"Because, rice field is the place where I can freely cast my magic… outside that, I will have a limit…." Hanayo said.
"What about the others?" I asked.
"Hmm…Every wish maker has their limits… we can't cast infinite magic… we have to be paid and all to be able to recharge our power… but still—if it is against humans, we wouldn't know what they may have up their sleeves…" Umi said.
"but to the point, rice field is the safest place for us because Kayo-chan can charge our energy! Then we won't have to worry about it!" Kotori said.
"Yes, exactly what she said… though it's still required for our real owners to pay us to keep our sanity level above zero…" Umi said.
"Hey, this is just a little question…" I cuts in.
"What is it?" Umi asked,
"Can you explain why the sanity level is affected by the owner's payment?" I asked.
"Uhm…the concept is simple, though I still don't understand why it's made that way… it's like, when you are working for someone, you are expecting to get something in return… which we may call as payment… and when you're not getting them—you'll feel depression… and that depression might have been what causes the sanity level to lower…" Kotori replied.
"Depression, huh?"
"Yup! Hehe…so if the wish maker loves doing what she is asked to do, it will be impossible for them to feel depression… but they will still have energy level which may be dangerous if not filled properly…"
"What will happen if a Wish maker's energy level depleted?" I asked again.
"They will lose their power temporary…" Umi replied.
"… and I heard, it will take a hundred years to recover it… which means that the wish maker will be useless.. unless they are gone insane—because, when their sanity level drops below zero, they tend to be greedy for power... and at one point, they will turn into a reaper—or a hunter..." Hanayo added.
"Except, they won't hunt for the owner, they will hunt for the wish maker to have their power drained…" Hanayo continued again…
W-What?!
"…ah—ahaha… Kayo-chan… how did you know about that?" Kotori asked.
"Hehe… I've always been the survivor…so I remember every time line that repeated…." Hanayo replied.
"Oh…."
"There is only someone between all of you, who has ever been a hunter…"
A hunter…huh?
Alright…somehow, if I connect that to the reality before…I know Kotori and Umi were hunters….but how did they become hunters?
Wait a minute…
Someone?
That means, only one person?
Then who is it between them?!
Is it even important to know who?
"You're repeating the time line more than us then…." Umi said with guilt on her face.
"Hehe, don't worry about it… Nozomi-chan has also been repeating time line with me… I think she did more than me. …Still…I believe she knows more than me…." Hanayo said.
"Say… if she happens to fall in this time line, how do you think we can repeat it? She is the one who has always been the one to control time, right? " I asked.
"Remember what Nozomi-chan said…. this will be our last time… a last chance… maybe that's why she wanted to end it with her act…." Kotori said.
"Yes…and there will be something else waiting for us out there…" Hanayo said with a distant smile, I can see her eyes glancing towards Maki— and Maki replying her with a heavy look…
What's wrong here?
Why is she treated specially by someone else?
Or…actually…why does it feel like everyone is treating her special now?
I know she just did something for all of us…but….
Uhm…
Sigh…I have nothing to say about this. But I think I feel something gripping me as I see them doing that to her….
Maybe I want to be the one treated specially…
But maybe I want to be the only one who treats her specially….
Urgh…so confusing…
But either way!
"Sheesh! Maki—Maki! You're not going anywhere with that face… " I said mockingly.
"Huh?! What?" she looked at me as she turned at me with a frown on her face,
"You must've been scared about what might be out there, right?" I smiled teasingly at her,
"N-No way!" she retorted loudly,
"Tsk-tsk, you don't need to hit around the bush, you know… I know you're just scared to go out…" I said.
She clenched her fist then started to walk to the door of the shrine.
"I show you—…!"
"W-Whoa! Maki! Wait! We're not ready with any plans yet!" Umi tried to convince.
"—I'm not afraid!" she continued as she opens both doors with her strength.
"M-Makiii!" Umi shouted once again—but it was all too late…
The door has been opened and…
Well…I didn't expect ourselves to meet her this quick…
Eli stood right in front of the door, looking at us in a surprise—then her partially open lips turned into a gentle smile..
"Ah— finally found all of you…." she said.
next chapter coming up...
