The two remain silent for a few seconds until Mikoto finally speaks.
"Johann and you have mentioned your revenge several times. What exactly led you to pursue black magic users?" she pauses, looks at her, and adds, "You do not have to answer if you do not want to. After all, I am one of your targets, am I not?" she smiles slightly.
"How I got here is a somewhat long story. However, it all started with my father being murdered by a lunatic who became a user of this very magic you wield. So, I later decided to eliminate all of them on my own."
"I see. It is hard not to lean toward that position. My uncle was a completely sadistic priest. For him, conjuration became great entertainment. But technically, he was not entirely wrong if you follow the original idea behind the creation of this ritual. Originally, this conjuration was created as a psychological competition analogous to a board game but with mechanics based on persuasion. And it was typically practiced between nobles and their priests. However, some priests followed a different path, and I try to mirror myself in those cases."
"I don't doubt that character varies from person to person and that there are even sensible wielders. However, sooner or later, this power falls into the wrong hands. That's why witch hunters not only kill the users but also prevent it from being passed on. It's a tool with a potential restricted to calamity."
"On this point, I disagree with you. I'm not saying it can improve the world, but it can be used selectively for a noble cause. That was the case with my mother—she conjured the ritual to protect me and my family from a criminal who invaded our home."
Despite some opposing characteristics, I believe they can see what they have in common in their paths and, from there, build some empathy for each other.
"I understand. Ironically, the same tool that took my father was used to save a daughter," she sighs and looks at the ceiling. "In the end, I may have made some overly simplistic judgments about you."
"I never thought I would say this, but you are quite reasonable for an assassin. Who knows? If our encounter had not happened the way it did, things might have taken a slightly different turn. Perhaps proper control over the use of black magic could have been a mutual task for us."
"Indeed, it could have been. But my first impression of you wasn't great either. I thought you were just a stuck-up girl who considered herself the queen of this place. So even if we hadn't clashed, I'm not sure we would've sympathized with each other immediately."
"That is how the rest of the student body judges me. I have no control over their thoughts. I just try to do my work in an orderly and productive way. You know, if you were in my position, I believe you would have a similar reputation to mine. However, with some nuances—perhaps you would be seen as an evil queen, a dictator, or something like that."
"An evil queen?" she laughs. "Royalty doesn't suit me very well. Now that we're allies, I think you'd be the queen, and I'd at most be your general. Combat is more my domain than administration or meeting my subjects' expectations."
"Oh, then, as my general, would you eliminate any enemy your queen ordered? Would you be my sword against any threat?" she laughs.
They're even laughing. The previously tense atmosphere has completely dissipated. If someone saw this scene out of context, they'd conclude they're relatively close friends chatting without a care or hostile intent.
Their compatibility is almost frightening.
It's as if they've had this conversation thousands upon thousands of times.
"As long as I were adequately compensated and found it relevant to have you as a queen. Just as a soldier follows their superiors to climb the ranks, I would serve royalty as long as it benefited me."
"I see. I can tell you are selfish by nature, too—we are very similar. Now, it is clear to me. Perhaps we could have gotten along, or maybe I could have finally made a friend," Mikoto lowers her gaze and smiles faintly with a touch of melancholy.
"It's quite possible... But do you really expect me to believe that someone as popular as you has no friends? I wouldn't be surprised if Johann said that—I can't imagine anyone wanting to interact with someone like him. But you? Everyone at this school would gladly accept your friendship."
Hey, Ailiss. It's fine that you're getting along, but could you try hurting me a little less?
"It may sound strange, but all I have are followers, not friends who see me as an equal. There is never been anyone my age with whom I could have a candid conversation like this. Since you do not put yourself in a subordinate position, I feel I can talk to you spontaneously. I know you do not say what you do just to please me—it is often the opposite."
"That's another paradigm shift I'm experiencing. I've literally been alone on the path I've taken. However, now that you've brought it up, I think it wouldn't have been much different even if I had a 'normal' childhood and adolescence. I'd probably be isolated in some corner, intimidating anyone who tried to approach me."
"Oh, oh. And if, in this hypothetical reality, I, just as alone in this school environment as you, tried to approach you? Would you intimidate me, too? Even if I begged you to be my friend?" she laughs.
"You? Begging for anything? I think we're not talking about the same person. And you probably wouldn't take the initiative to approach me anyway."
"Well, that is something we will never know for sure. However, I can clearly envision two realities. In one, we would become rivals—I do not think my ego would immediately accept someone as good as me, or even better, at something, and I would try to surpass you to maintain this supposed throne people claim to see me on. In the other..." she looks into her eyes, "I think I would admire you. A platonic friendship, perhaps?"
"On the other hand, I think I'd avoid contact. But if we eventually met against our will, I also think it'd be hard not to develop some fondness for you. Indeed, 'platonic friendship' is a term that sums up our possible relationship in this hypothetical reality well."
"So? Assuming Johann's plan works, do you really not think about killing anymore? After all, you came to Japan solely for that reason."
"For me, it's enough. I plan to abandon this mission and move on to other targets worldwide. The problem you should worry about is the others, as I'm not the only witch hunter in the world. As long as you don't perform any more conjurations, I think I can manage to hide your existence from the organization."
"Hmmm... So I can consider that, in a way, you will protect me? That is quite a sudden change to make regarding your prey."
"With the appearance of this fourth player, you ceased to be my prey. So, it's not such a surprising attitude."
"It is good to hear that—the good old 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' I see I can consider you an ally from now on. Or maybe a friend?" she extends her hand.
"Don't go too fast. But fine, let's say yes," she returns the handshake.
"Right. We can leave the intimacies for a more appropriate time. For now, we have a common enemy to defeat," Mikoto says determinedly.
I think my work here is done. It was even easier than I planned.
"Well, I'll be off. I plan to stand guard to try to catch any clues."
They simply ignore me and continue their conversation. I'm genuinely surprised by their compatibility. If this were orchestrated, it certainly wouldn't have worked out so well.
Deep down, it even causes me some strangeness. They were mortal enemies until recently. How could their relationship have changed so drastically? Perhaps this isn't my influence but something much greater?
Nonsense. I need to get these bad thoughts out of my head.
Well... there's no reason to bother. My plan was a success, and that's what matters.
Day 6
2:00 AM
Where the hell am I?
I look around and see only a dense fog so thick I can barely see my feet.
Ah, I understand. I'm back in this place I can only access in my dreams. But something is different. Is it just my impression, or is this fog becoming darker each time I come here?
Then, two familiar silhouettes form faintly in front of me.
"What is it? What do you want from me? Are you dissatisfied with my methods and now regret interfering in this universe?" I sarcastically ask the children.
"No, we don't pass judgment on your actions—that's not our role. They're actions like any human's, carried out to achieve an end. We're not here to make any judgments; our position is more like mere spectators. We see this world this way," the boy alternates speaking. "But since you mentioned it, I imagine you were mistaken. It's not us who express any regret, but perhaps you who are uneasy about your decisions."
"At first, I can say yes. Ethical and moral values are ingrained in the minds of all humans, and I'm no different. Naturally, I was bound by such hesitations. So I just had to break those mental restraints."
"And how did you feel after that? Did you feel free?"
"To be honest, I didn't dwell much on these more philosophical aspects. It's not as if I took these actions merely for sport—I was conditioned to make these decisions for a greater good. I did what had to be done, simple as that—nothing more, nothing less."
"We understand how you feel. However, didn't you stop to ask yourself why it had to be done?"
"Isn't it obvious? I need to save them at all costs. I must save their lives by any means available, regardless of the consequences... Mikoto and Ailiss must win this game and remain allies even when their memories return. That's the only way for both to survive."
"That's not the core of the question we raised. The two are human beings like any other. It's not as if their lives would compensate for the sacrifice of the students you discarded today. Wouldn't all lives carry the same weight before the divine? And if you go to the other extreme, materialism, there's even less sense. Why must humans be saved in the first place? And why specifically must they be saved?"
"If God exists and holds such a position, that's exclusively His problem. To me, one life is worth far more than another. In their case, each is worth infinitely more than the rest of humanity combined, including myself. This had to be done because I wanted it to be so. I don't need any rational justification. Ailiss and Mikoto are an end in themselves for me. I owe no one any satisfaction about this—not the divine nor humanism."
"These are exactly the words we wanted to hear. You don't have to save them or need to save them. You're doing this because you want to. These are two very different things. It's the materialization of your ego's desires in their purest form, free from any metaphysical constraints."
"So be it. Use whatever terms you prefer—it's irrelevant to me. However, you must have already imagined this would be the result when you gave me such an opportunity, so there's nothing to complain about on that front."
"To tell the truth, we're quite pleased with your direction. Those same two outcomes occurred again and again and again, and we were growing rather bored with them. However, you drastically altered the timeline, which is undeniably impressive. You deserve our sincerest congratulations. Yes, the world has changed, and we're eager to witness this new and unknown conclusion. But it seems it wasn't just the flow of time that changed, was it?"
Yes. Miyu's words, in the end, were indeed correct. If I were to look in a mirror, I'd only recognize myself by the dark circles under my eyes, the light blue of my gaze, the color of my hair, and the shape of my face. For my interior, my essence has already entered a state of decay.
But for them, I'm willing to rot completely.