Chapter 4 part 1

After that, he spent three days in the lab before Kizuna was finally released to go.

It was already time to go to school, so he didn't go back to the dormitory and directly went to the school.

"In the end, one week passed. For some reason, I already feel nostalgic."

He opened the door of second year first group.

"Kizuna-!"

"U, uwa, Yurishia."

The moment he entered the class, Yurishia rushed to him.

Their distance was close.

And then her face was close.

Commotion and agitation ran through the class.

"You okay? Your injury is already better?"

"A, yeah. But, my collarbone still has a crack, and the hole on my back is not closed yet... ahahaha."

Yurishia was dejected.

"I, I'm sorry... it hurts doesn't it? Because of my fault..."

"Eh? Ah, no. This is not Yurishia's fault right? It's not a big deal. Rather than that, Yurishia, you okay? I heard that you don't have any big wound though."

"My... even though Kizuna is also injured, you still worry about me. I'm happy...♡"

She pressed her cheek and stared at Kizuna with upturned eyes.

Kizuna was severely shaken.

'――Wh, who is this person?'

Certainly, her appearance was Yurishia.

But her behavior didn't seem like Yurishia at all.

"Actually, I wanted to go visiting you immediately you know? But, that mean commander hindered me... it's really vexing!"

'That mean commander is my Nee-chan though.'

"Wait a second, the two over there. What are you two doing flirting here! This is the school!"

Himekawa showed an energetic appearance.

"Myy―, Hayuru-san. This is a matter between me and Kizuna. I wonder if someone uninvolved like you can kindly not interrupt us?"

"As a public morals committee member, I have the responsibility to protect the order of this academy! I cannot overlook actions that disturb the public morals!"

'Really, the two of them are amazing huh.'

Even though Yurishia just went through a life-or-death battle like that, she came normally to school and talked idlely, Himekawa too reacted to that as if it was only natural.

As expected from the aces of America and Japan. His respect to them raised another notch.

At that time, Aine entered the classroom.

"Myy―♪ Aine-san. Good morning."

"...What is it?"

Yurishia moved in front of Aine and she faced her with an elated face.

"Aine too wants to do Hybrid Heart one more time correct? Just so you know, from now on I have the confidence that I can achieve Hybrid Heart successfully anytime. I wonder how about you?"

"...That's unrelated to you."

"Well, I think Aine-san's Heart Hybrid was merely something like an accident, wasn't it?"

"Kuh..."

Aine ignored Yurishia and sat at her own seat. Her face looked like frustration and impatience were mixed in it.

"Oka―y, everyone go back to your seat―. Oo, Kizuna―, so you come back―"

Sakisaka-sensei entered the classroom.

The class began.

After surviving through a life-and-death battle, he felt it, just how irreplaceable, how important an ordinary day like this is.

Part 4

"I'm back―"

He came back to his dormitory room after a long while.

After school, he was invited by Yurishia because she wanted to have a celebration for the hospital release, but he asked her to postpone it for another day.

For today he wanted to be in his room, alone for just a little――,

"Captain, welcome home desu!"

"Sy, Sylvia!? Why are you in my room?"

Sylvia in an apron was rushing to him happily until the entrance. And then she welcomed him with a smart salute.

"Yes! While Captain was absent from home, it's Sylvia's duty to protect this room desu. Also, I heard about the strategy's success desu. As expected Captain, how amazing desu!"

"Strategy's... success is it?"

"What's wrong desu? Is Captain not happy with that desu?"

He suddenly returned to his senses.

"No. That's not it... you did well guarding this place for me while I wasn't here."

He patted Sylvia's head.

Her golden hair was soft, it felt far more comfortable than he imagined.

"Ehehe―, I got patted desu―"

With a happy smiling face, Sylvia returned back inside the room.

'Sheesh... but, somehow I feel healed.'

Kizuna followed behind Sylvia and entered the room.

"Ooo?"

On the table, fish & chips, roast beef, meat pie, Yorkshire pudding etc, foods that he usually never saw were lined up.

"Was this made by Sylvia?"

"Yes! This is the dish from Sylvia's homeland, Britain desu!"

"British... food."

"Ah, just now Captain thought that British food is bad didn't you desu?"

"Uh, bull's eye."

"Please try to eat. It will taste absolutely delicious desu!"

He picked up a chip, the so-called fried potato that seemed safe and brought it to his mouth.

"Oh, it's unexpectedly good. I mean, it's delicious! Britishfood being bad has become a really popular material, so I misunderstood here. So the authentic British food is unexpectedly tasty like this."

"It's great if Captain understands desu."

Sylvia proudly puffed up her breastless chest while going 'ahem'.

"Sylvia tried seasoning it in Japanese taste desu. Mainly, Sylvia used the taste of the food at British food store in Japan as reference desu!"

Was it okay to call this as British cooking then?

"Sylvia heard that today Captain is discharged from hospital, so Sylvia prepared a celebration desu."

She was smiling friendly with a bright face without any shadow in it.

"Sylvia is happy to become a subordinate of a good captain desu."

"Eh? N, no. There is no such thing right?"

He felt ill at ease from that evaluation which was too high.

"Captain, you are kind desu. When Sylvia came from Britain, Sylvia felt anxious desu."

"Now that you mentioned it... why did Sylvia come to Japan?"

"Sylvia has a high aptitude for Heart Hybrid Gear desu. Because of that, Sylvia came to Ataraxia that is the center of the research and development desu."

"Heee, Nee-chan also told me but, as expected you are really an excellent talent huh."

Syliva was shyly fidgeting with the fingers of both her hands poking each other.

"Even like this, Sylvia is a noble desu. Sylvia's family has an ancient and honorable origin, but we lost our money and then lost our home desu. My family right now is in the homeland's London, they are living in a small apartment desu."

"Eh... that means…"

Not in the Megafloat UK, but her homeland? Then that meant... the army of AU had――

"It's fine desu. Surely they are safe desu. That's why, Sylvia will become a full-fledged knight and return to Britain. Sylvia will be recognized by her majesty the queen too and the Silkcut house will be restored desu. If that happens then Sylvia can live together with my family again desu."

Sylvia tilted her head and smiled cheerfully.

"I guess... okay, someday, we will take London back with the strength of the Kizuna squad for sure!"

"Yes! For sure desu!"

For the sake of this small squad member too, he had to do his best.

Kizuna swore it in his heart.

Part 5

Sylvia's smile didn't vanish until the end where she went home to her own room.

Kizuna laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

'I am holding the life of everyone.

However, even though I've resolved myself that I'm going to do Heart Hybrid when the time comes for sure, it's meaningless with only my resolve.

What about the other party's feelings?

Is this really fine for the other party?

Seeing from the view point of the people around, how do they see it?

If I respect the others' will and don't do Heart Hybrid, am I going to be still resented for letting them die?

Or the reverse?'

He couldn't collect his thinking and his thoughts were continuing to go in a circle at the same place.

"Aah... I don't get it. Rather, it's better if someone just replaces me."

"Do you think a human that wants to become the replacement of a vulgar man like you exists in this world?"

Kizuna jumped to his feet.

A silver haired girl was standing at the room entrance.

"Chidorigafuchi! Why? How did you enter!?"

"I tricked... no, persuaded that tiny girl that I need to enter for the mission."

"You! Just what are you doing to my healing!"

"I know that you are a vulgar being already." (TN: Here the sound of healing and vulgar in Japan is similar. One is 'iyashi' and the other is 'iyashii'.)

"No one is saying that here!"

"It's because you were a vulgar being since you were born that you are lamenting it this much aren't you?"

"Don't force that to me! I don't think that I am that vulgar!"

Aine opened her eyes wide and stepped back.

"That... for you to not lament your own existence that is like that... how, how pitiful is that I wonder. Just how wretched your own existence is."

"...My bad to not be aware of that myself. So, if you like, I want you to teach me just how amazing your existence is then."

"Oh well... I'll specially teach you then."

Aine went up the bed, then she stood up imposingly over Kizuna. She was looking down on Kizuna with full pressure.

"If I have to say, I'm the queen."

"Queen!?"

"No, a god."

"God!?"

Certainly, only her attitude was big.

"So, how about for real?"

Aine lowered her waist from that posture and straddled Kizuna.

"I wonder, just how many humans in the whole world know about themselves, what kind of person they are deep down?"

"I'm not talking philosophically like that."

"Rather than something like that, listen to my demand."

Kizuna gave up and gestured with his hand for her to continue.

"Do Heart Hybrid with me."

"But Chidorigafuchi, since we did the Heart Hybrid before this... your energy hasn't decreased that much you know?"

"I'm not talking about something like that. What I want is the [Corruption Armament]."

Aine's expression was her usual cool one. He couldn't read her emotions from that expression.

"No...rather than that, there is something more important right?"

"There is none."

She really declared that!

"What I cannot tolerate the most is my low combat ability. That's why, there is nothing more important than the Corruption Armament right now."

"No, you are strong enough right? You won't lose if it's in close range, that's what you said."

"In reality, it's rare for the enemy to come to the range where one's hand can reach. If there is no possible method for a long range attack, then one cannot fight properly."

Certainly... at the dogfight above the sky of Ataraxia, she fought by using conventional weapons, that way of fighting seemed to be difficult.

"That's why it's necessary, the [Corruption Armament]."