The Curse of Knowing

Three weeks after the Battle of Old Tokyo Academy, the higher-ups of the government and the S.S.S convened inside the Shibuya bunker of the S.S.S headquarters.

"It is truly a great loss, Director…"

"I'm sorry, Vice minister…"

"Don't be, Director. None of this is your fault. None of us blames you or your agency for this."

In the world of politics, having a mishap as huge and destructive as the battle that just transpired in a place where the future of the nation's workforce is being made is a sure-fire way to lose all of your credibility in the eyes of the public.

For Vice-minister Fujikawa Benimaru and the other Ministers, the S.S.S's all-out response to what happened there was something that they authorized and still, it didn't lessen the damage as much as they wish it did.

"88 civilians and 132 S.S.S agents dead, 284 civilians and 67 S.S.S agents injured, an entire city district contaminated with trace amounts of Astra energy and an estimated 300-billion-yen worth of damages to both public and private properties… It's almost like another Fukushima."

"We did our best, sir…"

"I didn't say those things to make you feel responsible, Director… It is for us."

"Sir?"

All of a sudden, Vice Minister Benimaru stood up from his seat and looked at his coworkers before speaking to Yuri and the other S.S.S officers.

"We already know it, Director Nakamura… It's the end of the line for all of us in the Cabinet. This coming election, the Prime Minister would most likely not make it for another term."

"Does that mean-"

"Yes… It's likely that you will be serving under the opposition party. And as you may know, they do not share the same distaste for the Miyazono corporation as we do. You can expect for your budget to either be slashed or outright pulled out…"

"So, the opposition party is on the Miyazonos side?"

"If you ask me, I doubt that such is the case. I don't think the Miyazonos has bought their loyalty yet with lobbies and bribes, but the possibility that it would happen once they get to power is very high. As such, we should clean up now while we still can."

"Clean up… you mean-"

"Right. I want the S.S.S to hide everything that would incriminate your group to the operations that you were involved under our directive. From the Assault on the US bases in Okinawa, Kyoto smuggling investigation, the Fukushima rebellion and more. I want all of that and their traces buried beneath as much secrecy as possible."

"But that would mean that you would be the only ones who will take responsibility! Please Minister! We can't let you throw yourselves under the bus like this!"

"This is for the best, Director Nakamura…"

"S-Sir?"

As Yuri looked at the anxious expression of the old man, she was sure that a lot of things are swirling in his mind and heart, but he still gave her a smile and told her something that she will remember for the rest of her life.

"You will always lose people around you when you decide to fight your enemies. We are among them now, Director… And I am sure that there will be those who will follow us later on."

"Fujikawa-san…"

"From here on out, we all need you to gain strength and resolution that none of you have right now. I don't know how and for what reason your group existed before we met you… and how you once saved us from this supernatural world of Psychics, but I am sure that in the future, you will be able to protect that which you wish to protect and fight for what you believe is right. I believe in all of you… I know without any shred of a doubt that you will be able to do it."

Before he turned around, never to show his face again to them, Vice Minster Fujikawa Benimaru asked something to the S.S.S that he knew only they can do.

"Yuri-kun, Hinata-kun… Everyone of you who are in here…"

"""…"""

"I am leaving the future of this country to your capable hands… and also, Mana… keep her safe in my stead."

"S-sir? W-what do you mean-"

Before she can catch up and ask the old gentleman what his last words meant, they have already stood up and left the meeting room, leaving behind Yuri and her subordinates.

"Heh… I know that kind of expression."

"Fujimaki?"

"I saw that face so many times back then. Old man Benimaru… like them, he must've already accepted that it has to end this way. That's why he can say those words with that kind of expression on his face."

Fujimaki, who spoke from his experience of being a former mafia man, said something that made everyone fear for the worst for the old man and everyone else who was on his side.

And such a thought quickly became a prophecy…

{"It's done, Beni… the old man is out of his seat."}

"…I understand. I'll burn the documents from my side."

{"Everyone else is doing the same. Make sure not to leave anything but ashes.}

"I will."

In his estate house near the bay area of Sagami, Old Tokyo, the now former vice-minister of Internal Defense, Fujikawa Benimaru, stood in front of an incinerator in the basement and feed boxes upon boxes of folders, ledger books and documents labelled with "top secret" stamps and watermarks into the raging flames.

"Twenty years of work bought by blood and sweat… and now, it's being eaten by flames and leaving nothing but ash. It's really a waste."

"Beni… sweetheart?"

"Oh, it's you."

From the stairs leading back to the ground floor, he was approached by his wife who is carrying a tea set. Although faint, Benimaru heard some loud shouts from the foyer of their mansion, but decided to not ask her wife about it since he already knew what it was about.

"It's good that Akamaru and his family is in Britannia now. After all of this becomes public, he can take care of the other three and hide them away from this place."

"Hehe… I just wish that they will stop arguing like there's no tomorrow once they're back together in his place. Goodness… just remembering how they would fight over the most stupid of things makes my head hurt again."

"Didn't you say that they got that from you? You're kind of a war freak yourself when we were still young."

"I-I wasn't as bad as they are about holding my temper!"

"Are you really? Since it has come to this point, I'll just say it straight… I was always scared that you would be fed up with me because of how much I always hold you back when you're about to pop in anger."

"…"

"I was afraid that I won't be able to keep my promise that I will stay beside you and help you realize your dreams that I have shared ever since we became man and wife."

After pouring tea on both of their cups, she was surprised to have her hand clasped by her husband who wrapped his fingers together with hers.

"Hanabi… I know that it isn't my style to say these words out in the open. I think being married to me for over thirty years should already make it obvious that I am a very private person and that I am too shy to speak sweet nothings to even you who is my wife."

"Beni…"

"But during the past few days, I came to terms with everything, and I realized that I was a tad too bad at being a loving husband. We had kids, stayed together for so long and we even went around the world in out many anniversaries, but I don't have many memories about making you smile or blush out of the blue."

Benimaru looked at the face of his wife and he wasn't sure if it was just because of the bright light from the fire of the incinerator or her face was indeed blushing, but to him, it brought back memories from a sweet memory that after so many years was buried in his mind, only to be uncovered now.

("Miss Honekawa Hanabi! Will you please go out with me!?")

("E-E-EHHH?! A-A-AHH! YES! I ACCEPT!!!")

There was the day when he confessed to her and she, totally clueless about love, ended up accepting out of reflex.

("Y'know… It's been a few years since we became a couple and since I've already passed the Civil Service exam, I was thinking that this is the perfect time to propose. So Hanabi, will you marry me?")

("Yes! And while we're in the topic of perfect time for things, I also want to tell you something important.")

("Eh? Isn't this…?")

("I'm pregnant! I took a test earlier.")

There was the day when he proposed to her, and she told him about her pregnancy.

("There, there… Keep yourself calm already. You're at home and your son wouldn't like to hear his dad whining about his bosses and seniors, doesn't he?")

("Geez, I know that already… You're just using our son as a polite way to tell me to shut up.")

("Hehe! It's good that you know about it and you're not complaining.")

Those days when he was still a rookie public worker and a newlywed and new father.

("Alright… you can do this, Beni! Show 'em what you're made of!")

("I'll be watching from the side, Beni… Do your best and impress the old man, alright? And if ever you don't know what's being asked, don't hesitate to make Doctor Higuchi Sora to cover for you.")

The day when he gave the presentation about Isolation zones for those infected with the MB2 virus along with the doctor who made the plans.

("Mana is special. I can't tell you everything right now, but please, Hanabi… Don't start treating our daughter any different than how you used to do so before all of this happened.")

("I am not treating her any different because she's not normal anymore! I am her mother, Beni! I will never ever give up on my child!")

("Then why are you forcing her to stay at home and locking her up in her room?!")

("Because I'm scared for her safety, Beni! My heart and mind can't be at peace knowing that she'll surely be in danger now that she has that power!")

There was also the day after their daughter's Awakening and Benimaru wanted to have his daughter signed up to become an S.S.S Psychic, much to the disapproval and worry of his wife that he realized too late.

("I don't want to let them get in danger, Beni! They are my children… no, they are our children! Did the thought of them being ordered to go to the most dangerous of places and dying there not enter your mind!?")

("But-")

("Please, Benimaru! Stop thinking like a bureaucrat and start thinking like a husband and father to your family!")

That was also the day when he realized that he has been consumed by his job and its entailing responsibilities… and for the first time in a long while, admitted that he has done far too much at the expense of his family.

Looking back at all of it made Benimaru smile. Whether it be the happiest memories or the most painful ones, he remembered everything and in all of these recollections, he can see that his loved ones are always included.

"We've lived a long life, haven't we, Hanabi?"

"Geez, don't make it sound like we're too old already… I am getting self-conscious and starting to worry if you have started to eye some younger girl to be your mistress."

"You don't have to worry about that… Do you think anyone else would like to hang around an old geezer like me?"

"Hehe! You're right… No one would want to be with an old bones like you anymore."

"Oww… you're hurting my feelings."

As the noise from upstairs became louder and louder and the screams of familiar people echoed throughout their house, enough for all of it to be heard through the basement's thick wooden door, the couple threw the last documents into the incinerator and took up their teacups to drink at the same time.

"Thank you for everything, Hanabi… For being such a loving wife… and giving birth to the best children that someone like me never deserved."

"Isn't that sweet of you… still trying to gain credit from me till the very end?"

"That's because I love you."

"Sure, sure… I love you too, Beni. Thank you too for everything."

At the same time when the basement's door was broken into, the elderly couple's bodies were found leaning on each other in front of the burning incinerator… an otherwise sweet scene between two lovers became a tad less endearing after it was confirmed that they drank poisoned tea… and decided to be with each other till the very end.

"Tch! Damned geezers! How dare they die before I kill them myself!?"

"Keiji-sama! Don't add to the mess already! The staff's remains are already too difficult to clean up and-"

"Get your filthy hands off me before I plant a bullet on your head too!"

"Ahh!"

"GRAAAAHHH!!! DAMN IT ALL!!!"

And of course, who else would commit such a horrendous act of savagery other than Miyazono Keiji. After slaughtering the Fujikawa estate's staff which wasn't needed in their strike, he kicked down the dead body of the elderly couple in rage and showered bullets around the basement room with his assault rifle.

Other "unfortunate events" like this quickly happened around the country after the end of the election bore results that are not favorable to the S.S.S. But because the ones responsible for these "accidents and self-induced deaths" are also the ones who control the media, there was little to no coverage of these otherwise horrible events.

"What…?"

"Vice Minister Fujikawa Benimaru and his wife, Fujikawa Hanabi… they died together in your estate house. It seems like before they did it, they let the staff to take whatever valuables they wanted since every costly object in the mansion was gone."

"…"

"I wish to convey my condolences, Miss Fujikawa Mana. Since we are aware that this is a difficult time, let the Miyazono Funeral Service to handle the preparation of their bodies and the organization of the funeral service. We will make sure that they will be in good hands."

"Kuh! Hik!"

When the news was conveyed to Mana who is recovering from her injuries in a hospital by the funeral service representative, she was so aghast that she ended up falling down and had to be held up by the female representative.

"Mommy… Daddy! Why… why did you do this…!?"

"…"

"While I am away from home too… Why… WHY!?!?!?"

It took a while before Mana calmed down enough to be talked to and sign the internment letter and other documents for the preparation of her parents' funeral service.

"Thank you for patronizing our services, Miss Fujikawa. Again, we convey our deepest condolences and wish that your grief will be comforted soon."

"Mm. Thank you too… and please follow my instructions if possible. If those two are still alive, they would surely want to be beside each other at all times."

After the funeral service worker left her hospital room, the grief-stricken expression of Mana became mixed with another emotion that welled up from her chest.

"That watch and necklace… she must've thought that it was just common jewelry, but I know… I know where that came from! Those were my gift to mom and dad!"

That emotion is nothing more but pure, unadulterated hatred… One that has a set her heart and eyes aflame in wrath.

"Mom… Dad… I will avenge you! I will not let your death be in vain!"

With her parents gone and her brothers and other family members hiding out in another country in fear of being killed too, Mana was left all alone and forced to fend for herself.

"I will slaughter all of them! I will… I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL ALL OF THEM ARE DEAD!!!

But if they thought that she will be afraid and will not fight against them, they are terribly wrong… Because instead of extinguishing the flame in her heart into submission, they have started an inferno that none of them can control.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

""

"Too slow!"

Inside the Kabuki-cho estate of the Sumeragi group, Kai uttered his power, and it was noticed by his opponent who stepped forward for a counterattack.

"HYAU-!"

"What-!?"

*TYAG!*

However, he cut off the output of Astra energy on his hands and placed it on his shins before performing a kick to the side of his opponent's head.

"ABAGH-!"

"Stop!"

"Fuu…"

"That's the thirtieth win in a row for Kai. Are there anyone else who wants to spar with him?"

"W-well…"

"Thirty wins is too…"

"I see… We're done today then. Clean up the dojo and rest."

"""Yes, sir!"""

After receiving an apprenticeship with a martial arts master in Okinawa, the fighting style and versatility of Kai became so refined that no one in the dojo was able to defeat him in their sparring sessions.

"Boss Renjiro…"

"What is it, Kai?"

"Mom. Is she…?"

"Yes. She's still meditating in the inner sanctum. Oyabun-sama ordered her to do so in order to recover the life force that she spent during our battle."

"…"

"I know that you want to talk to her and all now that it won't be long before you part ways… but this is the unfortunate truth. She too, needs to make sure that she's in tip-top shape and would be able to defend our group."

Although he isn't facing Kai, Renjiro can still feel the grief of the young Replicant who just wanted to be with his mother before he is disposed of. As a Replicant himself, Renjiro can feel the pain that Kai is feeling.

"I want to talk to her about my wish before I get decommissioned… the one that I have been preparing for by becoming as strong as possible while I still have time."

"Kai… you know that even if you are just his Replicant, Kirin-san can't see her son doing what you are wishing for. I know that you want to be of use to the group until the very end, but this isn't the right way to do it."

"This is just how I want to leave my mark in the group… and there might be a tinge of filial piety too for Mom and Dad. Even if I am just a Replicant, they treated me like I am their real child… I don't want to just lie down on a bed and have my Augmenter core deactivated. I want to show my thanks to them both before I go."

"…"

"Please, Boss… I really want to do this."

Torn between advising him against his wish and knowing that it would be his last desire before he is deactivated, Renjiro decided to again, stall his answer to Kai.

"Let's talk about this at another time, Kai. I am tired too, as you can see."

"…I understand. I'll be leaving then."

After he was left alone in the dojo, Renjiro fell to the ground on his bottom and placed his hand over his mouth as he began to violently cough and clutch his chest in pain.

"…We're at the same boat, Kai… We're at the very same situation."

Unbeknownst to everyone else, both Kai and Renjiro are at the end of their lifetimes as Replicants. But unlike Kai who will be decommissioned and is aware of when he will die, Renjiro is like a man who is desperately holding onto life no matter how painful it is and constantly fears that the next flare up of symptoms would be his end.

"If only I was able to get Miyazaki Hiro's data… I wouldn't be fearing for my own life like this."

After leaving the dojo building, Kai changed to his usual clothes and went to the place which he has begun to frequent for the past few days.

"Entering his Cytostatic chamber again, Kai?"

"Kaede-nee…"

"I knew you would come here after your training… just like how you've been doing for the past few days."

Inside the Research and Development building of the estate courtyard, Kai was greeted by his cousin and one of the researchers of the Sumeragi group. From her words, he realized that she has already known about his routine of coming there after his daily training is done.

She led him to the laboratory downstairs where the body of the real Imamura Kai is floating within a nutrient bath and is still in cytostatic sleep.

"I want to see him again… after all, my decommissioning isn't afar off anymore. In just a few months, he will be taking his rightful place again which I just kept warm for him."

"…"

"Aren't you excited too, Kaede-nee? You'll be meeting your real cousin soon."

"…"

"Kaede-nee?"

Puzzled about why his female cousin isn't responding to his words, Kai looked up to her and saw an uneasy expression on her face.

"I hate how you never got enough common sense in your head after all this time, Kai."

"H-huh?"

"Stupid Kai… Always speaking without thinking about it."

Hearing her mutter those bitter words made Kai's heart sting in pain. He wondered if this is just how she has always thought about him and all of the smiles and caring memories that she gave back then was purely for show.

"-!"

But then, he thought back about what he spoke and realized that he has spoken far too self-depreciatingly which caused pain for Kaede who has never looked at him in such a way.

"I'm sorry… Kaede-nee…"

"…"

"I… I am just conflicted… about everything. I am just a Replicant of him, but why is it so hard for me to do all of my unfinished business and pave the way for the real Kai once he wakes up."

"Kih-!"

"I know that I am not the real deal… I am just a Replicant, a fake… but… but…!"

Barely holding back her tears, Kaede reached out her arms to the grief-stricken Replicant of her cousin and embraced her tightly into her chest.

"You're not a fake, Kai! You're my cousin! You're the only Kai that I know… so don't call yourself like that."

"-!"

"The memories you have with us, the things you did and the words you spoke… they are all real… they are all things that we will remember from you and you alone. I don't care if you are a Replicant! All of those memories that I have is with you and not from him who is sleeping in that pod!"

"Kaede-nee-"

"So please, Kai… Forgive me for this."

*BZZZTTT-!!!*

"AHH-!"

When he is about to let go of his tears and cry on her chest, Kaede pulled out a stun gun from her sleeve pocket and electrocuted Kai right on the nape of his neck. He spasmed for a moment before losing consciousness and falling to the floor.

"…"

"Kuh! Damn it… damn it all…"

Just like Renjiro earlier, Kaede is also stuck between two equally messy choices.

"We have no choice about it, child… We can't afford to make him a Deviant Replicant by giving value to his existence as a mere replacement of the real Kai."

"But mother! We could at least-"

"I know what you're feeling too!"

"Ah-!"

"Do you think this is easy to everyone else!? That child was my nephew too for seventeen whole years! Do you think you're the only one who is having a hard time accepting all of this?!"

Even the usually unfeeling Imamura Akari, mother of Kaede and aunt of Kai, found herself barely holding back her tears of anguish after being forced to confront her daughter about her misgivings in Kai's approaching decommissioning.

"If only the rules aren't like this… we can at least give him a chance to be with us."

"Shut it, Kaede… You know that both the Onkenha and Sakoku factions that can't agree on anything at least shares the same sentiment about him and when he will be terminated. It's just because it's Kirin-nee-sama's child that they bent the rules and let Kai be Replicated."

"Why does it have to be like this…? Kai is a living being too… What kind of heart do they have for them to deny him the right to live?"

No matter how much they bewail for his sake, in the Sumeragi group, Replicants like Kai are abhorrent beings that they deny to consider as true human beings. This is the reason why Renjiro has hidden such a truth from ever being heard by anyone outside of the Imamura clan.

"Kirin-nee… just why are you secluding yourself in the Inner sanctum and leaving us to handle all of this by ourselves?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Back at the Shibuya bunker of the S.S.S, the news about their former superiors' deaths became public knowledge to all of the agents who shared a mixed sense of anger and sorrow in their hearts.

"It is as you have suspected, Yurippe… They all died after the opposition party was guaranteed to win. Our drone videos and Chief Eri Shiina's insiders in the Miyazono group proved that it was them who did the strikes and "accidents". It is a devastating loss to all of us."

"…So, this is what Fujimaki meant when he said that Vice Minister Benimaru's expression was familiar to him… No wonder, they all are already aware of it."

"Speaking of which, Fujimaki said that he wants to be our representative in the Fujikawa couple's funeral. I asked Mana about it, and she said that it's for the best that he come as her helper rather than anyone else in the S.S.S that can be recognized by the Miyazonos."

"Well, considering that Fujimaki was taken care by the old man after his mess with his former mafia group…"

"Right. He's basically a second father to him, and he's not usually being sent out so his face may not be known too much."

After discussing the tragic loss of people that they consider not only as their superiors but also as family and friends, Yuri asked her subordinates to leave him for a while and to lock the door behind them.

It was apparent that she was in a great deal of pain. After all, those people accepted her formerly ragtag group of friends and comrades to becoming the kind of group that they wanted to be to protect each other.

"I can't save you, Fujikawa-dono… But I will do my best to fulfill your last wish."

From the file cabinet in her office, Yuri took out a relatively new folder and opened it. There, she saw the proposal of one of her subordinates during the last meeting they had with the Prime Minister and the other government officials.

"The Psychic Services Department…"

It was a proposal made by Chief Naoi Ayato to create a specialized group of Psychics to directly counter the Psychics of the enemies. Although there was a slight overlap with the purpose of the S.S.S's existence as an agency, the proposal stated that it would be a group that can be actively called on for Psychic-specific situations which a normal S.S.S Operative are not able to effectively handle.

"He told us to keep her safe… but being in our group is the very definition of danger. Placing her in this department would only bring her to a more dangerous position."

She pulled out the papers that contained Mana's information and while keeping her eyes on it, walked towards the paper shredder until she bumped into something… no, someone.

"Who-! Huh… Rai?"

"…"

By reflex, she dropped the folder and placed her hands on her hip holster to draw her gun, but to her surprise, she found a familiar face in front of her.

"H-How- What are you doing here? I thought I told them to lock the door behind them and-"

Once she looked at the door, a chill ran up her spine after realizing that the door of her office was shut tight, and it even has the automatic blinds that obscures any view from outside.

"R-R-Rai… what is happening-"

"Yuri-san."

"-!"

"Can we talk for a while?"

Yuri was no stranger to danger or any kind of scary situations. This is the young woman who willingly signed up for emergency military service during the Okinawa Skirmish and was assigned at Hokkaido to lead an isolated military camp in Japan's border with the Siberian Union.

And yet, she found herself shivering slightly while sitting on an office chair within her cold and dimly lit office with a young man whom she has worked with for a year already.

"S-so, Rai… what brings you to my office tonight?"

"I wanted to give these to you, Yuri-san."

"These are…"

Once Ephraim handed her two folders that has logos unfamiliar to her, she took a moment to examine them first before opening the one that was more rugged and older looking.

"It seems that with Takeyama-san's talent with hacking, he'd be able to break the firewall that contains the digital copy of that document. I wanted to give it up willingly before he does get into the folder and the virus program that will ambush him there fries the entire S.S.S's mainframe."

"What the hell is this…?"

Yuri's utterance wasn't in response to Ephraim's words though but instead, because of the contents of the folder that she has skimmed through and understood immediately.

"I believe that the level of digital security that Takeyama-san went against justifies the contents of that thing on your hands. It's not something that everyone can just snoop at."

"These are incomplete…"

"They are my personal copies, so they don't have the other documents included on them. If you want to know more, open the new folder which I just received from the embassy."

"Embassy?"

Yuri did just that and after getting through the redundant files from the other folder, her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets after realizing what all of this meant.

"R-R-Rai… You are…"

"I'm sorry for not being wholly honest from the beginning, Yuri-san… But given the circumstances that I came from… and the fact that I cannot afford to lose custody of my children, I cannot let anyone, not even you guys in the S.S.S, to know what kind of person I was during those years..."

Again, Yuri was no stranger to things that would surely horrify a normal person, and yet, finally realizing what kind of person the young man in front of her is sent shivers down her body and a sense of sheer terror swirling in her mind.

Still, she had to show that she isn't intimidated by this knowledge… and that even though she has finally been made aware of this, she isn't going to give up on the young man who has dutifully served under her for this long.

"I-It does concern me how things will change now that I am aware of your past actions, Ephraim… but if you're thinking about letting me know about this so that you can take control of our future activities because of your past experiences, I apologize… but you just gave me a reason to not let you call the shots."

"I don't intend to ask for more authority, Yuri-san. I am here to request that you give me less time at work."

"H-Huh?"

"In exchange, I'll give the S.S.S six newly-Awakened Psychics that I discovered in the aftermath of the past battle. All of them are students of the academy and none of them wanted to side with the people whom they discovered caused all of the deaths and destruction that they experienced around them."

To Yuri's surprise, another folder appeared on Ephraim's hand as soon as he raised it to her eye level although she never saw anything like that from earlier. However, the mention of six Psychics that he scouted out and are ready to be inducted into the S.S.S made her prioritize that discussion first.

"You said six… when did you even have the time to find and recruit them?"

"Old Tokyo General Hospital is not that huge to not bump with people like them who are either making trouble for the nurses or are locking the doors of their rooms… I scouted two of the six without even using my abilities to detect them."

"Oh, right… You and Mana were brought there along with the injured and incapacitated civilians…"

Yuri skimmed through the files and soon, found herself finally noticing the unnatural things happening right now.

"…Ephraim."

"Yes, Yuri-san?"

"…"

"Yuri-san?"

"You're not you right now… I've noticed it already and confirmed it with our exchange right now."

"…"

"Who am I speaking to right now?"

All of a sudden, the air became still as if time stopped in an instant.

"What-"

"I should've been more careful."

"Rai-!?"

"It was a mistake to let my subconscious to be the one to talk to you about this… If only I had more time to train myself in this, we wouldn't have this problem."

Yuri realized that she cannot move but is fully conscious, and when she looked at the young man that was simply sitting in front of her earlier, she saw another him standing by the locked door while holding a spear that has its pointy end stuck on the floor.

"I didn't want it to be like this, Yurippe. Trust me… I really didn't. It's just that the situation for all of us has swerved so far from an ideal one that I have to do things in this way."

"R-Rai… what are you-"

"I went through a lot during and after that fight, Yurippe. My wish to see my mother again back when she was still healthy, experiencing first-hand the full brutality of the Psychic war, my realization of my own mortality and even the fact that our enemies are not as untouchable as we thought they are… but what is perhaps the greatest experience that I had after all of this is that I now know more things than anyone else in this reality."

"What are you talking about, Ephraim…?"

"Right… you don't understand any of this, Yurippe. I just wanted to have someone else to know about this so that I can feel a lot less burdened with it… but now that I realize that saddling you with this knowledge will only make things harder for you, I have decided to accept that only I should bear it."

Ephraim, or to be more accurate, the other him who was sitting on the chair and talking to her earlier, stood up and placed his hand over her eyes, hiding her eyes from looking at anything except for his palm.

"Ephraim… kid…"

"Please don't make this any harder for me, Yurippe… I already feel bad with the fact that I hoped that you will understand me, and now I need to erase your memories to bring everything back to how it was…"

"Before you do so… I want to say something to you while I still can."

"…What is it?"

Yuri gulped down with a sense of both fear and sadness towards the young man.

"As you just said, you have decided to bear all of this by yourself now… So, I want to tell you this since it seems like I failed you as your superior and guide in life."

"…I will listen to it."

"Don't fail… The way all of this is going, it appears that we can only depend on you to do this. Do all that you can… and make sure to stay alive."

"…I will, Yurippe."

Although her vision was blocked, Yuri can sense that Ephraim was smiling after giving that reply.

"Thank you… for everything, Yurippe."

A flash of light hit Yuri's eyes and when she came to consciousness, there was no one else in the now unlocked office other than her who woke up from sleeping on by desk.

"Why did it feel like… I can't remember something important…?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Good night, Mio, Yukari and Rea…"

"Mm! Good night too, Rai-nii!"

"Night-night!"

"…"

Rai-san is… acting strangely.

"I'm turning off the lights now. Don't stay up or you'll be hard to wake up tomorrow. Am I clear?"

"Mm! Good night!"

It has already been an hour since Rai-san tucked us in and bid us a good night, but I still can't sleep. The tone and expression of Rai-san still shows up in my mind, not letting me doze off.

Since I can't sleep, I stood up from my futon and went out of our bedroom to go to the bedroom of Rai-san. Because we're living with auntie Kirin, it took a while before I got to Rai-san's room and saw him sitting on his futon while staring out of his room's window with an empty gaze.

"…Rai-san?"

"Mio?"

I am worried about him… Rai-san is clearly going through a hard time. He reminds me of that time... When Hiro-san was suddenly given the responsibility of taking care of us just after dad and mom died.

"I told you kids to sleep already. Tomorrow is a school day, you know?"

"I can't sleep…"

"Mm? Do you want a bedtime story or a warm glass of milk?"

"Nn, nn… Something… Something is bothering me."

"Is that so? Come here then, let's talk about it."

Rai-san gestured for me to come in and sit on his lap. I did just that and was suddenly hugged by him from behind.

"Now, now… What is bothering my sweet little Mio?"

"I'm… worried about Rai-san."

"Huh?"

"Rai-san… you're having a hard time, aren't you?"

"…"

It was too similar. Even the sudden silence after I ask them if they are having a hard time is similar to how I remember from Hiro-nii back then.

"I am, Mio… Rai-san is having a difficult time."

"Can Mio… know what it is, Rai-san?"

"…"

I already know that he wouldn't tell it to me. I remember mommy saying that adults don't think that it's right to share their troubles with children since it isn't proper. But I was surprised when Rai-san spoke to me.

"Rai-san… needs to do things that he isn't used to. He needs to deal with bad people and make sure that the people he needs to protect will never be in harm's way."

"But you've been doing that for a while now, Rai-san?"

"You're right… but how I will be doing it isn't the same as before. Now, I have to do more than just beating them up when they do something bad… Rai-san also has to do it all by himself."

Even a year after he worked with Nakamura Yuri-nee, I still don't understand what Rai-san's work is about. He always says that he deals with bad guys and protects the people like the police, but either because he thinks that I am too young to understand it, or that it is supposed to be a secret that Rai-san never talks about what he really does just to provide for us.

"Rai-san… you're being a dummy."

"E-Eh?"

"You always tell us to not to keep our problems secret and ask you for help to solve them, but you're always keeping yours a secret and make us worry."

"…"

"Yukari and I… We love Rai-san and we don't want to see him having a hard time. I… I… Hik-!"

Maybe because I finally got to tell Rai-san what worries me about him that I began to cry. Even through my sobs, I was able to tell him right there and then the words that I wanted to tell him after taking care of us three as if we are truly his own children.

"Shh, shh… I understand it, Mio. Thank you very much for choosing me and helping me through all the rough times as well. I can't ask for better children than you three."

"Rai-san… Rai-nii…"

"Shh, shh… It's alright. I am here…"

"Thank you… For taking care of us…!"

"Yes, yes… And I will continue to do so as long as I can do so."

"Thank you… Thank you…!"

That night, I cried out tears of joy and relief unlike before when I would cry in my sleep because of nightmares. And yet, just like how it is for bad dreams, Rai-san was also hugging and comforting me.

We may have lost our parents, brothers… and maybe even who we could've been if all of those bad things didn't happen.

"Rai-san…"

"…Thank you for giving me a reason to continue with this, Mio. I have nothing to fear now."

But choosing to be taken care of by Rai-san… and wanting him to be our parent… I too, can't ask for any better parent than him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Law has given him both his authority and power as he retreated in the deepest part of his own Domain in Caelestia in order to recuperate and "prepare for that day".

That left his Vessel with the work of sorting out the mishaps that happened during and after the battle in which two Truth Formulas were used in order to realign the other one that was swung off its intended path by the abnormalities of fate in the world.

"If you say that you have nothing more to correct, I will be going now, Spirit Justice."

"Affirmative… It has been a pleasure to converse with you, Vessel of Law."

"The pleasure is all mine… and I would like to offer my thanks as well."

"Pardon?"

"You… You let Kirin-sensei's mistake pass and gave her your power and authority to stop me when I was rampaging. I couldn't have come back to my usual self without your help."

"…I was just making sure that the one that he chose to be his Vessel wouldn't needlessly die. Although I did remove the punishment that I gave to that mortal girl to increase the odds that they will be able to stop you, she still needs to reflect on her mistake and not repeat it in my presence."

"…"

"Tell her in my stead, Vessel of Law… that I, Spirit Justice, cannot tolerate both mistakes and rash decisions when it comes to the use of my powers. I chose her because hers is a noble and righteous path amongst all the mortals that I have seen… but her heart is still being won over by her human nature."

"I will convey your words."

"You have my appreciation."

After he dissipated into particles of light, someone stood up from behind my seat and spoke as if he heard something amusing.

"That boy truly is an aberration… not even Miyazono Ryuichi, the one that even we Spirits are wary of, can stop him."

"You are well aware that that boy is her child, right? What else do you expect from the mortal that has outsmarted you and has kept information that even you, the Spirit of knowledge, do not know about?"

"Hah! It wouldn't be long before he gets into a difficult situation, and he will ask me for help… After all, he now has the entire world against him. He will surely seek my help once "that day" is within sight."

"Oh Knowledge, how I envy your short-sightedness…"

I no longer care about whether or not her last wish before she drew her last breath would ever come to pass. The world and its fate have been tampered with so much for anything remotely certain to ever happen.

But if it's that boy who will face against it… I think I am ready to take a gander on how things will go from this point onwards.

"Cecilia… Just how much of the future did you know for everything to align like this that even after thousands of years since then, everything is still going according to how you spoke of it."

That day is yet to come… but I am certain that once it starts, it can only end if Caelestia falls…

"…or this world ends."