-1189- I can't accept

"Tap... thud, boom..."

In the dilapidated cathedral, the sound of rubble rolling from all corners seemed to echo in the space, lingering incessantly.

Rozen, Kojou, Avrora, and Altera were all gazing at Tokoyogi Yuuma sitting desolately amidst the ruins.

"Yuuma..."

Seeing Tokoyogi Yuuma's weary expression, Kojou stepped forward.

The divine aura had disappeared from his body at some point, returning Kojou to the ordinary person he was.

Tokoyogi Yuuma smiled sadly at Kojou's approach.

"I have failed."

In that statement was Tokoyogi Yuuma's confusion about the future.

There was no way out.

"My failure means I cannot pay the price required by the contract."

Tokoyogi Yuuma turned her head to look at the guardian behind her.

The tattered guardian seemed to have no intention of harming Tokoyogi Yuuma.

"It seems that doesn't intend to take my head after all."

Tokoyogi Yuuma spoke with a tone that was far from relieved.

As a manifestation of the contract with the demon, the guardian would kill the user when they couldn't fulfill the contract's price. This was common knowledge.

But Tokoyogi Yuuma's guardian seemed unwilling to kill her.

"Does this mean I still can't gain my freedom and have to continue striving for that goal? Again, and again?"

Tokoyogi Yuuma's voice was bleak.

This failure didn't mean she would always fail in the future.

As long as she could pay the price required by the contract, no matter how much time it took, it would be fine. Only when the guardian judged that the user could no longer fulfill the contract would it kill the user.

Now, with the guardian not taking action against her, it indicated that there were other methods and opportunities to liberate the prison barrier.

At least, that's how the guardian judged it.

Tokoyogi Yuuma had to continue to struggle for those methods and opportunities, once again bound by the unseen curse, constantly fighting.

"In the end, I still haven't gained my freedom."

Tokoyogi Yuuma's voice was devoid of hope.

But...

"Isn't this good?" Kojou said to Tokoyogi Yuuma,"Since it's not going to kill you, you can just forget about this and live the life you want!"

Kojou's words were a bit naive.

Indeed, the guardian now, based on its judgment, didn't intend to take Tokoyogi Yuuma's life, but as long as she didn't act towards liberating the prison barrier, wouldn't it attack her immediately?

Moreover...

"Paying the price required by the contract is internalized as a command, and as long as the contract is not terminated, it will be tormented by endless anxiety."

Tokoyogi Yuuma shook her head, speaking so.

"When I was with you before, it was okay, maybe because my magic hadn't fully matured, and my spatial manipulation techniques to achieve the goal weren't mature either. I didn't have the ability to fulfill the contract, so I could play leisurely. But since you left and came to Itogami Island, my magic and techniques have gradually matured, and the inner anxiety has started to surface, making me unable to even dream peacefully."

For this reason, during the Harurouin Festival, Tokoyogi Yuuma had to join forces with the witches of the LCO to attack the prison barrier.

Perhaps, Natsuki was also like this?

When she couldn't use the grand magic called the prison barrier, she could still go to school and live with Rozen, but after graduating, Natsuki's power had fully matured and she could use the prison barrier. The inner anxiety would then emerge, forcing her to fulfill the contract.

Otherwise, as long as there was a possibility of fulfilling the contract, the guardian would not act against the user, and anyone could continue to delay paying the price and use the demon's power as they pleased, which was unrealistic.

The real reason why the witches were forced to pay the price was not only because the guardian could kill them at any time but also because the condition of internalizing the price required by the contract.

Now...

"Even has become like this. The contract must have judged that I have completely failed this time and can only wait until next time. So, the endless anxiety that tortured me has disappeared, but it will definitely reappear in the future. What should I do?"

Tokoyogi Yuuma's voice sounded like she was talking to herself, as if she had lost the meaning of life, exuding a sense of decay like an elderly person in twilight.

This made Kojou sigh.

"Nichiyo." Kojou could only look at Rozen and ask, "Is there some way...?"

For this question, Rozen's answer was concise:

"There is."

Rozen's straightforward response left Tokoyogi Yuuma stunned.

"What's so strange about that?" Rozen responded calmly. "Although it's a witch's contract, as long as the contract is broken, the price naturally doesn't need to be paid, and that's not impossible, right?"

Without going into detail, just consider the newly acquired Minelauva Iris; as long as its power is used, it's not impossible to sever the witch's contract.

And Rozen's mind holds an astonishing amount of magical knowledge; there are plenty of ways to deal with a contract.

However...

"I can only break the contract."

Rozen glanced at Tokoyogi Yuuma and spoke in this manner.

"And once the contract is broken, you will lose the power of the witch and revert to being a normal person, which is also a punishment for you."

After all, Tokoyogi Yuuma caused trouble for Nagisa and even assisted No. 6 in kidnapping Avrora. Regardless of the intentions, Rozen couldn't convince himself not to be angry about it.

Rozen's anger had been ignited long before the appearance of the Prison Barrier, and now, even No. 6 offered up its own existence to forever submit, whereas Tokoyogi Yuuma would only revert to being a normal person and lose the ability to use the witch's power. This punishment was already considered lenient.

Of course...

"You've caused quite a stir on Itogami Island, and the Management Cooperative won't let you off easily."

Rozen showed no mercy in his words.

"So, you're on your own now."

Rozen made this statement decisively.

But this gradually restored a glimmer of hope in Tokoyogi Yuuma's eyes.

"Kojou."

Tokoyogi Yuuma spoke helplessly.

"You've made some really good friends."

This was Tokoyogi Yuuma's only thought.

"Yeah."

Kojou responded simply, but the weight behind his words was definitely not light.

Kojou would never forget what Rozen had done for the Akatsuki family.

Now, Kojou just kept it in his heart, and there was too much to say, so he simply responded like this.

"Then I'll take it as you've accepted."

Rozen made a straightforward decision.

"Mm." Tokoyogi Yuuma didn't resist either and replied directly, "I accept."

Originally, becoming a witch was not what Tokoyogi Yuuma wanted.

If she could turn back into a normal person, then perhaps that would still be something Tokoyogi Yuuma dreamed of. That's also possible.

But unfortunately...

"——No, I can't accept it——"

When such a voice sounded as if from the depths of hell and reached everyone's ears...

"Ugh... Aaaahhh...!"

Tokoyogi Yuuma, who was sitting on the ground, suddenly screamed.

Her whole body, strange magical power surged up.