Episode 107: Final Delivery
An uncomfortable sensation of a parched throat made Miuye awaken.
The familiar ceiling and the sharp smell of alcohol greeted her.
The machine sounds that were so familiar to her ears felt like a lullaby.
“…I…”
Suddenly, she felt something amiss with her right hand.
A warm sensation enveloping it.
When she followed the feeling with her eyes, Toa was holding her hand.
“Get well soon… What should I do if you don’t. Ugh, no, it’s okay… That’s right! It’s okay, everything will be fine!”
Unaware that Miuye had awakened, Toa continued muttering while holding her hand.
“Um…”
“Wha-!? Huh? Ah…”
Toa’s eyes met Miuye’s.
With wide eyes, Toa then collapsed on the spot, still holding onto Miuye’s hand, swaying back and forth.
“It’s good… You’ve woken up properly… I thought what I would do if you never woke up again…”
Seeing Toa’s relieved smile, Miuye tried to return it but remembered something and pulled her hand away.
“M-Miyme-chan?”
“—Please don’t come near me.”
She managed to convey this somehow.
Rejecting Toa, who had stayed by her side until she woke up, was excruciatingly painful.
She started to despise herself intensely.
But she had no choice.
Because…
“I’m a monster. If I transform again, I’ll probably attack you too, Toa-chan. I might even eat you…”
“…Do you remember?”
Miuye nodded slightly.
“At that time, I wanted to eat everyone. I thought they looked delicious.”
Just recalling it gave her goosebumps.
She had only seen her friends as tasty meals.
Friends who treated her as an equal.
That’s why she had wanted to eat them even more.
Such feelings meant she was no longer human.
“Toa-chan, thank you for everything so far. It was fun. And please take care of Konie-senpai too.”
As Miuye said this, Toa grabbed her hand again as she got out of bed.
“Let go! I shouldn’t be here! If I stay, I’ll end up eating everyone again!”
“It’s okay, it’ll be alright! Surely, Kei-kun and Luka-san will figure something out—”
“Does a mere imitation deserve all this?”
“…What?”
Miuye laughed bitterly.
Then she held her hand up towards the ceiling and stared at it.
“Am I just a copy of Yume?”
“…Did you hear about that?”
“It seems I partially woke up, though my memories feel dreamlike. …Ah, but it was more like a nightmare.”
Miuye possessed a robust body created by Kanon.
Her consciousness likely awakened faster than an average person’s.
Unfortunately, it had activated at the worst possible moment.
“I wasn’t born because someone desired me as Miyme. There’s no one who sees me as myself… right?”
Kanon’s love was a lie.
Konie’s kindness stemmed from guilt.
Luka’s compassion came from wanting to be liked by everyone.
Everyone revolved around “Miyme,” yet no one truly saw her.
This undeniable fact weighed heavily on her.
Miyme’s world was built on lies.
“I was alone. Because I’m a monster.”
Saying this, Miyme shook off Toa’s hand.
Confused by Miyme’s words, Toa’s grip loosened effortlessly.
Believing Toa had given up, Miyme began walking away.
However…
“Miyme-chan… That’s not true.”
Stopping in her tracks after taking a few steps, Miyme found herself embraced.
Toa’s arms around her wouldn’t let go easily this time.
“How about me and Kei-kun? Did we see you as a mere imitation? Did we treat you as a replacement for someone named Yume?”
“That’s because you two are good people. Too kind-hearted, and you just got dragged into this. That’s all there is to it.”
“Even so…”
The grip around Miyme tightened.
It felt like Toa was trying to convey the depth of her feelings.
“Is it wrong to want to save Miyme-chan, even if it’s just being involved?”
Toa’s words seeped into Miyme’s heart.
Relaxing even a little made her want to cry and lean into Toa’s kindness, making her hate herself even more.
“…I think of Miyme-chan as a precious friend. I have, and always will. Forever.”
“A monster doesn’t deserve such kind words.”
“Not a monster! Miyme-chan is kind, smart, and energetic—my friend!”
With her head resting against Miyme’s back, Toa spoke softer than ever before.
“…Shall we go to Factom together? There, no one will see you as Yume.”
“But being with me will cause trouble. I could attack anytime.”
In response to Miyme’s statement, Toa replied confidently.
“Don’t underestimate us. Even if Miyme-chan transforms again, we’ll stop you. Don’t forget, I, Kei-kun, Miroku-chan, Mizuki-chan—we’re all strong. So, it’s okay.”
This confidence stemmed from their experience battling Kisou Academy.
Indeed, Toa firmly believed that with the full team from Factom General Academy, they could defeat anyone.
Hearing Toa’s words, Miyme hesitated to speak but swallowed her initial thoughts and answered anew.
“…A school that accepts even monsters must be pretty strange. But with your goodwill, I’ll be fine, surely.”
It was a rejection filled with gentleness.
Upon hearing it, Toa let out a voice tinged with despair.
Your denial of her kindness.
Staying any longer made Miyme feel increasingly unworthy.
“Thank you.”
Gently shaking off Toa’s arms, Miyme said softly,
“See you, Toa-chan.”
Turning back briefly to bow, Miyme flashed a bright smile before leaving the room.
“Did I do something wrong…?”
Her words dissolved unanswered.
All Toa could do was stare blankly at the door Miyme had exited through, realizing her best efforts hadn’t changed anything.
After an indeterminate amount of time,
Toa regained her senses when the door opened and Luka entered.
“Luka-san!”
Luka looked battered, indicating a fierce battle had taken place.
Rushing over, Toa checked her injuries despite her lack of medical knowledge—it was clearly bad.
“You fought Kanon-san, didn’t you?”
“—Yes.”
Surprisingly, it wasn’t Luka who answered but the girl standing behind her.
Having been focused on Luka’s wounds, Toa hadn’t noticed Solciera standing there.
Her appearance startled Toa, who instinctively stepped back.
“S-Solciera!? W-Why are you here!?”
“I brought this girl here for you. A simple ‘thank you’ would be appreciated.”
Looking around the room, Solciera tilted her head.
“Where did that man, Na Takikai, go? I thought to reward him with some tea for bringing this girl here.”
Without hesitation, Solciera walked in and sat down on the sofa with a sigh.
“…I knocked out Kei at the Student Council room.”
“What!? Why!? Is Kei-kun alright!?”
“He’s fine. He’s merely asleep. I couldn’t involve him in my personal fight.”
Understanding this as Luka’s form of kindness, Toa relaxed.
Still, seeing Luka like this made Solciera appear exasperated.
“Take care of yourself before worrying about others. Protecting others is a privilege of the strong.”
Snap! Solciera clicked her fingers.
Magic circles appeared all over Luka’s body—an original spell designed to drastically enhance regeneration capabilities.
“Stay still for a moment. Your fight is over now.”
“That’s true. Indeed, I’ve accomplished my goal.”
Saying this, Luka retrieved a memory chip from her expanded domain.
This was the item she risked her life to obtain.
“This contains the data to complete Miyme’s body. With this, Miyme won’t starve anymore. She can live as a human.”
Luka’s only option was to complete Miyme ahead of Kanon’s plans.
Clutching faint hope, Luka looked at the bed where Miyme had been—but it was empty.
“…Where has Miyme gone?”
Responding to Luka’s question, Toa bowed her head, her voice trembling on the verge of tears.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop her…!”
Realizing this, Luka turned to leave, intending to retrace her steps.
But her exhausted body and mind wouldn’t allow it.
“Guh… My body…”
“Luka-san!”
Supporting the fallen Luka, Toa bowed her head again.
There was no way she could blame Toa for failing.
Luka understood they were already too late.
Still, she voiced her regret despite knowing it wouldn’t reach Miyme.
“I’m sorry… Miyme. If I had decided sooner, if I had agreed to Konie’s plan earlier…!”
Seeing Luka crying and Toa embracing her, Solciera sighed, unimpressed.
“—You two are so gloomy, it’s nauseating. Crying can wait until later, can’t it?”
Snatching the memory chip from Luka’s hand, Solciera examined it with interest.
“Data for constructing a human body… This technology, nearly taboo to life itself, is fascinating.”
The memory chip vanished into thin air.
Presumably stored in her expanded domain.
“What are you doing!? That belongs to Miyme!”
“Let’s make a deal, shall we?”
Solciera offered a sly smile.
The stars shone brightly behind her window.
“This data could be useful for the impending calamity. So, I’ll take a copy. In return, I’ll deliver this to that artificial lifeform.”
“Really?”
“This is a contract. What will you do?”
Toa looked to Luka for a decision.
After a brief pause, Luka nodded.
“I agree. However, there’s a correction needed.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Tilting her head, Solciera received Luka’s straightforward answer.
“That child isn’t an ‘artificial life.’ Her name is Miyme, my precious junior…!”
Hearing this, Solciera smiled faintly.
“So boring.”
A transfer magic circle unfolded.
And in the next instant, she disappeared.
“…Miyme”.
All Luka could do now was pray to the stars.
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