Volume 2 ~ Chapter 5
5th Ammo ~ Blazing Diamond Dust By my side was Aria, raising her head in shock.
"Aria."
I bent down, and asked her softly,
"Can you move?"
"I should...I'm nearly fine. But my gun is frozen to the floor, and even if I managed to remove it, it would be unusable. My guns are not resistant to frost. If I don't take it apart and maintain it, I won't be able to use it."
Aria regretfully dipped her head to look at the M1911, sealed to the floor by the ice.
"Let's make a plan."
Hearing my words, Aria, who normally worked alone, raised her head--violently.
And then she nodded.
Looks like the me in Hysteria Mode is a trusted partner for her.
"--We may wish to help Shirayuki, but if we don't help at the right opportunity, we will only hinder her. Aria, you said that you've captured ability users like Jeanne before, right? Is there a way to exploit one of her weaknesses?"
"Ability users as powerful as this...to be honest, I've never met them before. But, this battle...I don't think they'll be able to sustain this for a long time."
"Unsustainable for a long time?"
"The more powerful an ability user is, the faster their spiritual energy depletes. They use minimal amounts of energy when clashing with Butei...but when they meet one of their own kind, they will go all out, as demonstrated here. Therefore, their spiritual energy should not last much longer. At that time, we will strike."
"Are you able to recognize that moment?"
"From my experience, I should be able to. However, most of it is just instinct. Do you trust me?"
Aria's voice seemed to be a little uneasy,
My heart full of shame, I straightened my body, and gently patted her pink hair.
"Recently, I've been a complete idiot. Can you forgive me? I swear--as long as I live, I will trust you."
"A-as long as you live?"
"There might not be anybody in the world that trusts you, but as long as I live, I will stand beside you."
I looked into her camellia eyes, pouring out my deepest feelings...
Her face was already red, almost the same colour as her twin-tails, but at that moment, Aria's...
cheeks turned a colour akin to ripened strawberries, and she blushed even deeper.
Because her surprised face seemed to be pleased, I-
"Are you happy?"
"...Idiot Kinji...! Yo-you...even when you're in your Awakened Mode, you're still an idiot...idiot...!"
"Tell me. I want to know what you really feel."
I asked her this.
"............I-I'm...a little happy. Bu-but only a little!"
"If Aria is happy, then I'm happy as well. Then Aria, will you trust me?"
".....Uuu, Un."
Finally, Aria's gaze, like a child looking at an adult, met mine, and she nodded furiously.
It seems that she already feels that way about the me in Hysteria Mode.
"Then, we have faith in each other."
Hearing my decisive words, Aria's heart seemed to have been shaken, and she brought her lightly closed hands to her chest.
"With that, I hope that you can trust in yourself, and tell me the time to strike. Together, let's--capture Durandal."
Volume 3 ~ Chapter 2
2nd Ammo ~ High Butei Riko
Bang!
Gunfire blared. I looked to the source of the sound. There, I see Aria's figure doing a 50m-sprint run. It seemed the gunshot was used for the starting signal.
She's wearing a short pants and a PE uniform with "2-A Kanzaki" written on it.
Her twin-tail will probably get in the way of running. The wind sweeps her untied hair as she dashes forward.
I unconsciously formed a bitter smile at that figure.
She's small.
She's like a participant in a children sports event.
But.. I don't really dislike Aria doing what full-size girls do.
Her appearance outclasses that of full-size girls'. If she had the height and bust volume, it wouldn't be unusual if she were to be scouted by the CVRs. In other words, she's a peerless bishoujo.
However, after reaching the goal, witnessing Aria re-equipping her handguns that she had asked a junior to hold reminds me that she's not a normal girl after all. More like a battle girl.
I wonder what her plans are... After saving her mother, Kanae-san.
Will she continue studying as a Butei?
Or will she transfer to a normal high school? ...Probably not.
What if...?
What if we were classmates within the same normal high school?
What if we encounter each other again, but this time as a normal high school boy and a girl?
As I blankly contemplate those things, an image of a girl wearing a bloomer flashed at my vision. I quickly avert my gaze to the paper I am holding. It is the result sheet for the sports exam.
Dammit. Why can't the school have a separate test for guys and girls? Seriously.
What will happen if I accidentally turn into Hysteria Mode?
As I trace my Normal Mode's unremarkable grades with my index finger...
A shadow suddenly covered the result sheet.
"?"
I raised my head. As if sticking her head to mine to take a good look at the sheet...
"Uuwah... What kind of grade was that, dumb Kinji? Even your physical ability is dumb as well?"
...Aria sarcastically remarked at my grades. She's sipping a sports drink from a plastic bottle that were usually used in road racing for re-hydrating oneself.
I'm annoyed.
"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from someone repeatedly nodding their heads during Japanese and Kobun classes in struggling not to fall asleep, but suddenly blasting with energy when PE classes comes."
"There."
Aria sprawled her feet and sank down close beside me.
She must have probably sweat from that sprint. A gardenia-like aroma is emitting from her body.
I fixed my sitting. I distanced myself from her a bit.
Aria is quite indifferent when it comes to distance sensitivity.
To state it simply: It is problematic.
Even without that, first of all, boys and girls sitting close together is unthinkable.
We're not watching TV at home here, Aria.
You should learn the phrase, "proper manner in proper place".
"You really put some effort in running back there."
"Is that how I looked like?"
"Did you have someone you wanted to impress?"
"What kind of weed are you smoking, Kinji?"
......
............Huh?
Just now... I even asked the same question myself. I don't smoke though.
Why am I asking Aria such odd question?
...Why?
Aria hugged her tiny legs, leaned her head forward and started contemplating about something.
And then she looked to my eyes.
"I guess... it will be wonderful if my partner would recognize my ability."
Aria said that.
...?
This one makes me go, "huh?", too.
Because the old Aria would rather reply in this part, "I don't care even if no one recognize me".
Volume 3 ~ Chapter 4
4th Ammo ~Infiltration
In the process of taking a shot with her cue, Aria has to droop her upper body flat upon the billiards table so in turn, her butt is thrusting upward in the back. Looking from this position, her skirt is soaring up in a dangerous fashion.
I had no choice but to avert my gaze towards the skylight.
*Flash*
*Gaga-nn!*
Another lightning strike. Its light flickered within the room.
There was a slight interval now between the lightning and thunder compared the last one.
"Hyauu!?"
Aria hopped in a pigeon-toed fashion, making the five-layer petticoats in the skirt's hem to flutter in the air.
*Flash*
Here comes another one.
"K-Ki-Kinjiiii---!"
With her eyes opened wide, she suddenly rushed this way and---
Clung onto me!
"H-Hey...!?"
*Gaga-nn!*
Aria tightened her grip from that thunder.
What's going on? What happened to the Quadra Aria-sama? Right now, she's no different than a kiddy girl!
"Kuuu~~~"
T-That's right... Now I remember. Aria is afraid of thunder.
During that time too with the hi-jack incident, her scarediness almost shrunk her height with how she shrunk back in one corner.
"Uuu~~~"
Tightly clutching the skirt's hem with a hand, Aria still didn't abandon the last pride as a noble.
She's implicitly saying, "I'm not relying on you or anything like that! Don't make any misconception!". Look who's the one clinging.
She averted her teary eyes away from mine, not intending to look this way.
(Uuu...)
The sweet aroma that I detect emanating from her hair tickles my olfactory senses. Right below my face is a hairband. It trembles at Aria's every shaking.
Aria.
Within my chest are Aria's tiny shoulders. Her skirt fans out, slightly caressing my waist. Behind her is a big butterfly knot.
Aria.
Aaahhh-- Dammit!
You're too cute!
It's almost making me go wild.
Petite body. Twin-tail. Little stern eyes. A quarter of English blood flowing within in her. I don't know which one of these qualities perfectly match this outfit but, in this mansion, Aria in maid outfit is like a life-size doll. (...Shoot...!)
I'm changing.
This blood flow.
Something is starting to converge... in the very core of my body.
This is the Hysteria Mode's blood flow.
However... the transition is not fully complete yet. The sensation I am feeling right now is still in the level of "She's cute". For that to be promoted to the category of "sexual arousement" needs an event or something to happen first.
If I can break myself away from Aria before that happens, and then calm my mind--- everything will turn out alright.
"I-It's okay. No need to be scared. I'll be with you."
Then I softly grabbed Aria's shoulders to separate myself...
"Uuu~~~"
Aria groaned. She probably doesn't see me as a reliable existence, my words aren't powerful enough to dispel her fear. She's looking up to me with her Camellia eyes tainted with anxiety.
This is bad.
It will be hell once she clings to me again.
Moreover, these anxious eyes. Due to the gap from normal, Aria makes it even more cute.
Is there a way to escape this predicament?
"Fine, fine. I'll call up a helping buddy then. Let's distance ourselves for now, okay?"
"H-Helping buddy...?"
"Right. He's somewhere in this mansion."
"B-But we're the only ones here! If you meant sensei, he's holed up in the basement..."
"Nonono... Not really."
I shook my head as I slowly back away. Then I went round behind the billiards table, bent down, and concealed my body from Aria's vision.
Okay. Here we go.
Producing a cellphone from my pocket...
I disengaged and placed Leopon(my cellphone's strap) on the top of the billiards table.
"Howdy, Aria! Leopon-kun here!"
I raised Leopon-kun's one leg as an act of greeting.
I want to slap myself for thinking up this nonsense... However, this is a necessary step in avoiding Hysteria. Sigh. For my loss.
"They call me the strongest beast on Earth! Oh!? Aria, aren't you making a scaredy face?"
Deliberately using a fake voice. I edged myself a little from the corner of the billiards table to check up on Aria's reaction.
Aria is nodding at Leopon-kun's every word.
Okay. She's listening.
"What's so scary? C'mon, tell me. Cough it up."
"...T-The thunder..."
Good. She's responding properly.
The first step, clear.
"Hah! Never fret! I will send that hubbub packing with my "Rawr no Jutsu" special technique. RAAAWWWRR!!"
I spreaded Leopon-kun's legs, and posed him to a gesture of screaming a thundering yell.
"RAAAWWWRR!! RAAAWWWRR!!"
"W-Will it go away now?"
She's falling for it.
"Yeah. I scared the hell out of it with my intimidating technique. The annoying thunder must be running off to its mama now."
Well, this is not completely a drivel at all...
This is something that I had learned from Nii-san a long time ago. Thunderclouds actually travel further away as the interval of the lightning and thunder widens.
And as if to corroborate my deduction...
*Flash*
A lightning with a weaker flash than its formers lit up, and after a while...
*Rumble*
The thunder this time was hushed that it's now a mere tickle in the ears.
"Y-You're right, it's going away now! Wow, you're so amazing!"
Aria was utterly deceived by Leopon-kun's empty power. She dashed towards the billiards table.
I hopped Leopon-kun in succession using my fingers as if to receive Aria.
Then she plucked Leopon-kun from my fingers... and squeezed it to her chest.
Subsequently, Aria shoved me out of the way with hips, and they sank deeply into their own worlds.
Still, that Aria. She played along smoothly.
I'm already aware that she's weak to animals or stuffed toys but, I never thought it was this much.
Well, it must be Aria's way of fighting off the fear of thunder by placing a strong faith to Leopon-kun but somehow, it pissed me off at how much she trusted Leopon-kun.
No matter how I reassured her: "It's okay", it never relieved her anxiety.
You mean my existence is lower than a cellphone strap? Yeah, yeah. Is that so.
Volume 4 ~ Chapter 3
3rd Ammo ~ Summer Festival
Emergency missions are an integral part of the holiday, so Butei High's summer holiday starts a bit earlier, on July 7.
And on that day, the 7th.
Because it was such an easy day to remember, it came to me immediately after I had gotten up. Muto had used my cellphone without permission, to write a message to Aria, saying this.
'Dear Aria. As practice for being casino security, why don't we go to the Tanabata Festival together? 7:00 of the 7th, I'll be waiting for you in front of the panda at Ueno station. Wear a cute yukata, OK?'
Reading this mail may give me a strong urge to take out my gun and commit suicide...
But, Aria read this mail, right?
Aria hadn't replied at the time, and after the fight about Kana, she had never mentioned it either.
Does that mean that she might not have seen it?
Chances are she's never used messages before.
"Hmph..."
So, why did I come to Ueno station?
In front of the crowds of people in yukata, I forced myself back to reality, and hurriedly put the cellphone that I had been idly staring at back into my pocket.
Right now it's the 7th of July, 7 o'clock--minus 5 minutes.
Actually, I had arrived here 30 minutes in advance, lingering inside the bookshop, reading books.
I...I'm not thinking about Aria...
I'm just getting ready to go to the Ueno Hikawa Shrine for the Tanabata festival.
Just because there's a high chance for crime during these incidents, so as a Butei, I have to face it voluntarily, strictly controlling the chance of crime...Ah, I'm such an idiot.
If that were truly the case, why am I walking around the panda?
Ah, that...that's just coincidence.
I'm just looking as I pass by.
I'm not especially looking for Aria. It's just that there's a crowd gathering over there, so I should go and investigate. That's how it is.
Dipping my head, looking at my watch while striding out of the ticket office, I...stood in front of the at least 3m tall model panda.
Aria...
(...)
...She's not here.
Looking around...of course, she isn't here.
Well, that's to be expected.
I didn't know whether she saw the message in the first place, and she got so angry over the incident over Kana as well.
Anyways, I had confirmed that she wouldn't be here anyways.
So this pans out exactly as I predicted. That's how it is.
"..."
My shoulders drooped, and I sighed, facing the glass box embedded into the panda.
Around me...were couples who had arranged to meet here, all wearing yukata. Ah...really, it's painful to wait. Alone by myself, wearing a bulletproof uniform, in this kind of place...
But, well, I'll just stay vigilant for a little while longer.
She might just be late.
...No.
Ah...Hmph, I'm just staying alert around here. Who knows whether something might come up.
As I was about to buy something to drink, looking towards the vending machine--
"?"
--Shi.
Something pink hurriedly concealed itself behind the other side of the panda.
"..."
It looks really familiar.
Anyways...I can't be wrong.
That...Isn't that one of Aria's twin-tails?
That body that looked like Aria--No, Aria, was hiding behind the backside of the panda.
However, she was only hiding her head, not knowing that her tails were sticking out.
...Aria.
In the whole of Ueno, only you could have tails that colour.
"...Aria."
I called out, and the tail moved a little, with a Pa!
I was noticed! How!?
It gave off that kind of feeling.
Hey, trying to stay unnoticed with something as obvious as that would be really difficult, right?
"Aria."
"....Nyaa, nyaa."
...Is she imitating a cat? No way.
She seems to be trying to get me to think, "Looks like the movement over there was just a cat."
What...what kind of stupid hiding technique is that? And really, your imitation is completely off... "Your voice is way too obvious. Doing that is like announcing that you're Aria."
I said, moving to the back of the panda. Wearing a yukata, Aria...
Clack! She stood up, her wooden slippers hitting the ground.
"--You're late!"
She raised her beautiful, slender eyebrows at me ferociously, baring her canines.
Hey, I got here on time.
Thinking this, I waved my watch in front of her face...
"Ah...Hmph, if you're going to call me out on an appointment, then you should be early by 30 minutes! I'll make a hole in you if you make me wait! Making me wait 30 minutes means you deserve some holes! I'll make them until you're a volcano!"
You...you were here 30 minutes ago?
Then, if you were waiting, why did you need to hide when you saw me?
I wanted to say that, but I couldn't get the words out.
Because Aria, wearing a yukata, was really...
Aah, damn it.
--way too cute.
What kind of feeling is this?
It's different from the feeling I get when I'm entering Hysteria Mode. It feels like I've had something taken away from me, making me feel light.
The theme of Aria's clothing was pink and red, wearing a yukata with a goldfish pattern. It fit her small stature really well. Too well, in fact.
It's unbelievable that she managed to find such a fitting yukata, marveling at that in my heart, I felt a smile rise up, inexplicably.
"Wh-what is it. Why're you staring at me like that. You're such a pervert."
I'm not sure what she misconstrued the wonder on my face as, but Aria's cheeks reddened, and she smoothed over her obi and chest with an agitated movement. It looks like not talking to me for a while has left her feeling nervous.
"...That idiotic message, did you see it?"
"Hmph"
I asked her, scratching the back of my head, and Aria stopped for a moment,
"Ye-yeah, I came because it said that this would be practice for our casino security detail. I didn't even think about going to the festival with you, not even a little bit."
...Was there really a need to say that, then?
Aria--waved her hands around, raising the tip of her nose.
"Once I accept a commission, I'll definitely fulfill it. Even if it's for a stupid reason like fulfilling your credit demerit, I won't change my conviction. This is 100%, purely for the sake of completing the security mission."
...you picked an amazingly cute yukata just for the sake of completing a security mission?
Anyways...it looks like the message is getting more, and more, unexplainable.
Aria insisted that she came for the sake of being 'security'. That's a good thing for a Butei, leaving me unable to reject that premise by saying, "that message was a prank by Muto." I can only go with the flow, now.
Well, that incident...it isn't surprising that things turned out this way.
And I, who had been tearing my hair out over that message for the past weeks, am really damn stupid.
"...Then, let's go. To be security."
"...Yeah. Let's go and be security. Just security. Security."
Aria, repeating the word 'security' three times--seemed to have the words "I want to go to the festival" written on her back, and the noise from her wooden slippers started up again, as she followed the crowd.
Ah...that back. A gun was stuck into her obi. It's just like Aria to do something like that.
Following the JR national highway, next to Ueno station, we reached a boulevard with stalls set up on both sides.
We may have had a huge fight over Kana, but Aria and I are companions in battle who have gone through many life-threatening situations before. Thanks to our experiences together, even if a gap had opened between us...we continued to walk together, with a "let's set aside what happened before," atmosphere.
"...Woah..."
Aria, seemingly having never seen a Japanese festival before, was immediately drawn in by the extravagantly decorated booths, and the happy clamor of the crowd.
We strode through the gaps in the crowd...and Aria suddenly stopped in front of one of the booths.
This one was selling cotton candy.
Aria's gaze fixed upon the Oji-san, who was rolling the sugar strands, which really were like cotton, onto a pair of disposable chopsticks.
Her double-fold eyelids blinking several times, still staring at the cotton candy, Aria asked,
"Kinji, what is that?"
"That...is cotton candy. It says so right over there."
"Candy...so, you can eat it?"
Aria looked up at me from below, her face filled with surprise.
"It's for kids to eat, you know?"
I whispered into her ear, and Aria's face suddenly reddened--
"I-I-I...I didn't say I wanted to eat it!"
Something like drool was appearing in the corners of her mouth as she bared her teeth at me.
That...isn't it too fast to have your mouth watering already?
However, having spent so much time with Aria before, I understood...when this girl goes into this mode, it means "I really want to eat it."
If I don't let her eat it now, she'll be unhappy, and the chance of an M1911 finding its way into her hands will increase by a lot.
"Looks like there's nothing I can do...could I have one stick of cotton candy, please?"
With no other options left, I entered the plastic curtains of the booth.
Whoosh! Aria followed with inhuman speed.
But the tiny Aria was only slightly taller than the counter, and only her head was sticking above it.
"Oji-san! Can I choose a flavor?"
Hearing Aria's question, the oji-san answered,
"Of course you can!"
Oh, you can choose.
"Is there a peach bun flavor?"
As if there would.
"There is."
There is!?
Next to me, who was stunned, Aria's eyes were glowing in anticipation as she watched the cotton candy being born.
Spin, spin, spin...
"Here. Your girlfriend is really cute, so I'll give you a bonus."
The oji-san handed over the slightly bigger peach bun flavored (!?) cotton candy over to me.
"...Sh-she isn't my girlfriend."
Said I, answering him.
Aria accepted the cotton candy from my hands,
"Kinji! Where should I start eating!?"
Her eyes sparkling with delight, she skipped around, continuously tugging at my sleeve.
Geez, you're still a kid. Really.
After that, takoyaki, candied apples, chocolate bananas...etc., everything that came into Aria's sights was immediately devoured. Worrying about her status as a Butei, I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you worried about your weight?"
"In the previous physical examination, I was lighter than Riko, who's about the same height as me, so there's no problem."
Aria answered, displeased with my question.
But hey, isn't that weight difference created by the difference in chest size?
But now that I think about it, Aria-sama has eaten her fill, and she's in a pretty good mood, but the goldfish at the goldfish catching stall seemed to sense Aria's ferocious nature, and they swam away with great speed, leaving Aria with an empty net. Opposed to her, I had caught quite a few, piquing the princess' interest. And as for target practice, well, if we had gone, it would be too unfair...so we passed it by.
"No matter the country--when the festivals come around, everybody is so excited. It's very easy for crimes to appear at times like these. Make sure you remain vigilant."
Facing Aria, who said these sorts of things once in a while, I couldn't help but think that "You're the one that's most excited, right?", but I didn't dare say it out loud.
Afterward...noticing the Tanabata bamboo sticks, Aria asked me, a puzzled look on her face, what it was, and when I had just answered that you were supposed to write down your wishes and hang them up...
--Woah!
The happy voices of the crowd rang out.
"...?"
Looking around, I saw a gigantic Mikoshi heading towards us from Aria's direction.
In its wake, the people followed, streaming towards us, just like rivulets of water.
Straining her back with an "Uuunn," Aria tried to take a look at the Mikoshi, but she was jostled around by the rushing crowd--
"Eh, ah, huh?"
Only leaving those words behind, her tiny body was swallowed up by the crowd.
This isn't good.
If we're caught up in the flow of people, we'll be separated.
"Aria, over here."
I called out, reaching my hand over to where I had heard that seiyuu-like voice.
A tiny hand grasped hold of mine, through the gaps in the crowd.
Making my way through the chaotic mob, and finally reaching something like a clearing, I--
Pull!
extracted Aria from within the crowd.
Shi. Aria, leaving the crowd with difficulty, followed the Mikoshi with her eyes, her other hand wiping away the cold sweat that had broken out on her forehead.
"Fi-finally. The thing that came out...what was it?"
"That's called a Mikoshi. I'm glad that we weren't separated. Otherwise, I'd be forced to broadcast a notice for a missing child."
Following Aria's gaze, I looked at the majestic Mikoshi as well.
And for the minute that we had made our way through the street, which we were looking down at now...
Was my hand, and another hand.
--!
My hand and Aria's hand.
Aria's hand and my hand.
Aren't we tightly holding each others hands right now!?
"............!!"
"............!!"
The greatest tension that had risen ever since I met Aria 4 months ago, seeped between us.
Aria, looked at me, then looked at our hands, locked together, then looked back at me, and her face, like a stove, which happened to be out of season right now, reddened until it started radiating heat.
Wanting to let go of my hand--Aria, seeming to think that, appeared to have a system error in her brain...and, squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze. She continued to add force.
Squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze.
Squeeze. Squeeze. Squeeze--!
M-my hand! It's going to break! Is this the hand strength granted by her limit break?!
--Whoosh!!
Finally, tearing her hand away from mine, Aria...
Raised her arm in front of her body, making an expression that seemed to convey that she was ordering the demon in her hand to "Stay down...!" Her fingers were frozen in a claw-like position.
"Yo-yo...you...Pervert Kinji!!"
I didn't understand why she would call me that, but that hand--Whoosh!
--smashed into me.
Aria, who seemed to have enough of the large crowds, and I, with a left black eye, avoiding the couples that had come to visit, went around to the back of the main hall, which was empty...and we sat down on what appeared to be a wooden railing.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
In the sky, which had already turned pitch black...fireworks, like flowers of light coming into bloom, exploded.
This seemed to be the first time seeing Japanese fireworks for Aria, and she continued to look up at the brilliant night sky.
Aria...is a girl that really matches with summer. She may not know how to swim, but I think that...ah.
--The fireworks stopped, and once again, the sky twinkled with the light of the stars.
At the back of the main hall is a vast forest, and the quiet sounds of birds and insects reached our ears.
It really is summer.
... ...
... ... ...
"You know," "Um,"
Both of us seemed to have something to say, and our eyes met.
"Ah, what is it? You go first."
"No, you should go first."
We continued to back and forth like this...after we had listened to the buzzing of the insects for a while...
"About Kana...How do I say this...I'm sorry."
Aria apologized to me, embarrassed.
"I lost to Kana. It may have taken some time, but I realized it. You weren't wrong. The world has Butei more powerful than me, and now--I feel that battling with her let me learn a lot. And, also, I already vaguely understood..."
Aria...dipped her head, extremely embarrassed.
"--She, wasn't your past lover, right?"
Saying this, Aria's face looked like she had realized this using her sharp intuition.
I fell silent. As if searching my soul, Aria...turned her gaze towards me.
"But, she isn't a stranger to you. Between you two, there seems to be an even stronger bond."
She may not even be able to imagine that Kana is my 'Nii-san', but...
Aria truly is the great-grandchild of the world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes.
That sharp insight could be said to have exposed the relationship between Nii-san and I.
"About that, I'm going to cut to the chase...after this...are you going to be Kana's partner?"
It's a shame that you treat me like a dog most of the time.
"...I won't. That isn't the relationship between Kana and I--and our abilities are too far apart, anyways."
Hearing my straight-out denial, Aria, fyuu...
Looked as if these words had put her heart to rest.
It looks like the matter with Kana is what worries Aria the most.
"However, Kana--for you, is a dangerous existence. I don't know why, but you've already become her target. You need to be careful."
"Ah, yeah."
"Also...I'm going to take this opportunity to repeat this. Before, you said that I wanted to cut all ties with you...but I, didn't even want to be a Butei, originally."
Now that I think about it, entering Butei High--
Was 100% of my own free will.
For the sake of fulfilling my duty as the inheritor of Hysteria Mode, I was determined, as a descendant of Tohyama, to be an "ally of justice"...
That's why I wanted to become something like that. I probably just thought that it was something that I should do, and I went with the flow.
But...after Nii-san disappeared last year, I decided to leave my life as a Butei behind.
And this month, I met Kana--Nii-san again, but all it did was reinforce my desire to quit being a Butei.
Originally not even willing to hurt a fly, Nii-san...said something like "killing", and a fellow Butei like Aria as well...
He's changed.
I don't understand why Nii-san would say something like this. But, the most obvious reason is that, he is a Butei. Only this--is absolute.
"So April next year, I'm going to leave Butei High. No matter what you say."
But, at least I myself--for the sake of not becoming like Nii-san, can give up on being a Butei.
And I can become a normal person, living a normal life.
That is the right path. Definitely.
Just...
"Um...I know. But...even though I know, I..."
My face relaxed a bit, looking towards the mouth that emitted that seiyuu-like voice, which said that she understood, yet she seemed more lost than ever.
Just...ah.
Aria.
I made one other oath.
--For a little longer, in just that short amount of time...I will be your strength--
You are fighting, using that tiny body of yours to face your cruel fate, always fighting.
Not, like me...running away.
Therefore--
"Just that...Butei Law article 8, I will definitely keep it."
Well, I'll make sure of it now.
"Article 8---"
"'Your mission must be resolved completely.'Before April of next year, I am still a Butei...and before that, I cannot go against any articles of Butei Law. And also, as a person, I cannot go against my own word. So until we completely resolve the matter with EU, I will always remain by your side."
"Kinji...!"
Don't make such an excited sound.
"Also, even though it was against my will...With you, I've already defeated Riko, Jeanne, and Vlad, these 3 members of EU. Naturally, you're not only the one that EU has their sights on, I have been targeted as well. We will fight until one side has been completely destroyed. Aa~hh. I've been sucked into something so troublesome. It makes my head hurt."
Like that, partially on purpose...I stated my reasons, as if I was trying to convince myself.
Aria...dipped her head.
And afterwards, *spin*
Her back towards me...
Shi.
Shiii.
She suddenly blew her nose.
Thinking that it was impossible for her to have caught a cold like this, I turned my head.
...I didn't know why, but Aria walked a few steps, and then she spun around. Her twin-tails drew a graceful arc in the air, but her back was still facing me.
...Really, she's amazingly good at making others angry.
I climbed onto the veranda, approaching Aria's face. Shi.
Shii. Aria swiveled like a chess-piece, not showing me her face.
Shii. I chased her, *spin*, but Aria continued to turn.
"What kind of reaction is this?"
I grasped her hand and turned her towards me.
"Ah..."
Aria, looked up at me helplessly...
...against all expectation, she was crying.
...Out of joy, she was crying.
Those eyes, streaming tears down her face like a sparkling, silver stream, were sparkling.
"I will always remain by your side." How could these simple words of mine...make you happy enough to cry.
"Ah, um..."
'I'm sorry' is what I wanted to say, but no, apologizing would be weird...while I stayed silent, at a loss of what to do.
"Uu?"
Aria's mouth emitted a noise that sounded like her mouth had been stuck together by Konnyaku.
...What is it now?
"Uiee."
Uiee?
I looked at Aria, who had her mouth twisted into a [へ] shape...
"Migyaaaaaaaaaa!"
What!?
Aria suddenly jumped off the veranda.
Hey, what's wrong...
You're getting more and more weird, you know? Has your 'feelings' server been overloaded?
As I was thinking this, Aria accidentally trod on the hem of her yukata, Thud!
And with a movement that outclassed any comedy routines, she fell flat on her face.
And just like a caught goldfish, she started going into spasms on the floor.
"A-ahaha! Wa-wait! No, NONO! U-U-U-Uwa!"
Her entire body curled up, she started to open the neckline of her yukata!
"Wa-wait! What the hell are you doing! I have no idea what is happening!"
"Ki-Ki-Ki-Ki-Kin-Kin-Kinji, think of something! I-I think something got inside my clothes!"
"Hey, are you alright!?"
She looked extremely uncomfortable inside the yukata, so with a *whoosh* I grabbed hold of the obi on her back, thinking of loosening it for her.
And--
Buzz...
A beetle that looked like a scarab flew out of the yukata...Tap.
And it landed on a tree, not far from here.
Ah--
So she was tickled by a bug who got into her yukata.
Is that it? What was I worrying for...I was really shocked for a second.
"...Kyaa..."
Aria, Thump.
Along with the completely loosened yukata, she fell onto the veranda.
My face twitching, I looked at the 2nd thing to be victorious over Aria, after Kana, the Almighty-Scarab.
Hmm...? For some reason, that looks a little different from a scarab. I've never seen a bug like that before.
But it looks kind of familiar...
As if avoiding my gaze, it flew into the dense forest with a buzzing noise.
"...That, what kind of perverted bug is that...climbing around in these weird kinds of places...!"
I didn't know when, but Aria had fixed her yukata with inhuman speed, and she stood back up, gripping her guns.
Hey...Are you going to use that high-caliber pistol to shoot an insect?
My face still twitching, I picked up the things that had been scattered from out of Aria's yukata. There was an extremely small makeup box that looked like it had been ordered from abroad, and some lotion. This...is makeup? There's mascara as well. Hey, why're you so dedicated to bringing these things?
Thinking about this, holding these objects in my hand, I...suddenly halted.
--Butei Handbook.
Fallen out of Aria's yukata, open on the floor, inside...I could see a photo of a boy, slightly sticking out.
A boy--a photo of someone other than me.
"Tohyama-kun, you might have a rival in love you know?"
I don't know why...I really have no idea why, but Shiranui's words echoed in my mind.
No...so what? This has nothing to do with me.
Even Aria, once she lays down her guns, is just a high-school girl in a co-ed school. Even if she's bad at things that have to do with romance...having one or two crushes isn't abnormal at all. Actually, that would be considered normal.
"Ah."
Aria said, and she bent down, picking the Butei Handbook off the floor, putting it back into her flat chest.
That expression...makes me feel a little panicked.
"...That should be it. Check if I missed anything."
I put the makeup that dropped onto the ground back into Aria's purse, and I handed it back over.
She took it in hand, and looked at me closely.
Afterward, those camellia eyes turned their gaze back to the Butei Handbook.
What. I never said anything about that photo.
"...Why are you unhappy all of a sudden."
"I'm not."
"You saw the photo, right?"
--Your intuition is too good, Aria.
Because she had completely hit the mark, I couldn't find a fitting excuse.
"I don't care about that either."
"Care...what's that supposed to mean. You're putting on that kind of face...I don't want you to misunderstand anything."
Aria, *brush*
-slid onto the edge of the veranda, just like a child, and with a *Pa! Pa!* she patted the ground beside her.
She's telling me to sit down, right?
...Guess there's nothing else I can do.
I...sat next to Aria.
"Normally, people would put photos of of their parents, or their siblings."
Saying that, Aria showed me the photo inside her handbook--As I thought, it's a boy.
"He is both the smartest, and the strongest person in the world. A amazingly perfect person. And--"
This boy, wearing these ancient clothes, with a collected air about him...
He doesn't look similar at all, but for some reason, I felt that in some places...he looked like Aria.
"--he's somebody that's no longer on this Earth."
That photo was old enough that I believed Aria's words without a second thought.
And, it's a black and white photograph. And even those shades of gray aren't as clear anymore.
This is...I've seen him before.
He may be younger in this photo than the ones inside the Inquesta textbook, but I could still recognize him as the strongest detective in the world--
"Sherlock Holmes the first. My great-grandfather."
"...You respect him a lot, don't you."
"With all my heart. This is a photo that father gave me. Not only do I always keep it with me, but is a pillar of my soul, my most precious treasure...I've never shown this to anybody else."
"Didn't you just show it to me?"
Hearing my small joke, Aria softly, solemnly, and proudly, closed the book.
Afterward, she descended from the veranda...and, her cheeks slightly red, turned around.
"--Kinji is the only one I've ever shown this to."
Returning home, I ushered Aria, who was following me from behind, inside.
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