Alice Tale in Phantasmagoria Chapter 109

I'm going around the volcanic crater the giant Yamata no Orochi protrudes from.
Peeking below me, I happened to confirm a blackened lake of magma.
There's nothing anyone can do if I fall here.
Even if I accidentally land in that magma lake, I'd be covered in fire within moments……I don't want to imagine it.
There's actually one part of the Yamata no Orochi buried in that volcanic crater.
Even now it continues to burn in the magma.
On top of that, it's fighting us.
……It has a ridiculous quality of immortality.

「Snakes were poikilotherms weren't they? But surely magma is going too far for body heat regulation……」

But surely there's a limit regardless of how it's just getting up……
I guess its battle with us is somewhere around a warm up at the moment.
If it entirely left the volcanic crater and began moving, the situation would be more and more serious.
It seems that king Enis.h.i.+ has organized a force but, I suppose it's frankly pointless.
The feeling of wanting to rely on a living sacrifice is……I also don't not understand it.

「……Mu.」

I arrived at the shrine.
the entryway is a naturally piled up rocky cave.
There's a red torii built at the entryway, ropes are prepared to mark off the area.
I can kind of sense a s.h.i.+nto aura, un, it really is isn't it?
It's about time isn't it～, It could be said that the ropes fulfill their role as a barrier isolating the sanctified s.p.a.ce from the transient world.
It's the boundary line between the land of the G.o.ds and the transient world, and it's also that which is called a forbidden territory.
This is as expected of a place that the Yamata no Orochi is unable to lay hands on isn't it?
Now then……I boldly transgress upon the torii, stepping foot within the shrine where darkness spreads forth.
The cave became a gentle incline and continued deeper.
I feel like I'm approaching the volcanic crater but, it's filled with cool air within the cave.
Like the waterfall's cave, I don't feel anything but coolness.
After a while I exited into a strange place.
An emerald green lake showed itself within the cave.
There's a floating island with a large crystal enshrined on it in the center.
And in addition on that island without running or hiding――Makina's standing there as if she's waiting for me.

「I've been waiting, Alice-san.」

In her right mind……?
I'm watching her with a dubious glare and, she bitterly smiled.

「It's okay, I'm in my right mind. I won't suddenly attack you……Maa, probably.」

The latter half of her line is suspicious……
Makina scratched her cheek as if she was embarra.s.sed.
Maa……it's fine.
I jump and cross over to the floating island.
I'm standing in front of Makina and, like this, there's a murky feeling in my chest.

「Is it okay if, I give you a full on punch for Saira's part?」

I try ma.s.sively winding up, to liquidate these pent up feelings.

「Ahahaa!! Affirmative, go at it with your full power!」

I'm coming～?
Alice's attack!
My full body right straight blasts into Makina's cheek!

「Ii!」
「……Etto.」

The one left bewildered is Makina, as I'm the one who raised a scream!

「Alice-san, just now……didn't your wrist bend in a strange direction?」
「…………It, it's your imagination.」
「That so? But you're releasing a strange sweat for once aren't you?」
「And I won't say, something like it hurts!」
「Un, I didn't particularly ask though okay?」
「……」
「……」

An, and it doesn't hurt!

「……Ma, I suppose it's fine. I'll offer you my forgiveness with this for now.」

I let my wrist hang limply and, Makina came toward my frigid gaze.
Fu……you should be relieved, I struck with the back of my sword!

「……Please apologize to Saira yourself.」
「…………I'll do as such.」

U～n, should I say this is her normal condition that overly lacks in malice……
Maa that's welcome as such though.

「So, Rin-chan is……?」

I asked her about the problem I was worried about.
Makina answered with her gaze.
I try following her gaze and, there's a human shape within the crystal……Rin-chan!!?

「…………I'm going to, organize things within my heart for a bit. Please answer carefully, Makina.」
「Un.」
「Are you basically saying you――used Rin-chan as a living sacrifice?」

Pausing for one beat, that girl nodded clearly.

「That's right.」

I despaired――
I no longer, know what should be done.

「What is this……why.」
「It's fine not to make such a face like this world has ended, Alice-san. Rin is okay. Because it's just and only that, this was necessary.」
「Rin-chan, is safe……?」

Rin-chan with her eyes closed as if she's sleeping within the thick crystallized crystal.
Can she breath?
She's not cold?
My heart, became reeaally tight……

「It's okay, I guarantee it. Because, there was a reason Rin had to be bound here as a living sacrifice whatever it took.」

Bound, is it.
……To begin with, I'll ask for her story.

「Makina……please speak.」
「Un……I've repeated this, 10 times.」

I'm tired, already.
Making such a face, Makina made a bitter smile.

「The beginning was 10 times before, from here.」

Looking up to the Rin-chan in the crystal, Makina narrowed her eyes with a sad appearance.

「Repeating, that first day. When I came to I'd fallen here.」

Makina's face distorted, as if recalling a painful memory.

「The scenery I first saw there was, the fallen figure of the person I loved. However much I shook her, however much I yelled, that person wouldn't give me a response……her body steadily became cold, but there was a little warmth……I clung onto that person and, was crying forever and ever.」

Tears welled within Makina's eyes.

「I collapsed in tears there while still not knowing anything and, I also grew weak……I wonder how many days pa.s.sed? A certain person, came to that place. I and that person came to return to town together.」

That person?

「My s.h.i.+shou.」

Tilting my head, her reply came promptly.
Somehow it seems that she's truly speaking of what she knows without concealing anything for me.

「And well, what that person said was……the person I――had loved, emplaced an incredible magic in her last moments.」
「Last moments……」
「Un……Last moments. It was something like a miraculous magic, even from the viewpoint of that s.h.i.+shou.」
「The person Makina loved was, an incredible magician wasn't she……」
「Of course! World first! Because she was the world's strongest magician!」

To the same extent that Makina appeared to speak happily, it was an overly heart breaking reminiscence.

「That was, what sort of magic……was it a miracle?」
「――Magic of possibility.」
「I also, don't understand. I suppose that if it's s.h.i.+shou she could arrive at a general concept though. But……that was thus without a doubt, that person's phantasm.」
「It was really……phantasmal magic?」

By someone besides Till!?

「Right, I was 『Enchanted』 by that magic and, am currently here. I exist. And so――I repeat.」

Impossible, redo time?
Is such a nonsensical thing possible?
Magic of possibility……
But that is――

「Is that not a curse……she's the worst, that person.」
「That's wrong!! That is because 『I』 used it in that sort of manner! ……Kuu.」

Reacting to Makina's anger, her snake pupils changed increasingly into the real thing.
Perhaps because it was agonizing, Makina pressed against her pupil.

「……Even as much as it's Alice-san, because there are things, that can't be forgiven.」
「……I have no intention of disparaging the deceased but.」

Makina endlessly and endlessly, lives within repeating time……that sort of thing?
Her combat techniques that relatively transcended her age were the result of that were they.
In short, it's that she repeated a stronger new game 10 times right?

「That is without a doubt a curse……what a cruel thing to do.」

That is to say Makina experienced the death of her precious person, 10 times.
Isn't that enough agony that it couldn't be helped even if her heart were to wear out……

「Please don't say, things at your own convenience! I was saved by this miracle! My heart was rescued! Because there was hope that, this loop would finish with a happy end!」
「That's being entrapped you know……the deceased are deceased, is that, not acceptable?」

Just as, Saira is living with such pain.
Something like overturning that that's proper is, blasphemy isn't it.
Of course, it's something sad……I do think that though.

「Why, why do you always say such a thing! I don't want that! Isn't it decided that I don't want it!」

Tears spilled out from Makina's overflowing pupils that were already no different from a snake's.

「I'll repeat it even 100 times even 1000 times! If I'll arrive at the future I wished for……tsu!」
「I……can't watch you, doing your best all alone.」

Provisionally if Makina repeated 10 years 10 times, she's already lived mentally for the time of 100 years.
100 years repeated in a cut off world.
100 times?
1000 times?
I can't think……the heart will hold out.

「Makina, haven't you just become stubborn? Has your sadness and anger not worn away already?」
「Haha, since my anger and sadness are, regularly renewed you see……」
「……You're facing backwards.」
「Aah, that's right! This is the way to use backwards facing time! It's blasphemy! There's already nothing to be done for my world! Because it ended from the point of departure!! Because, I can't return further than that――! I want to create, a future where that isn't so!」

My world, is it……
I try thinking, just a little.
With various things, I try to take hold of my imagination and think.
Since at any rate, my imagination is rich isn't it?
In that 『that girl』 exists the chronology is strange.
But 『the world is different』――in short the existence called parallel worlds is possible.
And so I look at the girl before my eyes anew.
The l.u.s.trous black hair extending to her waist is, hiding a radiance like it's studded with the stars of the night sky.
The pupils looking into the future of her dreams are――currently split vertically like a snake's as overflowing tears spill over but――they're tensed like obsidian.
Her well ordered face like an exquisite j.a.panese doll is characteristic of people from this country and――there was a time when I saw something.

Didn't I, surely that's so――?

「――――Rin-chan」
「――――Tsu!!!」

Crumpling and twisting her face, Makina――jumped in and embraced me.
I caught that girl's body which had thoroughly grown up.
……Really, you became big.
Yosh yosh, it was hard wasn't it and I stroked her head.
Rin-chan is sobbing, as if she's letting up hiccups or such.

「……Yare yare, me is it. The ultimate villain who planted the curse.」
「That's right, that's riight……」
「I used, phantasmal magic didn't I? Fufu, how's that, incredible isn't it?」
「Incredible but, it's not incredible thoough……」
「By s.h.i.+shou you mean, Till?」

Moving her head lightly, Rin-chan nodded while pressing her face into my shallow b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
I see, she did make movements that resembled Till's guidance along the way.

「Even though you've already become big, you've stayed cute haaven't you.」
「You're being tooo relaxed……and I'm the elder here……」
「Fufu, mentally I suppose. But……you really are cute.」

I seee, this is Rin-chan's future appearance iss it.
Truly cute isn't it.
She's become a beautiful person ha.s.sn't she.
And furthermore, strong!
Should I say as her subst.i.tute ane or, should I say as her subst.i.tute mother, for myself being in such a position if that's the case I'm as happy as can be.

「Des.h.i.+……」
「Fufuu, saying stuff like it's Alice-san……on that note Rin-chan was behaving like we were strangers.」
「Since there were various……circ.u.mstances.」
「Is that so? Take this～」
「Do, don't treat me like a child.」

I tried squis.h.i.+ng her cheeks dampened with tears and, she raised her voice in an adorable protest.

「……In front of this me, I couldn't let it be that this me would also recognize me.」

Complicated isn't it.
The adult in front of your eyes is your future, you wouldn't normally think such a thing though woould you.

「But Rin-chan, the matter about injuring Saira is, mei, you know?」
「Un, I understand……」

But she wouldn't do such a thing without any meaning would she……it's Rin-chan after all.

「Since when the impulse became such that nothing more could be done, doing as such was decided……」

Decided?

「Rin-chan, you, were manipulated by the Yamata no Orochi?」
「No, that's not right――because I myself am the Yamata no Orochi's core.」

……She just said, something shocking?

「……Nee, do you believe that if the princess-miko were offered as a living sacrifice to this crystal, the Yamata no Orochi would somehow be sealed?」
「I wonder what could it be?」
「My family is you see, everyone, uses a special power called enchant. To say it simply, it's an ability that makes it possible for various things to be suffused.」

For example, bestowing a weapon with lightning magic.
That sort of thing means that with the body, it's possible for various things to become objectives I suppose.

「This crystal is something like a support item that causes that power to be displayed at its utmost limit so, for example the giant snake's appet.i.te or destructive impulse or such, such things as those sorts of negative emotions are all enveloped and sealed until the user's life runs out. That is the role of the miko of the seal.」

Death――even more, horrifying.
The mikos throughout history all did as such and, came to use part of their lifespan as a seal then……

「Des.h.i.+, the giant snake is strong isn't it?」
「Nn? Nn～, kind of I suppose.」
「Haha, it seems like you're having a hard time given that aren't you.」

Rin-chan is gazing at my injured arm.

「……There's room to spareー, though isn't there!」

Men are half built by enduring hards.h.i.+p with pride.
But to return to the past 10 times……naturally that means she also knows of this sort of development does she, this child.

「Did I……die because of, poison.」

In fact, at the current point I'm in a considerably dangerous state.
The time limit of the hemorrhagic venom is steadily closing in.

「There were various things……there were various developments so, I wanted to avoid proactively intervening in such a way that unknown developments would occur for that reason.」

I guess she followed me around while appearing and vanis.h.i.+ng seemingly at random because of that.

「But you see, I intended to……make this time the final one already.」
「Rin-chan……un, whatever happens, please make this the end.」

To say things like 100 times, 1000 times, going further is already unreasonable……perhaps consciously perhaps unconsciously, it's written on your face Rin-chan?

「……Since there are also circ.u.mstances.」

She, embraced me even more tightly.
I gave her sad feelings didn't I……
The miko of the seal is, Rin-chan's lineage.
And so it was destroyed by Libra……
Even at best, she has nothing to rely upon.
That means I also ended up causing Rin-chan to experience, that sadness.

「Please pardon me, for being worthless……」
「Uun……uunn!」

She repeatedly shook her head sideways.
I couldn't be helped anymore, Rin-chan's――as a replacement for the me of Makina's world, I put in all my affection and, stroked her head.
I did that for a time, but her sobbing voice echoed within the cave.

「……Lumina is fighting outside, so.」

At that voice, I suppose that's also so and.

「……You know, Luminchan's circ.u.mstances?」
「Of course, but Lumina came then I suppose? It would have been better if it was Silvis though……」

She a.s.sumed an oneesan air, and then, Rin-chan smiled slightly.
Silvis……?

「She's, the disciple I trained from the ground up.」
「Hee～」

Luminchan is overflowing with talent but, I suppose she wouldn't become this strong with a self developed style.
Makina……that's not right, this means Rin-chan looked after her.
That means the current Rin-chan is considerably strong doesn't it?

「Yosh――Charging finished! Let's end, the regrets and, anything and everything.」

Rin-chan parted with me plainly, to an extent that I felt that I was the one who was more reluctant to part.
She rubbed her swollen red eyes and, expressed a smile like the one I'd always seen.

――――Rin-chan, stabbed through her own breast to the other side.

「……Wha!?」

My cheeks, are splattered with Rin-chan's blood.
Grasping a blade of ice in her own hand, deeply――deeply, that is thrust in.

「――Gobou!」

Blood flows out, from her mouth.

「Rin-chan!!!」

Rin-chan encloses my face with both of her hands, as I rush to give her a Heal.

「――Nnn!?」

I was given a kiss.

「――tsu.」
「Nn, koku……tsu!?」

I drank down a large quant.i.ty of blood, transferred from her mouth.
Confirming that her life is spilling out, I trembled――!
As I really couldn't stay like this and fix her, I shook Rin-chan off.

「――Heal.」

However, the one to move first was Rin-chan yet again.
On my arm that wouldn't close up, a red magical light affected it.

「Since that's pointless! More importantly――eh??」

I realized that the wound on my arm is closing……did such a thing……?

「Because I am……the core.」

While Rin-chan smiled, she stumbled backwards.

「This time I will!!」

As I tried to approach her, Rin-chan rejected me with her hands facing at me.

「……gGu, to defeat the giant snake, the main body and, the core, simultaneously……」

Choking out a cough, blood spilled out.

「If it's Lumina……it's still, impossible……you remember, my techniques right? Alice-san……」

Using a chain attack with ice, flame, and lightning, the destructive technique ignoring defense?
Without intending to, I nodded.

「……Then, I leave, the rest to you――――des.h.i.+.」

I realized that I'd seen, that which is called a smile that truly has no clouds for the first time.
That smile has too strong a resolve so, it couldn't be put in words.
As if to extend its hand, an earthquake happened.
The cave is collapsing――!
The ceiling collapsed, when I thought that the giant snake's head came intruding in.
And so――

It went and swallowed Rin-chan, as she continued to smile.

「A, AAA……AaaAAaAAAAAa!!!!」

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Next time 『Strongest Des.h.i.+』