Shiinamachi-senpai no Anzenbi Volume 2 Chapter 4 Part6

Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist      Editor: Weasalopes

【Episode 4: Day and Night, Part 6】

Hearing what both of them had to say, I slowly opened my eyes yet again.

「So now that I obtained the core from Monjiro-san, it is time to transplant it to you, Onee-chan!」

I heard Yugao-chan's voice as she happily declared her intentions. She herself was standing atop some altar-like structure, with jet-black wings growing out of her back and with a plate in her hands. And on that plate was my stolen heart. From the looks of it, she was too caught up in the moment to notice my presence.

What is this place? And how exactly did I end up here?

All right let's a.s.sess the situation first. Some distance away from me, I saw Asagao lying on top of some kind of altar that was surrounded by a wall of fire about two meters in radius, preventing me from getting any closer to her. It was evident that this place was made for the purpose of carrying out some kind of ritual. Even the air was filled with an intense aura of calamitous malice, giving off the impression that any attempt at escaping was utterly futile. Well, in that case, there's only one thing left to do.

「I've come to see you, Yugao-chan.」

「Monjiro-san?!」

When she saw me getting closer, her voice began to tremble. At the same time, I could hear a myriad of sweet voices whispering in my head. So that was indeed the power of her blood. It all makes sense now. Even though Asagao was her twin and they should both possess the same power, I've felt nothing like it whenever Asagao was around me, so she really must have been a doll from the start.

But there was no need for that any longer. Because Yugao-chan managed to successfully kill me and take my heart away from me the two of them can finally meet again.
「So you have come after all… to stop me?」

「In order to save you, as Asagao requested of me. That's right, I know about your past, I've experienced it with my own eyes.」

Yugao-chan's eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and disbelief as she looked at me. I know, I know, looking at someone's past without their permission was unspeakably rude, but it's not like I had anything to say in the matter, but just in case, I'll make sure to apologize to her later.

「Also, I've come here to meet the real Asagao!」

「Real…?」

「Yes. I know it sounds crazy, but until she told me about it herself, even I didn't know that the one I've been interacting with up until now was just a copy, programmed by her to emulate her personality. But this one right here? She's the real deal that I was probably able to meet only thanks to the fact that I exist between life and death.」

「I see… Onee-chan… so your consciousness was really intact this whole time…!」

Tears flow down Yugao-chan's cheeks. But how? I thought she was not supposed to be aware that her sister's consciousness was trapped in the other world's darkness, and that she was always watching over her from there. And up until now, I guess I was playing the role of messenger for her.

I realize it might be hard to believe. That it all might seem like an utter nonsense. But all she really wanted to do, was to convey her feelings properly, and that was the only way she could do it.

「I'm sure you already know this, but I'm going to say it anyway: your real sister and the doll you made, they both wish for you to be happy, and it pains them to see you suffer.」

That's right, being a doll that was programmed to behave like the original had nothing to do with it. Both her and the real Asagao who was trapped in the darkness had only one thing on their minds this entire time: their precious little sister. And since both of them entrusted their wills to me, it is now my duty to convey it to Yugao-chan properly. And judging by the fact that she covered her trembling mouth with her hands and had large streams of tears gus.h.i.+ng out of her eyes, I probably managed to do that splendidly.

For the last four years, she must've endured an inhumane amount of suffering, always worrying about her older sister whom she was unable to help. So now it was my job to release her from the burden she was carrying all by herself.

It's been four long years. You don't have to live with this crus.h.i.+ng sense of guilt anymore.

「Come on, Yugao-chan. Let's leave this place and go home.」

I slowly came closer to the altar and reached my hand towards Yugao-chan.

「But… but I killed you, Monjiro-san, so why…」

「I don't really mind that. Both Kuhoh and s.h.i.+ki killed me once, and look at us now, we're such a great friends.」

「That may be so, but it doesn't change the fact that I put s.h.i.+namachi-sama through so much danger, even though today is her 「Dangerous Day」…」

「You don't have to worry about that either. Senpai is not a kind of girl who would hold a grudge against anybody for something like that. I can a.s.sure you, it's much more probable that she would be more than willing to talk things out with you while drinking tea and eating an unhealthy amount of sweets.」

「…And I deceived s.h.i.+ki-sama!」

「Do you really think she's going to care about that? Because I think not. Your situation was gnawing away at her too, you know? It was the first time I saw her acting so emotional towards someone else. She wanted to help both of you, but she couldn't, and she couldn't forgive herself for that. And for suspecting you of ill intentions towards senpai. See, that's the truth: she loves you and Asagao more than anything else.」

「But… but…」

I just waited for her with my hand extended. She was obviously still conflicted about what she should do, but I'll give her as much time as she needs, especially since I have something I need to think about myself, namely…

What should I do now?

After all of this is over, we'll have to figure out what to do with her and Asagao, since we can't just leave them alone. The procedure for it might be difficult, but if s.h.i.+ki pulls some strings (no pun intended), then I think it might be possible to arrange for them to attend our school. Once that happens, maybe I'll be able to persuade my sister and grandfather to allow them to live at our place. Or maybe senpai will be willing to accept two more people at the clock tower suite? That place is too big for one person after all.
But I wonder if that's really what Yugao-chan wants?

「Monjiro-san…」

Still crying, Yugao-chan raises her face. I'm sure she has many things to cry for, as well as many regrets. But it's okay now, she doesn't have to suffer anymore, so she can cry to her heart's content, until her whole suffering will be washed away and her swollen eyes will no longer be filled with misery.

Looking at her like that, I can't help it but to hug her. By doing so, maybe I'll be able to provide her with some comfort.

Asagao is still trapped within the darkness. But she was always, and will always watch over her. Even if she remains a doll, I had no doubt that her feelings will not change, and she'll do anything she can to continue to support her. And I'll also be there for them to help however I can so that she won't have to cry anymore and so that she can cast away that heavy chain that bound her heart up until now.

「Yugao-chan…」

I can clearly see the transparent tears trickling down her cheeks. In order to wipe them away I reach out with my hand…

*SLAs.h.!.+*

The redness of fresh blood mixes together with the particles of silver light. It falls on Yugao-chan and stains her face and neck.

「Eh?」

With a dumbfounded expression, she just continued to stare at my right arm, that was bathed in crimson blood and silver light after it was cut away at my elbow. I gritted my teeth not to cry out in pain and squeezed the wound with my other hand, but it was not enough to stop the bleeding.

「What…?!」

Shocked, Yugao-chan turned around and gasped, looking at something unbelievable.

「To think that you'll be able to stop yourself from screaming in agony despite sustaining such an injury. That's quite amazing, Monjiro-san.」

Asagao's doll, which was supposed to be laying on top of the altar was standing on top of it with her hand outstretched towards me. One of the nails of her right hand was extended like a thin blade, and still had droplets of my blood dripping to the ground from it.

「Asagao, you….!」