Vol. 1 Ch. 3 Ep. 41: What Remains Afterwards

Did you see the notice? They announced the school's shutdown date.

...What's gonna happen to all of us, then?

Well, there's not even a high school for us to attend anymore. We should do what everyone else is doing. Leave.

But...

Rumor has it that even the student council disbanded. Abydos High School is done for. The whole district is done for.

Even Nephthys ran off! That greedy corporation's not gonna look out for us.

But what about their daughter? She said she'd stay until graduation, didn't she?

She was just saying that to make you feel better! What kind of idiot would stay? Definitely not the heir to a fancy corporation!

I haven't seen her face in the school hallways for ages, anyway! We need to hurry and get out of here, while we still can.

The sun...is rising?

How? I still have to...

Damn it... What was I...

...trying to prove?

Overseer? Hellooo? Where'd ya go?!

Don't run...Suou!

What in the world happened?!

Why is the Head Prefect at Abydos?! She's receiving medical treatment right now? Just how injured is she?!

Calm down?! In this situation? Furthermore, you disappeared from the hospital, Sensei! Are you okay?!

*sigh* Well, the Head Prefect did inform me of the situation... This wasn't exactly the "personal matter" she claimed it was though...

I wasn't expecting you to be behind the request, Sensei.

When did you even reach out to the Head Prefect?

"Well..."

Finish organizing the data collected over night.

"I have a general idea of what to do. Next..."

Still on standby. Can I provide any assistance, Sensei?

Arona is asleep. She is what you would call a "sleepyhead." Instead, you may simply count on me, the diligent one.

"The Cannon is likely related to Gehenna. We should ask Hina for more information."

An easy task. Understood. Consider it completed.

Anyways, don't move an inch! I'm on my way!

...Huh?

The Head Prefect just messaged me... "I'm headed home, so you don't need to come all the way out here." How did she know?!

I'll need to make preparations... You and I are going to speak later, Sensei!

"...Hm."

Oh, Sensei? You were out here the whole time?

Yes, I took a quick trip to the laundromat! We can hardly stay in our tracksuits forever! ♧

I went ahead and washed the Head Prefect's clothes as well... She won't think I'm overstepping, will she?

...Yup, yup. She gives off a certain impression, but she truly went out of her way to help all of us this time.

Now then, let's go, Sensei! We have a meeting to attend!

Ta-da! Please take your clothes, everyone!

Thanks, Nonomi.

Ah... Sorry for the hassle, Nonomi.

Please don't apologize, Ayane! A little task like this is easier for one person to just do in bulk, anyway!

Also, I don't think there's any problem with us doing our laundry together. ♧

She's right! And we're saving money, too!

Hm? Now that I think about it, where's Hoshino?

The infirmary. She wanted to speak to the Head Prefect, I believe.

Lemme see. My gaiters! And this underwear is...Shiroko's, right? Here, here.

U-Um.

Huh? C'mon, take your underwear, Shiroko. What're you looking at?

Ah...?

"..."

Wh-What're you doing, Sensei?! Why are you trying to take a peep at a bunch of high school girls' laundry?!

You have no tact at all! Look how embarrassed Shiroko is! Avert your eyes!

No... I wasn't...

Then why don't you go get Hoshino and the Head Prefect from the infirmary, Sensei?

Yeah! Get outta here, Sensei! Hurry along!

"Hina? Hoshino?"

"Where are you?"

...Over here, Sensei.

...

Takanashi Hoshino fell asleep... I can't move.

Um, Sensei... I do need to head back soon. Could you please assist...?

Stop making strange noises, and help me!

Is everyone present?

Yes!

Mhm.

Yup, yup! Everyone's here. ♧

*yawn*

Are you not gonna change, Hoshino?

Don't mind it. You gotta take it easy in life, sometimes.

Hm? Where's the Head Prefect...er, Hina?

The Head Prefect has already returned to Gehenna.

Huh? Already?

Yeah. She got ready and left, all before you could even change into your school uniform.

Unlike a certain someone, Hina's very diligent, isn't she?

Heh. She didn't even give me a chance to say bye.

...Pardon the abrupt departure.

Hoshino's still getting up... I'm sure...

No, they'll be waiting for me. Especially since I went off on my own.

Save the farewells for next time. There's still business to be taken care of in regards to the Train Cannon, after all.

We'll meet again to discuss the details.

Um...

Thank you for your help, Head Prefect!

Yes! Thank you! We wouldn't have been able to stop Hoshino without you.

Yeah. We owe you one.

Next time, tell us more about your big fight with Hoshino!

Yeah. We're all interested to hear more.

"Thank you, Hina. I'll repay you for this next time."

...It's getting late.

I'll see you next time, Foreclosure Task Force.

What? And she left just like that?

Ah! She also said she'll wash and mail back your tracksuit.

Huh?! She took it?!

Well, yours was the only tracksuit that was her size...

You think she's gonna wash my underwear for me too? I let her borrow a pair...

H-Hey, don't say that out loud! Go ask her yourself!

I don't have her number though...and this old-timer is very shy, you know...

Then ask Sensei for it! Geez! And what's with this new bit you're doing?

Hm... Well...

Here's your uniform, Hoshino. Please go get changed, so we can get the meeting started!

This old-timer is fine with her current outfit...

Are we in a gymnasium right now? Or are you an old man, scratching his belly and lying down in front of a T.V. on the weekend?!

*yawn* Well, if you insist...

All right, let's begin the daily meeting of the Abydos Foreclosure Task Force also known as Abydos Student Council, shortened to the Foreclosure Task Force!

To begin...

Wait. I have something to say.

...Huh? Hoshino?

Something to say?

What is it?

You better not say something weird again.

Ahem...

Nonomi, Shiroko, Ayane, Serika...and Sensei.

About everything that's happened the last few days...

U-Um... So, the thing is...

Uh... So... Well...

I think...I really messed up...

Huh? Did you say something? I can't hear a thing. Did you hear her, Shiroko?

Nope. Couldn't hear anything.

...!

Hm... That's true. I couldn't hear you either, Hoshino.

You too, Sensei?

Well... Uh...

I'm really very sorry! For everything! Twice over!

In hindsight, even I can't say why I did what I did, but...

But...I really did mess up. I worried you all...caused a lot of trouble...um...

You did. Quite a bit.

I mean, it all worked out though, didn't it?

I'm just glad you came back, Hoshino.

Yup. That's right.

Yeah... I didn't really know what happened, but there's one thing I really remember clearly.

The sound of your voices.

...And there was one voice I heard especially clearly.

Serika's! When she promised me she would make her idol debut with Ayane!

Really?

Idol?

Wh-What?! Huh?

Wh-What are you saying right now?!

But I heard you, Serika! Are you really going to go back on your promise now? Seriously? Are you trying to pretend it never happened?

I-I did say that, but...! It was on a whim! A total whim!

Serika?!

We were out of options, okay?!

Heh. So this old-timer's thinking that she can't rest in peace until she witnesses it with her own two eyes.

You're not about to say something like, "Sorry, this is too much for me. Just forget I said anything," are you?

It is way, way too much! I mean...not impossible, though, I guess...

Yup, yup! That means you two will debut when the right opportunity comes along, okay?! I'll be your producer! ♧

An idol... What...?

*whisper* It's okay. Just play along. That kind of "opportunity" is one in a million, anyway.

*whisper* Serika...

Don't worry. In life, you must make your own opportunities. I'll make it happen.

I beg you, Shiroko. Please dial back the enthusiasm...

Hoshino. Whenever you feel ready...can you tell us more about President Yume?

Yeah! I want to hear more too.

Ahaha... Me too.

Yup, yup! Tell us everything!

Hm... Is that so? You want to hear all of the heart-pounding adventures of my youth?

In that case...the best place to begin, of course, would be when we went to the Great Oasis in just our swimsuits.

What?! Your swimsuits? Why?! How?

Heh, heh. There's actually an incredible explanation...

"Are you okay now, Hoshino?"

...

I'm not okay...but I'm okay.

How...are you, Hoshino?

It's not easy to live life bearing that kind of pain.

Mhm. It's hard. I blame myself every day. It's hard to fight off the feelings of regret. The darkness is always there, at the edges.

Despite all that, there were people who reached into that darkness for me. They were relentless, day after day. All for someone like me.

I can be grateful for this pain now, because I was able to meet Nonomi, Shiroko, Ayane, Serika...and even another Shiroko. I got to meet my cute underclassmen.

That's why...this pain, and this happiness, they're all parts of my life now.

So...

I can't let my pain stop me here. I have to keep moving forward.

What about all the precious things you've lost?

Is it possible...to let them go?

No, Shiroko. It's not. Because those things are a part of who I am too.

But if I'm using both my hands to cling to this pain...

...I won't be able to take hold of the ones reaching out to me.

So...

So, probably...

Done... It's done for... This place is...doomed...

Nothing makes sense... How could I have ever hoped to find enlightenment...in this cesspool...?

I was thrust into the wrong place... This...this world...

...is utterly unfitting for me, for Gematria!!

Gematria, you say?

...!

Eeeeeek?! G-G-God of death...?! H-How are you here...?!

I thought I exterminated every last trace of Gematria. But it appears one survived.

Wh-Wh-What is this mysterious light? This unknown power...? You can track me?

Wh-What have they done...? What manner of monstrosity did they invite to this world...?

You're searching for the truth of death, correct? Allow me to personally enlighten you, Gematria. Shall we?

E-Eeek?!

What better way to learn than a first-hand experience?

N-No...! No!! That's...!

That's...!!

...I won't kill you.

I came here with the intent to exterminate you, but I'll spare you.

Begone. Scurry back to your underworld.

Never attempt to return.

Never forget that the god of death lurks within Abydos, waiting, Underground Dweller.

...hurts...

...hurts... It hurts... Augh...

It hurts... Hurts...

...It hurts...

Confirmed. The Underground Dweller's connection to this world is severed.

Yes. He'll never, ever be able to come back here, Sensei.

The Chroma we encountered at that time has been entirely depleted. Utilization of this power will never be needed again.

But...the other Shiroko...

Confirmed. Establishing a connection with Sunaookami Shiroko...

...

Plana...?

All communications with Sunaookami Shiroko have been severed.

What?!

Connection was cut by Sunaookami Shiroko. It is...

...her farewell? As if...she does not want you to look for her.

...