Vol. 5 Ch. 2 Ep. 14: Nature's Beauty's Phantom Artist

Wh-What do you mean...? You're telling me Azami is in Nature's Beauty?

Precisely. Habu Azami is not an Ebisu Satellite School student.

In fact, I believe she is the one who has been summoning the Artifact Spirits and attacking people.

We were playing into her hands this entire time.

Very astute, Miss Hyakkaryouran operations officer.

I suppose there's no point in continuing this drab charade. But tell me, little cat, what gave it away?

Spare me the sarcasm. You were so clearly hiding something. I curse myself for overlooking it.

I should have known when none of the villagers recognized you.

After all, you were the president of the Self-Government Committee. It is such a small village, and yet no one knows you.

And then Yabuki Shuro fell from President Ayame's gunshot.

The tome should have protected her. If Shuro were truly in control, then the only thing that could have hurt her was the Hundred Lotus.

Even after that, we frisked her and found nothing... There had to be another member holding the tome.

Finally, this mansion clearly belonged to the Kadenokouji family.

They lived here before moving to Hyakkiyako Central. The Mansion of the Beyond, this sprawling manor, was their home.

The President of the Ebisu Self-Government Committee would never forget the Kadenokouji family's history. You would have recognized Yukari's name.

You hid all of this until now. Clearly, you were concealing the truth about the mansion. You lured us in.

Hahaha... Ahahaha...!

Wonderful deduction. I knew I liked you, operations officer!

Well, since the cat is out of the bag, I may as well slip into something more comfortable.

My name is Habu Azami. I proudly serve Miss Kokuriko, the mistress of ghost stories. I am a snake charmer who charms the simple-minded with my serpent's tongue.

But my true passion...is art...of the phantom variety.

My job was to lead the Hyakkaryouran to my mistress's mansion. Clearly, the task was far too...complicated for Shuey.

So, did you have fun? I've always wanted to join a girls' trip!

You conniving, cruel snake! I'll take you down for good!

Fufu. Your fiery courage is notable, but pitiful.

Do you think you have a chance without the Hundred Lotus? Or Sensei?

...No, as it stands, not even Nagusa can come to your aid now.

You... What did you do to Nagusa?

Well, would you like to take a guess, clever girl? What horrors have befallen her...I wonder?

Ah... Yes, that's the expression I was looking for. Your fear is exquisite.

You may pretend to be outraged, you may feign boldness, but I see you for what you are.

My tome, Toutei's Phantom Illustrations, is powered by fear.

I use your lovely fear, those hues of pain, to color my illustrations.

Let it consume you, dear. Let it be free.

...Let it suffocate you from the inside and enliven my story.

*pant pant*

Ayame, are you able to continue the fight?

For now. What about you, Nagusa? Are you holding up?

I am well.

But the Artifact Spirits persist... How can we move past them and rejoin the others?

At least I have you, Ayame. As long as you are here, we will make it.

You always know what to do.

...

You still don't get it.

The human mind is a delicate, beautiful thing. It can never be fully understood.

It's been so long, my dear Hyakkaryouran.

You...you're the one who took Ayame from me.

But, no, that was a hallucination. It wasn't real.

Ayame said that I imagined it all.

How curious. Then how do you know me, Nagusa?

Or is this also a dream? Am I...simply a manifestation of you losing your mind?

...I do not have time for this. You are nothing more than a monster and every word you weave is a lie.

Ayame, on my signal, we will go together...

...Ayame?

She was right here... Wh-Where did you go, Ayame?

Where did I go? I was never with you, Nagusa.

Aya...me...?

Ah. You're finally up.

Did you have a nice dream, Nagusa?

I hope so, because now the true nightmare begins.

...Impossible.

The Ayame I know would never look at me like that...