Vol. 5 Ch. 2 Ep. 15: The End of a Sweet Dream

*yawn*

You look tired, Ayame. Did you not sleep well?

You could say that. I had this dream...

Oh no, was it a nightmare? You seem troubled.

No, no. It was a good one, actually.

I dreamed of a peaceful world...so peaceful that not a single problem ever darkened the Hyakkaryouran's doorstep.

You still seem distressed, though...

Hm... It's easy to dismiss the unpleasantness of a bad dream to just that, a dream. You'll forget about it as soon as you wake up.

But with happy dreams...well, it's a harsh juxtaposition to the reality you end up waking up to.

It makes you long for that dream world. Like you want to reject reality altogether.

...At least, that's what I heard in a movie once!

...You're awake.

...Ayame?

It's been a long time, Nagusa.

How...did I get here?

Where are the others? Sensei?

Don't worry. They're all in the next room over.

No one is seriously injured. Schale's Sensei is asleep, but also safe.

...Then was it not you we met at Ebisu?

You say, "It's been a long time." That can only mean that the Ayame I met earlier...

Mhm. An illusion, created by the Hundred Ghost Stories, that feeds upon fear.

Feeds upon...fear? But I wasn't afraid of you...

That illusion was born from you, and you alone.

You must have realized it, no? That perfect version of me you so desperately wished for...

...you knew it was a sickly-sweet dream, a precarious one, poised to shatter. You were afraid of the cruel reality that lingered on the fringes.

No... I truly believed...

Lies!

You haven't changed at all! You use your ignorance as a shield for your desires, relying on others to achieve what you can't.

How much longer are you going to hide behind your incompetence for?

...You're right about one thing. Not everything my shadow said was a lie. I'd felt that I'd reached my limits as president. That's why I sought out Kuzunoha.

That's just how worn down I was from constantly fielding everyone's requests and wishes.

Nagusa. Each and every one of you fell for the smile I wore for your sake. All while I hated you all.

I hated all the weaklings who came crawling to me, begging that I fulfill their every whim and fancy.

Those members who preached lofty ideals, but seemed to be allergic to taking action.

And...you. You, who gave up at the slightest resistance, turning to me with those pathetic, tear-filled eyes of yours.

...I hated it all.

But I was still the president of the Hyakkaryouran. So I went looking for Kuzunoha, to beg her to grant me the power to protect this "reality." I came away from my search with empty hands and baseless rumors.

That's when I realized that it didn't matter if this supposed prophet survived only as a rumor. With the power of a tome, I could bring even a rumor to life.

If I couldn't be everywhere at once, I only needed the ability to watch everyone at once.

No, Ayame... That ending has no happy conclusion. Kokuriko has deceived you into false hopes.

No, Nagusa. You can't understand.

You fail to understand who I was. The feelings I bore.

No, what are you saying? All we need is to speak to each other with sincerity, with our heart's truth, and we'll be able to come to an understanding.

Why do you willingly trick yourself with these sweet nothings?

The time for sincerity is long gone. You were afraid of my truths. You turned your gaze away from me in favor of the self-serving illusion you placed on a pedestal in your mind.

Ayame, I...

After all, you already know my heart's truth, don't you?

From the very beginning, I never saw you...

...as a friend, not once.