Chapter 108

Shirmoru POV

“Why the hell are you like this…? You’re so fucking disguisting…” Raijin placed their hand on her mouth as she didn’t want to puke after what she just saw. She crouched down next to Shukona and patted around in her skirt. I raised an eyebrow before Raijin pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, then wiped the crimson on Shukona’s face.

“Hm.” I let her do what she wanted and bent over, palms on Shukona’s arm before the light of healing beamed over her. She shouldn’t be paralzyed anymore… A tap on my shoulder, I glanced behind to see a smile on Yasachu’s face. I stood up and embraced her, ears close to mouth and whispered, “Are you okay? Was that too gory for you?”

“N-no! It’s fine, you were so cool… I understand why you did that!” Yasachu beamed at me, face dug deeper into my chest while she shook her head to bask in me deeper. My palm got placed on top of her head, gaze at the environment that had calmed down. No stones, no winds, no vines. Did she lose mana or did that plastic villain finally lose?

My question got answered when a mage stepped towards us, like a snail she had dragged a body that was behind her. Mauled and life hung by a thread, blood spurted out from her stomach. The mage with her natural red eyes observed us and threw the body, before she moved into another direction.

“What the fuck-”

“She’s looking for her sister.”

“O-oh my god!?” With the mask broken off the plastic villain, we all clearly could see who it was. That playgirl was all behind this? That doesn’t make any sense, if she was, Yasachu could have known she was a dark user.

She was already cursed from the start.

“Welcome back.”

What did you do to Emica?

“You don’t seem surprised with her identity.” I changed the topic, spoke to Nikami in my head while I pulled away from my beloved.

Answer my question.

“Answer MY question.”

Fine. I already knew about her identity when we talked in the tower, I assume you didn’t remember that because even my own gaze was hazy. Now answer me.

Tch. As much as my memory is perfect, I am still limited by what she can see and hear.

“I took some pieces of her skin off,” I stepped towards the masked woman and crouched down, “Betrayers should be punished accordingly, and thoroughly. She’s lucky I didn’t kill her right then and there.”

You did WHAT to EMICA?! Are you crazy? What is wrong with you? I know why you did that, but that was just too extreme of a punishment.

“Everyone around me is a fool. Including you. To be a queen, you don’t need mercy to the ones who don’t deserve it. Betrayal is a sin deeper than murder, I refuse to give the slightest hesitation when it comes to punishments for a traitor.”

And to be queen, you shouldn’t fall in love with a commoner.

“You…” I paused to gulp down my nonexistent argument. I bit my lip and grabbed the collar of the beat up unmasked girl. I grumbled and slapped her, a huff came from my lips as I stood up and ran my fingers through my hair.

“Shi-shiromoru?! Wh-what-” Yasachu ran to her side instead of mine, knees on the ground as her fingers trailed behind her head and lifted it.

Huh…? Why is she…

“U-uhm, can you please heal her? I-I mean I understand if you don’t want to after what she did, but I still don’t want her to die… I swear I’ll trap her and won’t let her go! Just please…” Yasachu stared at me with glassy eyes and I hiccuped a scoff. My lips opened before it just froze and stayed there, eyes narrowed down at the shorter girl.

“I…”

“I’ll heal her.” I hung my head and grumbled, short steps towards her and dug my shoes on her stomach. The crimson spurted as my soles crashed into the flesh. A green glow came from my feet and I reeled my legs back into the ground. Her gaze was kept on the healing girl, sweat dripped into the bloodied clothes. I stood there, no words spoken along with no thoughts.

What…?

“Hey uh, you good?”

“Shut up.” I rolled my eyes, body flipped to glare at her and steps went towards the villainess. Long lashes fluttered with the wind, her emerald eyes saw me before anything else.

“Nika…?”

“Shiromoru.”

“Oh… Forgive me… I’m just slightly dizzy-” Like a wet animal, she barely could move her arms as it shook. “Getting up as soon as you wake up, what a smart noble.” I rolled my eyes, palms pushed her back to the ground.

“Don’t get up. Rest and explain to me what happened.”

“Where’s Emica…?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” Shukona’s slow tempo due to her paralysis had snapped, words hit hard like drums in my ears. What’s wrong with the people right now…? “She’s not here, I’m disappointed in her. That is all that I am going to say.”

It’s not them, Shiromoru. It’s you.

“What?”

You’re being indifferent. That’s why.

Indifferent? Is she talking about emotions? I don’t understand it. I really don’t. Not that I care either way, they can do whatever they want with it, but I will keep being logical.

“You’re such a little bitch baby-” Raijin grumbled behind me, shoeless feet swiped the grass below and knelt next to Shukona. “Shu, I really don't know if I should say what happened and shit but we have to get you to normal first.”

“Yahoo~ I see that she’s finally caught… Now who really is sh-huh…?” The princess behind me stopped her footsteps. I whipped my gaze to her and that smile was back on, the mage behind her once more yet her glasses were cracked.

“Yuutsu? I never thought that girl would do such a thing…” “She put all of us in danger! We should really take off her head!”

“I don’t think you can… Ack. I mean, want to do that.” Yuutsu snapped awake, the girl beside her had jumped from her voice and clung to me. “Hmm? How so?” The princess asked the girl who had been tied up with light magic.

“After all! Only I can stop the curse! If you kill me, or punish me, or torture me, or whatever you do, It will always stay there unless I stop it!” She leaned forward and screamed. I flinched and took a few steps back, palms on top of my mouth.

Shit.

Will I… Get removed if she takes off the curse…?

“Are you fucking crazy?! Why the fuck would you even do that?!” Raijin with a blur, grabbed what was left of her collar and lifted her up by the throat. “What do you even want out of this?! Why kill someone that doesn’t even have any faults!?” Saliva sparked around her mouth as she demanded an explanation.

“You call her without faults?! You’re a dumbass!~ That girl is why this whole fucking place is created, why we’re changing! It’s all HER fault! I just wanted to save you all! From that siren’s aura! I'm willing to be the villain as long as I can save you all! It’s just so unfair because the world just loves her so much!” She wailed back, unable to take the restraints on her. Raijin’s jaw clenched the moment she heard that bullshit out of her mouth and slammed her on the ground.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!!” Flames bursted out of her knuckles from that yell, a stomp created a smoke trail that surrounded her. “You didn’t save any of us! She’s not a siren! She’s just her, she didn’t want any of this! You’re the one putting us in danger, you bastard!”

I disagree.

In a way, she did save me. Entrapped in that environment, not being able to do a single thing other than observe. While Meru did provide entertainment, it's nothing compared to the burning sensation in my lungs. I AM the owner of this body. I SHOULD be the one who controls it. Yet, that alien stole everything from me. And this masked girl saved me.

Shiromoru…

Shut it.

Listen, I know you're mad, but really it wasn't my fault. I want you to know that!

I don't care.

Are you going to break our agreement?

"...."

I don't want to disappear again.

I won't let you.

"Huh…?" I gasped and placed my palm on top of my lips, gaze at the ground. "What do you mean by…-"

I don't want you to disappear either. I… I am still going to be a part of Hameru, I'll always be empathetic even though I act like I don't. Seeing you do all of this, lashing out like this, you're hanging to Yasachu because of the fact that she can let you out. You don't really love her, do you?

"That's not…-"

You're reacting the same way as you did with Shu. You care about both of them, even though you tell yourself you only need to pay attention to Yasachu.

I know you're only doing this because you want to survive. I don't blame you. So, I promise you, I won't let you disappear again. No matter if she is willing to make this curse disappear, I won't let her. You're not a curse. You two are not curses. You two are… A part of me. I don't w- "-ant to let you go." I spoke.

"Huh?" Wait, why am I back in the body?

I glanced around the place, a high pitched note pierced my ears, but it wasn't from anyone. Wait, did she… Put me back in the body…? Why? I thought she wanted to…

"Wait a second… Rai, can you tell me what's going on…? I'm a bit dizzy…" I stumbled towards the mostly clothless princess, palms on her shoulders as I leaned closer to her to balance myself. My memory is hazy, I don't remember much. I don't know how she blocked out all of my senses but it happened two times…

Was she doing that to not overwhelm me? To protect me?

Pft. Shiromoru.

Third Person POV

"Shiro…?"

"Get away from me." She spat and turned her body away from Hameru. Her gaze was lowered, face covered by her mostly snow bangs.

"Are you okay?"

"..."

"...Yes."

"No you aren't! Shiro, what happened?" The girl with pigtails flew straight towards the ice hell of a throne that the other girls sat in. A few ice spikes were created in retaliation, Hameru was quick to manipulate her seat to make a full 180 and hit it on the back instead.

The ice spikes stopped, and Hameru approached her. The small girl sat on what was barely an armchair but an icy cactus, and slid beside the girl that didn't dare make eye contact.

"I don't get it. I don't know why I'm doing this. I should be in the body but I panicked and…" Shirmoru’s eyes felt hot, her face cold and numb. It’s a foreign sensation to the point that she’s not quite sure what’s happening to her until something drips down her cheek.

Oh. She’s crying.

The tear reflected in Hameru's honey eyes, and she grabbed her shoulders and embraced the girl who started to let out sobs. All thoughts halted when she was held in a tight hug from the girl who had always been beside her. Shiromoru's cold jointed arms trailed up Hameru's back and gripped on her clothing while she dug her face deeper into the short girl. All venom was hushed from the student's warmth that overwhelmed her senses with kindness, Shiromoru almost forgot the pain.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." She said with sniffles.

"That's okay, you can keep crying. Just remember I'm always here for you, okay?" Hameru rubbed Shiromoru's arched back, and on the other, she patted her head. "I'll forever be here. I won't leave you."

"Okay." Shiromoru rubbed her face into Hameru's shoulder before a small "Thank you." was muffled by the fabric of her clothes.

"You're welcome." Even if she looks like a big girl, she's always going to go back to the childhood that she never got. And that's fine.

"Even if this place is empty, this is still our home. It's okay if you stay here a little while, Nika wouldn't betray us."