"Are you serious?"
"Honestly, after you forcefully inserted yourself into the Sword Saint festival, I thought you were just gone for good."
Mizuki stayed silent, waiting for Mitsuna to continue.
"Maybe an ember or small stain remained and was stimulated enough to be released. That was my theory."
"Stain? Really?"
Mizuki asked sarcastically, but the comment was ignored as Mitsuna continued.
"But I did have a feeling. An itch of sorts, that you were still around."
Mitsuna sat down, running her fingers through the grass below.
"Imagine my surprise..."
She didn't end her sentence. Looking up from the ground, their eyes met.
"Whatever. Just answer. Why are you still here?"
Mizuki clicked her tongue. The faint floating phantom took a seat of her own.
"To make it simple. Your [Determination] sucks."
"So it's my fault now?"
"Hey. I let you finish. Now it's your turn to shut up and listen."
Mitsuna only replied with a short sigh, gesturing for her to continue.
"Technically I was the one who made the Skill, should have worded it better. Never mind that."
Mizuki flicked at the grass.
"I'm guessing you still remember our previous conversation?"
"I do."
"Partly. It feels like."
Mizuki commented as she let out a long sigh.
"You... have kind of been disgusting me as of late. It's like looking at my own old life. You regained everything besides the emotions I felt when I did what all I did. That itself is a large flaw with [Determination]. I theorize that is why you are... like this."
"You are being very vague, you know. Rude too."
"Indeed. Look, I know what I told you during our last meeting. Don't let my memories change your decisions. Live as you see fit. Just remembering my words is fine..."
Mizuki looked down, her face a deep frown.
"With an overarching goal or without. I know I said that, but..."
Mizuki took in a breath before raising her voice and again looking up at her.
"But seriously? You're just an alcoholic addicted to your own curiosity who, let's be fair, seems to have half-forgotten about your 'main goal' of revenge against that girl who caused the death of your entire family. Didn't my 'final request' ask you to figure out who even originally sent me to this damn world? Did you half-forget that too?"
Mitsuna gripped her fists, tearing out a few strands of grass.
"I didn't outright promise anything."
She muttered out of her half-closed mouth.
"I know. But you sure as hell agreed to do it! Think about what you have actually been doing. Barely fucking anything."
"Who are you to judge how I live?!"
"I fucking Am You!"
Mitsuna could barely hold back, wanting to punch 'herself' right there and now before leaving.
"Don't even try to push this all aside and forget about it. Someone has to wake you up. Honestly, what is the real reason you joined the military here?"
"To. Find. Natash."
"Which you could have done in less than a week if you just commanded Esa to do it. Remember her? The primordial fairy anomaly who is your literal subordinate? You're welcome for that by the way!"
Mitsuna didn't know what type of anger she was feeling at the moment, she just silently looked away.
Mizuki took a deep breath.
"I got heated... We're fundamentally different. You run on pure instinct and will. I don't... Whatever, this isn't the main reason I made contact."
"Then what do you want?"
"[Determination] is flawed. It Regains but nothing more. It doesn't allow you to take. Honestly it barely qualifies as a true Unique Skill. This ember that I am, here, stuck in your soul. The knowledge and experience you gained are half-baked, emotion untouched. The 'mind' that I've cultivated is here for you to take. So find out a way to do that. Either that or create a different body for me. I am bored of being stuck here so either fully Take me or get me out of here."
"So you drag me here, tell me how I am living a disgusting life by your standards and then ask me to help you? Really?"
"It's beneficial to you, and yes. My hopes were basically shattered since I expected more from you. Mourning in silence is holding you back. Deal with your grief, go kill Natash or whatever and then either get me out of here or take this last ember of 'me'. Won't be here judging you after that."
"I don't remember you having such a pissy personality."
"A life with sealed emotions and an afterlife stuck in a boring void will do that to you."
Mizuki stood up, Mitsuna did the same.
"Just..." Mizuki let out a short breath before continuing, "really try not to end up like me. Get your alcohol problem under control. After you complete your revenge, you need something. Anything."
Mitsuna turned away. Biting her lip, she started walking.
"Fine."
She said through gritted teeth.
"I'll figure something out. But never talk as if you understand everything again. You, stuck in me, haven't experienced everything I have directly. I'll do what I damn well please."
"Fine then."
Mizuki answered, too tired to keep arguing.
"One more thing. Related to your physical condition."
"You know something." Mitsuna said as she turned her head back to look at Mizuki.
"A theory of sorts. It's most probably related to your mixed and matched bloodlines. They still carry vestiges of souls. If you happen to find my corpse, you should be able to take the bloodlines I previously had. It might help or it might make things worse, but it's something at least. Try a library or something."
Mitsuna thought for a moment.
"I can find a good library. Just keep silent from now on, observer."
"Whatever. Just don't fuck up your life."
"Like you're one to talk."
With that last exchange, as if on cue, Mitsuna heard a voice from afar.
Opening her eyes, she woke up as they had reached their destination.