"Thank you so much for the bento today, Haruna-sama."
During dinner, Ayumi happily thanked Haruna for the bento she had delivered. The taste of that meal was something she couldn't forget—it was truly a delicacy. However, she didn't notice that when she mentioned the bento, Kurumi's expression visibly darkened. Kurumi had personally witnessed the birth of that bizarre bento, and just thinking about that scene made her feel so full she wasn't hungry anymore.
"What's wrong? You look terrible."
When Ayumi saw Kurumi's expression, her heart skipped a beat, afraid she had done something again to anger her.
"It's nothing, just suddenly lost my appetite. You all go ahead and eat."
Saying this, Kurumi packed a portion of the meal to bring to Yu upstairs. Before leaving the living room, Kurumi gave Ayumi a pitying glance. Silly child, have you forgotten that Haruna isn't normal to begin with? Could the bento she gave you possibly be normal? Ah well, better not tell her—lest she breaks down and loses the will to live, that wouldn't be good.
"Yu, time to eat!"
Kurumi entered the room she shared with Yu and spoke to Yu, who was still'struggling.' Hearing Kurumi, Yu pressed pause, walked from the computer to the small table Kurumi had set up, and began replenishing her energy.
"Soon, very soon, you'll be able to speak and smile normally."
Patting Yu's adorable little head as she ate—this wasn't something just anyone close could do. In the original story, when Ayumi recklessly reached out to touch Yu, her hand was instantly broken. Now, only Kurumi and Yu's former companions could do this; anyone else had to be prepared for a broken hand.
Hearing Kurumi's words, the hand Yu used to hold the bowl paused. Her hair covered her sapphire-like, transparent eyes, and her body began to tremble slightly. Beside her, Kurumi clearly saw glistening teardrops streaming down Yu's fair, adorable face. Yu's reaction startled Kurumi. Having mostly interacted with strong-willed women, this was her first time encountering such a delicate girl like Yu.
"I'm here with you, always. Don't cry. Everything will become beautiful. We have an even brighter future ahead."
Extending both arms, she gently embraced the fragile girl before her, who was like a porcelain doll, as if cradling the entire world. In her ear, she whispered the gentlest words of comfort.
Slowly, Yu stopped crying, but exhausted from weeping, she fell asleep in Kurumi's arms.
"You've suffered all these years."
Looking at the petite, delicate body in her arms, Kurumi suddenly understood why Yu had reacted so strongly. Living alone for hundreds, even thousands of years, with no friends to confide her loneliness in, not daring to speak for fear of causing trouble for others? Not even daring to let her emotions fluctuate too much, afraid her magic would run wild. Wanting to die for release but unable to, fearing her immense magic would erupt and destroy the world upon her death. Under such circumstances, it was remarkable that Yu hadn't gone insane and had managed to retain her sense of self.
Upon learning that the problem that had plagued her for so many years was about to be resolved, Yu didn't know whether to feel sadness or joy. She could only vent through tears.
"Good night. Rest assured, you won't hurt anyone. And I won't allow anyone to hurt you either."
Kurumi brushed aside the hair on Yu's forehead and gently kissed her cute little nose.
Although Yu was sleeping peacefully, Kurumi still had work to do. Not clearing the dishes, but adjusting the magical turbulence triggered by the intense emotional fluctuations. This was delicate work. Kurumi had to patiently soothe the raging magic bit by bit to prevent it from affecting the outside world.
And it had to be done quickly, before any world-class big shots sensed the anomaly.
"I... I am but a useless fish now."
From after dinner until 1 AM, Kurumi finally finished the adjustment work. Exhausted, she collapsed on the floor of the room like a salted fish that had lost its dreams, staring blankly at the ceiling as she gradually drifted into sleep. After Kurumi fell asleep, Yu on the bed opened her eyes, glanced at Kurumi on the floor, got out of bed, carried Kurumi to the bed, undressed her, and then lay down beside her.
"Thank you."
Wrapping her arms around the sleeping Kurumi, Yu smiled and whispered in Kurumi's ear before also entering dreamland.
In their sleep, both wore sweet smiles, like a beautiful painting.
While Kurumi was living a leisurely life here, in another world, Medusa looked sorrowfully at two 'monsters' lying quietly in a pool of blood on the ground.
"I'm sorry, sisters. It's my fault for being willful and causing this disaster."
Medusa knelt on the ground in grief, weeping bitterly before the two corpses. She never expected Poseidon to be so ruthless, killing both her sisters outright. What a tyrant.
"If we had just found a place to live in seclusion, a happy, ordinary life, perhaps you wouldn't have died."
Reaching out to touch the already cold corpses, Medusa spoke sorrowfully.
"I'm sorry, I'm coming to join you now."
Medusa looked at the short sword in her hand, a flicker of determination in her eyes. Since she had already given Pegasus to Athena, her promise was fulfilled. She also believed Athena would treat Pegasus well, after all, it was Athena who had given Medusa Pegasus when it was still an egg. She didn't hate Poseidon, because Poseidon had created her. She only hated her own incompetence, being captured back then. If she had been stronger then, she wouldn't have needed her sister to rescue her, nor would she have to face Athena.
But it was too late for regrets now. She no longer had any reason to live.
"Medusa, Medusa."
Just as Medusa was about to end her life, a voice interrupted everything. Medusa stopped the blade that was heading for her neck and walked to the cave entrance. She was curious as to who would come here.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw a blonde girl anxiously calling her name. This was an acquaintance, Perseus, her enemy. But it didn't matter now. What was she doing here? How did she get here?
"Stand there and don't move. Yes, don't move, or I'll disappear immediately."
Curious how she got there, Medusa walked a dozen meters behind her and said to Perseus, who was looking around.
"You finally appeared, I…"
"Don't say anything. How did you get here?"
Just as Perseus was about to express her longing, Medusa suddenly interrupted her and asked.
"I begged my goddess Athena, and she told me."
"No wonder."
"That, I…"
"Don't say anything. Don't say anything at all. I want you to do something."
"What is it? If I can do it, I will."
Hearing her beloved ask for help, Perseus said with joy in her heart.
"Draw your sword, hold it level, and then close your eyes."
"Alright."
They say people in love have their IQ drop. This one didn't understand the meaning of Medusa's request, and simply followed her beloved's words. As she did so, she had a bad premonition.
Suddenly, she felt the touch of the sword, and a warm, wet substance splattered on her face. Feeling that something was wrong, Perseus quickly opened her eyes.
"No, Medusa."
She saw her sword plunged into the chest of the person she loved. Perseus let go of the sword and embraced Medusa, who was slowly falling to the ground, howling in pain.
"Give my head to Athena. Thank you."
Medusa said to Perseus with a smile, her eyes closed. She, of course, knew about the problem with her eyes. All the animals and people she passed on her way had been turned to stone by her gaze. She knew her eyes were problematic, so she found an uninhabited path to get here. As for the animals, she could only apologize.
"No, no, no, how can you do this to me? I like you, Medusa, I love you, Medusa, listen, I love you. From the first moment I saw you, I fell deeply in love with you."
Perseus held Medusa tightly and said. This was the first time she expressed her feelings, and she never expected it to be at a moment of life and death. How ridiculous!
"Yes, Goddess, Goddess will surely be able to do it. You must hold on, Medusa."
Like a drowning person grasping a lifeline, Perseus muttered to herself as she carried Medusa on her back and began to run towards Athena's temple.
"I never thought you would choose this, Medusa."
At this moment, Athena, whom Perseus sought, was watching this tragic scene from the clouds in the sky. She shook her head, watching Medusa's soul slowly moving towards the Underworld. When Medusa said her final thank you, Medusa had already died. The dead were under the jurisdiction of Hades, and this was something even Athena couldn't interfere with. If one didn't want to die, they could only become a divine messenger, serving their god in spirit form. Unfortunately, Medusa was not Athena's divine messenger. From the moment Medusa's soul left her body, Athena had no right to intervene.
Moreover, Hades and she did not have a good relationship. If she were to intervene rashly, Medusa might be given a hard time.
"What exactly is love?"
Watching Perseus frantically running with Medusa's corpse on her back, Athena sighed with emotion and then disappeared from her spot.
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