Chapter 40: I'm... sorry...
{"Alright, children, the fun and games are over. Let us continue with the thrilling spectacle of Penacony!"}
[ Now Playing: Hotaru: I'm… sorry… ]
〘Stelle〙: Wait, what is that title supposed to mean?
〘Hanabi〙: Is it time? Is the knife finally coming?
〘Aha〙: Aha wants to see rivers of blood! Hahahaha.
....
『 After Acheron joined the party, the team grew to three, and they proceeded forward until they reached a room where the orientation was completely inverted.
"How is this room… upside down?" Acheron asked, looking at the scene before her with bewilderment.
"The landscape of the Memory Zone shifts constantly. It appears we must find a way… to walk on the ceiling," Black Swan explained.
"We are currently on the ceiling," Acheron said calmly.
Black Swan smiled at this. "Ms. Acheron's words are not without merit. Regardless, we must ascend to the plane hanging above our heads—though, certainly, not by clinging to the pillars."
Stelle wore a look of disappointment upon hearing this. 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: What are you disappointed about?
....
『 Black Swan turned to the two of them. "Allow me to impart some techniques for navigating the Memory Zone."
Under Black Swan's tutelage, the two learned to traverse the walls, though Stelle felt a strange sense of familiarity with the maneuver. 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: Right, why can't Ms. Acheron walk on walls here? Can she do it in the dream?
〘Sushang〙: Excellent question. My brain is spinning.
....
『 The three traversed many walls, but within this peculiar dreamscape, they could find no exit. Even when they located doors that appeared to be exits, they remained completely unyielding.
Looking at the door before them, Acheron sighed. "Is this door… also locked?"
By this time, Black Swan, weary of the aimless navigation, chose to use her own power to force the door open.
"This is endless. Leave it to me."
She closed her eyes, probing the room before extending her senses across the entire Memory Zone.
"This Memory Zone… it is somewhat too distorted. I must employ less elegant methods. You two… please give me a moment…"
"Hmm… I have it. I can see the center of this dream, and the people of the Family… and several figures groping their way forward. It seems your friends are not faring well either…"
"One, two, three…"
"…No, three? A third person is searching for the path to the lobby? Wait… this is…" Black Swan's voice was heavy with confusion. As she identified the third person, her voice grew even more bewildered.
"Is that the young girl who was with you earlier?"
"Hotaru? Why is she here?" In Stelle's eyes, Hotaru was merely a fragile girl; seeing her in such a dangerous place filled her with concern.
"I do not understand, but there are familiar shadows in the Memory Zone that feel similar to her… Does she have some reason that compels her to venture so deep into the dream?" Black Swan shook her head.
"Is she… running? No… fleeing? There seems to be something behind her…"
With that, Black Swan opened her eyes, her expression grave. "This is bad. Everyone, we must pick up the pace."
To save Hotaru, Stelle hurried forward under Black Swan's direction. After speed-running through a series of puzzles, Stelle boarded the elevator bound for the lobby.
"I dreamed of scorched earth, a new bud breaking through the soil, blooming toward the morning sun, whispering to me."
"Why do people choose to sleep? I think…"
"…It is because they fear waking from the dream."
Hotaru's whispers echoed in Stelle's ears as she anxiously exited the elevator and sprinted toward the lobby.
In the lobby, Hotaru sensed someone approaching from behind. She turned, and upon seeing Stelle, a happy smile bloomed on her face.
Stelle smiled and ran toward Hotaru, but she failed to notice a swirl of purple mist manifesting in the sky above her path.
Death lunged from the mist, bypassing Stelle and charging straight at Hotaru.
Hotaru was tossed high into the air, and in the next heartbeat, the tail-blade pierced through her chest.
It all happened too quickly; neither Stelle, Acheron, nor Black Swan could react in time.
Hotaru shed a tear, looking toward Stelle. "I'm… sorry…"
As her voice faded, Death's tail-blade tightened its grip. Hotaru let out a cry of pain, her eyes widening sharply as tears streamed from them.
Finally, Hotaru ceased to make a sound, sliding limply from the razor-sharp tail-blade.
Stelle watched the scene, her mind a complete blank. She dropped her baseball bat and sprinted toward Hotaru, but the moment she reached out to catch her, Hotaru's body shattered into a pool of Memory Zone fluid.
Stelle lunged at nothing, collapsing to the ground, staring at the blue residue on the floor while gasping for air.
Acheron and Black Swan, having recovered their senses, approached Death, but after claiming Hotaru, the entity dissolved back into a swirl of mist. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: NO!! HOTARU-CHAN!!!
〘Otto Apocalypse〙: Girl, this feeling is not pleasant, is it? Watching your beloved fall right before your eyes, yet you are powerless to do anything. You can only watch her fade away. It is painful… isn't it?
〘·HI3· Welt Yang〙: OTTO!! SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!
〘Hanabi〙: Little Grey, do you remember your date with Hotaru-chan?~ She trusted everything you said about Clockie without a second thought~
First strike: The Sleeping Dragon emerges!
〘Sampo〙: She even took you to her secret base, telling you everything she could.
Second hit: Famous in a single battle!
〘Aha〙: Yet in the end, you couldn't even hug her. You couldn't do anything!
Third strike: Shocking the world!
〘Stelle〙: Stop talking! I… I couldn't do anything!
〘Hotaru〙: Don't be sad. This was required by the script; I am perfectly fine.
〘Hanabi〙: So, does that mean~ you're guaranteed to win the revival match?~
....
『 Stelle slowly stood up. Acheron looked at her with concern. "Are… you alright?"
"Is this… a dream?" Stelle whispered.
Acheron stepped closer to comfort her. "Look at me… stay calm. Take a deep breath, okay?"
Black Swan also moved toward Stelle. She looked at Acheron and said, "I will handle this."
She placed a hand on Stelle's shoulder, looking into her eyes. "Relax—you will be fine."
"This… it was all so sudden…" Stelle said, crestfallen.
Seeing that Stelle had recovered slightly, Black Swan looked to Acheron. "I am truly sorry, but I must depart for a short while… Death is still roaming, and I must personally confirm the safety of Ms. Himeko and Ms. March 7th, and offer them a warning…"
"I leave her to you… Ms. Acheron."
With that, Black Swan departed, leaving only Acheron and Stelle in the lobby.
Acheron looked at Stelle. "I apologize. I am deeply sorry that this occurred… I was too focused on that girl, and neglected…"
"It was my hesitation that cost her life… I am sorry."
"This is not your fault."
"But had I chosen to draw my blade at that moment…"
Acheron fell silent for a time, then looked at Stelle and shook her head. "Forgive me, I… had no choice."
"She had no choice either…" Stelle replied, feeling lost.
"I understand your rage, and I am willing to accept it… but the time is not yet right. We must sharpen our eyes, consider where the true enemy hides, and how to resist them…"
"Do not let pain dictate your thoughts. Maintain your sense of self, and only then can you walk the right path."
"Someone once gave me this same warning… 'Treating enemies without mercy is a cruelty to oneself. But you must recognize who the true enemy is…'"
"…And you must understand the meaning and the price of drawing that blade."
Acheron looked at Stelle. "This is the only counsel a person burdened with such heavy blood debts can offer you." 』
『 ....』