The sudden betrayal by the two samurai caught everyone off guard. Even though betraying someone is a dishonorable act, the way they both wore expressions of "I'm doing this for your own good" was truly enough to make anyone lose their composure.
However, more people, upon seeing Misono Mika, began rubbing their eyes incessantly, thinking they were hallucinating. The girl before them was simply too dreamlike, as if a deity had descended upon the mortal world.
Her long pink hair was smooth and flowing, seemingly containing infinite dreams and tenderness. It swayed gently with her movements, emitting a faint pink shimmer like starlight scattered from the galaxy into the human realm.
Even more breathtaking were the pair of pure white angel wings on her back. They were wide and light, appearing to be composed of the purest feathers, shimmering with a holy light. A pink halo floated above her head, looking like a sliver of radiance plucked directly from the Milky Way. It circled her crown, emitting a soft and mysterious glow that made her appear even more sacred and inviolable.
Mika's beauty and aura were enough to make anyone fall prostrate. Her presence was like a divine light illuminating everything around her. Her smile was warm and healing, allowing one to feel endless peace and serenity. In front of this god-like girl, people felt as though they could forget the troubles and noise of the world, wishing only to immerse themselves in the beauty and hope she brought.
'A god... do they really exist...?'
Ikoma stared blankly in spite of himself, his tightened nerves gradually beginning to relax.
"I have no intention of becoming your enemy, Lady Mika."
Kurusu Konochi lowered his weapon, his face pale and his fingers trembling with rage at the two traitors. He looked at Mumei and Ikoma, saying unwillingly: "Surely you must understand that their existence is ultimately a massive hidden danger to the Koutetsujo."
He pointed a finger at the crowd, who were shrinking back in fear, arguing his point: "The range of activity here is limited. If the two of them lose control and bite someone, the consequences would be unimaginable. Please, consider the safety of the majority. I beg of you!"
Kurusu bowed deeply, lowering his stance to make his plea. Mika had easily saved over a hundred people single-handedly without a single casualty; her strength was self-evident. One had to remember she had deliberately made a massive commotion along the way and had essentially strolled to the Koutetsujo as if taking a walk. He didn't dare imagine how many Kabane had died at her hands.
No matter how he looked at it, he could not afford the price of offending her. Humans, after all, were much more fragile than Kabane. To kill a Kabane, there was only one way—piercing the heart. Humans required no such precision.
"He's right, those two aren't human anymore...!"
"Keeping them is just asking for trouble. We should kick them off the Koutetsujo right now!"
"If they stay, the safety of everyone here will be threatened from within!"
The crowd chimed in, urging Mika to think of their safety and abandon Mumei and Ikoma. Many present might not have seen Mika before, but they could read the current situation. For Kurusu to be so humble in trying to persuade someone to change their mind meant that, ultimately, the fate of Mumei and Ikoma rested on Mika's decision.
"Mmhmm, your concerns aren't entirely without reason."
Mika nodded slightly, expressing her understanding. "From your perspective, abandoning them is indeed the most rational choice."
A flash of joy crossed Kurusu's face, and the onlookers sighed in unison. Ayame Yomogawa opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something for Mumei and the others, but she didn't know where to start.
"..."
Mumei's lips turned slightly pale. Like a pitiful abandoned cub, she looked toward Mika, her right hand gripping her kunai tightly. Ikoma hung his head in dejection, waiting for the judgment of fate. If even a "deity" wouldn't accept an anomaly like him, what reason did he have to keep living?
Just as Kurusu prepared to cast Mumei and Ikoma out, Mika's voice interrupted him.
"However, your self-indulgent delusions should end here!"
The smile on Mika's face vanished. she swept a cold, indifferent gaze over everyone present, stating flatly: "Taking the liberty of dragging me into your camp, and then finding all sorts of excuses to make me yield for your sake."
"I want to ask, on what grounds? Simply because there are more of you? That reason does not convince me."
Everyone present wore expressions of shock. Mika, knowing the plot, was well aware that Kabaneri do not lose control for no reason; without external influence, they wouldn't turn into Kabane until the day they died. But she was too lazy to preach logic to these people.
"You can abandon them for your own safety, but I also have reasons to lend them a hand. If neither side backs down, then there is only one solution left."
Mika flicked the safety off her gun. As the crowd flinched at the movement, she spoke in a tone as casual as everyday conversation: "There is nothing in this world that cannot be changed by killing. I don't want to go that far, but if it is truly necessary, I will never show mercy to anyone!"
The statement sent a shockwave through the carriage. Everyone stared at Mika in disbelief. They never expected that someone who looked so holy and gentle could utter such murderous words. With just that one sentence, the "game" was over. So-called morality and logic were a joke in the face of absolute martial force.
Everyone looked at each other, not daring to utter another word.
"Lady Mika, spare us!"
"My life was saved by you! To repay that debt, I am willing to follow you forever!"
The "Backstab Duo" were so terrified they fell to their knees on the spot. Having experienced her power firsthand, they knew best how terrifying she was. Knowing that no one on the Koutetsujo was her match, they slid into a kowtow with impressive speed.
Mika glanced at them. While such "fence-sitting" behavior was unlikable, she had to admit they were decisive when it came to self-preservation—something others couldn't easily replicate.
"Kurusu, stand down."
Ayame took a deep breath and stepped forward, speaking seriously to Mika: "I believe Mumei wouldn't make claims without reason. This was our mistake, so on behalf of everyone on the Koutetsujo, I apologize to Mumei and the others."
Kurusu's face turned beet red, but he could only sheath his weapon and retreat.
"...Honestly, we already told you we aren't Kabane. Why do you keep barking at us?"
The gloom on Mumei's face vanished, replaced by a pure smile. Feeling as though she had found a pillar of support, she ran behind Mika, and not one to miss a chance to stir the pot, stuck her tongue out at Kurusu.
★ ★ ★
T/N: It's joever for me... I somehow forgot to upload the actual Chapter 10. I've corrected it now; this is supposed to be Chapter 11.