A massive, dark-violet slash tore through the air, hurtling straight toward me.
I was holding Hikinon, but whether that would be enough to block such an attack was anyone’s guess.
If there was one silver lining, it was that no one else was standing behind me.
“Here it comes!”
The slash, appearing as if it would swallow everything in its path, slammed violently into the [Ice Shield].
“Ghk!”
A crushing pressure surged through the shield, rattling my entire frame.
“Aaaagh!!! Master!!! It hurts!!!”
“Hold on!!!”
Hikinon, forced to bear the full brunt of the impact while blocking the slash, screamed in agony.
But I couldn't let go. If I put Hikinon away, I’d be dead on the spot.
Moreover, if the shield couldn't even block the slash sent at [Diva], there was no way it could stop this one.
“M-Master!!! I can’t hold it anymore!!!”
“Damn it—!”
And so, I met death once more.
*
After Hieta was swallowed by [Peyvash Herev], the transformed Tohka laughed maniacally from the epicenter of the devastation.
“Heh heh heh! Hahahahaha! Gone, gone! Finally gone! That sly bastard who had been bewitching me is gone!”
Then, a woman’s voice drifted down from above.
“What are you laughing at, my servant? It’s far too early to savor the joy of victory, isn’t it?”
Tohka looked up toward the source of the voice and saw Shido floating in the air, supported by the Yamai sisters.
“Sorry. I ended up needing your help.”
“Think nothing of it. Your only priority is to succeed in sealing Tohka.”
“Affirmative. No need to apologize.”
“So there was one more after all...”
Seeing Shido hovering in the sky, Tohka muttered to herself.
Realizing there was another person trying to confuse her, Tohka prepared to strike again.
Or she would have, if Shido hadn't suddenly fallen.
As she watched Shido drop from the sky, a scene flashed through Tohka’s mind.
—Tohka!!!
It was the memory of the day she had first been sealed.
As the memory surfaced, she whispered her own name.
“To...hka...”
“Yeah, Tohka. I came to save you.”
“!”
Before she could react, Shido had closed the distance. He let go of the [Sandalphon] he had been holding and pressed his face close to hers.
“You idiot! What do you think you’re doing!”
“You’d get hurt if I kept holding this.”
“Wha—!”
Before Tohka could finish, Shido’s lips met hers.
Tohka’s outfit dissolved into shimmering particles and vanished, returning her to the maid uniform she had originally been wearing.
As the sealing process concluded, Tohka and Shido descended gently to the ground.
Shido looked at her and smiled. “Welcome back, Tohka.”
“I’m home, Shido!”
And then, there was the one person everyone had forgotten.
“......”
Hieta had revived and could do nothing but wait to be rescued from the bottom of the deep ravine carved out by [Peyvash Herev].
“When will they come?”
“Yeah, who knows.”
*
After a considerable amount of time had passed, the others finally realized I was missing and came to rescue me; I barely made it out. The next day.
I received a letter from [Diva]—no, from Miku—and arrived at the designated location.
Miku was waiting for me there.
The moment she spotted me, she rushed over and exclaimed, “You came, darling!”
“...Huh?”
Did I hear that correctly?
I pinched my cheek, wondering if I was dreaming, but of course, I felt no pain.
Ah, right. I can’t feel pain.
“Huh? What’s wrong, darling?”
There it was again. Again.
This had to be an auditory hallucination, and what I was seeing must be an illusion.
Otherwise, there was no way she would be calling me "darling," nor would I be hearing it.
“By the almighty Akarat, protect me with eternal light! By the almighty Akarat, protect me with eternal light! By the almighty Akarat, protect me with eternal light! By the almighty Akarat, protect me with eternal light! By the almighty Akarat, protect me with eternal light!”
“W-Why are you doing that?!”
Miku was visibly flustered by my bizarre behavior.
In truth, I was far more flustered than she was.
“Wait, so you aren’t a fake after all?”
“Why would I be fake?!”
At my question, Miku protested with a shrill voice.
If you aren't a fake, then why on earth are you calling me darling?
“If you were really you, there’s no way you’d call me darling. You hate men, so why are you doing this?”
“Because darling is special. You’re my lifesaver, aren’t you?”
“...?”
I tilted my head, confused by her words.
Lifesaver? What was she talking about?
“Why are you making that face like you don’t know! You saved me yesterday!”
“...Oh!”
I had been so preoccupied with the memory of being left alone underground that I’d forgotten the rest, but I had indeed taken the transformed Tohka’s slash in Miku’s place.
“What’s with that look, like you only just remembered? Don’t tell me you actually forgot?!”
“Yeah.”
“Haah...”
At my answer, Miku let out an exasperated sigh.
I hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was she acting like that?
“So why did you call me here with a letter and all?”
I had my own life to get back to, so I wanted to get to the point quickly.
“Ah~ right, I did send that!”
Miku reacted as if she had momentarily forgotten the purpose of the meeting.
Then, she suddenly hugged me.
“W-What are you doing?!”
Startled by the sudden physical contact, I tried to push Miku away, and that's when something appeared before my eyes.
“Why is this here?”
It was the [Soul of [Diva]].
That was an item I obtained whenever I managed to seal a spirit. By using it, that spirit’s spiritual power would be sealed within my body.
The problem was that for it to appear, I needed a certain level of affection from the spirit in question...
“Hey, don’t misunderstand me, but listen carefully.”
“Huh?”
“Do you like me?”
I asked bluntly.
Miku blushed deeply. “D-Do I really need to be asked that...?”
She looked up at me with a shy expression, so unlike the Miku I had known that my brain struggled to process it.
“Y-You’re not that kind of character...”
“I’m this kind of character when it comes to darling~”
Because Miku said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, my head started spinning.
“So, when are you going to seal me?”
“...Are you serious? You didn’t want to be sealed.”
“Muu...! If I’m asking you to do it, then just do it!”
She puffed out her cheeks and tugged on my arm. The pull happened to trigger the item pickup, sending the [Soul of [Diva]] into my inventory.
And, naturally, Miku’s clothes dissolved into particles and vanished, leaving her completely naked.
Realizing what had happened, I immediately shut my eyes.
“My, darling, you really are such a pervert~”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
I shot back, eyes still tightly closed.
Did I do that on purpose? It was an accident!
“I’m kidding. Actually, I already heard everything from the other spirits,” Miku spoke in a playful tone.
Only then did I realize she had played me.
Well, it didn't make me feel bad.
I was just curious.
“What do you even like about me...?”
“I already told you. Darling saved my life. You were the first person who ever risked your life for me. And you did it willingly.”
Then Miku told me about her past.
She had originally been active as an idol under the stage name Tsukino Yoimachi, but her producer had demanded sexual favors. When she refused, he subjected her to vicious rumors.
Because of those lies, all her male fans abandoned her, and the shock left her with aphasia.
After that, she said she met [Phantom] and regained her voice.
“...I didn’t know that.”
After hearing her story, I could understand why Miku hated men, and why she had come to see not just men, but humanity itself, as disposable.
Without thinking, I pulled her into an embrace.
“...Huh?”
“It must have been incredibly hard. You probably couldn’t have held out on your own. I don’t know the full extent of your suffering, but I’m glad you’re happy now.”
“Ah, yes...”
Miku didn’t resist. She simply stayed in my arms and sniffled, her emotions finally getting the better of her.
I remained still until she stopped crying.
“Thank you. You helped me again.”
“It’s nothing. So, what do you really like about me?”
Honestly, if she only liked me because I saved her life once, it could still be a misunderstanding.
“...Are you serious? You’re lying, right?”
“Y-Yeah~ Of course I’m kidding.”
Since Miku was glaring at me as if I were an idiot, I quickly changed my tune.
Yeah, that was the safer bet.
“Benefactor! There you are! Regarding the encore, I was told to bring Miku over...”
At that moment, the Fire Keeper’s voice drifted from behind us.
Like a broken machine, I slowly turned my head to look back.
“Benefactor...?”
Uh-oh. Why are her eyes turning black?
The Fire Keeper smiled as she looked at the naked Miku still clinging to me.
Why was that smile so terrifying?
“You know, darling.”
“Hee~ ‘darling’?”
Miku poured oil on the fire.
“Y-Yeah. What is it?”
Cold sweat ran down my back as I waited for Miku to continue.
“You’ll watch the encore, right?”
“Of course! I will!”
I answered with a strained, forced smile.
*
Miku’s song rang out during the encore.
In the audience, a sea of pink glow sticks representing Miku waved back and forth, creating a shimmering ocean of light.
“Miku!!!”
“Waaaaah!!!”
When the song ended, the crowd erupted in a thunderous response, everyone cheering her on.
Miku listened to the voices of the audience and said, visibly moved, “Thank you! Darling! I love you!”
“Darling?”
“Repeat after me. Darling?”
“Hee~ She’s saying ‘darling’ again?”
“Hieta, sir?”
“Hieta-kun~?”
[Hikinon, you’re popular, huh?]
Someone please help me.
--------------------
[Soul of [Diva]]
One of the strange souls carrying power.
A mysterious singing voice emanates from this pale purple soul.
Using it allows you to seal [Diva]’s spiritual power within your body.
[Diva] is a spirit who manifests her abilities through sound.
It is said that because of events in her past, she harbors a deep hatred toward men.
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