"I disagree."
She instantly poured cold water on the idea.
"...Huh?"
Hare froze.
Everyone else turned to look at her as well.
"What's wrong with holding one?"
Souta approached her and asked in confusion.
"Plenty is wrong with it. Besides, no means no."
She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms, and spoke coldly.
"Why?!"
He protested indignantly.
"Mio..."
Hare was also confused now.
"A cultural festival is a tradition at this school. Holding one under normal circumstances would naturally be fine, but these are extraordinary times. I believe it would be highly inappropriate to devote our energy to organizing a recreational event right now."
She explained.
"B-But—"
"Moreover... an event like this would require an enormous amount of work. It would be difficult for Kanon as well, wouldn't it?"
After all, Kanon was responsible for food allocation. This would only increase her workload. The Shogun could already see the dark circles beneath her eyes. What would they do if she collapsed from exhaustion?
"I... Well... Um..."
Although Kanon was deeply moved that she had been taken into consideration, speaking up at a time like this somehow felt... awkward. No matter what she said, she would offend someone.
She truly was exhausted. She had barely slept over the past few days, and her mind was constantly foggy. However, admitting it might invite gossip, with people accusing her of caring only about herself.
"...Haa. More importantly, do you truly believe GHQ will honor its promise? With their reputation?"
Noticing Kanon's predicament, the Shogun smoothly changed the subject.
"...!" ×N
Everyone froze, especially Arisa.
"Have none of you considered another possibility? What if they're lying? What if they intend to seal this area permanently? What will you do then? Have you thought about that?"
She asked coldly.
"H-How could that be possible?! We're first-class human lives!"
Souta shouted.
"Heh... Inori, you tell them."
She scoffed.
"They... have never cared about human lives. Wasn't this outbreak of the Apocalypse Virus proof enough?"
Inori seamlessly continued her argument.
"..."
Hare lowered her head as well. She knew that better than most. Even so, everyone at the school had already reached the limits of their endurance.
"Mio..."
Her lips trembled, but she still gathered the courage to speak.
"...?"
The Shogun turned toward the girl beside her.
"I-I think... it would still be better... to hold the cultural festival."
Hare did not even dare meet her eyes as she spoke. She could not shake the feeling that she should not be saying this.
"Hare...?"
The Shogun's eyes flickered, and confusion entered her voice.
"I-I understand everything you've said, Mio. I think it all makes perfect sense, and I agree with you. But everyone is under an enormous amount of mental strain. Some have already reached their limits. If this continues, I'm afraid... something bad will happen."
She was responsible for treating everyone's injuries, so she often saw wounded students. Many of those injuries resulted from fights caused by extreme stress and emotional instability. If things continued like this—
"Mm, I also believe Menjou has a point, Mio... Remaining vigilant is good, but everyone needs an occasional chance to relax."
Arisa voiced her agreement as well.
The Shogun's eyes flickered before she looked toward Inori.
"I'll follow Mio's decision."
Inori remained obedient to her choice.
"Kanon? Can you handle it?"
The Shogun then looked with concern at the girl across from her.
"I... Haa... Mm, I can... I'll just have to work a little harder."
The girl gave a bitter smile.
"Haa... Do as you please, then."
In the end, she reluctantly compromised.
Once the meeting ended, she immediately rose from her chair and walked out beneath everyone's gaze.
"Mio..."
Seeing this, Inori immediately stood and followed her.
"!"
Kanon followed as well.
"..."
Hare kept her head lowered, her hands tightly clenched as though she were suffering.
"Mio..."
Arisa gazed toward the door and murmured with mixed emotions.
"Mio is the only person we can rely on right now. With her abilities, she could leave whenever she wished, yet she has chosen to remain and protect powerless students like us. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call that an immense act of kindness. Try not to make things difficult for her unless absolutely necessary."
Yahiro frowned as he cautioned them. After all, he had witnessed her power and her ability to save his younger brother.
"Mm... Mio... is very kind and gentle, but I..."
Scrape...
Midway through her sentence, Hare abruptly stood and hurried out.
"Tch... Is it really that serious? An immense act of kindness? She's just a girl around our age, yet she's always putting on airs."
Souta complained disdainfully.
Grab!
Yahiro immediately seized him by the collar.
"You bastard, are you—?!"
Are you asking for a beating?! I've been sick of this idiot's attitude for ages.
"Souta Tamadate! Mind your language! Yahiro Samukawa, violence is not permitted."
Arisa coldly reprimanded them both.
...
Meanwhile...
[Attention, all students. We have an announcement. Due to the recent extraordinary circumstances, everyone has been in poor spirits and left physically and mentally exhausted. In response, the student council has decided to hold the Tennoz Festival together with everyone. Preparations will begin today. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest!]
"Ooooooh!" ×N
Arisa's voice rang out over the broadcast. Everyone who heard the announcement began cheering. Their previous negativity was swept away, and the campus once again radiated the youthful atmosphere it had lost.
"..."
The Shogun leaned against the railing, staring absently at the cheering crowd below as though lost in thought.
(What would Ei think if she were here?)
She could not help murmuring quietly.
Makoto would probably agree, wouldn't she?
Haa... I'm still not good enough. I'm still immature, just like a child. Nearly five hundred years old, yet I haven't learned anything. Now I'm even throwing a tantrum.
She rested her face against the forearm draped over the railing, narrowing her eyes in self-mockery as her delicate body slowly relaxed.
Rustle...
The next instant, someone embraced her from behind.
"Are you angry?"
Inori loosened her embrace and gently rested her chin on the Shogun's shoulder as she asked.
"No... I'm not angry."
She shook her head, then turned around and lightly pushed herself up with both hands, sitting atop the railing. Despite its narrowness, she remained perfectly steady, her white-stockinged legs beneath her skirt loosely crossed.
"I merely... came to a few realizations."
She looked down at Inori and smiled.
"...No matter what happens, I'll always stand on your side, Mio."
Inori placed both hands on her thighs and gently rubbed the velvet fabric covering them.
"You... don't need to do that. What if I'm wrong?"
She asked.
She raised a hand and poked the back of Inori's hand as it rubbed her thigh.
"It doesn't matter..."
Inori shook her head.
Tap, tap...
Just then, Kanon ran over, panting for breath.
"Raiden... Haa... Haa..."
"...? What's wrong?"
The Shogun looked at the girl in confusion, then slid down and returned to the ground.
"Um... Thank you, Raiden, for considering my situation earlier..."
Kanon adjusted her glasses, her cheeks slightly red.
"It was nothing. You're clearly exhausted too. You already have dark circles beneath your eyes."
She shook her head.
"Mm... Well, I know everyone is tired. Who wouldn't be tired at a time like this? You might even be more exhausted than any of us, Raiden, so... it's all right... I'll work hard for the cultural festival."
Kanon clenched both fists before her chest and spoke to her resolutely.
The Shogun was not actually tired... However, since Kanon had put it that way, she decided not to ruin the atmosphere.
"Is that so? Then go ahead, provided you truly don't mind."
She sighed.
"Mm! Also... about Hare. She's a kindhearted girl, and lately she's been working as part of the medical staff, so she understands the students' condition better than any of us. So... please don't hate her. Ever since she started staying by your side, she's become much more cheerful than before. Please."
Kanon bowed to her, then blushed and hurried away before the Shogun could finish responding.
"Everyone... is so kind."
Inori murmured while watching Kanon's retreating figure.
"Since we're holding a cultural festival... why don't you sing a song?"
The Shogun turned and leaned against the railing again, glancing at the girl beside her.
"Me? Do you want to hear me sing, Mio?"
Inori asked.
"...Then... do you want me to listen?"
"...No."
Inori suppressed a smile as she answered.
"Who would want to listen anyway?"
Seeing this, the Shogun narrowed her eyes, puffed out her cheeks slightly, and adorably turned her gaze aside.
"I was joking... I'll sing. I'll sing."
Unable to hold back any longer, Inori gently embraced her and began coaxing her.
"I don't want to hear it anymore."
She spoke petulantly.
"No... You have to listen. When the time comes, I'll come down from the stage and cling to you while I sing."
"Pfft... Are you my little tagalong?"
Inori made her laugh.
"Hehe..."
They both smiled.
"..." ×2
Afterward, they both fell silent. The Shogun took Inori's hand of her own accord and gently stroked the Apocalypse emblem on the back of it.
"Has your power evolved?"
She asked.
"Mm... Apparently, one of my genetic locks has been broken."
Indeed... When Inori extracted someone else's Void now, they would no longer lose consciousness. They would remain awake as usual and could even use their own Void. Hare was one such example, which was why she could use her own "bandages" to heal others.
"What about your body? Do you feel any discomfort?"
"No. I feel the same as always."
Inori shook her head.
"You..."
The Shogun recalled what Shuichiro Keido had said about Inori's origins, and her expression became complicated.
"Don't overthink it, Mio... I don't see myself as a vessel. I am Inori Yuzuriha—the Inori Yuzuriha standing right in front of you."
Inori cupped the exquisite face of the woman standing level with her and smiled.
"Haa... Mm."
Seeing this, the Shogun did not argue further. She trusted that Inori would not lie to her.