Lacerations, contusions, and fractures were easily mended via the Naraka Path. As for the hospital flowerbeds and the interior of the patient's room, which had been turned into a complete shambles, they had to be restored through Suggestion.
In the hospital room, which was slowly being repaired despite being half-shattered, only a single patient's bed sat neatly in the center. Lying there was Shiki Ryougi, looking much like her usual self, yet wearing a strangely sorrowful expression.
"…As I thought, it wasn't a dream. In that case, Mikiya is…"
Her mood was profoundly melancholic.
If only she had noticed sooner. If only she had realized that the young man who always approached her with such brightness was that person… would the future have been even slightly different?
He had been an annoyance when he visited while she was unaware, but now that she knew he was dead and remembered him…
"It's depressing."
"Depressing? I suppose the brawl from the other day really is the issue here…"
"You!!!"
The moment Touko Aozaki appeared before her eyes, Shiki Ryougi forced her creaking body upright.
The bizarre ambush by those strange fellows had occurred only yesterday. If this woman, who introduced herself as a 'Magus,' was here, she surely knew something about—
"Shiki!"
"You… Mikiya? And…"
Stunned by Mikiya's sudden appearance from behind Touko Aozaki, her confusion only deepened as she saw the other man following them. She instinctively reached for her fruit knife.
"Haha, hello there, Ryougi-san. We met yesterday, and here we are again today."
"You…"
"…Sigh, I knew this would happen."
Touko stepped between Ryougi-san and me. She gently took the knife from Shiki's hand, set it aside, and then nudged the Bounded Field of Shinra Tensei I had active, causing it to dissipate. She then pulled over three chairs.
"Now then, no need for introductions on this side, right? This is Mikiya Kokutou, who you already have a connection with. He's also a part-time employee at my workshop. And as for this one…"
"I introduced myself with a pseudonym back then, didn't I? I am Karma Kirigaya."
"He's the one who practically runs the business side of the Garan no Dou puppet shop where I work. Incidentally, Karma-san is also the landlord of that building."
Mikiya's kind introduction seemed to grate on her nerves. She spoke up, making no effort to hide her displeasure.
"Enough of that. Why did you attack me yesterday? Shooting arrows out of nowhere, letting loose wild dogs… what was the point of it all? If it's for some trivial reason, I won't let it slide."
"…Having the owner of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception talk like that is quite terrifying. Regardless, to explain, I did it to restore your memory."
"…What?"
"First, I should explain the circumstances from the moment you lost your memory…"
After that, as if possessed by the spirit of a professional narrator, I began to explain the various situations to her.
I spoke of Kirie Fujo, who had been hospitalized here, and Fujino Asagami and Godword Mayday at Reien Academy. I explained that these three were individuals meant to gradually complete Shiki Ryougi's memory and psyche. Specifically, I noted that Kirie Fujo and the wraiths in this hospital were in a position to attack her under Souren Araya's directives.
And then, I revealed the fact that I had eliminated them all.
"Ryougi-san's physical body is already in a state that touches the Root. Since those eyes that see 'lines' are also a byproduct of the Root, for humans like Souren Araya… you are essentially a walking treasure house."
"…So, you eliminated all the factors that could have restored my memory, and then tried to kill me as shock therapy to bring those memories back yourself?"
"If you must put it that way, then yes. But I didn't actually intend to kill you."
Using the Asura Path, I subtly transformed my hand into a missile-launching mechanism for a moment.
"If I truly intended to kill you, I would have blown you away with a missile or extracted your soul via the Human Path."
"That sounds plausible."
"There are two reasons why I went through the trouble of waking you up this way. First, to stop the man named Souren Araya."
"And the other reason?"
"To recruit you, Ryougi-san."
"…Me?"
She tilted her head with a look of pure confusion.
* * * * *
After talking about various things, Touko-san and I noticed Mikiya-san standing isolated in the corner. We ushered him over to Shiki. I placed the Self-Enforcement Geas contract, which I had brought just in case, onto her meal tray and quickly made my exit.
"It seems those kids are enjoying their youth. Aren't you interested in romance?"
"…Hahaha. I barely have time to sleep while trying to save the world, where would I find the time for romance?"
"Oh? That damned sister of mine seems to be seducing some young fledgling, and even the Witch of Fairy Tales seems to be getting along quite well with that wild-man type, doesn't she?"
If she meant a 'young fledgling,' she was probably talking about Shiki Tohno… and the 'wild-man' was undoubtedly Soujuurou-aniki.
Even so, the thought of dating didn't even cross my mind right now.
It wasn't that I lacked connections, but I had too much to do to get married just because I was lonely.
"To be honest, I don't have many suitable matches. If I dated an ordinary person, they'd immediately become a weakness for other magi to exploit."
"Typical of you. Is that why you use a pseudonym?"
"Honestly, it's a miracle the Clock Tower hasn't noticed yet… but I suppose the Jewel Old Man or Kayneth's side is doing their job well."
Hakuno Kishinami, Karma Akabane, Mushroom-Sensei.
The reason I went around using such ridiculous aliases was, ultimately, to avoid giving them any unnecessary leverage.
How many curses can be cast, and how many schemes can be spun with just a name? Casting a curse using someone's name and photograph was the most basic of rituals in the department of Witchcraft and Black Magic. If someone knew my name, there were endless ways to take my parents or acquaintances hostage.
No matter how well Lugh Beowulf, Alice-san, or the Suse sisters from the Holy Church protected me, there were always exceptions.
"But you told Shiki your real name, didn't you?"
"She isn't the type to go around talking about it. And even if I didn't say it… that person likely already knew my name."
"What?"
At that moment, the sliding door rattled open as someone stepped out of the hospital room.
Unlike the usual Shiki Ryougi, who radiated the aura of a wild beast, the woman who opened the door moved with disciplined, graceful poise and a gentle smile as she slowly approached us.
Touko Aozaki only tilted her head in confusion at her, but I pulled out a chair for the newcomer and spoke.
"So, I suppose saying 'pleased to meet you' would be appropriate? My Lady of the Root."
"You're a rude man. I didn't expect you to summon me in such a violent manner."
* * * * *
While Touko Aozaki gaped in shock, I simply stared directly at the 'opponent' before me.
"It doesn't work."
She spoke first.
"Your population manipulation won't work on me. For starters, you and I belong to the same species."
"…That is true. I assume the reason you woke up is because of my plan?"
"I knew you would know."
Just as Manaka Saijou is evaluated as a girl nearly approaching omnipotence, this [Shiki]—this Void Shiki—is also a form of omnipotence.
Having virtually learned everything in the world through the Swirl of the Root, she grew bored and created the two 'Shiki' personalities to hide herself within. She maintained a policy of never emerging, no matter the circumstances. With one single exception—that snowy road where she met Mikiya Kokutou.
"How did you know?"
"No matter how much the body is connected to the Root, injuries above a certain level take time to heal. It would take at least a week to mend the effects of Fujino Asagami's Mystic Eyes of Distortion or the aftereffects of being unconscious for over three years."
"Aha… so that is the 'knowledge' you have acquired. That is certainly information I didn't have. From what I see, Shiki seems to have fought that cute little potential-killer?"
"It's a future that will no longer happen, though. Regardless, on top of the Bounded Field to ward off people, I effectively launched an attack that, from her perspective, could have been lethal. Though, of course, I would have tucked her into the Naraka Path if things went south."
"Certainly, the survival instinct is unavoidable. I didn't think the Shiki who was just drifting without a single thought would project that much longing."
Sipping coffee from a paper cup she got from a vending machine, she slowly set the cup down and spoke.
"I cannot cooperate. You know why, don't you?"
"Because of the danger. After all, half the reason I called you out was because of that."
"In the past, the Demon God King interfered and awakened Angra Mainyu. In the current situation, since I am awake, there's no problem, but at some point, even this moment will be treated as the 'past,' won't it?"
"You're not wrong. Even this moment is being written as 'History' in real-time by the Counter Force, Alaya. That idiotic Fool King might try to fledge you as a Beast of Humanity."
Mere Mystic Eyes connected to the Root or the Unified Language do not qualify one as a Beast candidate.
However, Shiki Ryougi—or more precisely, the 'Void Shiki' before me—possesses the skill Independent Manifestation, which is essentially a privilege of the Beast class in the Grand Order world. It's simply that, due to her personality, she chooses not to manifest as a Beast.
The issue was that when the unprecedented event of the Incineration of the Human Order occurred, Alaya, the Counter Force of humanity, recruited various Pseudo-Servants. For example, the magical girls from Prisma Illya and several holders of Mystic Eyes—specifically Fujino Asagami and Shiki Ryougi.
Fujino Asagami is merely a powerful psychic, an ordinary person(?) who happens to have a murderous impulse, but Shiki Ryougi is different. From the very beginning, she has the aptitude for a Beast; she simply doesn't awaken because she 'doesn't feel like it.'
And there is an existence similar to her.
Angra Mainyu—who chose to give up on fledging into a Beast and decided to die quietly, as if falling asleep.
"What you want is for me—or more accurately, for Shiki—to go to Chaldea. The Demon God King's hand won't reach there, and the remaining terminals won't be able to do any harm either."
"Exactly."
"Keep this."
She said, pushing back the Self-Enforcement Geas scroll I had prepared.
"I will manipulate Shiki's perception to some extent. I'd like to decline fledging as a Beast, and I have no desire to kill Mikiya. So, take it upon yourself to protect those two. If it's sleeping to avoid awakening as a Beast… then even I, who represents nothingness, might have some value."
"All life has value, Lady of the Root."
"You are right. I'll leave things in your hands then. Please take good care of me so that I don't awaken as a Beast."
Having said that, she quietly closed her eyes and leaned back against the sofa, looking as though she had been asleep all along.
"What was that just now…"
When Touko-san asked, her mouth hanging open, I replied calmly.
"I told you, didn't I? The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are a total cheat."