Chapter Seven: At Daggers Drawn

Shinra’s apartment

Celty Sturluson’s mental state was quite similar to that moment when the circuit breaker trips and the home suddenly goes dark and quiet.

An enemy calling herself Kasane Kujiragi suddenly appeared in their home and locked lips with Shinra Kishitani, the owner of the apartment. At this point, she still had a basic human level of reason remaining.

It was so sudden that it did take some time for her to fully process what had just happened—so that when she finally understood, the next situation was already occurring.

Unnatural blades, extending from Kujiragi’s fingers like nails.

Celty instantly recalled when she had seen such a phenomenon before.

Saika!

A cursed blade that controlled those it sliced and that implanted “children” within their minds.

Anri Sonohara was supposed to be in possession of Saika, so how did this woman have it now? Or was this some other, different cursed blade?

These questions and more floated through her mind as the steel sank into Shinra’s shoulder.

It felt like time stood still.

Already, Celty was unable to recognize or process the surroundings around them.

“…”

…

…Huh?

      What?         What am I seeing?

             A dream?                          Some kind of joke?

Shinra is here.                           Who is this woman?

      A kiss?                                 With Shinra?            Why?

What is this?      Saika’s owner?              Cheating?     No.

Thief.                  Must hurry.          Kiss?                       Katana?

     Oh no.                        I’ve seen this.        Saika.      Transform.

Shinra.              Controlled.             Oh no.       He must be fine.

     I trust.                       So what?                Shinra.                 Don’t.

Wait.                 Shinra.                    Shinra is.      Shinra must.    No!

Shinra.             Shinra.                    It can’t be.

I hate this.  Shinra.    Please wait.

Shinra.            Shinra.                     Shinra, Shinra.

Why is Shinra I have with Shinra and Shinra but who would do

No. No, no, no. But I love Shinra

Shinra no Shinra mistake won’t believe it Shinra wait Shinra can’t be won’t let it don’t

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The emotions that her confusion dredged up only made the confusion worse.

She was struck by two simultaneous levels of shock—an unfamiliar woman kissing Celty’s lover, followed by his being pierced by that woman’s blades.

It was the biggest shock she’d felt since losing her head, and it ate away at her rational mind, loosening her grip on reality.

Then she was hit by a third shock:

Before she had time to react, Celty witnessed Shinra’s eyes instantly turn red with blood.

When Saika stabs you, your eyes turn red.

Subjugation. The fate of Saika’s child.

This fact, sinking into her mind, caused something within Celty to burst.

Emotion: a storm of conflicting feelings surging into her panicked brain, suddenly bulging to their maximum possible size.

Celty’s instincts began emergency measures to prevent the worst-case scenario: total breakdown.

To save her memory and self-image from the muddy churn of her emotions, she cut rationality loose from her body.

The circuit breaker within her tripped without a sound.

And then…