Chapter III: World Purge
Chapter III: World Purge
“Ichika...?”
A classroom, in the light of sunset. The faraway sounds of the baseball team. I was alone here with Ichika.
“What’s up, Rin?”
Something tugged at my thoughts.
“Umm...”
There was something I was forgetting, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.
“C’mon, how often do we get to be alone together?”
“Y-Yeah...”
A classroom, in the light of sunset. Me in my sailor uniform, Ichika in his collared jacket. I get so nervous when we’re together like this... Even though we’re going out. Going out? Yeah. With who? My dear, dear Ichika! That’s it. That’s what I was forgetting. I laughed to play it off, and sat down on my desk.
Badum, badum. Jeez... My heart feels like it’s gonna jump out of my chest...
“Rin.”
“W-What?” My voice wavered. Ugh, I sounded so lame.
“Can I sit down next to you?”
“Y-Yeah...” I nodded twice. Ichika, smiling, sat down next to me.
The room was silent. But inside, my emotions were anything but. Omigawd, what do I do... We’re rubbing up against each other... I could feel the warmth of Ichika’s body. I let myself sway back and forth, straining to hear the sound of his heart beating.
“Rin.”
“W-What?”
He whispered in my ear. The sensation of his breath on my earlobes made my heart pound even harder, “Can I come over to your house today?”
“Ah...?”
I thought back to three days before.
“My parents are going out of town in a couple days. I’m gonna have to cook for myself, this suuuuucks.”
“Huh.”
It was just idle chatter to pass the time, but thinking back on it... I... I was asking him over, wasn’t I... I must have been. So obviously even Ichika could figure it out. I shouted inside my heart. My face was red all the way up to my ears, and I couldn’t look straight at him.
“So, can I?”
“Yeah...” I nodded, swallowing nervously.
[WORLD PURGE COMPLETE.]
Somewhere in the back of my head, I thought I heard those words. But I had more important things on my mind. How am I going to sneak off and change my panties first? That was all I could think of.
◇
In the laboratory, Ichika had finished the first scanning pass and was sitting in a chair with Byakushiki still open.
“We’re almost finished. Here, have a coffee.”
“Oh, thanks.” He accepted the cup from Hikaruno, and took a sip. It was dark, bitter, like growing up.
Ichika.
“Ah...”
He had definitely heard that. He was sure of it, and he threw his coffee to the side while climbing into Byakushiki.
“Hey, wait, Orimura?!”
“Sorry! I’ve got to get back to the Academy, right away!”
“Aww, but how could I ever let you go?”
“I’m gonna blow the wall!”
“Whoa!”
Ichika deployed his particle cannon and, true to his words, fired, knocking out the wall of the lab.
“See you!”
Firing Ignition Boost, he flew through the hole. In just a moment, he had shrunk to a dot on the horizon.
“Jeez, he’s a real hothead,” Hikaruno whispered to herself, coughing from the cloud of dust. “I guess he really is still just a kid.”
She shook her head while sighing, but an impish smile rose to her face.
“It’s okay, Orimura Ichika. I’ve got all the data I need.” She smirked while looking out at the open sky. “With this, I can start planning the next-generation mass-produced IS...”
◇
Firing Ignition Boost on cooldown, it didn’t even take me 30 minutes to make it back to the Academy. I can hear it. Someone’s calling out to me! Someone needed me. And I needed to be by their side. Because I’m Orimura Ichika.
“......?!” A blip came up on Byakushiki’s sensors. “That’s—”
Men in black tactical gear were carrying Tatenashi through the covered passage between buildings on campus.
“Let her...”
I focused my thoughts intently. Ignition Boost.
“LET HER GO!”
As I slammed into them, I swept the men’s legs out from under them while grabbing a hold of Tatenashi. As I did, I fired my particle cannon into the ground to raise a cloud of dust for cover.
“Graaaah!” A single sweeping kick slammed all six into a wall.
“Tatenashi! Tatenashi?!” I screamed out her name. My sensors still showed signs of life, but she didn’t open her eyes. “Tatenashi!”
As I shouted her name one more time, her eyelids opened.
“Mmm... I-Ichika?” She must have been drugged. Her eyes were clouded, like I was carrying Sleeping Beauty.
“Are you okay? Let me get you to the hospital!”
“Mmm... Underground... Go here... Ms. Orimura... Is waiting...”
“Got it!” I raced through the halls toward the waypoint she sent at full speed. “Tatenashi, you’re bleeding! Were you shot?!”
“I’m fine...”
She smiled, trying to laugh it off, but there was none of her usual calmness on her face. Shit! What the hell is going on here?! I blew through armored shutters with my particle cannon, taking the shortest possible path to Chifuyu.
“Here?!” I tapped out an access code on a panel to open a door, and saw inside Chifuyu and Ms. Yamada standing over a bound woman I didn’t recognize. “Whaaa? What’s going—”
“I’ll explain later! Orimura, you need to go help Shinonono and the others!”
“Eh?!”
“Here’s the waypoint. Hurry!”
“O-Okay!”
Leaving Tatenashi to Ms. Yamada, I raced off as quickly as I’d arrived. What’s going on?! Arriving at the designated room, I released my IS and stepped inside. In the bright white room, Houki and the others slept while Kanzashi paced nervously.
“Ah... Ichika?”
“Kanzashi? What’s going on?”
“Umm...”
She normally had such a hard time putting things into words, it must have been near-impossible for her now. Just as I realized it, a text arrived.
[Orimura — IS Academy has been neutralized by an unknown force. Shinonono and the others entered cyberspace to wrestle back control, but due to the attacks, I was unable to maintain contact with them. At this rate, they’re unlikely to regain consciousness. You need to dive into the IS core network yourself as well, and save them. We’re counting on you. —Sarashiki Kanzashi]
All right. Understood. I mean, I didn’t understand a word of it, but! Understood!
“So, how do I dive into cyberspace?”
Silently, Kanzashi raised a stun gun. What was she...
“Hey, wait, Kanza—”
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!
“—shiiiiiiiiii?!” An incredible jolt coursed through me. It hurt. It burned. My body went numb, and my consciousness faded.
“What are you doing?!”
I tried to pull myself upright. Wait... When had I laid down? Why was I in the middle of a field?!
“Hurry into the forest. The others are inside the doors you’ll find there,” Kanzashi’s voice echoed in my head.
“Got it!” I nodded firmly and rushed off.
◇
“Whoa, it’s really coming down.” Ichika and I ran, holding our backpacks over our heads to keep the driving rain off. “Let’s rest at the bus stop!”
“Got it!”
We walked to school, so we wouldn’t be waiting for a bus, but it was still a roof to wait out the downpour under.
“That came out of nowhere.”
“Tell me about it. Ugh, I’m dripping wet now.”
As I ran my fingers moodily through my hair, trying to sluice the rainwater out, I felt something fluffy land on my head.
“Here, use my towel.”
“Oh, thanks. What about you, though?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” As he spoke, he began to gently dry my head off. I loved how tender he could be sometimes. “Hey, Rin.”
“Yeah?”
“I think I’ll dry your body off, too.”
The words weren’t even out of his mouth before his hands slid down, tracing over my curves.
“Knock it off!”
Pow! A fist put an end to that.
“Owww, that hurt.”
“You’re such a pervert sometimes.”
“Ahahaha...”
Lately, Ichika had taken every chance he could to get his hands on me. I knew what he was after. And I wished he’d be more romantic for our first time.
“Jeez...”
But... I could think of worse things, too. When he touches me, I feel like I’m walking on air... My heart soars. It feels so good. I wish he’d never stop. That’s how I feel... So maybe... Maybe today’s the day? I asked myself.
Ka-thump. My heart pounded. That was my answer.
“Hey, look, the sun’s come back out.”
“Huh, it has.”
“So why don’t we head back to my place?”
“Sure. Hey, can I take a shower when we get there?” he asked, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest. “My hair’s all wet.”
“Oh, of course!” I awkwardly laughed, barely able to handle the pounding of my pulse.
“Anyway, let’s go.”
His hand drifted toward mine, casually. I played indecisive for a moment, before taking it and nodding.
“Yeah...”
We walked along the warming pavement, taking in the scent of the rain. We were almost at my house, the Chinese restaurant Lingyin. My parents’ doting was so embarrassing. Today we were closed, so we didn’t have the awning rolled out. We stopped for a moment in the living room after going through the restaurant and into the house part.
“Ah... Umm...” Our hands were still together. My free hand opened and closed in nervousness. “So, now what? Did you want to shower first?”
“I guess.” Ichika nodded. Imagining him showering, my face began to turn red. That’ll give me a chance to change my panties! My heart throbbed.
“Rin.”
“W-What?!”
“Why don’t we shower together?”
I stared blankly, now red up to the tips of my ears.
“Pervert!”
I stomped on his foot and, dropping his hand, ran up the stairs to my room on the second floor. Panting from the sudden exertion, I tried to catch my breath.
Showering together... I shouted silently, punching my pillow.
“Anyway!”
I needed to change! Focusing, I pulled open my underwear drawer. Which ones should I wear? What’s gonna... Gonna... T-turn him on? I looked at the panties I’d bought in preparation for today. There were definitely ‘date panties,’ but looking at them again, they really weren’t me.
But I can’t just stay in these either... I flipped up my skirt to compare with my current pair, white with green stripes. Yeah, these won’t work. The problem was, I had no confidence in my own figure. It’ll be fine! Ichika’s such a pervert, he won’t notice! I’ll be fine!
I decided to go ahead and change. Sliding my fingers under the waistband over my hips, I had just lowered my panties to my knees when my door clicked open.
“......?!?!”
“I’m done showering, Rin.”
“Wh-Wh-Wh...”
My butt was sticking out. My panties were around my knees. Ichika was looking at me from behind.
“EEEEEEEEEEK!”
Bam!
Crunch!
Thwack!
You idiot! You pervert! You creep! I completely lost control of myself, pummeling him until my hands hurt.
“Rin...”
“Eh? Ahh...”
Ichika caught my fist, gently lowering my arm, then spun me around. As he did, he embraced me from behind.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. The pounding of my heart was too loud to bear. It felt like it would tear apart. Not just my heart, my whole body.
“Rin,” Ichika whispered in my ear.
I shivered, and nervously asked back, “W-What?”
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“I want you.”
KA-THUMP!
“Ah... Ahhhhhhh...”
“Rin...” He kissed the nape of my neck.
“Ahh... Ichika... I feel something hard poking me...”
Another kiss came—and this time his lips remained, sucking.
“You sure do.” Such a sweet whisper. My mind began to boil over.
“Rin. Let’s go to the bed.”
“Y-Yeah...”
He lifted me from behind, carrying me like a princess, and moved to my bed as easily as if I were a newborn kitten.
“I’m putting you down now.” He wove in another kiss to my neck.
“Nya...”
I couldn’t focus enough to move. My body burned as if it was on fire. Nothing could fit in my mind but thoughts of Ichika.
“Rin... You’re beautiful.”
“Mmm...!”
His fingers traced my collarbone, leaving trails as hot as any brand.
“Ichi... ka...”
“I’m taking your clothes off now.”
I swallowed nervously, nodding almost imperceptibly. Unbuttoning my sailor blouse, he gazed at my small breasts, covered by my bra.
“Don’t...”
Embarrassed, I tried to cover myself. Gently, but firmly, he brushed my arms away.
“You’re so cute, Rin.”
“Mmm...”
His tongue slid between my breasts, hotly yet tenderly, softly yet indecently. Ahhh... I’m such a dirty girl... Because I wanted more. Because I needed more.
“I’m taking your bra off.”
“Y-Yeah...”
I watched his fingers, near-hypnotized, and raised my body so he could slide them behind me.
Snap. The sound of my bra unhooking seemed to echo through the whole room. It hung limply around my body, but rather than lift it off, Ichika’s hands moved lower. I could feel the fire welling up in me, burning through my core, and only the gentle brush of his fingertips as they crept up my thighs could hold back that flood.
“Here too...”
“W-Wait...”
“No more waiting.” He slid my panties down, slowly, starting from one side.
“Ahhhhhh...”
We couldn’t. This was wrong. But we were... But it was oh so right.
“Ichika...” I closed my eyes, sighing his name. And then—
“You bastard! What are you doing to Rin?!”
My door slammed open. Standing there was... “I-Ichika?!”
Ichika was there, wearing a white uniform I’d never seen before. No, wait... That was an IS Academy uniform. But Ichika’s right here in front of me, how I’ve always wanted, in a world for us alone.
[WORLD PURGE ANOMALY. INTRUSION DETECTED. COMMENCE REMOVAL.]
“Eeeeeek!”
It hurt! It hurt it hurt it hurt! My head ached! Inside and out! Like it was splitting apart! I was gonna die! I was dying! Through the pain, I barely noticed the Ichika in a collared uniform in front of me slide away and leap toward the Ichika in IS Academy uniform as his eyes began to gleam. The whites of the first Ichika’s eyes faded to black, while his irises glowed a golden yellow.
“Executing order. Removing intruder.” His voice was flat. Ichika’s voice, still, but with utterly alien intonation.
Wait, wait, what is this?! What’s going on here?!
“Save me, Ichika!” I cried out. Suddenly, two strong arms wrapped around me.
“It’ll be okay. I’m here for you. Rin... I’ll protect you.”
Yes... Yes! Yes. It’s Ichika!
This was Ichika. The real Ichika. I could tell. Not in my head. Not in my gut. Not in my heart. In my very soul.
“Then...” I gritted my teeth to brace myself against the pain. “Get out of here, you fake!”
I opened the IS Shenlong and fired its impact cannon at full power. The fake Ichika crumbled like a stack of bricks. At the same time, the room began to fall apart around me.
“Rin! Let’s go!”
“Got it!”
We ran toward the door. Toward that embrace of light.
◇
“Where are we?”
“In a forest, it looks like.”
The door we’d just stepped out of evaporated into sparkles of light. Four more doors still stood, surreally, in the middle of the woods.
“Ah...”
“......?”
“Uh, Rin... Your clothes...”
“Huh?”
I turned to face away as Rin looked down in confusion.
“Eeeeeek!”
Yeah, I was afraid that was going to happen. Rin was still half-out of a middle school uniform, as the fake me had left her.
“I-Ichika!”
“Wait, wait! It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me! So don’t punch me or kick me or shoot me or—”
“—back on me.”
“Huh?”
“My clothes! Put them back on me!”
“Whaaa?!”
“Ugh! You took them off, didn’t you!”
“I told you, that wasn’t me!”
“B-But... It was like...” Tears suddenly sprang to her eyes. “It was... It was... Waaaahhhhh...”
“Uhh, umm...”
Rin suddenly began to sob. I hadn’t been expecting that, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Well, I guess... I couldn’t leave her like that.
“Rin.”
She took a moment to form words again. “...What?”
“Okay, okay. I’ll dress you. Come over here.”
“Eh... Ahh... Okay...”
The surprise had stopped her crying, at least. Nervously, she sidled over to me, holding out her bra.
“.........”
“.........”
This felt wrong. To distract myself, I tried to break the ice, “Y-Y’know, it feels like forever since I’ve seen you in this uniform!”
“Yeah! Yeah, it really takes me back! Ahahaha!”
All we could do to cut through the tension was embrace the surreality of it all. Nervously, but decisively, I took hold of her bra. As long as I don’t look too closely... Somehow, I got it back on her. From there, it was easy to button her blouse. The problem was further down.
“R-Rin? You can handle down there yourse—”
Without uttering a word, her eyes glistened with tears again. Oh, whatever! I don’t even care anymore!
“I’m going to have to touch your panties.”
Rin trembled gently. Kneeling down, I slid my hands up her skirt, trying not to look. If I can just get both sides...
Schlick.
“Waaaaait! W-W-What the hell are you doing?!”
“Quit complaining! I’m trying to do this without looking!”
“Hmph! You can go ahead and look! I don’t mind!” Rin reached down, grasped her hem, and stopped for a second. “I don’t mind... Because it’s you...”
“O-Okay...”
My heart pounded. Nervously, her hands shaking, she began to lift her skirt. The diagonal line of the waistband of her panties, one side pulled halfway down, was almost more suggestive than anything which could be under them.
“O-Okay.”
“.........”
“D-Don’t just go quiet on me...”
“I don’t think I can talk while doing this.” I was a bit harsh, and Rin blushed deeply.
We both fell silent. I was used to doing Chifuyu’s laundry, including her underwear, but this was the first time I’d touched a girl’s panties directly. I could hear my pulse pound in my ears.
It’s just Rin... It’s just Rin... It’s just Rin... Rin was... Rin was a classmate at IS Academy, and my second childhood friend.
“But is that all she is to you?” someone spoke. At least, I thought I heard someone. A girl I didn’t recognize. It sounded like she spoke from behind me, to the left.
“Rin.”
“Y-Yweah?!”
“I’m done.”
“Y-Yeah...”
We suddenly spun away from each other, facing opposite directions. Why were we being like this?
“Um!”
“......?!”
Kanzashi, concealed in the undergrowth, suddenly spoke up.
“Ka-Kanzashi...”
“Y-Y-You should have said something if you were there!”
“It didn’t seem like you’d appreciate being interrupted.”
“Ugh...” She stood up, the branches rustling around her. “Anyway, I’m going to take Ling out of here for now. She’s probably in no condition to continue the mission.”
“I can keep going!”
“No. It’s quite likely that your IS has been attacked as well. Let’s go back for now.”
Rin nodded reluctantly and said, “Okay...”
“Anyway, then. Ichika, go after the others.”
“Got it. Oh, Kanzashi! Hold on a second!”
“......?”
“There’s a leaf in your hair. There, got it.” I plucked out the leaf I’d noticed. “Your hair’s so pretty. It’d be a shame to leave it messy like that.”
“Ah—”
She looked at the ground, fidgeting. What was up with her?
“Oh! I know! I should test-fire my impact cannon. You know, make sure it’s working fine!” Rin suddenly spoke up, a bit too loudly for comfort.
“Wait, what’s gotten into you, Rin?”
“Oh, nothing at all!”
She was definitely extremely mad about something. About to burst into a rage, it seemed like.
“All right, see you later then!”
“Wait, hold it! Ichika!” If all else fails, retreat. “I’ll teach you a lesson when you get back, Ichika!”
I fled, not through a door, but deeper into the woods.
◇
“Phew...”
My name is Cecilia Alcott. The young master of Alcott and Company, England’s largest trading firm. With my day’s work in my luxuriously-furnished office complete, I rang an order-made platinum bell.
Ding-a-ling... Its tone was delicate, almost ephemeral. No more than three seconds later, a door opened.
“You called, President.”
Entering was a dark-haired young man, seemingly born wearing his jacket and waistcoat. My own butler for so many years—Orimura Ichika. I had wanted to greet him with joy on my face, but I couldn’t help but frown for a moment.
“My work for the day is over...”
“Ah, my apologies, Madam.” Ichika bowed stiffly. But that wasn’t what I had meant, either.
“How often do I have to tell you? We’re alone.”
“Haha. I’m sorry, Cecilia.”
We were so familiar, after all this time, that he occasionally showed a bit of cheek. But the twinkle in his eye as he did excused it, at least for me. Yes. The Orimuras have been the Alcotts’ faithful servants for generations, and he’s been by my side since—
Wait, by my side? Who had been by my side?
[COMMENCE WORLD PURGE.]
—Ah, yes! Ichika! As my servant, and perhaps, someday, as my companion. Thus, when alone, we could put aside the formalities. Sometimes it all feels rather unbefitting. But it pleased me all the same; as if we shared a world walled off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Were it but a dream, I should prefer not to awaken, but rather to remain submerged for all eternity.
[WORLD PURGE COMPLETE.]
“......?”
“What is it, Cecilia?”
“Did you speak, Ichika?”
“Not a word.”
“Ah. Very well.”
Today was a quite special Thursday. My heart leapt at the secret relief which awaited me. No worries. I passed on the cake yesterday. Concealing my excitement, I followed Ichika’s lead to the bath on the ground floor, passing under a grandiose chandelier on the way. I could feel my heart throb.
“In five minutes.”
“Of course. And which aroma would you prefer today?”
“I leave it to your own judgment.”
With an elegant wink, I closed the door. Surrounded by handmade luxuries, I scattered my clothes on the floor. Ichika would be along later to pick them up. Very well, then. Laying my earrings and pendant on a table, I was as bare as the day I was born. The steam of a clawfoot bathtub, already drawn full, welcomed me further into the room. My favorite day of the week.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Turning a knob, I let the warm water wash over me along with my excitement.
“May I enter, Cecilia?”
Ka-thump! It was Ichika’s voice from outside the door. Calmly, I turned the shower off and answered with an even voice, “At your leisure.”
Click. The sound of the door opening was followed by the patter of Ichika’s bare feet on the tile, as my face glowed red. Yes. The day of the week that Ichika bathes me... Naturally, he was blindfolded.
After adding the salts to the bath, Ichika finally stepped behind me.
“I’m truly sorry for the wait, Cecilia.”
“O-Of course...”
Embarrassed, I couldn’t turn around. If he were to not be blindfolded... The mere thought of it was enough to send my mind racing, and I snuck a peek backward. Ah, but he is. It was at once reassuring and disappointing. He was, as usual, simply in shirt and trousers.
“Shall I begin bathing you, Cecilia?”
“A-As you will.”
I had barely a moment to be ashamed of my timidness before I felt the already-foamy exfoliating sponge brush against my back. Ah... With gentle strokes, relaxing me, he washed my back. As usual, his hands at first stroked the nape of my neck before moving lower. It feels so wonderful when he washes my hips...
I was proud of my figure, naturally. Proud enough, even, to put aside cake. He’s almost there... I felt Ichika’s hand softly brush my bottom. Not the sponge, but his bare hand, with only a thin layer of lather. My cheeks glowed a brilliant crimson as I sunk into the utmost luxury. It may be embarrassing, but it feels so sublime...
As I let out a sigh, he whispered in my ear, “Cecilia, has your bottom gotten bigger?”
“It very much has not!”
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
“Ah, but you’re filling out so nicely here.” His fingertips cupped around my rear.
“Ah!”
“I suppose I should arrange for alterations with your tailor.”
“I-It can’t be any—”
“I know. But it’s such a pleasure to make sure.” With that, he nibbled at my earlobe. Shocked at his sudden forwardness, I curled up in the bath.
“I-Ichika...”
“Shall I wash your front next?”
“Ah......”
I paused for a moment, then, nervously, nodded.
◇
“I can’t get these doors open, Kanzashi.”
I pounded on the four doors in the clearing. But no matter how hard I shoved or kicked, they wouldn’t budge.
“I knew it! Someone had to have locked them after you got Ling out.”
I was so stunned by Kanzashi’s sudden firm conviction that I couldn’t do much more than smile and nod as she continued, “Whoever it is knows there are two Ichikas in there, and that’s extremely dangerous.”
“So what do I do about it?”
“You’ll have to change skins.”
“Huh?”
“If you change skins, you can get in.”
“.........” As I stood there in shock, Kanzashi continued irritatedly, “I wasn’t joking.”
“O-Oh. Understood. I believe you.”
“Good.”
“So what do I do?”
“Hold on a minute. I’ll rewrite your clothing data.”
I could hear the clatter of mechanical keys over our connection. Soon, I began to glow.
“Wait—”
“Data install... Complete.”
“What is this?”
I was in black from head to toe, with a gas mask strapped to my face. From one shoulder hung a submachine gun.
“Her Majesty’s Special Air Service battle dress.”
‘Her Majesty’s’... This must be Cecilia, then.
“I feel like I’m in a movie or something.”
“Oh my God, you look so cool.”
“Wait, what?”
“Ahem! Nothing.”
I gave the blue door’s knob another try. With a click, it opened before me.
“Here I go.”
“Be careful. You may be attacked by another fake you.”
“W-What?!”
I pulled back the bolt on the submachine gun and slapped my magazine pouch to make sure it was full.
“Have you ever shot a gun before?”
“A man’s always ready to risk it all on one shot.”
“I thought not.”
I stepped through the door as Kanzashi sighed.
◇
“You’ve grown here, as well.”
“Mmm!” As he lifted my breasts from behind, I let out an unbecoming sigh. At first, he scooped them up from below, but soon his fingers traced all over them. And just as they were about to rub against the very tips...
Krshshhshhhhh!
“What the hell are you doing?!”
The window shattered, and a man in a special forces uniform bathed Ichika in a hail of fire.
“ICHIKA!”
“World purge anomaly... Intrusion detected... Glugh...” Shot through the head, Ichika’s neck bent inhumanly even as he continued to mumble words I couldn’t understand. His eyes gleamed gold and black.
“Ichika?”
Something was wrong. But what?
“Get away from Cecilia!” The soldier knocked Ichika to the floor with his gun’s butt before opening fire again.
Ichika?! A black fluid began to ooze out of his wounds, before he finally disappeared into sparkling light.
“Ah— Ahhh...”
“Are you okay, Cecilia?! I’m here to save—”
Opening Blue Tears, I swept at the intruder with its Interceptor blade.
“My Ichika! You killed my Ichika! My one and only!”
“Hey! Hey, wait! Knock it off, you idiot!”
“Idiot?! You dare to call Cecilia Alcott, the British National Cadet—”
Wait. My name is Cecilia Alcott. A... A British National Cadet? The world swam around me.
[WORLD PURGE INTRUSION.]
Fzzt!
“Ouch!” My head ached. Like it was about to split in half. “Ugh... I... I... I’m—”
“Cecilia!”
The soldier pulled off his gas mask, revealing Ichika’s face. His piercing eyes. His forceful voice. Yes, the man who I could barely resist.
“Let’s blow our way out of this fake world!”
Yes. This, this was my Ichika!
“Together!”
I aimed my Starlight Mk. III at the ceiling, and fired. Around me, the world of illusion shattered.
◇
“That was simply terrible!” Cecilia, in her school uniform, angrily crossed her arms, before angrily twisting at her curls, shaking her head, and crossing them again.
“At least you’re safe.”
“Safe? Safe?! With what that impostor was about to do—” Cecilia suddenly stopped midway through snapping at me. “I-Ichika? You... You were in that bathroom, correct?”
Ugh. She had realized what I’d really hoped she wouldn’t.
“Y-You... You saw me naked, didn’t you?”
“I-I didn’t look! I didn’t look!”
“You liar! Blue Tears!” She suddenly opened her IS, and pointed an accusing finger, her face bright red. “Go, bits!”
“C’mon! No way!” But this was no joke. Four bits opened up a rain of beam fire. “Whoa! Stop it, stop it! You’re gonna kill me!”
“It’s what you deserve for treating me so disgracefully!”
“It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!”
“I don’t care if it wasn’t you, it was Ichika!”
“That doesn’t even make any sense!” A beam scorched the seat of my pants. “Cecilia!”
“I don’t care what your excuse is!”
“You were beautiful!”
“Eh?”
She, and her bits, suddenly stopped dead in their tracks.
“Just... You were really beautiful!”
It was really embarrassing to say. But it was true, and more importantly, it was probably the only way to get her to stop trying to kill me.
She dematerialized her IS. In a bashful tone, she replied, “I... I suppose I don’t mind being seen by you...”
“It was an honor!”
“And to call me the most beautiful woman in the world as well?” I don’t think I said that... “Why, Ichika!”
I ducked her diving hug-tackle and fled into the woods.
“Haah... Phew...”
Well, she really was beautiful. I’d always thought of her as like a model, but I was wrong. She was beyond that. I blushed, thinking about it.
“So she looked a bit different today?” Again, I heard a voice whisper to me, before it was lost on the wind. “...Ichika.”
It was Kanzashi. And she didn’t sound happy at all.
“What next, Kanzashi?”
“I’m sending you a new skin. You figure it out.”
The connection dropped with a loud click.
“What’s up with her?” I was confused. A moment later, a huge suitcase fell from above me. “Whaa?!”
I nervously swallowed after my close brush with death by crushing.
“Did I do something wrong?”
I couldn’t figure out what.
Anyway, though. There were Charl, Laura, and Houki left to save. All right.
“Let’s do this!”
I popped open the suitcase.
◇
My name is Charlotte Dunois. I’m a student at IS—
[WORLD PURGE COMPLETE.]
—a maid in the service of the wealthy Orimura family. But that would all be over in a week. Because...
“Charlotte.”
“Wha—” I yelped in surprise as I felt a hand stroke my butt, then wrapped both arms around the broom I’d just almost dropped. “Master?! A-Again?!”
“It was just a quick feel. And isn’t it about time you stopped calling me ‘master’?”
“But...”
The previous head of the family, who had hired me straight out of an orphanage, had passed away last year, and now my master—Ichika—had taken his place. Ichika’s first announcement as head of the family was that he would ‘take the maid Charlotte as his wife.’ A week from now, he and I were to be wed.
“But I’m still a maid...”
“Oh? Then, surely, your master’s word is law?”
“Y-Yes, of course.”
“Really.” Intrigued, he reached out and flipped my skirt up.
“Eeeeeek!”
“You always wear such sexy lingerie, Charlotte.”
“I-I-It’s because Master told me to!”
They were sheer and see-through, with a fringe of white lace. I wore them, not just because he ordered me to, but in hopes that maybe one day he’d ask me to stay the night.
“You’re blushing, Charlotte.”
“Why, Master! I don’t know what’s gotten into you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to finish!” I spun around, trying to get away, only to feel his arms wrap around me.
“I’m not letting you escape.”
“No, wait... I still have work to do...”
His hands ran over my butt as he said, “And isn’t part of that work catering to my whims?”
“Mmmm... U-Understood...” I nodded timidly, blushing a bright red. With that, he suddenly swept me off my feet.
“I’ve caught myself an adorable little maid!”
“Someone will see us here...”
“It’s fine. They already know how things are between us.”
“That isn’t what I meant...”
Even as I argued with him, my cheeks glowed with happiness.
“Let’s go to my room.”
His kiss on my cheek left me as meek as a newborn kitten. I can’t resist... I didn’t even want to resist. My heart and my body were his, if he’d only reach out and take them. My beloved Ichika. My dear master.
“We’re here, Charlotte.”
“Mm...”
Ichika had carried me to his bedroom. Now, he gently set me down on his canopy bed. Is this... Is this finally...
Ka-thump, ka-thump, ka-thump. My heart ached as it tried to leap from my chest.
“Charlotte...” I watched him up close for a moment as he leaned down over me, before closing my eyes. “Hehe. I’ve got a present for you today.”
It was only as I felt his finger trace over my lips that I realized he wasn’t about to kiss me. Ahh... So it’s something else... I was relieved and disappointed, all at once. As I clung to that bittersweet feeling, I felt a dress drift down over me.
“Ah... This, this is!”
“Yes. For our wedding.” A pure white wedding dress, the kind every girl dreams of, was lying over me. “Try it on, Charlotte.”
“O-Okay.” With a nervous swallow and an energetic nod, Ichika and I rose from the bed.
“.........”
“.........”
“Er... Master?”
“What is it, Charlotte?”
“If you’re there, I... I can’t...”
“You can’t change?”
“Y-Yes.” I clutched the dress to myself while nodding. Ahh, this is so embarrassing.
“Why don’t you let me watch?”
“Huh?”
“Let me watch you change.”
“Uh...”
“I want to see.”
“But, um...”
“Please,” he said as he gave me a cheeky wink.
Ugh, I can’t refuse when he makes that face... But I stood silent, unable to bring myself to say ‘yes’ either. “May I, Charlotte?”
“Y-Yes...”
“Thank you.” Ichika kissed me again on the cheek, as if rewarding me. Even that little gesture filled me with joy. I’m such a pushover... As a smile rose to my face, I laid the dress down on the bed, then turned to face Ichika.
“I... I’m going to str—uh, change now...” I nervously corrected myself halfway through playing ‘strip.’ That would have been a bit much.
Swallowing nervously, I started by untying my apron. It rustled against my dress as it dropped. It was only an apron, but somehow, I could feel Ichika’s gaze and my heart felt like it would burst. It’s okay, there’s nothing to worry about... He’s already seen me in my underwear so many times... But this was the first time I’d be stripping down myself. As I thought about it, my hands grew timid.
“You can do it! Once you get married, you’ll be doing this every night!”
Wait...
“Charlotte, did you just say ‘every night’?”
“I-I said that out loud?!”
“Yeah.”
“Nngh!”
My face suddenly turned bright red, so quickly I felt like Ichika could hear it coming to a boil. That’s right! What was I talking about? We needed to at least take Sunday nights off to catch our breath— Wait, no, that wasn’t the problem! I shook my head, but the dirty thoughts just wouldn’t go away.
“Charlotte, dear. Your hands have stopped.”
“Y-Yeah...”
I needed to clear my mind. Embrace nothingness. My mind empty, I quickly undid the buttons of my dress.
“You don’t have to hurry like that.”
“The slower I go, the more embarrassing it is.”
Ichika grinned knowingly. Ahh, I can’t take this anymore! Steeling my will, I pulled my dress over my head in one swift motion and threw it on the floor. Embarrassed by Ichika’s piercing gaze playing over me, I reflexively covered my bra and panties with my hands.
“You don’t have to stare like that, Ichika...”
“But it’s such a beautiful sight.”
“Jeez, you...”
It didn’t feel bad, though. If anything, hearing that from someone I loved was emboldening, not embarrassing.
“I-Ichika... Do... Do you want to see more?”
“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate for a moment.
My face absolutely burned and I muttered, “Ichika, you pervert... Whatever are we going to do with you?”
I slowly pulled my hands away, revealing my lacy, see-through lingerie. All that was left on my body were the headdress, garter belt, and white knee-high socks which proved I was a maid. Along with a bra and panties. It’s embarrassing... But if it’s Ichika seeing, I don’t mind...
Just as I thought that, the door flew open, and a strange figure stepped into the room.
“Now what the hell are you doing?!” he shouted as he rushed toward Ichika. He was wearing a mask, cape, boots, and gloves—the very picture of a gentleman thief.
“Who the hell are you?!”
“No, who the hell are you?!”
“Ichika!” Wanting to protect Ichika from the man who’d tackled him, I pulled a saber from its decorative place on the wall and brandished it. “Get away from my master!”
“Whoa!”
My first slash cut through the air, only a hairs-breadth away from the thief.
“Calm down, Charl!”
“How dare a thief give me a nickname!”
Huh...?
“Thanks, Charlotte.”
Hold on a minute, here. My name is Charlotte. But... Someone special calls me Charl...
[WORLD PURGE INTRUSION.]
Zzzt!
“Ugh!”
My head suddenly ached. I... I like...
“Call me Charl!” I yelled as I turned my blade away from the real Ichika and toward the fake. At the same time, the color of the fake Ichika’s eyes changed.
“World purge anomaly... Intrusion detected... Glugh...”
The fake Ichika’s head leapt from his neck, cut loose by my saber.
“Man, I know he’s fake, but watching yourself get decapitated is still a little unsettling,” the real Ichika quietly muttered. From the neck of the imposter shot forth, not blood, but sparkling light. “Let’s get out of here, Charl!”
“Eh?!”
Ichika suddenly wrapped his arms around me. As his cape swept over me, I heard the sound of breaking glass from far away. I can feel Ichika’s pulse... Awash in a sea of warm emotion, I left the false world behind.
◇
“Phew...”
Back in the forest, I set Charl down.
“Eeeeeek!”
“Wait, wha— Gah!”
“Don’t look! Ichika, you pervert!”
Charl was covering my eyes with her hands, but I could still see that she was in the sexy underwear she’d been wearing rather than her IS Academy uniform.
“Why?! Cecilia came back in uniform.”
“I-It doesn’t matter! I told you, don’t look!”
“Owwwww!” I could feel her thumbs dig into my eye sockets.
“Ah! S-Sorry! Just, um, you’re the one who told me to wear these, and then to take them off...”
“But that was the fake me...”
“So you’re just going to make excuses?!”
That wasn’t an excuse, it was the truth.
“Wait, c’mon, Charl—” I pulled off my cape and spread it over her shoulders, while pleadingly grinning. “Do you want your face to get stuck like that?!”
Without a word, Charl spun around. Well, that was a failure. Charl pouted at me, her back turned, and muttered, “...A date.”
“Huh?”
Hearing me respond, she spun back around. Covering herself with the cape, she continued, “You heard me! A date! Take me to an amusement park, and I’ll forgive you.”
“Oh, sure. Yeah, let’s all go toge—”
“No! Just the two of us!” She glared at me, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Ugh... I can’t refuse when she makes that face... I nodded resignedly and said, “Fine... I’ll have to dig into my savings...”
“Really?! For real?!”
“Wait, it was your idea.”
“Well, yeah, but...” Charl’s smile gleamed as she clasped her cheeks in glee. “I did it! I finally managed to ask him!”
From her giggling, it seemed like she was back to her usual self. That was a relief, at least.
“Anyway, let’s get you out of cyberspace for now. I’ll see you out.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Kanzashi’s voice came as she once again appeared from the woods. “I’ll lead her out.”
“Oh, okay.” She sounded mad enough that I didn’t want to argue with her.
“First things first. Charlotte’s clothing... Download complete.” Charl was wrapped in light, and when it faded, she wore an IS Academy uniform.
“Anyway, Ichika. I’m leaving for a little bit. Don’t forget your promise!” Charl, somehow sounding very excited, skipped off back toward the fields. Before she followed, Kanzashi disgustedly muttered to me, “Playing favorites, huh.”
“What?! Wait, no, I was just—”
She had already frowned and turned away. Now left alone, I scratched my head in confusion.
[I’m glad you could see her smile again.]
Was I just hearing things? I couldn’t tell if I’d really heard that voice or not. Anyway...
“Two doors left. They must be Laura and Houki.” I guessed I must have been saving the hardest for last. “Ah well, a man’s gotta do what he’s gotta do.”
I rifled through the suitcase.
◇
My name is Laura Bodewig. Bundeswehr officer. Commander of the IS-equipped ‘Schwarze Hase’—
[WORLD PURGE COMPLETE.]
—a groom still enthralled with my bride of two months. We’d made our little love nest in a standalone house, bought on my officers’ salary. It was large for just two people, but soon enough, it would be filled with a loving family.
“Hmm...” I spread out the morning paper as I waited for breakfast. “The balance of power is shifting in the Middle East. I wonder, will it affect Germany?”
“Laura, you promised me you wouldn’t read at the table.”
“Mm. I’m sorry.” As I apologized, my bride placed a mug of hot cocoa—heavy on the milk—in front of me. I’m truly blessed to have such a bride. I nodded to myself. My bride’s name was Orimura Ichika.
“Laura, your omelet is ready.” As I took the fluffy, cooked-with-love omelet, I looked up at Ichika. He looked so proud in his apron.
“Ah, Ichika. Actually...” I cleared my throat. “I’ve managed to get the day off. So...”
“So we can be together all day?”
“Mm...” I shyly nodded, and a gleaming grin sprung to his face.
“Then I need to use one of these!”
“Ugh! You mean—”
The ‘do-anything’ tickets we’d traded with each other on our one-month anniversary. Seeing my own handwriting on them just embarrassed me more. And just how far are you going to push ‘anything’ this time... Last time he’d made me dress in Gothic Lolita fashion.
What would it be now? As a nurse? “Laura, my very own healing angel...”
As a maid? “Call me ‘Master’...”
Or even in a bunny suit?! “Laura, my cute little bunny...”
“Laura? Laura.”
“W-What?!”
“You have a nosebleed,” Ichika said as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face.
“I-I can do it myself, silly!”
“I know, I know.”
“You only have to say it once!”
“Anyway, say ‘ahh.’”
Chomp... Ahh, Ichika’s omelets are so fluffy and moist... Wait, this was no time to let my guard down!
“Ichika!”
“Yes?”
“J-Just what do you plan on asking for?!” I only realized I’d risen to my feet as Ichika teasingly scolded me, “Now, now, calm down. An officer should never lose her nerve, right?”
“...True.” I seated myself again, nibbled my toast, took a bite of salad, sipped my cocoa.
“Naked apron, probably.”
Pffffbbbt!
“Cough, cough. W-What?!”
“I want to see you naked except for an apron! Pretty please?”
“Silly! Who would ever do something like that?!”
I leaned over the table to glare at Ichika up close, only for him to kiss me on the forehead. Smooch.
“Ah...”
“Pweeeeeze? Laura?”
“Umm...”
“L-Like this?” My voice wavered as I nervously stepped into the living room. All that I wore was my eyepatch and an apron. I couldn’t imagine being any more embarrassed. Even though I pressed the cloth firmly to my body, I could feel Ichika’s gaze caress over me. “Ahh...”
“You’re adorable, Laura.”
“Shut up. Just shut up!”
Ichika’s gentle voice only fanned the flames of my embarrassment, “You know, since you’re wearing an apron, why don’t you cook something.”
“W-What?!”
“You’ll be even cuter if you do.”
“Ugh...”
I couldn’t resist anything he said, it was so cute. I hated being so silly, so tiny... But I loved it, too. I’m such a weak woman. I regretted it, but at the same time, was delighted to recognize it.
“Okay, but I won’t forgive you if you do anything weird,” I mumbled.
“Anything weird? Like what?”
“I thought I told you! Just... Just anything dirty, like... Ugh! Don’t make me say it!”
I jabbed Ichika in the gut, before stomping off to the kitchen.
“Oww... Oh, hey, Laura.”
“What?”
“Your butt is adorable.” He gave my bare bottom a playful spank. As my mind overheated, I began to spin around to reply with a fist. But he caught my fist in his soft hands, and wrapped me in an embrace from behind. “You’re so cute, Laura.”
“C’mon! Stop it, you idi— Ah!”
He began to fondle my breasts through the apron. As he felt my body tense in response, he whispered, sweetly yet naughtily, in my ear, “Let’s keep doing this all day.”
“D-Doing what?!”
“Making out.”
He kissed my neck. I... I— I—— My head swam. But... Maybe I should let myself be swept away... My mind was suddenly torn away from its vision of paradise by an angry shout, “Dammit, this again?! Why is everyone dreaming of this kind of junk?!”
A man in gleaming armor crashed through the door.
“Who the hell are you?!”
I cast about for a weapon and, finding a filet knife close at hand, flung it at the armored man. With a grind, it pierced into his chest... But not deep enough.
“Are you trying to kill me?!”
“Of course I am. Anyone who tries to get between Ichika and I deserves death!” Ducking out of Ichika’s embrace, I stayed low as I closed in on the armored intruder. “Hah!”
“......!”
I kicked high, planting my foot firmly in the one place the armor doesn’t cover. As I struck home, I could feel my foe’s bones creak.
“Ugh!” The armored man sank to his knees. Jerking the knife out of his chest, I nimbly flipped its tip up toward his neck.
“It’s over. Die.”
“Do your best, Laura!” I suddenly heard Ichika’s cheering voice from behind me, and my heart did a backflip.
“Of course I will. I’m about to finish—”
“You bastard, you’re making Laura fight for you?!” The armored man suddenly stood. Surprised, I cut at him with the knife, but I could feel its blade slide off him.
“Get out of my way, Laura!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The two voices, Ichika’s voice, came from both in front of and behind me. I... I... Brushing by me as I wavered, the armored man drew his sword.
“GRYAAAAAAH!”
“Do your best, Laura!”
The sword pierced Ichika’s breast, yet, even though it plunged through his heart, not a single drop of blood fell. Instead, he began repeating the same phrase, like a broken record.
“Do your best, Laura!”
Over and over.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
Endlessly.
“Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura! Do your best, Laura!”
As he repeated, the words ‘do your best’ almost seemed to twist into ‘fight your hardest.’ I... I was born to fight...
“No fucking way!”
The armored man slammed Ichika into the wall, then jerked his sword straight upward. Even as his head was sliced in two, Ichika continued his repetition, “Do your best... Laura... Fight... Fight... Kill... Kill...”
Ah... Ahhhhhhh...
“Ahhhhhh! No! No, I won’t! I’m not a machine made to fight—”
“Laura!” The man finally began to strip off his armor. As he pulled off his helmet, I saw a familiar face. “It’s okay now, Laura. You’re you. No one could ever take your place. You don’t have to fight.”
“Ahh... Ichika...”
Wrapped in his warm embrace, the world faded around me.
◇
“All right...”
Back in the woods, I set the sleeping Laura down on a patch of grass. Her even breath was proof that her dreams were peaceful. Looking her over, she seemed completely untouched.
“Almost like Sleeping Beauty.” I poked her nose. “She’s really cute like this.”
I sat down beside her and gazed up at the sky and muttered to myself, “You know, I wonder why I keep showing up in all of these, anyway.”
“Let me answer that.” Once again, Kanzashi’s face poked out of the underbrush.
“C’mon, stop scaring me like that.”
“Okay...” She nodded, seemingly back to her usual unenergetic self, and stepped forth.
“Jeez, you’re just covered in leaves again.” I picked them from her hair, one by one, as her face reddened. “Anyway, have you figured out how they’re being attacked?”
“Yes. It seems like the enemy’s accessing each of their minds directly, searching for their deepest fantasies, then showing them what they long for in order to cut them off from the outside world and inflict psychological damage. The intent of this is to—”
As Kanzashi spoke, Laura suddenly shot bolt upright, and she yelled out, “What are you talking about?! My ‘deepest fantasies’?! Have you gone mad?”
I couldn’t help but be amused by how flustered she was, and reached out to smooth her hair which had gone all over when she rocketed up. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” I said.
“Sleeping Beauty?! Ichika, Ichika, you—!”
Laura leapt at me, ready to wring my neck, only to be stopped when Kanzashi poked her cheek and said, “Your cheeks are bright red.”
“Whaaat?!”
“Meaning...?” I asked.
“Nailed it.”
“Wait, no, wrong! It’s all wrong! Why on earth would I be dreaming of a happy marriage?! Or a peaceful life?! Or three beautiful children?! I’m a frontline soldier! I live for my du—”
“Laura.” I patted her head, trying to calm her down. “Get out of here and get some rest. Okay?”
“Mm...”
The more I patted her head, the more the sensation of her hair on my fingers soothed me. Just as I was really beginning to enjoy myself, Kanzashi cleared her throat, “Ahem!”
Regretfully, I drew my hand back, and Kanzashi continued, “Anyway. We’re going back.”
“Got it. Be careful.”
“Ichika. When you make it back, we need to talk.”
“Huh?”
“F-Forget about it for now! That’s an order!” I saluted Laura as she shushed me, and we parted.
“Hmm...”
I fixed my eyes on the final door. Their deepest fantasies, huh. What on earth did that impossibly-Japanese swordswoman dream of?
“...You know. I don’t actually have to go in there.” I suddenly felt a wave of intense malice wash over me. “I was just kidding, ahahaha.”
Fishing through the suitcase again, I picked out an appropriate outfit.
“All right. Let’s go.”
I opened the final door.
◇
My name is Shinonono Houki. Ichika’s childhood friend, and his senior at the dojo. I’m also a student at IS Academy—
[WORLD PURGE............COMPLETE.]
—Caretaker of Shinonono Shrine, together with Ichika. When not performing the duties of a shrine maiden, I instruct children in the way of the blade.
“Nine-hundred and ninety-eight... Nine-hundred and ninety-nine... One thousand!” Finishing my thousandth practice swing of the day, I wipe the sweat from my brow.
“You really take your morning practice seriously.” Ichika had brought me a towel. He was in gi and hakama as well, and their black coloring suited him well.
“Are you starting now?”
“Nah, I finished an hour ago. I just got back from a run.”
“I see... I suppose we can...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, nothing!”
“Huh. Well, why don’t we have breakfast? I made your favorite, miso with daikon slices.”
“Mhm.”
I followed a smiling Ichika inside.
◇
“That’s strange.” Inside the digital world of light and shadow, the ‘enemy’ attacking IS Academy whispered to themselves. “World Purge is less effective on Shinonono Houki. I wonder why?”
It couldn’t have been just that it didn’t completely take. Houki was cut off completely from the outside world. Hmm... The girl couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Uneasily, she reached her destination in the virtual world.
This must be the system core... Wandering through this pathless world, with its Escherian twists and turns, she had finally reached its center—an icebound statue of a girl. It’s just like Tabane said... Looking up at a massive block of ice, she whispered, “The core of Orimura Chufuyu’s IS ‘Kurezakura’...”
◇
“All right, let’s begin sparring. En garde!”
“En garde!”
I—Shinonono Houki—and Ichika, wearing our kendo gear, rise smoothly. Our shinai clash against each other, as we gauge our distance.
A silent, tense atmosphere grips the dojo. In kendo, the one who moves first is at a disadvantage. Answering your opponent’s moves is key. However, it’s also possible to fix the tempo of the bout by taking the initiative. We silently size up each other, seeking to understand the other’s breath, their footwork, their rhythm. Understand when they’ll attack, and be ready to counter.
But— He’s completely unreadable... You’ve improved, Ichika. So I’ll have to... Pulling my shinai inward, I press toward Ichika. As he shoves forward himself, I use the momentum to leap backward, evading his counter.
“Haah!”
Swiftly, I slash across his torso. Our bodies brush by one another.
“...You got me.” It was me who admitted defeat. Just before my slash connected, his own shinai struck my mask. It was a swift, decisive riposte.
“Thank you very much!” After thanking each other, we put away our shinai. Stepping out of the dojo, we kneeled side by side and removed our masks.
“Phew.” I had lost, but my heart was full of cheer. As I gazed upon Ichika happily, our eyes met. “Ah...”
It had been three months since Ichika had begun boarding at the Shinonono Shrine to make his commute to high school easier. At first his talents had been dulled, but soon enough they began to return and he was a match even for me.
“Houki, I’m going to get changed and sweep the courtyard.”
“Understood. I’m going to take a quick bath and wash off some of this sweat.”
For a moment, I imagined that he would peek in on me, but the Ichika I knew wasn’t that kind of man. He was the very picture of Japanese propriety. Well... I would like it if he were to marry into the Shrine, for us to someday raise children, and finally, spend our golden years together— Ah!
“A-Ahem. That’s still some ways ahead of us. For now, I’m happy just to be by Ichika’s side. To be closer to him than anyone...”
[WORLD PURGE INTRUSION DETECTED. PROCEEDING TO ELIMINATE.]
“...Mm?” As I stood to put away my gear, a man in white hakama strode into the dojo’s doorway. His face was hidden by his mask. What was an outsider doing here in full gear? “I’m sorry, we’re closed today.”
“I, ah... I’m here with a challenge!”
“What?”
“There’s a man named me— Uh, I mean, a man named Orimura Ichika here. I want to challenge him!”
“Oh really.” Challenging my Ichika? He was courageous, I’d give him that. But... “I can already see who will be the victor, though.”
“You never know until you try, Houki.” Hm? How does he know my name? “Anyway! I want to challenge Orimura Ichika to a duel!”
“Hmph. If you insist, I’ll go call for him.”
With a proud sneer, I turned and set out for the courtyard to find Ichika.
◇
“Ichika, that was close.”
“Uhh... I know, I know, I just got caught up in the moment. Sorry.”
Kanzashi cut in to warn me, and I apologized for almost giving away who I was.
“Be careful. Houki’s Ichika is the strongest...”
“Huh? Why?”
“You really are that dense, aren’t you...” The connection dropped as quickly as it had been opened. At the same time, the fake me strode into the dojo.
“I’ll warn you, Ichika is just as strong as I am, and I’m the assistant instructor. There’s no way a roughneck like you stands a chance.”
You sure do like to talk him up...
“Isn’t that right, Ichika?” I could almost see her melt as he grinned in response. Just seeing that expression aimed at the fake me made my blood boil.
“Of course it is, Houki.” How on earth is he that much of a blockhead?! The fake me smiled back at her, and she stared, enraptured, at his face. What’s with you, Houki? You never smile at me like that.
Holding back the rage and frustration welling up in me, I raised my shinai. Directly before me, the fake me did too, palpably pumped up by Houki’s cheers. All right, I just need to take him down and— Smack!
“Eh...?”
The staccato echo of a shinai rang through the dojo as my head felt like a bomb had just gone off next to it.
“Touch!” Houki proudly, elegantly announced my loss.
No way! C’mon, he’s insane! He wasn’t just on a level with Houki. He was far stronger. Honestly, he may even have been a match for Chifuyu. His footwork was swift, with not an ounce of effort wasted. His movements flowed like water as he leapt to strike. He could read me like a book, too. By every possible measure, he was first-class.
“I knew you could do it, Ichika!” Houki grinned from ear to ear.
“Of course I could, Houki.” The fake me’s reply was every bit as manipulative as his very existence.
I was filled with envy I couldn’t even explain, so frustrated it hurt to breathe.
“One more time!” I yelled out before even realizing it.
“Hmph. No matter how many times you try, it’ll end the same way.” Houki fixed me with a cold glare as she pronounced judgment. I wanted to argue, but I clamped down on that impulse and raised my shinai again.
“I suppose I’ll take you on again.”
“You’re so kind... Ichika.” My eyebrow twitched.
“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do,” fake me grinned. Houki giggled, and my other eyebrow twitched.
“Let’s do this, then!” I hated how they looked at each other, and my voice cracked in childish frustration. I didn’t even understand myself why it bothered me so much. But every ounce of me was screaming that it just wasn’t right.
“Begin!” Houki’s voice echoed.
I struck swiftly at the fake me’s hands, but rather than pulling back defensively, he struck to overpower me. I lost my balance at his sudden counterattack, and smoothly, he struck my mask again.
“Match!” Houki’s voice rang out clearly. But I was—
“I’m not finished yet!”
Again, I challenged the fake me.
◇
What’s even with this guy? The dojo challenger had lost 27 straight matches to Ichika, but he still hadn’t given up. Still, though, his breath was ragged and his focus was long since destroyed. He’ll never be able to beat Ichika like this... It was obviously impossible... Yet, something drove him to keep trying. Something, indeed.
He never gives up, never stops trying. Who was it? Who had I seen with that determination? Who? Who?!
“Whaa!”
“Huh?!” The question had taken my attention away from the bout. The man’s legs had been swept out from under him by Ichika, and, catching him by his foot, Ichika swung him my way. Smoosh.
“Ah...” Grasping for something to hold him upright, the man’s hands plunged directly into my bosom.
“Wait, no, sorry, I wasn’t trying to—”
“You— You creep!” I swear, every single time! “I won’t forgive you for this, Ichika!”
...Huh?
“Wait, if you’re... Ichika? Then, who’s that?”
“Eh? Uh, umm...”
That awkward hesitation... This was Ichika! It was Ichika, I knew it!
“Take off that mask!”
“Whoa, stop it! Stop it, Houki!”
He called me by name! I knew it was him!
“Ichika! You little... Why do you always do this kind of—”
“Houki, I’m Ichika!” the fake Ichika cried out.
“Be quiet— Disappear!” As Houki’s clarion call echoed, the fake Ichika disappeared, and the scenery faded from the false dojo back to the forest.
“Uhh, Houki... Are you okay?” Ichika, in a butler’s uniform, stared at me in surprise.
“Okay? Okay?! You just grabbed my chest!” Before I even realized it, I was in a rage. “It’s time for your punishment!”
Opening my IS, I summoned forth my Karaware blade.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait! That’s even worse than coming at me with a sword— WHOA!”
“You’re not getting away from this!”
I chased after the fleeing Ichika. For some reason, I was enjoying it. Even more than I enjoyed that maudlin dream...
◇
“So everything I saw in there was just an illusion created by this ‘World Purge’ thing? And all they were trying to do with it was buy time? Ugh, now I’m really ticked off.”
It was only back in the real world, listening to Kanzashi’s explanation, that Houki realized what had happened.
“What I don’t understand is why Houki managed to break free from it so easily.” Cecilia, Ling, Charlotte, and Laura looked around nervously. “Especially compared to everyone else, who just—mmph!”
Four hands covered Kanzashi’s mouth.
“Why, whyever would you think that?”
“Mhm! We were just about to snap out of it on our own too!”
“Yeah! She’s right!”
“Certainly!”
Houki side-eyed the four for a moment, before turning her gaze to Ichika, who still hadn’t awakened. I hope he’s safe, but... I’m worried...
◇
“All right, I finally made it.”
Walking out from under the cover of the trees, I found myself on a glimmering white beach, with the sapphire sea stretching out to the horizon. Is this the system core? I had a weird feeling almost like déjà vu, like I’d been here before but like it was my first time too.
“Wait, is that...”
A lone girl stood amidst the flat expanse of the dunes. Her hair was long and silver. Huh? Do I recognize her from somewhere? But she doesn’t look familiar... As I approached her, her silver hair began to ring a bell.
“Laura? Is that you?”
As I called out to the girl, she turned around. Her eyes were closed, but she replied, “I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is Chloe. Chloe Chronicle. I’ll be leaving now.”
Even as she spoke, she sank into her shadow and began to disappear.
“H-Hey. Wait up!” My call was in vain as she faded away. “What do I do now?”
I still wasn’t able to get in contact with Kanzashi. With no other choice, I walked along the beach, and soon found another woman at the water’s edge. “Ah...”
The black-haired beauty was my—
◇
“Man, he’s still out cold?” Ling sighed as she looked down at Ichika’s limp form in the bed. “Perhaps he fell for the same sort of trap as we did?”
Kanzashi disagreed, quietly but firmly, “I don’t think that’s possible now. The system’s already been cleared.”
“So why isn’t he waking up?” Charlotte asked curiously, only to be met by Laura’s intent gaze.
“Maybe if we kiss him,” she said with a deadly serious tone.
“Wait, whaaaaaaat?!” Everyone but Laura raised their voice in surprise. If you listened closely, you could even hear Kanzashi shout a little.
“Kiss him?! What are you talking about!”
“Hmph. Didn’t you ever learn about that? The way to wake up a sleeping princess has always been to kiss them. At least, that’s what my second-in-command said.”
“Sounds like she needs a demotion...”
While Ling rolled her eyes, Cecilia spoke up energetically, “Ah, but wait! We’d be fools to let the opportunity pass!”
“Seriously? What’s gotten into you, Ceci—”
“And who better but myself? I, Cecilia Alcott, of proud noble blood, have a duty to wake the sleeping Prince Ichika!” Cecilia sniffed haughtily.
“Ehh?! Wait, no fair! I’m a cadet too!” Charlotte raised her hand, not wanting to miss her chance.
“A-Ahem! I mean, it’s just kind of like CPR, isn’t it?” Houki softly raised her own as her gaze played over Ichika.
“Well I can do it too, okay?!” Ling’s hand shot into the air.
“Come on! It was my idea! Don’t try to steal it!” Laura’s voice rose as she argued, and in the confusion, Kanzashi made her own move first.
“.........”
“Hold it!” Houki grabbed her right arm, and Laura her left.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to sneak in?”
“I-I just... That wasn’t what I was trying to do, but the longer we sit here and watch him, the longer it seems like it’s going to take. So I was thinking about taking a more active approach and breaking the deadlock, not to force my way in, but because I feel like it’s only the right thing to do. And someone has to take responsibility, so—”
“Gah! That’s too long! Too long and too complicated! It’s got more twists in it than Cecilia’s hairstyle!” Ling cried out.
“Indeed, indeed...! Wait, Ling, what was that about my hair?”
As the argument continued, Charlotte, left off to the side, suddenly had a revelation, “Wait, is this my chance?”
“Like hell it is!” Ling, trying to cut her off, launched into a dropkick. Charlotte weaved to the side, evading, just as the door behind her slid open.
“What are you brats going on about— Oh?” Ling’s foot connected with Chifuyu’s belly. Of course, she was completely unscratched. “I always knew you’d try this someday, Huang.”
“I, uh... Ahhhhhhh...” Ling trembled as the others could only muster wan smiles as goodbyes. As for what followed...
[This video has been altered to protect the identity of the persons on camera.]
“At that moment, I was sure I’d never see Ling’s smiling face again.”
“I expected to see her beaten to a pulp.”
“So this was her fate...”
“Death is the only reward for turning against mein Lehrerin. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t pity her.”
“She was a trustworthy friend... A kind mother... A talented teacher... Uh, what else goes on a tombstone?”
—R.I.P. Huang Lingyin.