"So that's how it is."
▽
"——————"
Consciousness returned.
I checked the pocket watch beside me.
… I barely slept at all.
It had only been about ten minutes since I lost consciousness.
Seras was
"..."
lying with her back turned to me.
She seemed to be awake, but—
"… …?"
A strange feeling.
Right now, my upper body was covered only by the wrapped bandages.
Centered around my exposed chest, "it" was there.
A mysterious lingering sensation.
A temperature slightly higher than the rest of my body…
There was one more strange feeling.
I touched my mouth.
My lips.
… They were strangely warm and wet.
I silently looked at Seras's back.
Embarrassment,
tension,
shock,
regret,
guilt,
… and awareness.
I could read the jumble of emotions swirling inside her.
"..."
I sat up and ran my fingers through my bangs.
I called out to her.
"… Still can't sleep?"
Seras's round shoulders twitched.
She took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry."
I wondered what exactly she was apologizing for.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I-I'm sorry…"
"..."
This was probably the moment where I should pretend I hadn't noticed.
"Can I put you to sleep with a skill?"
That was probably best for Seras right now too.
She curled her body up slightly and answered.
"Please do."
"—[Sleep]—"
Before long, I heard steady, rhythmic breathing.
Seras rolled over and lay on her back.
I glanced sideways at her.
… She was completely sound asleep.
"...…"
I let out a breath.
I had vaguely sensed it.
Ever since the battle with the Corpse Eater, Seras had been keeping a deliberate distance from me.
Yes—consciously.
She had probably been trying to be considerate of me.
So that those kinds of feelings wouldn't get in the way of my journey of revenge.
Even so,
"She was bolder than I expected…"
I was a little surprised.
No,
"But well… I guess that's how it goes."
The effect had been far too immediate.
A lonely escape journey where both body and mind were completely exhausted.
Meeting someone on that path with whom she could finally let her guard down.
And then being saved in that desperate situation in such a way.
If our positions had been reversed.
If Seras had been the one saving me like that.
"I wouldn't find it strange if she fell for me… But—"
Right before I lost consciousness.
I had planned to sleep after Seras fell asleep.
And yet—my consciousness had slipped away.
On Seras's lap, I had completely lost consciousness.
Completely.
"So that's how it is."
I gazed at Seras, whose chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.
"Looks like I…"
At some point,
"had also come to trust you this much."
After finishing our rest, we left the cave and hurried onward.
Right after setting out, it was still dark.
But before long, the sky shifted from dim twilight to the colors of dawn.
The Demon Zone that morning was unusually quiet.
The clear, crisp air pleasantly filled my lungs.
We didn't encounter any significant obstacles.
Perhaps because the number of monsters in the area had decreased after the recent slaughter?
Or maybe this area had been recognized as a dangerous zone by the monsters.
In any case,
"Touka."
Eve stood beside me.
"Yeah."
I checked the map.
From here on, we would finally be entering the Witch's domain.
The light dot representing us and the light dot representing the Witch.
The edges of the two dots overlapped.
"We can't turn back anymore, Eve."
The corner of my mouth twisted.
"Well… it's not like we had any intention of turning back anyway."
"Indeed."
The blood fighter I had once dreamed of nodded.
"Of course not."
And so, we stepped into the Witch's forbidden territory.