Part 80: It Won't End

_{content warning: mention of suicide}

BGM: He Reveals me the Answer


I was able to speak with Parca herself within my dreams until that point.

H-Hold up... You were able to speak with her? And you're the survivor of the previous Divine Selection? Which means this isn't the first one...?

R-Rinka, calm down! Let's take this one step at a time...

Scale seems awfully composed in the face of our surprise.



Well, that explains things. I did find it odd that something like this could happen out of the blue, so it makes sense for it to be a scheduled occurrence. How many years ago was this, if you don't mind my asking?

Long enough ago that I don't remember, I'm afraid. I hadn't even turned one.

And you managed to survive despite that...? Did you have someone helping you along the way?

I've said enough already. Knowing that the system itself will be compromised if two or more people survive is plenty, isn't it?

Not really, but I can tell that you want to kill the conversation here. I'll settle for what you've told me for now.

It's odd, really. He knows I'm going to elect him, but he never tried to make me reconsider. It's like he isn't worried in the slightest. That realization is enough to shift the surprise away from what Miharu has just revealed.



I doubt I'll get anything worthwhile by staying, so allow me to take my leave now.

With that, he makes his way out of Lion House without a care in the world.

…

BGM: Silence


Soon after, the three of us end up at our usual table. That's all, though. We just sit there in silence. I figure nothing will change if I don't speak up. That prompts me to work up the courage to say something.

BGM: Two Crossing Paths -S/I V/S-
Tell me, Miharu. Did you have any intention of making it through this together with me in the first place?

She draws her eyes away from me. I take a bit to think before I continue.

Sorry. That was a cruel way to put it. You were planning to give yourself up for me after all, weren't you? We'd elect one another, but you wouldn't protect yourself in the end. That was your plan, right?

She'd let herself get eliminated and leave me as the sole survivor. I'd become the vessel for the goddess or whatever, but in exchange, that'd let me escape my death.



You realize why Scale left the way he did based on what I've told you, right? My death is what kicked this round of Divine Selection off in the first place.

I fail to find any words to reply with after her explanation. Instead, Naomi speaks up.

So the death of the current vessel is what triggers a new round of Divine Selection. In other words, your death created this one, correct?

Exactly. You two know my cause of death, too. It was no accident. I went through with it on my own, hurting the person dearest to me in the process.

While I know the cause and am in possession of the card, I don't know the details behind it. I couldn't bring myself to ask her before, either. Mainly because I felt it had no relevance to Divine Selection. The last thing I want is to force her to talk about something like that. There's one thing I know for certain, though.

You didn't always wish death upon yourself, though. That's why-

There's no need to cover for me. The card you hold and the outcome it represents are all that matter.

Yet again, I'm left without a means to respond. She's made it abundantly clear that she doesn't want any form of consolation.

I figured that you'd hesitate to elect me when the time comes if you knew about this. That's why I tried to keep it to myself, although that effort's been for nothing since I've spilled the beans.



It wasn't for nothing at all! It couldn't be, not when you've been thinking so hard about how to ensure Rinka's survi-

And just what would you know about that?

Chill, Miharu...

No, she's right. I was out of line.

Here I am, lying to Rinka and lashing out at Naomi... I really am the worst.

Miharu derides herself before standing up. I shoot up immediately after, although it takes me a little longer to find the right words to refute her.



That's not true! Don't beat yourself up over this...

I'm going to go home so I can cool my head. You don't mind, do you?

Miharu...

I don't have it in me to lie to you again...

Miharu takes her leave, refusing to look back even when we attempt to stop her. I notice her biting her lip as she is leaving, too. She is doing everything she can to hold something back. With Miharu gone, Naomi and I sit down facing one another. It pains me to know that I'm the one repsonsible for making Miharu feel the way she does. It was for my sake that she never mentioned anything about becoming a vessel. My survival means so much to her that she's willing to lie to me. She's been dealing with far more than I could have ever imagined.



I hope she'll be all right...

I think she'll be fine, given time. It's all my fault for letting Scale influence me, though. It basically forced her to prove him wrong...

Don't blame yourself. If anything, I should be the one doing that...

It's not your fault, either. We shouldn't sit here feeling sorry for ourselves when Miharu's hurting the most, though. Sorry for starting that cycle in the first place.

Yeah... There's no way she'd be fine while dealing with a secret like that...

Miharu never even considered the possibility of her own survival, judging by what she said.

I feel even more confused about both Parca and Divine Selection now... Miharu said she was able to converse with Parca, right? Does that mean she knew what fate awaited you?



I doubt it. She looked genuinely shocked when she first saw me in the dream world. When you think of it that way, if it weren't for Divine Selection, I'd be dead right now. Plain and simple.

It's also thanks to Divine Selection that the terrorist attack on that day was undone at all.

Maybe it'd have been for the best if I accepted my fate.

...No, it wouldn't have.

Naomi speaks up with a quivering voice.

BGM: Naomi


Meeting you and being saved by you in exchange for your own life... Losing my life, only to be saved by you again... Being taught how to brew coffee, setting up our culture festival store, arguing with Miharu only to learn more about her by doing so... If it was all predetermined, then I can safely say that I hate fate and everything it stands for.

Naomi...

B-Besides, I'd forget everything that happened during Divine Selection if anything were to happen to you... I don't want to believe fate has a say in that... My memories of you are too precious for that to be the case...



Sorry... I know this is far worse for you two than it is for me...

Thanks, Naomi. That's precisely why I won't allow myself to give in.

I don't want everything to be undone. My encounters, my accomplishments... I don't want any of it to be for naught. That being the case, I have no choice but to live.

Alongside Miharu.

There's no real basis to Miharu's claims that there can only be one survivor. Parca herself said she'd explain what would happen should two or more remain, if that's what comes to pass.

I can't recall if I explained this to her before, so I make sure to go over it again, just in case.

...So you're going to try it and see how things go?

Yup. If that's the only option, then I may as well. I'll probably talk to Scale again, too.



...It's a relief to see you acting like your usual self.

Naomi makes her way home after our chat in order to get back before it's too late. We're already coming up to the end of June, so the daylight lasts longer now. It's still nice and bright outside, despite being past six. Seeing her off also helps me to reaffirm something important.

There was meaning behind us meeting.

…

I open up the cafe sometime after seven. I feel pretty bad about it, considering I saw a number of regulars pass by while getting the place ready. It's hard to call this place everyone's second home with my schedule, but I just don't have it in me to completely close shop. I'm willing to admit that this might not be the best approach. But so long as my gran gives me the okay, I want to ensure that the store remains open as much as possible.

…..

BGM: Rinka's Room


06/26 (TUE), Night
Feels like I've gotten used to being exhausted now.

That's the first thought to enter my head when I lay down after taking a shower.

Miharu...

My mind jumps to Miharu immediately after, however. More specifically, that expression of hers as she left. As for me...