“Oh Heavenly Mikael, while it’s a bit earlier than planned, all preparations are complete. Yes, that’s right. Your wish will finally come true.”
The Black Suit said, announcing that the time had finally come.
And then he asked me, “Whenever you decide, please come find us. We’ll be waiting at the Arius Basilica. Hee hee.”
He inquired if I was ready to welcome the princess.
“…”
Waking from my slumber, I stared blankly at the ceiling.
Ready, you say? What a meaningless question.
Since the moment I realized the true existence of Mika in this world, I had been eagerly counting down to this moment. Yet, where would the hesitation even come from?
So, I was ready from the very beginning.
As I lowered my gaze, the sight of Nagisa’s peacefully sleeping face resting on my arm came into view. She looked like an angel.
…She really was an angel, though.
I pressed my lips against her forehead and sank into thought.
If Nagisa found out I was going to meet the Black Suit, she would surely worry. Who knows, she might even throw a fit wanting to come along, which isn’t really her style.
But there was no option to remain silent. I had promised to let her know.
‘I will wait at the Arius Basilica.‘
Thinking about it, it seemed the Black Suit had moved the meeting place from the High Cathedral of the Union to the Arius Basilica. Since it was originally connected through the Catacombs, it wouldn’t have been a difficult task.
Moreover, the current Arius Autonomous District was uninhabited land.
Every single student from Arius had been transferred to Trinity. Those with poor behavior were imprisoned by the Educational Bureau, but that didn’t change the fact that the Arius Autonomous District was empty.
All the ancient artifacts and important documents had long since been moved to Trinity. I still vividly remember how Uei smiled, saying there were plenty of poor unfortunate kids who were brought in.
Among those, I recall receiving reports about the Temple Association President’s ceremonial robe, which was a bizarre artifact in many ways. It’s now stored by the Sisterhood, who succeeded the Justina Temple Association… I remember my head freezing for a moment when I first saw it.
So, we can say the Black Suit, that devious fellow, has become the new owner of the abandoned Arius Autonomous District.
Though, calling him an owner doesn’t really matter since Arius has no value left anyway.
…Hmm. Even if I said I would go alone, she’d never let me.
But I didn’t think the Black Suit would stab me in the back at this stage.
Whether Nagisa would believe that was a completely different matter.
Well, I could compromise and take a couple of people with me. Since we’re in Arius, Saori and… Atsuko. Just those two should be enough.
The process of passing through the Catacombs, which would have been a hassle, wouldn’t be much of a problem now that the students from Arius belong to Trinity.
“Ugh…”
Nagisa stirred in my arms. Sneaking a glance at her bare skin, full of my traces, I closed my eyes.
I felt a bit guilty recalling how the true Mika might have been shocked seeing our relationship.
“Mika cha…”
Suddenly, I felt Nagisa tightening her grip around my waist. When I opened my eyes, her warm brown eyes greeted me.
“Yes, Nagisa-chan.”
“Are we not going anywhere today…?”
Hearing Nagisa’s question, I momentarily froze. What on Earth did she know to ask me something like that?
“I just had a feeling. A feeling that you might leave me and run away…”
“Ahaha, where would I go without my Husband? We promised to be together for a lifetime☆.”
“…Really?”
Once she heard my affirming answer, Nagisa seemed relieved, resting her head on my shoulder with a pleasant smile.
However, there was something I needed to say to her.
To have just asked where I would run off to and then mention that I had somewhere to go today felt a bit absurd, even to me.
“…Nagisa-chan.”
“Yes, Mika-chan…”
Nagisa, still groggy, responded softly. But the moment she heard the next part of my sentence, her eyes widened in surprise.
I told her I received contact from Gematria. I was planning to head to the Arius Basilica today to retrieve the true Mika.
Upon hearing this, Nagisa, who had been staring at me blankly for a moment, let out a deep sigh.
Perhaps it was thanks to my previous mention of taking Saori and Atsuko with me?
In the end, the final verdict dropped in my favor.
Probably, Nagisa shared the same desire to meet the true Mika as I did.
*
Fortunately, Saori readily agreed to my request. She mentioned it was the first time using her annual leave since joining Heungsinso 68.
Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered if she hadn’t used it, but since she never got the chance to take a day off, she wanted to feel special.
On the other hand, Atsuko immediately attempted to negotiate with me. She claimed that when we returned to the Arius Autonomous District, there was a place she wanted to show me, giving me an irresistible look.
Since it wasn’t a difficult request, I happily accepted the deal.
“But, Mika.”
“Yes, Saori-chan. What is it?”
“…It’s nothing special. Walking around here brings back memories.”
After getting Nagisa’s approval and notifying the other lovers, I stepped into the dimly lit Catacombs with Saori and Atsuko on either side.
Coincidentally, this spot was where I had battled the Arius Squad back in the day.
Naturally, it made Saori recall old memories.
“Ugh… that’s right. Back then, Saori-chan was super angry, wasn’t she?”
“…”
Saori turned her head away, seemingly embarrassed.
But the first one to bring it up wasn’t me, it was Saori…
“What was it like back then for you, Saori-chan?”
Atsuko, who was tightly hugging my arm, asked. Unlike Saori, who was on high alert holding her gun, she looked like we had come out for a stroll.
“Well…”
“M-Mika. I don’t think Atsuko needs to know that.”
“Eh? But, anyway, Atsuko-chan will just ask the other kids and get an answer.”
“…Urgh.”
Seeing that my statement was true, Saori trembled her hands. Yet, she didn’t try to stop me any further, indicating she understood that this was better.
It would be better to keep this little happening between the three of us rather than drag other squad members into recalling that day’s events.
“Back then, what did Saori-chan say? ‘Princessssss!’…”
“Really?”
“Th-That’s not how it went!”
“Ahaha, well… Yeah, it definitely sounded more furious than that, right?”
“I understand.”
Atsuko, glancing at the flustered Saori, broke into a smile.
“I find that side of Saori-chan really cute.”
“…”
Hearing Atsuko’s words, Saori trembled not just her hands, but her whole body. She seemed terribly embarrassed.
“But to think there’s a true Mika sister… It’s hard to imagine.”
“…Indeed. Mika, you know what the original Mika is like, right?”
In the midst of it all, I paused momentarily upon hearing the conversation from between the two girls.
When it comes to the original Mika… If you ask me what the original character of Mika was like, I would probably answer yes.
However, Mika in this place wasn’t the original Mika.
To be precise, she was the Mika who returned to the past from the catastrophic Kivotos.
It might not even just be a simple past. Her teacher was female… and here, the teacher was male.
Still, I wished for the true Mika to find happiness.
For better or worse, my favorite character had to remain as Misono Mika for eternity.
“I just know she’s a rather unfortunate girl.”
After that statement, the conversation fell silent for a moment.
We continued deeper into the dark, dreary Catacombs, ultimately stepping foot back into the Arius Autonomous District.
“It’s… really been a while.”
Back then, I had come here to save Saori and stop Beatrice.
And now, I had returned alongside Saori, to retrieve the princess.
Thinking about it, the memories of Misono Mika I had snooped on… led directly to the Arius Basilica.
The fact that the Black Suit chose that location seemed somehow ironic.
Since the Black Suit would not have snooped into Mika’s memories, it was purely coincidence…
Was it a twist of fate?
“Atsuko-chan, what is it you wanted to show me…?”
“Uh-huh.”
I asked Atsuko while still glancing around the gloomy Arius Autonomous District. Atsuko shook her head and urged me to go ahead.
“That’s not as important as your affair with Mika. So I’ll show you that later.”
I had no reason to refuse her suggestion, so I nodded and stepped toward the Arius Basilica.
The eerie atmosphere of the abandoned Arius Autonomous District was enough to raise Saori’s guard. I too, firmly held my gun with one hand.
“Hee hee hee. I never thought you’d come this soon… Actually, I did predict this would happen.”
Finally, as we arrived at the Arius Basilica, the Black Suit revealed himself before us.
Seeing that guy still pitch-black inside and out, I let out a small sigh.
Yet, at the same time, I was silently chuckling.
“Today, I’ve never been more glad to see your face, Black Suit.”
Now it was truly time to shatter the mirror and reveal the princess.
