???: “So. Did you get to see what you wanted to see. ーーLouis Arneb.”
Louis: “Huh?”
Upon the sudden accost, Louis, who had gained awakening of her consciousness, rounded her eyes.
Blinking a few times, she made certain of her location. White environs, white ground and white skies, standing within the world blanketed white, Louis had been making a stupefied expression.
Louis: “ーーーー”
Having her hand touch her face, making contact, she made certain of the sensation.
Since there was no mirror in this place she could not take a look, but this sensation was irrefutably her own face. With there not being even any moderate amusements in this place, speaking of things touchable, only her own face, own body counted as one.
That is why, she had touched her face to an extent one would grow sick of touching it. That is why, upon touching her face she had grown sick of touching, she could immediately know in what state her face, her body was.
Just as before. Yes, just as before. ーーThis was, Louis’ own body.
???: “Did you get to see what you wanted to see, huh?”
Slowly, stupefied, making certain of herself was Louis.
With that behaviour reaching a point where it could pause, abruptly, the accost now overlapped once again. Lifting her face, Louis looked at the personage who had been standing before her, in front of her eyes all along.
Rather short black hair and stabbing sanpaku eyes, with legs the same length as his body, wearing a shabby appearance was the juvenile.
His name, Natsuki Subaru. The existence Louis herself had become one with as a Witch Factor, andーー,
Louis: “ーーAh.”
ーーAnd, the being of unimaginable insanity, wielding the Authority which had the ability to『Return by Death』.
Louis: “No, NOOOOOooooooOOOOOooOOoOOooooーー ~tsu!!”
Louis opened her mouth, and roared.
As long as the strength remained, as long as the possibility remained, with complete devotion she roared.
Should she have not done that, she would get crushed by the pressure. By the terror, by the menace, by the despair.
She would get snared in the insanity of a lunatic, who repeated and resumed continuing『Death』time after time.
Louis: “Don’t want to die! We, don’t want to die! Hate it, hate it hate it hate it hate it, hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it! Hate it! Hate i~t ~tsu!!”
Swinging her head, collapsing onto the bare ground, Louis frantically appealed while drawing back.
Assimilating with that existence, Louis had personally experienced『Death』. She had tasted it. By being taken in by the『Soul』who practiced『Return by Death』by her own volition, she had experienced『Return by Death』first-hand, which turned back even time.
The memories of『Death』that had been incomplete as merely Natsuki Subaru’s『Memories』.
After all, memories were naught but memories. The sensational impact of never returning again upon letting go even once of that instant, of that juncture, of that moment, could never be obtained.
That had been, why she thirsted for that. She had thirsted, for what flavour『Death』had.
Even if『Death』had been something less vivid than what Louis had expected, using the Authority that goes by the name of『Return by Death』, she could gain sufficient change with the right to walk a life in which redoing was a possibility.
That, is what she believed. ーーUntil she herself, tasted『Death』that is.
Louis: “Something like that…… something like that, can never be withstood! That anguish! Sense of loss! No way can it be withstood! Impossible! Impossible impossible! Absolutely impossible! Hate i~t!”
Not even once, had she possessed a way to die comfortably.
Not even once, had she felt『Death』to be luscious.
Not even once, had she wished to die on her own volition.
Natsuki Subaru had tasted that greater than twenty times, and had replayed that.
Louis: “Someone who can withstand that, is not human! Monster! A monste~r ~tsu!”
She could not. No way she could.
Louis had indulged in a great number of lives, affronted all kinds of『Souls』, and had searched a life of her own.
She believed she had possessed the right, the privilege, to do so.
That is why, she stretched her hands even into the『Soul』of Natsuki Subaruーー the consequence, she got her naive ■ shattered.
Becauseーー,
Louis: “ーーThe human heart, cannot withstand something like itself dyi~ng ~tsu!!”
Want to become, happy.
Want to become happy. Want to become happy. Want to become happy. Want to become happy.
Want to become happy. Want to become happy. Want to become happy. Wantedーー to become happy.
Wanted to become, happy.
That was, the wish Louis Arneb had envisaged all along, for the whole time.
Trampling upon all aspects of everything, she possessed the right to exercise her power for the purpose of acquiring the greatest life. Louis had remained, believing so without any pangs of conscience whatsoever, until today.
That, that, that, that premise, crumbled.
Wanted to become, happy. However, right now, the wish right now, was different.
Louis: “Don’t want to die.”
Don’t want to die.
Don’t want to die. Don’t want to die. Don’t want to die.
Don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to die don’t want to dieーー.
Subaru: “That is why, when you were trying to eat me, I told you.”
Her arms hugging her head, cowering, shaking her head in fear, desperately trying to protect herself was Louis.
In close proximity to that Louis, immediately above Louis, who did not raise her face, onward came a voice descending.
She did not want to listen to even that. Listening was terrifying. However, something which may befall upon her due to not listening was terrifying. ーーDying was frightening.
That is why, she had no choice but to listen.
And, whilst looking down upon Louis curling herself in fear, the voice continued.
It’s preface, saying you had been warnedーー,
Subaru: “That you’ll, definitely regret it.”
