"Yu... zu...?"
Watching Su Yuzu, who revealed a brilliant smile and curtsied gracefully toward her, a look of struggle and panic surfaced in the depths of Soga Yura's eyes for the first time.
"Yuzu..."
Yuzu had never shown that kind of brilliant, yet distant smile before. Yuzu had always been silently... no matter what... standing by her side, watching her.
No matter the occasion. No matter the pressure or burden she faced. As long as Soga Yura saw Yuzu standing in the crowd... or standing in the corner.
She would always lift her chin with all her might, like a proud swan in a stage play, and slash through all difficulties and obstacles.
"Yuzu is watching me."
"I must do my best; I must become the most eye-catching one in the whole venue."
"I must become the idol... the pride in Yuzu's heart. I must make Yuzu's gaze stay on me."
But now... Soga Yura's crimson eyes looked at Su Yuzu, who was bowing to her.
At the same moment the girl curtsied, it was as if a vast distance had opened up between the two of them in an instant...
A distance of mere inches... yet they were worlds apart.
"Fri... ends?"
Soga Yura looked behind Su Yuzu.
A voluptuous, beautiful woman revealing a gentle smile, a branch family... a branch family girl who had provoked Yuzu a few days ago and was severely scolded by herself, and that woman from the Investigation Bureau's Fourth Action Division.
And... a young girl who looked soft and timid, standing at the very edge with low self-esteem, but whose gaze kept falling on Yuzu.
"Fri... ends?"
Soga Yura suddenly felt as if something was blocked in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
"Yuzu's... friends?"
Like a sudden heavy punch from the blue, Soga Yura was even a little dazed. A feeling rose in her heart that her Yuzu had been snatched away, shared by others.
She stood stiffly in place, maintaining that icy expression on her face, but the light in her crimson eyes was wavering.
Sakura Mai could clearly feel the abnormality in the atmosphere between the sisters.
The script... why was it a little different from what she understood? In her understanding, Soga Yura's younger sister liked her the most. Whenever there was a competition where Soga Yura appeared, her sister would try her best to squeeze into the venue.
Sometimes the quota for the venue was limited.
Sakura Mai would deliberately buy an extra ticket, and when Yuzu arrived, she would have a servant of the Sakura family pretend to be a staff member. Just so the two sisters could be closer.
When there was really no way to bring Yuzu in... that girl would definitely wait at the entrance. Preparing water, or bento boxes and the like.
But... every time, without exception.
When that guy Soga Yura faced her sister Yuzu, she always had a stinking face that was cold to death, even bordering on disgust.
Sakura Mai really couldn't understand what was going on in this guy's head. Clearly, when at school, even if she was equally distant to everyone, but... she also smiled equally at everyone.
Why did she always have to put on a stinking face in front of her sister Yuzu?
Every time Sister Yuzu sent things over, she had to put on a posture of dislike. Wait until Sister Yuzu left biting her lip, she would immediately transform into a pervert on the spot, hugging a thermos cup and giggling foolishly for half the day.
Sometimes Sister Yuzu left sadly with the bento. This guy could cling to her lapel and cry for half the day.
Why... couldn't she be honest?
Sakura Mai looked at Soga Yura standing there dumbfounded.
Well, now you've done it. Now you've really screwed up.
Human hearts are soft; if you cut them too much, there will always be a day when they break. It's just... Sakura Mai didn't expect it either. That day would come so quickly, so suddenly, making one feel a bit caught off guard.
Tap, tap—
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi trotted over. After all, she was a girl from the Soga clan's branch family; when seeing the Main Family's Eldest Young Lady, she still had to come over and say hello.
"Eldest Young Lady..." The girl curtsied cautiously and somewhat reservedly.
Soga Yura stood there like a statue carved from a glacier. Her aura was terrifyingly scary.
Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi trembled... feeling that terrible aura like a reigning empress, the muscles in her calves tightening.
She was a mental-type Esper. Her ability was [Mental Interference], which was inferior to Soga Yura's [Mental Interference].
She felt the horror of Soga Yura's mental power more intuitively than anyone else.
Then... Su Yuzu gently held Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's hand.
Soga Yura's pupils suddenly dilated slightly.
"Eh!!?" Even Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was startled by Su Yuzu's action.
Although she wasn't quite sure why. But... the girl felt that the air temperature on the commercial street had dropped several degrees.
However... she was just a broken marionette. Ever since that night that seemed like it would never see dawn, the crystal thread manipulating the girl had already been tied to Su Yuzu's fingertips.
Without Su Yuzu's permission. The girl couldn't even manage to please herself.
She honestly let Su Yuzu hold her hand.
"Does Sister want to eat crepes?"
"Just so happens... I'm going to buy a few portions."
"No need." As if her lips were glued together, they slowly opened; Soga Yura's gaze was hollow, even a bit unable to focus.
Su Yuzu looked at Soga Yura, tightening her grip on Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi's hand. To be honest... Su Yuzu's strength was great. Gripping Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi to the point where she even felt a little pain.
But the girl didn't make a sound, nor did she dare to make a sound. Moreover... for her, who had returned from the Edge of Aberration, this little pain was nothing, even... quite pleasurable.
"Then I won't disturb Sister anymore—"
"Okay..." Soga Yura's voice was icy, completely devoid of warmth.
Su Yuzu turned around without hesitation... taking the somewhat unresponsive Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi and leaving.
Even if Soga Ishikawa Kiyomi was stupid, she sensed the atmosphere was wrong. Too terrifying. Whether it was Lady Sister Yuzu, or the Eldest Young Lady... both were too terrifying.
Beside Soga Yura, Sakura Mai looked at the girl who turned around cleanly and without hesitation, and couldn't help but want to sigh. A feeling suddenly arose in her heart—
...
Facing the sunlight and the worried gazes of the girls. Su Yuzu left with her back to Soga Yura.
Soga Yura, shrouded in the shadow of the mall building, seemed to be plunged into darkness at this instant.
...
Sakura Mai knew. The game of knight and princess... from this moment on, the roles were reversed.
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