Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon

Volume 2B, Last Chapter: Greedy Ones Crossing a Border

Why do

People move?

Point Allocation (Relief)

Two people walked through a dimly-lit residential district in the middle of the night.

One was Masazumi, a girl wearing the coat of a boy’s uniform.

The other was Mary, a girl wearing an English uniform and carrying two swords at her waist.

Masazumi was leading Mary through the residential district below Tama.

“Principal Sakai should be finalizing your transfer here, Mary…no, Lady Mary?”

“Just Mary is fine, Lady Masazumi. I am grateful you are working on completing that process so late at night. Especially as it has only been one week since the armada battle.”

She said it with a smile and continued right on, so Masazumi could only obey. As they walked down the corridor, Masazumi gave Mary quick explanations about the public restroom, kitchen, and simple contract spots for different religions. She also explained the rules for the snack shop.

But despite how late it was, sounds of construction could be heard from both above and below.

One week had passed since the naval battle. They had only just completed the inspection of all the damage and removal of destroyed materials. Everyone from the academy was out helping with that on Oriotorai’s instructions.

…I haven’t gone home much recently.

The anteater on her shoulder seemed to have gotten used to life here. It would now leave the hard point almost immediately.

“Maa.”

It would always make that same cry and she thought it was either the “ma” of “Masazumi” or…

“Is that the ‘ma’ of ‘mama’? What is its name?”

“Judge,” said Masazumi with a nod.

Due to the young anteater’s injury, the area of white fur around its neck had grown thicker and she had named it after that.

“Tsukinowa.”[1]

“You named your anteater after a type of bear? You have…um…interesting tastes.”

“Thanks for the forced response.”

As she spoke, a brown algae creature poked its face out of the ditch and looked at Masazumi and Tsukinowa.

“Maasazumi?”

“Maa.”

Feeling oddly embarrassed, she waved and walked on. There had not been much damage below the surface. The areas hit by the large stakes were an exception, but it seemed people would be living in the underground areas more often.

…But there are quite a few places up and running on the surface too.

The fire damage had reached as close as two houses away from her own house. However, the homes on the surface had belonged to the wealthy, so a lot of them were using this as a chance to move elsewhere or create a building that could function as a base of operations even during a battle. Fortunately, the Blue Thunder on Tama had only lost its windows.

It had removed the window frames and was now functioning as an open-air store while trying its best not to run out of ingredients while the students stopped by.

…But we did lose a lot.

Once they met up with the residents who had gone ahead to IZUMO, quite a lot explanations and compensation would be needed.

The Musashi was already near IZUMO and Grace and the English ships had left about half a day ago.

They had gained some things as well, such as their relationship with England.

“Oh?”

Mary turned toward two people wearing vermilion uniforms who walked toward them on the other side of the corridor. They were Tachibana Muneshige and Gin, husband and wife.

They likely had their reasons, but it seemed they had sent Tres Espa?a a request to remove both their inherited names. While settling the post-battle issues, Masazumi had spoken with their secretary over divine transmission, and he had said, “Tell them there’s nothing wrong with that. Also tell them to do the best they can.” There would likely be an official notification eventually.

As they passed, the husband bowed toward Masazumi and the wife gave a small nod.

Sakai had already invited the two of them to transfer to the school.

…Principal Sakai is definitely viewing this like putting together a party in a video game.

She wondered what they would do and what would happen.

“From what I hear, I will be in the same class as you and Master Tenzou.”

“Judge. That seems like it would cause the least trouble. But if you come across anything you don’t understand, just run away or avert your gaze. Those are your best bets.”

“Judge. Is that a superstition meant to ward off bad luck?”

A group of kobolds carrying bricks passed by at their feet.

…This ship has really grown chaotic over the past few months.

“Where is the Musashi headed now?”

“Judge. After our repairs at IZUMO, I’m thinking of heading to M.H.R.R.”

“For Westphalia?”

“No,” said Masazumi while shaking her head.

She honestly did not believe the other nations would join their side given the current situation. They had shown their ability to fight during the armada battle, but a lot of nations would avoid them because of that. So they first needed to increase their legitimacy.

“I want to learn more about the Apocalypse and so I want to investigate Chancellor Carlos I.”

Mary’s eyebrows rose slightly when she heard that name. She then closed her eyes and nodded.

“If there is anything I can do to help, please ask.”

“Judge. I’m guessing there will be. My plan is to pass through the Protestant principalities, but it’s still more or less P.A. Oda’s territory. There will probably be some kind of trouble.”

Thinking about what would happen in IZUMO also left her feeling heavy-hearted.

But, she thought. We somehow managed to arrive in England and I feel like we gained a lot from that.

One example was the girl walking alongside her.

…Did we manage to protect her life?

After the incident with Horizon, she understood that concept quite well and her thoughts turned to the person who had made it all happen.

“Is Tenzou not coming out to greet you? Even though it’s your first time here?”

They stopped in front of a wide block building. Specifically, they stood before the door to a six square meter room.

Masazumi heard the sounds of objects sliding across the floor or being piled up, so she guessed Tenzou was cleaning up the room.

“I haven’t known him for long, so I can’t say much. Still, I can tell you he isn’t a bad person. It seems his father kicked him out of his house for being a traitor, but that father is an important member of Musashi’s ninja guild, so…um…good luck with all that.”

“Thank you very much. But…”

“What is it?”

Mary smiled while Masazumi tilted her head and the anteater on her shoulder emulated the action.

“You somehow remind me of my sister.”

“Please spare me.”

After Mary exchanged parting words with Masazumi, Tenzou saw the girl enter the room.

It was a small room measuring only about six square meters and a bed stuck out from one wall.

“Mary-dono, would you like the top bunk or the bottom bunk?”

“Hm? We won’t be using the same one?”

…Th-that’s getting ahead of ourselves!!

“U-um, w-well, the beds are a little small for that.”

“Judge. Then let us work hard so we can move to a larger room.”

Tenzou felt he had made a terribly careless mistake here, but he decided it could be resolved through negotiation. He went on to explain the dirt floor by the entrance, the ventilation and drain connections, and the simple kitchen.

“The bedding is…”

He looked down and found she was already laying out the bedding. She was clearly used to doing so. It was already late and they would be busy the following day, so…

“You get to sleep first. I have a lot of luggage to take care of.”

They were going to live together, but she had no luggage. All she had were the clothes she wore, herself, and…

…Not many wives bring Excalibur as a household possession!!

Meanwhile, he heard the sounds of her coat being removed and the bedding being patted down.

“Hee hee.”

He then heard her lying down on the bed.

“I can make a bed all on my own. Next time, I will make yours as well, Master Tenzou.”

…I’m going to have to change my habit of hiding porn magazines under there!

He then heard her touching a paper box.

“ ‘From some sympathizing boys’? Master Tenzou, is this a gift from your friends?”

“Ah! No, that’s-…!”

He peered down below and saw her pulling a case from the box. Her cheeks were flushed and she spoke in a troubled expression.

“ ‘Climax! Virgin Queen Elizabeth’? M-Master Tenzou… Was my sister more your type? Did the others give you this out of consideration?”

“No, I actually already had a copy of that one! A-and, I preferred that game’s sub-heroine over the main one!”

“The sub-heroine?”

Her face grew even redder as she lowered her head to read the explanation on the back of the box.

As the model for that sub-heroine, she gave her thoughts.

“D-does this mean my breasts need to be a little bigger?”

“O-of course not! You are the best as far as I’m concerned!”

“I see.”

She smiled, straightened her sitting position, and bowed.

“Thank you very much for taking me in. …I felt I had to say that before going to sleep.”

“Oh, um, I also need to thank you for-… Mary-dono?”

After straightening up, she started removing her clothes. An odd panic came over him and he wondered how to stop her.

“I thought you were going to sleep.”

“Judge. I am, but I cannot sleep unless I am naked.”

“Nhh!”

As he leaned back and collapsed on the loft, she continued to speak down below. i????n????ℯ????????. Coｍ

“If you ever want to sleep with me, feel free to climb into my bed. I will recognize you from your presence. And when you do, please let me see the scar on your back. I want to see it.”

This is going to be hell, thought Tenzou. At least it will be while I am a student. The others are going to make fun of me more than any other point in my life.

But he had another thought and he gave voice to that one.

“Mary-dono.”

“Yes?” she replied.

“I would like to become your scar.”

“Oh? What are you saying?”

Her voice contained a mixture of smiling and crying.

“You have already scarred me plenty.”

He heard her place the blanket over herself.

“You scarred me and protected me.”

Mary closed her eyes in the bed.

Her breathing trembled in both relief and happiness and she felt tears when she brought her hand to her cheek.

I have done nothing but cry since I met him, she thought.

“Save you from anything.”

She had been protected by a great number of people, but she had chosen only one of them.

…The one who understood the meaning of my scars and desired them.

He had protected her from herself.

It seemed contradictory to say one could not be protected if one was not scarred, but she had another thought as well.

She had desired to be scarred and she had also desired to be protected.

…That is Phylargia.

However, she gave her silent thanks to the current situation and the fact that her greedy desire had been granted.

She decided to bear the name Double Bloody Mary with pride.

That way she could reward those who had placed their expectations in her and that way she would not forget what had happened.

“Master Tenzou.”

While falling to sleep, she spoke slowly to his listening presence.

“I think I will bloom with happiness by your side.”

“Desiring farther and farther into the future is greedy.”

A silver-haired automaton spoke on the bow of Asakusa which was being repaired.

In the southern night sky ahead was the northern coast of Hexagone Fran?aise. Beyond a mountain range near that coast, a single island floated above what could be called a valley.

It was higher than the mountain ridge, but it was not so high that one had to look up at it like with England. It slowly travelled between mountain ranges.

“That is IZUMO and those are the nations we will be visiting next.”

She and the boy next to her saw many lights in the night. The lights created by the people living there gave a general outline indicating the shape of the mainland and the floating island.

And those lights continued as far as they could see. The lights of Tres Espa?a could be seen to the east, those of Sviet Rus could be seen past M.H.R.R. to the west, and those of K.P.A. Italia could be seen beyond the mountains and IZUMO to the south.

The automaton held her hand out toward those lights. She was not measuring the distance or trying to grasp them. She simply swept her hand from left to right across the wall separating her and all those people.

“Toori-sama, to be honest, I do not know if I am right or wrong. However, I have determined I can maintain the middle road as long as I have you as my parallel.”

“Judge. I’m the same. If I do something wrong, you’ll hit me for it. That’s what you mean, right?”

“Judge.” She nodded. “From now on, we will gather my emotions while investigating the Apocalypse. Isn’t that right, Toori-sama?”

“Are you sure?”

“Judge,” she said again. “If I do not desire the deadly sins of mankind, I cannot understand why mankind feels sorrow. If I wish to truly rid the world of sorrow…” She nodded again. “I must understand the greatest sorrow.”

“Just make sure you smile in the end, Horizon.”

“Then when I do…”

She turned toward him.

“Will you cry?”

“Horizon, have you changed a little since you got Phylargia?”

“Have I?”

She glanced back toward the lights of the Far East and then continued speaking.

“If you wish for me to smile after passing through the world, my emotions, and everything else, then I think this is what my greatest Phylargia asks of you.”

“Yeah, you used to make me cry a lot in the past.”

“It seems we are parallel.”

She had once cried and it had led to a parting. Knowing that, she stopped and turned her back on the lights of the Far East.

“Let us go back inside. I am feeling tired.”

“Are you getting another new feature?”

“Who can say? Sleep can be seen as a way of regulating sorrow and anger, and also as a way of putting happiness to memory. Either way, I can say one thing for certain: the desire to sleep is one part of greed.”

She looked him in the eye before continuing.

“Is it greedy to ask for everyone’s happiness before I go to sleep?”

I will no longer hide my scars.

Notes

1. ↑ Means “circle of the moon”.