As I rushed over to where Kashima and Asagi were, I called out to the others.

[Eve, Gio! Take care of Zine and Chester!]

The two Leopardkin came running down the stairs.

Seras, Munin, and I had already made it to where Kashima and Asagi were.

[Mimori-kun.]

Kashima was applying a healing skill to Asagi’s wound.

……No, wait.

Can you even call that a wound?

That——- That was a hole.

Calling it that might be more accurate.

[Asagi-san is still breathing…… Is there any way we can save her? The healing skill can dull the pain or slow the bleeding, but it can’t regenerate like Vysis’s <Heal>……]

Crouching down with Seras and Munin, I checked Asagi’s condition.

Among us, Seras had the most experience and knowledge in emergency treatment.

Seras———had a solemn look on her face.

A look that seemed to say she’s reluctant to say the truth aloud.

Even so, she spoke.

[I’ll try to do what I can for emergency treatment.]

She began preparing first aid.

……That said.

Kashima’s demeanor had changed, just slightly.

How should I put it……

She used to be more timid, always unsure of himself.

Even just a moment ago……

Her voice didn’t tremble, and she conveyed the situation properly.

At that moment……

[Seras-chan…… It’s pointless, you don’t have to.]

Asagi’s voice.

Color returned rapidly to Kashima’s face.

[A——– Asagi-san! You’re conscious——— Asagi-san, I…… I’m……]

[Ugh, so annoying…… you’re still as annoying as ever, Kobato……]

[Unn…… unn!]

Even as she was called annoying———

Kashima clung tightly to Asagi’s hand, crying.

[Asagi-san…… I’m sorry…… it’s because I was so slow…… you had to…… shield me……]

Asagi sighed.

[I didn’t save you or anything, Poppo-chan…… don’t flatter yourself——– ghaak!]

Asagi coughed up blood.

[And…… thank you…… thank you!]

[……Yeah, yeah.]

Choosing that moment, I asked:

[……Are you numbing the pain with <Queen Bee>?]

(T/N: Queen Bee/Pain Nullification)

[Fuhehe…… see, that’s what I like about you, Mimori-kyun…… You don’t ask something lame like “Does it hurt?” or “Are you okay?”]

Seras, still holding the first aid kit in her hands, spoke up.

[Um……]

[It’s fine. I get it…… this is it huh? I’m gonna die. So this is death…… hehh…… so this is what it feels like. Knowing you’re gonna die…… kinda interesting…… well, at least it doesn’t hurt——– that’s something, right……]

Asagi narrowed her eyes and stared at me.

[Man…… I really did wanna fight you for real…… y’know……?]

Then, Asagi said “That looks tasteless, so at least show me your face one last time”.

I took off my Fly King mask.

[……Huh, now that I get a good look…… you’re, like, actually in the ikemen category huh…… It’s like those shoujo manga where the “plain, ordinary me” is somehow surrounded by hotties…… camo’s terrifying……]

She said that, then fell silent for a moment.

After a short pause, she spoke again.

[Hey, Mimori-kun.]

[Yeah.]

[You figured I wouldn’t be able to betray you in the end, didn’t you?]

[……Didn’t have absolute proof.]

[But it wasn’t that bad a gamble, was it?]

[Well, yeah.]

[Fuuu…… d*mn. So this is the King of Flies huh…… He’s not just some pig head covered in flies after all…… I see…… I wasn’t conscious of it huh…… Yeah, I guess I purposely tried not to look at it…… but…… the fact that she’s not in this world anymore…… that was real. I “observed” it, so I accepted it as “gone”…… made myself accept it. Since I’d observed it, I convinced myself the outcome couldn’t change…… That’s like…… a prayer…… But……]

Asagi’s gaze shifted to Kashima.

[I kept seeing illusions all along…… but in my subconscious I just shoved that fact away and pretended it was “completely gone”…… haha…… making inconvenient things disappear…… guess Asagi-san’s no better than anyone else…… what an idiot……]

Kashima, like she couldn’t take it anymore———

[A- Asagi-san! The first aid——–]

[C’mon, it’s my last moments. Let me talk a bit.]

[———-]

[……Y’know, in manga or anime when characters babble on before dying, I used to think “When’s this guy gonna die already?” or “How the heck is he talking so long with death at his door?” but…… nah, I get it now. As long as you’ve got a shred of willpower left, you wanna keep flapping your gums till the bitter end…… I won’t be able to criticize those characters anymore…… not that I’ll be seeing any of them again.]

[Asagi……san……]

Even Kashima seemed to finally give up.

……This wound.

Just like Asagi herself admitted———- it’s fatal.

She’s probably speaking now on sheer will alone.

Maybe Kashima too…… deep down, had already sensed that.

“Even with all this and that……”, Asagi said with a sigh.

[……Kobato’s just like her…… like Mama.]

[Eh?]

[Clumsy…… not too bright…… and somehow convinced there’s this one thing she’s actually smart about…… The only things she’s got going for her are her face and her body…… kuku…… The heck———- she really was exactly like her. I just couldn’t admit it…… kept shoving it down into my subconscious and made it this far———- How laughable. This Ikusaba Asagi being the biggest idiot of all.]

“I’d always found her such a nuisance.”, She mumbled again.

[And yet, for some reason I couldn’t just leave her be…… And that made her even more annoying. I wanted her dead, but couldn’t bring myself to kill her…… ended up saving her instead, for some dumb reason…… Even though she was nothing but noise to me. Why, I wonder…… Because she was my mother? Are mothers just…… like that? Y’know…… I think I would’ve preferred a mommy like Munin-mama over there……]

Kashima deliberately met Asagi’s eyes.

[Asagi-san, I……]

[In the end…… maybe you and my Mama kinda…… saved Mimori Touka and his crew. Hah…… The heck is this game over. What a sh*tty game.]

Thereupon, Asagi called out.

[Hey, Kobato.]

[U- Unn……?]

[I know I’ve got no right to ask for favors…… but if you make it back to our world…… like, 5 or 10 years down the line…… even if it’s just once a year…… could you maybe go check in on my Mama? Just say you were a friend of the super cute Asagi-chan back in the day or something. That idiot’ll probably let you in no problem…… gehokk!]

Asagi suddenly coughed up a huge amount of blood.

[A- Are you alright!? Asagi-sa———]

She stopped Kashima’s outstretched hand with her own.

[Just…… let me talk, okay…… please.]

Hearing that, Kashima bit her lip and held back.

[And…… there’s this guy with my Mom now, named Amano-san. I picked him out myself…… He’s in the safe category, so don’t worry about him. But, well…… y’know, if it looks like there’s any trouble or something, maybe talk to the elder Takao. If it’s Hijirin, she’ll probably sort it out for you…… maybe, I dunno.]

[O——— Okay! I got it, Asagi-san…… I swear…… I swear, I’ll keep this promise……!]

Kashima was crying.

[Also…… Everyone, gather over here…… get closer.]

Asagi beckoned to me, Seras, and Munin.

Seras looked to me for a decision.

I gave a nod.

[Just in case, let’s run a check.]

[That’s just like Mimori-kun.]

Asagi gave a rather happy smile.

Then——–

[I have no hostile intent toward Mimori-kun and the others.]

Seras judged that to be true.

Even still, it’s Ikusaba Asagi……

……I should be ready to move at a moment’s notice.

Besides———-

From her tone, Asagi thinks so too.

She wants me——— She wants Mimori Touka to not drop his guard to the very end.

We drew closer to Asagi.

[For real…… this is the final———]

Asagi reached out and touched us.

[           <Queen Bee>           ]

(T/N: Queen Bee/Group Reinforcement)

The time limit had already passed———– and Asagi’s earlier buff skill had worn off.

[……If I die, the effect might vanish too, but just in case. Ah, or maybe, like some lingering will after death, it’ll turn into an ultra-powerful buff? If so, that’d be nice……——–urk.]

Asagi vomited a massive amount of blood.

Seeing this, Kashima called out.

[Asagi-san!]

Asagi’s eyes looked like life was starting to fade from them.

[……Asagi.]

[Ou.]

[Thank you.]

[Fuuu…… no need to thank me…… It’s true I was planning to betray you partway through after all.]

[Even so.]

[Tch…… in the end, everything was in the palm of Fly King-sama’s hand huh…… Ah, and I haven’t heard anything about the fake Vysis stuff from Kobato…… ah, and also, Kobato…… about your Unique Skill———-]

Asagi whispered something into Kobato’s ear.

[……Well, hope it ends up being useful somehow…… If there’s a way to make the most of it…… Mimori-kun’ll figure something out…… Annoyingly enough, this guy’s sharp as heck……]

One of Asagi’s eyelids was beginning to close.

[Haah…… I wanted to hear…… about the path you took to get here, Mimori-kun…… I know I’m not exactly in a position to say something like this, but still……]

Moving her pale lips, Asagi said:

[If even my unconscious intentions…… led us here——— then win…… Mimori…… Touka……]

I……

I simply nodded, only saying “Yeah”.

[……Also——— Kobato.]

[Unn……]

[Sorry…… for everything.]

[—————-]

Tears poured from Kashima’s eyes as she held a hand over her mouth.

[Asagi-sa——–]

[Nah…… just for the end, y’know…… figured I’d play the “kinda good person” card…… and go out like that…… ———-I’m the worst, aren’t I?]

[T- That’s not true! I…… I’m not like your mom! I think I’ve changed! That’s why……]

[Oh yeah……? Changed into what?]

[Into…… a friend……!]

With a snort, Asagi gave a dry laugh.

[Alright then…… let’s go with that…… My friend……]

Kashima sobbed.

Asagi stared up at the ceiling.

She probably——— couldn’t see anything anymore.

[<Sleep>…… I can cast it, if you want.]

[Appreciate the thought…… but nah…… This feeling, right before death…… Without the pain…… it’s not as bad as I thought……]

[……I see.]

[Hahh…… well, it had been pretty fun…… guess this is good enough…… And now, it looks like…… the end’s finally here…… I see…… so this is…… what death…… feels like…… hehh……]

Asagi’s left eyelid slowly closed.

[……And with that…… it’s game over………… Bye-bye…… ————————-]

Kashima, seemingly sensing something wrong, reacted.

[Asagi…… san……?]

Most likely……

The hand she’d been holding lost all of its strength.

[Asagi-san…… Asagi-san! Asagi-san!]

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kashima shook Asagi’s unmoving body, calling out her name.

Beneath her now-motionless form———- a pool of red blood had begun to spread.

And once Kashima had calmed down a little……

I———

I gently placed my hand on Asagi’s still-slightly-open right eye———— and quietly closed it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep