Tamamushi, who was
walking in front of me, took my hand and walked through the barrier.
The trees were lined
up in a row, and the thick leaves covering the sky made it impossible for
moonlight to reach the darkness. Normally, I would not be able to see my
surroundings.
"Ahh"
Tamamushi, who was
walking briskly in front of me, hit her face against a tree and screamed.
"Nu, I can't even walk like
this......."
Rubbing her
forehead, Tamamushi reached into her pocket and pulled out a small insect.
The small insect,
which was in the palm of Tamamushi's hand, opened its wings and jumped up
noiselessly. It floated in front of Tamamushi and emitted a blue-white light.
It looked like a
firefly.
It's not as bright
as a firefly, though.
"It's much better now."
The pale blue light
that dimly illuminated the surroundings made Tamamushi mutter in agreement, and
she pulled my hand and started walking.
The fact that it is
possible to control insects without problems even inside a barrier means that
it is possible to release insect energy.
This barrier seems
to block out most of the insect energy, but if it is possible to manipulate
insect energy inside the barrier, it means that Nanafushi can operate without
problems.
That's what I
thought, but...
"Mm?"
When I withdrew my
hand. Tamamushi raised her voice, turned around and looked at me.
――What's wrong with you?
Tamamushi asks me in
her mind.
Tamamushi doesn't
seem to have noticed yet.
The transparent wall
that we were heading tobarriers.
It's the fifth barrier.
I had expected it,
but I didn't want it to exist.
If we entered that barrier
and it completely blocked the insect energy, we would not be able to send any
signals to the outside.
Besides, if it also
functioned as a physical barrier, once inside, it would be impossible to get
out. If I couldn't get out, I wouldn't be able to escape to a place where Rikka
could see me.
In other words, I'd
be helpless.
I looked at
Tamamushi, who was looking up at me, tilting her head and smiling with her
mouth open.
――Suzuhara?
Tamamushi doesn't
seem to understand at all.
Since I suddenly
stopped, I think she should have guessed.
It's frustrating
that I can "see" into her mind, but I can't tell her.
Well, it's better to
be able to "see".
But what must I do?
Should I let Rikka enter the barrier?
No, if I let Rikka
into the barrier, it might turn into a battle soon.
Tamamushi is pretty
strong too.
Even if we get
inside the fifth barrier, communication from the outside cut off, and can't get
out of the barrier, if I analyze the enemy and Tamamushi fights back, there's a
good chance we'll win.
So, let's take a
gamble.
Tamamushi reacts
with a jerk.
I drew a
"X" on the palm of Tamamushi's hand that I was holding.
It was too dangerous
to engage in conversation, so I had decided on a symbol beforehand.
"X" means
that the situation has worsened.
There was a
possibility that the insect's signal would be completely cut off, and there
would be a new barrier beyond the four barrier that we would not be able to get
out of. That's the symbol I tell to Tamamushi.
――The fifth barrier? I'm sorry, I didn't notice that at all.
Tamamushi nodded
slightly as she answered in her mind after receiving my instructions.
The signal should be
reaching the outside now.
After receiving my
instructions, Tamamushi conveyed the current situation to the outside.
When the fifth barrier
is detected by Nanafushi, she is supposed to keep an eye on it for five
minutes.
If the signal is
still being received after five minutes, she will continue to monitor the
situation.
If there is no
signal after five minutes of observation, the communication is considered to
have been completely cut off. Then, we will wait for thirty minutes and enter
the barrier.
Even if the insect
energy is completely blocked, Rikka will rush in on five minutes after thirty
minutes.
Even if Tamamushi
and I couldn't defeat the enemy on our own, at least we could outlast them.
Tamamushi, who was
looking up at me, squeezed my hand tightly and cleared her throat slightly.
――It's finally time. I can't die easily. So, if something happens,
I'll be your shield.
That's what
Tamamushi tells me in her mind.
She seems to know
that things are getting worse and is getting nervous.
Tamamushi's weakness
is that while she's good-natured, she shrinks when cornered.
Then I suddenly
remembered Hizuki's words.
She told me that
there was an additional factor on Marina's Denshin. It's supposed to make the
heart warm, but I didn't understand it. But when I lost communication with
Marina, I finally understood.
Our
"hearts" had indeed been warmed by Marina's message.
It may have been
just a small matter, but as the situation became more urgent, I realized how
powerful it was.
Her ability was
amazing, isn't it?
Well, there's no
point in pushing for something that doesn't exist. Besides, Tamamushi is much
more capable than I thought. In terms of strength, Rikka is superior, but in
terms of application, Tamamushi is superior.
But the barrier
might have diminished her all-around ability.
I grinned at
Tamamushi and squeezed her hand.
Tamamushi, who had
been looking nervous, smiled as if relieved when I squeezed her hand back. She
squeezed my hand again, nodded slightly, and started to walk.
My role is to figure
out exactly how much of Tamamushi's ability has been reduced. Then, analyze the
enemy's strength and ability, bring out the remaining ability of Tamamushi to
the limit, and find a way to use it.
Tamamushi, who was
holding my hand, was approaching the fifth barrier.
Judging from her
steps, she doesn't seem to know where the barriers are.
――I don't know the location of the barrier.
As expected,
Tamamushi, who didn't understand the location of the barrier, muttered in her
mind.
I don't know the
location of the barrier. This means that the barriers are more advanced than
ever before and that it is becoming more difficult to destroy them.
It seems that barriers
can only be broken if I find the starting point.
Beyond the fifth barrier,
I can see something like a large warehouse. That is probably the designated
location.
".......Na"
Tamamushi, who had
entered the fifth barrier, stopped there and raised a faint voice.
The insect that was
floating and emitting light in front of Tamamushi fell to the ground as soon as
it entered the barrierrobe.
"......Ku"
She turned around
and tried to go back the way she came. But a transparent wall blocked her way.
It seems that my
worst guesses were right.
The fifth barrier
served as a physical barrier and completely blocked out the insects.
No, since the
glowing insects had fallen to the ground, I wonder if it absorbs the insect
energy emitted by Tamamushi herself, or if it erases it. Either way, the signal
that was sending to Nanafushi was cut off, and Tamamushi could no longer
control the insect.
――I, I didn't expect to be unable to control bugs. What's more, I
can't get out. Suzuhara, we're in trouble!
Tamamushi turned
around and looked up at me, and asked me in her mind, her emerald eyes shaking,
sweat trickling down her cheeks.
Calm down. It's
within my expectation. It's a worst-case scenario, though.
And then I noticed a
blind spot.
I'm a servant being
controlled by Tamamushi. If she couldn't control the insects with her insect
energy anymore, wouldn't it look suspicious if I wasn't released from
Tamamushi's control?
Well, I guess I'll
just have to push it through as if I can't be manipulated anymore, but I can't
break free of her brainwashing. But in order to do that, I have to tell
Tamamushi about it.
Will it be conveyed
properly? That's what I'm worried about.
"Master."
When I called out to
Tamamushi, she shivered, her eyes darted and her mouth formed a triangle like a
chestnut.
"It seems your control over the insect's
mind has been released, but that doesn't change the fact that I am a loyal
servant to my master."
Please notice me, I
begged inbarrierly, as I spoke to Tamamushi.
Tamamushi, whose
eyes had been darting around, paused for a moment and then huffed.
――T, that's right! If I can't control the bugs anymore, does that mean
that Suzuhara, who is supposed to be controlled by me, will also become
uncontrollable!
When Tamamushi heard
my words, she seemed to grasp the situation somehow.
"I, it seems the brainwashing can't
be undone, even though it's no longer possible to control it with insect."
Tamamushi shouted a
bit purposefully.
Okay, as expected of
Tamamushi. It seems that she understood exactly what I was trying to tell her.
That being said,
there is something odd about the situation where the bad predictions are coming
true. It's my ability.
Tamamushi is no
longer able to manipulate insects. That means that the insect energy from her
body will either be absorbed by the barrier or be erased.
If so my ability
should also be disabled.
But as of now, my
ability is working fine.
I'm sure that the
barrier is designed to reduce the power of the different abilities step by
step, but is it impossible to seal my ability?
Oh, that's right,
kukuku, my eyes are "special".
Maybe the Heavenly
Eye and Earthly Eye aren't so easy to block.
I'm sorry, my
ability is not fair.
"Gee, servant, it seems I can't
control you anymore, but you must still be loyal to me and act for me."
It still sounds a
little wishy-washy, but Tamamushi raised her voice in an acted-out manner.
――The brainwashing can't be undone even if the manipulation by the
insects ceases, right!?
Yes, Tamamushi,
that's fine.
My role is to assist
you.
"Please don't worry, Master. I will
remain loyal to you even if your manipulation by the insect energy ceases. And
I hereby swear that I will be your "eyes" and hands."
I got down on one
knee and answered while looking up at Tamamushi.
By including the keyword
"eye," I was telling her that there was nothing wrong with my
abilities.
――Are your "eyes" still safe? That's a scary ability.
Tamamushi listened
to my words and nodded with a grin on her face, though she looked a little
nervous.
It looks like she
got my message.
I took Tamamushi's
hand and squeezed it tightly. She nodded again and started to walk to the
warehouse beyond the barrier.
Now, I have about
thirty minutes before Rikka comes in. Let's see what I can do.
_____________________________
Edited by kanaa-senpai. (tinytranslation.xyz)
