"Belongs... to me?"
Looking at the sharp blade in her hand, a weapon emitting a unique glow, Kaguya, who had also learned women's fencing, self-defense, and some basic martial arts, didn't feel the imagined fear.
Instead, a peculiar sensation flowed within her heart.
She wanted to do something. She wanted to carry out what she needed to do.
"Clue-san."
She laughed. Kaguya suddenly laughed.
Looking at the terrified Clue, her laughter at this moment was so bloodthirsty, so relaxed, so evil, so pathological.
She simply stared quietly at Clue, but the ordinary Kaguya radiated immense magical energy at this moment. She carefully examined the sword in her hand, then suddenly thrust it forward.
"Mmph!"
An intense, sharp pain spread. Looking at the blood on his chest, Clue wanted to cry out in pain, but his mouth was gagged, preventing speech.
"Clue-san, I originally thought my hatred for you was immense. But at this moment, I suddenly realize... I don't seem to hate you that much."
Slowly, she twisted the long sword in her hand, then twisted it again.
With Kaguya's actions, Clue's chest was gradually mangled, then mangled further.
Ssskrtch... The sound of the sword being pulled out.
Dragging Clue's body bit by bit towards the balcony, a trail of blood following on the floor, Clue's body, suffering from excessive blood loss and extreme pain, convulsed involuntarily.
Finally reaching the high place from which she had once jumped, Kaguya mustered all her strength and threw the noble mage from the 28th floor.
As the fading figure grew smaller, Kaguya seemed to recall her previous deaths, the process of jumping.
The screams of the crowd, the twinkling stars, and the pain that pierced to the bone.
At this moment, what she killed wasn't Clue, nor was it her hatred. It was the foolish, naive, past version of herself.
Letting out a long sigh of relief, having finally accomplished what she wanted, Kaguya turned to thank Ryuya, only to see the man holding a strange card and the Midnight Lost Child encased in gears.
"Ryuya, these are..."
She had never seen the Midnight Lost Child or the Clow Card from within her body, but Kaguya's intuition told her these were the cause of her world resets.
Staring at Ryuya in astonishment, the final words she heard were…
"I will keep my promise to help you deal with the Gaiuslink's people and your father."
"Goodbye, Shinomiya Kaguya."
Time reset, activated once more!
…
"Ojou-sama? Ojou-sama?"
A familiar voice sounded in her ears, the feeling of being separated by a thin haze leaving Kaguya somewhat disoriented.
Struggling to open her eyes, she saw Hayasaka, the maid she knew so well.
"Ojou-sama, you seemed a bit distracted just now."
"Hayasaka?"
Calling the other's name softly, Kaguya felt as if she had forgotten something.
"I'm here, Ojou-sama."
Looking at Kaguya with concern, sensing her mistress's unusual state, Hayasaka asked worriedly, "Shall I call a doctor? You don't seem well."
"No... No need."
Her head ached, but more than that, it was a sense of emptiness, as if she had lost someone.
Uncertain where this feeling came from, Kaguya realized she seemed to have forgotten something important.
'What was it?'
She didn't know. It's completely unclear.
Shaking her head, she tried to expel this absurd feeling from her heart.
Under this sense of anxious uncertainty, Kaguya continued with her work.
During the lunch break...
"Kaguya, you've been quite active lately. The Gaiuslink's people just announced they'll actively cooperate with the Shinomiya Conglomerate, even if it's just as a secondary option."
The face, strikingly similar to Yukino's, belonged to a woman of stunning beauty. Her more mature, sunny demeanor was absolutely not something internet celebrities, car models, or stars could compare to.
Holding a tablet and pointing at the information on it, Haruno, finally done with work, found Kaguya during the break.
"Gaiuslink?"
Hearing 'Gaiuslink' caused a headache. Taking Haruno's tablet, Kaguya saw headlines like 'Gaiuslink Family Decides to Cooperate with Shinomiya Conglomerate, Reportedly Due to High Regard for the Eldest Daughter, Shinomiya Kaguya'.
Simultaneously, her phone rang.
"Hello... Father, it's me. What did you say?"
"...I understand. I'll go as soon as possible. Don't worry."
Listening to her father's voice on the phone, Kaguya swore she never knew Gan'an could have such a tender side.
That aloof father actually praised her for doing well this time and wanted to have dinner together at home tonight.
Putting down the phone in disbelief, Kaguya didn't even know the Gaiuslink's people. She didn't even know what had happened.
"Kaguya, was that your father?"
"Yes, he wants me to have dinner with him tonight."
Nodding, Kaguya showed little reaction to Haruno's question. Her recently subsided headache began again.
'What have I forgotten? What have I forgotten???'
More than the dizziness in her head, the emptiness in her heart made Kaguya feel worse.
Struggling, she accidentally stumbled, fortunately caught by Hayasaka and Haruno beside her.
"Kaguya, are you okay?"
"Ojou-sama, I'll call a doctor immediately."
Due to the flustered movement, Haruno's wallet fell out. As a photo tucked inside the flap was revealed, Kaguya saw Ryuya's face.
'I mean, you've sung this song over a thousand times. Couldn't you change it up?'
'Shinomiya-san, you're awake.'
'This guy is my gift to you.'
'Just call me by my name.'
'I'll help you settle matters with the Gaiuslink Family and your father. Goodbye, Shinomiya Kaguya.'
She remembered. She remembered everything.
"I'm fine. I... I'm fine."
Barely supporting herself to sit down, Kaguya drank a large glass of water, finally calming her nerves a bit.
Finally realizing what she had forgotten, looking at the latest news and recalling her father's call, there was no doubt. That man had kept his promise. He had helped her accomplish everything.
'Ah... Ryuya, is it?'
A smile appeared on her face. Having experienced countless deaths, Kaguya had now fully matured. She was no longer the naive young lady of the Conglomerate but a person of the new era with her own convictions, her own efforts, who would absolutely never give up or break down.
'Wait for me, Ryuya. I will definitely...'
Silently making her vow in her heart, she then looked at Haruno beside her with a gentle, slightly pathological smile.
"Haruno, now that you mention it, you haven't properly introduced me to your brother, Takami Ryuya. Can you tell me about him?"
At this moment, Shinomiya Kaguya... officially makes her move!
…
…
…
A/N: I actually think the SSS rating for the Clow Cards is a nerf. The original Cardcaptor Sakura Anime didn't show much of the worldview, but CLAMP's works are an entire series. Readers who have time should check out Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, xxxHOLiC, etc. You'll realize Clow Reed isn't just describable as a 'magician'? Traveling between worlds, distorting time, altering cosmic reality with his will… he's simply incredible.
Forget the rest, just the creator gods of parallel worlds and the multiverse were imitated through the cooperation of Clow Reed and Ichihara Yuuko. In this context, the Clow Cards being rated SSS isn't high, really.
You can say Kinomoto Sakura's Clow Cards are weak, but you absolutely cannot say Clow Reed's Clow Cards are weak.