One day,
You inexplicably think of someone.
She once gave you expectations for tomorrow.
But she did not appear in your tomorrow at all.
Knock, knock, knock—
The wooden door of the office was rapped upon.
Saionji Sagara looked at the young girl standing gracefully at the door; the girl's crimson eyes were as brilliant as the rising morning sun.
Pressing down the photo frame standing on the desk so the photo faced downwards, and concealing the complexity and grief in her eyes, Saionji Sagara smiled at the girl. "Come in."
"No need to be so restrained."
"Director, you were looking for me~" Su Yuzu looked at the solemn-faced Saionji Sagara before her and broke into a radiant smile.
Saionji Sagara faltered for a moment.
Rarely would a student still be able to bloom with such a brilliant smile in front of her.
Except for... that young girl in whom she had once placed heavy hopes.
After all, even though they knew Saionji Sagara looked strict and fierce, she was genuinely thinking of the students' best interests. But... upon seeing the woman's face, which was incredibly serious and stern at all times, the reaction of most students was still to want to escape Saionji Sagara's gaze.
Su Yuzu was probably an exception.
There seemed to be a nonchalance about the girl, as if she were treating life like a game.
Even if the sky collapsed, for her, it might just be the end of a game session.
To be honest, this was good.
If one put too much pressure on oneself, the string in one's heart... would snap sooner or later.
"Sit." Saionji Sagara motioned for Su Yuzu to pull out a chair and sit down.
Su Yuzu sat down honestly and obediently in front of Saionji Sagara.
She looked at the woman before her, whose brows seemed about to knit together.
Director Saionji shouldered too much.
She could roughly guess... as Kujou Iruka's former teacher, the blow caused to Director Saionji by Kujou Iruka falling into the Abyss. She could also imagine... the finger-pointing at Director Saionji by those arrogant fellows within the Empire.
The pressure Saionji Sagara bore was actually not a bit less than that of Kujou Katora.
Included in this... were Director Saionji's own self-condemnation and regret; otherwise, she probably wouldn't have left Imperial Capital University. Instead, she came to a more 'young' place like Keigunen Private Academy to teach children who were livelier but also harder to manage.
Su Yuzu watched Saionji Sagara's gaze upon her. Did she have Kujou Iruka's shadow on her?
Su Yuzu didn't know.
But she knew that Director Saionji definitely valued her highly.
"Has Yuzu heard of the Book of Daniel?" Saionji Sagara looked at Su Yuzu seriously.
"In the Book of Daniel, there is a prophecy of seventy sevens."
"So... does Yuzu believe that there are really prophecies in this world?"
Su Yuzu nodded gently.
She didn't know why Saionji Sagara would suddenly speak of these metaphysical things.
But in this eroge world, Su Yuzu still believed in so-called fate and world lines.
She believed that Kujou Iruka would eventually march upon the Tokyo metropolitan area with thousands of troops. And she believed... that this time, she could still block Kujou Iruka in the wilderness, just like in the game.
Saionji Sagara paused for a moment.
She truly hadn't expected Su Yuzu to actually nod.
Saionji Sagara furrowed her brows and pondered for a moment. The woman organized her thoughts and spoke to Su Yuzu, "About seven or eight hundred years ago—"
"Catastrophe descended upon the earth."
"The first Catastrophe Beast was a Seventh Sequence monster."
"At that time, there were no Espers in the world yet."
"White fog descended upon the earth like a nightmare. No one in that era dared to close their eyes when they saw the white fog."
"Because... once one closes their eyes and falls into the dreamscape, what it represents—"
"Is death."
"In the end... it was that Witch who crawled up from the starving corpses of hell. At the cost of sacrificing herself, she bestowed death equally upon herself and that Deer Spirit of Nightmares."
"She was the first recorded... rule-type ability user."
Su Yuzu listened quietly.
"In the dead land where she killed that deer spirit, white Kirishika bloomed in abundance."
"The 'Holy Royal Court' was established on that land."
"The Witch who crawled up from the starving corpses of hell left a total of three Holy Relics for the 'Holy Royal Court'."
"One was the Nightmare's Catastrophe Crystal."
"One was the Goddess's Blessing."
"One... was the prophecy she left behind."
Saionji Sagara looked at Su Yuzu seriously and chanted a prophecy similar to the one Lyudmila had intoned that day.
"『Then, one thousand years later—』"
"『The Eighth Throne is liberated.』"
"『The sun is at the zenith, right in the middle of the sky.』"
"『But when the end comes, one will see the sky gradually covered with black clouds, as if the dark night is fast approaching.』"
"『But when the Ninth Throne is liberated.』"
"『Eternal Night will arrive.』"
"『At that point, the sun will never rise again, there will be no more dawn, and the world will end.』"
Su Yuzu had actually seen similar prophecies in the game.
She also knew that the prophecy was actually adapted from Revelation.
It was just that the seventh day of Revelation was the appearance of the Morning Star, whereupon the sun would never set and there would be no more dark night. Yet... this world was evidently incomparably sorrowful and desperate.
The final ending... was Eternal Night.
But Su Yuzu did not accept such an ending.
She hadn't even agreed to it, so the prophecy didn't mean jack.
Su Yuzu hated the darkness.
She still wanted to be on the seaside beach, bathing in the warm and gentle sunshine, letting Soga Yura apply sunscreen for her with both shame and anticipation. Then, taking advantage of Soga Yura bashfully applying the sunscreen, she would hug the girl directly into her arms and rub some onto her body as well.
Then she would admire the girls' fine figures, laughing and playing as they chased each other on the beach, enjoying the peaceful times.
Who wanted Eternal Night?
"Currently... the majority view within academic circles is that the so-called Thrones are rule-type ability users."
"The liberation of a Throne represents the awakening of a rule-type ability user."
"When the ninth rule-type ability user awakens, the era of humanity will also end."
Su Yuzu suddenly understood why Director Saionji had called her here.
"I am the seventh... right?"
Su Yuzu had read records in the relevant literature.
She should be the seventh rule-type ability user.
The seventh rule-type ability user succeeding the Saintess of the 'Holy Royal Court', Saint Michael.
"No—" Saionji Sagara's expression suddenly became very grave.
"You are the eighth."
"Wha... t?"
"The rule-type ability user who awakened two generations ago was Kujou Iruka."
"Her ability was 'Sure Hit'."
"The arrows she fired, no matter how far, would definitely hit the target."
"That wasn't because her archery was exquisite; on the contrary, that guy's archery was actually messy and terrible."
"But she was indeed the Empire's strongest archer."
"The impact of a rule-type ability user falling into the Abyss is simply too, too great... so, all those in the know clamped their jaws shut on this secret in their hearts."
"This era has already liberated two Thrones, and you... are the Eighth."
Saionji Sagara looked at Su Yuzu seriously.
"After you... the sun is at the zenith, right in the middle of the sky."
"But that is not humanity's hope, rather... it is the final glory before the Eternal Night."
"Yuzu..."
"Now, do you... still believe in fate?"
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