CH #1 - Faster Than My Bullet

"I hope those two heard that." Lira evidenced the shrill noise that was heard reverberating throughout the hallway. "It's an indication that what we planned to stop has just started."

She walked around the room at a hurried pace, but still didn't give up on showing that she was in complete control of her own mind. Lira fumbled with her backpack, pulling out something – a rather special thing.

"I never thought the day would come when I would have to appeal to something like this…" She then rolled her eyes and took a deep, mentally tired breath, reconsidering what she'd just said. "Actually, I indeed thought of it. Time to put this to use."

For a few seconds, the girl with eyes that glowed a dangerous shade of pink stared at the piece of metal she held between her fingers. The dim glow of the object caught her vision, offsetting the dim light in the classroom.

"Time to get started on the action, just like in the agreement."

She walked out of the empty classroom. In the distance, sounds of screams were heard approaching, as well as others only a little less desperate, coming from adjacent classrooms and present throughout the rest of the corridor.

Lira chose the room closest to her, which also followed the direction of the stairs. The girl, without making the slightest noise, placed her left ear against the cold wood covered in the white that guaranteed it an unnatural texture.

"What were all those screams about?"

"Did something happen?!"

"Damn... What if something really serious is going on out there?!"

"What kind of serious thing? It must be just a joke or some sort of emergency training. Nothing ever happens in this school or in this town. There's no reason to worry."

Hearing that last comment, Lira smiled sourly. It would be extremely advantageous if all students had the same mentality as the author of that emblematic speech.

But unfortunately that wasn't the case, and while they punished him for saying something like that, they also thought about going out and checking the situation outside. That was not ideal.

"Not good. I have to stop them from leaving." The Suzuki thought, trying to reflect on the situation. "Time to make the wheels of your mind work, Lira."

It was time to think. The girl with the brown hair kept in an elegant ponytail looked around, realizing that there was nothing she could put to use, not even with the greatest of improvisations.

Trash cans wouldn't stop anyone from getting out, and neither would papers pinned to the hallway walls. It was from that fruitless process that she thought of the best thing she could use at the moment.

"Of course. I just need to make them terrified enough to be unable to leave the classroom."

Without any further thought, the Suzuki girl focused her attention on something internal, which belonged to her very core. That feeling was already relatively familiar to her, so it was simple to make it happen. All it took was a deep breath, and then it all started.

One of the most characteristic feelings of human beings was fear. As one of the primaries of its kind, such a sensation of discomfort accompanies people and animals from the moment of their birth.

Knowing how to manipulate fear was easy, considering that it is often so simple to cause it. In that particular situation, this was especially easy, as no matter how brave they tried to pose as externally, such feeling would already be taking hold of their minds.

And Lira could feel it – the girl was able to sense the fumes of that shared fear escaping from beneath the gaps in the door, falling to the floor and spreading out like water, and leaking through the gap in the wood in a deep shade of a color similar to eigengrau.

It only took her to focus a little on that feeling, and soon everyone was too terrified to even make it to the door.

"Heh." Very subtly, she chuckled inwardly, with only a smirk appearing on the right side of her mouth.

None of them could get out now. Fear implanted in their minds the idea that the thing behind the door could only be avoided if it was kept closed. The fear was almost the same as that observed in the face of a phobia – extreme revulsion and a desire to avoid the cause of fear above all else.

Realizing the success of her plan, she once again pressed her ear to the door, letting herself hear the terror and murmurs that escaped there.

"I... I don't want to die... I don't want to die...!"

"It's going in here... It's going to come in here and get us all if we don't leave this door locked...! I know it will...!"

"There's something out there... There's something behind the door...!"

She smiled fully, after all, luckily that was enough to get everyone in their seats as she figured out the situation. The smaller the number of people running aimlessly through the corridors, the better it would be to solve the whole situation.

So, those who didn't get out sooner would have to be doomed to remain in that emotional prison for a moment longer.

"A perfect plan. Now, just got to do the same for everyone who is still in a classroom. Having turmoil is not an advantage here."

There were still a few more classrooms to go. Nothing she couldn't do, though. It would only be enough to apply the same formula for everyone...

...Or maybe try something that was a little different.

"These fumes of fear are covering the entire hallway." She asserted to herself, watching as, in her vision, those liquid, hazy streams of shimmering 'brain gray' glided over the floor, all interconnected.

It was like being in a lake of pure fear. Accumulated feelings add up and amplify, generating even greater and more powerful manifestations. People have common sense to think that way, but that wasn't the whole truth.

It was too innocent to think to have such thinking, and Lira learned it in the early days of her contact with other people's feelings and her supernatural perception of them. All of these sensations didn't just serve to indicate a mood or make someone feel good or bad. There was a reason behind the existence of the phenomena known as "emotion".

Energy. Feelings are reliable sources of the purest energy.

During her observations of the "mists" that covered each person, the Suzuki girl decided to delve deeper into her own powers. It didn't take long for the realization that those colors and shapes were actually types of an energetic manifestation to set in her mind.

People influence their surroundings with emotions without even realizing it. They energize things with their sadness, making everything grayer, or they light up the space with confidence and good humor. Clearly, some are more sensitive to these changes than others, but overall, humanity has little sensitivity to this type of phenomenon.

"All these people feeling scared... This is exactly what I needed most."

The way Lira smiled would certainly make her look like a villain – but the fact is, the girl only loved it more when her plans went exactly as a planned profile indicated.

Feelings of a certain type attract their own kind – a small deviation from the law of attraction of opposites. Love attracts love, sadness attracts sadness, and fear attracts more fear.

"Time to take advantage of such knowledge."

The supernatural talent she was gifted with allowed her to energize those chains, amplifying the potency of that feeling. In lay terms, Lira was able to use her own energy to increase that of feelings.

Aware of this principle like no one else, the Suzuki touched that fine mist that covered the floor, feeling it run cold between the gaps between each pair of fingers. It was like being in a room with the most powerful air conditioning unit active at the lowest temperature.

And in that moment, mastering that collective fear, she once again focused on the depths of her mind, that time bringing the most of herself out. It was like voluntarily coughing or sneezing – except that it happens inside your head.

"Now."

The girl's eyes opened and bulged, lighting up with a visceral pink glow. The abnormal light sliced ​​through every corner of her pupils, losing itself in the environment as the focus shifted to her breathing and thoughts.

Lira injected those dense feelings with even more energy, catalyzing the transmission, and effectively spreading that rejuvenated and far more violent fear to every classroom. Making sure no one loitered in the halls was the goal of all that effort.

She rose to her feet, breathing laboriously, as supplying energy from her own body was all that was needed. Using the special ability was tiring both physically and mentally.

The girl leaned back against the wall, touching her forehead. Her sense of balance was gone for a minute, but she could already feel it returning when she stopped for a bit. In an attempt to regain full control, her back slid, slowly, along the wood of the walls.

"I'll leave this in your hands for just a little longer. Don't die until I get there."

She needed to get her energy back, and quickly. Not that it was necessarily needed, but the process would be much slower without outside support from some food.

... ... ...

"Oh. That's convenient."

No more than three minutes had passed since she'd dropped her body, something had caught Lira's eye – or rather, someone.

It was a student who came from the third floor. With him he carried an open can of soda from which he drank. The headphones played music that could be heard even several meters from where he was standing.

"No wonder this one didn't listen to all the chaos down there." She imagined. "...But it also indicates that the fear was not shared to the rooms above."

From the profile of that distracted boy, Lira quickly concluded that the screams below weren't heard or just weren't considered serious by the students upstairs.

But anyway, that wasn't why she had focused her attention on him. The reason for that was something much simpler.

"Hey you!" Lira called for him the instant the boy crossed the space in the hallway she occupied.

Murmuring the music he was listening to, which to further disturb was a Heavy Metal rhythm, he didn't pay any attention to Lira, right because he wasn't able to perceive her call.

"So it's going to be the hard way…? All right."

Using the last of her energy, she aimed her gaze at the back of the distancing boy. Just a little was enough, and...

"Damn, what the hell was that?!"

The boy jumped, startled, as if something freezing cold had touched his back very subtly. Inevitably, he looked back, noticing Lira in the process.

Carefully, the student removed the headphones, pausing the music on his cell phone, and focusing his attention on the one person in the hallway beyond him.

"Did you do this?!" He asked, visibly enraged. "Did you splash water on me or something, bitch?!"

He approached. It was all she wanted.

"What if it was me?" She urged him on. "What are you going to do?"

"Look, I just don't hit you because you're a girl... But if it happens one more time I don't promise I'll leave it be!"

"Trying to be intimidating... How cute." She thought, smiling inwardly. "So that just proves you're a slob who thinks he can't handle the consequences of hitting an annoying girl."

That was a deliberate gesture. Every sentence of Lira sought to bring out the worst in him. She wanted him to confront her.

"Why, you...!"

"You call these words threatening?" She interrupted him. "Very well..."

The young man who clenched his free fist and pointed in her direction felt his own soul slip from his body as he saw that she had taken from behind her back.

The object was aimed directly at him, threatening to reveal its destructive and painful face.

"Do you have something to say now? Staying silent after coming at me with all that courage? Where did all of that went now?"

Paralyzed as a rock, the boy felt himself trembling from head to toe. She couldn't be serious, bringing something like that to school...

"Doubting me? Well, I can show you... I just press here and-"

"I'm sorry...! I'm sorry...! Please, I'll do anything... But... But don't pull that trigger...!"

Once again, she chuckled inwardly, seeing her plan once again successful. Now, she could make the demand for whatever she wanted.

"In that case, I want that can you have in your hand." Lira said. "Put it down slowly, and go back to your room with your hands up. And that I don't find out later that you've told anyone about this, or I'll have to silence you, if you know what I mean."

Leaving suspense behind, it was a pistol – and a very real one, to be exact. Six bullets were loaded in it, and Lira had six more in her skirt pocket.

Having it available was the only good thing that human trash called Hidetaka could provide. As the businessman traveled a lot, his belongings were kept in places that even the maids did not usually have access to.

It was easy to find the weapon, even though it was in a sealed briefcase. The house won't miss a pair of padlocks anyway.

At that point, not even the reaction of running in despair could be conceived by the student. Knowing that the only way to survive that strange threat would be to, strangely, give up his partially consumed soda can, he decided to agree.

"That's right. Put it down slowly, and then you can go." Lira spoke.

"You're crazy..." He said, shaky both in body and speech. "Want to do a school shooting or something...?"

"I didn't give you the right to ask any questions." Lira cut off any kind of interrogation before it could even begin. "But let me tell you something..."

She quickly took the can in her left hand, keeping the pistol pointed at him with her right. After four hurried gulps of the substance that turned out to taste like Cola, she wiped the corner of her mouth with the sleeve of her white garment.

"I suggest you hide from what's going on down there. Things are going to get serious, you know?"

The frightened boy's lack of response was in itself quite enlightening. Lira lifted her entire body, smoothing her hair and feeling most of the powers return. It was like being energized once more.

"Perfect. You have been very helpful to me." She spoke, still keeping her tone neutral. "But I feel that a situation like this cannot be left as it is, don't you agree?"

"Huh…? What... What are you talking about?! I swear I won't... I won't tell anyone about this...!" He pleaded, pressing his back against the wall as she approached, gun in hand. "Please... Please don't kill me..."

His pleas gave way to a defensive posture with his eyes closed. It was like believing that not seeing the monster would make it go away. In no time such a silly belief was broken by the icy touch of something on her cheek.

"Unfortunately, I cannot trust your word. Humans are the most volatile part of any plan, did you know that? They are completely uncontrollable variables, always leaving room for error."

That wasn't the hand, or the shoe, or anything else intrinsic to the body of the young woman with the scary pink eyes. The smooth cylindrical surface glided over her cheek, unencumbered by announcing what would happen next.

"So we replace the variables in a new plan, or we bet on the ones we have to see what happens, although that's a bit risky, of course."

He knew he wouldn't tell! Dealing with someone like that was the real hell experience for him. Even after having promised, even after crying like a coward, she still doubted and made a point of putting her questions in the most pejorative way possible, humiliating him with knowledge that he never thought of having at any point in his life.

What did 'plan variables' or whatever matter?! That is meant to be stuff you see in the army, during a war or something! They are just students, so they don't have to worry about these concepts.

But the scary girl still kept pouring out that atmosphere, acting as if she were just delaying his death with intimidation and laughter.

That kind of person was much worse than anything else, since, unlike those who make simple, empty threats without foundation, that girl gave the impression that she would actually kill him with the slightest mistake.

It was almost like a belief at that point – he was going to die by her hand. He would be the first victim of that massacre, the first to feel the pain and burning of the gunshots ripping through bone and skin, watching the blood gush and-

"I don't know what you're imagining, but I never said I'd kill you if you cooperated."

... And suddenly, there was this feeling, this sensation so abnormal of comfort, which made everything but itself be expelled like the air escapes in a scream from the boy's body. It was a strange happiness, the realization that nothing could be more right.

"Have you calmed down now?" She asked, lifting his face with her right hand.

That touch... It was like feeling a cloud! The massive difference from before consumed him, burning inside and revealing a new feeling that filled the gaps in his heart.

Being beside her was no longer frightening, and much less the weight of the threat fell on his back. In a mere second, all that was replaced, transformed into something new and positive, into a bright light that warmed him.

"See now? There is no reason to fear, after all..."

Yes. He felt warm, welcomed, and almost loved by that girl... Being wrapped in her arms was like floating in hot springs, and the warmth of her lips as she spoke was his newest sun.

There was nothing to fear.

"...You must not be aware of any of this."

A single well-placed blow to the top of the head was all it took to make the young adult's body drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes – such was the result of a perfect pistol butt with the barrel of the gun at the apex of his skull.

Rushing to carry out her plan, Lira dragged the unconscious boy to a specific room - the one reserved for cleaning material.

Fortunately, the small room reserved for storing cleaning supplies didn't usually have the door locked most of the time. That made the job of getting him in there a lot easier.

"I'll make sure to let Ryan know about this one, that is, assuming he survives."

A potent mechanical shock consumed the hallway, drawing haunted screams from the fear-infected students. Lira locked the boy in a dark, stuffy room filled with noxious chemical compounds with the promise of leaving him there for what she predicted would be several hours, using the crushed soda can to fill a patch of small gap between the wood and the ground, making any chance of exit extra difficult.

"As he is, that guy must already be getting involved in some kind of risk."

Ryan wasn't the most rational person – she herself had to save him from the consequences of his overly instinctive thinking, so Lira could rightly say that betting on his success was far beyond what she would consider a comfortable gamble.

"I really hate having to rely on luck, but this is what we have. I hope that all that determination doesn't end in vain." She said, her voice getting lost in the hallway.

The more reckless of the two young men seemed focused on resolving the issue surrounding that whole crisis at its heart, so much so that he barely waited for the planning to end, and left just as everyone saw the subtle smokescreen climbing skyward from the roof of the library.

Ryan went to sort out current issues in the library wing and began running like a madman toward what promised to be a huge fire that would compromise a good portion of the school's structure if allowed to grow. Cast, on his turn, did the same, but to the other side of the school, looking to find out if there were any more problems.

"And as for me, I am under the responsibility of being the 'hazard container' of this entire process." Lira remembered her occupation in all of this – that of keeping big problems from getting bigger.

Retention of students, handling of minimal problems, but which can greatly influence the process if left unattended... It was for that reason that she did not allow the boy to go down the stairs. Since no one had gone up for one reason or another, having him come down would cause unimaginable turmoil.

Just the mere fact of imagining a wave of students rising in despair would make anyone shiver... And with Lira it was no different. It was better that things continued where and how they were.

"Anyway, it's a little weird... Was this all so well thought out that it made everything go so smoothly?"

It was time to go upstairs. With resolute steps, the young woman took the stairs towards the next floor.

Everything was eerily similar to the way an ordinary day would be.

"I imagine that last idiot was a lingerer...?"

Lira paced the floor for a moment, receiving once more the continual indication that there was no one but her there. The girl even took the trouble to look in some classrooms, finding a total of zero students in them.

"Hmm... It seems to me that this floor is completely clean, which is strange." She concluded.

Time to create an evacuation protocol for those left downstairs. It would be one thing to let them run aimlessly and in despair, and quite another to do it with organization and leadership.

"Many must have already escaped from school by now. It's not too hard to find gaps and spaces where you can jump through a tree or something, I suppose. And in any case, they wouldn't leave the gates locked for so long." She talked to herself, analyzing the variables.

The simplest and most concrete plan would have been to successfully guide everyone downstairs, but the problem was that Lira had no idea what the situation was like down there, since either Cast or Ryan hadn't returned.

Added to all this was the fact that the fear generated by their ability would not stop them forever. After a while, it would become as reliable as a placebo – the second a single student chooses to challenge the impression that they are at risk, they will all do so as they realize they are no longer truly terrified, but that it was just an image generated by the previous sensation.

There was no solution other than to make another bet, something that once again aroused annoyance in Lira's mind. Anything with percentages in its composition was something to be wary of, and for the girl, all plans should be formulated with absolute certainty.

But as much as it was against her own pride to admit it, the girl was aware that thinking like that was wrong, since nothing in life was so absolute that mistakes couldn't be made.

"In this case, all I need is to select the best plan of action..."

The young woman's mind once again let itself fall into the darkness full of ideas and possibilities to be tested. Leaning against the wall, she didn't notice she'd been called for until it was repeated a third time.

"Hey you...! Please... Do you have any medicine that can help with fever? It's an urgent case!"

Realizing that her train of thought had been interrupted, the young girl directed a bitter look at the boy who called to her, as if wanting to say "What right do you have to interrupt my thoughts?"

"So, do you have it?! Our friend really needs it, but there's no one here with this in hand, and we couldn't go downstairs because of the situation down there... Everything is in chaos... We just called the police too, after hearing the screams and the library wood crackling…" He said, trying to remain calm.

As disinterested as she was, Lira discovered two new pieces of information from it – the first being that the one who had come downstairs earlier was just too engrossed in his music to notice anything, and that at least those over there weren't idiots like him.

But then, idiots or not, she saw no reason to stop thinking and worry about a simple fever.

"I have no idea what's going on, but… Damn it! Do you have the medicine or not?! She's burning in fever...!"

The first wish that took over Lira was to ignore it and leave. Those seemed to be fine where they were, and were aware of the danger surrounding them, so they would be no worries and could be evacuated last.

... But then, she reread in her mind the last utterance that had been uttered by him.

"Did you say fever? A horrible disorienting fever?"

"Yes, and we need help with urgency-"

"And is this fever accompanied by severe headaches, muscle weakness and nausea?"

The boy was terrified at how pinpoint specific and accurate she was being... That girl had just described in detail the state of health of his classmate!

"Yes... Those are all the symptoms..." He spoke, stepping back a little. "How... How do you know that...?"

"That doesn't matter." She dodged the question. "Now take me to your classroom. Let's get you all out of here, including her."

With a motivation she rarely displayed, Lira hurried to the only open door in the hallway. Upon entering, the young woman realized that, fortunately, that classroom would be less of a problem than she imagined.

"Is it just the four of you in here?" She questioned, realizing how three girls and one guy were all that made up the number of students in the place.

Two of the girls were trying to alleviate the third friend's suffering in some way. The two women periodically poured water from bottles over her hair, wetting the scalp and forehead in an attempt to contain the fever.

"Yes, it's just us." The boy spoke again. "And as you can see, she's not doing well... If we can give her some medicine..."

Lira walked over to the girl, ignoring the cares of the other two. The young woman with short straight brown hair, wearing a green dress with white dots covering its entire surface, was breathing with difficulty and had an intense facial blush.

"How long has she been like this?" Lira's dry speech reverberated through the room.

"It started about half an hour ago... As soon as the break time was announced and before the fire started, she suddenly collapsed like this... We touched her forehead and realized she had a fever for this entire time."

"And you didn't try to go down with her for fear of what's going on down there?"

"That's right... We might as well have tried, but after those screams, we..."

"You did well." Said Lira, breaking any expectations they had about being judged as 'cowards' or something. "A sick person being in the middle of all this chaos is no good."

The assurance given by Lira made both girls' hearts subtly comfort. Perhaps trying to help excessively would only bring worse problems.

"Hey..." One of them shyly looked at Lira. "You know what's going on down there, don't you…? And what's she going through, too... No? I mean... I don't want this to sound bad, but... You're so sure of yourself while we're all desperate here..."

Lira withdrew her hand from the boiling contact of the breathing girl's forehead, preparing an answer.

"You are very observant. But although this is true, you only got half of the statement right." Lira analyzed her palm like a surgical instrument undergoing a meticulous quality assessment. "Although I do know about your friend's condition, I don't know much about what's going on at school."

Lira spent a few more seconds evaluating the feeling in her hand when she touched the forehead of the girl's whose head was down on her own table. There were no more questions after that.

"Even the temperature is similar... This infernal fever can't be anything else." She mentally concluded.

Same symptoms, same impairment, and even the exact same intense rise in temperature, putting her in the same unforgettable fever that gifted the girl with her powers.

Continuing to hold back the news was no longer necessary.

"Forget it. This fever cannot be reduced with any medicine. There's nothing we can do about it." Lira spoke. "That depends on her. Your friend can either survive or die."

... ... ...

"How can you say that with such a comfortable expression?!"

It was only a matter of time before that happened, and Lira had already calculated that behavior on the part of the more unstable of the two girls. It was suspiciousness.

The Suzuki's every action filled her with a feeling filled with doubt, caution and questioning, and soon, she found herself suspecting the behavior of the scary-eyed girl.

Just wait a little, and soon someone in that room would pounce on her like an enraged animal, questioning her manner and lack of sympathy with the affected person's plight by showing teeth and nails.

All were calculated risks by the girl.

"How can you say she's dying?! Is that what you're telling me with that face so full and bland?! How can you say it like that...?"

Without losing her posture, Lira grabbed the young woman's right hand, forcing it away from her clothing.

"At no time did I say as a fact that she would die, but that there is a possibility of that happening."

"And what difference does it make?! You're still not doing anything to help, other than telling us that staying here and not trying to look for help was the right thing to do... Ha! As if that were true...!"

No longer patient with the situation, the 'school conquest' trio's planner opened her eyes, very briefly making them bright.

"W... What was that?!"

Lira ignored the question, staring at a point in the center of that girl's forehead.

"I say this because I know there is no hope but luck and probability. Germany, UK, France... Do these names remind you of something?"

"What kind of question is even that?! What the hell are you even asking?! How am I supposed to know what's going on in Europe or shit?!"

"Just answer." She pressed. "Tell us what all these names have in common, besides being countries in Europe, of course."

"That...!" She tried to protest more.

...but was interrupted by a gentle hand that fell on her right shoulder. It was the other girl, who, much more restrained, just indicated that she should answer.

Baring her teeth in anger, the young woman put the gears in her mind to work.

High crime rate, violence on all sides, economic decline in the last five years... Mysterious pandemic.

"Looks to me like you found the answer." Lira crossed her arms. "In case you're wondering, these are the same symptoms of the mysterious disease that has been plaguing Europe for the recent years."

Lira looked at the young woman suffering from the muscle aches and tetanic spasms generated by the fever. Her muscles moved on their own, quivering and pulsing under her skin.

"This is the same disease unknown to all corners of science that literally kills all of its infected, save for a few lucky bastards who are quite rare."

Lira's announcement caused everyone in the room to widen their eyes, fear taking hold of their hearts.

"I am under no obligation to provide you with any explanation, but that is the truth, whether you accept it or not."

"No... Emily can't die... She can't..."

She wasted no time. While the other three were feeling so helpless and desperate about the whole situation, the young, stiff-eyed, cold-eyed girl crossed the girl's right arm around her neck, lifting her in a rather abrupt movement.

"Believe me – I know how much this hurts." Lira muttered in the vicinity of the right ear of the girl named Emily. "The faster we go through this, the sooner your suffering will end."

That was the girl's particular way of saying "hang in there." Without waiting any longer, she began to walk Emily out of the room.

"Why are you still not coming along? Don't you want to get out of here?"

"It's just... As much as I don't want to believe it and think you might be lying... I can't question what you said." Said the boy. "As much as I want to yell at you too and say you're being too negative about the whole situation, something in me says you're not wrong."

At least someone there could hear the voice of reason – that was perfect. It was remarkable that he felt anger, fear, and more a mixture of feelings... And yet, at no time did he let himself be carried away by any of them.

Maybe that wasn't such a bad bet after all.

"You." Lira referred to him. "I have a task you should be able to do."

Overcome by the anticipation of hearing the seriousness of that speech, he contained his tremors, directing his gaze to those who he could tell for sure knew much more about that scenario than he did.

"I want you to evacuate the rooms on the lower floors. Once you've got out all the students in them, head to the stairs in the west wing of the building, and use the supply reception gate."

"Do you really think I can do this...? What if something goes wrong? What if we are attacked by whoever is doing this? And if I can't?!"

"Do not make me laugh." Lira bared her upper right canine at him. "If you can handle all the pressure of this situation, you can also get a few dozen people out of here. Don't make me regret trusting you."

Before finally leaving, Lira made a point of letting him know about what she was carrying around her waist. Seeing the metal of the gun almost perfectly reflect his face, all the tremors in the boy's body were replaced by a morbid stiffness.

"I suggest you pick up weapons, or anything that's as durable as or more than a broomstick. You two will go with him. Try not to be a burden to the operation."

The second girl bared her teeth, digging her nails into the skin of her hands.

"And what are you gonna do to her…? Are you going to dump Emily in a random hallway or room somewhere and say 'it's okay since her fate was to die anyway' as soon as someone finds the body...?"

"Please, now is not the time for us to argue—" The first one tried to help, but was interrupted by Lira.

"Don't stop her from hating me. Let her think what she wants. It doesn't change the facts. And on top of everything else..."

She opened the door, promising to disappear into the corridors with the girl's body, but not before leaving a last sign of her authority.

"...I couldn't care less about the opinion of someone so stupid and unstable."

***

"So this is the 'Emily' girl Ryan briefly commented about the other day, I suppose. I must admit I didn't imagine she would turn out to be the very Emily Attwood herself."

The girl had difficulties to continue walking. Periodically, Lira had to stop and take a break by leaning against some wall to rest her breath. Emily was a little too heavy for the job to be easy.

Normally, such a selfless act of applying to help someone else would be seen as "out of character" in Cast's words. And while under normal situations that was the truth, the special context made her think of something.

"Considering an ideal plan in which this girl survives, I wonder what kind of skill she will develop. Having her on our side would be very helpful if that happened."

Lira's real intention in helping Emily was to ensure that feelings of gratitude arose. It would make it much easier to turn the school's most popular student and the Literature Club's president into a helpful ally.

That way of thinking could be seen as mere emotional manipulation, and naming it like that would not be incorrect. However, behind that outward image, there was a spark of sympathy for the condition the Suzuki lady knew so well.

"It's painful, isn't it? There is nothing but pain. In every second, it feels like your muscles are going to tear, and you can feel your own brain boiling with the fever, can't you?" She whispered in Emily's ear.

The girl with green eyes like glowing emeralds couldn't bring herself to answer. Before long, those symptoms further compromised any kind of communication, and she threatened to pass out with every passing moment.

"But do not worry. You will get out of here. I can guarantee that."

It was, above all, a huge mistake to think that she was a cold, emotionless machine or robot. In her heart, Lira Suzuki carried the pride of being someone with a light conscience, knowing that she only promised what she was sure she could follow through until the end.

And saving Emily Attwood was one of those goals.

The more rational and proud one accumulated all her remaining strength, adding concentration to each step with the diligence in keeping her breathing under control, and step by step, they made their way down again.

The two continued down and down, walking step by step towards the infirmary. In that situation, state-of-the-art medical care or simple wet towels to alleviate feverish suffering would amount to the same end result.

They walked until there was only one flight of stairs to get to the school's ground floor, and once there, Lira understood why no one had even tried to make their way to the upper floors, despite all the commotion.

"Well, that explains things…"

It was right in front of her, actively blocking all passages, preventing even the bravest from trying to make their way to a safer space.

She rested Emily's body against the first-floor wall. It was time to think about how to overcome that challenge efficiently.

"Hmm... what can I use?" She started to think, analytically analyzing the space filled by what could not be natural work of nature.