Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Embracing Darkness

As Tokisaki Kurumi called upon it, a towering spectral figure, Yasha, emerged behind Izumi Kyoka. Cloaked in a snow-white kimono and wielding a silver two-meter-long blade, Yasha's mere presence chilled the air, sending out fierce winds sharp enough to cut skin, causing the iron bars of the cell to creak.

"Zafkiel, Tenth Bullet," Kurumi said, raising her flintlock gun and aiming it at both Yasha and Kyoka. "This might not hurt much, but brace yourself for the rush of memories—it's a disorienting experience."

"I'm ready," Kyoka replied.

Receiving her permission, Kurumi pulled the trigger, and the Tenth Bullet passed through both Yasha and Kyoka. The next moment, a cascade of memories flooded Kyoka's mind.

"These…," Kyoka murmured, "…these are Mother's memories."

She saw memories of carefree childhood play, her mother's awakening of the ability Yasha Shirayuki, and the day her mother joined the government as an assassin. Then, most vividly…

"Yasha Shirayuki!"

Using her last vestiges of will to resist the enemy's mental control, Kyoka's mother summoned Yasha Shirayuki and, just before she completely lost herself, gave her final command: "Protect my child!"

In its unwavering loyalty, Yasha swung its blade, severing her mother's head and piercing her father's chest, before transferring itself to Kyoka in its final act.

"So… it was true…" Kyoka stood frozen, her heart heavy with the truth of Kurumi's words.

Her parents had indeed been government assassins. Her ability had not killed them; Yasha Shirayuki had been her mother's final gift. The overwhelming truth sank in—her ability wasn't a curse of patricide; it was her mother's last protection.

What should she feel now? Relief? Regret for misunderstanding the truth? Or frustration for not discovering it sooner?

Warm tears slipped from her eyes, falling onto the cold floor.

"These are… tears?" she murmured. "I thought I had none left to shed."

Kyoka's life had been a tragedy of misunderstanding. Shielded from the truth about her parents, fate led her to the Port Mafia as an assassin. Her mother had used her ability to protect her, yet that same ability became the "curse" of her parents' death. The unspoken truths and tragic coincidences turned Kyoka's life into an endless sorrow.

"Why… did it have to be this way…"

If only her parents had a little more luck that day, if only the government had noticed her sooner, or if she had been found by anyone other than Akutagawa, her story might not have descended into darkness.

Perhaps Akutagawa truly wanted to save this girl, who had lost the meaning of life. But by imposing a code of killing on her, he only deepened her suffering. As a person already lost, he couldn't possibly guide another toward the light. Instead, he had dragged her from one abyss into a deeper one.

Silence fell upon the dungeon as Kyoka processed everything. Kurumi remained quiet, knowing the truth was now out. Whether Kyoka could accept it, and what she would do next, depended entirely on her.

In the oppressive silence, broken only by occasional coughs from elsewhere, Kyoka finally lifted her gaze. Her expression was calm, devoid of both emptiness and life, but marked by a faint sense of peace.

"Any thoughts?" Kurumi asked. "For example, about avenging your parents."

"No, I have no such desire." Kyoka shook her head slowly. "Assassins live knowing they may die in the line of work. My parents wouldn't want me to seek revenge."

"Looks like you've come to terms with it."

"Yes… thank you for showing me the truth." Kyoka knelt on the ground, pressing her forehead to the floor. "I have no way to repay this kindness. Please, allow me to pledge my loyalty to you, Tokisaki-sama."

"Oh, no need for something so formal," Kurumi replied with a playful grin. "I don't want to be called something that stiff all the time."

"Then… what should I call you?"

Kurumi tilted her head in thought before flashing a mischievous smile. "How about calling me 'Big Sister'?"

"Big Sister?"

"Yes, Kyoka's adorable, after all. I've always wanted a cute little sister."

"But… wouldn't that be…"

"Is that a no?"

"Well… if it's what you wish, then…" Kyoka trailed off.

"Of course, it's not an order. But if you could genuinely think of me as your big sister, I'd be delighted."

Kyoka hesitated before finally voicing the question that had been troubling her.

"Why are you helping someone like me?" she asked. "I don't think we've met before, and yet you've been so kind to me. Why?"

Kurumi gently stroked her head. "Why, you ask… It's just like seeing an injured kitten on the side of the road. I couldn't just walk away." Her tone softened. "If you kept descending into darkness, you might become just like me—and that would be a shame."

"Like… you?" Kyoka asked.

"Yes, like me. You see, Kyoka, succumbing to darkness is a dangerous path. When you embrace it too fully, it changes you."

Kurumi's voice grew quieter, as if she were recalling a distant memory. "Your conscience, your virtues, your kindness—they all start to fade away. And in the end, you're left with nothing but emptiness, cast aside by the world, an unwanted soul confined to the shadows, becoming a monster no one understands."

As Kurumi's words painted the haunting picture, a shiver ran down Kyoka's spine. She could grasp the truth in Kurumi's words—an eternity in darkness meant forsaking the light, living a solitary life of despair.

Looking at the girl before her, Kyoka couldn't help but ask, "Sister… is it the same for you?"

"The same?" Kurumi laughed softly. "Not quite. While we may be similar, you're a lost soul lured into the abyss by others, but we are fundamentally different."

A wistful smile spread across Kurumi's face. "Because, you see… I embraced the darkness willingly. It was I who sought the abyss."