"Perhaps it will work."
"Mm, what does Pandora need to do?"
Pandora immediately walked to her side. Imitating Inazuman etiquette, she smoothed her skirt and knelt in seiza on the tatami. Her expression was just as anxious as Ei's as she asked.
"..."
Ei was momentarily stunned by the sight, but when she came back to herself, a sense of reassurance rose within her. Letting Pandora take the role of the Shogun's older sister had indeed been the right choice—at the very least, the emotions were there.
"Is your ability able to enter her mind?"
She asked tentatively.
"...My ability? Mm... yes, it is possible. However... the Shogun's mind is extremely solid, and there seems to be a defensive mechanism as well. Entering it will be very difficult."
And she would not be able to last long... she might even suffer backlash herself.
"That is fine. You only need to hold on for a moment. I just need to examine her."
Ei shook her head indifferently, gesturing toward the girl on the bedding who looked like a child trapped in a nightmare.
"Mm... Pandora will do her best."
Pandora took a breath, then shifted her body closer to the Shogun's pillow. She gently lifted the girl's head and removed the pillow, replacing it with her own soft, slender thighs, letting the Shogun rest upon her lap.
After steadying herself, she placed her fingertips lightly against both of the girl's temples, then instinctively glanced at Ei.
"It's ready, Mother."
She nodded to Ei, signaling that she could begin.
"Mm... hold on."
With that, Ei directly drew out Musou Isshin. The exquisite blade hovered above the Shogun, violet light enveloping the girl below. Ei closed her eyes, focusing as her consciousness connected to the Shogun's body, once again entering the program within her mind.
"...!"
Seeing Ei begin, Pandora slowly closed her eyes as well. Her clear pupils instantly glowed with a beautiful azure light, and the pendant hanging at her neck resonated with her power.
At that moment, two forces entered the Shogun's mind together, resisting an unseen pressure.
"Mmgh~!"
The unconscious Shogun grew visibly more distressed. Her lips trembled, her face turned pale as pained moans escaped her. Her head began to shake from side to side, making Pandora's intrusion far more difficult.
"Sho-Shogun... please hold on... don't move your head..."
Pandora frowned, her own expression turning strained as she spoke.
But the Shogun's movements only became more violent, making the process increasingly difficult.
"Uwah!"
When Pandora felt her mind violently struck by an unseen force, she could not help but cry out. Even so, she clenched her teeth and continued restraining it. Blood slowly trickled from her nose.
As the Witch of Vainglory, she rarely appeared so disheveled—but she did not care. For the Shogun, who had once saved her, she could endure it all.
"...!!"
On the bedding, the Shogun continued to struggle. Beneath the short hem of her kimono, her white-stockinged legs trembled as they pressed together and kicked repeatedly. Her hands gripped the bedding tightly, veins faintly visible.
"Shogun... hold on... it will be over soon."
Ei opened her eyes and climbed onto the girl's body, using her knees to pin down her daughter's thrashing legs. Her feet pressed against the Shogun's ankles, while her hands locked onto her wrists, preventing further movement.
"Mm!! Ei... Ei... it hurts... it hurts so much..."
The girl beneath her murmured her name repeatedly. Tears slipped from the corners of her tightly shut eyes.
Ei bit her lip and closed her eyes once more, pushing her consciousness deeper into the core of the system. Within her awareness, she saw a figure bearing the Shogun's appearance—but utterly cold.
No... it would be more accurate to call it a program.
[Do you still not understand, Raiden Ei? This vessel is a program you created. To pursue eternity, it will always place eternity above all else. Eternity surpasses everything. That is your command.]
"!!"
At that instant, realization struck her. Fragments of a long-forgotten memory fell like raindrops into her heart, forming ripples that left her stunned for a long while.
[Those who defy eternity shall be erased!]
Buzz~
The figure raised its hand, and her consciousness was violently repelled, forcing her out of the Shogun's system.
"Mother!"
Seeing Ei's consciousness withdraw, Pandora could no longer suppress the force on her own. She immediately tried to retreat—but the other side would not let her go. In that instant, she felt her mind being gnawed at like prey by a venomous serpent.
"Ahhhhhh!!!!"
She screamed in agony. The azure glow in her eyes vanished, turning dull as her pupils rolled upward. Saliva dripped unconsciously from the corner of her mouth.
"Ngh—! No... don't... Shogun... don't... don't... eat... Pandora's... brain..."
Her speech became disjointed, slurred. Her once clear, bell-like voice twisted into something broken, words coming out in fragments accompanied by violent spasms. In an instant, her entire body was drenched in sweat.
"Uh... ngh... Sho... no... ah..."
In the end, she could no longer even form words.
Just then, something unknown appeared in her mind—a warm sensation, like a pair of hands pushing her consciousness outward, allowing her to escape the fatal strike that would have destroyed her mind.
"!"
Having been expelled, Ei finally regained full awareness. Seeing Pandora in such a wretched state, her heart tightened. Without hesitation, she pulled Pandora away, forcibly separating her hands from the Shogun's temples and pressing her down onto the floor.
Thump!
Pandora collapsed beneath her. The jolt seemed to bring back a trace of her awareness—her face pale, eyes unfocused, saliva still at the corner of her lips.
"Are you alright?!"
Ei cupped her face, asking anxiously.
"...Mmh... Mother..."
Pandora looked at her weakly.
"Mm... I'm here."
She nodded.
"...Shogun... what... happened?"
Tears streamed down Pandora's face as she asked haltingly.
"...I'm sorry. This is all my fault. All of it."
Guilt filled Ei's voice as her lips pressed together, her eyes glistening.
"...Pandora... doesn't understand... not at all."
Pandora murmured.
"It's alright. I will handle this. Are you okay? What did she do to you?"
Recalling Pandora's earlier state, Ei frowned.
"Mm... the Shogun was... stirring my brain... chaotically... I'm sorry... I must have looked frightening, didn't I?"
Pandora's face flushed faintly as she wiped the saliva from her lips.
"Haa... how do you feel now?"
Ei asked.
"I'm fine now... much better... thanks to Mother's consciousness earlier. Otherwise Pandora would have been... by the Shogun..."
Pandora gave a reassuring smile, though sweat still covered her forehead. Her silver bangs clung to her skin, giving her a fragile beauty.
Consciousness?
Ei paused, puzzled—but did not press further.
Perhaps... that had been the Shogun's own remaining will.
"That's good... that's good."
She finally let out a breath of relief and pulled Pandora into a tight embrace, as though trying to ease the pressure in her heart.
"...It's alright, Mother. The Shogun... will recover."
Feeling the trembling of the person above her, Pandora gently stroked her head in comfort, though her own mind still felt muddled.
"Haa... you're in this state yourself, yet you're comforting me."
Ei sighed softly, brushing away the blood beneath Pandora's nose.
"Hehe... mm... because Pandora knows that Mother loves the Shogun the most. And... Pandora loves the Shogun the most as well."
Ei pulled back slightly, looking at the obedient girl before her. The elegant kimono, the neatly arranged silver hair, and her gentle, water-like expression soothed her heart.
"Mm... well said. Thank you, Pandora."
She smiled faintly, then rose and returned to the Shogun, who now lay quietly on the bedding. Looking at her pale face and tightly knit brows, pain gripped her heart once more.
(This child... has always been afraid of nightmares...)
Could she not even grant her that much comfort?
Or... had she caused all of this herself?
Shogun... I'm sorry... this is all my fault.
...
Evening...
After everything that had happened, Ei was already utterly exhausted. Not physically—but mentally drained. She sat casually against the bedroom wall, her dim eyes fixed on the fragile sleeping beauty beneath the covers.
Ever since identifying the cause, she had tried every method she could think of to modify the program. Whether using administrator privileges or attempting to access it at its root, she had been unable to remove it. There was not even a method of removal. During the process, the Shogun would murmur in her sleep from time to time, further weighing down Ei's already strained nerves. In the end, nothing had worked.
She came back to herself and rose, pulling the curtain aside just slightly. Outside, night had fallen, lanternlight scattered across the darkness. Everything was as calm as ever—a stark contrast to the turmoil within her heart. Without looking in a mirror, she had no idea how haggard her beautiful face had become.
"So much time has passed already..."
She muttered absentmindedly.
Earlier, she had ordered her subordinates that unless it was urgent, no one was to enter Tenshukaku. The entire afternoon had passed like this with Pandora. Now that it was late, Pandora had already gone upstairs to rest. After all, the child had been injured earlier. According to her, it was something related to her brain—sleeping would help.
"Haa..."
She let the curtain fall again, returning the room to darkness. Sitting alone in the corner, she unconsciously hugged her knees. For some reason, she felt cold all over.
Was it her heart that had grown cold?
Why?
Why treat her like this?
She could not help but question herself.
Several minutes later—
She pulled herself from her sorrow and looked at the Shogun lying beneath the covers. Biting her lip, she slowly stood and climbed onto the bedding. Lying down close beside her, she carefully slipped under the blanket and wrapped her arms tightly around her, drawing the girl's head into her chest as if protecting a priceless treasure.
"...Ei..."
"...!"
Just as she was about to fall asleep, a gentle voice she had not heard in a long time reached her ears.
It was as faint as a flower on the verge of withering—so ethereal that she almost thought she had imagined it.
"...Shogun? You're awake?"
She immediately forced herself alert, looking at the weak girl nestled in her arms. Her eyes shimmered with moisture.
"...Mm. I won't... stay awake... for long..."
The Shogun nodded faintly, then shook her head, speaking in a soft murmur.
"It's alright... I will cure you. Don't worry."
Ei tightened her embrace and made her promise gently.
When it came to persistence, no one surpassed her.
"Cough... did I... hurt... Pandora?"
Guilt filled the Shogun's eyes as she lightly clutched Ei's collar.
"She's fine. She recovered quickly... she's already gone to sleep. She has to take on her new duties tomorrow. Do you remember?"
Ei stroked her head, pressing her soft lips against her forehead through her bangs, feeling the warmth of her skin as she smiled gently.
"Mm... that child... is very clever... she learns quickly. She'll do well."
The Shogun smiled weakly.
"...Yes."
Ei smiled in return.
"Ei..."
After a moment of silence, the Shogun called her again.
"...Mm?"
Ei did not lower her gaze, only staring into the dim room as she responded softly.
"...Can I ask you... for one thing?"
Her voice was quiet.
"...What is it?"
Ei's lips pressed together slightly. It was as though she already knew what was coming. Her voice trembled.
"...Turn me off. Turn this vessel off completely."
"..."
Ei did not answer.
Seconds passed. Perhaps even a full minute.
The Shogun could not see her expression in the darkness, her eyes hidden beneath her bangs.
"Haa... honestly, what nonsense are you saying? So disobedient."
After that long silence, Ei finally spoke. She sniffed faintly, lifting her head. Though her smile was stiff, her voice trembled as she complained softly.
"Ei... I am—"
"Don't say it!!"
The sudden shout made the Shogun flinch. After that, she fell silent.
"...Don't say it... don't say it... I beg you. Don't treat me like this. Don't leave me. Don't... make me alone again..."
Ei hugged her tightly, burying her face into her neck. Tears fell silently as she sobbed in a muffled voice, pleading like a wounded child terrified of losing everything.
"..."
Feeling Ei's tears, the Shogun's own eyes filled with tears as well. She cried quietly with her.
"Shogun... sob... Shogun... I... I'm sorry... it's all my fault..."
The overwhelming guilt and self-hatred pounded against Ei's heart as if it would tear it apart and crush it in her own hands.
"Ei..."
The Shogun called softly through her tears.
"...?"
Ei lifted her tear-streaked face, looking like a small kitten.
Chu~
The girl closed her eyes and cupped Ei's face, pressing her soft lips gently to the corner of her mouth in a fleeting kiss.
"...!"
Ei froze at the gesture. The warmth of her daughter's lips lingered at the edge of her own.
"Don't cry... Ei..."
The Shogun comforted her tenderly.
[Don't cry... if you cry like a little kitten, you won't be pretty anymore, you know?]
"!"
For a moment, the Shogun's words overlapped with Makoto's voice in her memory, making her feel as though she were hallucinating. And because of that, the pain in her heart grew even sharper—like five hundred years ago all over again.
"I won't cry anymore... Mother."
The Shogun stroked her forehead and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Haa... mm... I won't cry. I won't cry..."
Ei sniffed and nodded, repeating the words softly to herself, as if trying to convince her own heart. She pulled the child in her arms closer once more.
Several hours later—
Watching her mother fall asleep in her arms, the Shogun gazed at her with doting eyes. Their sleeping faces were so similar. She gently brushed her fingers through Ei's hair, tucking stray strands behind her ear.
Huu huu~
She slowly pulled back the blanket and slipped out from under it, then carefully covered the sleeping woman once more, tucking her in for the last time.
Looking at the sleeping beauty before her—her sleeping mother—her eyes were filled with reluctance. Yet her resolve hardened once more.
Tap... tap...
She walked lightly to the folding screen and slowly slid it aside, putting on her shoes. After one last look at Ei beneath the blanket, she pressed her lips together and drew the screen closed again. The narrowing gap gradually concealed the woman at its center—until she disappeared from view.
(Thank you, Ei... for letting a doll who once knew nothing understand what family is, what friendship is. Truly, thank you. Every day and every night by your side—I will cherish them forever.)
(Thank you... Ayaka, my childhood friend...)
(Thank you... Kokomi, my closest friend.)
(Thank you... Sara, my most attentive subordinate, my considerate friend.)
(And lastly... I'm sorry, everyone. I have to leave. For everyone... for Inazuma, the one Ei loves most... this vessel must do this.)
Buzz~
The purple-haired beauty wandering through the night was enveloped in violet light and vanished from the dim Tenshukaku. The words in her heart scattered like fireflies, drifting into the sky.
...
Watatsumi Island—
"!!"
Kokomi jolted awake from her sleep, as though struck by a nightmare. She sat up abruptly, clutching her chest as she gasped for breath.
"Haa... haa..."
Pressing a hand against her heart, she frowned and exhaled, only then realizing she had been dreaming.
"Ugh... I'm soaked in sweat. Honestly..."
She muttered to herself, loosening the collar of her nightclothes slightly, revealing pale skin beneath.
"It's been so long since I've had a nightmare..."
She turned to look at the faint bluish glow of the courtyard outside Sangonomiya Shrine, hidden behind the curtains, and let out a quiet sigh.
"..."
Her gaze drifted unconsciously to the raincoat and umbrella hanging on the wall. A flicker of unease rose in her eyes—but vanished just as quickly.
Thump~
She fell back onto her pillow, the blanket only half covering her body. Resting the back of her hand against her forehead, she felt the thin sheen of sweat there. Her soft pinkish-blue bangs were slightly disheveled by the motion, but she did not bother to fix them. Her whole body felt damp.
[As expected of someone aligned with the Hydro element.]
She recalled someone's teasing words from the past—
"Pfft..."
A fond smile curved her lips unconsciously. Then she turned onto her side and pulled the blanket over herself again.
(Shogun... are you well?)