Crossover PS 197 (Patreon)

Minoru looked at this trait description, his eyes changing slightly.

'Causality Controller... Interesting. If developed further, maybe it can change the timeline.'

Causality Controller!

In an instant, the world in his eyes changed. In the courtyard of the Infinity Castle, countless threads of light intertwined into a net.

There were golden ones, connecting him and the direction of Mahiru—that was the good karma intertwined with trust and love.

There were silver ones, connecting to Erii—that was the bond of salvation and being saved.

There were dark red ones, connecting to the direction of Kiss-Shot—that was the bond of contract and protection.

There were even a few threads that extended out of the Infinity Castle, leading to the distance.

A light pink one connected to a girl resting at school—Mai.

A bright pink one connected to an energetic girl designing costumes at home—Marin.

A starlight-colored one connected to the direction of Otonokizaka Academy—Ai.

And there were countless threads connecting to different places all over Tokyo.

Minoru's lips curved slightly upward. 'Without realizing it, I have already formed bonds with so many people.'

Minoru withdrew the ability and the world returned to normal.

"Minoru?" Kiss-Shot's voice sounded.

Minoru turned back and saw the blonde vampire lazily leaning on the sofa. She was holding a doughnut, her golden pupils squinting as she examined the bag in his hand.

"What are you holding?"

"Specialties." Minoru lifted the bag. "Bought in Hokkaido."

Kiss-Shot raised an eyebrow. "Hokkaido? Did you run over there?"

Minoru nodded. "Yeah, handled some things, bought them while I was at it."

Kiss-Shot stared at the bulging bag, the corners of her lips slightly raised. "Are there Shiroi Koibito?"

"Yes."

"Melon jelly?"

"Yes."

Kiss-Shot retracted her gaze. "That's fine. Not in vain that I was worried just now that you got entangled by some monster again."

Minoru laughed. "Worried about me?"

"Hmph." Kiss-Shot turned her face away. "I just thought, if you died, there would be no one to buy me doughnuts."

Just then, Erii poked her head out of the room. Seeing Minoru, her eyes lit up. She walked over quickly and stood in front of him.

"Welcome... back!"

Minoru smiled. "I'm back, Erii."

Erii nodded, then her gaze fell on the bag in Minoru's hand and she held up a small sign.

[What is this?]

During this time, Erii had made some daily phrases into the style of small signs. She could hold them up to ask questions at any time.

"Specialties." Minoru put the bag down. "Brought back from Hokkaido, let's eat together in a while."

Erii nodded.

Kiss-Shot walked over as if nothing happened. "I'm just checking if there are any that I like."

Minoru looked at her "I don't really care" look and couldn't help but laugh.

He turned his head and looked at Erii. "By the way, Erii. In the evening, do you want to go back there and take a look?"

Erii was stunned for a moment.

Go back?

Go back... to that side?

Minoru looked into Erii's eyes, which contained hesitation. It wasn't that she didn't want to go back. It was... fear.

From Erii's body, threads connected in the direction of Genji Heavy Industries. Those threads were thin, as if they could snap at any moment. It wasn't that the familial affection wasn't deep enough. It was that behind that familial affection, there had once been too many cold calculations.

Even though Tachibana Masamune was dead, and memories of him had blurred and faded, Erii's body remembered.

Those cold syringes, those sunless rooms, those days of being treated as a 'weapon'. In her subconscious, that place was not safe.

Minoru said, "It's okay if you don't want to go back. Whenever you want to go back, I'll go with you."

Erii looked at him and said, "I... want to go back. Nii-san... will worry. But... in the future... can we still... always be together?'

Kiss-shot looked at Erii, a flicker of surprise flashing in her pupils, which then turned into approval.

"Not bad."

Erii just looked at Minoru, waiting for that answer.

She remembered that day.

The wind at the crossroads was a bit cold, she was wearing that red and white Miko outfit.

Then Minoru appeared and said, come with me. In response, she went. Later she learned, behind that door was a completely different world.

The neon lights of Ginza were so bright they reminded her of the years she could only watch such lights through a screen.

The crane games in Akihabara were hard to win. But when she held those plushies in her arms, they were soft and real.

When the fireworks exploded at Disneyland, she opened her eyes wide, not daring to blink. She was afraid it was a dream, that it would disappear if she blinked.

The hot springs in Hakone were very warm. She felt her body could relax and she didn't have to be tense all the time waiting for an injection.

The fortune slip at Senso-ji Temple was 'Great Luck'. She secretly folded it and placed it under her pillow.

On the Tokyo Skytree, she wrote 'The warmest place in the world' not because the sun was closer but because he was there.

She didn't know what liking someone was. But she knew that in that white room, she had dreamed for many years.

In her dreams, someone would come and take her away, telling her she didn't have to be afraid. Then she would wake up and find that the white walls were still there, the syringes were still there. The person who said they would protect her was not there.

Then one day, the dream came true, someone really came and took her away.

When she was afraid, Minoru was in front.

When she practiced speaking, he listened patiently.

She didn't know what liking someone was but she knew that with him there, the white room wasn't so scary anymore and the world wasn't cold.

He was the first beam of light that shone into her dark world. From that moment on, her world could no longer hold anyone else.

She just wanted to know.

Would this light keep shining?

Would there be a day when she woke up and found he was gone again?

Minoru looked at her eyes which contained cautious expectation and fear.

He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Erii."

"Hmm?"

"If you want to always be together, then we will always be together. If you are willing to stay by my side, then I am willing to let you stay for as long as you want."

Erii froze. Then, the rims of her eyes turned slightly red.

She nodded vigorously. "Mhm."

Kiss-shot watched this scene and let out a soft hum. Shelowered her head to continue eating her doughnut but the slight curve at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

...

In the kitchen.

Minoru tied on his apron and began preparing lunch.

Erii sat at the dining table, a sketchbook in her hands. She was drawing that moment just now.

Minoru standing before her, his hand on her head.

Next to it, she wrote a long sentence.

[He said, if I am willing, we can always be together. I am willing. So, we will always be together.]

After writing, she looked at those words and smiled.

Kiss-shot had, at some point, leaned over and glanced at her drawing. "The drawing is passable. But there are too many words, write shorter next time."

Erii blinked and raised her notebook.

[Kiss-shot is praising me.]

Kiss-shot: "..."

"I am not."

[You are.]

"I am not."

[You are.]

Kiss-shot took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with this girl.