Chapter 13: 13

Red Thread of Fate

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

–Destiny. It’s a phrase that women seem to like.

Most of what people call miracles or destiny are probably just the product of coincidence, but as for Tsugumi, he believed that such a flow of fate existed. Or should he say, it’s more comfortable to think that way ・・・・・・

…But he had something to say to Suzune before the matters of believing or not believing.

“I would like to refrain from talking about religion.”

The only god that Tsugumi now believed in was Bell. Unfortunately, if it were a religious solicitation, the conversation would be unacceptable.

When he said this with a serious face, Suzune sounded a little angry.

“No! It’s not that!”

“I see. That’s good to know.”

He exhaled in relief. Well, he knew it wasn’t that kind of story, but just in case, he needed confirmation.

“Fate, huh? It would be nice if it exists.”

The original meaning of the word “Fate” is a blessing or a curse that befalls a person regardless of their will. This is exactly what Tsugumi was going through these days.

When he answered, Suzune smiled, as if she were a little relieved.

“Yes. –It’s a long story, but I hope you don’t mind.”

Tsugumi glanced at his watch. Lunch break was in about twenty minutes. He didn’t know how long it would be, but he probably wouldn’t make it to his next class.

But the next class, coincidentally, was math, which Kisara was in charge of. Even if he was a little late, Kisara should be able to understand it.

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

‘Thank goodness! Well, this happened when I was ten years old…”

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

When I was ten years old, I had a little accident and hit my head really hard. It wasn’t a serious injury, but I still have a little scar on my head.

After I got out of the hospital, I started seeing strange things from time to time. A reddish-black, haze-like light.

I consulted the doctor at the hospital just to be sure, but he didn’t seem to find anything out of the ordinary.

A while later, I bumped into my neighbor’s brother in front of his house, and I was very surprised. Why do you think that was?　

–I saw a red thread intertwining with his body.

I thought it was the red thread of fate. You see, at 10 years old, it’s about time to become interested in love, isn’t it?

The older brother next door was eight years older than me, but he was very kind, and I knew he was the one! I was so excited at the time. I told him right then and there. Please marry me! I was so happy.

…Well, he laughed it off at the time and let it slide. It was a shock to me at the time, although it was obvious. It was my first heartbreak.

I went home and cried by myself, but after a while, I noticed that the house was getting noisy and I asked my mom about it. “What’s wrong?”

She said with a sad face.

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“The next-door neighbor’s brother died in an accident.”

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Tsugumi swallowed. Suzune’s speech was soft, yet somehow chilly.

“He was so shredded limb from limb and head to head that he couldn’t have a proper burial. When I heard that, I knew I was in big trouble.”

“…That is.”

“Where do you think the red thread was entangled in the neighbor’s brother? –Yes, limbs and neck ・・・・.”

Then Suzune smiled. That smile, which usually made him smile when he saw it, was now somewhat frightening.

Suzune continued her story.

“At first I thought it was just my imagination, but something similar happened to me several times. When that happens, you have to be aware of it, even if you don’t want to be. –I’m seeing the fate of death・・・・”

When she explained it to him, he realized what Suzune was trying to say, even if he didn’t want to. Tsugumi bit his lip with mixed feelings.

“I’m sure I saw that thread that day… Yeah, it was so tangled up in it that I couldn’t even see your face.”

Ordinarily, anyone would have laughed it off as a ridiculous tall tale. But Tsugumi couldn’t laugh at her story anymore.

–If he hadn’t met Bell that day, he would have died. Just as Suzune had predicted.

“The amulet I gave to Nanase-kun was given to me at a shrine that belongs to a relative of mine. That person said to me like this. ‘–You know, sometimes there are children whose channels of vision are connected in strange directions. –But what you are seeing is undeniably real. I feel sorry for you, but you’ll have to live with it for the rest of your life.’ It’s a terrible story. I never wanted this kind of power.”

Suzune gently lowered her eyes and folded her hands as if mourning something.

–The magical eye that visualizes the destiny of death as a thread. In this day and age, it would not be surprising if she were celebrated as a child of the gods. But he didn’t envy her at all.

How many deaths had she seen in her life? Just thinking about it made his heart ache.

“I can only see the fate of death. No matter how hard I tried, none of us could escape that fate.”

There, Suzune stared at him with a straight face. The expression on her face, which seemed to have slipped away, agitated Tsugumi’s frustration.

“Why? –Why is Nanase-kun alive ・・・・・?”

–It was too pure and cruel a question to ask.

Her eyes eloquently doubt ‘Tsugumi’s survival’.

…Surely it was Tsugumi’s fault that Suzune collapsed in the morning.

He wondered what he looked like to Suzune right now. A man who went to school with a nonchalant look on his face, even though he was supposed to be dead – if he saw it like that, he wouldn’t be surprised if he felt as sick as she did this morning.

-Oh, really, it’s a miracle that I’m breathing like this now. When he thought of this, a feeling that he couldn’t put into words slowly flooded his heart.

“I was feeling regret… So much regret that I feel I can never die.”

-He wanted to live. He thought he couldn’t die. Most of all, he didn’t want Chidori to cry. That was the only reason.

“I was just lucky. My destiny was overturned by a miracle. I was sure that I would have ended up just as Sensei had predicted.”

If he hadn’t met Bell that day, Tsugumi wouldn’t exist today. What would you call it if it’s not a miracle?

“You’re not going to tell me what happened, are you?”

To Suzune’s question, Tsugumi shook his head a little.

“Yes. –I can’t tell you that. But I’m fine now, no injuries, so don’t worry. …I’m sorry, I’m just being selfish.”

Tsugumi then bowed his head to Suzune. She spoke up for herself properly, but he said nothing. That’s not very fair. But that’s as far as he could go.

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With little intuition, she would have guessed that he was involved in something Magical Girl-related. It would be best if she thought he was saved by meeting a Magical Girl in the field. No one would even think that the Tsugumi had become a Magical Girl.

“Oh… I understand. Sensei won’t ask anymore. There are many things in the world that are better left unknown. –Please don’t talk about my power. Well, I don’t think they would believe it if you told them.”

“I won’t tell anyone, ever. –I’m really sorry for worrying you.”

“It’s okay. But if you have any trouble, don’t hesitate to ask the teachers for help, okay? Even if we’re like this, Kisara-sensei and I have acquaintances in [Rikka].”

“– to that [Rikka]?”

Rikka refers to the six Magical Girls who were elected by popular vote once a year from among the Class A defeatists. They were an elite group of Magical Girls who had more power than a lowly member of the parliament and were treated as a national force in times of emergency.

–How could the teachers be acquaintances with such great people?

It was this thought that made him look at Suzune with a disturbed look in his eyes.

“Oh, that’s a look of doubt on your face. You don’t have to believe me. But keep it in the corner of your mind.”

“…Yes.”

–Suzune-sensei is a really kind person.

She probably prepared an escape route in consideration of the time when Tsugumi was in a situation where it couldn’t be helped.

Normally, she seemed a bit unreliable, but when it came down to it, she was a very dependable adult – he thought such a person existed only in books.

“Sensei, you are strong.”

“Oh my, that’s the first time anyone has ever said that to me.”

Suzune smiled happily. Her smile showed no sign of the patheticness she had shown earlier.

“By the way, is Suzune-sensei close to Kisara-sensei? I won’t tell anyone about this either, so can you tell me a little?”

Tsugumi asked lightly. Perhaps because it was something close to her heart, he was still curious about it. And he also had a little calculation in wanting to keep a hold on Kisara’s weakness.

To his question, Suzune told him that it was nothing

“Kisara-sensei is a childhood friend from long ago. Of course, he knows about my power.”

“Oh, that’s why he looked so worried…”

…This might be a little bad. If they had such a relationship, Suzune would surely be praying and talking further about Tsugumi’s condition. It’s safe to assume that this conversation would be almost entirely overheard.

As he himself said, Kisara had a sharp nose. If there was an opportunity, the worst-case scenario was that Tsugumi’s situation would be exposed. Kisara was such a person not to be underestimated.

He shouldn’t be too close to someone like that.

“Don’t worry so much, Kisara-sensei is a kind man, even though he looks like that, okay?”

“I don’t think he’s a bad person. But he is a strict man.”

“Is that so? Oh, it’s already late. The class has already started…”

“Well, it’s Kisara-sensei’s class and he probably knows what’s going on, so I’ll probably be fine.”

Tsugumi said, and got up. He didn’t feel like it, but he supposed he couldn’t miss class.

Suzune stopped him.

“Wait. –Take this with you.”

“The amulet?”

She gently offered him a bloody amulet that he had left on the desk. He wondered if it was okay for him to still have it, even though it was in such bad shape.

He hesitated a little to accept it, but Suzune took his right hand and held the amulet in it.

Tsugumi stared at Suzune in surprise.

“I think it would be better if you still have it. …Please.”

As if making a plea, Suzune said.

…That look from Suzune sent a chill down his spine.

–I have a bad feeling about this. Tsugumi hoped the feeling was wrong, but it was as expected of him.

“Is it still visible to you・・・・・?”

Suzune gave a small nod in response to the modest question. It was a hit.

“The amount is smaller than before, but now it’s all over Nanase-kun. I’ve never seen anything like that before. I just can’t help but think it’s not a very good thing…”

“I see.”

While listening to Suzune’s explanation, Tsugumi came up with a hypothesis.

–Suzune said that the thread was red… Something similar to that, Tsugumi already knew・・・・・.

I see. –So this is where the “Thread” skill originated.

If this idea was true, then the [Thread] that Suzune seeing now was harmless to Tsugumi. It wasn’t him, but the red thread that had been caught up in fate.

“Nanase-kun? Are you okay?”

Worried about his silent Tsugumi, Suzune shook him by the shoulder. He looked at Suzune with a huff. It seemed he was a little too absorbed in his own thoughts.

Tsugumi smiled deceptively and grasped Suzune’s hand. Suzune looked up in surprise. Her cheeks reddened.

He opened his mouth with a cheerful smile.

“Suzune-sensei.”

“What is it? Um, your hand…”

“I, for one, am absolutely convinced that fate is in play. Talking to Sensei convinced me. Thank you.”

“Eh, eh, even if you suddenly say that–!”

Wondering about Suzune’s sudden blush, Tsugumi let go of her hand and carelessly pocketed the amulet. Ah, this meeting had yielded more than he had expected.

Tsugumi walked toward the door with a clear mind.

‘Well then, I’m off to class! Excuse me.”

“Hey, Nanase-kun, wait a minute–“

The door to the student guidance office rattled shut. He thought he heard Suzune say something, but it was probably just his imagination.

Her face was a little red, which worried him a little. Maybe she was feeling sick again.

—When he entered the classroom late after that, he was given a bunch of assignments just for him only. He didn’t understand why.

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