The Testament of Sister New Devil: Daily Life Contract
By [Author Name]
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*"If you want to protect them, then protect them. If you don't want to, you can refuse. But those girls have nowhere to go."*
Toujou Basara has been alone for a year now. His mother is dead, his father is always overseas on photography assignments, and the fifteen-year-old has learned to fill the silence of an empty house with the rhythm of his own cooking. He's left his violent past behind—or so he tells himself. The mark beneath his eye and the strange pattern on his wr
The Testament of Sister New Devil: Daily Life Contract - The Night at Rock Bottom ~A Light on the Verge of Vanishing~
The hospital corridor sank into the depths of night.
White walls. White floor. The smell of antiseptic. Somewhere far off, the only sound was the steady, rhythmic drip of someone's IV.
Naruse Mio stood frozen before the door of the intensive care unit.
Her long black hair clung to her back. Her violet eyes were open, staring at nothing.
"...Basara."
Her voice dissolved into the air and vanished.
Mio only half-remembered what had happened after that.
The wail of the ambulance. The teachers who came running. Basara on the stretcher.
Maria's voice calling her name.
Yuki talking to someone on the phone.
"The poison is spreading. Tonight is the critical night."
Only that one sentence from the man in the white coat echoed over and over in her head.
Tonight is the critical night.
—Which meant he might die.
Mio stared at her own hands.
White fingers. Trembling.
(It's my fault.)
A voiceless voice reverberated in her chest.
(Because I'm a demon. Because that man was after me. Because I was by Basara's side.)
Her breathing grew shallow.
Her lungs wouldn't work right.
"...gh."
Her throat constricted.
Her vision blurred, going white.
—No.
This is that time.
The smell of blood.
The smell of charred flesh.
Inside a dark forest.
"Mio, run!"
Her foster mother's scream.
"Hurry! Don't look back!"
Her foster father's back.
—Zolgear.
That old man's twisted smile.
"What a shame. If you'd handed it over obediently, I wouldn't have had to take your lives."
A blade gleams.
Red, red, red, red, red.
"Nooooooo!!"
Mio covered her ears and crumpled to the floor. The sound of her knees hitting the ground echoed strangely loud.
"No, no, no... don't come, don't come...!"
Her voice cracked.
She couldn't breathe.
Her heart thrashed.
Her vision warped.
(I'm losing someone again. Again because of me. Someone precious, covered in blood—)
"Big sister!"
Pink twin-tails swayed at the edge of her vision.
Naruse Maria grabbed Mio's shoulders and hugged her from the front. Her slender arms wrapped around Mio's back.
"Big sister, calm down! Listen to my voice!"
"...Maria...?"
Mio's focus sharpened, just slightly.
Maria's pink eyes were brimming with tears.
"It's okay. It's not your fault, big sister. It's not your fault."
"...No... it is my fault..."
Mio shook her head.
"Because that man was after me. Because I was by Basara's side. Because I, because I—"
"That's not true!"
Maria's voice rang through the corridor.
"Big brother protected you by his own will. It's not your fault!"
"But... but...!"
Tears spilled from Mio's eyes.
"I can't protect anyone anymore. I'm going to lose someone precious, right in front of me, again...!"
Mio buried her face in Maria's chest and sobbed aloud.
"Big sister..."
Maria stroked Mio's back with her small hands, over and over and over.
"It's okay. Big brother won't die. He absolutely won't die."
But Maria's voice was trembling too.
—I promised Mom, though.
Maria murmured in her heart.
(That I'd absolutely protect big sister. That I wouldn't let her cry alone. I promised, and yet.)
Her mother's face surfaced in Maria's mind.
Her mother's smile—gentle, yet somehow sad.
"Maria, please take care of Mio."
Back then, she'd known nothing.
She'd protected nothing.
"...I'm sorry, Mom."
Maria whispered in a voice no one could hear.
A tear fell onto Mio's hair.
■
Nonaka Yuki stood leaning against a wall in another hospital corridor.
Her light-blue short hair caught the fluorescent light, making it look pale blue-white.
The communicator in her hand vibrated softly.
An incoming call.
The name on the display: "Mr. K."
Crescent Watcher, Kirigaoka Branch. Yuki's superior.
Yuki hesitated for a moment.
But she couldn't not answer.
"...Hello."
"Nonaka. Report the situation."
A low, emotionless voice.
"...I engaged a Valgrind-faction assassin at the academy. The target's magic outburst has been suppressed, somehow."
"The target's condition?"
"...She's unharmed. Though she's quite unstable, mentally."
"I see."
A pause.
"—This is an order from above. Listen carefully."
Yuki's hand tightened on the communicator.
"Multiple Valgrind-faction assassins have infiltrated Kirigaoka City. The target's threat level has been raised to maximum."
"...Maximum."
"Depending on circumstances, authorization for elimination has been granted. As her monitor, keep that in mind."
Yuki's breathing stopped.
Her lungs stopped moving.
"...Authorization for elimination."
"That's right. This is a decision from the village as well. Your sisters should have been informed."
Still leaning against the wall, Yuki slowly slid down to the floor. Only the sensation of her back scraping down the wall felt strangely vivid.
Her light-blue eyes went wide.
"...Why now, of all times?"
Her Kansai dialect slipped out.
"Did you say something?"
"...No. It's nothing."
"Regardless, do not leave the target's side. Continue surveillance. Report immediately if anything happens."
"...Understood."
The call ended.
Still gripping the communicator, Yuki hung her head.
(Authorization for elimination.)
(They're telling me to kill Mio-chan.)
(The village decided that.)
The image of Basara asleep in the hospital room rose in Yuki's mind.
Her childhood friend's face, collapsed and covered in blood.
"...Basara."
Yuki called his name softly.
(You decided to protect Mio-chan. You put your life on the line and protected her.)
(And yet, I have to kill that same Mio-chan?)
The hand holding the communicator trembled.
(The village's orders are absolute. As a monitor, I have to obey.)
(But...)
Tears welled in Yuki's eyes.
(But I...)
"...Seriously, what the hell is this."
Yuki rested her head against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.
The fluorescent light blurred.
A single tear traced down her cheek.
■
Toujou Jin arrived at the hospital late that night.
A tall man in a leather jacket. A camera bag slung over his shoulder, his hair disheveled.
"...Jin-san."
Yuki had been waiting in the lobby.
"Yuki. Where's Basara?"
Jin's voice was calm, as always.
"In the ICU. The poison's spread—tonight is the critical night."
"I see."
Jin nodded briefly.
"And Mio and Maria?"
"...Outside the room. Mio-chan is... taking it very hard."
"Understood."
Jin started walking without hesitation.
Yuki simply watched his retreating figure.
(Does Jin-san know?)
(That authorization for elimination has been issued for Mio-chan.)
(That Basara protected her to the point of ending up like this.)
Yuki bit her lip.
■
Outside the intensive care unit.
Mio sat slumped against the wall. Maria nestled close beside her.
Neither seemed to have the strength to lift their heads.
"...You two."
At Jin's voice, Maria looked up.
"...Uncle."
Mio didn't react.
Jin crouched down in front of Mio.
"Mio."
"..."
"Look at me."
Mio slowly raised her head.
Her violet eyes were swollen from crying, unfocused.
"...It's my fault."
Mio's voice was hoarse.
"Because that man was after me. Because I was by Basara's side. Because I'm a demon."
"That's not it."
Jin spoke quietly.
"Basara protected you by his own will. No one ordered him to. He wanted to do it."
"But...!"
"It's not because you're a demon. It's because you're a precious little sister to Basara."
Mio's eyes wavered violently.
"...Little sister."
"That's right. That guy protects his family. No matter what. That hasn't changed since long ago."
Jin gently placed his hand on Mio's head.
"You two were trying to protect him too, weren't you."
At Jin's words, Maria burst into tears.
"...Yes. But I couldn't do anything."
"Maria, you were holding Mio. That's enough. That's plenty."
"...Uncle."
Maria clung to Jin's arm.
Jin patted Maria's back gently.
"I heard from the doctor. Well done, Basara."
Jin gazed at the door of the hospital room.
"You kept standing in front of Mio, taking those poisoned blades."
In his voice was pride, mixed with a faint ache.
"...But."
Jin's voice lowered.
"The Valgrind faction won't stop at one attempt. They'll come again tomorrow."
Mio's and Maria's bodies went rigid.
"...Tomorrow, again."
Mio's voice trembled.
"That's right. They'll send assassins again and again until you're dead."
"...Then what am I supposed to do?"
Mio stared at her own hands.
"If I weren't here. If I just disappeared from this place—then Basara and everyone else wouldn't have to get hurt, right?"
"Big sister, what are you saying!?"
Maria pressed in close to Mio.
"If you disappeared, what would I do!? Big brother would be heartbroken too!"
"But... but...!"
Tears spilled from Mio's eyes once more.
"Because I'm here, everyone ends up in danger! Because I, because I...!"
"Mio."
Jin's low voice cut off Mio's words.
"If you disappeared, Basara would blame himself. He'd think it was because he couldn't protect you. Just like you're doing right now."
Mio looked at Jin with a start.
"...Basara would blame himself."
"Yeah. That's the kind of man he is. If he lost something precious, he might never recover. Especially if he couldn't protect it with his own hands."
At Jin's words, Mio bit her lip.
"...I..."
Mio hung her head.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"It's simple."
Jin looked straight into Mio's eyes.
"Live. And when Basara wakes up, tell him thank you—with your own mouth."
"...Thank you."
Mio repeated it softly.
"That's right. That alone will make him fight for you again."
Jin stood up.
"I'll stay here tonight. You two get some rest."
"...But."
"Mio, if you collapse, Basara will be sad. So will Maria. You both look completely pale."
Jin lightly tapped both their shoulders.
"Rest. Leave this to me."
Maria took Mio's hand.
"...Big sister, let's rest, just for a little while?"
Mio said nothing, and gave a small nod.
The two of them walked slowly toward the sofa in the waiting room.
Watching their retreating figures, Jin murmured to himself.
"...I'm sorry, Basara. I made you carry all of it."
Jin's fist clenched tight.
■
Late at night.
The corridor outside the intensive care unit.
Mio stood alone before the door.
Maria had fallen asleep on the sofa, utterly exhausted.
Jin had said he had something to discuss with the doctor and headed for the examination room.
Mio peered through the small window in the door.
A white bed.
Basara, connected to countless tubes.
The ECG monitor beeped steadily, softly.
Mio placed her hand on the door.
"...Can I come in?"
She murmured to no one in particular.
The door opened quietly.
Mio entered the room, careful not to make a sound.
The smell of antiseptic.
The sound of machines.
Basara's shallow breathing.
Mio stood at the side of the bed.
Basara's face was pale, his lips turned purple.
"...Basara."
Mio took Basara's hand in both of hers.
Cold. It felt as though the warmth was being drained from her fingertips.
"Please, wake up..."
Mio's voice trembled.
"I want to apologize properly. Because of me, you ended up like this... I'm truly sorry."
A tear fell onto Basara's hand.
"I have so much I want to tell you. That the food you made was delicious. That I was happy you protected me. That I'm glad you were there."
Mio pressed Basara's hand to her forehead.
"So please. Open your eyes. Don't leave me alone."
No response.
Only the sound of the ECG echoed, hollow and mechanical.
Mio couldn't stop the tears.
"...I've done nothing but lean on you. Because you're kind. Because you forgive everything. I haven't given anything back to you."
Mio's voice grew hoarse.
"So please. Wake up. Let me give something back. Let me protect you. This time, I'll be the one to—"
Then.
In Mio's hand, Basara's finger twitched.
Mio caught her breath.
"...Basara?"
—Light.
The contract bracelet on Basara's left arm.
Its pattern gave off a faint, pale glow.
Mio's eyes went wide.
"The bracelet... it's glowing."
The bracelet's light was
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