Going back to the past…
Most people living in New Eridu had probably entertained that thought at one point or another.
What if they could go back?
Seven years ago, the outbreak of Hollow Zero had come far too suddenly.
It was the greatest disaster in recorded history, one that nearly severed the continuity of civilization itself.
The city people had once relied on for survival was swallowed by the Hollow, with raging torrents of Ether and terrifying Ethereals appearing everywhere.
From Scott Outpost, Hollow Zero could be observed through telescopes.
There, enormous ruins of skyscrapers and streets floated suspended in the void.
It was a place where something called the past had been sealed away.
If people could truly return to the past, they could change many things.
They could make up for countless regrets, reverse tragedies that had already happened, and perhaps create a better future.
Unfortunately, people couldn’t go back to the past.
Kagura Kirisaki understood that better than most.
She had often thought about it herself.
Seven years ago, when Hollow Zero erupted, a torrent of Ether swept through the Hoshimi estate.
She and the young Miyabi had been trapped inside.
Some of the household servants died.
Others were wounded.
Those without sufficient Ether aptitude transformed into horrifying Ethereals within only a few minutes.
Kirisaki had no combat ability.
And Miyabi had been far too young to fight Ethereals.
All Kirisaki could do was hide and flee with her daughter.
Just when despair had driven her to the point of considering sacrificing herself to the cursed blade Tailless so that Miyabi could survive, Hoshimi Souichirou arrived.
Souichirou took the blade from her hands.
The Ethereal-Slaying Katana, Tailless, was a Void Hunter weapon passed down through the Hoshimi family.
However, only someone acknowledged by the cursed blade could wield its true power.
Souichirou hadn’t been chosen.
Even so, to save his wife and daughter, he forcibly used Tailless.
In the end, he successfully brought both of them out of the disaster zone.
But the Ether corruption completely ruined both of his arms.
Later, with New Eridu’s medical technology, Souichirou had a pair of custom prosthetic arms made.
Although the prosthetics were technically more capable than his original arms, they still weren’t his real limbs.
Using them always felt somewhat unnatural, and they required regular maintenance.
Otherwise, the joints would begin to seize up.
From that day onward, Hoshimi Souichirou never wielded a sword again.
The Hoshimi family gradually stopped placing martial prowess above everything else and began moving into politics and business instead.
Souichirou had once been one of the rare martial arts prodigies of the Hoshimi family.
The fact that he’d abandoned the sword entirely showed just how badly that incident had affected his body.
Whenever Kirisaki remembered it, her heart ached.
If she could return to the past…
If she’d known about the disaster beforehand, she could have taken Miyabi away before the crisis began.
Her husband wouldn’t have lost his arms either…
Kirisaki came back to her senses and looked at her daughter.
She didn’t understand why Miyabi had suddenly asked such a question.
More than that, she was curious about what could have happened to make Miyabi care so much about the possibility.
Kirisaki asked her about it.
Miyabi hesitated for several seconds, organized her thoughts, and then gave her mother a rough explanation of what had happened during the day.
After listening, Kirisaki fell into thought.
Miyabi had lost a battle against an Ethereal.
Then she’d somehow returned to the past and experienced everything again.
Because she remembered how she’d lost the first time, she had successfully killed the Ethereal during the second attempt and prevented the tragedy from repeating.
“Miyabi, is it possible that what you experienced was a hallucination caused by the Hollow?”
“A hallucination?”
“Yes.
I’ve read reports about unusual Hollow phenomena before.
For example, certain special Ether substances called Miasma exist inside the Lemnian Hollow.
They’re said to have extremely powerful hallucinogenic effects and can blur the line between reality and illusion.
“Coming into contact with Miasma—or even inhaling it—can cause all kinds of hallucinations…
“Perhaps you came into contact with something similar inside that Hollow and experienced a particularly disturbing hallucination meant to shake your resolve.”
Miyabi fell into thought.
Her mother’s explanation wasn’t unreasonable.
It was entirely possible.
And if even her mother believed that was the likely explanation…
Perhaps that really was all it had been.
“Thank you.
I understand.”
Miyabi nodded.
Kirisaki smiled and gently rubbed her daughter’s head.
“Miyabi, you’re strong.
You’re a martial arts prodigy rarely seen even within the Hoshimi family.
But your father and I only want you to grow up healthy and safe.
“Still, there are some things we can’t decide for you.
You possess great power, and I understand your determination to protect New Eridu…
It’s just that cursed blade…”
Kirisaki’s gaze drifted toward the Ethereal-Slaying Katana, Tailless, resting beside Miyabi.
Miyabi was so powerful that ordinary weapons were often completely ruined after a single use.
Only Tailless could withstand her strength.
But the Miyabi of today had yet to earn the right to wield the cursed blade’s true power…
Miyabi noticed her mother’s concern.
She reached out, took Kirisaki’s hand, and held it tightly.
“Don’t worry, Mother.
I’ll take proper care of Tailless and use it cautiously.”
Kirisaki gave a faint sigh but didn’t answer.
Whether it came from helplessness or worry was difficult to tell.
There was only a trace of determination in her eyes that Miyabi failed to notice.
If the day ever came when Miyabi faced a crisis that could only be resolved by using the cursed blade’s power…
Kirisaki would sacrifice herself so that Miyabi could gain Tailless’s recognition.
After all…
She had already been prepared to do exactly that seven years ago.
Perhaps this was simply the fate of the Hoshimi family.
Late that night, Miyabi lay in bed wearing her pajamas.
She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling.
Her mother’s answer still lingered in her mind.
“Cael Veyne…”
Miyabi murmured his name and placed a hand over her chest, feeling the strong, steady beating of her heart.
“Was it really just a hallucination…?”
She sighed softly.
She really couldn’t stop thinking about it.
The next morning, Miyabi woke up right on schedule.
She picked up her phone and checked Knock Knock.
Good.
There were no special tasks waiting for her and no assignments requiring her to head out.
Miyabi sat up and glanced through the window.
The sky was clear and blue, sunlight shining brightly outside.
It was good weather.
Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any Hollow disasters today.
In the bathroom, Miyabi carefully brushed her teeth, wiped her face and neck with a damp towel, then combed her hair and groomed the fur on her fox ears.
Only after making sure everything was perfect did she leave.
Maintaining her appearance was also an indispensable part of her daily discipline.
After eating the breakfast her mother had already prepared, Miyabi took Tailless with her, left the house, and rode the metro to Lumina Square.
“Gravity Cinema…”
Miyabi stood in front of a building in Lumina Square and quietly read the sign above the entrance before pushing open the door.
Very few people came to watch movies during the daytime.
There were fewer than ten people in the entire lobby.
At the ticket counter sat a cute girl with short brown hair and a headband decorated with a white bow.
Hailey.
She was a veteran employee at Gravity Cinema and had long been responsible for selling tickets and recommending movies.
“Hello.”
Miyabi approached and greeted her politely.
“Hello, welcome to Gravity Cinema.
Is there any particular movie you’d like to watch?”
Hailey gave her usual greeting before looking up.
Then she saw the cool-looking fox-eared girl standing in front of her.
“Miss Hoshimi?!”
“Mm.”
Miyabi nodded slightly.
“Ahem…
Miss Hoshimi, are you here to watch a movie?”
Hailey immediately straightened herself and spoke much more formally.
This was Hoshimi Miyabi.
An Executive Officer who regularly appeared on giant public screens.
Normally, getting to meet someone like her in person was incredibly difficult.
Why had she suddenly come to Gravity Cinema?
Miyabi nodded.
“Do you have any movies about time?
Something involving traveling through time or returning to the past?”
“Time travel…
returning to the past…
Let me check.”
Hailey repeated Miyabi’s request as she searched.
“There actually is a movie with a similar theme.
It’s called The Last Flight.
It’s a heartwarming romance film.
Romance movies are always popular, so the schedule is pretty packed.
The earliest screening is at six in the evening the day after tomorrow…”
Hailey looked somewhat troubled.
She wasn’t responsible for the cinema’s scheduling, and Gravity Cinema served all citizens of New Eridu, so the timetable couldn’t simply be changed at will.
But if it was Hoshimi Miyabi…
Maybe they could arrange a private screening for her?
Miyabi understood.
She couldn’t watch it today.
So she nodded.
“All right.
I understand.”
With that, Miyabi turned and left Gravity Cinema.
Hailey remained standing behind the counter, unsure what to do.
She rarely dealt with people at the level of an Executive Officer and had no idea how she was supposed to interact with someone like Miyabi.
Still…
Hailey couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps she’d handled something poorly.
After leaving Gravity Cinema, Miyabi took out her phone and began searching.
Before long, a store appeared on the screen.
“Sixth Street…
Random Play…”
It really helps the fic grow!