Side chapter: Karma
"Hyouri"
"..."
"Hyouri"
"..."
"Child, I know you can hear me Hyouri"
"Wake up, my child"
'Someone is calling me...' Hyouri, who had been pinned into the Cherry Blossom Tree of Suiri's inner world, couldn't help but feel powerless. The existence beyond her common sense had separated her and Suiri. Everything had gone black as her consciousness had been blurred. The connection between her and Suiri had been cut off completely.
She was no longer having any power to protect the fragile Suiri. When that existence appeared, she...felt scared. It wasn't the fear of death but Suiri. What would happen to her Suiri? He...She should call it 'he'. She was afraid for Suiri's life being manipulated by a higher existence.
She didn't know how long time had passed. 1 second, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, or 1 year...She had lost her sense of time. And then, the gentle voice reached her ear. What was this again? Hyouri lamented.
Hyouri tried to open her eyes again but it was no use. She couldn't speak to reply to the voice trying to communicate with her.
For a long time, a voice stopped its transmission. Out of the blue, she felt a warm touch tracing her forehead as the branches of the cherry blossom tree that had restrained her began to loosen. The spiritual body started regaining its control. Her long-closed eyes twitched slightly as they were about to open, granting her access to vision.
Hyouri's spiritual eyes gradually opened as she caught a woman's figure appearing in front of her. Her inner world...The world that connected Suiri and Hyouri together...The pink painting had lost its color, leaving only the color of destruction, the withering of plants, and the dimmed light of an artificial moon.
"Who're you?"
Hyouri knew the woman in front of her must be an extraordinary being. Since she could enter this world, she must've had the identity of a certain deity. She observed the woman carefully so as not to miss any detail. Her spiritual body was still being restrained, but it didn't stop her from being cautious.
The woman had a transcendent temper, obviously that she couldn't be a human. Her outfit didn't give her any clear impression as the Death guy had appeared earlier. Her long white dress was decorated with a golden pattern, excluding the divine atmosphere. Even though the dress should be a Western-style, it had some traits of a Japanese Kimono.
Hyouri couldn't match her with any legendary figure in myths.
The deity knew the seal on Hyouri, realizing Hyouri was unable to communicate with her, so she loosened the seal a little bit. If she unlocked it completely, it would alert the Death guy, or she should say Karma's agency.
"Child, even though your memories have been clear, your personality has become stronger than the old one"
The deity smiled helplessly. She wondered if being together with Haruto could have such an effect.
Seeing the bomb thrown at her, Hyouri's eyes widened, expressing her disbelief. Her mind had already come up with an answer. She and the deity in front of her knew each other...
"You knew my past self?"
Seeing Hyouri still suspicious, the deity didn't show anything as everything had been expected from the beginning.
"Yeah"
The deity just nodded her head.
Hyouri's eyes got dimmer as she lowered her head.
"What purpose are you coming for me? A villainess selfishly lived in a scum way"
"You shouldn't be here... So you want to drag me into the reincarnation pool to punish my deeds"
Hyouri's voice became bitter as if she had seen her ending.
The deity understood Hyouri's thoughts at a glance but on the contrary, she shook her head.
"Child, you have misunderstood about your identity"
"And my identity"
The deity's gentle voice riddled Hyouri's brain.
"Huh?"
Hyouri couldn't help but look up to see the deity's extraordinary face.
"Everything can be explained if you accept to revive your past memories..."
The deity explained but was interrupted immediately.
"Yes, I accept, please"
Hyouri had been on a dead end without a path to return. She had no choice but to compromise with this suspicious deity.
"Child, you're impatient. Listen to me first"
"If you revive the memories, you will have to leave this world without being able to return to Suiri's side again"
"Or you choose to do nothing and listen to my explanation"
The deity spoke.
"Ha~, anyway, let me hear it out first"
Hyouri's anxiety eased as she realized that she still had time. However, the lake that transferred her and Suiri had dried, meaning that she was no longer being able to switch personalities like before. She had nothing to lose at this time and had lost the ability to communicate with Suiri anyway.
Facing the supposed-to-be beyond-common sense enemy, she had lost...Powerless...Hyouri cursed herself. Why did you act so viciously in your previous life to deserve such treatment?
"Child, have you calmed down?"
The deity patiently waited for Hyouri to regain her sanity.
"..."
For a while, Hyouri finally nodded her head.
"Then, first, let me introduce myself, my name is Kannon, the Goddess of Kannon. The deity of Sensou-ji temple at Teitou, Tokyo"
When she said that, Hyouri was almost shocked as she knew this name. Suiri and her family often paid a visit to Sensou-ji Temple every single new year without missing. She was also there once.
Legends once said about the well-known story about this deity. Once upon a time, a young girl named Anjou had been falsely accused of being a thief. That girl was indeed innocent but no one believed her. It could be said that she had reached a dead end. Since no one was willing to believe or help her to clear her innocence, she had to pray fervently to an abstract being, also known as the Goddess of Kannon for help. As if her wish came true, the true thief gradually revealed themselves to clear the girl's innocence. Proving Anjou's innocence, the matter revealed that all of the credits were due to Kannon's divine intercession.
Hyouri had listened to this story countless times when visiting her temple.
However, it was just a story of people through mouth. Hyouri didn't expect to meet the real one. Because of this story, Suiri preferred to visit the Sensou-ji temple more than any temple.
"My child, I'm sorry for your experience in both lives despite your worshipping toward me"
The deity revealed a sad expression as if the thing was beyond her ability.
"Gods also have their problems, don't they?"
Hyouri couldn't help but feel powerless once again.
Then, Hyouri suddenly remembered something as she looked at the Goddess's face. In her memories, the past Suiri should've been a villainess, not having a belief in religion. Wait a minute, the Goddess said both lives?
"I'm sorry, my child"
The deity also revealed so much information. With the quick mind of her child, she believed that Hyouri had guessed more than 40% of the situation.
"I'm not as omnipotent and omniscient as you think God is"
"Everything has its causes and effects"
"Good will be rewarded and evil will be punished"
"The Karma system has existed for a long time"
Hearing this, Hyouri's face darkened, and even sneered at it.
"If so, why did Haruto have to suffer like that? You should also know that I inherited almost all of his memories"
"He hasn't done anything wrong, even his karma is greater than anyone else"
Her tone contained an angry fire.
"I know...But he has already had a chance in this world with memories intact, hasn't he?"
"That's the compensation of the Karma system for him"
The deity explained slowly.
"Heh~ so his reincarnation is all due to this karma system"
"Since you said so, every unclear thing has been verified"
"Let me guess. He can't be reborn in the same world because it goes against mother of nature?"
Hyouri said, causing the Goddess to curl up her lips.
"Hahaha~, you in this life are more interesting than your past self"
"If only you were like this in the past..."
The latter sentence was kept for the Goddess because Hyouri's past self was even more fragile than the current Suiri.
"Anyway, you've guessed it right. The mother of nature won't allow an existence to continue to live in a different form. It will cause chaos to the world itself"
"Just imagining the world has countless Reincarnators. Fortunately, each world has the minimum existence that could be counted on the fingers"
The deity explained.
"So that's why you said that If I revived my memories, I would have to part away from Suiri because I'm a native of this world?"
Hyouri had deduced the answer.
"Yeah"
"It's also in our previous deal"
The Goddess of Kannon threw another bomb, making Hyouri curious about her past self. For now, she knew that she and the villainess Suiri shouldn't be the same existence.
"My child...Don't cast such a depressing expression. Don't listen to the Death Guy. He said that you shouldn't be here. He's right because I made use of the loophole in the Karma system, letting you resurrect in the same world by erasing your memories and hiding you behind Haruto, the current Suiri"
"It's already been a taboo for me to do such a thing"
"He just didn't know about it because he's a new agency of the Karma system"
"Karma's agency"
"A blessing in disguise"
The deity helplessly said.
For the clueless Hyouri, the price of parting away from Suiri put her in a dilemma.
"As for why I'm here, it's our previous deal that I have to fulfill"
"You can choose whether to unlock the seal and restore the lake to watch the current Suiri grow up without interference or retrieve your past memories to become my apostle"
"You can't act like you did before because it has already alerted the Karma system so you can only silently watch her if you choose the first option"
Seeing Hyouri's confused eyes, the Goddess of Kannon quickly explained.
"You should also hear about my legend story of the girl named Anjou, right?"
At this time, Hyouri understood immediately. It seemed that her past self had made a deal. The former option was no longer good because it wasn't different from death in this desert place. The latter option was more intriguing for her. The legend was true but it wasn't because of her divine ability. She borrowed human manpower to interfere and give justice to wrongful souls. The Anjou girl must've been helped by one of her apostles. How could the world accept supernatural events?
'Sorry, Suiri. I'm also curious about my past self' Hyouri murmured. What was her past that could make her have a deal like that?
Huh~
Hyouri took a deep breath and hesitated for a while.
"Kannon-sama, I accept to become your apostle"
Hyouri decided for herself. The Goddess of Kannon nodded her head and let out her divine power. The inner world began to regain its vitality as the cherry blossom tree bloomed once again. The white moonlight began to shine through the darkness. The chain that locked the lake was still there but it was flooded with water. The branches retreated and released Hyouri's spiritual body. After letting her out, they restored its shape as if they locked an invisible person.
Countless pink petals shattered to the ground, they flied halfway in front of Hyouri's eyes. Each shiny cherry blossom petal carried a short fragment of memory of a certain girl. Of course, her name was Hoshiyuki Suiri.
"It turned out to be so..."
Hyouri knelt down and her expressionless face was broken.
"No wonder my past self made such a deal with you, Kannon-sama"
The tears from her eyes rolled down as her past self was already clear. Yet, she somehow felt fulfilled.
Her identity was the Hoshiyuki Suiri from the bad ending of the game 'Solfacord Rhapsody'. Instead of choosing to reincarnate to the other world, she begged Kannon-sama to let her stay and accompany the new soul to live her life. Kannon-sama understood her and made use of a loophole in the Karma system, disguising her as a second personality to deceive the Karma system. Haruto's life was tragic so it wouldn't be strange if a second personality appeared out of nowhere.
In the deal, if she was discovered by a Karma's agency, she had to make the painful decision.
Her past self had a strong hatred for those evil people as they stole away her happiness, her beloved 'children' just like Haruto. Even her family was broken apart despite being the top two family in Japan. Her life was miserable because she didn't play cards according to the routine of the entertainment industry. She kept releasing the music without caring about offending anyone and her top appearance aroused the lust of some beasts sitting on the higher seat. They began the conspiracy to destroy her family and sexually blackmail her. With the departure of her beloved Onee-sama, she chose to commit suicide to escape. Her parents were attacked and pressured by the policies of those bad politicians.
Now, she understood why she didn't drive away Shinonawa Charlotte when being Suiri's second personality. Because that girl didn't give up on her in the last minutes of her life, she had 'loved' that girl. Her long-lost feelings were still lingering on that girl so Charlotte could have a chance to pursue her Suiri...
"Otonashi Sakura...That damn b*tch!"
Hyouri cursed.
"Child calm down..."
The deity restrained Hyouri a little and comforted her.
"She also gave up the opportunity for Haruto's trustworthy partner from another world"
"After you died, that girl hasn't had a good life either. You should know that your mom Shiori could lead her family to the top 2 in Japan wasn't a joke. She could be gentle and smile in front of her family but she is more ruthless when facing the world. The price of stealing away the lives of her two daughters has driven the country into a crisis. She began to hunt those politicians and the mastermind behind the scene, even the tool girl Otonashi Sakura didn't get sparsed"
The deity told the aftermath when she just left the world, making Hyouri's eyes moist.
"I'm sorry, mommies"
For the first time, Hyouri, the original Suiri, has cried. Her expressionless face couldn't be maintained as Hyouri began to cry out loud. She had a regret because she thought she was the villainess Suiri from Haruto's memories.
She regretted it because she couldn't know the definition of love sooner to accompany Shinonawa Charlotte.
She regretted it because she hadn't said I love you to her parents and sister in this life; however, she bitterly frowned her face as she knew that her parents could take good care of her Suiri. She felt safer but...
After crying to vent her long-dying emotion...
"Haruto's trustworthy person?"
Hyouri recalled Haruto's memories and searched for that person but she couldn't know who she or he was. Because Haruto's relationship was quite wide, she began to look for the people who didn't betray Haruto from the last moment of his life.
She couldn't find anyone...
"Child, don't worry too much, you will soon meet her"
Kannon-sama spoke as Hyouri just nodded her mind absently.
Without waiting for Hyouri to regain her senses, Kannon had teleported both of them away. It wasn't that she felt impatient but she was afraid of the Karma system. Even a God like her had to obey its rules. Realizing it took so much time, she had to act immediately; otherwise, both of them had to be punished.
"Where am I?"
Hyouri's head was puzzled but soon, she was surprised to find that she had a body. Currently, she was lying on the bed of the rented apartment.
"Child, I'm sorry for the sudden teleportation. We didn't have enough time because we would be doomed if the Karma system found out"
A gentle voice resounded in Hyouri's mind.
While adjusting Hyouri's current self, Kannon Goddess accepted Hyouri's various questions. It seemed that the good deed she was about to save was the victim Minazuki Haruto. She had traveled through space and time to arrive at Haruto's world.
"Then, what's about Suiri?"
Hyouri asked.
"Don't worry, the trustworthy partner was selected carefully by the Karma system to prevent your past crisis so you don't need to worry about Suiri. She was no longer the same Otonashi Sakura you know"
"Besides that, my fateful apostle of Suiri's world will accompany her through the rest of her life. I believe that child will be a good mentor for Mina...I meant Hoshiyuki Suiri"
The Goddess gave her confident speech, somehow relieving Hyouri's anxiety.
"Then, Kami-sama, can you tell me the identity of the body that I'm occupied?"
Hyouri couldn't help but ask.
"Your current body is a God-made product. One-time use"
"When your mission is over, the body will be disposed of as your deed will be erased"
"That's why the girl Anjou's incident has such a miracle effect because my apostle has helped her and disappeared without a trace"
"Only relevant people will have a residual fragment of memories about the incident"
The Goddess finished her explanation. Hyouri also nodded her head as she had understood the operation behind the scenes of the Goddess of Kannon. Her theory was that God couldn't wave a finger to erase or create something. They couldn't directly interfere with human life so they made use of their apostle to give an intercession whether it would be better or worse.
After accustoming to the body, Hyouri began her movement to familiarize herself with it. When stepping out of the door, she realized that she seemed to be in the house of a temple. It should be the Sensou-Ji temple in Haruto's world.
Her appearance didn't change much but she was willing to wear a hoodie to hide her identity. The less conspicuous she was, the better rate she acted.
After listening to Goddess's instruction, she had already prepared an identity for her as an orphan adopted by the temple, raised as Kannon's Miko. She took out the phone to check the date and Haruto's memories while walking to the train station.
By the way, she also checked the Internet to catch any news. Of course, Minazuki Haruto, a notorious plagiarist, had been declared a suicide. She couldn't help but sneer at this.
She knew the Goddess could transfer her to the time when Haruto hadn't died yet. However, she had already guessed it was the 'Canon event', huh?
The Karma system was so sucked. She cursed in her mind.
She agreed with its principle 'Good will be rewarded and Evil will be punished' but it was too late, including her and Haruto. Both were the victim of Plagiarism.
When she booked a train and arrived at the crime scene according to Haruto's memories, she caught a figure of a woman surrounded by many bodyguards. Her face looked extremely pale as if a small wind could blow her away.
She matched the appearance of that girl with Haruto's memories. It turned out that she was one of Haruto's students...Kaori if she remembers it's right.
So the reason she disappeared was because of her illness? Hyouri thought.
Even though the girl in front of her had a strong face, she could see the sincere tears falling down her pale cheeks.
"Child, that's the girl"
A voice transmitted to her mind. Kannon-sama had recognized the person who was chosen by the Karma system.
"So she would take the place of that scum Sakura"
Even though Hyouri had regained her memories of her previous life, she didn't have any good impression of Otonashi Sakura. She knew that Sakura was just a tool woman being manipulated by the force behind her. She couldn't help but express her hatred.
"Yes, her Karma is too great, and she has a strong destiny connection with Minazuki Haruto. Unfortunately, her life didn't last long"
"..."
"Let me reveal a secret. If it weren't for the illness, Haruto must've married this girl and had a happy ending"
Kannon-sama could only sigh out of a pity.
*cough cough cough*
"Oujo-sama, it's time to come back"
Kaori coughed, causing several bodyguards to panic instantly.
And then, in Kaori's desperation, an emotionless voice reached out to her.
"Hello, Kaori-san, do you want to clear Minazuki Haruto's innocence? We've had the same purpose anyway"
Hyouri stroked a smooth conversation, making Kaori's eyes widen in suspicion.
She didn't know whether 'Hyouri' was the accomplice, a lover of Haruto, or an unknown family member.
"Yes, let's make a deal"
Kaori realized her time was tight. Even though 'Hyouri' was still suspicious in her eyes, she couldn't help but grab a ray of hope at this moment. She didn't care where this girl learned about her name. Enemy of enemy is friend.