Chapter 40 “Stage” & “Audience” & “Truth”
In the ultra-self-research department.
The atmosphere on site.
It became slightly gloomy due to Mana’s question.
However, unexpectedly, it was not Kanade who addressed Mana’s question, but Nagi.
“I have some doubts about this matter too…” Nagi said as she put down her chopsticks.
In an instant, the fried chicken pieces in the bento box were completely cleared.
“Did everyone figure out what was going on with the curse?”
“Cursed?” Everyone present was surprised by the term used by Nagi.
At that moment, they remembered that there indeed had been such a thing.
Kanade and Nagi were still in a “pretend couple” relationship. Although to others, the two had long since become a couple.
Their purpose for pretending to be in a romantic relationship was to understand the “cursed couple” rumor that was circulating in school.
In Nagi’s diary, it documented the background and progression of her and Kanade’s pretend relationship.
So she had been quite concerned about this matter.
After all, this curse involved something she had always been curious about—
“I don’t think my memory loss was because of an accident…” Nagi’s eyes dimmed slightly the moment she spoke those words.
“Because… it’s really strange that I had an accident but came out unscathed, right?”
Nagi pointed out the doubts that had been bothering her.
There were indeed people who came out of accidents unharmed… The thought flickered through everyone’s minds.
The starlight was flickering.
The domain of angels.
A technique that can turn the “self” and everything around it into a stage, making everything on stage “reasonable.”
Whether it was a doctor, Nagi’s family, or even someone directly involved like Kanade.
For Nagi, they were all the audience.
The audience could not perceive the irrationalities occurring on stage.
Because the essence of the angel’s domain is “existence is reason.”
But this time, it was the “actor” on stage who personally informed the “audience.”
So at that moment.
The sense of incongruity and strangeness surged into the minds of everyone present like a tide.
Is it really possible to come out of an accident unscathed? They heard that Nagi’s phone was smashed to pieces, but she herself only lost her memory?
No, and the state of her memory loss is also very strange; she acts nothing like someone who has lost their memory—
“Indeed, that’s really… strange…” Mana covered her mouth, her beautiful red eyes, like rubies, trembling slightly in surprise.
“So I was thinking… the real reason for my memory loss isn’t the accident, but the curse.”
Nagi stated her reasoning.
She had no memory of the accident scene, so she naturally didn’t know what happened at that time.
Thus, this conclusion was deduced by Nagi based on the reactions of those around her and the content in her diary.
The first impossible thing physically is—
The fact that she was hit by a car.
Otherwise, there’s no way to explain how she came out unscathed, only lying in the hospital for three days before bouncing back out.
As for the broken phone, there could be many conclusions drawn.
For example, she could have accidentally dropped the phone on the roadside, or maybe she tossed it away while dodging the car.
For Nagi, she needed to clarify whether her memory loss was influenced by the curse.
The “cursed couple” seemed to have an effect that worsened the relationship of the couple, leading to mutual hostility and breaking up.
One party losing their memory could also be seen as a factor in the “deterioration of the relationship.”
If it really is the influence of the “curse.”
Then in order to make Kanade like her and successfully start dating.
She must first resolve this “curse” issue.
Although Nagi didn’t know exactly what to do, being part of the ultra-self-research club would surely provide a solution, right?
After all, it seemed like she had experienced a curse from an evil spirit last year which she managed to resolve… Could it be that she has a constitution that attracts curses?
Cursed for two consecutive years?
Could it be that the one with a problem is actually herself?
Nagi’s mind was racing.
Her sharp thoughts were sorting through everything happening to her, constantly deriving new possibilities in her mind.
Fully engaged.
Regarding Nagi’s conclusion.
Everyone on site looked to the other party involved—Kanade.
And at that moment, Kanade was also looking shocked.
His mind was still processing the influx of incongruity.
“So? Kanade, what happened back then? Did you see the moment Nagi had the accident?” Rin asked curiously.
Though Rin knew his attitude was quite rude towards Nagi, he couldn’t help but be intrigued by the sudden turn of events.
Kanade was recalling everything that happened that day.
So many doubts.
He indeed did not see the “moment” the accident occurred.
At that time, he only thought it was because he overheard other customers talking that he assumed Nagi had an accident.
In retrospect, he really couldn’t be sure that Nagi had been in an accident.
Even though she indeed fell in a pool of blood on the street… was that really blood?
He remembered the doctors present at the scene, as well as the medical personnel who arrived later, all stated that Nagi was unharmed.
How could someone who lost so much blood be unscathed?
“I… don’t know, saying it like this really… is strange…”
Moreover, Nagi herself seemed a bit strange that day.
Kanade, breaking away from the “audience” perspective.
As he recalled the little details of that day, he felt more and more incongruity.
Whether it was the sudden shift in Nagi becoming very proactive and wanting to kiss him, or the tearful Nagi after the kiss…
Previously, Kanade subconsciously thought her tears illustrated her rejection of him.
Now this conclusion clearly contradicted; her behavior and reaction were entirely opposite.
“Kanade! Kanade!” Rin’s voice snapped Kanade back to reality.
Everyone present looked at Kanade with worried expressions.
“Hey, Kanade, what’s wrong? You look pale,” Rin asked seriously.
“Could it be that it really is some kind of curse?”
But Yukino immediately took over the conversation:
“How, how is that possible! Curses are definitely a lie! Mana-senpai, you agree, right?”
She sought affirmation from “the most steadfast materialist” in the ultra-self-research club with a bit of fear.
It seemed Yukino was not good at dealing with supernatural topics.
“Ah, that’s true…” Although Mana said this, she secretly exchanged glances with Kanade.
Both had indeed encountered extraordinary powers firsthand, naturally knowing that curses really exist in this world.
And what was happening to Nagi indeed seemed influenced by some kind of extraordinary power.
If there really were extraordinary forces interfering—
“Looks like the findings from this month’s ultra-self-research activities will need to be rewritten,” Mana said while signaling to Kanade, “Could you ask Tsukimi to go to the classroom office and bring them back?”
“I understand, I’ll go right away—” Kanade said, not giving anyone a chance to react, and immediately stood up to leave the ultra-self-research club.
Once in the hallway, he quickly grabbed his phone.
Kanade’s first thought was to contact Maki.
But the moment he entered Maki’s number and was about to dial, he paused.
Maki represented the back-end special ring SEMA; if Nagi was indeed affected by an extraordinary force, how would SEMA treat her?
When Kanade reached the corner staircase, he didn’t go downstairs immediately, but leaned his back against the wall.
The cold wall slightly cooled his heated heart.
Once Kanade regained some calm, he switched his phone’s interface to LINE and sent a message to Alice.
Kanade’s instinct told him it was best to communicate with Alice here first.
“Cursed…” Kanade mumbled.
Just a moment ago, a surge of incongruity had flooded his brain, and he had nearly confirmed this.
This feeling was very reminiscent of when Mana disappeared years ago.
Something was invisibly altering people’s perceptions.
If Nagi hadn’t sensed something was off and spoken up, they might never have discovered this.
Kanade couldn’t help but silently sigh in his heart: “It’s really great that Nagi came to school today…”
Otherwise, this matter might have kept everyone in the dark, potentially leading to a major problem.
…..
…..
In the Nordic region.
In a desolate land eternally covered in ice and snow.
Alice and the others, who had secretly infiltrated here.
Crossed through this endless white wilderness.
A quiet city gradually emerged before them, like a ghost rising from the snow mist.
From the outline of the buildings, it was once a thriving city, but now it was merely ruins standing on the vast snowy expanse.
The desolate streets, sparsely populated, occasionally had a few shadowy figures moving in the distance through the cold wind.
All signs indicated that this city’s desolation was not due to natural decay.
Alice reached out, touching the deep scratches on the wall, clear and cold marks as if a blade had sliced through fabric.
A fierce battle had taken place here, and it was not a modern war.
“It seems we found the right place,” Alice said to her teammates behind her.
They had found information in the academy about an anti-ability organization called the “Stellar Association.”
This organization had once conducted large-scale experiments on “artificial fantasy monsters.”
Though ultimately stopped by the special ring SEMA, they indeed made considerable progress in this area back then.
And this was the site of the Stellar Association’s former headquarters.
The academy knew this because the Stellar Association had been destroyed over ten years ago.
Moreover, according to records, the Stellar Association had been annihilated in an internal conflict.
Alice and her team walked along this desolate street.
Occasionally, they could see a few platinum-haired residents watching them through the windows.
Survivors of the Stellar Association still remained in this city.
However, they no longer engaged in matters related to the extraordinary world, living here like ordinary people.
They were Alice’s current targets for a visit.
In this desolate land, there was naturally no signal.
So Alice did not receive the message sent by Kanade in time.
