The ground surrounding the figure was sunken in and had begun cracking .


This showed how huge the impact must have been when this person crashed down from the sky .


Seiji slowly approached the person .


‘This person . . . is probably a girl . ’


Her clothing . . . resembled that of a knight from an anime, but it was gray rather than white in color . It didn’t expose her cleavage, and there were pieces which appeared to serve as armor strapped on the girl’s waist and shoulders .


 Her armor was engraved with mysterious runes, which Seiji assumed was some sort of magical spell . When he looked closely at her armor, Seiji could make out the outline of a pentagram and a Yin Yang diagram .


Her skirt reached her knees, and there were slits on both the left and right side . Her shins were also covered in runic plating, and she was wearing white socks and shoes .


Her clothes were tattered; it seemed as if something sharp had sliced them . Seiji noticed dark red fluid seeping out of a few of the tears . . .


A cosplayer?? No, these clothes didn’t seem this simple at all! Besides, she really did fall down from the sky, and she even caused such a large hole to appear in the ground from her impact!!


This was . . . real .


Seiji took a closer look at her face . It was covered by a white mask, so he couldn’t identify her, but . . . her hairstyle and overall appearance . . .


" . . . Shika Kagura?"


Seiji felt a cold chill run down his spine .


He hurriedly approached her and kneeled on one knee, placing his umbrella in order to shield her from the majority of the raindrops . He adjusted her body into a more comfortable position, before slowly supporting her upper body as he carefully removed the mask .


Shika’s face was indeed the one underneath the mask .


Her originally beautiful face was now as white as paper . Streams of blood ran down her eyes and mouth . Her eyes were barely open, and her mouth kept opening and closing slightly . It was obvious to see how weak she was .


Seiji widened his eyes in surprise .


It really was her!? How did she become like this!? Was she a Spirit-branded Retainer!? But didn’t Natsuya Yoruhana already investigate her, and eliminate the possibility!?


A series of questions flashed through his mind .


"Urk . . . " The girl in his arms struggled to move .


Seiji instantly came back to his senses .


"Shika Kagura! What’s the matter? Hold on! I’ll call an ambulance immediately!"


He placed the mask down on the ground as he scrambled for his cell phone .


"Seigo Harano . . . no need . . . " a soft voice rang out .


She slowly opened her eyes .


Seiji’s hands couldn’t help but tremble when he saw her eyes’ appearance .


Blood red . . .


It was already impossible to see Shika’s eye pupils . Her eyes had turned completely blood red, and the moment she opened them, a fresh trickle of blood poured out of the corners of her eyes .


"To hell with that! You need to go to a hospital immediately!!" Seiji dialed the emergency number on his cell phone using only one hand .


"It’s useless . . . I’m . . . about to die . . . " Shika informed him in a calm voice .


"Don’t be stupid! As long as you receive treatment in time, you won’t die!!"


However, his phone was unable to connect .


"What’s going on!? Connect, you bastard!!" Seiji roared at his phone .


Until he noticed that his phone was showing that there was absolutely no cell phone signal whatsoever here .


No signal!?


This was the middle of a city, not some mountain wilderness or unsettled plains!


"What the hell!? What is this . . . ?" Seiji suddenly thought of a possibility which stifled his tongue . "Could it be . . . are you interfering with the cell phone signal?" He looked at Shika .


Her face was pitiful to look at, but her expression was calm .


Just like usual for her .


"It’s a . . . spell . . . "


"It’s a . . . spell . . . "


"I don’t care what it is! Hurry up and cancel it! Otherwise . . . "


"It’s too late . . . My . . . soul . . . "


Shika suddenly revealed a painful expression as she closed her eyes, which were still dripping fresh blood .


"There’s enough time! Hurry up and cancel that . . . spell or whatever!" Seiji furrowed his brows .


Soul? What happened to her soul?


If Shika’s injuries weren’t something that a normal hospital could take care of, then even sending her to emergency care would be useless . . .


‘Idiot! I can only know if it’s useless after I try it!’


"Seigo Harano . . . " she called out his name in a soft voice while closing her eyes . "You’re . . . a good person . . . "


"That’s my third time hearing that from you! You . . . you can call me that as many times as you want, as long as you get better . That’s why . . . "


"I don’t want to . . . harm good people . . . " Shika continued talking with many pauses . "But . . . I always . . . harm . . . "


Seiji couldn’t find anything to say at this .


"Seeing . . . those . . . that care . . . about me . . . in pain . . . pains me . . . So that’s why . . . I don’t need . . . anyone . . . to care about me . . . It’s fine . . . if . . . I’m alone . . . "


Seiji chest throbbed with pain .


What was this . . . ? He was naïve enough to believe being isolated could still bring her happiness . . .


What was all this about isolation not equaling misfortune, and thinking that having a hobby which you enjoyed was all that was needed!?


Such thoughts were ridiculous!


‘I . . . I’m such an idiot!!’


"Being by yourself . . . isn’t good at all!" he said forcefully . "When you’re sad, nobody will console you; when you’re happy, you can’t share it with anyone; when you’re angry, nobody will coax you; when you’re scared, there’s nobody to rely on . . . "


"Humans . . . need family and friends . . . So . . . don’t say that it’s fine to be by yourself . Don’t . . . leave this world all by your lonesome . . . " Seiji paused mid-speech . "Live! Live!! Find friends!!!"


He was basically roaring at this point .


Shika widened her eyes ever so slightly .


Shika widened her eyes ever so slightly .


"Friends . . . Impossible . . . "


"There will be! Right now . . . right in front of you, there’s one right now!"


Seiji put down his cell phone as he grabbed her tiny hands .


They were icy cold and startlingly soft . . .


"I’ll be your friend! I am your friend!! That’s why you must live! We . . . still need to do so many things together!!"


"We can chat together, read books together, browse manga together, go shopping together, watch movies together, play games together . . . There are so many fun things we can do together!!"


His shouting seemed to echo in the cold rain .


The girl whose body was turning ice cold felt a sliver of warmth .


Shika slowly began to smile .


"Friends . . . are so nice . . . " she rasped . "Can I . . . really . . . have one?"


"Of course! I’m right here, aren’t I!?" Seiji looked directly at her wan yet still beautiful and moving smile . "So don’t be in a rush to die; tell me how to save you! I’ll absolutely do it!!"


" . . . Sorry . . . It’s impossible . . . "


Shika’s voice became almost imperceptible .


"My older brother’s . . . coming for me . . . "


Older brother?


"I’m . . . going to leave together with him . . . "


Seiji felt a chill over his entire body .


The girl in his arms was rapidly losing all warmth from her body .


"Don’t go! You can do it!! You can live!!!"


" . . . Thank you . . . "


Shika’s smile seemed to become even softer and more brilliant .


It was almost as if she were showing off her pure untainted soul in her final moments .


Shika’s smile seemed to become even softer and more brilliant .


It was almost as if she were showing off her pure untainted soul in her final moments .


"Farewell . . . My only . . . "


" . . . Friend . . . "


Her body turned into nothing but pure iciness .


Seiji’s expression froze over .


The rain pounded down with increased intensity .


However, he could barely hear the sound of raindrops right now .


He closed his eyes and lifted his face up towards the sky .


"DAMN IT ALL!!!"


He couldn’t do anything but vent the indescribable emotions bursting from his chest .


He didn’t know what just happened, or what he should do .


He could load, but how was he supposed to save this girl in front of him?


‘Someone . . . tell me!!’


*Boom!!!*


Almost as if in answer to his shouting, another loud sound resounded from a place nearly adjacent to Seiji .


He turned around to look at the new arrival .


He saw a red-haired girl who was wearing clothing similar to Shika Kagura’s .


But her appearance . . . something seemed unsettling about it .


Seiji recognized her .


She was Hitaka Shuho, Natsuya Yoruhana’s Spirit-branded Retainer .

"This translation was made by our team, to read more translated novels please visite www.readernovel.net"