“Dad, are you okay? You don’t have to force yourself.”
“It’s okay. Thanks for worrying, Mary.”
As the sun set and the city was being painted with darkness… Mary and Goto went home, accompanied by Sakura.
Thankfully, Goto’s injuries were not too severe, and since people were still being taken to the hospital, he wanted to free up his bed, and wished to be discharged.
Sakura was happy to see Mary supporting her father as they walked, and Mary turned around to speak to her.
“…Thanks a lot for today, Sakura. I’d be worried about something happening if you weren’t here.”
“I am simply repaying my debt to Mister Goto. Please do not thank me.”
Mary faced down a little, but sincerely thanked Sakura.
Sakura replied with a smile, and after Mary let her father walk a little ahead of them, she spoke quietly.
“I’m going to hand this badge over to the guards tomorrow. It might help them solve this case…”
“Surely your brave action will help save this city. I believe so.”
In Mary’s hand… Or more precisely, in her desk at home, was the badge with Black Veil’s power. If she gave it to the guards, it could end up being a clue.
More importantly, it was an act that signaled her abandoning her hatred and severing her connection to the Friends of the Night Society. It was very meaningful both to her and the people of that city.
Sakura was very glad to hear it.
She did not think she helped, but watching Mary repair her relationship with her father and get over her mother’s death warmed her heart.
She prayed that their happiness continued, and reassured Mary with a smile on her face.
“I will accompany you tomorrow when you speak to the guards. So worry not, Miss Mary.”
“Yes, thank you…! I think it’s okay now, my father and I can go the rest of the way.”
Sakura nodded.
Mary silently ran towards Goto and matched his pace as they walked home, and Mary continued watching.
This is good. This is fine. Her sadness was not completely gone, but she did not need to walk through the path of revenge.
Mary should walk a warm happy path with her father… Thought Sakura as she turned around, and walked to the hospital where her friends were waiting, with a comfortable feeling in her heart.
She walked slowly, and passed by a man. After a few more steps… She stopped, and realized she saw his face before.
She quickly turned around, but a dark shadow emerged from the ground to block her mouth and bind her limbs, sealing her movements.
“Muh! Muguh!”
“Oh, you noticed. You are pretty sharp.”
When she saw his garish smile, she had confirmation. It was the one acting as a representative in the meeting of the Friends of the Night Society… Glonas.
Sakura was late to notice who he was because he was wearing normal clothes, not the exaggerated priest-like outfit he wore in the meeting. Sakura cursed her mistake, as Glonas spoke with a wicked smile.
“Worry not, I don’t intend to harm you any more. My only goal is to purge a traitor who fell into evil.”
“Muh! Muguh!?”
Glonas spoke as he took out a badge with three black wings from his pocket.
Sakura saw their ominous light, and tried to yell despite her mouth being blocked, as she knew what he wanted to do.
“Muguhhh! Muguuuuh!!”
“Ah, I was right in blocking your mouth. I wouldn’t want the traitor to hear all that noise.”
Glonas was surely going to attempt to kill Mary and Goto. He wanted to purge them as punishment for betraying Black Veil and the Friends of the Night Society.
Sakura struggled as much as she could to stop it, but the binds would not budge.
Glonas enjoyed watching her pointless resistance, and spoke.
“She is a criminal beyond help. Refusing Black Veil’s gift and selling out her friends…! I will execute justice upon this fool in Black Veil’s place.”
Glonas heard that Mary wanted to hand over the badge to the guards.
Sakura was astonished, thinking that the Friends of the Night Society had even infiltrated that hospital, as he walked towards the father and daughter.
“Black Veil… I will execute the criminals who desecrate your justice…!! Please watch our devotion and belief…!!”
“Muuuu! Muguuuuh!!”
Glonas had an ecstatic smile on his face as he closed the distance with the two who were still unaware.
Along the way, he transformed into a crow monster armor beast with sharp claws and big wings, displaying his madness.
Sakura tried again to scream and warn Mary, but her voice would not reach her.
But the moment the madness of the man professing his belief towards the great envoy of justice was about to explode… Someone stood in his way.
“…I knew it.”
“Why are you…?”
As Glonas sneakily approached the two making their way home to silently destroy their happiness, Yuugo appeared and whispered.
This sudden intrusion confused Glonas, but Yuugo responded with a question of his own.
“Did you know? Humans are beings that get trapped by their past… That’s what my partner told me anyway.”
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