It's Already Too Late. EP.20
"...What? There's no reaction."
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"Hmm..."
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It's been a few minutes since they shoved that fear-injecting thing into my mouth.
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But for some reason, even after several minutes, there's no change in my body due to fear.
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Honestly, I even imagined fear and mystic clashing inside me, destroying my body from within.
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"Ha... I knew it."
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'There's no way I can die...'
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It's my fate. A fate where I can't die in this place.
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"No, I don't think you need to be so discouraged."
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"Huh? What do you... Ugh!?"
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"Sora-senpai!!!!"
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Sora, who suddenly disappeared leaving only a letter, and the rest of Abydos who read her letter, couldn't accept this situation.
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"What the hell are you talking about!! Disappearing without a word, leaving only a letter! Do you think we can accept this!?"
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"Where did Sora go? We have to go save her right now. I'll go alone if I have to. Even if it inconveniences the General Student Council..."
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"Everyone, quiet down! This isn't the time to fight among ourselves..."
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"It's my fault..."
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"Hoshino-senpai?"
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At that moment, Hoshino, who had been silently hanging her head, spoke quietly.
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"If I... If only I hadn't tried to accept it..."
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"...Now that I think about it, the letter said Hoshino-senpai, was scouted? Then, that withdrawal letter from before..."
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"What? Withdrawal letter? What are... Hoshino-senpai?!"
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Hoshino, who had been muttering quietly, instead of answering her juniors' questions, suddenly picked up her weapon, the Eye of Horus, stood up, and said,
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"I, the old lady, will take responsibility and bring Sora back no matter what, so you can wait at Abydos."
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"What? What do you mean senpai, all of a sudden?"
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"Yeah. If you're going, we're going too."
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"No. This happened because of my mistake."
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"Hoshino, Senpai..."
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"B-But that's too dangerous! Even if it's Hoshino, Senpai..."
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"It's okay. Even if something happens to me, I'll bring Sora back. So..."
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With those final words, Hoshino turned away from everyone to leave Abydos, but-
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"Wait a moment, Hoshino."
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Sensei, who had been silent until now, stepped in front of her.
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"I'm sorry, Sensei, don't stop me."
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Hoshino warned Sensei with a murderous voice she had never shown before.
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"Even if it's you, Sensei, if you try to stop me, it won't end easily."
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She knew what might happen to Sora, so she couldn't afford to waste time.
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But Sensei couldn't back down either.
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"I'm sorry, but as a teacher, I can't just stand by and watch a student go to a dangerous place."
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It was a situation where he, as an adult and a teacher, had to take responsibility.
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"...Sensei."
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"I understand your feelings, Hoshino, but you're not alone."
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"...But!"
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"Of course, it was wrong of you to try to do this secretly without explaining everything. But,"
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"I have to take responsibility."
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"...What?"
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Hoshino looked at Sensei with a bewildered expression, but he continued.
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"It's my fault for not preventing the situation from getting this bad, which led to you and Sora making those choices."
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"So please, don't try to solve it alone, blaming yourself."
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"You were just deceived by a bad adult."
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"Sensei..."
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"So, Hoshino,"
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Sensei reached out his hand to Hoshino and said,
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"Let's go save Sora together, not alone, with everyone from the Foreclosure Task Force."
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"Because you're not alone, Hoshino."
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*
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After that, as Sora's letter stated, Kaiser attacked Abydos shortly after.
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"Stop it! You guys!"
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"Kaiser CEO, location confirmed!"
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They were able to meet Kaiser CEO, the person responsible for all this.
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"My, my. We were planning to visit the school, but you've come all the way here to greet us?"
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"...So you used the condition of Sora becoming the student council president to do this..."
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"Hmm? You already knew? Then we can get straight to the point."
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"With Takanashi Sora, the new and final student council president of Abydos, withdrawing, the Abydos Student Council is now gone."
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"Therefore, judging that Abydos, with no official clubs, student council, or autonomous district, cannot sustain itself as a school in Kivotos, our Kaiser Corporation, the owner of this district, will take over the school."
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"Yes, I think the name 'Kaiser Private Vocational Training Academy' would be good for the new school."
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The CEO confidently declared that they would remove Abydos High School and establish Kaiser's academy.
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"Let's go, everyone."
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"""""Yes!"""""
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They were already filled with the intention to fight back,
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"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We walk the path of otherworldly realms without mercy or compassion. We should come out like that, right? Swimsuit Mask Gang."
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With the unexpected help of Problem Solver 68, who appeared from behind, the fight became much easier.
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"You guys-!! What's the meaning of this resistance?! How dare you...!!"
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"You kidnapped my precious student."
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"...!!"
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"I'll have her back. Sora-chan."
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After a fierce battle with Kaiser, they managed to win.
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"Ugh, ugh! I'm retreating! Regroup the troops!"
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"Y-Yes, sir!!"
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"You guys...!! You'll pay dearly for this!"
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"The enemy... is retreating."
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"Man, that's a classic line from a third-rate villain."
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"Just as we predicted. I hope the Prefect Team's results are the same..."
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"Let's head back for now."
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"...Yes, Sensei. The battle ahead from now on... will be much bigger and tougher than this."
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"We need to go back and find a way to save Sora-senpai."
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*
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"The person is here, right?"
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"...Yes."
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After defeating Kaiser, as the sun set, Sensei, guided by Hoshino, arrived at the place where the person who had proposed a deal to Hoshino lived.
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"But Sensei, are you sure you don't need me to come along? Isn't it dangerous for you to go alone?"
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"It's okay. I have a few ways to protect myself, you know."
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'And the conversation ahead isn't something a student should hear.'
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Hoshino was worried and asked, but Sensei smiled and answered before stepping into the building.
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"...I've been waiting. Sensei of Kivotos. I wanted to talk to you face to face."
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As they entered the building, a man in a black suit, with smoke coming from his face, welcomed Sensei.
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"...."
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"....We know about you. The unfathomable existence was summoned by the General Student Council President. The owner of that opatsu. The teacher of the Federal Investigation Club, Schale."
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"Others seem to underestimate you, but we have a different opinion."
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"...Let's be clear first."
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The man in the black suit interlaced his fingers and said.
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"We have no intention of opposing you. On the contrary, we wish to cooperate."
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"We judged that you would be the biggest obstacle to our plan."
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"Wiping out a small school like Abydos is not a problem for us. But, Sensei, we want to avoid confronting you."
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Hearing the man's words, Sensei spoke for the first time since arriving.
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"Who are you?"
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"....My, my. Haven't we introduced ourselves?"
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"We too are outsiders of Kivotos like you... Ah, but we are beings from a different realm."
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"For now, we're borrowing a suitable name. Please, call us 'Gematria.'"
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"And as for me, 'Black Suit' is fine, Sensei. I like this name."
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"We are... observers, explorers, researchers."
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"Shall we say, unfathomable beings like you?"
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"Just in case, I'll ask, are you willing to cooperate with Gematria?"
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The man in the black suit proposed cooperation to Sensei, but naturally,
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"Absolutely not."
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Sensei refused the offer without hesitation.
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"...Then, what are you seeking in this Kivotos? This is an offer that could grant you truth and arcane secrets."
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"I'm not interested in that. I'm just here to get Sora back."
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"....Kuk, kukuku."
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"Do you think your actions are right, Sensei? By what right are you making such demands?"
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"Sora is no longer a student of Abydos, according to the deal. Didn't you check the withdrawal letter?"
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Indeed, Sensei had confirmed Sora's withdrawal letter along with her letter.
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However,
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"Sora didn't withdraw."
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"....Hmm?"
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Sensei spoke confidently to the man in the black suit.
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"As the club advisor, I didn't approve that document."
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"......"
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"Sora is still a member of the Foreclosure Task Force, still the president of the Abydos Student Council, and still my student."
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"I see... As long as you are her teacher, a student's whereabouts require your permission... I understand. So it's about that..."
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"School and student... Teacher... Hmm... This concept is quite troublesome."
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Seeing the man in the black suit deeming it troublesome, Sensei suppressed his anger and said,
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"You deceived children, trampled on their hearts, and exploited their pain."
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"Ah, yes. We profited from the misfortune of others as sustenance."
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"I won't deny it. Our actions are clearly evil."
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"But they are lawful."
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"......"
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Sensei naturally frowned at those words, but
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"Don't misunderstand, Sensei."
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Seeing his expression, the man in the black suit added an explanation.
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"The disaster at Abydos is not our responsibility. The sandstorm that hit the school is not common, but it can happen. In other words, it's a natural disaster."
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"We merely took advantage of the opportunity."
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"Providing water to someone dying of dehydration in the desert. But at a price that requires a lifetime of servitude to repay."
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"It's like that."
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"It's a common story in this world. It's not our responsibility. We didn't create it, and it won't disappear if we stop."
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"Those with power exploit those without. Those with knowledge exploit those without."
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"Isn't that a fact known to every adult?"
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"So... withdraw from Abydos, Sensei."
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The man in the black suit spoke as if telling him to give up.
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"If you just give up on Sora, everything will be resolved cleanly."
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"Don't you know? Thanks to Sora's noble sacrifice, Abydos is now safe."
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"The Kaiser PMC forces will also be dealt with soon."
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"So the children will be able to attend school at Abydos somehow."
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"That's what Sora wanted too, isn't it?"
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But even so,
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"I refuse."
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Sensei did not accept the man's offer.
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"...Why? Do you intend to oppose us to that extent? You are powerless! How do you plan to fight?"
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At the man's words, Sensei pulled out that card.
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Adult Card.
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".....But, Sensei... That is your only weapon, and I vaguely understand the risk."
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"The more you use it, the more it wears away. Your life, your time... Am I correct?"
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"...."
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"So put that card away, Sensei. You have your own life to live."
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"You have to eat, take the subway, pay rent, and deal with all those meaningless and trivial things."
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"Do that, Sensei. Use it for something more important than those children."
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"Just leave it alone. This matter is practically over."
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"Besides, it's none of your business. Just give up."
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"I refuse."
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But Sensei refused the offer again, not backing down.
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"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?"
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"I don't understand. Why? I don't understand. Why do you refuse?"
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"Why, Sensei? What reason is there in a story that's already over? What for, to this extent?"
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To the man who couldn't understand, Sensei spoke as if it were obvious.
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"No adult took responsibility for the children's pain."
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"...What do you mean? So you're going to take responsibility? You're not their guardian, nor their family."
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"You were just called to Abydos and happened to meet those children. You're a stranger."
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"Why are you going to such lengths? Why take on unnecessary responsibility?"
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"Because that's what an adult must do."
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"...Ah... I see. So you're saying 'an adult is someone who takes responsibility'?"
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But the man in the black suit denied it and said,
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"No, Sensei. That idea is wrong."
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"An adult is someone who reshapes society as they wish, sets laws, sets rules, determines what's normal and abnormal, ordinary and extraordinary."
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"Someone who rules those without power with power, those without knowledge with knowledge, those without strength with strength. That is what an adult is."
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"Someone like you."
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"....You could have become the ruler of this Kivotos."
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"The immense power and authority of this city. The mysteries of this city. All of it was once in your hands."
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"But you gave it up without hesitation."
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"I don't understand."
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"What meaning is there in that choice? Truth and arcane secrets, power, money, strength... Why make a meaningless choice where you gain nothing?"
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To the man speaking almost pleadingly, Sensei expressed disgust and said,
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"...Even if I told you, you would never understand."
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"....Very well. Negotiations are over, Sensei. I liked you, but it can't be helped."
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"Sensei, do you want to save Sora?"
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"Sora is in the laboratory at the center of the PMC base in the Abydos desert."
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"But as I said before, Sensei, this story is already over. In other words,"
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"It's too late."
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"...What do you mean?"
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Sensei felt an ominous premonition and pressed the man in the black suit.
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"We observed the other side of mystery through 'Mimesis,' which is fear. We orchestrated this incident to see if we could apply it to a living student."
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"And."
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*****
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"Aaaaaagh!!! Aaaaaagh!!!!"
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*****
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"We've already started the experiment."
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"But if you still want to save her, try rescuing your kidnapped student."
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"Let's see how well you do."
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