Watching her own Yuzu gently holding another girl—who was crying miserably—in her arms to comfort her.
Although Soga Yura simply stood rooted to the spot.
But... Su Yuzu could see that inside [Operator Development], Soga Yura was already clutching her handkerchief, crying so hard the fabric was about to be torn to shreds.
Su Yuzu gently patted Mihou Sakai's back, resting her chin on the girl's head. Listening to the sobbing in her embrace gradually become quieter, she felt the body temperature of the girl in her arms becoming hotter and hotter.
It was as if she were slowly walking out of that previous panic and terror, only to become so shy from the embarrassment of snuggling in her Senpai's arms that she transformed into a mobile furnace.
Su Yuzu simply hugged the weeping, limp Mihou Sakai a little tighter.
Taking a moment.
Su Yuzu even had the leisure to glance at Soga Yura, who stood stiffly in place, biting her lip as she looked at her.
In Soga Yura's pitiful, watery eyes, envy was clearly written all over.
She also wanted to be like Mihou Sakai, throwing herself into Yuzu's arms.
To let her tears soak Yuzu's clothes and feel the warmth of Yuzu's human heart.
She also wanted to act spoiled and sob within Yuzu's embrace.
To let Yuzu rest her chin on her head and hug her tightly.
To listen to Yuzu's soft, soothing voice beside her ear, letting the tentacles of her thoughts capture the sensation of Yuzu's breath brushing past her ear as she spoke, and the tingling softness brought about when Yuzu tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
To entrust the entire weight of her body to the crook of Yuzu's arm.
She also wanted it; she wanted it so, so, so much... She wanted to be like when they were little, where even if she suffered just a tiny injury, like a small cut on her hand, she would throw herself onto Yuzu crying 'waaaah', and show Yuzu the wound with teary eyes.
Sobbing... watching Yuzu reveal a doting expression, then gently cover the wound, scolding her for being careless with a tone that was both complaining and spoiling.
"Wuuuuuuuwaaaaaah..."
The more Soga Yura thought about it, the sadder she became, and the more regret she felt.
If she hadn't been so stubborn and paranoid back then about wanting to be Yuzu's guardian, if she hadn't poked Yuzu's heart again and again, pushing her favorite Yuzu away.
Right now, not to mention throwing herself into Yuzu's arms, Yuzu... Yuzu would definitely be comforting her like this too.
Some things are just like that.
If Soga Yura had chosen one path and walked it until it was dark back then, then watching Yuzu from afar now and contentedly being her guardian, she probably wouldn't have turned into this current crybaby appearance.
But she couldn't let go.
No matter what... Soga Yura couldn't let go.
Hesitant and indecisive, the result was... she didn't cut ties cleanly, and instead heavily injured Yuzu again and again.
By the time Yuzu observed Soga Yura's Favorability toward her, which was as high as 99 points, and began to toy with Soga Yura's heart.
Soga Yura turned into a broken mess in minutes.
From the proud daughter of heaven of Imperial Capital University, the star of the future, she reverted to that crybaby who clung to Su Yuzu's side all day long, weeping and whining.
And... it was different from when they were little.
The current Soga Yura didn't even have the qualification to embrace Yuzu.
Unless... Soga Yura began to entertain ideas about Lyudmila's 'Holy Relic'.
Mental power depletion or whatever was a minor matter; at worst, she would just lie in bed for a few more hours.
Anyway... Lady Fate had been favoring her frequently of late.
It was already a great fortune that she could force her body to crawl out of bed every day.
Perhaps it was compensation from Lady Fate.
Soga Yura, whose constitution was so frail it was likely comparable to a weak girl among non-Espers, had unexpectedly good physical resilience, tolerance, and recovery ability.
Of course—
This tolerance was in comparison to ordinary people.
Compared to physical-type ability users like Mihou Sakai or Sakura Mai, there was still no comparison.
Su Yuzu simply held Mihou Sakai, watching Soga Yura's pitiful little expression full of longing.
She felt a bit helpless in her heart too.
She actually wanted to hug Soga Yura as well.
But with Lyudmila absent, if she were to hug Soga Yura like this, the entire laboratory would probably be paralyzed on the spot.
Ultimately, all of this was trouble caused by the 'protection' Soga Yura herself had placed on Yuzu.
The choice she made herself, she had to bravely bear the consequences.
However... although Su Yuzu was teasing and bullying Soga Yura in her heart, how could she really bear to keep watching Soga Yura reveal that weeping appearance forever.
As sisters of one mind—
Su Yuzu also began to contemplate the plan of dragging Lyudmila over to serve as a 'tool person'.
It was just... letting Lyudmila come over to use the 'Holy Relic'.
And then making Lyudmila watch her embrace Soga Yura.
Thinking of this scene...
"Weird."
As for the mental power drained by the [Dominator's Aegis], she would check [Resource Procurement] later to see if she could refresh some mental recovery potions or something.
Only in the distance, in a ward within Keigunen Private Academy.
Lyudmila, who had been forcefully pressed onto the hospital bed by Saotome Yukina and forced to rest properly, looked at the distorted 'Thorned Crown' placed at her bedside and suddenly sneezed several times in a row.
It was as if... she was being targeted by several people at the same time.
Lyudmila the Tool Person subconsciously curled up tight inside her bedding.
---
Telling Little Mihou Sakai not to overthink things, she signaled for Little Mihou Sakai to cooperate properly with Yamabuki Nanako's examination.
A group of girls watched as Yamabuki Nanako stepped onto a stool and attached various strange, electrode-like wires to Mihou Sakai's chest, neck, temples, and other locations.
To be honest... it was quite alluring.
Especially when she saw Little Mihou Sakai's dainty, cute toes curl up tight instantly due to the cold metal touching her body, and her watery light green eyes looking toward her with considerable embarrassment.
Su Yuzu even heard the notification sound for unlocking a new CG and interaction scene.
Associating this with Little Mihou Sakai's bad habit... it was very interesting.
"She is a kind and cute child." A woman's serious sigh rang in Su Yuzu's ear.
It was Director Saionji.
"But... she is excessively insecure."
"She always places herself too low."
Listening to Director Saionji's words, the gaze with which Su Yuzu looked at Mihou Sakai became even gentler.
She gestured 'fighting' to Mihou Sakai, and the girl's tightly curled little toes seemed to gain courage, slowly relaxing.
"She likes you very much." Saionji Sagara looked at Su Yuzu beside her.
Meanwhile, Sakura Mai, standing in attendance behind Su Yuzu, wrinkled her nose.
The Knight Princess's senses were very sharp.
On Director Saionji's body... she seemed to smell the scent of blood.
"I know." Su Yuzu didn't smell the blood; she just quietly gazed at Little Mihou Sakai.
"Student Mihou... is very cute."
Soga Yura's Q-version chibi bit her handkerchief again.
She couldn't stand hearing her own Yuzu say other girls were good, but Soga Yura was also happy for Yuzu's kindness and thoughtfulness.
She suppressed her thoughts of jealousy.
Yet she couldn't control her weeping envy.
"If Yuzu has time tomorrow... could you accompany her back home for a visit?" Saionji Sagara looked with pity at the girl cooperating with the examination.
"Although she looks fine on the surface."
"But I know that ever since the second Aberration... Student Mihou Sakai has been constantly blaming herself."
"Even though not a single person at Keigunen Private Academy would blame her."
"But in her heart, she has been constantly... constantly blaming herself."
"Compared to the solidified future after falling into becoming an Aberrant, her inner heart worries me even more." Years of teaching experience allowed Saionji Sagara to perceive Mihou Sakai's soft yet fragile heart.
Just as Saionji Sagara said.
The insecure girl viewed her own status too lowly.
No one would blame her.
But the girl's blame toward herself would eventually crush her.
Her fragile heart was already burdened with too much.
If it collapsed, she would be doomed eternally.
She needed a harbor to help her release the pressure.
This harbor could be home, and it could also be Su Yuzu.
Similarly... these two harbors did not conflict.
In every sense.
Su Yuzu would become the hope of this era; let Su Yuzu, who would become the most dazzling light of this era, become that beam of light in Mihou Sakai's heart.
Saionji Sagara felt there was no problem.
"Okay~" Su Yuzu agreed very readily.
For her own Operator, she had the responsibility of protection and psychological counseling.
Just at this moment.
[--Warning--]
[--Warning--]
In front of Su Yuzu, the [Operator System] suddenly issued a warning.
A red warning prompt box flashed continuously in Su Yuzu's field of vision.
[--Aberrant · Home Invasion--]
[--Your home has been invaded, please deal with it as soon as possible--]
________________________________________
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