Haru's casual tone cracked, his eyes darkening with sudden concern. "A half book on separation rituals... Himari, you need to tell me exactly why you were looking for information on separating magic. What does this 'Forbidden Book' suggest is happening to your power?"
Himari flinched, recognizing the shift. The ease was gone; his voice was now sharp and commanding. She realized she had accidentally revealed too much under the pretense of "academic gossip."
Haru suddenly shot up from his armchair. "Where is that book right now?"
Suo instantly mirrored his older brother's panic, jumping up from the couch. "Yes, Hima, where is that book? It could be the key to the whole thing!"
Himari, now facing two identical, worried expressions, held up her hands, trying desperately to inject a note of normalcy into the terrifying situation.
Himari: (Trying to sound reasonable) "Look, it's not like... I took it. I mean, like, I did take it. But now, I don't have it." She paused, her eyes darting nervously. "It was gone. Someone took it."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Haru moved fast. He grabbed his chair and pulled it directly in front of the couch, sitting down so close their knees almost touched. His face, magnified behind his glasses, was cold with disbelief.
Haru: (Voice low, slow, and cutting) "So where is that book, huh? Are you joking with me? Do you have any idea what you've done? You literally took a book without permission—stole it, Himari—and it wasn't a normal book. Now you don't even have that book? Wow, Hima, wow! Do you have any idea how bad this is?"
His words weren't yelling, but they carried more weight than any shout. The realization that the stolen book—the key to both her internal and external problems—was now missing meant they had lost their only leverage.
Himari flinched back from Haru, deeply wounded by the accusatory force of his words.
Himari: (Her voice trembling, suddenly defensive) "I didn't steal it!"
The overwhelming stress—the fever, the injury, the betrayal, and the internal struggle—finally broke through her defenses. Her striking crimson-pink eyes filled rapidly, and tears began to well up. She blinked fiercely, trying her best to fight the humiliation, but one by one, the hot tears started tracking down her pale cheeks. She frantically wiped them away with the sleeve of her jacket, furious at her own weakness.
Himari: (Through a shaky voice, pushing past the tears) "I didn't take it without permission! And I didn't even want to take it! Do you have any idea how strict the rules are there? Do you have any idea what happens if you break a seal at the Archives? And do you have any idea what happened to me there, Haru? How dare you speak to me like that!"
She was no longer defending the book's disappearance; she was defending the impossible, terrifying choice she was forced to make, and the immense suffering she had endured. Haru's accusation had instantly stripped away her pride and exposed the depth of her fear.
Haru, seeing his cousin—the brilliant, rebellious, utterly unflappable prodigy—reduced to tears, froze. His stern, military demeanor instantly dissolved, replaced by a flash of shame and profound guilt. He had pushed her too far.
Suo reacted instantly. He darted forward and swiftly pushed his older brother, Haru, slightly aside, forcing Haru to move his chair back a crucial inch. Suo dropped down onto the couch beside Himari.
Suo: (His voice suddenly soft, filled with concern) "Hey, hey, Hima, please. Look at me. It's okay. We are sorry. Please don't cry." He reached out and gently rubbed her arm, trying to ground her. "Please, just take a breath."
Haru, stripped of his authority and sharply reminded of his role as her cousin, immediately recovered. The accusatory anger in his voice vanished. He pulled his chair back fully, creating space, and adopted the same gentle, low tone as Suo.
Haru: (Sincere and remorseful) "We are sorry, Himari. We shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. We're not mad at you. We're just scared for you. We know you wouldn't take a risk like that unless you absolutely had to."
The swift, dual action of the brothers—Suo physically providing comfort and Haru verbally retracting the accusation—showed Himari that they were united in their support. The anger was truly gone, replaced by profound worry.
Himari: (Her voice catching, attempting to control her ragged breathing) "I took the book because it was the only way... the only way to find a cure for the Symbiotic Collapse."
She nodded frantically, unable to speak, the shame of the theft and the terror of the illness finally pouring out in silent sobs.
Suo: (His voice gentle, mirroring her frantic humor) "Hey, hey, Hima, stop that. You know the rules. First, stop crying."
Himari: (Even between sobs and wiping furiously at her face) "I am not crying! It's just... water coming out of my eyes!"
The absurdity of her denial, even in this vulnerable moment, momentarily lightened the oppressive atmosphere. Haru, his concern still heavy, couldn't help but feel a flicker of the familiar affection for her ridiculous stubbornness.
Haru sat down on the couch next to her, giving her space but offering solid support.
Haru: (Voice low and reassuring) "Yeah, yeah, you aren't crying." He pulled a tissue from his jacket pocket and passed it to her.
She snatched the tissue and quickly dried her eyes, determined to regain control. The humor was a shield, but the words that followed were deadly serious.
Himari: (Her voice regaining firmness, a rush of anger replacing the grief) "I didn't want that stupid, fucking book! I didn't even take it if that hand didn't grab me and the Archives weren't blacked out, and that stupid rep card Kiro uses didn't work on the door!"
Haru and Suo exchanged a sharp, immediate look. This wasn't a solitary act of breaking a seal; this was a chaotic incident involving another person and a systemic failure. Himari's sudden cascade of traumatic details left both cousins completely bewildered. They had enough information to know the situation was far more complicated than they initially thought, but they also knew they couldn't push her. Her raw emotions and exhausted state meant she wouldn't provide clarity right now.
Suo: (Ignoring the confusing details for the moment, putting his arm around her shoulders gently) "Okay, okay, we'll talk about all this later. I've heard enough about blackouts and bad cards for today. Let's go first and have lunch, alright? Come on, get up."
He picked her up with her arm, guiding her off the couch. Himari, still feeling the sting of the tears but too drained to resist the physical comfort, didn't mind. She allowed herself to be led.
Himari: (Muttering stubbornly as she followed) "But I was going to say, it wasn't just—"
Haru: (Standing up, agreeing with his younger brother's strategy for de-escalation) "No, Himari. First, you eat something. You're running a fever and you've just confessed to a terminal magical illness and stolen property. You need nutrients. We will talk about the Agnès Pact and the missing book right after lunch. Got it?"
Himari sighed, a sound of resignation, but nodded. The combined, united authority of her cousins, focused entirely on her well-being, was momentarily too much to fight.
Himari's sudden cascade of traumatic details—a grabbing hand, a blackout, a failing security card—left both Haru and Suo completely bewildered. They had enough information to know the situation was far more chaotic than they initially thought, but they also recognized they couldn't push her. Her raw emotions and exhausted state meant she wouldn't provide clarity right now.
Suo: (Ignoring the confusing details for the moment, putting his arm around her shoulders gently) "Okay, okay, we'll talk about all this later. I've heard enough about blackouts and bad cards for today. Let's go first and have lunch, alright? Come on, get up."
He helped her rise, guiding her off the couch. Himari, still feeling the sting of the tears but too drained to resist the physical comfort, didn't mind. She allowed herself to be led.
Himari: (Muttering stubbornly as she followed) "But I was going to say, it wasn't just—"
Haru: (Standing up, agreeing with his younger brother's strategy for de-escalation) "No, Himari. First, you eat something. You're running a fever, and you've just confessed to a terminal magical illness and stolen property. You need nutrients. We will talk about the Agnès Pact and the missing book right after lunch. Got it?"
Himari sighed, a sound of resignation, but nodded. The combined, united authority of her cousins, focused entirely on her well-being, was momentarily too much to fight.
Himari pulled her arm away from Suo, shaking her head. The desire for physical distance was palpable, a sign she was retreating back into her shell.
Himari: (Her voice regaining its firmness, though still tired) "I am not feeling like eating. Just drop me back to the dorm."
Suo immediately looked at Haru, his eyes flashing with sharp, angry accusation, clearly blaming his older brother for pushing Himari to the point of tears.
Haru stepped forward, his expression full of regret. "Hima, I didn't mean it like that. I was just worried for you. You know that."
Himari smiled, a brittle, strained expression. "When did I say you weren't worried? I'm just saying I want to go." She was clearly trying to stay away from both of them, preferring solitude to confrontation.
Suo moved past Haru and gently held Himari's hand.
Suo: (Pleading, using a deliberately funny, exaggerated face to lighten the mood) "Okay, I'll drop you back. But first, eat lunch! Otherwise, Mumma is going to beat both of us for making her niece cry! Please?"
The ridiculous, worried face Suo made actually broke through Himari's defensiveness, and a fleeting, genuine smile touched her lips.
Himari: "No, I really can't stay. It's because I just have to do some work."
Suo immediately dropped the attempt to cajole her and turned on Haru, his voice low with genuine frustration. "Now are you happy, making her uncomfortable?"
Himari: (Interrupting Suo, coming to Haru's defense out of a sense of fairness) "He is not wrong. It was my mistake. And I am not sad about this, okay? I'm all right after crying. And Haru is right about the book. It was my mistake for taking it, and Haru, I'll tell you about all this later, okay? So, Suo, please drop me back."
The finality in her voice left no room for argument. She was choosing self-isolation and delayed disclosure.
Haru, understanding that pushing further would only make her flee entirely, gave a reluctant nod of assent to Suo.
Haru: (Sighing) "Fine. Get her back safely. Use the back routes." He handed Suo his military-grade locator watch. "Take this. If you see anything unusual, use the silent ping, don't engage."
Suo hurried out of the living room, heading toward the entryway closet to retrieve the keys for his motorcycle. The moment he was gone, Himari turned back to Haru, her expression instantly hardening from strained emotion back to fierce, cold defiance.
Himari: (Voice low, dangerously controlled) "Did Niel tell you to keep an eye on me?"
The casual mention of the name confirmed Haru's suspicion that Himari knew about the existence of the protective network, but her bitterness at the realization was clear.
Haru: (Meeting her direct accusation, adopting a steady, unyielding tone) "You know he is always worried for you. Why didn't you contact him yourself? You both can't communicate, and you just use us like a tool."
The question was not just an accusation; it was a tactical challenge, hitting at the core of Himari's secretive nature and her reluctance to rely on the external network built to protect her.
Himari: (Stepping closer, her eyes glittering with cold resolve) "Look, Haru, you are my first friend and my cousin, like a brother. So I'll tell you this clearly: Call him and tell him he doesn't need to protect me. I can protect myself."
Her jaw tightened, the full, hidden depth of her resentment finally spilling over.
Himari: "And I got stuck in this fucking mess because of him and the rules he insists on. So this is my first and last warning: If Niel again interferes with my life through you or anyone else, then no one is going to be that much angrier than me."
She didn't wait for Haru's reply. The message delivered, she spun on her heel and walked rapidly out of the living room, heading for the front door to meet Suo.
Haru remained alone, standing exactly where he was, processing the sudden, chilling complexity of the problem.
The internal threat (Symbiotic Collapse), the external threat (Agnès Pact), and now a new operational threat: Niel, the handler who had potentially sacrificed Himari's security for some greater, unknown objective.
Himari's angry accusation against Niel settled heavily in the now empty living room. Haru grabbed the encrypted satellite phone—the symbol of his duty, and his direct line to his best friend.
He quickly punched in the sequence. The call connected on the first ring.
Haru: (Voice clipped, professional duty blending with personal frustration) "Code Black. The Conduit is gone, the book is confirmed as the Extraction Blueprint, and the target is currently compromised. And, Niel, I told you you were going to get caught."
A familiar, slightly amused laugh came from the other side of the line.
Niel: (Voice smooth, deep, and utterly familiar) "I know, I know. Our girl is getting more intelligent. But Haru, I'm sorry, man. I know I hurt her, and I know I made her angry at you because of me."
Haru: (Sighing, the anger evident) "Yeah, you did. I hurt her."
Niel: "It's okay. I told you to ask about this because I knew that stupid girl didn't choose that Academy just for studies. And I knew it: she's still not going to stop this stupid stubbornness about separating her magic."
Haru: "She gave a message for you. Should I deliver it?"
Niel: (A clear chuckle in his voice) "Oh, my. I didn't know she was going to catch me this fast! Did you interrogate her too much?"
Haru: "I just asked the questions you told me to ask."
Niel: "Tell me what she said."
Haru repeated Himari's chilling ultimatum, ending with, "'If Niel again interferes with my life through you or anyone else, then no one is going to be that much angrier than me.'"
Niel: (Laughing openly now, a genuine burst of amusement) "Oh, my! Just in two days, I'll be there. Until then, keep an eye on her, Haru."
Haru: (Voice firm, asserting his own priority) "Before she is your mission, she is my cousin. I was going to keep an eye on her even if you didn't tell me."
Niel: (Shifting the tone back to genuine concern, the friend surfacing) "I know, man. I wouldn't have it any other way. But... how much was she hurt? Did they hurt her too much?"
Haru: "She's looking okay to me, just an injury on her temple. But don't you know how good she is at hiding her injuries? She just had a full emotional meltdown."
Niel: "Okay. We will talk to her when I'm there. Just for two days, okay? Do what you can to keep her safe."
The call ended. Haru leaned back, the weight of the assignment—tasked with obeying his best friend's command while navigating his cousin's wrath—settling heavily upon him.