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Join the Server“I want to talk to her face to face, can I?”
“…”
“Thank you, Commander…”
“It’s fine. Go ahead, she’s been waiting for you.”
“Mhm!”
The footsteps approached again, then stopped outside the door.
The narrow window was pushed open.
‘Such a familiar voice…’
Her consciousness was awakened by that clear and gentle tone. Uzuki Saori’s eyes opened slightly, a faint light rising in the depths of her dim pupils.
“Saori…”
The girl’s voice was like a late summer breeze, whispering in her ear.
“Rin?”
As if struck by lightning, Uzuki Saori suddenly looked up and saw the girl she had been thinking of day and night, and the girl’s tear-streaked face.
“Saori…”
“Rin!”
Saori shot to her feet. The shackle on her ankle dragged with a harsh, clattering scrape, and she was yanked back, stumbling and nearly hitting the door.
“Rin… am I dreaming… is that you, Rin?”
She murmured, reaching for the open slot in the door, but was stopped by her handcuffs, unable to touch the girl’s tear-soaked face.
“It’s me… Saori, I came to see you…”
Shiina Rin pressed herself against the outside of the door, reaching in to gently hold Uzuki Saori’s cold fingers.
The two looked at each other in silence. Joy, guilt, surprise, sorrow—all sorts of emotions fermented in Uzuki Saori’s heart, and after the joy that filled her, a powerful wave of grief surged up.
Uzuki Saori lowered her gaze, gently rubbing her cheek against Shiina Rin’s clean, slender fingers.
A sob escaped from her throat, and her warm tears dampened Rin’s sleeve.
“Rin… I’m sorry… I did such a thing… I’m sorry…”
Shiina Rin looked at Saori behind the heavy iron door, bit her lower lip, and fought back the urge to cry.
“Saori… can I see you? I still have so much I want to say to you, to say to your face…”
Uzuki Saori sat on the cold chair. She raised her eyes slightly, looking at the people before her.
Her only obsession, and her closest friend, Shiina Rin.
And her former commander, Masaki Hinaki.
Masaki Hinaki was leaning against the doorway, still wearing that crisp military coat, her arms crossed, her clear eyes gazing quietly at her.
“Long time no see.”
“Commander…”
Uzuki Saori pursed her lips, not knowing how to face Masaki Hinaki, nor what to say. She could only lower her gaze and apologize softly, “I’m sorry…”
Masaki Hinaki didn’t respond to Uzuki Saori’s apology, as if she hadn’t heard it.
She gently rose onto her toes, her heels tapping on the floor.
“You two talk. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
After speaking, Masaki Hinaki’s figure disappeared from the doorway.
Uzuki Saori watched the back of her former superior, then slowly retracted her gaze, looking at the girl in front of her, Shiina Rin.
Shiina Rin was holding a cloth doll.
It was the gift Uzuki Saori had given her for her birthday, and she had kept it with her ever since.
“Saori…”
The handcuffs clinked crisply.
Shiina Rin held Uzuki Saori’s hands.
Saori’s gaze flickered. She gently raised her hand and wiped the tear from the corner of Shiina Rin’s eye.
She lowered her gaze slightly and saw a faint silver light at Shiina Rin’s neck.
It was Shiina Rin’s Beacon as an Agent, a silver pendant that glinted faintly in the pale light.
Looking at this pendant, the words Uzuki Saori wanted to say were suddenly caught in her throat.
She opened her mouth slightly, paused, and then asked:
“Rin… your body… is it alright now?”
Her voice was off-key.
Uzuki Saori bit her lip, trying to appear calmer.
“The doctor has already approved my discharge, so it’s nothing…”
Shiina Rin pressed her lips together and lowered her eyelashes, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve.
Sniffling softly, Shiina Rin continued.
“My Erosion Rate has dropped to 37.9, which is considered a safe range…”
Shiina Rin’s Erosion Rate had once reached over 60, which was a very dangerous red line.
Generally, an Erosion Rate of 50 meant there was a very high probability of being completely assimilated and turning into a Remnant, and the same was true for Agents.
The only difference was that ordinary people had no way to lower their Erosion Rate, whereas Agents, protected by Order energy, were different.
As long as they weren’t infected by high-concentration Erosion energy that directly caused their bodies to mutate, Agents could slowly use Order energy to clear the residual Erosion energy in their bodies and lower their Erosion Rate.
Ephnel’s eye injury was a typical example.
The Order energy in her body gradually expelled the Erosion energy, but the eyeball, which had been instantly mutated by the Angel’s violent Erosion energy, could not be saved.
‘But… you’re still an Agent. Is it okay for you to come to a place like this?’
“It’s okay, the Commander gave me permission to come…”
“The Commander…”
Uzuki Saori’s eyes dimmed.
She no longer had the right to call Masaki Hinaki “Commander.”
“It’s great that she wasn’t hurt…”
“Mhm…”
The air between the two fell silent.
They just held each other’s fingers tightly, unwilling to let go.
“Rin…”
“Hm?”
“I heard that senior was hospitalized… is… is she okay…?”
“Senior Ephnel?”
“Mhm…”
“Senior was seriously injured. She was just discharged from the hospital two days ago…”
Shiina Rin answered truthfully, watching Uzuki Saori’s indescribable expression. She paused, then slowly spoke again.
“Senior… she can’t see out of her right eye anymore…”
“…”
Shiina Rin said nothing, still keeping her head down. She let go of Rin’s hand, her knuckles turning white.
“Can it… be restored?”
“Miss Nishizaki said that with current technology, there’s no way…”
“I see…”
“Saori…”
Shiina Rin’s soft palm gently enveloped Uzuki Saori’s cold hand.
She gazed into her friend’s colorless eyes.
Before, Uzuki Saori’s face had never shown such an expression.
She raised her hand and gently brushed Uzuki Saori’s hair, gathering the messy bangs between her fingers.
“I came here because I wanted to tell you that I’ve returned to duty…”
…
“Mhm, I know…”
The silver pendant at Shiina Rin’s neck was not deliberately hidden.
Uzuki Saori saw it clearly.
“I will carry your wish with me and continue to fight hard.”
…
Uzuki Saori kept her gaze lowered, her lips bitten white.
“Can’t you… not be an Agent?”
“Saori, do you remember when we first met… the promise we made, do you remember?”
…
Saori was silent.
“Running away won’t solve anything. That’s what senior taught me… Saori… your wish hasn’t been fulfilled yet. This city is filled with your past. I can’t just let go of everything we fought for…”
Shiina Rin leaned down and gently wrapped her arms around Uzuki Saori’s neck.
Their hair intertwined, and Shiina Rin spoke softly.
“You’ve taken care of me for so long. Thank you… You showed me what resilience is, and you taught me what it is to love. Every day I spent with you was a gift to me from this world. You are the most important person to me, and you always will be.”
“But I… will forget you…”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Shiina Rin’s voice grew more choked with sobs.
“I don’t mind…”
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore The Only Ice Flower. Start reading now!
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