But that only lasted an instant
Go You’ve finished what you came here to do
She withdrew the sharp look in her eyes and sat back down
The touchy situation had been defused Ange could be confrontational but she was not reckless enough to try anything with Machina another witch present
She pulled on Mutsuki’s hand and turned around But
I will say one thing
After sitting down and proving she had no hostile intent Miss B called out to their backs
The biggest reason I returned to Japan was to strengthen our ability to fight back against the angels who caused such severe damage to FeTUS with Metatron
Ange turned back around and briefly gasped at the icy glare coming from the seated girl
The look in Miss B’s eyes was enough to make the strongest angel flinch
I will never forgive the person who destroyed our headquarters set back our research and harmed my teach-harmed Miss A
Remember this
Those final words were cold
Ange tried to snap back but Machina stepped forward first She stood between Ren and Ange to block their clashing gazes
Ange had no choice but to fall back now and any further confrontation was avoided
Metatron Ange had delivered a serious blow to FeTUS
And FeTUS’s strongest knight Miss B had been absent at the time
The angels and FeTUS had an implicitly understood truce but a new bud of discord was growing
Mutsuki had moved to stop the conflict before but he only watched on now
Is this where you wanted to go
Two girls had come to get Mutsuki but they seemed to be taking care of some other work at the same time After leaving the room Ange and Machina split up
Ange returned to the classroom to take the extension request form to Sakae
Machina was putting up the backpack and costumes Mutsuki decided to stick with the one who had the more difficult job so he helped Machina carry the costumes
The costumes would need to go to the drama club’s storeroom but they went to the infirmary first
The bandages on the cast are old so I was told to get new ones
She removed the old and yellowed bandages from the prop cast
Doctor Shiromiya the school doctor was not there but Machina knew where to find the bandages She opened the cabinet above the sink and pulled out some new ones
There were no other students there so Mutsuki sat down on an open bed since he had nothing better to do Then he lay down
He sighed deeply
What’s the matter
As she wrapped the new bandages around the cast Machina realized he wanted her to speak to him He sighed more quietly before answering
Ibekusa you’re here to monitor me aren’t you
I am
A long while back – and in fact in this very room – he had just learned she was part of FeTUS so he had pulled her out of swimming class and asked her about it
The girl tilted her head wondering why he would be asking this now
The boy covered his face with his hands
So you’re the same as Shirohara-senpai
You really see me as ‘the person with the Serpent’s Eye’ and not ‘Fujita Mutsuki’
Machina fell quiet as she realized why he was in such a bad mood
Mutsuki kept his expression hidden
The most unpleasant part of it all was that Shirohara Ren and Ibekusa Machina were both girls he had already had feelings for One was his first love and the other someone he had been developing similar feelings for If he had met them through the Serpent’s Eye as he had with Ange or Lucia he would not have felt this way He never would have met those two if not for the Serpent’s Eye
But he had fallen in love with those two before he knew anything about FeTUS or the Serpent’s Eye so things were different
He felt like someone had rubbed dirt all over his feelings for them
But he could not direct his anger toward anyone in particular He never would have met those two without the Serpent’s Eye any more than he would have Ange or
Lucia The frustration was purely emotional
Whatam I
He had no target for his humiliation and irritation so they came off like bitter complaints
I was born with the Serpent’s Eye so there’s no use complaining about that
But
I feel like I’m not living my own life
He felt ashamed of the words as soon as they left his mouth so he squished his heated cheeks between his hands He felt like an idiot for complaining like this to a girl he had feelings for
But he could not stop himself Even when he held his tongue a sad sigh left his mouth
He had never thought he was this pathetic And that only accelerated the worries filling his chest
That isn’t true
But those worries were soon stopped
The bed creaked and he felt a warm softness on his elbow He looked up from between his fingers and saw Machina sitting next to him and looking down at him
She placed her fingers in his messy hair and gently stroked his head
We did approach you for the Serpent’s Eye That is the truth