Part 119: Sakutaro

BGM: Mystic Forest

"..."



Sakutaro looked up at Maria sadly. Maria's face was covered with tears, and it looked as though it had even lost all traces of sadness...

"...Uu-. I hear you, Sakutaro. You aren't a stuffed animal made of cloth and cotton. You are... my friend. I hate Ange. Uuuuuuuuuuuu..."
'Uryu... Sorry, Maria. Sorry, Maria...! Uryu...!'

Sakutaro regretted doing that. By freezing her heart, Maria had finally been able to escape from her sadness. By speaking up and calling her back, he'd caused her to be overwhelmed with sadness again...

Sakutaro tried hugging Maria, letting go of her, and gazing at her uneasily, lost as to how he could bring Maria's spirits up. He might've looked a little humorous doing that. In the end, that was enough to distract Maria from her sadness...

"Sorry. Crying won't help anything anymore."
'You got in a fight with Ange, but you still have lots of friends, Maria... I'm not the only one. Everyone's here. Sakusuke and Sakukichi, the animal band, and many, many more...'

Maria looked at the many stuffed animals around her pillow, which were gathered together as though they were having an idle chat.

'...Everyone... is worried about you, Maria. They're all talking over and over about how to cheer you up, okay...?'
"...Everyone won't... go away... like Ange...?"
'They won't. We'll always be together.'
"...Really? All of you are only with me at home. We can't go out together when Mama's around, and we can't go to school."



"...Sakutaro, you're big, so you'd be found."
'Then you can take one of the kids that are small enough to walk around with. For example, what about them? If you take the friends in the forest band... look, they're small, so you can hide them in your pocket and go to school together.'
"...There's a lot of them in the band. I can't fit them all in my pocket."

She collected all of the forest band pieces that were scattered across her bed. There were about as many of them as pieces in a chess set, so it'd probably be impossible to fit them all in her pocket...

'In that case, you can just take friends that you're especially close with. You can take the four rabbits, your best friends in the forest band.'
"...I could fit four in my pockets. Yeah. This way, they won't be found."
'Now, you won't be alone even at school, Maria. Those kids will be with you even where I can't go.'
"...Yeah. Maybe... I won't be lonely that way. Maybe I can hold out... until coming home from school..."
'As long as we aren't found by the teacher and Mama, we can be with you at any time. So let's be together, play together forever. We definitely won't leave you all alone, Maria. Uryu!'

Maria's expression finally regained a little of its brightness.



Even without Ange, it was fun with everyone. And yet, strangely enough, it suddenly became sad without Ange, who had come in at the end. All that's happened is that I've returned to the world right before Ange entered it. So there's nothing to be sad about.

"...Yeah. I'm not lonely. Sakutaro and the others are with me."
'Uryu-! I looove you, Maria...!'
"I won't let any more Humans come into my world. Mariage Sorcière is an alliance between me and Beatrice only. From the start, even Beatrice didn't want to let Ange join. It's all right this way. Ange was still too young."
'...For now, until you can be friends with Ange again, I think it's okay to forget about it. You can play together once you've regained your high spirits, Maria. Until then, all of us will be by your side.'
"...Thank you. Sakutaro, everyone."



BGM: Apathy

Just like usual, she didn't have any Human friends at school, but her magic friends were always with her. The rabbit band she hid in her pockets talked with her during class, sounding like they were having fun. Just listening to that greatly embellished the time she spent in class.

Maria made it so that, as long as Mama and the teacher didn't find out, her other friends could always be with her. When Mama told Maria to go play outside, Maria would secretly pack Sakutaro and Sakusuke and the rest into her bag and play together at the library or somewhere. Even when Mama was late coming home and Maria went shopping for dinner, she always went with Sakutaro.



When Mama found out, Maria would get in trouble for bringing Sakutaro and the rest outside. When the teacher found out, Maria would get in trouble for bringing toys to school. The toxin must be strong in Mama and the teacher. That's why Sakutaro looks like a normal stuffed animal to them. After all, the convenience store man and the others say hello to Sakutaro.

...Not all Humans are hopeless. There are tons of people who, unlike Ange and Mama and teacher, can say hello to magic friends like I can...



"Yeah. But I've got Sakutaro, so I'm not lonely. Right, Sakutaro?"
'Uryu. It's not just Sakutaro today. Some other friends came too.'
"Oh, other friends, is it? What kind of friends did you bring today?"
"Today, the rabbits from the forest band are also with me. Look, in my pocket."

Maria began to line up four ceramic rabbit dolls on the register. As the owner of the shop looked at it, smiling, he sent a signal to a part-timer with his chin. Then, the sign on the other register that said 'closed' was taken down, and a voice called out for everyone to move over there. All of the people in line behind Maria lined up behind that one...

"I see, I see. You do have a lot of friends, Maria-chan. But I hope your Mama comes home soon."
"Uu-. Mama's busy with work again, so she's spending the night at the company. It's been very busy lately. She hasn't even been able to get much time to talk to me on the telephone."
"But I'm not lonely! I've got Sakutaro and the rest! Right?"
'Uryu-!!'
"I've even got all the rabbits from the band. Look. Kyu-kyu-♪"
"Is kyu-kyu- the sound a rabbit makes? My, I've never heard that."

After smiling at Sakutaro, who was poking his head out of her knapsack, she played around with the rabbit band on the register, making them frolic around.



...This was apparently a single mother household, where the mother had to work hard and couldn't come home very often. On top of that, it looked like this girl didn't even have any friends. As he watched her play around happily with her dolls and claim that she wasn't lonely despite everything, he couldn't help but feel a kind of compassion.

And actually, this wasn't limited to him alone. Maria had become quite famous in this shopping district...



"Uu-? Can't get a cream roll...?"
'Uryu. If you don't eat certain things, you won't get big. How about oden for today?'
"Uu-. Then I'll have some oden."
"Yep, yep, that's the ticket. Why don't I stick a whole bunch in there? Want mustard?"
'Uryu. I can't handle spicy things...'
"I see, I see. Then, you make sure you don't let it spill on the way home. It'll sure be delicious while it's hot."
"Uu-. Thank you."

She had planned on getting some sweet pastries for dinner, but since oden had been recommended to her, she would be having that tonight instead. Letting someone else determine the menu makes for an unexpected and interesting meal. Very often, Maria had to decide what her dinner would be on her own, so it was easy for the menus to get a little one-sided. So, it felt fun to have a meal she hadn't anticipated...

'Uryu-! Thanks for giving us extra, Mister!'
"Send my regards to your other friends at home. No stuffing yourself on your way back. Go straight home and eat it there."
"Uu-! Thanks Mister!!"

Maria raised the bag with the oden container high...



BGM: None

'...Uryu? What is it, Maria?'
"...The key isn't in my pocket."



She always methodically put it in the same pocket. So there was no way she had put it in another pocket, but she searched her whole body just in case. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't there.

'Did you drop it when you took your wallet out...?'
"No. When I took my wallet out, I definitely felt it. I also felt it when I searched my pocket partway here. It was there until partway. I didn't drop it! Uu-uu-uu-...!"

Even though the late autumn wind had been bearable when Maria had been thinking of returning home, where the heater was, now that she was confused and had lost her key, that wind tormented her. But no matter how hard she searched, she couldn't find her key. She turned out all her pockets and even tried taking off her jacket and hitting it, but to no avail. Of course, she also turned the knapsack Sakutaro was in upside down, but the key didn't come out.

"...Uu-. Uu-uu-uu-!!!"

Something that should have been there... wasn't where it was supposed to be. Why isn't the key there, when I didn't do anything wrong? Why isn't it?! Why?! Why...?!!!

Maria was cold and frustrated and angry, and she stamped on the ground... The bottom of her foot throbbed, but that didn't lessen her frustration. At the same time, her tears poured out.



BGM: Fortitude

It wasn't her fault. So, it was someone else's fault. But Maria didn't know who that someone was... and could do nothing but continue to let out a moan of anger.

'...Uryu... I'm sure you dropped it partway... Let's look for it, okay? Let's return on the road we came by and search, okay...?'
"...Uu-... Even though I went to all the trouble of buying oden... and got eggs and stuff for free... I won't be able to eat it while it's hot... Uuuu----!!!"
'...Maria, I know it's frustrating, but let's search, okay...? It's no one's fault, so let's search...'

Maria finally lent an ear to Sakutaro's words and began to trod back down the road she had come on. The wind was colder than before, and it felt like it was blowing in through the corners of her jacket in a mean way...

'Uryu... Let's watch our feet closely and search, okay...? Then let's get home quickly, let the heater warm us up, and eat oden, all right? I'm sure it'll be delicious.'
"...Uu-. Gone. Uu-. It's gone..."

As Sakutaro encouraged her, Maria searched for the key... But she made it all the way back to the convenience store where she'd bought the oden. She hadn't found it. Just in case, she asked the man at the convenience store whether they had found a dropped key, but they hadn't found anything. One more time, she returned home, paying close attention to the area around her feet. But, unsurprisingly, she didn't find it.

She was no longer frustrated enough to stomp her feet. But hot tears dripped down her face. The oden had cooled down completely. Even though she had been told it would be delicious when warm, she hadn't been able to eat it. Even though that man had given her so much free stuff...



"...Why can't I find it...? Uuuu, uuuuuuuu!"
'Maria, don't cry...! Let's do our best and search...! Maria...'

Maria was no longer able to hold back her tears. Sobbing, she clutched Sakutaro and held the bag of oden, returning once more down the road she had come by. Perhaps because more and more houses and stores had turned their lights off by now, it was even darker and harder to search than before. And, once again without finding the key, she returned to the convenience store.



"...Uu-... My key... It's gone..."
"Wasn't your mother away for the night? So, you can't get into your house without a key?"
"Uu-... Can't get in..."
"Well, that's not good... Did you try going to the police? They might be able to help you."
"...Mama said not to talk to policemen, even if they start talking to me."
"Oh? Well, why is that?"
"..."



So, Maria was indoctrinated into changing the stores she bought things at, so that she didn't catch the eyes of adults, and into saying no more than a greeting to policemen, even if they talked to her. Maria had obediently done as she was told. Instead of considering why she must do that, she was much more concerned with meekly obeying because her mother had told her so.

But the manager of the convenience store probably didn't think of it that way. In the first place, seeing such a young girl being forced to watch over the house alone, and so frequently, would make anyone worry...



"It's that child. Maria-chan, did you find your key?"
"...Uu-... Didn't find it..."
"What's your name, miss?"
"..."

The policeman asked her name, but Maria didn't answer.

"Did your mother tell you not to talk to policemen? Heheheh! Don't worry, no need to be scared of me. Have you eaten dinner yet, miss?"
"...I bought some, but I couldn't get into my house, so I couldn't eat it."
"What's your mother doing? Is she not coming home tonight? Is it her work?"
"...Uu-."
"Do you know how we can contact your mother at work?"
"..."

Maria hung her head limply. She didn't understand why the policeman was getting mad at her. No, he probably wasn't getting mad at her, but if this reached her mother's ears, then she would definitely be in trouble. Even if she didn't understand the reason why she would be in trouble, she at least understood that much. But the policeman wouldn't let Maria go. And her head was swimming from hunger.

The policeman noticed that, and it was decided that he'd listen to her story as they ate in the police box.



She had been told not to talk to policemen, but after being asked about Sakutaro, she responded, starting to feel that this wasn't a bad person. And anyway, she wouldn't be able to return home now, so she didn't know what to do. She told him Mama's work phone number, which she had been told to tell no one of and to use only in a very, very serious situation. In the tatami room inside the police box, as she ate the oden that was so hot it felt like it would burn her, she watched the policeman making the phone call, lazily thinking, 'Aah, I'm probably gonna get in trouble'.



BGM: Eternity

'...Uryu...'

He must have been listening to the phone ringing for a very long time. With the receiver up to his ear, the policeman looked up at the clock, grumbling.

"...Maybe they aren't picking up because their business hours are over. Hmmmmmm... Huh? Hello? Hello? Is this Anti-Rosa Ltd.? This is the Komatsugawa Police Department police box in front of Senbonzakura Station. Is President... umm... Udaikan... no, wait, President Ushiromiya available? ...Yes. What? She's on vacation?"



"Oh no, no, no, never mind. So, do you know where she might be? You haven't heard where to contact her, have you?"
"Sure, could you hold on for a second? Hey, anyone heard where the president went for her vacation? Or how to contact her?"
"I heard she was going for all-you-can eat crabs in Sapporo with her boyfriend. Aaaw, I'm sure such a cold place will do wonders for shrinking the distance between them, don't you? I haven't heard how to contact them."
"Yep, understood. Um, hello. I hear she went to Sapporo, but I'm not sure about how to reach her. Should I take a message?"
"Hmm, I see, what a shame. Well then, if you manage to get in touch with her again, could you tell her that we called? Sure, yes."

After that, I was taken to the police department, which was even bigger, and ended up spending the night there. Then, they asked me various things about myself.



And I was told 'You poor thing'. When I heard that, I learned for the first time.

Part 120: Sakutaro II

BGM: Mystic Forest

Maria was told to go to her room, but on her way back from the bathroom, she hid by the entrance to the living room and listened in on the exchange. The person who had come to visit... was the female district welfare officer who had asked Maria various questions on that other day.



"But in that case, Miss, if the child is so delicate, why leave her home all alone? Shouldn't a mother be together with her child?"
"I am together with her as much as I should be!! I don't need to take instructions from you for something like that...!!"
"Oh, really? She's very well known in this area. They say your daughter frequently goes out at night to buy things and eat. Everyone was worried and looking out for her."
"How do you know that was my child?!! There's got to be plenty of children around this town, right?!! Don't just suddenly decide that it's my Maria!! Kids sometimes walk around outside at night, right?! How can you prove that they were all my child?!"
"It's well-known around the shopping center... that a girl holding a lion stuffed animal often stops by to eat dinner and buy things. Everyone treated Maria-chan with care out of concern for her. Sometimes, people even escorted her home, thinking the night roads might be dangerous, you see?"
"Y-You can find lion stuffed animals anywhere!! It was none of their business, escorting her home!! Are they thinking of kidnapping Maria?! Don't bother her!! Maria is my child. I am raising her! I have no intention of putting her in some strange institution!! Stop your needless meddling!!"



"...It's okay. I'm the one in trouble... It has nothing to do with you, Sakutaro..."

Maria hugged Sakutaro, continuing to watch her mother fearfully...



"But I'm a single mother, so I have to work! I may not look it, but I'm a president of a company, and I bear responsibility for my employees' well-being!! I'm busy with my work all year round, so there's no time for me to rest!!"
"Reeally? But you've been on vacation these last three days, haven't you?"
"I-I have not been on vacation! I've stayed at my company all night, working!! There's a mountain of matters to be taken care of that the other unreliable employees can't handle!!"
"Why are you lying like that? Someone from your company said that you were taking a three-day vacation, you see? You went to Hokkaido with your boyfriend, right? Leaving your daughter by herself for three whole days...!"
"I-I don't know anything about this boyfriend I don't know anything about Hokkaido!!! Where are you getting this nonsense?! Why, why?! Do you have any proof?! What the hell, don't just start butting in on someone else's family matters!! I love Maria I have my own way of loving her so just keep your mouth shut!! I didn't go on a vacation I was just working the whole time!! I was trying to finish things up at work with all my strength, all my strength because I wanted to see Maria as soon as I could!! I stayed at the company the whole whole whole whole, whole whole whole whole time!!"



Rosa raged, her hair flying wildly. A teacup was knocked over from the force of her standing up, but far louder than that was the sound of her beating the table with both hands. When faced with this rage that could accurately be described as wide-eyed derangement, the district welfare officer couldn't help but be taken aback.

...And the same went for Maria, who was secretly watching this from the hallway. She had already seen her mother in a rage several times before this. But she had never seen her this crazed with anger.



Video: The Abyss

BGM: Fortitude

It was some other evil being that was possessing her mother's body...

And then, she herself was discovered by the evil being. Maria knew that she was being reflected in the evil being's eyes. Her mind went blank, and she felt as though her field of vision was racing off into the distance...

After fiercely closing in on Maria, Rosa mercilessly slapped her on her small shoulders... and dropped her gaze towards the stuffed animal Maria was holding, Sakutaro.



'...U-Uryu... I-It isn't Maria's fault... I told her to take me...'
"Th-That's not true...! I brought Sakutaro on my own because I was lonely...! So Mama, it isn't Sakutaro's fault...!!"
'Uryu, Maria...'
"It's not Sakutaro's fault!! It's not Sakutaro's fault!!"

Instead of Maria, the brunt of Rosa's anger was aimed at the lion stuffed animal Maria was holding. A girl went shopping in the middle of the night, always clutching a lion stuffed animal. Because of that, she had become well known in the shopping center...



"Why?! Why, why?! Why can't you follow Mama's ruuuuuuules?!!"

With every single word, she stamped her heel and banged furiously on the wall. Of course, she didn't make direct contact with Maria. However, the violence of the harsh sound certainly beat against her.

"M-Miss, stop that...!!"
"Let go!! I said let go, damn iiiiiiiiiiiit!!"

The district welfare officer had come back to her senses and was pinning Rosa's arms behind her back. But the instant Rosa was touched, she went wild, furiously throwing the welfare officer off. She hit the table and fell to the ground. A teacup on the table smashed on the floor, making a violent sound...

'...M-Maria didn't do anything wrong...! It's my fault! So don't scold Maria...!!'
"I'm the one who brought Sakutaro...!! It's not Sakutaro's fault!! It's not Sakutaro's fault!! So don't look at Sakutaro with those scary eyes!! Don't look at hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!!"
'Don't scold Maria...! Don't scold Maria...!! Uryuu--!!!'
"...Y-You... What were you doing just now, and a minute ago too?"
"Do you also play with dolls like that...outside? Did you do it in front of the people in the store...?



"Answer me honestly. When you went out, you always walked around with that stuffed animal without telling Mama, right?"
'...U-Uryu...'
"Stop using that weird stuffed animal talk!!! Speak with your own words, not a stuffed animal's!!!"
"S-Sakutaro isn't a stuffed animal!! He's my friend!! Don't call him a stuffed animal... Doooooooooooooooooooon't!!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it, it was called Sakutarou, was it?! You took him with you all the time when you went shopping, without telling Mama, right?"
"...Y-Yeah..."

Maria admitted it honestly. If she hadn't admitted it, then Sakutaro would have said something to take the blame, so by admitting it right away, she was protecting her small friend.

"Only Sakutarou? Any others? You haven't been bringing weird things to school too, have you...?"
"...M-Miss!! Surely your daughter has done nothing wrong! Stop this interrogation at once!"
"You, stay quiet!!! I'm talking with my daughter, aren't I?!!!"
"...Come on, Maria, look at Mama when you talk. What's the answer to Mama's question?"
"...U-Uu-... It wasn't just Sakutaro. All the rabbits were with me too..."
"...Do you have them with you now...?"
"Uu-..."

Maria fished around in her pockets, pulling out four ceramic rabbits with her tiny hand... The rabbits were her close friends, who could be together with her at school in Sakutaro's place. But when Rosa saw that, she shook her head slightly as though dizzy...



But Rosa had rejected that, blaming the teacher and phoning in a protest of her own to the school. Saying that there was no way her child would bring toys to school. For nearly an hour, she had shouted at the vice principal to stop making false accusations about her daughter.

...To a certain degree, those at the school had grasped that Maria was a pitiful girl. They knew that the small toys she brought in were her only friends. So they had done their best to overlook it. But when the other students caught sight of them, some of the boys had started complaining that only she could bring toys, and the school had racked their brains on how to cope with this... They had tried to gently send a warning by way of the mother, but after Rosa's overreaction, even Maria's teacher decided to overlook it.

...But now Rosa knew. She had been the one who was wrong, and her daughter really had been bringing toys to school. ...And those at the school... had known that she was a disgrace who brought toys to school and played with them as though they were her only friends. To Rosa, who thought her daughter was just a little different from normal children, having this peculiar side of her daughter exposed and found fault with was, more than anything else, something she couldn't bear.



The district welfare officer tried to cut between Rosa and Maria again, but she only met with Rosa's wrath once more. Rosa once again threw the woman off with a face like a demon, and when even that failed to curb her anger, she stomped on the ground over and over again so forcefully that it seemed she might break through the floor. Then, after seeming to come back to her senses for a second, she immediately froze her harsh breathing... and asked Maria.



"...U-Uu-..."
"I see. Isn't it great that you have a full four friends?"

As she said that, Rosa grabbed one of the rabbits from Maria's hand. Then, she shoved it in front of Maria's eyes so she could see it very well. The cute rabbit holding a trumpet was a small doll like a chess piece.

She slowly lifted it into the air. Of course, Maria's and Sakutaro's eyes also followed it...



BGM: Requiem

"Eeek!!!!"
'...!!!'

She had half imagined that this worst possible thing might happen. So she instantly realized what had been done. So, Maria let out a short, despairing scream...

It was in pieces. It had been small and sturdy, but that hadn't been enough to withstand her mother's fierce rage.



"Miss, you think to call yourself a mother after doing something like that?!! You think you can do something like that and not hurt your daughter?!"
"Hurt Maria?! I'm also hurting, right?! Who's gonna take responsibility for my wounds?!"
"Weeeell?! Who iiiiiiiiiis?!!! Didn't I tell you to shut uuuuup!!!"
"S-Stop it, Mama...! It's my fault...! Don't get mad at this lady...!"
'It isn't Maria's fault, it's mine...! Don't get mad at Maria...! Uryu, uryuuryuuryu, uryuu--!'
"...D-Didn't I tell you to stop playing with stuffed animals like thaaaaaaaaaatt?!! In the first place, it's disgusting, you say a stuffed animal is your friend just how old are you?! How old?! Weeeeeelll?!"



"Why can you never make any friends?!! That's why your class always treats you like a weirdo and makes fun of you!! Give it a rest and get ahold of yourself already!! Grow up from this stuffed animal play!!"
'Uryu, uryu...'
"Like I said, stop playing with that stuffed animaaaaaaaaaall!!"
"Aaah!! Mama, Mama!! Give him back! Give Sakutaro baaaaaaaaaaack!!"



Mama grabbed hold of Sakutaro's head... and took him from me... Then, she smashed him against the wall, over and over.



"I said stop, damn it!! I told you to stop that stuffed animal aaaaaaaaaaact!! It's because of this stuffed animal!! That's why you can never make any friends! That's why you alone are pushed off to the side in your class and treated like a freak!! I should never have given you a stuffed animal like this!! I should never have given you such a disgusting stuffed animal!!"
"Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiit!! Give Sakutaro back, give Sakutaro back!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! Sakutaro is my friend!! My best friend!! As long as Sakutaro's there, I don't need anything else! So give him back!! Give him baaaaaaaack!!"

...For some reason, my frantic request just added oil to the fire of Mama's anger...

Mama pushed my arm aside as I tried to grab Sakutaro and snatch him back, and in a bizarre way, she stuck her fingernails on both hands deep into Sakutaro, twisting him... The red muffler, which I had carefully wrapped for him every day, came off and fell to the floor...

...Sakutarou, who had been so, so precious to me... Was twisted, smashed, torn at with fingernails so much... He was twisted painfully, his face curving... in sadness...

Then Mama's fingernails... found a stitch on the neck... and tore it...



In that instant, Sakutaro's yellow cloth... and the cotton inside... burst apart... It looked almost like moist cotton candy...



"...kutaro...?"
'...Ma...ria...'
"...Sakutaro..."
'U...ryu...———'
"...kutaro..."
'——... .. .・ "
"...ta...ro..."

...The crumpled yellow cloth and the cotton candy flowing out were thrust right in front of my eyes.

Then, through Mama's face, the evil being... stated it clearly.















"Beatrice, Beatrice...!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!"
"Sakutaro was a good friend... As long as you do not forget that, he will always be with you... So do not cry..."
"Bring him back to life!! You can use a lot of magic, Beato!! You can even bring Sakutaro back to life, right?!"
"...A-About that... Of course, if Sakutaro had been my furniture, it would be easy. However, Sakutaro is your furniture. That makes it difficult for me."
"If you say it's difficult, that means it isn't impossible, right?! Bring him back to life!! Bring him back to life with the Endless Magiiiiiic!"



Beatrice's words were feeble. Because she knew that, no matter what the excuse, it wouldn't be enough to calm Maria and make her accept it. But she had to communicate the painful truth to her disciple and close friend. She had to tell her the fact... that even with all of her own power, even she could not revive Sakutarou.

"As long as you continue to strongly believe in Sakutarou's existence, that soul will not disappear... So, MARIA, please, do not be sad..."
"Even now, look, believe that Sakutarou is smiling right over there..."
"No!!! No no no!! You have to bring Sakutaro back to life!! No no no! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!"
"Give it up...!! There is no magic to revive Sakutarou...! Despite that, you must strongly believe that Sakutarou will continue to exist as your close friend...!! That power will become magic...!"
"That's not magic, that's not magic!! You have to bring Sakutaro back to life...!! You can't do it because Mama made him herself? Why did Mama make Sakutaro? It was to give him to me as a present, right? It was to make him my friend, right?"
"So why... did Mama make it herself...and break it herself? Why did Mama give birth to it by herself, and try to break it herself? I don't understand, I don't understand!!"



"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! I can't stand it, I can't stand it, Beatriiice!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh, Sakutaroooooooo!!!!"

From the darkness behind Maria's back, two massive jet-black arms crept out, twisting around Maria as she sobbed in anger. Then, massive fingernails stuck into Maria's chest and stomach...

Maria could not see that. But Beato could. Anger and sadness without any place to go will tear you apart. Beato knew that. She could see that. Yes... In the end, those massive arms were Maria's own.

Those fingernails slowly started to eat into her chest and stomach... With their immense size and strength, those arms could probably tear Maria into bits easily... But Maria herself couldn't notice. Drowning in a sea of her own tears, she couldn't notice that her own arms were trying to tear apart her own chest...



"Beatrice!! Teach me magic for that!! Teach me magic to beat Mama...!!"
"...Is that truly how you feel?"
"Kill Mama!! I'll kill her!! No, that isn't Mama! It's the bad witch possessing Mama! I'll kill the witch Mama!! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!"
"...Very well. I shall give you that power. For tearing you and your beautiful heart apart, for giving you that pain, it is fitting that your heartless mother be torn apart considerably."