[Silver Ash] - Become The Strongest In Another World
CHAPTER 183: Clausa Memoria (5)

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"Umm .. Can't we speed up the scene? There's nothing we can see here."

Muku with a sleepy face still tried to watch the projected scene, but he inevitably felt bored with it.

The question was clearly making everyone nod in agreement. They were also tired of the scene before them.

For nearly 20 minutes, they watched Izaya and Shion projection silently design and create a bouquet full of birthday wishes. There's really nothing important there.

Olivia felt a bit sorry to admit it, but she agreed with everyone. He looked at Anzu.

Anzu was sitting while hugging her feet, and drowned her face there. Apparently, he's sleeping.

Olivia uses ice magic to give him a very cold touch on the neck, so Anzu suddenly wakes up with a chaotic expression.

"W-what are you doing?! "

Anzu yelled at him, but Olivia replied with a similarly irritated look.

"Why are you sleeping? You should have helped us to change this scene."

"Look, yeah." Anzu began to speak with an irritated look on her face. "If I could control this projection, then I would have done it in the first place! It's useless for me to show you all this! "

" … I think you're right."

Olivia was not interested anymore, and began to pay attention to the proyeksk again.

However, shortly after, the projection scene instantly changed.

"Ahh, finally! "

"Umm ... Friends .. Sorry to bother you, but .. Isn't this weird? "

At the moment when everyone was looking at the change of scene on the projection, the awkward voice of Rias appeared to interrupt.

Olivia turned to him, and Rias instantly snapped with her eyes staring in all directions.

He fearfully explained what was on his mind. "That's .. We've been in this dungeon, for about four hours. But ... We are not at all tired, hungry, or even thirsty .. Do you know why? "

That was unexpected. Olivia herself didn't even notice it.

What Rias said was true. They had already been stuck in this dungeon for a long time, but not only did they feel tired, they did not even feel hungry or thirsty in the slightest. Obviously it's weird.

Olivia did not know what to answer, as she was confused herself. But, he speculated that this dungeon might have a special influence on their bodies.

As soon as she explained it, Rias with a face that seemed to say that she understood it nodded.

They looked back at the projection scene, and quickly forgot about the topic.

"Ohh, no .. Don't this one … "

An uncomfortable groan returned from Anzu as he watched the projection.

In accordance with his cursed premonition, the projection still displayed pieces from his memory. Moreover, this unfolding scene was the part that he least wanted to see right now.

Olivia ignored Anzu, and focused on watching, she was really curious about what had really happened in the past.

The background of the scene is not in the room they rented in the manga cafe, but the bus station area is quite crowded with people.

The sky had turned orange, signifying just how much time they had spent making a greeting bouquet. Now, Izaya and Shion are walking side by side towards one of the buses that stops waiting for passengers.

However, just as the two were about to reach the bus, Izaya suddenly stopped. He turned his head to the side, and made Shion stop to ask him.

"What are you doing? " ask Shion.

Shion looked irritated, but he did nothing, and just waited until Izaya answered.

" … Can you wait here for a minute? There's something I have to do."

"Eh? Ah– wait! "

Without letting Shion stop him, Izaya immediately ran towards a building not far from where Shion was standing.

"Ughh .. The scheduled bus departure is soon .. I hope he returns soon … "

Shion crazily lowered her head and leaned against the billboard that was behind her.

Shortly after, Izaya reappeared, but this time she carried something in her hands.

" … What is it? "

"Hmm? Isn't it obvious? It's a doll."

What Izaya was carrying was a large-sized doll that would probably fit in a hug. The shape is like a penguin, and the color is an alloy between blue and white.

Funny doll, that's the only way to describe it.

As Shion focused on staring at the doll, Izaya smiled, and held out the doll to her.

" … What? "

Shion suspiciously asked Izaya, but Izaya just smiled wryly at her.

"Don't be too careful, I just want to give this to you."

" ……… Huh? "

It was natural for him to be confused. From the beginning, she did not expect that Izaya would give her a doll.

"Take this as a thank you. I'll treat you later, but for now, at least I want to give this to you."

Shion remained silent and accepted the doll. He stared at her for a while, then squeezed the doll a few times with empty eyes.

" … It's soft … "

As if having forgotten Izaya's whereabouts, Shion hugged the penguin doll and drowned her face there.

However, it didn't last long. He immediately stopped, and slowly glanced at Izaya. He calmly loosened his embrace on the doll, then erased all of his expression as he looked at Izaya.

" … How much does it cost? "

"Ahh, you don't have to worry about the price. I got it in one try at that claw machine. I'm only taking out 100 yen."

" …… You got it in one try? "

"It's easy for me."

Izaya shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the bus, leaving Shion still confused.

"Ahh– t-wait! "

Shion frantically ran after Izaya, and finally got into the bus after a little effort.

Naturally, he picked up a bench right beside Izaya who was sitting by the window.

" …… Thank you."

Those simple words were muttered by Shion while hugging her doll, and Izaya who heard that only smiled wryly in response.

" … You said you didn't have anything to do with him, but you're obviously very happy there."

Alan gave his cold comments while glancing at Anzu who was now resignedly immersing her face in her knees. Although faint, they could see Anzu's ears blushing slightly.

For Anzu herself, she actually felt very awkward to see it all. Especially, because there's Olivia there.

If Olivia was a temperamental girl, then the situation would have been even more chaotic. Anzu was really happy because Olivia could still tolerate it all.

… Although the expression on his face could only be described as jealousy.

The scene continues. There, Izaya and Anzu were sitting quietly on their benches. Izaya looked out the window, only to see the pavement being passed still full of snow.

Has the snowbot army not reached this area yet? I don't know, he doesn't know the answer himself. Izaya has passed through this street repeatedly on the same date and month every year, and during that time, he always finds the road still covered by the white object.

It was in his mind to report to the community service office, but he immediately abandoned that intention when he thought that he would not often pass through this street.

He might only pass by once every year. His reason? It's at its destination.

" … You guys go away from downtown. Where are you guys headed? "

Werli naturally asked that. Of course he was confused, he found no reason for Izaya and Shion to go out of town at that time.

It is the night before Christmas, most people will be in certain places such as restaurants or homes, and spend their time with their family or loved ones.

" … You'll find out why if you keep watching. I actually had no business in that place, but I came to accompany him."

" ……… "

Olivia said nothing, but just kept quiet and watched the projected scene. He was really curious as to where Izaya was going.

After he thought about it, Izaya always went somewhere every December 24th, and Izaya never told him where he was going.

Not long after, the scene changed again, and made everyone confused.

"What's going on? "

Alan clearly voiced everyone's confusion, but Anzu only smiled wryly there.

"From the way you say it .. Do you not remember anything back then? "

"True, it's because I'm asleep."

" ……… "

Too bad, Alan-kun. But that's the truth.

The scene changed, and showed the figure of Shion grimly rubbing his eyes. There was nothing strange about it, but they were slightly startled by Shion who was resting her head on Izaya's shoulder the second before.

"Hmm? Did I wake you? "

" … No. I don't know why I've been sleeping so much lately."

Shion with a sleepy face tried to get up and lift his head, but to no avail. In the end, he could only stick his forehead on Noelle's shoulder, letting blood flow to her head slowly.

After a while, he finally returned his focus. Shion got up and looked around.

"Are we not there yet? "

The sky was dark, but they were still on their way. It was a pretty long journey.

"In a minute we'll be at the last station."

"Oh, yeah. By the way, what are you doing? "

Shion turned to Izaya, and saw that Izaya was wearing a pair of glasses with a thin, silvery frame.

"Ahh, this .. How should I say it .. This is a glasses that has the feature to access the virtual world. Ar sort. I'm sure you know that."

"Hmm? This brand ... Is this one of your big family investments? I've never seen this series before. Is it still a prototype? "

"That's how it was, I was asked to give it a try, so .. I decided to finish some work with this. But ... Maybe the radiation effect is too strong, my eyes are starting to hurt."

Izaya took off her glasses and started rubbing her own eyes, before finally staring at the ceiling for a while.

Shion who looked fresher than before started to give a worried look to Izaya.

"Please don't force yourself."

"A-ahh, no problem. Anyway I'm done. Maybe I should use enhancements like anti-radiation contact lenses later."

As if having exhausted all the topics of conversation, the two remained silent until finally the last station had been in sight.

"By the way, what were you doing? "

Shion already had a hunch about the answer, but was still waiting for confirmation from Izaya. It could be seen, Izaya fell silent, without saying anything.

Izaya's gaze turned indifferent, as if Shion had asked him a visual for him.

" … Something I always do when I'm with you."

Although he was silent for a moment, Izaya still answered the question Shion had given her, and just from that question, Shion immediately understood what she meant.

" … You're still looking for him, yes ... The perpetrator of the murder … "

"so. I can't sleep well if I haven't revealed his whereabouts."

"Then ... After finding it ... What will you do? "

Izaya did not answer, but continued to look out the window. It was as if he had not listened to Shion's question at all. However, after a long pause, Shion finally heard it.

Izaya muttered in a very low voice, but was somehow able to enter her ears. " … Actually .. I don't know either."

No one talks between the two anymore. They kept quiet until the bus stopped at the last station.

Back then, there were very few passengers, and they all got off there, along with Izaya and Shion.

"This ... Funeral? "

Olivia asked in a voice that could only be said to be 'murmuring'.

He looked at the place that Izaya and Shion were aiming at, then was shocked by it. Olivia won never visit the place when she was Ayano, but just seeing it was obvious. That place is a cemetery.

"What are you guys doing there? "

Despite showing a look of disinterest, Iris' tone of voice clearly voiced her curiosity.

"What do you think we're doing at the funeral? Dig a grave and loot it? "

"I think that's what you're gonna do."

" ……… "

Just how negative was the view Iris had of Noelle and Anzu? After all, only he himself knew.

Anzu let out a sigh of resignation and began to explain, "You'll find out if you keep quiet and watch. Obviously, we didn't do anything suspicious."

" ……… "

They saw the projected scene again. There, they could see Izaya with Shion calmly walking towards one of the tombstones.

On the gravestone covered with moss and snow, a name was written in a language they had not seen for a long time.

It says, Wakana Hakui.

"That … "

They've heard that name before. That was when they saw Lilith's memories of Izaya in the past.

Despite hearing his name, they did not know the person named Hakui at all, so they did not know what kind of relationship Izaya and Shion had with that person.

However, this was not the case for Olivia. Despite not being very familiar with her figure, Olivia knows that Hakui is the person Noelle considers her 'family'. He had only met with Hakui a few times, and he already had an image of Hakui, a good old man.

Returning to the scene, there, Izaya erased all of her expressions, and stared blankly at the gravestone of Hadui.

" …… Long time no see, Hailui. What's the fun there? "

His visit to the tomb, just to say that? They all almost voiced their confusion, but decided to remain silent as they watched what Izaya did next.

Izaya crouched down, and took out a small bowl from a paper bag that she somehow carried with her.

"Your tombstone is already covered in moss again, I might have to pay someone to clean it every month. Well, forget it."

Izaya smiled wryly, and began to open a bottle that he also removed from the paper bag.

After opening the lid, Izaya began to pour the contents of the bottle in the small bowl he served at the tomb of Hakui.

"Iza ... I'm going to buy some flowers, will you wait? "

"All right."

The distance between Hakui's tomb and the flower stand was not that far away, so Shion could still clearly see or hear what Izaya was doing.

Shortly after, Shion returns, with two flower bundles in his hands. He gave one of the flowers to Izaya, and put the other one in the gravestone of Hakui.

After that, he remained silent. Did nothing but close his eyes and let Izaya finish her 'annual report'.

Everything Izaya reported right at the tomb of Hakui, was information about his daily life, as well as his progress in thinking. All that, did not escape the influence of the figure of Hakui.

" … Next ...Hadui, it may be a long time, but .. I will definitely find it...Your murderer, I will find it, along with the mastermind who caused my parents' plane crash."

What he said just now was like being an electric shock to everyone. They fell silent while widening their eyes in surprise.

No one could say a word, other than Olivia who took a step back with a panicked look on her face.

"That's impossible! The death of Izaya's biological parents, it was all an accident! Also ... The death of Wakana Hakui, has been designated as a work accident! How could … "

"Do you really think that everything was just an accident? "

"Itu–"

Olivia could not continue her words. He froze on the spot, while giving an incredulous look to Anzu who was staring at him from below.

Anzu's eyes narrowed sharply, and a sinister smile formed on her lips.

"Indeed, officially, their deaths have been designated as accidents. But what if reality was different? The plane can be sabotaged to disguise a murder, and Hakui is a police chief who has many enemies. Both cases have the possibility of being manipulated as an 'accident'."

"Wait a minute, that old man is the police chief? "

Alan was surprised to voice his curiosity at Anzu, who Anzu responded to by widening his smile.

"Ahh, right too. Alan, you used to be the son of a certain party official, right? I'm sure you understand how dangerous the world of politics is, and also .. Ayano, I'm sure if you understand all of that better, considering you were in the past a member of Mikhail Wecker's family."

"Eh? W-wait a minute, Anzu! Mikhail Wecker you mentioned it … "

Rias awkwardly began to dig into her memories, and found one suitable person.

However, before he said the identity of the person, Anzu had already interrupted him first. "After some thought, you don't know yet, do you? Right, what I'm talking about is Mikhail Wecker, one of the 15 richest people in the world. All the efforts he had built from the completion of World War 2, had given him very satisfactory results."

"You mean … "

" … Mikhail Wecker, he is my great-grandfather, along with Noelle–or rather, Iza."

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