I made it.

  They're gone.

  The moment I don't feel I-, Aio's direct presence anymore, the rest of the strength I got going to keep myself upright leaves me.

  My legs give out, and I suddenly feel the weight of all my accumulated trauma.

  I could've died just now.

  No, not died.

  Dying means reincarnation.

  I just would've ended.

  Dispersed into nothing and "poof" gone.

  "Hah... Haha... HahahahahahahahahahaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" (I)

  Are you fucking kidding me?!

  Why didn't my future self tell me about that lunatic?!

  Warn me about the very possibility that something like them could show up?

  She must've known, right?

  Do they possibly even know each other already?

  Urgh, it hurts to even think about this.

  Worse, now I'm reminded of this shackle I got.

  Apparently, it's more like one of those electronic ones and not hindering my direct movement, but the very fact that it's there feels terrible.

  Like a collar around my neck.

  One that I'm not ever to get rid of again.

  I, I don't want to think about this.

  No, I want to go home.

  But first, even though I just want to lie down, I should do the reasonable thing.

  I used so much power, and was so emotional, that I need to check my world for damages.

  Last time I went so far, it was recorded as the time of calamity.

  Just a quick scan...

  Huh, everything's fine.

  Doesn't even look particularly shaken.

  Not even falling tableware and such.

  That seems almost implausible after what I went through.

  I'm even pretty sure that I dropped some of my mental barriers to protect this place while focusing on the fight at hand.

  Was that Io's doing?

  No, just take that gift as is and go back home.

  I, I really can't go on anymore.

  So I teleport back into my room.

  "Mum! I was so worried!" (K)

  "H-hey, Kuri." (I)

  I sound meek and unassuming, but I honestly can't get myself to be more jovial after this day.

  I guess Kuri perceives it, but decides to stay quiet.

  Then, my door opens again.

  Mum?

  "Hey. You don't need to tell me what happened, but you look like you need hug. And while Kuri seems to already have covered you in this regard, I guess it won't hurt if I join in." (S)

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Mum!

  "Hick, hick. Sob." (I)

  I can't hold it. My mind is through.

  But I want to enjoy this nonetheless.

  It's like I can finally just let all my defenses drop.

  ...

  Oh no!

  I can't let myself go like this!

  What about my surroundings, or my inner world?!

  My sudden movement does seem to have startled Mum.

  "Oh, I-Iori..." (S)

  Why is she looking so bewildered at me?

  Did I cause something again?

  "Mum?" (I)

  "Iori, you..." (S)

  She extends a finger and rubs a wet spot on my face.

  Oh no, the ink!

  That black stuff I always push through my tear ducts.

  Of course, that's bad.

  No, that's... clear!?

  "Iori, your tears are normal! You, you are crying normally. I-is everything okay?" (S)

  T-tears?

  Real, watery tears?

  No black goo?

  I can cry?

  Is that the charm I-Aio was talking about?

  That 's great.

  At least something good coming from this day.

  "Just to clarify, I'm still a terrible monster. I just think that my eyes can now have normal tears again." (I)

  Something within me even says that I could wire my tears back to normal if I wished to do so.

  Not that I would.

  "Iori, I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but I certainly won't stop doing so. You're not a monster. You're you, and this is fine. You're trying your best, and no one can demand any more from you." (S)

  More tears flow, and once I eventually got my sobbing back under control, I tell Mum everything that happened.

  It's not like she can do much aside from what she already does, but her comfort is already plenty.

  "Not to forget, you have friends, people who like you as you are. This is something, right?" (S)

  Does she mean Chiaki?

  Things were a bit rough with her recently, but I guess she's right.

  I'm sure she'd right now crack some jokes about the water angels or something.

  I draw a blank there, so I'd kinda like to hear hers.

  "Alright, think you can manage?" (S)

  "I think so." (I)

  "Great. I'll think about what to tell your dad. He was quite worried, the way you locked yourself in your room, but I don't think you should have to take care of that as well right now." (S)

  This actually helps.

  All this lying and playing an act, it takes a toll.

  Simply, because I can never be as I truly am.

  "Thank you, Mum." (I)

  Though, I got a thought.

  "I, I might be gone for another moment. Would that be okay?" (I)

  "Well, sure. But come back for dinner." (S)

  "Yes." (I)

  So she leaves my room.

  Hopefully, she's going to be able to soothe Dad.

  I, I want to talk with Chiaki.

  Screw around, maybe get her to comfort me.

  I think it would help.

  I think I'll just snatch her up for a moment.

  ???

  Huh?

  What's that?

  I, I feel...

  Something's telling me... I can't just abduct a human from Earth to somewhere else!?

  Wait a moment!

  The accord!

  That's a rule!

  But, but I didn't even want to abduct her!

  What does this mean?

  Huh, the alarm goes less intense when I think about getting her consent first.

  That's, that's another paragraph, it seems.

  One that allows to do stuff with humans if it's by their will.

  Well, I didn't plan on this, so I don't think I need to worry.

  Or rather, I would only worry if I were about to break a rule.

  But as I'm not, it seems fine.

  Yet there's one little thing that's bothering me.

  .

  .

  .

  I'm totally being mind-controlled in this regard right now.

  Not in the big 'I am just a mindless zombie' sense, or even the 'they're in charge of my thinking' way, but solely based on the fact that I am being made aware of these rules and kinda don't want to break them.

  The greatest source of anxiety is that, while it may only be my unwillingness to deal again with Aio and her angels, and those rules are very open and liberal, there's no way to be actually sure if this reasoning is originally mine.

  I can only hope it's just going to be this one minor thing, as I don't feel like I can confront this existential crisis right now.

  In any case, I am now going to fetch Chiaki, without worrying about breaking cosmic rules.

  Because I really need this.