怪獣の放出 / Kaijuu no Houshutsu / Unleashed Beasts

第17章 (Chapter 17)

Tsuki answered the question. Not that the two really cared much, but it was intriguing anyway. "Up until a few weeks ago, Kirai could not feel emotions. For the longest time, she had never once experienced emotions. And she couldn't speak properly, either; her speech would always have pauses and stutters."

"Then how... how did she gain those emotions?" Kimura asked.

"The method of how, I'm not sure. But I know that it happened with... Well, a specific incident." Tsuki looked at Kirai for more explanation.

"Kimura-san, Hinote-kun, I advise you two to not question the details of that incident," Kirai said. They remained silent. Kirai began again.

"When I first got my hands on this pocket watch, it gave me the ability to stop time, but it also allowed me to feel emotions while time was stopped. It was... strange, to be honest," she said.

"Wait... if it allows you to feel emotions while time is stopped, then why are you able to experience them now, while time is moving?" Kimura asked.

"That's related to the incident. It's like the watch got an 'upgrade', you could say. There's six buttons on the sides of the pocket watch, and one of them toggles my ability to feel emotions."

"That's strange..." Hinote muttered.

Kirai brought the pocket watch toward them and showed them the buttons. She pressed the one that controls her emotions, and immediately, her posture slumped a little bit.

"Uh... Kako-san? Why did you slump like that?" Kimura looked a little concerned.

"Wh..... what do... you mean...?"

Kirai's pausing and emotionless speech and tone surprised Kimura and Hinote. They both felt taken aback by the surprise.

"Woah... Uh, could you press that button again?" Kimura requested. Kirai did so, and her posture went back to ordinary.

"So... that's what my pocket watch did. It gives me the ability to feel emotions and manipulate time, pretty much."

Kirai sat back down on the opposite side of Tsuki. Kimura had many questions, especially regarding the incident that Kirai mentioned.

 "Kako-san, I know you said not to ask, but I'm curious... What exactly happened involving this incident you mentioned?" Kimura asked.

Kirai looked at her and sighed, putting her palm to her face, seemingly disgruntled. "I don't know that you might be able to handle the details. I mean... Ask Tsuki; that wasn't a fun experience."

"I... I would still like to know... I think I can handle it," Kimura said. She had a stubborn expression on her face.

"Fine... But if you really can't handle it, I'm not sure how to help," Kirai said.

She then began explaining the details of what happened on that day, July 17, when the day kept repeating over and over again, and how she had felt confused at first, thinking that there may have been a mistake in people writing the date. She explained how panicked she felt when she finally came to the conclusion that the day was looping, and how she figured out to go to the spot in the forest to solve the issue, by exerting power with a certain phrase in a nearly alien language...

"...and... The next thing I knew, the pocket watch had more buttons, and I could feel emotions even when time was moving."

Kimura and Hinote both gawked at the story. They were impressed and amazed. Kimura especially had an interest in the language Kirai mentioned, Shler'heihn.

"About that... shireiru hein(?) language, Kako-san... Can I hear you speak it?" She asked. 

"No, you cannot. That language has some kind of mystical properties. I learned that if you mean and say a phrase in that language, it will cause a disruption in space... It would invoke the power of the Shler'heihn's world..." Kirai responded.