The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 5

Suguru tilted his head, his gaze thoughtful. "I don't believe we've ever been taught anything specific about the uses of ashes," he said, "Could that information be restricted as well?”

The three of them fell silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts as they continued with their cleaning. Satoru’s mind kept returning to the image of those bones lying alone on that white cloth. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it—more than just a simple need for ashes. But what? And why?

It was Shoko who finally voiced the question that had been lingering in the air. “Why do we want to know so badly, anyway?” She looked at the boys, her expression open and earnest, “I mean, it’s clear she’s some kind of secret, but… what’s our reason for digging so deep? Because as far as I can tell, even if they don't need these ashes for something important, she seems fine today even if they killed her and brought her back?”

Satoru shrugged, but his expression betrayed his agitation, "I guess I'm just worried about her. She doesn't even remember when her technique is active so it seems unfair to be taking advantage of that."

Suguru nodded in agreement. “And once she passed that gate her power was released," he said, pointing at Satoru, "What if the vow is released at that checkpoint and she does remember everything then? That would be extremely cruel.”

Shoko rested her hands on her hips. “I get that," she sighed, "But what are we doing to do about it? And assuming we do find out and try to get her out of here, then what? Where would we go?”

Satoru and Suguru exchanged a look, both of their expressions twisting from frustration to a grim acceptance. Satoru finally pushed off from the desk, straightening up. “You’re right," he agreed with a sigh, "There isn't a lot we can do with what we know yet. We'll need to understand the whole thing before we act.”

Suguru looked thoughtful. “How about we just spend more time with her," he suggested, "Maybe in Shoko’s room like usual? We can bring up what happened and see if she can remember any of it at all? She might remember pieces of it.”

Satoru grinned, his usual easygoing demeanor returning. “Sounds like a plan," he chuckled, "Let’s go get some food and stuff and invite her. I’ll bet she’ll be more likely to open up if we keep things casual.”

With their decision made, the three of them finished up their chores quickly, their earlier tension replaced by a sense of resolve. They were going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

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The atmosphere in Shoko's room was unusually tense, the air thick with unspoken words as the four of them sat together. Satoru leaned against the wall, his usual carefree expression replaced with something more contemplative, while Suguru sat close to Sarah, his posture relaxed but his eyes serious. Shoko, sitting cross-legged on her bed, fiddled with the hem of her skirt, clearly trying to keep things light but failing to mask the tension.

Sarah, sensing the awkwardness in the room, looked at each of them in turn, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Okay, what’s going on?" she finally asked, her voice steady but with an underlying edge of concern, "You guys are acting weird."

There was a moment of silence, the three friends exchanging uneasy glances before Suguru finally broke the tension. “Sarah… we’re curious about you,” he said, his tone gentle but direct.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she shifted in her seat. “Curious about what?” she asked.

Suguru took a deep breath, his gaze steady on her. “A few days ago," he admitted, "We… we followed you, after you said you were going back to your room.”

Sarah’s eyes widened slightly, and she looked from Suguru to Satoru and then to Shoko, searching their faces for any hint of what they might have seen. “Okay... Why?” she asked.

Suguru hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, choosing his words carefully. “We saw your power surge when you went into the basement of the headquarters," he explained, "It was… intense. You were with two handlers, and they took you down to a place we’ve never been allowed to go.”

Sarah blinked, her confusion deepening. “My power… surged?" She asked slowly, "And… handlers? I mean, yeah, my room is in the basement, but that’s just because I’m not a student yet. What's weird about that?”

Shoko leaned forward slightly, her voice gentle and concerned. “Sarah, do you know why they brought you here?" She asked, "Why you’re staying in that part of the building?”

Sarah shook her head, her expression shifting from confusion to surprise. “No… I don’t," she said, "I just thought it was because I’m not officially a student yet. Is there… is there another reason? Should I not be down there?”

Satoru’s heart twisted at the sight of her confusion, and he forced a small, reassuring smile. “It’s okay," he said softly, "It’s probably just a binding vow. Nothing to worry about.”

But instead of calming her, his words seemed to spark a flicker of fear in her eyes. “A binding vow?” she echoed, her voice trembling slightly.

Seeing her starting to panic, Suguru moved closer, his voice soft and soothing. “It’s just a technique that binds you to certain conditions," he explained, "It’s not uncommon, and it’s nothing to be scared of. You’re safe here with us.”

But as Sarah tried to process what he was saying, the confusion and fear in her expression only deepened. Her breathing became shallow, and she shook her head, as if trying to shake off the fog in her mind. “But… I can’t remember… I don’t… why can’t I remember?”

Seeing her distress, Suguru made a quick decision. Instead of trying to explain further, he reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. “It’s okay,” he murmured, his voice steady and warm, “You don’t have to remember right now. Just breathe. We’re here with you.”

Sarah tensed at first, caught off guard by the sudden contact, but as Suguru’s calm presence surrounded her, she gradually began to relax, her trembling slowing as she leaned into him. Her hands clutched at his shirt and she buried her face against his chest, her breathing still shaky but starting to even out.

Satoru watched the scene unfold, his chest tightening with a mix of emotions. He had been so focused on the mystery surrounding Sarah, that he hadn’t fully considered the toll this might be taking on her. Seeing her like this—vulnerable, scared, and confused—made something inside him twist painfully.

And then it hit him, the realization settling in like a heavy weight in his stomach. She had brought him back to life, given him the chance to travel back in time, to change everything. But the reason she was here, the reason she was being kept like this, was clear now. She wasn’t just a student or even a sorcerer in training. She was something far more valuable—a backup plan, a tool for the higher-ups to use when needed.

The realization made his blood boil. They were using her, controlling her, keeping her in the dark about her own power. And all the while, she was just trying to live her life, completely unaware of the chains that bound her.

As Suguru held Sarah close, Satoru clenched his fists at his sides with a fierce determination burning in his eyes. Whatever it took he wasn’t going to let them use her like this. He would find a way to break those chains, to free her from whatever binding vow was keeping her trapped.

But for now, what he knew was most important, was to keep her comfortable while they still figured things out. If that meant playing along like he didn't know, then so be it. As long as she was safe, he'd take that for the time being.