Chapter 24.1
The summer break I spent nothing but training with Yuusei-kun, talking to Tomotaksenpai and going to the pool ended, and 2nd semester arrived .
Today, I gather at the Occult Research clubroom to discuss with Tomotaksenpai and Yuusei-kun .
I discuss with Tomotaksenpai about Chako, and take the opportunity to consult him about sensei .
Yuusei-kun and I had pondered on it, but I thought that we could find a better method with Tomotaksenpai involved .
Tomotaksenpai sighs “Good grief” at my thoughts, but keeps company nonetheless .
Yuusei-kun, too, didn’t want Tomotaksenpai involved at first but beginning to have a bit of fun talking to Tomotaksenpai about phantoms, his attitude softened gradually .
“Kamo . Understood anything?”
“Aa . I took several peeks inside him after what you guys said . ”
I want to suppress sensei’s power .
That was the origin of the discussion . Today is a report on the investigation of Kousuke-kun .
Yuusei-kun had an idea after coming into contact with Kousuke-kun .
It appears that looking at a phantom’s power was more of Tomotaksenpai’s forte, and he had Tomotaksenpai investigate Kousuke-kun’s power .
After Kousuke-kun told Tomotaksenpai he respected him, Tomotaksenpai managed to touch Kousuke-kun and peeked inside him .
“I looked little by little throughout summer but, as expected, the balance of power in his body is poor . The exact opposite of the fox . ”
“… Kousuke-kun and sensei are exact opposites . Does that mean his power is too little for his body?”
When I look at Tomotaksenpai while thinking, he nods .
The results of investigating Kousuke-kun . As expected, it wasn’t just sensei, there was something unusual with Kousuke-kun too .
“That’s right . Alongside the fox whose power is too strong there’s danger of going berserk…” [Tomotaka]
“Reversely, Kousuke has the container and not the contents… That’s why his sense of hunger may have been even more excessive . ” [Yuusei]
Tomotaksenpai and Yuusei-kun’s eyes meet for an instance, and sink into thoughts .
『Sense of hunger』 .
Come to think of it, Kousuke-kun mentioned that when he spoke to Tomotaksenpai .
Had he been living while suppressing his dissatisfaction and craving?
Thinking about the Kousuke-kun so far, my brows knit tightly .
The Kousuke-kun who suffered, wanting power in the 1st round .
Unable to suppress the hunger he had been suppressing all along, he relied on the me before his eyes .
However, Kousuke-kun did not seek power from me since the 1st round .
He’s always been fighting his hunger… and himself .
That’s surely a terribly painful thing…
Yet, Kousuke-kun always spent his time laughing .
“Naba, how’s the nature of the older Kuo and Kousuke’s power?”
Yuusei-kun glances at the me with my brows still knitted .
I answer that with a small nod .
The nature of power . It differs for every possessor .
The difference is normally impossible to see, but I can see something like its color .
Therefore, Tomotaksenpai looked at the quantity of power and I looked at the nature .
“Un, I asked them to let me touch them a little . Then I saw but, they appeared about the same . ”
“… As expected of siblings, huh . ”
The colors of the powers I had Kousuke-kun and sensei show me the other day was about the same .
Probably as Yuusei-kun said, because they are siblings .
Yuusei-kun goes “I see” with a nod at my words .
“I’m convinced now” those black eyes shine .
“I thought it was strange when I heard about Kousuke’s complex . He’s a broad-minded guy but reacts abnormally only towards the older Kuo… Although it’s likely also caused by being compared from young, it’s because the one who has a surplus of something he lacked was just there . ”
Speaking till there, he suddenly stops, giving a small sigh .
His brows knit just a little .
“… He wanted, and wanted so much that he couldn’t stand it . ”
Power too little for his body .
He wanted to fill up .
And, there was that power immediately nearby .
… Ah, I see .
Kousuke-kun didn’t just have a hard time being compared to sensei .
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He’d always been suffering because he wanted sensei’s power, and to fill up what he lacked .
The words Yuusei-kun quietly said while thinking of Kousuke-kun pierced my heart .
The Kousuke-kun always tormented by a sense of hunger .
It must have been painful being in the Photography Club .
Surely, the more he’s involved with sensei, the more his sense of hunger increases .
It was me who forcibly invited him to the Photography Club .
I tormented Kousuke-kun for my own sake .
He’s still tormented even now .
“… The nature of sensei and Kousuke-kun’s powers are the same . Sensei has too much of it, and Kousuke-kun too little of it . ”
The cruel act I did hurt my heart .
I breathe out a little, calm my heart down and speak slowly .
“Then, if we transfer sensei’s power to Kousuke-kun…”
“Aa . his sense of hunger will fade and the fox won’t have power beyond his control . ” [Tomotaka]
“A win-win . ” [Yuusei]
Tomotaksenpai and Yuusei-kun nod at my words .
I tormented Kousuke-kun .
There may have been a method where Kousuke-kun can be saved without being tormented .
But, let’s reflect later .
The regret can come after everything .
Now I just have to do the things I have to .
“Move sensei’s power to Kousuke-kun… Can that be done by using my power?”
I ask Tomotaksenpai . After some thought, he gives a small shake of his head .
“I wonder… Even if the nature of power is the same, the wills that use them are different . ”
“Ah . I see . ”
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Yuusei-kun nods at Tomotaksenpai’s words .
With just such a conversation, they seem to understand what the other wants to say, but I don’t quite understand .
Therefore, I seek an explanation from Yuusei-kun .
“I don’t get it . Yuusei-kun, make it more easily understandable . ”
“Ah… You see, even computers that look the same can have different OS . ”
“Oh Es?”
“That’s right . Like Mac and Window… Well, Mac and Window can easily transfer data when connected by a cable though . It won’t be as simple as that . ”
It appears that Yuusei-kun’s figuratively using computers to teach me .
However, it’s still hard to understand .
He explains further when I tilt my head .
“The older Kuo preserved data in a form easy for him to use . Kousuke can use that as it is, but there are probably parts he can’t . So the form of the file must be changed . ”
“… Un . ”
“Ah, so you see, it means the power for older Kuo’s use must be changed to for Kousuke’s use . ”
I don’t really understand but, I understood that sensei’s power can’t be transferred to Kousuke-kun the way it is .
To transfer it, sensei’s power must be corrected to a form that Kousuke-kun can use before it can be transferred, is it?
When I nod, Tomotaksenpai adds on to the explanation after thinking .
“… Only, it’s impossible to do that inside the fox . There’s not enough capacitance . ”
“Yeah . I think Naba can change the power . She can probably also move it… Only, the older Kuo may not be able to withstand it if they’re done at the same time . ”
“… It’s about whether, there’s a place the power can be transferred to temporarily, huh?”
I think slowly while listening to their explanation .
Sensei’s power can be transferred and changed, but that will increase the burden on sensei .
If there’s somewhere sensei’s power can be transferred to…
Tomotaksenpai give a small sigh when Yuusei-kun and I think .
He looks at us .
“… There’s Chako . ”
The eyes of Yuusei-kun and I widen at Tomotaksenpai’s words .
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“Chako still has capacitance . And she won’t go berserk from taking in spiritual energy that isn’t her own . Transfer the fox’s power to Chako . Then, change the power inside of Chako and transfer it to him . ”
After a glance at Yuusei-kun and I, Tomotaksenpai moves his gaze to outside the window .
The speech after that was about using Chako’s special characteristic to save Kousuke-kun and sensei .
“I see . Chako’s like the external HDD . ”
Yuusei-kun’s black eyes shine at Tomotaksenpai’s words and he nods .
I can feel my heartbeat quickening as I look at Tomotaksenpai and Yuusei-kun .
Transferring sensei’s power to Chako .
Changing the power inside Chako while transferring it to Kousuke-kun .
With that, the power in sensei will lessen and there won’t be worry of him going berserk .
Kousuke-kun can obtain the power he lacks and his sense of hunger should fade .
The two of them can be saved .
I knew their worries, but pretended not to know and continued to neglect them .
Can I finally save them?
“… Only, it will probably increase the burden on Chako . ”
Tomotaksenpai returns to me the gaze he moved to outside the window, and mutters softly .
That voice is flat, as though it was just informing a fact .
However, I can tell .
Tomotaksenpai’s definitely worried about Chako .
“I will explain clearly to Chako . If she says she doesn’t want to, I won’t force her to help . ”
I’m sorry, senpai .
I think Chako will surely say she’ll do it if I explain to her .
“I, want to save the two of them . ”
By saving them, Chako may suffer .
Even then, I――