The streets are full of people, and because of the time of summer, everyone changes into cool summer clothes and enjoys the "world" called "summer".

Located next to the shopping street on the north side of Tengu Station, there is a corner where you can sell various small accessories.

I came here with Kurumi Tokizaki and stood in front of the stall looking for something to look at.

In fact, the two didn't come here on purpose, but the place they passed by on their way to what Kurumi called 'the best place for a date'.

Standing next to him, Natsume casually picked up a keychain decorated with a lot of lace, and immediately put it down because it was too feminine.

On the other side, Kurumi wears a black slip dress that shows off his shoulders, and the absolute realm formed between the long over-the-knee socks and the skirt seems to be shining.

Closing his strange gaze, Natsume heard Kurumi's question.

"Natsume thinks it's better?"

"What?"

"It's obviously dating, but I've been absent-minded, which is very rude to the woman."

"I'm sorry."

"I couldn't be happier to hear the apology, forget it, I want to ask how about this?"

Looking at what Kurumi was doing, Natsume tilted his head as if he was thinking, and his eyes were full of puzzlement.

Of course, Natsume didn't say it truthfully, but looked at this thing, this summer wind chime composed of glass and iron rods and bells, and said his own evaluation.

"It's beautiful."

It cannot be used as a decoration to hang on the body, but if it is placed under the eaves of a house, when a breeze blows, the iron rod will collide with the glass, making a sound like a melody from the past.

The cool summer may refer to listening to the wind chimes. Lie down in the hallway and enjoy the cicadas and breeze.

What kind of assessment is that? There's a perfunctory feeling oh, tell me what's beautiful, what's good, what's good, etc. ”

Kurumi didn't take Natsume's statement lightly, and in her eyes, it was obviously perfunctory.

Was it discovered?

Natsume walked over and picked up another wind chime.

Because the two wind chimes were made by the same craftsman, there is not much difference, except for the color of the fan blades hanging under the iron rod.

Holding it in his hand, Natsume shook it slightly, and the sound of a jingling bell appeared in his ears.

"Really nice to look at. So wouldn't it be nice to want to buy the same thing? ”

"Natsume-san really likes to use strong words."

Looking at the wind chime, Kurumi put down the wind chime in his hand and snatched the wind chime in Natsume's hand.

"I want this, so I'll think you gave it to me."

"It's okay."

Paid. Natsume catches up with Kurumi who is leaving with the wind chimes.

The reason why he was a little absent-minded was, of course, because of what Kurumi had said to himself before. That's the phrase. So Natsume can't easily forget, but it's impossible to forget.

[Natsume-san, really, have you ever died? 】

This question was like a bolt from the blue for Natsume at the time, and the sudden question and content suddenly plunged Natsume into a whirlpool.

Ever since he was brought here by the Apocalyptic Shelf, Natsume has watched others die. He was in a dangerous situation, but not enough to be fatal.

Is all this really surviving on your own?

Trampling on someone else's corpse, trampling on someone else's misfortune. All the way to the present.

Natsume in the past always thought that he would die soon.

Betrayed by friends, betrayed by family, the world has lost its color, and the pupils cannot distinguish between reality and virtuality.

Immersed in the world of the game, even the struggle is in the game, and the whole world is lost.

Is this what you expect?

Of course not, what Natsume hopes for is the everyday, something that he once had and lost.

Therefore, death must not be counted as an everyday thing.

However, Kurumi's question is not actually referring to Natsume's view of death, but to asking if Natsume has ever died.

Being killed, the heart stops beating, there is no breathing, the blood is not circulating, these are all deaths.

Natsume had never died, but at this time, Natsume thought of another possibility.

Lu said that people who are not needed will be brought here, so even if they have died in that world, it is okay to bring them here.

To put it simply, to stay in this infinite world is to keep fighting; To go back to that real world is to accept death.

I am afraid that there will be a constant number of time-travelers in the world, so why is there no panic and reports after their disappearance?

The power of the gods changed the line of the world? Caused a change in people's consciousness?

It's a possibility, but do gods really put the effort into changing the world?

Instead of that, it is better to directly kill the chosen person, wear them out from society, and finally summon them to this world.

Therefore, the cemetery seen before is not for those who died after failing here, but for those who died and failed here.

"Why don't you go? It's almost there. ”

The wind chimes in Kurumi's hand looked a little shaky, and Natsume, who was pulled to his senses, quickly caught up with Kurumi.

Natsume didn't know if he was dead or not, but he was one thing.

At least I'm still human at the moment.

"Right in front, the park near the riverbank, we've been there once before, and now we want to see the riverbank."

"Really? It's really beautiful. ”

"It's boring to date me?"

"How is it possible, I just feel a little confused, what do you want to do?"

Didn't you say that before?

With a cute expression, Kurumi lifted the wind chimes, and the crisp sound of the wind chimes blown by the wind made people miss it very much.

"I'm here because I want to eat Natsume-san."

"Why?"

"Guess what, wouldn't that be more fun?"

That's right, too.

Natsume responded helplessly, he regrouped his spirit, and in a few steps, he surpassed the crazy three who was no different from an ordinary girl at the moment.

Walking to the riverbank, he held out his right hand to Kurumi as he did last time.

Behind it is a riverbank in the shade of large trees in the scorching sun.

The grass was overwhelmed by the wind, and the river was flooded with golden waves.

"So, let's invite you together, Kurumi, come with me."

"It's only for today's date."

Stretching out his left hand, which was not holding anything, Kurumi put it on Natsume's right hand, clasped it together, and walked towards the riverbank.

The sunlight engulfed the two figures, and the wheel of time continued to rotate until noon.

Natsume held the hand of the girl behind her, thinking that in this way, she would not be able to let go, and the battle would come again.

AST's pair of elven troops appeared overhead.

Will this be, the last time it was repeated? (To be continued......)