Follow the Script

Chapter 20

Koishi: ...

He was dead set on the idea of sacrificing himself for the cause, she was forced to admit that fact. No matter how persistent she was, it was never going to change. If she wished for a better outcome, she would have to momentarily snap him out of that mindset so that a confrontation could be possible. Thinking about her plan, the librarian slowly began to make his way to the front of the library, where the ritual would take place.

Koishi's mind: But how should I proceed?

Wracking her brain around, her time was limited, she needed to act fast and not hesitate if an opportunity showed itself. Silently, she followed the man's footsteps, trying her hardest to follow his cycle in an attempt to not be heard. It wasn't because she didn't want him to notice her presence but rather something to keep her body busy while she was thinking.

Unbeknownst to her, she couldn't be any more right. Right at that moment, a group of people was making their way to this place, planning to defeat the wicked evil lurking inside the library and bring back with them the fallen shrine maiden. Of course, nobody is here anymore, everyone was long gone by now and only a discarded item was left inside the stage. She was just lucky to stumble into it, nothing else.

Y/N: With this, we can finally end this search, after so long...

Mumbling to himself, he looked down at the pills on his hand, waiting for him to take the final step into oblivion, where he would rot away and disappear from everyone's memory. He didn't deserve to persist in the world of the living, not after what he did to get to this point. So many people perished because of his selfishness and cowardice that divine judgement was soon going to struck him down.

"How do you even plan on changing his path when you can't think about the future?"

Koishi: ...

She ignored the voice calling her out, finally matching the librarian's footsteps after a few tries. Both synchronized, she was like his shadow, always by his side, just like what a friend should be. She yearned for a good ending for the man who tried his hardest but nobody wanted to grant it, not even the one in question. For him, losing his life was part of a happy ending, he could not accept a world where his life outweighed those who perished inside those endless walls.

Then, a realization arrived in her head: if he didn't want to listen to what she had to say, she would need to force him to do so. Of course, he would resist but if she removed the thing that solidified his will during this whole journey then maybe her words would reach him. It was a far-fetched idea but it was the only one she had. He would certainly despise her for doing so but...

I had to be the bad guy to become his hero.

...

...

Standing in the back, the girl was silently reading the last survivor's book while he was busy preparing everything. Patiently waiting for her opportunity, she decided to pass the time by learning more about the man she wished to help, the man that she DID help. After all, he might try to attack her out of anger if she can't calm him down after the initial defiance.

Koishi: *Mumble* What is that..?

Looking at his current self, an anomaly was found, something that even he himself probably didn't know about. Unlike the last time she read it, when he showed her that he received a blessing from the gods from the Moriya Shrine, yet another line was written there.

Emotional Distortion: If this character clashes against someone with the same or higher emotional level, distort.