Volume 10 - CH 39

Bell: [Beloved Onee-sama]

[Original SIDE]

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It burns………

It burns………

It burns………

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A scorching heat gnaws at my face.

Like a cord, a snake, a burning thread, the sensation stretches across my face.

Despite my feminine face, this eerie black crest mercilessly ruined my life as a woman.

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Misuzu recalls how she regrets clawing at her face to get rid of it. After all, all that did is only make her look uglier.

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Misuzu hates this…….

If it’s just the burn then Misuzu can endure it.

If it’s being ugly alone then that’s fine.

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Why does Misuzu have to endure both…..?

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No matter what Misuzu does, it’s useless.

The cursed crest is a constant in Misuzu’s life.

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Onee-sama would always tell Misuzu [It’s okay, I will definitely lift the curse] no matter how Misuzu is mean toward her. She’s always gentle, strong, and noble.

She’s Misuzu’s beloved Onee-sama.

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It’s exactly because Misuzu loves Onee-sama that her empty promise hurts so much.

Misuzu’s already sick and tired of those gentle words.

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Misuzu hates my beloved Onee-sama because she’s a liar.

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Onee-sama is the only one left who’s still kind toward Misuzu……

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Before the curse, Misuzu was blessed with many friends.

But even the friend who once told Misuzu that we would be friends forever screamed the moment she saw Misuzu’s face……

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Misuzu didn’t do anything but the sight of Misuzu alone made her cry.

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Since she cried because of Misuzu, Misuzu was unreasonably labeled a bully.

Misuzu’s 6th-grade homeroom teacher even said that she was disappointed in Misuzu.

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Even when Misuzu told her the truth, Sensei only sighed to Misuzu’s face.

She said [Would you believe a thief who denied he didn’t steal anything?] there were eyewitnesses, and testimony from the victim so Sensei insisted that Misuzu was lying. There were others who told Sensei [Fukamori made her cry] and the girl who got so traumatized that she couldn’t leave her house said that it was Misuzu’s fault. In the end, Sensei believes that Misuzu lied and scolded her for 2 hours straight while expressing her disappointment in Misuzu.

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Sensei treated Misuzu like a thief.

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[[What’s with that anyway, that ugly thing on your face? I know that kids like you want to try wearing makeup but that’s just too much isn’t it! Are you a clown or something? Why don’t you stop no matter how many times I tell you to. Are you taking me that lightly?]] Sensei said.

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If it’s something that can be erased then Misuzu would have done that already.

Why would anyone put on makeup that would make them look uglier?

Misuzu got the urge to kill Sensei who couldn’t understand anything.

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Most people don’t know what a [Crest of Gift Acceptance] is.

But without trying to understand anything, Sensei just irresponsibly revels in ignorance. That kind of person doesn’t have the right to be a teacher.

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Misuzu told Otou-sama what happened. [Sensei was being unreasonable. He didn’t try to understand Misuzu and just treated Misuzu like a thief]. With Otou-sama’s influence, that teacher was forced to quit and moved to the countryside.

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But in the end, it didn’t solve anything.

Knowing that happened to the previous homeroom teacher, the new teacher didn’t dare say anything to Misuzu at all.

Misuzu’s classmates also started to treat Misuzu like a tumor and spread some evil rumors about Misuzu behind Misuzu’s back.

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The first 5 years of elementary school were great but the last year was the worst………

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“Hey, Misuzu, let’s play.”

“………..”

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When all that was happening, Miyamura Towa, Onee-sama’s best friend offered those kind words to Misuzu.

Even though she doesn’t know about Misuzu’s circumstances, she treats Misuzu normally.

…….why? When all of Misuzu’s friends resorted to betrayal, why does Onee-sama have such a splendid best friend at her side…….?

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Her kind words made Misuzu feel even more miserable.

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Even in terms of popularity, Misuzu was always inferior to Onee-sama.

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How happy Misuzu would be if Towa is Misuzu’s friend………..

But right now, her presence only served to irritate Misuzu.

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“Towa……you don’t have to force yourself to be around Misuzu. Go play with Onee-sama, just leave Misuzu alone.”

“It’s not like I’m forcing myself, you know. I’m Misuzu’s friend, I’m on your side. I’m not doing this because you’re Mitsuki’s sister.”

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There was nothing wrong with what Towa said.

Onee-sama is very popular but among the mutual friends Onee-sama and Misuzu share, Towa was the only one who called out to Misuzu.

Misuzu was so happy that tears were about to spill from her eyes. Misuzu really wants Towa’s friendship.

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…….but Misuzu’s pride wouldn’t allow that.

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“Leave Misuzu alone…….”

“……….Okay.”

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Towa made a pained expression as she turned away from Misuzu.

Goodbye.

She could have become Misuzu’s friend……

But ever since the crest started eating away at Misuzu’s life, solitude became much more comfortable for her

Soon after that, Miyamura Towa apparently moved away.

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When we graduated from elementary school, Misuzu originally didn’t want to go to middle school at first but Otou-sama and Okaa-sama wouldn’t allow that, so Misuzu was forced to attend one.

Otou-sama submitted the information about [Crest to Gift Acceptance] so there won’t be a repeat of what happened in the elementary school.

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And it worked out. The teachers there didn’t say anything about Misuzu’s face.

But as though to make up for that, they all give Misuzu a peculiar look.

Some terrible teachers would visibly recoil at the sight of Misuzu.

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It was in human nature.

Everyone is recoiled by the crest on Misuzu’s face.

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Misuzu’s classmates would whisper [She’s cursed], or [How disgusting] behind Misuzu’s back, and for three years, Misuzu couldn’t fit in.

The crest brought nothing but pain to Misuzu……..

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“Misuzu, I will definitely break the curse on you. Count on me.”

“…….Shut up, that’s all you say.”

“Sorry, Misuzu……”

“Hmph.”

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Onee-sama always says that she would break the curse but she couldn’t do anything.

She seems to be studying it but in the end, she still couldn’t find any way to lift the curse.

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My beloved Onee-sama.

All your efforts are fruitless.

I can only mockingly laugh at her useless endeavor.

But Misuzu also loves Onee-sama who continued to make such an effort.

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Later, Onee-sama turns her eyes to the limitless possibilities of Gifts.

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[[My Gift may not be able to break Misuzu’s curse but there might be one out there that would be able to do it.]]

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Placing her hope on that, Onee-sama pushed me to enroll in the 5th Gift Academy.

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To be honest, Misuzu doesn’t want to go to the same school as Onee-sama anymore.

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“I hear that people there are quite familiar with Gifts already so there won’t be that many people who would discriminate against [Crest of Gift Acceptance] you know.”

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Certainly, the academy might have less discrimination toward Misuzu compared to normal schools.

Misuzu’s beloved Onee-sama.

Misuzu doesn’t have high hopes for this but if going to the 5th Gift Academy can slightly raise the chance of lifting this curse then Misuzu will go along with it.

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Author Note:  Misuzu loves Mitsuki.

It doesn’t show but Misuzu is also a siscon.

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Beloved Onee-sama.

That sounds like a new horizon is about to dawn on me.

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Next up, Sudden encounter with Takeru.