July 29th, 2045
You had spiritual contact as a child?
Yes, during kindergarten. I was four years old.
There was another girl who could see ghosts.
We truly understood each other. She was my one true friend.
We had fun together.
But we resonated with each other and our powers continued to enhance.
Saionji wouldn't allow that.
At the time, my father didn't want me to become stronger.
I promised I'd never reveal who I was if we met again.
In exchange, my father promised he'd leave Aiba-san alone.
Does she really not remember you?
I don't think so.
We were young, and I doubt she'd lie about it.
People can hide things without lying about it.
I hope that's the case.
Then I won't have to worry about being around her.
But the situation has changed.
Saionji put you in my care to grow your spirit power.
Yes.
If interacting with her again would make you stronger, wouldn't he want that?
Perhaps. I'll ask Father about it.
There she is! Hurry!
Got it. I'll circle around.
I'll protect Seri-chan.
Why does "music" exist in this world?
I think I've figured it out
This melody will go on living much, much longer than us
For thousands and tens of thousands of years
Carrying the flames of wishes past
Traveling across time
What color is your elegy?
Well? Tell me
My 1,000% pure curiosity
Can't be stopped
Let my heart sing, sing, sing, sing and turn my life into music
I despise the word "destiny"
Ghosts still believe in pure dreams
Just as everyone's souls scream
The racing ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump running through the present
Waltzes through the new world with enough force
to break through the afterlife's border
Now smile and shine
July 30th, 2045
I slept well.
What?
Get down!
Hang on!
I removed your chip, but they can still detect nearby bodies. Sorry.
It's fine.
Keep pressure on it. We'll get it treated soon.
Thank you.
A biometric authentication chip.
I had no way of knowing those were embedded in people.
But more than that,
I told people the truth about myself, and they didn't accept it.
I didn't know what to do with my feelings about the lie I'd been living.
I've been lying to everyone...
Everyone lies.
But what should I do?
You have a couple options.
One, abandon the name Aiba Seria and live as someone else.
Two, accept death and live as Aiba Seria.
Also—
Also, it's not "what should you do?" It's "what do you want to do?"
It's your decision. Take some time to think about it.
Right?
Don't steal my lines.
Your lines? Yeah, I guess you really don't mean it.
That's not true.
Good. She's laughing.
Stay here for now. I have business with you.
Mr. Priest.
Sorry.
I'll run a bath. We don't want you dirtying the futon.
Huh? Uh, thanks.
This is relaxing. It's so quiet.
I feel like I'm alone for the first time.
I miss Aiko and Yuzuru.
But...
That's right. I can sing.
Aiba-san.
Saionji-san?
Breakfast is ready.
Would you like to join us?
Yes, please!
Let's eat.
Thanks for the food.
So good!
You eat so quickly.
Sorry, Riku-san. I haven't had anything to eat.
Did you make this, Rui-chan?
I grow most of the vegetables myself.
So you're self-sufficient.
Yes.
We've got a lot of land and don't like letting outsiders in.
Yup, this depraved monk dumps all the chores
on sweet, young girls so he can meditate.
He can't let anyone see that.
Who are you calling depraved, Akari?
Focusing on meditation isn't so bad.
So you don't deny that you dump the chores on us.
It's the truth.
What is it, Aiba-san?
At school, I've never seen you laugh like...
Actually, it's nothing.
Rui-chan's cooking is really good.
Isn't it? I ate at home, but I always end up eating here, too.
Wow!
I'm sorry. That was a joke.
What?
You're in great shape again today, Kaede-chan.
It's so hard to tell when you're joking.
Thanks for the food. In any case, you're welcome here.
Okay...
It may only be temporary,
but to show you I mean it, I'll buy meat for dinner tonight!
Priests eat meat?
Saionji-san, are you going to school now?
Are you in any clubs?
No.
I see. I assumed you were going since you're wearing your uniform.
Sorry. It's become habit, and I prefer wearing this.
Granny has a crazy sense of fashion.
Granny? You call her that?
What? Should I not?
What?
I don't mind.
I enjoy tea ceremony, calligraphy, and archery.
I have a lot of old-fashioned hobbies.
I don't mind the nickname Granny.
What? You don't?
Aiba-san.
I appreciate your concern.
Oh, sure. If you're okay with it, then I am, too.
Well, this is awkward.
I'm going to Granny's house.
See you later.
Wait, how old is "Granny"?
Akari's referring to her actual grandmother.
I see.
I should get going, too.
I have something to do at home.
See you later.
Gya tei gya tei hara gya tei.
Hara so gya tei bo ji so wa ka.
This place is huge.
I wonder where Rui-chan is.
Han nya shin gyo.
Are you looking for the bathroom?
Oh, no. I thought there might be something I could do to help.
We've got it covered. You'd just get in the way.
Mr. Priest!
Your injury from yesterday...
I'm fine. How are you holding up?
I'm okay. It doesn't hurt.
I see. That's good.
Rui-san, I'll help.
I've got it covered. You'd just get in the way.
Those are animals, aren't they?
They're sewn spirit beasts. Rui made them.
They contain spirit mist imbued with Rui's spirit power.
Spirit mist?
Yeah. It's the spirit energy floating in the air.
Rui-san can do that?
They don't scare you?
What? Oh, no.
I don't understand how it works, but I can tell they're not scary.
They feel the same as Rui-san's... aura? Her spirit power.
How long have you seen ghosts?
I always have.
I've been dragged around and possessed since I was little.
You could say I'm more familiar with them than living humans.
I see.
Anyway, this place is really peaceful and calming.
There aren't any evil spirits or ghosts here.
We have a barrier. After all, everyone here is susceptible.
It's your job to defeat evil spirits, right?
Even Saionji-san. I saw how powerful she was.
Yeah. We belong to an international organization called TERA.
TERA? That seems on the nose.
It's also a shrine.
Treasure.
T.
Encircle.
E.
Reclamation.
R.
Accumulation.
A.
TERA's goal is to occupy the realm of wandering spirits.
The realm of what?
Also known as the Double Line in the English-speaking world.
There's the human realm, the spirit realm where ghosts reside,
and the realm where the two overlap and coexist.
That's the realm of wandering spirits.
Nobody ever mentioned that.
They wouldn't know.
It's been less than 20 years since the realm of wandering spirits was identified.
The world's nations and key figures
don't reveal that information except to a few.
It would certainly change the world for regular people.
But it's different for those of us with spirit powers.
We've been dragged into it, whether we like it or not.
What do you mean?
What if some kind of energy from the realm of wandering spirits
could be used as energy in the human world?
It would become an important resource.
Exactly, which is why we...
It'd start a war?
Should you be telling me about this?
Nobody would believe you if you told them.
Even if you could show them evidence, you wouldn't, would you?
That's true.
I have a question for you.
For me?
You endured possession by a ghost as powerful as Cleopatra.
And what was that about?
Why did you sing?
I'm not sure myself, but I've always been like this.
The ghost's memories and feelings flow into me.
I can speak to them in my mind.
And I knew Cleo from before.
I was just trying to ask her lots of questions.
And that came out as a song?
Your desire to sing that's suppressed by MiucS compelled you to do that?
Priest.
I'm sorry. I don't know.
For as long as I can remember, not singing has been normal for me.
A requiem...
She allows ghosts to possess her and resonates with MiucS...
We have orders from HQ.
For today, between 14:00 and 16:00.
Orders from TERA?
Come with us.
We'll show you what we do.
If we get separated, put this on.
It'll guide you back to our world.
Okay.
So it's just us three?
Yeah. Rui will stay here. If anything happens—
I'll go.
There's something I'd like to tell Aiba-san.
Welcome back.
You're back early.
Then I'll let Kaede-chan handle it.
That's probably better, since you're classmates.
Sure.
This is the realm of wandering spirits?
I'll set the flagstones.
Kaede, keep an eye on the area.
Flagstones?
Got it.
What should I do?
Stay out of the way.
Okay.
Spirits of the earth, submit to the spreading roots of the great tree.
Grounded flagstones!
Mr. Priest...
Someone's coming.
Armed Possession: Nasu no Yoichi.
I'm here.
Let's go.
Black Wind: Phoenix Wing Flash!
Wow.
That should be enough.
A combination of physical object and spirit power.
A phenomenon formed by the user's imagination
and the assisting spirit's actions.
Truly marvelous. However...
This won't be easy.
Nikola Tesla.
Are you working for Nero?
We couldn't capture your allies, but we won't fail again.
Now leave.
Are you sure about that?
Cleopatra, Caesar, and Antony...
I know they're inside that woman.
Tell Nero that they chose to stay there.
Is that so?
Regardless, I'll be taking them back, along with her if I have to.
He matched our wavelengths?
Seri-chan!
Now let us return to Lord Nero.
I can't move.
My spirit power now coexists with yours.
Incredible.
You have roughly 23 times as much accumulated spirit power as I do.
But you're wasting your time.
My legs are moving on their own.
Now let's go.
What?
This girl, Seria, is our new master.
Tell Lord Nero—no, tell Nero that we're off
to search for Caesarion, our hope for Rome.
Is that right?
What?
Give it up.
Don't be difficult.
Do not strain yourself.
You can only maintain so many circuits at once.
Leave now, and we'll let this go.
How dare you?!
Seria!
If we remain here, we'll be consumed by Nikola!
We must exit!
To live alone
Is to die alone
Laugh
Go ahead and laugh
Aren't I unsightly?
In this darkness, left behind
You gave birth to a future
Seeking no one
A beautifully shining sight
Touching no one
A warm and real present
Days of misunderstanding
Can't you see it?
Full of light
Within the light
Glittering
Isn't it only a dream?
Such a world
Isn't a dream
I acknowledge you
Yearning to be acknowledged
I have found you
Yearning to be found
Across time
Now is the time
Now
This darkness
From this place
Will leave my heart
Take flight
And go?
And go
Even this suffering
An obstructing past
Becomes the past
Dreams of what you wish to become
My dreams
Drawing the unknown
I draw them
You wander
As my voice shouts
That voice
My resounding heartbeat
Can you hear it?
I have
They're beautiful
Brand new
Your wishes
Wishes
And unwavering hopes
And hopes
As they rise
Overflow
And overflow, I am saved
Nikola...
Did it work?
Connecting flagstones makes an area part of our territory.
That's how you fight for control of an area?
We substitute the spirit energy drifting here and connect it to the human world.
But how?
When this realm was identified,
the souls of historic figures were released from Heaven.
We imitated the inventions of Edison, one such figure.
And that's happening around the world?
That took some time.
It's dangerous to stay here any longer.
Right.
Aiba-san, could I have a moment of your time when we return?
Of course.
What did you want to talk about, Saionji-san?
We actually spent time together when we were very young.
I thought so.
Seri...
Aiba-san, you noticed as well?
Yeah, but I assumed you left because of my power.
So I've been watching you from afar.
Aiba-san...
Don't worry.
I received my father's permission today.
In this place, we can...
No, never mind. That's your decision to make.
I never thought I'd have to choose whether to live or die.
What?!
We're already out of raw eggs?
I counted wrong since we have more people.
This won't be enough.
I'm sorry. It's my fault.
You can have mine.
No, I couldn't.
Really?
So you failed to win them over this time?
Win them over? I wasn't trying to do that.
It's just like talking to someone.
Talking? I heard you sang.
Lucky. Maybe I'll remove my chip, too.
That's a last resort.
Being alive is more convenient in a lot of ways.
Either way, we confirmed Aiba-san's abilities.
Spiritual support from the ghosts inside her boosts her combat abilities.
She traps evil spirits inside her and sings duets.
If that song reaches them, she can even purify them.
I'm curious about her connection to MiucS, too.
Connection?
Isn't MiucS just an app?
One with the authority to kill people.
It makes people believe what should be unthinkable is normal.
It happens a lot.
But it's also normal to feel compelled to do something once you notice.
Thinking that's normal could be an illusion, too.
It depends.
What do you all want?
Japan mustn't fall behind the rest of the world and grow weak.
I agree with that sentiment.
But that's not all.
Our goal is the destruction of MiucS.
To reclaim music for humankind.
Reclaim music from MiucS?
I finally know what I want to do.
I want to sing. I want everyone to sing.
So I know what to do.
I am Aiba Seria.
Please kill me so that I can continue living as Aiba Seria.
Sho ken go un kai ku.
Why did she have to fall?
Do issai ku yaku sha ri shi.
I wanted to make up with her.
Shikifu ii ku.
Seria wouldn't want us to cry for her.
Ku fu ii shiki.
Shiki soku ze ku.
I don't care.
Ku soku ze shiki.
Seria...
Ju so gyo shiki.
Yaku bu nyo ze.
Sha ri shi.
Ze sho ho ku so.
I'm sorry.
Fu sho fu metsu fuku fu.
At this time, I was happy because I felt as though Seri-chan had
Jo fu zo fu gen.
drawn closer to me.