♪The way I go through with red roses burn my eyes♪
Along the path, red roses burn my eyes.
♪Cold rain starts pouring hard, I'm being called upon♪
Cold rain pours down as I await a single call.
♪Never let you go, it's why I did them all♪
Never letting you go is why I did all this.
The video had ended long ago, but the music continued.
Kiana's eyes were swollen from crying. Her hands unconsciously gripped the table, and even as she tore it into splinters, she felt nothing.
For her, there was now not only grief and pain, but also an emotion she could not forgive herself for.
An overwhelming sense of guilt hung over her heart, impossible to dispel.
In the future, Himeko had sacrificed herself because of her. But what had she ever done for Himeko?
Clearly, she was not worth Teacher Himeko doing so much for her.
At that moment, Kiana felt unworthy! She did not deserve to have such a great teacher as Himeko sacrifice herself... to redeem her fallen self.
The world was so much better with Himeko in it, yet she had only realized it now.
Himeko's lesson to her surfaced in her mind once again.
"If one day your comrades lose control because of Honkai energy, you must end their lives without hesitation. Even if it's me, you must never hesitate."
"You clearly... clearly said it. You said it."
"If a comrade loses her mind, you have to end her life without hesitation. So why... why..."
Kiana cried out through sobs. She simply was not worth Himeko doing this for her. Rather than having Himeko sacrifice herself to save her, she would rather die herself than witness such a scene.
If she had been stronger, if she had