-----POV Sword Hero Akagi Chiharu-----

Walking down the white hallway. The light at the end keeps getting brighter and brighter the closer I got. Overwhelming me with a warm and calming bright light that consumes my whole body. I relaxed in the gentle and cozy light closing my eyes to embrace the warmth of it.

"Sniff...m-mom..."

Then as I hear a quiet sob, I frowned and gently open my eyes while walking silently in the light toward the voice without alerting the voice owner. 

As the gentle light faded away I arrived at the sobbing, I saw a small humanoid figure which seems to be crouching down facing what appears to be a locked door while sobbing quietly.

Getting closer to it, I took a closer look at the figure. It seems to be wearing a large black witch hat, and a black robe that covers most of its body though there are a few spots that show its fair white skin and auburn hair color. Looking at the figure, I seem to be reminded of someone I know. And finally, it hits me.

"Huh!?"

Letting out a gasp.

The figure startled by my voice promptly turned around, looked at me for an instant, then jump up from the floor, and ran straight to me.

"CHIHARU!"

"HU-UGH!?"

The figure which rammed straight into me knocked me down to the white floor and hugged me tightly while I was just there progressing with what just happened.

'Why is she here? Where's Sachiko? Did she come here through that place? And most importantly, why was she crying out to her mom?!'

"I-is that y-you Teruko?"

While surprised I asked her in a stuttered voice. To confirm that I'm not dreaming.

"...yeah..."

"C-can you let me go?"

"...ok..."

Reluctantly letting go of me from her hug, I finally got a good look at her face. Her puffy eyes from crying, with a bit of snot still in her nose causing her to sniff from time to time while her robe is wet from all the tears and snot.

"Why...w-were you crying?"

"...I-I think...umm, I k-k-know where we are..."

Seeing her fidgeting her hands and stumbling while avoiding my look trying to change the subject. 

'Maybe I'll ask her later...'

"Haaa...so how did you get here, where are we, and have you seen Sachiko, why were you crying, are you ok, did something happen?"

I rapidly asked her question after question hoping to find some sort of answer to all of my unanswered questions.

"Wa-wa-wait t-too many q-questions c-calm down a bit Chiharu."

"O-oh o-o-ok."

Watching Teruko get flustered at my questions is somehow comforting. Seeing how one of my good companions is still who she gives me a small smile as the corner of my mouth rises a bit and my eyes softened while watching her flustered face slowly become normal again but her ear is still red because of all the questions.

'Seems like she's fine.'

"Sooooo where are we?"

I asked her while still having a little smile plastered on my face.

"Cough cough."

Teruko coughed to calm herself down and said.

"[Soul Share]. This place is created by an ancient forbidden spell that allows the caster to experience the memories, knowledge, and experience of the target's soul, and no I haven't seen Sachiko."

"Forbidden?"

Hearing what she said my smile disappear changing it to a deep frown and I asked in a cold voice.

"Yes forbidden. Using the spell would result in the death of the target because it assimilates the target's soul with the caster. While also being extremely dangerous for the caster because if they can't hold the information and experience of the target's soul, their soul would get corrupted and completely devoured by the other soul."

Horrify by the danger the spell would cause for Sachiko. I was thunderstruck, and then I started blaming myself for causing this problem and risking my friend's life because of my actions.

"Ugh...if only I killed the Blood Emperor sooner we wouldn't have gotten into this situation."

"Don't blame yourself, we could have never guessed that trash to be this strong. Hell if he wanted he could have conquered the world by himself."

"B-but I'm the person who hesitated if only I didn't if only the person who got charmed isn't Sachiko but me."

My head lowered and I slumped to the ground. Blaming everything on myself, my eyes got teary.

"Yeah, and so what? Even the demon king couldn't survive our attacks head-on for more than 30 minutes but he could. Even almost killing us a few times if not for Sachiko's healing. So stop blaming yourself, we all unanimously agree to go confront him. If anything this is OUR fault, not just you. A mistake caused because of OUR negligence and now WE have to take responsibility for it"

Teruko kneeled in front of me holding my face while looking at me gently and said.

"It's no use crying over spilled milk. All we can do now is either find Sachiko and knock her out to cancel the spell or find the weak point of the spell to cancel. But both options are extremely hard to do and it could cause major side effects to Sachiko."

Hearing those words I cried my hands reached out to grab hers which was still holding my face. I cried my heart out and after a while, I fell asleep while still being held by Teruko.

Feeling something moving through my hair I groaned.

"Hum..."

"Are you up?"

Hearing Teruko's voice I slowly opened my eyes meeting Teruko's set of deep blue eyes while also feeling her slow caress on my head.

'A lap pillow?'

"Teruko?"

"Yes?"

'Why was I sleeping on your lap?'

Remembering what happened, I blushed hard, moved my head sideways, and close my eyes to avoid her piercing stare.

"... never mind..."

"...cu...te..."

"What?"

My eyes shot open and I quickly move my head to look at her.

"What?"

She answers back while still staring at me. After a while, she laughed out loud so hard that tears came out of her eyes.

"Pfft...hahaha."

While I was there stupified that the prideful and arrogant Teruko laugh like that.

"Ha...ha...ha..."

After she was done wiping her tears. She looked at me while beginning to slowly brush my hair and said.

"Let's own up to our mistakes. After all, we are still humans. Making mistakes, stumbling, and getting back up is what we are good at."

Thinking about what she said, I told her while stammering.

"B-but both of our c-choices are bad."

"Yes."

"Haaaaaaa I'm tired...all I wanted was just to go back home...sniff..."

Getting a little emotional while being reminded about my home. My eyes got a little moist and my nose got a little sniffy. 

"I miss it too. After all, who wouldn't."

Teruko said with a sad smile. Then her face quickly turned stoic as if she have something unbelievable to tell me.

"Chiharu, I said that this spell let you experience the target's soul right?"

"Yeah?"

"And it lets the caster also read the memories of the soul right?"

"Yes?"

"And this place seems to be Japan in the 90th right?"

"Where are you going with this?"

Teruko looked at me surprised because I still didn't get it and said.

"If so whose soul are we experiencing right now."

"!!!"

As if fate was playing a sick joke on me the truth finally hit me.

'Teruko and Sachiko are at the same age 19 close to reaching 20 while I'm 18. However, this place seems to be in the  90th when all 3 of us aren't even born yet.'

"Then whose soul are we experiencing now?"

Shocked at the revelation I asked her.