Last Man On Earth When There Is No Earth ?

Sector nineteen, Seven

"…."

"…."

"Until when do you plan on lying there?"

"Until I forget that you exist?"

"Isn't there something you should be doing right now?"

"I don't think it's time to kill myself yet"

"You can do that later, now there is someone that needs you by their side"

"Iris, do you mind shutting up for sometime?"

"Yes, in fact I do mind"

"I really, really would appreciate it if you left me alone for the time being"

"Sheesh…"

I really, seriously, obviously need some alone time. My head feels numb, I can't think straight. My blood is boiling and my whole body is heating up

"Maybe I should have killed her…"

"You could, but you didn't"

I was in my room, lying on the bed face stuffed into my pillow. Even the softness that usually enables me a good night of sleep could do nothing to absorb the furiousness slowly pulling on the thin thread holding my sanity together. I try to stay calm, not let it show in my voice, but this ghost girl who is supposedly able to read my mind is adamant on poking me until I snap.

"… are you still angry?"

"… about what?"

"How Lilia almost chopped off your stick?"

"If she did I would probably have committed isekai on the spot"

"I was going to say there might be a chance to reattach it, but with humans not having males and all, I doubt there are any medical professionals capable of doing the surgery"

"Thanks for making me less hesitant about it"

"Look, I don't really care about how you feel or what you want to do"

"Yeah yeah, you made that clear long ago"

"so you understand, good. Now I want you to get up and go comfort Lilia"

"I… don't think I can face her right now"

"Like I said, I don't care!"

"you should!"

"… guess we are doing this the hard way" Iris heaved a long sigh before going silent.

"…"

A few seconds later I got cold feet. No, really, the shill slowly crept up my body as I lost the feeling in each part

"hey, what are you…"

"I'm getting better at it huh?"

The shill continued moving until my head started to feel disconnected to everything below my neck, and soon enough, my head started to feel the same

'Wha… what did you do!?'

"Switched places" I watched us my body slowly rose, tumbling like a doll that had been given life "you aren't the one holding the wheel anymore~"

I, my body stood up but fell back on the bed without taking one step

"Well, more practice is needed, I guess"

Iris was took control of my whole body. She held up my right hand and slowly clinched it into a fist

"it's been a while since I had a physical body, I think I got too used to being Verta"

"What are you talking about? Is it that different from your ghost form?"

"you might have yet to notice it but… my astral form isn't exactly identical to how I looked before…"

"Well, I hate to say this but… I never got to see how you used to look like…" Iris was a really s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e topic. Sure, Lilia might have some old photos of the two of them from before the accident, but I didn't and still don't know how to approach the topic so I did my best to keep it aside.

"I'm supposed to be a Zesionien, a Zesionien!" Iris appeared in front of me, and at the same time I began to regain the feeling in my limbs "don't you think there is something very important missing? Let me give you a hint, it's supposed to be on my head"

"Hmm…" I squinted my eyes taking a good hard look at the blue haired girl " I know! You don't have a brain!!"

Iris smiled, veins pulsating on her forehead. I lost the feeling in my right arm, and before I turned to take a look I got struck down by my own fist.

"horns! I don't have horns!!"

"O~h, now I get it…"

"you don't, so shut up and let me explain!" I don't know why I ended up stuck with this ill tempered midget of all people. First she moved into my body then started taking over. She throws around commands and expect me to follow them without questions and gets violent without any particular reason -from my prospective, at least-

"…hey Iris… could it be…"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"… are you a tsundere?"

"…." She looked at me with blank eyes "you want another punch?"

"No thanks"

She is a tsundere!

Well, I probably shouldn't judge her based solely on the tsun part. She might turn out to be just an ordinary asshole, but seeing how flat she is and how much she cares for her friend, I know she isn't a bad person… ghost.

"See this?" Iris lowered her head in front of me, moving her cat ears like a cat would do "I spent a lot of time inside that body, and for that reason I don't find it unnatural to have these"

"Ho oh…"

"the same goes for the tale. From the image you have on me I can tell that my face and the rest of my body are the same from before I died, but instead of my horns I grew those ears and tale"

"Meaning?"

"I'm too used to being Verta, I still have yet to grasp how a humanoid body moves"

"… what?"

"it's easier when I'm out like this, since gravity has no effect on me all I had to do is use some of your limited memory to replicate the way I should move, but when I try to control you…

"… isn't that because you are using a body that isn't yours?"

"It might be. But I think it would have been less of a pain if I didn't spend that much time as a giant tiger"

Giant tiger huh… I almost forgot about it but… we almost lost our lives back then.

I somewhat miss those simple days. Lilia and I alone on a deserted planet, nothing but trees everywhere, no one around to remind me of what a piece of trash I'm, and the chances of messing things up were fewer.

Less than a month after our escape and here I'm cheating on the one girl that looked my way.

I wonder how Lilia felt about it. She must have been really furious, she almost castrated me after all.

Should I go see her…?

Now isn't a good time. The talk we had with Lisa, Lilia appeared to be the most shocked by what we heard. Even though she said she isn't ready at the time, Lilia didn't say she is against having children with me. After getting married that would be the next step. But now that we know it won't work, is there a chance for us to stay together?

Would Lilia leave…

Maybe that would be for the best. I never deserved her to begin with. Like Iris said before, I'm just one of many, Lilia could just say the word and hundreds of suitable candidates would line up in front of her.

Maybe someone better than me is waiting for her. I should resolve myself and end it before I get hurt.

"Just like that? Are you giving up?"

"What do you expect me to do?"

"How about you resolve yourself and never let go?"

"Easy said than done"

"What about Lilia? Does her feelings not matter to you?"

"She is still young, I'm sure she will find someone better… someone who would make her happy"

"That's not for you to decide!" yelling that at me, my right hand moved again slamming me in the face "you think you can just back away like nothing happened? After all you went through together? Get your a.s.s up and go beg her for forgiveness!!"

"But-"

"No butts!! Lilia would be troubled after finding out your relationship won't work, she's probably blaming it on herself! You must go and tell her you want her no matter what! Whether it works or not!"

"…"

"What now!?"

"Do you think she would forgive me?"

"Forgive you? For what?"

"You know… almost doing it with another women…"

"Take that human hsanshit out of here! If she is still angry just go kill that bitch and everything should be fine!"

"… I…"

I don't know… if only things were that simple…

I still remember what happened in the bath. Even before I fell victim to Lisa's spell, Lilia wasn't on my mind at the time, I even thought of how to get my hands on another woman, and when I lost control of my body I didn't even try to resist.

I'm ashamed to say it but I enjoyed every moment I spent with Lisa back then. Just like a horny teenager I let my lowly d.e.s.i.r.es take over me, I'm not worthy.

"Whether you are worthy or not, it's up to Lilia to decide"

"… I… I will go talk to her"

I gave up to my lowly d.e.s.i.r.es. That's right, they are nothing more than lowly d.e.s.i.r.es, basic survival instincts. It's something to be ashamed for, yes, but I'm still the same healthy teenage boy, wanting to do those things, wanting to enjoying them is something, it's only natural.

I should talk to Lilia again, discuss the matter with her. Whatever her decision might be I will face it head on, and this time I wont just back away. I won't let go of her.

Because I…

"I love her… I love Lilia…"

"Oh gosh, finally!"

That's right. It never crossed my mind… I never thought about telling her. I love Lilia, I loved her ever since we first met.

I love her, and things were going in my favor this whole time , yet I almost screwed things up before I got the chance to tell her.

I have to correct things. I have to tell her how I feel, and apologize for letting her down.

I must make things right.

"Good, now get up and get it done with!"

"Iris…"

"What now!?"

"Now that I look at you again, I wish I could head pat you"

"huh…" looking down on me with wide open eyes, the blue haired ghost girl cheeks beamed with a red color "w-w-what are you talking about all of a sudden! Don't put me on the same level as that kid!"

"Of course, blue is smaller thus cuter, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve some"

"I don't want any! Just move your a.s.s already and go make things right with your wife!"

With that said she disappeared again leaving behind nothing but air. Iris is annoying and all but I couldn't ask for anyone better than her to possess my body. She is rational, helpful and always gives me the push I need, and above it all she is a cute tiger girl. If only she wasn't lacking in certain areas

"Hey, you want another punch, don't you?"

Ah, she was listening after all.