Chapter 31

This is the thirty-first chapter of DARLING in the FRANXX.

Sypnosis
The 9’s hold a meeting at the Bird Nest. 9'α tells them that their objective is to gather all the parasites from every plantation, neutralize all the klaxosaurs at Gran Crevasse and take control of the area. He also tells them their duty is to decrease the amount of klaxosaurs before the big moment arrives.

9'γ says they will see a few days of less load. 9'β states there are large numbers of Gutenberg klaxosaurs around Gran Crevasse and they need to take care of it or it will be a burden. 9'ε comments it is the elite who takes care of the ordinary people. 9'δ declares she loves the feeling of crushing the cores of the klaxosaurs and asks 9'ζ, η, θ if they feel the same way. None of them respond.

Epsilon complains if only Iota would lighten the work up a bit. Delta adds Iota always ends up coming back and leaving, which diminishes the amount of prey she could take on. Delta also admits she dislikes Iota for her attitude and pink hair, and she thinks it was a bad idea for her to be in the team, to begin with.

Alpha jokingly says Delta is strict but, to be honest, he believes Iota will return to the 9’s soon. He explains it doesn’t matter how exceptional Hiro is because he is an imperfect human. He can never be her companion because she had klaxosaur blood. As the 9’s head to the battlefield, Alpha says they will be waiting for her on the front lines till she completely devours Hiro because she is a monster.

At Mistilteinn, Hiro finds Zero Two in the library and she says she is looking for a book. He offers to help her but she declines. In Kokoro’s room, Kokoro lays in her bed as she reads her baby book. Futoshi asks Miku and Ikuno where Kokoro is. Miku says she didn’t feel good and is resting, which panics Futoshi. Miku says it’s something boys wouldn’t understand and she thinks it’s unfair that girls have to suffer every month. Ikuno agrees and wonders about the difference between boys and girls.

Kokoro learns the book contains concepts such as reproduction, pregnancy, and conception. She realises these are concepts she and the other children were never taught in the Garden and there must be a reason why she feels pain every month. She remembers when the mayor came during an assembly meeting when she was still in the Garden. The mayor began a speech about the children’s bodies containing a biological part of ancient humanity but the difference between boys and girls, along with containing emotions, is unnecessary. He talks about how nothing can be done to them for being imperfect. On the contrary, it is not for the adults thanks to years of scientific development and immortality eliminates all general problems. This makes them a perfect being, without any weaknesses.

The mayor encourages the children to work hard to become official parasites to pilot the FRANXX and protect the adults, which excites the children. Thinking back, Kokoro wonders if the boy-girl differences are unnecessary for the adults because it was important in the past for humans. She also remembers when Hiro raised his hand and asked if the difference between boys and girls were unnecessary, then why do they as children have them. The mayor replied that didn't concern him. Hiro remembers when Zero Two said she would find the book on her own and when Mitsuru said Hiro wasn’t that kind of person. He also remembers when Ichigo kissed him on the beach and he is troubled.

In their bedroom, Goro finds Hiro and startles Hiro by noting he seems preoccupied and asked if he feels like he’s recovered. Hiro says yes. Goro asks if something happened between him and Ichigo. Hiro becomes nervous and asks if Goro saw the kiss, which Goro confirms. Goro says those are Ichigo’s feelings and Hiro should accept them. Goro says he feels pain like it hurts him when he sees how Ichigo looks at Hiro. Hiro realizes how it feels when the feeling of ‘wanting’ is not returned and they are all imperfect.

At HQ, Nana and Hachi detect an unknown object that appeared north of the plantation and now stopped. She wonders if this means they should not approach the Gran Crevasse. Hachi orders the FRANXX to get prepared.