Ch.153Chapter 23. Blood (7)

It was too late.

That was Kagami’s thought as she looked down at the motionless Kotone.

What had she been too late for?

If she had run a little faster. No, if she had prevented that child over there from pulling Kotone’s hand in the first place.

No, from the beginning, if she could have prevented Kotone from coming to a place like this—

—or if they had lived together from the start.

If she had welcomed Kotone warmly without suspicion when she first opened her eyes. If she had treated her more like a “mother” would, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.

It was strange. Until just recently, no matter how much Kotone spoke like a human, Kagami couldn’t see her as one.

Even when she had a human form, Kagami never thought of the sleeping girl as a person.

That’s why it took a very long time for her to think of the child who opened her eyes as her daughter.

It was only a short while ago that she received a gift. It’s been just ten days.

“Don’t come!”

Kagami blinked only after hearing Koko’s shout.

She seemed to have stopped breathing for a moment.

Lifting her gaze slightly, she saw Yuka Yuuki standing hesitantly a few steps away from Kotone.

Perhaps because she had been screaming in her father’s arms until just now, even standing still seemed quite difficult for her.

A knife lay carelessly on the ground beside her. Despite being a precious item that shouldn’t be left like that, no one was paying attention to it now.

Koko was shouting at Yuka.

“Don’t come! Don’t come here!”

It was a voice that could be described as a scream.

The cry of a child who didn’t know what to say.

Her hands were covered in bright red blood.

Blood was still slowly seeping from Kotone’s chest.

Kagami walked.

She didn’t stagger, nor did she deliberately walk slowly or quickly. At least outwardly, she appeared completely normal.

“Koko…”

Yuka said, as if pleading.

“Koko, I—”

“No!”

Koko shouted without even listening to the rest.

“Go away! Kotone is hurting!”

As if her newly acquired language skills had suddenly regressed, Koko spoke only in childish phrases.

“…”

At Koko’s words, Yuka wore a dumbfounded expression.

Her arms hung limply, and her legs lost strength.

Yuka knelt on the ground and stared blankly at Kotone.

An expression that seemed unable to even comprehend the situation.

Kagami, at least, could understand the situation objectively. Thankfully so.

“Koko.”

“Don’t come!”

Koko shouted even at Kagami’s voice.

Kagami ignored those words.

Instead, she slowly went over and knelt beside Koko.

Then she reached out and touched the face of Kotone, who was lying with her eyes open.

…It was cold. Almost unbelievably so for someone who had been alive just moments ago. Did a dead person’s body cool this quickly?

Ah, that’s right.

The weather was cold. Kotone was lying on the bare ground without anything underneath her in such cold weather.

She must have been like that for a while even after opening her eyes. There were no blankets or beds in that house. When the weather was at its hottest, it would have been unbearably hot, the opposite of now.

Slowly, slowly.

Such thoughts seeped into Kagami’s mind.

A child who began working for survival shortly after opening her eyes, who brought home a free rice cooker from work and cooked her own meals.

Kagami had never found such a child admirable. Rather, she had only found her strange.

Kagami had done nothing for such a child.

“…”

Slowly moving her hand, she closed Kotone’s eyes.

With her eyes closed, Kotone looked peaceful.

It had been a life of suffering.

And that suffering was likely because Kagami had given birth to Kotone.

A strangely upright child born in the wrong place. A child who was so good it was hard to believe she was family to Kosuzu or Kagami.

Only then did Kagami’s hands begin to tremble.

“I, I…”

She knew.

That this was someone’s scheme. She couldn’t know exactly what they wanted, but at least that the worst malice was mixed in.

She also knew that if Kotone opened her eyes now, she would probably say “it’s okay.” Even if that child had stabbed her deliberately.

But even thinking that.

“Wait.”

Kagami found herself saying.

Even knowing it was extremely emotional, she couldn’t help her voice turning cold.

“Please, give me a moment.”

“…”

Trembling breaths could be heard.

Yuka Yuuki’s hands were stained red. It was Kotone’s blood.

Kagami tried not to raise her gaze.

“…Koko.”

“No.”

Koko said, as if she knew what Kagami was about to say.

“No! No! Kotone is!”

“…”

Kagami reached out and placed her hand on top of Koko’s.

It was the first time.

Even Koko was so surprised that she stopped shouting for a moment.

What should she say?

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out how to comfort her. Because Kagami had lived in such a world.

She had seen people die many times. Being someone who had contributed to creating Koko’s existence, she naturally knew well what kind of being Koko was.

So.

Pretending to be a mother now would be disgusting.

But.

She couldn’t just leave her lying here like this.

Though she still wasn’t sure of her own feelings, that much seemed wrong.

“…Kotone?”

A voice barely emerged from behind, but Kagami didn’t turn around.

Slowly, she lifted Koko’s hand.

Blood no longer flowed from the wound beneath. The level of blood pooled in the knife wound was slowly sinking. The ground behind Kotone’s back was turning red.

Kagami took Kotone’s hand, which was sprawled on the floor.

Before the body stiffened, she placed that hand neatly on Kotone’s stomach.

And placing her own hand on top of it, she gazed at Kotone’s face for a while.

She was pale. Come to think of it, Kotone had always been pale.

There was no reason why this child should have suffered just because I suffered.

Only after that thought came did Kagami feel as if she’d been hit on the head.

She heard footsteps of people gathering around. Among them, only Yuka Yuuki couldn’t bring herself to approach—

…and among those footsteps were the sounds of military boots.

Kagami raised her head. For a moment, her eyes met with Yuka Yuuki’s. Her shoulders trembled.

But soon, Kagami directed her gaze beyond her.

People were coming. Most were sturdy men.

They wore black military uniforms with vests covered in pouches that probably contained magazines and other items.

They were fully armed despite none of them visibly carrying guns. No, perhaps those weren’t bulletproof vests but stab-proof ones.

“…What’s going on?”

Yuka’s grandfather stepped forward and asked.

As if protecting Kotone lying on the ground, or rather, this entire space.

But the soldiers moved in unison to surround the area.

The person who emerged from among the soldiers was an elderly man with white hair whom she had seen at the hotel earlier.

Dressed in a brown suit with a fedora on his head and a cane in one hand, he looked like a gentleman from a painting.

However, what he said wasn’t particularly gentlemanly.

After looking around once, the old man glanced at the fallen Kotone. Then he raised his gaze to look at Yuka, and at Yuka’s father standing beside her.

“There’s nothing to worry about. You’ve merely resolved the current situation.”

“…What?”

Yuka let out a slightly dumbfounded sound.

“We’ll consider the subjugation complete with this.”

“What? Subjugation?”

Yuka asked again, but the old man pretended not to hear.

“Although research on the phenomenon isn’t complete yet. Fortunately, the corpse remains.”

“Excuse me, what are you saying—”

“Yuka.”

Yuka’s grandfather cut off her words and spoke to the old man again.

“Are you suggesting that Kotone… caused this phenomenon?”

“Circumstantially, yes.”

The old man answered.

“So, securing the specimen is our priority now. I trust you understand. After beings from other worlds die in this world, their bodies begin to disappear instantly.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“And that ‘possibility’ isn’t over yet either.”

At the end of his gaze was Koko, sitting next to Kotone.

“…I refuse.”

Kagami said.

“This child is my daughter. I will… give her a proper funeral.”

She felt Koko’s head turn sharply toward her. Kagami didn’t look at that face, just glared at the old man as she spoke.

“I should have that right.”

“As the registered parent, you’re saying you want to take custody of the body?”

“…”

“I’m sorry, but bodies that may have contracted a serious infectious disease are to be researched under government responsibility. Until we determine the body is safe, we’ll take care of it. And the same goes for everyone around here.”

The old man looked around as he spoke.

“Since you were near the body, there’s a possibility of infection, and there’s an almost certain carrier. After some investigation, if we determine there’s no problem, we’ll return you.”

“What pathogen are you talking about?”

When Kagami asked, the old man shook his head.

“We don’t know yet, but that’s why we need to investigate, don’t we? If we determine there’s no problem, we’ll certainly return her to her mother’s arms.”

“Are you saying you’ll cut up the body?”

“…We will treat it with the utmost respect and courtesy.”

Only after hearing that did Kagami turn her gaze.

Click.

The sound of a gun moving was heard.

Kagami snorted. Those guns might kill her, but they could never kill the other one they were after.

Even if they used a “branch.”

“…Koko.”

Kagami whispered softly to Koko, who looked ready to sever the old man’s neck.

“You don’t want Kotone to hurt more, right?”

“…”

Koko’s face turned toward Kagami.

Her pupils trembled slightly.

“Can you hide with Kotone for a while?”

No, perhaps forever.

Rather, hide somewhere even Kagami doesn’t know, so no one can interfere.

“…”

Koko stared blankly at Kagami for a while.

Then, without warning, she suddenly disappeared.

Along with Kotone.

“Hey!”

Someone shouted. The sound of people rushing in was heard. Click, click, the sound of multi-part firearms moving was also heard.

Kagami raised both hands and placed them behind her head.

*

“…No one seems to do as I say.”

“What kind of insane person in this world would do as you say?”

Hana Hagiwara, who had drawn her sword and positioned herself between Kosuzu and Sasaki, said.

“…”

Kosuzu’s head tilted slightly to the side.

“You say strange things. If you weren’t insane, you couldn’t have appeared here now.”

“…What does that mean?”

“I’ve thinned out my people enough. All your faithful people should be in the underworld, so how did you come here now?”

At Kosuzu’s words, Hagiwara’s eyes widened slightly.

“I—”

“Perhaps you secretly monitor him? Could you have found this place without information because you’ve been watching that person all along?”

“No!”

Hagiwara cried out urgently at those words.

Kosuzu shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, I suppose so. You have to do such things if necessary. I like that. I think the same way.”

“Shut up!”

Hagiwara threw her sword at Kosuzu again. This time, Kosuzu didn’t dodge.

Pak!

The sword collided with something in midair, then spun around and fell down. It made a clanging sound as the metal hit the floor.

From inside Kosuzu’s coat, a long tentacle had emerged.

“Kuk!”

Hagiwara immediately turned and rushed toward Sasaki and Shii.

“Whoa, senior!?”

“Eek!”

As she tackled and knocked down the two, an eerie energy brushed past the back of Hagiwara’s head, and a few strands of cut hair fluttered.

“…”

Hagiwara drew another sword from her waist. It was the last of the three scabbards she carried.

“…Souta.”

When Hagiwara spoke softly, Souta nodded. His face showed no concern for the conversation they had just heard, which somewhat relieved Hagiwara.

Souta extended his hand. Shii closed her eyes. Hagiwara moved her sword.

“Hmm.”

Kosuzu approached with clicking footsteps.

“You think you can face me with just that? Don’t you remember you would have been annihilated on the spot if it weren’t for that child?”

“…”

Hagiwara didn’t respond to that.

Rising from her position, with Souta’s blood faintly staining her sword, Hagiwara glared at Kosuzu.

Kosuzu shrugged and approached Hagiwara without hesitation.

“What do you want?”

Kosuzu didn’t answer. As if there was no reason to tell her.

Just humming a tune as if pleased that things were going well, she swung the tentacle that had emerged from under her coat.

Chop!

This time, the sword wasn’t deflected. The sword stained with Souta’s blood could resist the tentacle, but—

“Kuk…!”

Hagiwara’s body was pushed sideways. After staggering, she barely regained her posture and swung her sword again.

Puk!

It hit but held firm. She couldn’t retreat here because the two behind her would be in real danger.

Moreover, she couldn’t die here. Hagiwara had something she wanted to say. The words the opponent had spoken earlier were a misunderstanding. If she couldn’t clear that up, she felt she couldn’t close her eyes in peace.

Her right arm throbbed.

Hagiwara searched her pocket. She took out a bottle and threw it at Kosuzu.

Crash!

Kosuzu broke the bottle in midair, as if she had no intention of being hit by it.

Hiss.

She blocked the spilling holy water with her tentacle. Only slight burn-like marks remained on its surface.

Slowly, the tentacle lowered, revealing the face hidden behind it.

Those eyes were glaring at Hagiwara.

Not so much in great anger, but as if encountering an annoying obstacle.

Kosuzu exhaled softly and raised her hand again.

There, a small bell was held.

Kosuzu moved that bell—

—but couldn’t ring it.

“Shaak.”

The sound of an angry cat was heard.

Kuro was looking up at Kosuzu with the fur on his back standing straight up. Even his tail was erect, showing an extremely angry expression.

No sound came from the bell.

“…”

Kosuzu quietly looked down at Kuro.

“Really—”

Kosuzu’s tentacle moved.

Its tip was aimed precisely at Kuro.

And just as the tentacle was about to move.

“…”

Kosuzu’s movement stopped.

After remaining motionless with wide eyes for a while, Kosuzu’s face slowly turned backward.

Hagiwara didn’t miss Kosuzu turning to look at a place where nothing was visible.

Pook.

“Eek!?”

When Hagiwara’s sword was deeply embedded in the tentacle, Kosuzu finally screamed.

“You—”

But Hagiwara wasn’t the only one who moved.

Red liquid spattered onto Kosuzu’s face.

“…!”

“How dare you,”

And on that blood-stained face of Kosuzu,

“come here!”

Hagiwara’s fist was planted.

Crack, something breaking was heard. It wasn’t clear whether it came from the fist or the face.

But one thing was certain: Kosuzu, with a fist planted in her face, staggered backward.

Hagiwara pulled back the sword embedded in the tentacle. Zhuuk, a long wound remained on the tentacle, spewing yellow blood. Kosuzu grimaced in pain.

Hagiwara’s body flew sideways. The tentacle, as if unconcerned with such a wound, swung and sent Hagiwara flying at once. Puk, hitting the wall, Hagiwara fell down without even being able to scream.

“You all—”

But before Kosuzu could continue, blood was sprayed again.

Souta was swinging his hand, which was streaming with blood.

Reflexively raising her tentacle to block the blood, Kosuzu grimaced when the blood touched the wound on her tentacle.

About to swing her tentacle again, she hesitated and stopped.

Then, with both hands raised, she stared blankly at her own body.

“…How, did this happen…? That person is…”

“Kuk…”

Hagiwara got up, leaning against the wall. Remarkably, she hadn’t dropped her sword. Though she looked like she might collapse at any moment, her expression didn’t suggest she was giving up the fight.

“Shaak.”

Kuro approached Kosuzu little by little.

“…”

After staring at her hands, Kosuzu raised her head to glare at Kuro, then turned around.

No one thought of chasing after her.

“Meow.”

Only after seeing Kosuzu leave the house did Kuro seem relieved, lowering his raised fur.

“Haa…”

Hagiwara also slid down to the floor.

“…Senior.”

Souta approached Hagiwara. Blood was still flowing from his hand.

“O-Brother…”

“…Shii. Are you both okay?”

“…”

Hagiwara only exhaled softly.

“Brother, first your hand…”

“Ah, yes, right. And senior too.”

“Yes.”

Shii nodded, trying to regain her composure despite tears welling in her eyes.

Souta’s hand rested on Shii’s shoulder as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. It was the hand that wasn’t bleeding.

Feeling like she might burst into tears again, Shii thought they should sort out the situation as quickly as possible and contact their senior.

If it was Senior Kotone, she might know something about this situation.