Ch.157Chapter 24. Flesh (2)

The swelling in my wrist had almost completely subsided.

I was still sitting in one of the rooms at the Yamashita family mansion, but at least now there was no one else around. Kagami could focus a bit more on her thoughts.

When she had closed Kotone’s eyes, her mind hadn’t been working properly, but after spending hours ignoring the people in front of her and being lost in thought, some ideas were starting to emerge.

The thought that came to mind wasn’t anything special.

Could she somehow save Kotone?

“……”

That was… a strange thought.

Kagami hadn’t thought that way even when her parents suddenly passed away during her childhood. In fact, she wasn’t the type to care much when anyone died. In her childhood, Kagami had found it burdensome enough just to take care of herself.

Besides, the Kurosawa belief was originally like that. Even in death, to transcend that death, breaking down the boundary between life and death, escaping the fear of death to enjoy eternal life.

Looking at it from that logic, Kagami had no reason to grieve Kotone’s death. Kagami’s task was simple. Go to her sister immediately to ask for forgiveness, complete the plan as soon as possible, and bring back Kotone who would be on the other side.

…No.

Kagami shook her head.

Numerous emotions beyond rational judgment were blocking her from making that choice. Kagami hated Kosuzu.

Furthermore, the name Kurosawa now felt meaningless to her. After her sister, whom she had trusted so much, had thrown away the will of Kurosawa like an old shoe, clinging to that name seemed rather pointless.

She had continued what she had been doing simply because it was what she had been doing. There was no reason to find any more meaning in it, so she had been living mechanically.

Well, the emotional source of that work also came from “fear.” Of course, it wasn’t fear of divine punishment that would come if that distant being didn’t believe in her.

Kagami had seen many times what people who had been betrayed in their faith could do and to what extent. Even if the name Kurosawa had no meaning, it was at least a shell that protected Kagami.

And it was when she saw the “successful work” that she found meaning in that name again.

When a god dwelled in the shell that Kagami had directly given birth to.

…Of course, that “meaning” soon became a “question” again. Because that divine being had a mindset that was, no matter how you looked at it, not much different from children of the same age.

The first emotion she felt was “fear” again. Because she didn’t know what she wanted.

Kagami probed her thoughts while maintaining a certain distance, not angering her too much. It wasn’t particularly successful, but it wasn’t a failure either. At least Kagami didn’t cause a catastrophe where the world ended because she mishandled her personality.

The being inside was much less capricious than Kagami thought, and her personality was closer to calm than eccentric.

That figure, showing slight irritation but still sharing the food she was about to eat, didn’t look anything like cosmic horror.

So, no.

Borrowing Kosuzu’s power to achieve that purpose wasn’t what that child wanted. Even if she came back to life that way, it was clear that child wouldn’t be happy about it.

Since Kagami was a greedy person like her sister Kosuzu, she didn’t want to break the relationship she had worked hard to establish. It didn’t make economic sense to bow to Kosuzu.

Kagami stood up. The folding chair she had carelessly placed made an irritating sound as it dragged across the floor.

Excluding that first option, the second option had a much smaller chance of success. But at least, there would be no falling out with the person who came back to life that way.

Kagami thought of the apartment where Kotone and Koko lived.

There should still be unused flesh there.

*

“Wait, Kagami.”

Kagami, who was heading straight for the main gate without any intention of greeting anyone in the mansion, stopped at the voice from behind.

It was Ryohei. Her sister’s husband.

“…What are you planning to do now?”

There was none of the usual courtesy in his tone of questioning. But Kagami didn’t mind that tone. In fact, it was a tone she used to hear often before. When her sister was still around. When Kagami was just a sister-in-law, not the head of the family.

“I’m thinking of finding my own way,” Kagami said.

“What way?”

Kagami didn’t answer Ryohei’s question.

“Could it be?”

“It might be.”

Although she hadn’t heard the question, Kagami could guess what Ryohei was asking. After all, there was something Kosuzu always said when making the Yamashita family members into believers. Creating a world where life and death are transcended to enjoy eternal life, and we will be the foremost among them. Well, what religion doesn’t say such things?

But what made Kurosawa different from other religions was that at least Kurosawa had established the theoretical system itself. The things that could be used in the method were all real, and recently, the being closest to that method had opened its eyes.

So, this wasn’t simply because of emotions.

…It was a bit awkward to say that Kagami had sacrificed for that child, but still, losing that child who was born after a lifetime of attempts, the only one who was “child-like” among all those attempts, was also taking away an important part of Kagami’s life.

Ryohei stared at Kagami.

“Is such a thing…”

“Normally, it would be impossible. If it were possible, there would already be people enjoying eternal life in the world.”

Kagami spoke calmly.

Ryohei took a moment to choose his words.

“Could it be.”

“Yes. It’s fine if you think I’m just swept up in maternal affection.”

Kagami said.

“You must think it’s strange. Since I’ve never shown such a side before.”

Ryohei didn’t say anything. But that very act of saying nothing seemed to be some kind of proof to Kagami.

“Actually, I’m a bit confused too. But looking back on the life I’ve lived, it’s always been like this. At least after my sister left, I’ve lived doing what I wanted to do.”

Although she had been busy managing the organization and maintaining connections, she also felt a certain freedom. After all, Kagami was the current head of the Kurosawa family.

“…What’s the price for that?”

There’s a price for using great power. This is a condition that anyone who has lived in the world, not just religious people, can easily think of.

“The price is already prepared. At least enough to save one person.”

Kagami answered simply again.

Yes. That price had already been paid by Kagami herself.

So the right to use it belonged to Kagami.

“…The basis?”

“……”

But Kagami couldn’t bring herself to answer that question.

What she was doing now was, after all, Kagami’s lingering struggle. It couldn’t be said that there was no basis at all, but it was also true that it was very tenuous.

“Kagami. Stay at this mansion for a while.”

Ryohei said, looking at Kagami who couldn’t answer.

Kagami felt a bit strange at his tone. Was she still within the family range for Ryohei?

“If you think a bit—”

“Is that story true?”

But Ryohei’s words were cut off midway. Ryohei turned around with a very tired face. There stood his daughter, Yuu.

It was a bit far, and although it was still chaotic around and there were quite loud noises coming from outside the house, Yuu seemed to have somehow heard the conversation between the two.

“Yuu.”

Ryohei tried to stop Yuu, but Yuu strode right up to Kagami.

“Can you save Kotone?”

“……”

Kagami quietly looked at Yuu.

Receiving that gaze, Yuu slightly furrowed her brow.

“Can you save Kotone?”

“You’re calling her by her first name. I think you were calling her by her last name until recently.”

At Kagami’s words, Yuu frowned even more.

“…To answer your question, yes, there is a possibility.”

“How much of a possibility is there?”

“It’s slight.”

This time Kagami could speak properly.

“And it’s dangerous too.”

“…I want to go too.”

Yuu said, as if she hadn’t heard what Kagami had added.

“Yuu.”

“I’ll go even if Dad tries to stop me.”

Ryohei intervened, but Yuu was stubborn.

Kagami just watched their conversation without saying anything.

“Yuu, this isn’t something you should get involved in.”

“No, it is something I should get involved in.”

“You—”

“You said Mom was a shrine maiden. And that I have that quality too.”

Yuu looked up at her father as she spoke.

“Then I can be of some help too, can’t I?”

Yuu’s gaze turned to Kagami. Kagami shrugged. Yuu didn’t like that gesture, but she didn’t say anything about it.

“Kagami.”

Ryohei’s gaze also turned to Kagami. It seemed like he wanted her to say something.

“As you said, the young lady is my sister’s daughter.”

Kagami looked straight at Ryohei as she spoke.

There was a smile on her lips. It was hard for the people present to judge whether it was a sincere smile or a sneer.

“And if she has inherited even a bit of that personality, it probably won’t be easy to break her stubbornness.”

“……”

At those words, Ryohei covered his forehead with his hand.

*

“By the way, your personality seems to have changed a bit.”

“…What do you mean?”

“I think you were much shyer when you were younger.”

“……”

“Looking at you now, it also seems like you haven’t changed at all.”

“…I just don’t say unnecessary things.”

“Hmm.”

“What, do you have a problem with that?”

“No, not at all.”

Kagami shrugged.

In the car heading to the house where Kotone and Koko had been staying.

The car was a large sedan that Kagami had ridden in a few times. It was a Japanese brand, but it couldn’t be said that it wasn’t luxurious.

Kagami and Yuu sat as far apart as possible in the back seat. More precisely, Yuu sat as far away as possible with a very uncomfortable expression, and Kagami leaned against the opposite door, respecting her intention.

“…Why, do I resemble my mother?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Kagami tilted her head at Yuu’s words.

That gesture seemed to displease Yuu, as she rolled her eyes around unnecessarily.

“If anything, you don’t resemble my sister at all.”

At Kagami’s words, Yuu’s wandering eyes turned towards Kagami.

Whether she was doing it on purpose or just lost in her own thoughts, Kagami wasn’t looking at Yuu. She was just leaning her head against the window, gazing endlessly outside.

As if the world didn’t know that Kotone had died, outside, people were just laughing and chatting as they passed by normally. It was still early in the year. Perhaps because it was early in the year, the people walking around were either very young or, conversely, elderly. Some looked a bit lonely, while others laughed happily. Both types of people were probably colored by the thought that it was now a new year.

And perhaps the people in this car were also colored by such thoughts, Yuu thought.

…Since I heard the story from Dad, I’m unnecessarily conscious of bloodlines. I haven’t had a conversation with my mother, whom I haven’t seen since childhood.

Suddenly, the thought occurred to her that this person was the one who had known that mother the longest. It was an obvious thought, but not one that could easily come to mind until her head cooled down.

“…You said I don’t resemble her.”

“Of course. My sister wouldn’t have had friends.”

“……”

Yuu was at a loss for words.

“…I almost didn’t have any either.”

After mumbling for a while, Yuu came up with a rebuttal.

“It sounds like you’re saying friends just appeared naturally.”

Kagami turned her gaze towards Yuu. Yuu didn’t say anything for a moment, then nodded.

“All my current friends are ones who approached me first.”

“Is that so.”

Kagami looked at Yuu silently for a while.

“Was Kotone one of those children?”

Yuu thought for a moment.

“At first, the teacher paired us up.”

That was right. Kotone was a noticeable child from the beginning of the semester.

She had missed school for several days not long after enrollment. Moreover, Hanakawa High School was a place you couldn’t attend if you didn’t want to. You couldn’t even enroll unless you took an exam and received a certain score.

It was inevitable that rumors would spread among the children about someone who had barely managed to enroll in such a school and then didn’t show up for days.

Harumi might not know much about such rumors since she wasn’t interested in them, but Yuu was a bit concerned. She had experienced several times where other children didn’t approach her or kept their distance because of her family circumstances.

But even so, there was definitely a preconception about a child who didn’t come to school. Yuu had never skipped school. She maintained decent grades. After she started hanging out with Mako, the surrounding children knew that as long as they kept the unspoken rule of not talking about family matters, Yuu wasn’t particularly dangerous.

That’s why Yuu was displeased when the teacher assigned such a task to Mako. It felt like he was making Mako do what he should have been doing.

…And only after seeing that child directly did she somewhat understand why the teacher had directly asked Mako to do so.

“The teacher asked Mako to be friendly with her… and as we kept hanging out together, I thought she was a decent kid, even if a bit peculiar…”

Harmlessness.

That was the conclusion Yuu had reached after spending some time with that child.

The reason she had abruptly visited Kotone’s house when she ran away was probably because of that judgment. She knew that child wouldn’t chase her away if she went there, and somehow felt she wouldn’t refuse either.

In other words, she had looked down on her.

Wow, I’m really mean.

Yuu lamented inwardly.

“…Was that so.”

“…Didn’t you know? I heard the bad relationship was an act.”

“No, I didn’t know. Maybe the bad relationship wasn’t an act after all. It might have just been my own delusion.”

Kagami’s gaze turned back towards the car window.

“Kotone might not have told me. I just never asked.”

Is she regretting it?

But since the answer to that question seemed obvious without having to ask, Yuu decided not to voice the question.

*

The place they arrived at was Kotone’s house.

Since Kotone had been there until just yesterday, there was no reason for it to have changed much, but strangely, the house looked empty.

“Originally, only Kotone, Koko, and one other person lived here.”

“…One other person?”

“They’re not someone who would cause much harm. They’ve been taken by the government now.”

“……”

Wait, isn’t being taken by the government the really important part of that story?

Of course, if Kagami didn’t tell her, Yuu couldn’t know about that person’s information, and she didn’t intend to know in the first place.

She was just extremely concerned about what they were going to do right now.

“So, what are you planning to do?”

“First, we need to go and check.”

“Check what?”

“Flesh.”

“…Flesh? You mean—”

“Yes, that’s right. Flesh. Skin. If we’re being precise, it includes the muscles and bones underneath too.”

Kagami smiled at Yuu.

It was as if she was saying, didn’t you know this when you came?

“Flesh of what exactly?”

“……”

Kagami turned her head again and quietly looked at the apartment as she spoke.

“The flesh of the being now called Koko. I’m thinking of using that.”

“……”

Yuu couldn’t follow Kagami’s words.

“If there’s a shell, couldn’t the soul return? Well, that’s just my thought.”

Leaving Yuu with her mouth open, Kagami walked slowly.

Ryohei, who had been watching Kagami’s back, rubbed his face.

“Yuu. Maybe you should reconsider. What you’re about to see—”

“Anyway, it’s related to Kotone and Koko, right?”

Yuu thought for a moment and then said.

“I still want to see.”

“Yuu.”

“I’ve just learned something I didn’t know about myself, and I don’t want to just watch from a distance.”

She had given up completely.

No matter how many times she had asked her dad about her mom, he had never answered. The people around her were the same. Yuu had even worried that her mother might have died in some conflict.

Now, Yuu was finally learning about the blood flowing in her body.

Moreover, Kotone and Koko, who had the same blood mixed in them.

Yuu felt a slight sense of kinship with the two. In some sense, they were children who had grown up in situations not much different from Yuu’s.

But at the same time, children who had grown up in much worse situations than Yuu.

Add to that Kagami’s words about “reviving,” and it was enough to move Yuu’s feet.

Dad sighed.

Yuu walked a bit faster and entered through the door that Kagami had left open.

Kagami was already in front of the refrigerator that stood alone in the room. As if she had been waiting for Yuu.

“Then, I’ll show you.”

Saying that, Kagami opened the refrigerator door demonstratively.

Judging by the dust accumulated on top, it was a refrigerator that had been abandoned for at least a few months, but the refrigerator itself was working properly.

And the things inside—

“……”

“What do you think, do you regret it?”

—were far more bizarre than Yuu had imagined.

*

Still, I was able to climb all the stairs with just one break in the middle.

Can you build stamina by exercising in the underworld? If that’s possible, I should try to exercise a bit.

…With such uninteresting fantasies, I climbed up and entered through the open door at the top with Kuro.

And.

“…Wow.”

I exclaimed with various emotions.

“How is it? Like a Di●ney cartoon?”

…Are you joking right now?

Well, I mean, it did look like what might come up if you searched for “Di●ney style art” with the keyword “Cthulhu mythology.”

But it still seemed closer to Cthulhu mythology. An extremely colorful Cthulhu mythology.

“Welcome to the world of dreams. Make yourself comfortable for a while before you leave.”

Meow, Kuro meowed.

“Ah, I’d also appreciate it if you could grant a few of my requests.”

Kuro’s face, smiling as she said that, looked very sinister.