Ch.166Chapter 24. Flesh (11)

The meal time was quiet.

The only sound was the slight clinking of utensils against bowls.

Everyone was too busy being cautious of each other to speak.

The room where Kotone and Koko stayed was actually too cramped for so many people.

But somehow Kagami had brought in another table, allowing everyone to barely sit and eat together.

The menu wasn’t anything special. Curry cooked all at once in a large pot. Well, it was an inevitable choice for efficiently feeding so many people. Kagami probably hadn’t expected this many people to come for a meal in the first place.

Unlike the others who were all glancing at each other, Kagami and Yuka’s gazes were fixed in one direction.

On Koko.

Although Koko hadn’t eaten a single bite of the chocolate Yuka had given her, she was now eating her meal diligently.

But she wasn’t being greedy.

Yuka recalled when she first saw Koko. How she would rummage for food when no one was looking, and for some reason, had a particular fixation on the cat food placed in the corner of the kitchen.

It was Kotone who had somehow instilled common sense in Koko while living with her.

Yuka’s eyes wandered to the fairy tales tucked in the corner of the room. They seemed to be secondhand when purchased, with some bindings worn from frequent handling.

Kotone treasured Koko.

Because she was her only family.

“…”

Curry was also a menu the two of them ate quite often. Kotone probably chose it because it was easy to prepare in large quantities. The subtle difference in taste from what Yuka occasionally had when visiting was probably because Kagami made it instead of Kotone.

“…Would you like more?”

“Uu?”

Kagami addressed Koko. To Yuka’s ears, it sounded like Kagami was trying to be gentle in her own way. Her tone was somewhat different from usual.

Or was it just that she used a different tone with Yuka compared to Koko and Kotone?

Koko looked at Kagami as if seeing a somewhat unfamiliar person, then hesitantly handed her plate to Kagami.

Kagami scooped white rice from an old rice cooker beside her, placed it on the plate, and added another ladle of curry.

Then she carefully handed it back to Koko.

Koko took the bowl, placed it in front of her, glanced at Kagami again, and then moved her spoon somewhat hurriedly.

Koko’s complexion looked much better than when Yuka had first seen her today. Yuka sighed in relief at the sight.

“Meow.”

Kuro rubbed his head against Koko’s leg.

“Uwa?”

Koko looked down at Kuro briefly, then shifted her body slightly backward.

Kuro jumped up onto Koko’s lap.

“Kuro.”

Koko smiled slightly.

Yuka thought that smile resembled Kotone’s so much.

As everyone except Koko was finishing their meal, Kagami slowly opened her mouth.

“Everyone who needed to gather has gathered.”

“…”

All eyes in the room turned to Kagami. Koko was watching Kagami with wide eyes, a spoon in her mouth.

“I can’t say everyone here has gathered for the same reason. At least one person knows why I’m here.”

Kagami’s gaze lingered on Yamashita, who looked somewhat uncomfortable and avoided her eyes.

“As you all know, I wasn’t a good mother to Kotone and Koko. Whether you know my true self or not, I think everyone would agree with that.”

Kagami’s face was smiling as she said this.

A smile to hide emotions. The same face as the usual Kagami.

Yuka felt tense because of that.

“So you might think it’s absurd and strange that I’m suddenly saying this.”

Kagami continued calmly.

“But I want you to know that what I’m about to say is sincere.”

Kagami paused briefly, then said,

“From now on, I’m going to try to bring Kotone back.”

“…”

Everyone except Yamashita looked at each other.

Everyone’s expression, including Yuka’s, was one of bewilderment.

Nanami in particular looked beyond bewildered, almost confused.

“The ritual needs to proceed quickly. And until then, no one can leave this place. I believe each of you can help in your own way.”

“W-wait a minute!”

Nanami raised her hand and exclaimed, but when everyone’s attention turned to her at once, she flinched and said,

“D-does bringing that child back mean… that is… it’s not just about bringing her here…?”

Unable to articulate clearly, Nanami let her ambiguous question hang in the air.

Even after experiencing many incredible things, accepting the resurrection of a dead person seemed difficult for her.

“Yes.”

But Kagami answered Nanami’s vague words with absolute certainty.

“I am going to bring Kotone back to life.”

“…”

Everyone was silent.

“Is there… no price to pay?” Nanami asked quietly.

“Price?”

When Kagami tilted her head, Nanami continued in a slightly shrinking voice.

“You know… sacrificing something to bring someone back to life, that sort of thing.”

“Ah.”

Kagami shrugged.

“There’s nothing like that. Just… if Kotone’s condition is good enough.”

“Kotone’s condition?”

“You saw it earlier, didn’t you?”

When Kagami’s gaze suddenly turned to her, Yuka flinched.

“Isn’t it strange that a body dead for several days hasn’t stiffened yet? And the skin condition remains the same.”

Even in winter, it’s difficult for a deceased body to remain in “good” condition for days. Especially when it was practically abandoned outside.

“Kotone isn’t dead yet. That’s why she can be revived. It’s essentially just returning from a state of suspended animation.”

Yuka’s heart began to beat a little more intensely.

“But that doesn’t mean it’s a sight I want to show to others.”

Kagami turned her head again to look at everyone.

“So I’d like you all to stay here until the ritual is complete. I cannot allow anyone to leave and talk about this elsewhere. It won’t take that long, but in modern society, you can travel dozens of kilometers in just a few hours, can’t you?”

“…”

A heavy silence fell.

“Then…”

Shii finally spoke.

“Does this mean… we can meet our senior again?”

Kagami looked at Shii silently for a while.

“Of course.”

Shii’s face brightened a little.

Yuka felt that Kagami seemed to be withholding something. But she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

In fact, Kagami’s words themselves were so strongly imprinted in her mind.

She didn’t want to deny them.

Because if she denied them even once—it felt like that event would become impossible.

*

The ritual began a little later, at two in the morning. In the meantime, Kagami seemed to be making various preparations.

“…If my dad knew I was in a place like this…”

“Well. He probably wouldn’t say much.”

Kagami cut off Yuu’s muttering.

“He would have expected you to be born with such abilities anyway.”

“…”

Yuu glared at Kagami, but Kagami just shrugged.

The two looked quite peculiar.

In a room almost the same size as the small room where Kotone and Koko stayed, both were wearing shrine maiden outfits.

Cumbersome attire that anyone would recognize as “ritual clothing.”

Yuu held a small bell in her hand.

And beside Kagami was a mirror covered with cloth.

“Uwa?”

Koko, sitting next to Kotone who was lying neatly on the floor, tilted her head.

Koko wasn’t wearing such attire. She had been fed and changed into clean clothes, but that was it. She was just in ordinary clothes, apparently not participating in this ritual.

“…Good. The preparations are complete.”

There were talismans around Kotone. Talismans that surrounded her like a formation.

Or rather, not “exactly in the center.” Kotone was slightly off to the side. As if the center of that circular formation should have another person lying next to her.

Kagami turned to look at Yuka.

Yuka also wasn’t participating in the ritual, as she wasn’t wearing shrine maiden clothes.

Instead, Kagami had told her to hold the sword. With the outer cloth removed.

“…”

Yuka just stood silently near the door, watching the situation as Kagami had instructed.

“Alright, then—”

As Kagami was about to speak, a phone rang.

The buzzing sound of vibration.

“…I’m sorry.”

Yuka quickly took out her phone.

And was about to hang up, but—

“Ah, perfect timing. Is that your grandfather?”

She looked up at Kagami’s words.

Kagami was extending her hand forward.

As if asking for the phone.

“Let me answer instead.”

Yuka stared at Kagami for a while.

Feeling the vibration in her hand.

And Yuka slowly reached out and handed the phone to Kagami.

Taking the phone, Kagami opened it, held it to her ear, and spoke.

“Hello. This is Kagami Kurosawa.”

[…I see Yuka is there with you.]

“Yes, she’s been helping me with my request. She’s done admirably.”

[May I ask what kind of request?]

Kagami looked at Yuka and answered with a slight smile.

“Yes, it was a request to find Kotone’s body.”

[Did you find the body?]

“Of course. In a much more perfect condition than I expected. Though the girl’s stubbornness almost ruined everything midway.”

[…]

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

[What are you trying to do?]

“I’m trying to bring Kotone back.”

Silence again.

[There’s no such method in this world—]

“There is.”

Kagami said.

“If you wish, you could come and see for yourself.”

[…Even if there is, it can’t be a normal method.]

“Well, whether it’s normal or not ultimately depends on your standards. At least right now, I’m looking at hope.”

[…]

Silence fell over the receiver again for a moment.

[…Ms. Kurosawa, could you reconsider once more?]

And that was the question that came.

“I think that’s too harsh a question for someone who has missed the most important moments after reconsidering over and over again.”

Kagami answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“I hesitated for too long. I’m sorry, but my answer to that question will always be the same.”

Kagami answered with a much calmer voice than usual, but with absolute certainty.

“I’ll put your granddaughter back on. Please say what you wish to say.”

Kagami handed the phone back to Yuka.

Yuka carefully took the phone and put it to her ear.

[Yuka.]

“…Grandfather.”

[Yuka, you need to think carefully.]

Her grandfather said.

[There is no ritual in this world without a price. Connecting the netherworld and the mortal world always comes with risks. You know that.]

“…”

[Yuka.]

Her grandfather’s voice wasn’t strict and resolute like when he usually spoke about such matters.

It was a voice that seemed to sense something was going wrong.

[Yuka, won’t you please think once more.]

“…”

She had thought about it many times.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

Why did Yuka have to kill her best friend? Did Kotone really have to die then? Wasn’t there a better way?

Or was becoming friends in the first place the mistake?

Should she have been hostile from the moment she knew of Kotone’s existence? Would Yuka not have been hurt if she had stabbed and eliminated Kotone then?

[Yuka. Those who have departed are just that—departed.]

Her grandfather said.

Yes, that might be true. If they had truly departed.

Yuka looked down at Kotone.

Kotone was just lying on the floor with a peaceful expression, as if she were merely sleeping.

“Uu…?”

Koko looked up at Yuka.

[Yuka.]

“…Grandfather.”

Yuka finally spoke.

“Grandfather, I can’t.”

Yuka said slowly.

“I’ve already thought about it too much.”

Yes, she had already thought about it repeatedly.

Yuka had wondered many times.

Did Kotone really have to die?

Was she a child who had to die for the sake of this world?

“Grandfather, may I ask you one thing?”

Yuka asked without waiting for an answer.

“What did you think when you first saw Kotone?”

[…]

“Did you ever think that Kotone shouldn’t exist in this world?”

[Yuka.]

“Did you ever think she was a child who would eventually die, or who had to die?”

Her grandfather had always been kind to Kotone.

He would rush to the hospital when Kotone was hurt and tried to take care of her in every way.

But—

“Grandfather.”

No matter how well he treated Kotone, her grandfather had never once said he had changed his mind.

Because to her grandfather, Kotone was “something” whose true nature couldn’t be known.

“Why did you feel sorry for Kotone?”

[…]

“When I told you what I heard from Kotone later, you didn’t say anything.”

Yuka had thought about it many times.

Kudan prophesies threats to the world and tells how to prevent those calamities.

If the prophecy about the threat was “Kotone dying at the hands of someone she trusts,” then the way to prevent it was “think again.”

The true essence of that prophecy is still unknown. If Kotone’s death at the hands of someone she trusts is a harbinger of disaster, what’s the problem with “reviving her” now?

Rather, Yuka wanted to ask something.

“Grandfather, think again.”

Yuka said in a firm voice.

Yes.

If they were going to place the burden of a threat to the world entirely on the shoulders of a young girl, telling her she must die, that she must die to keep this world safe.

Why should those who “think again” be just one person?

If they were willing to place responsibility on one person’s shoulders, then in the opposite situation, that responsibility should be shared by everyone else.

So, Yuka wanted to ask.

“Have you never, not once, changed that way of thinking? Not just you, but even the high-ranking people of this country.”

If the prophecy spoke of disease, typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or meteor impacts.

People wouldn’t place all responsibility on one person to prepare for it.

They would build dams, demolish or reinforce buildings without earthquake-resistant designs, create organizations for disease control, and evacuate residents in advance.

None of those measures can be delegated to just one person.

So why must this death be borne solely by Kotone?

“…You’re coming here, aren’t you? Then I want to ask everyone else too. Why they think that way. Why… they place all that responsibility on just a few people.”

[Yuka…!]

“Yes, I’ve thought about it again.”

Yuka said, looking strongly at Kagami.

“This is what I think. I’m going to find my friend. And whatever happens afterward, I’ll take responsibility myself. In a way the adults didn’t.”

Click.

The phone closed.

“…I didn’t realize you thought that deeply.”

Kagami said, somewhat admiringly.

“You’re just trying to correct your mistakes too.”

Yuka said, glancing at Kagami.

“Because there were so many things you could have done while Kotone was alive, but didn’t.”

Kagami was at a loss for words for a while, looking at Yuka with a somewhat overwhelmed expression.

Yuu looked back and forth between Yuka and Kagami.

“…Yuka.”

Koko murmured blankly.

Yuka smiled slightly at Koko.

“I’ll… I’ll wait outside if I’m not needed here. I don’t know how long this will take, but visitors will surely come.”

“…”

Kagami closed her eyes briefly to think, then nodded.

“…Thank you, Miss Yuuki.”

“…”

“Did you hear the answer then?”

“The answer?”

“The thing on the club room desk at that time. I didn’t know why you were doing such a thing at that point—but yes.”

Kagami smiled slightly.

“You might have done it because you wanted to see my daughter.”

“…”

Yuka bowed her head briefly.

“She said it was okay.”

“Uwa?”

“She said it was okay.”

“Yes, Kotone was that kind of child…”

“I see.”

Kagami nodded.

“Indeed, she was. If it was her, she would have said that.”

Leaving Kagami’s response behind, Yuka turned around.

And opened the door to leave.

The sound of a car could be heard in the distance.

Was it her imagination? It seemed to be coming this way.

“…”

Yuka placed her hand on the sword’s hilt.

*

“If I don’t come back to life—”

“If you don’t come back to life?”

When I muttered in shock after hearing Kuro’s words, Kuro said,

“Were you planning to live here forever?”

“…”

“I told you, right? Your consciousness is here, preventing your soul from departing.”

Kuro looked at me steadily and said,

“Someone whose body is alive cannot stay here forever. Your very existence causes too much upheaval in this world. This is the world of dreams. When the subject of the dream comes and moves around, too many things happen in too short a time. Look at them.”

I looked at the beasts still sitting quietly as Kuro instructed.

“Right now, what you’re doing hasn’t escalated into something major, but if you stay here forever, how long do you think you can remain without making any mistakes? In this place where time flows much more leisurely than in your original world?”

“…”

“You’re not thinking of doing that to me after I showed kindness to you to save a few of your friends, are you?”

I couldn’t say anything.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Kuro looked at my face and meowed softly, laughing.

“Yes, don’t worry. You seem to have really good friends. And—”

Kuro looked straight up at me.

“You have much greater power than you think. Besides Nirlas’s power.”

“…What kind?”

“You were worrying about strange things.”

Kuro spoke with a sphinx-like face, as if posing a riddle.

“So… you know, connecting to what I said earlier, you were worrying about being a servant of god, realizing god’s will, being an entity that delivers god’s messages—isn’t your perspective too narrow? You should try looking at what’s not in your field of vision too.”

Kuro said this while looking at the now docile beasts.