Ch.435IF Side Story: Seems I’ve Arrived a Bit Early (132)

For a very brief moment, my thoughts froze.

Mako was trying to take me and run away.

The reason was because she had experienced something similar before.

At the campsite, we unexpectedly and suddenly encountered a bear. At that time, I told Mako to run away.

Mako ran away from me.

I survived, and the bear disappeared without a trace. That day, Mako hugged me and cried.

After that, we lost contact with each other.

I moved to Tokyo. Mako was also in Tokyo. We were close in terms of distance, and above all, in a metropolis overflowing with public transportation, we could have met again if we had wanted to.

But I didn’t go to see Mako. I was just complacently thinking that I would go see her in the distant future, when everything was settled.

If, just if.

If I hadn’t met Mako again like this, what would have happened to her?

I only acted that way hoping Mako would be safe, but if I hadn’t been here, Mako might have encountered that thing alone.

…Am I overthinking this? Or is it because I’m here that Mako and that monster met? Honestly, there wasn’t enough evidence to make a proper judgment either way.

“Mako.”

I said that first as I placed my hand on top of hers.

“Mako, calm down. Don’t worry. I—”

“No!”

I tried to open my mouth to somehow send Mako away, but she shouted. It was loud enough to make my ears sting for a moment.

“That time, Kotone, you were covered in blood! Something definitely happened! You didn’t say anything, but definitely!”

“……”

What should I say to Mako?

I couldn’t think of what to say right away.

I was fine.

My body was bitten once, I bled, it hurt, and I almost died, but in the end, I was fine. Thanks to some being that wasn’t of this world taking care of me, my body was able to recover without leaving any significant scars.

…There’s no way I could tell Mako that.

Especially not in this situation.

“…Mako.”

“Kotone, so this time, together—”

“No, Mako.”

I answered calmly.

“Mako, listen carefully.”

I took a deep breath.

The chill I felt on my back had grown much larger than before.

Since Mako had shouted so loudly, passersby should have noticed us, and even people a bit further away might have shown interest. It wouldn’t be strange if a patrolling officer heard it too.

But there was no one around.

The problem wasn’t just that there was no one; there was no sound at all.

As if the world had emptied out, leaving only Mako and me.

…In the original novel, and in this world too, if left alone, nests slowly grow and consume their surroundings.

If they can’t move or consume the nest, there would be no point in yokai building such things in the first place.

I heard a rustling sound from inside the alley.

“Mako.”

I said, placing one hand on Mako’s face.

“From now on, turn around, and don’t look this way.”

“…Kotone?”

Once we’ve entered here, it would be difficult for Mako to go back alone.

Just as it’s possible to cut through space with a blade and enter, it might be possible to cut through space to exit.

But could I buy enough time to do that in this situation?

This was my fault.

My fault for not immediately pushing Mako away. My fault for worrying about how Mako might see me.

“No matter what sounds you hear. I’ll be fine.”

I took out a box cutter from my bag.

“Mako, hurry.”

When I let go of her hand, Mako stepped back a few steps, trembling.

“Ko-Kotone, what are you talking about… what is this now.”

It seemed Mako was gradually realizing that this situation was not normal.

“Mako.”

When I looked at Mako sternly and spoke, she hesitantly turned around.

Then, as if her legs had given out, she crouched down. She looked so… pitiful that it hurt my heart.

I extended the blade and cut my wrist.

Very faintly, I thought I heard laughter in my ear.

*

Mako couldn’t understand the situation.

She recalled what had happened just before she and Kotone parted ways in their childhood.

Kotone had told Mako to run away then too.

Back then, it was a bear. Of course, there was no reason for such a bear to be wandering around in this city. Minato Ward was far from the mountains.

But still, Kotone’s attitude was so similar to that day that she couldn’t help but remember it.

She couldn’t be of any help.

She had tried to run away with Kotone, but for some reason, Kotone refused.

Was it like that this time too? Was she volunteering as bait to let Mako escape from the bear?

She heard something flowing. There was a pungent iron smell.

“Ple-ple-ple-please—”

A strange sound was heard.

Just hearing the voice gave her a strong sense of discomfort.

Although Mako didn’t particularly believe in things like ghosts or monsters, it was a voice that sounded like such a being forcibly imitating a human voice—a voice that couldn’t be identified as male or female.

“He-he-he-help. Help me.”

What did it mean to ask for help in this situation—

“Mea-“

But the sound she heard the next moment, Mako seemed to understand what it meant.

“at— I’m hungry.”

Once again, she smelled blood.

There was no sound at all from Kotone.

A sound of something being torn. A sound of something screaming. Was that Kotone’s voice? No, Mako didn’t want to believe that. She didn’t want to think that the sound of something being chewed was Kotone’s sound either.

She just trembled, covering her ears with both hands.

Why?

Why was this happening?

She had just been living normally. Going to school, making friends, playing, studying. That was surely the life she had been living.

So why was this happening?

Something was being sprinkled, bit by bit, behind Mako.

She felt something flowing on the hands covering her ears. The liquid that had splashed on Mako, as if sprayed with a mister, was sticking to her hands and flowing down.

Mako brought her trembling hands in front of her eyes.

Red liquid was sticking to the back of her hand and flowing down.

It wasn’t a small amount.

And Mako wasn’t so thoughtless as to not realize what it was.

“Kotone…!”

Just as Mako was about to turn around in shock.

“Wait, Mako.”

Someone placed a hand on Mako’s shoulder.

“…Yuka?”

Mako looked up at the suddenly appeared Yuka and murmured blankly.

Yuka was holding a sword in her hand. If it had been something commonly seen around like a box cutter or kitchen knife, she might have thought it was dangerous, but what she was actually holding was a long katana that wouldn’t be carried by an ordinary high school girl.

“…It seems Kotone told you to do that. Just stay like that for now. It’s… better if you can cover your ears too.”

Mako blankly looked up at Yuka.

“Ah, Koko. …Sigh, I told her to wait.”

Yuka muttered as she got up.

“What did Kotone say?”

“That she’d be fine.”

“Right. She’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry too much. …Though I can’t help but worry anyway.”

Yuka said with a somewhat bitter expression and then quickly left.

Mako could only remain blankly kneeling on the ground.

What should she do?

What could she do?

But the moment Mako moved to do something here, wouldn’t everything go wrong?

…

She had only wished that Kotone wouldn’t disappear without a word like that time.

Mako trembled, wondering if this had happened because she didn’t leave when told to.

*

If the being lending me this power could be called a god.

I hate gods.

Not telling me more details, or rather, not even giving me a chance to ask—was it for today?

The situation was over.

I was able to defeat the yokai.

My arm was bitten, and below my shin was bitten. Logically, it wouldn’t be strange if they were practically severed with flesh torn off and some bones crushed, but I eventually got up again.

The sword cut too well, and the arugi seemed to think I was too distasteful to eat.

And then, in the midst of us slashing at each other, Yuka intervened.

No, was Koko first? Honestly, I was a bit dizzy, so the order was only vaguely recalled.

…

So it ended up like this.

Yuka was quietly looking at me. It wasn’t a face that seemed to blame me for anything. Rather, it was the face of someone looking at a pitiful person.

“Kotone…”

Koko clung to me with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

I gently stroked Koko’s head, then turned my gaze back to Mako.

Mako was sitting flat on the ground, still covering her ears with both hands.

Blood had splattered on her back.

Mako was trembling.

…

What should I do?

I really don’t know what to do. My mind is blanker than when I faced the yokai.

I was still covered in blood.

Is it okay to talk to Mako in this state?

I carefully approached where Mako was.

Mako flinched at the sound of my footsteps. She didn’t turn around.

“Mako.”

I said.

“Mako. It’s over. It’s okay.”

Before Mako could turn around, I sat behind her.

And I gently placed my hand on her back.

“It’s going to be okay now.”

“Re-really? Are you okay?”

Mako asked, still trembling.

“Yes.”

“Ko-Kotone, you’re not going anywhere, right?”

“……”

At those words, I closed my eyes.

“Yes.”

I said, as if exhaling.

“This time, I’m not going anywhere.”

Only after hearing that did Mako burst into tears.

I became even more unsure of what to do.

A few passersby screamed when they saw us. It’s understandable seeing girls covered in blood from head to toe.

The police will come soon.

…Thank goodness.