Ch.97Chapter 13. Superiority (4)

People disheartened, surrounded by dark prospects and crisis. Amidst them, a clear-eyed madman rises resolutely and says:

‘We must become one.’

Or. It’s something that can be whispered by a demon’s mouthpiece to a warrior who came to the deepest, darkest place dreaming of revenge, but is now dying, unable to go further.

‘We must become one.’

As far as I know, that phrase is used either to bind everyone together or to hide ulterior motives and seduce. It means the context changes the meaning.

But Cassandra’s “We must become one” is completely… incomprehensible. In fact, I’m almost afraid to ask for clarification.

“…I’d like to hear more details.”

“As I said, the virus in both of you is remarkably stable. Also, the virus is quite cooperative with you. Since it has already established itself as the dominant strain in your bodies, its survival strategy won’t change overnight.

Johan, Camilla, if you two become even more intimate with each other, that tendency will become even stronger. But right now, an uninvited guest has come between you two.”

Cassandra pointed to herself.

“So what happens then?”

“Typically in such cases, viruses fight for dominance. Until the virus detected in the other’s body becomes similar to their own.

If the other doesn’t easily ‘submit,’ it will become increasingly virulent, and to spread itself more, it will further damage your bodies. Just like when humans need to conquer other humans, they ‘obtain’ weapons from nature when they run out.

So infect Cassandra’s body with your virus as quickly as possible. Until they completely conquer Cassandra’s body. And as far as Cassandra knows, the most persistent and effective means of infection is physical contact. The more frequent the exposure, the better, right?”

It was quite an extraordinary story.

“Conversely, Camilla and I could be influenced by your virus.”

Cassandra answered my question quite simply.

“That’s why you two also need to maintain a relationship. More deeply than now.”

Camilla, who had been quietly listening, stood up from her seat.

“I can’t follow this conversation at all.”

“Where are you going?”

“Johan. Cassandra. I’m sorry. I’m a bit… confused.”

I can understand. My head is spinning a bit too. Before Cassandra could say “uh, well,” Camilla had already opened the door and left. I could hear her footsteps going up the stairs.

Cassandra hung her head.

“…You don’t believe Cassandra either?”

“Well, this is a somewhat different issue.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not so much about believing or not believing, but rather whether one can accept it or not. The conclusion is quite… at odds with what’s generally accepted.”

That didn’t seem to help much. Cassandra deflated completely. The vibrant and bubbly demeanor from earlier was nowhere to be seen, replaced by her usual shrunken posture.

“Let’s sit down and have some water. Would you like something to eat? Aren’t you hungry?”

Cassandra sat next to me but didn’t ask for anything. I brought her a plastic water bottle and some candy from the shelf. The candy disappeared into her small, plump mouth. Watching her made me hungry too, so I gulped down some water.

“…The Chro virus.”

“Hm?”

“The reason the Chro virus is more lethal than other viruses is that it thoroughly exploited human lifestyle itself. More than any other virus that has caused great harm to humans. Like a comprehensive attack package.

But humans keep saying this won’t work, that won’t work… they don’t properly follow guidelines. Even if they do listen, they only follow half or behave worse than not listening at all. How can we ever defeat the virus this way?”

Cassandra bit her lower lip. She seemed quite disheartened. Well, she must have thought she was offering the optimal solution and was excited to share it, but our response was lukewarm. Still, it’s not something that can be easily accepted. That’s probably…

“Dominant strain.”

Cassandra looked at me with round eyes.

“You said it yourself. The dominant strain doesn’t easily change its strategy. And humans, well, regardless of the facts, think of themselves as the superior species. Maybe they don’t feel the need to change.

Rather than not believing, it’s more that there hasn’t been a major problem following the current strategy. It might be better to say it doesn’t resonate.”

“But Johan, people aren’t viruses.”

“I don’t see much difference.”

“…You’re more cynical than you look.”

“And you’re a better person than I thought.”

Cassandra burst out laughing.

“Do I seem that way?”

“Yes.”

She’s a woman who overcame all sorts of adversities to get here, determined to solve the virus problem. In her urgency and impatience, she even used her own body as a test subject.

From what I can see, the only force driving Cassandra is the eradication of the virus, nothing else. In her single-mindedness and tunnel vision, there’s a kind of persistence comparable to that of a zombie.

“But Cassandra. You can’t save everyone in the world. No matter how much you extend a helping hand, if the person who needs to receive it isn’t ready. That’s their choice, not your fault.”

“But Cassandra contributed to making the world this way.”

It was something she had mentioned in passing. Cassandra fidgeted with her fingers. But soon she shook her head.

“No. I don’t want to talk about that yet. Anyway, Cassandra just wants to make things right. I’ve done wrong to the world, so I must make amends. That’s what Cassandra thinks. When I did something wrong, everyone accepted it without question, but when I’m saying something truly right, no one listens.”

“I’ll believe you.”

I’m certain about this. I know the end of this world. And Cassandra is the only person I’ve met in this world who accurately predicted the desolate future. She’s not just intelligent; she sees the situation ‘correctly.’

“…Really?”

“I don’t know everything you had to go through to get here, but it’s clear you were desperate. Looking at what you’ve done so far, I can’t help but believe you.”

“Do you love Camilla?”

Cassandra started picking at her hands. A sudden, unexpected leap. This is definitely something I’m not used to.

“Why is Camilla suddenly part of this conversation?”

“People in love constrain each other. They prevent their partners from being intimate with others in the same way. Is that why you won’t do it for Cassandra? Because you love Camilla and will only give signals of affection to her?”

“We haven’t gone… that deep. I mean, physically.”

“Cassandra doesn’t know about that.”

No. A woman who understands virus structures claims not to know this? Is that even plausible, or does she just not want to understand? Cassandra sighed deeply.

“I admit it. Cassandra lacks social skills. When I was young, I was hailed as a genius and couldn’t see what was in front of me, and after being cast out of paradise, I only received curses and mockery from everyone. And Cassandra has no desire to learn what has been unnecessary until now. I’ve been living just fine without it.”

No, that’s not it. It’s obvious even to me.

“I don’t think that’s true.”

“It is.”

“What’s that phrase you keep saying? ‘No one listens to Cassandra.’ You’re upset about it.”

“I’m not upset.”

“Then why are you all deflated and huddled up like this?”

“I said I’m not upset.”

“I’m not particularly sociable either.”

“Liar.”

I briefly told her about how things were initially with Camilla. Cassandra was quite shocked.

“It’s true. Ask Camilla. It took a lot of effort to get close. Mostly on Camilla’s part. So I’m grateful in many ways. Anyway, I had planned to live here alone. Not living with anyone.”

“People can’t live like that.”

“I told you. You think that way because you’re good and kind. In fact, you like meeting people and want everyone to be happy. You still have that heart.”

“That’s because Cassandra…”

“…I don’t know what mortal sin you committed, but not everyone who has sinned acts like you. Out of a hundred, or even a thousand, they would all firmly deny any wrongdoing.”

It was something a retired profiler had said during a special lecture at school. Out of more than a thousand people he had met, none admitted their wrongdoing. That’s the mindset of criminals. Their way of thinking is fundamentally different.

“Th-thank you. You’re the first person to say something like that to me.”

Cassandra swept her long, black straight hair over her shoulder. Her chest is so large that it draws attention, but Cassandra has quite a pretty face too. More cute than pretty, perhaps. Of course, those strange green eyes that seem to pull you in when you look at them give her a unique impression.

“…But in the end, you won’t follow Cassandra’s diagnosis either, will you?”

“If you insist, let’s give it a try.”

Cassandra blinked.

“What about Camilla? You think of her as special, don’t you? And she thinks of you that way too.”

“Then let’s say it’s for science. Or medicine. Whatever. We’re conducting an experiment. There’s absolutely no personal… nothing like that involved. How about that?”

“…Nothing personal.”

Cassandra nodded once, then again. Her cheeks seemed to flush a little. The way she inhaled with a “hmmph” looked quite cute. Her bouncing chest was far from cute, though.

“R-right. This is for the people of the world. But um… this is a bit embarrassing to say.”

I was surprised that Cassandra could even feel ’embarrassed.’ Not knowing what unexpected thing she might say next, I nodded to encourage her to speak.

“Um. Cassandra knows what happens. I’ve seen it in books and learned it in medical school. I mean, things like the process of pregnancy.”

“We’re not going that far today.”

“What Cassandra means is, I don’t know where to start. Every study has a basic starting point, but I have no idea about this.”

Well, I don’t know either. If I did, I wouldn’t be in this situation.

“Um, ah, what do you know?”

“…It’s embarrassing.”

Of all the things Cassandra has said so far, this is the most shocking. It’s still shocking the second time I hear it.

Embarrassed? What could possibly…

Ah.

It is embarrassing. I’m embarrassed just watching.

Cassandra stretched her neck, closed her eyes, and… pursed her lips tightly and… stuck them out. I’ve seen this before. My three, no, four-year-old niece does this when she kisses.

So Cassandra’s ‘expression of affection’ hasn’t progressed at all since then.

“Chu… chup…”

Why is she making her lips wet? It’s making strange sounds. And puckering them up so round and sticking them out is incredibly awkward.

“Um. Cassandra.”

“Uh, u, umm?”

“…Let me do it. Close your eyes and relax.”

“W-was it… not right?”

“It was a bit off.”

I placed my hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. When I gently stroked her cheek and jaw with my thumb, Cassandra startled and flinched.

I pressed gently to reassure her, and she calmed down again. I lightly cupped her neck with my palm and slowly pulled her closer.

But Cassandra, either resisting or tense, kept her neck rigid and her head held high. It’s like watching a child tensing up.

So I just went to her instead.

Before our lips even touched, no, before our faces got close, our chests met first. Something slightly firm yet soft pressed against my chest. It spread out as if covering my entire chest, squishing against me.

Cassandra made a soft, yearning sound and tilted her head slightly back. It must have been quite stimulating for her. Fortunately, her body went limp. Gently pulling her head and neck, I kissed her.

“Uu, uuuu, hu, huut…”

No, anyone watching would think I’m forcing her. She didn’t seem willing at all, so I pulled away immediately.

“F-for s-s-science, r-right, r-r-right.”

Cassandra’s face had turned bright red. Her eyes were spinning as if she’d been hypnotized. She kept stuttering as if she was buffering.

She’s broken down.

“For science and medicine, Cassandra.”

“Y-yes. Right. This is, n-not p-personal, it’s j-just a t-therapeutic act. R-right?”

I’m not sure if she’s trying to calm herself down or reassure me.

“Yes. It’s not bad. You said it’s necessary.”

“R-right. N-necessary. So, u-umm…”

Once more, slowly. Yes. This is purely for therapeutic purposes.

“Eh. Ueh? Heeee. I, J-Johan… uh…”

“Sorry, maybe this is too much…”

“Heeeee.”

Before I could finish, Cassandra pulled me closer. She kissed me like I had done earlier, but it was so… forceful and… strong that I couldn’t tell if she was trying to mash our lips together or what. It was like being nuzzled by a dog rather than a person.

“Uh, u, uwup, Ca, Cassan…”

“It feels good.”

Somehow, Cassandra’s arms seemed to be getting stronger. No, now she’s trying to climb on top of me. She’s practically pinning me down. Cassandra’s eyes seem to have rolled back.

“Do it. Do it. Quickly. More. More. More.”

She’s strangely aggressive. This time, I’ll try to go a bit deeper.

“Ah, ouch!”

Failure. Cassandra jerked her head back in apparent shock.

“T-tongue, why did you suddenly put your tongue in? You startled me! Why would you put that in someone’s mouth…! Ah. Could this be… that…”

“No. I’m sorry. I should have told you first.”

Ugh, I hope this isn’t bleeding? Fortunately, it just stings a little, but—uwup.

Cassandra collapses onto me.

No, she pushes me down onto the chair and crushes me from above. Like I did earlier, but she clumsily shoves her tongue in haphazardly. It’s suffocating, and I struggle, but Cassandra clings even more wetly.

“Cough, cough! Cough! Hoo. Hoooo… heek…”

Finally, she pulls away. Despite coughing continuously, she grins. Her smile stretches almost to her ears.

“Um… is this enough?”

It might be better to help her regain her senses. Her gaze is becoming increasingly sinister; I feel like I’ve triggered something wrong.

“Cassandra, are you listening to me?”

“…It’s unfair.”

“Huh?”

“You two have been enjoying this good thing all by yourselves. I’ve been missing out my entire life…”

“Whaaat?”

“It’s too, too good… Cassandra wants to do it too… Cassandra will! Do it!”

This time she kisses more dangerously. It’s unfair how she pins me down by pressing and rubbing her chest against me. I can’t move at all like this. She instinctively tries to slip her hand inside my clothes.

At that moment. The door flung open.

“Johan, when are we leaving? We need to get more food and bullets…”

It was Camilla.

“…Ah. Sorry. I see you were becoming one. Carry on.”

She closed the door and left.