Chapter 40 Part 5: Commission – Head Removal

“Damn it, my head hurts like hell…”

Muttering complaints endlessly, I flopped onto the ground, not caring if I got dirty.

It was because I wanted to suppress the intense heat building inside my body, feeling like it might melt, more than I cared about the dirt.

Perhaps my ability had deactivated at some point, as the blood of the guy whose human-form body was mangled began to approach me, but I didn’t care.

It would just evaporate from the heat if it got close.

“…Revenge has failed. As expected, a returnee is a returnee, huh? I should have been more careful.”

“What the f*ck. You’re still alive?”

“Don’t underestimate me. Wounds like these won’t kill me.”

“Alright, alright. Don’t try to salvage your pride over something like that while you’re dying.”

“Hmph.”

Was he trying to maintain his pride?

His words carried pride in his abilities, but ironically, his tone also revealed a sense of despair.

He had only managed to avoid immediate death somehow.

As if he knew that if things continued like this, his death was only a matter of time.

He seemed to understand the fact that even if I took no action and simply left this place, he would eventually die anyway.

Yet, knowing this better than anyone, his refusal to stop asserting his pride seemed to show what kind of person he truly was.

“The trash from the Association…. I always said they needed to be replaced. A person like this is merely F-rank? Ha. If they were my employee, it wouldn’t have ended with just killing.”

“That’s fortunate, then. From the perspective of an Association employee.”

“They’re incompetent fools. They never change.”

He seems to really hate the Association.

As he vented his irritation, saying he wanted to overhaul the Association someday, anger flickered in his expression.

“You seem to hate the Association?”

“How could I like them? Those bastards have been a thorn in my side ever since the Gate incident occurred. I thought I’d replace those incompetents with capable people someday…”

“It would be meaningless. There are always places where even capable people rot away in an instant.”

“…Ha. You’re not wrong.”

I could sympathize with his thoughts.

There’s no place more rotten than organizations like the Association or government agencies that go around claiming to pursue the public interest.

Of course, there must be honest people too, but nine times out of ten, the ones I’ve seen haven’t managed to break my prejudice.

At this point, it might as well be called big data rather than prejudice.

Though one could argue it’s because most of the guys I met were targets of my revenge…

Who cares.

“It’s a pity I have to go without eliminating that trash.”

“You’re trash too. Others would see you the same way.”

“Other people’s evaluations are meaningless. As long as I live well, that’s all that matters.”

“Wow, that’s a remarkably familiar statement…”

Seeing him react sensitively to his own harm while treating the wounds he inflicted on others as trivial, I almost felt a pang of nostalgia.

If this guy, instead of me, had ended up in Neo City, wouldn’t he have blended into the city in less than a day?

His values were so similar that such thoughts casually drifted through my mind.

“Well, complaining like that is pointless now, isn’t it? You’re going to die soon anyway.”

“Ha. That’s true too.”

Cough, cough.

As he coughed violently, blood started pouring from his mouth.

Just as I became certain he didn’t have much time left seeing that.

He spoke to me quietly.

“…Give me a light.”

“Asking the person who killed you and your son to light your cigarette, you’re quite a funny guy, aren’t you?”

“You’re one to talk, giving it to me quietly.”

“You’re gonna die anyway, might as well grant a dying wish.”

“Hmph.”

Seeing him tremble and struggle just to raise the cigarette, as if even moving was becoming difficult, I roughly snatched it and placed it in his mouth; he glared at me with dissatisfaction.

Be grateful I’m even giving you time for a smoke before you die.

As I gave him that look, he soon seemed to give up, closing his eyes and just smoking the cigarette.

“Hmm, he’s gone.”

Why the hell do guys like this always love smoking right before they die?

I don’t know how many times I’ve lit a cigarette as a ‘last wish’.

Back when I was in Neo City, I wondered if they’d watched some movie or something, but it’s the same here.

“Haran, it’s over.”

I reported to Haran while looking at the corpse, unable to lift its head anymore, not even thinking of picking up the cigarette that fell from its mouth.

Maybe she’s prepared a delicious meal? I thought.

However, contrary to my thoughts, Haran didn’t say anything.

“…Haran? Can you hear me?”

[…]

“Where did you go? Answer if you can hear me. If you don’t answer, I’ll tease you about it for a while.”

[…]

Why isn’t there an answer? Did she get hacked and her brain fried?

No, that can’t be right. Haran doesn’t even have a brain implant.

Then why isn’t she answering?

…I don’t know.

I ran countless simulations in my head, but I couldn’t figure out why Haran wasn’t responding.

Don’t tell me she fell backward and cracked her head open?

Realizing further contemplation was useless, I started walking, entertaining trivial thoughts, for about a minute.

Haran’s voice, which hadn’t been audible before, reached me.

“Ella! Ella! Where are you?!”

“…?”

Not in my ear, but from a distance.

Wondering if I’d misheard, I glanced around, only to hear Haran’s voice again, leaving me questioning.

Why is she here?

“Haran?”

“Eh, Ella! Are you okay?! …Kyaaah! Hot!”

“Ah, be careful. My body is a bit hot right now.”

“Hiii, hiiiiiii… It hurts…!”

She wasn’t even listening.

I smiled watching Haran fuss dramatically, paying the price for carelessly placing both hands on my shoulders.

Her reactions are quite amusing.

“Ugh, it hurts…”

“I’ll heal you later. …So? Why did you come?”

“Ah, well…”

The distance between Haran and me wasn’t that close.

Come to think of it, Haran was unusually quiet around the time I was talking to the guild leader.

Had she already left then?

But why? For what reason?

Unable to comprehend her actions at all, I started questioning her.

“I really don’t get it. What was your purpose? Spoils?”

“No, it wasn’t like that…”

“Tell me. So I can understand you better.”

“Uhm…”

As I stared intently at Haran’s face, who was mumbling and reluctant to speak, she averted her gaze.

But only for a moment.

After I kept at it for a while, silently demanding an answer, Haran seemed to realize the situation wouldn’t end unless she spoke, squeezed her eyes shut, and opened her mouth.

“I-I was worried…!”

“Huh?”

“Well, uh, he’s a really strong person…! You never know! I thought maybe I could be of some help to you, Ella…”

“…”

Worried? Who? …About me? Haran?

Unable to process it for a moment, I stared blankly at her, and as if I were teasing her, her face flushed red as she spoke to me.

“I-It was unnecessary worry! I’m sorry!”

“…No, thank you.”

“You don’t need to say that. I know you’re probably thinking I came for no reason…”

“No, I mean it more than you think. Thank you.”

“Huh?”

It had been a long time.

Since someone had shown me kindness without expecting anything in return.

During my long life, it wasn’t that no one had ever shown me favor.

But that was only when I was advantageous to them.

It was the kind of favor where I was certain they wouldn’t hesitate to abandon me if their own safety was threatened.

Therefore, I could tell Haran’s kindness was literally pure goodwill.

She knew I was strong, but she must have also known the enemy was strong.

She must have also known that coming here without even knowing if the fight was going favorably or unfavorably was tantamount to a suicide mission.

And yet, she came. To help me.

That fact made me a little happy.

The sweetness of selfless kindness.

Because it felt like tasting that sweetness for the first time in a long while.

“Haaah, this feels nice.”

“Huh? What are you suddenly talking about?”

“What do you mean suddenly? Haran loves me this much, of course it feels nice, right?”

“?! L-Love! I…”

“Oh? You hate me?”

“What?! Th-That’s not it…!”

“Then you do like me, right?”

“W-Well, if you put it in terms of like or hate, it’s more towards like…?”

“Then that’s a confession.”

“N-No! Wait! That’s different! Where are you going! Ella?! P-Please listen to me…!”

Listening to Haran hastily chasing after me, pouring out various excuses, I walked leisurely.

Her careful avoidance of saying she didn’t like me in a romantic sense, perhaps worried I might harbor feelings for her.

Seeing that, I finally couldn’t suppress the corners of my mouth from turning up.

“Kuhuk.”

“?! Eh, Ella…! You were teasing me again!”

“Sorry, sorry. It was just too funny.”

“Aah, really…!”

Unlike a moment ago, this time I let her stream of complaints wash over me as I walked on.

Cherishing the warm, fuzzy feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time deep within my chest.