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V3 Story III – Part 01

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Translator: Kell

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Story III

One day a new pit was added to the graveyard.

The coffin was filled with the smell of blood.

The ■ asked the girl, who was burdened with a painful sin.

If the death of a friend begets grief, let’s undo it.

But it needed the missing ingredient.

One for the body, one for the soul.

The girl tried to gather the materials.

For her very precious friend.

She would have done anything.

Anything.

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Soldiers made of chocolate were lined up in a row, guns raised.

Mayuzumi reached for the column of twelve delicately-crafted soldiers, each wearing a different expression. She picked up the captain, who had a frown on his face, and put him in her mouth.

Crushing its tiny head, Mayuzumi looked up at the ceiling. The headless body still proudly held its gun.

Casting a glance at the ghastly scene, I carried over the cup in my hand. “Mayu-san, your hot chocolate is ready.”

“Hmm? Oh, thank you. Can you put it there, please?”

Mayuzumi crunched the rest and picked up the next one. Twelve soldiers disappeared into her mouth, one after another. Legs, heads, and arms were torn off, and an entire army was wiped out. Mayuzumi opened the next box.

Inside were twelve clowns. They were silent, holding balls and pins in their hands.

“What in the world is that chocolate, Mayu-san?”

“You mean these? Quite interesting, no? I thought I’d buy something new once in a while. I got a few different kinds of chocolate. But they just taste like hard milk chocolate. To be honest, I regret the purchase a little. They’re so hard to chew.”

Snap.

A clown, wearing a big smile on its face, was decapitated. A gruesome sight, but Mayuzumi didn’t seem to have any weird intentions. To her, chocolate was just food. It had no other value.

Even if it was in the shape of a human organ, she wouldn’t hesitate to eat it.

Ridding my head of gruesome images, I asked, “What did you and Yukihito talk about?”

After his meeting with Mayuzumi, Yukihito returned home with a box of souvenirs. Since Shirayuki’s letter was addressed only to Mayuzumi, I decided I shouldn’t join their conversation.

So I had no idea what they talked about.

“There was something bothering me,” she said. “Though he didn’t really need to come all the way over here. It’s just that the Minase clan doesn’t have a telephone, so they had to send a messenger. A real hassle. No phones, TVs, computers. Can you believe that? In this day and age?”

Mayuzumi shrugged and sipped her hot chocolate. She frowned, perhaps realizing that I put in more milk than usual. She picked up the crying clown and dipped it into the cup. Holding its foot, she spun it around.

“I talked to him about a god.”

I recalled ‘god’ sprinting away at full speed, looking strangely dignified.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Odagiri-kun? You look like a hamster that’s been thrown into a cat’s mouth.”

“That’s oddly specific,” I replied, looking away. “Have you actually seen a hamster thrown into a cat’s mouth?”

I could tell that my cheeks were twitching a little. So they were talking about the ‘god’. I wanted to ask about the details, but I couldn’t keep a straight face.

I tried not to think about what happened after the ‘god’ ran off.

What were we supposed to do if one day we found out it had multiplied?

Mayuzumi studied my face suspiciously. Her mouth twisted in amusement for some reason.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

We rarely had visitors in the office. I tensed up, wondering if it was a new case.

Mayuzumi put her cup on the desk. The clown’s feet jutted out from the sweet-smelling liquid.

“Can you answer that?” she asked with a smile.

I headed for the door. It could just be delivery, I prayed as I grabbed the doorknob.

I could still see glittering blue waves if I closed my eyes.

If possible, I didn’t want to take any new cases.

“Lad, Mayuko!” A familiar voice. “Open up, will you? My arms and back are about to give out!”

My eyes widened.

“Higasa-san?”

I quickly opened the door. On the other side was Higasa.

He was carrying a ridiculously huge box.

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“Let’s see, there’s crab, then beef. These are for you since you seem to not be eating well. If you coat the melon with chocolate, Mayuko should eat it. Also, I didn’t know which chocolate was good, so I just picked at random. There’s about five boxes.”

“How you managed to carry all this with only one arm is beyond me,” Mayuzumi said. “I don’t know whether to be impressed or appalled. As for the chocolate, it doesn’t matter what kind it is. I’ll take anything gratefully.”

“Oh, and here’s payment for the commute, lad. I really wish I could have given it to you back then. Sorry.”

He shoved an envelope toward me, and I took it. It was quite thick. I looked inside and saw a few ten thousand bills.

It was too much.

“I can’t take this,” I said. “It’s too much.”

“Please, just take it. If anything, I should be giving you more. I’m not exactly loaded. In fact, I’m struggling. That’s how much I owe you. Please, keep it. Thank you so much for what you did.” Higasa bowed politely.

I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t accept the envelope.

Higasa lifted his head. “Actually, I didn’t come here today just to thank you. I have one more favor to ask.”

“I had a feeling that was the case.” Mayuzumi pulled the clown out of the cup. “You’re extra over-the-top today. What is it?” She ran her tongue over the melted upper body of the chocolate.

Sweet droplets trickled down like blood.

“We received a case the other day about there being something in the house, along with rapping noises. It’s a normal case, but Akari-sama’s condition is unstable at the moment. I can’t keep an eye on things alone. I was hoping you could lend me a hand. If you don’t mind.”

Mayuzumi narrowed her eyes. She dunked the clown again and rested her chin on her hand with a frown.

“Why should I help you with that? An esper should manage the risks of their ability by themselves. And you should be the one doing that for Akari-kun. You’re her tribute, after all.”

A tribute?

An unfamiliar word. Higasa’s face scrunched up, and he pulled his gaze away from Mayuzumi.

He looked at me. “I’m not asking Lady Mayuzumi this time. Odagiri-san, could you please do me this favor?”

Me?

“Wait. Why me? I’m just an ordinary person. Uhm, I guess not exactly ordinary… but still.”

I had a demon in my stomach. But I myself was an ordinary human being with no supernatural powers.

And above all.

“I can’t do anything.”

I was powerless. I couldn’t save anyone, nor do anything.

Why ask a useless person like me for help?

“Akari-sama isn’t feeling well. But the longer we let her rest, the worse she’s going to get.”

I recalled what happened the other day. Akari’s shadow was completely deformed, twisting into a bizarre shape reminiscent of a mangled corpse.

“I’m not expecting supernatural assistance. I just need you to be there when something happens to Akari-sama. I can’t keep an eye on everything alone. Akari has opened to you ever since the incident at the park. It’s not often that she trusts someone other than me. I’m sure she will feel safer with you around.”

Higasa smiled, and in a soft voice, he added, “She’s lonely and fainthearted. So please.” He lowered his head again.

I gulped and looked at Mayuzumi.

She pulled the clown out of the cup, ate its two legs, and smiled. “You can do whatever you want. He brought the case to you. But as long as you carry that thing inside you, you must not forget about me. If you wish to go, you may. I’m not gonna stop you. You decide how to live your own life.” Mayuzumi chewed on the legs and sipped her hot chocolate.

She wanted me to make the decision. She had no intention of moving herself.

I closed my eyes tight. Fish leapt in the blue sea. Makihara’s screams rang in my ears. I shouldn’t have done anything. I made a wrong assumption and blamed him.

“So, thank you. Thank you so, so, so much.”

Akari’s voice played in my mind. She smiled at me, if only a little.

Right before I was about to respond, there was an unfamiliar sound. Something was shoved into the mail slot. The office rarely received mails. I went to the front door to see what it was. There was no sign of anyone outside the door. I stopped and swallowed.

A red envelope was on the floor.

A sinister hue similar to blood. The envelope was made of thick construction paper, sealed haphazardly with Scotch tape.

A chill ran down my spine. The baby in my belly laughed. I grabbed the envelope and went back to Mayuzumi.

“Uh, I found this, Mayu-san.”

“Hmm… What?”

Mayuzumi narrowed one eye and accepted the envelope. When she tore open the tape, a folded sheet of construction paper came from inside, with a message written in red crayon.

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