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V11 Story III – Part 02

In the dim corridor, red petals scattered like breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel’s tale led us toward the dining room. Oddly, their bright colors were clear even in the darkness.

I looked around. There were no vines or flowers inside the mansion. The petals seamlessly merged with the environment, casting an eerie vibe. Unclear anomalies always unsettled me more than overt ones. Upon entering the dining room, I crushed the petals under my feet and settled into a chair.

Asato sat beside me, while across from us, clan members lined up, all eyes fixed on their master.

Kotori and Mayuzumi occupied opposite ends of the dining table, legs crossed, silently holding each other’s gaze as if no one else existed.

Kotori’s black cloak billowed behind her, and Mayuzumi’s red parasol twirled round and round.

Kotori broke the silence first. “Well then, shall we begin our discussion? Our little charade?”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing to discuss, Kotori-kun. I assume you think the same. You’re in a position to threaten us now. Get to the point.”

Mayuzumi nonchalantly nibbled on chocolate. With a dramatic flourish, Kotori nodded.

Her large eyes blinked rapidly as she responded in a tone brimming with satisfaction. “Ah, you’re quick on the uptake. That will speed things up. I’ll cut to the chase, then. Let me convey my master’s words directly. ‘It’s about time you came over here, Mayuzumi Azaka.'”

Suddenly, her tone shifted, sweet as honey. She reached out her hand, slender fingers wriggling eerily like the tentacles of a mollusk.

“I’ve already broken my previous toy,” she continued. “It didn’t last long. It crumbled after I stretched one year to a hundred. I dismantled it, reassembled it incorrectly, fixed it properly, even turned it inside out. Your friend Odagiri seemed like he would last much longer.'”

Red lips curled into a smirk. Her simple words did not elicit any sinister imagery, but as I pondered their meaning, a chill ran down my spine. What did she mean by turning someone inside out?

My stomach churned violently. Calming Uka down, I swallowed back bitter bile.

“I couldn’t find any similarities between it and me no matter where I looked. The only thing that can offer me comfort is a fellow demon. Someone who, like me, can gaze upon red flesh for eternity without getting bored, someone who can laugh endlessly. You’re the one closest to being a demon. Come, Mayuzumi Azaka. I’ll be as gentle with you as possible.”

The woman’s sweet voice coiled around my entire body. The old man’s knuckles cracked.

As I analyzed the woman’s invitation in my head, I was struck by a shocking realization: the previous generation Azaka, washing ashore on the other side, was turned into the scarlet woman’s plaything.

Wasn’t she Asato’s mother?

I turned to Asato, at a loss for words, but he remained impassive, staring into the void. Without addressing the fate of the previous head, the conversation pressed on.

“If it’s truly my time to die, I won’t run away. I have no intention of becoming your plaything willingly. Why not endure the eternal boredom alone?”

“A reasonable sentiment. But you wouldn’t understand. Only a demon can provide solace to another demon. I can only feel content when comparing my being to someone else. You can’t expect human entertainment to be entertaining in the red, festering spirit world. There’s just nothing else that gives me satisfaction anymore. So come. If you don’t, I will come get you.”

Kotori’s teeth clattered, and she put on a ferocious grin. “Well, what do I do next? This concerns you, so you all best think about it. Remember the grim spectacle you witnessed. I will destroy anything for my beloved.” She smiled.

Memories of the red sky and the Mayuzumi mansion flooded my mind. The scarlet woman likely used Kotori as a medium to sow seeds altered by the spirit world. The flowers sprouted and devoured people according to the woman’s will.

Her smile hinted at that fact. Suddenly, her face turned blank. Fixing her posture, she jumped off the chair and bowed elegantly. Her black cloak flared.

“All right, let’s call it a day for now. Those who barely made it out of the mansion must be exhausted. Take some time to rest today; we’ll pick things up again tomorrow. Use the time to mull over your options. I suggest minimizing casualties. Even if they’re a divine being, there’s only one of them. Think it over carefully. Sleep well, dear guests.”

With a flare of her cloak, Kotori turned, and soon her footsteps vanished. We were the only ones left in the quiet dining room.

Asato lifted his head, speaking indifferently, “So, sis, what’s the plan? It seems a peaceful resolution involves your death if you want to avoid further chaos. But knowing you, you’re not keen on dying, are you?”

“Naturally. I’m not one for self-sacrifice. But it’s proving to be quite a bother.”

Crack!

Mayuzumi snapped a piece of chocolate, swallowing it with a heavy sigh.

“The scarlet woman is trapped in the spirit world. But she can influence this world through the humans she’s touched. Stabbing me might be quicker, but the supernatural vines will disintegrate upon contact with me. Mayuzumi Azaka can’t be killed by vines. So then, why doesn’t Kotori do it instead? There’s probably a reason they can’t do that either.”

Mayuzumi pondered while nibbling on chocolate, glancing at her clan members.

“As you all know, throughout history, Mayuzumi Azaka has been killed by members of the clan. Likely due to the scarlet woman’s influence, manipulating desires and hatred within the realm of dreams. What the fox did to the previous head is another matter. Anyway, you won’t forget the recent incident, will you? If you seek peace, you have the right to end my life as well. I believe that is the reason why she demanded members of the clan to come. But I’ll ask anyway. What’s your decision?”

Mayuzumi’s calm inquiry carried a hint of provocation. But the three clam members remained impassive. The girl in black did not even look like she actually considered the question.

“Whatever you desire, Azaka-sama, we shall obey without question.”

“Agreed. We all narrowly escaped the mansion alive. Needless to say, we will do as you wish. What do we do next? What about her?”

Grinning, the old man jerked his chin, his narrowed eyes fixed on the direction Kotori had gone. His serpent-like gaze sent shivers down my spine.

Mayuzumi shook her head. “Leave Kotori-kun be.” Her voice was laced with boredom. “Who knows what would happen if you laid a hand on her. I knew all along that a discussion was pointless. But there’s something else I desire. Let’s take her advice and rest for the night. Everyone can get some sleep.”

Mayuzumi rose from her chair. Twirling her parasol, she turned and exited the dining room. The old man and the girl followed suit. Then, I heard a sigh filled with anguish. I glanced up to see the man from the branch family awkwardly bite his lip, slap the table, and leave as well.

Once they were gone, only Asato and I remained. I stared at the dark ceiling, mulling over the recent conversation. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t find a clear course of action. Talking to Kotori seemed pointless, and Mayuzumi’s goal was a mystery. The situation was beyond comprehension, yet starkly bizarre. Seeing the mansion’s grim condition, everything clicked into place.

Mayuzumi Azaka’s fate was rapidly worsening. What could I possibly do about it?

“There’s no need to do anything, Odagiri. Actually, why are you pretending like this isn’t your problem?” Asato spat icily, reading my mind.

I never once considered the current predicament as something that didn’t concern me. Before I could retort, Asato rose from his seat. He towered over me, his arm extending toward Aya, now a grotesque mass of flesh.

Squish.

Asato’s hand sank deep into the fleshy mass, and I bit back the curse on the tip of my tongue. This was a necessary step for Aya. Slowly, Asato withdrew his arm.

From within the mass of flesh, a human hand emerged, which Asato carefully extracted. Once released, the hand flopped onto the floor, wriggling. As the hand crawled, other human parts appeared—torso, legs, merging into a single form. It was a grotesque sight, and I fought the urge to look away.

Aya was my friend, and this transformation was a part of her. Eventually, a naked woman stood before us.

Quickly, I draped a coat over her trembling shoulders and retrieved her clothes from the luggage.

“Aya, are you okay? Do you recognize me?”

“O-Odagiri, right? I’m fine, I’m fine. I remember… Th-Thank you.”

Breathing raggedly, Aya raised her trembling hand and ran it all over her body, checking her human form.

Observing her confusion, Asato sighed. “How are you feeling, Aya? It’s time you learned to manage on your own. If you can’t maintain a human form without my help, then you should stop being human.”

I couldn’t refute his harsh words. Asato’s assistance in the current situation was nothing short of miraculous. Without him, Aya couldn’t maintain her human form. And even with his help, she would revert back in a matter of hours. Something had broken inside Aya when she melted under the red sky.