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V12 Story I – Part 08

Desperately, he called out to Uka. “Yukiko, Yukiko, Yukiko, I…”

“Hmm?”

Uka tilted her head. She didn’t seem interested in his words. In the next moment, without warning, Uka leaped. Like a beast pouncing on its prey, she rushed at Sugita with explosive speed.

For some reason, Sugita didn’t move out of the way. Uka—a demon—collided with him. The excessive force threw them off the roof. As the wind roared past me, I reached out my hand.

“Uka!”

She fell, clinging to Sugita. Uka opened her mouth wide to devour him. Despite the looming danger, Sugita extended his arms and fearfully wrapped them around her back.

A faint trace of humanity returned to Sugita’s face. “Will you come with me?” he asked, his voice tinged with genuine love and astonishment.

Before he could hear her answer, Uka opened her mouth wide. As she began to close her jaws, Sugita’s form vanished. After wandering and being used for so long, he seemed to have realized something and disappeared. Uka looked confused, unable to comprehend what just happened. Like a cat slipping off a roof, she fell in an awkward position.

“Uka!”

I rushed to the edge of the rooftop. Kneeling, I looked down into the alleyway. But somehow, I knew. She would be fine. A genuine demon wouldn’t die from merely falling off a rooftop.

“Papa, what’s going… on?”

As I had anticipated, Uka was alive, lying on the red petals. The flowers, untouchable to humans, had caught her. Mayuzumi was nowhere to be seen. Uka looked up at me, clearly displeased. An animalistic glint flashed through her large eyes. Her lips twisted, and she licked them. My breath caught at the sight of her half-human, half-beast expression. Then, she blinked, regaining her senses.

She tilted her head and smiled brightly. “Papa!”

I realized I was clutching my left arm tight. I released my trembling hand and shook my head.

Uka had saved me. She was a kind, loving child. That hadn’t changed. But I also stumbled upon an important fact—she was transforming into something else. Not a human, but a demon. For now, she was still herself, but the signs were showing.

Uka had already grown far beyond her limits. Her eyes were filled with intense affection and hunger.

Still, Uka was my daughter. I tried to speak to her, to my child, but no words came out. Strength left my body, and I collapsed onto the wet floor.

“…Huh?”

Blood pooled around me. I thought I might actually die from this. But that worry turned vague, swallowed by drowsiness. Unable to resist, I closed my eyes, and saw something.

A one-armed Mayuzumi smiling faintly. The sight foretold by the card I had seen while half-awake earlier. In hindsight, it was a disturbing situation. I wanted to ask what that expression meant.

Mayuzumi Azaka would never smile like that.

Come to think of it, there was one more card that hadn’t come true yet.

I thought back to the illustration. A man in a suit standing against a dark backdrop, his mouth agape in shock. The person depicted was me. Words I heard from Mikage echoed hollowly in my mind.

“Removing one card could prevent any of the depicted scenarios from unfolding.”

If I died here, perhaps Mayuzumi could survive.

Creak.

Just as a foolish thought crossed my mind, I heard the sound of a door opening in the distance. Someone was coming to the rooftop.

Footsteps approached. Forcing my head up, I saw a red parasol in the corner of my vision.

Mayuzumi looked down at me in silence. She still wore that same bored expression.

That was good. It suited her better. A vague smile didn’t fit her at all.

Mayuzumi Azaka had to be that way.

“What are you smiling at, Odagiri-kun?”

As I listened to Mayuzumi’s exasperated voice, my consciousness abruptly faded.

Crack.

I woke up and saw a pure white ceiling.

It was the same sight as before. The air was heavy with the smell of medicine, mixed with the faint fragrance of chocolate. No matter how far I ran, even to the farthest reaches of hell, I couldn’t escape that scent.

I remembered a similar moment. I had woken up in a hospital room, and Mayuzumi had informed me about Kazue’s death. But now, there was no voice. Still, she had to be beside me.

I slowly raised my head. Sure enough, Mayuzumi was sitting there by the pillow, nibbling on chocolate. Her attire had changed, indicating some time had passed. She wore a refined black blouse with jewel-like buttons on the chest.

“Good morning, Odagiri-kun. How are you feeling?”

“Good morning, Mayu-san. What happened after that?”

“Nothing much. I just put the demon back in your belly and sealed it up. It was a terribly boring case. Still, we did gain a few things.”

Crack.

I didn’t expect that. She sounded annoyed but not angry. I tried to sit up but stopped when I noticed the blood transfusion tube attached to my left arm. My heart raced. I shut my eyes tight, forcing myself to calm down.

I thought about Mayuzumi’s words. What had she gained? When she took the case, she mentioned something intriguing.

“This case is not a coincidence. And it might be a chance for us to strike back.”

I opened my eyes and looked at her. She crossed her legs. Her thick skirt swayed.

“Thanks to this, I’ve decided on a course of action,” she continued.

“A course of action?” I repeated.

Crack.

Mayuzumi waved her half-eaten chocolate.

“We’ve found a suitable location and minimal necessary personnel. As luck would have it, we have an alleyway that’s half-spirit world, and your nearly fully-grown demon. Given all this, we might just manage.”

She spoke as if to herself, slightly arching her back. Her headpiece stirred, and the intricate black lace rustled faintly. She flicked the ribbon hanging by her ear with her finger and nodded.

“Previously, you fed the manifestation of the scarlet woman in your flesh to Uka along with your arm. Only a demon can pacify another demon. Similarly, a demon can devour another demon. By utilizing the alleyway, which is partially connected to the spirit world, we can open a deeper and narrower path than if we did it randomly. Then, if we pull the woman’s real body out from there and have it devoured, I might just survive.”

My eyes grew wide. It sounded like a reckless plan. But it was far better than having no plan at all. I started to agree with her but stopped.

Mayuzumi was watching me quietly. Her calculating gaze pierced right through me.

There was no reason for her to look at me like that. Why would she wear that expression? Something felt off. She was studying me curiously.

Why would she look at me that way? Why that expression?

Lately, Mayuzumi didn’t seem like her usual self.

“Mayu-san… why are you looking at me like that?”

“What kind of look are you talking about? You have to be more specific.”

“Don’t play dumb. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re an idiot, Odagiri-kun,” she replied bluntly.

Why did she suddenly insult me?

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, Mayuzumi cut me off.

“Use your brain. This plan hinges on feeding your demon a rare kind of demon. It might be better than feeding it its parent, but the effects are unpredictable. That child is your daughter, but she’s a monster. When she grows too much, I doubt she’ll be able to retain a human form.”

“…Oh.”

Her calm remark hit me like a punch to the gut. I remembered Uka’s monstrous smile from earlier. My careless reliance on her was causing her to lose her humanity. If she grew any further, Uka would become a complete demon.

Mayuzumi regarded me with a quiet gaze. “I’ve lived my life on my own terms. I’ve laughed at people’s deaths, reveled in their misfortunes, and desired tragedies. You know that, right? I’m a fiend. I’ve never done anything right,” she said firmly.

She wasn’t ashamed of her wretched way of life, but she wasn’t proud of it either. She talked about her own death as if it didn’t concern her, like how she used to watch others die with a smile.

“Those who wish to clap, clap. Those who wish to cheer, cheer. Those who wish to cry, cry. Those who wish to laugh, laugh. That’s fine. My death is that trivial. If you want, you can kick my corpse and laugh. My body stoned and displayed is a fitting end. It would be a very dull spectacle, though. But it is what it is. Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. I’ve been digging my own grave all along. And yet, you say you want to help me. Why is that? You’ve already killed someone because of me, lost a friend, and your left arm.” She wore a puzzled look.

Her unexpected question left me speechless. I had decided to help her. I even told Sadashita that on the island. But I couldn’t give an immediate answer. Why continue fighting after becoming a murderer and losing a friend?

Why go to such lengths to help Mayuzumi Azaka? As I searched for an answer, Mayuzumi continued.

“Well, there is a clear reason. If I die and no one is left to seal your belly, you’ll die eventually. As you said before, you wouldn’t want to die with me. But what if that premise was invalidated? What would you do then, Odagiri-kun? Would you like some good news? What if someone else capable of sealing your belly appears? Would you still choose the same answer?”

I swallowed hard. My heart raced, and sweat poured from my body. It was indeed good news. With this, I wouldn’t be entangled in Mayuzumi’s fate. And that wasn’t all.

I wouldn’t have a reason to stay by her side.

It should have been a very welcome situation, but for some reason, I felt no joy. I wasn’t happy at all. With my mind in turmoil, I considered a certain fact.

If that were to happen, I would no longer have a reason to desperately save her.

Mayuzumi looked at me again with those calm eyes. Why was she looking at me like that? Why that expression?

I almost shouted at her to stop, but I bit my lip.

“You said on the island that you could no longer laugh at my death,” Mayuzumi went on indifferently. “It’s fine if you can’t laugh. I’m sure you can keep on living just fine even if I die. That’s all right. There’s no reason for anyone to cry over the death of Mayuzumi Azaka. That’s how things should be.”

She took a breath. Then, Mayuzumi Azaka, my employer, opened her red lips, wearing a grave expression.

“This is my final question, Odagiri-kun.” It sounded like a warning to a fool. “Are you sure you don’t want to kill Mayuzumi Azaka?”