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V4 Story IV – Part 03

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Translator: Kell

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Closing the door, we got off on the road. For a while now Yusuke had been giving me a look like he wanted to say something to me. But I ignored him. Remaining silent, I looked up at the building in front of me. Time passed as I bolted out of the house and drove silently down the road. The sky was the same sheet of gray as it was then. The lights falling on the windows were blinding.

The summer sky was starting to crumble. It would rain, soon.

The building was located deep inside a business district. While the street before this one was crowded with multi-purpose buildings, this area was dead quiet. The building stood alone between parking spaces and vacant lots. It was a bizarre sight.

It seemed as if the surroundings were avoiding this place.

The building didn’t have any back entrance, and the windows were too high to break in.

I lit a cigarette and took a long drag.

“So what’s the plan?” Yusuke asked.

“Not much we can do. For the record: Now that Mayu-san is dead, I’m terribly powerless, unfortunately,” I replied, blowing out smoke.

Yusuke frowned deeply. “You didn’t come here to kill yourself, did you?”

“That’s not going to happen, so don’t worry. I think I can make this work.”

I touched my belly. Although anger burned within me, I was by no means without a plan. When I decided to kill the fox, I had my answer.

If I was right, there was a way to deal with the fox and the white child.

But the question was how to get in front of the fox and get Shirayuki back. Infiltrating silently would probably be pointless. I didn’t have the skills to run through a building without being spotted.

I could only hope that the fox would let his guard down.

I walked silently, just like Shirayuki did. I stood in front of the automatic door and stepped inside. The heavy, humid air was pushed out. Cold air brushed against my cheeks. At the counter stood a man wearing glasses and a gray suit.

It was the same sight as what I saw through Shirayuki’s blood.

The only difference was that his cheek was covered with a gauze.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise. He put his guard up a little, like he knew who I was. I had no idea what he would do. Keeping my eyes on him, I walked over to the counter.

He didn’t move even when I was right in front of him. Then suddenly, he gave a deep bow.

I didn’t expect this. The man welcomed us.

“Welcome, Odagiri-sama,” he said. “You arrived much earlier than we expected. The Lord will surely be pleased.”

Apparently, my coming here was within the fox’s expectations. I nodded with relief. The fox’s goal was not just to kill me. This building must be one of his stages. I greatly appreciated his carelessness at the moment.

Putting on a smile, I asked, “Where’s the fox?”

“I’m sorry, sir, but we’ve been instructed to speak to guests first, no matter who you are.”

The man bowed deeply. He was polite, like he was trying to appease a customer who had come to file a complaint. I cast my gaze at the corridor. I had a grasp of the building’s layout by watching through Shirayuki’s blood. Asato should be on the seventh floor. I thought about forcing my way inside, but it was probably better to listen to what they had to say for now. Holding back my impatience and irritation, I smiled at the man again.

I didn’t know I could put on a chilling smile. Quite impressive, if I do say so myself.

“I came to talk to Asato,” I said. “He gives his grace to anyone, doesn’t he?”

I thought back to the words on the card.

So if you wish it, the Lord shall give you grace.

The man nodded. “Yes, of course. Like a god, he is impartial.”

Laughter rose from the pit of my stomach and burst out. The man and I held each other’s gazes. My sides hurt so much from laughing, and I could barely breathe.

I balled a hand into a fist and slammed it onto the counter.

Silence descended.

Rubbing my aching fingers, I said, “My apologies. I have business with Asato. Would you please listen to what I have to say?” I continued on as if nothing happened.

“Understood, sir. This way, please.”

Nodding, he picked up the phone. A few moments later, a woman appeared to show us around. Wearing a maroon suit, she had a terrified look in her eyes and was walking with a limp. She was probably the same woman whom Shirayuki knocked down.

I followed her deeper inside the building.

Yusuke followed behind, looking around suspiciously.

The corridor where the tigers had raced through was wrapped in silence.

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We were shown to the reception area on the first floor. It was a very common room, with two couches facing each other. The woman served drinks and cakes before leaving. Fingers interlaced, I watched her go. Yusuke tossed three sugar cubes into his coffee and slurped it down in one gulp.

He munched on an unmelted cube of sugar.

The man appeared. He seemed to be in a hurry. “Thank you for waiting. You came on such short notice that we didn’t have time to prepare. My apologies.” He sat down on the couch across from me and bowed.

He pulled a business card from his breast pocket. “I apologize for the late introduction. My name is Tanba.”

The business card he gave me had only his name. Tanba Minoru. There was no address, occupation, or anything else. He regarded us with a smile on his face. He had gray eyes and indistinct features.

“First, I need to ask you a few questions,” he said.

“What is it?”

“Did you come to kill the Lord, or did you come to receive his grace?”

He went straight to the point. His voice was level, as if he was merely taking a survey. I held my tongue. Seconds later, I put on a smile.

“I came here to receive Asato’s grace,” I answered. “He… hates me. But he should give grace to anyone.”

If I asked for it, the fox would tip the scales. It should not be surprising that I, having plunged into the pits of despair, would turn to him.

But Tanba cocked his head with the motion of a puppet. “You’re lying,” he said, his voice incredibly soft. “The Lord said that you change your mind a lot. Even more so now that you have lost Mayuzumi-sama.”

He fixed his glasses with his forefinger. The sound of Yusuke munching on his tea cake seemed out of place.

“You are not very good at lying. I suggest you forget about killing a god. Only a new being could bring back joy once lost.”

I interlaced my fingers. He asserted that I was lying, yet there was genuine sympathy in his voice.

As ridiculous as it might sound, he was trying to persuade me.

“Do you perhaps do this thing often?” I asked.

“Correct. There are countless lost people in the world. My job is to listen to them and show them the right path.”

“That’s pretty abstract. So, uhh… what are you exactly?”

“Christ had disciples, didn’t he? It’s my job to spread the word about the Lord’s greatness and gather as many supporters as possible.”

Yusuke was nibbling on a cookie like a squirrel.

Tanba apparently served as a window for the organization to gain new followers. His words surprised me. Perhaps the gap between the fox and him was wider than the ocean. If I were to believe Aya’s words, the fox thought of his followers as little more than pieces of meat to be cooked.

He probably ended up in his position because of his blind faith. It’s what happens when a delusional man devotes himself entirely to a definite object of faith.

Absolutely stupid. Unaware of my pitying gaze, he went on.

“Odagiri-sama, you don’t seem to approve of the Lord’s power. But what exactly is wrong with undoing misfortune?”

And here come the questions.

I let out a sigh. “If that’s even possible. Do you really believe the fox’s lies?”

Tanba fixed his glasses. It seemed to be a habit.

“You say the Lord lies, but where’s the problem in that?” he said readily, without a hint of hesitation. “The fact is: many people have experienced the miracles of the Lord, thereby giving them hope to live. Do you disagree with basking in temporary joy rather than continuing to plummet into hell? Do you have the right to deny them that?”

His voice remained gentle the whole time. At that moment, I understood.

The man was well aware of the fox’s price. He supported him, despite all that.

I didn’t know such people existed.

I was both impressed and annoyed. He could sugarcoat his words all he wanted. What a person sees as right or wrong depends on their sense of values.

I didn’t have time for any of this.

I reached for a perfectly circular cookie. Its pure white color reminded me of what the fox said.

They were blessed, their happiness perfect as a sphere.

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