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V7 Story II – Part 04

“…So what do you want?” I finally asked.

“I don’t have anything to say in particular,” Asato replied. “There’s really nothing I want to discuss with you. I’m imprisoned, the door is locked, and that’s all she wrote. What can I even do at this point?” He shrugged.

I studied the cell in front of me. The fox was undoubtedly locked up, with no chance of escape unaided. His awakening changed nothing, a fact that left me astounded.

But I quickly shifted my perspective; there had to be a way for Asato to escape. Besides, he was the one who called me here. I couldn’t believe his nonsensical ramblings.

“You asked me to come here, didn’t you? Isn’t there something you want to say?”

“Well, there is one thing. But if I tell you, that will be the end of it.”

What could he possibly mean by that?

The fox rose abruptly and rifled through the stacks of books that lay scattered at his feet. He pulled out something that he was using as a bookmark and flung it in my direction.

“Here. Take it,” he said.

A silver object sailed through the air, and I caught it.

It was a key. An ornate one, gleaming in my grasp.

I studied it blankly. There was only one conclusion that came to mind regarding what the key was for. My eyes moved to the padlock. The fox picked up a book and crossed his legs, resuming the same posture the moment I arrived.

“Goodbye, Odagiri,” he said. “I doubt we’ll ever see each other again.”

He opened the book and said nothing more. That seemed to be the end of our conversation.

“What… What are you saying? Hey, Asato!” I gripped the bars with the key clasped in my hand. I pressed my face against the gap, which was wide enough for my arm to fit through.

Asato shook his head tiredly. A crease formed on his forehead.

“Oh, for the love of… What are you saying? Don’t you think it’s better for me to be gone? There’s nothing to dislike about this outcome, no?”

My mind went blank. I recalled Mayuzumi’s words. The fox’s choice to remain in the cell was a good thing for me. But I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. The fox wasn’t that kind of creature.

And why did he have the key to his own cell?

“I see. You believe it’s a trap. Understandable. That means you’re no longer a fool. Me having the key to my own cell is indeed odd.”

“And that’s not all… What are you plotting? Why would you give me the key?!”

“So many questions. For the record, that key is real. Why don’t you try using it?”

The fox jerked his chin at the padlock. My heart raced. I thought it was a trap, but if the key worked, he could just open the cell himself. I inserted the key cautiously, steadied my breath, and turned it.

Click.

It opened. I hastily locked it again.

“The Mayuzumi clan is a product of fanaticism and blind devotion towards Mayuzumi Azaka. Women who fail to become Azaka are worthless, so they entrust their delusions to their own offspring. Not just my mother.”

The fox’s lips twisted in self-mockery as I stood frozen.

“I possess supernatural abilities, making my seed valuable,” he continued. “A few weeks ago, a woman snuck in. I deceived her, threatened her, and stole the key, but going out is too much of a hassle. So you can have it. I’ve had enough. From now on, I’ll just live on like a dead man.”

The fox yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“…Live on like a dead man?” I repeated.

The fox, who was so obsessed with the name Azaka, coveting the position, laughed. Weariness flickered in his eyes, as if he had lived for a long, long time.

“I’ve tasted a century’s worth of agony, unable to die, wandering between life and death. I choose my own fate. I’ve never once regretted anything. But time and time again, reality hit me in the face.”

The fox’s smile deepened as he opened and closed his empty hand. The blue parasol that he had once held was gone.

“In the end, I was nothing but an imitation. What can I even do at this point?” he spat bitterly.

He stopped talking. I pondered the meaning of his words.

The fox would spend his days in the cell. That was the best I could ask for. There would be no trouble. But my chest stirred violently. I couldn’t relax. Trusting him was impossible.

I wanted to scream out loud. Was this really acceptable?

“Why are you giving me the key?” I forced myself to ask a different question, hiding what I really wanted to say.

The fox lifted his eyes to me, tender and meek. “So you can come kill me if you want to. There must’ve been times when you regretted saving me.” His voice was soft and sweet. “When you want to kill me so bad that the wound on your belly burns, come. I’m not going anywhere.”

His unexpected suggestion turned my vision red.

The baby in my belly wailed, and the wound he had inflicted upon me in the past flashed in my mind. I saw the faces of those who died because of him. Fury blazed in my brain.

But I had already processed these emotions. Processed them, and still decided not to kill him. I clenched my fists tightly, leather gloves squeaking.

“I won’t kill you,” I spat. “I don’t want to be burdened with guilt for the rest of my life for someone like you.”

“Knock yourself out. Embrace your hypocrisy and wallow in regret in your last moments. I warned you: you will rue the day you brought me back. Your pretentiousness is hardly worth anything. People’s grudges do not get dispelled that easily. Much like the baby in your belly, your hate will never disappear.”

My throat burned with a hot lump, and I turned around before it could explode.

I dashed out of the room and slammed the shut door behind me. I didn’t look back once. I sprinted up the stairs without waiting for the woman, and hurried down the empty corridor. I crashed into another servant, but I didn’t have time to apologize. I walked briskly, then plopped myself down on the veranda.

I almost threw the key away, but stopped myself and shoved it into my chest pocket.

Instead, I lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply to calm my mind. I shouldn’t be falling for such an easy taunt. His suggestion was, in all likelihood, the last spiteful gesture of a fox who had grown weary of existence. Killing him was out of the question.

I couldn’t bring myself to murder another. Killing someone on purpose would haunt me.

Is that really the case, though?

Before I could entertain any stupid ideas, I crushed the cigarette in my hand. The stench of burnt synthetic leather wafted through the air. The heat seared through my gloves and scorched my skin. As I tossed the cigarette to the ground and lifted my head, my breath caught.

An unfamiliar girl was watching me silently.

She stood beneath a withered cherry blossom tree, garbed in pristine white that billowed in the breeze, reminiscent of a bridal gown. Her hair was as white as a veil, and her delicate attire appeared to constrict her movements. She reminded me of the fox’s pale child. But her black eyes, dark as a lake at night, dispelled the sinister image.

The girl in white flashed a smile and spoke softly, “Ah, there you are. Are you Odagiri Tsutomu?”

I wondered how she knew my name, but my attention shifted to the man who stood by her side, as silent as a shadow. He had curly black hair, bound up. Dressed in a suit, he was huddled protectively beside the girl. I didn’t recognize him, but for some inexplicable reason, my chest stirred.

All of a sudden, the man lifted his head and gazed at me with dark, moist eyes resembling those of a dog.

He bowed deeply and spoke in a wistful tone. “Long time no see, sir. How have you been?”

I recognized his voice. My eyes widened in disbelief.

“…Kugutsu?”