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V8 Story II – Part 02

Confused, I swallowed hard, a surge of icy dread coursing down my spine. Hishigami’s serene smile remained.

Mayuzumi rose to her feet behind me.

“No, thank you.” Her fearless voice carried well. “I did not accept your invitation to begin with. I demand to be sent back immediately.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. I have lost sight of who I am. Sacrificing one arm yielded no answers. Swift confirmation is necessary. You will cooperate, whether you like it or not.”

Hishigami slid his finger along the blade of the knife, drawing blood. Mayuzumi narrowed her eyes, studying Hishigami’s left arm.

Wearing a disgusting smile, she nodded. “I see. You want to examine the human body. I don’t know exactly what you want to understand, but sure. You wouldn’t find the answers by dissecting yourself. You’re just a puppet, after all.”

“Indeed. I took myself apart little by little, careful to avoid fluid leakage. My insides are filled with metal components. I was made painfully aware that I was different from humans. Would you like to take a look?”

Hishigami removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, revealing cogs and metallic parts, wet with a substance reminiscent of blood and oil. The leakage of bodily fluids had been stopped.

“Oh, my goodness. I have no problem with self-harm. If you wish to hurt yourself, be my guest. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to an unattended wound. The sight of it makes me restless, given my profession. I am truly disheartened.”

Maihime expressed concern on something completely different. There was a more pressing matter at hand.

I gaped at Hishigami’s arm. He was supposedly created to be nearly indistinguishable from a human, save for the internal mechanisms. If that were the case…

“Hishigami-san. Don’t you feel pain?” I asked.

“Of course, I do. It still hurts, but it’s a trivial matter. In fact, I cherish this pain.”

Why was he smiling? How could he sever his own arm and still wear a smile on his face?

Seeing my bewildered gaze, Hishigami nodded. “After what happened, my sanity crumbled,” he said in a calm and composed tone.

“Claiming you’re mad without a shred of doubt is contradictory,” Mayuzumi said. “You can clearly discern sanity from madness. What a rational lunatic.” She shrugged.

Hishigami paid her no mind. “What is a human? What is a puppet? I used to understand, but now I’m lost. I am me. I’m Hishigami Akira. Even if I were to kill myself, that would not change. Or so I thought. Take a gander!”

Abruptly, he raised his arm. A cogwheel came loose, embedding itself within the grass.

He spat and screamed, madness finally surfacing within his expression.

“I am different!” he shrieked, saliva flying. “How can I be the same?! How can anyone say that?!”

I couldn’t offer him an answer. He was Hishigami Akira, but he was nothing but an imitation. He was undeniably a puppet.

Mayuzumi shrugged. “What is it about being different that bothers you?”

“…What?”

Hishigami’s eyes widened at her sudden remark. I stared at Mayuzumi.

Before he could reply, she went on, matter-of-factly, “You and the human Hishigami possess the same fundamental thoughts and actions. It’s possible to live in similar ways. The disparity inside is a trifling matter. Or do you believe that humans live with their innards exposed? You have no idea what’s inside my belly. You’re only seeing what you’re not supposed to see because you cut your own arm.”

Discomposure flickered across Hishigami’s face as his gaze darted around. He pressed his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Seconds later, madness once again filled his features.

“I saw it,” he said. “And having seen it, I want to know the difference. That’s why I summoned all of you, those involved in the death of Hishigami Akira.” He did not meet Mayuzumi’s gaze.

Mayuzumi sneered. “You’re easily rattled, but you have no intention of listening to what I have to say. How awfully convenient.”

Crack.

She snapped a sword-shaped chocolate in half.

Hishigami adjusted his knife, resuming his speech as if nothing had occurred.

“Killing and then dissecting you would be the fastest way to go about it. However, that would be impolite. Besides, I am intrigued by humans’ reactions. I want to see the difference. How about a game?”

“Are you planning to hurt the Princess?! I’ll tear you to shreds!” Kugutsu growled. He still lacked the will to worry about himself.

The mention of a ‘game’ reminded me of the fox. Anger surged within me at the absurdity of it all, but fear eluded me. The situation had turned comical.

“You will all choose someone among yourselves and specify a body part,” Hishigami continued giddily. “I will perform the incision. And I will also cut the same area from my own body.”

“…You’re going to cut yourself?” I muttered.

Hishigami nodded. Simultaneously amputating limbs from others and mutilating oneself was an act of madness.

With a smile, Hishigami proceeded to further explain the rules. “After severing the specified body part, I want to examine it in great detail. Since I possess only one arm and two legs, please refrain from consecutively specifying the same part. If I were to lose an arm, a puppet will perform the amputation. While each of you may distribute your wounds among yourselves, there is only one of me. If you can kill me with minimal injuries, victory will be yours. After that, do as you please.”

The rules were outrageously cruel. I looked at those gathered around me. Kugutsu had grown pale. Maihime appeared drowsy. Mayuzumi nibbled on her chocolate, as if this did not concern her.

Hishigami’s body was that of a puppet. The likelihood of him sustaining fatal injuries was lower than that of a human. To escape this tomfoolery, we had to be prepared for a reasonable amount of injury.

I ground my teeth. I didn’t want anyone hurt, including myself.

Hishigami handed the gun to the puppet. “The young ladies are not bound. Should they attempt to escape, pull the trigger. Once I’m out of commission, follow my instructions.”

“…Understood.”

Rage made my head boil. I tried to stand, but my twisted arm seared with intense pain.

“Enough already!” I shouted at the calm-faced Hishigami. “What kind of game involves inflicting harm on both you and us?!”

“It’s all good,” he replied in a sweet voice. “Let’s have some fun, shall we?”

I swiftly looked behind me. Maihime was smiling. She interlaced her fingers and cocked her head.

“I created you, and the incident we were involved in left you shattered,” she said. “You resent us for that.”

Her slender fingers lifted a porcelain cup. Maihime took a sip of tea and extended her palm towards Hishigami, urging for a response.

Smiling, Hishigami pointed the knife in her direction. “Indeed. Truth is, that is all there is to it. I just want to entangle all of you in this unbearable conflict I feel. I hold a grudge, yes. Especially against you, Karakuri Maihime.”

Venom seeped into Hishigami’s voice for the first time. Maihime nodded in acknowledgment.

Unfazed by his hatred, she lifted her head proudly, exposing her pale throat. “I understand. If you resent me, it is only right for me to accept it. That is how I maintain my dignity. It appears that I am the one you hold the most resentment towards. I apologize to all of you.”

Maihime was the instigator, the one who sowed the seeds of hatred and incited Hishigami to kill Hishigami Akira. He was unaware of this fact, but Maihime, as a puppeteer involved in the incident, incurred his grudge anyway.

Maihime felt no regret for her actions that led to our current predicament. Without fear of death, she said, “Very well. How about we draw lots, then? I will abide by the rules. Feel free to amputate as much as you want.”

Her smile betrayed neither fear nor confusion. Backed by unwavering determination, her countenance radiated beauty.

No one responded. Even Kugutsu was taken aback.

“No need to draw lots,” Mayuzumi interjected abruptly, breaking the heavy silence.

She opened her parasol. An ominous red blended with the green-and-white landscape. She rested the parasol on her shoulder, twirling it. On her face was a cat-like grin.

“I choose only one body part,” she said. “And none of you will object to it.”

What was she about to say? Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I had no time to stop her.

“I choose Odagiri-kun’s belly,” she declared boldly.

I see. An ingenious idea worthy of praise.

I wished from the bottom of my heart that Mayuzumi would just drop dead.