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V9 Story III – Part 06

Suddenly, I recalled the people I had interactions with. Nanami would be furious. Aya would ask why, and Yukihito would weep. Would the fox find amusement? Shirayuki would undoubtedly be hurt as if it were her own pain. I could never show myself to her again. But even if I didn’t lose my legs, it wouldn’t be any different. I didn’t want to face her while I hated myself. Sadness gripped me like a deep cut. I wished to be the me she once liked.

I remembered Mayuzumi’s face. She’d likely call me an idiot.

And that would be it. She’d probably continue to nibble on chocolate without a care. A smile appeared on my lips. It would be on-brand for her.

“If you’re going to take them, do it quick,” I urged. “Honestly, I feel like I might bolt at any moment.”

The woman’s smile deepened. She bore a serene expression, much to my astonishment. I swallowed. Her lips, curving gently, touched my forehead.

After a tender kiss, she peered into my eyes. The corner of her mouth lifted in the next instant.

An overwhelming fear coursed through my entire being, and my eyes widened.

It felt as if an invisible hand was tightening around my throat, and before I knew it, the surrounding space had frozen in place.

How long had time stood still? Yusuke had stretched his arm out toward me and was currently suspended mid-motion. Kugutsu was petrified with his mouth agape. Only the woman and I retained the freedom of movement.

The woman opened her mouth wide like a beast. Her pearly teeth stretched like clay, her sharp canines gleaming like blades.

“No thanks, idiot,” she spat in an utterly sweet voice.

In the next instant, I was struck by a force akin to being mowed down by a car.

My field of vision twisted, wavered, and inverted. My mind was mercilessly pounded into my body.

Suddenly, the tranquil night returned. A dog howled somewhere in the distance. A warm breeze brushed against my cheek, and the streetlights flickered. I found myself standing in a parking lot.

Maihime was sitting in front of me, her head tilted in confusion.

“Mr. Odagiri, is something wrong? You’re sweating profusely. It’s rather odd.”

Only when she mentioned it did I realize that I was drenched in sweat.

An ordinary night surrounded us, yet it felt eerie, as if it was merely pretending to be tranquil. I grappled with the disparities between the world I had been just now.

I drew a deep breath and exhaled. My heart pounded like a drum.

What in the world was that? What happened? Was that a dream?

I examined my own body. My legs remained intact, and there was no pain.

The woman’s last words flooded back into my mind. Her derisive words echoed within me. Who did she choose?

I pressed the phone to my ear. The call was still connected. Though my mind was still hazy, I managed to speak.

“…Kugutsu?”

“Sir… That wasn’t a dream, was it?”

He sounded bewildered. We briefly confirmed our current situation without delving into specifics. There was no trace of anguish in Kugutsu’s voice; he simply sounded perplexed. My breath seized.

In that case…

“Ahhhhh!”

A scream ripped through the night, echoing from the distance.

It was Yusuke.

---

“Mr. Odagiri, what was that scream just now?” Maihime asked.

I rushed over, but my legs betrayed me. The short distance stretched into infinity. I reached halfway across the parking lot before vaulting onto the only parked car. I wrenched open the rear passenger door without checking the inside first.

The sharp scent of iron invaded my nostrils. The heavy stench of blood seared my lungs. As I coughed repeatedly, my eyes grew wide, and I was struck speechless.

The car’s interior was awash in a sea of crimson, the blood flowing like a living entity across the leather seats. Sticky rivulets dripped onto the floor. Amidst this nightmarish scene, Yusuke was screaming, his back arched.

His legs had vanished from the joints as though severed by a sharp blade. Shirayuki removed her hands from the wound and looked up at me, scribbling words with trembling hands. There were tears in her eyes.

“Why did Mr. Yusuke’s legs suddenly disappear?”

Wordlessly, I bent over and examined Yusuke’s legs, carefully inspecting the wound. The bleeding had already stopped. It had only been temporary. Strangely enough, the blood had ceased flowing abruptly. I could see reddish-black flesh and protruding bone through the bone.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! It hurts!”

The pain, however, remained. Compelled by some inexplicable force, I raised my phone and, as if possessed by some spirit, pressed it against my ear. A fog had settled over my mind.

I heard low laughter. Somewhere far away, in a place detached from this world, the scarlet woman laughed.

“Hello? Are you relieved? That question was never meant to kill. An easy death would be boring. The wound was a clean cut, no?”

A squelching sound occasionally punctuated her words, as if she were gnawing on something, perhaps a severed limb.

“My original intention was to have you three choose one person and amputate their legs. I showed benevolence, so I expect some gratitude in return. It might not have sufficed as entertainment, but it served to pass the time. Consider this my thanks. You in particular, Odagiri-kun, were wonderful.”

Vivid, horrifying images flashed in my mind. The bare-shouldered woman held Yusuke’s severed leg in one hand, licking the exposed bone as she laughed. Her words dripped with sickening sweetness.

“Ah, it was quite comical. You were so full of yourself. Fortunately for you, there couldn’t have been a better outcome than this. You have successfully gratified yourself, and you kept your legs. You were the most interesting among them. I showed you a little favor. Rejoice from the bottom of your heart!” Her voice rang sonorously. “Let me offer my congratulations,” she said, clapping her hands. “Aren’t you glad? I gave you your most desired outcome.”

My brain tingled. Her words permeated my entire being like poison. I immediately grasped what she meant, even without meaning to. Indeed, this was the best I could have asked for.

At that time, I was mentally prepared to lose my legs, and so as a result, I didn’t have to feel disappointed in myself. But in reality, it was Yusuke who had suffered the damage. Both my inner and outer desires had been fulfilled.

The woman’s words were unnervingly accurate. This was indeed an outcome to be celebrated without complaint.

My trembling lips parted. “Rot in hell, you wretch,” I spat bitterly.

I ended the call, breaking the sinister spell. Yusuke’s muted groans reached my ears. He had run out of energy to even scream anymore.

I turned my gaze back to his legs. “Are you okay? Can you hear me?”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. Asking someone who had just lost their legs if they were okay might sound stupid, but I didn’t know what else to say. Yusuke’s face was pale, his forehead glistening with sweat. My own head began to spin, and my stomach churned in response.

Papa? Does it hurt?

I felt my stomach tearing. I tried desperately to suppress it, but it seemed impossible.

The scene before me stirred overwhelming guilt and a clear relief. What did I do? Was this what I wanted?

My eyes widened as I saw a bloodied hand clutching my arm through my teary vision. Yusuke, his gaze filled with terror, held onto me. Despite the excruciating pain, he managed to speak.

“What happened… to your leg?”

“M-My legs are fine. The woman took your legs, Yusuke.”

I recalled his earlier reluctance at the thought of losing his leg.

Yusuke’s mouth hung agape. After all that talk, I was spared. I expected a string of curses hurled at me, but instead, he burst into sudden, manic laughter.

“Oh, I see… it’s me… Haha… Hehe… hahaha!”

I grabbed his hand, but words failed me. My stomach still threatened to split.

Yusuke swallowed his laughter and said weakly, “Thank goodness.”

Tears streamed down Yusuke’s face, leaving me baffled. His words from earlier came back to me.

“But I swear these thoughts aren’t everything.”

Yusuke was afraid of losing his legs. He hadn’t fully forgiven Maihime. He believed that if anyone were to suffer, it should be someone else. Not him. But there was more to it than that.

People could harbor dark emotions while holding different, hidden feelings inside.

Despite the excruciating pain, Yusuke went on, “I was the one who crushed her legs… So this is fine,” he repeated, partly to himself.

Large tears spilled from his eyes. He forced down the intense pain and sorrow.

“I’m glad it wasn’t you,” he said softly.

Those words carried immeasurable weight, leaving me momentarily speechless.

“Yusuke,” I began, but then stopped, biting my lip as I tried to compose myself.

Yusuke and Shirayuki were both present. I worried that danger might befall them if Uka were to emerge. I desperately conveyed my intentions to her, hoping she wouldn’t reveal herself.

“Mmm, mmm, mmm… Okay,” Uka responded, gradually quieting down.

I let out a deep breath, grateful that Uka had heeded my words. Turning my attention back to Yusuke, I carefully examined his wound. There was no further bleeding, but he needed immediate medical attention. Untying all the medical personnel to get him treated would take time.

As I contemplated rushing him to the adjacent general ward, I sensed someone behind me and quickly turned. There stood Maihime, her form outlined by the moonlight.

She looked inside the car. Her pale fingers wandered through the air, then brushed against the fresh blood. Touching the red fluid snapped her back to her senses.

“What happened here, Mr. Yusuke?” she asked dumbly, staring at the gruesome wound.

Then, her eyes fell upon her own new legs. Maihime pursed her lips. Her expression changed as a shocking realization dawned on her. Her eyes, once half-lidded, widened.

She straightened up and spoke firmly, “I don’t know all the details of the situation, but there’s one thing I must do. From the looks of it, he needs more than a hospital. Mr. Odagiri, please come with me.”

She didn’t even give me a chance to say anything. She yanked the door open to the driver’s seat, stepped inside, and tucked her hair behind her ears. She looked over to me and extended her hand. I handed her the keys. She then promptly started the engine.

Her expression was remarkably serious as she held onto the steering wheel.

“We’re heading to the Karakuri mansion,” she declared.