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V9 Story IV – Part 03

At Maihime’s suggestion, Shirayuki and I headed back downstairs.

Maihime was busy organizing the equipment. She was also tending to Yusuke’s injured right hand.

On the first floor, broken puppets were gathering gears and screws, placing the dirty components into empty boxes. Their plan was to wash away the ink, then sort out the reusable parts.

The puppets worked silently in the morning sunlight, the quiet labor proceeding methodically.

As I observed them, my cellphone suddenly rang.

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

I retrieved the red phone from my chest pocket and brought it to my ear. My whole body burned with instinctive revulsion. I expected that familiar, sweet voice to greet me again.

However, what I heard was a voice that was similar yet distinct.

“Hello there, Odagiri-kun.”

“Mayu-san… Mayu-san, is that you?”

I bolted to my feet. Shirayuki leaned in closer to the phone.

My face paled. I hadn’t informed her family about her kidnapping. Until now, I had left her in peril. What had I been doing?

Unaware of my turmoil, Mayuzumi nibbled on some chocolate. I could hear the crunching sounds.

“Mayu-san are you safe? Is Kugutsu with you?”

“If I weren’t safe, I wouldn’t be making this call, would I? Seriously,” she said casually, stifling a yawn.

I felt my strength drain from my body. She sounded utterly bored.

“Well, let’s get to the kidnapper’s demands, shall we? First, don’t contact the main family. I assume it’s already caused quite a commotion, and you two are so slow to realize that. He forgot to threaten you to not contact them, while you forgot to contact them entirely. It’s unheard-of. This is a kidnapping case. Both parties should adhere to the classic approach.”

Mayuzumi was absolutely flabbergasted. She was aware that contacting the family had slipped my mind. I had no words to say.

What she said next, however, I did not expect.

“This is a good thing, though. Kugutsu-kun’s threats alone wouldn’t have been reassuring. So, I’m adding my own request. No need to contact the main family. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“A… bad feeling?”

Crack!

Mayuzumi snapped the chocolate between her teeth.

“Did you forget? Mayuzumi Azaka is destined to die,” she replied nonchalantly.

I had heard those words from her before. But this time, images flashed through my mind.

The scarlet woman had a fondness for exquisite toys. But toys, being what they were, were destined to break. Broken parasols lay at her feet. She claimed it was despair not to have playthings.

She particularly loved the color red.

“The First was killed by a man who served her, and the previous head was murdered by a vile man from the family. The others met a similar end. Even before the First, girls with supernatural abilities were probably all killed.”

Her words evoked a vivid memory.

I had witnessed it in real life—a lifeless body wrapped in a Gothic Lolita dress, limbs scattered across the room.

I echoed the words I had heard from her.

Mayuzumi Azaka is destined to die.

“Death will beckon Mayuzumi Azaka. Most of the perpetrators are members of the clan. Kugutsu-kun is currently considered a loyal hound of the Karakuri clan. I don’t sense any danger with the current situation. However, I have a feeling that involving the members of the clan might change the circumstances into one where I become more susceptible to death.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

Mayuzumi let out a light sigh. She quickly snapped off a few pieces of chocolate.

“A stray bullet hitting me while they’re trying to shoot Kugutsu-kun. Those who are fixated on Mayuzumi Azaka’s existence might use this kidnapping to confine me. There are various possibilities. Anything can happen, really.”

“Is that why you’re telling me not to contact them?”

“That’s correct. I’d rather get mauled by the hound,” she said calmly. “I doubt that would happen, though.”

Kugutsu should be nearby, but she didn’t seem to care.

Then, I heard footsteps, followed by a muffled voice.

Mayuzumi chuckled softly. “Well… it seems he’s tired of waiting. Kugutsu-kun is getting impatient. Here’s an extra demand. You will bring Yusuke to the warehouse district by the waterway tonight. As for the exact location… I’ll refrain from sharing it. You’ll need to study the surrounding map thoroughly from the town where the Karakuri residence is located to the neighboring town,” she said with a yawn.

She was clearly withholding information. If this continued, the call might be abruptly cut off. I tried to think. There was something I needed to ask Kugutsu. He had experienced something strange with me earlier.

He should have heard the scream at the end.

“Mayu-san, can I talk to Kugutsu?”

“Talk to him? Wait a moment… Not now he said. He doesn’t want to talk.”

“Yusuke has lost his legs. Please ask Kugutsu if he still wants revenge.”

“What a hassle. Fine. Hmm, he’s not responding. It all makes sense now. He’s been puzzling over something since earlier. I see.”

Upon learning about his behavior, I nodded slightly. That piece of information was enough.

As I kept my thoughts running, Mayuzumi continued, “What do you mean by he lost his legs?”

“Kugutsu made a wish to the fox, giving Maihime new legs. As compensation, we were pulled into a strange space, and we met a woman in red.”

Bzzt.

There was a grating noise. Memories of the scarlet woman were still clear, but it was difficult to put into words. It felt as though my throat was being constricted, making it hard to speak.

“The woman… took… his legs… Damn it, what the hell is this?!”

“I see… I understand now. You can’t speak about it.”

What exactly did she figure out? Her words broke the spell. I took a deep breath, and let out what sounded like a wheeze.

“Mayu-san, I…”

“Let’s not talk about that. Anyway, even if I tell you not to come, you will, right? It’s boring, but I guess I’ll have to wait. Well, Odagiri-kun, talk to you later.”

She hung up the phone. I didn’t get a chance to stop her. She sounded as casual as setting up a time to hang out later.

I attempted to call her back, but there was no answer. I lowered my arm, reflecting on the conversation we’d just had.

Anxiety about the scarlet woman filled my chest. However, that feeling gradually waned. There was no point dwelling on her. For some reason, I felt a strong conviction about this. My thoughts shifted to something else.

Mayuzumi mentioned that Kugutsu was hesitating. Was there room for a conversation with him? I hoped this would bring an end to the endless cycle of revenge.

As I lifted my head, I met Shirayuki’s concerned gaze. She had overheard bits of the conversation. I explained the phone call with Mayuzumi to her, and her expression stiffened.

It was still morning, and we had time until the appointed time. However, it was uncertain whether Yusuke would awaken by then. Kugutsu’s demands probably didn’t take his condition into account. He was essentially instructing me to bring him no matter what. If Yusuke remained unconscious, I would have to go alone.

And then…

“Mr. Odagiri, Miss Shirayuki.”

A crisp voice reached my ears as Maihime descended the staircase.

With a smile, she added, “Mr. Saga Yusuke has awoken.”

---

Yusuke sat there, staring into space. Hearing our footsteps, he cast a sidelong glance at us.

His complexion was pallid, and he spoke in a vacant and feeble voice. “…I feel like my legs are still there.”

He moved his feet, bringing the tips of his toes together. He furrowed his brow. Then, he let out a deep sigh.

“I’ve heard of it, but it really feels like they’re still there… What’s going on?”

“No. Take a closer look,” I said. “Did Maihime-san not tell you? You have actual legs.”

Yusuke blinked. He closed his eyes, trying to search his hazy memories. Then, suddenly, he jolted upright. He examined his legs, twisting his ankles and touching his toes.

“Uh, what is this?” he muttered dumbly. “It’s hella gross.”

“It’s not gross,” I said.

Yusuke’s gaze darted to me. He seemed to want to say something, his mouth gaping open and shut, but was unable to form words. Shirayuki gently stroked his hair.

Maihime approached him. “Are you experiencing any pain or strange sensations?”

“There’s no pain… It’s just that the sensation of my legs being crushed and disappearing comes back periodically. It’s really unsettling.”

“I see. The same goes for me. The pain resurfaces at times, but let us hang in there.”

Yusuke’s face tightened, but Maihime only flashed a smile in return. He examined her legs, his eyes tracing her slender limbs beneath her dress.

“Don’t you… hate me?”

“No, not at all. As I said before, if someone harbors resentment upon me, it is my duty to accept it.”

She interlocked her fingers in front of her chest and closed her eyes solemnly. “The puppet… My sister broke down. I’ve heard that she meant a lot to you. As such, I believed I should give you legs, at the very least. It’s my obligation, as someone who lives in arrogance. A vow I made to myself.”

She opened her eyes. Her pride was a weird one, still.

Yusuke furrowed his brow and shook his head.

“The girl you named Hirugao has passed away. You try to live on, but you believe you don’t deserve to return to a normal life. Is that correct?”

Yusuke kept silent, averting his eyes with a complex expression. I remembered the horrifying image of Hirugao’s lifeless body hanging in the storehouse, her grotesque form swinging. I couldn’t comprehend Yusuke’s grief. Returning to a normal life after witnessing the gruesome state of a loved one would undoubtedly be an immense challenge.

Any words spoken would struggle to penetrate the invisible barrier.

Nevertheless, Maihime persisted, “Do you remember, Mr. Yusuke? I invited you to the warehouse.”

I recalled the scene I had witnessed before. A pile of costumes dyed in red. Maihime among discarded puppets with her broken legs not in the mansion, but in the storehouse.

I started to wonder why she had chosen the storehouse as the place to be killed.

“I invited you to that place to talk about the puppeteer’s code and about that child. I told I was fine with her killing me. That’s why I needed to face your grudge. But do you know why I selected that location?” Maihime asked gently.

After a moment of silence, Yusuke shook his head.

Maihime closed her eyes and, in a reminiscent tone, said, “That place is where my sister got the discarded puppets. And there was something there that I wanted to show you. When I saw it, I chose to die there instead of inside the mansion.”

“Hirugao left something behind?” Yusuke muttered in disbelief.

Maihime nodded, extending her delicate milky hand. She held her head high with an air of grace.

“I will show it to you,” she said softly.