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V9 Story IV – Part 05

A heavy silence stretched between the two, and the one who broke it was me.

“Yusuke, Maihime-san, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Time was slipping away, and our window of opportunity was rapidly closing. I relayed Kugutsu’s phone call to Yusuke and Maihime. They exchanged silent glances.

Maihime was the first to speak, nodding gravely. “I understand… I’ll go. I have to bring Kugutsu back. I can’t bear the thought of losing him.”

Yusuke remained silent for a while but eventually spoke up. “All right, I’ll go too. Don’t even try to stop me, Odagiri-san. He hates me. I have to go.” He glanced at the picture on the wall, then hung his head. “No matter what reasons I may have had, what I did was unforgivable.”

I thought about our earlier conversation. Would Kugutsu truly go through with killing Yusuke?

Doubt seemed to be creeping into his mind. In fact, he had left the negotiations to Mayuzumi. If his hatred was unwavering, he would have handled the conversation himself.

I recalled Kugutsu’s venomous voice at the Karakuri mansion. There had definitely been a significant change.

Yusuke had lost his legs, and Maihime had gained new ones. It was a significant turn of events. Though unintended, the price had been paid, the wrongdoing atoned for.

But…

I pushed away the ominous words that threatened to surface.

After confirming their intentions, we returned from the storehouse to the first floor. Shirayuki had also finished her preparations.

Following Maihime’s lead, she had tied her hair back into a long black ponytail. She smiled at me, indicating her readiness to come along.

Before I could say anything, she opened her fan.

“I cannot allow danger to befall Miss Mayuzumi. I will stay out of sight and act separately. Even if I am hidden, my abilities should still be useful. Is that acceptable?”

“All right. Please come with us.”

I had no intention of allowing Kugutsu to kill Yusuke. That meant Mayuzumi would be at risk. Releasing a beast for reconnaissance would suffice. Shirayuki’s assistance was necessary. I approached her, took her hand, and looked into her eyes, recalling everything that’s happened so far.

“Shirayuki-san.”

A tiger sprinting across the snowy expanse, hundreds of crows in flight, a pine tree toppling, a figure in white leaping through the window. It all felt like a beautiful dream. Without her, I would have hit my limits a long time ago.

Shirayuki tilted her head, and I poured out heartfelt words to her.

“I’m truly grateful that you’re here.”

Her face immediately turned bright red.

Taken aback by her unexpected reaction, I swallowed hard. Shirayuki plopped down to the floor, hugging her knees and burying her face within them. She was quivering.

“Sh-Shirayuki-san? What’s wrong?” I asked timidly.

Did I say something inappropriate? With her face still concealed, she extended her hand.

Without even glancing at her fan, she used her brush deftly to write something down. She held it up for me to see.

“Surprising me like that is unfair.”

“I-I’m sorry! I know it was sudden, but it’s the truth.”

“Enough. Please stop. It is embarrassing.”

Shirayuki shrank even more. No matter what I said, she continued to withdraw. Maihime began preparing the map. Shirayuki kept her face concealed even when she returned to her seat.

She remained hidden until the redness finally faded from her cheeks.

---

The sun had set, and darkness shrouded the surroundings. The car’s headlights illuminated the uneven road ahead.

Even though the blood had been cleaned up, the car’s interior still bore the faint smell of iron. The chilly night breeze brushed against our cheeks through the open window. In the distance, something dark, like fuel oil, undulated. I could make out a wide river flowing.

The abandoned warehouse district was situated along a canal, with the soft sound of water in the distance.

The car came to an abrupt, screeching halt. We gripped the backs of the seats to steady ourselves.

Maihime the reckless driver leaped out of the driver’s seat. She tucked her smooth white hair behind her ear.

“We have arrived safely. We are fortunate.”

I would hardly call it safe. I rubbed Yusuke’s back, who was dealing with motion sickness.

In the dark of the night, Maihime stood confidently. She had no intention of hiding. I didn’t intervene. I doubted Kugutsu would kill Mayuzumi in front of Maihime. Her presence should serve as a deterrent. I prayed Kugutsu would stop his violent rampage upon seeing her.

“I’m fine now. I thought I was a goner for a sec, though.” Yusuke wobbled to his feet.

We all opened the car doors. Shirayuki remained inside the vehicle.

Our car was parked in the shadows of the warehouse, well hidden in the darkness. Unless someone approached and looked inside, they wouldn’t see Shirayuki. She remained hunched over, with a brush in hand, tracing it along both sleeves.

Two slim wolves emerged from a small gap in the car door, keeping their distance while following us. The three of us moved forward.

Most of the outdoor lights in the abandoned warehouse district had gone dark. The wide road, once busy with trucks, bore cracks. This area had originally functioned as a materials storage and inventory facility for factories. However, as the factories closed down, only the warehouses remained.

The shadows of the rusted buildings loomed large, like grotesque figures squatting in the night. Silence engulfed the surroundings.

Kugutsu fled this desolate place and found his way to Maihime. He must have thought he had found paradise.

As we walked further, lights suddenly caught my attention. One of the warehouse doors was open, and light spilled from within.

A thick metal door stood wide open. Nothing seemed unusual about the other warehouses. It was our designated location. I approached the door with caution and peered inside.

I inhaled the stale air and coughed a few times. The warehouse offered a significant amount of space. Several containers were stacked on the floor. Above, there was a suspended walkway leading to a mezzanine. Rusted drums lined the handrails.

The other side was hidden from view, and anyone wishing to stay concealed could easily do so.

“Kugutsu, are you there?”

I called out, but there was no response. I took a step inside, and Yusuke followed. Maihime leaned in next. Just as she was about to enter, there was a sharp sound.

Something lunged out from behind a container. It raced like a bullet and seized Maihime by the waist. She stared wide-eyed in surprise, but without a chance to resist, she was swiftly pushed outside. In the following instant, the door slammed shut from both sides.

The figure that had pushed Maihime out crumbled. Its arm hung lifelessly, and its detached head rolled across the floor. I swallowed. Strangely, not a drop of blood was spilled.

It was a puppet. Its empty glass eyes locked onto mine.

I bit my lip, recollecting the security puppets from the mansion. There were likely security puppets outside as well, and Kugutsu must have taken them during his escape. The puppets should prioritize Maihime’s orders over Kugutsu’s, but a surprise attack delayed her reaction.

I could hear Maihime’s muffled voice from outside. She couldn’t open the thick door alone.

To close the door, you’d probably need at least two puppets. There were likely more of them outside. However, if they had been prompted to self-destruct immediately, Maihime wouldn’t be able to issue new commands to them.

I wiped the sweat off my chin. The wolves would probably tell Shirayuki about this situation. She should be capable of opening the door, but it would take some time. I looked at the window. The warehouse’s windows had been sealed shut. There was no other way in.

I gulped. Then, a cheerful voice rang.

“Welcome, welcome!”

We looked up. Kugutsu was looking down at us from the mezzanine.

Beneath him, luxurious leather shoes moved alternately. With a crimson parasol resting on her knee, she swung her legs.

Our breaths seized as our gazes met her bored eyes.

Mayuzumi Azaka was sitting on the walkway.