Nidome no Yuusha

Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: JackOFallTrades

「So, dear brother, I am taking off」

The next day, as morning arrived without being able to sleep at all with the handcuffs on, Mai also opened her eyes over time.

Once she slept, I thought that maybe Mai will come to her senses, but such a pipedream never came true.

Just like yesterday, she just returned to expressing a kind of broken smile and having an incomprehensible conversation.

I couldn't do anything, and after feeding me breakfast, I just silently watched Mai leave the room as she expressed going to school.

I strained my ears so I could hear the sound of the entrance door and confirm that Mai has indeed left the house and only then, so she doesn't realize my intentions.

「Oh, I have no hurry!!」

I intended to break my bed and take off the handcuffs.

The atmosphere around Mai when she said, 『If you try to get rid of the handcuffs and run away』 was dead serious.

The image of a wet knife popped into my head, and if I am not careful, I felt like she just might stab me on my limbs.

In Mai's current state, if I take one wrong step with anything, you do something that makes you go a little further, she just might lose it all and go haywire.

The broken Mai is now broken and crumbled so much that her former self is unknown.

So, so as Mai doesn't do anything, before she does something irrevocable.

Rather, I have to forcibly suppress Mai, with the mindset of restraining her by force and turning her back.

「I have to get out of these restraint while Mai is not around……, I must hurry and chase after her……!!」

Mai doesn't know this, but my wooden bed base was originally from my father, so the parts of the wood where my arms were connected are rattling.

That’s why it should be possible to break it relatively easily if I pull it by force.

If one arm comes off, I can reach the ballpoint pen placed near the bedside. By disassembling the ballpoint pen, the wire in the spring part can be extended to open the lock.

I used to practice unlocking handcuffs with a clip when I got hooked in a jailbreak drama I saw with my father a long time ago. When I tried the method I checked on the net, the lock was removed unexpectedly.

It will take some time, but even now I should be able to remove it.

「One-two, Hmphh!!」

As I pulled my arms all the way, the wooden parts seemed to be older than I thought, and the wood cracked with ease.

「OK, now then……」

I suppressed the excitement and pushed the spring which I forced out into the keyhole of the handcuffs.

「Just, a little bit more……, nice!!」

My right hand, left foot handcuffs were removed, and the last handcuff attached to the right foot was also unlocked.

「Shit, Time!?」

I turned around while getting flustered it had taken more than I thought, and the time that the clock showed was past ten o’clock.

(Mai was saying to wait until this night. However, saying that she was going to school means that she intends to do something at school)

「I have to hurry……!!」

I didn’t know how to go about it, but I just knew I had to take Mai back home for the time being.

I changed to a random cloth and picked my cell phone.

「Who I can rely on is……」

There is no father or mother anymore.

And I absolutely cannot count on detective Miyakawa-san and Onishi-san duo. The ones who seem reliable are, Maeno-sensei and the others…… but, I don't want to take the current Mai to Maeno Sensei.

The only person I can call in this situation is Yuto.

「Please…… pick up!」

Originally, Mai learned Naginata* at dojo, but at that time she should have been taught Aikido techniques a bit too. (TLN: Japanese halberd techniques)

It sounds pathetic, but even if she did not take me by surprise like yesterday, If I go alone, much less holding her at bay, I might be restrained again at worst.

So I wanted a reliable ally, just in case.

While I was listening to the ringback tone I felt has been going off for a long time, I put on my shoes at the entrance and stormed out of the house…….

「Oh, Ukei-kun. Nice timing」

「Onishi-san……?」

Just before the entrance was Onishi-san standing beside a black car in a suit.

「I needed to talk to you for a bit, could you spare a bit of your time?」

「Hmm, I’m sorry. I’m a little preoccupied at the moment……, I apologize, but can we do this later」

「I’m sorry, but I really need you to give priority to this. It’s an urgent matter」

「Umm, huh, I'm really sorry, now is really not a good time」

I replied thus while being surprised to see Onishi-san unusually forceful.

I do not know what he wants, but nothing takes priority over Mai.

「This is a problem. I'm sorry, but there's not much time. What if I said that your sister is in danger? I am sure you will come to regret if you didn't know」

「Hm!? What exactly do you mean……」

Onishi-san says with a serious expression.

I started feeling hesitant in my head that was full of only going after Mai.

「We really don’t have time, will you just get in the car for the time being. Because of the subject being what it is, I will give you the details in a more obscure location so as to ensure with certainty that the information does not lealk」

「Mm, then please talk here now」

「I can not speak here. In fact, even right now as we speak, time is running out. I want you to shut up and cooperate with me in order to save your sister」

I did not perceive a lie in those words. And, there's no reason for Onishi-san, who worked so hard in the first place to tell such a lie.

Both Miyakawa-san and Onishi-san are adults who can be trusted. If so, then Mai might really be in danger.

「『……Rurururu. Putsu, the phone number you're trying to reach……』」

The phone call that didn't connect through went straight to the answering machine.

「……I, understand. I’ll follow you. However, do you mind if I just send a voice message to call back?」

「Oh, you can go ahead if it's just that」

When he nodded to Onishi-san, he sent a voice message saying 『I will tell you more about it later, but please call me back and don't let Mai find out」.

「Now then, get in the back of the car」

☆

「Can you please be serious!! What the hell is this place!!」

After riding the car an hour later.

On the way, I asked various things, but Onishi-san didn’t answer anything, and we steadily kept moving further away from human civilization, so did my distrust continued to grow in the car.

So we finally got to an abandoned factory somewhere in the forest.

When I got out of the car, he asked me to follow him and went into the factory, I screamed out loud.

Every time I repeated the same question, he dodges the question saying, he will talk once we get to the destination, and was already at my limit.

「When you said, a place where no one can eavesdrop, why does such a place have to be this place? 」

「Well, this place is the right place where no one can ever eavesdrop right?」

There were a number of machines that didn’t move anymore that seemed to be used for applications such as hangars, and didn’t even know what exactly they were producing.

Like a very old building, the ceiling seems to have fallen, rubble has crushed some machines, and the sky can be seen through a large open hole.

Onishi-san replied at one corner of the place where there are piles of rubble, while moving a few stones out of the way.

「The right place huh……」

Abandoned factories are dusty and may certainly meet the requirements as a place to have a secret chat.

However, I cannot be convinced with such an explanation, and I asked Onishi-san again.

「Are you sure it's not a police station? Why this place……」

「Oh, that’s no no. The police station is also dangerous. Because there is also an enemy over there」

「Enemy? What enemy……, no, more importantly, the talk about Mai being in danger!?」

「Hm? Hmm-, I see, would you like to know?」

Onishi-san is searching for something without looking at me.

「Don’t play with me!! You’ve brought me all the way here to talk about that, right!? And what exactly are you doing looking around!?」

「Oh, give me a second. ……, there it is」

「You said it was urgent didn't you? If you have no intention of saying anything then I am heading ba, wait what……」

「Like I said, please hold on for a little while」

A heavy shock was transmitted to my entire body from my ankle.

Onishi-san, who took out something, turned to me and turned something black out at the same time he turned toward me.

「Huh? Eh? What……」

「What do you mean what, it’s a bowgun, a bowgun. Is it easier to understand if I said Crossbow? It’s a tool that plunges arrow that is stuck into your right leg right now」

I was shot. I was shot, I WAS SHOT?

When I looked down on my foot, a black-painted stick with a thickness of an oily magic pen was stabbing the ankle I had just received shock, and blood flowed from it.

「Ugh! OUCHHHHHHHITHUUUUUUUURTSSSS!?」

And the moment I saw the sight, the pain I didn’t notice began to assert all at once.

It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts!!

「Like I thought, it’s noisy at first right. Everyone cries like a baby, oops」

「Gah, Gigu!? Gwaaahahahaaaaaa!?」

With a sound like riding the wind, this time a similar heavy impact hit the other ankle.

Another arrow pierced me and I could not move even a single step and bent to the back, and then fell down toppling sideways.

The burning pain is fading my consciousness and my eyeballs seem like they are about to go blank.

「Ughh, Wh, why, sosh awfoo……」

While in a pain that was likely make me lose my consciousness, my confused head made me utter such words.

「Because the agreement this time, is to capture you alive and deliver you after making sure that you can’t run away. You know I get a dangerous vibe from you, so in order to make certain that you're unable to move, that's why I used this. The eyes around recently were too much so I couldn’t get medicine. I’m glad we met, I came here to pick up a help box. After all, if preparations have been made, there will be no suffering」

Kon, Kon, Onishi-san said while striking the metal part of the crossbow.

With my vision blurred with tears coming from the pain, Onishi-san said such a thing as if it was natural.

「Now, the question was why I brought you here wasn't it. I will tell you as a means to kill time until the pickup party arrives. Fuu-」

Onishi-san holds the cigarette that he took out in his mouth, and skillfully lights the fire and blows out the smoke.

「Well, it's not a reason that would take too long to say anyway. While I work as a civil servant, I often listen to the requests of various people. I was just asked to hand you over alive, that's all. I want you to secure him before some of the police’s upper echelon take him out」

「Ask, Asked? By whom……, Taken out by the police? Wh, why?」

My senses was beginning to blur thanks to the severe pain.

For better or worse, I feels like the pain has been relieved somewhat. No, rather than the pain getting relieved, I felt like the sensation in my feet had paralyzed.

But thanks to that, only my mouth could move.

「How nice to see your mouth still lively. I am guessing it's the adrenaline rush? Well, I’m asking you anything, well whatever, since you asked so relentlessly, I’ll answer that question. To whom? well I guess you will find out when it's time for the handoff, so you can look forward to that time. As to why the upper echelon of the police will want to erase you, that’s simple. It’s because it's inconvenient if you're alive. So, in the guise of a 『gas pipe explosion』, they wanted you lot, and Miyakawa, who was making a lot of noise about various things, to die」

「Eh, huh? Huh?」

The explanation that reaches my ear seems to swirl around my brain and eouldn't dawn on me.

Even so, the word soaks like poison, pushing a blade through my heart.

「Seems like, that cosplay-like stuff I seized from you, seems to be a terrific find. It was a treasure trove of new discoveries, and all the big-shots of the country wanted it. But, you see, Miyakawa-san wouldn't shut up and kept on persistently negotiating with the brass that it could be a clue to regaining your memories. Moreover, you, if your identity is released, the 『Transfer Candidates』 will definitely cause a riot right? So, they decided to kill you and Miyakawa-san beforehand and make it look like an accident. And it seems that the plan was for that seized property to be recovered by taking advantage of the mess」

Onishi says, 『Miyagawa-san too, is so clumsy』, and shrugs off his shoulders.

(……Aah, what’s this, what kind of joke is this?)

The awfulness of the content of the story being heard makes me think maybe I am having an auditory hallucinations from the pain.

I feel like there was a time I felt exactly like this, before.

「Such idiots, the plan was too vague. In fact, neither you nor Miyakawa-san are dead. It looks like they’ve shrewdly recovered your favorite stuff, they got half-assed results because they did a sloppy job. That’s why my client seemed to be flustered, and asked that I secure you right away. It was actually supposed to be carried out next week, but yesterday I was suddenly told to somehow get it done by today. Well, even with your vigilance, you still came with me so easily, and just like that I secured the naive brat, and I have no complaints whatsoever because it's an express delivery charge……」

「………… Gwa, ahahaha」

I was beginning to lose track of what he was saying.

I was not feeling pain in my feet, so with vague thoughts I was thinking whether the pain had exceeded the allowance.

However, a terrible headache begins to dominate my head, as if somehow trying to touch the memories of the past.

(I mean, am I, being sold for money……?)

「I was thinking a lot about some things because it's actually really about your sister too. First of all, it was a strategy of killing two birds with a stone by catching the girl and using her as bait, but I was told hands off the sister. Don’t you think it’s really troubling? After going though the trouble of putting the plan together for day, you got to be kidding me right? But when I heard that the reward will be tripled separately from the express fee, I accepted it」

I did it, as Onishi-san, no, Onishi laughs with a playful attitude.

I understand that he was going to involve Mai until the very last minute

「……… … … … …「

Don’t mess with me, don't you dare lay your hands at Mai.

Even though I tried to shout, I could not make a voice because of the throbbing headache and the a faint breath that made it worse.

「Don't you move, I don’t mind you talking, but I won’t let you off if you try to resist」

「Guahi !? Giiuuuuu!!」

The moment I tried to get up, the crossbow was directed to my right foot again and plunged a pile of pain a short wind noise.

The paralyzed pain sensation opens the eyelids that is trying to close to a new stimulus.

Ouch, Ouch, Ouch.

The pain of a bored hole in my body, a headache that gets worse, and a sense of self-indulgence that is easily deceived are mixed to burn something on the top of my chest.

「……And, I, trust, ed you……, Back, stabber, this, shitfaced bastard……」

『Reliable Adults』 my ass.

「No, no, no, even I am somewhat sympathetic? to suddenly lose your parents and relatives, and completely treated as a criminal who went to another world in his head, and has lost all his friends. You guys are really pitiful」

Onishi neither laughs as if making jest, nor expresses a sad face or sadness.

He sounds like someone who is having trouble deciding what to eat for dinner, and he continued his words with 『but you see?』.

「But that and this are two different stories, right? Reliable or whatnot, I got close to you guys because I thought it'd be easier in the case I got a request such as this. There's nothing like traitor or whatnot」

I heard a crack of something around my ear.

Oh, that's right, there was something.

In front of the other party who breaks something important.

In front of those bastards who betrayed us.

In front of those hateful bastards enough to make me go crazy.

I could not do anything, so I fell on the ground.

At that time, there was certainly something that prompted me not to forget. It was definitely there. It was here.

(What am I doing, me……)

So, what was bubbling inside of me is a boiling rage sensation.

「Well, you will probably be killed, though. But, don't mind. Surely, you sister will follow you soon. The plan already was to use you as an excuse to capture her tomorrow anyway」

Ahahaha His laughing voice echoes in the head.

The headache as if my skull is being smashed, chipping off at my extra thoughts, unable to be suppressed, is mixed with my intensified wrath, and is changing into something like a muddy magma.

「………….ai」

(This guy is trying to hurt Mai)

「Hmm? Did you say something?」

The magma that flows into the depths of my mind gets worse and worse, and is adapting to me.

Yes, I’ve always been in this magma.

「……………you」

(This guy is trying to steal someone important from me)

「Like I said, I can’t hear shit if you keep whispering like that」

Hot, sticky, dark …….

I know the name of this magma emotion. With this magma feeling, I made an important pledge.

「……I will kill you」

As soon as the words came out, the magma filling my whole body screamed like boiling water.

「Huh, yeah right, 『you'll kill me』right. Everyone and even him are all the same. They bark out something they can't make good on. Aah, my sympathy has also run dry. And here, I went through the trouble of talking to you」

I finally remembered. I am finally familiar with myself.

This feeling is……, this very hatred, is my pledge.

No matter what, the wedge is determined to accomplish it by all means.

「I remembered, that's right, I am……」

「? you say you remember, what exactly……」

And the wall between the me with my lost memories and my present self is broken.

「I have vowed to kill them all, without fail」

At that moment, it was certain that something slammed and broke.