I realized I did something incredibly dangerous.
Of course, it’s unlikely anything would happen, but if there happened to be a criminal wandering these mountains at this hour, I could have been abducted right off the cliff while unconscious.
I know it sounds weird to say this myself, but I really did have a face pretty enough to be a heroine. If someone had bad intentions, they’d definitely want to take advantage of my looks.
And in fact, someone had already tried to take advantage of me before. I have no idea how that turned out now, though.
Well, at least nobody approached me while I was passed out.
“……”
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a room.
It looked familiar, but as I thought back, it wasn’t the case that I had seen this specific room; it just resembled an interrogation room I had seen in crime dramas or movies.
As I tried to lift my body from slumped over a metal desk, I felt a sense of discomfort and looked down at myself.
My body was restrained. To be precise, I was wearing a white straitjacket typically used for patients with a high risk of self-harm.
My left hand was behind my right elbow, and the long sleeves of the outfit were tied behind my back.
For a brief moment, I thought this was quite clever. If I wanted to make myself bleed and create wounds, I didn’t need a cutter or a knife. I could probably bite or scratch myself with my nails… Though I’d likely be interrupted by someone before too much blood came out, the possibility of success wasn’t zero.
Hmm…
Wait, I thought maybe even without blood, Jjapgurasu might sneak in and help me out in this situation.
But then again, would he really help out as I want him to? He has a tendency to complicate things when he talks, and when it comes to helping me, he always wants me to do this and that for him too.
[Kurosawa Kotone.]
A voice echoed in the room.
There was a speaker in one corner of the ceiling.
Just as I thought, it was like a “movie or drama interrogation room.” There was a giant mirror on the wall. They couldn’t see me from their side, but I could see them from here through that one-way magic mirror, right?
[Did you hear the prophecy?]
“……”
It was a bit absurd that I was hearing such a thing right after waking up.
“Where’s Yuuki?”
I blurted that out reflexively.
He must be super worried about me; either these people found me before Yuuki did, or they took me after finding me.
…Considering Yuuki’s family has connections with the high-ups in the country, it might not be so much that I was forcibly taken, but rather, they could have carried me away here through official means.
[Answer the question.]
Hmm.
I pondered for a moment. Should I tell them about the prophecy I heard, or just keep my mouth shut?
But thinking back, the prophecy wasn’t that detailed. It said I would die, so it would likely happen before I kick the bucket, but even if I estimate life to be around 70 years, that still leaves over 50 years left.
A 50-year expiration date is something the current generation wouldn’t care about much, huh?
The government might worry about it, but I don’t think most prominent figures will care that much either. Just how many of those politicians will be alive in 50 years?
…But isn’t 50 years a bit too far?
Well, considering it’s a light novel, it probably wouldn’t drag on for that long. Though I haven’t seen the conclusion, I think the story would wrap up before the characters graduate high school.
So it probably reflects an event that will happen within the next two years.
I quickly made up my mind.
“If you answer my questions first.”
[……. ]
Are they going to torture me if I make them too mad?
I thought about how much pain I could endure. I’ve been pretty good at holding my breath under pressure. I could probably withstand hot things too. Well, I’d scream if my body caught fire, but still.
Bringing in my friends to persuade them won’t be easy from their side either. Even if it’s been 20 years since the time I lived in, it’s difficult to mess with civilians carelessly.
Given the people here, they might have some sense of the cult behind Yamashita, right?
If that’s the case, it implies that Kagami’s performance seems to have worked. They probably formed a bold plan to abduct me because Kagami treats me like some kind of thing each time they see me.
Japan has already dealt with cult issues before. In reality, since they must be in some “religious” form, they can’t dismantle it carelessly as long as no social issues arise. They probably couldn’t openly suppress it either, but isn’t this a fantasy world?
I wouldn’t be surprised if they were carefully plotting how to wipe it out.
As I waited and waited for a response, I decided to ask, “What’s today’s date?”
[…… It’s July 28.]
Hmm, then I could afford to be a bit relaxed.
I loosened up and leaned against the chair.
I glanced at the mirror reflecting me. I wonder if someone over there was staring at me directly?
“Where’s Yuuki?”
I asked again since I hadn’t heard an answer.
[He’s nearby. He’s waiting for you.]
I nodded.
In that case, it means Yuuki knows I’m here. At least I felt relieved. If he couldn’t see me and we broke apart, he would have been extremely worried about me up till now.
Such organizations tend to be frustratingly unhelpful in strange areas, not informing people things they ought to out of courtesy, leaving readers feeling suffocated.
[This time it’s our turn to ask. Tell us about the prophecy.]
“…… On this day three years later, they say the leader of another country visiting ours will be assassinated.”
I answered vaguely.
That was the response I had been thinking about ever since they first asked me a question.
I had no intention of just spilling everything; I reinforced my mind to speak as naturally as possible, trying to avoid stuttering as if it was a lie.
[……. ]
There was a rustle from their side.
It seemed my connection with the high-ups garnered some success in grabbing their attention. Did I perform well?
Honestly, I’m not very knowledgeable about such matters in this world, but I wonder if the high-ups in the story share names with the high-ups in reality?
Judging by the atmosphere, those kinds of figures must have appeared in the latter half, and if their names overlap with real persons, wouldn’t that pose a problem? I think Japan also has laws regarding defamation and such.
Well, whatever.
[More detailed information?]
“…… I don’t know beyond this.”
My words were interrupted for a moment.
[Are you sure?]
“…… There’s no benefit in lying.”
And frankly, if they really wanted to know, they shouldn’t lock someone up like this. Only those who know the information would answer; what do they expect?
They didn’t respond for a while, but soon seemed convinced my words weren’t that strange.
They called it a disaster, but I don’t think that merely refers to something like an earthquake or a typhoon. After all, the prophecy I heard was about my death.
If it leads to a massive calamity for the country, it could certainly be called a ‘disaster.’
Moreover, such words connect with the phrase “think again.”
If it was a natural disaster, there’s very little humans could do. Building embankments might fend off waves, but there’s no way to prevent the fundamental occurrence of earthquakes. And true natural disasters can’t simply be averted by advising for one to think again.
It’s thoroughly man-made, and if we take precautions from this side, we can sufficiently avert it—this ‘disaster.’
I think that’s a pretty plausible excuse.
Plus, I didn’t even need to say who it involved. As long as a foreign leader comes to visit on August 28 in three years, they would be the subject of the prophecy, after all.
They had to either not summon him and properly investigate to prevent the assassination beforehand, or… well, that was their own business to handle.
Anyway, since it’s still three years away, I didn’t have to stress about it for now. At the very least, till I graduate high school.
[……. ]
It seemed like the people on their end were either discussing among themselves or simply lost for words, as there was silence for quite a while.
While I sat blankly, staring at the mirror, I finally heard a click as the door opened.
I turned my head to see the doorknob turning as someone entered the room.
And…
“……”
The person who walked in was… someone I never expected to meet here.
“Kurosawa-san.”
The person who said that was—
“We’ve met once before; do you remember me?”
“……”
I paused for a moment to scan the person’s face again.
It looked like I wasn’t mistaken. The face wasn’t particularly unique, but that distinct aura was something hard to forget.
“Miura’s father…”
“Correct. Glad to see you remember. My name is Miura Masao.”
Entering with a soft voice, Miura-san was dressed in a neat suit.
“You were a police officer?”
“Not quite a police officer, but I could be one.”
As he answered ambiguously, Miura-san approached and stopped about five steps away from me, facing with a side glance towards the door.
Not from the side of me. From Miura-san’s side.
“You have an appointment with Mako tomorrow, right?”
“Yes.”
“Mako has been quite excited. Looks like she’s been looking forward to it.”
“……”
“How do you feel about Mako?”
His face was emotionless while asking this. If I had to describe it, he smiled, but it didn’t feel genuine; it was the kind of smile someone gives when showing off, like a “Oh, hello! You came to visit!” kind of expression.
So I didn’t feel scared.
But it also seemed more dangerous because of that.
“…… A friend, I guess.”
“I see. Mako thinks of you that way too.”
Although the lights were on in the room, the overall brightness was low. The shadows from the light pouring in from the hallway were cast long from Miura-san to me, creating an atmosphere like the shadows of a looming plot.
If I were to consider the current situation, my side was closer to the shadowy figure… but I hadn’t schemed any conspiracy at all.
“So, in situations like this, you mustn’t lie. I have a feeling… we think differently from the organization behind you.”
He was probably talking about that cult group.
And honestly, I think so too. We were in a rather ambiguous, semi-cooperative relationship, and I seemed to hold a somewhat important position, but I didn’t really consider myself ‘the same’ as them.
Of course, what I see as ‘different’ may not be the same as what Miura-san thinks is ‘different.’
“I would appreciate it if you could tell me that what you said is true. If that prophecy indeed brings calamity, we must take action to prevent it.”
I locked eyes with Miura-san.
His expression didn’t reveal any tension. Was he hoping I wouldn’t get scared?
But at the same time, by mentioning his daughter’s name, it felt sincere.
… I wonder how it was in the original work?
If Miura had died, what would have become of this person? Would he have broken down and gone on a rampage? That’s hard to determine after everything.
“What I said is all there is to it. I don’t leave long messages.”
“……”
Miura-san stared at me as if trying to gauge my words.
Then he nodded.
“I understand.”
And he walked towards me.
As Miura-san approached my back, he seemed to pull slightly on one of the sleeves connected to my arms, unlocking it.
Once he pulled it off, it resembled a sort of belt buckle-style restraint. It looked like a typical straitjacket used in psychiatric hospitals.
…Or rather, it could also be something put on prisoners. Seeing the room again, the latter seemed more fitting.
“How did you get here…?”
I asked Miura-san.
“By helicopter.”
He answered quite simply.
Ah, that makes sense.
A method that straightforward.
…Well, to begin searching for Kudan by helicopter wouldn’t have been easy. Even if they looked down from above during the night, they wouldn’t have been able to see through the trees, and hearing the distinctive loud noise of a helicopter would make Kudan flee far away.
I stood up from my spot.
“The clothes are outside.”
Wasn’t I covered in blood?
I tilted my head and walked out of the room, surprised.
…It just looked like a common building.
I thought it might be a police station or some hospital, but it rather resembled an ordinary commercial building you see on the streets. There could be a convenience store or restaurant on the first floor, and there would likely be small typical offices on the upper floors.
Through the hallway window, I could see outside. It looked like any other street where people were walking around.
Had I been unconscious for that long? The sun was already high in the sky.
And—
“…… Yuuki.”
In front of that hallway, there were chairs arranged as if people were waiting outside an operating room. Yuuki was sitting there and had fallen asleep.
Had he been waiting all night for me?
A wave of guilt washed over me.
And on Yuuki’s lap lay a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, which seemed to have been haphazardly tossed aside. It looked like he had fallen asleep with his hands resting on top.
He didn’t have the knife he usually carried.
“……”
“We’ve been waiting here ever since we brought you here.”
“What about grandpa?”
“Yuuki-san has a lot to do.”
“……”
After some thought, I paused and asked one last thing that I had completely forgotten.
“How did the church people get there first? They arrived before us.”
“…….”
Miura-san silently stared at me.
Is he worried there might be some clash?
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you about that.”
“…… What group do you belong to, Miura-san?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t divulge that either. Mako doesn’t know about it well either.”
Then there’s nothing I can do.
In this era, it might be referred to as organizations or foundations without specific names, simply being referred to by pronouns.
At the very least, it seems like they are people pursuing supernatural phenomena happening in this country.
Once Miura-san closed and locked the door, he gazed at me silently.
Is he saying I can get going now that my business is done?
……
Maybe they want to let me go freely and leave it to me to figure things out, expecting I’ll drop hints about them? I already met Kagami last time.
“…… Yuuki.”
Feeling a bit guilty, I slightly shook Yuuki’s shoulder.
I thought he was in such a deep sleep that it would be tough to wake him up, but Yuuki jolted, sitting up straight.
“Kotone!?”
It didn’t seem like he yelled at me directly, perhaps because he was having a similar dream, or he had been worried about me right until the very moment before falling asleep and reacted unconsciously.
“Kurosawa!”
He changed how he addressed me again.
Does he secretly call me by my first name?
Now that I think about it, Fukuda already calls me by my name. Well, to be honest, it seemed like he would naturally call me by my name after just a little time getting to know me.
“Are you okay!?”
He said while placing his hand on my shoulder.
His hand was still holding onto the clothes, touching my face. Yuuki awkwardly pulled his hand away and mumbled, “Ah, sorry.”
“I’m fine.”
“With the emergency transfusion, you should be okay.”
After hearing Miura-san’s words, both Yuuki and I turned to look at him simultaneously.
Is my condition that serious?
…Then again, it has always been the case whenever I use my ability.
Yuuki seemed to be about to say something, but he simply closed his mouth and politely bowed towards Miura-san. Miura-san returned a slight bow towards Yuuki.
I followed suit. In response, Miura-san graciously did the same towards me.
“Let’s change your clothes first.”
“There’s an empty room nearby, so go prepare in there. Leave the straitjacket as it is.”
“……”
As Yuuki glanced back at Miura-san, he gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.
As we walked to the next room, Yuuki whispered to me, “…… I’m sorry.”
“……”
I was the one who should be sorry.
Was Yuuki feeling guilty because I made him cut my wrist?
But looking at the outfit Yuuki was holding, it felt like I was the one who benefited. I had received so much help that it was becoming difficult to push away that assistance now.
I shook my head.
“I should be the one apologizing.”
“……”
But even if I said that, it didn’t seem to lift Yuuki’s spirits any.
“…… Do you want to go watch the fireworks together?”
After hesitating for what to say, I finally said that, and only then did Yuuki smile slightly.
“You already made plans with your friends, right?”
“…… I can fit in one more person.”
“That’s fine; honestly, it might be a little awkward.”
Is that so?
He was probably saying that out of consideration for me.
“I planned to go with grandpa and dad. I was thinking about calling you, but it turned out to be a relief that you had other plans.”
…Were they perhaps planning a surprise for me?
“Maybe we’ll run into each other nearby. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah.”
Seeing Yuuki’s face light up a bit brightened my mood, even if just a little.
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