Mokushiroku Arisu - Volume 01

by Kagami Takaya

  "...... but, why did you do that? Under those circumstances...... under those terrible circumstances, you didn't need to save......"

  "Before that, answer my question first."

  But, ignoring me, she continues.

  "And also, I don't get the reason behind letting me take the credit......"

  "I don't want to talk. In the first place, I'm not obligated to answer you."

  "B-But."

  As Gunjou enters the ward, I say to her.

  "Hey, don't just enter on your own. You will make the ward stink with your puke."

  "............"

  Gunjou's face becomes teary. But it probably was not due to all the excreta talk I labeled on her. She is looking at my leg.

  My immovable leg.

  Seems like she already knew about my leg.

  In a quavering voice, she says.

  "...... I heard about you leaving school."

  "Ohhhh."

  "...... just now, I heard...... from the doctor that your leg won't be able to move again. That's why, that's why you have to drop out of school."

  "Hmmmh. So?"

  At that moment, Gunjou's face contorts. Contorting to the verge of tears. Tears start piling up in her strong-willed, almond-shaped eyes. The tears flow out readily. Seems like this girl is really a crybaby.

  With tears flowing, she looks at me intently, then says.

  "I-It's...... because of me, that you......"

  But, interrupting her, I say.

  "Don't be over-conceited about yourself. I made that decision with my own free will. It isn't your fault."

  "But."

  "Besides, when you enroll into that school, you too signed an oath of self-responsibility right? One's injury in the labyrinth is one's responsibility. It's one's own responsibility even if one dies. So why're you are crying so much? It's really unsightly."

  "But!"

  She starts to approach me.

  "Don't come!"

  I holler.

  Gunjou's small body trembles with a start. She stops. With fearful eyes like those of a cat, she looks at me.

  I receive her gaze with half-opened, smirking eyes.

  "I don't have any business with you. So don't come any closer."

  "............"

  Crying, Gunjou looks at me with a face that says she does not know what she should do.

  Strong-willed eyes.

  Weak-willed eyes.

  Lovely but yet depressing, pitying eyes.

  "Can you leave?"

  "...... Shi-Shinnosuke."

  "Hurry up."

  "...... I-I'll be back...... again tomorrow......"

  "No. More like, I'll be discharged by then."

  "Eh...... t-that can't be possible. It's not possible in your current wounded state, was what the doctor......"

  But, cutting her off, I say.

  "There are too many uncalled visitors, so I'll be transferring to another hospital."

  "...... ah."

  "Yeah, but that too isn't your fault. It's all because of my good personality that I have many friends, you see ~"

  Gunjou is not smiling.

  I am unconcerned.

  I reach out for the bed, and prop my upper body up. Standing with my left leg. My right leg did not move.

  Gunjou's expression contorts again.

  "I, I can understand that you don't want to see my face but......"

  "I don't have that much interest in you to the point of not wanting to see your face."

  "B-But, erm...... you were the one who saved me."

  "Yeah ~, that's right. Then, pay me. Pay me the fee for saving you. That'd be enough. And you can forget all that hypocritical guilt."

  "...... I, I."

  "Then, I'll send you my account number later, so it's about time for you to go right?"

  "Shinnosuke."

  "See you, bye bye."

  "Shinnosuke!"

  Gunjou shouts angrily.

  I look at her intently with half-opened eyes.

  "...... what?"

  "...... don't, transfer to another hospital...... I...... I won't come here again."

  "............"

  "I'll make the rest stop coming here as well, so don't transfer to another hospital."

  "............"

  "And also......"

  "There's still more?"

  With a imploring, pained look on her face, Gunjou says.

  "...... you should blame me more. If you continue to act kindly towards me after all that, I'll...... I'll......"

  I laugh at that.

  "Ha, haha, what the hell. If I don't blame you, you will be stricken with guilt?"

  "T-That's not......"

  "All right. It's your fault. So pay me. Then we'll call it......"

  "That's not it! It's not about that...... if you keep treating me like this...... then, I'll......"

  However, ignoring her, I press the button to call for a nurse. This ward is a private ward meant specially for politicians, and a nurse comes over right away.

  "Erm......"

  The nurse is poking her face into the room, looking at the crying Gunjou, and feeling a little disconcerted.

  "How can I help you?"

  Gunjou frantically wipes her tears off with her hand. And makes her strong-willed face. In front of others, she is desperate not to let her weakness show and puts up a bluff. However, unlike Kiri, she cannot erase her emotions right away. She cannot control her emotions. Her lovely face is filled with a mix of self-assurance and uncertainty. Her long lashes are wet.

  "...... i-it's nothing! I accidentally pressed the button. We are busy right now, so you can leave......"

  "No need to leave. I was the one who called. I'll be discharging from the hospital. Make the arrangements."

  Gunjou looks at me.

  "W-Wait. We aren't done......"

  "We're done. Frankly, it's vexing to have a stalker like you following me around."

  "Can I ask for a crutch?"

  "...... at any rate, we have to get the permission of the doctor first......"

  "Aah, then, I'll just bear with this hospital for now, so just get me a crutch."

  The nurse nods and leaves.

  Gunjou then says with a tinge of happiness.

  "You're not leaving?"

  "No, I am. Who cares about getting permission."

  "Ah......"

  "More like, you should be going home too. Don't tell me you want to stay by side and provide for me for the rest of my life?"

  I smile while saying that, but, Gunjou gazes at me and says.

  "...... if...... that's what you wish for."

  She is serious.　That is how hung-up she is on what happened in the labyrinth the other day.

  "You are getting too worked-up, duuummyy."

  "............"

  "Besides, you'll get over it after a while."

  "............"

  "Or, is it because that you managed to become the hero even after getting many of your comrades --- your classmates --- killed, and causing me to get an injury that can't be healed...... and you want to at least do one good thing to compensate for all that?"

  "............"

  Gunjou's face contorts again into one that is on the verge of tears. Bull's eye. She is the strong-willed, arrogant type who feels a strong sense of responsibility; a foolishly kind girl.

  But,

  "That kind of thinking of yours is a needless favor. Your classmates died because they were weak. My injury was a consequence of my own decision. You have not the slightest responsibility in it."

  "B-But......"

  Tears fill her eyes again.

  Vexed, I touch her white cheek that seems almost transparent enough to see the blood vessels beneath it, and say.

  "Don't make such a weak-looking face, Mizuiro Gunjou. Aren't you the superstar who has twenty corporate sponsors? You should smile, and take in with self-assurance all the money, fame, and power. Don't look back. Once you loo
k back in that school, you'll die, you know?"

  "...... Shi-Shinnosuke."

  "...... hey, ah ~, what the hell am I saying? I told you to go back, jeez."

  Gunjou looks up at me. With her teary face. Her cheeks are slightly red. She seems about to open her mouth but, I interrupt her by pinching her cheek.

  "Ah ouch!? Wh-What are you......"

  "...... I'm a little tired. Even though my wound's not better yet, I'm seeing too many visitors today. Can I sleep?"

  "Ah, ah......"

  "And also, even if you go back, I'll still be in hospital tomorrow."

  Instantly, her eyes widen.

  "R-Really!?"

  "Yeah. So go back. Quickly go."

  "Eh, ah, erm...... o-okay. I'll go. I'll come back again tomorrow...... so."

  I sit on the bed. It is true that I am tired. I wave my hand to signal Gunjou to leave.

  "Quickly go."

  She leaves the ward,

  "I'll come back tomorrow......!"

  After saying that, she closes the door.

  She said the same thing as Shiro, Himi and Kiri.

  Jeez, I don't get it. I don't get their purpose behind saying that.

  What the hell's wrong with them?

  Who the hell are they?

  "How free can those people be......"

  Once again, I sigh out tiredly.

  The ward has returned to silence.

  The machinery sound of the air-conditioner. The soft sound of my breathing. That's all I can hear.

  And the faint smell of hope remains in the room.

  Is it the scent of Gunjou? Or the scent of Kiri, or Shiro, or Himi?

  Love, romance, friendship, lover, friend, youth, peace, justice, dream, girls, friends --- a sweet fragrance.

  A halting, seductive fragrance that seems to ensnare the legs of the weak, seventeen year-old me.

  Telling me that there's no need to work so hard.

  That I can live more freely.

  Excuses, reasons not to do, reasons not to go on, appear in my weak heart.

  "...... ha, hahaha."

  My legs had always been ensnared.

  My chest had always felt like it was going to get crushed.

  Whenever I see the young men and women of my age having fun and laughing amongst themselves, a worthless temptation will be born from the depths of my heart for an instant, and I will be on the verge of losing to it.

  "............"

  No, surely, without a doubt, all of those who have dived into labyrinths probably have had their legs ensnared before.

  Shiro is definitely carrying some kind of darkness.

  Kiri too, for sure, has some kind of a big secret.

  That goes for the same with Gunjou. Otherwise, they could not have gotten that strong.

  But yet, they all talk about pointless friendship. About love, about romance. Crying and laughing over worthless things. Taking a meaningless detour to come talk to me.

  But, what's all that for?

  What are they thinking of?

  "...... even though reality...... the world, is such a terrible place."

  Or don't tell me that, at that time, they all have another kind of strength that should exist only in fairy-tales?

  "...... there seems to be no end to their company."

  I smile again.

  With half-opened eyes, smirkingly...... I smile, with a tinge of sadness.

  ♦

  Once I got my crutch, I immediately went outside the hospital.

  Evening.

  The sun is already rather low, with its rays slanting.

  The sky is red like blood.

  The carpark is huge and seems like it can accommodate two hundred cars. However, not one car is in sight. What I can hear is the faint sound of the engine of an approaching motorbike.

  I have heard that engine sound before. Its speed slows, followed by the sound of changing gears. A motorbike with a girl riding on it appears at the entrance of the carpark.

  It is a strange-looking girl, who is wearing a white coat over her school uniform.

  Sanae Yayoi.

  Fifteen years old.

  My cousin who is in charge of a research lab of Taikou Pharmaceuticals. Yayoi stops her bike before me, and takes off her helmet. Her long, black hair falls out.

  Yayoi smiles, and says.

  "...... Onii-sama...... I saw your medical report. Your leg is injured, it seems."

  "Ha, you've come to make fun of your cousin's injury? You really have a horrible personality."

  "...... I'm not happy about it at all. However, I thought that you can finally rely on me with this, Onii-sama."

  "I won't."

  "But, that leg of yours, if it's Taikou Pharmaceuticals --- if it's us, we'll be able to fix it right away."

  "............"

  "Since our corporation has lots of unpublicised magic technology that are exclusive to us."

  "............"

  "Now, let's go. Please hop on. I've already prepared your room in the research lab, Onii-sama......"

  I cut her off and say.

  "Hey Yayoi. Can I ask you something?"

  "What is it?"

  "You know."

  "Yes."

  "...... about the incident this time, how much do you know about it?"

  After saying that, I glare at her.

  But Yayoi's expression remains unchanged.

  I continue.

  "...... the one who investigated the labyrinth was you guys, Taikou Pharmaceuticals. The scouting corps made a mistake in their scans. The report saying that it was a rank 0.4 labyrinth was a mistake. That was probably a rank 20 labyrinth right?"

  "I'm sorry. With regards to the labyrinth raid this time, I'm not too sure of the details...... why don't you follow me back to the corporation to ask them about it?"

  However, ignoring her, I continue.

  "But can a rank 20 diseased girl deceive Taikou Pharmaceuticals? The truth is, you guys already knew what kind of labyrinth that was right?"

  "Erm, Onii-sama......"

  "You knew that but yet made us raid it. But, what kind of experiment is that? What were you guys doing there?"

  "Onii-sama!"

  "I'm not your big brother."

  But, unconcerned with my remark,

  "Onii-sama, please hear me out. It was a necessary experiment."

  Yayoi readily admitted to it.

  I am reminded of the dead bodies of several classmates for an instant. I am reminded of the dead Asahi Momoka, who thanked me.

  And all that was for a necessary experiment, she said.

  I narrow my eyes, and smile.

  "...... you guys killed that many people just because of an experiment?"

  "It couldn't be helped."

  "Haha."

  "It's also a necessary experiment for the sake of saving your little sister Saki, Onii-sama."

  "............"

  I stare at Yayoi.

  Flashing me a smile, Yayoi says.

  "But, I'll tell you about everything when you come back to the lab with me. So please come along with me."

  She extends a hand towards me.

  I look at that hand.

  "...... if I say no?"

  Yayoi answers.

  "You don't need to be so wary. Onii-sama, you are an important person to me...... and also the corporation has a high opinion of you now."

  "............"

  "As the labyrinth this time was a man-made one --- we were the ones who forced the disease onset in Asahi Momoka, so we were able to monitor everything that happened inside."

  "Whatt!?"

  Man-made labyrinth?

  Force the disease onset?

  What the hell is this girl talking about?

  "Thus, after knowing how excellent you are, how you managed to deal with a rank 20 labyrinth and came out of it alive......"

  If all that has been seen by the trash, then, letting Gunjou take all the credit became meaningle
ss.

  Yayoi continues happily.

  "The corporation definitely wants you, Onii-sama. They are saying that they want you as an in-house magician or researcher. Of course, I already knew something like this would happen --- after all, I already knew how amazing you are since a long time ago!"

  I look at her face.

  Her face that is beaming from knowing that her cousin is recognized by the organization she belongs to.

  Her face that is helplessly jubilant from the fact that her cousin managed to survive and killed the diseased girl, Asahi Momoka.

  It's a 'natural' face. Such things are probably natural to the world she has been brought up in, Taikou Pharmaceuticals.

  No, it is the same everywhere. It is the same for any country, any company. Human experiment is a natural thing. Thrusting anyone out of the way, for the sake of personal gains, is a natural thing.

  Love, romance, justice, silly, childish words like these are meaningless.

  "...... haah."

  I sigh out in exasperation. Following that,

  "But, what if, I still tell you that I can't go with you?"

  On hearing that, Yayoi answers with a smile.

  "That's not possible. You can no longer escape from us. I was the one who fiddled around and blocked the nerves of your leg."

  "...... aah, so this is your doing too huh."

  "Besides, you don't have your 《Headphone Fuzz》 right? When you were wheeled into the hospital, I secretly took it from you."

  Yayoi slowly takes out my 《Headphone Fuzz》 from the pocket of her white coat, and smiles.

  "It'd surely be dangerous to fight a first rate magician who could clear a rank 20 labyrinth but --- even if it's you, Onii-sama, you're just an ordinary person without your 《Headphone Fuzz》."

  "............"

  "But, even so, just in case, I've brought along the special forces magicians from the corporation."

  Suddenly, at that moment, murderous intent fills my surroundings. Seems like some kind of magic had been employed to hide their presence. Eight men, clad in military uniforms, appear around Yayoi. Each of them is wearing a 《Taikou Pharmaceuticals' Specialized Type 2》 《Headphone Fuzz》.

  They are not any extraordinary magicians. If only I have my 《Headphone Fuzz》, then no matter how many they have, I could take them on.

  But right now, I am unarmed. Useless. Trash. I do not have a single 《Headphone Fuzz》 to use against my well-prepared opponents.

  "Damn."

  I take a large step forward with my crutch. And start to reach out to grab the 《Headphone Fuzz》 in Yayoi's left hand.