Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 15===

"Guh!" Fear groaned briefly and dangled the torture wheel by her side. Watching blood spill out of Elsie's mouth, she lowered her face sadly. However, she immediately looked up again, neither running towards Elsie, nor running towards Haruaki, nor turning her torture tool back to the Rubik's cube.

"...Cow Tits."

"I've sensed them too. This goes without saying."

The two of them were staring at the same direction. Haruaki was puzzled by their attitudes.

"W-What's going on?"

"Hmph. Starting a while ago, some people have been peeping at us. Although I only noticed the presence just now... According to the pocket watch's time, it felt like it was at 3 minutes and 58 seconds."

"I left them alone because there was no time to bother with them, but it's truly uncomfortable, being watched by someone silently. How much longer do you intend to hide for? Don't worry, we must express our thanks first. But after that, I don't know."

Soon after Fear and Konoha spoke, the bushes before their eyes rustled and shook. Then out emerged three people, one familiar to them while two were strangers.

"My statement: basically I'll still answer. We do not intend to hide the whole time. It was time to come out, reporting this kind of report."

"Un Izoey...? Why are you here? And those others are...?"

Standing before them was a dark-skinned girl. Instead of the navel-exposing uniform she wore in school, she was dressed in a lab coat with a long tribal skirt, attire that represented her identity as part of the Lab Chief's Nation.

The other two also seemed to be members of the Lab Chief's Nation.

One was a very skinny woman, dressed in a simple tight skirt and lab coat, her long hair fluttering in the night wind, her eyes half-closed sleepily. She was probably not actually sleepy but her eyes simply looked that way to begin with. In contrast, the other person was a burly man resembling a bear. His facial features looked very simple yet very deep set at the same time. He was dressed in a shirt, a tie, dress pants, and like the others, a lab coat. No matter how one looked at it, that lab coat seemed to be too tight a fit. The front buttons were probably impossible to fasten.

The woman made a strange laugh while introducing herself quietly.

"Kususu... Nice to meet you, hello everyone. I am Shinohogi Rai, the Chief of the Second<!--strangely enough, she was introduced as the Third Branch in Volume 7 in the trivia section--> Branch from the Lab Chief's Nation. Because Lab Chief Yamimagari is very busy, I came as his representative. Let's get along well from now on... Kususu?"

"I am Takasugi Seijuurou the Deputy Branch Chief! We have no intention of making you our enemies, so please don't be so on guard."

"I remember you saying: 'Damn it, I hate doing this kind of pain in the ass job the most. Damn Lab Chief, tonight I just rented an adult video featuring someone resembling the Branch Chief and was planning to enjoy myself fully...' Isn't that right? Kususu, Takasugi-kun, that's not good. I've got to jot this down..."

"Please stop imitating my voice and writing fabricated news into your 'informant reports for Lab Chief Yamimagari' notebook! Clearly, Branch Chief, you're the one who was complaining just now: 'Going out at night is bad for the skin.'... Oh, it's coming! The backhanded punch~!"

"Please don't say things that'll give others the wrong impression. These are the Lab Chief's orders, so I'll have you know that I rushed here, skipping along with enthusiasm. Yes, after all, I do want to see the Yachi Haruaki-kun of rumor... Yes... Hmmm..."

Without looking at the man who was holding his nose&mdash;Takasugi&mdash;the woman stared intently at Haruaki as claimed. Then she suddenly reached into her inside coat pocket to get something. Fear and the girls frantically prepared to attack, but&mdash;

"Umm... Branch Chief, why are you suddenly popping bubble wrap?"

"Kususu... I was expecting the boy, with the special constitution of being immune to curses, to be a handsome youth with a muscular body like a gorilla's in accordance with having a special constitution... My hopes are dashed, I'm so heartbroken. Sigh... Where on earth can I find a man of my preference, capable of slaking my thirst...?"

She sighed while popping bubble wrap. Meanwhile, Takasugi stood behind her as though saying "Right here! Right here!", silently pointing repeatedly at his own face. Fear half-narrowed her eyes.

"...Are these guys comedians? How sudden and incomprehensible."

"I explain by giving the explanation that they are basically from the Lab Chief's Nation."

Un Izoey spoke seriously and did not look like she was lying. Rai threw the piece of bubble wrap away as though tired of it.

"Kususu... Hmm, this does feel out of the blue. As for why we're here... I think you guys already understand the situation. That's because researcher Himura Sunao was acting too suspiciously."

"Should this be called surveillance or observation? The whole thing began when he took away that Amanda Carlot from our medical facility."

"...She wasn't discharged from hospital?"

Kirika asked while staring cautiously at the two of them. Rai laughed again.

"Kususu, Your Highness the Princess, it's been a while. You don't intend to return?"

"That conversation is already over. Hurry and answer me."

"Yes yes. Although Amanda has recovered a lot, she still hasn't reached the point where she can be discharged. We originally thought it was the Knights Dominion's doing, but this child is probably no longer important to them... Just as we were racking our brains in puzzlement, oh dear, what a surprise. In one of the usual reports sent by our excellent researcher, unbelievably there was a mention of Fear-in-Cube pushing someone on a wheelchair in school, a white-haired girl who looked a bit strange."

Un Izoey kept nodding. Speaking of which, when taking Amanda on a tour of the school, they had encountered her back then. The job of reporting precisely on Fear and the others' situation in school, Kirika's responsibility in the past, was now handed over to Un Izoey.

"Of the personnel related to this school, there is a researcher Himura who possesses a Wathe capable of erasing one's sense of presence. Due to a number of suspicious points when he was sent on reconnaissance missions to the Knights Dominion, the Lab Chief ordered us to investigate him&mdash;"

"In other words, after some investigation, the situation evolved to the current state. Does everyone understand? Although we failed to catch him, that can't be helped. Now that the whole story is cleared up, our job is done once we report back to the Lab Chief... Anyway, we are very sorry that one of our colleagues caused so much trouble for everyone."

"Not just any trouble, it was totally massive trouble. Like I said just now, I even want to demand compensation."

Fear pouted and spoke. Rai shrugged lightly.

"Kususu... Of course, the Lab Chief also ordered us to do you a favor if there's any way we could help. According to our sources, the Knights Dominion has installed an Indulgence Disk into «Article 15». As much as I'd like to take it for research, since it's the Lab Chief's orders, you guys can have it as a gift... Also, there's... Ah yes. Anyway, leave Hinai Elsie to us to take care of as well. Takasugi-kun, how's her condition?"

"Uh... Oh? I think she can be saved if rushed to the hospital at once, or perhaps not!"

"Kususu, unlike what's shown in movies, biting through your tongue doesn't actually kill you that easily in real life. Dealing with a corpse or reviving her, which would be more of a pain? Oh well, whatever, hurry and send her to the hospital."

"Understood! Then I shall take my leave first!"

Saying that, Takasugi picked up Elsie in his muscular arms and sped off from the scene as quickly as he could. Although she was an enemy, she was simply a member of the Family, manipulated by Himura. If she could be saved, that would be for the best, of course.

"Next, how do you guys intend to handle Amanda Carlot? You can return her to our hospital if you like, but letting you keep her is fine as well... Oh my?"

For some reason, Rai had her head cocked in puzzlement while looking at Amanda whose unfocused eyes were directed towards the night sky. Fear bowed her head to look at the remains of «Article 15» that Himura had left behind.

"A tool for controlling minds. Perhaps Amanda's mind could be recovered using this. But no, this is a cursed tool after all, so it shouldn't be used. But&mdash;What does Amanda think herself? What I did... is it really... the right thing..."

"Fear..."

What should he say to her? Haruaki did not know. Fear's doubts were shared by him at the same time. Was this okay? Was this... honestly okay?

Nevertheless, at this moment, Rai examined Amanda and went "Kususu, please allow me to interrupt for a bit."

"Oh, I see now. In that case, it doesn't matter if that thing's broken."

"D-Don't talk so lightly! This girl... But she's still in this kind of state&mdash;"

"Speaking of which, the report did mention about this as well. You are really amazing for noticing the issue without any prior information."

"My honor: to receive your praise is my honor."

Un Izoey was nodding at something while turning her head to look at Haruaki's group.

"Kususu... According to the hospital's records, the girl had indeed lost all cognition in the beginning, but recently, she had already recovered to the point of being able to speak."

"Wha&mdash;!? Then why did she become like this now! So her condition deteriorated again!?"

"Indeed, how odd, right? Deteriorating to this extent, it does make one wonder if someone deliberately played a hand in this. Well then, allow me to ask a question. Have you guys been giving her some kind of medicine? Kususu."

Kirika stared in wide-eyed shock as she took out a sheet of tablets from her pocket. This was the medicine that Himura had given to Kirika to feed Amanda regularly.

"How absolutely ridiculous. Of course, I did examine it myself, because medicine coming form him cannot be trusted at all. However, this really is a drug for treating mental illnesses&mdash;"

"Hmm. May I have some of that medicine?"

Kirika handed the sheet of tablets hesitantly. Rai scrutinized it for a while then said:

"There's nothing suspicious about the packaging or the labeling... However&mdash;"

Then taking out a tablet, she placed it on her tongue without deliberation. Moving her jaw and chewing for a while, she then spat the tablet out&mdash;

"Kususu, bingo. The contents here don't match. I'm actually very skilled at distinguishing drugs by taste. Even if certain drugs have no taste, there's a kind of feeling... Anyway, he probably hired someone to forge the packaging and stuff. Simply stated, ''this drug causes people to lose their sanity if taken for prolonged durations''. From researcher Himura's perspective, he needed this child for his goal but could not allow her to say anything wrong that would jeopardize his plans... Looks like he really wanted her to be nothing more than a tool to highlight how hard he was working."

"W-What did you say...!? Then&mdash;!"

"As long as she stops taking this drug and continues to receive the treatment she was supposed to receive, she should recover normally."

Rai answered simply. Un Izoey also spoke up with calm eyes:

"My statement: I think I mentioned before, should start by checking food. In my homeland, there are people who accidentally ate poisonous herbs repeatedly, blocking the flow of their ''raama'', then losing their minds like this."

Impossible. Was this really true?

If that were the case... Ahhh... If that were the case&mdash;Amanda was going to recover.

Haruaki looked her, sitting on the wheelchair. She was expressionless. However, she should be able to recover. She should recover as soon as possible the expressions she was supposed to have. Also, this should be performed by those who know how to treat her.

Then the members of Haruaki's group looked at one another.

"In the end... I guess this is what's called leaving it to the professionals. Although I'm still a bit worried."

"Yes, if you guys will promise us, you won't use this girl for inhumane experiments or torturing her for information&mdash;"

"Upon the honor of my tribe, I promise this kind of promise."

"Kususu, after all, she doesn't know any information that we have no choice to get except through torture."

Although the woman laughing eerily could not be trusted, Haruaki thought that he could probably believe Un Izoey, who was nodding with sincere eyes. At least, she was not a bad person.

Kirika also seemed to hesitate for a long time. Finally, she made an agonizing decision. Glaring, she said:

"...I still cannot trust you people at all. Allow us to see her whenever we ask to see her. That is the condition."

"Kususu, that means we'll need to behave then. Understood, Your Highness the Princess. Researcher Un Izoey here shall serve as the point of contact, is that okay?"

Amanda was going to be returned to the medical facility affiliated with the Lab Chief's Nation. Staring at Amanda's face, Fear bid her farewell for now.

"Take care... You must accept your treatment properly. Also, see you next time. Honestly, I don't know what I'll chat with you the next time we meet. We are still ourselves and you are a former enemy. So I don't know if I need to apologize to you or not. However, let's meet again in order to confirm this matter. I will neither run nor hide."

These words spoke for everyone in the group.

Hence, no further words were needed. Haruaki simply reached out and lightly stroked the soft strands of Amanda's hair, bidding farewell to this sensation as well for now.

Un Izoey pushed the wheelchair and departed together with Rai.

Watching the backs of their lab coats, Haruaki suddenly remembered. Konoha had said: we must express our thanks first. If what Konoha said was true, then just now, it really was&mdash;

"Oh, hey! Umm... Could it be that you just saved me? When Elsie was extending the silver chain towards me, the chain seemed to be deflected by an arrow or something, inexplicably changing direction&mdash;"

"&mdash;What are you talking about? I answer with this kind of answer. From the bottom of my heart, I have no clue at all."

Un Izoey answered without looking back. An obvious lie.

On the other hand, Rai grinned and looked back:

"Kususu... This child said this: 'Clearly a formidable foe has appeared, why aren't they asking me for help? What an unknown.' Probably because they don't want to owe us a favor, so you shouldn't make a move&mdash;That's what I explained to her... But she apparently couldn't stop her body from acting on its own. Had we arrived on scene a little earlier, she probably would have rushed into the fray happily? Kususu, towards you guys, this child really feels&mdash;Oh dear, why are suddenly walking so fast? If you leave me behind, I'll cry."

As though aching to leave the scene as quickly as possible, Un Izoey was pushing the wheelchair rapidly. Rai giggled with laughter while her shoulders shook, following after her. Amanda's white hair was swaying left and right on the wheelchair.

After the trio vanished, the school at night finally returned to silence.

Haruaki could not help but look up at the school building behind him. The concrete wall, shattered by Elsie's silver chain; the external wall, cracked by Fear's torture tool&mdash;as well as the large broken clock.

The clock was currently stopped.

However, time itself had not stopped.

Looking at that damaged clock, Haruaki realized once again.

A matter-of-fact, precious and lovable feeling, yet at the same time, slightly worrying.

Just like this malfunctioning clock.

Simply invisible.

Simply impossible to confirm, but time itself was definitely flowing continuously.



And then, something else was changing continuously as well.
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