Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume3 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 3===

&mdash;Tracing back a a few hours earlier...



After finishing the recording, Alice closed the freight container's door again. The battery-powered lantern she left behind was glowing faintly, illuminating the narrow space.

Judging the time to be appropriate, Haruaki stood up, being the only one whose legs were free. Lowering his head to glance at Kuroe who was immobilized apart from her face&mdash;

"Kuroe, are you able to move your hair?"

"I would've done it already if I could."

I thought so too&mdash;Haruaki sighed and started to examine the door. Perhaps due to the wind blowing in from a gap, it felt even colder than further inside. But of course, it was not a gap a person could slip through, and neither could the door be opened from inside. Useless huh&mdash;Just as he sighed again, Kirika hopped over. Since her ankles were cuffed together, this was the only way she could move.

"Yachi, are there any gaps in the door?"

"Well, however I look at it there's none that..."

"Even a centimeter is enough. If the «Tragic Black River» can pass through, I might be able to move the chain from inside here."

"Oh, that's right."

Who knew if Alice was careless or complacent, she only confiscated their cellphones and did not search their bodies. Kirika had not shown the belt so far, hence fortunately, it was still wrapped around her right arm. With Kuroe still immobile, this was their only available weapon.

Haruaki and Kirika pressed their faces against the edge of the door to find a gap. However, it was still in vain.

"Useless huh..."

"Tsk... What an exceedingly simple sealed room. Looks like it needs to be dealt with in an equally simple manner."

"What do you mean?"

"Simple destructive power should be able to break open this door, allowing us to escape from here."

Yeah but&mdash;Haruaki shrugged.

"But we cannot find what's not there, no matter how hard we try. The draft here is quite cold, so let's go back deeper."

"You're... right."

Kirika hopped back towards the depths of the freight container. But no matter how athletic she was, Kirika could not have accustomed herself to moving with her ankles cuffed together like this.

"Uwah!"

Either she slipped or she tripped, Kirika fell down along the way. Although she did not get hurt&mdash;

"U-Uhhhh... Y-Yachi..."

"Uh... Yeah. As hard as it is for me to say this, but... The situation is just as you suspect, Class Rep..."

Her skirt was flipped up, revealing her bottom underneath&mdash;Haruaki could catch a glimpse of the black leather. Blushing to her ears, Kirika frantically attempted to flip her skirt back down, but because her hands were cuffed, she could not move as she wished.

"Huff... Ooh... Damn it..."

"No, ummm, no need to force yourself. Let me help you fix it. See."

Trying as much as he could to avoid looking at her bottom, Haruaki helped Kirika to flip the skirt back. She then crept to the depths of the container. Leaning her back against the wall, she yelled, still blushing:

"H-How could such a guy exist!? Flipping my skirt and then covering it again!"

"Wait a minute, I helped you cover it back up, but I never lifted it... Woah, don't glare at me! R-Relax, I only saw it for an instant, no actually, I didn't see anything at all! That's right, if you think about it, compared to yesterday, this is completely&mdash;Oh..."

"...!"

Kirika's face went even redder and she forcefully bowed her head. Seeing her reaction, Haruaki felt sorry and stopped talking. Indeed, that's right... It was not something she wanted to recall&mdash;

"Adult-looking underwear, 'compared to yesterday,' two people blushing awkwardly... What is the answer indicated by all these elements? If Ficchi and Kono-san are unaware of this, perhaps I've stumbled upon potent blackmail material."

"Woah! Oh right, you're here too... No, nothing, there's really nothing."

Oh~? Haruaki decided to ignore the blank gaze directed towards him for now.

Silently, time passed. It was getting cold. Wondering if she was cold, Haruaki looked at Kirika who was sitting opposite him. Sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, Kirika was staring at her kneecaps in apparent contemplation. Her arms wrapped around her legs, her skirt hem was sandwiched between her ankles and her thighs, thereby covering up what was not supposed to be seen. However, her pale white knees and legs, exposed from under her skirt, looked quite cold. At this moment, the thought of leaning closer together for warmth occurred to Haruaki&mdash;Frantically, he shook his head to dispel the notion. That would be bad. Leaning together, shoulder to shoulder, their bodies against each other&mdash;That could lead to many misunderstandings! That said, it was not clear who would be doing the misunderstanding.

Suddenly&mdash;

"You... I'm surprised you're so calm."

"&mdash;Eh? R-Really? Isn't this very normal?"

"Of course it's not normal. We're being imprisoned, you know?"

"It's because Haru is like an old man. His mental age has already reached the level of an old abbot at a monastery."

Even Kuroe chimed in as well. Doesn't that sound like I'm about to croak and kick the bucket? How displeasing.

"Because struggling is useless, right? So all I can do is wait... Oh yeah, but if I were imprisoned all alone, I'd definitely be screaming and shouting in a panic, I suppose? Thanks to having the calm Class Rep and Kuroe here, I can be more relaxed... Yes, luckily, it's a great help that you two are here."

"...Really?"

Hoh&mdash;The corners of Kirika's mouth relaxed.

Then she turned her gaze away a little shyly and spoke awkwardly:

"This goes the same for me. If you were not here, I'd definitely be more flustered, yes? I am nowhere as calm as you imagine. So, umm&mdash;I also think... It's a great help to have you here... Or should I say, how fortunate to have you..."


"But the one who helps further by saving you is still me after all."


Suddenly at this time&mdash;

A voice appeared.

Without them noticing, a strange man had started standing inside the container.

For an instant, Haruaki suspected the suit-wearing man of being the superintendent. This was because his voice sounded familiar and he was wearing a mask. But this man was not the superintendent. Quite obviously not.

This was an iron mask with spikes radiating from it like a lion's mane. Probably meant for decoration, but it was especially ugly as a result, producing an atmosphere like equipment used for some strange ritual. Despite the simple shapes used for the eyes, nose and mouth openings, there was some kind of artistic sense to them. The mask's dull color of iron wrapped the entire head. One could barely spot some fine hair at the man's neck.

"&mdash;!"

"Wha... Who... How did you get in here?"

"I didn't notice either. And to think I am supposed to be quite skilled in presence detection, although not as amazing as Kono-san."

The trio expressed their surprise respectively. Only Kirika was also gnashing her teeth as well.

"How did I get in? I simply opened the door normally and walked inside. However, it is only natural that you all failed to notice. This is the Wathe whose curse started with the anger and resentment of a certain man who died in 1703. Without even receiving a name, this man lived his entire life wearing this mask. In other words, he was treated as a human who did not exist."

Tapping the mask lightly with his finger, the man continued as if lecturing slow-witted students:

"Regarding the matter of his 'non-existing existence,' the man simply strengthened the curse progressively on this mask. After the man died, others in similar situations were forced to wear this mask: an impermissible illegitimate son of the king, an impermissible child of mixed blood between a noble and a commoner, an impermissible child of pure blood between siblings. Hence, the mask was cursed&mdash;transmuting into a Wathe that 'dilutes the wearer's presence once worn.' And its name comes from the man where it all began, people call it...  «Il est dans Bastille»."<ref>'''Il est dans Bastille''': French for "He is in Bastille." Bastille is a reference to a fortress in Paris that was used by French kings as a state prison.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille]</ref>

Haruaki was certain he had heard this voice somewhere before but could not place it. How strange. Despite recognizing the voice, this manner of speaking was unknown&mdash;There was this sense of contradiction.

"A mask that dilutes the wear's presence once worn...? So that means..."

"Indeed. After confirming that this Matriarch had tossed the video or something into the Yachi home, I tailed her back to this place. Then I used this mask's taboo power. For an act like opening a door, it too, can produce an effect of diluted presence, causing people to think 'it's nothing much' and not notice&mdash;Oh dear, I've said too much. Your serious listening attitude earns you a hundred marks, Yachi-kun."

"W-Why do you know my name&mdash;"

"Oh? She hasn't told you? This is good too. I'm so glad, Kirika, how considerate of you regarding my position, yes? As expected of my&mdash;"

"Shut up!"

A curt shout. Haruaki looked speechlessly at Kirika. What was going on? They knew each other? If this was someone Kirika knew, then that meant&mdash;
[[image:C3 03-215.jpg|thumb]]

"Indeed, I am a member of Lab Chief Yamimagari Pakuaki's Nation, Ueno Kirika's dependable partner, and the man who understands the princess better than anyone else."

"Sh-Shut up&mdash;Stop talking about that and answer me! You just mentioned the 'Matriarch,' so you mean&mdash;"

"Oh, so she hasn't introduced herself to you people yet? Did she playfully decide to withhold it, or did she forget... Either is possible. Oh well, let me tell you then. Of course, I am referring to the woman snoring away outside. Her name is ''Alice Bivorio Basskreigh''&mdash;the Canonical Mother, Ms. Fanatic, the Woman Bearing the Name of Alpha, the First Matriarch. It is understood from these titles that she is the founder and head of the Family."

"This is really shocking&mdash;She's the boss? Hmm, so if she originally came to Japan to target me, that means she holds me in high regard? That said, I'm not happy about it at all."

Listening to the man as she lay on the floor, Kuroe murmured blankly.

The masked man spread his hands in an exaggerated manner towards Kirika who was glaring at him.

"Yes, which is why I said it beforehand, right? I told you not to get involved with the Family. Compared to others, their organization is more fragile, more undisciplined, ignorant&mdash;and above all, more fanatical than any other faction. Even for us, the Lab Chief's Nation, they are enemies more abhorrent than the Knights Dominion or other organizations. We cannot enter a conflict with them as an organization."

The masked man shook his head in exasperation.

"Especially since this is Bivorio herself&mdash;the woman who is the source of all the insanity. As soon as I heard she was coming, I knew anything could happen. No matter what, I could not let the Lab Chief's sister, the princess, get involved, right? But the threat&mdash;no, my honest advice was for naught and it ended up like this. I never thought you would show him ''that''. What a great gamble you took, Kirika."

After listening to the man and seeing the dramatic change in Kirika's expression, Haruaki instantly understood.

In a rare moment, he felt his mind instantly boiling in rage.

"You... You're the one threatening Class Rep! Even forcing her to go that far!"

"Full marks for your answer. Did you see it? Were you terrified? Did you find it disgusting? I don't suppose you were aroused? Do you reminisce over it in bed? In that case, your future might get dangerous&mdash;"

"Shut up and stop screwing around! Why are you forcing her to do that? It's all your fault, that's why Class Rep would endure to the point of fainting!"

"Yachi..."

Kirika's eyes wavered complicatedly. Handcuffed, her arms were crossed tightly before her chest.

Haruaki stood up and approached the masked man, almost about to beat him up. However&mdash;

"You ask me why? It's obvious. Of course it's for her personal safety."

"Guh..."

The man lifted Haruaki by his collar. The vicious gaze from behind the mask almost penetrated him.

"Then let me ask you, why is she being imprisoned now? Why is she handcuffed? The fact is, had she not gotten involved with the Family, this would not have happened, or am I wrong? Before I arrived, if Bivorio were to abuse Kirika, how would you stop her?"

Well&mdash;well...

Haruaki could not retort back. There was nothing he could say.

"Stop it, let go of Yachi!"

"Mode: «Chaotic Tadamori»... Still not working, I knew it."

Choked by the throat for a few seconds, Haruaki was finally tossed aside and freed. Coughing violently, he wept involuntarily. Damn it, completely shameful.

"Hmph, brat. How annoying."

Then the masked man knelt down by Kirika. Taking out a needle from his pocket, he began to fiddle with the keyhole in the cuff on her ankles. Kirika glared at the man at close range. After a long while, the shackles were opened and the man turned to handcuffs. As the clattering sound persisted, the cuffs were opened the same way&mdash;

Kirika instantly punched the man in the gut.

"Oof... Guh... Ha... That really... hurts..."

"I am very grateful for your rescue, but I will not allow you to make a move on Yachi."

"I didn't punch or kick him, okay?"

"Shut up. Next time, if you dare&mdash;"

The man tilted his head as if completely baffled.

"Kirika, what are you talking about?"

"Wha... Are you actually..."

"I am not obliged to rescue these people as well.  «Il est dans Bastille» can only erase the presence of one accompanying person at most. That is the limit."

While he spoke, the sound of something being shot was heard. Haruaki saw a flash of light erupt from Kirika's neck and the stun gun that had suddenly appeared in the man's hand. The man loaded the unconscious Kirika on his shoulder.

"&mdash;Okay, that's it. Don't resent me for this, boy and little girl."

"I resent you deeply. Hurry and save me! As a reward, you may grope me."

"I'm not interested in little kids."

The masked man quietly opened the closed door and stepped into the darkness.

Haruaki did not intend to stop him but hoped he would continue instead. Even if it was just Kirika, Haruaki hoped she could escape to safety first if possible. Haruaki had no complaints at all.

Hence&mdash;

"I leave Class Rep... in your hands."

Hearing the voice from behind, the masked man looked back in amazement.

Shrugging, he remarked in mockery:

"...What an excessively nice guy. Even when clearly you have no idea whether you'll live to see tomorrow."