Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 7===

She remained rooted to the spot in shock for quite a while.

What was visible to the eye&mdash;or invisible to the eye&mdash;both were leaving her in disbelief.

What happened? What was going on in the current situation?

"...Kirika."

"Ah... Himura-senpai, it's been a while."

While she was in a daze, he had started standing behind her. Truly, it had been a while since they last met.

Upon joining the Lab Chief's Nation, Kirika was assigned to a department, but due to a lack of progress and accomplishment, this department was scrapped several weeks earlier. After all, funding was not unlimited, this was only natural... In these matters, her brother was quite rational and decisive.

The department's personnel were all split up and reassigned to other departments. Kirika and Himura were no exception. Presumably, the higher-ups decided that Kirika did not need to follow a mentor anymore. Indeed, Kirika was also confident that she had already grown quite accustomed to this organization, the Lab Chief's Nation. Even in a new department, her research was going quite smoothly&mdash;although she also felt that the higher-ups had intentionally assigned her to a department whose research could be successfully carried out by someone like her.

After the department was scrapped, Kirika found herself estranged from Himura for quite some time. But rather than a sense of nostalgia, she was more confounded by the sight before her. Perhaps he might know something about it.

"That... puppy... is gone. But clearly, he was still here yesterday as usual... Did someone take him out for a walk? Senpai, do you know where he went?"

"...Unknown. Indeed, why do I get this kind of feeling... Unknown."

He looked quite strange, his eyes simply staring blankly at the empty kennel. Apart from that, nothing seemed to be reflecting in his eyes, not even Kirika who was standing before him.

"So that's why I am pursuing. I desire. I desire ''that'', even if it means forsaking all else..."

"...Senpai? Uh... What is it that you desire...?"

At this time, he finally focused his gaze on her. Directly, sincerely&mdash;yet madly.

Inexplicably, Kirika's back shuddered in terror.

Terrifying. The way he was right now... Terrifying.

"What did you want to ask me? Of course it's you. Kirika. I desire you."

"Eh...?"

"Immersing myself in research all along, I experienced it for the first time. I am certain that this is the greatest research theme that cannot be elucidated even by devoting a lifetime's effort. This is my happiness. As long as I obtain you, I will feel happy. So in order to obtain you, I am willing to do anything. I have been poisoned by the happiness named Kirika and at the same time, infected by the hunger for the happiness named Kirika. However, the fools have separated me from you, transferring you to a promising laboratory where you don't need to do any dirty work, while assigning me to a dull laboratory that could be scrapped any moment. This means forcing me to produce results, right? Very well, in that case, I shall produce results. In order to become a man worthy of you. Hence, I used it."

"You used... it...?"

"My happiness... My happiness belongs only to me... to me alone. Hence, it was perfect."

Himura was essentially confessing his love to her right now. However, it did not matter. Kirika could not dispel the awful premonition occupying her mind. Gulping, she asked the man who exuded a dangerous aura, standing before her like the devil.

"...Where is that child?"

He smiled gently and said:

"Don't worry. You can see it if you come to my lab&mdash;''although only the head remains by this point''."

Kirika instantly collapsed and sat on the ground, her view felt as though the entire world was spinning around. Her brain was about to overheat. Discomfort, nausea. In fact, she really did vomit. He simply watched her without saying a word. Scorching, scorching. Both her body and the depths of her mind felt scorching.

Ah, that's what this is&mdash;Fury.

Never experienced before, almost maddening&mdash;Wrath.

Kirika swallowed her sour and bitter saliva, looking up.

"You used that child&mdash;to use... in an experiment...?"

"I forgot to mention something important. If explaining too much caused me to fail in conveying my main point, that would be putting the cart before the horse. So I must state clearly for the record&mdash;Kirika, I love you."

They were clearly talking past each other. No good. This person, this man&mdash;

Stop screwing around. Stop screwing around. Stop screwing around!

By himself, he continued to pratter incessantly:

"Recently, I produced quite splendid results. Soon after, we should be able to work together again. I expect to receive valuable Wathes afterwards... Oh right, although I only heard by chance, you seem to have recently obtained a Wathe possessing excellent cursed abilities&mdash;"

So what? So what!? What 'I love you'? To think she believed so much in him. All this time, she had deemed so many researchers as inhumane and insane. So he turned out to be one of them. He? No, calling him 'that guy' was sufficient. What 'I love you'? Totally disgusting, nauseating. Unforgivable. She could not empathize with any of this. Completely crazy. To think that guy murdered the puppy for the sake of research. Impossible to understand. Anger and derision overflowed endlessly.

Hence, all she did was murmur softly.

Directed towards everything before her eyes&mdash;

From the bottom of her heart&mdash;

Accompanied by a curse.


"Honestly&mdash;Absolutely ridiculous...!"