Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4 Chapter 3 (section)

==3.03 Chami Part 3==

Hiding in the shadow of the monument by the entrance of Urban Dome, Chami shuddered.

“H-Horisaki Azusa…”

Taking a look at the lounge on the second floor behind Chiharu, Chami muttered out hoarsely. She had sprinted down the escalator in panic upon seeing her and collided into the monument. It was lucky that she had not been discovered by Chiharu.

She had planned to abandon her mission of observing Ayukawa Chiharu after today.

Having shadowed Chiharu all the way since school, they arrived here. She obviously did not have the leeway to return to base and change, and was thus in her school uniform.

For five years, Owlet, Chami’s pawn, had undertook this mission. The cat had dutifully carried out this mission for five years and had observed nothing out of the ordinary till now. Thinking that there would not be any changes from now on, Chami carried out the observation mission with her own eyes for the first time and thought to abandon the mission after that.

She had also thought that the fact that Owlet died was purely due to bad luck.

Chami had thought that that was the result of Owlet coincidentally coming to clash with the visitor from Central Headquarters, Kanata, whose nature she did not know, while he was engaged in his own mission. —Even if one brushes it off as having bad luck, she certainly did not plan on letting him off just like that. While Kanata was fulfilling his mission, she was planning on turning him into one of her pawns, or to enact some punishment on him.

Chami was also thinking of finally taking action once she was done with all the matters in Nishito City.

Her target was Fuyuhotaru, as well as the resurrectee who had escaped from Central Headquarters. If she was able to get her hands on either one of them, then she would be able to get into the ‘heart’ of the Central Headquarters.

However, before she could do any of those, Chami witnessed something momentous.

“!”

When she looked up, she saw a lone girl standing still.

“…''Hii…!''”

She instinctively released a scream.

The girl was looking down on Chami with a shadowy gaze. Her cloth-like garment was fluttering, and her inhuman dark pupils was looking in her direction from within her long hair.

Chami seemed to hear the sound of a bell resounding heavily. —The sound appeared familiar to Chami, who harboured a Mushi of the Special type.

“!”

When she lifted her head to take another look, there was nothing left at the position.

A-an illusion…? No, that’s not it. That was the one who did Kanata in…! But, why was Ayukawa Chiharu…? Could it be that it sensed my hostility?

Dashing out of the entrance, she tripped and fell over.

She hit her shoulders strongly against the wall of Urban Tower, her face distorting and she groaned. Kneeling on one knee, she angrily slammed her fist against the wall.

“Damn it…! So that’s it…! Shit, damn it!”

Anger rised up from within her.

All the dots had connected in her mind.

“Owlet! Did you know that things would come to this? That’s right, there’s no way I could possibly let this chance slip by! God damn it! For my sake, you… you tried to defeat Kanata? That’s why you left that kind of set up behind? For my sake!”

Good grief, I can’t think of this as anything other than an impossible coincidence.

The one whom Ayukawa Chiharu came into contact with in the dome was none other than Horisaki Azusa. She was unmistakably the one on the search order disseminated by the Central Headquarters.

That bearded man, Kanata, probably chased Horisaki Azusa all the way here to ‘URBAN’. He was going to dispatch Horisaki Azusa over there—and most likely Chiharu as well who was there for whatever reasons. And Owlet decided to stand in Kanata’s way so as to prevent that from happening.

In that case, just who was Horisaki Azusa?

Chami was convinced about her true identity. Those eyes that were looking at her just then. In addition to Konoha’s report that it was ‘not human’, and the fact that she possessed the strength to drive Kanata to retreat—.

She was the other resurrectee apart from Centipede that was recorded in the disk about the experiments conducted by Central Headquarters—the target whom Chami was planning to search for once she was done with her business here in Nishito City.

“I know it already, I’m just going to do it! Since I’ll have to face it someday anyway! If I die here, that would just mean the end of this shitty life!”

Kanata would definitely come for Horisaki Azusa’s life once his body have recovered. Even if she wasn’t killed, she would be reduced to a Fallen. That was what happened to the other resurrectee, Centipede, who was done in by another Rank 3 Blaze Class member, Kasuou.

However, she can’t let that happen.

If Chami could get her hands on Azusa first, she would be able to obtain valuable information. That includes what the Central Headquarters was doing, and also what were they trying to achieve from those experiments. That information would indubitably prove to be of great use to Chami in her investigation of the mysteries of the Mushitsuki. With this chance dangling right in her face, there was no way that she could possibly let it slip by without doing anything.

“That’s right… this is a chance. Not to mention, this is a huge chance. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is the chance I was waiting for throughout these five years. Nobody would even look in my direction all these time, but now…”

It was impossible for Chami to get close to Horisaki Azusa by herself. Even the Rank 3 pure combatant, Kanata, had been sent withdrawing by her hands. And even if she wanted to obtain Azusa, Kanata remains a hindrance to her. She must get rid of him, yet find another way to approach her.

“…”

Chami quickly calmed her mind and got up, leaving ‘URBAN’.

While walking to the station, Chami ran through simulations of all the strategies she would take for every possible situation in her mind.

…No matter how strong the opponent is, I can win as long as I can plant my Mushi into them. That is the only thing that is indisputable. That was all I developed during these five years without anyone’s knowledge. With just this ability, I’ll show them all how I can get to the ‘heart’ of the Mushitsuki before anyone else.

In contrast to the look of composure on her face, the simmering emotions in her heart was coming into a boil.

“Owlet. Did you thought so too and designed this set up in advance? What an audacious fellow, don’t just overestimate me anyhow like that.”

She headed for the station.

She spotted the figure of Ayukawa Chiharu sitting on the guardrail near the gantry.

“Or could it be that… you’ve developed feelings for this peace-complacent idiotic girl who never knew hardship? Maybe, both are true? Well, that doesn’t matter. After all, your life is already tied to my this shitty life. Don’t think that you have escaped my clutches just because you’ve died. The lives of my pawns belong to me. I’ll bring you along with the ride even if you don’t want to.”

Chami headed directly to Chiharu’s side.

Chiharu was watching the human traffic and humming from her mouth. What an oblivious peace-loving girl.

But, the thing that irritated Chami the most was Chiharu’s side-profile. Unlike the rest of the people sitting on the guardrail, her surrounding alone seems to be illuminated, or that time seemed to flow slowly around her… almost as if to say she was the protagonist of a show.

Chami felt as though she could only settle as a side role, her insignificant existence incapable of being in the leading role. In contrast, there seemed to be an aura around Chiharu that designated her as the main character of the story.

Chami struck a daunting pose in front of Chiharu with an intimidating look.

Chami no longer needed to hide herself. Chiharu had no part to play at all in this path which she was going to proceed on from now onwards. What would start now was not the story about youth starring Chiharu either. It was nought but a foul, blood-soaked third-rate movie.

“…Hmm?”

Chiharu looked up at Chami puzzledly.

Chami did not speak.

Amidst the crowd, the two of them stared into each other momentarily.

The one who moved first was Chiharu. With a grin, she raised both of her hands towards Chami and formed a rectangle with her fingers. —That too was a picturesque action. Looking at it, Chami felt intensely mortified.

[[File:Mushi Uta 4 p213.jpg|thumb]]

“''Pipii'', verification complete. Attendance number 28 of Class A of the First Year, Konomura Chami! Ah, corrections. It is Konomura Chami in a seemingly bad mood!”

Chiharu articulated smoothly with a clear voice.

Chami creased her eyebrows. She had never once come into contact with Chiharu beyond what was necessary.

“Why do you know my name, Ayukawa-senpai?”

“Don’t you know my name too.”

“Anybody would have known the name of someone like the vice-chairman of the student council. So, how about let me know the reason why you know my name?”

“In the student council, you are frequently mentioned… as a problem child? For example, students who bully others or take drugs or played truant, their profiles are passed around to the student council.”

“Which one of them am I. I don’t remember bullying anyone in particular.”

“It’s the reverse, the opposite. We are keeping a watch out for you as you seem to have caught the eye of some scary seniors.”

A faint smile formed on Chami’s face. She did recall something like that. They were probably the friends of the second-year student who had called out the noncompliant Chami to the back of the school building (of course, before he even spoke a word, his emotions had already been amplified to the point where he lost consciousness by her Mushi).

“By the way, one of them was brought to the hospital for a panic attack, do you have any ideas what could have caused it? Hmm?”

“Well, I have no clues at all. He probably realised the futility of having such a shitty life like his own and despaired.”

“…Do you always speak with a tone like that? That’s such a waste of your cute looks.”

“I don’t really mind that. Not like I have any interest in males anyway.”

“H-huh? Are you trying to pick me up by any chance?”

“I don’t lean that side either. Even if that was the case, I wouldn’t be interested in someone like you.”

“What a pity.”

Chiharu looked relieved. But then, she brought her face close to Chami with a smile. Her nicely-shaped lips came close to Chami intimately.

“I have a liking for girls like Chami-chan.”

“Huh? ''Huuh?''”

Watching Chami distance herself in surprise, Chiharu burst into laughter.

“''Ahahaa''. Just kidding.”

Unlike Chiharu who was holding onto her stomach and laughing, Chami knew that her face was blushing with anger and discomfiture. Her heart pounded heavily with a ''dokidoki'' annoyingly.

What the heck is she…! Is she an idiot? No, she is an idiot! There’s no doubts about it!

If this had been a movie or a play, the casting would have been heavily unbalanced. In contrast to Chiharu’s flamboyant and exaggerated actions, Chami only stood there with a sullen look.

“Don’t just stand there while we talk, why don’t you take a seat. Do you need me for any matters?”

Chiharu patted at the space next to her with a smile.

Chami expressed some hesitation but ultimately sat down as she was told. Since this was the last time they would meet, she thought that there would be no harm in talking to her anyway.

“Nothing much. I was just amazed to see you sitting here with a blithe look on your face.”

She thought of using polite speech with Chiharu just as a normal junior would so as to avoid making a strong impression in her, but felt that that consideration was stupid and just spoke with her usual tone.

That did not seem to have harmed Chiharu’s mood at all. On the contrary, it seemed to stir interest in her and she scrutinised Chami’s face. Chami looked away from her and faced the human traffic.

“Do I look that carefree? Well, not like I have anything to hide, I am often told that by others.”

“Not like you’re trying to hide that either. It’s written all over your face. You look all peaceful and happy—did you ever thought that there might have been a battle right next to you, and you did not even feel any of it. For all you know, someone could have died in that battle and you would just keep on living without a care.”

“Yes, it’s just as you said. I had thought of this previously too, but it feels like I’m living too happily. I was always wondering if perhaps somebody had been protecting me all this time.”

“…Even if that was the case, that has nothing to do with you. They were probably just satisfied protecting you. They are surely laughing with a bright smile.”

“Is that so? Hearing you say it like that… for some reason, I feel a bit saved.”

The smiling face of Chiharu looked a bit clouded.

…Saved? Why would she think that?

Seeing Chami who knotted her eyebrows in bewilderment, Chiharu smiled cheerfully.

“Thank you. Chami-chan is so kind.”

“Huh? ''Huuh?''”

Her heart pounded deeply again. No one had ever said that she was kind before, and she herself did not think that she was kind either. —An itchy sensation welled up in her heart, similar to in the past when Owlet snuggled her head against her.

“So, so kind! So terribly kind! Far too kind! So much so that I want to hug you right now!”

“S-stop that! Hey… let go of me!”

Chiharu probably found Chami’s flustered reaction amusing, as she hugged her arm tightly. Chami desperately tried to shake her off. Countless passers-by turned to look at the two struggling girls.

Finally having escaped from Chiharu’s evil clutches, Chami caught her breath and calmed down. It seems that her pace would be messed up when she was with this girl. It would be best for Chami to end her business with Chiharu as quickly as possible and leave this place.

“''Haah, Haah''… More importantly, what are you doing at this place?”

“Me? I’m just waiting for someone here. Yesterday, there was a girl who lent me some money here, you see.”

Chiharu replied casually.

Chami recalled what Aya said yesterday. As she was observing Chiharu yesterday, she mentioned about how there was a girl who lent Chiharu some money to purchase a ticket in front of the station.

“Hmm. So, when is she coming?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Huh, what kind of response is that. You didn’t make a promise to meet here?”

“Nope. But, I did say that I would return her the money.”

Chami’s jaw dropped.

“W-wait a minute. So, you’re here for that? You’re waiting for her here not knowing if she would even come? Even though she might’ve been some traveller who just passed by here randomly? What if she never comes by this street ever again?”

“Well, yeah, something like that.”

Chiharu scratch her head with a bitter smile.

Chami was beyond amazed and felt weary. She felt like an idiot for trying to have a decent talk (at least that was her intention) with her.

“''Haah''… that’s idiotic. No, you are an idiot. At this point of time, it doesn’t even matter anymore whether you are the senseless one or if it is me. Surely something went weird somewhere. Yep, that’s the problem, let’s just keep it that way.”

“It feels like I would be able to meet her again if I continued to wait here for some reason. I don’t have a basis for that, but it’s something like an intuition? It’s like things have become clear to me recently.”

“Did anything else happen recently?”

Chami sharpened her focus and pored over Chiharu’s expression. That way, she would be able to discover if she was lying.

The person in question, Chiharu, seemed to be in high spirits.

“Yes, I found a slightly weird child. …That child always seems to be sleeping, so she should not have been conscious about me. But, for some reason, I seem to think that that child seems to know something about me. Though, I don’t have any basis for that either.”

As she spoke, a smile formed on her face.

“…”

That was… not a lie. Chami had determined so. Judging from her past behaviour thus far, she has established that the girl known as Chiharu based her actions on ‘instinct’.

Ayukawa Chiharu had completely no link to this matter just as she had expected.

It was just a coincidence, indeed, just by god’s whim, that this girl drew close to the battlefield. However, this kind of world did not suit her. As long as she does not notice what was going on, she would be able to continue on the kind of peaceful live which she had led these past five years.

“It would’ve been better if you do not meet her anymore.”

“Eh?”

Chami looked away from Chiharu towards the crowd.

Looks like she may have been influenced by the aura of peace given off by Chiharu. Being by her side made Chami feel like she was just an ordinary female highschooler. Like as if she had been leading a normal, everyday lifestyle so far, not that of being a member of some secretive organisation.

“I don’t know what you had in mind when trying to approach someone like that, but you had better stop. Since you do not know what kind of person they are, there’s a possibility that they would cause harm to you.”

“…”

“There can’t possibly be somebody who’s protecting you in secret, that’s the fact about it. Even if there was hypothetically, if you had noticed them, or if you were to get yourself injured needlessly, wouldn’t that be stepping all over their will. Maybe even their reason for existence.”

Chami said while staring at the congestion of people indifferently.

There’s no need for an ordinary girl like Ayukawa Chiharu to notice it.

The fighting should just be left to those who can’t do anything else. —To people like Chami.

“There’s no need for you to notice anything. You should just live your peaceful life like always. It is your duty to do so.”

It would be troubling to Chami if she did not lead an eventless life. Because today would be last time that Chami undertook her mission of observing Chiharu before she abandoned it. If Chiharu stuck her head needlessly into some trouble, the SEPB would notice that Chami was not doing her mission.

“Duty, huh.”

Chiharu who had only listened silently till then, muttered.

“Hearing you speak like that, I wonder if it is alright for me to seek happiness as well.”

“Of course, you should try your best to seize happiness. Without thinking of things like suffering or fighting, just keep leading your life.”

Lead a fulfilling life, without pain nor blood. —If one doesn’t aim for that, wouldn’t there be no point living. If everyone deceived, fought and rushed towards their death as Chami did, then life would be far too worthless.

If people like Chiharu exist, there would be something for people to aspire for. That someday, even people like themselves—can live in that manner. Perhaps, even a cat would think this way.

“…But.”

Chami sighed and glared at Chiharu.

“Just when is that person you are waiting for going to come? Quite some time has passed already.”

“There’s no way we would meet so easily. Chami-chan sure has a short patience.”

Chiharu had a relaxed look. She seemed unknown to that of boredom, as she started to hum out of nowhere in good mood.

“There’s no one in the world who has more patience than me. What’s that girl’s name? No matter how much of a weirdo with strange thought processes you are, surely even you would have asked for that, right?”

“That’s some harsh words you are spouting… Of course, I have asked for it. She’s called Anmoto Shiika-chan.”

Chami’s thought processes halted completely.

Her heart may have even stopped beating for a second. Just that one sentence by Chiharu dealt such a heavy blow to Chami.

“What… did you just say?”

“Eh? That’s some harsh words—”

“After that.”

“Anmoto Shiika-chan. …That’s all I said.”

A twitching smile came onto Chami’s face. She was so surprised that she could not do anything but laugh.

—Anmoto Shiika.

The higher-ups of SEPB would also probably have had their minds blank out had they heard that name. Although not released officially, she had heard of it from Konoha already. Anmoto Shiika was her real name, but the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau referred to her via a different codename.

Rank 1 Secret Class Mushitsuki, Fuyuhotaru.

The one and only resurrectee (discounting those from ‘the experiment’ as failures) who reverted from the Fallen status.

The one who had come into contact with two other Rank 1 Mushitsuki, Kakkou and Ladybird, and had almost brought the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau to a collapse four years ago, the strongest Mushitsuki. In addition, she was also the trigger for a large-scale battle that almost led to the destruction of one of the cities, Hashiba City, a few months ago.

She was truly the one at the ‘heart’ of Mushitsuki. Whether be it in the past or the future, she was the key to which battles involving Mushitsuki revolved around.

“…? What’s the matter, Chami-chan? You know that child?”

“H-how could I possibly know her.”

She struggled to put on a look of obliviousness, while her mind was still on the brink of panic.

T-to think that this… She must have been referring to a complete stranger with the same name and surname. How could the ‘heart’ which I am searching for possibly appear in such a rural area. That’s right, this is too abnormal whatever the circumstances…! To have Horisaki Azusa, and now even Fuyuhotaru appear in the same place at the same time is a miracle no matter how I look at it—.

—And also, it seems to be chasing after something…

Kanata’s monologue came into her mind.

Perhaps, it’s not a miracle…?

“…”

Chami bit her nails with a stern face.

Maybe there’s some kind of reason linking Horisaki Azusa and Fuyuhotaru? Could one of them be chasing the other perchance? Looking at this situation, it is likely that Kanata is chasing after Horisaki Azusa. If they had come together in a set… then, they came to this city by chance…?

“Chami-chan? Are you feeling unwell… Ah!”

Chiharu was trying to take a look at Chami’s face when she suddenly raised her voice at what she saw opposite the roundabout.

Chami raised her head and look over there. A lone youth was walking towards them.

That guy… looks pretty strong.

Chami watched him with appraising eyes.

He was a youth around the same age as Chami with a headband tied around his head. His gait and gaze showed no signs of any openings, suggesting a disposition to fighting. He did not look like he underwent training, instead he seemed to possess an innate strength. He was like a raw ore, one that if polished by a boxing coach, would probably go on to be a world champion.

…However, he is still half-hearted.

But, that was considering how he was currently. One could probably defeat him if he was a little careless, but he looked like he would get strong once he has accumulated some experience. As Chami took a sidelong glance at him with those thoughts, Chiharu jump down from the guardrail.

“Hey! You there! I’m here!”

Ignoring the gaze from the surroundings, Chiharu waved her hands fervently.

The youth sent a fleeting glimpse at Chiharu’s direction and approached them. However, he would occasionally turn around to look at other directions.

It looks like he is on the guard against something… No, looking for something?

Chami narrowed her eyebrows.

“Hey, you. You are the one that Shiika-chan was with, right? Right?”

“Yea.”

In contrast to Chiharu who spoke high-spiritedly, the youth only replied mechanistically. The youth turned his gaze to Chami.

“Hello there. Are you the friend of the girl, Anmoto Shiika?”

Chami enquired unreservedly. As she did so, the youth’s expression changed.

Not good, that was not good at all. That kind of behaviour makes it seems as if Anmoto Shiika is an important character.

Chami panicked in her mind while keeping a grin.

“No, I’m just an attendant. She was talking about you.”

Saying so, he looked at Chiharu.

“She said she saw you here from the hotel and requested for me to come. Your words to ‘return’ bothered her deeply, but she had been rebuked severely for going out yesterday. She probably won’t be going out for a while.”

“Eh? She was rebuked by her parents?”

“Well, something like that.”

“I see, though I would’ve wanted to meet her again.”

“By hotel, you mean the Imperial Hotel over there? You must have been at the highest floor to have been able to look over here that well.”

When Chami cut in, the youth kept quiet. But, he immediately nodded with a, ‘…Yea’. It was hard to tell whether he was being on guard or not with that half-baked attitude of his.

Chiharu took out her wallet and retrieved a note from within.

“Then, can I entrust you to pass this to her for me? She really helped me out yesterday. Can you pass my thanks to her for me?”

“Yea. I can do something of that degree.”

“Yes, I feel much more at ease now! I’m glad I waited. …See? Although it wasn’t the person herself, we got to meet again properly.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Facing Chiharu who spoke with a refreshed smile, Chami too replied with a smile.

…Even at the very end, you’ve proved useful to me. Very much so too.

“Here we go. That ended earlier than I thought. I wonder if I should join up with them at the karaoke now, I feel kind of bad turning them down just now. —What’re you going to do, Chami-chan?”

“I’m going to run some errands.”

“I see. Well then, I shall see the two of you again.”

Chiharu said to Chami and the youth with a smile, waving her hand.

''Hmph''… see you again, not, Ayukawa Chiharu. It’s bye bye to you here.

The grinning Chami and the expressionless boy were left behind, neither of them replying to her.

The figure of Chiharu as she disappeared within the crowd gave off a sense of peace as she had expected. Right now, it could be said that Chami had completely left the world which Chiharu resided in, heading towards a completely different stage from her.

“…”

The youth turned his back towards Chami and was about to leave without a word.

“Hey, you.”

Chami called him to a stop sprightly.

“What?”

“Hmm… Just as I expected. Ah, but maybe I’m wrong? No, he does look like it. What was that called again.”

“…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing much, it’s just that you seem to resemble something. Err, what was it called again?”

“Oh really. Good for you if you remember it.”

With an unconcerned attitude, the youth started to walk away. However, Chami stuck by his side.

“Well, well, just wait for a moment. If this nagging feeling sticks with me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Just let me ask a few questions.”

“…”

“I say, did you ever had anything that you wanted to do up till now? Because you just seem to be so uninterested in everything. Have you ever had somebody you like? What about someone you hate? Have you ever been so angry that you wanted to shout out loud? Did something happened before that made you want to cry? Have you ever been hurt? Or have you hurt others? Have you experienced something heartrending before? What about something that made you feel pathetic? Do you have things you regret? What do you wish for in the future?”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“Ah, I finally remember what you resemble.”

At Chami’s barrage of questions, the initially expressionless youth showed some signs of wavering in his eyes. She did not let that opportunity escape.

“You look just like a Fallen.”

“!”

The youth widened his eyes. Chami grinned.

…That sure shook you up, huh?

A red smoke hung over the youth’s back like that of a death god. The red smoke which only Chami could see morphed into the shape of a queen bee, and thrusted its sharp needle into the youth’s medulla oblongata. The queen bee once again reverted into a red smoke and was sucked into the youth and disappeared.

This guy… He was just as I had expected! He is strong but lacking in combat experience! His self-control does not reach the level of that of Kakkou or Kanata. Nonetheless, this level of turmoil is inadequate. In just a few days, my Mushi would dissipate by itself. But, this few days is more than enough!

“Oh… even if I said Fallen, you probably wouldn’t know what it is. That was just something that I happen to know. Sorry for taking up your time. Now then, farewell.”

Gloating on the inside, Chami quickly turned away from the youth.

“…”

The youth stood there in confusion for a second before heading back to the hotel with a light head.

Chami left the streets with fast steps.

As she walked, all kinds of plan came into her mind.

She certainly never thought that the ‘key’ which she had desperately been looking for would so conveniently fall onto her laps in such a remote city. It was like somebody had decided to reward her for concealing her true intentions and treading lightly this whole five years. Unfounded thoughts like these ran through her mind.

Her unfaltering footsteps brought her to the front of Ayukawa Chiharu’s home. She climbed up the stairs to the apartment which the SEPB provided her with as a hideout and opened the door without even knocking.

“Chami.”

Sugitsu Aya, who was sitting in a corner of the room, turned to look in her direction. She was probably taking care of the visitor according to Chami’s instruction.

Ignoring Aya, Chami went further inside the unit.

“Heh, you look much neater now. So, you’re actually pretty young, at most a few years older than me?”

The half-naked man—no, more like youth, had bandage wrapped around his waist and was sitting on the bed eating cereal. He had probably cut his hair himself seeing as it was much shorter than the dishevelled mop he had yesterday. It seems like he had also used the razor as his stubble was gone as well.

Kanata raised his head to catch a glance of Chami.

“That has nothing to do with you.”

“Yes, yes, it’s just as you said. But, you’ve sure caused quite a bit of trouble for me. —To think that you were actually chasing after something like that. Don’t tell me you are trying to turn this city into ruins.”

The youth’s expression changed. He gazed at Chami with hostility and killing intent.

This was a gamble.

If her choice was wrong, Chami may be killed by the youth for possessing knowledge about his top-secret mission for all she knows. ''Which'' was he chasing—speaking of chance, she had some confidence in her guess, and anyway, there were only two possible conclusions with equal probabilities. It was either whether she lives or dies.

“You bastard… what do you know? If you plan on getting in my way—”

“Get in your way? That’s absurd, I wouldn’t dare dream of doing something like that. If I had known, I wouldn’t possibly have suggested to help you out even if I was sleep talking. Who would have known that the one you were chasing to be—Fuyuhotaru of all people.”

“…!”

Kanata was rendered speechless.

…It’s my win, hell yeah!

Chami concentrated her attention, manifesting an imperceptible red smoke. A queen bee with wings that looked like workmanship of glass and compound eyes like jewels appeared behind the shaken Kanata. Its diamond-sharp needle pierced into the youth’s neck, and the red smoke entered his body.

Once Chami confirmed the sensation of her Mushi, a fearless smile formed on her face.

''Kukuu…!'' It’s perfect! My Mushi is planted firmly in your heart! From now onwards, you have no choice but to slowly turn crazy!

Without holding back at all, she exerted her full power. She had already abandoned any thoughts of using him as a pawn. She could not imagine what kind of effect would her ability which amplified the emotions would have on him.

“Hmm? Was I wrong? It wasn’t Fuyuhotaru? Having received information that she was hiding in Imperial Hotel, I thought for sure that was the case.”

Of course, she had purposely mentioned the wrong target so as to cause him to waver. Kanata was no longer taking in the words of Chami who was acting innocent.

“F-Fuyuhotaru is in these streets…? I see, the ‘king’ that she mentioned was… so, she was pursuing after Fuyuhotaru…”

He muttered to himself incoherently in a mumbled voice. To the current him, Chami, Aya, and the bowl containing the cereal rolling on the floor were probably no longer reflected in his eyes.

Now, don’t you need to get going already? You should already know where to go, right? Indeed, your goal lies right there. But, it might run away again if you strike from the front… In that case, what should you do? Hmm? You know what you should do, right? That’s right, you need a ‘bait’! Isn’t that such a simple answer that even kids would be able to think of?

With this, the youth in front of Chami has been written into her scenario as well, entangling him into this mess which engulfed numerous people. In it, they would all fight amongst themselves—and the one who would have the last laugh would be Chami of course.

I’m going to seize everything by my own hand! I am going to get to the ‘heart’ of the Mushitsuki before anyone else, this me who nobody even knows about and nobody even turns a second look to!

In the crammed room, only the mumbling voice of Kanata repeated over and over again.

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