Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 3rd Episode 12 (section)

===Part 4===

''Ptoo'', Anneliese spat the mass of caviar unto the floor.

Sitting in the Italian-made chair in the ruined mansion's hall, Anneliese wiped her mouth using her red dress. 

It was rotten.

Even this high quality caviar couldn't be preserved inside an unpowered refrigerator.

But since it had been abandoned for a week it was obvious.

"…"

With a cat-like glint in her eyes lighting the darkness, she looked around the now silent hall.

There was heavy rain outside the mansion. Droplets flew inside from the broken glass windows, and unceasing lines of water were dripping from the broken ceiling.

The thin Anneliese's golden hair lacked care yet it hadn't lost its luster. She had as many changes of clothes as she needed, and the water pipes were still working. She also had enough food to keep living. —At least until now when she spat out the last remaining caviar.

Aside from the darkness of the night, the hall was filled by mist with Anneliese in its center. And as if comforting her, the formless specters made creaking sounds around the mansion.

"…"

Anneliese simply stared at air with hollow eyes.

Ever since driving out Lady Mitake, she did nothing but keep living.

Once in a while children from around gathered wanting to explore the ruined mansion, but the sounds of the formless footsteps were too creepy for them and drove them away. There were also times where, when she went to look down on them on a whim, they probably thought her a ghost and ran away from the mansion scared. Perhaps they started whispering about the ghost mansion amongst themselves.

But even living already reached its limits.

She wasn't gaining any nutrition, she wasn't even sleeping well, and the black mist kept taking something important away from Anneliese.

She was even unable to think properly. Never mind the scenery of her hometown, but now she couldn't even recall the faces of her parents. She would lose consciousness without even noticing, and every time she woke up she thought ''so I'm still alive'' half-tired.

"…"

Not losing to the sounds of the fierce rain, the ghosts in the mansion kept urging her. ''Creak, creak'', by echoing this sound here and there, they threw requests at Anneliese who had lost her power.

"What song should I start with today…? Maybe your favorite…?"

Even in this extreme situation, for an instant Anneliese's expression flashed a smile the likes of which she had in Munich. 

Still sitting on the chair, Anneliese readied an invisible violin.

Placing it on her shoulders, feeling a hard sensation under her chin, she used the bow smelling of turpentine to rub the bowstring. There was nothing there, but their sensations and smells were momentarily revived in the hazy girl's mind.

Mozart's Violin Concerto no.3.

It was the music that Anneliese was best at.

The music that the specters whose only footsteps echoed especially liked.

In the mansion where only the sounds of the fierce raining hitting the roof could be heard, the illusion melody of Anneliese's violin echoed around.

As she continued her performance with a smile, nostalgic memories were reborn in her mind then vanished.

The faces of her strict yet kind parents.

The scenery of her hometown, the capital of art and music.

The violin craftsman that looked like a clergyman, her free and wild classmates like Erik, the nostalgic people of Munich.

Anneliese definitely left herself behind in her lost happiness.

''I wish—''

''Please stop right now, time—''

"…"

Listening to Anneliese's performance, the specters were happy and made the mansion creak.

In actuality only the sounds of the rain were heard, but it was the best performance.

The gratifying performance surpassed her last one.

Anneliese would probably never play the violin again.

And also—never wear the smile of an angel from the bottom of her heart.

"…Fufu."

Anneliese's smile slowly warped, changing into that of a filthy, fallen angel.

"Kuku…"

The light of her life would probably be extinguished just like this without doing anything.

—Yet thinking this was naïve.

"Beautiful moment, do not pass away."

She mumbled.

In the end, Anneliese wished for this.

It was the spell of destruction.

The declaration of a loss in the wager against the demon.

The moment when Faust, who became young yet unhappy, declared this, the one who came to him was—

"Wanting to die like that, aren't I asking for too much?"

Anneliese could feel it.

The existence of a tremendous power.

She couldn't see it, but Anneliese knew that an intense pressure and merciless killing intent were directed at her.

—Some dreadful being came to the mansion of Anneliese's territory.

Putting her imaginary violin aside, Anneliese's expression returned to that of dark hostility again.

"So you came for my soul, Mephistopheles."

He came to welcome her.

In order to rob Anneliese of a peaceful death. To bring her soul down to hell.

Those who had received powers from deals with the devil couldn't save their souls.

She could hear footsteps full of unwavering power coming closer and closer.

"—But."

Anneliese rose up.

"…My revenge isn't over yet. I've done well to deceive you."

The contract she had signed was gaining power to retrieve what she had lost.

And yet Anneliese was unable to regain anything. Never mind that, she was about to lose even her life right now.

It was an unforgivable breach of contract.

Right now, the demon pursuing Anneliese was trying to take her soul after giving her the false power.

Not like she'd let him—

She wasn't thinking of salvation so late into the game. However, she had no intention of simply giving up her soul.

"I'll tear you up, gouge you, and drag you down to hell with me."

Anneliese's eyes, combined with the mansion's darkness, captured the form of the approaching enemy.

"Right, Mephistopheles?"

As if in response to the call of the cursed girl, the entire mansion shook from an impact.

Anneliese's legs were unable to bear the impact that was much larger than expected. She staggered and plopped down on the chair.

"…!"

The front door had apparently been destroyed.

As if by lightning.

As if by a tornado.

She could feel that impact, which was like the fire and brimstone that annihilated Sodom and Gomorrah, swept aside the mist supposed to be drifting around the first floor.

"…Kuku."

Anneliese widened her eyes unconsciously, but she soon started laughing. Putting her elbows on the chair's arm and resting her chin on her hand, she narrowed her blue eyes.

"Right, come at me, you demon."

The mansion itself was now part of Anneliese. The demon's assault from the front gate was praiseworthy, but he wouldn't be able to win against Anneliese like that. She would show him how powerful the power she had received from him was.

Without lifting a finger, Anneliese materialized claws made of mist around the mansion.

In an instant, sounds of impact and destruction echoed around.

The demon appeared to possess a dreadfully powerful weapon. The claws dispatched by Anneliese were smashed to pieces and returned being mist.

But Anneliese's ability wasn't inferior at all in destructive power and number of moves. Every time the demon destroyed one claw, she produced another and continued the attack.

"Gu… Uugh…!"

As she sat on the chair, Anneliese's face warped in agony.

Every time one of the claws was destroyed, the recoil damage pierced her heart. And the more she produced other claws, the more something important was spilling out from inside her heart.

"Gh… Go to hell!!!"

Anneliese's shout echoed in the desolate hall.

She launched a simultaneous attack of claws at the demon trying to climb the stairs. He used his weapon to repel the claws, at times evading them by leaping.

Yet the attack from the front was a feint. The claws created behind the demon pierced his back.

The attack hit and the demon was pounded against the second floor corridor. Anneliese used her countless claws to try and finish him off.

"This is your end, demooooon!"

She rose from her chair in the empty hall, howling.

A tremor surpassing even that of the first attack on the mansion shook the whole building. The mist spread around the mansion like feelers all focused into one mighty blow at a single point. It was powerful enough to destroy even the walls and the floor.

The giant earthquake-like tremor gradually settled down.

"Hah! Haah…!"

While breathing heavily, Anneliese wore a smile of victory.

However—

"Uuh…?"

Although the ground was supposedly completely annihilated, something twitched there. 

That presence stood up, albeit staggering in its gait, and jumped from the destroyed hole. It reached the second floor corridor that had avoided destruction in one leap. No human could've done that.

"What…?"

She tried blocking his path with a newly formed claw, but of all things the demon blew it away using his bare hands.

Inside the hall filled with the specters' creaking, Anneliese was shocked. 

Why had the claw not pierced him?

How was he still alive?

"Why you…! As if I'd give my soul to someone like you!"

The battle of Anneliese and the demon resumed.

Every time there was an impact, the specters creaked as if in fear. The interior of the mansion was Anneliese's domain, yet the demon was able to proceed toward the hall slowly but surely.

Anneliese's attack should have hit the demon. She felt it.

Yet he never stopped.

Even after being hit by an attack and collapsing, he rose up like a zombie, approaching Anneliese.

Their powers were even. The situation should have tipped in Anneliese's favor since she had caught the enemy.

Yet she couldn't stop the demon's advance—

"Hah… Hah…"

Using her power successively, Anneliese was weakened. She was clinging to the chair's arm, barely able to preserve her consciousness. 

"…!"

She raised her face with a start.

The specters' footsteps, supposed to be heard from around the mansion, suddenly all stopped.

Mixed in with the sound of rain, the hall's door slowly opened.

—The demon finally revealed himself to Anneliese.

What perfectly repelled her claws was a pitch-black, long coat much like the cloak of a grim reaper. Blazing eyes like those of the guardian of hell were red lamps lit up on the front of mechanical looking goggles covering his face. What spread endless destruction like lightning was a large automatic pistol.

On his slightly uncovered cheeks were a green pattern and clotted blood. Although he had supposedly suffered quite a lot of damage, his stance was calm and merciless.

Anneliese was now face to face with the demon that had come there to perform her cursed last rites.

However—

"…Who the hell are you?"

Gazing at the hall's entrance, she muttered this in shock.

The person she thought was a demon—no, his superhuman presence was that of a demon, but his form was actually that of a boy around Anneliese's age.

"You aren't Mephistopheles…?"

She was certain that the man she had met inside a dream, the old man who called himself Shinpu, came to her. 

She had formed a contract with a robed devil.

Not with the boy in front of her.

After her question in German, the demon answered instinctively.

"Kakkou."

A short, curt reply. The demon raised his gun. —Looking closely, the black coat-clad boy's shoulders rose and fell. Although he had slipped through Anneliese's attacks so far, he still appeared to have received some damage. His voice was also hoarse with fatigue and pain.

[[File:Mushi_Uta_Bug_3rd_p191.jpg|thumb]]

Kakkou.

He was neither Mephistopheles nor Shinpu.

Yet the boy who introduced himself as Kakkou was able to push Anneliese back with pure strength. Just like Lady Mitake. Just like Shinpu. Yet another demon was toying with her.

"I see. …So you're another person coming to take something away from me."

Anneliese exposed her canines and glared at Kakkou.

He was trying to rob Anneliese of her wish to regain everything.

''As if I'd let you—''

Anneliese groaned in her heart.

Her opponent was exhausted. He was powerful, but not an enemy she couldn't defeat. No, if she lost here, she would lose even her life. 

The empty space in the hall was filled by several dozen claws. 

"I'll fucking kill you…! Each and every one of you who wants to take something from me!"

The condensed mist claws and the bullet shot by Kakkou clashed directly.

Destroying the walls, blowing away the roof, the savage claws covered the black demon.

Kakkou returned gunfire, evaded attacks, and repelled the claws using his fists and legs. A few claws the demon couldn't fully evade hit him, but they were unable to pierce the robust coat.

While getting hit, Kakkou pointed the muzzle at Anneliese.

"…!"

Perhaps she had done so unconsciously, or the specters did so in an attempt to protect her—

In order to defend Anneliese, all claws stood in the way between her and the boy.

"UOOOOH!!!"

The demon howled.

The blazing bullet was fired toward Anneliese in a straight line.

Their two strongest powers were clashing—

"—"

The dark mist vanished from Anneliese's line of sight.

The mist controlling the mansion was blown off and the surroundings cleared up.

As if blowing away the dark clouds cursing Anneliese, the mist was completely dispelled from around Anneliese.

Rage. Hatred. As well as despair and hope.

They were all blown away by the new demon that came to block Anneliese's way.

A rumble was transmitted to now empty girl's ears.

From the night sky revealed by the lost ceiling a fierce rain came pouring down. Sitting in the beautiful chair, Anneliese's blonde hair was drenched by the rain and stuck to her cheeks.

The specters' footsteps were also completely gone.

—Anneliese lost.

"What the hell's that power…"

Having lost even the strength to move her fingers, Anneliese bit her lips. Transparent tears streamed down her face, mixing with the rain. 

Education and art lost to authority, and authority lost to Anneliese's cursed power. 

And now, even that power bent down to the demon in front of her.

"How much stronger do I… What power do I need to keep anything being taken away! Something that would help me get everything back! Are you the number one? Or is there anyone stronger than you? You piece of shit!"

Clinging to the chair's arm, she used dirty words to curse the demon.

She had neither education nor art.

Not even the filthy power she had obtained from the deal with the hooded demon.

What would be able to save Anneliese from her cursed fate?

How would she be able to regain her happy days?

Even in this situation, where she was about to lose her life, Anneliese had no idea what to believe in.

She couldn't let herself end like this.

She didn't want to let everything end with it all stolen and lost—

"…"

Even as he could hear Anneliese's lament, the demon never spoke. He also appeared to have used his whole energy. The boy was breathing heavily and his legs shook.

It wasn't a fight she couldn't have won. There shouldn't have been a gap in their powers.

Yet Anneliese lost.

The boy in the form of a demon in front her had something that she lacked. Anneliese had no idea what that was.

"…!"

Anneliese gritted her teeth.

He understood her earlier by instinct, but that boy apparently didn't know German. He probably couldn't understand what she was asking him.

So he wouldn't even answer her question at the very end?

That was much too unreasonable.

"—Are you the strongest?"

Unable to give up her question, Anneliese implored him with her unaccustomed Japanese.

Taught by her Japanese father, she was able to use simple Japanese.

"If I beat even you will I no longer have anything taken away from me?"

She asked desperately with large tears spilling from her eyes.

The soul of one who had formed a contract with the devil couldn't be saved.

Exactly so.

If left like this, Anneliese would sink into the depths of despair. Even if she was killed like this, she would be tortured by her doubts and despair in hell for all eternity.

Even if this was her reparation for gaining this cursed power, the treatment the girl was received by fate was far too cruel.

"If I become even stronger than you… will I be able to regain everything this time…?

Behind the silent demon who readied his gun echoed footsteps.

They weren't the footsteps of the specters. They were clearly a human's.

"Exactly so. He is stronger than anyone."

A tall youth appeared in the hall's entrance. Since the shadow covered most of his white face, the only thing clear was that he was wearing a business suit. He raised one hand, apparently in order to fix the position of his glasses.

"W-who… are you…"

Anneliese's shoulder twitched.

Was he yet another demon?

She had no power left.

The only thing that remained was a weak, misfortunate girl who had been beaten by the strong.

And even so fate was yet again causing her to suffer?

She couldn't take it anymore.

''Don't hurt me anymore''.

''Don't take anything from me.''

''Forgive me.''

"I'm the East Central Branch Director of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, Haji Keigo."

Introducing himself, the young man smiled. It was a faint, cynical smile. One could tell he wasn't a good person at a glance.

"Anneliese Mitake—no, Mitake Anneliese. We shall detain you."

"…"

"We've finally finished the investigation about the Ghost of the Creaking Mansion. Even about what happened in your motherland and what circumstances brought you to this country. Seems like old Lady Mitake went a bit overboard. It's fine, we can probably lift the false charges on your parents in Munich as well."

Anneliese widened her eyes.

Inside Goethe's work, Faust formed a contract with the demon Mephistopheles. Yet the moment he was about to lose his life due to the spell of destruction and his soul was forfeit, it was saved from the demon's clutches by love.

Did salvation come for her just as it did for Faust?

Did the time finally come for her to be saved by a messenger of God?

—Yet her expectations were betrayed immediately. By a superficial smile.

"How dull the villains of this country are."

Asserting this much too enjoyably, he also added "I also dislike the way she betrayed her relatives" with a light tone.

—He was the worst.

Anneliese curled up on the chair, her body trembling.

"Uu… Uu…"

''What's up with this country?''

Never mind Lady Mitake, Never mind Shinpu, but Kakkou and the bespectacled man in front of her…

They were demons.

Pure demons.

Or had Anneliese drawn all of them to her? She couldn't remember doing something so bad. She led a pure, proper life in Munich. She shouldn't have any sins.

"She's dangerous, Haji."

Kakkou turned toward the young man and objected.

"It was actually pretty bad… She was the strongest among my opponents thus far. We should turn her into a Fallen now that she can't fully control her powers."

"It's good you're passionate about your work ever since your promise with Fuyuhotaru, but… we can use this girl. Just like you said, she was the first Mushitsuki who went toe to toe with you."

"Use her…?"

"Central Headquarters seems to be sending a large unit to some island. Your dispatch request arrived just the other day. But if possible I'd like you to remain here at least another year to strengthen our foundation. So let's use her to deal with the Central Headquarters. We can even give her to them as she is. Until the day we get her back."

Anneliese widened her eyes while shaking.

The impact she felt after her surprise was somewhat ridiculous.

Their conversation had too many words she didn't know, so she could barely understand anything. Yet even she could understand the latter half.

She was being sold off somewhere again.

That was her fate as a loser.

Next she would be forced to act like a doll somewhere.

—No.

"…"

In this situation, where even after she had used all her power something invisible was still putting out the flames of her life, Anneliese's body yielded itself to drowsiness. It tempted her to fall and never wake again, turn into a sleeping beauty.

Perhaps she would rather turn into a real doll.

If she turned into a real doll that felt nothing and thought of nothing she wouldn't suffer anymore. She wouldn't be hurt and wouldn't have anything taken away. Because she would have nothing in the first place.

The life was being lost from Anneliese's blue eyes that were closing. Losing their light and leaving behind tear marks, they were becoming mere glass beads.

''Father, Mother—''

She thought about the parents whose faces she couldn't even remember.

She thought of her homeland that she would never see again.

She thought of the violin's melody.

''Good night—''

Anneliese was falling asleep.

Her life was destined to end in tragedy. She was unable to retrieve anything. She couldn't regain anything.

Her fate was to be toyed by demons, and end.

"—It's still too early to fall asleep, Fraulein." 

Anneliese was roused from peaceful sleep by having her chin raised.

"Are you giving up? Since you became a Mushitsuki you should have a dream. Are you going to let it end here without making it come true?"

In front of her thinly opened eyelids was a superficial, faint smile.

It was a smile truly fitting for a demon playing with an innocent girl—even more than Lady Mitake and Shinpu.

"I will allow it."

A real demon's whisper was being whispered to Anneliese's ears.

"If one day you… become stronger than Kakkou. When you become stronger than anyone, I'll allow you to go back to your hometown."

Like a flash.

The nostalgic scenery of Anneliese's hometown was revived in her mind.

Her parents' faces. Her classmates. The craftsman. The violin's sound.

She only recalled it for an instant and then it became as blurry as mist again, but it was enough to bring her back to reality after she had attempted to lull off into sweet slumber.

"…ill you…"

Another tear streamed down Anneliese's face.

This would be her last.

She would never cry again.

"…I'll fucking kill you…"

Haji Keigo.

This worst demon.

Now that she was on the verge of death, was he trying to form a new contract?

He was holding up Anneliese's final ray of hope in front of her.

So was the cursed girl not even allowed to be set into restful sleep?

''What a cruel bastard.''

''Even death would be too soft a punishment for you.''

No, it wasn't just Haji Keigo. Kakkou was also an accomplice.

—No, not just Kakkou. Anyone and everyone aside from Anneliese should all be cursed.

"I'll fucking kill you… I'll become stronger than Kakkou… and then fucking kill each and every one of you… I'll make you give back everything you've taken…"

While muttering in German, Anneliese shook off her drowsiness.

She found her one and only hope and recalled.

Her parents' faces… the scenery of her hometown.

And finally—her dream, which was to regain them.

"I'll fucking kill everyone… even those stronger than me… If I do I will be able to… when I get everything back—"

Anneliese kept spitting out these curses.

"Let's make a promise. If you become stronger I'll save you."

The bespectacled youth said with a faint smile.

''Remember that—''

These words.

That contract.

This time Anneliese would become stronger.

She would return home with unshakable power and protect what she needed to protect.

—Thus Anneliese became a subordinate of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.