Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 9 Chapter 3 (section)

== 3.04 The Others ==
Wheelchair-bound Munakata Kaiji rolled through the corridor of the highest floor in the Akasegawa Group Headquarters.

“So I’m Acting Chairman. I have saved them from a big crash, but to think they’d come crying to me, a complete outsider, to get this role… the interior of this place is emptier than I thought.”

Outside the window spread the scenery of the shining townscape.

“It is true that they were dissatisfied with Akasegawa Nanana’s style, but they have also fully relied on their talent. In the first place, it would have been no surprise if this company collapsed when the first Chairman died.”

The secretary hugging a teddy bear spoke in a flowing tone.

“Just like a bubble. It is fine to pop it and dismiss the chairman, but there’s no manpower to blow it again, so it withers… how laughable.”

“Will you accept?”

Since it was decided by the members board, he probably couldn’t reject it. Munakata wore a cynical smile, raising his face toward the secretary next to him.

“Is it fine to accept? This might be the second coming of Akasegawa.”

“If you will allow me to speak… there will probably be no more bidders in the auction. If you simply win, there should be no problem. However, Munakata-sama, you obviously need to use your own personal assets.”

“So it’s fine as long as I don’t touch the Foundation’s money, then. I see, that’s easy to understand. —I will accept being the Acting Chairman.”

The secretary bowed, saying, “Then, I will serve as the Acting Chairman’s secretary.”

“Worry not, tonight the auction will reach its end.”

Tonight was the auction’s payment day.

Three days passed since he’d driven Akasegawa Nanana out of her position as the chairman.

He knew nothing about what happened to Nanana or Shiika and her group. Whether they escaped from Christy or killed by that monster—he had no interest in that.

As for Mushibane, he decided to wait and see how things played out. Since he’d already betrayed them once, they probably wouldn’t trust him anymore. If Aijisupa was already dead, perhaps they would want revenge. Once again they lost both of their sponsors, Munakata and Nanana. If they were cornered again after this, they couldn’t make this anyone’s fault. It was after he’d already helped them base themselves.

“I couldn’t have predicted Christy’s penalty, but—”

Nanana was the girl loved by money.

She could think of nothing but money. She didn’t know people’s hearts.

He thought that this pride was wholly incompatible with Mushibane.

Because of that—it was unexpected for Shiika and Nanana to confide in one another. That led to Mushibane’s involvement as well.

But that was a mere result.

He had plenty of chances to stop.

But he was resolved to all situations, and determined to obtain Alpha.

“Although I knew this, I took the same action…”

Arriving in front of the chairman’s office, a fierce pain assaulted Munakata’s chest.

He coughed violently.

Stopping the secretary from using her phone to call a doctor, he put a hand on the door.

“Sotheby will be here soon. When he does, call me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Munakata left the waiting room of the secretary, entering the chairman’s office.

As he flicked open the switch, the dreary interior was revealed. It was apparently not used much, so everything in the office was brand new.

Seeing the notebook computer on the desk, he raised a brow.

It was probably knocked off or fell. Among all things in the room, it was the only item to be covered in scratches. The cover on the terminal’s back was removed and couldn’t be closed.

He noticed that a memory stick was plugged in. He booted the computer and checked it.

It was apparently a video file. He played it.

“…”

A video of Mushitsuki.

Putting his chin on his hand while watching, he realized something.

“I see. That’s the footage that caused Nihei to be chased by the SEPB… and then Akasegawa bought it.”

He heard the basic story when the handyman called Ikarino Kirari had introduced him to Nihei.

Furthermore, he’d been asked by Kirari to look for the whereabouts of Chronicler. Chronicler was her acquaintance, apparently called Haemori Ako. When Munakata had investigated, she had already—

“Hmm.”

It was an interesting video.

It was asking those who were watching about the differences between normal people and Mushitsuki.

He felt a bit mischievous. He backed up the file on the disk and took out the memory card.

“Chairman. Sotheby’s here.”

Writing a certain address on the memo paper near him, Munakata left the chairman’s office.

“Send this to the following address.”

“Understood.”

Pushing the memory card and memo onto the secretary in the waiting room, he exited to the corridor.

With the nightscape spreading outside the window to his back, the seedy-looking auctioneer was waiting for him.

“A good evening to you, Munakata-sama…”

Sotheby lowered his already twisted back, bowing deeply.

“The money’s all ready.”

He pushed his electrical wheelchair in front of Sotheby, asserting this.

He didn’t even hear his declaration.

Right now, only Munakata alone was bidding for Alpha. He’d already removed his one and only competitor, Akasegawa Nanana. He no longer had any enemies.

Munakata would finally obtain Alpha.

He would be able to uncover the secrets of Mushi, those Mushi who took away the girl he loved—

“—A new bid has been announced by another bidder.”

Munakata widened his eyes.

Sotheby stifled his voice, his shoulders faintly shaking. He was probably laughing.

“How is that possible?!”

“The new amount is—”

He didn’t care about the next amount declared by Sotheby at all. Rather than that, he was shook at the impossible situation of there being another bidder.

“Why you…! Have you deceived me?!”

“I have of course done no such thing…”

While Munakata attacked Sotheby in spite of himself, the bizarre auctioneer responded calmly.

“If you have any doubts, you could fold now… if the other bidder cannot pay the bid, after receiving the penalty, I will present their head to you…”

Munakata folding. —That was impossible.

If there was another bidder and they could pay the bidding amount, he would be handing over Alpha to them. Since Munakata had chosen certain methods this far, he couldn’t take this sort of gamble so late into the game.

That was probably the true meaning of the penalty.

It was meant not only to punish the invisible competitor when push came to shove, but expose their identity to the other bidder as well.

Because he had that “final method”, Sotheby could be as aggressive as he liked.

“—Bursting of the bubble. It also indicates the demise of the overly swollen ‘Greed’… or perhaps, the age of ‘broken dreams’ and ‘betrayal’…”

While Munakata was thinking, Sotheby began one of his usual soliloquies.

“The period created by isolating and monopolizing Alpha… The omens brought forth greed, and throwing away the three possibilities called forth a huge failure… waking up from the long-standing dream, people fell to the depths of disappointment… everyone raised screams as they were knocked down by despair… in order to stand up again, there was a need for a great transformation, a so-called alternation of generations… a new dream was needed…” 

Munakata didn’t even listen to Sotheby’s eloquent speech.

That story was meaningless. —As long as he didn’t know what happened when Alpha had been gained at the time, he wouldn’t understand what Sotheby was talking about.

“So has someone from the Round Table made a move? No…! Maybe all of the Round Table—“

Munakata grimaced. The announced amount wasn’t something the average investor could pay.

For the average Round Table member, it would be impossible.

“There were no movements within the Round table. I also believe the possibility of their collusion against you to be slim.”

“Then… the country!”

“Even if information about the auction has leaked, it would be impossible for them to gather such a budget on such a short notice.”

The secretary explained mechanically. Munakata thought the same.

That was why the appearance of another bidder was impossible.

His head working full throttle, he started thinking of the people who could be bidders. After eliminating people one by one, since no one remained, he suddenly had a hunch.

“Sotheby.”

Munakata glared at the auctioneer.

“Was Akasegawa Nanana killed?”

“I cannot reveal to you information about those who have the authority to be bidders… however, violators receiving their penalty is no sure matter…”

For a change, the secretary’s expression moved. She furrowed her brows, puzzled.

“She has already retired.”

“She was not yet publicly revealed to have lost her position. There is no doubt that she still counts as a Round Table member.”

“But her assets and Foundation are all…”

“What about hidden assets?”

At Munakata’s question, the secretary raised her chin.

“—Well, I cannot fully deny the possibility.”

“Start looking for any signs of life from her. No matter the means.”

“Yes, sir.” The secretary nodded at Munakata’s order.

He was still too naïve.

Munakata repented the weakness of his resolve, rattled simply by another bidder appearing.

In order to obtain Alpha—his resolve was not yet enough. When he’d planned on not going far as to take her life, perhaps he was too lenient.

He would no longer hesitate.

He would be merciless against those who might become enemies.

Sotheby turned toward him and asked.

“Will you bid or fold?”

“Bid.”

He could no longer retreat—

Munakata’s unhesitating declaration echoed in the tallest floor of the Akasegawa Offices.


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