Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 10 Chapter 3 (section)

== 3.00 Kanon Part 5 ==

“Please, Kanon! Put out your hand!”

“—Eh?”

In a high-class boutique store at the capital, Kanon spread out both arms to the sides like a scarecrow.

There were chandelier-style lights, a window shop ornamented with gold and silver, and mannequins dressed in expensive clothes rather than flesh-and-blood humans. It was far too removed from reality. Like seeing a dream.

The other customers walking around were not as dirty as Kanon, and there were no kids. Just passing within several meters from them, their perfume would tickle one’s nose.

“Hmm, this might feel a bit unnatural… but how about this?”

Putting a hand on Kanon’s chin to raise it, Tamaki smiled.

The one putting something like a coat on the stiff Kanon was a female employee. She wore a dubious expression, a mix of her business smile and confusion.

“This is our first time to handle such tailoring, but are you satisfied?”

“Yeah, it’s not bad at all. We’ll take it.”

“And how is this staff you have ordered?”

“Try holding it, Kanon. Yup, doesn’t it feel good?”

The stick was longer than Kanon was tall. The employee called it a staff, but since it had a crest with a full moon motif attached to the top of the grip, it just looked like a weapon.

“How will you be paying?”

“Use this, please.”

Tamaki held out a black card between her index and middle finger to the employee. Unlike Kanon, who would choke breathing the same air as rich people, she acted as if she was used to it. Perhaps often frequenting stores like this, she confidently signed the paper handed to her by the employee and turned around.

“Now, shall we go to the next place?”

The smiling Tamaki next took them to—

“Please sign here.”

A place Kanon had never been to before.

An unthinkable place.

“Here, Kanon. Sign it.”

The 25th floor of the highest building near the station.

They were on the overly spacious floor, inside one of the cubicles separated by many small walls. Sitting on a warm chair, they faced an adult man the likes of which Kanon had never exchanged words with before. 

The tea brought out was expensive and bitter. Completely different from the free oolong tea, and the teacup itself was also made of something that wasn’t plastic.

“Eh?”

Kanon pouted. Tamaki sitting nearby and the suited middle-aged man both looked serious.

“Sign it.”

Tamaki smirked, repeating this. Kanon looked at the man, surprised.

“W-why do you want Kanon’s signature? Are you Kanon’s fan?”

“Hahaha, how amusing.”

The man laughed. However, as a liar, Kanon knew. His eyes were not laughing at all, actually saying something like “as if, you stupid brat” in his heart.

“Uh…”

Dealing with adults was hard. Also, facing that man was paralyzing. Armed with strength, words and knowledge that Kanon didn’t possess, he always looked down at people.

“It’s fine, Kanon. I’m here with you.”

Tamaki whispered kindly as Kanon shrank down before the man.

“It’s fine. You just need to write your name here, Kanon.”

“…”

“If you do it—you’ll get something very good.”

As Kanon looked up, a woman with a different face than usual smiled back. Wrapped in an expensive suit, it was Tamaki transformed to a lady in her thirties.

“R-right.”

Kanon nodded, grabbing the pen.

“I admire you, leaving some assets for your daughter despite looking so young.”

The man said while smiling. Kanon’s hand holding the pen stopped.

“Your daughter really is blessed.”

“Because no one knows the future.”

Tamaki wore a mild smile. Her calm demeanor meant to mask her real age.

“And since this is real estate, it will not vanish no matter what happens.”

“However, why the Abandoned Land? There is nothing around there.”

“I will not deny a bit of a greed on my part. Right now the price is the lowest, right?”

“I see, so you expect the price to rise by the time your daughter becomes an adult… However, what about that? Just as I have explained, that place is—”

The man was flapping his mouth amiably, but his true opinion was as clear as day.

He was suspicious.

Kanon had no idea what Tamaki was talking about with the man. However, it was obvious from the man’s behavior this was something unnatural.

“If I may be so rude, do you have children?”

Tamaki asked softly but suddenly. The man furrowed his brows.

“Me? Yes, I do have a boy and a girl…”

“If so, don’t you understand? ‘This kid has an immense potential’… do you not understand the heart of a parent who thinks this?’

Seeing Tamaki smile while saying that, Kanon gulped without thinking.

This wasn’t just acting. Although this girl was supposedly around the same age, the affection and strength of a mother could be felt from her. Even Kanon, who knew no mother, could call it ideal.

“Kanon doesn’t actually need anything. No, actually—”

Tamaki’s lie was perfect. Much too perfect, that it caused a tinge of anxiety.

Why did Tamaki help Kanon so much just because they were childhood friends? Someone like her could abandon this at any time and succeed at whatever she tried her hands in.

“This much isn’t enough.”

For an instant the man seemed charmed by Tamaki’s elegant smile. Coming back to his senses, he shrugged, presenting the paper to Kanon again.

“…Na, ka, ya, ma.”

Kanon slowly signed the document.

“Ka, non…”

While writing, another question rose to mind.

“Yes, thank you very much.”

Delivering the signature, Tamaki wore a motherly smile.

Tamaki could become anyone, and her acting was perfect.

If so, then the way Kanon’s childhood friend normally acted—was that even the real Tamaki? Wasn’t she actually acting as someone else?

That unanswerable question rose to a corner of Kanon’s mind.

“Now the contract is complete. You’ve received quite the nice thing, young lady. No—”

Looking down at the horrible handwriting, the man spoke.

“Princess.”

Kanon was puzzled.

“Eh?”



That building stood in a dusty space.

Back when the private railway worked, it probably only barely managed to retain its functions as the town center. Old-fashioned buildings stood in rows, signboards of places to eat and drink like clubs and pubs were in tatters, and there were no footprints on the cracked asphalt.

Exposed to many years of wind and rain, that place filled with stagnated air was named the “Abandoned Land”.

Apparently this was originally the transportation relay point using the private railway. However, when the rails were discontinued, more sex establishments started popping up and public order worsened. After the local residents expressed worries about this criminal hotbed, the country bought the entire area under the pretext of a development plan.

However, that plan too was stopped in place by the recession, and it became a ghost town. Nowadays, to make even a little bit of money, they sold it wholesale at dirt cheap prices to local companies, biding their time until buyers appeared.

There was no way anyone would ever buy that land.

Everyone thought so. Even the companies who bought it from the country did so just to increase their own assets.

However, someone with strange tastes appeared.

This land, abandoned and forgotten by the people, suddenly found out someone who wanted to buy its center.

Right, and that savior was—

“…Eh?”

Looking at the building ahead, Kanon’s mouth opened wide. Seeing how it towered the other buildings complexes around, it looked like some sort of joke.

First the cylinders poking at the skies were prominent. There were three in all, pipes that looked like they were wearing three-cornered hats, one in the middle and one on each side. 

Also, in the center of the wall enclosing the premises, there was a metal-made fence—no, a gate. And not just any gate, but a fancy one with double doors opening.

This was a castle.

Kanon knew no other word to describe that building.

“Well? Do you like it?”

Standing nearby, Tamaki asked in a good mood. She was no longer in her lady form but the original girl.

“No matter what we’d do, we need a place to live, right? —Come on, guys!”

Winking at Kanon, Tamaki turned around.

“Starting today, this is our home! Please choose any room you’d like!”

Loud cheers rose. Kanon’s shoulders twitched.

The comrades behind stepped inside the castle like a surging wave. Kicking the gate open, kicking off the walls, one after another they passed by and leapt inside.

“Well, originally it was a cheap love hotel, though. If we all clean it up and renovate it just a little, it’ll look much better.”

“Eh? Eh? Really…?”

Kanon’s mind was on the verge of panic. Tamaki’s words and everyone’s cheers, gradually brought back the sense of reality.

“…”

Looking up at the castle, Kanon’s face wore a smile.

It was dirty and its shape was somewhat strange, and yet it looked like a castle. It really resembled the sort of castle built from sand.

That was why—Kanon’s eyes looked like they were sparkling.

The castle created during that day in the small sandbox at the park.

It became real and bigger, and was right there.

Tamaki laughed.

“Finally… right?”

“Yes… yes.”

Kanon nodded many times, eyes full of tears.

They held hands. Just like they did that day in the sand.

“I finally made one lie become truth.”

“Our castle.”

Several hours after nodding to Tamaki’s words—

Kanon stood at the center of the floor inside the hotel.

According to Tamaki, including this hotel the entire premises was purchased as a donation to their comrades. Kanon was somewhat curious how much money it all cost, but Tamaki just laughed at it, “You’d need several rich people for this much,” and wouldn’t reveal the sum.

The inside had been abandoned for many years, so it was very dirty and ruined. However, apparently it originally was very-high class, so the first floor that included the reception desk was spacious. The atrium at the center had a large flight of stairs that led to the second floor.

On top of those stairs stood Tamaki, and Kanon after changing clothes. Looking down at the floor, there was an assembly of their comrades.

“—Is there a way to save Mushitsuki?”

That lone voice echoing inside the now-silent hotel was Tamaki speaking with a clear tone.

“Possessed by Mushi, you will one day get your dream eaten and die. That is the fate of Mushitsuki, and no one can escape that. If there was any salvation to be found at all—”

Tamaki touched the shoulder of Kanon standing next to her.

Everyone’s gazes focused there.

“…”

Kanon’s expression stiffened at receiving everyone’s gazes and warm eyes while wearing an entirely different outfit from yesterday. Those were the clothes purchased by Tamaki at the high-class boutique store.

“It’s right here. Kanon alone can save all of you.”

Tamaki presented Kanon’s new form.

Since the clothes covered everything from the shoulders to the ankles, perhaps it looked like a trench coat from afar. The collar around the neck was tall, hiding not only the chin but almost the mouth as well. The sleeves were loose-fitting and fluttering like those of a furisode. Kanon’s flat chest was sewn with a symbol modeled after a full moon.

Tamaki called that outfit a vestment—a robe.

''—This is what pastors and bishops wear.

Explaining this, Tamaki had ordered Kanon to wear it and match their stories.

Other than that robe, Kanon also grasped a large cane. It was a monk’s khakkhara staff with an ornament designed after the full moon.

“In this era, when the devil called Mushi runs rampant, Kanon possesses the one and only power that can give save you. If you all believe in Kanon, you will all be saved.”

Everyone zealously listened to Tamaki’s speech.

Some bit their lips, some looked hazy and delirious, some were gazing with fierce eyes—everyone was going to rely on this miracle.

Kanon knew everyone’s circumstances.

They gathered every day at the family restaurant and wasted time talking about nonsense, including all of their worries.

“However, saving you is the only thing Kanon can do. You probably know this, though.”

Everyone in the floor nodded. It was a bit sad how they all agreed on that.

“Therefore—I want you to help Kanon until your turn comes. You must all protect Kanon.”

Tamaki’s speech continued.

“First, we need more money. And this castle alone isn’t enough. If we don’t gather more allies, the SEPB will finish us off before Kanon can save you.”

Again, everyone nodded.

No, it wasn’t everyone. One person alone leaned on the wall with an absent expression.

It was Nii. He alone was staring at Kanon’s face and not moving.

Right. Almost everyone there told their stories, but Nii alone didn’t. Kanon still had no idea why the boy took the bag with a Mushi inside it everywhere he went.

“So, Kanon. Give everyone their first order.”

“Eh? Order?”

Suddenly having this topic brought up, Kanon looked down at everyone there.

Even hearing that large word, order, no one stated their displeasure. On the contrary, they all had eagerly waiting eyes.

“An o-order… something so important…”

''Kanon can’t do it—

The situation did not allow these words. The hotel was now fully silent and everyone was waiting for orders.

Looking at them, Kanon was resolved.

If everyone wished for it.

If they would be granted hope by seeking salvation.

Then, it could be done in exchange for their protection—

“F-for now…”

Kanon picked up a piece of dusty wood lying nearby, a mop, and spoke.

“Let’s have a cleaning operation!”

''WOOH!'' This cheer rose. Everyone on the floor scattered wherever they pleased, picking up cleaning utensils and pieces of cloth. As they smiled and laughed at each other while preparing to clean, the grim determination from just before was gone from their expressions.

Seeing them having fun, Kanon also felt happy.

“Kanon’s going to work hard too!”

Shouting this and leaping toward the comrades—

“I too… must work hard on many things.”

Kanon had the feeling that Tamaki said this in a cheerful voice from behind.