Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume4 Chapter5 (section)

===3===

Matsuyama came to a halt suddenly, then gave us an all-over.

“What was that, this rude form of address?!”

All of us looked at Matsuyama. Now was already not the time to be venting anger anymore.

“Have you completed your preparation to leave?”

He said that with a face full of triumph at someone else’s troubles.

Naru’s expression did not change.

“Excuse me, could you please leave for a moment?”

“What the, still scheming about something?”

This fellow! This is clearly not the time for this type of thing!

“I feel that Sensei would be better off not listening to our discussion.”

“Ke~ Why is that?”

Naru quietly picked up that piece of paper, and showed it to Matsuyama.

“What is this thing?”

“A curse seal.”

“Curse seal?!”

“Sensei, are you aware that Kokkuri is popular in the school?”

Matsuyama’s mouth slanted.

“Of course I know. I don’t even know how many times I’ve caught these foolish students.”

“This is the paper used by that Kokkuri.”

“Isn’t this a curse seal?”

“This is a curse seal. Someone masqueraded this curse seal as a new style of Kokkuri an spread it around.”

Matsuyama wrinkled his nose looking very unconvinced.

“And then?”

“Amongst other things, this curse seal can be used for a killing curse. Something used to curse someone and cause their death. Following that, we believe the target of the curse is… you, Matsuyama Sensei.”

Instantaneously, Matsuyama’s face stiffened. Naru turned to look at Lin-san.

“It is like this, right, Lin?”

“It is.”

“And the reason for that is?”

Hearing Naru’s query, Lin-san spread out the paper used for Worikiri-sama. He asked the Monk, “Takigawa-san, are you able to read sanscrit?”

“Ah, En, just about.”

Lin-san displayed the symbol at the center, the symbols on the right of the human figure. With a finger, he pointed to the worm-like words crawling around.

“The target of the curse is written here.”

“… so it is like that… however one looks at it Matsuyama Hideharu is written here.”

Matsuyama looked like he wanted to shout something. His color was also very poor. Lin-san completely ignored all these.

“It doesn’t mean to say that it needs to be written in Sanskrit. And here,” pointing to the left of the human figure, “the age is written here, exactly as seen by everyone.”

“Current age fifty three” was written there.

“Naru, do you know how to read?”

“I’m not too good at Kanji.”

“53 years old this year, this is the meaning.”

“Indeed, he looks about this age.”

Saying that, Naru looked at Matsuyama with a “What do you think about that?” questioning look. Matsuyama nodded.

Lin-san continued.

“It is better to write it in Kanji as it was over here. Or rather, this is the correct way of writing it. However.”

“If Matsuyama’s name were written clearly, anyone would find it suspicious.”

“Yes.”

“Therefore it is purposely written in Sanskrit.”

“I think it is like this.”

Naru’s dark gaze settled beside his own hand; as though Matsuyama’s situation would soon cease to be the main topic.

“The target is Matsuyama… who is the culprit?”

Asking now is pointless… Everyone wanted to know this answer.

“Worikiri-sama started with a first year student in the Aesthetics Department. Furthermore this is not a commonly known spell. Someone not very interested in this type of thing…”

When he heard Naru’s low-toned mumbling, Matsuyama shouted loudly.

“Is it Sakauchi?! It is Sakauchi!”

… Sakauchi-kun. The male student who aspired to become a ghost hunter. And then he died… 

Naru nodded.

“It should be him. This incident started around September, just at the start of the second semester. It was mid-September when it really caught on. After that time, Sakauchi-kun committed suicide. I’m afraid he… lit the sparks, and saw the sparks light a fire, then sought his own death.”

The Sakauchi-kun that appeared in my dream, waiting on the roof: he had said before, as though enjoying it greatly, “I’ve seen it…”

That… so it was something like this… However, in the end this Sakauchi-kun also…

Matsuyama groaned balefully.

“Why would that idiot do such a thing?! Why would I…”

Yasuhara glared at Matsuyama.

“Don’t you understand?”

“Understand what…”

“Sensei, do you really not understand the reason why you were chosen?”

Matsuyama was silent.

“Sakauchi-kun left a suicide note. ‘I am not a dog.’ This was the prologue of his suicide note. The school plans to train us like dogs, that’s why we, as students, understand. If someone were to ask who the representative in all this is, even I would reply with Matsuyama-sensei’s name. Because you are the symbol of the school.”

Matsuyama’s face flushed bright red upon being chided by Yasuhara like this. Matsuyama expression changed to one of fury.

Naru expressionlessly stopped Matsuyama who was about to scream in anger.

“It is meaningless even if we now know who the culprit was. Right, Lin?”

Following Naru’s gaze, Matsuyama’s greenish face looked at Lin-san.

“Yes. The curse has already been activated. Even the one who made the curse cannot stop it. The spirits mutually devour each other to complete the Kudoku – this is the only even we are waiting for now.”

“Is there no way at all?!”

Matsuyama shouted.

Even Matsuyama didn’t say things like “what nonsense”. Still harboring conflicting emotions, we looked at Matsuyama who was stuck in an awkward position.

“The solutions are?”

Naru asked the cool Lin-san.

“None.”

“The curse can be reflected back, right?”

… reflect the curse back…?

“That can be done. Is it all right to reflect the curse back?”

Naru sank deep into thought.

Long silence.

“… with this too there is no alternative.”

Naru looked coolly and darkly at Matsuyama.

“Although it’s a person whom I will not feel sorry for even if he died, I cannot stand aside and let him be killed. Reflect the curse back.”

“… If that is your wish.”

Naru momentarily wore a dark look.

“That’s right.”

Matsuyama was clearly gawking.

“Wait… wait a moment! I don’t understand what you are saying!”

I could not help shouting out.

“What are you talking about? Hey?!”

“Mai.”

Naru spoke with a low voice.

“What we call ‘reflect the curse’ is to send the curse back to the curser.”

Ok.

“There are only about 4 large spirits left in the school. The winner would be chosen from amongst these 4. Regardless of which spirit it is, we are already unable to handle it; I will not consider such an option that will put our lives in danger. Do I want to see Matsuyama killed in front of my own eyes? When the Kudoku is complete, Matsuyama would only be waiting for death. And I’m afraid it would be a terribly cruel death.”

The cannibalizing spirits… very soon only the evilest spirit would remain. That spirit, to Matsuyama…

“No. This scenario is no good at all.”

“If that’s the case then shut up. Does anyone else have a different opinion?”

No one replied to Naru. No one could say something in the vein of just let him die. Not lest with the very subject right in front of us.

“It is just like this.”

Naru raised his head to look at Lin-san.

“Yes.”

Matsuyama started laughing softly. It was a laugh of relief. It was a laugh of having pleaded with people whom he had called con-men, and being saved by those very people. Although it affected my emotions, it didn’t exactly make me angry.

Naru turned to look at the laughing Matsuyama.

“You are the cause. Please remember this point.”

Naru looked severely at Matsuyama; Matsuyama ceased his laughter and turned to avoid Naru’s gaze.

The Monk asked softly.

“But Naru-chan, Sakauchi-kun is already dead. Is it possible to reflect the curse back to a dead person?”

“Curses cannot be reflected back to dead people, and this has got no relation to Sakauchi at all.”

Naru said stiffly.

“The curser was not him.”

The entire scene suddenly froze.

“If the curse is reflected back, the curse would return to the curser. Disregarding whether or not they knew of the consequences, the ones who activated the curse are the students.”

<nowiki>----</nowiki>.

What? What did you say?

The students are the cursers?!

Everyone in the room started shouting.

“Naru… wait… a moment.”

My voice turned hoarse.

“If this is the case… then, everyone will…”

My gaze automatically landed on Yasuhara. His face had turned green.

“Have those 4 evil spirits… reflect back on those who have played Worikiri-sama before?”

Naru turned to look at me. I could not move with Naru’s deeper than black stare pinning me.

“I should have already explained this.”

“Don’t do this, Naru!”

“Don’t do what?”

His ice cold gaze allowed for no further expression.

“Reflect the curse back? Allow Matsuyama be killed?”

I didn’t say it like that…

“Even you’ve turned stupid. Without discussing whether they knew or not, the students activated the curse. Even if they never receive any punishment from the law, they are in fact accessories to murder. Reflect the curse back to them. The one who is the cause of all this will regret it for life. Is this not what is called fair?”

It’s not like this… This is much more complicated and ambiguous.

“Yasuhara-kun… can you understand?”

Yasuhara, who had only played Worikiri-sama only once – we would also be reflecting the curse onto him.

“… I understand.”

He nodded, with a deathly pale face.

“If the curse is reflected back, what will happen to us?”

“The number of cursers is too big. The strength will be dispersed; the effectiveness should also be diminished. Theoretically it is like this. Please pray that this will be the case.”

… Wait a moment, this is so cruel.

Yasuhara nodded.

“We were the ones who asked you to resolve this case. If this is the only way.”

“There is no other way.”

“Then we are counting on you.”

A hint of a smile appeared on Yasuhara’s pale face.

It was so simple. Too simple.

“What about Matsuyama?!”

I shouted. Matsuyama’s body suddenly shrunk a little.

“Matsuyama is the only one who is protected, but the others cannot be protected?! Only this person is in the safe zone without having to undergo any punishment?! This is too sly!”

“You’re really stupid.”

“Regardless of who it is, no matter what type of person it is, there is no reason for him to be killed.”

What Naru said was right. Even I, who was extremely confused, understood. However…

“Exactly. There is also no reason to kill everyone. Yasuhara-kun too… he clearly only played it once! He clearly never thought of cursing another person!!”

“Everyone must be responsible for their own actions.”

“Everyone didn’t know!”

“Ignorance is not an excuse.”

That cool voice. And that disgustingly beautiful expression.

I hate him to death, that Naru. Despite his reason he is completely heartless. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!

Naru turned back to look to Lin-san, who was waiting shadow-like.

“Lin. Start the preparations.”

“Yes.”