Mushi Uta:Volume 9 Chapter 3

3.00 Bursting of the Bubble

A large stake driven inside the sparkling jewel case.

Or perhaps it was a tower made of jewels.

A towering round building was wrapped in neon lights.

It watched the building from the upper sky.

Just like always, it followed the girl it liked.

While watching over her, it was able to find a nostalgic figure.

The person wearing a worn-out suit and coat.

Yet in its memories the man had been wearing a much neater outfit. It also had no idea why he was hiding his head with a cloth. Even so, based on the coat, the suit, the leather shoes and the wristwatch, there was no doubt he was the same person.

There was another familiar person.

The woman in evening dress.

She always accompanied the suited man. However, in the past she hadn’t floated in the air with such a pale face and looking much like a ghoul.

Why did they become like this?

What made them into such monsters?

Seeing nostalgic people revived nostalgic memories.

Thinking about it—the scenery of the town seemed much more washed out then when it had known it.

Was this entire country changing?

Then what about itself?

Feeling a certain doubt, it tried looking at its own reflection on the glass window of the building.

Reflected there—was nothing but a monster.

A carapace separated into several fragments and exposed nerves connecting them. Buried in the largest fragment was like a combination between a human eye and compound insect eyes; a grotesque object.

Oh, right. I have also changed—

Why had it changed?

Before it changed, how was it?

It couldn’t quite recall anymore.

Until it did, it would watch the girl it liked and the nostalgic people—

It acquired this clear will and decided to observe the rampaging people below.

3.01 Nanana Part 9

Kneeling on the ground, Nanana screamed.

“AAAaaahhhh!!!”

She was dragged down from her position as the Akasegawa Foundation Chairman.

And not only that.

She lost her entire assets—down to the very last yen. All of Nanana’s money was deposited in the bank related to the Foundation. All of those were taken by the Foundation.

The thirteenth Round Table member, Munakata Kaiji—

She had completely let this man slip from her thoughts.

The Round Table member that should have not existed.

The invisible other bidder.

The person whose presence wasn’t even felt was this close to Nanana.

She didn’t think that she was careless. Did everything go according to Munakata Kaiji’s plan? To escape Nanana’s sight, he’d planted all sorts of traps.

Probably his disappearance itself was also a farce. Nanana was artfully invited by him, made to get deep into the group called the Round Table, and made to believe there were only twelve members. Also, by giving Nanana the rights to participate as the bidder, he made her think he was her ally.

She didn’t lower her guard. —It was her utter and complete loss.

From start to finish, she danced on the top of Munakata Kaiji’s palm.

“Nooooo!!!”

She thought she was a step away from gaining Alpha. She was supposed to succeed the Magician’s will and buy back the halcyon sweet days.

But even so—

She lost everything.

Just like a bubble popping off, everything was gone.

Nanana couldn’t obtain anything.

Even the people drawn to her by money were gone.

Nanana once more—became alone.

“Christy! Punish these violators!”

Drifting down from the skies was a lady dressed in a jet-black evening dress.

That woman floated above Nanana and the rest, ignoring gravity. A feathered hat several times larger than her head hid one of her eyes, but her face was as pale as a corpse’s. Her lipstick and eyeline were also creepy, but the most unnatural thing about her were her legs.

She—had no legs.

More precisely, no legs could be seen. The hem of her evening dress was transformed to black smoke, fusing with the night’s darkness. The dress fanned by the wind spread everywhere, and the woman’s head and shoulder almost seemed to pop out of it, as if she was drowning in the sea of her dress.

“Laaaah…”

The beautiful woman floating in the night sky raised a shriek-like song. Thrusting out her arms as if to embrace Nanana, she fell head first.

The stupefied Nanana was unmoving with her head dropped.

“Uwoooh!”

A roar echoed in the entrance.

The beauty pursuing Nanana was covered by white cloth shooting at her from the side.

It was Pochi. The cloth around his arm swelled, lengthened, and wrapped around Christy’s body. Rotating his body to wrap the cloth around his arm, like a competition of hammer throwing, he used centrifugal force to throw the dark woman against the building.

The strengthened glass window exploded. Vibrations shook the air, and the impact caused part of the building to crumble loudly. The wall Christy was pounded against caved in the shape of a half dome.

“Laaah—”

Even after receiving an impact that shook the entire building, nothing about Christy’s expression changed. Her dress wriggled like a living being, ripping the cloth ensnaring her body.

Now free, Christy flew, again gliding toward Nanana.

Pochi kicked empty air, extending the cloth on his leg. —He was a Special Type Mushitsuki who could control a certain kind of mineral wool. His battle style was to control clothes with his medium woven into them.

“Pochi! This person’s no longer the Chairman of—”

Pochi didn’t lend his ears to the secretary’s attempt to stop him. His normally calm face now contorted as he glared at Christy like a watchdog spotting an intruder.

“Uwoooh!”

Using the cloth extended by his kick that was wrapped around Christy, the rubber band-like recoil allowed him to leap high. In an instant Pochi flew above the woman’s head, landing his cloth-wrapped fist against her hat.

Christy crashed on the ground. The asphalt shattered and a small earthquake assaulted the surroundings. He headed to the hole to finish the job.

However—

“…!”

The boy’s face looked shaken.

The woman wasn’t inside the hole. Large amounts of darkness poured out, filling his vision.

“Laaaah—”

Shriek-like singing voice came from exactly next to Nanana.

The billowing darkness condensed and Christy’s white face emerged next to Nanana. The jet-black beauty extended both arms toward the girl.

But the next moment, a grotesque monster chomped on Christy’s body.

The Mushi suddenly appearing stuck its sharp fangs into the dressed woman, protecting Nanana. Pushing her with its weight, the large Mushi pounded Christy against a pillar.

“All of you—”

As the secretary turned back, several boys and girls appeared out of the black-painted car. Just like Pochi, they were bodyguard Mushitsuki. —They showed no hesitance in following the orders of their leader, Pochi.

But one of the Mushitsuki grimaced with a “Ugh…!” and fell to the ground.

The sound of something breaking was heard from the pillar Christy was on. The darkness covering her dress squirmed, and the Mushi that bit her was crushed as if by a powerful hug. Although it looked like its hide was tough, it raised creaks while being crushed, screaming as body fluids flew about.

Christy flew overhead.

“Laaah—”

Darkness engulfed the building.

“…!”

Perhaps having a bad premonition, Pochi leapt. —But then his movements stopped with a jerk.

An arm clung to one of the boy’s legs.

It was an arm created from darkness, its surface black and hard like a mannequin’s. He immediately tried grabbing it with cloth, but it was much too powerful and wouldn’t let go of the boy’s leg.

“Eeek!”

The same happened to the other Mushitsuki. The only one who shrieked was Shiika, but Aijisupa and the other Mushitsuki’s limbs were also grabbed by darkness-colored arms.

Along with Christy’s shriek-like voice, something came fluttering down from above. Shaped like a bird’s plume, these feathers all stopped in air, pointing their sharp edges at Nanana.

Pochi suddenly shook off the arm.

The cloth extending from the boy’s arm swelled, engulfing Nanana in a white curtain to protect her.

But Christy’s feathers blew through that curtain. Piercing through it like bullets, they pursued Nanana.

The rain of impacts rained down on the entrance. The storm of destruction tore down everything around Nanana like a gigantic tsunami.

“—Gfbh.”

“…”

Absently.

As Nanana raised her stunned face, she saw bright red.

His entire body stabbed by the dark feathers, Pochi grimaced while looking up at Christy.

Having become Nanana’s shield, the feathers stabbed all the way to his back. Furthermore—perhaps cut by his own cloth, one leg that was held by the hand of darkness had nothing beneath the knee. He wrapped the cloth around the leg that had a fountain of blood coming out of it, stopping the bleeding and crafting a prosthetic.

There was a thud.

Pochi’s arm pushed Nanana’s shoulder.

He said nothing. The boy couldn’t even tell her to run away.

Even while heavily wounded, the boy who fulfilled the role of a watchdog for Nanana howled toward Christy.

“WOOOOOOH!”

Vomiting large amount of blood, Pochi swiped his arm toward Christy. The extended cloth wrapped around the woman, and by pulling on that, he leapt toward Christy’s chest.

“…”

Pochi’s push caused Nanana to stagger and fall to the ground.

A spray of blood rose in her sight. Unheeding of their flesh being gouged, Nanana’s bodyguards shook off the hands of darkness. They raised a war cry and followed Pochi.

There was a white flash of light.

The steam explosion created by Aijisupa blew away the arms of darkness that tried restraining him and Shiika.

“You idiot! Run away…!”

Grabbing Nanana’s arm as she stared at empty air was Chouya Nihei. The cowardly boy grimaced with fear, but even so did his best to try and make Nanana stand up.

“Shiika. Go with them.”

Aijisupa said as he walked toward Christy.

Shiika, who was trying to approach Nanana, saw off Aijisupa with a worried look.

“Aijisupa-san…!”

“I’ll keep her busy.”

While throwing off his jacket and loosening his tie, Aijisupa smiled.

“You were going to order me to do it anyway, right?”

“…!”

Shiika looked like she was about to cry. Biting her lips—she nodded.

“Nanana-chan! Stand up!”

“Nanana!”

Nihei and the approaching Shiika shook Nanana’s body.

While she was being shaken a card fell out of her pocket. It was the Round Table member card. She’d always kept it on her.

“Ah…”

There was a golden circle on the pitch-black background. As well as jewel fragments and the inscription “XII”.

Nanana reached out to the card that symbolized glory.

“Shit…!”

Nanana’s hand was unable to grasp it. Nihei cussed and forcibly put her on his back.

Nanana, Shiika and Nihei went away from the entrance to the Akasegawa Offices.

“Aahhh…”

Nanana raised her face, once again seeing Pochi’s figure hit by Christy’s black feather attack.

After having fought at the frontlines, Pochi was now kneeling on the ground. She watched him slowly collapse as if in slow motion.

“Aaaahhhh…”

Nanana grimaced, still reaching her arm toward the distancing vision—

And on the other side of the popped bubble—

What Nanana tried grasping all slipped from between her fingers.

3.02 The Others

He first met the girl called Tachibana Rina at a certain high society party.

Something bumped against his back and the formal wear-clad Munakata turned around.

“I apologize.”

Seeing the girl look up to him while rubbing her forehead, he thought to himself that she was beautiful.

She was probably on the higher grades of elementary school. Her long hair was meticulously arranged and her face was even prettier than that of a pop singer. Her dress looked great on her.

“As long as you’re not hurt.”

He could only understand the girl’s following actions because it was him.

At first she turned around the venue. She was looking at a young man who seemed to be looking for someone.

The girl tried approaching Munakata and then stopped. She sighed as if resigned on something, and started walking toward the man.

Understanding the meaning of her actions, Munakata stepped in front of the girl.

He hid the girl behind him so that the man would not be able to see her. The young man looked all around him and then went away, looking troubled.

“Is that fine?”

“What is?”

As he turned around and smiled, the little lady feigned ignorance.

“You were hiding from that young man. You thought that it would be possible to hide behind me. —But you probably didn’t wish to cause me any trouble, right? So you gave up.”

“…Thank you very much, Munakata Kaiji-san.”

The girl’s behavior was pure. Without thinking anything about the fact she had been seen through, she dropped her expression and said her gratitude.

“Do you know me? Have we ever met before?”

“No, Father taught me about everyone here.”

“Oh, and here I was thinking I was special.”

“I’m good at remembering people’s names and faces. Even though I was bad at memorizing stuff for school.”

He purposely cracked an obvious joke there, but apparently the girl didn’t understand him. She let his words flow and reached toward the dishes on the table.

“Sorry for bothering you during your meal, but can I ask you something?”

“My name is Tachibana Rina.”

“…”

“I thought you were going to ask my name; was I mistaken?”

“No, you were right on the mark. —So you’re Tachibana-san’s little lady. Well, you do look exactly like your parents.”

Saying this, Rina visibly cringed. Her face suddenly took a childlike sulk and she ate faster. Apparently he’d insulted her somehow.

Even Munakata knew about the Tachibana family’s circumstances. He’d exchanged greetings with the current family head—the adopted son-in-law—and his wife before. The young man from before probably worked for the Tachibanas.

Actually, now that he looked at her, this girl in front of him looked like she inherited the good parts of her parents. —That convenient fact caused him some anxiety.

“What did your father tell you about me? He probably gave a short addendum, right?”

The girl hesitated for a moment. She had difficulty speaking.

“…He said that you ‘don’t trust other people. Don’t get involved with that man’.”

“Sheesh… This is the first time someone saw through me like that. As expected.”

That was his true opinion.

At the time Munakata had no enemies.

He flawlessly succeeded in business, stocking up on many assets. The common sense of the industry was that the more you profited the more enemies you had, but he was an exception.

That was because everyone was his “ally”.

Even if enemies appeared, Munakata did not fight them. For those who would become his enemies, he would present them with a different moneymaking idea, thus defending against them before they opposed him. He employed many other methods as well, and so without the other party even noticing, they began to think of Munakata as their “comrade”.

Don’t turn him into an enemy. Making business with him is way more profitable—

By the time people were being told so, Munakata had become surrounded by allies.

All of them decided by themselves to move along with their “comrade” Munakata. They would leap at the business opportunities they set their aims on, and if there was any trouble they’d take the fall instead of him. Then, the actual profits would come falling at the lap of the survivors, including Munakata.

He wasn’t doing it consciously. Because of that, no matter who became a victim, he wouldn’t stop them. They had to take the fall instead of Munakata—there was no other way except for not getting involved with him.

“Can I also ask you something?”

“I’m Munakata Kaiji.”

“I know that. Nice to meet you. —Are you alone?”

“Yes, at this age I’m all alone. I wasn’t blessed in relationships.”

It was a lie.

Munakata, who had all the relationships with the other sex he needed to, also had an escort at the time. But he didn’t feel like bringing her there, or marrying her for that matter. If he could marry and start a family, it would definitely go well—but just because he thought so it wasn’t a reason to actually do it.

Right, at the time he didn’t think that a family was anything special.

“I see. You look like you’d be popular, what a waste.”

“…It rather hurts when a child compliments me like this. Will you please stop speaking like that? Kids should talk about what they want to.”

“Only if you promise not to tell on me to Father. I was told not to get on anyone’s nerves here.”

As Rina finally showed him a childlike smile, he vowed to keep the promise.

Following that they spoke for a while.

It was strange for him to talk with a child so far removed from him in age—but Munakata never forgot the fun he had back then.

It felt like talking to an old friend. Technically, since he never had anyone like that, he felt like that was how it would be if he had.

That was why he was glad at what Rina said to him.

“We’re comrades, right?”

She told him something so childish.

“Comrades?”

“I mean, Munakata-san, it’s clear from your face that you don’t belong here. Although you look down on your surroundings, you’re smiling at escaping boredom.”

“…”

“It feels as though you’re building grand sandcastles to appease the people around you despite not finding it interesting at all. And you actually want to go right back to the park and build a real castle. Although you could do that, you feel elated that you supposedly protect the peace of the park.”

This was a merciless evaluation—but it was true.

He really had no people who’d become his enemies—but also no one he thought as comrades. In that sense, perhaps he really wasn’t blessed in relationships.

“Yeah. I really do think so. But it’s a secret, alright?”

“Now we both have secrets. So we’re even.”

“Do you have any other place you belong to?”

“I… at the very least, I hate my home. I loathe it.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t know if there’s any other place for me, but at the very least I’d like to try going to school normally. I do go to school now, but I can’t speak to friends or go shopping or eating stuff and all that.”

She wanted to have normal school life where she could laugh and play around—

Much later, when Rina would chase after Kakkou and go to Ouka City, Munakata would offer, “Well, why don’t you try going to school normally?” as a suggestion—this would happen a few years later.

“We’re both people who are unsatisfied with where we belong. So we’re comrades.”

“Comrades… right, we are.”

Munakata repeated those words countless of times.

Comrades.

He supposedly had many “comrades” up to this point.

Even so, it felt like a completely different word when it came from Rina’s mouth. That was because, to him, those so-called “comrades”—didn’t matter to him whether they were there or not. He had nothing in common with them, and never thought of them as useful.

But when Rina called him a comrade—it was the most reassuring thing he’d ever heard.

The first comrade he had since he was born was still young, but she was surprisingly reliable. On top of seeing through his true self, she said she was the same.

Oh, so I was lonely until now—

He only just noticed something so obvious despite his age.

The silver lining was that Rina now became his comrade. If he’d noticed that he had no real comrades—he would feel that his inability to notice something so simple was pathetic and lonely, and perhaps he would have lost his will to live.

“This is my first time having a comrade. Not bad at all…”

“Right?”

The middle-aged man trembling in a way unbefitting his age, and the proud girl puffing out her chest.

“One day, let us find our place to belong to.”

Thinking back, this was the time when Munakata had been charmed by the girl.

Since then, many things happened.

The girl became a Mushitsuki, gathered plenty of allies and fought against the SEPB. She met her archnemesis, Kakkou.

Even so, Munakata felt that as long as he was with her, his strongest comrade, he could do anything.

However—she had lost.

And the reason for Rina’s unreasonable conclusion was that very perfection.

Everyone relied on Rina and she accepted it. Even so, that meant she was so perfect she had no one to rely on. She carried the hopes of all Mushitsuki and tried saving them.

Munakata lost a comrade more precious than anything else and became despondent.

However, he was brought back by the boy called Aijisupa and became part of Mushibane’s resurrection.

Bringing up Shiika as the new leader was the least he could do. Even the perfect Rina couldn’t have done it. Which was why this time, he thought, a girl who possessed “weakness” and was far from perfect should lead them now.

Mushibane was reborn.

He’d fulfilled his duty to his past comrade.

Thus he was finally able to really accomplish what he needed to do.

He and he alone needed to do it.

Munakata Kaiji had that responsibility for the sake of his one and only comrade, Tachibana Rina.

The entrance to the Akasegawa Offices was wrapped in silence.

The ground was cracked and the glass windows of several floors were completely broken. The boys and girls collapsed around were the Mushitsuki that served as Akasegawa Nanana’s bodyguards. All of them became Fallen, but a single one of them, the boy nicknamed Pochi, lost his life.

Looking down this horrible sight, Munakata Kaiji in his wheelchair mumbled to himself. He did think that it wouldn’t be a light punishment, but never considered that anyone would die.

“So this is the penalty…”

The woman in the evening dress called Christy was no longer there. When she tried chasing down Nanana, Aijisupa stood in her way, so they probably kept fighting at a different place around now.

“Does it mean that those who are unable to fulfill their part in the bid pay with their lives instead?”

Although an unexcepted sacrifice, this was the result of his own actions. He would carry that sin.

Munakata meant on betting his life from the first place. He was ready to fight against obstacles.

That was the difference between him and Akasegawa Nanana.

This auction was not a game—

He never thought it was possible to obtain the roots of Mushi with such a lukewarm determination as hers.

“So this means that Akasegawa Nanana’s bidding now became invalid.”

Munakata glared at the strange auctioneer next to him.

“Based on the orthodox rules, we would return to previous bid, and I would gain the authority to win.”

He pulled out the member card from his pocket.

The seemingly impossible thirteenth Round Table member—

Munakata had obtained it a long time ago.

Although it was the Round Table, at present about half its members were simply stupid people who had money. They were grandchildren of investors or at times lucky people who managed to get a lot of money. Winning those people over was easy as pie.

All important decisions in the Round Table were made by majority vote.

The suggestion to set up the thirteenth seat that never existed before was easily decided by the “comrades” dragged in by Munakata.

“Now, please announce my win.”

Munakata spoke to Sotheby.

Him getting in contact with the Round Table to investigate the origin of Mushi was no lie.

His prediction that three economical movements from a decade ago—Enclosure, Bubble and Paradigm Shift—were related to it was right on the mark.

And the same time that he joined the Round Table, the auctioneer Sotheby appeared. He didn’t know how, but apparently he’d sniffed out that Munakata was looking for the source of Mushi.

He came to know of Alpha at that point at well.

Alpha existed.

The exorbitant member fees of the Round Table were apparently used to hide them. They had been handled and sealed so that they stayed hidden from people’s eyes and that the SEPB did not notice them.

Those who knew of this truth never tried speaking of it. They were the members who remained at the Round Table even now, knowing what events took place a decade before. These were the few genuine members of the Round Table.

Although Alpha had been thoroughly hidden like that, the unknown person called Sotheby decided to try selling them on his own. There were hints that Sotheby had also invited the other members of the Round Table to participate in the auction as well, but it was doubtful whether they would. To Munakata it looked like he was trying to outwit the Round Table.

“Unfortunately—”

The servile Sotheby bowed even further down.

“Since you have declared your folding, the auction will be reset, and I will invite bidders again…”

“Reset?”

Munakata’s expression distorted.

“Just how greedy are you… still looking for competitors to raise the price?”

“I am just an auctioneer who follows the rules to the letter…”

“There will be no other Akasegawa Nanana.”

Bringing that overly confident girl to the Round Table was Munakata’s idea.

When he’d brought up this idea, the man at the Round Table’s lowest seat readily agreed to it. Perhaps believing in the offer of his “comrade” to crush the Akasegawa Foundation, or perhaps he thought of using this to try and take over Munakata’s assets. Just like he planned, Munakata pretended to have been kidnapped by him.

He knew that Akasegawa Nanana had been trying to get in contact with him for a while now. She would probably be interested in his disappearance. He’d also left some hints with Shiika, so Nanana would interfere with the Round Table.

She then rescued Munakata, joined the Round Table and finally obtained the right to participate in the auction.

Why had he acted in such a roundabout way?

“Even if I looked through the entire country, there’d be no other person stupid enough to join this auction but that girl.”

That itself was the reason why Munakata chose to draw Nanana into the auction.

Munakata had no naïve outlook of this girl who was blessed with money.

Rather, from the very beginning he was looking at everything other than Akasegawa Nanana. Even when the auction started, it was obvious all the Round Table members were scared and ran off. No other rich person would know of Alpha’s value, and even if there were ones, none of them would be as powerful as the Round Table.

There was no one but Akasegawa Nanana.

That woman was curious about Munakata’s movements. If he attempted to bid, she would definitely sniff out the “scent” of his moving money. Since she would use any methods available to her to gather information, he knew very well she’d notice the auction.

He also knew about her deep relations to Mushi. If she participated in the auction and became Munakata’s rival, he would lose to her since his assets were inferior.

And so he’d purposely led Akasegawa Nanana to this auction in advance.

He purposely had her save him from the make-believe kidnapping so that he would owe her a favor—inviting Nanana to be his “comrade”. By doing so, he managed to avoid being blacklisted by her.

“I have not colluded with Akasegawa. If you are still unpleased with the current price, no one would ever be able to win the bid.”

Not fighting along with Akasegawa Nanana was because he was afraid of being outwitted by her. Since his full assets would lose to hers, the authority to bid would be with Nanana. By doing that, there was the possibility that Nanana would monopolize Alpha. And so Munakata would never be able to obtain them.

It was obvious. Even now, Munakata used his own style of business that he used even in the past.

Other than his real comrade, Tachibana Rina, he would never trust anyone—

“It is, indeed, true that you have splendidly raised the price, Munakata Kaiji-sama… this is but the mere final confirmation… if no one claiming to be a bidder appears, the rights to bid would return to you…”

Sotheby spoke impudently.

Making Akasegawa Nanana into a bidder was fine, but it was meaningless if he couldn’t win.

Kicking Nanana off was simple. She probably completely thought that he was her “comrade”. She was not cautious of Munakata and got carried away in success of her business. She didn’t even know that Munakata was actually helping her behind the scenes.

The violent success also caused anxiety to swell. When it finally reached the limits, Munakata had informed the Foundation’s board members about the auction. The fear of the Chairman being fully resolved to go bankrupt to get something that was a complete unknown reached her subordinates in no time at all—this affected their stocks, and by pressing it even further the large fallout began.

And the responsibility for that—was directed at the Chairman Nanana.

Thus Nanana lost everything in a single night and Munakata obtained victory.

A throb ran through Munakata’s chest and he coughed.

“When’s the next payment?”

“Please await my news three days from now… And now I bid you a good night…”

With the torn leather shoes dragging behind him, Sotheby left.

There was no need to hurry.

Munakata’s victory was as good as decided. No current member of the Round Table would want to violate Alpha’s seal or had the courage to touch the core of one of this country’s secrets.

He heard his cellphone ring. The secretary was getting in contact with someone.

“The Board has decided. They will welcome Munakata-sama, who’d bought back most of the stocks lost in this event, as a member. Will you accept it?”

“I will. Tell them to wait for things to cool off before they publicly announce about Akasegawa Nanana dropping off.”

Glancing at Munakata who said this and coughed, the secretary conveyed his orders.

“From now one, when you’re doing something related to the Foundation, I will accept your orders as a secretary. Pleased to be working with you.”

Cutting off the call, the secretary lowered her head. This woman, who moved not a single muscle in her face even after seeing Nanana’s complete loss, watched the coughing Munakata coolly.

“Should I call a doctor? I believe that you being in a wheelchair is not simply because your stamina has not recovered yet.”

“No, there’s no need for a doctor. —The truth is I have a heart disease. It is incurable.”

The secretary said nothing.

Oh, so this one’s a bust as well. I need to find another one—

Her face seemed to be saying this. Munakata smiled bitterly.

“You look like you have no interest in other people. Do you live only for yourself?”

While saying this, Munakata looked around the entrance.

Among the many collapsed boys and girls, the expired boy’s face alone was peaceful. It was as if he’d fulfilled the meaning of his life by simply protecting his master—his face looked that satisfied.

“What do you live for?”

The secretary inquired, only turning back the question at him.

“For love and revolution—who was it that said it? That’s exactly how I feel.”

Munakata loved a single girl.

For his love, he begun a revolution with that girl.

Thinking about it now—he felt extremely unsure if it was really love or just a father-like relationship toward a girl much younger than him.

So the word “comrade” fit perfectly.

“Since I failed with both, at least I can—”

His one and only miscalculation was to deepen the bonds between Nanana and Mushibane. He’d saved Mushibane due to his duty to his former comrade, but they probably think he’d betrayed them.

But he already finished his own part in Mushibane.

Starting now he’d do what he needed to.

“I wanted to find out the identity of the thing that had cornered her like this…”

Removing his sight from the cruel scene, he raised his face toward the starry sky.

The city sky had no stars, simply a curtain of darkness.

What were Mushi?

Munakata had no intention to hand that secret over secret to anyone else.

“For that, both money and the current Mushibane—do not matter to me in the least.”

As Munakata monologued, he looked ahead.

Although the sky did not have any stars, he had the feeling he could see some small object going away.

3.03 Nanana Part 10

Inside the gloomy alley, Nanana sank down to the floor. She hadn’t been to a dirty and dark place like this ever since she’d gotten lost as a child.

The smell of garbage tickled her nose and the hem of her order-made dress was dirtied by the unknown liquid covering the floor.

But right now Nanana didn’t care about such things at all.

No—she wasn’t in the right state of mind to care.

Everything Nanana had accomplished thus far popped like a bubble. She tried to become the richest person in the country, but became the poorest overnight. She was at complete zero. It was like she was sitting there completely naked.

“Aah…”

Absently grimacing, she held her head.

“Wah…”

She was scared.

Just imagining what would happen to her from now was scary.

Would Christy find her and rip her apart? Even if she wasn’t found, she might slowly starve to death. Or would she be caught by a violent gang, abused and in the end thrown away like trash?

Right now Nanana had nothing.

Since she had no money, Nanana couldn’t do anything.

Never mind protecting herself, she couldn’t even take a single step from there.

When she’d wandered into such a dirty alleyway before, she was saved by the Kind Magician.

However, that Magician—was gone.

“Nanana…”

Worriedly touching Nanana’s shoulder was Anmoto Shiika.

Nanana neither heard her voice nor felt her touch. There was no reason for the girl to protect her, and Nanana no longer had any way to thank her.

Just like her grandfather and the Magician in the past.

There was no doubt that Shiika too would soon abandon her.

“Looks like Christy isn’t following us for the time being…”

How much time had passed?

It was already close to dawn.

Chouya Nihei, watching over from the entrance to the alley, returned to the two girls.

“Her not chasing us means that Aijisupa-san and the rest beat her… or perhaps there’s a reason she can’t chase us. Well, the important thing’s that she gave up.”

The boy wearing a dirty formal wear sat on a large bag with a hole in the middle. The boy who’d carried Nanana and ran away now had dark circles under his eyes from fatigue and lack of sleep.

“What’s that, Nihei-san?”

“I picked it up. We can use it to store all sorts of stuff.”

Looking at Nihei wearing a weak smile, Nanana laughed deeply. It was rare for a dirty, holed bag to fit such a merchant.

“—We’re going to be found by Christy soon anyway…”

Shiika and Nihei turned toward Nanana.

“Look, she’s right behind you…”

“Eh!”

Shiika and Nihee looked around. But never mind Christy, no one was there.

“S-stop with these kinda jokes! It’s really not funny!”

“Yahah… it wasn’t a joke… she’ll come to kill me any moment now…”

Rounding up her body, Nanana mumbled.

Shiika bit her lips.

“…I’m sorry. If only I could fight—”

“Hey, don’t say that, Shiika-chan! It’s not your fault!”

“If it was at least some spacious area with no people around…”

Shiika looked pained from the bottom of her heart.

“Aijisupa-san… I pray he’s safe and sound…”

“A spacious area, huh. That’s tough. We’re smack dab in the city. Even if we weren’t, both you and me are being chased by the SEPB.”

“R-right. Moving a great distance while hiding from the SEPB… it would be very difficult.”

Nihei wore the bag again and let out a long sigh.

“Anyway, our main priority is getting in contact with Mushibane. Also—finding a place where we can safely catch our breath. We have to be ready to sleep outside for a few days. Oh and also, our clothes right now will stand out like a sore thumb anywhere we’d go. Thinking about our stamina, we also need food…”

“B-but, moneywise we’re…”

“We’ll manage somehow. There’s a limit, but… I’m used to handling small money.”

Nihei laughed, clearly not full of confidence, and Shiika’s expression was clouded with sadness.

“Who could have imagined that Munakata-san was the other bidder…”

A heavy silence befell the back alley.

“Why hadn’t he told us…”

Nihei thought for a while, his mouth drawing a thin line. He started speaking after getting resolved.

“No—I think Munakata-san was very rational.”

“Eh…?”

“How do I explain this… we were overwhelmed. It shows that this was the perfectly best way of doing it. If we hadn’t been friendly with Nanana-chan, perhaps we would have all seen Alpha together happily right now.”

“N-no way…! I mean, we were able to reach an agreement with her—”

“I wonder about that. Even if we reached an agreement, this doesn’t mean we trusted each other. In the end, all it means is that Munakata-san chose a surefire method.”

Shiika looked at Nihei, shocked. The boy grimaced.

“I will never forgive him either! His method of trade always leaves someone unhappy! It’s obviously wrong!”

“Nihei-san…”

“But we can’t do anything about it! I can’t forgive him… but I don’t know any way better than this… so I couldn’t do anything but watch—”

Seeing Nihei bite his lips with chagrin, Shiika clenched her fist.

“There definitely should’ve been a better way. That’s why I have to speak with Munakata-san again…”

“You’re not the only one who doesn’t forgive him. I think that Munakata-san—was ready to betray Mushibane right from the very beginning. Sotheby’s near him too, so it’s too dangerous to approach him right now…”

He trailed off, perhaps becoming depressed by his own words.

Perhaps scared of the silence, Nihei grabbed Nanana’s arm. He was trying to get her to stand up.

“Anyway, let’s move. We might’ve been seen by someone while coming here.”

Nanana shook off Nihei’s arm.

“Nanana…”

“…Stop this already! Don’t cry over spilled milk! Do it after you’ve reached a safe place!”

Neither Shiika’s worried face nor Nihei’s menacing look that seemed like he was trying to cover his fear felt like it was related to Nanana.

He legs hurt. After getting carried by Nihei, her stomach hurt. Leaning against the hard wall for several hours, her back and neck also hurt.

Nanana couldn’t move anymore.

If she moved, she wanted to be taken in a white, large limousine. Of course, high-quality wine would be waiting for her inside.

“It’s fine, stand up already! —Ouch.”

Once again, she shook off the arm trying to grab her. Her fingernails scratched Nihei’s face.

“…Goddammit! Who do you think we’re running away for?!”

“N-Nihei-san, Nanana’s still in shock…”

“Eh, what’s this, you’re pretending to be a delicate lady despite no longer having any money? That’s how it feels! I’m not your servant! I admired you no matter how cheeky you were, but I’m really disappointed! Waaah, all this shouting really pisses me off! Anyone? Please save me! In many different senses of the word!”

Nihei raised a tantrum for a while. He was probably putting on a bold front because he was the only man there. All tension was lost and paralyzed.

Shiika only glanced over the pair’s faces.

Nanana vaguely raised her face, narrowing one eye.

“Yeah, that’s fine… you can go away already… if you do at least that, Christy’s not going to attack you…”

“Wha—”

“Saving me doesn’t get you anything… I can’t pay you even a single yen as thanks…”

Shiika and Nihei looked so surprised obviously because she hit the nail on the head.

Inwardly, they were ready to abandon her at any time. She had seen through them and they were merely fighting against their small conscience.

Nihei glared at Nanana.

“Don’t misjudge us! I saved you because you’re my client!”

“…?”

“You told me to look for Chronicler! When you did, you became my client!”

Oh, she did ask for that.

However, even recalling it, did it have any meaning? Nanana was no longer able to pay him for that. So her request should be null and void.

“So I’ll save you, Nanana-chan! Since I believe in three-way satisfaction!”

That three-way satisfaction bullshit again?

Nanana snorted. That boy was really obsessed with that pipedream.

A sale where everyone was happy was a mere ideal. In reality the winners and losers were decided based on how well you deceived your opponent and how much you gained from it.

Right—just like Munakata Kaiji deceived her and obtained victory.

“And that’s why I can’t forgive your method as well as Munakata’s this time! Human trust is worthless! If it was me, I would’ve…!”

“Such an idiot… not like you can do anything… Yahah, stupid Nihei.”

“—Oh yeah?! If you weren’t my client I woulda done this and that, and it would be way worse for you!”

Nihei headbutted against the wall, kicked and hit it.

Nanana turned her cloudy eyes toward Shiika.

“You can run away too, you know…? If you’re going to abandon me soon, just do it already…”

“…”

“You have no reason to save me…”

As Nanana said this, Shiika puffed her cheeks.

Looking angry for the first time, she turned her face away. —As if admonishing her for not understanding something exceedingly simple.

“…?”

Since Shiika was an idiot, did she still think they had a chance to get Alpha?

That was no longer possible.

Nanana’s bubble had already burst.

To do something despite that, she would need a change massive enough to flip over the entire country—she would need to stage a revolution that itself could be called a Paradigm Shift.

“Enough already, just move your ass! You have to, Nanana-chan!”

She already had no energy to shake him off. Nihei forcibly made her stand up.

“Some people sacrificed themselves to protect you! Since Pochi and his group saved you, we must make sure you get away!”

Standing there like a doll, Nanana recalled her bodyguard Mushitsuki, Pochi.

But her head blanked out and she couldn’t think any deeper about it.

Only one thing—the sensation of her shoulder being pushed was reborn in her mind.

It was perhaps her first time to be touched by that boy who was always too shy to even look directly at all. Ever since she picked him up, he’d always protected Nanana. He always cared for her, so him pushing her body aside was unreasonable.

Even so, he pushed her away.

By force.

As if telling her to run away.

She was about to recall the moment she’d picked up that Mushitsuki boy—but her thought process shut down. She had the feeling she mustn’t remember what happened after that. If she did, something remaining inside her would break apart.

Her other Mushitsuki bodyguards were the same. They all followed the actions of their leader Pochi without a shred of hesitation. Thinking that they were all united that they were practically a hive mind with Pochi, perhaps it was the obvious decision.

Everyone fought for Nanana and was defeated.

“Oh, Pochi and the rest…”

That was definitely—a small payback.

So she thought.

Since Nanana had treated him so coldly until that moment, he used a bit of violence.

That was why she didn’t want to think any further.

“Mushitsuki really are all idiots… I’m not even their owner anymore…”

Seeing Nanana cackle to herself, Nihei scowled.

“You…!”

“Nihei-san.”

Shiika stopped the boy who tried approaching Nanana. He wordlessly shook his head to the sides.

“Shit! Why do I have to…”

Cursing under his breath, Nihei walked ahead.

Nanana, who stayed standing, had her hand grabbed by Shiika—

Since resisting would be too much of a bother, she started walking as well.

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.

Notes

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