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Lamento - Beyond the Void - Expiatio/Lamento - Beyond the Void - Expiatio - Chapter 00-05/Lamento-Beyond-the-Void-Expiatio-Chapter-00-05-[Unknown][Unknown]/s4.txt
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Lamento - Beyond the Void - Expiatio - Chapter 00-05 - Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter 3
Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter
3
Caput 3
After walking for a while, the forest suddenly opened up, and
building-like forms appeared. He wondered if this was the
"something good" that the clown spoke of. The village illuminated
in the moonlight didn't look all that strange. Konoe had stopped
and he could tell from his tail that he was nervous.
"Let's go."
"Got it."
Konoe's tail drooped at the words directed at him. He had opened
himself up to anxiety. Completely opposite of that was Asato who
didn't appear to be nervous at all. The village lit by torches
seemed deserted. Almost all of the doors of the homes appeared to
be shut tight. Of course, ever since the "void" had started to
ravage the world, it was unusual to find a village that wasn't
deserted. The smell of cats coming from the small homes lined up on
the street grazed his nose. He felt the presence of cats living
behind those doors. It seemed like it wasn't completely
deserted.Suddenly feeling a presence, Rai put his hand on his long
sword and turned around.
"Hee!"
A cat with a torch and a small axe fell on his rear.
"H-Help! Don't kill me!"
Rai decided not to draw his sword at the screaming voice.The cat
looked very much like a normal village cat.
"Sorry. We didn't mean to startle you."
Konoe held out his hand, the cat obediently grabbed his hand and
stood up.
"W-What did you guys come here for? What business do you have
with this village?"
The village cat asked in a shrill voice.
"……we're just passing through."
"Passing through this village, for what?"
The village cat immediately asked, axe in hand.
"We don't have business with this village. We're headed for the
forest past this village."
"Ah, ooh……could it be that you all are just traveling cats?"
The village cat watched them closely as Konoe explained, then
eventually relaxed his grip on the axe he was holding.
"Well then……It's just, it's been dangerous here. Bandits
constantly come through this area, so I was certain that's what you
all were……sorry."
The village cat explained, seemingly relieved. It was certainly
natural for them to be wary of visitors to their village during
this time. Rai also sheathed his sword and looked at the village
cat.
"You want to go to the forest across from here?"
The village cat jerked his chin toward the deep overgrowth
across from them.
"Do you know about the earth filled with four colored
lights?"
The village cat nodded at Rai's words.
"Ooh, you want to go there? Of course I know it. There aren't
many cats around here that don't know it. Once you go
through the depths of the forest there will be a slightly open
area. There will be four stones, but their surfaces are smooth like
a mirror, so when light hits them they each reflect four different
colors. Well, for some reason the reflected lights all overlap in
the center of that spot. No one knows why it was set up that way.
It's a mysterious place. But……"
As if it was difficult to say, the village cat got quiet to
choose his words. But, since they knew the location, there was no
need for any further explanation.
"Let's go."
"H-Hey."
Rai started to walk away, but the village cat held him back.
"What an impatient guy, listen to the end please. There's no
point in going now."
"What do you mean?"
Konoe asked the village cat.
"You won't be able to see the reflections without the Moon of
Light. You won't be able to see them with the Moon of Shadows."
He looked up at the Moon of Shadows as he spoke. It was setting,
but dawn was still far off.
"What should we do?"
"We have no choice but to wait for dawn."
He answered Konoe's question as he looked around. He was looking
for a place they could camp out—.
"Why don't you spend the night in one of the empty homes?"
He turned his gaze to the village cat when he spoke.
"Ah, it's just……as you can see, this village is declining. A lot
of them have moved to Ransen. A city with an abundance of food
would be better than this little place. Thanks to that, there has
been a decrease in cats in this village. That's why if you guys
stay the night, no one would really complain."
The village cat's words didn't seem to be a lie.
"You won't go to Ransen?"
The village cat shook his head at Konoe's words.
"I wanted to leave, but moving to Ransen isn't free. Plus I have
various pointless memories here. Well, I guess I like this village
for whatever reason."
He liked the village where he was born and raised,
huh?
Since Rai felt no attachment to his hometown of Setsura, he
couldn't really understand how he felt.
"Let's stay the night."
Asato nodded at Konoe's words, then glanced over at Rai for
affirmation. He didn't have any particular reason to oppose.
"Well then, I'll show you guys to a home that all of you could
stay in. This way."
The village cat started to walk down the dark path. However, he
was a bit worried about this fortunate encounter that occurred.
"It'd be nice if nothing happens."
Konoe's ears twitched at his muttered words.
The village cat led them to a rather ordinary residence. He said
it was an empty home, and he felt no malicious presences in it. It
even had proper beds. Rai curled up under the window to keep an eye
on the outside. It was possible that clown would come again. Konoe
curled up in a large bed as Asato did so in the corner of the room.
Rai felt uneasiness in his chest. He had a bad feeling. But in
order to escape the trap that clown set, he needed to make sure he
was calm. Rai closed his eyes and dozed off. He was used to
sleeping while remaining alert to surrounding presences. Suddenly
he heard a small sound from somewhere. It was an unsettling sound
of irregular tapping. He opened his eye and looked around the home.
Konoe and Asato also seemed to notice the sound. The noise was
coming from the door. Someone was knocking.
"……did something happen?"
Overlapping Konoe's voice was a sound like something wet hitting
against something else. It was coming from the window. There was a
hand clinging to it. It wasn't knocking, it was a palm eerily
clinging tightly to the window. At almost the same time, the
knocking sound got louder. The door shouldn't be locked. But it
sounded like the one doing it was unable to open the door. He
didn't know why.
"……they're coming."
At almost the same time as Rai's mutter, there was a sharp noise
of the door opening. A cat stood there. It appeared to be the cat
they met last night. He heard a groan coming from his mouth. His
arms and tail were dangling aimlessly, and his eyes were facing
upward.Those eyes were pointing towards—
"……what's going on?"
Konoe muttered dumbfounded.
"He's already dead."
Asato replied.
"But, he's moving."
"His corpse has been revived."
Konoe's eyes widened in shock at Asato's reply.
"His corpse? Is that possible?"
"It's a spell."
Rai answered as he drew his short sword.
"A manipulation spell. This is probably what that clown was
talking about."
He readied his short sword to throw at the village cat. At that
moment, he heard a song from somewhere. It was a faint melody—it
was a song completely different from Konoe's and it put his nerves
on edge. The village cat lifted his face with the song. He bared
his fangs and charged. This song was controlling his corpse?
Without a second thought, Rai pierced his sword into the village
cat. His sword cut his thigh, and the village cat fell forward. His
movements were sluggish. Rai withdrew his long sword then swung it
down at the village cat.
"Stop!!"
He heard Konoe yell.
"It's too late. He's already dead."
Rai replied, turning to Konoe.
"No, that's not it. He's just, being manipulated……."
"In that case, what do you intend on doing with them?"
Rai pointed the tip of his sword toward the door. Konoe gulped.
There he saw a scene of several cats walking towards them. All of
the cats had drooping limbs and eyes facing upwards. Perhaps, all
of those cats were already dead.
"This was Leaks—"
Konoe muttered.
"This is what Firi was talking about, isn't it……?"
Firi—that was the first he heard that name, but it was probably
that clown.
Agitated, Konoe's tail trembled.
"Konoe……"
"Why. What did they ever do, why……"
Konoe now seemed as if he was going to collapse as he rushed to
Asato uneasily.
"This has nothing to do with good or evil."
Rai struck his words at Konoe.
"The strong will survive, the weak will be eliminated. That's
reality."
Rai stepped on the cat moving slightly at his feet.
"Then the strong can just do whatever they want……!?"
Konoe yelled.
"Exactly."
When Rai answered, he thrust his sword down into the cat beneath
him. He felt Konoe look away.
"Sleep."
He took out the sword that was momentarily buried into the cat's
body, then dropped it straight toward his forehead. The tip of his
sword went in right between his brows as blood gushed out from his
split head. Muddy blood sullied the bottom of his feet.
"If this is Leaks's trap, then no one other than him will know
what his aim was. But for those with power, those without power are
just toys for their amusement. Of course, that includes us."
Rai received Konoe's challenging gaze as he pulled out his sword
from the cat's corpse and shook the blood dripping from it off.
"Konoe, if we don't kill them then we'll be killed."
Asato said.
"Words and feelings aren't weapons. They can't protect you. I
decided I wouldn't give up not wanting to kill you. Because of
that, I fight."
Rai watched them closely.
"The dead cannot be revived. That's what I was told by the
elder."
Konoe stared at the crumbled corpse at Rai's feet as he listened
to Asato's words. This was probably unforgivable to Konoe. The
deaths of cats that had nothing to do with him. To Rai, anyone but
himself was unimportant. It didn't concern him if they lived or
died. It was the same for Leaks who considered them as nothing more
than toys for his amusement. However—it was slightly different now.
Since he had decided to raise Konoe as a Sanga and pair up with
him—he wasn't so sure.
"……Leaks……!"
Konoe stood up with his sword in hand and rushed out of the
house. Rai and Asato followed after him.They could still hear a
faint song coming from somewhere.
"This song……"
"It's probably……"
Konoe muttered, but when Rai tried to answer, the cats jumped at
them.
"We'll talk later. There's not that many of them. If we each
take some, it'll be over in no time."
Rai said as he ran off. At this rate, if they didn't bring down
these village cats, they'd probably never rest in peace. He
beheaded the cats that came at him one by one. If he only wounded
these cats that were already dead, they wouldn't stop moving.
His blade was becoming slippery with the blood of the cats. It was
becoming less efficient taking down the unresponsive cats; it was
discomforting. In the corner of his eye, he saw Konoe's form now
gripping his sword looking as if he were going to collapse. When he
tried to rush up to him, thinking he was wounded, Asato grabbed
Konoe's shoulders before him.
"Are you all right, Konoe?"
"Yeah."
When he answered, Konoe's face was pale, though it may have just
been because of the moonlight shining on it.
"This is surely a picture of hell."
Rai sighed as he looked around him.
He no longer felt the presence of cats.
Day was starting to break.
"The song… it disappeared."
Konoe muttered.That unpleasant song had certainly
disappeared.
"That song was most likely controlling them."
Rai said as he wiped the blood off his sword.
"Who was singing?"
Konoe asked nervously.
"Perhaps, Leaks. He's either a Sanga, or possesses abilities on
par with one. Even so, that didn't seem like much resistance."
Rai said as he looked at the pile of corpses they had cut
down.
"We were completely played with."
If he had really intended on defeating them, he probably would
have done something more direct with his own hands. The corpses of
the cats didn't put up much resistance. He was just using dead
bodies to toy with them, it was like he was making fun of
them.
He felt Konoe's presence shake all of a sudden.
"Stop, Konoe!"
Asato grasped Konoe's shoulders.
"I felt a terrible presence. Are you all right?"
"……what's sleeping in you?"
Asato asked Konoe.
"What's inside of you?"
Those were mysterious words.The words Asato had thrown at him
the night they had first met suddenly crossed his mind.
I feel something bad from you……just what are you?
Asato may have been aware of the "thing" inside of him.
Even now, Asato was able to sense whatever that "something" was
inside of Konoe.
"What, what do you mean……?"
Konoe grasped Asato's shoulders.
"What do you sense? What's inside me, Asato?"
When Konoe looked at Asato with pleading eyes, Rai felt
something strange happening. He saw the pile of corpses shining in
the moon of light, then they vaguely started to fade.
"Hey."
Konoe and Asato turned toward him when spoken to.
"Look."
The pile of corpses in front of the three of them started to
gradually become faint, then they disappeared. Even the traces of
blood on their own bodies had disappeared as if they were never
there. Suddenly, Konoe grabbed his head and fell to his knees.
"What's wrong, hey……!?"
Konoe started to cough violently as if he were going to throw
up. At the same moment he felt clear hostility, Rai looked up at
the sky. He saw something like a hole in the air.
No, it wasn't a hole. It was something warped. The sky warped and
appeared to form something. Rai readied his sword.
With a drop, a black mass fell from the hole as a form spread in
the empty space, and became the shape of a cat.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the show."
It was a quiet voice. But, it was a voice harmful to his ears,
Rai thought.
The cat whose body was hidden by a black hood, floated down slowly
from midair to the ground.
"It was a little unsatisfying. Though it's difficult to
measure."
The shadow laughed.
"Alley-oop."
They heard a familiar high pitched voice as the sky warped once
again. There, appeared a clown—Firi.
"I'm a little late. Sorry, Leaks-sama."
"…………Leaks…………?"
The cat standing next to Firi— was the sorcerer of darkness,
Leaks.
"……I didn't think you'd actually show up yourself."
Rai turned the tip of his sword towards Leaks.
"I intended to reward you. As promised, you all amused me.
That's right, that's not something that happens often in my
lifetime."
Leaks laughed. Firi clapped his hands cheerfully, springing to
his feet.
"That's great. That's great for you guys too. You pleased
Leaks-sama."
"……why did you do those things?"
Konoe strained his words out as Asato propped him up.
"I told you, didn't I? For entertainment. Though I suppose I
should say to welcome and greet you all."
"Welcome, and greet……?"
Konoe glared at Leaks.
"They were deprived, tasted ruin and loss, being killed must
have certainly been agonizing."
"……stop fooling around. What do you think these village cats
felt as they died……"
Konoe clenched his fists. But Leaks merely chuckled beneath his
breath.
"Leaks-sama bestowed his song onto you all. You guys should be
happier."
Firi said, smiling widely.
"So that song was yours."
"I hope it was to your liking."
Leaks replied to Rai's words.
"You're a Sanga?"
"Here!"
Firi raised his hand at Rai's question.
"That would be me. I am Leaks-sama's Sanga. But Leaks-sama can
also produce his own song, and sing too."
Firi stuck his chest out with pride and laughed haughtily.
"……it was an evil song."
Konoe once again strained open his mouth to speak.
"A Sanga's song empowers, but my song is to control.
Manipulating the dead is simple. Especially those with strong
lingering regrets."
Leaks looked at Konoe.
"You feel them stronger than anyone else, don't you? With the
effects of your empathy."
Konoe gasped.
"I know everything about you."
"……what do you mean……kh."
Konoe frowned.
Asato embraced him to hold him back as he glared at Leaks.
"You're the one making Konoe suffer. His curse, and
everything."
"His suffering is regrettable, isn't it? This is a test."
Asato let out a growl at Leaks's laughing voice.
"You hold the key yourself. Big changes are coming soon, I
wonder if you'll make it through them unscathed. It's all up to
you."
Leaks said as he looked at Konoe.
"The earth filled with four colored lights. That's where the
door you should open is."
That was all Leaks said before his body started to float up.
"Running away!?"
Rai slashed up at Leaks. It certainly should have hit him.
But, there was no response. The body that was split in two before
him turned into black mist, then gathered into a sphere and floated
in midair.
"Now is not the time."
Leaks's voice mixed with laughter resounded eerily from the
sky.
"That's too bad. See ya."
Firi jumped up high and with a somersault disappeared.
"Wait!"
Rai ran off to chase after the floating spheres. He had a
feeling he'd be able to chase after them for now.
The sphere was swallowed by the northern forest. He pushed his way
through the grove and chased after its shadow.
This was a trap. Even though he knew that, he felt unrest in his
chest.The depths of his right eye hurt.That guy—Leaks, he couldn't
let him escape. Feeling a strange presence behind him, Rai turned
around.
It wasn't Leaks, but he felt something sinister.
Rai turned his feet toward the thicket.
Konoe was there. Asato wasn't.
Facing Konoe were two cats that appeared to be twins. They looked
exactly the same aside from their hair color.
They were a pair?
There were several red lines running along one of the cat's
arms.
"…….Rai."
Konoe called his name seemingly relieved.The pain in the depths
of his eyes cooled and disappeared.
He wasn't sure why.
"Let's hurry and do this."
"Let's do this."
The twin cats said overlapping their words.
"Can you sing?"
Rai asked Konoe as he glared at the twin cats.There's no way he
could compete with a pair without him.
"……I'll try."
Konoe said quietly, but certainly.
Konoe exhaled in order to steady his breathing. One of the twin
cats put his claws to his own arm. Those claws made red wounds.
Blood dripped from his arm, and the smell of it hit Rai's
nose.
He once again felt heat in the depths of his right eye. He then
started to hear a heavy melody resound. The song turned into a
green light, and flowed into the other cat.
A Sanga that sung with pain—.
A Sanga's instrument, his voice and also their thoughts, weren't
the only thing used for songs.The cat before them was making a
melody with the memory of the pain he felt. Sacrificing themselves
was unsightly.
Completely opposite from that heavy melody, he heard a quiet,
calming song.The song coming from Konoe's body turned into an
emitting light and poured into Rai who readied his sword.
"You're a Sanga? That ominous cat, I had no idea. We won't lose
to you. Kil and I will never lose to you."
The cat said as he wounded his own arm. Then the Touga he called
Kil ran at them.
At the same time, Rai rushed toward him.
Their blades struck each other. The green light surrounding Kil was
the wind.
That wind made Kil's sword easily smash into his not giving him any
openings. Similarly, a faint light wrapped around Rai's body and he
felt his body become lighter than usual.
Every time he thrust his sword cutting through the air, Kil also
swiftly smashed his sword borrowing the power of the wind into his
as he evaded him. Both of their songs and the sound of their swords
overlapped, then accelerated.
Kil kicked off the ground and swung his sword down.
He repelled it with his short sword, and swung his long sword above
Kil's head. But Kil's arm wrapped in arm covers intercepted
it.
He evaded his attacks over and over again. He had no problem
counter attacking his movements.
Every time his sword smashed into his, a sharp pain ran through his
right eye. That pain wasn't agonizing, instead it was
comforting.
"Not bad, that Sanga of yours. He's not bad, even though he's a
cursed cat. But, Ul won't lose."
Kil yelled smiling.
He guessed the cat singing was Ul.
Ul's arm was dyed red and dripping blood.
The melody had changed.
"I bestow bloody screams and resounding pain……to my beloved
Sanga."
Ul cut into his flesh as if he were playing his arm as an
instrument and sung. His expression was filled with pain.
Kil's movements instantly became faster, then his blade became
surrounded by thorns of wind. The blade of a small gust of wind
scratched Rai's cheek.Ul's song was overwhelming.
Konoe who only had his one song may not be able to compete.The
moment that crossed his mind, Konoe's song changed.
It was a song he hadn't heard before.
A warm white flame-like light surrounded Rai. The light resided in
his sword.This was strength. A song of power.
His sword struck the other—and light overflowed.
"Gwah……kh!"
He flung each of Kil's swords away from his body.Then, as he was
in an unreasonable stance, he immediately inflicted another blow
with his short sword. Kil's body struck the tree behind him then
fell to the ground.
"……damn it!"
Taking out the life of the cat before his eyes was easy.
Ul screamed.
"Kil!"
Taking down the Touga, he could go after the Sanga—those words
flashed through Rai's mind as he rushed toward him.Rai thrust his
sword toward Ul.
Rai pierced his sword surrounded by light toward his most
vulnerable vital area on his body.
"……gah……"
The black melody was cut off.
He saw himself reflected in Ul's wide opened eyes.
His sword penetrated through his stomach, the tip of it peeking
from his back. On the right side of his stomach, he saw his ribs
underneath. Pierced like this, he didn't look to be alive any
longer.
The pulse through his sword conveyed that. At the same time, the
depths of his right eye ached.
Ul's pierced body convulsed.
It wasn't a fatal wound yet. A sword pierced through an opponent
wouldn't kill them. In order for this to be fatal, he needed to do
one more move. Rai slowly pulled his sword out of his body. Blood
spat out from both his wound and his mouth.
"……………, ……Ul!!"
Kil ran to his other half who was already still.
"Ul, ……Ul, ……hey."
Kil screamed as he held Ul's body, still gushing blood.There was
no reply.
He then no longer heard Konoe's song.
Rai started to swing his sword from behind the currently
defenseless Kil.
"Stop!!"
That was Konoe's voice.
Rai slowly turned toward Konoe. He no longer felt the ache in his
body from earlier.
"Why are you stopping me?"
He asked in a monotonous tone that even surprised himself.
"That's enough. Without his Sanga, the Touga can no longer
fight."
Konoe said with indignation.
"You're going to let the enemy escape?"
In other words, they'll regret it when they attack them
again.
"If he's unable to fight, it's the same as admitting
defeat."
"Wouldn't that be nice."
The moment their glares met, the atmosphere became tense.
Konoe's gaze was firm.
At that moment, a black cat jumped out next to them.
"……Asato."
Konoe muttered his name in surprise. While his and Konoe's
attention was on Asato, Kil picked up Ul's body and leaped into the
grove of trees.
"Is it okay?"
Asato asked unsure.
Asato, like himself, probably wouldn't tell him to let the enemy
escape.
"You're a complete softie, you stupid cat."
Rai sighed as he sheathed his sword.
Konoe was naïve. One day that naiveté will take his life.
"……you're just indiscriminate."
With Konoe's words, the tense atmosphere relaxed a bit. Asato
picked up the sword Kil left behind and looked at it closely. He
then spoke.
"That cat just now……he really was a Meigi cat. I can tell by the
smell."
Meigi—he had heard that name before.They were an evil clan that
worshiped devils. He had heard they were enemies of Kira.
"They're devil fanatics, aren't they? Why would they side with
Leaks?"
"That's an old story. I have no idea if the object of their
worship has changed. But, lately their movements have changed a
bit. They don't come out of hiding other than to quarrel with
Kira."
He wondered if the four devils the shaman had spoken of and
Leaks were connected somehow.
Asato looked at the grove Kil had disappeared into.
"……I have a bad feeling."
Asato's ears lowered. Konoe's body shuddered. He crumbled to the
ground as if he lost the strength in his knees.
"Konoe?"
Asato called out worried. Konoe's face turned pale.
He wasn't surprised.
"That must be the effects from invoking a new song."
"……damn it, it's just one thing after another……"
Konoe scoffed annoyed at Rai's words and leaned against a nearby
tree as he cursed to himself.
His body was probably in a lot of pain.
"When the melody changed, I felt strength overflowing from even
my weapon."
"……does that mean it was strong?"
Konoe asked lethargically.
He still didn't seem to know for certain what sort of thing a
Sanga's song was.
Suddenly, something he knew about Sanga's came to mind.
"I don't know. Why don't you ask Ransen's Sanga leader about
your songs."
"Sanga leader?"
Konoe asked back.
He thought that was something every cat in Shisa knew about, but he
guessed that wasn't so. Were Karou cats all like this? He had a
feeling that Konoe was the only one unfamiliar with it. Konoe was
that cut off from the ways of the world.
"Every generation of Ransen lords choose a cat of a Sanga
bloodline to protect them. Occasionally, they had influence over
the country's decisions. It's a very important position."
"Does a Sanga bloodline……really exist?"
"There are Sangas that with enough training can force their
power. But compared to a genuine Sanga, they're nothing. But no one
really knows why genuine Sangas are born in the first place."
Rai didn't know what happened to the relatives of the genuine
Sangas.
"Your song from earlier wasn't bad to use."
Rai spoke his honest thoughts as he wiped his blood-soaked sword
then surveyed the area. Konoe couldn't catch a break, so he
probably couldn't move very much. Today they'd camp out. He
suddenly felt a gaze behind him and turned around. Konoe was
looking at him with his mouth wide open like an idiot.
"What?"
"……ah, nothing."
Konoe shook his head when asked. He was a guy that was difficult
to understand.
He heard a low growl.
"And what's wrong with you?"
He looked down at the one growling and saw Asato glaring back at
him.
"Nothing."
"Then stop growling."
"I'm not."
Asato spat out his words, then suddenly started to sharpen his
claws on the tree behind him.
"Jeez, I'm surrounded by stupid cats."
Rai sighed as if he were bored. The smell of blood hanging over
the forest had already faded.
"You can't move any further tonight, right? Rest."
Rai said to Konoe who was still on his knees looking somewhat
dazed then looked up at the sky.
The Moon of Light was starting to fall.
Konoe and even Asato must have been tired.
As soon as the both of them laid down, he started to hear their
sleeping breaths. Konoe was curled up a little away from the
campfire. Asato was in a nearby tree's root with his arms wrapped
around his knees.
With the two of them in the corner of his eye, Rai also started to
doze off. Generally, cats didn't need to sleep very deeply.
Especially if they were bounty hunters. But just as Konoe and Asato
were tired, somehow even Rai was exhausted. The crackling sound of
the fire became faint—the moment he thought about that, his vision
was faintly covered in red. He knew—this dream.
He wasn't asleep. It was a dream between sleep and being
awake.
Rai's consciousness slowly receded into this warm slippery
substance as always. He stuck his hands deep into this world of
red.
"With a bloody roar, and the resonance of pain—"
It was a monotonous voice.
A bloody roar, and the resonance of pain?
He vaguely thought over that voice.
Pain took over his right eye.
A hand reached out and grabbed Rai's coat. That hand
was—Ul's.
Ul's arm was dyed red, as blood dripped from it.That arm before his
eyes was instantly covered in scales.
The arm turned into a demon's tail that pierced Rai's body. It
pierced him in the same way that Rai pierced Ul's body with his
sword.
He could taste blood between his clenched teeth.
This was a dream.
Rai slowly awoke from his dream, opening his eyes slightly as he
inspected the area. He could hear both Konoe and Asato's sleeping
breaths. The Moon of Shadows was still high.
Rai once again closed his eyes. His vision was no longer red.
The next morning—after they had finished getting dressed and
eating without any trouble, Rai and the others continued on north.
The sky had cleared up. The forest had become unusually quiet. He
didn't even hear birds chirping. Their vision closed in by
greenery, suddenly opened.That grassy area surrounded by trees was
full of lights. Each light had a trace of color. Red, blue, yellow
and green.Those four colors overlapped and made several other
colors.
"Is it……here……?"
Konoe muttered as he reflexively narrowed his eyes at the
light.The lights were being emitted by four stones surrounding the
grassy area. Their smooth surfaces reflected the Moon of Light.
"What a mysterious place……"
Asato muttered.
"The earth filled with four colored lights, so the door we
should open is here, huh?"
Rai took cautious steps forward and looked at the grassy area
where the four lights intersected. The place Leaks's words pointed
to was most likely here.
"Stand there."
He jerked his chin at Konoe.
Konoe took somewhat cautious steps into that grassy area. Once
Konoe approached the lights confined to that area they shined
brighter.
"Do I need to do anything?"
Konoe asked uneasily as he turned toward Rai.
"Like what?"
"……I don't know. A ritual or something?"
"Were we deceived?"
Rai sighed after Konoe's mumbled words.They weren't making any
progress.
"These stones are unusual. I've never seen stones like these
before."
Asato looked at one of the stones then tilted his head as if he
had realized something.
"Is that……a crest?"
On top of the stone was something like a seal carved into it. He
recognized that seal.
"That shape……"
He recognized the seals carved into each of the four stones. Rai
reflexively looked at Konoe and narrowed his eye.
"This one……this one, and even this one. They're all—the same as
Konoe's markings."
Asato struck him with the truth.
Konoe's markings and the carved seals. What did it all mean?
"Konoe?"
Asato called his name uneasily.
Konoe was clearly acting strange.
Asato grasped Konoe's shoulders and at almost the same time, Konoe
fell to his knees and threw up his stomach contents.
"Gah……hah……"
A cold sweat broke on his forehead, and his face became pale as
if it were sheer.
"Hang in there."
Asato said then reflexively turned to Rai.
Konoe lost consciousness in Asato's arms.
"Let him go."
"No!"
"Stupid cat."
Rai got on his knees next to Asato and inserted himself between
him and Konoe, then laid Konoe's limp body down with his face
against the ground. Asato was a little reluctant, but he knew what
he was doing. Rai stuck a finger into Konoe's mouth. Vomit flowed
out of Konoe's mouth, still completely passed out. This way the
vomit wouldn't block his trachea. He wiped his mouth and laid him
on his side. Asato looked nervously at Konoe whose eyes were still
shut with an anguished expression. Rai stood up and checked the
stone next to him. Without a doubt it was the same design as
Konoe's markings. Considering that, he had a hard time thinking
Konoe had just passed out. He wondered if they should force
him back to consciousness, or continue to observe him.
At that moment…
"Konoe……?"
He heard Asato's quiet voice. When he turned around, Konoe was
opening his eyes slowly.
"……Asato?"
"Are you all right?"
Konoe slowly lifted his body as he called out the name of the
cat before him quietly.
"You've awakened."
Rai finally spoke to Konoe.
"What in the world happened?"
"You suddenly passed out."
Asato answered Konoe's question.
"……I passed out?"
"You were groaning a lot."
He saw Konoe rub his stomach as if he were searching for
something at Asato's words.
His coat had become turned back and exposed his arms.
"……hey."
Observing Konoe's body, Rai grabbed his arm without
thinking.
"Ngh……."
Konoe raised his voice when his arm was grasped and twisted
up.
"……what's the meaning of this?"
"The markings are gone."
Asato spoke up at Rai's question.
Those black markings had disappeared from Konoe's arms. His ears
and tail had also changed from black to white with light brown.
"……they're back to normal……"
Konoe muttered neither relieved or surprised.
"Are my ears back too?"
"Yes."
Asato nodded at Konoe's question.
"Does this mean the curse has been lifted?"
"That's……"
Rai asked, but when Konoe tried to answer, the air shifted. They
were wrapped in a turbulent air around them.The moment he
reflexively stood on his guard, a black flame appeared in the sky
above them.The flame flared up and became a shadow.
"Leaks……!"
Konoe called out that name with a quiet growl. Rai put his hand
on the hilt of his sword. He wouldn't let him run away this
time.
"Ooh. You escaped the devils' darkness safely."
Leaks said indifferently.
"What do you mean……!"
"It doesn't matter. They failed."
Leaks held out his hand toward Konoe who at this moment looked
like he was ready to jump at him. A flame lit up on the four
stones.
Red, blue, yellow and green.
The four colored flames flared up. On top of that, black shadows
wavered inside of those flames. A shadow of a creature different
from a cat floated into each flame.
Perhaps they were devils. A sinister air shrouded the area.
"A long time ago, this place overflowed with evil power. You all
were born in this place. But it's all dried up now."
Leaks explained as he looked at the four devils.
"In the end, you weren't able to capture anyone. How
unfortunate. Is this really all devils and their fearsome powers
are capable of?"
"We have no excuses."
The devil with a black mask in the green flame answered as he
shrugged his shoulders. He had a feeling he had glanced at him, but
since that mask was covering his face, he couldn't be sure.
"Of course."
"That cat just had a steadfast heart."
The devil with the fire-like red hair in the red flame said.
"As compensation, I will be given your power."
The devils' faces all changed color at Leaks's words.
"That's the first we're hearing about that."
The devil in the blue flame that had been quiet until then
opened his mouth.
"That was the agreement. At the least, you should lament your
own failures."
"What tyranny."
A flame resided in the red devil's hand. Leaks laughed from the
depths of this throat.
"You think we'd let you……huh!?"
The devil in the yellow flame swung his hand with a yellow light
in it down.The light split the air like a flash of lightning and
headed towards Leaks. However, the light disappeared just before it
reached Leaks as if it hit an invisible wall.
"Useless."
Leaks slowly clenched his hand.The swaying four colored flames
behind the devils started to flicker.
"……I figured we wouldn't get on well with you from the
start."
The devil with the green flame behind him distorted his
face.
"It was an unexpected meeting. For me too."
Leaks said with a voice traced with laughter.
As the tips of those four flames fluttered, they started to draw
towards Leaks little by little.
With his hand still on the hilt of his sword, Rai waited for the
right moment. Now was not the time to act.
The four devils fell to their knees one by one. Then the four
flames gathered toward Leaks. The flames turned into a small orb
with traces of a beautiful light and settled above Leaks's
hand.
"I accept."
Leaks laughed.
"……kh, bastard……"
"You were planning this from the start…"
The devils' forms started to fade.
"Now then, if we're talking about intentions, then I certainly
only had one. I need your power right now. However, if any of you
all would have killed that cat, there wouldn't have been a
problem."
"……you used us."
"Don't ruin my reputation. Now then, sorry, but I'm done with
you all. You can disappear now."
Leaks clenched his fist and pulled it towards his chest. He then
opened his hand once again and the orb of light disappeared without
a trace.
At that moment, the fading devils' bodies warped as if they were
being swallowed up by something and then changed into a pure white
ash.
"……monster."
Rai muttered as he looked up at Leaks in the raining ash.
Leaks's gaze moved down to Konoe.
"……just what are your intentions? What did those devils have to
do with me?"
Without answering Konoe's questions, Leaks let a smile show from
behind his mask.
"You've amused me quite a bit. So I'll give you just one bit of
advice. Those who form a deep bond with you will eventually share
your same fate."
"What do you mean?"
Konoe asked getting worked up.
"I wonder. Well then, for now we must part for a short
moment."
Leaks spread the black cloak he was wrapped in. The fluttering
cloth wrapped around Leaks's body and turned into a black
shadow.
"Wait!"
Konoe leaped up high, but Leaks's shadow turned into an orb and
floated even higher.
It then melted into the sky starting to be covered in the darkness
of night.
"……damn it."
Konoe landed in the grassy area.
"……this isn't the end."
Konoe muttered as he pound his clenched fists onto the
ground.
There were no longer any markings on those arms.
Just what happened to Konoe's body?
"What happened while you were passed out?"
When asked, Konoe lifted his face in surprise.
"How did your curse lift? Speak."
When Rai continued his harsh words, Konoe looked at his arms
that no longer had any markings.
"……has my curse really been lifted?"
Konoe muttered asking Rai the opposite question. Konoe's eyes
wavered. His ears were lowered.
He held his clenched fists straight out and grabbed both of Rai's
arms.
"How do you know my curse has been lifted? There's no proof. I
may still be cursed. How can we really know? Do you know?
How……"
Konoe's eyes were full of anxiety. He figured it was an obvious
reaction. But—
"Konoe."
Asato quietly called his name.
"You should rest for today, we'll think about it tomorrow. This
place is bad. We should keep moving."
Konoe turned to Asato. He quietly loosened his grip on Rai's
arms.
"……sorry."
Rai sighed as he looked at the back of Konoe's lowered head.
"We'll spend the night in this forest. Once day breaks we'll
return to Ransen."
Rai slung his equipment on his shoulder, grasped Konoe's arms,
and stood him up.
"……what if they go after us again in the city?"
"Do you intend on just wandering around aimlessly? From the way
Leaks was talking I don't think he'd challenge you right away."
Konoe's gaze continued to face the ground. He was a little
annoyed.
"But."
"If you think you're going to be killed now, then you'll be
killed. He has his own plans……he's provoking you."
It seemed Konoe's life had purpose to Leaks. In other words,
even if his curse was lifted, nothing had been resolved.
However—that was better than having the marks of the curse on his
body. He had no choice but to think of his situation as changed for
the better.
"……got it."
Konoe replied quietly as he turned away from the four stones. He
followed his gaze without thinking, and it overlapped with Asato's
gaze. Asato nodded slightly. They needed to rest more than anything
right now. Rai nodded back at Asato a bit, then looked at
Konoe.
He didn't know what he'd have to bear from now on. But now it was
the same for him. It had been once he had decided to pair up with
Konoe as his Sanga, but now he only needed to remove this new
obstacle. He couldn't help thinking about it. Rai checked to see if
Konoe, who had been looking at the four stones had started walking.
He then started to walk with long strides in order to get ahead of
him.
First of all, they needed to look for a place to rest.
The gentle rays from the Moon of Light started to shine around
the area. Last night they left that vacant area, entered the
forest, and immediately looked for a place to rest. Once Konoe put
down his equipment, he crumpled down to sleep, as Rai and Asato
spent the night taking turns keeping watch. Now they were waiting
for Konoe to wake up. He wanted to get to Ransen as quickly as
possible, but if Konoe didn't regain his strength, it'd be
difficult to travel. It wasn't that far of a distance, but if Konoe
passed out by chance, it'd be a pain to have to carry him all the
way back to Ransen.
He knew that indulging on sleep until they woke up on their own was
the most ideal for a cat's recovery from fatigue. That's why Rai
and Asato waited for Konoe to wake up on his own. Konoe who was
breathing softly in his sleep stirred. He was going to wake up
soon, Rai thought as he watched him with his arms crossed. Konoe's
breathing became rough. Asato who was sitting across from him,
watched Konoe nervously. He was probably groaning from his dreams.
The sleeping Konoe clenched his fists. Konoe's body suddenly jerked
as he woke up. He let out a deep breath and looked up at the sky in
a daze with his forehead drenched in sweat.
"Are you all right?"
Asato spoke to him. Konoe must not have been fully awake yet as
he just stared at Asato.
"You were groaning quite a bit."
"Ears."
Seemingly awake, Konoe muttered in a hoarse voice.
"……ears?"
Asato asked back.
"Mine. ……what color are they?"
When asked, Asato smiled a little.
"They're not black. They're white, with a little brown on
them."
"……I see."
Konoe sighed in relief. Asato stared at Konoe's tail. It was an
unremarkable white crooked tail with a light brown tip.
"What?"
Konoe asked noticing his gaze.
"……nothing. I was just thinking…….your tail is that color
too."
Asato stared at his tail.
"……it is, but……Asato?"
Konoe lifted his body uneasily, as he called Asato's name.
Asato, who was looking at Konoe's tail as if he were entranced by
it, moved his ears in surprise.
"……ah, it's nothing."
"Is my tail really that weird?"
"No……it's because your tail, back to its original color, is also
pretty."
"You should try going to the city of Ransen. You'd be pretty
popular there."
"Why?"
"You'll see."
Rai scoffed at Konoe and Asato's excessive exchange.
"What?"
Konoe looked toward him annoyed.
"It's a childish color."
Konoe furrowed his brow at Rai's words.
"There are plenty of cats with this sort of coloring."
The way Konoe responded was like a child.
"I don't care about anyone else. I'm talking about you."
"Hey now."
"Your looks match your personality now."
Rai turned away and stood up. If he had the energy to complain,
then it was all right to head out soon.
"Don't talk bad about Konoe."
Asato cut into the conversation and let out a small growl.
"It's the truth—let's head out now."
Rai started to get dressed.
At this point, it looked like they could arrive in Ransen when the
Moon of Light was high.
Once they were only a short distance from Ransen, Rai suddenly
turned toward Konoe walking behind him.
Asato was following Konoe from behind.
"Yesterday—what happened when you passed out?"
Konoe looked up at his questioning words. He seemed to search
for his answer for a moment.
"……I met the devils."
When he spoke uneasily, his gaze wavered and his voice
lowered.
"When you passed out?"
"It felt like something not quite like a dream or reality."
It was probably reality under the guise of a dream.
He had heard of types of demons that could manipulate dreams.
"Their true forms?"
"Yes."
"Your proof?"
"I don't have any. But, they weren't shadows. It was definitely
their true forms."
Konoe lifted his face as he spoke with a firm tone. Rai
continued his questions.
"Did it have to do with the marks of your curse
disappearing?"
"……I don't know."
Konoe shook his head. The markings on Konoe's body and the seals
carved into the four stones were exactly the same. What did those
stones have to do with those devils? Rai turned back to face ahead
of him. They were close to a break in the greenery.
To that village.
Behind him, Konoe's body tensed. They stepped into that village.
The evidence that last night wasn't a dream was that deserted
village without a single cat's presence.
Konoe stopped his feet. Rai continued his steps, and without
turning around, spoke to Konoe.
"There's no time to give into sentimentality—this is the outcome
of all things."
Konoe once again started walking at those words.
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Lamento - Beyond the Void - Expiatio - Chapter 00-05 - Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter 4
Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter
4
Caput 4
The city of Ransen was bustling as usual. No, actually it was
more boisterous than usual. He saw flags with Ransen's crest drawn
on them hanging from the eaves of the buildings. Noticing the
change in the city's atmosphere, Konoe's gaze was busy looking all
around. He couldn't spot Asato, he must have disliked crowds. He
could feel his presence on top of a nearby building.
"Antou, huh."
Rai said that name before Konoe could ask him about it.
"Antou?"
"It's the biggest winter festival in Shisa that's held in
Ransen. It's like a ritual to ward off certain devils."
He had stayed in Ransen several times during festival time.
There were stalls lined up with strange costumes and masks. Flowers
decorated the city all throughout. On the day of the festival, the
cats filled the streets in costume. There were a lot of merchants
and sight-seeing cats from the neighboring towns.
"We probably won't be able to get an inn, huh."
Konoe said uneasily. Rai turned to Konoe and spoke.
"Let's go to that inn from before."
"But……"
"That inn keeper owes you, right?"
In the end, he had never met the strange inn keeper that pushed
Konoe into watching the inn while he was gone, but they should make
the most of his favor.
"……let's try to ask."
Konoe replied a little uncomfortable.
When they opened the door to the inn, different from before, the
lobby was full of several cats. There was a single cat at the
counter. He recognized that cat. That big tiger-striped cat.
It can't be.
The commotion from the cats in the lobby started to fade, and
his vision blurred. The words Konoe exchanged with the cat at the
counter didn't reach his ears. He didn't think he'd meet him in a
place like this. Konoe turned to him. The cat behind the
counter—Bardo, turned his gaze toward him.
"……why is that bastard here?"
He asked reflexively in a voice so low it crawled along the
ground.
"Why? Because I'm the inn keeper here. It'd be weird if I wasn't
here. More importantly, that was quite the greeting after all this
time."
Bardo's expression didn't change all that much as he watched Rai
with his arms crossed.
"Shut up."
"So you're Konoe's companion. What a small world."
Bardo's mouth contorted into a smile. The world certainly was
small—meeting him in a place like this, it was way too small. Konoe
looked back and forth from Rai to Bardo. He became annoyed by
Bardo's unflinching gaze watching him. He was shaking—?
"……you haven't fixed that bad habit of yours yet?"
Bardo said with a sarcastic tone. His body moved out of reflex.
Konoe's surprised gaze shook. The short sword he had thrown pierced
the counter. Bardo didn't even flinch.
"Don't get so violent, you'll disturb the other guests."
Bardo said in a low voice. That voice wasn't trembling at
all.
"……hey, let's go."
Rai said from behind Konoe. Konoe turned toward him
nervously.
"There are plenty of other places. They may not have any
vacancies though. If you don't want to see my face then just close
your eyes when you go by the counter.
Bardo said with his elbows on the counter as he flicked the
short sword in front of him. His tone annoyed him.
"Don't be so hot headed—cats that let the blood rush to their
heads die quickly."
Rai bit the inside of his mouth at Bardo's words. The taste of
blood slowly spread through his mouth. He had heard those
cautionary words from Bardo several times before. Bardo looked up
at him. Those eyes were filled with a calm color.
"Calm down a bit."
A voice suddenly interrupting brought Rai back to his senses. It
was Konoe's voice.
"……what was that?"
He reflexively replied.
"You may have your issues, but we probably won't be able to find
another inn with vacancies, unless you want to camp out. He's
returning my favor. So I'm going to stay here. If you want to go
somewhere else, then go by yourself."
Konoe said without pause. He then looked at Rai with a stern
gaze. Konoe was frantic as usual, no matter the situation. Rai
coldly recovered from his desperation. He let out a deep
breath.
"Whatever. Do what you want."
Rai turned around and headed towards the stairs to the second
floor. He waited for Konoe in the second floor hallway. He felt his
upturned hair start to go back to normal as he waited. After a
while, he sensed Konoe coming up the stairs.
"……this is yours."
Konoe held out his short sword. Rai took it back and returned it
to its sheath.
"……um."
Konoe searched for the words he wanted to say.
"What?"
"……why didn't you leave? You don't like him, right? That
innkeeper."
Even though earlier he had spoken to him in such a harsh tone,
Konoe was now speaking hesitantly like a completely different
cat.
"Of course I wanted to leave right away, but since you're
staying here, I have no choice."
Rai sighed as he crossed his arms.
"You're my precious Sanga. It'd be unfortunate if something were
to happen to you while we were apart."
That may not have been much of a righteous cause, Rai thought
vaguely. He didn't want to stay in Bardo's inn—but…
Konoe lowered his head. He was probably wondering about Bardo and
his relationship. However, unless Konoe asked him himself, he had
no intention of telling him. Konoe lifted his face uneasily in the
heavy silence.
"There are two rooms to the right. Which do you……"
In the middle of his speech, he heard the sound of tapping on
the window. When they turned around, they saw the upside down upper
body of a black cat on the other side of the large window at the
end of the hall.
"……Asato?"
"What is he, a lizard?"
Rai furrowed his brows. When Konoe opened the window, Asato
climbed into down into the hallway. He then spoke.
"Did you get a room?"
"We were just talking about that. It's those two rooms. Two of
us will have to stay in one……"
"I'm fine staying with Konoe."
Asato interrupted Konoe's words as he looked at Rai with a clear
hostile gaze.
"The servant intends on staying in the same room as his master,
huh."
"You hurt Konoe. So I won't let you stay with him."
"It's not your decision."
His conversations with Asato were always tit for tat.
"……I'm fine either way. Maybe you two can stay together."
Konoe said with a sigh, but Asato and Rai answered back at
almost the same time.
"No way."
"If that was a joke, I'm not laughing."
Konoe looked down and shook his head a bit.
"I'm fine either way. Do whatever you want."
He then put his hand on the knob of the room in front of him.
Rai grasped his shoulder to stop him. He looked up at him with an
annoyed gaze.
"What?"
"You're staying in the same room as me."
Konoe knit his brows at those words.
"Stop talking like everything you say is the way things are
going to be."
Konoe said angrily.
"Are you an idiot? We have Sanga and sword training. It would be
more convenient to be in the same room."
"……yeah."
Konoe nodded a little. Somehow this idiot did seem to consider
his own stubbornness over that servant's.
"I'm not going to argue about something so stupid. Don't lump me
with this servant."
"……I'll kill you."
When Rai spoke indifferently, Asato turned his hostility toward
him.
"…….anyway, I get it."
Konoe nodded and Asato lowered his ears.
"It's not like we'll be working apart. It'll just be when we're
in the inn."
"……right."
"You can come over whenever you like."
"……I guess so."
Rai turned away from their stupid conversation and went into the
room first. It was different from the room they stayed in before,
but the set up was pretty much the same. Konoe came in a little
later. Rai put down his equipment next to the bed then stood by the
window with his back turned to him, and started to groom. He opened
the window and looked down at the traffic in the street. As evening
drew close in the city, the commotion increased. It had been many
years since he had seen Bardo. He had at least never seen him since
leaving Setsura. He didn't want to ever see him again. That feeling
overlapping with not wanting to ever return to Setsura was
implanted into his heart. Bardo had done that sort of thing
to him. If he hadn't done that, Rai might have still been in
Setsura.
"Rai."
He turned toward the voice directed at him. Konoe finished
grooming and was wrapped in the coat he had taken off earlier,
looking much more relaxed.
"I thought I'd go out for a bit, did you want to go with
me?"
Konoe looked straight at him. Konoe may get mixed up with
something unnecessary, but he didn't feel like going out right
now.
"I need to tend to my sword. Don't get caught by some guys or
whatever."
"……right."
Konoe turned away from him with his tail dangling behind him.
Rai watched Konoe's back as he left the room, then leaned against
the wall and took out his long sword. The blade had become rather
scratched after cutting down all those cats from that village. He
started to quietly tend to his sword as his mind became clouded by
unnecessary thoughts. He didn't care what Bardo was doing now.
I was still young when I was unable to forgive Bardo from
that time, he thought.
Rai lifted his face as the cold night air came in from the
window. It was already this late. The room was dim. He got up to
light a lamp, but remembered that Konoe was afraid of fire. He was
afraid of fire, he was obstinate, everything about Konoe was like a
child, he thought. However, the time when he was with Bardo, he was
also like a child himself. Rai pulled out a leaf called the
"guiding leaf" from his travel bag. It was a leaf that absorbed the
rays of the Moon of Light, and once it was placed into water,
glowed faintly. It was said that it got its name from lost
traveling cats who were guided by its light on rainy nights. It was
normal for traveling cats to have a few of them on hand. He pulled
out a small dish from the same travel bag, filled it with water,
and submerged the leaf in it. He then placed it onto the shelf next
to the door. That amount of light was enough. Rai once again sat
against the wall and started to tend to his sword.
Konoe returned late into the night. Both of them curled into bed
without exchanging many words. It didn't take him long to fall
asleep. Rai then dreamed—a red dream.
Warm.
That was the first thing he thought. The rhythm of the sound of
dripping etched itself into his ears, and comforted him. Red. His
hands, feet, body, the whole world was red. Rai was wrapped in a
red warmth. Nothing but red spread like a muddy sky. Rai sat in the
middle of it. Even the hair on his tail was soaked in red.
At this rate, won't it be dyed that color?He wondered.
His cupped hands had scooped some of it up, and a red stream
overflowed from them. Before his eyes, there were two mounds. Two
mounds floating in this red lake. One of the mounds was facing
downward, while the other one turned upward. They were cats. They
were Rai's birth parents. He could no longer tell what color hair
or eyes they had, or what their faces looked like, completely
covered in blood. But there was one thing that was certain. Neither
of his parents were looking at him. Nothing had changed. Whether
they were dead or alive, neither of them would look at Rai, nothing
had changed at all. His parents no longer drew breath. It was
sad—it was sad, he thought. However, more than that, Rai's heart
was filled with—warmth. That imagined warmth was surrounding
him. This warmth had once been inside of his parents, and it made
Rai happy. The tip of his tail swayed contently. Red splashed up.
He became intoxicated on the overpowering smell. The warmth was
sweet. He wanted more. He wanted to be wrapped up in it more.
More, more—.
He awoke there. Rai sat up and reflexively pressed his right
eye. His body was hot. His right eye hurt. His breathing was
labored.
"……are you all right?"
Rai looked at the bed beside his when spoken to. Konoe was
watching him uneasily.
"……did I wake you?"
Rai's breathing was rough and his voice hoarse.
"……no. Does your eye hurt?"
He didn't know how to answer Konoe's question. More than
anything, he still felt the feelings from his dream, and sick. No,
he wasn't really sure if what he felt was sick.
"You were groaning. Did you have a bad dream?"
Rai let out a deep breath at Konoe's question, then spoke.
"I had a nightmare about the day my eye was injured."
"A nightmare?"
That may not have been an accurate answer. It only shared the
same feature of being covered in blood as the dream of when he lost
his right eye. He rarely had the dream of the day his parents died.
"……just go to sleep."
Rai said then turned away from Konoe, and curled up in bed. He
stared at the wall absentmindedly for a while. He no longer felt
the pain in his right eye. That dream—the dream of the day his
parents were killed by bandits. His father was a prominent sword
master of Setsura. His mother was a servant-like female to his
father. He had a memory of being given a sword and training, but he
had no memory of ever being held by his parents. His father was
strict. Instead, the one who held him up in their arms when he was
young was his father's friend—Bardo. Once his parents had died, the
one who raised him was also Bardo. Rai crossed his arms as he lay
down, and closed his eyes. That night was over once he had awoke
from a harsh sound. Once he was awake, the memory of seeing his
parents' dead bodies was incredibly vague. He heard Konoe turn over
behind him. For some reason he seemed unable to go back to sleep as
well. Rai let out a small sigh, and curled up to wrap his arms
around his knees. It'll be all right—he'd have no more
dreams. Rai then slowly dozed off.
The next day was the first day of the 'Antou' festival. Konoe
groomed as his tail swayed restlessly. He couldn't help but be
interested in the commotion coming from outside the window. His
swaying tail gently set itself on him. Konoe gasped.
"Country cat. That's how you're acting."
Rai said as he stepped on the crooked part of Konoe's tail. A
cat's tail was their only weak spot. Even though he barely hit it,
it must have hurt quite a bit.
"Let go."
Konoe said annoyed as Rai scoffed and moved his foot away. Konoe
immediately grabbed his tail and started to lick it as he glared at
Rai. He watched Konoe from the corner of his eyes as he got
dressed. Konoe finished getting dressed a little after him.
"Let's go."
"I'll get Asato too."
Once they went out the door, Konoe knocked on the room next to
theirs. After a little while, Asato came out. All three of them
headed downstairs.
There were a lot of cats in costumes and masks in the lobby.
"……strange."
Asato and Konoe stopped. This must have been the first time they
had seen cats in costume.
"……..this is the attire for 'Antou'?"
"They're costumes."
Rai answered as he stepped into the lobby. The cats during Antou
each had their own costumes.
"What are you guys just standing over there for? Come down."
That voice was directed toward Konoe and Asato behind him. Rai
reflexively clicked his tongue at that voice.
"How were the beds? Did you sleep well? Today is the first day
of Antou. It's starting to pick up."
Bardo said with a leisurely tone and gait as he approached them.
Rai turned his face away to avoid Bardo's gaze. He consciously
tried not to listen to the words Konoe Bardo started to exchange.
After a while the conversation ended and Bardo went behind the
counter.
"What are you going to do after this?"
Konoe asked as Rai sighed a little. He had planned on going out
into the city to gather information, but without answering Konoe's
question, Rai pushed open the inn door. Konoe and Asato followed
after him.
The street traffic yesterday was nothing compared to today. They
were inundated by music and conversation. There were cats in
costume all around them. Konoe was probably overwhelmed by the
commotion, so he turned around, but when he did, Konoe was nowhere
to be found. Instead, Asato was standing there with an extremely
gloomy look on his face.
"What happened to Konoe?"
"I lost him."
"……stupid cat."
They pushed their way through the cats, and peeked into an
alley. Without a doubt, he must have slipped into one of them.
That troublesome cat.
Asato also followed behind him. Once they had looked into
several alleys, they finally saw Konoe's figure.
"Konoe!"
Asato called out to him before he did. Ahead of him, he saw
Konoe—surrounded by four devils. Rai quickened his pace as he drew
closer, and pulled out his long sword. Asato did the same.
"Huuuh? Hey, hey, wait a sec. Right now, this cat and all of us
are just……"
"Shut up. Get away from him."
Rai said to the white haired devil as he readied his sword.
"We haven't done anything."
"Didn't Leaks extinguish you all?"
"That's what we were trying to explain to this kitten right
now."
"Don't bother. You're probably just Leaks's puppets."
Rai said interrupting each of the devils' words.
"……tch. What a pain, this is why I hate cats. Hey, shorty."
"It's not shorty, it's Konoe."
Konoe replied to the yellow devil.
"You look like a shorty to me. But that's not the point. Anyway,
I said it earlier. Lying is you guys and a human's specialty. We
don't lie. Ever."
"We're faithful to our desires. Even though that could be called
evil, we do what we want, when we want. In return, we won't deceive
anyone. Everything we've said up to now is the truth. "
The yellow devil and the green devil spoke.
"………so you plan on eating me?"
"……eat?"
Asato's tail swung wide at Konoe's reply, as he glared at the
devils, growling quietly.
"That's what we were trying to talk about before we were
interrupted. For now, I'd be happy if you would let me finish
speaking."
The green devil tilt his head as he glanced at Rai. Since his
face was covered by a mask, he couldn't really be sure if or
why his gaze was on him.
"We don't need to listen to you. It's pointless."
Rai readied his long sword as he glared right at the devils.
"Tell me."
However, Konoe answered for him. At those words, the green devil
spread both of his arms then put a hand to his chest and bowed his
head exaggeratedly. That behavior reminded him of that clown.
"I'm honored to have your permission. Before that though, why
don't we introduce ourselves to the kitties behind you. I'm
Froud. This is is—"
"Verg."
The green devil—Froud said, and the yellow devil—Verg,
continued.
"Then this is Kaltz, and—Razel."
Each of the devils, the blue devil Kaltz, and the red devil
Razel, turned their gazes toward Rai and the others.
"Make sure to remember all that, okay? Now then, I'll continue
our conversation. First of all, to sum things up, we want to
destroy Leaks. Of course, so we can get our stolen power back. So
that's that. We just have one proposition……since we might as well,
why don't we team up?"
Froud said with a gentle tone. That tone gave Rai an
increasingly bad feeling.
"……what do you mean?"
Rai asked with his sword still readied.
"You're going after Leaks, right? This would be a good chance to
cooperate with each other. For now, we'll have a truce."
"Working together would be more efficient. "
Razel replied. Kaltz next to him continued to stay silent.
"Right now, our power was stolen by Leaks. This situation leaves
us unarmed so to speak. This would be the best chance for you all
to fight us. Once we destroy Leaks, our power will return to us. It
won't be too late to face us after that."
Razel said indifferently.
"……you have no proof that this isn't a trap."
"Gaaah—proof that it's not a trap, seriously, what a pain!! You
want us to do that right here!? Huh!?"
Verg answered Rai, scratching his head.
"Now, now. Calm down."
Froud's mouth contorted into a smile as he looked right at
him.
"Caution is a good thing. However, anything done in excess will
only have the opposite effect. You…well, you have an overly
cautious disposition. You would doubt me whether I was up to
something or not."
Froud's tone was mocking him.
"……what are you trying to say?"
Rai asked him in a low voice. He was extremely annoyed.
"Sometimes you just need courage to jump into the fire. ……well,
be as that may, all right, we'll endure our shame and show you the
proof."
Froud turned to Verg and pointed. Verg frowned in horror.
"Uwah, me? Why me? No way, you do it."
"I don't want to."
Froud replied nonchalantly.
"Wha? What was that? That's so selfish, jerk. Make Kaltz or
Razel do it……"
Verg turned toward them, but Kaltz closed his eyes and turned
away while Razel shook his head left and right before pointing his
chin towards Verg.
"……there you have it."
Froud jerked his chin at Verg happily.
"……tch. Fiiine. I'll do it."
Verg sulked as he took a step forward, and put a hand to his
chest. Verg's fingertips were sucked into his chest, burying them
inside. His face distorted in pain. His hand was buried into his
chest up to his wrist, and from there he took out his fist
clenching something. When he opened it, there was something
emitting a yellow light resting in his palm. It was shaped like a
distorted orb emitting a dim light.
"What do you think this is? Do you know?"
Froud asked.
"It's the source of our power. More specifically, the embodiment
of it. We each have one, but its true form is spherical."
Kaltz continued.
"Since your power was stolen, its shape distorted……?"
Konoe asked as he looked at the light.
"Its current state is proof that we don't have our powers. It's
the same as exposing our weaknesses. That should be enough,
right?"
Verg said curtly as he pushed the glowing crystal back into his
chest.
"You believe us now?"
Froud turned toward Rai, crossing his arms.
"……do what you want."
Rai lowered his sword as he spat his curt words.
"Should we?"
Rai turned his face away at Konoe's question.
"I don't care."
In this case, he had no choice but to rely on Konoe's
judgment.
"You're all right with this too, aren't you?"
Froud asked peeking at Konoe's face.
"So you won't eat me until we defeat Leaks, huh."
At Konoe's words, Froud's mouth once again contorted into a
smile.
"If possible, we'd like to avoid the primitive method of eating
you physically, head first. Besides, could you imagine devils fist
fighting it out to decide who would go first? It'd be weird, right?
It's all to get our power back."
Konoe's gaze dropped to the ground. After a brief silence he
lifted his face.
"……got it."
Konoe nodded.
"Then negotiations are complete. Until we destroy Leaks, we
won't eat you. We promise."
Konoe let out a long sigh at Froud's words. He seemed to have
been rather nervous.
"What are you guys going to do now?"
Konoe asked the devils.
"You kitties are staying at an inn, right?"
"That's right."
Konoe nodded facing Froud and the other devils.
"Well then, we better go there too."
Verg said.
"……to the inn?"
Konoe asked back, brows knit. He had never heard of devils
staying at an in before, but—he had never heard of devils who had
lost their powers team up with cats before either.
"We shouldn't let you out of our sights."
Kaltz sighed a little.
"We don't know if someone will gain the upper hand, and it would
be unfortunate if you just up and died. It'd be bad for you too if
we weren't around."
Konoe looked at Rai when Verg finished speaking.
"……what should we do?"
"I don't care. It's your decision."
He could answer nothing else but that.
"Since we have horns coming out of our heads, we're not
something you see in this world every day. I'm a little excited to
stay at an inn in the city, fufufu."
Froud's body squirmed happily. It was extremely discomforting.
Rai sheathed his sword and looked at the devils. The devils they
were exchanging words with didn't look much different from cats
aside from their horns and tails.
"At least do something about those horns and smooth tails for
now. They stand out."
Konoe said annoyed.
"It's the middle of a festival right now. If we say they're
costumes, no one will question it."
"And once the festival is over?"
Konoe asked back.
"We'll deal with it then. Some way or another."
"Now then, why don't you show us the way to the inn, kitty?"
Konoe away started to walk away with heavy footsteps. Even so,
Rai walked up next to Konoe.
"Hey, stupid cat."
Konoe glared back at Rai as usual.
"What?"
"Didn't I tell you not to wander off? Are you directionally
challenged? Even though you're a cat?"
Konoe gasped at Rai's words. It was unlikely he would wonder
away from again now. He was directionally challenged even though he
was a cat.
"Oh my, he's directionally challenged, even though he's a
kitty?"
"He's directionally challenged even though he's a cat?"
"……directionally challenged, huh?"
"He got lost?"
"That's the first time I've heard that."
Konoe's tail sagged at the words coming from the mouths of the
devils and Asato.
Konoe negotiated with the shocked Bardo about lodgings for the
devils. Rai watched them absentmindedly from near the entrance
away. He didn't need to assist Konoe with his ridiculously
troublesome decision. He took this opportunity to carefully observe
each of the devil's movements. The devils seemed otherworldly
somehow. Except for the blue devil—Kaltz. Rai assumed the
negotiations were completed successfully. The devils went upstairs
and Konoe turned toward him and Asato.
"What a noisy bunch. Just their presences are noisy."
Rai muttered as his tail beat against the wall.
"Konoe, are you going to go look around the festival again?"
Asato asked Konoe.
"Yeah. We ended up coming back before I could see anything."
"I see. I'll be in my room."
"Are you tired?"
He vaguely listened to Konoe and Asato's conversation. It
appeared Asato hated crowds quite a bit.
"You should rest some………don't sharpen your claws in the
room."
Asato nodded at Konoe's words. Around himself, Konoe was like a
child, but conversely, around Asato, Konoe was like a big brother.
Rai opened his mouth as he watched Asato go upstairs.
"Are you going back out into the street?"
"Yeah, but……I can go by myself."
Konoe's reply was somewhat gloomy. For some reason, he seemed to
think he wouldn't go with him.
"Who said I wasn't going?"
"Huh?"
A surprised hue flashed across Konoe's face.
"Since there are various people going after you."
Rai uncrossed his arms, and headed towards the entranceway.
Besides, having a look around the festival, wasn't such a bad
thing.
"Hurry up."
He said to Konoe. He then heard his footsteps behind him. The
excitement in the crowded streets had increased. A parade had
started in the main street. In the middle was a costumed procession
and giant papier-mâché puppets going by. Aside from that, there was
a band lined up playing merry music. Seemingly overwhelmed, Konoe
watched the parade in astonishment. Rai remembered Konoe's first
time coming to Ransen. Even though not many days had passed since
then, it felt like it was such a long time ago. He called out to
Konoe who was still watching the parade.
"Hey."
Konoe looked up in surprise. His face looked nervous for some
reason.
"What are you doing?"
When asked, Konoe's ears and gaze flinched.
"……I want to see it all."
"All of what?"
Rai asked back to his hesitant words. He crossed his arms again.
Konoe continued to speak.
"The festival."
"What do you think you're looking at?"
"I can only see parts of it from here. So…"
"How do you intend on watching it all then?"
"I could climb up somewhere."
Konoe's gaze turned toward the top of a building. Ransen's
buildings were tall. If they watched from up there, they could
certainly look over the entire festival.
"……do what you want."
Konoe smiled at Rai's reply.
"I saw a tree from the window on the second floor of the inn. We
could climb up from there."
Together with Konoe, he went around to the back of the inn. A
tree grew there straight up toward the sky. Konoe swiftly climbed
up the tree. Cats were a species that had no troubling climbing to
begin with. Climbing trees was as natural as walking to them. Then
again, since there are cats in this world who are directionally
challenged, there may also be cats who dislike climbing trees.
Without looking back, Konoe walked along the roof of a building
facing the main street. He then sat down on top of a building where
he could see the parade. During that time, Konoe hadn't looked
back, which made him think this was how he was able to wander off
all the time, but for now, that wasn't important. Rai followed
behind Konoe, jumping onto the roof, then sat down next to him.
Completely absorbed in the parade, Konoe didn't seem to notice him
sitting beside him.
"Are you satisfied now?"
When spoken to, Konoe turned to him. The wind blew through his
hair.
"It's amazing. It's like the whole street has come alive."
"All the noise hasn't changed though."
As Rai looked down at the parade, the flowing music reached his
ears. Come to think of it, he had never looked upon the city of
Ransen like this before. When he moved his gaze further away, he
saw the forests surrounding the city.
"Karou is probably over in that area."
Konoe said as he pointed out ahead. Buried in the forest, he
couldn't tell exactly where the village was located. However, that
may have been a good thing.
"I wonder."
Rai muttered as he narrowed his eye and looked in a different
direction from where Konoe was pointing. Unlike Konoe, he didn't
think much about his hometown—at least, he shouldn't. However, he
was now searching for—Setsura. He was probably looking for the
village he had never returned to since he left because of that
dream.
"It's probably over in that area."
"What is?"
Konoe tilted his head at the words he had said to himself.
"Setsura."
Once he had said the name of that village, Konoe looked directly
toward where Rai was pointing.
"What's Setsura like?"
"It's nothing special, just a normal village."
"They have a bloodline of large species there, right? Do the
other cats there have strange shaped ears and tails too?"
"To us, wouldn't you be the one who's strange?"
"Well, that's true."
As they exchanged their small talk, Konoe's tail swayed calmly.
His own tail was also swaying in the same way.
"I've never seen anyone with a tail like yours in Setsura. "
Konoe's tail stopped moving at Rai's observation. Konoe seemed
to be self-conscious about his crooked tail for some reason.
"It has an unusual shape, but that's not a bad thing."
Rai said as he looked far off into the distance.
"Huh?"
Without looking back at Konoe who questioned him, Rai continued
his words.
"I said, it's not a bad thing."
When he said that, Konoe's tail started to sway restlessly.
"What?"
"Nothing……"
Konoe searched for his words."
"……you don't climb up on trees or roofs like this much?"
"Not usually. But, long ago I'd often climb trees to look out
over the village and landscapes."
"Long ago?"
This was the first time—the first time he had spoken to anyone
about his time in Setsura long ago.
"Yes. When I would go out to hunt and to sword train."
"You've liked fighting since long ago then?"
"……yeah."
He answered quietly as he thought about his past, about when he
and Bardo would go out hunting—and then…
He remembered the smell of blood.
The wind blew by. Konoe had stopped talking. The music from the
parade started to fade. Rai slowly stood up.
"It's over. Let's go back."
"……all right."
Konoe stood up after him. The wind was cold, as dusk fell.
After dinner, time seemed to be going by slowly. Outside of the
window, the commotion lingering from the festival was still noisy.
The festival would continue tomorrow, and the day after. There were
probably groups of cats looking forward to the night festivities
more than the daytime ones.
Rai sat on his bed and started to groom. Across from him, Konoe
had also started to groom. He recalled the events of the day. Since
he always worked alone, he had by no means ever spent his day like
this before. Ever since he left his hometown, he had rarely spent
much time with other cats.
"Hey."
Hearing a voice call to him, Rai looked at Konoe in front of
him.
"Why don't you ever take off that eye patch?"
Rai stopped moving at Konoe's question, and averted his gaze. He
wasn't sure if he should answer, or even how he should
answer. He had never been asked that by anyone, so he never talked
about it. Naturally, his tail started to sway.
"It's an old wound."
Rai muttered, continuing to keep his gaze averted.
"It was given to me by a bounty I was going after. We were in a
deadlock."
Konoe didn't say a word. Rai continued his story.
"It was a demon that took sacrifices from a small village, up
until then, several bounty hunters had gone up against it, but none
had been able to kill it which was why the bounty for it was so
large."
Rai slowly took a deep breath.
"Did you kill it……?"
Konoe asked.
"No. It gouged my right eye, and I cut across both of its eyes.
But, afterwards, it disappeared."
Rai finally looked at Konoe. He was looking right back at
him.
"……it's a ridiculous story."
Rai muttered under his breath as he turned his gaze outside the
window. He wasn't sure if telling him that story was a good thing
or not.
"……why did you tell me that story?"
He looked at the curious Konoe.
"You're a Sanga. You should know a few things about your
Touga."
Konoe seemed somewhat disappointed by Rai's answer. Konoe's gaze
shifted. Konoe's gaze shifted. With his eyes still averted, Konoe
asked him another question.
"……Bardo is an acquaintance of yours?"
He wasn't sure what he should say about Bardo. It would be nice
if he could just say he was like a father who raised him. However,
he hesitated telling him that. He would have to talk about why he
ran away from Bardo too if he did.
"It's unimportant."
His gaze dropped to the floor at Rai's reply, keeping his mouth
shut. He received no more questions from Konoe after that. Once he
was done with his quick grooming, he slid under the covers. It was
possible that Konoe took his answer as rejection. He didn't mean it
that way. He was just unable to find the right answer. He looked at
Konoe's back that was turned to him as he finished his grooming,
then crawled under the covers. He heard the music from the night
festival in the distance. He felt a comforting exhaustion. At this
rate, he felt as though he could sleep without any dreams—.
The next day also had good weather. It welcomed the second day
of "Antou". Seeming as though he hadn't gotten much sleep, Konoe
was still in bed. Rai got dressed and left the room before him. As
he went down the stairs, he glanced at the counter, but Bardo
wasn't there. Rai continued on out of the inn, and walked through
the back alleyways. Today he planned on meeting with some
informants. In a suspicious looking bar in an alley, there were
informants he was acquainted with that he could buy miscellaneous
information from. It would be faster to speak with them without
Konoe since he would be a new face. He didn't think it would be
easy to get information on Leaks, but if he could get his hands on
even just a little something, that would be good enough. There was
other information he wanted to acquire as well. He opened the door
to one of the bars. When he did, the degenerate cats who had been
drinking since the morning lifted their heads. Rai approached the
counter and ordered a drink.
"I heard a rumor that you've been going around with a cute kid
lately."
An unkempt cat at the counter said, smiling widely. His breath
stunk of alcohol.
"So even I'm famous now, huh."
Rai leaned his elbows against the counter and picked up his
glass.
"Don't you have anything interesting to talk about other than
me?"
Rai asked as he thrust a paper envelope from his coat at the cat
that spoke to him.
"I've heard nothing but rumors of demons."
"What sort of demons?"
"Several different kinds. Not just in Ransen either. There have
been stories about ridiculously strong demons appearing in the
forests all around. They'll probably become bounties soon."
Before he had met Konoe, there had been a lot of rumors about
demons showing up near Ransen. But now, demons were increasing all
across Shisa. Rather than the rumors being only on the outskirts to
Ransen, it was more like it took a while for those rumors to reach
them from all over Shisa. It was like a demon infestation, even
before he had met Konoe. Even if the demon infestation was
influenced by Leaks, that power probably would have been growing
since before then. Now that Leaks had absorbed the power from those
devils, he imagined that his power could only easily get
stronger.
"Anything else?"
Rai drank the alcohol in his shot glass in one gulp.
"Nothing all that interesting."
"I see."
Rai placed his glass on the counter, turned around, and left the
bar.
Afterwards he went through several other bars, but didn't hear
anything important. He left the alleyways, and headed towards the
square in order to return to the inn before Konoe woke up.
Suddenly, he saw the hesitant movements of a cat ahead of him. It
was Konoe. Konoe slowly approached the wall in the center of
square. Just what was he doing? On the wall Konoe's gaze was fixed
on, he saw a green plant swaying in the wind. It was a foxtail
plant. It was a plant that kittens would often play with when
dangled in front of them. There weren't many idiotic adults who
still played with them. But—Konoe took a big leap toward that
foxtail.
"Stupid cat……"
Rai muttered reflexively as Konoe's hands aiming for that
foxtail grabbed nothing but air.
"……ah……"
Konoe stopped moving. Failing to capture their prey was an
embarrassment to cats. On top of that, swatting at a foxtail, a toy
meant for children, as an adult was unbelievably embarrassing.
There was no way an adult cat could fail at swatting a foxtail. Rai
approached Konoe with a sigh and picked up the foxtail.
"You really are a surprisingly stupid cat."
Rai thrust the foxtail at Konoe's nose.
"But I didn't think you were this stupid."
Konoe's face turned red from embarrassment. His ears, tail and
face all drooped down.
"Hey, you wanted this, didn't you?"
He once again waved the foxtail in front of Konoe's nose, but
Konoe continued to lower his head.
"……jeez."
Rai threw the foxtail away, and turned around.
"Let's go."
When spoken to, Konoe chased after him with quick steps.
The main street was crowded with cats. He wanted to think he
wasn't stupid enough to wander off again, but he was stupid enough
to swat at a foxtail. Rai escaped from the street overflowing with
cats and headed toward the side of road and leaned against the
wall. Konoe also leaned against it next to him.
"What were you doing there?"
Rai asked with a sigh as if he were scolding Konoe whose tail
was swaying.
"……nothing. I was looking around the stalls, but then I spotted
that plant……"
"The one you thoughtlessly swatted at, and failed
splendidly?"
Those words were his final blow, and Konoe's head drooped
gloomily. Rai scoffed as he crossed his arms, watching the
traffic.
"And what about you? Where did you go off to?"
Konoe asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm free to go wherever I want."
"Well, that's true."
Konoe once again lowered his head sullenly. He couldn't help
picking on him so much.
"I was looking through back alleys. There are several secret
shops there."
"Secret shops?"
"They're places you can deal in information."
Konoe nodded at Rai's words.
"It may lead us to some clues."
"Did it?"
"Who knows."
Rai answered as he turned his gaze back at the crowd. He saw a
family across from him. It was a child with his father and
mother.
"……it's a female."
Konoe muttered. Seeing a female cat walking through the crowds
of Ransen was rare. Due to the illness called 'shikku'. It was a
sickness that spread throughout Shisa three years ago that made
body parts disappear all of sudden. The mortality rate was high,
but the infection rate was basically low—but, that excluded
females. The infection rate of females was high, and the death rate
was near one hundred percent. Females were a rare sight in Shisa.
The result being females became a protected commodity. Without
females, the population of cats would not be able to increase. At
this rate, the decrease of females would mean the downfall of cats.
That alone made females an easy target. Though, you can find plenty
of females in other unsavory places, but that was another story.
Since older females were a protected commodity, they were a rare
sight. Her body was wrapped in cloths, so he couldn't make out much
of her figure, but this mother walking through the crowd seemed to
be on the older side. Her gaze was full of peace and warmth.
"……family, huh."
Rai muttered. He couldn't understand why he suddenly felt lonely
in regard to his own parents.
But—still…it was a ridiculous emotion. Rai lifted himself off the
wall he was leaning against and looked at Konoe.
"Let's go back to the inn. We'll put together some preparations
then train."
"……all right."
Once he confirmed Konoe's reply, Rai stepped into the foot
traffic, heading toward the inn.
They returned to the inn, put on their equipment, then headed to
the vacant lot they had trained in before. The area was starting to
get dark, but the crowds in the streets hadn't died down. The two
of them arrived at the vacant lot on the outskirts of town. Like
before, they felt no other presence there. He looked at Konoe
without a word. Konoe looked back up at him.
"Start with your song."
Konoe nodded at Rai's words then closed his eyes. If Konoe could
sing a song that was better—better than the song he sang when they
fought those twin cats, their battles would definitely go smoother
than the ones before. However, they would need a "bond" for that.
Konoe's breathing steadied. The noise from the town faded. A white
light gently wrapped around Konoe's body. It was a song. He heard a
gentle, warm melody. He reflexively gulped. However, with a
bursting sound, the light disappeared. As if trying to capture the
faint remaining light, Rai looked at his palm then clenched it.
"This song……"
Rai muttered as Konoe slowly shook his head, walking back up to
him. Rai watched him silently.
"What?"
Konoe's gaze seemed different from usual as he knit his
brows.
"……it's nothing. There were no problems. The song is over."
Rai drew his sword and looked at the tip of it.
"If you have something to say, say it."
Konoe continued. He seemed to want to know what his song just
now was like. However, he didn't have a way to give him a concrete
answer concerning his song right now.
"I said there were no problems, didn't I?"
Rai answered curtly, readying his sword.
"That's not what I'm asking."
"I was going to say that it was a stronger version of that basic
song you sang the first time. I felt myself fill with a strength
more powerful than last time."
That wasn't a lie. However, he didn't tell him the truth
either.
"……I guess I can't sing any other songs."
"It's part of its attributes. It has its strengths and
weaknesses. Besides, you certainly haven't come up with any more
songs than that, but that all depends on the Sanga's own sense.
Even if you gain more power, just swinging a sword around is
pointless."
Rai continued his words. But, Konoe was unsatisfied. He had now
sung three songs all together. Even so, he seemed to think that
wasn't enough. He probably felt under pressure in front of the
devils and Leaks.
"You don't believe me?"
"That's not it."
He seemed to want to say something more, but instead, Rai thrust
the tip of his sword toward Konoe.
"In that case, don't think about such trivial things. Hurry up
and draw your sword."
Konoe's gaze dropped sullenly to the ground, but he reluctantly
drew his sword. He swiftly swung it, and Rai swung his over his
head. He felt the force of the impact through his sword. Konoe's
sword skills were pretty average for a cat. However, he seemed to
be getting better at deciding what he should do, and where he
should go. If he didn't have a reason to use his sword, he would
never get stronger. Even just the thought of wanting to become
stronger could become a reason. Facing Konoe, he parried his sword,
and dodged it. Each blow was light, but Konoe's sword had speed.
When he evaded his sword, their gazes met for a moment. Konoe's
eyes emitted a sparkling light. He was certain that his own eye was
lit with that same sort of light. Or perhaps that was how he looked
when he felt his sword. Rai repelled Konoe's sword. At the same
time, Konoe lost his balance and fell on his back. Konoe's
breathing was rough as he looked up at the sky. Rai sheathed his
sword and looked down at Konoe.
"How long are you going to lay there? Let's go back."
Konoe slowly lifted himself up. He picked up his sword that had
been flung away, and sheathed it, letting out a sigh. Rai watched
him from the corner of his eye as he started to walk away from the
vacant lot.
"Wait!"
Konoe chased after him. However, his gait was slightly unsteady.
It was probably due to the sword training after singing, he must
have been tired. Rai slowed down his pace slightly. Once they went
out into the main street, they heard a loud laugh coming from
somewhere. Even though there were less cats walking around in the
hustle and bustle, there was no way this city would sleep during a
festival. Several of the stalls were still open. The moment they
tried to quickly get away from the street, there was a loud sound
of a stall being smashed, and a cat who looked like the stall's
owner fell out into the street on his behind. Next to him, his
items had been thrown about, and broke with a loud sound. The
contents scattered into the crowd. It was a pot full of his wares
that had broken. In front of the stall owner that was thrown out
into the street stood two cats. One of the cats was a dull yellow.
The other cat was spotted. The stall owner scooted back still on
his backside, trembling violently.
"Hey, don't say you don't have much food. Are you trying to ruin
the festival mood?"
"You won't die if you lose one or two of your wares. Take it
easy."
From the looks of their dingy clothes, they were probably
bandits that came out from the forest to take advantage of the
festival. They grabbed the stalls wares with both hands and kicked
the stall owner as they let out a vulgar laugh. The onlookers
surrounding the stall started to clamor.
"What? If any of y'all have a problem, come on out! I'll kill
you!"
The bandits raised their voices and glared at the crowd around
them. At that moment, the onlookers got quiet and the circle shrunk
back. They were uncomfortable.
"Huh, there's no one? What the hell, how boring. Then I guess
it's just you who has a complaint."
The bandit drew his sword and closed in on the stall owner, as
if it to toy with him. Rai figured he was going to swing his sword
down at the stall owner. Rai broke through the circle of onlookers
and stepped in front of the bandits. The bandits looked back at
Rai.
"Oh, what? You're gunna do it?"
"Then do it!"
The bandits raised their voices. Rai carried both his long and
short sword in each hand. The bandits each drew their own swords.
However, their match was over in an instant.
"Gwah……"
"Uwh, guh……"
The bandits' eyes opened wide with a groan as they fell forward.
Rai looked down at the two fallen cats.
How stupid. Boring.
He couldn't stand opponents like this. Rai sheathed his swords,
then headed toward Konoe who was watching him among the onlookers.
He saw in the corner of his eye one of the bandits manage to lift
themselves up with a strained face, and grab his sword that he
dropped.
"Die!!"
The bandit threw the sword in his hand. Rai turned around and
fended it off with his short sword. The sword was thrown at him
with more force than he had imagined. It wouldn't have killed him
at that speed though. He reflexively turned his face away. However,
the sword changed direction in midair and the handle grazed the eye
patch—over his right eye. Rai touched his eye patch with painfully
slow movements. It was hot. The moment he was hit, he felt
something snap. Before his eye was irresistible prey. The same as a
small animal in the forest. All he had to do was wound it, and the
warm blood would overflow. He lowered his right hand. He would
wound his prey a little. He knew he had dug his claws into his
prey's flesh. He punched him. There was scream. He was a toy. He
swung down. He pinned his prey's hand to the ground. Next was his
other hand. If he crushed both his hands, he wouldn't be able to
resist anymore. If he did, he could cut apart that body to his
heart's content. He swung his sword down over and over again.
Missing his vitals. He'd let him die, draining his warmth until the
final moment. Suddenly, he felt a strange blow. Something wrapped
around his body. Even though he should have been aiming at his
prey's vitals, his sword had struck something else. Then, there was
a cat in front of him. Rai looked closely at the cat before his
eyes. The can in front of him let go of his body. The cat then
frowned as he thrust his right hand into his own hair. There was
blood. There was blood on the fingertips that left his light brown
hair. He reflexively grabbed that hand. The cat resisted. But he
didn't care. He looked at the cat's fingertips. The blood on his
fingers was a beautiful color. It was much more beautiful than the
blood from his prey. It must be warm, and have a lovely taste. Rai
licked the blood on those fingertips. At that moment, the cat in
front of him pulled his arm away and swung his hand. He felt a blow
across his face.
"What are you doing, snap out of it!"
He didn't know what was happening. Rai looked at the cat in
front of him. He knew the name of this cat. It was Konoe. His
Sanga. When he turned around there were two cats sprawled on the
ground. One of them was curled up on the ground shaking as blood
flowed out of him.
"Ow, ooow……."
The other bandit rushed over to the curled up cat, and picked
him up.
"Y-You're a monster!! Damn it……!!"
The other bandit glared at him as he supported the wounded cat
then ran away. Just what had happened? Rai pressed his hand against
his eye patch. It didn't feel all that hot. It was always like
this.
Always—
Konoe was looking straight at him. The on-looking cats started
to go on their own ways.
"……let's go back to the inn."
Konoe said, almost as if he were commanding him. He didn't know
what to say to Konoe who had watched this play out. He reflexively
turned his face away. He then muttered quietly.
"……sorry."
He started to walk, continuing to look away, Konoe following
after him. The two of them didn't speak to each other. Halfway
through the main street, they came across a group in costume. Being
illuminated by the torches around the town, the costumed cats
looked as though they were floating, it made a strange sight. Rai
and Konoe both stopped and waited for the procession of at least
ten cats to go by. At the same time, a smell grazed his nose. Konoe
also seemed to have noticed the same smell.
"What……is that smell?"
Konoe who had been quiet until then, opened his mouth. Rai
pointed toward a stall along the street, and jerked his chin toward
it.
"It's probably that."
The source of the smell was incense used to attract customers. A
suspicious looking old cat smiled up at them as he lined up small
cloth bags of incense. When Konoe went up to the stall, he let out
a long sigh. Rai had no choice but to follow after him. It wasn't a
bad smell. Actually, it was a comforting smell. It was a charmingly
sweet smell. It was probably high grade silver vine. Silver vine
was a plant with a component that intoxicated cats that has existed
since the time of the "two sticks". Since it can intoxicate cats,
its use is regulated by the feudal lord, and was restricted. Many
of the trees were cut down, and you could only find alcohol laced
with silver vine powder on the market. It's only a tiny
amount, but it's enough to intoxicate. To acquire some of a high
quality, it would cost quite a bit of money. On the other hand, if
it was cheap or low quality, it would result in a bad trip that was
closer to an aphrodisiac. Aphrodisiac—come to think of it,
Antou was a festival around mating season. Luckily, Rai wasn't
experiencing any of the symptoms. Konoe stuck his hand into the
hemp bag he was carrying. He was going to buy some incense.
"Don't. You don't know what you're getting yourself into at a
shop that does business at this hour."
The stall owner gave him an annoyed look. Konoe stopped his
hand, and thought for a moment. But, in the end, he couldn't resist
his impulses.
"Thanks for your business."
Konoe took out some small coins from his bag and the old man
cheerfully handed over the small bag.
"You don't know what's going to happen."
Rai knit his brows.
"But it smells good. See?"
"Stop."
He turned his face away from the small bag Konoe held out
towards him. The fragrance stirred in his body. He continued to
walk along with Konoe who was now in a good mood. As he was about
to turn left down the street toward the inn, Konoe stopped.
"Let's keep going straight."
"Straight? The inn is to the left."
"Since we're out already, we might as well make another
stop."
Konoe's footsteps that earlier were full of fatigue, were now
light.
"……are you all right?"
"Why?"
He had asked Konoe with a sigh, but Konoe answered back with
puzzled look. Konoe appeared to be a little intoxicated. He felt
nervous leaving Konoe in this state. Rai followed after Konoe who
started to walk off. Certainly, this path led to—.
"Do you have plans or something?"
Konoe turned toward him as he heard the sound of a babbling
brook far off in the distance. There were less buildings around,
and a lonely atmosphere arose.
"It's a roundabout detour, but if we keep going down this path,
we'll end up in front of the inn."
"Let's walk along the river."
Rai replied, and Konoe lifted his tail as he walked toward the
sound of water. There were no torches that decorated the town along
the dark road, halfway through there was a river flowing.
"You like water?"
"I don't especially like it. Since you hate fire, does that mean
you like water?"
"No, not really."
Konoe answered, purring. He really did seem to be in a good
mood. Rai could feel the presence of cats in the surrounding grass,
and looked around. So it really was that, Rai narrowed his
eye. He wasn't sure if it was coming from the small bag Konoe had
put away in his hemp bag, or if it was coming from the grass around
them. The fragrance enveloped Rai's body. Konoe turned toward Rai.
He could tell the corner of his eyes were a little bloodshot.
"……hey."
He called out to Konoe who approached him. He looked at his face
at close range.
"Could it be, you're also…?"
He guessed his own face was flush from Konoe's question.
"I may be catching a cold……"
Konoe didn't seem to understand the situation at all, as he
touched his ears to check his temperature.
"You really are a stupid cat. On top of that, idiotic. Don't you
hear that?"
Konoe pricked up his ears. The presence of cats—the rustling of
clothes, hurried breath, voices. The sound of the bodies of cats on
top of each other. There were probably cats in heat over there.
"……!"
Konoe gasped. His flushed face became even more red.
"That incense. The smell of it is all around."
"Why is the smell so strong……"
"Those cats have some too. There's probably some low quality
silver vine mixed in it."
Rai frowned. It was difficult to discern the silver vine
quality.
"But, it doesn't smell like the one they were burning at the
stall at all."
Konoe muttered with his head lowered.
"That was probably to lure in customers. Normal cats wouldn't be
able to tell the difference in quality. That's what happens to cats
who are fooled. Though, there are also cats who know, and bought it
for that purpose."
Konoe's ears and tail drooped low. It was a child's reaction.
Konoe's youth was even more apparent in the way he stole several
glances toward the two cats as they passed by. Suddenly, he wanted
to touch that childishness. He reached out toward Konoe who still
had his head lowered confused. He grasped his shoulder, and pulled
him closer. This was definitely because of that smell. The smell
that distorted his reason.
"What……?"
"Be quiet."
Konoe's face was against his shoulder as Rai embraced him. His
breath hit him. Konoe's body was hot. It was probably just as hot
as his own. Konoe squirmed in his arms.
"Wait, just wait, let go……!"
"I said, be quiet."
He whispered, then licked up Konoe's ear. It tasted just a
little like sweat. You could check a cat's temperature by touching
their ears. It was above all else a sensitive area. Perhaps a young
cat like him had never had something like this done to him before.
Rai wondered about that as he toyed with Konoe's ear. He had
experienced a need to breed several times, but he had never felt
like touching someone as strongly as this before. Therefore, he
never thought his libido was all that strong, but—no, this was that
incense's fault. He shouldn't be this strongly attracted Konoe.
That's what he tried to tell himself.
"……what are you doing……!?"
He traced his tongue along his ear. Aside from the incense,
Konoe emitted his own scent. It was a comforting smell. Konoe shook
his head as if that tickling feeling wasn't enough. He embraced
him, and dragged him into the thicket.
"…..hey, seriously, what are you doing……!!??"
Konoe raised his voice in protest. As he pushed Konoe's body
against the trunk of a tree in the middle of the thicket, Rai
wondered why his head was cool, even though his body was so hot.
What was Konoe feeling?"
"……it's your fault."
He whispered into his ear. He shouldn't be in heat. This was
that incense's fault. It was Konoe's fault for buying the
incense.
"Wh……why……?"
He asked Rai. He couldn't stop. He wanted to touch Konoe even
more. His breath was labored. Even when he was crossing swords with
someone, his breathing wasn't this strained.
"……damn it."
Rai clicked his tongue a bit before he took a small bite of the
tip of Konoe's ear. Konoe's body shook in surprise. He stuck his
tongue inside his ear. The smell became stronger. That was Konoe's
scent. That smell overlapped with the smell of the incense.
"…..uwh……"
Konoe ducked his head, trying to shrink back, pushing the back
of his head against the tree. At times, he would helplessly try to
resist, but he pinned Konoe's arms to the tree. He then put Konoe's
whole ear into his mouth.
"……ah……"
Konoe let out a seductive voice. He didn't think a voice like
that could come from a mouth that usually only spoke to him in
annoyance. He slowly pulled the ear out from his mouth between his
lips.
"Stop……ngh……kh!"
Konoe looked up at the sky as if to gasp for air. He looked into
his eyes. Konoe's eyes were glossed over, and wavering. He was in
heat. Or maybe something else.
"I told you not to buy it."
Rai said as he held back his labored breathing.
"You knew this would happen……?"
"No. I said don't get involved with things you know nothing
about."
That was the truth. He wasn't being overly cautious.
"It's too late now."
Konoe replied. He knew that. That's why—.
"……that's why you need to take responsibility."
He said before stealing Konoe's lips.
"…..kh."
Konoe gasped, and his body tensed. He switched angles, indulging
in the kiss. It was hot. He didn't know whether it was his own body
heat or Konoe's. When he tried to slip the tip of his tongue into
Konoe's mouth, and nudge at his fangs, Konoe turned away and
refused the kiss.
"How……can someone like you become like this?"
Konoe strained to say, still close to him.
"What do you mean?"
"Since you're always so cold."
"I'm not some almighty being. I'm just a cat in both flesh and
blood. It's difficult to go against random, or rather, instinctual
desires that I was forced into."
It was a dormant desire to begin with, but it was just the
incense that dragged it out of him.
"……but, we're male. I am, and you too."
It was a stupid remark. There weren't many cats in Shisa that
didn't indulge in same-sex intercourse. Though, he supposed
coming from a small village that differed from Ransen, same-sex
relationships may have been considered taboo. There were certainly
cats that resisted. There were also cats that preferred sex purely
for pleasure rather than to produce offspring. But…
"So what?"
"……huh?"
Konoe lifted his face in surprise.
"You should want to feel pleasure no matter who your partner
is."
"Then anyone will do, huh."
That wasn't what he had meant to say, but Konoe's reaction was
tinged with disappointment.
"Why do you think that?"
"Because, just now……"
He interrupted Konoe's words.
"How feminine. If you don't like it, then bite me and run
away."
"……kh."
Konoe furrowed his brow. From tightly pursed lips, he bit the
tip of Rai's nose determinedly. It wasn't serious, more like a play
bite, a single blow. However, that did nothing but heat up Rai's
body at that moment. Konoe glared at him. Rai pulled his face away
for a moment, then drew his lips close to Konoe's.
"Then I guess we'll end it here."
The fragrance of the incense coming from Konoe's bag grazed
against his nose. Konoe bit Rai's lip. A faint pleasure arose from
the pain where Konoe had bit him softly. Rai also bit Konoe's lip.
They both sucked on each other's lips, and the moment they tried to
bite down, their fangs clashed. For a short moment, Rai and Konoe
stopped moving. The vibration echoing directly through their bones
pulled them back to reality. It wasn't clear which of them had
pulled away. The cold night air, and the babbling of the river
cooled their heads. He had certainly felt that he wanted to touch
Konoe for a brief moment. However, he wasn't sure if that was
because of the incense, being in heat, or something else
entirely.
"……this joke went on far too long."
Rai muttered as he sighed. Konoe didn't reply.
"Let's go back."
Rai said, then without looking at Konoe started to walk.
"……all right."
He heard Konoe reply quietly. Still feeling awkward, they
returned to the inn and slipped into their own beds.
He was probably still feeling the remaining effects of the
incense, since he could feel a faint heat from the core of his
body. More than the remaining scent from the aphrodisiac, it was
like he had a fever from a minor cold. He also felt faint chills.
It was probably extremely low quality silver vine. Rai looked at
Konoe who was wrapped up in his blanket with his back turned to
him. He felt as though Konoe's back was rejecting him. He was
probably also tired from their training, after a while Konoe's
shoulders started to move steadily. He seemed to be asleep. Rai
lifted himself up, and looked out the window as he sat on the bed.
It had become rather late at night before he knew it. The moon was
already starting to set. Rai slowly filled his lungs with the night
air. The dim heat in the center of his head faded slightly. He
ruminated over the events of today. He kissed Konoe—then there was
that dispute with the bandits. He wasn't actually sure if he could
blame all of that on the incense. He figured he could make the
excuse of his nerves becoming unusually worked up when he fought
with the bandits. There was that feeling when he punched him, and
pierced his sword through him. His screams. If Konoe hadn't stopped
him, he might have killed that cat. The space was closing in on
him. He couldn't control himself. It was like an illness advancing
on him. Rai lowered his eyes, sighing. He watched both his hands
closely. He still felt uncomfortable. At this rate he would
certainly lose control of his consciousness. Due to that, he wasn't
sure what he should do. He had no other way than to force himself
to endure it. For that reason, he wanted more strength. The tougher
he was, the less his heart and body would be swayed by madness. The
moment he clenched his slightly sweaty palms, a shadow suddenly
went by his window. His gaze followed it. He was there—the devil
clad in black wrapped in a green light. It was Froud.
"……bastard……"
Rai growled at Froud as he bared his fangs.
"Shhh."
Froud put his index finger to his lips, and jerked his chin
bellow him. He was probably telling him to go outside. Froud waved
his hand and disappeared from the window. Rai grabbed his
equipment. Basically, Rai didn't trust the devils. Especially Froud
with his smoothness, he was eerie. He glanced at Konoe. The blanket
he was wrapped up in was moving up and down steadily. He hadn't
woken up. He most likely wouldn't go looking for him tonight if he
woke up and was gone. Rai put his hand on the window sill and
jumped through it. When he landed in the narrow alley, he heard the
sound of unenthusiastic clapping. Froud was leaning against a tree
in the direction of the sound.
"Cats really are agile."
"……what do you want?"
"Oh no, it's nothing important."
Froud smile spread wide into a distorted smile, his facial
movements made him uncertain of his expression. Since his face was
hidden by a mask, he wasn't really sure what sort of face he was
making.
"I figured you wouldn't want to listen to anyone else."
"Hurry up and speak."
Rai drew his long sword, and thrust the tip of it toward Froud's
throat. Froud shrugged his shoulders, letting out a sigh.
"You have some nerve going against a devil, even as a joke.
Well, whatever. I don't hate that sort of thing either. Now then,
as you wish, I'll speed things up……fufu."
Froud moved the tip of his sword away with his index finger, and
tilted his head amused.
"……hurry up."
"Fufu……actually, I saw it."
"What?"
"Your madness."
He gasped reflexively. Froud's mouth distorted into a happy
smile.
"It seems fun. Was it fun? I must have been."
"……what are you talking about?"
He gripped the handle of the sword.
"Even though I should tell you, doesn't mean I will."
"……kh, bastard!"
He swung the sword he had thrust at him, and aimed for Froud's
throat. However, he swiftly dodged it, floating into the air. He
crossed his arms in a nonchalant manner.
"You should be more upfront."
"Shut up."
Rai told him as he glared at Froud.
"Well, while it's regrettable, I do agree with Verg. You cats
really are like your human ancestors."
Froud turned toward the sky, shaking his head exaggeratedly.
"The way you all lie, really is just like them. You all
inherited something so pointless."
"What……were you talking about earlier!?"
Rai crouched down low, aimed at Froud's head, and leapt.
However, the sword he swung only cut the air. Froud kicked off the
trunk of a tree using the momentum to jump even higher up.
"Get down!"
"No matter what you say, I didn't come here to fight. Well, I'd
be happy if you heard me out for just a little longer."
Froud said completely composed as he looked down at Rai.
"I have no interested in your nonsense."
"Now, now, it's just for a moment. You should be more honest,
like us."
"You enjoy that mask that hates their own madness, don't you?
And then, that hatred you feel towards yourself is unbearable. Am I
wrong? White kitty-chan?"
"……shut up!"
He growled at Froud. His breath was erratic. His heart hurt. His
heartbeat and vision blurred. Froud's words were like a curse.
"You lie about your emotions. Because of that, you needlessly
suffer more and more. You should just admit it."
Once he spoke, Froud suddenly crouched down and jumped midair,
rushing toward Rai. He immediately jumped back, but he was pursued.
Froud's face drew near to him. His lips were contorted into a
smile. The moment he tried to bring strength into his knees to back
away, his ears were whispered into.
"You love killing."
His heart leapt. Froud was smiling in front of him. His eyes
hidden by his mask were certainly watching him.
"……bastard!"
He yelled. A growl welled up in his throat. Rai tossed his sword
away and unleased his claws. Froud leaped away, and once again
floated into the air.
"One day you'll realize it. No, one day you won't be able to
hold back. When that happens……what will you do? Your lies will
blind you. If you're honest, you'll be set free. Think about
it."
Rai let out a growl toward the sky.
"I won't tell anyone about this. That's why you should also keep
to your agreement. Our collaboration won't be over until we find
Leaks. Now then, good night. White kitty-chan."
Froud instantly climbed higher in the sky, then twirled. He then
suddenly disappeared.
"Wait!"
He knew he couldn't go after him. But he couldn't just let him
go. He fell to his knees and dug his drawn claws into the ground.
Dirt flew.
"……he's……screwing with me……!"
His white tail was stiff and puffed out. Rai took a deep breath,
closing his eyes to try and calm down. It had been a while since he
had gotten so angry, he lost control of himself. Froud was watching
him. Just as he thought, he couldn't trust the devils. Having a
shortcut to reach Leaks was no reason to work with them. However,
now it was like Froud was grasping his weaknesses. Konoe suspected
something, but other than him, no one should know. No, there was
someone else who knew about his other self, but he most likely
wouldn't interfere. Rai opened his closed eyes, picked up his
discarded sword, and gripped the handle. He wanted more strength. A
strength that destroyed his self-control, the restlessness of his
heart, and even all of his emotions. Stronger than what he had
thought earlier on top of his bed. He sheathed his sword and lifted
his face. The sky was still dark, night was breaking. That darkness
was reflected in Rai's cold blue eye as he turned on his heel
toward the inn. The wind quietly blowing by shook his tail, and
masked his profile with silver hair.
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Lamento - Beyond the Void - Expiatio - Chapter 00-05 - Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter 5
Lamento Beyond the Void Expiatio (Tomoko Kanemaki/N+C) Chapter
5
Caput 5
He awoke that morning after not getting much sleep. His eyes
narrowed as a fever burned in the core of his body. Konoe was still
asleep. He smelled Konoe's scent wafting faintly through the
room.
It couldn't be.
He considered the date as he averted his gaze from Konoe's back,
looking toward the window. The sky was clear after the end of the
festival. It was also a special season for cats. Rai shook off his
fever and Konoe's scent as he got up to get dressed. He planned on
going to a bar today as well.
"……you're up early."
Konoe who seemed to finally be awake spoke to him.
"What are we doing today?"
"Going to a bar."
"A bar?"
"Yes."
Rai answered, looking out the window. Konoe slowly started to
get dressed beside him.
"Hurry and get ready. I told you before, didn't I? You can
acquire any information you want from the bars in back alleys."
"What kind of information? About Leaks?"
Rai didn't answer. They certainly needed information about
Leaks. However, he had other reasons he frequented those bars.
"Let's go."
Rai put on his coat and started to walk away.
"Wa……wait!"
Konoe frantically tried to put on his boots, but tumbled to the
floor before he was able to.
"……stupid cat."
"It's because you rushed me."
Konoe pouted gloomily. Rai held out his hand to him.
"Here."
"What?"
Konoe glared up at him.
"It's fine, just hurry up and stand."
With an air of reluctance, Konoe took his hand and stood up.
Suddenly, Rai sensed Konoe's scent once again.
Aah, I knew it—.
Rai looked at Konoe.
"What?"
Konoe asked suspiciously as he shook off Rai's hand. Somehow,
Konoe didn't seem to be aware of the condition of his own body.
"Hurry up."
Rai leaned against the wall, looking down at Konoe. He sat back
down on the floor, putting on his boots properly before standing
back up. He grasped his coat in his hand.
"Let's go."
Rai opened the door then left the room.
The back alleys were noticeably dimmer than the main street,
with much dirtier walls and pathways. Even the cats loitering in
them looked worse. The bar they were headed to was around that
corner. Once they entered, Konoe coughed a bit.
"What's wrong?"
Rai turned around to see Konoe frowning.
"……the air is smokey."
"It's just that sort of place, bear with it."
Rai once again headed into the bar. In the center of it sat the
usual cat next to the counter. The cat clad in black clothes from
head to tail was a well-known informant. He had never seen his face
before, but there was no need to see his face to gather
information.
"Wait here."
"Huh?"
Rai told Konoe before immediately approaching the informant.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Rai spoke to the informant who nodded back slightly. Without
waiting for Rai to ask him anything, he began to speak.
"The female who knows what you want to know is in a brothel. Her
name is Mana."
What he wanted to know—was nothing other than about the demon
that stole his right eye.
"Which brothel?"
"You should be familiar with the largest one around here,
right?"
That was all the informant had to say. Rai took out some coins
from his bag and placed them on the table. That was his fee for the
information. He gave him double the going rate. He then left the
table and returned to Konoe.
"I'm finished with my business here. Let's go."
Konoe looked surprised when spoken to.
"Huh……hey."
The brothels prostitutes were in yesterday weren't always the
ones they were in today. Rai suddenly quickened his pace. They
exited the bar then continued on through the back alley. Konoe
followed behind him.
"Where are we going?"
He heard a voice behind him, but didn't answer. He felt a twinge
of uneasiness. He was wondering if it was such a good idea to bring
Konoe along with him. He wondered if it was all right to get Konoe
involved in a battle he was pursuing just for himself, even though
they were paired together. He only planned to hear what that
prostitute had to say for today. Rai stopped and turned to Konoe.
His breathing was slightly elevated. He once again smelled Konoe's
scent. He felt awkward taking him to a brothel during this season
and in this condition.
"Go back to the inn before me."
When he told him that, Konoe looked at him with an unusually
dumbfounded expression.
"……hey, you……"
Konoe said annoyed.
"I'll tell you about it later."
He had meant that with the utmost sincerity, but…
"Of course you will. But that's not what I meant……"
"It's fine, just go."
When he interrupted Konoe's words, an obviously angry expression
came across his face. He turned away from Rai and ran off. Konoe's
angry reaction was childish as usual, but he didn't really
understand why he was so upset. Rai let out a small sigh. He then
once again started to walk.
"Oh my, he left."
He lifted his face towards the voice above his head. It was
Froud, floating between the dirty walls. His arms were crossed as
he looked down at him with a faint smile.
"……you…what do you want?"
"Nothing. I happened to see you two leave. So I was just
observing a little."
Froud lowered himself into the alley with his arms still
crossed. Rai reflexively reached for his long sword.
"You seem to be in a hurry, but why is that exactly? Are you
chasing after something? You're gathering information, I see,
perhaps about…"
Froud stopped his words, seemingly to think, as he put a hand to
his mouth and tilted his head.
"An old scar, or something……about that gouged right eye?"
He took in sharp breath. How did he know about that? Something
like a dark unpleasantness overflowed from his chest. Rai drew his
long sword from its sheath.
"……bastard……"
"How do I know about that? That's a story from my world. We have
our own ways to gather information. Various ways."
Froud flashed a toothy smile as if he were enjoying Rai's
apprehension.
"By the way……why are you so desperate to chase after it? Is it
because it left such a deep scar when it stole your eye, along with
your pride? Is that really all it is?"
"……what are you trying to say?"
"I know why. I know—I can smell what's sleeping inside of
you."
With his face turned upward, Froud slowly twirled in midair.
"Anger? Hatred? No, no, nothing like that. It's not anything so
lukewarm. Right, that's it—are you familiar with the word
madness?"
His words mixed with laughter directed towards him dyed his
vision green.
Not red—green.
He was instantly overcome by an intense impulse to throw up. Rai
threw his sword aside and bared his fangs. Froud grinned
cheerfully, shaking his head left and right. The swaying green
hair, and the green in his vision overlapped, their hue beating
harshly against his retina.
"Now, now. There's no way you can win against the opponent
you're chasing. You need to be more honest. Hey, why are you unable
to do that?"
Froud spread his arms with exaggerated movements, and
shrugged.
"Even though you've already become like this, why do you still
try to hide it? Whether it's cats, or humans, I seriously don't
understand any of you at all. Do you really enjoy telling lies that
much? Are lies really that comforting?"
"……shut up!"
Rai aimed his words at Froud as he rushed toward him, swinging
his extended claws. They cut through the air. Froud avoided those
claws, and gracefully floated into the sky.
"Fufufu, just a little longer, okay? A little……longer."
Froud muttered satisfied before disappearing. Rai glared at the
sky Froud had disappeared from. The remaining urges left in his
body ached. It ached together with his incredibly intense heartbeat
echoing through him. He felt a terrible discomfort similar to
nausea. He picked up his discarded sword, thinking to himself as he
sheathed it. Froud certainly knew about everything. More than know,
he seemed to be enjoying the spectacle of him struggling through
it. This was the first time he felt his blood stir like this
outside of battle. This was also the first time his consciousness
had been dragged out.
His other consciousness.
Rai impulsively struck the wall. Why was he so worked up over
Froud's words? He felt disgusted just by Froud's existence. His
hair stood on end. Suddenly a pain like heat ran through his right
eye. Rai reflexively held his breath.
"……guh……kh."
It was a sharp, intense pain as if it were being bored into that
same spot for a second time. He fell to his knees, his trembling
hand pressed against his eye patch. Sweat clung to his forehead. He
endured the chills that went through his body next. His vision
flickered blue.
"……damn it."
He clenched his teeth from the pain tormenting all of his
nerves, putting a hand against the wall to stand up. Using the wall
to help him at times with the unending pain, Rai continued through
the alley. He steadied his breathing. At this rate, it would
consume him.
The pain of his right eye—and his own madness.
He saw a cat arguing with someone about something ahead of him.
It was Konoe. He could tell that the pain in his right eye was
receding slightly. Konoe, who had fallen onto the ground, had his
tail grasped by a gray cat. He must have bumped into that bigger
guy. However, Konoe was a young cat, and it was mating season. It
was more than possible that he had gotten mixed up in some
unnecessary trouble. Rai drew his sword, kicked off the ground, and
rushed toward them. He pushed the blade of his long sword against
the gray cat's neck.
"Stop right there. If you don't want your throat slit that
is."
Konoe turned around with a surprised look on his face.
"That's my partner. Hurry up and let him go."
"Damn it. Then put a leash on him, and make sure it's
tight."
The gray cat backed away then ran off. When Konoe tried to lift
himself up, he staggered and fell to the ground on his hands and
knees. Rai grasped Konoe's arm, and pulled him to his feet. This
was the second time today. Konoe looked at him annoyed. His scent
grazed his nose. Rai let out a sigh as if to dispel the heat
trapped in his body before he spoke.
"……stupid cat. I take my eyes off you for one second, and I
never know what mess you're going to get into."
Konoe didn't answer.
"What were you doing anyway?"
"……who cares."
"Are you kidding me?"
Konoe's childish response annoyed him. Even so, the pain in his
right eye was fading.
"Maybe you should ask yourself that."
"What are you talking about?"
"……hey, you."
Konoe looked at Rai. He then let out a sigh as if he had been
holding something inside.
"Enough already. All you do is order me around, and then you
don't even explain yourself. You just use me like it's okay. Am I
wrong? You do whatever you want, so I'm just doing whatever
I want too. Why do I have to be blamed for that?"
Konoe looked right at Rai as he spoke quickly. He didn't think
Konoe felt that way. Even so, he had a feeling Konoe was annoyed
just a little more than usual. Perhaps because he was in heat. Rai
sighed then spoke.
"No. I'm just telling you to think more before you act."
"And I'm just acting on my own decisions."
"You have some nerve saying all that after what just
happened."
"Whatever, it's my body. How I treat it is none of your
business."
"Now you're just arguing to argue."
"No I'm not. Then what about you……"
Their ridiculous argument ended when Konoe got quiet. He lowered
his ears as if he were hesitating about something, looking down at
the ground. He seemed to have started to cool down a bit. Rai also
felt his worked up nerves start to cool. He was agitated because
his tail had been pulled, and ended up criticizing him in that
harsh tone. It was possible that Konoe got angry when he told him
to go home without offering any explanation as to why he had him to
go to the bar with him in the first place. Perhaps Konoe had always
felt this way. Rai slowly opened his mouth.
"The cat I was talking to at the bar was an informant I had been
looking for. I was finally able to catch him from a rumor I heard
about him being in Ransen. That informant had the information I
wanted."
"Information?"
Konoe asked back. Explaining every little thing was becoming a
pain. Konoe probably wouldn't understand with just that though.
"Actually, that informant didn't know himself, but told me about
a cat who knows more details. At a brothel."
"So why didn't you take me with you?"
"I thought it would be easier if I pretended to be a customer by
myself. Besides, now I have to waste time explaining everything to
you. That's all."
Konoe lowered his head.
"Are you satisfied?"
Rai asked before he turned around, starting to walk away. He was
getting a late start because of Froud and Konoe.
"Wait a sec."
Konoe frantically chased after him.
"Where are you going now?"
"To the brothel."
Rai sped up his pace. Konoe's scent was bothering him. If
possible, he'd like to keep his distance.
"……how did you know where I was?"
Konoe called out from behind him.
"You weren't that far from where we parted. Of course I would
find you. If I hadn't gone by, something interesting would have
happened to you."
"Something interesting?"
"After they thoroughly torment you, they'll kill you and throw
you out into the forest, you'll be torn apart then sold to the
tribes in the starving areas for an absurd amount as food. Young
fresh meat goes for a high price."
Rai told him indifferently without turning around.
"Considering the season, it would be suicide."
He referred to mating season ominously. However, Konoe didn't
react much. Could it be he didn't know about mating season? It was
possible since Konoe was young, but he couldn't believe it.
Rai stopped his feet. In front of them was a building that appeared
to be a two-stick remain. There was no other brothel older than the
one there. It was a strange building made of wood and stone with
both pointed and rounded roofs.
"Let's go."
Rai continued walking until he reached the front door. When he
knocked, a small window in the door opened. The eyes of a cat
peeked out from there.
"Who's there?"
"Hinomiya."
That was the password. It was a password that every cat of the
underbelly of the town knew to get into that brothel. The small
window closed, and there was the sound of the door being unlocked.
It opened slowly. The view on the other side of the door was red.
The interior was illuminated by red lights coming from the glass
lamps they used. The carpet and furniture were also red. In the
middle of the spacious room was a staircase that continued on to
the second floor. Konoe looked around nervously, perhaps uneasy in
this red scenery. The cat that closed the door behind them came
towards them as he rubbed his hands together. He had an obviously
fake smile, but all the managers of brothels everywhere were the
same.
"Welcome, welcome. This is……your companion?"
"That's right."
The manager looked at Konoe as if he were estimating his
worth.
"He doesn't look like he's old enough to have done this sort of
erotic play yet……ah, don't tell me you want a threesome, no wait,
perhaps a foursome, no, no, perhaps a five……"
"Mana."
Rai said interrupting the manager. He rubbed his hands together
harder, nodding repeatedly.
"Yes, yes. Mana, then. She's free at the moment. Her room is on
the second floor to the left. Pay the fee afterwards. Well then,
please head to the second floor."
Rai turned away from the manager, and headed towards the stairs.
He sensed Konoe was following behind him a little frantically, he
then headed to the door at the end of the left hall. The second
floor was full of red, the same as first. Rai abruptly pushed the
door open.
"Kya, wait! Couldn't you have at least knocked!? I don't care
what sort of customer you are……"
A female's shrill voice resounded back at them. The room's
interior was rather plain. The light flowing from the lamp was a
normal color, and placed inside was a larger than average bed. A
female cat stood in the center of the room. That female must have
been Mana. Her tail was somewhat puffed out, seemingly upset. There
was a large scar across her cheek. Konoe next to him stared at Mana
in front of them. This must have been the first time this guy had
seen a young female cat.
"Who's that behind you? A kid? Your little brother?"
"……no."
"Well, I don't really care if you brought a kid or whatever.
But, you have some bad tastes."
Mana said with a sharp tone. A brothel was a place for male cats
to indulge in their pleasures after all. Two male cats purchasing
one female cat was certainly as Mana said, in bad taste. However,
he didn't come to have sex with this female cat.
"I don't have business with you personally."
"Huh?"
Mana asked jerking her chin up with a frown on her face, and her
arms crossed.
"I want to ask you something. I'll reward you double. I'll keep
coming until you talk."
Rai said indifferently.
"Stop joking around. Someone like you coming every day would
just disrupt business. And don't call it a reward. It gives me the
creeps."
"If you talk, I'll never come here again."
Mana looked at Rai with a surprised expression. However,
eventually she let out a long sigh as she sat down in a chair.
"Got it. You're so persistent. All I have to do is talk, right?
In exchange, you'll give me double my fee, and never come here
again."
"Of course."
Rai answered then checked on Konoe for only a moment. He was
standing next to Rai, unable to relax. Rai was still somewhat
unsure if Konoe should hear what she had to say.
"So, what do you want to know?"
Rai looked away from Mana briefly then spoke his business.
"There was a demon terrorizing your village. It was given young
females as offerings, right?"
"Aah, so that's what you want to talk about. That's right. I was
one of them. This is from then. Don't you think it's just awful? On
a maiden's face and everything. But, since someone drove that
monster away before it could eat me, I was able to go home
alive."
Mana stroked the scar on her right cheek. The one she spoke of
who fought off that thing before she was eaten was him, and Mana
was that female cat from that time. He never would have guessed she
was that scared, trembling female he saw standing there. Rai
continued to question her as he hid the truth.
"Anything is fine. Tell me everything you remember."
"Even if you tell me that……I couldn't help being afraid, so I
don't really want to remember it……"
Mana put a hand to her chin deep in thought. He could vaguely
understand what meaning those memories of being a sacrifice had for
this female. Of course she wouldn't want to remember them. However,
Mana was relatively calm. Rai continued his words.
"That demon didn't appear in that village. The place where
sacrifices gathered was elsewhere, right?"
Mana lifted her face, she must have remembered something.
"Now that you mention it, that's right. It was."
"Do you remember where?"
Rai immediately asked.
"Do you know the Mirror Lake? I think it's definitely somewhere
in the northern forests, towards the east end. I feel like it was
somewhere around there. In a cave."
The location was definitely a cave. However, it didn't seem like
Mana knew any more than he did.
"……I see. Do you remember anything else?"
"Nothing. The sacrifices were blindfolded in the cave. That's
why I don't remember anything else. All I felt was fear and that I
wanted to run away."
Mana shook her head left and right. Rai brought out the cloth
bag he was carrying, took out some coins, and casually set them at
the edge of the dresser. It was twice her fee. He didn't think that
was enough compensation for this female that was left trembling in
that cave.
"Let's go."
Rai said to Konoe before turning on his heel. However, Konoe was
sitting on the floor as if his knees had given out.
"What's wrong?"
"……nothing."
Konoe answered his question somewhat annoyed. There was no way
it was nothing. Konoe's breath was labored. His eyes were
glossy.
"Huh? This kid……"
Mana gave Konoe a strange look, her lips then formed into a
smile.
"……aah, I see. So that's it."
Mana seemed to notice something unnecessary. She let out a
chuckle.
"What, saying you don't want anything during this season, even
though you're the same too, right? Being on the same wave length is
promising, isn't it?"
"……shut up."
He was annoyed that she was able to guess correctly about what
he had been feeling since last night. Konoe who didn't seem to
understand at all sank to the floor with a hand against his chest
through his clothes.
"You can glare and get angry all you want, but he's in bad shape
right now. You can't convince me otherwise."
Mana stood up, then crouched down next to Konoe. She gently
stroked Konoe's lowered chin.
"Is this your first time? There, there. Poor thing, even your
tail is this fluffy. Tell that eye patch guy to hurry up and make
you feel better."
Konoe looked at Rai as if he couldn't understand what Mana was
telling him at all.
"You still have time, so go ahead. Use the room."
Mana turned to Rai, smiling widely.
"I don't really mind. You paid double anyway. I've just finished
using it earlier."
Mana pat Konoe's head then stood up. She put a hand to the
door.
"I'll tell the manager. See you, and take your time~"
With a wide smile, and a flick of her tail, Mana disappeared
behind the door. Rai looked at Konoe who was still sitting on the
floor. All that echoed through the room was Konoe's rough
breathing. There certainly was some truth to what Mana was saying.
He doubt Konoe would be able to walk in his current state. It would
be troublesome trying to carry him back to the inn emitting the
scent of the heat going through his entire body—but more than that,
it would actually be impossible. It was the same as when he was on
the side of the street earlier. He was close to giving up then
too.
Even so…
Rai let out a sigh as he approached the sitting Konoe. He was
immediately assaulted by Konoe's scent.
"Can you walk?"
Konoe nodded weakly. He grabbed his arm. He had grabbed Konoe by
the arm three times today. Rai pulled him to his feet. He then led
him to the bed in the middle of the room.
"Rest for a bit."
Konoe obediently sat on the bed at Rai's words. Perhaps feeling
relaxed on the soft bed, Konoe let out a long sigh. He then laid
down. He wasn't on his guard at all. Konoe really didn't get it. He
looked at him as he continued to stand by the bed. Konoe suddenly
lifted his face and looked at Rai. He must have felt uncomfortable
with Rai watching him. He spoke.
"……what."
"You seriously don't know?"
Rai asked astounded.
"What?"
Konoe asked back with a rough sigh.
"The number of cats walking around outside was less than usual
today, right?"
Konoe gave him a puzzled look.
"……because it's mating season."
"Huh?"
He could tell from the words he asked back that Konoe knew less
than he expected.
"The season starts right before winter, it started maybe the day
before yesterday, but it happens twice a year. It's different for
everyone, but the waves are especially high today. The cats that
don't want to be forced to fall victim to it, refrain from going
outside."
Konoe looked surprised as he listened to his explanation.
"They didn't teach you that in your village? Usually people
start around your age."
He was a little surprised that Konoe really didn't know anything
about being in heat. Just what sort of life did Konoe have in
Karou?
"You said the waves are high today, but not everyone is going to
be in heat, right?"
Konoe really didn't seem to know anything about being heat,
about his own actions—or about their compatibility.
"I told you it's different for everyone. Then there's
compatibility."
"Compatibility?"
"For example, lovers who are compatible wouldn't be able to
resist. Sometimes they just have to be on the same wave length
though."
He had heard that even male cats can go into heat with the same
sex if they're compatible enough. That's why even though he didn't
hold any special feelings for Konoe, he wanted to touch him more
than anything right now. Was this just lust, or something else?
They were a pair, their bond strengthened by a song, and since
their bond was strengthened, he figured being joined physically
wouldn't be all that unusual. However, was that really it? Wasn't
this just lust?
"If there's a cat on the same wave length nearby, they'll both
feel their heat strongly."
Rai told him as he sat on the bed. Being near him seemed to make
Konoe's scent standout even more. That scent smelled nothing but
sweet. He touched Konoe's tail gently. He gasped.
"……you too?"
Konoe asked confused.
"Are you in pain?"
Rai asked back without answering his question. Konoe nodded a
little.
"I'm sure you already know, but there's a way to feel
better."
Rai told him. He felt lost again. This wasn't his first mating
season. However, he had never lusted after a particular person like
this before. He also wasn't sure if it was right to do this sort of
thing with Konoe who was completely new to it all. Konoe looked at
him with wavering eyes. If he was going to resist, it was better to
just wait until this heat dispersed on its own. However—Konoe
didn't protest. He took his lowered head as confirmation. Rai put
his hands to his coat and took it off. He then placed his swords to
the side. He wasn't going to take off his clothes. Konoe also
awkwardly took off the coat he was wearing. His fingertips were
trembling. Rai placed his hand on Konoe's cheek. His body clearly
tense.
"Don't think too much about it. You should think of it as a
drastic measure to heal your affliction."
Rai told him. It was something he was also trying to tell
himself. The hand on Konoe's cheek wrapped around his neck, and
pulled him closer. Konoe's head was on his shoulder now. His body
wouldn't move, as if he were frozen in place. He could feel his
warmth wherever he touched him. There were two black sash-like
cloths on the small shelf next to the bed. They seemed to have been
intentionally placed there to use during sex with the prostitutes.
Rai reached out and grabbed the sashes. He covered the eyes that
were looking at him in surprise.
"What are you doing……!?"
"Keep still."
Konoe raised his voice in protest as he tied the sash behind his
head.
"Why……"
"Don't take it off."
When Konoe tried to undo the knot behind his head, he grabbed
both of his hands and pulled them away. He then tied them with the
other sash.
"Take them off! Why are you doing this……"
He once again pulled the complaining Konoe's body closer to him.
He could still feel the warmth from his shoulders.
"If you get violent I won't be able to make you feel better—if
you don't like it, then you should think about someone other than
me."
He whispered into Konoe's ear. His body was still tense. His
back was covered in sweat. That back moved as he let out a deep
breath. He felt his nerves relax just a little. Rai ran his lips
softly up his neck. He stuck out his tongue to lick him, Konoe
shook in surprise. His bound hands moved to press against Rai's
chest. It wasn't like he couldn't move the arms he had tied in
front of him to at least that extent. Rai loosened Konoe's lower
clothes, and rolled up the hem of his top. Perhaps surprised when
his stomach was touched, he grasped Rai's hand. Konoe's hands were
hot. Rai stopped his movements.
"……cold."
He didn't listen to his quiet protesting. Rai ran his hand from
his stomach up to his chest. The feel of his skin was nice. Every
time he moved his hand, Konoe's body trembled.
"……I said you're cold……ah……!"
He interrupted his words halfway through, grasped Konoe's
shoulder, and pushed him down into the bed onto his stomach.
Pressing his body gently onto his back, Konoe's scent became even
stronger than before. He ran his tongue up the nape of his
neck.
"Wait, just wait……haa……kh."
His hand slipped under his top, and stroked his chest. Konoe let
out sweet sighs.
"Wai……ngh……!"
Konoe tried to speak, but he gave his ear a small bite.
"Hold still. I'll make you feel better soon."
Konoe squirmed wanting to say something. He then moved to bite
Rai's chin. Rai took in a short breath. Konoe let out a growl. He
seemed to be upset about something.
"You're always like this……you always decide things for
yourself."
He could tell Konoe was angry even through the blindfold. He
wasn't just deciding this for himself. He questioned him back.
"Then what do you want?"
Even if he had his own desires, he wasn't showing them. Konoe
got quiet. He spoke only what he felt without thinking. Konoe was a
child. Rai bit his chin then looked up.
"What do you want me to do to you?"
Konoe turned his face away at his questioning words. Feeling
only the faintest amount of anger from him, Rai stroked Konoe's
abdomen.
"Mn……"
A sweet sigh escaped from the mouth that only a moment ago was
complaining.
"It would only be rough for you if we stopped now."
Konoe squirmed. He pressed his forehead against his bound hands,
trying to suppress his breathing, but he couldn't hide the rough
sighs that escaped from his mouth. Rai stared closely at Konoe.
"Isn't there someone you hold dear to your heart? You should
think about them."
Konoe stopped his movements at the words spoken to him. He must
have been trying to think of someone. However…Konoe propped himself
up with both his hands, twisted his upper body, and brought his
face close. Lips touched his cheek. It was an awkward kiss. Konoe
ran his tongue across his cheek, trying to find his lips. He didn't
say a word. Rai probably didn't need to exchange words with him
either. He grasped Konoe's chin tightly, kissing him deeply. He
stroked his lips with his tongue. When their tongues met, sweet
shocks ran through his body. When their lips parted, Konoe's body
crumbled onto the blanket. He then reached between his legs in that
position. He directly touched the heat sending out the sighs from
inside his body. It was like a mass of warmth. He slowly took out
Konoe's member, stroking it as he grasped it lightly. Konoe pushed
his face into the blanket, thrusting out his hips. He started to
gasp. He grabbed the tip of Konoe's swaying tail and let out his
breath by his ear. Clear fluids seeped out from Konoe's cock,
dripping onto the blanket and Rai's hand.
"Ah……uwh……"
That should be enough.
Rai stopped moving his hand before taking it away. He slipped
his now wet finger into Konoe's tight opening.
"……kh……!"
Konoe's body tensed. When he tried to lift his upper body, he
bit his ear. He then used his other hand to hold Konoe's body from
behind. He buried his fingertip further inside. Konoe resisted. It
was a place that males instinctively feared accepting any sort of
heat.
"……what are you doing……!?"
Konoe's bound hands clenched into fists. He whispered into his
ears lowered in fear.
"Relax."
He licked that ear. The moment Konoe's tension relaxed, he
slipped his finger further inside.
"……aah."
Konoe let out a sweet sigh.
"……kh……haa……!"
He was extremely hot inside. The twitching flesh inside wrapped
around his finger. Every time his finger tip groped around inside
him, Konoe's tail swayed as he let out a sound. His finger rubbed
inside him slowly. His entrance pulled tightly around the joints of
his finger.
"……ah……"
Konoe's body jerked. Up front, clear drops were falling from his
cock. He wrapped his hand around that heat and stroked it.
"……n…..a-ah, aah….."
He wondered if Konoe knew he was moving his own hips. Rai
increased the amount of fingers buried inside of Konoe's body. It
had no problem taking in two fingers, and seemed to be getting even
hotter. His warm insides squeezed around his two fingers. Konoe's
tail stroked Rai's arm a little. He stopped the movements of his
fingers. He also took his hand away that was covering his
member.
"……haa……"
Konoe let out a small sigh. Rai grabbed the base of Konoe's tail
as he then pushed his own heat against Konoe's opening. Konoe's
body tried to move away as if he were afraid. However, Rai held him
back from behind. Rai slowly moved his hips forward. When he passed
through his narrow opening, Konoe let out a lovely voice, almost
screaming.
"……uuwh, ah……kh!!"
His twitching inner walls wrapped around Rai's cock, and gave
him unbelievable pleasure. It was tight, but he didn't feel much
resistance. Once he finished burying himself inside of him, he
noticed his breathing had become awfully elevated. His insides were
squirming. Waves of pleasure crashed through the core of his body.
Konoe suddenly, but slowly turned toward him. Just that small
movement brought him more pleasure. He didn't know what those
blindfolded eyes were looking for.
"……what?"
He was a little shocked by the hoarseness of his own voice.
Konoe stretched out his neck as he continued to be penetrated. The
tip of his nose touched his cheek. He then spoke.
"………Rai."
It shook Rai for some reason. As he tried to hide his surprise,
he grabbed Konoe's tail and bit the tip.
"………………idiot."
He muttered. Was Konoe trying to tell him he wasn't doing this
with just anyone? Konoe didn't say a word. Rai didn't say anything
either. He didn't know what words he should say to begin with.
However, all he could think about now was telling him whatever he
needed to with his own heat. Rai rammed his hips against Konoe's
body.
"……aah……ha……!"
He bore through his tight insides as his emotions welled up.
Konoe's body tensed as he searched for the spot that would make him
feel even better. He thrust at that spot.
"……ngh……ah, stop……no……"
Konoe let out a wheezing sound when he breathed, as if he were a
child with a cold.
"If you don't like it, should we stop?"
He whispered into his ear. Konoe's dripping secretions began to
stain the blanket. Perhaps unable to speak, Konoe just shook his
head. He grasped his slick member, and traced up his neck with his
tongue.
"D-Don't touch me……ha……ah……!"
Konoe's body jumped. When he teased the tip, Konoe tried to move
his body away from him. Holding his arms down, Rai sped up his
hips. He had felt for just a moment that he wanted to touch Konoe's
body—that must have been because he was in heat.
"Ha……a-aah……I can't…….mn……!"
His entrance squeezed tightly around him, almost making it
difficult to move. Konoe must have been close to his limit.
However, Rai was the same. The heat inside of Rai swelled,
stimulating him. Each time it happened, he grasped Konoe's cock.
His body shook, white fluid spurting out from the tip. Squeezing
tighter and tighter around him, Rai immediately followed after him,
releasing his own pleasure inside of Konoe.
"……ha……haa……"
Once he let out his heat, Konoe collapsed onto the blanket. His
back covered in sweat moved up and down with his disheveled
breathing. Rai removed himself from him, grabbed a cloth placed on
the same place as the sashes, and wiped his body. Konoe's breathing
was still heavy. When he removed the blindfold, Konoe covered his
eyes with his still bound hands, most likely because it was too
bright. Rai rearranged his clothes beside him. He felt unusually
empty after releasing his heat. Konoe lifted his upper body. He
felt awkward meeting his gaze.
"Use that thing over there. Here."
He tossed the cloth he pointed out on the small table next to
the bed at him. He wouldn't make eye contact with Konoe. Without
watching him start to wipe his body, Rai picked up his coat that
had fallen onto the floor.
"Hurry up and get ready. Let's get out of here before that
female comes back."
Rai told him when he stood up. He wondered why—he didn't make
time to sympathize with Konoe that just received the body of
another cat for the first time. When he put his hand against the
door, Konoe stopped.
What an awful face he's making, he thought.
"……what's wrong?"
"……nothing."
He turned around, but that was all Konoe said as he averted his
gaze.
Later that night, Konoe wrapped himself in his blanket earlier
than usual. It had been awkward since they returned from the
brothel. They hadn't exchanged many words. It was awkward—even
though it didn't need to be. Rai scoffed at himself. Even if Konoe
was still avoiding him, there was no need for Rai to avoid him.
Konoe was clearly avoiding him. He was easy to figure out as usual.
He seemed to bathe as soon as they got back. He must have felt
uncomfortable in the places he touched him. He was a little
offended, but he could understand the awkwardness he felt seeing
the cat he had his first experience of being in heat with. Rai
started to tend to his sword as he watched Konoe's back wrapped up
in his blanket. Konoe's heat seemed to have died down quite a bit.
Perhaps because he had bathed, that scent that had been exciting
Rai's body was gone. Rai finished tending his sword, and sheathed
it. He then approached the sleeping Konoe. His breathing was
somewhat rough, and his brows were knit. He must have had a fever—.
Rai touched Konoe's cheek softly. Just as he thought, he was
feverish. Taking a male cat's body like that must have been
exhausting. He didn't really know since he had never been taken by
anyone before. Besides, it was his first time having sex with a
male cat, or maybe it was because it was his first time in heat. He
couldn't remember his first time very well. Rai figured he should
have him drink some medicine, but even though he had medicine for
wounds, he realized he didn't have anything to lower fevers in his
supplies. In that case, he had no choice but to go buy some in the
town. Rai got dressed and left the room. Halfway down the stairs,
he saw Bardo at the counter for once, Rai clicked his tongue. Most
likely hearing him, Bardo lifted his face.
"Yo."
"……"
He continued down the stairs silently, and headed towards the
door without looking at the counter.
"How's Konoe?"
He stopped his feet when he was spoken to.
"What are you talking about?"
He asked without turning to him.
"Konoe's sleeping, right?"
"It has nothing to do with you."
"You guys went out even with Konoe in heat like that, and when
you came back his eyes were glossy and he said he was going to take
a bath, on top of that his heat seemed to have died down. Plus,
you've been in heat since yesterday, and came back with Konoe
looking pretty refreshed. So I can't think he was with anyone else
other than you……"
"Shut up."
His voice tinged with laughter annoyed him. He threw his short
sword toward Bardo without facing him. The short sword made a dull
sound as it pierced the wall behind him. He knew that sword hadn't
hit him.
"Bull's-eye, huh?"
Bardo wore a smile on his face. It was the same smile from back
then.
"If an overly sensitive cat like him does it with a cat he's
compatible with during mating season, he's definitely going to
break out into a fever."
He didn't know that. However, even though he didn't know what he
should do, obviously there was no way he could ask him to explain
it to him. Rai continued to glare at Bardo without a word. The
smile on Bardo's face disappeared.
"……still impossible, huh."
His voice was low.
"……what are you talking about?"
"I know I did something bad. That hasn't changed now. But, so
much time has passed since then. You could at least talk to me
normally……"
Rai turned his gaze away from Bardo.
"Who knows. I have no idea what you're talking about."
That was a lie. Was he really unable to forgive him—Bardo, who
had once tried to offer his own body to a devil, even now? He
didn't know.
"Rai……"
"Anyway, don't ever show your face around me again."
As soon as he told him that, Bardo's serious expression smoothly
returned to a smiling face.
"You're the one who showed up here, aren't you?"
Bardo stood up, turned around, and took the short sword out of
the wall. He then pierced that sword into the counter.
"Well, maybe not. Is Konoe really that important to you?"
"I don't know what you mean."
Rai answered coming towards the counter. He took out the short
sword, and put it back into its scabbard. This was the closest he
had ever been to Bardo since they started staying at this inn.
Bardo looked into Rai's face before he started to speak. As usual,
he was long-winded. He hadn't changed from long ago.
"If Konoe hadn't said you had to, you wouldn't be staying in my
inn. In other words, you care more about what Konoe has to say than
your issues with me."
"That's because I didn't think we'd find another inn during the
festival."
"What a childish excuse."
Bardo's hand touched Rai's chin.
"You never really showed your childish side from the start. So
I'm glad I got to see it."
"Don't touch me."
Rai brushed Bardo's hand away, and dropped his gaze to the
floor. He then questioned him in a quiet voice.
"……do you have any medicine?"
"Medicine? To relieve fevers? What, Konoe really does have a
fever?"
Bardo shrugged his shoulders.
"I've never been able to stomach that part of you."
Bardo let out a laugh at his words.
"I have medicine, but if he has a fever, it'll go down on its
own soon. That's right, you should try grooming him."
"Grooming him?"
He asked back reflexively.
"He just got a fever since his nerves are all worked up. Once he
relaxes, the fever will go down."
He knew what Bardo was telling him wasn't wrong. Bardo had
taught him more than his parents. If what Bardo had taught him was
wrong, he probably wouldn't be alive right now.
"……got it."
"Good boy."
He knew it would be pointless to object to the words said to him
as he started to walk away.
When he returned to the room, Konoe was still asleep wrapped up
in his blanket. Rai let out a small sigh when he approached the
bed. Grooming was a sign of affection for cats. He could use being
in heat as an excuse for sex, but he had no excuse for grooming
him. It was something a parent would do for a child, or siblings
for each other—or lovers. He told Bardo without thinking that he
understood, but he didn't know if he should do this sort of thing
with Konoe. Besides, even if Bardo said it would relax him, could
grooming really calm his nerves? Rai stared at Konoe. He remembered
wanting to touch him, just for a moment, while he was in heat, but
a thought crossed his mind that it wasn't like he didn't
want to touch Konoe either.
Rai.
Konoe had certainly called out his name quietly. Even though he
blindfolded him, even though he took away the freedom of his hands,
even though he told him to think about someone else, he called his
name. Rai looked into Konoe's face, his eyes still closed as he
touched his forehead softly. He was still hot. It was a terrible
fever. Rai brought his face close then gently licked his ear. He
licked his ear slowly, thoroughly, much more gently than he treated
himself. It was sort of a strange feeling. It wasn't just Konoe, it
was also calming his own nerves. He had never groomed anyone
before. No one had ever groomed him like this either. No—long ago,
when he was really young, he had a feeling—his mother had. His
mother just hid in the shadow of his strict father, so he didn't
have any memories of her being kind to him. Even though he
shouldn't, he remembered his mother grooming him. He didn't
normally try to remember his mother. Whenever he did, he'd be
engulfed in red, overlapping with his cold father, so he didn't try
to remember them like this. This was a terribly peaceful—warmth. A
warmth……different from before. Rai closed his eyes. It was
completely different from this warmth. Rai licked Konoe's other ear
with his eyes still closed. Konoe's scent was comforting. It was a
different scent from the one when he was in heat. Rai licked his
ear carefully. Konoe who was groaning from his fever earlier was
now calm. Once he was done with his ears, next would be his cheek.
When he opened his closed eyes, Rai licked slowly up from his chin
to around his eyes. Konoe's down hair was much lighter and softer
than his own. He hadn't noticed when he wanted to touch Konoe's
body so badly a few hours ago. The tip of his tongue brushed
against the corner of his mouth. Those lips he had stolen at that
time opened slightly. Konoe squirmed. In that moment, Rai's tongue
slipped through Konoe's lips. That brief movement of his tongue
during that recoil must have woken him up. Rai moved away from his
body. Konoe's body tensed as he curled up. It was like he was
refusing him. Why—did he listen to Bardo? Why did he do something
that only cats with an intimate relationship did?
It was stupid—.
His chest was stirring. Rai turned away from Konoe's bed, and
left the room. He felt uncomfortable. It was like he was running
away from him. Rai leaned against the closed door, and looked out
the window in the hallway. He couldn't see the moon from that
window. Rai returned to the room after a little while. Konoe seemed
to be sleeping well. Even though Rai thought it was his own actions
that had made him uneasy, it was just his fever. He must have
fallen asleep immediately. His breath while he slept wasn't as
rough as before. Feeling somewhat relieved, Rai laid down on his
bed. His body was exhausted, but he didn't really feel like
sleeping. Every once in a while he'd sit up and look out the
window. The Moon of Shadows was looking down at Rai. He didn't hate
looking up at the moon. He had the feeling he could look at it
forever. The bluish gray light of the Moon of Shadows was broken
apart by the numerous clouds.
He suddenly felt a disturbance. The hair all over his body stood on
end. There was something in the tree next to the window. Perhaps
noticing it too, Konoe woke up.
"Get down."
Rai told him without turning around. The shadow wavered. He
jumped out of bed and grasped his long sword. A loud sound came
from the overgrowth of the tree. The shadow charged toward the
window. The shadow was a cat whose face was covered by something
like a mask. At almost the same time, Rai kicked off the bed and
jumped out the window. Their swords clashed. Their balance
crumbled. The shadow fell to the ground. Once they landed, they
both jumped out at the same time, their swords clashing once again.
His opponent was quite skilled. Rai didn't think he was the target
of his attack. He must have been one of Leaks's pursuers. He held
his breath. Their swords smashed against each other again. From the
force of his attack Rai could tell they were pretty evenly matched.
If he relaxed his hand even a little, he would probably end up
receiving that sword. At that moment, he heard a song. He
reflexively looked up—at the window of the room Konoe should have
been in. He saw Konoe singing from the window. It was gentle song.
A white light enveloped Rai's body. The moment Rai thought he
didn't understand Konoe at all—the cat in front of him swung his
sword down. He didn't have time to think about that right now.
Luckily, his opponent didn't have a Sanga. He knew he could drive
away his opponent with his own sword. Rai kicked the cat's chest
hard. His opponent failed to dodge it. He reflexively knocked away
the sword from the cat who lost his balance. The cat's sword fell
from his hand. He immediately scooted back. Rai slowly approached
the cat to close the distance between them. The match seemed to be
over. However, at that moment, the cat jumped. He leaped toward him
with a growl, his teeth and claws bared. Those claws—grazed his
right eye. He felt feverish. He gasped. His vision was covered with
the color of blood. He could no longer hear the song. Rai let out a
quiet laugh. His opponent stepped back at his unusual behavior. Rai
rushed toward him. The distance between him and the cat narrowed
all at once as he let out a roar. He then pierced the cat's throat
with his sword. There wasn't even enough time for his opponent to
scream. He looked away as blood spurt out from the cat's throat,
and mouth. Blood fell in drops from the tip of his sword sticking
out from the back of his neck. Rai pulled his sword out from the
cat. His body crumbled. Rai licked the blood dripping from his
sword. It had the warm taste of red metal.
"……his blood is sweet."
Rai muttered, the light returning to his eye.
What was that just now?
He didn't understand the meaning of the words he mumbled. Rai's
gaze raced around his surroundings. He smelled a strange scent. A
raw smell. Fallen at his feet was the corpse of a cat still
convulsing slightly. A red stream flowed from his split throat. The
sword he was grasping was coated in blood. He had no memory of any
of this. He remembered his opponent swinging his hand at him. His
right eye ached. He touched his eye patch with the tips of his
fingers. There were traces he had received a blow. Rai knit his
brows, and let out a sigh to steady his breathing. His blood had
been stirring since earlier. He had been starting to lose his
memories—ever since he met Konoe. He felt impatient. Rai's tail
swung wide as he clicked his tongue.
"……damn it……!"
Devastated, he thrust his sword into the ground. He gripped the
handle tightly, a violent flame welled up inside him. The body of
his opponent had already stopped convulsing. His eyes were opened
wide. He couldn't just leave it there. This was the middle of town.
It would definitely cause a scene. The forest around Ransen had yet
to be encroached by the Void. He could probably bury it there. At
the very least, he wanted to show the body some respect. Rai
approached the corpse so he could pick it up, but at that
moment…
"You can't go against the desires of your heart. Haven't you
realized that yet?"
He turned his gaze toward the direction of the voice. Froud was
standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the trunk of a
tree. Just seeing him there made him uneasy.
"……how long have you been there?"
He asked in a low voice.
"The whole time. You didn't notice? I must be pretty impressive
for a cat not to notice me, even though they're normally so
sensitive to presences."
Froud lifted his body from the trunk of the tree, approaching
Rai as he floated in midair. His body melting into the night, with
only his exposed mouth warped into a smile, was creepy.
"I saw it all. From the beginning to the end, aaall of it.
Fufu.
Froud's suggestive tone made Rai glare at him sharply.
"……just what are you thinking?"
His breathing was a little painful. Rai continued his words
after letting out a short sigh.
"What are you planning?"
"What am I planning for what?"
"Don't play dumb."
Rai removed the sword from the ground he pierced and aimed it at
him.
"Fufu."
Froud's wiry black tail swayed as he smiled a toothy grin.
"You're the one who's playing dumb. You've come alive today.
Amazing. You're shining brightly……soon you won't be able to hide it
anymore, right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You're going to make me tell you? The answer has fallen over
there."
Froud's slender, pointed chin jerked towards Rai's feet. It was
the corpse of the cat whose blood was still flowing from his
wound.
"I understand how you feel very well, white kitty-chan. You want
warmth, don't you? A warmth closer, and deeper than any other. That
surely resides inside of the living."
Froud swung one arm down. With the sharp sound of wind, a
scythe-like blade appeared from his wrist to his elbow. With the
tip of that blade, Froud scooped up the blood flowing from the
corpse of the cat, and once again lifted his arm. Red drops fell
from the shiny white of his blade.
"It's still warm. It still has the warmth of life burning in
it."
"……stop."
Rai looked away.
"You know what I'm talking about though."
Froud's voice was low. It was a sharp voice different from the
frivolous tone he had been using up until then. Rai reflexively
looked at Froud's face. He couldn't make out his expression because
of his mask.
"……fufu."
Froud immediately went back to his usual self as he laughed. He
then brought the blade in his arm to his mouth. He licked at the
drops of blood. Rai frowned and narrowed his eyes. It looked like a
ritual held in bad taste.
"Why did you appear before me?"
"Because it's fun, of course."
Froud said as he licked the blood clinging to the corners of his
mouth.
"Don't mess with me."
"Seriously."
Froud frowned as if he had said something unthinkable.
"It's really fun messing with you though. You excite me. It's a
great way to kill time."
"You're an eyesore, get out of my sight."
"Once we take care of Leaks. Until then, you're my toy."
He felt like punching Froud who intentionally chose words to hit
a nerve. He knew he was provoking him, anger churned in the depths
of his stomach.
"The hair on your tail is standing on end. Are you angry? Fufu,
what, it's just for a little longer. You should realize it soon.
It's pointless to lie about it, right? You can't deny your
instinctual desires with cheap excuses. Humans were the same way.
At that time……"
Froud stretched out one arm then bent it toward him with some
force. The wind coiled up with that movement. The wind wrapped
around the corpse of the fallen cat in front of him, and lifted him
up.
"As long as it's all right with you, I'll welcome you. Whenever
you feel like coming to me, I'll welcome you any time, okay?"
Froud clad in glossy black took the corpse in his arms as he
spoke.
"……what do you mean?"
"Just what I said."
Froud shrugged his shoulders, starting to slowly float away as
he held onto the corpse.
"What do you plan on doing with that guy?"
"You were going to bury him, right? I'll do it for you. For
free. More importantly, why don't you hurry on back to your
room?"
"……room?"
"Your precious kitten has used up all his strength and passed
out. How pitiful."
Konoe's singing voice crossed his mind. He forced himself to
sing even in his feverish state. Thanks to him he was able to
settle things with ease, but he didn't tell him to sing to that
extent. His opponent wasn't paired, so it would have been possible
for him to face him alone. He unconsciously clicked his tongue. Rai
turned away from Froud above him in the sky, and started to walk
away. His figure wrapped in moonlight floated high into the sky.
The way he held the corpse in his arms made him look like a god of
death. Rai looked away and headed back to the inn.
"I wonder when you'll realize it……"
Froud's whisper didn't reach Rai's ears.
When he returned to the room, Konoe was passed out by the
window. Rai lifted Konoe up and laid him on the bed. His skin was
surprisingly hot to the touch. There was a light sweat clinging to
him. He was an idiot for singing while he had a fever. He could
have won without that song—without Konoe's song. He wondered absent
mindedly if singing while he had a fever meant their bond had
deepened somehow. Even though their bond was deepened, his own
affliction had also deepened. Rai gently licked Konoe's neck. He
squirmed. Earlier he had regretted grooming Konoe like that, but
now Rai didn't hesitate. He tended to him carefully from his chest
up. Konoe groaned, but Rai didn't stop his movements. He didn't
seem to be waking up. Rai lifted his body and wrapped him tightly
in his blanket. If he still had a fever by tomorrow he would have
to give him some medicine. Rai sat on his own bed and looked out
the window. He always looked up at the moon on the nights he
couldn't sleep. The night wind creeping in from the widow brushed
against his cheek. The silver light emitting from the moon shined
brightly on Rai. The cold air flowing in from the window made it
really feel like winter had arrived. He suddenly thought the cold
wind probably wouldn't be good for Konoe's fever, and closed the
window. The guiding leaf faintly illuminated the interior of the
room, so it wasn't all that dark. Rai knit his brows, closed his
eyes and let out a deep sigh. There was an uneasiness in the corner
of his heart. It was like there was a black fog taking over inside.
Hearing the faint sleeping breath inside of the silence, Rai turned
his gaze to the bed next to his.
There was what Froud had said—himself covered in blood, and then
Konoe.
Don't hesitate.
Kill it.
What?
This impulse.
This impulse of madness.
Even if he were to be consumed by a pitch black madness, the
moon would continue to shine on him without change, Rai thought as
he looked at the moon he could no longer see.
|
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