World Record Chapter 95

95. Talk under the moonlit night

I suddenly hear footsteps from behind.
Tears have stopped flowing.
The lamentation has also became quiet.

I turn around slowly.
–Who on earth is behind me?
Is it a member of the Special Forces who happen to be here?
Is it the girl who chased me in order to not let me run away?
Or–

「……Eh?」

Seeing the appearance, I leaked such voice.
Fluttering red hair.
Black coat, and a katana on her waist.
She looks at my face, and frowns a little.
Why is she here?
Why at this place and time?
She faces me who have questions overflowing.

「Iwato. Accompany me for a while」

She–Nakajima Tomomi.
Nee-san said such words.

The place she took me to–was my house.
Even if I’m pathetic, it’s the house I ran away from barefooted.
The house which I kicked open the door and ran away while enduring my tears.

「……Nee-san, here is–」
「Your house. I don’t know what happened, but the door is broken」

Saying that while shaking her shoulders.
I can feel her presence from the house.
In other words, Nee-san should have realized the presence.

「You see, today, I was ordered by your mother to investigate you」

I choked upon hearing that.
My chest starts to hurt and my mind blanks out.

「Just a while ago, I came here because I heard you were in your house. Then, I saw you running out of the house crying. So I left the 『something』 inside the house because it seems to be dangerous, and chased after you, but……」

–I was crying.
My ears became hot by the fact that I was seen, but I quickly recall that now is a critical situation.
–Nakajima Tomomi.
A sister-like existence who I knew ever since childhood, my subordinate, and above all, she’s also Kaa-san’s subordinate.
She is quite strong, and depending on the situation, she has the potential to even defeat a high ranked Unknown. Currently, depending on the affinity, she’s one of the few Special Forces’ member who can even fight against a Divine Beast cla.s.s Unknown.
If such her faced that girl–
Upon thinking, I stand ready, but

「Don’t worry, I wont do anything in particular」

As if she read my mind, she said so and showed a smile.

「One presence. I noticed it when I came here, but the presence is too big that it’s like the source doesn’t know how to conceal it. As if a presence of a child who has powerful ability. ……So the reason why you are troubled and cried like this but still, sheltering it is–because the opponent is not a bad guy, right?」

Saying that, she pats my head gently.

「Seriously, this brat…… What kind of trouble are you holding this time? An atrocious criminal? A ma.s.s murderer? Either way, it’s surely a trouble, but for now, I have no intention to contact your mother from the start. Or rather, I don’t even intend to meet her today. Today, I only wanted to have a little talk with you」

For a moment, I think whether I should believe or not.
However, the reason why I walked before thinking is most likely because I want to consult her so that I can feel ease.
……Or I
just wanted to believe that she’s my ally.

The door that should be kicked open.
Although being something broken, it barely returned to its spot. Although I thought maybe it’s Nee-san who did it……suddenly, the figure of that girl pa.s.sed my mind.
I open the door. The lock is already broken. It should work if I use a restore bullet on it later.
The darkness that continues further.
The lights are not turned on. I don’t feel her presence from the first floor.
Her presence……is as expected, from that room at the second floor.

「……Fuu」

I breathe out softly.

「Sorry for intruding」

Saying that, she took off her shoes and entered.

A few minutes later.
I go to the corridor facing the garden alone.
Leaving the window open, I sit on the corridor.
Nee-san just left after saying that 『I’ll go buy some canned coffees』. There’s a vending machine nearby, so she should return soon.
If she reports about it like this…… Then, I will deal with it at that time. If she’s not trustworthy, then, nothing can be hidden completely.

「Haa……」

When I look at the night sky, I can see the starry sky and the huge full moon.
The snow is still falling brilliantly, and I can hear the sound of stepping the snow along with my sigh.

「Here, I bought the hot one」

Saying that, she sits next to me while holding two canned coffees.

「……Well, I’m not in a mood for that now」

I returned the given canned coffee.
I don’t feel like drinking anything.
Even eating.
If I eat something now, I will definitely vomit.
Such sick feeling circles inside my body.

「……I see」

Nee-san who muttered softly, smiled for some reason.
I feel something similar to anger in her smile. Why can this person smile when I’m this suffering?
She looks at me. Her smile became stronger.

「What an unimaginable line from a person who was a mechanical man a while ago」

……Mechanical man.
I wanted to talk back, but……I couldn’t.
Probably because it’s true.

「Say, Iwato. Are you sheltering…an Unknown?」

I opened my eyes wide by those words.
To her who have seen my face ever since childhood, my reaction was probably too obvious.

「The moment I felt that it’s not like a human’s presence after entering, I thought, but……this is really a trouble. A troublesome seed that may make the whole Special Forces become your enemy」
「……I know…that much」

I can hear the sound of the canned coffee’s tab pulled up.
And she drinks the coffee.
Then, after a few seconds, she starts to talk after taking a breath.

「Unknowns are the enemies of humanity. The pests that must be destroyed and exterminated, is it?」

That’s Kaa-san’s theory.
Kaa-san’s parents were killed by Unknowns.
That’s why, she held a special hatred towards Unknowns, and this hatred gave birth to this theory.
Thinking about it at this point, I can understand.
On the contrary, why didn’t I notice that this theory was too extreme up until now…… When thinking so, as expected, the answer is

「……It’s something you would know if you think a little. That your mother is a little extreme」

Because I never thought so.
I just followed without thinking on my own.
I cast my eyes down unintentionally. I feel like I’m going to cry again.
Nee-san will probably deny me. After all, I continued to make mistakes up until now.
Nee-san drinks the coffee again, and breathes out.

「……Well, that thinking is not exactly wrong」
「……Eh?」

I raised my face instinctively upon hearing the unexpected words.
Not exactly……wrong?
I became bewildered.

「Normally, Unknowns are existences without will. Sacred Beast cla.s.s is the one that acts with little ego, intelligence, and reason. And so, Divine Beast cla.s.s reaches the same level with us humans, or maybe higher. Among it, there’s a special mention–the humanoid you fought, seems to be an irregular」

–Humanoid.
I mutter unintentionally.

「Shuten……douji」
「Yeah. The first humanoid Unknown found in human history. Having will, ego, reason and intelligence. An existence not discovered up until now」

She said that and drank the coffee.
The gulping sound resounds, and then, she breathes out.

「Thinking from the present condition, the reason why you became like this is because you killed Shutendouji who has no great difference to a human, with your own hands. And so, from the fact that the Unknown upstairs is not moving at all, the possibility of it being a humanoid is very high……」

She who said that, shut her mouth just before saying the answer.
The sound of touching the empty can resounded softly.
However, she immediately breathes out and–

「……Daughter or son, which one?」

She’s an acknowledged genius.
Even with her age, she doesn’t have a great superpower, but in fact, she’s sitting on the humanity’s No.3 seat. That’s why, she’s definitely different than me who only has superpower.
If I gave her this much hints……well, of course she would know.

「Probably, a girl」
「Uhaa……That’s pretty serious」

Saying that, she held her head.
Upon seeing her state, I

「……What do you think I should do?」

decided to throw the question that was always in my mind.
I think over it the whole time.
That I want to run away. Even now, I want to run away.
While subduing such feelings, I kept thinking.
What’s the best thing to do?

「What should you do……huh」

She repeated the question.
She straightens herself and looks at me.

「You thought about it, right? What do you want? Iwato」
「……I」

I……don’t know.
I kept thinking, but I couldn’t find the answer.
I know that it’s not good to seek for an answer from humans.
But I–

「I don’t know……but. I think……that if nothing is done, it’s not good」

If this goes on, I feel that it’s going to be bad.
Even if I need someone to tell me the answer.
I feel that I must do something.
Not for my sake.

「……For…the girl」

For the girl’s sake.
Nee-san who heard my words, smiled.

「What, you know it after all!」

Saying that, she hugged me.
Her face gets close instantly, and I can feel her breath.
However, rather than feeling embarra.s.sed……I feel comfortable in her warmth.

「You see, Iwato. You killed her father. Accept that fact. No matter how hard it is, no matter how painful it is, accept the fact–and take responsibility」

–Responsibility.
The word felt heavy.

「If you killed her father, then, at least, live with that girl as much as how long she lived together with her father. Raise the girl with your own hands until she becomes an adult. Postpone your death. After the girl grew up, if she reach the point that she can live without you one day, at that time, you can die. At that time, I will cry for you in confidence」

Saying that, she smiled.

「Isn’t it good? You have been fighting alone, right? You have fought alone in order to protect us. There are many lives saved by you. The live you saved is here」

She struck her fist to her chest.
By her figure and words, my vision distorts.

「You are a murderer. That sin will not vanish, but at the same time, you are the strongest hero who protected humanity up until now! And that strongest will now just be protecting a girl. That’s all. Compared to your previous jobs, this is a very easy job」

And–
Saying that, she hugged me.
Warm and soft.
I felt that my cold heart is getting warmer slightly.

「I may be your mother’s subordinate. But before that, I’m your direct subordinate and also your Nee-san. I’m your ally more than anyone in this world. That’s why, if you feel that it’s painful, then, just tell me. Then, I will just hug you like this」

When I realized it, tears begin to overflow from my eyes.
Raising a loud voice in my heart, I cried.

However, those tears are

different from before. It’s a little warmer.