10. Settlement in the Woods

Synopsis of previous chapter:

Kaga: “Majima-kyun! We’re best friends, yo!”

Hero: “(…suspicious)”

Chapter 10.

Following Kaga, who was leading the way within the middle of the woods. 　

After I met Rose and Lily, I’ve always acted together with them. It’s a strange feeling now.

I’m not some small kid yearning for his mother―at least I think so, but somehow I feel a little restless.

"But, I'm really saved because you managed to stay alive. ‘course to Mizus.h.i.+ma-san as well.”

While I was thinking such things, Kaga unexpectedly said this. He never looked back at me, so I could not see the expression on his face.

“Yeah. I'm also thankful that you survived Kaga."

I returned those words to the back of his school uniform.

"In order to survive, let's work together from now on."

“d.a.m.n right man. Since it's a situation like this, we gotta join forces.”

“I appreciate you saying so, Kaga.”

“Right back at cha. I'll also ask the same of you, Majima.”

“Ahh. ―by the way, Kaga. About that thing you were talking about before…”

“Huh? Oh, yea, here’s about good.”

We ended up at a clearing within the forest.

Kaga considered it a good enough location, so he stopped walking and turned to me.

The surroundings haven't changed that much, which makes this place difficult to discern from other locations, but we are not too far from the cave.

Since I’ve been living in the cave for awhile, even if I’m not entirely sure where I am, I should be able to return to it.

If necessary, I can lose Kaga and easilly return to the cave by myself.

While thinking such things in the back of my mind, I cut back to the chase.

"Just a second ago, Kaga, you were saying something about a 'story about the Expedition Unit' weren’t you."

“Ah. I did say that, didn’t I.”

“Let me ask a question first. How do you know about the Expedition Unit?”

“Well, I got along with one of the senpai from the Expedition Unit.”

“Senpai… Senpai, huh.”

I let the words roll from my tongue.

Of course, I don’t know anyone in the Expedition Unit. So I’m a little suspicious of my cla.s.smate to know a senpai in that group.

“Yea, a senpai I know from club.”

“That’s right, you were in the tennis club, Kaga.”

“Yup Yup.”

Kaga laughs gaily.

“Because of this, I know the plans of the Expedition Unit. This is information that shouldn’t be spread carelessly.”

“Yea, definitely.”

I showed consent to Kaga’s opinion.

If it’s true, then Kaga’s insistence on secrecy was correct.

Kaga is grinning cheerfully, whether it’s because I agreed with him or for another reason, I don’t know.

I decided to push the conversation forward.

“So then, what kind of information is it?”

“Let’s see.”

I show a posture of listening carefully, but Kaga suddenly breaks into a grin.

“By the way Majima, have you already done it with Mizus.h.i.+ma-san?”

“Wha?”

"Don't try to fool me. You two were alone together. You were alone with a beauty like her. Even if it's the ‘oh so serious’ you, I won't let you tell me that you didn't think about it."

"...Just what, does that have to do with anything at the moment?"

“It does relate, doesn't it.”

Speaking in slightly quieter voice, he replied in a tone as if it's obvious.

“From now on, if I have to share a secret, you need to as well. If you can’t agree to this, we can’t work together. Of course, I can’t tell you the story either.”

“If it’s like that, why does it matter whether or not Mizus.h.i.+ma-san and I have a special relations.h.i.+p?”

"Because it's important. Consider it. There's one chick and two guys. If we don't make it clear who Mizus.h.i.+ma-san belongs to, it will cause a conflict."

“Mizus.h.i.+ma-san is no one’s possession.”

“Ahh ahh. You can drop the act already.”

Kaga shook his hand as if something was annoying.

“Let’s stop the bulls.h.i.+tting, and state our real intentions. Be honest. Alright, Majima bro.  Consider if you and I fought over one woman. Wouldn’t that be bad?”

“To begin with, this situation is infatuation: it’s a waste to think about.”

“So then, that means you never laid your hands on Mizus.h.i.+ma-san? You’re an idiot, Majima. Even in this kind of situation. Unexpectedly, you’re a dull guy, did you not consider pus.h.i.+ng it with this situation?”

“As if I could do something like that.”

“Hah, I’m no p.u.s.s.y.”

“Hah, suprisingly you don't have any b.a.l.l.s.”

“Shut it.”

I scowled and turned away.

“It has nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me?”

Kaga laughed at me and took on a tone of amus.e.m.e.nt.

"It… Does have something to do with me!"

Suddenly, I hear a laugh of derision clearly behind me.

And the sound of someone kicking the ground.

My reaction time is slow as I turn around.

“Oof”

I get hit on the cheek.

His knuckles connected to my cheekbone.

I couldn't withstand it, and got knocked to the ground.

“Ugh”

He attacks again. He kicks my chin up.

If I didn’t pull my tongue back, I could have ended up biting through my tongue.

This relentless a.s.sault, it feels like he’s done this before.

“Get knocked out b.i.t.c.h!”

Kaga's annoying ridiculing sounds reach my ears.

"Showing an opening in this situation, There's a limit to how naïve you can be!"

“Gah!?”

Now, he hits me in the stomach.

And a weight disappears from my waist.

He took my sword.

"...What're you trying to do."

I look up miserably from the ground, and Kaga has a triumphant expression on his face while wielding the sword.

“Oy, Kaga. What the f.u.c.k are you doing?”

“Do you not know what position you’re in, b.i.t.c.h?”

Kaga’s eyes were bloodshot with excitement as he observed me carefully.

If I were to show even the slightest intention to retaliate, Kaga would probably swing down the sword without hesitation. After ascertaining that, I couldn't move carelessly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to give Mizus.h.i.+ma-san your regards.”

“Regards… Do you think you can? How are you going to explain this to Mizus.h.i.+ma-san?”

“You, you’re really an idiot. We’re in a different world, aren’t we? As such, you got done in by a monster.”

“After you suspiciously invited me into the forest, do you really think that’s believable?”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s believable. You guys were only two people right? After you’re gone, it’ll be just Mizus.h.i.+ma-san. It won’t even matter.”

“I see.”

I’m convinced it might work, and Kaga shows a disgusting smile.

“You are trash.”

“Say whatever you want.”

With a sneer, Kaga lifted the sword.

“Anything that comes out of your mouth is just the b.i.t.c.hing of a loser.”

“I guess.”

I emotionlessly look up at Kaga.

“…?”

While he’s raising his sword, Kaga’s face looks at me questioningly for a moment.

This guy probably thought I’d be crying and screaming, begging for my life desperately.

Kaga seems to be disappointed that I am not acting how he imagined, but he hasn’t thought about the reason behind it.

He’s that kind of person.

I already knew that.

From the very beginning, I knew that.

“Die!”

He swings the sword down at me.

I’m still lying down pathetically. At this rate, I’ll be killed like a moron, who isn’t able to resist at all.

But, I wasn’t particularly worried.

“Watch out!”

A figure dashed between Kaga and myself.

“Huh!?”

Kaga voiced his surprise, but due to the momentum of his swing, he can’t stop it.

A girl wearing a jersey took the blow meant for me, the sword sliced through her head and throat, burying deep into her body.

“Ah, uh… geh.”

The girl’s mouth garbled some meaningless sounds.

“A, AaaaAAAAAA…!”

Kaga screams and pulls out the sword.

As the sword is pulled out, the body of the girl who lost her support collapses onto the ground.

Her flaxen hair covering her face, “Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho” collapses face down.

“AAH, d.a.m.n it! Why did it end up like this.”

Kaga lamented his misfortune loudly.

I wonder if he felt something because he committed the act, maybe he felt guilty.

…that’s wrong.

“What a waste! Even though I don't have the hobby of giving my regards to a corpse.”

There was zero regret in his voice.

“Kaga. You…”

“It ain’t my fault. I’m not the bad guy here! You should have just behaved and died properly!”

Kaga swung his sword up again in selfish anger.

His face distorted in frustration like a man who is unable to satisfy himself.

I look at the ugliest expression in the world―

“That’s enough.”

―I muttered.

”Unn?”

Kaga raises his eyebrows at my words.

But, I have no obligation to answer him.

I’ve already put up with enough.

I even gave him a chance.

The one that blew it away, it was all Kaga.

So―

“It’s enough, Lily.”

―I quietly issued my order.

“You, Majima. What are you mumbling… hiii!?”

As Kaga was saying something foolish, he suddenly backs away screaming.

“Gaah… gii, ahh.”

The girl that was collapsed on her face slowly rose.

Kaga’s eyes are open wide as he stares at Lily, who is starting to stand up.

I couldn’t see Lily’s face, but it’s probably a bit grotesque at the moment.

“Uo, a… a, A, AH-. UH-“

Lily shook her head a few times.

The clear-ish creamy liquid that was falling from her body was getting absorbed by her feet.

“Uh-, Uh-“

Her voice was garbled, but it slowly became clearer.

“Uh-, Ah-. …Un. Is it ok now?”

When she turns to face me, the cut that marred her head was already gone.

“…That surprised me a bit.”

Lily says that in a voice as if nothing had happened.

“What happened?”

“When my head was cleaved, I lost consciousness for a bit. It’s a problem a.s.sociated with my mimic ability.”

Mimic slimes, like Lily, originally are organisms that don’t have a thinking organ.

However, when she creates a brain with her ability, she uses that to think… …so when it is destroyed, it took some time for her to recover.

“Also, Rose’s sword is really terrifying. The heck was that. It cut through me like I was nothing.”

“Sorry for letting you get hurt.”

“Un. I don’t really mind though. This level of pain is nothing to worry about. You got hurt though, master.”

“It’s only a scratch.”

“Lies. You’re just trying to endure it. …Ah, no. You’re bleeding. Geez.”

Lily approached me with her palm filled with a white healing magic circle, then stroked my cheek lovingly.

Then, for the first time when I looked up at her she had a reproachful look on her face.

"As long as I am ordered to, I can immediately support you with magic, you know."

“…my bad.”

Originally, when I give up on Kaga, I gave Lily instructions to use a magic attack.

Even so, because of my delayed judgment about Kaga she hesitated to attack him, as a result I let her go through a painful experience.

“My condition doesn't matter at all.”

“Lily…”

“Please don’t be so reckless.”

Lily’s hand strokes my cheek down to my chin, then let’s her hand drop away. My minor injuries have been healed completely, and I feel no pain.

“Wha, What the f.u.c.k is this!”

Kaga, who we had been ignoring, was panting hard, as if he was panicking.

“Mi-Mizus.h.i.+ma-san, that’s, you…Right?”

Kaga’s eyes frantically darted about, and when they came to Lily, her true character was reflected.

When Kaga's eyes met with Lily's he was s.h.i.+vering a lot, as if he was afraid, almost as if he was running away from her, his gaze moves to me.

“Th…This, wh, what is the meaning of this? What are you trying to do!? Why, why, Mizus.h.i.+ma-san…and you…”

I shrugged.

“Did you think I didn’t stand a chance?”

“Ah…?”

“If that’s the case, you were naive. Not about the current situation, but your thought process as a whole.”

Kaga didn’t seem to understand my words before.

Probably since our first reunion in the forest, this is probably the first time Kaga is thinking straight.

Within those opened eyes, I saw countless thoughts crossing each other. Finally, it seemed like Kaga understood what I said.

“Y, you… I see. Now I see!”

Kaga who finally understood the situation glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Majima! You set me up didn't you!?”

“You’re an idiot. The one who got fooled so simply was you.”

The truth is severe.

I definitely have my share of secrets.

I quietly accept the responsibility, that I was the one who fooled him.

However, it was Kaga himself in the end, who chose this result.

I thought to give him a chance to show himself, but in the end he squandered it, his humanity clearly rotten.

Even more so, he went so far as to isolate me in the woods and kill me.

“Do it, Lily.”

Kaga might give up some information, but looking at his face twitching in anger and fear, that’s not likely.

I considered that he might also have a cheat ability, but it seems he doesn’t.

This guy was only a fool getting by with luck.

No. He’s just trash, maybe even lower than that.

It’s not worth listening to him anymore.

“G.o.d d.a.m.n ittttttt!”

Kaga screams in desperation and charges wielding the sword.

Lily counterattacks back with her bare hands.

Within the forest, the dull sound of a neck being broken reverberated.

　　　＊＊＊

“Is it over?”

“Yah.”

Kato-san who was being escorted by Rose, asks, and I answered succinctly.

“Good job on the hard work.”

“Not at all. I’m not even tired.”

I shook my head.

In truth, I didn’t do anything particularly tiring.

From the beginning to the end, it was within estimation.

―From the time when I saw Kaga at the cabin.

We decided to split up, and I planned to contact him.

Originally, I was just going to observe him a bit, but with the cabin being destroyed by monsters, it was likely Kaga would get killed as well, and there was always the possibility that he had information.

Rose and Kato-san’s group watched over us after we split up.

Having more people, for the purpose of getting Kaga’s measure, would have been inconvenient. For that reason, they remained hidden.

Though, it also raised the risk that we would get attacked by monsters while by ourselves.

Therefore, I asked them to observe at a distance as much as possible.

In contrast, I had Lily who went with me, play the role of the "bait" that would judge Kaga's character.

Additionally, I also asked her to play the role of being my bodyguard.

Even without Kaga’s invitation into the woods, I would have done something else to test Kaga’s character.

It went a bit different that what I had planned, but it could be said it was all within calculations.

Of course, if Kaga had shown his character to be true, then I would have protected him. I would have treated him the same as Kato-san. Though I wouldn’t have thoroughly trusted him either, I would have taken up the responsibility to protect as much as my ability would allow.

Regardless, it ended up as it did.

“…This, is he dead?”

“Yah.”

Because Kato-san asks, I answer and give a small nod.

“I am, the one who killed him.”

Come to think of it, I wonder how Kato-san sees this scene.

Here lies Kaga’s corpse, but it could have been Kato “if” things were different.

Kato-san and Kaga. Neither of them knew the truth about Lily originally, though Kato-san’s situation was considerably different than Kaga’s.

Even if it didn’t happen, I can’t deny that I thought about a situation where I had to kill Kato-san.

Thinking normally, she would be discomfited by this.

More likely, she would feel even more fear.

Then, overwhelming fear easily distorts people.

Like the students in the colony who panicked.

I became like this, because I experienced their violence first hand.

It’s also possible, that because Kaga was wandering the forest for a long time, his conscience faded away.

Kato-san probably isn't exempt from this.

At the very least, after seeing the death of Kaga, Kato-san’s thoughts on me will probably change.

I quietly looked at Kato-san.

Kato-san is looking down at the corpse of Kaga with no emotions.

Then she turns her eyes towards me.

Strangely enough, I didn’t sense any distrust or hostility from her gaze.

“I understand your feelings, Senpai.”

On the contrary, all my expectations are betrayed when she says that.

“…Humans, are untrustworthy.”

Kato-san muttered.

“Trustworthy ones are…”

Kato-san quietly stares at me.

Moreover, she had those eyes again.

I can’t understand what this girl is thinking after all.

It’s probably, that since the beginning, I didn’t get a good read on her.

Just what the heck could she be plotting.

…Or, is she not plotting anything at all?

It’s possible that I can’t read her, because she isn’t thinking anything bad…

“Kato-san is…”

I started to say, but suddenly I felt dizzy.

“Ah.”

I stagger.

And start to fall down.

“Ma-Master!?”

Lily is nearby and quickly moves to support me.

Thanks to that, I didn’t ungracefully collapse to the ground.

However, I’m still looking at the ground.

“Are, are you okay?”

“…aahh. Are you, just a bit tired?”

It’s weird.

From the beginning till now things were going to plan. Nothing I did should have made me this tired.

Even stranger, my body seems heavy.

“Anyways, let’s return to the cave for now.”

“U, un. Let’s do that. You’ll be able to sleep comfortably soon.”

In a panic, Lily dragged me back to the cave.

At this time, I would only notice it a long long time from now, that I had forgotten something important.