Chapter 86 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

〈 Episode 86 〉 HaPpY. (3） * * * ** Jingle─♪, Jingle─♬. "So, there were festivals like this in this world. Of course, they are a bit different... But in the end, places with people living are just places with people living." Muttering those words, I surveyed my surroundings. Though the festival officially started tomorrow, the world was already enveloped in the festive spirit. It felt like the excitement the day before a school trip. Children, clutching colorful handbells in both hands, moved in groups, and each time they did, the streets resonated with the refreshing and beautiful sounds. Carols that began with a hum here and there quickly spread, almost like the tantalizing aroma of delicious food, and soon the streets were filled with grand harmony. Everyone, adults and children alike, was celebrating the day. It was a sight pleasing to the eyes and ears, truly a festive moment. ─Clack, Clack! "Wow! Ellie, look over here! A tree with a huge star on it! What kind of tree is that?" "With needle-like bark and pointed leaves... It's likely a fir tree. What's on top seems to be candies made from hardened sugar." "...Huh? Over there, flowers! Hehe, let's go, Ellie!" And it seemed that Alice was no exception. Turning twelve this year, soon to be thirteen when the month ends and the year changes, Alice wouldn't be considered that young by today's standards, but perhaps this was her first time experiencing such a festival. Totally swayed by the festival's heated atmosphere, Alice, with an innocent smile, was leading us around, hopping from place to place. Alice, holding Saeli's arm, was busy looking at the street stalls and the items being sold there. Her appearance was like a bold declaration by a child determined to savor the moment forever. "Alice. If you run around like that, you'll get hurt──" "──Ellie! Look, it's Narcissus! Oh, there's Camellia too!? Hehe. Aren't they pretty?" "....Yes. They are truly pretty." One wonders what looks so pretty to our dear Saeli. Seeing her face redden to the point that even her hat couldn't fully hide it, I could roughly guess the target. Worried that Alice might slip on an unseen icy path, Saeli intended to caution her about running on snow-laden streets where she might injure herself. But Alice, seemingly too immersed in the surroundings to heed Saeli's advice, continued her excited chatter. ─Whoosh! "Ta-daa~!" Alice, having run up to the flower vendor, gathered an armful of daffodils and camellias and turned back to us. In the midst of a Christmas festival oozing with human atmosphere, it was a moment when the impressive white flower buds with green eyes blossomed brightly. ".....Well, it's fine for today, I suppose." Saeli, perhaps unable to bring herself to be too strict due to Alice's joyful demeanor, nodded with a wry smile. Despite all the talk, she was the softest toward Alice among us all. And then─ ─Squawk! "Let go of this at once, Sia!" "Mercenary. Release this grip immediately. Otherwise, we cannot reach Aris." "...Seriously, these princesses have no sense of the atmosphere. Where are you trying to intrude?" With each arm held by one of them, two women standing poised to charge forward. They were Anna Akaia and Remi Akaia, respectively. At the end of the day, whatever denial I might possess... they were Alice's blood-related sisters. Despite their bad relationship, sisters remained sisters, and just like their mirror-like actions, seeing Alice and Saeli giggling ahead, they momentarily set aside their disputes and moved in unison to separate the pair. Pulling them apart, I began to shake my head vigorously, trying to break free from the solidifying stereotype: was every Akaia like this? Right. Alice's last name is Akaia too, right? Surely, not all of them... are like this, right? "Aris! Come here! The sister you like is here!!" ".....Aris. There are flowers here too." Hmm. "...Tsk." The resolution of this age-old question resided in concluding that these individuals were peculiar. Of course, I was acutely aware that verbalizing this process would mean never seeing tomorrow's sun again, so closing my soon-to-open mouth was just a bonus. Sadly, this world lacked something like freedom of speech. Unlike them, I knew how to gauge the atmosphere. Well, that's how it is. "Are you okay, Alice? I sense a bit of a spicy scent in the air." "....Huh? No, I'm fine.... Ellie, hehe." Sometimes, we would gather and eat strange skewers made from who-knows-what meat. "Aris~! What do you think? It's a butterfly-shaped bookmark! Let's share one each!" "Hmm....? Oh, I choose.... the orange one." "Orange? There's only yellow and green... oh, you mean this yellow one, Aris?" "......Yes. That's the one!" At times, it seemed we were ripped off, but we bought a page of memories to cherish forever. The festival, which was eventful and particularly intense, making it seem unforgettable, was gradually coming to an end. Just as flowers bloom, they also eventually wither. Even the happiest moments, ones that couldn't waste a single second, eventually had to come to an end. ─Clack, Clack! "~Ah, that was fun! Hehe, this bookmark is now my treasure!" "But Remi, you never really liked books— ugh, eek. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Remi—!" While we were reflecting on the memories of such a joyful festival, slowly savoring the lingering feelings under the setting evening sunlight. "Sisters—" "......Yes?" We heard Alice's voice calling for us. Though the sound seemed almost like a whisper, small and fragile. Curiously, Alice's words reached us as clearly as if she were speaking right into our ears. "I... was thinking of buying you all... well, a gift... uh..." "......What?" Trying to hide her embarrassment, she covered her flushed face with oversized sleeves. With adorable lips peeking between her sleeves, Alice spoke to us. "It's a surprise present, so... um... I was thinking I could quickly go to that store over there alone..." ".........." Having noticed something while we walked, Alice wanted to give us gifts as a thank-you for everything. However, feeling shy about buying presents in front of us, she said she would quickly go to the store to get them. She mentioned it was just the store right in front of us, so she would just be a moment. And as for the reactions from the others. "...No way. Aris, what do you want? I'll buy the entire mall for you!" "Why are you getting excited when Alice wants to give us gifts!? Eh, stop right there, Crown Princess, where are you going with that wallet!" "...I was going to buy the store. Is... that not allowed?" "...You two actually get along, don't you? You just pretend not to in front of me, right!?" In the face of Alice's irresistible charm, like a cat begging for treats, no one here—willing to offer their heart and soul—could resist. Well. "──It's right in front, so I'll be quick! Sisters, really, don't follow me!!" "....!? Oh no, she left?" Alice, soon to be thirteen and almost an adult, ran towards the store ahead, and no one could follow her. The place she pointed to was a building right in front of us. And wasn't this the famously safe capital of the empire? We couldn't limit her freedom forever, nor could we forbid her from doing the things she wanted right by her side as she grew up. There was no reason to stop her, a child running out to buy gifts for us, insisting that we not follow her. "Don't fight while I'm gone──!! I'm serious───!!!" "Okay! Got it!! Come back soon, Alice!!!" We all waved our arms in farewell, watching Alice's figure as she hurried back along the path we came, cheering her on silently. Wondering what kind of gifts she would bring back. This, it should be alright. That's what we thought. Yes. "───?!" "....What's wrong, Saeli?" In this hellish world. We shouldn't have allowed it. ** The wings of the nightingale that greeted the dawn were broken. Now, where does that bird go? "The path has been predetermined." Everything returns to the beginning. ** The street was bustling with people dressed in grayscale. The middle-aged man descending the stone steps wore a deep black coat, and the children playing, seemingly trying to take each other's outerwear, wore light gray coats. The long, pure white hair sticking out from under the hood of the woman sweeping the store's front with a broom, and her jet-black apron, everything was in shades of black and white. And gray, somewhere in between, was the predominant tone. "........." I walked alone on an inorganic road where the concept of color didn't exist, in this cold city. Remi, Anna, Ellie, and Sia—my treasures, each irreplaceable. I murmured their names, those who perhaps, even now, watch my shabby self from afar, not letting me out of their sight. But still. I feared catching even a passing glimpse of them in my view. I feared that my wavering heart might fail to suppress a fleeting impulse and hope to turn back and run to them. ─Screech■■! "........." Even knowing they were watching over me, I clenched my teeth and fists tight, focusing only forward, continuing to walk and walk. From the moment the dice were cast in the air, the outcome was fated. From the moment I stepped out saying I was going shopping outside the dormitory. From the moment I moved to the outskirts of Saria Empire with Ellie. From the moment I was carried away by the cold waters, emerging in an unknown forest─ From the moment I was born as a child named 'Aris Akaia'─── ".....Hehe." ─Perhaps, my fate had been decided long ago. How long had I been walking, just repeatedly taking one step after another? ─Ding. "Hello! ■■ gentleman! Ha, ■■!" "....Hehe, hello, sir. May I come in?" After wearily swimming through the wave of people, it hadn't been long before I reached my intended destination. Even though they appeared similar as if handcrafted from glass, the shop was lined with various handcrafted items like flowers and rabbits, each bearing subtle differences. Inside, a shopkeeper with impressively thick arms greeted me with a benevolent smile. "■■ Inquiring about ■■? ■■, ■■." ".....Yes, that's right." Unable to comprehend his likely product explanations, I navigated the conversation with vague affirmations and a smile. Not intending to browse, I promptly headed to the section displaying the item I sought. The item I wanted to buy had been decided from the start. Everything was predetermined from the beginning. "Um... Mister, could I get that set, please?" "■■ How much? They're quite pricey, aren't they?" "....Hehe. My sister gave me an allowance to buy it!" Four beautiful pendants symbolizing the sun, trees, stars, and winds. Though my faded eyes couldn't distinguish their colors, seeing the range of the same pendant with varying tones suggested they were crafted using a palette of colors. As for the hues, I'll have to ask him to choose them for me. It's truly a pity. Crafted to resemble her vivid eyes I could envision even with closed eyes: bright yellow, deep green, vivid crimson, and stark black. Looking for something unchanging to leave with them, a pendant set mirroring them was the perfect choice. Feeling immensely grateful for this coincidental support, I pointed at the pendants with my freely moving right hand. ─Please provide me with the colors I mentioned. "The price is ■■ ■■ ■■. ■■, want to do it?" ".....Hehe. The money is right here! By any chance, mister, could you... calculate it for me? Hehe." "■■? Oh, not a problem!" I took out a purse filled with money and placed it on the counter. Unable to even discern the shapes of mouths with my tear-blurred vision, I asked him to help himself to the money, unable to calculate it myself. Fortunately, he's had non-paying customers before and with a hearty laugh, took the suitable amount and returned the remaining change into my purse. To him, I could only extend my repeated apologies. I hoped that some blessing would be bestowed upon his kindness. ─■■ "■■, keep up the good work!" "...Sure. Continue doing well in your business, mister." With my successful purchase, I ventured outside under his farewell. Like dice noisily rolling to a halt. Everything was going perfectly. "....Hehe." Pausing in front of the door adorned with a jingling bell, I gazed at the four gifts for them momentarily before carefully tucking the boxed items into my inner coat pocket. Inside the double-layered interior pocket on the lower right side of my coat. Even if I met an untimely end, I'm certain she'll accept my gifts graciously. As I observed the still-bright street yet untouched by dusk, that was my thought. All arrangements were complete. So now, it's time to see the results. What number will appear on the dice hurled high into the air? Yet, considering my poor sight, confirming that number wasn't possible for me. Say, say. Can you see, sister? ─S■ "Don't move. That's her!" ".........." The chilling voice trembled down my spine. Neither the ears under pressure nor the blurred vision could conceal the hate embedded within. It was akin to a sound emanating from the depths of hell itself. The sound of a demon having risen to the surface to take me away. ".....Hehe." On the streets where the sunset has begun to descend. The dusk of my life was also starting to slowly set in. ** Perhaps because she was alone, cast onto distant lands. Han Sia, forced to live life as an outsider from birth, excelled at understanding others' relationships but lacked the ability to sense kindness directed toward herself. An affectionate person considered her more dearly than she herself realized was, in fact, right beside her. ─Squawk■■■! "──Gahh?!" "....Stop it! Don't!" No. Perhaps, she unconsciously pushed others away, fearing the anger directed at herself might reach the precious people close to her. The reason Sia left with me without looking back, avoiding any word to the village, was to evade pursuers but also to prevent harm to those who helped or cared for her in the slightest. Above all, she remained a considerate person mindful of others. In that sense, her claim that she was more like me than anyone else might indeed hold some truth. Alternatively, maybe she was simply oblivious. How could she not recognize the affection granted to her by someone who would embark on this long journey searching for her after she vanished so suddenly? Truly, Sia, you can be so oblivious. Feeling clueless about the emotions of those around you. ──Crash■! "─If only you hadn’t, it wasn’t the time!" ".....Hehe, heh.""If, if it hadn't... I wouldn’t have left, wouldn’t I!" As if submerged in deep water, my ears were numb and my vision blurred. Beyond that veil, the world spun rapidly, accompanied by the chilling sound of cold metal. As I struggled to keep my eyes open, fiercely glaring eyes seemed poised to devour me. Her name was Remie. She was the one who supported Sia in the shadows while she struggled to survive in the village of Saria. When the village unjustly accused her, Remie had once offered me as a scapegoat to save her from the baseless blame of causing the anomaly. "....Heh.... Ke, Kek....!" Recalling the sight of her retreating figure in the alley brought such a shock. Even with my ability to remember every person from the countless lives I've lived, I mistook her for a stranger when I first saw her again, as if she was someone entirely different. Her determination to search for Sia's traces all the way to this distant place made me think she was indeed the fitting one to set the stage for my end. For her, my death would be the means to retrieve a long-lost friend. For me, it was a rare opportunity to conclude life beautifully. This wasn't mere coincidence or an act of a god of mechanisms falling from the sky. She once pushed me to the brink of death, bearing a deep-seated malice and disdain toward my very existence. She was─ "...Die■." ".....Ke, Ha, Haha..." "■■─Die!" Indeed, she was the one who would kill me. In that desolate and bleak village, harboring even an ounce of consideration for others was no easy feat, especially when it focused on a single target. The scorn and the isolation from others surely magnified the challenges. Thus, despite being kind-hearted toward others, she was, in essence, someone I should have rescued and aided. Yet my skills fell short. The number of seeds my small hands could grasp was finite. These severed hands struggled even to plant those seeds. To her and her village, I was nothing but a burden, doing more harm than good. Hence, this was her gift. For everyone robbed of their happiness because of me. For the gentle soul within her. Until the very end. I would continue to plant seeds. "......ㅡ, ㅡ." Breath escaped from my parted lips. Gazing downward in confusion revealed my chest darkening and a sharp blade deeply rooted inside. The expected target: the center of my chest. Where the heart resides. ".......ㅡㅡ." Ah. Luckily, the gift remained unbroken. Ellie, the one I knew, would undoubtedly find my body faster than anyone, lying in a dark alleyway. My heart would be delivered to them in its unbroken entirety. Therefore. Offering thanks to her for piercing opposite the direction of my gift's location. For being someone too precious to die here captured, I provided a small hint. So that she could safely seize a second chance. Reunite with the long-sought friend. "....Uh, ㅡ, Sister...─" "......?!" Grasping air with my final utterance wasn't meant to be a farewell, nor was it filled with regret or wastefulness. Having expressed all conceivable love and emotions towards my treasures, a final testament felt redundant and akin to the futile struggles of fools unable to convey themselves while living. So, sister. Quietly discard the bloody clothes. ─Go that way. Please, go that way? ".....■,■■?" ..Hehe. Heh.....heh..... .........Hehe. ** And thus, I, Aris Akaia. In the cold back alleys of the empire, stabbed multiple times in the chest by an unidentified assailant, was killed. In the arms of my beloved ones who rushed to my side. Silently, without revealing or hinting at the failures my body endured. Having achieved all my purposes. Died happily, with a smiling face. "Indeed, a true HaPpY END." ** NEXT ­ Sad Ending. "If, she had chosen differently." ** * * *