CH 96

Chapter 96: Her Darkness

TL: Akabane

***

I was taking a break, watching from afar as the girls were happily picking out their swimsuits. At that time, I received a phone call from Ayashiro.

||  "I received the results of your survey in Brazil. As it turns out, Edileza had a debt in her name in Brazil. And it seems that the debt was transferred from the original owner to Hagiri's hands."

"Hmmm. That would explain the complicity."

||  "I'm not convinced. You should have just overdrawn that man's debt!"

"By the way, how much is that?"

If Hagiri is threatening Suo with a debt and stiffing her, then I should be the one to collect that debt.

||  "100 million Japanese yen equivalent."

"Huh?! Wait a minute! Wait, wait, wait! One hundred million yen?! What kind of money is that? No way!"

I'm a time-leap jumper, so it's not an amount I can't afford. But I still have the sensitivity of an ordinary person. 100 million yen is too much money. I can't hide my bewilderment.

"How can she borrow that amount of money in the first place? It's impossible! Suo is from a slum, right? There is no way she has the credit to borrow such a large sum of money in the first place! What do you mean?"

||  "Of course that's what you're worried about. As it turns out, it's for the treatment to save her brother, Ricardo's life. Ricardo is undergoing heart transplant surgery. She borrowed the money from a moneylender owned by "Militia". Milicia has nothing to do with the public credit of the other party."

"Hmm? What's Militia? Militia...? Is the word, right? What's that?"

||  "Militia is a term for a type of criminal organization in Brazil. Right. To put it simply, it's like a cop who's a yakuza on the side of his profession."

"Wow...what is that...yeah. I'm just don't get it. I don't know if there are people like that..."

||  "It's said that the members of Militia are mainly cops and other public servants. They use the power of their day jobs to commit all kinds of criminal acts from their favelas. The favelas are lawless areas that aren't under the control of the government. But they are also a vote-getter, so the militia threaten the favela residents to vote for their favored candidates and send their allies to the state and federal legislatures."

"But even for those people, there's no reason to lend Edileza a lot of money. Why would they lend it to her?"

||  "That's the part I don't get. When I asked the residents of the favela in Rio where Edileza lived, all they said was that Edileza was a good kid. But the detective I hired got a warning raid from Militia in the middle of his investigation. The Militia told him, " Tell your owner. Don't go snooping around in Edileza. If you stick your neck out, I'll kill you and your family.""

"When they give a warning like that, that mean you're dealing with a serious person. But this is a feeling that Edileza is respected to a certain extent by these people called Militia."

||  "The fact that a criminal organization respects Edileza sounds scary to me. Tokiwa. Edileza is a really nice girl. So were the findings in Brazil. She never went to school and worked all the time to provide for her family. She's good with machines, and she was taking on jobs repairing appliances in the favelas. She was also very good at business, repairing discarded appliances and selling them in the favela to support the children who were out of work. Also, I can't say it out loud, but she was also stealing electricity for the poor."

"She must be a really nice girl."

Stealing electricity doesn't ring a bell with me, but I guess the reality is that in the slums you have to do that to survive.

||  "Edileza was adored by everyone in the favela. But something happened and she came to Japan as a migrant to escape. That's probably why she was able to borrow so much money from Militia. Well, that aside, now let's think of a way to collect the debt from Hagiri."

"Right. Let's think about that for now. After that, we can hear from her what happened."

||  "Right. By the way, Tokiwa."

"What?"

||  "I don't like the idea of taking a woman's virginity away from her partner in order to settle a debt."

"I would never do such an anti-corporate thing! You've been reading too many otherworldly novels, you idiot!"

||  "That's good to know. Hey, Tokiwa. I was just thinking, I'm terribly miserable with myself for continuing to worry about Edileza's virginity."

"Have you finally noticed? The ugliness of unicorns."

||  "So here's what I thought. I thought, why don't I trade my virginity for Edileza's virginity? What do you think? That's a good idea, right?"

"How the hell are you going to trade something like that? Even unicorns can't come up with that idea!!!!"

||  "Oh, Edileza! Wait for me! I'll get you out!!!"

And then the call went dead. How do you exchange virgins for virgins? Let's forget about it. I'll just forget about this hopelessness right away. With that in mind, I decided to join Igarashi and the others.

[Suo's POV]

I enjoy the preparation time before opening the restaurant the most. The club I work for now keeps me handy. They allow me to have a say in the running of the store.

"I'm so glad you came to our store. On the field, you're raking it in from the guys, but in the background, you handle everything from the store's chores to management with great care."

The proprietress of this club sat at the counter, blowing a cigarette and looking at me kindly.

"I'm afraid."

I washed and wiped the glasses I was serving to my own guests. I hate the guys, but I still don't want to compromise the quality of service I provide.

"We call ourselves an upscale club too, but we just have a high face level and a beautiful interior, don't we? The ladies in the cast think they are special women, but what they do is no different from any other cabaret club. But not you. You are really serious about providing your customers with a service worthy of this establishment's reputation. Men instinctively sense that you are polite and attentive. That's why they are willing to pay for you. They really seem to enjoy chatting with you."

"I just want to do what I'm expected to do. If I do my job properly, I can connect with society properly.

Even a job as a hostess was, in my opinion, a proper job. Only working here and being with my family pulled me out of hell and connected me to society.

"Yes, that's right. People are connected to society through their work. Hey, can I leave one of my stores to you one of these days?"

"Does that mean you're going to be the manager?"

I would welcome the salary increase, but I am not comfortable with the increased responsibility. Because I am only a resident of hell.

"Um, I don't think I'm a manager, but it's a goodwill. You'll run the store itself. Don't worry! I'll support you! I'll even find someone to invest in it! What do you think?"

The proprietress's eyes sparkled. That light was dazzling to me. So I can only give a curt reply.

"...But I.... I just want to make it easy on my parents and put my little brother through college......just being able to work at this store is enough for me."

I feel sorry every time someone expects me to do something. I am not a person who is worthy of other people's glasses. I am not that decent person. I couldn't choose to be an honest person. I couldn't be so deeply involved in the lives of others. No one would ever forgive me for that.

"Really? But if you change your mind, you can always tell me! I'm rooting for you!"

The landlady laughed pleasantly even though I refused her. I know there are many good people around me. But I can't hold anyone's hand. Because my hand. I felt awkward. And guilty. So I took a break and went outside immediately. The sun was gradually setting, and the streets of Shinjuku would gradually become crowded with people. It's not a town I like. I don't like it, but I don't like myself even more for not being able to mix with the crowd. This town has the capacity to accept many people who have no place to stay, but I cannot mix with others even there. There is only one thing I can do. I can only spread hell.

"Hey, Reichi. How are you?"

"Hagiri."

Hagiri was in the back alley as it was getting dark. He was dressed neatly in his expensive suit as usual. He's not my kind of guy, but he's good to look at. Inside, he is even crueler than the gangsters and Militia.

"I'm sure you can pay your debts, can't you? I don't want to see your face outside of collections and work."

"I'm sorry, but I'd really like to see your face."

"Then, go to the store and pick one up."

"I want to see the real you."

Hagiri looks at me with a happy smile on his face. There is no hint of the lewdness that is characteristic of men in his eyes. But it's precisely because there is no such thing in his eyes that I find his gaze somewhat terrifying.

"I heard. I heard that you met Kanahisa Tokiwa at an event the other day."

"How do you know his name?"

"I know him. He is the biggest obstacle to my work.

Are you and Kanata enemies?

I felt a hint of a resident of the dark world from Kanata, so I didn't think it was too surprising when Hagiri told me this fact.

"That's right. I guess he came to see you as a hostile inspection. He chose you as a stepping stone, so to speak, to reach me via you."

"I see. Is that all you have to say?"

If that's the situation, it makes sense that Igarashi and Kanata are acquaintances.

"Didn't you feel uncomfortable when you heard what I just said? You are nothing but a means or tool for him to defeat the enemy called me. Don't you feel disappointed?"

Hagiri looked doubtful. And he also looked somewhat displeased. I don't think it's anything but dumb to be uncomfortable with a topic you brought up yourself.

"Nothing. I don't think so. It's natural for humans to have ulterior motives towards others."

Kanata is using me to get close to Hagiri, and that's Kanata's freedom. I was rather relieved by that. If he was expecting me to fall in love with him, I would feel sorry for him, unlike other men. My hands are dirty. The luxury of embracing and making love to someone is inherently unacceptable. If he expects something from me personally. I have to shake it off. If he reaches out his hand to me, I am very happy. But it would be very, very sad to shake it off.

"Hmm. I see. An unpleasant answer, but okay. But do you realize you're smiling right now?"

"Huh?"

I reach for my cheek. My mouth is slightly twisted. Was I indeed smiling at the thought of him?

"Unlike your usual clear smile, you're very attractive now. I guess so. I have one good piece of information for you."

"Information?"

Hagiri smiles like a devil.

"There is someone who wants to kill him. I'll tell you, her name is Takinose Mio. She will start plotting to kill him one of these days."

"Takinose? That's the woman from before, isn't it? No way!"

I pull out the gun I had hidden between my jeans and buttocks and point it at Hagiri.

"You're going to kill Kanata? You instigated Takinose!"

"I didn't instigate her. I was just having a bit of a pillow talk and spilling my grievances about Kanahisa Tokiwa. Then she got serious about it. Girls shouldn't be so presumptuous. Kuhaha."

I aligned the laser sight of my gun with Hagiri's forehead. If I pull the trigger like this, I can protect Kanata. Takinose is a savage woman. Kanata will surely be killed. Only I can stop that.

"Don't do it."

"Beg for your life? That makes me want to play with your head even more."

"No. No. I'm saying this for your own good. Don't do it. If you kill me, your debt will disappear. Is that what you want?"

"Uh...ah..."

An unspoken voice escapes my mouth. It was. I owe this man a debt. If I kill him, the debt will disappear. That's not going to happen. I tucked the gun back between my jeans and butt again.

"That's right. If you want to make good on your debt, don't disobey me."

I hate this man. Everything he does is depressing. But I can't kill him as long as I have the debt.

"Yeah. Nice. Now you. I've been using you purely as a tool, but you still seem qualified to participate in the sacrifice."

"Huh? What's that?"

The sound of the word didn't give me a good impression. I had a feeling that it wouldn't be good.

"The Secret of Rex Sacrorum. It's a framework for the salvation of human civilization that will shake the universe of prayer."

Saying this, Hagiri turned his back on me and left. I was left there alone, unable to do anything.

I couldn't do any shopping of my own if I had to keep up with the girls' shopping. But I wasn't bored, and Igarashi seemed to be having fun, so I was happy about that. And when it came time to go out for dinner, Takinose said.

"No. I'm planning to have dinner with Hagiri-sama at the hotel today."

"Huh? We didn't hear anything about that!"

"I just happened to get a ticket and invited him. I have no other intention."

I see nothing but ulterior motives! I'll go for that too!

It looked like sparks were flying between Takinose and Mashiba. What's with this legitimate heroine race feeling! Isn't Hagiri seriously the hero of a romantic comedy?

"Well, I have some mercy for you who are not popular. Igarashi, you're going too, aren't you? Don't worry. This ticket is for up to four people for dinner."

Up to four people. In other words, she seems to be trying to get rid of me.

"Eh? Hmmm. Sorry. I'll pass. As expected, I can't go to dinner without Tokiwa, who went shopping with me today. Tokiwa would feel sorry for having dinner alone, so I'll go eat somewhere."

Hearing that, Mashiba also looked somewhat awkward towards me. Huh? Was she this caring?

"Mashiba. I had a good time today, so I don't mind. Show Hagiri your swimsuit or whatever you're wearing during dinner."

"Eh, um, yeah. Thanks...ehehe."

Mashiba looked happy. But don't wear a swimsuit during dinner.

"...Heh... Is he more important than him....Tokiwa. Well then, I'll see you next time."

"Hm? Yeah, someplace else next time."

Mashiba and Takinose picked up a cab and left before me and Igarashi.

"Tokiwa. Let's go somewhere for dinner for now."

"Sure. But I have plans for the night, so let's go somewhere fast."

"Plans, Ayashiro? Are you going to the pool again?"

"How do you know that? I mean, I'm not planning to go with Ayashiro."

Ayashiro... Isn't that kind of thing called a secret between two people? Why does Igarashi know? I'm the one who gets stuffed, remember?

"Then, Suo? ...You're renting...? Don't you miss me?"

"I'm not renting! But it's true that I'm going to Suo's place, so it's hard for me to make a comment!"

Suo is a hostess. She is not a rental girlfriend. But it's true that I pays her money. It may not make much difference....

***Author's musings***

Suo's darkness is so huge, Takinose is kind of scary, and the girls on Hagiri's side are really racing to be heroines!

By the way, I personally love the stupidity of Hagiri who tries to hurt Suo and is lightly ignored.

Also, I liked Kanata, who was involved in the love comedy heroine race as a mob guy in an event where they only had dinner together, and was almost left out of the race.

Is this work really a romantic comedy?

The author thinks it's a romantic comedy!

Suo's darkness is being disclosed step by step!

Finally!

I feel like we're on our way to season 4.x!

I'm looking forward to it!

Keep up the good work!