Vol 3 Chapter 41 – I Want to Drink Your Blood Dry (【The Exonerator of the Maritime Nation】 Arc)

I saw Hirata Shizuku trembling and crying, while Sakata Yuuto lay unconscious in critical condition.

The gunshot that echoed in her ears—just as she had resolved to commit a double suicide—did not come from her own trigger pull.

“Ah… huh…?”

The handgun she was supposed to be holding was gone.

A hallucination? No, that couldn’t be…

The tingling in her right hand denied it.

It was as if the gun had been flicked away—

“———That’s dangerous. Suddenly trying to kill yourself—what’s gotten into you?”

That voice was all too familiar—the very voice I had been searching for. I slowly turned my head toward its source.

“Satsuki… san…?”

“Yes. It’s everyone’s idol, Satsuki Onee-san!”

Before me stood Satsuki Tsutsuka, gripping her partner’s revolver in her right hand.

Where had she been until now?

Why had she come here?

I knew nothing of it.

But now wasn’t the time to ask such questions.

I felt the tension in my shoulders melt away.

“Haha… ‘idol’ is a bit much, don’t you think?”

“How rude all of a sudden!?”

Satsuki’s expression turned shocked as she raised her voice.

Seeing her like that, Hirata—

“…Please help me.”

She pleaded tearfully, her face etched with seriousness.

“You don’t even have to say it. Leave it to me.”

Satsuki beamed.

—————————————————

The first thought that flashed through my mind as I surveyed the scene was jealousy.

Not anger, despair, or sadness—just pure jealousy.

It was because Hirata was trying to commit a double suicide with Boss.

Seeing her hold Boss—who lay unconscious before me—as she prepared to die beside him, I immediately fired my gun to stop them.

I was relieved to have prevented their double suicide.

Yet, alongside that relief and jealousy, I felt an overwhelming excitement.

That excitement sprang from witnessing Boss’s unmasked face as he lay unconscious and from the red fluid oozing from his body.

I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t help finding it so endearing.

I didn’t show it openly like Hirata or Meido Arisu, but I loved Boss too.

To be completely honest… he was on the brink of death.

I didn’t know why, but even though this beloved man might vanish forever, I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding or the heat from rising in my lower body.

I felt my breathing grow ragged.

I wanted to drink the red fluid spilling from Boss like acerola juice.

Ah, I want to drink your blood dry.

I swallowed hard.

I spoke to Hirata, careful not to reveal my excitement.

She immediately responded to my voice.

At first, she looked startled, then she began wiping away her tears.

“…”

For some reason, that bothered me.

I didn’t hate Hirata—in fact, I thought of her like a little sister.

But whenever I focused on Boss, this woman became such a nuisance.

Was she playing the part of a frail woman?

It made me sick.

———“You’re the strongest among the executives.”

That thought crossed my mind as she asked for help.

I was sure she could handle it alone if she really wanted to.

But sensing someone behind us, I decided to go along with her little act for now.

Then Hirata flashed a broad smile.

That smile was as innocent as a newborn’s———

Ah——————

Truly——————

——————it made me want to vomit.

Suppressing my emotions, I approached the two of them.

—————————————————

“Whatever do you mean by ‘leave it to me’? You’ve got me worried.”

While the two were talking, Kuzuryuu slipped in from the side. He joined the three of us, exhaling cigarette smoke.

“Not Kuzuryuu. Long time no see.”
“Why are you so nonchalant…?”
“Oh, were you worried about me? I’m delighted.”
“Um… I’m here too, just in case.”

Behind us, Mayuzumi looked over awkwardly.

“It’s good to see you’re doing well, Mayuzumi.”
“That’s the other way around… I’m actually surprised at how lively Satsuki-san looks.”
“Sisters are always full of energy!”

Satsuki thrust her fist toward Mayuzumi, and his face contorted at the sight.

“Kuzuryuu-san… the culprit who attacked Boss is…?”

Hirata interrupted their conversation. As she began to speak, Kuzuryuu’s expression grew slightly embarrassed.

“Sorry, but even a human and a car have their limits.”
“…You’re right. I’m sorry for making such an unreasonable request.”
“Let’s postpone the search for the culprit for now; ensuring Boss’s safety is our top priority.”

Kuzuryuu then turned his gaze toward Sakata, who still lay unconscious.

“I agree. For now, let’s move Boss to a safe location.”
“A safe location? But…”
“Isn’t it right in front of us?”

Satsuki pointed to the attacked inn.

“No way… This is the place where someone attacked?!”

Hirata raised her voice, vehemently opposing Satsuki’s suggestion. Satsuki, however, sighed as if to ignore her.

“Don’t worry. I’m the one who chased away those attackers.”
“Wha—?!”
“And if you’re going to hide the tree, you might as well hide the forest, right? There are plenty of corpses here, after all.”
“Boss isn’t dead!”

Undeterred by Hirata’s shouts, Satsuki—her lips curled into a slight smile—hoisted Sakata onto her back and strode into the inn.

“…Sigh. We’ll have plenty to talk about later.”
“…Indeed.”

Kuzuryuu and Mayuzumi followed her. Watching them, Hirata slowly stood up and murmured—

“I don’t understand any of this…”

Her face was stained with despair and sorrow, yet amid it all there was a glimmer of hope—

“If someone else gets attacked next, I won’t be held responsible!”

With a loud, defiant cry, she charged into the inn.

—————————————————

The moment I carried Boss, a warm sensation enveloped my back. It felt as if I were basking in the sun.

In that instant, I reached my climax. And I vowed once again:

I would eliminate every nuisance and claim Boss for myself alone. To that end, I would discard everything unnecessary—even the organization.

Boss is always the first to break up our fights. Do they dislike it when we executives quarrel, or is it simply because they hold him so dear?

I’m sorry, Boss. Onee-chan can be surprisingly selfish. But you know, the reason I’ve become like this is because you reached out to me during “that time”—”that incident.” So even if everyone else dies—

—I hope you won’t resent me.

—————————————————

“This is Second. Force, do you copy?”
Kuroda Shiromi, with a rare serious expression unlike her usual poker face, initiated the call.

“They’ve entered the inn. We can move out at any moment. Please get ready over there as well.”
Without waiting for Force’s reply, she ended the call.
“———I’m looking forward to it. Justice will be served soon enough.”

Time was running out until the battle began. Outside, the midnight world was beginning to spread.