I Don’t Want to Die as a Mob in My Second Life! ～A Story Where I Kept Training from Inside the Womb and Ended Up Being Mistaken for a Monster～ - Chapter 19: The Gentle Big Brother! / "One of Us"

Chapter 19: The Gentle Big Brother! / “One of Us“

The canopy shattered into countless pieces.

The warped subspace dispersed, and we safely returned to the estate’s garden. Ah, the warmth of the sun feels amazing.

“Are you okay, Kanata!?”

“Kanata! Big Sis Setsuna!”

My dad and Sharo came rushing over, their faces full of worry.

Smiling at their concern, I turned my gaze toward Setsuna Kirisame.

“Ugh… what a monster…”

She glared at me, but the fire in her eyes from earlier was gone.

Her once-pristine figure was now drenched, trembling, and slumped on the ground as the snow that clung to her melted away.

It’s hard to imagine this soggy mess is the same icy, composed Setsuna I knew from my previous life.

“Heh, looks like a runaway livestock caught in the rain and having a bad time. Should we bring her inside?”

“Wha—what kind of comparison is that!? Who are you calling livestock?! I’d rather freeze than let someone like you bring me in!”

“Is that so? Well then, let me offer a little kindness at least.”

I snapped my fingers, and a warm blanket appeared, wrapping gently around Setsuna-san. It was created using the power of the Conceptual Spirit [Doll] that resides within me.

“W-What is this…!?”

“A gift. Feel free to use it when you sleep.”

“L-Like I’d ever use something of yours!”

Despite her words, she clung tightly to the blanket.

Watching her act so stubborn while still shivering was pretty amusing.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped—she must be freezing. Besides, after both sisters decided to pick a fight with me, this small act of petty revenge feels well-deserved.

“Anyway, Father, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

I turned to my father, Michitaka, who still looked worried.

I really am sorry for turning his peaceful days into such a mess because of me.

“Haha… I watched you from the other side of the canopy while all that was happening. At first, I was worried, but in the end, you really are amazing. Kind, strong, and someone I’m proud to call my child.”

He patted my head again. Doing this in front of others is a bit embarrassing.

“By the way, Father, I noticed you were on the phone earlier.”

“Ah, yes. I couldn’t break that canopy on my own, so I explained the situation to someone, and they said they’d send help.”

“Someone?”

Just as I tilted my head, wondering who it could be, a shadow suddenly appeared on the roof of the estate.

“Well, well. I rushed over, only to find you’ve already handled things on your own.”

Before I knew it, someone had arrived.

It was a man with a relaxed demeanor, wearing a black officer’s cap pulled low over his eyes.

He was dressed in the signature overcoat of a Reisoushi—a bold and rugged style. That much was fine, but…

There was one more detail that made Setsuna’s eyes widen.

“A lock on his collar, and a red stripe along the coat’s edge…! Don’t tell me you’re—”

“Ah, the young lady of the Kirisame family? Hello there~.”

Landing gracefully in the garden, the man gave an exaggerated bow, clearly for dramatic effect.

“I’m Convict Number WO-417. They call me Shiina. I’m part of the Penance Slave Corps, Yatagarasu.”

“I knew it!”

Setsuna glared sharply at the man.

Well, it’s no surprise. Yatagarasu is a notorious group of criminals… formed ten years ago when Ouma Shiranui took over as head of the Spirit Conductor Agency, using his authority to create this unit.

That’s who they are.

“By the way, I’m actually the vice-commander. Pretty impressive, huh? Go on, praise me!”

“Who would praise you? That just means you’re an even worse criminal!”

Setsuna spat her words with disgust, but Shiina only smiled wider in response.

These are individuals stripped of their human rights and names, sent to face the most dangerous high-level Conceptual Spirits on the front lines.

Expendable tools to gauge the threat level with their lives.

But even so, these monstrous people committed crimes so heinous that this fate was considered just.

That’s what Yatagarasu is.

For the Kirisame family, who have protected Japan for generations, it’s likely impossible to accept their existence.

“Shiina, was it? Why would a criminal like you be here!?”

“My, my, so noisy. Do I need to spell it out for you? Aren’t you smarter than that?”

“Wha—!”

Setsuna froze in shock, unable to respond.

Well… I kind of agree with the “noisy” part.

Still, hmm…

“The only reason Yatagarasu would make a move is because Commander Ouma ordered it.”

“Exactly! As expected of the famous Little Kana. Still so young but already so sharp. Lord Ouma sure has an interesting hobby, keeping a kid like you as his loyal pet.”

Little Kana? This narrow-eyed Shiina guy is ridiculously friendly.

“Our boss, Commander Ouma, got a call from your father. To sum it up, he basically said, ‘Some foolish girl got the wrong idea and charged in, so please stop her.’”

“I see. So Father’s call was to Commander Ouma.”

While Setsuna yelled, “Foolish girl!?” in outrage, I glanced over at Dad.

With a bitter expression, he nodded.

“…The truth is, I have Commander Ouma’s personal contact information. He told me, ‘If Kanata Soranaki ever becomes unmanageable, call me.’ He figured, as a parent, I’d find it emotionally and practically impossible to carry out an execution myself.”

Fair enough.

That man genuinely loves peace in Japan. He’s ruthless with enemies but goes out of his way to protect the hearts and minds of good citizens.

It’s a deeply considerate approach—one that’s also terrifying for someone like me.

“Huh, I didn’t think your dad would be so close to you, Little Kana. Honestly, I thought he’d be too scared and just abandon you. That’s some impressive resolve he’s got.”

Shiina sounded genuinely impressed.

Then, without any warning, he casually lifted Sharo and Setsuna by the scruff of their necks like they were kittens.

“Gojaaa!?”

“Ahhh!?”

Shiina dangled the two in the air like they were groceries. “Alright, job done. Today was a breeze,” he said lazily. Naturally, Setsuna was furious.

“Put me down this instant, you insolent fool! What do you think you’re doing!?”

“Stopping the fight and escorting you both back to the Kirisame estate. Those were the orders. Oh, and by the way, the current head of the Kirisame family, old man Kagero, got wind of this from Commander Ouma. He’s absolutely livid.”

“Hieeeee!”

The defiant Setsuna let out a startled yelp, sounding almost like Sharo.

It seemed even someone as strong-willed as her was terrified of the family head.

“W-Wait a moment! What do you mean by a misunderstanding!? I only intervened with proper force to save Sharo!”

“Wrong. What actually happened was that little brat Sharo attacked Little Kana first, and he forgave her. Things had already settled down peacefully when you showed up and made a mess of it.”

“Hah!? That’s ridiculous! Where’s your proof!?”

“Right here.”

Shiina tapped the ground lightly with his long boot.

Particles of light rose up like a swarm of fireflies, eventually forming several holograms.

The glowing images replayed scenes from about an hour ago—Sharo’s attack, Dad’s furious response, my victory… and then…

“Miss Sharo, we were engaging in a mock battle today, with my father’s permission.”

“E-Eh?”

“In that case, no laws were broken. And your family’s name won’t be tarnished either, will it?”

“…!”

With that exchange and the rest of the scene playing out, the holographic images faded away.

“W-What was that!?”

“I’m a user of the Conceptual Spirit [Replay]. With a little creativity, I can display ‘events that happened on this land’ up to half a day ago.”

“That’s… impossible!”

“Little Kana, you looked ridiculously strong and handsome in that playback~.” 

Shiina said with a casual laugh. Meanwhile, Setsuna’s face had gone pale.

“Ugh… ughhh… s-so, I attacked someone who was completely innocent…!?”

“Pretty much. Congrats on your new title: Medium. Welcome to Yatagarasu. You’re one of us now.”

“Noooooooo!”

“Just kidding. This incident happened because your little sister called for help, so they’ll probably go easy on you.”

“Phew…”

“Oh, but everything still depends on Little Kana, the victim here. If he decides to file a report…”

“Whaaaaay!?”

Setsuna’s face went through an almost comical range of expressions.

Shiina, clearly enjoying himself, shot me a mischievous glance from behind his perpetually narrow eyes.

Ah, got it. He’s just having fun.

“Miss Setsuna, you put me through quite the ordeal. Maybe I should file a report.”

“Wawawa!?”

“That’s a good idea, Little Kana. Even if you’ve got no physical injuries, claiming emotional distress is more than enough to hit her with serious charges, you know?”

“Noooo!”

Watching Setsuna’s face alternate between pale and blue was honestly pretty entertaining.

By the way, Sharo had already fainted with a groan of “Gojaaa…” when she heard the family head was furious. 

Just how terrifying is the head of the Kirisame family?

“K-Kanata Soranaki…! L-Look, this time it was, um, you see…”

“Oh, no need to apologize, Miss Setsuna.”

“Eh?”

See, I’m a kind person.

“Instead, why don’t you put on a maid apron and clean our house?”

“Ehhh!? M-Me, a proud member of the Kirisame family, do something like that…!”

Setsuna seemed torn, visibly struggling with the idea.

That’s when my body decided to lean in close to her ear and whisper,

“Bow or grovel, your choice… pig.”

“Hyaaaah!?”

I said it in such an unnecessarily refined tone before pulling back.

“Haha… (Body is such a bully. And Miss Setsuna is totally flustered and at a loss now.)”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her taking the joke so seriously.

Of course, I’m not actually planning to file any charges. She wasn’t much of a threat to me, and with the battle against [Erasure] in two months, I’ll need all the help I can get.

More importantly, having a favor owed by the Kirisame family? That promises some serious future benefits.

“Well then, Mr. Shiina, I’ll leave them in your care. Thank you for your trouble today.”

“Haha, it’s been a while since anyone’s thanked me. Wherever I go, people just shun me. And, well, our boss Ouma is… you know.”

“You certainly work for a challenging company. Your boss is… really something.”

Shiina casually jangled the lock around his neck, while I ran my hand over the binding ring on mine, sharing an awkward laugh.

We’re both just a step away from being deemed expendable. Both of us tools Ouma Shiranui might wear out for Japan’s sake.

Though, unlike Shiina, I haven’t committed any crimes, so at least my human rights are intact—for now.

“See ya, Little Kana. From one pitiful Yatagarasu dog to another, I’ll be watching your qualification exam from the prison TV.”

“You have a TV? Even without human rights?”

“I begged like crazy, and they finally bought me one. Wanna see a grown man bawling his eyes out, Little Kana?”

“I’ll pass, thanks.”

“Thought so~”

After that casual back-and-forth, Shiina walked off.

Despite being a criminal, he was surprisingly easy to talk to.

He seems to recognize that I’m a decent person too. That makes me kind of happy!

◆　◇　◆

And so—

“That kid’s pure evil. The kind of evil that makes someone like me feel an instant connection.”

“Is that so.”

After everything was over, Shiina found himself in the top-floor office of the Spirit Conductor Agency’s headquarters, reporting on Kanata Soranaki to none other than Ouma Shiranui.

The madman who sacrificed everything for his homeland.

“He’s learned some manners, it seems. A smart move. If you refine your behavior like I did, people around you tend to let their guard down… heh.”

Shiina’s eyes, usually narrow, opened slightly as he laughed.

Ouma Shiranui regarded the smile with disdain.

It was the same malicious grin as Kanata Soranaki’s—a smile brimming with cruelty and violence.

“I didn’t ask for idle chatter. Speak only of your assessment of Kanata Soranaki from the perspective of a fellow criminal.”

“Yes, yes, boss… as I said, that kid’s fully ‘one of us’ now. He’s gained a sense of reason compared to when he was born, but that’s only made him more devious.”

Shiina’s tone grew slightly more serious.

He recalled the changes in Michitaka Soranaki, once known for being timid, and how Kanata handled the out-of-control Kirisame sisters.

“He’s learned how to manipulate people. He uses the perception of himself as ‘evil’ to worm his way into their hearts. That sudden change in Michitaka? Probably the result of some brainwashing trick he pulled.”

“…I see.”

Ouma Shiranui stood and glared out through the glass wall behind him, toward the direction of Saitama—the cursed domain where Kanata Soranaki resides.

Shiina, meanwhile, smiled at Ouma’s back.

“Heh… that kid’s like a prince of darkness. Even someone like me, who’s done plenty of shady stuff, can’t see the bottom of his darkness… yet he interacts so charmingly. I’d love to sit down for tea with him someday.”

“What are you getting at?”

“If that kid ever stirs up trouble, I’d want to serve under him.”

—In an instant, a blade was pressed against Shiina’s throat.

A black katana crackling with lightning. Of course, it was Ouma who wielded it.

The distance, the motion, even the fraction of a second it took—Shiina hadn’t even realized Ouma had drawn his sword until it was inches from piercing his neck.

“Any final words?”

“J-Just joking! This is why I’d prefer Little Kana as a boss…!”

Sweat poured from Shiina’s face, only to evaporate from the heat of the electricity crackling along the blade.

The sheer intensity scorched the skin around his neck.

“…Convict Number WO-417. I’ll say it again: I didn’t ask for idle chatter. If you don’t want to die, get back to the underground prison.”

“Y-Yeah, yeah…”

Shiina turned his back with an exasperated sigh.

—Ouma Shiranui, the man who would even use death row criminals if it meant serving Japan.

Shiina despised this madman with every fiber of his being.

After all, it was Ouma who had crushed the illegal organization—the mafia—that Shiina had once been an executive of.

“Oh, this isn’t idle chatter. Just a little parting advice.”

As he walked away, Shiina tossed out a final comment.

In true villainous fashion, laced with malice, it served as a veiled declaration of war.

“Kanata Soranaki will surpass you someday. If you’re going to kill him, now’s the time to do it.”

“…I see.”

And so, the two parted ways.

There was no friendship between them, none whatsoever.

The only thing they shared was a belief: Kanata Soranaki is a monstrous embodiment of evil.

—But, as it turns out, they were both completely wrong.

Kanata Soranaki harbored no ill intent whatsoever.

The reason they couldn’t see any “darkness” in him was simple: there was none to begin with. His easygoing nature? That was just who he was.

His newfound manners were a result of his overly affectionate body following his father’s example, revealing his natural kindness in the process.

As for Michitaka’s sudden transformation? That was entirely thanks to Ujimaro Godaiin’s influence.

However—

The lingering aura of evil around Kanata, faint but undeniable, kept Shiina and Ouma from realizing the truth.

Shiina descended into the underground, chuckling to himself with a sinister “Kukuku,” pointlessly wishing for the rise of the “Prince of Darkness.”

Meanwhile, Ouma, standing atop the skyscraper, fueled his fiery resolve against the “White Demon,” muttering, “If he ever makes a move, I’ll simply cut him down.”

—And so, unaware that his actions only reinforced his reputation as evil incarnate, Kanata happily returned home to enjoy a bowl of pork rice made by Maro.

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[Tips]

The ‘Red Lines’:

A distinctive marking on the uniforms of the Yatagarasu penance slave corps.

Each side of their overcoat features a single red line, with one more running down the center of the uniform.

These three red lines symbolize the three-legged crow of myth, the namesake of the corps.

Those who detest the Yatagarasu often avoid calling them by name, instead referring to them with nicknames like “the Red-Lined Crew” or “those Red-Lined Crows.”

Shiina:

His real name has been erased. Officially referred to as “Convict Number WO-417.”

Although he looks young, he’s actually 29.

Shiina is the vice-commander of the Yatagarasu and is known for his perpetually narrow eyes.

He acts friendly and speaks casually with a Kansai dialect, but it’s all a facade.

In truth, he’s a despicable villain who enjoys crime. He was once an executive of an illegal Asian organization that operated in Japan.

He despises Ouma Shiranui with all his heart.

He likes Kanata.

Plans to cheer Kanata on through the TV. “Do your best~!”

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↓Your thoughts so far are always welcome! 😊