I, Who Acquired the Ability to Read Memories, Am Being Swallowed by Darkness - While I Should Be Protecting Beautiful Girls, I Am Being Drawn into Darkness Each Time I Use My Power, Yet for Some Reason, My Harem of Beautiful Girls Keeps Growing - Chapter 12: The Unveiled Darkness

Chapter 12: The Unveiled Darkness

After school, in the music room.

Choosing a time when no one was around after club activities had ended, I and Sakurai-san called out to Shirogane.

“We… know about it.”

Sakurai-san’s voice echoed softly.

“Eh…?”

“About Shirota-sensei.”

Shirogane’s face drained of color.

“The other day, in the music room…”

I took out my smartphone.

On the screen was an image of Shirogane embracing Shirota-sensei.

“Could it be… a secret recording…”

“No, it was an accident…”

“Delete it!”

Shirogane desperately reached for the smartphone.

“Shirogane-san, we’re best friends, right?”

Sakurai-san stepped forward.

“That’s why I’m telling you. This… it will never work out.”

“No! You don’t understand!”

Shirogane’s voice trembled.

“Shirota-sensei and I… no one can understand us…”

“But if you’re found out…”

“No!”

Shirogane shook her head vehemently.

“I have no one but Shirota-sensei. Shirota-sensei… also…”

Shirogane’s tears began to flow.

“Shirogane-san…”

“Please, don’t say anything more…”

Shirogane covered her face with her hands.

“Leave me alone.”

Sakurai-san tried to say something, but Shirogane grabbed her bag and ran out of the music room.

“Should we chase after her?”

“…N-no, let’s call it a day for today.”

Sakurai-san’s voice also trembled.

The two of us were left in the music room bathed in the evening sun.

The persuasion had failed.

But both of us knew that this was just the beginning.

“Shirota-sensei, I need to talk to you…”

After school, Sakurai-san and I headed towards the staff room.

But Shirota-sensei was absent.

“Maybe the music room…”

On Shirota-sensei’s desk was a high-end fountain pen that he was said to use often.

A deep blue fountain pen with the words “MONTBLANC” shining on it.

It was a masterpiece that reflected Shirota-sensei’s good taste.

The moment I touched it without thinking—

“Ugh!”

I involuntarily let go of it.

Images and memories came flooding in like a torrent.

“What’s wrong?”

Sakurai-san peered at me with concern.

I couldn’t find the words.

This time, I touched Shirota-sensei’s notebook.

A high-quality leather-bound notebook.

Clearer memories flowed from it.

Multiple ongoing relationships.

A 23-year-old waitress at a cafe in the neighboring town.

Meeting her twice a week at a set time.

The two of them, drenched in sweat, yearning for each other in a love hotel.

A 29-year-old actress in a community theater group.

Under the pretext of helping with the stage direction.

Like beasts, they had sex in the dressing room after the stage rehearsal.

And then… a video from the past, a student at NishiTAKA High School.

The ace of the track and field team.

During club activities, in the gym storage room.

A student from Minami High School when Shirota-sensei was posted there.

The former captain of the marching band.

Further back in time—

Five years ago, seven years ago, ten years ago…

Countless relationships with students.

Using his skillful words to lead them on, and music as his common weapon.

A perfect method that would never be exposed.

“Ugh…”

I felt nauseous.

Was this Shirota-sensei’s true form?

Was Shirogane just one of his victims?

“Sato-kun? Your face is as pale as a sheet?”

“Sakurai-san, let’s withdraw for now.”

“Eh? But…”

“Shirogane-san is in danger.”

At those words, Sakurai-san’s expression froze.

“What do you mean…?”

“Shirota-sensei… it’s not just Shirogane-san.”

I explained carefully.

“Even now, he is in a relationship with multiple women. Socialites, students… and in the past, countless students…”

I struggled to find the words.

The notebook’s memories contained a cruel truth.

Dates, locations, names, and more.

A perfect record.

Like a record of conquests.

Sakurai-san’s face drained of color.

“Could it be… Shirogane-san was also… so calculated…”

Footsteps approached from the staff room corridor.

The sound of Shirota-sensei’s distinctive leather shoes.

“Let’s go.”

I instinctively took Sakurai-san’s hand and left the scene.

We finally stopped at the back of the library.

In a dimly lit place where no one came.

In the midst of the scent of books, both of us were lost for words.

“Sato-kun, tell me. Everything.”

Sakurai-san’s voice trembled.

As Shirogane’s best friend, she had to accept this fact.

But it was too cruel.

“Shirota-sensei has a perfect method.”

I began to talk, organizing the memories I had seen.

“At first, he approaches as a teacher who recognizes musical talent. Then gradually, he makes them believe that they are a special existence. Private lessons, after-school guidance…”

“The loan of the flute to Shirogane-san too…”

“Yes. It was all calculated.”

The notebook even recorded the steps.

The student’s personality, family background, social relationships, and more.

With the meticulousness of a hunter closing in on his prey.

“But why didn’t anyone notice…?”

“Shirota-sensei was cautious. He never had a relationship with students from the same period. He chose students from different schools. Perfect time management…”

I continued to explain, my voice shaking.

“In Shirogane-san’s case too, it was probably part of the plan. Even the incident where Kondo-senpai’s destroyed the flute..”

“Could it be…”

Yes, Kondo-senpai’s name was also in the notebook.

Marked with a red pen as “Caution.”

“Sakurai-san, we have to protect Shirogane-san…”

Our hands were still clasped together.

But now, even the warmth of that touch was a source of anxiety.

The depth of Shirota-sensei’s darkness far exceeded our imagination.

“Can we… do it?”

I couldn’t answer Sakurai-san’s anxious voice.

I just couldn’t leave Shirogane in Shirota-sensei’s hands any longer.

… At that moment, a shadow appeared in the corridor.

We ran out of the library.

We finally stopped in the deserted courtyard.

“Haa… haa…”

Sakurai-san caught her breath and looked at me.

Anxiety and fear floated in her eyes.

“Shirota-sensei has… data.”

I began to speak quietly but firmly.

“Of all the women he was with. Photos and videos…”

“Could it be… Shirogane-san’s too?”

“Yes. That’s why Shirogane-san can’t break up with Shirota-sensei. Not until Shirota-sensei gets bored of her…”

Sakurai-san’s face turned pale.

“It’s saved on the computer in Shirota-sensei’s study. The password is HAITOKU…”

The memory of touching the notebook came back to me vividly.

Shirota-sensei’s home.

The study.

The contents of the computer.

And his twisted desire for conquest.

“If we could just delete the data…”

“We could protect the current victims. But…”

“But?”

“But it wouldn’t be atonement for the past victims.”

In the courtyard where the wind blew through, Sakurai-san’s long black hair swayed.

“Should we tell Shirogane-san about this?”

“For now… let’s wait.”

“But!”

“Shirogane-san will probably not believe us. She’ll even push us away.”

That was true.

Sakurai-san must have known that too.

Shirogane’s feelings for Shirota-sensei were too pure and deep.

“Then, what should we do…”

“First, we need evidence. Otherwise…”

At that moment, a figure appeared in the school window.

We instinctively hid ourselves.

“Sakurai-san, let’s call it a day for today.”

“Okay…”

It was long past the time for going home.

It was dangerous to stay at school any longer.

“Let’s think about it again…”

At parting, I could feel that Sakurai-san’s hand was trembling.

I was probably trembling too.

Shirota-sensei’s study computer.

Evidence of his dark desires recorded within.

Unless we got our hands on that, we couldn’t save Shirogane or the other victims.

But how…?

As I walked through the evening streets, my head was filled with dark, hopeless imaginings.