My Girlfriend is a Death Row Inmate - Chapter 33 - Erosion

Chapter 33 – Erosion

I can’t say right away that I have any mistrust towards Shizuku.

Indeed, tonight’s movements were too suspicious.

“Where are you going?”

It was quarter to one in the morning. I was fortunate to evade Kusune’s pursuit by locking myself in the library until seven, but I couldn’t deceive Shizuku, who was sleeping with me under the same roof, let alone the same bed. Even if I could deceive the eyes of my family, it would be meaningless if she noticed me.

“Ah, Shizuku. Just… forgot something at school.”

“Why not do it tomorrow? Sneaking in at night is trespassing.”

“I’ve already sneaked into abandoned factories plenty of times, so it’s no big deal.”

“Just to confirm, you weren’t influenced by Kusune this time, right?”

“I avoided sticking around her this time, so it’s fine.”

I wasn’t lying. I’m just not saying more than I was asked. Even if I mentioned it was a request from a woman whose name I didn’t know, I wasn’t sure if she’ll believe me. And more importantly, even if I didn’t intend to betray her, just the risk of betrayal lingering in her mind made me feel sorry.

Shizuku still seemed like she wanted to say something as she fidgeted with her sleeves (a state commonly referred to as “moe-sode*,” so cute).

(e/n: moe sleeves)

“…You’ll come back, right?”

“I’m not the type to run away from home at this age. Leaving you and my imouto… just feels wrong.”

Avoiding Kusune’s persistence was also to avoid Ruri’s urging. Ruri admires Kusune and, taking advantage of the rare opportunity to get close to her using the privilege of siblings, she begged me to invite her home.

If I could come back alone, I could make up endless excuses like “I was too busy to talk today,” but if I were persistently pursued, excuses wouldn’t work. If I don’t grant her wish on the spot, there’s a risk of incurring my sister’s resentment.

―――Ruri, I’m sorry.

Please forgive your brother for being dragged into this strange conflict. The death row convict wants to escape using me, and the superhuman high schooler wants to catch the death row convict using me.

“It’s okay. I won’t betray you. My name has already been exposed because of her, and if I betray you, I’ll die, right?”

“…No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Huh?”

Shizuku seemed like she wanted to say something more, but she’s obviously choosing her words carefully. She hesitated, as if choked by words that shouldn’t exist materially, began to hold her throat as if seriously ill, and ultimately hugged me without saying anything.

She doesn’t possess extraordinary strength. Only the gentle embrace of a maiden eveloped me.

“…I didn’t want to say it because it’s embarrassing. You always use my chest as a pillow, right?”

“It’s embarrassing if you mention it too much.”

“Nhufufu. There’s no need to be embarrassed. Your family is asleep, and we’re alone together. It’s an honor to serve my master… Just kidding. So, about that—actually, I can’t sleep well without hugging you.”

Eh?

If I hadn’t been hugged, I would have doubted what she was saying while turning my head to her profile. No one would think of such… such a girlish reason. Why would she… do something a clingy lover does?

Well, there was the pretext of being lovers.

“Your body temperature, your breath, your trembles, your sleep talking. I don’t understand it myself, but without them… I feel anxious. Really anxious.”

“Huh, anxious? …What kind of things do I say in my sleep?”

“Your love for me.”

“————Shi!!”

All the muscles in my body tensed up. Even the parts that would definitely create misunderstandings tensed up, and I struggled to figure out what to say. Her voice whispering in my ear was like a drug. My thoughts were paralyzed, and embarrassment became irrelevant.

Especially when it was mixed with a smile, it was like my brain was being caressed.

“So if you’re not here, I can’t sleep. I’ve known from the beginning that you won’t betray me, and I believe in you. But if possible, I’d like you to come home as soon as possible, master?”

“I-I get it already, so please stop calling me that! It feels so… immoral!”

“You’re already experiencing immorality by hiding me, right?”

“That’s different from this!”

This was about my personal opinion.

After teasing me for a while, she released her tight embrace.

“I don’t know where you’re going, but be careful. I’ll be waiting.”

“Y-Yeah. Well, I’ll be off then.”

“Take care.”

After a newlywed-like exchange, I left the house late at night. Speaking of two in the morning, it was the witching hour. It was an ominous time when ghosts were said to appear, and I was inseparable from it. That’s why I hate it.

And it was at school. Was she investigating the seven mysteries or something? If so, she shouldn’t have to enter the school, but still.

——————————

When you hear about a night school, there are people who want to try a test of courage, but unless it’s a very old school, it’s better to avoid it because there are surveillance cameras. However, it’s rare for schools to install surveillance cameras in the schoolyard. That’s because surveillance cameras are deterrents that should be placed where third parties are not wanted, and there is no reason to install them in the schoolyard where there is nothing to be done if someone enters.

It might be different for wealthy schools, but my high school doesn’t have that much money to spare. Once I crossed the gate casually, I could easily trespass.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

What awaited me as I trespassed into the schoolyard was the model-like beauty I met in the library. Perhaps to make it clear that it was her, she was still in her school uniform, and her exemplary absolute territory was dazzling even in the darkness.

“Oh, thank you.”

“I hate to say this, but you came quite easily. Aren’t you ever on your guard Kouhai-kun?”

“No, well… I’m just thanking you. I don’t trust you or anything.”

“Right. But thanks for coming.”

The conversation stopped there.

She approached me just to ask me to come to the “schoolyard,” so I could probably go home now, but what was the point of this? As she smiled gracefully, staring at me (kind of scary), I awkwardly asked her.

“What exactly was the point of me being useful to you?”

“Um, about that. Could you wait a little longer? I think you’ll understand soon.”

“…………?”

Is someone else coming? I sat down in a comfortable place and enjoyed the eye candy standing in front of me. Because her uniform was predominantly black, it created a strange camouflage effect, making her body seem to blend into the darkness infinitely.

——————————

Ding dong ding dong

It was the sound of the school intercom, which shouldn’t be audible.

“All students of the school are hereby notified that the school is now closed. Sakisaka~ Ryuma-kun. Sakisaka~ Ryuma-kun. “If you happen to see him~ please~ go to the nearest house ~” pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseeeeee………”

Buzzzzzz……

“…………”

Whether it was out of fear or just bad luck, I couldn’t speak. Why should I be targeted? Even before that, this broadcast…

Looking at the upperclassman, she seemed to be sorry as she avoided eye contact.

“Kouhai-kun, you’re Sakisaka Ryuma, correct?”

“W-What’s with this… broadcast. Why am I… even though I didn’t do anything-“

I immediately understood the nature of the abnormal phenomenon. It’s undeniable even if you consider the time and reality. It’s a strange phenomenon. I don’t know if there was such an urban legend, but I seem to have met some conditions.

“……Are you kidding me!? What grudge could you possibly have against me to deceive me like this———!?”

“W-Wait, it’s not what you think. Kouhai-kun, I don’t mean to trick you or anything like that, I just need your help!”

If senpai hadn’t said those words, what would have happened? Would I have been driven by madness to attack? Unthinkable… but I can’t say that for sure, and that’s honestly scary.

It is a simple fact that my threshold for murder has been falling day by day ever since I saw someone get killed up close. I don’t have any hidden urge to kill, so it’s usually not a problem, but it’s a different story in an emergency situation.

“……You want me to help……?”

Senpai put her hand on her uniform and pulled it up to just below her chest. It wasn’t like she had a sudden interest in exhibitionism. I thought so too, but her abdomen was so emaciated that I couldn’t even joke around. The way she was so thin, which I couldn’t have imagined from the clothes, was not slender but rather impoverished, with ribs sticking out.

“…This may be the first time you’ve heard this broadcast, Kouhai-kun, but it has been playing all this time, even during the day. All day long, constantly. Inside our mouths.”

“Mouth…? What?”

“You can hear it even without listening closely. It keeps playing. The current content, unrelated to the person’s voice, just keeps… I can’t sleep, I’m losing my appetite, and I feel like I’m going crazy.”

“—Oh. Maybe because there was no one in the library…”

“Exactly. But you came there, Kouhai-kun.”

Because I came?

Certainly, as it is now, there’s a contradiction. If you can hear a broadcast coming from someone’s mouth, you should expel them from wherever without question. Yet she didn’t do that.

“I couldn’t hear the voice from your mouth… When I checked the roster later, I found out you’re Sakisaka Ryuma…! So I thought maybe you knew something, and that’s why I called you here—”

“Ah, ah, p-please calm down! Please calm down for now. Otherwise, I won’t understand what you’re saying!”

As for me, calming down wasn’t an option, so I will ignore it. I’m a scared, crybaby and a coward anyway.

Senpai put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath repeatedly. She calmed down a bit.

“…I’ll ask you straightforwardly. Kouhai-kun, do you know anything?”

“—Absolutely nothing.”

“…Is that so?”

She was disappointed—no, she was in despair—by the complete lack of mercy in my denial. Even if I wanted to help to the best of my abilities, I’m just a third party. I don’t understand at all what triggered her to hear that voice, or why I’m an exception.

Just as a layman who knows nothing about medicine would just result in a mere massacre if they performed surgery, without knowledge, people cannot be saved.

―――Housuke. What would you have done?

When it comes to the supernatural, I think of him. My best friend, the guy who was my best friend. What would he do in times like these, being a huge fan of scary things?

“…There’s always a reason to get involved in weird things. Do you have any clues?”

“Clues… come to think of it, yes. There was a letter in my mailbox—then, I think.”

“In the mailbox… huh? Did you see what was inside?”

“Yes. Of course I did. It was—”

Good child, bad child, where is that child?

I want that child, I want only that child.

Someone bring me that child. Where is this cave?

Playing the flute with that child, even if I turn around, I’m inside the rock.

When the seven moons are carved, around the hour of the ox and the three… 

Hand that child over to me.

When I heard the entire text, my head went blank. Why didn’t I notice? I should have noticed. I used to tag along with Housuke, the maniac, and I should have recognized the phrase when it came out of Kusune’s mouth.

There’s no such thing as the Pied Piper of Hamelin. You could search all over Japan for a criminal who calls himself that, and you would never find one.

Because this is—

Karakiri-san.