Returnee from Another World - Chapter 43: Traces of Severed Memories

Chapter 43: Traces of Severed Memories

“Gah!!!”

Nishikuse let out a cry, collapsing onto the sofa.

I didn’t even know why I’d done it.

His plan was sloppy from the start.

Even without my intervention, Nishikuse might’ve failed on his own. But there was no point in deliberately sabotaging him.

Doing so would only cost me a useful pawn. It wasn’t like I felt sympathy for Yukari or acted out of some sense of justice.

Did I want her for myself?

Realizing my own motives after the fact felt foolish, but it made sense as a motivation.

Her appearance was certainly captivating.

The mix of unease about forgotten past connections and reluctance to let Nishikuse have her might’ve unconsciously driven me to interfere. That wasn’t hard to understand.

But if I wanted her, I could’ve just taken her from Nishikuse by force. There was no need to sneak around like this.

While lost in these aimless thoughts, Yukari broke free from Nishikuse’s grasp and bolted out of the room.

Her steps were unsteady, staggering.

She managed to slip away because Higashikawa and Miki were distracted by Nishikuse’s scream, freezing momentarily.

Higashikawa was glancing around, as if searching for something invisible.

I’m not sure how it works, but items I hold after donning the Mirage Coat remain visible.

Higashikawa might’ve caught a glimpse of me pulling Ninetails Pain from my dimensional storage and putting it back.

Still, his hesitation was brief.

He might suspect my presence, but he had bigger problems right now.

“What the hell, Eishin? If that woman escapes, we’re screwed!” Higashikawa shouted.

“Ugh… ow, ow, ow! Why did the ring…? Did I say something wrong?” Nishikuse groaned.

“We’ll deal with that later! Right now, we have to catch that Yukari woman, or we’re in deep shit. I told you to consult me first!” Higashikawa barked.

Nishikuse seemed to think the ring’s divine punishment had struck him.

Higashikawa’s sharp rebuke cut through. Though the main hall was cleared of people, they might run into believers eventually. Believers could be sweet-talked, but if Yukari escaped to the outside, that was the real issue.

Higashikawa’s face betrayed clear panic.

“I’ll head to the parking lot through the back entrance. Eishin, chase her directly. She hasn’t gone far. In her state, you can catch her.”

“Got it, Keibun. Miki, help chase her,” Nishikuse ordered.

“Y-Yes,” Miki stammered.

The three scrambled out, and I followed, leaving the guest room.

Outside, dusk painted the area in dim shadows, the main hall eerily silent due to Nishikuse’s orders.

Higashikawa, barefoot, turned right at the corridor. Nishikuse and Miki, after slipping on shoes at the entrance, ran toward the front gate after Yukari.

By then, Yukari had escaped the hall’s grounds, her figure faintly lit by artificial lanterns near the gate.

“There she is!” Nishikuse shouted, spotting her in the dim light.

As they chased her toward the gate, I vaulted over the corridor’s railing, landing softly on the ground.

Yukari headed right down the road, likely toward the parking lot.

I hesitated, unsure whether to help Nishikuse catch her.

If I aided them, I could prevent their worst-case scenario. If I wanted Yukari, I could threaten Nishikuse later and claim her.

But something felt off, like a warning bell in my head. Was that really the right move?

I was still hung up on my earlier actions.

Since returning to this world, I’ve felt guided by some contrived force.

Running into Yukari here was too perfect for a coincidence. Could I have forgotten a past connection with her, like I did with Sayaka?

If so, maybe I should let her go.

That thought stemmed from my experience with Sayaka. I didn’t think Yukari was my lover—past me was too reserved to juggle multiple women.

Unable to decide, I watched Nishikuse, his massive frame lumbering after Yukari.

The gap, initially over 50 meters, was slowly closing.

Keeping my distance from Nishikuse’s group, I joined the chase.

The Gospel Love Church sat halfway up a steep mountain.

Yukari couldn’t have climbed this rugged path on foot like me. She likely came by car or bike, which Higashikawa must’ve assumed, heading to the parking lot to cut her off.

If they secured her vehicle, her escape chances would plummet.

Under the aphrodisiac’s effects, Yukari could barely walk. Escaping down the mountain without getting caught seemed nearly impossible. Higashikawa’s move was coldly calculated.

On the unpaved mountain path, the parking lot entrance came into view on the right.

Higashikawa was already there, about to close the gate.

Seeing him, Yukari froze, scanning her surroundings.

To my left, the road bordered a sheer cliff with no guardrail, its steep slope treacherous. One misstep would send her tumbling to the road below. Even for me, descending that would be tough.

With the cliff at her back, Yukari seemed to weigh her escape options, but Nishikuse and Higashikawa closed in, trapping her.

“Haa, haa… Miki! What the hell is this?!” Yukari gasped.

“Yukari-san, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… but I had to,” Miki replied.

“Ugh, haa, haa… Damn it! What do you mean, ‘had to’?! Ah, ah, AHHHH!” Yukari screamed.

“Phew, finally caught up. You’re feeling it, aren’t you, missy? Just give up,” Nishikuse taunted.

“What… what did you make me drink?!” Yukari demanded.

“Who knows? I’ve got no clue. Maybe God sent divine punishment for a cheeky girl,” Nishikuse sneered.

“Damn you! Screw your ‘God’! Haa, haa…” Yukari cursed.

“Eishin, cut the crap. Don’t let her escape this time,” Higashikawa snapped.

“Yeah, yeah, relax,” Nishikuse replied, inching closer to Yukari.

The path down was blocked by Higashikawa. Even if she dodged Nishikuse and climbed toward the summit, her condition made escape impossible. Her face showed clear desperation.

“Don’t come near me!!!” Yukari shouted.

As Nishikuse lunged, her left leg shot up in a high arc.

“Guuh!!” Nishikuse grunted.

It was a clean mid-level kick, perfectly executed.

Nishikuse hadn’t expected a kick in that moment. If Yukari were at full strength, she might’ve done real damage.

But Nishikuse only flinched, barely hurt.

The weight difference was too great.

Even at her best, damaging a giant like him would’ve been tough.

I was more shocked that Yukari’s left leg moved so fluidly. I’d assumed it was injured, but that kick suggested otherwise. Had I misread the unease I’d felt?

Rubbing his right arm, Nishikuse advanced again.

Yukari backed away, step by step, toward the cliff.

“Ah!” A cry rang out.

I don’t know whose it was.

Before my eyes, Yukari slipped, tumbling down the cliff and vanishing instantly.

“Hey, Eishin! What the hell?!” Higashikawa yelled, rushing over.

“I-I didn’t do anything!” Nishikuse stammered, stunned.

Miki stood frozen, hand over her mouth.

“It’s an accident! You and Miki saw it, right? I didn’t touch her! She slipped on her own!” Nishikuse pleaded.

“Damn it, this is bad…” Higashikawa muttered.

“You saw it, Keibun! I didn’t push her!” Nishikuse insisted.

“That’s not the issue. This height… if she didn’t catch on something, she’s…” Higashikawa trailed off.

“I said she—”

“Enough, Eishin. I’m not blaming you. Focus. We need to find her. I’ll get the car from the parking lot.”

“Right,” Nishikuse nodded.

I peered over the cliff, but Yukari was gone.

The slope was as steep as I’d thought, with no sign of her catching on anything. Visibility was poor, but the road below wasn’t fully visible either.

Did I let Yukari escape just to cause this?

If my suspicions about a guiding force were right, this would be the outcome.

I refused to accept such a ridiculous idea. Why would I need to send Yukari plummeting off a cliff?

Hearing a faint engine sound in the distance, I wrestled with these thoughts.

No answers came, only time slipping by.

“Get in, Eishin!” Higashikawa called.

“W-Wait, me too!” Miki pleaded.

“Miki, go back to your room,” Nishikuse ordered.

“But—”

“What? You defying me?”

“Forget her, get in!” Higashikawa urged.

Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed time passing. Higashikawa had returned with the car.

He loaded Nishikuse into the passenger seat, leaving Miki behind, and sped down the mountain.

Watching them go, I peered over the cliff again, then pulled Lady Bird from my dimensional storage and stepped toward the edge.

Even if I fell, my regenerative body would be fine.

With my superhuman reflexes, I was confident I could descend without losing balance.

Using Lady Bird like a pickaxe to slow my slide on the crumbling ground, I grabbed trees with my left hand, finding footholds and sliding further down in a challenging process.

I lost track of how far I’d descended.

But I knew a human falling this distance wouldn’t survive unscathed.

Reaching the road below, I saw Yukari—her left leg severed, arms twisted unnaturally, clearly near death.