Returnee from Another World - Chapter 59: Another Hand

Chapter 59: Another Hand

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It was a memory I didn’t want to recall. Yet, it was a memory I had to recall at all costs.

The email from Kyouka Amasawa read, “Help me, Shuu-kun,” a brief, vague plea. It gave no clue what she needed help with or how I could help. But the moment I read it, a horrific memory from my past flashed through my mind.

“Shuu, are you mad?”

Ayano Kato, lying beside me, asked with a worried look.

“What? Out of nowhere?” I replied.

“No, you just had a really scary expression,” she said.

“Oh… I just remembered something infuriating from a long time ago,” I said.

“Okay, as long as it’s nothing serious,” she said.

“Sorry, but I’ve got to head out. Today’s plans are canceled,” I told her.

“That’s a shame. Will you be back late?” she asked.

“Not sure. But Ayano, go home. I might not be back today,” I said.

“Got it. I’ll finish the dishes and laundry before I leave,” she replied.

My expression must’ve been grim. Normally, Ayano would’ve whined playfully or begged to stay longer, but she complied without protest. Maybe she sensed something serious from my face. Her intuition—or her attention to me—was proof of how well she knew me.

But I couldn’t focus on Ayano now. I changed into a suit, left her at the house, and headed out alone.

I knew where to go, thanks to my ability triggered by the recalled memory. But I didn’t know how far it was. If it was the same love hotel from my memory, I vaguely recalled its location, though the direction felt slightly off. It could be a different place entirely, maybe even in the next prefecture.

Still, I had time to make it. Since returning to this world, something had been whispering to me, urging me to change this tragic fate. That’s why I was reliving my life. Even if events resembled my memories, they wouldn’t necessarily unfold identically.

That said, I was panicking. Despite it being a quiet private road, I was desperate enough to don the James Masuda mask in broad daylight. Like in my memory, Kyouka wasn’t answering her phone, and my follow-up email—“What’s wrong? What happened?”—went unanswered.

I’d anticipated recalling my memories with Kyouka, but Akuzawa Hitoshi’s involvement was a shock. I’d half-expected a grim memory, but if it wasn’t the exact horrific scene, I wouldn’t be this frantic. Gripped by urgency, I pulled my phone from my pocket and called someone else.

“Hello?”

“Sayaka-san, it’s me. Sorry for the sudden request, but can you drive to the rotary at ○○ Station right now?” I asked.

“Right now?” Sayaka Hojo replied.

“Yes. I’m sorry, I don’t have time to explain fully—it’s urgent. I need a ride, and I’m asking you to drive,” I said.

“Understood. ○○ Station rotary. I’ll head there immediately,” she said.

After the brief exchange, I hung up and hurried to the station. The station was slightly off the direction I needed, but with the distance unclear, a car was better than walking. Sayaka should be free at this hour. She usually had time after dropping her daughter Kaede off at school, and I’d visited her for sex during those hours before. Yukari Higuchi would’ve been better suited for this, but she was likely working and couldn’t meet quickly.

“What do I do if it’s the same situation?” I muttered, rushing toward the station.

I hadn’t intervened in Kyouka’s issues before, not because I thought I couldn’t help, but because I doubted it would save her. At first, it was just a vague instinct to avoid meddling. But recalling memories with Ayano, Sayaka, Yukari, and Shoko Oishi turned that into near-certainty.

As I recalled past memories with these women, similar events unfolded in their lives. In this relived life, some events seemed unchangeable—turning points where our lives intertwined, impossible to untangle. They were like critical junctures we had to pass through.

I recalled Ayano’s memory when she visited my house in the pouring rain, despite our estrangement. Sayaka’s memory surfaced when I saw the angel wing tattoo on her back. I thought these were just memories triggered by similar experiences. But Yukari’s case was different. That memory was from a hospital room, and her leg amputation stemmed from a car accident, not a cliff fall like I’d expected.

Why did a future event happen now, in a different place and form? Yukari and I weren’t supposed to meet yet. My actions brought us together early, but her falling off a cliff and losing her leg, like in the memory, felt too unnatural.

Shoko’s case was similar. Her altered encounter with Yukari and the accident led to a different bond with me, though her decision to bear my child remained. I couldn’t shake the sense of a forceful fate at play.

I believed I could change lives. My current relationship with Ayano proved it—our bond was different, and Sakaki Shintaro’s group’s attitude toward us confirmed it. I might be reliving my life multiple times, and the memories of Ayano or Kyouka could be from one of those lives, proving change was possible.

But I suspected key turning points couldn’t be altered. Yukari’s leg amputation seemed inevitable. Kyouka’s current issue likely hid such a turning point. My theory held: a trigger recalled the memory, and now it depended on whether I could change the outcome.

If so, preventing Kyouka’s issue preemptively might be futile. It could just resurface differently, later, forcing me to stay vigilant indefinitely—a pointless endeavor.

That’s why I had to recall this painful memory and face it. I might need to let the same event happen—or it might happen regardless. Either way, I was tasked with the daunting challenge of saving Kyouka afterward.

The question was what I’d find at my destination. Was the memory’s key moment Kyouka’s email, or witnessing her transformed by Akuzawa? That distinction changed everything. If it was the latter, I planned to deal with Akuzawa—not kill him in front of Kyouka, but leave him barely able to move. I’d need a disguise. Beyond that, I held a strange hope that confronting them as Kaburaki Shuu might alter the outcome. Ruining my deal with Yasunaga was unavoidable—I couldn’t forgive Akuzawa.

At worst, I’d use the Poison of Muleduel to cure Kyouka’s physical dependency. But that wouldn’t heal her mental trauma. Overwriting bad memories with Aphrodisiac or slime-induced pleasure was possible, but would that truly save her?

Something felt off. I’d saved Ayano from Sakaki’s group, cured Kaede’s illness, helped Sayaka, and healed Yukari’s leg. Shoko was less clear, but her bond with Yukari might outweigh her feelings for me. If I could save them, I could save Kyouka. Otherwise, what was the point of reliving my life?

Lost in thought, I reached the station in under ten minutes. Unexpectedly, a familiar car was already there—Sayaka must’ve rushed. I opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.

“Sorry, this really helps,” I said.

“No, I’m sorry I can only help this much, Master. Where to?” Sayaka asked.

“Head east for now, toward the next town,” I said.

“If you tell me the place or building name, I might know it,” she offered.

“Sayaka-san, this involves the cult I was once part of. I can’t share details, even with you. Please, just follow my directions this time,” I said.

“I understand. My apologies,” she said.

“Also, we might clash with Yasunaga-san’s organization. I’ll try to keep you out of it, but be prepared,” I warned.

As we spoke, the car headed east toward Kyouka’s presence. We drove in silence, Sayaka occasionally glancing as if to confirm the route, but I only nodded wordlessly. After about ten minutes on the main road, I noticed Kyouka’s presence shifting slightly.

“Turn left at the next intersection and stop somewhere nearby,” I said.

“Yes,” she replied.

“I’m really sorry, but if you have time, could you wait nearby for about an hour? If it takes longer, I’ll contact you,” I said.

“No problem. I’m free until Kaede gets home this evening,” she said.

After the left turn, Sayaka pulled over. I got out quickly. I felt bad, but I needed her to stay close in case I had to escape with Kyouka, especially if drugs were involved—we’d need to avoid attention. Though, I doubted that’d be necessary.

This area was familiar, and I pinpointed Kyouka’s location instantly. I headed straight for Ando Finance.

It had to be right. Kyouka was inside Ando Finance. Relief washed over me. I didn’t know Yasunaga’s role, but at least I’d avoided the love hotel scenario. Now, I just needed to figure out how to get Kyouka out.

Hiding in an alley between buildings, I retrieved an attaché case from my Dimensional Storage and placed gold bars inside, also from storage. I needed to confirm Kyouka’s situation. Though I’d just done business with Ando Finance, posing as a client with gold was my best cover.

Prepared, I walked confidently into Ando Finance. A shrill entry chime drew all eyes to me. Among them, I spotted Kyouka, looking anxious but unharmed. Relieved that the critical moment hadn’t arrived, I let out a sigh.