The Witch and Her Companion: I'm Just a Normal High School Student, but I Became the Familiar of the Highest-Ranked Witch. Also, It Seems I'm the Only Guy in the Witch Organization I Joined

Chapter 51: Roaring Thunder and Tear-Streaked Faces

【Tatsumori Haruto】

“──Oi, give it up, you little brat. I already called for backup. In a few minutes, my comrades will be here, and you won’t have a chance.”

“We were comrades celebrating at the bridal fair, weren’t we? If you behave, I’ll make sure to kill you painlessly.”

What do I do? What the hell do I do? If only Fuu was in a condition to escape on her own, I could at least buy time for her again.

As I glared at the two in front of me, unable to think of any way out, suddenly, the frizzy-haired one and the menhera* widened their eyes. Their gaze wasn’t on me—it was on something behind me.

“……Fuu? You’re awake!?”

Turning around, I saw Fuu standing. She looked slightly better than before, but her eyes were vacant.

“……Where is this? And who are you?”

“W-What the hell are you saying at a time like this!? It’s me, Haruto! Listen, we need to run from those two! I’ll hold them off, so you escape!”

Fuu seemed confused, spouting nonsense at the worst possible time. But the fact that she was conscious again was a miracle. I had to get her out of here somehow.

“Give it up, brat. Sure, you’re strong, but you ain’t strong enough to take on this one with a tail.”

“That so? Guess we won’t know until we try——Gah!?”

A heavy impact slammed into my back. A moment later, my throat clogged up, and something thick and metallic-tasting burst from my mouth.

“……Wha—guh—why……Fuu?”

Fuu’s arm had pierced through my body. Looking down, I saw her small hand, drenched in red, sticking out near my navel.

……Fuu’s arm? Why?

“……What the hell, what’s going on!?”

I collapsed onto my knees. Judging by their reaction, the two in front of me weren’t behind this. Then why—why did Fuu do this to me?

“──I understand the situation now. You two over there, if I recall, you were the security officers of the island? Still alive, I see……well, whatever. Hurry up and escort me to the Far East Branch.”

Fuu suddenly started speaking nonsense. What the hell was she talking about?

“Oi, what the hell are you on about? And how do you know about us……”

“Aaah, seriously, this is such a pain! You people never get it. I hate dealing with idiots. Listen up—I am Kuzuhara Mai. As of today, I’m the bishop of the Far East Branch, so mind your manners when you speak to me.”

“W-W-W-What the hell is up with this experiment subject……Darling, can I kill her?”

“You idiot, stand down. ……Oi, are you really Kuzuhara Mai?”

“How many times do I have to say it? That’s my name, and I told you to watch your tone.”

The two and Fuu kept up their incomprehensible exchange. Kuzuhara Mai? Never heard of her. And more importantly, Fuu was Fuu.

Damn it. What the hell is happening?

It’s already insane enough that I got holes blown through my body twice in one day……but maybe, just maybe……Fuu’s memories came back?

“……Darling, who is this Kuzuhara Mai woman? Are you cheating on me?”

“Read the damn files, you moron. Kuzuhara Mai was the researcher who helped the Eleventh Test Subject escape from the island. Her body washed up from the sea just the other day.”

“……I see. I have absolutely no idea what that means.”

For the first time today, I felt like I actually understood the menhera girl. None of this made any sense. Eleventh Test Subject? Researcher? Not a damn clue.

The only thing I did understand was that if this bleeding didn’t stop, I was going to die very soon.

“Kuzuhara-san, we need to get confirmation from above before officially transporting you, but for now, we’ll take you somewhere safe.”

“Good. Then hurry up and lead the way.”

“Kokoro, you take care of the brat. Get some intel out of him before you kill him.”

“What!? You expect me to leave my darling alone with some strange woman!? While I, I, his rightful partner, am right here!?”

“I’m leaving it up to you.”

“……Fine.”

In the corner of my fading vision, I saw Fuu and the frizzy-haired one walking away. I wanted to stop them, but I didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger. My eyelids were growing heavy on their own.

Damn it……this is it, huh——

“──What’s the situation? What about Target A and a——!?”

A familiar voice made my heavy eyelids slowly lift.

“……Oh my, Ryuna-san, you got here quite quickly. Everything’s already been dealt with, more or less.”

Ryuna. That’s right……That was Ryuna’s voice. Why was I hearing it now?

“……Dealt with? You’ve got a tail growing out of you, did you activate your augment frame? And where are the fluffy-haired brat and Target A—the Eleventh Test Subject?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised. That Eleventh Test Subject isn’t as mindless as a toddler after all. And as for ‘a’—they’ve already become one of my kin. I managed to suppress them somehow, but I barely understand the situation myself, and now I’m stuck here cleaning up after ‘a’ while my darling left me behind. Also, isn’t it exoskeletal frame, not augment frame?”

“……Forget it. Fine, just fine. You handle ‘a’s disposal. Get back to supporting the fluffy-haired brat.”

“Oh my, oh my! For the first time ever, I’m impressed with you, Ryuna-san! What a brilliant suggestion!”

“I will punch you. Just go already!”

I could barely think straight anymore, but I was sure of one thing—Ryuna was here. She was holding me up, so I could see her face clearly.

“……Hare, wake up and listen closely. You’re Fuu-chan’s kin, right? Focus your consciousness into your hands and close up the wound. You can do this.”

I barely had any feeling left in my body, but I could tell Ryuna had placed my hand over my stomach wound.

I focused on the faint sensation left in my fingertips, recalling how it felt when Fuu healed me before.

“That’s right, keep focusing. Close the wound.”

I felt warmth spreading from my palm to my abdomen. My breathing grew easier. The pain melted away.

Then, somewhere in the distance, thunder roared. A massive explosion of sound, far too close. The sheer force of it sharpened my mind.

“……What the hell? That sound……don’t tell me——”

Ryuna gently laid me down on the ground. It felt like she was about to leave, and though I had no voice left, I somehow managed to grab her sleeve.

“……Hare, I’m sorry. But I swear, I won’t let you die. Just wait here a little longer, okay?”

“……Ryu……na……”

I tried to call out to her, but even with all my strength, no sound came out.

But Ryuna stopped. And she turned back.

“……Hare, if I don’t come back, figure something out on your own. You can do it. Oh, and about your house—I’m giving you permission to use it, but you’d better move out soon. Someone might come to kill you.”

She kept speaking, standing over me as I lay on the ground.

“I’ll do what I can about Fuu-chan. But I doubt I can get both of you out safely.”

Ryuna……she’d been hiding something from me. No—it was me who knew nothing about her.

I never knew she could make such a sad face.

“Hey, Hare……Ryuna actually likes y……”

“……Ryu……na……don’t cry……”

I never knew she could cry like this. It didn’t suit her one bit.

“……Sorry. Bye-bye.”

That was the last time I ever saw Ryuna.

***

──How much time had passed?

After the thunderclap roared and Ryuna vanished, the rumbling of the earth and the explosions echoed for a while. Then, silence. And after some time…

The hole in my stomach had completely closed.

But the gaping hole in my chest remained. What had happened to Fuu? Who was Ryuna, and where had she disappeared to…? I had no energy left to move.

──Rustle.

A footstep.

The sound of someone stepping on fallen leaves, approaching me.

Could it be Ryuna coming back? I thought so, but I had no strength to confirm. Only my heart was working overtime, pounding hard in my chest, making me realize—oh, so I really am still alive.

The footsteps stopped right beside me.

A small figure stood over me, backlit by the light, making her face hard to see. But one thing was certain—she was a girl.

The small girl peered down at my face and grinned.

“Muaaa, found me a leftover straggler~”