The night of the Delia ambush.
I was asleep with my pillow high.

Delia had told me to tell the four ruffians who had developed Omero's disease to tell their employer, and I was sure they would get the message.
I don't know my employer's name or identity! I don't know the name or identity of my employer!' He was whining something like that, but I had to ask him to find it out with his guts.
I told him with a smile that if he didn't get the message properly, I would find him and come to see him, even if I had to run to the ends of the earth, but he turned pale and said, 'What, a punk band concert? He was shaking his head like 'What, a punk band concert?

Well, even if I can't find my employer, I'm sure I'll be able to reach my employer's employer by crying and looking around the 30th district.

If the ragdolls get to their employers, they won't try anything until the investigation of the 42nd district is finished, and if the ragdolls don't get to their employers, they won't let their guard down and mess with us day after day, as if to say, 'It worked!
So I made my decision and left for the dream world with a minimum of caution.

But then ......
Early next morning.
It came to the sunlit pavilion with a loud noise.

'Aaahhh!

I was awakened by the scream of a disappointed lord who seemed to have been caught in the trap I had set for him.
At the same time as the scream, there was a noisy sound of 'rumble, rumble, rumble! sounded at the same time.

'What the hell is this?Oh my god!

Estella tugged wildly at the cord that was tangled around her ankle, trying to get it untangled. Each time you do, the bamboo or metal "clanging" attached to the end of the cord makes a rattling sound.
I didn't make it so that it would come undone so easily. It's a security device that I made, "Sekyomu iru kun".
I don't want you to think it's easy for an amateur to get out.
The more you hurry, the tighter the bonds will be. With noise.

Galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang-galang.

'Shut up! You're bothering the neighbors.

There's no one living nearby.

'Yashiro!

Perhaps startled by the sudden loud noise, or perhaps impatient with the unraveling cord, Estella looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

'Just don't move, I'll take it off.
'If you have something like this, tell me about it!
'You told me to take precautions,' she said.
'You're too tight!

Oh, come on, don't wave your arms around. It'll make a rattling noise.

'Uh, what's going on?
'...... Shut up.'

Ginette and Magda emerge from the kitchen.
Ginette was in the kitchen preparing food, and Magda was in bed, probably in a dream.

''Huh?When did you get on the floor, Yashiro-san?

Jeannette, who had been the first to enter the kitchen as usual, tilted her head.
You can't get to the floor without going through the kitchen where you are, but you look like .......

'Oh, I understand. You came around through the bathrooms.
'That doesn't make any sense.'

It's true, you can come around by that route, but...'
There's no reason to take the long way around to fool Jeannette's eyes when there's such a noisy happening.

'I was asleep on the floor.
'What?

' said Jeannette, looking at the blanket in the corner of the floor in surprise.

'Are you all right, sir?Did you get a good night's sleep?'

She peeked at my face and worried about my health.

'Yes, um, Jeannette. I'm sorry, but can you help me first?
'Oh, yes, of course. Right now!

Estella, who had been left alone, made a crying sound, and Ginette, who had been pointed out, hurriedly pulled to untie the cord that was tangled around Estella's ankle, making a loud rumbling sound.
It's so loud.

'You can't untie it by pulling on it. Magda.'
'...... I'll take care of it.'

I've explained to Magda about security.
The string, which is tied in a special knot, can be easily untied by undoing the string at the base of the mechanism, not at the ankle where it is entangled.
When I showed him the trick, Magda said, '...... This is great. I'll use it for hunting next time'.

I'm not going to tell you how it works, though, to prevent abuse.

'...... What the hell?

Estella kicked the cord that had come undone from her leg and clung to Jeannette's waist.
She strokes Estella's head, but Ginette looks troubled.

'Estella, you don't have a knife, do you?
'No, because I don't think it's ...... a good idea to destroy the security system of the Sunlit Pavilion.'
'Thank you, sir. But if you find yourself in danger, please don't worry about protecting yourself. Estella is more important to me than you.'
'I love you, Ginette!

Squeeeeeeeee!Estella clings to him.
Oh, you're buried. I like it.



'Well, I got some thin wire from Norma's place and braided it in, so I don't think a knife will cut it.
'That's very strict!Thanks to you, I can rest easy.Thank you!

I'm glad that Jeannette and the Sunlit Pavilion are protected, but I'm disappointed that I got caught.
Estella bared her fangs as she cried out with such mixed emotions.
Don't be sulky. I didn't expect you to come this early in the morning.

'I was going to remove you after Umaro and the carpenter came for breakfast.
'Why are you trying to hook up with someone from around here ......'.

Why?
Huh?
Because it's funny?

'According to Natalia's information, it seems that the ruffian has successfully joined his employer.
'Did you let her find out?
'No, I was surprised when she told me when I woke up.

Natalia did it on her own.
Do you have such a secret agent?...... Sounds scary.

I'm not sure what to make of that.
'So they're better than us.

Then they know we've been probing them.
I hope you got the message.

'I know exactly what you're doing.

'Well, I guess we're safe for a while now.

Estella glares at the sekyom in you with a grudge.
She wants me to take it off.

Well, if the ruffian you sent in comes back as a different person, they'll be a little more cautious,......, I guess.
If we send out another warning to them, they will feel a little more secure.


There's something I've been wondering about but haven't had a chance to check.
Just in time, I'll check it out.
...... It won't hurt my feelings if I fail.


'Estella-san, you came to tell me about it. It's so early in the morning. Thank you very much.'
'Yes. There's that too, but ......'.

Estella glanced at my face.
That's right.
Are you flirting with my sleeping habits?

'Yashiro, ...... are you okay?'
'What?'
'No, you see, ...... that .......'

She looked like she was having a hard time saying it, but in the end she couldn't.
Estella looked away from me and swallowed her words.

'I'm just asking if your body is hurting because Yashiro-san was sleeping in the dining room. Right?
'Huh?Ah, ah, yes. Yeah. I was wondering if you caught a cold or something.

I take advantage of Jeannette's words and give her a lame smile.

Apparently I've been looking pretty bad all day yesterday.
Enough for Estella to come running in this early morning.
Maybe not all day yesterday.

I'm aware of it.
Ever since that idiot did something stupid with his stupid words, a heavy, throbbing feeling has been stirring like magma in the pit of my stomach.


I don't care if that idiot suffers or dies.


He's a scum bastard whose name doesn't even appear on the list of people who wouldn't be hurt if you smashed them.
I don't want Estella to be annoyed by him, do I?
Alright, let's get this pent-up emotion out of my system.

'Estella. I have a favor to ask you.

I do my best to smile and beg Estella.


'That idiot, can I have it?


Estella and Magda, who was standing next to her, looked at me and shivered.



'Um, Yashiro-san. Are you okay with ......?'

The only one who didn't tremble when she saw my begging smile was Ginette, who looked into my face with a worried expression.

Her face is serious.

'I'm fine. I'm not straining myself.'
'So ......?

Ginette looks unconvinced.

'If anything, I'm thinking of going to mellow this spiky mind of mine.'

If even Estella had noticed it, then Ginette, who had been in the same space for a long time, must have noticed it too.
Probably Magda and Loretta too.

I'm a little pissed off this time.
It's been a while since I've been this pissed off.

I hadn't been this angry with Assunto, who had tormented Ginette and the other managers, exploited Momat and the other producers, and pursued his own interests with aloofness and niceties.


I was not angry with the ruffians who made Paula cry over the bug incident, nor with Ricardo who kept harassing Estella, nor with Medora who defended Ricardo and blamed Estella from a one-sided perspective.


The last time I had such murky feelings was probably when I was in Japan.


'Ginette. Can you prepare a feast for me today?'

'If I see that idiot in front of me--'

'If you do, I'll come back to enjoy it.'


--I might make a move I can't undo.


Then I might not have the courage to come back here.
I'm taking out an insurance policy to prevent that from happening.

I'm not going to take the initiative now to do something that will make them sad.
I can't irresponsibly look away and say that I'm worthless.
They'll be sad when I'm gone.
I know that much already.

'I guess so. I'd like fried shrimp, curry or hamburger steak. But I can't pass up fried chicken. Gori is going to be difficult, so ...... just go with it.

When I was a kid.
I had a guilty conscience that kept me from going home, and the smell of the proprietress' delicious supper reached my nose.
I was lured home by that smell, and the proprietress smiled and welcomed me home.
That made me feel very relieved.

I thought, 'Oh, it's okay for me to stay here.

'Okay. I'll prepare a delicious meal for you.

Ginette smiles and agrees.
There was no longer a hint of anxiety in her smile.

I could have gone right away, but Estella hadn't eaten yet, and I didn't want to rush out to meet her.

I helped Ginette prepare the food, went to the church to make a donation, prepared to open the store, pointed and laughed at the crowd of carpenters who were caught in the middle of a big "Sekyomu iru kun", and then left the sunny pavilion with Estella.


Our destination was the prison at the edge of District 42.


In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.
...... They're practicing for the next ward field day, aren't they?

'How long are you going to keep this up?
'No, I'm not. We're making them run to build up their strength. It's easier to see how far you've run when you know the distance of each lap, right?
'On the other hand, it's easier for the person giving the orders to say, "How many laps of the track?"'
'Well, yeah.'

Estella smiles, though still slightly stiff.

'By the way, ......, what's that?

Estella says, pointing to the rectangular object I'm holding under my arm.

'It's a trash can.
'No, yeah. I guess that's true, but ...... why?'
'Because we're going to use it.

And I brought some very tasty yakitori.
When you eat yakitori, there's garbage, right?
If there's garbage, you have to take care of it.
Even a kid knows that.

Garbage goes in the trash.

"Hey, Yashiro.

I cut through the playground and approached the building.
On the way Estella calls out my name.
Her voice is firm, and I can hear her confusion.

'To be honest, I'm still confused about what I should do.

Without looking at each other, they walk straight ahead.

'I'm not comfortable letting you see that man.
'Then take the right away from me. You can do that.'
'But...'

Estella pauses.
I stop too, but I don't look back, waiting for Estella's words.

'...... If you ignore the fact that I'm a lord, ............ I can't forgive that man. You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. ...... but I can't do that.

Estella would never be able to punish someone for suffering.
She would check with past cases and impose a punishment that is not beyond the bounds of reasonableness, as is customary.

That's all right if it's in accordance with the law. ......

It will be decades before I can say, 'It's over' with this smoldering feeling in my heart.
Estella is afraid of that.
She fears that she will live with the hatred inside her.

But if she harms her attacker with her hatred, her heart will be broken.
Whatever the reason, the fact that she had hurt another person would leave an indelible scar on the heart of this overly kind girl.

'I'm sure it's wrong to give Yashiro the right. You're not a lord, you don't have any special authority, to give discretion.

It's foolish to let a common man, a dangerous man with a lot of personal grudge, bring the perpetrators to justice. Foolish is not even the right word for it.

'But don't get me wrong, ......'.

Estella runs out and walks around in front of me and stares straight at me.
Her red, clear eyes stare at me.

'I'm not worried about that man's future, I'm worried about you.

Like iron against iron, when you hurt someone, you hurt yourself as well.



'Maybe I'm just a coward who's trying to use you to settle a personal grudge that I can't clear myself.

I don't deny the nastiness in me.
Well, there's that side of you, you know, you're human.

'That idiot will be judged properly according to the laws of the 42nd district. Before that happens, I'm just going to see him for a little while to let off some steam. If you're scared, go wait in the waiting room upstairs and drink some herbal tea. I'm sure it won't take long.

I talk to the red eyes staring at me.

You don't have to take on everything.
A dangerous man has done something to you that you don't know about.
That's all you need to know.

But Estella shook her head.

'Regardless of your actions, it's my responsibility to take responsibility. This is the one thing I will not compromise no matter what. I won't let you be alone anymore.'

I tried to disappear with all the bad intentions on my back, but it seems they still don't trust me.
Not to these sycophants.

But you're right.
It might be a good idea to at least check.

I guess I'm getting a little timid myself.

'If I killed a man in front of you, would you blame me?

At such a question, Estella gave a small laugh, a soft smile that seemed out of place.

'If you were forced into a situation where you had no choice but to do so, I would blame myself for not taking action before it happened. It's not your place to blame me.'
'What if it was just a personal grudge, a meaningless, needless, playful slaughter?
'I'll find out what drove you to that point. You can't blame me until you find out what it is.
'So, it's just a personal grudge. Or a whim.'
'You wouldn't do that.

Estella assures him.
And then she smiles even deeper and slams her fist into my chest.

'It's the Obayashi I know that makes me believe that.

That's a lot of trust.
You look as if there's no room for doubt, even though you could be wrong.

'So what if I'm rubbing the tits of a beautiful girl passing by?
'I'd have you thrown in jail.
'You don't trust me to do that, do you?
'The man I know, Obayashi, won't let me trust him!

What a jerk!
I don't trust him one bit!

'But ......'

Estella says with a quiet smile, after some joking around.


'If you kill someone, ...... I'll stay by your side and wrap my hands around you. You will never have to use your hands for that again.'


Estella said in a gentle voice.

'...... with your tits?'
'I'll stab you?
'What, with your tits?
'Do you want to see what I'm going to stab you with?I bought a new one the other day, didn't I?
'All right, put the knife away.'

--I was about to accidentally get hot in my chest, so I made a joke.
Anyway, why did you buy such a fancy and complicated knife?
Where are you going to use it? ......


It may be just a matter of time before the smile of the lord of smiles turns into something bizarre.






Like settled mud dancing in the water, you can feel the heavy air rise and shimmer.
As the gloomy, cold air thickens, my heart begins to heat up.
While my head is extremely calm, deep inside my chest is boiling with heat to the point of explosion.

I go through the double doors and step into the underground prison I know so well.
There is a desk, hidden from view from the prison, where he exhales once.

'Estella stay here.
'...... Yes.'

It's better if I'm on my own from here on out.
It's a lot easier.

The more you look, the more your mind moves.
The more people you look at, the less concentration you have.
Feelings are dispersed.

He'll never let you go.
Not your gaze, not your mind, not your emotions.
I won't let him get away from me, not even one step.

He steps out, carrying a lunch box filled with grilled chicken and a rectangular trash can.

The prison where Barbara was once held after she was caught raiding the cornfields of Yap Rock.

Now, a man I've only seen once is being held there.
As Estella had told me beforehand, he was tied to the wall with a belt around his waist and neck.

'Hey. You look good.'

I call out to the man tied to the wall.
To the son of a b*tc* who tried to poison Masha's tank during the groundbreaking ceremony.
To the son of a b*tc* who hurt Magda and Medora.



'Hey, hey!Please, help me!

As soon as he saw me, the son of a b*tc* leaned forward with a jangling sound of heavy chains.


...... I see. I'm sure that's the limit of how far he can move.

I've told you everything I know!I don't even know his name, I've never met him, and he gave me money!That's why I did what I did. I had no choice!I'm a victim, too. I can't even get by without money. ......

The man's voice was completely deafening because of the crunching chains.
Well, don't worry about it. He's not saying much anyway.

'I didn't know it was such a dangerous drug!I'm serious!I've been told that if you put it in a tank, it'll only make you a little numb and make that mermaid cry!It's true!It's true! You can call the Spirit's Judgment on me!

That's what they must have told me.
Perhaps he was told, "This is a medicine that makes mermaids cry when you put it in the tank," and if he was caught, he was told to say, "That's what he told me.
Of course, I am not the kind of person who would honestly believe that just because I was told so.
This guy attacked Masha because he knew it was a dangerous poison.
Well, maybe he didn't think it was that dangerous.
But he was aware that it was a dangerous drug that could cause serious harm to Masha.
I don't know what level of damage you were aware of, whether it was to the extent that Masha would cry, or to the extent that she would be incapacitated, but ...... it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter. He's guilty as hell for trying to harm Marcia.
It doesn't matter how big or small the damage is.
It doesn't matter if he knew about it or not.

This son of a b*tc* attacked Masha with the intention of harming her and injured Magda and Medora as a result.

Where are the extenuating circumstances?
I'll never find it.
I'm neither too busy nor too sycophantic to look for something that doesn't exist.

'I'll never do that again!I'll change my mind!I'll work diligently from now on!Oh, that's right!Can you let me apologize to that mermaid?I want to see her and apologize in person!Tell her you're sorry... bow your head... and let me sincerely apologize!

What's the value of bowing your head?
What's it worth to you if you bow your head and let it fall to the ground?
Is Masha the only one who needs to apologize?Don't you even feel bad for Magda and Medora who got hurt?
What about Estella, who was heartbroken because Masha was targeted?
What about Ginette and Loretta, who have been in a tense and anxious mood because of the incident?

In the first place, who's going to believe that you, "that mermaid", are really sorry?

There's so much I want to say.
I want to tear your heart to shreds so that you'll never open your mouth again.
My fists are so hard I feel like I could shatter steel.

Would it make you feel any better if you could just keep swinging this fist down carelessly until his skull caved in? ...... No, that would only leave you feeling empty.
Besides, you can't cook with bloody hands. It's unsanitary.

You don't need to worry about Jeannette unnecessarily.

...... Hmm.
I'm a little calmer now.
Is he a Bodhisattva or a Buddha?

If only there were people like him, maybe there would be a different future in Japan.

Well...
While I was lost in my thoughts, the man in jail seemed to have stopped talking.
He looks up at me, not saying a word, and his lips are drawn together.

What's with the teary face?
Did you think crying it out would work?
Crying it out is one of the least successful tactics you can use.

I don't say anything and look down at the man who has gone quiet.
He doesn't let me out of his sight.
He knows that if he misses this chance, he'll never get away with it.
It's been almost two days since I was held here.
He may have been provided with at least some food, but he was chained by the neck and waist to the wall and his range of movement was extremely limited.
The range of movement was no more than one meter.
You can at least stand up and do your business. That's about it.
If you're a bad sleeper, your neck will be tight and you won't be able to sleep.

I can see the haggard look on the man's face.

But so what?

but that good-natured lord won't let that happen.
I don't think this man realizes that.
He probably doesn't realize that the lightest punishment he can get is to stay here and keep quiet.
I bet he never imagined there'd be a nobleman as soft-hearted and naive as he is.

If he was handed over to the nobles, it would be the end.
Such impatience must be filling this man's brain.


Do I not look like a nobleman in normal clothes? That's probably why you're trying so hard to win me over.

'Are you hungry?

I talk to the man.
In a quiet voice.
A flat voice with no emotion on it.

'Yeah. ...... Oh, no. ......'

The man looks puzzled at the words, which he never imagined.

'I've brought you something delicious. Would you like some?'

With that, I open the lid of the lunch box and show him the glistening, delicious grilled chicken.

'Would you like some?

The man gulps.
There is no such thing as a good meal for a criminal in jail.
Just a little water and some hard black bread. That's the best I can do.
You can't resist a meat dish that smells this good.
And you haven't eaten much, have you?

'Don't be shy. Here.'

He takes a piece of grilled chicken from his lunch box and thrusts it into the prison.
He climbs over the bars and thrusts his arm into the cell.

The man opened his mouth halfway, almost lifted his arm and shook his ...... head.

'No!You're not fooling me!That meat is poisoned, isn't it?I'm not falling for that!

He shouted with a drooling mouth, crossed his arms that were about to be lifted and turned away.
Oh, I see.

I pulled my arm back and took a big bite of the yakitori in my hand.
I took a bite, pulled out the skewer, and put all the chicken in my mouth in one bite.
The more I chewed, the more the sweet juices overflowed and the more delicious it was.

'Oh, it's so good!What a waste. It's a waste of a gift.

If you don't want to eat it, that's fine.
I'll eat it all right in front of you.
After devouring the second one, he picked up the third one and the man moved.

'Wait!

He licked off the yakitori sauce from the edge of his mouth with his tongue and looked at the man who was staring at him.

'What is it?
'No, I think I'll let you eat it. ...... Hehe, I'm hungry.'

The man smiles a sneer and swallows his mouthful.
His eyes are now glued to the yakitori.

I toss the two skewers of yakitori I've eaten into the trash can I brought with me.
I lick the sauce off my fingers and use the key to open the cell.
The bound man can't even come near the bars.

Place the trash can in front of the man and stand just out of his reach even if he reaches out with his arm.

'Eat everything you can. Throw the trash in the trash can. When you're done eating, you must cooperate with my experiment. If you promise to do that, I'll let you eat.'
'What, the experiment ......?
'Nah, it's no big deal. You're not going to die. I don't have any weapons, and my muscles are a little thin compared to yours.'

The man inspects my entire body without a care in the world.

'I'm going to use this trash can for my experiment.

He pats the rectangular trash can and smiles reassuringly at me.

'Don't worry. We'll be done in no time.'
'Oh, yeah?Well, then, ...... I promise, I promise.'

With his consent, I handed the lunch box to the man.
There are only three yakitori left.
Savor them at your leisure.

If the experiment fails, you'll never be able to eat them again.




'Ooh, that's good!

The man loosens his cheeks as he bites into the grilled chicken.

'I'm telling you, if you attack me with that skewer, I'll confiscate it immediately.
'No, I won't do that.
'No stabbing, no slamming, no tossing. Understood?
'I know, I know. I won't do that.

Not wanting to have his delicious food confiscated, the man readily agreed to what I said.

So I watched him devour the yakitori.
As he finished off the three pieces of yakitori, he sucked on the skewer and savored the taste of the sauce that had soaked into his mouth.

'That lunch box is not for storing garbage. Can you please put the trash in the trash can?
'Oh, I see. I'm a little sad to leave it, but I promised.



Laughing, the man leans forward with three skewers.
The chains clink.

'......'.

He stretches out his arm and tries to put the skewers into the trash can, but he can't quite reach them.
That's because I put the trash can in an awkward position. That's the natural result. There's no way I can reach it.

'Hey, man. It's a little far. Bring it a little closer.'

The man, perhaps thinking I'm on his side, still smiles a flippant 'heh' and says something to me.
--But he doesn't answer.
He doesn't even make eye contact.

'The chains are in the way and I can't go any further forward.

Holding the chain around his neck, the man appeals to me.
But I don't reply, nor do I look at him.

'...... d*mn. I can't help it.

I quickly issue a warning to the man who slightly lowers his arm holding the skewer.

'Don't throw it away, okay?

He straightens his arm and points his index finger at the man.

'You promised not to throw the skewer, didn't you?

That was just a moment ago.
'No stabbing, no slamming, no tossing,' I said, to which the man replied, 'I know. I'm not going to do that.
If you throw the skewer, it will be a lie.

'If you throw the skewer, I'll cast 'Judgment of the Spirits' on you.
'No, wait!Wait a minute!I'm not throwing it!

The man stiffened as he hurriedly grabbed the skewer he was about to toss.
He clutched the skewer and the fist in front of his chest and wrapped it with his other hand. Don't let it fall out.

'Since you can't reach it then, I'll put it in this box over here, okay?
'I thought I told you not to put garbage in that.

When I thrust my outstretched fingertip at the man, his throat tightened. The man's throat tightens.

'Then, so long!You throw it away!
'You put your mouth on it, and I put my mouth on it?
'No, it's not dirty, not at all!You're the one who told me to throw it away in the first place!
'Well, I don't mind if you throw it away. ......'

Take a deep, long breath.
Breathe in quietly and thinly.

Then he turns to the man with a disdainful gaze, as if God truly despises fools.

'...... Are you sure?

Are you sure you want me to leave you?
Think about it.

You agreed to the condition of 'throwing the trash in the trash' and ate the grilled chicken, right?

If you didn't throw it in the trash, wouldn't that be a lie?

'Or what?Are you going to give me back my yakitori?
'No, no. ............'

The man's back teeth begin to click together.

'Come on, ......, what are you going to do?'
'Higgghh!

Sweat broke out all over the man's body as he glared at her with all his might.
Immediately after, the man stretched out his arms like a madman and struggled to put the skewer into the trash with tears in his eyes. He struggled. He fought back.

'd*mn it!Give it to me!Deliver it, d*mn it!Come on, come on, come on!Please let it reach me!

With sweat, tears, and snot running down his face, the man finally begins to cry.

'Why the hell!If you could just move me over here a little more, just a little more, ......!d*mn it!What the hell do you have against me?

He shouted. The man's shoulders bounced.
Or maybe I should say his whole body slumped.

The man's breathing became strange and he started to make strange noises.

Unable to breathe properly, the man turns his head toward me and says, 'Ow! He turns his head toward me, unable to breathe properly, and his throat tightens up again.

'...... What do you have against me, ......?

The man's whole body begins to tremble to an extreme degree.
Oh, right. Sorry, sorry. You're leaking so much, you're killing me.
You can't help it. ......




'You're gonna get yourself killed.


That's all I can think about.

You think I don't have a grudge against you?
How dare you think you're on my side and smile at me like that?
Do you have a grudge against me?

Of course I do!

'You tried to harm Masha.'
'No, no!It's, it's, it's!I didn't think it was that dangerous of a drug, so it wasn't that kind of, you know, that kind of thing. ......'
'So, you're saying it's not your fault ......?
'No, no!I'm sorry too!I'm sorry about that!I'm serious!I'd like to meet a mermaid and get down on my knees!This is for real!
'Will getting down on my knees be enough to heal your injuries?
'What ......?No, no, there's no medicine in the tank, right?So you're not injured, are you?

This guy ......
'Are you saying you don't know that Magda and Medora were injured?

'Two of Masha's protectors were injured. The woman, on her skin, got burned, remember?'
'That's because they're selfish ...... hiiii!I understand!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm not sure what to do.

.................. 'Those guys'?

'You're amazing .......'

The corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily.
Really, I'm laughing.

'You're a genius at getting on my nerves, aren't you?

I'm laughing so hard I'm puking.

'It was just an idea!But he offered me a lot of money!So I got blinded by ......... no, I got carried away!Because I've been crawling on the ground since I was born, and I've lived a shitty life,.......
'So, you didn't care what happened to the guild leader, who's a nasty guy with a lot of money, and you tried to use a drug on Masha that you 'knew' would not be safe, right?
'Yes, that's ............'.

The man turns over, closes his mouth, and is silent.
He really wants to cover his ears, close his eyelids, and pretend it never happened, but ...... he won't let that happen.

'Because of your one-sided jealousy and short-sightedness, my loved ones were endangered and actually injured, and it broke my heart to see that. --Can you ask me that question again?

Look at me one more time and say it.
"What do you have against me?

Say it!

'It's not like you didn't consider the risk of this happening, right?

He drops the words into the back of the man's head.

'Since you decided to hurt someone, you were at least prepared to be hit back, right?

The man's head droops lower and lower, as if the words being thrown at him have weight.

'...... I never thought this would happen.'

A voice like a buzzing mosquito could be heard.
The emotions in the voice are regret, grief, and despair.

But all of them are directed at the man himself.
He doesn't have any feelings for the people he has harmed.
All that's on his mind is himself.

There is no room for sympathy for this scumbag.

'What did you think was going to happen?

People who say they didn't expect this to happen never say what they thought would happen.
Now that they are trapped in an irreversible situation, they are too cold to talk about the time when things went well.
There's no way I'm going to talk about selfish, self-serving, shitty motives for satisfaction.

Say it. Maybe I'll change my mind.'

If you tell me honestly, I might change my mind.
That's true.
I'm not lying.

'............'

But the man doesn't say a word.
Nice try.
If I'd told him the truth, he might have changed his mind and ...... killed me right then and there.

'If that drug had been thrown into the tank, Masha would have been incapacitated and disappeared from the public eye.

Since I have no choice, I'll tell you the future when I 'get it right'.

'The Seafaring Guild is furious that their guild leader was harmed, and denounces the 42nd District Lord for failing to protect Masha. Naturally, the construction of the port will be cancelled.

The relationship between the Forty-two districts and the Sea Fishing Guild would be decisively broken.

'If all goes well,' he said, 'you'll have a lot of money in your pocket, and you'll be able to walk around the underworld with your own face, saying, 'I've done a great job.

'Hopefully' .......

It's disgusting.



I'm not going to understand the thoughts of a man who thinks that hurting others and ruining their lives is success, and you won't find any compassion in me to give to such a man anywhere.

'...... Hey, what's up?Trash to trash, right?

Yeah.
Garbage to the trash.

'I'll give you a future that suits you.
'...... Oh, dear, oh, dear!

The man lunges forward, ripping the chain off.
The collar bites into his throat, and the skin of his neck tears open, soaking in blood.
He desperately stretched out his arm to put the skewer into the trash can, but it was just out of reach.

'Oh dear, oh dear!

No matter how much he screamed, how much he struggled, or how violently he flailed, the skewer could not reach the trash can.


Looking at the poor bastard, I straighten my arm and stick my index finger at him.
Then I uttered a short line.


''Judgment of the Spirits...''



The light overflows, and when the glow subsides, I see a frog with tears in both eyes standing before me.