Volume 2 Chapter 6.2
Inverted Reality, Nightmares Always
Have Beautiful Faces Part 2
Translator : PolterGlast
＊One Day Prior＊
"......I won't
hesitate any longer."
With a somber
determination, she put on her mask again and turned back the way she had just
fled from.
The reason why the
earlier attack failed was because the other party was fully prepared. And no
matter how much special training she has had, it would have been foolish to go
head-to-head with Nina Stingray, a monster beyond human comprehension.
Jin Kirihara should be
the one to be eliminated first.
And the only possible
time to do so would be when he is all alone.
He would probably be
heading back to the men's dormitory after parting ways with Nina, so an ambush
during that time would be the optimal time.
Jin Kirihara walked
down the path at night, lined only with unreliable streetlights.
Of course, Nina was
not in the vicinity. The man with an air of strategist was walking with his
hands in his pockets, naively thinking that she had already let him off the
hook for today.
Hiding in the bushes
by the side of the road, she clutched two knives.
─Kill your heart. Let go of your doubts. Remember your
mission.
She repeated what she
needed to do over and over in her mind before she attacked Jin from behind.
First, she severed the
tendons in both of his legs, causing him to fall over, and then she strangled
his neck, knocking him out and carrying him to an abandoned place. Then gently
interrogate him to find out how much he knows.
She closed in on him
at a speed far beyond that of a normal person, but Jin reacted in a way she
could not believe.
An intense light
obscured her vision.
It must be from a
powerful military flashlight. By the time she regained her vision, Jin had
already disappeared from her sight.
─Don't tell me, he predicted my pursuit ......?
Although she was
stunned by the other party's preparedness, she was in no hurry.
Even in this darkness,
she could clearly see the back of Jin's figure as he fled frantically. Her
target had veered off the street and was now running through a wooded area with
no streetlights.
"...... He
underestimated me."
She put away her knife
and lunged at her distant prey in a nocturnal beast-like stance.
The two were about
twelve meters apart, but only five steps were enough for her to catch up to her
prey.
Her psychic ability of
<Ferocious Sweetener>, which allows her to double her physical abilities
only while holding a lollipop in her mouth, hides two lies.
The first is that the
increase in physical ability is not necessarily double.
Not only are sensory
organs such as eyesight and hearing, or simple arm strength, but leg strength,
nerve transmission speed, and joint strength, which are directly related to
[movement speed], are also increased by an average of about 136%. The only reason
she can achieve inhuman movements is because her original physical abilities
far exceed those of ordinary people.
And the other lie is
probably not important to Jin.
Because this man would
run out of strength before he could find out about it.
"Your physical
ability is too weak. Are you really a man?"
She pounced on Jin
from behind, entangling her right leg between both of his flailing legs and
causing him to fall over.
She then mounted on
top of Jin, who had rolled flat on his back, and held his shoulders with both
knees to stop him from resisting. After pulling a knife out of her pocket and
holding it to his throat, she would be able to mow down any resistance he might
have had.
"You are
finished, Jin Kirihara. If you don't want to die, tell me everything you
know."
"Wait, you're
hurrying things too fast! Have people ever told you that you lack a sense of
courtesy?"
To make light talk at
this point is just like a death wish.
"You have a fatal
lack of imagination. Don't you understand your current situation?"
"Alright, calm
down, Emma."
"............."
─This guy knows who I am.
Where on earth
did this leak from?
The [Emma] who usually
interacts with Jin is a completely different persona from the one she has now.
They don't even share the same memories. No matter how observant one might be,
it would be impossible to discern her true identity.
What kind of
information did Jin manage to extract that led him to this conclusion?
"...... You know
too much. Are you ready to be purged?"
"Sorry, but I guess
not at the moment."
She jumped away from
the top of Jin, noticing several stares directed at her.
Men armed with knives
and pistols surrounded her.
A bearded man in work
clothes, a young man in the same military uniform as the instructor, a large muscular
man, a man with a scar on his face, five adults, each with a hint of backstory──.
How did he
gather all these people?
Since when had
this man been preparing for this ambush?
─Who the hell is he ......?
"You saved me
there, Gasta-san. Perfect timing."
"I'm getting a
lot of extra money for this, so leave it to me. ...... By the way, Jin, is this
the <Shepherd's Dog>?"
Instead of answering,
Jin stood up with a victor's smile on his face.
A man who would truly
enjoy such a situation would be insane.
"The tables are
turned, I guess. Drop the knife for now, Emma."
Just as Jin said, the
board was completely turned upside down.
The armed men were
slowly closing the distance between them, and with each passing second, Emma
could see her escape route disappearing.
─And, so what?
"...... You guys
are too naive."
She knew from the
start that they were hiding in the perimeter. No matter how hard they tried to
hide in the dark, they could not fool her eyes.
Fully aware of all
this, she dared to take Jin's bait.
"I don't see a
single person here with military experience. ......Ah, don't be surprised. It's
easy to tell from their posture that they have no formal training. And none of
them have ever killed someone before. It's obvious that they're holding the
weapon in fear. They're not even good at fighting, are they?"
She twirls the knife
in her palm.
An obvious
provocation. But when she saw that the men did not move, she strengthened her
conviction.
"Ten
seconds."
The night wind
suddenly blew and danced around her.
"I can sever all
your carotid arteries in ten seconds. It's no use trying to escape. Amateurs
like you will go into a panic once one of you is dead."
What she was saying
was neither a threat nor wishful thinking.
Surely everyone here
understood that she was talking about mere objective facts.
And yet, why?
─Why is this guy the only one who seems to be smiling
happily?
"You've been
mistaken from the very beginning," Unable to predict what he would do
next, she couldn't take a single step forward. "I didn't bring my friends
here to wage a war against you."
"......Then
what's it all for?"
"I just think
we'd make good business partners."
"Are you fucking
kidding me?"
"No, I'm dead
serious. I've never been joking in my entire life."
His eyes, darker than
the night, fixed squarely on her.
"Let's make a
deal, Emma. ...... or should I call you the spy of the Republic?"
What?
What is this
guy talking about?
I was sure I
left no evidence behind─.
"Haha, I can't
read your expression at all because of the mask. But, I can tell that you are
getting stiff, am I right?
Ah, of course, I'm not
saying anything untrue.
If you doubt me, I'll
tell you. How did I know who you were?
First, I thought about
the meaning of the [Nice to meet you] message that was left in Bennett's room.
It was a note you put on the back of Bennett's table just before he was
expelled, because you knew I was going to investigate his room. Of course you
remember that, don't you?
When I found the
message, I was a bit flustered.
At first, I thought it
was a declaration of war.
A <Shepherd's
Dog> knew that his presence was being tracked, and he was making the first
move. I thought he knew that we were trying to catch him off guard by
deliberately making a suspicious move.
Well, it's normal to
be paranoid when one gets such a love letter.
In fear of having my
true identity exposed, I became unable to trust anyone.
I will be forced to
act recklessly in order to track down the <Shepherd's Dog> as soon as
possible.
Then, one day, everything
will collapse and I'll be among those being purged.
.......But, you know
what?
When I think about it
calmly, isn't such an action very risky for the <Shepherd's Dog> as well?
According to my
information, there is one <Shepherd's Dog> in each grade who is assigned
by the headmaster to weed out those who pose a threat to the school. They have
to remain in the shadows for three years without even letting anyone know there
is a spy in the school.
That's why it made me
wonder. Would such a person go out of his way to make us feel rushed and make
us engage in a desperate battle?
Is it because of his
belligerent nature? Was he bored with his mundane life?
No, it's hard to
believe that the headmaster, who is so secretive that he doesn't even show his
face at the entrance ceremony, would appoint such a person as a spy. At the
very least, it would be unnatural for the <Shepher's Dog> to make a
flashy move without any solid evidence.
If so, what was that
message all about?
One who would benefit
from making us impatient and forcing us to search for the <Shepherd's
Dog>─In other words, it
can't be anyone other than someone who is looking for a common target with us,
right?
I don't think there's
anything sweeter than being able to achieve your goals while sitting
comfortably in your chair and not taking any risks. I'm not dumb enough to be
manipulated with a mere piece of paper, though.
...... Well, let's
move on to the next question.
Why is he looking for
the <Shepherd's Dog>?
Personal reasons?
Simple curiosity?
No, none of the above.
There is no way any
ordinary person could have known about the existence of the <Shepherd's
Dog>. Even the country's best-informed detective, Mr. Heath, knew nothing
about it until he found that man's diary.
...... Since that's
the case, the answers are naturally limited, no?
A person who is
willing to put his life on the line to uncover the secrets that this school is
hiding.
A force that is
hostile to the school - or rather, to the empire itself.
─In other words, the only possible answer is a spy from
an enemy country.
Could the purpose be
to find out the secret of the psychic abilities that the Empire has a monopoly
on? I never thought that there would be such a crazy country that would send
their children to Heiberg Academy.
Aa~, you don't have to
be so speechless.
It's not like I came
up with this answer right off the bat either. So it doesn't mean you weren't
careful.
In fact, when I found
the message, I had no basis for linking Emma to a spy. Emma was just a good,
surprisingly easygoing girl after all.
And there was no sign
that she was pretending at all. It was hard to believe that there were so many
acting geniuses in the world, so much so that I would normally have left Emma
off the mark.
Well, of course, there
was nothing wrong with that.
Even if she had the
ability to double her physical abilities, Emma's physical performance was far
too skilled for an ordinary student. I thought it would be strange if she had
not received special training in the military or something.
Also, the extent of
her friendships was also strange.
In my professional
life, I always assume that people who have a lot of friends are either scammers
or spies. I thought it was not surprising that Emma was expanding her network
for some purpose.
However, I didn't find
anything strange when I had a detective check her background, and she didn't
even notice it until the next day when I planted a bug in her uniform.
......Huh? Are you mad
at me?
Well, do forgive me.
It's only natural to investigate if you find someone even slightly suspicious.
Anyway, no matter how
much time went by, Emma didn't show her tail. So I decided to conclude that
Emma was just a good-natured girl.
Until, at the very
last moment, I learned the results of the analysis of the candy I secretly
stole from you.
...... Ah, looks like
you're shocked now. This time I can tell even if you're wearing a mask.
But, well, I was
genuinely surprised, too. When I heard the results of the analysis from a
vendor I know, I honestly thought there must be some kind of mistake.
Who would have thought
that candy was a cutting-edge doping item?
─You're even more of a liar than me, you know that?
I don't have the
slightest clue about chemical ingredients, but here's what I'm trying to say.
Emma, you are not a
psychic.
Your <Ferocious
Sweetener> was just a scam to forcibly increase your muscle strength with
drugs.
...... Oh, and by the
way, now we know about where you come from.
Magical science and
technology, a few steps ahead of the Empire - none other than the Republic,
which is in the midst of a raging cold war with the Empire.
Right, and when did I
steal it?
Sorry, I'm a skeptical
person after all. About a month ago, when I had a little tiff with Bennett, I
was able to snatch a piece of candy out of your hand. Well, I didn't suspect
you of being a spy at the time. It took me so long to analyze it that I forgot
about it until I got the results a week ago.
As for the rest, well,
it's just as you've imagined, Emma.
I had been diligently
spraying a slow-acting poison to force you into a reckless attack.
I spread rumors
throughout the school that enemy spies had infiltrated the empire, I made you
impatient by stealing your paper bag of candy, and to top it all off, I wrote
scribbles on the classroom blackboard announcing the existence of <rats>
.......
At that time, you must
have been thinking like this:
─These people know my true identity.
─If I don't erase them as soon as possible, the truth
will get in the headmaster's ear.
─If I'm going to do it, I'll do it today. I'll ambush
them after school when they're alone.
Looking at our
situation right now, it looks like everything I said was right on the money.
So, Emma. What are you
going to do now?
For now, if you have
any rebuttals, let's hear them first."
She took off her mask
and stared at the man in front of her with her dark green eyes.
The deductions he had
told her were generally correct.
Indeed, she is a
Republic spy who infiltrated the academy to find out the secrets of the
psychics whose powers are monopolized by the empire. It seems that he doesn't
even know her true background, that she faked her identity when she was nine
years old and started living with a collaborator, but that is meaningless since
a more fatal truth has been exposed.
However, it was
completely unexpected that the Jin would also use the strategy of [pushing the
other party into committing a reckless act].
─How shall I get rid of them?
Thinking so, she
clenched her knives in both hands.
She does not know what
kind of deal this guy is offering, but she can't let him live as long as her
secret is known.
Even if he is willing
to keep his mouth shut, the <White Knights> can easily force him to spill
everything he knows. She had seen too many of her comrades betray their own
country because they could not bear the suffering, and then they were cruelly
killed.
"Look, I have no
intention of making a deal."
"You want to kill
us all instead? Aren't you being a little too aggressive?"
"You're after the
<Shepherd's Dogs>, too, aren't you? You don't even understand that it's
not something that mere civilians are allowed to venture into. ......There's a
limit to how stupid one can be. Why don't you realize that it's the kindest
thing I could do for you to let you die before you are subjected to Empire-style
torture?"
"Whoa~, sounds
like you don't trust us at all."
"Of course. How
did you guys get this information about the <Shepherd's Dog> in the first
place?"
"The informant's
name is Rusty. Rusty Yellowkid Wale.
"............Wha!?"
─Why does that name come up here?
Rusty is so well-known
in the Empire that he is known as the <Legendary Fraudster>. There is no
way anyone would have expected that Rusty would have a connection with a young
boy like him.
"The truth is,
Rusty is like a foster parent to me. I was living on the streets when my real
parents abandoned me, and he took me in."
"Don't give me
that bullshit! Because you're-......"
"Son of a
railroad worker? Haha, everything you've investigated about my background is
all lies. Well, we both are on the same page about that, aren't we?"
Her brain froze in
shock at the shocking turn of events.
She was stunned with
her mouth agape, and Jin gave her an ambiguous smile.
"Rusty always
told me, that a big job requires a strong group of people to match it. So I
gathered up some of that man's old associates, and I also formed an accomplice
relationship with Nina. ...... So, Emma, now it's your turn."
Jin slowly walked
toward her, not caring about the sharp blade pointed at him.
Completely unarmed.
There was no hint of
hostility, let alone any hint of trickery.
"In the journal
Rusty left behind, he wrote that he had entrusted the school's secrets and
information about the <Shepherd's Dogs> to a friend in a foreign country.
Emma, since you're here ...... it looks like that friend was a spy of the
Republic."
She almost dropped the
knife.
The Republic obtained
the information about the <Shepherd's Dogs> when Rusty Yellowkid Wale
suddenly contacted a Republic agent and leaked the information to them. Of
course, she was not informed of the name of the agent who received the
information, but she at least knew that the Central Intelligence Agency counted
Rusty as one of their heroes.
The boy who was raised
by him appeared before her.
She never thought
there would be such a coincidence─.
"...... No, it
wasn't."
─This is not a coincidence.
Perhaps Jin had
suspected from the beginning that an agent of the Republic might be hiding
among the students.
The reason he was so
noticeable in his grand standoff with Bennett early in the school year was not
just to attract the <Shepherd's Dog>'s attention.
He might have been
aiming to recruit enemy spies into his ranks all along.
"...... I see,
I've been lured out, huh?"
"Now, now, why do
you look so frustrated?"
Jin said with a
confident smile.
"Shouldn't we be
celebrating our alliance?"
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