Episode 36 — Her Confession, His Return
～ Part 1 ～
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The first time Sakuma Sachiko met Akai Asuka was at the time of forming groups in kindergarten. Although Akai already had a mature atmosphere since childhood and wouldn’t initiate a conversation with others on her own, she was never a bad child.
As Sakuma of that time was also a quiet child who likes to spend time reading picture books, Sakuma recalled that she and Akai and had caused quite a lot of troubles for the kindergarten teachers.She had already forgotten what was the trigger of it, but because there were two people who liked to read picture books by themselves, the teachers somehow ended up putting the two of them together. And their relationship started ever since that time.
Including Kaoruko here, the three of them, had attended primary school throughout middle school together, and while not exactly arrange it before hand, they had also ended up go to the same high school. Kaoruko started being in the same class as them since 1st year of primary school, her seat was close to Akai and she just randomly got involved with her, and she became their friends ever since.
The three of them were completely different types of people, especially around the time they became middle school students and each of them started hanging out with different people, but even then, when it comes to days off, they would often have fun together. Let’s keep it a secret, it wasn’t that they had made such a childish agreement, but even so, they could generally understand about each others.
However,
“…Then, Asuka-chan, even at that time, you are, err, umm … already a vampire?”
“Well, I must admit.”
∗Fuu~∗, with a sigh, Akai answered.
Naturally, this confession was a bolt out of the blue for Sakuma, and she had difficulty accepting by only listening. The subject of what Akai Asuka had spoken was crazy to that extent. Akai Asuka was a pure-blood vampire since she was born.
That is to say, even at that time when she was playing house together with Sakuma in kindergarten, she wasn’t human all along.
Akai recrossed her legs on the chairs. Behind Sakuma, Inugami was leaning her back against the wall, with her arms crossed, she glared at Akai.
This was a story that she couldn’t understand. NOT.
It should be plenty to think of this as the reason why Akai was completely aware of her own abilities instead. However, this matter was indeed too unexpected and it took a while before Sakuma could accept the story.
“Inugami-san is also a werewolf from the start?”
“That’s — right.”
Inugami with her arms crossed, snorted roughly and looked up at the ceiling.
“Well, my situation is different from Akai, there’s no such things as friends left for me.”
And yet, a gaze that was still sharp was directed toward Akai.
A delinquent girl, Inugami Hibiki, since the very same day she joined their class, she had always hated the very sight of Akai. Even Akai as well, Sakuma knew that she had shown an attitude of avoiding Inugami somewhat. Vampires and Werewolves. It wasn’t certain whether the two of them were aware of each others’ true form before the transference. Nevertheless, it is easy to imagine that the two races themselves were in conflict.
Then, the remaining question is the relationship between Akai and that Blood of Red Moon.
From her way of speaking so far, it was obvious that there was a connection between Akai and Red Moon. And before this, there were also the words of the red winged devil toward Inugami at the time when he attacked the base. His attitude was obviously aggressive toward Inugami. Fragmentary information rose up in a form that was by no means desirable.
“Asuka-chan, Asuka-chan and Red Moon, Asuka-chan and Inugami-san, what kind of relationships there are…?”
Akai turned her face toward Sakuma at that question. While mixed feelings were wavering in her blood-colored eyes, she intently stared at Sakuma.
It was the first time Sakuma saw Akai like this. Although Akai had been hesitating to speak for a while, in the end, she said this clearly.
“Red Moon is one of the blood clans of the vampires. And then, I’m one of them.”
It was like that as expected, thought Sakuma. Finally, the lines are connected together.
But then, Akai uttered even heavier words.
“We have been hostile toward Inugami’s clan for a long time in a struggle for survival. In the end, they were destroyed, weren’t they?”
“Eh…”
“Yes, and then, I’m the only survivor of that clan.”
Saying that much, Inugami raised her body that was leaning against the wall. She thrust her hands into (the pockets of) the jersey wore on top of her sailor uniform, then in a stooping posture, she stepped up to Akai with big strides. Coming up right next to Sakuma who was acting like an idiot, Inugami, while her facial expression distorted into one of hostility, brought her face close to Akai.
“Hey, Akai. Even I, am not thinking about idiotic things like opposing the Queen in particular. After coming here, you were awfully quiet, you didn’t even show any sign of making a move when the Pawn came.”
Akai’s clan destroyed Inugami’s clan. It was not a metaphor or the likes, the meaning was probably literal. As far as Sakuma was concerned, what was really shocking was most probably the fact that it was done in the former world where she lived.
She didn’t think that the world was peaceful. But it was absolutely unbelievable that vampires and werewolves were in a dispute wagering the right to live itself, and then the situation had developed into the point where one of them had been destroyed.
“But Washio is dead. Is that fine? I don’t mean that I hold any feeling of camaraderie with the bunch in the class. Nevertheless, a classmate has been killed. It was by the hands of none other than the blood clan of you guys. As one would expect, I cannot stay silent anymore than this.”
“So you came storming in bringing Sachi along?”
“That’s right. If Sakuma is present, you will almost never refuse, and you also cannot kill her in desperation.”
“Wait, wait.”
Sakuma rushed up and stopped Inugami who was glaring at Akai and seemed to jumped at her any time soon.
“Wait, wait a moment. I said I want you to tell me everything that you know but…. Things like this, there are too much information and my head seems to be a little confused. Eh, that is, Asuka-chan, umm, is the Queen of Red Moon?”
“I do not like that way of calling very much.”
After answering a little bluntly, Akai nodded.
“But that’s right. We assumed the names of chess pieces as our titles, in the highest position is King or should I say , after that is Queen, Rook, etc. It’s like that. So childish it’s laughable.”
Saying so, mockery was visible on Akai’s face, but was that mockery really directed toward the blood clan or toward herself?
“I won’t make excuses about the destruction of Inugami’s clan. But it was a story of when we were still children.”
“Regarding us, how did we come to this world and became this appearance?”
“Because the world over there has already become rather difficult to live in, the King of our household made a plan to migrate to a different world. But that guy has high pride. He said that just escaping to a different world and stay secretly in the shadow, living while having to hold your breath is unpleasant.”
“The war is because of that?”
“Quite so. It seems that their patience ran out and they started their attack, but the task entrusted to me was the preparation to replenish the war potential. The developed by Akeno changes the making of the body of «humans». To be more accurate, it’s not limited to humans but also things on their person like clothes, but well, that’s why Inugami and my appearance didn’t change since we are not «humans».”
As Akai explained in a matter-of-factly attitude, Sakuma felt a little vague fear. From the words that came out of her mouth, the plan of Red Moon was something like turning all students of 2nd year class 4 into monsters, then using them as they were as game pieces in the invasion of the different world. She couldn’t believe that Akai, as a friend whom she had been associating with for more than 10 years, would calmly support that kind of thing. The Akai Asuka in front of her, and the appearance of Akai Asuka who was Sakuma Sachiko’s bestest friend didn’t overlap and had started to blur.
Perhaps Sakuma’s anxiety had appeared in her attitude. Akai’s expression was a little lonely.
“Enough about that. What’s your true feelings, Akai?”
The one who gave out a lifeboat to Akai was unexpectedly Inugami.
“If you are complicit in that plan, there should have been a chance to gather the class together and go back under those lots. Maybe the time when Goubayashi disappeared for example. I guess there was a reason for not doing that. Tell us about that, reassure me and Sakuma.”
Certainly, that’s right. Taking the words from Akai, her purpose should have been taking along the students of 2nd year class 4 and joining up with the army of Red Moon, expanding their forces over here. But she didn’t do that. On the contrary, not only did she not respond at all to the two visits of her companions, she even killed the other party once.
Sakuma became ashamed of herself to have doubted Akai even for a moment. There is absolutely no way she would be thinking of selling out her classmates of 2nd year class 4. When Sakuma once again looked straight at Akai from the front, Akai sighed for the umpteenth time.
“I want to be more free.”
Akai told a remark that she had sometimes said to Sakuma.
“Because I don’t want to be dominated and ordered around anymore…. Therefore, I…”
“Yup.”
Sakuma nodded while trying not to miss even a single word. Akai turned her face away a little awkwardly and scratched her cheek.
“…Do I absolutely have to say something like this?”
“We cannot be relieved if you don’t say it.”
Inugami dropped her waist on the hard bed and said so. Since Sakuma was also asked with her eyes, she nodded her head.
∗Suu~∗, Akai breathed in and muttered in resignation.
“Sachi, I don’t intend to betray you guys, I, already don’t feel like being dominated by that King ever again. So err, umm…”
“Don’t be indecisive. You’re always putting on airs so just say it.”
“Noisy…. Don’t worry Sachi, because we are friends.”
For the first time, Akai gazed straight at Sakuma’s eyes. Her snow white skin was slightly flushed. To think that today would be a day when I could see various expressions from my best friend that I didn’t know of up until now. When Sakuma wasn’t able to say anything for a while, Akai’s expression clouded a little.
“…Friends, right?”
“Yup, we’re friends, Asuka-chan.”
Sakuma tightly embraced Akai. The girl in Sakuma’s arms was bewildered for a short while, but then she gently stroked her head as usual.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Yeah…”
The class was upset because of Washio’s death. Even Sakuma was as well.
However, it was a big harvest that she clearly knew about the enemies as well as her friends at this timing. Thinking about Akai’s matter, this story shouldn’t be told the her classmates. Still, the information that was unclear until now had become clear all at once.
“Ah, that’s right.”
Suddenly, Sakuma released Akai’s body. Akai tilted her head curiously.
“Sachi?”
“Asuka-chan, there is one more thing I want to ask…”
It was about Utsurogi Kyousuke. What is the problem he has been carrying? Is there any special intention when he was given blood?
When she tried to ask about this, the hull of the heavy cruiser branch school was attacked by a big impact.
To be continued…
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