The following day, April 6th.
Daytime.
In other words for vampires it is night, I and Kissshot were sleeping as usual in the room with shut windows at the second floor of the cram school ruin.
I was awakened.
By Oshino Meme who last night in the end didn't come back, and not even made an appearance -- where did his commendable manner of yesterday go, he was laughing frivolously with his flippant impression as always.
"Good morning, Araragi-kun"
"......I am tremendously sleepy"
"Just come here already"
While my eyes continued to be still half asleep, I was dragged out by Oshino into the corridor -- during this commotion, Kissshot continued to sleep soundly without turning over once in her sleep.
She is a tranquil girl.
Maybe she has no such thing as worries.
"What is it -- Oshino?"
"Hm? No, we are in the corridor...... Well, Heartunderblade might not wake up, but as a precaution let's go to a floor above. Let's go to the fourth floor"
"The fourth floor......"
No matter how much asleep I was, I could tell at least that.
"But the windows there are open. Think what would happen if the sunlight hit me"
"It's all right. Today it's raining"
"Rain?"
Really?
Come to think of it, in these days it didn't fall.
If I assume it didn't fall in the period when I lost consciousness before becoming a vampire, then this is the first rain since the beginning of the Spring Break.
Well, it also might have rained while I'm sleeping 12 hours during daytime...... but since I am not watching the weather forecast I don't know.
"So you can relax. Well, with your healing power, even if by some chance the sun shone, it's not like you would die immediately, right?"
"Try saying it after experiencing the body evaporating"
"Let's go"
Oshino climbed the staircase buoyantly. While watching my step, I follow his back. It seems any classroom on the fourth floor was fine, Oshino chose the nearest door.
Once opened that door whose knob appears to malfunction, even for the sight that room was messy beyond salvation.
He is not a lucky guy.
"Heave-ho"
However, like he really doesn't mind it, he aptly pulls out a chair on the spot, and sits down on that chair facing the opposite direction.
I did the same thing.
I just sort of tried to imitate him.
"......That"
I pointed at the travelling bag Oshino was holding in his hand.
At last I had become wide-awake.
That bag, until now, has carried Kissshot's right and left leg.
Which means...
"Yeah"
Oshino nods.
"You guessed right. Inside there are the arms of Heartunderblade"
"......I see"
I -- took a big breath and felt relieved.
I took the fact that Oshino didn't come back by morning to mean that Guillotinecutter could have had the intention of not returning to us the arms of Kissshot, and that made me worry.
Kissshot, like she didn't care about it,
"It is morning. Shall we sleep?"
and fell asleep.
She is a tranquil girl -- maybe she has no such thing as worries.
Or maybe it is I who am too much of a wimp.
However, we are talking about Guillotinecutter who defined "honest to a fault" Dramaturgie and Episode, who respectively returned the right leg and the left leg, the possibility that he decided to go back on his word sounded very plausible.
No matter how much I fretted, I had no choice but to entrust that domain to Oshino, but--
"Uhm? Ah, I know what you want to say"
said Oshino.
"You want to say that Guillotinecutter kept his word well, right?"
"Well, speaking frankly, I was thinking it"
"That's my chance to show my skill. This is a negotiation service, you know -- although I could reveal that Guillotinecutter in fact looked like he didn't really have the intention of returning them"
"As I thought"
"He was holding a considerable grudge -- I believe. Because in the case of Guillotinecutter, unlike the other two, he was acting out of beliefs"
"Beliefs"
I remember.
The many times he expressed it in words.
"However that would have been the mentality of a friend of justice, I suppose"
"Each person’s definition of justice is different, you know. You shouldn't deny other persons simply -- it's just that for you he was a villain. Besides, while saying one thing or another, the end result was this"
He throws the travelling bag in front of me.
A rough treatment.
"He gave them back"
"Because that was giving them back properly"
"Therefore I must have persuaded him"
"In what way did you persuade him? He is a sort of fanatic -- being secular, from my point of view he is exactly like a fanatic, you know. Isn't returning the limbs of the vampire for him like relinquishing his faith?"
"Therefore he must be a guy who understands if you talk with him -- because even that guy is a pro"
"A pro"
"Exactly, a professional"
My cross-examination maybe had become too heavy, Oshino said that and put an end to the discussion.
"Concretely, I informed him that if you finish collecting Heartunderblade's limbs, you want to turn back into a human -- and also that even Heartunderblade is accepting that"
"......In other words, Guillotinecutter withdrew for my sake?"
"Something like that, perhaps"
Oshino made a subtle choice of words.
It feels like he is insinuating something, however, if you think about it, this man is always insinuating like crazy in everything he says. Even if I swallow that, it might not have much meaning behind.
The pose of seeing through people, literally a pose.
There are times when it might be just that.
Well, whatever his purpose, it was a good thing that Kissshot's parts came back. Properly speaking, with that much, there is nothing else I should say.
I don't even want to remember people like Guillotinecutter.
I opened the zipper of the traveling bag.
The right arm from the elbow to the tip, and the left arm clipped from the round tip of the shoulder -- were confirmed to be both inside the traveling bag.
"Well, at least he chose to keep the honor of the other party -- nevertheless, even then, he got a stern warning for kidnapping class rep-chan. If this were soccer he would have gotten a yellow card"
"A red card, I'd say"
"A red card would be having killed her, I guess. Therefore if class rep-chan that time would have died, Episode would have gotten a red card -- although, since you also wanted to kill Episode, I guess you cancel each other"
"I didn't have the intention to--"
I didn't have the intention to kill him, I tried to say, but I stopped at the last instant.
That's just a lie.
That time I got mad, and it couldn't be helped -- no, I even thought I didn't care what happened.
If Oshino didn't stop me.
Perhaps I -- would have killed Episode.
The intention to kill -- was there.
"--Well, that"
"What is it, you raise and lower your voice, you are really energetic, Araragi-kun. Did something good happen?"
Oshino, who said this like he was making himself inconspicuous, pointed at the arms peeking through the inside of the traveling bag with his unlit cigarette.
"Anyway -- with this you have gathered all the four limbs. Congratulations, Araragi-kun. Mission complete. I am happy like it’s someone else's problem"
"Someone else's problem?"
"Because it is"
"............"
Well.
It is someone else's problem.
"A word of praise. Practically -- without even any battle experience a mere high schooler took as opponents three veteran specialists of vampire exorcism and got three wins in a row -- I take off my hat at you"
"You are not wearing any hat"
"It's a metaphor"
Oshino puts the cigarette in his mouth.
In any case it is still unlit.
"......It may be a trivial thing, but Oshino -- why don't you light the cigarette?"
"Hm? Well, if I lit a cigarette now wouldn't the anime adaptation become difficult?"
"............"
Why are you so obsessed with the anime adaptation.
It's a deep mystery.
"Come on, Araragi-kun -- although I've said congratulations, you are making such a gloomy face. If you achieve an objective you should be happy no matter what, right? Somehow it's like you are radiating an aura resembling a funeral vigil"
"I have a doubt, Oshino"
I said.
In addition to that -- there was still another thing that made me uneasy.
Until the last moment I was tormented over whether asking it or not, but when I am seeing this buoyant behaviour of Oshino, somehow it seemed silly thinking it over.
I must ask what I want to ask.
Because after all what is not answered is not answered.
"It's something about Guillotinecutter"
"Yeah?"
"Well, I do understand it intellectually -- in the battle of last night, it was because he was negligent, in that way, that as a result I managed to win without getting badly hurt, I understand it intellectually. However -- Oshino, it's as you say. With the single attack of a mere high schooler -- I could beat that dangerous guy, isn't it somewhat strange? He is the guy who stole both arms from the legendary vampire, isn't him?"
"Hrm"
"Well, it's not just Guillotinecutter, even with Dramaturgie and Episode it went like that. Those guy too stole respectively the right leg and the left leg from Kissshot -- considering that, I, who you defined as not having any battle experience, or you could say that at most I had sometimes scuffled with my sisters, from the point of view of the outcome I defeated them easily -- what in the world is the reason of this?"
I could have been lucky, maybe.
It could have been unexpected.
However -- isn't there a more constructive answer?
"Are those guys weak? Or it is I -- who is too strong?"
Although I asked it -- I'm not guessing an answer.
It's really just a mystery for me.
However -- I don't know why, I got the impression Oshino knew that answer.
The reason is that he is more neutral than anyone else.
Because he is the person that tries to preserve the balance.
"Both of them"
As expected, Oshino said it.
"Looking from their point of view, you are obviously too strong -- looking from your point of view, those guys are obviously too weak. Because you -- aren't a nobody, you are the subordinate of Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade"
"Well, it's just due to that"
"It's just due to that"
He affirmed.
Oshino affirmed it.
"If I must pick a reason why an amateur like you could defeat those guys, it would be that -- well, there was still plenty of possibility you could lose though. That is to say, their chances have been thoroughly higher. Araragi-kun sure is something--"
"Plenty or not plenty...... you have brought the circumstances down to an even match for me"
The balance.
Giving me the advantage of terrain, prohibiting deathmatches -- when Hanekawa was later taken in hostage, deciding a plan in proportion to that advantage.
You have always made the circumstances an even match.
However.
"However, if that's the case then I will say it's strange. When I think that as a premise -- the story became strange"
"In what way would it be strange?"
"Even with just a subordinate like me it went this way. With Kissshot in her full power mode -- even those three together should be really no match, right?"
I am convinced of that.
Kissshot's power as a vampire in her original form, even if estimated as a minimum, shouldn't be below the level of the current me -- and on top of that, she has 500 years of experience.
500 years of experience
Battle experience.
Even if facing Dramaturgie's wavy blades, Episode's gigantic cross, and Guillotinecutter's dreadful resourcefulness -- was it really possible to steal the four limbs from Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade?
I have only one conclusion.
It doesn't seem possible at all.
There's no way it is possible.
"Nice intuition, Araragi-kun -- if you trained you might become a pretty good specialist, you know"
Oshino said with a broad grin -- I thought he didn't intend to answer seriously, but that was not the case.
He continued, and -- he answered my question.
"It's as you say, Araragi-kun. Since each one of them could hardly defeat Heartunderblade, they tried to challenge her as a trio, however even three persons together could hardly defeat Heartunderblade. It is just"
"It is just?"
"That if at that time Heartunderblade wasn't at full power -- wouldn't the story be different?"
She wasn't at full power.
I had a memory that matched those words.
I can remember it without having to tamper my brain -- Kissshot said it.
Her physical conditions were bad -- or something.
I thought it was an excuse.
If I assume that wasn't an excuse.
"Therefore -- the battle between Heartunderblade and those three guys became an even match"
"............"
"Well, whether you asked that or not I intended to hand it over to you – but since you asked handing it over helps the flow of the discussion, Araragi-kun. Occasionally even you show some sharpness"
Saying that.
Oshino, casually took out 'something' from a pocket of the aloha shirt, and he tossed it at me. That should have been a pocket that contained cigarettes -- therefore I thought he threw at me a pack of cigarettes, but that was not the case. However, even so, that pocket in the aloha shirt worn by Oshino should not have been a pocket that could contain something that big.
That.
Made up with deep red flesh -- was a heart.
"Eek......!"
I involuntarily cowered, and the thing I caught with both hands fell on the ground -- somehow it petrified me to this extent.
I petrified, it means I have become unable to move.
However in contrast with the me who was unable to move--
that heart kept beating with a lub-dub lub-dub.
“That’s the heart of Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade.”
Oshino said.
"Without that heart, she battled the specialists of vampire exorcism one-on-three -- it's very clear why her limbs were cut off"
"............!"
It's natural.
Even I can understand that the power of vampires is specifically the blood -- without the heart that is the pivot that sends out that blood, it's a wonder she ended up just with losing her limbs.
"......And she didn't even notice"
"Indeed. She was thinking they just stole her hands and feet -- even while being nearly killed, she must have thought the reason was that her conditions were really bad. She has too much trust in herself -- she never thought that before she knew the rug could be pulled from under her feet"
"I see...... so it was that"
Hmm, I thought.
"I considered him crafty, but to think that Guillotinecutter had even stealthily stolen the heart of Kissshot -- afterwards the three attacked her together, huh. Although, stealing the heart from Kissshot without her noticing in itself must have been a really hard job, so I should give him more credit, I guess?"
"Oh no, Araragi-kun"
Oshino refuted my words.
Moreover comparatively easily.
"The one who stole the heart was not Guillotinecutter"
"Eh? What do you mean? That Dramaturgie or Episode stole the heart and Guillotinecutter was taking care of it?"
"Oh no no no, it was neither Dramaturgie nor Episode"
"Then who?"
Don't tell me that there could be a fourth specialist of vampire exorcism coming here, such thought made a chill run down my spine -- however, Oshino's reply was the following word.
"Me"
"............"
Words won't come out at the moment.
There were a few remarks that came into my mind, however I felt all of them were inappropriate in this situation, and I gulped them down. Thereupon Oshino, without being begged for, starts to explain -- they were theatrical elocutions typical of the villain of a historical play.
"In addition to begin with I just happened to pass by -- I was tottering the streets at night, and there was a vampire possessing a power so formidable it's not even fun. I easily imagined that was the Kaii Killer -- so in order to bring a balance, I extracted in advance that heart"
Because I simultaneously expected even that several vampire exorcists would have come in this town -- he says.
"Without her noticing it -- I stealthily extracted her heart"
"Are you...... able to do such a thing?"
After having said it, I notice this is a stupid question -- that's right, I saw it with these eyes.
Oshino stopped the attack of Dramaturgie, Episode and Guillotincutter all together with a playful pose similar to a single-footed scarecrow.
That's the skill he possesses.
Even the negotiations with those three -- materialized.
"I am"
Oshino replied.
"Although I don't mean that it's simple -- the farthest from it, it was a freakishly hard job. In particular it was difficult to extract her heart without her noticing it. Armed with a cross, garlic and holy water I somewhat stealthily hid my figure. However, it could have still gone either way. Even if it was not less than 50-50 it was not more than 50-50 either -- and then unexpectedly, the dice favored the three"
"......And then Kissshot having her limbs plucked out, barely escaped with her life -- and so she met me"
"And then with your blood she escaped death"
Oshino said.
"And you became a vampire"
"......I see. Then -- it would be no wonder I could defeat those three--"
I guess.
Far from being a wonder, it satisfies me.
The difference in potential -- was decisive.
"The fact you told Kissshot of this cram school ruin as a refuge, were you thinking of it as atonement or something? You even went as far as affixing a barrier while we are inside--"
"Atonement? I didn't commit any crime where I need to make amends for, you know. Therefore even this is balance. Your involvement has tipped the scales"
"Scales?"
"It was unexpected that the Kaii Killer turned a human into a subordinate. That was way too unexpected. As far as I'm concerned, the story should have ended when I managed to extract the heart, but with this it has been reset"
"A reset......"
Come to think of it -- even those three said a similar thing. Kissshot creating a subordinate was way too unexpected, like she was--
Something like a believer.
Kissshot is a believer of not making subordinates--
"That said, even if I reset things, this time Heartunderblade has been too weakened -- with one-on-three, if we add you, the subordinate, two-on-three, indeed things weren't evened out"
"......Then, even the fact you happened to pass by in front of Kissshot who dragged me along, even the fact you happened to pass by the point I was attacked by those three, it was all on purpose? I couldn't help but think your appearance on the scene didn't have any sense -- so that was the reason"
Even the fact he told Kissshot of this cram school ruin.
Even the fact he saved me from those three.
He did everything in order to bring a balance -- so that was the reason.
"Actually, it happened by chance"
Oshino says with a tone like he is making fun of me.
"You have just been lucky"
"............"
I even think there's no way we have been, however, unexpectedly, it might have been that.
Because you can only observe a phenomenon after it has ended.
"It means -- just by getting back the limbs, Kissshot can't return to her full power complete body--"
Even if I get back the right leg, the left leg and the arms.
Still, if the heart is missing -- it is fatal.
"Of course"
Oshino nodded to my words.
"Therefore you, after this, should have had to take back the heart from me -- because even if the Kaii Killer got back her arms, it would still be you the one with more vampire power. As the fourth round, the battle between me and you – I should have brought a balance with that"
"......F-Fighting -- with you?"
"Should have been"
"Should, you say"
"Although I was spreading foreshadowing of being the last boss by being called by you utterly sloppy, it ended up being all in vain" {Last boss = rasubosu. Sloppy = zubora}
"Actually, that's not very effective"
It doesn't stick out much.
And although the words do look similar.
To begin with, I don't remember having commented you were sloppy.
You must be self-conscious about it and don't need others to tell you......
"That's not my intention anymore"
Oshino, this time lazily holding the cigarette in his mouth, just with the movement of the lips, with that cigarette pointed at the heart I was holding in my hands.
"Look, I've already given it back to you, right?"
"Hu.....Huh?"
"If you want to call it atonement, then this is atonement. I am really sorry for what happened to class rep-chan. It's really unusual that an ordinary person was swallowed up in things to this point. Because normally -- people run away from Kaii. That girl is a bit abnormal. I can't explain it adequately just with goodness--"
"............"
Hanekawa Tsubasa.
Not self-sacrifice -- self-satisfaction.
Even when she was nearly killed by Guillotinecutter--
She was worrying about me.
After it ended, without even trying to say a word to blame me, she instead said such absurd thing as 'I'm sorry, I got caught easily. I should have been more careful--'.
"If you let me speak frankly"
Oshino muttered like he was talking to himself.
"A kindness of that level makes me uneasy"
"......That's not the way to talk"
"It's something even you should have felt. Am I wrong?"
He says like he is seeing through me.
As always -- however, certainly it was as he says.
I said a similar thing to Hanekawa.
Even after being told that -- Hanekawa didn't change though.
"......That girl is like forcing goodness on herself, isn't she? Of course, nevertheless I can't make it her fault. As it turned out, although I managed to rescue her with my tactic, it was you who executed it -- I don't thinking I could make it up just with last night's thing"
Oshino, only when he said those words -- in the same way of yesterday, had a meek expression.
"Good grief, what a disgrace it was. You can say that was already a burden to all the Oshino who live in Japan"
"Don't drag into your failure all the Oshino-sans who live in Japan"
"Hahhaa. Therefore well, think of that heart as a substitute for a consolation prize, Araragi-kun. It's from me with all my good faith"
"A consolation prize......"
"As things stand I am a guy of mutual trust relationships. With this the balance -- it's a somewhat complicated issue, but roughly it's level"
Oshino.
Saying so, got up from his chair.
"The right leg. The left leg. The right arm. The left arm. And the heart. With this Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade has gotten back the parts she lost. In other words, with this you will turn back into a human. Let me say congratulations another time -- shouldn't you rejoice?"
"......Honestly, it's a complex feeling"
I said.
"It's like everything was schemed"
"That's thinking too much of it. If we assume someone schemed this state of affairs, I too am on the side which was under a scheme"
"It doesn't seem so, though"
"That it seems or it doesn't seem, that's a fact. Araragi-kun, you are a little overestimating me. Even I have things I can do and things I can't do. I am ingenious, but I am not a genius, you know"
"............"
What a bothersome guy he was.
"I may separate, but I don't scheme. Ah, that's right, Araragi-kun, I ask you this just out of interest, lately, haven't you being hungry?"
"Hm? Well -- I think I said it before, but since I became a vampire, maybe it's the immortality, I don't have much appetite"
"Ah, I see"
"Is something wrong with that?"
"Is it? Well, just everything"
"Everything"
"Well, I just thought it must have been time for you to get hungry. At any rate, two weeks passed already -- hahhaa. Must have been hard. ......See you, Araragi-kun. When you safely return a human, take care not to act rashly again. The person who happened to meet a Kaii once, after that becomes easy to attract, so be careful"
While talking -- without even returning the chair to its original place, Oshino went out of the room, leaving me still seated.
"Hey, what is it -- don't talk like you were leaving this place"
"I am leaving. The job is finished -- looking more like a failure, but still, what's finished is finished, what has ended has ended. Ah, that's right, Araragi-kun. About your share of two million yen and class rep-chan's share of three million yen, a total of five million yen, let's say we're even" {chara = forgiving a debt}
"Fl...flippant? {flippant = charai}
"Hey wait, that would be me. Even I said, even. Offsetting each other. My failure, and Heartunderblade's heart -- well, that much might be enough, but it's a free service"
"............"
"Even if you don't stare at me like that, there's no catch -- I may not look like it, but I am prodigal. As long as it can bring a balance, I don't intend to be fussy. Well then, give my regards to class rep-chan"
"Do you want to go without meeting her?"
"Yeah. After all it ended without a meeting -- well, I'd say there's no need to push it and meet her"
"Well, you may be right. Although since the affair with those three ended, even if you meet, it's not like you would drag her again into something, right?"
"Don't make me think about it, now it would be awkward, besides"
Besides, Oshino said once more.
After that.
"After all that girl really makes me uneasy"
he said.
Clearly -- and bitterly.
"Well, even though I say so, for the time being I plan to linger in this town, so if you catch sight of me at least call out to me"
As if switching over, Oshino laughed cheerfully.
"At any rate, if you feel indebted toward me for pardoning the fee -- oh yeah, just search and inform me of the Kaii myths that circulate in this town. My specialty is primarily that one, after all. I hope you will forgive me for a strife like this one -- that's not to my liking, really--"
What.
Even while saying this he was walking without changing pace, Oshino opened the door with the broken knob and went out in the corridor, and like that he closed the door.
There was no word of goodbye.
On that subject -- I have never seen the scene of him saying a word of goodbye to someone.
No matter how trivial the parting scene.
He was always just laughing frivolously.
"Give me a break......"
Indebtedness? Give me a break.
There's no way I feel such thing -- leaving aside if it was plotted or not, part of the source of this problem after all stemmed from you.
Of course -- it was thanks to you that I was saved though.
No.
If I say that, what would he reply?
You just saved yourself on your own -- he would say.
"......With this, right arm, left arm, and heart GET"
From Guillotinecutter the arms.
From Oshino Meme the heart.
The missing pieces were all together.
At last, the time for the complete revival of the Iron-Blooded, Hot-Blooded, Cold-Blooded vampire, the Kaii Killer, Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade -- had come.