Chapter 1 – You Don’t Need a Knife for Negotiations

Chapter 1: You Don’t Need a Knife for Negotiations

I was sitting in a café.

Across from me, was a man that I was speaking to for the first time.

It wasn’t like we had suddenly become tablemates. This wasn’t a part-time job interview or a pitch for some seminar, either.

I had called out to him on the street and led him straight here.

“…”

The young man sitting in front of me stared at the ground, shifting around uncomfortably.

The air conditioning in the café made it rather chilly for an otherwise hot day in July. Nevertheless, large beads of sweat clung to the man’s forehead, slowly dripping down his face.

His mouth was twisted, and he looked utterly terrified. Terrified of me. Terrified of all the wandering eyes around us. But most of all, terrified of the thing he possessed.

The fact that he had meekly followed a complete stranger like me, someone whose identity he didn’t even know, was proof enough of that.

I took a sip of the iced coffee I’d bought just to secure the seats, then spoke.

“You have the ability to become invisible. Am I correct?”

Instantly, the man’s shoulders jolted, and his head snapped up.

His eyes were wide open with utter astonishment as he stared at me, wide and alert.

“Wha—how…! No, wh-what’s your basis for saying such a…!”

“If my observation is correct, a basis is unnecessary. You have a secret, and I know it. As long as we share that premise, it’s enough to move on to the main point.”

“…The main point?”

Yes, the main point.

Fumiya Aizawa, a second-year university student. The ability he holds is “Invisibility.”

Moreover, he likely obtained it quite recently.

“That power doesn’t belong to you.”

“Wh—!”

At my words, Aizawa’s face stiffened further. His pupils wavered, unable to find a focus.

His mind seemed to be racing in confusion, desperately trying to decipher the meaning of what I just said.

“Y-you… do you know about this power?!”

“Yes.”

“…!”

Aizawa gasped, his expression a mix of fear, impatience, and a small hint of relief.

It was only natural.

A human being who recognized the existence of an unexplainable phenomenon had finally appeared—someone other than himself.

That was a relief. Proof that what he was seeing weren’t just delusions in his head.

“Wh-what is this… why me…?”

“To put it simply, it’s a coincidence that it took root in you. There is no special reason. It’s like if someone’s lost property accidentally fell into your bag. If you could think of it that way, it would help.”

“L-lost property…?”

Aizawa clutched his head with both hands, clawing madly at his hair. He didn’t seem to be processing my explanation too well.

Well, that was to be expected.

“Anyways, the owner wants that ‘lost property’ back. Sorry, but would you be willing to return it?”

Lowering my tone a notch, I continued.

The reason I approached him today was to have this conversation.

“Y-you said owner…?”

“Precisely. The one who originally had the ability. Right now, you’ve happened to pick up something that isn’t yours and are essentially running away with it. Even if that wasn’t your intention.”

Before I could finish, Aizawa’s mouth twisted into a grimace.

In his eyes, I could read a faint trace of anger that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

“Who the hell are you… acting so high and mighty from the start…”

“…My name is Mizuki Hidaka. I collect powers from people like you. To be exact, I have them returned to their rightful owners. It’s a request from them, you see.”

“…”

“I understand why you’re not completely convinced. However, you’re aware of it too, aren’t you? That power doesn’t belong to someone like you.”

It would be a lie to say that I didn’t feel sympathy.

If one day, out of the blue, you randomly gained a strange ability. You don’t know the reason, and you surely can’t talk to anyone about it. No one that would believe you, anyways.

Then, a stranger like me appears and tells you to “give back what you stole.”

It would be unreasonable to expect him not to be suspicious.

Unfortunately, I had to make him accept it.

“Surely, it hasn’t been long since you received it. If you return it now, you’ll be able to go back to your old life without much consequence. Of course, there are certain conditions on our end—”

“You…!! Don’t tell me…!” Aizawa suddenly let out a sharp cry, drawing the attention of the customers around us.

As I felt the surrounding gazes gather on us, I instinctively braced myself. This was a yellow light—a warning.

However, his opponent was just an ordinary looking student. He shouldn’t be forced to resort to forceful measures yet… or so I thought.

“Do you… do you know? What I did to that girl… that…” This time, Aizawa spoke in a whisper.

The trembling end of his sentence faded into nothingness.

“That girl…?”

At that moment, a possibility occurred to me.

No, I should have realized it sooner. Ideally, before I even came here.

This guy… he’s been abusing it.

“…We have no interest in what you did with your ability. We don’t intend to expose your sins, or to report them. Just returning it immediately would be enough.”

I spoke cautiously to Aizawa, who was staring at his own hands, trembling.

I had set off a landmine, but it was too late to turn back.

In this case, I now had to convince him that I wasn’t his enemy.

“The owner is quite troubled. Depending on how negotiations go, we can offer compensation. If it’s money, a reasonable sum—”

“Shut up.”

Once again, Aizawa cut me off. It was a dark, low voice, thick with resentment.

Several possibilities of what might happen next flashed through my mind.

I tried to think of countermeasures, but it was too late.

Thump, the table shook.

Simultaneously, Aizawa sprang up as if he’d been launched.

He turned on his heel and bolted out of the shop, bumping into other seats and customers as he went.

“Damn…” I didn’t even have time to sigh.

Leaving my coffee behind, I grabbed my bag and chased after him

I shoved the shop door open and sprinted, chasing the figure that was still just barely visible.

I couldn’t help but click my tongue.

No… this time, was it my poor handling that was to blame?

But if I was going to say that, this job itself was—

As I grumbled internally, Aizawa ducked into an alley. A moment later, I followed him.

It’s like a poor imitation of a detective show.

Well, judging by his attitude just now, he certainly seemed to be a villain.

“…!”

Suddenly, my feet stopped.

Aizawa had undoubtedly fled here just a moment ago.

Looking around, it conveniently happened to be a dead end.

But… he was nowhere to be seen.

“…”

There were no doors or windows leading into the buildings on either side.

The trash cans were too small, and there were no visible gaps to hide in.

The fence at the end… wasn’t impossible for a human to climb, but…

“You’re here… aren’t you?”

It was the conclusion I settled for by relying on both my logic and intuition.

After all, my opponent was an “Invisible Man.“

Opening my bag, I carefully took out a canister of colored spray.

Thinking back to the guy who said, “You’d better bring this,” I inadvertently let out a small sigh.

These things only come in handy when I screw up.

I shook the can and pressed the button. With a pshhhh sound, an orange mist sprayed out.

I sprayed the mist evenly from the entrance to the back of the alley.

I’d have to bill him for the dry cleaning of his stained clothes later.

“Ah…… aaaagh!” I heard his voice before I saw him.

When I looked, paint had adhered to nothingness, floating in mid-air.

A rounded outline appeared, and I could tell it was the shape of a person crouching down.

The fact that it got on his face was, well, unavoidable.

“Cough, hack! Damn it… shit!”

“I really just want to talk, please. If you run, I have no choice but to chase you,” I said, infusing my voice with more intimidation than before.

Given this man’s nature, being humble would likely be counterproductive.

According to what I’d heard beforehand, only his body could turn invisible.

In other words, he was naked right now. He must have stripped his clothes off and tossed them somewhere.

I admired his dedication, but surely he had to give up now—?

“Wh—!”

Contrary to my wish, the orange mass shoved me aside.

Violenting kicking over a trash can, he continued to sprint out of the alley, still covered in orange paint.

With Aizawa gone, there was only me, the trash can, and the color spray can rolling on the ground.

“Well… I guess it doesn’t always go well the first time.” Once I spoke the words, a wave of exhaustion washed over me.

Looking up, the blue sky sandwiched between the buildings looked strangely beautiful.

***

“—And so, Li Zheng turned into a tiger because of his ‘cowardly self-esteem’ and ‘arrogant shame.’”

The afternoon of the following day, after I’d let the invisible man get away.

The drawn-out voice of Matsukawa, the modern literature teacher, was inviting drowsiness throughout the entire classroom.

The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated the edge of my notebook, making it glow brilliantly.

“The cowardice to fear that one’s self-belief in having poetic talent might be wounded, thus fleeing from the necessary effort. The arrogance of being unable to bear being treated like an ordinary person or being seen as such despite having talent, looking down on others and keeping one’s distance. These things eroded Li Zheng’s heart, and in the end, turned him into a literal beast.”

Nod, nod. My teacher nodded to himself.

His lessons were boring, but he wasn’t overbearing. He was a middle-aged teacher who was relatively popular among the second-year faculty.

However, ever since the unit had moved on to The Moon Over the Mountain, I felt like his classes had been getting longer and longer.

TLN: The Moon Over the Mountain is a collection of stories inspired by Chinese legends and folklore.

I poked at the tiger illustration in the textbook with my finger as I pondered.

Yesterday was a failure.

When a target is abusing their power, the risk of things getting complicated increases exponentially.

Guilt and a sense of debt leads to fear and impatience.

First interactions are especially difficult because the target’s reaction is unpredictable.

The real work starts from the second confrontation, once I’ve gathered a certain amount of information.

“Now then, Miss Kirie. Do you have any impressions, anything at all? Reading comprehension is necessary for the test, but since we’re covering it in class, it’s also important to share what you felt from the work.”

Fortunately, I already knew his address and the university he attended.

No matter how invisible he could become, he couldn’t run forever.

I would just have to take my time and somehow persuade him.

The next time we meet, it might be better to explain our circumstances in detail first.

Well, the problem was whether or not he’d listen to me…

“I thought the tiger was the pitiful one.”

Suddenly, the quiet classroom stirred a little.

Giggles and voices asking “What do you mean?” arose.

Looking over, a girl sitting in the middle of the classroom had her finger to her cheek.

“Do you mean Li Zheng?”

“No, I mean the tiger. I mean, Li Zheng is just a foolish, hopeless person, right? From the perspective of a tiger who’s living its life as hard as it can, it’s rude to suddenly be lumped together with him.”

At those words, the whole classroom laughed this time.

Matsukawa groaned as if impressed, saying, “That is certainly true.”

All the classes ended.

Since I was on classroom duty today, I erased the chalkboards and rearranged the postings on the bulletin board.

When I finished my assignment and left the classroom, several girls who were still lingering behind were making a fuss in the hallway.

“Mahi~, what was that in literature class? It was hilarious.”

“Right? I was laughing too! But I kind of get what you mean.”

Their voices were lively.

The one at the center was a girl called Mahina Kirie, the one who had sympathized with the tiger earlier.

She had features that stood out even among her grade. A sophisticated face and a glamorous presence on top of that.

Moreover, she also had good grades and received excellent scores in physical fitness tests. Above even all of that, she was charming and popular with the boys.

Did I say too much?

She was, quite simply, a standout student in every way.

“Right? Tigers are cute, after all. The author probably likes cats.”

Kirie’s comment drew more laughter and teasing remarks.

Naturally, my mind drifted back to yesterday.

The invisible man, Fumiya Aizawa.

He had definitely said it back then.

“Do you… do you know? What I did to that girl… that…”

That girl.

I didn’t know who ‘that girl’ was, of course.

It wasn’t an important piece of information, and even if I did know, what I had to do wouldn’t change.

However, in the room next to his… lived the girl standing right there, Mahina Kirie.

“…”

My feet almost stopped, but I pushed myself forwards.

I walked right past the group.

Mahina, who had been laughing so amiably, glanced at me for just a brief second.

I got off the train at the station nearest my home.

Once I went back to my place, I planned to go see Aizawa again.

Leaving him alone wouldn’t do any good for either of us.

I hope that this time, he will listen to me without running away.

……No, before that.

“Hidaka-kun.”

A voice behind me called my name.

It was the same voice I’d heard at school just moments ago.

Mahina Kirie.

“…What is it?”

I turned around to find Kirie standing in the middle of the path with a strangely grim expression.

I’d felt a presence ever since I’d left the school gates.

But, I never thought she would follow me all the way here.

“There’s something I want to ask you. Do you have a moment?”

Kirie tilted her head slightly and smiled softly.

However, the tension from a moment ago hadn’t completely vanished.

As far as I could remember, Kirie and I had never spoken a single word to each other.

For Kirie, who treated everyone with equal friendliness, I was probably a rare exception.

What business did she have with someone like me? And to go so far as to tail me.

No… it probably wasn’t anything good.

“I don’t. I’m in a hurry.”

“Haha, I thought so! You were walking pretty fast…”

“See ya.”

“Ah! Wait up!”

Kirie ran up to me, yanking my wrist.

She had a surprisingly strong grip. Before I knew it, the smile had vanished from her face.

I had a bad feeling.

I’d been hit by this same sensation several times before.

A precursor to something troublesome, tedious, and unpleasant.

Should I follow Aizawa’s example from yesterday and just run away?

“The orange man.”

But before I could shake off her arm, Kirie spoke.

With those words alone, I was certain my worst premonition had come true.

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I saw everything yesterday. What was that? Who… what are you?”

Kirie directed a gaze at me that was a mixture of curiosity and tension.

When you’re chasing someone, you don’t notice when you’re being chased yourself.

I should have learned that lesson much earlier.

But, it was too late for regrets now. I just had to remember this failure for next time.

For better or for worse, it seemed like there would be plenty more opportunities to apply this lesson to in the future.

“If that’s what you wanted to know, you should ask the other guy, not me.”

I wasn’t the one who turned invisible, and I wasn’t the one who turned orange.

Well, of course, I didn’t really expect such an excuse to work.

However, Kirie’s next words defied all my expectations.

“I know that man. He lives in the room next to mine in my apartment, and he’s my stalker.”

“…Huh?”

Stalker…? What was she-

No… wait. Invisibility, Aizawa’s attitude and confession from yesterday, and the words “that girl.”

Could it be that the girl he was referring to…?

“I didn’t have any proof. That’s why I was following him yesterday, because I wanted to gather evidence. That’s when you showed up.”

“…It’s dangerous to follow someone who might be your stalker, Miss Kirie.”

She went as far as to follow me home and contact me.

A normal person wouldn’t go that far.

“Oh? You’re surprisingly considerate for someone who’s always trying to act nonchalant at school.”

“…What are you getting at? If it’s about your stalker, I don’t know anything.”

“It’s okay, really. The one I have business with is you, Hidaka-kun.”

“…So you’re brushing aside the invisible stalker for me, then?”

“Yep!”

Kirie nodded without a hint of hesitation. The grip on my wrist tightened even further.

Fortunately, there had been no eyes on us for a while. However, settling things here looked like it was going to be a massive pain.

“There’s a karaoke place in front of the station. We’ll talk there.”

“…Okay. Sure.”

Kirie nodded after a brief pause and released my wrist. I reserved a room on my phone and, while I was at it, sent a single text message without her seeing.

I’ve been thinking about this whole situation since yesterday.

Seriously, this job could be such a hassle.

In this world, there are “Ability Users.”

They are people with supernatural powers—like the invisible man from yesterday—capable of doing things impossible for ordinary humans.

The nature of these abilities varies wildly, ranging from clichés like teleportation and psychokinesis to bizarre powers beyond our imagination.

But, they all have one thing in common.

The ability is always acquired.

TLN: “(Raw) それは、そのちからが、後天的なものだということだ” I believe it means that the ability isn’t something they’re born with, but something they acquire through training or other means(?)

“My job is to collect those abilities from the ones who obtained them. It’s just like reclaiming lost property from a person who found it, that’s all. Anyways, I don’t care what the invisible man did yesterday. Once the ‘gun’ is back in my hands, it doesn’t matter to me if it was used for murder or if it’s low on ammo.”

Kirie listened to my explanation without so much as a nod.

She was usually so lively at school. Well, I suppose even a popular girl like her would be rendered speechless by a story like this. Not that it mattered to me.

“And yesterday… was a failure. I was planning to try again today, but you messed up my schedule.”

I spoke with deliberate irritation. The echoing from the room next door rattled my eardrums. Kirie took a sip of the iced tea she’d grabbed from the drink bar and let out a deep sigh.

“…Do you really expect me to believe that?”

“You don’t have to, and I didn’t expect you to either. However, it’s the truth. Take my advice: don’t stick your nose into these types of things.”

If only I could’ve stayed uninvolved, too.

I forced myself to stop that train of thought. There is nothing more pointless than wasting energy on impossible hypotheticals.

Kirie gave me an appraising gaze. Staring at her from the front, her refined features were even more striking. However, the charm and daintiness she wore at school were nowhere to be found. Given her usual reputation, I’d have expected her to show more interest or laugh it off as a joke. Then again, I didn’t know her well enough to make accurate predictions.

Kirie remained silent for a while longer. I checked my watch; it had been nearly an hour since we arrived.

What’s taking her so long?

Unable to suppress my irritation, a scowl formed on my face.

I’d bought plenty of time. Even if she was busy, this was an emergency on my end. Don’t tell me that girl… doesn’t plan on coming?

“I’m not doubting you.”

As I was glaring at my phone, Kirie spoke suddenly. Her expression was tense, as if she had reached a firm resolution.

“I believe your story, Hidaka-kun. I can believe it because I’m one of them.”

“…Eh?”

What did she say?

I didn’t understand what she meant, and a reflexive sigh escaped me. I couldn’t wrap my head around the words I’d just heard.

This girl… Kirie, just now—

“I’m probably one of your targets, too. I can kill people. Probably.”

Kirie stared straight at me. Her deep-colored eyes wavered, and in their depths, I saw my own stupid-looking face reflected back.

“Wait…”

What did she just say? I replayed the voice in my head.

She’s my target?

She can kill people? Probably?

The meaning of those words finally sank in, and then—

“Well, well, that certainly saves us the trouble of looking for you.”

The door opened with a click.

Instantly, the once quiet room was flooded by noises from the hallway.

The culprit was the person that just entered.

A slender frame topped with out-of-place, short pink hair. She wore a simple graphic t-shirt and denim hot pants. Holding a glass of melon soda in her hand, the girl wore a bold, fearless smirk.

“You finally made it, huh…”

Muttering that, I forced the questions from a moment ago into the back of my mind. Now that she was here, the farce was over. I stood up and pulled the door shut, gripping the handle firmly. I leaned against it, blocking the exit with my body.

“Whoaaa! Bold, aren’t we~? As expected of Mizuki-kun.”

“Shut it. You’re late, Love.”

When I said that, the pink-haired girl—’Love’—giggled with amusement.

She really took her sweet time getting here.

「Case D has occurred. Head to the karaoke in front of the station. Room 213.」

That was the message I’d sent Love before heading here.

Case D meant “Confidentiality Breach.”

My job in this situation was to stall for time until Love arrived.

But this girl-

“I mean, you really shouldn’t, you know? Even if it’s a karaoke box, a girl shouldn’t be alone in a room with a boy she barely knows.”

Love turned around and spoke to Kirie, spreading her hands by her face and shaking her head with an exaggerated “good grief” gesture. The movement felt excessively human, making my chest tighten with unease. I’d never get used to it.

Kirie stood up and recoiled warily. Yet, she didn’t look frightened. She glared sharply at Love, and then at me.

“What would you have done if something happened? It’s lucky that our Mizuki-kun here is such a gentleman.”

“…Who are you?”

“Oh? Mizuki-kun, you haven’t told her about me? Do I need to introduce myself?”

“No need. Let’s just take her and go.”

Kirie would forget everything about today anyway. Or rather, she’d be forced to forget.

That was why Love was here.

“No, no, if she has an ability, then that’s a different story. Mahina-chan, was it? Sorry to be blunt, but I’m going to need you to give that power back.”

Love looked at Kirie, her voice suddenly carrying a weight it hadn’t before.

It was then that I finally realized.

In the event of a confidentiality breach, the protocol was to abduct the person and erase their memory. Our existence and the existence of these ‘abilities’ weren’t meant to be known by outsiders.

But, Kirie had just claimed to possess an ability.

If that was true, then what we needed to do wasn’t memory erasure, but ability reclamation. Letting her go would be risky.

I understood that logic, but—

“No.”

Kirie replied quickly and firmly.

She pressed her back against the far wall, yet she met Love’s gaze with eyes full of resolve.

I silently applauded her guts. This wasn’t the attitude an ordinary high school girl could take in this situation.

But unfortunately, she had picked a fight with the wrong person. A very wrong person.

“Hey, that’s my line. You said it yourself just now, didn’t you? That you can kill people.”

Love approached Kirie with a swaying, casual gait.

I can kill people. And on top of that, she was refusing to surrender her abilities.

Even Kirie must have understood what that implied. In this specific moment, the moral high ground belonged to Love.

“Don’t come any closer!”

A sharp voice rang out, and Love stopped dead in her tracks.

Kirie’s arms shot out in front of her.

In those slender hands, a knife had appeared without anyone noticing

“Oh my! You had something like that the whole time?”

“It’s for self-defense. I’m not an idiot.”

No, you definitely are an idiot. I thought.

Against someone like Love, that thing is useless. Even before that, if someone really were smart, they wouldn’t jump into a situation where they’d need a knife in the first place.

“I also said this earlier: ‘probably.’ In other words, I don’t know for sure yet. I don’t know if I really have that kind of power or not.”

“…Hmm, what’s your point?”

“I…… I want to make sure. Whether I have the power to kill, or if it’s just a misunderstanding. Until I know that, I won’t let you take it. So help me. You guys can figure it out, right? You guys would know.”

Kirie spoke. The hand holding the knife was trembling, but her voice was steady.

She wanted to confirm if she had the power.

In other words… her real reason for contacting me…

The desperate reason that was more important than catching a stalker, the reason she’d brought a knife, was that?

Hold on… was she planning to kill me?

“…”

Before I knew it, I was scowling deeply. I didn’t know her circumstances. Actually, I didn’t want to know.

I just found the emotions leaking out of Kirie to be repulsive.

I really… don’t like this girl.

“And… you think you can stop us with a knife?”

“If it was just Hidaka-kun, that was the plan. But you showed up, and that made things difficult. So—”

Kirie spoke in a cautious voice.

And then, she slowly raised the hand holding the knife.

To her own throat.

“…Change of plans. This would be more troubling for you guys, wouldn’t it?”

Tears were welling in Kirie’s eyes.

Even so, she maintained her resolve, glaring at Love.

This girl… she isn’t normal.

I could tell by her eyes that she was serious. I didn’t know how far she’d thought this through, but if she died here, it would certainly be inconvenient for us.

However… in the end, she was only human.

“Mmm, I think I get it.”

Love tilted her head and nodded slowly.

She looked back and forth between Kirie’s face and the knife.

And then—

“Well, regardless of all that.”

In the next instant.

Love was hugging Kirie from the front.

She hasn’t even blinked, yet she hadn’t seen her move an inch of the distance between them.

Kirie froze on the spot, her eyes wide with shock.

“Eh…?”

“Come on, put that thing away already. It’s dangerous, y’know?”

Love grabbed Kirie’s hand, prying her fingers open one by one.

Between the surprise and the impact of the movement, Kirie seemed unable to resist.

“Here, Mizuki-kun, hold this.”

“……Right.”

I took the knife from Love and wrapped the blade in a handkerchief. It was a brand-new survival knife. It was obvious she’d bought it just for this occasion.

It’s painful to watch. I thought.

“I think I get what you’re after.”

Releasing Kirie from her arms, Love spoke in a grand, patronizing tone.

“Soooo…let’s have a proper chat! We aren’t enemies of Mahina’s as of right now. And regardless of what you think of Mizuki-kun, I don’t look like a bad person, do I? Besides, you need our help anyway.”

“So can you… or can you not tell if I have an ability?”

Kirie’s voice was slightly calmer than before. Perhaps because the knife was gone, or because of Love’s ridiculous dialogue, or both.

After nodding with contentment, Love answered.

“Of course I can tell.”

“Eh… R-really?”

“Yep! But unfortunately, you’ll need to wait. The girl who can do that is on a trip right now. I think she’ll be back in about… a month?”

Love crossed her arms and let out a hum of thought.

Because of her innocent voice and gestures, the tension in the room loosened again.

No, she was definitely doing this on purpose.

To make the communication with Kirie go smoothly.

If the opponent is an Ability User, that’s the best strategy.

Then, Love hopped into a chair and gestured for Kirie to do the same.

Sitting across from each other at the table, both Love and Kirie took sips of their drinks.

“A month… can’t you call her sooner?”

“Don’t be unreasonable. We all have our own respective jobs. Even if you can kill people, this isn’t the only ‘battlefield’ there is. Even today, Mizuki-kun called me, but I was late because of another case.”

As she spoke, Love gestured toward me.

For someone who was supposedly ‘late’, she’d had time to prepare a drink, so it didn’t look like she’d rushed here at all.

She really is irresponsible…

“The job…… reclaiming powers?”

“Correct. Just so you know, I could just take your power by force. But beyond that, I want to grant your wish as much as possible. Therefore, I need you to make some concessions, too.”

“Don’t you agree?” Love tilted her head dramatically and gave a childish grin.

Having seen her true nature, it was honestly disgusting to watch. But, it seemed to have a certain level of effectiveness on Kirie.

Kirie placed a hand on her chest and took several deep breaths to steady her heart. Love watched her with an amused expression.

“…Okay, I understand. You’re right.”

“I’m glad you see it my way. I want to avoid using force as much as possible, too. Though it seems Mizuki-kun forgot to mention those important details.”

Love looked at me with a deliberately sarcastic side-eye.

In my defense, the reason I told Kirie about the reclamation was purely to stall for time. Normally, Love would have arrived, and Kirie would have been put to sleep and taken away immediately.

In other words, the content of what I told Kirie didn’t matter as long as it kept her interested. It was a memory that was going to disappear anyway. There wasn’t even a need to lie.

And yet, because Kirie started claiming she had an ability…

It completely spiraled out of my expectations.

No, more importantly.

“Love, wait.”

“Hmm? What is it, Mizuki-kun?”

Love took another leisurely sip of her melon soda.

Her current back-and-forth with Kirie was outside the scope of my job. As a mere hire, I had no right to question the intentions of my client, Love.

However, there was one thing I couldn’t overlook.

“There’s no need to wait for that person. Try the reclamation. If it works, then she has an ability. If it doesn’t work, then we can just erase her memories. You can judge whether Kirie has an ability based on that result. Why not just do that?”

“Wow, you’re right. As expected of Mizuki-kun, you’re so smart!”

Love spread her hands and let out a voice of genuine admiration.

That reaction was, once again, infuriating. Get it together, please.

“Well then, I’m going to try reclaiming your power now. That way, both I and you can achieve our goals. Of course, whether you have power or not, it won’t hurt a bit, so don’t worry. Okay?”

Love raised her arm and moved her hand toward Kirie’s forehead.

But Kirie jerked her body away as if fleeing. Love’s slender arm, having lost its target, dangled in the air.

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

“That’s a no. Like I said before, I won’t let you do the reclamation until after I know whether I have the power or not. That is my one non-negotiable condition.”

“…What kind of logic is that?”

The words escaped me before I could stop them.

It was clearly bizarre. It made no sense.

No… if anything, this was—

“Hmm… I see.”

Love let out a small, chirping sound as she pinched her chin lightly.

She looked unusually troubled.

However, I already had a vague idea of how she would respond.

Facing Mahina, who was waiting with a tense expression, Love nodded lightly and said,

“Sure. Let’s do that, then.”

“…Thank you. Um… Love-chan?”

As if all the tension had drained from her body at once, Mahina relaxed her cheeks.

Of course, I had complaints. More than that, there was almost nothing about this I could accept.

Not like it mattered.

For me, Love’s decision was everything.

“Well, I’ll contact you again when I’m free. If anything comes up before then, tell Mizuki-kun. He might seem cold and weird, but he’s actually really kind.”

“Hey…”

Unnecessary information…

And don’t make me the point of contact, seriously?

And so, our—no, Love and Mahina Kirie’s—negotiation came to an end.

To be honest, today turned out to be one of the worst days of my life.

“Oh, right!”

Right after we left the karaoke place, Mahina raised her voice.

She seemed to have completely regained her composure, or rather, her usual school energy.

“You have about a month until the person who could help me returns, right?” Mahina, with her back to the road, pivoted on one foot.

The face she turned toward me wore an unnervingly well-formed, yet somehow unsettling smile.

The night wind blew between us, making my hair flutter into my vision.

“Since we have so much time to spare, I’d like to tag along until then.”

“Huh? Tag along with what?”

“With Hidaka-kun’s retrieval work. It sounds interesting!”

Yep. Today was, without a doubt, the worst day.

“Hmm. Well, I guess that’s fine?”

“What are you thinking, Love?”

After parting with Mahina, Love and I went up to the rooftop of a mixed-use building.

TLN: It’s like a piece of property that combines residential and retail / office or other purposes into one building.

Behind Love, who was sitting on the edge of a ledge, the city’s neon lights shone vividly.

The sound of cars was now distant, blurred and mixed into the night air.

“Mmm…what do you mean?”

Taking Mahina’s knife from my hand, Love feigned ignorance.

Her pink hair reflected the moonlight, swaying dimly and dully.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? I have two complaints.”

“Oh. What’s the first one? And hey, why don’t you sit down?”

Love took a bite of the fried chicken skewer she bought at the convenience store, then lightly patted the spot next to her.

I ignored her and continued.

Who would sit there? Not me.

“What the girl—Mahina Kirie—said is suspicious.” I won’t let her say she didn’t notice.

Love may be a fool, but she’s not stupid.

But on the contrary… no, never mind for now.

“‘Not until I know if I have the power. Not until I know if I have the ability to kill someone. I won’t allow the retrieval until then.’ That’s the argument of someone who doesn’t want to let go of their ability. More precisely, it’s the argument of someone who intends to use their ability.”

If she truly intended to return it obediently.

Whether she had the power or not could be determined after returning it.

Wanting to know while still possessing it, logically speaking, means she has a use for that power itself.

That is to say—

“Doesn’t that girl intend on killing someone?”

If that’s the case…

“Is it okay for us to leave Mahina unchecked? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“That possibility certainly exists,” Love said casually, rummaging through the plastic bag beside her with a rustle.

She pulled out a carton of café au lait, opened it, and inserted a straw.

“But well, it’s probably not that serious. Realistically speaking, an ordinary high school girl doesn’t usually have someone she wants to kill.”

“….Did she look ordinary to you?”

“Stalking her own stalker to get information, approaching me alone. Pointing a knife at us without hesitation. In the end, even holding it to her own neck. “

And above all… saying she had the ability to kill someone.

Frankly, Mahina is abnormal.

It’s hard to apply normal logic to try and predict her actions. It’s safer to gather more information about her.

“Even if she’s not normal, she seemed like a smart girl. Despite her actions, she remained calm throughout. She quickly understood her position and didn’t compromise in the negotiation. I think she can properly weigh gains and losses too.”

“…Well.”

I certainly couldn’t deny that point.

Even when she could have panicked, she was desperately trying to grasp the situation.

Even after hearing my unrealistic story and having her knife taken by Love.

“Killing someone is a big deal. In this world, murder is a major crime. Using a power might hide it, but the mental burden is considerable. Even if it’s possible, actually doing it is a high hurdle. Even I understand that much.” Love’s tone was light as ever. But she didn’t seem to be joking.

Still, her manner of speaking and way of thinking—she was still good as ever at imitating humans.

“Even so, if that girl truly wants to kill someone. And if she thinks she might have that ability…”

“…”

“She just needs to test it. Try activating the ability on that person. If she actually has no power and nothing happens, the risk is minimal. The fact she doesn’t do that suggests there’s no such person. That’s my reasonable assumption.”

“…What about the possibility she doesn’t know how to use it, or is still unsure about whether to kill?” I followed up with the question that came to mind.

When an ability manifests, the user doesn’t automatically know its effects or how to use it.

Furthermore, there are cases where the person isn’t even aware the ability has taken root.

In most cases, the owner learns of its existence and general usage after accidentally activating it unconsciously through some trigger.

Love didn’t answer immediately. This time, she offered me a bottle of milk tea.

I took it silently and roughly tore open the seal.

There’s no way she’d adjust her plans over what I said.

I’d already learned that from our time together so far.

“Of course, that’s possible. But if that’s the case, then your worry is unnecessary for a while. She won’t—well—can’t—take immediate action. At this point, no intervention is needed.”

“…Even without the intent, an accidental activation of the ability is possible, right?” When I countered, Love shrugged as if annoyed.

Like other ability users, Mahina could also experience an accidental power activation.

Of course, it depends on the trigger required for activation.

“That’s just unavoidable, isn’t it? Should we imprison a blossoming high school girl for the sake of a low-probability accident? Even though she herself doesn’t wish for it?”

“Well…”

“How cruel, Mizuki-kun. Are you even human? To a cute girl like her?” Teasingly saying that, Love chuckled.

Then, she put the last piece of fried chicken in her mouth and chewed with her small jaw.

My face twisted in displeasure. But if I got irritated by every little thing like this, I wouldn’t be able to converse with her.

“Well, jokes aside, of course I understand what you’re saying, Mizuki-kun. I also want to prevent tragedy. After all, this particular ability is especially prone to becoming a seed of misfortune.”

“Then why—”

“But, as I said earlier, it’s fine. Your concerns are likely off the mark. And if the worst happens, I’ll stop it. You know I can do that, right?”

With an annoyingly skillful wink, Love said.

Yes, that’s right. What she’s saying is correct in every aspect.

Logical, reasonable, and sufficiently persuasive.

The one who’s being unreasonable is me. Deep down, I knew that from the very start.

“….”

It must be Mahina’s fault.

Her words, her emotions in the karaoke room, are confusing me.

For some reason, they’re seared into my mind, clouding my judgment.

Maybe I should cool my head a little.

I took a large sip of the milk tea from the bottle.

It had long gone lukewarm, and the sweetness I usually liked felt unpleasant.

“Mizuki-kun, do you think she has it? That power?”

“…No, not exactly. Just… she must have some basis for thinking so. Otherwise, taking such a risk wouldn’t be worth it.”

“True. Well, we’ll find out in a month anyway.”

Love crossed her arms and nodded several times, “Mhm, mhm!”

The faint shadow at her feet seemed to shimmer like a heat haze.

“Sooo, what’s the second one?”

Stretching both arms high above her head, Love prompted.

She then let out a small, fluffy yawn and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

Is it already bedtime for the child? Well, the only childish thing about this girl is her appearance.

“Why did you allow her to tag along?” I said, pouring all the resentment I’d felt today into the words.

Honestly, this was far more serious than the first complaint.

“Since we have so much spare time, I’d like to tag along until then.”

“With Hidaka-kun’s retrieval work.”

That girl is truly an idiot.

And the one who permitted it is an even bigger idiot.

“Ah, that.”

“She’ll just get in the way. Retrieval work isn’t easy to begin with. Even if this is your order, that is just—”

“Now, now, it’s fine, isn’t it? That girl is pretty cute, so shouldn’t you be happy? She seems to have guts too, she might even be helpful?”

“…Are you serious?”

“Of course. You’re competent, but you’re not very friendly. And, considering our earlier discussion, wouldn’t it be good for her to have a guardian? Just in case, for your concerns.”

“If she has no power, the memory manipulation workload will increase, won’t it?”

“Mmm…that’s a trivial matter. Not something for you to worry about.”

Saying that, Love turned a triumphant smile toward me.

It seemed she had no intention of retracting her orders.

Well, I had expected as much. It is what it is.

“Ah, but make sure to protect her properly, okay? Retrieval missions can be dangerous, and unlike you, we can’t have her dying.”

With those final words, Love shifted her posture and began gazing at the night city.

I was struck by an intense feeling of exhaustion and a headache.

It seemed quite severe. Against my will, I sat down next to Love.

I no longer felt like arguing any further. My head hurted. I wanted to lie down immediately.

“Still, Mizuki-kun, you have a lot to protect. It must be tough.” As she spoke, Love swung her legs dangling in the air.

Her happy profile was picturesque, beautiful, and detestable.

She really is perfect to the point of being sickening.

“….”

I closed my eyes and took a long breath of the night air.

The humming of Love beside me faintly vibrated my eardrums.

After a while, the humming stopped, and it grew quiet.

When I opened my eyes again, she was already gone.

“What a self-centered person, through and through.” Placing my hands on my knees, I forced myself to stand.

Dragging my heavy body, I descended the building’s stairs.

Listening to the clacking sound of my own footsteps, I reluctantly recalled her words again.

I can kill people. Probably.

Love didn’t seem concerned about it, but…

For me, there was one more thing that bothered me.

“….”

Mahina… what made her believe that?

What was the trigger and the basis for that type of ability?

No… it was likely that I already knew the answer.

The thought that one might be able to kill someone doesn’t arise without a clear catalyst.

Unless one encounters an event that makes them believe they have killed someone—

“Sigh…”

At that point, I stopped thinking.

I shook my head, dispelling the random thoughts that kept surfacing.

Other people’s circumstances don’t matter. I shouldn’t care about unnecessary things.

Because she… isn’t my retrieval target.

As soon as I left the building, I was enveloped in the city’s bustle.

Sound and light, and the presence of people. My thoughts scattered, and my own existence felt diluted.

Walking in a dreamlike state, I kept moving forwards. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the doorsteps of my own home.

When I checked my phone, I saw a message from Mahina.

「Please take care of me for a while~!」

I didn’t reply. Instead, I took a bath and worked on my school assignments.

When I checked back on my phone before sleeping, I found three angry rabbit stickers waiting for me.

         ***

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