Chapter 9: Enforced Devotion【Part 2】
【言語に関するご注意 / Language Notice】本作はすべて、英語と英語の表現で書かれています。翻訳作品ではなく、オリジナルの英語ライトノベルです。あらかじめご了承の上、作品をお楽しみください。
See chapter one for the main author's note.
Kizuki
Mihaku sighs, her voice dropping to a murmur. “Not this again. I already told you that I—”
“’...have it under control,’” Hasumi cuts her off, neatly folding the newspaper and sliding it onto the desk in front of him. “Control is when you want to keep something. Exterminate is when you want to get rid of the issue.”
“See, before my good friend Nakaba graduated, he assured me he had already placed the best chief on the deck—one with a flawless record to show for it. Naturally, I believed him.”
“Believed.”
“Well!” His eyes widen along with his smile as he starts doing a theatrical, paranoid glance around the room. “I don’t see Nakaba anywhere, do you?
“You snake. I fault myself for even being surprised.” Her tone sharpens with a dangerous edge.
“Oh, I fault you too!” He laughs. “And it is my job to ensure this is your last fault.”
She grins. “Well, unlike your minions in the ministry, we chiefs tend to outlast the daily mood swings of the presidency.”
“Yes, yes.” He flaps a hand dismissively. “Something about tradition and unwritten rules.” He drops into a mocking whine. “’Why replace a blade if it isn’t dull yet?’”
His voice turns cold to answer his own question. “Because it doesn’t cut where I want it to.” His head drops against the leather cushion, staring at the ceiling. “So... I just have to... pick a new one.”
“Since you never intended to fulfill your promises, why reveal your hand now? The selection process for a chief takes weeks, if not months.”
He lets out a mocking laugh. “Months? I just have to close my eyes!” He claps a hand over his face, his free hand slapping blindly across the wood in a dramatic hunt.
“Pick someone.” His eyebrows arch over the edge of his palm as his free hand snags an object on the desk.
“Then hold onto them tight—make them mine.” He lowers the hand from his face to inspect his prize.
He flinches, dropping the object onto the desk with a clatter as his expression freezes. A brief blink of confusion passes before he regains his composure, sliding the silver letter opener aside.
She turns on her heel, casting a grin my way before staring at the doors. “Is that a challenge? Do you honestly think an administration on borrowed time could outlast the likes of the OPB?”
He bolts upright, his face twisting in rage.
His palm slams against the wood with every syllable. “I—SHALL—NOT—BE—THREATENED—IN—MY—OWN—OFFICE!”
His shouting cuts short as his gaze locks downward.
Right where his hand struck, a red smear stains the newspaper’s front page.
He sinks back into his chair. With his clean hand, he casually turns the newspaper face down and clears his throat, his voice dropping to a cool simmer. “Excuse me. What I meant to say is, I am simply questioning if you are the right person for the task, Chief.”
“Funny. I just had a similar thought,” She says, taking her first steps toward the door. “I will have the triads handled, mark my words.”
“And I will mark your resignation letter—before the end of the week.”
The hem of her coat flares as she continues down the room, ignoring him as she always does.
“”Always a pleasure, spearfish,” he mutters to himself, inspecting his bleeding hand. “Try not to strangle yourself in the net.”
Catching up to her at the threshold, I reach out to grab the handle and open the door with an elegant sweep to let her through.
I pause to give Hasumi a small bow as I chirp “Have a wonderful afternoon, Mr. President. And don’t worry—the red really brings out your eyes!” With a wink, I let the door click shut before he can even look up.
Anza
“Yes, yes, the rice paddle... hilarious,” Ryota snaps, his ears turning red. He cuts the conversation short, spinning around to leave with a wave. “Look, I have to go now, important things to do.” He storms away without looking back.
“Bye bye, and don’t forget to bring your rice paddle!” she mocks from behind him as she waves him off.
I dash sideways. “ASUKA—” My hand slams over her mouth, choking back the rest of her venom as I body-slam her straight into the sand.
I whip my head around, scanning the crowd to see if anyone noticed the blatant daylight kidnapping.
Her muffled protests vanish, replaced by a sudden, sickeningly warm swipe of her tongue right against my palm.
I flinch, yanking my hand away. “Asuka, gross!”
She chuckles, sitting upright. “You weren’t kidding! He really does turn into a total tomato when he’s flustered.”
I grind my hand into the sand, trying to scrub off her spit.
“Just great. Did it ever cross your mind that I have to share a dorm room with him for the next year? Thanks to you, he probably thinks I’m running some low-class bully ring!”
“Sure, I am sure he will give you a fierce reprimand… with his rice paddle!” She bursts into fresh laughter, rolling around and kicking up sand.
I deadpan at her, standing up and moving toward the lake. “I am going to wash off your grease, try not to make more enemies while I am gone, okay?”
She throws up a mock salute, her voice carries a bit too loudly across the shore. “Yes, commander!”
Navigating the packed beach requires weaving through a minefield of sunbathers and layout chairs.
The lake remains calm, disturbed only by the ripples of swimmers and people tossing a volleyball around. Thumping party music bleeds from the pier, cutting through the general hum of the beach as I approach the water’s edge.
I crouch to rinse my hands, careful to avoid another full soak.
I wipe the water from my eyes, only for a slouched figure to catch my attention. He trudges along the waterline like a zombie, clutching something tightly against his chest.
“Hey, Toma! Over here!” I spring up and wave frantically, already losing my balance.
Toma raises his head with agonizing slowness, as if verifying I’m not just another hallucination, before finally locking eyes with me.
At his literal snail’s pace, we’ll be here until sunset. I close the distance myself, kicking up sand as I move over to intercept his tragic march.
The closer I get, the clearer his cargo becomes. A stack of folders is bound tight with a ribbon.
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Discover what happens next in: Chapter 9: Enforced Devotion【Part 3】
Written by Limited_Infinity. Extras, official publishing platforms and updates are publicly available only on the Patreon page “_Limited_Infinity_”
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