Chapter 4: Voluntarily Forced【P1】
Sayoko
Up and down.
The furled nylon slides through my palm until my fingers lock near the tip. A flick of the wrist sends the umbrella upward. It peaks, stalls, and plummets into my grip, only to be launched again.
Will this be the time I let it drop?
This stroll brightened the mood quite a bit, now that strategic opportunities stand marked for later, but the main objective still eludes me.
Usually, depravity has no issue finding me. Yet when sought, it escapes.
Metal storefront shutters rattle down, overwhelming the murmurs of the thinning crowd on the avenue. Under freshly flicked-on streetlights, skaters practice tricks, claiming the vacant pavement as a personal playground.
Crumpling the paper wrapper, I relieve it of its duty in the trash can beside the directory board and step up to the display.
Leaning in, my finger traces the path.
The town hall is crossed off. These shopping districts have proven far too numerous. As for the park, its only use was as an afternoon lunch spot.
Perhaps I could try—
A boy hurries past, nearly clipping me with the telescope balanced on his shoulder.
Before I can even show him how a real blow lands, he moves out of umbrella-striking range, vanishing into the observatory nestled between low buildings.
Its dome stamps a clean silhouette against the sky, where the sun struggles before its pending execution. Bleeding into the encroaching evening, a blood-red hue is all that remains of the battle, allowing the first stars to emerge.
I cannot afford to falter.
Footsteps close in from the left. A boy and a girl walk hand-in-hand, their voices sharpening as they draw near.
Arguing about... bread?
“...and then the seagull left the bread in the toaster just to spite me.” The boy gesticulates with his arms wildly. “Anyway, after putting my shirt back on and climbing into—”
They will do.
I close my eyes, taking a deep breath to withdraw the final reserves of my daily courtesy.
Stepping into their path, I flick my fingers at them. “You. Short Hair. Speak up.”
The boy blinks, his mouth slightly agape. “U-um, what?”
“Just keep moving,” the girl hisses, steering him past my shoulder.
They hurry onward without slowing down, their mindless murmur resuming where it left off.
Bankrupt. Re-educating the masses always takes so much time—a currency in short supply. I must adapt.
Stepping to the side, I hum a quiet tune as the umbrella dances around me. Waiting for the next target should not take—
Ah. A girl. Alone.
Lazy steps. Eyes drifting. Obliviously exposed.
Perfect.
My restless fingers twitch into action.
I lock eyes on her and launch the umbrella vertically into the fading light. It drops down—snatched by the tip and held upright like a club.
Posture straight, arms wound back, and elbows tucked into a batter’s stance—ready to drive a home run straight out of the park.
I swing it with full force—
FWHOOOSH.
The handle blurs, tracking straight for her eyes—
SHFFFT.
It halts a hair’s breadth from the bridge of her nose. The gust of displaced air ruffles her bangs.
She freezes. With a gasp, she claps both hands over her mouth, eyes pinned to the object hovering before her face.
“Hello there.” I offer her a gentle smile, smoothly pulling the umbrella back and lowering it to my side.
She stumbles backward on unstable legs. “W-who are you!?”
“A simple question. Where might one locate a depraved individual starved of their addiction around these parts?”
The remaining color drains from her face.
Scrambling to the side, she steps past me and escapes into the gloom.
Watching her silhouette fade away, I slowly shake my head. And here I thought I phrased it exceptionally politely. Modern society truly lacks basic manners.
Apparently, this method requires repetition to yield results.
By the time I guide my fourth volunteer to the directory board, I finally secure a satisfying answer. Giving people a little extra motivation goes a long way. One trembling finger pointing to a spot on the map is all it takes.
The Eclipsing Moon Bar.
It sits just a block away. My instincts were not too far off.
Click.
The umbrella springs up as my hum shifts into a cheerful little tune, the aimless stroll finally turning into a purposeful march. My phone guides me through the remaining distance.
Warm lights and a low hum radiate from the establishment. The exterior boasts a modern storefront, but a glance through the glass reveals mahogany within. A surprisingly sugary scent floats in the air.
Click.
I step inside. The lingering evening heat gives way to an enveloping warmth. My shoes press into the timber flooring, drawing a creak from the planks.
Click.
The umbrella opens into a spacious venue holding the fading energy of the day. Students scatter across the lounges, hovering over menus or collapsing into fits of shared laughter. Thankfully, soft ambient music keeps the animated chatter pleasantly muffled.
Behind the counter, a barmaid methodically buffs a highball glass. Her uniform is a marvel of tailored elegance—a rare standard.
I stride to the counter and rap knuckles against the dark wood.
“Glass-wiper.” I clack the umbrella tip on it. “Nene Kirishima—if you please?”
She freezes mid-stroke to look past my shoulder at the darkening skies. Turning back to me, she rolls her eyes.
Without a word, she points an unimpressed finger toward the far edge of the counter, just a stool short of the wall.
Slumped and motionless, a shape occupies the space.
It looks less like a patron and more like a permanent fixture, melted over the varnished wood. A frosted bottle stands nearby, while a short glass of clear, iced liquid sits loosely in the limp hand sticking out of the fabric fossil.
Giving her a silent nod, I step toward the crime scene.
I am... relatively certain it is a person, though it currently possesses the spinal integrity of a fantasy slime.
National law has not changed in my absence to allow corpses to be left out in public, has it?
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Discover what happens next in: Chapter 4: Voluntarily Forced【P2】
Written by Limited_Infinity. Extras, official publishing platforms and updates are publicly available only on the Patreon page “_Limited_Infinity_”
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