Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Kiro
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Side Story 3
Author Note:
It is the dark side of our small fry. Since I didn’t know the right time to post it, I chose to do it now.
This is the person who understands our protagonist’s nature correctly.
Kiyotaka’s POV
The sound of waves could be heard in the darkness.
There was only me and my friend… Takashiro Haruto, who stood in this place.
It was the second night of the deserted island exam. We met and talked in secret.
This man resolved to drop out of the exam. It was so he could take care of another friend of mine, Sakayanagi Arisu.
First of all, Takashiro revealed that the leader of Class A was a male student named Totsuka Yahiko. On top of that, he asked me to investigate who the leader of Class C was and sell that information to Ichinose as well.
This time, our interests were completely aligned. The result of pulling down Class A would be a great advantage for my actions in the future. Since there was no reason to refuse, I accepted it without hesitation.
To be honest, I was at a loss as to what to do from now on.
I was threatened by the homeroom teacher of Class D, Chabashira Sae. That man… My father was plotting to get me expelled from this school.
I confided this situation without being able to find an answer. Since it was Takashiro, who was one of my few friends, he might be able to guide my path.
In addition, I got more interested in Takashiro’s unique mentality than before.
It had nothing to do with this matter, but I asked him a question just to test it.
“Takashiro, if you were in my position, what would you do?”
“I’d kill my father.”
He answered immediately, as if he had prepared the answer beforehand.
…So Takashiro was a person who included murder as an option for his actions.
Although I already expected that from his usual behavior, I was still surprised when I actually heard it.
After a moment of silence, Takashiro began to explain his intention.
According to him, the punishment for murder was set very heavily in every nation. This had the meaning of sanctioning the perpetrator, but the main purpose was to suppress the act of murder itself.
On the flip side, it meant that murder was the most efficient way to eliminate humans that get in the way.
Because it was a quick method, it made you pay a big price. It was an opinion I could agree with.
“An ordinary person like me couldn’t kill a person without leaving evidence. But Ayanokouji should be able to do it, right?”
The education that you received at the White Room would also help in that.
Takashiro asserted that without changing his attitude.
My body trembled for a moment. I had no idea what was this feeling I experienced for the first time in my life.
“Since your father’s goal is to have you drop out of the school, he’ll definitely have to visit this school at least once. That will be your opportunity. I don’t think Ayanokouji is a person who needs ‘wings’ to earn your freedom. All you need to do is to destroy everything with overwhelming power.”
Takashiro diverted the analogy of Icarus used by Chabashira as he spoke with a serious expression.
I was impressed as it was exactly the case.
“I’ll consider that positively. It’s a very interesting topic.”
“I’m glad then. I hope the day you are truly liberated will come soon.”
“Aah, I also look forward to that day. Thank you, Takashiro.”
Those who had darkness were attracted to each other. Also, the deeper darkness swallowed the shallower one.
The darkness that lurked in the depth of Takashiro’s heart was probably… greater than mine.
After that, we discussed the most recent problem… the response to Chabashira.
All of Takashiro’s ideas were aggressive and some were even out of the ordinary.
Leaving the feasibility aside, all of them were interesting.
As we were talking, I was taken aback. Rather than the content of the conversation itself, it was because I realized that “I could come up with many ideas.” As long as I didn’t choose to stop thinking, ideas would definitely emerge. The fact that I stopped thinking when Chabashira threatened me was like me giving up before the fight. That was exactly what my enemy was aiming for.
…It seemed my field of vision was so narrow that I didn’t even realize such a simple thing.
No way, did he really think that far…?
The conversation with Takashiro was so fulfilling that I forgot the time.
However, dawn was approaching. It would be inconvenient for both of us if anyone found out we were meeting here like this. We had to conclude things soon.
“I want to see Arisu-chan… I wish I could have killed them all.”
Takashiro suddenly stood up and glared in the direction of Class A’s base.
“Is it because you are an ordinary person that you resort to laxatives?”
“That’s right. No matter how strong their drive is, it’s nothing but empty words if not accompanied by real ability. A small fry like me can only afford to do this kind of small-scale terrorism.”
Those gloomy eyes were definitely not something that a person who lived for only 16 years should have.
Without changing his expression, Takashiro started walking toward the cave.
“You’re returning there?”
“Aah, things will be troublesome if I get caught after all. As I said earlier, you are free to decide the compensation you get from Honami-san. You don’t have to think too deeply about it and just ask for something that comes across your mind right there. Considering her personality, I think that will benefit you more.”
“I agree. But this means we’ll only meet again after this exam is concluded… I’ll miss you.”
It was the first time I realized that I also have the feeling known as loneliness.
As I spent more time with this man, I really felt more of such feelings. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the person known as Ayanokouji Kiyotaka has been molded by Takashiro and Sakayanagi.
“To think Ayanokouji actually said something like that, I guess it’ll be raining tomorrow. We’ll be parting for a while, but we’ll definitely meet again… as long as we’re still alive, definitely. Be careful not to get hurt when you return to the ship. For me, I’ll be satisfied as long as I can have fun with people I cherish. Of course, that includes you.”
“…Thank you, see you again.”
I still didn’t know what happened to Takashiro in the past.
Still, I was able to make a guess that was close to certainty.
Takashiro had killed someone to achieve his goal.
He was a person with unknown potential in every sense of the word.
It might be the luckiest thing for me to be able to develop this kind of relationship with Takashiro.
That was what I thought as I watched his back slowly move away.
Even after parting with Takashiro, I still continued to think while the other Class D students were asleep.
Perhaps because my brain was excited, I didn’t feel sleepy at all.
The thing that came to mind was the existence of the girl that Takashiro was obsessed with… Sakayanagi Arisu.
She was dependent on Takashiro, would serve as his best pawn who would never betray him, and continue to work for him until she died. Moreover, even though she herself was aware of that fact, she felt bliss from being treated as a belonging of Takashiro’s.
It was a wonderful submissive relationship that couldn’t be cut by any means.
That was my old evaluation.
Today, I was beginning to suspect that evaluation might be a big mistake.
Perhaps the real master of their relationship was Sakayanagi.
Takashiro had a habit of evaluating himself as an ordinary person. It was hard to believe he was actually ordinary, but the person himself believed that. It was because he defined Sakayanagi as a “genius.”
Sakayanagi chained him with the evaluation of an “ordinary person” and directed him to use his overwhelming talent only to take care of her. Although that was definitely not done on purpose, she succeeded in controlling the human named Takashiro Haruto.
Sakayanagi even used her terrible physical ability to achieve that. I had heard how they met when they were young, but I could only refer to that as a miracle.
There was no doubt that Takashiro used some means to crush Sakayanagi’s mind in the past. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to be that obedient to him. As for what exactly happened, even I couldn’t understand it.
The mystery between those two only deepened, but what was important was the “result”… Sakayanagi had also succeeded in binding Takashiro’s ability.
Both of them bound each other and couldn’t be separated.
That complete relationship was what they were about. I came to that conclusion.
Killing that man, huh?
Even so, the more I thought about it, the more I found how simple and effective it was.
Rather, it made me wonder why I never thought of it until now. Perhaps I had narrowed down my options without realizing it, or maybe because I spent too much time outside the White Room I had been tainted by the common sense that murder was a taboo.
As Takashiro said, that man would definitely contact me. Considering he was always accompanied by escorts, perhaps I might not be successful in killing him… still, it was worth a try.
Aah, I’m really glad I met you.
When I thought of the departing figure of my best friend, my cheeks naturally loosened.
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