Dakara, Anata o Koko de Koroshimasu - Chapter 45 – The Bullets That Don’t Reach

──── Sometimes, “I” have strange dreams.

“That murderer!”

“You’re not human, you’re a demon!”

Adults are crowding up and hurling curses at someone.

The one receiving those yells is a girl white as paper with sky-blue eyes — it was a young me.

I am protesting against the abuse of the adults, trembling and crying.

“Yo, you’re wrong! I didn’t do it! I didn’t kill him!! Believe me!”

“Shut up!!”

My desperate pleas went unheeded as the adults seize me and carry me to the gallows.

When the noose was hung around my neck, I was panic-stricken with fear as I understood what was going to happen.

“Noooooooooo, Help! No, I don’t want to die!! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!! Someone, help ────”

The words didn’t last until the end.

Mercilessly, the adults activated the gallows, and I was hanged and unconscious.

※※※※

“… Fufu. It’s been awhile, Olivia.”

With Olivia in her sight, Serra spoke to her with a smile.

Olivia, reunited with her hated acquaintance for the first time in three months, was puzzled by Serra’s appearance, which had changed so much.

Her entire body was bathed in blood, her eyes were hollow, and her gait was uncertain. But her expression had a carefree smile as if she were a child, which accentuated her madness.

“… Celestia. I won’t forgive you. I will never forgive you for killing Ms. Karen and Gillian!!”

“Gillian… Who is that?“

At Olivia’s words, Serra tilted her head and asked.

Madness that eats at her mind. Due to the approaching “critical point”, Serra’s memory was significantly lacking.

She no longer sees a world other than murder and Riko.

However, Olivia has no way of knowing such circumstances. So Serra’s words were more than enough to infuriate Olivia.

“──── !! That’s enough!!”

With that said, Olivia took out the Sub-Machine GunS.M.G. she was carrying on her back and opened fire at Serra without hesitation.

Three months she spent with Alice. She learned how to handle this gun. She couldn’t read the intention behind why she taught her how to use such a weapon as she was preaching her love for Serra, but Alice was going to borrow anything she could use for payback.

Serra didn’t seem to be able to react to the sudden gunfire, so she got drilled with a number of holes in her torso and fell on her back, scattering droplets of blood.

Fallen down with a thud, blood was overflowing unstoppably from Serra’s body.

※※※※

──── Well, this isn’t a dream, is it? It’s a memory of “me”.

While watching many recollections, “I” realize such a fact.

I’m sure the “me” here is the last bit of my remaining reasoning. And, ‘I’ might be looking at a memory that is about to disappear from “me”in reality exactly now like a running lantern.

What I’m seeing now was the sight of me and Riko talking at home. Maybe this is the memory of the first day I met Riko.

“You’ve been wet in the rain all this time and I’m afraid you’ll have a cold. I tried making stew.

Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“…………”

Riko keeps silent while I talk to her with a smile.

Apparently she is afraid of interacting with others. She may have been abused or outrageously close to it because she had fresh scars all over her body. That’s why I couldn’t leave her alone. In the first place, I am also cursed by the urge to murder, so it is dangerous to be deeply involved with others. For that reason, I was living alone despite Karen’s opposition, but I wanted to protect this girl from the moment I saw her.

Perhaps my persistent urging made Riko decide to eat, so she picked up a spoon and carried the stew to her mouth. At the moment, Riko’s eyes were opened.

Then her body trembled with a quiver, and she shed tears from her eyes and began to leak her sobs.

“Uh … hi, uh ………”

“I’m sorry, maybe it didn’t suit your taste!”

I hurriedly ask Riko due to the unexpected reaction.

Riko shook her head and replied, holding her eyes with both hands.

“It’s delicious… it’s warm… oh, I’ve never had anything like it before, eh……”

I hug Riko, who screams and cries, and comfort her.

Tears overflowed from the eyes of the “me” looking at such a dazzling memory.

『………….』

This is a memory that is about to disappear from me in reality.

I’m sure when I’ve finished dreaming all this. When I wake up from the dream. The “me” here… Celestia Valentine will break down. I will have no feelings or memories. Just a “killer” is born that simply kills according to the murder impulse.

Why couldn’t I protect Riko? I wonder why Riko was killed.

Why? Why?

『────』

Ah.

Growing regret and despair. I remember it dyeing the heart of “I” and losing my emotions.

Even the “me” here is dying. In the end, if Riko is not there, Celestia Valentine will be broken no matter what escape route was made. I’m sure it’s not a beautiful love. It was just an ugly dependence for self-affirmation.

Every time I notice the fact, my heart creaks. I’m going to scream.

『…… Riko.』

Just a little.

“I” whispered a little.

Again, I’m going to be immersed in my next dream.

※※※※

“Huh … huh … oh”

Olivia, who was out of breath with unpleasant sweat from her entire body, finally couldn’t bear the nausea.

A large amount of blood clots was spat out from the mouth as her body lost its strength and collapsed. At the same time, all the wounds that had been roughly sewn shut opened up and half of her body was dyed red.

My teeth were clattering and shivering and she was struck with intense dizziness. Her body trembled, and the pain that afflicted her made her nauseous and spit blood again.

──── It was clear to everyone that Olivia’s life wouldn’t last that long.

“It’s unfortunate but, you can’t reach Serra.”

Before she knew it.

A girl with red hair and blood red-black eyes ──── Sakura stood right next to Olivia.

She smiled and reached for Olivia’s lower abdomen.

A disgusting fleshy sound echoed as Sakura’s finger invaded Olivia’s body. As it is, she stirred around her wound.

“Uh, gaha !? Egu, uh, eh …”

“You can’t stop Serra anymore. If you really want to kill her, you have to surpass Serra’s madness. That cheap vengeance is no good at all against her.”

“Cheap…!?”

Although she was still nauseous, Olivia turned her angry gaze at Sakura’s words.

“She took away everyone precious to me! Can you easily deny it…!!”

“But. Hazel dear hates everything she sees, and Sakura is pushed by 200 years of obsession, right? If you’re going to kill with vengeance, you’ve got to get on that level.”

Then she pulled her finger out of Olivia and sensually licked the mingled blood.

After having an ecstatic expression on her face, Sakura stood up slowly.

“Sakura’s ‘plan’ needs only three pieces: Serra, Hazel dear and little Kirino. You’re a mob that was never prepared to be on stage to begin with.”

“Screw you…!!”

“That’s why. It’s frustrating, but your curtain will fall here. At best, you die while cursing your own fate.”

As soon as she said so, Sakura disappeared without a trace.

At the same time, a new figure appeared in front of Olivia.

When she looked up, Serra, who had no injuries, stood with her sword in her hand.

“… hahaha”

She couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

“Why… Gillian and Karen are dead, and I’m about to die, yet you… why are you unharmed!?”

“Goodbye, Ms. Olivia.”

Olivia wails with a regrettable expression.

Serra quietly thrust her sword into her chest without changing her expression.

An inexplicable regret.

That was Olivia’s final feeling.

※※※※

Serra quietly looked down at Olivia’s body.

With her sword pulled out and the blood shaken away, Serra turned around as she regained her smile.

“Then, let’s go. Ri, ko ────?”

Serra’s movements hardened.

There was no sight of Riko, who was always watching from behind.

“Ah, R… Hey, Riko. Stop playing.”

With half a laugh and a quickened heartbeat, Serra looked around.

Driven by anxiety, he ran for a while to look for Riko.

But she still couldn’t find her.

“Riko, you’re here, aren’t you? Answer me.”

At this time, another incident occurred in Serra.

She should have been looking for Riko while recalling her appearance, but…

For some reason she couldn’t remember Riko at all

No, it’s not just her appearance. She can’t even remember her voice.

“Hah~… Hah~……, “Riko”, where are you? If you’re there, answer me.”

With tears in her eyes and half frantic, Serra desperately searched for Riko.

However, at the same time, Sera had realized.

──── Riko Akasaki is no longer anywhere in the world.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh…………!!!!”

Wailing.

In the empty city street, Serra cried.

“────Ah”

Her thoughts went blank.