Hara Kenji's dark purple eyes curved into a smile, his pale, handsome features looking tranquil. It was as if the incident Date Wataru described—the severe one where someone was beaten until they were bruised and swollen beyond recognition—had nothing to do with him.
Author's Note:
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Thanks to all the little angels for adding this to your collections, mwah 033330
Chapter 26
Kisaragi Chiyo did not offer any comments regarding Hara Kenji's heroic deeds; if she were truly asked to share her thoughts, Kisaragi Chiyo would probably just say, "It's all quite good."
As an evil spirit, Hara Kenji had developed a hobby that kept him physically fit without causing any harm to innocent people; thanks to him, criminals were also able to enjoy state-provided meals smoothly; the Metropolitan Police Department officers finally had achievements to show, no longer being harped on by the media all day long as useless cops or tax thieves; and the living environment for Tokyo citizens had also improved, with the safety rate for traveling at night increasing significantly.
So, everything is quite good; everyone, including both humans and ghosts, has a bright future.
But Kisaragi Chiyo was currently facing some unexpected little troubles.
It wasn't large or small, yet it was enough to cause a sense of distress.
*
After he said goodbye to Officer Date and the others and returned to his own haunted, freezing, yet luxurious three-story ocean-view villa, the unexpected incident occurred just like that.
An ordinary-looking brown cardboard box, its opening wrapped several times in clear tape, sat quietly and normally at the entrance of the villa.
If she ignored the unknown red liquid that had already seeped out from under the cardboard box, Kisaragi Chiyo would probably have thought it was some local specialty sent to her by one of her friends or an editor.
"Normal local specialties don't come with such a heavy scent of blood." Hara Kenji stood three meters away from him, radiating a chill. The smile on his face was as perfect and flawless as a statue, yet Kisaragi Chiyo could still detect a hint of displeasure in those emotionless eyes.
Of course Hara Kenji felt unhappy.
Although the time was brief, the Hazama, with his dark purple eyes, had already naturally claimed this villa as his own territory. Now, this cardboard box, filled with such clear and undisguised malice, had been placed at the main entrance without him knowing, which was undoubtedly a provocation against the Wraith's desire for control.
“First of all, there's one thing.” Kisaragi Chiyo, being the obvious target, maintained a relatively calm expression. “I am the one renting this villa.”
Secondly, you should change your habit of marking territory. Isn't an entire building enough space for your activities?
"I admit you have a point." After hearing Kisaragi Chiyo's words, Hara Kenji suddenly laughed. He gazed deeply at Kisaragi Chiyo, who remained far too indifferent to the situation, his eyes slowly curved into a smile.
It was not the melting of snow and ice, but rather like a winter that had arrived suddenly overnight, so cold that even the air itself seemed to freeze solid.
But is this really the most important thing right now?
“Are you angry?” Kisaragi Chiyo asked, catching the unusual emotional fluctuation from the Wraith, her eyes searching his.
The silver, elongated earrings swaying between her hair made the wraith feel irritated.
“Am I angry?” The smile on Hara Kenji's face grew even more brilliant, like a clematis in full bloom amidst the dark night, its vines winding and twisting.
“Why would I be angry?” Hara Kenji slowly untied his hair. He removed the red headband, which was a color similar to Kisaragi Chiyo's eyes, his long black hair instantly spilled out, cascading down his back like soft seaweed.
Even when the person involved doesn't care at all." A crimson tongue flickered between pale, thin lips, Hara Kenji smiled with a hint of nonchalance. "What is there for me to be angry about?
The Long-haired Wraith shrugged at him. Although every word stated that he wasn't angry, it only served to create a sense of deliberate concealment.
Furthermore, Kisaragi Chiyo was even more certain that Hara Kenji was indeed angry, as she could clearly feel the chill emanating from him even though she had maintained a three-meter distance.
Kisaragi Chiyo was wise enough not to choose to directly provoke him.
"I'm just thinking." This was his way of justifying his reaction.
Kisaragi Chiyo raised her hand to stroke her chin, the friction between the black glove and her skin carrying a certain smoothness of fabric.
I am wondering exactly what kind of person I've made an enemy of.
Kisaragi Chiyo always spoke at a slow pace, with clear articulation and little variation in tone. Consequently, he always left those who were not well-acquainted with him with the impression of being arrogant and difficult to get along with.
Kisaragi Chiyo could not quite understand the thoughts of others; at least, in his own self-perception, he should belong to the peaceful and friendly type.
"I found my new home smoothly on the third day after I moved." Kisaragi Chiyo frowned, her gaze falling upon that delivery box that was covered in everything that felt wrong.
I'm afraid someone has been watching me from the shadows," Kisaragi Chiyo's brow relaxed, she suddenly flashed a smile. "What is this? Does hatred last longer than love? There are very few people who know my new address.
But clearly, they wouldn't do something like that.
Before Kisaragi Chiyo published her first book, she had always maintained a mystical persona; she would simply submit her manuscripts to a random email address, even when it came time to sign a publishing contract, Kisaragi Chiyo refused the editor's request to meet in person.
Therefore, everything was conducted through letters and online communication.
As for the gatherings for newly debuted authors and the like, Kisaragi Chiyo did not attend a single one.
As a result, even now, aside from a few close friends and editors, almost no one knows that Kisaragi Chiyo is Oboro Asagiri.
Of course, there were reasons why no one dug deeper or felt curious, which might also be related to the fact that Oboro Asagiri was not particularly famous; after all, although Yashiro Ghost Stories had performed quite well, it had not reached the level of being a sensation among new writers of the same period.
"So, have you thought of any suspicious candidates?" After Kisaragi Chiyo said those words, Hara Kenji's expression finally improved a little. At the very least, judging by the fact that the chill emanating from his body had returned to a normal range, it was clear that Kisaragi Chiyo had successfully diverted his attention.
"Not at all." Kisaragi Chiyo shook her head. Her social circle was truly small, mostly revolving around folklore studies. But since successfully graduating under the devilish professor, she had rarely participated in those kinds of activities, making her interpersonal relationships even simpler.
Because of his personality, he didn't have many close friends, Kisaragi Chiyo maintained at best a cordial relationship with most people. Although some people went out of their way to avoid him, he was more accustomed to being alone, so it was quite difficult to ask Kisaragi Chiyo to dig through his memories to find a suspect with such intense malice toward him.
"Malice doesn't cease to exist just because you avoid it." Hara Kenji did not insist that Kisaragi Chiyo provide a definitive answer; regardless, he would not allow such an incident to happen a second time.
When you stand there, the reasons for malice find fertile soil to take root.
That really is quite baffling." Kisaragi Chiyo lifted her eyes to look at Hara Kenji, her misty gray eyes seemingly filled with sincere confusion. "Why don't humans realize just how much energy it takes to harbor such intense love and hate?
“..”
Hara Kenji fell silent for a moment and did not continue discussing this topic; he simply asked Kisaragi Chiyo in a very ordinary tone, "Do you need me to dispose of it?"
Whether it is buried or burned, whatever is inside must return to dust.
Hara Kenji had a strong sense of initiative to take on this task; after all, wasn't that exactly how Kisaragi Chiyo had summoned him to do cleaning work before?
But this time, Kisaragi Chiyo gave an unexpected answer.
He said, "No, I want to see what's inside."
Hara Kenji's eyes widened slightly, a hint of confusion flashing through his dark purple eyes.
But even the almighty Lord Hazama failed to persuade Kisaragi Chiyo; she could only press her lips together and use her tentacles to deftly coil around the scissors.
*
After the scissors sliced through the wrapped tape, an even thicker scent of blood rushed toward them.
As the cardboard box was slowly opened by Hara Kenji's tentacles, the full appearance of the thing inside was finally revealed before the man and the spirit.
It was a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy.
Although its body looked a bit cramped while curled up in the cardboard box, Hara Kenji remarked that the puppy was likely only about forty-five days old, no more than two months.
The puppy looked like a standard Bernese Mountain Dog, with its unique tri-color fur and tan eyebrows. The once-fluffy white fur on its chest was soaked in blood, the edges were even somewhat matted, suggesting that it hadn't received much care even during its life.
"If it's a Bernese Mountain Dog, it's unlikely to be a stray, right?" Kisaragi Chiyo hesitated. She wanted to reach out and touch the puppy, but looking at the blood flowing from beneath the cardboard box all the way down the steps, she felt there was no possibility of it being alive anymore.
"Indeed, it is already dead." Hara Kenji stood beside Kisaragi Chiyo, his eyes cast downward, delivering the verdict with cold ruthlessness.
If it's not a stray, then it was probably culled due to some congenital defect, right?
"If they cannot be sold as merchandise, then they are used for other purposes." The Wraith's pale face was expressionless as he looked down at the blood-stained puppy. His long eyelashes trembled slightly, after a moment of silence, a sentence filled with what sounded like pity escaped his lips.
How pitiful.
Hara Kenji reached out his hand, for some unknown reason, his long, pale hand gently rested upon the puppy's head.
Because it was no longer a living thing, he was able to touch it. A soft sensation passed through his fingertips, but it was exceptionally cold, just like him.
At one moment, Hara Kenji felt as if he were seeing himself; although he could no longer clearly remember his life before, he could roughly guess how he had died.
Not even a corpse was left behind.
Hara Kenji closed his eyes. In the darkness, the red countdown numbers that stung his eyes continued to decrease, as they reached the final few seconds, he heard a piercing beeping sound.
"Wait, Hara!" In the darkness, a cry from Kisaragi Chiyo drifted from a distance.
Just as Hara Kenji was about to open his eyes and ask with a smile what was the matter, he suddenly felt the world spinning. By the time he opened his eyes again, he was surprised to find that, in his vision, Kisaragi Chiyo had become quite tall.
Her originally slender, willow-leaf eyes widened in surprise, a rare look of shock appeared in her unique mist-gray eyes, as if she had seen something incredible.
I didn't expect you to make such an expression.
The wraith was just about to tease the other person, but as he opened his mouth, a series of whimpering sounds escaped from his own throat.
Hara Kenji: ".."
Hara Kenji: "?"
"There is nothing in this world that is truly inexplicable." *
Kisaragi Chiyo let out a very faint smile, his eyes cast down as he watched the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, which had come back to life after Hara Kenji had suddenly disappeared.
Without the slightest bit of disdain for its fur being soaked in blood, he gently reached out with both hands and lifted it from the cardboard box.
Now I have a puppy," Kisaragi Chiyo said happily. "I'll treat you well.
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Author's Note: *There is nothing inexplicable in this world. Kyogokudo is a very charming character in Kyogoku Natsuhiko's books.
Thanks to all the little angels for the collections, muah 03330
Chapter 27
Kisaragi Chiyo accepted the fact that Hara Kenji had possessed the puppy in less than five seconds.
“Don't you think it's more interesting this way?” Kisaragi Chiyo used her gloved hand to scratch the puppy's chin. Watching its subconscious movement as it leaned in, Kisaragi Chiyo had to admit that her fondness for the puppy surpassed her liking for Hara Kenji's handsome face.
After all, a puppy wouldn't pose any threat to her.
Maintaining her pleasant mood, Kisaragi Chiyo hummed an inaudible tune and pushed open the door with a light step, cradling the puppy in her arms.
He didn't care that the blood on the puppy had stained his clothes; compared to his usual obsession with cleanliness, the fact that he finally had a puppy of his own seemed far more important.
The puppy had no wounds; when Kisaragi Chiyo picked it up, she checked it over, or perhaps the wounds that should have been there had instantly healed the moment Hara Kenji possessed it.
Does a wraith also have healing abilities? Kisaragi Chiyo wondered blankly. It was clear, however, that his knowledge in this area was not comprehensive enough; perhaps he should seek advice from a professional.
But those are matters for later.