Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Chapter 2.08

Chapter 2 Part 8

Translator : PolterGlast

Proofreader : John4891

Sometime after Nozomu and Mars parted ways with Irisdina, they arrived at Ushitotei.

"What were you doing, Onii-chan!!"

Mars was scolded by Ena at Ushitotei. Ena, who noticed Mars returning with a moody face, questioned Mars and Nozomu, and it was because he got angry at Tima.

"Why did Onīchan get mad at someone right away !!"

“...Shut up! Why are you complaining! It has nothing to do with you!!”

"What are you talking about! What would you do if this caused trouble for Hannah-san again!"

"...Let me see..."

The quarrel between the two was intensifying, but Nozomu was already a safe distance away from it.

"You don’t have to worry about it. It’s a daily occurrence for those two."

"Hanna-san"

Hannah, the proprietress of Ushitotei, put a glass of milk and a light meal on the plate in front of Nozomu, and she said it as if she didn’t mind the turmoil of the two.

"For those two, this kind of fight is only natural for the siblings. Tomorrow they’s be back to normal, so it’s useless to worry about it."

Looking around, some of the customers in the store weren’t even trying to stop the two fights. They were just smiling.

It seemed to be a usual sight at the inn.

"Why does Onīchan always do useless things like that! Maybe Onīchan likes Tima-san!? Is it like how a kid does mean things to seek attention!!"

"Don’t judge other people like that! Don’t fabricate my emotions for your own convenience!"

The massive verbal brawl that broke out in the small inn was gaining momentum, and Nozomu couldn’t do anything about it anymore.

The glass windows of the inn shook from the loud voices, and ripples appeared from the milk of Nozomu’s cup. To be clear, it was so noisy that even it would’ve been believable if someone said that demons were fighting in here.

(But the customers aren’t moving at all...just how much)

Even in such a state, the appearance of the surrounding customers didn’t change. Seeing that the military police didn’t rush even in from such a noise, it seemed that even the military police were aware of the quarrel between brother and sister.

What made it amazing was the local residents who couldn’t care less in front of such a big fight, or the brother and sister who had made such a scene recognized as "normal" ....

*Bam!!!!!!*

Nozomu looked around and was stunned. A loud noise suddenly rang from the two fighting.

(Wha, What was that !!)

When Nozomu hurriedly looked in the direction of the noise, Ena lifted the counter chair and slammed it on the floor.

"Wha, what are you doing suddenly!!"

"Whatever I say, Onīchan won’t understand! If it’s like this then, I’ll make you understand by exercising my true strength !! Be prepared!"

Ena grabbed the chair’s legs with her hands and held it in a Kendo pose.

But, that posture was so strange.

"Teyaa a a a a !"

Ena swung the chair down toward Mars’s head. Mars avoided the chair that was swung in a hurry, probably because he was about to be hit in the head. His face looked strange.

"D-do you want to kill me!! If it was a little late, my head would’ve been cracked like an egg!!"

When Nozomu saw Mars who had barely avoided it, his body seemed to be enhanced. Looks like he even used physical strengthening.

(...Wait a minute. How does Mars, who has his body, only barely avoid that?)

Nozomu felt strange, and when he looked at Ena, she seemed to enhance her body. Looked like she used physical strengthening unknowingly.

(...How? I heard that Ena-chan hasn’t had any combat training like physical strengthening though?)

According to Hannah and her colleagues, Ena had never mastered combat techniques. Seeing her unconsciously strengthening her body despite that, she may be quite talented, just like Mars.

...Rather, she was too unreserved. She shouldn’t have hit her relatives with her enhanced physical strength.

(Although unconsciously, Mars would really die if he wasn’t good at dodging it............)

"Wait a minute! Did you just tell me not to use violence while you use it yourself!!"

(Well ... it’s a reasonable line for Mars who was about to be killed...)

Mars was completely losing his nerve.

Ena was 14 years old and she was by no means tall; however, her current spirit was completely dominating inside the room. At this rate, Mars could really be killed.

(This looks bad. I better intervene)

"W-well, Ena-chan. I think this is getting a bit out of hand..."

"Don’t disturb us, Nozomu-san! This is the only way to rehabilitate Onīchan! Maybe I’ll finally be able to knock some sense into him, so he’ll have a decent personality!"

"No no no! Before that happens, Mars’ head will be injured instead of rehabilitated! Let’s calm down a little!"

When Nozomu looked at Mars as he soothed Ena, Mars shook his head up and down violently. As expected, Mars probably realized that Ena’s current state was dangerous.

"It’s no good! I’m sure I will regret not doing it right here!!"

(No no no! I’m sure you’ll regret it if you do something like that!!)

Ena was about to jump on Mars, and Nozomu tried to catch her and stop her from behind, but Nozomu was about to be shaken off by Ena’s strength as she strengthened her body.

(Wait, it’s powerful!!)

Nozomu naturally used his physical strengthening, but because Ena’s physical strengthening was done unconsciously, there is no adjustment at all.

Mars completely lost all fighting spirit and got cornered in the corner of the room.

Seen from the side, it was a view of a husband being violent to his wife and her daughter trying to stop it.

Needless to say, the violent husband was Ena and the wife was Mars. The daughter who was trying to stop them was Nozomu.

The customers watching the three started laughing out loud.

It seemed that the cast was all wrong, but it was still as good as a comedy.

However, the people in question are very serious...

At the end of the comedy, Mars was eventually hit by Ena’s chair. But, because Nozomu tried to hold her back with all his strength, Mars didn’t die. He fainted and was dragged by Hannah to her room.

Mars purge...... No... rehabilitation?

Ena had returned to the customer service completely unperturbed.

(...Un, let’s not make Ena-chan angry...)

At the sacrifice of his best friend, Nozomu imprinted the unforgettable scene of Ena’s rage in his heart.

... However, Mars reaped what he sowed. He would be reformed him from the roots

The mess was finally over, and Nozomu took a breather, sitting down on his chair.

The turmoil a minute ago seemed to attract customers rather than keep them away, and the customer seats at the store were almost full. Only the table where Nozomu was sitting was vacant.

(The people living here are too energetic...)

When Nozomu was thinking about that, the door of the store opened and new customers came in.

"Ah, please come in. Welcome to Ushitotei!"

Ena welcomed new customers with a cheerful voice. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl that could knock out Mars.

(...Ena-chan is tough .........)

While Nozomu was still half in shock, he saw a customer who came in, and Nozomu’s expression was petrified.

"Hey Ken, is this the store?"

"Yeah, it is. They serve pretty good meat dishes."

It was his childhood friends Lisa and Ken who came in.

"I’m sorry, the seats are full now, is it okay if it’s a shared seat?"

"Is it okay, Lisa?"

"It’s okay"

"Thank you very much. Then, please seat here."

Ena said so and came with the two. Eventually, the two noticed Nozomu and screamed in surprise.

"Huh? Nozomu?"

"!!"

The moment the three of their eyes crossed, Lisa’s expression became steep in an instant.

“...Yaa”

Nozomu managed to squeeze out his voice, but his expression was awfully stiff.

"E, ermm Nozomu-san, do you know them?"

"Y-yeah. We’re childhood friends..."

"Is...that so? Is it okay to share the table...?"

"Yeah...I’m okay..."

Ena hesitated from the gloomy atmosphere of the three childhood friends, but Nozomu agreed to share the table because there were no other seats.

"E, ermm...are you, two customers, okay with it too?"

"I’m okay ..."

"...fine..."

Ken answered while watching Lisa, and Lisa also agreed.

====================================================

Nozomu’s POV

The three sat facing one table. The atmosphere wasn’t good. Meanwhile, Nozomu remembered their past.

Before it became like this, the three of us often went out and talked about various things while going around various places.

About things at the school, about the family in our hometown, and about our dreams.

Lisa always wants to have an adventure. I wanted to go with Lisa, and Ken couldn’t help it and said, "So should I come too?"

At that time, we didn’t have any doubts about being able to stay together, even if it was difficult.

However, we are no longer together. To be precise, I was the only one left out.

I still don’t understand why Lisa pushed me away.

Lisa is still showing me her stiff expression, her sun-like smile is no more, and only burning anger is left in her eyes.

I can’t say anything when I see that face.

"So Nozomu is also in this store. Do you come often?"

Ken talks to me. The voice wasn’t strangely stiff, and I was honestly grateful to him for understanding me because I don’t know how to deal with Lisa.

I know that it has led to an escape, but I thought it would at least trigger some kind of conversation.

"Well, I’ve been coming lately. My friend’s parents are running this store, and the clerk was my friend’s sister."

"Hee. By the way, I heard that the meat dishes here are good, but what do you think?"

I still remember the rabbit steak that Hannah treated me to. The gravy that overflows with the browned meat. Certainly, that was good.

"That’s right. You can expect the best."

"Is that so! I’m glad. My friend introduced me to a delicious restaurant, so I thought I’d eat with Lisa for its delicious taste."

“...Is that so...that’s good then..."

Ken’s words "together with Lisa" hurts my heart.

It’s been shown since Lisa and Ken started dating.

She walks with Ken.

She smiles next to Ken.

And she fights back to back with Ken.

I found that she has a lot of faith in Ken, and that makes me even more miserable.

...Then I ran away, for training, and to my former dream that I couldn’t fulfill anymore.

Close my eyes, try to imagine that important person.

...That person who made me realize.

She took her life and made me realize that "you are running away."

She told me..."It’s okay if you don’t forget that you’re running away."

When I hear that, I feel like I’m able to accept my weakness. I haven’t been able to move forward yet. However, I’m deciding to face the fact that I was running away.

...So I’ll try to ask her again. “Why...”

"Hey Lisa. Why did I get dumped by you?"

"!!!!!!"

Lisa opens her eyes wide and she immediately cast her eyes down. Her body trembles and her emotions are uncontrollable.

"Nozomu, that is...”

Ken tries to stop me, but I ignore his voice. The fact that I’m running away also includes the reason why I was dumped.

In order to face the fact that I was running away, I had to ask Lisa why.

Otherwise, I might not be able to move forward when I decide to do so.

"Hey, why am I.....

" ...Don’t screw with me."

"Eh"

"Don’t screw with me !!!!!!"

She yelled at me, hit the table, kicked the chair, and stood up.

"Now! Why now! Don’t screw with me !!!"

I can’t say anything to her voice. Her voice was full of hatred, full of anger, and...above all, it was sorrowful like tearing her own heart.

=======================================================

Midnight at Arcazam Central Park. A shadow was illuminated and projected by the moonlight in the darkness.

"Just a little more"

It was the silhouette of an old gentleman projected by moonlight. He was dressed in black butler clothes and was playing with something with his hands wrapped in white gloves.

"Even though the Lord says he’s not interested, he always tells me to take it home..."

While feeling the importance of his Lord’s decree, he turned his eyes to a corner of the city and started walking while muttering without changing his expression.

"...I don’t like violent behavior. It depends on the other party. If things are done in a peaceful manner... "

A city where everything was swallowed by darkness and surrounded by silence. While no one was moving, only the gears of fate were slowly starting to move .............