91. I will kill you
The time is now has pa.s.sed 11.
I walked on the street unusually.
I put my hands into the coat due to the winter coldness, and raise the azure m.u.f.fler up to my face.
Because of this 『white hair』, I rarely go out to the town.
Because white hair itself is rare. On top of that, if one were to see my hair, they would be dazzled by it. It’s such pure white. People who have this kind of hair color is either the owner of a SSS superpower or an old man.
「Haa……what an inconvenient world」
White breath leaks out from the opening of the m.u.f.fler.
Entering the residential area from the street, my house–or rather, the small house that I borrowed from Tou-san and Kaa-san, draws near.
Tou-san seemed to said 『One day, everyone will live there once Iwato created a harem』, but I don’t exactly understand what he meant. I just punched him because I was a little irritated, but he’s still alive.
When I keep walking, my house came into sight.
Red roof and white wall.
Though it’s not as big as a mansion, it’s quite big. You will probably grasp that it’s a rich person’s house just by looking at it.
By the way, crime prevention is perfect in the house, and in order to enter the house, you would need to use the main key–but.
「……Ha?」
Upon seeing a person sitting in front of my house, I raised such an idiotic voice.
At a glance, it’s……definitely a lightly dressed kid. The kid leaned her back to the wall with the 『Nagumo』tag, and sat down there.
With such clothes in this weather–Why is this kid sitting there? And, of all the houses, why this house?
「……What’s…wrong?」
I approached and spoke to the kid, and the kid shook her shoulders in surprised.
Because this kid covered the face, I can only judge from the appearance, but the white hair grown until the waist, and the white skin. I can only think that this kid is a girl.
She peeped through her bangs to look at me, and I felt–a blazing killing intent from her eyes.
I don’t remember doing anything……that would make such kid resent me. Perhaps, she’s telling me『Don’t speak to me』
「……Haa」
No matter how much I think about it, no 『appropriate』 answer came to my mind. Even if it’s the other reasons, it’s most likely that she mistook me for someone. I have not done anything that would make a human kid resent me.
I pa.s.sed through the girl, and walked until the entrance.
「Err, the key–」
I put my hand into the right pocket of the coat, took out the gray key, and inserted it to the lock.
Gacha.
The sound of the lock being unlocked resounded, and I pulled the door open.
Because it’s midnight, inside the house is a little dark.
I reached out to the switch with my left hand to turn on the electricity.
–The next moment.
「Ugu!?」
Sparks scatter along with the impact.
While feeling the pain at the back of my head, I rolled a few meters, and I glared at the opponent who attacked me.
But–
「Wha–」
It was the girl just now who has familiar flame-cladded hands.
The eyes glaring at me now have bigger killing intent and hatred, and she clenched her teeth because I didn’t die.
「Kill……Kill……Kill!!」
White flame burns from her feet, and at the same time, she started running aiming at me.
–Fast!
I quickly pull out the guns from my waist, and ward off her fists with the guns.
What the h.e.l.l is going on? Who is this girl? Why is she using that flame? Why does she resent me?
I have no idea what’s going on, but it would be bad if I receive that flame. Only that I know.
The kid lost her balance after her attack being ward off, and I pointed the guns at her.
「『Erase』」
Dadan!
Two overlapping gunshots resounded, and the flames clad on her hands vanished after being pierced by the bullets.
「Wha!?」
I aimed only at the flames without hurting her.
The bullets sink into the house’s floor and wall, and together with confirming the effect of 『Power of Existence increased』 to the house, I pushed the girl to the wall.
「Gaha!?」
I release her enough so that she could breathe, and at the same time, I press her neck down with my arm. And, press the muzzle at her forehead.
「Hii……」
A small shriek leaked.
I became too serious instinctively after seeing that flame. When I smell an ammonia smell and look downwards, there’s a puddle at her feet.
I don’t have the hobby to torment a child.
So–
「Answer me, who are you?」
I asked her with a cold voice.
First, that flame is definitely the superpower of the man who I fought not long ago. To meet a human who uses the Unknown’s superpower on the same day I fought with it. This is 『too good to be true』.
Therefore, I asked.
Who–is at your back?
Who ordered you?
However, the flames of anger in her eyes didn’t disappear.
「Y-You…murderer……!」
She shouted.
「T-Tou-san! You killed Tou-san! I will kill you! I will definitely kill you! Die! Die!!」
「……Your father?」
I’m just a member of the Special Forces.
I have never killed a person. I don’t know if you asked me whether I did it indirectly, but at least, I have never killed a person directly.
I told her the truth while pulling the muzzle away from her forehead.
「……You mistook me for someone. I–」
「Nagumo! I…came here relying on this name! And, you who killed Tou-san…came!」
When I look properly, she’s holding a map, whether or not she went to the police box and asked, this house is marked with a red circle.
……But, then.
「…………Don’t tell me」
……No, impossible.
The last moment of the man who I killed not long ago pa.s.sed my mind, but I quickly shook my head and denied the thought.
That guy certainly did say that he came looking for his daughter.
He came to find his kidnapped daughter.
Before I knew it, my legs are shaking, my face is twitching upwards, and I’m smiling unnaturally.
「O-Oi. Your father, is it–」
No way.
Unknowns don’t have family.
They are just enemies to be exterminated.
Pests.
That’s what Kaa-san taught me.
That’s why, such possibility is not possible.
The gun on my right hand shakes, making a clattering sound. She said the man’s name without hesitation.
「Tou-san’s name is–Shutendouji」
At that time.
Something inside me, crumbles down.
「……No…way」
Shutendouji’s……daughter?
Impossible.
Unknown to…have a family?
「I am! You…killed Tou-san! Tou-san has never harm humans before…and he tried to build a friendly relation! But you…you–」
When I look at her, tears drop down from her eyes, but the blue eyes were still glaring at me.
「Hi」
A small shriek leaked.
Friendly relation…with the Unknowns?
Humans…kidnapped his daughter?
Father? Family?
I—-killed him?
The gun on my hand falls to the floor, and I fell to my knees.
Lies–I wanted to shout so.
This is a dream–I wished so.
However, the hard feeling of the floor reached my knees. The soft sobbing raised by the girl in front. And, the killing intent pointed at me is telling me that this is reality.
Suddenly, I recalled my reply to that person–King of Heroes (Pantheon), Sana-san’s words.
『Listen! I said this before, but the thought of Unknown=Enemy is a dangerous thought. I don’t know about it regarding this time’s war, but killing an Unknown on sight is a foolish way of thinking for me. In the Special Forces, this applies on you and your mother』
『……Ha? What foolish thing are–』
『Unknowns are alive』
Even Unknowns–are alive.
Those words pierced my heart heavily.
『Unknowns are alive. Well, of course humans don’t have the composure to ask the a.s.saulting opponents 『Why are you attacking us?』. If they attacked me suddenly, then I might also kill them. ……But at least, you should think whether the opponents are good or evil, capable to communicate or not.』
I only thought that what a foolish thing to say when I heard those words. I discarded it away without giving it a thought. I didn’t even consider thinking about it.
After all, I have thought that Unknowns were meant to be killed.
However–
「Uu, higu……K-Kill! Absolutely! Kill!」
I was made to realized of how on point her words were upon hearing the sobbing and resentful voice.
Along with the sound of something piled up crumbled, a dull pain ran through my head.
「Ugu……」
The pain to the extent that my head is going to break.
My brain is telling me to not see and accept the reality any further.
That’s why, I understood it even if I hate it.
A voice smeared in hatred poured on me who’s holding my head without being able to do anything.
「I……will never…forgive……you. Absolutely…Absolutely, absolutely…kill you…even if I have to die」
Along with those words, I recalled the words she told me.
『You will regret it before long』
The day changes, and the sound of the bell resounds.
December 12.
Today, on this day.
I, for the first time in my life
–experienced killing a 『human』.