DGM Reverse Novel 2

Chapter 2: The 49th Name

translated by Kumori_no_ko@livejournal

Part 1

đưa tay chạm vào mái tóc tựa hỏa nhiệt, cậu bé từ từ nhắm mắt trái-con mắt không bị che giấu dưới lớp băng đeo.

Trong khoảnh khắc, bóng tối ập đến.

Nơi thế giới đen kịt không chút ánh sang, một thanh âm nghiêm trang cất tiếng, “Ngươi là ai?”

Cậu bé  khẽ trả lời trong lòng. Người kế thừa của Bookman.

“Bookman là ai?”

Bookman là những người theo dõi và biên soạn lịch sử. Họ ghi chép lại những bí mật lịch sử của thế giới và truyền tục lại cho những thế hệ tiếp nối.

Nhiệm vụ của Bookman là du hành đến mọi nơi nào có sự sống, nhưng chỉ tạm thời nán lại mà không ràng buộc với bất cứ đâu, để khắc ghi lịch sử bằng chính sự quan sát của mình và ghi chép lại những thứ họ đã chứng kiến.

“Bookman phải là người như thế nào?”

Họ không được phép quan tâm hoặc bị điều khiển bởi cảm xúc. Họ giao tiếp với mọi loại người, và rồi rời đi như thể chưa có chuyện gì xảy ra.

Xúc cảm là không cần thiết với những người biên soạn sử. Họ chỉ cần ghi chép chính xác những sự kiện mà không để trộn lẫn cảm xúc chủ quan của mình vào.

“Lần cuối cùng, ta hỏi ngươi. Ngươi là ai ?”

Là người kế thừa của Bookman.Tôi nhận một cái tên mới mỗi lần đến một địa điểm mới, và vứt bỏ nó vào thời điểm rời đi.

Hiện tại tôi còn là một Exorcist (thầy trừ tà) của  Black Order (Giáo hoàng đen). Tên của tôi bây giờ là -

“Rabi!”

Rabi mở mắt trái ra, để rồi nhìn một ông cụ nhỏ bé mặc trên người bộ quần áo kiểu Trung Hoa đứng ở trước cửa. Những ngọn tóc lưa thưa của ông tập trung ở đỉnh đầu, và cặp mắt sắc bén, với thứ ánh sáng rực rỡ lạ lùng, được bao xung quanh bởi lớp phấn đen.Mặc dù ngoại hình kì quái của ông cụ đảm bảo thu hút được mọi cái nhìn, nhưng khí tức bẩm sinh lại giúp ông ta có thể dễ dàng hòa hợp được bất kì nơi nào.

Ông cụ đó chính  là Bookman hiện tại. Và là sư phụ của Rabi.

“Chúng ta có việc rồi. Chuẩn bị khởi hành đi.”

Có vẻ như Black Order đã giao cho họ nhiệm vụ mới.

Một cuộc chiến khốc liệt  quyết định vận mệnh của cả thế giới đang nảy nở giữa một bên là Bá tước ngàn năm –người đang cố hướng thế giới tới sự hủy diệt và một bên là Black Order- một tập thể quân đội dưới quyền trực tiếp của Vatican. Rabi ,cùng với sư phụ mình, ở trong Black order với danh nghĩa là một Exorcist để có thể ghi chép lại những tiến trình phát triển bí mật của lịch sử.

Exorcists là những người duy nhất có thể đối chọi với Akuma- vũ khí của Bá tước ngàn năm nhằm tiêu diệt nhân loại. Exorcists là các cá nhân được chọn bởi những vật chất bí ẩn có tên Innocence mà họ điều khiển được.

Vì các Innocence còn được gọi là “kết tinh của Chúa”, những Exorcists đôi khi được biết đến dưới danh xưng “môn đồ của Chúa”

Sứ giả của chúa sao? Nó chẳng hợp với mình. Rabi cười nhạt.

Khi họ đến được trung tâm thị trấn, mặt trời đã hoàn toàn lặn, xong đêm tối mới chỉ bắt đầu, hàng loạt cửa hiệu lên đèn và âm thanh huyên náo khắp nơi.

“Thôi nào, Colette,vui lên đi” Rabi rốt cuộc cũng được nhận nhiệm vị đồng hành cùng họ, để cậu có thể bỏ lại việc trông coi dinh thư cho Bookman, nhưng Colette lại không để cậu đến gần, khiến cho cậu phải lê bước theo sau cô bé và Doug  suốt dọc đường vào thị trấn.

“Này, Mắt Chột”

“Tên của anh là Rabi!”

Không hề bị ảnh hưởng, ánh mắt thẳng thừng của Colette nhìn cậu đủ để Rabi muốn chùn bước “Tại sao anh lại đeo một miếng băng bịt  mắt trái thế?Bị thương sao?”

Bầu không khí ngay tức thì căng thẳng hẳn lên.

Cảm giác  được cái nhìn của Doug, Rabi gượng cười. “Ồ…cái này hả?Không, nó –không phải bị thương”

Colette dường như cũng nhạy bén phát hiện ra được sự thay đổi trong không khí khi cô bối rối nói “Ồ, vậy à. Thế thì tốt rồi”

“Em đang lo lắng cho anh à? Em đúng là đứa trẻ tốt, Colette”

Cô bé tránh né bàn tay định xoa đầu mình của Rabi, rồi xòe ra một nắm tiền.”Tôi không có thời gian. Chúng ta chia nhau ra mua sắm đi. Mắt chột, anh có thể mua bánh mì không? Doug, cậu đến cửa hàng bán thịt nhé”

 “Đã nói rồi, tên anh là-“

“Thôi nào, nhanh lên và đi mua sắm thôi!”

“Rồi , rồi” Cười méo xẹo, Rabi hướng bước đi mua bánh mì.

Đã lâu rồi mới có người hỏi cậu về cái băng bịt mắt này.Những người gặp gỡ cậu lần đầu tiên thường nén tò mò mà không đi dò hỏi về điều ấy.  Colette đúng là một đứa nhỏ bộc trực.

Mọi người chắc hẳn là đã tưởng tượng đủ thứ chuyện về con mắt phải của Rabi, nhưng họ sẽ chẳng thể nghĩ ra nổi rằng nó chính là thứ để xác định rằng cậu sẽ là người kế tục của Bookman.

Đó là sự thật mà chỉ Bookman mới biết được. Điều mà không một ai cần phải biết.

Không một ai-

Rabi khẽ run lên. Không hiểu sao ,cơn gió mùa thu lại trở lên lạnh hơn.

***

”Cảm ơn vì đã xách đồ hộ em” Colette bẽn lẽn cảm ơn họ sau khi đã mua sắm xong và trở về phía trước dinh thự.

Doug nở nụ cười đầy dịu dàng, bao dung và đưa cho Colette một chai rượu, “Mr. Jerome đối xử với em có tốt không?”

“Huh?” Colette thắc mắc nhìn Doug.

“Anh chỉ là lo lắng thôi…..ý Anh là, kể cả một chuyến đi mua sắm nho nhỏ cũng khiến cậu vất vả” Doug quan tâm nhìn Colette .

“Em thấy biết ơn ông chủ.Em không thể tưởng tượng nổi điều gì sẽ xảy ra nếu ngài ấy không cung cấp phúc lợi miễn phí, còn nói rằng đó là vì khấu trừ lại cho bố em trước kia nữa” Câu trả lời Colette làm cho Doug mỉm cười nhẹ nhõm.

“Ngài ấy đúng là người tốt bụng”

“Cả phu nhân cũng là người tuyệt vời nữa. Bởi em không thể tới trường, nên phu nhân dạy em biết đọc, biết viết, làm toán nữa.Phu nhân và ông chủ rất khắng khít. Đó là lý do ông ấy thật buồn bã…”  vẻ mặt của Colette lộ ra vẻ đau khổ.Cô bé ấy chắc hẳn cũng phải chịu đựng trước cái chết đột ngột của vị phu nhân và sự thay đổi của ông chủ mình.

“Em có biết việc Mr. Jerome sẽ ra ngoài tối nay không?”Doug hỏi.

Colette ngay tức thì di dời tầm mắt. Nên nói hay không đây? Cô bé trông thật mâu thuẫn. “…..Em chỉ nghe thấy tiếng ngài ấy ra khỏi phòng thôi”

“Thế emcó biết ngài ấy định đi đâu không?”

“không biết. Khi nghe thấy tiếng động, em có ra nhìn xem, nhưng không hề thấy ngài ấy”

”Thế à..” Doug ngần ngại liếc sang phía Rabi. Rabi khẽ gật đầu.

Vậy ra tin đồn về chuyện ông ta lảng vảng xung quanh đường phố vào đêm khuya cũng không sai.

”…. em biết một nơi mà ông chủ có thể đến” Colette nói, có vẻ đã quyết tâm.

“Nơi nào vậy?”

“Có một người đàn ông tự xưng là nhà tiên tri lữ hành đã đến thăm ông chủ khi ngài ấy còn đang để tang cho phu nhân quá cố.Ngài Serge đã đuổi ông ta đi, song….rất có thể ông chủ định đi đến bức tượng Nữ thần Bình Minh. Người ta đồn rằng nếu cầu nguyện thật chân thành, người đã chết có thể sống lại….”

“Ra vậy”

“Nếu Jerome  đang ra ngoài tối nay, ông ta có thể chuyển hóa thành Akuma và đang tấn công con người.

“em phải đi đây.” Colette nhìn về phía dinh thự.

“Anh xin lỗi vì đã chiếm giữ thời gian của em. Anh rất vui vì cuộc nói chuyện này. Còn giờ thì, gặp em ngày mai nhé”

“Vâng….chào buổi tối ” Colette nhìn lại như thể còn điều gì muốn nói them, nhưng cuối cùng cô bé vẫn giữ im lặng và đi vào dinh thự.

Doug chăm chú dõi theo bóng dánh cô bé. Rabi nắm lấy tóc cậu. “Ai đó kết bạn được rồi kìa”

“Đúng là cô bé đã hơi mở lòng ra rồi”

”Ừ, đúng là  trẻ con dễ chơi với nhau thật”

“Cậu gọi ai là trẻ con hả!” Doug lập tức gạt tay Rabi ra và bước tới chỗ Bookman, người đang đứng đợi họ ở cổng.

“Chào mừng trở lại. Đã có rất nhiều khách đến thăm, nhưng Serge đều từ chối tiếp tất cả, ngoại trừ một người. Chỉ có duy nhất một người  đàn ông trông giống công nhân tiến vào dinh thự, và không ai, bao gồm cả Jerome,đi ra ngoài”

“Hiểu rồi. Cảm ơn vì đã theo dõi, ngài Bookman. Tôi đã trò chuyện với Colette, có vẻ như Mr. Jerome định đến thăm bức tượng Nữ thần Bình Minh vào đêm”

“Thế à….vậy thì, tôi nghĩ chúng ta vẫn nên tiếp tục theo dõi thôi”

“Yes, sir.” Doug khẽ liếc sang phía dinh thự.

“Cậu đang lo lắng cho Colette à?”

Doug nhảy dựng lên khi nghe thấy câu hỏi của Rabi “Đúng thế. Ý tớ là, con bé mới mười tuổi, nhưng đã phải gánh trên vai khoản nợ của cha mình và làm việc….Con bé dường như được nuôi dạy tốt, song khi tớ nghĩ đến chuyện con bé chắc hẳn đã phải cô đơn thế nào trong một nơi lạ lẫm, cách xa cha mẹ mình….” Doug buồn bã cúi đầu. Trái tim của cậu nhức nhối với suy ngẫm về hoàn cảnh của Colette

”……Cậu không phải là đang nghĩ đến việc làm điều gì đó cho Colette đấy chứ?”

Doug giật mình nhìn Rabi.

“Biết ngay mà”

Đó đúng là chuyện mà Doug sẽ nghĩ.Rõ rang là cậu ta đã nghĩ trên cả nhiệm vụ và lo ngại  về Colette

Doug thở dài. Tuy nhiên, ánh mắt cậu ta lại đầy kiên định. “Nhưng tớ không thể mặc kệ con bé như thế được”

 Bookman, người nãy giờ luôn im lặng, ngước nhìn Doug. “Tôi hiểu cảm giác của cậu. Song nếu cậu quan tâm quá mức cần thiết đối với những người đã gặp xuyên suốt công việc của mình, cậu sẽ chẳng thể chịu đựng được đâu. Chúng ta không phải là những vị Thần toàn năng”

Trước những lời của Bookman, Doug lại cúi đầu. “Tôi hiểu, nhưng nếu cô bé phải làm việc, sẽ không phải tốt hơn nếu để cô bé lớn  hơn chút nữa sao? Tôi muôn để cô bé đi học tiểu học. Colette là một đứa trẻ thong minh, và ở Pháp, luật giáo dục phổ cập đã được thông qua quy định cho phép bất kì đứa trẻ nào cho đến 12 tuổi đi học trường tiểu học”

”Điều đó chỉ có nghĩa khi một hệ thống thực thi được thiết lập thôi. Dù cho họ có ban hành điều luật này, hệ thống thực thi cũng chẳng ích gì khi mà nó chống lại với quy luật cuộc đời. Nếu một gia đình nghèo túng chỉ có thể trả được vừa đủ mức bánh mì thường nhật, họ sẽ không đủ khả năng để đưa con em mình tới trường. Kể cả trẻ em cũng phải đi ra ngoài kiếm tiền”

“Đúng vậy….tớ hiểu mà, nhưng mỗi khi nghĩ đến một cô bé còn nhỏ thế mà đã đi làm việc….”

“So sánh với đàn ông, phụ nữ tìm được ít việc hơn với tiền lương thấp hơn. Cậu nên thấy là Colette còn may mắn khi đã tìm được việc làm”

Rabi vỗ nhẹ vai Doug. “Nào, đừng ăn nói khắc khe thế, ông Gấu trúc. Có lẽ đó là duyên phận nào ấy đã cho chúng ta gặp Colette. Nếu Doug có thực hiện hành động từ thiện nào sau nhiệm vụ này đi nữa, Giáo đoàn cũng chẳng nói gì đâu”

Doug trông nhẹ nhõm hẳn.

Bookman lặng lẽ gật đầu với Doug, rồi quay sang Rabi. “Mi  gọi ai là Gấu trúc hả!!!!”

“Gah!” An open-palmed slap with some force behind it hit Rabi’s cheek. Sent flying, Rabi grabbed onto Doug, who happened to be right next to him.

“Agh!” Hit by Rabi, who was a size larger than him, Doug staggered. Something white fell to lie at his feet.

“Sorry, Doug! …What’s this?” Rabi picked up what Doug had dropped. It was a pure-white ribbon edged with lace.

“…She said it was her birthday tomorrow, you see.”

“Ohh, so when you were shopping you secretly bought a present too! Nice work there!” Rabi nudged Doug with his elbow, and Doug’s face reddened.

“I’ve never given a present to a girl before. Do you think she’ll be happy?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she will,” Rabi said, and Doug smiled, relieved.

***

From the second-story window, two shadowy figures secretly watched the three people conversing in front of the mansion. One was Serge, and the other was a strongly built man with a savage air. He wore a homespun cap that was frayed in places low over his eyes, as if he was afraid of his face being seen. In contrast to the silk dressing gown Serge had slipped on, he cut a seedy appearance in threadbare black clothes and hempen pants.

“It’s those three,” Serge whispered to the man at his side.

Stroking the stubble of his beard, the other man gazed at Rabi and the others through the window. “Oh, I saw those three at the tavern yesterday. They stood out in their black coats of strange design. Never mind the little old man, the redhead and the black-haired kid are young and look like they could cause trouble.”

Serge clicked his tongue at the other man, who had a coarse smile on his face. “All right. How’s 200 francs for the lot of them?”

The man slowly shook his head. His expression was that of someone seeing an easy-to-manipulate sucker. “I’ll need some strong men…yeah, I’ll have to hire five or six of them. That’s not nearly enough. I’ll need 500 francs.”

“Very well.”

The man’s smile grew wider at Serge’s immediate acceptance. A handicraftsman laboring diligently for a full day could expect wages of a mere four francs. The man considered a hundred francs enough compensation, and had asked for an unreasonable price without taking it seriously.

An idiotic moneybag with no grasp of market value or basic negotiating. He wondered how long he could keep using him as a source of funds.

“However, kill all three of them,” said Serge.

“Huh?” The other man couldn’t believe his ears.

“I thought we’d talked of beating them up and running them out of town, not…”

“I changed my mind. It’s best to remove nuisances completely. I can’t have them persist in loitering outside my mansion.” His calm held absolutely no hesitation or fright towards committing murder. Serge spoke as if he wanted rocks cleared from the roadside, and even the other man, who had experienced his share of brawls, felt a surge of fear.

“But…if you just hate them hanging around, there’s no need to kill them.”

“You can’t do it?”

“Er, n-no, I can! I’ll do it.”

Serge nodded silently.

If I say no, Serge will hire some other guy. Then he’ll kill me too, so I don’t talk. Without hesitation. It will matter as little to him as crushing a bug. The man sense this acutely.

Serge handed over a sheaf of bills. Swallowing audibly, the man took it.

Outside the window, the darkness grew deeper.

***

The night wore on, and the full moon shone like a silver dish in the deep blue sky. The visitor who’d stayed until a short time ago had left, and the mansion was hushed. Only the call of an owl echoed over the road.

The night breeze blew relentlessly over the three figures beneath the tree across from the mansion.

“Ah!” Doug cried softly. Rabi noticed at the same moment.

A figure had appeared on the other side of the Dreselle mansion’s ostentatious gate. Even through the lattice they could tell it was a large, strongly-built man. He wore a dark brown frock coat that was difficult to distinguish against the dark background.

The bearded face visible in the moonlight precisely matched that of the portrait above the fireplace.

“It’s Mr. Jerome,” whispered Doug softly.

With unbelievable agility for such a large build, Jerome placed a hand on the lattice and lightly vaulted over the six-foot-high gate. He landed soundlessly on the ground.

Jerome looked around at his surroundings two, three times and walked in the direction opposite the town—towards the forest.

The three of them quietly began trailing Jerome, who was staggering along with unsteady footsteps, like a drunken man.

At his chest, illuminated by the streetlamps, glittered the diamond.

“So that’s the diamond we heard about…it’s just as big as in the portrait,” said Rabi.

“It stands out even in the dark. It’ll make him easier to follow.” Doug let out a sigh of admiration. “However, if he runs into a thief while wearing it so openly—” he started to say, then stopped in his tracks.

After Jerome had passed by, three men leapt out from beneath a tree, cutting them off. All of them had caps pulled low over their eyes and cloth covering the lower halves of their faces. Their appearance was seedy in old coats, hempen pants, and wooden shoes, but they swelled out their chests in pride at their strength.

They were armed with knives and clubs.

“What do you guys want?”

Not replying to Rabi’s question, the men silently hefted their weapons.

Robbers? No, in that case they would have attacked Jerome, thought Rabi. They came leaping out like they were targeting us. Clearly they were lying in wait for us. “No way, are these guys Akuma?” Rabi glanced at the Bookman. There was no time for indecision. “Doug, leave this to us….You go after Jerome!”

Doug nodded and ran towards the forest. More men leapt out from under the trees to block his way.

How many of them are there!? Rabi swiftly extended his hammer and leapt.

He sailed through the air and landed between the men and Doug. The mean stopped short at sight of this superhuman movement.

“Out of the way!” With a swing of Rabi’s hammer, the men went flying like balls. “Go!” Sparing a glance at Doug, who’d set off running, Rabi felt a sudden sense of foreboding. However, the risen men came in for the attack, leaving Rabi no time to ponder it.

First I’ve got to defeat these guys! Rabi shook off the uneasiness swirling darkly in the back of his mind and shifted his grip to the hammer to whirl it around.

***

Luckily, Doug quickly caught up with Jerome.

Catching his breath, Doug glanced behind him. There were at least six of those men. I wonder if Rabi and the Bookman will be all right.

Doug quickly suppressed his anxiety. There was no way that Rabi and the Bookman, who were Exorcists, would lose to the likes of them.

Doug need only carry out the task he was assigned.

Telling himself this, Doug calmed down.

Jerome staggered along, following the road single-mindedly. At some point the houses had become sporadic, and the forest, like a great black wave, had become visible ahead. The streetlamps had vanished, and only the moon, shining brightly in the night sky, lit the path. There were no longer any other people around, and Doug heard only the voices of insects and his own footfalls.

Jerome entered the dark forest without hesitating.

Doug looked up at the dense, dark trees. The wind blew, and the trees swayed as if beckoning him on. It made Doug’s heart pound. Spooked, he trembled.

The figure of Jerome was being swallowed into a clutch of trees.

I have no choice but to go. Doug resolved himself and stepped forward.

The night forest had fallen into a silent sleep. There was nothing to disturb its slumber, only the occasional bat visible fluttering past.

Doug closed his eyes and focused his attention on his ears. Doug had passed through many scenes of bloodshed, and he knew that by closing off your other senses, you effectively sharpen a single sense.

If he listened attentively, he could make out faint footsteps.

“Over there…” Doug quickly advanced.

Presently there was a break in the trees. After pushing through a thicket of bushes, Doug emerged into a clearing.

Nothing blocked the moonlight here, and it brightly illuminated everything. In an instant, Doug saw several human figures, started in fear, and froze.

However, upon looking more closely, they were human statues. Weeds grew unchecked at the feet of the unmoving statues. In a corner was something like a stone bench.

It seemed to be the remnants of a garden.

Doug cautiously stepped into the garden. Seen up close, the statues had moss growing on them, and the smell of grass reached Doug’s nose.

They must have had a nest nearby, because bats were fluttering about here and there.

Doug, who had advanced further into the garden, hurriedly hid himself behind a statue.

Jerome was standing in front of a statue set at the heart of the garden. Like the other statues, this one, in the shape of a woman, was grown with moss.

Could that be the goddess statue we heard of?

At that moment, there was a rustling noise behind Doug. He turned sharply, and his eyes opened wide.

Colette was standing there.

“Colette!? What are you doing here?”

At Doug’s vehemence, Colette’s expression became fearful. She edged back like a cornered cat. Doug felt his heart begin to pound harder. Why is Colette coming to the goddess statue? And so late at midnight, too. Impossible—impossible!

Colette spoke up, “What are you doing here, Doug?”

“I followed Mr. Jerome.”

“The master!?”

“You’re too loud!”

Doug, panicked, put his hand over Colette’s mouth. It was not a violent movement, but Colette’s eyes clearly showed fright, and her shoulders rose in startlement. “Don’t hit me!”

“What?” Surprised, Doug looked at Colette.

Colette crouched on her heels and clutched herself with thin arms. Her slight body was trembling.

“Hit you…? How could….I’m sorry if I frightened you. But I don’t use violence, so don’t worry about…” As he was speaking, Doug noticed what looked like bruises on Colette’s wrists. “What are…”

Colette’s fearfulness—circumstances he didn’t want to consider surfaced in Doug’s mind. He knelt on one knee on the ground and gently peered into Colette’s face. “Colette, has someone been hurting you?”

Still trembling, Colette didn’t reply.

“Mr. Jerome?”

Colette shook her head from side to side emphatically.

“Impossible—Serge?”

Tears spilled from Colette’s eyes.

That man. I thought he was hiding something, but I never expected him to possess this much of a brutal side. However, looking back, Serge had shown signs of being quick to fly into a rage.

“Why is Serge hitting you!? How long has he been hurting you? And does Jerome know?”

“Since the mistress died, Master Serge started flying into rages. When he loses his temper, there’s nothing anyone can do. Master Serge was quite his mother’s boy, so I think he must have received quite a shock. He started taking out his anger on us servants…”

So that means she’s been the victim of violence on a daily basis for nearly a month. I’m sure her clothing hides other bruises. Doug was gripped by an overpowering feeling of helplessness. Why does God send us such cruel trials? Is God there? If He is—I wonder what He is thinking.

Doug shook off these foolish thoughts. If the likes of me starts pondering the existence of God, I’ll only end up going in circles.

“When he first hit me, I ran headlong from the mansion, and ended up here by chance.”

“Really…”

For Colette, whom there was no place for in the mansion, this was a temporary refuge. Doug had been suspicious of Colette because she’d been near the goddess statue.

Doug softly stroked Colette’s hair. He felt like he would cry if he didn’t. “Weren’t you scared, inside this dark forest?”

Surprisingly, Colette shook her head. “I’m not scared here…that goddess statue looks like my mother, you see.”

At these words, Doug felt like his heart had been pierced. That’s right, she’s still ten years old. Of course she misses her mother.

Doug gently embraced Colette. Colette nervously put her arms around Doug. The girl’s body was warm. And unbelievably thin.

She’d left her hometown, and was living with all her might on her own. Her unfriendliness was the armor she wrapped desperately around herself in order to protect herself.

”What are you going to do if this girl is unhappy?”

The Bookman’s frank advice flitted through Doug’s head, but Doug had already made his decision.

He grasped Colette’s small hand and looked her in the eye. “Colette, I’ll protect you from now on. Don’t worry.”

Colette looked faintly surprised—then her eyes grew moist. “Really?”

Doug nodded to Colette, who was looking at him imploringly. “Yes! When all this is over, I’ll go speak to Jerome. I’ll do something about the debt! You won’t have to work in that mansion anymore.”

Doug gently embraced Colette, who had leapt into his arms. He gently stroked her shaking back, again and again.

Just then, there was the rustling sound of someone pushing through a thicket. Doug, looking a few yards ahead, managed to keep from crying out. Serge had appeared there.

What’s he doing here?

Part 4

In front of the goddess statue, Jerome slowly turned around. “What is it, Serge? Why have you called me out here?”

“We can’t talk in the mansion. There, you never know who could be listening from where.” Serge’s voice rang false. He seemed agitated, and even Doug could hear his heavy breathing. There was an unpleasant smile on his face, illuminated by the moonlight.

“Why did Serge call the master out to—”

“Shh.” Flustered, Doug covered Colette’s mouth.

“Father…have you come out to kill more people tonight?”

“What!?” At Serge’s words, Doug unthinkingly raised his voice. This time, Colette put her small hand over Doug’s mouth.

Fortunately, the Dreselle father and son, perhaps too intent on their conversation, showed now sign whatsoever of noticing them.

“What are you talking about?” Jerome countered calmly, completely unperturbed.

Serge slowly licked his lips. “I saw it. I’ve followed you when you go out at night—and seen you kill them. You’ve killed dozens—no, at least a hundred by now, haven’t you? You’ve been burying them. In the forest beyond that statue. Shall I dig one up?”

Judging from Serge’s confident tone, he didn’t seem to be lying. Then Jerome killed those missing people. So the Akuma is Jerome? thought Doug.

“I…I can’t believe the kind master is a murderer. But why?” whispered Colette, trembling.

Serge had taken on a triumphant tone, and his words spilled out. “If this is found out, it’s all over, no matter how much of a key local personage you are. Besides, I’d rather not have my father put to death for mass murder. So, what do you say about retiring from the public eye?”

Jerome remained silent.

“You can live out the rest of your days in luxury in your villa in Orleans. Hand over your estate to me. Isn’t that a good idea? So give me that diamond pendant.” Serge extended his hand.

“Serge.” Jerome finally spoke. “I have another good way.”

“What?” Serge’s face twisted unpleasantly.

Beneath the moonlight, Jerome’s mouth split like a crescent moon.

When he saw this malicious smile, Serge’s expression grew anxious. The sinister aura of menace projected by Jerome made chills run down the spine even of Doug, who was hiding.

“I could kill you.”

“Mmf!”

Doug, who had been expecting this, swiftly put his hand over Colette’s mouth.

“Wha…what are you talking about, father?” Serge must have thought that there was no way Jerome would kill him, his own son, but now the mask of confidence was stripped from his face and a look of cowardice visible. As slow as he was, even Serge now sensed the danger to himself, and drew back step by step.

Jerome froze, and his eyes rolled back in his head, revealing their whites. His body began to tremble as if something possessed it. Doug reflexively pulled Colette close. Although Colette clung to him all the while, she kept her gaze boldly fixed on Jerome.

The awful moment when a human transforms into something inhuman was nearly upon them.

In the next instant, sharp rock-like protuberances burst from Jerome’s body as if unable to hold back any longer.

Colette gasped.

A jarring mechanical noise broke the silence of the forest—Jerome’s skin split away, and the Akuma emerged into full view.

“A Level 2 Akuma!” Doug shouted without thinking.

It resembled nothing more than a porcupine made of glass. Its four feet planted on the ground, the Akuma’s entire body was covered in sharp, translucent shafts, shaped like prisms, that looked as if they would come flying toward Doug and the others at any moment. Bathed in moonlight, the Akuma shone silver, like a gigantic crystal ore. However, this shape evoked not beauty, but fear.

“Th-the master…” Colette whispered in a trembling voice.

Doug stared at the Akuma that had cast aside its human skin and shown its true nature. Whenever Doug saw the fiendish shape of an Akuma, he was filled with horror. A hateful evil weapon, created from sacrifice of a human being and a tragedy—

Even overwhelmed by the Akuma before his eyes, Doug did not fail to notice a small rustling sound. Alertly looking towards the direction the sound had come from, he saw a man stagger into the garden. His large build and shabby clothing were familiar. It was one of the men who’d blocked their path earlier. He was bleeding from the forehead.

“Serge, they were too strong!” Having yelled this, the man saw the Akuma in the center of the garden and stopped short, quailing.

Reacting to the man’s voice, the Akuma puffed out its body. The translucent shafts protruding from it took on a dangerous light.

The moment that the man, who’d realized the danger, turned heel to run, a protruding translucent shaft fired like a missile.

“Gah!” Blood flew from the man’s mouth. The sharply pointed shaft, as long as a man’s arm, had accurately stabbed through the man’s body. The shaft sticking from him, the man fell to the ground.

“Aaaugh!” Serge screamed and rushed to hide behind a nearby statue.

The Akuma turned to survey the garden. Then, lumbering slowly, it peered between statues as if playing hide and seek.

Colette clutched at Doug’s chest.

“It’s all right. Rabi will be here soon, so don’t worry.”

“Rabi?” Colette said doubtfully.

“That’s right—Rabi is an Exorcist who battles Akuma, and he’s really strong.” Doug recalled the sight of Rabi gracefully swinging his hammer and defeating Akuma.

“I—I don’t trust him. That boy,” Colette said in a rush. “He’s always smiling, but only on the surface. Inside his heart, he’s very cold. I’m sure it would be easy for him to abandon others.”

What a wise girl, Doug thought once more. She hadn’t just been almost hit with a hammer, she’d been observing Rabi closely.

A girl who worked among adults with all her strength, who lived doing the best she could. Although young, she had naturally come to possess the sad habit of being good at reading people’s expressions—just like Doug.

Of course, compared with Doug, who may have lost his parents, but had the fortune of being raised by relatives, Colette was suffering more.

“No, Rabi is sure to come,” Doug declared emphatically. What Colette had said was true. However, that was not the whole of Rabi. “Rabi’s come to save me when I was on the verge of death before. He’s sure to come this time, too.” Doug stroked Colette’s hair soothingly.

Just then, he saw that the Akuma was approaching them.

Oh no, at this rate it’ll find us. I have to buy time. “Colette, you hide here!” Doug sprang from behind the statue.

The Akuma’s eyes swiveled to focus on him. Doug raised his arms wide to draw its attention and set off running.

Having discovered prey, the Akuma’s eyes glittered, and it leapt forcefully from the ground. An air of menace, like that of a starved beast, rose from its body.

Rabi, come quickly! Doug prayed fervently while running between statues in a zigzag pattern to keep the Akuma from drawing a bead on him. To think that when I first met him, I thought he was so untrustworthy.

Rabi had approached with a closed heart and a smile that was only on the surface. Doug had even sensed hatred in his eyes—

A shaft shot out, and a nearby statue flew to pieces. Shaking off shards of stone, Doug kept running.

But that one time—when Doug had been chased by an Akuma and ended up alone, Rabi had come to save him, regardless of how Doug was hiding inside a building on the point of a very dangerous collapse.

I don’t understand the reasons, but Rabi places distance between himself and others, a distance that he will not cross. But he does feel for others. That’s why he’s sure to come for us this time, too!

“Augh!”

Taking a hit from a shaft, the statue before Doug’s eyes shattered. Doug, who had stopped reflexively, met eyes with Serge, who had been hiding behind it. They stood still for a moment, at a loss for words.

“Doug!” Colette came running up. She had a desperate expression, as if she’d been unable to stand hiding any longer.

“It’s too dangerous, Colette, get back!”

But Colette threw herself into Doug’s arms.

“Colette! What are you doing here?” yelled Serge, but at sight of the onrushing Akuma his face twisted. “Aauuugh, get away!” Serge roughly grabbed Colette’s arm and dragged her away from Doug.

It happened in an instant.

“Aah!”

In spite of Colette’s scream, Serge lifted her and forcibly held her towards the Akuma.

“What are you doing!?” In a panic, Doug tried to tear Serge away from Colette. However, perhaps because his life was at risk, Serge’s strength was formidable, and he kept ahold of Colette.

“You’re using this girl as a shield? You should be ashamed!”

“Shut up! This my servant! How I treat her is up to me!” cried Serge, froth flying from his lips. His eyes were bloodshot, his puerile and selfish inner character vividly revealed.

The Akuma’s body began to glow.

“Watch out!” Half-falling, Doug threw himself in front of Colette, who was being used as a shield. He spread his arms, protecting Colette.

Will my body really hold out as a shield? Doug clenched his teeth and stared at the Akuma.

The Akuma’s body shone once again.

Doug felt as if Death stood beside him, raising his scythe. He felt despair surge over him like a tidal wave.

Oh God, if you have any mercy in Your heart, at least protect this girl! Just as Doug screamed this within his heart, a familiar voice echoed through the garden.

“Doug! Colette!”

It was like a beam of light shining through the darkness.

“Rabi!” Doug yelled from the bottom of his heart, as if driving away his despair.

He saw red hair coming towards him like a torch. Behind Rabi, the Bookman was also visible, running lightly towards them.

He did come for us! “Rabi! Be careful!”

The Akuma turned to face Rabi and the Bookman. It shot the shafts towards them one after another like missiles.

Rabi and the Bookman leapt from the ground and sailed lightly through the air. The shafts stabbed into the empty ground.

Having dodged the attack, Rabi and the Bookman touched down in front of Doug and Colette.

“Are you two okay?” asked Rabi.

“Yeah, somehow or other.” Doug felt as if he’d fall over as relief filled him.

They’d come. The only ones in the world who could defeat Akuma.

“Sorry we’re late! There were too many of those guys, so it took some work!” said Rabi.

He and the Bookman intently watched the Akuma, which planted its feet firmly in the center of the garden and let out a ferocious roar.

“A Level 2 Akuma…a formidable opponent, Rabi.” The Bookman looked at Rabi.

Rabi met his gaze and grinned. It was a trustworthy smile that kept away the slightest hint of fear. “Leave it to me! But before that…”

Rabi seized the arm of Serge, who was still using Colette as a shield. “Are you hiding behind such a small girl?” Rabi tore Serge’s arm away from Colette, then looked down coldly at him as he froze. “You’re not even worth punching.”

Released from Serge’s hold, Colette, threw herself into Doug’s arms.

“You two get away from here and hide behind a statue,” the Bookman said.

Doug nodded at the Bookman’s words and took Colette’s hand.

Rabi took ahold of his hammer. He swung it lightly, and all at once it became larger. “You take care of Colette!” Holding his hammer, which was now the size of his body, in one hand, Rabi advanced on the Akuma.

While grasping Colette’s hand, Doug gazed at Rabi’s receding figure. The same old Rabi, not showing any particular eagerness.

Seeing Rabi’s unconcerned figure was enough to make Doug feel relieved. Doug let the tension leave his body.

Serge stealthily tried to flee the garden, causing the Akuma to react. Displaying a leap unimaginable for its colossal body, it blocked Serge’s path.

“Aaaugh! Save me!”

Leaping between Serge and the Akuma, Rabi swung his hammer sideways. The hammer whizzed through the air, making a direct hit on the Akuma. There was a loud ringing sound, and the Akuma staggered.

“Are you okay, Serge?” Rabi asked.

Serge met him with a glare. “Wh-what are you doing here? You came for the diamond, didn’t you. Godammit, I told them to kill you, the useless bastards!” Serge may have become unbalanced, for he yelled the last to himself, spittle flying.

A few centimeters from where he stood, one of the Akuma’s shafts stuck out like a spear.

“Aaaah!” After a momentary silence, Serge seemed to lose his nerve completely, and let out a scream.

“So you were the one who hired those ruffians?” Rabi regarded the shaking Serge with disgust. “I don’t want to save the likes of you, but unfortunately I’m an Exorcist.”

Rabi hefted his hammer. “It’s my job to defeat Akuma!” Rabi leapt in the direction of the Akuma, which was rushing towards him headfirst. “Hah!”

Swinging his hammer high, Rabi hit its silver body with a blow that had all his strength behind it. The Akuma went flying like a ball, taking down trees as it fell.

“Oops…”

However, there was no sign of damage as the Akuma immediately leapt up from between the trees. Rabi had felt his hammer hit. But the shafts covering its body bore not a single scratch.

“This is sure a tough Akuma.”

The Akuma curled into a sphere like a ball and began spinning in place like a top.

“It’s coming, Rabi!”

The moment the Bookman spoke, shafts came shooting out in rapid succession from the Akuma’s body, which was spinning at a high speed. The sharp shafts rained down indiscriminately in all directions.

“Agh!” Rabi went down on one knee and used his hammer as a shield. One after another, the flying shafts hit the hammer and bounced back. Keeping himself firmly in place, Rabi desperately blocked the fearsome attacks.

The flying shafts pierced the earth to encircle Serge, who was curled in a fetal position, unable to move.

The rain of shafts stopped. The Akuma, completely bare now that it had shot all its shafts, was swaying. Sharp projections broke out from its body once more.

So it was reloading. Rabi swiftly stood. “Now it’s my turn!”

Rabi leapt with all his strength and soared high. With the light of the moon shining in the dark of the night behind him, Rabi raised his hammer high.

With a crash, the hammer hit, caving in the Akuma’s side.

A deafening roar sounded, and the Akuma crashed into the earth. The ground split, creating a vast crater, as if a meteorite had fallen.

As clouds of dust rose up, Rabi grinned and touched down. “That’s about it.”

“Fool!” came the Bookman’s voice sharply.

Rabi realized that the Akuma was no longer in the center of the crater.

“Above you!”

The moment Rabi looked up, he received a dull blow to the face. The bandanna around his head was torn off, and Rabi was slammed into the ground.

***

“Rabi!”

Rabi having sustained an attack from the Akuma’s sharp claws, remained prone. The Bookman seized Doug’s arm firmly when he tried to run up to Rabi. “Those who are not Exorcists must not get involved in battles with Akuma!”

Doug looked at the Bookman sharply. “But I can’t just leave him to die!” It was clear to anyone that Doug was prepared for death.

“The panda’s right…leave this to me.”

“Rabi!”

Rabi stood up unsteadily. A trickle of blood was running from his forehead. “It’s surprisingly agile considering how heavy its body looks. I got caught off-guard.” Licking the blood that ran from his mouth, Rabi lifted his hammer once more. A seriousness, foreign to the Rabi who was always cracking jokes, filled his expression. A tension surrounded him, a tension that seemed as if it would burst forth if one touched him.

Doug swallowed.

“So you’ve finally started concentrating, foolish pupil,” murmured the Bookman.

“Big hammer, small hammer.” Rabi stopped his hammer short. “Grow, grow—”

Reacting to his words, the hammer became enveloped by light. A dull vibration resounded.

Rabi spoke slowly. “Grow.”

The instant the word left his mouth, the hammer grew yet larger.

“Whoah!” A cry involuntarily escaped Doug’s lips.

It was a remarkable scene. The hammer, wreathed in light, was now the size of a house. Rabi, who had about the same build as Doug, was holding it easily. At this extraordinary sight, not only Colette, but Doug, who had seen Rabi fight before, held their breath.

“Now then, can you withstand this one?”

When it saw Rabi’s hammer, the Akuma gradually gathered the crystals covering its body into one, leaving its legs visible. The crystals became a single giant shaft with a sharp point.

Rabi regarded the Akuma, which looked like a strange unicorn. “A contest of strength? Just what I wanted.”

Rabi leapt.

He lifted his hammer to meet the Akuma, which was heading straight towards him.

“Aaaugh!” Swung like a bat, the hammer collided violently with the Akuma.

With a crumbling sound, cracks appeared in the Akuma’s body.

“This is the end!” Rabi hit the now-unmoving Akuma with his hammer.

Riing—with a clear and beautiful sound of destruction, the Akuma’s crystal went flying into pieces. Rabi gave a victorious smile.

The transparent shards scattered, reflecting the light of the moon. At this fantastic sight, like wildly dancing silver butterflies, even the crouching Serge was captivated, his mouth open.

It seemed that Serge, miraculously, was safe despite having been in the middle of such a fierce battle.

He has the devil’s own luck. It’s true what they say about ill weeds flourishing, thought Rabi.

“Rabi! You did it!” Pulling Colette along by the hand, Doug came running up.

:Hey, Colette, were you okay?” asked Rabi.

“Yes. Doug protected me, so I was fine.” Colette looked up at Doug with eyes full of trust.

Rabi put a hand to his head. “Man, this sappy love talk is hurting me the most!”

Doug tightly hugged the wryly smiling Rabi.

Rabi was a little surprised by the fervent embrace of Doug, usually so reserved. “Whoa, Doug, aren’t you hugging the wrong person?”

“Thank you. Because you and the Bookman came for us, Colette and I are still alive. I’m truly grateful.” Doug’s arms tightened around Rabi.

Doug’s honest feelings of gratitude slowly filled Rabi along with his warmth. Rabi patted Doug’s back. “I’m an Exorcist. Taking care of Akuma is my job.”

“Will your wound be all right?” Pulling back, Doug put a hand to Rabi’s forehead.

“Yeah, it’s just a scratch.”

“But to defeat a Level 2 Akuma so easily…that’s amazing, Rabi.”

“Not really, they’re pretty easy.” As Rabi swelled out his chest, the Bookman hit his head from behind. “Ow!”

“Don’t get carried away, you amateur!”

“Now, now, Bookman. He did defeat it, after all.”

The Bookman snorted at Doug’s intercession. “He’s too soft! And he slipped up!”

At that moment, Rabi stepped on something hard. Looking closely, he saw that it was a silver chain. Around it, glittering shards of diamond were scattered.

It was the pendant that Jerome had been wearing. It appeared that when Rabi had defeated the Akuma, the pendant had shattered along with it.

“Well, let’s go back.” Rabi patted Doug’s shoulder.

“Rabi.”

Rabi turned at the voice calling his name. Colette was staring up at him intently.

“That’s the first time you’ve called me by name, Colette. What’s wrong?”

“I was thinking that it’s just like Doug said. You’ll come for sure. And you’ll defeat the Akuma, he said.”

Rabi looked at Doug in surprise. Doug gave a carefree smile.

“Thank you, Rabi,” said Colette.

At her words, Rabi threw his chest out shamelessly. “Indeed. Try to be properly grateful!” he said with great exaggeration, trying to make a joke of it. The complete trust Colette and Doug showed in him caused some warm emotion to well up unexpectedly, and he was trying to hide it. “Now then, let’s go!”

The four of them, with Rabi in the lead, left the forest with its flying bats behind them.

Part 5

“Rabi!”

As Rabi walked through the wide halls of the Order, the Science Division Chief Komui Lee called out to him.

Komui was a tall man who wore glasses. He had an intelligent and gentle air, but his sharp eyes gave the impression that he could be difficult to deal with.

“What?” Rabi turned around, and upon seeing his face, Komui took on a puzzled expression.

“What happened? What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing, it’s only that I just heard a new Exorcist joined?”

“Oh, do you mean Allen?” Behind his glasses, Komui’s eyes took on an amused light.

“What’s he like?”

“He looks like mild-mannered boy, but he’s strong at heart.”

Rather like Doug, then. “He’s not at the Order right now, is he? That’s too bad.”

“That’s right, I sent him out on a mission to the ‘Rewinding Town.’ I think we’ll be seeing him again.”

“By the way, did you have something to tell me?”

“Yes—I was informed that Doug arrived at the underground canal a short while ago.”

“I see,” said Rabi. Already a week had passed since the incident. Rabi and the Bookman had returned to the Order the next morning ahead of Doug, who as a Finder remained behind to settle things. “I have to go meet with him later. I want to ask him about Colette, too.”

“What’re you talking about,” asked Komui.

“Oh, nothing, just talking to myself.”

Rabi couldn’t help grinning. What expression had Doug, so awkward around girls, had when he’d handed over her gift? Rabi wanted to hear all the details.

Rabi returned to the room prepared for him inside the Order. He was often outside the Order, and the room, used only for sleeping when he did stay at the Order, was simple, holding only a bed and a table. However, it was spacious, and didn’t feel cramped even though Rabi shared it with the Bookman.

I wonder what Doug will do now. Sprawled out on the bed, Rabi thought back to the events of a week before.

He recalled the words of Colette, whom Rabi had accompanied back to the mansion after defeating the Akuma. “Doug says he’ll pay my debt. We may to be able to live together, but he told me he’ll always protect me.” It was the first heartfelt smile of happiness Rabi had seen from Colette.

“…”

Rabi lay face up on the bed. He had become completely used to the cold and imposing air of his room, in which he had at first felt somehow out of place.

Rabi realized that he felt at home.

“I’ve been here awhile, too…”

It had been two years since he’d joined the Black Order. Until now, he’d wandered through many places with the Bookman. However, they’d never stayed in one place this long before.

Doug, Komui, Linali, Kanda, Reever—the faces of the Order members appeared in his mind one after the other.

With an iron will, Rabi suppressed the feeling not unlike homesickness that welled up in his heart. He mustn’t get the wrong idea. This was nothing more than a temporary lodging to which he belonged for the moment in order to record the hidden side of history. He mustn’t become unnecessarily involved emotionally.

“Who are you?”

The question he’d repeated to himself hundreds, thousands of times.

I’m the Bookman’s successor. All I do is behold history with the eyes of an impartial observer and copy it down. Interfering with the actors is out of the question.

Rabi slowly closed his eyes. Anyone looking at Rabi at that moment would have been surprised by his expression, like that of a different person than the usual upbeat Rabi. The desolation etching Rabi’s face was that deep. His usual lightheartedness and cheerfulness were hidden away, and there was a hardness to him that others would not likely approach.

“Aaaugh!”

A heart-stopping scream reached Rabi’s ears, and he leapt from bed. It was a death cry, like those Rabi had heard countless times before.

The headquarters of the Black Order was a secure stronghold protected by a gatekeeper. This shouldn’t be happening in such a safe place.

Rabi, dashing out of his room, exchanged glances with the Order members who had also run out into the hall. “Where’d it come from?”

“I don’t know!” But it should be around here—”

Rabi turned a corner of the hallway and caught his breath.

“Gah…” Rabi’s face contorted at the horrific sight. There was a pool of blood in the hall, and bloody Order members had collapsed over each other.

There was no sign of anyone with intent to kill. It seemed that the attacker had already fled.

For a moment, Rabi hesitated, but he’d passed through countless scenes of bloodshed before. Quickly regaining his calm, he carefully touched the body of a fallen Order member.

There was no pulse. There was a large hole in the man’s back. This must have proved a fatal wound. He had been pierced with something sharp and thick, like a stake.

A killer inside the Order? Impossible, an Akuma?

An image of the Akuma in Jerome’s body, which had been like a crystal ore, appeared in Rabi’s mind. The wound looked precisely as if the man had been stabbed with one of its crystal projectiles.

Impossible…I thought I defeated it. Besides, outsiders have to pass through the gatekeeper’s x-ray inspection to enter the Order. Akuma can’t enter.

Then who did this? Rabi looked over the dreadful scene again. It didn’t look like the work of a human being—

“Inform Komui at once!” Rabi told a nearby Order member, and looked farther down the hall.

Bloody footprints continued through the hall. Rabi followed the bloody tracks cautiously.

Turning a corner in the hall, Rabi drew a sharp breath. Another Order member was lying covered in blood.

“Are you all right?” When Rabi ran up to him and lifted him in his arms, the man opened his eyes slightly. His face was ghastly pale—it looked as if his wound was lethal. “I’ll call the Medical Division right now, so hang in there!”

The man’s lips trembled. “Doug…”

“What?”

“Doug went…that way…” Blood spilled from the man’s mouth.

“Don’t talk!”

The moment Rabi spoke, the man’s head drooped. Rabi expressed his grief by quietly closing his eyes, but soon he stood. His pulse was racing.

The man had said “Doug.”

Rabi looked down the hall. Surely Doug’s room was this way! He imagined Doug dead and covered in blood, and hurriedly thrust the awful thought away.

“Doug!” Rabi started running.

He’s always so impractical. When we were working together on a mission a year ago, too, he used himself as a decoy in order to save a fellow Finder who was injured and got left behind.

Rabi’s breathing grew rough. Where’s the old man? All the other Exorcists have been sent out, I have to do it!

The door to Doug’s room was open. Rabi dashed inside.

A large open window—a young man was alone on the balcony outside. He was wearing a white uniform. He had black hair and a familiar stature.

“Doug?”

Doug slowly turned around when Rabi spoke. His white uniform was spattered with blood. He saw Rabi and smiled in relief. “Rabi! Thank goodness. I was attacked by a strange man, and I barely managed to escape with my life! I thought I was done for.”

Rabi froze, unable to speak. Despair slowly filled his body like cold black water.

He didn’t want to believe it. But he couldn’t avert his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Rabi?” Doug approached Rabi, looking puzzled.

Rabi slowly shook his head. “You once said to me that you can know a person by the light in their eyes. I…finally understand.”

Doug was watching him with a stupefied look on his face.

“You acknowledged me as a single human being, and treated me as one—”

As he watched Doug, who nodded, an inexpressible sadness welled up inside Rabi.

“But now…” Rabi quietly gripped the shaft of his hammer. “They’re the empty eyes of a machine!”

Rabi swung his hammer, sending it tearing through the air. Doug lightly dodged the hammer’s fierce attack, leaping nimbly out of its path.

There was no way the usually slow Doug could have managed such a feat. It was painful for Rabi to admit this, even though he knew it was true.

Touching down lightly on the broad balcony like a cat, Doug smirked. It was a coarse smile that Rabi had never seen on Doug before.

“Doug. You killed them all, didn’t you.”

There was no gatekeeper at the locks in the underground canal. That was how an Akuma had snuck in without being noticed. Yes, it all fit together.

“Too bad…I’d planned to kill the people here a few at a time and destroy the Black Order completely. I was found out earlier than I’d expected.” It was a black bat flying around next to Doug that spoke. On close inspection, the bat’s head was in the shape of skull. Clearly, it was no normal bat.

“What the hell are you!?”

“I’m the Earl’s messenger, Dobie. Well, you could say I keep watch.” Dobie’s mouth gaped open. There was a row of sharp fangs inside.

Wings flapping, Dobie bared his fangs and attacked Rabi.

“Gah!” Rabi turned away from Dobie, who had headed for his face, and somehow managed to dodge. Dobie turned easily in midair and came towards Rabi again. His mouth twisted in a sneer. “Now then, show him your power!”

A creaking noise echoed through the air. A strong tremor ran through Doug’s body. Something dark gray, resembling wings of iron, sprouted from Doug’s back. They quietly enveloped Doug’s body from behind. His arms and legs, too, became covered by something like iron. The substances had become a single suit of armor. On Doug’s head was an iron mask.

Doug thrust out his hand, and a round shield and long pike emerged from the armor.

It was as if he bore the trappings of a knight.

Cold eyes glinted from a gap in the mask. Its armaments, its clear sense of self—it was an Akuma that had evolved to Level 2.

Each time an Akuma killed someone, it grew higher in level as a weapon.

How could he become an Akuma and kill so many people in the mere space of a week!? Knowing it was useless, Rabi couldn’t help screaming, “What happened, Doug!?”

He couldn’t believe it. Rabi had defeated the Akuma, and they were supposed to have completed the mission without any lose ends. Why, then, had Doug become an Akuma? If Doug was its skin, that meant Doug had called back someone who’d died.

Why would someone in the Black Order, who ought to know full well its futility and frightfulness, do such a thing!?

“He went to the Statue of the Dawn Goddess, this one did!” Dobie said, laughing. “That little girl died, and, clutching at straws, he tried to cause a miracle!”

“Wha…”

Not letting the opening left by the shocked Rabi pass, the knight thrust his spear.

“Gah!” Pushing off from the balcony floor, Rabi leapt far out of the way. “Are you talking about Colette!? Did Colette die!? Why!?”

“That foolish son of the man who’d turned into an Akuma suspected her of stealing the diamond pendant. The foolish son strangled her to death with an excess of force!” said Dobie as it fidgeted its flapping wings.

The diamond that Rabi had smashed along with the Akuma.

“There is no God—no need for one. No need—none,” came a muffled voice. The knight approached with a heavy clunking sound. A despairing voice that sounded like a curse could be heard from the iron mask.

Dobie regarded the knight with enjoyment. “Heheh…the winds of despair are blowing through the world. We will make this rotten world anew.”

“Destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy—destroy—” from the slot in the iron mask, two brilliantly glowing eyes held Rabi.

Colette—the ill-fortuned girl who had finally opened her heart to Doug. Killed for an unfounded crime, then dragged back into this world, the girl’s soul must have been torn to pieces.

How painful it must have been when she was killed. When she was called to heaven at long last, she was called back and turned into and Akuma—how she must have suffered.

Colette’s soul had been broken, then bound by chains. Words would no longer reach her.

Rabi gazed at the hatred-filled eyes of the Akuma with unbearable emotion.

“You so-called apostles of God who were so crafty at first—I’ll slaughter you all! Go!”

As if triggered by Dobie’s voice, the knight began to shout. “Die die die die die—!!”

A knight boiling with hatred and brimming with the urge to kill.

Doug, you never wanted this tragedy.

You idiot. I never even trusted my heart to you. But you trusted me so much.

Idiot. What an idiot, to die so soon.

The events that unfolded after he’d returned to the Black Order surfaced in the back of Rabi’s mind. Doug, hurrying to Colette with a white ribbon in his hand. His heart was surely leaping as he imagined Colette’s overjoyed face.

But what he’d seen was Colette lying on her side, no longer breathing. What had Doug thought when he lifted her small corpse and set out towards the forest, clinging to a ray of hope?

There is no God—that’s what he must have thought.

Doug must have cried out in front of the Statue of the Dawn Goddess. Cried out Colette’s name countless times, feeling as if he were coughing up blood. Betting on a one-in-a-thousand chance.

Doug had been a boy who approached everything earnestly, kindly, clumsily. At times he was so compassionate it verged on weakness.

“Idiot…you’re really an idiot.” Rabi silently closed his eye. “The statue of the Dawn Goddess was a rumor spread by the Earl to take advantage of the feelings of people who’d lost their loved ones, wasn’t it.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a trap to draw out foolish humans!” Dobie said proudly, drifting now to the right, now to the left.

That’s right, Serge had said the fortune-teller had a bat with him. And there had been a lot of bats flying around in the forest. The Earl’s servant Dobie must have been among them.

Rabi slowly opened his eye. I will defeat him. And Doug and Colette, who have become an Akuma, too.

An aura that burned like flame rose from Rabi’s body. The sight of him was enough to make one’s will falter, enough to make a chill run down the spines of his enemies.

However, speaking triumphantly, Dobie didn’t notice. “He’s killed so many people in merely the space of a week, and is now superb Level 2 Akuma. Look, his—”

“Shut up.”

Dobie noticed Rabi’s rage-filled eye, like a crimson flame, too late. Rabi’s hammer flickered—Dobie’s body burst open and went flying. Rabi spun his mallet once and hefted it again.

There was a heavy metallic sound as the knight hefted his pike. The sinister weapon that had taken the lives of countless Order members was pointed straight at Rabi.

This isn’t Doug. It’s an Akuma, Rabi told himself. And I’m an Exorcist. One who defeats Akuma. “Big hammer, small hammer, grow-grow-grow!” He activated his Innocence, and his hammer grew huge in the space of an instant.

Hammer in hand, Rabi faced the knight. “Hah!”

Rabi swung his hammer in a wide arc, but the knight blocked the attack with his shield. He swung the shield around.

Sent flying along wit the shield, Rabi somersaulted in midair and somehow managed to land.

“How about this!” Rabi faced the head of the hammer downward and held onto the hilt. “Extend, extend!” The hilt lengthened, and Rabi renewed his grip on the hammer.

“Take this!” Rabi attacked the knight by smashing him from above—or tried to. However, the hammer embedded itself into the wall.

The knight dodged it by a hair. Level 2 Akuma were more than just show. They were not only heavily equipped, but sharp-witted.

“Damn!”

The knight raised his pike and charged at Rabi.

In the knight, Rabi saw Doug.

He collided with me head-on, telling me to truly look at him when I spoke to him.

When Rabi came back to himself with a start, the knight was right in front of him.

I can’t dodge! Taking a fierce blow, Rabi went flying.

He impacted the wall and hit the floor. “Ugh…”

A sharp pain shot through his back, but Rabi managed to breathe out. He was assaulted by a pain that felt like he was vomiting up all his innards.

He’d somehow managed to guard himself from the head of the pike, but he’d taken the attack’s fearsome power head-on.

Standing up shakily, Rabi saw the Bookman, who had approached him at some point. The Bookman did not come running up to Rabi, just fixed him with a cold gaze.

“Who are you?”

I am the Bookman’s successor. Belonging nowhere, my heart unmoved…

The knight came for Rabi once more.

“Come on!” Rabi gripped his hammer and ran towards the knight. There was a sharp clang as the pike and hammer crossed. Neither the knight nor Rabi retreated a single step, and the grueling test of strength began.

The usual voice echoed in the back of Rabi’s head.

“What are Akuma?”

Akuma are malevolent weapons created by the Earl.”

The knight’s strength gradually increased. Rabi gritted his teeth.

“What are Exorcists?”

Those who prevent the evil aspirations of the Millennium Earl, who is trying to destroy the world. Those who use Innocence to defeat Akuma.

Rabi could see the two eyes shining blue from the gap in the iron mask. Eyes the same blue as Doug’s—

I will ask you this once. Who are you?

I am the Bookman’s successor! That’s why I don’t become attached to others. I don’t care about Doug! It doesn’t bother me! Forget it! Forget it!

I’m an Exorcist too. Defeating the Akuma in front of me is my work! That isn’t Doug! This has nothing to do with Doug!!

“Uwaaaaaagh!!” Breaking the impasse, Rabi swung his hammer, the knight his pike. The instant Rabi felt his hammer hit, a sharp pain ran through his cheek. Rabi had just barely dodged the pike’s attack. Any slower and the flesh of his cheek would have been sliced off.

I feel something wet on my cheek. Guess I’m bleeding. But it’s just a scratch. Nothing serious. Rabi strengthened his grip on the hammer.

Rabi hadn’t realized. The wetness on his cheek wasn’t blood, it was tears.

The Bookman merely watched silently over Rabi.

Rabi stretched his hand holding the hammer up, as if trying to reach the heavens. “I’ll settle this!”

Around the hammer raised high, a shape like a round seal surfaced and began to spin around the hammer. Inside the seals were the signs for Fire, Water, and other elements.

Rabi’s memories of his times with Doug crossed his mind.

Doug when I first met him. The way he saw through my false smile and gave me a cold glance.

Doug when we fought together. He went running off all by himself, drawing away an Akuma in order to save a companion in danger. I can still remember it clearly. How I ran into a crumbling building to save him. Doug’s look of surprise when I found him—and how it changed to a look filled with trust.

And Doug when I met him a year later. Doug, who looked straight at me. Doug, who worried about Colette. Doug, who ran up and hugged me.

The memories became a flood, and they began to whirl through Rabi’s mind. He wanted to scream until his throat burst.

Rabi trembled violently. Doug! He concentrated all of his will on shutting away his memories of Doug.

Rabi planted his feet firmly and cried loudly, “Innocence, second release—seal!” He hit one of the seals, Fire, that spun around his hammer. “Fire Stamp!” The sign for fire appeared on the side of Rabi’s hammer.

Rabi leapt high and brought the hammer down as hard as he could on the floor. A Fire Seal ten meters in diameter appeared there and began to glow.

“Raging Flames—Fire Seal.” The moment Rabi quietly recited this, an enormous pillar of flame roared upwards from the knight’s feet.

The raging pillar of flame enveloped the knight’s body in an instant. The flame became a snake that swallowed up the knight, making it tremble violently, and burnt it to ash.

Doug and Colette’s tragedy became dust.

The instant the Akuma vanished, Rabi thought he saw Colette’s face for a moment.

Rabi quietly closed his eye. He was shaking—a deep weariness oppressed him, and he knelt on the floor. Each time he breathed, an awful pain assaulted him. He could only moan at the wounds deep in his body—no, in his heart.

Clenching his fists and suppressing the pain, Rabi noticed that a white ribbon lay at his feet. Rabi silently picked it up.

It was a lace ribbon as light as down. It was like a symbol of the ephemeral life of the girl who was supposed to have received it. And the life of the one who would have given it to her.

An eleven-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old boy had been lost forever. Neither of them would ever smile at him again. He couldn’t even meet them—

Rabi somehow managed to swallow down the hot, bitter lump that rose like bile from the bottom of his heart.

“Rabi.” The Bookman silently approached.

“What.”

“Well done.”

Rabi silently nodded at his master’s words of praise. In the corner of his eye, a track left by tears remained.

***

The next morning, Rabi sat on the bed, blankly waiting for the Bookman’s return. Komui had called the Bookman to his office.

Some period of time must have passed. There was a knock, and Komui and the Bookman entered the room.

“Thank you for your work yesterday. Thanks to you, we escaped with few casualties.”

“Yeah…” Although he nodded at Komui’s words, Rabi did not smile.

Komui noticed that Rabi was holding a white ribbon. “What’s that?”

“Oh.” Rabi looked like he’d noticed the ribbon for the first time. “It’s…one of Doug’s things.” He smiled faintly. It was a smile to rend the heart of anyone who saw it. “I’m going to go place it on the grave of the one who should have it.”

“I see.” Komui quietly dropped his gaze. “Doug was an excellent Finder. What happened was unfortunate, truly.”

“Can’t be helped. This is war.”

Komui widened his eyes in surprise for a moment at Rabi’s seemingly detached words. “I apologize for asking when you’re so worn out, but I want you to go along on the next job.”

“Where to this time?”

“The Rewinding Town in Germany.”

“All right.” I don’t care where we’re going. I’m the Bookman’s successor, after all.

At his side, the Bookman was watching him with piercing eyes.

Don’t become emotionally involved with others any more than necessary, don’t interfere—

We are the observers of history.

That is the law which is the fate of those who will become Bookman.

That’s what his eyes told Rabi.

Rabi averted his eyes from the Bookman’s.

***

Combing a hand through his flame-like red hair, the boy closed his eye not covered by an eyepatch.

In an instant, the darkness arrived.

In the pitch-black, lightless world, a grave voice asked:

“Who are you?”

The one who will succeed the Bookman.

“Who is the Bookman?”

The Bookman walks through the world, pursuing history.

“What must a Bookman be like?”

Like a gust of wind. The wind doesn’t stay in one place. It feels nothing for the places it’s passed through. It just keeps wandering—

“I will ask you this once. Who are you?”

I am the Bookman’s successor. My current name—

—Rabi.

THE END