Capítulo 46: Chapter 71&72
Chapter 71: A Meeting of Cat Lovers
The employee dormitory wasn't far from the Armed Detective Agency's office just a short ten minute walk. Soon enough, Dazai and Fukuzawa reached the slightly old two-story building.
Dazai unlocked the door, intending to announce his return, but he was stopped short by the sound of an earnest voice coming from inside.
"Oh, my loyal familiar, after all the trials, we are finally reunited."
His expression changed, and he instinctively lightened his steps, hoping to avoid disturbing her. Fukuzawa, following him, naturally adjusted his presence as well, leaving no trace of their arrival.
They exchanged a glance, silently sharing the same thought could they have stumbled upon Bandage Three's secret?
A familiar? What was she talking about?
They quietly slipped past the entrance and made their way down the hall to the living room.
The rooms weren't large, and they could clearly hear her words, so if they made too much noise, she would notice.
This was a rare opportunity to listen in, and they might gain some useful information.
"If only I'd found your trail sooner. Oh, have you lost the ability to speak?"
"Was it the prison warden's curse that did this to you?"
"Don't worry, as your master, I'll make sure you return to your true form!"
"Hmm? Are you hungry? Let me see if this modest hideout has any food."
"Oh, there's milk in the fridge. Want some?"
"There, there, you're so cute."
Dazai, curiosity piqued, leaned forward to get a look at the "familiar" in question. As his mind raced with images of various strange creatures, he prayed he wouldn't find anything bizarre lurking in his home.
Bracing himself, he peered into the living room. In the center of the tatami mat, a tiny black cat lay sprawled out, looking rather listless.
Bandage Three was kneeling beside it, her hands petting the kitten's head, a bright smile lighting up her face.
"Oh...it's just a cat."
Dazai exhaled in relief, though he couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.
He had been hoping for valuable information, but it was just another one of Bandage Three's usual eccentricities. Yet, as he looked closer, the cat seemed...familiar.
"Wait!" he exclaimed, as a realization dawned on him. "Isn't this the kitten you begged me to buy when we passed the pet store last time?"
"!"
Startled, Bandage Three clutched the little black cat to her chest, glaring at him with an indignant look. "How rude! Have you no manners, barging in without knocking?"
"This is my home! I'll come and go as I please!" Dazai shot back. "What's with this cat? Why is it in my home?"
"My familiar belongs with me; isn't that only natural?"
"Familiar? It's clearly the kitten you wanted me to buy on the next street over!"
"Y-yes, so what?" she stammered defensively.
"Also, you don't have any money, right? Did you swipe it when the clerk wasn't looking? You thief!"
"I did not! I paid fair and square!" she snapped back, offended.
"But you don't work. So, if it wasn't stolen, where did the money come from?" Dazai pressed.
"Uh..." Bandage Three averted her eyes, looking sheepish.
"You didn't lift it from someone else, did you?" he asked, his tone exasperated.
"I-I found the money! It was abandoned, I swear!"
"Oh? And where did you find it?"
"In...your wallet."
A large throbbing vein appeared on Dazai's forehead. "That's stealing!"
"Stop being so petty! Can't you be a little more generous?" she said, trying to cover her embarrassment. "I've even graciously endured staying in this rundown place with you! A little tribute is only fair."
"No, you're supposed to be paying rent! Freeloader!"
"Enough," interrupted Fukuzawa, cutting through their pointless bickering. His gaze fell upon the kitten in Bandage Three's arms. "So, this is an ordinary cat, right?"
"It's a noble creature with the blood of the dark familiars, bound to me through" Bandage Three's voice trailed off as she noticed Fukuzawa's stern expression, and her prideful tone softened. "Bound to...fight by my side..."
Whether it was Fukuzawa's imposing demeanor or the natural suppression of youthful bravado by an elder's presence, Bandage Three uncharacteristically wilted in his presence, even seeming somewhat obedient a sight Dazai could barely process.
"Yes, it's...just a regular kitten," she finally admitted, sounding a little embarrassed. "I bought it from the pet store this morning."
"Did you warm the milk for it?" Fukuzawa asked, glancing at the bowl of milk nearby.
"No, I heard cats have sensitive tongues, so I didn't want it to be too hot."
"Cold milk is rough on a kitten's stomach. They should only drink it warm; otherwise, they could get sick. In severe cases, an upset stomach could be dangerous for such a young kitten."
"Oh, I see!" Bandage Three said, looking relieved. "Thank you for telling me I wouldn't want the little guy to suffer."
"Mind if I have a look? It doesn't seem too energetic."
"Oh, sure."
Taking the kitten from her, Fukuzawa reached into his pocket and pulled out a small dried fish, offering it to the kitten.
The little black cat, which had been listlessly draped in her arms, perked up at the smell of fish, clutching it eagerly with its front paws and chomping away.
Fukuzawa's typically stoic face seemed to soften a bit as he gently straightened the fur on its head, which Bandage Three had ruffled with her incessant petting.
The kitten meowed happily, rubbing its head against Fukuzawa's calloused hand, clearly fond of him.
"Why does it like you so much?" she huffed in frustration. "I played with it for hours, and it hardly noticed me."
"Perhaps...don't play with it for hours," Fukuzawa said, eyeing her with mild exasperation. "It's just a kitten."
Watching this scene, Dazai fell into a pensive silence.
"So, President," he began, "what is the important business you mentioned?"
Chapter 72: Bandage Three's Confession
As Dazai and Fukuzawa watched the older man and the young girl discuss the topic of cat care, Dazai, with a resigned look on his face, dragged over a chair and sat down to wait.
Although Fukuzawa was typically silent and exuded a strong, oppressive presence that made him seem like someone who wouldn't get close to animals, Dazai knew better. His boss, Fukuzawa, loved cats.
It wasn't like Dazai had conducted any formal investigation to understand every facet of his boss's character, but he had noticed that Fukuzawa would always slow his pace when passing by a cat café, and whenever he spotted a stray cat on the street, he would take out the dried fish he had prepared earlier and feed it. Fukuzawa was the type to freeze up when a cat appeared in his line of sight.
In fact, there was a three color cat that lived in the Armed Detective Agency's office as a mascot. This only confirmed Fukuzawa's fondness for cats.
After waiting for a while, Dazai sighed helplessly. "Boss, weren't we supposed to be dealing with business?"
Hearing this, Fukuzawa stopped petting the cat, his hand frozen mid motion. "Ah, yes. Let's get started."
Bandage Three glanced at them, assuming they were about to begin some official business. She extended her hand, expecting her cat back.
However, Fukuzawa, seemingly ignoring her, walked over to the dining table and sat down in a chair. He placed the cat on his lap, continuing to pet it with one hand while making a "please sit" gesture toward Bandage Three with the other. "I have some very important questions for you. Can we talk?"
Bandage Three blinked, pointing to herself. "Are your questions related to me?"
Although she had been quite meek under Fukuzawa's oppressive gaze earlier, after speaking with him, she realized he was just all stern expressions and nothing more. She quickly regained her usual tone.
"Yes, they are," Fukuzawa replied with a nod.
Bandage Three settled into her chair, her posture regaining its usual grandiosity. "Then, I suppose I must accept this fate. A mere mortal like you should be grateful for my generosity."
"…." Fukuzawa was momentarily taken aback.
He turned to Dazai, quietly asking, "Dazai, can you understand what this child is saying?"
"I don't want to admit it, but yes, I do understand," Dazai said with a wry smile. "What she means is that you can go ahead and ask your questions."
"I see, I'm glad you're here as Morikida suggested," Fukuzawa said gratefully. "The way young people talk these days is getting more and more difficult to understand. Maybe I'm just getting left behind by the times."
"No, boss, it's not that bad. Very few young people speak like her. Trust me."
After their brief exchange, Fukuzawa turned back to Bandage Three. "Now, let's get back to the matter at hand."
Without any pleasantries, Fukuzawa immediately got to the point. "We've received a document from the Ability Enforcement Agency, and there are several questions that we need you to answer."
"Go ahead, ask," she replied, her tone casual.
"Why, as a Nightmare's clone, did you betray Nightmare?"
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Bandage Three was caught off guard by Fukuzawa's blunt question, and she started coughing violently. After several moments, once she regained her breath, she started to hit the table urgently, responding loudly, "What? Nightmare clone? I don't know anything about that!"
Dazai couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Stop pretending. Our agency's great detective has already deduced your connection to Nightmare."
With that, Dazai explained exactly how Edogawa Ranpo had pieced together the theory.
After hearing Ranpo's reasoning, Bandage Three found herself speechless, unable to refute the detective's evidence. She could only remain silent, resigned to the truth.
"Don't worry," Dazai reassured her, "We have no ill intentions. If we did, it wouldn't just be the two of us here."
"We just want to confirm a few things things that only a Nightmare clone would know," Fukuzawa added.
"We understand that you've hidden your identity for self preservation, but we're not your enemies."
"If you answer our questions, you can stay with the Armed Detective Agency," Fukuzawa continued.
Bandage Three hesitated for a long time, looking like she was going to say something, but she eventually asked, "Where did you get this information?"
"From the Ability Enforcement Agency."
"Where did the Ability Enforcement Agency get it from?"
"From a girl named Tokisaki Kurumi."
At the mention of this name, Bandage Three's face revealed an expression of surprise. "Tokisaki Kurumi… Could it be that aside from me…"
"What else?" Dazai asked, intrigued.
"Other clones who betrayed Nightmare," Bandage Three sighed, finally admitting her true identity.
"Indeed, that girl, Tokisaki Kurumi, is a clone of Nightmare too..."
Dazai muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing. "Ranpo's deduction was correct."
Now that Bandage Three had confirmed it, Ranpo's theory became even more reliable. Bandage Three, who lived in the detective agency, and Tokisaki Kurumi, who had connections with the Enforcement Agency, were both clones who had betrayed Nightmare.
"By the way, is 'Tokisaki Kurumi' a fake name?"
"Not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"Nightmare's real name is Tokisaki Kurumi. I think that clone, Tokisaki Kurumi, really liked her eye patch, so she named herself after it."
"Then, from now on, can we call you Tokisaki or Kurumi?"
"No, I won't take that name until I defeat that person!"
"Then what should we call you?"
"Hmm…" Bandage Three thought for a moment, then said, "You can call me Bandage Three, Tokisaki Bandage Three."
"Your naming conventions are so straightforward."
Upon hearing this, Dazai's mouth twitched. "The original seems so elegant and refined... Are you really a clone of Nightmare?"
"Hmph, I wish I had nothing to do with that evil being," Bandage Three responded coldly.
However, there was a trace of sadness in her eyes.
She clenched her fists around her skirt and murmured bitterly, "I'll never admit to being like that monster…"
Seeing the girl's despondent expression, both Fukuzawa and Dazai fell silent.
The information they had gathered from the Ability Enforcement Agency, especially concerning the events that transpired at the drug production factory a couple of weeks ago, had made them more certain of Nightmare's heartless, inhuman side. They found it even harder to believe that this girl could ever have been a part of Nightmare.
Especially Dazai, who had spent an entire week interacting with her. Although he had been emotionally drained by her antics, a sense of sympathy still arose within him.
For someone with a heart that seeks the light, the greatest despair isn't seeing justice defeated by evil.
It's becoming part of that evil.
This girl, she must be suffering immensely.
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