Volume 3 Chapter 0 (1/2)

This project includes violent imagery and gruesome scenes. However, it is a necessary endeavor to protect the world.

”Kh…”

My mind was fuzzy. Where was I? The floor was oddly close by, so had I fallen over? But it didn't feel like I was lying face-down. My vision was situated low to the floor, but it was not angled at all. It was almost like I had been buried upright with just my head sticking out.

”Oh, Satori-kun. Did you come to?”

”Cla.s.s Rep?”

I responded to the girl's voice I heard from nearby. I did indeed see a familiar silhouette standing by the wall.

The air was awfully dusty, the floor and walls were damaged here and there, and the atmosphere was damp and gloomy. Some light was leaking in through a thick curtain, so it must not have been night. This place had to be like this year-round, but that was why the familiar girl's voice soothed my heart so much.

The Cla.s.s Rep was wearing her usual gla.s.ses, her headband that pushed up her long black hair and left her forehead bare, and her blazer-style school uniform. But her skirt was a little short. And since I was on the floor… Wait, you're way too close! Are you not even paying attention!! What is with this angle? I can see up your skirt…and I can even see the small ribbon on that white cloth! I-I can't believe it! Ahh! Cla.s.s Rep, ahhhh!!

”I'm glad you came to, Satori-kun. Here.”

”Don't crouch down, Cla.s.s Rep! I can see everything! And why are you placing your soft hands around my face!? No, wait! If you lift me up like that, my face will go right into your chest!!”

My adolescent mind began panicking with everything going on here, but I still managed to notice that something was wrong.

Ahn? She isn't gathering her strength to pick me up… It's like she's easily lifting up just my head like a soccer…ball…?

”C-Cla.s.s Rep, wait a second. Is it just me or am I unnaturally light? I mean, there's something wrong with my physical weight. Or…”

I trailed off.

The Cla.s.s Rep picked my head up with both hands and tilted her head curiously. I caught sight of something in her small face. Or more accurately, in the lenses of her gla.s.ses.

It should have been my face reflected there.

But, um, this was weird.

All I saw reflected there was a gigantic garlic about the size of a human head!

”Wait! What? Um, wh-wh-wh-what is this, Cla.s.s Rep?”

”Shh. Satori-kun, not so loud.”

”You're acting like I'm being unreasonable here, but I've turned into a giant garlic without a face or a body! I mean, why aren't you questioning this? Am I the only one that finds this surreal as h.e.l.l!?”

”Oh, honestly. This is…oh, no. Did she hear all the noise? This way.”

”I still haven't processed the first stage, so don't just move onto the next- mghmgh!!”

O-oh, no. The Cla.s.s Rep held me to her chest, so my mouth was sealed by those two divine mounds that were smallish but had an incredible presence, but what was going on? Did she just climb under the bed while my endorphins were pumping!?

”C-Cla.s.s Rep, on top of the bed would have been one thing, but climbing under the bed is certainly a unique choice. Well, I'm willing to try it that way if you-…”

”Shh. Be quiet. It's all over if she notices us.”

A moment later, I heard a noise.

It was a wet noise like dragging a thick cloth along the floor after soaking it in rotten water.

That blew all questions and excitement out of my mind. It was like how you might want to have a few words with a masked man who breaks into your house but your mind would go blank when he threatened you with a knife.

That was how it made me feel.

That odd sound was something I had to stay utterly focused on, just like the glinting tip of a knife.

Under the bed, the Cla.s.s Rep did not provide any further explanation. She probably couldn't. I was still contained in her soft arms and I sensed her cold sweat and erratic heartbeat more than her sweet scent.

And the sound…

That sound of a dragging wet cloth…

This was bad. It wasn't leaving. It was not moving from in front of the door. Then I heard the clattering of sc.r.a.ping metal. Was someone…messing with the doork.n.o.b? I tried to look up at the Cla.s.s Rep's face, but she said nothing and did not even return eye contact. That confirmed my fear: the door was not locked. In fact, this was someone who could not be kept out with a locked door. And a locked door would only gather their attention. That had kept her from trying to hole up in this room.

It opened. The room's door creaked open. But it did not feel like any fresh air entered the cramped room. In fact…what was this? Simply calling it sweet didn't do it justice. It was a ma.s.s of a sickly sweet aroma that seemed to make the air sticky. It was probably a rose scent or something similar, but it was so powerful it was like an a.s.sault on the senses. If I had to ride an elevator filled with the aroma, I would probably pa.s.s out and crumble to the floor before reaching my destination.

I desperately tried to gather information from the limited view I had from below the bed.

Whoever it was seemed to be barefoot. Their footsteps sounded awfully light on the floor. They may have been a girl. I couldn't tell what she looked like or what she was wearing, but I could see the long cloth that was dragging along the floor.

The way she walked suggested she did not have a set destination in mind.

She slowly walked irregularly around the small room.

I realized where the smell was coming from.

Something dripped to the floor in tune with her light pace. It was brightly colored. Seeing it felt a lot like watching the blooming of a lovely flower, but was it…blood?

I just about cried out, but the Cla.s.s Rep suppressed it by holding my garlic head tightly to herself. Meanwhile, the wandering person continued to move.

There was a great tremor.

As soon as I realized she had climbed onto the bed, the destructive shaking continued like she was having a fit of anger. This was the result of illogical, incoherent, and violent thoughts like someone jumping around and stomping their feet in frustration that things weren't going their way. It was like someone cursing and throwing a nearby flower pot against the wall after stubbing their little toe on the corner of their dresser. But this told me something, even if I had no concrete proof.

That b.e.s.t.i.a.l roar from directly above gripped my soul.

I knew we could not let her find us.

It was a stinging sort of confusion. It was how you froze in place if you were riding an elevator alone late at night and were suddenly joined by a man holding a gra.s.s-cutting sickle and muttering to himself. This was broken. It was not at all normal. The standard motives like hatred, pleasure, or profit did not matter. Once this saw you, you would be killed like a stuffed animal having its stuffing torn out and it would be for an uglier and muddier reason that could not be described with words!

As the girl raged atop the mattress and springs, I also heard what must have been a liquid dripping down due to her violent movements. The oppressive and unbelievably sweet smell grew even harsher. My garlic body did not have eyes or ears, but my vision blurred regardless. What felt like the back of my ”eyes” hurt. If I was feeling like this, the Cla.s.s Rep had to be gagging and struggling to breathe.

Blood.

Rose blood.

I had heard of potable perfumes that used a special arrangement of herbs to intentionally alter your scent since what you ate would alter your body's smell. But how could it change this much? Surely not even using an IV to directly pump your veins full of bathroom air fresher would have this much of an effect!

I shuddered and the childish tantrum on the bed ended. No, she had gotten carried away and rolled right off the bed. It made a loud thud, but I was not about to feel sorry for her. She was far too frightening for that.

And more importantly, this introduced a pressing problem.