Vol 1 Chapter 4 (2/2)
”So, why are you asking me to help you?”
”That's because”
As Chitanda stopped her sentencemechanically, the bearded waiter withdrew my empty cup and replaced it with a new one After the waiter had left, Chitanda sipped her cup of cocoa as though re the incident with the clubroom key, and the library ed to deduce their solutions in ways beyond ination While it may be shaure out the answer to my question”
I felt
”You overestiht, which required some luck in itself”
”Then I' help from this luck of yours”
”I don't think I can help you”
The reason I didn't think I could help her was firstly, I had no obligation to assist her in such a botherso, then I would let Chitanda down, as well as feel very helpless myself This wasn't soerated way of finding out the y saver likeme
”Why does it have to be me? Surely there are others who could help you”
Chitanda's eyes widened Without knowing thebehind that, I continued, ”Wouldn't it be more efficient to rely on more people to help out? You could ask Satoshi+, Ibara, or other friends of yours”
There was no response Chitanda merely remained silent at my refusal She lowered her head and slowly muttered, ”I Oreki-san, I'm not the sort of person ould tell everyone about my past”
””
”I I've never told anyone else about this story before”
I was taken aback I see, now it makes sense
Why would Chitanda purposely call me out on a Sunday just to talk to me alone? The ansas simple, she did not want many people to know about her uncle's story Chitanda had decided to put her trust in me, a person she barely knew, and yet I had told her to ”rely on more people”
It would of course be e for many people to find out such private information Who wouldn't have their own deepest secret that they want to cherish?
I feltred, and I lowered my head
” I'm sorry”
Seeing Chitanda siven me
Silence then followed Chitanda see forappropriate to say The steam from my cup of coffee rose between us Chitanda's Vienna Cocoa had gone cold by now, as no steam came from her cup
I held h to break the aardness, Chitanda said with a gentle expression, ”I've said so unreasonable I know I've involved you in so I shouldn't, but yet, I”
””
”Oreki-san, when you ed to solve my queries you probably reminded me a lot of ed to answertoo selfish here”
”You still have three years of high school re out If you're still troubled, then I won't necessarily stand aside and not help”
Chitanda slowly shook her head
”I wish to remember what happened that day with my uncle before he dies I wish to find out before his funeral whythat he could not take back, and what it was that he told me”
”Before he dies?”
What a strange way of describing a person A dead person would already be dead, while aperson isn't exactly dead
No wait
That's right, people who have gone , are dead
”It has been seven years sinceIn case you didn't know, people who have been ally dead The Sekitani fa Persons Bureau and will be holding a funeral in due ti my uncle before then”
Chitanda sighed after inforaze outside theI followed her gaze as well, and saw only a generic street view
I took another sip of
I began to think
There is a memory that needs to be re Thistocrisis after crisis, I don't havemyself
However, for Chitanda, she would seek to recollect any otten Now that I think about it, that curiosity of hers is what's driving her to dig for her owninto her own past She was digging not just for her uncle's sake, but for herself as well And ould happen if she is not able to achieve what she had intended?
As I was thinking, a passage from my sister's letter flashed acrossbetter to do, do you?”
Indeed I a if I don't have to
In that case, it wouldn't be too strange if I were to help soht?
I placedwithinsound as it touched the table, causing Chitanda to turn her gaze away fro to catch her attention
”I will not be responsible for what you intend to do”
”?”
”That's why I won't say that I'll accept your request However, I will take your story into consideration, and if any hints should coht away That'll saveto explain too much”
” Okay”
”If that's fine with you, then I'll help you”
Chitanda quickly sat up straight, and bowed at a perfect 45 degree angle
”Thank you so ratefully in your debt”
Cause me a lot of trouble, huh?
I turned my face ahere Chitanda couldn't see and s a request from someone If Satoshi+ ever finds out, I wonder what he'll say about it He'd probably widen his eyes in surprise, and express his a vocabulary I've never heard of before, saying so like, ”But Houtarou's the sort ould turn down a request at once”
I wonder how I should explain myself to him then
I went into deep thought while being thanked many times by Chitanda I'd already finished two cups of coffee, but her cup of cocoa had already gone cold
Translator's notes and references
Jump up↑ TL Note: Modified to fit the pun