Chapter 3 (2/2)

Mary's voice turns despondent again

I let out a sigh as I put the conversation back on track

”So e talking about again?”

'Uua'

”Co that one all the way through yet Tell me a bit of what happens next”

'E-eeh!?'

Mary's reaction was strange

Did I really say so so peculiar?

”What's with that? I' Just a little, could you givelike the next episode preview of an aniet killed in Kill Bill[2]”

'… T-to tell you the truth, I haven't finished reading it'

”Oh? You've only read up to the part ere talking about before?”

'That's right Well nohat a coincidence The world is filled with strange happenings'

”Oy, so up”

'〜♪'

She friggin' started whistling What's more, she's not half bad

… Suspicious This is clearly suspicious

From that voice, that sort of voice that seems to have broken into a cold sweat, to start with, there's no doubt there's souess…!

It was there I noticed

The book I was reading was a shonen a that ended its run a while back For that very reason- naturally, a considerable bit of time has transpired since the final volume was published

Nora, you either folloeekly, or finish a volume all at once And yet, she hasn't finished the series, her reading log coincidentally placing her at the very same point as me Could it be…

I coveredmy whole body into a pose before I declared

”Mary, oh Mary! You're 'watching' aren't you…!”

'H–'

”Your next line is, 'How did you find out…!?'”

'How did you find out…!? … gasp!'

A sound effect convincing me of it played out (in my head)

A triuin my explanation

”It's sie to turn one's face away from the inner smell of a shoe on a hot summer's day… A story already completed, what's more, with all the time that's passed fro along the way To add onto that, you stopped pinpoint right where I aht!”

I thrust a finger nificently into the air

”You were there, 'reading alongsideyour special ability as Mary-san, 'Clairvoyance'! … Anything to say in your defense?”

'P-precisely…'

It's my complete victory

For a while, I raise a grand laugh, relishi+ng in my victory before I seek out the answers

”And so? Why did you do it?”

'Y-you're not angry?'

”Not particularly Can't be too different froa with a friend I' like that”

'Friend… ehehe'

”Mary?”

'Eep!? Ah, no, um I'm sorry… if I tell you the reason, will you proh?'

”I won't laugh”

On s, Mary bashfully spoke of her reasons

'I wanted more topics I could talk about with you I wanted to talk lots and lots, and…'

Around the end, her voice seemed to fade away

… How should I put it

Right, this is that… you'reme blush

”T-that so Well, I see…”

'… T-that's how it is'

Silence

… No, hear irlfriend, I don't even have any friends, you know? Under such circu witty? Of course that's not happening

And at that moment, as I wondered what I was supposed to do, I noticed a certain so

”… Hmm?”

'What's wrong?'

”No no, h I noticed You were probably reading other ht?”

'Yes, truth be told'

”And that means”

Good grief, I give a slight shrug of my shoulders

”That you were reading dir… ah, sorry You were ad pieces of art with me, weren't you”

'Heh!?'

”Mary As your flagbearer, let me offer you a piece of advice”

'W-what is it…?'

”… You don't have to lie to yourself”

I spoke with the face of the Buddha and nodded

I see Well, she's at that age

Fro!' and, 'I-Ithose sorts of things,' but that's none of my business

”Mary, it's not anything to be embarrassed about”

'You're the e one!''

”What are you talking about, Mary? In order to take in the energy of nature, I' clairvoyance to read a, then natural as it side it Ahh, how troubleso toms are such a bother”

'D-don't tell such blatant lies! You're alearing clothes! Even now! Is loweringh the mud!?'

”Oy, oy, you don't have to play it off so desperately It's alright, you just have to show your true self”

'And I' you…!'

For a while that followed, Mary wouldn't talk to me

[1] Ary From Baoh: The Visitor by Hirohiko Araki It's the tale of a teenager kidnapped and turned into the bioweapon Baoh In this form, he can only say Barubaru Baoh has a laser cannon

[2] The original text here is 'On the level of Jounouchi (Joey Wheeler) does not die', referencing a Duel Monsters episode titled 'Joey Dies' (Episode 128) He's asking for so that's not really a spoiler, because of course, as a main character, Joey does not die The japanese name was not kept in the 4Kids dub because, you know, people don't die when they fall off buildings or explode They just go to that shadowy spooky place On a side note, Bill gets killed in Kill Bill II