Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru - Volume 4 - Chapter 1.1

Side Charlotte 

"…Haa, now there's just four of them…" 

I leaned my back on the wall in an alley, calming my frantic breathing by sitting down. 

Next to me was a young long-haired man who collapsed to the ground—one of the ?SPES? remnants . If he had seized even a little opening, I would have been the one who fell. 

"Finally done with it?" 

There's a crisp footstep behind me, and a somewhat raspy voice for a female approached. 

"But there are too many unnecessary movements." 

So she blew a puff of smoke from her cigarette as she appraised my battle. 

"Then, explain what you mean by not having too many unnecessary movements—Fuubi." 

I cupped my knees while sitting on the concrete, looking up at the red-haired superior who's looking all high and mighty. 

While Kimizuka and Nagisa went off to London, I had live combat training as per her instructions. Fuubi had been an unnecessary hindrance the entire time, and didn't seem to be teaching me for real. 

"Anyway, didn't you quit smoking?" 

"Quit smoking? Ah, I did, I did." 

So she said, but she continued to smoke like some old Japanese movie star, without a care in the world…dammit she annoys me. 

"You should have helped. Are you just going to leave your subordinate to die?" 

I stood up, confiscated her cigarette, and asked so. 

At this point, our enemies were like Bat, human beings with ?seed? who were members of ?SPES?. They were as strong as Chameleon, who was a pureform, and were likely of lower rank than Bat. They definitely weren't enemies I should let my guard down against. 

"What are you saying, Charlotte? Isn't that your job from a year ago?" 

But Fuubi said so to me with a callous look. 

…But, yes. Ever since a year ago…after Ma'am died, eliminating the remnants of ?SPES? had become my mission. After all, this was what she said about sharing the workload. 

I, who specialized in combat skills, was to fight, while the intelligent Kimizuka was to use his intellect and decisiveness to solve the issues. It was Ma'am's wish that the two of us would work together. 

"…What's with him anyway?" 

I was furious to think about how it's been a year since we lost Ma'am, and that Kimizuka had a peaceful life for a year…but it's not the time for that, so I shook my head. 

"But what's the point of pursuing those remnants? Can't we just defeat SEED directly instead?" 

Of course, Nagisa and Kimizuka were looking for that method at this moment. 

"We're eliminating any other potential vessels." 

In response to my question, Fuubi leaned against the wall, her arms crossed as she said so. 

"There's no doubt that the current situation is that Yui Saikawa is a potential vessel, but we can't deny that other humans with ?seeds? can potentially be temporary vessels for SEED. It's best to nip it off the bud." 

Having heard her words, I looked towards the ?SPES? member I just fought. This man who collapsed on the ground might become a temporary vessel for SEED. My mission was to eliminate such possibilities. 

…It's true this was a job only I could do. Kimizuka aside, Nagisa and Yui were too gentle. I should be the one doing the dirty work. 

"But if I have to say, what about Kimizuka? He too has the ?seed? within him, right?" 

Yes. He recklessly consumed Chameleon's seed at that moment and absorbed it. In that case, it's possible that Kimizuka could be a potential vessel for SEED too. 

"Haa, I guess he too wishes for you to kill him." 

Fuubi then calmly stated something that I couldn't tell if it was a joke or not. 

…But if Kimizuka really ends up chosen as the vessel, or if the ?seed? takes over his consciousness or body, and if he becomes a monster like Chameleon, at that moment, I— 

"That's what I want to say about you—Charlotte Arisaka Anderson." 

The next moment, Fuubi threw a dagger past my cheek. 

I hastily turned back, and right before me—was the man who I just defeated, stretching his ?feeler?. The flying dagger from Fuubi immediately severed it, and she went to the ?SPES? 's remnant whose name remained unknown, raised her gun, and ended him immediately. 

"Are you going to show compassion to your enemies?" 

She turned around and shot me an eagle-like glare. 

"Sever off the unnecessary kindness and abandon your naïve  feelings. Don't hold back out of pity. Kimihiko Kimizuka, Nagisa Natsunagi, and Yui Saikawa can't do that at all. That's why only you can do this. If you still want to be part of them, finish off what they can't do." 

…Yeah. Fuubi definitely wouldn't recognize me because of that prior incident. She's never going to tolerate my naivete. 

"If you wield a gun, squeeze the trigger. If you draw your sword, swing it decisively. If you start a battle, fight until the very end. You need to coldly tell yourself the difference between what you want to protect, and what you can't protect, even if it means being an enemy to the world." 

So Fuubi said, and squinted. 

"So you mean I can't protect everything?" 

"Say that when you have the power to protect everything." 

…She's right. I couldn't argue against her either. 

Her conviction was the real deal. 

She forsook cooperation, didn't trust anyone, and lived on her convictions. That's why she's the ?assassin? who basically acted alone, protecting the world from the shadows as a ?Tuner?. 

"Say, why did you decide to defeat ?SPES? ?" 

But that's the question I had. Why was it that she, who never cooperated with others, was willing to work hard for Ma'am's unfulfilled wish? 

"I'm the same as you." 

Fuubi then exhaled another puff of smoke, having stolen a cigarette from me without me knowing. 

"I couldn't kill her either." 

She exhaled and unexpectedly talked about her past. 

The one she mentioned was a certain ?famous detective?. Five years ago, I was tasked by the organization I was under to assassinate Ma'am. 

"Back then, she so happened to escape from ?SPES? 's facility, and the order was for me, the ?assassin?, to kill her." 

"Your work as a ?Tuner? ? Why did the higher-ups decide so?" 

"At that time, we learned that SEED was looking for a vessel. They probably wanted to defeat SEED indirectly by nipping off the bud early." 

…I see. So it's the same plan against Yui too? She actually intended to do that against Ma'am. 

"But she actually survived." 

Fuubi continued while she looked up at the rising smoke. 

“I pursued her to the ends of the world, and she just kept running and running, sometimes counterattacking, and then running. She gave a really infuriating smile, saying something like ‘I'm not going to die even if I'm hit by a missile until I finish my mission’." 

And then, she seemed to smile a little. 

"So after she impressively escaped the ?assassin?, it seemed they recognized her abilities and made her one of the ?Tuners?. After that, the task of defeating ?SPES? was officially passed over to the ?famous detective?." 

Fuubi reverted back to her aloof look, "She actually stole my job" and seemingly murmured unhappily on purpose. Once I heard that, I started to wonder something. 

"Did you really pursue Ma'am with all your might?" 

I wasn't as skilled five years ago, but she, renowned throughout the world as the ?assassin?, actually failed her mission this many times? 

Maybe like me, she sensed something from Ma'am, and never actually tried to kill her, instead letting her go. Once she heard my question, Fuubi said. 

"Well, I can't say that I never had a thought that—heh, she's quite an interesting woman." 

She ended the topic frivolously, unlike her usual demeanor. 

"Now then, enough chit-chat." 

Fuubi took out her portable ashtray to extinguish it. 

"I got some official business to attend to, so I'll be leaving for the time being. Continue with your work." 

I was ordered to eliminate the remnants of ?SPES?, and she turned to leave. 

"Official business, as in, the high   ups—the Federal Parliament summoned you?" 

Without a second thought, I asked Fuubi while the latter had her back turned on me. 

Maybe they're going to reprimand Fuubi for interfering with the work of the ?famous detective? in helping to hunt down ?SPES?. 

Or maybe it was the opposite. Maybe her orders as the ?assassin? was to finish up the job the ?famous detective? couldn't finish, but she couldn't kill Yui Saikawa, and had to bear responsibility for that failure. 

"Summoned? Nope, that's not it." 

Fuubi then stopped there. 

"I'm just going to have a little quarrel." 

She put her jacket on her right shoulder and said with a feisty tone.