Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru - Volume 9 - Chapter 3.07

Fifteen years ago, Scarlet

“They burned the town to the west as well,” Jeanne said, taking a sip of wine.

We were in a small, simply built shack on the outskirts of town, drinking in the afternoon. There was no longer anyone here who’d criticize us for it.

The messiah had disappeared three months ago. Had he died in a ditch somewhere, or had he abandoned the town? Either way, I cared not.

“People are saying they’ll target the north next.”

“Is that so? You’re well-informed, Jeanne.”

“You’re just ignorant, Judas.”

We exchanged faint smiles. There was probably no need for us to call each other by those names now that the old man wasn’t around, but it had become a habit.

“Our town may be in danger soon, too.”

Apparently, our people’s numbers had been dwindling rapidly lately. Did that mean the allies of justice had gotten serious? The day when vampires died out completely might be drawing near.

“It seems like someone started a resistance group. Haven’t you heard rumors of the warrior Elizabeth?”

“Ah, the young vampire revolutionary.”

In some faraway land, a self-defense force had been formed to stand against the heroes who were killing us. Their young commander was a girl named Elizabeth. If she managed to bring about a true revolution, people would probably call her “Queen” someday.

“Aren’t you going to fight, Judas?” Jeanne asked, rather vaguely.

Was she asking whether I intended to join Elizabeth’s army?

“I know you’re actually stronger than anybody.”

“Do you want me to fight, Jeanne?”

“I don’t want you to die.”

That was a difficult request. Should I fight to survive, or fight and die? …In the end, didn’t our race bear that unchanging fate, two options that were really only one?

“Do you seriously think I could beat our enemy, Jeanne?”

“Mm, no. You couldn’t.”

I shot her a glare. Jeanne was smiling, her face flushed. It seemed like she was drunk.

“If you put your mind to it, I don’t think you’d lose to any weapon, and no living creature could make you submit… But you’re no match for the world itself.”

She was right about that. The world had decided that vampires should be destroyed, so we couldn’t win, no matter what we did. We were bound to lose, sooner or later.

“I know that, too, really. I understand it. That’s why I’m drinking,” she added with a smirk. Not too long ago, Jeanne had been saying that the entire world couldn’t possibly be our enemy, yet now…

“You’ll ruin your throat before your life runs out,” I joked. Not that I was trying to evade anything, mind you.

“Alcohol in moderation is actually good for you.”

“Would you call that ‘moderate’?”

“For a vampire, probably.”

If Jeanne was saying she couldn’t handle this sober, then she sounded very human indeed.

Humans got drunk on alcohol, on music, on literature, on art.

“Sometimes I get frustrated, though, and think, ‘Can’t we outfox this world somehow?’”

“Outfox it?”

“Right. Like, can’t we deceive the world?” I silently motioned for her to go on. “We were born as vampires, and the world curses us and persecutes us. We were created in the image of humans, yet we die far sooner than they do. So this time we’ll trick the world, and leave it completely speechless. What do you think? Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“A way to deceive the world… Nothing immediately comes to mind.”

“Well, every day is dull. Thinking about it is a good way to kill time.”

“Is that your dream, Jeanne? To trick the world, in the end?”

“A dream, huh? Heh-heh. I never thought I’d hear you talk about dreams, Judas.”

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

I’d been reading a novel with a similar sort of story.

It was more about ambition than dreams, really. The tale was set in a time of a revolution, during which a king reigned. In it, a boy who’d originally aspired to become a soldier attempted to succeed as a member of the clergy instead, embarking on the gamble of a lifetime.

“I’d say my dream is to drink fine wine sitting outdoors at a café under the midday sun.”

“You’ve got half of that dream right now.” She’d already emptied a bottle, just from drinking today. The sun was too bright for us, though.

“With you, of course.”

“You’ve got that as well.” I felt her head come to rest on my shoulder. For a while, we simply sat like that in silence.

“I may have gotten most of my wishes already.”

“If so, you don’t wish for much.”

“Just one more thing, then.”

“Oh? Go on.”

Jeanne leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

What she said was something completely unexpected, a wish that could only be granted in the distant future. I’d assumed Jeanne’s dream would make use of that special talent of hers—or maybe “hobby” might have been a better word for it—but apparently I’d been too hasty.

“…………”

Once again, I found myself unable to say a thing.

I couldn’t put my thoughts regarding that impossible dream of hers into words.

This was how it had always been. I was constantly searching for the right thing to say, but I never seemed to find it. Not once had I ever managed to find words I was certain were correct.

In which case…

“I’ll help that dream of yours come true.”

Jeanne stared at me, startled.

If I couldn’t think of anything to say, I’d just have to use my hands and feet.

“Why would you go that far for me, Judas?”

“I—”

Think. Why am I trying to grant her wish, to make her dream a reality?

Because I had no relatives, and she was the only person my age who’d been with me for as long as I could remember? Because she was so intelligent and sincere, so daring and noble that I wanted to leave her with something? Because I wanted these thirty years of my life as a vampire to have had some sort of meaning?

No.

“No reason. I just want to.”

As always, I had no answer. There was no need for an answer.

Words were just a concept made up by humans anyway.

“That’s just like you, Judas.”

“Live your life in a way that’s uniquely yours, Jeanne.”

The girl gently buried her face in my chest.

I simply move, and keep moving, until my very last breath.