Chapter 39 – The Red-Haired Saint of the Slums – 4
“Brother! Brother! Murderer brother!”
A small hand shook my body vigorously. Her consciousness awoke before the hand even touched her body, but she was too lazy to react to it, so she let it go. Bella then jumped up on top of my chest and grabbed my cheek.
“Wake up! There are two naughty older sisters!”
…
I am very excited to hear that the operation was a success.
I should have been relieved to hear the news of success, not failure, but strangely, I was not so comfortable. I couldn’t figure out why, let alone reassurance, I was feeling insecure. What is it? The reason why I am afraid to open my eyes even though things have worked out as planned.
“Let me sleep some more, Bella.”
Then a soft voice landed in my ear. It was definitely Sera’s voice, but it contained her kindness and caringness that she had never shown. Bella felt it too, and she screamed in confusion.
“What…What is it. How did you know my name, you witch! And why did you become so kind all of a sudden! You’re not fooled by that?”
“Um…That’s a little disappointing. You don’t recognize that your voice has changed? Kate. Do you?”
“Huh? The tone is a bit familiar. Are you… A detective sister?”
“You know it too?”
“What? Really?”
“…Ugh.”
In an instant, the weight of her crush on her chest disappeared, and a light vibration echoed on her floor with her thumping sound. Apparently, Bella had jumped on Rachel and climbed on top of her.
“Ouch…It hurts. Bella.”
“Wow. Come to think of it, you’re a real detective sister? Are you in disguise?”
“I can see that.”
“Why? Why? There must be a reason!”
“Hey, Kate. Don’t just watch, take Bella off… Whoa.”
However, contrary to her wishes, the floor vibrated again with a crackling sound. Kate asked, raising her voice completely excited.
“Why, why! Could it be because that psycho witch looks prettier? Her older sister is pretty enough too!”
“Thank you. But it’s not like that. I did it because Luca-san asked me to do this.”
“Huh? The murderer’s older brother? Why did he do that? Seeing as she asked to disguise herself as her older sister, that psycho… I guess that older brother hates her older sister!”
“Stupid Bella. It’s the other way around. Right sister? I know. Actually, her sister and her brother like each other, don’t they?”
“What? Something like that…”
“It’s not like that.”
She tried to keep quiet until the uneasiness in her heart was relieved, but she got herself up because she thought there would be a useless misunderstanding. But when I opened my eyes and saw Rachel, I regretted that decision.
She almost opened her mouth and called Sera’s name. That’s how much Rachel resembles her to the point of being cruel. No, she was wearing the same look. Slit eyes like a cat. Her small but distinct features and her hair and lips as red as her personality. In addition, there were no traces of corruption on Sarah’s body, so she was in the true sense of Sarah’s appearance.
But at the same time, I also felt an inexplicable sense of incongruity. Sera has a calm demeanor and kindness that permeates her way of speaking that cannot be imitated. And while she was very much like Sera because of her warmth, which I could feel somewhere in her, at the same time, she was not like me at all. Those aspects of Rachel resembled other girls I knew rather than Sarah.
“You woke up Mr. Luca. You didn’t have a nightmare today?”
“…The operation seems to have gone well.”
“Yes. It went very well. I don’t remember a single thing, but Vanessa must have had a hard time. She fell asleep immediately after confirming that there was no problem.”
“Okay.”
“What’s wrong, Mr. Luca? Do you have any inconvenience?”
When I answered bluntly, she leaned over to me, frowning her brow. Those days. When Sera’s old self, who was only pure, approached, she unknowingly wanted to hit her back.
“No. No problem.”
“Hmm. I have a lot of problems. For the time being, this will be my voice, but I don’t think I’ll be able to adapt well. Ah, ah. I’m a saint. I’m a hero!”
“Anyway, I’ve already finished the makeup.”
“Yes. I have some tools that I carry around. Huh? Shall we decorate Luca-san with these?”
Sara… No, Rachel pulled out some tools she hadn’t seen before and she playfully shoved them at me. When I turned her head away in disgust, she smiled and came closer to me.
“Ah, don’t be like that. It’s sure to be fun.”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Oh! I had a good idea. Would you like to dress up as a girl? You’ll look better than I thought.”
“Don’t be funny. If you keep doing this, I’ll get angry.”
“You don’t know how to get angry. Don’t do that, killer brother.”
Rachel cracked a joke. But she didn’t smile at all. It wasn’t because her jokes weren’t funny.
It was just because she kept thinking of Ellie when she saw her naturally joking around.
It was only then that I felt I could understand the true nature of the discomfort I felt. Rachel’s appearance was clearly similar to Sarah’s, but her behavior and way of speaking somehow resembled Ellie’s.
What was captured in her eyes and ears was Sera’s innocent appearance. But what seeps into her heart is the inside of Ellie, whom I loved. She knows she can’t go back now, but when the images of the two girls from those days, who desperately want to go back, approached at the same time, she choked and her mind went blank.
…
It was painful. She closed her eyes tight as if she was being tortured. Then, the voice of a savior came from somewhere.
“Ah…I’m so tired. What are you doing there. Detective girl…Fuck it’s a surprise. You’re dressed up too much the same way.”
“Ah! I cursed at the nun! Sister’s cane fever!”
“Shut up.”
She literally kicked the running kids into a corner and came towards us.
“Good morning, Mr. Luca. Our saintess is still sleeping, probably more tired than I am. The operation went well, so don’t worry.”
“Okay.”
Vanessa’s body was covered in blood. From anyone’s point of view, it was closer to the traces of torture than surgery, but I nodded my head without inspiration.
“Thank you. For doing an unreasonable request.”
“No. It was fun for me too.”
“By the way, Luka-san. What are your plans? It’s been a while since I’ve dressed up, so my heart is excited right now? Can you tell me now?”
“…”
I closed her eyes again and erased the afterimage of Sera from before her eyes. And he opened her mouth heavily.
“Let’s eat and talk first. I’m getting a little hungry.”
“Yeah? Uh…Well, that’s right. It’s a big deal? Did you say all that?”
“And that word must be telling me to become a colonel.
“Wow. Leaving Luka-san alone, only me. This is sexism.”
“If you want to claim that, then the young lady should cut the archbishop’s head.”
“I will do my best.”
The two bickered and slowly moved away. After confirming that the figures of the two were moving away, I sat down with my back leaning against the wall. In fact, rather than being hungry, I needed time to calm myself down.
…
Don’t think stupid
That’s just It’s just Rachel disguised as Sarah.
“Brother Brother.”
Just as I was repeating that incantation to myself, Kate tapped me on the shoulder. She whispered to me as she smiled meaningfully.
“Brother, do you actually like detective sister?”
“No.”
When she answered with sincerity, Kate giggled and said.
“I thought so. But you know what? I think you like your older brother. If not, would you do it that way?”
The child’s voice talking about love was pure. It’s painful enough for a dirty adult like me.
“…Take no interest.”
Again, he answered with sincerity. Anyway, it was a story that had nothing to do with me now.
“Um…So what’s the plan?”
“Eat whatever’s in your mouth and talk to me, young lady.”
“Then make it delicious or not.”
“I bought it, you idiot.”
“…Anyway. What’s your plan, Mr. Luka?”
The two, who seemed to have become quite close, looked at me at the same time while giving each other a scolding. I looked at the three pupils and answered simply.
“Wait.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“Uh…How long are you waiting?”
I asked different questions, but Rachel, who had seen me longer, asked something more meaningful. I answered, putting down the bread I was holding.
“By the time you get used to your voice.”
“Uh, I’m already totally used to it.”
“I didn’t say anything, but my accent has been popping out a little since before. It seems like I need some practice.”
“So far? Uh…I see…Ah. Ah. Hello…”
Rachel tilted her head and began muttering to herself. I ignored the noise and turned my gaze to Vanessa.
“And until the Church admits that the saintess is missing. This is what Vanessa wants to find out.”
“They can do it, but the Church may never admit it. They live in a lot of secrets.”
“No matter how much they deny it, there will come a time when people will start to doubt it.
“You’re trying to figure out the atmosphere. That’s easy.”
“Wow! Are you talking spying? I want to too!”
“Me too! Me too!”
“Huh? Me too!”
“You’re ugly, so no Jake!”
“…Anyway, this. Can I talk about it in front of the kids?”
Vanessa stared at the chattering children with a look of total boredom. He was certainly noisy, but it didn’t bother me much.
“It’s okay. And sometimes you might have to ask the kids for help.”
“You can’t say things like that carelessly. Kids really listen to them straight away.”
“I’m not talking nonsense either.”
“It makes me a little scared when you say that.”
“Ah. Ah. Ah. Kheheum. Ah, by the way, Mr. Luca.”
At that time, Rachel, who had been practicing her voice for a long time next to her, opened her mouth with a more bizarre accent.
“That voice is a bit too bad. Anyway, why?”
“Ah… Heh. But if she’s going to wait until she admits that the saintess is missing, does that mean she doesn’t intend to infiltrate there?”
“I haven’t abandoned it at all, but right now it is.”
“Then how do you find Bobby?”
It was as if there was no other way than to go directly from this side. But I shook my head and denied the proposition.
“I’ll have to get them from there.”
Rachel shut her mouth and Vanessa grinned, cupping her chin in interest. Then she asked, blinking her one and only eye.
“I don’t know, but it looks like I need some supplies. Do you have anything I need?”
“There are things that are not absolutely necessary, but nice to have.
“Are you a mercenary?”
“…I like to call it service.”
The word mercenary still had an unpleasant taste when chewed. As I furrowed my eyebrows, Vanessa sighed in thought.
“Whether it’s a mercenary or a serviceman, as far as I know, there’s only one place where you can find people around here, but I don’t want to go there.”
“Where is it?”
“It’s a brothel. It’s the best place to buy people, whether you’re a prostitute or a gangster.”
Vanessa was fed up, but it sounded like a good story to me. If it’s the guys who can use it in moderation and throw it away, those villains would be better.
“Not bad.”
“Ha. I was joking. Are you serious?”
“I’m serious.”
“…Damn it. All right. If you really want to, I’ll try to get in touch.”
“Do you know them well?”
“The other side took my kids, and I killed a lot of them over there. So if I ask for something, I’ll charge a little more, maybe.”
It’s worth I didn’t have anything I had, so I was worried about what I could give. I asked her, counting her few assets on her fingers.
“What do they get?”
“Money or fucking holes.”
Instead of using the word woman, she used the expression ‘fucking hole’. Those bottom guys don’t care about anything as long as they can hit it. I hadn’t met her yet, or even heard of her in detail, but it was clear that she was a repulsive squire with a stench at every little action.
But I really liked that fact.
“I’ll take care of that and prepare for it.”
