Phrases popped into my thoughts.

Copycat crime.

However solely only a few individuals had been aware of the small print of the incident. Even Asato’s followers wouldn’t know something.

How was she capable of imitate him, then?

I believed lengthy and onerous about it. I felt the urge to smoke. As my fingers moved, my gaze went right down to the ground—to the item that had fallen from the envelope.

It was lined in purple petals.

The second I picked it up, my imaginative and prescient turned purple.

My abdomen burned. My throat damage. My stomach squirmed. Rage blazed in my guts, making my fingers tremble.

A beautiful, picket brooch within the form of a small chook.

It was break up in half.

Revolting. Self-gratifying mischiefs are sickening, interval.

Do people imply nothing to her?

The brooch broke aside. I put the chips of wooden on the desk. Items resembling cookies lay scattered subsequent to the new chocolate.

Mayuzumi picked up a purple petal and glanced at me.

“Properly then, Odagiri-kun. What’s your plan?”

“I’m going. I’ve no different selection however to go. I’ve to avoid wasting Kotori-san. She may simply be imitating the fox, however she’s attempting to do the identical factor as him. The infantile recreation have to be stopped.”

I touched my stomach. I would wish her assist relying on the scenario. Uka purred in delight.

Papa, I heard her say.

“What about you, Mayu-san?” I requested.

Mayuzumi was silent. She gave me a stunned look.

Moments later, a chuckle escaped her lips. She introduced the petal she picked as much as her lips and kissed its arched tip softly.

“I’m going this time,” she stated. “I’m not going to get dragged into these foolish little video games again and again. I don’t have time for infantile video games. If another person took over writing the fox’s tales, I’ll need to learn it, even when I don’t wish to, and tear the ebook aside.”

A moist tongue slithered underneath the petal.

Carrying a bewitching smile, Mayuzumi went on, “The story resumes.”

There was a candy scent, and the odor of iron.

Purple glowed towards pale pores and skin. She licked the flower.

“After each starting, there may be solely an finish.”

Purple petals crumbled between her tooth. It smelled wealthy and thick.

And Mayuzumi ate the flower.

The place was situated within the mountains of Nago Metropolis.

From the workplace, we took the freeway west, and, utilizing the map, headed for the mountainside. A small Western-style home stood among the many timber, with an enormous greenhouse subsequent to it. I seemed on the map to verify if it was the correct place. Reminiscences from June replayed in my head.

We took a proper activate the identical street that I had taken with Higasa. We had been to a Western-style home close by. The environment of this home was much like that burned-down mansion.

It was like a haunted home, solemn and profoundly silent.

A backup location.

What if the fox had this place constructed in its place? It was very possible that he was ready right here whereas Higasa led me to his lure on the different mansion.

However how may anybody else know of its location?

The mansion stood silently underneath the dazzling blue sky. I swallowed. As I stepped ahead, I felt a poke at my again. I rotated and noticed Mayuzumi holding her parasol.

“What are you doing, Mayu-san?”

“Take an excellent have a look at the map. The map isn’t pointing to the home.”

The tip of the purple parasol moved from the mansion to the constructing subsequent to it.

Crimson shimmered behind the clear glass.

“It’s the greenhouse.”

It resembled a spider’s internet, with its black, ornamented frames and glass panels. On the opposite aspect of the glass was a cluster of purple, pulsing as if alive. Layers of thick petals jogged my memory of uncovered flesh.

It smelled thickly of iron. The kid in my stomach stirred.

The purple flowers had been born from the useless.

I led the way in which via the door. The soles of my footwear touched water.

Splash.

There was a skinny layer of water on the bottom, combined with soil and fertilizer. Purple petals flowed like little boats over the floor. The greenhouse was crammed with wealthy vegetation. Purple flowers had been densely clustered underneath fully-grown timber. Between the crops had been slim paths crammed with water.

Clank.

I heard the door being locked behind us. However we didn’t flip round.

We continued deeper contained in the constructing.

Splash, splash, splash.

It seemed like a toddler was taking part in with water. The ripples grew louder. We proceeded onward, following the sound, till we arrived at an open house. Within the small round clearing was a cabriole-legged desk and chair. Cups, saucers, a pitcher of milk, and a few tea truffles sat on the desk.

The cat was sitting there.

“You’re right here.”

She turned and smiled. A free black gown lined her physique, and her cloak hung over the chair. A cat masks hid her face.

Her lips curled up gently. She welcomed us whole-heartedly.

A pale lady was mendacity at her ft.

Her lengthy hair was fanned out within the water. Thick bandages had been wrapped round her skinny wrists, and her sheer, moist negligee was caught to her physique. Mendacity there within the water, she seemed as if she had been floating in a river.

Her determine introduced Ophelia to thoughts.

A girl who descended into insanity due to grief and drowned.

“Are you okay, Kotori-san?!”

Ignoring the cat, I scrambled to the lady and lifted her physique up. Water dripped from her hair. Her physique was skinny however heavy like a corpse. Her pores and skin was chilly.

Her eyes weren’t taking a look at me.

Gentle-brown eyes stared on the glassy sky.

Petals fell from her mouth. Torn purple flowers whirled.

Then it hit me. Her mouth was transferring quickly. Each time her jaw moved backward and forward, I noticed white tooth and the colour purple.

Her tooth clattered. She was munching on one thing together with her eyes huge open.

A chill ran down my complete physique. I put my finger in her lips and compelled her mouth open.

“Kotori-san, what did you eat?”

A clump of purple flowers fell from her higher jaw.

Liquid leaking from the flowers trickled down. The reddish-black clump seemed like flesh. There was actual flesh and blood combined in. The injuries on her tongue urged she had bitten it together with her tooth.

Kotori grinned.

There was no enjoyment of her damaged smile.

She was simply sneering.

“Please don’t ignore me, cutie,” the cat stated. “I can perceive your concern for the younger woman, however girls are jealous creatures by nature. I’d wish to have your organization.” Her voice was grating.

I gently set Kotori down. She lay on her again like a doll together with her eyes open. I stood up and turned to the cat. Her legs had been crossed, her cheek in her hand.

She grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to you guys but.”

I slammed my fist into her face.

The cat’s masks cracked, and the chair toppled. Yuri fell, holding her abdomen, and skidded throughout the water. She stopped when she hit a brick. Respiratory closely, she struggled to rise up.

I rushed towards her and grabbed her by the collar. Her lips had been bleeding, her cheeks swollen. The cat regarded me with a stunned look.

“I’m not considering speaking to you,” I stated, elevating my fist. “What did you do to the lady?”

“Oh, now this is a shock. I didn’t anticipate you to hit a lady,” Yuri replied. “Am I appropriate in assuming that it’s since you consider me as a monster and never a human being?” Her face contorted into a smile. “That makes me completely satisfied,” she muttered with real delight.

I dropped my hand and let my boiling head settle down. However I stored my maintain on her collar.

“The sport is over,” I stated. “We’ll discuss later. Let’s get out of right here.”

I began strolling. Like a cat being pulled by its proprietor, she didn’t resist as I dragged her away.

“A curse prevents the princess from leaving the glass coffin,” she out of the blue murmured.

It sounded as if she was reciting a narrative. I finished in my tracks.

I seemed over my shoulder and noticed a crooked smile on Yuri’s face.

“As soon as she steps outdoors, she’s going to cease respiratory.”

Our gazes met. I checked out Kotori.

Mendacity on the bottom, she reached out a hand, wrapping her fingers round a purple flower.

The flower snapped.

“You’re mendacity,” I stated.

“Be happy to try it out.”

Yuri and I glared at one another. Moments later, I let go of her.

Yuri rose slowly. She put a hand on her chest and bowed.

“Thanks for coming, cuties,” she stated. “Please settle for my heat welcome.”

“Odagiri-kun,” stated a transparent voice.

Mayuzumi was sitting in a chair; I didn’t even discover her transfer. Legs crossed, she munched on a chocolate cookie. There was a card on her fingertips.

The white card got here with the plate, it appeared. She flipped it up and held it to the sky.

“I see,” she stated. “So that is the sort of recreation you’re taking part in.”

Mayuzumi flicked the cardboard away. I caught it earlier than it landed on the water.

The cardboard contained a narrative. I learn the blurry textual content.

“As soon as upon a time, there was a pitiful princess.

She was trapped by flowers, ready for assist for a very long time.

Like Sleeping Magnificence, who spent 100 years asleep.

Like Rapunzel, held captive by a witch.

She made a want to the witch, and a curse befell her.

A curse that prevented her from leaving the glass coffin.

If she stepped outdoors, she would cease respiratory.

The coffin door remained closed, lined in purple flowers.

Who will break the curse?”

“What do you assume, expensive reader?” Yuri completed.

She watched us together with her fingers interlaced behind her.

Moments later, she shook her head. “Ignoring a woman hurts her emotions. I’d admire it in case you’d be a bit extra considerate. I wish to idiot round, however I don’t wish to be handled like a clown. That’s it for the foundations. Please do your finest to avoid wasting her. In any other case it wouldn’t be price it for the organizer.” She bowed as soon as extra.

Even with out her cat masks, her eyes nonetheless glowed like these of an animal. Mayuzumi turned the cardboard together with her fingertips. The picture of a cat spun spherical and spherical.

Mayuzumi stopped. “Feels like a really lax situation in comparison with what the fox gave. He gave three selections: depart, kill, or kill your self. However the situations you set are a bit totally different. What precisely are you plotting, pretending to be the fox?”

Yuri smiled. A shiny, feline smile appeared on her face.

She held her head excessive. Like an actor on stage, her voice carried sonorously.

“I need you to consider it. I’ve no cause to impose dying upon you. A bit little bit of modification is ok, no? I’m merely an imitation,” she admitted. “I’d admire it in case you may overlook a couple of flaws. In any case, I’m a novice.” She bowed once more.

Inserting her hand on her stomach, she smiled. Mayuzumi watched her with narrowed eyes.

“What are you?” Mayuzumi requested.

The cat laughed. Laughed in real happiness.

“Cats function foxes’ messengers. They’re monsters that perceive monsters.”

Her twisted smile was similar to Asato’s.