Its a new day, 9 AM in the morning. The weather slightly cloudy as proof of last night's rain, tiny puddles could be found around the forest with drops of water diligently falling from the leaves of trees.
Narrator - Our story continues at the small inn from last night.
"...ughhhhh, my head~"
Inori's consciousness came to be as she opened her eyes.
"Oh, finally awake!"
He said with a loaf of bread in his mouth, it was that handsome fellow from last night.
"huh? Wh—why can't I move?!
Her eyes looked for her hands, they were tied with rope.
"What the?! What's happening?!"
"ehm ma'am, could you please untie me?"
Still mistaking his gender Inori asked to be released.
"oh yeah, totally forgot, I tied you up so you wouldn't do anything lewd to me"
He said dusting the bread crumbs from his hand.
"I would never do such a thing!!"
She yelled with a flustered face.
"That's what they all say"
He was about to untie her but suddenly stopped...
"for the wages of sin is death!!"
That phrase again! It came from outside the inn.
He goes outside and sees a sinner, but of which sin?
Inori shuffles to his side with her hands still tied, she also sees the sinner and yells;
"That's a sinner of addiction!!!"
"God that's loud!"
"They can easily be noticed by their wheel shaped face intercepted by their long skinny hands!"
Like a scholar Inori identified the sinner.
To give a mental image, a sinner of addiction as already explained has a wheel shaped face, supposedly representing the constant state of addiction.
It's head rolls on the floor over and over again as a testament to its sin committed.
Addiction is a never ending cycle.
"for the wages of sin is death!!!!!!!!!!!"
Vrrrr~
It's wheel-like head began rotating at a deadly speed.
It scraped the earth beneath it, resembling the tyre of a Lamborghini in motion.
Bash!!
The sinner missiled at the inn completely smashing the front wall!
"H—how did you do that?!"
Inori asked in shock! The boy had dodged the attack whilst carrying her.
"oh, c'mon! My house!"
"What's a sinner even doing this deep in the forest?!"
He yelled with annoyance.
"For the wages of sin is death!!!"
It yelled back at him.
The boy drops inori and unsheathes his sword
"When did she carry a sword?!"
She thought in astonishment, this persons speed was supernatural.
He squats then quickly launches himself at the sinner.
slice
The katana bearing fangs dug into it's flesh, cutting it's head in half.
Plop
The sinners now segmented body drops, although still twitching as blood gushed out.
"A—amazing~ as expected from a priest"
She stared at such display, the boy had moved as if built to kill.
He drops his sword then walks towards the sinners twitching corpse.
He squats down and casually begins eating it.
"....AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!???!!?????????!??!!????!???"
Inori yelled with an unnatural volume!
Munch
Munch
Gulp
blurgh "Tastes like crap"
The boy said in disgust.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!???!!?????????!??!!????!???!!???!!!??!???!??!!??!!??!???!??!!???!?!?!!"
She parroted her words this time even louder!!
"why did she repeat herself?"
The boy wondered.
He finished devouring the horribly tasting sinner and stood up.
"Don't you know ordinary people can never kill a sin or sinner?"
He lectured cleaning it's blood from his mouth with a napkin.
"Are you not a priest?!"
Inori asked confused! He showed superb skill so how was he an ordinary person?
"huh? no. My names Haruki!"
He said while standing up.
"The sin of....i don't know"
An embarrassed expression grew on his face.
They both stood there after Haruki's introduction...
".... your a sin?"
Inori asked with an obvious doubting look, sins look nothing like humans, no matter what sin they embody.
"Your lying"
So she came to that conclusion.
"I'm not! I'm a sin!"
The boy yelled in protest.
"And I said your not! I don't mean to sound inappropriate ma'am, but Your beautiful! If sins looked this good then everyone would pray to be one!"
Inori stated a barrage of compliments.
"Aw, shucks"
He hid his face feeling flustered.
"Sh—shut up!"
Inori yelled also feeling flustered.
"Anyways I'm not lying, and I don't care if you believe me or not"
He carried his sword and walked to the inn.
Inori trailed behind him.
"Can you please untie me now?
She said referring to the rope binding her hands, they were becoming uncomfortable.
"oh sorry about that"
He leans in and unties her hands.
"Thank you"
"So what's your name?"
He asked Inori.
"....uhhhhh~"
She froze.
"This is bad, I can't tell her I'm Inori Jiro! Then she'd think it think I'm the Prime Minister's daughter!"
"Well she could think that it's just a coincidence in names, but I don't want to take any risks of someone thinking I'm mentally ill!"
"I'll just play the safe card and give a fake name, we'll most likely never meet again!"
Her brain calculated and came to that decision.
"is she okay?"
Haruki thought to himself, Inori had been looking like idiot for some time now.
"Okay, now i just need a fake name!"
"C'mon~ a fake name~!"
Still thinking to herself.
Narrator - Inori has never lied before, so it was quite difficult for her first time.
"uhhhhhhhhhhhh"
She said out loud to notify haruki she was still conscious.
"It's okay, take your time"
He said reassuringly.
"Inori, what about Inori, no, that's just the same thing!"
"come on! she's looking at you weird!!"
Note: Haruki is a guy.
"My name is Hori! Hori Inori!"
She finally formed her fake name!
Narrator - Seriously? THAT'S the best you could do?!
"Hori Inori... nice to meet you Hori!"
Haruki said with a smile, somehow making him even more attractive!
"She used my (fake)first name?!??!"
Hori thought in confusion, they literally just met.
"Enough about that! I just told a lie!!"
bathump
bathump
"My heart is beating so fast!"
She steals a glance at Haruki.
Her face immediately turns red.
"why is my heart racing for another girl?"
Haruki is a guy.
He notices her staring and asks what's the matter.
"huh? oh nothing, Haruki-san!"
"San? Hey aren't we the same age? you can drop the honorifics"
"Well I'm 14, and you look older than me so-
"Wait your 14?"
He asked Hori.
"Yes?"
Haruki slowly poked her breasts with a finger.
"Your lying"
"I'm not! I'm 14!"
Hori didn't mind Haruki poking her breasts because she thinks he's a girl, Hori has a very weird sense of decency.
"Your 14?!"
"Yes! Why is that so hard to believe?!"
"Your lying!!!"
"What is wrong with you?!"
She yelled in confusion.
"I'm 14! I'm confident in knowing my own age Haruki-san!"
"And I said your not! I don't mean to sound inappropriate, but Your boobs are huge! Especially for your age! Their bigger than most of my ex's!!!"
Haruki stated a barrage of... compliments?
"Aw, shucks"
She hid her face feeling flustered.
"And why are you taking that as a compliment?!"
"Your right! Father said that's 'Harassment' so your harassing me!
They kept arguing like idiots for some time before Inori, now "Hori" decided to leave.
"Good bye, Haruki-san"
She said with a red face hiding her chest, the reason for their earlier argument.
"I'm glad you're colds gone"
He said as Hori was about to leave.
Her eyes widened upon hearing correctly.
"...huh?"
She asked.
"Yeah, yesterday, you were burning up, it was raining but I rushed to a store and got some medicine"
"I also tried wiping some of your body since it looked like you hadn't showered, and don't worry I wasn't a creep about it "
He casually answered heading to his now damaged house.
"... so it wasn't a dream..."
She thought to herself, Hori had dreamt of an angel tending to her worries,it cleaned her up and gave her medication.
"Th—thank you so much! Haruki-san!"
Her knees on the ground and her head bent, she appreciated Haruki's care.
"Please is there any way I can repay you?!"
She asked raising her head.
"Don't worry about it, I wanna go somewhere so you should be on your way now"
Haruki said.
" Ah... well... good bye, thank you again!"
"Till we meet again, '14 year old' girl"
He waved Hori good bye.
15 minutes later we see Haruki walking on the road.
The time - 9:30
"...why are you following me?"
He asked Hori who was hiding behind a vending machine.
"Th—that's not true Madame! There's no one following you!"
She spoke behind the vending machine, in a husky English voice for some reason.
"Okay first of all, why the fuck did you speak English"
Haruki asked confused, and her English sounded perfect!
"J...just keep walking young lady!"
The vending machine spoke again but this time Japanese.
Haruki squatted, now facing the vending machine, he could obviously see Hori's bare feet.
".... Mr vending machine... don't you have parents?"
He asked with a soft voice.
The vending machine went quiet.
Haruki as well remained in silence, he might have asked a hurtful question.
"....okay how about this! I'm going to a hot springs close by, wanna tag along? You can freshen up there!"
He said with a warm smile.
Hori's eyes glimmered, she could finally take a bath after 7 days straight!
She immediately came out from the side of the vending machine.
Gasp!
"Hori it was you?!"
Haruki said with obvious sarcasm.
The two walked for some time, their destination a local hot springs.
"I hope I'm not being a nuisance..."
She said feeling bad having to tag along.
"It's okay, I don't mind"
He answered.
"... you dyed your hair yourself?"
Haruki asked Hori, seeing her dark blue hair.
"No,I just woke up and saw it that way"
She answered quietly, her face looking dejected remembering her first day of being missing.
"so.... you an orphan?"
Haruki asked again.
"No"
Hori answered.
"That means you ran away?"
"I'd never run away from my home!"
She answered gripping her robe, slight tears escaping her eyes.
".... I'm sorry, I'll stop prying"
And with that, they walked silently to the hot springs.
"We're here!"
Haruki yelled.
"Matsumoto springs"
Hori read the sign out loud.
The hot springs appeared to be nothing unfamiliar, a little small tho, seeing as it was for the locals.
They two head inside, opening the front door.
They walk towards the attendant sitting adjacent the entrance on a chair.
He had a name tag on the casual clothes he wore, 'Amane Matsumoto'
Hori read the tag and acknowledged that his family owned this place.
"Hello there, what option will you be trying out today.
He spoke politely looking at Hori.
"Amane how's it going?!!
Haruki yelled like a delinquent.
"She used his first name, they must be close"
Hori thought to herself.
" ... how can I help you young lady?"
He asked Hori again, completely ignoring Haruki.
"oh, please attend to Haruki-san first"
Hori insisted.
"yeah, didn't you hear her-
"Shut up!! Shut the fuck up!! You haven't even paid your last fee for the sauna treatment!! How the hell do you think I'm gonna answer you, ya fucking debtor!!
The once quiet attendant bursted with anger! Towards Haruki of course.
"That was harsh!!"
Hori thought to herself in shock.
"c'mon~ your gonna embarrass me like that?"
Haruki said.
"Oh, Haruki-san seems to be owing some money... In that case..."
" ...ehm Haruki-san, if it's troubling you for the fee I best be on my way"
Hori said respectfully.
"What a polite girl! what the heck are you doing with this low wrench?
"Anyways, you look pretty rough, how about I throw in a free trial for you"
"Oh, no need for such a thing, it would be unfair if I got special treatment and Haruki-san didn't"
"awwwn, such a sweet little thing"
"But I don't care about him, just get going"
Matsumoto said shooing Hori.
"....him?"
Her lips muttered.
"huh? you mean haru?"
Matsumoto asked.
Hori quickly runs towards Haruki and examines his face.
"your a male?!"
She was shocked!
" ... really?"
Matsumoto added.
"Oh yeah I noticed you calling me ma'am, I thought you were doing it on purpose or something"
Haruki said.
"How are you a boy?! Your so pretty!!"
Hori said not feeling the slightest bit of embarrassment, Haruki was truly beautiful.
"W—well...th... thanks"
He said, playing with his bangs.
"He can get embarrassed?!"
Matsumoto thought to himself seeing Haruki's reaction.
"Your definitely the prettiest boy I've met!!"
Hori's compliments didn't waver.
She kept staring at Haruki as if seeing an alien.
Haruki covers his face to hide his embarrassment.
Matsumoto let out a happy sigh.
"Haru, I'll forget the debt for now only because of that homeless girl"
"Thanks buddy!"
"Your still paying your debt!"
"welp I guess I'll go to the male sauna"
And so he did.
"Excuse me, Matsumoto-san is there a shower here? I would love to have one before entering the sauna"
"Yes, there's one on the left, the sauna and bathroom are lined together"
Hori finally took a shower, the soothing feel of soap lathering on her skin, her long dark blue hair finally greeted shampoo after a while.
To close, she poured warm water on her features, letting out a satisfying sound.
Hori grabbed a towel and tied around her developed figure, she headed to the female sauna.
"haaaah this is nice~"
She exclaimed, feeling warmth for the first time in a while.
"I'll have to thank haruki san for bringing me here,I knew it was worth stalking...him"
"How is haruki a boy?!"
Hori was still in doubt.
Narrator - To be honest, not every one invites a total stranger to a hot spring.
"I guess that's true..."
Narrator - .... this obviously isn't possible but....you can't hear me can you?
"I can hear you loud and clear ma'am, you've been talking for quite some time"
Narrator - Your lying.
"I would never tell a lie! I mean I lied to Haruki-san but I don't intend on doing so again!"
Narrator - So you can hear me?!
"Yes....at first i ignored you, perhaps clinging on to my last hope of this being a dream... I'm sorry for that"
Narrator - Wait, you don't have to apologize for anything, your even meant to ignore me if you can hear me! That's my purpose! I'm a narrator!
"Ahhh nice to meet you Narrator!"
Narrator - H—how is this possible?!
"Yo, Hori!"
A voice from behind the wall.
"huh? Haruki-san?!"
Hori yelled, instinctively covering her chest.
"Yeah, I'm at this side of the wall!!"
Why was he yelling?
"Oh goodness, you startled me!"
Her mind now at ease.
"So how's the sauna?!"
"It feels very relaxing, Thank you for bringing me here"
She appreciated bowing her head, despite not seeing him.
"your welcome!"
A warmth grazed Hori's being, and it wasn't the steam from the sauna, Hori was genuinely happy.
She hadn't received any kindness from another human being since her sudden disappearance.
"Haruki-san... can I tell you something?"
What was it?! Is Hori about to open up?!
"Yeah what is it?"
He said, so Hori proceeded.
Bathump
Bathump
"The truth is... this may sound stupid but... you see, I suddenly woke up in some abandoned warehouse and I found out that I've been announced dead for some reason, so now I...I don't know what to do"
She gently wiped her tears.
Haruki was silent.
"You... probably don't believe me-
"Are your parents still alive?"
He cut Hori off.
"Yes, but only my Father"
She answered timidly.
"Then why don't you just go meet him?"
He said as if it were simple as that.
"Well... how will I put this....my father is a high ranking priest in Tokyo, and I don't know how to get to him, and... like I said, I've been announced dead.... God, just thinking about it makes me sad..."
"..... I'm still kinda confused but I think I get the gist,if your father is a high ranking priest in Tokyo and this is Fukui-
"This is Fukui?!"
Hori asked out loud.
"Yeah, Fukui prefecture, damn I guess you really were kidnapped"
"Anyways, if your father is a high ranking priest, if possible even a bishop, getting to Tokyo won't be enough to meet with him"
"Why not? And what's a bishop?"
Hori asked.
"The Bishops are basically the strongest group of priests in the entire country"
"Wooow~"
"Wow indeed, their so prominent that speaking to one in a lifetime is considered lucky"
"So your safest bet would be a 'meeting' Hori"
"A meeting?"
"You'll likely need to have significant achievements as a priest to converse with a bishop depending on their ranking"
"Once you manage to get a meeting of congratulations with a bishop; your father, you'll be able to explain that your his daughter"
"So I need to prove myself to speak with my father?"
Hori said with a sad voice, something as simple as morning greetings will now require such a challenging process.
"... I'm really sorry for your kidnapping.... how about this! I'll help you every step of the way!"
Hori's eyes glimmered but slowly returned to normal.
"I've noticed this Haruki-san and I seriously appreciate it but... why are you so kind to me?"
She asked folding her hands, her question made sense.
"First you took me in last night, treated my cold, and took me to this hot springs, now your lending me a hand in speaking with my Father"
"I am extremely grateful for your kindness... but....why?"
She faced the wall seeking answers.
"...I don't know..."
A simple answer, Haruki's hospitality towards Hori was for a reason unbeknownst to both parties.
"Man~ we gotta get out of here"
He dismissed the awkward atmosphere and stood up.
Hori decided to drop the topic and stood up as well.
"Agreed, it feels as if I am melting"
"Forgive me for asking Haruki-san but, would it be possible to work for you?"
" .... what do you mean?"
"I....can be your maid and do chores, I grew up with a lot of them at home so I'm confident in my house skills"
"So how much are we talking?"
"Oh you don't need to pay me! simply providing shelter and feeding is more than enough!"
".....so your chill with living with me? even though I'm a sin?
"when it comes to viewing people I judge them based on their actions, and I haven't witnessed you do anything immoral Haruki-san"
"So, sin or not... you've shown me kindness... and I am truly grateful for that"
Hori bowed at the female section of the sauna.
Haruki stood there in silence.
"Okay, let's get out of here, Hori"
"Understood!"
They both head to their respective changing rooms.
Unfortunately, Hori's robe was gone.
"oh no!! We're are my clothes!? Haruki-san is waiting for me!"
She runs back to the sauna wall and tries to talk to Haruki on the other side.
"Haruki-san! there seems to be a problem!"
No response.
"Haruki-san?"
"Oh no, he must have left the sauna already!"
She thought in a panic, she couldn't walk outside with a towel!
"Hori?"
"Haruki-san your here!"
"Yeah, what's the problem?"
"ehmmm...my clothes...are missing"
Her face was red.
"oh, you mean that robe. A female staff must have taken them to the laundry"
"Don't worry I'll go get some spares!"
"Thank you very much!"
She sat down and thought.
"That robe is the last thing I have of father, it is my main proof that I am his daughter!"
knock knock
"That must be Haruki-san!"
She rushes to the door still wearing her towel.
Haruki puts only his hand with a bag through.
"I bought some clothes"
He said from the other side.
"Bought?! I thought you said you were getting spares"
"It's okay, just take it"
"oh ...I can't do that-
"Just take it already!"
Hori flinched.
She stretches her hand and collects the clothes.
"Thank you very much..."
She said whilst bowing.
"Your welcome!"
"ehm...could you please excuse me?"
She wanted to change.
"oh, sorry"
He leaves the door he was standing at.
Hori quickly wears the new clothes.
It was a simple white T shirt with borne-shorts and tights, she also wore a pair of black boots. Casual clothes.
She walks steadily out of the changing room and spots Haruki paying for the hot springs fee, he had felt bad for Matsumoto giving a free trial and also decided to pay his debt.
"ooooh~ looking good!!"
"Thank you again for the clothes Haruki-san."
She said whilst bowing.
"she's really appreciative"
Haruki and Matsumoto thought to them selves.
"your welco-
Booooooom!!
The entire structure of the hot springs explodes!!
Rocks and wood flew! As well as construction materials from the structures foundation.
Tiiiiiiiiiing~
"...my ears are ringing...."
Hori thought on the floor, her left eye bleeding.
cough cough!
"Haruki-san?!"
"Matsumoto San?!!"
She called out, dust obstructing her vision.
Hori tries to stand but drip
her stomach was gouged out.
blurgh~!!!
She throws up a significant amount of blood.
"cough! I have... to find Haruki-san!"
She begins to crawl on the floor, her arms desperately dragging her bleeding body.
Hori spots figures in black running around, her vision was almost completely gone so she couldn't see them properly.
"Who is that....?"
She asked in a haze, she was about to pass out.
"There's an injured over here!!"
"Understood! were on our way!!"
Mysterious men were wandering around.
Fwoom
The man's body is engulfed in flames and he quickly burns to nothing.
"Go! Go! Go!! Carry the injured and await help from a priest!!"
One ordered and the rest followed.
"What's happening?!... narrator?!"
Hori asked crying for help.
clack clack
Footsteps could be heard, resembling glass threading the ground.
Hori spots a dark ball headed her way.
Thud
It lands next to her and slowly rolled, that was no ball.
"Oh my God..."
Matsumoto's decapitated head rested besides Hori, it was close enough to confirm the face, that was the hot springs attendant.
"Matsumoto-san!!"
She wailed in fear and disbelief.
"Narrator! what on earth is going on?!"
No response.
"Narrator?! Narrator??!"
"Ahaahahhahhahhahhahh!!!!!!!!"
A devilish cackle could be heard from afar.
"Bow down as I set your flesh ablaze!!!"
The source of the commentary, a skinny physique with dark green glass skin.
The creature had a lit Molotov as a head, it burned calmly despite all the commotion, no eyes nor ears but a mouth with sharp yellow teeths, it's only purpose to tear flesh.
"isn't sir Scott here already?!!"
A man yelled.
"is that cough a sin?!
Hori asked.
"c'mon isn't there a.... whatchuma call it?"
"ah yes, a priest!!! Ordinary humans are boring!!"
The creature complained.
"Matsumoto-san, May your soul rest in peace"
Amidst all the chaos, She covered his eyes and said a quick prayer.
"please....let Haruki-san be okay
She said whilst crawling, Hori desperately searched for him.
A shadow loomed over her
"Oh no"
She thought to herself, her hands trembling.
"Hey girlie?! You a priest?!
The monster stood above her, it was 6.2 feet tall and had a hunched back.
Hori immediately stopped crawling, staying perfectly still,as if to play dead.
Her face dared not to look at the sin,as her mind thought.
"Ahhhh, so this is a sin...."
Gulp
Hori tried to remain calm but saw tears rolling down her eyes, her body had already given up.
"It's so much more different from Haruki-san..."
"Hey... I'm talking to you!!"
It kicks her stomach and launches her out of the hot springs through the roof!
30 meters into the sky! that's 10 stories!
"...huh..... I'm in the sky?"
Hori was breath taken by the scenery. The landscape of Fukui prefecture could be seen, with notable landmarks appearing ever so closely....
".... I'm.... going.... to die..."
Clasp
A man carried Hori whilst in the air.