Flight in the Night (2)

My brain froze for a moment. No way. "How does Lisa know about this place…?" The only one who knew Ryu Harin's address was me—I'd heard it straight from her. So the answer was obvious. She'd tailed me here. But why the hell was Lisa chasing after me (aka Ryu Harin)!?

What do I do…? I glanced at the floor. There was a corpse lying in the living room. No matter how you sliced it, this looked like a situation where I'd get framed, right…? And Lisa, of all people. The "Carnival Chef" was a monster who harbored a deep disgust for murderers. Getting caught in this mess wasn't going to end well….

"Mayuri? Is my voice not coming through clearly, perhaps?"

Knock knock knock knock! Lisa started pounding on the door harder. She showed no signs of leaving anytime soon. And if she kept banging away like this, the neighbors might catch on to the situation.

Ugh. I cleared my throat and cracked the front door open just a sliver.

"Ahem… Li, Lisa, was it? This is my house—how did you get here?" I asked, doing my best to mimic Ryu Harin's speech patterns.

But Lisa just said, "I already know the Mayuri at the office isn't the real Mayuri."

Her usual smile was gone, replaced by a serious expression—not cold, but earnestly solemn as she looked at me.

"Do you remember what I told you before? That I have trouble distinguishing human faces?"

"Yeah…?"

I definitely recalled hearing something like that. Oh, right. It was before we opened the Liriri Detective Agency. Back when it was just me, Ari, and Lisa crammed into that tiny villa. When things were still awkward with Lisa.

"Even now, I can't tell human faces apart—except for yours, Mayuri. The one at the office is a fake, and you're the real Mayuri. I know it."

"…For real?"

"Yes. Even if you changed from the Mayuri I knew. Even if you lost your humanity and turned into a monster, I'd still recognize you."

"Sorry, Lisa… but I really don't want to experience turning into a monster…."

So please don't get all confident about weird stuff like that. Ha. Busted in one go. Looked like there was no fooling Lisa.

"Hey, Lisa, could you maybe head back for now…? The situation here's kinda bad…."

"Did you kill someone?"

Eek! I involuntarily stumbled back. What? Is she a shaman or something? Since when was Lisa a shaman? With skills like that, why hasn't she gone independent?

Startled, I let go of the door handle. Lisa caught the closing door with her hand.

She looked at my face. "If you did kill someone, you'll need my help even more, Mayuri. I'll assist you."

? Assist me?

"As you know, I'm an expert at cutting people. When it comes to disposing of bodies, I can confidently say I'm quite knowledgeable."

"Aren't you the one who hates murderers, Lisa?"

"Of course I do."

Creeeak— The front door swung open wider on its hinges, accompanied by the click-clack of her footsteps. Lisa stepped inside.

"But how could I ever hate you, Mayuri?"

Thud! The door shut behind her.

To the "Carnival Chef," humans were ingredients. Just as humans saw chickens, pigs, or cows that way. Lisa had viewed humans the same. That's why she respected them. It was a sensibility not much different from most people's. Humans know pigs have lives and feel some empathy through their senses, even if they accept slaughter as inevitable—they don't like unnecessary deaths.

A chef, especially, deals with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠life. Sometimes taking an ingredient's life to extend a guest's through a meal. So it was only natural for the "Carnival Chef" to despise needless killing.

But why is this…?

Mayuri stood before her. She looked like Mayuri, yet Lisa perceived her as Ryu Harin. She felt the power of "Fun Shadow Swap" anew. Still, there was no room for confusion. She'd noticed the switch between Mayuri and Ryu Harin—not just her, but Ari had too. Nao probably sensed something off. Sua might pick up on it soon, "Watson"-style. Maybe she already had. But they all seemed to tacitly play along with Mayuri. So Lisa was the only one who'd followed her here.

Mayuri, masquerading as Ryu Harin, carried a faint scent of blood. She might have even committed murder. And Lisa hated killers.

But hating Mayuri? Impossible. She couldn't explain why.

"Just so we're clear, Lisa—I didn't kill anyone…."

"Pardon?"

"Here's what happened: Ryu Harin got caught in this anomaly—"

Mayuri explained the situation step by step. Listening, Lisa felt a mix of relief and Of course. No way Mayuri would kill.

"I see."

"You believe me?"

"Of course. But are you okay, Mayuri? You're not feeling suicidal impulses because of me, are you…?"

That worried Lisa. Mayuri slowly shook her head.

"I'm fine. I was planning to call in one person anyway."

It wasn't just to reassure her. As mentioned, this anomaly varied by individual. Suicidal urges hit at different thresholds for everyone—she needed to test that line a bit. If she could bring in even one office staffer, things would be much easier. She'd been hesitating on whom to call, but now that was settled.

Better not decide on more for now, though? Mayuri wasn't afraid of the impulses. Well, a little scared, but Lisa would watch over her. No need to force a risky situation, though. They'd tackle this anomaly together first; if it got bad, she could use the "Call" function for one more later.

"What can I help with?"

"First off, we can't let anyone else spot the body. I need your help with that."

"Then why not move it to the salon or the train?"

"No good. We'd definitely get caught."

"Definitely?"

Mayuri nodded at Lisa's question. The most annoying part of this anomaly? Hiding the body forever was impossible.

The cheesiest thing in thrillers is a perfect crime. The protagonist struggles to hide their crime, enduring heart-pounding moments, gradually descending into corruption. That's the fun of thrillers. This anomaly followed that grammar—no perfect crimes allowed.

"If we try summoning the salon door, something might go wrong. Like the floor collapsing and the body dropping to the floor below…."

"Quite the tricky anomaly."

Wherever they hid it, interference was guaranteed. Or success would be temporary—some event exposing the spot was inevitable. Better to keep the body where they could see it, Mayuri said.

"Can't we carry it around somehow…? Staying put is too risky."

"Then could you find a suitable suitcase, Mayuri? I'll handle the body."

"Handle?"

"We'll have to dismember it."

Nothing else came to mind but chopping it up and stuffing it in a suitcase. Mayuri let out a soft "Ugh," but nodded, knowing there was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no alternative.

"Can't be helped…. But don't damage the body too much."

"Got it. I'll keep the cuts to a minimum."

Lisa dragged the body to the bathroom. She glared at it, drawing a kitchen knife. She didn't enjoy slicing innocent humans. Like no one deliberately steps on an earthworm while walking. If they did by accident, guilt would follow. It felt similar. A strange guilt.

No need for guilt anywhere, though. Apparently, this human hadn't existed originally. But knowing that didn't make it pleasant. The discomfort lingered. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mayuri would feel it too—and if so, Lisa wanted to share the burden.

Slice—

Lisa swung the knife. The arm detached from the torso effortlessly. Her only concern during the work: making sure Mayuri didn't peek into the bathroom. She didn't want to show it. Knew Mayuri wouldn't like it.

"By the way, Mayuri—what if we completely destroy the body?"

Having packed the neatly bundled pieces into the suitcase, Lisa asked. Mayuri was staring at her phone, checking some trading site.

"Destroy?"

"Make it unrecognizable as a body. I could turn it into food—then if someone eats it all, no one's spotting a corpse."

Not thrilled about it, but Lisa ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suggested anyway. Mayuri shook her head.

"Won't work. Dump it in the sea, someone fishes it out. Try burning it, rain starts…. The anomaly will interfere for sure."

"Then if I made it food here, a fire might break out or something."

"Probably…."

"Better not even try, then. Good thing."

"Good?"

"Truth is, I didn't want to make human flesh dishes anyway."

Mayuri asked without thinking, "Why?"

Not her words, but Lisa's expression bugged her. To the "Carnival Chef," humans were ingredients—her specialty.

"Oh, I never told you. I quit cooking human flesh after realizing something."

"Realized? What?"

"That you never ate my food, Mayuri."

Lisa said it plainly.

"So I won't be going back to being a human flesh chef."