アンデッドガール・マーダーファルス 8話

{blur2pos(320,265)fad(381,1)}The Banquet {pos(320,90)blur2fad(313,1)}Episode Eight Hey, Blue Hair. Let’s call a truce. We should deal with that pompous insurance guy first. Great idea. Do you have a plan? You get to play the decoy. I’ll set up an ambush on the second floor. The precious diamond is drenched in saliva. I must disinfect it.

Yeah, no one said you’re taking that just yet… So why does your advisory security department hate monsters so much? There are those like Fatima who do this out of a sense of justice, but it’s not like we actually enjoy dealing with you lot. It sure seems like you do to me!

I’d never touch any of you if I could help it. Oh, I knew someone like you. A real neat freak type. Total penny-pincher. Every time they went out, they’d stare at the ground, and go on about bugs, garbage, and filth. They just wouldn’t shut up. I didn’t know what to do with them.

Until one day, that person… got shat on by a bird. Did that do it? Not sure what people would think about Lupin committing murder. Don’t you worry. That won’t be enough to kill him. I know he’s here. Why can’t I hear where he is? Why? Because I’m the Phantom of the Opera.

Ever since I was sixteen, I lived at the Opera House. I built a secret home by the underground lake twenty-three floors below the surface. I learned about vocalization and acoustics. It’s impossible to defeat me in the realm of sound. That’s really not going to help you in here. My, how ill-mannered you are.

I see no reason to mind my manners with an enemy. Tachikage. Matsushima. Are those pure silver bullets? This is over. Actually, your punishment is just about to begin. What did you… What did I do? Actually, it was you. Your hand decided to kiss my lips, remember? I have a unique venom.

If you touch it, the venom makes you feel numb and hot as you fall under my spell. I love blood from girls like you. But I just had dinner a moment ago… I’ll just have to make you my dessert. Holmes! Well, that’s no good. There’s nothing magical about killing someone with a gun.

Watson, do you have any more spare bullets? I’m completely out, too. Do you have a plan? I’ll use baritsu. Let’s have a little chat, Mister Goatee. You caught my eye as well. Why do you lot want the Penultimate Night? They say it’s the key to finding werewolves. Finding werewolves? For what purpose?

Our organization is still expanding, you see. We’re looking for more recruits. More importantly… Why is the rest of you below the neck missing? It was stolen recently, you see. I’m looking for it now. Oh! Actually, we might have it… What? All magic requires something in exchange. That’s elementary, my dear Aleister.

Of course, you have the antidote. But… What just happened? It’s been a while, Professor Moriarty. I haven’t seen you since Reichenbach Falls, Holmes. Erik! What the hell are you doing here? I could ask you the same question. Fatima, how could you let a mere phantom get your arm?

I-I’m terribly sorry! Are you all right, Reynold? Your head seems to be split open. I’m perfectly fine! Let’s take care of the trash and retrieve the diamond. The diamond? Well, this has turned into an even bigger mess. Found it. Fatima! Right! Fa— Well, now… We’re going to leave now. But the diamond…

There’s no way we’re going to get it back from that monster. Let’s go! I didn’t think you were still alive. I’m personally surprised that the young lady there is still alive… even if she is an immortal monster. To think I’d run into the person I was looking for in a place like this…

Do you have history with this man, as well? He happened to run off with my body about a year ago. I just now found out that his name was Moriarty… But it all makes sense now… Including that initial belonging to a man, presumed dead, who headed up a now-extinct criminal organization.

I see. You investigated me using my cane. But you have no means of moving on your own. Unfortunately for you, I have— Two assistants. Judging from the state of that birdcage, the one who carries you is rather careless, and the other is meticulous. One of your surviving attendants, perhaps.

The one who carries you must be a rather talented hired man. Where is my body right now? Within my possession. But I’m afraid I can’t return it. It’s a very important sample, you see. So you’re the leader of the organization Aleister was talking about. Why have you come back after eight years?

Are you trying to rebuild your criminal organization? This time by collecting monsters? I figured out how to improve it. I casually took on an apprentice, but he gave me inspiration. An apprentice? A young British man with curly flaxen hair. He said that he wanted a strong body

And wanted his body to be combined with a monster’s. He also asked how one conducts a transplant surgery. A human artificially bestowed with the powers of a monster… If it could be done, their usefulness would know no bounds. So, I agreed. And who is this young man?

I’m sure you’ve all heard of him. He’s the man who pulled off the perfect crime in Whitechapel eleven years ago. You don’t mean… Jack the Ripper. Gorgeous gem, isn’t it? They say it’s artificial, though. It’s beautiful because it’s artificial. I’m the fearsome Oni Slayer. The name’s Tsugaru Shinuchi. And you are?

My current comrades call me Jack. I do hope you’ll take it easy on me! Oh? That was close. Did you use her heart? Well, it happened to be handy, so… You’ve got an interesting mind. Have I met you before? I can’t say. I’m quite the dunce, so I might have forgotten.

We had our eyes on two monsters: the oni and the Immortal. They’re both from Japan. Giving a human the powers of both the oni and the Immortal… It would create a being that possessed brains, brawn, and regenerative abilities all in one. Jack and I headed to Japan.

The oni were about to go extinct, but I was able to acquire a few of them. I gathered a group of youths—only those possessed of great physical fortitude— transplanted the oni cells I had extracted into them, and observed their progress. I highly doubt the youths you found were volunteers.

I’ll admit that most of my observations were made through iron bars. The changes were immediate. Immediately, markings appeared on the skin along their arteries, the same color as the oni they’d received their transplant from. Their hair and eye colors also changed, and their physical abilities skyrocketed.

But within a month, half of them had gone mad. They just had too much oni in them. I infused Jack with just the right amount. How could you conduct such an appalling experiment? And then, my oni hybrid was complete.

Next, I needed to acquire Japan’s one and only Immortal, even rarer than the oni. As for how that turned out… Well, I’m sure you’re already aware. Yes, painfully so. So you used my body for these surgeries as well. The composition of the Immortal’s body was fundamentally different from other creatures.

Just like the oni hybrid, her body seemed to be artificially created. Aya Rindo, did someone do something to you, as well? Yes, well… About 950 years ago. But who? A freak. An absolute freak. My hat is off to that person.

I was very eager to find out how your body worked, but I could not understand it. Still, the Immortal’s cells provided Jack’s body with powerful immunity. The unstable oni cells also settled perfectly after that. Which meant… You could add other monsters into the mix. In order to make Jack even more powerful,

I hunted down a vampire named Ezzelin von Klatka and mixed in his cells, as well. The results were magnificent! His senses and regenerative abilities became more powerful, with no accompanying vulnerabilities to silver, holy water, or sunlight. Well, now I know why you’re after the Penultimate Night.

You’ve gotten a vampire, so a werewolf is next. We’re trailblazers, creating the world’s first chimera. So you now have a human in your organization with the immunity of the Immortal, the physical strength of an oni, and the regenerative abilities of a vampire— a nigh-invincible monster! Well done, Holmes’s assistant. A very precise summary.

Your body’s very tough. I can’t cut through to the bone! Flattery will get you bloodier. Well, I do love the sight of blood! Then we’re going to get along great! Got you! My wounds aren’t healing. You really are an oni hybrid, aren’t you? Takes one to know one, I guess.

That’s strange. We confirmed that all the other test subjects were dead. No, wait… There was one test subject who escaped after surgery. So you’re Number 9. Your hair’s blue now, so I didn’t recognize you. Ah… You’re the assistant who was with the geezer. Your hair’s red now, so I didn’t recognize you.

I’m shocked. I thought you’d die right away from having too much oni in you. What are you doing in London? We’ve been chasing you lot. Chasing us? For what? Revenge? A cure? To perform, actually. We’re taking our freakshow overseas! What a frivolous mind.

It seems I was wrong. Your mind is of no use to me. There’s no point in lingering here. You’re not going to finish me off? You’re not even worth that much. I’ve got a mountain of things to do. Ow… Naughty girl. You little wench!

I was trying to be gentle and that still wasn’t enough?! You were terrible. I don’t know how many centuries you’ve been alive, but I’m used to someone who’s far more experienced than you. You really think you can win with that thing? Without a doubt. Then, this time…

I’ll have to be a little rougher! Oh, damn it all! It appears as though Jack has obtained the diamond. We’re done here, so we’ll be taking our leave. Victor, Aleister, let us go. Yes. Sure. If you’re going to rebuild your organization, we’ll just tear it down again!

Ah, I forgot to tell you our organization’s name. We are the Banquet. We look forward to seeing you again. I’m glad that you and Mister Holmes seem to be all right, Master. You’re an absolute mess. We need to stop the bleeding immediately. Where’s Shizuku? I’m right here. Lady Aya… I’ve returned.

Welcome back, Shizuku. Are you all right? I’m fwine… An aphrodisiac venom… Considering how much it’s affected you, it must’ve been quite powerful. Are you the only survivors? I heard that Reynold was also gravely injured. I received reports that Lupin and the Phantom couldn’t be found on the premises. Where could they have gone?

The waterway. That route opened up once the water level went down in the moat. By flooding the basement with the moat’s water, Lupin also managed to secure an escape route. Unbelievable. Lupin is a true phantom thief. There’s actually one more unfortunate thing I have to report…

The safe that should’ve been in the sunroom is missing. Geh! I forgot to retrieve it. Did Lupin take that, too? Looks like we’ve been utterly defeated. May I have your attention, please? Now, behold! Damn that little wench! The next time I see her… For now, let us toast.

We have won the battle for the diamond. Jack. Well done, my boy. Now, show us the Penultimate Night. What am I going to do with you? I was a pretty rotten kid. I just couldn’t keep my hands to myself. Here you go, Mister Fogg. You can have this back. Ah, thank you.

But how could such a small gem cause so much chaos? We might find the answer… If we crack the code. You mean the poem that’s engraved inside? “The dawn is red as blood. The sunset is purple as a corpse. Do not gaze upon my hideous self as the moon shines down on me,

For there is a wolf inside of me.” I’ve already cracked that code. Mister Holmes, please hold the Penultimate Night up to that arc lamp. That diamond also contains europium. That element glows red when hit with ultraviolet rays. Fangzähnewald. The Forest of Fangs. So that’s where the werewolves are.

The red-haired fellow was doing the same thing. They’re going to be a pain in the rear. That whole lot’s nothing but monsters. Well, you’re the renowned Oni Slayer, are you not? Seems like they’d be right up your alley. Welp, you’ve got me there.