Blood Of Platinum
Chapter 39. Foreign Places in New Town. 4
It's getting late at this time. The three people who had finished dinner were still sitting for a while before Kino finally stood up and decided to go to bed first. He went to the king-size bed that the two sisters had previously slept in before the looping.
“I'm already quite tired today. Ryou and Kaito-san should sleep as well. Since the repetition happened, we haven't slept at all. Tomorrow we have to look for a pocket watch and the memory clues of Kaito-san again”
“I know. I'll catch up. You better go to bed first, Kino” Ryou answered the older brother
Kaito who was still sitting on the chair looked at his pocket watch. The clock was 08:15, meaning it was eight and fifteen minutes. Hearing what Kino said, Kaito just nodded and allowed Kino to go to sleep first.
Not long after that he stood up and took his robe. His pocket watch was put in his pocket in a robe. After which, Kaito walked towards the wardrobe and picked up the sword.
“I'll be out for a while to buy some medicine and air”
“Out again? Is Kaito-san not tired?” Kino looked worried
“No problem. We're gonna need it. Besides, you said you wanted to cook tomorrow, didn't you? Indeed, no vegetable seller is open but I can buy other equipment. It would be better if I bought some like bowls or cardboard cups and kitchen knives. We could use a frying pan hanging on the kitchen wall over there. I won't be back late at night”
“Tapi–”
Before Kino finished his talk, Ryou stood up to take his sword next to the wardrobe and approached the older brother who was still up on the bed.
“Kino, I'll accompany Kaito. You know he's as emotionally unstable as a teenager just growing up, right?. Going out alone in the middle of a crowded city was also part of his wild demeanor. But relax, I'll watch her. You can trust your cool sister this”
One more word of praise for Kaito from Ryou's mouth. A reason ‘most reasonable’ that even in fact difficult to accept common sense Kino. But since Kino was already very tired to comment, she could only faintly smile while looking at Kaito with a strange look.
“Kino, please don't trust your annoying sister that”
“.....” Kino just smiled
Kaito began to protest Ryou who took a glance at his face.
“Oi you are there, you do not want to give someone else a bad picture to your brother! You'd better look at who's having a volatile emotion. Another worldly teenager who is disrespectful!”
“Ehehe, I know you just don't want to admit it” Ryou laughed with his evil face
“Nee, you two please stop..haaah” Kino who is unable to finish her sentence sighed.
As he grew tired, Kino finally relented and let them go. He just told me to go home before it was late and take a break. The two nodded and Ryou gave his new pocket watch to the older brother so that he could find out the time if he suddenly woke up later.
“Kino, I'm sorry but to prevent unwanted things I will lock this room from the outside. No problem for you, right?”
“Iya, I understand Kaito-san. I'll go straight to sleep, too. You two be careful. Don't go home too late”
“Sleep well, my brother. We go first ya”
After closing the door, Kaito locked the room and went down the stairs with Ryou. Outside, the two of them walked towards the shopping area in the city.
“Thank you for joining me, Kaito”
“I know that. You just act like normal and don't want to make your brother worry, do you?”
“You noticed it y” Ryou smiled thinly
“Since you saw your eyes at dinner I've known that. Want to talk about the conversation this afternoon?”
“Umm” Ryou nodded
As they walked, they continued to have serious conversations. Not without reason. This remains centered on their allegations about the disappearance of pocket watches belonging to both brothers and sisters and also about the perpetrators of the theft.
“Kaito, I will make a conclusion according to what you said. You said that the little boy at the altar who hit us was the culprit, but you also said he was from a foreign place that was on a strange street from the stairs this afternoon. Is that not a coincidence?”
“Indeed feels like a coincidence. Besides, I started to accept Kino's explanation of this city. This place is still in the strange ‘world’, but not divided in two. It is possible that there are remnants of the rules that still apply”
“Please set aside the rules in this place. The problem is this change of place is too drastic and you yourself are also confused by it”
Kaito looked at Ryou's eyes and said with a sharp look in his eyes.
“We're still in serious trouble, Ryou. Prioritize your pocket watch for now. That pocket watch is as important as my memory piece. If you lose that thing now, you probably won't be able to get out of this weird ‘world’
“.....”Ryou was surprised to hear those words
“You also have not found any clue to go back to where you came from. Don't forget about it, Ryou. Not the time to care about how this weird ‘world’ works. You and your brother should focus on your initial goal”
He had almost forgotten the most important thing. A pocket watch is not just an insignificant thing. It's because of this that they're both here and thanks to that thing too they get to meet Kaito.
“You...true, Kaito. Thank you for reminding me of that.”
Kaito nodded without saying anything. After Ryou's head had cooled down, they continued the previous conversation.
“Say, you didn't mean to look for that place again did you?” Ryou asked Kaito
“You mean ‘world night’ junior's?”
“Hah? What did you say?”
“Ehem. Sorry, it's nothing”
Kaito blushed inadvertently saying something strange. Before Ryou asked again, he immediately continued his sentence.
“I intend to go to that foreign place again tomorrow morning. As I explained, the group of children asking for donations and the child bumping into you at the altar most likely came from there. We'll find out to there”
“Oi, Kaito. You didn't forget what I told you, did you? I told you I didn't want to involve Kino this time. At ‘world night’ yesterday, we all knew that he was almost dead twice. I was still very upset with the goat's head for breaking my brother's hand. They should be lucky because there is no need to be our food!” Ryou spoke with his face down
“We will not invite Kino this time as you request”
“It's impossible that we leave it alone, right? Have you thought of a plan?”
“Currently not but everything will change depending on the conditions tomorrow. I'm just gonna discuss this with you. The point is, tomorrow we'll investigate that foreign place. Even better if we don't do it separately”
“What do you mean apart?” Ryou asked with a confused face
“In there like a labyrinth. If you make a wrong turn or take the path you choose, you may get lost. So I was thinking, it would be better if we followed those kids when they were about to go home”
“So. Come to think of it, the altar officer also told me. After eight or nine in the morning they usually return home. But the officer also said it was likely they were looking elsewhere for donations. What say?”
“No problem. We'll bet on that. It's still better than not getting any leads at all”
“Yosh, it's decided. I'm handing over the plan to you. Also.you should think of the best way to keep Kino unsuspecting”
“I know. I'll think of” Kaito smiling thinly
Ryou muttered in a slow voice.
“After his pocket watch met, I will apologize to Kino while crying for leaving him alone”
Ryou muttered with a disappointed look. A smile of disappointment at herself as she did something that was arguably risky behind her brother. After all, Ryou was too scared if Kino arrived
hurt like the past. He has vowed not to repeat the same mistake three times. She had failed to protect her brother twice back then and until now the disappointment was still firmly attached.
Kaito heard the murmur though it was unclear. He understood the bond of the two brothers and answered with a serious face.
“Do not worry. I will also apologize to Kino with you”
“……!!”
Ryou who heard clearly that sentence immediately looked at Kaito with a surprised expression. After that he nodded and nodded his head.
After spending a lot of time walking while talking about important things, the two partners in crime ended up actually shopping like Kaito said to Kino earlier.
They went to buy water and some plastic cutlery including bowls and cardboard cups. After finishing, Kaito took the time to go to the weapon shop he had visited while at ‘world noon’, gun store [Magasin d'armes].
“You said you wanted to buy a kitchen knife for Kino. Is it in the gun shop selling kitchen knives?”
“Dagger like yesterday can be used to cut meat and vegetables, right?. It is more efficient than buying a kitchen knife. With a dagger, you can also use it as a weapon and self-defense”
“You...not seriously saying that, right?” ryou's face started to turn red as he held back his annoyance
Kaito spoke in a serious tone.
“Ryou, the gloves on Kino's waist are the gloves for storing dagger. Since all five of his daggers were lost in ‘world night’, he was not armed at all. Even so, he still wore that thing on his waist. I want to give it as a gift. At least, it will reduce your anxiety about the safety of your beloved brother also”
“……”
Ryou just realized that. Until now, he had not paid much attention to it. He was so focused on other things that he forgot the most important things.
‘Kino is unarmed. How can you forget that, you fool Ryou!’
Ryou goes straight ahead of Kaito who is still not moving from his place. Kaito just smiled. Before entering, Kaito took out his pocket watch and looked at the time the clock was pointing at. The hour hand goes to 07.35 which means it's been half eight nights. Kaito reinserts his watch and follows Ryou to enter the store.
******
Elsewhere, in an old building in an isolated spot in the city that night.
Theo, Stelani and Fabil finally arrived at the place called home by them. Breathing heavily and having difficulty standing up, they try to brace themselves before entering and meeting other children.
“Haah..haaa..haaa...uhuk....uhuk....” Stelani tries to catch her breath until coughing.
“You...no...what-what, Stelani?”
“I'm good. Thank... thanks for asking, Fabil”
“……”
Theo who had managed to catch his breath stood up straight while calling out to them.
“Fabil, Stelani..ayo in. They've been waiting for the bread and water we brought. Everything we've heard, no one's talking about it. We can discuss it after others sleep”
“I understand. Come, Stelani” Fabil called Stelani who just managed to catch her breath
“Um” Stelani nodded and walked following the two of them
The three pale and tense faces could not be hidden but as much as possible they behaved normally as if nothing had happened. As soon as they climbed the stairs and got to the room, they were greeted with happy smiles from the children who were already waiting for them.
“They're home. Hooray, dinner!”
“Theo, Stelani, Fabil welcome!”
“Stelani-neechan, I've been waiting”
A little boy ran over and hugged Stelani who was still carrying a shopping bag.
“Sorry to have made a wait, Michaela. Bread and water for all of us have come. Eat a lot so you don't get cold” Stelani smiles at him
Theo and Fabil distributed bread to the children. The amount of bread Theo bought was more than the number of children available, allowing them to eat a little more than this morning. With water to drink, the thirst they endure eventually disappears. All the children ate very well. The scenery and situation managed to make the mood of Stelani and Fabil improve. Not with Theo.
‘The sword man without the sword sheath.I'm sure it was the man who was with the good brother. If that's true, is big brother a bad guy? No, that's impossible!! Don't be stupid, Theo!! The only bad thing is the gorilla! Why is the gorilla looking for him? Why would he want to get that man alive or dead? The two people who were killed in the gorilla's room also died because they could not find it.’.
The other children ate voraciously while Theo was seen looking at the bread in his hand. His mind seemed empty until a little boy named Michaela asked Theo.
“Theo-niichan, why not eat it? What is Theo-niichan stomach pain?”
“A–apa?” Theo was immediately startled and looked at the child's innocent face. He instantly replied “I'm fine” with a forced smile
After that Theo ate his bread. Stelani and Fabil did not want to arouse any other suspicions and chose to remain silent even though their faces still looked slightly pale.
Theo's mind is not finished. He still has a lot of questions about the good brother's relationship with the person Justin is looking for.
‘Did anything happen between the swordless man and the gorilla Justin? If that's true it means that good brother is also in trouble. Me...’
Theo may be getting curious but there's not much he can do. The first reason, he did not even know the name of the good brother who gave him the bread. More precisely he felt that he would not meet that kind brother again. The second reason, he had already seen for himself how cruel Justin was. If you interfere without knowing the main problem, it could be he who will be affected by the problem. The third reason, he should not get into trouble or all his friends would get dragged into it.
‘But I can't harm them all’
It would be better if the other person remained someone else, that was what Theo had in mind. The brother who gave him the bread was indeed very good for Theo. However, since they were only strangers and Theo himself admitted the bad things he did this morning made him decide to stop thinking about things that were not his business.
‘I have to stop thinking about it. Forget everything. Assume that everything never happened. Don't forget your hatred of that gorilla and fight for life!’
After making up his mind, Theo stopped thinking about that heavy thing and ate the bread in his hand greedily.
******
Finished with all their groceries, Kaito and Ryou decide to return. Ryou continues to look happy while holding three daggers that he just bought for his brother.
“Kino will love this!. You're right, Kaito. It's cooler than a kitchen knife!” Ryou twinkled looking at the three daggers in his hand
“I'm sure he's asleep by now. You can save it for the gift tomorrow morning”
“Of course!. I'll give this to her and I'll give an important note that this is a gift and she should not lose it”
“I tau”
“True, this is a gift. Different from the knife you gave him. As a result, the knife went missing somewhere. I'm sure the carcass is also no longer in this city because ‘both worlds’ it has vanished”
Just feeling happy for a while, Ryou's spicy mouth was already warming up again. Kaito had tried his best to be indifferent as he said inwardly.
‘You should get used to that mouth, Kaito. You still have Kino's patience as your weapon. Calm yourself now’
“Haah” Kaito sighed deeply
“You sick?” Ryou asked Kaito
“No. My mind is healthy, it's okay. Don'worry. I am the man with the most airy heart here, you take it easy”
Ryou feels there is something behind Kaito's answer but he doesn't really care.
“Alright, the most airy hearted master here. It's up to you”
Talks over. Kaito did not want to comment anymore and chose silence. Along way. Ryou really did not stop looking at those three daggers. She imagined that her brother would be very happy to accept this.
Arriving at the inn, Kaito did not forget to look at his pocket watch.
“It's nine o'clock at night. We shop longer than expected” said Kaito while re-inserting the clock
“It doesn't matter since you locked that room well. Kino also won't go anywhere”
Kaito entered the key and opened the door, then they both saw Kino who was on the bed was asleep. As if all his fatigue was gone, he slept soundly. No one could wake him up including the footsteps of the two people.
After closing and locking the door, the two placed all their groceries on wooden chairs and tables. Ryou placed the three daggers on the table. Finished taking off his sword sheath and robe, Kaito sat on the small bed and broke down.
“You'd better sleep too, Ryou. Tomorrow morning, you and I will be the busiest”
“You're right”
Ryou who also took off the sword sheath and placed his sword next to the wardrobe near Kaito's sword started walking back to the big bed and sleeping beside the older brother.
“Goodnight. Tomorrow, I will fight harder. This time, I will not fail to protect you again, Nii-san”
******