Chapter 82: The Real and Fake Wave, the Death of Chelsea
In a hidden alley somewhere in the Imperial Capital.
"So, they were captured by Syura?" Kobayashi asked, leaning against the corner of the wall, speaking to the blonde lioness beside him.
Leone gritted her teeth and said angrily, "Most likely."
Hearing this, Kobayashi sighed. "I already told you his Teigu's ability. To still be so careless... you're giving me a real headache."
Not only that. In the beginning, they had agreed he would only help take out Champ. In the end, because of their flawed plan, it was he and his group who had helped eliminate most of Wild Hunt.
"I'm already starting to consider whether to continue this cooperation."
"...Sorry."
Leone lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
"And so, your purpose in finding me is to confirm whether those two were captured?" he asked again.
"That's right," Leone nodded.
Her next sentence made Kobayashi's brow furrow tightly. "And Chelsea. She's also vanished."
Originally, Night Raid had sent people to deal with the rest of Wild Hunt—namely Leone, Chelsea, and Mine. But when they saw Kobayashi and Esdeath appear, they had decisively chosen to retreat. However, during the retreat, Chelsea had inexplicably disappeared.
Lubbock, Tatsumi, and Chelsea.
The disappearance of three people had made the members of Night Raid extremely worried, which was why they had come to him for help.
"...I understand. I'll help you find them," Kobayashi replied.
After the brief meeting with Leone, he returned to the Jaegers.
As soon as he got back, he saw Wave throwing a tantrum.
"Why didn't you call me to go with you?!" Wave stood up, slamming his hands on the table as he questioned Run and Kurome. "Aren't we companions?! To hide things from me like this..."
Run lowered his head slightly. "I'm sorry. I just felt that you weren't suited for that kind of thing, Wave."
He was genuinely thinking of Wave's well-being, not wanting the simple-hearted boy to get involved in his personal grudge.
"You wouldn't have been any help anyway."
Kurome's words were more direct and quite hurtful.
Wave, however, placed his hands on her small shoulders and said with great solemnity, "But I care about you, Kurome! I care about you, don't you understand?"
He said it twice.
"...Eh?"
Kurome's hand, which was holding a cookie, paused.
His direct words had shaken her, and a clear blush appeared on her cheeks.
But Wave continued to press on.
He went all out. "I thought I had already gained your trust! Why didn't you rely on me at a time like this? Aren't we companions?"
For Kurome, who had an extremely twisted and strong sense of bond, this sentence was a finishing blow.
"I-I'm sorry."
Even she chose to back down.
Wave said to the two of them, "We're companions, aren't we? So I hope you'll rely on me more in the future. Even though I'm still not very mature, I'll do my best to help."
Clap, clap, clap—
Kobayashi couldn't help but applaud.
"Kobayashi..."
"Well said, Wave!"
The words he had just spoken were very inspiring and would also heighten the sense of camaraderie among the Jaegers. It was a good thing for them.
The atmosphere was very harmonious.
Looking at the bruised and battered Run and Kurome, Kobayashi said, "Alright, you two have just been through a big battle. You should go and rest for a bit."
The two of them were in bad shape. Fighting with the members of Wild Hunt, who were also Teigu users, was a double blow to both body and spirit that few could endure. At the very least, for Kurome, whose body was constantly tormented and controlled by drugs, and for Run, whose physical constitution was already relatively weak, they needed more time to rest and recover.
"Then I'll take Kurome back to rest."
Wave took the initiative to help, and his target was Kurome.
Kurome, looking slightly shy, did not refuse.
Kobayashi raised an eyebrow. It was quite rare for Wave to take the initiative. Furthermore, Kurome hadn't refused. Something unusual must have happened between the two of them during his absence.
"Then I'll take Run to rest."
Perfect. There was something he wanted to talk to Run about.
"Here, Kurome, I'll support you."
"...Th-thank you."
Kurome leaned gently on Wave's shoulder.
Run had a knowing, "auntie" smile on his face. "I have a feeling there's something going on between those two."
"Indeed..." Kobayashi also agreed softly.
"It feels just like you and the Captain."
"...I believe you just said something you shouldn't have."
"Hehehe, it must be your imagination."
The smile on Run's face never left. Perhaps because he had finally gotten his revenge and the pain that had been pent up in his heart had been released, he was smiling more than before, and it was no longer as reserved.
"Alright, alright, stop acting like an old mother hen. You're not that old."
"But I have seen too much of the world's fickleness."
Run let out a light sigh. "I had thought that everyone in the Jaegers was like the others, that they would harm the weak once they had power. But from what I've seen, that's not the case."
"Everyone's a good person," Kobayashi said ambiguously.
Run nodded and said with gratification, "Everyone has grown during this time. Even Wave has become more proactive."
"Yeah."
...Wait, proactive?
Kobayashi seemed to have sensed something was wrong and quickly ran towards Kurome's room.
He pushed open the door and saw Kurome leaning against the side of the bed, looking unwell, her breathing becoming rapid, in a very bad state.
And in front of her, a familiar person was lying on the ground.
—Chelsea.
At this moment, her head had already been cut off, completely separated from her body. She was dead.
Seeing this, Kobayashi was not surprised.
"As I thought."
"Kobayashi...?"
"Sorry, I'm late."
He supported Kurome, simultaneously using a skill in secret to treat her condition, allowing her to breathe steadily.
Run also arrived right after him and was clearly stunned to see Chelsea's head separated from her body.
"How did you find out, Kobayashi?"
"Because Wave doesn't have that high of an EQ. And 'she' was too proactive. 'Her' intention to make a move on Kurome was too obvious."
Wave was a simple and good young man, but it was undeniable that it was absolutely impossible for him to learn how to please a girl in such a short time.
Therefore, he must have been an imposter.
Furthermore, Kobayashi had received intel that Chelsea had disappeared midway. With a little thought, it was easy to figure out her purpose.
But where was the real Wave?
"Everyone! Where are you?!" Wave's voice came from the main hall.
What timely comedic timing. Are you a guard?! Oh, you were a guard. Never mind then.
When Wave arrived at Kurome's room and saw this scene, he was clearly startled.
Only after his explanation did everyone understand the whole process.
It turned out that Chelsea had arrived at the Jaegers' base first, disguised herself as Kurome, and used a trick to lure Wave away. Then, she had changed into Wave to carry out her assassination plan on Kurome.
Should one say she was bold and meticulous, or that she had a hole in her head? What made her so confident that she could carry out an assassination in the Jaegers' base and then expect to get away scot-free?
Could it be that her successful assassinations of Bols and Seryu had given her the illusion that she could carry the team?
"Wave, a chance to atone for your mistake with a good deed."
Kobayashi said to him, "You go and help Kurome rest. I'll clean up here."
"Ah, yes!"
Wave helped Kurome and left. It was just that this time, the two of them were not as close as before. Kurome even intentionally avoided his touch.
You've really made a mess of things, Chelsea.
But...
According to our deal, from now on, everything about you belongs to me.
(End of Chapter)