Leaving Vivian and Hugo's warm little tussle for later—back in the Dead-End Hollow, Perlman was still hesitating. And at this point, his secretary Sarah, who'd been waiting in silence, finally started to lose patience.
"Perlman, what are you hesitating for? The train has already been delayed for a long time."
"Uh… Sarah, can you host the final train instead?"
Sarah smiled.
And inside that smile was a coldness she neither needed nor intended to hide.
"Perlman, we already told the viewers on TV that you would personally host the final run."
"The delay alone is enough to make the people waiting suspicious. You and I both know the residents of Canvas Lane haven't been evacuated—we told a lie."
"And lies don't survive being examined over time. Living people can't keep secrets forever, either. We can't be sure whether some Canvas Lane residents might seize this chance to escape the Hollow."
"How is that possible?! That place is crawling with Ethereals! And don't even mention that… 'Dead-End Butcher'!"
"…" Sarah sighed. "In any case, Perlman—I don't care what urgent matter you think you have. Right now, finish the task at hand. Don't ruin our plan."
"Otherwise, retaliation from the Praise Society is not something you can bear."
"You—!!!"
Perlman thrust out a hand, wanting to point at Sarah's head and curse her out—but she'd kicked his chair aside earlier. So no matter how hard he tried to raise his arm, his finger could only end up accusing her… squarely in the chest.
In the end, after one last unwilling glance at the messages on his phone, Perlman could only choke back tears and say he didn't have time right now—but he sincerely hoped they could set another appointment.
"Damn it… If she hadn't told the reporters I'd be going in with the last train, I might already be meeting that miracle doctor and fixing my height."
"Mr. Perlman! When do we depart?"
"Tch—now. And you lot, be smart about it. There are cameras outside. Before we enter the Hollow, don't show your faces!"
"Yes, sir!"
After barking orders at his men, Perlman grumbled under his breath:
"Hell—if I didn't still have a little 'team spirit,' if I wasn't helping you people, you'd never be moving this freely."
"Besides, how could the escort run into trouble? What—someone's going to sit in the Dead-End Hollow specifically waiting for our train?"
"The chance of that is even lower than the chance that the little girl from Baiqi Heavy Industries actually gets to cut the ribbon at an opening ceremony."
Death Flag, Instantly Paid Out
Right as Perlman raised that flag, inside the Dead-End Hollow, Chiya's group was already lying in ambush along the train's newly adjusted, must-pass route.
"Bandit No. 1—Phaethon—ready!"
"Bandit No. 2—Asclepius—ready!"
"Bandit No. 3—Nekomata—ready, meow!"
"Uh? Corin—ah, no—"
"B-band… bandit maid No. 4, Corin, ready to—"
"Uh, Corin, you don't have to force yourself."
"W-wait! Doctor Chiya—is this because you don't like me?! Corin—Corin can do it!"
"Uh, no, that's not what I meant…"
Chiya had known Corin for a while now, but her soft, fragile, chronically unconfident personality—constantly doubting her own worth, constantly needing affirmation…
Well. Slowly treat it, one step at a time.
Right now the priority was calming her down—making her understand she wasn't being rejected.
So Chiya gently pulled Corin's head in, letting her rest against his shoulder.
"Corin, you don't need to doubt yourself like that."
"B-but… Doctor Chiya…"
"Don't call me 'Doctor,' Corin. Right now, you only need to call me… Chiya."
"Corin, I know the pain you've suffered. And I know you weren't born like this—this timid version of you."
"Every time you doubt yourself… blame yourself… suffer over being 'useless'… every tear you shed is the result of memories that can't be forgotten—carving flowers into your heart with a knife, again and again."
"For you… you once had happiness, too. Sweet enough it could melt every tiger in the world into butter."
"But then—one change, a few words, one loss—destroyed the happiness you'd struggled so hard to obtain."
"Corin… I understand that feeling. I've lived it too."
"Being saved by someone, dragged into the sunlight, finally able to stop hurting… and then watching that tower of happiness collapse in an instant."
"Death, despair, crying—mixed with smoke and gunfire—swallowing everything, leaving something impossible to forget… carved into the bones…"
As Chiya spoke, even the usually lively, teasing Nekomata and Eous fell quiet. Even Xugeya, perched on Chiya's shoulder, drooped its ears.
Nekomata thought of the Red Fang Gang's "Old White"—the one who'd taken her in.
And Eous, Xugeya, and—outside the Hollow—Wise and Belle all understood what Chiya was talking about.
That moment when Hollow Zero was destroyed.
When Eridu fell.
When the teacher who had treated the three of them like their own children was branded as the greatest sinner behind the city's collapse—
The Fall of the Old Capital Incident.
"Old White…" Nekomata whispered.
"The fall… Teacher…"
While everyone else sank into their own memories and grief, Corin tilted her head slightly, letting Chiya's scent drift into her nose.
It was strange. But there was a saying:
If you haven't walked through someone's suffering, don't preach kindness to them.
That was exactly why—when Chiya opened his own wounds in front of Corin—it worked better than anything he'd said before.
Because Corin could feel it:
At this moment, Chiya was no longer that person who seemed close, yet remained distant.
Now, he and she were the same kind of creature.
Like beasts wounded by a hunter's bullet, hiding in a cave and clinging to each other for warmth.
Bodies pressed together.
Sharing breath and heartbeat.
And the bitter memories, yellowed by time.
Corin tried hard to keep her eyes wide, trying to burn this Chiya—her Chiya—into her gaze forever.
Ah… Miss…
So this is what you meant by the true taste of love?
This… is what it means to truly like someone—without caring about status, without caring about the past.
Like little beasts curled together, hearts fully bared, sharing everything.
No matter how terrifying the wounds the past carved into the body—under the other person's gentle "licking," they could heal.
Ah… Miss…
Maybe Corin understands a little now.
Maybe after we get out, even Miss Rina, Miss Ellen, and Mr. Lycaon will notice Corin's growth…
But… but…
Why is it that the thought that Miss Rina and Miss Ellen are "so compatible" with Doctor Chiya…
Suddenly feels… wrong?
Because one heart can't be split between two people…
What should Corin do…?
Hehe… Corin doesn't know.
"Corin? Corin?"
"Ah! Sorry—Chiya, what is it?"
"Um… your finger is pressing the chainsaw's trigger switch. It's a little dangerous. Could you move it away first?"
"…Kiss me."
"Huh? Corin—what did you just say?"
"S-sorry! Nothing! Corin didn't say anything at all! Please don't mind it!"
Just as Corin flushed bright red and tried to explain, Nekomata suddenly spoke up:
"Hey—did you hear the train wheels on the rails, meow?"
"Yeah. I heard it."
Chiya looked to Xugeya on his shoulder.
"Xugeya—next, I'm counting on you and Eous."
"Mm-neh mm-neh-da! (Leave it to me, Little Master! Mission guaranteed!)"
Xugeya raised its round little hand and saluted, then trotted over to Nekomata.
"So you want me to hold them and throw them onto the train?! No problem, meow—heave—MROW! Why is this Bangboo so heavy, meow?!"
"Uh… forgot to tell you, Nekomata—Xugeya isn't an ordinary Bangboo."
"Seriously, you Phaethon people should've said so earlier. Whatever—Nekomata's a trained Thiren! I'm not an ordinary cat, meow!"
Once the train passed, Nekomata burst from cover like a streak, swung her arms in a full arc, and launched both Bangboo onto the roof.
"Whooooosh—!"
"YHUD—!!"
Eous—under Belle's control—landed with a full-body butt-slam on the roof.
Xugeya, tossed alongside, rolled forward neatly and bled off the impact with precise technique.
"Be gentle, Master. Your backside struck the roof heavily. I recommend you learn from the Bangboo called Xugeya."
"Ugh… this body's clumsier than I thought… and the arms are too short. Fairy, you're really talking big for someone who isn't doing it."
"Mhm. (Belle, you need exercise.)"
"Apologies, Master. As an artificial intelligence, I do not possess the concept of a 'waist,' therefore I cannot comprehend your idiom. Also, there is no need to be discouraged."
"Your blood relative—and your beloved pet, Mr. Chiya—have both praised this posture of yours. Quote: 'So tiny, so cute.' And: 'Cute, want to pet… but if it's Belle herself, then never mind.'"
"Gah—so I'm 'not cute enough' in daily life, huh?! And that second line was obviously Chiya! Why is it that I'm not allowed, but the me controlling Eous makes him want to pet me?!"
"Reminder: based on prior data, when Mr. Chiya visits the shop, he is generally unable to resist your 'claws.' However, please permit me to issue a caution."
"What now?!"
"For adult males in New Eridu, a typical 'sword' is approximately 7 cm in a relaxed state and 12 cm in an erect state. Regarding Mr. Chiya—based on my month-long collection of data—"
"In Mr. Chiya's relaxed state, he already far exceeds the average male's erect standard."
"And Mr. Chiya is an adult. Therefore, when you play around with Mr. Chiya in the future, please be mindful of your limits."
"Otherwise, someday, you may need to ask Mr. Chiya to be mindful of his limits. Do you understand?"
"WAAAAH!!! Fairy, what are you even saying?! I don't understand!!!"
Belle's face burned red. She hurriedly controlled Eous—wobbling toward a roof vent in the wind—while Xugeya followed behind with ears pinned up, alert.
Back at Random Play, Wise finally forced his jaw back into place after nearly dislocating it from shock.
Then he rubbed his chin and started seriously considering whether he should get custom underwear made for Chiya.
"No wonder Chiya keeps adjusting his 'aim' sometimes… Ugh, I'm kind of jealous of that problem, but still—let's order custom pants for him."
"We can't keep letting him wear the underwear I gave him before."
"…Still. I'm jealous."
"Assistant No. 3, I do not understand what you are jealous of. All I see on Doctor Chiya is effort and sweat."
"Wow. Not a word about talent."
"Brother, don't you start either!!!"
Infiltration Goes Sideways
After using the airflow to locate the vent, Belle quickly guided Eous down into it. Fairy immediately switched to praise mode:
"Master, this roof vent is so small that even Nekomata cannot fit. She would need to become liquid."
"But for you, it is as easy as a practiced ninja slicing open a watermelon. You are the king of the world."
"Now, King of the World—proceed to the driver's cabin and complete your coronation."
"Yeah, yeah. Hit the emergency stop button and we're done."
Eous hopped down smoothly—
And then saw it:
In this "unmanned" train, a full railcar of armed 'security personnel.'
"Huh?"
Five gun barrels snapped up at once, all aimed at Eous.
Pressed to the wall, Belle muttered in disbelief:
"Guess this train isn't just loaded with explosives… The news didn't mention this."
One "security officer" raised a radio.
"Calling Captain—an articulate Bangboo dropped from the roof. Upon arrival, should we hand it to Officer Perlman for processing…? Yes! Eliminating immediately!"
They were about to open fire—
"Hey-yaa!"
"Sorry! But please give up resisting!"
Corin and Nekomata smashed in through the window at the same time, and Xugeya seized the moment to jump down from above.
So, very quickly:
"Hmm, hmm—AAAAAAAH—mmph!!"
"Shut up! Eat your own stinky sock!"
"Um… Miss Nekomata, what do we do now?"
"What do we do? Obviously we drive this train—MROW?! What the—"
After disarming and tying up all the armed men, Nekomata was just about to drive the train away when—
From the tunnel's far end came Ethereal roars.
At the same time, Wise sent an urgent message:
"Belle! Nekomata! Corin! The Dead-End Butcher's signal just moved—straight toward you! Get off the train, now!"
"What, meow?!"
"Stop meowing! No time to hesitate! Corin—get Chiya and move! We leave first!"
"Dammit, meow… Dead-End Butcher, I curse you to get struck by lightning!"
"Doctor Chiya! We have to go—huh? Isn't that the medicine from earlier…?"
"Sigh. Looks like I won't be able to finish it. Forget it—we leave first. I can't let anyone else get hurt."
"Corin… I'm counting on you to carry me."
"Yes! Corin will carry Chiya for her whole life!!!"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 80)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 74)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter20)
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