Hunting: Memories (I Transmigrated as a Memory Hunter)

Arc 1: Kumoshima Part 19

Chapter 19

“Yuki-kun!”

A loud male voice echoed as they approached the camp.

Kazuyuki stiffened. He was worried what nonsense Hiro might spout out. He didn’t want Nephrite to misunderstand anything.

Nephrite felt Kazuyuki’s sudden tension, however, he didn’t think too deeply about it. He was worried Lady Aijin would come out if she heard it.

As they reached the entrance, Hiro started complaining right away. “Yuki-kun, why didn’t you come back right away?”

Kazuyuki and Nephrite got off from Tochi, “Didn’t I send you a letter?”

“You left me in command. Don’t you know how much I hate sitting? How could you leave your lover this long?”

Kazuyuki ignored him and ordered Yuu to check on the items they sent earlier.

At that moment, Hiro looked at the cloaked man beside Kazuyuki. Their eyes met.

“Lady Aijin,” Hiro mumbled but enough for a Nephrite to hear.

Nephrite froze. How can this man mistake him for Aijin?

“I apologize, Young Lord. How can I be a pretty lady?” Nephrite pulled down the hood of his cloak.

Hiro blinked. “Uhm, I guess it’s your eyes. They said the eyes are the window of the soul. I don’t know, maybe there’s something similar between the two of you.”

“Hiro, really. Anyway, stop messing around. We don’t need to act anymore, right?” They started walking to Kazuyuki’s tent.

Kazuyuki badly wanted to tell Hiro about him and Keisuke if not for his promise to the latter.

"Lady Aijin will supervise the situation regarding the people of Great Lang," Hiro said, his voice sounded agrieved.

"Isn't that a good news for us?" Kazuyuki answered nonchalantly.

"Kazuyuki, how did you think she gained the authority? Do you really have no idea?"

Kazuyuki realized what Hiro was pertaining to, "It does not matter anymore." he said in a low voice.

Hiro didn’t follow inside when they reached the tent, probably worried to dig deeper in his wound.

Kazuyuki led Keisuke to his bed to rest. “Sleep here for now, I need to discuss some things with Hiro.

Nephrite just nodded. It didn't take long for him to drift to sleep.

Kazuyuki asked one of the soldiers to request for Shier to make medicine for Keisuke later. Shier was currently helping with their camp’s preparation.

Kazuyuki didn’t notice the time until Hiro returned.

Hiro didn't waste time and told him the direct report.

“What are you planning now? In a day or two, they might attack in whichever town or City they actually planned to.”

Kazuyuki nodded, “I’ve already sent people to monitor the situation in Silver Rain and Rose Valley.”

“Your father has sent a message that they have already set a defense for the capital as well. But I really felt like he was wrong on this one. If I am the enemy, I will focus on the main source of food first rather than the center of power.”

“He doesn’t accept our idea that there were wolves hiding on his turf. I can’t blame him though. He trusted them all this time.”

“Kazuyuki,” Hiro hesitated for a bit, “Won’t you meet Aijin?”

Kazuyuki didn’t answer. Hiro continued, “You deserve to hear her side as well. You know her. If she has another choice, she will never be a puppet for other people.”

“I know. I will meet her at the right time. There are still more important things we need to do right now.”

Hiro nodded, “What are your plans with Rose Valley?”

“Our people are on standby. Once the assistance arrives, I will send more people for Rose Valley. For now we could only sit and wait.

Katsuhiro handed him a scroll. “This came from Rose Valley earlier. Kurokami wants to send this to Keisuke. There are constant bandit attacks, especially in Bara Town. There are fires every other time, but the military unit under Lord Yasuwari wasn’t enough to cover the whole Rose Valley. Some farms were already destroyed.”

“We still don’t have enough people to send,” Kazuyuki groaned. He really wanted to send more assistance but since he will be sending people in three different directions, including Spring Blossom because of the small chance the enemy switched targets upon noticing the two places guarded.

“Sit and wait?”

Both Kazuyuki and Hiro looked at the direction of the voice.

Keisuke was looking at them, eyes red. Hiro’s senses were sharp. He sensed a strong killing intent from the other person.

“You will just sit and wait till my people die?!

________

Nephrite heard faint voices as soon as he woke up.

Being separated by a thick curtain from the receiving area, he can’t help but listen to the conversation of the people outside.

“Kazuyuki,” Hiro hesitated for a bit, “Won’t you meet Aijin?”

Nephrite froze at the question. A part of him didn’t want this to happen. He had been fooling himself all along.

Kazuyuki didn’t answer. Hiro continued, “You deserve to hear her side as well. You know her. If she has another choice, she will never be a puppet for other people.”

Nephrite thought Kazuyuki wouldn't answer at first. Then he heard his voice again.

“I know. I will meet her at the right time. There are still more important things we need to do right now.”

Hiro then asked, “What are your plans with Rose Valley?”

Rose Valley?, Nephrite thought. What do they want from there?

Nephrite could feel the sudden changes in his temperament.

His hands started shaking.

“Our people are on standby. Once the assistance arrives, I will send more people to Rose Valley. For now, we could only sit and wait,” Kazuyuki answered.

Katsuhiro handed him a scroll. “This came from Rose Valley earlier. Kurokami wants to send this to Keisuke. There are constant bandit attacks, especially in Bara Town. There are fires every other time, but the military unit under Lord Yasuwari wasn’t enough to cover the whole Rose Valley. Some farms were already destroyed.”

“We still don’t have enough people to send,” Kazuyuki groaned.

He sounded like he was having a hard time but the implication of what he said made Nephrite paled. At the same time, he felt his anger rise drastically. Keisuke’s emotions resurfaced but this time, it wasn’t just that. His body was enveloped by cold and his heart ached.

“Sit and wait?”

Both Kazuyuki and Hiro looked at the direction of the voice.

Nephrite walked out from the division as he glared at them, eyes red.

Hiro’s senses were sharp. He sensed a strong killing intent from the other person.

“You will just sit and wait till my people die?!”

Kazuyuki stood up. He walked up to him and without hesitation, hugged him.

Nephrite felt his breathing relax upon their contact. He slowly calmed down as the other comforted him with his presence.

“Kazuyuki, what should we do? My family t-they’re, I-I can't just sit still and wait here,” Nephrite looked in Kazuyuki’s eyes, his voice stuttering. Both his and Keisuke’s emotions were swirling inside him, like a violent cyclone. Fear, worry, and another emotion Nephrite still can not define.

“Keㅡ,” he cleared his throat, “Calm down, we’re not abandoning them. We just need to wait-Hey!”

Kazuyuki was cut off when the other person pushed him so hard that he fell on his rear.

Keisuke ran past Hiro, and didn't even throw him a glance.

"Stop!" He heard Kazuyuki’s voice from behind him. The ground was slippery and muddy. Seems like it rained earlier while he was asleep but he paid it no heed.

Nephrite just kept running, ran as fast as he could, not looking back. But as much as he wanted to, he can't run faster than Kazuyuki.

"I said stop," Kazuyuki yanked him back, Keisuke's body hit the other’s chest in the process.

Kazuyuki quickly locked Nephrite in his arms. "Are you asking for death?! Why do you need to rush? Didn't you just hear me say about the situation?"

How can I not rush? This burning sensation inside me. This creeping fear of knowing what might happen next. How can I sit idly and wait for it? Whether it's because it is my mission to save Keisuke's cousin, Keisuke's residual emotion, or my own, I don't know anymore. All I want right now is to save them.

There were thousands of words in Nephrite’s mind as he slowly looked at Kazuyuki.

Fear, anger, resentment, and other emotions swirling in Nephrite's eyes.

"How can I not rush out?! Those people are about to destroy my hometown! Am I made of stone? Do you think I can sit still like you?!"

"I'm not saying we won't go but we don't have enough power yet. Going right now is the same as seeking death!"

I can't let you die, I can’t let anything happen to you. These were the words Kazuyuki wanted to add, but he suddenly saw the ice-cold glare of the man in his arms.

"It doesn't matter if I'm alone. If I could lessen the casualty, then that's all that matters."

"Then let me come with you," Kazuyuki said.

Nephrite pulled away, Yes, come with me, don't leave me, are the things he wanted to say. The words inside his heart.

"No," instead came out of his mouth at the sudden realization. "Y-you don't have to. H-have you forgotten where you should be right now?" He tried to push Kazuyuki to completely let go of him but the other won’t budge.

He stared at Kazuyuki intently, emotions pouring. Nephrite gritted his teeth.

These f*cking emotions, will it always be like this? Is it all mine to begin with?

Kazuyuki grasped him tighter, "Keisuke!"

You called the wrong name, he thought bitterly.

Nephrite looked away, "Just go with Lady Aijin, please?"

He didn’t notice the confused expression of Kazuyuki upon calling him Keisuke’s name.

Nephrite forced himself out of his arms once again. This time, he didn’t feel the other’s shackle-like strength. He took a few steps away from the person who managed to make a place inside his heart, not looking back.

“You should go to Lady Aijin, don’t let her go so easily. You have been loving her all this time, isn’t that right?”

Keisuke’s residual emotions already calmed down a while ago, making his own bottled-up emotions come out.

Since Kazuyuki confessed, he kept ignoring it. Lying to himself all this time, comforting himself with the future he knew.

That Aijin won’t choose him anyway. Why not be with me instead? Why suffer in the future if he can have me.

All this time, he suppressed his attraction to him, worrying about the real plot of the world inside his mind.

But when Kazuyuki confessed, all his rationality dissolved in a flash.

Even when the possibility that his senior, his partner on this mission, Master Xei was inside Kazuyuki didn’t even make him worry. Instead, it made him feel happy and excited that even after they leave this world, they could continue outside.

His jealousy for Kazuyuki’s past connection with Aijin made him feel very jealous and frustrated.

Just thinking of his selfishness made him utterly disgusted with himself.