Hunting: Memories (I Transmigrated as a Memory Hunter)

Arc 1: Kumoshima Part 42

CHAPTER 42

For a while, Xei, Shier, and Kuro could not move upon seeing the scenario in front of them.

“Keisuke!” Xei shouted as he rushed over to the other person’s side.

If not for his strong and agile body, Xei would have stumbled in his rush towards Keisuke.

Nephrite stopped the moment he heard the other’s voice, but his eyes were as blank as the starless night sky. The windows of his soul lost the sparkle of life. Whether it’s the original host or the hunter who borrowed the body, this vessel contained no trace of the two souls.

Xei grabbed the person in his arms, unrecognizable pain crept inside his chest.

To his surprise, Nephrite’s body reflexively curled inside his arms, as if seeking comfort. Soon after, the young man fell asleep.

‘

A mixture of warmth and sadness flashed in Xei’s eyes as he stared at the young man’s appearance. Bloodied fist and stained clothes in contrast to the serene expression in the youth’s face.

Kuro and Shier did not wait any further. With the help of the soldiers, they rounded the enemies. After Kuro made sure that no one escaped, they split apart. Kuro will report to the capital and bring Lord Fei and his men. Dekai accompanied Xei’s group back to Bara Town before he returned to his own home

Half of the Bara Town was destroyed by the attack. Thankfully, the Akaha Clan manor did not suffer much damage. It became the temporary evacuation area for the homeless citizens.

“There’s nothing wrong with Keisuke’s body. I think what happened to him was more leaned to psychological trauma, possibly due to the pressure of the problems he encountered in the past days.”

Shier did not notice Xei’s frown as the latter did not expect this world to have this kind of knowledge already. However, Xei considered it as a trivial matter and ignored it. Aware that it was really half a possibility. The souls were locked inside because of Nephrite and Keisuke’s unstable emotional fluctuations.

The betrayal planned for five years was destroyed within only a week. However, they still need to gather the rest of the evidence in order to convict everyone. Even so, Xei decided to stay beside Nephrite until he fully awakened.

Shier had to report the rest of the details of the situation. Aside from this, Kazuyuki sent a letter to both Chunan, Hiro, and Lord Keichi. Xei needed to inform Keisuke’s father After all.

Before Shier left, he reminded Kazuyuki. “ Young Master,” he hesitated for a bit but then continued, “medicines might not help Kei but you have a deep relationship with him. In the end, maybe you’re the only one who could help him come back.”

Surprised, Xei stared at Shier’s eyes, “You—!”

Shier cut him, “I think you know him well, maybe better than anyone here. So I will leave our friend to you.”

With that, Shier left, leaving Xei in deep thought about the other’s identity.

After sleeping for two days, Nephrite finally woke up. However, the blankness in his eyes did not change.

Xei did not know how he should help Keisuke. So he decided to try to bring the others to familiar places.

But even this turned out to be difficult.

Most of Bara Town got damages because of the fire and there were no fluctuations during their stay in the Akaha Clan minor.

After a short deliberation with himself, he decided to bring the other person back to Silver Rain first.

Though Silver Rain experienced an attack too, the Miyazuya Family protected the whole city quite well.

But whether it was due to goodwill or selfish desire, Xei knew well.

They arrived at Silver Rain two days later.

Yuu handled the matters of the attack properly. But what surprised Xei the most was seeing his uncle here. His uncle's appearance was so pitiful, one would not think of him as the head of the Miyazuya family.

At that time, they were on their way to the Miyazuya minor, he saw the old man fixing a fence of a tattered house, a child clinging on his back.

A weak unfamiliar emotion tugged at Xei’s chest as he saw the scene. He guided the wagon’s horse towards the direction. Fully focused on the task, the old man did not notice the approaching wagon until it stopped a meter behind him.

“Uncle Toshiro,” he called the old man.

Toshiro paused, then turned to him. Without even a second, water flowed from his eyes.

Before Xei could speak, the old man had already put down his child. Toshiro kneeled and cried in front of him.

“Kazuyuki, forgive this uncle for not being a good father! I don’t deserve your father’s kindness! Please punish me!” His voice painted with undeniable agony.

________

After Kazuyuki helped his uncle rest, he went back to Aijin’s room in the Miyazuya Manor.

He looked at the young man staring blankly at the courtyard.

Xei sat down beside him, “Keisuke,” he whispered, complicated emotions in his eyes. “Things were already falling at the right places. Chunan sent a letter. He would soon travel back to Great Lang to oversee the trial of the former Prime Minister of their Country. We may not see them for a long time until everything is settled. Also, the King and the Second Prince will soon start cleaning the court. Don’t you want to see how things go?”

Xei took the other’s hand and nestled it between his palms. His thumb gently scratched the back of Keisuke’s hand, gentleness filled his actions. “The people involved in framing your family had all been arrested. It is a matter of time before we catch the one left in hiding.”

At this point, Xei’s own emotions fluctuated. His throat felt blocked, and his chest stuffy, as if possessed by Kazuyuki’s feelings.

They sat together for an hour, overlooking the courtyard but the young man beside him stayed still like an empty vessel.

But Xei was not the type to give up easily. He decided to bring Nephrite to the garden pavilion.

That was the place where Kazuyuki and Nephrite first acknowledged their relationship. Bringing Nephrite there has a high chance to awaken him.

Xei’s heart thumped vigorously on the way. In normal circumstances, Xei would not feel anything at all. As a soul hunter, it was impossible to get affected by the vessel’s feelings. Or so he thought. When he returned, he would start another investigation regarding this situation. For now.

Right now, he could not even deny this overwhelming sadness in his heart.

Though the manor was relatively safe during the attack, some of the surrounding houses were not lucky enough and were caught on fire. Because of this, the hydrangeas in the garden grew into a beautiful pink more than before due to wood ashes brought by the wind.

Guiding Nephrite, they passed the rows of pink hydrangeas. Nephrite suddenly stopped and stared at the pink buds.

Xei observed the face of the other person. Seeing Keisuke’s expression, he could not help but remember how Nephrite looked back at the Core. The melancholic look on the other’s face as Nephrite thought of the latter’s friend’s betrayal.

Xei did not know why but the pain painted on Nephrite's face at that time became a scar in his own heart. All he could think of was he did not want Nephrite to have that kind of expression again.

Sometimes, bottled-up emotion could overflow without warning. Xei rarely showed his emotions. The moment he opened his mouth to speak, he was slightly startled by the hoarseness of his voice and the heaviness of the emotions attached to it.

“Keisuke, do you remember what happened between us here?”

As expected, Nephrite did not respond so Xei continued, “In fact, there was nothing much to remember. What heartfelt emotion did I promise you?”

He noticed Keisuke’s fingers twitched. Xei took the initiative to hold his hand and rub the other’s fingers in a relaxing motion. “I had never elaborated what I felt from the very beginning.”

Xei became dazed, emotions pouring out of his heart, “I let you feel my heartbeat, hoping to show you that you made it beat faster, made me excited about you. That every time you feel fear or in danger, this heart gets agitated and scared, too.”

“What heartfelt emotion? I didn't even make you realize that my heart had long changed and that you are the only person inside it.”

“We almost greet the death gods. Were you afraid? Me? I am very frightened. I thought I would never see you again.”

Xei remembered how Kazuyuki felt fear the moment he fell on the river and how he called Keisuke before fainting.

The regret Kazuyuki felt upon thinking he would never ever see his beloved again.

It was almost noon and the temperature was quite high.

Xei lifted one of his hands to wipe his forehead. Only then he realized how tight the other man was gripping his hand.

Stream of water flew down Nephrite’s cheek. His eyelids fluttered.

Xei felt something gripped his heart. He did not know where all these choking feelings came from. But he knew it was not just from him nor Kazuyuki. Flooding his chest, blurring his mind.

Before Xei could even think about it, grabbed the back of Nephrite’s neck, pulled the other person in his arms, and crossed the distance between them.

But just as their lips touched, both of them heard the familiar electronic voice ring in their ears.

[Return Function: Activated - Partner Key Skill Activated]

[ID: 23011407252126080514; ID: ***********Xei]

[Mission: 100%]

[Side Mission: Completed]

[Memory Fragment: Obtained]

[Copying Data: ...0.01%]

[ Copying Data: Status 100% Completed]

[Preparing to leave the world in 60 seconds...]