Chapter 8 Chapter VII

After hanging her head down for a long time, the back of her neck became sore, Wu Miyuki finally raised her head. Some gray but still slightly springy wind blows in from the slightly open window and brushes against the cheeks. Looking up, there is a vulgar pentagonal face in front of him. Miyuki didn't know his identity.I am great for no reason—even he himself said so, and he knew it was nothing special at all. I heard that his name is Haitang Zhuo. I don't know how old.Girls at Miyuki's age look the same; older men look the same.Whether it is twenty or forty years old, young people are young people, middle-aged people are middle-aged people, and everyone else is old people.There are only three stages of classification, which is very general.

And this segmented evaluation does not strictly reflect the actual age of the subject, it is all judgments based on rough impressions.Haitang's age is elusive.He's less than middle-aged, but he's not young enough to be a teenager either.Although it doesn't have an old-fashioned vibe, its face is oily and there is no refreshing breath. The man of unknown age squinted the triangular eyes on the pentagonal face, and licked Miyuki's calves from the tip of her toes with viscous eyes, then climbed from the fingertips on her knees to her shoulders, and then passed her neck to her face. , and finally stopped.

"Student Wu... I don't have time anymore, I don't have time anymore." —The tone is really unpleasant. It was like the sound of iron and glass rubbing against each other.It was vague, but the tone was full of unfounded confidence and arrogance, superficially courteous, but actually rude.The so-called disgusting refers to this kind of sound. "Don't think I'm long-winded, I've heard it from the deceased chairman. I'm doing it for your own good, and I want to help you suppress the matter." Really annoying.Miyuki has already told everything she knows, and she can't say anything she doesn't know.So Miyuki glared at him.

"Listen, Mr. Wu, I'm only saying this here. You may not know that the former chairman, Mr. Shibata, the modern chairman, is quite extraordinary. Because of this, he has never seen anything The world. The most troublesome thing is that his sense of justice is so strong." What's so bothersome about it? ——Miyuki didn't say anything, and stared even more fiercely.Haitang's thick skin seems to be getting thicker with age, even if she is stared at by a girl of Miyuki's age, it doesn't seem to hurt. How many times has this kind of pressing question been asked? Miyuki has been under house arrest since this morning.

Doors, little windows, tables, chairs, nothing else. This is a corner of the faculty building, a small room in the corner of the third floor. The students imitated the barracks and called it a heavy closed room. Because of the impression of the building, some people call it the torture room. Miyuki felt that those titles were not an exaggeration. If you ask why - because Watanabe Sayoko was raped by Honda Kozo in this small room. Thinking of this made Miyuki want to vomit.When she was first brought in, she literally threw up.But at that time, it was because of the extreme chaos and the state of extreme excitement.

From that night on, Miyuki could no longer believe in the whole world including herself. Is this state called a curse? ——Miyuki thinks so now. Haitang's unpleasant lizard-like voice was irrelevant, just like the sound of the sea tide rumbling in the distance, Miyuki looked out the window. twelve days ago. The night Honda was killed. The Black Madonna runs into the darkness in her kimono. Kozo Honda's neck was strangled. Sayoko was confused and jumped off the roof. —It was indeed Sayoko who jumped down. However…… Sayoko jumped down, Miyuki screamed.Then she pushed Aobi who was standing there blankly, and rushed down the stairs.

—I want to catch her downstairs. Miyuki told the police.It was stupid, but she really thought so at the time.Wanting to reach the ground one step ahead of the person who committed suicide by jumping off the building is simply absurd, and there is no such absurd story in Rakugo. But when Miyuki rushed to the second floor, she was caught by the old woman.They were looking for Sayoko loudly in the echoing atrium at a time when the silence should have been dominated, and the people in the dormitory must have heard the commotion.The old woman also seems to have to make up her mind to go to work outside of working hours.

——If you don’t hurry up, you will die! At that time, Miyuki was still shouting like that. The old woman could not understand the situation at all. ——Ms. Honda on the roof, —The Black Madonna in the woods behind, ——Sayako, Sayoko, she, Speech is broken into fragments, unable to form meaning. However, as long as the fragmented and contextless words accumulate, they can form a rough meaning.The old woman was in a panic when she realized that something extraordinary had happened upstairs and downstairs. at this time…… There were screams from above. It was Xiko or Bi who saw Sayoko fall to the ground from upstairs and screamed...

Miyuki thought so at the time. The old woman shouted the name of God, and wanted to rush to the direction where the voice came from—the roof.On the contrary, Miyuki wanted to run downstairs.I have to get to Sayoko as soon as possible, maybe Sayoko is still angry-in fact, Miyuki didn't think so calmly, she was just a mess-in short, that's what she thought.The old dorm supervisor tugged at Miyuki's sleeve, but Miyuki fought hard.At that time, Miyuki couldn't understand why the old woman wanted to stop her, but thinking about it now, it might be a natural action. ——If you procrastinate here, Sayoko will die.

—— Sayoko will die! She felt that she should keep yelling like that. Miyuki couldn't remember how long the two of them had been arguing in the stairwell on the second floor.Not long after, there was a cry: "It's not good! Something happened!" It was a man's voice, I don't know if it was a worker or a teacher. A long time had passed since Sayoko ran out of Xizi's room.During this period, they have been making loud noises, and it is not surprising that someone will come out to check. The old woman finally made up her mind to go downstairs and walked down the stairs holding Miyuki's arm.At the corner of the second floor, the entrance is close in front of you.Several teachers were roughly pushing open the entrance to come in.

"A student died! What happened?" died…… The moment she heard those words, Miyuki's tense thread snapped——she lost consciousness. When Miyuki woke up, she was lying on a bed in a certain room. The health care teacher, the principal, and several fierce-looking men—the criminal police—were looking at Miyuki's face around the pillow. "Here, little sister, explain the matter to us." Miyuki felt like she was going to be sent to prison. She felt as if she had spoken something raving for a while. It's a curse, there's a demon, it's a Black Madonna—that's not something a reasonable person would say at all.And Miyuki also witnessed the moment when her best friend committed suicide by jumping off the building, she felt that she had no choice but to react like that. After waking up, it took more than half a day for Miyuki to wake up and regain her rational judgment. ——What happened to Bi and Xizi? It was also at that time that Miyuki thought of them. They must have been questioned in the same way. The criminal police came over and asked again and again. Miyuki was confused, she hesitated and didn't know what to say. The reality that Miyuki saw and heard, even she herself could not believe it.There is a group that worships demons in the academy. They hold black mass, sell sex and kill with curses. Who would believe such words?but…… Housekeeper Yamamoto, a Tokyo woman surnamed Maejima, and Kozo Honda, as far as Miyuki knew, three of them had died. And that... Black Madonna... — not a hallucination. Should I speak up?First of all, this made Miyuki raise her hands again and again. But Kozo Honda's evil deeds should be exposed. However, if the scandal comes to light, Sayoko's reputation is likely to suffer considerable damage. Not so much possible, but absolutely.But Sayoko is no longer in this world, so in order to mourn her death, shouldn't it be more important to say this? but…… What will happen to Asada Yuko? Shouldn't the fact of prostitution at least be concealed? What will become of the spider's servants and those people is not just Miyuki's business.But Asada Xizi is different, Miyuki doesn't think that what happened to Xizi has nothing to do with her.Although they have only known each other for a few hours, Miyuki has already developed a friendship with Xizi in her heart—no, feelings similar to friendship have sprouted.If the matter of selling prostitutes is exposed at this time, what will happen to Xizi's future? About the spider's servant, too, it should be kept secret. As a result, Miyuki made a very half-hearted confession. Kozo Honda is an unforgivable villain.He raped my suicidal friend several times, impregnated her, and ended up spitting at her and driving her away.My friend was in so much pain that she finally couldn't think about it, so she went to the ancestral hall behind the church and cast a curse, but she knew that the curse came true, fell into chaos, and committed suicide by jumping off the building... What killed Honda was the horrible wooden statue placed in the ancestral hall behind the church, commonly known as the Black Madonna... "I did see it." The officer smiled. "Are you an idiot? You bastard, stop kidding!" "The dead girl is indeed pregnant, but the father of the child is not Mr. Honda. That guy is an azoospermia patient, stop talking nonsense." Miyuki felt as if she had been hit hard with a hammer on the back of her head. "The murderer is a monster? Stop talking stupid things." "Miss Weaver, who was with you, said she didn't see anything." Zhisuobi gave false testimony... Unfortunately, Miyuki couldn't think that way at the time. At the time, she thought, if Bea said she didn't see it, then there really wasn't such a thing. Because that's too out of touch with reality, but... Miyuki remembered clearly.That jet-black face, and the clothes on her body——waterfowl pattern. - Then, what is that?The Black Madonna... how is it possible... The voice of an angel, the voice of Ao that Miyuki heard at that time was... Is it hallucinations, auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, are they all hallucinations? Yeah?So…… Including Bi's words and deeds, everything Miyuki saw and heard that night may have been all her delusions. For her own perception and memory, Miyuki has lost all confidence.She also tried to ask the adults to let her see Aoori, but Aoi had already returned home this morning and was not in the dormitory. That evening, my parents came to visit. The father was terrified, and the mother was downcast. The parents seemed to beg the police, saying they wanted to take Miyuki home, but the police refused on the grounds that they still needed to be interrogated.The detective said: "Unlike the other girl, she is neither injured nor has any health problems." The other injured girl—is that Yuko Asada? Xizi was injured and extremely emaciated.Miyuki asked the police about Yuko's condition, but lost her last self because of it. ——The one who jumped was obviously Sayoko... It was Asada Xiko who fell to death. It took Miyuki a long time to listen. Was Xizi the one who fell to death?So Sayoko is still alive?It took Miyuki nearly an hour to understand this hard fact. Sayoko is still alive? ... The criminal police said disdainfully: "Watanabe Sayoko is injured, but at most it's just a few bruises and cracked hand bones. It can't be the injury from falling from the roof—unless someone is there to take care of it below." hold her." "And Sayoko Watanabe said she didn't know anything. She testified that she went to find Yuko Asada who ran out of the room, but Yuko Asada fell from the upstairs, and she was injured by Yuko Asada." But…… But...the one who jumped down should still be... Miyuki suddenly felt a strong dizziness, and was too confused to speak again.What I saw and heard was all lies. Later, Miyuki suffered from dizziness and nausea again and again, and could not even accept police interrogation. The police left for a moment, and then Miyuki was called into the small room for the first time.At that time, in this closed room, the person sitting on the old chair in front of me—that is, the chair that Haitang is sitting on now—was none other than the now deceased chairman—Weaving As bright. If Begonia is a lizard, then the chairman is a scorpion or a cricket.Miyuki remembered that the director's eyes were like a worm. The man with a pair of worm eyes looked so obscene that he didn't look like a chairman at all. He said in a bored tone: "It's you?" Then he approached Miyuki, put his index finger on Miyuki's chin, and forced the Her face turned to herself, staring straight at her.The director snorted "Oh" and asked the old lady who accompanied Miyuki to leave the table. As soon as the door is closed, the worm reveals its true nature. "Here, who are the prostitutes?" For a moment of astonishment, Miyuki thought he was going to ask about Honda's murder. If you sell sex, you mean the servant of the spider. But the information Miyuki knew was not enough to answer this question, Asada Yuko... was dead. "I know it all! Don't play dumb!" The chairman may have been irritated by the silent Miyuki, and asked more harshly, but no matter how excited the chairman was, Miyuki didn't understand what he was talking about at all. "My source of information is reliable. Because I am the one who took care of Kawano Yuei! You know her, right?" This name Miyuki had never even heard of it. "That bitch, she was very happy to say that there is a way to make a lot of money. I didn't expect that she was talking about this school." Have no idea what he's talking about.But Miyuki choked on the smell of alcohol coming out of his insect-like mouth, and vomited several times.The chairman scolded with the same words that Honda spat on Sayoko: "You whore, don't act crazy for me!" and slapped Miyuki several times. Then the chair was kicked away, Miyuki fell to the ground, and the chairman pushed her up.If it was an ordinary Miyuki, she would definitely throw a few iron fists at that face, but at this time she was being attacked by hallucinations, feeling that the whole room was spinning non-stop, and she couldn't resist at all.Like touching a ghost bed, Miyuki was so stiff that she couldn't even make a sound.She could only forcefully turn her face away, close her eyes tightly, and express her will to refuse. "Don't pretend to be noble! Every woman is the same, pretend to be chaste! Even you look down on me, don't you!" Why... men... do this? The floor caved in.The room shook violently, it was terrifying. "Under the board is a bottomless sea, which is very scary." Miyuki remembered what her grandfather said to her when she was a child. The chairman grabbed Miyuki's bow, shook it vigorously, and then yelled as if possessed by a ghost: "Who and who is the prostitute? You can't escape! Don't think you can kill me like you killed Honda. Me! I am Ryo the weaver, the head of the weaver!..." Miyuki thought she couldn't do it. The tinnitus continued, and all the sounds in the world came like a torrent.In the flood of voices, the sound of the doorknob turning came into Miyuki's ears very clearly. The door opened.Miyuki regained her sense of balance, and at the same time felt her back pressed against the hard gravel. The one who saved Miyuki was the former chairman—in Haitang's words, the high-status, but full of sense of justice and troublesome—Yuji Shibata. As soon as the former chairman opened the door, he suddenly beat the current chairman away. "Are you crazy? No matter what the reason is, this kind of violence is not allowed! This is a sacred campus!" In the corner of her hazy field of vision, Miyuki saw the former chairman Shibata who seemed like the incarnation of justice, and behind him stood a man respectfully and politely, that is Haitang.Although Miyuki couldn't see clearly, the chairman should be staring at Shibata, and shouted loudly: "I thought it was He Fangsheng, but I didn't expect it to be the young master. This greeting is really warm. I am the chairman here, please Don't meddle in your own business!" "Just kidding! What have you been doing these three days? Do you want these girls to be exposed to the curious eyes of the world? If this continues, this school will... Classmate, come on." Shibata hugged Miyuki, and wiped her vomit and sweat stained face with a handkerchief.The worm-like director stood up while leaning on the wall, and spat like a worm: "Hmph, even if you come here, it won't help. This school is my school. I have already grasped part of the truth of the incident." Now, you don't need to intervene." "The truth? I want to hear it. Come on, you go back and have a rest." Shibata helped Miyuki up and ordered Haitang to take her back to her room. Haitang was like Shibata, treating Miyuki tenderly, but the kneading feeling of his hands around Miyuki's waist, and the way he held Miyuki's hand, made people a little—no, quite unpleasant. Miyuki is the first to realize that she is not a man. At the end of the corridor, the old woman stood mournfully. Before this, Miyuki could hardly read the emotion from the old teacher's expression—seeing joy, anger, sorrow, and joy. However, at this time, for some reason, she felt that the old woman's face was sad, and the moment she felt it, tears welled up in her eyes. Miyuki shook off Haitang's hand and embraced the old teacher.It wasn't something Miyuki would do at all, but then, she did it naturally.Miyuki cried, and the woman comforted her. "I know you are not evil people. Zhisuobi has already explained the whole story to me. However, although I don't want to believe it, there is no doubt that a tragedy that cannot happen in this school happened. And you were at the scene at the time, So the police and the school are getting a little neurotic, that's all. Don't worry, God always..." Are you looking at me? Or stand on the side of justice? The old woman said such things.Miyuki couldn't hear clearly, and didn't understand very well.The old woman looked at Haitang and said, "I will deal with it next." Guided by the old woman, Miyuki did not go back to her room in the normal dormitory, but walked to a room in the single dormitory. Although there are not many things, Miyuki's personal belongings have been moved into the room, and the old woman ordered Miyuki to live in this single room from that night.It may be that the school judges that Miyuki will have a bad influence on morality in all aspects. "Watanabe is next door." The old woman said, "Your situation has been very chaotic, haven't you seen her yet? Watanabe is very worried about you. If you calm down, go and see her. It's just Watanabe The classmate is injured, don't force her." ——Bi explained the whole story. ——Sayako was very worried about me. Miyuki was the only one in the confusion...? Miyuki opened the next room, convinced that none of what she experienced that night was real.But she also felt a sense of illusion, as if the reality she was experiencing now was fake. Sayoko Watanabe, who should have died, was there. There was a large bruise on Sayoko's cheek, gauze was stuck on her forehead, a wooden plank was clamped in her left hand, tied up with a bandage, and hung with a triangular scarf. "Miyuki, I'm sorry, it doesn't matter anymore. Don't ask anything. It's just..." Miyuki had the illusion that she was watching a movie. The reality before us is not continuous.It's just an optical illusion created by a series of flickering slides, and it doesn't take long before the negative fades and a huge hole opens up in the world. "Xiaoyeko...that...baby..." She couldn't say the word "baby". If everything about that night was false, then the story of Sayoko's pregnancy was also false. "I don't know. At that time, I thought so." At that time, Sayoko really thought she was pregnant. that time?Wasn't that night just Miyuki's fantasy? Miyuki's thoughts became even more confused. "I didn't tell the police about me and Honda. Miyuki, did you tell the police?..." Since Sayoko was alive, this matter had to be kept secret.But it was too late. Miyuki fell into a huge mistake trap without knowing where, and told the police too many things. "I told you." Miyuki said honestly. "But I was confused, and I don't think they believed me at all," she added defensively. That's not an excuse, it's a fact.The police explained without authorization that Miyuki said that Xiko had a relationship with Honda, and then said that was not true, and ignored it. Miyuki apologized, Sayoko said "It's okay, I should apologize", smiled, and then said: "I'm sorry for making you suffer. But it really doesn't matter anymore, I don't need curses and magic anymore. Just, The matter of classmate Xizi... must be found out." What do you mean no more curses and magic?When Miyuki asked, Sayoko chuckled again and said, "That's what it means, Miyuki."Since Honda is dead, there is no need for curses and magic anymore... At that time, Miyuki thought Sayoko meant that. Moreover, Miyuki didn't understand the sentence "Xizi's matter must be found out".Did she mean that, even if Honda was concealed, Spider's servant should be exposed?Miyuki thought so, and asked Sayoko. But Xiao Yezi said: "You don't have to worry about the spider servant. I will protect Miyuki, so you forget about it. You must never tell the police and the teacher." But…… Even if you keep silent, the matter of prostitution has already been leaked to the chairman.And the chairman seems to believe that Miyuki is a member of the prostitution group.Although Miyuki didn't know the details, she didn't know how long she could hide it. Because Sayoko might encounter the same danger soon, Miyuki told Sayoko all the conversations she had with the chairman in the small room.After Miyuki finished speaking, Sayoko's face lost all color, and said, "Miyuki didn't do anything, and she doesn't know anything, so just say you don't know. You can't pursue it, and you can't think too much. Miyuki , you get out and don’t worry about this matter anymore. You can’t… go deeper.” Can't go any further. This is what Xizi said. at this time…… Miyuki is seized by a delusion, thinking that it is still Sayoko who is dead, but what is in front of her is actually Yuko wearing Sayoko's skin.Of course, such absurd things are impossible, but since Miyuki has gradually become unable to believe everything, this kind of thinking is quite real to her, and perhaps because of this, this kind of thinking can't get rid of it. "No matter who the opponent is, I will protect Miyuki, we are friends." Sayoko said firmly with gloomy eyes. From the next day, Miyuki fell into delusions and felt that she was being watched. She was banned from attending classes by the school, and her daily routine seemed to consist only of being interrogated by the police.She's under house arrest—no, almost prison.But even if this is not the case, it will be difficult for schools to resume classes as usual.Because of this chain of events, it appears that many students have gone home. So Miyuki almost stayed in the room, even so... —Someone is watching. She still feels that way. The feeling of the date became ambiguous, and Miyuki couldn't remember the events at that time in the correct order, but about a day later, she was called by the director again. The chairman was furious. Even the exhausted thirteen-year-old girl could tell at a glance that Zhisao was exhausted to the extreme.Even so, his lascivious, worm-like eyes remained the same, exuding more intense malice due to the bloodshot. "That girl thought I was an idiot." That girl should be Sayoko. "Everyone looks down on me, I'm not wrong!" Miyuki was still the same, completely unable to understand what he was saying.The director is not so much evil, but closer to ferocity. At that time, Miyuki really felt physical fear. "I've already issued a gag order, and the parents have also figured out a way. Who leaked the information to them? I was framed. Hey! You! I call you!" Shiliang slapped the table with both hands again and again. "Who killed Honda? He found out about your secret, so he was killed, right? Who was the guy who commanded you whores? Is that guy the murderer? If that guy gets arrested, you will be implicated too , this school is over! I am proposing to save this situation!" "Say! Tell me! You bitch!" Dirty, nasty words. No matter how you are asked, there is no way to answer what you don't know.Shi Liang didn't wait too long, he gave up all of a sudden, and then said: "Okay, don't you want to say yes? Then I can wait. But on the contrary, you have to take out the money." The abrupt words made Miyuki not only confused, but also stunned. The chairman of the board is Zhisaobi's brother-in-law—in other words, he is a member of the capitalists' weaving clan.He actually asked a female student to hand over money like this, what is going on? "I am in a hurry to use the money. After Gong Rong died, you will continue to sell prostitutes, right? Aren't you selling prostitutes? You are really amazing. But no matter how much money you earn, there is no place to spend it in the academy. Saved it, right? Bring that money!" aggressively. "I don't know." Miyuki squeezed out all the sounds she could, and finally said this. Shi Liang overreacted to this sentence, and roared furiously: "Talking! I know it all! The dead Gong Rong didn't leave half a dime there. That woman used you and made a lot of money. That's not a day or two The amount that can be spent! There should be some money! She was killed by Lu Sha, the murderer will not escape with the money! That money must be with you!" Miyuki couldn't take it anymore, she stood up and took two or three steps back towards the door.Shiliang treacherously went around to the door, pressed the door with his left hand, wrapped his right hand around Miyuki's shoulders, and whispered in her ear: "Listen, you only have two choices, choose one. Give me Listen carefully! Get me the name of the murderer who killed Honda right now. If you can't do it, bring me the money. I'll just wait for you for a day. If you don't want either, I'll make the matter public and tell the world you It's a whore!" Threats, unwarranted threats.No, this is blackmail. "I don't care about your companions anymore! I'm going to push you into the area alone! Here, how are you?" Miyuki doesn't know the murderer's name and has no money to give him. The choice is not two, but one. Sucks. At this moment, someone knocked on the door, and Miyuki, who was pressed against the door, walked forward reflexively, and ended up in the posture of being hugged by Shiliang. Aversion to cold runs through the whole body. Haitang stood at the other end of the door.Haitang said: "It's Mr. Liang, I'm sorry to disturb you when you are enjoying yourself, but your current situation is very bad." Shiliang snorted, pushed Miyuki away, pushed Haitang aside, and disappeared into the corridor.Haitang's disdainful eyes pierced Miyuki who was crouching on the ground. That night, Miyuki wrote a letter to her grandfather. I need money, but I can't tell the reason - I can't discuss this matter with my parents, let alone tell the teachers and the police.It is also impossible for God to lend money to Miyuki, let alone tell her who the murderer is.However, she didn't think that her grandfather, who had stopped fishing and had no job, would have money. In the middle of the night, she felt that someone was watching her. When I woke up the next day, I felt it was gone again. She gave the trust to the old woman early in the morning.My grandfather's house is in a neighboring town, and I can barely walk there.Post the letter in the morning and it should arrive the same day. In the afternoon, Miyuki heard the news that in the early hours of the day, Ao's father—that is, Ryo's father-in-law died suddenly. Hearing this, Miyuki breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this time, she could delay for a while—there would be no need to meet the chairman of the board.It's really dumbfounding.Although Miyuki had never met the deceased, but hearing the death of a friend's relative, she really shouldn't have such an idea. In fact, it was very peaceful that day and the next day, and there was no police questioning.The criminal police may not have any questions to ask. It should be another day, and the academy is empty.The headmaster and staff seem to have all gone to the weaver's funeral.At that time, only about one-third of the original number of students remained, so naturally it seemed deserted. On that day, Miyuki and Sayoko came to the courtyard together. It's been a few days since you came to the atrium like this?No matter what Miyuki thought at the time, she just couldn't think of it. Thinking about it now, there should be a gap of about a week or ten days, but at that time she felt as if it had been ten years. Nothing to say, nothing to want to say. Miyuki didn't even confess to Sayoko that she was threatened by Ryo.Although Sayoko said she would protect Miyuki, Miyuki didn't think that Sayoko could do anything for her, so she didn't want to let Sayoko worry about it. So, the two just walked side by side on the slate. There was no sound of footsteps at all. The two sat down by the fountain. Same place, same pose. The lonely courtyard is more barren than ever. —Someone is watching. Can't go wrong.Is it behind the school building?Is it next to the chapel? Sayoko also seemed to sense the sight. At this time, Sayoko grabbed Miyuki's clothes and pointed forward wordlessly.On closer inspection, a dark mass was stumbling across the flagstone floor. It is Oriori in mourning clothes. Miyuki... trembled all over. It never occurred to her that her son-in-law would dare to sneak out on the day of his father-in-law's funeral. "Hey, you two, I already know." Shi Liang said. He was slurring his speech, and he seemed very drunk. "I finally know who the leader of you whores is, that guy. That man, Gong Rong asked me to hire him. I was suspicious at first, so he is the one who connects you and Gong Rong. That guy Succeeded Yui Ei's work? Then Honda is also him... right?" That guy, that man.Who is he talking about?Miyuki looked at Sayoko's side face, and Sayoko was stiff, staring at Ryo.Miyuki had never seen such a serious expression on Sayoko's face. "I need money! I don't need to know who is a prostitute anymore. Didn't I tell you to bring the money, and I'll keep it secret for you!" It was Ryo who grabbed Miyuki's skirt and dragged her up.Sayoko yelled: "What are you doing! Let her go!" grabbing Shiliang's arm and shaking it.Shiliang threw her away, and the triangular scarf slipped from Sayoko's hand, and she fell down. "I am now at a critical moment of life and death. If I cannot inherit the weaver, I will be expelled. I have already realized that, depending on the situation, I will expose your affairs and die with Shibata and Zhisao! In this way, everyone It’s all over! Prostitutes! Killing people! You don’t have the face to walk in broad daylight anymore!” Worm eyes, bloodshot, cloudy eyes, wine stink. "I don't know! I really don't know!" Miyuki finally cried out. Once he yelled out, the depression that had been suppressed in his heart burst out one after another like a burst bank.But that's not a coherent rebuttal at all, just a repetition of the same list. Miyuki yelled again and again: "I don't know, I don't know, it has nothing to do with me!" Finally, she cried.Shi Liang pushed Miyuki away and said, "Give me enough time!" and kicked her. Sayoko threw herself on Miyuki to protect her, and said, "I see, you wait another three days." "I can't wait that long, two days." "Okay. In two days, I will do as you said." Sayoko said. Shi Liang stood there, looking down at the two of them for quite a while, but the teachers who stayed at the school heard the commotion and poked their heads out from the windows of the school building, so he repeatedly exhorted "Two days, only two days", and staggered towards Faculty building. Miyuki was shaking, crying, she couldn't think at all.Miyuki didn't know what Sayoko said, what was the reason and basis, she just kept calling, "Can you tell him that? Sayoko, Sayoko..." Sayoko put her arms around Miyuki's shoulders and whispered, "It doesn't matter, the Black Madonna...you heard me all." Black Madonna... That dark face. Then Sayoko smiled. ——This is not Sayoko! The moment Miyuki realized it... She felt that all the uneasiness, irritability, disgust and fear of the past had condensed in an instant, falling into incomparable terror.This is not reality! Miyuki screamed and left Sayoko. This... this is not something that happens in Miyuki's daily life.Warped, broken, deformed. Miyuki opened the taboo door that must not be opened by mistake, and fell into the evil alien world where the devil is domineering.She thought so. Unknowingly, Miyuki rushed out. As soon as Miyuki rushed into the room, she immediately locked the door, got into the bed, and covered her head with the quilt. She couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't remember how long she cried. Miyuki shivered like this for a whole day. She thought she heard several knocks at the door. ——Is it Sayoko?Or an old woman? But Miyuki didn't dare to open the door. Before opening the door, the person outside should be Sayoko or an old woman.But the moment the door opened... Maybe it will become the Black Madonna. Thinking of this, fear welled up in her heart, and Miyuki screamed in fright. The voice became hoarse, and the tears dried up. How many times was that the knock on the door?Unlike the knocking on the door before, no matter how long the knocking didn't stop. "Miyuki, Miyuki, it's grandpa, grandpa is here to see you!" Auditory hallucinations, this must be auditory hallucinations. Miyuki stubbornly covered her ears, but her voice didn't stop.Miyuki got up tremblingly, stood in front of the door and asked, "Is that grandpa?" "Oh, it's me, Renji, your grandfather." "Really, really grandpa?" "Does it need to be said? Do I still have counterfeit products?" 美由纪把门打开一条缝，一个矮个子老人站在那里，表情看不出是在笑还是在哭。两人已经好几年没见面了，美由纪不晓得这个老人究竟是不是祖父。 “美由纪，你长得这么大啦！一点都不像我这个小老头的孙女哪。上次看到你的时候，还是这么小的一个小女孩哪，连现在的一半都不到呢。不够上次见到你，是战败那一年嘛。没办法哪。” 祖孙俩长达八年没见面了。经过这么久，不但长相会改变，记忆也会变得淡薄，美由纪百感交集。美由纪的父母与固守传统渔夫生活的老人几乎断绝来往。 没有怀念的感觉，然而一股暖意却一丝丝地填满美由纪的胸口。 “你爸也真是薄情哪，我的乖孙女遇到这种事，也不告诉我一声。我刚才在外头听老师说了，真是惊死我了。外头啊，只传说山里头出现了绞杀魔而已哪。真是太恐怖了。你在哭吗？好好哭一场吧。只是，饭要好好吃啊。要不然这么高大的身子会撑不住啊。”老人说道，露齿笑了。接着他从怀里取出叠好的手巾，递给美由纪。 “这是钱。我不晓得你需要多少，也不知道够不够。里面有一万三百零五圆。够吗？” 对了，美由纪不久前才写信向祖父要钱的。小个子的老人为了拿钱给美由纪，光秃秃的头上流满了涔涔汗水，赶到学院来。美由纪一阵茫然，只知道接钱。这个金额是亮不可能满意，但是对美由纪来说，这已经是一笔巨款了。 “什么都不用说。不是说过，理由不能讲吗？那爷爷也不问。”老人再次露齿笑道。 “爷爷！”美由纪叫着祖父，号啕大哭起来。她觉得这是她生平第一次看到如此惊惶失措的自己。 祖父说：“爷爷的朋友啊，昨晚这么对爷爷说，他说：'这个世上没有任何不可思议的事。'” 没有不可思议的事？ 老人说“是啊，没有不可思议的事”，接着拍了两下秃头说：“爷爷不太习惯这种地方哪，信仰不同，老觉得怪怪的。”然后背对美由纪。 好小的背。 老人回过头说：“美由纪，你知道吗？爷爷是个老头子，你是个小姑娘，所以或许不能拿来相提并论，可是啊，爷爷也碰上过好几次恐怖的事。但是啊，你听好喽，恐怖的不是妖怪，不是坏人，也不是人的心啊。害怕的人是你，是自己。一个害怕的人，在旁人眼中只显得滑稽哟。” That's right. 激动错乱的美由纪，连她自己都觉得滑稽。真正的美由纪正在遥远的某处冷静地注视着哭喊的自己。 这种想法成了一个契机。 她发现监督着自己的其实就是自己，这么发现的瞬间，监视者与被监视者的两个美由纪突然急速接近，迅速重叠在一起。 “美由纪，你好好保重啊，外头已经是春天喽。” 小个子的老人说完，把背蜷得更小，踩着“啪哒啪哒”的脚步声，消失在走廊另一头。 然后，美由纪清醒过来了。 ——我陷在里面了。 ——我岂能就这样爬不出来！ 这个世上哪有什么恶魔？ 美由纪总算发现有多得数不清的事要盘算。本田幸三遭到杀害之后第九天，美由纪总算恢复正常活动了。 美由纪站起来，打开窗帘，然后她注视现实。窗外是中庭。 圣堂旁边有人影。 人影发现美由纪在看，瞬间消失了。 ——在看这里。 是制服，那么一定是那些蜘蛛的仆人，她们在监视着美由纪，这数天当中，真的有人盯着美由纪。 ——那么。 祖父说的没错，哪有什么不可思议的呢？ 会觉得不合理，全都是美由纪的心理因素。 美由纪镇定心情，回溯记忆，仔细思考。 然后，她发现几项天经地义的事实。 那天晚上，从屋顶上跳下去的，千真万确，就是小夜子没错。 但是小夜子活着，这并不是什么好不可思议的。小夜子不是偶然保住了一条命，就是有人救了她。but…… 不太可能是偶然。那里没有柔软的草丛，校舍的前庭全都是石板地。从屋顶上跳下去的话，不太可能有救。刑警也说过：——除非有人在底下接住她。 就是有。 所以，一定是有人救了小夜子才对。那么那个人……是谁？ 就算女生各自娇小，要接住从楼顶掉下去的女孩也不是一件易事。若非有相当强壮的体格，是不可能办到的。如果美由纪真的在小夜子掉下来之前赶到地面接住她，别说是小夜子了，可能连美由纪都会被压死。 学院里的学生全都是小女孩。美由纪在学生当中算是比较高壮的，但根本差不了太多。换言之，救了小夜子的不是学生。 救了她的人九成九是个男的。 那么是教师吗？这也不可能吧。如果是教师救了小夜子，那么现在事情没有曝光，就说不通了。 为什么救了小夜子的人默不作声？ ——为什么不说出来？ ——是为了小夜子的名声着想吗？ impossible.知道小夜子自杀理由的男人，只有本田一个人而已。 换言之，救了小夜子的男人有什么特别的隐情，无法出面澄清——只能这么推测了。 学园里有符合以上条件的人吗？ ——有。 根据警察的话，杀害本田的凶手也是个男的。 ——那么。 杀害本田的凶手会不会就是救了小夜子的人？ ——凶手。 黑圣母。 那不是什么幻觉。美由纪不是睁眼瞎子，所以黑圣母确实是存在的。不管碧怎么对警察说，那都是事实。美由纪想要相信自己的眼睛。 既然存在，那么黑圣母就是人类。 如果这样的话……杀害本田的凶手应该还是黑圣母才对。在那个时间、那个地点，穿着那么荒唐的服装，其他还能做什么事？杀害本田的凶手，就是假扮成黑圣母的男人。 如果凶手是黑圣母的话，救了小夜子的也同样是黑圣母了，不是吗？ So…… 小夜子极有可能在校舍的玄关一带碰到了凶手——黑圣母。如果救了小夜子的人就是凶手，小夜子应该也会发现这些事才对。 所以小夜子才三缄其口，不是吗？ 如果美由纪是小夜子，会告发杀了自己的仇敌，甚至拯救自己性命的人吗？应该不会。而且……对方有可能是为了自己而杀人。 这么一来，如果事实被揭露，小夜子将被迫说出过去羞耻的遭遇。 and also…… 实际上摔死的是麻田夕子。 那么夕子就是在美由纪离开现场后摔下去的。美由纪在二楼和老太婆争执时，传来一声尖叫。那会不会是夕子毙命前的叫声？不管如何，夕子都是在小夜子跳下去后，隔了几十秒到几分钟后才掉下去的。 ——为什么夕子会掉下去？ 公开的说法是麻田夕子是自杀的。的确，夕子很痛苦、很挣扎，也很苦恼。她可以说是被逼到了与小夜子相同，甚至比小夜子更惨的地步。So…… 夕子追随小夜子跳楼自杀吗？ --wrong. 美由纪觉得不可能。夕子没有那么软弱，会受到他人的死亡影响，突发性地自杀。夕子尽管那样憔悴、错乱，她的发言和行动依然充满了理性。 不管再怎么激昂，夕子的眼中依然留有一丝知性的光辉。美由纪觉得夕子的苦恼毋宁说是源自于理性的苦恼。所以她不是自杀的。 So…… 有可能是意外吗？ 夕子不小心从屋顶上摔落——这不是不可能的事。当时，美由纪往楼梯底下冲，但是夕子似乎相反地往屋顶边缘跑去，想要确认小夜子的情况。如果从屋顶上探出身体往下看，就极有摔落的危险。 ——不对，不是那样的。 不管怎么想都不对劲，问题在别处。 无论是小夜子活着，还是夕子死了，这些事本身都没有什么不可思议的。小夜子跳楼，死的却是夕子——这种因果律的扭曲才是不合理之处。So…… ——哪里扭曲了？ 不是神……而是天使，一定看见了才对。 织作碧应该看到了事情的来龙去脉。 However…… 小夜子的自杀未遂却被当做没这回事，只有夕子被断定为自杀。 这才是扭曲的真面目。换言之，尽管有个确实的目击证人在场，过去发生的事实与现在发生的事实之间却出现了巨大的矛盾，这种状况才是不合理之处。 ——原来是这么回事。 夕子的死会被断定为自杀，应该是因为碧这么作证吧。 而碧把小夜子自杀未遂的事实给抹杀了。 夕子姑且不论，小夜子跳楼时，碧和美由纪都在现场。所以如果单论小夜子跳楼这件事，织作碧显然是作了伪证。这一点绝不会错。 ——碧为什么要说谎？ 织作碧作伪证的理由…… 碧这个纯洁无暇、仿佛生平从未说过谎的模范生，为什么非作伪证不可？宣称小夜子没有自杀，有什么意义吗？因为碧的信仰不允许自杀吗？不对，说谎才是违背信仰的行为。那么抹杀自杀的事实，对碧有好处吗？她在包庇什么人吗？ ——例如说…… 碧会不会是顾虑到小夜子才撒谎？ 如果考虑到小夜子的心情，当然就不会想将小夜子要自杀的来龙去脉公之于世。既然自杀以未遂告终，那么只要是知道内情的人，应该都会想要抹杀自杀这件事吧。but…… ——这种事行得通吗？ 不管碧如何供称，只要美由纪或小夜子说出实情，就前功尽弃了。 ——不，这倒也不一定。 就现状来说，美由纪提出来的证词反而被驳回了。 这能够全部归咎于美由纪之前陷入错乱状态吗？ 或者是因为碧受到大人信赖呢？ ——不对…… 是因为小夜子没有说出真相。 小夜子也作了伪证，她等于是默默地补强了碧的供述，而现状的混乱正起因于此。小夜子的自杀未遂被抹消，以及夕子变成自杀，全都是伪证与沉默造成的结果。 ——然后…… 如果小夜子表示出她想要保持沉默的意志，美由纪也只能三缄其口。如果美由纪一开始就知道小夜子还活着，很有可能什么都不会说。她就是因为误会小夜子已死，才会陷入错乱，变得饶舌多嘴。所以这个时候，只要小夜子保持沉默…… ——不管撒什么慌都行得通。 只要是知道内情的人，都不能想象小夜子本人会隐瞒事实，以及美由纪会为了朋友而保持沉默。 ——那么碧她…… 碧是察觉到小夜子和美由纪的苦衷，默默配合她们？如果碧知道小夜子的隐情，这是有可能的吧。碧是为了保护小夜子的名声，才作证说没有自杀这件事吗？ 不，不是这样的。碧她……应该没有说小夜子没有自杀。 ——碧同学说她什么都没看见哪。 碧是不是就像说她没有看见黑圣母一样，说她什么都没有看见？她应该是说，当她抵挡屋顶的时候，一切都已经结束了。 如果这种消极的伪证能够保全小夜子的名声，换作是美由纪，或许也会这么做。这……一定是这样。 --Wait a moment…… 碧不可能知道小夜子的苦衷。 除非本田或小夜子本人说出去，否则知道小夜子和本田之间关系的，应该只有美由纪一人才对。 而美由纪唯一一次针对这件事侃侃而谈，就是在夕子的房间的那一次。惨剧紧连着就发生了。 ——碧听见了？ 当天晚上，碧拜访夕子的房间，她可能就待在房门外，那么她可能偷听到了吧。如果碧听见了美由纪在夕子房间里说出来的事，那么…… ——不…… 哪里不对。总觉得不太对劲，好诡异。 这种诡异的感觉，是因为窃听这种行为与碧格格不入？不对，不是的。不是这种事，而是…… ——碧的伪证不仅如此。 碧还宣称她没有看见黑圣母。 根本没必要连看见黑圣母的事都否定。 ——碧并不是顾虑到小夜子？ 那么……碧有其他作伪证的理由吗？ 理由不在小夜子，而在夕子身上吗？ 如果夕子是自杀或意外死亡，碧根本没有必要作伪证。 ——假如说…… 麻田夕子是被人推下去的话…… 如果夕子的死，是伪装成自杀的凶杀案，对凶手来说，没有发生过小夜子自杀事件，确实比较方便。连续跳楼自杀这种事，以状况来说太不自然了。 ——碧她…… 不，因为这样就说是碧推下夕子，也太过于武断了吧。 当时美由纪完全没有确认过楼顶上是否有第三者在场，记忆也不明确。如果有人躲在暗处，美由纪应该不会发现。而且如果这是凶杀案，凶手绝对是蜘蛛的仆人。 ——因为我再也无法相信了。夕子这么说。 蜘蛛的仆人责怪夕子背叛，咒骂她的失败，强迫她重新加入，对她施以各种制裁。 但是在美由纪看来，夕子早就无意重回蜘蛛仆人的集团了。 麻田夕子是不是在完全成为犹大之前，遭到肃清了？ 被同志。 那么，碧有可能是真凶——被蜘蛛的仆人逼迫作出伪证。 纯洁无暇的碧应该难以抵抗恶魔崇拜者的拷问吧。 --wrong. 若论可能性，碧也有可能就是蜘蛛的仆人。 ——天使就是恶魔吗？ 有这种事吗？unimaginable.一下子难以相信。 即使如此，可能性…… ——还是有吗？ 不能断定没有。 --but…… 无论是被迫作出伪证，还是自发性地作出伪证，碧的供述想要成立，小夜子保持沉默是绝对必要的条件。杀人凶手会利用这种不确定的要素的伪证来隐蔽犯罪吗？ 那样的话，干脆让事情变成连续自杀，还比较安全吧？就算有些不自然，也不是不可能之事。 没有人目击到夕子遇害，要怎么说行不是吗？小夜子自杀未遂，不仅当事人还活着，而且还有目击者，凶手根本没有必要连这件事都抹消。只要有另一个人作证，就无法成立的话，作这种伪证根本没有意义。对杀人犯来说，这个赌注实在太大了。因为美由纪和小夜子会不会保持沉默，只有她们自己知道…… ——难道不是吗？ 凶手都料到了。 只要了解内情，不难想象她们会三缄其口——美由纪本身不是才刚作出这样的结论吗？凶手是否确信，至少小夜子绝对会保持沉默？ 如果推落夕子的凶手掌握到小夜子置身的复杂状况，而且也熟知美由纪与小夜子的关系，不仅如此，甚至察觉救了小夜子的人就是杀害本田的凶手的话…… 如果凶手知道这一切，会确信小夜子在事件后将保持沉默，也没有什么好奇怪的。若是掌握到这些信息，就可以预测出大致的事。如果凶手预测到这些，计算好一切，并让人作出伪证的话…… 可以成立，可能大幅减少伪证翻盘的不确定要素。 So…… 知道这些事，是杀害夕子的凶手的条件。 So…… ——凶手是碧吗？ ——天使才是……恶魔吗？ 虔诚的信徒，纯洁无暇的千金小姐，众人憧憬的对象。这样的碧，会是冒渎的恶魔崇拜集团的一员吗？ ——就是她。 织，没错，那就是在说她。 ——还有没有其他认识的人？ ——对，还有那个织…… 美由纪询问坂本百合子参加仪式的有哪些人，那个时候百合子所说的织，指的会不会就是织姬的织、织作的织呢？织所指的果然就是织作碧。无论目击到仪式的人是谁，这所学校里没有人不认得碧的脸。 不可能、绝对不可能、难以置信——这样的情绪高涨过头，结果反而使美由纪更加确信。 ——很有可能。 那位大人——蜘蛛仆人的中心人物。 织作碧就是蜘蛛仆人的头目！ 夕子看到剪报时，惊恐万状。 她并不是看到剪报而害怕，她是看到碧而感到害怕。 ——如果碧是蜘蛛的仆人。 那么推落夕子的肯定是碧。 如果碧听到了一切，那么她当然知道夕子不仅没有拉拢美由纪和小夜子加入，反而被美由纪她们给说动了。 最重要的是，当时的状况是收拾叛徒麻田夕子千载难逢的好机会。 美由纪一下子就冲下楼了，屋顶上只剩下探出身子，几乎要掉下去的夕子，以及心怀杀意的碧，还有本田的尸体。 ——不仅如此，推落夕子的人，当然也看见救小夜子的人。 如果救了小夜子的人是黑圣母…… 而推落夕子的人是碧…… 碧应该很快就发现对方是那个漆黑的异形才对，而黑圣母应该也目击到碧了。 ——原来如此。 所以织作碧才要宣称她没有看见应该和美由纪同时目击到黑圣母。如果要让夕子变成自杀，拯救小夜子的人会造成障碍，而且黑圣母如果被逮捕，碧自己也危险了。 美由纪陷入恍惚，她并不期望如此绝望的结论。 ——然后…… 小夜子。 小夜子在事件以后变了，美由纪无法具体地说明她哪里变了。 ——她不伤心吗？ 对，小夜子看起来一点都不伤心。反倒是变得比以前更加坚毅，充满自信。 ——夕子同学的事非弄个水落石出不可。 ——蜘蛛仆人的事，你不必担心。 对，小夜子察觉了。 把夕子的事弄个水落石出，意味着要告发夕子不是自杀，而是被杀。换言之，小夜子表明了她要与蜘蛛的仆人——织作碧作对。那个娇弱的、爱哭的小夜子竟然说出这么强悍的话来，所以美由纪才会感到格格不入吧。小夜子会这么坚强…… ——是因为有黑圣母在背后撑腰吗？ 小夜子是不是落入妄想，认为黑圣母会为她杀掉所有与她作对的人？的确，黑圣母如同小夜子所期望的杀掉了本田。所以只要小夜子希望，那个恶魔也会为她杀了那些蜘蛛的仆人吗？小夜子那凛然而且自信满满的态度，不就是根基于这愚昧妄想的自信吗？ 不对……小夜子没有那么笨。 ——不要紧……黑圣母……全都听见了。 ——我再也不需要诅咒和魔法了。 ——我会保护美由纪。 不是妄想，是现实。 小夜子得到了同伴——不是七不可思议的恶魔黑圣母，而是乔扮成黑圣母的杀人凶手。小夜子与救了她的人——杀人凶手之间，有了某种交易。的确，既然有个具有实体的杀人犯在身边帮助，就不需要诅咒和魔法了。 小夜子的态度也因而丕变。 So…… ——好，两天后，我会照你说的做。 小夜子对是亮说的这段话，是要在两天之内把织作是亮也杀掉的意思吗？ 织作碧，还有渡边小夜子。 憧憬的对象与挚友。 她们…… 此时，窗外，一群陌生人映入眼帘。 ——柴田勇治。 柴田前理事长率领着一群神情严肃的男子，成群结队直线穿过中庭。尽管十分整齐，却予人一种骚乱不安的感觉，整个庭院变得闹哄哄的。