Chapter 47 : Resolve and Wavering
The assistant supervisor still had other tasks after dropping them off, and the car was a public vehicle, so it wasn't convenient to help them store items. Therefore, they got out carrying those three small bags of black sesame cookies.
The small bags weren't large, and Nakamura-san had thoughtfully tied a thin string to each bag, like the pretty konpeito candy sold at scenic spots, very convenient to hook and carry with fingers or tuck into a waist pouch.
"The destination is straight ahead along this main road, and you'll be there." The assistant supervisor wiped his sweat and said, "This road isn't very convenient for driving, so I'm very sorry..."
"It's fine, walking there isn't far. Perfect, I have Lai to chat with." Geto Suguru picked up the assistant supervisor's words, replying gently, "You go handle your business, leave the rest to me."
"Alright, alright, then this mission is entrusted to Geto-kun, thank you for your hard work!" The assistant supervisor bowed, "After completing the mission, please call, and we'll send someone to pick you up."
"We can get back by ourselves." The boy with the bun hairstyle waved his hand, "The distance isn't far, so we won't trouble you."
After the assistant supervisor left, Geto-kun turned his head, showing his fox-like face and smiling at Jiang Lai beside him: "Without them picking us up, we can play for a while before going back. Otherwise, if we return early, they'll immediately schedule new missions."
Even though the boy with the bun hairstyle was mature and sensitive for his age, and carried many concerns, some details still revealed his youthful nature, after all, he was still a teenage student.
"Sounds good." Jiang Lai naturally nodded in agreement.
They walked together along this dirt road toward the remote village in the forest. On the way, they casually chatted about usual interesting rumors, the changing scenery around them, and various everyday topics.
At this time, Geto Suguru and Jiang Lai had become familiar with each other, interacting as friends.
Although he wasn't as relaxed as when with Satoru and Shoko, walking beside Jiang Lai, Geto Suguru had also opened his previously defensive transparent shell, naturally revealing some inner thoughts.
In Geto Suguru's eyes, the ethereal title of [Existence] was like an unreal veil, so when he chatted with Jiang Lai, it was like murmuring to the wind, to trees, to the earth, unconsciously revealing some things.
"Since entering third year, missions have multiplied. Cursed spirits seem endless."
Geto Suguru's gaze fell on his feet as he smiled slightly.
"Although Satoru and I were previously called the strongest together, actually now, Satoru alone is the strongest... our combination is no longer needed."
"From a pure strength perspective, Satoru is the most invincible one." Jiang Lai nodded, then his words took a turn, "But in life, there are many aspects, you two together are the truly strongest combination, with both hard and soft skills."
That last phrase seemed to amuse Geto Suguru, and he couldn't help but curve his lips: "What do you mean by hard and soft skills?"
"Strength, and things beyond strength." Jiang Lai held his book floating in his hands, "For example, dealing with higher-ups and the art of subtle sarcasm, you definitely learned better than Satoru."
"Is that a compliment?" Geto Suguru was amused.
"Yes, of course it is." Jiang Lai replied with a smile, his voice calm, "Besides, Satoru being the strongest alone would be boring too."
Geto Suguru tilted his head slightly, his bangs shifting to one side with the movement.
"No matter how strong someone is, they'll need companionship on their journey forward. Being alone is too lonely." Jiang Lai walked alongside him, his voice seeming to ring beside his ear, "You and Shoko are Satoru's youth."
"..." Geto Suguru was silent for two seconds, his eyes flashing with some fluctuation, like evening wind brushing across a lake surface, stirring ripples and shaking his hidden heart.
For a moment, Jiang Lai thought he was going to tell him something, however, the boy with the bun hairstyle's lips moved silently, and he only managed to say: "...I'll always remember this time too."
This statement sounded somewhat strange, as if he had already accepted his future departure. Jiang Lai's heart paused, and his earlier speculation became more certain.
The path of [righteousness] that Geto Suguru had chosen, besides subjective factors, indeed had inescapable external factors.
However, because he hadn't made his final decision subjectively, he was still wavering and delaying, waiting for that final shoe to drop.
Under Jiang Lai's shifting gaze, Geto Suguru smiled with narrowed eyes, returning his attention to the path ahead. He spoke gently:
"We're almost there. That village ahead is where this mission's target is located."
They went to the village together.
Since jujutsu matters were kept secret from ordinary people, they came under the guise of "environmental survey and exorcism," which fit well with the superstitions of remote villages.
The village chief came to receive them, an old man covered in wrinkles who chattered about other things, including doubts about the people before him, since both Geto Suguru and Jiang Lai looked very young.
"Let me say this first, if you're here to cheat money, the people in our village won't let you get away with it." The village chief's voice was like a duck's, "The land and livestock in the village are very precious, so be careful where you step when walking around, don't trample anything. If you do, you must apologize and make amends, after all, you're not here to play, right?"
Geto Suguru habitually reassured him, saying: "Don't worry, we don't charge fees."
"Hmph... better be that way, and don't cause any trouble at the end." The village chief still looked unfriendly, "It's all your responsibility."
Amid the questioning voices, Geto Suguru maintained his usual smile on his face, seemingly accustomed to ordinary people's suspicion and not refuting.
However, some inner transformation was continuously fermenting with these words.
Jiang Lai on the side lightly replied to the village chief: "Since you're asking for help, don't casually assume malicious intent from visitors, have some self-awareness about this patch of land under your feet, it's mud, not gold."
The village chief was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly tapped his walking stick, but before he could speak, Jiang Lai had already pulled Geto Suguru away and leisurely moved to another side.
"We're only here to complete the mission and exorcise cursed spirits." Jiang Lai said to the boy beside him, "If they don't understand or aren't friendly, there's no need to force a smile."
The pulled-away Geto Suguru was slightly stunned, as if just emerging from his own thoughts. He paused for half a second and replied: "Mm. Actually, I was originally thinking of leaving after he finished talking."
"Next time, don't wait for him to finish." Jiang Lai added, "For people who don't respect you, there's no need for surface politeness either. Just walk away." He smiled with curved lips, gentleness mixed with firmness.
Seeing the smile of the [Existence] before him reflected in his eyes, the boy with the bun hairstyle couldn't help but smile too: "Alright."
As a Special Grade sorcerer, Geto Suguru had considerable experience in tracking cursed spirits.
He used only a short time to find the culprit cursed spirit that had been roaming throughout the village, causing a series of villager casualties.
Geto Suguru skillfully exorcised it, then transformed it into a cursed spirit orb and swallowed it.
Like the smell of a rag that had wiped vomit, even though he'd eaten them countless times, it still made him unable to suppress the urge to retch.
The boy with the bun hairstyle supported himself against a wall with one hand, restraining his retching instinct, while the dark blue figure beside him stepped to his side, tossing over two candies:
"Got these from Satoru, mint candies, to clean your mouth."
Geto Suguru put the candy in his mouth, and after a moment, his expression improved considerably: "Mint candy? That's rare. I thought everything Satoru had was sickeningly sweet candy."
"Maybe these were prepared for you guys, to bring out when you visit his dorm, just not explicitly stated." Jiang Lai touched his chin.
Geto Suguru's slender eyes curved slightly as he steadied himself. Before he could speak, a nearby villager suddenly said:
"By the way, we have two more filthy things here, could you take a look?"
"More?" Geto Suguru was somewhat surprised, because he had only sensed the cursed spirit he'd just exorcised.
Could there be hidden cursed spirits? But how would ordinary villagers know about them? Geto Suguru's expression showed confusion.
Jiang Lai's heart stirred, guessing this referred to Nanako and Mimiko, two little girls who were mistaken by villagers as the source of filth because they had sorcery talent and could see cursed spirits others couldn't see.
Two or three villagers led them, walking all the way to a secluded small house.
In the dim house sat a large cage for animals. As the door opened, very young twin sisters huddled together trembling.
Geto Suguru stared at the scene before him in shock, instinctively blurting out: "What, what is this?"
"These are the filthy things, the root of those incidents. They attack villagers with strange powers." A thick-browed villager said.
"No, it has nothing to do with them." Geto Suguru shook his head, "I've already resolved the root of the incidents."
His gaze fell on the girls covered in wounds in the cage, and combined with the villagers' words, he determined these were two children with sorcery talent.
The shorter middle-aged woman beside them continued: "Anyway, they're just two filthy things. My child was almost killed."
"That's because he hit us first," the light-haired little girl cried out tearfully.
"Shut up! Monsters! Your parents too!" The villagers' raised fingers were like clubs, combining with abusive language to form attacks full of negative emotions, "Freaks like you who don't fit in should just die!"
"..." Geto Suguru's eyes widened, the sounds around him seeming to come from very far away, echoing vaguely in the depths of his soul.
From past experiences, the ignorant applause of Time Vessel Association believers, the tragic image of Haibara's remaining hand... scene after scene surfaced in his mind.
Because they had talents that ordinary people couldn't understand, they had to be persecuted and beaten?
What he protected... what they sorcerers protected with their lives, this is what they got in return?
Sorcerers don't produce cursed spirits, cursed spirits are all born from ordinary people's leaked negative emotions.
If so, why do ordinary people get to live so long while sorcerers all die young?
This isn't fair.
One way to eliminate cursed spirits is to kill all ordinary people... or rather, let ordinary people become "feed" for more sorcerers to survive.
But these guys should be killed first anyway. There's plenty of "feed," might as well eliminate a batch of curse-generating sources first.
Amid the villagers' continuous abuse and the little girls' quiet sobs, the already unsteady scales in Geto Suguru's heart finally tipped heavily to the other side.
His mind was made up. The final shoe had finally dropped.
The boy with the bun hairstyle's gaze gradually deepened, but his face slowly showed a false smile, the narrowed-eye smiling expression concealing all the emotion in his eyes.
Geto Suguru's fingers moved slightly, some killing intent spreading and emerging. But when his gaze caught the dark blue figure beside him, his movements paused slightly.
As if sensing his gaze, Jiang Lai turned his head, meeting Geto Suguru's eyes across the short distance.
Those calm, deep brown eyes were the color of ancient trees that had grown for a thousand years, and when they blinked slowly, they seemed to see through what the boy with the bun hairstyle was thinking.
But he stood there, saying nothing.
In the half-light, half-dark room, the person in dark blue was like a swaying shadow. Present in the village now, yet seemingly connected to the past at Jujutsu High and an unknown future.
"..." Geto Suguru pressed his lips straight, his gaze falling to stare directly at the ground beneath his feet.
If he acted against the villagers, would Lai stop him?
Regardless of who was stronger, Geto Suguru didn't want to act against a friend unless absolutely necessary.
He then thought again that Lai was an [Existence] who couldn't form too many connections.
So, if this village's villagers died, would the karmic burden accumulate on Lai, who had participated in this incident?
Geto Suguru's lips and teeth rubbed together, his emotions tangled.
He pressed one hand against his other arm, trying to restrain the impulse to massacre the village on the spot.