📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.
📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.

The Assassin Who Reaches to a Romcom Chapter 4

Mission Failure

KO-FIDISCORD


Volume 1, Chapter 4: Mission Failure

—Three years ago.

“Blue Paddy”

Located in the southeastern corner of England… a bit away from the resort town of Brighton, was a children”s welfare home.

There, orphans with nowhere else to go gathered together, living a life of mutual help and support.

The staff at the welfare home numbered only three.

While there was enough food and supplies for basic living needs, it was just enough to fill their stomachs and keep them warm.

This place was where I, Ema, grew up from a young age.

“Ema, come to the dining hall quickly. It”s mealtime.”

“Just a moment. I’ll be right there as soon as I finish folding these clothes.”

I was still folding the freshly washed clothes when my sister… Miku approached me.

“Em… you’re really hopeless…”

“Ah…”

After a sigh, Miku stood beside me.

“Ema is always such a caretaker.”

The mountain of clothes that was there just a moment ago was now being neatly folded one by one. While I felt reassured, a sense of unwillingness also arose in me.

“Wuwu~ I”m supposed to be the older sister…”

“It”s just that your name, Ema (A), comes before mine, Miku (W), in the alphabet.”

“But still, I am your older sister!”

Miku and I were abandoned on the streets of London as infants.

The person who found us was Yuki, who was only ten years old at the time and an orphan like us.

After picking us up, Miku and I started living at Blue Paddy.

However, Yuki is no longer here now…

“Alright, all done… Now, let”s go to the dining hall. Today’s meal is my specialty, I can’t wait to hear Ema’s thoughts on it.”

Miku was good at cooking, so she prepared meals for everyone at the welfare home.

As I couldn”t cook, I envied Miku for being able to cook for everyone.

“Oh, and Yuki is coming back today.”

“Eh! Really!?”

Yuki left the welfare home seven years ago, but she comes back to visit us every month without fail.

Not just Miku and me, but all the other kids also love Yuki. Everyone eagerly waits for Yuki’s return.

“Yuki is amazing. To think that she could become the adopted child of Mr. Hikarimura Yutaka.”

“That”s obvious, isn”t it? Yuki always ranked first in the common exams.”

“That”s true.”

At Blue Paddy, there is a common exam held every month, regardless of age.

If you maintain the first rank for two years and pass the final exam, you can become the adopted child of the founder of Blue Paddy, Mr. Hikarimura Yutaka.

Once we turn sixteen, we have to leave here and fend for ourselves.

But, if you become Mr. Yutaka”s adopted child before that, you can live a life of luxury.

Therefore, everyone studied hard, but…

“Well, it doesn”t matter to us, does it?”

“I think it’s more about me than us…”

I wasn”t very good at studying. If we talk about ranks, it’s faster to count from the bottom.

So, in three years, I will have to leave Blue Paddy.

But it’s different for Miku.

“Miku, have you really decided? If you spend some time and study hard…”

“I am trying hard. But even with effort, I can’t get first place.”

Miku is a little liar. And every time she lies, it’s to take care of my feelings.

You can’t fool me. You once got first place in the common exam, but after that, you deliberately scored low.

You”re doing this for me, aren”t you? So that you don’t become the adopted child alone…

“…Thank you.”

“Appreciation should be shown with results. I”m really looking forward to it, you know?”

“Okay! Leave it to me, your older sister!”

I might not be as good as Miku at studying, cooking, or folding clothes, but I have a special skill.

That is chess. Although knowing how to play chess doesn”t help in daily life, still…

“I lost halfway last time, but next time, I will definitely win first place and get the prize money!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it. Let’s have our greatest revenge, the two of us sisters.”

“Yes!”

Our revenge.

We will live a happy life that makes the parents who abandoned us regret it.

I will win first place in a chess tournament, and with the prize money, Miku and I will open a restaurant.

Miku will be the chef, and I will be the waitress.

It doesn”t have to be a big restaurant.

A small but happy restaurant is enough, as long as I can be with Miku…

…………

……

“Ema, Miku, long time no see~! How are you, still energetic?”

As soon as we entered the cafeteria, Yuki greeted us with a big hug.

“Yuki, long time no see~!”

“Yes, we are both doing well.”

“Great! As a reward for your spirit, Yuki has brought this gift for Ema and Miku!”

Yuki handed me a bag ornately decorated.

Inside the bag, we found two cute dresses in different colors.

“Thank you, Yuki.”

“Thank you…”

Yuki always brings gifts for everyone when she returns to the orphanage.

Of course, receiving gifts is delightful… but I was a bit worried.

“Yuki, are you sure it’s okay? These dresses look expensive…”

“No problem~! I got promoted to the head of the development department, and my salary has increased several times over!”

I felt the problem wasn”t about money, but Yuki had given us these gifts out of kindness…

“You got a promotion! Congratulations, Yuki!”

“Congratulations. Yuki, you are so amazing!”

I gave Yuki a hundred-percent smile, the best gesture of gratitude I could offer at the moment.

But one day, I’ll definitely give her the best return gift. I made a firm resolution in my heart and glanced at Miku, who nodded in agreement. Indeed, we are twins. Even our thoughts seem connected.

“Ema and Miku are wonderful too~! After all, you both are so cute!”

“Hehe… Yuki, I bet you’ve said that to everyone, right?”

“Of course! You”re all so cute!”

We never knew our parents” affection, but we knew how much Yuki loved us.

We didn’t blame the world because of Yuki’s efforts.

“Well, I”m going to start cooking. Yuki, keep an eye out. Today’s dish is my specialty.”

After saying that, Miku ran into the kitchen.

But at that moment…

“…Uh!”

Miku stopped in her tracks for a moment.

“Miku, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. Don”t worry about it.”

“Is it?”

If I had noticed Miku’s abnormality at that time, maybe I could have saved her.

But I didn’t realize it.

I always thought it was natural for Miku to be by my side and that she would always be with me in the future…

That day, I woke up feeling something was off.

Usually, Miku would wake me up in the morning, but today she didn’t.

However, I felt a bit happy. It’s embarrassing for me as the older sister to always be woken up by my younger sister.

“…Hehehe”

I climbed the ladder to check on Miku, who was still sleeping in the upper bunk.

Even though I claimed the upper bunk as the older sister, Miku insisted that as the older sister, I should let the younger one have it, and she took it. I reached the top of the ladder. Miku… was there. Seems like she”s still asleep.

Then, as an older sister, I must wake my younger sister up!

“Good morning, Miku!”

I pounced on Miku with a thud, covering her.

Hehe, you always wake me up, Miku. Now it’s my turn to wake you up. You must be scared…

“…Ema”

“Miku?”

Something seemed off about Miku. I immediately got off her and pulled back the blanket.

That”s when I saw Miku clutching her chest, moaning in pain.

“Miku, what’s wrong!?… Miku, Miku!”

“It”s okay… I”m fine…”

Miku answered in a barely audible whisper.

Miku was a little liar. And every time she lied to me, it meant…

“Wait for me! You”ll be fine, Miku!”

After that, things became a blur.

I rushed to tell the staff about Miku’s condition, and she was immediately taken to the hospital.

I followed along.

While waiting at the hospital, Yuki arrived and held me tightly.

Then…

“It”s a heart condition… and a very rare case at that.”

The doctor explained Miku’s condition to us.

“Is there a cure!? Can”t Miku be saved!?”

Yuki, pale-faced, questioned the doctor.

“There is a cure, but it requires a special surgery…”

The surgery cost six million pounds.

When the doctor mentioned the cost, everything went dark before my eyes.

Six million pounds… that”s about one billion yen. How could I possibly afford that much money?

Even winning the chess tournament and its prize money would be a drop in the bucket…

“Is it not urgent to perform the surgery right away?”

As I fell into despair, Yuki continued to ask.

“It”s like this… but the patient needs to be hospitalized. If it’s just about stabilizing the condition… The cost isn”t as high as surgery, but it’s still a significant amount…”

“I’ll pay for it! So, please, doctor, you must cure [the patient]!”

I hate how powerless I am. In the end, I”m just a kid who can’t do anything.

Even though [the patient] might die, I, as her sister, couldn”t do anything…

“Ema, we absolutely can’t give up! As long as we have money, we can definitely cure [her]! I… I’ll talk to Father! He will surely…”

“I”m sorry, Ema. I asked Father, but… I”m sorry, I”m so sorry…”

The next day, Yuki, with tears in her eyes, told me.

She requested Mr. Hikarimura Yutaka to pay for [the patient”s] surgery, but he refused.

“Don”t apologize, it’s not your fault, Yuki. If anyone”s to blame, it’s me…”

If only I had studied harder. If I had been good at studying, maybe I could have been the top student at Blue Paddy and Mr. Hikarimura Yutaka might have saved [her].

But my grades were terrible, so bad that it’s quicker to count from the bottom.

Such a stupid child like me, Mr. Hikarimura Yutaka would never listen to my request.

“…”

The world is cruel.

Not only were we abandoned by our parents, but now even the gods seemed to abandon us.

If only [she] and I could swap hearts. That way, [she] could be saved.

…Right. What if I died?

We are twins. So, I could donate my heart to [her].

[She] is hundreds, thousands of times more capable than me. [She] could manage even on her own…

—Let’s make our greatest revenge, the two of us sisters.

At that moment, [her] words suddenly echoed in my mind.

No, I can’t do this… I can’t die. [She] can’t die either.

Because our dream as sisters is “to achieve happiness together.”

We were abandoned by our own parents. This fact filled me with resentment and bitterness.

After all, abandoning me was one thing, but how could they abandon someone as capable and intelligent as [her].

Yet now, even the gods seemed to plan to leave us behind.

I couldn”t accept this. I had to take revenge.

We had to achieve happiness, live happily, and take revenge on those who abandoned us.

“Yuki, I haven’t given up.”

“Ema…”

“There”s still time! [She] will definitely be saved! So, I”m going to do everything I can!”

How could I let [her] die in such a place!

To achieve happiness, we need money. No matter what it takes, I must get that money!

[She] and I have to achieve happiness. We have to be so happy that it makes our parents… makes even the gods jealous, becoming the happiest family in the world!

“Yuki, can I work at the Hikarimura Group? If I make a lot of money for the group, maybe I can get their support, right?”

“Eh? Oh, yes. But it’s difficult… Ema, you’re still young. Without outstanding achievements, the group is unlikely to let you work there.”

“What about chess? I”m good at chess! If I win in big tournaments and become a professional chess player for the Hikarimura Group!”

“It”s possible for Ema, but getting financing of six million pounds just from that might be…”

It”s really difficult… No, I can’t think of giving up!

There must be another way! So, I need to think hard and find it!

“Getting my value recognized and then borrowing the surgery money… But it’s hard to get Mr. Yutaka”s recognition… So, find someone else. If there”s someone who needs me…”

“Someone other than Father? Who else would recognize Ema’s value? …Oh!”

“What is it, Yuki?”

“Ah, well, you see…”

Yuki hesitated, which told me how difficult the method she thought of must be.

“If you think of something, tell me!”

“I did think of something, but… it’s a very dangerous method…”

“No matter how dangerous, it’s nothing! The worst thing for me is not having [her] by my side!”

“But…”

“Please! I really, really want to save [her]!”

“Okay… What I thought of is, Father is getting on in years. So, soon he should be deciding on an heir. Deciding who will inherit the entire Hikarimura Group…”

“…Eh! Are you saying, Yuki, you’re a candidate for the heir!”

“No, I”m not a candidate. Most likely, it”ll be chosen from those brothers. The ones who have made significant achievements and contributions for the Hikarimura Group.”

“Then, I’ll plead with the chosen heir to save [her]!”

“They won”t easily lend a hand. Those brothers are very smart and outstanding. But at the same time, they have a cold side. They won”t spend a penny on someone useless to them.”

Hearing Yuki say this, I remembered those children at Blue Paddy who achieved excellent results in the common exam.

Their results were outstanding, but they often kept to themselves, always wearing cold expressions. If those adopted children were like those kids…

“So, just asking them with words won”t work…”

“Right. So… we have to deceive.”

“Ah?”

“What I mean is to deceive. And this is something only Ema can do.”

Deceiving to get the surgery money. I knew it was wrong.

But if there was no other way to save [her]…

“What is it that only I can do…”

“Ema, use your cuteness to bewitch the heir and swindle the inheritance for yourself.”

“Eh? Eh, eh, eh——!! That”s really…”

No, no way! I’m not that cute…

“You”re right. In case of failure, you could be killed. Such a dangerous task shouldn’t be given to…”

“…Uh! Murder!”

“There are people in the Kurumamichi Corporation who do such dirty work… especially those two close to Father, said to be capable of easily taking down a country”s leader…”

To think there are such terrifying people! But if I give up now…

“…I’ll do it! I’ll deceive him, Yuki!”

“But…”

“If I do nothing, Miku will die! Then my life will have no meaning! So I’ll deceive him to show you!”

“Okay then… But there”s still some time before the heir is chosen… If you think of another way before then, prioritize that… Is that okay?”

“Yes!”

And so, a year later, Yuki and I hurried to Japan.

To meet the heir of the Kurumamichi Corporation—Kurumamichi Shino…

What expression should I wear when meeting Ema?

Otori Miku. Grew up in the English children”s home “Blue Paddy,” Ema’s twin sister.

Three years ago, she developed a special heart disease and has since been treated in a hospital established by the Kurumamichi Corporation in England.

Her condition was controlled for the first two years, but it has recently worsened significantly.

The doctor informed us that Otori Miku had at most one more year to live. To be saved, she needed a special surgery.

The cost of the surgery was one billion yen.

This was the truth Kurumamichi Dan revealed to me last night.

—In the past, there was someone by my side too, whose cooking was delicious and filled with warm love. That person was also my guiding light.

—Miku, just wait a little longer… Your sister will definitely save you…

“…Ema”

If I were in her shoes, what choice would I make?

I would undoubtedly choose the same path. For me, the Kurumamichi family is irreplaceable.

Because of this, I deeply understand Ema’s feelings.

But…

“I”m powerless…”

If I could save her, I would want to help. I want to prepare one billion yen for her.

But I haven’t inherited the Kurumamichi Corporation”s fortune.

It”s next to impossible to raise one billion yen in a year…

“Shino, good morning!”

“Ah, good morning… Ema.”

Watching Ema approach with an innocent smile, I felt an indescribable feeling.

Underneath that smile, what thoughts was she hiding…

“Thank you. You came all this way to pick me up.”

“Don”t mention it…”

This morning, we met not at the usual park, but in front of Ema’s apartment.

Unsure if yesterday”s assassin might strike again, I needed to guard Ema around the clock.

But what’s the use of continuing? Whether it’s my mission or Ema’s goal, continuing on…

“Say, Ema. About yesterday… Ah!”

Ema suddenly hugged my arm tightly.

“Alright! Let’s hurry up and go! If we don’t hurry, we”ll be late, right?”

“It”s not that, now”s not the time to talk about this. About yesterday…”

“Of course, I remember yesterday”s promise! Let’s go to Horyu-ji Temple after school!”

“Really, are we going? We did say so yesterday…”

“Of course we are!”

Ema, you must know. You”re in a dangerous situation now.

“But after what happened yesterday, to go again today is really…”

“Shino, you worry too much! It”s okay! If something happens, I’ll do my best!”

Saying so, Ema touched her chest.

I knew she kept a small handgun in her school uniform pocket.

But against professional spies, such a weapon is no match.

Besides, you’re so gentle, you would never pull that trigger.

“Alright… since you insist, let”s go to Horyu-ji Temple together.”

“Yes! Let’s create beautiful memories!”

What”s the point… Ema, everything you’re doing now is meaningless.

I can’t save your sister…

“Also, thank you for saving me yesterday! Shino, I”m really glad you came to my rescue!”

“It”s my fault, I”m sorry you were frightened yesterday…”

“Why apologize? Shino, you did nothing wrong.”

Fortunately, nothing serious happened yesterday, but I can’t guarantee I’ll always be able to protect Ema.

Even with the full deployment of the Kurumamichi family, there are limits.

But there”s one… one surefire way to protect Ema.

That is…

“Ema, I will always protect you. So, rest assured.”

“Hehe. Thank you, Shino!”

All I have to do is end my relationship with Ema…

◇◇◇◇◇◇

“Sigh… First thing in the morning and I have to see something so blinding…”

“Why can’t there be a miracle that takes me back a week ago…”

Just entering the school, I heard our male students muttering to themselves.

This included boys who were quite popular among the girls.

I carried a sense of guilt in my heart.

Even the incident with Yamada yesterday, there are so many boys in Choku High School more charming than me.

If Otori Ema hadn”t fallen ill, or if Nanashino Yuki had found another way to raise money, my relationship with Otori Ema wouldn’t have formed. Ema should be living a happy life right now.

At this moment, the boys here who cast envious glances at me, she might have become one of their girlfriends.

She would never have ended up with someone like me, who doesn’t match her.

“Shino, let”s eat lunch together during the break.”

“Okay, I”m looking forward to it. See you at noon…”

Then, the guard shift.

Chiyo and Kurumamichi Dan monitored the surveillance cameras set up inside Choku High School.

Kurumamichi Izuna, disguised as a staff member, acted as Otori Ema’s bodyguard.

I think this should be fine… But I can’t shake off the unease in my heart.

Some boys still hadn’t recovered from the shock of Ema and me becoming a couple, but fortunately, after a week had passed, I no longer attracted attention upon entering the classroom.

So, I went to my seat by the window.

Just as I sat down…

“Hey, Shino! Hehe, Shino~… Whoa!”

Today, Ue Osamu was as boisterous as ever, coming up to me.

“What”s up? Why so gloomy? You look like the world is about to end.”

“Do I? I thought my expression was the same as usual.”

“No, no, no, definitely different! Don’t you realize how long we”ve been friends?”

“We”ve only known each other for about a year since we first met…”

“That’s long enough!”

Osamu, with a cloudless smile, gave me a thumbs up.

Despite having trained not to let my expressions and attitudes change…

“So, did something happen with Ema?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Hahaha! If Shino is troubled, who else could it be but Ema?”

Sigh, he”s right…

“I”m starting to question whether I should stay by Ema’s side.”

“Whoa~… The typical “I”m just a country bumpkin, how can I be with a high-class flower like her” problem.”

“Can you stop bothering me?”

“Whoa! Don”t rush! It”s a rare chance, let me help you out! Aren”t we friends?”

Talking with the overly reactive Osamu always relaxes me a bit.

Maybe it’s because I realize I”m amidst my daily life.

“So, why the sudden doubt?”

“I think continuing to be with Ema will bring her trouble.”

“Then why not break up? That way, other boys would be ecstatic. They’d think they might become Ema’s boyfriend next.”

“…What did you say?”

I don’t understand why breaking up with Ema would mean she’d find a new boyfriend.

She wouldn”t look for such riffraff. She, diligently striving for her sister, would find someone much better…

“Oh. You got angry, didn’t you? Then you have your answer.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

What is he talking about?

“Your anger means you don’t want other boys to take Ema away, right?”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. So keep dating her. Keep the love going!”

“But that doesn”t consider Ema’s feelings…”

“All that nice talk doesn”t matter! What”s important is what you think! Besides, ever since you and Ema started dating, haven’t you wanted to keep her for yourself?”

“I…”

It’s a bit different. I’ve continued the relationship mainly to complete my mission.

I never thought about keeping Ema for myself.

Ema belongs to herself. Even though we”re in a relationship, that won’t change.

“Thank you, Kurumamichi Dan. Your words are very valuable.”

“Hahaha! No need to thank me! But in return, you owe me a drink—”

“Whatever you both are doing is fine, but hurry back to your seats.”

“Whoa! Kurumamichi Izuna, don’t suddenly stand behind me and talk like that!”

“I’ve told you several times, be mindful of HR time.”

“Eh! Is it that time already?”

“It”s been three minutes.”

“Understood!”

Kurumamichi Dan quickly returned to his seat. I thought Kurumamichi Izuna-sensei would immediately return to the podium, but he stayed where he was, his gaze on me carrying a bit of coldness.

“Is something the matter?”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter to me, but…”

Kurumamichi Izuna-sensei, scratching his head, looked at me more casually.

“Since you’re troubled, why not just openly express your true feelings?”

“What do you mean by that, teacher?”

“Kurumamichi Shino-kun, you’re not one to express your feelings directly. So, how about trying to speak your true thoughts for once? I can’t promise what the outcome might be, though.”

“I didn’t expect you to delve into this kind of topic, teacher.”

“Frankly, every alarm in my head is telling me not to meddle.”

“…Thank you for your advice, teacher.”

I thanked Kurumamichi Izuna-sensei, who nodded slightly before returning to the podium.

So, I should put my own thoughts first and express them openly and without any concealment.

Then, the action I should take is…

Once the class was over, I approached a certain girl”s seat.

I never imagined a day would come when I would initiate a conversation with her…

“Kageyama Rin, do you have a moment to talk?”

“Call me Rin. How many times do I have to say it?”

Though her words sounded upset, she seemed to be in a good mood. Had something good happened?

“If others think I’m too close to you—”

“Then isn’t it a problem for you to come over to talk to me like this?”

“It”s an emergency. I need to hear your opinion, no matter what.”

“Hmph~… Let’s hear it then?”

Kageyama Rin gave me a sharp look.

“Just hypothetically speaking, if someone needed a large sum of money for some purpose, and you happened to have the money they needed—”

“I would definitely not lend it.”

Kageyama Rin answered immediately, without hesitation.

“May I know the reason?”

“Money rewards the results of one’s efforts, not the effort itself. Just because you’ve tried hard doesn’t mean I should give you money. I refuse to be that easy a woman.”

“…I understand.”

I couldn’t argue with that…

The world I live in works the same way. No matter how harsh the training, those destined to die will die.

Claiming how hard you’ve trained won’t convince the enemy to spare you.

Only those who prove themselves lucky and strong survive.

“Thank you, Kageyama Rin. Your perspective has helped me decide what to do.”

“You’re welcome. —So, Rin, when do you plan to show me your results?”

Is she referring to the matter of calling her by her first name…

“I am earnestly working on it.”

“Isn’t that what you always say?”

“I added “earnestly” this time.”

“Fine, fine.”

In the end, I managed to annoy Rin, who turned her head away.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

“After school, as soon as HR ended, I went to meet Ema and we both left Choku High School.

After walking from Choku High School to the station, and another fifteen minutes, we arrived at Otori Raitera.

Climbing the slightly steep stone steps, a tranquil green space opened up before us.

Neither too open nor too narrow, just perfect. Although it was my first visit, I felt quite good about this place…

“We’re here, Shino!”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps due to it being a weekday, there was no one else at Otori Raitera but us.

That said, excluding Kurumamichi Izuna, who was disguised as a staff member, and Kurumamichi Dan and Chiyo who were lurking nearby to observe, there was no one else.

“…”

Of course, I didn’t let my guard down. We weren’t the only ones skilled in disguise.

Given yesterday”s encounter with a disguised assassin, all the staff members, other than Kurumamichi Izuna, were suspects.

“Um… Shino, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Look at me. How could I make Ema feel scared?

Today’s purpose was to have a date.

Making her happy was the priority… but how exactly should I do that?

My mission is to “bring Otori Ema into the Hikarimura Group.”

But since saving Otori Miku is impossible, it means I can’t complete this task.

“Let’s go pray together then. Every time I come here, I make sure to pray!”

“Okay, let’s go.”

We passed through the torii gate, walked a little further, and cleansed our hands at the chozuya.

“I really like the chozuya. The ladle has a uniquely Japanese feel to it.”

“You don’t really see this outside of Japan.”

“Huh? Shino, have you been abroad?”

“Uh, a few times…”

I mainly trained within Japan before, but there were a few overseas missions.

Those trips abroad weren”t necessarily happy experiences, but they hold some good memories.

“That’s interesting! Then, I’ll ask more, where have you been?”

“Let me think, I’ve been to quite a few countries. The United States, France… and I’ve also been to the UK.”

“Eh? You’ve been to the UK? Then maybe I’ve seen you before, Shino…”

“Maybe we”ve met somewhere before.”

I never visited the Hikarimura Group’s children”s welfare home – Blue Paddy, but I did visit Hikarimura Pharmaceutical’s London headquarters. That was for escorting new drug data. At that time, Nanashino Yuki was still working at Hikarimura Pharmaceutical, so it’s possible that I might have seen Ema.

“Hehe… if that’s true, then we”re really destined.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

If we had met in another way. If I weren’t a spy, and Ema’s sister wasn”t sick… would we have formed a different relationship?

“Hm?”

“What’s wrong, Shino?”

On the path, I saw the omikuji.

I had thought about rigging it so Ema would draw a great fortune, but I didn’t go through with it.

“Since we”re here, why don’t we try our luck with an omikuji?”

“Ah! That’s a great idea! Let’s see who has better luck after drawing!”

We each put in a hundred yen and shook the omikuji box.

Ema drew number twenty-four, while I drew number thirteen.

We took out our respective omikuji and unfolded them…

“Ah! It’s good fortune!”

“I got a moderate fortune.”

“Ah~ Shino won~”

“No, Ema, you’re wrong. You won.”

“Eh? But you drew a moderate fortune, and mine is just regular good fortune…”

“The order of omikuji is great fortune, good fortune, then moderate fortune. Moderate fortune means it’s only half as good. So, Ema, you won.”

“I see. Good fortune is second place, I didn’t know that.”

Ema, having lived abroad for so long, probably wasn”t familiar with the order of omikuji.

“Let’s see… the person you’re waiting for will be brought to you. In love, although you might miss out, your thoughts are connected. Wishes will come true if you believe! That’s great!” [Floating General: Belief doesn”t need reasons.]

“You drew a good fortune.”

“Yeah. Shino, what does yours say?”

“Mine…”

The person you’re waiting for… if you take a step, you”ll meet.

Love… will change based on your choice.

Wishes… are extremely difficult to fulfill, but with effort, it’s still possible.

“Ema, you drew a good fortune too!”

“Did I? I don’t think it’s particularly good…”

“It says that wishes can come true with effort, right? I think it’s more precious to work hard and make wishes come true than to have them come true without any effort.”

“Ema is so optimistic…”

I”m always bound by pessimistic thoughts.

But Ema is the exact opposite. She probably still believes her sister can be saved…

“Shino, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. Let’s keep going.”

“Okay!”

…………

……

After reaching the main shrine, Ema and I began to pray.

I shook the bell, took some coins out of my wallet, and dropped them into the offering box.

One hundred-yen coin, two ten-yen coins, and a five-yen coin. [Note: 125 yen = a good omen of 12 parts].

Then, two bows and two claps. Ema, not knowing the order of fortune-telling, was aware of the prayer method, and I followed suit.

With hands clasped together, I prayed earnestly.

If there really were gods in this world, please, let them fulfill her wish.

Just one… that single, minuscule possibility.

If it could be realized, Ema’s sister could be saved—

“Shino, stay calm and listen,”

At that moment, Dan’s voice came through the Bluetooth earpiece.

“The application you submitted has a result.”

That was the only method I had come up with last night.

I had proposed to the Kurumamichi Group that “covering Ema’s surgery costs is necessary to win over a potential important ally.” I knew the reasoning was a stretch.

But if a miracle happened… even if it was just a sliver of a chance—

“Unfortunately… the application was not approved.”

“…I see.”

“Ema?”

Hearing my sudden self-talk, Ema looked at me strangely.

I shouldn”t have done something I wasn”t accustomed to…

Thinking that praying to the gods might work… but the world isn”t so naive.

Ema’s sister only had a year left to live. Officially inheriting the estate wouldn”t happen until graduation from Chokushin High School, which was two years away.

I couldn”t make it in time.

I couldn”t prepare such a massive amount as ten billion yen. I couldn”t save Ema’s sister…

So, at least…

“Alright! Next up is going to the game center with Shino—”

“Ema, I have something important to tell you.”

“Eh?”

I always thought that if there were an if, it would be Ema who would say these words.

But I never expected it would be me who had to say them…

“Let’s end our relationship here.”

“…Eh!”

Perhaps unable to understand my abrupt statement, Ema froze.

Her eyes wavered, unable to focus, as she forced a smile.

“What are you suddenly talking about? What do you mean by ending here…?”

“I mean we should break up.”

“…Eh!”

Ema’s smile completely vanished.

Tears slowly welled up and then overflowed. Such a shame for her delicate face…

“I don’t want to! Why! Why all of a sudden!?”

“Continuing this relationship is pointless. That”s my judgment.”

Ema came to Japan to seize Kurumamichi Yuu”s inheritance.

So as long as she realizes she won”t get the inheritance from me, she should willingly return to England.

This way, I could keep her safe. At the same time, she could be with her sister in her last moments.

I couldn”t save Ema’s sister. So at least…

“Then, let”s continue! I haven’t been to your house yet! I want to meet your family! Meet your sister you always talk about…”

“…Sister!”

“Shino?”

The word “sister” pierced deep into my chest. Now that I had announced the breakup, this was to be expected.

For Ema’s sister”s sake, she was willing to continue our relationship despite knowing the danger.

“Ema. I truly understand how you feel. But…”

I shouldn”t tell her. I should leave without explaining anything. This way, the news of our breakup would spread throughout the school, and the chances of the assassin targeting her would decrease.

I should protect her. Protect someone like her, who, for her own sister”s sake, wants to maintain a romantic relationship with me regardless of her own safety.

“It”s not possible… I want to break up with you. It”s for your own good.”

“I don’t want to! I don’t want to break up with Shino! I don’t want to!”

While speaking, Ema Otori firmly held onto me.

Actually, I wanted to hug her back and wipe away the tears on her face.

But this momentary compassion couldn”t solve the underlying problem.

“It”s not like that! It”s not for my own good! I know everything! Shino, you’re kind because you want to protect me, right? It”s because of what happened yesterday, that”s why—”

“I can’t save Otori Miku!!”

“…Eh?”

I sighed, having said it out loud… even though it wasn”t necessary to go that far…

I’ve failed as a spy.

“Why…? Why does Shino know about Miku…?”

“I know everything. You and Yuki Nanashino live together. You need Yukitaka Hikarimura’s inheritance for Otori Miku’s surgery. And… you installed a listening device in your bracelet.”

“…Uh! How, how could this be…?”

Ema, who had just been holding onto me, now gradually moved away from me.

“You don’t need to worry about the eavesdropping. Because I’ve done the same to you.”

“Shino too? Could it be…!”

The next second, Ema began examining the pendant she always wore.

“That”s right, I installed a listening device in your pendant.”

“So, Shino, you’ve been…”

“I’ve heard all your conversations with Yuki Nanashino. And through investigation, I’ve also clarified your purpose. You became my girlfriend for the surgery fees for Otori Miku, right?”

I knew I shouldn”t have spoken these words, but at that moment, I couldn”t care about my own feelings.

“So why still…”

“I have my own purposes. So, I was merely making use of your plan.”

“But you ate the lunchbox without any problem… Ah!”

“Yes, as Yuki Nanashino thought, the truth serum doesn”t affect me. I have been resistant to truth serums since I was a child.”

“Ah, ah, ah…”

“But the words I said to you then, none of them were lies.”

“What you said…”

“Whether you believe it or not, it doesn”t matter. I just wanted to tell you, that”s all…”

Ema, I’ve hidden so many things from you.

But it’s precisely why I didn’t want to lie to you.

Even if all this was a lie, the days I spent with you brought me real happiness…

I can’t save Otori Miku. We also don’t have romantic feelings for each other.

There are enough reasons to end this relationship, right?

“So, let”s end this. Our relationship—”

“Wait… wait!”

Ema, with tears in her eyes, grabbed my school uniform.

“Kurumamichi… no, Hikarimura Shino! I beg you! I really need that money! I need it no matter what! So, please…”

“Please save Miku!!”

If only her wish could be realized, how wonderful that would be?

But my power…

“I can’t do it…”

“I’ll do anything! Whatever command you give, I’ll obey! So please, save Miku, save my sister—”

“I don’t have the inheritance.”

“…Eh?”

“The inheritor inherits the Hikarimura Group”s authority and wealth after high school graduation. Thus, I can’t prepare a billion yen this year.”

“How can that be…”

Ema’s expression was one I’ve seen countless times.

Not sadness or fear, just despair… the expression I dread the most.

“Otori Ema, everything you’re doing now is futile. So, I hope to end our relationship.”

“It’s all futile… Even Shino can’t save Miku…”

I felt my own powerlessness.

If I were more powerful, if I were more trusted by the Hikarimura Group, even a reckless request might have been possible. Maybe then I could have raised the surgery funds for Otori Miku.

I can’t even save the girl crying in front of me, what kind of first-class spy am I…!

 

“…I’m sorry.”

“It”s okay, you don’t have to apologize to me. After all, I did a lot of terrible things to Shino.”

“…”

I couldn”t speak. Efforts that don’t yield results are just excuses.

“Today, thank you. Although it was a fake relationship, I was happy…”

Ema walked away from me. Even though she was right in my sight, I felt she was far, far away.

This is because our relationship began to crumble from this moment.

Finally, with tears streaming down her face, Ema managed a smile at me,

“Goodbye, Shino.”

After saying that, Ema left.

“The mission failed…”

📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.
The Assassin Who Reaches to a Romcom

The Assassin Who Reaches to a Romcom

Yagate Love Comedy ni Itaru Ansatsusha, やがてラブコメに至る暗殺者
Score 9
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Artist: Released: 2023 Native Language: Japanese
“I love you, Shino! From now on, I want to be by your side as your lover!” Thus, I, a very ordinary high school boy named Kurumichi Shino, and the school’s famously beautiful girl, Emma Ootori, became lovers. Can you believe it? That Emma Ootori? The perfect beauty brimming with humor and charm, who came from England. Truly a flower on a high peak. If I were really just an ordinary person… “I’ll turn Shino into a puppet and take everything from him!” I am set to inherit a vast fortune from the world-renowned Kogou Group. She must have approached me with her eyes on that inheritance. Anyone who opposes the group will be eliminated. Emma, it’s me who will use you. I’ll turn you into a puppet and thoroughly use you. Hehehe…”

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