Chapter 24 - Where did she go?


Annin opened Kumi’s bedroom door and popped her head inside. “Hey, have you guys seen Center?”

“Shh!!” Both Kanon and Yuria placed a finger on their own lips signifying Annin to lower down her voice as Kumi is sleeping soundly.

Yuria and Kanon then rested their arms on Kumi’s bed and looked at Kumi with a loving expression. They then proceeded to poke Kumi on the face while giggling. “Kumi-sama is so cute..”

“Err... Aren’t you guys not supposed to disturb her while she’s asleep?”

“But Kumi-sama is too cute when she’s sleeping.. We just have to poke her..” Yuria answered. Both of them continued poking her face.

*poke* *poke* *poke* *poke* *poke* *poke* *poke* *poke* 

*SMACK* *SMACK*

Both Kanon and Yuria got smacked on the head as Kumi shot up from her sleep immediately.

“What the hell do both of you think you’re doing!? That was annoying! Stop poking my face!” Kumi was grumpy.

“See? Told ya.. Kumi doesn’t like being disturbed when she’s sleeping.” Annin giggled by Kumi’s door.

“What’re you doing here, Annin?” Kumi rubbed her forehead to relieve herself from her fatigue.

“Well, I just wanted to know if you guys know where Center went.” Annin asked.

“Nope, don’t know. Don’t care. Good night.” Kumi fell back onto her bed.

“Wait wait... Kumi-sama.. It’s such a nice day to take a walk outside.. Why don’t we go shopping?” Yuria suggested.

“Yea.. Let’s go shopping, Kumi-sama.. It’ll be fun.” Kanon pulled Kumi up again.

“You guys go ahead. Let me sleep.” Kumi pulled herself back into the covers.

“Eh.. Kumi-sama.. Let’s go! Let’s go!” Kanon started hopping on Kumi’s bed.

“Yea.. Let’s go shopping!” Yuria hopped as well.

“Alright! Stop hopping! I’m going crazy!” Kumi covered her forehead in annoyance.

“You going crazy? Isn’t that just ironic, Kumi?” Annin giggled.

“Don’t even start with me, Annin.. Ugh..” Kumi sounded annoyed.

“Yay!! Let’s go get changed!” Kanon and Yuria hopped out of bed and rushed out of the room together. Annin smiled at both their childishness.

“Well, life’s fun when you have two energetic assistants helping you..”

“OVER-energetic..” Kumi is still trying to keep herself awake.

Annin giggled once again. “I’ll see if Sayanee knows where Center went. Well, have a nice day..”

Annin then proceeded to Sayanee’s room and opened the door. “Hey, have you guys seen..................”

“Ahn.. S-Sayanee... Not there... I’m sensitive there...” Milky moaned as Sayanee on her collarbone.

“Only there? What about here?” Sayanee shifted her hands and cupped Milky’s chest.

“Ahn...mmmm.....” Milky felt completely powerless to even speak properly.

“..........” Annin blinked a few times at the sight of both Sayanee and Milky being half on the bed. “Well, I guess not...”

Annin escaped from the room immediately with her face flashed completely red. “Woo... Today’s a hot day isn’t it?” Annin started fanning herself.

“I might as well try my luck finding her myself..” Annin was about to open the entrance door when it was opened by someone from outside. It was Jurina.

“Center! You’re back!” Annin looked completely delighted.

“...” Jurina ignored Annin.

“Where did you go, Center?” Annin asked in a worried tone.

Without replying, Jurina walked straight past Annin and towards her room.

“Center? I asked you a question...” Annin asked once again in a soft and polite tone.

Jurina turned and glared back at Annin. “What I do or where I go is none of your business, Annin. So, stop acting like you’re my mom and question every single thing I do!! I go where I want to, and I do what I want to do, get it!? Just stay away from me!”

Being confused about Jurina’s sudden outburst, Annin just kept quiet and looked on as Jurina walked herself back into her room. “It’s so unlike Center to burst in anger without any reason.. Something must have happened when she left..”

“Interested in knowing where Center went just now?” A voice echoed in the corridors of the castle as a girl appeared.

“Umeda! You know where Center went just now?” Annin ran towards Umeda.

“You have a memory lost or something? I can see things normal people can’t see.. I saw where she went..” Umeda stated.

“So? Tell me then.. Where did she go just now?”

“Does it even matter where she goes?”

“Can’t I know?”

Umeda remained silent and stared back at Annin blankly.

“What? Why are you looking at me like this?” Annin asked.

“You... You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Umeda asked.

“No I’m not! I just care a lot for her.” Annin answered in an instant.

“Nothing can escape my true sight, Annin.”

“No... I can’t possibly fall in love with her...” Annin shook her head.

“You may not realize it yet, but you’ll see soon enough.”

“...” Annin remained silent.

“Here’s a suggestion for you, Annin. Stay away from her. She was born from an angel, and you’re a demon. Being with her will not bring you any good. You do know what happened to Center’s father, do you? He was sent to an eternal torture for being with an angel.” Umeda explained.

“That was when our late Demon King was still alive. He made this rule because he despised angels like mad. Now that he’s gone, there will be no rules whatsoever till a new king steps up. So, even if i choose to be with an angel, nobody has the power to do anything to me.”

Umeda grabbed Annin by the collar. “Deal with it, Annin.. Angels and demons were never meant to be with each other. Not last time, not now, not ever! You hear me?”

Annin smacked Umeda’s hand away. “If they knew they shouldn’t be with each other, why do they still do it? You don’t understand anything about love, Umeda. Love plays a big role in everyone’s life. Even a demon’s. You, on the other hand followed the late Demon King’s footsteps way too much. You reject everyone.”

“And you’re straying off a demon’s path. Wake up, Annin. It had always been like this since thousands and thousands of years ago. Demons do not get along with any other species but itself.”

“I can think for myself, if you don’t mind. Who i want to be with does not concern you. Thanks for your advice anyway.”

“It’s not like I’m giving you any advice or anything, moron. I just don’t want the demons to keep decreasing in number because of your stupidity..” Umeda pointed her finger right at Annin’s face.

“...” Annin remained silent again.

“She went into the SKE forest just now.. That’s all I could see from here.. Now I need some rest. Don’t bother me anymore.” Umeda walked back towards her room.

“Thanks, Umeda..” Annin smiled.

Umeda turned around and shook her head. “Don’t thank me for something this petty. Demons have a higher pride than this. Besides, I don’t want you to keep pestering me about where Center went again and again. Now, STOP bothering me again.” and she proceeded towards her room.

“Hmm... So, SKE forest, huh... I’ll check that place out soon..”



In a hospital ward

“Mmmm......” Sasshi groaned. While still having her eyes closed, she moved her right hand and grabbed onto something before squeezing it a little.

“Mmm... Soft....like a bun......” Sasshi mumbled.

She then felt someone smacking her hand away. “W-Where did my bun go...” Sasshi continued wriggling and moving her hands around searching for her ‘bun’.

“Oi, Sasshi, wake up!” A voice called out to her. She finally opened her eyes and looked to her right. No bun there, that’s for sure. Just Lovetan sitting there, covering her chest with both her arms.

“Where’s my bun?” The first question Sasshi asked Lovetan as soon as she regained consciousness.

Lovetan blushed immediately. “W-What bun!?”

“Eh? But i grabbed onto a soft bun just now... I’m so hungry.. GIve me that bun.. I wanna eat it.” Sasshi said casually.

“There’s no bun here!” Lovetan’s face became redder than a tomato.

“No bun? Then what did i grab onto just now?” Sasshi frowned.

“This!!” Lovetan punched right at Sasshi’s nose.

*SMACK*

“Hmph!” Lovetan walked out of the room immediately.

“Oi, I think you just broke my nose.. What did I do?” Sasshi held onto her own nose.

“You grabbed onto her chest. That’s what you did..” Another voice sounded from the left side of the room. It was Rena.

“I did?? Wow I didn’t know......... Today must be my lucky day then...” Sasshi burst out in laughter.

“You’re still in the mood to laugh after getting pummeled till this state?” Rena frowned.

“So, I’m guessing Lovetan told you the whole story?”

“Not only me. Everyone in the organization knows about it.”

“Boy, that was embarrassing..” Sasshi covered her face.

“What were you thinking going up against a Demon General?”

“Hey, she impaled two of our hunters on the top of the flagpole and threw a lorry at us first. What am I supposed to do? Just sit there and tell her that she did a good job and then walk off? I don’t think so!” Sasshi explained.

“You almost lost your life.. Lovetan told me this. If it wasn’t for Umeda showing mercy to you, you would be dead already.” Rena stated loudly.

“Correction!!!!!” Sasshi raised her index finger. “I’m already dead in the first place.”

Rena smacked herself on her head. “It doesn’t matter! You lost!”

“Hey.. I lost because I did not know the extent of Umeda’s power. I was careless. The next time we meet, I will not let my guard down.”

“You better not.. We’re dealing with demons. They’re more powerful than you think.”

“We’ll see about that..”

“Just be careful next time, ok?” Sasshi nodded her head.

“Where’s Mayu and Yuki?” Sasshi asked.

“They left before I came.. I don’t think Yuki still wants to see me after what I’ve said about her..” Rena sounded apologetic.

“Well, I’m not gonna ask so much about that then.. What about Gakuran and Chokoku?”

“They went out for a date.”

“Date at a time like this? I’m hospitalized for Christ sake.”

“You’re doing just fine, Sasshi.. Don’t expect everyone to be here to see you wake up.”

“So, how about you? How’re you feeling?”

“What do you mean how am I feeling? What am I supposed to feel?”

“You know... About Jurina...”

“She’ll come back.. I’m sure of it.”

“How sure are you that she will return?”

“I just know it!”

“What if...she never was our ally from the very beginning? What if everything she said was true? She came close to you just to join Hellsing to get her hands on the Yamata no Orochi..”

“That’s completely impossible.. After everything we’ve been through..”

“Yes, I get it, Rena.. But what if...she really was the enemy but she fell for you during the process? That could be possible too, right?”

“If that’s the case, I will never forgive her for using me..”

“So you’re gonna kill her?” Sasshi asked in a monotonous tone.

“I...” Rena looked away.

“You wouldn’t kill her. Even if she were to take over this world, you will still not be able to kill her.”

“I already did it once before.. I stabbed her once on the chest.”

“And that will be the last time you’ll ever do that.”

“...” Rena remained silent and looked down.

“Listen to me, Rena.. If Jurina ever go across the line and she has to be stopped by any means necessary, leave the job to us.. I don’t expect you to kill her with your own hands.”

At that time, the ward door slided open, catching the attention of Sasshi and Rena. “Oh, Takamina.. What’s up?” Rena smiled.

“Hey, Takamina... How’s Acchan doing?” Sasshi nudged Takamina with her elbow.

“Acchan’s fine. And I’m not here to report about Acchan’s whereabouts.. I’m here regarding the hunter you sent in the other day.”

Rena seemed interested. “You mean the hunter that got attacked by Kumi in our organization the other day? Yea.. What about it?”



In the supermarket

“Look, Kumi-sama!! Your favourite bananas!!” Yuria who was clinging on Kumi’s right arm, pointed at a brand of bananas.

“No they’re not! Those are your favourite bananas..” Kanon pointed at another brand of bananas, also clinging onto Kumi’s left arm.

“Kyaa!!!! Insects!! Insects!!” A familiar female figure is seen hopping into another girl’s arms at the end of the aisle, gaining all three of their attention.

“Nezumi-sama.. Those are already cooked.. It’s actually a common delicacy in certain parts of the world.” The taller girl comforted the shorter one.

“It’s those hunters from Hellsing!” Yuria stated.

“Should we teach them a lesson Kumi-sama?”

Kumi smirked. “Both of you stay back.. I will have a little chat with them first..”

“Kumi-sama.. Are you sure about this?” Kanon asked in a worried tone.

“But Sayanee-sama told us not to act rashly..” Yuria sounded worried as well.

“No worries... I’m not like Umeda.. I do not resolve to physical violence...” Kumi started walking towards the end of the aisle.

Yuria stated. “That’s what we’re afraid of Kumi-sama.. Your powers aren’t physical..”

Kanon sighed. “We’re not worried about you, Kumi-sama... We’re more worried about what might happen to both the hunters.”



Back in the ward

“You mean the hunter that got attacked by Kumi in our organization the other day? Yea.. What about it?” Rena seemed interested.

“He’s dead..” Takamina went straight to the point.

“What!? What happened?” Rena was surprised.

“He committed suicide..”

“Why would he do something like that!?”

“I’m not sure either.. He bit his own tongue off..”

“He went all crazy as soon as he regained consciousness. He started saying weird things before he bit his own tongue. I have never seen any case like this before..”

“He must be crazy enough to bite his own tongue off..”

“The only time someone will be as crazy as this is if he’s very desperate to end his own life.”

“What did he say before he died?”

“His last words were ‘nothing’ and ‘empty’.. Any idea what it means?” Takamina looked confused.

“Nothing and empty... Doesn’t ring any bell.” Rena looked confused as well.

Takamina held onto Rena’s shoulder, startling her. “An advice for you guys.. Do not fight against that Kumi... I’m not sure what she did to the hunter. But whatever it is, she has the powers to make someone literally go crazy. Going up against her might mean suicide..”



Chapter 24 - Where did she go?
END