The Girl Wants to Be Murdered

TL/Editor: Butter Cat

Status: 4/week mon-thurs

Illustrations: none

Join the discord! Here

* * *

〈 Chapter 41 〉 Chapter 41. Snare.

* * *

**

Find the meaning of life.

What is the meaning of the life we're living, why do we exist here, does everything in the world truly have a meaning?

The nagging of those who have never even come close to understanding it, telling us to find it.

Honestly,

"—It's boring."

Snap, I plucked a flower that had bloomed nearby.

A snowdrop, its three white petals unfurled, its stem drooping like a bell, standing out amidst the white canvas of the snow-covered field. (TL Note: Real flower btw)

Whirl, whirl, the drooping petals spun in the wind, following the movement of my slender finger.

As I let loose my finger from the stem, the flower was carried away by the wind.

It would land silently on the thick layer of snow, its short life ending without leaving a trace of its existence.

It would face a lonely death, forgotten by all.

"—Beautiful."

Life is so fragile it can be extinguished with a single touch of a child's hand, so does it really have any meaning?

Did this flower, have any meaning?

Maybe the meaning they say is embedded in everything in the world, doesn't actually exist.

It was a sight that made me think that way.

—Crunch, crunch.

"Hmm… I wonder when Sis Sia will come~♬"

That's why, people might not be able to find meaning in their lives.

Big Sis Elli, too.

Sis Sia, too.

They're all searching for a needle in a desert.

A needle that doesn't even exist.

But the day will come when they realize.

That meaning, like the white flower that will remain forever in my memory, blossoms brilliantly between one being and another.

That it's not a beautiful thing hidden away like treasure, something we can find if we just try hard enough.

That it's something we have to create.

"—I'm, really looking forward to it."

I'm just waiting for that day.

With so much, joy.

Feeling the strange texture beneath my feet as I walked across the small, pristine field, I thought to myself.

I hope everyone I know can live a beautiful life.

For the buds that haven't bloomed yet, I asked for the strength to be their warm sun that will help them blossom brilliantly.

I silently prayed to the wind.

And—

Step, step.

"You must be, Alice."

".....Who, are you?"

When a mysterious girl appeared from the depths of the forest, at the spot where Sia used to walk every day, I instinctively knew.

That the time had come, sooner than I expected.

**

It was someone I had never seen before.

A girl about Sia's age, with hair as green as fresh grass.

Sia often called me a fairy, but perhaps the real fairy was the girl before me. That's how dreamlike and otherworldly her presence was.

There's no way I wouldn't remember such a distinctive girl, I, who knew the faces and names of everyone I had met in my long life. And yet, she knew me.

How embarrassing.

'Alice'.

Very few people knew that name.

Only Elli and Sia, just the two of them.

Well, if I put everything together, the answer is clear.

She must be someone Sia knows.

"Han sent me."

As if confirming my thought, a name I knew very well came out of her mouth.

She was probably calling Sia 'Han', using her last name.

Hearing a familiar name, I, who had been standing back a little, approached her, bouncing around like a kitten who had just let down its guard.

"—Really!?"

".....!!"

Contrary to earlier when she was approaching me, she actually stepped back a little.

Feeling a slight pang of disappointment at her avoidance, I started asking her questions.

"—Sis Sia did? The pretty older sister with green hair... Ah! Then you must be Rumi, the Rumi that Sis Sia told me about!!"

"…Yes, that’s right. I’m Rumi. Sia sent me."

"Wow!"

Rumi.

The only person in the village she could trust, she had said.

Everyone in the village was bullying Sia.

Even if it was only in places hidden from others' eyes, the fact that she reached out and helped someone who was being bullied meant that this older sister must have considerable affection for Sis Sia.

It seemed Sis Sia was still oblivious.

Even though her closest friend has always been by her side, continuing to be there.

Through thick and thin, always by her side.

Sis Sia didn't realize how courageous an act that was.

She had a very small chest, and I'm not sure if it was proportionate, but she was also quite a nag— she was very much like the person Sia had described.

Of course, the person in question let out a small sigh after hearing my words, but still.

Why?

They really suit each other.

"Uh, uhm? But why are you here, Rumi? Did Sis Sia not come with you?"

"......Ah, that's right. There's something I have to tell you on her behalf."

Her green eyes looked down at me, a child with a head full of curiosity.

But the strong will contained in her eyes showed that she didn't come to me simply to pass on a friend's message, as it wasn't the kind of thing to show to a young child.

What message was she carrying that she was so determined.

I really wanted to know.

"Heehee~ What is it!?"

I smiled softly.

I felt anticipation bubbling inside me, excited about the interesting events that awaited.

It felt like my body was being filled with sweet honey.

She had come to relay a message from my one and only precious friend in this life, of course, I would listen to anything she had to say.

Yes, yes. Of course, I should.

Of course, I had to believe her.

—Even if it turns out to be a lie.

I sat there quietly, waiting for her red lips to part, my heart pounding with anticipation.

And then, the story began.

"Yesterday, Sia got hurt—"

Really?

Sis Sia, got hurt?

"She said her leg hurts, and she asked if you could come down to the foot of this mountain."

Haha.

I see.

That's, really unfortunate.

It's so sad, it almost makes me cry.

"—Eh!? Sis Sia did!! Where did she get hurt? Does it, hurt a lot?"

"...It's okay, it's not a serious injury. So, she's probably waiting for you at the foot of the mountain, to play together, right?"

With those words, Rumi extended a hand towards me.

To me, that hand looked like the open jaws of a predator, ready to swallow its prey.

A hand like a quagmire, once you step in, there's no escape.

That hand, stopped right in front of me.

A forest, is a place where life breaths.

And yet, her beautiful green eyes, reminiscent of a forest, ironically held no sign of life.

They were like a burned-out forest, shrouded in darkness.

Only a dangerous forest, holding its breath, waiting for new prey to satisfy its hunger, existed within her eyes.

It was terrifying, really.

"Umm... But, Big Sis said I shouldn't leave this mountain—"

"—It's okay. It's just down there, a short distance. We'll be there if we just go down a little."

"Uuu... Then, let's go together!"

Swish.

I slowly placed my hand in Rumi's outstretched hand.

Her hand, unlike her warm words, was freezing cold.

My body heat was being drained away by that hand..

"........"

I don't know what she was thinking, but she silently watched my hand for a few seconds.

But only for a moment.

As if gathering her resolve, Rumi bit her lip hard and gripped my hand tightly.

A small drop of blood, fell from her lip onto the white canvas of the snow.

Was that drop of blood, an apology to me?

Or was it to punish herself, for being swayed by someone like me?

Whatever it was, I silently blessed her firm resolve.

You have such a strong conviction, Sis.

You’re truly amazing.

"Heehee~"

"........"

Squeeze, our hands, clasped together tightly, wouldn't come apart anytime soon.

Two sets of footprints were imprinted on the pristine snow.

One coming, two leaving.

I wonder if the reverse, will also be true.

**

There was a small clearing at the edge of the forest.

The clearing was densely overgrown with tall trees and various plants.

Dense enough to hide people crouching low, rendering them invisible.

And in that clearing, I saw a small figure kneeling.

It was Sia.

"—ㅡ,ㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!!"

"Huh? Is that, Sis Sia over there?"

".....Yes."

A sense of unease, emanating from afar.

An unpleasant sensation, like needles pricking my skin.

A place where malice had taken form, materialized.

And in the center of it all, stood Sia.

As I walked towards her, hand in hand with Rumi, I could see why Sia was kneeling there in such an unnatural position.

A brown rope was wrapped around her entire body, and a taut rope stretched from her neck to a nearby tree, preventing her from moving.

As if she were a wild beast that needed to be restrained.

She probably didn't choose to be in that position.

Aha.

So that's what's going on.

Something interesting happened while I was gone.

Did Sia notice me too?

She lifted her head, which had been bowed, and frantically twisted her body, trying to convey something to me.

The more she struggled, the tighter the ropes binding her became, constricting her.

That sight, made me feel a twinge of sympathy.

"—ㅡ!! ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!!"

"Huh? Sis Sia, are you tied up? Why?"

"I wonder. I'm not sure either… Shouldn’t you go and untie her? Don't you, think so?"

"Hmm? Okay!!"

Rumi gently nudged my back.

I stumbled forward, glanced back at her briefly, and then ran towards Sia, my short legs working hard.

One step.

Another step.

"—ㅡㅡ,ㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!!"

The closer I got to Sia, the more frantically she shook her head, shouting something I couldn't understand.

With pleading eyes, on the verge of tears, she was desperately trying to reach me.

Unaware that, her actions only made me want to untie her even more.

Hmm?

What are you, saying?

Don't come?

Run away, quickly?

Is that what you're trying to say?

Heehee, I'm sorry, Sis.

—I can't hear you at all.

But something was covering her mouth, ropes were binding her body, preventing her wishes from coming true.

How painful, how agonizing it must have been, unable to speak, unable to move.

I wasn't a bad person who would ignore her plight.

"—Sis Sia!!"

"—ㅡㅡㅡ!!!!!"

When I reached her, Sia's appearance was a mess.

Her eyes, darting anxiously, were bloodshot, and the cloth that seemed to be gagging her mouth was dripping with saliva.

First, to free that mouth, I raised my only arm with a hand.

"—ㅡㅡ!! ㅡㅡㅡ!! ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!"

"Uh, ah? Sorry, Sis, I'll untie you quickly!!"

"—ㅡㅡㅡ!!!!!"

The tightly tied knot was too difficult to untie with one hand.

But there was no other way, so I had no choice but to try my best, I fumbled with my small hand diligently trying to loosen it.

Well, Sia's head shaking and struggling only made it harder.

Run away.

Please, turn around.

She kept pleading with me.

In Sia's eyes, I saw the reflection of a man holding a long stick, standing behind the fidgeting child.

A dark shadow loomed over me as I worked on untying Sia’s ropes.

Oh, I was worried for nothing.

The target wasn't Sia, but me.

Of course, I had expected this, but still, it was a relief.

In her eyes, I saw the stick behind the child being raised.

Higher and higher.

And even higher.

As if to say there was no room for forgiveness or mercy, it rose like it was trying to pierce the sky.

In sync with this, Sia's eyes were gradually filled with despair.

The raised stick finally reached its limit and slowly began its descent.

Bound by the laws of physics, the object fell rapidly, cutting through the air.

But the child, her hand busy untying the ropes, had no way of knowing—

—Thwack.

"Almost thㅡAAAAAh!!!?"

"—ㅡㅡㅡ!!!!"

Bright red blood, splattered like flower petals.

**

—Caw, caw.

The crow, witnessing the scene, let out a small cry and quickly spread its wings.

**

* * *