The next day, Naoki showed up at school normally, Ayato worrying about his friend asked him, Naoki sighed, and explained to him that he just felt worse, he didn't want to tell Ayato the whole truth, because his lie about Misaki Fujioka being alive had eroded his trust in Ayato.
Besides, he didn't want to tell him that he had talked about searching for weapons caches, he understood that Ayato might be horrified, he didn't know unlike Misaki Fujioka that Naoki already had blood on his hands.
Naoki went to the school's library after the last break, in search of a map that would help him possibly track down the location of the cache.
While reading the map, Naoki suddenly heard the sound of a door opening - it was Mei, who wanted to have a conversation with him.
- Muneyoshi-kun.
- What?
Misaki looked at him accusatively; she had some suspicion that his awakening from the coma might have had something to do with Ohba's suicide.
- Answer me honestly, do you have anything to do with Ohba's recent death?
- No, I don't have anything.
- I have something to confess to you, however, I will only do so if you give me your letter to my sister.
- I don't care much, I won't give you the letter.
- In that case, I have another request.
- I am listening
- Can you stop investigating Misaki's death?
She died of leukemia, for nothing else, moreover, her death, would not benefit anyone.
Besides, I should be the one entitled to possible revenge, not you.
Naoki, after thinking for a while, finally spoke up.
- You don't believe in any other scenarios do you?
It may be convenient for you, but don't worry I won't take away your right to do so.
I am only investigating.
- In that case, tell me, did you discover anything?
Naoki fell silent, thinking whether to tell Mei the truth or lie.
Lying was a convenient option, however, on the other hand, there was the possibility that he would gain Mei into his plans.
- What if you found out that the involvement of third parties in your sister's death was not just a theory, but a fact.
Then what would you do?
Mei began to ponder Naoki's question, just as she was about to answer, Kouichi entered the library.
- Oh, hey Mei, I was looking for you.
Kouichi also spotted Naoki.
- Hi Muneyoshi-kun.
Naoki completely ignored Kouichi and left the library, putting the map of the area back on the shelf.
"I wonder why he needed the map." - thought Kouichi.
- Did you want something from me Kouichi-kun?
- Are you doing something on Christmas?
- No, nothing.
- You know, we could go out together somewhere...
Mei smiled slightly.
- Are you asking me out?
Kouichi blushed slightly.
- In a way...
- I'll see if I want to, I'll let you know.
- Okay, by the way, may I ask what topic you discussed with Muneyoshi-kun?
- Are you jealous?
- N..no! I'm just curious, because you talked alone on a topic, moreover, Muneyoshi-kun had a map with him, I thought it was a little strange.
- He just had it with him, he only asked me about Misaki.
Kouichi felt slightly guilty for bringing up the subject of her sister for Mei.
- Oh sorry, I shouldn't have asked.
Mei sighed sadly.
- I don't blame you for that, if I were you, I would be surprised myself if I saw someone like me with Muneyoshi-kun, and a map in hand.
Naoki went to meet Ayato, and wanted him to convince his sister, Yuka Anju, to give Naoki a ride to Yamegawa.
Naoki hated asking anyone for help, especially indirectly.
Naoki, however, decided to weave this in in the middle of their conversation, so that it would not be the original purpose of the conversation with Ayato.
- Ayato, I have a request for you.
- Huh? I'm listening.
- You would ask Yuka if she would give me a ride to Yamegawa.
Naoki avoided eye contact, he hated such situations, especially since it might seem to Ayato that Naoki was taking advantage of Ayato's kindness.
- No problem, it just so happens that Yuka and I will be heading this way...
We are going to Tokyo, also we can take you with us.
- Oh, really? Thank you.
- You're welcome, and by the way, why do you want to go to Yamegawa?
- I wanted to see the ruins of the former seat of my clan.
- Oh I see, you've never been there before?
- I don't remember, I have some recollection however I was a small child at the time, I don't remember much from that period.
- This is natural. heh
- Naoki went to meet Ayato, and wanted him to convince his sister, Yuka Anju, to give Naoki a ride to Yamegawa.
Naoki hated asking anyone for help, especially indirectly.
Naoki, however, decided to weave this in in the middle of their conversation, so that it would not be the original purpose of the conversation with Ayato.
- Ayato, I have a request for you.
- Huh? I'm listening.
- You would ask Yuka if she would give me a ride to Yamegawa.
Naoki avoided eye contact, he hated such situations, especially since it might seem to Ayato that Naoki was taking advantage of Ayato's kindness.
- No problem, it just so happens that Yuka and I will be heading this way...
We are going to Tokyo, also we can take you with us.
- Oh, really? Thank you.
- You're welcome, and by the way, why do you want to go to Yamegawa?
- I wanted to see the ruins of the former seat of my clan.
- Oh I see, you've never been there before?
- I don't remember, I have some recollection however I was a small child at the time, I don't remember much from that period.
- This is natural. heh
- What time should I be there tomorrow? If Yuka agrees?
- I will call you.
- I understand.
Naoki continued his conversation with Ayato showing a slightly friendlier side to him, when asked by Ayato why Naoki was so staid and cold earlier, to which the latter replied that he must have gotten used to it well after awakening from his coma.
The next day, as it was a day off, Ayato called him, told him that his sister - Yuka had agreed.
Naoki left his house, and started heading towards Ayato's house, soon getting there
He got into Yuka's car and talked with her and Ayato for a while.
After reaching Yamegawa, Naoki headed toward the river, which was 4 kilometers from the village.
Once there, Naoki began looking around at the remains of the place described by Kiyoshi.
So he decided to walk across the frozen river, and after climbing onto the sheet, he stomped a few times with varying force to test the hardness of the ice.
He managed to cross the river, and walked along it looking for a spot.
After two hours, the sun began to set slowly, when Naoki finally found a small, strange hill, it was at the other end of the river, so Naoki crossed it a second time, however, this time the sheet of ice did not hold Naoki and he fell into the freezing water, in this water he began a fight for life which he won, however, he was soaked, and the cold air made him even frostier.
After getting out of the water, he approached the knoll and started digging, using a flashlight, it took him another hour before he found and dug a way out, then opened the entrance.
Inside were various weapons from World War II, as well as two skeletons with their skulls shot through, Naoki took a Mauser C96 and also some ammunition for it.
However, dusk had fallen during the return.
The side from which Naoki was returning was on the opposite side of the river, which Naoki decided not to go through.
Instead, he walked ahead - on the principle that he would eventually get somewhere.
He walked like this for several hours, until he spotted the lights - it was a road.
He reached it and headed in the direction where, according to his senses, Yomiyama was located.
After an hour, a car stopped by him - it was Yukiyo
- Are you Naoki Muneyoshi?
- Naoki looked at the woman, reflexively reaching for his gun.
- Yes?
I am Yukiyo Misaki - I am the wife of your uncle - Koutarou Misaki.
Yukiyo, seeing Naoki's drenched and freezing clothes, was slightly troubled.
- Do you need a ride somewhere?
- I won't refuse.
Naoki got into the car, and Yukiyo drove off in the direction of Yomiyama.
- Supposedly you go to class with my daughter Mei.
- Yes, that's right.
- Do you get along with each other?
- I think so.
- That's probably a good thing.
Naoki, not being in the best condition, was also not very talkative, Yukiyo noticed this, so she also avoided conversation.
- Do you live in Urasawacho?
- Yes.
After a while they both got there, Naoki thanked his aunt and went back to his house, quickly changed clothes and went to bed warming himself with a quilt, he was on the verge of hypothermia, before going to sleep, however, he took the gun and ammunition out of his clothes and hid them in the cabinet, the next day he was going to test the condition of the gun, however, he woke up with a high fever.
His illness lasted a week, the new year was getting closer, the day before returning to school he decided to meet Ria Hironiwa, who called him.
They met at the Yomiyama Mall located in Akatsukicho.
Afraid of overhearing the conversation, Ria suggested using a different language.
-Sprechen sie Deutsch?
(Do you speak German?)
- There are a large number of people in Yomiyama who understand German, it is the same risk as with English conversation, I would prefer French.
Ria sighed slightly annoyed by Naoki's excessive caution.
- J'ai de nouvelles informations sur "lui"
(I have new informations about "him")
- Pouvez-vous nous donner plus de détails ?
(Can you give me more informations?)
- You could make him like you
- In what way?
- You have quite a girlish face, if you changed your hairstyle a bit no one would recognize that you are not a woman.
Naoki confused and somewhat embarrassed, stopped.
- And that's why you wanted to talk in German?
- You suggested French yourself!
- I thought it was something more important, but I think I understand what you mean, can you elaborate?
- Vous devez faire semblant d'être une fille timide et timorée, et vous présenter là où Kenshin apparaît souvent, quand il est à Yomiyama.
Vous pouvez alors trouver un moment inattendu pour l'éliminer.
(You have to pretend to be a shy, timid girl, and show up where Kenshin often appears, when he's in Yomiyama.
You can then find an unexpected moment to eliminate him.)
- I'm not promising that this will work.
- Do you have a better idea?
I'll add that raiding the house where me, my father, Kenshin and my other younger brother live is out.
- And shooting him with a sniper rifle?
- Too much risk for failure.
- There is really nothing faster and more... practical?
Or you are just fooling around
Ria got irritated, her plan was no joke, Kenshin was lowering his guard against his female peers, and younger. The plan to assassinate Kenshin by impersonating Naoki as a young woman made sense.
- No, I'm not kidding myself!
Kenshin is stupid enough to be fooled by this, moreover he would suspect nothing...
Naoki looked around at himself, and around looking to see if anyone had overheard the conversation.
Ria noticed this and realized that, first of all, she was speaking the quiet part out loud, and in Japanese.
- Damn...
- Ria...
- Yes?
- Have something to defend yourself with.
- Yomiyama is a fairly quiet town... I see no reason for me to...
- Trust me, I think you might need it.
Besides, let's get out of this shopping mall.
Naoki and Ria walked out of the shopping mall, Naoki looked back from time to time to see if anyone was following them, after exiting the mall onto the street, Naoki looked around again and stopped.
- Someone is following us?
- I haven't noticed, although I have some bad feeling.
- This is probably the first time in history that someone from Muneyoshi cares about Hironiwa.
Naoki as revisiting their families' historical past was annoying to him, he replied in a reluctant voice.
- We live in modern times, where no one cares about anyone's name, at least those ordinary people who either know nothing, prefer not to know, or pretend not to know.
Besides, all we have in common is a common enemy.
- Ria blushed slightly, realizing the slight departure from the main topic of their conversation.
- I'm not suggesting anything!, except that I'm a little older than you, I'm 18 and you're 15.
- In fact, I'm 16, and I'll turn 17 in February.
- You are 16?
- Long story, nevermind I must go.
- See you later then..
Naoki strained his eyes before finally going his way, Ria noticing this thought someone was watching them so she went another way, however Naoki saw something completely different from the theoretical stalker.