Have Mercy, ■■■■, on Me 12

A few hours later, at the Tomoe manor

Nagisa: ... ♪ (watching the live)

Hiyori: ...Fufu. You’re having so much fun watching that show that you’re practically glued to the screen.

But it’s bad for your eyes if you get too close, so move back a little, okay?

Nagisa: ......Want to. Watch. Closer.

Hiyori: No way. I can’t let you have your way this time.

You have such good eyes, Nagisa-kun; don’t you think you should take care of the body your parents gave you?

Nagisa: ......Understand.

Hiyori: There you go, good boy. And keep being good even after you leave for the Ran family too, okay?

Nagisa: ......?

Hiyori: (Mm... I still feel like Nagisa-kun doesn’t quite get what it means to go live with the Rans.)

(Well, I guess I’ll keep working with him to get him to understand little by little.)

(Fortunately, the family taking him in—the Rans are all really nice people.)

(I guess there were some moments where things seemed a bit tense, but that should ease up as they spend more time together.)

(If all goes well, Nagisa-kun will become part of the Ran family.)

(...Yeah, if all goes well.)

(That suspicious person I saw that day still hasn’t been found, though.)

(Until that problem is resolved, I can’t leave Nagisa-kun with the Rans.)

(But at the same time, I’m just a normal middle schooler, even if I am a Tomoe. There’s just about nothing I could even do about this.)

(Especially when it comes to something that might lead to some serious trouble. Violence is the furthest thing from me, and I don’t want anything to do with it, either.)

(I’ll just have to leave all of that up to Brother and hope for the best.)

Now that I think about it, my head was so full of worry that I completely forgot. What even is this thing that Brother gave me?

It looks like a safe, but it’s so small it fits in the palm of my hand...

Nagisa: ......Hiyori. Live.

Hiyori: Hm? Oh, it ended without me realizing it. Well, did you have fun?

Nagisa: ......Entertaining.

Hiyori: You’ve learned another big word, haven’t you? Anyway, I’m glad you had fun.

Nagisa: ......Hiyori. That.

Hiyori: Oh, yeah. Do you have any idea what this safe might be, Nagisa-kun?

Brother said that it was hidden away in the room where they found you.

And it looks like it can only be opened with a specific key. He gave it to me thinking that you might know a thing or two about it.

Nagisa: ......Box. Important.

Hiyori: Hm? Is this safe important to you, Nagisa-kun?

Nagisa: ......Father. Important. Nagisa. Take.

Hiyori: Umm... It’s a little hard to understand that bit of Nagisa-ese.

The person you call Father is the one who locked you up in that room...

If the safe was important to that person, then can I interpret this as him giving it to you?

So in that case, does that mean what’s inside the safe is something he left behind for you?

Do you have the key to open it, then?

Nagisa: ...Key?

Hiyori: Urgh... looks like I was wrong about that.

For the time being, I’ll keep this safe for you, and maybe the key will turn up someday.

Well, anyway the live is over, so we should head off to bed for the night. You met a whole lot of people, Nagisa-kun, so you must be exhausted.

Nagisa: ......Together. Hiyori?

Hiyori: Of course! Don’t worry, we can definitely sleep together tonight.

Nagisa: ......Box, together?

Hiyori: Huh? W–wait, Nagisa-kun! That safe was supposed to stay on the shelf; why are you bringing it to bed?!

Nagisa: ......Together.

Hiyori: No way, you can’t hug the safe like a pillow! That’s so gauche!

Nagisa: ......No?

Hiyori: Definitely not!

Safes are made of very hard materials. You could get yourself hurt if you roll over onto it in your sleep.

Nagisa: ...... (looking downtrodden)

Hiyori: I don’t care how sad you look, no means no!

If you really need to keep it nearby, we can put it beside the bed, okay? Look, now it’s safe and sound.

Nagisa: ......Yes.

Hiyori: Zzz, zzz...

Mm, hnn...? What was, mm, that noise? Nagisa-kun?

Nagisa: ...No!

Hiyori: ...?! Nagisa-kun, what’s wrong?

(! It’s too dark to see clearly, but there’s someone next to Nagisa-kun!)

(Could it be the suspicious person?! How could they break into the manor...!)

Someone, help! Here, in my room! Hurry! There’s an intruder in the manor!

Nagisa: ...?!

Hiyori: Nagisa-kun?!

Hey! Get your hands off of Nagisa-kun!

(Oh! They actually did let go?)

(Ah, no, they must have heard the footsteps in the hall and now they’re trying to get away!)

You took too long to get here; they escaped through the window! Someone, go after them now!

Nagisa: ...Urgh.

Hiyori: Are you okay, Nagisa-kun?! Are you hurt?

Nagisa: ......Okay.

Hiyori: Good, it doesn’t look like you’re hurt.

Did that suspicious person really break into the manor to kidnap you?

Nagisa: ......Not. Kidnap.

......Box. Danger.

Hiyori: Huh? So the suspicious person wasn’t after you, but the safe?

I see. So then you were trying to protect the safe from them.

Nagisa: ...Yes.

Hiyori: (...We can’t afford to take our time with this.)

(The enemy is making moves to accomplish their goal, no matter what happens.)

(If we don’t settle this quickly, I won’t be able to send Nagisa-kun off with peace of mind.)

Nagisa: ...? Hiyori?

Hiyori: Don’t worry, Nagisa-kun. I’ll do whatever I can to protect your life.