Blades of Despair

-Chapter Fifty-Two-

Love in Time of Captivity

(Author Note: This chapter is told from Ori's perspective. The perspective will switch back to Miyagawa in the next chapter.)

Monoworth finished his announcement, his devilish cackle echoing long after he stopped talking. He had just finished explaining the motive for the next murder, but his explanation had been short, vague and greatly unhelpful.

"What do you make of this, Ori?" I turned to face the person that I had seemingly been designated to kill.

"I'm not sure, Morihei," I told the Ultimate Coleopterist. "I suppose we just have to wait here to die."

"You really think that's the best idea?" she asked me cautiously.

"Well I don't like the other option at all. I certainly won't try and kill you - I've seen what you're capable of. You can take down Nishi with relative ease, so I think it would be a bad idea to try and attack you."

"Whereas I fear your talent," she admitted with a laugh. "I should think that if I tried to kill you, your talent would stop me in my tracks."

"I guess," I said simply, not sure what my talent would achieve. "I'd rather my talent find us a way to escape here." Morihei and I had been locked inside the arts room. After waking up and getting our bearings, we swiftly decided to look for the others, but discovered that we had been locked inside. At that moment, Monoworth had revealed to us the fifth motive.

"Do you think such an escape route exists?" Morihei asked sceptically.

"I doubt it," I replied, looking at the ceiling for any blemishes that might reveal a trick to the room. "It's highly unlikely that our captors would create something so convenient." Morihei hummed in agreement.

"Are you okay, Ori?" she questioned me suddenly, a concerned look on her face. She walked up to me and pressed her hand to my head. Taken aback, my face flushed and I began stuttering.

"What are you doing?"

"You had a panic attack, remember? I'm just checking that you're not feverish or anything. Panic attacks can be nasty, so I don't want you exerting yourself, especially in our new circumstances."

"Thank you, Morihei," I said shyly. "You don't have to worry about me though-"

"Yes, I do," she interrupted me crossly. "You're solely my responsibility now. If we are truly shut away from anyone else, then it is my job to ensure you're delivered to Miyagawa and the others safely when the motive ends."

"Gawa..." I whispered. When I said his name, the room felt a lot colder. The knowledge that I might not see him again because of the new motive was a lot to take in.

"It's okay, Ori, we'll see him again," Morihei told me happily, though I could see the apprehension in her eyes. "Let's take our minds off the motive for now and do something else." I then noticed that Morihei would frequently play with her hair.

"Your hair clip is missing," I told her realising the source of her discomfort. She looked at me.

"You noticed that too, huh? It's weird, I feel almost incomplete without it," her voice was sad as she spoke. "You must be wondering why a simple accessory could hold such value, but I am serious when I say it means a lot. To be recognised by the World Entomology Association was a true honour for me, and the receipt of that hair clip was the greatest validation I could have possibly hoped to receive."

"You really love beetles, don't you?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have the right to call myself the Ultimate Coleopterist," Morihei laughed in reply. She then winked at me. "Though I don't love them as much as you apparently like Miyagawa."