Mayonaka no X Giten 19

<late chapter is late sorry~ At least 20 hasn't come out yet!>

Midnight Cross Method 19

p1: ================================
Midnight Cross Method
Story / Yamaguchi Mikoto
Art / BAREISHO
#19: The Lullaby, Death’s Melody

…Truly, what is with that child?
Oh, Sachi-kun? He is a bit off-putting, isn’t he?
Things at home must be a nightmare, too

p2: ================================
That’s not true at all.
After all, I love my brother Sachi.

Ah…

…O-Of course you do. You’re siblings.
/ What sort of sister wouldn’t say that about her brother?
[sfx]: Pat x2
Ai-chan, you really are such a good, kind girl.

p3: ================================
…No, it’s not like that.
Us being family or siblings has nothing to do with it.

I love my brother Sachi
/ as a man.

[sfx]: Eww
I knew I would get those looks.

When I spoke to Mom and Dad about this, they were very angry.
…Why can’t anyone understand?

p4: ================================
“Why can’t anyone else see how wonderful a person my brother Sachi is?” she asked.

What was that, just now? …I feel like she’s lost her head.
…

[sfx]: Hah / Pat
Saeko-san!

…Huh?!
/ What am I… This is…?
Could I have a brief moment?

We’re sorry. We forced you to tell us most everything.
/ Specifically, that you—that all of you—hated Kirishima Sachi.

p5: ================================
Which is why, when Kirishima Sachi was named suspect, no one rose in his defense.
…

I don’t have the time to berate you for that, not even if I wanted to.
But there is one thing I would like to ask.

Why do you bear Kirishima Sachi so much hatred?
/ Was there any definitive reason for it?

…Well…

p6: ================================
The boy was far too smart…
…And besides,

He was too honest.

There was a family gathering.
While everyone was exchanging hellos, Sachi-kun suddenly said,

p7: ================================
Why are you all smiling and welcoming people you don’t even like?

The air in the room froze over.
[sfx]: Ugh…
Why?

Because it was the truth.

The Kirishima clan is giant, and has existed since ages past.
Given the size, of course there’s a few feuds.
But we’re adults. What’s wrong with forcing a smile so you can get through a brief gathering?

…Yet he saw right through us,
even though he’d only just entered elementary school.

p8: ================================
The disgusting boy.

And he didn’t stop. He kept speaking as if he could see the thoughts that lay hidden in your heart.
[bottom right]: No one’s seriously listening to a word you say.
[upper left]: Why would you go out of your way to partner up with someone you hate?
Everyone’s so desperate because they want Grandpa’s inheritance, huh.

Maybe the boy was so smart that our adult facades seemed ridiculous to him.
But you know how it is.

Nothing hurts more than the unassailable truth.

p9: ================================
So as a result, Sachi grew ostracized and hated?
…Yes.

…As I recall, Sachi himself said…
/ that as long as he can remember, everyone around him had considered him odd.
…!

Hey, Kamiya-kun?
/ Could you tell me about Kirishima? Tell me everything, no matter how little.
Okay, sure.

…I think that’s about all I know.

p10: ================================
[flashbacks, right column] {
Kirishima Sachi, age 18. His was a family of five: two parents, an elder brother, and a little sister.
His grades were always at the top of the class; some even called him a prodigy.
/ He and his family got along well. They were even famous in their neighborhood for how close they all were.

I loved my family.
[sfx]: Clench


I loved my father, who was always relaxed and took things at his own pace;
/ my mother, who rarely spoke but never lacked a smile;
My brother, who was exemplary and serious to a fault;

And my sister…
/ She was a bit of a dreamer and terribly kind.
}

[bubbles, right side] {
They were famous in the neighborhood for being a close family.
/ He was interested in seeing the look on someone’s face when the person they trusted the most suddenly attacked them.
Sachi loved his entire family.
}

[bubbles, left side] {
Sachi’s cross ability is Judgement Fake, or the Novelist Who Cannot Write Lies.
Sachi said there are two personalities within AI.
/ Sachi is right handed.
}

[flashbacks, left side] {
“I did not murder your sister.

“The veracity of this letter will be confirmed by my Cross Ability,
“Judgment Fake, or the Novelist Who Cannot Write Lies.

“My ability can determine if the text is truth or deceit.”

There’s two people inside Ai…!

Hey,
/ won’t one of you lend me your body?
Then, afterwards, I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.
}

[sfx]: *Gulp*

Saeko-san, would it be all right if I asked you one last question?
G-Go ahead.

p11: ================================
Is Kirishima Sachi still like that nowadays?

…No.
/ His family must have scolded him harshly.
He began to mind his words around when he entered high school.

…I knew it.

…Kamiya-kun,
I think I might have figured out who X is.

p12: ================================
[sfx]: Shivering

What’s wrong? Why are you fidgeting?
[sfx]: Nngh / Twitch
?!

Don’t get in my face looking like that!!
[sfx]: Nyah!
[insert]: Ah, the bittersweet feelings of youth~ <3

p13: ================================
Umm… It’s a little late to ask,
/ but are you sure you shouldn’t have gone?

May I take that to mean leaving Kamiya-kun alone with Shion has given you pangs of jealousy?
DON’T FRIGGIN’ LOOK LIKE YOU’VE SOLVED A MYSTERY!!

I’m saying that maybe you should’ve gone to the crime scene to investigate!
I see.

Yet in that case, there is nothing to worry about.
/ By now, Shion’s detective skills have well surpassed my own.
…I-I see.

That is precisely why I have let her take over the business!
[insert]: I am her assistant, and nothing more.

But, well… There is one concern of mine.

p14: ================================
When Shion lets her mind focus on deductive reasoning…
she becomes blind to everything else around her.

…I have to go.
?
/ Go where?

Hey…
Class Rep!
[sfx]: Dash!

p15: ================================
She inherited that power of concentration from her father—that is, from my little boy.
It can be her greatest weapon.

Yet it is fair to say the self-same power cost my little boy his life.
Huh? Then you’re saying…?

…My little boy was a detective, same as me.

I might be biased, but I thought him exemplary.
Yet every time he closed in on the truth, he had no eyes for anything else.

p16: ================================
And one day, while the solution to a case lay before his eyes, he died in a pedestrian accident.

If there was one thing I felt for Shion at the time,
/ it was pity.
She fell mute for a while.

After all that, why’d she go on to do something as dangerous as investigative work?

Well… The girl inherited more than one thing.
What else did she get?

p17: ================================
A hatred of evil, and the heart of a hero!
[sfx]: Snap!

Oh, yeah…
[insert]: I’ll never let evil win
[sfx]: Ding!
That would be just like her.

But even so…
Hiroki—he’ll dash into things on a whim, too…

Really…
I hope they both make it back safe and sound.

p18: ================================
[sfx]: Slap
Class Rep!
Class Rep, wait a second!!

It’s… It’s hard…
To run… in this body…!!
[sfx]: Huff

[sfx]: Wheeze x2

Here it is…

p19: ================================
?!
[sfx]: Spring!

You’re kidding me…
/ C-Can I even make it in this body?
[sfx]: Hut… / Oww…

Wah!
[sfx]: Grab!
What’s going on?!

What business do you have here?!!
/ Are you connected with Kirishima Sachi?!
…Oh, the detectives on watch!

Class Rep, stop! It’s dangerous to go alone!!
[sfx]: Tah!

[sfx]: Snap

p20: ================================
And here’s the room…

If there’s any evidence remaining here…
[sfx]: Open

[sfx]: Rustle

…No good.
Most everything was taken away by the police…

…!

p21: ================================
This is…

…I knew it!

p22: ================================
Ah, it would appear you have arrived at the truth.
[sfx]: Creek

<<TL/N: Translation of the German adapted from the translation located at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiegenlied,_D_498_(Schubert) >>

Schlafe, shlafe (Sleep, sleep,)
?!
holder süßer Knabe (my dear sweet child,)

p23: ================================
Wh-What?
A song…?
Leise wiegt dich deiner Mutter Hand (Softly rocked by your mother’s hand)

--?!
[sfx]: Droop

I suddenly… feel so tired…

Such is this body’s Cross Ability: Love Lullaby.
All who hear this song will, without exception, be put to sleep.

In truth, I had intended to conclude the game upon the unveiling of my identity, but, well…
[sfx]: Tremble
Y-You… little…

With Sachi also on the move,
I find myself wanting to enjoy this scenario a short while longer.

p24: ================================
And so, while it pains me to say it,
now that you have arrived at the correct answer…

I fear this is farewell.

p25: ================================
Shion…
/ Shion.

What is it,
/ Grandpa?

Do you really intend to join me as a private eye?

Of course.

…But you know? Hiroko-san—your mother—is against it.
Think closely on the reason why your father died.

I’ll do it because my father has died.
What?

p26: ================================
My father’s just soul lives on within me. I don’t want it to die, too!

…

…I see.
[sfx]: Ruffle
…Okay.

This isn’t what we agreed to!
/ Father-in-law, you promised me you would talk her out of it!!
If something were to happen to Shion, too, then I…!

p27: ================================
Don’t worry!
/ No matter what happens, I will be sure to keep her safe.
[sfx]: Thumbs up!

…That is a surprise.
[sfx]: Huff x2
Would this be the power of the body itself?
[sfx]: Drip… x2
Or else, is it the strength of will borne by the soul currently within it?

…Very well. In deference to such a beautiful spirit,
/ I shall permit this round to end with you alone.

After all, it would seem I cannot stay here indefinitely.

Shion, no matter what happens, I will at least keep you safe.
Class Rep, I’m not willing to lose anyone else I care about.

p28-29: ================================
Kamiya-kun…?
Grandpa…?

?!

p30: ================================
…Y… You’re kidding…

Shion, promise Grandpa…
/ that you will never rush. Rushing into things will someday bring you face-to-face with danger.
Okay!

N-Nooooo!!!
[insert]: The long-awaited third volume is on sale February 27th!
[bar]: To be continued in the April issue on sale Feb. 27th!