PandoraHearts ~Caucus Race~, Vol. 1 (10 page)

Echo averted her gaze.

“Keep that face away from Echo, please. It smells like powder. Echo refuses.”

As she obstinately brushed him aside, Break, who’d somehow managed to get around behind her, clapped his hands onto her shoulders. It didn’t feel as if he was exerting much force, but Echo found herself unable to move.
“Let Echo go,”
she said. Break pretended not to hear.

“Do help us out, there’s a good girl. You’re
perfect
for the part.
”

Echo wanted nothing to do with that terrible suggestion. She tried to shake him off by force.

But then:

“Is it all right with you if a woman manipulates and wounds Gilbert-kun?” Break whispered in a very low voice, right next to Echo’s ear. He added, “This is for Gilbert-kun’s sake. Your master
would
want it as well.”

Echo flinched. It was an awful threat.

Once Vincent was involved, Echo couldn’t say no. She had nowhere to run.

“…Echo will do it.”

Echo responded with deep reluctance.

On seeing Echo cave at a mere whisper from Break, Oz looked curious, but Echo said nothing.

She only glared at Oz—the person responsible for this ridiculous idea—with near-lethal force.

Whether or not Oz was aware of the intent behind that sharp glare, he said,
“—Oh, right. I brought some cute little-kid clothes. Wanna wear ’em, Eko-chan?”

Echo most certainly did not, and said so.

However, in the end…

In the bushes, with just the bow from the outfit on her head, Echo received a detailed explanation of the plan. Then she went to stand in front of Gilbert, who was sitting on a bench in the fountain square.

She fixed Gilbert with a stare, and said with all her might, “Fa-Father…!”

The shame and humiliation were so great she thought she might die. Behind the bench where Gilbert and Dahlia sat, Oz and Break peeked out from the bushes and flashed thumbs-up at her: “Good job!” Both wore smiles so bright it made Echo want to murder them.

Gilbert seemed dazed and distracted, more than surprised. When Dahlia said, “Father?” and looked from Echo to Gilbert
and back, he leaped up from the bench as if he’d been stung and began scanning the area.

Oz and Break had already retreated into the bushes, but Echo could still feel their eyes on her. She thought she could hear Oz saying, “Go, go, Eko-chan!”

Echo stomped down on her feelings, deciding to get this humiliating farce over with as quickly as possible. Then, in a manner that was actually rather grand, she pointed at Dahlia sharply.

In a perfectly flat monotone, she said, “Father, who is this lady? You’re toying with another woman, aren’t you?”

Dahlia only blinked, stunned.

Looking at Gilbert with a perfectly blank face, Echo told him, “Don’t make any more poor little kids like me.”

With an expression as though he’d just suffered memory loss, Gilbert sat down on the bench with a thump. Dahlia looked at Gilbert. She seemed concerned, and she said something to him, but Echo didn’t catch what it was.

At this point, Break had told her, she was supposed to pretend to cry with all her might, but Echo knew there was no way she could manage something like that.

She was at her limit. There was a lot more to the plan she’d been given, but she skipped all of it and went straight to the end. As the final blow, she said:

“Stupid Father.”

She’d been told to scream it on a sob, but she just delivered the line in the same flat monotone. Then she walked away.

There is no way Echo will ever be able to report this
, she’d thought.

“…And that…also happened.”

She’d been forced to report all of it.

Echo had never had a hope of deceiving Vincent.

After hearing her out, Vincent laughed:
“Heh-heh-heh.”
It was a thoroughly amused laugh.

He laughed for a good while, then said, “I see. That sounds quite entertaining. Did you enjoy yourself…?”

“…No.”

“To think he’d use
me
to play with
you
. I mustn’t let him get away with that.”

His tone was indifferent, but the words carried a clear tinge of enmity: A negative emotion strong enough to make Echo shiver involuntarily.

“No, I really can’t let him get away with that. Playing with my ‘things’ without my permission… Isn’t that right, Echo? Don’t you agree…?”

Vincent tossed Echo a question she couldn’t possibly answer. Echo lowered her gaze to the floor in an attempt at escape and stared, silently. She thought he might press the issue, but Vincent seemed to lose interest in her almost immediately. He looked up at the ceiling and muttered, “I see…”

Then, with a significant smile: “He’s meeting her again tomorrow, hmm? —I may just stop by to play, too…”

From his gaze, he seemed to be anticipating something.

A big full moon peeked through the window of the apartment.

Gilbert had taken Oz back to Pandora a few hours ago, and now he was alone in his room.

He was sitting up in bed, smoking a cigarette.

As he exhaled smoke, he thought to himself, heavily:

…That was a day and a half.

The attack of the cross-dressers. The sudden “Father” assault.

He was used to Oz and Break’s terrible pranks, yet he felt completely wrung out. What had Dahlia thought during her day with him?
…Still
, Gilbert thought. He remembered how she’d been during the “illegitimate child” fiasco, and after Echo had left.

For a little while, Dahlia had seemed speechless, but at last she’d smiled.

“You’re surrounded by all sorts of entertaining people, Gilbert-sama.”

The words could have been taken as biting sarcasm, but he was confident that Dahlia’s had been honest and straightforward.

When they parted at nightfall, Dahlia spoke to Gilbert.

“I really…enjoyed this whole day, Gilbert-sama.”

“No, I’m sorry about all the… I’m sorry.”

“No, I mean it. I really did have fun. It’s nice to leave the house and spend time with other people, isn’t it?”

“…Thank you for saying that.”

Although he didn’t put the rest into words, Gilbert felt as if she’d rescued him.

After a day like that, he’d fully expected to hear complaints or grievances.

He’d offered to escort her home, but Dahlia had refused.
“Only…”
She looked at Gilbert; she seemed to be on the verge of saying something.

“If you don’t mind, could we meet again?”

“Huh?”

“Just as friends, I mean.”

He hadn’t been expecting that. However, he thought, he’d done nothing but cause her trouble the entire day, and thanks to Oz and Break, she’d gotten pulled into all sorts of weird
situations. …And had he thanked her and apologized to her enough? He felt he hadn’t even begun.

He had to thank her properly, he thought.

Above all else…

There was a part of him that was rather pleased with the idea of seeing Dahlia again. Even as he noted that particular aspect of himself with surprise, Gilbert answered,
“Sure.”

“Oh, I’m so glad. I was sure you’d turn me down.”

As she spoke, Dahlia put a hand to her chest in relief.

They’d decided to meet the next day, at the same place and time as today.

Tomorrow, he’d have to make sure Oz and Break didn’t interfere.

“Come to think of it…”

Gilbert glanced out the window. He thought about what Oz had been like, when they’d parted after he took him back to Pandora.

“Oz seemed…a bit different somehow.”

A big full moon shone through the bedroom window.

It was three in the morning.

As Dahlia lay in bed, her eyes blinked open, and she sat up in one smooth motion. She opened the curtains and looked out. Outside the window, moonlight streamed down over the elms. She watched them for a little while, fixedly, as though confirming some shape; then she pushed back the covers, lowering her feet to the floor.

Slipping a cardigan on over her nightclothes, she crossed to the door that opened onto the hall.

Just as her hand touched the knob, there was a knock at the door.

At the same time, from the hallway, a rasping voice spoke: “—Black Widow.”

At the voice, Dahlia flinched, and a shiver ran down her spine. “…Yes,” she answered, hoarsely.

“What are you doing? The gathering is well under way.”

“I’m sorry, I…”

Dahlia glanced back at the window.

“No excuses. You may be sure a fitting punishment awaits you.”

“…I understand.”

“Hurry. The Great Mother is expecting you.”

At those words, Dahlia opened the door.

…But no one was there: Only darkness lurked in the hall. It was as if it had always been that way. Not even the ghost of a presence remained. For a little while, Dahlia gazed into the darkness, accustoming her eyes to it. At last she sighed.

“Gilbert-sama,” she murmured. “I’m sure you’ll…”

Letting her words trail off in midsentence, Dahlia disappeared down the hall.

The next day.

“The same place and time as yesterday… How very stodgy of you, Gilbert-kun.”

Break spoke from the shadows of the bushes in the park.

It was a little before noon. Gilbert stood waiting, alone, at the spot he and Dahlia had decided on yesterday. Oz was
sitting on the grass beside Break. The two of them had followed Gilbert to the park again.

“Uh-huh,” Oz responded, listlessly. He was sitting with his back to Gilbert, as if he didn’t want to see.

“—?”

Break glanced at Oz.

“What’s
wrong
, Oz-kun?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing.”

Oz ducked the question. Break said “Hmm…” He seemed to be pondering something. Oz stared blankly up at the sky. It was a beautifully clear day, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Even so, as Oz looked at it, his expression seemed vaguely glum.

“Oz-kun. Mistress Dahlia seems to be late. Gilbert-kun is fidgeting.”

“Huh.”

“You don’t seem very interested in this today.”

“—That’s not it…”

At Break’s words, Oz changed positions, glancing in Gilbert’s direction.

Beyond the gap in the bushes, far away, Gilbert stood, obviously waiting for someone.

He seemed a bit restless; he was glancing down at his pocket watch, concerned about the time, and searching for Dahlia, and looking into the distance.

Letting his gaze rest absently on Gilbert, Oz muttered, “So. Gil.”

“???” Break cocked his head, perplexed by Oz’s murmur.

“What sort of woman do you think he likes?”

Oz’s words had been quite casual. “Hmm,” Break said. “Well, I expect he’s not comfortable with ‘strong women.’ Our Gilbert-kun is
quite
the pushover, you know.”

“He sure is.”

“He’s not much good with talkative women either, or women who wear flashy clothes. …I’d assume he’d be interested in the opposite sort.”

“—But the Dahlia lady was exactly like that.”

Oz thought back.

Yesterday, he’d come into close contact with Dahlia. The woman had seemed slender, fragile, and modest. When he’d seen her and Gilbert standing next to each other, he’d even thought,
They look good together.

“Let’s meet again tomorrow,”
they’d promised when they parted.

Gilbert had said the socialization issue had been shelved. He’d said Dahlia hadn’t been interested in the first place, either.

It was probably the usual story: Dahlia’s parents had pushed the deal through on their own. …Yet even so, they were meeting again.

What did they mean by it?

A completely physical relationship with no illusions on either part… No. No way. Couldn’t happen.

Not even if the world turned inside out.

Oz was well aware that Gilbert wasn’t the kind of person who could do something like that. If Gilbert
did
somehow manage it, Oz thought he’d actually be impressed, in a way.

If it wasn’t that, then what was it?

Of course, although they were master and valet, Gilbert could do anything he wanted in his private life.

It’s nothing I should be criticizing, but —

As Oz thought, next to him, Break gave a small snort of laughter.

Oz sent a hard, sidelong glance at him.

“What…?”

“
Noooooo
, no, absolutely nothing at
all
.”

Break had a shameless smile on his face.

“That’s really annoying.”

“Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh…”

“Uwah, this old guy is seriously creeeepyyyy…”

Oz lobbed an insult at the smirking Break, but he was aware that he was fumbling a bit.

Those requests for permission to socialize with Gilbert.

Those were something Gilbert had experienced during that ten-year blank, the years Oz knew nothing about.

His valet-baiting hobby wasn’t the only reason Oz had gotten involved in this anti-socialization strategy. There’d been a kind of delight in it, as though he was getting to interact with the Gilbert from those missing ten years.

But. Still.

“Gil, are you getting married?”

He’d only meant to tease him a little.

“…I might. If I did, I’d prefer a lady like her.”

Gilbert’s expression had been sullen when he said that. Oz thought he’d probably just been rising to the bait, accepting the fight Oz had picked with him. In that case, he should have just been able to wolf-whistle and make fun of him. Instead, for a moment, he’d found himself speechless.

Ever since then, his heart had been full of something murky and uncomfortable.

Oz’s gaze dropped to the grass at his feet.

Just then:

Tunk.

As Oz sat lost in thought, Break tapped him lightly on the forehead with a loose fist.

On reflex, Oz looked at Break; he was clearly annoyed. There hadn’t been any pain, but he rubbed his forehead anyway.

“I
told
you, Break, don’t tease me.”

When Break spoke, although his voice was still teasing, there was something thoughtful in it.

“You’re an intelligent boy. Buuut…”

“—”

“…I see you’re still clumsy when it comes to yourself.”

Break spoke as if he’d seen through everything, and Oz tried to come up with some kind of retort. However, before he could:

“Well, now. What do you suppose Gilbert-kun is up to?”

As if drawn by Break’s words, Oz looked in that direction.

Gilbert had just given up on waiting for Dahlia and begun walking. He seemed to be headed out of the park.

“Planning to go to the Garland residence, I’d wager,” Break said, and Oz nodded.

Dahlia still hadn’t appeared, and he probably intended to ask after her at her house.

As he gazed at Gilbert’s profile, Oz muttered, “…Gil looks really upset.”

…Has something happened to Dahlia?

As he headed for the park gate, Gilbert thought. It was easy to imagine that something might have happened. Dahlia’s father, the head of the Garland family, had engineered this request to socialize; Gilbert had turned it down, and Dahlia had accepted his refusal. Dahlia hadn’t been interested in the idea in the first place, which had saved Gilbert and ended the matter. Yesterday, they’d killed plenty of time together before they parted, just in case, but…

There was no guarantee that Dansen, the head of the Garland family, had accepted the situation quietly.

When Dahlia had returned home, she might have been forced to shoulder the blame somehow.

Dahlia had been charged with the duty of joining her family to one of the four great dukedoms. However, she had not done so, and on top of that, she’d planned to meet a member of the Nightray family again as a “friend.” On learning of this, Dansen might have forbidden his daughter from going out.

If that was the case, what should Gilbert do?

It’s my fault, not hers! I’ve got to tell him that…

He couldn’t see her socially, let alone marry her. There was no changing that, no matter how nice Dahlia was. He didn’t know how much good it would do for him to go to the Garland residence when he’d already reached that conclusion.

…Even so. This time, he had to tell them clearly, by himself, without flinching.