COTE: The Quiet One Can Be Dangerous

Vol. 11.5 Chp. 1: Graduation Ceremony

'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
"...": Text to speech

The atmosphere in my bedroom was tense and awkward. Ayanokouji sat on the floor as Arisu sat on the bed, giving me space between us.

'I want answers on what's going on. What's the relationship between the two of you?'

"Fufufu. Jealous? Don't worry; you'll always be my first childhood friend," Arisu said.

I deadpanned as Arisu continued to giggle.

'Alright, I want to know how Ayanokouji and Tsukishiro know my mother and aunt?'

"I think I should start from the beginning. Do you know what the White Room is?" He asked.

White Room? I don't think I've ever heard of this place.

'White Room?'

"The White Room was founded and headed by that man," Ayanokouji said.

'That man?'

"He's talking about his father," Arisu said.

Ayanokouji nodded. 

"The purpose of the White Room is to be the most efficient place in the world for raising a human. However, not everything could be taught there as it was an institution that threw away anything unnecessary to the extremes. I'm from the Demonic 4th Generation, which had the most challenging and cruel course of all generations. I'm the best student to have ever come out of it."

As far as I understand, Ayanokouji's father and several other students enrolled him in a program. However, Ayanokouji was the only one who emerged from the program, and the fate of the other children remains unknown. I prefer not to think about what might have happened to them.

"Mizutani Kinue, your mother, worked at the White Room as a researcher," Ayanokouji said.

I said nothing and let Ayanokouji continue, "Your mother helped me a lot as she worked there. She tried to break me out of this place, but she failed. That man killed her for what she did."

Ayanokouji's father killed my mother, huh?

'What about my aunt?'

"Someone asked your aunt to help me escape the White Room."

'Who was this someone?'

"A butler named Matsuo."

Matsuo... Matsuo... Matsuo...

'Does this Matsuo person have a son?'

Ayanokouji's eyes widened in shock for the first time, "Yes... How do you know? Have you met Matsuo?"

'No, but I know his son, Matsuo Eiichiro.'

I didn't want to ask the question, but I probably already knew the answer.

'What happened to my aunt?'

"She found, but she put up a fight. She was tortured, wanting to know where you were, but she never succumbed to answer. She must have died after the torture," Ayanokouji said.

A shaky sigh escaped my lips as I buried my face into my hands. I felt Arisu's hand on my back as she began to rub it. I didn't know what to think at the moment.

I uncovered my face and asked Arisu, 'Did you know about all this?'

"I knew about the White Room because I was observing, and it was the first time I saw Ayanokouji-kun. About your mother... I blamed Ayanokouji for the death of your mother."