Epilogue

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Epilogue: Championship SaleThe broadcast hijack incident that shook Japan was left unsolved in the end. However, everything within the Natsugawara Group had been settled, and a few weeks later the company underwent an overnight shakeout. And as all the board members were also let go, gossip magazines starting with a faction of dilettantes and Last Week Weekly speculated of a connection between the ‘extras’ and ‘lighting’ that was mentioned during the broadcast for a time, but the truth was never brought to light.

Tamae Takioka went abroad and shortly thereafter went missing. There were rumors even within the Natsugawara Group that suggested she had been silenced. However, there were eye witness reports that came in from another country, leaving it unknown whether she was alive or dead. Fudou was currently hospitalized, supposedly from falling down the stairs during the blackout.

In short, the two casualties that came out of this case had been completely covered up - not by the baseball stadium’s executive, Ryuusei Takioka, but by the organization with more power, the Natsugawara Group. The inner workings of the team management had been entirely replaced, and under the brand new management policies the Natsugawara Serpents would begin a new path without having to affect the players.

And among those involved in the case, there was one person starting a new path as well.

♀♂

The following day after the incident, somewhere in Kanto.

“For God’s sake, Ayumi-chan! Why would you dare fight another girl and attempt to hurt her!?”

“...” The giant in the backseat curled in on himself when his step-mother in the passenger’s seat directed her anger towards him, fuming.

“But um, I was the one to attack him first...”

The one driving the car was Iroha Mayuzumi.

There was no decisive winner to their fight. When Yuuki woke up and waddled into the office only to see many injured inside, she yelled in an unbelievable large voice, snapping Usubara out of his rage,

“Stop it! Ayumi-chan! Stop fighting this instant!” “You’re fine. You did it to stop Ayumi-chan from attacking Izaya Orihara, right? Then you have nothing to apologize for!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep! So stop worrying! I'll look after you until you land your next job! You can even call me ‘mom’ if you want!”

“O-okay.”

The woman had to be around the same age as her, give or take, and yet Iroha felt overwhelmed by her. It then dawned on her.

‘Actually, I never had a mother before…’Just as sadness settled in, Yuuki proclaimed, procuring a map, “Soooo, we’re all going to travel together until we find Orihara-kun, alright!? First thing’s first, your mom wants to see that Headless Rider! Oh, and the artificial island Estusa Bridge too!” Yuuki prattled on cheerfully, unfolding the map further.

At the end of the day, Izaya had managed to escape the scene during the confusion. However, she optimistically claimed they were sure to meet again, as they had crossed paths once already, and had apparently decided to embark on adventures once more. In doing so, she brought along Iroha Mayuzumi, who was forced to leave her job. The arrangement was in effect until she found an official job, but Yuuki was currently paying Iroha part-time wages as their driver.

Usubara watched her at work and fell into self-loathing. He himself was unemployed, and yet his step-mother provided for him. And now the other female traveler was working for them as their driver. Not to mention he had gone into a blind rage and attacked the girl in that state, and so he was crippled with self-hatred - although unbeknown to him, Iroha had regarded him as strong as Sozoro.

“Hey, Ayumi-chan. If you want to be a strong person, you have to be able to control your anger, okay? Y'know, like how that important person said: train your mind, form and body.”

“...”

Usubara cocked his head quizzically, wondering if a famous person did say that. However, as it came from his step-mother, Usubara only turned more crestfallen. But then she turned to him with an unexpected, gentle smile, “...But yesterday, you only got mad when you saw I got hurt, didn’t you?”

“...?”

“I’m grateful for that! It made your mom really happy!”

Hearing her genuine appreciation, Usubara cast his eyes downward, feeling uncomfortable yet also a strange, refreshing sense of defeat he always got from his step-mother.

Iroha saw that as well and happily smiled from the driver’s seat. It was because she thought she may have the chance to experience this family-like setting. She was surprised when she heard the giant she had been fighting was Yuuki’s son. But upon reflection she realized she too was not related to her foster-father by blood, so she knew these sort of relationships could happen.

Now having been liberated from Takioka’s theater, there were many paths laid out before her. But until she decided on which path to take, Iroha was determined to walk along with this mother and her child for now.

And in this fashion, the trio’s eventful journey continues; each distortedly trained in mind, form and physique respectfully.

As long as there was the shadow of Izaya Orihara ahead.

♀♂

A few weeks later at the Natsugawara Stadium.

“Look, Izaya-san! Look! Munakata is practicing! He’s throwing the ball!”

“You sure make some rather normal observations as if they are special, don’t you? Haruto-kun.”

“But it’s Munakata! I bet he’s really awesome even when he is eating meals or reading manga! This is so exciting!”

“Thank you for such dynamic speculations. You make some really intriguing comments sometimes.”

It was daytime at the Natsugawara Stadium. Currently the baseball players were in the middle of practice, which was generally open to the public.

After everything was said and done, Izaya looked up the results for that day, curious if the player Munakata made a record, but the answer was beyond his expectations. Rumors had spread since the notorious electromagnetic hijack and the result of a certain gossip that ‘there was a bomb planted at the Natsugawara stadium’ caused the audience to panic and the game to be suspended, leaving it as a cold game at the scene where Munakata’s fourth consecutive home run in a game took place.

“Since he hit six home runs in a day that is a pretty amazing record, even though it wasn't a continuous home run...”

While thinking in his heart it was unfortunate he could not see the faces of the players and spectators the moment the game was suspended, for awhile Izaya went along as though he forgot about baseball. But then today he ended up getting pestered by Haruto, “Before I couldn’t see much, so I want to go to the baseball stadium again!” For some reason Nec came along, and as she watched Himari attending Haruto far away in the unreserved seats with the insistence that it was more comfortable, she began to talk about the case that happened the other day at this place.

“Kee hee hee. But still, vice governor Hiura is quite excessive. Who knew he was involved with the smuggling of gold and jewels.”

“And then he also said

props. So smuggling weapons as well.”

That was the secret of the Natsugawara stadium. It was a broker business using large scale deposits of smuggled goods and forbidden products at events in the baseball stadium.

‘Stage design’ were smuggled goods of gold, silver and gems. ‘Props’ were weapons, ‘lighting’ was connected with drugs, and for ‘extras’ it was human trafficking working with an illegal organization. It seemed before the stadium was built similar events occurred, so Takioka had used the interests from then and the connections of the users at that time to rise in the financial world.

“But for that scoundrel to do those kinds of things behind the scenes and kill countless people without getting arrested and just get let go, the world is quite scary, huh.”

“I think that is true, but I don’t think you or I have the qualifications to say that?”

“That’s true. Hee hee.”

Letting out a twisted laugh, Nec thought up another question and muttered half to herself.

“Actually I wonder what happened to the president Takioka when he got fired. I guess I should look later.”

There was an immediate answer.

“Right now he went to a unique place even within the Natsugawara Group.”

The voice was not from Izaya, but from a man sitting next to them in the unreserved seats.

“Well, he’ll no longer stand on the stage nor will he be able to rise up in the underground world either. During this time he might be stabbed to death by someone he angered.”

“Whoa, old man. Who are you?”

When Nec turned around, there was a strange, pretty well looking middle-aged man sitting there. He would be a bit before forty years old probably. He looked youthful, but at the same time the man had a kind of majestic aura to him.

The man slowly stood up and requested a handshake with Izaya Orihara in the wheelchair seat next to him.

“Nice to meet you, Izaya Orihara-kun.”

“Byakuyamaru Natsugawara, nice to meet you.”

♀♂

On a certain isolated island

“It’s a theater...This here is my theater...Haha, hahaha...”

With a broken smile on his face, Ryuusei Takioka continued talking to himself throughout the day.

There were people around, but no one would enter his

theater. Since they heard only his voice, sometimes the islanders talk about the man to themselves.

“Hey, that guy, what’s he grumbling about?”

“Right, that guy has always been like that, so don’t worry about it.”

“But having a toy store on an island without any children.”

“Wonder why it’s not going under. No customers go in.”

“That owner probably got into great trouble on the home land and got kicked out.”

In a shop where it was only large enough for one third of a convenience store, the owner said to a cat who wandered into the shop, “I’ll give you a role.”

It was a store titled Natsugawara Toys. In it there were no betrayal or strategy – there was just the only king continuing to immerse himself in an eternal delusion. For him, one could say this place was the perfect theater.

♀♂

The Natsugawara Stadium

“Really, you’re quite the scoundrel.”

Sitting on the pipe seat for attendants, the head of the Natsugawara Group gave a fearless smile towards Izaya.

“You dragged the case itself right outside theater whilst Takioka attempted to obtain the perfect theater and seize control of everything. In other words, you dropped even the stage into one simple stage setting.”

“Now then, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“From bombers to poison experts. It’s a good thing to have a wide range of personal connections, don’t you think?”

“...”

Izaya did not provide him an answer, so he tossed back sarcastically instead.

“Wouldn’t the scoundrel be you though? You inherited what was left of Takioka’s smuggling system after all. With the intention of making him material worthy of impeachment behind the scenes.”

“Using what is convenient is a common belief. For instance, even a mysterious courier or informant.”

Izaya asked a question to the laughing Byakuyamaru.

“...Will the business with the lighting and extras continue?”

“No, I think not. Naturally I want to do business my sons and daughter would be proud of me for.”

“You think smuggling gold and silver or smuggling weapons is something to be praised for?”

Izaya said cynically, but Byakuyamaru shrugged his shoulders and answered.

“It’s cool, isn’t it? One way or another.”

“...In the end, what is your objective in coming here? What could the ruling commander of the Natsugawara Group come over here for?”

Thinking he lost to the other man’s pace, Izaya asked the question indifferently. Byakuyamaru replied to him in an aloof tone.

“Officially I’m here for sudden stadium inspections. But upon hearing that you were here, I wanted to see the man who twisted Takioka around his finger. Depending on the circumstances, I even made preparations to win over your group. I did a lot of research on you and Candiru.”

”Is that so? Then have I measured up to your expectations?”

“Right now, I still don’t need you.”

“That’s rather harsh.”

Receiving the expected answer, Izaya shrugged his shoulders back, seemingly in relief. Byakuyamaru started to talk of

Izaya Orihara to him disinterestedly.

“You are unable to give yourself praise from the bottom of your heart. Even if you desired the recognition, it cannot be fulfilled. More than anyone, you do not want to be acknowledged as Izaya Orihara.”

“…”

“So instead you give praise to other people. More than others would.”

“Have you come to counsel me?”

Izaya chided in amazement. After Natsugawara replied with a simple, ‘that’s right,’ before he added.

“What you really want is not praise for yourself. Isn’t it the same kind of person who can applaud the accomplishments of others the same way and from the same perspective as you?“

Then stopping what he was saying for a moment, he smiled while giving a large sigh.

“Well, there’s no one like that. Not that sort of human.”

“So you came all this way just to harass me?”

“I believe I am allowed to make disagreeable remarks. After all, thanks to you the Natsugawara Group has taken terrible damage due to the decline in stocks.”

“Though I'm under the impression that driving out the Takioka siblings would be a great benefit for your company years later, correct?”

“And that is why I am not charging for reparations. Be grateful for that. I will allow it once. How about you return the favor one day.”

The Natsugawara head smiled as he stood up, beginning to straighten out his own chair. Izaya expressed insincerely.

“Well then, let’s meet again, Byakuyamaru Natsugawara-san.”

“How about you meet up with that old friend of yours in Ikebukuro before seeing me? I think you should pay a visit to that underground doctor and that lover of his after such a long time.”

“I will see my options. If I have time that is.”

After the storm had passed, Izaya muttered to himself as he leaned his body back against the back of his wheelchair.

“Really now, is that guy a hypocrite or a sly man…? Why is it that such troublesome humans gather around me?”

Izaya could perceive what Natsugawara had said without being expressly told by others. And Izaya felt alright with that. There was still no one around him that would raise a roar of applause together with him. And he understood himself that it was because of his lifestyle as Izaya Orihara. Izaya did not even consider being given an acclamation by others.

“Izaya-san! Hurry up! It looks like Munakata is practicing his batting! Let’s watch closer up. They said there is a space for even a wheelchair, Izaya-san!”

“…If you insist. Well then, could you push my chair a bit?”

“Okay~!”

Right now, not just yet.

Translation Notes:

Last Week Weekly is a magazine published by Iibane Publications, which is primarily run by Rui Otonobe – also known as Otsuberu – in Narita’s other work Wednesdays Smiling with Otsuberu (Otsuberu to Warau Suiyoubi).

For the term kassai (喝采), I alternated between translating it as 'acclamation' and 'standing ovation' throughout the whole novel based on how it was used in a sentence. There are multiple title drops, and it would be one of these two terms.

----

Translation: Kaede726

Reposts are prohibited and should be exclusive to Kaede726 on blogger.

Illustrations provided by: Soutenkyuu

Support the Official Release: Raws can be purchased at

BookWalker.jp and Amazon.jp

----

← →