Chapter 18: Episode 4 : Mors Mirabilis Sed Crudelis (Part 1)
Night had fallen over the city, the sky blanketed in darkness. The stars twinkled faintly, only to be swallowed one by one as thick clouds rolled in, covering the heavens like an ominous shroud. A distant rumble echoed across the skyline, followed by a sudden flash of lightning that momentarily illuminated Tokyo's towering buildings.
The wind howled through the streets, growing stronger with each passing moment. A few scattered raindrops tapped against the windows, signaling the storm's arrival.
Inside the warm glow of Unus Café, Ezakiel sat comfortably, his gaze fixed on the city beyond the large luxury window. His fingers lazily stirred the coffee in front of him, the silver spoon clinking softly against the porcelain cup. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the faint sweetness of sugar blocks dissolving in the dark liquid.
With a sigh, he finally spoke, his voice calm but slightly annoyed.
"Tell me… why did you call me to Unus Café at this hour?"
Sitting next to him was Miyuki, dressed in simple yet elegant clothing. She wore a plain white full-sleeve shirt with black buttons, a fitted half-coat layered over it, and a pink full-length skirt adorned with subtle frills. A leather bag hung from her left shoulder, resting gently against her side.
"It is a very important matter…" she said, her tone serious.
Ezakiel exhaled sharply, letting the spoon slip from his fingers and clatter onto the table. His crimson eyes flickered with mild irritation as he leaned back in his seat.
"Is it really that important that you had to call me all the way here in this kind of weather?" he questioned, glancing briefly at the stormy sky outside. Raindrops now trailed down the window in thin, winding streams. "Couldn't you have just told me over the phone instead?"
Without waiting for an answer, he lifted the cup to his lips, taking a slow sip of his coffee before setting it down with a quiet clink.
"I wish I could have told you over the phone, but this is something I need to say to you face to face," Miyuki said, gripping her coffee cup tightly. Her fingers curled around it as if seeking warmth or comfort, but after a moment, she let out a heavy sigh and loosened her hold. A tense expression clouded her face.
Ezakiel noticed the shift in her demeanor. His crimson eyes studied her carefully before he spoke.
"Then tell me what it is. I'm all ears," he said, lifting his cup to take another sip. "It better be worthwhile."
Miyuki hesitated for a second before finally saying it.
"I think I'm pregnant."
Ezakiel took another sip—only for the words to register halfway through.
The next moment, coffee sprayed from his mouth as he choked, his breath catching in his throat. He coughed violently, his body jerking forward as lightning flashed outside, briefly illuminating the shocked expression on his face.
"You… you… you think you're pregnant?" he stammered, his voice shaking, his wide eyes locked onto Miyuki.
"Yes," Miyuki confirmed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "And you… you're the father."
Ezakiel stared at her, his mind scrambling for words. Then, without another word, he pushed back his chair and stood up.
"Give me a moment," he muttered, his voice almost robotic, before turning on his heel and heading straight for the men's bathroom.
....
Damn it!
Ezakiel mentally screamed in frustration as he crushed the steel toilet paper holder with his bare hand, the metal groaning under his grip. His face darkened, his crimson eyes turning cold and unreadable.
Why did this have to happen now?
He already had enough on his plate—manipulating Rin, evading the magical girls, and growing stronger to achieve his goals. And now, on top of everything, he was expected to take care of a child?
No. He wasn't going to carry this extra burden.
It's time to get rid of Miyuki… and this unwanted child of mine.
As the thought settled in his mind, something shifted. A strange sensation crawled through his left hand. His gaze flicked downward, and his breath hitched.
His hand—no, his flesh—was gone. His fingers had turned skeletal, the bare bone exposed like a grotesque reminder of his true nature.
Panic surged through him. He had lost control. His powers had activated involuntarily.
This is bad.
He quickly forced his body to revert, the skeletal hand regaining its normal, human appearance. But the damage was done—his slip-up could have consequences.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears as tension and fear gripped him.
There was a very real chance that the magical girls had sensed it.
And if they had… they would be coming for him.
...
Returning to his seat, Ezakiel snapped his fingers, signaling for a waiter.
A young woman approached with a polite smile, her eyes lighting up as she recognized him. "Oh, welcome! It's great to see you here again."
Ezakiel barely acknowledged her enthusiasm. "Yeah, thanks. Anyway, can you get us two crab and shrimp dishes along with steamed rice?" He then glanced at Miyuki before adding, "I'll cover the bill." His gaze shifted back to the waitress, dismissing her with a nod.
"Right away, sir," she replied before walking off to place their order.
Miyuki watched her leave, then turned to Ezakiel. "Do you know her?"
"Personally? No," he answered flatly. "She just knows me because I'm a regular here."
"I see... So what will you do now?" Miyuki asked, her tone careful. "Will you take care of the child, or do you want to drop it?"
Ezakiel felt a cold, cruel thought rise in his mind. Not only do I want you to drop it—I want to kill you as well, just to make sure you don't accidentally tell someone else.
But he couldn't say that. It would draw unnecessary attention.
"Keep it," he said instead, forcing his voice to remain steady. "It's my child, after all." He gave her a small, unreadable smile. "Though, what about you?"
Miyuki placed a hand on her stomach, her eyes softening. "I want to keep it as well."
"I see…" Ezakiel muttered, though internally, he sighed. Annoying.
Still, he was curious. He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. "What would you have done if I told you to drop it?"
Miyuki's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Well, in that case, I had already made up my mind," she said, meeting his gaze. "I would have told everyone about our little sleepover in the school infirmary… and about our child."
"Thank goodness, you don't have to do that," Ezakiel said, offering Miyuki a small smile. But in his mind, a much darker thought followed. Well, you won't be alive to even tell anyone else.
He was going to kill her. Not just kill—he was going to make sure she suffered.
But before he could dwell on the details of his plan, a voice called out from behind him.
"Oh? Isn't it Ezakiel?"
His body stiffened. The tone was too familiar. Slowly, he turned his head and immediately regretted it.
Standing there, just a few feet away, were Tsumi, Mari, Yonoshita, and Emawari.
Are you kidding me?! His thoughts screamed in frustration. Why did all four of them have to show up? Do they really see me as that big of a threat? This is overkill!
He quickly tried to regain his composure, keeping his expression neutral, but the faint sweat forming on his forehead betrayed him.
"Well, well," he said, leaning back slightly in his seat, fingers tapping against the wooden table. "Didn't expect to see all of you, Tsumi. And who are they?"
While he already knew them—after all, they were the other main yandere characters of the story—he couldn't just admit that. That would make them suspicious of him.
And trust him, each one of them was just as messed up in the head as Tsumi, if not worse. They had all done perverse and twisted things, each in their own way.
Tsumi smiled, gesturing toward the first girl. "This is Mari."
Mari had a habit of using magic to manipulate the emotions of ordinary people, forcing them into incestuous relationships just for her own amusement. Watching them struggle and break under her influence had become a newfound hobby of hers—one among many. Her twisted sense of entertainment had ruined countless lives, but to her, it was just a game.
"And this is Yonoshita," Tsumi continued, motioning to the next girl.
She had an unnerving fascination with collecting abandoned children and turning them into dolls, convinced that this was the only way to preserve their innocence. It was borderline pedophilic in nature if he really thought about it, though, to be clear, she wasn't an actual pedophile. Her obsession stemmed from deep-rooted trauma—her younger sister, once a sweet and innocent girl, had fallen into a gang due to bad influences, and Yonoshita had never been able to accept that loss.
"And lastly, we have Enwari," Tsumi said, introducing the final girl.
Enwari was different. Mysterious. The author had been deliberately vague about her character, only hinting at her twisted nature. What was known, however, was that she enjoyed something deeply unsettling—something that made people do unwanted and non-consensual things.
Which was not honestly surprising, considering just how utterly messed up the author himself was.
Ezakiel recalled an interview where the author admitted that, if it weren't for the strict guidelines imposed on him, he would have made these girls even worse. According to him, the versions in the series were "saints" compared to what he had originally envisioned.
Just the thought sent a shiver down Ezakiel's spine.
"I see, nice to meet you all," Ezakiel said with a polite nod.
"Nice, nice," Yonoshita replied, her sharp eyes scanning him before shifting to Miyuki. "But what are you doing here with the school doctor?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone.
Ezakiel didn't miss a beat. "She's actually a good friend of my father. And mine as well," he added smoothly. "She's like an aunt to me, and I decided to treat her to a nice meal here since she's always been so kind."
"Oh, really?" Yonoshita narrowed her gaze at Miyuki.
"Yes, that is true," Miyuki said with a composed smile.
Yonoshita studied her for a moment before shrugging. "Okay, if you say so."
Ezakiel decided to turn the conversation away from himself. "Anyway, what are you four doing here together?"
"We decided to wait here until the rain lets up," Mari answered casually.
"Ah…" Ezakiel nodded, feigning indifference.
Just then, four waiters approached his table, carefully placing down the dishes he had ordered. Two more followed behind, carrying steaming bowls of rice. The rich aroma filled the air, making the meal look even more inviting.
Mari raised an eyebrow, eyeing the spread. "Oh… pretty expensive. You must be quite the rich guy."
"You could say that," Ezakiel said with a small smirk before gesturing toward the table. "How about you four join us?"
He glanced at Miyuki, who gave a subtle nod of approval.
"Really?" Mari asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, and if we need more food, I'll order extra," Ezakiel assured them.
Mari grinned. "Well, I don't know about the others, but I'm definitely in."
"What about you three?" Miyuki asked, her gaze shifting to the others.
"I think we need a moment to decide," Enwari said, folding her arms. "Unlike Mari, we're not quite as shameless."
"Hey!" Mari protested, pouting slightly.
Ezakiel chuckled. "No, no, it's fine. I wouldn't have offered if I minded."
Yonoshita smirked. "Jeez, if they're insisting this much, then it'd be impolite to refuse, wouldn't it?"
Tsumi and Enwari exchanged glances before nodding at each other. Without another word, they took their seats at the table.