The Escape II

'I need to do whatever I can to make sure they reunite.'

Kira Maaya's route seemed to be a lot safer than the one she found. When she saw the girl, Rikka felt a sense of hope that she hadn't in a long time. She knew even if the girl disliked her, she would help. How did she know that?

'They may act like that towards you, Rikka-san, but you know they are all very kind people. They treasure me so dearly and would do anything for my sake. But they will not lose their morals and ignore somebody in pain even if they made me suffer.'

Sometime before things became hostile between her and Lila, they had that type of conversation. Or rather, Lila-san showed up on her doorstep with a cake apologizing for Kira Maaya's behavior.

Haruka was placing kisses on her shoulders, and she shuddered. "Sophia, tell him to stop."

The blonde-haired woman laughed. "Why would he stop when he is having such a good time?"

"Please anymore and I-"

Sophia sighed deeply. "You're far too weak, cousin. I thought you would have better stamina after sleeping with countless men." She trailed off. "Well, I suppose that is enough. I wouldn't want Haruka to break you. It would be no fun if you lost your consciousness like him."

"No fun?" She repeated when Haruka got off her.

"How can I see you suffering if you lose consciousness? I want you to be fully conscious of what is happening to you." Sophia's gaze dimmed. "You see, my dear cousin, this was the type of life I was living this entire time. In contrast, you were laughing away in that big mansion wearing nice clothes and receiving a good education. I was reduced to a beggar simply because my father's mistress disliked me and kicked me out of the house. I was born under a good household, but I still became a street rat."

Rikka sensed the hostility behind each word and clenched her fist.

"You knew that, but each time we met, you made it sound like nothing was happening."

'I only did that because I didn't want to remind her. I wanted her to feel happy, even if it was only during the duration of her visit. But perhaps I should have confronted her about it.'

"I truly detested you, but I could tell you felt some form of compassion for me. So I used you to make my way back into the disgusting elite ranks gradually. After I made a name for myself, you no longer had any use. I intended to get rid of you, so I could take your title, but then you confessed to me how you have never been with a man." Sophia laughed. "It was entertaining how you confined in me like we were close."

'That's because I thought we were.' However, she sensed Sophia's resentment as a child. After each visit, the girl gradually warmed up to her, so naturally, she didn't suspect her.

"I only intended for Haruka to sleep with you that one night. But he seemed very smitten with you. Each time we met up, he kept slipping you into our conversations. It was frustrating, but then I realized something. Instead of getting rid of you, I can use you to control Haruka. You still had a purpose."

So that was the reason why. From the very start, Sophia tricked her. How naive. If only she noticed sooner. Rikka felt her eyelids slowly drop.

"You and Haruka can spend some quality time together; for the next few days, I won't be around."

…..

For the first three days, Rikka decided to stay put.

"Sophia will be gone for a few days. So we don't have to do anything."

The man who was holding her wrist stopped pulling her. But his eyes showed no signs of life, and he did not speak. Rika bit her lip. She was struggling not to cry.

'How long has it been since she last heard his voice?' Rikka knew she should have gone with him last time. What kind of things did they do to him?

This is the only way--- today, she has to find a way for them to escape. She has to get him to safety at the very least. 'Even if I don't make it out, Haruka has to.' But can he function alone? The answer is no.

Rikka felt very troubled by this. She more or less saw the path Kira Maaya was talking about. But there is no way the current Haruka can get through it. No wonder the girl seemed hesitant when she mentioned taking Haruka along.

Kira Maaya's medication gradually boosted her strength, but she could not make it too obvious. So she still allowed herself to get a few beatings. It depleted her strength, but Rikka knew this was the perfect time to get out of here.

'During lunch, the security is rather relaxed. They take their lunch hour at an unusual time, at approximately forty past two in the afternoon. So those who want to escape will try to do so during a normal hour and get caught right away.'

Rikka quickly put on the cloak Kira Maaya gave her and turned to Haruka, who was half-clothed. 'Right his clothes, he doesn't have many. They make him have sex all day, so in Sophia's words, he doesn't need clothing.' Rikka scanned the room and found it.

It was amongst whatever belongings she still had, a plain hospital gown; it was the one she wore when she was in the hospital before they kidnapped her.

"It will be a tight fit, but make do with this for now."

Haruka didn't reply, and Rikka quickly got him changed. She placed the cloak around his shoulders and took his hand as she opened the door.

There were no guards, but she could not let her guard down. This entire underground chamber is made of darkness. Rikka would not know what to do if a darkness creature appeared here. She shook the thought out of her mind as she continued following the path Kira Maaya laid out.

Turn left, and then right.

Her thoughts broke off when she suddenly spotted somebody and quickly hid behind the wall. Her heart beat sped up when she realized it was one of the successful evolved individuals who took the drug. A man with ginger-colored hair, he had two other guards with him.

"This seriously blows; what is this sudden guard the gate shift?"

"It is Miss Sophia's orders."

At that comment, Rikka flinched. Could it be that Sophia knew? Then what about Kira Maaya- Rikka shook her head. No, she can't turn back now.

"Let's go on the other side. I doubt anybody will waltz through the main gate."

Rikka used the moment they turned their backs to go through the large gate. But Rikka underestimated how heavy the gate was; when she turned it, it made a large creak.

The man in the center turned around and exclaimed. "Ah? Rikka-chan?!" His gaze fell on Haruka, and then a serious expression appeared on his face.

Her face color turned pale when she saw that, and she felt her legs turn wobbly. She was very familiar with this man because he was one of the people Sophia made her sleep with at the start of her captive.

Although he appeared to be the friendly gentleman type, she knew how twisted his mindset was. Her thoughts broke off when Haruka pulled her towards him and took something out of his cloak. It was a silver-colored gun with a rose emblem; no, it had the Terashima family mark.

Is that Lila-san's gun? 'I think I have seen that with her before.' But why does Haruka have that? Rikka didn't get a chance to say anything since Haruka fired the gun. To her surprise, bullets didn't come out but smoke instead. It created a large enough fog for them to escape through the gate.

Rikka found herself following Haruka as they ran through the forest. She felt her heartbeat speed up.

'Haruka only reacts to you.' Is there still something left?