Scripture of the Sealed [5] #CreativeAward2025 #EntertainmentOriginalWorkCategory

Summary of previous episodes (Episode 4)
Ritsu, under his control, cannot resist Orikasa, who toys with her through both kindness and cruelty. Seeing the shadow of the Great War in his vulnerable side, she gently covers him with a blanket. Is it aimless hatred or projected love that breathes in this closed world?

5 Hidden in the Cipher

“Ah, it’s time for the letter.”

A low voice descends the stairs, and he inserts the key into my lock. Even without doing things like this, there is nowhere for me to go.

It feels strange to be sitting at the desk in my room, which I have grown accustomed to. Perhaps it is because that cold gaze is fixed upon me from behind, where he sits with his legs crossed.

I pick up the provided stationery, exhale softly, and set my pen to paper.
Mr. Sawada seemed to have noticed the hidden intent behind my French literature quotes. He had written something to the effect that my quotes were beautiful, though he could barely read them.
I was thinking of words to embed in the next quote to record the newly acquired information.

* * *

Orikasa sometimes shuts himself in the study at night, and at those times, he is always comparing bundles of newspapers with documents. That was information in the hands of the German military.

One night, I was told to go to the room first, but since Orikasa didn't come, I thought he might have fallen asleep in the study again. I went down, and just as I gently opened the study door, our eyes met.

“What is it? Are you lonely without me?”

He asks in a tone that suggests he doesn't think so at all. Then, his sharp eyes stare fixedly at me.

“Or do you want to read this? ...Come here.”

When I go to the desk where the lamp is lit, Orikasa quickly grabs my waist and makes me sit between his legs.

He then leans on his elbows. With his other hand, he takes a pipe out of his pocket. The one with the strong scent he smokes from time to time. I instinctively turn my face away from the pipe and lean toward his elbow.

“Ah, you didn't like this scent, did you?”
It wasn't so much the scent, but the smoke that I couldn't stand. Orikasa twirled it with his fingers and put it back in his pocket.

“Not really...”
I try to continue by saying it doesn't matter, but I swallow the words.

“Can you read it?”
Whispered from behind, I look down at the desk to see a German newspaper, a Japanese newspaper, and a paper with a string of numbers written on it. Along with that, a paper with meticulous handwriting that I assume Orikasa had just been writing while deciphering.

I gently touch it and compare them. After repeating the process of quietly turning the pages for a while, I shake my head.

“I see.”

I slipped out from between his legs onto the floor. Then, I rubbed my eyes.

“Are you sleepy? I’ll be going soon. Wait for me.”

At night, I was not allowed to fall asleep before Mr. Orikasa. When I pretended to be sleepy and returned to my room, I made sure there was no presence on the other side of the door, then hurriedly wrote it down in a memo.

——Ten days from now, at 8:00 AM. Air raid.

It was an advance notice of an attack from the German army. An air raid warning had been issued for the base where Mr. Sawada and the others were stationed. On the other hand, since Mr. Orikasa was a staff officer in the Japanese army and a spy for the German army, it was also his job to leak false orders to the Japanese army.

——Continue surveillance at the border crossing point.

If they followed that order and continued their surveillance, they would be exposed to the air raid. I had already told them to be careful of Lieutenant Colonel Orikasa’s orders, but with such concrete danger approaching, I had to let them know as soon as possible.

* * *

I set my pen to paper, weaving in the information I had obtained.

Suddenly, he began to hum softly behind me. It wasn’t... a military song. It was a melody that drifted with a certain melancholy.

“Can you understand the meaning?”
He asked from behind after he finished singing.

“Yes. It’s a sad song about missing a lover who has gone to the front lines.”
It was a song that seemed to express my own feelings.

“You are truly proficient in languages. Last night, I obtained a coded message from the French army. Decipher it later.”
“Yes.”

Here, all I could do was obey. If I no longer had to write letters to him, I would likely let go of even the act of obeying and lose my life.

I no longer hold onto hopes, not at this point. If only conveying the situation of this country, if only conveying the information I know, could somehow be of use to him.
I drew a loose curve with the tip of my pen.

“Are you finished writing? Let me see.”

Seeing me put down the pen and straighten the stationery, he reached out with his large hand and took the papers from me.

Using my canopy bed as a sofa, he flipped through the stationery with his hands, still dressed in his usual military uniform.

“Hmph. I’m surprised you have so much to write about.”

Are you safe on the front lines? How was your day today? Come to think of it, I read another interesting French book. I am fine. I am always, always thinking of you and waiting for you.

It must look like such trivial content.

However, suddenly, that person returned their gaze to a single point and frowned.

“What is this?”
A question leaked from their lips.
And then, they suddenly began to hum.

It was not a German song. Certainly not a Japanese one either. It was a French love song.
It pierces my heart.

“You are keeping secrets from me, aren't you?”
A malicious face with a slightly twisted mouth draws near.

“To think you would show me such a secret letter.”
That person gripped my arm tightly. The strength, knowing no restraint, breeds fear in my heart.

“That is just words.”
I try to shake off their arm, but it does not budge, just like the lock from earlier.

“Don't lie... your voice is trembling.”

That person grabs my chin and stares deep into my eyes. Cold eyes like set glass beads in a face that is annoyingly well-proportioned.
To never let my pupils waver even while being stared at—that was the best effort I could muster.

The fingertips of their other hand trace a word on the stationery and are pressed against my lips.

“Read it.”

At that command, I shook my head slightly, my eyes wide open.

“Oh? How rare. Do you understand what it means to disobey?”
That person wore a lewd smile.

Why? They had never noticed before. They should have overlooked it, thinking words embedded in a mere love letter were meaningless.

“I understand a little of the language. Why go to the trouble of mixing in French? What are you writing?”
The fingertip pressed against my lips is pushed in. When I avoid it so as not to accidentally bite it, they probe for my tongue.

“...Ngh. Just wordplay.”

I could not say that I was mixing in a unique cipher, not even if my tongue were cut out.

That person watched me with interest and chuckled.

“To pretend you cannot read German military ciphers, only to quickly decode them and warn your lover of danger. A female spy who intercepts the words of a spy is a scary thing... Any regrets?”

I swallow hard, keeping my finger trapped between my teeth. It has been exposed that I tried to inform Mr. Sawada of the secret orders I read in the study last night.

“I see. Silent, are you? Then, let’s play a word game with me today.”

I realized I’d been robbed of my words, but it was too late. My body was on the bed I had always used. Before I could even resist, I was pinned down.

“Arms, above your head.”

Both my arms were gripped tightly, pulled above my head, and bound with the chain from earlier. Even if I couldn’t obey with words, I had no choice but to obey now.

“Now, a word game. What kind of words will you let me hear?”

I remained silent at that question and stared back into his face. Every day, it was the same cycle of being demanded and taken. There was no path other than to obey. What would this even amount to? A cold wind blew through my chest.

“Silent again. ...Ah, is that what you prefer? It was amusing when I made you stifle your voice the other day.”

At those words, my memories were suddenly dragged out, and my body stiffened.

“Now, stifle your voice. Become mine.”

Memories of being tormented long and cruelly after that first command came flooding back. Before I knew it, my body was trembling uncontrollably.

“N-no... I don’t want that. Master Orikasa.”
“It is inappropriate for you to call my name. I told you that, didn’t I?”
“Ah... Master.”

His mouth slowly curved into a look of satisfaction.

“That’s right. It’s a given that a master can do whatever he likes, isn’t it?”
My body jolted as cold fingertips traced the nape of my neck.

“If you don’t want that, then entertain me with words.”
A cold, large hand covered my cheek.

I desperately twisted my bound arms, making the chains rattle.

Just as I thought he had pressed his lips against my neck and sucked hard, he sank his teeth into me. Recalling the time he carved red marks all over my body before, I shivered.

I realized that now was the only time for the thing I had been thinking about for a while. It was clear that if the letter didn’t arrive, Sawada-san and the others would be caught in the air raid. If so.

“Let’s make a deal.”

When I said that to Orikasa-san, who had his head buried in my neck, he slowly lifted his face.

"A deal? Hmph. Interesting."
It seems I can at least get him to listen.

"I possess a unique cipher."
Orikasa-san, who was right in front of me, blinked.

"That convoluted French literature from earlier?"
"That too, but there are others. Parts you haven't noticed."
"......And?"
"Promise not to use it in Japan. If you do, I'll hand over the technology."

Orikasa-san stared quietly into my eyes, then began to chuckle.

"Doesn't sound like a very smart deal, but fine, I'll listen. What's the price?"
"Don't lay a hand on Sawada-san and the others. Set me free."
"Hmph. That's a pretty convenient story for you."
"But it's more powerful than the German military's."
I stared straight at him, glaring intensely to show I wouldn't back down.

"Admittedly, you did decipher it in an instant."
Orikasa-san made a displeased face.

"Mine isn't easily deciphered. And I can send the decryption method by letter."

Orikasa-san fell silent and looked off into the distance.

"......Very well."

I was surprised. Honestly, I hadn't expected it to go so smoothly.

"I have one condition. Formally surrender. I won't cause any harm. Write a letter to Sawada to inform him. You've already warned them to doubt my orders, haven't you?"

My eyes widened.
"......Really?"

"A deal is a deal."
"But...... for the German military......"

"It's convenient for Germany. They get the territory and don't suffer extra casualties. They just won't take the opposing Japanese troops as prisoners or impose additional unfair treaties. It will be as if there was no conflict from the start. Japan gains nothing, but loses nothing. Is that acceptable?"

I nodded firmly.

"I'll take a commission, at least."

I tilted my head.
What he pulled out was......

"Take it in your mouth."
I looked away.

"What's wrong? I've treated you quite affectionately, haven't I? Give me a farewell greeting."

A farewell. Is it really......? This man is going to set me free. But will I be able to make a living? For now, I'll follow my father's connections......

I stopped my thoughts there, timidly buried my face, and took it into my mouth.
At that moment, my hips were thrust forward, my throat felt like it was being poked, and my eyes welled up with tears. My head was held down by a hand, and it was thrust in and out as if rubbing against the inside of my cheeks.

"Look, do it like this."

This, too, would be the last time.
I served that person without knowing anything.
Can I really meet Sawada-san again with such a defiled body?

(Continued below)

A word

I don't have what's called a "slump" and can write at any time, but right now, I might be in a bit of a slump. That is to say, perhaps it's the price of writing desperately morning and night for about two months, but intense sleepiness comes over me at night. No, however, I cannot rest my pen until my overseas business trip! Although I have made arrangements for work, I haven't prepared for the trip at all, and I have just started thinking about where to go for the vacation I'll attach to the business trip.