The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 97

Suzu shifted in their seat, nails digging crescents into their palms under the table. “Well?”

Kenjaku tipped his head. “I want to know what they have put together.” He smiled at Suzu as if they were a patient Dad that already long since figured out who broke the lamp.

Suzu froze for a beat, teeth catching on the inside of their cheek. Kenjaku’s eyes narrowed with the faintest trace of amusement, and then he nodded to himself.

“So they've begun to understand how I disobeyed the rules," he said with a small smile.

Suzu huffed, their irritation cracking through their restraint. “Can't you just— just speak clearly for once?”

Kenjaku smiled, but said nothing.

The silence pressed too heavily. Suzu groaned, shoving a hand over their buzz cut before letting it fall into their lap uselessly. “Is something stopping you? Is this another vow thing?" They asked quietly. "Would you, if you were given the opportunity?”

“I would not.”

Suzu opened their mouth to protest, but Kenjaku raised a finger, cutting them off with maddening patience.

“…But I will, when your time travelers return.”

Suzu’s chest tightened. “What— you want us to wait for who knows how long?”

Kenjaku’s smile widened and he lifted his chin. “Aren’t you bold, getting angry with me yet again?”

Suzu’s eyes narrowed, their voice low and certain. “I already said I have nothing left to be afraid of.”

Kenjaku leaned back, a faint chuckle humming in his throat. “Mm. Then, because you’ve been so loyal, I will give you a single hint — since you and yours are feeling impatient.”

Suzu’s heart gave a sharp, unwilling skip. “…What?”

Kenjaku’s fingers tapped against his teacup, calm and steady. “Tengen was the winner of our game.”

Suzu’s gaze sharpened to a knife’s edge, their voice almost a whisper. “…Master Tengen?" They stared down at their hands then back up at Kenjaku, "So then Tsukumo—"

"You're a smart one, aren't you Suzu?" Kenjaku asked, "Let's see what you can do."

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“Tell us everything, Tsukumo,” Haibara demanded as soon as Suzu walked into the room. “No more screwing around. Kenjaku told Suzu that Tengen won the game they were playing— which means you already know too, don't you? Explain it to us. Now.”

Tsukumo blinked, her hands still perched on her hips like she was about to grill Suzu herself. Instead, she smirked, shrugged, and dropped into one of the comfortable chairs in the sitting room. She crossed one leg over the other, propping her arms back over the back rest and letting her head tip back just enough to look down her nose at the others.

“Wow. Guess Kenjaku really wants to piss Tengen off, huh?” she said with a laugh. “Even I couldn’t have guessed that move. Sit down, this is gonna be a long one.”

The others — Haibara, Suzu, Larue, Miguel, Shoko, and Utahime — settled into seats as well, all eyes fixed on Tsukumo.

“As I said before, this is my fourth go-around in this life,” she began, leaning back and draping her arm casually over the chair. “Not counting the re-dos and time shifts tied to each of them of course. There have only been four full resets of the world, start to finish."