128. Everyone has their own reason for believing in something
“Yeah, that’s right. Our family is a victim of that strange religion that was founded by your father.”
It was a kind of expected development.
Atsushi knew that this series of disturbances were related to “Father’s Lake” after seeing the picture shown by Hiiragi. And if Kirishima was being targeted too, anyone could predict that the believers, or their family, were the culprit.
“Thanks to you deceiving our family, our lives have been ruined… if, if only you, if only you and your family weren’t in this world, we, everything would have been fine…!!”
The man was furious. And he wasn’t the only one. Everyone else with him must have the same thought.
They were robbed of their family. and their life was ruined. That anger and sadness created this situation.
At least, that was what Atsushi thought up until this point.
But, when he turned his gaze to Kirishima. He saw she had an amazed face.
“Haah? What are you talking about? You think you all have the right to say that?”
“”””What……?!!””””
Involuntarily, Atsushi raised his voice in surprise along with the men.
The words that came out of Kirishima’s mouth were so unexpected.
“O-oi, Kirishima. That’s a bit too much…”
“Too much? That’s not true. These people’s lives have been messed up, is just them reaping what they sow.”
Kirishima’s words were so cold that Atsushi was at a loss for words, and of course, the men’s anger increased even more.
“How can you───!!”
“Say that? That line, let me return that to you. In the first place, do you even know why those people came to “Father’s Lake”. No? I guess so.”
Atsushi frowned at Kirishima’s statement.
On the other hand, the men who had been told this looked as if they have been caught off guard, and couldn’t utter any words of rebuttal
Seeing that, Atsushi’s doubts grew bigger and so he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“……People who believe in a religion are divided into several patterns. Well, most of time, they are deceived by the religious group……but unfortunately, we didn’t do that kind of thing. Sure, we used a little special medicine for help, and it’s true that some people were injured because of it… but that’s only after they entered our place and became a believer.”
What Kirishima wanted to say was, that her father didn’t deceive or trick people into becoming believers.
“If you look for another side, they’re people who have no choice but to rely on the religion. Am I right?”
“That’s right. In the end, all the people who came to our place had their own reasons and worries. For example, domestic violence and immorality like cheating. Anything that made them feel like the victim and mistreated. Those were a lot in our place. Well, there are many more. Everyone has their own reason. But mostly it’s not because of something good.”
In modern society, and indeed in Japan today, there was little sense of people being religious. Under such circumstances, it wasn’t strange that people who chose to enter religion were mostly the ones that had some kind of problem.
“So, you mean…”
“Yes. They are the reason why their family became followers of Father’s Lake.”
While saying that, Kirishima turned her cold gaze toward the men.
Her gaze was as if she was looking at the filth of this world.
“Don’t joke with me… You brainwashed someone’s family, and yet dare to say that we are the cause?!”
“It’s true, isn’t it? Right? Fumihiro Touyama.”
“Huh? W-why did you know my name…”
“Of course, I know. I know the faces and names of my followers, as well as all their personal information. I’ve researched all the people who may come to forcefully take back or harass the believer of our religion. More so, if it’s about the idiot who has been drowning in alcohol and beating his wife. How can I forget the name?”
“……”
The man seemed to want to say something back, but Kirishima ignored it and told another man.
“The person next to you is Youhei Sasaki, right? Seriously, even though he failed at his attempt in the past, I wonder if he still hasn’t learned his lessons…? Really, idiot. He made the girl who was his childhood friend works for him, even though he knew she had a feeling for him, he flirted with another woman, and even forced her into debt. Is it so frustrating that your childhood friend became a believer of our religion and stopped listening to you?”
“That’s…”
The man tried to argue, but stopped. In the end, he didn’t say anything, just glared at Kirishima resentfully.
“And, this one here is… ara, isn’t it Houji Koike? You’re still alive? A person like you who chose to live a NEET life without working, who took your parents’ hard work for granted, and if they didn’t obey your orders, you would yell at them, is still alive? I thought you were lost in the streets after your parents didn’t care about you. You sure have the vitality of a cockroach.”
“N-n-noisy!! You’re damn noisy!! Noisy, noisy!!”
No matter how, it sounded like a child’s tantrum. Well, he had no choice but to raise his voice because he couldn’t deny it. What shameless behavior.
In both cases, what Kirishima said seemed to be true, so Atsushi’s way of thinking instantly changed.
“Well, it is what it is. So, everyone here beats other people, deceives them, and causes trouble for them. Well, I can’t say that all the believers’ families are like that, but at least, as far as I know, that’s the kind of people here… Huh? What’s with that face?”
“N-no, it’s nothing… I was just having a Deja Vu. Feels like I’ve seen this somewhere…”
While grasping the opponents’ information, cornering them… It was similar to the Chairman of Atsushi’s class.
“My father certainly did all sorts of things to get his followers to worship him. I won’t deny it. And now, I can’t say for certain that it was the right thing to do. So, anyone who was a believer, if they were to come at me, yelling I or my father was a liar, a scum… their anger, and retaliation… well, let’s say I’m prepared for it…”
After stopping for a while, Kirishima continued.
“But, at the very least, there’s no reason for you guys, who hurt their hearts and made them come to our place, to do this to me.”
Atsushi still didn’t think what Kirishima and her father were doing was right at all. They tricked people and even got them injured. Therefore, he still believed that his parents did nothing wrong to destroy their religious group.
But.
Even so, it was also true that he changed his view about Kirishima a little, thinking that her being able to take such a dignified attitude, might be something worthy of respect.
“That being said, I’ve to ask you guys one thing… if your purpose was to lure me in, why was it necessary to bring him along?”
“””T-That’s…”””
All of them muttered so.
Atsushi and Kirishima waited for an answer while frowning.
“Kyaaaa!!!!!”
But, at that moment, a woman’s scream was suddenly heard.
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Thanks for the chapter